our obedience our sanctification standeth wherefore faith which justifieth alone is but one of those many graces wherein besides our obedience our sanctification doth consist CAP. III. Of the Essentiall causes of Iustification viz. The matter and the forme § I. BUt let us come to the essentiall causes of justification that is to say the matter and the forme The matter of justification considered as it is an action of God is that which the Lord imputeth unto us for righteousnesse and accepteth as our righteousnesse and that is the righteousnesse of Christ which I noted in the definition when I said imputing to a beleeving sinner the righteousnesse of Christ. The Papists confounding not onely justice and justification but also the matter which is the materiall cause and the subject say that the matter of justification is the soule of man or at the least the will of man because that is the seat of justice whereas indeed of justification though passively understood not the soule or the will is the subject but the person or the whole man For justification is totius suppositi of the person and not of any part or faculty of man But for the better clearing of this point let us briefly consider other not unlike actions First when Rebecca arrayed or clothed her sonne Iacob with the raiment of Esau her elder sonne the matter of this action was that which being applyed unto him did clothe him viz. Esau's garment the forme of that action was the applying of it to him which was the indution or putting it on For she clothed him by putting upon him Esau's garment So the Lord justifieth us by putting upon us our eldest brothers righteousnesse which is our wedding garment Which similitude is used not only by Saint Ambrose but also by Pighius himselfe as heereafter shall bee shewed The matter therefore of justification is Christs righteousnesse the forme is the imputing thereof Secondly the actions of redemption reconciliation and justification in substance are the same As therefore the Lord redeemeth us and reconcileth us by applying unto us and accepting for us the righteousnesse and merits of Christ as the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price of ransome and as the propitiation for God was in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe 2 Cor. 5. 19. so hee justifieth us by applying unto us and accepting for us the same righteousnesse and merits of Christ as our righteousnesse As the matter therefore of our redemption is the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or price of ransome which Christ payed for us the matter of reconciliation is the propitiatory sacrifice which Christ offered for us the matter of justification is Christs righteousnesse which hee had and performed for us so the forme of redemption as it is Gods action is the applying unto us the price of ransome which Christ payed and the accepting of it in our behalfe the forme of reconciliation the applying unto us the propitiation made by Christ and accepting of it in our behalfe the forme of justification the applying or imputing of Christs righteousnesse unto us and accepting it in our behalfe In like manner the Papists if they would consider Iustification as an action of God should according to their owne doctrine conceive that of their first justification whereby as they teach a sinner is made righteous by infusion of righteousnesse the matter is the righteousnesse infused or inherent the forme the infusion thereof because according to their doctrine the Lord in the first justification maketh a man righteous by infusion of righteousnesse The Papists confesse after a sort the righteousnesse of Christ to bee the merit of justification but they deny it to be the matter thereof whereas indeed it is both the matter as justification is the act of God imputing it the merit as justification is passively understood because for it wee are justified the matter I say of Gods justifying us the merit of our being justified And this may appeare by the contrary For justification as hath beene said and shall bee proved is opposed to condemnation As therefore sinne is not onely the matter of condemnation which is the imputation of sinne but also the merit both of the sentence and of the punishment by the sentence awarded so the righteousnesse of Christ is both the matter of justification as being that which God imputeth to us and also the merit both of the sentence of absolution and of eternall life unto which we are accepted § II. But of the matter and forme of justification whereof I am hereafter to treat at large of the matter in the whole fourth booke of the forme in the fifth I will here onely set downe briefly the orthodox doctrine of the reformed Churches and maintaine it against the private opinions of some protestant Divines who are not sound in these points The matter of justification is that righteousnesse wherein wee stand perfectly righteous before God This in many places is called the righteousnesse of God As Rom. 1. 17. 3. 21. 10. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2 Pet. 1. 1. And is therefore called the righteousnesse of God because it is the righteousnesse of that person who is God and therefore is not our righteousnesse but his not infused into us but inherent in his person and imputed to us being without us in him Heare then wee are to consider whether this righteousnesse of God be the righteousnesse of Christ as hee is God or as hee is mediator betwixt God and man the man Christ Iesus The righteousnesse of Christ as he is God is the essentiall righteousnesse of the Godhead By which dwelling in man Osiander supposed them to be justified But this being the essentiall and uncreated righteousnesse of God which is his essence and therefore himselfe cannot be the righteousnesse of any who is not God and therefore if we should be justified thereby we should also bee deified Againe the essentiall righteousnesse of God being the essence of God and the very Godhead cannot be communicated to any creature much lesse can it become the accidentall righteousnesse of a creature And farther it being the righteousnesse of the Godhead is the common righteousnesse of the whole Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost And therefore if we should be justified thereby we should be justified by the righteousnesse of the Father and of the holy Ghost as well as by the righteousnesse oâ—… the Sonne § III. It is not therefore the righteousnesse of the Godhead Is it then the righteousnesse of the Manhood I answer it is the righteousnesse of Christ our Mediator who is both God and man which he in his humanity had and performed in the dayes of his flesh for us And this is to bee understood not of a part but of the whole righteousnesse of Christ which was either inherent in the man Christ or performed by him whether to fulfill the Commandements or to satisfie the Curse of the Law for
bee our righteousnesse Secondly because of his owne free grace he hath given us those meanes whereby the righteousnesse of Christ might bee communicated unto us as namely the Ministery of the Word and of the Sacraments Thirdly because of his grace hee blesseth those meanes unto us working and encreasing in us the grace of faith by which we are justified and lasâ—…ly when we doe by faith which is his gift bâ—…leeve hee freely imputâ—…th unto us the righteousnesse of Christ accepteth of us in him and in him adopteth us to be his sonnes and heires of eternall life § III. But as the Lord is gracious in justifying a beleeving sinner so hee is also righteous Rom. 3. 25 26. For thâ—…refore hath the Lord set forth his sonne and our Saviour to bee a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousnesse through the remission of sinnes that are past by the forbearance of God to declare I say at this time his righteousnesse that he might be just and the Iustifier of him which beleeveth in Iesus For such is the righteousnesse of God that hee forgiveth no mans sinne for which his Iustice is not fully satisfied by Christ neither doth hee accept of any as just but such as by imputation of Christs righteousnesse are made just in him The consideration of this justice of God in forgiving sinnes doth afford singular comfort to the faithfull For seeing the Lord forgiveth no sinne for which his justice is not satisfied and seeing our Saviour hath fully satisfied the justice of his Father for the sinnes of all that beleeve in him from hence we may be assured that as there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus so no punishment properly so called that is such a penalty as is inflicted in ordine justitiae and by way of vengeance because it cannot stand with the justice of God to punish the second time those sinnes in us for which his justice is already fully satisfied in Christ. § IV. But the actions of God the principall efficient of justification are to bee distinguished according to the distinction of the three Persons For God the Father justifieth as the primary Cause and Authour the Sonne as the meritorious cause the holy Ghost as the cause applicatory that is to say God the Father through the Sonne doth justifie us by the holy Ghost The Father I say as primary cause and that in two respects first in that hee gave his onely begotten Sonne for us and set him forth to be a 〈◊〉 through fâ—…ith in his blood that all who beleeve in him should bee iustified Rom. 3. 25. Ioh. 3. 16. Secondly as the Iudge in absolving those that beleeve and pronouncing them just in Christ. The Sonne as the Mediatour and meritorious cause and that also in two respects First as he is our Surety who paid our debt and our Redeemer who laid downe the price of our redemption for us Esay 53. 11. affording unto us the matter and merit of our justification Secondly as hee is our Intercessour and Advocate to plead for us that his merits may be imputed to us Rom. 8. 34. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Heb. 7. 25. 9. 24. God the Father therefore justifieth as the primary cause per authoritatem as the Schoolemen speake the Sonne as the secondary cause per ministerium For so it is said Esa. 53. 11. My righteous servant shall justifie many The Father as the Iudge the Sonne as the Mediator and Advocate The Father as the Creditour accepting Christs satisfaction for us the Sonne as the Surety paying our debt for us But howsoever God the Father hath given his Soâ—…ne and the Sonne hath given himselfe for us and hath paid that price and performed that obedience which is sufficient for our justification notwithstanding none are actually justified by the merits of Christ but they onely to whom they are applyed For although the sufferings of Christ be a precious salve to cure our soules yet they will not heale us unlesse they bee applyed And although his righteousnesse bee as a wedding garment to cover our nakednesse yet it will not cover us unlesse it bee put on In the third place therefore the holy Ghost may also be said to justifie us because hee doth apply unto us Christs merits unto our justification both as he is the Spirit of regeneration working in us the grace of faith by which we receive Christ unto our justification in foro coelesti and also as hee is the Spirit of adoption confirming our faith and working in us the assurance of our justification by which wee are justified in foro Conscientiae § V. Now the meanes of this application are instrumentall causes of our justification and doe justifie instrumentally And these are of two sorts viz. on Gods part and on ours For to effect this application there must bee manus Dei offerentis the hand of God offering and manus accipientis the hand of the receiver The instruments on Gods part are the ministery of the Word and Sacraments whereby the holy Ghost doth beget and confirme faith in us In respect whereof Ministers are said to justifie men Dan. 12. 3. For as touching the ministery of the Gospell first in it the benefit of the Messias as namely reconciliation adoption and justification c. is revealed and offered to all that shall beleeve and by it wee are stirred up to receive and embrace it In which respect the preaching of the Gospell is called the ministery of reconciliation and the Ministers are Gods Embassadours sent to entreat men in Gods name and in Christs stead that they would be reconciled unto God 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. Secondly the holy Ghost having thus by the ministery of the Gospell knocked at the doore of mens hearts in his good time maketh it effectuall opening their hearts to give a lively and effectuall assent to the Gospell whereby they receiving Christ and beleeving in him are justified Thus faith commeth by hearing the Word And in this respect Preachers of the Gospell are said to be the Ministers by whom men doe beleeve 1 Cor. 3. 5. Thirdly in the preaching of the Gospell seconded and made powerfull by the operation of the holy Ghost the sentence of justification and remission of finnes and consequently of salvation is pronounced and concluded in the conscience of the faithfull when as out of the generall promise of the Gospell Whosoever truely belâ—…eveth in Christ hath remission of sinnes being by the Minister conditionally applyed to the hearer and absolutely assumed by the beleever after this manner If thou saith the Minister doest truely beleeve in Christ thou hast remission of sinnes and thou shalt be saved Rom. 10. 9. But I saith the faithfull hearer doe truely beleeve in Christ my conscience bearing mee witnesse in the holy Ghost this conclusion is inferred as the verdict of the holy Ghost testifying with the
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 good works but that wherby he loveth us § V. Now let us come to the words which follow which as Cornelius à Lapide confesseth Valde favent doe very much favour our exposition wherein the Apostle sheweth how this love of God whereon our hope c. is grounded is both manifested and assured unto us It is manifested by this verse 6. that when wee were of no strength yea dead in our sinnes the Son of God dyed for us for so saith the Apostle Eph. 2. 4 5. God who is rich in mercie for his great love wherewith he loved us even when wee were dead in our sinnes hath quickened us together with Christ by whose grace wee are saved which wonderfully setteth forth the love of God towards us for scarcely as it is vers 7. for a righteous man will one dye And greater love no man hath than this that a man lay downe his life for his friend Ioh. 15. 13. But God saith the Apostle vers 8. commendeth his love towards us even that love mentioned verse 5. in that whiles wee were yet sinners and by our sinnes his enemies Christ dyed for us It is assured by an argument from the lesse to the greater For if when we were sinners we were redeemed and justified by the bloud of Christ much more being justified wee shall be saved from wrath through him For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Sonne much more being reconciled wee shall bee saved by his life I conclude therefore that notwithstanding the testimony of Augustine which as himselfe confesseth deserveth no credit further than it is warranted by the authority of Gods word or sound reason by the love of God in this place is meant Gods love towards us I come to his two other arguments § VI. The former which is a very weake one is by paralleling that place with Rom. 8. 15. For saith hee the same Apostle speaking of the same spirit given unto us saith You have received the Spirit of adoption of sonnes by which we cry Abba Father Now saith hee wee cry Abba Father by that charity whereby we love God not by that whereby he loveth us Which reason if it bee reduced into a syllogisme will not conclude his assertion but the erroneous opinion of Lombard the master of sentences which Bellarmine himselfe elsewhere confuteth namely that the charity whereby wee love God is the holy Ghost That whereby wee cry in our hearts Abba Father is the holy Ghost By that charity wherewith wee love God we cry in our hearts Abba Father Therefore that Charity wherewith wee love God is the holy Ghost This conclusion Bellarmine knoweth to bee false Therefore either the proposition is false or the assumption for it is impossible that a false conclusion should bee inferred from true premisses in a formall syllogisme as this is But the proposition is the Apostles both Rom. 8. 15. and Gal. 4. 6. therefore the assumption is false Neither is charity that fruit of the holy Ghost whereby the Spirit of adoption causeth us to cry Abba Father but faith For although by charity wee may bee declared or knowne to bee the sonnes of God yet wee become the sonnes of God not by charity but by faith Ioh. 1. 12. Gal. 3. 26. And consequently not by charity but by faith wrought in us by the Spirit of adoption testifying with our Spirits that wee are the sonnes of God the said spirit maketh us to cry in our hearts Abba Father § VII His second proofe is out of Rom. 8. 10. where it is said that by justifying grace we doe live The body indeed is dead by reason of sinne Spiritus autem vivit propter justificationem as the vulgar Latine readeth but the Spirit liveth because of justification But wee cannot well be said to live by the externall favour of God seeing nothing is more inward than life Answ. In this argument nothing is sound for first it proveth not the point for which it is brought viz. that by the love of God Rom. 5. 5. is meant our love of God Neither is it said Rom. 8. 10. that wee live by justifying grace for neither is justifying grace mentioned but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 justice neither is it said that we live by it though it bee true that by justifying faith we live but that the Spirit is life propter justificationem for or by reason of righteousnesse And further it is well said that our Spirit liveth the spirituall and eternall life by the gracious favour of God which is out of us in him by which wee are saved as also for and by reason of the righteousnesse and merits of Christ which also are out of us in him Neither doth it follow that because life is inward that therefore it propter quod for which or by reason whereof wee doe live should also be inward § VIII But to let passe his impertinent allegation of this place and to explaine the true meaning thereof which is to set downe in this verse and that which followeth two priviledges of those in whom Christ dwelleth by his Spirit the one in respect of the soule vers 10. that howsoever by reason of sinne the body is dead that is mortall or subject to death yet the soule is life that is designed unto life by reason of righteousnesse The other in respect of the body vers 11. that if Christ dwell in us by his Spirit then hee which raised up Christ from the dead shall also by the same Spirit quicken that is raise up unto life eternall our mortall bodies Now as our bodie is dead that is subject to death by reason of Adams sinne in whom as the roote all sinned so our soule is life or intituled to life by reason of Christs righteousnesse in whom as our head wee satisfied the justice of God The sinne of the first Adam and the righteousnesse of the second being both communicated unto us by imputation And this is all that Bellarmine hath alleaged to prove that justifying grace is inherent all which is as good as nothing CAP. VI. The use of the word Grace in the writings of the Fathers § I. HAving shewed how the word grace is used in the Scriptures something is to be added concerning the use thereof in the writings of the Fathers whose authority the Papists are wont to object against us Howbeit as in the Scriptures so also in the Fathers there are two principall significations of the word Grace the one proper signifying the gracious favour of God in Christ by which they acknowledge us to be elected called justified and saved The other metonymicall signifying the gift of grace and namely the grace of regeneration or sanctification which in the Scriptures is called the Spirit opposed to the flesh and the new Man or new creature which is renewed and as it were recreated according to the Image of
whole Word of God when he commanded us to heare the Church Mat. 18. 17. Luk. 10. 16. and which surpasseth all impudencie that the Fathers sometimes in this sence do say that all the doctrines of faith are contained in the holy Scriptures to wit as in a generall principle quatenus illae monent credendum esse Ecclesiae in that they admonish that the Church is to be bâ—…leeved in all things And further that the implicite faith which is implied in this one article I beleeve the Romane Church and whâ—…tsoever that Church beleeveth or propoundeth to be beleeved is the most entire faith and most safe not onely for the lay people though they know or beleeve no more but also for the learned For whom it is not so safe when Satan contendeth with them to defend their faith by the Scriptures as to professe onely that they beleeve as the Church beleeveth But indeed this implicite faith whereby men doe beleeve or professe themselves to beleeve as the Church of Rome and therein the Pope beleeveth or propoundeth to be beleevâ—…d acknowledging him to be the principle yea the chiefe and last principle into which there is ultima resolutio fidei upon which the authority of the Scriptures dependeth is to take upon them the very marke of the beast and to revolt from Christ to Antichrist which is the miserable condition of all resolute Papists For Antichrist prevaileth in them only that perish whose names are not written in the booke of life See Mat. 24. 24. 2 Thess. 2. 10. Apoc. 14. 9 10 11. and 17. 8. Let not therefore the popish priests and Iesuits the Emissaries of Antichrist like egregious imposters terrifie any longer the people with these bug-beares that there is no salvation but in the communion with the Church of Rome and in subjection under the Pope untill they have proved which they will never be able to doe that their Church is not Apostaticall and that their Pope who is the head of the Catholike Apostasie is not as about twelve yeeres agoâ—… I proved him to be Antichrist To conclude let the popish Rabbins either vindicate their Church from Apostasie and their Pope from Antichristianisme or else for ever hereafter hold their peace A Table of the places of Scriptures alleaged expounded or vindicated in this Treatise Genesis 15. 6. ABRAHAM beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Lib. 7. Cap. 8. § 11. Exodus 28. 36. 38. Lib. 1. Cap. 4. § 22. Lib. 4. Cap. 3. § 11. Of â—…he golden plate which the high priest did weare on his forehead Deutronomie 30. 6. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart c. Lib. 5. Cap. 7. § 7. Ioshuah 11. 14 15. He left nothing undone of all that the Lord commanded Moses Lib. 7. Cap. 6. § 13. 1. Chronicles 21. 8. Take away the iniquity of thy servant Lib. 2. Cap. 8. § 2. Iob. 1. 22. In all this Iob sinned not Lib. 4. Cap. 4. § 1. 2. Psalmes 4. 4. Sinne not Lib. 4. Cap. 4. § 7. 7. 4. 9. 16. 1 2 3. 18. 21. 261. 119. 121. in which David pleadetâ—… his owne innocenciâ—… Lib. 4. Cap. 4. § 5. 10. 15. And he shall not be found Lib. 2. Cap. 8. § 5. 32. 1 2. Blessed is hee whose transgression is forgiven and whose sinne is covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not 〈◊〉 Lib. 5. Cap. 3. § 2. 3. c. ad 14. 37. 40. Hee shâ—…ll save thâ—…m because they trust in him Lib 6. Cap. 11. § 7. 51. 2. 7. Wash mee throughly from mine iniquity purge me with bysope and I shall be cleane c. L. 2. C. 8. § 4. 62. 12. To thee O Lord mercie Lib. 8. Cap. 2. § 1. for thon rendrest to every man according to his worke Lib. 8. Cap. 5. § 13. 78. 34. When hee slâ—…w them they sought him Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 4. n. 3. 91. 14. Because hee hath loved me therefore I will deliver him Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 7. 111. 10. The feare of the Lorâ—… is the beginning of Wisedome Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 3. Proverbes 1. 7. The feare of the Lord â—… the beginning of Wisedome Lib. 6. â—…ap 11. § 3. 14. 27. The feare of the Lorâ—…â—… a sountaine of Life Lib. 6. Cap. 1. § 4. n. 5. 28. 25. Hee that putteth his trust in the Lord shall be made â—…at Vulg. lat qui sperat in Domino salvabitur Lib. 6. Cap. 11. § 7. Ecclesiastes 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and â—…inneth not lib. 4. cap. 3. § 12. Esay 7. 9. If you will not beleeve you shall not be established Lat. cited by Bellarm. non intelligâ—…tis l. 6. â—… 1. § 6. 26. 18. From thy â—…eare as Bellarmine readeth wee have conceived and brought forth the Spirit of salvation lib. 6. c. 11. § 4. n. 4. 53. 11. My righteous servant by his knowledge shall justifie many lib. 2. cap. 5. § 7 8 9 10. 55. 1. Buy without mony and without price lib. 8. c. 2. § 4. 64 6. Our righteousnâ—…sses are like menstruous clouts l. 4. c. 3. § 4 5 c. Ieremie 23. 6. This is his name wherâ—…by hee shall be called Iâ—…HOVAH our righteousnesse lib. 1. cap. 3. § 5. lib. 4. cap. 2. § 2. Ezechiel 18. 21. If the wicked shà ll turne from all his sinnes hee shall live lib. 7. c. 4. § 17. Daniel 9. 18. Wee doe not present our supplications before thee for our righteousnesses but for thy great mercies lib. 8. cap. 2. § 4. 12. 3. They that justifie mâ—…y lib. 2. cap. 5. § 6. Habakuk 2. 4. The just by faith shall live lib. 1. c. 1. § 1. l. 6 c. 2. § 11. Malachy 3. 4. The offerings shall bee pleasant to the Lord. lib. 4. cap. 4. § 8. Apochrypha Ecclesiasticus 1. 28. Lib. 6. cap. 11. § 2. Lib. 6. cap. 12. § 1. 16. 14. Lib. 8. cap. 1. § 1. 18. 21. Lib. 2. cap. 4. § 2. 3. 47. 8. Lib. 5. cap. 7. § 7. Matthew 5. 16. That they seeing your good workes lib. 4. cap. 4. § 9. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes c. lib. 7. cap. 4. § 14. 5. 48. Be you therefore perfect c. lib. 5 â—…p 7. § 9. 6. 10. Thy will be done c. lib. 7. cap. 7. § 12. 6. 22 If thine eye be single the whole body shal be full of light lib. 4. 〈◊〉 4. § 4. 9. 2. Bee of good cheere thy sinnâ—…s are fâ—…rgiven thee lib. 6. cap. 11. § 8. 11. 30. My yoke is easie and my burden is light l. 7. c. 6. § 8. 15. 28. O Woman great is thy faith c. l. 6. c. 15 § 12. 16. 27. Hee shall reward every man according to his workes l. 8. c. 5 § 13. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements l. 7.
2 3. â—… ad 8. As bee was justified so are we lib. 5. cap. 2. § 6. Adam Whether his sinne bee imputed lib. 4. cap. 10. § 1 2. Whether originall sinne bee traduced from â—…im l. 4. c. 10. § 3. Whether the transgression and the corruption bee communicated after the same manner ibid. § 4. The comparison betweene the first and the second Adam ibid. § 5. Adoption That it is true lib. 4. cap. 10. § 18. Such as is our adoption such is our justification ibid. § 19. Adoption according to Bellarmiâ—…es 〈◊〉 is twofold of the soulâ—… and of the body ibid. § 20. No reall change in adoption but it is relative and imputative ibid. § 21. Affiance Whether it be faith lib. 6. cap. 4. § 9. 11. Assent It being firâ—…e lively and effectuall is faith l. 6. c. 1. 2. § c. 4. § 10. B Bellarmine His contradictions l. 3. c. 4. § 3. â—… 3. l. 4. c. 2. § 5. ad literam o l. 4. c. 9. § 7. l. 4. c. 10. § 1 2. l 5. c. 6. § 7. l. 5 c. 8. § 2. in fine l. 6. c. 3. § 7. â—… 6. c. 8. § 7. â—… 4. l. 6. c 9. sub finem ad literam * l. 6. c. 10. § 11 l. 6. c. 15. § 10. l. 8. c. 2. § 11. l. 8. c. 9. § 3. â—… 2. § 4. C Causall particles Not alwayes nor for the most part notes of causes l. 8. c. 5. § 14. 16. 17. Cause The Causes of iustification l. 1. c. 2. The Causes efficient principall God l. 1. c. 2. § 1. The Father § 4. the Sonne the holy Ghost ibid. The moving Causes l. 1. c. 2. § 2. The instrumentall Causes lib. 1. c. 2. § 5. c. The essentiall Causes l. 1. c. 3. The matter lib. 1. cap. 3. 1 c. ad 7. l. 4. The forme lib. 1. cap. 3. § 7 c. l. 5. The finall cause lib. 1. cap. 6. § 1 2 3 4. Charity That it doth not justifie as well as faith l. 4. c. 11. § 2 c. That it is not the forme of â—…aith lib. 4. cap. 11. § 5. Whether perfect in this life l. 5. cap. 7. CHRIST The mericorious cause of justification l. 1. â—… 2. § 4. Whether hee obeyed the Law for himselfe or for us l. 1. c. 4. § 10. Whether he merited for himselfe lib. 1. c. 4. § 11. Christs exaltation Phil. 2. 9. was his declaration to be the Sonne of God lib. 1. c. 4. § 11. 12. How many wayes hee is said to justifie us lib. 2. c 5. § 8. The righteousnesse of Christ is Gods righteousnesse l. 4. c. 2 § 2 3 4. Christs rightâ—…ousnesse the materiâ—…ll cause of justification l. 1. c. 3 4. vide Materiall and Matter Christs righteousnesse both the matter and merit of our iustification lib. 1. cap. 3. § 1. Concupiscence In the regenerate a sinne lib. 2. cap. 8. § 7 8. 9. lib. 4. cap. 4. § 12. lib. 7. cap. 6. § 14. Concupiscence going before consent a finnenne lib. 2. c. 8 9. Counsells The Counsell of voluntary poverty l. 7. c. 7. § 4. The counsell of single life lib. 7. cap. 7. § 5 6. D David Not iustified by inherent righteousnesse lib. 4. c. 8. § 15. Definition Of Iustification lib. 1. cap. 1. § 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lib. 2. cap. 2. § 1 2. The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 3. The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 4. The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 5. The signification of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 § 6. Dispositions Seven alleaged by Bellarmine to disprove justification by faith alone lib. 6. cap. 10 11 12. Whether any dispositioâ—…s bee indeed required by the Papists lib. 6. c. 10. § 4. Whether faith hope love as they bee dispositions bee graces lib. 6. cap. 12. § 6 7. E Efficient The efficient principall of justification God lib. 1. c. 2. § 1. The motives grace and iustice ib. § 2. The actions of the Father the Sonne the holy Ghost distinguâ—…shed ibid. § 4. End The end or fiâ—…ll cause of iustification both supreme the glory of God lib. 1. c. 6. § 1. and also subordinate viz. salvation § 2. certainety of salvation § 2. sanctification § 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 How to be understood Gal. 5. 6. l. 4. c. 11. § 3. 4. F Faith The instrument on oâ—…r 〈◊〉 of iustification lib. 1. cap. 2. § 7. Concerning it seven things considered 1. Thâ—… it iustifieth not as it is an habit or act in us but as the hand to receive Christs righteousnesse ibid. lib. 1. cap. 5. § 12. 2. It must therefore be such a faith as doth specially apprehend Christ. lib. 1. cap. 2. § 8. 3. It doth not prepare onely and dispose to iustification but it doth actually iustifie § 9. l. 6. c. 7. § 1 2. 4. It doth not iustifiâ—… absolutely in respect of its ownâ—… worth but relatively in respect of the object § 10. 5. The meaning of the question whether we be justified by faith or by workes § 11. 6. How faith is said to iustifie alone § 12. 7. That faith doth not sanctifie alone § 12. Whether the act of faith properly be imputed â—…torighteousnesse l. 1. cap. 2. § 7. cap. 5. § 12. That charity is not the formâ—… of faith l. 4. cap. 11. § 5. Of the distinction of saith that it is either formata or informis § 6. That faith is perfect Bellarmine produceth sixe reasons which are answered l. 5. c. 6. The full discourse of faith l. 6. The Popish 〈◊〉 concerning faith l. 6. c. 1. § 1. What faith is cap. 1. § 2. That it is not without knowledge § 3. against implicite faith lib. 6. cap. 1. § 3. c. The doctrine of implicit faith both falsâ—… for many reasons § 4. and absurd in that they say it may better bee defined by ignorance than by knowledge § 5. Bellarm. allegations out of the Scriptures for implicite faith § 6 of Fathers § 7. Testimonies of Fathers against it § 13. Bellarmines reason § 14. The doctrine of implicite faith wicked as being an egregious coozâ—…nage § 15 16 17. and pernicious to the people § 18. True justifying â—…aith cannot be severed from charity lib. 6. cap. 2. Our reasons I. Because hee that hath true faith is regenerate § 1. II. Because hee hath the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him § 2. III. Because hee is sanctified â—… 3. IV. Because hee is the true Disciple of Christ. § 4. V. Because true faith worketh by charity ibid. VI. Because true faith is formata ibid. VII Because if it be without charity it doth not iustifie VIII Because they who love not know not God ibid. 7. Other arguments out of Iames 2. § 5. 6. Other arguments defended against Bellarmine § 6. c. Testimonies of Fathers lib. 6. cap. 2. § 12. Bellarmines proofes that
For all they who have true faith are borne of God 1 Iohn 5. 1. Iohn 1. 12 13. And those who are once borne of God are never unborne againe but being made sonnes by faith as all the faithfull are Gal. 3. 26. they are also made heires of God and coheires with Christ Rom. 8. 17. As faith therefore is never utterly lost no more is justification For so long as wee have faith so long wee are justified But the habit of faith wee never lose though perhaps some act of faith may sometimes bee interrupted Therefore our justification is but one continued act and in that sense we are justified but once § VIII Now whereas we have defined and defended according to the Scriptures that justification is an action of God and such an action as is without us and a continued act hence we may conclude against the Papists first that neither their first nor second justification is that justification which is taught in the Scriptures Not the second for that is not Gods action but their owne who being justified before by habituall righteousnesse infused from God doe themselves as they â—…each by practising of good workes increase their righteousnesse that is justifie themselves by actuall righteousnesse as the merit of their second justification Not that wee deny that inherent righteousnesse is by practise of good workes increased but that wee hold that justification is not our owne act neither that we are justified by any righteousnesse inherent in our selves or performed by our selves nor that the righteousnesse of justification which is indeed the righteousnesse of Christ can be increased and therefore no degrees of justification Not the first which they make to bee an action of God within us working in us a reall change or positive mutation by infusion of the habits of grace and specially of charitie and confound it with habituall sanctification from which notwithstanding it is necessarily to be distinguished Secondly justification being an action of God is not to bee confounded with justification passively understood and much lesse with justice it selfe But the Papists not onely understand it passively but also confound it with inherent Iustice. Thirdly they doe not hold justification to bee one continued act from our vocation to our glorification But such an act as may not onely be interrupted ostentimes and lost for a time as they say it is by every mortall sinne and againe be renewed so oft as they goe to shrift but also that it may totally and finally bee lost Which error I have confuted at large in my Treatise of perseverance CAP. II. The efficient causes of Iustification § I. BUt in this definition besides the Genus not onely all the causes of Iustification but also the essentiall parts thereof are briefly comprised which I will now distinctly propound The causes because in the knowledge of them standeth the science of every thing the essentiall parts because in them justification it selfe consisteth The causes of justification as of all other things are foure The Efficient the Matter the Forme the End The Efficieâ—…t causes are of two sorts either principall or instrumentall The principall is God which I noted in the definition when I said it is an action of God For it is God that justifieth as the Scriptures in many places doe testifie as namely Rom. 3. 26 30. 4. 5 6. 8. 30 33. Gal. 3. 8. God I say the Father the Sonne and the Holy Ghost For it being an outward action of God or as the Schoolemen speake ad extra respecting the Creatures it is the common action of the whole Trinity And thus God alone as the Iudge doth justifie For he alone is the Lawgiver who hath power over our soules against whom wee sinne and by our sinne become his debtours when we transgresse his law And therefore he alone properly forgiveth sinnes as himselfe professeth Esay 43. 25. and as the Scribes and Pharisees confesse as a received truth Luk. 5. 21. For who may take upon him to remit those debts which wee owe to God It is he who reconcileth us unto himselfe in Christ not imputing our sinnes 2 Cor. 5. 19. and accepting of us in his beloved Ephes. 1. 6. It is he alone that forgiving our sinnes freeth us from hell and giveth us right to his heaveâ—…ly kingdome Which doctrine serveth first for our direction and instruction where to seeke and to sue for justification and remission of sinnes Not to any creature but to God alone in the name and mediation of Christ to whom alone our Saviour directeth us to sue for pardon Secondly it ministreth strong consolation to all the faithfull For seeing it is God that justifieth them who shall lay any thing to their charge Who shall condemne c Thirdly it sâ—…rveth for the confutation or rather condemnation of the Pope and all popish priests who take upon them power not as Ministers of the Gospell to declare and pronounce remission of sinnes but as Iudges to remit them it being a proper attribute of God Exod. 34. 7. which he appropriateth to himselfe Esay 43. 25. and which no meere man can without blasphemy arrogate to himselfe Mark 2. 7. § II. With the principall cause we are to joyne the consideration of the motives or moving causes both without God which of some are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and also within himselfe which are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are indeed principia agendi The former are mans misery which though it be not properly a cause but the object of mercy yet is said to bee a motive and is used as a reason to move to mercy and thence misericordia hath its name and Christs merits which properly are the procatarcticke cause of our justification besides which there is no other merit The moving causes within God are his Mercy and his Iustice which I signified in the definition when I said that justification is a most grâ—…cious and rightâ—… action os God For as in many if not in all the workes of God his mercy and justice meet together so especially in the worke of our Iustification and redemption which Cardinall Câ—…jetan e well observed The holy Scripture saith he doth not say that we are justified by grace alone but by grace and justice together but both of God that is by the grace of God and by the justice of God and not by the righteousnesse of men By grace I understand the gracious love and favour of God in Christ vouchsafed unto us in him before all secular times 2 Tim. 1. 9. in which he hath graciously accepted us in his beloved by which as we are elected and called and shall be saved so by the same we are justified and that freely without any cause in us Rom. 3. 24. Now the Lord is said to justifie us by his grace first because of his free-grace hee gave his owne Sonne to
VII Yea but it is a gift given by Christ. It is very true for in and by Christ all grace and favour is vouchsafed unto us for in him hee hath graciously accepted us And therefore as it is called the grace of God so in many places it is called the grace of Christ not onely because in and by him it is granted to us but also because he doth bestow it But doth it hereof follow that this grace is inherent what spirituall favour or grace tending to salvation hath God vouchsafed unto us otherwise than in and by Christ In him he vouchsafed us grace in generall and in particular the grace of election for in him wee were chosen Ephes. 1. 4. The grace of vocation and salvation given us in Christ. 2 Tim. 1. 9. the grace of adoption 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by Iesus Christ Ephes. 1. 5. The grace of reconciliation in and by Christ Rom. 5. 1. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Col. 1. 20. The grace of redemption by Christ Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. The grace of justification by Christ Rom. 5. 9. 17 18 19. And how is this proved which no man doubteth of that grace is given by Christ because it is said Ioh. 1. 17. Gratia veritas per Iesum Christum facta est grace and verity was made by Iâ—…sus Christ where leaving his hold that it is given he urgeth as if he had forgot himselfe the phrase facta est is made for saith he it is not well said that the favour and benevolence of God is made § VIII Answ. The word in the Originall is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not alwayes signifie was made but many times is expressed by the Verbe substantive fuit or extitit as Mark. 1. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Matth. 11. 26. 26. 6. Iohn 1. 6. sometimes by the Verbe became as Ioh. 1. 14. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the word became flesh so Mark. 1. 17. 1 Cor. 9. 20. 13. 1. and sometimes by the Verbe came and that in the sense either of happening Rom. 11. 25. 2 Tim. 3. 11. or of growing Matth. 21. 19. 1 Tim. 6. 4. or of being present Ioh. 6 21. 25. Act. 21. 17. 35. 27. 7. Now the sense of the word varying it is to be fitted to the place wherein it is used but the sense that grace and truth was made by Christ fitteth not But either we are to say extitit it was by Christ as Valla and sometimes Beza translated 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or that it came by him as our translation readeth or that it was exhibited or given by Christ as the law both morall shewing sinne and denouncing the curse opposed to grace and also ceremoniall consisting of shadowes and types opposed to truth was given by Moses And thus Bellarmine himselfe understood this place for to prove that grace was given by Christ he alleaged this text But though grace and truth were given by Christ doth it follow that therefore grace doth signifie grace inherent or if it did that that inherent grace is justifying grace Howbeit the true meaning of the word is either according to the proper signification which is most usuall especially when these two Chased and Emeth grace and truth goe together or because grace and truth given by Christ are opposed to the Law given by Moses by grace and truth wee may understand the doctrine of grace and truth For as the doctrine of grace that is to say the Gospell which is the word of grace and the Gospell of Gods grace especially when it is opposed to the Law is termed grace Rom. 6. 14 15. Gal. 5. 4. Ephes. 3. 2. 1 Pet. 5. 12. so also the doctrine of salvation by Christ which is the word of truth Ephes. 1. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Iam. 1. 18. the truth of the Gospell Gal. 2. 5. 14. or the word of the truth of the Gospell Col. 1. 5. is oftentimes called the truth Iohn 5. 33. and in many other places as hereafter shall be shewed § IX Fourthly he alleageth that this grace is given by measure from Christ himselfe Ephes. 4. 7. To every one of us grace is given according to the measure of the donation of Christ. But the favour of God saith hee is not given by measure nor by Christ. Answ. This place is not understood of justifying grace which is the gracious favour of God in Christ which is out of us in him but of the severall gifts of grace in us which by a Metonymy are called graces but properly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Oecumenius upon that place hath well observed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to every one is given grace that is a gift of grace whether they bee the graces of sanctification which are the proper fruits of saving grace or those which by the Schoolemen are called gratiae gratis datae of which the Apostle seemeth to speake in that place as hee explaineth himselfe in the verses following vers 8. 11 12. In which sense the Apostle Peter useth the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Pet. 4. 10. As every one hath received 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a gift of grace even so minister the same one to another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God Of these gifts of grace it is true which Bellarmine saith that they are given by Christ and that they are given by measure But will hee from thence prove that what grace is either given by Christ or in measure is not Gods favour I had thought that the saving grace of God according to his last allegation out of Ioh. 1. 17. had beene given by Christ and that it is from the Father through the Sonne by the Holy Ghost And therefore as it is called the grace of God who is the God of all grace 1 Pet. 5. 10. so also the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ and the grace of the holy Spirit who is the Spirit of grace Heb. 10. 29. And I had also thought that the favour of God though not that which justifieth is in divers degrees vouchsafed unto his creatures God loveth and favoureth all his creatures hee is good to all and his mercies aâ—… over all his workes Psal. 145. 9. giving all things to all Act. 17. 25. yet among the bodily creatures hee respecteth and favoureth men chiefely 1 Cor. 9. 9. Psal. 8. 4. Mat. 6. 26. 30. Prov. 8. 31. for which cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of mankind is attributed to him Among men he favoureth the faithfull more than the rest 1 Tim. 4. 10. who are therefore called the favourites of God as I have shewed before Among them the Lord especially favoureth Ministers and Magistrates Psal. 105. 15. who are also called the favourits of God not onely in respect of justifying grace which is â—…quall in all to whom it is vouchsafed but also in respect of their functions
ought not too much to discourage us knowing that his grace is sufficient for us and that his strength is made perfect in our weakenesse § VIII His seventh testimony is taken from those places which teach that the workes of the righteous doe please God Mat. 3. 4. Sap. 9. 1. 2 Act. 10. 35. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Phil. 4. 18. But nothing can please God but that which is truly good and pure from all vice as Calvin himselfe confesseth Iust. l. 3. c. 12. § 1. Answ. As God hath made two covenants with men the one of works the other of grace so himselfe may bee considered either as a severe judge judging according to the Law which is the covenant of workes beholding men as they are in themselves or as a mercifull father in Christ dealing with us according to the covenant of Grace â—…eholding us in his beloved As he is a Iudge judging according to the Law no obedience can satisfie or please him but that which is pure and perfect as Calvin truely saith As hee is the father of the faithfull in Christ judging according to the covenant of Grace he dealeth with us as a loving father with his children Malach. 3. 17. Psalm 103. 13. accepting the upright though weake and unperfect endevours of his children in lieu of perfect performance Hence in the Scriptures to be upright or to walke with God is to please God Gen. 5. 24 cum Heb. 11. 5. and they who are upright are his delight Pro. 11. 20. Not that either they or their actions are perfect or accepted of God in and for themselves as being pure from sinne but that being covered with the righteousnesse of Christ they are accepted in him and not onely accepted but also graciously rewarded Then belike saith Bellarmine the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed not onely to the sinners themselves but to their sinnes also making them an acceptable sacrifice to God Answ. Wee speake not of the sinnes of the faithfull as hee maliciously cavilleth as if we made no difference betwixt their good workes and their sinnes but of their good workes which though unperfect and stained with the flesh the Lord accepteth in Christ as truly good not imputing to the faithfull their wants but covering them with the perfect obedience of Christ. § IX His eighth testimony is from those places which absolutely call the workes of the righteous good workes as Mat. 5. 16. 1 Tim 6. 17. Tit. 3. 8. Eph. 2. 10. Answ. where he saith that the workes of the faithfull are called absolutely good workes there is an ambiguity to bee cleared For though the Scriptures absolutely call the works of the righteous good workes yet they doe not say that they are absolutely good All good workes and vertues being considered in the abstract as they are in themselves according to their kinde and as they are prescribed in the word of God are absolutely good but considered as it were in the concrete as they bee in us or performed by us mixed with imperfections and stained with the flesh they are not absolutely purely and perfectly good Prayer in it selfe and â—…s it is prescribed in the word of God is a worke absolutely good but as it is performed by us it may bee truely good if performed in truth and with an upright heart but it is not absolutely and purely good by reason of those imperfections which concurre there with So faith and love and all other graces considered in the abstract are absolutely good but considered as they bee in us they are truly but not purely and absolutely good by reason of the impersections and defects which alwayes accompany them But saith Bellarmine out of Dionysiâ—…s Areopagita that worke is to be called evill in which there is any defect but it is not to be called good unlesse it be entirely and wholly good which is true according to the rigour of the Law from which our Saviour Christ hath freed the faithfull and in that sence all the good workes of the Papists themselves even their prayers in which they so much trust are sins Or if they deny any defect to be in their prayers or other their supposed good works they speake lyes in hypocâ—…isie having cauterized consciences But here againe let the Reader observe the desperate doctrine of the Papists who as they account no man justified in whom there is any sinne so they teach all workes to bee absolutely sinnes in which is any defect whereupon the accusation which they falsly lay to our charge will bee verified of them viz. that all the best workes of the faithfull are sinnes For wee deny them to bee sinnes though they have some defects but they affirme them absolutely to bee sinnes if there be any defect in them as undoubtedly there alwayes is as I have alrâ—…ady proved § X. These were his testimonies of holy Scriptures in the next place hee produceth other witnesses viz. Ambrose Hierome Augâ—…stine Gregory and Bernard who testifie nothing against our assertion but against the malicious misconceit of the Papists who conceive or at least report of us that wee put no difference betwixt good workes and sins From which wee are so farre that wee willingly subscribe to that conclusion which hee would prove out of the fathers and is the title of his chapter Opera bona non esse peccata sed verè bona that good workes are not sinnes but truly good § XI Now follow his reasons which if they served to prove no more than the same question which againe is propounded to bee proved wee would not gaine say But his first reason is brought to prove that the good workes of the righteous are no way vitiated corrupted or defiled and consequently that they are not onely truely but also purely good For if they were contaminated saith hee that would arise either from our inbred concupiscence or from the defect of love towards God or from the mixture of veniall sinnes concurring with them But from none of these For neither is that concupiscence a sinne in the regeneratâ—… nor is the want of the love of God a sinne in them nor veniall sinnes such sinnes as are contrary to the Law of God or unto charity Thus for the confirmation of one error Bellarminâ—… broacheth three more But if concupiscence bee a sinne if the want of Gods love bee a sinne if those which the Papists call veniall sinnes bee sinnes indeede then must it bee confessed that the good workes which are stayned with the flesh which proceed from a defective love of God and our brethren that are mixed with divers imperfections and corruptions are notpurely good § XII As for concupiscence of the flesh which remaineth in the regenerate it hath possessed and defiled all the parts and faculties of the soule which as they are in the regenerate partly spirit so they are also partly flesh And these two are opposite one to the other the Spirit lusting against the
performed as well as we can because commanded knowing that God will accept of our upright though weake indevour § XXI The sixth and the last who seeth not that these words good workes are mortall sinnes imply a contradiction for they shall be good and not good c. Answ. We doe not affirme that good workes are mortall sinnes neither doe we deny them to be truly good Onely we deny them to bee purely and perfectly good And we acknowledge the impurity and imperfection concurring with them to bee a sinne and consequently that the good workes of the faithfull are good per se as being commanded as being the fruits of the Spirit and of faith working by love but sinfull per accidens as being stained with the flesh yea but saith Bellarmine Bonum non existit nisi ex integra causa malum verò ex quolibet vitio that is that is not to bee accounted a good worke whereunto all things doe not concurre which are requisite but that is evill wherein there is any defect therefore if there be any defect or imperfection to bee found in any worke that worke is not to be accounted good but evill Answ. that rule of Diony sius is true according to the rigour of the Law which they call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from which our Saviour hath delivered us but it is not true according to the covenant of grace wherein the Lord accepteth the sincere and upright indevours of his children though defective and unperfect for perfect performance their wants being not imputed unto them but covered with the robe of Christs perfect righteousnesse As therefore their persons though in themselves sinners are in Christ accepted as righteous so their actions though in themselves defective are acceptable in Christ. Here therefore wee may justly retort both the accusation it selfe and all these absurdities upon the Papists who be necessary consequence are proved to hold that all the workes of the righteous are simply evill and so absolutely to be called sinnes Those works wherein is found any defect or imperfection are not good but absolutely they are to bee called sinnes as the Papists teach But in all even the best works of the righteous there is to be found some defect imperfection or blemish as being stained with the flesh This assumption is plainely taught in the holy Scriptures as I have proved heretofore Therefore all even the best actions of the righteous are absolutely to be called sinnes as the Papists teach Here then let all men againe take notice of the Popish pharisaisme or pharisaicall hypocrisie of Papists with whom no man is just or justified in whom is any sinne no action good but simply evill in which is any defect and yet their persons are just and their actions not onely good but also meritorious and that ex condigno and that ratione operis of eternall life CHAP. V. Our fourth Argument that the righteousnesse by which wee are justified satisfieth the Law so doth Christs righteousnesse so doth not that which is inherent in us § I. NOw I returne to our owne proofes The fourth argument therefore to prove joyntly that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse and not by ours may be this By that righteousnesse alone and by no other we are justified by which the Law is fully satisfied By the righteousnesse of Christ alone the Law is fully satisfied and not by any righteousnesse inherent in us or performed by us Therefore wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ alone and not by any righteousnesse inherent in us or performed by us For the proofe of the proposition three things are to be acknowledged first that whosoever is justified is made just by some righteousnesse for as I have shewed heretofore to thinke that a man should be justified without justice is as absurd as to imagine a man to be clothed without apparell secondly that all true righteousnesse is a conformity to the law of God which is the perfect rule of righteousnesse insomuch as what is not conformable to the Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is iniquity and sinne thirdly that there can be no justification without the Law be fulfilled either by our selves or by another for us For our Saviour when he came to justifie us and save us protested that hee came not to breake the Law but to fulfill it and professeth that not one jot or tittle of the Law should passe unfulfilled Matth. 5. 17 18. Saint Paul likewise avoucheth that by the doctrine of justification by faith the Law is not made void but established Rom. 3. 31. The proposition therefore is undenyable The assumption hath two parts the former affirmative that by the righteousnesse of Christ the Law is fully satisfied the other negative that by any righteousnesse inherent in us or performed by us the Law neither is nor can be fully satisfied For the clearing of the assumption in both the parts wee are to understand that to the full satisfying of the Law since the fall of Adam two things are required the one in respect of the penalty unto the suffering whereof sinne hath made us debtours the other in respect of the precept to the doing wherof the Law doth bind us The former to free us from hell and damnation the other to entitle us to heaven and salvation according to the sanction of the Law If thou dost not that which is commanded thou art accursed if thoudoest it thou shalt be saved In respect of the former the Law cannot be satisfied in the behalf of him who hath oncetransgressed it but by eternal punishment or that which is equivalent in respect of the latter it is not satisfied but by a totall perfect and perpetuall obedience § II. Now our Saviour Christ hath fully satisfied the Law for all them that truly beleeve in him in both respects For hee hath superabundantly satisfied the penalty of the Law for us by his sufferings and by his death and he hath perfectly fulfilled the Law for us by performing all righteousnesse in obeying his Father in all things even unto death and by them both he hath justified us freeing us from hell by his sufferings and entituling of us unto heaven by his obedience And therefore the holy Ghost affirmeth that wee are justified by his bloud Rom. 5. 9. and by his obedience verse 19. For his sufferings were the sufferings of God in which respect they who put him to death are said to have killed the Author of life Act. 3. 15. and to have crucified the Lord of glory 1 Cor. 2. 8 and for the same cause the bloud by which we are redeemed is called the bloud of God Act. 20. 28. or which is all one the bloud of the Sonne of God 1 Iohn 17. His obedience likewise was the obedience of God For Iesus Christ the word that is the second person in Trinity being in the forme of God God coequall with his Father for our sakes
fiction of the hereticks of our time Nay we say more that by the preaching of the Word faith is not onely excited where it was before but that it is first wrought ordinarily and begotten by the ministry of the Gospell The Papists ascribe the begetting of faith to the Sacraments and the stirring of it up to the Word As if faith infused in Baptisme did ly a sleep untill it be excited and awakned by the word But the Scripture teacheth us that faith commeth by hearing the Word that Preachers are Ministers by whom you do beleeve that without a preacher men cannot ordinarily beleeve Rom. 10. 14. that men are begotten to God by the preaching of the Word 1 Cor. 4. 15. that therefore preachers are their Fathers in the faith that they justifie men Dan. 12. 3. because they are the instruments of the holy Ghost to beget faith in them whereby they are justified Why then doth Peter require them to whom he had preached to repent and to be baptized I answer that the holy Ghost by Peters sermon had wrought the grace of faith in the hearers before they were baptized Act. 2. 41. as by Pauls preaching Act. 13. 48. in so many of the hearers as were ordained unto life in Lydia Act. 16. 14 15. By Philips preaching in the Eunuch Act. 8. 38. by Peters preaching in Cornelius and his company Act. 10. 43. 44. and by this faith they were justified before God before they were baptized even as Abraham was before he was circumcised Rom. 4. 11. But that they might be justified also in the Court of their owne Conscience and much more that they might be saved many other things as repentance and a godly life with the use of the Sacraments and of all other good meanes are required besides that faith whereby alone they are justified before God And to this end did Peter require them to repent and to bee baptized not that Baptisme properly doth justifie and much lesse that it begetteth â—…aith for in all these faith was wrought before they were baptized but because it is a seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith to them that are baptized not onely at the time of Baptisme but whensoever or how long soever they beleeve And whereas he saith that remission of sinnes is preached to those that beleeve as they ought I confesse it is true that remission is not promised to an idle dead or counterfeit faith but to the true lively and effectuall faith which in some measure purifieth the heart and worketh by love causing a man though not to fulfill all things that are commanded as Bellarmine speaketh yet to will to desire and to endevour that hee may performe all things commanded according to the measure of grace received But though obedience bee a necessary consequent of faith yet it is very absurd to confound it with faith as Bellarmine here seemeth to doe § V. As for his similitude of the Physitian I answer the onely meanes to bee cured of the wounds of our soules which are our sinnes by our spirituall Physitian which is Christ is to beleeve in him and the onely plaisters to bee applied are his sufferings and merits for by his stripes we are healed Esa. 53. 5. and the onely meanes on our part to apply them is faith For even as Moses lifted up the brazen Serpent in the Wildernesse that those who were bitten by the fiery serpents might by looking upon that which was but a figure of Christ be healed even so our Saviour Christ was lifted up upon the Crosse that whosoever being stung as we all are by the old Serpent and made subject to eâ—…all death shall looke upon him with the eye of a true faith shall bee saved To which remedie alone all true physicians of mens soules do use to direct the wounded Conscience when the Iaylour Act. 16. 30 31. in great consternation of mind came trembling and falling downe before Paul and Silas demanded of them what he might doe that he might bee saved they said beleeve on the Lord Iesus Christ and thou shalt be saved And this remedy â—…in curing miraculously corporall discases was used sometimes with good successe Mat. 9. 21. 22. 14. 36. and was by our Saviour himself prescribed as the onely receipt Mar. 5. 36. Luk. 8. 50. § VI. Thirdly where the Apostle in this place nameth onely remission of sinnes hee saith it hindreth not but that justâ—…fication may bee understood to consist in remission of sinnes and infusion of righteousnesse For as we have not once shewed saith hee remission of sinnes is not onely the pardâ—…ning of the punishment but also the washing away and cleansing of the fault which is not done but by the cleannesse of grace and comelinesse of justice comming in the place which the name of justification pretendeth being named from justice Reply Not once but very oft hath hee said that remission of sinne is the utter deletion and extinction of sinne and that it is not a distinct act from infusion of righteousnesse because by infusion of justice sinne is expelled as by the accession of heat and light cold and darkenesse is expelled But as for condonation and pardon of the guilt and punishment that he hath utterly excluded from justification For the pardoning of the guilt and punishment is not done by infusion of righteousnesse which as hee teacheth is the onely act of justification whereof there is but one formall cause which is righteousnesse insuâ—…ed as the Councel of Trent hath defined but by imputation of the satisfaction of Christ. For righteousnesse infused as Bellarmine hath confessed doth not or cannot satisfie for our sinnes Now if there bee but one formall cause of justification as indeed there is but one and that one be not the imputation but the infusion of justice or as they rather use to speake the justice infused which expelleth sinne which expulsion or deletion they call the remission yea the true remission of sinne then the forgivenesse of the guilt and punishment belongeth not to justification But if the forgiving of the guilt and punishment be the not imputing of sinne which necessarily bringeth with it imputation of righteousnesse as Bellarmine confesseth and the Apostle proveth Rom. 4. viz. that the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes when hee imputeth not sinne then it will necessarily follow that imputation of Christs satisfaction or righteousnesse is the onely formall cause of justification whereby we being absolved from sinne are accepted as just yea constituted righteous in Christ. And that infusion of righteousnesse expelling sinne is another thing which the Scriptures call Sanctification And this I take to be a manifest truth which being granted we have obtained the whole cause § VII Fourthly againe saith he although there were mention made in this place of justification only from sinnes yet in many other places there is mention made of Sanctification of cleansing of washing and renewing which shew
by that faith it selfe whereby he doth beleeve he is healed that hee may understand greater matters our understanding therefore proficit ad intelligenda qua credat fides proficit ad credenda quae intelligat eadem ipsa ut magis magisque intelligantur in ipso intellectu profioit mens profiteth or is a proficient to understand what it may beleeve and our faith profiteth to beleeve those things which it may understand and that the same things may more and more bee understood in the understanding it selfe the minde profiteth 5. Cyril Faith what is it else but the true knowledge of God 6. In the second tome of Athanasius there is a discourse against those who bidding men not to search the Scriptures but to bâ—… content with that faith which is among themselves which is the very case of the Papists at this day shall I saith the author of that discourse neglect the Scriptures whence then shall I have knowledge shall I abandon knowledge whence then shall I have Faith Paul cryeth out how shall they beleeve if they doe not heaâ—…e and againe faâ—…th is by hearing and hearing by the Word of God therefore heâ—… that forbiddeth the Word stoppeth up hearing and expelleth faith But saith hee a little after they who goe about to establish their owne opinions restraine men from the Scriptures in pretence that they would not have them to be so bold to have accesse to them which are unacce â—…ible but in very truth that they may avoid the conâ—…utation of their wicked doctrine out of them 7. Fulgentius fides vera quod credit non nescit etiamsi nondum potest videre quod iper at credit True faith is not ignorant of that which it beleeveth although as yet it is not able to see that which it doth hope and beleeve 8. The master of the sentences Fides non potest esse de eo quod omnino ignoratur Faith cannot be of that whereof a man is altogether ignorant Neither can a man beleeve in God unlesse hee understand somwhat seeing faith commeth by hearing the Word preached Nec â—…a quae prâ—…us creduntur quà m intelliguntur penitus ignorantur cum fides sit ex auditu Ignorantur tamen ex parte quia non sciuntur Neither are those things which are beleeved before they bee understood altogether unknowne seeing faith commeth of hearing yet in part men are ignorant of them because they have not the science of them 9. To these wee may adde the authority of the Creed it selfe that is as the Papists themselves doe teach of all the Apostles consenting together wherein they thought it not sufficient to teach men to professe their beleefe in that one article I beleeve the holy Catholike Church but in all necessary points that are to bee beleeved first concerning God both in Himselfe and in his Works in Himselfe both in respect of the nature of the Deity and of the three persons in Trinity the Father the Sonne and the holy Ghost in his Workes of creation and government and of redemption Then concerning the Church and the severall prerogatives thereof viz. the Communion of Saints the forgivenesse of sinnes the resurrection of the body and life everlasting And further teach every particular Christian to say and that with Christian resolution Credo I beleeve these particulars which cannot be done either with truth if indeed he doe not beleeve each particular or with that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or confidence which is meet unlesse a man doth not onely beleeve all those particulars but also knowe that hee doth beleeve them And lastly by this forme of profession I beleeve they teach and confirme that of Habac. 2. 4. that the just shall live by his owne faith and not by the faith of others § XIV Now I come to Bellarmines reason although I have already answered it in part In him that beleeveth saith he there are two things apprehension and judgement or assent Apprehension goeth before faith and is not knowledge unlesse it be distinct and plaine and that is not needefull to faith Now the judgement or assent saith he is twofold for either it followeth reason and the evidence of the thing and is called knowledge or else the authority of the prâ—…pounder and is called Faith Therefore saith he the mysteries of faith which surpasse reason we doe beleeve we doe not understand And therefore faith is distinguished against science and is better defined by ignorance than by knowledge Answ. This discourse is to prove that faith may be without knowledge for whereas two things concurre to faith apprehension and assent knowledge is required in neither c. But I answere that these things are not well distinguished by Bellarmine For first apprehension or conceiving of the object is the common act of the understanding going before all judgement of the understanding whatsoever For it is not possible that the understanding should judge of that which it hath not apprehended or conceived And yet behold implicite faith is so farre from being a true justifying faith that it hath not so much as this first and common act of the understanding in it For it doth not so much as apprehend or conceive the particular things to be beleeved Secondly judgement and assent are not to bee confounded For judgement is more generall and belongeth to those things that wee doe not assent unto as well as to those which wee doe For when wee have in our mind apprehended conceived or understood any proposition or thing propounded then wee judge of it either as false and then wee dissent from it or as doubtfull and then wee withhold our assent and suspend our judgement or as true and then wee assent to it But this assent thirdly is not to be confounded with faith because it is more generall For either we assent to a proposition faintly imagining that perhaps it may be otherwise as in contingent propositions which so are true as that they may bee false And then our judgement of them and assent to them is called opinion or wee assent firmely as being perswaded that it cannot be otherwise and this is called knowledge Now a man knoweth a proposition to be true and is assured that it cannot be otherwise being perswaded thereunto either by the evidence of the thing or by the infallible authority of the propounder Of the thing being either manifest in it selfe to sense and experience or to reason and then it is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or intelligentia whereby without discourse men know things so to be which is noeticall or axiomaâ—…icall judgement of a proposition in it selfe manifest or else manifested by discourse as of questions syllogistically concluded and this judgment or knowledg is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is the science of conclusions which we know cannot possibly be false the premisses being true But when a thing is neither manifest in it selfe to sense
than of the Pope alone It is the Pope therefore alone that cannot erre who hath an heavenly and infallible judgement who is the supreame Iudge in all controversies the chiefe and onely authenticall interpreter of the Scriptures so that no point of religion is to be held for truth but what he determineth no text of Scripture to be held the word of God in any other sense than hee holdeth yea that a text of Scripture urged against them in another sense than he holdeth is not the word of God but rather of the devill By which meanes the Pope is stept into the roome of Christ and and is undoubtedly become Antichrist So that the implicite faith of the Papists whereby they professe themselves to beleeve what is propounded by the Church meaning especially the See of Rome that is to say the Pope to be beleeved and consequently whereby they professe themselves to beleeve in the Pope as the principall rule principle and foundation of their faith is the very character and marke of the Beast whereby men are branded to destruction § XVIII The which doth also prove the other point viz. how pernicious the doctrine of implicite faith is as tending to the perdition of the seduced people which I will also prove by other reasons For under the name of implicite faith they commend unto the Laity damnable ignorance that having blindfolded them they may lead them as it were by the nose whither it pleaseth them To them it is sufficient to beleeve what the Church beleeveth though they know little or nothing of the Churches beleefe If one of them be called before the Commissioners hee shall say enough and defend himselfe sufficiently when he answereth that he is a Catholike and that he will live and dye in that faith which the Catholike Church doth teach and that this Church can give them a reason of all those things which they demand And thus according to Christs promise Luk. 12. 12. the holy Ghost for sooth teacheth every unlearned Catholike to give sufficient reason of his faith But it is evident that those who live in ignorance doe live in a state of damnation or as the Scripture speaketh doe sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death First because they live without God as it were Atheists in this world For they that know not God have not God Secondly because they are void of all grace whereby they might hope to be saved For knowledge being the first of all graces where that is wanting all the rest are absent Againe without faith there is no saving grace for faith is the mother and roote of all other graces and without knowledge there is no faith as I have already shewed For how can t they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and by hearing knowne Knowledge is as it were the first step towards faith and all other graces and therefore he that hath not that in some measure hath not made one steppe in the way that leadeth to eternall life Thirdly because they are not Christs sheepe nor Gods children For I saith our Saviour know mine and I am knowne of mine Ioh. 10. 14. They shall know me every one of them saith the Lord from the greatest to the least of them Ier. 31. 34. All Gods children shall be taught of God Esai 54. 13. Ioh. 6. 45. every one therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth to mee saith our Saviour and none else All Gods children have the unction from the holy One and they know all needfull things 1 Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 16. 13. Fourthly because it hath all the respects of evill in it For it is not one ly a sinne but the cause of all sinne and errour a punishment and the cause of punishment both in this life and in the world to come A sinne repâ—…oved and condemned Ier. 4. 22. 9. 3. Hos. 4. 1. â—… Cor. 15. 34. For it a sacrifice was ordained Levit. 4. 2. yea all the sinnes for which sacrifices were offered were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… that is ignorances Heb. 9. 7. The cause of sinne Errant qui operantur mulum They erre that sinne and none erre but by ignorance as Augustine saith Non erratur nisi per ignorantiam whence sinners are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are ignorant and doe erre Heb. 5. 3. Ignorance is the mother of all errours Regnum ignorantiae saith Augustine regnum erroris Ignorance also is a fearefull punishmentâ—… when God doth punish men with blindenesse of heart Esai 6. 9 10. and sendeth upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the efficacy of errour 2 Thâ—…s 2. 11. It is also the cause of punishment for the people that understandeth not shall bee punished Hos. 4. 14. as of captivityâ—… Esai 5. 13. of destruction Hos. 4. 6. it maketh men subject to the curse of God Psal. 79. 6. Ier. 10. 25. and to eternall damnation 2. Thes. 1. 8. If our Gospell bee hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. For if it bee eternall life to know God and Christ our Saviour then not to know God and our Saviour is to misse of eternall life Qui ea quâ—… sunt Domini nesciunt a Domino nesciuntur saith Gregory Paulo attestante qui ait si quis autem ignorat ignorabitur The Councell of Rhemes denyeth that they can bee saved who doe not understand the Creed and the Lords Prayer And againe no man can bee saved without faith and no man can beleeve that which he doth not know nor hath heard Augustine ipsa ignorantia in ets qui intelligere noluerunt sine dubitatione peâ—…catum â—…st in eis autem qui non potuerunt pâ—…na pecâ—…ati Ergo in utrisque non â—…st justa excusatio sed justa damnatio Hierome Ignoratio Scripturarum ignoratio Christi Origen â—…aith the Devills possesse all those that live in ignorance § XIX All this notwithstanding the popish Impostors detaine the people in ignorance they have taken away the Key of knowledge and shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against their followers for neither they goe in themselves neither suffer them that faine would enter to goe in They forbid them to reade the Scriptures which are able to make them wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. which our Saviour therefore commandeth them to search Ioh. 5. 39. They suffer them not to heare them nor yet the divine service otherwise than in an unknowen tongue contrary to the rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. and wherefore all this partly that their errours and abominations should not be seene for he that evill doeth hateth the light and as theeves by night wish the light of Gods Word to bee put out or at least to bee hid under a Bushell and partly that they may bee Lords over the peoples faith and may make them beleeve what they list
that they may rule them at their pleasure that they may lead them whither they please For hee that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whither he goeth may as easily bee led up and downe as Sampson after his eyes were put out But those that are of God doe wish that the people of God may increase in knowledge of God 1 Thes. 1. 10. that they may be perfect in understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. that they may abound more and more in knowledge Phil. 1. 9. For not to be proficients in knowledge they esteeme a great fault Heb. 5. 11 12. 2 Tim. 3. 7. that the Word of Christ may dwell in them richly in all Wisedome Col. 2. 2. 3. 16. that they may bee able and ready to give an answere to every man that asketh a reason of that hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3. 15. for where men of all other professions can give a reason of that which they doe professe it is a great absurdity as Chrysostome testifieth for a man professing himselfe a Christian not to bee able to give an account of his faith that they may trye all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes. 5. 21. that Husbands may be able to instruct their Wives and housholders their families Deut. 6. 7. 11. 19. Yea Moses the Man of God wished that all the Lords people were Prophets Num. 11. 29. § XX. And as the godly have wished so the Lord hath promised that in the Church of Christ there should bee plenty of knowledge Esa. 11. 9. Ier. 31. 34. and that all the faithfull should bee taught of God Esai 54. 13. And this was verified in times past in the primitive Churches and is at this day in all true Churches and where it is not in some measure verified as it is not in the Church of Rome that is not a true Church Not to speake of the present times I will produce one Testimony of the ancient Churches In which it was usuall to bee seene that the points of Christian Religion were knowne not onely to the Teachers of the Church but also to all manner of artificers and handicrafts men of women likewise not onely such as were lettered but those of the meanest sort even servants and handmaids and not onely Citizens but also Countrey people as Husband-men and laborers had this knowledge who might bee found conferring of the Divine Trinity of the Creation of all things and having better knowledge of the nature of man than Plato or Aristâ—…tle Finally the Papists by their doctrine of implicite faith do bereave the faithfull of their chiefe rejoycing For thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. So much of the first question CAP. II. Prâ—…ving that a true justifying faith cannot bee severed from Charity and other graces § I. THE second question concerning the nature of faith is whether a true justifying faith may be severed from Charity and from all other graces of Sanctification The Papists hold the affirmative we the negative The reasons of our assertion that true justifying faith is ever accompanied with Charity and other graces and cannot indeed be severed from them are manifold and manifest My first reason is this All that are regenerate and borne of God have Charity and other graces of sanctification All that truly beleeve in Christ or which is all one that have a true justifying faith are regenerate and borne of God Therefore all that truely beleeve in Christ have charity and other graces of sanctification The proposition is thus proved Regeneration consisteth in the infusion of graces of sanctification and therfore they who are regenerate are indued with those graces Seondly regeneration is the renewing of a man according to the image of God in true holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes. 4. 24. both which are comprehended in Charity The former being the love of God the other of our neighbour Thirdly the Papists themselves doe teach that when men are regenerated in baptisme there is with faith infused Charity Fourthly as he that hath Charity is borne of God and knoweth him so he that hath not Charity knoweth not God and much lesse is borne of him 1 Ioh. 4. 8. The assumption All that have a true justifying faith are regenerate and borne of God For first whosoever beleeveth that I â—…â—…vs is the Christ is bome of God 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Secondly as many as receive Christ by faith to them he gave this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this priviledge or prerogatiye to be the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his name who are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. 12. 13. Thirdly All that doe truely beleeve are the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 26. Fourthly Faith is a grace of regeneration which the holy Ghost doth ingenerate and infuse when hee doth regenerate as the Papists themselves confesse Neither is it of nature or from our selves but it is the speciall gift of God Ephes 2 8. for no man can truly say that is with a lively and unfained assent of the heart that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. To beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God flesh and bloud hath not revealed to any man but God the Father who is in heaven Matth. 16. 16 17. No man saith our Saviour can come to me that is beleeve in me Ioh. 6. 35. except the Father who hath sent me draw him Iohn 6. 44. and except it be given unto him by my Father vers 65. and how given as a proper fruit of election For justifying faith is the faith of the elect 7 〈◊〉 1. 1 given unto us when we are called according to the purpose of God and his grace given unto us in Christ before all secular times 2 Tim. 1. 9. For those whom God giveth to Christ by election they come unto him by faith Ioh. 6. 37. and so many as are ordained to eternall life beleeve Act. 13. 48. § II. Secondly Whosoeverâ—…have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them are â—…udued with Charity and other graces which all are the fruits of the Spirit who is the Spirit of grace and contrarywise they who have not Charity have not the Spirit of Christ. For the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of love God is love and he that abideth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Ioh 4. 16. but he that loveth not knoweth not God and much lesse dwelleth in him vers 8. All that
For the life of faith it self doth not depend upon workes as the cause but is thereby knowne as by the effects You see againe what the question is which hee will conclude namely that the faith which is without workes or which is in profession onely without workes is not a lively but a dead faith and consequently not a justifying faith For a justifying faith is like the faith of Abraham and of Rahab but that faith which is in profession onely and wanteth workes is not like the faith of Abraham and of Rabaâ—… For though Abraham was iustified by faith without workes as the Apostle Paul proveth yea by faith alone as the Papists themselves confesse yet the faith by which hee was justified was not alone but was fruitfull of good workes by which both hee and his faith were justified that is knowne to be just and upright § IX Vers. 21. was not Abraham our Father saith hee justified by workes when hee had offered his sonne Isaack upon the Altar Of which wordes the meaning is not that Abraham by that worke was justified before God or made just for long before the holy Ghost gave him this testimony Gen. 15. Abraham believed God and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse not that then hee first believed or was then first justified for when hee first left his countrey which hee left by faith Heb. 11. 8. hee had believed and his faith no doubt was imputed to him for righteousnesse but that by that speciall worke after hee was proved hee was approved and knowne to be a righteous man For upon Abrahams approbation of his faith and obedience when he was tryed the Lord gave him this testimony Gen. 22. 12. Now I know that thou fearest God c. Did not God know it before Yea no doubt but hee speaketh after the maner of men He had tempted Abraham that is by a commandement of tryall hee had proved his faith and obedience not that hee did not know but that he would make it knowne to Abraham and others As on the contray God is said 2. Chron. 32. 31. to have left Ezechias to try him that hee might know that is that hee might make knowne all that was in his heart when as therefore Abraham being tryed had by that act of offering his sonne approved his faith and obedience the Lord saith Now I know that is now by this tryall it is made knowne that thou art a just man and one that feareth God And in this sence as it is most manifest hee is said by his workes to have been justified that is knowne declared approved to be a just man § X. Hereupon St. Iames inferreth vers 22. Doe you not see how faith did co-operate to or with his workes The verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be understood two wayes either that faith with other graces did co-operate to the bringing forth of this worke as namely with the feare of God and love of God Gen. 22. 12. though faith was the principall Heb. 11. 17. Or else that faith did co-operate with his workes not to justifie him before God but to manifest declare and approve his righteousnes In which sence we must understand the word Faith as in the proposition vers 24. for faith professed or the profession of faith which doth concurre together with workes to make a man truely justified to bee knowne And in this sence faith doth co-operate with works and may be said to justifie by declaring a man to be just though Bellarmine holdeth the contrary For that a man may bee acknowledged to be a man truely justified before God by faith two things must concurre the profession of the true faith and a Christian conversation neither of which alone is sufficient It followeth in the same verse and by workes was faith made perfect Which words saith Bellarmine cannot signifie any other but that his righteousnesse which was begunne by faith was perfected by good works Answ. But Iames doth not say that his righteousnesse but his faith was perfected and whereas hee saith the words cannot signifie otherwise I say they may be understood two other wayes First that faith by workes is perfected because by workes it is manifested and perfectly knowne in which sence Gods strength is perfected in our weakenesse 2. Cor. 12. 9. Secondly because workes bring the fruits and effects of faith to be perfected when it bringeth forth good fruits according to his kind For when any thing hath attayned to the end as it hath when it doth effectually produce those uses or fruits for which it was ordayned it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be perfect Now the end of our justification by faith is our sanctification For when faith was wrought in us that is to say in our regeneration we were the workemanship of God created unto good workes which God hath preordayned that wee should walke in them Eph. 2. 10. Faith therefore may then bee said to be perfected when it doth effectually bring forth the fruit of good workes whereby a man is not made but declared to be just § XI Vers. 23. And this appeareth yet more plainely by that which followeth And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse This Scripture was fulfilled Gen. 15. 6. above 30. yeares before his offering of Isaake and here againe it is said to have been fulfilled in this act that is the truth of that testimony which was given him so long before was then manifested when by this worke hee evidently declared that hee was indued with a true lively iustifying faith And to the like purpose the same sentence might as Bellarmine confesseth be applyed to Abraham in respect of any other notable fruit of his faith that then also that sentence was verified Abraham believed God c. For then it was declared and manifested that hee was indued with a true iustifying faith As for that conceipt of Bellarmine that if the Hebrew word be well scanned it will appeare that the meaning of the words is that Abrahams believing God was a â—…ust worke it is but a poore shift For Paul understandeth it of Abrahams person and maketh that text his principall ground of the iustification of the faithfull by imputation of righteousnesse without workes And Iames likewise understandeth it of Abrahams person shewing that by this act of offering his sonne the truth of that testimony was manifested that hee was indued with a true faith by which hee was iustified It followeth in the same verse and hee was called the friend of God 2. Chron. 20. 7. Esai 41. 8. that is by this act hee approved himselfe to bee such a one § XII Hereupon Saint Iames Verse 24. inferreth this consectary or conclusion you see then by this example of Abraham that a man who is justified before God by faith alone as Abraham was and that by imputation of righteousnesse without workes is also justified by workes
as Abraham was that is by them as by fruites and effects hee is declared and approved to bee just and not by faith professed onely Hee doth not say a man is justified by workes as causes but as the effects For that and not the other is deduced from the example of Abraham § XIII The other example is of Rahab Verse 25. For though you may thinke that you need not compare with Abraham and yet have a true justifying faith yet you will bee ashamed to bee behinde Rahab the harlot who was no sooner justified before God by faith but she was also justifyed that is declared and knowne to bee just by her worke of charity towards the Espyes which shee wrought by faith Heb. 11. 31. Concerning this example of Rahab Bellarmine hath foure Assertions of which never an one agreeth with another First That Rahab was not declared to bee just because shee was an harlot which is false For though shee had beene an harlot yet now she beleeved and by her faith was justifyed before God and by her worke which shee wrought by faith was justified as Saint Iames saith that is declared to bee just Secondly That Iames briâ—…geth the example of Rahab to prove that by good workes a righteous person is made more righteous which also is false and contrary to his former Assertion Thirdly That by this worke of mercy shee was truely justified and of a sinner made just But Rahab as Bellarâ—…ine saith was an example of the first justification and therefore of a sinner not made just by her worke but by the habit of grace infused The trueth is by faith shee was justifyed before God and by her worke shee was declared to bee just before men Fourthly That by that worke as a disposition she was prepared unto justificaâ—…ion Which agreeth neither with his third where he said that by this worke shee was truely justifyed and of a sinner made just nor with Saint â—…mes whose meaning plainely is not that shee was prepared unto justification by this worke no more than Abraham was by his but that she was declared by this worke as a fruite of her faith and a consequent of her justification as Abraham was by his workes to be justifyed before God And thus much of the two examples § XIV There remaâ—…eth his fifth Argument which is a similitude Verse 26. For as the body without the Spirit is dead so faith without workes or that faith which is without workes is dead which words also may bee two wayes expounded For either the Apostle Iames speaketh of the habit of faith or of the profession of it If of the habit then the comparison standeth thus As the body of man without the Spirit that is without breath which is the prime signification of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 derived from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to breathe in which sense it is called the spirit of the mouth and spirit of the nostrils I say as the body without breath is dead so that saith which is without workes which are as it were the breathing of a lively faith is judged to be dead For as Bernâ—…rd also saith As we discerne the life of this body by its motion so the life of faith by workes If therefore faith it selfe be here meant wee must by Spirit understand breath and not the soule For although the Papists absurdly make charity which is a fruite of faith 1 Tim. 1. 5. to be the forme of it yet me thinkes they cannot bee so absurd as to compare faith to the body and workes to the soule as though workes which are the fruites and effects both of faith and of charity were the forme and as it were the soule of faith If by faith we understand faith professed or the profession of faith as in this discouse hitherto it hath beene used and as it is used elsewhere as Act. 14. 22. Râ—…m 1. 8. then you may understand the similiâ—…de thus As the body of man without the Spirit that is the â—…oule is dead so the profession of faith without a godly life which is as it were the life and â—…oule of our profeâ—…on is also dead For hypocrites whose life is not conformable to their profession though they have a â—…ame that they live yet they are dead Apâ—…c 3. 1. Thus by five arguments Saint Iâ—…mes hath proved that the faith which is alone and without workes is not a true and a lively but a dead and counterfeit faith and yet 〈◊〉 both here and Lib. 1. dâ—… justif cap. 15. will needs have Saint â—…ames to speake of a true faith as if he supposed that a true faith might be without workes Therefore the Popish Doctrine of justification by workes as causes thereof cannot be grounded on this Tâ—…xt of Saint Iames. § XV. Yea but will some say the contradiction is not yet salved For Saint Paul affirmeth as you say that faith alone doth justify and Saint Iames in plaine termes denyeth that a man is justifyed by faith onely I answere when we say that faith onely doth justify we doe not meane absolutely that nothing doth justify but faith in no sense whatsoever For many things may truely bee said to justify aliâ—… atque aliâ—… sensu in divers senses as I have shewed heretofore God the Father as the prime efficient Christ as the meritorious cause God as the Iudge Christ as the Advocate God as the Creditour Christ as the Surety The grace of God as the moving cause the righteousnes of Christ as the matter the imputation thereof as the forme the holy Ghost as the applying cause the Word and Sacraments as the instruments of the holy Ghost Faith as the hand of the receiver works as testimonies and signes c. but our meaning is that we are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ onely which is apprehended by faith alone and that in us nothing doth concurre to the act of justification but faith alone it being the onely instrument whereby wee receive Christ. And thus have you heard what is to be alleaged against the Papists First that their doctrine concerning justification by workes which they would build upon this Text is repugnant to the Scriptures Secondly that by their exposition they make Saint Iâ—…mes to contradict Saint Paul Thirdly that their doctrine cannot bee grounded on this Text. § XVI Now for our selves I will shew that by our exposition the seeming difference betweene the two Apostles is manifestly reconciled and that by our Doctrine their Assertions not oâ—…ely may well stand together but also must necessarily goe together The reconciliation is easily made if we consider two things first the diversity of the Parties with whom the two Apostles had to deale For the Apostle Paul having to deale with Pharisaicall Iustitiaries who sought to bee justified by a righteousnesse inherent in themselves and by an obedience performed by themselves proveth by invincible arguments that a man is justified by faith without
degree of heavenly happinesse but also the higher degrees of glory and finally which is a consequent of the premisses that they may trust in their workes as being true causes of salvation All which assertions are insolent and Antichristian § XV. But we being in our selves most miserable sinners say with Daâ—…iel To thee Lord belongeth mercie and Iustice but to us shame and confusion of face and therefore wee pray with David Enter not into judgement with thy servants O Lord for no man living can bee justified in thy sight namely if thou enter into judgement with him For if thou Lord marke iniquities who shall stand If we should argue with God we should not bee able to answere one of a thousand with Esay wee confesse that all our righteousnesses are as polluted clothes as being stayned with the flesh and therefore have cause to cry out with the Apostle wretched men that wee are who shall deliver us from this body of death But yet with the same Apostlc we thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord with David we professe that with the Lord there is mercie and forgivenesse that he may bâ—… feared and with him there is plentifull redemption and hee shall redeeme the Israel of God from all their iniquities Wee beleeve that Christ by his death hath satisfied for our sinnes and by his obedience hath merited heaven for us that hee died for our sinnes and rose againe for our justification that wee are justified by his blood and by his obedience we are constituted just that hee is the end and complement of the Law for righteousnesse to all that beleeve in him that of God he is made unto us wisedome for our vocation righteousnesse for our justification holinesse for our sanctification and redemption for our glorification that according as it is written He that glorieth let him glory in the Lord. And howsoever we doe teach that those who are justified are also sanctified and that no man can bee assured of his justification without sanctification though wee seriously urge as our duety is the necessitie of good workes and of a godly life protesting with the Apostle that without holinesse no man shall see God though we teach that by our good workes wee are to make our Election our vocation our justification sure unto us though wee acknowledge that they are the evidence by which wee shall bee judged at the last day though finally in the doctrine of sanctification we urge the necessity and profit of good workes as much as ever any other Christians whether old or new yet in the question of justification if our workes or our inherent righteousnesse bee obtruded as the matter of our justification and merit of salvation then doe we loathe and abhorre them as polluted clouts wee renounce them as things of no value wee esteeme them or at least as Luther said the opinions of them as losse And contrariwise our whole affiance for our justification and all our hope of salvation we doe entirely repose in the onely mercies of God and merits of Christ ouâ—… most perfect and all-sufficient Saviour to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit be all praise and glory for evermore Amen 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a In novissimis â—…emporib i. regâ—…ance Antichrist Anselâ—… in 1 Tim. 4. 1. Vid. Diatrib de Antiâ—…h part 1. l. 3. c. 1. §. 3. c 1 Tim. 4. 1. 3. d This distinction is propounded by S. Augustine de Trinit lib. 13. c. 2. and by the master of the sentences Sent. 3. dist 23. e Vid. Diatrib de Antichristo lib. 4. c. 6. 7. g Idem l. 3. 6. 49. h De â—…ont Rom. lib. 4. cap. 3. i Bellar. de Concil li. 2. c. 17. Conc. Trid. sess 4. Pari pietatis affectu reverentia suscipiunt ei venerantur k Cesteri Enchirid cap. 1. Hutus praestantia multis par tib â—…peral Scripturas l Cesler ibid. m Hosius de expresso Dei verbo n Contr. Luciferian in Gal. 1. neque enim in Scripturarum verbis Evangelium est sed in sensu o De verbo non scripto l. 4. c. 4. * Rom. 10. 8. p See lib. 7. c. 3. §. 9 10 11 12. q See the learned work called the Grand imposture r Apud Euseb. lib. 4 cap. 15. s Gerdon contrv 1. c. 27. t Ibid. u Ibid. â—… 3. * Hosius de authorit Scripturae lib. 3. x Vid. Diatrib de Antichristo part 1. lib. 6. c. 4. §. 9. The excellencie of this argument * Lib. 6. Cap. 6. §. 2. a Iohn 1. 17. b Gal. 2. 5. c Rom. 1. 16 17. d Gal. 1. 6. 8. e Iohn 8. 44. f Iude 6. g Gal. 5. 4. h Gal. 3. 17 18. i Rom. 4. 14. k Gal. 3. 10. l Gal. 5. 2 3 4. Gal. 2. 21. m Of this see more lib. 7. c. 3. §. 10 11 12. The definition of Justification The name â—… Justificarâ—… o Lib. 2. The definition of Justification explaned 1. That it is an action of God Rom. 8. 33. Esay 43. 25. p Rom. 9. 16. 2. An action of God without us q Verse 34. r Ephes. 1. 7. Col. 1. 14. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Rom. 4. 5 7. s Sess. 6. cap. 4. Vt sit translatio ab eo statu in quo homo nascitur silius primi Adami in statum gratiâ—… adoptionis filiorum Dei per secun dum Adamum Jesum Christum salvatorem nostrum Justification though it alwaies concurreth with Gods gracious actions within us yet it is carefully to be distinguished from them Ephes. 1. 6. Justification an action of God continued t Heb. 7. 25. Rom. 3. 25. u The Covenant of Grace Chap. 8. pag. 109. Whether Justification bee wrought but once and at once * a Cor. 4. 16. 1 Iohn 5. 1. Iohn 1. 12 13. Gal. 3. 2â—… Rom. 8. 17. The Papists confuted who deny it either to be an action of God or an action without us or continued The Causes of Justification The principall efficient Rom. 3. 26 30. 4. 5 6. 8. 30 33. Gal. 3. 8. a Iaâ—… 4. 12. b Psalm 51. 4. Esay 43. 25. 2 Cor. 5. 19. Ephes. 1. 6. c 1 Iohn 21. 2. d Matth. 6. 12. Rom. 8. 33. Exod. 34. 7. Esay 43. 25. Marke â—… 7. The Motives * Psalm 6. 2. 123. 3. 31. 9. f In Rom. 3. 24. Scriptura sacra non dicit nos justificare per solam gratiam sed per gratiam simul iustitiam sed utramque Dei hocest per gratiam Dei per iustitiam Dei non per justitiam hominum 2 Tim. 1. 9. â—… Ephes. 1. 6. Rom. 11. 5. Eph. 1. 5 6. 2. 5. 8 2 Tim. 1. 9. g Ephes. 2. 8 The Lord is alsâ—… just in justisying a sinner Rom. 3. 25 26. The actions of the three persons distinguished The Father Rom. 3. 25. Iohn 3. 16. The Sonne Esay 53. 11. Rom. 8. 34. 1 Iohn 2. 2. Heb.
Church a De justif b In Rom. 10. 10. c Ioh. 2. 23. Whether the Vnderstanding be commanded by the Will a De justif l. 1. c. 8. 9. b Heb. 1â—…3 c Basil. Ascet. de fide 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 d Ethic. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 80. The proper object of justifying faith Obj. concerning the object of Abrahams faith e Gen. 3. 15. f Psal. 72. 17. The two other promises He beleeved in the Lord and it was imputed unto him for righteousnesse that is because he beleeved in the Lord he was reputed a righteous mâ—…n â—…nd so Vatablus iâ—… Gen. 15. 6. Rom. 4. 10. The latter g Heb. 4. 9. h Ioh. 8. 56. i Heb. 11. 13. k Heb. 11. 8 9 14 16. Iam. 2. 23. m De justiâ—… l. 4. ca. 18. Possunt enim illa verba applicari adomneâ—… insignes actus fidei ejusdem Patriarchae Christ the proper object of faith in two respects n Covenant of grace Bellarmines objections De iustif l 1â—… c. 8 c. The first that the obiect of faith is whatsoever is revealed by God Father Almighty n Deut. 33. 26. Eternall Immutable Omniscient Omnipresent True and faithfull â—…ust Good and Gracious Loving Creatour and Provisour o Psal. 119. 75. p Deut. 8. 16. Christ God and Man Conceived of the holy Ghost borne c. Suffered Was crucified Dead Buried Descended to hell Rose againe Ascended Sitteth at Gods right hand He shall come againe to judgment The Holy Ghost The holy Ca. tholike Church Communion of Saints Forgivenesse of sinnes The Resurrection Life Eternall Whether every man bee bound to beleeve that hee is elected c. Ioh 3. 18. Whether a man may be justified without speciall faith Whether a man is justified by speciall faith r 2 Pet. 1. 10. s Covenant of Grace Whether justifying faith doth onely dispose a man to justification a Sess. 6. c. 6. Seven dispositions required before justification of which vide infra ca. 10 11 12. b Conc. Trid. Sess. 6. cap. 7. c Sess. 6. ca. 7. d In Rom. 10. 4. e Conc. Trid. sess 6. cap. 4. Secondly whether faith doth justifie formally f Lib. 4. g Lib. 4. 5. h Supr cap. 4. §. 6. The Papists cavill that we debate faith i Bellar. De justif l. 1. c. 12. §. Itaque sensum The state of the Controversie What wee meane by faith What is meant by the word justifie Of the exclusive particle alone That the object of faith doth justifie properly That nothing in that kind doth justifie but the righteousnesse of Christ as the matter and Faith as the onely instrument on our part Our prooses a In Gal. 2. 16. b De justif l 1. cap. 20. c §. Consirmat d Mat. 15. 28. Mar. 7. 29. e Act. 3. 16. his name through faith in his name Reasons 1. Rom. 8. 28. Gal. 2. 16. Eph. 2. 8. The second Reason containing a threesold argument The third reason because faith is the condition of the Covenant f Ioh. 3 16. Act. 10. 43. Gal. 3. 9. g Rom. 3. 27. The fourth reason because faith only in the question of justification is mentioned in the Scriptures h De justif l. 1. c. 20. §. Quod attinet i L. 6. c. lz § 2 â—… a AdDiogNetum Iustin. Martyr Ann. Dom 160. b Ibid. c Advers Iulian. lib. 1. c. 2. Irenaeus An. 180 lib. 4. ca. 5. Clemens Alex. An. 200. d Paedag. l. 1. c. 6. e Stromat l. 5. Origen An. 230 f In Rom. 3. l. 3. g De justif lib. 1. cap. 25. h Luk. 23. 40 41 42. i Luk. 7. 37. Cyprian An. 250 k Ad Quirinum l. 3. c. 42. l De eccl Theol. l. 1. ca. 12. m Hilar. An. 360 In Mat. can 8. n Can. 21. o De Trinit li. 6. Basil. An. 370. p Serm. De humilitaâ—…e q 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Aâ—…brosc A. 370. Greg. Nazianz. A. 370. r Bâ—…bliothec lib. 4. De consecrat dist 4. c. 99. Hieronymus A. 380. s De scriptorib in Hieronymo t Alitâ—…r ut Hieronymus exponiâ—… Chrysostome A. 390. u Homil. 2. * Homil. 7. x Homil. 8. y Homil. 14. z Homil 5. a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 b Homil. 3. c In Rom. 3. 28. d Tom. 6. p. 838. c Lib. 4. â—…n c. 14. Hesycbiusa 400 f De civit D. August an 400. g Grat de poenitenâ—…iâ dist c. 14. h Initio i Tract 42. k Lib. 1. cap. 21. l Quâ—…st 76. m in â—…oan l. 10. c. 18. Cyrill Alexandr An. 430. n Lib. 9. c. 30. o Sedulius in Collectanes p in Rom. i. 17. Theodâ—…ret An. 430. q De Curand Grac affectib lib. 7. r Epigram 8. De doctrina Evangelica r In Gen. lib. 3. Prosper An. 440. Cl. Mar. Victor t Pet. Chrys. An 440. sâ—…rm 34. Primisius An. 440. Theodulus Gennadius A. 490. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Venantius A. 570. Beda A. 720. Haymo A. 840. Photius A. 860 Smaragdus A. 950. Oecumenius A. 1050. Thâ—…ophylact A. 1070. Anselmus A. 1080. Rupertus an 1120. Bernard an 1130. Tho Aquinas an 1209. Bonaventure an 1260. Nic. Gorrham Cour. Clingius Car. Contarenus â—…n 1541. u Sess. 6. Can. 9. * De Sacrament lib. 2. cap. 3. in fine x Rom. 4. 23 24. y Ambrose in Gal. 3. 18. qui sorma jus rei est z Rom. 4. 11 Bellarmine disputeth the question three waies De justis l. 1. c. 12 Bellarmines dispute impertinent That faith doth not iustifie alone by way of disposing Bellarmines proveth by five sorts of arguments First from the seven dispositions which discourse is idle and impertinent Preparative dispositions to justifying faith The first disposition Faith Bellarmines argument faith doth but begin justification and therefore doth not justifie alone a Rom 5. 2. b Hab. 2. 4. Gal. 2. 20. c Rom. 1. 17. d Gen. 15 6. His first testimony Heb. 11. 6. c Esa. 21. 12. His second testimonie Rom. 10. 13. 14. f Esa. 56. 7. g Concord Evang. capâ—… h Strom. lib. 2. i Catech. 1. k Homil. 2. de symb l De fide spe charit m Lib. 4. in Ioan. cap. 9. n De sacramentis lib. 1 o In Eph. 3. p August in Gal. 3. q De praedestin S. c. 7. r De bono persever c 2. s De spiritu litera c. 30. t De verb. Apostoli serm 2. u Prosper de vita contempl l. 3. c. 21. * Respons ad dub 8. Gen. x Moral l. 2. c. 33 y 1 Pet. 1. 5. Bellarmines reasons De iustif l. 1. c. 13. § secunda a Luk. 18. 14. Bellarmines allegations impertinent The first Eccl. 1. 28. b Eccl. 1. 14. 16 1â—… c Iam. 1 20 d Prov. 14. 26. Bellarmines proofes from Scripture His Testimonies and Reason His third disposition Hope e 1 Cor. 9. 10. Testimonies of Scripture The three first f Prov. 28. 25. g Vers. 26. Psal. 37. 40. h Psal. 2. ult i Bellarmine in Psal. 90. 14. Testimonies of Fathers k Ambros. de poenit l. 1.
7. 25. 9. 24. Esay 53. 11. The holy Ghâ—…st Instrumentall causes The Ministerie of the Gospell 2 Cor. 5. 18 20. h Acts 16. 14. i Rom. 10. 14 17 1 Cor. 3. 5. Rom. 10. 9. Iohn 20. 23. Sacraments Rom. 4. 11. 2 Tim. 3. 5. Faith the instrument to receive 1. Faith justisieth not as it is an habit or gift in us but as it is the hand â—…o receive Christ. g De Justif. l. 1. cap. 17. h Lib. 4. i Rom. 4. 5. k Lib. 4. 7. * Rom. 10. 5. Secòndly it must be such a faith à s doth specially apprehend and embrace Christ. l Of this see moâ—…e Lib 6. c. 4. m See Lib. 6. c. 6. §. 2. n Ioh. 3. 16. Act. 16. 30 31. Fat h do h not dispose to justificatioâ—… but it do h actually justifie o Bellarm. de justificat lib. 1. ca 13. §. Secun da dispositio p Act. 13. 39. q Ioh. 5. 24. r Ioh. 6. 47. Faith doth not justifie absolutely in respect of its owne worth but relatively in respect of the object s See Lib. 6. cap. 4. §. 6. t Luk. 7. 50. Act. 3. 6. 12. â—…6 Act. 10. 43. Ioh. 20. 31. 2 Pet. 1. 1. The meaning of the question whether by faith or by workes How faith is said to justifie alone u Iaâ—… 2. 17. Faith doth not sanctifie alone The matter and forme of justification what they are a Bellarm. de justifi lib. cap. 2. b De Jacob. vitabeat l. 2. cap. 6. * Lib. 5. cap. 4. sect 4. c Matth. 12. 37. Rom 8. 33. 1 King 8. 32. Of the matter and forme distinctly The matter is that which is called the righteousnesse of God d See Lib. 4. c. 2. §. 2. Whether this righteousnesse of God be the righteousnesse of the Godhead e 1 Timâ—… 5. Whether it be the righteousnesse of the Manhood The innocencie of Christ. Iohn 8. 46. 1 Pet. 1. 19. 1 Pet. 1. 19. Heb. 7. 26. 1 Pet. 2. 22 23. f 2 Cor 5. 21. Heb. 4. 15. Christs positive righteousnesse Rom. 8. 2. The holinesse of his Nature Matth. 1. 22. Luk. 1. 35. Iohn 3. 34. Psal. 45. 7. Esai 11. 2. Ioh. 1. 14. Iohn 1. 16. Ephes. 4. 7. The holinesse of his lise Matth. 5. 1â—… Matth. 3. 15. Ioh. 8. 29. Rom. 8. 4. Esay 53. 11. Act 4. 27. Heb. 7. 26. 1 Ioh. 2. 20. Apoc. 3. 7. Act 3. 14. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. Act. 2. 27. Dan. 9. 24. His passive righteousnesse Phil. 2. 8. Gal. 3. 13. g 2 Cor. 8 9. h Heb. 12. 2. i Esay 53. 3. The righteousnesse of Christ by which wee are justified is the righteousnesse of God Ier. 23. 6. Rom. 9. 5. Act. 3. 15. k Luk. 1. 43. 1 Cor. 2. 8. Act. 2â—… 28. 1 Ioh. 1. 7. 3. 16. Rom. 5. 10. Rom. 5. 19. Phil. 2. 6 8. Gal. 4. 4 5. The consort arising from this doctrine * Heb. 9. 14. l 1 Pet. 1. 21. m Rom. 1. 4. n 1 Cor. 15 14. 17. o 1 Cor. 1. 30. p Ier. 23. 6. q Matth. 5. 6. r Matth. 6. 33. s Matth. 13. 46. t Esay 64. 6. u Phil. 3. 7 8. 9. u Phil. 3. 7 8. 9. 1 Cor. 1. 30. * Ier. 23. 26. Rom. 5. 9. 19. The formall cause Imputation of Christs righteousnesse * Rom. 5. 19. x â—…ul Scaliger de suâ—…til y De amiss gratia statu pecc lib. 5. cap. 17. § Itaque z De Justif. l. 2. sect cap 7. sect Quarto c. 10. sect Deinde a Esai 53. 11. b De justificat lib. 2. cap. 5. in fine Imputation of Christs righteousnesse denied not onely by Papists but also by some others The reason of their deniaâ—… confuted c Sum. 3. p. q. 48. art 2. q 49. arÌ„t 1. Caput membrum sunt quasi una perso na mystica ideo satisfactio Christi ad omnes fideles pertinet sicut ad â—…ua membra Rom. 4. 5. 6. 11. 2 Cor. 5. 21. The private opinions of some Divines concerning the matter of justification The first reason because there is no justification without the fulfilling of the Law a Psal. 132. 9. b Gal. 3. 27. c Matth. 22. 11. d Apoc. 19. 8. e Matth. 5. 18. f Lev. 18. 5. Rom. 10. 5. Gal 3. 12. g Rom. 3. 31. By the passive righteousnesse of Christ onely the Law is not fulfilled h Gal. 3. 13. i Rom. 10. 5. And that is defended against divers excepâ—…ons First that the Law is satisfied by bearing the penalty k De justis lib. 2. cap. 10. Scct. Deinde Secondly that those who are freed from hell are admitted untobeaven Thirdly that God may justifie by the passive righteousnesse onely if bee will l Rom. 3. 25 26. m Rom. 2. 2. n Rom. 5. 9. 19. o 2 Cor. 5. 21. p Rom. 5. 10. q Rom. 4. 25. 1 Cor. 1. 30. Dan. 9. 24. If by Christs fulfilling of the Law then by a legall righteousnesse r Gal. 4 5. s Rom. 1. 17. 3. 21. The second reason out of Rom. 5. 19. t Rom. 5. 19. u Heb. 9. 10. * Iam. 2. 10. x Gal. 3. 10. y Rom. 5. 18. z Rom. 8. 4. a Deut. 12. 32. b 1 Ioh. 3. 4. Thirdly because Christ bis obedience is accepted for uâ—… Matth. 5. 17. 3. 15. Ioh. 8. 29. c Rom. 5. 18. 8. 4. d Phil. 2. 8. e Phil. 2. 7. f Ioh. 17. 15. g Gal. 4. 5. h Phil. 2. 8. Rom. 10. 4. Chrysost. in Rom. 10. 4. i 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 k 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 n Perfectionem habet Legis qui credit in Christum o Homil. of salvation part 1. p Iâ—…st lib. 2. cap. 16. §. 5. Object 1. That Christ obeyed the Law not for us but for himseâ—…fe Luk. 17. 10. q Act. â—…0 28. r Phil. 2. 6 8. s 1 Tim. 3. 16. t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 2. 7. u Esay 40. 17. * Phil. 2. 8. Object 2. Of the Papists x Râ—…mists in Phil. 2. Sect. 1. That Christ merited for himselfe Phil. 2. 9. Luk. 24. 26. y Phil. 2. 3 4. 5. z ver 6 7 8. vers 9. a Prov. 15. 33. 18. 12. Luk. 18. 14. b Phil. 2. 9. c Act 13 33. Psal. 2. 7. Heb. 1. 5. Rom. 1. 4. Heb. 1. 4 5. * 1 Cor. 15. 14. 17. d 1 Pet. 1. 21. * See Cyril Thesaur lib. 3. cap. 2. Christs â—…xaltation was bis manifestation to be the Sonne of God Ioh. 17. 5. Esay 45. 22. Apoc. 5. 12. Heb. 2. 9. e See D. Fulke in his answer to the Rhemists Heb. 2. 9. Object 3. If Christ obeyed the Law for us then we need not to obâ—…y it 2 Pet. 1. 10. Object 4. If we bee justified by the obedience of his life what needed hee to die for us Our fourth rea son to what end served the obe dience Christ iâ—… we bâ—… justified onely by his susserings f â—…oh 8. 29. g Matth.