The co[n]futacyon of Tyndales answere made by syr Thomas More knyght lorde chau[n]cellour of Englonde

More.

Nay god he thanked they haue not lost these termys yet, [ C] and god forbede they sholde. For these termys of grace be no englyush termys / but termys necessarye for the trewe knowledge of goddys gy••tes & graces. But Tyndale hath indede loste them / from whose harte the deuyll hath 〈◊〉〈◊〉 all grace, saue gratia gratis data, and yet that to alm••••••e / ••••yth whyche gratia gratis data all had he therof ••yche 〈◊〉〈◊〉 then he hath, he myghte go forth as he goth y^e strayg•••• 〈◊〉〈◊〉 downe to the deuyll. For those 〈◊〉〈◊〉 graces and 〈…〉〈…〉 god gyueth a man, wherof he maye make a m••••••r of 〈◊〉〈◊〉 or a mater of vyce as hym lyst to 〈…〉〈…〉 them to 〈◊〉〈◊〉, the man is mych the worse for them as 〈◊〉〈◊〉, strength, ler∣nynge, or wyt. Gratia grat•••• facie••••s, is that grace by 〈◊〉〈◊〉 the man is acceptable to god. As the grace gyuen in y^• 〈…〉〈…〉

[ A] though it be to chyldren, and the grace with which in fayth, hope, and cheryte, man worketh good workes, watche, fast, pray, gyue allmose, and suche other lyke as god rewardeth in heuyn. Now for as myche as man can do no good but yf god begyn, and he is alwaye redy to begynne: therfore the grace wyth whyche god begynneth to set vs a worke, is cal¦led, gratia praeuen••ēs. And for as mych as we shold sone ceace to, but yf grace contynued wyth vs / as our eye sholde ceace to se, yf that we lakked lyghte: god contynueth his grace with vs to worke, wyth vs, whych is called gratia cooperans. And yet for as mych as he that well worketh wyth grace, deserueth of god by goddy•••• goodnesse encreace of grace accordynge to the gospell, omni habenti dabitu•• & habunda••it,* 1.1 to euery man that hath there shall be gyuen, and he shall habounde that well [ B] bestoweth his talentes of grace and worketh well therwith: therfore the grace that god gyueth a man for the good vse of hys formar grace, may be called gratia subsequens. And fynal∣ly for as mych as grace perceueryng with man at hys ende, bryngeth hym to glory / whyche who so attayneth is then in suretye of stedefaste and vnperysshable grace and fauour of god: this fynall grace is called gratia con••i••n 〈◊〉〈◊〉, that is grace that perfyteth the thynge.

Now syth euery man perceyueth well, that all be it that in god all is one grace, with whych he preuenteth our good workes; and wyth whyche he helpeth them forth in the pro∣gresse, and whych addeth and maketh more, habounde, and wyth whyche he perfyteth hys creature in glory: yet fyth y^t in vs and our workes it is dyuersely consydered after dy∣uerse, [ C] respectys / and of eueryche of those respectys falleth necessyte for men in sco•••••• oftentymes to speke / specyally for the reprose of those heretykes that wolde haue no dyuy∣syons nor dystynecyons, wherby the thynge sholde be made open and playne, but wolde blynde and begyle theyr herers ••yth darkenesse and confusyon: reason requyreth to gyue euery dyuers ••especte a dyuers name, a••onge them y^t must often syche thereof / e••cent that they sholde in an argument 〈◊〉〈◊〉 thyrde worde repete an hole ••••le, where one worde 〈◊〉〈◊〉 ••ppon may well and suffycyently f••r••e.

And therfore ye may•• se that these be no iuglynge 〈◊〉〈◊〉, 〈…〉〈…〉 deuysed wyth good reason and of necessy••••. But 〈…〉〈…〉 subtyle iu••••e•• the deuyll / hath tau•••••• these 〈…〉〈…〉 Luther Huskyn, a••d ••••••ndale,

to fall to such false iuglynge: that they labour f••re to iugle [ A] awaye, not onely those termys of grace and the very name of grace out of mēnys earys / but also the byl••fe of all grace, and therwith the effecte of all grace clene out of mennys her¦tes / and frewyll and grace taken away, to make men byleue that there is nothynge at all but desteny / and so pretendyng lybertye, they put all in thra••dome / and pretendyng vertue, they dryue men to vyce / and pretendynge god, they dryue men to the deuyll. And thys is Tyndales iuglynge / whych bycause he wolde not were {per}ceyued: to dyssemble hys false iugelyng and haue it taken for trouth, he calleth the playne truth by the name of iuglynge, as ye shall here by and by.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Matth. 25