of the Lorde Esay the prophet speaketh likewyse of the spirituall rychesse whereof God is the aucthour Our saluacion commeth with treasures as for wisdome and godlynesse and nourture they come from the Lorde these are the treasures of ryghteousnes Also he speaketh these wordes of the depth of the riches of the wisdome knowledge of God whose goodnesse is preuented with the merite of no manne whiche hath measured the water with his hande the heauen with his spanne and the whole earth with thre fingers which hath wayed the mountaines in the skaoles and the rockes in the balaunce who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde or who hath bene hys counseller who canne instruct hym or of whom hath he asked counsayl and he hath taught hym Or who hath shewed hym iudgement or who hath shewed hym the waye of wisedome or who hath fyrst geuen to him that he may recompence him whereof also in the booke of Iob the words of the lord are red in the same sence sayinge who hath geuen to me fyrst that I should recompence him All thynges that are vnder heauē are mine Ieremias also sayeth on thys wise that a mā hath right wisdome from god O lord I know that it is not in mans power to order his owne way neyther is it in man to rule his own iourney Also the Lorde protesteth by the same Prophete that the conuersion of the hart to God is of God and he sayeth I will restore them vnto thys lande and I will newe buylde them and will not destroye them I wyll plant them and not pulle them vp I wyll geue them an heart that thei may knowe me for I am the Lorde and they shalbe my people and I wyl be theyr God for they shalbe conuerted vnto me with theyr hole heart Also the same Prophete she wynge that it cōmeth of god that we knowe god sayth And they shal knowe that I am the Lorde theyr God and I wyll geue them an hearte to knowe me and eares to heare me The Apostle in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth that euery good word and euery holy worke is the secrete working if the holy spirit without whō nothing is well done saying Therfore I do you to vnderstād that no man speakynge in the sprite of god defieth Iesus And no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but in the holy ghost For ther be diuersities of giftes or graces and yet but one spirite and there be differences of administracions and yet but one Lorde and there be diuers maner of operacions and yet but one God which worketh al in all The gyftes of the spirite are geuen to euery man to edifie withall For to one is geuen the vtteraunce of wysdome by the spirite To another is geuen the vtteraūce of knowlege by the same spirite to another is geuen faith by the same spirite to another the gyft of healynge by the same spirite to another prophesie to another iudgement to discerne spirites to another diuers tongues to another the interpretacion of tongues and al these worketh one and the same spirite deuidyng vnto euery man euen as he wyll The same Apostle vnto the Ephesians saith that euery man hath so much grace as the Lord hath geuē him One body one spirite saith he as ye are called in one hope of your callynge One Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue al men and ouer all thynges and in vs all For to euery one of vs is geuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christe For the which cause he saith He ascended vp on hyghe and hath led captiuitie captiue and geuen gyftes to men Also the same Apostle in the second Corinthes saith that we are not able to thynke that that is spirituall but by the grace of God Such truste haue we towardes God throughe Chryste not that we are sufficiente of our selues to thynke anye thynge as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God whiche hath made vs meete ministers of the new Testament not in the letter but in the spirite for the letter killeth but the spirite geueth lyfe Agayne in the same Epistle teachynge that the desyre and the sufficiencie or ablenesse vnto good woorkes are ministred of God he saith God is able to make all grace to abounde in you that ye all hauyng sufficient of all thynges maye be ryche in euerye good woorke as it is wrytten He hath dispearsed abrode and geuen to the poore his ryghteousnes abydeth for euer For he that ministreth seede to the sower shall geue you foode to eate and shall encrease the fruites of your ryghteousnes that ye beynge made ryche to the vttermoste may haue plentie vnto all singlenesse And the Apostle wryting to the Ephesians teacheth that all good thynges where with God is pleased are the gyftes of GOD and that it behoueth them to be asked of God that he may geue thē to those which haue them not For this cause saith he do I bowe my knees vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christe of whom is named all fatherhod both in heauen and in earth that he woulde geue you power accordynge to the richesse of his glory that ye might be strengthed by his spirite in the inner manne that Chryste myght dwell in your hartes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue myght be able to comprehende with all Saintes what is that breadth and length depth and heyghte and to knowe what the loue of Christe is whiche loue passeth knowledge that ye might be fylled with all maner of fulnesse that cōmeth of God And vnto hym that is able to do to worke all thinges more aboundauntlye in vs then we can either aske or thinke accordyng to that power wherwith he now worketh in vs. To him he prayse and glory in the congregation by Iesus Chryste throughout al worldes Amen And Iames the Apostle telleth in lyke maner that God is the aucthour of euery good thyng whose giftes are neither vncertaine nor mutable but proceadyng of the eternall wyll saying Do not ye erre my deare brethren Euery good gyft and euery perfecte gyfte discendeth from aboue from the father of lyght with whom there is no variablenesse neyther is he chaunged vnto darkenesse Of his owne good wyll begate he vs with the woorde of trueth that we myght bee the firste fruites of his creatures Vnto whom the Prophete zacharias agreeth saying In that daye the Lorde shall saue his people as sheepe for holye stones shall be rolled vppon his lande For yf any thyng be good it is his yf anye thynge be precious it commeth of hym And in the Gospell of Saint Mathe we it is tolde lykewyse that knowledge and vnderstandynge are the gyftes of God whiche he geueth to whom he wyll Then his Disciples came vnto hym and sayde Why doeste thou speake vnto them in parables But he aunswered and
beleuers whyle thei which are to become Christians are agaynst the Christian faith For many shall loue that they haue hated and shall preache that that they do not nowe alowe And among these thynges who shall make it knowē vnto these murmuters or curious searchers whye the Sunne of ryghteousnes shyneth not yet to some Nacions and why also the veritie which is to bee reuealed hereafter withholdeth at this tyme her bright beames from the hartes that are so ful of darknes why thei which are to be refourmed afterwardes are suffred so long to go astray and why that that is geuen to olde men in the end of theyr lyfe is not geuen them by so long a time before Whye the chyldren beleue nowe in Christ and the parentes do not yet beleue And agayne why an euyll childe differeth vtterly from his godlye and religious parentes And yet notwithstanding prayers are dayly made to god which is both the geuer of the begynnyng of faith also of then crease therof according to his cōmaundement so that both yf he mercifully do heare the grace of his mercy maye be knowen and also yf he do not fauourably heare the trueth of his iudgement maye be vnderstanden And also in times past euen the same grace whiche after the resurrectiō of our Lorde Iesus Christ was spred abrode euery where and of the which it is wrytten Thy illuminacions hath shone abrode to all the worlde was not lacking in the worlde For though it can not be denyed but that the people of Israell were elected by a speciall regarde and mercye of God and all other Nacions were suffred to walke in theyr owne wayes that is to saye were suffred to liue after theyr owne wyll yet notwithstanding the euerlastyng goodnesse of the Creatoure dydde not so tourne away it selfe from those menne that he dyd not admonysshe them by some significasignifications both to knowe hym and also to feare hym For heauen and earth the sea and euery creature which may be seene knowen was chiefly ordeyned for this profyte and vtilitie of mankynde to the entent that the reasonable nature through the beholdyng of so manye kyndes of thynges throughe the experience of so many good thynges throughe the receipte of so many gyftes might be instructed to the worship and loue of his maker the spirite of God replenyshyng all thynges in whom we lyue moue and haue our beynge And though that health be farr from sinners yet is there nothing voyde of the presence and power of his saluacion Therfore as the Prophete saith The earth is full of the mercy of the Lorde that neuer fayled anye tyme or any generacion And he dyd euer bestowe that same prouidence by the whiche he doth geue and preserue al thinges to the gouernaunce succouryng of nature hauyng ordinarilie prepared and appointed by the immutabilitie of his eternall councell vnto whom and what he hym selfe woulde distribute in theyr seasons and also the vnsercheable and inuestigable measures of his manyfolde grace wherby he wold diuersly geue distribute his giftes and diuine misteries For like as the liberalitie and large nesse of this grace which last of all had her influence vppon all Nacions doeth not euacuate that which fell vpon one Israell vnder the lawe nor the rychesse presente do not abolysshe the faith of the former penurye and scarsenesse Euen so lykewyse we muste not imagine of that care and regarde of God whiche properly gouerned the chyldren of the Patriarches that the mercifull gouernaunces of God were withdrawen from the residue of men who surely in comparison of the electe seeme to be but abiectes but they neuer were repelled from both manifest and secrete benefites For we reade in the Actes of the Apostles that Paule and Barnabas the Apostles sayde to the Lycaonians Ye men why do ye these thynges We also are mortall men lyke vnto you preachyng vnto you that ye shulde be conuerted frō these vaine things vnto the liuing god who made both heauen earth the sea al things in thē conteined who in times past suffred al nacions to wander theyr owne wayes And yet lefte he not hym selfe without witnes in that he sēt vs his benefites in geuyng vs rayne frō heauen fruitfull seasons fylling our hartes with foode and gladnesse And what witnes is this which euer serued y e Lord neuer kept silēce of his goodnes power but that same vnspekable bewtie of the whole world the rych orderly liberalitie of his vnspekable benefites by y e which certein tables of y e eternall law were written in the heartes of men that the cōmon and publike doctrine of gods institucion myght be read in the bookes of the elementes The heauens therefore and all the heauenlye bodyes the sea the lande and all that euer is in them dyd preache the glorye of GOD with the consonant hermony of theyr kinde and ordinacion and by that perpetuall preachyng they vttered the maiestie of theyr maker And yet notwithstandyng the greatest nombre of men which were suffred to walke the wayes of theyr owne wyll dyd neyther vnderstande nor folowe that lawe And the sauoure of lyfe whiche smelled vnto lyfe became vnto them the sauour of death vnto death so that also euen in those visible testimonies it myght be learned that the letter kylleth but the spirite geueth lyfe The .ii. Chapter THat thyng therfore whiche was done in Israell throughe the ordinaunce of the law and the doctrine of the Prophetes that same the testimonies of all creatures the marueylous workes of God dyd continuallye among all nacions But forasmuche as among that people Nacion to whom bothe those kyndes of erudicion was geuē no manne was iustified but by grace throughe the spirite of fayth who doubteth but that they which were able to please God of what Nacion so euer they were or in what tyme soeuer they were were discouered by the spirite of gods grace The which grace though afore tyme it was both more scarse and more priuie and secrete yet did it neuer denie it selfe at any tyme in one power in dyuers quantitie in immutable counsell in manyfolde operation For euen in these dayes wherein the ryuers of vnspeakable giftes do water y e whole world one maner is not geuen to all men nor yet one measure For thoughe all one and the same veritie be preached to all men by the ministers of the woorde and of the grace of God and al one and the same exhortacion geuen yet is it the husbandry of God and the buyldynge of God whose vertue woorketh inuisiblye that that whiche is buylt may go forwarde and that that which is tylled maye growe and encrease as the Apostle Paul witnesseth saying What is Apollo and what is Paule his ministers are they whom ye haue beleued euen as the Lord hath geuen to euerye man I haue planted Apollo hath watered but GOD gaue the encrease So then neither is he that
planteth any thing neither he that watreth but God that geueth the encrease He that planteth and he that watreth are one neither of them better then other yet shall euery man receiue his rewarde according to his labour We are gods labourers ye are gods husbandry ye are goddes buyldynge Therefore euerye man is so farre forth an helper a workeman and a minister of this husbandry and buyldyng as the Lord shal geue vnto euery man And those whiche are tylled through the laboure of the ministers do encrease vnto that measure whereunto the aucthour of the encrease shall aduaunce them For in the field of the Lorde there is not al like and one maner of plantynge And though the buyldyng of al an whole temple do agree into one beautie yet haue not al the stones therof one place nor one vse Lyke wyse also in a bodye euery membre hath not one office as the Apostle saith But nowe hath God disposed and ordered the membres and euery one of them at this owne pleasure And wherof these sayde membres become apte wence they become profitable and whence they become so beautiful the same doctour declareth saying Therefore I do you to vnderstande that no man speakinge in the spirite of God defieth Iesus and no man canne call Iesus the Lord but by the holy ghost And there be diuersities of graces and yet but one spirite and there are differences of administrations and yet but one Lorde and there be diuers maner of operations and yet but one God which worketh al in all The gyft of the spirite is geuen to eueri man to edifie with al For to one is geuen through the spirite the vtteraunce of wisdome To another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the same spirite to another is geuen fayth by the same spirite to another power to do miracles To another prophecie To another iudgement or trial of spirites To another diuers tongues To another the interpretacion of languages And al these thinges worketh one and the same spirit deuiding them to euery man euen as he wyll Seynge that the teacher of the Gentyles hath shewed these thynges with so great a lyght and suche a playnesse by what reason or for what cause should we doubte of it Doth not the budde and beginning of al vertue springe to vs from GOD Also who except he be to mad wil complayne of the difference of Gods giftes Or thinke that it is to be ascrybed vnto vnlyke merites that it is not equallye geuen of the heauenly liberalitie For yf thys distribution shoulde come from hym according to the merites of any workes that went before the Apostle woulde neuer haue knitte vp the cataloge and rehearsall of those giftes with such a conclusion as to say Al these thinges worketh one and the same spirite deuidinge vnto euerye man as he wil where no doubt yf he woulde haue the causes to be vnderstande of merites he would haue said deuiding vnto euery one as they deserue Like as he promised a rewarde of deuotion to the planters waterers saying Euery mā shall receiue hys owne rewarde according to his worke therfore it is geuen to eueri mā w tout merite wherby he mai come to merite And it is geuen afore anye labour whereby euery man may receyue rewarde accordynge to his laboure The which thinge to be euen so is also knowen bi the testimonye of the euangelicall trueth whereas by a certayne comparison it is sayde that a certayne man goinge into a farre countrey called hys seruauntes and deliuered vnto them his substaunce and vnto one he gaue fiue Talentes and to another two and to another one to euery man according to hys abilitie that is to say according to theyr proper and naturall possibilitie and not according to theyr proper merite For it is one thynge to be able to worke and another thynge to worke and it is one thing to bee able to haue charitie and another thing to haue charitie and it is one thynge to be capacious of Charitie of iustice of wisedome But it is another thing to be chast iust and wise Wherfore euery thinge that is repayrable is not repayred nor euery thinge that is curable made hole For it commeth of nature to be repayrable and curable but to be repayred and cured is of grace And to conclude those to whō an vnlyke number of Talentes was geuen vnto accordynge to the measure of the capacitie that the distributour of the substaūce foresaw in them they did not receiue the reward of merite but the matter or substaunce of the woorke in the whiche the vigilant diligence of the two seruauntes is not only honorable rewarded with gloryous prayses but also is commaunded to enter into the euerlastyng ioy of theyr Lorde But the dul ydelnes and slouth full wickednes of the thyrde is no suche wyse punyshed that both is he dyshonored with an opprobrious checke and also is dispatched of the porcion or talent that he hadde receyued for worthye was he to lose his vnprofitable fayth that had not exercised charitie Wherfore in the wordes folowing wherin moste euidently is declared the maner of the iudgement to come when the sonne of man shall sytte in the seate of hys maiestie all nations beinge fyrst gathered together some are led to the ryghte hande and other some shall bee set on the lefte hande When he hath praysed those on his right hand for the workes of charite nothing is els obiected to them on the left hande but the neglectinge of mercy and louynge kindnes These therefore hadde also receyued fayth but they had not folowed loue Neyther shall they bee dampned because they haue not kept the gift but because they haue not encreased it For although that all good giftes are of god yet some of them are geuen of God vnasked to the intente y t by those whiche are receiued those may be sought which are not yet geuen The sede y t is sowen in the ground is not sowen to y t intēt it should remaine only y e same but y t in bringing forth fruit it shuld become manifold great nomber the prosperitie wherof commeth from hym that geueth the encrease But nowe a ground beyng lyuely and fruitfull through the raine of grace hath that that is looked for of it accordyng to that that it receiued to be increased ¶ The .iii. Chapiter THese thynges as I suppose and as far as the Lorde hath geuē me knowlege beyng rightly handled let vs retourne vnto that from whence oure disputacion made digression that is to say to the consideration of the differences wherby the workes and gyftes of gods grace are variated and made diuerse The high nesse of the rychesse of Goddes knowledge and wisdom whose iudgementes are vnsearchable and his wayes paste fyndynge out hath alwayes in such wise moderated his merci and iudgement that in the moste secrete wyll of hys eternall counsayle he wold not that the measures of his giftes should be
of god is not fulfilled or els that it is fulfilled of any other then of hym that made that promise Truely that man shall be a lyer but god shall be true And euery one that receyueth his testimony sealeth this thinge sheweth thys thynge That he is made to see by that light which geueth lyght he is made obedient he is made to vnderstande as the Euangelist Iohn wytnesseth sayinge We knowe that al the worlde is set on wickednes and we knowe that the sonne of God is come and hath geuen vs an vnderstanding that we myght know the true God and shoulde be in hys true sonne VVhy he that is the Sauioure of al men hath not geuen to all men this vnderstanding that they might know the true god Also why some yonge Chyldren beynge regenerate are saued and other some not beynge regenerate do perishe and are lost ¶ The seuenth Chapiter BVt yf they aske why the Sauioure of all men gaue not thys vnderstanding to all men that thei might knowe the true God and that they might bee that is to say myght abyde and continue in his sonne although we beleue that the helpe of grace was not wholly taken awaye from any man Of the whiche thinge we wyll dispute more largely hereafter Although peraduenture this thinge be vnknowen also lyke as the other lyeth hydde why in tymes past all the gentiles beinge sette a syde and let passe he toke vnto hymself one people whom he would instruct in the waye of trueth Of the whiche iudgement of GOD yf we may not complayne muche lesse then maye we murmure of this that is done in the election of al nations for the things that God would haue to bee secrete and vnknowen maye not be searched for but those thynges which he hath made manifest are not to be denyed lest we be founde vnlawefully curious in the one and dampnably vnthankeful in the other Truely we are not ignoraunte that there bee some of so vndiscrete and vnaduysed presumption and of so proude an arrogancie that the thing which the noble teacher of the gentiles beynge taught not of men nor bi men but by god confessed to be laide vp farre and excedynge hygh aboue the measure of his know ledge thei dare rashely discusse in a doctryne falsely so called and wyll there haue nothynge hyd or secrete nothynge to bee vnknowen where the Apostle hath not opened what oughte to be vnderstande and knowen but what ought not to be searched for For as I haue sayde afore it is geuen to no studyes to no wittes to try out bi what iudgement or what counsayle god which is immutably good immutably iust alway forknowinge alwaye almightie hath therefore shutte vp all thynges in vnbeleife that he myghte haue mercy on all And yet in the time wherein he instructed Israell onely he deferred to illumine innumerable nations of vngodlye people and nowe suffreth the same Israell to be blynded tyll all nations and the fulnesse of the gentyles bee come in that peryshe by so many thousandes of those that are borne and dye againe and yet shall the sayde Israell be saued in them whom the ende of the worlde shall finde here The whiche misterie beinge opened and set abrode in all the whole body of the scriptures he hath shewed vs what he hath done what he doth or maye doe and what is yet to bee done But why it was his pleasure that it should so be done that is taken away frō mans vnderstanding But these men that are asshamed to bee ignoraunt of anye thinge and by occasion of the darknes of y e matter lay snares of disceyte do referre to the merites of mans will all the difference wherebi god choseth some and choseth not other some for many are called and fewe are chosen so teaching that no mā is saued freely but of retribution because it is naturalli graffed in all men that if they will they may bee partakers of y e veritie and that they haue grace inough that doe aske it The whiche diffinicion although it speake not of y e veritie of grace yet semeth it to shewe some reason of those men that haue free wil. But as touching infantes in whom y e cause is commen al one with other mortal mē in the original wound are with out anye merite or deserte of a good will There can no exposicion be made whereby it may bee taught why some of them are saued beinge borne againe and why other some do perishe not beynge borne agayne and that vnder hys prouidence and omnipotencie in whose hande is the soule and lyfe of euery liuinge thinge and the spirite of all the fleshe of man and vnto whom it is sayde The dayes of man are short thou haste nombred hys tyme. But I suppose these defenders of free will wil not vse the symplenesse of men so shamelesly that they will eyther say that these thynges do happen by chaunce or els wyll saye that they whiche are not borne agayne doe not peryshe for then should they bee manyfestly conuinsed either to agree with the Paganes in destenye or elles with the Pelagians to denye that sinne is transfused and powred forth vpon the posteritie of Adam And the Pelagians coulde not saye that infantes were vnbaptised by destenye but because the said Pelagians durst professe that such infantes were free from synne they deserued to bee condempned But forasmuch as the question of the seperation of al mē is already dysputed and tryed and forasmuch as infantes can not be seperated from the nomber of al men also forasmuch as the veritie spake of euerye age when he sayd the sonne of man is come to seke and to saue that which was lost In vayne go such men about to open the depenesse of the vnsearcheable grace by free wyll whiche appoint the cause of election in the merites of them that are elected And when they haue brought foorth manye thynges both foolyshe and false of the will and iudgment of the elder persons yet in the difference of infantes they can say nothing nor once bragge that thei haue yelded or rendred any reason of that question that is had in disputacion concernynge all men and yet is not perfourmed on all men But the multiformitte or diuersitie and also the great nesse of gods grace proueth that suche men doe affyrme agaynst the veritie that that thei speake of the elder persons willes and also that the testimonies of the holy scriptures are repugnant to theyr perswasion All the whiche thinges yf we shoulde speake of in thys present there shoulde be no ende of the disputacion The which thinges not withstandinge yf they come to memory they may not be omitted that it maye be declared as muche as is sufficient that all the good merites of men from the beginninge of fayth vnto the ende of perseueraunce are the gyft and working of god Of vvhat fountaine fayth springeth and whence the spirite of fayth is had
the deuotion of free wyll released through the purpose of election forasmuche as the effect of gods wyl that must be fulfilled is in such wyse preordeined that by the busines of woorkes by the instaunce and intercession of prayers and by the exercyse of vertues there myght bee increase of merites And they that haue done good woorkes shalbe crowned not onely accordyng to the purpose of GOD but also according to theyr merites desertes For for thys cause is the foreappointment of this election hyd in the vttermost and farthest secrete from mans knowledge and a manne can pronounce of none before hys ende that he shal come into the glori of them which are elected euen to thintente that a profitable feare myght preserue and kepe perseueringe humilitie and that he whiche standeth myght take hede that he fal not And if peraduenture a man beyng ouercome by some temptation doe fal let him not be swalowed vp with heauines neyther let him dispayre of hys mercye whiche raiseth vp theÌ„ that fal lifteth vp those that are downe For as long as we liue in this body no mans amendement ought to be forslowed nor no mans recouering ought to be dispaired of And therfore let the holi church pray geue thankes for them that haue beleued let it desyre for them a profitinge perseuerauÌ„ce for them which are out of the faith let it pray that thei may beleue let it not therefore leaue of froÌ„ prayer because she is not heard for some men for God whiche willeth all men to come to the knowledge of the trueth can not withoute all iustice refuse any man FINIS ¶ lmprinted at London in Powles Church yarde by Rycharde VVatkins Math. 24. Mark 13. 1. peter 2. 2. Tim. 3. 1. Tim. 1. 1. Tim 3. Exod. 4. 1. Iohn 3. In this vvyll remayned the Philosophers in times past vvorldly vvyse men in our dayes also Deut. 32. Leuit. 19. Act. 14. Math. 15. 1. Cor. 6. Note Psal 77. 1. Iohn 3. The free vvill of maÌ„ is not taken avvay by Adams transgression but is depraued so that vvith out grace it vvilleth nothynge but euill Iere. 31. Esay 43. Esay 46. Note 1. Cor. 3. Rom. 3. Note Coloss i. Hebre. 1. psalm 2. Iohn 12. Esay 40. Esay 66. Act. 2. Ioel. 2. Psal 144. Note that here are 2 als namely a general all and a speciall â–ª all â–ª Iohn 3. Phil. 3. Psalm 13 1 Cor 1. Esay 42. Esay 43. Rom. 11. 1. pet 2. In your mercy that is in the mercy that ye haue obtayned Exod â–ª 4. Esay 66. Eccle. 11. Iob. 12. Iob. 33. Esay 9. 1. Pet. 2. Originall sinne deserueth damnation Thys he speaketh because suche infantes vnbaptized haue no promyse in the scripture to be saued The eleueÌ„th hour is .v. of the clocke at aft noon after the Ievves accompt Math. 20. Rom. 9. Iohn 3. Ephe. 2. Colloss â–ª 1. Titus 1. Iude. 1. Luke 1. Ioh 11. Math. 11. Ioh. 3. VVe mai not be curious in hid thynges nor yet vnthankeful in manyfest things Retribuci on is the revvarde of vvell doing or a revvard vvhere somthing is deserued afore Iob. 14. The Palagians deserued to be condempned because they sayd that infantes vvere vvithout sinne Luke 19. Yf childreÌ„ regenerat be sought and saued by Christ then vere they once lost being vnregenerate Rom. 1. Ephe 1. Colloss 1. 1. Tessal 1. 2. Tessa 1. Note 1 Tessa 2 1. peter 1. Note 2. peter 1. 1. Iohn 4. Actes 3. Fayth in Christ coÌ„meth of Christ by Christ Actes 16. Math. 16. Rom. 12. Rom. 15. Ephe. 2. Grace is geuen before it be asked psalm 36. psalm 42. psalm 58. prouer 2. prouer 8. proue 20. proue 21. proue 19. Ecclesi 5. Eccle. 9. Sapi. 7. Sapi. 8. 1. Cor. 7. Math. 19. Ecclesi 1. Esay 33. Esay 4. Iob. 4. Ierem. 10. Ierem. 24. 1. Cor. 12. Fayth is the gift of God and the vvorkynge of the spirit Not as vve list Ephes 4. 2. Cor. 3. 2. Cor. 9. Ephes 3. Iacob 1 zach 9. Math. 13. Iohn 3. Iohn 6. Philip. 1. Pelagius Philip. 1. Fayth and pacience are the giftes of god for Chrystes sake philip 2. 1. Tessa 3. 1. Cor. 15. Rom. 8. psalm 43. 1. Cor. 15. 1. Thes 5. It is only god that kepeth vs fautlesse 2. Thess 2 2. Thess 3. 1. peter 5. 1. Iohn 4. 1. Iohn 5. Luke 22. Iohn 10. Iohn 6. 1. Cor. 4. That is to say vvho hath made the difference betvvene the and the naughtiest man in the vvorld or vvho hath made thee better theÌ„ him Math. 28. Mark 16. Math. 10. Titus 2. 1. Iohn 2. Mark 16. Math. 10. Act. 16. Psalm 76. Act. 17. psalm 32. Act. 14. 1. Cor. 3. 1. Corin. 12 That is to sai to euery man to vvhom they are geuen He meaneth to eueri man to vvhom it is geueÌ„ as is sayde a little before Math. 25. â—ath 5. Genes 6. Rom. 8. Eccle. 13. Ierem. 1. Luc. 1. Mark 9. Luke 17. Gods ordinaunce extendeth not to the fall of men Cayne Gene. 4. He meaneth that Cayne deuided the vvorste of his fruites to GOD vvhereas he should haue geueÌ„ the best philip 2. Iohn 8. Iesus Christ That is the virgin Mary Gene. 12. 1. Iohn 5. Colloss 1. Timo 5. Note Rom. 5. Rom. 8. Tvvoo vvorldes one vvher of Christe saieth so hath God loued the vvorlde c. The other vvhereof he saith I pray not for the vvoorlde c. Rom. 5. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Timo. 1. Actes 2. Colloss 1. Deute 32. psalm 85. Psalm 71. Esay 2. Osce 1. Osee 2. Acte 11. Actes 15. Amos. 9. If chvldreÌ„ vver born vvithout sinne theÌ„ could thei not dye but vvere after a certeine maner immortall Iob. 14. Not to the adoptioÌ„ of the especiall grace He speaketh of those that come to baptisme before their parentes be baptized They acknovvelege none adoption that confesse no guylt to constraine them Pelagius Goddes grace vvorketh not violence but amendeth the vvyll of man vvherby man becommeth vvyllyng Eccle. 25. Iohn 6. Math. 16. Math. 26. Luke 22. Iohn 10. If any maÌ„ gette any victorie then is pride the daunger Iohn 21. Math. 6. 1. Cor. 1. All our povver vvithout grace is eyther to go backevvarde or els not to come at al Psalm 24. He meaneth of persecutioÌ„ Ephes 1. 2. Tim. 6 1. I 〈…〉 Rom. 5. Ephes 2. Math. 25. Tobie 6. 1. Cor. 10. Psal 144. Note
whom when diuers of our company chaunced to meete in the time of persecution we hadde more to do then we had with al the rest of our enemies And because deare Reader thou shouldest not be ignoraunt of theyr errour I haue noted some parte of it in certeyne perticulers here folowyng 1. First they holde and affirme that the doctrine of predestination and election as it was taught of the Christen Clergie of this Realm in the reigne of kyng Edwarde the syxte and agreed vpon in the Synode of London Anno. domini 1552. is not a doctrine meete or necessary to be taught in the Church of God 2. Secondly that they that hold the sayd doctrine do erre dampnably 3. Thirdly that God hath predestinated or elected man none otherwyse then vpon the condicion of the kepyng of the lawe the whiche yf man on his part do not obserue he loseth his predestination and election 4. Fourth that no man is so reprobated but that he maye escape it and become an elect and be saued nor any man so elected but that he may lose his election become a reprobate and be dampned by godly or vngodly lyuyng 5. Fyfth that Esau was no more reproued then Iacob nor Iacob anye more elected then Esau before the one of them had lyued godly and the other vngodly 6. Sixth that all men vniuersallye are called with one the same callyng the wicked aswell as the godlye and Iudas aswell as the Apostles 7. Seuenth that yf Gods predestination purpose in election were certeyne and absolute and God resolued and immutablye determined what to do with mankynde his creature then shoulde the preachyng of repentaunce be in vayne because the elect could neuer mysse heauen nor the reprobates escape hell and so a great part of the Scriptures of the holy Byble namely so much as concerned repentaunce and godly lyuyng shoulde serue to no purpose but to fyll vppe the booke with wordes and leaues 8. Eyghth yf God shoulde predestinate some and not other some electe one not another geue greater grace to one then to another that it shoulde folowe that God were not indifferent but parciall 9. Nynthlie that all and as many arose agayne in Adams loynes when Adam beleued the promyse as fell in Adams loynes by the transgression and that assone as Adam beleued they were all restored to the former integritie that Adam had before he sinned and that they lost nothyng there by but the free accesse or commyng to the tree of lyfe 10. Tenth that the chyldren come or borne of christen parentes or of one chrysten parent at the least are cleane borne that is to saye voyde of synne both original and actuall and therfore a superfluous worke to baptize them in that case and that they do fyrste receiue sinne by the outwarde sences as by hearyng seeyng and imitacion of others 11. Eleuenth that there is but one onely grace which is equallye and indifferently conferred and geuen to all men in their creation and that al men haue naturally the election and choyse of a free wyll to come to GOD when they be called or to refuse to beleue or not to beleue to loue and to chose or to hate refuse eyther good or euyll 12. Twelth that all men be regenerate before they be borne hauyng the spirite of Godde in theyr mothers wombes as had Iacob Ieremye and Iohn Baptist and the regeneration that foloweth the naturall birth is eyther alway or for the moste parte vnto euyll Because it is wrytten in the booke of Psalmes psal 58. Assone as they are borne they goe astray speake lyes The which cannot saye they be vnderstand of Infantes of theyr naturall byrth who assone as they are borne of their parentes can neither go nor speake 13. Thirtenth that it is to be thought that the yonge chyldren of Turkes and Infideles neyther baptized nor professinge Chryste or Christian religion yf they die in theyr infancie are saued 14. Fourtenth that the luste or concupiscence remayninge in the fleshe of men regenerate and yonge children is not sinne Because that somtimes men haue luste to eate and drinke and also to do the nedefull offices of the bodye whiche of themselues cannot bee saide to be synne 15. Fiftenth that Iesus Christ the soone of god had also such motions and temptacions vnto euyll as other mortal men haue though he consented not nor gaue ouer himself vnto them And that the temptacions that he hadde in the deserte and the conflicte there had with Sathan were altogether suche inwarde motions and temptacions and not by any extreme or outward deuyll as Tom painter fayneth 16. Sixtenth that all Christian men hauinge the talent and feelinge themselues to be moued thereto maye lawefully and also ought to vtter the same by the waye of publique teachinge or preachyng to others without any further loking for admission by man And though that the preachinge of the Gospell and the administracion of the holy Sacramentes be called an offyce and an ordinaunce of god in the scriptures Yet that euery man indifferently may atteÌ„pt to do the same so that he thinke hymselfe to bee moued thereto of God and haue a mouth to speake 17. Seuententh that mens workes commentaries and iudgementes vpon the Scriptures ought not to bee receyued read nor alleged in matters of religion but to be vtterly refused because â—hat menne maye haue and doe oftentimes erre 18. Eightenth that men godly geuen may and do lyue in this world without sinne because it is wrytten He that sinneth is of the deuill c. but all men are not of the deuill for many there are that are borne of GOD ergo there are many that sinne not And though they haue sinne in them yet committe they none like as a man may haue weapon about hym though he fighte not therewith 19. Nintenth though the orthodoxe faith according to the diuine scriptures doth confesse God to be a spirite without partes passions or mutabilitie yet say thei that God is verely angry doth repente doth sometymes alter and change his purpose hath a very hand a bosome a sword a scabberd a whetstone bowe and arrowes and suche other lyke members and instrumentes These present Articles yf thou compare them to the aforesayde Articles of Pelagius as they bee moe in number so are thei more abhominable and diabolicall But these and such other like pernicious errours doe they holde good Christen reader whereof I receyued the more part at the said Hartes hand wrytten with hys owne fyngers at Caunterbury The residue were gathered of theyr owne assertions that were of that secte with whom when in the late tyme of persecution we dyuers and sundry tymes did meete had conference and communication thone partie with thother could not agree because that on the one part we might geue no place to erroure and on the other parte they woulde not allowe no mannes iudgement in the matter but their owne rackinge
and howe thys fayth is geuen by measure accordynge to the wyll of the geuer ¶ The .viii. Chapter THerfore sayth whiche is the mother of good wyll and iuste workynge of what fountaine she springeth the Apostle declareth whiche geueth thankes to god for the fayth of the Romaines saying Fyrst I thanke my God through Iesus christ for you al because your fayth is spoken of throughout al the worlde And writinge to the Ephesians he sayth For this cause after that I heard of your fayth which is in Christ Iesus and your loue towardes all the sainctes I cease not to geue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers that the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the God of glorye myght geue vnto you the spirite of wysedome and open vnto you the knowledge of himself lightening the eyes of your heartes that ye myghte knowe what the hope is whervnto he hath called you what the rychesse of hys gloryous inheritaunce is vpon the saintes Lykewyse also he geueth thankes to God for the fayth of the Collossians We geue thankes to God sayeth he and vnto the father of our lord Iesus Christ alwayes praying for you since we hearde of youre fayth in Chryst Iesus the loue which ye haue towards al the saintes for the hopes sake that is layde vp in store for you in heauen And she wyng what he prayeth for thē that is that they might receyue other good thynges of the same aucthour he sayeth For this cause we also since the first day we haue heard of you cease not to make prayers and supplications for you that ye maye be fylled with the knowledge of his wyll in all wysedome and spirituall vnderstandinge that ye may walke worthely of the lorde in all thinges that please him beynge fruitefull in all good workes and encreasinge in the knowledge of GOD strengthened in vertue through hys gloryous power in all pacience and longe sufferynge with ioyfulnesse Also to the Thessalonians whiche serued in the spirite of fayth and loue he saith I thanke god alwayes for you all makynge mention of you in my prayers without ceassing remembryng the worke of your fayth youre laboure in loue and your perseueraunce in the hope of oure Lord Iesus Chryst in the sight of God oure father And afterward for this cause we thanke god without ceasinge because that when ye receaued of vs the worde where with GOD was preached ye receiued it not as the worde of man but euen as it is in deede the worde of GOD who worketh in you that beleue Could it more fully or more euidently haue bene shewed that the fayth of them that beleue is the gift of God then that thankes should therfore be geuen to GOD for thei to whom the worde of god was preached by men doubted not therof as of y e word of men but beleued it as god speaking by men who wrought in them that they might beleue In hys seconde Epistle also to the same Thessalonians the Apostle speaketh of the fayth of them that profite and come forwarde in Christ on thys maner We ought to thanke GOD alwayes for you my brethren as it is mete because that your fayth increaseth and your charitie is aboundant euerye one to another of you So that we oure selues reioyse of you in the Congregations of GOD ouer your pacience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations whiche ye suffer whiche is a token of the iuste iudgement of God that ye bee counted worthye of the kyngdome of God for the whiche ye also suffer The Apostle Peter also shewynge that fayth commeth of God wryteth on thys wyse Knowyng that ye are redemed not with corruptible golde and siluer for your vaine conuersation whiche ye haue receyued by the traditions of your fathers but by the precyous bloud of Chryste as of a lambe vndefyled and without spot whiche was ordeyned before the worlde was made but was declared in the laste tymes for your sakes whiche by hys meanes haue beleued in God whiche raysed hym vppe from death and glorified hym that your fayth and hope might bee in the Lorde Also the same Peter in his seconde Epistle speaketh on thys wyse of the receyuing of faith Simon peter the seruaunt and Apostle of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste to them which haue obtained like faith with vs by the ryghteousnesse that commeth of our lord Sauiour Iesus Chryst But Iohn y e Apostle teacheth most playnely from whence we haue the spirite of fayth saying Euery spirite that coufesseth that Iesus is come in the fleshe is of God and euery spirite that denyeth Iesus is not of God and the same is Antichrist He sayth also that he in whom the spirite of veritie is receyueth the Gospell we are of God sayeth he he that knoweth God heareth vs hereby we know the spirite of veritie and the spirite of errour Also Peter in the Actes of the apostles declareth that faith commeth through the lorde Iesus This man saith he which ye see and know hath the name of him made whole and fayth whiche is by hym hath geuen this perfect health in the sight of you all In lyke maner also it is shewed in the same History of the faith of Lidia whose hart the Lorde opened amonge other women whiche heard the gospell And on the Sabboth day we went out of the Citie sat down by a ryuer side where thei were wont to pray and we spake vnto the women whiche were come thyther and a certaine woman whose name was Lidia a seller of purple of the Citie of Thiatira a worshipper of god heard vs whose hart the lord so opened that she attēded vnto y e things that Paul spake And it is confirmed by y e words of the veritie it selfe that fayth commeth not by mans wisdom but by the inspiratiō of god for the lord saith to hys Disciples But whom saye ye that I am Simō Peter answered saying Thou art Christ y e sonne of the liuing god Iesus aunswered said vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto the but my father whiche is in heauen Paule the Apostle also telleth y t this faith is geuen by measure at y e pleasure of him y t geueth it on thys wise I sai vnto you al through the grace y t is geuen to me y t no man esteme of himself more thē becommeth hym to esteme but that he discretely iugde of himselfe as god hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth Also the same Paule declaryng y t the vnitie and agreemente of the right faith and the consenting to the honour of god doth procede and come of god saith The god of pacience and consolation graunte you to be like minded one towardes another of you after thensample of Iesus Chryste that ye agreynge together maye with one mouth prayse GOD the father
sayinges and ouercome when he is iudged Neyther may the complaynt of him that is damned be iust nor yet the arrogancie of hym that is iustified bee true If eyther the one saye he hath not deserued to be punished or y e other say that he hath deserued grace And lyke as those sayinges the whiche I haue declared out of the holye scryptures for the settynge forth of grace cannot be confuted nor stayned by any reason or craft of disputacion so that so great a nomber of sentences playnely agreynge together in them selues myghte bee drawen or wrested into any vncertaintie of a false exposicion Euen so also that that is founde in the same body of the scriptures touchynge the saluation of all menne cannot be reproued by any contrarye argumentation So that the harder the same is to be vnderstanden and apprehended with so muche the more laudabler fayth it ought to bee beleued Great is the force of consent to whom thaucthoritie is sufficient to folow the truth yea although the reason of it be vnknowen Therefore let vs diligently consider what the Lorde commaundeth the preachers of the Gospell For in Saint Mathewes Gospell he sayeth thus All power is geuen to me both in heauen and in earth Go your wayes therefore and teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost teachyng them to obserue all thynges that I haue commaunded you And beholde I am with you alwayes vnto the ende of the worlde And in Saint Marke it is sayde to the same Apostles on this wyse Go ye into all the worlde preache ye the Gospell to euery creature and whosoeuer shall beleue and bee baptized the same shall be saued but whoso wyll not beleue shalbe dampned Is there anye difference made here of anye nation or of anye menne in thys commaundement He hath excepted no man for merite he hath seperated no man for hys stocke or linage he hath made no difference of the state of men The Gospell of the Crosse of Chryste was sent euen to all men And leste the ministerie of the preachers shoulde seeme to bee done by the onely woorke of manne beholde sayeth he I am with you alwayes euen vnto the worldes ende That is to saye when ye shall enter in as shepe amonge wolues be not afraide of youre owne infyrmitie but put youre truste in my power whiche vnto the ende of the worlde wyll not forsake you in all this worke or businesse Not to the ende that ye shoulde suffer nothynge but that that muche more is I wyll brynge it so to passe that ye shall not be ouercome with the ragyng crueltie of any tyrauntes For in my power shall ye preache and by me it shal come to passe that euen amonges the denyers and those that speake agaynst you yea euen amonges those y e rage against you Abrahams childrē shalbe raised vp of stones I wil put into theyr mindes whatsoeuer I haue taught and I wyl perfourme that whiche I haue promised They shal betray you in theyr counsayles and shall scourge you in their sinagoges and for my names sake shall ye stande before Kynges and Rulers in a witnesse to them and to the gentiles But when they shall delyuer you vppe take no thought howe or what ye shall speake for it is not ye that shall speake but the spirite of your father that speaketh in you For the brother shall betray the brother vnto death and the father the sonne and the Chyldren shall arise against their fathers and mothers and shall put them to death and ye shall be hated of al men for my name sake But whosoeuer shall endure vnto the ende he shall bee saued The grace of GOD oure Sauyoure hath therefore appeared sayeth the Apostle vnto all menne and yet were the gyftes of grace hated of all men And whyle there were some that hated other some that were oppressed with the hatred of them that persecuted yet was there neyther of the parties depriued of the name of all men the portion of the rebelles hauynge the losse of theyr saluacion but the dignitie of the faithfull obteynyng the nombre of al fulnesse For the Apostle Saincte Iohn saith But yf any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christe the righteous and he is the propiciation for our sinnes and no◠for our sinnes only but also frr the sinnes of the whole world And it is a misterie of a great vnspekable Sacramēt that vnto those preachers to whom it was said Go ye into al y e world preach the Gospell to al creatures vnto the same was it sayde afore ye shall not go into the waye of the Gentyles and into the Cities of the Samaritanes shall ye not enter but rather go ye to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel For though the Gospell shoulde be directed vnto the vocation and callyng of all men and the Lord would al men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth yet notwithstanding he hadde not taken away from himselfe the power and aucthoritie of his dispensation so that the order of his councell shoulde run otherwyse then he had appointed in his secrete and iust iudgement wherefore the murmuringes of obstinate mens complaintes take no place For it is sure that whatsoeuer GOD would haue done ought not to be done otherwise the he wold And in tyme paste what tyme the Lord Iesus sate in the glorye of God the father and the preachers of the worde dyd labour in the businesse that they had taken vpon them the Apostles wyllynge to preache the worde in Asia were forbidden of the holye ghoste And when they purposed to goe into Bithynia they were forbydden of the spirite of Iesus Doubtlesse not that the grace of God was denyed to that people but as it shoulde appeere it was protracted delayed for a time For afterwardes the Christian fayth was of power among thē also But what the cause was of the deferring of their calling it is not knowen And yet are we taught by the example of the thyng that done it was because that amonge generalles whether they bee promises or workes or els preceptes God knoweth by a secrete reason how to ordeyne and dispose certayne thynges beyng excepted from the common causes I beleue for that intent that those thyngs which shine more dymlye hauing shadowes ouer them myght apeere the more marueylous to vs when we see them least our sight should become the more dull and negligent through the facilitie and easynes of the sight therof and shoulde after a certayne maner slumber in accustomed thinges yf it were not styrred vp by vnaccustomed thynges And we haue knowen these incognoscible delayes of illuminations to haue happened in manye houses and families amonge whō doubtlesse many peryshe in vnbeliefe not onelye amonge the wicked whiche are farre from the trueth but also euen in the Cities of the
and reuerence that that is done for ther is no danger to be ignoraunt of that that lyeth hyd in secrete Loke also vppon the whole multitude of yonge children in whom except it bee that sinne onely wherein al mankinde is borne into dampnation neyther can any merites paste nor yet to come bee iudged for all they of whom we nowe speake of before they haue anye vse of vnderstanding before thei haue any free libertie of wil some of them beinge regenerate do goe into euerlasting blissednes and other some not borne againe do passe vnto perpetuall miserie Nowe yf thou grauntest originall sinne then is all the nomber of them giltie and yf thou lokest on the innocencie of their maners the hole flocke of them is without fault The iustice of man cannot finde ani differēce but the vnspeakable grace of God hath founde out what to elect The deuice lyeth hydde in secrete but the gyfte lyeth not hyd Godlynesse bryngeth forth the woorke but power hydeth the cause But as little is that to be doubted that is not sene as that that is sene for neither the confession of the manifeste worke nor yet of the vnknowen equitie can be denied to the creatour But if thou wilte direct the sight of thy mynde vnto those men who lyuynge a long time in sinne mischiefe are renewed and borne agayne by the Sacrament of Christian baptisme euen in the ende of their lyfe and without anye helpe of good workes are translated into the felowship of the heauenly kingdome By what reason wylte thou knowe the iudgement of God therein but only that thou must knowe vndoubtedlye that the gyftes of God are free And that like as there be no sinnes so detestable that they are able to withstand or kepe away the gyft of grace euen so can there be no workes so excellent to whom that that is freely geuen is due by the iudgement of rewarde or retribucion for then shoulde the bloudde of Christe be nothyng woorth neither should the prerogatiue of mens workes be any thing inferiour to the grace of God If iustification which cōmeth by grace were due vnto anye merites that went before then it were not a gyft of a free geuer but the wages of a worker And howe myght it be proued that there bee no workes meete to put away originall sinne onlesse that both vngodly men and also mischeuous persons were by the lauer of Christe receiued into his kyngdome And howe shoulde they which glory in their owne righteousnes knowe how little thei can do worthy of the adoption of the sonnes of God yf thei came not to the Sacramēt of regeneration seing they are fast tied and holden in the same state and condicion that the wickedst sinners be Thei shuld become like in sanctification if they were regenerate but shuld peryshe together yf they were not baptized Therfore if grace haue founde anye of the moste wicked menne yea euen in the verye departynge of the lyfe whom it doth adopte and chose when notwithstandynge manye that haue lesse offended are seene to bee without this gyfte who can saye eyther that this is done without the dispensation and appointment of God or els that they are so discerned and seuered a sunder without profounde and secrete equitie The which also is not therefore vniuste because it is vnknowen but therefore is it iuste because there is no doubt but that it is the iudgement of God For that that dependeth vpon his pleasure it is vncertayne with what sentence it ought to be iudged afore it be iudged But when the thynge shall come to his ende no man ought to complayne of the end for it is most certeyne that god ought not to do any other wise then he hath done The rule of the Euangelicall parable hath also confirmed the varietie and diuersitie of the manyfolde vocation and callyng whiche belongeth vnto one grace in the whiche is declared howe the good man of the house hyred at sundrye tymes labourers into his vineyarde vnder the couenaunt of a penye whereby is signified the equalitie of eternall lyfe Where no doubt they that were sente into the vineyarde at the eleuenth houre receiuyng as muche as they that had wrought al the day doe represent the nombre of those of whom I nowe speake whom the gentlenesse of GOD hath esteemed and accompted in the ende of the day and conclusion of their lyfe to commende and prayse the excellencie of his grace not paying them wages for theyr labour but powryng foorth the richesse of his goodnesse vpon them whom he chose without workes that they also which had swette with muche labour yet receiued no more then the last might vnderstand that they had receiued the gyft of his grace not the wages of theyr workes Wherfore yf we also do murmure agaynste the good man of the house because they that were laste called are made equal to the labourers of the whole daye or that they haue deserued no more with theyr much labour then the other that laboured almoste nothynge at all the same shalbe sayde to vs that was aunswered to one of them Frende I do thee no wronge take that that is thine and go thy way for I wyl geue as much to this man that came laste as I wyl to thee Is it not lawefull for me to do with mine own what I lyste or els is thine eye euyll because I am good Surely this liberalitie seemed to this false accuser to be vnequall what was he y e wiser or what accomptes was there made vnto hym The ryghteousnes of the dispensation of that busynesse was not opened vnto him neither was he admitted to be of counsell of this hyd secrete But that he shoulde refrayne frō serching the iudgements of god ther was laide forth before hym both the goodnesse of hym y t is mercifull also the power or aucthoritie of him y t willeth it to be so euē like as if it shuld haue ben saide vnto hym of the Apostle O man what art thou that disputest with god Doth the potte say to him that made hym why hast thou made me on this wise Therfore in al mē of euery nacion of euery state or condicion and age the wyll of God is the cause of the receiuing of grace in them with the whiche wyll the reason of the election lyeth hyd all merites beginning at that grace which thei haue receiued without merites whiche merites yf they coulde be good without grace it should not be sayde Excepte a man be borne agayne of water and of the holy ghost he shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen And except ye eate the flesshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloudde ye haue no life in you But it shuld be said Except a man be iust good he can not be blessed for euer Neither were it nedefull to be born againe of water and of the spirite yf it were sufficient to be instructed by
the commaundement and faith should take no place whiche beleueth that all sinnes are forgeuen throughe baptisme yf it were taught that grace were not geuen vnto the euyll wicked men but vnto good and righteous men Therfore the beginning of true lyfe and ryghteousnes consisteth in the Sacrament of regeneration that where a man is renued there also the veritie of these vertues shoulde springe and they beginne to profyte by fayth vnto perpetuall glorye who coulde scarse come to the temporall rewarde of vayne prayse For whether he be a Iewe that swelleth throughe the knowledge of the lawe or a Greeke puffed vp throughe the studie of naturall wisdome before he be iustified by the faith of Christ he is shutte vp vnder sinne And yf he continue in his infidelitie y e wrath of God abideth vppon him euen that same which he had drawē vnto himselfe in the transgression of Adam wherof the Apostle speaketh saying And ye when ye were dead in your trespasses synnes wherein ye walked in times past according to y e tyme or course of this worlde after y e prince of the power of this ayre the spirite which worketh now in the chyldren of vnbeliefe among whō we also had our conuersation in tyme paste in the lustes of our fleshe fulfylled the wyll of the fleshe and of the mind and were by nature the chyldren of wrath like as other were And agayne ye were at that tyme without Chryst aliens from the common wealth of Israell and strangers from the Testamentes hauynge no hope of the promesse and were without God in this worlde And agayne ye were somtime darkenesse but nowe are lyght in the Lorde And againe geuing thankes to y e father whiche hath made vs worthy to be partakers of the inheritaunce of saintes in light which hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes hath trāslated vs in to y e kingdom of his welbeloued sonne And againe for we also wer somtime folish vnfaithful goyng astraye seruing diuers lustes plesures liuing in malice enuie hateful hating one another But whē y e benignitie gentlenes of our Sauiour apeered not for y e workes of righteousnes which we haue done but acording to his mercy hath he saued vs through the lauer of regeneraciō of the holy ghost whom he hath powred foorth aboundantly vpon vs through Iesus Christ our sauiour that we being iustified by his grace shulde be heires of eternall lyfe by hope VVhat the nature of man is vvithout grace ¶ The .vi. Chapter AND that it maye briefly apeere what the nature of man is without grace lette Iude the Apostle tel what eyther the ignoraunce of the vnlearned or the doctrine of the wyse can doe But they saith he what thinges soeuer they knowe not that do they blaspheme and what soeuer thinges they knowe naturally as brute beastes do therin corrupt they them selues Let also the Euangelist Luke vnder the wordes of zacharie tel in what a nyght mankynde doth wander before the illuminacion of grace and out of what a darknesse of ignoraunce the people of God is deliuered And thou childe saith he shalt be called the prophete of the hyghest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes To geue knowledge of saluacion to his people for the remission of theyr sinnes Through the tender mercye of our God whereby the daye spryng from an hyghe hath visited vs. To geue light to them that sitte in darkenesse in the shadowe of death to guide our feete into the way of peace And this tender mercy hath the lord shewed not to the redemption of one people onely but vnto the saluacion of all Nacions as the Euangeliste saith For Iesus must dye for the people and not for the people onely but also that he myght gather together the children of god which were dispersed And that thing doth the voyce of the Lorde whiche throughe the trumpe of godlynes soundynge throughout all the worlde doth both call and gather together al mē For whē he had said I thank thee oh father lord of heauen and earth because thou haste hydde these thinges frō the wise prudent haste reueled thē vnto babes Euen so O father for so was it thy good pleasure he added All thinges are geuen to me of my father no man hath knowen the sonne but y e father neyther hath any man knowen the father but the sonne he to whō the sonne wyll reuele him And thē he added Come vnto me all ye y e labour are laden and I wyl refresh you Take my yoke vpon you learne of me for I am meke and humble of harte and ye shal finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is sweete my burden is light Iohn Baptist also in the Gospel of Iohn protesteth in y e spirit of prophesie saying He y t came frō heauē is aboue al mē he doth testify that y e he hath sene hard and no man receiueth his witnesse howbeit he y t receiueth his witnes hath set his seale that God is true Therfore in somuch as perteineth to y e blindnes of mākind gotten with y e long night of ignorance pride the creator of y e world came into this world the world knew him not the lyght shyned in the darknesse but the darkenesse comprehended it not He that is aboue all testified that that he had seene and hard and no man receaued his testimonie But because the sonne of God came not in vain into the worlde but gaue hym selfe for all men he dyed not onely for the people but also that he myght gather into one the children of God which were dispersed And he said vnto all men Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden I shall refreshe you And he maketh him selfe and his father knowen to whom he wyll reuele it reseruing vnto him selfe the libertie of the election vnable to be knowen All the chyldren of lyght the chyldren of promesse the sonnes of Abraham the sonnes of God the electe generation the kyngly priesthood the true Israelites foreknowen and fore ordeyned to the kingdome of god who hath called them not onely out of the Iewes but also out of the gentiles do receyue the testimonie of hym that came downe from heauen and sette theyr seales that God is true that is to say they declare in that thei are saued that GOD is true that he kepeth touch and perfourmeth that that he promysed vnto Abraham the father of all nations Who when God promysed him that he should be the heyre of the worlde doubted not by mistrust But beinge comforted in faith gaue glory vnto God knowing moste certainely that he was able to perfourme the thynge that he had promysed And who is so enstraūged from the fayth of Abraham who is so farre growen out of kynde from the father of all nations that he will say eyther that the promyse