God lette them shew me whyther God hath any nede of vs that we shoulde ascribe to hym anye thyng that is not hys own already No verely Let them gyue credite and hearynge to the trueth whyche sayeth The earth is the Lordes and all that is therein Then is his manne and other thynges whyche he worketh in hym To whom onely be glory and empyre worlde wythoute ende Amen Yf our will be bond how do we merite They haue an other obiection wherein they do demaunde when howe and whiche waye we do beginne to merite If we do all thynge of force by a continuall vrgent necessitie If our wyll be fre at no tyme Christ dothe merite for vs To thys obiectiō I answere and say that all merites are the merites onely of Christe and that all confidence and truste of the merites of oure worckes must be taken awaye from vs In what workes must we perseuer and yet we muste perseuer and cōtinewe styll in good worckes those I saye whyche are of fayeth For trulye we maye pype in an iuie bushe for anye thynge that we can merite vnto our selfe As the .iiii. cha of the reuelation What is ment by the eldars leying downe ther crowns befor the throne of god Cornelius Centurio The .xxiiii. elders did laye downe theyr crownes before the throne and seate of the Lambe of God knowledginge therby that by the merites of Christe they dyd receyue the same crownes of glory at the Lords hād Cornelius the Centurion did not obtaine by hys owne merites worckes to be praysed cōmēded of the Lord but by the grace of the Lorde and goodnes of Christ Paule What shoulde I speake of Paule whiche dyd not wynne the crowne after he had ended hys course by hys owne deades but by hym by whose healpe he ended and finished hys course Finally neyther cornelius obteined the fauoure of the Lorde nor Paule the crowne of glorye by the merites of theyr owne industrie and trauaile but only by the gyfte of the Lorde by the lyghtenyng of his spirite and by the fre election of God ⧠The ningth proffe I Maruayle that men wyll so steflye contend and stryue agaynste so open and manifest texte of the scriptures and testimonies of the Lorde to proue the wil of man which is bonde captiue for to be fre and at liberty the which bōdage we do find proue dayly by experience in our selues The similytude of the potter euery one of vs beynge in the handes of the Lord none otherwyse then is the cleye in the handes of the potter to be fashioned to what vse the potters mynde and pleasure is as it is written Esai xiv Chap. Woe be to hym that striueth wyth hys maker the potshard with the potter Esai xlv Wyl the clay say to the the potter what doeste thou make Hieremy xviii Thy worcke serueth for nothynge Also Ieremie speaketh more plainely the .xviii Chap. Maye not I do with you as the potter doeth O house of Israell Ye are in my hande euen as the clay in the potters hande Rom. ix Paule to the Rom. the .ix. Chap. Hath not the potter power and libertie of one clotte of claye to make one vessell to honoure an other to vilenes What so euer did cause the Prophetes the Apostles to write this I am sure that this is true that the potter hath no more power on the piece of claye thē the Lord hath ouer man Nay the power that the Lorde hath ouer man is much more a thousande tymes Also it is certayne that lykewyse as the potter doeth make certayne vessels to honeste vses seruice as to receiue and kepe meate and drinke and water wyth suche other lyke and other to a more vile office euen so the Lorde hath created the electe to hys glorye the reprobate to perpetual ignominie and shame Furthermore the potter doeth breake the vessel and maketh it anewe greater or smaller as it doth lyke hym best at whose workmāshyp the vessel is content resisteth not nor grudgeth any thynge at al but that he maye make thereof what so euer shall please hym As longe as thou dost delight in synne thinke and beleue that thou art indurat tyl thou doeste abhorre it So trulye the Lorde worcketh and fashioneth man The Lorde doeth harden and make indurate he doeth agayne take awaye and remoue the hardnes frō the hert of man And as long as the mā is hardened so long is the vessell full of all ignominie and filthines After that hys hardenes of herte is taken awaye and hath receyued a newe herte he is then made agayne the vessell of glorye So you may se that it is not in the hande of hym that wylleth or that runneth but in the Lorde whyche is full of mercy Obiection They make a certayn obiection to proue the wyll of man free by a sayinge of Paule the seconde epistle to Timothe and .ii. chap. If a man sayeth Paule doeth purge him self from suche men he shall be a vessell sanctified to honoure mete for the vses of the Lorde These wordes saye they were foleishly to be spoken to a potsharde but to the sharde whyche is indued wyth reason it maye be wel sayd I do graunt this but that whyche they do inferre and gether hereof I wyl not graunt to Indeuour of mans wyll is when a man purposethe and settethe his mynd to do thinges and begynneth to go about it which is called in latē Conatus The reasonable shard say they beynge warned and admonished maye accommodate and make mete it selfe to the wyll and pleasure of the Lorde The whiche thynge they do call the endeuoure of frewyll I do holde the contrary opinion affirmynge that no man haue he neuer so fyne quycke a wytte be he neuer so muche well learned thoughe he were euery houre in the daye admonished and taughte hys dutye that he is not able to accōmodate and make mete hym selfe to the wyll of the Lord with out he haue receyued the spirite of Christe the whyche spirite doth make hym apte and readye to the wyll of the Lorde An other obiection they do laye agaynste vs sayinge If you do speake thys thynge playnlie without any exception that we are in the handes of the Lorde as the elaie in the handes of the potter then must we say saye they that likewyse as the potter is the cause why the vessell is a vessell of ignominie seruynge for a vyle office and so folowing not the vessell to be blamed bycause it was no better euen so it is wyth the reprobates the cause of theyr reprobatiō whi they be naughty vessels to be imputed to the Lorde which myght haue made theim vessels of honoure if it had pleased him and not the reprobates worthy to be blamed To thys obiection I answer saiyng that these argumentes and reasōs are altogither of the fleshe and carnall makynge conclusion of the premises whyche they
captiue and bonde and that of it selfe it can do thynge that is good or pertaynynge to eternall felicitie The choyse and electiō to do thys or that is the worcke and dede of the wyl and of the vnderstandynge That the wyll of man is captiue it commeth by the spirite of fornication that is of the naturall sens and knowledge of synne or concupiscence for as muche as the deceytful spirite doeth reynge in the hert And then the wyll can not be obediente to the worde of the Lord but in hypocrisie lies after a deceiuable maner fayre without and foule wythin For the wordes of the veritie can not be pleasaunte to it wherefore it is alwaie contrary and repugnaunte to them By the commynge of the spirite of the Lorde and by fayeth manne is deliuered and made fre from the spirite of fornication frō the whiche euyll spirite by no mans craft or wysdome he can be losed and set at libertie Then the spirite of God reygneth in the herte of the fayethfull bringynge the spirite of fornication euery daye in subiection more and more makynge it bond and captiue and crucifiynge it Then doeth the spirite of God worcke in man hys knoweledge and vnderstandynge causyng hym to know God and hys veritie of hym selfe vnable to either of them It worketh also the wyll of man whyche is bonde of it selfe makynge it to wyll the thynge whyche God wylleth and to be content wyth hys swete wordes Then man doeth wyl that thyng whiche God wylleth not of hys owne vertue but by the vertue and power of God him selfe And is set at libertie and made fre frome all traditions and inuentions of men to captyue and make hym selfe bonde altogyther to the obedience and seruice of God and his veritye And so he is made fre from the captiuitie and bondage of perdition and doth go into the bondage and libertie of the chyldrene of God Then he serueth the Lord most frely and fayethfully he runnneth forwarde the spirite of God workynge that same Alacritie and redines in hym All the preceptes threatenynges promises rebukynges and praysinges of the saintes and the cursses of the wycked do declare howe much God doeth loue the holye spirite and howe he doeth rule the spirite of fornication The wyll of the beleuer doeth worcke wyth the spirite worckynge in hym not of hys owne strengthe and vertue but by the strength and vertue of the spirite God doeth harden he doeth waken and styrre vp he doeth also excecate and make blynde and whom so euer he hath thus determined and iudged for to be that same mā must nedes go forth of the waie of God Yet do I not therfore conclude that God is vniuste nor that he worketh any iniquitie In thys matter mans sens and iudgmēte is dimme and manye there be whyche do searche these thynges not wythoute greate peryll of fallynge into heresie Whither thou wilt make ought or nought of free wyll yet this questian of the mercye and iustice of God is insoluble for it is so profound and depe that it can not be thorowlie persed and attayned vnto God hath no nede of our leasynges or lies that a manne shoulde thynke it to be lawefull for hym to deuise and inuent a frewyll agaynste the manifeste and opē textes of the scriptures thynkynge thereby to come the soner to the perfecte knoweledge of the questian concernynge the iustice and ryghtuousenesse of God whych he shal neuer come to so longe as he lyueth Those whiche mayntayne free wyll do speake directly contrarye to the marrke and ende of the lawe affirmynge that a man can so guide hym selfe that he canne of hym selfe kepe the lawe or that he can any thynge begyn of hym selfe towarde it when he can do nothynge lesse The schope and principall parte of the spirite bicause the whole lawe is spirituall and therfore may none otherwyse be kepte then by the onely spirite God Those same frewill makers do attribute and geue to fleshe and bloude that thynge whych is propre onely to the spirite of God that is to saye to wyll any goodnes whiche fleshe and bloude can do nothinge but stray from God in fornication whordome But these men whyche are instructed taught by the testimonies of God do saye that the wyll of man is captiue and bonde and that of it selfe it canne do nothynge lesse then kepe the lawe of God wherein they do saye truely bycause they speake not againste the marke and chefe parte of the lawe which is the spirit These men doe gyue to man in dede that thynge which is his properlie that he is the bondeman of synne that is to saye of concupiscence except he be made fre of god They do geue vnto the holye Goste that whyche is due to the holye Gooste that is to say boeth to thynke to wyll perfourme that thynge whyche is good and so they do geue to God not vnto man all vertu power and glorye The founders of free wyll are the founders of merites and of the iustice of worckes as they call it Those men whyche do stablishe mannes merites and the iustice of worckes do deny and treade vnder the fote the iustice and merites of Christe Christ only not our filthy iustice own rightuousnes hath merited to vs the fauour and grace of God and eternall iustice The confirmation of our captiuitie and bond wyll is the confirmatiō of the merites of Christ and of the iustice of God by him beynge the contempt of the vnworthy rightuousenes of our worckes I do not deny that a mā shoulde do good workes bicause it is neadful that a faythfull man should be alway wel doyng and neuer to be idle that he maye declare and testifie hys fayeth by his worckes For a true faith is neuer idle but spreadeth abrode in good worckes whyche are the testimonies wytnes of our fayeth But I saye that a faythful man doth not truste nor geue confidence to hys worckes therfore not to him self nor to hys own wil. The patrons and defenders of frewil cā not receiue and take the worde of God simply ryghtlye and in hys kynde for the free wyll of manne and the worde of God are contrarye He that defendeth the contrarye muste neades vnderstande the scriptures as they ought to be For in thys defēct he swarueth not from the worde of God No manne can saye in the spirite of God that the wyll of man is fre No manne can wyth a pure herte thynke that the wyll of man is bonde but in the holy spirite whyche speaketh in hym and worketh a Godlie loue and desyre of the knowledge of the veritie of Gods worde rather then curiouse reasoninge For he whych is of that opinion that the wyll of man is fre doeth so much minishe plucke frō the mercy and merites of Christ as he doeth permit and geue to the strength of mans wyl whych is cōtrary to the holye spirite He that is of the contrarye opinion doeth geue nothynge to the strengthe and wyll of man but altogyther to the mercye of God and gratiouse fauoure of Christe whych fauour and mercye thorowe Christe in whom they do beleue the fayethfull do obtayne And in so doynge they do confesse the Lorde Iesu Christe as they oughte to do geuynge to hym onely the prayse of our iustification and redemption whiche thynge they can not do but in the holye Goste The summe and finall conclution of this matter is that the defence of fre wyll is the begynnynge the role and fundation of peruers sectes of men of all impietie and wyckednes of all hypocrisie and counterfayted holines of al abhomination the very stablishinge of Antechrist hys sinagoge The contrarye opinion is the well and fountayne of all vertue of iustice and ryghtuousnes of grace and fauoure thorow Christ onelie and the kepe of knowledge of all Godlye and holsome doctrin Wherin the Lorde continue vs to his onely glory praise for euer Finis Nicolas Lesse ⧠⧠⧠⧠Imprinted at London by Iohn Day and William Seres dwellynge in Sepulchres perish at the signe of the Resurrection a litle aboue Holbourne conduite ⧠⧠☞ ⧠Cum gratia priuelegio ad imprimendum solum
The mînde and iudgement of maister FrauÌ„ces Lambert of Auenna of the wyll of man declarynge and prouynge howe and after what sorte it is captyne and bonde and not free taken out of hys commentaries vpon Osee the Prophete wherin vpoÌ„ the .iiii. Chapter of the sayd prophet he most Godly plain lye and learnedly entreateth and writeth of the same as hereafter euideÌ„tly shal appere Newelye traÌ„slated into Englishe by N.L. Anno Do. M.D. xlviii the xviii day of DeceÌ„bre Philippians .ii. ¶ It is God that worcketh both the wil the perfourmaunce DIEV ET MON DROâ—T To the most gratiouse and vertuouse Ladye Anne douthesse of Somerset c. Hyr most fayethfull and dayle Oratoure Nicholas Lesse desireth the swete blessing of god wyth a ioyfull and earneste loue to read hys worde and folowe the same WHat tyme my little worcke entituled the iustificatioÌ„ of faith only was in the handes of the Printer moste gentyl Ladye it fortuned me to reade in a certayne exposition whyche Frances Lambert of Auenna dyd wryte vpon Osee the Prophet that the wyll of man naturally is captyue to sinne as the Apostle ryght wel witnesseth sayinge He whyche doeth syn is the seruaunt of synne There is not one iust maÌ„ there is not one whyche seketh after God All men haue erred gone forth of the way and are altogither made vnprofitable Ther is not one manne whych doeth good no not so muche as one and also bonde frome doynge of any good thynge of it selfe as witnesseth the Apostle Iames with these words Euery good and perfecte gyfte is frome aboue discendinge downe from the father of lyght whyche article beynge very well discussed and wyth the file and touchstone of the scriptures proued and made playne I thoughte it necessarie and expediente that it shoulde be broughte forthe of the Latin into oure vulgar tonge Partlye bycause the contrarye erroure that man hathe power to do good of hym selfe beyng the doctrine of the Papystes of the Anabaptistes of the PelagioÌ„s is so inueterated and roted in the stomakes of moste men that almoste they can skante fynde in theyr herte to geue to God any parte of the praise of good worckes but ascribynge the worthynes thereof to theym selues do make claime and title vnto heaueÌ„ for theyr owne deseruynges This errour hath caused them to forsake the workes prescribed to vs of God and to inuent newe worckes on their owne braine Thys erroure caused them to builde monasteries to go on pilgrimages to set vp candels before stockes and stones to make holy water and holye breade to weare thys or that disguised cote to faste thys or that prescribed daye to synge masses for the deade and quicke to make of the blessed supper of the Lord a sacrifice for the quicke dead to make of breade and wyne as they moste falselye do affirme the naturall fleshe and bloude of oure sauioure Iesus Christe and to be shorte to applye the mooste fruitefull benefitial fruites of hys passioÌ„ to the health of bruite beastes as shepe oxen and swyne as wel as to the soule of man Wher hadde they any of thys beggery in the scriptuers Thys is a foule and a detestable erroure whyche bringeth man into so many whyrlepoles of dishonouring of God that there is almost nothinge at all lefte vnto hym but a bare name of God none otherwyse then as they had vsed in times paste to make kinges and quenes in maye games Into so greate and palpable darckenesse are they fallen for theyr vnthankefulnes The seconde cause whyche moued me to the traunslation of thys smale worke is that thys erroure of fre wyl to do good in man standynge styll and not remoued forthe of the hertes and consciences of menne the contrary Article for iustification by fayeth onely muste nedes be infringed and broken For if we do wel of our own propre streÌ„gth theÌ„ do our owne workes make vs good and rightuouse whiche is directlye contrarye to the scriptures to the wordes of Christe sayinge No man can come to me except my father drawe hym These wordes do declare that all men are alwaye so stubourne and so muche agaynste God that excepte they be drawen they can not come to Christ Christ doeth saye also Of those whyche thou hast geuen me I haue not loste one It folowethe therfore that god was the gyuer Christ the keper of theÌ„ They were not the geuers nor the kepers of theÌ„ selues no more then they were the callars of theim selues what tyme that Peter hys felowes at the callynge of Christe forsoke theyr ship and netes and folowed hym But contrary wyse if al menne be liars as wytnesseth the Apostle Paule If all the imaginations of man from hys youthe be euyll and nothing but synne as it is wrytten in the Genese .vi. Chapte then are we not made good rightuouse by our dedes Then must thys Article by fayth onely we are iustified stande faste that is to saye for the confidence and sure truste whyche we haue in the promises of God for hys swete sonne Iesus Christes sake by the whyche sonne we haue bouldnes and fre passage to come to god as teacheth vs the Apostle Peter For so much therfore as these .ii. Articles manne can worke any goodnes of hym selfe and the iustification of man frely by fayeth only are so faste and nighe lincked togither that either they muste boeth stande togither or boeth be destroyed and broken togyther the people beinge I truste what with learned preachers what wyth writers suffitieÌ„tlye instructed and taughte the waye of theyr iustification I toke on me to traunslate this into our mother tonge and wyth like audacitie as I dedicated the worcke of iustification vnto your moste dearly beloued husbaÌ„de my Lordes Protectours grace so I haue bene so bolde to name youre grace a mooste Godly mother setter forth of this worcke vnder whose name it cometh abrode into the handes of the people to whom nexte vnto God they shall yelde thankes for the fruite therof Whose graces boeth togyther I desire the Lorde longe to preserue with a ioyfull continuaunce to the shynynge of his glorye and settynge forthe of hys word wyth increase of al Godlines therto correspoÌ„deÌ„t Amen Q.L. to the gentle reader HEre in this worke moost gentle reader thou hast set before thyne eyes the wil of man so playnely so liuely that no Appelles coulde with al his craft in a table with his colours set furth the phisiouomie of anye man lyke Thou dost perceiue and behold him in this boke as he is in his owne propernature and kynde altogether nakid altogether myserable wretched and bound Not that there by thou shouldest thynke thy self more at libertie to offend bycause thy wyl is bound and captiue or elles that thou cast not chose but offend but that rather thyne owne wekenes and pouerte being known thou sholdest knowledge â–ª prayse and glorifie the myghtie and infinit power and strength of the Lord with the
aboundaunt and plentifull fulnes of ryches in al goodnes to whom only euery good gyft and euery perfect gifte from heauen aboue from the father of lyght is to be attributed ascribed as witnesseth Ia .i. Thou must be also in this case lyke a man which through long sicknes is so feble and weeke and brought so low that he is not able to stand without a staffe fearynge to set his foote to the ground least he shoulde fall doune not able to ryse agayne of hymselfe without the helpe of another This mā getteth to him a staffe to stande vp or to go by or els he leueth on another mās arme which is stronger than he and so goth furth by lytle and lytel euer fearing to fal So doyng thou shalt not fal nay though thou dost stōble or trippest a litle with thi fote that is the carnalconcupiscēce of the flesh yet shalt thou not fal to the ground the spirite of the Lord is so strong that he wyll holde the vp But if thy staffe be weake or rotten or that man whom thou dost trust be not altogether thy frynd thou canst not chose but fall and that miserably to thine vtter confusion with out another takyng compassion and pitie on the of his goodnes wyll come and take the vp Lykewise is thy doyng whē thou dost trust and put thy confidence in thyne owne merites in thyne owne workes in thyne owne strength in thyne owne wit and power thē is thy fall moost greatest when the truste of thyne owne power semeth moost strongest and when thou art most inflamed wyth the loue of thy selfe that is of thyne owne deades and workes which are altogether flesh if they be not wroughte by the spirite of the Lord the which spirite of the Lorde being in the the Lord doeth make althy wayes godly straight be fore his eyes so that thi sinne is not imputed to the nor thou art not fleshly yea though the fleshe hath some pryckyng in the. For to the iust man the lawe is not made as witnesseth Paul that man I saye whose iustice is Christes iustice which alredy in his hert hath done al that thing which the law requireth not of hymself but by the power of the spirit of the Lord which worketh his wil in hym What hast thou saith Paull that thou hast not receiued if thou hast receiued wherfore art thou proud of it as thoughe thou hast not receiued it but as it were thyne owne of thy self For asmuch then as al godlines is receiued we must cōsider cōfesse that ther is a geuer in whose hande and power it dothe rest whether he wil geue it yea or nay so that we must say not vnto vs Lord not to vs. but to thi name be glory prayse What worke dyd Paull worke to optayne the fauoure of the Lorde When he was most strongest in persecutiō and sheddyng of the christian bloud sodenly he was taken from hym selfe that is to say the Lord alterid him of his owne goodnes and mere mercy his cruel affectiōs and in the steade of the spirite of persecution he put in hym the spirite of mekenes the spirit of loue of preaching his glory of preaching Iesu Christ crucified and in the steade of a persecutour of Christ he became a sufferer for Christ When Peter was most stronge to fyght wyth dente of sworde as appered by his bolde and manly deades and great crakes how sodenly became he in the stead of a defēder a denier And wher as he wold dye with Christ he would not so much as once knowe hym nay he denied him vtterly Who did subdue the naughtie spirite of Paul when he was in his most rage fury agaynst the preachers of Christes glory Was it ani other thā the power of the lord vnder whose fete all thynges are made subiect yea from the reasonable to the vnreasonable as oxen and sheepe At the whiche tyme of persecution Paull was in durate because he had not in hym the spirite of the Lord and therefore he coulde not chose but with al extremitie persecute the lord as far as the fleshe woulde geue hym leaue The flesh alway as Paul wytnesseth resystyng and strinyng agaynst the spirit The cause then why that Paull had not the spirite of the Lord was only the pleasure of the Lord whiche taketh mercye on whom it pleaseth him selfe Paul myndyng nothing lesse thā to be called it pleased the Lorde to cal hym frō dishonour to honor to the setting furth of his glory Paull for this tyme of persecution was indurate none otherwyse than was Pharao in the persecution of the children of Israel If it had pleased the Lord to haue taken Paull as he dyd take Pharao the one shulde haue perished as well as the other Yf the Lord had lefte Peter in his deniall and styll to hym selfe if he had not loked on hym wyth the eye of fauoure it had ben euyll with hym as it was with Pharao But to declare that all men are lyars and God only true as the prophet saith The Lord toke the spirit of stedfastnes and knowledgyng of God from hym leauyng hym to hymselfe to fraylenes to the verye counsel and motion of the flesh which flesh had rather lyue a whyle and dye for euer than to suffre a smal temporal death and al way after to lyue Therfore if any manne do fall let not hym dispayre for the Lorde is merciful It is not the fall whiche declareth induration it is the contempte of the Lord when thou dost delyght in thy synne not fearyng the Lordes iudgement that is a fearful token of induration What canst thou tel whether the Lorde wyl take the in this tyme of thy wyckednes and vnfaythfulnes yea or nay as he dyd Pharao in the mydest of hys madnes If he so doo what shall become of the Thou caust not denye but that he may if it please hym so to doo Thou hast a good cause therfore alway to fear and mystrust thy wayes for thou arte altogether of thy selfe fleshe thou canst do nothyng of thy selfe but synne And lykewyse as the trust of the mercy of God promysed for Christes sake whiche foloweth streyghtway the hatred of vyce and synne with ful intent and purpose to liue after the wyll of the father is a certayn token of election and of the fauour of God wherin so long as thou doste remayne and continue thou art sure that thou art of the ryght fort Euen so the loue to lyue vngodly to wallow in all kynde of vyce and to lye styll in impuritie of lyfe declareth to the that for that same season thou art nothing ells than the chyld of wrath curssed of God indurat as was Pharao This is a good cause to make the to be alway in feare to make the suspect thyne owne selfe and begyn to hate synne the deuyl and the fleshe with al concupiscence then the spirit of God beginneth to worke his worke in the to crucifie thi spiritual
the lord The Lord may turne his hert which way soeuer it shal please him In this place first thou dost see that the riuars and the diuision of waters are the worckes of God and all other thynges which can be named in heauen or in earth or in the waters The text is so playn that it neadeth no long declaration The herte the will is all on in scripture by the which we dooe perceyue that the herte or wyll of a Kynge for in the scriptures the hert and wyl is taken for one thing is not free and at his libertie and pleasure but captiue and bond to the pleasure wyl of the Lord causynge it to encline and leane to whych part it pleaseth hym to godlines and to the fulfyllynge of hys wyll or contrarye Yet for all that good Reader be ware you do not mistake wronge vnderstande me bycause I saye that God doeth turne incline the herte What is signyfied by these wordes god turnethe god makethe to inclyne as though he shold in so doynge worcke vngodlines For this worde and vocable to incline or to turne is asmuch to say after the speaking of the scripture as to indurate or harden or to let a mā runne into a reprobate mind holding away his hand frō him whyche is asmuch to saye to make it more playne as the Lorde doeth relinquish and leaue hym to hys owne mere naturall frailenes To harden thy hart is to leaue the to thyn owne weaknes as in many places specially in that boke whyche I dyd write intituled the causes of our blyndnes I haue declared That lesson which you do reade here of the hert or wyl of a king take it as wel to be vnderstande of all other men for if that one be true that the kynges herte and wyll is subiecte to the wyll of God muche more all other mennes cogitations thoughtes wylles and dedes They saye and obiecte agayne that the inclination and mouynge of the hand of the Lorde doeth not cause or worcke bondage or necessitie in the will of man When dothe the lorde moue to godlynes wherein they be foule deceyued not geuynge glory to the Lorde as they oughte to do For the Lorde doeth moue and stirre a manne to Godlines as often as he doeth poure into hym hys spirite and true fayeth Then canne not that man sinne by the vertue and strenght which he hath receyued of the Lorde Faythe cannot do euell wherby he is moued For fayeth can not worcke euyll Agayne although the fleshe in the fayethful men do synne yet the spirite of God whereby the fayethful do lyue canne not sinne The rightwyse man lyuethe by faythe Peter by the strength of the flesh synned being offended and displeased at the wordes of his maister Christe sayinge that he shoulde suffer Whiche Peter dyd saye before to hys maister by the power and strength of the spirite The faythfull synneth not Thou art Christ the sonne of the liuing God Math. vi Chapter To be short in al thinges wher the spirite of God doth moue and stirre vs is conteined a necessitie bondage of the spirite beinge so decreed and ordeyned from the begynnynge Lykewise also of all those thynges whyche a man doeth worcke inclined to vngodlynes that is to saye geuen to a reprobate minde beyng left to the spirite of fornication to hym selfe to hys owne natural fragilitie and weakenes For the wicked cā not chose but do wickedly for as muche as he is fleshe The prescience and for knoledge of the lorde is vnfallible and therfore all hys worckes synne It is also vnpossible but that wyckednes muste be committed at that tyme whyche the Lorde by hys prescience and fore knoweledge dyd knowe frome the begynnynge woulde be done Hereby we do reason and gather that all these thinges whereto they do moue and styrre vs or otherwyse doeth harden leauynge vs to our owne selfe are done or committed of necessitie ineuitable Take hede once agayne gentyll reader and beware thou doeste not reason to farre in thys matter least thou doeste fall into inconuenience and wronge iudgement or opinion of the Lorde to thyne owne destruction and death Reuerence thou alway hys most blessed iudgemente to the profound deapnes whereof no man at anye tyme is able to attayne ⧠The .v. profe and authoritie Hieremy x HIeremye sayeth the .x. Chapt. I do knowe very wel good Lorde that the wyl of man is not in hys own hande nor yet in hys owne power to rule and gouerne his owne steppes and goinges which wordes are not to be meant and vnderstande of sadde or pleasaunt thinges as some mē do interpretate but of euerye thought wyll and dede of man As appeareth by that whiche foloweth Chasten vs O Lorde but wyth fauour not wyth thy wrath But if thys can not satisfy their mindes nor perswade them suffitientlye that it is spoken of all the wayes of man boeth of hys thoughte wyll and dede let theym answere me by theyr own experience Let euery man aske him selfe this question in that uicious affection wherto he is most inclyned whyther theyr owne wayes be in theyr owne power yea or naye to do or to forsake all that shall please them to wyll or nyl that them lusteth If he be an aduonterouse person an hunter of whores a couetuouse man a man full of Enuye and suche lyke can he hym selfe as he woulde of hys own strength roote oute and put awaye cleane all these lewde affections forth of hys herte that nothynge therof shall remayne behynde If he find that he cānot do it of hym selfe howe can he saye that the waye of man is in hys owne hande and power Verely no man hath the rule of hys own wayes as he woulde Therfore let vs pray wyth holy Dauid Lorde do thou directe and make straight my waies before thy syght Dauid sayeth in thy syghte that is as muche to saye that it maye please the as though he woulde saye suffer not my wayes to be inclined and turned against the. Such like saying of him is in the Psa cxviii Turne my eyes good Lord that they se no vanitie quyckē and make me liuelye in thy wayes Also Turne and incline my hert to thy testimonies not to Auarice ⧠The .vi. profe and authoritie Esay lxiii THe electe and chosen people do cōfesse and graunt openlye that oure wyll is captiue and bonde as Esai lxiii Thou Lorde our father oure redemer thy name is and alwaye hath bene Wherfore hast thou made vs to erre and to declyne frō thy wayes Wherfore hast thou hardened our hertes that we should not fear the the whyche place Paule doeth alleadge for that same purpose in the .ix. Chapter to the Romaynes ⧠The .vii. profe and authoritie Pharao hardened THys veritie is confirmed in Pharao whose herte the Lord dyd harden as Exodi ix Chapter and to the Romaynes .ix. Chap. ⧠The .viii.
or of the spirit of the flesh beyng not subiect to the law of God whiche is alway repugnaunte therto as to the Ro. the .viii. chap The spirite did bynde hym in hys wynges as it dyd the Israelites drawynge hym by hys power to al kynde of euil headlynge Is not hys wyll then bound and cōstrayned of necessitie to thys or to that The whyche induration is to hym as a bridle in hys mouth drawynge and pluckynge hym frome God and pryckynge and styrrynge him agaynst the will of the Lord. And yet iustely he perished althoughe it was not in hys power to do well or Godly If thou wylt nowe go about to reason and argue after the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe thou shalt strayght waye fall into fornication agaynste God Be contente therfore and reason no further for to reason otherwise it doeth dishonoure to the Lorde and it passeth thy capacitie Pharao beynge miserable and vniuste iustlye indurated and made harde coulde not applye hym selfe to the Lordes wyll Wherefore most iustely at the laste he perished Many do thynke bycause that God did stirre vp Pharao agaynst him therfore they do saye that God wroughte those synnes in hym whyche he dyd And that lykewyse as God doeth hys good worckes in vs whiche are hys good worckes beinge good euen so saye they doeth he punishe hys own euyll worckes in vs God forbid I shoulde eyther speake or thynke anye such thynge whych I do knowe to be far frō any Godly doctrine But thys I dare be bolde to saye that Pharao was indurated that is to saye forsaken of the Lorde and lefte to hym selfe for the whyche cause in hys herte he was agaynste God by whome afterwarde he was styrred vp to vtter and shew openlye in the face and syght of all menne thys greate wyckednesse whyche he had by induration to the greate and excedyng glory of god And yet for all that we do not say that god did worke that wickednes in Pharao bycause that al wyckednes and vngodlynes procedethe not of hym but of the lacke want of the spirite of the vnderstandyng of the fleshe and spirit of fornication O moste inscrutable and vnserchable depnes of the iudgemente of God What man knowethe these thynges They be to thyne owne selfe secret o lorde To the onlye it perteynethe to conclude and determyn these things wherto no man els is able to penetrate and attayne Wherfore who soeuer dothe feare thy moste godlye and maruailouse name let him commit those thinges vnto the. By this that we haue sayd a mā may easely make answer to them whych holde opynion that the entente and endeuour or to purpose a thynge is in the will of man contendynge that the wyll of man shall be fre to entend The fleshe will knowledg no bondage endeuour or to purpose any maner of thing The whych purpose entent or mynde to do a thinge eyther it is wycked and vngodly then it spryngethe from induration whyche dothe force a man to all euell for an indurat person muste nedes do that which is euell is not he then forced therto Induration is the worke of the lorde This maner of speaking the flesh can not abyde to here whyche dothe crake and bost that she is fre and at her libertie But what man can wythstande the eternall decres of the lord The compulsion is not of god but of induration The whyche is the worcke of god most ryghtwyse and also most terrible and to be feared In this matter all sophisticall and dialecticall reasonnynge profetethe nothynge at all but rather doethe muche hurte concludynge that god workethe synne and wyckednes that god compelleth a man to worke that whyche is euel The lord kepe suche wordes from oure mouthes But rather lette vs saye that herein dothe lye hyd the secretes of god whyche no man is able to take Contrarye wyse yf mans study To thynke well is of god entent or endeuour or purpose be godly it commethe from the holy spirite from whō no wycked thynge can proced Wherfore then done we gyue lyberty to oure owne will which is altogyther captyue and bonde For either it is captiue and bond to the spirit of fornication or to the spirite of god Althoughe this captiuitie of this spirit of god is most swete and plesaunte lybertye The captiuitie and bondage of the lord is liberty as we shall here after in hys owne place and tyme conuenyente declare Paule also in the ix chapiter to the Roma confyrmynge the captiuitie and bondage of the will of man concludethe on this wyse It is not in hym that wyllethe nor in hym that runneth but in the Lorde whyche hath mercye and compassion The whyche place of Paul some expositours do expound on this maner sayinge The mercy of God preuented our wyll the whyche mercye oure wyll doeth accompany and go wyth it togyther in oure indeuorynge and purposynge bryngynge at the laste to some good ende and effecte Yet for al that saye they we do runne we do wyll we do couet we do attayne and obtayne oure purpose But so that the selfe same thynge whyche is ours in dede we do ascribe whollye altogyther to God whose handyworcke we be all What is that thynge whyche we cal our owne what is in vs but synne impietie and vnryghtuousnes If we be iuste that is not ours but it is Gods owne If our running our wyllynge our obtaynynge be ours thē is it wicked All our wais are vanitie For al the wayes of man is vanitie Psalm xxxviii If we wyll ascribe to God and make to be hys that which is our owne propre Wherfore doth the mercye of god that is to saye our synnes bycause he hath hardened vs what erroure can be more greater No boubte the mercye of God dyd preuente oure wyll to destroye oure wyll For wyth hys spirite in vs he doth reueage and vtterlye denye vs he doeth crucifie vs daye by daye he wylleth in vs his wyl he purposeth endeuoureth in vs hys wyll he prayeth he runneth he obteyned he doth al thing in vs The lorde doth croune his goodnes in vs. and at the laste he doeth crowne in vs that thynge whyche is hys owne proper For euery fayethful man sayeth wyth Paul I do lyue nowe not I but in me Christe lyueth I do runne I do praie nowe not I Our good runnynge is Christ his rynnynges but these thynges and all other Christe doeth in me The whyche altogyther muste be ascribed to God whyche is graunted of our aduersaries to be true Nowe wyll I demaunde and aske theim whether they be to be ascribed to hym as the worckes of hym for so they be in dede or els as our workes proceadynge from the endeuoure and industry of our will If they saye that they be hys owne workes they do saye trulie and Godly If they say that they be fyrste oure worckes and afterwarde we make theim to be the worckes of
vnderstand not aryght beynge not able to attaine to thē wherein manye thynges do lie hyd passinge all mens vnderstandynge and power to aryse vp to the knowledge therof It is good therfore in thys casse to staye and search no further But rather with all humilitie to reuerence those thynges whyche the Lorde kepeth for his owne knoweledge An other obiection of oure aduersaries is thys If they wyll saye they that the similitude of the potter whyche Paull speakethe of muste be vnderstande and taken simplye and playnlye as it lyeth whye shoulde we not saie they vnderstand that place of Paule as it lyeth in the letter saying If a manne do pourge hym c. Wherto I saye that we do take it none otherewyse then as it doeth lye so that they do take it and vnderstande it after that maner as all such places of the scriptures are vsed to be taken For thys poynte you muste marke well that to kepe the commaundementes which we are commaunded to kepe it is vnpossible for manne wythoute he haue the spirite of the Lorde the whyche no sophisticall cauillation can denye By the commaundemēts we do know what is sinne our owne weakenes Naye they graunte theyr selues that it is vnpossible that anye man can kepe the commaundementes of the Lorde after the mynde intente and wyl of the Lorde whyche doth cōmaund them wythout his spirite It foloweth that what so euer the Lorde cōmaundeth vs to do is to vs vnpossible Yet the Lorde willeth vs to kepe and obserue hys cōmaundemētes Wherby both we haue the knowledge of synne The lawe is spirituall and therfore it must be spiritually obserued or els you worcke in hypocricie we knowe also how weake feble and of no strength we be of our selues For the lawe is spirituall whych can not be kepte wythout the spirite of God And therfore he hathe geuen hys spirite to the electes to kepe hys wyll whyche they were not able els for to do Iames hathe suche an other sayinge as they do rehearse forth of Paules sayinge Clense your hertes you wauering of mynde The whyche thynge they cā not do without the hertes be purified and made cleane by fayth in Iesu Christ Thus ought these wordes purifie your hertes to be takē and vnderstanded that is Beleue you in Christe that by hys spirite you maye be purified But no man can beleue but he which is drawen of the father as witnesseth Iohn the syxte Chapter Whiche we muste nedes graunte Let vs desyre and praye that God wyll kepe in vs his cōmaundemētes whiche of our selues We can not call on the lord wythout the spirit of the lorde in our selfe we are not able to do Let vs aske cal and crye after that with greate diligence and fayeth and it shall be graunted to vs. But se how captyue bond our wyll is that for to desyre and aske anye thing of the lord we ar not able of ourselues They wil answer to me againe saying that the sayinges which are spokē of the saintes godlye faithful people Man worketh good or euell as the spirite drawethe are fales not true that is Thei haue purged made clene ther hertes they haue sanctified thē selfes They loued the Lorde they prayed wel they dyd good workes and so fourth suche other lyke sayenges The whyche wordes are not false but true so that you do presuppose these thinges to be done by them thorowe the spirite of god fayth so that we must confesse all thinges well done to be the dedes of the spirite of god of whom they be wrought Ther is none of vs whyche denye the that man worketh but we do denye that he workethe at his owne frewyl For either he workethe that whiche is euell being drawen bye the spirite of fornication or els he doth worke that thinge which is good by the spirit of the lord allmightie A similitud by a knyfe Marke this similitude which folowethe whiche makethe not small for this purpose A man takethe a knyfe and cutteth bread wyth it The knyfe also doth cutte but not wyth out the hand of hym which holdeth the knyfe This knyfe cutteth well or yll not of hym selfe but by the cutter For the knife is not fre of him selfe either to cut or not to cut Yet for all that whē a man doeth cut any thynge wyth a knyfe he sayth this knyfe cutteth well or yl althoughe of hym selfe he doeth cut nothynge at all but by the power and force of the cuttar So wee can do nothyng of our selfe that is good and ryghe except the spirite of god worketh it in vs we do no euyll excepte we be bound with the spirite of fornication and of thē fleshe To the which spirite the lorde by his most rightwyse iustyce dothe leaue vs by his iudgment I saye whych we knowe not And so he suffereth vs to be hardened In this place muste the fayeth full be taught to take heade and be ware of that pestilent opinion which sayethe that euery man is made the vessel of honour or reproche by our own merytes goynge before What thynge is or euer was before the eternal decre and ordinaunce of the lorde If thou wylt saye that god hath decreed and ordeined these thynges whyche is euerlastynge bycause of those thynges whych he knew bye his forsyght and knowledge that euery man woulde do in tymes we answer seynge that-no thyng whych is done in tyme and is temporall can be the cause of a thynge whiche is eternal before all tyme. We shold do greate wronge and iniury to the lorde to saye that he was cōpelled to ordayne and decre any thing in hys euerlastyng beynge The electes for those thynges sake whyche are done wythe in the lymyt of tyme By the onely worthynes and grace of God the elect are predestinated to be in tyme vessels to glory and honoure The reprobates by whose moste iust iudgemēt to vs vnknowen the reprobates are made in tyme the vessels of ignominie to dishonour shame The Lorde is marueylouse in al hys iudgmētes ⧠The .x. profe THe captiuitie and bondage of oure wyl is proued by Esay the .x. chap. Shall the ax boste it selfe agaynste hym whiche doeth hewe wyth it Esai x. Example by an ax and by a sawe or shall the saw make any braggynge againste hym that ruleth it That were euen lyke as if the rodde whyche a man doth beare wold exalte hym felfe and rise vp against the bearer An euel kyng is called an axe a rode a sawe or as though the stafe would magnifye it selfe whyche is made but of wod and tre Behold the Lorde doeth call a wycked king an axe a saw a staffe a rodde whych thyng men do vse to occupie to one thynge or an other to declare that the Lorde doeth make al men to be hys instrumentes Man kynde is the lorde his instrumēt by the whyche he doth fulfil accōplyshe hys
iudgementes and worcketh al that pleaseth him And trulye a man is nothynge els then an instrumēt of the Lorde wherwyth he doeth worcke ⧠The .xi. profe PAule sayth to the Romaynes in the .ix. Chapter Rom ix Yt was said sayeth he to the two childrē Iacob Esau before they were borne before they had done either euell or good as it is written in the Genesis the .xxv ▪ Chapter The elder shall be seruaunte to the yonger for thys entente that by election the purpose Let vs praye the lorde that we maye be his callyng Iacob Esau and ordinaunce of God shoulde be stedfaste and certayne not by oure worckes but by God whose pleasure is to cal whom hym pleaseth It is writen also in Malachy the fyrst Chapt. I haue loued Iacob and hated Esau It is manifest that before the beginninge he hated the wickednes of Esau and hys chyldren that is to say those that folowed hys incredulitie and vnfayethfulnesse The lorde dyd hat the wyckednes of Esau befor that Esau was Who be the childryn of Esau and of Iacob He loued Iacob and hys sede that is to saye those whyche folowed had the fayth of Iacob These wordes may not be taken and vnderstande of the children of theyr own bodies begotten naturally For likewise as al the Israelites are not coūted in the sede of Iacob but those which haue faith as Paule to the Romains the .ix. chap. So all the Idumites were not the sonnes chyldrē of Esau But those which folowed the vnfaythefulnes vngodlynes of Esau Euery vnfayethfull man be he an Idumite Who be Isralytes Who be Idumytes or an Israelite a Greke or of any other men is of the sede of Esau And contrarie wyse euerye fayethfull man if he be an Israelite an Idumite an English man or a frenchman is of the sede of Iacob These thynges I wyll referre to the exposition of Abdias and Malachias where I wyll copiouslye declare thys matter of the loue of Iacob of the hatred of Esau God wyllyng This which I haue spokē is sufficient cōcerning our purpose for this tyme. ⧠The .xii. proffe THe wordes of oure Sauioure do confyrme thys same captiuitie and bondage of oure wyll in Iohn the vi Chapter Iohn .vi. What is to folow Christ No man can come after me and folowe me that is to saye beleue in me excepte my father whyche dyd sende me do drawe hym Is not oure wyl thē captyue and bonde when it canne not beleue in Christ without it be drawen Iohn xv And Iohn the xv Chap. Wythout me you can do nothing The whyche place when that Christe dyd speake to hys disciples althoughe he dyd speake of the fruite of his Gospel callynge him selfe the vyne them the braunches Which is a good worke yet he dyd speake it generallye and vniuersally to all men sayinge wythoute me you can do nothynge that is to saie no good fruite at al whyche is a good worcke And there is no good worke but that onely which is of faith otherewyse it is an euyll worcke and synne as to the Romains xiui For lykewise as by fayth cometh the goodnes of the worke Rom. xiii euē so by vnfayethfulnes and incredulitie is the contrarye But those thynges onely whiche be of fayeth do profitte vnto saluation and nothynge els The whych considering that we can not perfourme of oure selues no not to begynne nor to procede nor to endeuoure nor to make an ende and finyshe Wherfore shoulde we not saye that oure wyll is bonde and captiue withoute all libertie The obiection of the aduersaries They do obiecte agaynste vs saiynge We do nothyng wythout Christe but whē he doeth sende his spirite eyther we do agre to hys spirite or els we do refuse it The cōsent and agremente to the wyll of the Lorde is of vs saye they is oure owne and of oure selues The Lorde say they doeth put vs in mynde to praye to repente our naughtye liuynge to be liberall to the pouertye and so forthe the whyche suggession for to folowe or to resist is in our libertie wil. I do say answer to thys obiection saying If thys obiection be true then are the wordes of Christ faulse whyche doeth saye withoute me you can do nothinge For after your reason you maye do some thynge wythoute hym to endeuour applie your wil to his wyl And so were the worke of god which doth inwardlye monish teache you no greater thē that whyche manne doeth in preachinge and teachynge outwardely As by exemple A man doeth pronounce and shewe forth the veritie of God to the whych if theyr obiection be true may he apply him selfe maye go about and endeuour to do it and also to perfourm it of hys owne power and strength O erroure and mooste execrable heresie Thys is the verye trueth God doeth moue and styrre that thynge whiche pleaseth him Euery good worke is the worke of Christe in vs no man can applye him selfe thereto excepte he receyue the spirite of God whereby he doeth it No he can begynne to do nothynge be it neuer so little wythoute Christe doe worcke in hym the beginnyng and the mind to do well we do our endeuoure we do apply our selues to the veritie and to the Lorde not by the lybertie fredome of our wyl but by the spirite of God whiche worcketh in vs mercifully vsynge vs as his instrumētes in all good dedes in shewyng obedience to hys wyl in prayer in inuocation to lyue soberly chastelye and so forth to his honour Obiection Agaynste thys answere they do obiecte sayinge If God worcke all thynges in vs by hys spirite if he wylleth hys wyll in vs if he praieth if he geueth almes if he studieth worketh and speaketh in vs wherfore do we then endeuour oure selues to do anie thinge wherefore are we so anxiouse careful I wyll not speake of all othere thynges that we do for what cause saye they did the holye Euangelistes prepare theim selues to the declaration of the worde of God Sythe it was sayed to them when you be brought before Kynges and rulers be not carefull thynkyng how and what you shold speake For it is not you sayeth the Lorde whyche speaketh but the spirite of my father whych speaketh in you Whereto I saye that who so euer doeth go aboute anye thyng or is carefull for thynges or studieth howe to set forthe the Gospell of Christe he doeth it eythere of a pure fayeth towarde God and then is it the dede of the holye Gooste or els wythout fayeth trustinge in hys owne vertue and industruouse laboure and diligence and then it is the worke of the sense and vnderstandinge of the fleshe That other a mā doeth beynge bound and drawen by the spirite of the Lorde as for that whyche he doth by the confidence of hys owne strengthe it is done by compultiō of the spirite of fornication bicause he is bounde in
to say the Lord whom it pleaseth to accepte and fauoure me hath wrought these thynges in me Wee do answere to theyr obiection and authoritie sayinge Fyrste that God doeth worcke all these thinges hym selfe Secondly the Lorde doeth saye that hys electes hys fayethfull and Godlye doe manye good dedes bycause he doeth vse them as his instrumentes to do hys worckes As by exemple A man whyche doeth cut bread wyth a knyfe sayeth the knyfe cutteth well suche is the speakynge of the Lorde by vs. If the knife coulde speake it woulde saye I do cut bread EueÌ„ so the Godly and vertuouse meÌ„ do saie we haue laboured we haue preached we haue prayed c. knowynge them selues to be nothynge els but the instrumentes of the Lorde whyche worcketh The lorde calleth hys workes our workes And where as the Lorde doeth saye that we do worcke it is of hys vnspekeable goodnes whyche voucheth fate to cal hys workes in vs our worckes whyche are hys instrumentes A certaine man writeth that in the holye scripture it is often tymes beaten into oure heades that euerye good thinge is of God that he worcketh all thynges after the decre ordinaunce and purpose of his eternal wyl that all our suffitiencie and ablenes is of him that we haue nothynge that we haue receyued nothynge but of hym and suche other manye thynges more for that entente and purpose that we shall not sette and put anye truste in our selues that we shoulde not presumptuouslie presume and arrogantly boste of our own dedes and for none other cause As to the wordes of the Lorde what man caÌ„ denye but that they be true and that they were spoken to take all proude presumptuouse lokes frome vs. But the sayinges of the holye scripture as they be infallibly true so they are playnelye and symplye to be vnderstande that we shoulde in no wyse in no case after no maner of fashion ascribe anye thyng to vs Wherfore is it sayede that the lorde speaketh in his elect Mathew x. but all thynges wholy to him and oure selues to confesse and knowledge trulye mekely and lowlie that we be the instrumentes of hys maiesty and goodnes After thys maner of speakynge the holye wytnes bearers in Christe are sayed not to speake of them selues but that the spirite of theyr father speaketh in them As Mathew the .x. It is sayed by theym that they do not speake bycause they can speake no trueth of themselues By the mouth of them whyche are hys creatures as most mete instrumeÌ„tes the Lorde maketh open hys wyll to all men For so did the Lord speake in StephaÌ„ which no man coulde resist As Act. vi Chap. So dyd Christe liue and worke in Paule and Paule by Christe liued and worcked as to the Gala. the seconde Chapter Lykewyse Christe doth lyue in the iuste that is to saye in the fayethfull and they by fayeth do liue thorowe Christ as Abacuch the second cha and to the Rom. the .i. Chap. and to the Hebrues the .x. Chap. Iuste men do lyue by faythe I maruaile wyth what spirite they be led when they do speake sayinge God wil that we do ascribe nothyng to vs although ther be some thynge in vs whyche wee myghte iustlye and rightly call our owne God say they semeth to commaund these thinges but for a face prouynge theyr wycked opinioÌ„ by the .xvii. Chap. of Luke What a dyuelyshe docâ—ryne is it to say that god vseth disimulation wherin they wold make god a lyar not ryghtlye taken sayinge When you haue done all that you can saye you we be vnprofitable seruaunts Whereto I answere on this wyse God is not an enuiouse person Wherefore if there were anye thynge in vs of oure selfe that we myghte be proude of he woulde not take the prayse thereof from vs for he doeth loue veritie and trueth as Psalm l. But he willeth that we coÌ„fesse vs to be his instrumentes as we be in dede He commaunded thys sayinge When you haue done all thing c. not for a face or faynynge in anye maner of wise but al that he speaketh is in veritie and trueth The seruauntes of God workynge well are nothinge els then the instrumentes of God What is ment by this saying we are vnprofytable seruantes whyche worcketh all goodnes in them He willeth that they shal take no more on theym then they be in deede He wylleth theÌ„ to confesse knoweledge and name theyr selues to be the instrumentes of God nothynge els Therefore he doeth commaunde them that vnfaynedlye and with a true hert they shoulde saye we are vnprofitable seruauntes whyche is as muche to saye as we be the creatures we are the instrumentes of thy worckes we do but serue the and not that of oure owne vertue and power For that we be thy seruauntes it is of thy moste tender mercye whyche wyth thy mooste louynge spirite doest make vs so to be Wherfore to the onely for al thinges which we do by thy spirite we do render thankes and all glory be to the knowynge that of our selues we are vnprofitable seruauntes and that we can do nothynge be it neuer so little that is good of our selues If any manne doeth not thynke that same in hym selfe he maketh God a lyar He maketh God an enuiouse person whyche commaundeth vs to walke in hypocrisie for to saye as the proude Hypocrites vsed for to saye The most blouddy tyraunte of all the worlde doeth call hym selfe the seruaunt of seruauntes of god How the popyshe hypocrytes doe subscribe ther letters I am a pore synner vnworthy to holde vp myne eies to heauen I am one of the leaste seruauntes of God I haue synned much more greuousely theÌ„ al other men Suche wordes vse they to speake when they be praysed bycause they woulde not appeare outewardelye to be praysed called thys or that beynge in all the worlde nothynge that they do desyre couet more These do subscribe theyr letters whiche they do sende to greate menne or to theim of whome they do gape after some benifite after thys maner Your lowely meke and pore bedmaÌ„ the vnworthy shepherd of the flocke of Christe and yet they be nothynge els theÌ„ most raueninge and blougredy wolues The holy father of Rome The greate Antechrist and horned beast the fowle and abhominable strumpet harlot of Babilonicall Rome calleth hym selfe the seruauÌ„t of the seruauntes of god which is the most cruel enemy and bloudy tyrauÌ„te that euer God had Obiection They do obiecte agaynste vs sayinge God doeth call In this word doth call is the cauillation those hys chyldren whyche do call them selues vnprofitable seruauntes And therefore the Lord wyll saye to them Come you my blessed c. We answere saye that not these which do call them selues vnprofitable wyth their tonge outwardly but they whych vnfainedlye in theyr hertes do knoweledge them selues to be no lesse in dede then they haue declared with theyr mouthes and so to
professe it openlye The children of god when so euer the glorye of God should require these are the chyldren of god whyche in the iudgement shall be numbred amonge the electe sorte The Lorde sayeth not euery man whych sayeth to Christ Lord Lorde shall enter into hys glorye The herte muste speake in the faythefull Finallye these wordes whyche the Lorde dyd speake sayinge Saye that you be vnprofitable c. are to be vnderstand of the speakyng of the herte and not of the mouth outwarde only As for the outward pronouncynge of suche wordes by the mouth To what vse serueth the outward behauiour it sildome doeth any profit but to augmente encrease and norishe hypocrisie For there be many whyche outwardlye do beare so holye a face so lowelye a loke so religiouse frier lyke countenauÌ„ce as though al Godlines all holines were included in theym beynge nothynge els then vesselles full of all crafte deceite and gile malice and rancoure the verye horde of all myschiefe The mother of christ must knowledge her felfe an vnprofitable seruaunte These wordes muste be spoken inwardelye wyth the herte yea of the mother of god the immaculate virgin The Angels muste coÌ„fesse that they be vnprofitable seruauntes Obiection Yet saye they againe Christe dyd not say when you haue done all thynges well and Godlye I wyl iudge you vnworthy my fauour or wyll take you for vnprofitable seruauntes But Christe sayed saye they saye you What a folyshe câ—â—ilation is of this word saye ye that you be vnprofitable seruauntes Fyrste I do answere sayinge that Christe is the veritie whyche doeth hate and abhore al lyes And therfore it can not be possible that he woulde preach and teach one thyng with hys mouth and thynke an other thyng with hys herte If he hadde not iudged them to be vnworthy of hys grace of theyr selues and vnprofitable seruauntes he would not haue layed as he dyd saye For wyl house doubte what so euer we do what so euer we do go aboute what so euer we do thynke of oure selues we are vnworthy of the grace of god we are hys vnprofitable seruauntes So he dyd esteme and take all hys Godly seruauÌ„tes not to be worthy seruauntes but vnworthy of hys grace of theyr owne worthynesse So he toke hys blessed mother to be of hyr owne selfe an vnworthye seruaunte So he toke al the companie of the angels What caÌ„ our worckes do to purchaise and wyne the grace of the Lorde Christ only dyd merite and purchaise fauour for his people This knarke is of the deuels diuise studye Grace Dyd not Christe hym selfe onely merite and deserue grace and fauour for hys elected people whoÌ„ the father dyd geue to hym 〈◊〉 verelye The sophisticall bablers do graunte that Christ onely may merite and deserue for vs the fyrste grace as they do cal it We truly do knowe none other grace but one Grace is the fauour of god which Christ fyrst receiued by whom of hys most plentifull abundancye we are made partakers of the same grace Therfore when the Lorde sayed wheÌ„ you haue done all thynge well c. it is as muche to saie as if you haue done any thing whyche is good it cometh of me for you are my instrumentes to all good worckes of youre selfe you canne do nothynge By no worcke of yours can you wynne my grace bycause you shoulde knowe your selfe to be vnprofitable seruauntes and so wyth all youre herte to knoweledge it makeynge no better of your selues then you are in dede Obiection Yet once agayne saye they better it is that we make the Lord to be the whole owner and doer of all thynge as well of that whyche we do as of hys owne and that he doeth beare the name therof for as much as he beynge boeth good liberall wyl render agayne to vs not onely that whyche is oure owne and of our owne doynge but also wil name and call hys own dedes and worckes to be ours I answere sayinge that whyche pertayneth to oure selues whych we may ryghtly call oure owne propre are these folowynge Sinne errour blindenes the spirite of fornication whyche the electe and chosen people woulde fayne were taken frome them that cleane neuer to be rendered and restored agayne What are oure owne workes The Lorde doeth of hys goodnes call ours that and these worckes which are hys owne but vnder hym wherfore we muste geue al thynges to hym As for those thynges whych maye be called ours in dede as sinne c. they are to be ascribed vnto our selues and not vnto God They do argue and reason subtillye by the exemple of the prodigale and riotouse sonne with these words If we haue nothing in our owne hande and power howe can we saye that the riotouse and prodigall sonne dyd consume waste and riotousely spende hys owne parte Of thys word his owne part do they make this cauill and portion of substaunce geuen to hym We do saye that the mooste gentyle Lorde doeth make those thynges whych be hys to be ours but as I haue said vnder hym that we shoulde vse and order hys gyftes after the rule and iudgmente of hys spirite and accordeynge to hys worde The whyche thynge thys riotuose yonge man dyd not For that thing which the Lord of his goodnes called named to be his this yonge maÌ„ would not haue vnder the Lorde as the gyft of the Lorde but forsaken and goynge from the house of the churche and from faieth did dissipate and spende wastablye to hys owne destruction all that he hadde receyued of the Lorde which is called in that place the parte or portion of hys substaunce i Corin. xv Obiection This cauilation is made of the word uoyde in me as who sayeth he did me pleasure I dyd pleasure agayne to hym Out of these wordes with him is the cauyll Paule writeth in the fyrst Epistle and the .xv. Chap. to the Corhin By the grace or thorowe the grace of God I am that I am the grace of god saye they was not voyde in me that is to saye he did not for nought receyue me in to grace For after I had receyued the grace I dyd worcke these thynges whyche were acceptable and pleasaunt vnto hym Also it is written the .ix. Chapter of the boke of wisedome That the wyse man dyd wyshe and desyre that the heauenlye wysedome would assiste hym that it myght be wyth him that it woulde laboure wyth hym You maye se and perceyue saye they that Paule and the wyse manne do confesse and acknoweledge the grace of the Lord and yet they do not omit and forget theyr owne labour thinking that it is in thys case as a maister carpinter instructynge and teachinge hys seruaunt in hys worcke what he shall do the seruaunte in doynge and fulfyllyng his maisters will and commaundemente The whych similitude is nothing lyke nor true For although the maâ—ster commaundeth hys seruaunte to
els then dayly commit fornication◠departynge and goinge from the Lord we are dayly hardened From the electe the Lord taketh awaye the industrie of the wisedome of the fleshe pourynge into them the industrie and diligence of hys spirite Obiection They do laye agayne agaynste vs the words written in Ezechiell the .xviii. Chapter In these wordes cast a way and make to you is ther cauell Caste awaye frome you all youre iniquities wherein you haue fayled and gone asyde and make your selfe a newe herte and spirite You maye se saye they in thys place that a manne maye do some thynge of hym selfe that is good And yet they are deceyned For the Lorde doeth requyre that wee shoulde worcke not of oure owne power and diligence but by the power and diligence of hys spirite Bysides that thys commaundement and all other commaundementes of the Lord are vnpossible to be done if the spirit of God be not in vs whyche maketh all thynges to be possible as in other places we haue proued Trulye the Lorde wylleth that hys commaundementes be obserued and kept of vs not by oure owne spirite of fornication but by hys spirite For that whiche the Lord cōmaundeth can not of anye man but by hys owne spirite be kepte What mā of his own power can caste of frome hym selfe hys olde accustomed wickednes and corrupte desyres of the fleshe What man can renue turne alter hys owne herte to Godwarde keepe hys wyll without hys spirite It is the Lordes owne worcke and no mans els Wherunto the wordes of Ieremy are respondente and agreynge whyche sayeth Is it possible that an Ethiop can turne the coloure of hys face Hieremy xiii This is a strong and an inuincible bulworke agaynst frewyll and put on a newe skynne Cā the Leopard take frō him self the spots which are in hym Can youre selues do worcke goodnes whiche haue learned al naughtines and euyll By the whyche texte it is declared openlye that a man by hys owne power can do nothynge to the alteration of hys herte nor anye other thynge whiche pertaineth to eternall felicitie Yet the defenders of this moste false and deceytfull libertie do go about stil to deceiue vs makinge vs beleue that we do expownde the scriptures on thys maner Make you a newe herte that is to saye Lette grace make you a newe herte And also Streche forthe your hande wherto you wyll that is to saye Let grace streach forth your hande whereto you wyl Againe in an other scripture Euerie man that hathe this hope He doeth sanctifie hym selfe in hym that is to saye grace doeth sanctifie hym Let vs caste awaye the worckes of darckenes that is to saye Thus dothe antichristes disciples sclaunder wyth ther lyese the true preachers of fayth makyng the people beleue that they woulde haue no good workes Lette grace caste awaye .c. What man euer I pray you as for the reste of theyr sclaunderous lies here I wil not speake of did heare me at any tymes reade and expownde after thys maner What man knowynge them to be suche shamful and shamles lyers wyl beleue them in anye thynge they speake For oure exposition declaration of those textes hath bene alwaye after thys maner Make you a newe herte by the spirite of God What man can make hys herte new wythout the spirite of God Considerynge that by our owne deceytfull spirite we are made worsse and worsse much lesse can we be altered of our selues from the worsse to the better Streach forth thy hande that is by the wyl and dede of the spirite of God to goodnes or to euyll by the spirite of fornication and of the fleshe Also he doeth sanctifie him selfe by the spirite of Christ not by his own deceiuable spirite Furthermore let vs caste awaie the worckes of darckenes by the spirite of God whyche we are not able to do wythoute it There is none of vs whyche doeth saye that god commaundethe grace to doe anye thynge as thoughe he would saye let grace doe this or that For grace is nothynge els but the fauour of the lord Grace by that reason we shoulde saye that god doth commaunde him selfe to doe thys or that if we did expounde the scripturs as they doe falslye belye vs. For to saye these wordes folowynge Lette grace extende let grace do Let grace caste awaye what is it els then a precepte or commaundemente let them therfore cease from there blasphemous reportes and dyuelyshe lyefe wher wyth they doe nothynge els but declare to al men their peruers and froward malice of their hertes Wherfore do they go aboughte to make darcke and obscure the grace of god and the goodnes of oure fauiour Iesu Christe Wherefore do they make so muche of mans strenghte whyche of him selfe can do nothynge but go and depart frō the Lorde The spirite of god draweth to good the spirite of the fleshe to all euell and not that neyther of theyr own free wyll but by the spirite of fornication whyche plucketh theym that they canne not chose but do euyll If they do make so much by theyr vnhappy and lewde libertie or fredome of theyr wyll whyche they haue not in dede lette theym thense if they canne be riche whē them pleaseth Let thē se if they cā saue thē selues therbi And that is vnpossible We do esteme regarde their goodlye false libertie to be muche more vyle and stinking then the ordre of man then anye other stynkynge donghyll whyche is nothyng els but the inuentiō deuise of the Deuyll Fre wyll inuented by the deuell to obscure the glory of god of Satā that intendynge nothynge els thereby but to minish and hynder the veritie of the Lord obscurynge and hydynge frome the eyes of men the mooste mercifull gentilnes of hys goodnes to make theim to be ingrate vnthankefull people The dreame and phantasye of thys frewyl is suche a thynge Either God must be true and the wyll captiue or els god must be faulse and the wyll fre that if it be true as they do saye and holde that it is then the veritie of the worde of God can not stande And contrarywyse if the worde of God be true whyche the deuyl and all hys disciples can not denye then of necessitie muste thys forged wyll be as it is false and contrary to al trueth But lette the speache of veritie of the hygh Lorde be parmanent and stande styl for euer Let this false perswation of fre wyl with al other inuētions of man contrarie to scripture perishe fall awaye Amen Let therfore thys false wycked and bond libertie be put forthe of the doers Let the libertie of the chyldrē of God be sought forth by the fayeth in the Lord Iesu Christ which is our Sauioure Thys libertie the churche of God hath loked for manye yeres it hath desiered it of longe tyme and many dayes From this desyre did the wordes in the cāticles springe of
made the sonnes of god For as sone as a manne beleueth straight waye he is made the sonne of God so that whē they do beleue they do receyue the said power to be therbi without delaie made etc. Then is the spirite of fornication and all vncleannes crucified in theym and bounde that he shall not playe the tyrante anye more nor presume to rule in the herte of manne where the spirite of God oughte to be ruler and gouernour The fayethfull manne is deliuered from the wycked and deceyuable spirite and the sens of the fleshe wherto he was before subiecte and bonde and nowe is gone to serue and folowe the commaundemente of the spirite of God whyche hath bounde man with the swete and pleasaunte bondes of charitie Thys text therfore of Iohn doth make full littel for theyr purpose to confyrme and stablyshe that thing whyche they do go aboute ⧠The .x profe THe Lorde demaunded thys questian of hys Apostles sayinge Wyll ye also depart and go from me By the which wordes they do reason that it had bene a uery foleish demaund of Christe if they were not at libertie and at choise whether they woulde go frome hym or byde and styke by hym styll I answere that God had bound thē with hys spirite and therefore they coulde not go from hym but rather sayed Lorde to whom shoulde we go Thou haste the wordes of eternall lyfe There were other whyche beynge also bounde with the euyll spirite that wroughte in theym sayed These are verye hard wordes what man can heare him So at the laste they dyd forsake hym I doubte not but that Christ did demaūd this questian of them whether they would depart c. Principally bycause that after it was suffitiently perceiued what the wycked spirite had wrought in the vnfaithful that men I saye myghte perceyue and se what the spirite of God had wroughte in the fayethfull that it shoulde be putte in writyng to the instruction and learnynge of other men in tyme to come Thys texte maketh little or nothinge for theyr libertie by the whyche texte it is made open how these .ii. spirites do alwaies worcke cōtrary thynges one to the other in the fayethfull and in the vnfayethfull ⧠The .xi. texte HE shall render and geue to euerye man after hys worcke Psalm lxi Whereby they wyl cōfyrme stablishe not onelye the fredome of mans wyll but also the iustice of workes which is light to be answered Eyther our worckes be of oure owne naughtye and deceyuable spirite and then they are wycked and dānable worckes or els they be of the spirite of God and not of oure fleshlye and carnal spirite wher fore they are good worckes beinge vnpossible to be any otherwyse You se that by this texte they do proue nothynge lesse then that which they do purpose pretēd The whych wordes do declare nothing els then that the Lorde doeth geue euerlastynge lyfe to them whyche haue the worckes of fayeth and of the spirit of God and those whych haue the worckes of fleshe he rewardeth with euerlastynge paines and punishment ⧠The .xii. profe IT is wrytten the .i. Epistle and syxt cha to Timothe Fayght a good fayght Laboure as a good souldiour of Iesu christ the seconde Epistle to Timothe .ii. Cha. To hym that ouercommeth I wyll geue c. Reuelation of Iohn the seconde thyrd Chapt. We saye that thys fayght againste wyckednes and thys laboure in the war of the Lorde and thys Victorye canne not be but by the spirite of God Ergo not by our owne wyll and industrye Then canne not thys libertie be proued and stablished by thys texte of the scripture ¶ The threttenth text IN the seconde Epistle and fyrste Chap. of Peter Bryngynge al diligence se that you do minister in your fayth vertue c. Wherfore brethrē rather endeuour your selues to make stronge and affirme youre vocation and election If you do thys you shall neuer fal By thys place they do proue that Peter would our industrie and diligēce should worcke with the spirit If they do vnderstād by this industrie diligēce that diligence whyche the spirite of God worcketh in vs then they do make a good exposition For of hys greate goodnes he calleth those dedes our dedes whyche he worketh in vs. The which spirite of him doeth worcke and draw our wil making it obediēt agreable to the cōmaundemētes of the Lord. The wil of vs beynge so drawē cānot chuse but run straight way after the Lorde not of it selfe that is to say of mans wil but by the wil of God If they do hold opiniō that this place is to be vnderstand of our propre industrye or natural inclanation motiō as though a mā of him selfe might worke any thing at al or be coadiutor with god it is boeth a wicked also a pernitiouse opiniō For of hym selfe mā is altogither flesh therfore he can not rise vp to those thinges which are of the spirite of god wherefore these textes whiche are rehearsed for frewyl in this place muste be thus takē vnderstād You brethen beynge adourned and decked with the spirite of God by God made partakers of hys veritye in that fayeth whyche you receyued of the Lorde minister wyth al diligence and vertue c. And endeuoure to make your vocation and election stable and fyrme that is to saye do all that you maye to declare wyth good worckes that youre vocation election is substanciall stronge ¶ The .xiiii. texte OVt of the thyrtye Chapter of the fyfte boke of Moyses they do obiecte Wher as the Lorde had laied before Israell good bad life and death It was sayd Electe and chuse to you lyfe cete Whyche wordes they do thynke verye slender and of small effecte if mannes wyl were not fre We haue oft tymes saied that the lawe doth require of vs thinges vnpossible to be done for oure owne strengthe whyche the spirite of God doeth make possible For Christe is the fulfillynge and perfectnes of the lawe Therefore lyke as it is vnpossible to obserue and kepe the commaūdementes wythoute the spirite of God so is it impossible for vs to chuse life with out the spirit of god For we can not chuse life except the spirit of perfecte libertie were in vs that is to saye of Christe and where as often tymes wee do offende and cleane to the euyll oure election whereby we be elected of God is not the cause thereof but the workynge of our captyue and bond nature ⧠To diuers obiections whyche are obiected and layed for the defence of free wil we haue answered somthing briefly but so that hereby anye man maye dissolue and put a syde all maner of obiectiōs whiche for this matter the defēders of frewyll can deuise Therefore with fewe wordes we wil cōclud al the whole matter so procede further ¶ The fyrste conclution OVr opinion and certayne beliefe is that the wyll of man is