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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A19076	Tvvoo bookes of Saint Ambrose Bysshoppe of Mylleyne, entytuled: Of the vocation and callying of all nations. Newly translated out of Latin into Englyshe, for the edifiying and comfort of the single mynded and godly vnlearned in Christes Church, against the late sprong secte of the Pelagians ... By Henry Becher minister in the Church of God ...; De vocatione ominum gentium. English.	Ambrose, Saint, Bishop of Milan, d. 397.; Prosper, of Aquitaine, Saint, ca. 390-ca. 463.; Leo I, Pope, d. 461.; Becher, Henry, fl. 1561.	1561 (1561)	STC 549; ESTC S100123	79,647	298

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

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 commaundement and faith should take no place whiche beleueth that all sinnes are forgeuen throughe baptisme yf it were taught that grace were not geuen vnto the euyll wicked men but vnto good and righteous men Therfore the beginning of true lyfe and ryghteousnes consisteth in the Sacrament of regeneration that where a man is renued there also the veritie of these vertues shoulde springe and they beginne to profyte by fayth vnto perpetuall glorye who coulde scarse come to the temporall rewarde of vayne prayse For whether he be a Iewe that swelleth throughe the knowledge of the lawe or a Greeke puffed vp throughe the studie of naturall wisdome before he be iustified by the faith of Christ he is shutte vp vnder sinne And yf he continue in his infidelitie y e wrath of God abideth vppon him euen that same which he had drawē vnto himselfe in the transgression of Adam wherof the Apostle speaketh saying And ye when ye were dead in your trespasses synnes wherein ye walked in times past according to y e tyme or course of this worlde after y e prince of the power of this ayre the spirite which worketh now in the chyldren of vnbeliefe among whō we also had our conuersation in tyme paste in the lustes of our fleshe fulfylled the wyll of the fleshe and of the mind and were by nature the chyldren of wrath like as other were And agayne ye were at that tyme without Chryst aliens from the common wealth of Israell and strangers from the Testamentes hauynge no hope of the promesse and were without God in this worlde And agayne ye were somtime darkenesse but nowe are lyght in the Lorde And againe geuing thankes to y e father whiche hath made vs worthy to be partakers of the inheritaunce of saintes in light which hath deliuered vs from the power of darknes hath trāslated vs in to y e kingdom of his welbeloued sonne And againe for we also wer somtime folish vnfaithful goyng astraye seruing diuers lustes plesures liuing in malice enuie hateful hating one another But whē y e benignitie gentlenes of our Sauiour apeered not for y e workes of righteousnes which we haue done but acording to his mercy hath he saued vs through the lauer of regeneraciō of the holy ghost whom he hath powred foorth aboundantly vpon vs through Iesus Christ our sauiour that we being iustified by his grace shulde be heires of eternall lyfe by hope VVhat the nature of man is vvithout grace ¶ The .vi. Chapter AND that it maye briefly apeere what the nature of man is without grace lette Iude the Apostle tel what eyther the ignoraunce of the vnlearned or the doctrine of the wyse can doe But they saith he what thinges soeuer they knowe not that do they blaspheme and what soeuer thinges they knowe naturally as brute beastes do therin corrupt they them selues Let also the Euangelist Luke vnder the wordes of zacharie tel in what a nyght mankynde doth wander before the illuminacion of grace and out of what a darknesse of ignoraunce the people of God is deliuered And thou childe saith he shalt be called the prophete of the hyghest for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes To geue knowledge of saluacion to his people for the remission of theyr sinnes Through the tender mercye of our God whereby the daye spryng from an hyghe hath visited vs. To geue light to them that sitte in darkenesse in the shadowe of death to guide our feete into the way of peace And this tender mercy hath the lord shewed not to the redemption of one people onely but vnto the saluacion of all Nacions as the Euangeliste saith For Iesus must dye for the people and not for the people onely but also that he myght gather together the children of god which were dispersed And that thing doth the voyce of the Lorde whiche throughe the trumpe of godlynes soundynge throughout all the worlde doth both call and gather together al mē For whē he had said I thank thee oh father lord of heauen and earth because thou haste hydde these thinges frō the wise prudent haste reueled thē vnto babes Euen so O father for so was it thy good pleasure he added All thinges are geuen to me of my father no man hath knowen the sonne but y e father neyther hath any man knowen the father but the sonne he to whō the sonne wyll reuele him And thē he added Come vnto me all ye y e labour are laden and I wyl refresh you Take my yoke vpon you learne of me for I am meke and humble of harte and ye shal finde rest vnto your soules for my yoke is sweete my burden is light Iohn Baptist also in the Gospel of Iohn protesteth in y e spirit of prophesie saying He y t came frō heauē is aboue al mē he doth testify that y e he hath sene hard and no man receiueth his witnesse howbeit he y t receiueth his witnes hath set his seale that God is true Therfore in somuch as perteineth to y e blindnes of mākind gotten with y e long night of ignorance pride the creator of y e world came into this world the world knew him not the lyght shyned in the darknesse but the darkenesse comprehended it not He that is aboue all testified that that he had seene and hard and no man receaued his testimonie But because the sonne of God came not in vain into the worlde but gaue hym selfe for all men he dyed not onely for the people but also that he myght gather into one the children of God which were dispersed And he said vnto all men Come vnto me all ye that labour and are laden I shall refreshe you And he maketh him selfe and his father knowen to whom he wyll reuele it reseruing vnto him selfe the libertie of the election vnable to be knowen All the chyldren of lyght the chyldren of promesse the sonnes of Abraham the sonnes of God the electe generation the kyngly priesthood the true Israelites foreknowen and fore ordeyned to the kingdome of god who hath called them not onely out of the Iewes but also out of the gentiles do receyue the testimonie of hym that came downe from heauen and sette theyr seales that God is true that is to say they declare in that thei are saued that GOD is true that he kepeth touch and perfourmeth that that he promysed vnto Abraham the father of all nations Who when God promysed him that he should be the heyre of the worlde doubted not by mistrust But beinge comforted in faith gaue glory vnto God knowing moste certainely that he was able to perfourme the thynge that he had promysed And who is so enstraūged from the fayth of Abraham who is so farre growen out of kynde from the father of all nations that he will say eyther that the promyse

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

and reuerence that that is done for ther is no danger to be ignoraunt of that that lyeth hyd in secrete Loke also vppon the whole multitude of yonge children in whom except it bee that sinne onely wherein al mankinde is borne into dampnation neyther can any merites paste nor yet to come bee iudged for all they of whom we nowe speake of before they haue anye vse of vnderstanding before thei haue any free libertie of wil some of them beinge regenerate do goe into euerlasting blissednes and other some not borne againe do passe vnto perpetuall miserie Nowe yf thou grauntest originall sinne then is all the nomber of them giltie and yf thou lokest on the innocencie of their maners the hole flocke of them is without fault The iustice of man cannot finde ani differēce but the vnspeakable grace of God hath founde out what to elect The deuice lyeth hydde in secrete but the gyfte lyeth not hyd Godlynesse bryngeth forth the woorke but power hydeth the cause But as little is that to be doubted that is not sene as that that is sene for neither the confession of the manifeste worke nor yet of the vnknowen equitie can be denied to the creatour But if thou wilte direct the sight of thy mynde vnto those men who lyuynge a long time in sinne mischiefe are renewed and borne agayne by the Sacrament of Christian baptisme euen in the ende of their lyfe and without anye helpe of good workes are translated into the felowship of the heauenly kingdome By what reason wylte thou knowe the iudgement of God therein but only that thou must knowe vndoubtedlye that the gyftes of God are free And that like as there be no sinnes so detestable that they are able to withstand or kepe away the gyft of grace euen so can there be no workes so excellent to whom that that is freely geuen is due by the iudgement of rewarde or retribucion for then shoulde the bloudde of Christe be nothyng woorth neither should the prerogatiue of mens workes be any thing inferiour to the grace of God If iustification which cōmeth by grace were due vnto anye merites that went before then it were not a gyft of a free geuer but the wages of a worker And howe myght it be proued that there bee no workes meete to put away originall sinne onlesse that both vngodly men and also mischeuous persons were by the lauer of Christe receiued into his kyngdome And howe shoulde they which glory in their owne righteousnes knowe how little thei can do worthy of the adoption of the sonnes of God yf thei came not to the Sacramēt of regeneration seing they are fast tied and holden in the same state and condicion that the wickedst sinners be Thei shuld become like in sanctification if they were regenerate but shuld peryshe together yf they were not baptized Therfore if grace haue founde anye of the moste wicked menne yea euen in the verye departynge of the lyfe whom it doth adopte and chose when notwithstandynge manye that haue lesse offended are seene to bee without this gyfte who can saye eyther that this is done without the dispensation and appointment of God or els that they are so discerned and seuered a sunder without profounde and secrete equitie The which also is not therefore vniuste because it is vnknowen but therefore is it iuste because there is no doubt but that it is the iudgement of God For that that dependeth vpon his pleasure it is vncertayne with what sentence it ought to be iudged afore it be iudged But when the thynge shall come to his ende no man ought to complayne of the end for it is most certeyne that god ought not to do any other wise then he hath done The rule of the Euangelicall parable hath also confirmed the varietie and diuersitie of the manyfolde vocation and callyng whiche belongeth vnto one grace in the whiche is declared howe the good man of the house hyred at sundrye tymes labourers into his vineyarde vnder the couenaunt of a penye whereby is signified the equalitie of eternall lyfe Where no doubt they that were sente into the vineyarde at the eleuenth houre receiuyng as muche as they that had wrought al the day doe represent the nombre of those of whom I nowe speake whom the gentlenesse of GOD hath esteemed and accompted in the ende of the day and conclusion of their lyfe to commende and prayse the excellencie of his grace not paying them wages for theyr labour but powryng foorth the richesse of his goodnesse vpon them whom he chose without workes that they also which had swette with muche labour yet receiued no more then the last might vnderstand that they had receiued the gyft of his grace not the wages of theyr workes Wherfore yf we also do murmure agaynste the good man of the house because they that were laste called are made equal to the labourers of the whole daye or that they haue deserued no more with theyr much labour then the other that laboured almoste nothynge at all the same shalbe sayde to vs that was aunswered to one of them Frende I do thee no wronge take that that is thine and go thy way for I wyl geue as much to this man that came laste as I wyl to thee Is it not lawefull for me to do with mine own what I lyste or els is thine eye euyll because I am good Surely this liberalitie seemed to this false accuser to be vnequall what was he y e wiser or what accomptes was there made vnto hym The ryghteousnes of the dispensation of that busynesse was not opened vnto him neither was he admitted to be of counsell of this hyd secrete But that he shoulde refrayne frō serching the iudgements of god ther was laide forth before hym both the goodnesse of hym y t is mercifull also the power or aucthoritie of him y t willeth it to be so euē like as if it shuld haue ben saide vnto hym of the Apostle O man what art thou that disputest with god Doth the potte say to him that made hym why hast thou made me on this wise Therfore in al mē of euery nacion of euery state or condicion and age the wyll of God is the cause of the receiuing of grace in them with the whiche wyll the reason of the election lyeth hyd all merites beginning at that grace which thei haue receiued without merites whiche merites yf they coulde be good without grace it should not be sayde Excepte a man be borne agayne of water and of the holy ghost he shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen And except ye eate the flesshe of the sonne of man and drinke his bloudde ye haue no life in you But it shuld be said Except a man be iust good he can not be blessed for euer Neither were it nedefull to be born againe of water and of the spirite yf it were sufficient to be instructed by