PHILALETHES The place that they aleadged out of Ecclesiasticus maketh nothinge for them for how the place of Ecclesiasticus ought to be vnderstaÌ„ded it oughte to be vnderstanded of man being in the fyrst estate of his creation and beynge in his originall innocency and righteousnesse And because that it shall not bee thoughte that I bringe any thing of mine owne heade ye shall heare what Saynte Augustine sayethe whose wordes are these free wyll before the fall was an vprighte free wyll De caÌ„ticonouo ca. viii before whiche fyer and water was layed of God and the fyrste manne dyd reatche hys hande to whyche he woulde hee dyd choyse fier and forsoke water See the ryghteous iudge the same whiche manne beinge free dyd choyse he dyd receaue he woulde haue euyll and the same did folowe him Contra fortu Disputa xi And in an other place these be also hys woordes I saye that fre wyl was in that man which was created fyrst For he was so made that nothinge coulde withstande hys wyll if he would haue kepte Goddes commaundementes but after that hee hadde synned throughe free wyll hee dyd cast vs all that come of hys stocke into necessitye And therfore he writeth in an other place In encherid ad lauren Ca. xxx De verbis aposer ii that manne vsinge not well free wyll did bothe lose it him self Againe It is true sayeth he that manne when he was made did receaue greate strength of free wyll but he did lose it through synne These autorityes of Sainte Augustine doo sufficientely declare how the place that they aleaged oute of Ecclesiasticus oughte to be vnderstanded For there doubtelesse the wise manne dothe speake of man as he was first created in the estate of innocency and righteousnes and not as he was wyth his posteritye after hys fall De eccledogm ca. xxxii whereby as Saynte Augustine saithe all menne haue loste theyr naturall possibilitye or ablenesse and theyr naturall or originall innocencye And so ought the doctoures that they dyd bryng in for them selues to be vnderstanded for they do all speake of manne as he was afore his fall Whyche thynge appeareth to be moste true by the saying of Saint Hierome Iero in xxiii cap. Iere. who wrytinge vppon Ieremy saithe plainly these wordes And therefore the heretykes be wonte to promyse felicity and to open vnto sinners the kingdom of heauen saying Thou maist folowe the maiestye of God and be without synne syth that thou hast receyued the power or strength of free wyll and the vnderstandyng of the lawe whereby thou arte able to obtayne what so euer thou wylte And so the saide Heretykes do deceyue the poore symple and ignoraunt personnes and specially women whyche beynge loden with sinnes are ledde to and froe with euerye winde of doctrine deceiuynge by theyr flattery al them that geue eares vnto them Heare ye see that saint Ierome dothe call them all Heretikes that saye that menne be able by theyr free wyll to do bothe good and euyll Wheruppon we maye well conclude that in his Epistle ad Ctesiphonâ—em Existo ad ctesiphon tem he dothe speake of the fyrste estate of manne that he was in afore hys transgressyon and fall And as for Chrisostome although he dothe exceade in extollynge the naturall strengthe of manne hom i. in aduen yet dothe he confesse plainelye that euerye manne is not onely of hys owne nature a synner but also that he is synne altogether Whereby he doth ouerthrow what so euer he dothe wryte or saye in anye other place in the commendacyon of free wyll and of oure natural strengthe EVTRAPELVS That must be mooste true For if accordynge to his owne sayinge we be not only sinners of our owne nature but also synne all together where is oure gaye payncted free wyll become Ioh. viii Dothe not the truthe hym selfe saye that euery man that sinneth is a seruaunte of synne Againe is it not wrytten that of whome so euer a manne is ouercome ii Pet. ii vnto the same he is in boundage It appeareth then by thys that we are verye farre from that liberty and fredome that they doe so muche boaste of DYDIMVS Wherefore did then these ancient fathers and wryters of the Catholike churche extoll so muche the free will and naturall strengthe of manne Home lii For Chrisostome hath alwaies in his mouth Let vs bring that whiche is oure own God wyl supply the residue Where vnto Ierome doth agree saying Nostrum est incipere Dia. iii. con Pelagianes dei autem perficere Nostrum est offerre quod possumus illius implere quod non possumus That is to saye It is our part for to begin and it is Gods parte for to performe It is our parte to offer that whiche we can and it is his part to supply or fulfyll that that we can not PHILALETHES It is moste playne Why the aunciant fathers spake so of fre wil that they dyd seme to alowe it that they did it to thys end that they might driue awaye all slouggishnesse from menne Which thing they that came after did not perceiue And therefore they did attribute so muche to the free will and naturall strength of man that the fre mercy and grace of God was in a manner vtterlye forgotten DyDIMVS Howe can it be proued that they did tt onlye for that purpose PHILALETHES It is easy to be proued For if they shoulde meane as they write they shoulde directly be against the plain scriptures and worde of God and also against them selues Fyrst and foremost the LORD him selfe saieth I wyll hencefourth curse the earth no more for mans sake Gen. viii For the ymagination of mannes heart is euyll euen from the very youth of him And Moses for to declare Deu. xxix how vnable we be of oure selues to vnderstande heauenlye thinges doth saye plainlye these wordes Ye haue seene all that the Lorde did before youre eyes in the lande of Egipte vnto Pharao and vnto and all his seruaunts Thine eies haue sene these great tokens and wonders And yet vnto this day hath not the Lorde geuen you a harte that vnderstandeth eies that see eares that heare What could he saye more excepte he shuld call vs blocks and stones And in Ezechiel the Lorde sayeth A new heart Eze. xxvi wyl I geue you and a newe spirit wyl I put in to you As for that stony hearte I wyll take it oute of youre bodye and geue you a fleshy hart I will geue you my spirit amonge you and cause you to walke in my commaundements to kepe my lawes and to fulfyll them This place onely doth sufficientely teache vs that excepte oure stony heartes be taken away from vs and flesshy that is to saye obediente hartes geuen vs in stede of them yea and a newe spirit put in to vs whiche shoulde worke in vs an obedience towards the Lordes commaundementes we are
is perfect in hym I meane in mā yet if ye wil marke diligentlye the woordes and sayinges of youre faythfull guydes ye shal find that there was a certayne repugnance in Saynt Paule It followeth then that there was in hym no suche Free wyll as they doe boaste of For it was not the wyll of Saynte Paule that dyd the same euyll but hys sensuality Therefore the wyll oughte to haue resysted this sensualitye if it be so stronge that it is able to doe what soeuer it wil. Neuerthelesse S. Paule afore he spake thus had sayd we know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder synne Ye se how he sayth Ego I. Whereby he dothe vnderstand all that was in hym of hys corrupted nature as is both mans reason and wyll he saythe not my sensuality is sold vnder sin but he saith I am carnal sold vnder sin And afterwardes he called all hys corrupted nature synne sayinge It is not I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me vnderstanding by sinne the natural corruption that was in him The holye scrypture doth put no difference betwixt sensuality and reason In thinges that pertain to saluation mā is altogether sensualitye makinge reasō more perfect than the sensuality is in heauenlye thinges or in thynges that pertayne to saluation For man hym self beynge not yet renewed is altogether fleshly and carnall he is nothinge els I saye but sensuality Therfore brother Albion beware of such doctours as your bragging faithfull guides be whiche haue lieuer to followe heathenish philosophers than the spirit of God For such doctoures do all that they can to caste manne headlong into hell being like vnto the serpent whyche sayde vnto Eue ye shall be as God gene iii. knowing bothe good and euell For to sette man vppon his fre wyl is to sette man vppon a reede and vpon vanishing smoke DYDIMVS What if I should reson thus with you Obiectiō Eyther synne is of necessity or it lieth in the wil and power of man If it be of necessity that is to saye if a man by necessitye is dryuen to it whye should he be punished for it Again if it lieth in the wyl and power of man then can it be shonned and auoyded that is to say a man maye chuse whether he will sin or not Where vpon I may conclude that eyther God is vnrighteous in punishing menne for the thynge that they be dryuen vnto dy necessitye or that we haue free wyll to do what we list Which thynge semeth to be moste true by the wordes that God dothe speake vnto Cain gene iiii saying if thou dost euyl thy synne lyeth open in the doore Let it be subdued vnto thee and rule thou it PHILALETHES Aunswer Thys obiection were the Pelagians wont to make against Sainte Augustyne Howe be it I wyll not burden them wyth such abhomynable heresyes til we haue fully discussed the hole matter Fyrste and foremost I saye that synne oughte neuerthelesse to bee imputed thoughe it be of necessytye For if anye manne woulde dyspute wyth GOD or woulde vnder thys pretence escape hys iudgement because that he coulde do none otherwyse he hathe thys answer ready Thy destruction commeth of thee O Israell Osee iii. but in me onlye is thy healpe For whence commeth this vnablenesse or necessitye that manne goeth about to excuse hym selfe by but of the corruption of hys nature And whence commeth thys corruptyon but that manne dyd rebell againste God hys creatour If all men be giltye of thys disobedience and rebellyon lette them not thyncke that they shal be excused by necessity wherein they haue a most euident cause of theyr damnation Saint Augustine doth expounde it none otherwyse than I do Contra fortunat dispu xi whē he saythe I do boldlye affyrme that free wyl was in that manne that was created fyrst for he was so made that nothing could wythstand his wil if he wold haue kept the commaundements But after that he hath synned throughe hys fre wyll he dyd cast vs all that be come of hys stocke into necessitye This necessity then that we be in commeth of the disobedience and rebellion of our fyrst parēt Adam Therfore no vnrighteousnesse can be imputed vnto God thoughe he punisheth vs for those synnes that we be dryuen vnto by the same necessitye that we haue of the originall corruption of oure owne nature Secondlye where they saye that if sinne lieth in the wyll of man it may be shonned and auoyded Man is not master of his that is to saye We may chuse whether we sin or not that same were moste true if man were master of hys own wyl But we haue alreadye proued that the wyll of man afore he be renued in Christ and restored againe by his holye spirit ss in the thraldome and bondage of sinne and can in no wyse be deliuered from it till the sonne of God hath made it fre by his holye spirite In the meane season I meane Iohn viii while it is free from righteousnesse and seruaunt vnto syn it can do no more but sinne stil accordinge to his corrupted nature Yea we do learne by the woordes of Paule Rom. vii whiche were rehearsed euen now what strife and battail there is in the wyll of manne being already renewed in Christ so that many times he cannot do the good thing that he would and the euel that he woulde not the same is he fayne to do so violente is the remnaunte of sinne that contynueth in manne alwayes vnto hys lyues end DYDIMVS But what say ye to the place Obiectiō which was aledged oute of Genesis where the Lord saithe these wordes vnto Caine if thou doste euill gene iiii thy sinne lieth open in the dore Lette it be subdued vnto thee and rule thou it do not these wordes declare plainly that sinne lieth in the power of manne and that he maye rule it as it pleaseth hym PHI. Ye shall vnderstande that Aunswer this place hath bene euyll translated out of the Hebrewe The place of genesis being obiected by the enemies hath ben peruerted For wher they should haue sayed interrogatiuely and in the masculine gender Shall he then be subdued vnto thee and wilt thou rule him They did put awaye the interrogatiue poynt did setfourth the sētēce with tharticle of neuter gēder as though it ought to be referred vnto synne whereof he spake before DIDyMVS I would fayne heare what ye can make of it PHILALETHES It is not vnknowen vnto you How the place of genesis ought to be vnderstanded that both Abell and Cain had offred sacrifices vnto the LORDE Cain of the fruyte of the earthe and Abell of the fyrstlynges of hys shepe and of the fatte of them and that the Lord had a respect vnto Abell his offring but not vnto Cain nor yet to his sacryfice Wherfore he was exceadinge wrothe so that his countenance chaunged Nowe we must
of Gods promises both in the godly and in the vngodly they haue their effect and working in them bothe For as God dothe by his commaundementes pricke the consciences of the vngodly lest putting away altogether the remēbraunce of his iudgementes they shoulde haue to much pleasure in synne so by his promises he doth testify and declare vnto them how vnworthy they are of his liberality goodnesse For who woulde saye that it is not mete and conueniente Marke this diligentely that the Lorde shoulde do good vnto them that do worship him And that againe he shoulde accordinge to his seueritye and iustyce take vengaunce of theym that are despisers of his maiesty Therfore it cā not be said but that God doth iustlye when in his promises he dothe prescribe and geue suche a law and condition vnto the vngodlye whiche be wrapped in sinne that they shall receiue and enioye hys benefites if they doe forsake their wickednesse althoughe hee shoulde do it onlye for thys cause that they maye vnderstande that they are iustlye and deseruinglye put from those thinges that are due vnto the true worshippers of God Again sith that God dothe by all meanes prouoke the faithful to cal for his grace why shuld not he as wel attempte the same by his promisses as by his law and cēmaundements being taught the wyl of God by his commaundements we are warned of our owne miserye because that of oure own nature we do all together dissent and disagre from it and also we are moued to cal vppon the spirit of god for to bring vs into the right way But because that oure sluggyshnesse is such Why promises are made vnto vs. that it can not be put awaye nor shaken of by the lawe and commaundements of god promisses are added that so by some swetenesse we might be prouoked and allured to the loue of heauenly things Now the more desirous that we are of the true ryghteousnes the more feruent are we to cal for the grace of God These thinges beynge well considered who would say that suche promises be vnprofitable though we be not able to fulfil the conditiōs that are annered vnto them EVTRAPELVS No manne I trowe What the reprobate do learne by the promises of god that hathe anye cromme of godlye vnderstandinge in hys bellye For by them the reprobate vngodlye do learne how vnworthy they are of the bounteous liberality and goodnesse of almighty God the godlye What the godly do learne by the condition annexed vnto the promyses when they see in the conditions that be annexed vnto them their owne misery weakenesse infirmitye and vnablenesse are stirred and moued by the same to cal more earnestly for the grace of God and for the assistaunce and help of his holy spirit ALBION Obiectiō The Lord doth laye to the Israelites charge that it was only longe of them that they did not receiue all kinde of liberality and goodnesse at hys hande As when the Prophet sayth Amaleck and the Cananites are before you numbers xiiii Iere. vii with whose swordes ye shall be destroyed because ye wolde not obey the Lord. Because I haue called you and ye haue not aunswered nor obeyed therfore will I do vnto this house as I haue don vn to Silo. Again This people hath not harkened vnto the voyce of the Lord theyr God nor receaued hys doctrine Therfore the Lord hath caste them of Item Because that ye haue hardened your heartes Ier. xxxii woulde not be obedient vnto the Lorde All these plages haue happened vnto you Howe coulde the Israelites be cast in the tethe with such thinges except it had lyen in them to shonne and auoyde those thinges that be there laied to their charge For they might haue aunswered by and by We had a mind to prosperity How the vngodlye do alwaies go aboute to excuse them selues and did fear trouble and aduersity but that we did not obey the Lorde nor harcken vnto his voyce that we might obtayne the one and eschue the other it was because that we are vnder the bondage of synne and can not doe frely the thinges that we would Those thinges then are not iustly laid to oure charge whiche it lyeth not in our power for to shonne or auoid PHILALETHES As for the pretence of necessity Aunswer wherby sinners go about to excuse thē selues it hath ben al ready declared what pore healpe can be had in it sythe that the cause Originall and of spring of it is in our owne selues by oure naturall corruption that we haue of our first parent Adam Therfore I do aske whether they can proue them selues to be wythout faut or not For if there be any faut in them it is not wythout a cause that God did caste them in the teethe that it was throughe their owne wickednesse that they did not feele the frute of his goodnesse and mercy Can they say nay but that theyr wicked and corrupted will is the cause of their rebellyous contumacye and stubburnenesse If they fynde that the fountayne and well sprynge of theyr owne euyl and miserye is wythin them selues what do they trauail to finde out outwarde causes and all because that they wil not seme to be the authoures of theyr owne destruction If it be true then that synners throughe theyr own faut are both depriued of the benefites of God and also punished and plaged there is a good cause whye they shoulde heare suche vpbraydynges and reproches at the mouthe of the Lorde That if they doe obstinately perseuer and continue in synne they may learne in theyr miseries and calamities to accuse and detest theyr owne wickednes rather than to lay any vniuste and cruell seueritye vnto God or if they be not vtterlye geuen ouer they may beinge wearye of theyr synnes wherefore they see theym selues thus extreamelye plaged come into the way again acknowledginge the same wyth earnest confession that the Lord doth laye to their charge Note this This effecte haue the chidinges and rebukinges of the prophets amonge the godly as it doth appere by the solemne prayer of Daniell Dani. vi which is wrytten in the ninthe chapiter of hys prophecye But how such sharpe rebukinges of the prophets of God take place amonge the obstinate sinners we haue an example of it in the Iewes vnto whome Ieremye was commaūded to shew the cause of their miseries and calamities Iere. vii although it shoulde be none otherwyse than God had appoynted told before Thou shalt saith the Lord speke vnto thē al these wordes and they shal not hear thou shalt cal them and they shal not answer DYDIMVS Obiectiō For what purpose were those thynges spoken vnto them that would not hear PHILALETHES Aunswer That wold they nild they they should be fain to vnderstande that the same was true that was told vnto them and that it was a plain sacriledge and robbing of the glory of God to adscribe vnto
puft vp with a vain perswasyon of the righteousnesse of the lawe and also blineded with a folishe confydence and trust that he had in hys owne workes Againe he did aske whiche were the deedes of righteousnesse wherby eternall felicity and saluation myght be obteined Therfore he is by good right sent vnto the law whiche is a perfecte loking glasse or mirroure of ryghteousnesse and also whiche muste be fulfilled if we wyll obtayn the rewarde of life euerlastinge But who is able to fulfil it No manne liuing Christ onlye beinge excepted Wherby it followeth that all they that go aboute to be saued by the works of the law are farthest of from saluation The meaninge then of our sauiour Iesu Christ is that who so euer wyll be saued by workes he muste obserue keepe the commaundements wyth such a perfection as God doth requyre elsse he can not enter into lyfe euer lasting so that the yong man perceiuing his lacke and vnablenesse and how farre of he was from the perfection that he thoughte hym selfe to be in mighte take an occasyon to seeke for the true and only remeady that our most mercyfull father hathe appoynted for vs to be saued by and for to be delyuered from the malediction curse of the lawe that al menne Gala. iii. for lacke of fulfyllynge of the same are subiecte vnto by theyr owne nature ALBION Saye what ye wyll my faythfull guydes dyd tell me Obiectiō that it is a playne heresye yea and a mooste detestable blasphemye to say that a man is not able to kepe the law and commaundementes wyth such a perfection as GOD doth requyre For if God shoulde commaund thinges impossible he shoulde not be righteous And by the lawe of nature whyche by the finger of God is wrytten in the hartes of men we be not bounde to thinges that he impossyble or that it lyeth not in oure power to fulfyl Li. ii de peccato et merit et remi cap. vi Saint Augustin dothe also testify that no man dothe sin in that thing that he is not able to shonne or auoid Again he wryteth thus I can not thinke that god did commaund any thing that is impossyble Iero. ad damasū papam de simbobo fidei or that it is impossible vnto God to help to do that thyng whiche he hath commaunded Moreouer they haue alleadged s Ierome vnto me saying we do curse detest the blasphemy of thē that saye that God hath commaunded man to do any thing that is impossible and that the commaundements of god can not be kept They did also bring in Chrisostō wher he saith let vs not thinke that the commaundementes of God be impossyble Hom. viii in mat For truely they be bothe profitable vnto vs and also very easye if we wyll be dilygente or take good heede And vnto this do the scryptures agree For after that Moses had publyshed the law he dyd say vnto the children of Israel the commaundement Deu. xxx whiche I commaund thee this daye is not hydden from the neyther to farre nor yet in heauen but it is very nygh vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine harte that thou maist doe it Again Christ him selfe dothe say Mat. xi My yoke is easy and my burdē is lyght Moreouer these be the wordes of the blessed Euangeliste S. Ihon for this is the loue of God that we keepe hys commaundements i. Epi. v. and his commaundements are not greuous or heauye These places do sufficiently declare that man is able to fulfil the commandements of God PHILALETHES As touching the fyrste sayinges of your faythfull guydes Aunswer wherein they doe affyrme and saye that manne is able to fulfyll the lawe and commaundementes of God we muste vse a distinction that so we maye vphold and maintaine the veritye and truth of Goddes word For if they vnderstande it of a man that is graffed or that hath fellowshyp with Christ I saye that the same manne doth obserue and kepe the hole law of God How the man beinge regenerated doth kepe the whole lawe of God not really in him self but because that he is conducted and led by the spirite of God And also we may right well say that he doth kepe the hole law of god by the vertue of the fellowshyppe that he hath with Christ wherby he is made partaker or rather put in full possession of the perfect and consummate obedience Rom. x. and that oure sauioure Iesus Christe dyd shewe and yelde vnto God hys father Retract xix so that hys fautes shall not be imputed vnto him For Iesus Christ doth supply whatsoeuer is lacking or wāting in such a man And so it may be true that a man is able to kepe the lawe of God in Iesu Christ and by Iesu Christe but not of hym self For as Saynt Augustine saith al the commaundements of god be fulfylled when the synnes and fawtes be not imputed But if they wyll saye that a manne beynge separated from christ is able to kepe the law of god they ar in a great eror For christ him selfe sayeth that a tree canne bringe fourth no good fruyte Mat. vii excepte it be made good fyrst But no man is good of his owne selfe as it hathe bene declared alredye Therfore he can not bring fourth good fruite Againe these be the wordes of our sauiour Iesu Christ Byde in me and I in you Ioh. xv As the braunche can not beare fruyte of it selfe excepte it byde in the vine no more canne ye excepte ye abide in me Ye see that oure sauioure Iesu Christe dothe shewe by thys simylitude that it lyethe not in mannes power to brynge anye good fruyte of hym selfe excepte he be graffed in Christe If ye haue well marked what hath ben sayd afore of fre wyl ye shall well perceaue that it is so farre of that manne of hym selfe and by his owne strengthe is able to fulfyll the lawe perfectely that he cā not wel vnderstād one only poynte of it as it ought to be vnderstanded For ye must note that the lawe must be throughly obserued and kepte wyth a pure and cleane heart Ro. vii as Saint Paule saieth The lawe is spirituall but manne of him self is polluted and carnall whyche thinge he confesseth of him selfe sayinge And I am carnall solde vnder synne How canne the lawe then that is spirituall and man whiche is carnall and fleshely agree Moreouer the lawe wyll be kepte euen from the conception of man vnto the laste daye and houre of of hys lyfe wythoute anye maner of transgressyon or offence For Iam. ii as Saynte Iames sayeth he that fawtethe or offendeth in one is gylty of the whole Item the Lorde hym selfe sayeth that cursed are all menne De. xxvii that do not abyde in al thyngs that be written in the booke of thys lawe for to do them How is manne able then to kepe the hole law of God as it
infyrmitye and weakenesse ▪ For if Moses had spoken there of the bare commaundementes onlye he shoulde haue puft vp the people with a most hurtfull and pernitious confydence wherby they must nedes to haue caste them selues headlonge in to vtter destruction if they had attempted to obserue and kepe the lawe by theyr owne strengthe For when they hadde felt them selues vnable to doo it woulde they not haue taken to playne desperation if they hadde knowen none other waye or meane for to obtayne saluation and to escape death but by the perfecte kepinge of the lawe Sainte Paul then hauing then a perfect vnderstanding of this place doth applye it altogether vnto the doctrine of fayth For hauinge spoken of the righteousnesse that cometh by the lawe and how that they that obserue and kepe the commaundementes shal lyue by them he doth adde immediatelye these wordes But the righteousnesse that cometh of faith speaketh on this wyse Rom. x. Saye not in thy hearte Who shall ascende in to heauen For that were to fetch Christ downe Or who shall go down in to the depe For that wer to fetch vp Christ from death But what sayethe the scripture The worde is nyghe thee euen in thy mouth and in thy hearte This is the worde of fayth which we preache If thou shalt confesse or knowledge wyth thy mouth that Iesus is the Lorde and shalt beleue wyth thy hart that God raysed him vp from death thou shalt be safe For the belyef of the heart iustifyeth and the confession of the mouth maketh man safe Who would requyre a more sounde exposition of Moses wordes than this is ALBION This exposition can in no wyse mislyke me syth that it cometh from the same selfe spirit that Moses did writ by Nowe therefore come to the sayinges of Christ and of Iohn the euangelist PHILALE Such sayinges are moste true as it dothe appeare by that How the sayinges of Christ and Iohn the euāgelist ought to be vnderstāded which hath ben sayed before For the cōmaundements of god of them selues are easy and if there be any dyfficultye or hardnesse in them it cometh not of the nature and propertye of the commaundementes of God but of the corruption of manne Heare what Saint Paule sayethe what so euer the lawe coulde not fulfyll Ro. viii in as much as it was weake because of the flesh that same did God perfourme sendinge his sonne in the similitude of synneful flesh and by synne damned sinne Two thinges to be learned in Pauls sayinge Two things do we learne in thys saying of the Apostle Fyrste that it commeth not of the law that menne are not able to fulfil it but of the imbecility and weaknesse of the flesh The lawe then and the commaundementes be easy and if ther be any difficultye or hardnesse in the fulfilling of them it commeth of our naughty and corrupted nature Secondly we do learn that God dothe by his sonne Iesu Christe supply the same that by reason of the weakenesse of our flesh we be not able to fulfyl Again the commaundements of god are easy and lyght vnto hym that is graffed in Christ and that hathe fellowshyp wyth him For those thyngs that afore were harde vnto manne are made easy vnto him bi faith wher by he is graffed in Christ as saint Paule doth testify saying I am able to do all thinges through him that doth comforte me And so the saying of S. Augustin shal be true where he sayth I can not thincke that God hath commaunded anye thing that is impossible Phi. iiii Elsse S. Augustine doth graunte in many other places that God hathe commaunded thinges that it is impossible for man to fulfyll as in the boke of the spirit and of the letter and in his thyrde treatyse vppon Ihon. And so ought al to be vnderstanded How Chrisostō and Ierome ought to be vnderstanded that they aleadge bothe oute of Chrisostome of Ierome that is to saye that the commaundementes of God were easye to kepe For the faithful man is perswaded dothe beleue that whatsoeuer is wanting or lackynge in him the same is supplied by christ with whome he hath felowshyppe through faith Whyche working through chariti loue causeth the commaundements of god to be easy vnto the inner man whyche is borne of newe or which is renued by the holy ghost God hauynge a chief respect vnto the wyll and desire that such a man hath to kepe them actually if it dyd lye in hys power and wherby he doth endeuor him self daily to fulfill them For it is the duety of him that is renued What is the duety of him that is renewed to study daily and hourly to kepe the commaundementes of god though he be not able by him self and of hys owne strength to attain to the perfect keping of thē For we must not because that we are not able to kepe the law of god as it ought to be kept be slack therfore to do that whiche lieth in vs beinge sure that oure obedience though it be vnperfect shal be accepted before God as longe as we be true members of hys sonne Iesu Christe Why the auncient fathers spake as they did For thys cause did the auncyent doctours speake as they dyd that so they myght take away from men the vaine excuses whiche they be wont to make because of the impossibility of the law DIDyMVS The foolishe and found obiection of the enemies I was once in a place where I hard a stout champion of the Romish church say that there haue bene not one nor two but many that dyd besydes Christ fulfyll the law of God wyth a moste consummate perfection as Iosua and zacharie Ihons father saying that this is wrytten of Iosua As the Lorde commaunded hys seruaunte Moses and as Moses commaunded Iosua Iosu xi euen so did Iosua so that there was nothing vndone at al of those things that god commaunded Moses PHILALETHES I aske you whether was Iosua a man that was conceiued after the common sort of other men or not DIDyMVS I beleue that he was a man and that he was conceiued betwixt man and woman as other men are PHILALETHES Ye beleue wel for it is so in dede We muste then confesse and graunt that Iosua did go a stray from the law of God that he was a lyer and that he was filled wyth manye myseryes For it is sayd of all menne Ro. iii. that be borne of man and woman that they haue all gone oute of the waye that they be also al lyers Psal cxvi howe dare then youre bragginge marchauntes be so bold to affirm that Iosua hath kept the hole law of God For these be two contrary things to be a lyer and to haue kept the law of God perfectlye Againe I woulde fayne knowe of you whether Ihon Baptyste or Ihon the Euangelist was not as perfect as Iosua Or whether Iosua was more perfecte than anye