pareÌ„thesis although meÌ„ might by grace be without syn it is so rare a byrde as was ne neuer shal be sene but only christ as the scripture Austen affirme it Nowe haue I shewed it to you clerely by scriptures yours as it were the skar and mater of originall syn to be no skar but sinne it self ne to be none so healed a wounde but that we must be regenered of the spirit and taught by the baptisme of water to mortifie that concupiscence that it is in mortifying neuer mortified tyl at the last breath out of our bodies Paul him selfe al faithfull felt this coÌ„cupiscence dwelling in theÌ„ striuing against the renouacion of y e spirit whiles they lyued It is therefore so blody and so skabby a skar in the soule that it is euer in cure in the wouÌ„ded half dead half a liue whoÌ„ the samaritane committed to the inholder luc â–ª x. and not so cleaue a skar as ye go about to cure it by baptism And so maister Ioye to returne to our mater yf ye wolde for policie fle from the worke of loue to the work of faith because ye wolde be assewred ye be no more assewered in respect by your own worke by faith then ye be by charitie but all oure asseweraunce is in gods promise quia deus verax omnis homo mendar No my lorde I fly not froÌ„ the work of loue to the worke of faith as ye do froÌ„ faith to loue thei both flyinge froÌ„ you But I do enbrace them bothe But in the worke of my iustificacion I obserue the order and doctryne of the scripture onely by faith to be iustified and so to procede to y e workes of loue first assewered by my faithe which assewerance loue can not geue me into Christe that he hath forgeuen me my sinnes Nether speke I of any other asseweraÌ„ce by my nowne works as ye wolde falsely impinge it vnto me but onely by the worke of faith into Christe which is not my worke but gods worke and his gift in me But I spake plainly of faith it self which is the very self certitude vndouted adseweraunce ioined to gods infallible promise sealled with his holy sprit my pledge pant and ernest peny geuen me in Christs promyse with which my faith thus sealed I am assewered of my remission and saluacion thorow hope But all our adsewerance say you is in gods promise Ioye But what asewerance haue ye in gods promise except ye beleue it Euen here haue ye condempned your self and of purpose left out faith the assewered certitude of gods promise and not charite ye wil vtter the trwth and bewraye your self vnwares the infallible prouidence of God so bringinge into light by your selues the same thinge ye contende to kouer and to suppresse For this my former boke ayenst you I dare saye ye wold haue punished him y t shuld haue brought it first into the realme and now haue ye made lawes y t none siche bokis be openly redde ne solde in the realme but haue condempned them And yet hathe God so blindened and infatuated you in your own false tyranye as to make your self to printe the same boke agene and yet agen to to be openly frely redd w t yours and sold in the realme And for one secret C. by your own blynd procurement are there now openly a M. distributed in y e realme into many haÌ„des that neuer had theÌ„ before And therfore how soeuer ye and yours wyll test at it I wyll retourne to my common collet a prayer in the churche Omnipotens sempiterne deus da nobis fidei spei charitatis augmentuÌ„ ut mereamur assequi quod promiâ—tiâ— fac nos amare quod precipis Now I pray ye returne to it againe and into the popes portewes youre versicles litanies matens euensoÌ„g and misse to that yet prayethe in the same to merit to obtayne remission of sinnes and saluacion by their popish workes pardous and pilgrimages For in deed ye be drouen froÌ„ the scriptures and compelled as euerye man seeth to flye to your popysh portews and missale to begge your false and beggarly autorities to coÌ„firme your doutfull doctryne I dare saye yf ye had knowen the scriptures to haue confirmed it ye wolde neuer haue sought suche shiftes Wherfore the some of our helth beginneth continueth and is accomplysshed by gods mercye Quia neque volentis neque currentissed miserentis dei est so the seweraunce of our helth depeÌ„deth vpon gods promyse I am afrayde lest as ye iugled w t your bare beleife so wolde ye do with gods promise ye shuld haue therfore added to it saying playnely The asseweraunce of our helth dependethe vpon goddes promyse of remission saluacion in Christ apprehended by faythe Mary quod you and that is truthe And here you wyll clappe your handes extoll the strength of treuth Ioye yea and of fayth to As though we pharseis as ye saduces call vs wolt oppresse it The promise of god is all Et ideo ex fide say you Ioye And therefore oute of faithe saith Paule is the heretage geuen Geuen he saith and not deserued vt firma sit promissio that by grace and not by Wynchesters workes it be geuen that ferme and sewer myghte be the promise I think there was neuer haithen gentyle or Iewe that so spightfully and so blasphemously mocketh out gods holy word as here do you of a sette proposed malice sinning agenst the holy goste For here because ye shuld not erre of ignorance god hath suâ—fred you to fall into the place of S. Paul which vtterly conuinceth destroieth all your dampnable doctryne Here Paul setting the lawe against the promise of the gospel as one contrary to the tother in the acte of iustificacion maketh .vii. mighty arguments to proue onely faith w tout the workes of the lawe to iustifye because the rightwysnes of workis and of the lawe cannot stand togither For that as cometh to vs by the promise he saith it cannot come to vs out of the lawe but the heretage cometh to vs by the promise ergo not out of the lawe emonge the whiche arguments this is one If our iustificacion shulde depende of the works of the law no man were sewer of his iustificacion bothe for thimperfeccion of his works also for thimpossibilite of the lawe to be performed of maÌ„ And agen the lawe worketh wrath and maketh sinne the more breeme to abounde Onely that thinge iustifyeth which settleth maketh sewer and fast our consciences out of doute but that is the fre promise of God receiued by our faith not the werkis of the lawe wherfore our faith onely staid vpon gods fre and vndouted promise iustifyeth Then he argueth agen thus Euery fre merciable promise of god in christ to forgeue vs our sinnes is receiued by onely fayth our iustificacion is the free merciful promise of God in Christ wherfore it must
let vs not vsurpe them for oure free choice but geue that belongethe to god to hym selfe and that as is ours to oure selues and make them not oure workes on our parte as ye do so pertelye and distinctlye settinge them checkmate againste gods workes in contention for our part as ye do with Pelagiane enemye to goddes grace and glorye and to myche a frende to your owne blynd nature Repente ye and obserue the trewe Sabbothe which god so ofte in the lawe and prophetes commaunded so religiousely to be kept Euen in restinge and ceassynge from your owne false opinions euyll wyll and worse workes and suffer god to abolysshe all that your owne is and to worke his wyll and workes in you And let vs be so called cooperatores dei as Paul expouneth it of him self vnder correction sayenge not I haue so wrought and laboured in the gospel preching but it is the grace of god in me We shuld be rather sufferers theÌ„ doers or workers w t God suffring hiÌ„ to draw to work to handle vs w t his holye spirite as the sawer drawethe and handleth his sawe and attribute y e worke to the cheif workmaÌ„ not to his sawe For it is god that worketh in vs to wyll to perseuer and to finishe for his own goodnes sake and not for our desertis The firste parte of any good worke is our wyll the othere is enforce and endeuor to prosecute and to finisshe it and here ye see god to be the author of them bothe Thus ye se god to worke all in euery thinge both beginninge middes and ende who be praysed glorified and thanked for euer But you with pelagiane wyll worke with and help him and for the confirmatioÌ„ of this heresye of your fre choice to receiue grace and so to worke your owne worthynes ye bringe in youre autoritie oute of the popes portewes Ora pro nobis sancta dei genitrix c. Praye for vs holy mother of god and yet was she mother but to his manhead that we myght be effectuousely made worthy the promyses of Christe For scripture haue ye none In whiche prayer saye you we acknowledge and truly professe that the promyses of god require in vs a worthines whiche worthines standeth in our fre choice to receiue the promise For the promises be not to all men without condicion absolute Ioye No they be made to them that receaue them by faithe which is the frâ— gift of god and not to them that receiue them by your fre choice And therfore it is asked what and if some of them beleue not gods promises shal their vnbeleif frustrat the promise God forbid sayth Paul for god wil be found true of his promises when al meÌ„ be found liers For as he knoweth to whoÌ„ he maketh his promises so forseeth he who shall by faith onely receaue and cleaue to theÌ„ Then ye wold proue vs to haue goten to vs this worthynes by our free choice in receiuinge the grace and gyft of gods merciable promise by y e sainge of Wysedome God tempted them and found them worthey of him This text sayth that god found them worthy after he had proued their pacience by affâ—yctions but not by their fre choise for receiuynge grace but because him selfe in geuynge them his giftes of faith pacience and other vertewes maketh them worthey And your owne popysshe prayer ora pro nobis c. is directly against you For no man prayeth for that thynge sayth Austen which he hathe or can gette it with his free choice when he lyste and youre selfe alleged AusteÌ„s wordes for y e same saying Iube quod uis modo des quod iubeas lorde coÌ„maunde what thou wylte so thou geuest me grace to performe it Then ye bring in Centurio who ye say because he sayde he was vnworthy that Christe shulde come into his house therfore wolde ye proue vs to be worthy of god wherein me thynkethe ye be besides your selfe and se not what ye saye to proue vs worthy because Centurio sayde he was vnworthye This shoulde proue vs rather to be vnworthye excepte ye wold make vs worthy because we confesse vs with him to be vnworthy and so be we vnworthye in dede or elles our confession is false we makinge oure selues therby lyers and vnworthey Thus maye euery reader see how false doctrine wyll neuer agre with it selfe lyes wyll euer breake forth and apere with y e longe eares of the asse ietting in the lyons skynne presse ye them downe neuer so stiffely At last when ye haue prynted depe and faste this Pelagians heresye of free choyce in your readers hertes then to blere the eyes of some not so symple readers but may perceaue your iuglynge ye wolde seme to them to mytigate or to qualifie your heresies with a mitigacion and moderation of y e word worthines calling it metenes after goddes acception as ye myghte thus saye with your wont false coloure of correction to your scolers Albeit I haue taught you with your fre choice and working with the same in assentinge to receyue gods promysed mercye and grace and thus on youre parte to obtaine your owne worthines whereby to be iustified yet thys notwithstandinge ye must mitigate the worde worthines and cal it Metenes after gods acceptacion Ioye A worthey couer to Pelagians pot loo Gard. so that al siche may be accompted worthey as conforme themselues to gods pleasure and vse siche giftes of god as wherby god maketh vs worthy both the giftes receiued and other mo Ioye Lorde how this slymei snayle pretenteth hir doutefull slyber waye groped before with hyr leithey hornes for feare of resystence and obstacles Here Pelagian perceiuynge the deseruinge of his worthynes by fre choice to be to grosse to be hyden or colored is compelled now to flye from that speache to a newe fantazyed phrase That we must deserue our worthy makinge of god or our new mitigated Meatnes after his acception by conformynge oure selues to gods pleasure and by vsynge suche giftes of god as wherby god maketh vs worthey both the giftes receiued and other moo Ioye Beholde good reader what sâ—yber shyftes pelagiane is compelled to seke for his merites and free choice in endeuouringe and conforming him self to gods wyll and by his free choice in meriting to vse the giftes of god to make vs worthy and meat for god Before he saide By fre choice we on our parte had gotten deserued this worthines and that there were workes of penaunce called the meritinge and deseruynge to vse the giftes of god Mary as I remember he added by participation So that this is the sence of his prayer nowe to our ladye and not to oure lorde That he might be made worthy on his part and not oâ— goddes parte to be made meate and conformable by his free choice bonde to synne to the fulfyllynge of goddes wyll c. And after all these so intricate speaches he makethe a playne note agaynst
iewysh workes before faith If a iewe or a turke shulde come to your scole wolde ye first teache hym your good workes and popish ceremonies before the true beleife into god thorow christ and baptize hym ere he beleue The Iewes and Turkes do such good ciuyle workes before men as ye teache men to be iustified thereby They praye they faste geue almose heare and rede the scriptures pay their dettes bye and sell and make their wares truely and iustely kepe matrimonye whiche they do not withoute the common helpe and grace of god and yet be thei not iustified by them before god but before men after youre iustificacion w tout and before faithe But we which haue professed the christen religion groūded vpon faith in Christ teache the good workes which be the frutes of the spirite of faith and not youre pharisaik rightwisemakynge ne your iewishe iustification For what hath belial with Christ the derkenes to do with the lyght The tree muste be firste good ere it bryngeth forth good frute And so if beleif be required before iustificacion there ariseth then a meruelous perplexite how I shulde worke well y e worke of beleife before I am iustified But as we saye my synnes be forgeven because I beleue so because my synnes were forgeuen I dyd beleue Go to and skoffe and deride God and his holy worde whiles the lorde that sitteth in heauen laugheth you to skorne and shall at last smyte you sodēly with his yerney scepter declaring your arrogante ignoraunce in that ye here affirme the worke of beleife to be mans worke when christe and Paule telleth it you if ye had euer learned so farre That hoc est opus dei non hominis ut credatis c. This is the worke of god and not of man to beleue in him whome god hath sente Neyther for the defence of anye errour as ye falselye reporte vs do we enter into so harde a matter of gods priuey counsell as ye call predestinacion and make it the immediate cause of oure saluacion as your selfe blyndely stomble in to it no occasion geuen you but to declare onely your ignoraunce as ye saye lest any other espienge it in dede shuld iustely preuent you with the same strype For we say w t Paul That god hath chosen vs in christe accordinge to his gracyouse good wyll and pleasure and not for oure merites before to worlde was made But wherefore to do what we lyste as reasoneth the forlorne saiēg If I be predestined to be saued so shall I be saued do I neuer so euel god forbyd but we be predestined saith paul to this ende that we shulde here be faithfull holye and blameles before god by loue which hath predestined vs to be his sonnes by adopcion thorowe Iesus Christe c. that the glorye of his grace shoulde be praised And that we be created of god in crist Iesu to do good workes prepared of god and not of oure selues that we shulde here walke in them ere we obtaine that promised saluacion And that we be after our election and predestinacion called to be regenered of the spirite by faith whiche spirite of faith in Christ certifieth vs of oure eleccion hauynge nowe the pledge and ernest of the spirite euen Christ hym selfe geuen vs testifieng to our spirites y t he hath chosē vs to be his This assewraunce in faith is taught vs euery where in scripture by gods promises sealed both with the interne obsignacion of the spirite of faith and also with the visible seales of his sacramentes testifienge to vs his beneuolence towarde vs in christ both by baptisme and his holy supper And dare you then so arrogātly saye against this holy assiewerd certaintie obsignation of the spirite in the promises of GOD receiued in the mooste certytude of oure faith and be so bolde as to impugne this ferme assewrance and perswasion of y e spirit of fayth to perswade any man as ye do to dubitacion ignorance vnbeleif to doute of gods holy promised eleccion and his predestinacion in chryste wyl ye saye agēst this That y e faitheful be saued by predestinacion and their eleccion in christe whom god hath predestined and chosen they shal be saued for god repenteth him not of his eleccion but it must necessarelye and immutably come so to passe in his elect accordinge to his ferme purposed decre in his euerlasting immutable prouidence so that it lyeth in no mannes hande to resiste his wyll ne to take any of his chosen from hym And therfore whiles we that beleue to be predestined and chosen in christe thus serche and treate the knowledge of oure predestinacion in christe and not in goddes secret counsayle ne in oure selues in Christ I say within the limites of goddes expresse wyll worde there is no such perill therin ne is it so harde a mater as ye make it but ioyouse swete and counfortable to euery faithful humble cristian But if ye leaue y e light and the waye of hys worde and will serche treate and measure it with your owne fond reason and curiositie of your witte as ye here do then be ye worthely caste vp of god into your owne forlorne sence and ignoraunce strayed awaye into labyrinths inextricable into your owne confusion compelled to peruerte and to falsefye the scriptures wresting them to seme to agre and to serue your ignoraunte reason for feare as ye saye of your mere necessitie all thinges to be done dreamed out of your owne feble brayne which cannot in the scriptures see wyth saynt Austen the necessyte in y e wyll of god predestenynge to stande with the free wyl of the predestined to do good And againe with the necessitie of reprobacion in gods wil to stande the libertie into euyl in the reprobated so that his dampnacion be imputed vnto hym selfe for his owne voluntary faulte Nether can ye see howe this necessitie is no compulsion ne constrained necessitie but a voluntary necessitie God wil haue mercye of whom he lyst and harden whom it lyketh him The cause inscrutable of his diuine secrete will is worthely hidden from vs so profounde are his iudgementes that mannes reason cannot attaine to thē and yet will your fonde witte be ready to accuse god of vnrightwisenes oneles he geue you a reason to your mynd and a rekening why sith all things depende of your mere necessitie ▪ and of the secrete godly iuste wyll he shulde dampne any man As thoughe the potter were bounde to geue a rekenynge to his claye wherefore he hath not made all his vessells therof a lyke in honoure And as thoughe gods depe inscrutable iugementes and wyll must be measured with your hyghe witte Oh myserable man that thou art sayth Paule whiche darest replye reason with and incuse thy maker on this maner as thoughe God were bounde to attemper the magnitude of his secrete workes to thy rude capacitie Are his diuine
vis ad vitam ingredi Si. vis perfectus esse c. he wold haue lerned you a truer lesson or if ye had lerned the promyses precepts contained in siche speches and consydered the proper cause with hir effect ye shuld haue sene the vnbeleif of the yonge scoler of the phariseis iÌ„ the promised perfeccion offred him of Christe to haue ben the cause of his departure and to not fulfill the precepte of sellinge his good and to geue it to the pore as is the beleif of the entrie into lyfe promised in these wordes If thou wilt entre into lyfe the cause why man endeuoureth him to the keping of y e commandements And yet is it god y t worketh bothe thought wyl and endeuour in vs to kepe them which when god commandeth vs to aske of him to kepe his preceptis ye se it not to be in our powr to fulfill them wherefore ye be to haasty so fyercely to run vpon me with so many excecracions and fulminacions out of hieroms mouthe for sayinge the trwth with Chryste and Paul that is The lawe to be impossible to man whiche your self haue herto before said and affirmed the same spekinge of mans imperfection and imfirmities sainge that the yok of the lawe is impossible to be borne of man Read Austen for this mater and conferre them to gither w t iugement as he wold haue al menis writings to be iuged tryed by y e scriptures the sciptures to be red with faith epist. lxxxix cc.xcv.li de coâ—rept gratia in psal lxx .cxviii. concio xxvii Ambro. ca. i. de lac uita bea ca. vi Aug. ad ualenti God coÌ„mandeth things impossible to vs that we might know what wâ— ought of him to akskeÌ„ As ye expowned my sayinges so haue ye expowned scripture onely as ye wold haue it or as ye gesse at it withoute any consideracion how one exposicion agrethe with another ye be lyke your self iÌ„ peruersitie thorowly c. My confutacion your declaracion be ioined together in one boke let the lerned Christen reders iuge bothe our exposicions and in this boke to if ye dare permitte it to be sene But in this peece ye triumphe ouer me ayen ere ye haue goten the victory as thoughe ye had me now vnder your fete But yet I stande haue you in my daunger to declare your ignorant blyndnes blynde ignorance how vnlernedly impertinently and peruersely ye alledge y e scriptures for your popissh doctryne as euery reader shal see here aftir When I had proued to barnes that it was vnaduysedly said of him that man might not do well by goddis grace before iustificacion I did first inproue that fond saing wherby he confounded y â— order of iustificacion And when I had declared that as I haue before touched then I told him how it folowed also that by the gift of god maÌ„ might do good towards thatainement of iustificacion How truely ye reporte of doctour Barnes I know not But and if ye had no nother probacion then of the good worke of your gentil idolatar going to heare a sermon it was but fonde and feble as I haue iustely before coÌ„futed it And here agen I say That as god geueth his sonne to shyne both vpon the faithfull and infideles and geueth them both forme beutye and riches so geueth he them of his common and general influence and grace as well to the turkes as to the christianes victories faier wether corne catell to moue to lyue yea and to kepe their promises faithfully in contractes and confederacions and lyue in a ciuile morall iustice as men saye that knowe them more iustely and faithfullyer theÌ„ some baptized with water Thei be merciful in helpinge eche other with almose thei faste c. But before god in any good work of faith in Chryst thei haue not to reioyse of which good works christeÌ„ meÌ„ ought to treate teache and proue their partes and not as ye do of the turkes iewes faithles good works before men onely How proue ye that the turke may do well to thatainement of iustificacion when he neuer entendeth to knowne beleue in Christe to be God and man his sauior ne to be iustifyed by his passion but only by the good works of Mahumets lawe as ye by y e good workis of the popis lawe by which your good dedis nether thei ne you shal euer be iustified Where vnto herken a litle here how wysely ye speke in your iustificacion by onely faith This I aske who beleueth god or man I think ye wil say man by gods gift and so god geueth the gift of faith man receiueth it Do not here concurre in two workis god and man which lye bothe in one bedde be kouered with one kouerled to thacomplesshment of iustificacion And is god so ielouse then that he will not haue it spoken when he worketh and man also worketh with him by his gift helpe Be not we called cooperatores dei in scripture â— c. But herken you agen and behold here your iugglyng castes ye aske who beleueth god or man If ye had asked who beleueth his remission of his sinnes in christ I wold aunswer you y e iustified man or els I know the deuil beleueth and the turke to so absolutely as ye speake it but to speake of the true beleif into christe who so beleueth he is alredy in the same worke of beleif iustified And thus ye come to late to proue this man to do any good worke before he be iustified or any concurrant work with god to the same effecte For the very selfe same dede of beleif into christ iustifieng him is his iustification wrought of god in the beleuer in christ not of y e beleuer I se well enough your fallace in iuggling w t a truncate beleif omitting christ into whom y â— accion tendeth in the iustificacion al to forme your informe faith and material beleif I see also howe sleithely ye slip out from the iâ—uisible worke of iustificacyon into the outwarde offyce of mens prechyng called in that ministracion cooperatores dei the instrumentes of god in plantinge and wateringe god geuinge thencreace as Paule declareth them Can ye conueye no clenlier god and man into one bed I tolde ye before ye shulde finde the couerled to skant as Isaye saith to couer theÌ„ both in this one accioÌ„ of iustificatioÌ„ For to beleue in christ is not the worke of man but of god in man as christ telleth you And if ye aske who receiueth faith into y e maÌ„s hert so to beleue in christ I answer with Paul non ego sed gratia dei in me not I but y e spirit grace of god in me and not the man by yours and pelagiaÌ„s fre choce as ye he techeth like false heretikes enmies to grace For y e geuer of faith grace taketh away first the
And so in the honor of God and our lady Ioy. Soli deo honor gloria God geueth not his glory from him Ioy No he parteth it betwene him selfe and our ladye soo Here is a goodly dead dreame out of the popis portews and not one worde of scripture for it but playne ayenst it Saye not the scripturs that there is but onely one mediator betwixt God and man with his praier Iesus christe and that the helpe of God is omnipotent and omnisufficient we be here al members of christs chirche in the ministery of his workis with mutuall teachinge exhortinge helpinge and prainge one forother ergo shal menis workes helpe God to iustifye or shal the departed into heuen do y e same ministery there for vs which thei did here liuing hitherto tēdeth yo r deducciō out of yo r prīcipal purpose Is it not y e diminishīg of gods honor into y e derogatiō of his glory to attribute y e proper helpe and his proper essenciall workes reserued to his godhed ī christes onely humanitie deserued and father them vpō or imparte thē to mā or womā As Gediō dirst not saye My swerde but the swerde of the lorde gote the victorye so neuer bode thei Godion fight for them aftir he was dead Nether doth gods worde bid vs praye to any saynt departed albeit beinge alyue we helpe eche other w t mutual prayers what we do here for other it folowth not the same to be done of vs in heuen or els let Paul preache in heuen make tentes c. If Paul beinge in heuen in spirit had ben or is as profitable with his prechinge or prayers to the congregacion as he was here in bodye soul he wold neuer haue writen these wordes to the Phillipians thus sayenge As for myself to be in heuen with Christe it is miche better and farre more profitable but to tary here still in my fleshe I were more necessary and profitable for you Where ye see Sayntes to be more necessary profitable to their mutall members whē thei we be here togither thē when thei be taken from vs into heuen But this place of scripture you ne your papistis euer espyed ne vnderstode it belyke ne many othermoo lyke places ayenst you what els is mēt by Iacobs vision beholdinge thaungels descendinge and ascendinge by the ledder the lorde of powers onely sittinge vpon the toppe therof then the onely Christis intercession and merits by the ministracion euen of thaungels to be brought vnto vs And albeit abrahams seruant was committed to y e custodie of the aungell yet did he not pray to him in the iourneye but vnto the lord to prosper it and to shewe his mercie to Abraham So that God therfore maketh not his aungels then miche lesse y e soulis departed y e ministers of his power and goodnes ne to be prayd to so to diuyde as ye dreame any of his glory to them Nether promiseth he to vs his help by y e seruice of soulis or spirits to th entent we shuld diuide our praiers faith and confidence betwxt god and thē For it is platos playn philosophy and the popis heresie to go and seke to God by aungels and spirits of the deade and not by christ only them therfore to be worshiped because thei may get vs helpe with God All the promises of God ar in Christ etiam and amen that is to say adsewerdly confirmed fulfilled perfitly wherfore there be none confirmed in mary peter George or nicolas nor ī gedions swerd by their intercession prayers vs to be helpen and therfore we cannot aske helpe of them in any faith or beleif and if we aske it not in faithe of thē neuer let vs hope to obtayne our peticiōs at them Shew me one worde of faithe to praye to sayntes These .iiii. things where in cōsisteth the glory of God we ought only to attribute them holly vnto him and not to imparte ne diuide them to any creature that is to wete adoracion faithful confidence inuocacion and thanks geuinge These be appropried to god only as the scripture testifyeth euerywhere And it is the next synne ayenst the holy gost to attribut the onely helpe of God to any mortal man or creature so to diuide his own glory or any parte ther of frō him Ye haue nether scripture ne example ī al the bible for your prainge to saints but y e playn contrary And ye be commanded to teache nonother doctryne then ye can geue a rekenīg therof out of the scriptures Ye brīge in to confirme y e menis works must be concurrant with gods works in iustificacion for herof yssewth all your deduccion this childish fainge Christs crosse me spede saint Nicolas And God and our ladye help God and S. George helpe who laugheth not at these fonde probacions lorde what shameles shiftis be thei compelled to seke and how blinde be thei that haue hardened their hertis agenst y e veritie Be these your scriptures to proue your parte It is as I euer said Selden be these popish lawyers good lerned diuyns Had the bishop of rome no beter learned capitains to defend his false religiō it were sone fallen But your puft vp autoritie and arrogant boldenes armed with crueltie be mightier in mischeif then your lerninge ye may now lye as ye liste and wryte what ye will when ye haue banished and condempned all mens bokes and answers agenst you where fynde ye in scripture that S. nicolas praieth for vs or that S. george or Gedion fighteth for vs Be it in case George were the patrone of france and the frenche men shulde call vpon him as effectuousely as the englyshemen in batail shuld not saint George fight againste him selfe And god helpeth by geuinge of helpe and Nicolas by praienge for helpe Ioy. And what then doth our only intercessor christ for al sufficiente In confession wherof we set forth the honour of god Ioye yea ye stele it from him like theues and murtherers Euen as god wolde haue it magnified Ioye unde uersus Yea euen as ye wold haue it honoured and magnified after youre owne wicked inuencion of which deuillyshe deuisers of gods worshyp and glorie after their owne beastely wittes Paule thus saith when thei had knowen that there was god yet did thei not worship him as god but shewed their own vaine curiositie and arrogancie and curiouse vanitie in their owne reasoning for gods gloriouse honour In so miche that thei obscured their owne blynde ignorant hertis and where thei thought them selues to haue done most wysely for gods honor and glorie there thei proued themselues starke foles and fil to wo shipinge and callinge vpon the creaturs in stede of God y e creator of all Agene beholde how greuously Christe stryketh you with the autoritie of Isay for honouringe God with menis precepts and tradicions God tolde Abrahā that his name
geueth me ferme faith to beleue it wryting his promise w t his own haÌ„d sealled with Christis death and most preciouse blode yea and geueth me thernest and pledge of this promise euen his own sone Christe and his holy spirit the pledge as Paul saith and ernest of our forgeuenes and saluacion testifyinge vnto my spirit that I am his chosen beloued predestined childe in christe commandinge me to call and beleue him to be my merciful father shuld I not beleue in him be assewered of my saluacioÌ„ forgeuenes perseuerance in hope al dubitacion and dout excluded If I did not beleue constantly hope for it so shuld I dishonor gods vecite which syn be satte fro me wherfore hathe God geuen me the certitude and vndouted assewrance but in hope to abyde paciently waitinge certainly for his performance wyll ye beleue beter men then God And to excercise this owr assewerd faith and hope he sendeth vs continuall crosse and affliccions And we haue the continual reading hearing of his holy scripturs vt permaneamus fide fundati ac stabiles that we perseueringe grounded and faste roted in faith shuld not swarue from the hope of y e gospel And al be it in y e straight and narow path of charite I swarue and fall by y e waye yet haue I gods promyse apprehended by my faithe that I shal not so fall as to hurte me be broken but to ryse agene For y e Lord hath promised to put his hand vnder me to lyft me vp ayen w t an c. lyke counfortable promyses to reduce repentant sinners into the waye which promises humbly with reuerence and fear and thanks I enbrace It is thou oh lorde that assewerest me to perseuer certainly and settest me in assewerance Howe many promises haue we God to be our strength our rok bulwerk castel tower defence helper for Christ our intercessour and reconciler his sake with a thou said lyk confortable excercises of our faith to strengthen and confirme our hope and expectacion in sewerty and perseuerance But your doutful doctryne knoweth nether God ne Chryst ne faith But to confirme ours yet aftir this a fore said obsignacion of the holy spirit God assewerth also his congregacion therof with the visible seals of baptism his holy souper to put vs in mynde of his beneuolence towerd vs of his testameÌ„t couenaÌ„t iÌ„ chrstis blod In baptisme dewli ministred I remeÌ„ber se his deth burial resurreccioÌ„ wherin also I am taught to be mortifyed my sinnes buried in his woundis and to ryse agene into a newe lyf And in the holy souper of the Lorde dewly ministred I remember and see with the eyes of my faith in the breakinge and geuinge of the holy bread his bodi brokeÌ„ crucified geueÌ„ me into the remission of my sinnes And in the holy wyne lykewyse powered forthe and geueÌ„ me I remember and see his most preciouse blode shed for me into the remission of my synnes And euen these be holy sacred adsewerances in my faith and hope of my saluacion thus dayly excercisinge my faith and hope into a perpetuall perseuerance in the same adsewerance while I lyue which asâ—werances ye saye ye cannot tell of A shameles ignorance in a bishop great infidelite and blasphemy is it in you if ye will not know this so manifest a sewerance offered and geuen into euery faithfull Christianes hand herte and mouthe Thus haue I lerned iÌ„ scripturs If we turne when god turneth to vs. If we beleue when god illumineth vs If we loue as god kindleth vs. If we be baptized as god commandeth vs we shall be iustified Ye iugle with your Iffes and half turnes For as there is no man turned to god with frutefull repentance but he first knowe gods merciable forgeuenes in christ by his faith iustifienge him so is there none but thei first knowe God in christe ere thei loue him beleue iÌ„ god thorow Iesu Christ ere thei be baptized into his name For who professeth god y e father the sonne and the holy ghoste and the christen religion onlesse he knowe it It were a backward order and an vpsidowne preposterouse plaÌ„tynge the profession to go before the doctrine and knowledge of the religion as it hath ben a longe season vsed and therefore all suche preposterouse religions as ye see degenered into apostacye and into all the most filthy abominacions and idolatrye be now come to naught as christ prophecied of all such backward plantacions And therfore your Iffes staÌ„d in a wrong place For your baptisme with water is such a condicion that as al thei that be baptized therwith be not therfore saued so were not all they that beleued in christ and al the chosen infantes conteined vnder the promise dyinge before circumcision or baptisme dampned but withoute circumcision and baptisme of water saued by election and their beleif And therefore your doctrine of your Iffes holdeth not And if the quene of Candaces courtman so enstructe of Philip in the wagen â–ª had died in that faithe before his baptisme with water yet had his onelye faith saued him by christes own wordes sainge who so beleue in me hath life eternal It is not y e baptisme with water ne your penaunce y t saueth vs as ye dreame for no element ne creature ne mans work may do that thing It is god only in christ that regenereth with the spirit of faith and by that inuisible baptisme be we saued of god thorowe Iesu christe If you shulde tarye till ye haue fulfilled all your conditions for your saluacion ye shulde come to short of the gates shuttinge And therefore merciablye saith the lorde in Isay. He wyl make short his word of rightwismakinge and finish it in a plenteous abouÌ„daÌ„t rightwisenes euen in christ made of him our rightwisnes holden by faith onely Children by your popish doctrine that dye before baptime and y e infantes in Moses law diyng before the aight day shulde be dampned as ye teache whiche is to harde for you to proue when the scripture is plain agenst you as I am able to proue it and can shewe it plainely The baptisme therfore with water wasshethe onely the body and the minister bringeth the water and wordes onelye no saluacion nether as causes efficientes ne formall So that baptisme with water is but the visible seall instituted of god and ferme token of the former iustification by faythe in the regeneration of the spirit y e seall I say testifienge to the congregation that he is incorpored into them For thus it correspondeth sayth Peter the newe byrth wherby the spottes of the soule be taken awaye And thus is baptisme with water signaculum iustitie fidei the seal and testimony of the rightwisnes of faith as was circumcision and not y e selfe same rightwisnes it selfe as ye teach ye may make it signum iustitie operis
operati siue iustitie baptismi after your scole men that is the sacrament or seall of the rightwisenes of workes or of the rightwisnes of baptism with water and man thereby to be iustified as ye dreame and so Christ in vaine to haue dyed Besydes this it is the fygure of our perpetuall mortificacion and repentance as I haue oâ—ten declared the vse therof before And as touchinge the imperfeccion of faith and charitie in man as ye saye Albeit our faith I saye be as litle as the mustarde sead and as imperfit as was his that saide lorde I beleue but yet helpe my vnbeleif yet god accepteth it for our iustificatioÌ„ for christes sake bidding vs daylye to praye for thencreace therof Then ye saye all our workes be imperfitte ' It is truthe that ye saye And in so sayeng ye haue condempned al your own doctrine of merits satisfaccioÌ„s and condicions of workes to deserue remission For no imperfitte workes may deserue perfit remission ne make perfit satisâ—accioÌ„ as ye well know it And for this cause of our imperfeccion indignitie impossibilite by workes to merit our remission saluacioÌ„ god hath taken it out of our handes and from our workes layd it vpon christ as ye se in the prophete Isaye him by his perfit fulfilling of the law by his so perfit workes to merit to satisfye fully and perfitlye and so to obtaine vs y e remission and saluation for our faith into him And thus is he made of his father ours for vs our iustificacion our rightwisnes redeÌ„ptioÌ„ our holines our wisdom our satisfaccioÌ„ our implecion of y e law whiche all we by faith receiue as our owne for that he is geuen to vs holy with al his that he ether dyd or suffred in his blessed innocent body and soul. And euen these be our elder brothers clothes done vpon vs by faith so swetely sauouring which so delite and please our celestial father as did Iacobs elder brothers fragrant vestures sauor in his father Isaac his nose that he gaue him his brothers blessing as shal our father for y e same doing on by faith not for your participatioÌ„ of our elder brother christe his swete clothes of his rightwisnes merits c. For who so euer be baptized of the spirite by regeneration of faith they haue done christ thus vpoÌ„ them And thus w t Iacob be we made Israelites And thus be we all made y e sonnes of god for that we haue beleued in Iesu christ saith Paul not as ye say for y t ye haue done youre good works fulâ—illed your coÌ„dicioÌ„ Thus ye se how Paul IoaÌ„ Peter christ speke of y e baptism of y e spirite not of y e visible baptism of water to geue remissioÌ„ saluacion ye geue imperâ—eccion to our works to faith to loue it is truth But yet muste ye coÌ„sider y t thimperfeccioÌ„ in our works so minisheth takethe so awaye the goodnes dignite or worthines of theÌ„ that thei may not be called good ne meritoriouse But faith Isaye â— being imperfit as litle as the mustersede or as weke as his y t said help lord my vnbeleif yea or so matched in perel with temptacion w t feare dubitacioÌ„ as was peters faith so boldly leaping into y e sea to mete his maister christe when the sourges arose agenst him so highe that with his litle weake faith he began to sinke yet as litle as it was it was y e good gift of god saued hiÌ„ for christes sake froÌ„ drowninge For it is our perpetuall byshop and onely intercessour in heuen that continually prayeth as he dyd for Peter his felowes lest our faith faile vs euen in the middes of the stormye tempestiouse floudes of the troublous sea of this world For the giftes calling of god be sich as it cannot repent him of them in hys chosen Then ye say Iob sayd I feared al my workes in which faith ye say may be comprehended But it appereth that ye vnderstand not Iobs wordes for he neuer feared his faith but his works only which were euil imperfit And the ebrw or chaldie worde signifieth erumnas and labores meos omnes that is to saye I feared al my miserable workes and laboriouse miseries which he called his own euil workes for it foloweth sciens quod noÌ„ parceres delinquenti knowing that thou woldst not spare the trespasser So that here ye see how that ye manakle and rende oute by patches the textes for youre wicked purpose not consideringe what gothe before ne foloweth nor yet what the wordes properly signifye If ye coulde comprehende faithe in Iobs works so wolde ye make faith no gift of god ne beleif gods worke but Iobs worke so feared of him self And all the scriptures agre w t Iob so speaking of his owne workes only and not of faith For manye holye men fearing y e same desired god not to enter into iugement w t them ne to iuge them after their workes Then ye take in hand to describe the sinfull nature of man as borne out of Adam and Eue sayeng that the powers of our soule properly receiue faith and loue and vpon the occasion of the worlde and the flesh suggestion of the deuil be redy to rebellion c. In whiche saienge ye speke not truelye of maÌ„ in his corrupt nature as borne out of Adam conceiued in synne roted in his soule called altogether in scripture flesh the olde man the body of sinne and deathe inimitie ageÌ„st God naturallye the childe of wrath a contynuall rebellyon agaynste gods spirit For occasion or no occasion geuen sich one is he before he be regenered as god painteth him saienge after the hebrewe verite Euery imaginacion of mannes harte is onlye euyll is sayth the texte and not prone or redye as ye terme it yea and that at all times euen from hys youthe withoute the spirite of God regeneringe hym he is brydeles runnynge into the free felde of all carnall lustes Of the power of this corrupt mans nature ye speake as by his fre choise to receiue faith with loue c. Uerilye this man hathe no suche a Pelagianes power of hym selfe to receiue faithe no more then hadde ADAM him selfe power to come to God when he fled from his voice in paradise so ferefullye with shame sekinge where to hyde him froÌ„ his presence There is no sich proper power properly as ye terme it in maÌ„ to receiue faith or any grace except that naturall proper powr be properly taken a waye and pourged with the spirit of libertie by faithe purifyeng the herte so makinge in him a newe hert prepared to receiue faith makinge a new and free powr from his naturall bondage to synne So that your fre choice to receiue grace may not here be placed withe pelagians errour enimie to grace to set vp your fre choice bonde libertie to syn For
vtterly detested And euen then were y e last dayes and houre as Ioan and Paule testify wherof his sacraments and articles and his doctrine be called y e last y t shuld be taught delyuered vs the fathers voice with greate maiestie out of heuen commaunding vs to heare his sonne as the last and sufficient most perfit teacher maister vs not to wayte for any other after hym lest any thense forthe shulde be deceiued by any further vayne expectation and loking for any false techers and writers as haue this bysshoppe with his Antichristes hitherto seduced men withe their false bookes and falser doctrine from y t which our lorde preserue and defende this his church of englonde to whom be prayse for euer Amen And now vnto you my lord send I this fyrst pece to occupy your selfe in makinge aunswer It was Easter ere I had your boke theÌ„ had I litle tyme skant .xx. dayes to read it to make this answer and lesse quietnes to wryte For in dede ye made me a runner about into vncertaine seates and vnder and otherwhiles aboue vncertaine sower elements But the lorde see to it and â—e iudge which taketh out of your handes into lyberte all that yet suffer wronge of you Steuen Gardines the bysshop Ioye Barneâ— was vâ—rgiâ—ffâ—n The bysshop Ioye when I alledge thenâ—ber and the leafe of hiâ— boke it is of his first â— priÌ„ted bokâ— in the greater volume ioan 6. The bys Ioye A sclaunder geuen and a sclauÌ„der receiued Math. 5â— Rom. 3. In his pistle to etesipho dialo i. AusteÌ„ in psal xxxi lxx in his pistle .lii. c. Ro. iiii .xi Rom. viii i. Cor. i. Rom. viii i.li. retract ca. ix In enâ—h ad â—auren de gratia â— li. arb ca. xvi homili in Io. xxix et episto xxiiii i. Cor. i. Ephe. ii Ephe. i. The bys Ioye To merite by participation The bys â–ª Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye Ro. xiiii Isay. 64. Ps. c â—i Rom. â—x The bys Ioye Hebre. vii viii.ix.x CoÌ„tentatioÌ„ The bys Ioye Repentaunce foloweth faith iustifienge faith iustâ— fienâ— is befoâ—e baptiâ—â— Mat. xxvii A note worthy to be obserued ii Cor. vii Rom. vii Rom. vii Isa. xxviii Genes xlii xliii.xliiii Ioseph in this straung worke with his brethren fygured god in chryste Exo. xxxiii Gen. iii. The bys Ioye Mal. ii â— Cor. iii Math. vi Rom. vii i. timo vi Psal. 111 â—phe 4 6. gal 3. Rom 13. colloss 3. Canti v. The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye zâ—par 24. Psal. 103. The bys Ioye rom v. i. cor v. collos .i 2. cor v. The bys Ioye â—uke .xvii. rom iii 1. cor x 1. Phi. 2. Mat. v Phi. ii collos iii. Rom. v. Iere. .xvi Psal. xix Ioan. i. â—eut xxviâ— Gala. ii rom iii The byshoâ— his .ii. articlâ— His. iii. aâ—â—â—cle WiÌ„chesters paradox Ephe. v i. cor ii The bys Ioye Only faith iustifieth by his owne graunt The bysshopâ— two faithes folio .xviii. and .xix. â—â—e popes faith Acte xiii Fayth fyrste of all Thauctoriâ—e and vnâ—erstanding â—f the scripâ—uâ—e must do â—ende vpon â—he pope â— Gardiners â—â—en mouth To be confedered with the popes frendes and to wryte against hys enemies is a shrewd tokeÌ„ of a papiste 〈◊〉 lâ— â—om 10. â—oh 17 â—sai 53. Collos. â— The bys Ioye 〈…〉 Rom. 10. The bys Ioye gal 5. The bys Ioye Ioan. vi Ephe. 1. 2. Ephe. 1. Ephe. 2. Ephe. 2â— 1. coâ— 1. Ephe. 1. Rome 8. Our predesâ—ination election sought and founde in christ onely â— volunâ—ary necesâ—ite Mat. 20. prour 16. â—sal lxxvi Isay .x. Isay xxviiâ— Rom xv Psal. 13. c 2.14 The bys Ioye Gardiners faithe formed and vnformed shapt and shaples by whiche worke faith iuâ—tifieth Gene. 27. The bys Ioye faith iustifyinge rom 3. Gal. 2. luke 18. The bys Ioye The officie of faith of hope â— of loue The. bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye after â—udolph in vita Christi math v. 〈◊〉 xvii 〈◊〉 xix 〈◊〉 xvii rom iii. x cetle xxxii how faith not worke fulfilleth the lawe The bys Ioye The bys Ioye the bishop is afraide lest he shuld be iustified by onelye faith the vse of baptisme Bapâ—â—â—me is the testification to â—he churche of the regeneration of the spirite ephe iiii collos ii gal iii. act xvi act xv our workes may not sustaine the iudgementâ— of god rom iiâ— Esay lvii â–ª â—et xiii 〈◊〉 xiiii â— xv li. iiii de spaÌ„ et littera philip iii. rom ix .x. Workes make vs vncertaine faith câ—rtifeth vs al dubitation excluded Baptism is the seal testimoniall to the churche of the remission of sins The bys Ioye gene iiii Io. vi Hebrew .xi. The bys Ioye â—he bishops â—â—ndicioâ—s i. cor xi ii timo ii â—om vii act xv â—eut xxvii The bys Ioye The bys Ioye Agens sciâ— occultâ— innata sibi â—â—rtute The bys Ioye The bys Ioye Luc. vii Thinnersion of tâ—e coÌ„sequence rom v. cap. viii Hope The bys Ioye lxxiii The bys Ioye rom i. The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye Io. vi Mat. xv Ioan. 3. â— v The bys Ioye liii xv The bys Ioye â— timo i. The bys Ioye Hebr. xi The bys Ioye Faith beleueth hope abydeth and waiteth for Charitie leueth The bys Ioye rom â—i ii cor iii. The bys Ioye â—atte the heremite The bys Ioye rom vii The bys Ioye rom viii gala iii. i. cor i. titum iii. The bys Ioye The bys Ioy. The bys Ioye â—om iii. The bys Ioye psal lxviiâ— lib. ii de preâ—atorum merites â—a ii iii The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye i cor iii the workâ— of god iÌ„ maÌ„ not of maÌ„ Ezec. xxx Philip. ii ii cor iii philip i i cor iii God maketh vs to work with him Isai 6â— â— ephe vi â—he bys Ioye gala iii i timo ii Gen. xxvii Gene. xxiii â—n epi â— craâ—ill iâ— cor i iiii thinges giueÌ„ to god onely The bys Ioye rom i mat xv rom x timo i. The bys Ioyâ— The bys Ioye deuter xii The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye To abolish The bys Ioye The bys Ioy. The bys Ioye Ioye The bys The bys Ioye The by Ioye timo â— The bys Ioye â—aith Hope Loue. The bys Ioye The bys Ioye Mat. xvi The bys Ioye â—n your 4 article The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys Ioye The bys â—oye Ioye The bys â—oye Psa. iiii Baptisme Roma vi The supper of the lorâ—e The byâ— Ioye i. pet iii. Titu iii. Ioan. iii. i. Ioan. v Ioan. i Isai x. Baptisme i. Pet. iii. Rom. viii Genes 27 Gala iii. i. Ioan. v. Rom. xi â—â—â—es vi viâ—i The byâ— Ioye Rom. v. The byss â–ª Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The bys Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The bys Ioye The byss The byss Ioye The 〈◊〉 Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye â—is receiâ—is 〈◊〉 â—oy◠〈◊〉 The byss The byss Ioye The byss Ioye 〈…〉 The affectes of the flesh be inimitie to god Rom. viii i. cori xv i. cori xii Rom. iiii His worthines is now calle metenes The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The byss Ioye The bys Ioye The byss Ioye i. Cor. iiii Collo ii Heb. i.