paenitentiae dilectionis in Deum quae opera sunt interna Denique quinto omnem inanem fiduciam operum nostrorum Sive interne sive externe factorum Cap. 5. § 14. Proinde censemus omnem rigidorum Protestantium sententiam a veritate a charitate Christiana alienam esse qui assertionem de sola fide non justificante communiter a Romanensibus defensam citra omnem vel fidei ipsius vel meriti opinionem etiam improprie dicti vel aliorum operum seu actuum cum fide ad justificationem concurrentium non solùm cum sancta Scriptura piis Patribus e diametro pugnare contendunt sed etiam praeter alia innumera justam Protestantibus a Romana Ecclesia secedendi causam praebuisse praebere Dr. Hammond Pract. Catech. 1. l. § 4. p. 75. The necessary qualifications conditions or moral instruments of our Justification are Faith Repentance firm purpose of a new life and the rest of those Graces upon which in the Gospel pardon is promised the Christian And afterwards This kind of Sanctification so he calls the dispositions to Justification wrought in us by God's Grace is precedent in order of nature to Justification i.e. I must first believe repent and return before God will pardon 6. They affirm also that one may have a true faith or belief of all the Articles of our Creed and particularly of this man's Redemption through Christ's Merits or if we take Faith for fiducia may have also a fiducial confidence that he in particular shall obtain or if you will hath already obtained remission of his Sins through the same redemption and merits and yet not by this Faith or fiducia attain Justification if these be not accompanied with Repentance and the other necessary preparations thereto For there are many wicked and irregenerate men who yet do truly believe all the Articles of the Creed and are thereby fully convinced of their duty yet led away with lusts do contrary to what they know they ought and some of them who are also fully tho groundlesly for want of Repentance and the other requisites perswaded that themselves are of the number of the justified ξ ξ. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. p. 28. It is manifest to all Christians that there are too many in the world whom we cannot imagine to have any due title to those promises and yet do really and verily believe the Faith of Christ to be true and him and his Apostles sent from God to preach it And from their belief stand convict that they ought to proceed accordingly yet We see men not always to do that which reasonably from their belief they ought to do c. Again on the other side q Trust and confidence in God through Christ obtains the promises of the Gospel who denies it But is this trust always well grounded and true Is it not possible for a man to imagine his title to the promises of the Gospel to be good when it is not I would we had no cause to believe how oft it comes to pass All which argues these other Acts are necessary concurrents to Justification as well as such Faith For it seems very unreasonable that such Faith when without the other as many times it is is effectless as to attaining Justification and yet when it is with them they effectless and it doing the whole especially if the former Scriptures be reviewed using the same expressions of their concurrence to this effect as they do of Faith 7. Our Justification i. e. remission of Sin and infusion of habitual Grace which Infants also when baptized receive as well as others whereby we are made new creatures and by the infusion of his Holy Spirit born of God and his Seed remaining in us and so made his Sons and Heirs being thus attained upon our Faith and the other forementioned dispositions required in us Next Catholicks grant That the thus justified not only have a right to but may also attain the possession of eternal life before and without external good works issuing from such habitual or inherent Grace or before any justification or merit by them And that their works are not necessary to justification the producing or continuing of it or to the obtaining the reward of it eternal life when either power as in those who as yet have not the use of reason or who are prevented by suddain death or an occasion of such good works is wanting or also when occasion being offered yet the omission of such good works amount not to a mortal Sin by which Sins only man falls from his former Justification ξ. But 8ly They affirm which is also allowed by Learned Protestants π. pgr Dr. Field Append. to 3. l. 11. c. In Answer to Dr. Stapleton's Words That Actions of Virtue and careful endeavour to walk in the Commandments of God are not necessary to our second Justification or the augmentation progress and dayly perfecting of the same more and more is a Calumniation for they the Protestants make the second Justification to consist in two parts 1st The dayly well doing whereby the righteousness inherent is more and more perfected And 2ly the dayly remission of such sinful defects as are found in their actions Dr. Fern Answer to Scripture Mistaken p. 92. If they intend no more by second Justification than is here expressed in the Trent Decree viz. Renovation day by day and yielding up our Members as Weapons of Righteousness to Sanctification and increase in Righteousness we have no cause to quarrel at the thing but only that they will call that Justification which indeed is Sanctification Bishop Forbes de Justificat 4. l. 6. c. Perperam a Protestantibus rigidioribus rejicitur distinctio usitatissima justificationis in primam secundam Nam praeter Justificationem primam necessario etiam agnoscenda admittenda est justificatio secunda quae consistit in progressu augmento complemento pro statis vitae justitiae primum donatae in remissione illorum delictorum in quae quotidie justi incidunt Confirming it there with several Protestant Authorities That this first Justification thus attained before these good Works is in case of longer-life both necessarily continued by good Works or acts of inherent Grace either external or only internal where is some impediment of the external so that he who commits a mortal Sin in omission of such works falls from his former Justification and also is increased or further degrees of Justification or inhabitant Grace or as the Protestants had rather call it Sanctification received or added by the same good works for such acts external or internal do still increase the habit or render the person more holy whereby the already just is still made more just so Abraham tho just before yet was more highly justified by that Heroick act of the Oblation of his only Son Jam. 2. And the future reward also becomes greater to these good Works according to our greater Justification by
forementioned is not allowed nor other explicite Faith than the forementioned required Therefore that Proposition Haec est vera Catholica fides extra quam nemo Salvus esse potest as applied to the larger Creeds that of Athanasius or yet further to all the Decrees of all lawful Oecumenical Councils as in the Bull of Pius the Fourth ought either to be understood not distributively as if any Decree of any such Council unknown and so not believed or assented to excludeth from Salvation For how few among Christians do know or yield actual assent to all the Decrees of some one Council And how can the Doctors of that Church require such Belief to all the Decrees suppose of the Council of Trent a many of whom require it not to all the Articles of the Apostles Creed But collectively thus That all that Fides extra quam nemo Salvus is contained therein and that extra eam totaliter sumptam or si tota desit nemo Salvus esse potest As elsewhere in the same Council of Trent the Nicene Creed is called Fundamentum firmum unicum contra quod portae inferi nunquam praevalebunt Conc. Trid. Sess 3. or to be understood distributively but hypothetically thus That when any one knows any such Article to have been defined by the Church wherein a non-culpable ignorance of the Church's Definitions always excuseth he after this in non-believing or in dissenting from such Article doth by this his Pertinacy and Disobedience to the Church as by other greater sins persisted in and unrepented of incur the loss of Salvation HEAD XIV Concerning Obedience to Humane Laws made by the Ecclesiastical or Civil Magistrate Concerning Obedience required to Humane Laws 1. CAtholicks do not affirm from God's commanding Obedience to the Ecclesiastical and Civil Magistrate and to their Laws That therefore all Dis-obedience to them or their Laws is a mortal Sin For so all Dis-obedience to any of their Laws whatever tho never so light for their matter would be mortal Sin 2. It is manifest that many times the matter which these Magistrates command is antecedently our duty in obedience to some Divine Law under Penalty of Mortal Sin tho they had not commanded it As in matters of much consequence to the publick or our private good the Charity to our Neighbour or also to our selves that is commanded by God's Law requires that which the Magistrate also exacts of us In such cases therefore there may be a great and mortal Sin committed in dis-obeying the Ecclesiastical or Civil Laws but this by vertue of the Divine concurring with and corroborating them in these particular Injunctions 3. Catholicks affirm That the Breach of a humane Law made in a thing that is left indifferent by the Divine out of contempt may be a greater Sin than breaking one of the Divine Precepts out of Infirmity but this is also by vertue of our offending against another particular Divine Law prohibiting such contempt of the Magistrate But such contempt neglect c. set aside that a much greater guilt is ordinarily contracted from the breach of a Divine than only an humane command both from the greater necessity and benefit in general of the matter of the Laws Divine and from the supreme Dignity and Majesty of the immediate Legislator 4. Catholicks affirm That no humane Laws made in matters of what consequence soever do bind beyond the Law-Giver's intention so that such Laws tho given in matters of greatest moment bind not under pain of mortal Sin I mean as they are his Laws if he doth not intend them to do so In whose Power since it is to lay no obligation so not to lay the greatest 5. That whatever obligation to Sin such Laws may have from the Law-givers intention yet that in some Circumstances they may not bind at all as the Divine do as in Periculo mortis cum pergravi damno aut infamia for quod valde difficile moraliter impossibile and to Impossibles Laws bind not I say if the thing commanded appear not of a greater consequence than such private damage nor hath been expressed by the Magistrate to be esteemed so Otherwise it is presumed that the Law-Giver in that Charity which he oweth to his Subjects doth or ought to pass his Laws without any intention that they should bind under Sin in such cases 6. Most of the Church's Laws are passed without any express Declaration of her Subjects incurring mortal Sin in the Breach of them yet this rationally collected by her Doctors from the great consequence of the matter commanded the heavy punishment annexed c. And sometimes her Laws are so indulgent as to oblige to a Penalty only without any Guilt laid upon the Transgressor of them HEAD XV. Of Justification Of Justification COncerning Justification whereby man hath Right by vertue of the Evangelical Covenant to freedome from eternal Death and possession of eternal Life 1. Catholicks declare That by Justification they mean both God's pronouncing or reputing Man just or not unjust i. e. freed from his wrath and from punishment due to the unjust by God's free remission of all his former Sins And 2ly God's making and so reputing him just or holy by habitual Grace infused or by inherent righteousness Thus making God's Remission of the former Acts of Sin and our Sanctification and so by it the removal of former habits of Sin the two parts of our Justification or the two effects of God's mercy in justifying us α. α Conc. Trid. Sess 6.7 c. Hanc dispositionem Justificatio ipsa consequitur quae non est Sola peccatorum remissio sed Sanctificatio Renovatio interioris hominis c. Again In ipsa Justificatione cum Remissione peccatorum haec omnia simul infusa accipit homo per Jesum Christum cui inseritur fidem Spem Charitatem 6. Sess 11. Can. Si quis dixerit homines justificari Sola peccatorum remissione exclusa gratia charitate quae in cordibus eorum per Spiritum Sanctum infunditur Anathema sit Bellarm. de Justificationes l. 2. 6. c. Cum tam mors Christi quam resurrectio ad justificationem necessaria esset potuisset Beatus Paulus utramque partem justificationis i. e. Remissionem peccati donum renovationis tribuere morti Christi sed maluit resurrectioni tribuere renovationem Rom. 4.15 And § Deinde Justificatio non ideo Solum nobis confertur a Deo ut Gehennae paenas evadamus i. e per remissionem peccatorum sed etiam ut praemia vitae caelestis acquiramus i. e. per gratiae infusionem bona opera And see Ibid. c. 2. § Quod si Where he makes remissionem peccatorum infusionem gratiae duos effectus Dei hominem justificantis Where therefore renovatio interioris hominis per susceptionem gratiae is affirmed to be the formal cause of Justification and deletion of Sin to be the effect of it It is spoken of the only formal
There is in all good Works a dignity of Grace Divine similitude goodness and honour Phil. 4.8 4ly Affirm also this worth of the actions of the Regenerate after Justification much different from and transcendent to that worth which is in the former dispositions precedent to Justification done indeed by the external help of God's Grace but before the transfusion into us of his Spirit But this always to be remembred that no worth of the one or the other is from our selves as of our selves but the worth of them is from God They affirm accordingly that there is in these Works of the justified proceeding in us from this Divine Principle a worth and similitude some way proportionable and corresponding to the reward promised to them in respect of which worth Life eternal and the beatifical Vision of God and all the consequences thereof are called the Wages and Stipend Reward Prize and Crown of these Works Matt. 5.12 Apoc. 22.12 Matt. 20.8 2. Tim. 4.8 Apoc. 2.10 1. Cor. 9.24 25. And they said truly to merit such reward according to the sense of the word Merit used by the Fathers and the word Dignity used in the Scriptures a chief portion of which reward as a greater measure of God's Spirit and Charity and Sanctification in the most intense degree received in the next world and the augmentations of Grace daily received in this are only higher degrees of the same kind and nature with that of which they are the reward And God also is said to give such rewards to these ex justitia quia digni sunt Apoc. 3 4. 2. Thess 1.5 Heb. 6.10 2. Tim. 4.8 not only in this respect that God is just and faithful in keeping his promise once made tho to a Service of little or no worth at all but in respect of some valuable goodness and worth tho this from God also in the condition it self to which he makes the promise of such reward They rationally affirm also that whatever benefit any ones Sanctity or good Works may be said by way of impetration to procure from God for others they may be said also to have the same power with God for themselves when by relapse into sin or falling into any necessity or misery themselves are in the same condition as such others and when their ingratitude and affront and contempt of former Grace c. doth not aggravate their offence and fall beyond that of others See 2. Chron. 9.3 Nehem. 13 14.22.31 5ly Yet this worth of the Righteousness or works of the justified whatever it it be as it hath its original not from us but from God and is also without any purchase thereof wholly due to him from us his Creatures and Vassals so is it not affirmed to ascend so high as any way to equal those rewards promised to it but to be far inferior and God ever to reward beyond any such Merit Matt. 25.22 2. Cor. 4.17 For whereas our good Works momentary are not only said to merit Life eternal but also to merit those higher measures of the Holy Spirit and degrees of Sanctification that shall be conferred on us there as also the the increase of Grace in this life here it is manifest that the lesser degree the Merit and the greater the reward cannot be equalled in their worth Some proportion some similitude there is between this Seed the justified sow here and the Fruits thereof they reap hereafter sufficient to support the Phrase especially after the intervening of a Pact of the one meriting or being worthy of the other but not to maintain in commutative justice one of equal value or worth to the other α. This we have title to by Christ's Merits only not our Works to the which Merits also we owe that we have these Works therefore the Council of Trent that admits meritum bonorum operum ex pacto and so ex justitia c yet waves the expression ex condigno as liable to Mistakes ε. ε. Bellarm. de Justificat 5. l. 16. c. Catholici omnes agnoscunt opera bona justorum esse meritoria vitae aeternae sed tamen aliqui censent non esse utendum his vocibus de condigno de congruo sed absolute dicendum opera bona justorum esse meritoria vitae aeternae ex gratia Dei Bishop White Answer to Fisher p. 172. and the same p. 512. The Opinion of Modern Papists saith he concerning the Merit of Condignity was always opposed by Pontificians themselves Scotus Durand Marsilius Dionysius Cisterciensis Gregory Ariminen Thomas Walden Paulus Burgensis Joh. Ferus Eckius Pighius c. and see many more later added by Bishop Forbes de Justificat 5. l. 4. c. which I mention here to shew a liberty of Opinion herein left to her Subjects by the Roman Church and many who propugne ' the Doctrine of Merit of Condignity speak improperly Thus Bishop White Mr. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. 33. c. p. 308. As it cannot be denied that the Church of Rome allows this Doctrine of Merit he means of Condignity to be taught yet can it not be said to enjoyn it Because there have not wanted to this day Doctors of esteem that have always held otherwise Again They who only acknowledge Meritum congrui in Works done in the state of Grace i. e. that it is fit for God to reward them with his Kingdome say no more than that it was fit for God to promise such a reward which who so denieth must say that God hath promised that which was unfit for him to promise And if the Dignity of our Works in respect of the reward may have this tolerable sense because God daigns and vouchsafes it such reward the Council of Trent which hath enacted no reason why they are to be counted Merits can neither bear out these high Opinions he means maintained by some of the Roman Authors nor be said to prejudice the Faith in this point Again That which necessarily comes in consideration with God in the bestowing the reward which the condition he contracted for must necessarily do tho it cannot have the nature of Merit i. e. taken in a Protestant sense because the Covenant it self is granted meerly of Grace in consideration of Christ's death yet it is of necessity to be reduced to the nature and kind of the Meritorious Cause Nor can the Glory of God or the Merit of Christ be obscured by any consideration of our Works that is grounded upon the Merit of our Lord Christ and expresseth the tincture of his Blood as all the Roman Merit professedly doth And so do many Roman Authors both before and since the Council And also most of those other that use this Phrase to signify some true worth in these Works as before explained Thes 3 4. yet so qualify it as that it can offend no rational Protestant 6ly That therefore first he who conceits any good works of the justified are or may be such as may challenge from God's justice life