God lest that not a trinitie but a quaternite should be beleued vpō This so great so hye and so excellent exaltacion of mans nature as could not be more was predestinate lykewyse as the diuine nature for our sakes dyd abase it selfe so lowe as it could not be lowar in that it toke the nature of mā with the weaknes of the fleshe Phili. 2. euen vnto the death of the crosse As therfore that one was predestinate to be our head euen so we heyng many were predestinate that we myght be his membres Mans merites perished in Adam Here let all mans merites kepe sylence together whiche peryshed thorough Adam and let the grace of God raigne which doth raigne thorough Iesu Christ our Lorde the onlye sonne of God our Lorde Whosoeuer shall fynde our in our head the merites going before of that his syngular generacion he may seke out in vs hys mēbers the merites goyng before of the multiplyed regeneracion For thys generacion was not recompensed vnto Christ but geuen that he might be borne of the holi goost the virgin void frō al bondage of syn euen so that we myght be borne agayne of water and the holy goost it was not recompensed vnto vs for any merite but frely geuen And altho faythe led vs vnto the fountayne of regeneration yet ought we not therfore to thynke that we fyrste gaue any thynge to God that we myght be recompensed wyth the healthfull regeneracion For he hath made vs to beleue in Christ whiche for oure sakes made Christe in whome we do beleue he dothe make in men the begynnyng of faith and fynishing in Iesu which made the man Iesus the prince and fynisher of fayth For so is he called as ye knowe in the epistle to the Hebrues Heb. 12. The .xvi Chapter FOr God dothe call manye of his predestinat sonnes that he maye make them membres of hys only predestinate sonne not with that callyng wherwyth they were called Mar. 22. Two diuerse callinges that would not come to the mariage For wyth that callynge were called bothe the Iues vnto whome Christ crucifyed was a frōblyng also the gētils vnto whōe Christe crucifyed was folyshnes but he calleth the predestinate with that calling which the apostle marked sayeng 1. Corin. 2. that he preached Christ the power of God and the wysedōe of God vnto them that were called both Iues and Grekes For thus he sayeth but vnto them that are called that he myght point out them that were not called knowyng that ther was a certeine peculiar callyng of them that are called accordynge to purpose whome he knewe aforehande Rom. 8. predestinate that they myght be lyke the ymage of his sonne The whych calling he noted sayeng not of workes but of the caller it was sayd vnto him Rom. 9. That the elder should serue the yōger Sayd he not of workes but of beleuyng he dyd vtterly take that also awaye frō man that he might ascribe al to God Therfore he said but of the caller not wyth euerye maner of callynge but wyth that callynge wherby he is made beleuyng Thys maner of callynge he dyd also consyder Rom. 11. when he sayde the gyftes and callyng of God are wythout repentance For I would also haue you a lytle whyle consyder when he sayd the gyftes and callyng of God are wythout repētaūce For I would also haue you a lyttel whyle consyder what matter was ther intreated For when he had sayd Rom. 11. For I wold not haue you ignoraunt brethren of thys mysterye that you should not be wyse in your owne eyes because blyndnes was partly wrought in Israel vntyl the fulnes of the gnetyls should enter in and so all Israel should be safe as it is written Ther shall cōe out of Sion he that dothe delyuer and shall turne awaye the vngodlynes of Iacob And thys is my couenaūt to them when I shal take awaye theyr synnes to these he added by and by whych we muste diligentlye vnderstande as concernyng the gospel they are enemyes for your sakes but as touching the eleccion they are loued for their fathers sakes What meaneth thys as concernyng the gospell they are ennemyes for your sakes but only that their enmytye wherby they slewe Christe dyd promote the gospel as we certeinly perceyue God can vse euell thinges well and thys doth he declare to haue happened by Goddes disposition whiche can vse well euen thynges that are euel not that the vessels of wrath should profyte hym but that they myght thorough his well vsynge of them profyt the vessels of mercy For what could be spoken more playnely then that that was sayd as concernyng the gospell they are ennemyes for your sakes It is thē in the power of the euel to syn◠But that by synnyng they shoulde thoroughe their malyce do either this or that it is not in their power but in the power of God that deuideth the darkenes and disposeth the same Esa 45. Goddes will fulfilled so that for this cause euen in that that they do agaynst the wyll of God ther is nothynge fulfylled but the wyll of God We read in the actes of thapostles whē thapostles beyng let lose of the Iues were come to theyr felowes had declared vnto them hawe the priestes and elders had threatned thē they all lyft vp theyr voices to the Lorde wyth one accorde Act. 4. and sayd Lorde thou arte he that hast made the heauen and earth and see and al thynges that are in them which by the mouth of our father Dauid thy holy seruaunt haste sayd Psal 2. why dyd the Hiethen range and the people ymagine vaine thynges The kynges of the earth stode vp the rulers came together agaynst the Lorde and agaynst his anointed For of a truth Herode and Pilate and the people of Israel are gathered togehter in thys cytie against thy holy chylde Iesus whom thou haste annointed to do whatsoeuer thy hande and councel haue predestinate to be done Behold that was sayd as cōcernyng the Gospel they are enemies for your sakes For the hand and councell of God dyd predestinate so muche to be done by the enemyes the Iewes howe muche was necessarye for the promotyng of the Gospell for vs. But what meaneth that that folow but as touchynge thelection they are loued for their fathers sakes Are those ennemyes whych dyd perysh in theyr enmytie and beyng aduersaries to Christ among that naciō do yet peryshe are they chosen and welbeloued God forbydde Who tho he were neuer so folyshe wold afferme thys But altho both these are contrarye the one agaynst thother that is to saye ennemyes and beloued altho they do not agre in the selfe same mē yet do they agre in the selfe same naciō of the Iues and in the same carnal sede of Israel whyles some of them apperteyne to the haltynge and some to the blessyng of the selfe same Israel Gen. 32. For he dyd
thynges He therfore that worke all thinges do also worke our beginning to beleue For faith selfe dothe not go before that callyng wherof it is sayd Rom. 11.9 the gyftes and callyng of God are suche that it can not repent hym of them and wherof it is sayde not of workes but of the caller when he myghte haue sayd but of the beleuer Ioan. 15. Faithe is the effecte of Goddes election and callyng the election whych the Lorde signifyed sayeng you haue not chosen me but I baue chosen you For he dyd not chose vs because we beleued but that we myght beleue that we should not be counted to haue chosen him first and then this should be false whych God forbydde you haue not chosen me but I haue chosen you neither are we called because we dyd beleue but we are called that we maye beleue by thys callyng wherof God caÌ„ not repent hym thys is Certeinly wrought and performed that we maye beleue Neither is it nedeful to repete the great multitude of suche thynges as we haue before spoken in thys matter To be shorte thapostle also in the wordes that folow this testimony gyueth thaÌ„kes vnto God for them that dyd beleue not because the gospel was preached vnto them but because they beleued For he sayth In whoÌ„ also ye beleuyng the word of truthe the gospel of your saluacion wherin you beleuyng Ephe. 1. are sealed wyth the holy spirite of promes whych is the pledge of our inheritance to redeme the purchased possession vnto the prayse of his glory Wherfore I also after that I herd of your fayth in Christ Iesu loue vnto all saintes cease not to gyue thankes for you Their faythe was newe and freshe after the Gospell was preached vnto them For the whych fayth thapostle wheÌ„ he herd therof gaue thankes to God on their behalfe PeticioÌ„s and thâ—â—keste of deparâ—ed what be thei Gal. 6. Yf he should haue gyuen thankes to a man for that thynge whych he either supposed or els knewe that he had not done it myght be counted rather flatery or mockery then thankes gyuyng Let vs not be deceyued god wil not be mocked For the beginning faith is also his gyft otherwyse the thankes gyuyng of thapostle myghte worthely be couÌ„ted false or of false glorye What meaneth thys is it not euident of whome the ThessaloniaÌ„s had the beginning of faith for the which neuertheles the same apostle geueth thankes vnto God 1. Thes 2. sayng For this cause we also giue thankes vnto God wythout ceasyng forbecause when ye had receiued of vs the worde wherwith god was preached ye receiued it not as the worde of men but euen as it was in dede the word of God whiche worke in you that haue beleued it What meaneth this that he geueth thankes vnto God for this matter For it is a vaine and foolyshe thynge yf he geue thankes to any for that he hath not done But bycause thys is neither vaine nor folyshe certeinlye God hymselfe wrought this worke for the which he geueth thankes vnto him That when they had receiued of thapostle the worde wherwith God was preached they might receiue it not as the worde of men but as it is in dede the very worde of God The maner of Goddes working in his chosen God therfore do so worke in the hertes of men by that callyng that is accordyng to hys owne purpose wherof we haue spoken abouÌ„dantly that they should not heare the gospel in vayne but that they maye after they haue herde it be conuerted and beleue receiuyng it not as the worde of man but as it is in dede the veray worde of God The .xx. Chapter THys also do teache vs that the begynnynge of mens fayth is the gyfte of God when the Apostle wryteth thus in his epistle to the Collocenses Collo 4. Continue in prayer and watche in the same with thankes geuyng prayeng also for vs that God maye open vnto vs the dore of his worde to speake the mysterye of Christe for the which I am also in bandes that I maye declare it so as it behoueth me to speake Howe is the dore of the worde opened but when the vnderstandynge of the hearer is opened that he maye beleue and that after he haue receyued the begynning of fayth he may allowe whatsoeuer is preached and disputed to the edificatioÌ„ of holsome doctrine lest that his herte beynge shute vp thorough vnbeleue he should improue reiecte those thynges that are spoken Wherfore he sayeth to the Corintheans also 1. Cor. 16. I wyll tarye at Ephesus vntil whitsontyde For a great dore manyfest is opened vnto me and ther are many aduersaries What other thynge caÌ„ here be vnderstande but onlye that the gospel beyng ther by him first preached that many beleued and also that ther were many aduersaries of the same beleue accordynge to thys sayeng of the Lorde no man coÌ„meth to me except it were geuen hym of my father Ioan. 6. and vnto you Luc 8. it is geuen to knowe the secretes of the kyngdome of heauen but to them it is not geueÌ„ The dore therfore was opened in theÌ„ vnto whoÌ„e it was geuen but the multitude of aduersaries were of them vnto whome it was not geuen In lyke maner the same Apostle in hys seconde Epistle vnto the same people sayeth 2. Cor. 2. wheÌ„ I was come into Troaâ—a for the Gospel of Christ and a dore was opened to me in the Lorde my spirite had no reste forbecause I dyd not fynd Titus my brother but dydding them farewel I went out in to Macedonia Whome bad he farewel but onely them that beleued in whose hertes de dore was opened thorough his preachyng But marke what he addeth but praysed be God sayeth he whyche dothe gyue vs the victory alwayes thorough Christe and doth declare the sauoure of his knowlege in all places by vs For we are the swete smelle of Christ vnto God bothe in them that are saued and in them also that do peryshe to some verely the sauour of death vnto death but to some the sauour of life vnto lyfe Paule ys an inuincible defendor of grace this cause wil then preuaile agenst the tyraÌ„ny aÌ„d subtelty both of deuel and worlde Lo for what cause the valeant sougeor and inuincible defendour of grace gyueth thankes Lo for what cause he geueth thankes because thapostles are the swete smelle of Christ vnto God both in them that are saued thorough his grace and in them also that peryshe thorough his iudgemeÌ„t But that they might be the lesse angry which vnderstaÌ„d not these thynges he warned wheÌ„ he addeth and sayeth And who is mete vnto these thinges Not withstandyng let vs returne to the openyng of the dore Wherby thapostle dyd signifye the begynnynge of the fayth of the hearers For what is this prayeng also for vs that God maye open vnto vs the dore of the worde but a moste
¶ 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
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
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