as you thynke / what shulde yov serche any forther dyd not these men vnderstond scripture is not this exposicion playne this taketh away alle inconueniēs By thys exposycion / god ys not the auctor of euylle thys ys a clarkly exposycyon / Breuely Thys must nedes be the trewe exposycyon wherefor it were better for you / to erre with S Hierom / and with Origen than for to say trew with these new herytykis / so call you all them / that will reproue youre oldde blyndnes Now haue you well defendyd the matter Now ys youre cause well proued / Nowe must the holy gost chāge his wordes / for he hath new scole masters / ād where he was wonte to say / I haue hardened Pharos harte Nowe must he say / Pharo hathe hardenyd hym selfe / by my softenesse and by my easynes / but I haue not done it / But yet I pray you / My goodlye masters how wolde yov satisfyse a weke consyens that styckis faste to the worde of god and reknythe that the holy gost / knoweth well what he shal speke ād wil speke nothing with out a gret cause / but that that he speketh shall be so well spokē that you cā not a mend yt / How think you ys yt sufficyent to say to this pore man / Orygen and. S. Hierō saye so / holde thou thy pece / be thou cōtēt with their exposyciōs / serche thou no forther yt doth not be come the to know it but now will he laye to youre charge / That this thing is openly writen in scripture / and the wordis of Moses and of paul be playne therfore you must answer to them / and yt shalle be as lawfull for hym too know the mynd of holy scrypture as the exposicion of S. Hierom or of Orygen Scripture saithe playnly / That god dothe indurate pharos hart / not pharo his awne hart It is a new gramer to say / I wyll indurate pharos harte / that shal be as muche / as pharo shall indurate himselfe thorow my sofftenesse paciēs / by this rule shall Anaxagoras phylosophye come in place / that shal make of euerye thyng what we wil And where as scrypture saythe / Saull / Saull / why doste thou persecute me / Shalle be as muche to say / As why sufferest thou me to be perse quutid / Also the father of heuen / sent his wonly sone in too the worlde / shall be as muche to say as he suffered hys sone to be sent / Soo that we shall expounde all placys of scrypture / too oure awne purposse / and not to loke what ys the sentens off holy scrypture nor yet what the mynde off the holy gost ys / but what exposycyon wyll plese vs best / and what wylle best serue / to oure carnall mynde Forther more yf god do hardyn mens hartys whan he suffereth / and whan he ys softe and shewythe mercy / thā did he hardyn the hartys of the Iuys whan he brought them out of Egypt in too wyldernes / than did he hardyn them / whan he brought them out off the captiuyte of babylon / than hardenythe he al the worlde whom he suffereth in gret softenesse / and mercy / Also after youre exposycion / he was mercyfulle to Israell whan he sent them in too babylon / for there dyd be chastyn them and by afflyccyons prouokyd them to repentance / Lykewyse the father of heuen had no mercy on the world / whan he sent hys sone / for of that he gaue men an occassyon off induracyon / But whan he dammy the synners / than by youre rule hath he mercy on them / for he chastiseth and ponysheth them for their synnes this ys youre rule off induraciō / and no mā may say agenst yt / but that Misereri may not sygnyfye to geue grace / nor to remytt synne / but to chastis ād to scorge / and by paynes prouok to repētaūce / and Indurare / shal not signifie to hardin / but to suffer ād to be pacient ād to be mercifull / not to chastys But you subtylle Masters / how was god mercyfull vn to pharo / by sofftenesse ād by sufferāce whō he chastysyd so sore / with ten plages / and with suche plagys as Moses meruelyd of / Call you that softenes was that sufferynge of pharo was that an occasyon of Induraciō / by paciēs / Esines and by sufferaūce God send his aduersaries of that pacyens / and of that sufferance / I pray you how coulde god chastice him more yet at every plage he saith I wil indurate pharos hart wherfor pharo had none occasiō of induraciō by sufferāce paciēs of god but rather by his scorging / wherefor here must be an other sence in these wordis thā you do mak / we must seke out an other wais to know how god doth work induraciō in mennes hartes suche wordis do the holy gost vse therfore dare we speke them And how he is the doar bothe of good ād euyll and yet alle thyng that he dothe ys well done Fyrst yow must nedys graunt / that after the faule of Adam / the puer nature of man was corruptyd by synne / where by / we be all wyckyd / and borne as Paule saythe by nature the chylderne of wrathe / and as dauyd saythe we are all conceyued in sinne / Not withstōding of thys corruptyd nature / dothe god make all mē bothe good bad / Those that be good / be good by his grace / those that be bad / be bad of corruptid nature yet god hath mad thē Neuer the lesse by nature they are of the same goodnes ād no better than natur is / that is to say euyll / but yet the creaciō of god his workemāship is good though that thing be euil in it selfe / yet is godis work a for him selfe good though al the world say that nay / now god of his infinit power doth rule ād gyde all maner of men bothe good and bade / and all men by hys infynyte power are moued vn to operacions / but euerye man after hys nature / As after youre awne Phylosophy / Primū mobile / by the reson of hys swyfte ◠mocion caryeth all the inferyor thyngis wyth hym / sufferth nothyng to be vn moued / not wyth stondynge he mouythe all their awne naturall coursse / So lykewyse god of hys infynite power letteth nothing to be exemtyd frō him but all thyngys to be subiect vn to his accyon ād nothyng can be done by them / but by hys pryncypalle mosyon so that he worketh in all maner of thynges bothe good and bade / not changyng their nature mouing thē alonly to worke after their nature so the good worketh good the euyll worketh euyll god vsithe thē bothe as instrumētis yet doth he nothyng euyll but euyll be done allonly thorow the evyl mā / god workyng
an C. and from an C. tyll the offeringe of Isaac which at the lest was seveÌ„ yerys / so that Abraham must nedis be iustifyed xxj yerys afore he offered his sone / ergo by that worke was he not iustifyde Moreouer in the .xxij. chapter where he dyd offer his sone ys there never a word spoken off iustificacion / which must nedis haue byn spokeÌ„ yff he had therefore bene iustifyde / but alonly is there sayd / now doo I know that thou fearyst god / which ys an effect and a worke of iustificacion / and no cause of iustificacion Moreouer the Macabytes bryng the same exampylle of Abraham that his faith was imputed vn to hym for iustificacion 1. Mac· 2. Also S. Paule of whose auctory and lernynge no christeÌ„ man dothe douce / bryngythe the same example bothe to the Romayns and to the Galathyans to proâ—e that faith only dyd iustifye Abraham a fore the byrthe of Isaac / which dothe playnly sygnify that he wold prove that Abraham was iustifyd a fore / and with out the offerynge of Isaac / also in the pystylle to the hebrews is yt opeÌ„ that Abraham was iustifyed by faythe only / yee and that longe a fore Isaac was borne Furthermore as concernynge the example of Raab / yt is open in the boke of Iosue that she dyd say these wordes vnto the messengers / Iosue 2 I doo know that the lorde shall geue you this londe / for truly there is a great feare come a pone vs / aÌ„d all the dwellers of this londe doo pyne away for sorow we haue herd that the lorde hathe dryed vp the reâ— see a fore youre entrynge in whane yov came out of Egypt / we haue hard what thynges you haue done to the two kynges of the amorites cÌ„ youre lorde god ys he the whiche is in heuen aboue / aÌ„d in erthe bynethe / wherefore swere yov vn to me that as I haue shewyd yov mercy / that yov shal lykewysse doo vn to me and vn to my fathers howssold â–ª cÌ„ Be not these wordes off a great faith Dothe not she beleue the promyses of god and of that faith she reseued the mesengers / or els she had neuer reseyued them / and of that faith she requierythe also mercy / whaÌ„ god hathe fulfylled his promise / wherfore of this fayth was she iustifyde / and this fayth made here to doo well vn to the mesengers / Hebr. 11. therfore saith the epistle to the hebrews / That Raab the harlot thorow faith dyd not peryshe wyth the vnbeleuynge persons Here may yov se that Moses / and. S. Paule and other places of scripture doo expound these scripturs contrary to youre epistle / and that not with darcke wordis but with so playne wordes that no christen maÌ„ can say the contrary wherfore I can not beleue that you are abylle to defend this pistle to be S. Iamesys / but notwithstonding al these thinges / I will graunte yov this pystle to be of auctorite that you may haue some thyng to dispute with / what wil yov conclude out of that / that workes doo iustify That were sore agenst christes bloud / for than did christ dye invayne / Aug. 8â— q. c. 76. it is also agenst the exposicioÌ„ of S. Augustyn / whose wordes be these S. Paule sayth that a man may be iustifyed by faith with out any workes goynge by fore iustificacyoÌ„ / but whaÌ„ a maÌ„ ys iustifyed by fayth / how can he but worke well though that he before workinge nothyng ryght wysly is nowe come to the iustificacioÌ„ of faith not by merites of good workes but by the grace of god / the which grace in him / now can not be ydylle seynge that now thorow loue he worketh well And yff he departe out of this lyffe after that he beleuythe / the iustificacion of faith abydythe by hym / not by his workes goynge a fore iustificacioÌ„ / for by his merites came he not vn to that iustificacion but by grace / nor by his workes that follow iustificacion / for he ys not suffered to lyue in this lyffe / wherefore paule aÌ„d Iamys be not contrary for Paule spekythe of workes that go by fore faythe / and Iamys speketh off the workes that follow the iustificacioÌ„ of faith cÌ„ Here haue yov playne that S. Augustyne saithe that no maner of workes / neyther that goo by fore neyther that come after helpe to iustificacion but allonly they follow iustificacion / and a iuste man must nedes do good workes Here haue you also / that S. Iames speketh of workes that follow iustificacyon and not of workes that helpe to iustify for there be none suche Here haue yov also that the iustificacion off faith ys so parfytt that yt saueth a man onlye the which is agenst my lorde of Rochesters dystynacion / for yf workes dyd make perfytt iustificacion / than a man coulde not be saued wyth out the perfeccion of workes / wherefore yt wylle be harde for my lorde of Rochester to saue his honestye S. Augustine ys so opeÌ„ ageÌ„st hym but I feare me that the prouerbe that a wysse man dyd wons lerne me whane men are come to great honour they doo so much regard yt that clearly they for gett all honesty wylle here be found to trewe Also yov haue a nother scripture for you which is this By fore god they are not iustified whych here the lawe but they which do the lawe shalle be iustified / of this texte yov glorye / and crye opera / opera / workes / workes / Rom. 2. but yf yov wolde coÌ„syder the mynd of S. Paule yov shulde welle perseue / that he menyth not howe workes shulde deserue iustificacion / for than coulde not he haue concluded this agenst the Iuys for they dyd the workes of the law to the vtter most and yet ware they not iustifyde / wherefore S. Paule menyth by the herers of the lawe alle them that doo the vtter workes of the law for fere / or for rewarde / or of hypocrisy / or els by them to be iustifyed the doars callyth he theÌ„ that doo the workes of the lawe after the intent of the lawe / and as the lawe commandeth them / that is in the trewe fayth off Christ Ihesus / which is the very ende of the lawe anâ— the fulfyllynge of the lawe as S. Paule saythe to alle them that beleue wherefore alle men be but hearers allonly of the lawe / tylle the tyme that they haue the faythe of Christ Ihesus / whyche ys imputed vnto them for iustis / and the workes of the lawe be no cause of iustificacyon / but allonly an outward testimonye and wytnes that the lawe ys fulfylled inwardly in theyr conscieÌ„s a fore God so fulfyllyd that it hathe no accasacioÌ„ ageÌ„st theÌ„ for christ hathe made satisfaccion for them / of the which they be pertakers by their faith / and so the lawe must be
culde they no nother wysse doo / but varaye from christ no they wold nor desyeryd no nother wyse but to swarve from hym / But wherfore they wer blyndyd and wherfore they wer hardenyd that must yov inquier of the inscrutable wil / that plesyd hym so to leue theÌ„ the cause ther of I am suer he cane telle yov if he wolde / I am suer it is ryghtwyselye done / But now commitâ—e the blynde and fleshely reson and murmureth at this and asketh / why are we coÌ„deÌ„ned for this why dothe god punish vs for this / seyng we cane wylle no nother wysse / also he blyndeth vs / he maketh oure hartes hard that we caÌ„ not amend vs / and yt lyeth not in ouâ—e power with out his wyll / now why complayneth he of vs why layeth he it to oure charge here is nothing done but his will / we be but instrumeÌ„tes of his wylle / and if we do not well why geuethe he vs not strength to doo better Thou damnable reason who can satisfye the which rekeneste nothing to be well done but that that thou doste that is doÌ„ne at thy couÌ„sell Thinkest thou not / that thou arte good perfytt in thyne awne nature / all that is in that is bothe well ryghtwysly made to this thou wylte answer yee / for thou wilt not coÌ„demne thy selfe nor nothyng that is thyne / but now answere me to this / what hath made that so well / geue the all this ryghtwysnes all this goodnes that thou haste thou must nedes say god / but what was the cause that thou arte so well / so ryghtwyse so good made / seyng that thou deserued nothing / yee alle these thinges / be done so welle so ryghtwysly / that thou canste not complayne / nor amende theÌ„ / no nor yet devysse whiche way to a mend theÌ„ / now why dooste thou not murmur agenst god seyng that all thynge is done with out thy knowlege / aÌ„d also with out thy deseruyng / why dost thou not inquier a cause of hym why murmureste thou not that he hathe made the so good and so ryght / seyng thou hadste nothyng deserued / but here wylte thou graunte / that god did all thing for the beste / why dooste thou not lyke wysse in other thinges / forthermore / thou must nedes graunt / that god thy maker / and the governer of alle thinges is most wyse / moste ryghtwyse / and most mercifulle and so wyse / that nothing that he doth cane be a mended / so ryghtwyse that there cane be no suspycion in hym of vn ryght wysenes / â—o mercyfulle is he that he cane do no thing with out mercie / how thinkeste thou / wilte thou graunt these thynges off thy maker thou must nedes graunt them Now coÌ„pare vnto thys rule / thy blyndnes that is wyth in the / thy induracion that is in the / thy peruerse wyll toward goodnes / and what cause haste thou to complayne thov hast graunted that he doth all thynge ryghttusly / ergo thou haste no wronge / he dothe alle thynge mercifully / ergo thou arte in thy blyndnes and in thy hardnes better intreted than thou haste deserued Moreouer / thou beleuest that god is ryghtwyse / that god is wysse / and that god is mercyfulle / now faith is of those thynges that do not apere / nor that cane be proued by exterior causys / holde the faste to this faithe / than alle thy fleshely reasons be asoyled / for whan god saueth so fewe men / and dammeth so meny / thou knowest no cause why / yet must thou beleue that he ys mercyfulle and ryghtwyse / this is faithe whiche yf yt coulde be proued by exterior causys / than were yt no nede to beleue yt / now yf thou beleue that he is mercyfulle good ryghttus vn to the / wherfore murmurste thou But yet woldest thou know wherfore he indurateth the and blyndeth the and geueth the no grace to a mend / and vn to thy brother / that hathe no better deserued than thou haste / yee he hathe lykewysse evylle deserued as thou haste and yet he geueth hym grace / and taketh awaye hys hardnes / and geueth hym a wylle to wylle alle goodnes / thys is not indifferently done as thou thynkest Fyrst I say to the thou haste no cause to complayne / for thou haste no wronge / thov hast alle thynge that ys thyne / and nothynge ys taken from the / that belongeth to the / why doste thou complayne of this ryght yee but yet saist thou that he geueth the one marcy aÌ„d geueth thother none / I answere what is that to the / is not his mercy his awne Is yt not lawfulle for hym to geue yt to whome he wylle is thy yie evyll by cause he is good Mat. 20 Take that that is thyne and goo thy waye / for iff yt be his wylle to shewe hys wrathe / and to make hys powre knowen / over the vesseles of wrath / ordened to damnacion / Rom. 9. and to declare the Ryches of his glory / vn to to the vessels of mercy which he hathe prepared and elected vnto glory / what haste thou there with to doo what cause haste thou there off to complayne yt is the wylle of god which can not be but welle and ryghtwyse / the which as thou sayst thou beleuest / wherefore leue of thy murmurryng and thy disputacion agenst god / and rekken that he is of his nature mercifulle / and hathe no delytte nor no plesure in thy damnacion / but beleue thou stedfastly / that if he she we his mercy / but vn to one maÌ„ in all the worlde that thou shalt be that same one man / though an Angelle wolde make the beleue that alle the worlde shulde be damned / yet stycke thou faste to his mercy / and to his iustis that iustifye the / and beleue that the swete bloude of his blessed sonne can not be shed invayne / but it must nedes iustify synners and so meny as stycke fast vnto yt / though they be neuer so blynded and neuer so hardened / for yt was shed alonly for them / yf thou canste thus satisfye thy selfe / thaÌ„ dost thou welle / and thou arte doutles out off iuperdy / but if thou wyllte not be content / but wyllte dispute and inquier causis of godes inscrutable wylle / than wylle I stond by / and loke on and se what vycterdomme thou shalt get I doute not but yt wylle repent the / and that he wyll conclude with the / on this maner maye not I doo what I wyll Now here haue I answered / to an intricable doute / that oure scolle men are wrapped in which wold knowe what is the cause of predestinacion / and of reprobacion / Scotus â— sent Di. 41. Duns beynge wrapped by twene carnalle reason / and the inuincible
scripturs of S. Paule / can not telle whether he maye graunt that the wylle of god is alonly the cause of eleccion or eis any merites of man precedinge a fore / he coÌ„cludeth / that bothe the opinions may be defended Bonaventure blyndly concludeth that there may be a cause presedynge grace that deserueth yt Bonaventure So that in these vnfrutefulle questions which ingender nothynge but contencion haue they spent alle their lyuys / and for these thynges be geuen vn to them peculyer namys / as Subtylle / and Seraphicalle / and Irrefrigable doctours / but agenst them alle I sett S. Paule whiche toke intollerable labours to proue by inuincible scripturs and examples there of / that there was no cause but alonly the wylle of god and to proue this / he bryngeth an euydent exaÌ„ple of Iacob / and Esau / of the whiche Iacob was elect / and Esau reproved a fore they were borne / and afore they had done other good or bad Can there be a playner example what meneth Paule in these wordes whane they were neyther borne / nor had done neyther good nor bad / but that the eleccion of god myght stond dothe he not clearly take away all maner of merytes bothe de congruo and also de condigno / declareth alonly the wylle of god to be the cause but here wylle the subtylle blyndnes saye / that god sawe a fore that Iacob shuld doo good aÌ„d therfore dyd he chousse hym / he sawe also that Esau shuld doo no good / and therfore he repelled hym / yov blynd gyddâ—s / what wyll yov iudge of that that god sawe how knowe you that he sawe that These chyldern be vn borne / they haue done neyther good nor bad / aÌ„d yet one of theÌ„ ys chossen the other is refused S. Paule knoweth none other cause but that wyll of god / wyll you discusse an other And where yov say that god did se afore the one of theÌ„ shuld do good I pray you what was the cause / or wherby saw he that he shuld do good yov must nedes say / bi that that he wold geue hym his grace / ergo that wyl of god is yet the cause of eleccion / for by cause that god wolde geue hym his grace therfore god sawe that he shulde do good / so shuld also the other haue done yff god wolde haue geuen hym that same graâ—e / wherfore yov gyantes that wylle subdue heuen and erthe leue youre serchynge off this cause / and be content with the wylle of god and doute yov not but the wylle of god / ys as rightwyse and as lawfull a cause of eleccion as youre merites can de And doute yov not but. s Paule that toke so grete labours in this matter dyd se as farre in mans deseruynge as yov cane doo / Roma 9. and yet he concluded with these wordes of scriptures / I wylle shew mercy to whome I shew mercy / I wylle haue compassyon of whome I haue compassyon / so lythe yt not in mans wylle or runnynge but in the mercye of god He saithe not I wylle haue mercy on hym that I see shalle doo good / but I wylle shew mercye to whome I wylle he saith not I wylle haue compassion of hym that shalle deserue yt de congruo / Augustinê° suê‘ Ioan. Tract 8â— but of him of whome I wylle haue compassion This dothe S. Augustine well proue in these wordes / the disputacion of them ys vayne the whiche doo defende / the presciens off god agenste the grace of god and therfore saye that we were chossen a fore the makynge of the worlde / by cause that he knew a fore that we shulde be good / not by cause he shulde make vs good but he that saith yov haue not chosen me saithe not that / for yf he dyd therfore chouse vs by cause that he knew a fore that we shulde be good / than must he also know a fore / that we shulde fyrst haue chosen hym cÌ„ Here is it playne that the eleccion of god ys not by cause he sawe a fore that we shulde doo welle / but alonly the cause of the eleccion is his mere mercye / and the cause of oure doyng welle is his eleccion / and therfore S. Paule sayeth not off workes but of callynge Now goo to yov subtylle Duns men with alle youre carnall reasons and serche out a cause of his secrett wylle yff you did beleue that he were good / rightwise and mercyfulle yt were agreet comforte for yov / that the eleccion stode alonly by his wylle / for so were yov suer that it shulde be bothe rightwyselye done also mercyfully / but you haue no faith therfore must yov nedes mystrust god / of that falle yov to inveÌ„t causys of eleccyon of youre awne strengthe as one shulde saye by cause god wyll not of his rightâ—usnes or of his mercye chousse vs we wylle be suer that we shall be elected / for fyrst wyll we inuent that the eleccion commeth of deseruyng thaÌ„ wylle we also dreme serâ—en workes / that shall there vnto be a poynted of vs / so that the eleccion reprobacion stondeth all in youre hondes But now bycause that there be serten open places of scriptur / that geue wonly the cause / to god alonly of eleccion and also of reprobacion / therfore are you sore troubled / and cane telle no nother remydy / but alonly to studdy / how yow may wryng and wrest the open scripturs / to that forrefyynge of youre erroure and to the satisfysynge of youre carnalle reason / so that in the the holy gost saithe / I wyll obdurate the harte of pharao / yov wyll take a pon yow / to lerne to teache the holy goste to speke better / and to say of this maner / I wylle suffer Pharao to be indurated / but I wylle not doo yt / but my easynes my softenesse where by that I shalle suffer hym shalle brynge other men to repentaunce / but Pharao shall it make more obstinate in mallyce so that god dothe indurate as yov say whan he dothe not chastice a synner but sheweth sofftenes and easynes and sufferaunce to hym Origen in perâ—arcon He is mercifulle whan he doth call a synner to repentance by affliccion and scorgyng / so that induracion after youre exposicion / Glossa roma 5. is nothynge elles but for to suffer evylle / by sofftenesse and by goodnes / to haue mercye is nothynge elles but to correct to scorge and to ponishe meÌ„ for their synnes this is the exposicion of induracion after Origenen S. Hierom / aÌ„d after youre commen glosse Hiero. suê‘ Esaiam S / Hieroms wordes be these god dothe indurate / whan he dothe not by and by castigate a sinner / he hathe mercye whan he doth call a synner by and by vn to repentaunce by affliccions cÌ„ This is auctorite ynough
haue / that be agenst his holy verite / but let vs graunt that that translacion was so false / why did not yov there take a pone yov opynly for to amend it and to sett forthe truly the holy testament of christ yov must nedes graunt that there is an holy testameÌ„t of his in erthe except yov wille deny christ as I dought not but that yov wille in effect where is it whye haue we it not If that wer not it / whye do not yov sett the very trew testament out / yov were reddy to coÌ„demne an other mans faithefulle labor aÌ„d diligence / but yov had no cheryte to amend it / yov thynke alle ways to disseue the worlde with youre holy hypocrysy / men be not so blynd but that they cane welle Iudge / If yov hade condemnyd that testament allonly by cause off errours / yet at the lest ways yov shulde bothe of cheryte / and also of dutye haue set forthe the trew texte / and than wolde men haue thought / that yov condemned the other by the resoÌ„ of errours But men may now euydently se that yov dyd not condemne it for errours sakes / for how shulde they iudge erroures that be soo vnlernyd but alonly by cause that the verite was ther in / the which yov coulde not abyde that men shulde knowe / and that dyd the processe of youre sermon and also youre tyranny that dothe folow wel proue / but mi lord I say to yov / aÌ„d to all youres if yov do not amend it shalle be to youre euerlastyng damnacyon / for god wille not take thys rebuke at youre honde / Esa 62. remember that he hathe sworne by the movght of his prophete hy his ryght honde aÌ„d by the might of his strengthe that he wille defende this cause / Be not these lordly wordes / of the eternalle god / thinke yov to make hym for sworne Heb. 10. Remember how the holygost thretyneth yov in another place saynge / yf a man dyd dysspysse the lawe of Moses / he must with out any mercy dye / howe muche more are they worthy of ponishement / that do trede the sone of God vndernethe their fete / and dyspise the bloud of hys testament / how thynke yov ys not this opynly agenst yov / That coÌ„demne not alonly christ but also his blessed worde / and alle that longythe to hym / Take a way christes word / and what remanythe bi hynd of chryst nothyng at alle I pray yov my lorde to whome was thys worde fyrst preched to whome was it writtyn allonly to prystes not vn to lay men ye was it not writtyn to alle the worlde yes truly / where by wille yov conuerte a turke or an infidelle / not by holy scripture whan they be conuerted / what wille yov lerne theÌ„ what wille yov geue them to rede / any other thyng than holy scripture I thynke nay Now wille yov make youre awne cuÌ„trymen / youre awne citysins youre awne subiectes yee youre awne brethern / redemed wyth christes blessed bloud worsse them Iuys / and infidelles But their is no reson nor no bretherhod / nor no chrysten cheryte that cane moue yov / or that cane helpe yov / for yov are so blynded and so obstinate agenste chryst / that yov had rather alle the worlde shulde peryshe / thane his doctryne shulde be brought to lyghte / but I do promisse yov / if god do spare me lyffe / aÌ„d geue me grace / I shalle so set it out / if yov do not revoke it that it shalle be to youre vtter sâ—ame and confusyon / fynde the best remedy that yov cane / I do beleue stedfastly / that god is myghttyar than yov / and I doo rekkyn and faytheffully beleue / that yov are ten tymys worsse thane the grette Turke for he regardeth no more / But rule dominyon in this world And yov are not there with content / but yov wille also rule ouer mens consyens yee aÌ„d oppresse christ and his holy word / and blaspheme and condemne hys worde / was it not a holy covnselle / of the chanseler of london to conselle a sertyn merchaÌ„t / to by Robyn hoode for his seruaÌ„tes to rede what shulde they do with vitas patryÌ„ / and with bokes of holy scriptur Also the same Chanseler sayed to an other maÌ„ / what fyndest thou in the gospel but a story what good canst thou take there out O lorde god where arte thou why slepist thou why sufferst thou this blasphemy Thov hast defeÌ„ded thy prophetes with wilde fier froÌ„ heueÌ„ / And wylte thov suffer thy wonly sone and thy heuynly worde / thus to be dyspysyd and to be rekenyd but as a story of Robyn hoode Rysse vpe good loorde / Rysse vpe / thy enemys do preuaylle / Thy enymys do multiplye / shewe thy power / defend thy glory It is thy conâ—umely and not oures what haue we to do with it but alonly to thy glory venge this cauâ—e or thy enymys shalle rekkyn yt not to be thy cause / O thou eternalle God though oure synnes haue deseruyd thys / yet loke on thy name / yet loke on thy veryte / Se howe thov arte mockkyd Se how thou arte blasphemid / ye and that by them / that haue takyn on theÌ„ to defend thy glory / But now heuynly father / Seynge that thou haste / so suffered it / yet for the glory of thy name / geue some man strengthe to defend it / or els shalt thou be clearly takyn out of the hartes off allemen where fore most gracious lorde / of thy mercy and grace I besech the / That I may haue the strengthe to defend thy godly worde to thy glory and honour / and to the vtter confusyon of thy mortalle enymys / helpe good lord helpe / and I shalle not fere a thovsand of thyne enymys / In thy name wille I begyn to defend thys cause Fyrst commyth thy faythfulle seruant Moses / trewe and Iuste in alle thy workes / and he commandythe faythefully and trewly / and with grett thretnynges that man / woman and chylde shuld dilygently rede thy holy worde / Sayng / Sett youre hartes on alle my wordes the whych that I do testyfye vn to you thys day / That yov may commaÌ„de them vn to yovre chyldern / to kepe / to doo / and to fulfylle alle thynges that be wryttyn in the boke of thys lawe / Marke howe he commauÌ„ded them / to lerne their chyldern alle thynges that be wryttyn in thys boke / Deu. 32. and so to lerne them that they myght kepe and fulfylle alle thynges that were wryttyn in the boke / Moses maâ—e nothyng of secretnes / and wille yov make secretes ther in how shalle men fulfille those wordes that they know not how cane men know the very trewway of god and haue not the worde of god is not alle oure knowlege ther in The prophete saith / thy
men shulde haue yt / and that he wold defend it / and be enymy vn to all them that wold ouerpresse it wherfore lett theÌ„ that be cappitall enymys vn to his grace bothe in harte and in dede susspect that of his grace moue him vnto it / for doutles I wil neuer do it for I dare boldly say / That the deuyll of helle whych is enymy vn to his grace / bothe of body and soule wyll moue him vn to no nother thing but allonly so to condemne godes worde / and Thys thyng dothe hys grace know well / and therfore I dought not but that he hath aÌ„d also wyll a voyde the danger theroff Neuer the lesse yt may pleasse god to take so gret vengeance for oure abhominable synnes that after hys gracis days / he may send vs such a tyraÌ„t / That shall not allonly for byd the Newe testament / but also all thynges that may be to the honour of god yee and that peraduentur vnder suche a collour of godes name / That all men shall rekkyn none other but that he is godes frende Thys wyll be a gret scorge / aÌ„d an intollerable plage / the father off heuyn off hys infynyte mercy defende vs froÌ„ suche a terryble vengeaÌ„ce Roma 1. for yt ys the grettyst plage that can come in erthe as Saynt Paule dothe declare to the Romans whan that godis veryte ys condemnyd in godys name and men be so blynde that they can not perseue yt / for they be geuyn in to a peruerse sens / this plage neuer coÌ„mith / but yt is a tokyn off euerlastynge reprobacion / our moste marcifulle redemer Christ Iesus / defend vs froÌ„â—t amen But if it come that we must nedes suffer this plage / how shalle christen men vsse theÌ„â—elfe to this Prince that wille so condemne godes worde My lordes the bisshops wolde deposse him with shorte deliberacion / and make no consyens of it / They haue deposyd prynces for lesser causys than this is a gretdell But ageÌ„st them wille I alle ways laye Christes facte / and his holy Apostles / and the worde of god / whome christen men must alonly folowe / Therfore the kynges commandiment muste be consyderid on this maner / yf the kynge forbyd The new testameÌ„t / Or any of christes sacramentes / Or the prechyng of the worde of god or any other thyng that is agenst christ vnder a temporalle payne / Or els vnder the payne of dethe meÌ„ shalle fyrste make faithefulle prayers to god / aÌ„d then diligent intercession vn to the kinges grace with alle due subieccioÌ„ / That his grace wolde relese that commandimeÌ„t If he wille not do it / They shalle kepe their testament with alle other ordinance of christ / and lett the kyng exercysse his tyranny if they can not flye and in no wisse vnder the payne of damnacioÌ„ shalle they withstonde hym with violence but suffer paciently alle the tyranny that he layth on theÌ„ bothe in theyr boddys aÌ„d goodes / aÌ„d leue the veÌ„gance of it vn to their heuynly father which hathe a scorge to tame those bedlams with whane he seyth his tyme. But in no wisse shalle they resyste violentlye / nor they shalle nor deny christes verite / nor yet for sake it a fore the prince lesâ— they ruÌ„ne in the danger of these wordes / he that denyithe me and mi worde a fore men / I shalle deny hym a fore my father in heuyn / And lett not men regarde this matter lightly and thynke that they may geue vp their testamentes aÌ„d yet not denye christ / for what so ever he be that geuithe vp his testament as a thyng worthy to be condemnyd / he doth a fore god deny chryst / Though his testameÌ„t be peraduenture he not knowyng false and vn truly princyd / or vntruly transelatyd / yet vnto hym is it a trew testament / and therfore shalle he not delyuer it to any that wille condemne it as vnlawfulle But this shalle he do / If any man that is lernyd do fynde any taute there in he shalle be glade to a mend that faute / but not to suffer in any wysse for that or for those fautes the holle testament to be condemned as vnlawfulle for if that shulde be sufferd / than shulde we haue no testament for there is no testament that is so trew / but eyther there be fautes in dede / orels meÌ„ by cauylacyons may invent that there be fautes / for this dare I say boldely / That the new testament in ynglyshe is tentymys truar / thane the oolde translacyon in lattyn is / in the which be meny places that do want whole sentensys / 1. Cor. 15. Mat. 20. Act. 20. 1. Tim. 6. and meny places / that no man cane defend with out heresy / as this texte / Non omnes immutabimur / Also this / Sedere ad dexteram meam vel sinistram non est meuÌ„ dare vobis / Also thes places wante / Commorati sumus trogilij / Seiungere ab is qui huiusmodi sunt / with meny other places more / that noman can say but they be euydently false / and yet we may not burne oure bokes for alle that / but kepe them and a mend theÌ„ Nor they shalle not goo a bought / to deposse their prince / as mi lordes the bysshops were wonte to do / but they shalle boldely confesse / that they haue the verite wille there by abyde / and aloÌ„ly shalle they pray to their heuynly father to change the harte of their prynce / that they may lyue vnderneth hym / after christes word / in quietnes as paule exhortithe vs saynge / 1. Tym. 1. I exhorte that prayers supplicacioÌ„s / peticions aÌ„d geuyng off thaÌ„kes / be had for alle men / for kynges for all that are in prehemineÌ„s that we may lyve a quiet aÌ„d a pesable lyffe in alle goodnes honesty Thus shalle men be haue theÌ„ selfe towarde their prynce in no wisse shalle they denye christes worde / or graunte to the burnynge of their testameÌ„tes / but if the kynge wille do it bi violence they mvst suffer it / but not obey to it by a gremeÌ„t / Thys may be prouyd by the exaÌ„ples of the apostles whaÌ„ the hye prystes of the teÌ„ple coÌ„maÌ„dyd Peter aÌ„d Iohan / Act. 4. 5 that they shuld no more preche teche in the name of Iesus / But they made them answere it was more ryght to obey god thaÌ„ maÌ„ Also the pharisys came and coÌ„manded oure master Christ / in herodes name / That he shulde departe from thens / or he wold kylle hym / but he wolde not obey but made them answere to Herod with a gret thretnyng / Go telle the wolfe / be holde I caste out deuylles and I make men holle thys day to morrow / Luce. 13. And the thryd day am I consumed / neuer the lesse I must
not him selfe good / and now that he is evill shall he saye I make my selfe good cÌ„ 83. Austyne sayth he that fedeth with out christ / fedâ—th agenst hym 85. Austi sayth on this text if yov mortefye the flesh cÌ„ Thou wilt saye that can my will do that can mi frewill do what wil what maner of frewill excepte that he gyde the thou fallest / excepte he lifte the vp thou lyest stil / how canst thou than do it by thy sprete / seynge that the apostle sayth / As many as be led by the sprete of god / be the childern of god / wilt thou do of thy selfe wilt thou be led of thyne awne selfe to mortefye the dedes of the flesh what wil it profite the for if thou be not voluptuous with the epicure thow shalt be proude with the stoikes whether thou bean epicure or a stoike Thou salt not be amoÌ„ge the children of god for they that be gyded of the sprete of god be the children of god / not they that lyue after their awne flesh / not they that lyue after their awne spirite / not they that be led of their awne sprete / but as many as be led of the sprete of god / they be the children of god / But here a man will saye / Ergo than are we ruled aÌ„d we do not rule / I answere thou both rulest and arte ruled / but than dost thou well rule if thou be ruled of the good sprete / vtterlye if thou want the sprete of god thou canst doo no good Thou doest trulye with out his helpe by thy frewyl but yt is but evill done / vnto that is thy will which is called frewill and by evell doynge is she made a damnable bonde seruant whan I saye with out the helpe of god thou doste nothinge / I vnderstonde by yt no good thynge / for to doo evyl thou hast frewill with out the helpe of god though that be no fredome Vvherfore you shalle knowe that so do you goodnes yf the helpinge sprete be youre gyder / the which yf he be absent can do no good at all / cÌ„ lxxxv Austyne sayth / if man doo perceyue that in the commandementes is any thynge impossible or els to harde / let him not remayne in hym selfe / but let hym runne to god hys helpe the whych hath geuen his commandimentes for that entent that oure desyer might be sturred vp and that he myght geue helpe lxxxvij Austayne saith / The pelagianes thinke that they knowe a woÌ„ders thynge whaÌ„ they saye / God wil not commaunde that thinge the which he knoweth that is iÌ„possible for maÌ„ to do / euerie maÌ„ knoweth this / but therfore coÌ„mauÌ„deth he certeÌ„ thynges that we can not do / because we myght knowe what thynge we ought to aske of hym / fayth is she which by prayer optayneth that thynge that the lawe commaundeth Breuelye he that saith yf thou wilt thou mayst kepe my commaundimentes / In the same boke a lytle after sayth / he shal geue me kepinge in mi mouth / Playne it is that we maye kepe the commaundmeÌ„tes if we wyl / but because oute wil is pÌ„pared of god / of him must it be asked that we may so moch will / as wil suffice vs to do them trouth it is that we will whan we will / but he maketh vs to will that thinge that is goode lxxxvij Austyne sayth the pelagianes saye that they graunt how the grace doth helpe every maÌ„nes good purposse / but not that he geueth the love of vertue to him that striueth agenste it This thinge doo they saye as though maÌ„ of him selfe with out the help of god hath a good purpose a good minde vn to vertu / by that which merite precedinge a fore / he is worthye to be holpeÌ„ of the grace of god that foloweth after Doutles the grace that foloweth doth helpe the good purposse of man / but the good purposse shulde never haue bene if grace had not pÌ„ceded And though that the good studye of man whan it beginneth is holpen of grace / yet dyd it never beginne with out grace lxxxviij xcj. Austyne sayth / the grace which is geuen of the largenes of god prevelye in to mennes hartes / can not be dispysed of no maner of hard harte For therfore is it geuen that the hardnes of the harte shuld be taken awaye wherfore when the father is harde with in and doth lerne that we muste come to his sonne / than taketh he awaye oure stonye harte and geueth vs a fleshye harte / and by these meanes he maketh vs the children of promisse the vessels of mercie whiche he hath prepared to glory But wherfore doth he not lerne all men to come to christ Because that those that he lerneth / he lerneth of mercye / and those that he lerneth not of his iudgement doth he not lerne them cÌ„ lxxxix Austyne saith / the law was geuen that maÌ„ might finde him selfe / and not to make his sicknes hole / but that by his preaching the sickenes encresed / the physicyon mighte be sought wherefore the lawe thretenynge and not fulfyllynge that thinge that he commaundeth maketh a man to be vnderneth him But the lawe is good if a maÌ„ vse yt welle By the lawe to knowe oure sicknes and to seke godes helpe to helpe vs xcj. Austyne saythe / the disputacion of them is vayne which defende the prescience of god agenst the grace of god / whiche saye that we were chosen a fore the makynge of the worlde because that he knewe a fore that we shulde be good not be cause he shulde make vs good but Christ / that sayeth yov haue not chosyn me / saith not that For if he dyd therfore chose vs because that he knewe a fore that we shulde be good / than must he also knowe afore that we shulde fyrst haue chosyn him cÌ„ xcvj Austyne sayeth / my brothren reade holie scripture in that which yov shalle fynde what you ought to holde and what yov ought to flye what is a man reputed with out lernyng / what is he Is he not a shepe or a goote Is he not an oxe or an asse Is he anye better thaÌ„ an horse or a mule the whyche hath no vnderstondynge cÌ„ C.vij Austyne vppon this texte Matthewe .xxiij. the scribes and pharises sytte in Moyses sete cÌ„ sayth / by syttinge in the chayre is vnderstonde lernynge of the lawe of god / and therfore god doth teach by them but if they wyll teach their awne doctrine / heare it not / doo it not / for such men seke that that is theirs and not christes cÌ„ C.xviij. Austine vppoÌ„ the wordes of the apostle / touch not handel not cÌ„ Col. 2 saithe / because that those meÌ„ by such obseruacions were led from the verite by the whiche they were made fre / wherof yt is spoken / the veryte shal delyver yov IoaÌ„ viij It is a
neuer wille / but eville Here is also to be notyd / That the palagions ād oure duns men a gre alle in won / for they bothe say / that the grace of god doth helpe mans good purposse so that mā dothe fyrst intēd purpose welle / as duns saythe disposithe hym selfe by attricion to reseue grace / thā god dothe helpe hym / but the trouth is contrary for there is no good purposse in mā / no good disposiciō nor no good intēt but alle is agēst goodnes / clene cōtrary agēst alle thyng that agreyth with grace / tille that god of hys mere marry comythe ād geuythe grace ād chāgithe mās wille vn to grace / geuyth hym a wille to wille goodnes / ye that whā he thought nothyng of goodnes / But dyd clearly resist all goodnes / Thys dothe S. Augustine prove in these wordes The pelagiōs saye / Ad bonif li. 2. ca. 9. that they graūt how the grace dothe helpe every mās good purposse but not that he geuithe the love of vertue to him / that siriuyth agēste it This thyng do they saye as though mā of hym selfe wyth out the helpe of god / hath a good purpose a good minde vn to vertu / bi the whiche merite presedynge a fore / he is worthy to be holpyn of the grace of god that foloweth after / doutles the grace that foloweth dothe helpe the good purposse of mā / but that good purposse shulde neuer haue byn / if grace had not preceded / And though that the good study of man whan it begynnyth is holpyn of grace / yet did yt neuer begyn with out grace c̄ Here ys yt open / that the palagions graunte as muche of grace / as my lorde of Rochester dothe and alle his Duns men which lerneth that man may haue a good purposse / bonum studiū / and a good mynde / and a love vn to grace / off his awne naturalle strength / the palagions graunte euen the same / but here yov se hov S. Augustine ys clear agenste them But now lett vs here master Dunssys wordes / a synner may by the naturalle / 4. Sente D◠14. q. 2 and by the commen influence of god consider his synne / As a thyng that hathe offended god / and as a thyng contrary to the lawe of god / and letteth hym from rewarde bryngeth hym to payne / by this menis may he hatte / and abhorre his syn this calleth he attricion where by there is a disposicion / or a merytt in man of congruence to take a way mortalle synne / and this attricion is sufficient for a man / that shall reseue the sacramentes / et quod non ponat obicem / that is / that he haue no mortalle synne actually in his wylle / this is sufficiēt and also a necessary way to reseue grace c̄ This is tentymys worse than the palagions saynges / for they graunt that man must nedes haue a specialle grace / to performe his good purposse / and Master Duns saith / that man may performe his attricion of his naturalle power / ye and this attricion of congruence / ys a disposicion to take away mortalle synne with out any specialle grace / I pray you master Duns off what congruence ys it what hathe attricion deserued / that mortalle synne must be taken away for his plesure / what hathe he deserued / the grace must followe hym / Infideles may haue this attriciō for yov graunt / that yt comyth of naturall strength and yet shall it not followe of congruence / that they must reseue grace / and also remissiō of their syns Also had not Iudas thys attricion / whan he said / I haue synned / ād was sory for hys syn / and also repentyd hym / knew well that he had offendyd god / ad also deseruid payne And was no more willing so to do and had all thou propertes that longeth to youre Attricion / ad yet you se howe he did deserue of cōgruence grace ād remissyon of hys syns ye dyd not this attriciō bring him to extreme disperacy on / How can a mā with out a speciall grace / abhore his sinne / it is not possible but he must loue sinne / so longe as he is the enimy of god / ye he wold there were no god to punishe syn / suche a plesur hathe he vn to syn / This is the nature off oure hartis / that doth euery of vs feale / Though these hipocrittis lerne the cōtrary / but I say to thē the wordis of the prophet redite ad cor preuaricatores / grope in youre bosō hipocritis / ther find you the mortall enimy of god which neither carith for godis displesur / nor yet for his sinne / you say that he may haue a good attricyon / of hys naturall strength / and if thys attriciō be good / than may he do good a fore grace / so that we shall gether / grappis of thornis / and fygis of bryars / but what saithe S. paul to youre good attricyon / He saith that all thing with out faith is synne / you addersbirdis / is not this mā a fleshely mā ād hath nothyng of the spret of god for by youre awne lerning he hath but the cōmen in fluence ād yet shall he be sory that he hath offendyd god shall he abhore his synne Shal he dispose hym selfe of cōgruēce to grace S. paul saith / the flesh lustithe cōtrary to the spret / and the workes of the fleshe be Aduoutry / fornicaciō / vnclēnes Idolatry / wytchcraft / hatred / wrathe / zele / sedycyon / Enuyynge wyth suche other / I pray yow how do these workys agre wyth you e Attrycyon Call you thys abhorringe of synne Calle yow this heuenes that he hath offendyd god Be these youre good disposiciōs be these your good preparacions vn to grace Thynke you that these workys / do deserue of cōgruēce remissiō of mortalle synne These be the best workis that a synner hath in his harte / or ellis S. paul lyeth / wherefore it is not possyble but he must haue in his will actuall sinne / for he can wyll nothing but synne And therfore if he reseue the sacramentes wyth your attriciō / he reseueth thē to his dānaciō for a fore grace he is an vtter ennimy to god and to all his sacramentis wherefore god must of hys mere mercy mollyfy his harte / geue him grace to wyll goodnes / or ellis he can neuer do it / As Saynt Augusti dothe declare in these wordys / De predesti ca. 8. The grace which is geuyn of the largenes of god preuely in to mēs hartis / can not be dispisyd off no maner of harde hart / For therfore is it geuē the the hardnes of the harte shulde be taken away wherefore whā the father ys herde with in / ād dothe lerne
that we must come to hys sonne / ThaÌ„ taketh he away oure stony harte / aÌ„d geueth vs a fleshely harte / by this menys he makyth vs the childern of ê“mys the vessellis of mercy / whyche he hath pÌ„parid to glory But wherfore doth he not lerne al meÌ„ to come to christ By cause that those that he lerneth / he lernyth of mercy / and those that he lerneth not of his iudgemeÌ„t doth he not lerne them cÌ„ Mark yt. S. Augustine saythe That there is no hardnes of harte that can resyst grace and Duns saythe / That there may be an obstakill in maÌ„s harte S. Augusti saith that grace fyndeth the hart in hardnes aÌ„d obstinacye / And Duns saith that there is a mollifyng that precedythe grace which he callith attricioÌ„ S. Augusti saith whaÌ„ thou father lernith vs with in / thaÌ„ takith he away oure stony hartis / duns saith that we caÌ„ do it by the coÌ„meÌ„ naturall influeÌ„s that is we can disposse oure selfe of coÌ„grueÌ„s / Mark also how all meÌ„ / be not taught to come to christ / but allonly they that be taught / of marcy be taught yf it be of mercy / than it is not of congruens by attricion Breuely A greter heresy / more contrary to christ his blessyd word can no maÌ„ lerne / aÌ„d yet must he be takeÌ„ for a gret clarke / a subtill doctour by cause he plesithe the fleshe / but shortly here haue I openly proued by inuincible scriptur and by doctours of gret auctorite that frewyll of hys naturall strength with out a speciall grace can do nothing but a byde in synne / Fayne Inuent / Excogitate / dreame / as meny holy purposys as you can / as meny subtylle distyncions as meny good attricions / as meny good applycacions as you can aÌ„d all they be but synne / tyl grace come / ye youre sleping / youre eating / youre drinkyng / youre almes / youre prayers / youre singing / your ringing / your coÌ„fessing / your muÌ„bling / youre murning / youre wayllinge / breuely all that you caÌ„ do is but hyppocrisy / dubbille sinne a fore god tyll the tyme / that he of hys mercy chousyth you / for as he saith / you haue not chosyn me but I haue chosyn you Now wyll I declare a scripture or two that yow brynge to proue youre conatum and youre bonum studium / The fyrst place ys thys / God from the begenyng dyd ordyn man / and lefte him in the hondis of his awne couÌ„selle / he dyd geue him his coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tis / his preceptis / yf thou wilt kepe the coÌ„maÌ„demeÌ„tis / aÌ„d also kepe pesable faith / for euer thei shal kepe that I haue set afore the water fyer strech thy hond to whych thou wilt / Of this place gether you / that maÌ„ may haue a good purpose a god inteÌ„t / a good mynd / to apolye him selfe to god of his naturall powre But this can yow not proue of this texte / for here is neuer a worde / of inteÌ„dynge / of studying / or of applyyng well / for yf yow wylle take the wordes off the texte as they sunde they rather proue that we may kepe the commandementis of god / ye aÌ„d also beleue in god / than ony other thynge / the whyche I am suere yow wyll not graunte / for than how coulde yow a voyde but that the phylosophers be sauyd / for no man caÌ„ deny / but that they dyd as much / as lay in their naturall power to come to god Moreouer the palagyons brynge thys texte / too proue that man may do good of his natural streÌ„gth / Now how wyll yow avoyde them For yf yow deny that yt prouythe theyr opynyon for the whiche the wordis sound most than wyll they deny that yt prouythe youre conatum / and youre bonum studiuÌ„ / of the which that texte spekyth neuer a word where for this text maketh nether for them nor yet for you / Playne it is / that the wordes of the texte sounde of kepyng and of beleuinge yf we will / not of inteÌ„dinge / nor of studying wherfore it maketh not for your purposse / but let vs go to the text / God froÌ„ the begeninge dyd make maÌ„ / thes wordis be opyn of the creacion / of the first maÌ„ Eccle. 16. he lefte him in the hondis of his awne counselle / These wordis / make nothyng for frewill for here ys nothynge coÌ„mandyd hym to do but allonly here ys sygnifyde that maÌ„ ys made Lorde ouer all inferior creatours / to vse them / at hys plesur / as yt is opyn Genesys 2. where that alle thynges were brought a fore Adam to reseue their namys / sygnyfiyng that they wer alle left vn to his vse and to his wille / and he was lorde ouer them alle / and none ouer hym / this was his kyngduÌ„ in the whyche he did rayne / and gouerne alle thyngis after his coÌ„mandimentes / but yet was it by the generalle influence / geuyn hym firste of god he dyd adde hys commandimentes and hys preceptes / In these wordes is there no powre geuin vnto him / but here be geuyn hym commandimeÌ„tes / wherby he must be orderyd and ruled / And not rule after hys awne counselle / but after the counselle / and commandimentes of God / where fore bi these commandimentes / was there parte of hys fre dominacyon / and lordeschyp / that he had ouer the inferior thynges takyn a way / as where god commanded hym that he shulde not eate of the tre of knoulege both of good evil / Now was it not fre for him to vse this tre after hys awne wille but after the commaÌ„demeÌ„t of god / and what power he had / by hys frewille / to kepe this commandimeÌ„t the effect dyd declare If thow wilt kepe the commandimentes here begynythe the doute but yet of these wordes cane you not gether / that he had power to kepe them / nor yet that he might inteÌ„d to kepe theÌ„ / For it foloweth not / if thou wilt / ergo thou mayst / or thou maist intend / As it foloweth not If I wold / ergo I culde deposse yov / for yov wille lett this consequent / Also yov haue a general rule / Condicionalis nihil ponit / where fore these wordes If thov wilte kepe the commaÌ„dimentes geuithe no power nor strength to frewille / But this alonly followeth of this text / if man wille kepe the commaÌ„dimeÌ„tes / August de li. arb c. 16 thaÌ„ they shalle kepe hym / but now where shalle he haue this wylle / that is not in his power / but loke of S. Augustine above resyted / aÌ„d there shalle yov fynd how maÌ„ coÌ„mithe bi this wille / Also the wordes of the texte be not / yf thov wilte thou maist kepe theÌ„ or inteÌ„de to kepe theÌ„ / Nor they