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 â–ª then the people of Tyrus and Sydon shuld not be punished â–ª 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 and vertues had ben done in theÌ„ whiche were done in the other cities The .x. Chapter A Certain catholike doctor 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 coÌ„passion ouer them wuld not work his myracles and shewe his doctrine among theÌ„ becaus they shuld deserue greater punysshmente if they had forsaken that faith whiche thei had once râ—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 wheÌ„ 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 dâ—edes whiche god knewe before he woulde haue wrought afterward if he be taken away before he doth them or some otherwais is holpen thaâ— he dothe not commyt any such offences as Christ dyd help the Tyryans y â— Sydonits if y t expositioÌ„ be treue whoÌ„ he had rather shold not com to the fayth thaÌ„ 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 theÌ„ that thei shold not haue y â— thing which they wold w t greater impietie â–ª wickednes to their iudgement cast away from theÌ„ so lease it again y â— same man which so doth say coÌ„fesseth declareth plaiÌ„ly y â— a maÌ„ 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 â— it is not don Yt foloweth then y t that maÌ„ was prouided for holpen of whoÌ„ 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 meÌ„ of Tyrus SidoÌ„ prouided for after that same maner that thei mighte beleue so be taken out of this life lest malice shold alter their miÌ„d Truli as toching this matter I think it suffycieÌ„t y t after his own wordes saing I haue prouyd y t meÌ„ â–ª ar not iudged for ani thinge which theâ—e haue not don although y â— 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 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 theÌ„ 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 doth prouyd for yonge chyldren acording to his own wyl and pleasure for whome he wyl which yoÌ„g chyldren do nether wyll nor roon whom he hath chosen in Chryst before the foundacion of the world gyuing also hys grace to theÌ„ 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 predestinatioÌ„ 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 lorde are mercy veryte Then is his mercy inuestigable by y â— which he hath mercy on whom him pleaseth w tout any of ther merytts or deseruiÌ„ges for the which he shold rewarde them agayn And this veryte is inuestigable by y â— which he dothe obdurat and harden whom hym pleaseth and that thorow the meryts and deseruing of theÌ„ 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 the other not and yet as ther merytts deseruinges were all one â–ª so was not there end Of the whiche twayn he one of them was delyuered by the goodnis of god that other was coÌ„demnyd by the iustyce rightwysnes of god Shal we say y â— god is not iuste God forbid But his ways ar inuestigable And therfor iÌ„ 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 beiÌ„g 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 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
of his faith to be of him self as though he wold be at a coÌ„position with god that he him self shulde haue the one part of faythe and y e other part shuld be for god 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 iudgemeÌ„t 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 as thoughe thou haste not receyued it By the whyche 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 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 â–ª 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 beâ—ore I was byshop in 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 reâ—ractatioÌ„ 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 â–ª saiinge 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 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 that I sayd then god hath not electid the works of any maÌ„ in his prescyence and foreknowledg but the fayth of a man that whom he knewe by his foreknowledge y â— wolde beleue hym he hath chosen to whom he wold giue y â— holi ghost that by wel and good working he myght com to euerlasting lyfe I had not yet well sought nor fouÌ„de out what election of grace that is wherof the Apostel doth speak saying The remnaunt is sauyd thorough the election of grace whiche is no grace if any merytts do precede or go before lest y t thiÌ„g which is geueÌ„ not of grace but of deseruinge sholde be giueÌ„ as a rewarde for oure merits not frely Therfore as I haue alwaye sayde for so saythe the same Apostel ther is but on god which worketh al iÌ„ al. Whervpon 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 giueÌ„ alone but as it is wrytten charite w t fayth froÌ„ god y e father our lord Iesu christ And as toâ—â—iÌ„g y e â—â—yd a lyghtel after speaking these 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 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 wheÌ„ we do shew our self willing after we are called nether our wyl nor yet our endeuor in ronniÌ„g do suffyse or preuayll except god doth giue strenght vnto theÌ„ which do ron and bring them also whyther he doth cal them I concluded after this wyse saying It is manyfest that it is nether the wyl of hiÌ„ 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 But as touching y e vocatioÌ„ which is after the porpose and plesure of god I haue not much dysputed For that vocatioÌ„ perteyneth not to al men which are called but to theÌ„ only which are electid So y t which I dyd say following lykewyse as faythe is the begynnyng of meryt and deseruyng 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 is the beginning of that we do merytt and deserue pain y t by y e same payn we sholde worke euel is right truly and wel spokeÌ„ 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 â— 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 thiÌ„g is trew it can not be denied But yet this question ought to be demauÌ„ded whither y â— 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 maÌ„ for y t he shold be faythful For we do rede the saing of the Apostel which is I haue obteyned got mercy
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 theÌ„ They were not of theÌ„ 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 predestined accordinge to the purpose of him whiche doth worke al thing For if they had ben so then had thei ben of theÌ„ had without doubt continued styl with them What shuld I say y â— 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 I Wold say also y â— god myghte 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 meÌ„ whiche are dead accordiÌ„g to their syns which they wuld haue commytted if thei had lyued longer tyme. It doth so much abhorre anye mans eaâ—se to hear it spoken much more a christian mans eares y â— I am ashamed to spend ani more time in writing agenst it TheÌ„ must we say y t y e gospel which hath beÌ„ declared opened greate labours paynes and bytter sufferings of the saynes hathe byn taught and preched in vayn if that men myght be iudged w tout 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 condeÌ„ned 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 If it shold be demanded of vs for what cause so great and many miracles wer wrought among them which miracles for al y â— they sawe them done before their eyes wold not beleue or rather wherfore they wer not wrought among theÌ„ 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 â— Paganse dyd put vnto me nothiÌ„g 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 demauÌ„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 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 caÌ„ 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 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 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 Corolaâ—m and Bethsaida for if thos vertues had ben shewed â—one in Tyre and Sydon whiche haue ben in you they wold loÌ„g ago haue repented them sitting in ashâ—s â–ª and â—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 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 wheÌ„ they saw theÌ„ 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 theÌ„ y â— these cities shall be more sharpely ponished and the other more gentilly yet thei shal be both ponished But after al thes words 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 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 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 â—asâ—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 staâ—e condition that they are none otherwise forgeuen than by the grace of god in their regeneration and that by his secrete iuste iudgement For there is none vnrightwisenes with god Some meÌ„ 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
not before that he wolde gyue them But and if they be gyuen of him and he knewe also before that he wold gyue them then are they predestenid of hym Lykwyse then as they them self do exhort to chastyte to charyte to loue toward god to other godly vertues whiche they do confesse to be y â— 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 prechiÌ„g of y e prescience of god in those gifts which shal be 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 â— by this preching of predestinatioÌ„ y t same pernicious dauÌ„gerous error is pluckt back hindered ye subuerted which defendeth that y â— grace of god is giueÌ„ after out merits that by y e preching of predestination they which to reioyce may reioyce not in them self but in the lord And let them to whoÌ„ it is geueÌ„ to haue a quiker wit to perceue things w t les speking take it pacieÌ„tly be coÌ„tent w t my ofteÌ„ râ—peâ—ig of somthinges which thing I doo for ther coÌ„modite which ar soÌ„what dul hard of vnderstaÌ„ding y â— they may perceue it y e better Thapostel Iames doth say if any of you do lacke wysdom let him ask it of god which giueth to al meÌ„ aboundaÌ„tly 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 meÌ„ which haue trauelid in y e scripturs loÌ„g befor our time It is wrytteÌ„ Isai w t these words wheÌ„ I dyd know perfectly y t no man can be chast except god doth gyue to him y e gyfte therof this thing also perteined to wysdoÌ„ to know whose gift it was These then that is to say wysdoÌ„ 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 conteÌ„d 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 beginniÌ„g wherof as wel as the continuance to the end they do holde defende to be of theÌ„ self as though we had not this also of the gyft of god as wel as the other And in this point they are against the apostel which sayth what haste thou that thou 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 supposâ— 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 repreheÌ„ding of vice and noughtines endeuour them self and studye to be y â— 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 meÌ„ than good and godly exhortation when the hearers do with theÌ„ selfe consider that no man can tell such is maÌ„s 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 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 reasoÌ„ of the gyft of wysdom For the sayde Apostâ—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 treated ful of mercy good fruits without grudging dissimulatioÌ„ Do you se perceiue I pray you how many how greate vertues this wysedome hath whiche commeth doune froÌ„ 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 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
they shuld not coÌ„myt any crime for y â— which they shulde deserue to be seperated put froÌ„ it The v Chapter IN the fyfte parte or peticion of this prayer we do saye forgyue to vs our trespasses as we do forgyue them which haue trespassed agaiÌ„st vs. And in this place only of y â— prayer stedfastnis is not called prayd for as it is in the other partes therof For we do here ask pardoÌ„ for those syns which are paste But stedfastnes which doth saue vs for euer seruythe for the whol tyme of this lyf not y â— which is past but for y â— 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 thos heretiques which dyd spring and roye vp longe tyme after were at that tyme by the tonge of Ciprian 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 CypriaÌ„ doth thrust theÌ„ down as it were sleye them wyth the weapon of the verytie For in thee 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 conscieÌ„ce 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 iÌ„ his epistel wheÌ„ he said It we wyl say y â— 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 â–ª The vi Chapter BUt now when the saynctes do praye saying bringe vs not into temtatioÌ„ but deliuer vs froÌ„ euyl what thing do they ells pray for 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 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 wheÌ„ a man hath it he cannot stoberneli lese it wheÌ„ be wold Wherin theâ— 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 wherof we do speake then it is not gyuen vnto them as we haue sufficieÌ„tli spoken before Therfore let no maÌ„ say that he hath stedfastnes and perseuerance gyuen vnto hym tyll the end doth com when he to whom it is gyuen is fouÌ„d 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 â— he hath lost it theÌ„ do we saye that he had such a gyfte But perseuerance and stedfastnes to y â— ende bycause no man hath but he which doth continue to to the end mani a maÌ„ may haue it but no maÌ„ after he hath it can lease it Nether shal any maÌ„ 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 â—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 â— thing be lost which doth preserue kep from losing that which maye be lost 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 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 coÌ„tinued 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 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 had but is in good hop and trust to be had Let ani maÌ„ what so euer he be tel me whyther god is not able to gyue that gyft which he coÌ„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 lede vs not into temptatioÌ„ Therfore who soeuer dothe obteyne hys petition in that behalf of god he is not led into
more â—â—ym iii â—oma 9 〈…〉 â— The selfe sameâ—is the predestination of the saynt 〈◊〉 whiche was of christ 〈◊〉 bâ— otherwise predestinated * he proueth by the testymonie of paule that christe was predestinated of the. number of thr commethe this vocablâ—◠〈◊〉 wher nowe are becom oure greace merits that we boaâ—te of so much yf we loste them in one fore 〈◊〉 Adam if christ had of him left no merittâ—s wherby he was made our sauâ—our out only 〈…〉 of grace then our merites ar 〈…〉 he toucheth 〈◊〉 whiche 〈◊〉 that thei haue faythe of the self ther ar two kindes of 〈◊〉 roma 9 Esaye 5 * be â—â—â—oundeth the sayinge of the aâ—â—stel 〈…〉 on with the aunswer he proueth that the Iewes dyd no more to christe than was ordeyned of god that he may make his aÌ„swer good Styl he toucheth their opinion Ihon. vi Ihon. 2. Eph. 1. Ihon. 15â— Pelagians obiection The aunswer to pelagians obiection ephese 〈◊〉 〈…〉 pelagians whol opinyon concernyngâ— the grace of god Ihon. 6. Gala. 6. These 2 colloss 4 By these wordes he ment that god wolde 〈…〉 Corin 16. Ihon. 6. 2. Cor. 2 As thoughe he had said no man is mete therto of hym selfe The praier of a thinge doth argue prouerâ— the gyfte of the thinge prayed for â—cius 16 god workeâ— both y â— wyl the dedâ— of y â— wyll As though god dothe rule the hart of men in wordly maters and not in heuenly Here 〈…〉 the opinion of the contrary pastâ— PerseueraÌ„ce to the ende is the gifte of god What man â—oth perseâ—er to thend Obiection Aunsuere Matheu x. Philip. 1. i. Peter 〈◊〉 He maketh an obiection prouing that in all meÌ„ perseuerance is the gyfte of God The gifte of perseueraÌ„ce is giuen to some more easelye then to some to some with persecution to som without persecution By the promyse of god he prouethe that stedfastnes is the gyft of God â–ª He exhorteth men to the readinge of the expositioÌ„ of Cyprian upon the lordes prayer The thre capital hereseis of the pelagians contrary to these godly opynyons defended of the churche Halowed bâ— thy name â–ª He proue the that we doe pray for perseueraunce is in the firstâ— petition of the lordes prayer wherfor do we aske of god that thinge which we haue receâ—â—â— Let thy kyngdom come â–ª perseueâ—â—â— in the second petition â–ª Let thy wil be done What is meÌ„t by these uocables heaueÌ„ and yearth PerseueraÌ„ce 〈◊〉 prayed for of god in our thyrd petitioÌ„ Another 〈◊〉 and understaÌ„ding of the thyrd petitioÌ„ The fourth petition in the Whiche perseueraÌ„ce is desyred of god Ciprian calleth this sacramente by the name of breade of thankes geuynge of the bodye of Christe Forgeue us 〈◊〉 â—respaâ—â—e â–ª Pelagians â—eâ—resye that a iust man may be withoutâ— ut 〈◊〉 world and that of suche conâ—â—teth the chuâ—che of Chriâ—â— here in earâ—â— Bring us noâ— into teÌ„ptatiâ—â— A man can not stobernly caste awaye and leâ—se the gyft of perseueraunce after he hathe once receiued tho gyft Obiection Aunswere Math. vi The temptation of â—â—oâ—ernes Obiection Aunswere psal lxxxiiâ—â—â— psalmus lxâ—â— God teÌ„ptethâ— no man to hurt him Two kynds of teÌ„ptatioÌ„â— To be temptyd and to be brought iÌ„ to temptatioÌ„ ar different Cypriane Mathe. xxvâ—â— Agenst fre wyll Man in his fyrst creatioÌ„ had fre wil. Neither our commyng to god nor 〈◊〉 dinge styll in him is in any parte of our power but in the grace only of god psalm lxxix what is meÌ„â— by the hande of god upon the man of thy right â—ad Hierem. xxiiâ— The cause whyc god doth not giue it to vs that of our owne power we may come abyde styl in him why the grace of God is not giuen for our merrits Marke wel this doctrine If non were saued we had but right and God dyd therein no wronge Herin is both the goodnes ryghtwyse iustice of god knowen 〈◊〉 aunswereth to a contrary questionÌ„ These sayinges I wyll have it percyneth to 〈◊〉 and his Tâ—ke â—hat thou hast â—eserued percyneth to iustice The more benefyt the greter thankes Obiection Obiection Aunswere wherefore doth god suffer the wycked and the godlye to be mixt together God wyll haue his sainctes to be alway in feare i. Corinth x To fall is in mans power but to stande 〈◊〉 not It is not the going into a cioister that putteth such thinges oute of a mans mynde Galathia v. ii Corint iiiâ— Predestination i. Ihon. ij For what cause wer thei not of them Of this he spake largely in his firste booke This is the fayre flower of oure free wyll He throweâ—â— them downe with theâ—â— owne argumente New coÌ„meth 〈◊〉 â—o the matter of infantes whiche reade with iudgemente He recyteth a certain doctors mynde whiche he derideth as folysh Oure merits deseruing to goo warde are all one of goodnes The begynnyng of euill commeth of fre wyll The Manaches errour Ignoraunce blyndnes of harte are borne and brought with us into thys Worlde Augustine retractethe his bokes of free wyll Ignoraunce and hardnes is the payne iuged to the nature of man for his fyrst fall Grace is not in his righte kind except it come frely The pelagians do deny original syn in yong chyldren The pelagians do call originall syn nothynge els but a natural infirmitie weakenes Romanos ix By the prouidence of god all is ordeined gouerned not by destenye Into what blynd errors the opinioÌ„ of merits doth bringe men For what cause hathe god myxt the wycked amonge the godly Oure hartes thoughteâ— ar not in our power Psal lxxxiii Colos iii. Obiection Aunswer By the teaching of thapostel he proueth the doctrine of predestination to be byd What is predestination The cause why the people of Tire SydoÌ„ did not beleue It profeteth small to here with thy fleshly eares yf the eares of thy soule be stopâ— He concludeth by the example of the doctryne of Christe and of his apostels that predestination hindereth nothynge to teachinge of good liuinge The effecte and ende of the doctrine of predestinacion And yet he taught predestination Ihon. vi Mathe. xix i. Corint uii No man can exhort Well excepte it be giuen to him of god so to do Our obedieÌ„t is the gift of god Who hathe eares to here All these are the wordes of hym whiche make the â—â—obiection Thaunswer when mann doth se hymâ—selfe oute oâ— the lawe oâ— god let hym doubte theâ— worsteâ— anâ— hast him that he may be iâ— that waye whiche is of thelectes Obiection Thanswer PerseueraÌ„ce muste be obteined by petition A caus why it oughte not be â—yd The greate inconuenieÌ„ce whiche commeth of predestinatioÌ„ not taught wherin thes men do dyffer from the pelagians PerseueraÌ„ce is the gyft of god By their own techiÌ„g he prouethe that the openinge of predestination doth not hinder but further godlye lyuynge Obiection Aunswere Iames. 〈◊〉 i. Corin. iiii Iames. â— â–ª He teachethe theim howe they shuld exhort peple to uertues The begynninge the ending and the middes of our lyfe are the gyftes of god PrescieÌ„ce is sometyme taken in the scripture for predestinatioÌ„ Mark how he deth weyâ—ge words of the lorde Ephe. 〈◊〉 Ciprian Ambrose 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 Marke this great note of ambrose and the free wyl masters shal fynde smal comfort therat That is to coÌ„fes thre persons one god 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 That is too good works The final eÌ„d of the preachynge of predestination This is thee laste ancor holde of them which wolde not haue predestination openly taught He prouethe the wordes whiche he wrote in his boke of confessions to be true and catholique God maketh his enemyes to be his frâ—ndes when as often as it pleaseth him New heresies do brynge new questioÌ„s and new questions newe solutions new solutioÌ„s do aske new laboures and more diligent serching of the scriptures S. Augustine woulde haue no man bouÌ„d to his works 〈◊〉 all thinges if he doth appeare to erre in any poynt but wherein he errethe to forsake hym God maketh men of hys enemies hys louers But that it is geuen by the grace of god Bring us noâ— into temptation A warnyng how predestination sholde be taught An example of unlearned unaduised doctrine This is his counsel how they shoulde teach this doctrine He sheweth that the teachyng of the prescience of god after the same ways that predestination was taughte is both unfruytfull hurt full All mans lyfe euen to the end is in hope then to be out of hoope and into certaine securite wheÌ„ he shal departe from this lyfe The faythe whiche the churche of christe hathe held froÌ„ the begynnynge as touchyng the grace of god 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 This is a greate bulâ— wark of fre wyll maysters
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 buâ— thus set as If ther be any of you which do continew in the delight pleasure of syn which bryngeth damnation 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 â— 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 whoÌ„ 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 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 theÌ„ 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 â— 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 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 cursâ—e and to speke euyl or ells to prophâ—cy before of euill to com to theÌ„ But if ye wold spek ani thing of them which do not perseuer and continew iÌ„ y e faith or if ther be som sich matter y â— constreineth you to speke som thinge therof whi shold ye not rather spek your words so 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 spokeÌ„ in y e therd persoÌ„ of y â— 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 maÌ„ wold speke after this fashion and saye If they do obey and be nowe good â–ª 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 spokeÌ„ both better and more fetly than if we shold in our wordes apere to wysh and desire so great an euyl vnto theÌ„ 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 theÌ„ selfe but be in hope and prayar of that thiÌ„g 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 trew as syf ye do obey whiche are foreknowen of god to be refused 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 spokeÌ„ 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 theÌ„ here to fore to do is suffycieÌ„t 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 th ende in obedience from whom al good gyfts and al perfect gyfts do com doun â–ª and when 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 â— 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 lyfe god hath promised to the chyldern of promission 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 â— ende of that same lyfe to whom ye make youre petition sayinge lede vs
not into tentatioÌ„ 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 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 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 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 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 â— god doth conuert and turn to hym the wylles of men which are not only out of the fayth but of those also whiche are aduersaris enemies to the faythe Nor yet wolde the church praye 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 â–ª and sorow with his hart deliring to receue that thing which he asketh of god if he doth thinke that he may haue it of hiÌ„ 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 seÌ„t 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 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 â–ª 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 â—ather In the text before he sayde He sent the spirit crieng here in this part he saith In y â— which spirit we do cry expouÌ„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 theÌ„ now marke wel how foule they are deceuid whiche do thinke that it is of our selfe and not giueÌ„ to vs of god that we sholde aske that we shold seke 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 giueÌ„ 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 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 wrytteÌ„ no maÌ„ 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