¶ Two bokes of the noble doctor and B. S. Augustine th one entiteled of the Predestinacion of saintes thother of perseueraunce vnto th ende whervnto are annexed the determinacions of two auncient generall Councelles confermyng the doctrine taught in these bokes by s Aug. all faythfully translated out of Laten into Englyshe by Iohn Scory the late B. of Chichester very necessary for al tymes but namely for oures wherin the Papistes Inabaptistes haue reuiued agayne the wycked opinions of the Pelagiās that extolled mās wyll merites agaynst the fre grace of Christe Yf ryghteousnes commeth by the lawe then Christ dyed in vayne Gala. 2. ¶ Reade fyrst and then iuge who haue preached the true catholyke doctrine of the Churche of Christ we or our aduersaries ¶ Vnto the Christean reader Iohn Scory the late B. of Chichester wysheth grace and peace frō God oure Father thorowe Iesu Christe our alone and onely mediator and Aduocate HE wrote not amysse whiche notynge thignorancie ingratitude and vanite of mās nature said that men cōmend prayse and wonder at thynges past and auncient they despyse and set nought by the thynges present whych they haue before their eyes and in their hādes they earnestly desyre and gredely couet thynges to come In the first we maye beholde mans ignorance because nothynge namely in religion and doctrine be it neuer so auncient is worthye any commendacion excepte the same be also grounded vpon truthe In the seconde we may consyder thingratitude of mā whych contemnynge goddes goodnes presently callyng all men to lyght lyfe and lybertie had rather abyde in darkenes death and bondage In the thyrde mans vanitie is bewrayed whych gapyng alwayes for newes is neuer cōtented nor satisfyed wyth the manyfest truthe obteyned and had The tyme of Christes cōuersacion in thys world wāted not these kyndes of men whych despysynge the present lyght of the worlde the foūtayne of lyfe truth Ioh. 8. whom they beheld wyth theyr eyes and handeled wyth theyr handes they commended and praysed the mooste auncient Moses with whome they knewe they sayd that God hadde talked wyth Ioh. 9. they made none ende of garnyshyng the monumentes and graues of the olde prophetes Mat. 23 and iuste men they bosted them selues to be the sonnes sede of olde father Abraham Ioh. 8. not for any loue or zeale they had to tholde fathers prophetes and their true worshippyng of God but onely for the hatered they bare to Christ and hys heauenly doctrine Wherfore God dyd after moste iustely accordyng to Christes threatnyng take away his kyngdome from them Mat. 21. and. 23. makynge theyr habitacion waste and desolate And bycause they loued not the truthe presently offered vnto them 2. Thes 3 be sene them streng delusion that they myght beleue lyes I came sayeth the sōne of God in my fathers name Ioh. 5. and ye receyued me not yf an other shall come in hys owne name hym wyll ye receyue Thus were the blynde vnthankfull and vayne Iues most iustely punyshed Whether our age be not ful of suche godles men I reporte me to thyne owne conscience gentle reader That God hathe in thys our age Ioel. 2. powred out aboūdant lye the manyfolde gyftes of hys holye spirite vpon the the chyldren of men to open our eyes that we myght be conuerted from darkenes to lyght and from the power of Satā vnto God Act. 20. that we myghte receyue the remission of sinnes and a felowshyp amonge them whych are sanctified thorowe fayth is more manyfest then the noone daye Neuerthelesse suche is the wylful ygnoraūce and vnthankfull vanite of mē that these present manyfolde and wonderfull gyftes of Goddes spirite beynge contemned and set at nought whyche we dayly se wyth our eyes hear wyth our eares and as it were grope wyth our handes they neuer cease cryenge fathers fathers the churche the churche to the intents onely to deface the cleare and open truthe reueled vnto their owne age They wolde make the worlde beleue that tholde auncient Ecclesiasticall wryters whose onely errores they adore and worship but the truthe whyche both they taught and we defende they either hyd and dissemble or els depraue and corrupt as they do the holy scriptures taught an other religion and an other waye of saluacion then was of late taught and by common consent and authoritie receyued in Englande in the dayes of the moste excellent and famous Henry the father and moste vertuouse and Godlye Edwarde the sonne the ryght myghtye and noble kynges lately of Englande whose moste worthy fames and memories tho some moste vngodly vnnaturally do continually endeuoure themselues by all maner of meanes to deface shall euermore cōtinue and be celebrate cōmended set out of all such as were their true and louyng subiectes They wolde I saye beare men in hande that in the dayes of these moste worthy kinges abhominable and new fangled doctrine was openly taught and a lyke religion receyued and vsed So vnthankfull they are vnto God for hys present benefites Neuertheles thou mayst euidētly perceyue deare brother by readyng of these bokes of S. Aug. whych I haue faythfully translated out of laten into Englysh wherunto I entend yf god wyl to adde an other entiteled of the spirit and letter what was thold doctrine of the catholyke churche touchynge our saluacion For teachynge and defendyng wherof chiefly accordyng to the truthe of the holy scriptures and the same auncient doctrine of the true catholyke church our aduersaries are not ashamed to saye that we the preachers that truely preached goddes holy worde in the dayes of thaffornamed moste noble kynges preached nothynge but newfangels and abhominable doctrine And therfore they thynke Ioh. 16. that they do God hye seruice to molest trouble vs in euery place to robbe and spoile vs of al maner of worldly lyuynges liberties and goodes to reuyle and slaunder vs to rayle and lye vpon vs openly euen in the pulpettes from the whych goddes holy worde ought onely to soude and be heard and not maliciouse slaūders and manyfest lyes These notwythstandynge they desyre to be coūted catholykes not onely vnlustly vsurpyng that name to them selues only but also vncharitably excludyng from the same al suche as be true catholykes in dede They haue many yeares iugled wyth the worlde vnder the tytle of the catholike church and notwythstandyng that by sondry meanes theyr leigerdemayne haue ben openly discouered wherby the moste parte of men perceyue well enowe theyr ypocrisie yet haue they nowe agayne put vpō theyr vnshamefast and horyshe face the vysar of the catholyke churche whiche S. Au. in these bokes do so pluck of that all men maye perceyue that in deprauyng the true catholyke dotrine of saluacion whyche we haue moste truely preached they shewe themselues to be the great hore that sytteth vpon many waters Apo. 17 the mother of horedome and abhominacions of the earth rather thē that catholike churche which is the
vile shauelyng Or els what thynge hathe goddes wrytten worde prohibite forbydden that was then cōmaūded to be done and practised I meane styl of the cōmon order for religiō Yf you can agayne saye any of these do in some particular matter and by goddes helpe you shal be answered But yf you can not truely deny but that Goddes voice and worde was so reuerently heard whē the churche of Englande was the true catholyke churche of Christ in reforming the cōmon order of religion that al thynges were approued and vsed except discipline that it cōmaūdeth and all thinges refrayned that it forbiddeth then muste I also conclude that the Church of England in the dayes of thaforenamed kinges was the true catholyke churche of Christ For the truthe sayeth he that is of God heareth goddes worde Ioh. 8. Ioh. 10. And agayne he sayeth my shepe heare my voice but the churche of Englande in the dayes of the sayde kynges dyd heare the worde of God and the voice of Christ Therfore the churche of Englande was then the true catholike Church of Christe Can you for shame you chyldren of the deuel and enemyes to all ryghtfulnes whych cease not to peruerte the strayght wayes of the Lorde Act. 13. denye any part of this argument Are you not dryuen for wante of the truthe to buylde agayne youre newe Babilon wyth shamefull lyes manyfest falshode and moste barbarous and cruel tyranny But paraduenture you wyll saye that in the dayes of kynge Edwarde we dyd not myngle water wyth the wyne in the Lordes Supper What then Dyd Christe in the instituciō of the same gyue either example or cōmaundement to mingle water wyth the wyne Dyd he not calle that whyche hys Apostles had dronke out of the cuppe math 26 mar 14. the frute of the vyne tree Is wyne alone the frute of the vynetre or wyne water mingled together But you saye that tholde wryters as S. Cipriane and other do make mencion of the myngled cuppe wyth wyne and water Dothe not the same Cipriane S. Aug. also with other teache more earnestly that infantes can not be saued wythout receyuyng theuchariste and for the same purpose allege Christes wordes excepte ye eate the fleshe of the sonne of man drynke hys blood ye haue no lyfe in you Therfore lykewyse as ye leauynge in thys pointe Joh. 6. dyuerse other both Cipriane Aug. and all the hole catholyke churche of theyr tyme do yet thynke that neuertheles you are Christes churche And so wolde I also iuge of you and accepte you yf you gaue not many horrible and manyfest occasiōs to be rather wor thely counted the synagoges of Satan euen so do we moste iustely and truly beleue that the churche of Englande in the dayes of the sayd kynges was Christes true catholyke churche notwythstandynge it dyd not accordyng to the lybertie of the same myngle water wyth wyne not mythstandynge it dyd not annoynte infantes and ministres of the worde wyth oyle or omitted any suche lyke tradicion or ceremonye altho the same were mēcioned in the olde wryters For asmuche as it dyd neither obserue nor cōmaūde any thynge that is forbydden nor yet omytte or forbydde any thynge that is cōmaunded by the wrytten worde of God whyche alone is sufficiēt to gouerne the same true catholyke churche of Christ in al matters of religion 2. tim 3 necessary for saluacion But I appeale vnto thyne owne conscience gentle reader whether our aduersaries go not beyōde this lawfull lybertie The lybertie of the churche whyche consysteth in the alteracion or cuttynge of of suche tradicions as be eyther superfluous or supersticious accordyng as diuersite of tymes shall requyre For they vsynge a moste licentious and leude lybertie disanull goddes cōmaūdemētes to maintaine their owne tradicions and inuencions For they bothe do themselues Mat. 15 and also compell other to do that which God forbyddeth forbyd the whyche God by hys written worde cōmaun deth The true doctrine of the gospel touchynge remission of synnes eleccion vocation and iustificacion thef do corcupte wyth the leuen of their owne doctrine as I doubte not but that thou wylt manyfestly perceyue by reading of these bokes of S. Aug. Our sauiour Christ by expresse wordes cōmaunded all hys to drynke of his holy cuppe mat 26. but they by expresse wordes forbyd all excepte their annointed shauelynges syngynge or sayeng theyr masse to drynke of the cuppe Saint Marke by the spirite forseynge thys theyr cursed sacrilege dothe testefye mar 14. that they al drāke of the cuppe Dare they yet trifle which these scriptures as they were wont to do and to saye that all that were with Christ at hys last supper were prestes and that therfore they all dranke of hys cuppe I wyll not cōtende about wordes so that they vnderstande by prestes ministers of the newe testament but I pray you dyd any of them synge or say masse at Christes Supper that they might therby be admitted to drynke of his holy cuppe For they teache that none may drynke of the Lordes cup but priestes doynge masse and therfore on maundaye thursdaye when they haue but one masse they vse in great churches to minister to theyr priestes and all but onely the one kynde of breade Further yf Christe as they saye dyd at his laste supper gyue the Sacramentes of hys body and bloode onely to prestes howe dare they gyue any parte of them to any laye man By what authorite do they then gyue the one parte to women For I suppose the they wyll not confesse that either laye men or women be prestes But I praye you what can you saye you cōmytters of sacrilege to S. Paule whyche wrytynge to the hole churche of the Corinthians 1. Cor. 10 11. cōmaunde as well the lordes Cuppe as the breade to be gyuē to al and not only to the ministers Are not you the selfe same whome Christ noted whē he sayd you breake the cōmaūdementes of God thorowe your owne tradicions math 15. Who gaue you lybertie to mumble in a straunge tonge vnto the people whiche is not onely agaynst the wryttē worde of God 1. Cor. 14 but also against common sence and reason The written worde sayeth that yf I praye wyth tonges my spirite or breath prayeth but my mynde is without frute The written worde sayeth yf thou blessest wyth the spirite that he whiche occupyeth the romthe of the vnlearned can not say Amen at the gyuyng of thankes seyng he vnderstādeth not what thou sayest The written worde sayeth that it were better in the congregacion to speake fyue wordes wyth the mynde to thinformacion of other then ten thousand wordes wyth the tonge The writtē worde cōmaundeth all thynges to be done to edefyeng But you cōpell your prestes to praye wyth the spirit or breath to gyue thākes in a straūge tonge to speake nothynge to thin formacion and edefyeng of other And the people you compell to saye Amen
can not be expressed wyth tonge For he that searcheth the hartes knoweth what is the meanyng of the spirite for he maketh intercession for the saintes accordyng to the pleasure of God What meaneth thys the spirite maketh intercession but onely that he maketh vs to make intercessiō with vnspeakable gronynges but yet which suche as are true because the spirite is the truthe For the self same is he of whome he speaketh in an other place God sent the spirite of his sonne into our hertes cryeng Abba father And what meaneth this cryeng Gala. 4. but makyng vs to crye by the same fygure of speache that we vse whē we call that a merye daye that maketh mē meri The which ī an other place he declareth where he sayeth For ye haue not receiued the spirite of bondage to feare any more but ye haue receyued the spirite of adoptiō wherby we crye Abba father Rom. 8. There he sayd that the spirite dothe crye but here he sayeth by whome we cryer declaryng certeinly what he mente when he sayd cryeng True spiritual prayer is goddes gyfte that is as I haue nowe expowned makyng vs to crye Wherby we do vnderstand that it is also the selfe gyfte of God to praye vnto God with a true herte and spiritually Let them therfore consyder howe farre they are deceyued whych thynke that to aske to seke and to knocke come of our selues are not gyue vnto vs. And thys they say vnto thys end that grace might be preached to folowe oure merite when we in askyng do receyue and in sekyng do fynde and when it is opened vnto vs knockyng Neither wyl they vnderstande that to praye that is that we maye aske seke and knocke is also the gyfte of God For we receyue the spirite of the sonnes of adoption by whome we crye Abba father The which the blessed Ambrose perceyued to be true for he sayeth to pray vnto God appertaineth to spirituall grace as it is written 1. Cor. 12. no mā sayeth that Iesus is the Lorde but in the holy Gost These thynges therfore whyche the churche askethof the Lorde and whych she hath alwayes asked syns her begynnyng The same God knewe aforehande that he wolde gyue to suche as are hys called according as he had now already geuen in the self predestinacion whych thapostle declared with out all maner of doubte For he wrytynge to Timothe sayeth 2. Tim. 1. suffer thou aduersitie wyth the Gospel thorow the power of God whych saued vs and called vs with an holy callyng not accordyng to oure dedes but accordyng to hys owne purpose grace whych grace was geuen vs thorowe Christ Iesu before theternall tymes but is nowe declared openly by the cōmyng of our sauiour Iesu Christe Let hym therfore saye that sometyme the churche beleued not the truthe of thys predestination grace which is nowe more diligently defended agaynst these new heretikes let him I saye thus saye whiche dare afferme that some time she prayed not at all or els that she praied not truely both that the vnfaythfull myght beleue and also that the faythful myght continue The whiche good thynges yf she alwayes prayed for she dyd vndoubtedly alwayes beleue that they were the giftes of God It was neuer lawfull for the churche to denye the truthe nether was it at any tyme lawful for her to deny that the same were euermore knowen of hym And thus it appeareth that the churche of Christ haue alwayes beleued thys predestinacion whych against newe heretikes is now wyth a new trauell defended The .xxiiii. Chapter BVt what shal I say more I suppose that I haue sufficiently taught or rather more thē nedeth that both to begyn to beleue in the Lorde and also to continue in hym vnto th ende The true worshippīg of God are the gyftes of God But as for other vertues that belōg to a godly lyfe wherby God is truly worshipped they also for whome we wryte these do graunt that they are the gyftes of God Furthermore they can not denye bothe that God knewe aforehande all hys owne gyftes and also that he knewe afore to whome he wolde gyue them As other gyftes therfore ought to be preched that he whych preacheth them may be obediently heard euen so also predestinacion ought to be preached that he whych obediently hear these thynges shulde not glorye in man and therfore shulde not glorye in hym selfe but in the Lorde because also thys is Goddes cōmaundement that we shulde obedientlye heare that is that he whyche glorieth myght glory in the Lorde is the gyft of God in lyke maner as other gyftes be To glory in the Lorde is goddes gyfte The whych gyfte whosoeuer wanteth I am not afrayde to saye that what so euer gyftes he hath besydes he hath them in vaine Thys gyft we wyshe vnto the Pelagians that they maye haue but vnto these our brethren we wyshe that they may haue it more fully Let vs not be therfore readye to dispute stoo to praye Let vs pray moste derely beloued let vs praye the God maye also gyue grace to our enemies and namely to our brethrē and louers that they maye vnderstande and cōfesse that no man after that great and vnspekeable ruyne wherby all we fel in one man can be delyuered but by the grace of God and that the same grace is not recompensed as dewe True grace for the merites of them that receyue it but is frely gyuē as true grace for no merites sake goyng before it For there is no clerer ensample of predestinacion then Iesus hym selfe wherof I haue nowe disputed both in my fyrst boke and the same I haue also chosen to cōmend in th ende of thys for there is no ensample I saye of Predestinacion more cleare then the selfe mediator What so euer faythfull man is desyrous truely to vnderstande predestinacion let hym beholde hym and in hym he may also fynd hymselfe Let the faythfull I saye do thys whyche do beleue and confesse that the true nature of man that is oure nature is in hym notwythstādyng that it be syngulerlye exalted to be the onelye sonne of God by that that God the worde dyd take it so that bothe he that dothe take and it that was taken myght be one persone in Trinitie For by the takyng of man there was not a quaternite made but the Trinite continued when the truthe of one persone in God and man was vnspeakeablye wrought by the takynge of mans nature For we saye not that Christe is God onely as the hereticall Manicheis saye neither that he is Man onely as the hereticalle Photinianes saye neither do we saye that he is man after suche sorte that he shoulde haue anye thynge lesse then other haue as touchyng that whyche is certaine to belonge to mannes nature whether it be the soule or in the selfe soule the reasonable mynde or the fleshe not taken of the woman but made of the worde beynge
veray and only spouse of Christ Iesu our Lord Thou shalte therfore in these bokes gentle reader perceyue as I haue sayd the true catholyke doctrine of our saluacion and of all matters that depēde and are annexed to the same as what is the veray original cause of our saluaciō after what maner and sorte we are fyrst called vnto saluacion by what and whose meanes and deseruynges we so continue that we attayne the fruicion of the same in th end why al are not so called that they may folowe and obey the caller howe weake and vnable mans wyll is either to come to God or to continue in hym vnto th ende whether we be saued that is predestinate called iustifyed glorifyed frely thorowe the onely grace and fauoure of God by faythe in Christe Iesu or by the preceptes of good lyfe For thus S. August speaketh De spiritu littera Cap. 13. we conclude sayeth he that a man is not iustifyed by the preceptes of good lyfe but by the fayth of Iesu Christe That is not by the lawe of workes but by the lawe of fayth not by the letter but by the spirite not by the merites of dedes but by grace frely geuen I praye you whiche of vs all whych are iudged and proclamed by our aduersaries to be new fangled and lyeng preachers dyd euer preache more largely or otherwyse of the doctrine of saluacion and iustificacion then S. Aug. haue here wrytten I beseche the cōsyder and marke S. Aug. wordes well and then I doubt not but that thou shalt perceiue manyfestly that our aduersaries declare themselues moste shameles reprobates whyche are not afrayed in theyr frantyke furious mode to call that doctrine whych is onely auncient true and heauenly new fangled and abominable 2. Tim. 3 Neuertheles as the madnes of Iannes and Iambres that resysted Moses was euidēt vnto al mē euen so I doubt not but that thou mayest perceyue that S. Aug. dothe discouer here the madnes of these sorcerers whyche can none otherwyse beyng destitute of the trueth mayntayne their madnes but by violence and tyranny as theyr cruell enterpryses and procedinges do manyfestly declare to all the worlde thys daye That thou be not therfore deceyued and bewytched thorow their incantacions Gala. 3. reade diligētly I say these bokes of S. Aug. whervnto I haue in th ende annexed the determinaciō of two auncient councels that conferme the truthe of S. Aug. doctrine And yf any thynge peraduenture shall seame vnto the harde to be vnderstāde I wolde haue the to consyder that S. Aug. do in some places here intreat of goddes secret councelles and iugementes which can not be perceyued either by external senses 1. Cor. 2. Mat. 11. or naturall reason but by fayth only that beleueth and resteth in the true vnderstandynge of Goddes worde The beleuyng man therfore that calleth vpon God shal as easely vnderstande thys true catholyke doctrine of saluacion Ioh. 10. as the shepe knoweth the voyce of hys owne shepherd altho the wyse of the world that do peryshe whose vnbeleuynge myndes Satan hath blynded 2. Cor. 4. 1. Cor. 1. wyl esteme thys not onlye new fangled but also folyshe and abhominable Further yf any thynge that S. Au. here teacheth of the state of infantes that dye wythout baptime shal peraduenture offende the I muste desyre the diligently to wey and consyder bothe the horrible deformite of that originall synne wherin we were all borne Rom. 5. Psal 51. and also the moste iuste and secrete iugement of God vpon the chyldren of wrathe for the same whych S. Aug. in the .xii. chapter of thys seconde boke do set forthe moste playnly Ephe. 2. And thē I doubt not but that thou shall either be persuaded to credite also s Aug. in this mater or els thou wylt with quietnes modeste discent frō him For s Aug. intēded neuer either in these bokes or in any other tyrānically to cōpelle any mā as our aduersaries do to folow his iugement in religion but desyreth onely to be credited so far forth as a mā may perceyne that he dyd not erre That he was of thys mynde you maye in many places of hys other workes and namely in the. 21. chapter of thys seconde boke manyfestly se Neither haue I translated these bokes to call the from the certeine and infallible truthe and authoritie of Goddes worde to hange nowe vpon S. Aug. but that bothe thou and all other that wyll maye perceyue by the testimonye also of S. Aug. what was and is The cause of trāslatynge these bokes thold aūcient and true catholyke doctrine of the churche touchynge our saluacion whych cōsysteth vpon our eternall eleccion or predestinacion vocacion iustificacion and glorificacion as S. Paule testifieth to the Romanes wherby thou mayest the more truly iuge betwene vs oure aduersaries which cease not to crye out affermyng moste vntruly that we haue preached new fangled and abhominable doctrine But thys ought not to be passed ouer wyth silence that S. Aug. both in these bokes and in diuerse other places of hys workes do teache and afferme that infantes can not be saued wythout the receyuynge of the Sacramentes of Christes body and blood Of thys iudgement was also S. Cipriane wherby it is manyfest that in theyr dayes the Churche of Christe dyd vse to mynistre Theucariste to infantes The euchariste gyuen to infantes Thys was an olde and auncient tradiciō of the church And notwythstandyng that our aduersaries haue omitted the same as they do diuerse other suche lyke yet are not we so captiouse or so vncharitable eyther to condempne them for thys omission or to enforce that they shulde receiue the same tradicions againe Wherfore by right and equitie they ought to graūt that the churche of Englande accordyng to the lyberties of the same in the dayes of the moste noble and excellet princes Henry the .viii. and Edward the vi by cōmon consent of al the states of the realme and their supremest authorite in earthe vnder Christe myght omitte or chaunge tradiciōs in religion as it dyd altho the same were auncient and mencioned in olde wryters as longe as it dyd cōstitute or ordeyne nothyng against goddes wrytten worde Wherupon I may also iustly conclude that those our aduersaries whiche do nowe condemne the hole churche of Englande that was in the dayes of thafornamed kynges for omittyng or alteryng of tradiciōs that they wet false dissemblyng and pariured traitores against theyr moste naturall kynges and countreye malicious ypocrites against the true catholyke churche of Englād For what thing as touchyng the cōmen order for religion haue God cōmaunded by hys wrytten worde to be done that was then omitted except thonly vse of Christes true discipline whyche in dede was then resisted by some that haue ben and are by the iuste iugement of God compelled to submitte their neckes vnto the heuie burden and greuous yoke of Antechristes vicare a wretched
and to ratifye that whyche they vnderstande not 1. Cor. 14 The written worde sayeth that thys is a pointe of chyldishnes a declaracion that you are out of your wyttes Marke well the. 14. to the Corinthians and then iuge gentle reader whether I haue not truely charged them that in thys matter they do both cōtrary to the written worde of God also to cōmon sense and reason What shulde I speake of their grosse ydolatrye in worshipping of stockes stones and of their fyne iuggelynges in erectyng and maintainyng pilgrimages whyche I thynke can neuer be forgotten of oure age except they can make vs to haue as lytel witte in our heades as the Idoles which they haue compelled vs to worship haue lyfe felyng in their stockes and bodyes for theyr retrocedynges tende to thys point Retrocedinges backslydinges deforme defaceor disfigure to deforme the church agayne as it was in kynge Henry the .vii. dayes Do they not in thys thyng also cōmaūd that whyche God dothe expresselye forbyd Marke well the .ii. cōmaundement and then iuge Dothe not the wrytten worde call this their ydolatrye vanitie lyes fornicacion Deu. 27 psal 97 106. and 115. Esa 44 Bie 10. Eze. 14. Oze 13. miche 1. Aba 2. Gap 14 adultrye infidelite vnclennes fylthye donge and abhominaciō The other rablement of their execrable inuenciōs wherwith they haue disanulled goddes holy ordinaunces takyng to themselues a moste wicked and leude libertie I wil omitte at thys present Neuertheles thou mayest manifestly perceiue by these deare brother that for all their malicious railinges vpō the poore mēbres of Christ in Englande that lately floryshed here thorowe peace true doctrine vnder the protecciō of our late souereigne lorde the moste vertuous learned and excellent prince kynge Edwarde the .vi. and dothe nowe moste constantly endure and moste victoriously triumphe vnder the crosse of Christe that the same were be the true catholyke church of Christ of Englande the omitting or alteryng of certeine tradicions ceremonies notwythstandyng And that our aduersaries of whose moste fylthy and stynkyng maners and lyuynges of whose moste bloody and cruel tyrānies I haue made no particular mencion at thys present but onely by the waye touched two or thre pointes of theyr false antechristean religion that our aduersaries I saye are no more worthye of the name of the catholyke churche of Christe for al theyr stoute countenaunce then were the braggynge Iues worthye to be counted the true sede and sonnes of Abrahā Ioh 8. Vnto whose tethe and face Christe doubted not to saye ye are of your father that deuell and the lustes of your father ye wyl do he was a murtherer from the beginnyng and abode not in the truth because there is no truthe in hym Do not our aduersaries in theyr manyfold bloody cruel and straunge tyrannies in their moste fylthye and abhominable lustes in their moste false and lyeng doctrines and religion resemble expresse the veray lyuelye ymage of their father the deuell painted out in thys place by our sauiour Christ Prosperite in wicked doynge But my thynke I heare them nowe obiecte agaynst me their luckey successe in all their backslydynges they wolde haue me say procedynges whych they say God wold not so prospere except they were his true churche and allowed their religion and worshippinges Verelye I do confesse that their tyrannicall ydololatricall enterprises haue he therto wonderfullye prospered in their handes wherby I feare a great number ace seduced Neuertheles they are suche as neuer had loue vnto the truthe but had pleasure in vnryghtfulnes what soeuer pretēce they made outwardly whose 2. thes 2. names are not written in the boke of lyfe Apo. 13. 2. tim 2. For the sure grounde of god remayneth hauynge thys seale the Lorde knoweth thē that are his c. But yf thys argument of luckye successe wherwith they flatter them selues deceyue other were a good argument Then shuld the Turkes be the true church of God and their religion the purest For they haue wonderfully preuayled against the christians and that many yeres Reade the boke of the Iuges and ye also shall perceyue that sometyme the Moabites Iudi. 3.4.6 ▪ and 10. somtyme the Cananites somtyme the Madianites somtime the Philistiās the Ammonites Ammorites Sidonians Amelikites had the vpperhande vpon Israel sometyme by a longer space somtytyme by a shorter For thus it is writen in the seconde chapter of the same boke The Lorde waxed angry with Israel Iudi. 2. and delyuered them into the hādes of rauenares to spoile them solde them into the hādes of their enemyes roūde about them Papistical raueners leaue no maner of thyng neither to man wife nor chylde 4. re 17. so that they hadde no power any longer to stande before theyr enemies but vnto what soeuer thynge they wente the hande of the Lorde was vpō thē with euel lucke Dyd the good lucke of these Idolatrous nacions proue that they were the true churche of God God forbyd What shulde I speake of Salmanaser which cōquered and caried awaye into captiuite tenne of the. 12. tribes 4. re 25. Or els of Nabuchodonoser that in lyke maner caryed awaye thother two and burnt vp the cytie and tēple of Hierusalem Dyd thys happy successe of the Assirians and Babilonians proue that they were Goddes people Further was not the moste worthy and noble kynge Iosias of whome the scripture testifyeth 4. re 23. that there was none before him like vnto him that turned vnto the Lorde wyth all hys herte wyth all hys soule and al hys myght accordyng to all the law of Moses neither after hym arose there any suche was he not slayne of Pharao Neco kynge of Egipte when he had put downe all maner of Idolatrie and false religion and erected the true worshippyng of God accordyng to hys written worde Was not the same true religion worshippynge immediatly after his death abolyshed and ydolatrye and false religion agayne restored and exalted as hye as euer it had ben in ani kinges dayes before But what folowed thys apostacy and backslydyng of thisraelites Captiuite bondage and thraldome of the kynge of all hys nobles and cōmons and wastyng desolacion and burnynge vp of the hole citie and temple God be mercyfull vnto thys realme of England and graunt it grace once agayne to kysse imbrace the sonne of God lesse the Lorde be in lyke maner angrye wyth it c. Who doeth not knowe of the victory that Cain had agaynst Abel Gen. 4. Gen. 33. or of the dominion that Esau had vpon Iacob or of the successe wherby the Iewes preuailed agaynst Christe and hys apostels The Kynges and ruelers of thys worlde agaynste Christes holye martyres What maruell is it then that wyckednes hathe nowe in lyke maner the vpperhande Namelye seynge the holye scriptures do testifye that thys shulde thus be For Daniel the prophete speakynge of the
ascribed al vnto God lest paraduenture any mā myght glory or be extolled Wherfore the only maister and Lorde when he had said the wordes which I afore rehersed thys is the worke of God to beleue in hym whome he sente in the same his sermon he sayeth a lytle after I haue sayd vnto you that you haue sene me and not beleued al that the father geueth me shall come vnto me The .viii. Chapter VVhat meaneth thys that he sayeth he shall come vnto me but only that he shall beleue in me but that thys may be brought to passe it is the gyfte of the father In lykemaner a lytle after he sayeth murmure not amonge youre selues no man can come to me except the father which sent me drawe hym I shal rayse hym vp in the last daye It is written in the prophetes and they shal be all taught of God Euery one that hath herde of the father learned cōmeth vnto me What me aneth this euery one that hath herd of the father and learned commeth vnto me but only the ther is none which do heare learne of the father but that he cōmeth vnto me For yf euery one that haue herde of the father and learned cōmeth out of doubt euery one then which cōmeth not haue not herde of the father nor learned for yf he hadde herde and learned he should haue come For ther is not one that haue herde and learned that cōmeth not but euery one as the truthe sayeth which haue herde of the father and learned The subril worldly wyse dome wil not be a scolar in this scole cōmeth This scole wherin the father is herde and do teache to come to the sonne is farre aboue the vnderstandyng of the fleshe In this scole is the sonne hymselfe for he is the very worde of hym by whom the father do thus teache neither dothe he worke this in the ear of the fleshe but in the ear of the herte Ther is also together the spirite of the father the sonne for he dothe also teache together with the father and the sonne For we haue learned that the workes of the Trinitie are inseperable And thys is verely the holye Goost of whome thapostle speaketh but we hauyng sayeth he the same spirit of fayth 2. Corin. 4. But therfore chieflye is this attribute vnto the father because that the only begotten is begotten of hym and of him doth procede the holye Ghoste of whome to dispute more exquisytly woulde be very lōgerand further I do suppose that our labour of the Trinite which is God that is cōprehended in xv bokes is come into your hādes This scole I saye wherin god is herde and doth teache is farre aboue the reache of the wysedome of the fleshe We perceyue that many come to the sonne because we perceyue that many beleue in Christ but where howe they haue herde this of the father and learned The grace of thelccre is secret wherof hard hertes at not partalers ▪ we perceyue not For thys grace is verye secrete but that it is grace who douteth This grace therfore that is thorowe Goddes gyfte powred priuely into mens hertes is not receyued of any harde herte For to that ende is it geuen that the hardnes of herte myght fyrst be taken awaye Therfore when the father is herd within and teacheth to cōe to the sonne he taketh away the stony herte Ezech. 11. and. 36. and geueth a fleshy herte accordynge as he promysed by the preachyng of the Prophet For after thys maner dothe he make the sonnes of promyse and the vessels of mercy whych he hath prepared vnto glory Wherfore the doth not he teache al that they maye come to Christ Al are not taught to cōe to Christ but because that of mercye he teacheth all whom he teacheth but whome he teacheth not of iudgemēt he teacheth not For he hath mercy vpon whome he wyl whō he wyll he doth harden but he hath merci geuing that is good he doth harden recompensyng that is deserued Or els paradueture accordyng as some men thynke the distinction to be made these may also be the wordes of hym vnto who thapostle sayeth Rom. 9. Thou sayst then vnto me So that we maye vnderstande that the aduersary had said therfore he hath mercy on whome he wyl and whome he wyl he doth harden and so forth that is why dothe he yet blame vs For who tan resyst his wyl Dyd thapostell answere this aduersarye thus O man it is false that thou hast said no forsoth But he answered O man what arte thou that disputest with God shall the worke saye to the workeman why haste thou made me on this fashion hath not the potter power ouer the claye to make euen of the same lompe and so forth as ye knowe very wel And yet notwithstādyng after a certein maner the father do teache all to rōe to his sonne For it is not written in vayne in the prophetes and they shall al be taught of God the which testimony as sone as Christ had first recyted he added by and by euery one that haue herd of the father and learned commeth vnto me As we therfore speake trulye when we speake of any one scolemaister which is only in the cytie this scolemaister teacheth all in this cytie not because al do learne but because none that learne there any letters lerne of any other but onlye of him euen so we say truly God do teache al to come to Christ not bycause al do come but because no man do come any other waye But why he doth not teache al the Apostle hathe opened so muche as he thought mete to be opened because sayeth he God willynge to shewe his wrath and to make hys power knowen Rom. 9. suffred with longe pacience the vessels of wrath ordeyned to damnacion that he myght declare the ryches of his glorye on the vessels of mercy whiche he had prepared vnto glory Hereof it commeth that the worde of the crosse is folyshnes to them that peryshe 1. Corin. 1. but to them that are saued it is the power of God All these do God teach to come to Christ Whyche al are those that god wyll haue saued 1. 11. 2 al these wyl God haue saued and come to the knowlege of the truthe For and yf he would teache them to come vnto Christ which esteme the worde of the Crosse as folyshnes without al doubt they also should come For he neither deceyueth nor is deceyued that fayth euery one that hath herde of the father and learned Ioh. 6. cōmeth vnto me God forbid therfore that any mā should not come whiche hath herde and learned of the father Wherfore saye they dothe not he teache al yf we shal saye be cause they whome he teache not wyll not learne we shal be answered what meaneth that then Psal 84. The lord maketh of vnwillīg willyng Math. 5. that is sayd vnto hym
herte godly thoughtes wherby he maye haue fayth Gala. 5. that maye worke by loue The whych goodnes to receyue kepe and in the same to go forwardes cōtinually vnto th end we are not able to thinke ani thing as of our selues 2. Cor. 3 ▪ but oure ablenes cōmeth of God in whose power ar both oure hertes and thoughtes Wherfore of two infātes that are bothe fast wrapped together in the bādes of original synne why thys is taken and he forsaken All are not called alyke of two vngodly persones that be nowe of age and discrecion why thys is called after suche a maner that he maye folowe the caller but the other either is not called at al Of two godly persons or at the lest wise is not called after suche a sorte that he maye folowe the caller the iudgementes of God are vnsercheable Notwithstanding this ought to be moste certeine to the faythful that the one is of the nombre of the predestinate but the other is not For yf they had ben of vs sayeth one of the predestinate 1. Ioan. 2. whiche out of the Lordes breste dyd sucke thys secrete they had vndoubtedly continued wyth vs. What meaneth thys I praye you they were not of vs for yf they had ben of vs they had certeinly continued wyth vs Were they not both created of god bothe borne of Adam both made of the earthe and of hym whych said I haue made all breath Esay 57. Dyd they not both receyue soules of one and the selfe same nature Laste of all were they not bothe called and folowed the caller bothe of vngodly iustifyed and both renewed by the fountayne of regeneracion But yf he whych certeinly knew what he said should heare thys he might aunswere and say These are true and accordyng to all these thynges they were of vs neuertheles by a certeyne other differēce they were not of vs For yf they had ben of vs they should vndoubtedly haue continued wyth vs. But in conclusion what is thys difference God hys bokes are open Goddes boke let vs not turne awaye our face The deuine scripture dothe crye let vs therfore gyue eare They were not of them because they were not called accordynge to purpose Roma 8. They were not electe in Christ before the makyng of the world They were not made heires thorough hym Ephe. 1 They were not predestinate accordynge to the purpose of hym that worketh all thynges For yf they had bene so they had ben of the nombre of thē and should wythout all doubt haue continued wyth them For that I maye omitte to declare how possible it is for God What god can do yf he wyll to conuerte the willes of men vnto hys fayth that are turned from hym and are agaynst hym and so to worke in their hertes that they may not gyue place to any aduersities neither beyng ouercome by any maner of tentacion should departe frō hym Forasmuche as he can bryng this also to passe as the Apostle sayeth that he wyll not suffer them to be tempted 1. Cor. 10. aboue that they shal be able to beare The .ix. Chapter THat I maye therfore I saye omitte to declare this certeinly god could knowynge aforehande that they shoulde fall awaye haue taken them out of this lyfe before thys should haue happened Shall we returne agayne thether that we maye yet dispute how folyshly it is sayde that deade men shal be iudged also for those synnes whyche God knewe aforehande that they would do yf they had lyued The whych is so repugnaūt to a christian vnderstanding and vtterly to mans iudgement that I am also ashamed to confute it For why may it not be said that the gospel it selfe bothe was preached in vayne wyth so great labor and sufferyng of the saintes and is also yet so preached yf mē might be iudged also without the hearing of the gospell accordyng to the disobedience or obedience which god knewe aforehāde that they shoulde haue had yf they had herde it Luce. 10◠Neither should Tyrus and Sidō haue ben damned altho more easelye thē were those vnbeleuyng cyties wherin the myracles and signes of the Lorde Christ were wrought For yf they hadde ben wrought amonge them thei had done penāce in ashes and sackeloth as the wordes of the truthe do testifie in the whych hys wordes the Lorde Iesus do declare vnto vs the depe mistery of predestinacion For yf it shal be demaunded of vs why so great miracles were wrought amonge them whyche beholdynge them would not beleue and were not wrought amonge them which should haue beleued yf they had sene them what shall we aunswere Shall we make that aunswere whych we haue before made in an other boke where as I aunswered to syre certeine questions of the Pagants neuertheles wythout any preiudice of other causes whyche maye be founde out by wyse men For when it was demaūded why Christ came after so many ages I made thys aunswer as ye knowe that in those times and in those places whē wheras the gospell was not preached he knewe aforehāde that they would all be suche at the preachyng therof as were manye in hys corporall presence whyche would not beleue in him Io. 11.12 no not after he had raysed vp the deade In like maner a lytle after in the same boke in the same question what maruel is it said I forasmuche as Christ dyd knowe the worlde to be so full of infideles in the formar ages This answer may serue for our tyme also that he would not and that vp on good cause preache vnto them whych he knewe aforehāde would neither beleue his wordes nor myracles Certeinly we can not saye thus of Tyrus and Sydon and in them we knowe that these iugemētes of God do appertaine to those causes of predestinacion wythout preiudice of whyche hydde causes I sayd that I made then this aunswere For it is an easye matter to atruse the infidelite of the Iues that spronge of fre wyll The frutes of frewyll Math. 11. whyche would not beleue so great miracles wrought amonge them Which the Lord rebukyng reproued and sayd wo be to the Lorozaim and Gethsaida for yf the myracles had bē wrought in Tyrus and Sydon whych haue ben wrought in you they woulde longe ago haue done penaunce in ashes and sackclothe But are we able to saye that the people also of Tyrus and Sidon would not haue beleued yf suche myracles had ben wrought amonge them or els that they should not haue beleued yf they had ben done amonge them The Lorde hym selfe doth wytnes that they should haue repēted with great humilite yf so be those sygnes of Goddes myracles had bene wrought among them And neuertheles they shal be punyshed in the daye of iudgemēt altho wyth a lesser punyshment then those cyties that would not beleue by the miracles that were wrought amonge them For the Lord sayeth after neuertheles
be sayd what remayneth there but that we should blynde contencion set apart acknowlege and cōfesse that the grace of God is not geuen for our merites Thennemies of grace are uone of the catho lyke churche whyche the catholyke churche do defende against the Pelagians heresye And thys maye we perceyue by a more euident truthe chefely in yongel chyldren For neither is God compelled by desteny either to helpe these infantes or not to helpe those forasmuche as they haue both one cause neither yet shall we thynke that humaine matters in yonge chyldren when reasonable soules shall be either damned or delyuered are not gouerned bi goddes prouidēce but by casual fortune Seyng that not so muche as one sparowe doth fall vpon the earth Mat. 10. wythout oure fathers wyll that is in heauen or that the dyeng of chyldrē wythout baptisme should be so imputed to the negligence of the parētes that goddes iudgementes wrought no thynge in that matter as tho they themselues which by this meanes do myserably dye had chosen to thē selues by theyr owne wyll suche negligent parentes of whom they myght be borne Goddes iugententes in chyldren What should I speake of thys that some tyme the infant gyueth vp the goost before he can be holpen by the mynistery of hym that do baptise For often tymes when the parentes haue made haste and the ministers were redy that the infant myght be baptised yet God would not haue it to be baptysed whych dyd not kepe it alyue that it myght be baptysed What should I speake also of thys that somtyme the infantes of infidels maye be holpen by baptisme that they should not go into perdicion and the infantes of the faythful can not be holpen by baptisme Wherin is certeinly derlared that before God there is no respecte of persons For then he would rather delyuer the yonge chyldren of hys worshippers then of hys ennemyes The .xiii. Chapter BVt nowe seyng we intreate of the goodnes of perseuerance what meanes this that one beyng at deathes dore is holpen that he should not dye wythout baptisme and an other that is baptised is not holpen that he myghte dye before he fall Except paraduenture we wyl yet herken vnto that absurdite wherby it is auermed that it doth nothynge profyte any man to dye before he fall because he shal be iudged according to those dedes that God knewe aforehande that he would do yf he dyd lyue Who can paciently heare who can abyd thys peuishe opiniō the doth so excedyngly repugne agaynst the holsome fayth And neuertheles they that wyl not confesse the the grace of God is not geuē accordyng to our merites are constrayned to afferme thys But they that wyll saye that euery one of the deade shal be iudged accordynge to those dedes whych God knewe aforehāde that euery one woulde do yf he lyued perceiuyge wyth howe manyfest falshode and great absurdite thys is affermed there is nothyng lefte wherfore they should saye that whiche Pelagius condemned What opiniō the churche cōpelled pelagius to condemne whych the church caused hym to condēne that the grace of God was geuen for our merites Seyng they perceiue that yonge chyldren are taken out of thys world some beyng not regeuerat vnto eternal death but other that are regenerate vnto eternall lyfe And amonge them also that are regenerate some do departe hence perseueryng to th end other are kept here vntyl they may fall awaye whych certeinly should not haue fallen yf they had departed hence before they dyd fall And agayne some that are fallen do not departe thys lyfe before they maye repent whych certeinly should haue peryshed yf they had departed this lyfe before they had repented Wherby it is playnly enough beclared that the grace of God aswel to begynne as to continue also vnto th ende is not geuen accordynge to our merites but is gyuen accordyng to hys moste secrete wyl and the same also moste iuste most mercyful moste wyse For whome he hath predestinate Ro. 8.11 them hath he also called wyth that callyng wherof it is sayd The gyftes and callyng of God are suche that it can not repent hym of them No man wyth certein affirmacion can be iudged of mē to belong vnto thys callyng before he shall departe out of thys world but in thys lyfe whych is a tētacion vpō earth he that semeth to stande let hym take hede that he fall not i. Cot. 10. For therfore as we sayde before by the moste prouident and forseyng wyl of God they that shal not continue are myngled amōge them that shall continue that we might learne not to be hye minded but to make oure selues equall to them of the lower sorte Rom. 12. to worke our owne saluacion wyth feare tremblyng For it is God that worketh in vs both to will Phi. 2. and also to worke euen of good wyll We wil then but it is God that worketh in vs also to wyll we worke then but it is God that do also worke in vs the worke euen of good wyll It is expediet for vs both to beleue this and also to confesse thys Thys is godly thys is true that our confession maye be humble and lowly that all may be ascribed vnto God We thynking beleue thinking we speake thynkyng we do what soeuer we do but as touchynge that that apperteine vnto the waye of godlynes 2. Cor. 3. true worshyp of God we ar not able to thinke any thing as of oure selues but oure ablenes cōmeth of God For our owne hert and oure owne thoughtes are not in our owne power wherfore the same Ambrose whych taught this sayd also Ambro. who is so blessed that in hys herte do alwayes ascende But wythout Goddes helpe howe can thys be done certeinly by no meanes Furthermore he sayeth vpon the same scripture Blessed is the man whose helpe cōmeth of the O Lorde Psal 83. whose herte is bent towardes heauen That Ambrose myght speake thys he dyd not only reade it in the holy scriptures but he felt also the same in his herte as we ought wythout all doubt to beleue of that man Therfore that whych is spoken in the Sacramentes of the faythfull that we should lyfte vp our hertes vnto the Lord is the gyft of the Lorde For the whyche gyft they vnto whome those wordes are spoken Thinfe you that this admonicion was in a straunge tōge spoken to so me lytle boye stan dyng at an altares ende Collo 3. are admonished by the priest to gyue thākes vnto the Lorde our God after whyche wordes they make aunswere that it is both mete ryght that they should so do For asmuche then as oure owne herte is not in our owne power but is holpen wyth Goddes helpe that it maye ascende and be fired vpon suche thynges that are aboue where as Christ is syttynge at the right hande of God and not vpon suche thynges as are vpon
earthe vnto whome should we gyue thankes for thys so great a benefyte but vnto the Lord our God that worketh the same whiche by the lyke benefyte delyueryng vs hath chosen vs out of the bottome of thys worlde and predestinated vs before the foundations of the worlde were layde The .xiiii. Chapter The doctrine of predestinacion ys no hinderaunce to preaching BUt they saye that the definition and determinaciō of predestinacion is contrary to profytable preaching as tho it had hyndered the preachyng Apostle Dyd not that teacher of the Gentyls in fayth and truthe many tymes cōmende predestination and neuertheles ceased not to preache the worde of god Because he said it is God that worketh in us bothe to wyll and worke euen of good wyl dyd he not therfore exhorte vs both to will and also to worke those thinges that please God Phi. 2. Or because he sayd he that hathe begonne in you the good worke Phi. 1. wyll verforme it euen vntyl the daye of Christ Iesu dyd not he councel men buthe that they should begynne and also continue vnto th ende For the Lorde himselfe cōmaunded men that they should beleue and sayeth beleue ye in God and beleue in me Joan. 14. and yet neither was hys sayeng false nor hys determinacion vaine where he sayeth No mā cōmeth vnto me that is no man beleueth in me excepte it were geuen hym of my father Joan. 6. Nor yet because this determinacion is true therfore is that commaundement vaine Why then do we thynke that the determinacion of predestinacion is vnprofytable seyng the selfe same scripture of God dothe commende it that do teache vs to frequente and vse all these namely preachyng cōmaundyng exhortyng rebukyng Dare any man say that God knewe not aforehande vnto whome he would gyue faith that they might beleue or that he knewe not aforhande whome he would gyue vnto hys sonne Jo. 6.7 that he should not lose one of them all whych yf he knewe aforehande he knewe aforehande vndoubtedly those hys benefites wherby he dothe vouchesaue to delyuer vs. Thys precestinacion of saintes is nothyng els what is predestinacion but for the foreknowlege and preparacion of the benefytes of God wherby they are moste certeinly delyuered as many as ar delyuered But as touchyng the rest where are they lefte but in the lumpe of perdiciō by the iusse iudgement of God wherin wer lest they of Tyrus Sidō whiche might also haue beleued if thei had sene those wonderfull sygnes of Christ But because it was not geuen them that they should beleue therfore that was also denyed them wherby they myght beleue Wherby it appeareth that some haue in the selfe nature a gyft of god naturally to vnderstande wherby they maye be moued to beleue yf they shal either heare wordes or sesygnes agreyng and conformable to their myndes and neuertheles yf they be not in the depe iugemēt of God seuered and parted frō the lompe of perdicion thorow the predestinacion of grace the selfe wordes and miracles of God are not applyed vnto them wherby they should beleue yf they either herde them or sawe them In the same lompe of perdicion were the Iues also lefte whyche could not beleue the great and manifest miracles that were wrought before their owne eyes But why they coulde not beleue the Gospell hathe declared sayeng Job 12. but when he had done so many myracles before them yet beleued not they on hym that the sayeng of Esaias that prophet myght be fulfylled that he spake Esa 53. Lorde who beleued oure sayeng and to whome is the arme of the Lorde opened Therfore could they not beleue because that Esaias sayeth agayne He hath blynded their eyes and hardened their herte that they shoulde not se wyth their eyes and vnderstande with their hertes and should be conuerted and I shoulde heale them The eyes therfore of them of Tyrus and Sidō were not so blynded nor their herte so hardened For they had beleued yf they had sene suche miracles as these sawe but it dyd neither profyte thē that they myght haue beleued for they were not predestinate of hym whose iudgementes are vnsercheable and hys wayes past finding out Rom. 11. neither should it haue hindered these that they could not beleue yf they had bē so predestinate that God would haue lyghtned thē beyng blynde and would haue taken from them their stony herte heyng hardened Neuertheles that whych the Lorde spake of the Tirians and Sidonians maye be vnderitande parhappes some other waye yet he doth vndoubtedly confesse that no man commeth vnto Christ except it shal be geuen hym and that thys is geuen vnto them whych were chosen in hym before the makyng of the worlde whyche dothe heare the worde of God not wyth the eares of the fleshe but with the eares of the harte And that not wythstandyng thys predestinaciō whych is also declared by the wordes of the gospel very manifestly did not let the Lord to say the words whiche I recited a lytle before both to moue vs to begynne beleue ye in God and beleue in me and also to continue sayeng Joh. 14. that we muste alwayes praye and not be wery Luce. 18. For they vnto whome it is geuen do bothe heare and do but they vnto whom it is not geuen do not whether they heare or they heare not For vnto you sayeth he it is geuen Math. 13. to knowe the mystery of the kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not geuen wherof one of these belonge to the mercy Psal 100 the other to the iudgement of hym vnto whome our soule doth saye O Lorde I wyl synge vnto thee mercy and iudgement Neither thē should the faith that continueth and goeth forwardes be hyndered by the preachyng of predestinacion that they maye heare that whyche behoueth them to heare and that they maye obey vnto whome it is geuen For how shal they hear wythout a preacher Nor yet by the preachyng of fayth that goeth forwardes and continueth vnto th ende shoulde the preaching of predestinacion be hyndered that he whych lyueth faythfully and obediētly should not for the same obedience be extolled as tho he had not receyued it but had it of hymselfe but that he whyche dothe glory might glory in the Lorde Nothing is our owne Cipriane For we oughte to glorye in nothynge for nothinge is our owne Thys thynge Cipriane moste faith fully perceyued and moste boldlye determined wherby he dyd vndoutedly pronounce that predestinacion was moste certeine For yf we ought to glory in nothynge forasmuche as no thynge is our owne certeinly we ought not to glory of obedience tho it had continued neuer so longe Neither ought it so to be coūted oures as tho it were not geuen vs from aboue And therfore the selfe perseueraunce is the gyfte of God whych euery christiā oughte to acknowlege that God knewe aforehande that he would gyue to hys called beyng called with
peaceable gentle easy to be persuaded full of mercy and good frutes inestimable wythout simulacion See you not I praye you howe wysedome commeth downe from the father of lyght replenyshed wyth many great vertues For euery good gift as the same Apostle sayth and euery perfyte gyft is from aboue Iaco. i. commynge downe from the father of lyght Why then that I maye let other thynges passe do we rebuke the vncleane and contencious vnto whome neuertheles we preache that chaste and peaceable wysedōe is the gyfte of God neither are we afrayed lest they beyng troubled wyth the vncerteintie of Goddes wyll should finde in this preaching more desperacion then exhortaciō And should be stered vp wyth the good or pricke of rebukyng not againste themselues but rather agaynste vs because we do rebuke them hauyng not these gyftes whiche we saye are not gotten by the wyll of man but gyuyng thorowe the lyberalitie of God Furthermore why dyd not the preachynge of thys grace feare thapostle Iames himself to rebuke the vnquiet and to saye yf you haue bytter enuyeng and strife in your hertes reioyce not neither be lyars against the truthe Iaco. 3. thys wysedome descendeth not from aboue but is earthy and naturall and deuelyshe For where enuyeng and stryf is there is vnstablenes and al maner of euell workes Therfore lykewyse as the vnquiet ought to be rebuked both by the testimonyes of Goddes worde and also by the self dedes of oures whyche these haue common wyth vs neither is thys correction hyndered because we preache that peaceable wysedome is the gyfte of God wherby the contenciouse are corrected and healed euen so infydeles or they that continue not in the fayth ought to be rebuked notwythstādyng the preachyng of the grace of God wherby bothe faythe it selfe also and continuaūce in the same Iaco. i. are commēded to be the gyftes of God For altho wysedome is obtayned by fayth as Iames hymselfe when he sayde yf any of you wante wysedome let hym aske of God that gyueth aboundauntly to all men and casteth no man in the tethe and it shall be gyuen hym he added by and by but let hym aske in fayth nothyng doutyng neuer theles because fayth is geuen before he dothe aske it vnto whome it is gyuen we maye not therfore thynke that it is not the gyfte of God but that we haue it of our selues because it is geuen vnto vs wythout askyng For thapostle sayeth moste manifestly Ephe. 6. Peace vnto the brethrē and charitie wyth faith from God the father and the Lorde Iesu Christ He therfore that is geuer of peace and charitie is also the giuer of faith For the whych cause we beseche him not only to encrease fayth in them that already haue it but also to gyue fayth to thē that haue it not Neither do these for whose sake we speake these thynges Our aduersaries crye after the same maner whych crye out that by the preching of predestinasion and grace exhortacion is hyndered exhorte men vnto those gyftes only whych they contende not to be gyuen of God but to sprynge of our selues as is the begynnyng of fayth and cōtinuaūce in the same vnto th end whych certeinly they ought to do so that they should only exhorte the infydeles that they myght beleue and them that are faythfull that they myght continue but as for other whych they together wyth vs denye not to be the gyftes of God that they may wyth vs ouerthrow the Pelagians error as is chastite continency pacience and suche other whych are obtayned by fayth and wherby men lyue godly They oughte onely to declare that men should aske these of God and pray vnto God that he wold gyue these bothe to themselues and to others but they ought not to exhorte any man to take and reteyne these But seyng that they do also exhorte men vnto these giftes as they may do and in exhortyng confesse them selues to be mē they do declare manyfestly that exhortacions either to beleue or to continue vnto the ende are not hyndered by thys kynde of preachynge bycause we preache that these also are the gyftes of God and that no man haue them of hymselfe but they are geuen of hym But that euery man thorowe his owne leudnes forsaketh fayth when he gyueth place consenteth vnto tentacion wherby it is wrought in hym that he dothe forsake fayth who denyeth thys But we shuld not therfore say that perseueraunce in faythe were not the gyfte of God For he that sayeth leade vs not into tentacion dothe aske thys dayly and yf he be graciously herde he receyueth this and therfore he dayly prayeng that he may continue do certeinly put the hope of hys perseueraunce not in hym selfe but in God But I wyl not amplifie thys matter with my wordes but I leaue it rather to he iudged of themselues that they maye perceyue what maner a thing that is wherin thei haue persuaded themselues Are not owr aduersarcis also persuaded euen thus that by preaching of predestinacion the people are rather brought in to desperacion thē exhorted to lyue godly Thys is euen as muche as yf they should say that a man muste then dispaire of hys saluacion when he hath learned to put his hope not in hymself but in God when as yet the Prophete cryeth Iere. 17. Cursed is euery one that putteth hys truste in man These gyftes of God whych are geuen to the chosen that are called at cordynge to the purpose of God amonge the whych the begynnynge of fayth and perseueraunce in the same vnto th ende of thys lyfe as we haue proued both by many reasons Fol. 100. and also by the wytnessynge of many authorities certeinly these gyftes of God I say are not for knowen of God yf ther be no such predestinacion as we defende But they are foreknowen thys is therfore the predestinacion whych we defende The .xviii. Chapter VVherfore the same predestinacion is sometyme sygnifyed by the name also of foreknowlege as thapostle sayeth God hath not caste awaye hys people whych he knewe aforehande Thys that he sayeth he knew afore hande is not truely vnderstande Rom. 11. but by thys he dyd predestinate as the circumstaunce of the selfe place dothe declare For he spake of the remnauntes of the Iues that were saued when the reste dyd peryshe For before he said that the prophet had sayde vnto Israel Esa 63. Rom. 10. all the daye longe haue I stretched forth my hādes vnto a people that beleueth not but speaketh agaynst me and as thoo he hadde ben aunswered What is therfore become of Goddes promises made vnto Israel he added straitwayes I saye then hath God caste awaye hys people God forbydde For euen I also am an Israelite of the sede of Abrahā and of the Tribe of Beniamin as tho he should saye for I am also of the selfe people Then after he added that wherof we nowe speake God hath not caste