Tvvoo bookes of Saint Ambrose Bysshoppe of Mylleyne, entytuled: Of the vocation and callying of all nations. Newly translated out of Latin into Englyshe, for the edifiying and comfort of the single mynded and godly vnlearned in Christes Church, against the late sprong secte of the Pelagians ... By Henry Becher minister in the Church of God ...

A solucion of the contentious obiecti∣or some, which say this aucthor by his former wordes gaynsayeth the Apostle, who diffineth that GOD wylleth all men to be saued, and to come to the knowlege of the truth. Also that the depth of Gods miste∣ries and iudgementes are not to be searched of vs.

¶The fourth Chapter.

BVt whē they that loue contencious quarrellyng shall rede or heare these thinges, they wyl saye y^t we by these disputacions do speake agaynst the Apostle, which sayeth that God wylleth all men to be sa∣ued,

and to come to the know∣ledge of the trueth. The which part of the Apostles wordes, we so fully and wholly do receiue, that we withdrawe nothynge frō it of that that goeth before or commeth after, that pertey∣neth therto. For (that we maye set asyde other testimonies of the Scriptures of God) this place is sufficient to refell that that they falsely obiecte, and to defende that, that they wicked∣ly denye. The Apostle Paule wrytynge on this wyse to Ti∣mothie, sayeth: I exhorte you therfore that there be prayers, supplications, and thankesge∣uynge, made for all menne, for kynges, and for all them that be in aucthoritie, that we may leade a peaceable and a quiete lyfe, in all godlynesse and pure∣nes, for that is good and accep∣ted

in the sight of God our Sa∣uiour, which wylleth all men to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of the trueth. For there is one God, and one me∣diatour betwene God and men, euen the man Iesus Chryste, whiche hath geuen hym selfe a raunsome for all men. Of this rule therefore of the Apostles doctrine, wherwith the vniuer∣sall Churche is instructed, least we shuld wander into a strange vnderstandyng after our owne brayne, let vs searche what the vniuersall Churche vnderstan∣deth in it: for there can be no∣thyng doubtfull in the precept, yf that the obedience in the de∣syre do agree. Therefore the A∣postle commaunded, yea rather the Lorde by the Apostle, which spake in the Apostle, that pray∣ers, supplications, & thankes∣geuyng

shoulde be made for all menne, for kynges, and for all thē that are constitute in auc∣thoritie. The whiche lawe of supplication and praier, the de∣uocion of all priestes, and of all faythfull men doth so agreably holde, that there is no parte of the worlde wherein suche pray∣ers are not celebrate and made of the Christian people. The Churche therefore in euerye place, prayeth vnto God, not only for the Saintes and them that are alreadye regenerate in Christ: but also for al Infidels and ennemies of the Crosse of Christ, for all Idolaters, for all them that persecute Christe in his membres, for the Iewes, vn¦to whose blyndenesse the lyght of the Gospell shyneth not, for Heretickes and Scisma∣tickes, whiche are without the

vnitie of faith and charitie.

And what doeth the Churche aske for these, but that they for∣sakyng theyr errours maye be conuerted vnto God, maye re∣ceiue faith, maye receiue chari∣tie: and being deliuered from the darknesse of ignorance, thei myght come to the knowledge of the trueth? The which thin∣ges because thei are not able to geue it to them selues, being so oppressed & wayed downe with the wayght of euyll custome, and tayed in the bondes of the deuyll, neither are able to ouer∣come the thynges that deceiue them: Wherein they haue styc∣ked so fast, that loke how much the trueth ought to be beloued, so much do they loue falsehod. It is the wyll of the mercifull and iust Lorde to be prayed vn∣to for all menne, that when

we see innumerable to be dely∣uered from suche bottomlesse mischeifes, we shuld not doubt but that GOD hath graunted that, that he was desyred to graunt: And that we geuynge thankes for them that are sa∣ued, should hope also, that they whiche are not yet illumined, shalbe delyuered by the same helpe of Goddes grace from the power of darkenesse, that they may be trāslated into the king∣dome of god, or euer thei depart out of this life. But if any man fayle of this grace of the Saui∣oure (as we see it doth happen) and the prayer of the Churche bee not receyued for them, we muste referre it to the secrete iudgementes of Goddes righte∣ousnes, and we muste acknow∣ledge, that the depenesse of thys misterie cannot appeare to vs

in thys life. For our knowledge is vnperfect, and our propheci∣yng vnperfect. And we see now as it were by a glasse in a darke ryddell, neyther are we wy∣ser, or haue more knowledge then the blessed Apostle, who when he dysputed of the grace of GOD, and was entred into the secrete of great misteries, he fell downe vnder those thin∣ges that was vnpossible to bee declared. For when he had said, brethren I would not haue you ignoraunt of this misterie, lest ye should be wise in your owne conceypt, that blindnes is hap∣pened in part of Israell, tyl the fulnesse of the gentilles myght enter in, and so al Israel might bee saued, as it is wrytten. He shall come out of Syon, which shall tourne away vngodlynes out of Iacob, and thys is the

testamente that I wyll geue them, that I wyll take awaye their sinnes. For as concerning the Gospell, they are enemyes for your sake: but concernynge election, they are beloued for the fathers sake: for the giftes and calling of god, are without repentaunce. For lyke as ye sometyme also dyd not beleue in God, and nowe haue obtay∣ned mercy, because of theyr vn∣beliefe: euen so they also haue not nowe beleued in your mer∣cye, that they myght obtayne mercy: For GOD hath shutte vppe all in vnbeliefe, that he myght haue mercy on all.

Therefore, when in a certayne traunce or recesse of his mynde, he had powred foorth these mi∣steries of Goddes workes, farre passynge the measure of mans vnderstandynge, he tourned

all the reason of the exposition therof into a wonder, and mer∣uayling greatly at the thynges whiche he had spoken, he cryed out and sayde: Oh the depth of the wisdome and knowledge of GOD, how incomprehensible are hys iudgementes, and hys wayes paste fyndynge out? for who hath knowē the meanyng of the Lorde? or who hath bene of his counsayle? Or who gaue fyrst vnto hym, and he shall re∣warde hym? For of hym, and by him, and in him, are al thyngs. To hym be glory for euermore. Amen.

Notes

• In your mercy, that is in the mercy that ye haue ob∣tayned.