Whole Works, Tract 8

Whole Works · Tract 8

p. 266¶ Free will of man, after the fall of Adam of hys naturall ſtrength, can doe nothyng but ſinne beefore God.

IN this article will wée not diſpute, what man may doe by the cōmon influence geuen hym of God, ouer theſe inferior and worldelye thinges, as what power hée hath in eating and drinking, in ſléeping, and ſpeaking, in buying and ſellyng, and in all other ſuch naturall thinges, that bée géeuen of God indifferently to all men, both to good and bad. But here will wée ſearch, what ſtrength is in In what thinges we hauehave freewill, and in what none.man, of his naturall power, without the ſpirit of God, for to will, or to doe thoſe thinges that bée acceptable before God, vntounto the fulfilling of the will of God: as to beléeue in God, to louelove God after his commaundemēts, to louelove iuſtice for it ſelfe, to take God for his father, to recken him to bée mercifull vntounto him, to feare God louingly, with all other thinges that mē doe call good workes: this is the thing that wée will ſearch to knowe. Now, that hée can doe nothyng in theſe cauſes, by his frée wil, our maiſter Chriſt prooueth it in theſe wordes: Hee that Iohn. 15.John 15abideth in mée, and I in him, bringeth forth much fruite, for without mée cā ye doe nothing: if a man abide not in mée, hée is caſt out as a braunch, and ſhall burne.

Here it is open, that fréewill without grace, can doe nothing. I doe not ſpeake of eating, & drinking (though that bée of grace) but nothing that is fruitfull, that is meritorious, that is worthy of thanke, that is acceptable The frutes of freewill. Freewill without gods grace can doe nothyng that is good.before God. For hee that hath not Chriſt in hym, is caſt out, this is the firſt fruite of freewill: than wythereth hée, that is the ſecond fruite, this wythering helpeth hym nothing to goodneſſe, hée muſt wither, let him doe the beſt: than is hée gathered, and p. 267caſt in the fire, this is the thirde fruit. What can bée in the fire doe? nothing but burne. Hée can not lye there as a thing indifferent, but hée muſt néedes burne, & hée cā not come out of y^t fier by his owne ſtrēgth: let hym intende as much as hée can, his intention can Bona intentio.not helpe hym, nor yet further hym. So that all the might of fréewil, when hée is left alone, is nothyng els, but firſte to bée caſt out: and ſeconde to wyther, ſo decayeth hée: thyrdly, to be caſt into the fire. All this is wors, and wors. Finally, hée burneth, this is worſt of all, for here is hée paſt helpe, ſo that this is the ſtrength, that fréewill hath, to bryng him ſelfe to vtter deſtruction.

Now, where will our Duns men, bryng in their Bonum conatum? they are ſo longe in bryngyng of it in, that fréewill is brought to the fire, & there can hée neither ſaue him ſelfe frō burning, nor yet helpe him ſelfe out. But to this my Lord of Rocheſter aunſwereth in a certaine place, that fréewill can doe no good meritorious, ſed tamē non omnino facit nihil. What is this to ſay, but nihil? If hée doe no good, y^t is meritorious, nor worthy of thāke before God, I pray you, what doth hée, but nihil? Our diſputation is, what goodnes that hée can doe, w^tout grace, and you graunt, that hée can doe no goodnes, and yet you ſay, that hée can doe ſomethyng. But let vsus ſée how S. Auguſtine vnderſtandeth this text of S. Iohn. Leſt any man ſhould ſuppoſe, Super Ioannem tract. lxxi.that the braunche of hym ſelfe could bryng forth, at the leſt wayes, a litle frute, therfore ſayth hée, nor with out me, can you doe a litle, but without me can you doe nothyng, therfore whether it bée litle, or much, without him, can it not bée done, without whō is nothyng done. One of two things, muſt the braunche néedes doe, either abyde in the vyne, or els burne in the fier, if it bée not in the vyne, then is it in the fire. &c.

My Lord, where will you bryng in here, your ſomethyng, that fréewill doth? Saint Auguſtine ſayth, without grace, cā fréewil doe neither litle, nor much: for if ſhée bée not in Chriſt, ſhée burneth in the fire. Call you that ſomwhat? Where bée nowe M. Dunſis Dūces doctrine ouerthrowen.mē, with their bonum conatum, bonum ſtudium, & applicationem ad bonum. Here muſt they néedes lye in the fire, with all their good intētes, with their good preparations, and their holy diſpoſitions. Alſo S. Paule, we are not 2. Cor. 3.2 Cor 3ſufficient, to thinke any thyng of our ſelues, but our ſufficiencie, is of God. What is this? that we are not able to thinke any thyng of our ſelues? what can bée a ſmaller thyng, thē to thinke? and yet this ſmall thynge can we not doe. It is alſo open, that Saint Paule We of our ſelues as of our ſelues can not do… ſo much as thinke a good thought.meaneth not of the thinkyng, that cō meth by naturall power, for y^t God doth not let, but letteth it proceede, after his firſt ordinaunce, as we hauehave open experience in infidels. But here hée ſpeaketh of ſuch a thinkyng, as is acceptable, and thankful before God, and therefore foloweth it, God hath made vsus worthy miniſters of y^e new Teſtament. Here is it open, that hée ſpeaketh of that thinking, that is a ſingular, and a ſpeciall gift of God, and not of the common gift of nature, for that were nothyng, to the miniſtratiō of the Goſpell.

But let vsus ſée what S. Barnarde Barnarde lib. arbit.ſayth, of this text. What ſhall we ſay? is this alonely all the merite of fréewill, that hée doth alonely conſent? yea doubtles. Not that, the ſame conſent, in the whiche is all his merite, is not of God, when that we can neither thinke (the whiche is leſſe, then to conſent) any thyng of our ſelues, as though we were ſufficient of our ſelues. Theſe wordes bée not myne, but the Apoſtles, the whiche geueth vntounto God, and not to his fréewil, all maner of thinges, that can bée good, that is to ſay, to thinke, to will or to performe. &c. Here you not, that all thyngs, that can bée good S. Barnarde geueth to God? Now, what ſtrength hath fréewill, hee can neither thinke good, nor wel, nor yet performe it? what remaineth? I know nothyng, but either it is included in thinking, in willyng, or in performyng, and all theſe bée geuē to God. Alſo our maiſter Chriſt ſaith, Math. 7.Matt 7Shal men gather grapes of thornes, p. 268or figges of bromble buſhes? An euill trée, can bryng foorth no good frute. What meaneth our maiſter, whē hée ſayth, that grapes bée not gathered of thornes? nothyng els, but that y^e frute muſt bée lyke the manner of the trée. And therefore ſayth hée, an euill trée, can not bryng forth good frute. Now, can you not denye, but that fréewill without grace, is an euill trée, Ergo, his frute muſt needes bée euil, hée may well bryng forth frute, but it ſhall not bée good. Is not all fréewils power declared in theſe wordes, hée can not? I pray you, what meaneth our maiſter Chriſt in theſe woordes, hee can not? Chriſt ſayd, hée can not, and will you ſay, hée can? Alſo our maiſter ſayth. You adders byrdes, howe can you Math 12.Matt 12ſpeake good thynges, ſéeyng that you bée euill. Had not theſe men fréewill? and yet ſayth our maiſter, they could Mans freewill without Gods grace can doe nothing that is good.not ſpeake good thynges. You recken it but a ſmall power, to ſpeake good, and yet as ſmall as it is, fréewill can not doe it, hée may well ſpeake, but it ſhall not bée good. For how ſhould hée ſpeake good, that is euill of him ſelfe? how ſhould hée doe good, that knoweth no good? but is the very enemy of goodnes, yea and aſmuch as …yeth in him, hée wold there were no goodnes.

You hauehave alſo a commō principle, there is nothyng loued, and deſired, but that, that is knowne. Now how ſhould fréewill flée from ſinne, and deſire goodnes, and hée knoweth not, whiche is very ſinne, and which not? As S. Paule ſayth: by the law, is the knowledge of ſinne, ſo blinde as fréewil, Roma▪ 3.that hée knoweth not ſinne, to bée ſinne, nor vertue, to bee vertue, but iudgeth that thyng to bée good, that is euill, and that thyng, that is euill, to bée good, for hée is loſt, & hath no true iudgement. As S. Auguſtine ſayth, In Enche. …. …9.what goodnes can hée doe, that is loſt, except that hée bée deliuered from his miſerie? Can hée doe good by his fréewill? God forbyd, for man euill vſing his freewill, did both looſe him ſelfe, & alſo his freewill, and as man being alyue, doth kill him ſelf, & whē hee hath killed him ſelfe, hée cā not make him ſelfe aliue agayne. So likewiſe, whē we doe ſinne by fréewill, & ſinne hath Man by vſus…ig of his freewill euill did loſe both hymſelfe & his freewill.the victory, then is fréewil cleane loſt, for of whom a man is ouercome, vntounto hym muſt hée bée ſeruaunt. Doubtles, this ſentence is of Peter the Apoſtle, the whiche, ſéeyng that it is true. I pray you what maner of freedome can a bonde ſeruaunt hauehave? except it bée, when it pleaſeth him to ſinne. &c.

What can bée ſayd to this? doth hée not clearely ſay, that mā hath loſt his fréewil by ſinne? and can no more doe vntounto goodnes, then a dead man can doe, to make him ſelfe alyue agayne? yea, hée can doe nothyng, but delight in ſinne. Call you that a fréedome? Call you that bonum conatū? Call you that a preparyng to grace? S. Auguſtine De …erbis apoſt▪ ſer. 11.doth declare, what goodnes, that fréewill deſerueth, without grace ſaying. O curſed fréewill, without God, we hauehave experience, what freewill cā doe without God, therfore are we miſerable, becauſe we hauehave experience, what fréewill is able to doe, without God. Behold, man was made good, & by his fréewil, was hée made an euill mā. Whē ſhall an euill mā by his freewill, forſakyng God make a mā good, hée béeyng good, could not kéepe hym ſelfe good, and now, that hee is euill, ſhall hee make hym ſelfe good? when that hée was good, hée kepte not him ſelfe good, and now, that hee is euill, ſhall hee ſay, I make my ſelfe good? &c.

Here is the very ſtrength of freewill, Mans freewill cā doe nothing but ſinne.by his ſtrength, are wée made miſerable, and that doth experience learne. And yet wée boaſte fréewill? S. Auguſtine calleth it curſed fréewil, and will wée call it bleſſed fréewill? Is not this a goodly fréedome, and great power to bryng vsus to this euerlaſting miſerie? This is our bonum conatum, and facere qoud in ce eſt, and preparare ſe ad graciam, with other dampnable dreames, that wée hauehave, whoſe concluſions are nothing els, but to bryng vsus to dampnation. You ſée S. Auguſtines words bée ſo plaine that no mā can auoide them Alſo S. Paule ſaith: Roma. 8.The wiſdome of the fleſhe, is enemy to God, it is not ſubiecte vntounto y^e law, nor cā bee, for they that ſerue y^t fleſhe, can not pleaſe God. And hée that hath p. 269not the ſpirite of Chriſt, the ſame mā is none of his: for the ſelfe ſpirit beareth witnes to our ſpirite, that wée be the children of God. Here hauehave you Mās fleſhly wiſdome is enemy to God.plainely, that the wiſdome of y^t fleſhe, is the very enemy againſt God. It cā not bée ſaide, but by wiſedome he vnderſtandeth the beſt thyng that is in man, for better thē wiſdome, cā there nothing bée: and yet that is enemy to God, for it is but fleſhe, and all that is in man without the ſpirite of God. And that S. Paule declareth, when hée ſaych: hée that hath not the ſpirite of Chriſt, the ſame man is not Chriſtes. Here is playne, that will, reaſō, wiſdome, hart, or whatſoeuer thing y^• is in man (without the ſpirit of God) is but fleſhe, and can not bée obedient. Hée ſayth not, he wyll not, but he can not, hée hath no might, hée hath no power, let hym intende his beſt, doe all y^t lyeth in hym, with all his might, & all his power, & yet can it not pleaſe God, for it is but all fleſhe.

But here M. Duns will make a diſtinction, and ſay, that fleſhe is takē Duns.here for fleſhely deſires onelyonly, and voluptuouſnes, & not for the deſires of the ſoule, nor for the electiō of y^t will. I woulde know, what part of man it is that deſireth? or that coueteth thys voluptuouſnes? It is not the bones, nor the ſinowes, nor the fleſhe that hangeth thereon, but it is the higheſt parte of man, the very ſoule of man, hée is the grounde and auctor of all conſcupiſence: take away hym, and there remayneth no voluptuouſnes. Therefore S. Paule declareth hym, and hys operation, when hée caulleth it the wiſdome of the fleſhe. But I woulde gladly know what hée vnderſtandeth by vncleane deſires, and by voluptuouſnes? If hée vnderſtand, euill cogitations, as aduoutry, fornications, manſlaughter, thefte, couetouſnes, deceite, vncleanes, blaſphemy, pride, and fooliſhnes. If hée call theſe volupouſnes, theſe bée they that come from the hart of man, and bée choſen by the election of the will, as our M. Chriſt doth clearely declare Mark. vij. Yea, and that from the very Marke. 7.Mark 7bottome of the hart. Can they inuent any other vncleanely deſires thē theſe? And theſe come not from the bones, nor from the ſinowes, but frō the very ground of the hart, and theſe bée all hys deſires, and other hath hée none of hym ſelfe. Wherefore theſe dreamers dreame, they wot not what, and ſpeake, that they vnderſtand not. For all that is in man, harte, ſoule, fleſhe, and bone. &c. wyth all theyr workes, is but fleſhe, excepte the ſpirite of God bée there. EueryEvery man hath a ſoule, but by that is hée not Chriſtes, for thē Infidels were Chriſtes, but the ſpirite of Chriſt, maketh Roma. 8.hym Chriſtes, and the ſpirite of God géeueth witnes to our ſpirite, that we bée the children of God. Our ſpirite géeueth no witnes to himſelf, that hée is Chriſtes, for then were the ſpirite of God fruſtrate.

Wherefore let our ſpirite as well as hée can, ſtudye hys beſte, to apply hymſelfe to goodnes after the vttermoſt of his power: and yet is it but wiſdome of the fleſhe, and hath no witnes of God: yea, it is but an enemy, and it muſt néedes bée ſinne. For S. Auguſtine ſayth: Hée that féedeth De verbis Domini ſer. xv.without mée, féedeth agaynſt mée. &c. Marke how hée ſayth, agaynſt mée. Wherefore all that fréewill can doe without grace, is but ſinne. Marke alſo, that Paule did write vntounto the Freewill without grace is ſinne.Iewes: yea, and to the beſt of them, which did ſtudye to doe good workes: yea, and that the beſt workes, that were the workes of the lawe, and yet all theſe bée caulleth but fleſhe, and declareth openly, that all theſe good workes coulde not helpe them, & yet no doubt but that the Iewes dyd as much as lay in theyr fréewyll to doe, to come to the fauour of God, & yet it helped not, for all was but wiſedome of the fleſhe, and enemy to God.

Alſo S. Paule ſayth: If you mortifie Roma. 8.the déedes of the fleſhe, by the ſpirite, you ſhall liue. You will not recken, that S. Paule doth iudge the ſpirite of God neceſſary, to kyll the deſires of the fleſhe, that is, of the ſyndwes, or of the bones, or of any other thyng that is in man, beſide the ſpirite of man, for that were but a p. 270ſmall thyng, yea it were but fruſtrate to ſet the ſpirite of God to kylle theſe thynges, for the ſpirite of man can kill them, yea and alſo rule them. For after your owne Philoſophers, the ſpirite of man, is the ruler and the guider of all the woorkes, that bée done by the body. Wherefore the ſpirite of God muſt bée hee that ſhall kyll the diſeaſe of our ſpirite, the whiche is the moſt ſpirituall thyng in vsus: and yet is it but fleſhe afore God. For if there were any power in hym, hye, or De verbis Apoſt. …ij.lowe, to kyll hys deſires, then were it but voyde to call the ſpirite of God to helpe. But let vsus heare what S. Auguſtine ſayth on this texte, if you mortifie your fleſhe. &c. Thou wylte ſay, that can my wyll doe, that can my fréewill doe. What wyll? what maner of fréewil? except that hée guide thée, thou falleſt, excepte hée lyfte thée vp, thou lyeſt ſtyll. How canſt thou We can doe nothyng that is good without the ſpirite of Godthen doe it by thy ſpirite, ſéeing that y^t Apoſtle ſayth: As many as bée ledde by the ſpirite of God, bée the children of God. Wilte thou doe of thy ſelfe? Wilte thou bée ledde of thyne owne ſelfe to mortifie the déedes of the fleſhe? what will it profite thee? For if thou bée not an Epicure, thou ſhalt bée a Stoicke? Whether thou bée bée an Epicure, or a Stoicke, thou ſhalte not bée amonge the children of God. For they that bée guided of the ſpirit of God, bée the childrē of God: not they that lyue after their owne fleſhe: not they that lyue after theyr owne ſpirite: not they that bée ledde of their owne ſpirite: but as many as bée led of the ſpirite of God, they bée the children of God.

But heare a man will ſay, Ergo, then are wée well ruled, and we doe Who are y^t children of God?not rule. I aunſwere. Thou both ruleſt, and art ruled, but then doeſt thou well rule, if thou bée ruled of the good ſpirite. Ʋtterly, if thou want the ſpirite of God, thou canſt doe no good. Thou doeſt truely without his helpe, by thy fréewyll: but it is but euill done. Ʋnto y^t is thy will apte, which is cauled frée, and by euell doeing, is ſhée made a damnanable bonde ſeruant. When I ſay without the helpe of God, thou doeſt nothing, I vnderſtand by it no good thing, for to doe euell, thou haſt frée will, without the helpe of God, though that bée no fréedome. Wherefore you ſhall knowe, that ſo doe you goodnes, if the helping ſpirite bée your guider, the whiche if it bée abſent, you can doe no good at all. &c. Mée thinke this ſaying is ſufficient, if men would beléeue S. Aguſtine. Marke how hée ſayth, without the ſprite of God we lye in ſynne, let our ſpirit doe y^e beſt hée can. For they bée not the children of God, y^t are guided after their owne ſpirite but after the ſpirit of God. For our ſpirite can doe no good at all, but euell, if the ſpirite doe not leade hym. Where is now our bonum ſtudium? our bonus conatus and applicacio ad bonum? For Bonus conatus verstum de congru….our ſpirite can doe nothing but euell, and is of hym ſelfe, but a damnable ſeruant. What good can a damnable ſeruant doe of hym ſelfe? So that here it is openly proued, that the frée will of man, of his owne ſtrength, and of his owne power, con doe nothing but ſynne.

But now commeth the damnable Fleſhly & carnall reaſon, reaſoneth frowardly and crookedly.reaſon, and fleſhly wiſedome, & will diſpute, and ſay: if our frée will cā doe no goodnes, what néede God to commaunde ſo many good thinges? what neede God to geue thoſe cōmaundementes, that he knoweth well bée impoſſible for vsus? And if they bée impoſſible, what right is in hym that damneth vsus for that thyng, that is impoſſible, for vsus to doe? I aunſwere.

O thou blinde and preſumptuous and damnable reaſō, where haſt thou learned of any other creature, to enquire a cauſe of thy makers will? or els to murmour, agaynſt the ordināce of thy lyuyng God? What haſt thou to doe to require a cauſe of his actes? Hée hath made thée without thy cōſēt and counſell, & may hée not ſet lawes, and commaundementes to rule thée by, at his pleaſure, without thy counſel? thou art worthy of none aūſwere, thou art ſo preſumptuous: nor there is no godly aunſwere, that will ſatiſfie thée. Neuertheles, I will ſtoppe thy blaſpheming mouth, by thine own p. 271wiſedome, to thy great ſhame.

Fyrſt, this thing muſt thou graunt As God is nothynge but goodnes, ſo can hee commaunde nothyng but that which is good.mée, that thy God is Eſſenciall goodneſſe, and is nothyng but goodneſſe. Wherefore hée can commaunde nothyng but that is good, iuſte, and righteous. Which thynges, if thou doe not, or bée not able to doe, thy maker may not let his goodnes vndone, becauſe of thy naughtines, or for thyne vnablenes. And if thou bée not able to doe thoſe good thynges, that hée cō maundeth thée, there is no faulte in the commaunder, nor yet in the commaundementes. Wherfore then dooſt thou grudge agaynſt hym wythout a cauſe? But yet wilte thou murmure, and ſay, how that hée knoweth, how they bée impoſſible for thée. Truth that is, hée knoweth it. Then wylte thou ſay, wherfore doth hée cōmaūde them to mée? O thou preſumptuous creature, it were ſufficiently aunſwered to thée, to ſay, that it is his pleaſure ſo to commaunde. What couldeſt thou ſay more? what occaſiō haddeſt thou to murmure? what wronge haſt thou?

But I wil goe farther. Thy maker knoweth that they bée impoſſible for for thée: hée knoweth alſo thy damnable & preſumptuous pride, that reckeneſt, how thou canſt doe all thynges that bée good of thyne owne ſtrength, wythout any other helpe. And to ſubdue this preſūptuous pryde of thine, & to bring thée to knowledge of thyne owne ſelfe, hée hath géeuen thée hys commaundementes, of the whiche thou canſt not complayne, for they bée both righteous and good. And if thou complaine becauſe they bée impoſſible for thée, then conſider thy dampnable pryde, that thoughteſt thy ſelfe ſo ſtronge, that thou couldeſt doe all goodneſſe.

But what wilt y^• now doe? Theſe Why God hath geuen vsus his commaundementes to bee kept.commaundementes bée géeuen, and can not, nor ſhall not bée chaunged, to ſatiſfie thy preſūptuous pryde. Wherof wylte thou now complayne? Gods commaundementes bée reaſonable, they be good, they bée righteous, and they bée laudable, ſhal all theſe things bée deſtroyed, to ſatiſfie thy pride? nay not ſo. But thou ſhalt rather remaine wyth all thy pride, vnderunder the damnation of theſe commaundementes. What ſayeſt thou thereto? Cāſt thou auoyde this? Cāſt thou ſay but this is right? Canſt thou ſaue thy ſelfe from daunger? Canſt thou auoyde thy dāpnation, by all thy carnall wyſdome? Nay verely. For hée that is thy aduerſary is omnipotent. Wherefore, ſay what thou wilte, ſo muſt it bée, for it is Gods ordinaunce, which may not bée chaunged. But now, wilte thou aſke what remedye? no remedy but this onelyonly, to confeſſe thy weakenes. to confeſſe thy pryde, to knowledge thy vnablenes, to graunt, y^t theſe cō maundementes bée lawfull, holy, and good, & how thou art bounde to kéepe them, and to geue laude, and prayſe to God for them, & to goe to thy mercyfull maker with this confeſſion, and to deſire hym, that hée will helpe thée, that hée will bée mercyfull vntounto thée, that hée will ſtrengthen thée, for thou art to weake, that hée will geue thée his ſpirite: for thy ſpirite is to fleſhly, to fulfill theſe ſpirituall commaundementes, and doubt thou not, but thou ſhalt finde hym both mercyfull, and alſo gracious, for hée gaue thée theſe cō maundements for that intent, ſecretly declaryng, both thy pride, & alſo thy weakenes, that thou mighteſt ſéeke, and call vntounto hym for helpe.

This doth S. Auguſtine declare De temp. ſer. lxiij.well in theſe wordes: If man doe perceiue, that in the commaundements, is any thing impoſſible, or els to hard let hym not remaine in hym ſelfe, but let hym runne vntounto God, his helper the which hath geuen his commaundementes for that intent, that our deſire might bée ſtyrred vp, and that hée might geue helpe. &c. Marke S. Auguſtine ſayth, that the commaundemēts bée impoſſible vntounto our ſtrength, but we muſt call to God for ſtrength.

The Pelagians dyd recken, that they had got a great victory, whē they had made this carnall reaſon, y^t God would commaūde nothyng, that was impoſſible. Of this reaſō did they glory, and triumphe, and thought, that they muſt néedes hauehave ſome naturall p. 272ſtrength, and power to fulfill the commaundementes of God, ſéeyng that God would commaunde nothing impoſſible to man. Of this ſame reaſon, doth my Lorde of Rocheſter, and all his ſcholers glory vntounto this ſame day.

But let vsus ſée how S. Auguſtine De lib. arb. cap. xvi.aunſwereth them. The Pelagians (ſayth hée) thinke, that they know a wōderous thing, when they ſay, God will not commaunde that thyng, the whiche hée knoweth is impoſſible for man to doe. EueryEvery mā knoweth this, but therfore doth hée commaunde certeine thyngs, that we can not doe, becauſe we might know, what thyng we ought to aſke of him, Fayth is Eccl. 12. Gods commaundementes bee impoſſible to our nature.Eccl 12ſhée, which by prayer, obtaineth that thyng, that the law commaundeth.

Briefely, hée that ſayeth. If thou wilt, thou mayeſt kéepe my commaū dementes. In the ſame booke, a litle after ſayth. Hée ſhall geue me kéeping in my mouth. Playne it is, that we may kéepe the commaundementes, if we will, but becauſe our will is prepared of God, of him it muſt bée aſked, that we may ſo much wil, as wil ſuffice vsus to doe thē. Truth it is, that we will whē we will, but hée maketh vsus to will that thyng, that is good. &c.

Here hauehave you playne, that my Lord of Rocheſters opinion, and the Pelagiās, is all one, for they both doe agrée, that the commaundementes of God, bée not impoſſible to our natural ſtrength. But S. Auguſtine ſayth, they bée impoſſible. And therefore bée they geuen, that we ſhould know our weakednes, & alſo aſke ſtrēgth to fulfill them. For faith by prayer, doth obteine ſtrength, to fulfil, the impoſſible commaundementes of the law. Here Whereof our good will commeth.hauehave you alſo, that God moueth vsus, and cauſeth vsus to bée good willers, & geueth vsus a good will, for els we wold neuer will, but euill.

Here is alſo to bée noted, that y^t Pelagians, & our Duns mē, agrée all in one, for they both ſay, that y^e grace of God doth helpe mās good purpoſe, ſo that man doth firſt intende, & purpoſe De cōgruo.well. And as Duns ſayth, diſpoſeth hym ſelfe by attriciō to receiue grace, & thē God doth helpeth hym. But the truth is contrary, for there is no good purpoſe in man, no good diſpoſition, nor good intent, but all is agaynſt goodnes, & cleane cōtrary againſt all thing that agréeth with grace, vntill that God of hys méere mercy commeth & geueth grace, & chaungeth a mās will vntounto grace, and geueth hym will, to will goodnes, yea, and that when hée thought nothing of goodnes, but doth clearely reſiſt all goodnes.

This doth S. Auguſtine proue in De lib. arb. cap. xvi.theſe wordes. The Pelagians ſay, y^t they graunt how that grace doth help eueryevery mans good purpoſe, but not y^• The Pelagians ſayth that God giueth good lawes & man may keepe them of his natural ſtrength or els the cōmaundemēts were fruſtrate.hée geueth the louelove of vertue to hym, that ſtriueth agaynſt it. This thyng doe they ſay, as though man of hym ſelfe, without the helpe of God, hath a good purpoſe, and a good mynde vntounto vertue, by the whiche merite procedyng afore, hée is worthy to bée holpen of the grace of God, that foloweth after. Doubtles, that grace that foloweth, doth helpe the good purpoſe of man, but the good purpoſe ſhould neuer hauehave beene, if grace had not preceded. And though that y^t good ſtudy of man, when it begynneth, is holpen of grace, yet dyd it neuer begyn without grace. &c.

Here it is open, that the Pelagiās graunt as much of grace, as my Lord of Rocheſter doth, and all his Duns men, whiche learneth, that man may hauehave a good purpoſe, bonum ſtudium, and a good mynde, & a louelove to grace, of his owne naturall ſtrēgth. The Pelagians graunt euen the ſame. But here you ſée, how Saint Auguſtine is cleare agaynſt them. But now let vsus here M. Duns wordes. A ſinner may by the naturall, and by the commō influence iiij. ſen. diſt. xiiij. queſt. ij.of God, conſider his ſinnes, as a thyng that hath offended God, & as a thing cōtrary to the law of God, and letteth hym from reward, & bringeth hym to payne, & by this meanes may hée hate, and abhore his ſinne: this calleth hée attriciō, wherby there is a diſpoſition (ſayth hée) or a merite in a man of congruence, to take away mortal ſinne, and this attrition is ſufficient for a man, that ſhall receiue the Sacramentes, & quod non ponat obicem, p. 273that is, that hée hauehave no mortall ſinne actually in his will, this is ſufficient, and alſo a neceſſary way to receiue grace. &c.

This is ten tymes worſe then the Pelagians ſayinges, for they graunt, that man muſt néedes hauehave a ſpeciall grace, to performe his good purpoſe. And M. Duns ſayth, that man may performe his attrition, of his naturall power, yea, and this attrition of congruence, is a diſpoſition to take away mortall ſinne, without any ſpeciall grace.

I pray you M. Duns, of what congruence is it▪ What hath attrition deſerued, that mortall ſinne ſhould bée taken awaye for his pleaſure? what hath hée deſerued, that grace muſt folow hym? Infidels may hauehave this attrition (for you graunt, that it cōmeth of naturall ſtrength) and yet ſhall it not folowe of congruence, that they inuſt receiue grace, and alſo remiſſiō of their ſinnes? Alſo had not Iudas this attrition, when hée ſayd, I hauehave ſinned? and was ſory for his ſinne, & alſo repēted him? and knew well, that hée had offended God, and alſo deſerued payne? and was no more willyng (I thinke) ſo to doe, and had all y^t properties, that belongeth to your attrition, and yet ſée how hée dyd deſerue of congruence grace, and remiſſion of his ſinnes. Yea, dyd not this attritiō, bryng hym to extreme deſperation? Howe can a man without a ſpeciall grace, abhorre his ſinne? It is not poſſible, Hee that hath not y^t grace of God cānot abhorre ſin.but hée muſt louelove ſinne, ſo longe as hée is the enemy of God, yea hée woulde there were no God, to puniſhe ſinne, ſuch a pleaſure hath hée vntounto ſinne.

This is the nature of our hartes, and that doth eueryevery one of vsus féele, though theſe men teacheth the contrary, but I ſay to them the words of the Prophete, redite ad cor preuaricatores, grope in your boſomes, & there finde you the mortal enemy of God, which neither careth for Gods diſpleaſure, nor yet for his ſinne. And you ſay that hée may hauehave a good attritiō, of his naturall ſtrēgth, and if this attrition bée good, then may hée doe good before grace, ſo that we ſhall gather grapes of thornes, and figges of briers.

But what ſayth S. Paule to your Roma. 18.good attrition? He ſayth, that all thing without fayth is nothyng. Is not this man a fleſhly man? and hath nothyng of the ſpirit of God (for by your own learnyng, hée hath but the commō influence) and yet ſhall hée bée ſory, that hée hath offended God? Shall hée abhorre his ſinne? Shall hée depoſe hym ſelfe of congruence to grace? S. Paul ſayth. The fleſh luſteth cōtrary to the ſpirite, and the workes of the fleſhe, bée aduoultry fornication, vnclennes, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, wrath, zeale, ſedition, enuying, with ſuch other. I pray you, how doe theſe workes agrée with your attrition? Call you this abhorryng of ſinne? Call you this heauines, for offēdyng God? Bée theſe good diſpoſitions? Bee theſe our good preparatiōs vntounto God? Thinke you, that theſe workes, doe deſerue of congruence remiſſiō of mortal ſinne? Theſe be… the beſt workes, that a ſinner hath in his hart, or els S. Paule lyeth. Wherfore it is not poſſible, but hée muſt hauehave in his wil, actual ſinne, for hée cā will nothyng but ſinne. And therefore, if hée receiue the Sacramentes with this attrition, hée receiueth them to his damnation. For before grace, hée is an vtter enemye to God, and to all his Sacramentes. Wherefore God muſt of his mere mercy, mollifie his hart, and geue him grace to will goodnes, or els hée cā neuer doe it, nor yet deſire it. As S. Auguſtine doth declare in theſe wordes. De grede…i…. cap. 8.The grace, which is geuē of the largenes of God, priuely into mens harts, can not bée deſpiſed of no maner of hard hart. For therfore it is geuē, that Grace findeth our hartes ſtony.the hardnes of the hart ſhould bee taken away. Wherfore whē the father is hard within, and doth learne, that we muſt come to his ſonne. Then taketh hée away our ſtony hart, and geueth vsus a fleſhely harte. And by this meanes, hée maketh vsus the children of promiſe, & the veſſels of mercy, which hée hath prepared to glory. But wherfore doth hée not learne all men to come to Chriſte? Bicauſe that thoſe, p. 274that hée learneth, hée learneth of mercy, and thoſe, that hée learneth not, of hys iudgement doth hée not learne them. &c. Marke, that S. Auguſtine ſayth. That there is no hardneſſe of hart, that can reſiſt grace. And Duns ſayth, that there may bée an obſtacle in mās hart. S. Auguſtine ſaith, that grace findeth the harte in hardnes, & obſtinacie. And Dūs ſaith, that there is a mollifieng, that precedeth grace, whiche hée calleth attrition. S. Auguſtine ſayth,Meritum de congruo. when the father learneth vsus within, then taketh hée away our ſlony hartes. And Duns ſayth, that we can doe it by the common natural influence, that is, we can diſpoſe our ſelues of cōgruence. Marke alſo, how all men, bée not taught to come to Chriſt, but alonely they, y^t bée taught, of mercy bée taught: and if it bée of mercy, then it is not of congruence by attrition.

Briefely, a greater hereſie, more contrary to Chriſte, and his bleſſed word, cā no man learne, and yet muſt hée bée taken for a great clarke, and a ſubtile Doctour, bicauſe hée pleaſeth the fleſhe. But ſhortly, hauehave I openly proued by inuincible Scriptures, and by Doctours of great authoritie, that fréewill of his naturall ſtrength, with out a ſpeciall grace, can doe nothyng, but abyde in ſinne. Fayne, inuent, excogitate, and dreame, as many holy purpoſes as we can, as many ſubtile diſtinctions, as many good attritions, as many good applicatiōs, and all they bée but ſinne, till grace come: Sine fide impoſsibile eſt placere Deoyea our ſléepyng, our eatyng, our drynkyng, our almeſſes, our prayers, our ſingyng, our ryngyng, our confeſſyng, our mumblyng, our mournyng, our wayling. Briefely, all that we cā doe, is but hypocriſie, and double ſinne afore God, till the tyme, that hée of hys mercy chooſeth vsus. For as hée ſayth. You hauehave not choſen me, but I hauehave choſen you.

Now will I declare a ſcripture or two, that men bring to proue our conatum and our bonum studium. The fyrſt place is this. God, from the béeginnyng dyd ordayne man, and left hym in the handes of his owne counſell, hée did geue hym his commaundementes, and his preceptes, if thou wilt kéepe the commaundementes, & alſo kéepe peaſably fayth, for euer they ſhall kéepe thée. I hauehave ſet before thée water, and fyre, ſtretch thy hand to which thou wilt.

Of this place is gathered, that mā may hauehave a good intent, a good mynde, to apply hym ſelfe to God of his naturall power. But this can not be proued of this text. For there is neuer a worde of entending, of ſtudying, or of applying will. For if we will take the wordes of the text, as they ſound, they rather prooue, that we may kéepe the Commaundementes of God, yea, and alſo beleeue in God, then any other thing, the which, I am ſure no man will graunt. For then howe could men auoyde, but that the Phyloſophers be ſaued? For no man can denye, but that they dyd aſmuch, as lay in their naturall power to come to God? Moreouer the Pelagians bring this text, to proue, that man may doe good of his naturall ſtrength. Nowe how will we auoyde them? For if we denye, that it proueth their opinion (for the which y^e wordes ſound moſt) then will they denye, that it proueth our conatum, and our bonum studium, of the which, the text ſpeaketh neuer a worde. Wherefore this text maketh neither for thē, nor yet for you. Plaine it is, that the wordes of the text ſoūde of kéeping, and of beleeueuing, if we will, and not of intending, nor of ſtudying. Wherefore it maketh not for your purpoſe.

But let vsus goe to the text, God frō Eccl. 16.Sir 16the béeginning dyd make man. Theſe wordes bée open of the creation, of y^e fyrſt man. Hée left hym in the handes of his owne counſell. Theſe wordes make nothing for fréewill, for heare is nothing commaunded hym to doe, but all onelyonly heare is ſignifyed, Mans Lordſhyp ouer all creatures of God.that man is made Lorde ouer all inferior creatures, to vſe them, at hys pleaſure, as it is opē. Geneſis. 2. Where that all thinges were brought afore Adam, to receyue their names, ſignifying, that they were all left vntounto his vſe, and to hys will, & hée was Lorde p. 275ouer them all, and none ouer hym. This was his kingdome, in y^• which hée dyd raigne, and gouerne all things after his commaundementes, but yet was it by generall influence, geuen him firſt of God: Hée did adde his cō maundementes, and his preceptes. In theſe wordes is there no power geuen vntounto hym, but heare bée geuen hym commaundementes, Whereby hée muſt bée ordered, and ruled, And not rule after his owne counſell, but after the counſell, and commaundementes of God. Wherefore by theſe Mans dominion reſtreined.commaundementes, was their parte of hys frée domination, and lordſhip, that hée had ouer the inferior thinges taken away, as where God commaū ded hym, that hée ſhould not eate of y^e Trée of knowledge, both of good and euyll. Now was it not frée for hym to vſe this trée after his owne will, but after the commaundement of God, and what power hée had, by his frée will to kéepe this commaundement, y^e effect did declare. If thou wilt kéepe y^e commaundementes. Here beginneth the doubt. But yet of theſe wordes can you not gather, that hée hath power to kepe them, nor yet y^t hee might intend to kepe them. For it followeth not, if thou wilt, Ergo, thou mayſt, or thou mayſt entend, As it foloweth not, if I would, Ergo, I could depoſe you, for you will let this conſequent.

Alſo you hauehave a generall rule, Condicionalis nihil ponit. Wherefore theſe wordes, if thou wilt kéepe the commaundementes, geueth no power, nor ſtrength to frée will. But this all onelyonly foloweth of this texte, if man will kéepe the commaundementes, then they ſhall kéepe hym. But now, where ſhall hée hauehave this will? that is not in hys power: but looke of S. Auguſtine Aug. de lib. arb. cap. xviaboue recited, and there ſhall ſhall you fynde, how man commeth by this will. Alſo the wordes of y^e text bée not, if thou wilt, thou mayſt kéepe them, or intende to kéepe them. Nor they bée not, Man may kéepe them, or intende, if hée will. But if thou wilte kéepe them, then they ſhall kéepe thée. Wherefore of theſe wordes, can you not conclude any power in man. For it foloweth not, when God ſayth, doe this, heare this, heare that, kéepe this, kéepe that, if thou wilte doe this, if y^u wilt doe that, That we can doe theſe thinges, or can intende to doe them. For God commaundeth vsus to doe all good thinges, Ergo, we bée able of our naturall ſtrength to doe them? Then were the ſpirite of God fruſtrate, for the ſpirite of God is not geuen vsus, to geue commaundementes, but for to geue vsus ſtrength, to fulfill, and righteouſly to vnderſtand thoſe thinges, y^t bée commaunded vsus.

By the commaundementes, is Auguſt. de verb. Apoſt. ſent. xiij.declared that thynge, that we ought to doe and alſo they ſhew our weakeneſſe, and imbecilitie, that we might learne to ſéeke for a greater ſtrength, and greater helpe, then is in vsus. As Sainte Auguſtine ſayeth, in theſe Wherefore the lawe is giuen.woordes. The lawe was geuen that man myght fynde hym ſelfe, and not to make hys ſickenes whole, but by his preaching, the ſicknes increaſed y^• the phiſicion might bée ſought. Wherfore the lawe threatning, and not fullfilling that thing, that hée commaundeth, maketh a man to be vnderneath hym, but the law is good, if a man doe vſe it well. What is that, vſe the law well? By the law, to know our ſinnes and to ſéeke Gods helpe, to helpe our health. &c.

Heare is it playne, that the commaundementes of God, geue vsus no ſtrength, nor yet declare any ſtrength to bée in vsus, but ſheweth vsus our dutye, and alſo our weakenes, and alſo mooueth vsus, and cauſeth vsus to ſéeke further for ſtrength. So that theſe wordes, ſi voluris, ſi feceris, ſi audieris, ſi emundaueris, ſi vis, with all other ſuch, that bée wordes of commaundementes, or wordes vnderunder a condition, doe nothing declare, but what we are bounde to doe, and what ſhall folowe, if we doe them. And as the wordes of the lawe doe threaten an euyll ende for ſynne, all onelye for to feare euel doers, and wicked perſons from euell, ſo doe the wordes of promyſe ſtyre vp and quicken good mēs hartes, for to doe well, and alſo comfort thē, that they ſhould not diſpayre p. 276in ad…erſities: But neither theſe, nor thoſe geue vsus any ſtrēgth, to doe that that is commaunded: but alonely they doe declare what paines and what reward ſhall folow to the breakers and the kéepers of them.

An other ſcripture hauehave you, where as our Maiſter Chriſt ſayth: How often Math. 23.Matt 23woulde I hauehave gathered thy children, and you woulde not? Here cry you, liberum arbitrium, lib. arb. For if they had no fréewyll, what néede our Maiſter Chriſt to ſay, thou wouldeſt not? Firſt muſt wee conſider, y^t there Two wils in God.are two maner of wils in God: One is called hys godly wyll, or hys ſecrete or vnſcrutable will, whereby that all thinges bée made and ordered, and all things bée done. Of this will no creature hath knowledge what hée ought thereby to doe, or not to doe, for as S. Paule ſayth, it is inſcrutable, & therefore it is ſufficient for vsus, to knowe therof alonely, that there is an inſcrutable will. The other will in God, is called a declared, and a manifeſt will, the which is declared and geuen to vsus in holy Scriptures.Gene. 2.Gen 2

This will was ſhewed vntounto the vttermoſt by our M. Chriſt the ſonne of God, and therefore is it lawfull. And alſo, men are bound to ſearch, & to know thys wyll, and for that conſideration, was it manifeſted vntounto vsus. This wyll doth declare what▪ eueryevery man is bounde to doe, and what eueryevery man is bounde to flie. And by thys wyll is offered vntounto eueryevery man, thoſe thynges that bée of ſaluation: And by this will GOD will hauehave no man damned, for hée letteth his worde to bée preached indifferently to all men.

Nowe, hée that wyll knowe this wyll, muſt goe to our Maiſter Chriſt, in whome as S. Paule ſayth, is all treaſures of wiſedome and ſcience. So that hée will ſhew vsus as much as is neceſſarye for vsus to knowe, and as much as the father of heauen woulde wée ſhoulde know. Now to the texte, here ſpeaketh God, that is incarnated, that was ſent to will, to ſpeake, to doe, to preach, to bée familiar with vsus, to doe myracles, yea, and alſo to ſuffer death for our ſaluation.

Now, ſayth hée, I woulde hauehave gathered Howe Chriſt willed to ſaue the Iewe▪thy children, that is to ſay, I dyd preach, I did labour wyth all diligence to conuerte thee, I did myracles afore thée, yea, I wepte, I wailed for thy ſake: all theſe thynges did I, with all other thinges that myght bee to thy conuerſion, and that belōged to God incarnate to doe. But all theſe things did not profite them. And why? Becauſe they woulde not. In hym was there no faulte. For there was nothyng vndone, that belonged to hym to doe, ſo that hée was wyllyng, and yet did it not profite Ieruſalem. And why? Becauſe they woulde not. But now, why woulde they not? Becauſe it was in theyr power to wyll, to conſent? and to wyll, not to conſent? Nay truely, but becauſe as Iohn ſaythe: Iohn. 11.John 11They coulde not beléeue, for hée had blinded their eyes, & hardened their hartes, that they ſhoulde not ſée with theyr eyes, nor vnderſtand with their hartes. So that they muſt néedes alonely Wherin th… libertie of freewill conſiſteth.will, not to conſent, and coulde no otherwyſe doe, but not conſent: and yet were they neyther conſtrayned, nor compelled, nor wrunge to it wyth violence, but fréely they woulde not conſēt, and yet had they the libertie of their fréewill, that was to bée agaynſt Chriſte, and not to bée wyth hym. For the libertie of fréewill ſtandeth not in this, that he may wil this thing, and alſo will the contrary therof. But it ſtandeth in that, that all Magiſt. ſen. in. ij.thyng that hée wyll, or wyll not, is at his owne wyll, and is not therto conſtrayned, but wylleth it fréely wythout compulſion, and yet hée can not chooſe, no nor wil not chooſe, bu… ſo to wyll, or ſo not to wyll. So that there is a neceſſitie immutable, but not a neceſſitie of compulſion, or coaction.

Nowe is it open, that this place maketh not for you, for there was no power, nor none entente in their fréewyll, to conſent vntounto Chriſt, but to wyll the contrary, and not to wyl vntounto hym: and all was becauſe they It was not in their handes to chaunge their will.were blynded, and their hartes were hardened. And therefore of their naturall ſtrēgth coulde they none otherwyſe p. 277doe, but vary from Chriſt: no, they would, nor deſtred no otherwiſe, but to ſwarue from hym: that was all their will and delyte. But wherefore they were blynded, and wherefore they were hardened, that muſt you inquire of the inſcrutable wyll, that pleaſed hym ſo to leaue thē. The We may not …ee to inquiſi…ue of Gods ſec…etes.cauſe therof, I am ſure hée cā tel you, if hée woulde. I am ſure it is rightteouſly done, that is inough for mée.

But now commeth the blynde and fleſhlye reaſon, and murmureth at thys, and aſketh, why are wée cōdemned for this? why doth God puniſhe vsus for this? ſéeing wée can wyll no otherwyſe? Alſo hée blyndeth vsus, hée maketh our harts harde, that wée can not amende vsus, and it lieth not in our power wythout his will. Nowe, why complayneth hée of vsus? why layeth hée it to our charge? Here is nothynge done but hys will: wée bée but inſtrumentes of hys will. And if wée doe not well, why geeueth hée vsus not ſtrength to doe better? Thou dampnable reaſon, who can ſatiſfie thée? which reckoneſt nothyng to bée well done, but that thou dooſte, and that is done wyth thy counſell? Thynkeſt thou not, that thou art good and perfecte in thyne owne nature? and all that is in thée, is both wel and righteouſly made?

To this, thou wilte aunſwere yea, for thou wi…t not condemne thy ſelfe, nor any thing that is thine. But now aunſwere mee to this. What hath made thée ſo well? and geuen thée all thy righteouſnes? and all thys goodnes that thou haſt? Thou muſt néedes ſay God.

But what was the cauſe that thou art ſo well? ſo righteous? and ſo good made? ſéeyng that thou deſerueſt nothyng? Yea▪ and all theſe thynges bée done ſo well, and ſo righteouſly, that thou canſt not complayne, nor amēde them: no, nor yet deuiſe which way to amende them.

Now, why doeſt thou not murmur agaynſt God? ſéeyng, that all thynges is done without thy knowledge? and alſo without thy deſeruing? why doeſt thou not inquire a cauſe of hym? why murmureſt thou not, that hée hath made thée ſo good, and ſo rightfull? ſéeyng thou haddeſt nothyng deſerued? But here wilt thou graunt, that God dyd all thyng for the beſt. Why doeſt thou not lykewiſe in other thynges?

Furthermore, thou muſt néedes graunt, that God thy maker, and the Nothyng that God doth cā bee amended.gouernour of all thyngs, is moſt wiſe moſt righteous, and moſt mercyfull: & ſo wiſe that nothyng that hée doth, can bée amended: ſo righteous, that there can bée no ſuſpition in hym, of vnrighteouſnes: ſo mercyfull is …ée, that hée cā doe nothyng without mercy. Howe thinkeſt thou? wilt thou graunt theſe thynges of thy maker? Thou muſt néedes graunt them.

Now compare vntounto this rule, thy Note here the wicked and ſinnefull ſtate of man.blindnes that is within thée, thy induratiō, that is in thée, thy peruers will toward goodnes, and what cauſe haſt thou to complayne? Thou haſt graunted, that hée doth all thynges righteouſly: Ergo, thou haſt no wrong. Hée doth all things mercyfully: Ergo, thou art in thy blyndnes, and in thy hardnes, better intreated thē thou haſt deſerued. Moreouer, thou beleueſt, that God is righteous, that God is wiſe, and that God is mercyful. Now fayth is of thoſe thynges, that doe not appeare, nor that can bée prooued by exteriour cauſes. Hold thée faſt to this fayth, then all thy fleſhely reaſons bée aſſ…iled. For whē God ſaueth ſo few men, and damneth ſo many, and thou knoweſt no cauſe why, yet muſt thou beléeue, that hée is mercyful, and righteous. Fayth doth not come of exterior cauſes, but is the mere gift of GodThis is fayth, which if it could bée prooued by exteriour cauſes, then were it no néede to beléeue it.

Now, if thou beléeue, that hée is mercyfull, good, & righteous vntounto thée, wherefore murmureſt thou? But yet wouldeſt thou know wherfore hée in durateth thée, and blyndeth thée, and geueth thée no grace to amende, and vntounto thy brother, that hath no better deſerued then thou haſt: yea, hée hath likewiſe euill deſerued as thou haſt, and yet hée geueth hym grace, and taketh away his hardnes, & geueth him a will, to will all goodnes. This is not indifferently done as thou thinkeſt.

p. 278Firſt, I ſay to thée, thou haſt no cauſe to complayne, for thou haſt no God diſpoſeth hys mercy to whom it pleaſeth hym.wrong, thou haſt all thyng, that is thyne, and nothyng is taken frō thée, that belōgeth to thée. Why doeſt thou complayne of this right? Yea, but yet ſayeſt thou, that hée geueth the one mercy, and geueth the other none. I aunſwere, what is that to thée? is not his mercy his owne? Is it not lawfull for him to geue it to whom hée will? is thy eye euil, becauſe hée is good? Take that, that is thyne, and goe thy way. Math. 20.Matt 20For if it bée his wil to ſhew his wrath and to make his power knowne, ouer the veſſels of wrath, ordeined to Roma. 9.damnation, and to declare the riches of his glory, vntounto the veſſels of mercy which hée had prepared, & elected vntounto glory. What haſt thou therewith to doe? what cauſe haſt thou therof to cōplayne? it is the will of God, which can not bée, but well, & righteous, the which (as thou ſayeſt) thou beléeueſt.

Wherefore leaue of thy murmuryng, God hath no delight in our damnation.& thy diſputation agaynſt God, and recken, that hée is of his nature mercyfull, and hath no delite, nor no pleaſure in thy damnatiō, but beléeue thou ſtedfaſtly, that if hée ſhewe hys mercy but vntounto one man in all the worlde, that thou ſhalt bée that ſame one man, & though an aungell would make thée beléeue, that all the world ſhould bée damned, yet ſticke thou faſt to his mercy, and to his iuſtice, that iuſtifieth thée, and beléeue, that the ſwéete bloud of his bleſſed ſonne, can not bée ſhedde in vayne, but it muſt néedes iuſtifie ſinners, and ſo many as ſticke faſt vntounto it, though they bée A comfortable and wholeſome doctrine.neuer ſo blynded, and neuer ſo hardned, for it was ſhed alonely for them.

If thou canſt thus ſatiſfie thy ſelfe, then doeſt thou wel, & thou art doubtles out of ieoperdie. If thou wilt not bée content, but wilt diſpute, and inquire cauſes of Gods inſcrutable will, then will I ſtand by, and looke on, and ſée what victordome thou ſhalt get I doubt not, but it will repēt thée, and that hée will conclude with thée, on this maner. May not I doe what I will? Now here hauehave I aūſwered, to an intricable doubt, that our ſchoole men are wrapped in, whiche would know, what is the cauſe of predeſtination, and of reprobatiō. Duns béeyng Sc…s. i. ſ. d…ſt. ….wrapped betwéene carnall reaſon, and the inuincible Scriptures of S. Paule, can not tell, whether hée may graunt, that the will of God is alonely the cauſe of election, or els any merites of man precedyng afore: hée concludeth, that both y^e opinions may bée defended. Bonauenture blyndly Bonauenture.concludeth, that there may bée a cauſe preceding grace to deſerue it. So that in theſe vnfrutefull queſtions, which in gender nothing but contētion, hauehave they ſpent all their liues, and for theſe thinges bée geuen vntounto them peculiar names, as ſubtile and ſeraphicall, and irrefrigable Doctours. But agaynſt them all, I ſet S. Paule, whiche tooke intollerable labours, to prooue by inuincible Scriptures, and examples therof, that there was no cauſe but alonely the will of God. And to prooue this, hée bryngeth in an euident example of Iacob, & Eſau, how Iacob was Iacob, Eſau.elected, & Eſau reprooued, afore they were borne, and afore they had done, either good, or bad.

Can there bée a playner example? what meaneth Paule in theſe words when they weare neyther borne, nor had done neyther good nor bad, but that the election of God myght ſtand? Doth hée not clearely take away all manner of merites, both de congruo, & alſo de condigno? and declare the wyll Meritum de congruo.of God to bée the cauſe onelyonly? But heare will ſubtyll blyndnes ſay, that God ſawe béefore, that Iacob ſhould doe good, and therefore dyd hée chuſe hym. Hée ſawe alſo, that Eſau ſhould doe no good, and therefore hée repelled hym. Alas for blindenes, what will you iudge of that, that God ſaw. How know we that God ſawe that? And if hée ſawe it, yet how know we that that was the cauſe of Iacobs election? Iacob is elected and Eſau reiected.Theſe children bée vnborne, and they hauehave done neyther good nor bad, and yet one of them is choſen, & the other is refuſed, S. Paule knoweth none other cauſe, but the will of God, and will you diſcuſe an other.

And where you ſay, that God did p. 279ſée afore, that one of them ſhould doe good, I praye you what was the cauſe or whereby ſaw hée, that hée ſhould doe good? you muſt néedes ſay by that that hée would geue hym his grace, Ergo, the will of God is yet the cauſe of election, for becauſe y^e God would geue hym his grace. Therefore God ſaw, that hée ſhould doe good, and ſo ſhould alſo y^e other hauehave done, if God woulde hauehave geuen hym that ſame grace. Wherefore you gyauntes, that will ſubdue heauen and earth, leaue your ſearching of this cauſe, and bée content with the will of God, & doubt not, but the will of God, is as righteous, and as lawfull a cauſe, as your merites can bée. And doubt you not, but S. Paule (that toke ſo great labours Rom. 9.Rom 9in this matter) dyd ſée as farre in mans deſeruing, as we can doe: & yet hée concluded with theſe wordes of ſcriptures, I will ſhew mercy: to Gods mercy is y^e cauſe onelyonly of our ſaluation.whom I ſhew mercy: I will hauehave cō paſſion, of whom I hauehave compaſſion. So lyeth it not in mans will, or cunnyng, but in the mercy of God. Hée ſayth not, I will hauehave mercy on hym, that I ſée ſhall doe good? but I will ſhew mercy to whom I wil. Hée ſaith not, I will hauehave compaſſion of hym y^• ſhall deſerue it de congruo? But of him of whom I will hauehave cōpaſſion. This doth S. Auguſtine well proue in theſe words: The diſputatiō of thē is vain Auguſt. ſuper Ioannem tract. lxxxviij.y^• which doe defend y^e preſēce of God, agaynſt the grace of God, and therfore ſay, that we were choſen afore y^e making of the world, becauſe y^e God knew afore that we ſhould bée good, not béecauſe hee ſhould make vsus good. But hée that ſayth, You hauehave not choſen mée, ſayth not that. For if hée dyd therefore choſe vsus, béecauſe that hée knew before, that wée ſhould bée good, thē muſt hee alſo knowe béefore, that wée ſhould fyrſt hauehave choſen hym? &c.

Here is it playne, that the election of God is not, becauſe hée ſawe afore, that we ſhould doe well, but all onelyonly the cauſe of election, is his mere mercy, and the cauſe of our doing well, is his election. And therefore S. Paule ſayth, not of workes, but of callynge.

Now goe to you ſubtill Duns men, with all your carnall reaſons, & ſearch out a cauſe of his ſecrete will. If you dyd beléeue, that hée were good, righteous, and mercyfull, it were a great comfort for you, that the electiō ſtoode all onelyonly by hys will, for ſo were you ſure, that it ſhould bée both righteouſly done, and mercifully, but you hauehave God is mercyfull.no fayth, & therfore muſt you nedes myſtruſt God, and of that, fall you to inuent cauſes of election of your own ſtrength. As one ſhould ſay, béecauſe God will not of his righteouſnes, or of his mercy chooſe vsus, we will be ſure that we ſhall bée elected. For fyrſt will Mās good intent to ſaue hym ſelfe.we inuent, that the election commeth of deſeruyng, and then will we alſo dreame certayne workes, that ſhall thereunto bée appoynted of vsus, and thoſe will we doe at our pleaſure, ſo that the election, and reprobacion, ſhall ſtande all in your hands, let God doe what that pleaſeth him. But now béecauſe there bée certayne open places of ſcripture, that geue onelyonly the cauſe to God, all onelyonly of election, & alſo of reprobation, therefore are theſe men ſore troubled, and can not tell no other remedy, but all onelyonly to ſtudye, how they may wring, & wreſt the open ſcriptures, to the fortifiing of their errour, and to the ſatiſfyinge of their carnall reaſon: ſo that where the holy Ghoſt ſayth, I will obdurate the hart of Pharao, they will take vponupon them to learne and to teach the holy Ghoſt to ſpeake better, and to ſay of this maner: I will ſuffer Pharao to bée indurated, but I will not doe it, but my eaſynes, my ſoftnes, whereby that I ſhall ſuffer him, ſhall bring other men to repentaunce, but Pharo ſhal it make more obſtinate in malice. So that God doth indurate (as you ſay) when hée doth not chaſtice a ſynner, but ſheweth ſoftnes, and eaſynes and ſufferaunce to hym. Hée is mercifull, when hée doth call a ſinner to repentaunce by affiction and ſcourging. So that induration after your expoſition, is nothing els but for to ſuffer euyll by ſoftnes, and by goodnes. To hauehave mercy, is nothing els but to correcte, to ſcourge, and to punyſhe p. 280men for their ſynnes.

This is the expoſition of induration, Origine in per…arcon. Gloſ. Rom. 5 Hier…. ſuper Eſaiam.Rom 5after S. Hierome and after your common gloſe. S. Hieromes wordes bée theſe: God doth indurate, when hée doth not by and by caſtigate a ſynner. Hée hath mercy, when hée doth call a ſynner by and by vntounto repentāce by afflictions. &c. This is auctoritie inough, as you thinke, what ſhoulde you ſearch any farther? Dyd not theſe men vnderſtand ſcripture? Is not this expoſition playne? This taketh away all inconueniēces? By this expoſition God is not the auctor of euell? This is a clarkely expoſition? Briefly, this this muſt néedes bee the true expoſitiō Wherfore it weare better for you, to erre with S. Hierome, and with our oulde ſchoolemen, then for to ſay true with theſe newe heretykes, ſo call you all them, that will reproue oulde errours.

Now hauehave you well defended the which bee newe men.matter. Now is your cauſe well proued. Now muſt the holy Ghoſt chang his wordes. For hée hath new ſchoolemayſters. And wheare hée was wont to ſay, I hauehave hardened Pharos hart. Now muſt hée ſay. Pharao hath hardened hym ſelfe, by my ſoftnes, and by my eaſines, but I hauehave not done it.

But yet I pray you, how woulde you ſatiſfie a weake conſcience? that ſtickes faſte to the worde of God, and reckeneth that the holy Ghoſt knoweth well what hée ſhal ſpeake, and wil ſpeake nothing without a great cauſe but that that hée ſpeaketh, ſhall bée ſo well ſpoken, that you can not amende it?

How thynke you? is it ſufficient to ſay to this poore man, S. Hierome, and all ſchoole men ſay ſo? holde thou thy peace, bée thou content with their expoſitions, ſerch thou no further, it doth not become thée to know it?

But now, if hée wyll laye to your charge, that this thyng is opēly writin ſcripture, and the wordes of Moyſes and of Paule bée playne, therfore you muſt aunſwere to them. And it ſhall bée as lawful and as neceſſary for hym to know the minde of holy ſcripture, as the expoſitiō of S. Hierome, or of M. Duns. Scripture ſaith plainly, that God doth indurate Pharaos hart, and not Pharao his owne hart. It is a new expoſition, to ſay, I will indurate Pharaos hart, that ſhall bée as much, as Pharao ſhall indurate himſelfe thorough my ſoftnes and patience. By this rule ſhal Anaragoras Philoſophy come in place, that ſhall Howe the Papiſtes & ſchoole men peruert the holy ſcriptures.make of eueryevery thing what hée wyll. And where as ſcripture ſayth, Saul, Saul, why dooſte thou perſecute mée? Shall bée as much to ſay, as why ſuffereſt thou mée to bée perſecuted. Alſo the father of heauen, ſent hys onelyonly ſonne into the worlde, ſhall bée as much to ſay, as hée ſuffered his ſonne to bée ſent. So that wée ſhal expounde all places of Scripture, to our owne purpoſe, and not to looke what is the ſentence of holy Scripture, nor yet what the mynde of the holy ghoſt is: but what expoſitiō will pleaſe vsus beſt, and what will beſt ſerue to our carnall minde. Furthermore, if God doe harden mens hartes, when hée ſuffereth, and when hée is ſofte and ſheweth mercy: then did hée harden the hartes of the Iewes, whē he brought them out of Egypt into wilderneſſe: then did hée harden them, when hée brought them out of the captiuitie of Babylon, then hardeneth hée all the worlde, whom hée ſuffereth in great ſoftnes and mercy. Alſo after your expoſition, hée was mercifull to Iſraell, when hée ſent them into Babylō. For there dyd hée chaſten them, and by afflictions prouoked them to repentaunce.

Likewiſe the father of heauen had no mercy on the worlde, whē hée ſent his ſonne, for of that hée gaue m…n an occaſion of induratiō. But when hée hée damneth the ſinners, then by your rule hath he mercy on them, for he chaſteneth and puniſheth them for their ſinnes. This is your rule of induration, and no mā may ſay againſt it. Miſerere may not ſignifie to geeue grace, nor to remitte ſinne, but to chaſtice and to ſcourge, and by paines prouoke to repentaunce. And indurare, ſhall not ſignifie to harden, but to ſuffer, and to bée patient, and to bée p. 281mer…ull, and not to chaſtice.

But maiſters, how was God mercifull vntounto Pharao, by ſoftenes, & by ſufferaunce, whome hée chaſtened ſo ſore with ten plagues, and wyth ſuch plagues as Moyſes marueyled of? Call you that ſoftnes? was that ſuffering of Pharao? was that an occaſion of induratiō? by patience? eaſines, & by ſufferaūce? God ſend his aduerſaries of that patience, and of that ſufferaunce. I pray you, how coulde God chaſtice hym more? and yet at eueryevery plague, he ſayth: I will indurate Pharaos hart. Wherefore Pharao had none occaſion of induration by ſufferaunce, and patience of God, but rather by his ſcourging. Wherfore there muſt bée an other ſence in theſe wordes then you doe make, and wee muſt ſéeke out an other waye to know, how God doth worke induration How God indurateth.in mens hartes (ſuch wordes doth the holy ghoſt vſe, therfore dare wée ſpeake them.) And how hée is y^• doer both of good and euil: and yet all thynges that hee doth, is well done. Fyrſt, you muſt néedes graunt, that after the fall of Adam, the pure nature of man was corrupted by ſinne, whereby wée bee all wicked, and borne (as S. Paule ſayth) by nature Ephe. 2.Eph 2the children of wrath, and as Dauid ſayth, wee are all conceiued in ſinne. Notwithſtanding, of this corrupt nature, doth God make all mē, both good and bad. Thoſe that bee good, be good by hys grace. Thoſe that bée badde, bee badde of corrupted nature, and yet God hath made them. Neuertheleſſe, by nature they are of the ſame goodnes, and no better thē nature is, that is to ſay, euill: but yet the creation of God, and his workemanſhip is good, thouth the thyng bee euill in it ſelfe, yet is Gods worke before hymſelfe good, though all the worlde ſay naye.

Nowe God of hys infinite power doth rule, and guide all maner of men both good and badde, and all mē by his infinite power, are moued vntounto operations, but eueryevery man after his nature. As after your owne philoſophy, Primum mobile, by the reaſō of his ſwifte motiō, caryeth all the inferiour thinges with him, & ſuffereth nothing to bee vnmoued: notwithſtā ding, hee moueth all thynges after their owne naturall courſe.

So likewiſe God of his infinite All thyngs are ſubiect to the will of God.power, letteth nothyng to bée exemted from hym, b…t all thynges to bee ſubiecte vntounto his action, and nothing can be done by them, but by his principall motion: ſo that hee worketh in all maner of thynges that bee eyther good or bad, not chaunging their nature, but mouinge them alonely to worke after their nature: ſo that god worketh good, and euill worketh euil, and God vſeth them both as inſtrumentes, and yet doth hee nothynge euill, but euill is done alonely thorowe the euill man, God working by hym (but not euill) as by an inſtrument. Take an example. A man doth ſawe a blocke with an euil ſawe. The which is nothyng apte for to cut wel, and yet muſt it néedes cut at the mouing of the man, though it bée neuer ſo euill, for the man in mouing, doth not chaunge the nature of the ſawe. Neuertheleſſe, the action of y^e man is good and cunningly done, but the cutting of the ſawe is after his nature. So likewiſe God moueth theſe euyll inſtrumentes to working, and by his common influence geuen to all creatures, ſuffereth them not to bee idle, but he chaungeth not their nature. Wherfore their operation, is a fruite Gods actiō is good.conuenient for their corrupted nature, but yet there is no faulte in Gods mouinge.

Here hauehave you now, howe God workes all thynges, in all men both good and bad. But now let vsus goe to the induration of them, that bée euill. Thus is it. Firſt, they bée euill by nature, and can abyde nothyng that is good, nor yet ſuffer any good to bée done. Wherefore when God the author of goodneſſe, doth any thyng, or ſayth any thyng vntounto them, then are they more, and more, ſorer, and ſorer contrary vntounto God, and to all hys workes, for of their nature they are ſo corrupted, and can not agrée to the will of God, nor to any thynge that p. 282is good, but when it is offered them either in word, or déede, thē blaſpheme they, then withſtād they with all theyr might, with all their power, then are they prouoked of their corrupted nature to more miſchief, and more, and alwayes harder and harder: As for As y^t faithfull take profite by the hearing of the word of God, ſo the wicked and vnfaith full take hurt thereby.an example, when the bleſſed word of God is preached vntounto them, that bée wicked, to whom God hath geuen no grace to receiue it, then are they nothyng amended, but more indurated, and alwayes harder and harder. And the more y^t word of God is preached, the more obſtinate are they, and the more miſchief intende they.

Then all their ſtudy, then all their wiſedome, then all their labour, then all their might, then all their power, then all their craft, and ſubtiltie, then all their frendes, that they can make in heauen and in earth is nothyng els but to oppreſſe the word of God: yea and they thinke all to litle, for y^t more it is preached the more they grudge, and the woodder bée they. After this maner was the hart of Pharao indurated, whē that the word of God was declared vntounto hym by Moyſes, & hée had no grace to receiue it: then the more that Moyſes laboured in the worde, the more ſturdyer was hée in withſtandyng of it, and alwayes harder and harder.

This is alſo euidently ſéene in the corrupt nature of man, for the more a thyng is forbydden hym, the more deſireth hée to doe it. But what néede me to goe into Egypt to fetch an exā ple to prooue this? Looke of mine own countreymen, if they bée not openly indurated and ſo blynded, that no mā is able to defend them by any reaſon, or law, and therefore they take them ſelues to violence and oppreſſion, as Pharao dyd, whiche bée the right ſignes, and tokens of induration. For the more y^t word of God is preached, and the veritie is declared vntounto them the more ſturdyer, and obſtinate bée they agaynſt it. And all theyr ſtudy, all theyr wyttes, all theyr counſels, all their craft, and miſchief with all gloſinges and lyinges, and with blaſphemyng of God & hys preachers, is nothyng els but to kéepe y^t word of God vnderunder, and to withſtand that veritie, which they know in their conſcience muſt néedes goe foorth, though all the world ſay nay. And therfore will they heare no man, nor reaſon with any man but euen ſay as Pharao dyd, I will not let the people go….

But if they were not indurated, & the verye enemyes vntounto the veritie, they woulde at the leſt wayes heare their poore brethrē of charitie, & know what they coulde ſay, & if they coulde prooue their ſaying to bée true: then if they had y^t louelove of y^e veritie, as they hauehave but y^e ſhadow, they would geue inmortall thākes to god, & with great méekenes, and with a low ſpirite, receiue the heauenly verity, and thanke their brethren hartely, that they warned them of ſuch a damnable way, now in good tyme & ſeaſon. But there is no louelove to the veritie, nor yet feare of God, nor regarde to the daunger of their ſoules. And why? For they be children of induration and of blaſphe my. And therfore the more it is preached, the more are they obſtinate. This is the verye induration, that God worketh in mens hartes, wherby they bée the children of darkenes. Therefore let vsus pray inſtantly to God, to mollifie: our hard harts, for Chriſtes deare bloud ſake.

Amen.