that ye maye be the surer of it ye shall haue it fyrst in Latin and then afterwardes in Englyshe Augu. li. contra pe lagi hypo ge The Latin is this Nemo sit remissus et segnis ad sermendum deo nec sic de gratia confidat tanque deus liberi arbitrit eiê° quod per morteÌ„ filii sui reparauit et sibi preparauit opera non requirat imo declinet a malo et fa ciat bonum That is to say Lette no man be slacke and slouthfull to serue God nor truste so vppon grace as though God shoulde not requyre the woorckes of that free wyll whych he hath both restored and prepared vnto hym self by the death of his sonne Yea rather let hym flye from euyll and do good What free wyll saint Au. doth vnderstand Any child may easely perceiue and vnderstand of what fre wil Saint Augustine doth speake there euen of that same free will whiche God hath alreadye restored agayne and prepared vnto him self by the death of hys sonne Iesu Christ who onlye is able to deliuer vs from the seruitude and bondage of synne and by his holye spirit to make vs to do frely those woorkes whyche GOD hathe prepared for vs to walcke in Therefore in an other place he saith plainlye these wordes Thinckinge diligentlye and faythfully on these and other lyke thinges let vs not consent or agree vnto them Idem lib. l. home xiiii which extollinge free wyll vnto pride do rather go aboute to cast it downe than to set it vp But let vs consyder with all humilitye and lowlynesse the sayinge of the Apostell where he sayeth It is God that worketh in vs both to wyl and also to worke and so geue thankes vnto oure Lorde and sauioure whych withoute any merytes goynge before dyd heale vs beynge wounded and dyd reconsyle vs beynge enemyes dyd delyuer vs from captyuitye dyd bryng vs from darkenesse vnto lyghte and from death dyd call vs vnto life againe And confessyng humbly our infirmitye and weakenesse let vs call vpon his mercy that syth he hath preuented vs accordinge to the Psalmistes saying with his grace he vouchaf not only to kepe in vs but also to augmente and encrease his gyftes or rather his benefites whiche he dyd vouchaf to geue vs. These words ar so plain that any childe is able to vnderstand them ALBION They did yet aledge an other place oute of his treatise vpon the first epistel of Iohn The wordes are these And euery man that hath this hope in him pourgeth him selfe euen as he is pure Se how he hath not takeÌ„ away fre wyll in so much that he did say he purgeth him selfe PHILALETHES The same fraude and deceate shal ye fynde in the aleaging of this place that ye haue founde alredy in the aboue reherced autoryties For it foloweth immediatly after who doth purge vs but god But God dothe not pourge thee agaynste thy wyll Therefore because that thou doste ioygne thy good wyll vnto god thou purgest thy selfe Thou purgest thy selfe not of thy selfe but of hym that cometh to dwell in thee yet because that thou doste there somewhat willinglye therfore is some thinge attributed vnto thee that thou maist saye as it is wrytten in the xxvi Psalme Thou art my healper do not forsake me If thou sayest thou arte my healper thou dost somwhat for if thou dost nothing how dothe he helpe thee Fyrst and foremost we may easely perceiue by the texte that he goeth vpon Here. S. August speaketh of the maÌ„ that is al redy renued that he dothe speake of hym that is already renewed in Christ els how coulde he haue anye hope of life euerlastinge And for thys cause he sayth by and by who doth purge vs but God But it is not vnknowen vnto you that GOD doth only pourge vs through faith in our sauiour Iesu Christ which faith is the mother of hope Therfore er we can haue this hoope of lyfe euerlastinge whiche the blessed Euangelist Saint Ihon dothe speake of there we muste be purged throughe faythe It is plaine then that ther he speaketh of him that is already made a newe creature in Christe by whose spirite which commeth to dwel in vs we are purged and made cleane and not of our selues ALBION What meaneth he then when he saythe Question that GOD purgeth no manne agaynste hys wyll where vppon he dothe conclude that we do pourge oure selues because that we ioygne oure good will vnto God And a lyttle after it followeth if thou sayste thou art my helper then thou dost somewhat For if thou doste nothing howe canne he healpe thee Here do we learne as far as I can gather by his wordes Firste that we must bryng our good wyll vnto God for he wil saue no man against his will Secondly that except we do somewhat we can not say truelye that God is oure helper DIDYMVS Truelye that was wel marcked of you brother Albion I thought mi self to haue made the same obiection excepte ye had preuented me PHILALETHES Aunswer I do not deny but that we muste brynge oure good will vnto God But of whom haue we this good wil haue we it of oure selues thincke ye Heare what S. Paule saythe It is God that worketh in you Phi. ii both the wil and also the dede euen of his own good will Where as Saint Austine doth wryte he doth sufficiently declare Ad simpli ci li. i. Questi xi that it is God that worketh in vs the good wil. For if we should aske whether the good wil be a gyfte of GOD or not it is maruayle if any man dareth say naye Where vnto Fulgentius dothe agree sayinge Euerye good work then whyche we doe woorke in god the same dothe god woorke in vs. For all thinges are of him throughe hym and in hym Both oure good wyll then and also oure good workes be of hym Whyche thynge the doctour of the gentyles dothe affyrm with these wordes It is God that woorketh in vs bothe the wyll and the deede euen of hys good wyll and pleasure Ye see then of whome we haue thys good wil that we must brynge vnto God euen of hym selfe and not of vs. For it is he and none other that dothe worke it in vs by hys holye spirit And therefore where he sayeth that GOD saueth or purgeth no manne agaynste hys wil the same is mooste true Home ix Ezechielem but as Gregorye wryteth he dothe preuente vs wyth his grace that we maye be willinge and with his healpynge hand he dothe followe vs least we shuld will in vaine And therefore the churche prayeth sayinge Et nostras rebelles ad te compelle voluntates That is to say And compell or dryue oure rebellious wyls vnto thee Beholde sayeth he excepte oure rebellious wyll be dryuen vnto God it is not healed So saith our sauiour No man is able to come vnto me excepte my father doth drawe him We are drawen
is perfect in hym I meane in mā yet if ye wil marke diligentlye the woordes and sayinges of youre faythfull guydes ye shal find that there was a certayne repugnance in Saynt Paule It followeth then that there was in hym no suche Free wyll as they doe boaste of For it was not the wyll of Saynte Paule that dyd the same euyll but hys sensuality Therefore the wyll oughte to haue resysted this sensualitye if it be so stronge that it is able to doe what soeuer it wil. Neuerthelesse S. Paule afore he spake thus had sayd we know that the law is spirituall but I am carnall sold vnder synne Ye se how he sayth Ego I. Whereby he dothe vnderstand all that was in hym of hys corrupted nature as is both mans reason and wyll he saythe not my sensuality is sold vnder sin but he saith I am carnal sold vnder sin And afterwardes he called all hys corrupted nature synne sayinge It is not I that do it but sin that dwelleth in me vnderstanding by sinne the natural corruption that was in him The holye scrypture doth put no difference betwixt sensuality and reason In thinges that pertain to saluation mā is altogether sensualitye makinge reasō more perfect than the sensuality is in heauenlye thinges or in thynges that pertayne to saluation For man hym self beynge not yet renewed is altogether fleshly and carnall he is nothinge els I saye but sensuality Therfore brother Albion beware of such doctours as your bragging faithfull guides be whiche haue lieuer to followe heathenish philosophers than the spirit of God For such doctoures do all that they can to caste manne headlong into hell being like vnto the serpent whyche sayde vnto Eue ye shall be as God gene iii. knowing bothe good and euell For to sette man vppon his fre wyl is to sette man vppon a reede and vpon vanishing smoke DYDIMVS What if I should reson thus with you Obiectiō Eyther synne is of necessity or it lieth in the wil and power of man If it be of necessity that is to saye if a man by necessitye is dryuen to it whye should he be punished for it Again if it lieth in the wyl and power of man then can it be shonned and auoyded that is to say a man maye chuse whether he will sin or not Where vpon I may conclude that eyther God is vnrighteous in punishing menne for the thynge that they be dryuen vnto dy necessitye or that we haue free wyll to do what we list Which thynge semeth to be moste true by the wordes that God dothe speake vnto Cain gene iiii saying if thou dost euyl thy synne lyeth open in the doore Let it be subdued vnto thee and rule thou it PHILALETHES Aunswer Thys obiection were the Pelagians wont to make against Sainte Augustyne Howe be it I wyll not burden them wyth such abhomynable heresyes til we haue fully discussed the hole matter Fyrste and foremost I saye that synne oughte neuerthelesse to bee imputed thoughe it be of necessytye For if anye manne woulde dyspute wyth GOD or woulde vnder thys pretence escape hys iudgement because that he coulde do none otherwyse he hathe thys answer ready Thy destruction commeth of thee O Israell Osee iii. but in me onlye is thy healpe For whence commeth this vnablenesse or necessitye that manne goeth about to excuse hym selfe by but of the corruption of hys nature And whence commeth thys corruptyon but that manne dyd rebell againste God hys creatour If all men be giltye of thys disobedience and rebellyon lette them not thyncke that they shal be excused by necessity wherein they haue a most euident cause of theyr damnation Saint Augustine doth expounde it none otherwyse than I do Contra fortunat dispu xi whē he saythe I do boldlye affyrme that free wyl was in that manne that was created fyrst for he was so made that nothing could wythstand his wil if he wold haue kept the commaundements But after that he hath synned throughe hys fre wyll he dyd cast vs all that be come of hys stocke into necessitye This necessity then that we be in commeth of the disobedience and rebellion of our fyrst parēt Adam Therfore no vnrighteousnesse can be imputed vnto God thoughe he punisheth vs for those synnes that we be dryuen vnto by the same necessitye that we haue of the originall corruption of oure owne nature Secondlye where they saye that if sinne lieth in the wyll of man it may be shonned and auoyded Man is not master of his that is to saye We may chuse whether we sin or not that same were moste true if man were master of hys own wyl But we haue alreadye proued that the wyll of man afore he be renued in Christ and restored againe by his holye spirit ss in the thraldome and bondage of sinne and can in no wyse be deliuered from it till the sonne of God hath made it fre by his holye spirite In the meane season I meane Iohn viii while it is free from righteousnesse and seruaunt vnto syn it can do no more but sinne stil accordinge to his corrupted nature Yea we do learne by the woordes of Paule Rom. vii whiche were rehearsed euen now what strife and battail there is in the wyll of manne being already renewed in Christ so that many times he cannot do the good thing that he would and the euel that he woulde not the same is he fayne to do so violente is the remnaunte of sinne that contynueth in manne alwayes vnto hys lyues end DYDIMVS But what say ye to the place Obiectiō which was aledged oute of Genesis where the Lord saithe these wordes vnto Caine if thou doste euill gene iiii thy sinne lieth open in the dore Lette it be subdued vnto thee and rule thou it do not these wordes declare plainly that sinne lieth in the power of manne and that he maye rule it as it pleaseth hym PHI. Ye shall vnderstande that Aunswer this place hath bene euyll translated out of the Hebrewe The place of genesis being obiected by the enemies hath ben peruerted For wher they should haue sayed interrogatiuely and in the masculine gender Shall he then be subdued vnto thee and wilt thou rule him They did put awaye the interrogatiue poynt did setfourth the sētēce with tharticle of neuter gēder as though it ought to be referred vnto synne whereof he spake before DIDyMVS I would fayne heare what ye can make of it PHILALETHES It is not vnknowen vnto you How the place of genesis ought to be vnderstanded that both Abell and Cain had offred sacrifices vnto the LORDE Cain of the fruyte of the earthe and Abell of the fyrstlynges of hys shepe and of the fatte of them and that the Lord had a respect vnto Abell his offring but not vnto Cain nor yet to his sacryfice Wherfore he was exceadinge wrothe so that his countenance chaunged Nowe we must
manne afore hee be regenerated or borne of newe by the spyryte of God All men maye easely see by these sayinges whiche are moste surely grounded in the worde of the lyuinge God what wyl and strengthe we haue of oure selues to doe any thinge that pertaineth eyther to the glory of God or to our own saluation Therefore I can not but maruaile at our pope pelagians and at the viperous broode of the fre wyll men whych do styll to the greate iniurye of the gratuite and free grace of God The pope pelagians and the viperous broode of the free wil men so set oute boast and aduaunce the free wyll and strength of man whyche as sainte Augustyne sayeth is verye sore hurte and wounded whych is all to shaken and lost hauinge more nede of a true confession thā of a false defence Against thē now at this present beinge forced thervnto by the great loue vehement zeale that I beare vnto the truth I haue taken vppon me for to wryte that so I maye somewhat releue and helpe the poore simple and ignoraunte whome by theyr pestiferous doctrine they cause for to leaue the sure stai To staye vpon free wil is to leane vp the brokē rede of Egipte that we haue in the free mercy and grace of god and to leane vpon the broken rede of theyr free will Whyche is the next way that Sathan the deuell the enemy of our saluation can deuise for to throw them headlonge into the bottomlesse pit of eternall dampnation Theyr argumentes which they do so gaily paynt out wyth wrasted textes of the scryptures I haue diligently confuted not sticking as occasion did serue to borowe of other whiche haue foughte agaynst that monstruous heresye before me those thynges whych I iudged mete for my purpose For when we haue an enemy to ouercom it maketh no matter whether we ouercome hym wyth s newe weapon that was neuer occupyed before or wyth a weapon that hath bene all readye occupyed of other In temporall warres what dothe it skill whether we beate downe the common ennemy with our owne weapon or with our felowes weapon So that he be beatē down ouercom it is all one thinge We al oughte to seeke the glorye of God and to fyght agaynste the common ennemy of it let vs not therfore enuye one at an other but let vs faithfully helpe aide chearishe and comforte one an other in this pearyllous fyght As for my parte I am ready at all times in thys so iust a warre against the ennemies of the grace of God to retch forthe myne helpyng hande vnto all my faythfull brethren trustinge that they wyll doe the like vnto me Howe muche I haue farthered nowe the cause of the truthe lette the godlye iudge Onlye this shall be to desire your honorable Lordshyppe to accept this my rude labor whiche withall due submiffion I offer vnto youre honoure as vnto the Mecenas and patron of all godlye learninge and true religion beseching almighty God the authoure of al goodnesse to prosper al your godlye enterprises to his honoure and glorye and to the common wealth of this floryshynge realme ¶ The argument of this present boke IN this disputatyon or dyscourse of free wyll we doe fyrste speake of it as it was in man at hys fyrst creation and afore his fall where it is shewed that the place that is aleadged out of the .xv. chapiter of Ecclesiasticus for the defence of free will oughte to be vnderstanded of manne being in the estate of innocencye For then as S. Augustine dothe declare hadde he free wyll but by transgressing the lawe of God he dyd lose it Whereby he did bothe bryng hym self and all hys posterity into a miserable bondage and thraldome In the whiche we doe still remaine vntyll the sonne of God by his holye spiritte hathe made vs free For tyll then we are so pressed downe with the seruytude of sinne and with the corruptyon of oure owne fleshe that we cannot as much as thincke a good thoughte ye we runne headlonge into all kindes of sinnes beynge mooste prompte and readye to doe what so euer the fleshe and the deuil do moue and tempte vs vnto But after that we be once by the drawinge of the father come vnto oure sauioure Iesu Christe and haue fellowshyp wyth hym then do we by and throughe him recouer that which we lost in Adam but yet not so that we be alwayes able to do the good that we wold As saint Paule him selfe dothe affyrme sayinge Rom. vii I do not the good thing which I wold but the euel that I woulde not that do I. To be shorte after longe disputation and many obiections made by the aduersaries and substantially answered by Gods word and authorities of the auncient fathers it is in fine concluded that all the good that we do commeth nether of our fre wyl nor of our owne strength but of the mercy and grace of god who worcketh the same in vs by his holy spirite and that all the euill that is in vs cometh of the deuil and of our selues Laste of all mention is made of the lawe and of the fulfilling of the same Wher it is plainlye proued that no man is able to fulfil the law with such a perfection as God dothe requyre of vs and yet that no vnrighteousnesse can be laid to god although he commaundeth thinges that be impossible for vs to do By the way the righte vse of the lawe and the vtility and profit of it is diligently setforthe and by what meanes we are delyuered from the curse of the same And so an end ⧠A mooste necessarye Treatise of free wil not only against the papistes but also against the Anabaptistes whych in these our dais goe aboute to renue the detestable heresyes of Pelagius and of the Luciferians which say and affirme that we be able by our owne naturall strengthe to fulfyl the law and commaundementes of God ¶ Made dialoge wise by Ihon Veron in a manner worde by word as he dyd set it forth in his lectures at Paules I wil haue mercy on him to whōe I wil shew mercye and wyll haue compassion on him on whome I wil haue compassion Romains ix Ex. xxxiii Iacob haue I loued and Esau haue I hated Ro. ix Mala. i. Albion Philalethes Eutrapelus Dydimus ALBION In the boke whiche is called the huntinge of purgatory vnto deathe I thyncke that it is not yet eleuen of the clock therfore I thinke it best that according to the counsel that our neyghbor Dydimus gaue vs yesterday we do syt here a whyle tyl the feruent heate of the sunne be ouerpaste and that we do talcke and common of those thynges that do yet somwhat troble my conscyence PHILALETHES Ye may order vs as it pleaseth you and specially syth that ye be so ready alwayes to geue place vnto the truthe And therfore let vs hear what those thynges be that do yet trouble your conscyence
the argument of a Christian doctoure ALBION Obiectiō Thys was also one of theyr arguments wherby they went about to proue that we haue free wyll Wherfore say they shoulde any exhortations be made vnto the people or wherfore shoulde they be rebuked for their sinnes if it lieth not in them to obey or if it lyeth not in theyr power to shon vice and to embrace vertue PHILALETHES Suche obiections were made vnto S. Augustine Aunswer made out of sainte August wherfore he was compelled to make a boke de correptione et gratia that is to say of rebukynge and of grace Wher he doth stoutly confute all the obiections and argumentes that the aduersaryes can make In his decorreptione gratia which maye be reduced and brought to this short and compendious summe O man knowe in the commaundemēt what thou art bound to do In the rebuking learne that throughe thyne owne faut thou hast it not and in praier learn whence thou must receiue the thing that thou wilt haue First we are not alone in this cause but Christ al his apostles Let them se how they can shift hauing to do with such aduersaries Because the Christ saith that we can do nothinge without him Iohn xv dothe he lesse rebuke them therefore that withoute him did euil or dyd he lesse exhorte all men to geue thē selues vnto good woorkes Howe sharpelye dothe Saint Paule inueighe against the Corinthians for the neglecting of christian loue and charity and yet at lengthe he desireth of God that he vouchsafe to geue them christian loue and charity i. Cor. xvi Wrytinge to the Romaines he doth testify that it lieth not in the wyl and renning of man but in the mercye of God yet afterwardes he dothe not cease to admonishe Rom. ix to exhorte and to rebuke Why doe they not therefore warne the Lord or geue him counsel that he do not lose his labour requiring those thinges of menne which he alone is able to geue Or rebuking them for those thinges which only throughe the lacke of hys grace are committed Why do they not warn Paul to spare them in whose power it lieth not to wil nor to renne without the mercye of God wherof they be al together destituted As thoughe the Lord is not able to shewe a sufficient reason or cause of his doctrin whiche in dede doth offer it self vnto them that do godly and reuerently seke for it Verely S. Paule dothe well declare and shew how much i. Cor. i. both exhorting and rebukinge are able by them selues to change the mindes of the hearers when he wryteth that neyther he that planteth is any thing nor he that watreth but that it is the Lord that geueth the encrease which only worketh effectuously Question Wherfore then do the exhortations serue Aunswer If they that be of an obstinate hearte doe contemne and despise them they shall be for a witnesse vnto them when they come before the iudgemente seat of Christe Yea nowe at thys present they do already beate and smite theyr consciences For although they laugh them to scorn yet they be not able to dysalowe them But what shoulde they doe Sith that the softnesse of the hart which is necessary vnto obedience is denied vnto theym yea rather what are they able to say sith that they can impute the same hardnes of their own harts but only to thē selues but the chief vtility is to be considered in the faithfull For as the Lord doth woorke in them all thinges by his holy spirit so dothe he not neglect the instrument of his word nor yet occupy it wythoute efficacy or effect Let therefore the truth stand that is to saye let all menne be sure of this that all the hole strengthe and vertue of the godlye dothe lye only in the grace of God An other question Whye be they warned of theyr duetye and not rather permitted all together vnto the guyding or gouernment of the spirit Why are they stirred and moued with exhortations sythe that they can make no more haste than the spirite dothe pricke them forwardes whye are they rebuked if they go at any time out of the way sith that they fall through the weakenesse of theyr fleshe O man what arte thou that darest prescrybe a law vnto God Aunswer If by exhortatyon he wyll haue vs to be prepared to receiue the same self grace where by we are made obedient vnto his word is there any thing that thou canst iustly reproue in this deuine policye of his If exhortations and rebukings shuld serue for nothing els amonge the godlye but for to rebuke synne they oughte not to be cōpted vnprofitable But now The profytte of exhortatiōs vnto the godlye sith that the spirite workynge inwardlye they doe profyte muche for to kyndle in menne a desyre of goodnesse to shake of slouggishnesse to take awaye the pleasure of wyckednesse and the poysonned sweetenesse of it and contrarywise for to engender in them a hatred and tediousnesse of vyce and of this wicked and synnefull world who dareth saye that they be superflue or vnprofitable EVTRAPELVS Here in deede S. Augustin doth answer throughly the vain obiections of the Pelagians so that any reasonable man oughte to contente him selfe wyth his answer How be it me thinke that they were sufficiently answered already in our firste communication that we haue had this mornyng of the deuine predestinatyon of God ALBION Thys haue I gathered out of the wordes of S. Augustin What maye be gathered of Saint Augustines workes that God doth two manner of waies worke in hys elect and chosen Inwardly wyth his holye spirit and outwardly with his word with his spirite he maketh theym new creatures lightenynge theyr mindes and kindeling theyr hartes with the loue of righteousnes With his woorde he dothe moue and styrre them to desire the same renewing to seke for it and to embrace it And to both of them doth he retch forth his hand effectuously according as he hathe appoynted and ordained Why god doth send his word vnto the reprate And when he doth send his word vnto the reprobate thoughe it be not for theyr amendment yet it is to thys ende that they may in this preset world be confounded with the testimony and witnesse of theyr owne conscience and also be made vnexcusable agaynst the day of iudgement But what can ye say to these places of the scripture Obiectiō that they did a leadge vnto me I wyl willinglye offer sacrifice vnto thee Agayne I wyll of my free wyll praise and laude thee Item Let thyne hande be readye to saue me For I haue chosen thy commaundements Do not these wordes of the prophette Dauid declare plainlye that the thing that he did he did it willingly frely and frankly PHILA I saye Aunswer that they make or put no difference betwyxte the man that is alreadye renewed by the spirite of God and the manne that is altogether carnal and
fleshly For the man that is not regenerated or borne of newe wyll speake no such woordes as Dauid dyd For they are the wordes of a manne that is alreadye made a newe creature by the Spirite of God This will then that was in Dauid did not come of hys owne self nor of his fre will that he had of his owne nature but it did com of the spirit of God who dyd geue this will vnto Dauid For Iesus Christ him selfe doth say Verely verelye I saye vnto you Iohn iii excepte a manne be borne from aboue he can not see the kingdome of God Where by he dothe meane that manne is able to doe nothynge that is pleasaunte or acceptable vnto GOD. Nor yet taste the swetenesse of the heauenly kingdome excepte it be geuen vnto him ALBION If said thei vnto me we haue no free wil Obiectiō why shoulde God so manye times call synners vnto repentaunce were it not labour lost so to do How manye tymes doth he by his Prophets crye out and say Turne ye vnto me al ye endes of the earthe Esay xlv and so shall ye be saued Againe Tourne vnto me and repent Eze. xviii If menne haue not fre wil to do these thinges the prophets do labor in vaine PHILALETHES If ye marke wel the talke and communication of youre faithfull guides aunswer ye shall easelye perceiue that they be not throughlye exercised in the scryptures For God doth not so speake vnto menne by hys Prophettes because that synners are able of theyr own selues to turn vnto hī DIDyMVS Howe be ye able to proue that PHILALETHES .. First wher Esay saithe Esay xlv in the persons of the Lorde Tourne ye vnto me and ye shall be healed by and by Ieremye dothe crye oute and saye O Lord turne me and I shal be turned For thou arte the Lorde my God Yea assone as thou turnest me I shal reforme my self Again the Lorde dothe commaunde that we shoulde circumcise oure owne heartes Iere. iiii yet by Moses he dothe declare that the same circumcision is made with his owne hande Deut. xxx He doth also require the renewing of our heartes but in an other place he doth plainly testify that it is he him self that geueth it Loke therfore what God doth promise that do we not by oure free will or nature as S. Augustine saithe but GOD dothe it by his grace And this is the fift thing The rule of Tironius that he dothe bid vs to marke amonge the rules of Tironius that is to say that we shoulde note diligentlye the dyfference that is betwixt the law and the promises or betwixte the commaundementes and the grace I maye here bringe in manye other lyke places Act. xv Paule and Barnabas do exhorte the faythfull to abyde and perseuer in the grace of God But Paule in an other place doth shewe whence that vertue of constancye and perseueraunce dothe come Ephe. vi fynally my bretherne saith he be strong in the Lorde Again for this cause do I bowe my knees vnto the father of oure Lord Iesu Christe that he woulde graunte you accordinge to the rychesse of his glory that ye maye be strengthed wyth might by the spirit of the inner man that Christ may dwell in your hartes by faith Moreouer he sayeth Greue not the holye spyrit of God Ephe. iiii by whom ye are sealed vnto redemption But the thynge that he doth requyre there because that it canne not be perfourmed by menne he doth desyre God to graunte it vnto the Thessalonians sayinge i. Thes i. wherfore we pray alwayes for you that your god make you worthy of your callinge and fulfyll al good purpose of his goodnesse and the worke of fayth wyth power that the name of oure Lorde Iesu Christ maye be glorifyed in you and ye in hym throughe the grace of our God and of the Lord Iesu Christ These places do sufficiently declare that what so euer God dothe requyre of vs the same he must worke in vs by his holye spirite For of our selues we are able to do no maner of thing the good is DIDY Question Why doth God thē speake after this maner vnto men PHI. Aunswer God causeth men to be thus admonished and warned because that it is a meane that he hathe appoynted and ordayned And whiche he dothe vse for to illuminate and lighten those that be elected and chose vnto life euerlasting and for to make thē to know their sinnes For god by the preaching of his worde by the vertue of his holy spirite doth geue vnto them that be chosē vnto lyfe euerlasting strength to turn vnto him And although this doctrin of conuersyon or turning is directed vnto all mē generally yet doth it most chieflye pertain vnto the elect and chosen vnto whom by this meane God illuminating them doth geue power and strength to conuert or turn Againe Why God causeth obstinate synners to be warned God causeth obstynate synners to be thus warned by his Prophets because that they shuld not pretend ignorance nor excuse them selues by it in the iudgemēt of God And also for to shewe that he loueth vertue rightousnesse and that he is not author of euil Whē God did send Moses vnto Pharao Exo. vii God knew right wel that Pharao wold not turne Yet we must not say that God did send him in vain ALBI. Thus they said vnto me Obiectiō wherfore do these promises serue seke after the thing that is good and not euill so shall ye liue Amos. v yea the lord god of hostes shal be with you accordinge to your owne desires Againe If ye be louinge and obedient ye shal enioye the best thing that groweth in the lande but if ye be obstinate and rebellious ye shal be deuoured with the swerde For the mouthe of the Lord hathe spoken it Iere. iiii Item if thou wylt put away thy abhominations oute of my sight thou shalt not be dryuen oute If thou shalt harken vnto the voyce of the Lorde thy God to obserue and do all his commaundements Deut. xxv Le. xxviii which I commaund the this daye then shall the Lord thy God set the aboue all nations vpon earth And such other lyke excepte we haue free wyll or except it lyeth in oure power to fulfyll and perfourme the condytions that are annexed vnto them we maye saye in deede that they be goodlye promyses if the conditions that be annexed vnto them canne not be perfourmed by oure owne strengthe and power and that God dothe playe mocke holy daye wyth vs if he promysethe thynges that it lyeth not in vs to obtayne PHILALE And I saye that it is a playne blasphemye Aunswer to affyrme that God doth playe mocke holy daye wyth vs when he doth prouoke vs to deserue his benefits although he knoweth vs to be vnable to do it For when the promises are offered vnto the faythfull vngodly in lyke The effecte
¶ A moste necessary treatise of free wil not onlye against the Papistes but also against the Anabaptistes which in these our daies go about to renue the detestable heresies of Pelagius and of the Luciferians whiche say and affirm that we be able by our own natural strength to fulfil the law and commaundementes of God ¶ Made dialoge wyse by Ihon Veron in a manner word by woorde as he did set it forth in his lectures at Paules ¶ To the righte honorable Lorde my Lorde Robert Dudly master of the horses and knight of the most honorable order of the Garter Ihon Veron wisheth grace peace of conscience with encrease of honor from God the father through his son Iesus christ our Lord. FOr as much as I haue all ready set fourthe the doctrine of predestination and of the deuine prouidence of God wherein I haue strongly proued by manifest textes of the scriptures and sufficient authorities of the aunciente wryters of the primitiue church that God hath from the beginninge ordayned and appoynted some for to be felow heyres with his sonne Iesus Christ of his heauenly kingdome and some again to be euerlastinglye dampned in hell fire and that whome he hath ordeined before to enioy and possesse euerlasting life them he hathe chosen in hys sonne Iesu Christ afore the foundacions of the worlde were laide whiche thynge he dyd of hys free mercye and goodnesse and withoute anye respecte at all of their owne deseruinges or merits for to setforthe the glory of his grace to declare hys mercy throughe oute al the whole world but whome he hath apoynted to be the vessels of hys wrathe them he hathe accordinge to hys ryghteous and vnserchable iudgemente styrred vp for to be the examples of hys iustice and for to be glorifyed by their dampnatyon wherin he dothe them no manner of wrong sithe that he rewardeth them accordinge to theyr naturall corruption whiche they haue of their parent Adam wherbi we are all in generall subiecte to euerlasting damnation so that if he shoulde damne vs all he shoulde do vs but right and no iuste occasyon at all could we haue to complain of him or of his most righteous iudgemēt I haue thought it good and expedient for to adde vnto it the mooste necessarye doctrine of free wyll Whiche as it dothe altogether depend of the other and is most surelye grounded in it so it can not be substantially vnderstanded wythout some sight and knowledge of the same as it doth euidentlye appeare by those which plainely affyrme that onlesse we haue free wyl vertue shall not be rewarded nor the workes of the saints crowned which if they would consyder from what beginning the doctrin of Predestination dothe fetche the glorye of the saintes they shoulde sone espy out theyr owne erroure Whome sayeth the Apostle God hathe chosen them did he cal whō he hathe called them did he iustifye and whome he hathe iustified them did he glorify Wherfore thē by the sayinge of the Apostle are the faythfull crowned wyth eternal and euerlasting glory Why the faithfull are crowned with euerlasting glorye because forsothe that by the fre mercye of God and not by theyr owne industry they be both chosē called and iustified Heare doe we learne in these fewe words that all the hole glory of our saluation ought only to be geuen and attributed vnto the free election of God whereof doth proceade come and sprynge bothe the will and power that we haue to do any thing that is good and acceptable before the maiestye of our heauenly father Yea before we be renewed by the holy ghost and made newe creatures in oure sauioure Iesu Christe we are the seruauntes of synne What fredome then canne we iustlye boaste or bragge of Vbi spiritus domini sayeth saynte Paule ii Co. iii ibi libertas where the spirite of the Lorde is there is libertye and fredome Ioh. viii Againe Si vos filius liberauerit vere liberi eritis that is to say If the sonne doth delyuer you ye shall be free in deede What we are as long as we be voide of the spirit of God These sayinges do sufficiently declare that as long as we are voide of the spirit of God and are not yet set at liberty by the sonne we are nought els but the bond slaues of Sathan the dyuell of syn of deathe Many other places of the scriptures might I heare aleadge which do teache that of oure selues we be not able to think a good thought But lest I should be tedious vnto your honorable Lordship I wyll omytte them and shew brieflye what the Concil of Myluente did most godlye and catholikely decree and determyne touching this matter Sinodus mileuentana If any man saye the holye fathers gathered in that Concyll dothe affyrme Note ye wel those things ye free wyll men that we canne by the vertue and strength of oure owne nature thinke or chuse as it is expedyente anye good thynge that pertayneth to oure saluation or agree and consent to the wholesome preachinge of the gospell without the illuminating and inspiration of the holye ghost who geueth vs a pleasure or swetnesse in consentinge and the truthe in beleuinge he is deceaued with an heretical spirit not vnderstanding the voyce of God sayinge in the gospell without me ye can do nothinge Iohn xv nor the sayinge of the Apostell ii Co. iii. where he sayeth Not that we be able to thinke any thinge of oure selues as of our selues But our suffiencye or ablenesse is of God Again If any man doth contentiouslye maintaine that God doth tarye for oure wyll that we maye be purged from synne and doth not confesse that by the infusion and working of the holy ghost it is wrought in vs that we be willing to be purged he doth resiste withstand the holy ghost him self sayinge by Salomon The wil is prepared of the lord And also the Apostle Philip. ii which preacheth wholesomelye that it is God August ad Simplici that worketh in vs both the wyll and the worke according to his good wil. Wher the Apostell doth sufficientlye shewe that the wil it selfe is made good in vs by the workinge of God For if we shuld aske whether the good wil is a gift of god or not I maruail if any man dirst say nay Here we do learne that we can not pray vnto god withoute the especiall grace of God Esa lxv Rom. x. Moreouer say the fathers afore reherced If any man dothe saye that the grace of God can be geuen by humaine inuocation or mans calling vpon god not that the grace it selfe dothe worke or bringe to passe that God is called vppon of vs he dothe gaynesaye Esaye the prophet or the Apostell speaking the same I am founde of them that soughte me not and dyd appeare playnely vnto them that dyd not aske of me What canne be spoken more playnelye of the vnablenesse of
that we may as we haue done here to fore mynister vnto you the salue of Gods worde ALBION I am muche bounde to you brother Philalethes for the great kindnesse that ye shew vnto me beyng so ready at al tymes to healpe and succoure me in thys great perplexity of mynde that I am in God I trust who is the author of all goodnes and who hath inclyned your hart vnto me shal reward thys your paynfull labor that ye take about me O moste mercyfull and bountious father A thanks geuinge ioigned with a faithfull prayer geuinge thee moste hartye thankes for these thy benefyttes wherewith thou hast so graciouslie refreshed vs we do humbly beseche thee to sende thy holy spyrit in to oure heartes that we may in this our communycation and talke set-fourth thy glorye onely to the vtter confusion and ouerthrowe of al the shamefull enemyes of thy free mercye and grace EVTRAPELVS God of his goodnesse vouchesafe to graunte vs all The enemies of goddes grace that we may so do For there be manye in the worlde which are suche enemyes of the free mercy and grace of God The papistes that whosoeuer doth accordinge to the scriptures affyrme or say that we are saued only by his free mercye and grace they are most ready to persecute them wyth fyer and swerde as most pernicious and abhominable heretykes and as vtter enemies of all truth DIDYMVS The Anabaptistes and free wil men Ye shall not onely fynde of them amonge the papystes but also amonge them that wyll be coumpted most perfect christians most earnest fauourers of the gospel ALBION Where so euer they he found my faythfull guydes dyd tel me that we haue fre wil whiche thing ye do all denye Therefore I would fayne hear what ye can say concerning that matter PHILALEEHES What doe they vnderstand by fre wyll For they are wonte to speake of it many and sondry wayes Some do by it vnderstand one thyng and some an other ALBION They tolde me What scole men vnderstande by fre wyll that by free wyll they do vnderstande a certaine facultye or power beynge in seperably in the will of manne wherby he mighte do or leaue vndone any maner of thinge as wit and reason dyd thinke or iudge it expediente For saye they manne by hys wit and reason dothe consyder weyghe and ponder a thynge and dothe examyne and trye whether it be good or not and then by the vertue of hys free wyll eyther he dothe it or leaueth it vndone euen as it pleaseth hym PHILALETHES What meaned they thynke ye After the papistes iudgemēt we are masters of oure wyll by that defynition ALBI. As it appeareth both by that difynition and also by other talke that they hadde afterwardes their meaninge was that we are masters of oure owne wyll and iudgement and that therfore we canne by oure owne strengthe turne oure selues whiche waye we lyste that is to say that we be able by our owne vertue to do good or euil how blasphemous popishe doctrine is concerning free wyll to saue or damne our selues EVTRA. O what blasphemye is this against God and his worde If ye do well marke this defynition ye shall easely perceiue that it is rather the difynition of prophane and heathenyshe Philosophers than of Christen doctours Ye maye well vnderstande that if this definition wer true we shuld not neede to pray vnto God for his helpe assistaunce nor to call vpō him for his holy spirit We shoulde haue no nede to saye if it pleaseth God we wil do this thing or that thing Do thei not thē bi their definitiō place mā in the stede roume of god PH. If these faithful guids of yours had any zeale to setforthe the grace of God his free mercy goodnesse they wold haue geuē an other definitiō vnto free wil. AL. Which I praye you PHI. They wold at least haue geuen the definition that s Augustine doth vse Which is this Liberum arbitrium The defynition of free wyll after Sainte Augusti est facultas rationis et voluntatis qua bonum eligitur gratia adsistente malum vero ea desistente That is to saye free wyll is a vertue or power of the reasonne and wyll whereby the good is chosen when the grace of God dothe adsiste and the euill when it is awaye or is wythdrawen The meaninge is The meaninge of Augustines defynition that by free wyll if we haue the adsistaunce and healpe of the grace of God we are able to chuse that whiche is good but if the grace of God be awaye or be withdrawen we can no more but embrace that whiche is euyll and hurtefull to oure owne soules DIDY Question And is there none other definition of fre wyll PHILALETHES Aunswer The master of sentences Li ii senten distin xxv Yea verelye For the master of Sentences dothe wryte that it is not sayed that man hathe free wyll because that he is as able to thinke and doo good as he is to thinke do euyll but because that he is not subiect vnto necessitye or compulsyon Lombardus his meaning DyDIMVS What shuld he mene by that PHILALETHES Hys meanyng is Scholemen that the euyl which man doth he doth it frely and wythout compulsion And therefore the schole men saye that this fredome and libertye is not letted thoughe we be wicked and seruauntes of sinne and can no more but synne stil and offend But truely this cānot be vnderstanded of a man that is regenerated or borne of newe For the holy ghost that is in him dothe wythstande the euil that he would do And likewise by this definition or determinatyon of the master of sentences it myghte be said that a man which is regenerated or borne of newe hathe free will How it maye be saied that a man which is regenerated hath free wyll Ecclesia cus xv chapi because that the same lyttle good that he doth he doth it frely and frankly ALBION They dyd brynge in a place out of Ecclesiasticus otherwyse called Iesus the sonne of Sirach wher it is thus written God made man from the beginning and lefte him in the hande of his counsaill He gaue him his commaundementes and preceptes If thou wylt obserue the commaundementes and kepe acceptable faythfulnesse for euer they shall preserue the. He hath set fyer and water before thee reache oute thine hande vnto whiche thou wilte Before manne is life and death good and euyll loke what him liketh shal be geuen him Episto ad ctesiphontem They did also aleadge many doctours as Ierome against the Pelagians where he sayeth thus In this doo we dyffer from brute beastes that we haue bene created with free will Li. ii contra martio home ix in gen Ei xii mora They did aleadge Tertulian Chrisostome and Hilary Which all do affirme that man hath suche free wyll as they did declare vnto me afore
able to do nothing we can in no wyse kepe the lawes of God nor yet fulfyll them EVTRAPELVS In dede these wordes are very playne For by them we do learne that all that we haue of oure owne must either be renewed or taken away afore that we canne do any thinge that pertaine to oure saluation Wherby any man may easlye perceaue that the liberty and freedome that we haue to do well is very small or rather nothing at all PHILALETHES Iohn iii. Be not these the wordes of Iohn zacharyes sonne A man can receaue nothinge except it be geuen him from aboue Wher doubtlesse he speaketh not of the comon giftes of nature but of the speciall gyfte of the holye ghost For there dothe he complain that his disciples were neuer the better for all hys preachinges wherein he had set fourthe Christ vnto thē As if he shoulde haue sayed I do see and perceaue that woordes are nothinge auaileable for to teach and instructe menne in heauenlye thynges excepte the holye ghost woorkynge inwardelye dothe geue the vnderstanding Vnto thys dothe oure sauyoure Iesu Christe agree Iohn vi when hee sayethe No manne canne come vnto me excepte it be geuen him of my father For this cause when Peter hadde sayed Thou arte Christe the sonne of the lyuinge God This aunswere dyd oure sauioure Iesus Christ make vnto him agayne blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas For fleshe and bloude hath not opened that vnto thee Mat. xvi but my father that is in heauen And in an other place whosoeuer sayeth he dothe heare and learne of the father cometh vnto me Iohn vi But the blessed Apostell doth most strongely heate downe the vayne pride of oure free wyll men wher he writeth on this manner The naturall man perceaueth nothing of the spirit of God i. Cor. ii Whereby he doth vnderstande that the naturall man which is not renewed in Christ can not perceiue the things that be of the spirit of god For why they are but folyshenes vnto him And in his second Epistel to the Corinthians these be also his words ii Cor. iii Such trust haue we through christ to God ward not that we are sufficient of our selues to thincke any thing as it were of our selues but our ablenesse commeth of God Nowe if we be not able to thynke a good thought except God dothe put it in vs howe muche more vnable be we ether to wil or to do any thing that good is or acceptable in the sight of God But let vs graunt vnto you by way of disputation and reasoninge that we haue no such thing in the boke of God what shall they winne by it For I am able to bring nowe foure of the most principal doctors against theyr two DyDIMVS Whiche are they I beseche you PHILA Fyrste the blessed martyr Saint Cyprian Li. de predest sanctorum ad bonifaciū Li. iiii et alibi cyprianus who is a most aunciente doctor hathe lefte thys golden sentence vnto vs by wryting De nullo nobis gloriandum est quia nihil nostrum est nisi vt homo apud se prorsus exinanitus a deo totus pendere discat That is to say we oughte to boste of nothinge For nothing is our owne sauing only that man being of no reputation with hym selfe muste learne to hange all to gether of God EVTRA. As farre as I doe remember Saint Augustyne dothe many times rehearse the same saying of Cyprian PHILA Ye say true For he maketh mention of it in hys booke of the Predestination of saintes and in manye other places besydes But he hym self doth wryte much after the same manner when he sayeth Nemo se palpet Hom. in Iohannē xlix de suo Sathanas est id vnde beatus est a deo tantum habet Quid N. de tuo habes nisi peccatum Tolle tibi peccatum quod tuum est Nam iustitia detest Whyche wee maye Englyshe after thys sorte Let no man flatter him felfe for of hys owne he is a very Sathan he hath that of God only wherby he is blessed For what haste thou of thyne owne but sinne Take awaye synne from thee whiche is thine owne For righteousnesse is of God Ye see howe well he dothe setforthe manne in hys owne coloures But ye shall heare also what Gregory saith Grego li moraliū xxii ca. x. Sciunt sancti viri sayeth he se post primi parentis lapsum de corruptibili stirpe editos et non virtute propria sed preueniente gratia superna ad meliora se vel vota vel opera commutatos et quicquid sibi mali inesse cognoscunt de mortali propagine sentiunt meritum Quicquid vero boni in se inspiciunt immortalis gratiae cognoscunt donum That is to say holy men do know that after the fall of the fyrste father they be borne of a corruptible stocke and that they be not by theyr owne vertue but by the supernall grace that dothe preuent them turned vnto better desyres or woorkes and what euyl so euer they knowe to be in them selues they feale that it is deserued and come of theyr mortall kynde But what good so euer they see to be in them selues they acknowledge to be the gyft of the immortal grace And for this gyfte that they haue receyued they be debtoures vnto hym whych by preuentyng them dyd geue vnto theym that they shoulde wyll that good thynge whyche they woulde not and by followinge did graunte that they shuld be able to do that good thing that they would EVTRAPE O that all faythfull Christians A godlye wyshe woulde haue alwayes this sayinge of Gregorye before their eies For they learne thereby that they that be sanctifyed by the holi gost as thei do acknowledge that after the fal of the fyrste man they are bothe conceiued and born in sinne so do they vnfainedly confesse that all the good mynde and will that they haue to doe those woorkes that God dothe requyre of vs commeth not of them selues nor of theyr owne naturall vertue and strēgth but of the mere grace and goodnesse of God wherewith he dothe preuent them that they maye haue suche a good wyll and mynde to do good and wherwyth he as followinge he dothe healpe and adsist them that they maye be able to fulfill and perfourme that good thinge that he hathe moued them to will Againe the euil that they feele to be in them selues they doe not abscribe it vnto their creation nor yet to theyr creatoure and maker but to theyr mortall generatyon and corrupted nature but all the goodnesse that they perceiue to be in thē selues they attribute it not vnto their natural vertue strēgth but vnto the grace and goodnesse of God withoute whiche we can not as muche as thincke a good thoughte PHILA And therefore Bernarde doth write verye well when he sayeth on this maner Quid igitur Hoc ergo totum liberi arbitrii opus
against our wils but we are lead willinglye or with our wils It appeareath by this How of vn wyllnge we are made willing that of vnwillinge persons we must by the inwarde drawing of our heauenly father be made wylling els oure wils cānot be healed frō their natural rebelliousnesse which we haue of oure fyrste parents Adam and Eue. Thus then we maye righte well say that God saueth no man against his wyll For why He maketh them all wyllinge afore whome he dothe saue How this ought to be vnderstanded that God saueth no man against his wyll And whom he made wyllinge them dothe he also healpe aide and adsist that they maye doo the thinge that he hathe made them wyllinge to do And so maye we affyrme boldely that God is oure healper because that beinge throughlye regenerated or renewed in Christe we do through the assistaunce and helpe of his holy spirit worke with his grace EVTRAPELVS Nowe maye ye perceaue and see The faith fullnesse that the papistes do vse in aleaging the auncient writers what truth and faithfulnesse youre spirituall gentyll men do vse in aleadginge the olde writers of the auncient Catholyke churche And that all that they go aboute is by hooke and by crooke to bringe men from the true and right vnderstandinge of of Goddes worde and to plucke them from the trust that they oughte to haue in the meare mercye and goodnesse of God and in his gratuite and free grace in to a vayne confidence of their own natural vertu strēgth I woulde wyshe that at the least they woulde alwayes haue before theyr eies this goodly sayinge of Eucherius bishop of Lions Christ saith he is the tre of life who so euer doth retch forth his hand vnto him shal liue but free will is the tre of knowledge of good and euil whosoeuer forsaking the grace of God wyll taste of it shall dye the death ALBION Now wyl I tell you what obiections I made agaynste them Fyrst I dyd aske them why Ieremy did saye Iere. x. Nowe I knowe O Lorde that it is not in mannes power to order hys own wayes or to rule hys owne steppes and goinges PHILA Ye did go oute of youre matter For your communication was of heauenlye and spyrituall thinges that is to saye of the knowledge of God and of his blessed will and whether we can rule oure selues accordynge vnto it Whiche to doe it lyeth not in the power or fre wil of man But ther Ieremye dothe speake of earthlye thinges and which do pertain vnto this present life In deede God hath yet left in man a certaine natural light wherby he may know what is good for this presente lyfe of the bodye and for the gouernement of his house Nothing can be broughte to passe by the industrye of man with out the helpe of God Pro. xvi but yet nothing can be bring to passe wythout the ayde and healpe of God So muste the saying of the wyse manne be vnderstanded where he saythe A man deuiseth in hys hart but the Lord ordreth hys goynges Wher vnto the common Prouerbe dothe agre that is to say Man doth purpose but God dothe dispose How be it I woulde fayne knowe what aunswere they made vnto you ALBION They dyd aunswere me that in deede manne was not able manye tymes to bringe that thynge to passe that he woulde withoute the grace of God that it lyeth not in the power of man to walke vprightly in the waye of righteousnesse without thassistāce and healpe of the holy ghoste And for the probation of it they dyd bryng in certayne places whiche ye haue aleadged alreadi as these A man can receaue nothing at all Iohn iii. except it be geuen hym frō aboue Again ii Cor. iii we are not able of our selues to thinke a good thought but all our ablenesse commeth of God Also the saying of Sainte Iames Iam. i. where he sayeth Euery good gift and euery perfect gifte is from aboue and cometh downe from the father of light EVTRA. I chaunced once to reason with a great doctor of diuinity who did affirme that it dyd lye in our power to receyue the grace of God when it is offred vnto vs making a great bragge that he was able to proue it by manifest textes of the scripture Then dyd I aske the gentle manne whether it was not a good gift to receiue the grace of God when it is offred whyche thinge he did graunte by and by Then did I make mine argument after this manner Euerye good gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lyghte But to receiue the grace of GOD when it is offred is a good gyfte ergo it commeth of God that we do receyue hys grace and not of our selues DYDIMVS What answer did he make EVTRA. The substantiall Aunswer of a popish doctoure What answer he made me I warrante you a doctor lyke aunswer For by and by he tooke hys gloues from vnder his girdle and did cast them vnto me saying Loe I geue you these gloues bee they not yours when I haue geuē you them can it be said that they be mine stil PHILA That was aunsweared like a doctoure But go on stil brother Albion I praye you dyd they aleadge any more ALBION Yes For they dyd aleadge Gregory who wrytinge vpon these woordes of the Psalmist Gregorius in psalmos My soule thyrsteth for thee in a barren and dry lande where no water is saith plainly these wordes Sith that fre wyll hathe bene corrupted in our fyrste father we are not able to wyl a good thyng excepte we be healped wyth the grace of God PHILALETHES I knew ryghte well that youre faythfull guydes shoulde be fayn at length to crye peccaui and to recante their dyuelyshe and erroneous opinyon The enemies of the truth are against them selues For if ye marcke well the definition that they gaue vnto free wyll ye shall fynde that they dyd attrybute nothynge at all vnto the grace of God yea no mention at all was made of it Ye se nowe that they saye agaynst theyr own selues wherein they doe shewe theyr ignorance and beastishnesse They hadde spoken so largelye wythoute the boke that they wer fayne to goe backe and to vnsaye agayne that whych they had sayde afore But vppon this texte of Ieremy I myghte make myne argumente after thys manner If man canne not wythoute the healpe of God A minori ad maius brynge earthlye thynges to passe howe muche lesse shall he be able wythoute the grace of God to come to the knowledge of heauenly thinges EVTRAPE Herein may we see the beastishnesse of these bragging marchauntes of the cleargy For they do assone aleadge that whyche maketh agaynste theym as that whyche seemeth to make for theym For if all thinges be well consydered and marcked the laste authorities of the scripture which they dyd aledge wyth the sayinge of Gregory
doe make for vs all together ALBION I doe confesse that it so Howe be it they alwayes harped vpon this stringe that manne hath free wil and that such sentences and sayinges do not take awai fre wil from vs. PHILA It is hard to take ought frō a naked man I know well ynoughe that such sayinges can not take away free wil from vs. For whye we haue it not And howe coulde that thynge be taken awaye from vs that we haue not How so euer the matter goeth suche sentences do plainly declare that man hath not such fre wil as they do mooste lyingly affyrme ALBION Therefore I asked them whye oure sauioure Iesus Christ did saye No man commeth vnto me Iohn vi excepte my father dothe drawe him For it appeareth by theese wordes that man hathe no fre wyl at al to do wel PHILA What coulde they say to you againe ALBION They aleadged Chrisostome against me wher he writeth in this maner The Manicheans did go aboute to proue by this place that we are able to do nothinge of oure owne selues But they do not vnderstande it well For by this sayinge free wyll is not abolyshed and put downe but it is shewed and declared that it hath alwayes neede of the healpe of God and that God draweth no man against his wyll but such as do to the vttermost of their power endeuour them selues to come vnto him And in an other place he sayeth Home de conuer Pauli that God compelleth no manne to come vnto him against his wyll but that he doth drawe them that be wyllinge or that retche theyr handes vnto hym for to be drawen of him PHILALETHES How the saying of Chrisostome ought to be taken The exposition and sayinge of Chrisostome is partely true For I do graunt that God shall neuer saue them that be obstinate in their wyckednesse or that do obstinately perseuer and continue in their vnbelief To be shorte I do confesse that God wyll saue no man excepte he doth consente and agree first and haue a wyll to be saued But in this doth lye all the matter whether we haue thys wyll of oure selues or not But we haue alredye sufficientlye proued bothe by the scriptures and also by many autorities of the auncient fathers that it is God onely that worketh in vs bothe the wyll Phi. ii and also the dede accordinge to his good pleasure We must then vnderstand that God saueth no man that is vnwyllinge to be saued or that doth withstand and resist alwaies his blessed wyll and pleasure but afore that he saueth any man he maketh that same manne by his grace to consente and agree vnto his blessed wyll and pleasure yea he doth reatch fourth his hand vnto him for so plucke him vp ALBION They did saye vnto me in dede that by the same drawinge Marke the vnstablenes of the enemyes of God we must vnderstande the grace of God whiche dothe preuent vs or his inwarde admonytion and callinge wherby we are moued to do good and to be obediente vnto the lawe and cōmaundementes of God PHILALE I knewe righte well that they shoulde be fayne at length maugry their smothe shauē faces to attribute al vnto the grace of God wherby he doth moue styr vp and wake out of slepe the wil of man geuinge it strength to rise vp and to come vnto him whereby also he dothe reuele and open vnto him the miserye and wretchednesse that he was in and whyche was hydden from hym and whereby he dothe strengthen hym to walke in hys lawes and commaundementes and to doe the thynge that is acceptable before hym ALBION I did also as occasion gaue me aleadge vnto them this sayinge of Paule I knowe that in me that is to saye Ro. vii in my fleshe dwelleth no good thinge To wyl is presente wyth me but to perfourme that which is good I find not For the good that I wyll do I not but the euyll whiche I wyll not that do I. PHI. I woulde fayne heare what aunswer they made vnto you ALBION They did by and by brynge in Chrisostome An obiection oute of Chrisostom who expounding this place doth say that by these wordes the Apostell doth not take awaye free wyll nor yet bring in any necessity or conpulsion For els in stede that he did say nolo I wil not he shuld haue sayed cogor I am constreygned Which thinge he did not PHI. Aunswer If the exposition of Chrisostome wer true then must we confesse that S. Paul did voluntarely of his free wyl the thing that was euil and that he did willinglye of a sette minde forsake the good that he mighte haue done But to say so were to blaspheme not onlye the Apostle but also the holye ghost that was in hym For who would say that after Saint Paule was once conuerted and renewed in Christ he did sinne voluntarelye or that he did for the nonce and of a set mind forsake the good thyng that he myghte haue done I aske you if ye shoulde doe that thyng which ye wold not do wer it not by compulsion that ye shuld do it ALBION Yes verely PHILALE Know ye then A glosse of Orleans Chrisost maketh no dyfferēce betwixte the carnall man and the man that is regenerated that thys is a glosse of Orleans whiche destroyeth the text For Chrisostome maketh there no dyfference betwyxt the carnal manne and the manne that is renewed in Christe Where as Saynte Paule dothe speake there of the manne that is regenerated or borne of new whiche thing he doth vnder hys owne person that we might be the surer that it is so For ye shal vnderstād that as the carnal and fleshly men do geue them selues frely to be the bounde seruauntes of synne so in them that be renewed in Christe In them that are borne of new ther is a contynuall battaile betwixt the spirit and the flesh and made newe creatures by hys holy spirit there is alwayes a continuall batayle betwixt the spirite and the fleshe so that the euil that they do they do it being ouercom by the flesh which dothe alwayes lust against the spirite And if they leaue anye good thinge vndone whych they wolde do it is because that the rebelliousnes of the fleshe wyll not let them nor yet suffer them to do it ALBION They said moreouer that if I woulde well marcke The fonde obiection of the enemyes to what purpose Sainte Paule dyd speake that wayghinge the wordes that go before and the wordes that come after I shoulde fynde that Saint Paul doth speke there of the sensuality of man which is alwaies repugnant vnto reason because of oure corrupted nature and not of fre wyl For he saythe by and by after It is not I that do it but sinne that dwelleth in me PHILALETHES Aunswer Althoughe this be the distinccion of a Philosopher going about to defend mans strength and to proue that reason
of Gods promises both in the godly and in the vngodly they haue their effect and working in them bothe For as God dothe by his commaundementes pricke the consciences of the vngodly lest putting away altogether the remēbraunce of his iudgementes they shoulde haue to much pleasure in synne so by his promises he doth testify and declare vnto them how vnworthy they are of his liberality goodnesse For who woulde saye that it is not mete and conueniente Marke this diligentely that the Lorde shoulde do good vnto them that do worship him And that againe he shoulde accordinge to his seueritye and iustyce take vengaunce of theym that are despisers of his maiesty Therfore it cā not be said but that God doth iustlye when in his promises he dothe prescribe and geue suche a law and condition vnto the vngodlye whiche be wrapped in sinne that they shall receiue and enioye hys benefites if they doe forsake their wickednesse althoughe hee shoulde do it onlye for thys cause that they maye vnderstande that they are iustlye and deseruinglye put from those thinges that are due vnto the true worshippers of God Again sith that God dothe by all meanes prouoke the faithful to cal for his grace why shuld not he as wel attempte the same by his promisses as by his law and cēmaundements being taught the wyl of God by his commaundements we are warned of our owne miserye because that of oure own nature we do all together dissent and disagre from it and also we are moued to cal vppon the spirit of god for to bring vs into the right way But because that oure sluggyshnesse is such Why promises are made vnto vs. that it can not be put awaye nor shaken of by the lawe and commaundements of god promisses are added that so by some swetenesse we might be prouoked and allured to the loue of heauenly things Now the more desirous that we are of the true ryghteousnes the more feruent are we to cal for the grace of God These thinges beynge well considered who would say that suche promises be vnprofitable though we be not able to fulfil the conditiōs that are annered vnto them EVTRAPELVS No manne I trowe What the reprobate do learne by the promises of god that hathe anye cromme of godlye vnderstandinge in hys bellye For by them the reprobate vngodlye do learne how vnworthy they are of the bounteous liberality and goodnesse of almighty God the godlye What the godly do learne by the condition annexed vnto the promyses when they see in the conditions that be annexed vnto them their owne misery weakenesse infirmitye and vnablenesse are stirred and moued by the same to cal more earnestly for the grace of God and for the assistaunce and help of his holy spirit ALBION Obiectiō The Lord doth laye to the Israelites charge that it was only longe of them that they did not receiue all kinde of liberality and goodnesse at hys hande As when the Prophet sayth Amaleck and the Cananites are before you numbers xiiii Iere. vii with whose swordes ye shall be destroyed because ye wolde not obey the Lord. Because I haue called you and ye haue not aunswered nor obeyed therfore will I do vnto this house as I haue don vn to Silo. Again This people hath not harkened vnto the voyce of the Lord theyr God nor receaued hys doctrine Therfore the Lord hath caste them of Item Because that ye haue hardened your heartes Ier. xxxii woulde not be obedient vnto the Lorde All these plages haue happened vnto you Howe coulde the Israelites be cast in the tethe with such thinges except it had lyen in them to shonne and auoyde those thinges that be there laied to their charge For they might haue aunswered by and by We had a mind to prosperity How the vngodlye do alwaies go aboute to excuse them selues and did fear trouble and aduersity but that we did not obey the Lorde nor harcken vnto his voyce that we might obtayne the one and eschue the other it was because that we are vnder the bondage of synne and can not doe frely the thinges that we would Those thinges then are not iustly laid to oure charge whiche it lyeth not in our power for to shonne or auoid PHILALETHES As for the pretence of necessity Aunswer wherby sinners go about to excuse thē selues it hath ben al ready declared what pore healpe can be had in it sythe that the cause Originall and of spring of it is in our owne selues by oure naturall corruption that we haue of our first parent Adam Therfore I do aske whether they can proue them selues to be wythout faut or not For if there be any faut in them it is not wythout a cause that God did caste them in the teethe that it was throughe their owne wickednesse that they did not feele the frute of his goodnesse and mercy Can they say nay but that theyr wicked and corrupted will is the cause of their rebellyous contumacye and stubburnenesse If they fynde that the fountayne and well sprynge of theyr owne euyl and miserye is wythin them selues what do they trauail to finde out outwarde causes and all because that they wil not seme to be the authoures of theyr owne destruction If it be true then that synners throughe theyr own faut are both depriued of the benefites of God and also punished and plaged there is a good cause whye they shoulde heare suche vpbraydynges and reproches at the mouthe of the Lorde That if they doe obstinately perseuer and continue in synne they may learne in theyr miseries and calamities to accuse and detest theyr owne wickednes rather than to lay any vniuste and cruell seueritye vnto God or if they be not vtterlye geuen ouer they may beinge wearye of theyr synnes wherefore they see theym selues thus extreamelye plaged come into the way again acknowledginge the same wyth earnest confession that the Lord doth laye to their charge Note this This effecte haue the chidinges and rebukinges of the prophets amonge the godly as it doth appere by the solemne prayer of Daniell Dani. vi which is wrytten in the ninthe chapiter of hys prophecye But how such sharpe rebukinges of the prophets of God take place amonge the obstinate sinners we haue an example of it in the Iewes vnto whome Ieremye was commaūded to shew the cause of their miseries and calamities Iere. vii although it shoulde be none otherwyse than God had appoynted told before Thou shalt saith the Lord speke vnto thē al these wordes and they shal not hear thou shalt cal them and they shal not answer DYDIMVS Obiectiō For what purpose were those thynges spoken vnto them that would not hear PHILALETHES Aunswer That wold they nild they they should be fain to vnderstande that the same was true that was told vnto them and that it was a plain sacriledge and robbing of the glory of God to adscribe vnto
him the cause of theyr calamities and miseries whyche was in them selues With theese few solutions answers any man may easely rid him selfe from manye authorities whiche the ennemyes of the grace of God are wōt to heape together for to erect and sette vppe the Idoll of theyr free wyll ALBION This is moste sure that the Lorde dothe speake these woordes by his prophet Oseas Obiectiō I wyll go and retourn to my place Osee v. tyll they waxe faint and seke me It were a folish thing said my gentle men vnto me if the LORD should tary til Israel shuld tourne and seeke hym except it dyd lie in theyr power to tourn which waye they listed PHILA Aunswer The enemies can wynne nothinge vpon vs by the threatenings of god As thoughe the Lorde doth not commōly in the prophets make as though he should forsake and caste of hys people tyll they amend and tourne vnto hym but what are oure ennemyes able to gather of suche threatnynges If they go about to gather by them that men beinge forsaken of God are of their owne selues able to turne againe then haue they all the scriptures against them If they saye that they haue neede of the garce of God that they maye turne again what neede they to contende or striue with vs DIDYMVS They do not denye but that the grace of God is necessarye if ye wyll graunte that there is also in manne a certayne strength PHILALETHES Howe shall they be able to prone that Truely they can not proue it by this place nor by suche like For it is an other thynge to go away from man and to looke what beyng permitted and lefte vnto hym selfe he is able to do and an other thynge to healpe hys small strength as hys imbecilitye and weakenesse dothe requyre DYDIMVS Question What doth the lord meane then by suche manner of speakyng PHILALETHES It is euen as if he shoulde say Aunswer Syth that this rebellious people wyll take no heede to my warnings and exhortations nor yet to my sharpe rebukinges I wyll for a tyme wythdrawe my self from him and suffer him to be afflycted and troubled I wyll see whether this styfnecked people wyll at length after theyr greate calamityes miseries and troubles remember me and seke my face Nowe What it is meant when the scripture sayeth that God doth withdrawe him selfe from this people when the scripture sayeth that God dothe wythdraw hym self the meaning of it is that God doth take away hys prophecye and worde wher in he declareth a certain presēce of hys And to looke what men wyll do it signifyeth that God wyll holde him selfe styll and as he were a sleape suffer them to be manye and sondrye wayes plaged And bothe these thynges is he wont to doo for to make vs to humble oure selues For we should rather by aduersitye be dryuen vnto desperatyon than vnto anye amendemente of lyfe except he should by his spirite make vs meete to receiue hys chastisement Wherfore to go about by suche places for to proue that there is anye such strengthe in vs or that we haue free wyll to doe what we list it is a plain madnes For such thinges be spoken in the scriptures for none other purpose but for to make vs to know oure own infirmity and weakenesse ALBION I dyd aske them whether they could bryng anye authorities of the scripture The obiection of the papistes whereby they myght proue expreslye that a man hath suche free wyll as they went about to maintaine and vphold They dyd then aunswer me that Moses was so sure of it that he did not doubt to say these wordes vnto the children of Israell Deut. xxx I take heauen and earth this day to record ouer you that I haue layde before you life and deathe blessing and cursing Chuse life therefore that thou mayest lyue thou and thy feede and that ye maye loue the Lorde your God and harken vnto his voyce and cleaue vnto him Iosu xxiiii Iosua also did saye vnto the people Chuse ye this daye whome ye wyll serue The God whome youre fathers serued beyonde the water or the Goddes of the Amorites in whose lande ye dwell Thinke ye that these true seruaunts of God Moses and Iosua would haue spoken thus vnto the people except it had lyen in their power to chuse which they would It is playne then that they had free wyll elles suche things hadde bene spoken vnto them in vaine PHILALETHES Aunswer Suche sentences and autoryties of the scripture do not proue that man hath free wyl to do what he lyst or that he can at his owne pleasure chuse both good and euil For although Moses doth saye vnto the people I do laye before you both life and death yet it foloweth not that they were able of theyr owne selues to chuse lyfe without the spirit and grace of God Deu. xxix Whiche thinge he doth sufficientely declare in an other place when he sayeth Thyne eies haue sene these greate tokens and wonders Yet the Lorde hath not geuen thee a harte to vnderstande nor eares to heare nor eies to see As then it did profytte the people nothinge to haue seene the greate tokens and wonders that the Lord did worke in Egipt euen in theyr owne sight excepte he did geue them a harte to vnderstande eares to heare and eies to see that is to saye except the Lorde did by his holy spirit lyghten their harts vnstop their eares and cleare the eyes of theyr myndes euen so althoughe Moses Iosua and all the prophetes of God doe saye a thousande time Behold we laye before you lyfe and death chuse whiche ye wyll yet all this wyll profytte vs nothinge except God dothe worke inwardely wyth his holy spirit Whiche thinge Saint Paule dothe neyther dyssemble nor hydde when he wryteth on thys manner i. Cor. i. I haue planted and Apollo hathe watred But it is the Lord that geueth the encreace But that ye maye the better perceaue the whole matter ye shall vnderstande that God doth by the preachinge of his prophetes and Apostles Mat. ix as when oure sauioure Iesu Christe dyd saye vnto the manne that was sycke of the palsye aryse take vp thy bedde and go home It dyd not folowe that he hadde strengthe to aryse excepte oure sauyoure Iesus Christe hadde geuen it hym But when Chryste dyd saye vnto hym aryse He did streyght wyth it geue him strength to aryse Euen so when God doth by his preachers speake vnto them whom he hath chosen already and doth commaund them to aryse oute of the bdde of synne streyght wyth hee geueth them strength to do it DIDYMVS Obiectiō I maruayle that ye wyll haue no manner of strength to bee lefte vnto vs in thinges that perteyne to our saluation and lyfe euerlastinge syth that oure sauioure Iesus Crhist him self doth testifye that the manne that went from Ierusalem to Iericho luc x. by whom he
glory of righteousnes EV. By what authorityes of the scripture did he proue his saying DYDIMVS By the saying of S. Augustine wher he wryteth that concupiscence is no synne in them that bee regenerated or borne of new excepte we consente vnto the same wicked naughtye workes EVTRA. This galant doctor of yours doth great wrong to s Augustin For he saith not only that concupiscence is no sin but that it is no sinne in them that are born of new as ye your self do wel perceiue by his woordes that ye haue aleadged For god saith not thou shalt not go after thy concupiscences Thou shalt not bring them to effect nor consent vnto them but he saithe plainlye Thou shalt not couet And that concupiscence in them that are born of new is cōpted for no sinne it commeth not of the concupiscence but of the newe byrthe or regeneration whiche bryngeth to passe that God dothe not vnto hym that is borne of new impute hys concupyscence for sin For it is wrytten he that is born of God i. Ioh. iii. sinneth not that is to say his sin is not imputed vnto him Againe it is saide that be synneth not because that he suffereth not synne to raigne in him Moreouer I wyll proue by liuelye reasons that concupiscence that is to saye all euyll motions of the harte are synne Fyrst and foremoste I aske of you wherof commeth concupiscence of the fleshe or of the spirite DyDIMVS I graunt that it cometh of the flesh EV. It followeth then that concupiscence is fleshlye For as Christe saith That which is born of flesh Ioh. iii. is flesh DIDyMVS I do confesse that to EV. It followeth then that concupiscence is synne For the flesh in it selfe is nothyng elsse but sinne euer repugnynge againste the spirit as it is wrytten The flesh coueteth agaynste the spirit And in an other place Saint Paule sayeth also gala v. The workes of the fleshe are manifest which are whoredōe enuy Idolatry c. I aske this of you he that geueth occasion of synne is not he partaker of the sinne He that biddeth to steale and he that stealeth be they not both theues Now it is so that euery euel motion of the hart doth stir vp man for to sinne and if mā doth not assent nor agre vnto it the faut and lacke is not in the concupiscence that dothe all that in it doth lie to cast man headlong into sinne but it is the holy ghoste that dothe mortifye the same concupiscence in them that be regenerated or borne of newe Seing then that all sinnes do come and proceade of the concupiscence and euil motiōs of the hart we muste neades confesse that suche concupiscence and euil motions of the hart are euell If they be euill then are they forbidden of God For God doth not only commaunde to auoide sinne but also the occasion of sinne Sith then that we do retein and kepe in vs such euil motions of the harte we do euil For vnderstād ye that God by this commaundement Thou shalt not couet dothe condemne and forbid al euil concupiscence and naughty motions of the hart and not onlye the frutes that spring therof That is to saye because that God wyll haue all oure whole soule to be filled and possessed with the affectyon of loue and charity hys wyll and pleasure is that we should banish and cast out of our harts al manner of things that be contrary vnto charity and brotherly loue so that no thought shoulde rise in oure mindes for to kindle our harts wyth any concupiscence that might be hurtfull noysome vnto our neighbor For it is the concupiscence that prycketh and tickeleth the hart for to in tice him to sinne DIDyMVS It may be that man shall not consent to it EV. If man should consent vnto it then the same consent shoulde no more be called concupiscence only but a deliberate purpose And truely it is no meruel that God dothe requyre such a perfection Why god doth require such a perfection and vprightuee in man and vprightnesse in man For who wyll saye the contrarye but that it is moste ryghte that all the powers of the soule oughte to be applyed and geuen to charity And if anye part of the soule dothe shrincke or swarue from it I mean from the loue that we owe vnto God and our neighboure al men must nead confesse that it is fauty nought For wherof dothe it come that any desire to hurt our neyghboure entreth into our hart but only because that despisinge other we do only seke our owne profit For if our whole hart wer fully possessed with charity and brotherlye loue no such imaginations shuld haue entraunce into it Therefore we muste conclude that the harte is void of charitye for as muche as it doth conceiue such concupiscence DYDIMVS But me thyncketh that it is not meete and conuenyent that such vayne fantasyes as do come into a mannes brayn and afterwards do vanish away shuld be taken and condemned for concupiscences which properly haue their of spring in the hart EV. I saye that God by thys commaundement Thou shalt not couet forbiddeth not only those imaginations that rise in mans harte but also al vain thoughtes that may by anye meane moue stir vp the hart vnto concupiscence For we can neuer so sone lust or desire any thing in our mind but that the hart is straightwais therwith touched and enflamed whether it be lyttle or much But the lord doth require of vs a most perfect charity which should be farthest from all fleshlye concupiscence PHILA Sithens that thys matter hathe bene suffycyentlye debated I thyncke it good that heare we make an end praying most earnestly vnto oure heauenly father to send his holye spirit into our harts and to endue vs aboūdantly with the same that our corrupted and poysened flesh being through it tamed and mortified we may wholly geue our selues to serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse al the daies of oure liues DyDIMVS God graunt it ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Tisdale and are to be sold at hys shop in Lombard streate Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum
PHILALETHES The place that they aleadged out of Ecclesiasticus maketh nothinge for them for how the place of Ecclesiasticus ought to be vnderstaÌ„ded it oughte to be vnderstanded of man being in the fyrst estate of his creation and beynge in his originall innocency and righteousnesse And because that it shall not bee thoughte that I bringe any thing of mine owne heade ye shall heare what Saynte Augustine sayethe whose wordes are these free wyll before the fall was an vprighte free wyll De caÌ„ticonouo ca. viii before whiche fyer and water was layed of God and the fyrste manne dyd reatche hys hande to whyche he woulde hee dyd choyse fier and forsoke water See the ryghteous iudge the same whiche manne beinge free dyd choyse he dyd receaue he woulde haue euyll and the same did folowe him Contra fortu Disputa xi And in an other place these be also hys woordes I saye that fre wyl was in that man which was created fyrst For he was so made that nothinge coulde withstande hys wyll if he would haue kepte Goddes commaundementes but after that hee hadde synned throughe free wyll hee dyd cast vs all that come of hys stocke into necessitye And therfore he writeth in an other place In encherid ad lauren Ca. xxx De verbis aposer ii that manne vsinge not well free wyll did bothe lose it him self Againe It is true sayeth he that manne when he was made did receaue greate strength of free wyll but he did lose it through synne These autorityes of Sainte Augustine doo sufficientely declare how the place that they aleaged oute of Ecclesiasticus oughte to be vnderstanded For there doubtelesse the wise manne dothe speake of man as he was first created in the estate of innocency and righteousnes and not as he was wyth his posteritye after hys fall De eccledogm ca. xxxii whereby as Saynte Augustine saithe all menne haue loste theyr naturall possibilitye or ablenesse and theyr naturall or originall innocencye And so ought the doctoures that they dyd bryng in for them selues to be vnderstanded for they do all speake of manne as he was afore his fall Whyche thynge appeareth to be moste true by the saying of Saint Hierome Iero in xxiii cap. Iere. who wrytinge vppon Ieremy saithe plainly these wordes And therefore the heretykes be wonte to promyse felicity and to open vnto sinners the kingdom of heauen saying Thou maist folowe the maiestye of God and be without synne syth that thou hast receyued the power or strength of free wyll and the vnderstandyng of the lawe whereby thou arte able to obtayne what so euer thou wylte And so the saide Heretykes do deceyue the poore symple and ignoraunt personnes and specially women whyche beynge loden with sinnes are ledde to and froe with euerye winde of doctrine deceiuynge by theyr flattery al them that geue eares vnto them Heare ye see that saint Ierome dothe call them all Heretikes that saye that menne be able by theyr free wyll to do bothe good and euyll Wheruppon we maye well conclude that in his Epistle ad Ctesiphonâ—em Existo ad ctesiphon tem he dothe speake of the fyrste estate of manne that he was in afore hys transgressyon and fall And as for Chrisostome although he dothe exceade in extollynge the naturall strengthe of manne hom i. in aduen yet dothe he confesse plainelye that euerye manne is not onely of hys owne nature a synner but also that he is synne altogether Whereby he doth ouerthrow what so euer he dothe wryte or saye in anye other place in the commendacyon of free wyll and of oure natural strengthe EVTRAPELVS That must be mooste true For if accordynge to his owne sayinge we be not only sinners of our owne nature but also synne all together where is oure gaye payncted free wyll become Ioh. viii Dothe not the truthe hym selfe saye that euery man that sinneth is a seruaunte of synne Againe is it not wrytten that of whome so euer a manne is ouercome ii Pet. ii vnto the same he is in boundage It appeareth then by thys that we are verye farre from that liberty and fredome that they doe so muche boaste of DYDIMVS Wherefore did then these ancient fathers and wryters of the Catholike churche extoll so muche the free will and naturall strengthe of manne Home lii For Chrisostome hath alwaies in his mouth Let vs bring that whiche is oure own God wyl supply the residue Where vnto Ierome doth agree saying Nostrum est incipere Dia. iii. con Pelagianes dei autem perficere Nostrum est offerre quod possumus illius implere quod non possumus That is to saye It is our part for to begin and it is Gods parte for to performe It is our parte to offer that whiche we can and it is his part to supply or fulfyll that that we can not PHILALETHES It is moste playne Why the aunciant fathers spake so of fre wil that they dyd seme to alowe it that they did it to thys end that they might driue awaye all slouggishnesse from menne Which thing they that came after did not perceiue And therefore they did attribute so muche to the free will and naturall strength of man that the fre mercy and grace of God was in a manner vtterlye forgotten DyDIMVS Howe can it be proued that they did tt onlye for that purpose PHILALETHES It is easy to be proued For if they shoulde meane as they write they shoulde directly be against the plain scriptures and worde of God and also against them selues Fyrst and foremost the LORD him selfe saieth I wyll hencefourth curse the earth no more for mans sake Gen. viii For the ymagination of mannes heart is euyll euen from the very youth of him And Moses for to declare Deu. xxix how vnable we be of oure selues to vnderstande heauenlye thinges doth saye plainlye these wordes Ye haue seene all that the Lorde did before youre eyes in the lande of Egipte vnto Pharao and vnto and all his seruaunts Thine eies haue sene these great tokens and wonders And yet vnto this day hath not the Lorde geuen you a harte that vnderstandeth eies that see eares that heare What could he saye more excepte he shuld call vs blocks and stones And in Ezechiel the Lorde sayeth A new heart Eze. xxvi wyl I geue you and a newe spirit wyl I put in to you As for that stony hearte I wyll take it oute of youre bodye and geue you a fleshy hart I will geue you my spirit amonge you and cause you to walke in my commaundements to kepe my lawes and to fulfyll them This place onely doth sufficientely teache vs that excepte oure stony heartes be taken away from vs and flesshy that is to saye obediente hartes geuen vs in stede of them yea and a newe spirit put in to vs whiche shoulde worke in vs an obedience towards the Lordes commaundementes we are