therfore in his forknowledge chosen any mans workes which he should gyue hym but he hath in hys for knowlege chosen fayth so that he hath chosen hym whom he knewe aforhāde would beleue in hym to whō he myght geue the holy Goost that by workynge of good workes he myght also attaine to eternal lyfe I had not yet diligētly sought The cause why s Aug. continued solonge in this error Rom. 11. nor yet foūde out what maner a thing the election of grace was wherof the same Apostle sayeth The remnaunt are saued by the election of grace whych verely is no grace yf any merites at al go before it leste that whych is now geuen shoulde not be geuen accordyng to grace but rather as dewtye recompensed to merites Wherfore thys that I sayd immediatly For the same Apostle sayeth it is the selfe same God that worketh all in all 1. Cor. 12. but in no place it is sayde that God beleueth all in all and then after I added For in that we beleue it is our owne but in that we worke wel it is his that geueth the holy goost to them that beleue suerly I would not haue sayd thus yf I had then knowē that the self fayth had ben also founde amonge goddes gyftes whych are gyuen of the same spirite Both then are oures for the choise of wyl yet that notwythstandyng both are geuen thorowe the spirite of fayth and charitie For not charitie only but as it is wrytten Charitie with fayth frō God the Father and the Lorde Iesu Christ And where as a lytle after I sayd thus Ephe. 6. for to beleue and wyll is oures but to gyue to them that beleue and wyl power to worke well thorowe the holy goost by whome the loue of God is spred abrode in our hartes is his This is true but by the same rule both these are also his forbecause he doth prepare the wyl both are oures because they are not done excepte we be wyllyng And by this whiche I sayd also after For neither can we wyll except we be called and whē after callyng we shall wyl our wil and runnyng are not sufficient except God geueth strength to vs rūnyng and brynge vs thether whether he do cal vs And then after I concluded thus It is therfore manifest that it lyeth neither in the rūner nor in the wyller that we worke well but in God that hath mercye thys is a moste true sayeng Rom. 9. There is one peculier callīg that belōgeth only to gods chosen wherof is men on made Ro. 8. this is accordyng to the purpose of God But I dyd speake but lytle of that callyng whyche is wrought accordyng to the purpose of God For thys maner of callynge belongeth not to al that are called but onlye to the electe Therfore this that I sayd a lytle after For lykewyse as in them whome God hath chosen not workes but fayth begynneth the merite that they maye worke thorowe the gyft of God Euen so in them whome he condemne infidelitie and vngodlynes begynneth the merite of paine that by the self paine they may also worke wyckedly this I said moste truely but yet I sayd not that the merite of fayth was also the selfe gyft of God neither dyd I thynke it a thynge worthy to be enquyred for And in an other place For vpon whom sayd I he hath mercy he maketh hym to worke wel and whome he dothe harden he leaueth hym to worke euel But bothe that mercy is geuē to the merite of fayth goynge before and also thys harding to the precedynge wyckednes The whyche verely is true but yet we ought to haue serched further whether that also the merite of fayth do preuent gods mercy that is whether thys mercy is therfore only wrought in man because he was faythfull or whether it was also wrought that he myght be made faythfull 1. Timo. 1. For we reade as thapostle sayeth I haue opteined mercy that I myghte be made faythful he sayeth not because he was faythful It is then geuen vnto the faythful but it was also geuen that he myght be made faythfull Wherfore in an other place of the same boke I sayd most truly For yf not of workes but thorowe goddes mercy we be both called that we mai beleue and also when we beleue it is geuē vs that we maye worke well the Gentyls are not to be enuyed for this mercy neuerthelesse I dyd not there so diligently entreate of that callynge which is accordyng to goddes purpose as I ought to haue done The fourth Chapter YOu se verely what was then my iudgement of fayth workes althoo I traueled in the cōmendacion of god his grace in the which iugement I perceaue that these oure brethren are at thys present because they haue not so muche endeuoured thēselues to profyt and to go forwardes wyth me in readyng my bokes as they they haue in the onlye readyng of them The common fault of al papistes in redyng the doctores whyche gnawe only vpō their errors and depraue al that they haue writtē well as they do the scriptures For yf they had thus endeuored them selues they should haue founde this matter dissolued accordyng to the truth of the holy scriptures in the first boke of the two which I wrote in the begynninge of my Byshopryke vnto Simplitianus of blessed remembraunce by shop af the Churche of Millane successour vnto S. Ambrose except peraduenture they neuer sawe them Which yf it be so I pray you cause that they mai haue the sight of thē I dyd fyrste speake of the fyrst of these two bokes in the second boke of my retractacions where as my wordes by these Amōge the bokes sayd I which I made beyng Byshoppe I wrote the first two vnto Simplicianus byshop of the churche of Millane the successour of the moste blessed Ambrose of diuers questions wherof I bestowed two in my first boke that touche matters that are entreated to the Romanes The first of these questiōs is of that which is wrytten what shal we thē say is the lawe synne God forbyd Rom. 7. vnto that place where he sayeth who shal delyuer me frō this body of death The grace of God thorow Iesu Christ our Lord. These wordes of the Apostle the lawe is spiritual but I am carnal and the reste which declare the battayle betwene the spirite and the fleshe I dyd so expounde as thoo thapostle had described a man beyng yet vnder the lawe and not vnder grace For longe after I came to the knowlege that those wordes and that more truely myght be also vnderstand of the spiritual mā The latter question in this boke reacheth from that place where he sayeth neither was it so wyth her only Rom. 9. but also when Rebecca was with chylde by one I meane by our Father Isaac vntyl these wordes where he sayeth except the Lorde of hoostes hadde left vs seede we should haue ben made
lyght of the catholyke fayth thys doctour dothe manyfestly testefye that the daungers and tentaciōs of sinning are to be feared vntyl the puttyng of of thys body after the whych no man shal suffer any suche thynges But and yf he dyd not thys wytnesse whē would any christiā doubt of thys matter How then to a man that is fallen and in the same falle myserably endynge thys lyfe and goynge vnto paynes dewe to suche how I say should it not haue ben exceding profytable for hym yf he had ben takē out of the place of tentaciō by death before he had fallen And thus yf we set asyde rashe contencion thys question touchyng hym that was taken awaye that malyce should not chaunge hys vnderstandyng is fully aunswered Neither ought therfore the boke of wysedome to haue suffered thys iniury whyche haue so many yeres ben redde in the churche of Christe wherin this sentence is also redde because it is agaynst them whych are deceyued in thextollyng of mans merites Who be the ennemys of grace ennemyes agaynst the moste manyfest grace of God whych do appeare chiefly in yonge infantes amonge whome for as muche as some departe thys lyfe beyng baptised and other without baptisme is euidently declared mercy iudgement but mercy that is frely gouen and iudgement that is dewe For yf men should not be iudged accordynge to the workes of theyr lyfe whych they had before deathe but accordynge to suche as they should haue had yf they had lyued longer he had receiued no benefyt whych was taken awaye that malyce should not chaunge hys vnderstandyng it should nothynge haue profyted them whych dye in theyr synne yf they had dyed before whiche no christian shall dare afferme The catholike faith is contrary to the pelagians errors Wherfore oure brethren whyche wyth vs in the defence of the catholyke fayth do impugne the pernicious error of the Pelagians ought not so muche to fauour this opinion of the Pelagians wherby they thynke the grace of God to be geuen accordyng to our merites insomuche that they go aboute to destroye thys true auncient and christian sentence he was takē away that malice should not chaunge his vnderstandynge because they can not abyde the hearyng of it and to afferme that opinion whyche we thought no man would haue beleued no nor yet haue dreamed that is that euery dead mā should be iuged accordyng to suche workes as he should haue done if he had liued longer in the bodye Thus it appeareth that that whyche we afferme that the grace of God is not geuen accordyng to our merites is inuincible insomuche that wytty men ropugning against thys veritie wer compelled to afferme that the Pelagians errors ought to be banyshed from the eares and thoughtes of all men The .xv. Chapter Christ ys a cleare light af predestination THe saueour himselfe the mediatour betwene god and men the mā Christ Iesus is also a moste cleare lyght of predestinacion grace and that he myght so be by what merites of his goyng before eyther of workes or of fayth dyd the nature of man that was in hym purchase thys Let it be declared I praye you whereby that man deserued to be assumpte of the worde coeternal to the father in the vnitie of persone the he might be the only begottē sonne of God Dyd there any maner of goodnes of hys go before What dyd he aforhande what beleued he what axed he that he myght attayne to this vnspeakable dignitie begā not the selfe mā whych was made and assumpte of the worde to be the only sonne of God euen from the tyme that he began to be man Dyd not that woman full of grace conceiue the only sonne of God Was not the only sonne of God borne of the holy goost and the virgine Mary not by the luste of the fleshe but by the singular gyft of God was it to be feared lest that man should syn thorough fre choise whē he should come to the yeres of discrecion Or had he not therfore frewyll that somuche the more that he could not serue synne For all these most wōderful gyftes and other yf ther be any more that maye be counted moste iustely and peculiarly hys mans nature that is our nature receyued in hym after a syngular maner wythout any merytes of hys goynge before Let man here dispute with God yf he dare say why haue not I also the lyke and yf he shal thus be answered O mā what arte thou that disputest with God and wyll not so be satisfyed but wyl augment his impudency and saye why do I heare O man what art thou Rom. 9. Seyng I am that I heare that is to saye a man and so is he also of whome I speake but why am not I also that that he is For thorough grace cam he to this excelient dignitie why is grace dyuerse where as nature is one Surely ther is no acceptiō of persons wyth God Acto 10. What I say not a christian but what madde man would speake these wordes In our heade then maye appeare vnto vs the selfe fountaine of grace from whence it doth spreade it selfe into all hys membres accordynge to the measure of euery one Ephe. 4. By the same grace is euery mā from the begynnyng of hys fayth made a christiā by the whych that man from hys begynning was made Christ of the same spirite is man also borne agayne wherof thys man was fyrst borne thorowe the same spirite there is wrought in vs remissiō of synnes by the whyche it was wrought in hym that he should haue no sinne God knewe aforehande that he would do these thynges wythout al doubt The selfe same is therfore the predestinacion of sayntes whiche dyd moste euidently appeare in the moste holy whych who can denye that do ryghtlye vnderstande the wordes of truthe For we haue learned that the Lord of glory him selfe inasmuche as mā was made the sonne of God was predestinate The doctor of the Centyls do crye in the begynnyng of hys Epistles Rom. 1. Paule the seruaunt of Iesu Christ called an Apostle put a part for the Gospel of Godwhych he promysed by his prophetes in his holy Scriptures of his sonne which was made vnto hym of the sede of Dauid after the fleshe whych was predestinate the sonne of God in power by the spirite of sanctification of the resurrection of the dead Iesus was therfore predestinate that he whych after the fleshe should be the sonne of Dauid myght be neuertheles in power the sonne of God by the spirite of sanctification because he was borne of the holy goost and of the virgine Mary The selfe same is that syngular takynge of mās nature vnspekeably wrought of God the worde that the sonne of God and the sōne of mā together and the sonne of mā for mās sake that is taken and the sonne of god for the only begottē sake that dothe take should truly and properly be called
thynges He therfore that worke all thinges do also worke our beginning to beleue For faith selfe dothe not go before that callyng wherof it is sayd Rom. 11.9 the gyftes and callyng of God are suche that it can not repent hym of them and wherof it is sayde not of workes but of the caller when he myghte haue sayd but of the beleuer Ioan. 15. Faithe is the effecte of Goddes election and callyng the election whych the Lorde signifyed sayeng you haue not chosen me but I baue chosen you For he dyd not chose vs because we beleued but that we myght beleue that we should not be counted to haue chosen him first and then this should be false whych God forbydde you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you neither are we called because we dyd beleue but we are called that we maye beleue by thys callyng wherof God caÌ„ not repent hym thys is Certeinly wrought and performed that we maye beleue Neither is it nedeful to repete the great multitude of suche thynges as we haue before spoken in thys matter To be shorte thapostle also in the wordes that folow this testimony gyueth thaÌ„kes vnto God for them that dyd beleue not because the gospel was preached vnto them but because they beleued For he sayth In whoÌ„ also ye beleuyng the word of truthe the gospel of your saluacion wherin you beleuyng Ephe. 1. are sealed wyth the holy spirite of promes whych is the pledge of our inheritance to redeme the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Wherfore I also after that I herd of your fayth in Christ Iesu loue vnto all saintes cease not to gyue thankes for you Their faythe was newe and freshe after the Gospell was preached vnto them For the whych fayth thapostle wheÌ„ he herd therof gaue thankes to God on their behalfe PeticioÌ„s and thâ—â—keste of deparâ—ed what be thei Gal. 6. Yf he should haue gyuen thankes to a man for that thynge whych he either supposed or els knewe that he had not done it myght be counted rather flatery or mockery then thankes gyuyng Let vs not be deceyued god wil not be mocked For the beginning faith is also his gyft otherwyse the thankes gyuyng of thapostle myghte worthely be couÌ„ted false or of false glorye What meaneth thys is it not euident of whome the ThessaloniaÌ„s had the beginning of faith for the which neuertheles the same apostle geueth thankes vnto God 1. Thes 2. sayng For this cause we also giue thankes vnto God wythout ceasyng forbecause when ye had receiued of vs the worde wherwith god was preached ye receiued it not as the worde of men but euen as it was in dede the word of God whiche worke in you that haue beleued it What meaneth this that he geueth thankes vnto God for this matter For it is a vaine and foolyshe thynge yf he geue thankes to any for that he hath not done But bycause thys is neither vaine nor folyshe certeinlye God hymselfe wrought this worke for the which he geueth thankes vnto him That when they had receiued of thapostle the worde wherwith God was preached they might receiue it not as the worde of men but as it is in dede the very worde of God The maner of Goddes working in his chosen God therfore do so worke in the hertes of men by that callyng that is accordyng to hys owne purpose wherof we haue spoken abouÌ„dantly that they should not heare the gospel in vayne but that they maye after they haue herde it be conuerted and beleue receiuyng it not as the worde of man but as it is in dede the veray worde of God The .xx. Chapter THys also do teache vs that the begynnynge of mens fayth is the gyfte of God when the Apostle wryteth thus in his epistle to the Collocenses Collo 4. Continue in prayer and watche in the same with thankes geuyng prayeng also for vs that God maye open vnto vs the dore of his worde to speake the mysterye of Christe for the which I am also in bandes that I maye declare it so as it behoueth me to speake Howe is the dore of the worde opened but when the vnderstandynge of the hearer is opened that he maye beleue and that after he haue receyued the begynning of fayth he may allowe whatsoeuer is preached and disputed to the edificatioÌ„ of holsome doctrine lest that his herte beynge shute vp thorough vnbeleue he should improue reiecte those thynges that are spoken Wherfore he sayeth to the Corintheans also 1. Cor. 16. I wyll tarye at Ephesus vntil whitsontyde For a great dore manyfest is opened vnto me and ther are many aduersaries What other thynge caÌ„ here be vnderstande but onlye that the gospel beyng ther by him first preached that many beleued and also that ther were many aduersaries of the same beleue accordynge to thys sayeng of the Lorde no man coÌ„meth to me except it were geuen hym of my father Ioan. 6. and vnto you Luc 8. it is geuen to knowe the secretes of the kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not geueÌ„ The dore therfore was opened in theÌ„ vnto whoÌ„e it was geuen but the multitude of aduersaries were of them vnto whome it was not geuen In lyke maner the same Apostle in hys seconde Epistle vnto the same people sayeth 2. Cor. 2. wheÌ„ I was come into Troaâ—a for the Gospel of Christ and a dore was opened to me in the Lorde my spirite had no reste forbecause I dyd not fynd Titus my brother but dydding them farewel I went out in to Macedonia Whome bad he farewel but onely them that beleued in whose hertes de dore was opened thorough his preachyng But marke what he addeth but praysed be God sayeth he whyche dothe gyue vs the victory alwayes thorough Christe and doth declare the sauoure of his knowlege in all places by vs For we are the swete smelle of Christ vnto God bothe in them that are saued and in them also that do peryshe to some verely the sauour of death vnto death but to some the sauour of life vnto lyfe Paule ys an inuincible defendor of grace this cause wil then preuaile agenst the tyraÌ„ny aÌ„d subtelty both of deuel and worlde Lo for what cause the valeant sougeor and inuincible defendour of grace gyueth thankes Lo for what cause he geueth thankes because thapostles are the swete smelle of Christ vnto God both in them that are saued thorough his grace and in them also that peryshe thorough his iudgemeÌ„t But that they might be the lesse angry which vnderstaÌ„d not these thynges he warned wheÌ„ he addeth and sayeth And who is mete vnto these thinges Not withstandyng let vs returne to the openyng of the dore Wherby thapostle dyd signifye the begynnynge of the fayth of the hearers For what is this prayeng also for vs that God maye open vnto vs the dore of the worde but a moste
manyfest demōstracion that the very begynning of fayth is the gyft of God For it should not be asked of hym by prayer except men beleued that it were his gyfte This gyfte of the heauenly grace came downe into that purple sellar Act. 16. whose vnderstanding as the scripture dothe wytnesse in the actes of thapostles God had opened and she gaue hede vnto those thynges that were spokē by Paul For she was called after suche maner that she might beleue For god doth worke in mēs hertes what he wyll God worketh in mēs hartes what he will Act. 4. either helpyng or iudging insomuche that euen that maye be fulfylled thorough them whyche hys hande and councel haue predestinated to be done It is therfore vaine that they haue said that that also whych we haue proued by the testimony of the scriptures out of the bokes of Kynges Cronicles apperteine nothyng to the matter wherof we dispute that is when God wyll haue any thynge to be done whych can not be don except men be wyllynge that then their hertes are inclined to wille that thing that he would haue don he inclynyng them whych by a wōderfull and vnspekeable maner do worke also in vs to wyll For what other thynge is it to saye nothyng and neuertheles to agayne saye excepte paraduenture they haue made you some reason why they so thought whych you thought not mete to declare in your letters But what reason thys maye be I knowe not Is it thys thynke you because we declared that God dyd worke this in the hertes of me 1. Reg. 10 2. Reg. 5. dyd persuade the willes of as many as he would that Saul or Dauid myght be made kynge Therfore they thynke that these ensamples make not for this purpose because it is not all one thynge to raigne temporallye in this worlde and eternally with God and thinke they therfore that God do bowe the wylles of whom it pleaseth hym to set vp earth thy kyngdomes but to optaine the heauenly kyngdome he do not bowe the wylles of whome it pleaseth hym But I suppose that this was spoken for the kyngdome of heauē sake and not for any earthy kyngdome Inclyne myne herte vnto thy testimonies or thys Psal 118. Psal 36. Pro 16.20 3. Reg. 8. the goynges of a man are gouerned of the Lorde and he hath pleasure in hys waye or this The wyl is prepared of the Lorde Or let oure Lorde be wyth vs as he was wyth oure fathers let hym not forsake vs nor turne vs from hymself but let him bowe oure hertes vnto hymselfe that we may walke in al his waies Or thys I wyl gyue them an hert to knowe me eares of hearinge or thys I wyl gyue them an other hecte Ezec. 36. and a newe spirite wyl I gyue vnto them Let them also heare thys I wyll gyue my spirite vnto you and I wyll make you to walk in my ryghtfulnes and that you obserue and kepe my iudgemētes Let them heare this a mans goynges are gouerned of the Lorde but howe shall the mortall vnderstand his owne wayes Pro. 20. Let them heare euery man seameth iuste in his owne eyes but it is the Lorde that maketh the hertes streight Act. 3. But owr aduersaries will neither heare these nor none other Let them heare they beleued as manye as were ordeyned vnto eternall lyfe Let them heare these and all other places of the holy scriptures whiche I haue not rehersed by the whiche it is declared that God do also prepare and conuerte the willes of men vnto the kingdome of heauen and eternal lyfe Iudge youre selues what maner of doctrine it is that we ought to beleue that God do worke the willes for the setting vp and establyshyng of the earthy kyngdomes of men but that men do worke their owne wylles to attaine the kyngdome of heauen We haue spoken many wordes we myght paraduēture longe sins haue persuaded that we go about and yet we are fayne to speake after suche maner to them that haue sharpe quicke vnderstandinges as we should do to them that were dulle whych are not satisfyed with that that is to muche The .xxi. Chapter BVt let them pardone vs for thys newe question hath compelled vs thus to do For where as in our formare workes we haue proued by sufficiet witnesses that also fayth is the gyft of God Therbe some that haue inuented somwhat to against saye thys and that those wytnesses dyd serue to none other purpose but onlye to shewe that thencrease of fayth was the gyft of God But the begynnyng of fayth wherby men fyrst beleue in Christ is of mansselfe is not the gyft of God but that god required thys fayth that when that wer gone before other that are goddes gyftes myghte folowe after as it were for the merite of faythe and that none of them are geuen frely when God his grace is cōmended in them which is no grace excepte it be fre Howe absurde and folyshe this opinion is you do perceiue Wherfore we haue endeuoured oure selues as muche as we are able that we myght shewe that also the begynnyng of fayth is the gyft of God Wherin altho we haue lōger traueled then paraduenture they would that we should haue done for whome we haue take these paines wherfore we are contented to be reprehended of them So that they wyll confesse that we haue brought that to passe that we haue done in dede altho it be done with more wordes then thei would and altho that it be done with werines and hyrkesomnes of suche as haue vnderstandynge that is that we haue proued that also the begynnyng of fayth is the gyfte of God lykewyse as is continencye pacience ryghtfulnes godlynes other wherof ther is no contenciō betwene vs and them Let vs therfore make here an end of this fryst volume leste any myght be offended wyth to great a length of one boke The ende of the fyrst boke ¶ The seconde boke of S. Aurelius Aug. byshop of Hippone / of the goodnes of perseueraunce or continuynge to th ende / translated by Iohn Scory the late byshop of Chichester The fyrst Chapter NOw muste we dispute more diligently of perseueraunce For in the former boke when we intreted of the beginning of faith we did speake somwhat also of this matter We do therfore afferme that perseueraunce wherby men do continue in Christ vntyl thend is the gyft of God to th ende I say whē as this lyfe is fynished in the which only men be in daunger to falle Therfore it is vncertein whether any mā as longe as he lyueth in thys worlde haue receiued thys gyft For yf he falle before deathe verely men saye that he dyd not cōtinue to the ende and this is moste truely spoken For howe can he be counted to haue receyued or had perseueraunce which dyd not continue to th ende For yf any man haue continente and fall from the
profytable when that we are not deceyued or opprest but proued accordyng as it is sayd Psal 25. Proue me O Lorde and tempt me That tentacion therfore is hurtful whiche thapostle sygnifyed sayeng 1. Thes 3. lest paraduenture he that doth tempt should tempt you and our labour should be inuaine God as I sayd doth tempt no mā that is he bryngeth or leadeth no man into tentacion For to be tempted and yet not to be led into tentacion is not euel yea rather it is also good For this is none other but to be proued Where as thē we saye vnto God leade vs not into tētacion what do we saye els but suffre vs not to be ledde Wherfore many do praye after this maner suffer vs not to be ledde into tentacion and so is it redde in many bokes and so dothe blessed Cipriane allege it Neuertheles I haue not founde it in any place in the gospel wrytten in the Greke tonge after any other maner but after thys when are we in moste sauegarde leade vs not into tentacion We do then lyue in moste sauegarde yf we ascribe al vnto God But we do not committe our selues partlye to hym and partly to our selues whiche thynge thys reuerent martyr perceyued well enough For when he dyd expounde the same place of of the Lordes prayer after other thynges he sayd But when we do praye that we maye not come into tentacion we are put in mynde of our infirmite and weaknes when we so praye that no man shoulde arrogantlye extolle hymselfe that no man should proudly and arrogantly challēge any thynge to him selfe that no man should saye that either the glory of confession or of suffering were his owne seyng the Lorde hymselfe teachyng humilite sayd watche and pray that you cōe not into tentacion Mat. 26. The spirite is ready but the flēshe is weake that when we do humbly and mekelye fyrst knowledge our infirmite and attribute al vnto God what soeuer wyth his feare is humbly asked it maye be graunted thorow his mercye The .vii. Chapter YF therfore we had none other proue but onelye the Lordes prayer it would alone suffice to proue the matter of grace which we defende For it hathe lefte vs nothyng wherin as in our owne we maye glorye For this also that we should not departe from God it dothe declare to be the gyft only of God when it dothe teache vs to aske the same of God For he that is not ledde into tentacion dothe not departe from God But this lyeth not in the strength of fre choyse by anye meanes as the strength of it is nowe what power free wyl hath nowe notwithstādyng it was in man before his fal Nuertheles it dyd appeare in angels of what power the lybertie of wyll was in the dignitie of mans fyrst creacion which dyd abyde in the truthe whē the deuel with hysfel from the same and haue atteyued a perpetuall sauetye from fallyng wherin we are most certeine that they do nowe remayne Howe muche belonge to grace But after mans fall God would haue it apperteine onli to his grace that man maye come vnto him neither would he haue it belonge to any other thynge but to grace that man should not departe from him God hath put this grace in him in whō we haue optained the inheritaūce Ephe .i. predestinate accordyng to hys purpose that worketh al thynges and therfore as he worketh so that we maye come vnto hym So dothe he also worke that we should not departe from hym For the whiche cause it is sayde vnto hym by the prophete Psal 79. let thy hande be vpō the man of thy ryght hande and vpon the sonne of mā whome thou haste made stronge for thine owne selfe and we do not departe from thee Thys sonne of man verelye is not the fyrst Adā in whome we departed from God but thys is the laste Adam vpon whome was the hāde of God that we should not departe from hym For thys is hole Christ wyth his members The churche is Christes bodye Ephe. i. for hys church sake which is his body his fulnes When therfore the hande of God is vpon hym that we maye not departe from God certeinly goddes workyng do reache euen vnto vs. For thys is the hande of God for by Goddes workyng it is brought to passe that we may be in Christ abydyng with God not departing from God as we dyd in Adam For in Christ we haue optained the inheritaunce beynge predestinate according to hys purpose that worketh all thynges Thys therfore is the hande of God The had of God not our hande that we should not depart frō god Thys I say is his hande that said I wyll gyue my feare into their herte that they may not depart frō me Iere. 32. For the whych cause he would haue vs to aske also of him that we be not ledde into tentacion wherinto yf we be not brought we do not departe from hym by any maner of meanes The whych myght be geuē vnto vs also wythout prayer but he would haue vs to be admonished by our prayer of whom we may receiue these good gyftes For of whome els do we receyue them but of hym Vnto whōe we ought to praye of whom we are cōmaunded to aske them Let not the churche in any wyse loke for any labored and studyed disputacions in thys matter but let her marke well her dayly prayers She prayeth that the vnbeleuers maye beleue God doth therfore cōuerte them to the fayth She prayeth that those that beleue may continue God dothe therfore geue perseueraunce vnto th ende Thys dyd God knowe aforehande should come to passe The selfe same is the predestinacion of saintes whome he chase in Christe Ephe. i. before the makyng of the world that they might be holy and blameles in his syght in charitie predestinating them to make them hys sonnes by adoptiō thorowe Iesu Christe thorowe the self same according to the good pleasure of hys wyll vnto the prayse of the glory of hys grace wherby he hath made vs accepted in his beloued sonne in whome we haue redemption thorowe his blodde the remission of synnes accordyng to the ryches of his grace which was plentefully in them in all wysedōe and prudency that he might shewe vnto them the mystery of his wyl accordyng to his good wyl whych he purposed in hymselfe vntyl the tyme were full come to repaire al thynges by Christ bothe the thynges that are in heauen also that are in earth thorow hym Agaynst the truth mans doctrine ought not to be alowed by whō we are also made heires beynge predestinate according to his purpose that worketh all thynges Agaynst thys so shirle a trompe of the truthe what mā hauyng a sober and circumspecte fayth can allowe any mans doctrine The viii Chapter BVt why sayeth he is not the grace of God geuen accordyng to mens merites I aunswer because God is
can not be expressed wyth tonge For he that searcheth the hartes knoweth what is the meanyng of the spirite for he maketh intercession for the saintes accordyng to the pleasure of God What meaneth thys the spirite maketh intercession but onely that he maketh vs to make intercessiō with vnspeakable gronynges but yet which suche as are true because the spirite is the truthe For the self same is he of whome he speaketh in an other place God sent the spirite of his sonne into our hertes cryeng Abba father And what meaneth this cryeng Gala. 4. but makyng vs to crye by the same fygure of speache that we vse whē we call that a merye daye that maketh mē meri The which ī an other place he declareth where he sayeth For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoptiō wherby we crye Abba father Rom. 8. There he sayd that the spirite dothe crye but here he sayeth by whome we cryer declaryng certeinly what he mente when he sayd cryeng True spiritual prayer is goddes gyfte that is as I haue nowe expowned makyng vs to crye Wherby we do vnderstand that it is also the selfe gyfte of God to praye vnto God with a true herte and spiritually Let them therfore consyder howe farre they are deceyued whych thynke that to aske to seke and to knocke come of our selues are not gyue vnto vs. And thys they say vnto thys end that grace might be preached to folowe oure merite when we in askyng do receyue and in sekyng do fynde and when it is opened vnto vs knockyng Neither wyl they vnderstande that to praye that is that we maye aske seke and knocke is also the gyfte of God For we receyue the spirite of the sonnes of adoption by whome we crye Abba father The which the blessed Ambrose perceyued to be true for he sayeth to pray vnto God appertaineth to spirituall grace as it is written 1. Cor. 12. no mā sayeth that Iesus is the Lorde but in the holy Gost These thynges therfore whyche the churche askethof the Lorde and whych she hath alwayes asked syns her begynnyng The same God knewe aforehande that he wolde gyue to suche as are hys called according as he had now already geuen in the self predestinacion whych thapostle declared with out all maner of doubte For he wrytynge to Timothe sayeth 2. Tim. 1. suffer thou aduersitie wyth the Gospel thorow the power of God whych saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to oure dedes but accordyng to hys owne purpose grace whych grace was geuen vs thorowe Christ Iesu before theternall tymes but is nowe declared openly by the cōmyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe Let hym therfore saye that sometyme the churche beleued not the truthe of thys predestination grace which is nowe more diligently defended agaynst these new heretikes let him I saye thus saye whiche dare afferme that some time she prayed not at all or els that she praied not truely both that the vnfaythfull myght beleue and also that the faythful myght continue The whiche good thynges yf she alwayes prayed for she dyd vndoubtedly alwayes beleue that they were the giftes of God It was neuer lawfull for the churche to denye the truthe nether was it at any tyme lawful for her to deny that the same were euermore knowen of hym And thus it appeareth that the churche of Christ haue alwayes beleued thys predestinacion whych against newe heretikes is now wyth a new trauell defended The .xxiiii. Chapter BVt what shal I say more I suppose that I haue sufficiently taught or rather more thē nedeth that both to begyn to beleue in the Lorde and also to continue in hym vnto th ende The true worshippīg of God are the gyftes of God But as for other vertues that belōg to a godly lyfe wherby God is truly worshipped they also for whome we wryte these do graunt that they are the gyftes of God Furthermore they can not denye bothe that God knewe aforehande all hys owne gyftes and also that he knewe afore to whome he wolde gyue them As other gyftes therfore ought to be preched that he whych preacheth them may be obediently heard euen so also predestinacion ought to be preached that he whych obediently hear these thynges shulde not glorye in man and therfore shulde not glorye in hym selfe but in the Lorde because also thys is Goddes cōmaundement that we shulde obedientlye heare that is that he whyche glorieth myght glory in the Lorde is the gyft of God in lyke maner as other gyftes be To glory in the Lorde is goddes gyfte The whych gyfte whosoeuer wanteth I am not afrayde to saye that what so euer gyftes he hath besydes he hath them in vaine Thys gyft we wyshe vnto the Pelagians that they maye haue but vnto these our brethren we wyshe that they may haue it more fully Let vs not be therfore readye to dispute stoo to praye Let vs pray moste derely beloued let vs praye the God maye also gyue grace to our enemies and namely to our brethrē and louers that they maye vnderstande and cōfesse that no man after that great and vnspekeable ruyne wherby all we fel in one man can be delyuered but by the grace of God and that the same grace is not recompensed as dewe True grace for the merites of them that receyue it but is frely gyuē as true grace for no merites sake goyng before it For there is no clerer ensample of predestinacion then Iesus hym selfe wherof I haue nowe disputed both in my fyrst boke and the same I haue also chosen to cōmend in th ende of thys for there is no ensample I saye of Predestinacion more cleare then the selfe mediator What so euer faythfull man is desyrous truely to vnderstande predestinacion let hym beholde hym and in hym he may also fynd hymselfe Let the faythfull I saye do thys whyche do beleue and confesse that the true nature of man that is oure nature is in hym notwythstādyng that it be syngulerlye exalted to be the onelye sonne of God by that that God the worde dyd take it so that bothe he that dothe take and it that was taken myght be one persone in Trinitie For by the takyng of man there was not a quaternite made but the Trinite continued when the truthe of one persone in God and man was vnspeakeablye wrought by the takynge of mans nature For we saye not that Christe is God onely as the hereticall Manicheis saye neither that he is Man onely as the hereticalle Photinianes saye neither do we saye that he is man after suche sorte that he shoulde haue anye thynge lesse then other haue as touchyng that whyche is certaine to belonge to mannes nature whether it be the soule or in the selfe soule the reasonable mynde or the fleshe not taken of the woman but made of the worde beynge