Retractations and not reuoked But Cerberus purpose was craftily to cause all that would harken vnto him to estéeme both Caluin vs as most arrogant heretikes that wyll not sticke to compare one of our time with that auncient Father and to accept his iudgement without either reason or learning directly against the iudgement of him whom al the Church of Christ hath these many hundred yeres worthily reuerenced For who séeth not that Cerberus can not be one of those Gospellers that do accompt Caluin to be fully sufficient in auctoritie to encounter with Austen sith he writeth so bitterly against all thē that eyther write or preach that that Caluin hath in writing most euidently proued and defended Yea he alleageth Austen against Caluins doctrine and woulde seme thereby to triumphe ouer him and all that be of his minde As for the place that he cyteth out of Caluin I leaue for Cerberus to seke out at his leysure and when he hath founde it to note where it may be sound◠But I beleue it will be harde for him to find in Caluines workes that sentence in those wordes Cerberus There remaineth then as before I promised briefly to note those thyngs which I thinke worthye to be reproued about the doctrine of Predestination as it is now a dayes taught of many Wherin least I should seme to speake without assured grounde and bicause wordes in preaching in talke or disputation wherof I haue heard great abundance in thys matter may rashly passe with small aduisement and eyther easely be denied or soone forgotten I am determined to touch nothyng but their very wordes whych are set forth in Print And bicause the taking and aunsweryng of their whole bookes were a matter long and tedious being commonlye stuffed on the one side wyth an heape of opprobrious and outragious wordes against such priuate persons as they take in hand to write agaynst and on the other side filled rather wyth obscure subtelties than wyth plaine affirmations I haue thought it best therfore to take certayne sentences whych contayne manifest affirmatiōs out of diuers late printed Englyshe bookes wherein the summe and effect of this doctrine which manye doe for iust cause mislike is fully plainelye and simplye declared Crowley Nowe Cerberus beginneth to growe to the performance of his promise in noting those things in the doctrine of predestinatiō now preached as seme to him mete to be reproued And by the way he will not taunt vs but thus he sayth that in preaching talking and reasoning wordes may passe vs rashly and with small aduisement and be either easely denied or sone forgotten Wherfore he will touche nothing but that which we haue written and set forth in Print Well contented but yet I would Cerberus should knowe that we neither preache talke nor dispute with such rashnesse or small aduisement but that we are able and will by Gods helpe stande to all that we haue spoken therein and he is able to charge vs withall As for the outragious wordes that we vse towardes them that we write against shalbe found modest inough when they shalbe compared with the words that in this hys aunswere he vseth towards vs. Let him therfore procede in noting those things that he misliketh Cerberus I reade in an Englyshe booke set forth by Robert Crowley and entituled the confutation of .xiii. Articles c. these wordes Adam therfore beyng so perfect a creature that there was in him no lust to sinne and yet so weake that of himselfe he was not able to withstand the assault of the subtile serpent no remedye the onely cause of his fall must nedes be the predestination of God Thou seest dearly beloued in the conclusion of this sentence one point declared wherin the controuersie doth consist For where he plainlye affirmeth that Gods predestination is the only cause of Adams fall which is the sountayne of all sinne other hauing a much more reuerend opinion of God and of hys holye predestination do set their fote or rather their heart and soule agaynst their sayd conclusion Estemyng it far better to be torne in manye thousande pieces than to thynke or say that Gods fore-ordinance or predestination is the cause of any sinne or euil I besech thee let not thine eies be blinded or thy minde musfled wyth malice eyther agaynst the one partie or the other but in the ballāce of vpright iudgement waye the difference The one sayth as in this conclusion manifestlye appeareth and as afterwarde yet more plainly he affirmeth that the predestination of God is the onelye cause of Adams sinne and so consequently of all euill The other affirmeth directly contrary That God or his predestination is the cause of no sinne or euyll but the only cause of all goodnesse and vertue And herewyth agreeth the holye and diuine Apostle Sainct Iohn in hys Epistle saying All that is in the worlde as the concupiscence of the fleshe the lust of the eyes and the pride of life is not of the Father Al good things that are in the worlde are no doubt of God our heauenly Father but whatsoeuer in the worlde is concupiscence lust sinne euill or wickednesse the same is not of God our heauenlye Father S. Iohn doeth piainly and precisely affirme The lyke playnenesse vseth also the holye man Iesus the sonne of Sirach in these wordes Say not thou it is the Lordes fault that I am gone by for thou shalt not doe the thing that God hateth saye not thou he hath caused me to go wrong for he hath no neede of the vngodlye The verye same thing is plainely declared in these Scriptures folowyng and in other places almost innumerable Psal 5. Pro. 19. Ieremie 7. 19. Oseae 13. Iob. 34. 36. Rom. 7. 1. Corin. 14. Iacob 1. Exod. 34. Deut. 5. 2. Reg. 14. Psal 81. 144. Prou. 1. Sap. 1. 2 11. 12. 15. Eccles 2. 18. Esay 5. 30. 55. 65. Lament Iere. 3 Ezech. 18. 24. 33. Ioel. 2. 4. Esdr 1. 2. 7. 8. Math. 23. Act. 17. 1. Timoth. 2. 4. 2. Pet. 3. The same sayth Austen also plainely in these wordes Non ergo casus ruentium nee malignitatem iniquorū neque cupiditates peccantium praedestinatio Dei aut exitauit aut suasit aut impulit sed plane praedestinauit iudicium suuin quo vnicuique retributurus est pro vt gessit siue bonum siue malum quod Iudicium futurum non esset si homines Dei voluntate peccarent Neither the falles of them that fall nor the wickednesse of them that be wicked nor the luste of them that offende hath the predestination of God eyther prouoked moued or compelled but without doubt he hathe forcordeyned his iudgement wherby he will recompence euerye man according as he hath done whether it be good or euyll the whiche shoulde be no iudgement if men did sinne by the will of God Crowley I do acknowledge that this English booke that Cerberus saith he hath read was of
sheading righteousnesse euerlasting lyfe by his resurrectiō According to y e saying of Paul Traditus est propter delicta nostra resurrexit propter iustificationē nostrā He was deliuered vnto death for our sinnes and he rose againe for our iustification But Cerberus and his fellowes do vrge the vniuersall signe Omnes All. Sicut per vnius delictum in omnes homines in condemnationem sic per vnius iustitiam in omnes homines in iustificationem vitae That is Euen as by one mans fault sinne entred into all men to condemnation so by the righteousenesse of one man is righteousenesse entred into all men to the iustification of lyfe This vniuersall signe muste néedes streatche it selfe to all Adams posteritie and therfore all muste be made righteouse by Christ These men will not see how suche vniuersall signes are vsed in the Scriptures They can not perceiue how this vniuersall signe shoulde in the first sentence streatche it selfe to all the generation of the firste Adam that sinned and in the seconde sentence to all the generation of the seconde Adam which is Christ The generation of y e first are all that haue or shall be borne of fleshe and bloud and the generation of the seconde are al they that be borne of God If we shoulde in all places of Scripture streatche this vniuersall signe all so farre as Cerberus doth streatche it here we should make as good a piece of worke as y e Nonne did which reade in s Paule Omnia probate proue all things And therefore hauing a minde to sir Iohn the Chaplen of the house she proued what it was to lye with a man And being with childe the matter came to the knowledge of the Abbas she excused hir selfe by Saint Paule who biddeth vs proue all things If a théefe that taketh another mans goodes shoulde excuse himselfe with Omnia mihi licent I may doe all things or Omnia vestra sunt All things are yours It would not be founde that these vniuersall signes should either make it léeful for him to take another mans goods or to haue right to that that is not hys by some iust title I woulde wishe Cerberus and his fellowes therfore to weigh this matter better before they triumph ouer vs in such sort as he doth in this his aunswere And I woulde wishe him to consider well whether saint Austen in the Epistle where these Articles of Pelagius be written do not write cleane contrary to this iudgement of his For in the very place that he citeth to make for his purpose S. Austen sayth thus Infantes nuper nati non sunt in illo statu in quo Adam fuit ante praeuaricationem vt ad ipsos pertineat quod breuiter ait Apostolus Per vnum hominem mors per vnum hominem resurrectio mortuorum Sicut enim in Adam omnes moriuntur it a in Christo omnes viuisicabuntur Vnde sit quod Infantes nō baptizati non solum regnum coelorum verum etiam vitam aeternam habere non possint That is Infantes that be lately borne are not in that state that Adam was before he sinned that that thing which the Apostle doth in fewe wordes affirme might partaine vnto them By one man came death and by one man came the resurrection of the deade For euen as in Adam all dye so in Christ shall all be made alyne Wherby it commeth to passe that Insants which are not baptised are not onely vnable to enioye the Kingdome of Heauen but also lyfe euerlasting These wordes me think are very plaine against that which Cerberus would maintaine by Paule and Austen For if Infants vnbaptised can not haue the kingdome of God nor euerlasting lyfe how doth this saying In christo omnes viuificabuntur All shalbe quickned in Christ pertayne to all the posteritie of Adam vnlesse he will say that Infantes that dye before baptisme be not of Adams posteritie Better matter can I not wishe for against Cerberus than that which hangeth to the foundation that he himselfe buildeth vpon It were for my purpose to aduaūce the auctoritie of this Epistle bicause it helpeth me very much against this Hel Dogge Cerberus but bicause I woulde not haue the Reader to conceyue such an opinion of S. Austen as to thinke that he shoulde be of such minde as the Auctour of thys Epistle doth shewe himselfe to be in certaine pointes I will cite the iudgement of Erasmus concerning thys Epistle all other of this title That is Ad Bonifacium To Boniface Speaking of y e Booke of Epistles wher in this Epistle 106. is written he saith Nonnullae simplicitor confictae quod genus sunt illae Bonefacij ad Augustinum Augustini ad Bonifacium Some of those Epistles saith he are altogether fayned As are those of Bonifacius to Augustine and of Austen to Boniface Now iudge gentle Reader what this Cerberus meaneth that leauing the good and sounde workes of Austen where he writeth very well of this matter setteth his foundation vpon such rotten patches as some such as he is haue put forth in Austens name No maruell though Cerberus be ashamed to set his name to his booke This might suffise for our defence against Cerberus his assaulte in thys point But I will adde one Scripture or two and so the iudgement of some learned writers that he take not occasion of a new calumniatiō because I promised more than I haue yet performed Saint Paule writing to Timothe in his seconde Epistle and seconde chapter sayth thus Sed firmum fundamentum Dei stat habens signaculu hoc Cognouit Dominus qui sunt sui The foundation of God standeth firme and sure hauing this sure seale The Lorde knoweth who be his By which wordes it is manifest that S. Paule vnderstoode not that all mankinde were elected in Christ and so restored by Christ but a certaine number which though they be vnknowne vnto men yet doth the Lorde whose they be knowe them well and will not suffer them no nor any of them to perishe Wherfore he exhorteth all such as call vpon the name of the Lorde that is all Christians to depart from iniquitie For in a great house saith he there be not only vesselles of Golde and Siluer but also of Timber and Earth some to serue for honorable vses and some for vile vses I knowe how some doe wrest these latter wordes of S. Paule to proue that it is in mans power to depart from iniquitie bicause Saint Paule doth will Christians so to doe And especially those wordes which followe which are these Si quis ergo emund iuerit se ab istis erit vas in honorem sanctificatum vtile domino ad omne opus bonum paratum If any man therfore shall clense himselfe from these men he shall be a vessell sanctified vnto honour and profitable for the Lord being prepared and made readie for euery good worke These wordes do manifestly declare
occulto intus sunt constat ille hortus coÌ„clusus fons signatus puteus aquae viuae paradisus cum fructu pomorum That is There be also some of that number which doe yet liue wickedly either doe lye in Heresies or in y e superstitioÌ„s of the Heathen and yet the Lorde doth euen there knowe who be his For in that vnspeakeable foreknowledge of God many that séeme to be without are within many that seme to be within are without That inclosed garden therefore that sealed fountaine that pyt of springing water and that paradise of the fruite of Apples doth consist of all those that be inwardely secretely within if I may so speake And againe the same Austen saith in the .xlv. treatise vpon Iohn Et oues vocem eius audiunt proprias oues vocat nominatim Habet enim nomina eorum scripta in libro vitae Proprias oues vocat nominatim hinc dicit Apostolus Nouit Dominus qui sunt eius That is And his shéepe heare his voice and he calleth his owne shéepe by name For he hath their names written in the Booke of Lyfe He calleth his owne sheepe by name Hereof commeth it that the Apostle sayth The Lorde knoweeh who they be that he hys What shoulde I cite any moe places of this Auctour for this purpose If these will not satisfie Cerberus let him barke still tyll his throte be horse I knowe these may satisfie all that be not wilfully blinde For in three seuerall places S. Austen hath cited these wordes of S. Paule The Lorde knoweth who be his euen in the same sence that I haue done One other Scripture I will cite also which is written in the .xvij. of S. Iohns Gospell The wordes were spoken by our Sauiour Christ himselfe in that Prayer that he made to his Father the night before he suffered and they are these Non pro mundorogo sed probus quos dedâ—sti mihi quia tui sunt I doe not praye for the worlde sayth Christ but for those that thou hast giuen vnto mée bicause they be thine And that Cerberus may know what is ment here by the worde Worlde he shall sée what S. Austen writeth in his 107. treatise vpon Iohn concerning this text Mundum vidt modo intelligi qui viuunt secundum concupiscontiam mundi non sunt in ea sorte gratiae vt ab illo eligantur ex mundo non vtique pro mundo sed pro hijs quos ci pater dedit rogare se dicit Per hoc enim quod cos illi pater iam dedit factum est vt non pertineant ad cum mundum pro quo nore orat Deindâ— subiungit Quia tui sunt That is He would now haue vs vnderstande that those men be the worlde which doe liue according to concupiscence or luste of the worlde and are not in that state of grace that they might be by him chosen out of the worlde He doth not therfore say that he doth pray for the world but for them that his father gaue vnto him For by that that his father hath already giuen them vnto him it commeth to passe that they pertaine not vnto that worlde that he prayeth not for And after this he addeth Bicause they be thine If Cerberus were not to obstinately blinde he coulde not but see and confesse that S. Austen is full against him For what other cause doth s Austen alleadge why those that Christ prayde for were not of the worlde but onely that the Father had giuen them vnto him And what cause doth he alleadge why Christ might not choose them out of the worlde that he prayed not for but onely that they were not in that state of grace or mercye that they might be chosen out of the worlde And the text it selfe might persuade any man but Cerberus and his felowes that there is a number that be not restored by Christ For woulde Christ denie to praye for any of them y â— are restored by him I trowe not But to bring Cerberus from Hell gate if it will be I will cyte yet one place of S. Austen wherein he speaketh as plainely as any man can deuise to speake concerning this matter In his first booke that he writeth of the deseruings and forgiuenesse of sinnes and of y â— baptisme of Infants we reade thus in the .xv. chapter Ob hoc etiam dictum est omnes omnes neque enim qui generantur per AdaÌ„ ijdem ipsi omnes per ChristuÌ„ regenerantur sed hoc recte dictum est quia sicut nullius carnalis generatio nisi pâ—r Adam sic spiritales nullius nisi per Christum Nam si aliqui possent carne generari non per. Adam aliqui regenerari s 〈…〉 tu non per Christum non liquide omnes siue hic s 〈…〉 ibi dicer tur Eosdem autem omnes posteannultos dicit Possunt quippâ— in aliquare omnes esse qui p 〈…〉 ci sunt Sed multo 〈…〉 â—bet generatio carnalis multos spiritalis 〈…〉 multos haec spiritalis quam illa carnalis Verunt 〈◊〉 quem 〈…〉 dum illa omnes habet 〈…〉 s sic ista omnes iustoâ— homines Quia sicut nemopraeter illaÌ„ homo sic nemopraeter istaÌ„ iustus homo in vtrá 〈…〉 multi After S. Austen had sayde that it is not the only imitation of Christ that can make a man righteous but the frée mercy which doth regenerate by the spirite so is it not the imitation of Adam only that maketh vs sinners but the punishement which engendreth by the fleshe he addeth the wordes aboue in Latine which are in Englishe thus For this cause also is it said all and all for not the same all y â— are begotten by Adam are by Christ regenerated But this is well sayde that euen as the carnall generation of no man is otherwise than by AdaÌ„ so is the spirituall generation of no man otherwise than by Christ For if there might be some men begotten in the fleshe and not by Adam and some men regenerated in the spirite not by Christ we might not say plainely all either in the one place or in the other And afterwarde he doth saye that the same all are many for 〈◊〉 some certaine thing those which are but fewe may be all But the carnall generation hath many and the spirituall hath many also although this spiritual haue not so many as hath that carnall But yet for all that euen as that hath all men so hath this all iuste men For as without that no man is a man euen so without this no man is a 〈…〉 st man and in eche of these are many Now let Cerberus and his fellowes bark at Austen For he hath made the same interpretation of S. Paules wordes that I haue made before Whereby it is manifest that that Epistle that Cerberus buildeth vpon is not Austens owne but fained by some such as Cerberus is and put forth in
my writing I acknowledge also that Cerberus hath cited the wordes truely euen as I wrate them But that I ment by them as Cerberus doth conclude vpon them I vtterly deny For he concludeth that I haue affirmed that Gods predestination is the onely cause of all euill Whiche I neuer ment to teache neither do my wordes duely considered giue any occasion of such conclusion I graunt my words might haue bene more explaned and my meaning set forth more at large and all occasions of suche calumniations cut off if I had sene that before I wrate that booke whiche I thanke my Lord God I haue sene since Wherfore I minde by the help of God to do that now y e I was not so well able to do then that the Reader may perceiue that I haue with Austen profited in writing My words that Cerberus citeth are these Adam therefore being so perfect a creature that there was in him no lust to sinne and yet so weak that of him selfe he was not able to withstande the assault of the subtile serpent no remedie the only cause of his fall must nedes be the predestination of God Cerberus findeth no fault with any of these wordes till he commeth to no remedy And then no remedy I must be condemned as one that affirmeth Gods Predestination to be the onelye cause of Adams sinne and so consequentlye of all sinne But I haue not saide that Gods predestination was the onelye cause or anye cause of Adams sinne My wordes be that Gods Predestination is the onelye cause of Adams fall Nowe Cerberus can not sée howe Adams fall may be good and therefore he sayeth that it is the fountaine of all sinne and that to be the cause of that fall is to be the cause of all sinne But suche as haue eyes to sée do sée that as Gods predestination is the cause of Adams fall so Adams fall is good For it is the meane whereby God hath shut vp all vnder vnbeliefe that he might haue mercye on all And the meane whereby the Scripture shutteth vp all vnder sinne that the promise which is of the faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to the faithfull I write therefore now as I wrate before in my Consutation of Shaxtons Articles that for asmuch as there was in Adam nothing to moue him to sinne for lust to do contrarie to Gods wil was not yet entred into him Sathan the enimy had no power then neither hath anye power yet ouer anye creature of God further than God doth limit and appoint him it must nedes followe that the only cause that Adam was assaulted ouerthrowen by Satan was the predestination of God which is euer all one with his vnsearcheable will counsel The fall of Adam thus considered neyther is nor can be counted sinne for it is the performance of Gods purpose whiche is euer good although vnsearchable by mans feble vnderstanding And yet I do not denie Adams fall to be sinno in Adam himself for it was Factum cōtramandatum Dei A dede done contrary to the commasidentent of God And so it had a cause in Adam himselfe which was the power of his wil whereby he consented to y e enticement of Satan who vsed the woman as his instrument therin Of thys will and the power therof Sainct Austen writeth thus De libero arbitrio lib. 3. Cap. 18. Cum autem de libera voluntate rectè faciendi loqui 〈…〉 de illa silicet in qua homo factus est loquimur When we speak of the will that is frée to do wel we speake of that will wherein man was made And againe in his booke De natura gratia Cepite 43. speaking of man he saith Quis enim eum nescit sanum inculpabilem factum libero arbitrio atque ad iustè viuendum libera potestate constitutum Who knoweth not that man was made found vnblameable and that he was ordeined with frée choyse and frée power or libertie to liue righteously And againe in his boke De Correptione gratia Cap. 11. Istam gratiam non habuit homo primus qua nunquam vellet esse malus sed sanè habuit in qua si permanere vellet nunquam malus esset sine qua etià m cum libero arbitrio bonus esse non posset sed eam tamenper liberum arbitrium deserere posset Nec ipsum ergo Deus esse voluit sine sua gratia quē reliquit in suo libero arbitrio quoniam liberum arbitrium ad malum sufficit ad bonum autem nihil est nisi adiuuetur ab omnipotenti bono quod adiutorium si homo ille per liberum non deseruisset arbitrium semperesset bonus sed deseruit desertus est Tale quippe erat adiutorium quod desereret cum vellet in quo permancret si vellet non quo sieret vt vellet The firste man had not thys grace whereby he shoulde neuer be willing to be euill but yet he had that grace whereby he might haue bene alwayes preserued from euill if he would haue continued therin and without which also he coulde not by frée will be good but yet he was able by frée wil to forsake it God therfore would not haue him to be without his grace whō he had left in his owne fréewill For fréewil is able inough to do euil but to do good it hath no power at al except it be holyē by the almightie goodnesse which helpe if that man had not by fréewill forsaken he shoulde haue bene good for euer but he did forsake and was forsaken For the helpe was such that he might forsake it when he woulde and suche wherin he might remaine if he woulde not such whereby it might come to passe that he should be willing By these places of S. Austen we maye see of what minde he was concerning the frée will of man before his fall It was suche that hée mighte consent to what hée woulde But the grace to be willing to consent to nothing but that which was good was not giuen vnto mā that man might haue experience of the power of his own will and so for euer after ascribe al the glory to him that worketh all in all The cause of Adams fall therfore euen by the iudgement of S. Austen of whome Cerberus maketh suche boast was not in himself For God had fore appoynted that by that meanes man should haue experience of hymselfe and so learne to trust in one stronger than hymself But the cause that made his fall sinne was in himselfe For he did willinglye consent to the perswasion of his wife who also had in like maner consented to the persuasion of the Serpent If Cerberus could consider the fall of the first man after this sort he would neuer conclude that I teaching that the Predestination of God was the onelye cause of mans fall shoulde withall conclude that it is the onlye cause of all sinne and euill For I do
the fourth Chapter of the Actes of the Apostles Conuenerunt enim in Ciuitate ista aduersus filium tuum Iesum quem vnxisti Herodes Pòntius Pilatus cum gentibus populis Israel ad faciendum quaecunque manus tua consiliū tuum decreuerunt fieri That is to say In this same Citie meaning Ierusalem Herode and Pontius Pilate with the Heathen and the people of Israell gathered themselues together agaynst thy childe Iesus whome thou hast annoynted to doe vnto him whatsoeuer things thy hand and counsell haue first decréed to be done What those things were it is manifest in the hystorie of the Gospels They called him a Samaritane they sayd he had a diuel they sought to take him in his aunsweres they went about to stone him to death they accused him they condēned him and fastened him to a Crosse then rayled vpon him What could men do worsse than to vse themselues so towardes the sonne of God But S. Peter sayth that all these things were done according as the hand counsel of God had first decréed to be done Wherfore I think my minor in my first Argument that Cerberus findeth such fault withall to be sufficiently proued But nowe Cerberus hath made of my minor a maior and framed an Argument for his purpose which I must say some thing to otherwise wyll Cerberus glorie in his Arte. God doth not onely foresée but also predestinate all things yea euen sinne and euyll c. But he is Authour of all that he predestinateth Ergo he is the Authour of sinne The first part saith Cerberus is their owne assertion And for my part I acknowledge it so to be But not in that meaning that Cerberus sayth it For it is not our hare assertion without proufe but we are able by playne Scriptures and reasōs to proue that God doth both foresee and predestinate all things as I haue before proued in the confirming of this same proposition being the minor in mine Argument But for more ample proufe the Reader may consider that which is written in the Psalm 138. where Dauid the Prophet sayth thus Lorde thou hast proued me and hast knowē me Thou hast knowen my downesitting and my vprysing Thou vnderstandest my thoughts long since Thou hast searched my path and my coutch rounde about and hast foreséene all my wayes For loe there is not a worde in my mouth Beholde thou Lord knowest all things This is sufficient for the proufe of the first parte of this proposition Which is that God foreséeth all things For the proufe of the second part which is that God predestinateth all things I haue cited the words of Peter in the fourth of the Acts wherin is affirmed y t the power counsel of God did first apoint those things to be done which were done to Christ by Herod Pilate the Gentiles y e people of the Iewes Reasons also we haue to proue the same which are these If God should not foresée all things he could not be prouident in all things but it must néedes be graunted that he is prouident in al things Ergo he doth foresée all things If God did not predestinate all things then might his prouidence be deceyued but his prouidence cannot be deceyued Ergo he doth predestinate all thinges This may suffice for the proufe of our assertion Now let vs see howe Cerberus annecteth hys minor to this maior which is this But God is the Author of all those things that he predestinateth And to proue this doth Cerberus make much a doe yea and much more than néedeth For we will not sticke to graunt him that God is the Author of all that he predestinateth Well sayth Cerberus then I conclude that God is the Authour of all sinne euyll I denie that Argument It were but follie to reason much with this bawling Curre about the rules of Logicke For it seemeth by his conclusion that he knoweth no Logicke at all For if he did he would not so shamelessely inferre a necessarie cōclusion vpon the graunting of pure particulers For it is a generall rule among Logitians that A puris particular ribus nòn necesse est sequi veram conclusionem It is not a thing of necessitie that a true conclusion shoulde followe vpon those propositions that be pure particulers As in thys Argumēt that Cerberus hath made the maior and minor are Agayne he concludeth more than is graunted in the Antecedēt which is also contrary to the rules of Logick For though it be graunted that God is the Authour of all that he predestinateth yet is he not the Authour as Cerberus doth conclude that he is That is to say the cause the spring the fountaine the roote the beginning and Authour of any thing that is not good For none euil thing can spring of him that is altogether good nothing but goodnesse it selfe As I haue sayd already therefore so I say agayne God is the cause spring fountaine roote beginning and Author of al things that haue any being For he only hath his being of hymself all other things haue their being of him And he alone is the worker of al actions Nam in eo viuimus mouemur sumus In hym we lyue moue haue our being And as these things spring of God the fountaine of goodnesse so are they al excéeding good And as the actiōs are wrought by him so are they excéeding good also although in thēselues they be excéeding euyll as is the Diuell and al his Angels and members and all those works that are wrought contrary to the cōmaundement of God And the wordes and thoughts that are of the same kinde As I haue sufficiently proued before by examples taken out of the holy hystories Let Cerberus therfore loke vpon his Logiek againe and learne to frame a Syllogismus better Peraduenture being in his mad moode when he wrote this answere to his friendes letter he had quite forgotten the fourtene moodes of the thrée fygures wherin the Logicians do vse to forme their Syllogismusses To giue him occasion therefore to call himselfe to remembraunce I wyll set downe those short memoriall Uerses which the teachers of Arte vse to print in the minds of their Scholers to the end that they should not in disputatiōs be abused by such as Cerberus is which vse to frame Arguments without eyther fygure or moode The Uerses are these Barbara Celarent Primae Darij Ferioque Cesare Camestres Festino Baroco secundae Tertia grandè sonans recitat Darapti Felapton Adiungens Disamis Datisi Bocardo Ferison Now if Cerberus be acquainsed with these Uerses Let him shewe in which of these fygures and moodes hys Syllogismus is formed And if he find it in none of thē then let hym desire some more skilfull than hymselfe to take this matter in hande For hys Arte wyll not serue him to goe thorowe withall so long as he medleth wyth them that knowe what Arte is I know that the matter conteined
we doe neither denie nor call it by the name of destinie except it be so as we may vnderstand Fatum to be deriued of the word For faris that is of speaking For we can not denie but it is wrytten in the holie Scriptures God spake once these two sayings I my selfe hearde it that power belongeth vnto God and vnto thée O Lord belongeth mercie for thou wilt giue vnto euerie man according to his workes And where as it is said he spake once we vnderstand that he spake vnmoueably that is vnchaungeably euen as he did vnchaungeably know al things that are to come and that he himselfe will do After this sort therfore we may say that Fatum or destinie is deriued à fando or speaking if this name had not now bene accustomed to be vnderstāded of another matter wherevnto we are not willing that mens hearts should be enclined Now if Cerberus haue ought to say against this let him make S. Austen one of vs. For we are in this point all one with him Cerberus And as for that which the Heathen did attribute to the starres or planets they meant none other but that God ordeined the planets in nature to worke such things as he before had decreed appointed Euen as we also iudge that God vseth the operatiō of the planets in sending such rayne tempest faire weather or soule as his pleasure is let them say therfore what they cā or wil. This meere necessitie which our men do teach is the verie same which the Stoikes did hold which opinion bicause it destroied the state of a common wealth it was banished out of Rome as Augustine declareth Lib. Quest vet no. Test Where he notably refelleth that opinion in these few words saying Qua ratione nati dicuntur c. By what reason sayth Augustine were they borne which banished Mathematicos the setters forth of destinie out of Rome which law was kept and they were but Heathen howe were those things done by destinie which make agaynst destinie But surely if there be a destinie it doth nothing against it selfe saith Aug. For so were destinie no destinie or at the least destinie fighting agaynst it selfe Or to speake the same in those wordes which our men by abuse take out of the Scripture to maintain the very same matter If it be Gods predestination that men should write and speake agaynst hys predestination as they saye some men do then is Gods predestination a Kingdome not only deuided but also fearcely fighting agaynst it selfe O miserable absurditie which any child may perceyue must needes follow if all things come to passe with absolute necessitie by Gods predestination as they teach Thys same doctrine also that all euill springeth out of Gods ordinance or that Gods predestination was the cause of Adams fall and of all wickednesse is plainly maintained in an English boke lately set forth and entitled agaynst a priuie Papist c. where among many open and plaine sentences vpō this matter I find an argument made in these words Whatsoeuer was in Adam was in him by Gods wil ordināce sinne was in Adam Frgo sinne c. was in him by Gods will ordināce The maior of which argument being vnderstand of Adam after his fall is manifestly false therefore the cōclusion also is false for if it may be sayd of Adam after his fal as by the minor you wel perceyue that he so doth vnderstand it then may it also be sayd now of any man that what execrable wickednesse so euer is in any mā that same is in him by Gods wil ordināce He goth about also to proue the same by another argumēt which he maketh speaking of the lying spirit saying God cōmaūded him to sinne but God commaūded nothing which he ordeineth not so he ordeined him to sinne Which argument it was maruel that any man could be so blind as not to see how it might with more strength and force and much more manifest truth be turned against him in this sort speaking of Adam yea and of all men saying God commaunded Adam and doth commaunde all men to absteine from sinne but he commaundeth nothing which he ordeineth not Ergo God ordeined Adam and all men to absteine from sinne If God then ordeyned Adam and all men to absteine from sinne than did he not ordeyne Adam or any man to commit sinne so was not sinne in Adam or in any man by Gods will and ordinance nor Gods ordynance the cause of Adams fall or of any mans sinne And therefore their opinion is vtterly false also if God in hys secret counsell do predestinate appoint and ordeine man to sinne and yet gyue vnto him a straight law and commaundement not to sinne is not then his secret wyll contrary to his open word and hys eternal ordinance repugnant to his written law All theyr sayre wordes and sine framed fetches can not auoide it Crowley Let vs say what we can or wyll sayth Cerberus the méere necessitie that we teach shall be all one wyth that which the Stoikes helde affirming their Fatum or destinie To this I haue sufficiētly answered before shewing plainly by S. Austens words that we teach none other doctrine herein than did S. Austen in the same booke De Ciuitate Dei out of which Cerberus citeth matter against vs. But nowe Cerberus hath founde another authoritie of saint Austen agaynst vs in his booke as Cerberus sayth which he wrate and entitled Questiones ex vtroque Testamento In the question 115. he sayth thus Qua autem ratione nati dicentur qui Mathematicos vrbe Roma prohibuerūt quod ius seruatum non ignoratur Et certè Pagani fuerunt Quomodo fato fiunt quae contra fatum sunt Sed si est fatum non facit contra se c. That is to say By what order shall it be sayd that those men were borne which did forbydde the Mathematicks that is to say y e tellers of mens fortunes or destinies to come within the Citie of Rome And it is wel knowen that that lawe was kept And doubtlesse these men were Heathen men Howe are those thinges done by destinie which are against destinie But if there be a destinie it worketh agaynst it selfe c. sayth Austen But stay there Master Cerberus and proue that Austen was Authour of that booke So may it be of some authoritie with vs. But Erasmus hath alreadie proued by sūdrie good reasons that S. Austen did neuer write it As may appeare to as many as wyll reade his iudgement set forth before the beginning of this booke Where wryting of this parte of that booke out of which Cerberus hath cyted the wordes aboue wrytten he sayth Disputat contra Mathematicos quoque altius ingreditur opus hoc licentius ineptit That is to say He disputeth agaynst the Mathematicks and the déeper he doth enter into the worke the more outragiously doth he play the parte of a foole But Cerberus wyll not
heareth that saying he crieth 〈◊〉 Areade Areade what is this In Cerberus his iudgement eyther Iob must be a liar or else God must be a théefe For when word came to Iob that the Sabeis had slaine his seruauntes and driuen away his cattle he sayd the Lord hath taken theÌ„ away But to take away Iobs cattle was felonie Ergo eyther God was a Felon or Iob a liar if Cerberus his opinion beleue But how God doth worke in the heartes of euill and wicked men and vse them as his instruments and yet is not partaker of their sinne is sufficiently declared afore out of S. Austen De gratia libero arbitrio Nowe Cerberus will looke that I shoulde say some thing to the words of Prosper Otherwise he wil make reckning that he hath the victorie For a little occasion maketh him to brag The obiection that the Frenchmen made against the sentence of S. Austen in the place that Cerberus speaketh of is this Quòd liberum arbitrium in homine nihil sit sed siue ad bonum siue ad malum praedestinatio 〈◊〉 in hominibus â—perctur That is to say That S. Austen should holde that frée will in man is nothing but that Gods predestination doth worke in men whether it be to good or to euill The answere to this obiection is thus Liberum arbitrium nihil esse vel non esse perperam dicitur sed ante illuminationem fidei in tenebris illud in vmbra mortis ac gere nòn rectè nogâ—tur Quoniam priusquam à dominatione Diaboli per Dei gratiam liberetur in illo profundo iacet in quod se sua libertate demersit Amas ergo langores suos profanitate habet quòd agrotare se nescit donec prima haec medela conferatiâ— aegroto vt incipiat nosse quòd langueat possit opem medici desiderare qua surgat Iustificatus itaque homo idest ex impio pius factus nullo praecedente bono merito accipit donum quo medio adquirat meritum vt quod in illo inchoatum est per gratiam Christi etiam per industriam liberi augeatur arbitrij nunquam remoto adiutorio Dei sine quo nec prosicere nec permanere in bono quisquam potest Praedestinationem autem Dei siue ad bonum siue ad malum in hominibus operari ineptissimè dicitur vt ad vtrumque homines quaedam necessitas videatur impellere cum in bonis voluntas sit intelligenda degratia in malis autem intelligenda sine gratia That is To say that frée will is nothing or that there is no frée will at all is euil sayd but that the same doth wander in darknesse and in the shadow of death before it is illumined by faith is not well denied For before it is by the grace of God deliuered from the domination of the Diuell it lyeth in that déepe dongion into which by it owne libertie it did cast it selfe It doth therfore loue it owne sore sicknesses and doth compt it helth not to knowe that it is sicke vntyll this first medicine be ministred to it being sicke that it may begin to know that it is sick and be able to desire the helpe of the Phisition whereby it may aryse When man therefore is iustified that is to say made godlie of vngodlie without any good deseruing going before he receyueth a gift by which meane he maye also get merit or deseruing that that thing which is by the grace of Christ begonne in him may also by the industrie of frée will be encreased neuer without the helpe of God without which no man can eyther go forward or stay in that which is good But it is most foolishly said that the predestinatioÌ„ of God doth so worke in men eyther to good or to euill that a certain necessitie may séeme to force men forward vnto both seeing that in good the will is to be vnderstanded to come of grace in euill the will is to be vnderstanded without grace Now gentle Reader thou seest what it was that the French men obiected against S. Austen Thou séest also what Prosper doth answere in S. Austeus defence CoÌ„sider nowe what occasion Cerberus hath to conclude against vs as he doth The French men obiect that S. Austen should hold that fréewill in man is nothing but that Gods predestination doth worke in men whether it 〈…〉 to good or euyl Prosper aunswereth that it is an euil saying to affirme that fréewill is nothing or that there is no fréewill at al. And that it is most foolishly sayd that the predestination of God doth so worke in the heartes of men either to good or euill that a certaine necessitie may séeme to force men forward vnto both But we do neyther say that fréewill is nothing or that there is none at all neither that predestination doth so worke in men that a certaine necessitie may seme to force them forward both to good and euil No we do not affirme that predestination doeth worke in men any thing at all Ergo Prosper hath written nothing against vs. Cerberus And further Crowley in the sayd booke of confutation before named and the same article vsing the very same terme of driuing he sayeth that Gods predestination hath driuen them to it And yet not therwith content anone after he sayeth We are coÌ„pelled by the necessitie of Gods predestination to do those things for the which we are damned but to repeate the whole sentence To this must we answere sayth he in thys wyse If God were an inferiour to anie superior power to the which he ought to render an accompt of his doings or if anie of vs were not his creatures but of another creation besides his workmanship then might we charge him with tyrannie bicause he condemneth vs and appoynted vs to be punished for the things we doe by compulsion through the necessitie of his predestination Marke here by the way how al rulers be charged wyth tyrannie for punishing of male factors first grauÌ„t thys proposition which he affirmeth That al offenders as murderers theues and traytours coÌ„mit their offences by the compulsion of predestination Secondly this assumpted minor which he also affirmeth that it is tyranny for one whych is an inferior power and not theyr creator to punish them which do commit crimes by such compulsion Then must it needes follow that al rulers are tyrants which punish malefactors and are no creators but inferior powers bicause all malefactors could not chose but commit such wicked offeÌ„ces being driuen therevnto by compulsion through the necessitie of predestination Wo worth the sinful generatioÌ„ of our age which hath bred and brought forth such a noisome noueltie and straunge Paradox to whom the handes of Gods mercie are stretched out all the day long and yet they are euer defying him to the face as the Prophete sayth Esay 65. Consider I desire thee not the persons of them that speake be they neuer so high neuer
by sinne he made himself a reprobate and was not refused before he sinned But let vs sée how this place of the wise man maketh for his purpose The words are these as Cerberus citeth them Et cum qui nullam poenam commeritus sit condemnasse a tua potentia iudicas alienum And thou Lorde estemest it a thing contrarie to thy power to haue condemned him that hath not deserued punishment All the Scripture is nowe by Cerberus brought into a short summe For it is knit vp in lesse than two lines written in the .xij. Chapter of the booke of wisdome Of what authoritie that booke hath awayes bene thought to be I thinke Cerberus is not ignorant And how diuers readings there be of that place which he cyteth I suppose he knoweth The Tygurine Bible is it that Cerberus followeth Other translations there be that differ from that and from the olde also The olde translation hath it thus Cum ergo sis iustus iustè omnia disponis ipsum quoque qui nòn debet puniri condemnas exterum aestimas à tua virtute That is Forasmuch as thou thy selfe art iust thou doest dispose all things iustly him also that ought not to be punished thou doest condemne and doest esteeme him as one exiled from thy power or dominion Bylike when Cerberus cited this place he supposed that no mā should sée his booke but such as were not able to discerne Chalk from Chéese What place can make more manifestly against him and for vs than this place doeth For by these wordes it is plaine that though God do condemne him that hath not by any déedes deserued to be condemned yet is God neuer the latter iust and doth dispose all things iustly Yea and the circumstance of the Text doth shew that this translation is more nigh the meaning of the writer thā is that which Cerberus followeth For the sentence going immediatly before is thus Neque Rex neque tyrannus in conspectu tuo inquirent de hijs quos perdidisti That is Neyther King nor tyrant will in thy presence make inquisition for them that thou hast destroyed And the sētence that doth immediatly follow is thus Virtus enim tua iustitiae initium est ab hoc quod omnium Dominus es omnibus te parcere facis That is For thy power is the beginning of iustice and bycause thou art Lord of all thou doest make thy selfe to spare all But bicause there is such diuersitie of translations in the Latine and peraduenture Cerberus wyll saye he hath loked in the Gréeke and findeth that the Tygurine translation which he followeth is most agréeable to the Gréeke Text out of which all our Latine translations are taken It shall not be amisse therfore to set downe the Gréeke Text that suche as haue any skill therein may iudge betwixt vs. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 That is to say so far as I am able to vnderstād it Thou being iust doest dispose all things iustly cōmaunding to condemne straunge from the land of thy power him y t is not to be iudged ignominious If any cā sée any other meaning in this Gréeke text I wil not contende for I sée that many men of great learning haue varied in opinion about the translation therof But graunt that Cerberus haue cited that translation that is according to the true meaning of the Text what hath he wonne thereby Shall all the Scripture be on his side bicause it is written in y e booke of wisdom that God estemeth it a thing contrarie to hys power or more truly after the Latine Text that Cerberus citeth a thing straunge from his power to condemne him that hath not deserued punishment I thinke not For the booke of wisedome is of that sort of bookes that must be made to agrée with y e Canonical bookes the Canonicall bookes must not be enforced to agree with it For it is Apokryphe that is a booke permitted to be read priuatly but not of such authoritie that we may builde our fayth vpon euerie sentence in it But graunt that this booke were of as great authoritie as any other booke of Scripture is should we thinke that God might not iustly refuse such of his creatures as it pleaseth him not to choose vnlesse the same creatures had first by sinne made them selues vnworthie to be chosen We must not restraine God of his libertie to doe wyth his creatures what he himselfe will Neyther must we say or thinke that any thing that he doth is or can be other than iust albeit that we can not vnderstand howe the same shoulde be iust We must therefore wyth reuerend seare seeke another meaning of thys place than Cerberus doth teach vs let vs thinke therefore that God speaketh here of therecution of his iudgement and not of election And it shalbe good for vs to say always wyth S. Austen that the cause of Gods doings may be secrete so that we can not know them but vniust they can not be But Cerberus séemeth to himselfe to haue gotten a great aduauntage by the example of the Cananites and Israelites The Cananites were driuen out for theyr sinnes and this was iustice but the Israelites were put in their place without deseruing and that was mercie Wherefore in refusing God worketh by iustice and in choosing he worketh by mercie As though there were no difference betwene choosing and refusing of creatures and the vsing of them when they be chosen or refused God chooseth and refuseth without respect of good or euill deseruings but he maketh not his refusal knowen vnto men till the refused haue by theyr sinnes shewed them selues worthie to be refused And though the chosen sort neyther do nor can shewe themselues worthie for theyr good workes to be chosen yet before they receyue the great blessing promised they shewe themselues by theyr workes lesse worthie to be refused than the other And to this do the Scriptures that Cerberus hath cited out of Moses Paule O sée and the rest full well agrée But it followeth not hereof that therefore God had not refused the wicked sort before they sinned It is true that death is the rewarde of sinne but it is not true that euerie one that sinneth receyueth that reward for Christ came to saue sinners and the frée gift of euerlasting life is bestowed vpon such sinners as were elected in Christ before the beginning of the world It is true also that man destroyeth himselfe by the frée consent of his will to do contrarie to the commaundement of God that his helpe and succour commeth of God alone yet doth it not therfore follow that no man is refused of God before he haue cōmitted sinne whereby he destroyeth himself For when the elect were chosen in Christ then were the rest refused For otherwise it could not be an election but a generall acceptation As for the saying that Cerberus sayth is ours and would haue his friend to lay it in the one side of
their doctrine whych thyngs if you diligently weye and consider readyng the same wythout partiallitie then haue I my desire Crowley I am glad that Cerberus is nowe come to an ende Much adoe he had to let slip so manie things as offered themselues to be spoken off But now he hath coÌ„cluded concenting him selfe wyth fewe wordes in purging him selfe of those things that his friende charged him with and setting forth the Pelagians errours c. Yet euen in the winding vp of y e matter he hath found one part of doctrine hanging vpon the Article of Gods eternal predestinatioÌ„ which is to be misliked of al meÌ„ if Cerberus be not deceyued and that is That as the only will purpose of God is the chiefe cause of Election and Reprobation so his free mercie in Christ is an inferiour cause of saluatioÌ„ c. Here Cerberus doth of purpose leaue out the ende of that glose shutting vp the matter wyth his c. I will therefore set downe the words that follow which are these and the hardening of the heart an inferiour cause of damnation Now this glose is some thing more plaine than it was before as Cerberus hath cited it with his c. He thought belike that the Bible wherin he findeth this glose is not in euerie mans hande and therefore his c. should cause men to thinke that the rest of the glose must be as good stuffe as he thinketh the first part to be That is worthy to be misliked of all men importing a sophisticall search of bottomlesse secretes and drawing from Christ Such shifts doth Cerberus vse to make meÌ„ mislike with that which he himselfe liketh not But to proue this part of doctrine to be such as Cerberus assirmeth it to be he vseth two reasons One is that the eternall purpose of God springeth out of hys frée mercie in Christ wherefore that frée mercie cannot be inferiour to Gods eternall purpose more than the fountaine from which streames of water do slowe can be inferiour to the streames that flow from it The other is of the mediation of Christ For if God did in his eternall will and purpose elect vs before Christ had appeased his wrath by his mediation then was it but a vaine thing for Christ to be a Mediatour neyther had we any neede of his mediation Although I would gladly content my self to haue defended mine own writings and other mens wherewith Cerberus findeth fault euen with as fewe wordes as he vseth in purging himselfe and other of that which his friend layeth to his charge yet may I not so shortly slip ouer this matter wherewith Cerberus hath shut vp his aunswere For if Cerberus would haue sought how to haue set forth to be séene his owne wilfull ignorance and errour in the chiefe pointes of our Religion he could not haue found a better meane thaÌ„ he hath vsed in these two reasons that he maketh against the doctrine conteyned in the glose wherewith he misliketh For what greater errour can there be than to holde that with God there is time past and time to come and that any of the essentiall properties of God do spring out of other in time as though there had bene or could haue bene a time wherein God lacked those properties Or that the sonne of God the seconde person in Trinitie should in his diuine nature in time make mediation to God the Father that thereby he might purpose to saue man whom he was before purposed to destroy For striuing against him that hath sayde that the only will and purpose of God is the chiefe cause of Election and Reprobation and that his frée mercie in Christ is an inferiour cause of saluation c. He sayth that the purpose or will of God to saue vs must néedes spring out of the frée mercie of God and that therefore the will or purpose of God in sauing must of force be inferiour to his mercie euen as streames that issue from fountaines are inferiour to the fountaines that they come from And to proue this he citeth the words of Ecclesiasticus the. 2. Chapter Secundum enim magnitudinem ipsius sic misericordia illius cum ipso est That is Euen according to his owne greatnesse so is his mercie with hym He citeth also the saying of S. Iames. Cap. 2. of his Epistle where he sayth Iudicium enim sine miscricordia illi qui nòn sacit miscricordiam Gloriatur autem miscricordia aduersus iudicium That is He that sheweth no mercie shall haue iudgemeÌ„t without mercie But mercie reioyseth against iudgement And againe he citeth the words of Dauid in the Psalm 145. Miscricordia eius super omnia opera eius That is His mercie is vpon all his workes All this ado he maketh to proue that Gods will and purpose are inferiours to his mercie But how well that is by these Scriptures proued I referre to the iudgement of the indifferent Reader Sirach sayth that those which feare the Lorde will prepare their heartes and humble their soules before the Lord. Let vs fall into the handes of God and not into the hands of men For euen as his greatnesse is so is his mercy Sirach his purpose is to set forth the effect of y e feare of God which worketh in y e hartes of meÌ„ a true turning to God with an assured hope of forgiuenesse at his hande bicause they be persuaded that he is no lesse readie to forgiue penitent sinners than he is able to punish the impenitent S. Iames sayth that the merciful shall finde mercie minding to persuade all men to shew mercie one to another Assuring themselues that vnlesse they do so they can finde no mercie with God and on the contrarie if they do shew mercie they shall not néede to feare iudâ—ement for mercie shall preuaile against iudgement And Dauid the Prophet hath said that Gods mercie is vpon all his workes although it please Cerberus to cite his wordes otherwise for his purpose For he sayth that Dauid hath said that the Lordes mercie is aboue all his workes Which words though they be true yet hath not Dauid so sayd neyther maye I suffer Cerberus to cause the Prophet Dauid to speake as he woulde haue him that his fantasie might be maintained by the Prophetes words Dauids meaning is to teach that the Lord God sheweth mercie vpon all his works so that there is not one of the works of God that hath not cause to praise him for his louing kindnesse and mercie Both y e Hebrue and Gréeke Text and al the translations in Latine and English too so many as I haue seene do giue thys sense of the Prophetes wordes How can Cerberus proue then by these Scriptures that the mercie of God is the fountaine of his wil purpose All that he doeth therefore is nothing else but a setting forth of his owne wilfull ignoraunce whereby he is fallen into the filthy errour of them that imagine of God as of a man and
say they that it is in mannes power to clense himselfe and to make himselfe a vessel méete for the Lordes vse and seruice These men will not vnderstande that commaundements admonitions exhortations and councelles be to any purpose except those to whome they be giuen be able to do the things that they be commaunded admonished exhorted or councelled to doe And so shall the commaundements of God be to no purpose For who hath bene is or shall be able to doe that God commaundeth when he sayth Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God with all thine heart with al thy soule and with all thy minde And thy neighbour as thy selfe Doth not S. Paule say that we are not able of our selues so much as to think a good thought And is not this according to y t which Christ himselfe teacheth when he saith to his Disciples without me ye can do nothing But these men will not vnderstande that the vse of these things is to cause the chosen children of God to acknowledge their owne inhabilitie and humblye to begge at Gods hande his helpe that therby they may doe y t which is commaunded or taught and that the reprobateâ— may be without excuse yea or pretence of excuse Saint Austen whome Cerberus woulde faine haue to take hys parte doth vnderstande this place of Paule cleane contrary to Cerberus his purpose As appereth in moe places then one of his best writings Namely in the. viz. chapter of the .xx. booke De Ciuitate Dei that is of the Citie of God which is the Church of Christ where speaking of that Church called from among all the nations of the worlde he saith thus Has enim elegit Deus ante mundi constitutionem eruere depotestate tenebrarum transferre in regnuÌ„ silij claritatis suae sicut Apostolus ait Nam seducere illum gentes etiam nunc secum trabere in aeternam poâ—nam sed non praedestinatas in aeternam vitam quis sidelis ignorat Nec moueat quod soepe Diabolus seducit etiaÌ„ illos quiiaÌ„ regenerati in Christo vias ingrediuntur Dei. Nouit enim Dominus qui sunt eius ex hijs in aeternam damnationem neminem ille seducit Sic enim nouit eos Dominus vt Deus quem nihil latet etiam futurorum non vt homo qui hommem ad praesens videt sic tamen videt cuius cor non videt qualis autem postea sit futurus nec seipsum videt Ad hoc ergo ligatus est Diabolus inclusus in abysso vt iam non seducat gentes ex quibus constat Ecclesia quas antea seductas tenebat antequam essit Ecclesia Nec enim dictum est vt non seduceret aliquem sed vt non seduceret inquit iam gentes in quibus Ecclesiam proculdubio voluit intelligi That is to say God did before the beginning of the Worlde choose these nations that he might deliuer them out of y e power of darknesse and translate them into the kingdome of the sonne of his owne brightnesse as the Apostle sayth For what faythfull man knoweth not that the Deuill doth euen now seduce nations and draw them with himselfe into euerlasting paine but not those nations which are predestinated into euerlasting lyfe Neither let it trouble anye man that the Deuill doth oftentimes seduce euen those that being alredy regenerated in Christ do walke in the wayes of God For the Lorde knoweth who be hys of them doth the Deuill seduce none to euerlasting damnation For the Lorde doth knowe them as God knoweth from whom nothing is hidde no not of the things to come Not as a man knoweth who doth for the present time see a man but yet so as whose heart he séeth not yea he séeth not himselfe so that he can tell what maner a man he himselfe shalbe hereafter To this purpose therfore is the Deuill bounde and shut vp in darknesse that he doe not now seduce the nations of whome the Churche doth consist Which nations he did before holde still in errour before the Church was For it is not sayde that he shoulde not seduce any man but that he should not now seduce sayth he y e nations in which nations no doubt he woulde haue the Church to be vnderstande This Booke was Austens owne without all doubt and therefore we maye be bolde to affirmo that this is Austens minde not only vpon this place of Scripture but also vpon this matter that is that not all mankind but a certaine chosen sort are restored againe by Christ And that none of those that are so restored can perishe although God doe sometime suffer them to fall Againe the same Austen writing against the Donatists in his fift booke De Baptismo that is of Baptisme saith thus in the .xxvij. chapter of the same Booke Numerus ergo ille iustorum qui secundum propositum vocati sunt de quibus dictum est Nouit dominus qui sunt eius ipse est ortus conclusus fons signatus puteus aquae viuae paradisus cum fructu pomorum Ex hoc numero quidam spiritualiter viuunt supereminentem viam charitatis ingrediunter Et quum praeoccupatum hominem in aliquo delicto instruunt in spiritis lenitatis intendunt ne ipsi tententur Et cum fortè ipsi praeoccupantur reprimitur in eis aliquantulum noÌ„ autem extinguitur charitatis affectus rursusque resurgens inardeseens pristino cursuirestituitur Norunt enim dicere Dormitauit anima mea praetaedio confirma me in verbis tuis That is That number therfore of the righteous which are called according to Gods purpose concerning which it is sayde that the Lord knoweth who they be that be his is the same that is the fensed garden the sealed fountaine the pyt of springing water and the paradisefull of the fruite of Apples Of this number there be some that lyue spiritually walke in the excellent waye of charitie And when they doe in the spirite of leuitie instruct a man that is ouertaken w t any fault they doe take good héede least they themselues be tempted also And when it happeneth y e any of them be ouertaken the affection of loue is something repressed in them but it is not vtterly quenched And when it riseth againe and waxeth feruent it is restored againe to his olde course or rase For these men can saye My soule did â—â—omber for very wearinesse do thou make mee strong in thy wordes And againe in the same chapter Saint Austen saith thus Sunt etiam quidam ex eo numero qui adhuc nequiter viuant aut etiam in haeresibus vel in gentilium superstitionibus iaceant tamen etiam illic nouit dominus qui sunt eius Namque in illi ineffabili praescientia Dei multi qui foris videntur intus sunt multi qui intus videntur fores sunt Ex illis ergo omnibus qui vt ita dicam intrinsecus in