of the Lorde Esay the prophet speaketh likewyse of the spirituall rychesse whereof God is the aucthour Our saluacion commeth with treasures as for wisdome and godlynesse and nourture they come from the Lorde these are the treasures of ryghteousnes Also he speaketh these wordes of the depth of the riches of the wisdome knowledge of God whose goodnesse is preuented with the merite of no manne whiche hath measured the water with his hande the heauen with his spanne and the whole earth with thre fingers which hath wayed the mountaines in the skaoles and the rockes in the balaunce who hath knowen the minde of the Lorde or who hath bene hys counseller who canne instruct hym or of whom hath he asked counsayl and he hath taught hym Or who hath shewed hym iudgement or who hath shewed hym the waye of wisedome or who hath fyrst geuen to him that he may recompence him whereof also in the booke of Iob the words of the lord are red in the same sence sayinge who hath geuen to me fyrst that I should recompence him All thynges that are vnder heauē are mine Ieremias also sayeth on thys wise that a mā hath right wisdome from god O lord I know that it is not in mans power to order his owne way neyther is it in man to rule his own iourney Also the Lorde protesteth by the same Prophete that the conuersion of the hart to God is of God and he sayeth I will restore them vnto thys lande and I will newe buylde them and will not destroye them I wyll plant them and not pulle them vp I wyll geue them an heart that thei may knowe me for I am the Lorde and they shalbe my people and I wyl be theyr God for they shalbe conuerted vnto me with theyr hole heart Also the same Prophete she wynge that it cōmeth of god that we knowe god sayth And they shal knowe that I am the Lorde theyr God and I wyll geue them an hearte to knowe me and eares to heare me The Apostle in the firste Epistle to the Corinthians teacheth that euery good word and euery holy worke is the secrete working if the holy spirit without whō nothing is well done saying Therfore I do you to vnderstād that no man speakynge in the sprite of god defieth Iesus And no man can saye that Iesus is the Lord but in the holy ghost For ther be diuersities of giftes or graces and yet but one spirite and there be differences of administracions and yet but one Lorde and there be diuers maner of operacions and yet but one God which worketh al in all The gyftes of the spirite are geuen to euery man to edifie withall For to one is geuen the vtteraunce of wysdome by the spirite To another is geuen the vtteraūce of knowlege by the same spirite to another is geuen faith by the same spirite to another the gyft of healynge by the same spirite to another prophesie to another iudgement to discerne spirites to another diuers tongues to another the interpretacion of tongues and al these worketh one and the same spirite deuidyng vnto euery man euen as he wyll The same Apostle vnto the Ephesians saith that euery man hath so much grace as the Lord hath geuē him One body one spirite saith he as ye are called in one hope of your callynge One Lorde one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue al men and ouer all thynges and in vs all For to euery one of vs is geuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christe For the which cause he saith He ascended vp on hyghe and hath led captiuitie captiue and geuen gyftes to men Also the same Apostle in the second Corinthes saith that we are not able to thynke that that is spirituall but by the grace of God Such truste haue we towardes God throughe Chryste not that we are sufficiente of our selues to thynke anye thynge as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God whiche hath made vs meete ministers of the new Testament not in the letter but in the spirite for the letter killeth but the spirite geueth lyfe Agayne in the same Epistle teachynge that the desyre and the sufficiencie or ablenesse vnto good woorkes are ministred of God he saith God is able to make all grace to abounde in you that ye all hauyng sufficient of all thynges maye be ryche in euerye good woorke as it is wrytten He hath dispearsed abrode and geuen to the poore his ryghteousnes abydeth for euer For he that ministreth seede to the sower shall geue you foode to eate and shall encrease the fruites of your ryghteousnes that ye beynge made ryche to the vttermoste may haue plentie vnto all singlenesse And the Apostle wryting to the Ephesians teacheth that all good thynges where with God is pleased are the gyftes of GOD and that it behoueth them to be asked of God that he may geue thē to those which haue them not For this cause saith he do I bowe my knees vnto the father of our Lord Iesus Christe of whom is named all fatherhod both in heauen and in earth that he woulde geue you power accordynge to the richesse of his glory that ye might be strengthed by his spirite in the inner manne that Chryste myght dwell in your hartes by faith that ye beyng rooted and grounded in loue myght be able to comprehende with all Saintes what is that breadth and length depth and heyghte and to knowe what the loue of Christe is whiche loue passeth knowledge that ye might be fylled with all maner of fulnesse that cōmeth of God And vnto hym that is able to do to worke all thinges more aboundauntlye in vs then we can either aske or thinke accordyng to that power wherwith he now worketh in vs. To him he prayse and glory in the congregation by Iesus Chryste throughout al worldes Amen And Iames the Apostle telleth in lyke maner that God is the aucthour of euery good thyng whose giftes are neither vncertaine nor mutable but proceadyng of the eternall wyll saying Do not ye erre my deare brethren Euery good gyft and euery perfecte gyfte discendeth from aboue from the father of lyght with whom there is no variablenesse neyther is he chaunged vnto darkenesse Of his owne good wyll begate he vs with the woorde of trueth that we myght bee the firste fruites of his creatures Vnto whom the Prophete zacharias agreeth saying In that daye the Lorde shall saue his people as sheepe for holye stones shall be rolled vppon his lande For yf any thyng be good it is his yf anye thynge be precious it commeth of hym And in the Gospell of Saint Mathe we it is tolde lykewyse that knowledge and vnderstandynge are the gyftes of God whiche he geueth to whom he wyll Then his Disciples came vnto hym and sayde Why doeste thou speake vnto them in parables But he aunswered and
sayinges and ouercome when he is iudged Neyther may the complaynt of him that is damned be iust nor yet the arrogancie of hym that is iustified bee true If eyther the one saye he hath not deserued to be punished or y e other say that he hath deserued grace And lyke as those sayinges the whiche I haue declared out of the holye scryptures for the settynge forth of grace cannot be confuted nor stayned by any reason or craft of disputacion so that so great a nomber of sentences playnely agreynge together in them selues myghte bee drawen or wrested into any vncertaintie of a false exposicion Euen so also that that is founde in the same body of the scriptures touchynge the saluation of all menne cannot be reproued by any contrarye argumentation So that the harder the same is to be vnderstanden and apprehended with so muche the more laudabler fayth it ought to bee beleued Great is the force of consent to whom thaucthoritie is sufficient to folow the truth yea although the reason of it be vnknowen Therefore let vs diligently consider what the Lorde commaundeth the preachers of the Gospell For in Saint Mathewes Gospell he sayeth thus All power is geuen to me both in heauen and in earth Go your wayes therefore and teache all nations baptizinge them in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy ghost teachyng them to obserue all thynges that I haue commaunded you And beholde I am with you alwayes vnto the ende of the worlde And in Saint Marke it is sayde to the same Apostles on this wyse Go ye into all the worlde preache ye the Gospell to euery creature and whosoeuer shall beleue and bee baptized the same shall be saued but whoso wyll not beleue shalbe dampned Is there anye difference made here of anye nation or of anye menne in thys commaundement He hath excepted no man for merite he hath seperated no man for hys stocke or linage he hath made no difference of the state of men The Gospell of the Crosse of Chryste was sent euen to all men And leste the ministerie of the preachers shoulde seeme to bee done by the onely woorke of manne beholde sayeth he I am with you alwayes euen vnto the worldes ende That is to saye when ye shall enter in as shepe amonge wolues be not afraide of youre owne infyrmitie but put youre truste in my power whiche vnto the ende of the worlde wyll not forsake you in all this worke or businesse Not to the ende that ye shoulde suffer nothynge but that that muche more is I wyll brynge it so to passe that ye shall not be ouercome with the ragyng crueltie of any tyrauntes For in my power shall ye preache and by me it shal come to passe that euen amonges the denyers and those that speake agaynst you yea euen amonges those y e rage against you Abrahams childrē shalbe raised vp of stones I wil put into theyr mindes whatsoeuer I haue taught and I wyl perfourme that whiche I haue promised They shal betray you in theyr counsayles and shall scourge you in their sinagoges and for my names sake shall ye stande before Kynges and Rulers in a witnesse to them and to the gentiles But when they shall delyuer you vppe take no thought howe or what ye shall speake for it is not ye that shall speake but the spirite of your father that speaketh in you For the brother shall betray the brother vnto death and the father the sonne and the Chyldren shall arise against their fathers and mothers and shall put them to death and ye shall be hated of al men for my name sake But whosoeuer shall endure vnto the ende he shall bee saued The grace of GOD oure Sauyoure hath therefore appeared sayeth the Apostle vnto all menne and yet were the gyftes of grace hated of all men And whyle there were some that hated other some that were oppressed with the hatred of them that persecuted yet was there neyther of the parties depriued of the name of all men the portion of the rebelles hauynge the losse of theyr saluacion but the dignitie of the faithfull obteynyng the nombre of al fulnesse For the Apostle Saincte Iohn saith But yf any man sinne we haue an aduocate with the father euen Iesus Christe the righteous and he is the propiciation for our sinnes and no◠for our sinnes only but also frr the sinnes of the whole world And it is a misterie of a great vnspekable Sacramēt that vnto those preachers to whom it was said Go ye into al y e world preach the Gospell to al creatures vnto the same was it sayde afore ye shall not go into the waye of the Gentyles and into the Cities of the Samaritanes shall ye not enter but rather go ye to the loste sheepe of the house of Israel For though the Gospell shoulde be directed vnto the vocation and callyng of all men and the Lord would al men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the trueth yet notwithstanding he hadde not taken away from himselfe the power and aucthoritie of his dispensation so that the order of his councell shoulde run otherwyse then he had appointed in his secrete and iust iudgement wherefore the murmuringes of obstinate mens complaintes take no place For it is sure that whatsoeuer GOD would haue done ought not to be done otherwise the he wold And in tyme paste what tyme the Lord Iesus sate in the glorye of God the father and the preachers of the worde dyd labour in the businesse that they had taken vpon them the Apostles wyllynge to preache the worde in Asia were forbidden of the holye ghoste And when they purposed to goe into Bithynia they were forbydden of the spirite of Iesus Doubtlesse not that the grace of God was denyed to that people but as it shoulde appeere it was protracted delayed for a time For afterwardes the Christian fayth was of power among thē also But what the cause was of the deferring of their calling it is not knowen And yet are we taught by the example of the thyng that done it was because that amonge generalles whether they bee promises or workes or els preceptes God knoweth by a secrete reason how to ordeyne and dispose certayne thynges beyng excepted from the common causes I beleue for that intent that those thyngs which shine more dymlye hauing shadowes ouer them myght apeere the more marueylous to vs when we see them least our sight should become the more dull and negligent through the facilitie and easynes of the sight therof and shoulde after a certayne maner slumber in accustomed thinges yf it were not styrred vp by vnaccustomed thynges And we haue knowen these incognoscible delayes of illuminations to haue happened in manye houses and families amonge whō doubtlesse many peryshe in vnbeliefe not onelye amonge the wicked whiche are farre from the trueth but also euen in the Cities of the
the Scriptures to theyr owne purpose I for my part saw no nerer remedy then to vse the same artillerie and weapons that thys learned and auncient father had prepared to our handes already and that he vsed to the ouerthrowynge of theyr predecessours the olde Pelagians nowe 1200. yeres past or therabout Nowe haue I shewed thee gentle reader the occasion of thys my present trauayle and enterpryse whiche I beseche thee to take in good part wherein GOD I take to witnesse I seeke nothynge but that the sincere trueth may hereby bee knowen from errour and falshed that God thereby may be glorified and the godly reader hereof be edified And as for those men agaynste whose folly and errour this worke is attempted I hartely desyre of GOD the father of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste that it woulde please hym of his infinite goodnes to haue mercy vppon them and once to open the eyes of their vnderstandynge so that they maye see theyr errour and faute and acknowledge the same and that they may nowe at the laste be won vnto the pure and sincere trueth whervnto they so longe time haue bene vtter enemyes that we altogether maye be gathered into one shepefolde vnder one onely sheepeheard Iesus Chryste whose holy spirite bee thy leader and guyde gentle reader in the readynge hereof Amen Marueyle not gentle reader I desyre thee that I haue put dovvne their articles and haue not aunsvvered the same For the vvorke it selfe folovvinge doth sufficiently aunsvvere them or the most part of them as thou shalt vvell perceiue in the readinge of the same FINIS ¶ The fyrst booke of Saint Ambrose Byshop of Milleine Intituled Of the vocation of all Nacions Of the questions that are proponed and had in controuersie betwene the maynteyners of free wyll and the preachers of the grace of God the mynde of the aucthore also and hys order in entreating thereon according wherto it must fyrst be disputed of the motions and degrees of mans wyll furthermore he reproueth certaine men that discerne not a right betwene the wyll of man and the grace of God ¶ The. 1. Chapiter THere hath bene of late season a greate and a difficult question had in dysputacion betwene the defenders of free wyll and the preachers of the grace of God for the questiō is whether god willeth all mē to be saued And because this cannot be denyed they demaunde why the wyl of hym that is almyghtye is not fulfilled And whē that semeth to come to passe accordynge to the wyls of men it semeth that grace is excluded which if it be geuen for merites it foloweth that it is not a free gyfte but a due dette Whereupon they demaunde againe why he which wylleth al men to be saued geueth not that gyfte to all men without the which no man can be saued And so is there none ende founde of contrary disputacions whyle they discern not what thing is manifest what is hydben and not knowen Therefore I wyll doe doe my diligence to search out so farre as it shall please the lorde to helpe me with what measure temperancie men ought to iudge of this contrarietie of opinions exercising diicussing the little measure of my knowleage in those thynges which I trowe haue sticked soberly in my remēbraunce so that if the style shal procede acording to those rules whiche can haue none offence nor falshod in them it shall redounde not only to our profite but also to the profite of other vntyl that we are come to some doole or marke beyond y e which it shall not be lawfull for vs to wade I must then first of all dispute of the mocions and degrees of the wyll of man Betwene the whith wyll the grace of God some men make not a perfecte distinction thinkyng that thorow the preaching of grace free wyl is denied not considering that by the same rule it may be obiected vnto them that they denie grace when they wyl not haue it to be the guyder of mās wyll but the folower of it For if the will be taken away wher is then the original beginning of true vertues yf grace be taken awaye where is the verye cause of good merites That there is in all mankynde by nature a certeyne wyll such a one as it is Also of the deuiding of this wyll into a naturall reasonable and spirituall Also although God by his diuine prouidence by certaine speciall rules and lawes had once ordered vnto hym selfe a certeyne people chosen vnto Godlynesse yet neuerthelesse he neuer withdrewe from any nacion of men the gyftes of his goodnesse ¶ The second Chapter BVt now through the helpe of Christ I wil enter into the matter that I haue taken in hande to entreate of There is in euery lyuyng man naturally a wyll such a one as it is in as much as it is geuen hym to vnderstand and to haue experience By the which wyll he ether desireth the thing that pleaseth hym or refuseth the thing that displeaseth him Of this wyll as perteynyng to the naturall motion being weake through the faulte of the firste transgression there are twoo kindes according to the which twoo the wyll of man is either sensuall or els reasonable But when the grace of god hath his accesse then through the gifte of the spirite there is added therto the thirde kynde that it myght become spirituall And by this more excellent motion it might discerne by the lawe of heauenly wisdome all affectes whereof soeuer they sprynge Therfore the sensual will whiche we may also call the carnal wil is not lifted vp aboue that motion that spryngeth of the sences of the body Like as ther is in the myndes of yonge chyldren who though they haue no iudgement of reasō yet do they shew plainly that thei wil some thing nyll some thing when by seeing hearyng smellyng tastyng or touchyng they both loue the thynges wherein they delyte hate the thinges wherwith thei ar displesed For what is it to loue but to wyll or what is it to hate but to nyll These therfore haue theyr wyl the which though it be both vnable also ignoraūt to foresee and to consult yet delighteth it to be medlyng with those thinges that please the sences of the fleshe vntyll the tyme that the strength of a reasonable discretion be stirred vp in them thorough more riper workynge of the body vntil it be moued or applyed to the vse of the membres who do serue them selues not by any straunge mouynge but by theyr owne lawe Therfore frō this sensual wyll or appetite wherin those do styll remaine whō we see also in more age to be diserdes fooles they aryse vp to a reasonable wyll the which before it be gouerned by the spirit of god although it can lyfte vp it selfe somewhat aboue the sensuall or carnall motion yet is it occupied but in earthly trāsitorie thinges forgoeth not the loue of it self In this wyll
the ruler and the subiect al the action is referred vnto one and that that is referred vnto one is of both For that cannot beer alyenated or put awaye from God which he hath geuen nor that from man whiche he hath receyued A goodly and vvittie handlynge of thys question that is when a man beginneth to be of a god wil whether the same wyll be amended whiche he had in him before or els another will geuē to him which he had not before and the which might repugne the fyrst wyl Also how that wheras in the holy Scripture saluation is generally promysed to al men al men are named for y e part ¶ The thirde Chapiter HEre it seemeth good to entreate whether when a man begynneth to bee of a good will that same wyll whiche was in hym before bee corrected and amended or elles another will which he had not be geuen vnto him whiche also is contrary to the former wyll The whiche thynge shall not greue me more depely to search out to thende it may the more euidently appeare All men in the fyrst man are made without fault and al we haue loste the integritie and health of our nature through the transgression of y e first man ▪ from thence commeth mortalitie from thence commeth manyfolde corruption both of body and soule from thence commeth ignoraunce and difficultie vnprofitable cares vnlawefull desyres sacrilegious errours vayne feare noysome loue false ioyes repentful counsailes or deuises no lesse miserye then multitude of synnes These therefore and other lyke euils falling into the nature of man faith beyng lost hope forsaken vnderstanding darkned the wil led captiue no mā hath founde ought at al in hymself wherby he myght be repayred For although there hath beene some whiche haue gone about to striue against sinne by natural reason yet hath he garnished bareinly the life of this time onely but hath not profited to true vertue and eternall blisse For without the seruyce of the true God euen that thinge also that semeth to be vertue is verie sinne neyther can any man please God without God And he that pleaseth not god whom doth he please but hymself and the deuil By whom what time man was spoyled he was not robbed of his wil but of the integritie and soundnesse of hys wyl for he could not haue bene put from the state of hys innocencie onles he had first sinned in wil ▪ That wil therfore which was good by nature became euyll in qualitie and that motion of the mynde that can neuer be without some loue that is to say without some wil lost not the appetite but chaunged the desyre and affection receyuinge that by desyre whiche it ought to refuse by iudgement Therfore whan man retourneth to godlynes of whom it is for that cause spokē The spirite goeth and retourneth not againe for except God dyd conuert him he shuld not returne there is not a new worke made and a newe creature nor another substaunce created in him but the same that was decayed is repaired neither is there anithinge taken from him but the fault whiche nature had not For nature in Adam was without fault who through disobedience of wyll drewe vnto hym many euilles and powred forth the same vpon hys posterities to be multiplyed and increased more more The which euils nothing can ouercome bryng to nothing but the onely grace of the Sauiour who repaireth his worke with his worke As the Apostle saint Iohn sayeth For thys cause appeared the sonne of God that he might destroy the workes of the deuyll And lyke as he breaketh the bondes of the captiue so doeth he cloth the nakednesse of hym that is spoyled so healeth he also the woundes of hym that is wounded that what soeuer he doth in him maye also be done by hym To whom it is not expedient to haue conflict or kepe battayle agaynste hys enemye without a defender For he must fyght with hym of whom he was somtime ouercome wherfore let hym not truste to hys owne powers who when they were euen perfect stode not sted fastly but let him seeke victory in him which only is not ouercome and hath gotten the vyctorie in all thynges And yf he seeke lette hym not doubt but that he hath receaued the desire to seke of him whom he seketh Neither let him thinke because it is done by the spirite of God that therefore he hath not free wyll whiche he dyd not then loose when in wyll he gaue himselfe to the deuyl of whom the iudgment of the wyll was depraued or corrupted not takē away Wherfore that which was not slayne by the wounder is not taken awaye by the healer The wounde is healed but nature is not put awaye But that that peryshed in nature is not restored but by the aucthour of nature The Lorde sayeth I wyll geue vnto the house of Israell and vnto the house of Iuda a newe Testamente not lyke vnto the Testament that I gaue vnto their fathers in the day when I toke thē by the hand to leade them out of the lande of Egipt for they contynued not in my testament and I regarded them not sayth the lorde but thys is the testament that I wyll geue to y e house of Israel after those dayes sayth the Lorde I wyll make them to vnderstande my lawes and I wyll wryte them in their heartes and I wyll be theyr God and they shall be my people and no man shal teache hys neighbour nor euery man hys brother saying knowe the lorde for al men shal know me from the least to the most for I wil haue mercy on their iniquities will not remember their sinnes And I wyll geue them another meaning and another heart that they maye feare me all the dayes of theyr lyfe to do them good and their chyldren after them And I wyll geue the man euerlasting testament whiche I wyll not take from them And I wyll put my feare into their hartes lest thei shuld go from me and I wyll vysite them that I maye make them good The lorde also by the prophete Esayas foresheweth the same thynges of hys grace by the whiche he maketh of all men a newe creature saying beholde I wyll make newe thynges whiche nowe shall ryse vp and ye shal knowe them and I wyl make a way in the desert and ryuers in the drye lande The beastes of the fielde shall blesse me the maremaides y e schrich owles byrdes because I haue geuen water in the desert and ryuers in the drye grounde to geue drinke to myne elect generation mi people which I haue purchased to my selfe that they maye declare my power And agayne I sweare by my selfe that there shal righteousnes go out of my mouth my wordes shall not bee tourned backe for euerye knee shall bowe to me and euerye tounge shall prayse God Therfore yf it be impossible for these things not to come to passe for
and howe thys fayth is geuen by measure accordynge to the wyll of the geuer ¶ The .viii. Chapter THerfore sayth whiche is the mother of good wyll and iuste workynge of what fountaine she springeth the Apostle declareth whiche geueth thankes to god for the fayth of the Romaines saying Fyrst I thanke my God through Iesus christ for you al because your fayth is spoken of throughout al the worlde And writinge to the Ephesians he sayth For this cause after that I heard of your fayth which is in Christ Iesus and your loue towardes all the sainctes I cease not to geue thankes for you making mention of you in my prayers that the father of our Lord Iesus Christ the God of glorye myght geue vnto you the spirite of wysedome and open vnto you the knowledge of himself lightening the eyes of your heartes that ye myghte knowe what the hope is whervnto he hath called you what the rychesse of hys gloryous inheritaunce is vpon the saintes Lykewyse also he geueth thankes to God for the fayth of the Collossians We geue thankes to God sayeth he and vnto the father of our lord Iesus Christ alwayes praying for you since we hearde of youre fayth in Chryst Iesus the loue which ye haue towards al the saintes for the hopes sake that is layde vp in store for you in heauen And she wyng what he prayeth for thē that is that they might receyue other good thynges of the same aucthour he sayeth For this cause we also since the first day we haue heard of you cease not to make prayers and supplications for you that ye maye be fylled with the knowledge of his wyll in all wysedome and spirituall vnderstandinge that ye may walke worthely of the lorde in all thinges that please him beynge fruitefull in all good workes and encreasinge in the knowledge of GOD strengthened in vertue through hys gloryous power in all pacience and longe sufferynge with ioyfulnesse Also to the Thessalonians whiche serued in the spirite of fayth and loue he saith I thanke god alwayes for you all makynge mention of you in my prayers without ceassing remembryng the worke of your fayth youre laboure in loue and your perseueraunce in the hope of oure Lord Iesus Chryst in the sight of God oure father And afterward for this cause we thanke god without ceasinge because that when ye receaued of vs the worde where with GOD was preached ye receiued it not as the worde of man but euen as it is in deede the worde of GOD who worketh in you that beleue Could it more fully or more euidently haue bene shewed that the fayth of them that beleue is the gift of God then that thankes should therfore be geuen to GOD for thei to whom the worde of god was preached by men doubted not therof as of y e word of men but beleued it as god speaking by men who wrought in them that they might beleue In hys seconde Epistle also to the same Thessalonians the Apostle speaketh of the fayth of them that profite and come forwarde in Christ on thys maner We ought to thanke GOD alwayes for you my brethren as it is mete because that your fayth increaseth and your charitie is aboundant euerye one to another of you So that we oure selues reioyse of you in the Congregations of GOD ouer your pacience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations whiche ye suffer whiche is a token of the iuste iudgement of God that ye bee counted worthye of the kyngdome of God for the whiche ye also suffer The Apostle Peter also shewynge that fayth commeth of God wryteth on thys wyse Knowyng that ye are redemed not with corruptible golde and siluer for your vaine conuersation whiche ye haue receyued by the traditions of your fathers but by the precyous bloud of Chryste as of a lambe vndefyled and without spot whiche was ordeyned before the worlde was made but was declared in the laste tymes for your sakes whiche by hys meanes haue beleued in God whiche raysed hym vppe from death and glorified hym that your fayth and hope might bee in the Lorde Also the same Peter in his seconde Epistle speaketh on thys wyse of the receyuing of faith Simon peter the seruaunt and Apostle of oure Lorde Iesus Chryste to them which haue obtained like faith with vs by the ryghteousnesse that commeth of our lord Sauiour Iesus Chryst But Iohn y e Apostle teacheth most playnely from whence we haue the spirite of fayth saying Euery spirite that coufesseth that Iesus is come in the fleshe is of God and euery spirite that denyeth Iesus is not of God and the same is Antichrist He sayth also that he in whom the spirite of veritie is receyueth the Gospell we are of God sayeth he he that knoweth God heareth vs hereby we know the spirite of veritie and the spirite of errour Also Peter in the Actes of the apostles declareth that faith commeth through the lorde Iesus This man saith he which ye see and know hath the name of him made whole and fayth whiche is by hym hath geuen this perfect health in the sight of you all In lyke maner also it is shewed in the same History of the faith of Lidia whose hart the Lorde opened amonge other women whiche heard the gospell And on the Sabboth day we went out of the Citie sat down by a ryuer side where thei were wont to pray and we spake vnto the women whiche were come thyther and a certaine woman whose name was Lidia a seller of purple of the Citie of Thiatira a worshipper of god heard vs whose hart the lord so opened that she attēded vnto y e things that Paul spake And it is confirmed by y e words of the veritie it selfe that fayth commeth not by mans wisdom but by the inspiratiō of god for the lord saith to hys Disciples But whom saye ye that I am Simō Peter answered saying Thou art Christ y e sonne of the liuing god Iesus aunswered said vnto him Blessed art thou Simon the sonne of Ionas for fleshe and bloud hath not reueled this vnto the but my father whiche is in heauen Paule the Apostle also telleth y t this faith is geuen by measure at y e pleasure of him y t geueth it on thys wise I sai vnto you al through the grace y t is geuen to me y t no man esteme of himself more thē becommeth hym to esteme but that he discretely iugde of himselfe as god hath dealt to euery man the measure of fayth Also the same Paule declaryng y t the vnitie and agreemente of the right faith and the consenting to the honour of god doth procede and come of god saith The god of pacience and consolation graunte you to be like minded one towardes another of you after thensample of Iesus Chryste that ye agreynge together maye with one mouth prayse GOD the father
sayde vnto them because that vnto you it is geuen to knowe the misteries of the kyngedome of heauen but to thē it is not geuen Iohn the Euangelist doth also shewe that no man hath any goodnesse except he receiue it from aboue saying A man can receiue nothing except it be geuen hym from heauen The veritie hym selfe also teacheth in the same Gospel that no mā commeth to the sonne vnlesse he be drawen of the father For god maketh him that shal come both to vnderstande and to be obedient No man saith he cā come to me excepte the father which sent me do drawe hym and I wyll reyse hym vp in the laste daye For it is wrytten in the Prophetes And they shalbe all apt to be taught of GOD. Euery one that hath heard and learned of the father commeth vnto me And afterwarde For this cause sayde I vnto you that no manne can come vnto me excepte it be geuen hym of my father The aucthoritie of the holye Scriptures doth confirme that to go forwarde and to continue vnto the ende in faith and good workes commeth of the gyfte and helpe of GOD. For the Apostle Paule wrytynge to the Philippians saith I surely beleue this that he y t hath begon a good worke in you wyll also accomplysshe and perfourme the same in you euen vnto the daye of Ihesus Christe A certayne man wyllyng to conuerte the vertue of this texte to his owne wronge vnderstandyng woulde haue it to be vnderstande as yf it hadde ben sayde whiche hath begon of you that both the beginning and ending of the worke should be referred vnto man and not vnto God which wylled both to begin and to ende But the most excellent preacher of grace hath confuted this most madde pryde in the same Epistle saying Feare not ye your aduersaries for any thyng for that same that is to them the cause of dampnation is to you the cause of saluacion and that of God For vnto you it is geuen for Christes sake that ye should not only beleue in him but also that ye should suffer for him And agayne worke out your saluacion with feare and tremblyng saith he For it is God that worketh in you the wyll the perfourmaūce and that of his good wyll Also in the first Epistle to the Thessalonians he teacheth that the begynnyng the goyng forwarde and the finishyng of vertues do come of God saying God hym selfe our father our Lorde Iesus directe our iourney towardes you and the Lorde multiplie you and make your loue aboūdant one towardes another towardes all men lyke as we do abounde in loue towardes you to confirme your heartes without faulte in holynesse of lyfe before God our father at the cōming of our Lorde Iesus Christe with all his Saintes Also wrytyng to the Corinthians and cōmending the fruitefull perseueraūce of all vertues to be the gyft of God he saith I thanke my God alwaye for you for the grace of God that is geuen you in Iesus Chryst for ye are made ryche in all thynges in hym in all doctrine and wisdome lyke as the testimonie of Iesus Christe is confirmed in you so that ye are not behynde in any gifte waytynge for the appeeryng of our Lorde Iesus Christe the which shall also strengthen you vnto the ende without faulte vnto the daye of the comming of our Lorde Iesus Chryste Also vnto the Romaines he speaketh of the loue of Christ whereby he maketh them whō he loueth inseperable that is to say he maketh them to perseuer and continue vnto the ende For what other thynge is it to perseuer then not to be ouercome with temptacion Who saith he shall seperate vs from the loue of Chryste shall tribulation or persecution or anguysshe or hunger or nakednesse or peryll or swearde As it is wrytten For thy sake we are kylled all the day longe and are counted as shepe appointed to be slaine But in all these thynges we ouercome and haue the victorye through hym that hath loued vs. Also to the Corinthians speakynge of the victorye that Christ worketh he saith The stynge of death is sinne The strength of sinne is the lawe but thanked be GOD whiche hath geuen vs the victorye thorowe Iesus Christe our Lorde Also to the Thessalonians of the perseueraunce or continuaunce which God geueth he saith And the GOD of peace sanctifie you through out that your whole sprite soule and body maye be kepte fautlesse vnto the comming of our Lorde Iesus Christ Faithfull is he that hath called you which also wil do it Also vnto the same Thessalonians that all our goodnesse eyther in workyng or in speaking and also the continuaunce in the same are the giftes of God he sheweth vs on this wyse saying Our Lorde Iesus Christe hym selfe and God our father whiche hath loued vs and geuen vs euerlastynge consolatiō and good hope thorowe grace comfort your heartes and stablyshe you in al doctrine and good doing Furthermore my brethren pray for vs that the word of god may haue free passage and be glorified as it is with you that we maye be delyuered from vnreasonable and euyll men For all men haue not faith but the Lorde is faithfull which shall stablish you and kepe you from euyll Let vs also heare the Apostle Peter frō whence he teacheth the vertue of perseueraunce to come The GOD of all grace saith he whiche hath called vs vnto his eternall glorye by Christe Iesus shall his owne selfe after ye haue suffred a litle affliction make you perfect cōfirme strength stablysh you to whom be power and dominion for euermore Iohn the Apostle also telleth on this wyse that the victorie of the Sainctes is the worke of God which dwelleth in the Saints Ye are of God lyttle babes and ye haue ouercome the worlde for he that is in you is greater then he that is in the worlde Also the same saith All that is borne of God ouercommeth the worlde and this is the victorie that ouercommeth the worlde euen our fayth It is declared also in the Gospell of Luke that it is Goddes gyfte that menne perseuer in fayth And Iesus sayde vnto Peter Simon Simon behold Sathan hath desyred to syfte you lyke meale but I haue prayed for thee Peter that thy faith should not fayle And after thou art conuerted strength thy brethren And pray that ye fall not into temptacion We reade also in the Gospell of Iohn that the veritie speaketh these woordes of the sheepe of Christ which no man can take out of his hand But ye beleue not because ye are not of my shepe My shepe heare my voyce and I know them and they folow me and I geue vnto them eternall lyfe they shall neuer peryshe neyther shall any man plucke them out of my hande Also in the same Gospell are these thynges sayde by the mouth of the
beleuers whyle thei which are to become Christians are agaynst the Christian faith For many shall loue that they haue hated and shall preache that that they do not nowe alowe And among these thynges who shall make it knowē vnto these murmuters or curious searchers whye the Sunne of ryghteousnes shyneth not yet to some Nacions and why also the veritie which is to bee reuealed hereafter withholdeth at this tyme her bright beames from the hartes that are so ful of darknes why thei which are to be refourmed afterwardes are suffred so long to go astray and why that that is geuen to olde men in the end of theyr lyfe is not geuen them by so long a time before Whye the chyldren beleue nowe in Christ and the parentes do not yet beleue And agayne why an euyll childe differeth vtterly from his godlye and religious parentes And yet notwithstanding prayers are dayly made to god which is both the geuer of the begynnyng of faith also of then crease therof according to his cōmaundement so that both yf he mercifully do heare the grace of his mercy maye be knowen and also yf he do not fauourably heare the trueth of his iudgement maye be vnderstanden And also in times past euen the same grace whiche after the resurrectiō of our Lorde Iesus Christ was spred abrode euery where and of the which it is wrytten Thy illuminacions hath shone abrode to all the worlde was not lacking in the worlde For though it can not be denyed but that the people of Israell were elected by a speciall regarde and mercye of God and all other Nacions were suffred to walke in theyr owne wayes that is to saye were suffred to liue after theyr owne wyll yet notwithstanding the euerlastyng goodnesse of the Creatoure dydde not so tourne away it selfe from those menne that he dyd not admonysshe them by some significasignifications both to knowe hym and also to feare hym For heauen and earth the sea and euery creature which may be seene knowen was chiefly ordeyned for this profyte and vtilitie of mankynde to the entent that the reasonable nature through the beholdyng of so manye kyndes of thynges throughe the experience of so many good thynges throughe the receipte of so many gyftes might be instructed to the worship and loue of his maker the spirite of God replenyshyng all thynges in whom we lyue moue and haue our beynge And though that health be farr from sinners yet is there nothing voyde of the presence and power of his saluacion Therfore as the Prophete saith The earth is full of the mercy of the Lorde that neuer fayled anye tyme or any generacion And he dyd euer bestowe that same prouidence by the whiche he doth geue and preserue al thinges to the gouernaunce succouryng of nature hauyng ordinarilie prepared and appointed by the immutabilitie of his eternall councell vnto whom and what he hym selfe woulde distribute in theyr seasons and also the vnsercheable and inuestigable measures of his manyfolde grace wherby he wold diuersly geue distribute his giftes and diuine misteries For like as the liberalitie and large nesse of this grace which last of all had her influence vppon all Nacions doeth not euacuate that which fell vpon one Israell vnder the lawe nor the rychesse presente do not abolysshe the faith of the former penurye and scarsenesse Euen so lykewyse we muste not imagine of that care and regarde of God whiche properly gouerned the chyldren of the Patriarches that the mercifull gouernaunces of God were withdrawen from the residue of men who surely in comparison of the electe seeme to be but abiectes but they neuer were repelled from both manifest and secrete benefites For we reade in the Actes of the Apostles that Paule and Barnabas the Apostles sayde to the Lycaonians Ye men why do ye these thynges We also are mortall men lyke vnto you preachyng vnto you that ye shulde be conuerted frō these vaine things vnto the liuing god who made both heauen earth the sea al things in thē conteined who in times past suffred al nacions to wander theyr owne wayes And yet lefte he not hym selfe without witnes in that he sēt vs his benefites in geuyng vs rayne frō heauen fruitfull seasons fylling our hartes with foode and gladnesse And what witnes is this which euer serued y e Lord neuer kept silēce of his goodnes power but that same vnspekable bewtie of the whole world the rych orderly liberalitie of his vnspekable benefites by y e which certein tables of y e eternall law were written in the heartes of men that the cōmon and publike doctrine of gods institucion myght be read in the bookes of the elementes The heauens therefore and all the heauenlye bodyes the sea the lande and all that euer is in them dyd preache the glorye of GOD with the consonant hermony of theyr kinde and ordinacion and by that perpetuall preachyng they vttered the maiestie of theyr maker And yet notwithstandyng the greatest nombre of men which were suffred to walke the wayes of theyr owne wyll dyd neyther vnderstande nor folowe that lawe And the sauoure of lyfe whiche smelled vnto lyfe became vnto them the sauour of death vnto death so that also euen in those visible testimonies it myght be learned that the letter kylleth but the spirite geueth lyfe The .ii. Chapter THat thyng therfore whiche was done in Israell throughe the ordinaunce of the law and the doctrine of the Prophetes that same the testimonies of all creatures the marueylous workes of God dyd continuallye among all nacions But forasmuche as among that people Nacion to whom bothe those kyndes of erudicion was geuē no manne was iustified but by grace throughe the spirite of fayth who doubteth but that they which were able to please God of what Nacion so euer they were or in what tyme soeuer they were were discouered by the spirite of gods grace The which grace though afore tyme it was both more scarse and more priuie and secrete yet did it neuer denie it selfe at any tyme in one power in dyuers quantitie in immutable counsell in manyfolde operation For euen in these dayes wherein the ryuers of vnspeakable giftes do water y e whole world one maner is not geuen to all men nor yet one measure For thoughe all one and the same veritie be preached to all men by the ministers of the woorde and of the grace of God and al one and the same exhortacion geuen yet is it the husbandry of God and the buyldynge of God whose vertue woorketh inuisiblye that that whiche is buylt may go forwarde and that that which is tylled maye growe and encrease as the Apostle Paul witnesseth saying What is Apollo and what is Paule his ministers are they whom ye haue beleued euen as the Lord hath geuen to euerye man I haue planted Apollo hath watered but GOD gaue the encrease So then neither is he that
planteth any thing neither he that watreth but God that geueth the encrease He that planteth and he that watreth are one neither of them better then other yet shall euery man receiue his rewarde according to his labour We are gods labourers ye are gods husbandry ye are goddes buyldynge Therefore euerye man is so farre forth an helper a workeman and a minister of this husbandry and buyldyng as the Lord shal geue vnto euery man And those whiche are tylled through the laboure of the ministers do encrease vnto that measure whereunto the aucthour of the encrease shall aduaunce them For in the field of the Lorde there is not al like and one maner of plantynge And though the buyldyng of al an whole temple do agree into one beautie yet haue not al the stones therof one place nor one vse Lyke wyse also in a bodye euery membre hath not one office as the Apostle saith But nowe hath God disposed and ordered the membres and euery one of them at this owne pleasure And wherof these sayde membres become apte wence they become profitable and whence they become so beautiful the same doctour declareth saying Therefore I do you to vnderstande that no man speakinge in the spirite of God defieth Iesus and no man canne call Iesus the Lord but by the holy ghost And there be diuersities of graces and yet but one spirite and there are differences of administrations and yet but one Lorde and there be diuers maner of operations and yet but one God which worketh al in all The gyft of the spirite is geuen to eueri man to edifie with al For to one is geuen through the spirite the vtteraunce of wisdome To another is geuen the vtteraunce of knowledge by the same spirite to another is geuen fayth by the same spirite to another power to do miracles To another prophecie To another iudgement or trial of spirites To another diuers tongues To another the interpretacion of languages And al these thinges worketh one and the same spirit deuiding them to euery man euen as he wyll Seynge that the teacher of the Gentyles hath shewed these thynges with so great a lyght and suche a playnesse by what reason or for what cause should we doubte of it Doth not the budde and beginning of al vertue springe to vs from GOD Also who except he be to mad wil complayne of the difference of Gods giftes Or thinke that it is to be ascrybed vnto vnlyke merites that it is not equallye geuen of the heauenly liberalitie For yf thys distribution shoulde come from hym according to the merites of any workes that went before the Apostle woulde neuer haue knitte vp the cataloge and rehearsall of those giftes with such a conclusion as to say Al these thinges worketh one and the same spirite deuidinge vnto euerye man as he wil where no doubt yf he woulde haue the causes to be vnderstande of merites he would haue said deuiding vnto euery one as they deserue Like as he promised a rewarde of deuotion to the planters waterers saying Euery mā shall receiue hys owne rewarde according to his worke therfore it is geuen to eueri mā w tout merite wherby he mai come to merite And it is geuen afore anye labour whereby euery man may receyue rewarde accordynge to his laboure The which thinge to be euen so is also knowen bi the testimonye of the euangelicall trueth whereas by a certayne comparison it is sayde that a certayne man goinge into a farre countrey called hys seruauntes and deliuered vnto them his substaunce and vnto one he gaue fiue Talentes and to another two and to another one to euery man according to hys abilitie that is to say according to theyr proper and naturall possibilitie and not according to theyr proper merite For it is one thynge to be able to worke and another thynge to worke and it is one thing to bee able to haue charitie and another thing to haue charitie and it is one thynge to be capacious of Charitie of iustice of wisedome But it is another thing to be chast iust and wise Wherfore euery thinge that is repayrable is not repayred nor euery thinge that is curable made hole For it commeth of nature to be repayrable and curable but to be repayred and cured is of grace And to conclude those to whō an vnlyke number of Talentes was geuen vnto accordynge to the measure of the capacitie that the distributour of the substaūce foresaw in them they did not receiue the reward of merite but the matter or substaunce of the woorke in the whiche the vigilant diligence of the two seruauntes is not only honorable rewarded with gloryous prayses but also is commaunded to enter into the euerlastyng ioy of theyr Lorde But the dul ydelnes and slouth full wickednes of the thyrde is no suche wyse punyshed that both is he dyshonored with an opprobrious checke and also is dispatched of the porcion or talent that he hadde receyued for worthye was he to lose his vnprofitable fayth that had not exercised charitie Wherfore in the wordes folowing wherin moste euidently is declared the maner of the iudgement to come when the sonne of man shall sytte in the seate of hys maiestie all nations beinge fyrst gathered together some are led to the ryghte hande and other some shall bee set on the lefte hande When he hath praysed those on his right hand for the workes of charite nothing is els obiected to them on the left hande but the neglectinge of mercy and louynge kindnes These therefore hadde also receyued fayth but they had not folowed loue Neyther shall they bee dampned because they haue not kept the gift but because they haue not encreased it For although that all good giftes are of god yet some of them are geuen of God vnasked to the intente y t by those whiche are receiued those may be sought which are not yet geuen The sede y t is sowen in the ground is not sowen to y t intēt it should remaine only y e same but y t in bringing forth fruit it shuld become manifold great nomber the prosperitie wherof commeth from hym that geueth the encrease But nowe a ground beyng lyuely and fruitfull through the raine of grace hath that that is looked for of it accordyng to that that it receiued to be increased ¶ The .iii. Chapiter THese thynges as I suppose and as far as the Lorde hath geuē me knowlege beyng rightly handled let vs retourne vnto that from whence oure disputacion made digression that is to say to the consideration of the differences wherby the workes and gyftes of gods grace are variated and made diuerse The high nesse of the rychesse of Goddes knowledge and wisdom whose iudgementes are vnsearchable and his wayes paste fyndynge out hath alwayes in such wise moderated his merci and iudgement that in the moste secrete wyll of hys eternall counsayle he wold not that the measures of his giftes should be
of god is not fulfilled or els that it is fulfilled of any other then of hym that made that promise Truely that man shall be a lyer but god shall be true And euery one that receyueth his testimony sealeth this thinge sheweth thys thynge That he is made to see by that light which geueth lyght he is made obedient he is made to vnderstande as the Euangelist Iohn wytnesseth sayinge We knowe that al the worlde is set on wickednes and we knowe that the sonne of God is come and hath geuen vs an vnderstanding that we myght know the true God and shoulde be in hys true sonne VVhy he that is the Sauioure of al men hath not geuen to all men this vnderstanding that they might know the true god Also why some yonge Chyldren beynge regenerate are saued and other some not beynge regenerate do perishe and are lost ¶ The seuenth Chapiter BVt yf they aske why the Sauioure of all men gaue not thys vnderstanding to all men that thei might knowe the true God and that they might bee that is to say myght abyde and continue in his sonne although we beleue that the helpe of grace was not wholly taken awaye from any man Of the whiche thinge we wyll dispute more largely hereafter Although peraduenture this thinge be vnknowen also lyke as the other lyeth hydde why in tymes past all the gentiles beinge sette a syde and let passe he toke vnto hymself one people whom he would instruct in the waye of trueth Of the whiche iudgement of GOD yf we may not complayne muche lesse then maye we murmure of this that is done in the election of al nations for the things that God would haue to bee secrete and vnknowen maye not be searched for but those thynges which he hath made manifest are not to be denyed lest we be founde vnlawefully curious in the one and dampnably vnthankeful in the other Truely we are not ignoraunte that there bee some of so vndiscrete and vnaduysed presumption and of so proude an arrogancie that the thing which the noble teacher of the gentiles beynge taught not of men nor bi men but by god confessed to be laide vp farre and excedynge hygh aboue the measure of his know ledge thei dare rashely discusse in a doctryne falsely so called and wyll there haue nothynge hyd or secrete nothynge to bee vnknowen where the Apostle hath not opened what oughte to be vnderstande and knowen but what ought not to be searched for For as I haue sayde afore it is geuen to no studyes to no wittes to try out bi what iudgement or what counsayle god which is immutably good immutably iust alway forknowinge alwaye almightie hath therefore shutte vp all thynges in vnbeleife that he myghte haue mercy on all And yet in the time wherein he instructed Israell onely he deferred to illumine innumerable nations of vngodlye people and nowe suffreth the same Israell to be blynded tyll all nations and the fulnesse of the gentyles bee come in that peryshe by so many thousandes of those that are borne and dye againe and yet shall the sayde Israell be saued in them whom the ende of the worlde shall finde here The whiche misterie beinge opened and set abrode in all the whole body of the scriptures he hath shewed vs what he hath done what he doth or maye doe and what is yet to bee done But why it was his pleasure that it should so be done that is taken away frō mans vnderstanding But these men that are asshamed to bee ignoraunt of anye thinge and by occasion of the darknes of y e matter lay snares of disceyte do referre to the merites of mans will all the difference wherebi god choseth some and choseth not other some for many are called and fewe are chosen so teaching that no mā is saued freely but of retribution because it is naturalli graffed in all men that if they will they may bee partakers of y e veritie and that they haue grace inough that doe aske it The whiche diffinicion although it speake not of y e veritie of grace yet semeth it to shewe some reason of those men that haue free wil. But as touching infantes in whom y e cause is commen al one with other mortal mē in the original wound are with out anye merite or deserte of a good will There can no exposicion be made whereby it may bee taught why some of them are saued beinge borne againe and why other some do perishe not beynge borne agayne and that vnder hys prouidence and omnipotencie in whose hande is the soule and lyfe of euery liuinge thinge and the spirite of all the fleshe of man and vnto whom it is sayde The dayes of man are short thou haste nombred hys tyme. But I suppose these defenders of free will wil not vse the symplenesse of men so shamelesly that they will eyther say that these thynges do happen by chaunce or els wyll saye that they whiche are not borne agayne doe not peryshe for then should they bee manyfestly conuinsed either to agree with the Paganes in destenye or elles with the Pelagians to denye that sinne is transfused and powred forth vpon the posteritie of Adam And the Pelagians coulde not saye that infantes were vnbaptised by destenye but because the said Pelagians durst professe that such infantes were free from synne they deserued to bee condempned But forasmuch as the question of the seperation of al mē is already dysputed and tryed and forasmuch as infantes can not be seperated from the nomber of al men also forasmuch as the veritie spake of euerye age when he sayd the sonne of man is come to seke and to saue that which was lost In vayne go such men about to open the depenesse of the vnsearcheable grace by free wyll whiche appoint the cause of election in the merites of them that are elected And when they haue brought foorth manye thynges both foolyshe and false of the will and iudgment of the elder persons yet in the difference of infantes they can say nothing nor once bragge that thei haue yelded or rendred any reason of that question that is had in disputacion concernynge all men and yet is not perfourmed on all men But the multiformitte or diuersitie and also the great nesse of gods grace proueth that suche men doe affyrme agaynst the veritie that that thei speake of the elder persons willes and also that the testimonies of the holy scriptures are repugnant to theyr perswasion All the whiche thinges yf we shoulde speake of in thys present there shoulde be no ende of the disputacion The which thinges not withstandinge yf they come to memory they may not be omitted that it maye be declared as muche as is sufficient that all the good merites of men from the beginninge of fayth vnto the ende of perseueraunce are the gyft and working of god Of vvhat fountaine fayth springeth and whence the spirite of fayth is had