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
to performe therfore they are his owne works and none others Do you thynke paraduēture that God promysed the good workes of the gentyls to Abraham in hys sede that he myght promyse that which he hymselfe do performe but that he promysed not the fayth of the gētyls which mē worke themselues but that he myghte promyse that whych he performeth he knewe aforehande fayth that men shoulde worke it Truly thapostle speaketh not after this maner For God promysed sonnes to Abraham whiche should folow the fotesteppes of his fayth Thys thynge he speaketh moste euidently But yf he promysed the workes of the gentyls and not their fayth Forasmuche as ther are no good workes but suche as spryng of fayth For the iuste lyueth by faythe Abac. 2. Rom. 14. Gebr. 11. and all that is not of fayth is synne wythout fayth it is impossible to please God it muste neuerthelesse folowe that it lyeth in mans power that Goddes promyses be performed For except man do worke that wythout goddes helpe which belongeth to mā God shall not performe his gyfte that is to saye excepte man haue fayth of hymselfe God shal not performe that whiche he hath promysed that is that the workes of righ teousnes myght be geuen of God And vpon thys it shoulde folowe that it saye in the power of man not in the power of God that God myght be able to performe his promises But yf both truth and godlynes forbyd vs thus to beleue Then are our aduersaries voide both of truthe godlynes let vs then beleue with Abraham that he is able to performe the thynges that he hath promysed But he hath promysed sonnes vnto Abraham whych they can not be excepte they haue fayth he do therfore gyue euen fayth also The .xi. Chapter SEynge then as the Apostle sayeth the inheritaunce is geuen by fayth Rom. 4. the it myght come of fauoure or grace the promyse might be sure A wōder I wonder that men had rather cōmyt them selues to their owne wekenes then to the certeinte of goddes promise But thou sayest I am vncerteine of goddes wyl towarde me What then arte thou certeine of thyne owne wyll towardes thy selfe and arte not afrayde He that semeth to stande 1. Cor. 10. let hym take hede that he fall not Seyng thē as both be vncertein why doth not a man commytte his fayth hope and charitie rather to the stronger then to the weaker But when it is sayde say they yf thou beleue thou shalt be saued Rom. 10. one of these is requyred to be done the other is offered to be geuen that whiche is requyred is in mans power but that whiche is offered is in the power of God But I praye you why be they not bothe in goddes power aswell that that he commaundeth as that whiche is offerd For we praye vnto God that he wyll gyue that he cōmaundeth They that beleue praye for thēselues that their fayth maye be encreased They praye for them that beleue not that fayth maye be geuen them So that fayth bothe in her increasynges also in her begynnynges maye be the gyft of God But thys sayeng yf thou beleue thou shalt be saued is lyke vnto thys yf thorough the spirite ye shal mortifye the dedes of the flesh Rom. 8. ye shall lyue For here also of these two one is requyred thother is offered Yf thorowe the spirite sayeth he ye shal mortifye the dedes of the fleshe ye shall lyue That we maye then thoroughe the spirite mortefy the dedes of the fleshe is requyred but that we maye lyue is offerd Thynke you then that it were conuenient that we should saye that the mortificacion of the fleshe were not the gyft of God and that we should not therfore cōfesse it to be goddes gyft because we heare that it is requyred of vs the promyse of lyfe beyng offered yf we shall do accordingly God forbyd that they that are partakers and defenders of grace should thus thynke A damnable error Thys is the damnable error of the Pelagiās whose mouthes thapostle immediatly stopped sayeng For as many as are ledde by the spirite of God these are the sonnes of God that we shoulde not beleue that we could mortifye the dedes of the fleshe by our owne spirite hut by the spirite of God Of the which spirite of God he dyd also speake in that place 1. Cor. 12. where he sayd All these worketh one and the selfe same spirite deuidyng to euery man seueral gyftes euen as he wyll Amonge whyche al he named also faith as ye know Therfore lykewyse as altho the mortifyeng of the dedes of the fleshe be the gyft of God yet is it requyred of vs the reward of lyfe beyng set before vs euen so faythe also is the gyft of God notwithstandyng that it selfe be also requyred of vs by thys sayeng yf thou beleue thou shalte be safe the rewarde of saluacion beyng set before vs For therfore are these thynges bothe commaunded vnto vs and are also declared to be the gyftes of God that it might be perceiued both that we do them and also that God dothe make vs to do them as he sayeth moste playnly by his prophet Ezechiel For what is more playne thē this when he sayeth Ezec. 36. God maketh vs to do his commaūdementes I shall make them to do them Marke wel most dere brethren thys place of the holye scripture and you shal perceiue that God doth promise that he him selfe wyll so worke both faythe and workes that they maye do the thinges that he cōmaundeth to be don In the same place he maketh mencion also of their merites but it is of their euell merites wherin he doth declare that he do rēder good gyftes for euel merites in that he maketh thē here after to bryng forthe good workes whē that he causeth them to do goddes cōmaūdemētes The .xii. Chapter BVt all thys disputacion wherby we defende the grace of God thorow Iesu Christ our Lorde to be vereli grace that is to say not geuen after our merites altho it be defended moste manifestly by the testimonies of Goddes worde yet therbe some that thynke themselues to be discoraged from al godly lyuyng except they may ascribe somewhat to themselues whyche they may first gyue vnto God that they maye be recompensed Thys may be somtyme doubtful among them that are of age and discrecion that haue now the vse of the choise of wyll but when we once come to yonge infauntes and to the mediator of God and men the mā Christ Iesu 1. timo 2. all defence of mans merites goyng before the grace of God do faile For neither are any of them preferred before other by any merites of man goyng before that they should belong to the saueor of mē neither was he for asmoche as he hymselfe is also man made the saueour of men by any merites of man goyng before For who can abyde to heare
Lorde thou ronuertinge vs shalte quicken vs or els yf the Lorde do not make of the vnwillyng willynge why do the churche accordyng to the commaūdement of the Lorde praye for her persecutours For so also S. Cipziane would haue this that we saye thy wyl be done in earth as it is in heauen to be vnderstande that is Math. 6. as in them which do nowe beleue and are as it were heuen euen so also in them which do not beleue and are therfore yet earth What then do we for them that wyll not beleue but only that God shoulde worke in them also a wil to beleue As touchyng the Iewes the Apostle verely sayeth Rom. 01. The good wyll of my herte praier to God for them is that they myght be saued He prayeth for them that beleue not what els but that they may beleue For otherwyse they do not attaine saluation Yf thē the fayth of them that do praye do preuent goddes grace do therfore the fayth of them that are prayed for that they maye beleue preuent the grace of God For this prayer is made for them that fayth may be geuē vnto them that beleue not that is to saye that haue no fayth Why somebeleue the preachyng of the gospel sōe not Math. 13 Acto 13. Ioh. 6. When the Gospell is then preached some beleue and some beleue not but they that beleue whē the preacher maketh out wardly a soūde do inwardly heare are taught of the father but they that beleue not they hear outwardly but inwardly they neither hear nor learne that is vnto the one sorte it is geuen that they may beleue but vnto the other it is not geuen because no man sayeth Christ commeth vnto me excepte the father which sent me drawe hym the whiche after is more euydetly spoken For a lytle after when he had spoken of the eatyng of his fleshe and drinckyng of his blodde and certaine also of his disciples had said thys is an harde sayeng who can heare hym Iesus knowyng wyth himself that his disciples dyd murmure for this he sayd vnto them do this offende vnto you and a lytle after Ioh. 6. The wordes sayth he that I haue spoken vnto you are spirite and life but ther be certeine of you that beleue not And by and hy theuangelist sayd Iesus knewe from the begynnyng who should beleue and who shoulde betraye him and sayd Therfore I sayd vnto you that no man can come vnto me except it were geueu hym of my father Therfore to be drawen of the father to Christ and so to hear and learne of the father that we maye come to Christ is nothyng els but to receyue a gyft of the father What is to be drawen of the father Iob. 6. wherby we maye beleue in Christ For he that sayd no man commeth vnto me except it were geuen hym of my father dyd not preferre them that heare the Gospel from them that heareth it not but dyd preferre the beleuers from them that bebeleue not The .ix. Chapter FAyth therfore is the gyfte of God aswell when it is begonne as whē it is perfecte And that this gyft is geuē to some and to other some is not geuen no man may in any wyse doubt which wil not striue against the moste manifest holy scriptures Striuers against the moste manyfest scriptures But why this faythe is not geuen to all ought not to trouble any faythful man which beleueth that al thorough one man at brought vnder condēpnacion and that moste iustly without al doubt so that God should not be reprehēded iustly altho he delyuered none from the same By the whych it is manyf est that great is the grace that many are delyuered and in them that are not delyuered they do acknowlege what should haue ben dewe to themselues Iere. 9. Our owne merites are dānable that they which glorye should not glorye in their owne merites whiche they perceyue to be lyke vnto the merites of them that are damned but should glory in the Lorde But why he dothe rather delyuer one thē another his iudgementes are vnsercheable his wayes past findinge out Rom. 11. For in this point also it were better for vs eyther to heare of other or to saye our selues O man what arte thou that disputest wyth God Rom. 9. then to take vpon vs as thoo we knewe the matter to discusse that which he would haue secrete which neuerthelesse coulde not wil any thynge that is vnryghtfull But as touchyng that which ye cal to remembraunce that I sayd in a certaine worke of myne againste Porphirius hauyng this tytle of the tyme of the Christian fayth I dyd so speake that I omitted thys more diligent and exacte disputacion of grace not without significatiō that I would not in that place declare it ani further which might be done eyther at some other tyme or els by some other bodye For amonge other wordes I sayd thus answeryng to the question purposed why Christe dyd come after so many ages Therfore sayd I seyng they dyd not obiecte againste Christ that al folowed not his doctrine for they themselues do also perceyue that that can not be iustlye obiected either agaynst the wysedome of the philosophers or against the worshipping of their goddes what other thyng wyl they answere but that the depenes of goddes wysedome and knowledge are vnsercheable where as paraduenture some other councel of God lyeth very priuely hyd and yet to answere thus is wythout any preiudice peraduenture of other causes also that maye be searched out by wysemen But let vs in discussyng of thys question because of shortnes make them only this answer that Christ would then appeare vnto men and haue his doctrine to be preached amonge them Why Christ came no soner when he knewe and where he knewe wer suche as would beleue in him For at those tymes and in those places where hys Gospell is not yet preached he knew aforehāde that they would al be so affected in the preachyng therof as althoo not all yet verye many were in his corporall presence whych would not beleue in him Ioh. 11. and. 12. no not when he had raysed the deade agayne to lyfe As we also perceyue at this daye that many wyll not yet beleue notwithstandyng that the prophecies of the prophetes of hym are fulfylled so manyfestly Resisters of truth but they had rather thorowe mans subtiltye resyste then to geue place to so cleare to so manyfest and to so great authoritie of God so excellentlye publyshed and spred abrode As longe as mās vnderstandynge is base and weke it can not assent to goddes truthe Bere is an answere vnto them that aste why the gospel before our dayes was so longe hydde What wonder is it then seynge Christ knewe the world in the former ages to be so full of infideles that he would neither appeare nor preache vnto them whom he knew aforehande would
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
dyd not receyue him the selfe same Euangelist declareth sayeng because hys face was Luce. 9. as thoughe he would go to Ierusalem the disciples verely desyred to be receyued into Samaria But God dothe call whome it pleaseth hym and maketh whom he wyl deuoute or religious what is more plaine what do we seke more euident of the interpretor of thys worde of God yf we delite to heare that also of them whych is manifest in the scriptures But to these two whyche ought to suffice let vs adde also a thyrde I meane holy Gregory whych do wytnesse bothe that to be leue in God Gregory nazianze ne not Gregory the. b. of Rome and also to cōfesse that whych we beleue is the gyft of God sayeng we beseche you that ye wil confesse the Trinitie of one Godhead But yf ye wyl otherwyse say ye that they be of one nature and God shal be beseched to gyue you a voice from hys holy spirite that is god shal be prayed vnto that he wil permitte suche a voice to be gyuen you wherby you may cōfesse that whych you beleue For I am certeine that he that hathe geuen the fyrst wyl gyue the seconde also he that hath geuen you beleue wyl gyue you also confession These excellent and noble doctors affermyng that ther is nothynge wherof we maye glory as of our owne which God hathe not gyuen vs and that not so muche as our owne herte thoughtes ar in our owne power but ascribyng all vnto God confessynge that we do receyue all of him that we may be conuerted vn to hym cōtinue vnto th ende that that whych is good maye also seame good vnto vs and that we may wil the same that we may honour God and receiue Christ that of vn dououte we maye be made deuoute and religious that we may beleue in the selfe Trinite confesse with mouth also that whych we beleue These certeinlye do they ascribe to goddes grace these do thei acknowlege to be Goddes gyftes They do wytnesse that we haue not these of our selues but of hym But wyl any man saye that these doctors did so confesse this grace of God that they durst deny his foreknowlege the whyche not onely the learned but also the vnlearned do confesse Furthermore yf they knewe that God dyd gyue these gyftes after suche a sorte that they were not ignoraūt that he knewe aforehande that he would gyue them and that he could not be ignoraūt to whome he would gyue them out of al dout they knewe predestinacion Thapostles preached predestinacion the whiche beyng preached by thapostles we defend agaynst newe heretikes wyth great payne and diligence yet neuertheles it could not be iustlye obiected agaynst thē preaching obedience and ernestly accordyng to their power exhortinge men to the same yf you wyll that obediēce whervnto ye exhorte vs shall not waxe colde in our herte preache no more this grace of God vnto vs whych we confesse that God doth gyue whervnto ye also exhorte vs that we maye do it The xx Chapter VVherfore yf both thapostles and also the doctors of the churche that succeded them and folowed their ensample dyd obserue bothe these thynges that is They dyd bothe truely preache the grace of God whych is not gyuen accordyng to oure merites and dyd also teache godly obediēce wyth holsome preceptes what is the cause that these our brethren beyng shutte vp wyth thinuineible power of the truthe do thynke that they themselues yet speake trulye sayeng altho that whych is spoken of the predestinacion of gods benefytes be true whether predestinacion ought to be preached yet ought it not to be preached vnto the people It ought to be preched in any wyse that they which haue eares to hear mai hear But who is that that hath eates of hearynge yf he haue not receyued them of hym whych sayeth I wyll gyue them an herte to knowe me and hearyng eares Truly let hym that taketh not refuse retect whiles yet he that taketh maye take drynke may drynke and lyue For lykewyse as godlynes ought to be preached that God may be trulye worshipped of hym that hath cares to heare Chastite ought to be preached that no vnlawfull thynge be commytted wyth the priuey members of hym the hath eares to heare Charitie ought to be preached that God and the neyghbour may be loued of him that hath eares to hear euen so also thys predestinacion of goddes benefites ought to be preached that he that hath eares to heare maye not glory in hymselfe but in the Lorde But where as they saye that ther was no nede to trouble so many hertes of suche as do not wel vnderstande wyth thys vncer teintie of suche disputacion because the catholike fayth hath bē no lesse profitably defended wythout thys determinacion of predestinacion so many yeres both agaynst other he retikes specially against the Pelagians as well wyth oure owne formare bokes as also wyth the bokes of many catholyke writters and others I maruel muche that they wyll thus speake and do not consyder the selfe bokes of oures that I maye at thys present passe ouer other mens with silence both written and publyshed before also the Pelagiās beganne to appeare wherin they may perceyue in how many places we not knowyng the Pelagians heresye to come dyd beleue in preachyng grace wherby God dothe delyuer vs from our euel errors and maners workynge thys not for our good merites goyng before but for hys owne free mercye The whyche thynge I beganne more fully to vnderstande S. Aug. was more sincere in doctrine after he was byshop then he was before God graunt that oure b. maye be so in that disputacion whych I wrote vnto Simplicianus of blessed remē braunce byshop of the churche of Millane in the beginninge of my byshopryche whē as I both knewe and also defended that the begynnynge of faythe was the gyfte of God For whyche of my workes could be better knowen and more gladly redde then the bokes of my confessions seyng I had also published them before the Pelagians he resye sprange vp In these bokes I sayd verely vnto our God and I sayd often gyue that thou commaundest and commaunde what thou wylt The whych my wordes Pelagius could not abyde when they wer rehersed of a certeine brother a felowbyshop of myne in his audiēce at Rome and he speakyng agaynst them somwhat angerly dyd almoste falle oute wyth hym that had recyted them But what els dothe God fyrst and chiefly cōmaunde vs but that we should beleue in hym and thys then doth he gyue yf it be well sayd vnto hym gyue that thou commaundest And in the same bokes also that I myght shewe my conuersion when God conuerted me vnto the fayth whiche I had wasted wyth moste myserable furious bablyng do you not remember that I declared the same after suche a sorte that I myght shewe that I was conuerted by the faythfull
that do now obey be predestinate to be reiected but yf any do obey and so forth to be spoken by a verbe of the thyrde person and not by the seconde person For an abhominable and no pleasaūt matter is spoken and by thys speakynge the foreheades of the auditorye are as it were moste rygourously and moste hatefullye knocked one agaynst another whē any mā do saye to them vnto whōe he speaketh and yf any of you whiche do nowe obeye be predestinate to be reiecte the power to obeyshal be taken from you that you maye falle frō obedience What parte of the sentence is left out yf it should be spoken thus But yf ther be any that do nowe obey which neuer the les are not predestinate vnto hys kyngdome and glory they are but for a tyme neither shall they continue in the same obediēce vnto th ēde Is not nowe the same thynge spokē both more truely and also more comely that we maye not seame as it wee to wyshe vnto them so great an euell but to tell of other that which they hate that they may not thynke it to belōge vnto them whiche do hope and praye for better thynges That same phrase of speche whych they thynke ought to be vsed in predestinacion may be spokē in a maner by the same wordes also of goddes foreknowlege whyche vndoubtedly they cānot denye so that it maye be sayd And yf any of you that do nowe obey be foreknowen to be reiecte ye shal fal frō obedience For as thys is moste true euen so verely it is moste impudent moste vntymely moste vn comly not because it is false doctrine but because it is not holsomlye ministred vnto the disease of mās infirmitie I thinke also that that maner of speakynge whych we haue sayd ought to be vsed in the preachyng of predestinacion should not suffice hym that speaketh to the people except he should adde thys or some suche lyke thynge that he would saye You ought therfore to truste to obteyne also the selfe perseueraunce in obedience of the father of lyght from whome cōmeth downe euery good gyfte and euery parfyte gyft Iaco. 1. and to aske the same by dayly prayers in thys doynge to beleue that you are not straungers from the predestinaciō of his people because he doth graunt vnto you that you maye also thys do God forbyd that you should therfore despayre of your selues because you are cōmaunded to put your-trust in hym and not in youre selues For euery man is cursed that putteth hys trust in man Ieri 17. Psal 117 Psal 2. Tit. 1. again it is better to truste in the Lorde then to truste in man For they are all blessed that truste in hym And you holdyng faste thys hope serue the Lorde in feare and reioyse before hym wyth tremblyng For no man can be certeine of eternal life whych God that cānot lye hath promysed before theternall tymes vnto the sonnes of promyse before thys lyfe whyche is a tentacion vpon th earth shal be fynyshed but he vnto whome we do dayly saye leade vs not into tentacion shall make vs to perseuer in hymselfe vntyll th ende of thys lyfe Seynge that these and suche lyke are spokē whether it be to a fewe or to the hole multitude of the churche why are we afrayed to preache the predestinacion of saintes the true grace of God that is whych is not geuē after our merites accordyng as the holy scripture doth teach the same Is it to be feared that a mā should thē fall into desperacion whē he is taught to put his truste in God that he shoulde not dispaire yf he shoulde moste proudlye and moste vnhappely put hys truste in hymselfe and I would to god that such as haue dulle vnderstandynges are weake whyche either can not or at the leste wyse yet can not vnderstande the scriptures or their exposicions would either heare or not heare our disputacions in thys matter after suche a maner that they would rather diligently consyder theyr owne prayers whych the churche hath alwayes vsed frō her begynnyng and shall vse vnto the worldes ende The .xxiii. Chapter He proveth predestinacion and grace by the praiers of the church EOr the churche haue alwayes made mencion of this matter in her prayers whyche we are nowe compelled agaynst these newe heretikes not only to make rehersall of but also to defēde and maintaine manifestly yea and somtime she hath thought it good that it should be declared in sermons when she was not vexed with any aduersari For when did not the churche pray for infidels and for her ennemyes that they myght beleue Whē was ther euer any faythfull man that had an infidele to hys frend neighbour or wyfe and haue not desyred for them of the Lord suche a mynd as myght obey the christian fayth Who is it that do not alwaies pray vnto the Lorde that he maye continue in hym Or who at any tyme hearyng the priest callyng thus vpon the Lorde for the faythfull O Lorde graunt vnto them that they maye continue in thee vnto th end durste either by worde yea or by thought once reprehende hym for this prayer Howe could he say Amē except he vnderstode hys blissynge 1. Cor. 14. haue not rather with a beleuyng herte and confessynge mouthe made aunswere vnto this his blessyng sayng Amen Seyng that the faythfull in the selfe praier of the Lorde pray for nothyng els namelye when they saye thys Leade vs not into tentacion but that they maye continue in holy obedience As therfore in these prayers euen so also in thys fayth the churche dyd sprynge vp and dothe bothe growe and haue growen by the whyche fayth it is beleued that the grace of God is not geuen for the merites of thē that receiue it For neither would the churche praye that faythe myght be geuen to infideles except she beleued that God would turne mens willes vnto hymselfe bothe of suche as are turned from hym and also of such as are ennemyes vnto hym nor yet would she praye that she beyng not deceiued nor ouercome wyth the tentacions of the world myght continue in the fayth of Christ excepte that she beleued that the Lorde had our herte so in hys owne power that notwythstandyng we do not kepe godlynes but by our owne wyll yet neuertheles that we cānot kepe the same except he should worke in vs also the wyll For yf the churche askyng these thynges of hym should thynke that they were geuen her of her selfe the prayers that she vseth are not true prayers but made for a facion whych God forbyd that any of vs shulde saye For who can truly morne desyring to receyue of the Lorde that whyche he prayeth for yf he shulde thynke that he hath thys of hym selfe and not of hym namelye because we knowe not what to desyre as we ought Rom. 8. but the spirite hymself sayth thapostle maketh intercessiō for vs wyth gronynges whych
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