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Faith Of God • View topic - Free-Will came from above!

Free-Will came from above!

"whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love, whatsoever things are of honest report, if there be any virtuous thing, if there be any laudable thing, (of learning) those same have ye in your mind, Php. 4:8

Free-Will came from above!

Postby jadmin » Sat Mar 16, 2013 3:19 am

An Answer to Sir Thomas More's Dialogue: THE SUPPER OF THE LORD after the true meaning of John VI. and 1 Cor. XI. and WM. Tracy's testament Expounded. by William Tyndale, Martyr, 1536 - with (edification) wrote:
THE TENTH CHAPTER

Freewill.

In the tenth he inveigheth and raileth against that which neither he, nor any fleshly minded papist can understand; as they have no power to consent unto the laws of God, which herein appeareth, that they compel their brethren which be as good as they, to do and believe what they lust, and not what God commandeth. He affirmeth that Martin saith, how that we do no sin ourselves with our own will, but that God sinneth in us, and uses us as a dead instrument, and forceth us thereunto, and damneth us, not for our own deeds, but for his, and for his own pleasure, as he compelleth unto sin for his pleasure, or rather he for his pleasure sinneth in us. I say, that a man sinneth voluntarily, but the power of the will and of the deed is of God, and every will and deed are good in the nature of the deed, and evilness is a lack that there is, as the eye though it be blind is good in nature, in that it is such a member, created for such a good use; but it is called evil for lack of sight.

Our deeds are evil because we lack knowledge to refer them unto the glory of God.

And so are our deeds evil because we lack knowledge and love to refer them unto the glory of God. Which lack cometh of the devil that blindeth us with lusts, and occasions that we cannot see the goodness and righteousness of the law of God, and the means how to fulfil it. For could we see it, and the way to do it, we should love it naturally as a child doth a fair apple. For as a child, when a man sheweth him a fair apple, and will not give it him, weepeth; so should we naturally mourn when the members would not come forward to fulfil the law according to the desire of our hearts. For Paul saith, (2Cor. iv.) If our gospel be hid, it is hid unto them that perish, among which the God of this world hath blinded the wits of the unbelievers, that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ should not shine to them.

The devil is the blinder and keeper (caper) of us, from the understanding of God's will.

And Christ saith that the birds eat up the seed sown upon the way, and interpreteth by the seed, the word, and by the fowls, the devil. So that the devil bindeth us with falsehood and lies, which is our worldly wisdom, and therewith stoppeth out the true light of God's wisdom, which blindness is the evilness of all our deeds.
And on the other side, that another man loveth the laws of God, and useth the power that he hath of God well, and refereth his will and his deeds unto the honour of God, cometh of the mercy of GOd which hath opened his wits, and shewed him light to see the goodness and righteousness of the law of God, and the way that is in Christ to fulfil it, whereby he loveth it naturally and trusteth to do it. Why doth God open one man's eyes and not another's? Paul (Rom. x.) forbiddeth to ask why.

We may not be curious to search God's secrets.

For it is too deep for man's capacity. God we see is honoured thereby, and his mercy set out, and the more seen in the vessels of mercy.

A papistical opinion.

But the popish can suffer God to have no secret hid to himself. They have searched to come to the bottom of his bottomless wisdom, and because they cannot attain to that secret, and be too proud to let it alone, and to grant themselves ignorant, with the apostle, that knew no other than God's glory in the elect, they go and setup free-will with the heathen philosophers, and say, that a man's free-will is the cause why God chooseth one and not another, contrary unto all Scripture. Paul saith it cometh not of the will, nor of the deed, but of the mercy of God. And they say that every man hath at the least way power in his free-will, to deserve that power should be given him of GOd to keep the law. But the Scripture testifieth that Christ hath deserved for the elect, even then when they hated God, that their eyes should be opened, to see the goodness of the law of God, and the way to fulfil it, and forgiveness of all that is passed, whereby they be drawn to love it and to hate sin.

Wit (intelect), reason, and judgement, goes ere (before) will.

I ask the popish one question, whether the will can prevent a man's wit, and make the wit see the righteousness of the law, and the way to fulfil it in Christ? If I must first see the reason why, ere (earlier than) I can love, how shall I with my will do that good thing that I know not of? How shall I thank God for mercy that is laid up for me in Christ, ere (any sooner than) I believe it? For I must believe the mercy first, ere (prior) I can love the work.

Faith is the gift of GOd, and comes not of freewill

Now faith comes not of our free-will; but is the gift of God, given us by grace, ere there be any will in our hearts to do the law of God. And why God gives it not every man, I can give no reckoning of his judgments. But well I wot (acknowledge), I never deserved it, nor prepared myself unto it; but ran another way clean contrary in my blindness, and sought not that way; but HE sought me, and found me out, and shewed (instructed) it me, and therewith drew me to HIM. And I bow the knees of my heart unto God night and day, that HE will shew it all other men; and I suffer all that I can, to be a servant to open their eyes. For well I wot they cannot see of themselves, before God has prevented them with his grace: for Paul says (Phil. i.), "He that began a good work in you shall continue," or bring it unto a full end; so that God must begin to work in us:

Phil. ii, God is the first worker, and bringer to pass, of our well doings.

and (Phil ii.), "God it is that works both the willing, and also bringing to pass." And it must needs be; for God must open mine eyes, and shew me somewhat, and make me see the goodness of it, to draw me to him, ere I can love, consent, or have any actual will to come.
And when I am willing, he must assist me, and help to tame my flesh, and to overcome the occasions of the world and the power of the fiends.

Matt. xxiv.

God therefore has a special care for his elect, insomuch that he will shorten the wicked days for their sakes, in which no man, if they should continue, might endure. And Paul suffers all for the elect, (2 Tim. ii.). And "God's sure foundation stands," saith Paul; God will keep a number of his mercy, and call them out of blindness, to testify the truth unto the rest, that their damnation may be without excuse.

The Turk (heathen), the Jew, and the popish build upon free-will, and ascribe their justifying unto their works. The Turk, when he has sinned, runs to the purifyings, or ceremonies of Mahomet; and the Jew to the ceremonies of Moses; and the pope unto his own ceremonies, to fetch forgiveness of their sins.

The (true) Christians seek help of Christ.

And the Christian goes through repentance toward the law unto the faith that is in Christ's blood. And the pope says that the ceremonies of Moses justified not, compelled with the words of Paul: and how then should his justify? Moses' sacraments were but signs of promises of faith, by which faith the believers are justified; and even so be Christ's also.

O abominable blasphemy!

And now, because the Jews have put out the significations of their sacraments, and put their trust in the works of them, therefore they be idolaters; and so is the pope for like purpose. The pope says that Christ died not for us, but for the sacraments; to give them power to justify. O antichrist!
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