perfect men after the popes sort aledgyng the testimony of Paule saying to the Corhin the fyrst Epistle and the second Chap. That he dyd teache nothynge amonge them whiche are carnal men although he taughte nothynge els but onely Iesu Christe and hym to be crucifyed and shortly after he sayed that he taught the wisedome of God among them whiche be perfecte These men do teache and write that it is not al one thynge to preache the wysedome of God and to preache Iesu Christe crucifyed The knowledge of whom is the very wysedome of God to preach Iesu Christ crucifyed The knowledge of whom I say is the very wysedome and the preachyng of whom is the declaration of the wysedome of God Who be perfit after Christes lawe To the whiche obiection we answer and saye that al those whiche do beleue are perfecte Whose perfection is Christe so that there be a true fayth Secondly we saye that it is often tymes sene that the simple vnlearned do receyue and admit the worde of God and his wisedome soner and better then a greate meany of the diuinitie scholes and of those whiche are greate clerkes learned after the fleshe Math. xi Luke x. Psal xviij Our maister Christe doeth render glory and prayse to his father because he hath hid his misteries from the wyse men and made them open to the litle chyldreÌ„ Matthew .xi. Luke .x. and Psalme Cxviij He doeth gyue vnderstandyng to the litle ones The trueth therfore the secrete misteries of the worde of God is to be declared and made open to the simple playne chyldren of God which do beleue in Christe and not to a fewe in numbre as the papistes woulde Thirdly the wisedome of God and misteries of oure fayth are to be opened to the pore coÌ„muâ—e people rather theÌ„ to the proud arrogant lokes of those great clerckes For to their proude hertes the Lorde wyl not haue those priuities and secretes of his maiestie made open Proude hertes caÌ„ not receyue the misteryes of God whiche he voucheth safe to shewe to the meeke and low spirited personnes It is not the degres of scholes nor the philosophical knowledge which gyueth vnderstanding of the heauenly doctrine nor yet the crafte and wysedome of this world Degrees of scholes For it is wrytten I wyl destroye the wysedome of the wyse men the vnderstanding of the wittie meÌ„ shal hyde it selfe Esai xxix i. Cor. i. Cha. Esai xxix and the fyrste Epistle and first Chapter to the Cor. It pleased the Lorde thorowe the opprobry and folishnes of the crosse Beliefe and by preachynge therof to saue al them which do beleue Finally there is not to be found one sparcle of the spirite of God in those puffed vp wyse men whiche is gyuen plentuously to the simple and meke children Esai lxvi as Esai xxvi Chap. On whom shal my spirite reste but on hym whiche is meeke lowly and quiet which feareth and trembleth at my wordes For the veritie of God can not be perceyued but onely by the spirite of God as Paule to the Corhin the fyrste Epistle and seconde Chap. It is vnpossible that by thine owne senses humayne i. Cor. ij Cha. and proper industrie or laboure thou canst perceyue and vnderstaÌ„d the scriptures of God Wherfore who that goeth about to expounde and make open the scriptures by mannes reasons Mans reasoÌ„ in scriptures beareth small rule shal neuer atteyne to the trueth ⧠The Scriptures often tymes speake muche after the maner of the speakynge of men and of our vnderstaÌ„ding which muste be for al that Howe the spekynge of the scriptures are to be taken in certayne places taken after the meanyng and spirite of the Lorde Thou doest read in theÌ„ that God some tyme is as it were in a fury that he is heauy and sorowful that he is angrie that he doeth hate and threaten wyth such other like maner of affectionat speking Whiche wordes if thou doest vnderstande after the fleshe and after thyne owne sence thou shate fal into foule errour And yet for al that to oure perceuerance he semeth some tyme to rage he is angrie he repenteth hym of this or that he doeth lament and sigh c. But not after our iudgemeÌ„t and vnderstaÌ„dyng The Gospel speaketh after our speaking but not after our vnderstaÌ„dynge For lykewyse as the speache of God hath his proper tonge and maner of speakynge so it hath his owne propre spirite sence and meanynge The whiche wordes howe they are to be taken we haue made playne in other places whereof we haue wrytten What it is to buylde on the rocke and on the sande Furthermore howe tedious and laborious a thynge it is to take thys matter in hande of the declaration of the wyl of man howe vnthanckful and not pleasaunt it shal be to many to those specially whiche would build not on the stronge rocke stone which is Christe but on the sandes that is to saye the glosinges of men as they do in deede in al those thynges whiche they woulde make meÌ„ beleue to haue their foundations on the scriptures or rather to be the very scriptures them selues beinge as cleaue contrary as blacke is to whyte I am not so ignorant and blynde but I do see and perceyue their craftie iudgelyng subtil coÌ„ueiaunce They do thynke in them selues that they haue done wronghte no smal feate if they do brynge furth for the coÌ„firmation of their blynde and false doctrine a greate numbre heape of sophistical wryters whose brablyng scouldyng and coÌ„tentious reasonyng and mad disputations the holy goste doeth abhorre and detest The faythful do not allowe the bare iudgementes of men The veritie for verities sake not for any respecte of man is commendable bicause thei do seme appere holy as of the Martyrs and bishops and suche other lyke But if the trueth of God be in them yea though they were women ploughmen chyldreÌ„ yea what so euer they be that is the thynge whiche is acceptable pleasant to the right faithful This is the whole summe of those wordes which I haue spoken that we haue not our eyes open on the authoritie of men Olde custom and continuâ—â—ce proueth 〈◊〉 the veritie but onely to gyue eare to the trueth and veritie of Goddes worde to embrase that to folowe that wyth al our hert Finally what certeyneth that to the church of God which they do alledge that is to saye the moste wicked consent of men continuing many yeres in blyndnes and errours Are we sworne or haue we taken our othe to be true to the numbre of yeres and to the doctours we are sworn 〈◊〉 Christ not 〈…〉 teaâ—â—â—â—ge and 〈◊〉 whiche were then lyuynge and taught Or rather to be true and faythful to the moste pureste worde of the moste highest Lorde Away with the name numbre of their yeres and lette vs haue in oure heades the euerlastynge tyme of
onely the spirit of Christ Our impiâ—tie and sinfulnes can go no further than it hath pleased the Lord from the beginnynge to suffre For he hath limitted al the thoughtes cogitations and willes of men within certayn limittes termes the which no man caÌ„ passe or go beyond Wher is now becoâ—â—e that free election and libertie to do what we lust which thei affirme to be in vs. Is it not altogether captiue and in bondage Another diffiniâ—ioâ— of freewyl Ther be also which do make this diffinicion of free wyl saiyng that frewil is a power and strength of mans will wherewyth he doth apply or plucke awaye hymselfe to or from those thynges which do leade vs to eternal felicitie and euerlastynge saluation But I pray you what strengthe and power haue we when the vnderstandyng and wyl of man can do nothynge of it selfe but that which is carnal fleshly What thynges can mans knowledge of it selfe perceyue and attayn to Our owne vnderstaÌ„dynge knowledge dothe iudge richesse health of bodye honoures promotions the glory of this world to be good thinges and the coÌ„trary to these for to be euil naughtie As for the knowledge of good and of godly matters of those I say which partayneth to eternal saluation it perceiueth nothyng at al of it selfe Yea though a man would peruse and reade ouer all the holye scriptures and teach them also to other meÌ„ or els be taught of other hys owne vnderstaÌ„ding and knowledge of it selfe shal neuer truely and as he ought to do knowe the Lorde and his wyll his power his iustice his goodnes his mercie his anger He shal not beleue and rest on the truth and veritie of God but after a liyng fashioÌ„ and hypocrisie The which thing is nothing lâ—sse then to beleue For it is written The folyshe man sayd in his hert there is no God Beholde the knowledge of man of himself doth not only not know god but also doth deme god to be God saiynge that ther is no God i. Corin. ii The carnal man dooth not perceiue those thinges which be of the spirit of God for the spirit of God the thynges therto pertaining ar folishnes to hym He caÌ„ not vnderstaÌ„d iudge that thei ought to be spiritualy demed takeÌ„ These wordes ar to be takeÌ„ not onely of the vnderstaÌ„dynge but also of the wyl of man For lykewyse as the vnderstandyng doth se nothynge of it selfe but that whych is carnal euen so the wyl of man doth hate and abhore of it selfe al thing which is good and loueth that which is euil carnal and nothyng durable The profe of bond wyl by the scripturs It can neither loue nor feare God nor his truth It foloweth then that the wyl of man is not free but captiue and bond as nowe we wyl proue by the testimonies of the scriptures of God And fyrst of al by this testimony of Ose the Prophet saiyng The spirit hath bouâ—de him in his wynges The which wordes are manifest to bee spoken of the carnall people of Israel The whiche people the Prophet declared before to be deceiued by the spirite of fornication that is to sai by the iudgemeÌ„t and sens of the fleshe in the wynges wherof he affirmeth them to be bound fast First he declareth theim to be deceiued afterward to be bound that nowe thei colde do nothyng els but commyt fornication beyng seperated from God For al their iudgementes knowledge vnderstandinge and wyll al their dedes were nothynge elles but fornication from the lorde bycause thei wer not of fayth The carnall are tied wyth bondes Who bee the bonde daughters of Syon To the captyue and boÌ„d prisoners is preached remission of syn As before in the exposition of this Prophet I haue made opeÌ„ to you Thus it foloweth that al those which be carnal and fleshly ar tied and made fast in bondes The carnal Sinagoge is called in the scripture the bond daughter of Sion As Esaye liii Our sauiour also preached remissioÌ„ of sinne to the captiue and bond and deliueraunce to them which were shit fast in prison Esa lxi Luke iiii The second profe by the scripture Genes vi THe Lord said in Genes vi My spirit shal neuer be parmanent in man because he is fleshe Hierome and other writers dooe wryte that these wordes are in the Hebrue rog after this traÌ„slation My spirite shal neuer iudge in maÌ„ because he or thei be fleshe The fyrst traÌ„slatioÌ„ is good inough by the which wordes a certayne writer doth vnderstand and expound the clemencye and great mercy of God towarde man and but his most dreadful austeritie and anger But the Lorde kepe vs from that clemencie For the blyndnes of that man as by his writing oppereth did take this worde iudgement to signifie in this place no thyng elles but punishment as though the lord would say The iudgement is not takeÌ„ for a dreadful senteÌ„ce of God as of a iudge but for the godly and spirituall knowledge my spirit shal not punysh man which is a verye wrong sens For the vniust shal be punished and the seede of the wicked shall perishe as Psalm xxxvi And the fire whiche is prepared for the deuyl and his angels wherwyth the reprobates and vngodly persons shal be tormented is euerlastyng Therfore this is not the right sens and meanyng of this text as he hath expounded but contrarye wyse My spirit shall not iudge alwayes amonge these menne bicause they be fleshe that is to say the iudgement of my spirit shall not alway be permanent in theym because thei be flesh that is altogether natural carnal The iudgement of the spirit of God is not in the wycked and deceiueable because I say the wicked iudgemeÌ„t of the flesh which is repugnaunt to the iudgement of the spirit doth reigne in them Is this the clemencie and mercie of God to be destitute of the right iudgement of the spirit of God to be forsaken and left to the wycked and execreable iudgemente of the spirite of Fornication and of lyes that is to say of the spirit of man which is a lier Psal C.xv. I do beleue verely that ther is no punishment of God more bytter more sharpe then to be forsaken of him There is no plage more sharpe theÌ„ to be forsakeÌ„ of of God and lefte to thy selfe to be left to thine owne iudgement without the iudgement of his spirit I pray the good Lorde kepe from me this most fearful and dreadful wrath of the. Let thy spirit whiche is true and holye and not my spirit ful of fornication and lyes iudge and geue true knowledge and vnderstanding in me Whippe me good Lord and scourge me rather then to forsake me to my selfe if it semeth to the expedient for the settyng furth of thy glory Confyrme make thi seruaunt stronge with thy spirit and neuer take it from me In the same .vi. of Gen. the wycked are
be many which do affyrme that it is not expediente ether to wryght or teach the people the knoledge of this article and that for none other cause but because the carnal and flesly people as they think do receyue hereby great occasion The declaratioÌ„ of the wyl of maÌ„ geueth not occasion of vyce for the euyl persons thereby wyl not bee the better nor the good the worse and as it were a large wyndowe made open to theÌ„ for to practise and continue styl in the detestable vyces and vngodly licencious kynd of liuynge As thoughe such persons as are naghtie and lewdly disposed myght other do or thinke any thing otherwyse than fleslye and carnallye yea though this article were neuer spoken of to them Or elles as thoughe the declaration and openynge of this article shoulde bee the cause that the elected and godlye sorte should be pluckt and drawne therby frome the hand of the Lord and so through errour sedused to perish for euer which is nothing so for they whiche are gone from vs were not of vs. Yf thei had bene of vs thei wold haue contynued wyth vs. As wytnesseth i. Ihon the .ij. The Lord doth holde fast the hertes of his elect that they be not slaundered by the worde of his veritie Such as these be do teach Another obiection that al maner of men ought not to know asmuch as we that are learned do know that we ought not to disclose wherin and in what poynts the general counsayls haue erred Because as they say men should not regarde Whether the errour of the fathers ought to be hyd yea or naye or esteme the authoritie of the fathers the lesse in those thynges whych they haue wel ordeyned and made forasmuch as they haue in diuers thynges erred also At whose errours they would that we shoulde wynke and notse theÌ„ nay most ernestly as most certayne verities and truthes learne theÌ„ Shal we neglect the most pure veritie We mai not do euyll that good may come of it for to flatter with the errours and ignoraunce of the fathers Doth God nede any thyng of our inuention and lyes to hide the veritie of the Lord for errours of the aunciente councels is it any thyng elles than to prefer man before god the fathers bifore verite â–ª God is true all men are lyars Psal Cxv. Wherefore do we feare whiche do professe the veritie and truth of the Lord considering that he hath ouercome al thyng as Esd iij. And he is permaneÌ„t for euer Psa Cvi Cxviii Finally the almyghtie Lorde loueth veritie and truth The Lord hateth lies whi shall we lye for counsels to hyde their faultes as thoughe they were not meÌ„ and hateth with greate hatred all lyes and falshed Forsoth to teach after this maner is an errour not to be borne I cannot saye the contrarye but often times the preaching of the truth maye be defferred and put of tyl another tyme that it may be with the more oportunitie declared but yet for all that a man may not teach Preach no lyes nor preach lyes and false doctrine And if thou dost perceyue or fynde an errour where as none admonition can help or preuayle you may wel make as thoughe ye saweÌ„ it not and so wynke at it but in any wyse beware you do not excuse and defend the errour to be good and true If so be the matter belonge to your fayeth or to any thynge therto perteynyng wherein you be demaunded to answeare CoÌ„maunded to answeare forsake not the veritie of the enemies to your fayth then if you do not confesse the truth you haue denyed Christe For thou art ashamed of his wordes And who that is ashamed of my wordes sayeth Christ I wyll be ashamed to knowledge him before my father and his Angels Luke .ix. It was lawful for Paule to eate of those thynges that were offered vp to Idolles who also had in his choise Thynges indiffereÌ„t how they are to be vsed if it had pleased him not for to eate therof for it was a thing indifferent Therfore some time he dyd eate thereof because he thoughte it expedient other whyle agayne he would not eate therof because he thought it more profitable for his neighbour So became he to al men after al fashions .i. Corhin .ix. Chap. i. Cor. ix Ca. But to preache any other thyng then was receyued of the Lorde at any time that was not lawful neither for Paule nor any elles of the Apostles If they had they shoulde haue erred and become false prophetes Paule dyd coÌ„trary Peter openly in his fare because he dyd that thynge which was not profitable Paule dyd not coÌ„pel the gentyls to vse and obserue the Iewishe ceremonies a thynge moste wicked He dyd not say as many do now adayes walkynge in the fleshe God forbid that I shoulde speake or say agaynst Peter Paul did disclose the offeÌ„ce of Peter hauynge no regard of his apostoâ—ship lest I shoulde minishe his authoritie and estimation which he hath amonge many but he sayed rather let maÌ„ giue rowme and place to God Therefore where Peter doth erre I wyll speake agaynst hym lest that those men whiche do knowe Peter to be an Apostle should make of Peters faulte or errour a lawe so folowyng hym therin at the laste shoulde perishe The errours of general counsels maye not be wincked at for iust causes Lykewyse the errours of the counsels are not to bee couered and hid but to be declared and shewed vnto the people lest vnder the name of the counsels and title of the churche the people being deceyued should attribute somthing more to man then to God in the steade or place of the veritie embrasyng falshead and lyes If any godly man or els any counsel dooe teache that thynge whiche is veritie therto menne muste stande and rest not for their sakes whiche dyd teach it but because it is the trouth and veritie which is taught Thys is the wholesume of thys poynte Vnlawfull thynges that those men whiche be of God shoulde teache the people nothynge which is vnlawfull because they doo perfectly knowe that it is not expedient for their neighbour nor profitable Thinges lawful and not necessary As for those thynges which are lawful and not necessary they may at al tymes be preached they may be deferred also for a tyme as it shal appeare expedient and profitable for the hearers An other obiection There be some men which do deme and iudge that thys mattier of the wyl of man and suche other places of the scriptures of God which are some thyng harde darke The papistes wil not al meÌ„ knowe the truth are not to be spokeÌ„ of nor yet once touched but amonge those whiche are perfecte men and none other By the which perfecte men they do meane and vnderstande great clerkes wyth the hooded and capt maisters of the diuinitie scholes Who be
folowing which the Lord dyd speake to Cain Vnder the shal thy appetite desire be and thou shalt gouerne and rule it The whiche wordes are nothing els but a precept or cōmaūdemēt being in the Hebrue tonge the presente time as to the pertayneth the desyre therof Otherwise the Lord hadde not prophesied that thinge which was true For Cain had not his own wyl in subiectiō at his cōmaundemēte But cōtrarywise he did follow obey his owne wyl desyre to his own destructiō He myght not chuse but folowe that lewde desire appetite bicause he did lacke the spirite of the Lord. Therfore it is a precept and cōmaundemente cōmaundyng Cain to forsake not to obey folow the desyres of the flesh whych thing to hym was so vnpossible as all other commaundemētes to be kept without the spirit of God Wherfore this text doth no more make for the profe cōfirmatiō of the liberty of mans wil thē al other precepts cōmaūdemēts do ⧠The thyrde texte THine eares haue hearde the preparyng of theyr hertes And also it is writtē in the Pro. the .xvi. Chap. Psalm ix Prou. xvi A mā may wel purpose a thing in his herte but the answer of the tonge cometh of the Lord. The fyrst text you must vnderstād after this maner O Lorde thine eare hathe harde c. that is to say to thine eare the preparatiō of their herte is acceptable I saye of thē which are pore of whō the Psal speketh The whiche pore men are not to be taken in this place for those whiche do axe the almes charitie of other mē but for such mē as do gyue thē selues altogyther to Christ whiche haue renounced the affectiō loue of al their substaunce riches for Christes sake beinge in a redines to sel geue awaye al that they haue to the setting forth of the word of God to the succoring of their neyghbours necessitie if nede shold require These men do alwaies say my hert is ready Lorde my herte is ready by whom they are euery daie made more apt readye then they were before Thys is the preparation whyche is only acceptable to God it is not the endeuour or begynnynge of oure owne wyll as the defēders of frewyll do cal it For they do thinke that by these endeuours and begynnynges they may prepare and make them selues apt to receyue the grace of the Lord The which can neuer be For thorowe Christe onely to them whyche do beleue in hym is hys grace geuē not for our own preparing or workes As towchyng the Prophetes ministers of the word of god of those whose office is to expound and declare to the people the word of God maye not thynke that they shoulde neglecte and not regarde to prepare theym selues to the doinge of theyr office that is to saye to studie to ponder and waye with thē selues to premeditate what they wyll saye and declare It is a thyng to be done and yet they maye not ascribe any thynge thereof to theyr owne studyes diligence and preparation hauing and putting theyr trust and confidence in their own dedes and laboures but onely in the Lorde For we do knowe that though a man do speake and preach neuer so well preparynge him selfe with all diligence that maye be yet he can pronounce nothynge well and to the edifiynge of the audience excepte the Lorde with his spirit doth gouerne his tonge The whiche thyng is proper only to the Lord. The lorde must gouerne the tonge of the prechar if he shall edifie It is also conueniente and meete that a man do premeditate and thinke with him selfe before what he wyll declare wyth a full truste and confidence in the Lorde and not in his owne worcke laboure or payne The fourthe texte IN the fyfthe boke of Moyses called the Deuteronomie Deut. xxx and xxx chap. it is wrytten This commaundemente which I do cōmaund the thys daye is not aboue the nor seperated frome the nor farre from the. It is not in heauen that thou shouldest complayne and saye what man shall ascende vp to heauen and fetch to vs the commaundement that we maye heare it do it It is not beyond the sea that thou shouldest say who shall go ouer the sea for vs and fet it vs that we may heare it and do it It is hard by the yea it is in thy mouth hert that thou maist do it The defylers of the ryghte iustice whiche we haue by Christe the patrones of free wyll do make exposition of thys place as foloweth It is not aboue the that is to saye aboue thy strength so that thou mayst obserue it with thy owne strength power Agaynste whom Paule speaketh whiche is more to be beleued then they writing to the Roma the .x. Chapter The iustice whyche is of fayeth speaketh thus Say not in thine herte who shall ascende to heauen that is to plucke Christe downe frome aboue to make vs partakers of iustice and of the grace of God Or who shall go downe into the depnesse that is to call and to reuoke agayne Christe from death that we myght be iustified by hym But what sayeth he the worde is nyghe to the not far of in thy mouth and in thy hert Confession Belefe that is the worde of fayth which we do preache Trulye if thou doeste cōfesse wyth thy mouthe the Lorde Iesus Christe beleuest in thy herte that God hathe raysed him vp from death thou shalt be saued For by the beliefe of the herte cometh our iustice and by the confessiō of our mouth This is not auricular cōfession Esai xxviii we do obtayne oure saluation The scripture sayeth in Esaie the .xxviii. Chapter All men whyche do put theyr confidence in hym shall not be confounded Beholde howe openlye the Apostle doeth teach that thys texte of the scripture is not to be taken and vnderstande of the strengthe and worckes of man What is to do the commaundementes but of a pure faieth on and in Christe in the professynge of the trueth and veritie of the Lorde For the wordes of the commaundemētes of the Lorde are nigh at hande in our herte and mouth to do them that is to saye to beleue to professe Christe For the fulfillynge and ende of the lawe is Christe as to the Rom. x. By whome onelye the lawe is fullfilled in vs. The lawe doeth require of vs those thynges whyche to fleshe and bloud are vnpossible And for that cause sin is multiplied increased aboue al measure the cōcupiscēs Rom. x. The requeste of the lawe are vnpossible strynynge and struglynge agaynste the lawe yea although we do seme outwardely to kepe and fulfyll the lawe For verely the lawe doeth commaunde and require a perfecte iustice and ryghtuousnes at oure handes whyche iustice neyther the lawe can geue nor no man of hym selfe eyther hath or cā perfourme But wher a pure fayeth in
enemy in the and to subdue them in the. Then hath the Lord put a new his spirit into the which before he dyd plucke frō the leauyng the to thyne owne stynckynge affections and carnal cōcupiscences What caused the proud heady and obstinate Pharises that thei would not beleue in Christe for al the myracles that he wrought Thei beleued not in him saith Christ in Ihon .xii. that the saiyng of Esay the prophet mighte be fulfilled whych he spake Lord who shal beleue our saiyng and to whō is the arme of the Lorde declared Therfore coulde not they beleue because Esay sayth agayne he hath blynded their eyes and hardened their hertes that they shuld not se with their eies and least they shuld vnderstand with their hertes et c. So because they were blynded the could not se What thing can moue and styrre vs to the loue of God what thynge can setfurth the glory of God and his honour more thā the perfit knowledge of this article whiche maketh hym a whole God which setteth hym in his owne seat a highe which declareth him to be authoure worker of al goodnes he that doth both begyn and maketh an ende Whych article I saye setteth mā in his owne place here in erth naturally geuen to the earth to al curruption both bodely and gostly disposed to doo nothyng of himself that is good What thing to man is more necessary thē that doctryne whych teacheth hym howe he shall knowe when he is the sōne of God and of the chosen sort that he may pray the Lorde to preserue his spirit in him wherbi he shal know which way he is the sonne of the deuil of out cast furth of the fauour of God Ther is nothing more necessary thā this I wold wysh and desyre wyth all my hert that all men would reade this boke with a godlye desyre and entente not to contention and mayntenaunce of their lewde lyfe whose dampnation is iust ▪ but to know God how strong he is howe myghtie a prynce he is howe good and mercyfull he is on whose mercy all thyng dependeth and to knowe mā howe weake and how myserable he is that he can do nothynge of hymselfe that he is the instrument of God to al goodnes and the instrument of the deuyll in al vyce and synne The euyl and most iustly condempned personnes come to this boke to fetche a lycense of synne to make their lyfe more lycentious more dissolute to make them selfe more bolde in all kynde of vyce most like to the spider venemous worme which from the swete flowers doo drawe and sucke furthe venym and poyson The vertuous and godlye disposed meane no thyng lesse they do gather hence all goodnes Here fynde they a brydle to plucke in their vicious affections Here fynd they the swete libertie of God and bondage of the deuel Here do they learne their owne condemnation and theyr saluation by Christ The flesh taketh al thyng fleshly and lyke itself But therfore the faythful may not be depriued of theyr foode and sustenaūce Let vs therfore pray the Lorde to put in vs hys spirit that it may be our guyde to al godlines and vertue that we be none occation of slaūder to his worde but that al our actes dedes and alwrytinges teachyng reading and communicatiōs maye bee to edifie to the settyng furth of his glory to whom be honour and praise for euer and euer wythout ende So be it IN the declaration and exposition of the holy scriptures both the olde and new ther be many places whych can not be wel perceyued what they do meane except the article of the wyll of man whyche troubleth mens myndes very much be made playne and open that is to say whether a man can of him selfe perfourme and do any thynge which pertaineth to eternal felicitie and life euerlastyng yea or nay Proposicion As the kepyng and obseruyng of the Lordes commaundementes The whiche thynge to be declared and made playn that it myght be perceyued of all men that al men may know the truthe therof manye places of the scripture but a mōg al other these places and texes of this Prophet do moost ernestly requyre and in specially this verse followyng of the sayde Prophet that is to saye The spirite hathe bounde hym in hys wynges Osee .iiij. For by these wordes it is euydent as appereth by that which is written before in the sayd chapiter That by this spirit is mēt a reprobat mind and the vnderstandyng or knoledge of the flesh which is the spirit of fornication Fyrst of al therfore before that I do take on me to interprete and declare my mynde in this matter I desyre the gentle readers that they would not thynke and coniecture that in the declaration hereof I do folowe the mynde and iudgement of many and diuers writers But only the very mynd and sence of the scripture as nygh as I myghte and as it pleased Christ to geue me knowledge and vnderstanding therin not mynishyng therby nor improuyng the iudgemētes of other christian writers and doctours those principally which do cleaue and stike fast to the true and pure word of God whō we also do couet for to immitate and folow And after whose godly myndes and iudgementes we can geue and ascribe nothynge to the wyl of man of hymselfe as we shall hereafter plentifully God willyng declare and shewe Furthermore in discussyng of thys matter I would be loth that men shuld thynke that I do runne hedlong into a thing which is depe and far from all mens knowledge as they say and therfore not necessarye to be knowne Which thyng I do for none other cause but to search furth the truth and also to satisfie the myndes of those whych are desireous of the knowledge therof For truely I can by no meanes alow nay I cānot but much disalow and discommend the manifolde contentions and reasonynges in darcke and hyd matters whyche are more mete as some men do wryght for the excellencie and profound depenes thereof to be had in a godly reuerence and to be committed to God rather than with contentious and brablyng reasonyng of euery man to be discussed But as for this matter it is no such thyng How necessary the knowledge of thys article is for all men the knowledge wherof that is whither the wyll of man be free or bonde doth geue vs to vnderstand and know how weake we bee of our owne selfes howe we can dooe nothynge our selues and contrary wise how meruelous how myghtie and howe stronge the Lorde is whiche is not a voyde or an vnprofitable matter to be declared and set open to al mē For this thing being opened we do learne to perceiue and se howe glorious and triumphant a Lord the Lord is in vs and howe brickel miserable we be on euery syde on our owne selfe The obiectiō of the papistes against the opening of this article Notwithstanding al this ther
the Lorde hauyng neither begynnynge nor endynge We wyl not haue before our eyes these later dayes 〈…〉 but the olde and auncient tyme although they do cal vs in despite the preachers and teachers of the newe Gospel as who shoulde saye that thys Gospel whiche we do preach were not the eternal Gospel whiche the holy Prophetes and Apostles dyd teache from the beginnyng The Gospel 〈…〉 But where as they do laye and cal it the newe Gospel and new learning they do not therin speake otherwise then the trueth For the Gospell whiche is of it selfe euerlasting and eternal to the olde bottels of their carnal and fleshly vnderstādyng it is newe boylyng wyue and swete muste Wherfore they are not able to conteyne and keepe it styl within thē excepte they be renewed wyth the spirite of Christe What thyng do we teache contrary to the doctrine of the Prophetes and Apostles We maye not folowe the errours whiche were more then .xiij. hundreth yeres paste But we must embrase those thynges which were taught by the Apostles in their tyme or there aboute of necessitie if we do wel if we wyl not erre be deceyued For it is a thynge very certeyne that they declared moste purely and syncerely the veritie and trueth of Goddes worde whiche they dyd leaue to vs in wrytyng hauing the spirite of God to their enterpreter gyuyng to them the ryght and perfecte meanyng But nowe as touchynge the spirite of God A most wycked doubte some men do doubte whether the gift of the spirite holy goste that is to say the gift of prophesy of exposiding the scripturs of healinge diseases and sicknes of the tonges is not now amōg mē as it was in that tyme of the Apostles Wherunto I answer that the gyfte of healinge of maladies doth not cease as I my selfe haue sene and do knowe of a suertie by experience But when fayth doeth fayle then that doth no lōger abyde And as touchyng the gifte of tonges it doeth remayne amonge vs styl The gyfte of tonges For the knowledge of the diuersitie of tōges which many men haue is the gyfte of the spirite of God It is not so openly perceyued sene as these nowe a dayes externe outwarde monstrous miracles for thys cause that the power of the worde of God maye be knowen by the whiche worde onely the high toppes of Antichriste his kyngdome shal be ouerthrowen and caste downe as I haue wryten in the boke entituled the causes of our great blyndnes God forbyd that we shoulde say that the spirite of God of prophesy is extinguised For what man can denie but the worde of God muste be preached And to preache is nothynge els then to prophesy To preach is to prophesie as Paule witnesseth the firste Epistle to the Corhin and .xiiij. Chap. Furthermore no man can preache wel wythout the spirite of the holy goste Who preacheth well for the deepe secretes of God nothynge but the spirite of God doeth or can search For lykewyse as no man knoweth what is in mā A goodly symilitude but the spirite of man which is in hym euen so the profounde misteries of God no man doeth knowe but the spirite of God as Paule i. Corhin ij Chapter Also If there be any of those giftes now in these dayes they woulde knowe In whom are the giftes of the holy gost on whō those giftes of the spirite are bestowed who hath them Whiche they with al their resoning can not fynde out nor once perceyue their vnderstandynge is so carnal sleshly But the trueth is that the gyfte of the spirite hath remained alway in the elected people al that longe tyme of blyndnes and of errour as well as the gyfte of fayeth although in many thynges the elected people were deceyued The lord hath had his elects and faythfull in the tyme of most blyndenes By the whiche spirite and puernes of fayeth they obteyned saluation as in the boke inscribed the causes of blindnes I haue declared sufficiently They dyd not al perishe whiche lyued in those erronious tymes they were not all caste awaye But likewise as in the tyme of Helias whē the saied Helias thought that there were no mo persons but hym selfe whiche worshipped the lyuing Lorde It was answered and sayd vnto hym as in the thyrde boke of the Kynges .xix. Chap. I haue lefte and kepte for my selfe seuen thousande men whiche neuer haue done so muche as to bende their knees no not before Baall So it was in those tymes whiche they speake of For what so euer the errours blyndnes was those whiche were reserued that is to saye the elected were saued as I haue sayed by the spirite and puernes of faith in the Lorde Who semeth to haue the spirite of god in their expositions But to our purpose where as diuerse persons do make sundry and diuerse expositions on the scriptures it is easy to perceyue whiche of those expositors haue in them the holy spirite The word of God is the witnes of the wyl of God None other veritie but he or they whiche do fetche their testimonies and authoritie out of the word of God For that worde is the certeyne testimonie and wytnes bearer The scriptures do opē them selues of the wyl of God Therefore the worde of God is called a testimony or wytnes Psalme Cxviij Besyde that one place of the scripture is declared by an other the darcker by that whyche seemeth more playne open To be shorte the more nighe the declaration or exposition cōmeth to the textes of the scripture the more pure and perfect it muste be of very necessitie Many of them whiche do teache shewe I wyl not saye the maners and facions of gentils the authorities of men the allegations of decrees thys ordre or that ordre thys holynes or that holynes thys or that miracle they do require that men shoulde beleue them in all their sayinges But oure preaching is after an other maner For we in the steede of mannes authoritie and so furth do declare the moste purest and vnchaungable worde of God whiche beareth true wytnes of his wyl towarde vs wisshynge and desirynge hertely that all those whiche do beare the name of Christ callyng them selues Christians A Christian lyfe is required to the settyng furth of of the Gospel professynge his moste holy worde that they woulde haue a lyfe confourme to that spirite It doeth greue and payne me I say to see many howe they do lyue by whose noughtines of lyfe the Euangel of the kyngdome of God is litle regarded or rather sclaundered Iustifyed by fayth onely For we do knowe although by fayth we are onely iustified yet the vnseparable fruites of fayth are the workes whiche are done by fayth Workes As for the promotions and degrees of scholes whereon they do brag wyth the authorities of men as of mē they be to be abhorred and detested
as it is more to his glorye and to the profit of the electe people howe so euer the spirite of fornication doeth iudge and take it otherwyse Many men do thinke in them selues that they coulde fynde the causes of al these thinges why and wherfore the Lorde doeth this thynge or that But verelie as it is saied before What man doth knowe the cause of the lordes workes the spirite of fornication hathe receyued them and bounde them in hys wynges For what so euer they can saye it is muche lesse then the trueth in dede They do saye furthermore that it is permitted to the fleshe to beare some rule in a man bycause that man knowelegynge hys owne frailtie The fleshe doth hynder the electe frō the perfetnes that they desyre and that by the ordynaunce of the lorde should meake and lowly hym selfe I do knowe that it is neadfull that we be meke and lowlye but for all that it is not well sayd that for that cause the fleshe is not extinguished in vs bicause we shoulde meke and submit our selues For the true and perfecte mekenes lowlines and humilitie commeth from the spirite of God But the fleshe doeth plucke them somewhat backe making them lesse obedient meke then they should or woulde be For if the fleshe were cleane abolished and subdued in vs that it shoulde haue no maner of styrring then should ther be in vs no pride nor none other corrupt affection but a true humilitie a perfecte iustice and ryghtuousnes No man doeth knowe thys misterie but the Lorde onelye and to whome it pleaseth hym to open it He wyll reueyle and open it to hys electes in time to theyr glorye and then we shal knowe howe maruailouse are the iudgemētes of the Lord aboue mans reason Those whiche do subuerte the right sences of Gods word do suppose that the wordes whyche the spouse in the Gospell dyd speake sayinge Drawe me after the those whyche the yonge women did speake in the Canty-sayinge We wyll runne do make muche for theyr purpose to confyrme theyr blynde forged libertie of mans wyll saying that the desyre of the yonge man and to be drawen after him and of the yonge women for to runne doeth come of theyr owne propre endeuoure and fre wyll But if they do loke well on the matter they shall fynd that it is cleane contrarie and that these wordes do proue strongely the miserable captiuitie and bondage of mannes wyll as in that place of the Canti by that whych we haue declared alreadye doeth appeare ⧠The .xiii. proufe PAule writeth to the corhinthians the second Epistle and .iii. chapter The lorde doth worke in vs both to wyll and to do the ded Not that we sayeth he be suffitiente of oure selues to thynke anye thynge as of oure selues But all our suffitiency is of the Lord This texte and suche other the defenders of fre wyll do expound by thys worde Potest that is in Englyshe to saye can or maye as it maye or can be vnderstande thus or thus it maye be true in thys sence We wyll not consent and graunte that they shall wryth wreste the scriptures makynge diuers senses and vnderstandynges whyche are vnpossible to be true we wyl that the scripture be taken in hys owne kynde naturall meanynge For the more simple and playne the declaratiō is made the more neare it is to the trueth Truly of our selfe we can thinke nothinge that is pleasaunt to the Lorde Thou wylt saye peraduenture I do graunte that we can thynke no Godly thynge of oure selues muche lesse perfourme any such thinge But to applye our selues to his wyll which doeth put suche thynges in our mindes that is in oure owne power and wyll As witnesseth Paule to the Rom. the .vii. chap. saying To wyll I haue in my power but to perfourme my wyll that I can not by no meanes The whyche authoritie of Paule maketh nothynge agaynste vs beynge takē as it ought for to be expoundynge as before I haue declared after thys maner To wyl is in my power that is to saye by the spirite of God But to perfourme it I can not bicause that no man can perfourme the wil whyche the Lord doth gyue except the Lord do gyue the spirit aswell to perfourme it as he did to wyll it Philip. ii The selfe fame thyng teacheth Paul to the Philip. the second Chapt. declarynge that to wyll cometh of God sayinge these wordes The Lord doeth worcke in vs both for to wyll and to perfourme Forsoth if we can not of our selues wyll to do good howe can we saye it at our owne libertie we maye chuse to do thys or that at our own pleasure Yet will not they forsake thys opinion of fre will For if a man wold aske thē howe and by what reasō they cā proue affirme theyr sayinge to be true they do answer that the wil of man worketh with the spirite of god You may se how darkely they do teach Nay they wyll leaue out this worde spirite and say The wil worketh with grace workinge in vs. They thinke that thys vocable grace is an habite or affection of the minde as other affections be being in dede nothing lesse For grace is the fauoure of God For ther is no man whych is indued wyth grace but he onelye whyche is pleasaunte to the Lord or whō the Lorde doth fauour Grace I do not regard or pas much for that grace which is a qualitie of the mind for ther is no such grace But I would fayne haue those gyftes which be by the grace of God that is to saye those giftes whiche he vseth to geue to his electe people bycause it pleaseth hym of his goodnes first to fauoure and loue thē and so thorowe the fauour of God they become pleasaunt acceptable to hym To be short that man hathe the grace of God whō the Lorde doth fauour according to his owne pleasure whō he doth accept Who hath the grace of god It were better said therfore that the will of man worcketh wyth the spirite working in vs thē to say that it worketh with grace For to that oure wil worcketh with the spirite I do agre cōsent well therto The lybertie of the children of god consideringe that we do worcke not frely at our own libertie but by the libertie of the holye spirite And that is called the libertie of the childrē of god to the whiche libertie we are led by the spirite after that he hath drawē vs. But what do we meane whē we do say that the sainctes haue done manie thinges the godly mē thē selues haue said that they haue preached praied laboured c. And in other places they do saye againe that God hath done all thinge as Paule to the Corhin the .i. Epistle and .xv. Chap. I haue laboured more fruitefully sayeth Paule not I but the grace of God whyche is present wyth me That is