shall preserue vs. For to kepe them without his spirit is no keping of them ▪ but playne hypochrisie and dissimulation The Lorde hath set before vs both fyre and water lyfe and death good and euyll that is asmuche to saye as he hath set before vs the kepynge of his diuine wyll and pleasure and also the transgression offendynge of the same wyll He hath set before vs eternall health and euerlastynge perdicion To whether of these we wil le◠vs reache furthe our handes Yf so be that we do chuse to apprehend the transgression of the lawe being bounde in the wynges of the spirite of fornicatiō falsheade we shall haue death and perdition of our soules withoute remedye If we do applie oure selues to the wyll and commaundementes of the Lorde by the cōfort drawyng of the holye spirite of God health lyfe euerlasting shal folow By the spirite of the Lorde we do apprehende seke after the lyfe prepared for the faithfull By the spirit of our flesh and of falshed we loke after no goodnes but al wickednes traūsgression of the cōmaundemētes If we haue the spirite of the Lorde wee shall not faile of lyfe most happi and blessed If we be led by the spirite of fornication of the fleshe what remayneth but death vtter destruction There is no man which can mislike this exposition except it be those whyche are led wyth a peruerse spirite which holde opinion that the wyll of man of it selfe can wyl that thyng whych is good and also of his owne power kepe the cōmaūdemētes Hereby you mai perceiue that nether this text of the scripture nor any such like doth make any thyng at al for this forged fained libertie of oure fre wil. Obiection Against this do they argue reason saying If man had no knowledge nor iudgmēt of him self to know good and euyl to iudge also what is the wyll of the Lorde It oughte not to be imputed to hys faulte if he did chuse and take that way whyche is euil Obiection An other reason If so be mans wil be not fre at libertie wherefore should he be blamed for sin for as muche as sin is to him no sin if it be done by coaction not voluntarie of hys owne wyl Solution of the fyrste ob ∣ iection To the fyrste reason we saye that if their obiection be true thē must it folowe of necessitie that all the reprobate persons are punished wrongfully whych dyd neuer know perfectlye the wyl of the Lorde for as much as they are blynde for the whyche cause the Lorde prayinge his father for them whyche dyd crucifie hym sayed Forgeue thē father for thei do not know what they do And trulye they dyd not know For euery euil persō is ignoraūt blind And therfore it was spokē of them whiche did murmure speake againste the lawe of God in Deuteron .xxxii. I woulde to God they were wise had vnderstandyng Deut. xxxii as though he would haue said they haue nether wit nor knowledge Wher fore to our owne destructiō are we so busye serchers of the heauēlye maiesties hidden secrets syth that we know that he is in al thinges iust true our selues wretched blind ful of lies He doth iustly reiect cast from him the reprobate blind whō he hath suffered to be blind and indurate that in no wise they can cōfirme thē selues be agreable to the cōmaundemēt wyl of the Lorde The profounde and hyghe depenes of hys iudgement what manne can vnderstande I wyll holde my lyppes therefore togyther kepe scilence worshyppynge the inscrutable iudgementes and decrees of the Lorde Solution of the second obiection To theyr second reason I saye that sinne is voluntarie in the wicked whyche syn cometh not of a free wyll but frome that will whyche is bounde and captiue by the spirite of fornication whych is the sence and vnderstandynge of the fleshe For the wyll of the fleshlye that is to saye of theym whyche do lacke the spirite of the Lord is nothyng lesse then free and at libertie bycause it is not vnder the lawe of God nor neuer canne be as to the Rom. viii Chapter Rom. viii It doth not folow therefore after theyr reason that sinne should not be imputed to the reprobate and wicked which syn is imputed to thē that most iustly To the faithful to thē which do beleue Rom. iiii Psalm xxxi The author doth lamente the fall of certayne men which are gon from syn that is to say cōcupiscēse is not imputed for theyr faith sake as Paule teacheth to the Romains the .iiii. Chap. and the Psal in the .xxxi. Psal beareth also wytnes But Alas there be certaine howe they haue bene deceued the Lord knoweth which sometime as al the worlde almost can testifye abhorrynge and detesting the fowle and stinkynge synagoge of Antichriste wyth all the abhominable rites and craftes and lyes therof wyth all theyr vaine curiouse phātasticall maner of speakynge are nowe turned to theyr madnes forsakeynge the veritie of the Lorde Christe to Antichrist in preachynge and teachinge of men those thynges whyche by the power of the worde of God hath hytherto bene reiected and forsaken bicause they myght therby stablishe and confirme theyr opinion which is that the wil of man is fre and at libertie The which men peraduenture in theyr selues shal fynde true by experience Yea they do fynde it alreadye what a pore and small libertie that is whych is in the wyll of man or rather howe certayne a bondage and seruitude it is for as much as by no studye no crafte no knoweledge they are able to vanquish or to ouercome theyr own propre affectiōs Yt had bene better for thē more profitable for al men yf they had not so vndiscret lie and vnwysely as they did confirme their blynd libertie brought and leyd forth before men the folyshe phantasies dreames particions and distinctions of Duns It can not be spoken how much hurt these brablyng questionaries do of Thomas of Aquine of Capireold wyth suche other brabling and scoldyng sophisters in whom a man can fynd no substance nor pyth of substanciall matter but a fewe folyshe and idle termes and wordes as these be which do folowe It semeth to be so it maie be so it may be saied c. Which wordes to the godly and faithful sorte are nothing els but the strong deadlye and deceauable poyson of the deuil spokē and writtē without good foundation It a uidetur fieri potest dici potest without substance strength of godlie confirmatiō which do knowe that to cleaue and stycke only to the eternall word and testimonie of the veritie of God is the only shote anchor of oure healthe ⧠The secōd text of the scripture wrōgfully taken and alleged THey do alledge forthe of the fyrste boke of Moyses called the Genesis in the iiii Cha. these wordes
aboundaunt and plentifull fulnes of ryches in al goodnes to whom only euery good gyft and euery perfect gifte from heauen aboue from the father of lyght is to be attributed ascribed as witnesseth Ia .i. Thou must be also in this case lyke a man which through long sicknes is so feble and weeke and brought so low that he is not able to stand without a staffe fearynge to set his foote to the ground least he shoulde fall doune not able to ryse agayne of hymselfe without the helpe of another This mā getteth to him a staffe to stande vp or to go by or els he leueth on another mās arme which is stronger than he and so goth furth by lytle and lytel euer fearing to fal So doyng thou shalt not fal nay though thou dost stōble or trippest a litle with thi fote that is the carnalconcupiscēce of the flesh yet shalt thou not fal to the ground the spirite of the Lord is so strong that he wyll holde the vp But if thy staffe be weake or rotten or that man whom thou dost trust be not altogether thy frynd thou canst not chose but fall and that miserably to thine vtter confusion with out another takyng compassion and pitie on the of his goodnes wyll come and take the vp Lykewise is thy doyng whē thou dost trust and put thy confidence in thyne owne merites in thyne owne workes in thyne owne strength in thyne owne wit and power thē is thy fall moost greatest when the truste of thyne owne power semeth moost strongest and when thou art most inflamed wyth the loue of thy selfe that is of thyne owne deades and workes which are altogether flesh if they be not wroughte by the spirite of the Lord the which spirite of the Lorde being in the the Lord doeth make althy wayes godly straight be fore his eyes so that thi sinne is not imputed to the nor thou art not fleshly yea though the fleshe hath some pryckyng in the. For to the iust man the lawe is not made as witnesseth Paul that man I saye whose iustice is Christes iustice which alredy in his hert hath done al that thing which the law requireth not of hymself but by the power of the spirit of the Lord which worketh his wil in hym What hast thou saith Paull that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued wherfore art thou proud of it as thoughe thou hast not receiued it but as it were thyne owne of thy self For asmuch then as al godlines is receiued we must cōsider cōfesse that ther is a geuer in whose hande and power it dothe rest whether he wil geue it yea or nay so that we must say not vnto vs Lord not to vs. but to thi name be glory prayse What worke dyd Paull worke to optayne the fauoure of the Lorde When he was most strongest in persecutiō and sheddyng of the christian bloud sodenly he was taken from hym selfe that is to say the Lord alterid him of his owne goodnes and mere mercy his cruel affectiōs and in the steade of the spirite of persecution he put in hym the spirite of mekenes the spirit of loue of preaching his glory of preaching Iesu Christ crucified and in the steade of a persecutour of Christ he became a sufferer for Christ When Peter was most stronge to fyght wyth dente of sworde as appered by his bolde and manly deades and great crakes how sodenly became he in the stead of a defēder a denier And wher as he wold dye with Christ he would not so much as once knowe hym nay he denied him vtterly Who did subdue the naughtie spirite of Paul when he was in his most rage fury agaynst the preachers of Christes glory Was it ani other thā the power of the lord vnder whose fete all thynges are made subiect yea from the reasonable to the vnreasonable as oxen and sheepe At the whiche tyme of persecution Paull was in durate because he had not in hym the spirite of the Lord and therefore he coulde not chose but with al extremitie persecute the lord as far as the fleshe woulde geue hym leaue The flesh alway as Paul wytnesseth resystyng and strinyng agaynst the spirit The cause then why that Paull had not the spirite of the Lord was only the pleasure of the Lord whiche taketh mercye on whom it pleaseth him selfe Paul myndyng nothing lesse thā to be called it pleased the Lorde to cal hym frō dishonour to honor to the setting furth of his glory Paull for this tyme of persecution was indurate none otherwyse than was Pharao in the persecution of the children of Israel If it had pleased the Lord to haue taken Paull as he dyd take Pharao the one shulde haue perished as well as the other Yf the Lord had lefte Peter in his deniall and styll to hym selfe if he had not loked on hym wyth the eye of fauoure it had ben euyll with hym as it was with Pharao But to declare that all men are lyars and God only true as the prophet saith The Lord toke the spirit of stedfastnes and knowledgyng of God from hym leauyng hym to hymselfe to fraylenes to the verye counsel and motion of the flesh which flesh had rather lyue a whyle and dye for euer than to suffre a smal temporal death and al way after to lyue Therfore if any manne do fall let not hym dispayre for the Lorde is merciful It is not the fall whiche declareth induration it is the contempte of the Lord when thou dost delyght in thy synne not fearyng the Lordes iudgement that is a fearful token of induration What canst thou tel whether the Lorde wyl take the in this tyme of thy wyckednes and vnfaythfulnes yea or nay as he dyd Pharao in the mydest of hys madnes If he so doo what shall become of the Thou caust not denye but that he may if it please hym so to doo Thou hast a good cause therfore alway to fear and mystrust thy wayes for thou arte altogether of thy selfe fleshe thou canst do nothyng of thy selfe but synne And lykewyse as the trust of the mercy of God promysed for Christes sake whiche foloweth streyghtway the hatred of vyce and synne with ful intent and purpose to liue after the wyll of the father is a certayn token of election and of the fauour of God wherin so long as thou doste remayne and continue thou art sure that thou art of the ryght fort Euen so the loue to lyue vngodly to wallow in all kynde of vyce and to lye styll in impuritie of lyfe declareth to the that for that same season thou art nothing ells than the chyld of wrath curssed of God indurat as was Pharao This is a good cause to make the to be alway in feare to make the suspect thyne owne selfe and begyn to hate synne the deuyl and the fleshe with al concupiscence then the spirit of God beginneth to worke his worke in the to crucifie thi spiritual
vnderstand not aryght beynge not able to attaine to thē wherein manye thynges do lie hyd passinge all mens vnderstandynge and power to aryse vp to the knowledge therof It is good therfore in thys casse to staye and search no further But rather with all humilitie to reuerence those thynges whyche the Lorde kepeth for his owne knoweledge An other obiection of oure aduersaries is thys If they wyll saye they that the similitude of the potter whyche Paull speakethe of muste be vnderstande and taken simplye and playnlye as it lyeth whye shoulde we not saie they vnderstand that place of Paule as it lyeth in the letter saying If a manne do pourge hym c. Wherto I saye that we do take it none otherewyse then as it doeth lye so that they do take it and vnderstande it after that maner as all such places of the scriptures are vsed to be taken For thys poynte you muste marke well that to kepe the commaundementes which we are commaunded to kepe it is vnpossible for manne wythoute he haue the spirite of the Lorde the whyche no sophisticall cauillation can denye By the commaundemēts we do know what is sinne our owne weakenes Naye they graunte theyr selues that it is vnpossible that anye man can kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde after the mynde intente and wyl of the Lorde whyche doth cōmaund them wythout his spirite It foloweth that what so euer the Lorde cōmaundeth vs to do is to vs vnpossible Yet the Lorde willeth vs to kepe and obserue hys cōmaundemētes Wherby both we haue the knowledge of synne The lawe is spirituall and therfore it must be spiritually obserued or els you worcke in hypocricie we knowe also how weake feble and of no strength we be of our selues For the lawe is spirituall whych can not be kepte wythout the spirite of God And therfore he hathe geuen hys spirite to the electes to kepe hys wyll whyche they were not able els for to do Iames hathe suche an other sayinge as they do rehearse forth of Paules sayinge Clense your hertes you wauering of mynde The whyche thynge they cā not do without the hertes be purified and made cleane by fayth in Iesu Christ Thus ought these wordes purifie your hertes to be takē and vnderstanded that is Beleue you in Christe that by hys spirite you maye be purified But no man can beleue but he which is drawen of the father as witnesseth Iohn the syxte Chapter Whiche we muste nedes graunte Let vs desyre and praye that God wyll kepe in vs his cōmaundemētes whiche of our selues We can not call on the lord wythout the spirit of the lorde in our selfe we are not able to do Let vs aske cal and crye after that with greate diligence and fayeth and it shall be graunted to vs. But se how captyue bond our wyll is that for to desyre and aske anye thing of the lord we ar not able of ourselues They wil answer to me againe saying that the sayinges which are spokē of the saintes godlye faithful people Man worketh good or euell as the spirite drawethe are fales not true that is Thei haue purged made clene ther hertes they haue sanctified thē selfes They loued the Lorde they prayed wel they dyd good workes and so fourth suche other lyke sayenges The whyche wordes are not false but true so that you do presuppose these thinges to be done by them thorowe the spirite of god fayth so that we must confesse all thinges well done to be the dedes of the spirite of god of whom they be wrought Ther is none of vs whyche denye the that man worketh but we do denye that he workethe at his owne frewyl For either he workethe that whiche is euell being drawen bye the spirite of fornication or els he doth worke that thinge which is good by the spirit of the lord allmightie A similitud by a knyfe Marke this similitude which folowethe whiche makethe not small for this purpose A man takethe a knyfe and cutteth bread wyth it The knyfe also doth cutte but not wyth out the hand of hym which holdeth the knyfe This knyfe cutteth well or yll not of hym selfe but by the cutter For the knife is not fre of him selfe either to cut or not to cut Yet for all that whē a man doeth cut any thynge wyth a knyfe he sayth this knyfe cutteth well or yl althoughe of hym selfe he doeth cut nothynge at all but by the power and force of the cuttar So wee can do nothyng of our selfe that is good and ryghe except the spirite of god worketh it in vs we do no euyll excepte we be bound with the spirite of fornication and of thē fleshe To the which spirite the lorde by his most rightwyse iustyce dothe leaue vs by his iudgment I saye whych we knowe not And so he suffereth vs to be hardened In this place muste the fayeth full be taught to take heade and be ware of that pestilent opinion which sayethe that euery man is made the vessel of honour or reproche by our own merytes goynge before What thynge is or euer was before the eternal decre and ordinaunce of the lorde If thou wylt saye that god hath decreed and ordeined these thynges whyche is euerlastynge bycause of those thynges whych he knew bye his forsyght and knowledge that euery man woulde do in tymes we answer seynge that-no thyng whych is done in tyme and is temporall can be the cause of a thynge whiche is eternal before all tyme. We shold do greate wronge and iniury to the lorde to saye that he was cōpelled to ordayne and decre any thing in hys euerlastyng beynge The electes for those thynges sake whyche are done wythe in the lymyt of tyme By the onely worthynes and grace of God the elect are predestinated to be in tyme vessels to glory and honoure The reprobates by whose moste iust iudgemēt to vs vnknowen the reprobates are made in tyme the vessels of ignominie to dishonour shame The Lorde is marueylouse in al hys iudgmētes ⧠The .x. profe THe captiuitie and bondage of oure wyl is proued by Esay the .x. chap. Shall the ax boste it selfe agaynste hym whiche doeth hewe wyth it Esai x. Example by an ax and by a sawe or shall the saw make any braggynge againste hym that ruleth it That were euen lyke as if the rodde whyche a man doth beare wold exalte hym felfe and rise vp against the bearer An euel kyng is called an axe a rode a sawe or as though the stafe would magnifye it selfe whyche is made but of wod and tre Behold the Lorde doeth call a wycked king an axe a saw a staffe a rodde whych thyng men do vse to occupie to one thynge or an other to declare that the Lorde doeth make al men to be hys instrumentes Man kynde is the lorde his instrumēt by the whyche he doth fulfil accōplyshe hys
made the sonnes of god For as sone as a manne beleueth straight waye he is made the sonne of God so that whē they do beleue they do receyue the said power to be therbi without delaie made etc. Then is the spirite of fornication and all vncleannes crucified in theym and bounde that he shall not playe the tyrante anye more nor presume to rule in the herte of manne where the spirite of God oughte to be ruler and gouernour The fayethfull manne is deliuered from the wycked and deceyuable spirite and the sens of the fleshe wherto he was before subiecte and bonde and nowe is gone to serue and folowe the commaundemente of the spirite of God whyche hath bounde man with the swete and pleasaunte bondes of charitie Thys text therfore of Iohn doth make full littel for theyr purpose to confyrme and stablyshe that thing whyche they do go aboute ⧠The .x profe THe Lorde demaunded thys questian of hys Apostles sayinge Wyll ye also depart and go from me By the which wordes they do reason that it had bene a uery foleish demaund of Christe if they were not at libertie and at choise whether they woulde go frome hym or byde and styke by hym styll I answere that God had bound thē with hys spirite and therefore they coulde not go from hym but rather sayed Lorde to whom shoulde we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe There were other whyche beynge also bounde with the euyll spirite that wroughte in theym sayed These are verye hard wordes what man can heare him So at the laste they dyd forsake hym I doubte not but that Christ did demaūd this questian of them whether they would depart c. Principally bycause that after it was suffitiently perceiued what the wycked spirite had wrought in the vnfaithful that men I saye myghte perceyue and se what the spirite of God had wroughte in the fayethfull that it shoulde be putte in writyng to the instruction and learnynge of other men in tyme to come Thys texte maketh little or nothinge for theyr libertie by the whyche texte it is made open how these .ii. spirites do alwaies worcke cōtrary thynges one to the other in the fayethfull and in the vnfayethfull ⧠The .xi. texte HE shall render and geue to euerye man after hys worcke Psalm lxi Whereby they wyl cōfyrme stablishe not onelye the fredome of mans wyll but also the iustice of workes which is light to be answered Eyther our worckes be of oure owne naughtye and deceyuable spirite and then they are wycked and dānable worckes or els they be of the spirite of God and not of oure fleshlye and carnal spirite wher fore they are good worckes beinge vnpossible to be any otherwyse You se that by this texte they do proue nothynge lesse then that which they do purpose pretēd The whych wordes do declare nothing els then that the Lorde doeth geue euerlastynge lyfe to them whyche haue the worckes of fayeth and of the spirit of God and those whych haue the worckes of fleshe he rewardeth with euerlastynge paines and punishment ⧠The .xii. profe IT is wrytten the .i. Epistle and syxt cha to Timothe Fayght a good fayght Laboure as a good souldiour of Iesu christ the seconde Epistle to Timothe .ii. Cha. To hym that ouercommeth I wyll geue c. Reuelation of Iohn the seconde thyrd Chapt. We saye that thys fayght againste wyckednes and thys laboure in the war of the Lorde and thys Victorye canne not be but by the spirite of God Ergo not by our owne wyll and industrye Then canne not thys libertie be proued and stablished by thys texte of the scripture ¶ The threttenth text IN the seconde Epistle and fyrste Chap. of Peter Bryngynge al diligence se that you do minister in your fayth vertue c. Wherfore brethrē rather endeuour your selues to make stronge and affirme youre vocation and election If you do thys you shall neuer fal By thys place they do proue that Peter would our industrie and diligēce should worcke with the spirit If they do vnderstād by this industrie diligēce that diligence whyche the spirite of God worcketh in vs then they do make a good exposition For of hys greate goodnes he calleth those dedes our dedes whyche he worketh in vs. The which spirite of him doeth worcke and draw our wil making it obediēt agreable to the cōmaundemētes of the Lord. The wil of vs beynge so drawē cānot chuse but run straight way after the Lorde not of it selfe that is to say of mans wil but by the wil of God If they do hold opiniō that this place is to be vnderstand of our propre industrye or natural inclanation motiō as though a mā of him selfe might worke any thing at al or be coadiutor with god it is boeth a wicked also a pernitiouse opiniō For of hym selfe mā is altogither flesh therfore he can not rise vp to those thinges which are of the spirite of god wherefore these textes whiche are rehearsed for frewyl in this place muste be thus takē vnderstād You brethen beynge adourned and decked with the spirite of God by God made partakers of hys veritye in that fayeth whyche you receyued of the Lorde minister wyth al diligence and vertue c. And endeuoure to make your vocation and election stable and fyrme that is to saye do all that you maye to declare wyth good worckes that youre vocation election is substanciall stronge ¶ The .xiiii. texte OVt of the thyrtye Chapter of the fyfte boke of Moyses they do obiecte Wher as the Lorde had laied before Israell good bad life and death It was sayd Electe and chuse to you lyfe cete Whyche wordes they do thynke verye slender and of small effecte if mannes wyl were not fre We haue oft tymes saied that the lawe doth require of vs thinges vnpossible to be done for oure owne strengthe whyche the spirite of God doeth make possible For Christe is the fulfillynge and perfectnes of the lawe Therefore lyke as it is vnpossible to obserue and kepe the commaūdementes wythoute the spirite of God so is it impossible for vs to chuse life with out the spirit of god For we can not chuse life except the spirit of perfecte libertie were in vs that is to saye of Christe and where as often tymes wee do offende and cleane to the euyll oure election whereby we be elected of God is not the cause thereof but the workynge of our captyue and bond nature ⧠To diuers obiections whyche are obiected and layed for the defence of free wil we haue answered somthing briefly but so that hereby anye man maye dissolue and put a syde all maner of obiectiōs whiche for this matter the defēders of frewyll can deuise Therefore with fewe wordes we wil cōclud al the whole matter so procede further ¶ The fyrste conclution OVr opinion and certayne beliefe is that the wyll of man is
captiue and bonde and that of it selfe it can do thynge that is good or pertaynynge to eternall felicitie The choyse and electiō to do thys or that is the worcke and dede of the wyl and of the vnderstandynge That the wyll of man is captiue it commeth by the spirite of fornication that is of the naturall sens and knowledge of synne or concupiscence for as muche as the deceytful spirite doeth reynge in the hert And then the wyll can not be obediente to the worde of the Lord but in hypocrisie lies after a deceiuable maner fayre without and foule wythin For the wordes of the veritie can not be pleasaunte to it wherefore it is alwaie contrary and repugnaunte to them By the commynge of the spirite of the Lorde and by fayeth manne is deliuered and made fre from the spirite of fornication frō the whiche euyll spirite by no mans craft or wysdome he can be losed and set at libertie Then the spirite of God reygneth in the herte of the fayethfull bringynge the spirite of fornication euery daye in subiection more and more makynge it bond and captiue and crucifiynge it Then doeth the spirite of God worcke in man hys knoweledge and vnderstandynge causyng hym to know God and hys veritie of hym selfe vnable to either of them It worketh also the wyll of man whyche is bonde of it selfe makynge it to wyll the thynge whyche God wylleth and to be content wyth hys swete wordes Then man doeth wyl that thyng whiche God wylleth not of hys owne vertue but by the vertue and power of God him selfe And is set at libertie and made fre frome all traditions and inuentions of men to captyue and make hym selfe bonde altogyther to the obedience and seruice of God and his veritye And so he is made fre from the captiuitie and bondage of perdition and doth go into the bondage and libertie of the chyldrene of God Then he serueth the Lord most frely and fayethfully he runnneth forwarde the spirite of God workynge that same Alacritie and redines in hym All the preceptes threatenynges promises rebukynges and praysinges of the saintes and the cursses of the wycked do declare howe much God doeth loue the holye spirite and howe he doeth rule the spirite of fornication The wyll of the beleuer doeth worcke wyth the spirite worckynge in hym not of hys owne strengthe and vertue but by the strength and vertue of the spirite God doeth harden he doeth waken and styrre vp he doeth also excecate and make blynde and whom so euer he hath thus determined and iudged for to be that same mā must nedes go forth of the waie of God Yet do I not therfore conclude that God is vniuste nor that he worketh any iniquitie In thys matter mans sens and iudgmēte is dimme and manye there be whyche do searche these thynges not wythoute greate peryll of fallynge into heresie Whither thou wilt make ought or nought of free wyll yet this questian of the mercye and iustice of God is insoluble for it is so profound and depe that it can not be thorowlie persed and attayned vnto God hath no nede of our leasynges or lies that a manne shoulde thynke it to be lawefull for hym to deuise and inuent a frewyll agaynste the manifeste and opē textes of the scriptures thynkynge thereby to come the soner to the perfecte knoweledge of the questian concernynge the iustice and ryghtuousenesse of God whych he shal neuer come to so longe as he lyueth Those whiche mayntayne free wyll do speake directly contrarye to the marrke and ende of the lawe affirmynge that a man can so guide hym selfe that he canne of hym selfe kepe the lawe or that he can any thynge begyn of hym selfe towarde it when he can do nothynge lesse The schope and principall parte of the spirite bicause the whole lawe is spirituall and therfore may none otherwyse be kepte then by the onely spirite God Those same frewill makers do attribute and geue to fleshe and bloude that thynge whych is propre onely to the spirite of God that is to saye to wyll any goodnes whiche fleshe and bloude can do nothinge but stray from God in fornication whordome But these men whyche are instructed taught by the testimonies of God do saye that the wyll of man is captiue and bonde and that of it selfe it canne do nothynge lesse then kepe the lawe of God wherein they do saye truely bycause they speake not againste the marke and chefe parte of the lawe which is the spirit These men doe gyue to man in dede that thynge which is his properlie that he is the bondeman of synne that is to saye of concupiscence except he be made fre of god They do geue vnto the holye Goste that whyche is due to the holye Gooste that is to say boeth to thynke to wyll perfourme that thynge whyche is good and so they do geue to God not vnto man all vertu power and glorye The founders of free wyll are the founders of merites and of the iustice of worckes as they call it Those men whyche do stablishe mannes merites and the iustice of worckes do deny and treade vnder the fote the iustice and merites of Christe Christ only not our filthy iustice own rightuousnes hath merited to vs the fauour and grace of God and eternall iustice The confirmation of our captiuitie and bond wyll is the confirmatiō of the merites of Christ and of the iustice of God by him beynge the contempt of the vnworthy rightuousenes of our worckes I do not deny that a mā shoulde do good workes bicause it is neadful that a faythfull man should be alway wel doyng and neuer to be idle that he maye declare and testifie hys fayeth by his worckes For a true faith is neuer idle but spreadeth abrode in good worckes whyche are the testimonies wytnes of our fayeth But I saye that a faythful man doth not truste nor geue confidence to hys worckes therfore not to him self nor to hys own wil. The patrons and defenders of frewil cā not receiue and take the worde of God simply ryghtlye and in hys kynde for the free wyll of manne and the worde of God are contrarye He that defendeth the contrarye muste neades vnderstande the scriptures as they ought to be For in thys defēct he swarueth not from the worde of God No manne can saye in the spirite of God that the wyll of man is fre No manne can wyth a pure herte thynke that the wyll of man is bonde but in the holy spirite whyche speaketh in hym and worketh a Godlie loue and desyre of the knowledge of the veritie of Gods worde rather then curiouse reasoninge For he whych is of that opinion that the wyll of man is fre doeth so much minishe plucke frō the mercy and merites of Christ as he doeth permit and geue to the strength of mans wyl whych is cōtrary to the holye spirite He that is of the contrarye opinion doeth geue nothynge to the strengthe and wyll of man but altogyther to the mercye of God and gratiouse fauoure of Christe whych fauour and mercye thorowe Christe in whom they do beleue the fayethfull do obtayne And in so doynge they do confesse the Lorde Iesu Christe as they oughte to do geuynge to hym onely the prayse of our iustification and redemption whiche thynge they can not do but in the holye Goste The summe and finall conclution of this matter is that the defence of fre wyll is the begynnynge the role and fundation of peruers sectes of men of all impietie and wyckednes of all hypocrisie and counterfayted holines of al abhomination the very stablishinge of Antechrist hys sinagoge The contrarye opinion is the well and fountayne of all vertue of iustice and ryghtuousnes of grace and fauoure thorow Christ onelie and the kepe of knowledge of all Godlye and holsome doctrin Wherin the Lorde continue vs to his onely glory praise for euer Finis Nicolas Lesse ⧠⧠⧠⧠Imprinted at London by Iohn Day and William Seres dwellynge in Sepulchres perish at the signe of the Resurrection a litle aboue Holbourne conduite ⧠⧠☞ ⧠Cum gratia priuelegio ad imprimendum solum
the lord The Lord may turne his hert which way soeuer it shal please him In this place first thou dost see that the riuars and the diuision of waters are the worckes of God and all other thynges which can be named in heauen or in earth or in the waters The text is so playn that it neadeth no long declaration The herte the will is all on in scripture by the which we dooe perceyue that the herte or wyll of a Kynge for in the scriptures the hert and wyl is taken for one thing is not free and at his libertie and pleasure but captiue and bond to the pleasure wyl of the Lord causynge it to encline and leane to whych part it pleaseth hym to godlines and to the fulfyllynge of hys wyll or contrarye Yet for all that good Reader be ware you do not mistake wronge vnderstande me bycause I saye that God doeth turne incline the herte What is signyfied by these wordes god turnethe god makethe to inclyne as though he shold in so doynge worcke vngodlines For this worde and vocable to incline or to turne is asmuch to say after the speaking of the scripture as to indurate or harden or to let a mā runne into a reprobate mind holding away his hand frō him whyche is asmuch to saye to make it more playne as the Lorde doeth relinquish and leaue hym to hys owne mere naturall frailenes To harden thy hart is to leaue the to thyn owne weaknes as in many places specially in that boke whyche I dyd write intituled the causes of our blyndnes I haue declared That lesson which you do reade here of the hert or wyl of a king take it as wel to be vnderstande of all other men for if that one be true that the kynges herte and wyll is subiecte to the wyll of God muche more all other mennes cogitations thoughtes wylles and dedes They saye and obiecte agayne that the inclination and mouynge of the hand of the Lorde doeth not cause or worcke bondage or necessitie in the will of man When dothe the lorde moue to godlynes wherein they be foule deceyued not geuynge glory to the Lorde as they oughte to do For the Lorde doeth moue and stirre a manne to Godlines as often as he doeth poure into hym hys spirite and true fayeth Then canne not that man sinne by the vertue and strenght which he hath receyued of the Lorde Faythe cannot do euell wherby he is moued For fayeth can not worcke euyll Agayne although the fleshe in the fayethful men do synne yet the spirite of God whereby the fayethful do lyue canne not sinne The rightwyse man lyuethe by faythe Peter by the strength of the flesh synned being offended and displeased at the wordes of his maister Christe sayinge that he shoulde suffer Whiche Peter dyd saye before to hys maister by the power and strength of the spirite The faythfull synneth not Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. vi Chapter To be short in al thinges wher the spirite of God doth moue and stirre vs is conteined a necessitie bondage of the spirite beinge so decreed and ordeyned from the begynnynge Lykewise also of all those thynges whyche a man doeth worcke inclined to vngodlynes that is to saye geuen to a reprobate minde beyng left to the spirite of fornication to hym selfe to hys owne natural fragilitie and weakenes For the wicked cā not chose but do wickedly for as muche as he is fleshe The prescience and for knoledge of the lorde is vnfallible and therfore all hys worckes synne It is also vnpossible but that wyckednes muste be committed at that tyme whyche the Lorde by hys prescience and fore knoweledge dyd knowe frome the begynnynge woulde be done Hereby we do reason and gather that all these thinges whereto they do moue and styrre vs or otherwyse doeth harden leauynge vs to our owne selfe are done or committed of necessitie ineuitable Take hede once agayne gentyll reader and beware thou doeste not reason to farre in thys matter least thou doeste fall into inconuenience and wronge iudgement or opinion of the Lorde to thyne owne destruction and death Reuerence thou alway hys most blessed iudgemente to the profound deapnes whereof no man at anye tyme is able to attayne ⧠The .v. profe and authoritie Hieremy x HIeremye sayeth the .x. Chapt. I do knowe very wel good Lorde that the wyl of man is not in hys own hande nor yet in hys owne power to rule and gouerne his owne steppes and goinges which wordes are not to be meant and vnderstande of sadde or pleasaunt thinges as some mē do interpretate but of euerye thought wyll and dede of man As appeareth by that whiche foloweth Chasten vs O Lorde but wyth fauour not wyth thy wrath But if thys can not satisfy their mindes nor perswade them suffitientlye that it is spoken of all the wayes of man boeth of hys thoughte wyll and dede let theym answere me by theyr own experience Let euery man aske him selfe this question in that uicious affection wherto he is most inclyned whyther theyr owne wayes be in theyr owne power yea or naye to do or to forsake all that shall please them to wyll or nyl that them lusteth If he be an aduonterouse person an hunter of whores a couetuouse man a man full of Enuye and suche lyke can he hym selfe as he woulde of hys own strength roote oute and put awaye cleane all these lewde affections forth of hys herte that nothynge therof shall remayne behynde If he find that he cānot do it of hym selfe howe can he saye that the waye of man is in hys owne hande and power Verely no man hath the rule of hys own wayes as he woulde Therfore let vs pray wyth holy Dauid Lorde do thou directe and make straight my waies before thy syght Dauid sayeth in thy syghte that is as muche to saye that it maye please the as though he woulde saye suffer not my wayes to be inclined and turned against the. Such like saying of him is in the Psa cxviii Turne my eyes good Lord that they se no vanitie quyckē and make me liuelye in thy wayes Also Turne and incline my hert to thy testimonies not to Auarice ⧠The .vi. profe and authoritie Esay lxiii THe electe and chosen people do cōfesse and graunt openlye that oure wyll is captiue and bonde as Esai lxiii Thou Lorde our father oure redemer thy name is and alwaye hath bene Wherfore hast thou made vs to erre and to declyne frō thy wayes Wherfore hast thou hardened our hertes that we should not fear the the whyche place Paule doeth alleadge for that same purpose in the .ix. Chapter to the Romaynes ⧠The .vii. profe and authoritie Pharao hardened THys veritie is confirmed in Pharao whose herte the Lord dyd harden as Exodi ix Chapter and to the Romaynes .ix. Chap. ⧠The .viii.
or of the spirit of the flesh beyng not subiect to the law of God whiche is alway repugnaunte therto as to the Ro. the .viii. chap The spirite did bynde hym in hys wynges as it dyd the Israelites drawynge hym by hys power to al kynde of euil headlynge Is not hys wyll then bound and cōstrayned of necessitie to thys or to that The whyche induration is to hym as a bridle in hys mouth drawynge and pluckynge hym frome God and pryckynge and styrrynge him agaynst the will of the Lord. And yet iustely he perished althoughe it was not in hys power to do well or Godly If thou wylt nowe go about to reason and argue after the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe thou shalt strayght waye fall into fornication agaynste God Be contente therfore and reason no further for to reason otherwise it doeth dishonoure to the Lorde and it passeth thy capacitie Pharao beynge miserable and vniuste iustlye indurated and made harde coulde not applye hym selfe to the Lordes wyll Wherefore most iustely at the laste he perished Many do thynke bycause that God did stirre vp Pharao agaynst him therfore they do saye that God wroughte those synnes in hym whyche he dyd And that lykewyse as God doeth hys good worckes in vs whiche are hys good worckes beinge good euen so saye they doeth he punishe hys own euyll worckes in vs God forbid I shoulde eyther speake or thynke anye such thynge whych I do knowe to be far frō any Godly doctrine But thys I dare be bolde to saye that Pharao was indurated that is to saye forsaken of the Lorde and lefte to hym selfe for the whyche cause in hys herte he was agaynste God by whome afterwarde he was styrred vp to vtter and shew openlye in the face and syght of all menne thys greate wyckednesse whyche he had by induration to the greate and excedyng glory of god And yet for all that we do not say that god did worke that wickednes in Pharao bycause that al wyckednes and vngodlynes procedethe not of hym but of the lacke want of the spirite of the vnderstandyng of the fleshe and spirit of fornication O moste inscrutable and vnserchable depnes of the iudgemente of God What man knowethe these thynges They be to thyne owne selfe secret o lorde To the onlye it perteynethe to conclude and determyn these things wherto no man els is able to penetrate and attayne Wherfore who soeuer dothe feare thy moste godlye and maruailouse name let him commit those thinges vnto the. By this that we haue sayd a mā may easely make answer to them whych holde opynion that the entente and endeuour or to purpose a thynge is in the will of man contendynge that the wyll of man shall be fre to entend The fleshe will knowledg no bondage endeuour or to purpose any maner of thing The whych purpose entent or mynde to do a thinge eyther it is wycked and vngodly then it spryngethe from induration whyche dothe force a man to all euell for an indurat person muste nedes do that which is euell is not he then forced therto Induration is the worke of the lorde This maner of speaking the flesh can not abyde to here whyche dothe crake and bost that she is fre and at her libertie But what man can wythstande the eternall decres of the lord The compulsion is not of god but of induration The whyche is the worcke of god most ryghtwyse and also most terrible and to be feared In this matter all sophisticall and dialecticall reasonnynge profetethe nothynge at all but rather doethe muche hurte concludynge that god workethe synne and wyckednes that god compelleth a man to worke that whyche is euel The lord kepe suche wordes from oure mouthes But rather lette vs saye that herein dothe lye hyd the secretes of god whyche no man is able to take Contrarye wyse yf mans study To thynke well is of god entent or endeuour or purpose be godly it commethe from the holy spirite from whō no wycked thynge can proced Wherfore then done we gyue lyberty to oure owne will which is altogyther captyue and bonde For either it is captiue and bond to the spirit of fornication or to the spirite of god Althoughe this captiuitie of this spirit of god is most swete and plesaunte lybertye The captiuitie and bondage of the lord is liberty as we shall here after in hys owne place and tyme conuenyente declare Paule also in the ix chapiter to the Roma confyrmynge the captiuitie and bondage of the will of man concludethe on this wyse It is not in hym that wyllethe nor in hym that runneth but in the Lorde whyche hath mercye and compassion The whyche place of Paul some expositours do expound on this maner sayinge The mercy of God preuented our wyll the whyche mercye oure wyll doeth accompany and go wyth it togyther in oure indeuorynge and purposynge bryngynge at the laste to some good ende and effecte Yet for al that saye they we do runne we do wyll we do couet we do attayne and obtayne oure purpose But so that the selfe same thynge whyche is ours in dede we do ascribe whollye altogyther to God whose handyworcke we be all What is that thynge whyche we cal our owne what is in vs but synne impietie and vnryghtuousnes If we be iuste that is not ours but it is Gods owne If our running our wyllynge our obtaynynge be ours thē is it wicked All our wais are vanitie For al the wayes of man is vanitie Psalm xxxviii If we wyll ascribe to God and make to be hys that which is our owne propre Wherfore doth the mercye of god that is to saye our synnes bycause he hath hardened vs what erroure can be more greater No boubte the mercye of God dyd preuente oure wyll to destroye oure wyll For wyth hys spirite in vs he doth reueage and vtterlye denye vs he doeth crucifie vs daye by daye he wylleth in vs his wyl he purposeth endeuoureth in vs hys wyll he prayeth he runneth he obteyned he doth al thing in vs The lorde doth croune his goodnes in vs. and at the laste he doeth crowne in vs that thynge whyche is hys owne proper For euery fayethful man sayeth wyth Paul I do lyue nowe not I but in me Christe lyueth I do runne I do praie nowe not I Our good runnynge is Christ his rynnynges but these thynges and all other Christe doeth in me The whyche altogyther muste be ascribed to God whyche is graunted of our aduersaries to be true Nowe wyll I demaunde and aske theim whether they be to be ascribed to hym as the worckes of hym for so they be in dede or els as our workes proceadynge from the endeuoure and industry of our will If they saye that they be hys owne workes they do saye trulie and Godly If they say that they be fyrste oure worckes and afterwarde we make theim to be the worckes of
the winges of fornication as it is written Where is become oure libertie For that one thou canste not do wythoute the spirite of God the seconde can not chuse but be done after the spirite of euil whiche leadeth the. We do good or euel as the spirit doth drawe It is vnpossible that thou of thy self canste ouercome the spirite of fornication in the whiche he draweth the whither it pleaseth that spirite bi the whyche you maye perceyue that our wyl is farre from al libertie and fre workynge beynge drawen on boeth sydes eyther by the spirite of God or els by the sens of the flesh As towchyng to the ministers of the church if they preparynge them selues to preach do studie and ponder before what they shal say they do wel in so doyng All oure studies and labours must be referred to Christe so that they do not put theyr trust and confidēce to theyr owne studye and laboure but to the goodnes and promise of the Lord. Where as we alleged the texte of the .vi. Chap. of Iohn that is No man can c. some do thynke that that drawynge wherewyth the father draweth is no violente drawinge whyche importeth anye necessitie Whether the drawinge of the father do importe any uiolence or necessitie in it yea or maye that thou maiste not chuse but go whereto thou arte drawen but that a man maye as they saye haue the wyll to do or to leue vndone as it pleaseth him Which opinion of theyrs they do proue by an exemple saying Likewise as a chylde when a man doeth shewe to hym an apple doeth runne to the man for the apple And as a shepe doth folowe the man which hath a grene wilowe bow in his hande euen so saye they doeth the Lorde moue and styrre our mindes with this or that leauyng to our choise whether we wyll come or not I do thynke this exposition to be erroniouse peruerse heretical the solution wherof must be made as I haue to you before sufciētly declared For this entēt haue I shewed to you other writynge of the scriptures that you maye se howe they do striue and struggle agaynste the veritie of the Lorde Suche maner of drawynge is thys that a man can not chuse but folowe him that draweth For euery man that is drawen of the father and taught by hym cometh to Christe as Iohn the .vi. Chap. When the Lorde doeth drawe the and in the time of hys drawing the wicked spirite of fornicatiō is bound faste within the by the spirite of Christe that he cā not styrre Wher the spirite of god is in place the spirit of the fleshe is made subiect of force that he can do nothinge in the to lette the frō that wherto the spirite of God which is in the doth draw the so long as the spirite of God reigneth in the so long the spirit of fornication can do the no maner scathe nor beare anye rule in the. It geueth place agaynste hys wyll to hys better and superioure Therfore the spirite of God doeth vse the at hys libertie wythoute anye stoppe or let and kepeth the commaundementes in the of the high Lord. Thou maiste not chuse but runne whē he draweth the after him in those thynges wherto the spirite wyll haue the to folow him For he hath put a bridle a strōg bit into the month of the spirite of fornicatiō whyche before was all thy hinderaunce and let that thou myghteste not be appliant and agreable to the wyll of the Lorde Therefore we are drawē of God It is an euydent knoweledge that we are not drawen when we are not folowers Who is the drawer and are forced to run after hym whyche goeth before drawynge vs as his owne wyll pleaseth If there be anye man whyche thynketh that he is drawē and yet runneth not he is fowle deceyued for he is not drawen Christe which suffered death for vs doeth drawe al men after hym Which al mē be the childrē of Israel that is to saye the elected for whom onelye he was sent To them pertayneth the heritage of the worlde thorow Christe as appeareth Paule the .xiiii. Chap. to the Rom. For when the elected be drawen they do hye theym as faste as they can after Christe bycause they can not chuse the spirite of Christe bearyng rule in thē It is a great token of election if thou doest fele in thy selfe the hatred of sin To the elect their sinne is not imputed Although the elected do offende and sinne sometime by weakenes and infirmitie the cōcupiscence beyng not altogither quenched in them yet they do lyue by the vertue of God by the whyche vertue they do hate sinne that same vertue beyng the cause wherfore theyr synne is not imputed to them For the fleshe hath hyr concupiscence against the spirite yea in them whych be elected but she doeth not preuaile or beare any great swing in them beynge made subiecte to the spirite In the elect is some carnalitie whyche is of higher dignitie and power kepinge the spirite of the fleshe vnder and short frome ragynge to farre For the spirite of god hathe the spirite of the fleshe fast bounde As the hattred of synne is token of election so the reioysynge of synne is tokē of induration causeing that the sinne of them in whome some sparkle of the fleshe remayneth is odyouse and detestable to thē selues They whyche be elected doe hatte ther owne naughti dedes with al ther herts the whych hatred doth come of the spirite of god Therfore the man which is lede by the spirite of god can not syn the whiche is lede by the concupiscence of the fleshe must nedes worke synne and wickednes The doienges of Christe and the dedes or worckes of man are contrary Marke this well and examyn thy self after this lesson and feare not That spirite in the which thou haste thy delyghte wherto thou art addicted and geuen in thyne herte that same doeth reygne in the. Thou art geuen addicted to one when thou doest beleue and workest by faith after the worde of the lorde Thou art seruante to that other when thou arte vnfaythefull and bringest forth deadly frutes of thy infidelitie that is to saye workes agaynst the worde of god which be not of fayth The electe hathe the pryckynge of the fleshe in them durynge ther lyfe The fleshe is not all togethere subdued quelled in the electe as longe as they be on lyue And yet it is dayly crucifyed in them if is mortified by the prescence of the heauenly spirit wherin the fleshe is bounde brydeled made subiecte The spirite of the lorde if it please hym maye drawe the quyckelye altogyther and whole after hym quenchyng in the power strength heat of the fleshe Wherfore doth not the lorde take a way cleane the pryckyng of the fleshe in his elect But it pleaseth hym not so for to do bycause he knoweth it to be better
mooste perfecte and vnfayned loue as Let him kisse me with the swete kysse of hys mouth as Plucke me after the. as Come hyther my beloued as Shewe to me hym whome my soule doeth loue wyth suche other lyke sayinges The sinagoge of Antichriste in the daye whych is dedicated and hallowed to the natiuitie of the Lorde do graunt thys pronoūcynge wyth theyr owne lyppes The prayer of the church on Christmas daye the holye prayer of the churche of God sayinge after thys wyse Graunte to vs good Lorde we pray the that thys newe natiuitie of thy son in fleshe maye deliuer vs and make vs fre whom the olde seruitude and bondage doth hold fast bownd vnder the yoke of sinne The yoke of synne c. The yoke of synne is the yoke of concupiscence As Paule in manie places but speciallye to the Romayns communelye vseth to speake By synne cōcupiscence sayeth he c. The whyche concupiscence maye well be named a yoke bycause it holdeth manne in moste cruell seruitude in so muche that excepte he be fyrste deliuered from that he can do nothynge that canne be pleasaunte to the Lorde Thys is the yoke of bondage to the beleuynge people Thys is the rod of hys shoulder and the scepter whych the litle child borne into thys worlde and geuen vnto vs hath ouercome The names of god Whose empyre is aboue his shoulder which is called by these names The marueilouse the counseler The strōge and myghty Lord. The father of the world to come The prince of peace Esai ix As Esay ix O moste ioyfull libertie to the electe which is annexed ioyned vnseperablye wyth the most blessed seruitude bōdage of the Lord. This libertie is far from the power of Satan most miserable sinagoge of Antichrist whyche is departed fallen from the Lorde and sauiour The sinagog of antichriste hath not this lybertie that the faythfull maye do seruice to the Lorde without impedimente and afterward one to an other for Christes sake This holy and sacrete seruitude bōdage of the Lord is not a bitter hard or heauy yoke Math. xi it is lyghte amiable and swete As Christe wytnesseth Mathew xi Chap. My yoke is swete my burthen is lyghte By thys yoke whyche is to be coueted of all men and by thys bonde al men do kepe the commaundementes of the Lord frely gladly diligentlye For they be neuer wythout the spirite of the Lord and hys gyftes whyche are these Wisedome vnderstandyng counsel strēgth of the spirite knowledge Godlines feare of the Lorde ioyfulnesse peace of conscience a sure and certayne hope c. After these thinges foloweth the loue of the Lorde Confidence in hym onelye charitie and loue towarde thy neyghboure pouertie and lowlines of the spirite mournyng and lamenting thy neyghboures hurt griefe full of compassion and all other goodnesse Wyth thys yoke very necessarie for vs wyth these amiable bondes it pleaseth the goodnesse of the Lorde to bynde vs so that therby we should attayne to perfecte libertie in him ⧠The fourthe parte wherein you are taughte howe to vnderstande those textes and places of the scriptures whyche do applie to permit and geue libertye to the wyll of man WE haue sufficiētly taught and proued to you what the wyll of man is Secondelye that it is verye captiue and bond Thyrdly that it is in Christe boeth fre and also moste ioyfully and pleasauntly bonde You haue sene and learned in the same thyrd parte how and in what thinges the wyll of man is fre and howe likewyse it is bonde Nowe there remaineth nothynge els behynde but to make playne certayne places and textes that you maye vnderstande them The which textes the maisters and founders of free wyll do falselye alledge and as them thynketh do sufficiently proue theyr purpose and entent ⧠The fyrste text IT is wryten in the boke of Iesus Syrach the .xv chap after thys wyse The Lorde from the begynnynge dyd make man and left hym in the hande of hys owne counsell and minde he hathe gyuen him cōmaundementes and preceptes sayinge if thou wilt obserue my commaundemētes and kepe acceptable faythfulnes for euer they shall preserue the. He hathe set water and fyer before the reache out thy hand to which thou wilte Before man is life and death good and euel that whiche dothe lyke and please hym beste shal be gyuen to hym By this authoritie they do thinke that they can proue man to haue fre will from his first creation If they wyll vnderstande and also graunt that the holy spirit was also at the beginning geuē to mā we wyll striue no lēger wythe them ther in But if they do saye that god made the nature of manne to be alwaye fre of hir owne selfe and at lybertie it is altogether agaynste god and his honour that they do speake wherfore in fewe wordes we wyl declare and open to your eares the plain and true vnderstandynge of thys texte The lorde from the begynnynge created manne deckyng and adornynge hym wyth hys spirite this do I graunt to them though we be be not able to proue it leauinge man before he dyd fall in the hand of hys owne counsell that is to saye to hys own selfe to his owne nature whyche is the most greuouse fearfull iudgement that can be For he whyche is so lefte in the hande of hys owne counsell is forsaken and made a straunger to the spirite and counsel of the Lorde And so becommeth strayght waye indurate blynded and brought into temtatiō c. and can not chuse but erre from the waye of the Lorde Therefore as sone as oure fathers were lefte to theyr selues in the handes of theyr owne counsell they strayghte waye traunsgressed the commaundemente of the Lorde Mankynde dyd fall by little and little to synne Wherfore the lawe is gyuen in so muche that synne so increased that they could not deserue and iudge good frome euyll For the whyche cause that men myght haue the knowledge of synne and of that whyche is euyll and naughty the Lord gaue to theym a lawe or preceptes whyche lawe was and is vnpossible to be kepte and obserued of vs but wyth hys spirite it is made not onelye possible but also easye and lyghte The lawe is spirituall What is the worke of the lawe For the lawe beynge spirituall can not be kept but by the strēgth of the spirite The lawe teacheth what is euyl what is good what we ought to do and what wee ought to refuse But the lawe doth not gyue to vs a spirit to do that whiche it commaundeth It doth sende vs to Christe that we beleuyng in hym maye be made parteners of his spirit The lawe sendeth vs to Christe for helpe The kepyng of the lawe wythout the spirit of god is hypocrisie by the whiche spirit we maye kepe the lawe Wherfore if we do kepe these cōmaundementes and preceptes by the spirite of God then they
Christe is there Christe is in them which do beleue a whole iustice Christe is our perfecte iustice sanctification and redemption Hereby maye you perceyue that the wordes of the fyrste boke of Moyses called the Deutero are cleane contrarye to free wyll and makynge nothynge at all for theyr purpose ⧠The .v ▪ texte IT is wrytten in Mathew the .xxiii. and Luke the .xiii. Chap. Hierusalem Math. xxiii Luke xiii Hierusalem whyche killeste the Propheres and stoneste theim whyche are sente vnto the. Howe often woulde I haue gathered togyther thy chyldrene as the hen doeth hir chickens and thou wouldest not Beholde saye they Christ sayth I woulde thou woldest not Hereby do they gather that the wyll of man is free the Lorde shoulde do wronge els saie they to threaten and punishe them if they myghte not haue chosen whether they woulde haue bene gathered togither yea or naye Thus and after lyke maner of fashiō doeth the wycked and miserable fleshe presume to iudge of the most ryghtwyse iuste iudgemēt of god whych is far frō this matter as Iohn the .x. Chapt. You do not beleue me because you are not of my shepe that is to saye of my electe people whyche onelye are the very shepe of Christe whom no man can take forth of hys hand Thou mā which arte nothinge els but corruption wormes meate what art thou that wilt reasō against the Lord. Be thou afraied rather maruaile wyth al lowlines mekenes of the profoūd and impenetrable depenes of hys iudgemēt Learne how thou must take these wordes of Christ rehearsed out of Mathew and Luke I would sayth Christ and thou which arte the carnal sinagog wouldest not Wherfore wouldest thou not For thou arte not of my shepe and electe chosen people Thou haste not my spirite without the which thou canst not fynde in thy herte to be agreable to my commaundementes nor yet do anye thynge els that should be pleasant before me Al the desyres of the fleshe that is to saye of a man wythoute my spirite do fyghte and striue agaynst me bicause he is a liar as witnesseth the Psalm C .xv. Therfore by those wordes Christe did meane not for to shewe that it was in theyr fre choyse to do otherwise thē they did But to declare to them how much he dyd hate and abhore al the desyres of the fleshe whyche laboureth continuallye to do those thynges whyche are contrarye to my wyll whych is all Godlines and vertue ¶ The syxt profe TO make for theyr purpose they do brynge forth Mathew sayinge If thou wylte enter into lyfe kepe the cōmaundemētes If thou wilte be perfecte c. And Luke If any man wyll come after we cetera He that wyll saue and kepe hys lyfe shall lose it And all other places of boeth the Testamentes where as anye thinge is spoken conditionally they do brynge for the confirmation of fre wyll As thys If you wyll If you wyll not If you wyll heare If you wyll not heare If you do seke If you do turne If you do seperate If he do If he turne awaye In all the whych places they do erre bicause they do not marke what the spirit did meane in those textes For to perfourme those thinges it is geuē of the spirit wherfore it must be vnderstande after thys fashion If thou wylte do thys or that with all thy herte and thorowe my spirite then shalt thou obteyne thys or that If you do otherwyse beynge faste bounde wyth the spirite of fornication you shall peryshe ⧠The .vii. profe TO proue the libertie of mans will they do obiect the promises the cōmaundementes the threateninges and rebukynges of the Lorde saying that al this had not bene worth a straw Yea and foleishly written if so be there were no libertie and fredome of oure wyll We answere and saye that the sens vnderstandynge of al these places doth hereof depende that the spirite of God shoulde be knowen seuerall and distinke frome that other spirite that we shoulde acknowledge and confesse that God wylleth hys lawe to be kepte and obserued not by oure deceyuable spirite of fornication and fleshly carnall knowledge but by hys mooste holye spirite onely He promiseth to thē greate rewardes whyche do kepe hys lawe by hys spirite Lykewyse he doeth threaten and condemne those whyche do breake hys lawe by the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe ⧠The .viii. profe THey do laye againe that oftē times in the scripture rewardes are promised to the fayethfull seruauntes of God thynkynge that there can be no rewarde but wher as is merit and deseruinge and on that other syde there can be no merite or deseruynge where as is not a fre wyll Trulye there muste nedes be merite where a fre wyll proceadeth or doth go before But there is no merite in vs Whether man do merit ye or naye bicause we are bounde of oure selues Therfore all our merites are the merites of Christ onely whych alone and none other is fre and with out all bondage Psalm lxxxvii But as to the vocable of rewarde Rewarde wee muste marcke and note that the rewarde of the electe and chosen is called therefore a rewarde bycause that Christe hathe merited and deserued that reward in vs and bicause it is promised of God to hym whyche beleueth in Christe Thus muste the wordes of the Geneses in the .xv. Chapter be vnderstand and taken whych are these I am thy reward thy great rewarde What was Abraham his rewarde for his belefe Bicause that Abraham dyd stedfastli beleue in the promise of the sede which is Christe he receyued hys rewarde What rewarde God hym selfe which is the verye rewarde of al them whych do beleue as the Lorde in hys euerlasteynge beynge hathe sworne decreed ordeyned Lykewyse are the wordes of Christe wrytten in Mathew to be taken sayinge Reioyce you for youre reward is plentifull in heauen Which is as much to saye as That thing whiche I haue deserued for them whych do beleue in me is promised of God for their fayth is muche aboundaunt and greate In the wyich sens and vnderstādyng must you take this word crowne and this word giftes or rewardes as you do reade in many places of the scripture ¶ The .ix. text IOhn the fyrst Chap. He gaue thē power to be made the children or sonnes of god That is to say to them which do beleue in hys name Hereby do they reason if he hath geuen to theym power to be the sonnes of God then they are fre and not captiue or bonde Herein they do not conclude well For thys texte doeth declare rather that mā is captiue and bond then the cōtrary whiche texte beynge opened is as muche to saye as thys So manye as haue receyued the faith of Christe beleuynge in hys name at that time that they beleued they receyued power to be made the sonnes of God Or rather they were then