besydes dyd euer kepe it perfectlye It is to be thoughte that Iosyas hathe bene a greater zelatoure of the lawe of God than all the other were yet it foloweth not therefore that he kepte the lawe wyth such a perfection as God dothe requyre DIDyMVS What say ye to these wordes of Dauid Obiectiō I haue walked in all thy commaundementes and haue hated all wicked wayes Again In thy testemonyes is my delyght they are my counseyllers Myght not a man gether by suche sayings that the holy prophet Dauid kept the lawe and the commaundementes of God moste perfectelye PHILALETHSE Aunswer If any man should so do he shoulde greatlye be deceaued For by such words Dauid doth only declare the great zele and good affection A declaration of Dauids wordes that hee dyd beare vnto the law and commaundements of God and the good estimation that he hadde of them For if he shoulde saye and boaste that he hadde kepte the lawe and commaundements of God perfectlye the scripture should proue him as lyar For it testifyeth and witnesseth of hym that he was bothe an aduouterer and a murtherer But to saye that an aduouterer or murtherer hathe kept the lawe of God wyth suche a perfection ii Samu. xi xii as God doth requyre that wer a blasphemye against God and against his lawe Moreouer after that he hadde committed suche detestable and enorme crymes and hadde obtayned forgeuenesse and pardone for the same dyd he not synne agayne moste greauouslye agaynst God ii Samu. xxiiii when he did rekynne his people Ye see then how Dauyd did manye and sondrye tymes offende against the lawe Therefore Psa cxxx dothe he crye oute sayinge If thou Lorde wylte be extreame to marke what is done amysse oh Lorde who maye abide it DI. By our brother Albions leue I wyll brynge fourth all the sayings of that most valyaunte champyon of the Romishe churche syth that they serue so well for our purpose ALBION Ye shall haue good leaue of me neighbour Didymus For through the occasion of them many goodly matters are discussed whiche as ye sayed before serue verye well for this oure communication that we haue now in hand Therfore go on in the name of God DIDyMVS He did in his greate heate affyrme most stoutely that a man was able to fulfyll these two cōmaundements The proud assercion of the papistes Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy god with all thyne hearte wyth al thy soule and with all thy strength And thou shalt not couet PHILALETHES If ye wyll marke diligentely all that hath bene sayed afore Aunswer vnto it ye shall soone perceaue that it is impossible for any manne to do it For thys commaundemente Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God wyth all thine harte wyth all thy soule and wythall thy strengthe doth require a moste pure cleane hart whiche shoulde be wythoute spot or blemish Pro. xx But who in al the hole world can truely saye I haue a cleane hart DIDyMVS I do wel vnderstand all thys hole matter God be praysed and thanked for it But I wyl only reherse vnto you the communication and talcke of thys noble and valiaunte knighte of the Romish beast EVTRA. I praye you brother Philalethes that ye wyll geue me leaue to aunswer a while that so ye may haue some brething tyme. For sence ye came ye neuer reasted PHILALETHES I am well content EVTRAPELVS Nowe then neyghboure Dydimus let vs hear all the wyse talcke and communication of this noble knighte and valiaunt champion of the Romish church DIDYMVS He did saye that by this Commaundemente Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God withall thine harte with all thy soule and wyth all thy strengthe is not required an actual loue or motion of the hart towards God but that it is inough if it be not interrupted by some deadlye sinne so that he is compted to keepe thys commaundement whyche preferreth nothing before God nor wold for all the goodes and rychesse in the worlde breake one of hys comcommaundements EVTRAPELVS Truelye this is a very substantiall diuinity and worthye of suche an excellente deuine as he thinketh him self to be How could it be I praye you that a man shoulde kepe him selfe from offending God excepte he shoulde loue him actually that is to say in verye deede For all that is done If the harte of manne be voyde of the loue of god he cā do no good without the loue of God is sinne If the hart of man then be voyde of the loue of God what good can he do I saye vnto you that all the sinnes that a man committeth do come of this that he loueth not God actually Consider marke what the Lorde hym selfe saythe speakinge of his lawe And thys shall be a signe vnto thee in thyne hande and a token to thincke vppon before thine eies Exo. xiii howe that the Lord brought vs out of Egipt wyth a mighty hande And when the true and faythfull seruaunt of God Moses had said Deu. vi Thou shalte loue the Lorde thy God wyth all thine heart c. He did adde by and by These woordes whych I commaunde thee thys daye shalt thou laye vppe in thine hart thou shalt rehearse theym vnto thy Chyldren and shalt talcke of theym when thou sittest in thyne house when thou walckest by the waye when thou lyest downe and when thou rysest vppe And in an other place he wryteth on this manner Take heede to thy selfe nowe Deu. iiii and kepe well thy soule that thou forget not the thynges whych thyne eyes haue seene and that they departe not out of thine heart al the dayes of thy life Ye see that God dothe require bothe an actuall remembraunce of hys wonderous workes and also an actuall loue towardes hym Ioh. xiiii Iesus Christe also sayeth if ye loue me kepe my commaundemēts Again This is the loue of God saithe the blessed Euangelist s Ihō that we keepe his commaundementes i. Ioh. v. It followeth then that we muste haue fyrste an actual loue of God in our hartes if we wil keepe his lawe or keepe our selues from falling into sinne DyDIMVS Now do I perceiue that the opinion of this master doctor is abhomynable and diuelyshe Therfore I do vtterlye forsake it as most erroneous and heretical But now tel me I pray you how this commaundement Thou shalt not couet ought to be vnderstanded For this galant doctoure dyd say that God dothe not forbyd the concupiscence but that he doth only forbid condemne the agreinge vnto it affirming stifly The opinion of the scole men touching concupisence that concupiscence is no sinne excepte we do consent and agree vnto it For saithe he the concupiscences and lustes of the flesh after baptisme be left vnto vs for an exercyse of vertue and for an occasion to merit and deserue that after we haue manfully foughten in this world we maye in the other receyue the crown of
glory of righteousnes EV. By what authorityes of the scripture did he proue his saying DYDIMVS By the saying of S. Augustine wher he wryteth that concupiscence is no synne in them that bee regenerated or borne of new excepte we consente vnto the same wicked naughtye workes EVTRA. This galant doctor of yours doth great wrong to s Augustin For he saith not only that concupiscence is no sin but that it is no sinne in them that are born of new as ye your self do wel perceiue by his woordes that ye haue aleadged For god saith not thou shalt not go after thy concupiscences Thou shalt not bring them to effect nor consent vnto them but he saithe plainlye Thou shalt not couet And that concupiscence in them that are born of new is cōpted for no sinne it commeth not of the concupiscence but of the newe byrthe or regeneration whiche bryngeth to passe that God dothe not vnto hym that is borne of new impute hys concupyscence for sin For it is wrytten he that is born of God i. Ioh. iii. sinneth not that is to say his sin is not imputed vnto him Againe it is saide that be synneth not because that he suffereth not synne to raigne in him Moreouer I wyll proue by liuelye reasons that concupiscence that is to saye all euyll motions of the harte are synne Fyrst and foremoste I aske of you wherof commeth concupiscence of the fleshe or of the spirite DyDIMVS I graunt that it cometh of the flesh EV. It followeth then that concupiscence is fleshlye For as Christe saith That which is born of flesh Ioh. iii. is flesh DIDyMVS I do confesse that to EV. It followeth then that concupiscence is synne For the flesh in it selfe is nothyng elsse but sinne euer repugnynge againste the spirit as it is wrytten The flesh coueteth agaynste the spirit And in an other place Saint Paule sayeth also gala v. The workes of the fleshe are manifest which are whoredōe enuy Idolatry c. I aske this of you he that geueth occasion of synne is not he partaker of the sinne He that biddeth to steale and he that stealeth be they not both theues Now it is so that euery euel motion of the hart doth stir vp man for to sinne and if mā doth not assent nor agre vnto it the faut and lacke is not in the concupiscence that dothe all that in it doth lie to cast man headlong into sinne but it is the holy ghoste that dothe mortifye the same concupiscence in them that be regenerated or borne of newe Seing then that all sinnes do come and proceade of the concupiscence and euil motiōs of the hart we muste neades confesse that suche concupiscence and euil motions of the hart are euell If they be euill then are they forbidden of God For God doth not only commaunde to auoide sinne but also the occasion of sinne Sith then that we do retein and kepe in vs such euil motions of the harte we do euil For vnderstād ye that God by this commaundement Thou shalt not couet dothe condemne and forbid al euil concupiscence and naughty motions of the hart and not onlye the frutes that spring therof That is to saye because that God wyll haue all oure whole soule to be filled and possessed with the affectyon of loue and charity hys wyll and pleasure is that we should banish and cast out of our harts al manner of things that be contrary vnto charity and brotherly loue so that no thought shoulde rise in oure mindes for to kindle our harts wyth any concupiscence that might be hurtfull noysome vnto our neighbor For it is the concupiscence that prycketh and tickeleth the hart for to in tice him to sinne DIDyMVS It may be that man shall not consent to it EV. If man should consent vnto it then the same consent shoulde no more be called concupiscence only but a deliberate purpose And truely it is no meruel that God dothe requyre such a perfection Why god doth require such a perfection and vprightuee in man and vprightnesse in man For who wyll saye the contrarye but that it is moste ryghte that all the powers of the soule oughte to be applyed and geuen to charity And if anye part of the soule dothe shrincke or swarue from it I mean from the loue that we owe vnto God and our neighboure al men must nead confesse that it is fauty nought For wherof dothe it come that any desire to hurt our neyghboure entreth into our hart but only because that despisinge other we do only seke our owne profit For if our whole hart wer fully possessed with charity and brotherlye loue no such imaginations shuld haue entraunce into it Therefore we muste conclude that the harte is void of charitye for as muche as it doth conceiue such concupiscence DYDIMVS But me thyncketh that it is not meete and conuenyent that such vayne fantasyes as do come into a mannes brayn and afterwards do vanish away shuld be taken and condemned for concupiscences which properly haue their of spring in the hart EV. I saye that God by thys commaundement Thou shalt not couet forbiddeth not only those imaginations that rise in mans harte but also al vain thoughtes that may by anye meane moue stir vp the hart vnto concupiscence For we can neuer so sone lust or desire any thing in our mind but that the hart is straightwais therwith touched and enflamed whether it be lyttle or much But the lord doth require of vs a most perfect charity which should be farthest from all fleshlye concupiscence PHILA Sithens that thys matter hathe bene suffycyentlye debated I thyncke it good that heare we make an end praying most earnestly vnto oure heauenly father to send his holye spirit into our harts and to endue vs aboūdantly with the same that our corrupted and poysened flesh being through it tamed and mortified we may wholly geue our selues to serue him in holynesse and righteousnesse al the daies of oure liues DyDIMVS God graunt it ¶ Imprinted at London by Ihon Tisdale and are to be sold at hys shop in Lombard streate Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum
In tracta tu de gratia libero arbitrio hoc solum eiê° est meritum quod consentit Est prorsus Non quidem quod velcon fensus in quo omne meritum con sistit ab ipso sit cum nec cogitare quod minus est quam conseÌ„tire a liquid a nobis quasi ex nobis sufficientes simus Verba sunt non mea sed Apostoli qui omne quod bonum esse potest id est cogitare et velle perficere pro bona voluntate attribuit deo noÌ„ suo arbitrio That is to say what then Is this therfore the whole work of fre wyll Is this the only merit of it that it dothe consente and agree Truly it is Not that the consent wherin all the merit doth consist doth come or is of it syth that we be not of our selues as of our selues able to thinke any thing whiche is lesse than to consent or agre Theese be not my wordes but the wordes of the Apostle which doth attribute vnto God and not vnto hys free wyll all that be good that is to saye to thyncke and to wyll and to perfourme accordyng to his good wyll and pleasure Here do we learne that Bernard doth adscribe al thynges vnto god and nothing to fre wil wherin he doth agree with S. Augustin Li. de ecclesi dogma xxvii sayinge God dothe so woorke in the hartes of men and in the fre wyll it self that euerye good thoughte godly counsel and al good motion of the wil or minde is of God ALBION ObiectioÌ„ My faithfull guydes did tel me that these be S. Augustines wordes who of vs all wyll say that throughe the sinne of the fyrst manne fre wyll is pearyshed from mankinde It appeareth by thys that notwithstandynge the fall of the fyrst man we haue free wil stil DYDIMVS Yea I doe remember that these woordes are also aledged out of S. Augustin Let no man be slack and slouthful to serue God nor trust so vppon grace Li. iii. hy pogno coÌ„ tra Pela as though God shuld not require the workes of his fre will yea rather let him shonne euill and do good No man can deny but that theese be S. Augustines wordes Wherby he doth plainly declare the God doth require the workes of our fre wil. Which thing he wold not do except we had it PHI. It is a wonder to se howe craftye the deuil is Aunswer both in wrasting of the scriptures also in peruerting of thancient fathers In the firste sentence that oure brother Albion dyd aleage The deuils sophistrie they do bring but a smal piece god wot For al that doth declare most plainelye the righte meanynge of Saint Augustin the same do they mooste craftely leaue of And because no man shal thincke that I goe about to sclander them ye shall heare al the hole sentence of that auncient doctour The whole sentence of August which is this who of vs wil say that through the sinne of the first man fre wyll is pearished from mankind Truely the fredome is pearished throughe sinne but the same that was in Paradise to haue ful or perfect righteousnesse with immortality Therefore mannes nature hathe neade of the grace of God as oure sauioure Iesus Christe doth testify saying If the sonne of god doth deliuer you then are ye free in deede to liue wel and iustly For free wyll is not so pearyshed vnto sinners but that they sinne throughe it specially al those that sinne wyth pleasure and throughe the loue that they haue vnto synne whyche they do desire and whiche pleaseth them What thinges are to be noted in saint Augustines wordes Marke well theese woordes Fyrst he saithe that the same fredome is pearyshed gon whiche was in paradise to haue perfecte righteousnesse with immortality meaninge therby that wheras man had in Paradise free liberty to purchase vnto hym self a full and perfecte righteousnesse with immortality the same is now pearished and lofte throughe hys disobedience and fall Secondlye he sayth that free wil is not so perished vnto sinners but that they synne through it specially al those that sinne with pleasure whereby he doth vnderstand that for to doe frely and frankly the thynge that is good we haue nead of the grace of God and that the same manne which hath not the holy goste and which is not truelye regenerated doth frely and wythout compulsion serue vnto sinne in so muche that he seemeth not to be the seruaunt of sinne because that the euel that he doth he dothe it voluntarily freelye and francklye Who doth not see nowe that S. Augustine speaketh nothinge of suche a free wyll as your faithful guides do most shamefully goe aboute to maintaine and vphold And therefore in an other place he wryteth on this manner whye dare miserable and wretched men be proud Li. de spiritu et li. tera ca. xxx or boaste theym selues either of fre wyll afore that they be deliuered or of theyr owne strengthe if they be already deliuered And doe not marcke that in the verye name of free will libertye or fredome is signifyed But where the spiryte of the LORDE is there is freedome and libertye Therefore if they be seruauntes of sinne whye do they boaste theym selues of free wyll For of whome so euer anye manne is ouercome to hym is hee delyuered to bee hys bounde manne And if they be delyuered whye doe they boaste theym selues as of theyr owne woorke Are they so free that they refuse to be the seruauntes of him that saythe Iohn xv withoute me ye canne doe nothynge And in his booke whyche he dyd wryte of grace and free wyl these be hys woordes Oure wyll is alwayes free capi xv but it is not alwayes good For eyther it is free from righteousnesse when it serueth vnto synne and then it is euyl or it is free from synne when it serueth vnto righteousnesse and then it is good Whyche sentence he doth both repeate and also expound in hys other woorkes sayinge playnely Li. ad bonifa cap. ii that manne is made free from ryghteousnesse by hys owne free wyll but that he canne not bee made free from synne sauyng onlye by the grace of oure Sauyoure Is not thys I praye you to deryde and laughe to scorne the vayne Tytle and name of Free wil DYDIMVS Yet in the sayinge that I haue aledged ObiectioÌ„ he dothe affyrme and say that God dothe requyre the workes of our free wyll whych can not be vnderstanded of synne For God doth vtterlye forbid it Whereby I maye conclude that oure wyll is free to doe good woorkes els God woulde not requyre the workes of our fre wyll PHILALETHES When I haue rehearsed vnto you the hole sentence Aunswer as it lyeth wrytten in S. Augustin then iudge ye your self whether they do not followe the steppes of theyr greate graundfather the deuell in peruerting both the scryptures and also the auncyent fathers And
the argument of a Christian doctoure ALBION Obiectiō Thys was also one of theyr arguments wherby they went about to proue that we haue free wyll Wherfore say they shoulde any exhortations be made vnto the people or wherfore shoulde they be rebuked for their sinnes if it lieth not in them to obey or if it lyeth not in theyr power to shon vice and to embrace vertue PHILALETHES Suche obiections were made vnto S. Augustine Aunswer made out of sainte August wherfore he was compelled to make a boke de correptione et gratia that is to say of rebukynge and of grace Wher he doth stoutly confute all the obiections and argumentes that the aduersaryes can make In his decorreptione gratia which maye be reduced and brought to this short and compendious summe O man knowe in the commaundemēt what thou art bound to do In the rebuking learne that throughe thyne owne faut thou hast it not and in praier learn whence thou must receiue the thing that thou wilt haue First we are not alone in this cause but Christ al his apostles Let them se how they can shift hauing to do with such aduersaries Because the Christ saith that we can do nothinge without him Iohn xv dothe he lesse rebuke them therefore that withoute him did euil or dyd he lesse exhorte all men to geue thē selues vnto good woorkes Howe sharpelye dothe Saint Paule inueighe against the Corinthians for the neglecting of christian loue and charity and yet at lengthe he desireth of God that he vouchsafe to geue them christian loue and charity i. Cor. xvi Wrytinge to the Romaines he doth testify that it lieth not in the wyl and renning of man but in the mercye of God yet afterwardes he dothe not cease to admonishe Rom. ix to exhorte and to rebuke Why doe they not therefore warne the Lord or geue him counsel that he do not lose his labour requiring those thinges of menne which he alone is able to geue Or rebuking them for those thinges which only throughe the lacke of hys grace are committed Why do they not warn Paul to spare them in whose power it lieth not to wil nor to renne without the mercye of God wherof they be al together destituted As thoughe the Lord is not able to shewe a sufficient reason or cause of his doctrin whiche in dede doth offer it self vnto them that do godly and reuerently seke for it Verely S. Paule dothe well declare and shew how much i. Cor. i. both exhorting and rebukinge are able by them selues to change the mindes of the hearers when he wryteth that neyther he that planteth is any thing nor he that watreth but that it is the Lord that geueth the encrease which only worketh effectuously Question Wherfore then do the exhortations serue Aunswer If they that be of an obstinate hearte doe contemne and despise them they shall be for a witnesse vnto them when they come before the iudgemente seat of Christe Yea nowe at thys present they do already beate and smite theyr consciences For although they laugh them to scorn yet they be not able to dysalowe them But what shoulde they doe Sith that the softnesse of the hart which is necessary vnto obedience is denied vnto theym yea rather what are they able to say sith that they can impute the same hardnes of their own harts but only to thē selues but the chief vtility is to be considered in the faithfull For as the Lord doth woorke in them all thinges by his holy spirit so dothe he not neglect the instrument of his word nor yet occupy it wythoute efficacy or effect Let therefore the truth stand that is to saye let all menne be sure of this that all the hole strengthe and vertue of the godlye dothe lye only in the grace of God An other question Whye be they warned of theyr duetye and not rather permitted all together vnto the guyding or gouernment of the spirit Why are they stirred and moued with exhortations sythe that they can make no more haste than the spirite dothe pricke them forwardes whye are they rebuked if they go at any time out of the way sith that they fall through the weakenesse of theyr fleshe O man what arte thou that darest prescrybe a law vnto God Aunswer If by exhortatyon he wyll haue vs to be prepared to receiue the same self grace where by we are made obedient vnto his word is there any thing that thou canst iustly reproue in this deuine policye of his If exhortations and rebukings shuld serue for nothing els amonge the godlye but for to rebuke synne they oughte not to be cōpted vnprofitable But now The profytte of exhortatiōs vnto the godlye sith that the spirite workynge inwardlye they doe profyte muche for to kyndle in menne a desyre of goodnesse to shake of slouggishnesse to take awaye the pleasure of wyckednesse and the poysonned sweetenesse of it and contrarywise for to engender in them a hatred and tediousnesse of vyce and of this wicked and synnefull world who dareth saye that they be superflue or vnprofitable EVTRAPELVS Here in deede S. Augustin doth answer throughly the vain obiections of the Pelagians so that any reasonable man oughte to contente him selfe wyth his answer How be it me thinke that they were sufficiently answered already in our firste communication that we haue had this mornyng of the deuine predestinatyon of God ALBION Thys haue I gathered out of the wordes of S. Augustin What maye be gathered of Saint Augustines workes that God doth two manner of waies worke in hys elect and chosen Inwardly wyth his holye spirit and outwardly with his word with his spirite he maketh theym new creatures lightenynge theyr mindes and kindeling theyr hartes with the loue of righteousnes With his woorde he dothe moue and styrre them to desire the same renewing to seke for it and to embrace it And to both of them doth he retch forth his hand effectuously according as he hathe appoynted and ordained Why god doth send his word vnto the reprate And when he doth send his word vnto the reprobate thoughe it be not for theyr amendment yet it is to thys ende that they may in this preset world be confounded with the testimony and witnesse of theyr owne conscience and also be made vnexcusable agaynst the day of iudgement But what can ye say to these places of the scripture Obiectiō that they did a leadge vnto me I wyl willinglye offer sacrifice vnto thee Agayne I wyll of my free wyll praise and laude thee Item Let thyne hande be readye to saue me For I haue chosen thy commaundements Do not these wordes of the prophette Dauid declare plainlye that the thing that he did he did it willingly frely and frankly PHILA I saye Aunswer that they make or put no difference betwyxte the man that is alreadye renewed by the spirite of God and the manne that is altogether carnal and
puft vp with a vain perswasyon of the righteousnesse of the lawe and also blineded with a folishe confydence and trust that he had in hys owne workes Againe he did aske whiche were the deedes of righteousnesse wherby eternall felicity and saluation myght be obteined Therfore he is by good right sent vnto the law whiche is a perfecte loking glasse or mirroure of ryghteousnesse and also whiche muste be fulfilled if we wyll obtayn the rewarde of life euerlastinge But who is able to fulfil it No manne liuing Christ onlye beinge excepted Wherby it followeth that all they that go aboute to be saued by the works of the law are farthest of from saluation The meaninge then of our sauiour Iesu Christ is that who so euer wyll be saued by workes he muste obserue keepe the commaundements wyth such a perfection as God doth requyre elsse he can not enter into lyfe euer lasting so that the yong man perceiuing his lacke and vnablenesse and how farre of he was from the perfection that he thoughte hym selfe to be in mighte take an occasyon to seeke for the true and only remeady that our most mercyfull father hathe appoynted for vs to be saued by and for to be delyuered from the malediction curse of the lawe that al menne Gala. iii. for lacke of fulfyllynge of the same are subiecte vnto by theyr owne nature ALBION Saye what ye wyll my faythfull guydes dyd tell me Obiectiō that it is a playne heresye yea and a mooste detestable blasphemye to say that a man is not able to kepe the law and commaundementes wyth such a perfection as GOD doth requyre For if God shoulde commaund thinges impossible he shoulde not be righteous And by the lawe of nature whyche by the finger of God is wrytten in the hartes of men we be not bounde to thinges that he impossyble or that it lyeth not in oure power to fulfyl Li. ii de peccato et merit et remi cap. vi Saint Augustin dothe also testify that no man dothe sin in that thing that he is not able to shonne or auoid Again he wryteth thus I can not thinke that god did commaund any thing that is impossyble Iero. ad damasū papam de simbobo fidei or that it is impossible vnto God to help to do that thyng whiche he hath commaunded Moreouer they haue alleadged s Ierome vnto me saying we do curse detest the blasphemy of thē that saye that God hath commaunded man to do any thing that is impossible and that the commaundements of god can not be kept They did also bring in Chrisostō wher he saith let vs not thinke that the commaundementes of God be impossyble Hom. viii in mat For truely they be bothe profitable vnto vs and also very easye if we wyll be dilygente or take good heede And vnto this do the scryptures agree For after that Moses had publyshed the law he dyd say vnto the children of Israel the commaundement Deu. xxx whiche I commaund thee this daye is not hydden from the neyther to farre nor yet in heauen but it is very nygh vnto thee euen in thy mouth and in thine harte that thou maist doe it Again Christ him selfe dothe say Mat. xi My yoke is easy and my burdē is lyght Moreouer these be the wordes of the blessed Euangeliste S. Ihon for this is the loue of God that we keepe hys commaundements i. Epi. v. and his commaundements are not greuous or heauye These places do sufficiently declare that man is able to fulfil the commandements of God PHILALETHES As touching the fyrste sayinges of your faythfull guydes Aunswer wherein they doe affyrme and saye that manne is able to fulfyll the lawe and commaundementes of God we muste vse a distinction that so we maye vphold and maintaine the veritye and truth of Goddes word For if they vnderstande it of a man that is graffed or that hath fellowshyp with Christ I saye that the same manne doth obserue and kepe the hole law of God How the man beinge regenerated doth kepe the whole lawe of God not really in him self but because that he is conducted and led by the spirite of God And also we may right well say that he doth kepe the hole law of god by the vertue of the fellowshyppe that he hath with Christ wherby he is made partaker or rather put in full possession of the perfect and consummate obedience Rom. x. and that oure sauioure Iesus Christe dyd shewe and yelde vnto God hys father Retract xix so that hys fautes shall not be imputed vnto him For Iesus Christ doth supply whatsoeuer is lacking or wāting in such a man And so it may be true that a man is able to kepe the lawe of God in Iesu Christ and by Iesu Christe but not of hym self For as Saynt Augustine saith al the commaundements of god be fulfylled when the synnes and fawtes be not imputed But if they wyll saye that a manne beynge separated from christ is able to kepe the law of god they ar in a great eror For christ him selfe sayeth that a tree canne bringe fourth no good fruyte Mat. vii excepte it be made good fyrst But no man is good of his owne selfe as it hathe bene declared alredye Therfore he can not bring fourth good fruite Againe these be the wordes of our sauiour Iesu Christ Byde in me and I in you Ioh. xv As the braunche can not beare fruyte of it selfe excepte it byde in the vine no more canne ye excepte ye abide in me Ye see that oure sauioure Iesu Christe dothe shewe by thys simylitude that it lyethe not in mannes power to brynge anye good fruyte of hym selfe excepte he be graffed in Christe If ye haue well marked what hath ben sayd afore of fre wyl ye shall well perceaue that it is so farre of that manne of hym selfe and by his owne strengthe is able to fulfyll the lawe perfectely that he cā not wel vnderstād one only poynte of it as it ought to be vnderstanded For ye must note that the lawe must be throughly obserued and kepte wyth a pure and cleane heart Ro. vii as Saint Paule saieth The lawe is spirituall but manne of him self is polluted and carnall whyche thinge he confesseth of him selfe sayinge And I am carnall solde vnder synne How canne the lawe then that is spirituall and man whiche is carnall and fleshely agree Moreouer the lawe wyll be kepte euen from the conception of man vnto the laste daye and houre of of hys lyfe wythoute anye maner of transgressyon or offence For Iam. ii as Saynte Iames sayeth he that fawtethe or offendeth in one is gylty of the whole Item the Lorde hym selfe sayeth that cursed are all menne De. xxvii that do not abyde in al thyngs that be written in the booke of thys lawe for to do them How is manne able then to kepe the hole law of God as it