as it is more to his glorye and to the profit of the electe people howe so euer the spirite of fornication doeth iudge and take it otherwyse Many men do thinke in them selues that they coulde fynde the causes of al these thinges why and wherfore the Lorde doeth this thynge or that But verelie as it is saied before What man doth knowe the cause of the lordes workes the spirite of fornication hathe receyued them and bounde them in hys wynges For what so euer they can saye it is muche lesse then the trueth in dede They do saye furthermore that it is permitted to the fleshe to beare some rule in a man bycause that man knowelegynge hys owne frailtie The fleshe doth hynder the electe frō the perfetnes that they desyre and that by the ordynaunce of the lorde should meake and lowly hym selfe I do knowe that it is neadfull that we be meke and lowlye but for all that it is not well sayd that for that cause the fleshe is not extinguished in vs bicause we shoulde meke and submit our selues For the true and perfecte mekenes lowlines and humilitie commeth from the spirite of God But the fleshe doeth plucke them somewhat backe making them lesse obedient meke then they should or woulde be For if the fleshe were cleane abolished and subdued in vs that it shoulde haue no maner of styrring then should ther be in vs no pride nor none other corrupt affection but a true humilitie a perfecte iustice and ryghtuousnes No man doeth knowe thys misterie but the Lorde onelye and to whome it pleaseth hym to open it He wyll reueyle and open it to hys electes in time to theyr glorye and then we shal knowe howe maruailouse are the iudgemētes of the Lord aboue mans reason Those whiche do subuerte the right sences of Gods word do suppose that the wordes whyche the spouse in the Gospell dyd speake sayinge Drawe me after the those whyche the yonge women did speake in the Canty-sayinge We wyll runne do make muche for theyr purpose to confyrme theyr blynde forged libertie of mans wyll saying that the desyre of the yonge man and to be drawen after him and of the yonge women for to runne doeth come of theyr owne propre endeuoure and fre wyll But if they do loke well on the matter they shall fynd that it is cleane contrarie and that these wordes do proue strongely the miserable captiuitie and bondage of mannes wyll as in that place of the Canti by that whych we haue declared alreadye doeth appeare ⧠The .xiii. proufe PAule writeth to the corhinthians the second Epistle and .iii. chapter The lorde doth worke in vs both to wyll and to do the ded Not that we sayeth he be suffitiente of oure selues to thynke anye thynge as of oure selues But all our suffitiency is of the Lord This texte and suche other the defenders of fre wyll do expound by thys worde Potest that is in Englyshe to saye can or maye as it maye or can be vnderstande thus or thus it maye be true in thys sence We wyll not consent and graunte that they shall wryth wreste the scriptures makynge diuers senses and vnderstandynges whyche are vnpossible to be true we wyl that the scripture be taken in hys owne kynde naturall meanynge For the more simple and playne the declaratiō is made the more neare it is to the trueth Truly of our selfe we can thinke nothinge that is pleasaunt to the Lorde Thou wylt saye peraduenture I do graunte that we can thynke no Godly thynge of oure selues muche lesse perfourme any such thinge But to applye our selues to his wyll which doeth put suche thynges in our mindes that is in oure owne power and wyll As witnesseth Paule to the Rom. the .vii. chap. saying To wyll I haue in my power but to perfourme my wyll that I can not by no meanes The whyche authoritie of Paule maketh nothynge agaynste vs beynge takē as it ought for to be expoundynge as before I haue declared after thys maner To wyl is in my power that is to saye by the spirite of God But to perfourme it I can not bicause that no man can perfourme the wil whyche the Lord doth gyue except the Lord do gyue the spirit aswell to perfourme it as he did to wyll it Philip. ii The selfe fame thyng teacheth Paul to the Philip. the second Chapt. declarynge that to wyll cometh of God sayinge these wordes The Lord doeth worcke in vs both for to wyll and to perfourme Forsoth if we can not of our selues wyll to do good howe can we saye it at our owne libertie we maye chuse to do thys or that at our own pleasure Yet will not they forsake thys opinion of fre will For if a man wold aske thē howe and by what reasō they cā proue affirme theyr sayinge to be true they do answer that the wil of man worketh with the spirite of god You may se how darkely they do teach Nay they wyll leaue out this worde spirite and say The wil worketh with grace workinge in vs. They thinke that thys vocable grace is an habite or affection of the minde as other affections be being in dede nothing lesse For grace is the fauoure of God For ther is no man whych is indued wyth grace but he onelye whyche is pleasaunte to the Lord or whō the Lorde doth fauour Grace I do not regard or pas much for that grace which is a qualitie of the mind for ther is no such grace But I would fayne haue those gyftes which be by the grace of God that is to saye those giftes whiche he vseth to geue to his electe people bycause it pleaseth hym of his goodnes first to fauoure and loue thē and so thorowe the fauour of God they become pleasaunt acceptable to hym To be short that man hathe the grace of God whō the Lorde doth fauour according to his owne pleasure whō he doth accept Who hath the grace of god It were better said therfore that the will of man worcketh wyth the spirite working in vs thē to say that it worketh with grace For to that oure wil worcketh with the spirite I do agre cōsent well therto The lybertie of the children of god consideringe that we do worcke not frely at our own libertie but by the libertie of the holye spirite And that is called the libertie of the childrē of god to the whiche libertie we are led by the spirite after that he hath drawē vs. But what do we meane whē we do say that the sainctes haue done manie thinges the godly mē thē selues haue said that they haue preached praied laboured c. And in other places they do saye againe that God hath done all thinge as Paule to the Corhin the .i. Epistle and .xv. Chap. I haue laboured more fruitefully sayeth Paule not I but the grace of God whyche is present wyth me That is
the Lorde hauyng neither begynnynge nor endynge We wyl not haue before our eyes these later dayes 〈…〉 but the olde and auncient tyme although they do cal vs in despite the preachers and teachers of the newe Gospel as who shoulde saye that thys Gospel whiche we do preach were not the eternal Gospel whiche the holy Prophetes and Apostles dyd teache from the beginnyng The Gospel 〈…〉 But where as they do laye and cal it the newe Gospel and new learning they do not therin speake otherwise then the trueth For the Gospell whiche is of it selfe euerlasting and eternal to the olde bottels of their carnal and fleshly vnderstādyng it is newe boylyng wyue and swete muste Wherfore they are not able to conteyne and keepe it styl within thē excepte they be renewed wyth the spirite of Christe What thyng do we teache contrary to the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles We maye not folowe the errours whiche were more then .xiij. hundreth yeres paste But we must embrase those thynges which were taught by the Apostles in their tyme or there aboute of necessitie if we do wel if we wyl not erre be deceyued For it is a thynge very certeyne that they declared moste purely and syncerely the veritie and trueth of Goddes worde whiche they dyd leaue to vs in wrytyng hauing the spirite of God to their enterpreter gyuyng to them the ryght and perfecte meanyng But nowe as touchynge the spirite of God A most wycked doubte some men do doubte whether the gift of the spirite holy goste that is to say the gift of prophesy of exposiding the scripturs of healinge diseases and sicknes of the tonges is not now amōg mē as it was in that tyme of the Apostles Wherunto I answer that the gyfte of healinge of maladies doth not cease as I my selfe haue sene and do knowe of a suertie by experience But when fayth doeth fayle then that doth no lōger abyde And as touchyng the gifte of tonges it doeth remayne amonge vs styl The gyfte of tonges For the knowledge of the diuersitie of tōges which many men haue is the gyfte of the spirite of God It is not so openly perceyued sene as these nowe a dayes externe outwarde monstrous miracles for thys cause that the power of the worde of God maye be knowen by the whiche worde onely the high toppes of Antichriste his kyngdome shal be ouerthrowen and caste downe as I haue wryten in the boke entituled the causes of our great blyndnes God forbyd that we shoulde say that the spirite of God of prophesy is extinguised For what man can denie but the worde of God muste be preached And to preache is nothynge els then to prophesy To preach is to prophesie as Paule witnesseth the firste Epistle to the Corhin and .xiiij. Chap. Furthermore no man can preache wel wythout the spirite of the holy goste Who preacheth well for the deepe secretes of God nothynge but the spirite of God doeth or can search For lykewyse as no man knoweth what is in mā A goodly symilitude but the spirite of man which is in hym euen so the profounde misteries of God no man doeth knowe but the spirite of God as Paule i. Corhin ij Chapter Also If there be any of those giftes now in these dayes they woulde knowe In whom are the giftes of the holy gost on whō those giftes of the spirite are bestowed who hath them Whiche they with al their resoning can not fynde out nor once perceyue their vnderstandynge is so carnal sleshly But the trueth is that the gyfte of the spirite hath remained alway in the elected people al that longe tyme of blyndnes and of errour as well as the gyfte of fayeth although in many thynges the elected people were deceyued The lord hath had his elects and faythfull in the tyme of most blyndenes By the whiche spirite and puernes of fayeth they obteyned saluation as in the boke inscribed the causes of blindnes I haue declared sufficiently They dyd not al perishe whiche lyued in those erronious tymes they were not all caste awaye But likewise as in the tyme of Helias whē the saied Helias thought that there were no mo persons but hym selfe whiche worshipped the lyuing Lorde It was answered and sayd vnto hym as in the thyrde boke of the Kynges .xix. Chap. I haue lefte and kepte for my selfe seuen thousande men whiche neuer haue done so muche as to bende their knees no not before Baall So it was in those tymes whiche they speake of For what so euer the errours blyndnes was those whiche were reserued that is to saye the elected were saued as I haue sayed by the spirite and puernes of faith in the Lorde Who semeth to haue the spirite of god in their expositions But to our purpose where as diuerse persons do make sundry and diuerse expositions on the scriptures it is easy to perceyue whiche of those expositors haue in them the holy spirite The word of God is the witnes of the wyl of God None other veritie but he or they whiche do fetche their testimonies and authoritie out of the word of God For that worde is the certeyne testimonie and wytnes bearer The scriptures do opē them selues of the wyl of God Therefore the worde of God is called a testimony or wytnes Psalme Cxviij Besyde that one place of the scripture is declared by an other the darcker by that whyche seemeth more playne open To be shorte the more nighe the declaration or exposition cōmeth to the textes of the scripture the more pure and perfect it muste be of very necessitie Many of them whiche do teache shewe I wyl not saye the maners and facions of gentils the authorities of men the allegations of decrees thys ordre or that ordre thys holynes or that holynes thys or that miracle they do require that men shoulde beleue them in all their sayinges But oure preaching is after an other maner For we in the steede of mannes authoritie and so furth do declare the moste purest and vnchaungable worde of God whiche beareth true wytnes of his wyl towarde vs wisshynge and desirynge hertely that all those whiche do beare the name of Christ callyng them selues Christians A Christian lyfe is required to the settyng furth of of the Gospel professynge his moste holy worde that they woulde haue a lyfe confourme to that spirite It doeth greue and payne me I say to see many howe they do lyue by whose noughtines of lyfe the Euangel of the kyngdome of God is litle regarded or rather sclaundered Iustifyed by fayth onely For we do knowe although by fayth we are onely iustified yet the vnseparable fruites of fayth are the workes whiche are done by fayth Workes As for the promotions and degrees of scholes whereon they do brag wyth the authorities of men as of mē they be to be abhorred and detested
to say the Lord whom it pleaseth to accepte and fauoure me hath wrought these thynges in me Wee do answere to theyr obiection and authoritie sayinge Fyrste that God doeth worcke all these thinges hym selfe Secondly the Lorde doeth saye that hys electes hys fayethfull and Godlye doe manye good dedes bycause he doeth vse them as his instrumentes to do hys worckes As by exemple A man whyche doeth cut bread wyth a knyfe sayeth the knyfe cutteth well suche is the speakynge of the Lorde by vs. If the knife coulde speake it woulde saye I do cut bread EueÌ„ so the Godly and vertuouse meÌ„ do saie we haue laboured we haue preached we haue prayed c. knowynge them selues to be nothynge els but the instrumentes of the Lorde whyche worcketh The lorde calleth hys workes our workes And where as the Lorde doeth saye that we do worcke it is of hys vnspekeable goodnes whyche voucheth fate to cal hys workes in vs our worckes whyche are hys instrumentes A certaine man writeth that in the holye scripture it is often tymes beaten into oure heades that euerye good thinge is of God that he worcketh all thynges after the decre ordinaunce and purpose of his eternal wyl that all our suffitiencie and ablenes is of him that we haue nothynge that we haue receyued nothynge but of hym and suche other manye thynges more for that entente and purpose that we shall not sette and put anye truste in our selues that we shoulde not presumptuouslie presume and arrogantly boste of our own dedes and for none other cause As to the wordes of the Lorde what man caÌ„ denye but that they be true and that they were spoken to take all proude presumptuouse lokes frome vs. But the sayinges of the holye scripture as they be infallibly true so they are playnelye and symplye to be vnderstande that we shoulde in no wyse in no case after no maner of fashion ascribe anye thyng to vs Wherfore is it sayede that the lorde speaketh in his elect Mathew x. but all thynges wholy to him and oure selues to confesse and knowledge trulye mekely and lowlie that we be the instrumentes of hys maiesty and goodnes After thys maner of speakynge the holye wytnes bearers in Christe are sayed not to speake of them selues but that the spirite of theyr father speaketh in them As Mathew the .x. It is sayed by theym that they do not speake bycause they can speake no trueth of themselues By the mouth of them whyche are hys creatures as most mete instrumeÌ„tes the Lorde maketh open hys wyll to all men For so did the Lord speake in StephaÌ„ which no man coulde resist As Act. vi Chap. So dyd Christe liue and worke in Paule and Paule by Christe liued and worcked as to the Gala. the seconde Chapter Lykewyse Christe doth lyue in the iuste that is to saye in the fayethfull and they by fayeth do liue thorowe Christ as Abacuch the second cha and to the Rom. the .i. Chap. and to the Hebrues the .x. Chap. Iuste men do lyue by faythe I maruaile wyth what spirite they be led when they do speake sayinge God wil that we do ascribe nothyng to vs although ther be some thynge in vs whyche wee myghte iustlye and rightly call our owne God say they semeth to commaund these thinges but for a face prouynge theyr wycked opinioÌ„ by the .xvii. Chap. of Luke What a dyuelyshe docâ—ryne is it to say that god vseth disimulation wherin they wold make god a lyar not ryghtlye taken sayinge When you haue done all that you can saye you we be vnprofitable seruaunts Whereto I answere on this wyse God is not an enuiouse person Wherefore if there were anye thynge in vs of oure selfe that we myghte be proude of he woulde not take the prayse thereof from vs for he doeth loue veritie and trueth as Psalm l. But he willeth that we coÌ„fesse vs to be his instrumentes as we be in dede He commaunded thys sayinge When you haue done all thing c. not for a face or faynynge in anye maner of wise but al that he speaketh is in veritie and trueth The seruauntes of God workynge well are nothinge els then the instrumentes of God What is ment by this saying we are vnprofytable seruantes whyche worcketh all goodnes in them He willeth that they shal take no more on theym then they be in deede He wylleth theÌ„ to confesse knoweledge and name theyr selues to be the instrumentes of God nothynge els Therefore he doeth commaunde them that vnfaynedlye and with a true hert they shoulde saye we are vnprofitable seruauntes whyche is as muche to saye as we be the creatures we are the instrumentes of thy worckes we do but serue the and not that of oure owne vertue and power For that we be thy seruauntes it is of thy moste tender mercye whyche wyth thy mooste louynge spirite doest make vs so to be Wherfore to the onely for al thinges which we do by thy spirite we do render thankes and all glory be to the knowynge that of our selues we are vnprofitable seruauntes and that we can do nothynge be it neuer so little that is good of our selues If any manne doeth not thynke that same in hym selfe he maketh God a lyar He maketh God an enuiouse person whyche commaundeth vs to walke in hypocrisie for to saye as the proude Hypocrites vsed for to saye The most blouddy tyraunte of all the worlde doeth call hym selfe the seruaunt of seruauntes of god How the popyshe hypocrytes doe subscribe ther letters I am a pore synner vnworthy to holde vp myne eies to heauen I am one of the leaste seruauntes of God I haue synned much more greuousely theÌ„ al other men Suche wordes vse they to speake when they be praysed bycause they woulde not appeare outewardelye to be praysed called thys or that beynge in all the worlde nothynge that they do desyre couet more These do subscribe theyr letters whiche they do sende to greate menne or to theim of whome they do gape after some benifite after thys maner Your lowely meke and pore bedmaÌ„ the vnworthy shepherd of the flocke of Christe and yet they be nothynge els theÌ„ most raueninge and blougredy wolues The holy father of Rome The greate Antechrist and horned beast the fowle and abhominable strumpet harlot of Babilonicall Rome calleth hym selfe the seruauÌ„t of the seruauntes of god which is the most cruel enemy and bloudy tyrauÌ„te that euer God had Obiection They do obiecte agaynste vs sayinge God doeth call In this word doth call is the cauillation those hys chyldren whyche do call them selues vnprofitable seruauntes And therefore the Lord wyll saye to them Come you my blessed c. We answere saye that not these which do call them selues vnprofitable wyth their tonge outwardly but they whych vnfainedlye in theyr hertes do knoweledge them selues to be no lesse in dede then they haue declared with theyr mouthes and so to
shall preserue vs. For to kepe them without his spirit is no keping of them ▪ but playne hypochrisie and dissimulation The Lorde hath set before vs both fyre and water lyfe and death good and euyll that is asmuche to saye as he hath set before vs the kepynge of his diuine wyll and pleasure and also the transgression offendynge of the same wyll He hath set before vs eternall health and euerlastynge perdicion To whether of these we wil le◠vs reache furthe our handes Yf so be that we do chuse to apprehend the transgression of the lawe being bounde in the wynges of the spirite of fornicatiō falsheade we shall haue death and perdition of our soules withoute remedye If we do applie oure selues to the wyll and commaundementes of the Lorde by the cōfort drawyng of the holye spirite of God health lyfe euerlasting shal folow By the spirite of the Lorde we do apprehende seke after the lyfe prepared for the faithfull By the spirit of our flesh and of falshed we loke after no goodnes but al wickednes traūsgression of the cōmaundemētes If we haue the spirite of the Lorde wee shall not faile of lyfe most happi and blessed If we be led by the spirite of fornication of the fleshe what remayneth but death vtter destruction There is no man which can mislike this exposition except it be those whyche are led wyth a peruerse spirite which holde opinion that the wyll of man of it selfe can wyl that thyng whych is good and also of his owne power kepe the cōmaūdemētes Hereby you mai perceiue that nether this text of the scripture nor any such like doth make any thyng at al for this forged fained libertie of oure fre wil. Obiection Against this do they argue reason saying If man had no knowledge nor iudgmēt of him self to know good and euyl to iudge also what is the wyll of the Lorde It oughte not to be imputed to hys faulte if he did chuse and take that way whyche is euil Obiection An other reason If so be mans wil be not fre at libertie wherefore should he be blamed for sin for as muche as sin is to him no sin if it be done by coaction not voluntarie of hys owne wyl Solution of the fyrste ob ∣ iection To the fyrste reason we saye that if their obiection be true thē must it folowe of necessitie that all the reprobate persons are punished wrongfully whych dyd neuer know perfectlye the wyl of the Lorde for as much as they are blynde for the whyche cause the Lorde prayinge his father for them whyche dyd crucifie hym sayed Forgeue thē father for thei do not know what they do And trulye they dyd not know For euery euil persō is ignoraūt blind And therfore it was spokē of them whiche did murmure speake againste the lawe of God in Deuteron .xxxii. I woulde to God they were wise had vnderstandyng Deut. xxxii as though he would haue said they haue nether wit nor knowledge Wher fore to our owne destructiō are we so busye serchers of the heauēlye maiesties hidden secrets syth that we know that he is in al thinges iust true our selues wretched blind ful of lies He doth iustly reiect cast from him the reprobate blind whō he hath suffered to be blind and indurate that in no wise they can cōfirme thē selues be agreable to the cōmaundemēt wyl of the Lorde The profounde and hyghe depenes of hys iudgement what manne can vnderstande I wyll holde my lyppes therefore togyther kepe scilence worshyppynge the inscrutable iudgementes and decrees of the Lorde Solution of the second obiection To theyr second reason I saye that sinne is voluntarie in the wicked whyche syn cometh not of a free wyll but frome that will whyche is bounde and captiue by the spirite of fornication whych is the sence and vnderstandynge of the fleshe For the wyll of the fleshlye that is to saye of theym whyche do lacke the spirite of the Lord is nothyng lesse then free and at libertie bycause it is not vnder the lawe of God nor neuer canne be as to the Rom. viii Chapter Rom. viii It doth not folow therefore after theyr reason that sinne should not be imputed to the reprobate and wicked which syn is imputed to thē that most iustly To the faithful to thē which do beleue Rom. iiii Psalm xxxi The author doth lamente the fall of certayne men which are gon from syn that is to say cōcupiscēse is not imputed for theyr faith sake as Paule teacheth to the Romains the .iiii. Chap. and the Psal in the .xxxi. Psal beareth also wytnes But Alas there be certaine howe they haue bene deceued the Lord knoweth which sometime as al the worlde almost can testifye abhorrynge and detesting the fowle and stinkynge synagoge of Antichriste wyth all the abhominable rites and craftes and lyes therof wyth all theyr vaine curiouse phātasticall maner of speakynge are nowe turned to theyr madnes forsakeynge the veritie of the Lorde Christe to Antichrist in preachynge and teachinge of men those thynges whyche by the power of the worde of God hath hytherto bene reiected and forsaken bicause they myght therby stablishe and confirme theyr opinion which is that the wil of man is fre and at libertie The which men peraduenture in theyr selues shal fynde true by experience Yea they do fynde it alreadye what a pore and small libertie that is whych is in the wyll of man or rather howe certayne a bondage and seruitude it is for as much as by no studye no crafte no knoweledge they are able to vanquish or to ouercome theyr own propre affectiōs Yt had bene better for thē more profitable for al men yf they had not so vndiscret lie and vnwysely as they did confirme their blynd libertie brought and leyd forth before men the folyshe phantasies dreames particions and distinctions of Duns It can not be spoken how much hurt these brablyng questionaries do of Thomas of Aquine of Capireold wyth suche other brabling and scoldyng sophisters in whom a man can fynd no substance nor pyth of substanciall matter but a fewe folyshe and idle termes and wordes as these be which do folowe It semeth to be so it maie be so it may be saied c. Which wordes to the godly and faithful sorte are nothing els but the strong deadlye and deceauable poyson of the deuil spokē and writtē without good foundation It a uidetur fieri potest dici potest without substance strength of godlie confirmatiō which do knowe that to cleaue and stycke only to the eternall word and testimonie of the veritie of God is the only shote anchor of oure healthe ⧠The secōd text of the scripture wrōgfully taken and alleged THey do alledge forthe of the fyrste boke of Moyses called the Genesis in the iiii Cha. these wordes
onely the spirit of Christ Our impiâ—tie and sinfulnes can go no further than it hath pleased the Lord from the beginnynge to suffre For he hath limitted al the thoughtes cogitations and willes of men within certayn limittes termes the which no man caÌ„ passe or go beyond Wher is now becoâ—â—e that free election and libertie to do what we lust which thei affirme to be in vs. Is it not altogether captiue and in bondage Another diffiniâ—ioâ— of freewyl Ther be also which do make this diffinicion of free wyl saiyng that frewil is a power and strength of mans will wherewyth he doth apply or plucke awaye hymselfe to or from those thynges which do leade vs to eternal felicitie and euerlastynge saluation But I pray you what strengthe and power haue we when the vnderstandyng and wyl of man can do nothynge of it selfe but that which is carnal fleshly What thynges can mans knowledge of it selfe perceyue and attayn to Our owne vnderstaÌ„dynge knowledge dothe iudge richesse health of bodye honoures promotions the glory of this world to be good thinges and the coÌ„trary to these for to be euil naughtie As for the knowledge of good and of godly matters of those I say which partayneth to eternal saluation it perceiueth nothyng at al of it selfe Yea though a man would peruse and reade ouer all the holye scriptures and teach them also to other meÌ„ or els be taught of other hys owne vnderstaÌ„ding and knowledge of it selfe shal neuer truely and as he ought to do knowe the Lorde and his wyll his power his iustice his goodnes his mercie his anger He shal not beleue and rest on the truth and veritie of God but after a liyng fashioÌ„ and hypocrisie The which thing is nothing lâ—sse then to beleue For it is written The folyshe man sayd in his hert there is no God Beholde the knowledge of man of himself doth not only not know god but also doth deme god to be God saiynge that ther is no God i. Corin. ii The carnal man dooth not perceiue those thinges which be of the spirit of God for the spirit of God the thynges therto pertaining ar folishnes to hym He caÌ„ not vnderstaÌ„d iudge that thei ought to be spiritualy demed takeÌ„ These wordes ar to be takeÌ„ not onely of the vnderstaÌ„dynge but also of the wyl of man For lykewyse as the vnderstandyng doth se nothynge of it selfe but that whych is carnal euen so the wyl of man doth hate and abhore of it selfe al thing which is good and loueth that which is euil carnal and nothyng durable The profe of bond wyl by the scripturs It can neither loue nor feare God nor his truth It foloweth then that the wyl of man is not free but captiue and bond as nowe we wyl proue by the testimonies of the scriptures of God And fyrst of al by this testimony of Ose the Prophet saiyng The spirit hath bouâ—de him in his wynges The which wordes are manifest to bee spoken of the carnall people of Israel The whiche people the Prophet declared before to be deceiued by the spirite of fornication that is to sai by the iudgemeÌ„t and sens of the fleshe in the wynges wherof he affirmeth them to be bound fast First he declareth theim to be deceiued afterward to be bound that nowe thei colde do nothyng els but commyt fornication beyng seperated from God For al their iudgementes knowledge vnderstandinge and wyll al their dedes were nothynge elles but fornication from the lorde bycause thei wer not of fayth The carnall are tied wyth bondes Who bee the bonde daughters of Syon To the captyue and boÌ„d prisoners is preached remission of syn As before in the exposition of this Prophet I haue made opeÌ„ to you Thus it foloweth that al those which be carnal and fleshly ar tied and made fast in bondes The carnal Sinagoge is called in the scripture the bond daughter of Sion As Esaye liii Our sauiour also preached remissioÌ„ of sinne to the captiue and bond and deliueraunce to them which were shit fast in prison Esa lxi Luke iiii The second profe by the scripture Genes vi THe Lord said in Genes vi My spirit shal neuer be parmanent in man because he is fleshe Hierome and other writers dooe wryte that these wordes are in the Hebrue rog after this traÌ„slation My spirite shal neuer iudge in maÌ„ because he or thei be fleshe The fyrst traÌ„slatioÌ„ is good inough by the which wordes a certayne writer doth vnderstand and expound the clemencye and great mercy of God towarde man and but his most dreadful austeritie and anger But the Lorde kepe vs from that clemencie For the blyndnes of that man as by his writing oppereth did take this worde iudgement to signifie in this place no thyng elles but punishment as though the lord would say The iudgement is not takeÌ„ for a dreadful senteÌ„ce of God as of a iudge but for the godly and spirituall knowledge my spirit shal not punysh man which is a verye wrong sens For the vniust shal be punished and the seede of the wicked shall perishe as Psalm xxxvi And the fire whiche is prepared for the deuyl and his angels wherwyth the reprobates and vngodly persons shal be tormented is euerlastyng Therfore this is not the right sens and meanyng of this text as he hath expounded but contrarye wyse My spirit shall not iudge alwayes amonge these menne bicause they be fleshe that is to say the iudgement of my spirit shall not alway be permanent in theym because thei be flesh that is altogether natural carnal The iudgement of the spirit of God is not in the wycked and deceiueable because I say the wicked iudgemeÌ„t of the flesh which is repugnaunt to the iudgement of the spirit doth reigne in them Is this the clemencie and mercie of God to be destitute of the right iudgement of the spirit of God to be forsaken and left to the wycked and execreable iudgemente of the spirite of Fornication and of lyes that is to say of the spirit of man which is a lier Psal C.xv. I do beleue verely that ther is no punishment of God more bytter more sharpe then to be forsaken of him There is no plage more sharpe theÌ„ to be forsakeÌ„ of of God and lefte to thy selfe to be left to thine owne iudgement without the iudgement of his spirit I pray the good Lorde kepe from me this most fearful and dreadful wrath of the. Let thy spirit whiche is true and holye and not my spirit ful of fornication and lyes iudge and geue true knowledge and vnderstanding in me Whippe me good Lord and scourge me rather then to forsake me to my selfe if it semeth to the expedient for the settyng furth of thy glory Confyrme make thi seruaunt stronge with thy spirit and neuer take it from me In the same .vi. of Gen. the wycked are
called flesh The wicked are called fleh after the maner of speakyng of Paul in many places of hys Epistles For the wicked with al their cogitations affections and workes are nothyng elles but fleshe because they want and lacke the holy spirit Yea the very spirit of manne is fleshe bycause it cannot beholde the spirit of God but al carnal thynges therto beyng geuen and addicte This sens and meanynge of this texte which I haue declared is not true sayth he bycause this texte of Genesis doth not pertayne to al men as he sayth but to those meÌ„ only which liued in the time of Noe. What thyng can be more aslycke spoken and sayd than this Were not those men also fleshe which lyued after the floud as well as thei which were before the floud Verely so was Cam the sonne of Noe whiche did mocke scorne his father as was Cain and Iudas the traiters as Lamech which did slei Cain Peraduenture this manne doth thynke and coniecture in his mynd that ther was an other maner of spirit of fornication in manne before the floud then was after or elles he fantasieth in his brayne that God hath altered and chaunged the nature of man other wyse then it was from the begynnyng makynge an other nature differente from that which he hath made with his most mightie and strong hand in them which do beleue on hym The nature of man of it selfe hath ben alwaye lyke We do reade and fynde that the yeres and tymes hath bene chaunged and altered but we fynd not that the nature of man was euer altered I do graunt that those wordes were spoken at that tyme of those which lyued in the tyme of Noe. But not onely of them but also of them which came after the floud For al men of them selfes are flesh all fleshe haye and the glory of it as the floure of the fielde Esay xi Al the children of AdaÌ„ of their selfe ar of an heuy and sad hert thei do loue vanitie thei do seeke after lyes and vntruth Psal iiii Omnes declinauerunt simulâ—â—utiles facti sunt Non est qui faciat bonum non est vsque ad vnum All men without exceptioÌ„ haue gone out of the rightwaye and are become vnprofitable There is none that can do any good no not one in the world Ps xii If he wyl not he satisfyed with this answer but wyll contende that this text of the iudgement spoken and written in Geneses pertaineth to the time of Noe. I wil demaÌ„de this question of hym For what cause were those men of Noes tyme rather called flesh then thei which folowed after Noe and lyued after hym Syns now a dayes ar mor greuous and detestable theÌ„ were in the tyme of Noe. Truely of muche more greuous vices and offeÌ„ces haue we read of many other men yea and with oure eyes haue sene in our tyme then was written of those men in those dayes of whom the wordes were first written and spoken Of them we do read in Genesis the .vi. these words The sonnes of God did see perceiue the daughters of men that thei were fayre and bewtiful CoÌ„pare oure smale fautes and dayly vsed vices with this offence of the sonnes of God it shal be no vice but a singuler vertue For they dyd take the Maydens to their wyues in Matrimony and not to make theÌ„ harlotes in whordome and they toke to theÌ„ wyues from amoÌ„g them those which thei had chosen Thei did not seke after those daughters whiche were good but for those which were goodly and fayre the children of whom became myghtie men and of greate renowme The Lorde sayd then that the malice of man was great in the earth and all the imaginations and thoughtes of his hert were euyl euery daye The which wordes are to be vnderstande not onely of that age and tyme but of al meÌ„ in al tymes of ages as in the .viii. Chapi in the same booke apereth The imaginacions of mans hert are euil from his youth Therfore it is vngodly done to wrieth and wrest those wordes to the tyme of Noe onely Yet thei doe go further saiynge and reasoning on this maner The propens and redy inclinatioÌ„ and towardnes to euyl whiche is in many men as though it were not in al men doth not take away al together the lybertie and fredome of maÌ„s wil yea though the said naughtie inclination cannot be ouer come and cleane subdued without the helpe as thei confesse of the grace of God Is it not a great bondage and captiuitie not to be able to ouercome and subdue that thynge which we would fame haue furth of vs By these premisses it dooth folowe that we are seruauntes to that coÌ„cupiscence and naughtie inclination to euyl tyl the tyme that we be deliuered and made fre in dede by Christ The .iii. profe by the scripture It is said in the Prouerbes xvi The Lord doth al thynges for his owne sake yea wheÌ„ he reserueth the vngodlye for the daye of wrath This place is manifest and open declaryng to vs that the Lorde hath alredye iudged the reprobate and outcast persones from the begynnyng to eternal punishmeÌ„t Ther be many which contrary to all ryghteousnes do inquire busely search to know those thinges which do partain to the onely maiestie of God in this place and such other lyke A ful wicked question puttyng furth this question Wherfore did the Lorde make the wicked man sâ—eâ—h he hath decreed from the begynnyng that the wicked shal peryshe Wherfore did not the Lorde reuoke and plucke hym from hys impietie and wickednes after â—hat he had made hym Wherfore hath he not geuen to al men of his spirit With these scrupulous and curious questions more then nedeth The great in conuenience and foule absurditie whiche foloweth these questioÌ„s thei are blynded and deceiued beynge at the last by such reasonyng brought to that poynt that they do make the Lorde not to be a merciful Lorde but a cruel Lorde and as it were a tiraunt I wyl desire and exhort all men that wyth al reuerence they haue in fear and sted fastly beleue the iudgementes of the highest that he is in all his workes iust faythfull true and that we be of oure selues myserable false vniust and synnefull The Lorde then hath made the wicked man for the euil day beyng hymselfe iust and ful of clemencie The wicked man of himselfe tan do nothyng that is pleasaunt and exceptable to God O the profound depnes of the iudgementes of the Lorde howe vnsearcheable how incomprehensible are his wayes For of hym by hym and in hym are all thynges To him therfore be only glory and empire for euer and euer Amen The .iiii. profe by the scriptures IT is written in the Prouer. The kynges herte is in the handes of the lorde xxi Lyke as the riuers of the waters euen so the herte of a kyng is in the hand of
were apostatas and forsaken of the Lorde yea wheÌ„ they were in Egypt as you may se in Ezechiell the .xxxiii. Chapter And agayne after that HierusaleÌ„ was ouerthrown wheÌ„ they came into Egipte they did sacrifice to the quene of heauen Hierem. xliiii You caÌ„ not therfore say that God doth molifie make softe and turne the hertes of men when for theyr synnes he doeth chasten and punishe theÌ„ When dothe the lorde conuert man to his will and wher wythe dothe he it For theÌ„ Pharao shold haue bene turned and not indurate still as he was But what tyme that the Lorde doeth poure forth hys spirite into the herte of man that the obstinate hardnes of an euyl false and liynge herte myght be broken then you maye say that God doth molifie turne that is to saye doeth make man to incline to hys wyl and commaundementes As Ezech .xi. Cha. and in the .xxxvi. testifieth saying I wil take away sayth the Lorde the stony herte for t he of youre fleshe A herte of stone A herte of fleshe I wyll geue you an herte of fleshe I wyl geue you a newe herte and put my spirite in the middest of you Truly neither infirmities nor syckenes neither honger norswerd nor any other kynd of correction no nor anye externe and outwarde gyfte of God The lacke of the spirite is the cause of oure reuocation or induration nether knoledge and vnderstanding of things nor any maner of carefulnes and sorow caÌ„ make the hert of maÌ„ to be either a rebell or to be pliable obediente to the wyll of the Lord but onely the fruition and lacke of the holye spirite As for the correction and chastisynge of the Lorde it profiteth if the spirite of God be presente otherwyse it driueth to desperation The correction and punishmente of the wicked maye outewardlye cause theÌ„ to refrayne abstaine from doing of euyll What dothe correction worke in vs But the herte is not the better The correctioÌ„ of the wicked maketh theÌ„ to be hypocrites and not the seruauntes of God as the .iiii. Chap. of Oseas declareth Bycause the harte is not the better The Lord threatened the Israelites bycause they dyd forsake hym in theyr fornication saying that theyr doughters and wynes should be polluted defiled with fornication and adultry The Lord also declared to theÌ„ that he would not punishe theyr daughters nor theyr wyues bicause they should not ameÌ„d their liues outwardely from theyr vnchaste liuinge to the greate ignominie and shame of their husbandes and pareÌ„tes beynge a iuste a mete correction of the carnall and naughty affections of the meÌ„ which were carnal in Israel which detested and abhored the defilinge of their wyues and doughters a thyng whych al men may se outwardli theyr owne hertes beinge full of al fylthynes fornication froÌ„ the Lord Bicause they feared the ignominiouse opprobry and shame of man God is to be feared more then man more then the rebuke of God the Lord most iustly suffered them to fall into that whiche they feared most Likewise as the Lorde doeth indurate harden so he doeth also deceiue and begile as Hieremie .xx. Chap. The lorde deceyueth For Hieremie him self being strickeÌ„ of Phassur cast into prisoÌ„ for declarynge of the veritie did make his praier to the Lord saying Thou hast deceyued me good Lord I am deceiued Thou art stroÌ„ger theÌ„ I haste preuayled I am made a mockyng stocke al the day long This place of Hieremie is bi those meÌ„ which I dyd speake of before wroÌ„ge expouÌ„ded as they did the place scripture of induration saiyng that the Lord deceiued begiled him wheÌ„ he did not straight way rebuke him of his erroure But it is otherwise to be taken For the prophete beynge beaton and cast into prison and as you do ther reade being of all menne skorned and made a laughynge stocke for the veritie sake he dyd abhore and despise those whyche dyd sette lyghte by the worde of God and yet peraduenture other whyles thorowe the weakenes of the fleshe was in daunger to haue fallen froÌ„ the word of God and so to haue prophesied no more But the Lorde dyd conforte hym as it is manifeste in the sayed chap. But yet before that the Lorde dyd conforte hym Hieremi sayed Thou haste dereyued me c. For the Lorde commaunded hym to go and he went boldly not knowynge that therefore he shoulde haue bene so handeled as he was Therfore he sayed thou hast deceyued me As though he woulde haue sayed Thou Lorde dideste not geue me warnynge before that I should be scourged emprisoned and that thou wouldest that I whom thou dideste send shoulde be taken of them to whom I was sent whoÌ„ thou myghtest haue saued and kept forth of theyr handes In fewe wordes thys doeth declare thre thynges to vs. What is declared to vs by the taking of hieremy Fyrste the heauines and sorowe of the Prophete bycause the worde of God was dispised Seconde hys own griefe for the euilles whych he suffered whyche he thought not on Thirdelye that hys takynge and enprisonynge was of God that is to saie it was the wyl of God that he shoulde be taken They do obiecte also agaynst our opinion of bonde wyll sayinge that our wyl doth nothing of necessitie bycause that al thinges are in the hande of the Lorde They confesse also that God after hys own secrete couÌ„sell doth turne mans purpose and endeuers ofteÌ„ tymes other wayes then man hym selfe entended the whyche entent purpose and first endeuoure of man they do ascribe to the fre wyl of man saying that the fyrst mâ—tion and styrryng is in mannes libertie and power Wherto I saye and answere that the wil of man worcketh of necessitie and by violeÌ„ce bycause that all thynges are in the handes of the Lorde and vnder the euerlastynge wyll of god whych they do confesse of their owne gentilnes whose will what man is able to resiste What is the wyll of God but hys worde and the spirite of the scripture And the worde of the Lorde is permanente for euer Psalme Cxviii and Esai xl The scotyst diuinitie hath made darcke the diuinitie of Christ before mennes eyes What neade the fayethfull menne passe or care how the Dunse scholemaisters haue brawled amonge them selues of the wyll pleasure of the Lorde they can not tell what theyr selfes Hys purpose hys decre hys ordinaunces must neades be perpetuall stand for euer The Lorde purposed frome the begynnynge yea and before the begynnynge that the kynge of Egypte shoulde be indurate and styfnecked agaynste hym that he should lyue wythout his spirite in the spirit of fornication that is to saie in his owne naturall and fleshly sence and vnderstandinge for the whyche cause he coulde not chose but be agaynste the Lorde and hys people The affectioÌ„ of the flesh The spirite of god and of the fleshe are at continuall warre
or of the spirit of the flesh beyng not subiect to the law of God whiche is alway repugnaunte therto as to the Ro. the .viii. chap The spirite did bynde hym in hys wynges as it dyd the Israelites drawynge hym by hys power to al kynde of euil headlynge Is not hys wyll then bound and cōstrayned of necessitie to thys or to that The whyche induration is to hym as a bridle in hys mouth drawynge and pluckynge hym frome God and pryckynge and styrrynge him agaynst the will of the Lord. And yet iustely he perished althoughe it was not in hys power to do well or Godly If thou wylt nowe go about to reason and argue after the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe thou shalt strayght waye fall into fornication agaynste God Be contente therfore and reason no further for to reason otherwise it doeth dishonoure to the Lorde and it passeth thy capacitie Pharao beynge miserable and vniuste iustlye indurated and made harde coulde not applye hym selfe to the Lordes wyll Wherefore most iustely at the laste he perished Many do thynke bycause that God did stirre vp Pharao agaynst him therfore they do saye that God wroughte those synnes in hym whyche he dyd And that lykewyse as God doeth hys good worckes in vs whiche are hys good worckes beinge good euen so saye they doeth he punishe hys own euyll worckes in vs God forbid I shoulde eyther speake or thynke anye such thynge whych I do knowe to be far frō any Godly doctrine But thys I dare be bolde to saye that Pharao was indurated that is to saye forsaken of the Lorde and lefte to hym selfe for the whyche cause in hys herte he was agaynste God by whome afterwarde he was styrred vp to vtter and shew openlye in the face and syght of all menne thys greate wyckednesse whyche he had by induration to the greate and excedyng glory of god And yet for all that we do not say that god did worke that wickednes in Pharao bycause that al wyckednes and vngodlynes procedethe not of hym but of the lacke want of the spirite of the vnderstandyng of the fleshe and spirit of fornication O moste inscrutable and vnserchable depnes of the iudgemente of God What man knowethe these thynges They be to thyne owne selfe secret o lorde To the onlye it perteynethe to conclude and determyn these things wherto no man els is able to penetrate and attayne Wherfore who soeuer dothe feare thy moste godlye and maruailouse name let him commit those thinges vnto the. By this that we haue sayd a mā may easely make answer to them whych holde opynion that the entente and endeuour or to purpose a thynge is in the will of man contendynge that the wyll of man shall be fre to entend The fleshe will knowledg no bondage endeuour or to purpose any maner of thing The whych purpose entent or mynde to do a thinge eyther it is wycked and vngodly then it spryngethe from induration whyche dothe force a man to all euell for an indurat person muste nedes do that which is euell is not he then forced therto Induration is the worke of the lorde This maner of speaking the flesh can not abyde to here whyche dothe crake and bost that she is fre and at her libertie But what man can wythstande the eternall decres of the lord The compulsion is not of god but of induration The whyche is the worcke of god most ryghtwyse and also most terrible and to be feared In this matter all sophisticall and dialecticall reasonnynge profetethe nothynge at all but rather doethe muche hurte concludynge that god workethe synne and wyckednes that god compelleth a man to worke that whyche is euel The lord kepe suche wordes from oure mouthes But rather lette vs saye that herein dothe lye hyd the secretes of god whyche no man is able to take Contrarye wyse yf mans study To thynke well is of god entent or endeuour or purpose be godly it commethe from the holy spirite from whō no wycked thynge can proced Wherfore then done we gyue lyberty to oure owne will which is altogyther captyue and bonde For either it is captiue and bond to the spirit of fornication or to the spirite of god Althoughe this captiuitie of this spirit of god is most swete and plesaunte lybertye The captiuitie and bondage of the lord is liberty as we shall here after in hys owne place and tyme conuenyente declare Paule also in the ix chapiter to the Roma confyrmynge the captiuitie and bondage of the will of man concludethe on this wyse It is not in hym that wyllethe nor in hym that runneth but in the Lorde whyche hath mercye and compassion The whyche place of Paul some expositours do expound on this maner sayinge The mercy of God preuented our wyll the whyche mercye oure wyll doeth accompany and go wyth it togyther in oure indeuorynge and purposynge bryngynge at the laste to some good ende and effecte Yet for al that saye they we do runne we do wyll we do couet we do attayne and obtayne oure purpose But so that the selfe same thynge whyche is ours in dede we do ascribe whollye altogyther to God whose handyworcke we be all What is that thynge whyche we cal our owne what is in vs but synne impietie and vnryghtuousnes If we be iuste that is not ours but it is Gods owne If our running our wyllynge our obtaynynge be ours thē is it wicked All our wais are vanitie For al the wayes of man is vanitie Psalm xxxviii If we wyll ascribe to God and make to be hys that which is our owne propre Wherfore doth the mercye of god that is to saye our synnes bycause he hath hardened vs what erroure can be more greater No boubte the mercye of God dyd preuente oure wyll to destroye oure wyll For wyth hys spirite in vs he doth reueage and vtterlye denye vs he doeth crucifie vs daye by daye he wylleth in vs his wyl he purposeth endeuoureth in vs hys wyll he prayeth he runneth he obteyned he doth al thing in vs The lorde doth croune his goodnes in vs. and at the laste he doeth crowne in vs that thynge whyche is hys owne proper For euery fayethful man sayeth wyth Paul I do lyue nowe not I but in me Christe lyueth I do runne I do praie nowe not I Our good runnynge is Christ his rynnynges but these thynges and all other Christe doeth in me The whyche altogyther muste be ascribed to God whyche is graunted of our aduersaries to be true Nowe wyll I demaunde and aske theim whether they be to be ascribed to hym as the worckes of hym for so they be in dede or els as our workes proceadynge from the endeuoure and industry of our will If they saye that they be hys owne workes they do saye trulie and Godly If they say that they be fyrste oure worckes and afterwarde we make theim to be the worckes of
iudgementes and worcketh al that pleaseth him And trulye a man is nothynge els then an instrumēt of the Lorde wherwyth he doeth worcke ⧠The .xi. profe PAule sayth to the Romaynes in the .ix. Chapter Rom ix Yt was said sayeth he to the two childrē Iacob Esau before they were borne before they had done either euell or good as it is written in the Genesis the .xxv ▪ Chapter The elder shall be seruaunte to the yonger for thys entente that by election the purpose Let vs praye the lorde that we maye be his callyng Iacob Esau and ordinaunce of God shoulde be stedfaste and certayne not by oure worckes but by God whose pleasure is to cal whom hym pleaseth It is writen also in Malachy the fyrst Chapt. I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau It is manifest that before the beginninge he hated the wickednes of Esau and hys chyldren that is to say those that folowed hys incredulitie and vnfayethfulnesse The lorde dyd hat the wyckednes of Esau befor that Esau was Who be the childryn of Esau and of Iacob He loued Iacob and hys sede that is to saye those whyche folowed had the fayth of Iacob These wordes may not be taken and vnderstande of the children of theyr own bodies begotten naturally For likewise as al the Israelites are not coūted in the sede of Iacob but those which haue faith as Paule to the Romains the .ix. chap. So all the Idumites were not the sonnes chyldrē of Esau But those which folowed the vnfaythefulnes vngodlynes of Esau Euery vnfayethfull man be he an Idumite Who be Isralytes Who be Idumytes or an Israelite a Greke or of any other men is of the sede of Esau And contrarie wyse euerye fayethfull man if he be an Israelite an Idumite an English man or a frenchman is of the sede of Iacob These thynges I wyll referre to the exposition of Abdias and Malachias where I wyll copiouslye declare thys matter of the loue of Iacob of the hatred of Esau God wyllyng This which I haue spokē is sufficient cōcerning our purpose for this tyme. ⧠The .xii. proffe THe wordes of oure Sauioure do confyrme thys same captiuitie and bondage of oure wyll in Iohn the vi Chapter Iohn .vi. What is to folow Christ No man can come after me and folowe me that is to saye beleue in me excepte my father whyche dyd sende me do drawe hym Is not oure wyl thē captyue and bonde when it canne not beleue in Christ without it be drawen Iohn xv And Iohn the xv Chap. Wythout me you can do nothing The whyche place when that Christe dyd speake to hys disciples althoughe he dyd speake of the fruite of his Gospel callynge him selfe the vyne them the braunches Which is a good worke yet he dyd speake it generallye and vniuersally to all men sayinge wythoute me you can do nothynge that is to saie no good fruite at al whyche is a good worcke And there is no good worke but that onely which is of faith otherewyse it is an euyll worcke and synne as to the Romains xiui For lykewise as by fayth cometh the goodnes of the worke Rom. xiii euē so by vnfayethfulnes and incredulitie is the contrarye But those thynges onely whiche be of fayeth do profitte vnto saluation and nothynge els The whych considering that we can not perfourme of oure selues no not to begynne nor to procede nor to endeuoure nor to make an ende and finyshe Wherfore shoulde we not saye that oure wyll is bonde and captiue withoute all libertie The obiection of the aduersaries They do obiecte agaynste vs saiynge We do nothyng wythout Christe but whē he doeth sende his spirite eyther we do agre to hys spirite or els we do refuse it The cōsent and agremente to the wyll of the Lorde is of vs saye they is oure owne and of oure selues The Lorde say they doeth put vs in mynde to praye to repente our naughtye liuynge to be liberall to the pouertye and so forthe the whyche suggession for to folowe or to resist is in our libertie wil. I do say answer to thys obiection saying If thys obiection be true then are the wordes of Christ faulse whyche doeth saye withoute me you can do nothinge For after your reason you maye do some thynge wythoute hym to endeuour applie your wil to his wyl And so were the worke of god which doth inwardlye monish teache you no greater thē that whyche manne doeth in preachinge and teachynge outwardely As by exemple A man doeth pronounce and shewe forth the veritie of God to the whych if theyr obiection be true may he apply him selfe maye go about and endeuour to do it and also to perfourm it of hys owne power and strength O erroure and mooste execrable heresie Thys is the verye trueth God doeth moue and styrre that thynge whiche pleaseth him Euery good worke is the worke of Christe in vs no man can applye him selfe thereto excepte he receyue the spirite of God whereby he doeth it No he can begynne to do nothynge be it neuer so little wythoute Christe doe worcke in hym the beginnyng and the mind to do well we do our endeuoure we do apply our selues to the veritie and to the Lorde not by the lybertie fredome of our wyl but by the spirite of God whiche worcketh in vs mercifully vsynge vs as his instrumētes in all good dedes in shewyng obedience to hys wyl in prayer in inuocation to lyue soberly chastelye and so forth to his honour Obiection Agaynste thys answere they do obiecte sayinge If God worcke all thynges in vs by hys spirite if he wylleth hys wyll in vs if he praieth if he geueth almes if he studieth worketh and speaketh in vs wherfore do we then endeuour oure selues to do anie thinge wherefore are we so anxiouse careful I wyll not speake of all othere thynges that we do for what cause saye they did the holye Euangelistes prepare theim selues to the declaration of the worde of God Sythe it was sayed to them when you be brought before Kynges and rulers be not carefull thynkyng how and what you shold speake For it is not you sayeth the Lorde whyche speaketh but the spirite of my father whych speaketh in you Whereto I saye that who so euer doeth go aboute anye thyng or is carefull for thynges or studieth howe to set forthe the Gospell of Christe he doeth it eythere of a pure fayeth towarde God and then is it the dede of the holye Gooste or els wythout fayeth trustinge in hys owne vertue and industruouse laboure and diligence and then it is the worke of the sense and vnderstandinge of the fleshe That other a mā doeth beynge bound and drawen by the spirite of the Lorde as for that whyche he doth by the confidence of hys owne strengthe it is done by compultiō of the spirite of fornication bicause he is bounde in
mooste perfecte and vnfayned loue as Let him kisse me with the swete kysse of hys mouth as Plucke me after the. as Come hyther my beloued as Shewe to me hym whome my soule doeth loue wyth suche other lyke sayinges The sinagoge of Antichriste in the daye whych is dedicated and hallowed to the natiuitie of the Lorde do graunt thys pronoūcynge wyth theyr owne lyppes The prayer of the church on Christmas daye the holye prayer of the churche of God sayinge after thys wyse Graunte to vs good Lorde we pray the that thys newe natiuitie of thy son in fleshe maye deliuer vs and make vs fre whom the olde seruitude and bondage doth hold fast bownd vnder the yoke of sinne The yoke of synne c. The yoke of synne is the yoke of concupiscence As Paule in manie places but speciallye to the Romayns communelye vseth to speake By synne cōcupiscence sayeth he c. The whyche concupiscence maye well be named a yoke bycause it holdeth manne in moste cruell seruitude in so muche that excepte he be fyrste deliuered from that he can do nothynge that canne be pleasaunte to the Lorde Thys is the yoke of bondage to the beleuynge people Thys is the rod of hys shoulder and the scepter whych the litle child borne into thys worlde and geuen vnto vs hath ouercome The names of god Whose empyre is aboue his shoulder which is called by these names The marueilouse the counseler The strōge and myghty Lord. The father of the world to come The prince of peace Esai ix As Esay ix O moste ioyfull libertie to the electe which is annexed ioyned vnseperablye wyth the most blessed seruitude bōdage of the Lord. This libertie is far from the power of Satan most miserable sinagoge of Antichrist whyche is departed fallen from the Lorde and sauiour The sinagog of antichriste hath not this lybertie that the faythfull maye do seruice to the Lorde without impedimente and afterward one to an other for Christes sake This holy and sacrete seruitude bōdage of the Lord is not a bitter hard or heauy yoke Math. xi it is lyghte amiable and swete As Christe wytnesseth Mathew xi Chap. My yoke is swete my burthen is lyghte By thys yoke whyche is to be coueted of all men and by thys bonde al men do kepe the commaundementes of the Lord frely gladly diligentlye For they be neuer wythout the spirite of the Lord and hys gyftes whyche are these Wisedome vnderstandyng counsel strēgth of the spirite knowledge Godlines feare of the Lorde ioyfulnesse peace of conscience a sure and certayne hope c. After these thinges foloweth the loue of the Lorde Confidence in hym onelye charitie and loue towarde thy neyghboure pouertie and lowlines of the spirite mournyng and lamenting thy neyghboures hurt griefe full of compassion and all other goodnesse Wyth thys yoke very necessarie for vs wyth these amiable bondes it pleaseth the goodnesse of the Lorde to bynde vs so that therby we should attayne to perfecte libertie in him ⧠The fourthe parte wherein you are taughte howe to vnderstande those textes and places of the scriptures whyche do applie to permit and geue libertye to the wyll of man WE haue sufficiētly taught and proued to you what the wyll of man is Secondelye that it is verye captiue and bond Thyrdly that it is in Christe boeth fre and also moste ioyfully and pleasauntly bonde You haue sene and learned in the same thyrd parte how and in what thinges the wyll of man is fre and howe likewyse it is bonde Nowe there remaineth nothynge els behynde but to make playne certayne places and textes that you maye vnderstande them The which textes the maisters and founders of free wyll do falselye alledge and as them thynketh do sufficiently proue theyr purpose and entent ⧠The fyrste text IT is wryten in the boke of Iesus Syrach the .xv chap after thys wyse The Lorde from the begynnynge dyd make man and left hym in the hande of hys owne counsell and minde he hathe gyuen him cōmaundementes and preceptes sayinge if thou wilt obserue my commaundemētes and kepe acceptable faythfulnes for euer they shall preserue the. He hathe set water and fyer before the reache out thy hand to which thou wilte Before man is life and death good and euel that whiche dothe lyke and please hym beste shal be gyuen to hym By this authoritie they do thinke that they can proue man to haue fre will from his first creation If they wyll vnderstande and also graunt that the holy spirit was also at the beginning geuē to mā we wyll striue no lēger wythe them ther in But if they do saye that god made the nature of manne to be alwaye fre of hir owne selfe and at lybertie it is altogether agaynste god and his honour that they do speake wherfore in fewe wordes we wyl declare and open to your eares the plain and true vnderstandynge of thys texte The lorde from the begynnynge created manne deckyng and adornynge hym wyth hys spirite this do I graunt to them though we be be not able to proue it leauinge man before he dyd fall in the hand of hys owne counsell that is to saye to hys own selfe to his owne nature whyche is the most greuouse fearfull iudgement that can be For he whyche is so lefte in the hande of hys owne counsell is forsaken and made a straunger to the spirite and counsel of the Lorde And so becommeth strayght waye indurate blynded and brought into temtatiō c. and can not chuse but erre from the waye of the Lorde Therefore as sone as oure fathers were lefte to theyr selues in the handes of theyr owne counsell they strayghte waye traunsgressed the commaundemente of the Lorde Mankynde dyd fall by little and little to synne Wherfore the lawe is gyuen in so muche that synne so increased that they could not deserue and iudge good frome euyll For the whyche cause that men myght haue the knowledge of synne and of that whyche is euyll and naughty the Lord gaue to theym a lawe or preceptes whyche lawe was and is vnpossible to be kepte and obserued of vs but wyth hys spirite it is made not onelye possible but also easye and lyghte The lawe is spirituall What is the worke of the lawe For the lawe beynge spirituall can not be kept but by the strēgth of the spirite The lawe teacheth what is euyl what is good what we ought to do and what wee ought to refuse But the lawe doth not gyue to vs a spirit to do that whiche it commaundeth It doth sende vs to Christe that we beleuyng in hym maye be made parteners of his spirit The lawe sendeth vs to Christe for helpe The kepyng of the lawe wythout the spirit of god is hypocrisie by the whiche spirit we maye kepe the lawe Wherfore if we do kepe these cōmaundementes and preceptes by the spirite of God then they
Christe is there Christe is in them which do beleue a whole iustice Christe is our perfecte iustice sanctification and redemption Hereby maye you perceyue that the wordes of the fyrste boke of Moyses called the Deutero are cleane contrarye to free wyll and makynge nothynge at all for theyr purpose ⧠The .v ▪ texte IT is wrytten in Mathew the .xxiii. and Luke the .xiii. Chap. Hierusalem Math. xxiii Luke xiii Hierusalem whyche killeste the Propheres and stoneste theim whyche are sente vnto the. Howe often woulde I haue gathered togyther thy chyldrene as the hen doeth hir chickens and thou wouldest not Beholde saye they Christ sayth I woulde thou woldest not Hereby do they gather that the wyll of man is free the Lorde shoulde do wronge els saie they to threaten and punishe them if they myghte not haue chosen whether they woulde haue bene gathered togither yea or naye Thus and after lyke maner of fashiō doeth the wycked and miserable fleshe presume to iudge of the most ryghtwyse iuste iudgemēt of god whych is far frō this matter as Iohn the .x. Chapt. You do not beleue me because you are not of my shepe that is to saye of my electe people whyche onelye are the very shepe of Christe whom no man can take forth of hys hand Thou mā which arte nothinge els but corruption wormes meate what art thou that wilt reasō against the Lord. Be thou afraied rather maruaile wyth al lowlines mekenes of the profoūd and impenetrable depenes of hys iudgemēt Learne how thou must take these wordes of Christ rehearsed out of Mathew and Luke I would sayth Christ and thou which arte the carnal sinagog wouldest not Wherfore wouldest thou not For thou arte not of my shepe and electe chosen people Thou haste not my spirite without the which thou canst not fynde in thy herte to be agreable to my commaundementes nor yet do anye thynge els that should be pleasant before me Al the desyres of the fleshe that is to saye of a man wythoute my spirite do fyghte and striue agaynst me bicause he is a liar as witnesseth the Psalm C .xv. Therfore by those wordes Christe did meane not for to shewe that it was in theyr fre choyse to do otherwise thē they did But to declare to them how much he dyd hate and abhore al the desyres of the fleshe whyche laboureth continuallye to do those thynges whyche are contrarye to my wyll whych is all Godlines and vertue ¶ The syxt profe TO make for theyr purpose they do brynge forth Mathew sayinge If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the cōmaundemētes If thou wilte be perfecte c. And Luke If any man wyll come after we cetera He that wyll saue and kepe hys lyfe shall lose it And all other places of boeth the Testamentes where as anye thinge is spoken conditionally they do brynge for the confirmation of fre wyll As thys If you wyll If you wyll not If you wyll heare If you wyll not heare If you do seke If you do turne If you do seperate If he do If he turne awaye In all the whych places they do erre bicause they do not marke what the spirit did meane in those textes For to perfourme those thinges it is geuē of the spirit wherfore it must be vnderstande after thys fashion If thou wylte do thys or that with all thy herte and thorowe my spirite then shalt thou obteyne thys or that If you do otherwyse beynge faste bounde wyth the spirite of fornication you shall peryshe ⧠The .vii. profe TO proue the libertie of mans will they do obiect the promises the cōmaundementes the threateninges and rebukynges of the Lorde saying that al this had not bene worth a straw Yea and foleishly written if so be there were no libertie and fredome of oure wyll We answere and saye that the sens vnderstandynge of al these places doth hereof depende that the spirite of God shoulde be knowen seuerall and distinke frome that other spirite that we shoulde acknowledge and confesse that God wylleth hys lawe to be kepte and obserued not by oure deceyuable spirite of fornication and fleshly carnall knowledge but by hys mooste holye spirite onely He promiseth to thē greate rewardes whyche do kepe hys lawe by hys spirite Lykewyse he doeth threaten and condemne those whyche do breake hys lawe by the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe ⧠The .viii. profe THey do laye againe that oftē times in the scripture rewardes are promised to the fayethfull seruauntes of God thynkynge that there can be no rewarde but wher as is merit and deseruinge and on that other syde there can be no merite or deseruynge where as is not a fre wyll Trulye there muste nedes be merite where a fre wyll proceadeth or doth go before But there is no merite in vs Whether man do merit ye or naye bicause we are bounde of oure selues Therfore all our merites are the merites of Christ onely whych alone and none other is fre and with out all bondage Psalm lxxxvii But as to the vocable of rewarde Rewarde wee muste marcke and note that the rewarde of the electe and chosen is called therefore a rewarde bycause that Christe hathe merited and deserued that reward in vs and bicause it is promised of God to hym whyche beleueth in Christe Thus muste the wordes of the Geneses in the .xv. Chapter be vnderstand and taken whych are these I am thy reward thy great rewarde What was Abraham his rewarde for his belefe Bicause that Abraham dyd stedfastli beleue in the promise of the sede which is Christe he receyued hys rewarde What rewarde God hym selfe which is the verye rewarde of al them whych do beleue as the Lorde in hys euerlasteynge beynge hathe sworne decreed ordeyned Lykewyse are the wordes of Christe wrytten in Mathew to be taken sayinge Reioyce you for youre reward is plentifull in heauen Which is as much to saye as That thing whiche I haue deserued for them whych do beleue in me is promised of God for their fayth is muche aboundaunt and greate In the wyich sens and vnderstādyng must you take this word crowne and this word giftes or rewardes as you do reade in many places of the scripture ¶ The .ix. text IOhn the fyrst Chap. He gaue thē power to be made the children or sonnes of god That is to say to them which do beleue in hys name Hereby do they reason if he hath geuen to theym power to be the sonnes of God then they are fre and not captiue or bonde Herein they do not conclude well For thys texte doeth declare rather that mā is captiue and bond then the cōtrary whiche texte beynge opened is as muche to saye as thys So manye as haue receyued the faith of Christe beleuynge in hys name at that time that they beleued they receyued power to be made the sonnes of God Or rather they were then
captiue and bonde and that of it selfe it can do thynge that is good or pertaynynge to eternall felicitie The choyse and electiō to do thys or that is the worcke and dede of the wyl and of the vnderstandynge That the wyll of man is captiue it commeth by the spirite of fornication that is of the naturall sens and knowledge of synne or concupiscence for as muche as the deceytful spirite doeth reynge in the hert And then the wyll can not be obediente to the worde of the Lord but in hypocrisie lies after a deceiuable maner fayre without and foule wythin For the wordes of the veritie can not be pleasaunte to it wherefore it is alwaie contrary and repugnaunte to them By the commynge of the spirite of the Lorde and by fayeth manne is deliuered and made fre from the spirite of fornication frō the whiche euyll spirite by no mans craft or wysdome he can be losed and set at libertie Then the spirite of God reygneth in the herte of the fayethfull bringynge the spirite of fornication euery daye in subiection more and more makynge it bond and captiue and crucifiynge it Then doeth the spirite of God worcke in man hys knoweledge and vnderstandynge causyng hym to know God and hys veritie of hym selfe vnable to either of them It worketh also the wyll of man whyche is bonde of it selfe makynge it to wyll the thynge whyche God wylleth and to be content wyth hys swete wordes Then man doeth wyl that thyng whiche God wylleth not of hys owne vertue but by the vertue and power of God him selfe And is set at libertie and made fre frome all traditions and inuentions of men to captyue and make hym selfe bonde altogyther to the obedience and seruice of God and his veritye And so he is made fre from the captiuitie and bondage of perdition and doth go into the bondage and libertie of the chyldrene of God Then he serueth the Lord most frely and fayethfully he runnneth forwarde the spirite of God workynge that same Alacritie and redines in hym All the preceptes threatenynges promises rebukynges and praysinges of the saintes and the cursses of the wycked do declare howe much God doeth loue the holye spirite and howe he doeth rule the spirite of fornication The wyll of the beleuer doeth worcke wyth the spirite worckynge in hym not of hys owne strengthe and vertue but by the strength and vertue of the spirite God doeth harden he doeth waken and styrre vp he doeth also excecate and make blynde and whom so euer he hath thus determined and iudged for to be that same mā must nedes go forth of the waie of God Yet do I not therfore conclude that God is vniuste nor that he worketh any iniquitie In thys matter mans sens and iudgmēte is dimme and manye there be whyche do searche these thynges not wythoute greate peryll of fallynge into heresie Whither thou wilt make ought or nought of free wyll yet this questian of the mercye and iustice of God is insoluble for it is so profound and depe that it can not be thorowlie persed and attayned vnto God hath no nede of our leasynges or lies that a manne shoulde thynke it to be lawefull for hym to deuise and inuent a frewyll agaynste the manifeste and opē textes of the scriptures thynkynge thereby to come the soner to the perfecte knoweledge of the questian concernynge the iustice and ryghtuousenesse of God whych he shal neuer come to so longe as he lyueth Those whiche mayntayne free wyll do speake directly contrarye to the marrke and ende of the lawe affirmynge that a man can so guide hym selfe that he canne of hym selfe kepe the lawe or that he can any thynge begyn of hym selfe towarde it when he can do nothynge lesse The schope and principall parte of the spirite bicause the whole lawe is spirituall and therfore may none otherwyse be kepte then by the onely spirite God Those same frewill makers do attribute and geue to fleshe and bloude that thynge whych is propre onely to the spirite of God that is to saye to wyll any goodnes whiche fleshe and bloude can do nothinge but stray from God in fornication whordome But these men whyche are instructed taught by the testimonies of God do saye that the wyll of man is captiue and bonde and that of it selfe it canne do nothynge lesse then kepe the lawe of God wherein they do saye truely bycause they speake not againste the marke and chefe parte of the lawe which is the spirit These men doe gyue to man in dede that thynge which is his properlie that he is the bondeman of synne that is to saye of concupiscence except he be made fre of god They do geue vnto the holye Goste that whyche is due to the holye Gooste that is to say boeth to thynke to wyll perfourme that thynge whyche is good and so they do geue to God not vnto man all vertu power and glorye The founders of free wyll are the founders of merites and of the iustice of worckes as they call it Those men whyche do stablishe mannes merites and the iustice of worckes do deny and treade vnder the fote the iustice and merites of Christe Christ only not our filthy iustice own rightuousnes hath merited to vs the fauour and grace of God and eternall iustice The confirmation of our captiuitie and bond wyll is the confirmatiō of the merites of Christ and of the iustice of God by him beynge the contempt of the vnworthy rightuousenes of our worckes I do not deny that a mā shoulde do good workes bicause it is neadful that a faythfull man should be alway wel doyng and neuer to be idle that he maye declare and testifie hys fayeth by his worckes For a true faith is neuer idle but spreadeth abrode in good worckes whyche are the testimonies wytnes of our fayeth But I saye that a faythful man doth not truste nor geue confidence to hys worckes therfore not to him self nor to hys own wil. The patrons and defenders of frewil cā not receiue and take the worde of God simply ryghtlye and in hys kynde for the free wyll of manne and the worde of God are contrarye He that defendeth the contrarye muste neades vnderstande the scriptures as they ought to be For in thys defēct he swarueth not from the worde of God No manne can saye in the spirite of God that the wyll of man is fre No manne can wyth a pure herte thynke that the wyll of man is bonde but in the holy spirite whyche speaketh in hym and worketh a Godlie loue and desyre of the knowledge of the veritie of Gods worde rather then curiouse reasoninge For he whych is of that opinion that the wyll of man is fre doeth so much minishe plucke frō the mercy and merites of Christ as he doeth permit and geue to the strength of mans wyl whych is cōtrary to the holye spirite He that is of the contrarye opinion doeth geue nothynge to the strengthe and wyll of man but altogyther to the mercye of God and gratiouse fauoure of Christe whych fauour and mercye thorowe Christe in whom they do beleue the fayethfull do obtayne And in so doynge they do confesse the Lorde Iesu Christe as they oughte to do geuynge to hym onely the prayse of our iustification and redemption whiche thynge they can not do but in the holye Goste The summe and finall conclution of this matter is that the defence of fre wyll is the begynnynge the role and fundation of peruers sectes of men of all impietie and wyckednes of all hypocrisie and counterfayted holines of al abhomination the very stablishinge of Antechrist hys sinagoge The contrarye opinion is the well and fountayne of all vertue of iustice and ryghtuousnes of grace and fauoure thorow Christ onelie and the kepe of knowledge of all Godlye and holsome doctrin Wherin the Lorde continue vs to his onely glory praise for euer Finis Nicolas Lesse ⧠⧠⧠⧠Imprinted at London by Iohn Day and William Seres dwellynge in Sepulchres perish at the signe of the Resurrection a litle aboue Holbourne conduite ⧠⧠☞ ⧠Cum gratia priuelegio ad imprimendum solum