The fyrst Chapter.

WE are certayne that the Apostell Paule spake to y ^• Philippians af­ter this maner, Philip. 3. sayeng. To write of the selfe same thinges to you a­gaine, shall greue me nothinge at all, and to you it is a sure thinge: The same Apostell, wrytynge to the Galathians, Galathi. [...]. after he perceiued that he had ben long ynough with them, & that he had done as much as was necessarye, in teachynge & preachynge vnto them, sayd these wordes. Hereafter let no man mo­sest [Page] and trouble me.

But as touchynge vnto my self, although I cannot deny, but that I am very sorye, that the word of God, beynge so many fold, and al­so so manyfest (whiche worde tea­cheth vs the grace of God, the grace of god. whiche in no wyse can be grace, yf it be geuē after our merites) is not beleued nor credeted as it ought to be, yet your godly desyre, he temmen­de [...] them for ther go­od desyr to­warde the amendment of them whiche wer in error & brotherly loue (my derely beloued chyldren, Prosper and Hylary) wherby you declare your selfe so sory for theyr error, & so desirous of their amendment, that although I haue wryt­ten many workes and epistels also as touchynge that matter, yet you woulde that I sholde wryte hense therof agayne. he meaneth of the fre grace of god That same youre brotherly loue, and desyre of their amendment (I saye) I do cōmend and prayse so much, that I cannot [Page] speake, and expresse it, and yet not so muche as I am bounde to doo. Wherfore, here I do write again vnto you, and although that I am not present with you, yet by you, do I the selfe same thinge agayne, which me thought, I had done be­fore sufficiently.

After that I had redde your let­tres, and pondered them well, I iudged with my self, that those brethren, for whom you do take care, and godly thought, lest they shuld take the opiniō of the Poet, which sayth: lette euery mans truste, and hope be in hym selfe, and so sholde runne, and falle into that, whyche is spoken, not of the Poete, but of the Prophete, Iieremy. [...] sayinge: Cursed are all men, whiche haue their truste in man: I iudged, (I saye) that they muste be handeled after that fasshyon, as the Apostell dydde [Page] those to whome he dyd saye (and if ye be otherwise mynded, Philip. 3 God shal open this thynge alsoo vnto you. For yet they are blynde in the question, whiche is of the predestina­cion of saynctes. But yf they be in that poynt, of any other mynd and iudgemente, they haue alreadye y­nough, whereout God shal make the matter open, and manifest vn­to them, yf they do abyde & walke styll in that, wherto they are come alreadye. For the whiche cause, when the Apostell sayde (yf ye be of any other mynd, god shal make that also open vnto you) yet he added these wordes also (let vs pro­cede and go forwarde in that wher vnto we are come.

Those brethren, for whose sakes ye do take al this godly paine and laboure, haue profited so muche, & are growen so farre, that as the [Page] churche of Chryst doth, so they do beleue, A [...]l men are borne gyltye of synne [...] ther A [...]am that al mankynde is borne gylty of the synne of the fyrst man and that they cannot be delyuered from this euyll any otherwyse, thā by the iustice of the seconde man. They haue ben, yea they are brou­ght to this point, The graci [...] of god preuē [...]teth our will begynnynge and endyng oure [...] workes, that they do gra­unt the wyll of man to be preuen­ted by the grace of God, so by their owne confession and wordes, no man is able or sufficiēt of him self, eyther to begynne, or to make an ende of any good worke. If they do kepe these thinges well in their mynde, wherto they are come, they shall declare them selues to be far from the error of the Pelagians▪ Wherefore, yf they doo walke in these thynges, Prayer [...] weapen age [...]inst errour [...] blyndnes and praye vnto him whiche doth gyue vnderstanding and knowledge, yf they do thynke at this present anye otherwyse of [Page] predestination, then theye owght [...] for to thynke, he shall at the lēgth open this also vnto them. Yet, let vs also for our parte, shewe, and declare the affection of the same loue, which we do beare toward thē, therin, and bestow our labor, and diligence, in teching, so muche as pleasethe hym to gyue vnto vs (vpon whom we do call) that in these our wrytyngs, we may say & speak, those thīges, whiche sholde be meete, and proffitable for them. For what can we tel, whyther oure lorde, wyll worke in them, by thys our seruyce, wherin, we do serue to them, in fre loue, and charyte, yea or nay?

The second Chapter.

Fyrst therfore, we muste proue, that sayth by the which we are [Page] Christiās, is y ^e gyft of god, (if it be possyble for vs to do it, fayth is the gyft of god. with grea­ter diligence, than we haue done alredy in so greate, and many bokes which we haue wrytten therof be­fore this tyme.) But now, as I do perceiue, we must make answer vnto them, whiche do saye, that the testymonys of the scripture, which we haue allegyd for this matter, in other of our workes, do serue and make (as they saye) that we sholde beleue, Agenst thot which saye that faythe is of oure selfe but y ^• encreas the [...] of [...] god. that fayth it selfe, hath the begynnyng of our selfe, but that y ^e encrease of that same fayth, wher­by it is made greater, is of god, as thoughe, fayth it selfe were not gyuen to vs of god also, but only en­creasyd and made greater in vs by hym, as a thinge by vs deserued, to be had at hys hande, bycause we dyd fyrst of oure self begyn to beleue. And herein they do varry [Page] and dyffer nothynge, from that mynde and opinion, Pelagians errour con­demned in the counsell at Palestyne. whiche Pela­gian in the synode or counsell of the byshops helde at Palestyn (as the register and actes of that same counsell do beare wytnes) was cō ­pelled to deny & condemne, whose opinion was, that the grace of god is geuen after our deseruings: as thoughe the begynnyng of our be­leif, or to begynne to beleue in vs, shoulde pertayne nothynge to the grace of God, but that thynge on­ly whiche is added thervnto, that is to laye, that we doo more fullye more perfectli, and more feruentli beleue. And by this their reason, we do fyrst geue vnto God, the begynnynge of oure [...]aithe, that he myght rewarde vs agayne, with the increase therof, and geuyng to vs other thinges, whiche we doo aske of hym faythfully.

[Page] But against this their savenge▪ wherfore do we not giue eare, and herken to the wordes of the Apo­stel, whiche doth saye: Roman. [...] What man hath geuen any thynge fyrst vnto god, and it shalbe rewarded to him agayne? For of hym, by hym, and in hym, are al thinges. And then▪ the begynnynge of oure fayth, of whom shoulde it be, but of hym? We eā not say, this thing excepted all other thinges are of hym. But al thinges are of him, by him & in him. But what mā wil say y ^t he whiche begynneth to beleue of him self deserueth nothyng of hym, in whō he fyrst beleued? So that by this reason, al other thinges are geuen to hym for his owne deseruynge, as a reward geuen to him of god, and so, the grace of God is geuen as we do merit and deserue. Whi­che opinion beynge layd to Pela­giās [Page] charge, he did reproue & condēne. bicause he wold not be cōdē ­ned hī selfe. Therfore, who so wyl clene voyd, & be out of y ^e danger of this dānable opiniō, let hym truly vnderstād y ^• which y ^• apostle spake saying: To you it is giuē frely for christes sake y ^t you shold not only beleue in him, but also y ^t you shold suffer for hym. The Apostle doth teach vs that bothe to beleue, [...]. 1 and to suffer for hym are the giftes of god, in that he doth saye, y ^t both to beleue in hym, & also to suffer for him, are gyuen frely vnto vs. He doth not sai, No man cā [...] [...]xcept it [...] giuē to hym that he shold beleue a more perfect, & a greter faith to beleue in hī, but he saith y ^t you shuld beleue in him, is geuē vnto you. The same Apostle doth not say, y ^t he hath obteined mercy, y ^t he shulde be made more faithfull / [...]ut that he shuld beleue, & be faith [...]ul because he knew rightwel, that y ^• begynnyng of fayth, was not of [Page] hym selfe, whiche he, beinge man might gyue fyrst vnto god, and so be rewarded agayn of god wyth y ^• encrease therof, but that he was made faythful of him, of whom he was made apostle. How, & by what means he began to beleue, it is writen & red opēly in y ^e church, y ^t al mē do know it. For, whē he did hate, & abhorre y ^e faith, which he persecu­ted, being a great ennemy thereto. sodenly he was conuerted, vnto y ^• same faith, by a grace, whiche was more mighty, & of more power, thā he was the being y ^• conuerter of hī, to whom it was said by y ^e prophet, y ^t he shold so do, with these words, (Thou conuerting vs, psal▪ 84 [...] shalt quic­ken vs, & giue lyfe vnto vs,) y ^t he shuld be made I say, not only one y ^t wold be desirous to beleue, of one whiche woulde not, but also of a persecutoure, a man readye to suf­fer persecution, in the defence of [Page] of the same fayth. For it was giuē to hym of Christ, that he shuld not onely beleue in hym, but also that he shuld suffer for hym. And ther­fore, geuinge commendacion and prayse vnto this grace of god, whiche is not geuen after any meryts, or deseruynge of vs, but whyche both worke al good merits of him self, he said these wordes folowīg. [...] Corin [...]. 4. Not that we are able of oure selfe so think any good thing, as of our selfe, but all our sufficiencye and ablenes is of god.

Let those men here marke wel & consyder these wordes, whiche do folyshly think, that the begynning of our faith is of our selfes, By the antecedēt he proueth [...]he con [...]uene, & that the augmentyng and increase therof is of god. What man doth not se and perceiue, that the thoughte of the thing beleued doth precede and go before the beleife▪ For no [Page] man doth beleue any thing, which he hath not mynded, and thoughte on before, The thou [...]ht is the be­gynnynge of beleife, but the thought is the [...] of god. [...] the beginnīg of beleue is the gyfte of god. how it is worthye to be beleued. Althoughe that certayne cogitations, and thoughtes in the mynde, be they neuer so quick and sodeine, doo as it were flye before the wyll to beleue, the whiche thoughtes the wyll dothe accompany and folowe so nighe, that it can be no nigher, and as it were at the very heles, yet it is necessary, that al thinges whiche are beleued, be be­leued by a certaine cogitation or myndynge of the thinge beleued goynge before, although, beleif is nothinge elles but the agremente in the thoughte, what is [...] beleue, vnto that thynge whiche is thought on. For euerye man, which doth think on a thing doth not streight way beleue that thing, wheron he thinketh: for many men do thinke on some thinges [Page] whiche they wolde not beleue, but he, whiche doth beleue, doth fyrste thinke, and in thinkinge beleueth, and beleuinge thinketh. Where­fore, The conclusion of hys argument, as touchynge that poynte of our religion, whereof the Apostell speaketh, yf we be not sufficient to thinke anye thinge, as of oure owne selues, but that oure suffi­ciencye is of GOD, truelye we are not able to beleue anye thinge of our selfe, as of our selfe, whiche thing can not be without the thou­ght, but our sufficiency, by the whiche, we begyn to beleue, is of God▪ Wherfore, as no man is sufficient and able of him selfe, eyther to be­gynne, or to ende any good worke, as these our brethren do acknow­ledge to be true (as their own wri­tynges do declare) whereby in euery good worke, both in the begyn­nynge, and ending, our ablenes is [Page] of God, euen so, no man is able of hym selfe, ether to begyn to beleue, or to continue therin, but all that, which we do, is of god. For faith, if it be not fyrst thoughte on, and hadde in mynde, it is nothynge, and we are not able to thinke anye thynge of oure selues, as of oure selues, but that whyche we doo, & are able for to doo, is of god. Wel beloued brethren, A preparation to an o­ther argu­ment prouīg by [...]ge pro­myse of god that faythe is y ^• worke of god. we must beware and take good heede, that no man doth extol him selfe againste god, which is, when he dothe saye, that he him selfe doth that thinge, whi­che god promysed for to do. Was not the faith of the gentyls, promised vnto Abraham, and he, geuing the glory & prayse therof vnto god beleued strongly, because he knew that he, which promised, was able to do, & performe y ^t thing which he [Page] promysed? Th [...]n it is he, whiche doth worke, Roman, 4▪ and maketh the fayth of the gentyls, beynge able to doo that thyng, whiche he promysed. If god therfore doth worke oure fayth, workynge after a straunge and marueylouse fashyon in oure hartes, that we should beleue: is it to be feared least he is not able to do the whole worke, & therfore mā shuld vyndicate and chalenge vn­to him selfe, the firste parte, or the begynnynge of faythe, that therby he might deserue to receiue of him againe for that begynnynge sake, so muche as remayneth behynde vnperformed▪ I pray you se, why­ther they do meane any other thīg in thus sayenge and doynge, than that the grace of god, one waye or other, shoulde be gyuen to vs, for that we haue deserued it: and sothe grace of god shoulde not be grace. [Page] For after this maner, it is gyuen to vs as a thinge of dewty, whiche is dew vnto vs, and not as a fre gyft, for by that reasō the beleuer shold deserue of god, that he shold encrease hys fayth, so that the en­creasse of his faythe sholde be no­thing ells but the rewarde of hys fayth, which was fyrste beg [...]ne in hym, of hym selfe. They do not mark that when they say, & speake these wordes, that they do take it to be a rewarde gyuen of dewty to them, which do beleue, for ther de­seruinge, & not of grace. But wherfore theye do not attrybute, and gyue al the whol vnto man (for so­muche as he coulde begynne to do the thing of hym selfe, whiche he had not before, that he myght also go thorow with al, and make an end therof, lykwyse of hym self, as he dyd begy [...]ne) I can not tel the [Page] reason, whye they shuld not, except bycause the scriptures of god at so manifest and open, that they cānot be resysted, by the whiche scriptu­res, fayth, which is the begynning of all godlynes, is declared to be y ^• gyft of god, as y ^• sayīg of y ^• apostle teacheth vs, whiche saith: he hath reparted, and geuen to euery man fayth after a measure. [...]ma, 1 And that saying also, peace be to the brethrē and charitie, with faith from god the father, & from oure lorde Iesu Christe. And suche other. Bycause these testimonies of the scripture, [...], ar so manifest, man wil not go cle­ane ageinst them, that he wyll take al to him selfe, but yet he wyl y ^e be­gynninge of his faith to be of him self as though he wold be at a cō ­position with god, that he him self shulde haue the one part of faythe, and y ^e other part shuld be for god, [Page] and in that thinge, which he wolde haue deuyded betwene them both, he setteth him self before, & god be­hynde, ascribing the beginninge, & fyrst part to hym selfe, and the rest which foloweth, vnto god.

The thirde Chapter.

THe godly, & lowly doc­tor (I do meane blessed Cypryane) was not of such iudgemēt, S Ciprian & mind, as they are of, whose sayeng was, that we shuld not boast our self of any thing: forsomuch as nothyng is out own. And for the profe therof, he toke y ^e apostle to wytnes, sai-yng on this wyse, what haste thou that thou hast not receiued? if thou hast receyued it, wherfore art thou proud, Augusti cō fesseth [...] as thoughe thou haste not receyued it? By the whyche [Page] testimony, I was lykewise ouer­come, when I was in lyke erour, thinkinge y ^e faith by the whych, we do begyn to beleue in god, was not the gift of god, but of our self, with in vs, & y ^t by y ^t same faith of our self, we do obteyn gifts, & rewards of god, by the which gyftes, we do lyue honestlye, ryghtwisely, & ver­tuously, This was the iudgmēt of [...] augustin ī his er [...]or befor [...] [...] it. in this worlde. I dyd not then thinke, that the grace of God dyd preuent, & go before our feith, but I thought, that we coulde not beleue, without the knowledge of the veritie had, & declared before▪ But to gyue consent, and beleif vnto the gospell, after it hath bene preached, and declared vnto vs, y ^e thinge, I thought, was oure owne proper, and of oure selues, in oure selues. Whych myne error dyuers of my workes do declare, beynge wrytten be [...]ore I was byshop, in [Page] the which you shall fynde that al­so, whiche you speake of in youre letters, where I toke on me to ex­pounde certayne propositions ta­ken forth of the epistell to the Ro­maynes.

To be short, when I went about to retracte all my workes, putting the same re [...]ractatiō into writing, I had made an ende of two bokes therof, before your letters (beynge somewhat prolyx and longe) didde come to my handes. And when I came to this boke, whiche I pro­mysed to retracte in my fyrste vo­lume, I spake after this maner▪ saiinge. S Augus­ti [...] the wordes wherin he erred in [...] kyng faithe to be the work of [...] Also as I was dysputyng & reasonynge, what god had elected, and chosen, in hym whiche was not yet borne, to whome he sayde, the elder shulde do seruyce, and what thynge likewise he dyd reproue in the elder, before he was borne, of [Page] whom it was rehersyd, thoughe it were longe after, or the prophet dyd speake the wordes, saing (I haue louyd Iacob, but Esau I haue hated) I brought my reason to this, [...]alach. [...]. that I sayd, then god hath not electid the works of any mā, in his prescyence, and foreknowledg, but the fayth of a man, that whom he knewe, by his foreknowledge y ^• wolde beleue, hym he hath chosen, to whom he wold giue y ^• holi ghost, that by wel and good working, he myght com to euerlasting lyfe. I had not yet well sought, nor foūde out, what election of grace that is, wherof the Apostel doth speak, saying: The remnaunt is sauyd tho­rough the election of grace, [...]. 11 whiche is no grace if any merytts do pre­cede, or go before, lest y ^t thīg which is geuē, not of grace, but of deser­uinge, sholde be giuē as a rewarde for oure merits, & not frely. Ther­fore [Page] as I haue alwaye sayde, [...] Corinth 12 for so saythe the same Apostel, ther is but on god, which worketh al ī al. Whervpon, In those wordes of y ^• ap [...]t [...]l▪ [...] worketh he [...]. & by the which words I dyd conclude & say, y ^t our faith & beleffe, is our own proper, & of our selfe, but to worke that thing whi­che is good, is his, & of hym: which doth gyue the holy ghost, to them which do beleue, & yet I wold not haue so sayd, if I had not knowen perfectly, that the same fayth also is found, to be among the gyftes of god, which is gyuen in the same spirit.

It foloweth then, that bothe to be­leue, & to worke wel, ar our owne as toching our wyl, & yet bothe are gyuen to vs, by the spirit of feythe & charite. For charyte is not giuē alone, ephes. [...]. but as it is wrytten, charite w ^t fayth frō god y ^e father, & our lo­rd Iesu christ. And as to [...]īg y ^e & [...]yd, a lyghtel after, speaking these [Page] words (for, to beleue, and to wyl is our own, but god doth gyue vnto them, which do beleue, and ar wyl­linge, the pour to doo well, by the holi spirit, by the which spirit, loue is poured in our hartes) my words ar trew, but, as I sayde, that the pour to do well, Bothe the wyl and the power of y ^• wil are the gyftes of god, is of god, euen so do I saye, by the selfe same rule, that both the one, as wel as y ^e other is his, bycause he doth prepare the wyl. And so lykwyse, bothe ar our own, bycause they are not done a­genst our wyl, but with our wyll. And by this reason, which I dyd, speke afterward, saing, bycause we can not wyl, except we be called, & also, whē we do shew our self wil­ling after we are called, nether our wyl, nor yet our endeuor in ronnīg do suffyse, or preuayll, except god doth giue strenght vnto thē which do ron, and bring them also, why­ther [Page] he doth cal them, I concluded after this wyse, saying. It is manyfest, that it is nether the wyl of hī, which willeth, nor the ronnyng of y ^e ronnar, that we do worke good things, but it is the mercy of god, which maketh vs to do well. This saing is trew.

two kynds of vocatiōBut as touching y ^e vocatiō which is after the porpose and plesure of god, I haue not much dysputed. For that vocatiō perteyneth not to al men, vocation [...] election [...] not on thi [...] which are called, but to thē only which are electid. So y ^t which I dyd say following (lykewyse as faythe is the begynnyng of meryt and deseruyng, Fayth in those which are electid, and not workes, that it mai be the gyfte of god, that they doo worke / euen so infydelyte and im­pyete agenst god, Infid [...]l [...]te is the beginning of that we do merytt, and deserue pain, y ^t by y ^e same payn we sholde [Page] worke euel) is right truly and wel spokē of me. And in an other place I sayde, Of whom he taketh mer­cy, he maketh hym to worke wel, & whome he doth obdurat, and har­den, hym he doth relinquish & leue, that he can worke nothinge but y ^• which is euyl. Yet, that mercy is attributed & ascribed to the meryt of fayth preceding, & this obdura­tion, or hardenyng, vnto infidelite & impitie which precedyd. Whiche thīg is trew, it can not be denied. But yet this question ought to be demaūded, A question whither y ^• merit of faith doth preuent & go before the mercy of god, that is to saie, whyther god is merceful to man for that onli, bicause he is faithful, or els, whither he shewed his mercy to mā for y ^t he shold be faythful. For we do rede the saing of the Apostel (which is) I haue obteyned & got mercy, that [Page] shuld be faythful, [...]he dothe not say bycause I was faythful. It is gy­uen therfore to the faythful man▪ But how? Truly, bycause he shold be faythful. Wherfore, in an other place of y ^• same boke, I spake these wordes very wel, as followeth (for if we be called to fayth & beleffe by the mercy of god, not by works, & the same mercy is giuen to them, whiche do beleue, that they sholde worke wel, no man ought to be greuyd & offendyd bycause the gētils haue y ^e same merci. And yet I dyd not so dylygently handell that vocacion, whiche is of the porpose & mynd of god, as I ought & shold haue done

The fourth Chapter.

NOwe verely you do se, what mynd I was of then, cō cerninge fayth, & works (although my cheife studye, and labour shulde haue ben, to set forth the grace of god) in the which opinion, these our brethren (I per­ceaue) are nowe, because they haue ben more diligent, and desyrous to rede my workes, then to take anye fruyte or profit by them, as I did▪ For if they hadde: they shuld haue founde this question opened, and made playne to them, in the fyrste boke of those twayne, which I did wryte (when I was fyrst made bys­shop) vnto the blessed father Simplician, byshoppe of the church of Milan, which succeded in the said [Page] office, to holy father Ambrose, ex­cept (paraduenture) they haue not sene those woorkes▪ If they haue not, se that you cause them to loke on them.

Of this fyrste boke (of the twaine which I dyd wryt to Symplician) in my seconde booke of retractati­ons, I saide these words folowing

Of al the workes, whiche I did wryte, after I was byshoppe, the fyrste twayn, were made and dedi­cated vnto Symplician, the heade father, He doth not cal him m [...]lord of myla [...]. as we saye my lorde of [...]ondon my lord of wynchester and minister of the churche of Millā (which was byshop there next to Ambrose) about diuerse questions, taken forth of the epistel of Paule vnto the romaynes. About two of the sayde questions, I spent all the fyrst booke. Of the whiche, the fyrst question was, vpon thys place of Paule, where it is writen: What shall we then saye, is the [Page] law synn? god forbyd, continuing to that place, where the Apostle doth saye: who shal delyuer me frō the body of this death? The grace of god, thorowe Iesu Christ oure lorde: Vpon the whiche wordes of the Apostell: the lawe is spiritual, but I am carnall, and suche other words, where the flesh is declared to fight against the spirit: I made myne exposition, as thoughe man was there described to be yet vn­der the lawe, and not vnder grace. But a good whyle after, I perceaued & founde, that it perteyned, yea also to the spyrytuall man, why­che is the more probable and true opinion▪

The seconde question of that fyrste booke, beganne from that place, where Paule doth saye: not onely that, but also Rebecca was gotte with chyld, by one who was [Page] our father Isak, contynuynge to that saying, where he doeth saye, except the lord of Sabaoth had left vnto vs sede, we had bē as Sodō, & lyke vnto Gomor. In the solution of this question, I toke on me to proue fre wyl to be in man, but the grace of god went beyond me and ouercam me. I was broughte to this poynt, and farther I could not go, that the words of the Apostel shoulde be founde verye trew, where he sayde, who doth dyscerne or prefer [...]e the? what haste thou that thou haste not receaued? yf thou haue receaued it, why doeste thou boaste thy selfe as thoughe thou haste not receaued it?

The holy martyr Cypryane, wyl­lynge to shewe him selfe, to be of thys mynde, dydde prefyxe and set thys tytule folowynge, before a certayne booke which he made conteynynge [Page] this whole matter, that is, we ought to boste vs of nothīg because we haue nothinge of oure owne. Beholde, for what cause I sayd, that I was ouercome by the testimonye of the Apostle, when I was of a contrarye minde, in the boke, whiche I wrote to Symplycian, otherwise, thā god hath now made open vnto me. This testimonye of the Apostle, when he spake those wordes, to plucke in y ^e proud harte, and great boasting of man, wyll not suffer, that any faythfull man shulde saye, I haue fayth of my selfe whiche I receiued not.

This proud aunswer is put aside by the wordes of the Apostell. Yea and that also is wiped away clene by the selfe same wordes, that they cannot saye, although I haue not a perfecte faith of my self, yet haue I the beginninge therof, by the whi­che [Page] I do beleue, fyrst in Chryste▪ for therto answere is made, where the Apostel saythe, what hast thou that thou hast not receuid, if thou haste receuyd it, wherof doest thou bost the, as though thou haste not receuyd it▪

The v Chapter

BVt whereas they do say, [...] on at the [...] that these words, what hast thou whiche thou hast not receuyd, doo not pertayne, nor are to be vnderstāded, spokē of this fayth (bycause it doth abyed and remayn styll in y ^• same nature, now being corrupt [...]d, whi­che nature, [...] was at the fyrst gyuen to vs, whole and perfect) these ther wordes do make no thing for their [Page] pourpose, that they wolde haue them make for, if they do consyder and marke well, for what intent & purpose the apostel dyd speke thē. For his mynd and pourpose was, that no man sholde be proude or bost him selfe of ani man. For ther were rysen dyssentions, and vary­ances among y ^• Corinthians, whi­che were christians, newe come to y ^• faith, so that one sayd, I hold on paule an other sayd I am Apolos dyscyple▪ & an other, I take part w ^t Cepha. For this cause said he, god hath chosen the folysh of the world to confound the wyse men therof, and the weake to confound y ^• strōg & myghty, the abiects, & moste vyle p [...]rsons, and that which is nothīg, for to euacuate, make voyd, & nou­ght worth, those things, which d [...] ­ [...]pere to be of great pryce & valew, y ^• no flesh shold bost it selfe of any [Page] thing in this present lyfe. Here euery mā may se the mynd of the a­postel, y ^t he ment nothing ells, but to pluck in, & to destroye the pryde of man, y ^t no man shold be proud [...] any mā, and so by that, nether ī him self. Furthermore, when he sayde, that no flesh shold be proud before god (that he might shewe to vs al­so, in whom man ought to reioyse, and be proud) he added these wor­des: Of hym, (saythe he,) are ye in Christ Iesu, which is made vnto vs the wysedome it selfe, by god, whiche is made our rightwysnes, our sanctificatiō, & our redemp [...]ō, y ^t as it is wrytten, who so reioiseth let him reioise & be proud in y ^• lord [...] Hervpō had he occasion to rebuke them, saying, for yet ar you carnal. For somuche as there is emulatiō stryfe & contention among you are not ye fleshly and carnal? and walk ye not after the maners of men? [Page] men? For when any of you do say, I am Paules disciple, or I am A­pollos, are not ye men? What I praye you, [...]s Paule, What is A­poll [...]? They are ministers by whō ye haue beleued. And to euery man (as god hath geuen grace) I haue planted, Apollo hath watered, but god hath geuen the en [...]rease. So nether he, For god dyd▪ gyue that grace [...]to them, that they wold plant and water, whiche doth plant, is an [...] thinge, nor he whiche dothe water, but god which geueth the increase. Do not you se, that the Apostle entendeth nothing els, but that man shulde be brought low / and made meke, and god onely exalted, sythe that in them which are plāted, and in them, which are watered, he doth saye, that neyther the planter, nor yet the waterer, to be anye thinge, but god which geueth y ^• encrease▪ Yea: and also the selfe same thing that the one doth plant, & thother [Page] water, the Apostell doth attribute, and geue vnto God, and not vnto man, sayinge: as god hath geuen to euery man, I haue planted, and Apollo hath watered. So the Apostell, procedynge in the selfe same matter, came to that he sayde, lette no man therefore be proude, nor haue his reioysyng in man, for he sayde before, he whiche reioyseth, & is proude, let hym reioyse, and be proude in the lorde.

After he had spoken these wor­des, and diuerse other, continuyng styll in that same purpose & mater, he sayde: These thinges brethren, I haue described in myne owne person, [...] and in the person of Apollo for your sake, that ye might learne by vs, that no man, aboue, & more than that, which is written, shulde swell one against another, for any mans cause. For who preferreth [Page] the? What haste thou, that thou haste not receuyd? Yf thou hast re­ceuyd it, why reioysest thou as tho­ughe thou haddest not receuyd it? To suppose and thinke, y ^• by these words, which the Apostel doth spe­ake against the pryde of man, y ^t no man sholde reioyse in man but in god, the natural gyftes, which god hathe gyuen to man are to be ment and vnderstanded (whither it be y ^• selfe same nature, whiche god dyd gyue at the fyrst, pure and clean [...] ells y ^e remnant of that natur nowe corruptyd) I take it to be to farre from al reason. Do you think that these gyftes of nature, whiche ar common to al men▪ do prefer on man before an other? For at the fyrst he sayd, who doth prefer▪ the? wh [...]rto he adedd these wordes, what hast thou, that thou hast not receuyd? For otherwyse on man [Page] swelling against an other, myghte saye, mi fayth my iustyce, and right wysnes [...] and if he hath any thinge els to speke of [...] doth pref [...]r, me befo­re the, and syche lyke other wordes But against all syche maner of co­gitatiōs, and thoughts, this god­ly doctor, making a bar, and leing (as it were) a stop, sayd, what [...] thou that thou hast not receuyd? Off whome haste thou any thinge but of hym, whiche doth prefer y ^• before that mā, to whom he doth not gyue those gyftes, whiche he hathe gyuen vnto the?

But yf thou haste receyued (sayth he) why art thou proude, ar thou­gh thou hast not receiued it? Doth he saye any other thynge, I praye you, but that he which doth reioyce shulde reioyce in the lo [...]de? But there is nothing so repugnant and contrary to this [...]ns and mynde [Page] of the Apostell, as if a man shulde reioyce in his merits, as though he dyd worke them his owne self, not the grace of god, but that grace or gyfte, which seperatethe y ^• good people, from the euell, not y ^t grace whiche is common, both to y ^• good and bad, as wel indifferent to the one, as to the other. Let nature haue h [...]r grace, The dyffer [...]nce of gra [...] man. by the whiche we ar creaturs, endued wyth reason, rea­sonable, beīg by that grace seperatyd and deuyded from brent bea­ [...]tes. Let nature also haue an other grace, or gyft, whiche dothe make a certaine dyfference, bytwene mā and mā, as bewti, or fauor of bodi, and wysdom, which makethe a difference bytwene the well fauored and the wyse man, from the yll fa­uored & folyshe persons, & so forth in suche lyke. But that man, whom the Apostall counselyd not to be [Page] proud, did not swel vp or bost him selfe against any br [...]t or vnreasonable beaste, nor yet against any o­ther man, about any gyfte of na­ture, whiche gyft, the worst & nou­ghtyest person that lyueth, may na­turally haue in hym, as wel as the best: but bycause he swellyd vp, & was proud of som good thing perteynyng to a good lyfe, ascrybyng it vnto hym selfe, & not vnto god, wherin he deseruyd, to be sayde to of Paule, who dothe preferre the? For what thing hast thou, whiche thou hast not receauyd.

And although I shold graunte, that it were a thing natural, that a man maye haue fayth in hym, doth it therfore folowe. y ^t he hathe faith in hym? 1. Thessa▪ [...]. For euery man hath not fayth, although it were possyble for euery man to haue faythe. But the Apostell dothe not saye, what [Page] thing maist thou haue, which thou hast not receaued, that thou mayst receaue it, but he sayth, what haste thou, which thou hast not receued? Therfore, that a man maye haue fayth, as well as a man may haue charitie, it is natural to al men, but for to haue faith in dede, as to ha­ue charitie, pertaineth to the grace of the faithfull. That [...]ame nature then, wherin the possibilite to haue fayth, is geuen to vs, doth not pre­ferre one man before another: but faith truelye is the thinge, whyche preferreth the faithfull before the vnfaithful. So by these sayinges, what man doth prefer y ^•, what hast y ^u that thou hast not receiued, who soeuer doth say, I haue faith of mi selfe, then haue I not receiued it, doth speak verely agenst the most open, plaine, & manifest verite, not because ether to beleue, or not to beleue, [Page] is not in the wyl of man, but in those which ar elected, the wilts prepared of the lorde. It foloweth that these wordes (who doo prefer the, & what haste thou that y ^u haste not receiued) doth pertain vnto the same faith, which is in the wylle.

The syxth Chapter.

THere are many, He preuen­teth the obiection with wolde pr [...] feyth to be of man, and dispro [...]th it. which do heare the worde of the veritie, of whome some do beleue, & some do not beleue: but contrary wise, do clean speake against it. It doth folowe by that reason, that those men wyll beleue, & the other wyll not beleue. What man doth not already know this? what man woulde denye it But forso­much as god prepareth the wyl of [Page] some men, and to some agayne, he doth not, we must make a differēce, what commeth of the merci of god, & what of his iudgement, & ryght­wysenes. The Apostel sayth, Isra­el obteyned not that, whiche it sou­ght after, [...] but election dyd obteyne it, as for the rest are blynded ▪ as it is written▪ God hath geuen to thē, the spirit of vnquietnes, eyes, that they shuld not se, & eares, that they shulde not hea [...]e, euen vnto this daye. And Dauyd saythe, let theyr tables be made to them a snare, to take them withal, and an occasion to fal, psal▪ l [...]viii, and a rewarde vnto them.

Lette theyr eyes be blynded, that they se not, Testimonies of the scriptures, conteyning the doctrine of the merci and iudge­ment of god and bende thou downe their backe alwaye. Here may you se, both mercye and iudgemente, mercy, in election, which election hath obteyned mercye, & iudgemēt vpon those, whych are blynded, & [Page] yet they whiche wolde, dyd beleue, the other, because they woulde not, dyd not beleue. I do conclude here by, that mercy and iudgement are wroughte in the wylles. For thys electiō, is of grace, & not of our de­seruynge. For the Apostle sayde a lyttell before (so then is it in thys tyme, the remnaunt are saued, tho­rowe the eleccion of grace.)

But if it be of grace, then is it not of our workes. For if it shold be of our worke, then grace wer no gra­ce. Frely therfore & without deser­uing of our workes, hathe election obteyned that thing which it hath▪ There was nothinge, which dyd precede or go before that election of there owne, whiche thei mighte gyue first, and afterward be rewarded again, for that which thei dyd giue. For he hath sauid them without any reward, frely. The other▪ [Page] whiche are blinded, to them it was gyuen (as it is wrytten), for a re­warde. All the ways of the lord ar mercye and veritie. His wayes are inuestigable, and vnable to be ser­ched out. It doth folowe then, that hys mercy, by the whiche [...]e dothe giue saluation frely, and his veri­tie whereby he iudgeth rightwise­lye, are vnsearcheable.

The seuenth Chapter.

BVt paraduentur they wyl say, He reherseth another of ther ob [...] ­tione, & re­ [...]re [...]yth it that the apostle dothe seuer and deuyde faith, from wor­kes. The Apostle saye they, dothe saye, that grace commeth not of oure workes, he saythe not, saye they, nor denyethe that grace commeth of fayth.

[Page] It is so in deede, but Iesus hym selfe doth saye, that the same faith, also is the worke of god. And this worke doth he commaunde vs for­to worke. For the iewes sayde vn­to hym, what shall we doo that we may worke the workes of god? Ihon: [...].

Iesus aunswered to theym and sayde, This is the worke of god, that ye do beleue in hym whom he hath sent. After that same fashyon dooth the Apostle separate fayth from workes, makyng thē as two seuerall thynges, after that sorte as in the two kyngedomes of the Hebreus, The reason whye we ar iustefyd by fayth. ye do rede that Iudas was separated frō Israel, althou­ghe that Iudas him selfe was Is­rael. But the Apostel doth say, that man is iustified by fayth, not by workes, bicause that fayth is first giuen to vs, wherby al other thin­ges are obteined and got, which ar [Page] properlye called good workes, in the which workes, we do lyue iu­stly and godly. For he doth say, by grace are ye made safe, thorowe fayth, and that not of oure selues, but it is the gyfte of god, that is to saye, that whiche I sayde, (tho­rough faith) is not of oure selues, but it is the gyft of god. And now fayth is not of woorkes (sayth he [...] lest some mā (paraduenture) wold be proude therof. So faythe [...] gardene [...]who by th [...] e [...] ample p [...]o­ueth that a man before fayth maye be [...] and [...]od [...] by his goodnes to be rewarded of god. For it hath bene a common sayenge amonge men, he hath deserued to beleue, and to be faithful, because he was a good man, ye before he beleued. Which thyng myght be sayd, and spoken of Cornelius, whose almes dedes were acceptyd, and hys prayers herd, before he beleuyd in Chryst. But yet he did not giue his almes and praye wyth out al faythe. For howe dyd he make inuocation, in [Page] whom he had not beleued? But if he myght haue byn sauyd without the fayth of Christ, the great work master, and Apostel peter shold not haue bene sente vnto him, that he myght be edefied, and buylded vp, by hym. For except, that god doth buylde the house, the buylders do spende their labour in vayne. And you saye, faith is of oure selfe, but al other thinges part [...]yning to the workes of rightwisnes, are of god, as thoughe faith dyd not parteyn to this buyldynge, as thoughe, I saye, the foundacion parteyne the not, nor were parte of the house.

But yf it doeth partaine vnto the buyldynge, then doth he labour in vayne, in buyldynge vp fayth, by his preachynge, excepte the lorde, shewynge his mercy, and compas­sion, doth inwardly buyld it. Therfore, what soeuer Cornelyues dyd [Page] worke: before he bleuyd in Christ, [...] and afterward also, al to gyther is to be ascrybed vnto god, lest any man (peraduentur) wold reioyce, & be proud in hym selfe. Ther fore y ^• same onli master and lord, when he seyd th [...]s words, whiche I reher­syd before. (This is the worke of God that ye shulde beleue in hym whome [...]e hathe sente) at the selfe same tyme, sayde also, I haue sayde vnto you, bycause you haue sene me, and haue not beleued me, all that my father doth gyue vn­to me, shall come to me.

The .viii. Chapter.

[Page] WHat is meante by these words (shall come to me) but this, To com to the son is to beleue in the son shall beleue in me. Ihon. vi But to be­leue in the sonne, is the gyft of the father. And afterwarde he saide. Murmor ye not a­monge your selues, no man canne come to me, except my father, whi­che sent me, doth drawe hym, and I wyll rayse him vp againe in the lattre day. It is writtē in the pro­phetes, [...] and all shall be taughte of god. Al, whiche haue harde, and be taught of the father, and haue also learned that, whyche they ha­ue bene taught, doo come▪ vnto me. What is that to saye, euerye man, whiche hathe harde of the father, & is learned of hym, but this, that there is no man, which doth heare, [Page] and is learned of the father, There com­meth none to the son: but whome the father tea­chyth▪ the cause then why they do not come is, because god both not teache them but dothe come vnto me. For yf that euery man, which hath herd of the father, and is also learned of hym doth come, then he, which doth not come, hath neither harde, nor is learned of the father.

For if he had hard, and had lerned, he shold haue com. For there is no man, which euer harde, & was ler­ned of the father, that is not come. But eueri man, (as wytnessethe the veryte yt selfe) whiche hath hard & is lernid of my father, doth com.

This scholl is very straunge, and far from the sensis of the flesh, in y ^e which schol the father is hard, wherin he teacheth, how a man mai com vnto his son, In y ^t same scholl is the son also, for he is the worde of hym selfe, by whom the father doth so teach, & that thing, he doth not with the eares of the flesh, but [Page] with the eares of the hart. In that schol is also the spirit of the father and of the son, The father, the sonne, & the spirit of them bothe d [...]o [...]ea [...]h a [...] in our scole. for the spirit is not ydel but teachīg also, and that not seuerally from the other, but iointli wyth them, For, as we haue sayd, the workes of the trynite ar inse­perable. And that same spirit is the holy ghost, Wherefore is it called the dede of the father▪ when we [...] whom the father teacheth (syth that y ^• sonne and y ^• holy ghost as also present in tha [...] dede of teachyng) he referreth the reader [...] the [...] whiche he [...] of the [...]. of whom the Apostell speaketh these wordes (hauing the selfe same spirit of faith). But therfore, this dede of teaching, is nam­ly and princypally ascrybed to the father, bycause the son was begot­ton of hym, his only begotten son from whom also procedyd the holy ghost, wherof it were to long to dispute euery thing at large, for as much as I haue wryttē fyften bo­kes of the trinite, (whiche is god) whiche bokes I do think are come to your hands or this tyme. This scholl, I saye, is set farre from all [Page] humaine, & fleshly vnderstanding wherin the father is harde, & doth teache. We do se many, whiche do come vnto the sonne, bycause wee doo see manye whiche do beleue in Christ. But where and howe, they haue herde, and learned this of the father, we do not se. Truly this is a secret grace? And what man doth doubt therein, but it is grace?

Therfore this grace, what thing doth grace work in the hart of man whiche is se­cretely put into mans hart, on the mere liberalite of god, is receyued of no harde and stony harte. For this cause, is it poured into mans hart, that it may firste take awaye the hardnes of the hart. Therfore, when the father is herd in the hart and teacheth that they shuld come vnto the sonne, then doth he take away the hardnes of the stony har [...], and geueth in the steade therof, an hart of flesh, as he promised by the prophete. For after this fashyon, [Page] doth he make y ^• chyldrē of promys­sion, and y ^• vessels of mercy, which he hath prepared to glorye.

But wherfore doth he not teach al men, an ob [...]ection w [...]th the answere that they shuld come vnto Christe, but bycause he teacheth of his owne mercye and compassyon, al those whom he doth teach? And the cause, why he doth not tech the other, is of his rightwysnes & iud­gement. For on whom he willeth, he taketh mercye and compassion, and whome hym pleaseth, he doth obdurate, and harden. But in ge­uyng y ^t which is good, he sheweth hym selfe merciful, & in that he hardeneth, he rewardeth worthely.

But yf thou wylt say, that these wordes are not the wordes of the Apostle: but of some other, spoken vnto hym, that they shuld seme to say (then god is merciful, on whom he wyl haue mercy, and hardeneth whō he wyl harden) w ^t such other [Page] wordes, as do folow, as (wherfore doth he complayne? who is able to be against his wyl, or to resyst hī?) Dyd the Apostle make aunswere to them againe with these wordes: Aunswere O man, thou doest say vntruely? No [...]orsoth, but he aunswered too them againe (yf I shulde graunte them to be the words of som other man, spoken to the apostle) sayeng agayne to them. O man, what arte thou, whiche doest reason and murmur againste god? Doth the po [...] ­she [...]de saye vnto the potter, wher­fore haste thou made me thus?

Wherfore hast thou thus fashyo­ned me? hath not the potter power and lybertie, to make of the selfe same claye. &c. as you do know the wordes of the Apostle.

And yet after a certayne fashiō the father doth teache all men to come vnto the sonne.

[Page] For, it is not in vayne wrytten in the prophets (and all men shall be taught of god). Which testimony, after he had rehersyd vnto them, he added these wordes, By this [...] teacheth the vnderstanding of these w [...]rdes▪ all m [...]n are taughte of. saying: (euery man, saith christ, which hath harde and lerned of my father, doth come vnto me). Lykwyse as when we do speak, and saye when ou [...] talk and communication is of a master, which teacheth in town, or cyte, we doo say, This man tea­cheth all oure towne or cytte, or ells al the children of the town or cytte, not bycause al the children of the town or cytte, do learn, but by­caus no mā doth lern, or go to schol but they whiche do learne, or go to schole with him: euen so do we say very wel and truely, God teacheth all men to come to Christ, not that al do come, but because noone doo come, but they whiche are learned▪ [Page] and taught of hym. But the cause, wherfore god doth not tech al mē, the Apostel hath declared so far, as he thought necessary, and expediēt to be opened, saying these wordes, (bicause he wold shewe his wrathe, and make his poure knowen, he brought forth with great pacience the vessels of wrath, which at ordeinyd and made to perdition, that he might declar the ryches of his glo­ry, on the vessels of mercy, whiche he hath prepared to glory.) This is y ^• cause, wherfore the word of the veryte is folishnis, to them, which do peryshe, but to thē, which ar saued it is the vertu of god. Al these, god doth tech to com to Christ, all these he wyll haue saued and comme to the knowledge of the veryte. For, if he woulde teache them also to comme to Christ, which do esteme, the prechīg of the cros to be folish­folyshnes, [Page] there is no doubt, but they wold com also, as wel as the other. For he deceuyth no man, nor is deceyuyd of anye, whiche doth say, euery man, which doth here of my father and is learned of hym, commythe vnto me. God forbid therfore, that we shulde saye, that ani man shold not com, which hath hard, Another [...] lection and is lernyd of the father. But for what cause (say they) doth he not teache al men? If we sholde say, that they wold learn, whom he dothe not teache, Aunswer [...] answer wolde be made vnto vs on this wyse, of thē againe, saying: What saye you to that, which is wrytten, (O lorde, psalme, [...]4. when thou dost conuert vs, thou shalt quyckē vs, and gyue vs lyfe. Or els, yf god doth not mak them, whiche are not wyllinge, for to be wylling, wherfor doth the chur­che praye, (as god commaundeth [Page] for the persecutours thereof? For so wolde holy Cypryane haue that to be vnderstanded, math 6. when we doo saye iu oure dayly prayer: Thy wyl be fulfylled, and done in earth as well as it is in heauen. That is to saye, * th [...] vnderstandinge of the seconde petition of the lordes prayer. after the mynde of Ciprian as it is fulfylled in them, which do beleue, and are therfore, as it were in heauen, so it maye be fulfyiled in them, whiche do beleue. and therfore are yet but in yea [...]the. Wher­fore do we praye for them whiche do not beleue, but that god wolde worke in them the wyll to beleue▪ The Apostell speakynge of the Iewes, doth saye: Brethren, the wyll of my harte is good, and my prayer is for them, that they maye be saued. He doth praye for theym which do not beleue. Doth he in so doynge, praye for any thynge ells but that they shulde beleue? for o­therwise [Page] then by beleife, they can not come to saluacion.

If the faythe then of them, which do praie, A other obie [...]on. doth preuent the grace of god, doth the faythe of them, for whome they do praye preuent and go before the grace of god, or nay [...] for we do praye, for them which do not beleue, y ^t is to saye, which haue not fayth, that faith might be geuē to them. When the euengil is pre­ched, som do beleue & som do not beleue, Answer [...] but they whiche do beleue when the preacher doth pronounce his wordsoutwardly those (I sai) do here, and lerne inwardly in the hart being taught of the father. But they, which do not beleue, do here, wyth there outward eares, & they haue no maner of inward hea­tinge, or lerning of the father, that is to saye, to them, it is gyuen, that they do beleue, to the other it is not [Page] gyuen. For no man (sayth he) commeth to me, except my father which [...]ent me, doth drawe him, whiche is afterwarde more playnly spoken. For after these wordes, when he did speak of the eating of his flesh and drinking of his blod, some of his dyscyples sayde, this is very hardly spoken of hym, Ihon. vi. who cā hear hym? Iesus knowing within him self, y ^• his dyscyples murmeryd at his words, said vnto thē, doth this that I haue said, offend you? And again he layd, The wordes, which I haue spoken to you, are spirite & lyfe, but there are amōg you, whi­ch do not beleue. Thē y ^• euangelist of him selfe said, Ie [...]us knew from the begynning, who they were, whiche dyd beleue, and whom he was, which shold betray him. And christ sayd. Therfore I haue sayd vnto you, that no man can com vnto me, [Page] it be gyuen to hym of my father.

It followeth, The vnder­stonding of these wo [...]ds to be drawen of the fa­ther that to be drawen of the father vnto Chryste, and to heare, and learne of the father, that they maye come to Chryste, is no­thinge elles, but to receaue the gyft of the father, wherby thei my­ght beleue in christ. For he, which sayd, no man can com vnto me ex­cept it be gyuen to hī of my father, doth not dyscerne, and prefer those which ar the hearers of the gos­pel, before them, which do not here▪ but he prefer­reth those whiche do beleue and are fayth­ful, be­fore them, which do not beleue▪ and are vnfaythful

The ix Chapter

IT followeth then that bothe, the be­ginning, [...]e conclu­deth that [...] also [...] to the gyft of god. and en­ding of faith is y ^• gyfte of god.

And, that this gift is gyuen to som, and to som agaīe it is not gyuen, no man doutethe therin, except he wil withstande, & go against the manifest scriptures of god. But bicause he wyl not gyue it to almen▪ no faythful man ought to be mouyd therat, If all men [...]oulde [...] it were [...] of rye [...] are if [...] not of [...] but of me [...]ye which doth beleue, that of, and from on man, al men at go [...] into iudgment and condemnatiō most iuste vnto them (no man can say the contrary) so that no man can fynd any falt in god. although no man were dely­uered from that iudgement, nor sauyd. Wherby it is euident, that [Page] It is the greatt grace of god, that many ar sauyd. And by them, whi­che are not delyuered from the iust iudgement of god, they do ackno­ledge, what of right is dew vnto thēself, if they had their own deser­uynges, bycaus that they which do reioyse, shold not reioyse in there owne merytes, which ar no better, thē thyrs which ar condemnid, Hieremy. [...] but shold reioyse onlye in the lorde.

But the cause, wherfore he doth delyuer this man more than that man, who can fynd, his iudgments who can serche out? And his waies ar in vestigable. For it is more cō ­uenient, and comly, for vs to saye, & here with the Apostel, (O thou mā what art thou, which doest reason wyth god,) than that we should be bould for to speake any thinge therin, as though we knew that thing, whiche he wolde haue kepte [Page] close, and hydde from vs: whiche wyll nothynge that is vniust, and vnryghtwyse.

As touchynge that, which you doo remember: I haue spoken in a certayne worke which I wrot a­gainste [...]urphurye, entytuled (of the tyme of Christian relygron) I did so speake it, that I passed ouer & medelyd not, with this dysputa­cion of grace, bicause it was a weighty matter, and required great dylygence. And yet I dyd not soo sleyghtly slyppe it ouer, but I de­clared that & woulde fayne haue spoken more than I dyd of it, & y ^• it myght be more commodiouslye, at an other tyme treated and rea­soned of / when it shoulde be more mete for the matter. For amonge other wordes, which I spake, ma­kynge aunswere to a certayn que­stion, whiche was putte vnto me [Page] wherfore it was so longe or Christ came, I saide the [...]e wordes. For so much as they do not obiect to Christe, for what cause all men do not folow hym, and his doctryne (for they doo perceyue: that they can make no such obiection, no not too the wysedom of ther philosophers, yea nor yet to the power of theyr gods) what wyll they saye and answer therto (if I wold let pas, & not speak of the depe & pro [...]ounde wysdom, & knoledge of god, wher­in, peraduenter a muche more hid, and secret mater doth lye hyd, thā I am able to expresse or tel of, if I do pasouer I say al other causes, & rea [...]ōs, which other wyse mē wold bringe forth, and say no more but this in fewe words, concernīg this question, that Christ dyd apere and shewe hym selfe vnto men, preachinge his doctrine, when [Page] he knew, and wher he knew, that ther, and then, should be found mē, which wold beleue in hym. For in thos tymes & places, wher, & when, his euangill is not preachyd, he knew well ynough before, that he shold haue sych audytors, and hea­rers of his preching, as were ma­ny (not all) at the tyme of his cor­poral presence being in yerth, whi­che wold not beleue in him, yea though he dyd reyse vp the dead forth of ther graues. As we do se yet at this day many, whiche, although, y ^e prophecyes, which were of hym, do apere, and a [...] most perfectly compli­shed and fulfilled, as they wer spo­ken of hym, yet will not beleue but do chose rather, with humayn sub­tylte, and craft, to resist and striue agaīst the aucthorities of god, whi­che ar blowē ouer al the world, thā lowli to submyt and giue place vn [Page] them. So long as the knoledg of man is small and weak, mans igno [...]rance cann not after n [...] to the dep [...] wisdom of god▪ it can not drawe nyghe vntoo the verytye of god. What mervayl is it ther­fore, if Chryst, knowyng the world then to be so ful of vnfaythful mē, wolde not then be sene of them nor haue hys doctrin preched amonge them, whom he knew nether by his wordes, nor yet by the working of myracles wolde be brought vnto beleffe?

Yt may be, that, at that tym al wer syche, as haue byn many from his commynge, and a [...] yet at this day▪ and yet for al that, from the fyrste creation of mankind otherwhyell more darkly, otherwhyl more openly & playnly, he ceassed not, to pro­phecye, as he sawe the tyme requi­red, & ther were also, from the time of Adam to Moses, ye and among the people of Israel som, to whō, [Page] singular, and special misterye, the prophecyes, were commytted, yea, and also among other nations of men before the incarnacyō of Chri­ste, there wer many which beleued. For, syth that in the holy scripturs of y ^e hebreus, ther is mentiō made of many after the tyme of Abrahā, which were nether of his lynage, nor yet of the people of Israel, nor yet of any of those, which cam and ioyned them selfe to the people of Israel, & yet wer partakers of this sacramēt, why shuld we not beleue that in other nations and countris also, there should be som, thoughe they are not spoken of, which dyd beleue? So the saluacion of this religion, which is y ^• only true reli­gion, by the which only the trew & parfect helth, and saluation is pro­mised, neuer fayled any man, whi­che was worthy of it, & who that [Page] had it not, was not worthy therof. And from the fyrst tyme, that, man was mad, ther hath byn alway pre­ching, to some, to their iudgment, & cōdemnacion, to som again, to ther saluacion. And to whom the word of god was not prechyd, god knew from the begynnyng, y ^• they wold not beleue, & where it was prechid, and not beleuyd, it was shewyd to them to ther great iudgment. And wher it was taught and beleuyd they are preparyd to the felowe­shyppe and companye of angells, and of his sayncts, in the kinge­dome of heauen.

Do you not now perceaue, that I was in mind, yea, and dyd speak these wordes, of the p [...]escience, and foreknowledge of Christ, nothing preiudicatynge, the secreate and hydde counsell of God, nor hyn­derynge any cause or reason, that may be shewed, and spoken ther­whiche, [Page] me thought to be sufficient to conuince, the pagans of their in fro [...]litie, whiche dydde obiect this question vnto me? Therfore, wher as [...] sayde, that Christ wold then shew hym selfe amonge men, and haue his doctrine preached vnto them, where & when he knew wold be suche as woulde beleue in hym, it might be sayde also, that Christ woulde then appeare vnto men, & haue his doctryne preached vnto them, when he kn [...]we, and wher he knewe to be suche, as were elec­ted in hym, from the fyrst founda­cion of the worlde. But yf I shuld haue saide so muche then, I shulde haue gyuen occasion to the reader to haue required and demaunded of me, those thinges whiche nowe are necessary (geuynge them war­nynge of the Pelagians error) to be dysputed more substancyally, & [Page] with greater diligence. I thought it therfore, for that tyme sufficient, to speak breifly therof, not dyscus­synge the profounde depenes of the wysedome and knowledge of god, nor yet medelynge wi [...]h other causes therto belongynge, which, not thē, but at other tymes, I tho­ught more mete and conuenient to be reasoned and dysputed of.

The tenth Chapter.

ALso, where as I said, that the saluaciō of th­is religiō fay­led neuer any [...] mā, which was worthy, & tha [...] he was not worthy, whiche hadde it not, yf it shoulde be demaunded howe, and whiche waye a man is [Page] worthy, there are whiche wyll say, Whereby is men worthy to receue [...], whiche is by the faith of christe, of his own [...] [...] or otherwyse▪ that the wil of man maketh the mā to be worthy. But we do saye, that man is made worthy, by the grace and predestination of god. Nowe what dyfference is betwene grace, and predestination, I wyl tel you. Predestination, is a preparation of grace. Grace is the free gyfte it selfe. The diffe­rēce betwen predestinati­nation, and grace. That sayinge therfore of the Apostell, which is: not of workes, that no man shulde reioyse (for we are his worke, created in Christ Iesu, into good workes) is the grace wherof we do speke. And y ^t saying of y ^e same Apostell, which foloweth afterward, (which god hath prepared, y ^t we shuld walke in thē) is predestination, which cannot be w ^tout prescience or forknowleg, but y ^e for­knoledg, or prescience of god▪ maye be w ^t out predestination, whereof it is sayde, he hathe made & wroughte those thinges, whiche shall be. He [Page] hath also y ^• prescience, or foreknowledge of those thynges whiche he worketh not, The prescyence of god may be without predesti­nation, b [...] predestination cannot [...] without the prescience. as of al sinnes, which haue ben, are, & shal be cōmytted. For although there is certayn syn, which of it self is the payn, & poni­shment of syn, wherof it is writtē. God hath deliuered thē ouer, into a reprobat mīd, for to do those thīgs which are not mete to be done [...]her it is not the faulte of God, * the [...] of syn. but the iudgement of god. Grace i [...] [...] of predestination. Wherefore the predestination of god, which is in goodnes, is as I sayde, the prepa­ration of grace, and grace is thef­fect of y ^• same predestinatiō. Ther­fore, whē god dyd promyse to Abraham, in his seede, the fayth of the gentyls, sayeng: I haue ordeyned and set the, to be a father of manye nations, vpon the which wordes the apostle speakynge, sayd: For y ^t cause by faith (saith he) y ^t y ^e promis might be firme & sure to all sedes, [Page] he dyd not make this promyse too the power and strength of our wil, but vpon his owne predestinatiō. For, he promysed that he hym self woulde do it, not that men shulde do it. For although that men doo manye good thynges, * god maketh men to worke well. whiche per­tayne to the worshyppe of god, yet it is god, which maketh them to do these thinges, which he hath com­maunded to be doone. Their wor­kes and dedes, do not cause hym, that he shuld performe that, which he hath promysed. For if it shuld be so, then were it in mans power and not in the power of God, that the promyse of god, shulde be per­fourmed, & that also, whiche god dyd promyse, they shoulde be the cause that it is perfourmed vnto Abraham.

Abraham beleued not after that fashion. He beleued and gaue glo­rye [Page] vnto god, because he knewe that he was able to performe those thynges, which he dyd promyse. He doth not saye he is able to tell thē therof before, nether doth he say God is able to haue the forekno­ledge of these thinges (for, he cann bothe shewe before, and also know before those thinges which he doth not) but he sayth, god is able to do them as wel as to promyse them, and so they are his own workes & dedes, and not other mens dedes, which cause him to perform that which he promised.

Or wylt thou saye, an obiectiō that god dyd promyse to Abraham, nothing but the good workes of the gentyls which he would worke in his sede, that he might promyse to him that thīg, which he doth work and per­form him selfe, and that god dyd not promyse ther fayth to hym, by [Page] bycause it is not his worke, as thei saye, but thers? * thei sayde that faith [...] [...]he worke of man▪ and all [...] workes are of god. And wilt thou say that y ^• forknoledge, which god had of thier fayth, which was, that they wold beleue of them selfe, did cause, and make hym to promyse y ^t thinge to Abraham, which he doth worke? The Apostell speaketh no syche wordes▪ He sayth, The answer to the obiection, that god promysed to Abrahā, childern, which sholde folow the steppes of his fayth, which thing he speketh plaī ­ly & openly. But yf so be, god pro­mysed, the workes of y ^• gentyls, & not the faythe of them, truly, by­cause good workes can not be ex­cept they be of faythe (for the rightwyse lyuethe by fayth and al that whiche is not of faythe is sin, and without faythe it is vnposseble to please god) it must nedes folow, by that there reason (according to the apostels saying? that it is in mans [Page] power, that god shal perform that thīg, which he hath promysed▪ For by ther saing, except man doth perform that thing, which perteineth vnto them, to do of them self, without the gyft of god, which is there fayth, This is a soule and [...] noble [...] that god shoulde be bounde to oure workes [...]dedes. (as they lay) God doth not perform that thing, which he hath promysed, that y ^• workes of right­wysnis shold be giuen vnto them. And so after ther mynde, that god may perform his promyse, it ston­deth not in the poure & [...] of god, but in th [...] power and wyl of man. Which thinge forsomuch as the veryte doth deny, and forbyddeth that we shold beleue it [...]o be as they say, let vs with Abraham, beleue as he dyd, bycause god is able to per­form those thinges which he hath promysed. For he promysed chyldren vnto Abraham, which thinge thei can not be, if thei haue no faith [Page] It dothe then follow, that he dothe gyue also the fayth, wherby we do beleue

The .xi. chapter

I Do meruayll truly, forso­myche as the Apostel doth say, (therfore by fayth, that according to grace, the promyse maye be fyrme, and certayne [...] that men had rather commyt them selfe to them self, trusting to their owne infyrmite and weaknys, than to y ^• certayne & most sure promyse of god.

But he wyl saye vnto me, I am vncertayne of the wil of god, what thing shal becom of me. And arte thou sure vpon thyn owne, wyl, [Page] what shal becom of the, that thou fearyst nothing? [...] corinth. [...] Let hym: whiche semeth to hym selfe to stand, take hede that he doth not fall. Forso­much therfore, as bothe are vncer­tayne, for what cause doth not man commyt hys faythe, his hope, and charite vnto the stronger▪ rather, than to the weaker?

But when they do heat these wor­des spoken vnto them, Obiecti [...] which were the wordes of the lorde (yf thou be leuest thou shalte be sauid) they do answere, and say, that one part of this saying is requyred to be had at our hand, & y ^t second part ther­of is gyuen vnto vs. That parte, which is requyred of vs, is in our owne pour (say they), and that part whiche is gyuen vnto vs, aunswer [...] is in the poure of god. Wherfore is not both, as wel that, whiche he com­maundeth, as that which he giueth [Page] in the power of god? For we do de­syre hym in oure prayers, that he woulde gyue to vs, that thynge whiche he commanndeth vs for to doo. The faithfull, do make theyr petition, desiringe that he woulde increase their fayth. They do pray also for them, which do not beleue, that faith myghte be gyuen vnto them, that as well the begynnyng, as y ^e encrease of faith, myght (as it is ī dede) be y ^e gyft of god. For it is all one maner of speakyng, Rom. 8. to say, yf thou beleuest, thou shalte be sa­ued, and to saye, yf ye doo mortify the dedes of the fleshe, ye shal liue. For in this text, there are two thin­ges, on commaunded, and another gyuen vnto vs. If ye do mortyfye the dedes of the fleshe. &c. Then to mortifye the dedes of the fleshe, by the spirite, is required of vs, and that (ye shall lyue, is gyuen vnto [Page] vs. Woulde ye therefore, by this reason saye, To mortifye the dedes of the [...] is the gifte of god that the mortyfyenge of the dedes of the fleshe, is not the gyft of god, and that we shuld not confesse it to be his gyft, bycause it is demaūded of vs, with a reward promysed, for the perfourmynge therof? God forbydde, that those whiche are partakers of grace, and defendars therof, shulde be of that mynde. For this is the damnable error of the Pelagiās, whose mou­thes streightway, the apostel doth stoppe, 1. cor. 1 [...] with these wordes, sayinge: As many, as are ledde by the spirit of god, they are the sonnes & chil­dren of god: bicause we shulde not thinke that the mortifienge of the flesshe, is doone by oure owne spirite, and not by the spyryte of God.

☞ Of this spirit of god, thapostel did speake, when he sayde [...] al these [Page] thinges, none other but that selfe same spirite doth work, deuyding, & dystrybutinge his owne proper gyftes, to euery man, as it pleaseth hym. Among all the which thīges (as ye know), he named fayth. Lik­wyse then, as the mortefieng of the fleshe, although [...] it be the gyfte of god, is required of vs, and a re­ward also promysed of lyfe, so is feyth also y ^• gyft of god although it be requyret of vs. Wherfore be we commaū ded to doo this or that, of we cannot do it, [...] god giuethe [...]t to vs. with a promysse of saluation, when it is sayd if thou dost beleue, thou shalte be sauid. For this cause therfore, both we ar commaūded to do these thin­ges, and are taught also that theye at the gyftes, of god, y ^t we mighte vnderstand, Hezethi [...]. 11 both that we do them, and also, that god doth make that we may do them, as by the mouthe of the prophet Ezechyel, he speketh very playnly▪ for what can be sayd [Page] more playnly, than when he dothe saye I wyll make, that ye maye do them? Marke the same place of the scriptur wel (good brethren) and ye shal se, Al humayne meryts are condemned by the worde of god, and [...] them as [...] that he doth promysse, that he wyl worke, that ye may do that, which he commaundeth to be don. In that sam place also he speaketh of ther own meryttes, calling them euyl and noughty, to whom he de­clarethe, that he doth render good thinges for euyl, in that same doīg when he doth mak them to haue good workes afterwarde. when he worketh▪ that theye maye worke, & kepe the cōmmaūdemen­tes of god

The xii. Chapter.

[Page] ALthough this reasō, by y ^• which we do defēd y ^• grace of god, thorowe Iesu Christ our lord to be grace in dede, that is to laye, not to be giuē to vs, accordynge to our merits, is euidently inough prouid, and con­firmed, by the stronge testimonies of the worde of god: yet amonge them, which would fayn haue some thinge, for to come, and to be of them selfe, whiche they myght first gyue vnto god, So fayeth in other sort yf we be sa [...]uid by faith, [...] shulde we worke. for to be rewarded of hym againe, excepte they haue this thing graunted vnto theym, that they do some thynge of them self, they do thīk that they ar clean pluckt away from doīg of all ver­tuouse workes and godlynes.

Well, as [...]chynge those, whiche by reason of theyr age haue the, [Page] vse of their wyll, we wil graunte & say, what meryts do men finde in youge chyl­dren, by the whiche they are sau [...]. that they do worke sometyme. But, when we do talke of yonge chyldrē, & of the mediator betwene god, and man, the mā Christ Iesu, then, al assertion, & defence of hu­mayne merits, precedynge y ^• grace. of god, dooth quayle. For neyther yonge chyldren, are by anye good workes, precedinge the grace of god, preferred before other, that therby, [...]. they shulde pertayne to the redemer of mankynd, nor yet christ Iesu, beyng also made man, was made the sauyour, and redemer of mankynd, by any humayn merits, preceding the grace of god. For what man coulde abyde to here, y ^• yonge chyldren, bycause of y ^• good deds, which they wold haue done, if they had lyued long [...]r tyme, are baptysed, before they do departe foorthe of thys lyfe, and agayne, that oother younge chyldren, by­cause [Page] bycause of euyll dedes, which they woulde haue commytted, yf they hadde lyued to the yeres of dyscre­tion, are taken oute of this lyfe be­fore that ar baptised, and that god dothe nether rewarde the lyfe, whi­che they do lyue, before they dy, as good, nor yet condemne it as bad, and noughty, but onelye hauynge respect to the workes, whiche they would haue done in tyme to come, (if they hadde contynued in thys worlde) doth ether rewarde or con­demne them.

But mans folysh brayn, ought not to go beyond the mark, [...]omano, 14 whiche the Apostell hath leyd befor vs, whose wordes are these, folowing We shal al stand ( [...]eyth he) befor y ^• iudgment seat of Christ, that euery man may receue after the doing, & work, which he hade don in his bo­dy, (ther good or euyll. The Apo­stel [Page] seyth (which he hath done) not adding therto, or shal do. But how or which waye, this reason shulde fal into their heades, I cannot tel, that the merits, which are to come (whiche shall neuer be any, yf they do dye in their infancy) shuld be re­warded or condemned. He makethe an obiection againste the wordes of the apostell whereto hee aunswerethe shewyng the vnderstondynge of the apostles sayyng For what cause is it written, that man shall be iudged, after the dedes that he hath doone in his bodye, when we do se and know, that many things are done, and committed in y ^e mind onely, not by the body, nor by anye member belongynge to the bodye, yea often tyme so great offences, y ^• they deserue most iust punyshmēt, as amonge other offences (whiche I passe ouer) this one is mencyo­ned: The vnwyse man sayd in his harte, there is no god? What now shall we saye to the wordes of the Apostel, which are (accordynge to [Page] the workes, whiche he hath doone by hys bodye, but that it is mente: after the dedes, whiche he hathe done in the time of his body, while he was here in lyfe, that by the bo­dye, we shulde vnderstand the time of the bodye. For, after the beynge once of this body, no man shall be in it agayne, vntyll the last resur­rection, whiche shal be, not to do a­ny newe meryts, but to receyue ac­cordynge to the olde, rewarde and praise, yf they were good, or puni­shmente, if they were euyll. In the meane time, betwene the forsaking of the bodye, & the rysyng vp ther­of agayne, as they haue doone, du­rynge the tyme of their bodyes, so their soules, Of this sa [...]yeng, there cā be no purgatory proued. are ether at reste, or in payne.

Vnto the tyme of the being of the body in yearth alyue, origy­nall synne is referred, whiche, the Pelagyans do deny, but the chur­che [Page] of Christe▪ doth confesse it, that original synne, is either by y ^e grace of god pardoned, or not pardoned, accordynge to his iudgement, that I say, infantes, by the merit of re­generation, do departe from euyll to well, or els by the meryte of ori­ginall synne, they do go from euyl to euyl. Thys thinge the catholy­que faith, knowledgeth to be true, wherein certayn heretiques do not agre with vs. But that a mā shuld be iudged, not onelye after the me­ryts, whiche he hathe doone in his bodye, but after, those whiche he hadde not doone, butt myghte haue doone, yf he hadde lyued longer in the bodye. I can not tel, howe or whiche waye, they beynge so greate wyse men, as by youre letters they shoulde appeare to be, coulde thynke it, yea, I wolde not beleue, that they weare of anye suche mynde, weare it notte [Page] not, y ^e I must nedes beleue y ^• thing to be true, whiche you do wryte, & certifye so to be. But I trust, god wyll teache them, & put into their heades, that they shall se, as tou­chinge those synnes, which are not yet commytted, yf those same synnes maye be iustlye punished in thē, which at not baptized, that by the grace of god, they maye as­well be forgeuen, in those which ar baptised. For who soeuer doth say, that transgressions to com, whiche are not done, maye be punyshed by the iudgement of god, & maye not, by his mercye be also forgeuen, let hym consydre what greate iniurye he dothe vnto god, & to his grace, in that he doth say, that sinnes not commytted, are in the foreknow­ledge of god, to be ponyshed, but that it is not in his power to for­geue them.

[Page] If it be a greate absurditie so for saye, then is it expedyent, & necessa­ry, that infantes shulde be succou­red by baptyme, syth they do dy, in theyr yonge age, and shulde haue ben more greuouse offendours, yf they had lyued lenger tyme.

The .xiii. Chapter.

BVt, if so be theye do saye vnto me, that they whiche do repente, haue forgyuenes of their synn, & ther­fore those chyldren do dye w ^toute baptysm in their yong age, bicause they are in the foreknowledge of god, that they woulde not repent yf they shoulde haue had lenger lyfe, & those which are baptised, & after theyr baptyme do dy in their [Page] infancy, are also in the foreknow­ledge of god, that if they had liued lenger, they would haue repented and byn sorye for their synne, lette them take hede what they do saye, & marke well, if it be so, as they do say, Answe [...]: that thou original synne is not punyshed in them, whiche do dye without baptyme, but those synns onely, which they wold haue com­mytted, if they had lenger space of lyfe. And also let them perceyue, y ^• by their reason, those, whyche are baptysed, are not by the fountayne of baptime washed, & clensed, from theyr original synne▪ but frō those synns: whiche they woulde haue commytted, yf theye hadde lyued anye lenger tyme. For tyl the time of more perfection of yeares, they coulde not synne. But because god knewe, that some, woulde repente, and some woulde not, therefore [Page] some were baptised before they dy­ed, This's the reasō of the whiche say that [...] are saued▪ or codmened, for that whiche god knw they woulde doo yf they had lyued. and then departed, and thei whiche woulde not repente, departed without baptyme. If the Pelagi­ans harde this their reason, they woulde not stycke much, to vtter­ly denye originall synne, and seeke some other place of reste for chyl­dren, for somuche as they are per­swaded, that they cannot haue lyfe euerlastynge, which haue not eatē the fleshe, and dronken the bloude of Christe, and agayne because they are thus perswaded, that in theim whiche haue no synne, bap­tyme is of none effecte▪ which bap­tyme is geuen in the remyssyon of synne. For, they woulde saye, that there weare noo orygynall synne at all, but that infantes de­partynge frome thys lyfe, in their infancye, eyther are baptysed ac­acording [Page] to the good dedes, which theye woulde haue done in longer time, or not baptised acordinge to the euel dedes. And lykewyse they wold saye, that after the same reasō of meryttes, good or bad, they dooe eat and drynk the flesh and bloud of Christe, or other wyse, withoute the which, no man can haue lyfe e­ternal. They wolde saye also, that yonge chyldren are baptised in the trew remyssion of synn, althoughe theye toke no synne of Adam, bycause thei ar taught, that y ^e sinnes whiche infants wolde haue donne, (wherof god knew thei wold haue repentyd if they had lyued) ar clen­syd and taken awaye by baptyme. After this fasshion thei might eas­ly handel the matter, and haue the victory, which do denye originall syn to be in man, holding opinion, that the grace of god is gyuen non [Page] otherwise, but after out deseruīg. But, bycause the workes, [...] dedes, which are not yet done, are nothīg at all, because thei are not done (as euery man maye easelye perceiue) neither can the Pelagians (muche lesse the other) either say, or defend any suche thinge. Truelye, it gre­ueth me very muche, and more thā I can speake, to se that these men, whiche most catholykely, do con­demne the error of the pelagi­ans, do not se, and per­ceiue that thinge, whi­che the pelagians them selfe do se, to be very false & farre from al reason. H.

CYprian wrote a boke, He vseth y ^• test [...]mony of Cyp [...]ane, to proue that no man is ponished for any thynge that he hath not [...] though [...] haue done it, if he had lyued of the mor­talitie of manne, whiche worke is muche sette by, of them which haue al godly writings in estimation, & is almost in euery mannes hande, wherein he saieth, that death is not onely, not vnprofitable, but verye cōmodiouse, & profitable vnto the faithfull. bycause it doth plucke & delyuer them from the peryll and daunger of synne, settynge them in a securitie, and safenes for to sinne no more. But what doth that pro­fyt, if those synnes, whiche a man hathe not doone, are punyshed (as they doo saye?) The sayde Cypri­an sayeth furthermore very copy­ousely, and fruitefully▪ that in this lyfe, there is alwaye perill & daun­ger of synne, whiche after this lyfe [Page] ceaseth, and is no more: And, that same his saying he proueth by the testimony, taken out of the boke of wisedome, where it is thus writtē ▪ (he is takē away, lest malice shuld haue altered his vnderstondinge.) Whiche testimoni beynge alleged of me, you say they do make lighte as a thinge written of no canoni­call writer, as thoughe, if the testi­monye of this boke were not at al, the thinge it selfe, whiche we wolde proue by this testimonye, were not cleare, and manifest ynough, with­out it. For what christen man can deny, but that a iust man is at rest, yf he be taken forth of this lyfe, while he is iust

Whosoeuer doth say thus, that he is at reste, is there any man so mad that wolde go againste it?

Also yf a manne woulde saye, yf a iuste manne doothe fall from [Page] from the right waye, in the whiche he hath long and many a day, By these questiō [...] be proueth the sent [...]nce of the boke of wysedome to be true: that death is profitable to the good [...] persō [...]. that so departīg they shulde o [...]end no more con­tinued, and so dyeth in that vngodlynes, wherein he is fallen, where­in he lyued but one yeare, yea per­aduenture, but one daye, that he so departinge, doth go to payne, dew for wickednes, and that his right­wysenes, whiche is paste, wherein he lyued (before he fel so lōg time, shall profit him nothinge at all, is there any faithfull man, which can deny this open and manifest veri­tie? Furthermore, if a man woulde demaunde this question, sayenge, what and he dyed, whē he was iust which [...]r shulde he finde paine or rest, shulde I doubt to make aun­swere, and say, that he sh [...]ld fynde reste? This is altogether, wherfore it was said, & written, He is taken awaye, lest malyce shulde corrupt, and alter his mynde. This sayeng [Page] was spoken, concerning the peryl, and daunger of this lyfe, the prescyence of god is of thīges tha [...] shal be an [...] [...]ot of that which shal not be and not touchyng the foreknolege of god, whiche foreknowledg doth know before, that thinge, whiche shal be in dede, not that which shal not be. That is to saye, he knewe, that he woulde geue to hym a shorte lyfe, that he shoulde be taken away, not felynge any thinge, what tempta­tion is. It was not in his prescy­ence, that he should synne, when he would not suffer him, to continue, and to abyde the temtacion of syn. For as touchinge this lyfe, it is redde in the boke of Iob. Is not the lyfe of man vpon the erth, tem­tacion? But the cause why it is gi­uen to some, to be takē forth of the perils of this lyfe, whyle they are iuste, and some, whiche are iust, are suffered here to abydestyl, so lōge, tyll they do fall from their ryghtewisenes, [Page] who doth know thē mind & purpose of god? And yet by this we doo know, that those iust man whiche do lyue in godlynes, and vertu, tyll they be very oulde men, ye, to the later day of their lyfe haue no cause to reioyce, and be proude in their own merits, but in the lord because that he, whiche toke away the iuste man from this lyfe, that he shoulde not lyue lenga [...], & after­warde fal, that same (I say) preser­ued also the iuste man, tyll the ve­ry extremitie and vttermost end of his yeares, that malyce should not alter, and turne his mynde.

But, for what cause they dyd not cleaue and sticke [...]aste vnto hym, whiche myght take the iuste man forth of this life before he doth fal his iudgementes are moost right­wise, and lykewise vnserchable.

Syth that these thinges are thus [Page] the sentence of the boke of wisdom oughte not to be refused, Thus do they [...] dyd to Augustyn wyllynge all thyng to be tryed, by the doctors. whiche hath deserued to be redde so longe tyme in the church, and to be herde with all godlye veneration of all Christen men, both of the byshops, and of the lay men, from the high­est to the lowest. For truelye, if I shulde proue, & confirme thys sen­tence of the boke of wysedome, by the iudgementes of those, whyche haue ben writers before my tyme, vpon the holye scripture, whiche nowe we are constrayned to doo, muche more diligently, and copy­ousely, then we were wont to doo, against a newe error of the Pela­gians, defendynge, that the grace of god, is not geuen after our me­rits, but that it is geuen frelye, to whome it is gyuē (for it is neyther in the willer, Roma. 19. nor in the runner, but in god, whiche take the pytye,) [Page] and compassion, and that to whom it is not geuen, it is by the iust iud­gmente of god (for there is none vnrightwysenes with god) If we do proue (I say) this sentence, and make our defence good▪ by the au­thorities of the wryters vpon the holy scripture, whiche haue bene long before vs, then would these brethren (as ye do wryghte me by your letters) be satisfyed, pleased, & fu [...]l aunswered. But what neede haue we to serche theyr workes, for that matter, which, before thys he­resye dyd springe vp, had no nede to spende their time, and labour, in dyscussynge this harde question, whiche thinge without doubt they woulde haue done, yf they hadde ben constreyned therto, as we are. And therfore, they dyd but breifly, & [...] as it were) passyng ouer, touche this matter in certayne places of [Page] their workes, declaryng their iud­gement, and mynde, as touchynge the grace of god, and spente more time and matter about those thin­ges, whiche they dysputed against other enemyes of the churche, and in their e [...]hortatiōs to vertu, how men shoulde liue godlye, that they myghte please God, & come to the true, & eternall lyfe. In their god­ly conuersatiōs & prayers, y ^e grace of god apeared, what thing it was. For those thinges, which god commaunded to be done, should not be desyred, & praied for of god, except they shoulde be geuen of hym to them that they might be done. But these persones, whiche woulde be instructed, by the sentences, & wry­tinges of doctours, I would haue them prefer this boke of wysdom, wherin this sayinge is wrytten (he is taken awaye, lest malyce should [Page] alter his mynde) before all the doc­tours, Sap [...]. [...] & writars, which haue writ­ten, because they them selfe, whiche were nexte to the tyme of the apo­stles, did prefer that same boke be­fore their own iudgements, which, I saye, alledgynge that same boke as wytnes, and as a confirmation of their writīges, beleued that thei dyd alledge nothinge but the hea­uēly testimonies of god. And tru­ly it is manifest, that the ryght vertuouse, and godly man Cypryane, dyd dyspute in the commendation and praise of the benefites, whyche do come by death, when he sayethe, they are taken from the peryles of synne, whiche do make an ende of this lyfe, Cypriane would, haue vs reioyse when we [...] sithe wherein they maye, ye, & do commyt synne, so longe as they are in it. In the same boke, S. Ci­prian among other thinges, dothe say, wherfore (syth that thou shalt [Page] be with Christ, that we shall depart from mys [...]y, and synne no more. and art suer of the promise of the lord) doest not thou receiue, welcom, and enbrace thāk­fully, that thou art called to come is Christ? Why art thou not glad, that thou doest go from the deuyl, and so to be out of his daunger?

And, in another place he sayethe▪ Yonge chyldren do escape the pe­ryl of the slyppery and brykle age. And in another place also, he saith: Wherfore do we not haste vs, and to me, that we myght se our coun­treye, and salute oure parentes?

There do a great number of oure frendes loke for oure commynge, of our parentes, of our brethren, & of our chyldren. Manye there? are▪ whiche do desyre to haue vs with them, beynge on their owne behalf certaine, and sewer, that they are out of all daunger, and peryll, be­ynge carefull for vs also.

[Page] With these, and such lyke wordes▪ that same doctoure, openlye in the myddes of the churche, doth testi­fye, that the daunger and peryll of synne is to be feared, vntyll [...]hende of this lyfe, & leauynge of this bo­dy, and after that, not to be feared, that we shall suffer any such thīg. Whiche thinge, althoughe thys doctor had not testified, what chri­stian man would euer doubt ther­of? Howe shoulde it not haue bene merueylous profitable to hym, whiche had fallen, & so ended hys lyfe myserably (Departynge hens to the paynes, whiche he hath de­serued) yf god had taken hym out of this lyfe, from these temtations, before he had fallen, & trāsgressed? And so this shall be sufficiente, to ende this question, about the texte of the boke of wysedome [...]he is ta­ken awaye lest malyce shuld alter [Page] his mynde) yf any reasonable aun­swer can serue them, and wil not be to contentiouse.

And besyde that matter, the same boke of wysedom, which hath ben so longe receyued & contynu­ed in the churche, so manye yeares, ought not the lesse to be regarded, and set by, because it speakethe a­gainst them, whome humayne me­ryts do deceaue and beguyle, whi­causeth them to go against the manyfest grace of god, which most of all doth appear in chyldren, which some of them (dienge after they are baptised, and some before they come to baptyme) do declare suffi­ciently, both the mercy, and iudge­ment of god, that his mercy is gi­uen frely, and his iudgemente is mooste dewe, & right vnto vs. For yf so be that men shuld be iudged after the merits, and dedes which [Page] they haue not done, by reason thet are preuented by death (which me­rits, and dedes they shoulde haue had and doone, if they had lengar lyued) it should haue ben no pro­fyt to hym, whiche is taken out of this lyfe, that malyce shoulde not change and alter his mynde, and also it shoulde haue ben nothynge at all profytable to the wycked, whiche do depart in their wicked­nes, yea thoughe they had ben ta­ken away oute of this lyfe, before they fell, and were wycked, whiche thinge no christen man woulde e­uer affirme or houlde:

Therefore these our brethren, whiche do laboure, & take payne with vs in the defence of the catholike faithe, impognynge the errour of the Pelagians as we do, shoulde not beare so muche with them, in this error, wherein they do thynke [Page] that the grace of god, is geuen af­ter our merits, that they shoulde appeare to mi [...]ish, take awaye, or improue the authorite of this sen­tence, whiche is both true, & ryght christian, that is, (he is takē away) &c. whiche thynge the Pelagians them selfe dare not do, and so af­fyrme that, whiche we thinke no man wyl not onely beleue, yea not so muche, as once dreame, that any man after his deathe, shoulde be iudged, accordynge to the dedes whiche he woulde haue doone, yf he hadde lyued, annye lon­ger tyme.

And so it is inuincible, which we do saye, and defende, that the grace of god is not gyuen after our me­ryts. wherefore I meruayle suche wyse men woulde be broughte to speke such thinges, as ar not to be [Page] harde, nor yet so muche as thou­ght on.

The .xv. Chapter.

WHat goodlyer lā ­terne, or lyghte of predestination, & of grace, [...]ym iii can we haue, than our sa­uyour hym selfe: whiche is the mediatour betwene god & man, the man Christ Iesus? By what merites precedinge the grace of god, eyther of workes, or of fayth, dyd the humayne nature whiche is in hym: obteine & gette, that he was made, the man Christ Iesus, and mediatoure betwene god, and man? I wolde fayn know with what merits, that man Christ deserued, that he by y ^e word, which [Page] word is with the father coeternal, beinge assumpted into the vnite of person, was made the onelye sonne of god? Shewe me one good thīg what so euer it be, whiche went be­fore this grace? What thinge dyd he worke before? what dyd he be­leue before? what dyd he pray, and aske of his father before this, that he myght thereby, be so hygh exal­ted as he is, & so hyghe, as no man is able to speak? Was it not by the worde, whiche dyd make, and re­ceyue hym, y ^t, y ^t man (from y ^e which tyme of his manhode, he begane to be the sonne of god) was his onlye begotten sonne? Dyd not that wo­man, after she was replenysshed, & fylled with grace, cōceiue thys on­lye begotten sonne of god? Was not this onely begotten son, borne of the holy ghoste, and of y ^• vyrgin Marye, not thorough any fleshly [Page] desyre, but by the onli gyft of god? Was ther any thing to be doub­led, and fearid of, lest that that mā Chryst, when he shold com to yers of dyscrecyon, wold of his own fre wyl synne? Or do you thinke ther­fore, that he had not fre wyl in him, or rather, that it was [...]o muche the more in hym, howe much the more he could not be subiect, & seruaunte to [...]ynne? Truly, al these hyghe and meruaylos exelent gyftes, (whiche do passe al mans reason) & al other, which ar proper to hym only, whi­che no man hath but he, the humaī, y ^t is to [...]ay, our nature, dyd receue. ī hym, after a syngular fashion, without any of his merytts precedinge. Here lett man reason with god, (if he dare), and say vnto hym, wher­fore do not & receue these gyftes, as wel as he?

If so be this saying of the apostel, [Page] (O man, what art thou, w [...]ich dost reason with god) wil not pluck the in, [...]oma, 9 and stey the, but rather make the to be more folyshe, that thou wylte saye, how do I here these wordes: (what art thou o man)? Forsomuch as I am that thinge, which I do here, that is to say, a man, as Christ is, wherfore thē, am not I as he is? I do saye to the, that grace, made hym, such a mā as he is, & so greate as he is.

But for what cause (thou wylt saye vnto me) is grace so dyfferēt, more & greater in hym, than in me, wheras is all one nature? Truly, God (thou wylte say) is no acceptor of persons.

What christian man, yea what madde man, woulde speake these wordes yea thinke any such thing. [...] Let vs therfore beholde the foun­tayn of grace, in our head, whēs, he [Page] dothe power oute the same, grace vpon all his members, to euerye man, accordyng to measure. By the same grace, euery mā, whatso­euer he be, ye, from the begynninge of his faith, is made a christiā mā, whiche grace dyd make that man, from his begynnyng to be Christ. Of the same spirite, [...] The selfe same [...]is the predestination of the saynt [...] whiche was of christ, [...] b [...] otherwise prede­stinated that he was borne of, whosoeuer is a christian, is also regenerated, & borne a new. By the selfe same spirit, we do ob­teyn remission of our synne, which made hym to be without synne.

God verelye knew before, that he woulde do all these thinges. That same therfore is y ^• predestinatiō of sayntes, which doth shyne so cleare aboue all brightnes in hym, which is the holy one of all holye, whiche predestination no man can denye, hauynge the right knowlege, and vnderstandyng of the scryptures. [Page] For we do se, that he hym selfe, (which is the lord of glory) in that he was made the sonne of god, was predestinated.

The doctor of the gentiles, S. Paul in the beginning of his epi­stels, speaketh these wordes open­lye, sayinge. Paul, the seruaunt of Iesu Christe, called to the rome of Apostelship, put apart, to preache the gospell of god, whiche he pro­mysed before, by his prophetes, in the holye scriptures of his sonne, whiche sonne, he made to hym self, forthe of the seede of Dauyd, after the flesshe, beinge predestinated to be the sonn of god, with power, af­ter the spirit, * he proueth by the testy­monie of paule, that christe was predestina­ted, which sāctifieth, sinse the tyme that he dyd ryse agayne from the deade. Christe then was predestinated, that he, which shold be the sonne of Dauid, after the [...]leshe, shoulde be (that notwithstā ­standing, [Page] the son of god, with po­wer, after the spyrit of sanctyfication, which is borne of the holi ghost and of the virgin Mary. This mā Christ, was after a meruaylous, & straung manner begotten of god, by the worde, that he shold be the son of god, & the son of man bothe togyther, the son of man, bycause of the manhod, whiche he toke on hym, & the son of god, bycause god receuyd hym, and made hym to be his only begottē son, that the nomber shoulde not excede the nomber of thre, of the. number of thr. commethe this vocabl [...] [...] which is the trynyte, to be beleued on, of all men. That this humayne nature was exalted so hyghe, to be the only begotten son of god (nothing being in y ^• worlde that can be greater, as ther was nothinge, more basse and lowe, wher­to the godhede myghte submytte it selfe, than to take vpon hym the [Page] nature of man, susteininge, and beating the infyrmite of man, yea to the deathe of the crosse, all this was by the predestination of god. Wherfore, lykwys, as he only was predestinated of god to be our hed, so we are many predestinated, wher nowe are becom oure greace merits that we boa [...]te of so much. yf we loste them in one fore [...], Adam that we shold be his members.

Therfore, in this matter, let al hu­mayne merytts be put asyde, lett them not be spoken of. For when Adam fell, the merittes also of man decaied with hym & were lost. Lett the grace of god beare reule and raygne, as it doth, if christ had of him left no meritt [...]s wherby he was made our sau [...]our out only [...] of grace, then our merites ar [...] thorowe oure lorde Iesu Christe, whiche is the only begotton sonne of god oure lorde.

Who so euer can fynde any me­rites in CHRYST our head, whiche dydde precede this hea­uenlye and singular generation, then lette him seeke also, in hys [Page] members, the merits, of the regeneration, of so many, as are regenera­ted, and borne a new in Christ.

For that byrth and generatiō was not geuen, nor rewarded to Christ, for any of his merits, but frelye, it was geuen to hym, that he shulde be pure, and cleane, from all maner of contagion, and bondage of syn, and be borne of the holy ghost, and of the vyrgyn. Euen so it was not geuen to vs, for anye of our deser­uinges, that we sholde be regene­rated, and newe borne oute of the water, and the spirite, but frely, by the grace of god. he toucheth [...] whiche [...], that thei haue faythe of the self.

And therfore, if faith dyd bring vs, to the fountayne of our regene­ration, yet we may not thinke, that there was any thinge of oure selfe fyrste, whiche was the cause there­of. For he dyd make vs to beleue in Christ, whiche made Christ, for [Page] vs, in whom we shulde beleue. Yt is he, which worketh in men, both the begynnynge, and endinge of our faith in Iesu, which did make man, to be the head, and fore of our faithe, Christ Iesu. So is he cal­led by name, (as ye knowe) in the epistell, which is to the Hebrewse.

The .xvi. chapter.

FOr god doth call many, whiche are his chyldren pre­destinated, that he might make them to be the mēbers, of his onely begotten sonne, which was predestinated, not with that maner of callynge, as they were called, which woulde not come to the mariage, For with that vocati­on were y ^• Iewes called, to whome [Page] Christ crucyfyed is an effundicle, and a cause of sclander, & also the gentyles, to whom Christ crucified is taken for folyshnes. But he do­th cal thē, which ar predestinated, with that vocatiō, which y ^• Apostel speketh of seuerally from the other making a dyfference betwen them, ther ar two kindes of [...] saynge, that he doth preche Christ, to be the poure, and the wysdome of god, to those Iewse, and greks, which ar called. For thus he spea­keth, that he myght shew to them. whiche are called, those whiche are not called, knowing y ^t ther is a cer­tayn vocation of them, whiche are called, after y ^• purpose of god, whō he knew before & predestinated, to be lyke to the ymage of his son.

This vocation dyd he meane when he sayde. Not of workes, roma, 9 but of hym, which doth cal, it was said [Page] hym, (that the elder shoulde serue to the yonger.) Dyd he say (I pray you) Not of workes, but of hym, whiche beleueth-Nay, he toke this thinge cleane from man, that he myght geue altogether vnto god. And therefore, sayde he, but of y ^• caller, and not that, after euery ma­ner of vocation, but with that vo­cation, whereby he is made fayth­full.

This vocation dyd he consyder, when he sayde. The gyftes, and callyng of god, are without repen­taunce. For I woulde haue you marke, and loke wel vpon it, what thynge the Apostle, wente then about when he spake these words.

For when he sayde, I wold not haue you be ignoraunt brethrē, in this secrete, least ye should stande in youre owne conceyttes, that [Page] that partely, blyndenes, is happe­ned vnto Israell, so longe, tyll the fulnes of the gentyls be come in, and so all Israel shall be saued, as it is written▪ Ther shal come forth of syon, he whiche doth delyuer, & whiche wyll tourne awaye vngodlines, Esaye. 5 from Iacob. And this is my couenaunt with them, when I shal take awaye their sinnes▪ And after these wordes, the Apostell sayde.

As concernynge the gospell, they are enmyes for your sakes, but af­ter election, they are beloued, for their fathers sake. What is this to saye (after the euangell, they are e­nemyes for your sake) but y ^e theyr enuye, and malyce, wherwith they slew Christe (as we do reade in the euangell) was without doubt pro­fitable, * be [...]oundeth the sayinge of the a [...]stel. and good to you. And this thing the apostel said, that it came to passe, as it dyd, by the dyspositi­on, [Page] & order of god, which can make yea, the euyl, to be profitable, & al­so to do good. Not that the vessels of wrath, shoulde do to hym anye profitte, but accordinge as he doth well order them, they shoulde be profitable, and good to the vessels of mercy. What thinge coulde be spoken, more plainly, then y ^e which he sayde (accordinge to the gospel, they are enemyes, for your sake) It is then in the power of the wyc­ked for to synne (ye wyl saye vnto me. [...] on with the aunswer.) That they shuld synne, I say, and maliciously cōmyt this thing, or that thinge, that is not in their owne power, but in the power of hym, which doth deuide, & ordeyne the darknes at his pleasure, that therby, whatsoeuer, they do agenst the wyll of god, in that same y ^• wyl also of god, is fulfylled. We do rede in the actes of the apostles, y ^• [Page] after the Iewes had sent the Apo­stles awaye from them, he proueth that the Iewes dyd no more to christe than was ordeyned of god, that he may make his āswer good and were come among their felowes, which were the rest of the dyscyples, and had shewed to them, what oppro­brye, the prestes, and the eldars, had done, and spoken to them, thei did lyft vp their voyce altogether with one consent of mynde, vnto y ^• lorde, & sayde. Lorde. thou arte he, which hast made heuen and earth, the sea, and al that in them is, whi­ch by the mouth of our father Da­uyd, thy holy chylde hast sayde: Wherefore haue the gentyles ra­ged, and studied for vain thinges? The kynges of the yerth haue ry­sen vp, and the princes haue ga­thered their hedes together, agenst the lorde, and against his Christ. For hete truely in this cytye, He­rode Pylat, and the people of Is­rael, haue gone into counsel, agēst [Page] thy holy chylde Iesu, whome thou hast anoincted, that they shulde do so muche, as thy hande, and coun­sel hath predestined for to be done. This is meante by that sayenge, which is (accordinge to the euan­gell, they are enmies for yoursake) For the hande, and counsel of god hath predestined, y ^t the wycked Iewes shuld do so much, as was necessary for the gospel, to our helth. But what dothe the apostell saye more? But as toching electiō (saith he) thei are belouid for the fathers sake. Ar those enemies thē elected, and beloued, which in there wic­kednys and hatred, haue perished, and yet styl do peryshe, being of y ^e same people and agaynste Christe? Godforbyd? There is no man so much a fole so to say. But yet, both these thinges, although thei ar of them selfe contracti, that is to be en­mies, and to be beloued, and do [Page] do not serue bothe for one maner of men, yet, both to be enemyes, & to be beloued, pertaineth to al one nation, being of the Iewes, and to the carnal seede of Israell, to some of them, that he shuld stumble, to some againe, to the blessyng of Is­rael. This sens, and vnderstāding the apostell more playnely opened before, where he sayeth: Israel, ob­teyned not that, which it dyd seke, but election dyd obteyn it, al other are blynded, and yet in both of thē is the selfe same Israell. As tou­chyng the fyrst part of that sayīg: (Israel hath not obteyned, or the rest are blynded) in that place, and for that place, you must vnderstād these wordes to serue, (they are e­nemyes for your sake) and in the o­ther part, whiche is selection hathe obteyned there muste you vnder­stonde, (beloued for the fathers sa­kes, [Page] to the which fathers, these thī ­ges are promysed. For the promy­ses, were made to Abrahā, & to his sede. Hereby, is the braunch of the gētiles graffed into this oliue tre [...] Here must we haue in mynde the election wherof he speketh saying, (according to grace, and not after merytts) bycause the remnaunt is sauyd by y ^e election of grace. This election, hath obteyned, the rest are blynded. After this electiō, the Is­raelytes at beloued for the fathers sake, For thei wet not called with that vocatiō wherwyth they were, to whō it was sayd (Ther at mani called, &c. but wyth that vocation wherw ^t the elects were called. And for this cause, after he had said thes wordes, beloued for [...]he fathers sa­kes, he spake these wordes, which is to our matter (the gyftes, & vo­cation of god, are with out repen­taūce, [Page] (that is to say) they at firme and stable, without any mutation or chaunge. Al those, which doper­tayne to this vocation, they are all taught of god. Nether can anye of thē say, Styl he toucheth their opinion. I beleued, because I wold be called. The mercy of god, dyd preuent hym, by the which mercye he▪ was so called, that he shulde be­leue. For al those, which at taught of god, doo come to the father, for they haue heard, and lernyd of the father by the sonne, who dothe say playnly, al those which haue heard and are learned of my father, doo come vnto me. Ihon. vi. Of those, none doo perishe. For al that my father hath geuen to me, he wyll leese thereof nothyng. Therfore, who so euer is of this sort shall neuer perish. For there canne be none of them, that can perish. Therfore it is wrytten. They went forth from among vs, [Page] but they were not of vs. For if thei had ben of vs, Ihon. 2. they had bydde styll with vs.

The .xvii. chapter.

LE [...]te vs therefore vnderstonde this vocation, whyche dothe make the e­lectes, not y ^t theye are elected, becaus they beleued, but that they are ele­cted, because that they myghte be­leue. This vocation, the lorde him selfe dothe make open, and playne, when he sayth: Ye haue not el [...]cted and chosen me, but I haue elected you. For if thei had ben elected, be­cause they beleued, then dyd they fyrst electe, and chose god, by their beleif in hym, that so they myghte deserue to be elected of him again. But that is clean: taken awaye, [Page] by this sayenglye haue not elected me, but I haue elected you▪ And so they also dyd choose hym, when they beleued in hym. But for this cause onely did he speke these wori [...] ­des (Ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosē you because they haue not chosen hym, that he shold chose them againe afterwarde, for he did chose them firste, bycause his mer­cye dyd preuent them, accordynge to grace, and not according, to me­ryt and reward. He dyd then chose them out of the worlde, what tyme he was here in flesh, but they were also allready, elected and chosen in him selfe, yea, before the soūdacion of the worlde.

This veritie of predestination is not able to be moued, nor yet once styrred, by any mean that can be thoughte. For what is that the apostell doth saye, (as he hath cho­sen [Page] vs in him selfe, before the be­gynning of the world). Eph. 1. Thys tru­lye (yf it was spoken and sayd, be­cause god knewe before, as thei do saye) that they wold beleue in him, & not because he would make them for to beleue: agenst that maner of prescyence, and forknowlege, doth the sonne of god speake, sayinge: (Ye haue not elected: & chosen me, but I haue chosē you) for so much as by their reason, he shoulde haue had in his foreknowlege, that thei wold chose him fyrst: y ^t they might deserue to be elected, and chosen of hym againe.

So y ^• trueth is, y ^• they were elected before the foūdation of the world by that same predestination, in the whiche predestination, god knewe before those works, which he wold do of his owne self. And thei were elected, oute of the worlde, by that [Page] vocation, wherwith god dyd per­fourme that thinge, whiche he [...] before predestinated. For whome he hath predestinated, them hathe he called, with that same vocation, which is according to his purpose & determinatiō. Then hath he cal­led those, & none other. But whō he hath predestinated, them hathe he called, and none other. And agayn whome he hath thus called, them also hath he iustified, & none other▪ And whom he hath predestinated: iustified, & called, them hath he glorified, in that same end, which hath no ende. It doth folowe, that god hath chosen the faithfull: that thei myght be faithfull, not that they were faithful before they were chosen. The apostel Iames doth saye (hath not god chosen the [...] poore in this worlde to be riche in faith, & heyres of the kyngdome, which he [Page] promysed to them, whiche do loue hym? It doth folow that by electi­on he doth make mē riche in faith, as wel as heyres of his kyngdom: And it is well & truely sayde▪ that he doth chose thē, because he hathe chosen them, that he myght worke his election in them. I praye you what man hearinge y ^e lorde saye: (ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you) durst be so bold to say, that men do beleue, because they myght be chosen, whē in dede they are chosen, that they myght be­leue, least they shuld (agenst the saying of Chryst) be thought fyrste to elect and chose Christ, to whom Christ say­eth, ye haue not chosen me, Ihon. 15 [...] but I haue chosen you.

The xviii Chapiter

WHat man hearing the Apostell say, blessyd is god the father of our lord Iesu chryst, whi­ch hath blessed vs wyth al heuenlye blessinge in spiri­tual thinges in chryst, as he hathe chosē vs in hym self before y ^• foun­dation of the world, that we might be holy, and wythout spot in his syght in al loue, predestening vs▪ in to the adoption of children, by christe Iesu in to him, according to the pleasure of his wyll, in the whiche wyl he hath accept [...]d vs, in his wel­belouyd son, in whome we haue redemption, thorowe his blod, & for­giuenes of our synne, after the ry­ches of his grace, whiche he hathe declared vpon vs aboundauntly, [Page] according to his infynite wysdom, that he might shew to vs the miste­ry of his wil, acording to his good wyl, whiche he hathe pourposed in hym selfe, that it shold be prechyd when the time was ful com, that al thinges should be accomplished in Christ, both the thinges, which at in heauen, and also in erth, in him, in whome we haue obteyned, y ^e lot of enherytaunce, which ar predestined after the pourpose of hys wyl, which doth worke al thinges after the pourpose of hys own wyl, y ^t we maye be to the prayse of his glory. What man hearing this diligent­ly, and vnderstādīg it, durst doubt any thing of this open veryte whi­ch we do defend? God dyd chose in chryst, his members before the be­gynnyng of the world, and howe coulde he chose thē, which yet were not, but by predestenīg thē? He thē [Page] dyde elect, & chose vs predestenīge vs. Wold he elect, and chose, those which are wycked & vncleane? For if a question sholde be asked, why­ther he doth chose those, whiche are wycked and vnclean, or the other which are holy, and without blame what answer wold a man, make vnto it? Wold he not answer, that the godly are elected and chosen? Vpō this reason doth it follow (saythe Pelagiā) that he knew before who sholde be holy, and cleanne, Pelagians obiection by the lyberte and fredō of ther own wil. And therfore he did elect and chose them, before the begynnyng of the worlde, in that prescyence and for­knowlege, wherby he knew before, that they wolde be suche. And so (saythe he) god dyd predestinate them, before they were, whom he knew, wolde be immaculate and holy. Then dyd he not make thē to [Page] be holy. nor yet did he se befor that he wolde work any such holynes & purenys in them, but that only, did he se before, that they wold of them selfe be such as were holy. The aun­swer to pelagians obiection Lete vs now consyder & wet y ^• words of the Apostell, and let vs se, whyther he dyd elect & chose vs before the be­ginnyng of the worlde, bycause he knewe y ^t we wolde of our own wyll be such, as ar holy and vertuose, or ells, bycause we myghte be made such by hym.

Blessyd (sayth he) is God the father of our lorde Iesu Chryste, which hath blessid vs, wyth al spi­rituall blessynge, in spiritual thin­ges, in Christ, as he hath chosen vs in hym selfe, before the begynning of the worlde, that we myghte be holye and without blame. It was not then, bycause we shoulde [Page] be holy of our selfe, but because we myght be made holy. For it is true & certaine, that therefore we shuld be such, because he hath chosen vs; predestenynge vs, that we myghte be made suche by his grace.

So then hath be blessed vs, with his spiritual blessinge, in heuenly thīges, in Christ Iesu, as he hath chosen vs, in hym selfe, before the groūd of the world, that we might be holy & immaculate, in his sight, in loue, predesteninge vs, into the adoption of chyldrē, by Christ Ie­su in hym selfe.

Also, marke what the apostle doth saye furthermore▪ concerning this matter (after y ^e pleasure, saith he, of his wyl), least in so great a benefyte of the grace of God, we shuld take pryde in the pleasure of our owne wyll, in the which grace, he hath accepted vs, in his beloued [Page] sonne, in the whyche wyll, he hath also accepted vs. For this voca­ble or worde, gratified, is dery­ued from this word grace, as this word iustefied, from this vocable and worde, iustice.

In whome (fayeth the apostle) we haue redemption, through his bloude, & forgiuenes of our synne, after y ^e riches of his grace, which grace hath bene aboūdantly pou­red vpon vs, according to his om­nipotent wysedome, that he might shewe to vs the mistery, or secrete of hys wyl, according to hys owne good wyll and pleasure.

In this mistery of his wyl, he laid & set vp the riches of his grace ac­cording to the goodwil of him sel­fe, not after oure wyl, which in no wyse cann be good, except he after his good wyl doth make yt good. But after the Apostel had spoken [Page] these words (after his good wyl) he added these wordes therto (whiche wyll, he hathe pourposed in hym) that is to saye, in hys welbelouyd sonne, that it sholde be prechyd, when the tyme was full come, y ^t al thinges shold be gatheri [...] togither by Christ, which ate in heuē, & whi­che ate in yerthe, by him, by whom we haue obteined then heritaunce, we, which wer predestined before, according to the pourpose of hym, which doth work al thinges, acor­ding to the counsel of his own wil that we myght be to the la [...]de, and prayse of his glory.

It were to longe to stond, and dis­pute vpon euery word herof. For, I know wel ye do perceue, w ^t how playn, & open wordes, the A­postel doth defende this grace, a­gainst the whiche grace, the merit­tes, and workes of men, are extol­led, as though it were in mans po­wer, [Page] to gyue to god som thing first as a present, wherby he myght de­serue to be rewarded of him again. God hath chosen vs therfore in Christ, befor the beginning of the worlde, predestening vs to be his chyldren by adoption, not bicause we wold be holi & pure of our selfe but bycause he hath chosen & pre­destenid vs, that we shuld be such. And this did he worke after y ^• plea­sure of his owne wyll, that no man shold haue ani cause to reioyse of his own wil, but of y ^• wil of god, to­ward him. This did he work after the riches of his grace, accordīg to his owne good wyl, which wil, he pourposed in his welbeloued son, bi whō we haue our enherytaunce which ar predestīed after the pour­pose, not of our self, but of hī whi­ch doth work al thīges, not so mu­ch, as the wyl of mā exceptid, but it [Page] is wróght by hym in vs. He doth worke it after the counsell of hys wyll, that we maye be made to the prayse of hys glory. And therfore do we crye out, that no man shulde reioyse in man, & so not in hym self, but he whiche doth reioyse, let hym reioyce in the lorde, that we maye laude & prayse his glorye. For he doth work after the porpose of his own wil, y ^• we shuld be holy & pure, to the laud & praise of his glorye, for the whiche thinge he hath cal­led vs, predestenyng vs before the begynnyng of the world.

Of this pourpose of god, is this vocation, which is proper to the e­lects, to whom al things are wrou­ght to ther commodite and profet, bycause after the pourpose of god, thei are called holy. For the gyftes and vocation of god, are without repentaunce:

The xix Chapter

BVt these our bry­thren, for whose sakes, we do take this payne, ephese. [...] do sai per aduentur, that the pelagyans are easy to be convynced, and brought from their error, by the testimonye of the Apostell, wher he doth saye, that we are electyd in Christe, and predestined before the foundacion of the world, that we myght be ho­li and pure in hys light, in charite. For the pelagians do thinke, [...] that after we receiued the commaunde­mentes, we a [...]e made puere & clean in his syghte, by oure owne ste wil, whiche thing, bycause god knewe before (saye they) therfore he hathe electyd vs, and predestenyd vs be­fore the beginnyng of the world in [Page] Christe. Whiche is not according to the wordes of the apostel, whi­che sayeth, (not bycause he had in his foreknowledge that we wolde be such, but y ^t we might be such by the election of his grace, with the whiche, he hath accepted vs, tho­rowe his welbeloued sonne. For­somuche then, as he hath predeste­ned vs, he knewe before, his owne worke, whiche doth make vs holy, and immaculate. And therfore, by this testimonye, the Pelagians er­rour is conuinced. pelagians whol opinyon concer­nyng [...] the grace of god

For, we do say (sayth Pelagian) that oure God dydde no more, but know before, that same saith, wherby we do begynne so beleue, and then dyd he chose vs, and predesti­nate vs, that we myghte be holy, & pure, by his grace, and helpe. But let them marke a lytell better, the [Page] selfe same testimonye of the Apo­stell, where he sayeth, we haue ob­teyned the enheritance, we (I say) whiche are predestyned, after the purpose of his wyll, whiche wor­keth al thing. Then doth he work in vs, the self same, that we do be­leue, whiche dothe worke al thin­ges. For this vocation, (wherof it is wrytten, the gyftes, and calling of god, are without repentaunce: Wherof it is wrytten also, (not of workes, but of the caller when he myght haue sayde, but of the bele­uer: And this also election, which y ^• lord dyd meane, when he sayd, ye haue not chosen me, but I haue chosen you) this vocation I saye, no not fayth dooth precede or go [...] before, but faith is preuented of it. Ihon. 6.

For he dyd not chose vs, because [Page] we do beleue, but bicause we might beleue, that it should not be sayde, that we dyd fyrste elect and chose hym. And so we shold make Christ a lyar, which sayd, ye haue not cho­len me, but I haue chosē you. God­forbyd we sholde thinke ani suche thinge. And we at called, not byca­use we beleued before, but we are called, that we myghte beleue. And the selfe same vocation, whiche is withoute repentaunce dothe per­forme, and worke thorowly in vs, that we do beleue. What nede me reply any more in this matter? We haue sayde ynoughe therof.

Fynalli, y ^• apostel after these wor­des, gaue thankes to god, for them whiche beleued: not bycause the ghospel was declared vnto them, but bycause thei beleuid. For he speketh after this wyse (on whō, ye also beleued after that ye hard the [Page] worde of the truth, namly the gos­pel of youre saluacion, wherin ye beleued, ye wer sealyd with the holy spirit of promyse, whiche is the pledge, and earnest of our inheri­taunce, to our redemption, that we myght be his owne, to the praise of his glory. For this, I also (say­eth he) after I harde of your faith in Christe Iesu, and of your loue to all the saynctes, do not cease, ge­uynge thankes for you.

The faith of them, was yet, but yonge and tender, when they harde the euangell preached vnto them, of the which their faith, whē the apostell had hearde, he gaue thankes to God for them. If one man shuld giue thanks to another for a thinge, whiche he thought or knew well that he coulde not per­fourme. or do, it myght be named, a mocke, or a scorne, better than a [Page] thankes geuynge. Lette vs not brethren, Gala. 6. in no wyse be deceaued: for God wyll not be mocked, nor skorned of vs. For faith, (ye y ^• be­gynnynge thereof,) is the gyfte of god, or elles the apostle shuld haue gyuen thankes, and prayse, to him▪ where he deserued none. What say you to this? Was not the fayth of the Thessalonians perceiued, what tyme they begann to beleue: for the whiche the Apostell gaue thanks vnto God, These. 2, saying. (Ther­fore doo we geue thankes to god without ceasynge, because when ye hearde the worde of god preached and taughte of vs, ye receyued it not as the worde of man, but as it is in deede, as the worde of god, which worde doth worke in you, which haue beleued.

What is it, that the Apostel gi­ueth thankes for? Truely, it were [Page] a folyshe, and an ydell thynge that he shoulde gyue thankes to hym, for that thynge which he dyd not. But because his thankes are not in vayne, and ydell, treulye god to whom he gaue thankes, dyd wor­ke that deede, that after they had harde, and perceyued the worde of god by the preachyng of the Apo­stel, they shoulde also receiue it, as the worde of god, accordinge as it dooth deserue, not as the word of men.

Then it is god, whiche wor­keth in the hartes of men, (with that vocacyon, whiche is after his purpose, whereof we haue spoken so myche) that the worde of god shulde not be hearde in vayne, but after they had heard it, they shuld be conuerted, and beleue, recey­uynge it, not as the worde of man, [Page] but, accordynge to right, as the ve­ry worde of god.

The .xx. Chapter.

THis also doth cer­tifye vs, that the beginnīg of faith is the gift of god▪ when the Apostel in the begynning of his epistle to the Colossiās, colloss, 4, mea­nyng the very beginning of faith, spake these words, saying: be sted­fast in prayer, watchynge therein, with thankes geuynge, and pray­ing also for vs, By these wordes he ment that god wolde [...] that god would o­pen the dore of the worde. that we maye speake the mistery of Christ, for the whiche. I am also, nowe in bondes, that I may (I say) mani­feste, and declare that same miste­rye, as I ought for to speake it.

[Page] Howe is the dore of the worde o­pened? But when the sence or vn­derstondyng, of the hearer is made open, that he might beleue, and so the beginning of faith, being made by god, he maye also receiue those thinges, whiche are preched, & dis­puted, to the settynge vp, and fur­theraunce of holsome doctryn▪ least his hart being shyt vp, thorow in­fidelyte, & want of beleif, he shulde disproue, and caste from him, those thinges whiche are taught. For that cause, he doth saye in the epi­stle to y ^e Corinthians. Corin 16. I wil abide at Ephesus, til the penthecost. For I haue a great, & wide dore, made open vnto me, and there are manye aduersaries. What other thinge may be ment, and vnderstanded bi these wordes, but that, after he be­gan to preache the gospell in that place, many dyd beleue, and many [Page] also ther were, which were aduer­sarys to that faith, acording to the wordes of the lorde, No mā doth comme to me, except it be geuen to him of mi father. And also, Ihon. 6. the lord Iesu Christ saythe, (to you it is geuen to knowe the mysterys of the kyngdome of heauen, but to them it is not gyuen. The doar then is made open, in them, to whome it is gyuen, and ther wer many aduer­sarys, among thē, to whom it was not gyuen. 2. Cor. 2 Also the same Apostell in the seconde epistel to the Corin­thyans (whē I was com sayth he, to Troaoa to preche the ghospell, and a doar was opened vnto me in the lorde, I was not quyet in my spirit, bycause I dyd not fynde my brother Titus, but taking my leue of them, I departed thens to Ma­cedonia. Of whom dydde he [Page] he take his leaue, but of them whi­ch dyd beleue, in whose hartes the doar was made open to him, pre­ching the ghospell. But what he sayd more I wolde ye shold mark, (Thankes be to the lorde, sayth he, whiche makethe vs tryumphe and to haue the victory in Christe, and openythe the sauor of his know­ledge by vs in al places. For we ar to god the good sauor of christe in those whiche are saued, yea and also among them which peryshe. To these, we are the sauore of deathe vnto deathe, but to the other, we ar the sauor of lyfe vnto lyfe. Behold for what cause this fearce warriar, & myghty defender of grace, being in vincyble, dothe gyue thankes. Bycause (sayth he) the Apostels ar the swette sauor of Iesus Christe vnto god, bothe in theym, whiche [Page] are saued by his grace, & in them, whiche do perishe by his iudgmēt, and most rightwise iustice.

But, that they whiche do not vnderstond these thinges, shulde not be offendyd, he doothe warne them therof, As thoughe he had said no man is mete therto of hym selfe when he sayeth, who is meete therto?

Yet let vs return to the opening of the doar, wherby, the apostel did sygnifie the begynnyng of y ^• faith of the hearers. For what dooth he mean, when he sayeth, (prayeng al­so for vs, that god may open to vs the doer of the woorde) but a playn and an open demonstration, that y ^• very begynnynge of faith, The praier of a thinge doth argue & prouer [...] the gyfte of the thinge prayed for is the gyft of god. For it shoulde not be desyred of hym by prayer, and pe­tition, except they beleued, that it were the gyfte of him. This gyfte of the heauenly grace, [...]cius 16 descended downe into the womā, whych sold [Page] purple, to whome as the scripture doth saye, in the actes of the apo­stels, God had opened her sence, & vnderstandynge, & so she dyd her­ken dilygently, to the preachynge of the Apostell. For so was she called, that she myght beleue. God verely doth worke what hym pleseth in the hartes of men, eyther by his mercyfull helpe, or by his righte­wyse iudgemente, that by them, all shuld be fulfylled, which, his hand & counsell, hath predestinated for to be done.

Therfore, they speake vnwyse­ly, where as they do say, that, that thing doth not serue for this mat­ter, whiche we haue sufficientlye proued by the scriptures, taken out of the boke of the kynges, & of the cronicles, that when god wyll haue a thynge to be done, whiche muste be done by the wyll of men, [Page] ther hartes are fyrst inclyned and made for to wyll that same thyng (god being the inclinar, the motioner & styrrar therto, god worke [...] both y ^• wyl & the ded [...] of y ^• wyll whiche after a maruaylous, & vnspeakeable ma­ner, doth also worke, yea that same whiche we do wyll in vs). But what they do meane, by that they do speake nothinge therof, and yet are ageynst it, I cannot tell, except they haue declared vnto you some reasō, wherfore they shuld so think whose sayenge, you had rather let passe, then to open it by writinge. Or peraduentur, bicause we sayd, that god dyd worke in the hartes of men, bringing the wylls of thē, whome hym pleasyd, to this, that Saule or Dauyd shold be made kynge: Dyd they therfore thinke that this seruyd not for the pour­pose, which we do treate of, bycaus this temporall kyngdome, here in [Page] this world is on thing, As though god dothe rule the hart of men in wordly maters and not in heuenly. and for to [...]eynge with god for euer, is an o­ther?

Or do they thynke that god doth inclyne, moue or styrte, the wylles of them, whome hym pleasethe, to the creatynge, and settynge vp of earthly princes, and not to the ob­teynynge of the heauenly kynge­dom? But I do thinke: that these sayings of the scripture, where it is wrytten (Inclyne myne hart to thy testymonyes) and that saying, (the steppes and goings of men, are gouerned of god, and he shall wyl his wey) & also, The wyl is prepared of the lorde. And this also, (Let the lord be with vs, as he was with oure fathers, let hym not relinquyshe and forsake vs nor yet torn vs awaye from hym, but lette hym inclyene and bende [Page] oure hartes to hym, that we may [...] walke in all his wayes. Yet, there is another sayinge of the scriptur: (I wyll geue to theym an harte to knowe me, & eares to heare with.) Agayne (I wyl geue to them ano­ther harte, & a newe spirite I wyll gyue to them. Let them heare this also, (I wyl giue my spirit in you, & I wyl make, that ye shall walke in my iustification, & rightwisnes, & to obserue, & kepe my iudgemen­tes, & decrees. And this saying (god doth gouerne & rule the steppes of man, how can a mortal man know his owne wayes?) Again, (Euerye man doth thinke hym selfe iust, & ryghtwyse, but god doth gouerne the hartes. Let them here this say­ing, (Thei beleued, as mani as wer ordeyned to lyfe euerlastyng.

These sayinges I do thinke, were spoken concerning the kyngdome [Page] of heauen, and not the erthly kyn­dom of this worlde. Therfore lette them gyue eare vnto these sainges of the scriptures, and to al other, which I haue not rehersed, by the which we ar taught, that god doth prepare, and conuert the wylls [...]of men vnto the kingdom of heauen, and to eternal life, as wel as to the kingdom of this worlde. I praye you marke & consyder wyth youre selfe, what maner a thinge that is, whiche they do saye, that we shold beleue that god dothe worke the wyls of men, about the establishīg of worldly kingdomes, but as to­ching the way to come to the kyng­dome of heauen, that men therin do worke ther owne wylls.

We haue spoken many wordes, & fewar had bin (peraduentur) suffi­cient to haue perswaded this mat­ter, but we do speke vnto good wittes, [Page] as thoughe they were dull, to whome, yea that, whiche in deede is more than ynoughe, is not y­nough.

The .xxi. Chapter.

BVt we desyre thē for this tyme, to holde vs excused. For a newe mo­ued question dyd dryue vs thereto, because that we (in our formarbo­kes sufficiētly prouyng, that faith is the gift of god) ther was a new matter against that inuented, for the proofe whereof, those menne, brought the selfe same testimoni­es agenst vs for them, whiche we hadde for our profe, whereby they wold shew, y ^t the encrease of faith is the gyft of god, but the begyn­nynge therof, (which is, when we do fyrste beleue in Christe), is of [Page] man him selfe, and not the gyft of god, Here [...] the opinion, of the con­trary past [...] saying, that god would haue vs to take all other good thinges, folowing this begynning of faith to be the gyft of god, gyuen to vs for oure deseruynge, bycause we dyd fyrste beleue, and that we re­ceyued no good thinge, as a free gyfte, of god. And yet for all theyr sayinge, in those same gyftes, the grace of god is onely taught and preached, whiche is no grace, ex­cept it be frely gyuen.

The whiche thinge, how greate absurditie it doth conteyne in it, ye do openly se, and perceiue. For the whiche cause, we haue ben as dili­gent, as we might be, to shew, that the begynnynge of fayth, as well as thencrease therof, is the gyft of god. And although we haue bene longe in doinge thereof, more prolyxe and lengar, than they [Page] wold, for whose sake we toke the payne, yet, ar we content to be rebuked and il spoken by of them, ther­fore, so that at the last, they for our greater laboure than thanke, beīge made werye, w ^t reding therof (whi­che do vnderstand, & perceue the matter wel ynough) do confesse & graunte that we haue performed, that thinge which we pourposed, that is to say, that we haue taught the beginning of faythe, as wel as al other vertues, as chastite, iustice pacience, and godly lou [...] (in the whiche they do agre with vs) to be the gyfte of god. Therfore let vs make an end of this worke, lest the prolixite and bygnes therof, shold offend, & be tediose to the redare.

The fyrst Chapter.

NOw with some what more dili­gence, muste we handell, & dis­pute this mat­ter of perseue­raunce. For in the fyrst boke, wherin we disputed of the begynnyng of faith, we tou­ched [Page] this thinge somewhat. Ther­fore, our assertion is, now, that the vertu, called perseueraunce (wherby we do continue in Chryste, tyll the end) is the gift of god. Perseuerāce to the ende is the gifte of god. I doo meane that same ende, whiche is, when this lyfe ceaseth in vs, in the whiche ende, is all the greate daū ­ger, and peryll, lest then we shulde fall. And so, as longe as man is in this lyfe, tyl that tyme, whether he hath receyued this gyfte of conty­nuynge to the ende, yea or nay, no man (what so euer he be) can tell. For if he falleth, before he leaueth this lyfe, we do saye, that he hathe not perseuered, and continued to the ende in goodnes. And that is very true. What man [...]oth perse­ [...]er to thend For by what reason can we saye, that he eyther receyued, or had the gyft of perseueraūce, whi­che hathe not perseuered? For, yf so [...]e, a mā hath now y ^• vertu of cō tinencye, [Page] or chastitie in hym, & af­terwarde falleth from it, becom­mynge incontinent, and vnchast, & lykwise, if he had ons these ver­tues, as iustice, equitie, & pacience in hym, yea and fayth it self also, and then falleth again from those vertuouse, he maye be well sayde that he hadde those vertuouse, be­fore he fel from them, but not now For he was chaste, iust, pacient, & faithfull, so longe as he had those vertues. But, after he ceased to be that he was, he is not that same he was before. But he, which hath not perseuered, and ben stedfaste: how can you saye, that he dyd per­seuer and was stedfast, forsomuch as by his perseueraunce, and sted­fastnes, euery man is declared to be stedfast: which thing is not de­claryd nor spoken of hym, whiche dothe not stand styl and abyde in that vertue, which he once had:

[Page] But to auoyde this obiection, that may be layde against vs, as if they woulde aske this question, & saye: yf a man, from the tyme that he began fyrste to be faithfull, dyd lyue as for example [...] the space of .x yeares, Obiection. and in the myddes of those ten yeares, did fall from the faith, shall we not saye, that he dyd per­seuer, and was stedfast for y ^e space of fiue yeres, wherin he was faith­full? Aunsuere I wyll not contende about y ^e worde, whither that same ought to be called perseueraunce, durynge y ^e tyme, when he, dyd continue fayth­full, or naye. But as touchynge y ^e same perseueraunce, wherof we do speake and treate, wherein we doo continue, beleuynge in Christe, ye tyll the ende, that man in no wyse can be sayde, that he euer hadde it, whiche doth not perseuer, and con­tinue to thende. But that man ra­ther [Page] should be called stedfast, whi­che hath lyued but one year faith­full, yea and as much lesse tyme, as thou wylt, so that when he left this lyfe, he lyued and ended in fayth, rather (I saye) than that man, whi­che lyued faithfull, many yeares, & before his deathe, dyd fall from it, though the tyme of his fall before his death, was neuer so small.

The second Chapter.

THis beyng graū ­ted, let vs se, whi­ther this perseue­raūce or stedfast­nes (whereof it is wrytten, Matheu. x. he which continueth to the ende, shal be sa­ued) be the gyfte of god, or nay. If it be not the gyft of god, how can [Page] the words of the Apostel be trew, where he sayth, it is gyuen to you for christes sake, that ye shall not only beleue in hym, Philip. 1. but also that ye shal suffer for him, Of the whi­che sayinge the fyrste parte perte­neth to the beginning of fayth, the latter part, to the ende of the same fayth. And yet bothe of these two partes, as wel the beginninge as the ending, at the gyftes of god. For he sayth, that both are gyuen to vs, (as we haue rehersed befor) For, what better beginning canne a christian man haue than to be­leue in Chryste? What better end, than to suffer for Chryst? But as toching the faith or belefe in chri­ste, wheras they deuised an obiec­tion, wherby they wold proue, that the beginning of faith was not y ^e gift of god, but thencrease onli of y ^• said faith, we trust in the lord, y ^• [Page] it is sufficyentli answeryd to, of vs in the fyrst boke. But what canne they say, why perseueraunce or stedfastnes to the ende, sholde not be the gyft of Chryst to that man, whiche hath receuyd the gyfte to suffer for Chryst, or (to speak more plainly) to whome it is gyuen to dye for Chryst? For Peter, declaring this also to be y ^e gift of god, doth say, It is better for vs doing wel, i. Peter. [...] for to suffer (if it be the wyl of the lorde) than doing euyl. When the Apo­stel dothe saye, if it be the wyll of the lorde, he doth shewe, that it is gyuē from god aboue to al seinets, He maketh an obiection, prouing that in all mē, perseuerance is the gyfte of God that they shall suffer for Christe. And theye whome Chryste wyll haue com to the experyence, & glo­ry of sufferinge, canne not those but comme to the kyngdom of god if theye do perseuer, and be sted­fast in Chryste to the ende. But [Page] what man can say, that this perse­uerannce, and stedfastnes, is not giuen to those men, whiche by syck­nes of the body, or some other way, do depart, forth of this life, in Christe, when it is geuen to those men, much more hardly, and streightly whiche do suffer death for Christ? Those men do muche more harde­lye perseuer, The gifte of perseuerāce is giuen to some more easelye then to some, to some, with persecution, to som without persecu­tion. & continue, to the end, when they are persecuted because they shulde be turned, & broughte from their stedfastnes. And there­fore, they do stande faste, yea vnto death, that they may be found sted­faste. Therfore to the other it is geuen after a more easy fashion: thā vnto these, whiche are thus perse­cuted.

But to whom nothing is harde nor vnpossible, it is light and easy to gyue it, as easely to the one, as to the other, that it shall not appere [Page] & more streight thing to y ^• one, thā to thother▪ By the pro­myse of god he prouethe that stedfast­nes is the gyft of God▪ For god promised this stedfastnes, when he sayed, I wyll geue my feare into their hartes, y ^t they may not go from me. By the whiche wordes, what is elles to be meant, but that the feare of me shal be suche, and so great in them, whiche I wyll geue into their hartes that they shal stedfastly cleaue vnto me. But for what cause is thys stedfastnes prayed for of god, if he be not the gyuer therof? Ys not this a petition to mocke god with all, when that a thinge is asked of him, which thinge, they do knowe he doth not giue, but is thoughte to be in mans own powr to haue it, without the gifte of god, of him selfe? And this is none otherwyse, but euen lyke, as they do, which do thanke him for that thing, whiche he▪ dyd nether gyue nor worke.

[Page] But as I sayd in myn other boke, so do I saye, her agayn, begyle no [...] your selfs (sayth y ^e apostle) god wil not be mockid. O mā, god is a witnes, not only of those words, which y ^• speakest, but also of thy cogytacions & thoughts. If y ^u dost ask any thing of so rych a lord (& y ^t in faith) beleue that thou dost receue it of hī of whome thou dost ask y ^• thinge▪ wherfore thou prayest. Honor thou hym, not wyth thy lyppes, extol­linge thy selfe in thy harte aboue him, & beleuīg that thou hast of th [...] ̄ owne selfe, that thing whiche thou woldest seme to ask of him. Do we not pray vnto him to haue this perseuerance geuen to vs? He y ^• doth deny that, nedeth not to be conuin­ced & ouercom w ^t my disputation, but to be praied for, that he may be reuoked frō this error, by the good praiers of the saintes. Is ther any of the godlye, which do not de [...]ice ī [Page] ther petitiō, y ^• they may perseuer, & continue stedfast in him when they say the lordes prayer (whiche is so called, becaus y ^e lord made it) wher in, almost, nothing els is vnderstā ded to be praied for of thē, but that thei may perseuer, He exhorteth men, to the readinge of the expositiō of Cyprian, upon the lordes prayer. & be stedfast? I wold therfore haue you rede som­time therpositiō, which y ^e holi martyr Cipriā, did make vpō y ^e praier in his boke entituled (of the lords praier) & se how many yeres before, how gret & strong a medecyn was prepared agenst thys foule, & poy­sonos heresy of y ^e pelagiās, whose tyme & being, The thre ca­pital hereseis of the pelagians contrary to these god­ly opynyons, defended of the churche. was long after. For ther are .iii. pointes aboue al other which y ^e catholik church doth de­fēd agenst thē. One point is, that the grace of god is not giuē after our merits (for those same our merits, and good workes are also the gyfte of god, and by the onli grace of god do the iuste men receaue [Page] al there merytts. The second poīt is that no mā (be he neuer so iust) doth lyue without synne in this corruptible body. The thyrd is, that man is borne in the syn of the fyrst mā fast bound with the bond of damnation, except that same of­fence which he hathe by hys firste byrthe, be losed & taken away, by the new byrth of regeneration. Of this last poynt, the holy father Ci­priā did not treat in his boke. But of the twane fyrst pointes, he doth so playnly & openly dispute, that these newe heretiques, enemis to the grace of Christ, wer confoūded many yeres before they wer born. Therfore amonge the merytes of the sayntes, whiche ar no merytes if they be not the gyfte of God, he nameth this perseueraunce for to be, speking after this maner. We do saye (sayth Cyprian) on this [Page] wyse. Lette thy name be halowed, not, Halowed b [...] thy name▪ that we do wyshe or praye for god, that he myghte be sanctifyed by oure prayars, but that we do aske & desyre of him that his name maye be sanctified in vs. Who thē dothe sanctefie god, whiche dothe sanctifie, and is only the sanctifiar, But bycause he said, He proue the that we doe pray for perseueraunce is in the first [...] petition of the lordes prayer. be ye holy, for I am holy, we do aske and praye for that thinge, that we being sanc­tified in baptyme, maye perseuer & continewe styll in that whiche we haue begon. And a lyghtell after, dysputing that same matter, and teaching vs to cal vpo god for stedfastnes (whiche we shold do nether wel, nor iustly, if it wer not his gift we do (saith he) pray, that this same sanctification and holynes maye abied in vs▪ And bycause our lord▪ and iudge dothe commaunde vs, yea & lykwise thretenid him, whom [Page] he healed, and restored to lyfe▪ that he shuld offend no more, lest some worse thing shuld happen to him▪ therfore do we make this petition in our continuall prayers, we do dayly, & nightly aske for this, that that same sanctification, and holy­nes of lyfe, whiche is receiued of y ^• grace of god, maye be preserued, & kept in vs, by his protection, and defence. This doctor, ye maye se doth vnderstand in this petition, that we do praye for perseuerance and stedfastnes in our sanctifica­tion (that is to saye) that we may perseuer, and continue in the sanc­tificatiō & holines, wherfor do we aske of god that thinge which we haue rece [...]. which we haue receiued, when we being sanctified do saye, let thi name be sanctified. For what other thīg do we mean, when we do aske that thing which we haue receiued, but y ^t he wolde graunt to vs, that we do not lese y ^• thing which we haue receaued [...] [Page] Euen so, as he, which is holy, doth in his petition pray, that he maye so continue, so lykewise, the chaste the iust, the vertuouse, and godlye person, and suche other (which v [...]rtues, we do defende agenst the Pelagians, to be the gyftes of god) when they do praye, they doo aske these thinges without doubt, that they may continue still in that same goodnes, whiche they do knowe­lege, that thei haue receaued. And if they do receaue those gyftes, for so [...]he they do also receue the gyfte of perseuera [...]nce, Let thy kyngdom come▪ which is y ^• great gy [...]t af god by the which all other gifts are preserued & kepte. Also whē we do say, Let thy kyngdome cōe, do we aske & desire any other thinge, than that y ^t kyngdom may com vnto vs, perseue [...] in the second petition▪ which we do knowe certainlye shall come to all those whyche are sanctyfied? Those persons then, whiche are already [Page] sanctyfied, what do they ells desire in ther petition, but that they maye continew in that holynes, which is gyuē to them? Otherwyse the kin­gdome of god, shall not com vnto them. For we are certayne that it shal com to non, but to them whi­che do contynew to the ende

The iii Chapter

THe third peti­tion is, Let thy wil be done let thy wyl be done, in heauen, and in yearth, or as it is redde in cer­tayne bokes, & commonly vsed of them, which do praye (as it is in heauen, so also in erth). Which petition dyuerse do vnderstond after this fashion [...] as the angells do worke thi wil so let vs worke thy wyl) But this godly [Page] doctor, and martyr Cyprian, wyll haue, What is mēt by these uo­cables, heauē and yearth. that by these wordes, (heauē and earth) shold be ment and vn­derstonded the spirit, and the flesh. And that oure prayer is, that both our spirit and our fleshe, may agre and go togyther, in workinge the wyl of god. And besyde this sens, and vnderstonding, he perceuid an other meaning, righte agreable, & consonant to our fayth, wherof we spake before, that by these wordes, the faythful men do praye for the vnfeythful, whiche are but earthe, bearing about them no thing ells, but the yearthly man, of ther fyrste natiuite and berth, which faythfu men, are worthely (forsomuche as they are endued and cled with the heuēly mā) named, & called bi this word, heauen. In y ^e which his wordes, he doth shew euydently, & plaī ly, that y ^• beginning of faith, is the [Page] gyft of god, syth that the holi churche doth praye, not onelye for the faithfull, that their faith maye be encreased, & he made firme & sted­faste in theym, but also for the vn­faithfull, that they maye begyn to haue the same faithe, whiche they haue not, yea, which do beare most enuyouse, & hatefull hartes agēste it. But nowe, we do not dispute of the begynning of faith, wherof we haue largely spoken in the fyrste boke, but of that perseueraunce, & stedfastnes, whiche we must haue continuing to thēd, for the which: the sanctified persons, those, I say which do the wyl of god, do make their petition, and say in theyr prayer: Perseuerāce [...] prayed for of god in our thyrd petitiō Thy wyll be done. For sythe the wyl of god is done in them al­ready, wherfore do they praye for it, but that they should perseuer, & continue to be as they haue bego [...] and so to abyde in that godly pur­pose [Page] to the end. And yet it may here be saide, y ^t the saintes do not pray y ^t the wil of god, shold be fullfylled in heauen, ou [...] that it may be done in earth, as it is in heauen, that is to saye, in earth, that the earth may folow heauen, whiche is as muche to saye, as, that man may followe the aungels, Another [...] and understā ding of the thyrd petitiō or: that the vnfaith­full, may folow the faithfull. And so, by this reasō, the saintes do in this place praye, that, that thyng may be which is not yet done, not that the thing, which is done may continue. For, although men at neuer so holy, yet are they not equall with the angels of god, & therfore the wyl of god is not done in thē, as it is in heuē. If it be so, thē truly: wher as we do pray, that the vnfaithful may be made faithful, we do not in y ^• petition, pray for perseuerance, but for that which is the begynning therof. But whē we do [Page] desire, and praye, that men mighte be made equal, and lyke to angels in doinge the will of god, then do we desire, & pray for perseuerance, and stedfastnes. For no man doth come to that high blesse, whiche is in heauen, except he continueth to thende, in that holynes, whiche he receaued in yearth.

The .iiii. Chapter.

THe fourth petiti­on is: The fourth petition, in the Whiche perseuerāce is desyred of god. Gyue vs this day, our dayly bread. In this petition, the bles­sed man Cyprian doth shewe, that perseuerance and stedfastnes, is vnderstonded to be asked, and praied for, to be had of god. For among other words, the holy man Cyprian, speaketh these [Page] folowyng: We do pray (sayeth he) that this breade, Ciprian calleth this sacramente, by the name of breade, of thankes geuynge, & of the bodye of Christe. maye be geuen euery day vnto vs [...]lest that we, whiche are in Christe, and do receaue daylye, the sacrament of thankes geuynge, for our helthfull foode, thorow som greuous offence, whi­che we shulde commit, betwene the times of the receiuinge thereof, shold worthely & iustly for the said offēce deserue to be seprated & put frō the body of Christ. These wor­des of this holye man, do declare, that the saynctes of god, do praye to god, for perseueraunce & sted­fastnes, whē they do pray, saying, (gyue to vs this day, our dayly bread) y ^t they shuld not be separa­ted from the body of Christ, but y ^• they may continue stil in such ho­lines, as they shuld not cōmyt any crime, for y ^• which they shulde de­serue, to be seperated, & put frō it.

The v Chapter

IN the fyfte parte, Forgeue us [...] [...]respa [...]e▪ or peti­cion of this prayer, we do saye, forgyue to vs our trespasses, as we do forgyue them, which haue tres­passed agaīst vs. And in this place only of y ^• prayer, stedfastnis is not called & prayd for, as it is in the o­ther partes therof. For we do here ask pardō, for those syns, which are paste. But stedfastnes, which doth saue vs for euer, seruythe for the whol tyme of this lyf, not y ^• which is past, but for y ^•, which is to com & abydeth to y ^e end. Here again it is a wonderos matter to se, and worthy to be noted, how in this petition, [Page] thos heretiques, which dyd spring and roye vp longe tyme after, were at that tyme by the tonge of Ciprian, Pelagians [...]e [...]resye that a iust man may be without [...] ut [...] world and that of suche con [...] teth the chu [...] ­che of Chri­ [...] here in ear [...] as it were with a weipon of in­vincible verite confounded, and o­uercome. For the pelagians are so bould, that they do hould opinion, affyrmyng, that a iuste man dothe commit no sin in this lyfe, & that of suche men now at this present time is the church, whiche hathe nether spot nor wrinkel, nor any such like deformite, which church only is the spouse of Christe. As though that churche, were not the spouse of Christe: whiche thorowe all the worlde: doth praye, as they were taught of hym, whiche sayde, for­giue vs our trespasses. But mark well after what fashion this holy man Cypriā doth thrust thē down & (as it were) sleye them wyth the weapon of the verytie. For in thee [Page] sayd his exposition vpon the lor­des prayer, amonge other wordes whiche he dyd speake vppon thys part, sayd these wordes. Now ne­cessarily, how warely, & how helth fully, are we admonished & taught that we are synners, by the which admonition, we are constrained to praye for our synnes, that whyle the pardon & forgiuenes of those synnes is asked, and praied for of god, the mynde of vs doth call to remembraunce our own consciēce, that no man shulde make of hym self, as though he were innocent, and so in extollyng him self, shuld perysh more damnably. We are also instructed, & taughte that we do daylye offend, & syn, forsomich as we are commaunded to call e­uery day for pardon and forgyue­nes of our synnes. Of the whiche mynd was Ihon ī his epistel, whē [Page] he said: It we wyl say y ^• we haue no sinne, we deceue our selfes, and the verite is not in vs, and so forth which were to longe to be rehersid▪

The vi. Chapter.

BUt now, when the saynctes do praye saying (bringe vs not into temtatiō but deliuer vs frō euyl) what thing do they ells pray for, Bring us no [...] into tēptati [...] but that they sholde perseuer, and contynewe in holynes? For truly after thei haue this gyfte of god graunted vnto them (which must nedes be the gift of god, forsomuche as it is asked, & prayde for to be had at his han­des) after I say, they haue this gift that they shall not be sed into tem­tation, graunted vnto them, then [Page] ther is non of them which haue it, but haue this perseuerance, & sted­fastnes of holines, yea to the ende. For no man dothe ceasse from the the purpose of christian godlines, or from the holynes which a Chri­sten man ought for to haue, except he be first brought into temtation. Yf then this petition be graunted vnto him, that he shold not be bro­ught into temtation, he dothe then persiste and continew styll by the gyft of god, in that same holynes, which he receued of the gift of god.

But these our brethren (as we do perceue, bi your wryting) wold not haue, that this stedfastnes, and perseuerance, shuld be so prechyd and taught, that it shold be obteyned and got by humble petition, & also that we shoulde not saye that whē a man hath it, he cannot stoberne­li lese it, whē be wold. Wherin the [...] [Page] to not marke well what thei say. For we do speake of that perseue­ance and stedfastnes, whiche dothe continewe to the ende. If it dothe not continwe to the ende, then is it not that stedfastnes, A man can not stobernly caste awaye and le [...]se the gyft of perse­ueraunce after he hathe once receiued tho gyft wherof we do speake: then it is not gyuen vn­to them, as we haue sufficiētli spo­ken before. Therfore let no mā say that he hath stedfastnes and perse­uerance gyuen vnto hym, tyll the end doth com, when he, to whom it is gyuen, is foūd that he hath byn stedfast in dede. We do say, & call him a chast man, whom we do knowe at that present to be chaste, whither he doth persyst and continewe styll in that vertue or nay.

And lykwyse, if he hathe any other godly vertue, whiche may be kept styll or lost we do say, that he hath the same gyft so long, as he hath it: but after y ^• he hath lost it, thē do we [Page] saye that he had such a gyfte. But perseuerance and stedfastnes to y ^• ende, bycause no man hath, but he which doth continue to to the end, mani a mā may haue it, but no mā after he hath it, can lease it. Nether shal any mā nede to fear, lest when he doth continew to the ende, anye euyl or noughti wyl sholde ryse in him wherby he shold not be stedfast to the ende.

Therfore this gyft of god may be obteined and got by humble, and lowly petition, but after it is granted, it can not be lost agayne bi ani [...]tobernes. For when a man hathe continuyd to the ende, nether canne he lease this gyfte nor yet those giftes, whiche he myght haue lost be­fore the end. For how can y ^• thing be lost, which doth preserue, & kep from losing, that which maye, be lost.

[Page] But lest peraduenture, they wyl saye vnto me, yea and graunt, that perseuerannce, and stedfastnes to the ende, can not be loste, after it is ons gyuen, that is to saye, when they haue continued to the end, but that then it is (as it were) loste, Obiection. when a man proudly, and stobern­ly doth worke, that he mighte not come thereto, after the maner of oure speakynge, when we say, that he which hath not cōtinued to the ende, hath loste the lyfe of euerla­stynge blesse, not bicause he hadde once receiued that same lyfe alrea­dye, and afterwarde hath lost it a­gayne, but bycause he shulde haue receiued and had it, if he had con­tynued to the ende. Aunswere. Let vs take a­waye these contentions, and bra­blinges, whyche are aboute bare, & naked wordes, and graunt that a thing may be lost, whiche is not [Page] had, but is in good hop and trust to be had. Let ani mā (what so euer he be) tel me, whyther god is not a­ble to gyue that gyft, which he cō ­maunded to be asked, and called for of him? He whiche wolde saye, that he were not able, I wold not saye that he were vnwyse, but I wold abyde by it, that he wer mad: But god dyd command his sayn­tes to saye in there prayer, Math. vi. lede vs not into temptatiō. Therfore who soeuer dothe obteyne hys petition in that behalf of god, The temptation of [...]o [...]ernes. he is not led into temptation of contumacye or [...]obernes, wherby he shold deserue to lease the gyft of continuance in holynes.

But yet▪ Obiection. thou wyl say to me, Who so euer forsaketh god, dothe for­sake hym with his owne wyll, that he may deserue worthely to be for [Page] sakē of god again. What man wil denie y ^• to be trew? Aunswere. And for y ^e cause do we aske, and desyre of god, that we shoulde not be broughte in to temptation, leste we shold by oure owne forsaking of god, deserue to be forsaken of hym againe. For there is nothing don, but ether he dooth it, or he suffereth it too be done.

Then is he able to torne the wil­les of menne, from euyll to good, and to convert theym, whiche are readye to fall, and to sette them in that waye, whiche pleaseth hym to whome it is not spooken in vayne, psal. lxxxii [...]. when wee doo saye: O LORDE, when thou dooeste converte vs, thou gyueste vs lyfe And agayne, psalmus. lx [...] gyue not my foote to moue foorthe of the waye:

And also, (delyuer me not o lorde [Page] from my desyre to the synner. And finally to passe al other testimoni­es, whiche we myght reherse, this saying is not spoken in vain, whē we do say: Lede vs not into temp­tation. For whosoeuer is not led into temptation, forsoth he is not brought into the temtation of his owne euyll wyll. And he, which is not broughte into the temptation of hys owne noughty wyl, is bro­ught into non at all. For euery mā is tempted, as it is written, being en [...]ysed, & abstract from godlynes by his owne concupiscence, God tēpteth [...] no man to hurt him. & nou­ghty lust. For god doth tempte no man, with any temptatiō, that shal hurt hym. Two kynds of tēptatiō [...]. For there is a temptacion, whiche is profitable, when we are not deceiued and ouercome w ^t temptation, but proued only, as it is writte, proue me (o god) & tempt me. Thecfore, that same temptaci­on, [Page] whiche the apostle doth meane, when he doth saye, To be temp­tyd, and to be brought ī to temptatiō ar different (least peraduenture he shuld tempt you, which is the tempter, and then ye should labour in vayne) that same I saye is an vnprofitable temptation, ye and an hurtefull vnto you.

For god doth tempt no man, as I haue sayde (that is to saye) he en­du [...]eth nor leadeth anye man into temptation. For, a man to be tempted, & not to be brought into temp­tation is none euyll thynge, yea it is good and proffitable. For that is as muche as to be proued. Therfore when we do say to god (Lede vs not into temptatiō) what other thinge do we saye, than suffer vs not to be brought into temptatiō? And with those wordes, many vse to make their prayer, when they do praye, as it is wrytten in many bokes [...]suffer vs not to be ledde in­to [Page] temptation. And so dothe holy Cyprian wryght it. But after the ghospel, as it is wrytten in the greke toonge, we do not fynde in any place, any otherwyse, than, lede vs not into temptation. And ther­fore we do lyue more surely and withoute danger, if we do ascrybe, and gyue al the whole vnto god, not gyuinge part to hym, and re­seruinge part to oure selfe, as this reuerent and godly martyr dyd wel perceiue. For when he dyd ex­pound that same part of the lords prayer, Cypriane. after other wordes, whiche he spake, he sayde these folo­winge. But when we do praye, (sayth he) that we may not com in to tēptation, we are put in mind of oure infyrmite & weaknys in that we do make that petition bycause that no man shold sullenly, and proudly extol hym selfe, that no [Page] man sholde vendicat and chaling anye thinge vnto hym selfe, aro­gantly that no man (I say) shold saye, whē he confesseth gods truth and suffereth for Chryst, that it is and commythe of hym selfe, forso­muche as the lorde hym selfe tea­chinge vs humylyte, dothe saye, (watch and pray, lest ye do com in to temtation, Mathe. xxv [...] the spirit truly, is re­dy, but the fleshe is weake) that, when an homble, and a lowly con­fessyon doth go before gyinge the whol praise of al thinges to god what so euer (I saye) we do aske of hym humbelye with feare, might by his goodnys, be performed vnto vs

The .vii. Chapter:

THerfor, if ther were none o­ther thinge, wherebye we myght be in­structed: thys prayer of the lorde oneli were sufficient, for the matter of grace, which we haue taken vpon vs to defend. For thys prayer, I saye, doth leaue nothing vnto vs, wherin, as in that, which is our owne, we shoulde reioyse, & be proude. For it doth teache vs▪ that it must be geuen to vs of god that we do not go, & departe from hym, when it teacheth vs, that we must aske and praye for it of god. For he whiche is not brought in­to temptation, dothe not departe [Page] from god. This thinge in no wyse can be in the power and strengthe of fre wyll: Agenst fre wyll. suche is the weaknes now of man. It was in his power & frewil, before he dyd fal. Which strength, & power of frewyll, howe greate and stronge it was, in the first state, & condition of mankind when he was fyrst made, Man in his fyrst creatiō had fre wil. it dothe appeare in those aungels, whiche when the deuyll, with his compa­ny fell doune, dyd stand fast in the veritie, and so deserued to come to that certayntie, neuer for to falle, in the whiche we do knowe for a surety, that they are in, at this present. But after the fall of the fyrst man, god woulde not haue it per­tayne to any other thynge, than to his grace onely, that man shoulde come to hym, and that alsoo, that man shoulde not departe, and fall from hym. This grace▪ God hath [Page] set and leyde vp in him, Neither our commyng to god, nor [...] dinge styll in him, is in any parte of our power but in the grace only of god. in whome we haue obteined our enheritans, being predestined after the mynde and purpose of him, which worketh all thinge. And so by this reasō, as he dothe worke, that we shold com vnto him, so dooth he woorke, that we shulde not depart from hym.

For the whiche cause it was sayde vnto him by the prophete. Let thy hand be vpon the man of thi right hande, psalm. lxxix and vpon the sonne of man whome thou haste confirmed to thy self, that we do not depart, and fall from the:

Truely, what is mē [...] by the hande of god, upon the man of thy right [...]ad this man is not the first Adam, in whom we dyd fall from god, but it is the laste Adam, vpon whom the hand of god is, that we shulde not depart from hym. For Christ, with al his membres, defē ­deth y ^e church, which church is his body, & his fulnes. Therfore when [Page] the hand of god is vpon him, that we shuld not depart from him, thē doth the worke of god come vnto vs. For this thinge is the hand of god, because it is done by the work of god, that we may abyde styll in Christe with god, not as we were in Adam departing, & going from god. For in Christ we haue obtey­ned the enheritance, we I say, whi­che ar predestinated after the pur­pose of his wyll, which worketh al thinges. This is therfore the hād of god, and not our hande, that we do not go from god, I do say, that▪ it is the hande of hym, which said I wyll geue my feare into theyr harts, Hierem. xxii [...] that they may not depart frō me. For y ^• which cause, he wil haue that men shal be seuters vnto him & pray, that we be not led into tem­tation. For if we be not broughte into temptacion, we can by no meanes depart from hym.

[Page] This thynge he mighte haue gy­uen to vs without our prayer, The cause whyc god doth not giue it to vs that of our owne power we may come & abyde styl in him. but he wolde monysh and warne vs bi oure owne prayar, that we sholde knoledge of whom we do receue these benefits. Of whome do we receue those benifytes, but of hym, of whome we are commaunded to cal and aske for them. As toching this matter lette the churche in no wyse loke for greate resonyngs, & long dysputation but let it behold and consider oure dayle praiars. The churche doth ask and praie of god, that the vnfaythful maye be­leue and be faythful. Then it is god which doth conuert them to y ^• fayth. The church doth pray that thei which do beleue may continew and be stedfast in ther belefe, Thē it is god, whiche doth▪ gyue perse­ueraunce and stedfastnes to y ^• end. God knewe before that it shoulde [Page] [...]e so. Thys is the predestination of saynctes, whom he hath, chosē in Christ, before the foundacyon of y ^e world, that they might be holy and pure in his syghte in charite, pre­destening them vnto the adoption of his chyldren, by Iesu Chryst, in to him self according to y ^• pleasure of his wyl, to the laude & praysing of his grace, in the which grace he hathe accepted vs in his welbelo­ued son▪ in whome they haue rede­mption, thorow his bloud, and for­gyuenes of ther sinnes, acordinge to the aboūdāt riches of his grace: whiche doth abound and is plentiful vpon them in al wysdom, that he maye shewe vnto them, the mi­stery or secret of his wyl▪ acording to his owne good wyll, whiche he hath pourposed in him self, that it shoulde be prechyd, when the time was ful com, that al thinges shold [Page] be gathered together by Christe, both the thinges, whiche are in heauen, and the thinges, whiche are vpon the erth, euen by him, by whō we are com to the enheritaunce, we which were therto predestened be­fore according to the pourpose of him, whiche worketh all thinges, after the counsel of his own wyll. Agenst so open & manifeste a testi­mony of the veritie, what man be­yng of a sober, & an honest watchīg feith, can abyde to heare the folysh bablyng voyces, & words of men [...]

The .viii. Chapter.

BVt, why the grace of God is not giuen for our merrits. for what cau [...] (saith he) is the grace of god not gyuen, according to our merites? I do answer & saye, bycause that god is merciful. The [...] [Page] he to me againe. Wherefore is he not so, that is, mercifull toward al men? Wherto, I aunswer saying. Bycause god is a iust iudge. And by that reason, the grace, which he doth giue, is geuen frely, without any deseruinge. And to the other to whome grace is not geuen, it is by his iuste: Marke wel this doctrine and rightwise iudge­ment, made manyfest & open, howe greate a benefytte they do receaue to whome grace is geuen. There­fore lette vs not be vnthankefull, bycause (accordinge to the pleasure of his wyll, to the laude and praise of the glory of his grace) the great mercye of god doth delyuer so ma­nye from damnation, If non were saued, we had, but rig­ht, and God dyd therein no wronge. whiche dam­nation of right is dew vnto them also, which are deliuered, ī so much y ^• if he shuld deliuer none therfrō, yet in so dīog he shuld do no wrōg. For all men from one man, are iu­stly iuged y ^• childrē of wrath to cō ­nation, [Page] and that not wrongfullye nor agenst iustice. Therefore, lette that man, which is deliuered from condemnation, make muche of the grace of god, & he which is not be­liuered from the iust iudgemente of god, let hym think & beleue, that he hath receuid no wronge, but y ^• thinge which he hath most right­wisly deseruyd.

Yf by the forgyuenes of the dette the goodnis of god is declared & made manifest, Herin is both the goodnes & ryghtwyse iustice of god knowen & by the streyghte exactyng & demanding of his ri­ghte, his equyte & iustyce knowē, then can ther be none vnrightwis­nes found in god.

But then, for what cause (sayth he to me) is the iudgment of god in yonge children so different, & in y ^• two twynse, as Iacob, and Esau, sythe the on had no more cause thā the other, but wer in al one cause [Page] and had nether of them deseruyd better thā the other, nor worse thā the other? Ys it not a lyke questi­on if I wold demand of the again, [...] aunswereth to a contrary question̄ for what pourpose, was the lyke, and al one iudgement and sentēce wher the matter & cause, was not lyke, but difference? Let vs there­fore cal to oure remembrans those workmem, which wrought in the vyenyarde all the wholl daye, and those which wrought but one ho­wer. Here you do se, that there la­bour is not al one, and yet the iud­gement in the paiemēt, which thei receuid, was al on, as much to the one, as to the other. What answer was made to the workmen, whiche were offendyd, bycause the other had as greate a rewarde as theye▪ Dyd they heare any other answer of ther mayster but this: It is my wyl, and pleasure so to do. Syche [Page] was his liberalitie to the one sort, that to the other he did no wrong. These sayinges, I wyll have it, per­cyneth to [...], and his, T [...]ke [...]hat thou hast [...]eserued, percyneth to iustice. And yet both of thē were counted in the number of the godly.

But as touching these twaine, iustice, and grace, as concerninge hym, which is saued, it maye well be saide, I wyll haue it soo, and to hym, whiche is condemned, it may well be saide, take that thou haste deserued, and go thy waies. For to this man, wyll I gyue that whiche is not his deuty to haue, but of my liberalite. May not I do, what me pleaseth? Haste thou a wycked eye because I am good? Nowe, if he woulde saye to hym againe, and aske hym, wherfore god is not as good to him, as to another: It mai well be aunswered to him. O thou man, what art thou, which makest this aunsuere to god, whom thou perceiuest towarde the other to be [Page] tall, and in the, to be a straight de­maunder of his ryghte? And yet thou canst not saye, that he is vn­iuste, when he shoulde do nothyng but iustlye, yf he did punysh, both the one as well as the other.

He whiche is delyuered from con­demnation, hath the greater cause to gyue thankes, and he whyche is condemned, can fynde no faulte in God, that he doth condemne hym. But if it be so (saith he) y ^• god wuld not saue all, The more benefyt the greter thankes. but condemne, soome, that in them, whiche are condemp­ned, Obiection he myght shewe, what all men haue deserued, and so he shoulde w ^t more thankes pour out his gra­ce into the vessels of his mercye, for what cause, syth the one hathe deserued, no bettar than the other but are in lyke case as touchinge theyr deseruynge, doothe he ra­ther ponysshe me, thanne hym, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] or delyuer hym, than me? If thou dost aske of me, wherfore he dothe so, I doo confesse, that I can not fynde, what answer to make to thy demand. If thou askest me, wher­fore I cā fīd no aunswer to make I do say vnto the, that in this matter, as hys wrathe and angere is moste iust and rightwyse, so is his mercy greate, and his iudgmentes inscrutable. Obiection.

Yet, let hym make, an other obiec­tiō vnto me, & say, for what cause hath he not gyuen to somme men, which haue faythfully beleued & worshipped hym, Aunswere. the gyft of perseueraunce, and stedfastnes, to the ende, that they myghte continewe styl in ther good beleffe to the end▪ Wherfore thinkest thou? But be­cause he is no lyar, which saith they went forthe from amonge vs, but they were not of vs, for if thei had [Page] byn of vs, they wold haue contyn­nuyd styl wyth vs. Are men then made of two natures? God forbid, Yf there were two naturs of men then were the grace of god nothīg then saluation, and delyueraunce from condemnation, sholde not be of the fre gyft of god, if it wer the deseruinge of nature. To mans iudgement it semeth, that al those men, which do apere good, & faith ful oughte of dewtye to haue the gyft of perseuerance, & continu­ance to the end, gyuen vnto them. But god iudgeth a better waye than that, wherefore doth god suf­fer the wycked and the godlye to be mixt together. and that it sholde be a thinge more conueniente for his pourpose, to haue som among his sayintes, which wolde not conty­new to the ende. And also, that his sayntes sholde not be carles, & w ^t out all feare, which is not profytable for them so to be. For being in [Page] this feare, doothe abate the arro­gancy, God wyll haue his sainctes to be al­way in feare and pryde of men, that thei shoulde not thinke ought of them selfe, accordynge to the sayinge of the Apostell. Wherfore, that man, whiche doth thinke hym selfe too stand, lette him beware & take hede that he falleth not. For he whyche falleth, doth fall by his owne con­sent, and wyll: i. Corinth. x but he whiche stan­deth, doth stand by the wil of god. For god is able to stable hym, and to make him stedfaste, & then not he hym selfe, To fall is in mans power but to stande [...] not. but god. It is good therefore, not to be hyghe mynded nor to be to wyse in a mans owne selfe but to feare. For euerye man in his knowledge, doth ether stand or falle. For as the Apostell dothe saye, whose sayinge I haue reher­sed in my fyrste booke, We are not sufficiente of oure selfe to thynke anye thinge, as of oure selues, but [Page] all our sufficiencye is of god. The whiche wordes: the blessed man Ambrose, was not afrayde to re­hearse, as foloweth. For our har­tes, and our thoughtes (sayth he) are not in our owne power, as eue­ry humble and true faythfull man knoweth to be true, and nothinge more true.

These wordes Ambrose dydde speake in a certayne booke whiche he wrote entituled (of the flyenge from the world) wherin he taught that we shulde voyde & shone, the incommodities of this worlde, not with the body, but with the mynd.

And that thinge he prouyd: vnpossible to be done of oure self w ^toute the helpe of god. For these are his words. We do talke mich, and make many wordes, howe we shoulde flye, and aparte vs frome thys worlde, but I woulde that [Page] that our hartes, were as ware, and as careful therfore, as our tonges are busy to talke therof. But there is a worse thing. For often tymes, the entisementes of the yerthly de­syres do come stealing, and creping on vs, and an heape of vanities doth ouerwhelme our myndes, in so muche, that, that thing, whiche thou wuldest haue furthest of frō the, thou do doest moost of all thinke on, It is not the going into a cioister that putteth such thinges oute of a mans mynde beynge therwith in thy mynde moste troubled, whiche is harde for any man to beware of: and so to put it clean out of his head, that he be no more combered therwith, it is vnpossible. And fynally, thou mayste sooner wysh, and desire to haue it taken from the, than to bringe it to effect thy selfe, (as the prophet witnesseth) sayinge. In­clyne, & turne my hart to thy testy­monies, and not to auaryce. For [Page] our hartes and thoughtes: ar not in our owne power, which beinge sodenly ouerwhelmed, do confoūd both our wittes, & our mindes, set­tinge vs in that case, that we can not tell, what to do, pluckinge and drawynge our myndes otherwise than we were purposed. They do call vs awaye: other whyle, to seculyar & worldlye busines, they doo thrust worldlye matters into oure heades, they do put vs in mynd of suche, & such pleasures, diuers en­tysementes are layde before vs: ye and when we are most readyest to lyft vp our mynde, then being fyl­led vp with suche vaine cogitati­ons: are often times sodenly thro­wen doune to the grounde. It is not then in the power of man, that men shuld be made the children of of god, but in the power of god.

For of hym truely they do receiue [Page] that same poure, who gyueth to mēs hartes good thoughts, Galathia. v. wher­by they may haue fayth, whiche worketh by loue. Whiche gifte, y ^• we maye ether receue or kepe styl, and so to contynew stedfastly in it to the ende, we cann of oure selfe, thynke no maner of thing, ii, Corint. iii [...] whiche is able to performe it, but al oure abelnes is of god, ī whose power, ar our hartes, and al our though­tes. Therfore of the two yonge chyldren, which are bounde, wyth the bond of original syn, wherfore the on is taken to mercy▪ and the other not, and also, of y ^e it persons being both of lawful age▪ & bothe wycked, why the one is so called, y ^• he dothe followe the caller, & the o­ther ether is not called, or ells is not so called, that he dothe followe the caller: I say the iudgments of god herein are inserutable. But of [Page] this one point al faythful mē must be certayne, Predestinati­on. and oute of doubte, that the on of them, is predestined the other not. For if they were of vs, sayde one of them, which were predestyned and dronk this secret out of the breste of the lorde, i. Ihon. ij. they wolde truly haue bydden styll w ^t vs. I praye you what is ment by these words (they were not of vs, for if they had bynne of vs, theye wold haue taryed w ^t vs)? Were theye not bothe creatyd of god?

Came theye not bothe of Adam? Were they not bothe made of the yerthe, and receuyd of hym (which sayed, I mad al thinges, that hath breathe) sowls al of one nature, & making, and fynally were thei not both called? Did they not both folow y ^e caller? wer thei not both iu­stified from there owne wycked­nes? And wer thei not both renued by y ^e foūtayn of regeneratiō beīg [Page] so made new persons? But if so be, a man hard these wordes, whiche knoweth what they are, & what y ^• meaning of them is, he myght wel aunswere and saye, that all these words are true. And after the rea­son of these wordes, it can not be denied: but that they were of vs. But after another difference, & re­spect, they were not vs. For if they had ben of vs, they woulde haue contynued with vs. For what cause wer thei not of them. What diffe­rence is that I pray you, whiche maketh that they are not of vs? The bokes of god are open ynou­ghe, that you may rede them. Let vs not wynke, & shit our eyn from thē. They were not of thē, bicause they were not called after the pur­pose of the caller. They were not elected in Christ before the worlde was made. They obteyned not the enheritance in him. Thei were not [Page] predestined accordinge to the purpose of him, whiche doth worke al thing. For if they had ben so, then had thei ben of thē, & had without doubt, continued styl with them. What shuld I say y ^• it is possible to god, to conuert & tourn the fro­warde and malycyous myndes of men to faythe, and so to woorke in their hartes, that they shall gyue place to none aduersitie, nor yet by any maner of temptation, departe from god, forsomuch as he can (as the apostle witnesseth so woorke: that he shall not suffer them to be tempted more, and aboue that thei are able for to beare.

The ix. Chapter

[Page] I Wold say also y ^• god my­ghte, Of this he spake large­ly in his firste booke. & it had ben his plea­sur (forsomu­che as he kne­we befor that they would syn) haue taken theim forth of this lyfe, before they had committed any sin. But what shal we medel w ^tthis matter any more? What nede we dyspute againe of this thinge, or labor to shewe how greate absurditie it is to be sayde, that god doth iuge mē, whiche are dead, accordīg to their syns which they wuld haue commytted: if thei had lyued longer tyme. It doth so much abhorre anye mans ea [...]se to hear it spoken (much more a chri­stian mans eares) y ^• I am ashamed to spend ani more time in writing agenst it. Thē must we say y ^t y ^e gos­pel which hath bē declared & opened [Page] greate labours, & paynes and byt­ter sufferings of the saynes, hathe byn taught, and preched in vayn, if that men myght, be iudged w ^t ­out any hearing of the euangill, according to the proude, and hed­dy stobernis, which god knew be­fore certainly, that they wold haue if they had lyued tyl it had bynne preached vnto them. By that rea­son, Tyrus, and Sydon, sholde not haue byn condēned (although they are more gently delt with all, than those cyttes, where our lorde wroughte his myracles, and yet was not beleued. For if those my­racles, had byn wrought in those cyttes as theye were in the other, they had done penaunce sitting in ashes, and sakcloth (as the scrip­tur doth testefye) in the which wordes the lorde declared to vs, the secret mystery of predestination.

[Page] If it shold be demanded of vs, for what cause so great and many miracles, wer wrought among them, which miracles (for al y ^• they sawe them done before their eyes) wold not beleue, or rather, wherfore they wer not wrought among thē whi­che wold haue beleued, if thei had sen them? What shal we answere therto? Shal we saye, as I sayd in a certaine boke, wherin I made answere to syr questions, whiche y ^• Paganse dyd put vnto me, nothīg preiudicating by myne answer the causses of predestination, whiche causses wyse and sober men maye serche out? I dyd answer, as ye do know wel, what tyme they demaū ded of me the cause, why it was so longe or Christe came, that at thos tymes and in those places, wher & when his gospel was not prechyd he knew before, that al they at his [Page] chinge should be founde suche, as were many at the time of his being here in his corporal presence, which wolde not beleue in him, yea, when he dyd rayse vp the deade, forth of their graue, giuinge lyfe agayn to them, whiche had lost it. Lykewise in the selfe same boke, a littel after I did say, about the same question, what meruayle is it (said I) if that Christ, when he knew before, howe ful of vnfaithful people, the world wold be in those ages, woulde not that his euangell shoulde be prea­ched vnto them, and that worthely, whom he knew before, wold not be leue, neither, that which he woulde speake, or worke. Thus much tru­ly, we cā not say of Tirus, & Sidon & yet in them we do know, & fynd, that the iugementes of god, do pertain to y ^e causes of predestination. Whiche causes, beynge secrete, and hydde, I sayde then, shoulde [Page] should remayne, as they were, no­thyng preiudicated by my answer. For a man may easly, put the fault therof, in the infidelite of the Iews (which infidelitie doth come of fre wyll) which Iewes, This is the fayre flower of oure free wyll. I say, after soo manye, and soo greate miracles wrought, yet wolde not beleue.

For the which infidelitie, the Lord rebuked them sayinge: Wo be to y ^e Corola [...]m, and Bethsaida, for if thos vertues, had ben shewed & [...]one in Tyre and Sydon, whi­che haue ben in you, they wold lōg ago haue repented them, sitting in ash [...]s▪ and [...]acke clothe. But canne [...] say now, that the people of Ti­rus, & Sydon did not beleue, when suche myracles were wroughte a­mong them, or that if ther had ben wrought that they would not ha­ue beleued then? The lorde hym selfe doth wytnes, that they wolde [Page] haue taken great repentaunce, w ^t all lowlynes, & humilitie, yf these tokens of the heuenly power, had byn shewed amonge them, and yet for all that, they shall be ponyshed at the day of iudgement, although not so greuously as the other citi­es, whiche woulde not beleue, whē they saw thē wrought before their face. After this the lord sayth. But I say to you. Tyrus and Sydon shall be more easely entreated, at y ^e day of iudgement, than they shal. It foloweth thē, y ^• these cities shall be more sharpely ponished, and the other more gentilly, & yet thei shal be both ponished. But after al thes words, He throwe [...] them downe with the [...] owne argumente. if dead men are iudged ac­cording to y ^e works & dedes, which they wolde haue wrought, if they had lyued, then truelye the people of Tyrus, and Sidon, which wold haue beleued, if the myracles had [Page] ben wrought among them, and the gospel preached, shal not be ponys­shed. But thei shall be ponyshed:

Then it is false, that men (as they do say) are iudged accordinge to the workes, which they wold haue done, if they had had lenger respete to lyue.

Yf this be false, then can they not laye, New cōmeth [...] [...]o the matter of infan­tes, whiche reade with iudgemente. as touchynge infantes, which do perish, departing without bap­tyme, that they do deserue iustly to perysh, bycause god knewe before, that if they had lenger lyued, & the gospel also preached vnto theim, thei woulde not beleue. It doothe therfore follow, that they are only [...]as [...]e bounde with originall synne, and for that onely, they do go into condemnation. For we doo see, the other yong chyldern, which ar in al one sta [...]e & condition, that they are none otherwise forgeuen, than by [Page] the grace of god, in their regenera­tion, and that by his secrete, & iuste iudgement. For there is none vn­rightwisenes with god. Some mē also we do se, which after their baptyme, thorow their yll lyuing haue peryshed, whiche haue ben kepte styll in this lyfe, tyll they haue soo offended, that thei do perysh, whi­che sholde not haue perished, if the death of the bodye had preuented their fal. For no dead man is iud­ged after the good or bad workes whiche he woulde haue done, yf he had lyued longer tyme. For if that were true▪ then the people of Ty­rus and Sydon shuld not be punished▪ for that they haue doone, but rather shoulde haue obteyned sal­uation, for that which they would haue doone, beleuyng in CHRI­STE, yf the myracles and [Page] and vertues had ben done in thē, whiche were done in the other citi­es.

The .x. Chapter.

A Certain catholi­ke doctor, He recyteth a certain do­ctors mynde, whiche he derideth as folysh. a man of no smal name, dooth expounde this place of the scripture, after this wyse, saying, that God knew before that the Tirians, and Sy­donites, wold depart agayn from the faith, after they shoulde haue once receiued it thorowe the wor­kynge of myracles, and preaching of the gospell. And for that cause (sayde he) god hauynge pitie & cō passion ouer them, wuld not work his myracles, and shewe his doc­trine among thē, becaus they shuld [Page] deserue greater punysshmente, if they had forsaken that faith, whi­che thei had once r [...]ceiued, than yf thei had neuer beleued. What ne­deth me to tel, what things may be noted, & gathered oute of this sub­tyl wyse mans saying, sith that his owne saying, (as he dooth speake the words) doth make for our purpose. For if god moued with com­passion, and pittie, dyd not worke his wonders among them, where­by thei mightbe made faithful, lest they wuld offend more greuously, whē they shold afterward forsake it again, because he knew before, they wold forsake their saith, after thei had receiued it: by that reason is it openly declared, that no man is iudged for those d [...]edes, whiche god knewe before he woulde haue wrought afterward, if he be taken away before he doth them, or some otherwais is holpen, tha [...] he dothe [Page] not commyt any such offences, as Christ dyd help the Tyryans & y ^• Sydonits, if y ^t expositiō be treue, whō he had rather shold not com to the fayth, thā they afterward w ^t a greater offence shoulde forsake it, which thing, he knew before thei wold do, if they had once com to it. But yf you wyl saye againe vnto me, for what cause dyd he not so worke that they might beleue, and that they myght also be taken out of thys lyfe, before they shold falle from the fayth, which they had re­ceuyd, I knowe not what answer to make therto. For he which doth say, y ^t thei which wold forsake ther faith, had this benefit graunted, & giuen vnto thē, that thei shold not haue y ^• thing, which they wold w ^t greater impietie▪ & wickednes, to their iudgement cast away, from thē, & so lease it again, y ^• same man, which so doth say cōfesseth, & declareth [Page] plaīly y ^• a mā is not iuged for any thing, which according to y ^e forknolege of god, he wold haue don, if he had on way or other bin pre­uented, y ^• it is not don. Yt foloweth then: y ^t that mā was prouided for & holpen of whō the scripture spea­keth saying: He was taken awaye &c. But peraduenture, y ^esame expo­sytor, wyl say agayn to me, Wher­fore then, wer not y ^e mē of Tyrus, & Sidō prouided for, after that same maner, that thei mighte beleue, & so be taken out of this life lest malice shold alter their mīd. Truli as to­ching this matter, I think it suffy­ciēt, y ^t after his own wordes, & saing I haue prouyd, y ^t mē ▪ ar not iudged for ani thinge, which the [...]e haue not don, although y ^• forknoledg of god knew that thei wold do it if theye had lengar lyued. For as I sayd before (although it is shame to spend any longe tymme in wryghtinge [Page] against this opynion, that men at iudged for those dedes, which thei ar knowen before that they wolde do, if they myght haue space of life to do thē, yet because we sholde in no wyse apere, and seme to beare with it or any thinge alow it, we thought it more convenyent and bettre, with thys dysputation to pluke it in, and to stey it, from go­yng, and growing farther abrod, than to let it palse vnspoken of.

The .xi. Chapter

ANd therfor (as the Apostell doth saye) it is not in him whiche willeth nor in hym whiche roneth, but in god, whiche taketh mercy, whiche [Page] doth prouyd for yonge chyldren, acording to his own wyl and pleasure, for whome he wyl, which yōg chyldren do nether wyll nor roon, whom he hath chosen in Chryst, before the foundacion of the world, gyuing also hys grace to thē frely without any of ther deseruinge, or merites preceding his grace, ether of ther fayth, or of workes. And as toching those, which are of age although he doth knowe, that thei wolde beleue, yf myracles, were wrought among them, yet whom he wyl not, them he doth not helpe, of whom in his predestinatiō whiche is vnknowen & hid vnto vs, he hath otherwyse determined and iudged, & that iustly. For there is none vnryghtwysnes with god. Hys iudgements ar inscrutable, & hys wayes vnable to be serchyd & found out. For al the waies of the [Page] lorde, are mercy, & veryte, Then is his mercy inuestigable by y ^• which he hath mercy on whom him plea­seth, w ^tout any of ther merytts or deseruīges, for the which he shold rewarde them agayn. And this veryte is inuestigable, by y ^• which he dothe obdurat, and harden whom hym pleaseth, and that thorow the meryts, and deseruing of thē whi­che are so obdurated, whiche are the merits, and deseruing also of them, of whom he taketh mercy as wel as of them, whome he hath hardenyd. As by example we do find in Iacob, and Esau, the on being takeng to mercy, Oure merits & deseruing to goo warde are all one of goodnes the other not, and yet as ther merytts, & deseruinges were all one▪ so was not there end. Of the whiche twayn, he one of them, was delyuered by the good­nis of god: that other was cōdem­nyd by the iustyce & rightwysnes of god. Shal we say, y ^• god is not [Page] iuste? God forbid. But his ways ar inuestigable. And therfor ī thos, which are sauyd, let vs beleue the mercy of god, and in those whiche are condemned let vs beleue the ryghtwysnes of god. w ^tout anye doubtinge. Nether let vs reasone after those thinges, which are not able to be answered, nor serch after that, whiche can not be found out For out of the mouth of infantes, and yong lukkinge chyldren doth he set forth his prayse, that that thing, which we do se in these, beīg saued, which had no meryts, wher with thy might deserue saluation, and in those which are condemnid by the merits of origynal synne, preceding there condemnation, we shold not doubt, but it is also the very lyke in those which ar of age. That is to say, that we shold not think, that ani man doth first ani works, wherby, he obteineth salua [Page] nor yet, that any man is damnyd, without his own meryts, whither ther causes ar al one, or diuers (as I haue sayde before) that he whi­che doth stand, maye take hede, he doth not fal, and he whiche reioy­seth, may reioyse in the lorde, & not in him selfe.

But what is the matter, that these men, whiche do holde with vs a­gainst the Pelagians, as tochinge original syn, which syn, by one mā enterid into the worlde, and by on man, al men, are gon into condem­nation▪ wherfore wyll theye not graunt, that the cause of saluatiō and damnation, which is in yonge chyldren, sholde not be compared, and lykened, vnto the cause, which is in persons of more age. This thinge the Manaches also do not vnderstond, which do not only set lyghte by the testimonies of y ^• olde [Page] testament, but also those scriptur [...] whiche are of the new testamente▪ (as though they had a priuiledge to do with them, what thei wolde) they do abuse at their own plesur. For they wyl take, & forsake, what them lysteth, as they shal appeare to make or marre for, or agaynste their pourpose, alowing or disalo­winge them. Agenst those Mana­ches. I dyd wryte in the bookes, whiche I wrote vpon fre wyll, out of the whiche bokes, these men do take hold agenst me. And wher as in the sayde bokes, many greate and weighty questions cam in the waye, besyde the principal matter, I wold not dyscusse them exactly, nor go thorough with them, least the work shuld haue ben to great, and specially, because I sawe, that the authoritie of the holy scriptu­res, dyd preuayl nothyng, agenst [Page] such peruerst & vngodly persons. And yet I myghte (as I dyde al­thoughe I dyd not expresly and plainly determyne the verytie of euery on of those matters) after a certayn fashyon conclud that god is in al thinges to be praysed, with out any necessyte, that I shold be­leue (as they wold haue vs) that there ar two substances coeternal both to gyther, of good, and euyll, in god.

To be short, in my fyrst boke of re­tractations, which worke ye haue not yet red, when I cam to retract those boks, whiche I dyd wryght vpon frewyl I, spake after thys wyse. In these bokes (sayde I), are dysputed so manye matters, that many questions do com betwene, which questions, ether bycause I coulde not dyscusse to the vtter­moste, or els bycause at this tyme [Page] they do requyre lengar space and more busines, I wyll so put them of tyl an other tym, that what part so euer ye do consyder, of thos que­stions, wher as I could not fynde the truthe out, yet my reasoninge dyd so conclud, that, whyther this, or that parte were the trueth, or in which soeuer of them it did lie hid, The begynnyng of euill commeth of fre wyll. god was alwaye beleued, at the lest, he was declared, in al thinges to be praysed. For truly I toke y ^e dysputatiō in hand bycause of thē which do denye that the originall, and beginning of oure euel, com­myth of fre wyl, which also do ear­nystly hould, & defende, that god being the maker of al naturs, The Mana­ches errour. is to be blamed, entēding according to ther wycked error (I do mean the Manaches) to introduce, and brīg in this [...]oulle error, that there is in god a certayn natur of euyl, which [Page] is immutable, coeternall, & euerla­stinge with him. And a litel after in an other place, I said these words. I dyd speake (saide I) of the mise­ry, which synnars most rightwisly susteyne, (rom the whiche men are delyuered, by the grace of god. For man can fall by him selfe, that is to saye, by his own frewill, so can he not ryse vp again. Vnto the which misery of iust damnation, Ignoraunce & blyndnes of harte are borne and brought with us, into thys Worlde. ignorāce & hardnes of hart do pertayn, whi­che diseases, al mankinde hath, euē from the begynning of his byrth. And from this euyll, no man is de­lyuered, but by the grace of god.

This misery of blyndnes, & hard­nes, the pelagians do denye for to com [...], & procede of iust damnation. For thei do denie originall synne, And as touchynge ygnoraunce, & hardnes of hart, yf they wer nothīg els, but the natural begynnyng of [Page] man▪ yet god is not to be blamed, but to be praysed, according to my disputatiō, in that same third boke whiche disputation, shulde be had agenst y ^e Manaches, which do not vnderstond the scripturs of the old testament, by the whiche, originall synne is declared and taught. And what soeuer is redde therof in the writinges of the Apostels, they do saye, with a detestable, and shame­les bouldnes, that those their wry­tynges are depraued, and corrup­ted, of syche, as haue thrust such sē ­tences into their writynges, as thoughe the apostell dyd not speke and write all those wordes, whiche are found in their writinges.

But agenst the Pelagiās, we must defende, that there is original syn, which the scripturs, both olde, and new, do confirme. And yet thei say that they do professe, & hould with the scriptures, as well as we. [Page] These wordes did I speake in my first boke of retractation, when I did cal in, those bookes, whiche I made of fre wyll.

And beside these wordes whiche I haue rehersed, Augustine retractethe his bokes of free wyll. I did speak mich more, as touching those bookes of frewyll, which I thought to longe to reherse in this work, and not ne­cessary, as ye wyll (I knowe well) saye, when ye haue red them all.

Therfore althoughe in the thyrde boke, which I wrote vpon fre wyl, our disputation was such, as tou­ching yong children, that although it were true, that the Pelagiās do say, that ignorance, & hardnes (w ^t ­out the which no man is born into this world) are but the natural be­gynnyngs, of euery man, & not ra­ther the ponishment of natur, yet y ^• Manaches, should be ouercome, & put to silence, whiche do hold, that [Page] ther ar in god two natures, that is to say, of good, & euyl, from before the begynnyng coeternal. But al­though that were trewe, that igno­raūce and hardnes, are but the na­turall beginninge of humayne na­ture, and not the punysshmente, or pain of that same nature (as it is in dede) should therfore our fayth, which the catholyke church dothe defend, against the Pelagians, be forsaken, Ignoraunce and hardnes is the payne iuged to the nature of man, for his fyrst fall. or doubted of, which doth holde, that there is original synne: the gylte, or faute where of, beinge got to vs, by our first generation, can none otherwise be losed, but by the seconde byrth, which is our re­geration? And therfore if these our brethren doo confesse that same (as we do) for to be true▪ that we & they both together, may destroy y ^• error of the Pelagians, wherfore sholde thei doubt, but that god doth pluk [Page] yonge chyldren (to whome he doth giue his grace, by the sacrament of baptime) from the poure of darke­nes, transportynge them, into the kyngdome of the brightnes of his son? Therfore in that he doth gyue his grace to some, and to some not, wherfore do they not therin, synge laude, and praise to the mercy and iudgement of the lorde. But whye he dothe gyue it to one more than to an other, who knoweth the mind of the lorde? Who is able to serche his inscrutable iugments? Who is able to seke out his ways, which ar inuestigable?

The .xii. Chapter

IT is thē sufficiētly proued y ^t y ^e grace of god is not gyuen after the merits of thē, but after y ^e pleasure of his wyll, to [Page] the praise, & glory of his grace, that he, which doth reioyse, may reioyce: not in him selfe, but in the lorde, which doth gyue his grace, to whō it pleaseth hym because he is mer­ciful. And although, that he wolde not gyue it, yet: were he not there­fore vniust. Also he doth giue it to none, but to whome it is his wyll to geue it, that he may make kno­wen the ryches of his glorye vpon the vessels of mercye. Grace is not in his righte kind, except it come frely. For in that he doth geue it to some, whiche do not deserue, therin he wil shew his grace to be fre, without deseruyng▪ & so to be grace in the right kinde. And again in that he doth not giue his grace to al men, he doth declare what al mē do deserue. He is good in his liberalitie towarde some, he is iuste in takynge punyshment v­pon the other: and yet he is good in all thinge. For it is a good [Page] thinge when that deuty & right is payde. And he is iust in all thinge. For it is a iust thinge, when that y ^• deutye, and right is payd, without doinge wronge to anye man. But we do hold, & defend, that the grace of god is geuen withoute meryts. And that is in dede, the ryght, and true grace. And althoughe it were true, as the pelagians do say, that yong chyldrē which ar taken out of this lyfe after thei are baptysed, are not deliuered & pluckt away from the power of darknes, because thei had no synne in them, wherof they shulde be gyltie (as they do think) but y ^t they ar no more but transpo­sed, The pelagi­ans do deny original syn in yong chyldren. & takē out of this lyfe, into the kyngdome of the lorde, yea & so it is graunted, that the kingdome of god is gyuen frely, withoute anye merits, or good workes, & to whō it is not giuen, it is not w ^tout their [Page] euyll merits: that they haue it not. And thus do we make aunswer, a­genste the Pelagians, when they do obiect vnto vs, castyng vs in y ^• teth, that we do attribute: & ascribe grace vnto desteny, because we say that it is not gyuen after oure me­rits. But they rather do make the grace of god in yonge children to be destenye, whiche do saye, that wher as no merit, or deseruing is, there is destenye. For accordynge to the saying of the pelagians, ther can be found no merits in younge chyldren, for the which, some of thē are sent vp to heauen, and som shit forth from thens. And lykewise, as I haue declared, and proued now, that the grace of god is not giuen after any merit (whiche thinge I thought good to proue, as well by their own wordes, & sayinges, as by our iudgements & mindes, that [Page] is by our opinion, The pelagi­ans do call o­riginall syn, nothynge els but a natural infirmitie & weakenes. which do hould that yonge children ar born in original syn, and by theirs, which do deny, y ^• there is original syn. And yet, for all that we haue made our matter good, and prouid it trew bi ther owne saying, we muste in no wyse doubte, but that yonge chyl­dren haue in them that whiche he must forgeue to them, which doth saue his people from ther synnes. Euen so, was I fayn in the thyrde boke, whiche I dyd wright on fre­wyl, to resyst the Manaches with ther owne sayings, as well, as w ^t oure demonstrations & proffes a­bout that question, whyther ignorance & hardnes of harte were the ponyshment of oure nature, com­ming of iuste damnatyō (as we do saye) or ells, as thei do say, nothing other, than naturali infyrmitie & weaknes perteinīg naturally to al [Page] men (for no man is borne without them, or naye. And yet I am not of there mynd. And also in y ^t same boke I proued suffycyently y ^t ignorance, & hardnes of harte, ar not y ^e natural beginnyngs of man, as he was fyrst instituted & made, but y ^t it is the playn ponyshment of mā whiche is condemnyd. Therfore they do labor in vaine, in y ^t thei do go about to bring y ^t my bok (which I wrot a greate whyle ago) nowe against me, that I shold not nowe dispute the cause of yong chyldern as I ought to do, and so to proue euydently (that al men maye se, & perceue the truth) that the grace of god is not gyuē for the meryts of men.

For, and if, what tyme I dyd be­gynne fyrst to wryght thos bokes which I dyd wryght vpō fre wyll [Page] being at Rome, whē I was a tem­poral man, & endyd them in Afrik, after I was prest, I had byn (as they do say) in doubt, as tochinge the condemnation of infants, not regeneratyd, yet I do think no mā to be so vniust, but he could be content, y ^• I shold amend & increase in knolege, rather thā to contynue al­waye in doubt. But yet if it hadde pleased them, they myght haue vnderstod the matter other wyse: that I dyd not then doubt therof, as­though I had doubted in ded, but bycause I thought that waie best to ouercome the aduersarys, that whyther ignoraunce, and hardnes of heart were the ponysshmente of the original syn, which is in chyl­dren (as the truth is) or not, as many being out of the right waye do suppose, yet for al that, the error of the manaches, could not make vs [Page] to beleue, that there is a myxture of two contrary naturs in god, of good & euyl. God forbyd we shold be so negligent, in the cause of yōg chyldren, that we shold doubt whither those chyldren, which do dye after thei be regeneratid, do depare to eternal saluation, and they whi­che are not, to the second deth. For that same scripture (by on mā syn enteryd into the worlde, & by sinne death, and so into al men) can non otherwyse be vnderstonded. And also, from eternal death, whiche is most worthely rewarded for syn: no man, olde, or yong, can be deli­uered, except he, whiche suffered death for to forgeue both our ori­ginal, and oure owne syn also (ha­uing in him self no maner of syn) doth delyuer vs. But wherfore he doth deliuer som, more thā som, I haue tould you diuerse tyms, & [Page] yet wyl tel the agayne. Romanos. ix O thou mā what are thou, which wylt reason with god? Hys iugments ar inscrutable, & hys ways ar inuestigable. And more, than that, I wyll saye vnto the▪ Serche not for thos thin­ges which do excede thy capacyte, and such thinges as are myghtiar, & stronger, thā thy selfe, m [...]del not with them. Do ye not se, how foul an heresy it is, & how farre from y ^• purnes of our faythe, to hold opy­nyon, that yong chyldren whē thei do depart hens, do receue ther iudgment, acording to those workes, which god knewe before that thei wold do, if they had lyued, any lenger tyme on the yerth? Into this error, (which, al men hauing any reason in the worlde, & specially those whiche haue professed Christe, do abhore) ar they constreyned to fall in, which haue so forsaken the pe­lagiās errors, y ^t yet they do think it [Page] necessary to be beleued, yea and w ^t dysputation to be defended, y ^t the grace of god, thorow Chryst Iesu (by the which only, after the fal of our fyrst parent we are holpen), is rewarded after oure merytts and deseruinges. Whiche error Pela­gyan him selfe did improue, and condēne before y ^• byshops of y ^• east cōtry, whē they dyd sit in iudgmēt vpō him for fear lest he shold haue bin condēned of them if he had not. But if this their opiniō is not tru, nor to be spoken, as concernynge y ^• workes of them whiche be deade, whiche workes they wolde haue done, if they had liued, good or bad (& by that reason, beyng no works at al, bicause thei were in the fore­knowledge of god, y ^• thei shuld neuer be) if this then I say ought not to be spoken (which you se how er­ronyous it is to be saide) what els dothe folowe, but that the grace [Page] of god is not geuen after our me­rits, & that we shuld so (without a­ny further darke reasoninge there­on) confes it, as the catholike chur­che doth defend it to be, agenst the heresy of y ^• pelagians, which thing we do fynde most euydent, & open in yonge infantes. For god is not constreined to helpe some chyldren more than some, by any destine, for somuch, as their cause, & matter is al one, By the pro­uidence of god all is ordeined & gouerned, not by destenye. the one no better than the other. Nor yet must we thinke that the worlde is gouerned, by thinges, which do com by chaunce, or by a natural māer of proceding of things here in this world, but by y ^• prouydēce of god, forsomuch as al reasōable souls must ether be sauid or dānyd, & also not so much as a lyghtel sparow can fal doune to the ground, with out the wyl of oure father, whiche is in heauen. [Page] Or ells the neglygence of the pa­rents shold be blamid, being im­puted to ther faut, that ther childrē do depart without baptim, so that by this reason, the iudgmente of god herin sholde haue nothinge to do, as thoughe thos children, which do departe in so euel a state, had chosen to them selfe by there own wyll suche neglygente parentes of whom they shold come.

What nede haue I to tel you, how that often tyms, a yong chylde, be­fore he can be baptised, dothe dye? Yea & often tyms the parents, ma­king neuer so much hast, that the childe myghte be christened, yet y ^• wyl of god was not, that it sholde come to the fountaine of regenera­tion, whiche did not kepe y ^• chylde in the worlde so long that it might come. Yea & also we do se, that the chyldren of those, which ar vnfaithful, [Page] haue bynne kepte alyue tyl the tym, that they haue com to baptim and the children of the faythfull haue not. In this poynt treuly is declared, that god doth not accept on person more than another. For if he were an acceptor of persons, be wold rather delyuer the childrē of thos, which at his worshippars than of thos which at his enmies.

The xiii. Chapter

BVt nowe forso­muche as we do reason & dispute of the gift of per­seuerance to the ende, what is the matter▪ that the chylde which de­parteth without baptyme, is not baptysed before he departeth? And agayn, what is y ^e cause, y ^t he, which is baptysed, and wyl fale after his [Page] baptyme, is not taken oute of this lyfe, before he doth fal? Except we wyll stond styl in that inconveni­ence, y ^t we wyl saye, it proffetethe a man nothing to be taken oute of thys lyfe, before he doth fal, forso­much, as he shal be iudged (as they saye) according to the deds which god knewe before, that he wold do if he had lyued ani lengar tyme. What man can paciently abyd to hear this deuelish madnes, Into what blynd errors the opiniō of merits, doth bringe men. which is so much against our fayth? And yet, they are constrained so to saye, which are of that opinion, y ^t grace is gyuen acording to our merits. For they whiche wyl contend and hould that euery man, which dieth is iudged acording to thos works which god knew that he wolde do if he had bin sufferid to haue liued lengar time, if they wold (I say) cō ­syder how falsly and vntruly, thei [Page] do speake, they shal haue no cause to affyrme that, whiche Pelagian hathe condemnyd, which error the church caused hym to denye, that y ^• grace of god, is gyuen after oure merits, syth that they do se somme chyldren, not beinge regenerated goinge to condemnation, & som which ar regenerated, to eternall lyfe. And agayn, syth that they do perceue, & se, that of those which ar regenerated, som do perseuer to y ^• end, & so do departe hense, & som a­gayne after ther regeneration, are kept in this world tyl they do fall, & then in that fall they do departe, whiche sholde not haue fallen if they had byn taken from this pre­seu [...] lyfe, before that they dyd fall, and also, that some, after they are fallen do not depart hens, tyl they com into the waye agayn, whiche wyth out doubt sholde peryshe, if [Page] they had dyed before they did re­pente and amend. By the whiche thinge it is manyfestlye declared vnto vs, that the grace of god (by the which grace, we do both begin to do well, and also continewe to y ^• end) is not gyuen after our merits but it is gyuen to vs frely, after his most iuste, lyberal & wyse wyl & pleasure, bycause whom he hath predestined, them also hath he cal­led, with that vocation, wherof it is wrytten, and sayd (The gyftes & vocation of god, ar without re­pentance) vnto the which vocatiō no man can tell, what man dothe perteyne, so longe as he is in thys worlde, but when he departethe from hence. Therfore in thys lyfe which is nothinge but temtation vpon the yerth, he which thinketh hym selfe to stand▪ let hym take hede he doth not fall. And for this [Page] cause (as I haue sayd before) those persons, For what cause hathe god myxt the wycked amonge the godly which shal not perseuer & contynew to the ende, are myxt a­mong those which shal contynew: which thinges done by the moste wyse & prouydent counsel of god, that we maye lerne not to be highe in oure own wysdom, but that we may consenting to those, which ar lowly in spyrite, worke with feare and trembeling our owne helthe, For God is he, which doth worke both the wyl, and also the ded, and worke of the wyl. It is expedient and proffytable for vs, both to say so, and to beleue so. This is godli: this is trewe: that we maye make an humble, and a lowly confession that al the whole, withoute reser­uing ani part therof vnto vs, mai be gyuen, and ascribed to god. For we do fyrst thinke & afterward beleue, we do fyrst think & afterward [Page] speke, we do fyrst thinke & after­warde work, and do what we do. And as toching the right and treu waye of godly liuing & y ^e true ser­uyce, and worshypping of god we are not able to thinke any thinge of oure selfe, Oure hartes & thoughte [...] ar not in our power. as of our selfe, but al oure sufficyenci, and al our habel­nes is of god. For our harts, and our thoughts, are not in our own powr. And therfore saynt Ambros doth saye, what man is so blessed, whiche dothe continualy assend & ryse alwaye in his harte. But how can this thing be don, without the help of god? By nomeans forsoth. Forthermore, the sayd godly man speking and treating vpō the said scripture alledged these words of the psalmyst, which ar, That man is blessed, Psal. lxxxiii whose helpe is from the O lorde, and whose assendynge, and rysynge vppe in harte, is of [Page] the [...]. The cause wherfore he sayde so, he dyd not only fynde, in the ho­ly scripture, but he felte it, in his own hart. Therfore, those wordes, whiche are spoken by the minister, at the time of the ministration of y ^• sacrament, commaunding vs, that we should lift vp our hartes vnto god, that very same thing, which is (to lyfte vp our hartes to god) is the gift of god, for the which gifte▪ they are admonished of the preiste, to geue thākes vnto god, to whose wordes▪ they do make aunswere, & say (it is worthy, and righte, that it be so). Forsomuch therfore, as our hartes, are not in our owne poure, but are lyfte vp by the help of god that they maye assend, & ryse vp, & so vnderstond, & be wise in heauen­ly thinges, Colos. iii. where Christ is, sitting on the right hand of the father, & not in yearthly and worldlye thyn­ges, [Page] who doth deserue to haue thā ­kes for that same, but he only whiche doth the thinge, our lorde god, whiche by so great his benefits, delyueryng vs, hath chosen vs from the bottom of this worlde, & prede­stened vs, before the foundacion of the worlde was layde.

The .xiiii Chapter.

BVt they do saye, y ^t the declaration & openinge of the matter of pred [...]stination, Obiection. is a thing whiche hyndereth & is much against the right order of preachi [...]ge. Aunswer. As though the pre­ching and teaching of the Apostel was let, & hyndered therby. Dyd not the doctor & maister of the gen­tyls, faythfully, and truely, manye [Page] tymes commend, By the tea­ching of tha­postel he proueth the doctrine of pre­destination to be byd. & praise predesti­nation, and yet ceassed not to prech and teach the word of god? I pray you, because he saide, that god is y ^• worker in vs, both of the wyl, and of the worke also, according to hys owne good wyll, dyd he therefore not exhort them (to whom he spake those wordes) that they shuld both wyll, and desyre, yea and to worke those thinges, which ar acceptable & pleasaunt vnto god? Or els, by­cause he said, that he, whiche began that good worke in you, wyll alsoo perfourme it, & bringe it to an end in you, euen tyll the daye of oure lorde Iesu Christ, did he not for al that, exhorte, and counsel men, both to the begynnynge and to the con­tinuance therein to the ende? The lorde also hym selfe commaunded men to beleue, saying: If ye do be­leue in god, then beleue in me. Yet [Page] that same sentence was not false, nor the definition therof, vnprofy­table, whiche the same lorde, spake also, sayinge: No man commeth to me, that is to saye, no man beleueth in me, but to whom it is geuen of my father. And againe, it doth not folowe, because this diffinition is true, that therfore the commaunde mente, that they should beleue, is voyde or vnprofitable.

For what cause then, should we thinke, that the openinge of prede­stination, shulde be the cause, that men myghte not preache and teach and in preachinge, commaund, ex­horte, reproue, yea, and correcte, whiche thinges are muche vsed in the scripture, wherin predestinatiō is commēded, & set forth vnto vs? As there any man so bolde, whiche wyl saye, that god did not knowe [Page] before, to whome he woulde gyue the gyft, to beleue? Or ells, that he knewe not before, what they were, whom he would giue to his sonne, of whō he shuld lease none? Which thinges, if god knewe before, he knew also before, those his benefi­tes, by the which benefites, he doth vouchsafe to delyuer them. What is pre­destination.

This predestination of saintes, is nothinge elles but a foreknow­lege, and a preparation, of the be­nefits of god, by the whiche bene­fites, al men are saued, which haue & shall obteine saluacion. Al other besyde these, in what case are they [...] & wher are they left, but in the dow of perdition, and that by the moste iuste, & right iugement of god. In that same state & condition, were y ^• people of Tyrus and Sidon left, whiche might also haue beleued, if they had seene those greate sygnes [Page] & miracles of Christe: whiche he wrought. But bycause it was not gyuen to theim, The cause why the people of Tire & Sydō, did not beleue. that they shoulde beleue: the sygnes & tokens, wher­by they myght haue ben broughte to beleif, were withdrawen, & kepte awaye from them, & denied them. By this a man may perceaue, that many men, naturally, haue such an heuenly gyft of vnderstandinge, y ^t they maye thereby, be moued to the faith▪ if eyther they be taughte by wordes, or elles do s [...] sygnes, & to­kens, accordinge to the disposition of their minds. And yet for al that yf they be not, by the profounde, & depe iugemente of god, thoroughe the predestination of grace, separated from the dow of perdition, they are suffered nether to hear the wordes, nor to se the meruellouse workes, wherby thei myght be broght to faythe, yea, nor yet they cannot [Page] beleue, although, thei did both here and se them. In that state of perdition, were the Iewes lefte, whiche coulde not beleue the great works and wonderous vertues, whiche thei saw wrought before ther eyes. The cause wherfore thei could not beleue, the euangill doth not hyde from vs, sayinge (when he hadde wrought so great wonders & syg­nes, among them, they beleuyd not in hym, that the saying of Esay the prophet, myght be fulfylled, which he spake sayinge, (who hath gyuē credyt and beleif, to that which we haue harde? Or to whome is the arme of the lorde knowen? And therfore they coulde not beleue, for Esay sayd more [...]He hathe shyt vp their eyes, & hardened their hartes, that they shoulde not se with their eyes, nor vnderstande with theyr hartes, & conuert, & be healed.

[Page] The eyen, & hartes of the people of Tyrus & Sydon, were not shyt vp, and hardened after such a fashion, for they woulde haue beleued, if they had seene the sygnes, & wonders, whiche these men dyd se:

But it profyted them nothyng, that they coulde haue beleued, bicause they weare not predeste­ned of hym, whose iugementes are inscrutable: & whose waies are not to be serched out. And again it sh­ulde not haue hyndered thother, y ^t they coulde not beleue, if they had ben so predestened, that god would lyghten their eyes which were blinded, & molefy y ^e stony hartes of thē which were hardened. But as tou­ching that, which the lord spake, of y ^e Tirians & the Sidonites, it mai peraduenture some otherwayes be taken & vnderstanded. But y ^t now [Page] no man dothe come to Christe, but to whome it is geuen, & that it is gyuen to them, which ar elected in him, It profeteth small to here with thy fleshly eares, yf the eares of thy soule be stop [...]. before the foundacion of the world, euerye man doubtles, wyll confes, which with their flesshely eares, do heare the worde of god, what he dooth saye therein, yf the eares of their harts be not stopped and made deaffe. And yet this pre­destination, whiche is set forth opē ly, by the wordes of the gospel, did not hynder, & let the lorde to coun­sel and exhorte men to begyn to do well, when he saide, yf ye do beleue in god beleue in me. Nor yet, when he exhorted theym to the perseue­raunce in that faith, in commaun­dynge them alwaye to praye, and neuer to fayle.

Those persons to whom it is giuē to both heare the wordes, & work therafter. But they, to whome it is [Page] not gyuen, whyther they do heare or here not, do worke not a whytt the more. For to you it is gyuen (sayth he) to know the mysteries & secretes of the kyngdom of god, but to them it is not gyuen. The fyrst parte of this same sayinge of the lorde, perteyneth to mercy and compassion, the latter part therof, perteyneth to the iudgment, and rightwys iustyce of hym, to whom our soule doth saye, He conclu­deth by the example of the doctryne of Christe and of his apostels, that predestination, hindereth nothynge to teachinge of good liuinge I wyl syng & prayse before the, o lord, thy mercy aud iudgment. So nether the pre­ching of fayth, ether to begynn, or to contynew therin, (that they, to whom it is gyuen, maye both hear thos things, whiche they ought to here, and also obeye them in dede working therafter) sholde not be hynderyd by the preachinge and teachinge of predestination. (For how shold they here w ^tout a pre­cher, [Page] nor yet by the preachinge of faith, which teacheth how we shuld begynne to beleue, The effecte and ende of the doctrine of predestinacion. & continue ther in, the teaching of the article of predestination shulde be minished or hyndered, that by the teachinge of the saied predestination, he whiche lyueth faithfully, and obedientlye, shoulde not be proud of his obedy­ence, as though it were of him self, and not the gift of god: but that he which reioyseth may reioyse in the lorde. For, we must be proud of nothinge: forsomuch as nothinge is our owne to be proude of. This thinge the holye father Cyprian dyd perceiue verye well, and was boulde to affirme that same, by the which he taught, and opened most certaine predestination. For if we must be proud of nothing, because nothing is our own, truly no man can be proud of his obedience, and [Page] good lyfe, be it neuer so perfect and stedfaste. Nor yet muste we call it ours, as though it were not giuen to vs of god from aboue. For it is the gift of god, whiche he knew before, that he wuld giue to thē whi­che are called with this vocation, wherof the scripture speaketh say­inge: The gyftes and vocation of god are without repentāce) which thinge is to be confessed of euerye man. This then is the predestina­tion, which we do faithfulli, & with all humblenes preache and teache. And yet he taught pre­destination. And yet for al that, this man was both a preacher and a teacher, and also a worker, whiche beleued in Christ, and lyued stedfastly, in ho­ly obedience, euen tyl the tyme that he suffered his passion for Chryste sake, not therefore ceassynge to preache the ghospell, exhortynge men to fayth and perseueraunce [Page] to the end, bycaus he said, we shold be proud of nothīg, sith y ^• nothing is our own. And in that saying he openyd to vs, the very ryght, and trewe grace of god (that is to say) which is not gyuen after our me­ryts, which grace god knew before that he wold gyue to vs.

In thes words of Cypryā predestination verely is taught, and prea­ched vnto vs, whiche predesti­nation if it dyd not let, and hynder Cypryā, from y ^• preaching of obe­dience, why shold it be any let vn­to vs, but that we may do y ^e same? For although we do say, that obe­dyence is the gyfte of god, yet do we exhort men to the keping of it. But vnto them, whiche do obedi­ently here the exhortation of the veryte, the gyft of god is gyuen, (that is to saye) to here it, and to o­beye [Page] vnto it. And to them which do not heare it after that fashion, y ^• they do not obey it, it is not giuē. For Chryst, whose words ar to be beleued doth say▪ Ihon. vi. (No man com­meth vnto me, but to whome it is gyuen of the father. And to you it is gyuen to knowe the mystery of the kingdom of heuen but to thē it is not gyuē. Mathe. xix. And also, as toching the vertue of continency, and chas­tyte, euerye mā (sayth he) doth not receaue, and take this worde, but they to whome it is gyuen. And also, i. Corint, uii when the Apostel exhorted men to a chaste lyuing in matrymony; I wolde wyshe (sayth he) that all men were as I am, but eueri man hath his proper gyft of god, some on way, some another. In y ^e which place he teacheth, that not only, the chast lyfe, without wedlok, is [Page] the gifte of god, but also that the chaste and honest conuersation of lyfe betwen man and wife in wed­lok, is the veri gift of god. Which thing syth it is trewe, that as well the on as the other is the gyfte of god, we, (for all that it is the gyfte of god) do exhort people thet vnto as much as is gyuen to vs to ex­hort. No man can exhort Well excepte it be giuen to him of god so to do. For, to exhort, is the gyft al­so of god, in whose handes bothe our wordes, and our bodyes are. Whervpon the Apostel spak thes wordes, saying: After the grace which is giuen to me, like to a prudent and a wyse master carpenter, I haue leyd the foundacion. And in an other place, Vnto euery mā (saythe he) as god hath gyuen, I haue planted, and Apollo hathe watered but god hath gyuen the encrease. So, nether he whiche [Page] planteth, nor he, which watereth is any thing, but he, whiche gyuethe the encrease, which is god.

Euen so, lykewyse, as no man pre­cheth & exhorteth wel, but he, whi­che hath receuid the gift of god, so that man dothe obediently heare hym, whiche precheth, and exhor­teth, to whō the gyft of obedience is gyuen. Our obediēt is the gift of god. This is the cause, why the lorde, when he spake to them which had there fleshly ears open hearing his words, said: He that hath ears to heare, let hym heare: Which ears (such as he spake of) he knewe wel ynough, al men had not▪

And of whome theye sholde obteyn those ears (whosoeuer hath them) the lord him selfe shewethe; where he saythe: I wyll gyue to them an harte to knowe me [Page] & eares to heare w ^t. Then, to haue ears to here with, is the gift of obedience, that thei, whiche haue that same gift, may com to hym, to whō no man commeth, but to whom it is gyuē of his father. We therfore do preache, Who hathe eares to here & exhort, & they which haue y ^e eares to heare, do heare vs obediētli. But thei which haue not that same eares, it commeth to pas in them, as it is written, that hea­ringe with their eares, thei doo not hear, that is to saye, hearinge with the ears of the flesshe, not with the agrement, and consent of the hart.

But whye the one hath eares to heare, and the other not (that is to say) wherfore it is geuen to them of the father, to com to the sonne, and to the other not geuen, who kno­weth y ^e mind of the lord? Or what man hath bene of his counsell? Or what art thou, O man, which wylt [Page] aunswer againste god? Shall we therefore denye that thinge to be true, which we manifestly do se, be­cause we cannot comprehend that thinge therof, whiche is hid from vs, I say againe shall we say, that that thing is not true, which we do se w ^t our eyes, bycause we can not fynd the cause, why, and wherfore it is so as it is?

The .xv. Chapter.

BVt thei do saye a­gayne (as ye doo wryt) that no man can be brought to amendmēt of life, yf we shuld speke openly before the congregation, in the hearinge of a multitude after this, wise and say, This, as concer­ninge predestination, is the cer­tayne, determinate, and verye wyll of god, that some of you shall re­ceiue the wyl of obedience, and for­sake [Page] youre infydelyte and come to the faythe, and so-to contynew to the end. And as toching the rest of you, which do abyde styl in the de­lyght and pleasure of syn, for that cause ar you not rysen vp frō your synne, bycause the helpīg grace of mercy & compassion, hath not lift you vp from your synne. How be it if ther be any of you, All these are the wordes of hym whi­che make the [...]obiection. whiche are not yet called, whō hys grace hath predestenid for to be electyd, ye shal hereafter receue y ^e same grace, by the whiche grace, ye also maye haue the wyl to desyre the same, & to be elected. And againe if any of you be now obedient, whiche are predestenid to be forsaken, and to be cast of from grace, the same po­wer which ye haue now to obeye, shal be taken frō you, that ye shall obey no more.

When they do thus spek vnto vs Thaunswer [Page] wherfore sholde we be afrayde to confesse the grace of god, that is to say, which is not gyuen after our meryts? And whye sholde we feare to testefy the predestinatiō of saintes, more thā we ar afrayd to kno­ledge the prescyence, and forekno­ledge of god, as if a man wold say, whither ye do now liue wel, or euel ye shal be afterward suche as god hath you in his foreknoledg to be, when mann doth se hym [...]selfe oute o [...] the lawe o [...] god let hym doubte the [...] worste [...] an [...] hast him that he may be i [...] that waye whiche is of thelectes. that is to say, good, if ye be so for­knowen of hym, or els bad & euil if he hath you in hys forknowlege for to be bad. I pray you, yf a man hearing these words spoken of the prechar wolde giue him selfe from labor to slogishnis, and so to idel­nes and noughty lustes, folowing his owne noughtye and euell con­cupiscencys, and stynkynge desy­res, shoulde we therefore thinke, that, the sayinge, whiche was [Page] spoken of the prescience, and fore­knoweledge of god, were false and vntrue, becaus of his or their leud­nes? Yf god hath them in his fore­knowledge, that they wil be good, shal thei not be good, howe bad so euer they be at this present? Or yf god doeth knowe before, that they shall be euyll, shall they not be euil for al the goodnes, they do seme to be in nowe? There was a certaine man in our monastery, whiche be­ynge rebuked of his brethren, be­cause he lyued not as he oughte to do, but cleane contrary, neglecting those thinges which wer commaū ­ded, & doing y ^t which was prohibi­ted, aunswered to them again with these wordes, (what maner of man soeuer I am nowe, it makethe no matter: I shall be suche a one, as god in his foreknowledge, kno­weth that I shall be. This man [Page] without faile, spake the trueth, but yet for all that, there was in hym smal amendment, for he was worse & worse, in somuch that he forsoke the company of the monastarye, & playde as the dogge, returning to his vomet againe. But yet what maner a man he shalbe, we cannot tel. For these causes therfore, whi­che they do alledge, shall we denye these thinges to be true, which are spoken aboute the prescyence, and foreknowledge of god? Or shall we houlde oure peace, and speake not a worde agayne, when we doo here those matters spoken of, yea, then specyally, when by houlding styll our tonge, men myghte, falle into others errours?

The .xvi. Chapter.

[Page] THere be also som persons, Obiection. whiche ether doo praye nothing at al, or els if they do, it is very cold­ly don, bycause theye haue lerned that the lorde doth say, that he knoweth what thing is nedful for vs before we do cal vpon hym. Thanswer Shal we for such mens vngodlines, de­nye the verite of the sentence, whi­che the lorde spake, and so scrape it out of the boke of the ghospels? Yea forsomych as it is certayne y ^e god hath ordeyned some thinges to be giuen before they be desired and prayd for, as the begynnynge of our fayth, and som thing again not, except it be desyred, and praied for, as the gyfte of perseuerance to the end, truly that mā, which thin­keth [Page] that he hath that same vertu of hym selfe, Perseuerāce muste be ob­teined by petition. without intercession, he doth not pray, that he may haue it. We must therfor take hede, lest, whyll we be in doubt and feare of so many thinges, godly exhortatiō do w [...]x could, the heatte of prayer be quenchyd, and presumption of our owne selfe kindelyd in vs.

Therfore, let the truthe be tolde, specyally, whē any suche question is moued, which requyreth answer to be made acording to the veryte, and let them take it which can, lest peraduētur, when the verite is hid and not confessed, bycause of them which can not take it, they whiche are able to take it, sholde not only be depryued of the knoledg of the verite, but for lake therof shold be snared, and taken in a trape of tal­se & vntrew doctrin. It maketh no greate matter, yea it is proffytable [Page] that some veryte shold not be spō ­ken, bycause of them, which ar not able to receue it. That was y ^• caus why the lord spak these words (yet haue I manye things to tel you, but ye are not nowe able to beare them. And that saying of the Apo­stell, (I coulde not talke to you, as to spirituall men, but as to carnall and fleshly men, and as to yonge chyldrē in Christ. I gaue you therfore mylke to drinke, & no stronge meat, for ye were not able to take it nor yet ar. And yet, after some ma­ner of speakynge, it maye be well, that, that thing, which is spoken, is both mylke to yonge chyldren, and stronge meate also, for them whiche are greate.

As for example. In the beginning was the worde, and the word, was with god, and god was the word. What christian man canne hould [Page] his peace, and speak not these wor­ds? And again, what man cā, or is able to vndertstond them to the bottom Or what hygher matter in all the holy scripture can be foūd, thā this is? And yet it is not left vnspoken, because of yong infātes, being not hid & kepte nether from yonge nor old. But to tel the truth is one thing, and for a necessary cause not to speake it, is another.

It were to longe a busynes, to serche out al causes, why the truth shuld not be spoken at al times, of the which causes, this folowing is one, lest we shuld make them whi­che do not vnderstonde, to be the worse, whyle we go about to make them, which haue vnderstandinge to be the wysar, when they, whō we wolde instructe, as they are not the wyser, when we do not speake the truth, so nor yet the worse holdinge [Page] oure peace.

But when the matter is such that we know for a surtye, y ^• that man which can not vnderstond, and perceue the thing, A caus why it oughte not be [...]yd. is made the worse whē we to spek of it, what shal we then do for hī which is able to take it and to vnderstond it, being in y ^• company and in the presence of the other? Is it not more mete, y ^• we sholde tel the truth, that he, which can tak it, may take it 'than not for to speke it, wher by not only both of them can not receue it, but he also which is able to take yt, if it were spoken, shold be made y ^e wors by y ^• keping of it hyd? For if he herd it, and vnderstod it, by him other mē myght, & wold lern. For the more redy & able he is to lern, the more apt he is to teche other. Now, he which is an enmy to the grace of god, doth lye hard vpon vs, labo­ring [Page] al that he maye, that we sholde beleue, y ^t the grace of god is gyuen acording to our meryts, and so the grace of god shold be no grace? Yet we wyl speak y ^t thing, which we may be boulde to speke by the scripturs. But we do fear lest, if we do speke, we shold offend that man, whiche can not receue the verite: and shold we not feare, lest by keping close, & byding of the verite y ^e man whiche is able to receue yt, shold be trap­pid and deceuid with false doctrin [...] Ether must we teche and prech predestination, as the holy scripture speketh openly vnto vs, y ^• in those p [...]rsons, The greate inconueniēce whiche commeth of pre­destinatiō not taught. which are predesteni [...] the gyfts, & vocation of god, ar with­out repentance: or els we must confese, and graunt that grace is gygyuen to vs after our mety [...]ts, as the Pelagyans do hould opinniō ▪ [Page] althoughe this their opinion (as I haue often times said) is found in y ^• acts of the byshops of the east part condemned by the mouth of Pela­gian him selfe.

But these mē, for whose cause we do take al this labor, do not hold in al pointes w ^t the error of the pela­gians heresy, wherin thes men do dyf­fer from the pelagians. som thing they do go from it, that although, they wil not graunt those mē to be predestined, which are by the grace of god made obedient, & so do continue, yet they do confesse that this grace doth preuent the wyl of them to whom it is gyuen. But therfore, they wyll not graunt them to be predestined, by­cause grace shulde not be beleued to be a free gyfte, as the verite tea­cheth, but according to the merits of the wil preceding, as the pleagi­ans most false, and vntru▪ doctrine doth affyrme. It foloweth then, y ^• [Page] grace doth preuēt, fayth, otherwyse faith doth preuent grace, y ^• wil also doth preuente grace, for faith can not be withoute the wyll. But if grace doth go before faith, because it doth go before the wyl, truelye it doth preuent, and go before al our obediēce, it doth go before charite, whiche only causeth vs, wyllingly & truly to obey: which altogether grace doth preuent, yea & worketh them in hym, to whom it is giuen.

The .xvii. Chapter.

THer is no mor behynd nowe, but to conty­nue in these good thinges to y ^• ende. And that is perseueraunce, which is praied for in vain [Page] if the lorde by his grace doth not worke that same in him, whos pra­yar and petytion he doth hear and graunt. Perseuerāce is the gyft of god. Mark now, how for from the truth, it is to denye, y ^t perseue­rance to the ende of the lyfe is the gyft of god, forsomych as whē his pleasure is, he maye shorten thys lyfe at al tims, and make an ende therof, whiche if he doeth gyue before the man dothe fall, he ma­keth him to perseuer & continewe to the end. But the great liberalite of the goodnys of god, is more o­pen and apparant in the eys of y ^e faythful, bycause they do perceue and se, that this grace, is gyuē, yea to yong chyldren, to whose age the gyft of obedience perteyneth not. These gifts truly to whom soeuer god doth giue thē, ther is no doubt [...] he knew before in his forknoeledg, that he wold gyue them, and [Page] in his prescience, he dydde ordeyne them for to be giuen

Those then, whom he hath predestenid, he hath called w ^t that voca­tion, wherof it greueth me nothing to make often mention, as it is writen (the gifts [...] & vocation of god, ar w ^tout repentāce. For in his pres [...] ence, which cannot be deceiued & is also immutable, the disposition of those things, whiche he wil worke is none other thing but predestina­tion. But lykwise, as y ^t man whom god knoweth before, or hath in his forknolege y ^t shal be chast, (he hym self hauing no certain knowledge therof) doth work y ^• he may be chast: so, that man, whom he hath prede­stened to be chast, though it be vn­certain, & vnknowen to him, y ^• he is predestened, ceaseth not to work y ^t he may be chast, although he doth here that it is y ^e gift of god. that he shalbe, as he shalbe, but his charite [Page] reioyseth, and is glad therof, not beinge proude and puffed vp in hym self, as though he shold not receiue it, as the gyft of god.

The preaching therefore, of pre­destination doth not only not hyn­der, and pluck a man back frō working of this & such other good workes, but it doth help him forward, that when he reioyseth, he may re­ioyse in the lord. The self same th­ing, that I haue spoken and sayde of chastite, do I vnderstonde also of faith, of the loue of god, of charitie, of perseueraunce, & to be short of al other kynd of obedience vnto god. But those men, which do sette the begynnynge of our belief, and the continuance therein to thende, so much ī our own power, y ^t thei do not think thē to be y ^• gifts of god, nor yet, y ^t god doth work our myn­ds. & wyls, that we maye obteine & [Page] get them, & so obteined, kepe them styl, do graunt al other things, be­syde faith and perseueraunce, to be hys gyft obtenid, thorow the me­ryt or deseruing of the faith of the beleuer. Wherfore then do theye not feare, By their own techīg he prouethe that the openinge of predestination doth not hinder but fur­ther godlye lyuynge. leste by the openinge of predestination, the exhortation vnto those things, which thei graūte to be the gyft of god, shold be hin­deryd? Or (peraduenture) do they say y ^• those things whiche they do contesse to be the gyfts of god, are not predestyned? If they be not predestined, then are they not gy­uen of god, or els he knewe not be­fore, that he wolde gyue them.

But, and if they be gyuen of him, and he knewe also before, Obiection. that he wold gyue them, then are they pre­destenid of hym.

Lykwyse then, Aunswere. as they them self do exhort to chastyte, to charyte, to [Page] loue toward god, & to other godly vertues, whiche they do confesse to be y ^• gifts of god, knowen of him before he gaue them, & so can not deny, but they are predestenid, and that their exhortacions ar nothing hindred by the preching of the pre­destination of god, that is to say, bi the prechīg of y ^e prescience of god, in those gifts which shalbe geuen: euen so, let them think that their exhortacions vnto faith, & to perseuerance therin, ar nothyng hyndered, although they ar the giftes of god sene before of him, y ^t is to say: pre­destened to be gyuen, but rather y ^• by this preching of predestinatiō: y ^t same pernicious & daūgerous er­ror is pluckt back, & hindered, ye & subuerted, which defendeth that y ^• grace of god is giuē after out me­rits, that by y ^e preching of predestination they which to reioyce, may reioyce, not in them self, but in the [Page] lord. And let them, to whō it is ge­uē to haue a quiker wit, to perceue things w ^t les speking, take it paci­ētly, & be cōtent w ^t my oftē r [...]pe [...]ig of somthinges, which thing I doo for ther cōmodite which ar sōwhat dul, & hard of vnderstāding, y ^• they may perceue it y ^e better. Thapostel Iames doth say, Iames. [...]. if any of you do lacke wysdom, let him ask it of god which giueth to al mē aboundātly & casteth his gift in the teeth to no man, & it shal be gyuen to hym.

For it is wryten in the prouerbs.

The lorde doth gyue, wysdom.

And as toching continency, or cha­stise of lyfe it is wrytten in y ^t boke of wysdom (whose authorite hath byn alowed of gret lernid mē, whi­ch haue trauelid in y ^e scripturs lōg befor our time. It is wryttē (Isai) w ^t these words, whē. I dyd know perfectly y ^t no man can be chast except god doth gyue to him y ^e gyfte [Page] therof, this thing also perteined to wysdō to know whose gift it was. These then (that is to say,) wysdō & chastyte, as wel as all other ver­tues (which I do pas ouer) are the gyfts of god, And so do thes men say also. For theye are not as the pelagians, which with obstynate, & heretiqual stobernis do contēd against the manyfest, and open veryte. But yet thes our men do say, that our fayth doth impetrate and obteyn of god, y ^e thes vertuse shold be gyuen to vs, which fayth (saye they) doth begyn in vs of our selfe by oure own pour. The beginnīg wherof, as wel as the continuance to the end, they do holde & defende to be of thē self, as though we had not this also of the gyft of god, i. Corin. iiii as wel as the other. And in this point they are against the apostel, which sayth, what haste thou, that thou [Page] hast not receuyd? They are also against the holy martyr Cypryan which sayth, we must be proude of no thinge, forsomuch as we haue no thing of our selfe.

For al thys that I do speke, and many other wordes more, whiche I am wery to reherse and repeat so often, and for al that I haue pro­uyd, that the begynninge of oure fayth, and the perseuerance therin to the ende, are the gyftes of god and that there ar none of his gifts but he knewe before, what gyfts they were, whiche he wold gyue, & to whom he wold gyue them, and so by that reason, that they also ar predestenyd, whome he doth dely­uer and crown, they do make an­swer and say, that the openinge of predestination doth let and hynder the commodyte of preching in ex­hortation, bicause (as they do sup­pos [...] [Page] when men do here the matter of predestination spoken of, & de­clared vnto them, they wyll not for any thinge that a man can doo, by exhorting to vertu or reprehēding of vice, and noughtines, endeuour them self, and studye to be y ^• better. And by these their wordes, thei wil not that any man, shulde preache, that the first commyng to faith, & the continuance therin, are the gif­tes of god, least, that desperation shuld beare more ruele among mē, than good and godly exhortation, when the hearers do with thē selfe consider, that no man can tell (such is mās ignoraunce,) to whom god doth gyue these hys gyftes, and to whom not. Wherfor then do they, as well as we, preache and teache, that wisedome and chastitie at the giftes of god? And, if so be, when these are taught to be the gyftes of [Page] god, and so preched by them, there exhortation is not let, nor hinderid by the which they do exhort men to be wyse and chaste, what cause is ther I praye you, wherfore they shold thinke that the exhortation, which is to fayth and to the con­tynuans therin shold be hinderid, more than ther exhortation which is to wysdom and chastite? And if these be the giftes of god, as by y ^e scripturs, which ar witnes of them selfe, we haue prouyd, let vs nowe let passe, and spek no more of the gyft of chastyte but only in thys place disput and reasō of the gyft of wysdom. For the sayde Apost [...]l Iamys (of whom we spake of) sayth thes wordes. The wysdom, whiche is from aboue is al chaste & pure, it is also peassable & quiet, it is sober & gentyl, & easy to be en­treatyd [Page] treated, ful of mercy & good fruits without grudging & dissimulatiō. Do you se & perceiue (I pray you) how many & how greate vertues, this wysedome hath, whiche com­meth doune frō the father of light? For euery good gyft. & euery per­fecte gyft (as he sayeth) is frome a­boue, & commeth doune frome the father of lyghtes.

To be short we do rebuke those, which ar vnchaste and contentios persons, and yet we do preche and teche vnto them, that the wysdom which is chaste, and gentyl, is the gyft of god, hauing no doubt nor fearing lest they, whom we do ex­hort (when they are not certayne to whom god doth giue this wisdom) shulde by this preachinge take oc­casion to fall into desperation, ra­ther than to receiue any fruyte of good exhortation. And agayne, [Page] fearing nothing, that they by oure rebukyng of their vyce, shulde not only not be moued agenst them sel­ues, but agenst vs, because we do rebuke them, which haue not those vertues, which vertues we do say are not broughte forth by the wyll of man, but ar geuen liberallye by the bountefull goodnes of god.

Wherfore did not the preachinge of this grace pluck backe the apo­stell Iames, frome rebukynge of them, and saying vnto them, these wordes: Yf you haue the zeale of anger and strife in your hartes, be nothinge proude therat, nor yet ly not against the veritie. For that is not the wysedome, which commeth downe from aboue, but it is an er­thly wysedome, a beastly, and a de­uelysh wysedome. For where as zeale, and contention is, ther is vn­stedfastnes, and all euyll workes.

[Page] Lykwise then, as we may, by the authoritie of the holy scriptures, & as our own dedes do make menti­on in the same doing (I saye theyr dedes as wel as ours) rebuke those persons whiche are vnquiete, and troublous, although we do preach that the wisedome, which the Apo­stell nameth, is the gyfte of God, which wisedome doth amend, and correct those that are contentiouse, and brawlynge persons: euen soo, those persons, whiche are vnfaith­full, and those, which do not conty­nue in the faith whiche they haue receiued, (although we do preache, and tech the grace of god, wherby both fayth it self, and perseuerance therein ar declared to be the gyfts of god) maye also be rebuked and toulde of their vnfaithfulnes, and vnstedfastnes. For although, that, y ^t godly wisdō is obteyned thorow [Page] faith (according to the saying of y ^• apostel▪) Yf any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of god, which geueth to al men aboundantly, Iames. [...] ▪ & vpbrea­deth no man, and it shall be giuen to him, (and saith forthermore, let him aske it boldly in faith, hauing no mistrust) yet we muste not saye, because we obteyne that wysedom thorow faith, therefore faith is of our selfe, & not the gift of god. For faith is gyuen to him which hathe receiued it, before it is asked or prayed for. For the apostel Paul spea­keth playnly and openly, sayinge, Peace be to the brethren, and cha­rite with fayth from god oure fa­ther, and our lorde Iesu Christe. From whom we haue peace a cha­ritie, from hym haue we fayth.

For the whiche cause. we doo desyre, and praye, that in them [Page] them which haue alredy receuyd the fayth, he wold encrese it, and to them whiche haue it not, that he wolde vouchsafe to gyue it. And also, thei them self, which do cause vs to make al these wordes, which do crye out, that the prechinge of predestinatiō and of grace, is a let and stop that men can not exhorte frutfully, as they might, if predestination were not spoken of, theye I saye, them selfe do not only ex­hort men vnto those vertuse, whi­che they do hold to be of them selfe (as the begynnyng of fayth, and the continuance therin, to thend) which thing they are bound to do that by ther exhortations thei which are vnfaithful may beleue, and the other to continew styll therin, but they do exhorte them to the o­ther vertuse alsoo, whiche are the gifts of god (as thei say) only and [Page] not the other.

But as toching those thinges which they do confesse against the pelagians error to be the gyfts of god, as chastyte, continency, paci­ence, and other vertuse perteyning to a godly lyfe, which ar obteyned by fayth, they shold shewe, & teche the peple to cal and to pray to god for these vertues, He teachethe theim howe they shuld exhort peple to uertues. for them self and for other, that he woulde gyue those vertus vnto them, and not that they sholde exhorte and byd them only to haue them, & to kepe them.

For somych then as thei do exhort people to these vertuse also, The begyn­ninge the en­ding and the middes of our lyfe, are the gyftes of god whi­che they do confesse to be the gifts of god, as wel as to fayth and perseuerance, which they denye to be of god but of ther owne working, and in that they do exhort men vnto them (declaring themselfe to be [Page] men) they do sufficiently manifest, & make open vnto vs, that the pre­chynge of predestination, & of the grace of god, is no hynderance to that, that men shulde exhorte other vnto faith, and perseueraunce to the end, forsomuch as we do prech, that these also, (that is to say) fayth and perseueraunce are the gyftes of god, and that no man hath these gyftes of hym self, but ar gyuen to hym of god.

But yet no man can deny, but that it is his own fault & blame, what soeuer he be, whiche doth forsake this faith, in geuing place to tentacion, whereby he is broughte frō y ^t faith, which he hath receyued. And again, although it be his own fault that he doth go from the faithe, we may not therfor deny, that the ver­tue of perseuerance to the end, is y ^• gift of god. For, for this same per­uerance [Page] iv. faith to thenv, that man doth make his daily petition, whi­ch saith, Lede vs not into temptation. And yf his prayer be hard, he dothe receyue hys petytyon.

And so by that reason, prayenge dayly that he myght perseuer & cō ­tinu, he doth not set the hope of his perseuerance & stedfastnes in hym selfe, but in god, I wyl not amply­fye, & exaggerate the matter with many more wordes, but rather I wyl leue it to them to think, & con­sider w ^t thē self what maner a thīg they haue takē in hād to perswade, which is, that by the preching & o­pening of predestinatiō, the herers therof shuld receiue more cause of desperation, than frute of godly exhortaciō. Which is as much to say as men ar taught to despair of saluation, when they do learne to put their confidence not in thē self but in god. And yet the prophet doth [Page] cry out with a loud voyce saying: Cursed are all they, which do put ther hope in man. Thes gyfts tru­ly of god, which are gyuen to the elect, which elect are called after y ^• purpose of god (amōg y ^• which gif­tes, is the begynning of fayth, and the contynuance also therin to the end, as we haue prouyd by manye authorytes of the scriptur, and by strong and substancyal reasons) i [...] ther be no predestination, which we defend and hold strongly fore to be, then are they not in hys for­knowledge. But these giftes ar in the forknolege of god, then is there predestination, whiche we ernestly do defend and maintaine.

The xviii. Chapter.

[Page] ANd therfore in some places of y ^e scripture, Presciēce is sometyme taken in the scripture for predestinatiō a man shal fynd this predestination to be signified vnto vs in the vocable of prescience, or for­knoledge, as the Apostel speketh, saying: God hath not caste of his people whom he hath forknowen▪ This word, which he saith (fore­knowen) can non otherwise be wel vnderstonded, but it be taken for predestenid, as the circumstance of the place and matter doth tech vs. For he speketh in that place of the rest of the Iewes, which ar saued, the other peryshing. For before he cam to this place where the prophet, speking to Israell sayde (All the daye long I haue openyd my handes to an vnbeleuinge and a resysting people) and agayn as [...] [Page] though this questyon (wher ar the promisses, which wer made to Is­rael) had byn demaunded of hym: he aunsweryd incontynetly these wordes, saying: (do I say therfore that God hathe forsaken, and cast of hys people? God forbyd. For I am an Israelyt, of the [...]ed of Abra­ham, of the trybe of Beniamyn) as thoughe he wolde saye, I my selfe am also of that people. Then dyd he speke these wordes, wherof we now do common, saying god hath not caste o [...] hys people, whiche he hath foreknowen. And, for to shew that the remnant, was reserued by the grace of god, not bi the merets of there own works, he sayd thus mych more, do ye not know what the scripture speketh in H [...]ly, how he called on y ^• lord against Israel▪ and so forthe. But what answere made the lorde vnto him (saythe [Page] the Apostel? I haue lefte vnto me, (sayth the lorde) seuen thousande men, which haue not o [...]s bent ther kne before Baal. He sayd not ther are left vnto me, Mark how he deth wey [...]ge words of the lorde. or ells, they haue lefte them self [...] vnto me. But he sayde, I haue left vnto me. And so then sayth the apostel, in thys time the remnaunt is sauyd by the elec­tion of grace, But if it be of grace, thē doth it not com of works. For then grace were no grace. And so, ioyning, and knitting thes things vp togyther (as I haue rehersed) what thē (sayd he)? And to that he sayde: That, whych Israel sought after it dyd not obteyne, election dyd obteyne it, the rest were blyn­ded. It foloweth, that in thys loue of god, and in the remnant, which is saued thorowe the election of grace, the Apostell wyll haue the [Page] people to be ment and vnderston­ded, whiche people for that cause god dyd not cast of, because he dyd forknow them. This is that same eleccion, wherby god did chose thē whom hym pleased in Christe, that they shuld be holy and pure in his syght, in charite, predestening them into the adoption of chyldren. No man therfore whiche doth vnder­stande this matter, can ether denye or doubt, but these wordes, which thapostle doth speke, (He hath not cast of y ^e people, Ephe. [...], which he hath for­knowen) do signifi non other thing than predestination. For in his for knowlege, he knew before the rem­naunte, which he wolde make after the election of grace (that is to say) which are predestened. And with­out doubt, if he did predestinat thē, he knew it before, that he would so do. But to predestinate is as much [Page] as to know before what he wold do afterward. What thing then shuld let vs, when we do rede in holy writers these wordes (the prescience of god) specially, when thei do treate of y ^• vocation of the elects, but that we may vnderstond, and cal it pre­destination. For peraduenture thei do vse this word & vocable presci­ence the more, because it is more easy to be vnderstonded, & besyde that, it is not against, ye it is ryght agreable to the vetitie, whiche is taught as touchinge y ^• predestina­tion of grace. This I am sure of, that no man (except he woulde erre wyllingly) can dispute agenst this predestination of grace, whiche we do defend, by the authorities of the holy scripture.

The .xix. Chapter

[Page] ANd me thinketh, to those men, whiche at desyros to know the mynds and iudgements, of those, which ar wrytars concerninge this matter, these two holy, and vertuose men, Ciprian, and Ambrose, being men hyghly commended bothe for ther purenes of fayth, & great know­ledg in al godly doctryn whose testimonis we haue rehersid, shold be sufficient, both that they sholde throughly beleue, and so preche & tech that the grace of god, is a fre gifte, as it oughte to be beleued & taughte & also that they shold not think the preching of y ^• said grace to be ani hinderance or let, to y ^• preching, wherin we do exhort those which are slothful to go from ther slothfulnis, & rebuke those whiche [Page] are noughtye and euyll, from their leudnes, forsomuch as these godly mē, did so highly extol, & set forth the grace of god, insomuch that th [...]ne of thē said, (we must be proud of nothing, becaus nothīg is our own, & thother said. That, ne­ther our harts, nor our thoughtes ar in our own power. And yet they in their prechyng, dyd both exhort, & rebuke, as they saw cause, y ^e the cōmaundements of the lord might be wrought & don. They fered not lest any wold say to thē, wherefore doest y ^u exhort vs? wherfore dost y ^u rebuke vs, if we haue no good th­inge of our self, & if our harts and thoughts ar not in our own pour? Thei wer afraid of no such words, being of so godl [...] a iudgmēt y ^• they knew wel, ther wer very few or nō, which had receuid suche a gift at y ^• mouth of god, or els by som angel. [Page] that they shuld haue the knowlege of the heuenly doctrin, without the helpe of any man, preaching vnto them. But cōtrarywise, they knew many, to whom it was geuen, that by the preaching & teaching of mē, they shuld come to faith & beleife in god. How be it, which waye soe­uer the word is spoken and decla­red to a mā, he that doth giue such eare vnto it, that he doth follow, & obey it, that same is y ^• gift of god. So these foresayd holye wrytars, being most godly expositors of the worde of god, dyd both preach the grace of god, as it ought to be preched (that is to say) which grace no humayne merits do precede, and also dyd most instantly, and earne­stly exhort men to the keping of the commaundementes of the lorde, that they which haue the gyft of o­bedience, maye here and perceaue, [Page] wherin they shold be obedient. For if any of our meryts do precede the grace of god, it must be y ^• meryt e­ther of sō dede, Ciprian or word, or thought of ours, in the whiche, the wyll of man is vnderstonded to be good. But that man dyd in fewe words comprehend al kind of merits, which sayd: We must be proud of no­thing, Ambrose forsomych, as nothinge is ours to be proud of. That man al­so which sayde, that our harts, and our thoughts are not in our powr he left nether words, nor deds vn­ment. For there is no ded, or word, which any man doth work or spek but it commith out of the thought of y ^• hart. What thing could this holi matter, and godly doctor Cy­ptyan do more, concerninge this matter, than, where he taught vs speking vpon the lords prayer, y ^• we must praye for the enemies of [Page] Christs faith, in the which lesson, we are taught, that the begynning of our faith is the gift of god, after his mynde and iudgment. He tau­ght vs also. y ^• the church of Christ, doth dayly praye for perseuerance, that it may perseuer and continue to the end. For god doth gyue that to non▪ but to them which haue per­seuered to the end. Blessed Ambros also, where he treateth vpon these words of the Euangelist Luk, whiche words ar. Whither this word (it liketh me wel is spoken of our own wil or of the workinge of god of that same wyll in us so to speake. (It semed to me wel and good) it might well be (sayde Ambrose) that the thinge did lyke & please hym wherof he spake. For thinges (said he) doo not only lyke vs wel in our own conceyts & wils, but euen so as it plesed him, which doth speke in vs, which is Christe, which doth work in vs, y ^• that thīg which is good in dede, may so sem, & appere vnto vs. For on whom he [Page] taketh mercy, & compassion, him he calleth. And therfor, that man, which doth folow Christ (beyng demā ded y ^• question, For what cause he wolde be a christian man) may well make aunswer, and say, it lyked me well, and it thought me good so to do. For when he speketh those words, he denieth not, but that it plea­sed god, that he shuld so be. For the wyll of men is prepared of god.

For it is also the grace, and gyft of god, that he shuld be honoured of his saynetes. Marke this great note of ambrose, and the free wyl masters shal fynde smal comfort ther­at.

Also in the self same worke (that is to say) in the exposition of y ^• said ghospel, when he cam to this place, wher we do rede, that the Samari­tans, wold not receue Christ, com­ming toward Ierusalem▪ marke also (sayeth Ambrose) & lern this w ^t you, y ^• Christ wold not receue them whiche were not with a symple. [Page] and an vnfayned harte, & mind, cō verted vnto hym. For, if he wold, he might haue made them deuout and godly, wher as they were not. But the cause, whye theye receuid him not, y ^• Euāgelist him self ope­ [...]i [...]h, sayng: (Bycaus he had tornid his face awaye to go to Ierusalē. But his disciples, wold fayn haue byn receuid. But god doth cal wh­om he wyl, & maketh holy, whoom hym pleaseth. What thinge more euident and plain, than this, do we loke for, in the holy wrightars, and expositors of the worde of god, if, we haue any pleasure to her & lern of them that thing, which is open and manifest in the scripturs? But although these two doctors, were sufficient, yet will we ad and ioyn Gregory, for the therd man vnto them. whiche witnesseth, that both to beleue in god, & also to confesse [Page] that thing, which we do beleue is a gyft, sayinge after this wyse. That is to cō fes thre per­sons & one god. We pray you, confesse the trinite, of on deyte, and we wyl praye vnto god that the voyce of that confession, may be giuen to you of the holye goste (that is to saye) he shal be de­sired, that he wold suffer, the voice to be gyuen to you, with the which voyce ye may confesse that, which ye do beleue & he wyll gyue it: I knowe wel. For he whiche dyd the fyrst, wil gyue also, that foloweth: And he, which dyd gyue to you the gift to beleue, wil giue to you also the gyft to confesse your beleffe.

Forsomych then, as thes, whiche are so noble doctors do saye, that we haue nothing as of our self to be proud of, but that it is the gifte of god, whatsoeuer we haue, yea that nether our harts, nor our tho­ughtes. ar in our own power, wher [Page] wherby, we do geue al to god, kno­ledging & confessinge, that we doo receyue al of his liberalite, that we may so continew, Here you do fynde, boothe the heade, the foote, and the whole bodye of al uertues & godly de­des to be the onely gyft of god. and be conuerted to god, and that, that thinge which is good, may appeare also to vs to be good: and that we may wyl the same, that we may honor god & re­ceue Christ▪ that of vndeuout, & vnholi we may be made vertuouse & godly, & fynally, y ^t we may beleue in the trinite, & contes that same with our mouths al, & euery one of these things, these forsayd doctors do attribut to y ^e grace of god, knolegīg y ^t they at y ^• gifts of god, & so testifieng, y ^t we haue al thes good things of hym, & not of our selfe.

Is ther any man, which wil say that these men dyd so knowledge, and confes the grace of god, that they durst, or wold be so boulde to deny his prescyence, and forknow­lege, which not only the lernyd, but [Page] also the rude, & vnlerned do confes & alow? Finally, if these men did so know, that god was the geuer of these thinges, that they do graunt, that he knew the same, before that he wold gyue them, & that he could not be ignoraūt, to whom he wold geue his gyftes, doubtles, if they knew al this, them knew they alsoo predestination, which the apostels preched, & we do defend al that we may withal diligence, agenst a sort of new heretiques. And yet for al that, when they preched obedience: and exhorted men diligently to the keping therof, no man could well and iustly say to them: If you wil not haue obediēce wex cold, wher­vnto you do exhort vs, and make it faynt in our stomachs, prech no more to vs, this grace of god. whi­che we confesse, that god doth gyue and you do exhorte vs alsoo a that we sholde woorke it.

The .xx. Chapter

WHerfore, syth the Apostels, & doc­tors of the church which succeded after them, did both, (that is to sai) both preche truly the grace of god, whi­che is not gyuen after our merits, & also wyth holsom precepts, That is too good works. & les­sons tech, & exhort men vnto god­ly obedience, what cause haue thei against the invincible veryte, that they can somych as think y ^e they do speke wel, in that they do saye, al­though it be trewe, that is spoken of the predestinatiō of the benifits of god, yet it shold not be taught a brode to the people. Yes truly, it oughte, and must be preched, that they, which haue ears to here may here. Yf any doth not perceue and [Page] vnderstond it, let him refuse it, and medel not w ^tal, so y ^t he which doth receue, and vnderstond yt, may re­ceue it to him self, & drynk it into his hart, and so lyue. For lykwise as the loue to god warde must be preched, that god maye be worshi­ped of him, which hath ears to here with, and lykewise chastite, that he which hath ears to here, may com­mit no vnlauful and vnclean dede with his fleshly members, and so charite, that of him, whiche hath ears, both god and his neighbour maye be loued, euen so, as wel must the predestination of the benefits of god be preachid, The final ēd of the preachynge of predestinati­on. that he which hath ears, to here may reioyse not in him selfe, but in god.

But as to that, which they do saye, that it is no nede, that the harts, and the minds of the vnlernid, and of those which haue smal intelligence, [Page] & vnderstonding, shuld be trobled w ^t such doubtful disputa­tiō, This is thee laste ancor holde of them which wolde not haue predestination openly taught. & reasoning, forsomich, as y ^• catholyque & vniuersal fayth, hathe byn many yeres, wel & sufficientlye defended, & yet this matter of pre­destination not medelyd with all, both against the erronious opiny­ons of diuerse, & specyally against the pelagyans, in so many bokes, & works of good catholyque men: ye & in myn own workes also, before thys matter was taken in hand, I do much meruayl at their thus spekyng, that hey do not consyder, & way (I wyl not spede of other mēs doyngs) those yea min own works which I wrot & set forth, befor ther was any name or mention of the pelagians wherin they may se, that not yet kowing of any heresi, y ^• pelagian shulde be author of in manye places of my bokes I beleued, and [Page] also taught the same grace, by the which god doth deliuer vs frō euil opynions and noughtie maners, which grace no good works or me [...]ituose dedes do preced (god wor­king that same grace acordinge to his bounteful and fre mercy.) This matter, I begann to perceue more fully, in that disputation, which I wrot vnto the holy father Sympliciā of most godly memory, byshop of the church of Mylā, what tyme I was fyrst made byshop. In the which disputatiō I both knolegid yea & defendid that the beginning of faith is the gyft of god. Which of al mi bokes doth make oftener mention of thys matter, than those bokes, which I vrot, intitulid, (of my confessiōs) which I wrot befor pelagians heresy, was spoken of. In those bokes, did & often times make mi petition to our lord god, [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] sayīg: Gyue to me, that which thou doest command, and cōmand what thou wilt. Which my words, Pelagiā being at Rome vpon a certain tym, hearing a byshop which was ther rehersing in his presence, cold not beare nor abyed to here them, and chaffyd so against them, that almost he had fallen out, He prouethe the wordes whiche he wrote in his boke of confessions to be true and catholique. with the byshop that spake them.

What thing doth god fyrst, and cheffly command vs to do, but y ^• we shold beleue in him. Then, if y ^t be wel spokē of me (gyue that thou commandest) it doth folow, that he doth gyue, that we shold beleue.

And in those same boks also, as to thing that, which I spake of my conuersion, (the lorde being the cō uertor of me vnto the fayth (which fayth with out ragios madnes, and made babeling I dyd before al y ^t I myght impong) do ye not remē ­ber [Page] that I dyd openly knowledge & testifi, that by the faythful, and dayle tears of my mother. I was converted to the fayth? There also I dyd saye, that god by his grace dyd convert, and torn, the wyls of men vnto the same grace which mē had not onlye not receuid yt, whi­che were oute of the fayth, but the harts also of those men, which are enemies vnto it, he doth torne. God maketh his enemyes to be his fr [...]ndes when & as often as it pleaseth him

And as tochinge perseuerance, which is to continew styl in that faith til the end, how I haue made my petition to the lord for to haue it graūted and gyuen to me (if ye be disposed) ye can both tel & rehers the words also. Al the gyfts ther­fore of god, which ether I desyred and praid for to haue, or whiche I I comendyd and praysed in the same boke what man is so bould I wyl not saye to denie, but ones [Page] to doubt that god knew not befor▪ that he wolde gyue them, yea, and that he could not be ignorante to whom he wold gyue them.

This is the playn, New heresi­es, do brynge new questiōs and new questions newe solutions, & new solutiōs do aske new laboures and more diligent serching of the scriptures. and manifest predestination of saynts, whiche predestination necessite constray­ned vs at the last, with greater di­ligence, and more earnest labor to d [...]nd, when we dysputed against the Pelagians. For we do sai that euery heri [...]e doth bringe with it, his own & proper questions new­ly inuentid. Against y ^• whiche the holy scripture requireth, more diligent, and ernest defence, aud grea­tar labor, than if no sych necessyte had constreined vs thervnto. For what thing caused the places of y ^• scripture (whiche do commend, & set forth predestinatiō to be so dili­gently serchyd out, & by these oure labors defendid, but bycause the [Page] Pelagians, do hold, & defend, that the grace of god is gyuē after our merytts. Which what other thing is it, but a plain denial of grace?

Chap .xxi.

TO confounde therfore that opinion, whi­ch is vn [...]in [...], and vnthank­ful to god: yea and also, an enemie to the fre, and liberal bene­fits of god, wherby we are sauyd, we do defend, acording to the scrip­turs, that both the begynnyng of fayth, and perseuerance therin to y ^• ende, wherof we haue spoken so [...] many wordes at the gifts of god. For if we do saye, that the be­ginnyng of faythe is of oure [Page] self, that, by and for the same be­gynning, we may deserue to receue againg other rewards and gifts of god, then do the pelagians con­clud without ani more words, that the grace of god is gyuē after our meryts. This opinion the catho­lique fayth hath so abhorred, that pelagiā being in fear lest he shold be condemnyd therfore, dyd fyrste condeme yt his own selfe.

And againe if we wold say that perseuerance to the end, is of our selfe and not of god, then do theye answer that the begynning is as wel of our selfe as the end therof, making this reason saying: Yf we haue the pour in oure selfe that we maye continewe to the ende, miche more haue we the beginninge in our owne power for to beleue, for­somich as it is a more greate and busiar matter to make an end thā [Page] to begin. And so after this fashion they do conclude, that the grace of god is gyuen after our deseruing. But if both to gither, as wel to begin, as to make an end, ar the gif­ts of god, and also if he knowethe before, that he wil giue those gyf­ts (whiche, of no man cann be denied): thē must predestination be prechid, that the right, and trew grace of god (that is to say) which is not gyuen after any humain meritts, maye with al power and strength be defendid. And as tochinge my selfe, in the boke which I wrotte, entituled (of correction & of grace) which worke coulde not satisfie & please all my frendes I thinke that I didde so set forthe perseue­rance, which is to thende, for to be the gyft of god, that, (if I do re­member my selfe wel) I neuer be­for dyd wright therof, nether more [Page] weightly, nor more playnlye. And yet in that place, I did not speake of it, after that fashion as thoughe I had bin the first, which had spo­ken therof, and that non had med­led therwith before me. For the holy father Cyprian (as I haue told you before) hath so expounded our petitions conteined in the lordes prayer, that he saith, we do pray for perseueraunce in the first petition, affirminge, that we then do desyre that same of god, when we do saye (Let thy name be halowed) which is, that, for somuch as we ar sancte­fied in baptyme, we desire, that we may continue in that same stil, whiche we haue begon. But I wold y ^• all these (to whom, for the loue they do bear vnto me, I shuld not agaī be vnkind which men, as you doo writ do embrase & commend al my writinges, this only excepted, whi­che [Page] we haue nowe in question) I wold (Isey) that they shuld loke & se whither in y ^• latter part of y ^• first boke, of those twain, which I wrot to Simplician, the byshop of Mylan before Pelagians heresye dyd spring vp, any thing doth rem [...]n doubtful, wherin I shulde sem [...] to doubt, that y ^• grace of god is not gyuē after our merits. And also I wolde they shuld se, whether I ha­ue not don sufficiently concerning the begynning of faith, declaringe that it is the gyft of god. And also whither it maye not appeare of the words, whiche I dyd speake ther (although I spake thē not so open­ly) that the perseuerance to the end, as wel as the begynning of faythe is noone otherwise ours than by the gyft of hym, whiche hath pre­destened vs to his kyngdome and heauenly glory.

[Page] Forthermore, as toching that epi­stel, which I wrote against y ^• Pel­agiās, vnto the holy father Paul­inus bishop of Nolan (against the which epistel, now of late thei haue begon to contend) did I not write it a good mani of yers befor? Let thē also rede that epistel, which I wrote to Sixtus the eldar of thee churche of Rome, what time we contended most vehemētly against the Pelagians, and they shal fynd it siche an other, as that was, whiche we sent to Paulinus. Hereby thei maye cal to remembrans, that diuers yers past, thes thinges, wer both spokē of, and also put in wri­tīg, which I do meruayl mich now to discontent ther minds. S. Augustine woulde haue no man boūd to his works, [...] all thinges And yet I wold not, that any man shold so mich regard, and make of my wor­kes, that they sholde follow me in any thinge, but wherin thei do perceue [Page] and se, if he doth appeare to erre in any poynt but wherein he errethe to forsake hym. that I do not erre, but wher as I am in the right waye.

For, for that cause do, I now wry­ght certain bokes, wherin I go about to retract my work as that I maye testefye, and shew, howe, that in all thinges, I didde not fo­low min own self: But yet I trust that by the helping mercy of god, I did good with my wrytings al­though at the beginning. I was not perfect in al thinges. For euen now I shold both lye, & speke arrogantly, if I sholde saye, that I am com to sich a perfection (yea being so olde as I am) that I am with out al error in writing. But ther is a gret difference bitwene how mich and in what things a mā doth err and how quickly he wil amend it: & that man, which stobernly, wyl stonde in the defence of his error. For that man truly is happy, whiche [Page] hath lerned, & profited so well, that at the last day of his lyfe, hath that thing gyuen to him, which he wanted al his life before, & therfor may be then iudged rather worthy of perfection, which hath so proffited, thā of punyshment for y ^e contrary. Wherfore, if I ought not to be vnthankful to thē which did fauor & loue me, God maketh men, of hys enemies hys louers becaus they had som profit by my woorks, yea before they dyd loue me: howe muche more ar we boūd to be thākful to god, whō we could not loue, except he had loued vs first, & made vs to be his louers? For loue & charite doth come of hym, as thos godly men do bear witnes, whom he hath made grete oratours, & myghtye preachers of his name. What thing cā be more vnthankeful, than to deny, y ^e grace of god, which is in that we saye, it is gyuen after our merits? Thys [Page] saying dyd the catholyque, & vni­uersal fayth, abhorre in the Pela­gians, as a cryme, of most haynous wickednes. This error Pelagian hym self dyd condemne not for ani loue he did bere to the veritye, but for feare lest he hym self shuld ha­ue ben condemned. Whoso euer wyl sey, But that it is geuen by the grace of god that the grace of god is giuen after our meryts, agenst the beleif of al faythful men, & doth not deny y ^t faith is of the grace of god by the which grace he hath obtey­ned to be faythful, by that same reson, let hym also gyue to the grace of god, the gyft of perseueraunce to thend, as wel as thother (by the whiche grace he obteyneth mercy) which perseuerance he prayeth for dayly, Bring us no [...] into tempta­tion. in y ^t he desyreth, y ^t he might not be brought into tentacion. In the myds betwene the begynnyng of fayth, & thend: whyche is perse­uerance [Page] to the end, are al thos vertuse, wherwith our lyfe appea­reth good and godly, which ver­tuse, thei them self do graunt to be the gyfts of god, at the respect of faith. But God knew that he wold gyue to them, whom he hath called al thos thinges, that is to sai, both y ^e beginning of faith & al other his giftes, euen to the ende. It were therfore a matter of to mich contention, other to spek against predestination, or ells to doubt any thing therof. A warnyng how predestination sholde be taught. Yet men must take hede, & be ware now & after what manner thei do prech yt to the people. And that thei do not so preche it, that bi there rude preching amonge the vnlearned people it shold be sclan­deryd & spoken euyl of, as apereth they haue done by the prescience, & foreknoledge of god, which trueli they canne not deneye. As if theye [Page] wolde saye vnto the people, whither you do slepe or wake, An example of unlearned & unaduised doctrine. as god, who can not be deceuid, hath you in his foreknoledg, that same shal you be. For crafty, and vnlerned phisicions, do often tims ley, and bynde a good playster vnto a man after that fashion, that it doth not only, not profet the parte which is syk, but maketh him often tymes worse. But they shold rather haue sayd to the people. This is his counsel how they shoulde teach this doctrine. So roon, that ye maye come, to that you do roon after. And in your ronning ye shal perceue and know, that ye ar so for knowen of god, that ye shulde run wel. And if they can deuyse anye other waye to preach and teach the prescience of god, by the whiche theyr teaching, man myght be dri­uen from his sloggishnes. I wuld they shuld vse it.

Cap. xxii.

[Page] ALthough, this be the certaine, and determinid wil of god, concerning predestination y ^• som haue receuid the wyl of obedience, and ar tornid from ther infydelyte, vnto fayth in Christe, and so haue the gyfte to continew in the same, & som other which do lye styl in the delyghte, & pleasur of ther damnable synne, if they be also predeste [...]yd, therfore, ar they not yet rysen vp from ther sin bycaus the help of grace, which is pyttyful & take the mercy hathe not lyft them vp. For if there be som which ar not yet called, whom thoroughe his grace, he hath pre­destyned to be hys elect & chosen, theye shall also receue that same grace, wherby they may haue the wyl and desire therof, & be also [Page] elected in dede. And again if there be any which do obeye, that ar not predestined to his kyngedome and glory, those are but tymlyngs, and shall not continue styl in that same obedience to thend. Although ther­fore (I say) these thinges are true, yet they must not be spokē of, after so plaine a fashion, to a multitude of herers, as thoughe the wordes were spoken vnto thē, which ar the hearars, or after sych a fasshion, as ye do wryght me of in your lettres as (if a man shold say). This is the wil of god in his predestination y ^t som of you shal receaue y ^• wil to be obedient, and torn from youre in­fydelite, to fayth. What nede is it here to say (som of you? For if we do speake to the churche of god, if we do speke vnto none other but such as do beleue, wherfore do we say, somof you are com to y ^e fayth? [Page] For in so sayinge, we do apper to do wrong vnto the rest, when we myght spek more comly, and aptli if we shold saye: This is the very wyl of god in his predestination, that ye shold receue the wyl of obedience, & torn from youre vnfaithfulnes to belefe, and to receue the gyft of perseuerance, that ye maye continew therin. The reste of the words should in nowys be spoken that a man shold say: those (whiche are of you, that do abyde and continew stil in the pleasure of synne, do not forsake your noughti lusts & pleasurs, bycause the help of the mercifull grace of god hathe not lift you vp &c. Wher as it had bin better spoken and as it oughte to haue bin, if y ^e words had bu [...] thus set as: If ther be any of you, which do continew in the delight & pleasure of syn which bryngeth damnation, [Page] receue moste holsom doctrin. And when ye do as ye ar taught, be not puffed vp then w ^t pride, as though youre workes were youre owne of your self, and had not receuid them. For god is he whiche worketh in vs both y ^• wil & y ^e work after his good wyl. And let youre stepps and goings be made right & streight of the lord, that ye may wyl to walke in his way. Let your walking be so vpright and good, that as you do se your selfe walke, you maye lern that ye do pertein to the predestination of the grace of god. Also, thos words, which do fo­lowe (but if any of you are not yet called, whō the grace of god hath predestenid to be electid, ye doutles shal receue that same grace, bothe that ye maye haue the wyl to desire it, and also to be electid in ded) thes words I saye ar not so wel spoken [Page] as they might haue bin, if we wold thinke and perswad our selfe, that we do speke to thos which ar of the church of Chryst, & not to thē whi­che are not of it. Why sholde we not rather say (if ther be any which are not yet called, let vs praye for them, that they maye be called. For (peraduenture) they are so predestenid, that it sholde be grauntid to our prayars, that they shal receue that same grace, by the which they maye haue the wyll to desyre it of god & be also electid in dede. For god, which hath fulfylled & performyd al thinges, that he hath pre­destenid, wil haue vs, y ^• we sholde praye for them, whiche are enemis vnto the fayth, y ^t therby we maye perceue and vnderstond, that he doth gyue and graunt, yea to the vnfaythful, that they may beleue, yea and make also those whiche [Page] not willing for to be willing and desyrers therof. But thos wordes, whiche do hereafter follow (as ye do wryght) I merual if any man, among the christian people, which is yet but weake, & feable, can be a­ble to here them patiently, as if a man wolde say: (and if ther be any among you whiche ar now obedi­ent, which is predestenid to be re­iectyd, and forsaken, the powr whi­che ye haue now to do wel, shal be taken from you, that ye shal be no more obedient To speke after this maner, what other thing els doth it seme, and apere for to be but to curs [...]e, and to speke euyl, or ells to proph [...]cy before of euill to com to thē? But if ye wold spek ani thing of them which do not perseuer and continew ī y ^e faith, or if ther be som sich matter, y ^• constreineth you to speke som thinge therof, whi shold ye not rather spek your words so, [Page] that they shold not apere to be spo­ken to the hearers (as perteyninge vnto them) but as though thei wer spoken of some other, not there present vnto them: that is, that it shold not be sayde to the hearers, (yf any of you be now obedient, which are predestinated to be forsaken, and such other wordes) let them I saye be spokē in y ^e therd persō of y ^• verb not in the second. For it is to odios and hatful a word to be spoken, as though it wer into ther face, to the rebuke, and shamful reprofe of the hearers, when a man doth sai vnto them (: If ther be any of you which nowe do obeye and are predestined to be forsaken, the power of obedience shal be taken awaye from you that ye shal obey no more). Shold ther be any lesse thing in effect spo­ken, and sayd (I pray you) if a mā wold speke after this fashion and [Page] saye. If they do obey and be nowe good▪ which are not predestenid to his kingedom and glory, thei are but tymlyngs, and do continewe but for a whyel, they shal not abid to the ende in that same obedience. Is not this now spokē, both better and more fetly than if we shold in our wordes apere to wysh and de­sire so great an euyl vnto thē whi­ch ar our hearers, but rather nowe do apere to tel, and shew them that thing of other men whiche thinge the hearars do hate and abhore, & that they shold not take thos wor­des spoken to them self, as of thē selfe, but be in hope, and prayar, of that thīg which is better. After y ^t maner, & to the self same effect in sentence, as it is spoken of predestination, it maye be spoken, and sayd of the prescience of god, which pre­science they canne not deny, but is [Page] trew, as syf ye do obey, whiche are foreknowen of god to be refused, He sheweth that the tea­chyng of the prescience of god after the same ways that predestination was taughte, is both unfruytfull & hurt full. ye shal cease, and obeye no more. There is no doubt, but this is as trew as may be spoken. But yet it is most wykedly, most vncomly, & out of order spoken, not that it is not truly spoken, but bycause it is not spokē as it ought to be, to the helth and comfort of mans infyr­mite, and weaknes.

We do thinke also, that to speke vnto the people, as I haue sayd, & wylled thē here to fore to do, is suffyciēt, except, they wil add thes wordes more, vnto that, which I haue said and say (Ye therfor must be in good hope & trust, & aske in youre daly prayers of the father of ligh­ts, that ye may perseuer, and con­tynew to thende in obedience, from whom al good gyfts, and al per­fect gyfts do com doun▪ and when [Page] ye do so, being in that godly obedience, then to beleue stedfastly that, ye are of those, which ar predeste­nyd to be his people, bycause, he dothe graunt, and gyue vnto you that ye may praye and desire it of hym) God forbyd, y ^• ye shold des­peir in your self, bycause ye ar commaunded to put your hope in hym and not in youre selfe. For corsyd are al they which do put ther trust in man. Also it is better to trust in god than to trust in man. For accordinge to the scripture, whyche is the moost true and lyuelye worde of god, all those men are blessed, whyche do put their truste in hym. And when ye haue this hope, serue the lorde in feare: and reioyse towarde hym, with trembeling.

For of the lyfe eteinal, which [Page] lyfe god hath promised to the chyldern of promission, All mans lyfe euen to the end is in hope then to be out of hoope and into certaine securite whē he shal departe from this lyfe. before the be­ginnyng, no man can be certayn & sure, but when this lyfe shal be endid, whiche lyfe is tentation vpon the yerthe. But he shal make you perseuer and contynew in him, to y ^• ende of that same lyfe, to whom ye make youre petition, sayinge: lede vs not into tentatiō. When we do speke these wordes, and such lyke, whyther it be to a few in nomber or to a multitude of the churche, wherfore dowe feare to preche pre­destination, and the trew grace of god, according as the holy scrip­ture doth preche it vnto vs, (that is to saye) whiche is not gyuen af­ter our merytts. Or shold we fear leste then, a man shold fall in des­peyre, when he is taught to putte his hope in god: and that he shold not despeire if he shold proudly, & [Page] wrechedly trust in him selfe? And I wold to god, that they, which ar slow in hart, and weake persons, & yet haue not the vnderstonding of the scripturs, that theye sholde so here these our dysputations (or els not here them) that they wold giue more hede, and loke better vpon those prayars, whiche the church, hath vsed from the begynning of the world, and wyl styl euen to the ende.

The .xxiii. Chapter.

OF this matter of predestination, whiche we are now fayne, not only to speke of, but also strongly to menteyn, and defend, against a sorte of new heretiques: the churche of god maketh often mention, in ther prayars, and in ther ser­mons, [Page] ye though ther were non ad­uersary which wolde gyue occasi­on to treat therof. Was there euer any tyme, when the churche hathe not prayed for the infidels, & those which are enemies to the fayth of Christ, that they might be made faythful, and beleue? Ys ther any faythful man, whiche hauing a frend, or neyghboure being an in fidel, or hys wyfe out of the trewe fayth, but hath prayed to the lorde for to gyue an obedient mynde vnto them, that they might be tornid, and beleue? What man hath not praied to god for him selfe, that he myght be permanent, and stedfast in the lord? Or what man, was eu­er so boulde, y ^t wold ether by word or thought speke euel of a minister when he maketh his prayer ouer the faythful vnto the lorde, saying (Eyue to them lorde, thy grace to [Page] perseuer and to abied styl in the, to the end, but rather, at that his blessing wold make answer, with a be­leuyng hart, confessing that same withe his mouth, & say: So be it: forsomyche as those, whiche at the faythful and beleuing sort of men do desyre and praye, for non other thing, in that thei do say (bring vs not into temptation) but that they may continew, The faythe whiche the churche of christe hathe held frō the begynnynge as touchyng the grace of god. and perseuer in holy obedience. Lykewyse then as y ^e churche did fyrst begin, w ^t thes petitions & prayers, so was it fyrst in thys faythe & doth grow, and hath growen from the begynning by the which faith, we do beleue y ^t the grace of god is not gyuen after the merits of them, which do receue it. For y ^e church wold not prai to god y ^t faith might be giuen to y ^e vnfaithful except it beleued y ^• god doth conuert, and turn to hym the wylles of men which are not only [Page] out of the fayth, but of those also, whiche are aduersaris, & enemies to the faythe. Nor yet wolde the church praye, For al these things doothe the church of christe praye whereby he proueth that all, and eueri part of these thinges, are the giftes of god that it selfe might perseuer, and continew stronge in the faith of Christ, & that it might not be deceuyd, and ouer com, with the tentations of the world, except it beleued, that god had our harts so in his power, that the goodnes whiche we haue with our wyl, we could nether haue, nor kepe it ex­cept he wroughte, that same wyll also in vs. For if the churche doth aske these things of him, and yet doth thinke that god is not the gyuer therof, but that it hath it of it selfe without his gyft, then tru­ly hath it no perfect and true prayars, but sych, as are lyke vnto the wynd, which thing god kepe vs from. For what man can sygh▪ and sorow with his hart, deliring to receue [Page] that thing, which he asketh of god: if he doth thinke that he may haue it of hī selfe, and not of god? And that specially, sith we know not what to aske, as we ought but the spirite doth make intercession for vs, w ^t vnspekable gronings. For he that sercheth the hart, kno­weth, what the mynd of the spirit is. For he doth pray for the seincts acording to the pleasure of god.

What is ment by these words, the spirit doth praye, but that the spi­rit doth make hym praye with vn­spekable gronyngs, w ^t such (I say) as ar trew, & vnfeyned. For the spirit is, veryte. That same spirit is it, wherof y ^e Apostel speketh in an other place saying, God sēt y ^e spirit of his sonne into our harts crieng, Abba dere father. What is ment bi this word (crieng), but that the spi­rit dyd make him crye (in whom he [Page] is) after that maner of speking, as when we do saye, a glad daye, bycause the daye maketh men glade. This manner of speking the Apostel maketh plain, and open, where he saith▪ For ye haue not receuid. the spirit of bondage in feate, but ye haue receued the spirit of adoption of chyldren, in whom we do crye Abba dear [...]ather. In the text before, he sayde (He sent the spirit crieng) & here in this part he saith (In y ^• which spirit we do cry) expoū dyng thys worde, crieng, which he spake befor w ^t this interpretacion making vs to crye. By that, we do vnderstond that our crieng to him is the gyft of god, that we maye with a trewe hart and spiritually crye vnto the lorde.

Let thē now marke wel how foule they are deceuid, whiche do thinke that it is of our selfe, and not giuē [Page] to vs of god, that we sholde aske that we shold seke, This is a greate bul [...] wark of fre wyll may­sters and knok. And thus they do speke, bycause theye wold haue the grace of god prech­ed and taughte to be gyuen after our merytts, that, the same grace, sholde be then thoughte to be giuē when we do receue that thing whiche we do aske and desire, and not before, when we do find that thing whiche we do seeke and not before and when the doare is made o­pen after we haue knokte, & not before. Nether wyl they vnderstond and beleue, that that is the gyfte of god that we sholde praye whiche is as much to saye as that we mighte ask of god, seke and also knock.

For we haue receuyd the spirit of the adoption of chyldern in whom we doo crye (Abba dere father.

[Page] This thing the holy father Am­brose perceuyd wel. For he sayde these wordes, (and to praye vnto god, is a spiritual grace, For as it is wryttē, no mā doth say, lord Iesus, but in the holy ghost. These thinges therfore, which the church doth praye for, and desire of god, and alwaye hath done euen from the begynning, that it was fyrst a church, god knew before that he wolde gyue to them, which are called of him, euen so, as he dyd giue them at the fyrst in his predestination as the apostel did openly ma­nifest & declare, wryting to Timo­thy, saying: labor with vs in the ghospel according to the poure of god, which saueth vs and callethe vs with his holy calling▪ not after our workes but according to hys owne pourpose and grace, whiche is gyuen to vs, in Christ Iesu be­fore [Page] al tim [...]s, but nowe is declared by the comming of our sauior Ie­su Christ. Let hym now go, what soeuer he be, & say that the churche of christ dyd not beleue this verite of predestination, & of grace, whi­che now wyth somwhat more dyli­gence we haue defended. Let hym (that dare) speke, and say that the church of christ doth not, or at ani time hath not prayed according to the veryte, and truth, that thei whiche do not beleue maye be conuer­tid to the fayth and they which do beleue may perseuer and continew styl faythful. Which gyfts, if the churche hath alwaye desyred and prayed for: there is no doubt, but it alwaye beleued, that they ar the gyftes of god, and that no man coulde at any tyme laufully deney but that they haue byn alwaye in hys preseyence, and foreknoledge [Page] It followeth then that the churche of Christ dyd alwaye beleue thys predestination, which we nowe do defend more earnestly thā we haue done before, against a sort of newe sprong vp heretiques.

The xxiiii chapter

BNt what shold we nede to speke any more? & do think y ^• I haue taught ynough or rather more thā ynough al ready, and that I haue sufficy­ently prouyd that both the beginning of our belefe in the lorde and also, the contynuance therin to the end, at the gyfts of god. As for al other good thinges perteynynge to good and godly lyuyng, wherof god is wel worshipped, they them [Page] selfe, which haue byn the causars, that we do take al thys payne, do confesse that they are the gyfts of god. And besyde that, they can not deney, but that god had in his for­knoledge all hys gyfts, whiche he wold gyue, and knew also before, to whom he wold gyue them. Lik­wise then, as al other of his gyftes ought to be prechyd and taughte, that he whiche dothe preche them, maye be herde, and obediently followed euen so, no lesse ought predestination to be prechyd, and taught, that he which doth here the o­ther vertuse taught and doth obediently follow them, sholde not therfore reioyse & be proud in man and by that reason, not in him self but in god. For it is the precept of god, to heare the prechar obediently y ^• he which doth reioise maye reioyse onlye in y ^e lord whiche is his [Page] as wel as the other, whiche gyfte whosoeuer hath not, I doubt not to say, that what soeuer he hath, is in vayne and nothinge worth. I wolde to god the Pelagians had this gyft, and that these our breth­ren had it more fullye, and more perfectli thā they haue it.

Let vs not therfore be busy & quick in resoning, & slow in praier Let vs pray (derly beloued) let vs pray that god wold gyue his gra­ce ye to our enmies. but specyally to our brethren, and frendes: hys grace (I say) that they may vnderstande, and knowledge that after the great and vnspekable fal, whi­ch we fel al in one man, no man is or hath byn saued but by the grace of god, and not after the merits of thē, which receuyd that sam grace (although it were gyuen again to vs, as a reward dew for any thīge [Page] of our wel doinge, but as grace in dede ought to be giuē vnto vs, before we did, or coulde, worke any good thing, and that frely.

There is no goodlyar example of predestination, that Iesus him selfe, of the which thing I dyspu­ted in my fyrst boke: & now haue chosen agayn to prayse, and commend it in thend of this my second boke. Ther is no more goodly example (I say) of predestinatiō than is our mediator hym selfe. What faythfull man therfore soeuer wyl vnderstond it wel, let him beholde and loke wel vpon hym, & in him he maye espye and [...]ynde hym self (that faithful man I do mean, whiche doth beleue y ^t there is in Christ a perfect, and an vnfeyned nature, that is to saye our humayne natur which nature God the worde toke vpon him after sych a fashyon, as [Page] neuer was befor nor shal be again, being so hyghly exalted, for to be y ^• only begottē son of god. And so I say, he toke our nature vpō hym, y ^• both the receuer, and the humanite receuid, sholde be but on person in trinite. For after he toke our man­hode vpon hym, ther were not then four persons, that theye sholde be called, a quaternite, but thre per­sons, whiche is the trinite, and so remayneth, that he taking our mā ­hode vpon hym, making and per­forming the verite of on person in god and man, became perfect god and perfect man both to gyther in him selfe. For we do not beleue y ^u Chryste is only god, and not man as the heretiques the Manaches do hould, nor yet, that he was no­thing ells but man, as the Photy­nians heresy defendid, nor yet that he was so man, that he had anye [Page] thinge lesse than he ought to haue in hys humanitie, concerning our humayn nature, whyther it be as toching the soul, or the mind enduyd with reason, whiche is in the soul, or ells concerning the fleshe, that he dyd not take it of the womā but that the flesh was made of the worde, that same word being con­uertid, and tornid into flesh, as the Apollonistes most peruicios and damnable heresy techeth whych ar three seueral and damnable heresis. But we do saye that Christe is perfect god, born of god the father before the beginning of any tyme, & that the same Chryst beinge perfect god was also perfect man bo­rne of man hys mother acordinge to the natural corse and fulnes of time, & y ^t his humanite wherī he is lesse than his father, dothe not mi [Page] his diuinite wherein he is equall with his father, and that both thes ar on christ which christ according to that he was god sayd and that truly: (I and my father am al on) and as toching his manhod sayd also: (My father is greter than I. He then whiche made him of the sede of dauid a iuste man, whiche is neuer vniuste and that without any merits of his own wyll prece­ding that grace, he doth make thos which ar vniuste and vnryghtwis to be iuste and rightwyse, without any meryt of ther wyl precedinge that grace, that Christ sholde be there hed, and they his members. Againe, he which made that man Chryste withoute any of his me­rits preceding, that he shold haue no spot of original synne, nor yet commit in fact, any maner of synn wyllingly or otherwyse wherbi he [Page] sholde haue nede of remission and forgyuenes, he whiche dide al this in Christ, dothe also make men to beleue in him, without any of ther deseruing, that he myght forgyue vnto them al there synne. Also he that made Chryst to be sich a man, as neuer sholde haue wyl to doo euyl, that same, in his members hath made of an euyl and a noughti wyl a good and a godly wyl.

It followeth then, that god dydde perdestinate, both Christ and vs, bycause he knewe before in Chryst those workes▪ which he wold work him selfe not that he knew ani me­ryts of his which shold precede y ^e heuenly grace and that bycause Chryste shold be our hed, and we hys members,

Those whych do red thes thinges, if they do vnderstond them, let thē rendar thankes vnto god therfor, [Page] but they▪ whiche doo not vnder­stonde them, let them praye that God maye be theyr inwarde and spyritual teacher: from whose face commeth al knowledge and vnder stonding

But if there be anye which do thinke that I doo erre, and that I am oute of the ryghte waye, lette hym looke my sayinges twyse o­uer and weye them well, leaste peraduenture they be deceyuyd them selfe. And as for my selfe when I doo fynde that I am the better instructyd by other mennes rea­dyng of my workes I saye bothe in lerninge and in lyuinge, I doo thanke god hartelye for it, and so doo knowledge that he is go­od and mercifull▪ vnto me, which thinge I doo not doubte, but I shall be by the good iudgemente of the doctoures of the churche if [Page] my woorke doeth come into theyr handes, and they lykewyse do vouchsafe to reade thys thinge whyche I haue wryt­ten.