seruice is profitable to our selfe he byddeth vs yf we wyll entre into lyfe to kepe the commaundementes And so that scripture that is wrytten to teache vs one thynge ye bringe it in for an other Bycause god putteth vs in remeÌ„braunce of the nature of our seruice to him that he hath no profyt by it whereby we shuld knowledge his gratuitie and goodnes to be so much the more towardes vs ye wolde we shoulde take it that god careth not for oure workes in his seruice and yet we be delyuered as the prophete sayeth from the handes of enemies to serue him in santite and holynes all dayes of our lyfe The grekes by a grosse prouerbe â— grosse proâ—erbe of the â—rekes wolde putte men in remembraunce what inconuenience foloweth of thabuse of good thinges out of their place sayenge of him that so dyd abuse his necessaryes howe he opened his locke with his hatchet and cleued his woode with his keye And after this sorte the scriptures be broughte in by you and other of your sect al out of purpose they were written for And yet when some so do then they boste moste that they bring nothing but scripture and the word of god and the mere truth playne speache simple language without iugglynge sophistrie or mannes tradicions And when al commeth to al for so muche they bryng a truth in dede but to a wronge purpose as is a hatchet to open yâ— locke which can do but burst it and yet can not be denied but it is a good hatchet good to cleue wood And somtyme againe the scripture they brynge in is euen as dull to the purpose it is brought in for as is a keye to cleue woode After which sort predestinacion beynge signified vnto vs for our comforte to declare what care god hath of vs whereby we shoulde be more encouraged to worke hauynge god to our helpe the same is vsed as an hatchet to open the locke wherby the lesse to care for our workes vpon pretense that god hath done all And lykewyse in many other places of scripture yf I wolde tarye to reherse theÌ„ But nowe I wil return to you maister Ioye where ye appose me whether when I coÌ„sidered theffect of christes passion I beleued it or no I professe An aunswer to Ioyes examinacion of my belefe I beleued it TheÌ„ ye aske whether I beleued it to be effectuall to me To this I aunswer you that fyrste I beleued it was and is effectuall to me in my baptisme wherein I obteyned remission of synnes and renouacion of lyfe I haue beleued and beleue it also effectuall vnto me in the sacrament of penaunce whereby to recouer the state of grace from whiche syth the tyme of my baptisme I haue dyuers times fallen by synne And lykewise I haue beleued and beleue that in the vse of all the other sacramentes as it hath pleased god to ordeyne them Christes passion is effectuall by worke of God in theÌ„ to conferre grace vnto vs. And generallye I haue and do beleue the passion of christ to be effectual vnto me when so euer and as often as I by the grace of god purchased by the same passion do vse my selfe in fulfyllynge of gods wyll as the scriptures and the true vnderstanding of them teach me the obseruacion of whiche teachynge ye may call and it please you and ye wyll nedes make me thauthor whiche I haue not hitherto taken vpon me Winchesters condicion And therfore Wynchester sayeth that because scripture doth require of a christen man that he be baptised wherby to be incorporate into Christe and beynge partaker of his death and resurrection obteyneth remission of synne An accompâ— of suche wokes as I meÌ„ required to atteyne iustification and is borne agayne of water and the holye ghoste Wynchester sayeth as scripture teacheth hym that Baptizetur unusquisque in remissionem peccatorum And this one of Wynchesters workes and implyed in his condicioÌ„ that ye wonder so muche at and calle so darke and confuse And generally when Chryste sayeth Come to me ye that be charged with synne and I shall refresshe you my teachynge is as scripture enfourmeth me that he that is called muste do so muche as goo when he is called with the helpe of the caller withoute whych he can not goo And this is also one of Wynchesters workes And when God sayeth beleue I muste beleue And this is a nother of Wynchesters workes And when God sayeth loue and gyueth the gyfte of it I must loue or elles remayne in deathe And this is a nother of Wynchesters workes And al these workes whyche seme a greate heape of workes be conteyned in the condycyon that muste be fulfylled for obteynynge the effecte of Chrystes passyon beynge remission of synne and a newe state of lyfe And thus I haue toulde you playnelye my faythe and also the workes I meane of before iustyfycacion and lykewyse the condycyon whyche ye call so confuse and blynde And thus I taughte Barnes and otherwyse then thus whiche is the catholyque belefe I thanke God I haue not beleued nor I dare not be so boulde as ye be to frame my selfe anye other pryuate beleue vppon confydence of the texte of scrypture ye brynge whyche is lyke a keye to cleaue a logge Scripturâ— fondely alleged by Ioyâ— As thou beleueste so comme it to the. Chryste spake these wordes to Centuryo allowynge hys faythe so muche as he sayde he founde not so greate faythe in Israell And it is a ioye to see howe wyselye ye wyll applye this to all menne howe so euer they haue conceyued theyr faythe whether it be catholyque or no. And then the Arryane maye be saued by hys faythe and the Sabellyan by hys faythe the Marcyoniste by hys faythe the Mahometane by hys fayth â–ª the Lutherane by his fayth the Swynglyan by his faythe and Ioye by his faythe For thys texte serueth all As thou beleueste so be it to the. And yf anye beleued that Glottonye were no synne As thou beleueste so be it to the. And it is as fond that ye bryng in of Iairus maketh nothyng to the purpose ye brynge it for For albeit the fayth of myracles were alone with the faythe of saluacion whiche your authors abhorre bycause Christe sayde to Iairus beleue onelye do that proue that Christe requireth no more of none other where by to atteyne saluation Eche man must do after the tyme of his callyng as the parable teacheth And he that is called at .viii. of the clocke may not stande ydle tyll eleuen and fall to worke then to make a shorte ende as some do that fasshion them selfe to vse the pleasures of the worlde so longe as their bodies may susteyne with mynde to serue god when they can not tel elles what to do Such meÌ„ search scripture to knowe who hath done lest that they may do as lytle as he And if they that be gyuen to stelynge wolde studye in
realme sowing most pestilēt heresies yea and that wittyngly whiche is the synne agenst the holy gost whiche when all synnes be they right greuous shal be forgeuen yet shall this your vngodlye impiete be neuer forgeuen Vvin. Yet Vvin ix article YOu say that fayth is thassueraunce of the promyse of forgeuenes of sin̄es Ioye If faith be that same certitude and assured persuasion as Paule saith assuring you of your iustification why then adde you your vncertayne condiciō waueryng vpon your sinfull works which as they be vnstable vnperfit sinne so can they neuer make you a quyet trāquyl conscience nor certify you of your iustificatiō God so sayeng Thou labourest in the multitude of thine own wayes and yet thoughteste thou them neuer enoughe Adde no condycyon on your behalfe therfore oh Wyn. into your owne condempnaciō Christ neuer taught you to beleue vpon a condicion but saide symply and playnelye Beleue and thou art saued Adde not to goddes worde lest ye be condempned for a lyer Wynch tolde Martyne Bucere that he and his wolde not receyue the doctours as Wyn. wolde I coulde brynge Austen Hierom Origene and many other autentyk writers agenst hym selfe but let vs see whether he wyll beleue this one doctor saint Ambrose thus writing vppon the first epistle to the Corrinthes saienge This thinge is constituted of god that who so beleue in christe he is saued without any worke only by faith frely receiuinge the remission of hys sinnes What can be spoken more plainlye Nowe make an ende Wyn. and conclude your arrogant articles Vvinton̄ AS for your talke in the lawe it is not worth an hawe for it is besides the matter and before aūswered my sayenges ye can not improue sauynge that ye saye I may not adde to gods word whervnto I wyll aunswer that I adde not but only marke and note what gods worde conteineth And when I se so many tymes yf required of vs I knowe none other englysshe name to signifie what that is A discussio◠what is adding to god◠worde but a condicion And here let vs dyscusse what we shall cal addyng to gods worde If ye cal thinuencion of a newe worde whereby to discerne what is written in scripture as I or you vnderstand it an addicion to gods worde then do you and all your secte offende in deuysynge the wordes office and correlatiue to signify what fayth doth and howe it apprehendeth the promyse whiche I thynke the spirite wold not suffre you to do if it were addynge to goddes worde Moreouer I thynke ye call not addyng to goddes worde thaddynge of an other language wherein to expres gods worde by other syllables thē it was first spokē in For then were the world on both partes in a great offence being gods worde translate into so many tōgues nothing like the original tongues of greke or Hebrue Whereby appeareth that beynge the true sense kepte hole and entier the letters and sillables maye be altered withoute daunger as the language requyreth without any contradiction of this texte for not addynge to goddes worde Furthermore yf thexplayninge and openinge of scripture with mo wordes in the same language with similitudes also to giue more light to the true sense ye meane to declare were adding to gods worde I am sure ye wolde not haue trauailed so much in thexposicions of scriptures as ye haue doone in youre sundrye bokes And speciallye where ye make a drinking of christes holly supper ne haue vsed the similitude ye haue done of the sonne and fier for declaration of the secrete workynge of fayth alone yf ye had taken that for addynge to goddes word When ye rayle of me vncharitablye and deuyse for your purpose that is not true we can not cal that adding to gods word that is all besides it and contrarye to goddes word When I saye to you that it is pitie to see the giftes of learnynge in you and many other so abused and abhominacion most detestable to se the pretēce of gods worde to couer so many deuelyshe and detestable wordes of sclaūder malice myschief and heresy wyll you saye that I adde to goddes word herein bicause it is not there directlye spoken of you ye can not truely For albeit it be not specially wrytten of you yet because of a generall warraunt of scripture that we maye saye and wryte that is truth and edyfieth ye can not say I adde herein vnto gods worde but accordynge to goddes worde saye truthe And so likewise in euery other iuste honest and holy thynge Who then doth adde to goddes worde Only he that calleth scripture whiche is not scripture or reporteth the sence of gods scripture amisse For such one frameth hym selfe an ydol in his own fansy and worshippeth it for gods truth falsely Suche men adde to gods worde and reporte not god truely and therefore as the texte sayth shall be condempned as lyers And this is the true vnderstandynge of this texte broughte in by you Adde not to goddes worde Whyche I haue harde manye tymes vsed lyke a keye to cleue logges and therfore haue discoursed thunderstandynge of it As for the sayeng of saint Ambrose maketh nothing agaynst myne article For in the begynnynge when the contention was betwene christe Moyses lawe by faith was signified hole christ and by workes the lawe of Moyses and in this strife where fayth and workes stoode in contencion one against a nother the speache onely fayth was spoken of that good faith only to exclude Moyses lawe with the receyuynge or not receyuyng wherof christendome was troubled For els onely did neuer exclude the familiar companye of faythe with charitie that stode of the same side that faith doth And so you youre selfe vnderstande it that charitie is there and not excluded And the precyse wordes wtout any worke exclude onelye the workes of the lawe for the workes of receyuynge and vsynge the giftes of fayth loue must nedes be there as is before declared And nowe to the article that foloweth in youre boke whiche article ye call myne and I am very glad so to take it it foloweth thus Vvin. x. article A man beynge in deadly synne maye haue grace to do the workes of penaūce whereby he maye attayne to his iustification Ioye And I say the contrarye That a man beynge in deedly synne maye haue no grace to do the workes of penaunce as I feare me it wyll be verified of Win. hym selfe But the Lorde conuerte him ones so that all men maye se his open frutes of repentaunce for his greuous persecution of Chrystes membres and heare hym openly with teares recanting his false doctrine wherby he hath seduced many a symple soule This is lo his doctrine A man must do the workes of penaunce before he be iustified and so by suche workes merite and deserue his iustification and forgyuenes of synnes Here thou seest christen reader that suche a man hath no nede of Christes death but for such men sayth Paule Christ is
a subiect so â—penlye to â—lude his pâ— souerayâ— lorde besâ—â— the iniury the truth and playnlye and directlye preacheth the contrarye of that he had recanted so euideÌ„tly as the Mayer of him self asked whether he shuld from the pulpete sende him to warde to be fourth commyng to aunswere for his contemptuouse behauiour to preache in the same place to the same people the contrary to his recantacioÌ„ But Barnes was not stayed ne spoken to whiles Iherome and Iherarde had bothe preached and folowed the same trade â—his neâ—lyâ—nâ—e was â—tablâ— in â—e late lorde â—mwelâ—â—ho not â—arkynge noughlye â—hat was â—ritten in â—em caused â—m self those â—ers to be â—dde to oâ—er and so â—lled Barâ—es and his â—owes â—naues The kinges maiestie had appoynted certayne to make reporte of the sermons before whiche report one that fauored them had written to his frend at the court howe gayly they had all handled the matter both to satisfie the recantacion and also in the same sermons to vtter out the trueth that it myght sprede without lette of the worlde and this letter by negligence came to light whervpon and report of the sermons they were al apprehended and by the secrete counsayle to whiche companye I hadde then none accesse ne hadde not almost a yeare before ne hadde not after so longe as Crumwels tyme lasted sent to the towre when Baâ—nes was sâ— to the towâ— I was 〈◊〉 of the priuâ— counsayle and therevpon ensued further proces by the hole realme whervnto I was priuie but amonge the reste And otherwise then I haue rehersed I haue not persecuted Barnes and as I haue toulde the storye so it was doone And thynke me not good reader so moche a beaste that all suche beynge yet alyue in whose presence and knoweledge these matters haue passed betwene Barnes and me I wolde vaynly faine in such a tale wherein I accompte not myne estimation to haue ouercome Barnes for he was not learned and shulde muche hyndre mine estimation if any man coulde in the I haue tolde reproue me of a lye For so moch the tale may be profitable to the reader to coÌ„sidre how thinges be blowed and blustered abrode with lyes how Barnes death is laide to my charge â—he numbre thre signiâ—th infinit â—â—d so often 〈◊〉 I forgiue 〈◊〉 and â—â—erefore am 〈◊〉 his 〈◊〉 and â—as as Daâ—â—d dyd perâ—â—â—ute Saul that haue onely suffred at Barnes hand and neuer dyd any thynge to him but euer forgaue him and he euer vsed forgeuenes neuer to amende but to delude tryfle And if any wolde note my blindnes in vayneglorye that because Barnes yelded to be my scoler of policie as Dauid fayned hym selfe madde before Achis I coulde not espie it Thus the 〈◊〉 exaÌ„ples 〈◊〉 scripture 〈◊〉 applied to â—uer lewde â—ens fautes â—hen they ly 〈◊〉 examinaciâ—n that is as â—braham deâ—â—d Sara 〈◊〉 they counâ—â—fâ—t that is 〈◊〉 Dauyd 〈…〉 fore this Exemâ—lum placet but take it in earnest I wolde to suche say that if Barnes counterfaited in that submission he deceaued moo aswel as me and in dede a man in his owne prayse maye soone be made a foole And one of that coÌ„pany tolde me whom I take for my frend that he had not thought to heare so muche diuinitie of me ne se so moche charitie in a Bysshoppe Howe this matter shal be taken I remitte to the indifferencye of the reader I mente good fayth with Barnes and symplye and further medled not with hym then I haue rehersed wherein appeareth on my behalfe no malyce and there appeareth also vppon what occasioÌ„ I haue vttered such articles as Ioye wyl now confute for false whiche howe substauncially he doth by comparynge his and myne together I shall entreate hereafter He begynneth his booke thus Ioy. I Chaunsed vpon certayne articles entituled to the Byshop of Winchester called Steuen Gardener In this rekâ—nynge Ioy hath ouershot him selâ— which were written agaynst doctour Barnes his two felowes brent M.D.xxxix for preachyng onely fayth to iustifie VvintonÌ„ YOur entry to the matter is fyt for your processe For neither dyd I euer write suche articles ne Barnes was burnt for preaching onely faith iustifieth I was by Barnes choyce as is aforesaide his scolemayster at which time we entreated tharticle of onely faith iustifieth as shal hereafter appere Ioye By these his articles Winchester wold proue that workes must iustifie that is to say with our workes we must merite the remissioÌ„ of our synnes which doctrine as it is contrary to gods worde so is it infuriouse to Christes bloude whose godly name is one alone for all sufficieÌ„t euen that same precyous hyd treasour in the gospel in whome sayth Paule are all the treasours of wysdome and knowledge hidden for in hym dwelleth the moost perfitte fulnesse of god verely and in hym are we complete euen perfitly iustified without any inweyuinge of Winchesters workes This thyng do I tell you sayth Paule least any man as nowe wolde Winchester deceyue you with his apparaunt popysshe persuasyons This full iustification by onely fayth Paule expresseth clerely in these wordes also This our euerlastyng lyuynge priest and intercessour Christe abydeth for euer vnto this ende euen absolutly fully and perfytly without any lacke or breth to saue all them that through hym by fayth come to god the father Here are we taught Christe to haue an euerlastynge preesthode to saue perfytlye and sufficientlye through our faith onely and that he euer lyueth vnto the same ende wherfore for the defence of our so plentuouse and perfyt redemption and for the ryche fauoure mercy of our heuenly father and free forgyuenes in Christes passion through our fayth onely and that the glorye of his grace whereby he hath made vs his dearely beloued chosen chyldreÌ„ throughe his beloued sonne shoulde be praysed by whome we haue redemption through his blood euen the remyssyon of synnes accordynge to the ryches of his so plentuouse grace vnable to be mynisshed To defende this my lorde gods glorye I saye and to warne the symple vnlerned that they be not deceyued by such blasphemouse Byshoppes articles I shal by gods helpe iustlye by his worde clerely confute them although he yet teache preache them into his owne dampnation and deceyuyng of as many as beleue hym VvintonÌ„ IT is of lyke truth that ye affirme of me that I wolde by these articles proue that workes must iustifie I neuer wente about to proue that Howe so euer it liketh you to report of me I neuer wrote so I neuer preached so I neuer affyrmed so ne enterprised to teach Barnes so at the time he was my scooler As for youre that is to say with oure workes we muste merite the remission of our synnes I wold not be a ferde to vse that speache yf you and other had not to the worlde diffamed and sclaundered the worde meryte but nowe seinge ye haue beaten it into the eares of youre hearers and readers
â—nd predestiâ—atioÌ„ of god â—o be worshipâ—ed in sileÌ„ce after our capacitie and so to worshyppe the election and predestinacioÌ„ of god in sileÌ„ce as we adde not therunto thimaginacion of an acâ— passed alredy in god by reason wherof we myghte dreame that in our choyse or endeuor when god offreth his gyftes vnto vs we came to late because god in our fansie hath determyned his pleasure alredy that can not be chaunged For the consideration of tyme whiche in our vnderstandynge passeth ouer compared with the acte of god beynge in dede withoute any tyme encombreth our wyttes and vnderstandynges in the conceiuyng of the matter where as the tyme beynge disseuered in our vnderstandynge from gods acte which tyme maketh to vs a thoughte of before after we be deliuered of the repugnaunce Note this that tyme dyd engendre and oure argumentes taken away from naturall wytte which were grouÌ„ded al vpoÌ„ time wherby we be dryuen from reasonynge to a silence meruelynge and worshyppyng as we shuld do alwayes the hyghe mysteries of god farre excedynge our capacite And in this wyse some haue learnedly reuerently entreated this matter not with presumption to discusse it absolutely but with an humble and reuerent meke spirite to note that myght be truely considered in the same and finally to lerne vs that in dede we knowe not ne can not knowe this high matter thoroughly because the meanes of oure knowledge be taken away and so the thynges hidden from vs wherin we may not do as arrogant artificers be accustomed to do who when they perceyue not in dede the counsayle of hym that deuysed fyrst any platte they take vpon theÌ„ neuerthelesse to set the frame together marre some principal postes or cast them out as vaine because they can not tell howe to ioyne theÌ„ with the rest whom such meÌ„ folow who because they can not tell howe to frame gods choise mans choise togither they mangle and denye mans choise and cast it away as vayne beinge a principall parte to be beleued in our religion Thus much as I haue redde and lerned I vtter it wherby to teach you soberly as muche knowledge as I haue that is to say ignoraunce in this matter In this ye mayster Ioye wyll agree with me that I haue toulde you ignoraunce and call it meere ygnoraunce and say I haue shewed my selfe in tossynge and syftynge of wordes to exercyse the crafte of ignoraunce not to teache but to blynd not to giue lyghte but to darken so as albeit ye rude men can not aunswere to the sophistry of the argumentes yet the matter in the vnderstandynge as ye wyll saye remaineth as it dyd for in what so euer wordes we shuld speake it or though we want wordes to speake it the thing is thus in your opinion as foloweth Fyrst god is before man was Anteque Abraham fieret ego sum Christ sayd And whether before signifieth tyme or no tyme whereof your playne scolers wyll say they can no skyll before is before and not after and why call we it the prouidence of god but because it is a foresight and none after syght ne withsight predestination lykewise a former decre prescience a former knowledge And to charge me further you mayster Ioye wyll note to youre scolers that I my self speake somtyme after the same sorte and say god choseth vs fyrst god preueÌ„teth vs with his grace and what is preuenteth but coÌ„meth before and god prepareth mans wil that is to saye maketh ready before And god calleth before he iustifieth and god iustifieth before he glorifieth And when scripture speaketh of this sort I my selfe also then ye wyll saye I make a trouble in the consideration of tyme and cause my tyme in wryting and yours in readynge to passe ouer without fruit For wheÌ„ ye rede me ye fynd your selfe perplexed entangled with wordes but wheÌ„ ye haue wound your self froÌ„ those thorny wordes the thing is in youre mynde as it was before Hereunto I wil say somwhat that if ye like your selfe in youre owne fansy so well as whatsoeuer ye conceiue for truth is euer also to you true in the sorte ye compreheÌ„d it I marueile not though my wordes be not frutefull to you for I go aboute to teache you ignorauÌ„ce you be so asotted and dotyng vpon the false persuasion of knoweledge that ye can not abide to haue your pleasaunt opinion remoued and taken from you As he that in his fransye thought all that he sawe to be his owne was sorye when he was healed of his fransye thinkyng him self to haue loste a greate losse to se hym selfe then so poore For els yf ye lyst to make this foundacion that man seeth no more of God then God hath shewed and reueled by his scriptures and that all the scrypture is so vniforme in sense as it is al but one worde which admitteth no repugnance or contrariete and therewith remeÌ„bre that wordes of scripture althoughe in respecte of the matter they conteine they be in dede be called holly so to be reuerenced and honoured as an ymage representynge gods wyll vnto vs and therefore at the speakinge of them in presence of the multitude do put of our cappe bowe Englysshe speache latelye made by englyssh men as we now speake it placed to expres god or any godly thing may be honored not with godly honor but with reuerent behauiour without daunger of idolatry yet those wordes as wordes be in dede wordes of our common language in Englysshe and suche as disseuered and remoued a part from that hollymatter men put to other prophane vses by reason whereof we may easlye deceiue our selues in them and be daylye deceyued And moreouer yf we coulde considre that it is a more shame coÌ„fusion and rebuke to vs to be noted in an error of blusterynge knowledge then to be accompted in the numbre of symple ignorauntes And finally that in consideration of god and his workes after knowledge by faythe that god certainly is we shuld rather study to knowe howe muche we knowe not of god then to presume to knowe all He that were thus instructed and prepared by gods grace he wolde as diligently lerne to condempne his owne knoweledge with his ignorauÌ„ce as to auauÌ„ce his vnderstanding to that may be atteyned And to suche one yf he considre that is before written I shall be seene not only to haue touched the wordes but also the matter which I specially entended wherin I laboured to declare that scripture whiche reueleth god vnto vs by faith doth not in the wordes alwaies fully signify that we gather of theÌ„ but be written sometime to do vs vnderstand the thing to be in god or wrought by him withoute cyrcumstaunce of the measure of tyme as we conceyue it For when christ sayd Before Abraham was I am the tyme in this speache is not after our measure for the presente Tens in God is placed in the speache before the pretertens
because the gospell hathe an ende to begynne at that god hath also an ende to begynne at for so hath euery thinge that begynneth as man conceyueth it or els there is not in oure ymaginacion a begynnynge we shoulde gather by saynt Iohn̄ that god is not eternall because he was in the beginnynge as the wordes of saynte Iohn̄ speake playnly to our ymaginacion such as our reason conceyueth fansyenge an ende to euerye begynnynge whyche ende when we can not fynde we saye that thinge hath no begynnyng as a rounde cyrcle in consideratiō of it selfe hathe no begynnynge because it hath no distinction in one place more then other to begynne at And yet speakynge of god without end we vse the word beginnynge for we haue none other worde to speake and so lykewyse of goddes knowledge election and predestination we speake by suche wordes as we haue signifienge them vnto vs as done and perfyt and so be they in dede but not as our actes be done and perfit and therefore to be called paste and perfytte whereby there shulde be in thaction a mouinge from the begynnynge to the ende but they be done as god worketh without tyme where is not paste and perfyt as god worketh most perfytely that is to saye in suche wysedome and perfection as mās reason can not comprehend ne cā therefore skyll to frame the doing of them with mans free wyll and free choise to be the cause of eche mans owne dampnacion without iust murmure of the want of goddes election And therefore if mās busye presumptuous wit could be cōtent to let alone that is not lerned hym to knowe but onelye to worshyppe and occupye hym self in that he is commaunded to do he shulde no more trouble him self herewith then amonge masons the hewers and squarers of stone trouble theyr mayster mason to question with hym howe such and suche a molde appoynted them to worke after aunswereth in the tracynge and wyll agree in the worke amonge whome because they haue conceyued a reuerente opinion of the mayster mason cōfessynge their ignoraunce not to atteyne his highe knoweledge euery man as is prescrybed hym worketh in silence somewhat leysurly men say of masons for their own ease but yet they worke God whose wysedome is incomprehensible whose knowledge is aboue all knowledge and connynge aboue all connyng hath traced the plat of the building of his church and hath for a mould where after to square the stones sent our sauiour christ into the world whom he hath willed vs to heare and folowe beynge his very ymage and the manifestacion of his wil commaundynge all his stones to be squared after that moulde wherwith because god for oure comfort telleth vs that he hath care of the squarynge of the stones and therfore hath before the begynnynge of the worlde chosen and predestinate those that shal be square stones we leaue workyng and squarynge after the mould deliuered vnto vs whiche is commaunded and fall to questionyng and musynge howe god worketh him self his secrete worke of election and predestination without exclusion of our worke in free choyce and free wyll the inquisicion whereof is forbiddē as aboue our capacite And therefore saynt Augustyne sayde Searche not who is drawen if thou wylt not erre and byddeth euery man praye that he maye be drawen whiche implyeth in his iudgemente howe that man maye be yet chosen and be yet predestinate as we can speake of it or elles why shulde he bydde him pray to be drawen And when we exhorte men by examples in the scripture to vertue our speach conteyneth the same And when saynte Paule sayeth he suffreth for the electes that they myght be salued and saynt Peter exhorting men to make theyr election certayne by good workes both these greate apostels do the churche of god to vnderstande in the buyldynge wherof they haue ben two principall stones that goddes election is so done by him as it importeth no necessitie in man but requireth a conformite in vs agreable for the same which conformite we can not haue but of god and yet not hauynge that we can not be called truly chosen and predestinate Saynte Paule to the Collossen wryteth in this wyse You that were sometyme abalienate and enemies in mynd in euyl workes nowe god hath reconciled you in the body of his flesshe by his death that he shulde bring you fourth holy without reproche without blame in his sighte so that you continue grounded and stable in fayth ne be not moued from the hope of the gospel Consyder this texte of the apostell which doth men reconciled to vnderstand that they must perseuer continue not be remoued frome the hope of the gospell signifieng that the reconciliacion of god implyeth no necessite of cōtinuaunce but they maye swarue they maye fall and therefore doth admonish them there of Wherefore he wanted not depe knowledge that said as scrypture doth vs vnderstand that Thomas predestinatus ioynynge those two wordes in the matter truly together non potest damnari for the deuyll can not take out of goddes hande that is his and yet neuerthelesse disseuer the worde with the matter of predestinatus from Thomas and speakynge of the same Thomas we maye saye by scripture Thomas potest damnari For goddes predestinacion as a superioure cause doth not violentlye worke to the compulsion of the inferior cause And god doth so worke in his knowledge election and predestinacion and with such secrecie as we can not take anye such knowledge of thactes of election and predestinaciō applied to any man whereby to disproue his sayenge to any man perticularly Thou mayest be damned by thine owne synne and lykewyse to euery perticuler man Thou maiest be saued by goddes mercy be the one neuer so vertuouse at the tyme of my speakynge or the other neuer so muche a synner But to whome so euer we maye trulye ioyne predestinatus we must saye of that man non potest damnari And albeit I shal be iudged of some to entangle this matter more then neadeth yet wrytyng to learned and vnlearned I had rather abyde that checke then to pretermytte any thynge that I thynke myght serue to the clearynge of suche notes as haue ben made of the scryptures by some of symplicitie some of crafte mischeif wherwith to encombre the truth of the catholique fayth wherin to comprehend suche persuasiō of god as though he wrought in election and predestinacion necessarily is a maruelouse subuersion of the hole as I haue before said and yet the wordes of scripture be marked to sound so as when scripture speaketh of the lytle flocke to be by god speciallye preserued and howe the electes can not perysshe and God preserueth his electe wyth the induracion of Pharao the reprouynge of noughtye men which truthes be moost certaynlye true For Deus uerax est and yet bicause it is euen as true that omnis homo mendax therfore as god can not fayle in his promysse so man maye fayle in the
gyftes receaued and other more So as the sense of the prayer that we may be made worthy is that we may be conformable to the fulfillynge of goddes wyll And it is to be noted that we praye that we maye be made worthy for we can not make oure selfe worthye but must receaue all of god of whome is all worthynes and of our selfe vnworthynes and yet in the atteining of worthines we be workers with god by his grace as before is declared And thus much I speake hereof how this praier which many wold depraue is agreable with the sense of scripture bicause it is necessary we be put in remeÌ„brauÌ„ce that the promises of god require the condition of worthines on our behalfe wherein is required oure endeuour Ye bringe in at the last a text of saint Paule lyke a keye to cleue a logge For saint Paules speakynge in that place nothinge perteyneth to the iustification we speake of as ye know wel ynough but only vse it because ye delite in copy Then foloweth that ye call my .viii. article Vvin. viii â—rticle Euerye thinge is to be called freely done whereof the beginninge is free and at libertye without anye cause of prouocacion Ioye So is there nothinge frelye done For man hauyng his humane natural affectes as loue hatred feare ioye heuines gladnes concupiscence honger thirste c. Besides these also hauing any celestial gyftes as faith hope c must nedes be prouoked of them to do or to suffer al thinges But the libertie of the spirite coÌ„ceiued by faith wherof christ Paul speke affirming by faith him selfe to be fre by loue to be bondman to al men is of an higher diuinite then this popissh lawer or cowrtly ruffler caÌ„ attayn vnto VvintonÌ„ YE reherce mine article right tyl ye come to the latter word where in steade of the worde compulsion ye put in the worde prouocation I wolde neuer haue gyuen Barnes and his scolefelow such a cause of prouocatioÌ„ to haue iested of me Howe Ioye here prouoketh me to call hym by his name as to say as ye reherse For not onely vice besides the instigation of the deuyl hath a material cause of prouocatioÌ„ to vice but also vertue besydes the callynge of God hathe a materyal cause of prouocation to vertue In prouocation of vertue and vice this differethe that a man maye playe the deuylles parte and tempte hym selfe and so exercyse the materiall cause of vice but man can not playe goddes parte and of hym selfe put in worke the materiall cause of vertue vertuously for al goodnes coÌ„meth froÌ„ aboue But with Barnes it came in by the way to speake of maÌ„s fre working either in sinne or vertue or any other action indiffereÌ„t This maxime I tolde him that euery thinge is to be estemed of the begynnyng For if the begynnyng hath no compulsion the acte is to be called free yf the begynnynge hath force and compulsion al that foloweth hath the nature of necessitie We discussed this in many specialties and amongeste other in the state of preistes whether they that lyued vnmaryed suche as wold nowe marrye I meane suche as those be whether they maye complayne of wante of fredome to vse the world at libertye as god hath permitted And herein bicause the beginninge of that state of preisthode hath no cause of compulsioÌ„ for no man is compelled to be a preiste and yet there be many causes of prouocation so as eche man hath ones in his lyfe lybertie and choice whether he wyll entre the state of preisthode or no. After anye man hath entred that state yf he lyketh it not he maye well lament his owne folye in the choyse of it but he hath no cause to complayne of the state wherevnto he was neuer compelled but myght haue chosen whether he wolde haue entred it or no. And therefore to euerye man that murmurethe at the presente condition of his lyfe it is obiected in common reason thus Ye might haue chosen Wherevnto yf any man could truelye replye and saye I coulde not choose euerye man lamenteth the state of hym that sayeth and declareth he coulde not choose and condempneth the complaynte of hym that myght haue chosen So as these two commeÌ„ speaches I could not chose and might haue chosen be worthelye allowed amonge vs whereby to excuse or blame all oure doynges To our frende that is offended with oure doinge we say I praye you blame me not for in good fayth I coulde not chose If you coulde not chose sayeth the frende I am not so fonde to fall out with you I wyll neuer blame a man saieth he for that he coulde not chose Nowe on the other parte he that leueth his occupation to be a seruynge man or selleth his lande bicause he lyketh better redy mony or marieth for his lust without godly consideration if that man can alledge nothynge that shulde haue enforced his so doing yet wyl grudge at his fortune accomptynge hym selfe miserable he is put to silence with these fewe wordes Ye might haue chosen It shal be saide to me percase that here is a longe talke withoute scripture of I myghte chose and I coulde not chose And some shall call it wylye wyt and some ianglynge sophistrie some haly water reasons The deuil deuiseth to depraue euerye thinge with prety termes for with suche pretie wordes the deuyll chereth his gestes whome he feesteth with talkynge and ianglynge abrode in the worlde wherewith to ouerwhelme the verye truth To the matter I say thus that this peace of truth of mans free choyse to do good or euyll confirmed in the scriptures because it hathe ben truely planted and roted in oure common speache I haue thought good to stirre vp the remeÌ„braunce of it by discussinge the commen speche to the intent when it appereth to agre with scripture it may be more regarded not bicause it is a commen speche but bycause it is the truth of scripture wherby the better to resist suche peruerse doctrine as some wold persuade to be in scripture of mere necessitie vpoÌ„ their wronge coÌ„sideratioÌ„ of gods prouidence election and predestination Goddes secret iudgementes I leaue vntouched and god worketh after the purpose of his will Whiche is moost iust He calleth some in the morning some latter and at diuerse houres of the day as the parable sheweth But to vs whom he calleth at the tyme of workinge whiles it is daye and hath endued vs with the giftes of reason vnderstanding If a synner myght saye to god for defence of his actuall synne I coulde not chose but do as I dyd whiche no such man can do it were an excuse for his synne But bycause god may truely saye to the synner Thou mightest haue chosen therein is the confusion in euery synners conscience This speach shal percase offende many And some wil say may not the infant that perissheth in the mothers wombe vnchristened say to god I coulde not choose May not the
matter abrode whom I wolde gladlye satisfye and I trust could also if they were indifferent to haue the very truth haue place rather then that they wolde haue truth But to the matter mā can not of him self in dede flye no more then he can withoute gods gyft clyme to heauen And yet scripture saith Quis dabit michi pennas sicut columbe et uolabo et requiescam who shall gyue me fethers as it were of a doue and I shal flye and reste me Thus Dauyd enspired by god desyred fethers to flye which whē they were offred him then Dauid mighte chose whether he wolde vse them or no. Dauid knewe withoute fethers he coulde not flye and also when he had obteyned thē might chose whether he wold flye or no but marke that I say further in the parable of distribucion of Talentes he that had but one talent layde it vp myght haue vsed it as thother dyd but he mysused his iudgement laide it vp idelly So as when thaccōpt was asked of him of that he had receiued and vpon knoweledge that it was laide vp idle was asked why he dydde not giue the mony to vsury His aunswere was not that he laide it vp bycause he coulde not choose but he declared the reasons by him deuised and excogitate which he said moued him to laye it vp wherby appeareth that as they that had fyue Talentes and myght haue layed them vp did chose to be industriouse and faythfull and encrease their talentes by exercyse were of theyr lord considered therafter in lykewyse he that was slouthfull and dyd chose to laye his talent vp idle was of his lord so taken and vsed accordingelye And here note wel reader and thou shalte perceyue the craftye sophistry of the deuyll in the person of hym that pretendeth symplycitie In the parable aforesaide these men to whome Talentes were gyuen could not chose to haue the Talentes gyuen vnto them for that was in the pleasure of hym that was lorde of the Talentes hereunto all must agree wherein is resembled goddes choice But when the owner of the Talentes beynge at lybertye to distribute or not dystrybute hys Talentes hadde thought good and so chosen to distrybute the Talentes of his owne mere clemencye to one moo and an other lesse Then the receyuers of these Talentes myghte lykewyse choose as it appeareth they dydde whether they wolde vse them or no. For some of them dydde vse them and some dydde not And here thou mayest see playnly a resemblaūce of gods choice that the sely soule spake of and of our choice whiche I haue entended here to intreate God choseth to geue vnto vs his giftes God choseth and man choseth and in that part we haue no choyce and thē we choose whether we wyll vse the gyftes or no and in this part we haue fre choyse as appeareth in declaration of this parable For in oure inclynatyon to good or euyll there is neyther necessitie nor compulsion fre wil in the ful significacion shulde implye free choyce Bytwene free wyll and free choice I put no differēce but in the termes of free choice whiche expresseth the greke and latin wordes Liberum arbitrium and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the matter may be more clerely opened in my iudgement For albeit free wyll and free choice were ment to signifie one thynge yet they that be more fine in their consideracions by abuse of the wordes from their ful signification haue deuysed howe to graunt free wyll because they sawe the world so much abhorre the deniall of it and yet therewith to defende styll theyr abhominable dreame of mere necessitie which mere necessitie can in no wyse stande Necessite cannot stande with free choyse with mannes fre choice For necessitie signifieth one poynt and no mo whereunto any thinge is directed Nowe euerye choice must be of twoo at the least for one hath no choise so as he that is necessitate to be dāpned hath no choice ne he that is necessitate to be saued hath any choice A man may wyll that is necessary i◠some sense But not chose that i◠necessarye i◠any sense ▪ and both these sortes of men haue no free choice at al. But as for fre wyl as we take it onely for a desirouse appetite which is not the ful signification of free wyl may stād with necessitie as in example a mā beinge necessitate to dye as euery man is may also gladly willinglye and desirouslye dye as many haue done for christes sake many for glorye manye for werines of their lyfe And muche more if men were necessitate to be saued they shulde gladly willingly and desirouslye do the workes of saluacion And so the Captaines of the secte haue studied oute a deuyse howe deceyuyng men in the signification of fre wyll as thoughe it signified no choice at all but only a desirouse appetite they haue graunted that man hath free wyll to his saluacion whiche they call a wyl newe create of god to be desirous of saluacion and therewith defende styll their mere necessitie there withall say this also that a good man doth necessarilye wel also frely well and an euyll man doth necessarily euyll and frelye nought They saye also that god doth compell no man for compulsion saye they is contrary to free wyl But not necessite and for this they alledge the ethnyke philosopher Aristotell bicause he maye helpe forwarde who considering Aristotell speaketh of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is commen to man beaste and so is not volūtas nor arbitrium the naturall partes of the soule sayth that uiolentum opponitur voluntati non necessitas And yet Aristotell vseth such a word in the steade of uoluntas as signifiethe Lubentiam or libidinem that is commen to man and beast and not uoluntatem whiche is propre to man and yet thus they shyft in the wordes to deceiue the simple whom they wold seme to desire to teache goddes truth and vnder pretence therof do sowe abrode the deuyls falshed But Aristotel their author saith that absolute necessite which is properly necessitie is contrarye to fre choice which man must haue or he is no man And what a Sophisme is this to say that a good man doth necessarilie well and an euyll man doth necessarilie euyll and therewith say also that man is not compelled by god to good or euyll For euerye meere necessitie that can not be eschued and is o◠it self a necessitie doth enforce and compell all the meane causes to do hym seruice for meere necessitie wyl be by no meanes disapointed ▪ And it is said therefore Nothinge more violent thē necessite that there is nothynge more violente then necessitie absolute And marke we◠these teachers for in doctrine they conclude eche mannes saluacion or dampnacion vnder mere necessitie and yet they say god compelleth no man And then because th◠philosopher sayth that compulsion onelye is contrarye to fre wyll
the true professours and preachers of goddes holy word he shall as Christ sayth seme to hym self and suche lyke to do god high worshyp and by the fulfillynge of suche wyked workes euen his owne condicion to attayne to his owne iustificacion before the deuyll the prince of this world his antechristen Pope of Rome Cardinals preistes c. whose vicare generall worthely and iustly he yet playeth vp and downe And all this saith Christ shall this vicare generall do to you because he knoweth nether my father nor me This is that reprobate mynd into whiche this Gardener is nowe turned vp of god whiche dampned mynde he declareth sayenge Woo be to them that saye that thinge to be euyll which they knowe to be good and that to be good which they know to be euyl The lorde preserue his chirche from suche a vicare generall Christe kepe euery Diocese from suche a Bysshop The holye Goste teache al christen Prynces to beware of suche a counseller So be it Vvinton̄ WHen ye haue iumbled vp the matter with a meany of wordes as it were put in a sacke truthes and vntruthes togyther Nowe ye say that out of iustificacion spryngeth repentaunce For here the synner prayeth God to conuerte hym sayenge with Ieremye Lorde conuerte me and I shall be conuerted for thou lorde arte my god and anone as thou shalt conuerte me I shall smyte my hande vppon my hyppe Hereuppon ye aske me who is thauthor of repentaunce And ye aske me as though I had not playnelye sayd in that ye call my last article that man may haue grace of god to doo the workes of penaunce whereby to atteyne iustificacion The scrypture of Ieremie confirmeth that a synner is called to penaunce and conuerted by goddes grace but the variaunce betwene you and me is whether it be before iustificacyō or no and to that purpose for your parte ye brynge in no scripture but onely your by talke after ye haue named scripture occupied the symple mans witte with a straunge phrase of the prophette I shall stryke my hande vppon my hyppe And whyles the vnlearned man thinketh of that he forgetteth the issue of the mater and calleth you a noble clerke beynge so full of scripture as ye could talke of it from morne to nyghte nede were and thynketh I were suche one as ye do paynt me But to the matter you saye faythe iustyfyenge bryngethe forthe penaunce and afore ye haue tolde that faythe iustyfyenge for the owne sake obteynethe remyssyon of synne ▪ So ye teache that after remission of synne springeth penaūce whiche your teachyng the hole trade of the scripture in the newe testamente impugneth and condemneth For as saynte Iohn̄ came before christe so penaunce goeth before remission of synne Penaunce goeth befor◠remyssion o◠synne Saynte Paule sayeth Iohannes baptizabat baptismo penitentiae dicens in eum qui uenturus esset And Chryste sayde Iohannes baptizauit aqua uos autem baptizabimini spiritu sancto Saynte Peter taughte after this sorte when suche as harde hym preache were moued and asked what they shoulde do Do penaunce sayeth he and be eche of you baptised in the name of Iesu Christe to obteyne remyssyon of synne When Chryste expounded the scriptures in the myddes of his discyples after his resurrectyon he sayde it was behouefull christe shuld suffer and rise frō death the thyrde daye and to be preached in his name penaunce and remission of sinne for all people S. Peter also preacheth thus Do penaunce and turne that your synnes maye be taken awaye The prophet Ezechiell speaketh after this sorte If a wycked man doth penaunce And you applye penaunce onelye to them that be iustified In all these places no man hath ben so madde to saye that a synner that is so blynded with sinne as he can not see god can of him selfe turne as he shulde do to god frutefully without the lyghte and grace of god Who can wake out of sinne without god call him and saith Exurge qui dormis Ryse vp that slepest And onles god hath giuen him eares to heare this voyce of god sayenge Surge illuminare Ierusalem Howe is any man beynge lame with sinne able to take vp his couche and walke onlesse god sayth Tolle grabatum tuum ambula Christe saide he came not to call men that bosted theyr iustice but to call synners to penaunce That god calleth man for christes sake who by his glorious passion hath merited fully the reconciliacion of man no man contendeth and that god doth ministre speciall grace and helpe man to turne to god from synne it is agreed on with you Moreouer that mā can not knowe god but by faith all must agree and that it is impossible to please god without faith and that who commeth to god muste haue faith The poynte of variance in teachynge of penaunce Hitherto we agree but herein ye only differre from the fayth catholique and catholyque teachynge that ye wyll haue man iustified with remission of synne streight incontinently afore his faith be any thynge warmed with suche an vnderstandynge as though remission of synne shuld go before penaunce contrarye to the ordre of true doctrine And all this wranglyng on your behallfe is bicause ye wolde not alowe ▪ any good worke before remission of synne And ye are fayne to turne all the scripture vpsidowne for the mayntenaunce of it And when al is done it will not be We be taught to pray for forgiuenes of our synnes And by your doctrine we be forgiuē or we begynne to praye seynge without faith iustifienge as ye saye I can not worthely praye I pray god send you a better mynd truely instructed with his doctrine and grace to turne to him from the vayne glory of the world wherin ye reigne with the tyrannye of your tongue persecute other mens name and fame most cruelly with a counterfet forged sworde of authorite vnder pretense of gods worde wherewith ye take vpon you to be cōptrollers of the worlde Al suche armour of witte lernyng and vnderstanding as god hath gyuen you to help to maintayne the semely state of Christen religion to thincreace of gods honour loue quiet and tranquillite amonges vs ye conuert all to the confusion of it handle the matter so as though god had nede of your lyes as Iob saith Nunquid eget deus mēdatio ut loquamini pro eo dolos Fynde you anye example in the prophetes or the appostles that they wolde sclaunder men wittynglye for auauncement of their purpose As for my selfe I haue vsed your enemite so as I haue greate good by it I thanke almyghtye God Ye haue ben to me occasion of studye and dilygence to spend such houres as I myght haue at libertie to thincreace of knowlege that I might be the abler to maintayne such truthe as I haue lerned in gods scriptures wherin percace I shulde elles haue ben more negligent And althoughe I haue facioned my self outwardly in the