The harmonie of Holie Scriptures vvith the seuerall sentences of sundry learned and vvorthy vvriters : collected for the comfort of all such as are desirous to seeke after theyr soules health / by I.B.

§. 14.

There is a sentence in Salomons Pro∣uerbs, where the Wiseman thus speaketh, saying; * The preparations of the hart, are in man: but the aunswere of the tongue, is of the Lord.

Vpon which wordes, S. Augustine thus writeth. Some, not vnderstanding thys place wel, are deceiued, insomuch that they beleeue, that to prepare the hart, that is, to beginne goodnesse, without the helpe of the grace of God, pertaineth vnto man.

But God forbid, (saith he) that the chyl∣dren of promise should so vnderstand it, as though thereby they woulde confute the Lord, whereas they haue heard him, saying; * Without mee, yee can doe nothing. And say, Behold, we are able of our selues to pre∣pare our hart, & by that to think som good∣nes. God forbid that any man should vn∣derstand

it so; saue the proude defenders of their will. For, therefore it is written: It is the mans part to prepare the hart, & the aunswere of the tongue is of the Lord; be∣cause the man prepareth the hart: yet for all that, man cannot prepare his hart, with∣out the helpe of God. For, God dooth so worke in the harts of men, and in their free will it selfe, that euery good thought, good counsaile, and all good motions of the will or minde, is of God.

Hee doth first preuent vs with his grace, that wee may be willing, (to leaue euill, and doe good,) and afterward, with his helping hand also he doth folow vs, least we should will in vaine.

Yea; It is God that worketh in vs, both to will, & also to worke. We will then, but it is God that worketh in vs, euen to vvill. We work then, but it is God also that doth worke in vs, the worke; euen freelie, of his own good will. It is expedient for vs, both to beleeue this, and also to confesse this. This is godly; this is true, that our confes∣sion may be humble, and lowly: and that all goodnes may be ascribed vnto GOD alone.

No man can come vnto me, saith Christ, except the Father which hath sent mee, draw him.

Neither can any man say, that Iesus is the Lord, but by the holy Ghost.

For, to beleeue, is the gift of God. As Christes owne wordes testifie vnto Peter, where he sayth; * Blessed art thou Simon, the sonne of Ionas: For, flesh and bloode hath not reuealed this vnto thee, but my Father, which is in heauen.

Also, It is written in the Prophets: And they shall be all taught of GOD. Euery man therefore, that hath heard, and hath learned of the Father, commeth vnto me.

Yea;] All that the Father giueth mee▪ shall come to mee: and him that commeth vnto mee, I cast not away.

Notes

• Prou, 16, 1,
• Augustine.
• Iohn, 15, 5,
• Gregory.
• Augustine.
• Iohn, 6, 44,
• 1, Cor, 12, 3
• Mat, 16, 17,
• Iohn, 6, 45.
• Iohn, 6, 37, ••