in due season and without delay and not alwayes and that the clause concerning the reward of the Lord is not in the Greeke Text then can it not be denied but that Bellarmine endevoured against his owne conscience to father his errour upon the Sonne of Sirach howbeit the reason which he rendreth is Pharisaicall For unto the first justification saith he of sinners not reward but indulgence agreeth as though there were any reward of our righteousnesse which alwayes in this life is impure and imperfect Esai 64. 6. but by indulgence If thou Lord should'st marke what is amisse O Lord who shall stand but with thee there is mercy or indulgence that thou maist be feared Psal. 130. 3 4. To them that love God and keepe his Commandements the Lord sheweth mercy Exod. 20.6 To thee Lord mercie for thou reward'st a man meaning the godly man according to his works Psalm 62. 12. which plainely sheweth that the reward of good workes is to be ascribed to Gods mercy and indulgence and not to our defect for it is great mercy that hee pardoneth the imperfection and iniquity of our good workes greater that he accepteth of them in Christ but greatest that hee graciously rewardeth them and who knoweth not that eternall life it selfe which is the reward that endureth for ever is the free and undeserved gift of God not rendred to our merits but given of his free grace § IV. His second testimony is Iam. 2.24 You see then that a man is justified by workes and not by faith onely Answ. Of this place wee are hereafter to treat more fully Now we are onely to cleare the signification of the word which in this place most evidently signifieth not to bee justified before God or made just but to bee approved or declared just In which sense the Schoolemen themselves doe teach that good workes doe justifie declarativè But here it may be objected that Saint Iames in this place speaketh of that justification whereunto faith concurreth with good workes and good workes with faith But to declare a man to bee justified faith being an inward and hidden grace of the heart hath no use or efficacy but it selfe is to be declared and manifested by workes as it is verse 18. Answ. The Apostle doth not speake of justifying faith it selfe but of the profession thereof or of saith professed onely as appeareth by the fourteenth verse where the question is propounded What doth it profit my brethren if a man shall say hee hath faith and have not workes can that faith which is in profession onely save him Now to the justification of a man before men and declaration of him to bee a man justified before God two things are requisite the profession of the true faith and a godly conversation answerable to that profession For neither good workss declare a man to bee justified if they bee not joyned with the profession of the true faith neither doth the profession of faith justifie a man before men if his faith cannot bee demonstrated by good workes And in this sense it is said that a man is justified that is knowne to bee just by workes and not by faith onely § V. His third testimony is Apoc. 22.11 Qui justus est justificetur adhuc hee that is just let him bee justified still Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place doth not signifie to bee justified but to be just as the word is often used not onely in the translation of the Septuagints but also in the new Testament as I have shewed before as being the translation not of the passive but of tsadaq the verbe neuter in Cal which signifieth not to bee justified but to bee just And this exposition is confirmed first by the words going before He that doth wrong let him doe wrong still hee that is filthy let him bee filthy still and so hee that is just let him bee just still Secondly by the authority of the Complutensis editio of the Kings Bible of Andraeas Caesariensis and of Arethas in Apoc. who instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him worke righteousnesse of some Latine editions of the vulgar translation which instead of justificetur read justitiam faciat and lastly of Cyprian who rendreth the place thus justus adhuc justiora faciat This place therefore doth not speake of the encrease of our justification before God which cannot bee encreased and much lesse are wee exhorted unto it for as soone as a man is justified hee standeth righteous before God in the most perfect righteousnesse of CHRIST which admitteth no encrease but of perseverance in righteousnesse Moreover the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still doth not signifie encrease but continuance § VI. And these were Bellarmine his three first significations of the word justification whereof not any one can bee proved out of the word of God Fourthly saith he It is taken for the declaration of justice after a judiciall manner in which sense hee â—…s said to be justified who when he had beene by the accuser made guilty of some iniquity is by the sentence of the Iudge declared iust and absolved And to this purpose hee alleageth not onely Prov. 17. 15. hee that justifieth the wicked and condemneth the just c. And Esay 5. 23. But which are not so pertinent Luk. 7. 35. and Luk. 10. 29. Now saith hee of the foure acceptions of the word our adversaries teach this fourth to be most proper As for the â—…econd and the third which ariseth from the second they say it is improper and not to bee found in any approved Authors But of this matter saith hee wee will discourse Libro 2. Cap. 3. whether wee will follow him In the meane time let it bee observed that the Papists who cannot approve their owne acceptions of the word by any one place of Scripture doe neverthelesse acknowledge that use of the word which we doe maintaine But whereas hee doth insinuate that we doe therefore reject the second and third significations because the word is not so used in approved Authors I answer if hee speake of the Latine word as hee doth that it is not used of the Authors of the Latine tongue at all and in the Latine edition of the Scriptures and from thence in other Ecclesiasticall writers it is used as the translation of the Hebrew and the Greeke and must accordingly bee understood And if of the Greeke that it is not used indeed of the Authors of the Greeke tongue in the Popish sense But that is not the reason why wee reject those senses but because they are not to bee found in the holy Scriptures CAP. V. Bellarmines discourse concerning the signification of the word justification de Iustif. lib. 2. cap. 3. examined § I. BVT let us examine Bellarmines disputation concerning the signification of the word Lib. 2. Cap. 3. where alleaging 〈◊〉 5. 17 18 19. to prove
before all secular times but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour 2 Tim. 1. 9. By his gracious favour in Christ God hath redeemed us reconciled us unto himselfe adopted us and not by our charity or any thing in us And finally by his gracious favor we are saved through faith and not of works or of any grace or righteousnesse iuherent in us that he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Iesus Christ Eph. 2. 7 8. Therefore by the gracious favour of God in Christ and not by any grace inherent in us the Lord doth justifie us and therfore the sacred fathers of Trent must take home to themselves according to the censure of the Apostle Gal. 1. 8. 9. that Anathema which they denounce against those who say that the grace whereby wee are justified is onely the gracions favour of God in Christ. § V. Against the proposition if it bee objected that the grace of election is eternall but the benefit of vocation and the rest is temporall and therefore not the same I answer that although the benefit of vocation and of the rest be given us in time yet the grace by which we are called justified and saved is eternall 2 Tim. 1. 9. And therefore Bellarmines distinction of grace into eternall by which wee were elected and temporary by which wee are called and justified is idle and to no purpose § VI. If againe it be objected that by what grace we are sanctified by the same we are justified by inherent grace we are sanctified therefore by inherent grace we are justified I answer by distinction of the phrase by grace for if therby be meant the efficient cause then I confesse the proposition to wit that by what grace we are sanctified we are also justified For the same gracious favor of God is the efficient cause as wel of our sanctification as of our justification and I deny the assumption But if by that phrase be meant the essentiall câ—…use that is the matter or the forme of our sanctification then I confesse the assumption and deny the proposition For by the inherent graces wherin our habitual sanctification consisteth we are sanctified but we are justified not by any grace inherent but onely by the righteousnesse of Christ as I have shewed before and hereafter shall fully prove in its due place For wee are justified by the grace that is the gracious favour of God in Christ gratis in respect of us that is without any cause or desert in us through the redemption which is in Christ without the works of the Law that is without respect of any obedience performed by us or righteousnesse inherent in us that is prescribed in the Law which is the perfect rule of all inherent righteousnesse § VII If in the third place it be objected that faith is a grace inherent but we are justified by faith Or thus faith doth justifie faith is a grace inherent therefore some grace inherent doth justifie I answer againe by distinction that faith doth not justifie as it is a grace or quality inherent or as it is a part of our inherent righteousnesse but relatively as it is the instrument as hath beene said before to receive Christ who is our righteousnesse neither doth faith properly but the object thereof which it apprehendeth justifie As it is the almes properly which releeveth the poore man not the hand which receiveth it For when we say that a man is justified by faith without workes or by faith alone our meaning is that we are justified by the righteousnes of Christ alone which is apprehended by faith onely without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in us or obedieuce performed by us § VIII Fourthly the justifying and saving grace is expressed many times by other words of like signification to the gracious favour of God which cannot be drawne to signifie our charity or any grace inherent in us As appeareth both by such synonyma as are joyned with it in the same places as grace and love 2 Cor. 13. 14. Grace and mercie 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2. Tit. 1. 4. 2 Iohn 3. and also by parallelling other places as where it is said Tit. 2. 11. When the grace of God appeared the same is expressed thus chap. 3. 4. When the kindnesse of God and his love towards man appeared And where in some places it is said that wee are justified or saved by his grace or according to his grace in others it is said according to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his good will and pleasure Eph. 1. 5. 9. Phil. 2. 13. according to his mercy Tit. 3. in which place these foure words are used as Synonyma signifying the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindnes or bounty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace This grace of God is notably expressed Eph. 2. 4. 5. 7. 8. by divers words of the like signification God who is rich in mercie for his great love wherewith he loved us hath when wee were dead in our sinnes quickened us together with Christ by grace you are saved that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Iesus Christ for by grace yee are saved through faith c. here is the riches of his mercie the exceeding riches of his grace his greatlove wherewith hee loved us his bounty towards us in Christ and all to set forth his saving grace So in the Old Testament mercie and grace are used as words of the like signification Exo. 33. 19. I will bee gracious to whom I will bee gracious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy which text the Apostle rendreth thus Rom. 9. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercie and I will have compassion of whom I will have compassion Exod. 34. 6. where the Lord proclaiming his goodnesse or bounty before Moses as hee had promised chap. 33. 19. expresseth it in these termes The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in chesed ve emeth in bounty and truth which in the New Testament are translated grace and truth keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity c. So Psal. 86. 15. Thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long suffering and plenteous in mercie and truth Likewise Psal. 130. 8. 2 King 13. 3. So also Psal. 145. 8 9. the Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy the Lord is good to all and his mercies are over all his workes And in like manner Nehem. 9. 17. thou art a God of condonations that is ready to pardon gracious and mercifull slâ—…w to anger and of great bounty § IX Fifthly if justifying grace were inherent there would be no such opposition as the Apostle
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
Spirit it selfe beareth witnesse with our Spirit that we are the Children of God and if Children Heires of God and coheires with Christ who shall be glorified with Christ if hee hath given us grace not onely to beleeve but also to suffer with him and for him he doth not say that our suffering doth make us sonnes and heires of God who shall be glorified with him but the Spirit beareth witnesse that if we suffer with him we are the sonnes and heires of God who shall be glorified with him So 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. If we suffer wee shall reigne with him if we patiently suffer it is not a cause but a signe that we shall reigne with him Rom. 8. 1. There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus But how shall we know who they are that shall be saved by Christ that walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit where walking after the Spirit is not the cause of salvation but a signe of their being in Christ which is the cause Christ is the foundation and cause of all our happinesse and faith is the only instrument whereby wee receiving Christ are united unto him all other graces and duties unto which happinesse any where is ascribed as it is to many Matth. 5. 3. c. Psalm 112. 1. c. are but notes of our being in Christ by faith and presages of our future happinesse Thus in the same chapter Rom. 8. 13. If by the Spirit yee doe mortifie the deeds of the body that is of the flesh as the vulgar Latine rendreth it and as Paul speaketh 1 Cor. 9. 27. Ye shall live So Rom. 10. 13. Whosoever calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved that is whosoever hath this grace given him unto him truly to worship God it is an evident signe and assurance unto him that he shall be saved and so of the like Ambrose this is the signe of justification in a man that by that which dwelleth in him he that is justified may appeare to be the Sonne of God § XII As evidences according to which the Lord will judge For so it is often said that God will judge men acccording to their workes Thus Matth. 25. 34 35. Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world for when I was hungry you gave me meat c. this rationall particle for though it be called causall and the sentence where it is used is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the rendring of the cause doth not imply a cause properly so called but any argument or reason as I have shewed heretofore as here it implyeth an argument from the fruits as signes and evidences of their bleessednesse in Christ by faith The causes of this sentence of salvation are set downe vers 34. First because they are blessed of God that is justified Secondly because elected for whom God in his eternall purpose hath provided this kingdome Thirdly in that it is called the inheritance purchased for them that truely beleeve in Christ who as soone as they beleeve are by justification blessed as being entitled or having right to this Heavenly inheritance and this is implyed in the Verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 inherit shewing that they come to that kingdome by right of inheritance Salvation therefore is given as a freâ—… gift of God depending upon election and justification and as an inheritance purchased by Christ for all true beleevers and therefore not merited by them that are saved But because God hath promised salvation to all that have true faith in Christ which is a secret and inward grace and many men deceive themselves with a vaine opinion and profession of it therefore the Lord will judge of men according to the fruits thereof when as men therefore professing the true faith doe demouâ—…trate their faith by good workes and namely by the workes of charity and mercie they give good proofe of their election whereby this kingdome was prepared for them and of their redemption by which Christ purchased this inheritance for them and of their justification whereby they are entituled to this kingdome and so are blessed of God And therefore according to these fruits Christ pronounceth the sentence of salvation § XIII Wherefore to proceed in my answeres to the afore said objection for by that which hath beene said it appeareth Fifthly that eternall life is not deserved by our obedience because it is the free gift of God depending upon Gods free election Sixthly because we come to it as to an inheritance purchased by Christs merits and not by ours Seventhly though it be a reward yet it presupposeth no merit of ours because it is a free and undeserved reward whereby the Lord out of his meere bounty doth crowne his owne gifts Ea enim est Dei bonitas saith learned Casaubon ut beneficia gratuitò in suos collata aliâ—… beneficiis coronet atque hoc mercedem appellet such is the goodnesse of God that such benefits as he hath freely bestowed upon his children he crowneth with other benefits and this hee calleth reward nihil tamen saith Calvin quasi debitum solvens sed mercedis titulum imponens suis beneficiis not as rendring any debt but imposing the name of reward on his owne benefits § XIV Now let us examine the testimonies which Bellar. alleageth wherein upon condition of obedience eternall life is promised The first is Matth. 5. 20. unlesse your righteousnesse exceed the righteousnes of the Scribes and Pharisees ye shall not enter into the Kingdome of heaven which words containe directly a threatning and not a promise for hee doth not say if your righteousnesse doe exceed the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees which was but externall and in outward shew yee shall enter into the Kingdome of heaven but if it doe not which argueth that internall righteousnesse is necessary to salvation necessitate 〈◊〉 as causa sine qua non but doth not prove it to be so necessitate efficientiae And so doe other threatnings Heb. 12. 14. Luk. 13. 3. Matth. 25. 42. 1 Cor. 6. 9. Gal. 5. 21. § XV. The second testimony is Mat. 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commandements Where a rich man being a justitiray as many of the Iewes were quia omnis spes salâ—…tis apud Iudaeos in operibus erat non in fide taking it for granted that by his workes he must bee saved but not satisfied as justitiaries never are but ever remaine doubtfull and uncertaine of their justification as wee see in the Papists I say not satisfied with all that obedience which he had performed from his youth up but finding that something still was lacking hee commeth to our Saviour to know what good works those were by doing whereof he might bee saved Good Master saith hee what good thing shall I doe that I may inherit eternall life To
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
grace we are saved and not by workes Ephes. 2. 8 9. Now we must remember that that grace is not grace any way which is not gracious every way Non enim gratia Dei gratia erit ullo modo nisi fuerit gratuita omni modo § XVI These conditions of merit whereof none agreeth to our workes as I have shewed all of them are found in Christs meritorious obedience both active and passive The three first because our Saviour was and is both God and man The fourth with all the foure branches thereof for first it was his owne and from himselfe Mereri â—…jus est saith Hilarie qui sibi ipse meriti acquirendi author existat For although what he had he had from God yet he had his power of meriting not from an externall principle but from himselfe as being God not by grace but by nature and by generation Secondly it was libera non debita free and not of duety because he is God Esa. 53. 7. Oblatus est quia ipse voluit Ioh. 10. 17 18. Thirdly it was most perfect absolute The seventh because it was more than hee did owe. The eighth because his merits are of infinite valew and therefore condigne to the glorie which shall be revealed Insomuch that Pope Clement whom Bellarmine doth follow did not sticke to say guttam unam sanguinis Christi propter infinitam personae dignitatem ad totius mundi redemptionem sufficere pâ—…tuisse The ninth because by his sufferings the justice of God is fully satisfied and by his obedience heaven is al-sufficiently merited for us even according to the rule of justice But not one of the nine conditions agreeth to the obedience and sufferings of any mortall man Therefore not the obedience of any meere man is truely and properly meritorious but onely the obedience of Christ to whom alone merit is properly to be ascribed To these reasons we may adde all those arguments which I produced either to prove that we are not justified by any righteousnesse inherent or that we are not justified nor saved by works which arguments for number were many and for strength impregnable but especially those which did prove either that all our obedience is defective and stayned with the flesh or that wee are not able perfectly to fulfill the Law of God For if our obedience be unperfect and defective then is it farre from meriting any thing but punishment And if wee bee not able to â—…lfill the Law then are wee in our selves subject to the Curse of the Law so farre are wee from meriting heaven by our owne obedience CHAP. VIII Testimonies of Scripture disproving merits vindicated from Bellarmines cavills § I. NOw I come to testimonies of Scriptures and first those which Bellarmine by his sophistry seeketh to wring from us And first wee alleage those testimonies which ascribe the reward of good workes to Gods mercie and not to our merits As Exod. 20. 6. Psalm 62. 12. 103. 4 17. Gal. 6. 16. Mat. 5. 7. But more specially Tit. 3. 5. Eph. 2. 8 9. From whence we argue thus That which is freely given of Gods meere mercie and grace is not rendred to our merits as deserved thereby and whatsoever is rendred as due to our merits that is not given of grace Eternall life is freely given of Gods meere mercie and grace which is proved by the testimonies alleaged Therefore it is not rendred ro our merits as deserved thereby To the proposition Bellarmine seemeth to answere or rather to the conclusion that eternall life though it bee rendred to our merits yet is given of Gods free mercie But the proposition is generally true For to him that worketh and by his work meriteth the reward is given not according to grace but according to debt Rom. 4. 4 And such is the opposition between merit and grace that what is of grace is not of works and what is of workes is not of grace Rom. 11. 6. Omne meritum saith Aquinas repugnat gratiae And Bellarmine himselfe Gratia inde nâ—…men accepit quod gratis detur oppâ—…nitur autem debito Likewise Bernard Non est quo gratia intret ubi iam meritum occupavit And againe Deest gratiae quicquid meritis deputas So that grace and workes mercie and merit cannot stand together If therefore eternall life be of workes it is not of grace and if of merit then not of mercie § II. Yea but Bellarmine will prove that eternall life is to bee ascribed both to Gods mercie and our merit by two expositions which he saith Augustine giveth of the places alleaged the one wherein he joyneth Gregory with him That eternall life though it bee the due reward of merits yet it is called gratia because the merits themselves to which it is rendred are the free gifts of grace Whereunto I reply that the assertions both of Augustine and also of Gregory make strongly against the merit of condignity For if eternall life be called grace as he faith because it is freely given and the good workes which he unproperly calleth merits be also the free gifts of God how is it possible that eternall life should bee rendred to them as a deserved reward â—…f it be freely given how is it rendred as a debt If good works be Gods free gifts they mâ—…ke us debtours to God not him to us Augustine in that Epistle cited by Bellarmiue saith Debita redditur poena damnato indebita gratia liberato ut nec ille se indignum queratur nec dignum se iste glorietur si autem gratia nullis utique meritis reddita sed gratuita bonitate donata And againe Ipsa vita aeterna gratia nuncupatur nec ob aliud nisi quia gratis detur And yet againe Quaerimus meritum misericordiae nec invenimus quia nullum est ne gratia evacuetur si non gratis donatur sed meritis redditur Augustine therefore speaketh of good workes as the free gifts of Gods grace and therefore not merits properly but onely such workes as God will freely reward Bellarmine himselfe being the Interpreter and of eternall life hee speaketh as the free and undeserved reward of good workes quae gratia nuncupatur non ob aliud nisi quia gratis datur Eternall life is called grace for no other respect but because it is freely given The same Augustine writing on those words of Psalm 63. 3. Melior est misericordia super vitas saith Multae sunc vitae humanae sed Deus unam vitam promittis non illam dat nobis quasi propter merita nostra sed propâ—…er misericordiam suam Gregory writing on those words Psal. 143. 8. Cause me to heare thy mercie in the morning where by morning he understandeth the future resurrection wherein Gods mercy shall be shewed towards the faithfull hee frameth this objection If that felicity of the Saints bee mercie and is not acquired by merits what shall
non debita sed gratuita not wages but a free reward For so in this very place he calleth it first donum mercedis the gift of reward secondly gratuitum free thirdly in the words next following gratuitam mercedem a free reward and lastly hee saith that the gift of grace doth give the reward of the Law well and blamelessely kept to them that beleeve by faith being of the last made the first that is saved For the first which were made last who murmured at this free reward were of the many that were called but not of the few which are chosen Absurd therefore is his answere who saith that Hillarie saith no more but that faith and justification by faith is the free gift of God but that there is not a word to signifie that heaven is not the wages of good workes which notwithstanding is the thing to bee concluded from hence So that according to this wife exposition by the wages which according to the parable is in the evening given to the labourers is faith or justification by faith meant and not eternall life which is the end of our faith and the reward of all our labours which according to the judgement of all Writers even Bellarmine himselfe is signified by the day-penny given to them who of the last were made first For the day-penny was both the mercenary wages contracted for by those who were first and the free reward which the bounty of the Master of the vineyard bestowed freely on the last who were made first that is saved § X. Ambrose after hee had said Hîc quidem luctamur sed alibi coronamur Here we wrestle but elsewhere we are crowned lest he should seeme to arrogate unto himselfe as if by his wrestling hee deserved the crowne addeth by way of prevention I spake not of my selfe alone but of all men in generall Nam unde mihi tantum meriti cui indulgentia pro corona est for whence should I have so great merit to whom indulgence is for a crowne Hence I reason thus to whom Gods indulgence or mercie in pardoning their sinnes is their crowne they cannot plead their merits But to Ambrose and to all good men indulgence is their crowne therefore they cannot plead their merits Wherefore this was not more humbly than truely spoken of Ambrose And elsewhere which of us can subsist without mercie quid possumus dignum praemiis facere coelestibus what can wee doe worthy the heavenly rewards by what merit of man is it granted that this corruptible flesh should put on incorruption the sufferings of this time are unworthy to the glory that is to come Therefore the forme of heavenly decrees doth proceed with men not according to our merits but according to Gods mercie To this a frivolous answere is given that Ambrose speaketh of merits as contradistinguished from Gods mercie when Ambrose speaketh of himselfe and of all the faithfull who are endued with grace who notwithstanding are not able to doe or suffer any thing worthy of the future glory § XI Basil on those wordes Psalm 33. 18. the eye of the Lord is upon them that hope in his mercy hee saith that he doth hope in his mercie who not trusting in his owne good deeds nor looking to bee justified by workes hath the hope of salvation onely in the mercies of God To this an impudent answere is given that they are said to hope in Gods mercie who hope that their good workes proceeding from the grace of God are by his mercie made meritorious of eternall life For which they have have no ground either in Scriptures or Fathers praeter impudentiam asseverandi And surely if this had beene Basils meaning he should have set downe the description of a proud justitiarie rather than of an humble Christian such as he intended to describe For speaking of those words who hope in his mercie he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. the Psalmist setteth forth the humility of them that serve the Lord how doe they hope on his mercies for hee that doth not trust to his owne good deeds nor expecteth to bee justified by workes but hath his onely hope of salvation in the mercies of God but he that trusteth that by the grace of God his workes are made meritorious hee doth with the Pharisee trust in his workes as proceeding from grace For the Pharisee though he acknowledged his righteousnesse to come from God and therefore thanketh him for it yet he is noted to have trusted in himselfe The mercie of God in which the faithfull hope is his mercie in forgiving their sinnes not in making their good workes meritorious as appeareth by the words immediately following for saith Basil when he shall call that saying to minde Behold the Lord and his reward to render to every man according to his worke and shall consider his owne evill deeds he is indeed afraid of punishment and through feare subjecteth himselfe to those things which are threatned but that hee may not be swallowed up of sorrow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he conceiveth good hope looking to the mercies of God and his love to mankinde 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and the hope which he conceiveth is this that his soule shall be delivered from death But though they cannot answer this place yet they will clavum clavo petere and requite us with another out of Basil which shall be answerâ—…d in his due place In the meane time I adde two other Testimonies out of Basil for writing on those words of the Psalme And redeeme us for thy mercies sake See saith he how hee concludeth his speech After a thousand virtues whence doth hee pray to be saved By Gods mercie and bounty 3. And againe in Psal. 23. 5. where David having descrybed the just and upright man who shall bee saved saith this man shall receive the blessing from God and mercy from God his Saviour Here saith Basil he sheweth the fruit of good deedes and very fitly did he conjoyne blessing and mercy For the rewards which men doe thinke of are granted to men onely for Gods bounty sake For all the righteousnesses of men doe not equall so much as the gifts already granted much lesse those which are to come which doe exceed the thought of man § XII Hierome Pro nihilo salvos facies eos haud dublum quin 〈◊〉 qui â—…on prâ—…prio meritâ—… sed Dei salvantur clementia for nothing thou shalt save them no doubt he meaneth the just who are not saved by their owne merit but by the mercy of God 2. Againe Animadverte quod beatam se dicat Maria Mater Domini non 〈◊〉 merito atque virtute sed Dei in se habitantis clementia Observe that the blessed Virgin calleth her selfe blessed not by her owne merit or virtue but by the clemency of God dwelling in her 3. And againe Tunc justi sumus then we are just when wee confesse
that they are not ex condigno meritorious at all as I have sufficiently proved before That they are condignely meritorious in respect of the worke it selfe onely and not in respect of the Promise or Covenant was the opinion of Cardinall Cajetan and of Dominicus à Soto That they are condignely meritorious not ex ratione operis but ex raâ—…ione pacti acceptatiotis divinae was the opinion of Scotus and some other Schoolemen and of Andreas Vega. But both these opinions Bellarmine rejecteth and embraceth the third that good workes are condignely meritorious not onely ratione pacti but also ratione operis Howbeit the former part of this Assertion seemeth to imply a contradiction For that which is due ratione pacti gratuiti cannot also bee due ratione operis ipsius unlesse there bee an equall proportion betweene the worke and reward If I promise to a Labourer in the vineyard for a dayes worke an hundred pounds the summe is due in respect of the promise or covenant but not deserved by the Labourer Such or rather greater is the disproportion betweene our workes and the heavenly reward Besides that which is due ratione pacti gratâ—…iti is freely and undeservedly bestowed but the reward which is rendred to condigne merit is justly deserved § III. And whereas Bellarmine propoundeth a distinction of eternall glory or happinesse saying that it may be considered either as it is an inheritance or as it is a reward and saith as it is an inheritance it is due to the persons of the faithfull by right of adoption but as it is a reward it is due to their workes by promise or covenant first I answere that this distinction is unperfect for eternall glory may be considered three waies either as a free gift given unto us in Christ before all secular times without respect of workes and prepared for us from the beginning of the world or as the inheritance purchased by Christ or as a reward of our piety Secondly this distinction contradicteth three of his assertions first the maine assertion which in this placâ—… he laboureth to prove viz. that the good workes of the godly doe condignely merit eternall life even for the workes sake For as it is our inheritance or as it is eternall life which hee calleth the first degree of eternall glory himselfe confesseth both here in the seventeenth Chapter as also before in the fourteenth that it is not rendred to the merit of our workes but is due to the persons of the faithfull jure adoptionis by the right of adoption as they are the sonnes and heires of God which right they have before they bring forth good workes which as hee truely saith doth manifestly appeare in regenerated infants which dye in their infancy And therefore it is evident by Bellarmines owne confession both in this place and also in the fourteenth Chapter that our heavenly inheritance which is eternall life it selfe is not merited by our workes but is purchased by the merits of Christs our Saviour and therefore is one and the same to all that are saved For as I have said heretofore as the merit of Christ is equally imputed to all that beleeve so the reward of Christs merit in respect of the substance as it is the eternall inheritance or eternall life shall equally be given to all that beleeve § IV. Againe as it is a reward it is given ex pacto gratuito by a free promise and therefore not merited by our workes but according to the promise freely given and not ratione operis as deserved thereby Secondly in explication of this distinction Bellarmine saith that whereas there are divers degrees of heavenly glory or happinesse yet the first onely which is our heavenly inheritance it selfe or life eternall is due to the persons of the sonnes of God by right of adoption the rest are due to workes by promise or covenant which contradicteth two other assertions For that which truely hee saith here and in the fourteenth Chapter that the first degree which is our heavenly inheritance or eternall life it selfe or salvation is due to the persons of the faithfull by right of adoption and not to their workes confuteth that assertion of his in his twentieth Chapter that eternall life even in respect of the first degree is rendred to the merit of good workes And againe that which he truely saith in his nineteenth Chapter that God doth reward good workes supra condignum above their desert and that incomparabiliter ineffabiliter as he citeth there out of Fulgentius confuteth that which here he laboureth to prove good works doe condignely merit the rewards of heavenly happinesse meaning thereby the degrees of eternall glory and that not onely ratione pacti sed etiam ratione operis It is true that there bee divers degrees of heavenly glory wherewith God doth crowne his children in mercie and loving kindnesse neither is it to be doubted but that to those whom God hath endued with greater measure of grace causing them to bee more fruitfull of good workes and making them more excellent instruments of his glory and of the good of his chosen he will give them a greater measure of glory crowning as I have said before his greater graces with greater glory For as all that beleeve in Christ are equally justified but not all equally endued with grace so all the faithfull shall bee equally saved but not all equally made partakers of glory And as the greater measure of grace is the free gift of God and not our merit so is the greater measure of glory wherewith he crowneth his greater graces wholly to bee ascribed to his grace and not to our merit § V. Now let us briefly examine his seven arguments which hee bringeth to prove that every good worke of the righteous in respect of the worke it selfe is condignely meritorious of eternall life Briefly I say for they are not worthy to be stood upon nor yeâ—… indeed to be mentioned but onely to shew the weakenesse of the Popish cause which admitteth no better proofes which evidently appeareth by this that our challenging Ieâ—…uit when hee taketh upon him to prove the merit of condignity contenteth himselfe with the very same arguments for want of better His first Reason Because life eternall is grace for grace Ioh. 1. 16. that is the grace of reward for the grace of merits or charity of our countrey for the charity of the way But betweene grace and grace sine dubio without doubt there is great likenesse and proportion No doubt but there is some likenesse betweene grace and glory for grace is gloria inchoata glory is gratia consummata But where is the equality on which condignity of merit should be grounded and which hee propounded to prove in the next words going before And if both the worke bee grace and the reward bee grace how can there bee merit of condignity in the
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
in regard of it selfe but relatively in respect of that righteousnesse which it doth apprehend If it be said that faith as the instrument receiveth remission of sinne because by it we are assured thereof I answer that by faith receiving Christ we have remission of sinnes and justification before we can by speciall faith be assured of it And it is a great absurdity as elsewhere I have shewed to teach that men must beleeve and be assured of the remission of their sinnes to the end that they may be remitted § XIII I shall not need therefore to say any more in this place unlesse it be to give a Caveat to all young Divines that they give no credit to these Novelties which either affirme that wee are justified by the passive righteousnesse of Christ onely or deny that wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ at all as the matter of our justification By Matter I understand that very thing which is imputed as our onely righteousnesse by which wee stand perfectly righteous before God by imputation whereof we are both freed from hell and also entituled to the kingdome of heaven And let all men take notice that these opinions howsoever to some they seeme matters of small importance are notwithstanding very dangerous if not pernicious seeing they concerne our very title to the kingdome of heaven and seeing alâ—…o I have proved in this Treatise that without imputation of Christs righteousnesse there can be no justification nor salvation For all will confesse that without Christs obedience and sufferings none can bee justified or saved and that they justifie or save none but them onely to whom they are communicated and applyed But they cannot be communicated otherwise than by imputation whereby God accepteth them in our behalfe as if we had in our owne persons performed them for our selves Againe these foure assertions I hold for undoubted truthes first that what Christ our blessed Saviour in the daies of his flesh did or suffered in obedience to God he did and suffered not for himselfe but for us secondly that whatsoever he did and suffered for us that beleeve that the Lord accepteth in the behalfe of all that beleeve thirdly that what he accepteth in our behalfe that he imputeth unto us for by imputation wee meane nothing else fourthly to say that what Christ did and suffered for us God doth not accept in our behalfe is both blasphemous against Christ the wisedome of his Father as if hee did and suffered those things which he did and suffered in vaine and also pernicious unto us for if Christs doings and sufferings for us bee in vaine as they are if they bee not imputed to us then is our faith vaine and wee remaine in our sinnes and in the wofull state of damnation § XIV But some will say it is sufficient to beleeve that by the merits of Christ we have remission of sinne and that having remission of sinnes we shall be saved by him Answ. Yea but God forgiveth no sinnes for which his justice is not fully satisfied For as he is mercifull so he is just in forgiving our sinnes But no such satisfaction can bee imagined but that of Christ. For we our selves are not able to satisfie for our sinnes but by eternall punishment And how shall we have remission by Christs satisfaction if it be not applyed and communicated unto us how can it be communicated and made ours but by imputation And that the very papists themselves are at length forced to confesse And where they say that having remission of sinnes they shall be saved I confesse it is true because with Gods remission of sinnes there doth alwayes concurre imputation of righteousnesse But the bare remission of sinne without imputation of righteousnesse which onely freeth a man from the guilt of sinne and damnation doth not entitle him or give him right to the kingdome of heaven It is one thing to have by faith remission of sinnes and another to have by faith inheritance among them that be sanctified Act. 26. 18. Eternall life is not to bee had without perfect fulfilling of the Law which is no where to bee found but onely in Christ. And therefore by the onely meritorious obedience of Christ by which he hath merited and purchased salvation for us wee are saved But how should we be saved by his obedience if it be not communicated unto us and made ours for our selves how can it bee made ours but by imputation wherefore no imputation of Christs obedience no salvation CAP. VI. The end or finall cause the essentiall parts the fruits and consequents of justification § I. THE finall cause or end for which God doth justifie a sinner by imputation of Christs righteousnesse is either supreme or subordinate The supreme is the manifestation of the glory both of his mercy and of his justice as is noted in the definition which as they doe concurre in all the worke of God Psalm 145. 17. so especially in the worke of redemption and justification For therein the mercy of God appeareth to be so great that rather than hee would suffer us most miserable sinners to perish in our sinnes he hath sent his owne and his only begotten Son that we might be justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein hee hath made us accepted in his beloved His justice also such that rather than hee would suffer the sinnes of his owne elect to goe unpunished or forgive them without due satisfaction hee hath punished them in his owne Sonne and exacted from him a full satisfaction for them having set him forth to be a propitiation through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse through the forgivenesse of sinnes which are past by the sufferance of God to demonstrate I say his righteousnesse at this time that hee might be just and the justifier of him who beleeveth in Iesus Not unto us therefore not unto us as if we were justified by our owne righteousnesse or worthinesse but to the name of God all glory is due for his mercy and for his righteousnesse sake who doth justifie us not of workes lest wee should glory in our selves but of his grace freely without any desert or cause in our selves through the redemption wrought by Christ who is of God made righteousnesse unto us that he which gloryeth may glory in the Lord. § II. The subordinate end is our salvation and the way unto it which is our new obedience or sanctification Salvation though it bee our 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 our particular supreme end and chiefe good unto which both justification and sanctification is referred yet it is subordinate to the glory of God as to the soveraigne and universall end For such is Gods goodnesse towards his elect that hee hath subordinated our salvation to his owne glory as he hath
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that he which adhereth to faith alone is blessed Seventhly In Ephes. 2. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by faith alone hee saved Eightly In Col. 1. 27. For at once to bring men more senselesse than stones to the dignity of Angels simply by bare words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and by faith alone without all difficulty it is indeed the glory and riches of the mystery Ninthly In Tit. 1. 13. For if thou doest give credit to thy faith why doest thou bring in other things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if faith were not sufficient to justifie Bellarmine by other things understandeth the ceremonies of the Law When Chrysostome indeed rejecteth al other things because faith it selfe is sufficient to justifie Tenthly There is a notable testimony cited by Bishop Iustinian out of Chrysostome in Psal. 14. which doth not only conclude this question against the Papists but also putteth a manifest difference betwixt sanctification which consisteth of many virtues and justification unto which faith onely is required Iustitia conflatur ex multis virtutibus â—…na virtus activa non facit justitiaâ—… quemadmodum nec una tabula perficit navigium nec unus lapis domum Vna sola virtus justificat fides quae est virtutum fastigium Righteousnesse is compounded of many virtues and one active virtue maketh not righteousnesse Even as one planke doth not make a ship nor one stone an house onely virtue justifieth namely faith which is the top of all virtues 11. Serm. de fide lege naturae Without faith no man hath aâ—…tained to life 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but the thiefe on the Crosse beleeving onely was justified and afterwards twice he affirmeth that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 faith by it selfe saved Bellarmine answereth that Chrysostome teacheth that sometimes faith alone that is without externall workes doth suffice which cannot be applyed to the penitent thiefe who as I shewed before wanted not for the time externall workes and yet not by them but by faith alone he was justified XIII Hesychius in Leviticum Grace is given out of mercie and compassion and is apprehended by faith alone fide comprehenditur solâ—… not out of works as the Apostle saith for then grace shall not be grace XIV Augustine Nam sine bonorum operum meritis per sidem justificatur impius quidem solam For without the merits of good workes a sinner is justified and that by faith alone 2. Apud Gratianum this is the faith which worketh by love huic duntaxat remissio delictorum promittitur to this onely remission of sins is promised cui soli venia promitoitu to which alone parâ—…on is promised quâ solâ peccata relaxantur by which alone sinnes are released 3 In Psal. 88. conc 2. sola fides Christi mundat The faith of Christ doth cleanse alone 4. Serm de tempore 68 Abraham beleeved God and it was accounted to him for righteousnesse Ecce sine opere justificatur exfide quicquid illi legali posset observatione conferri totum credulitas sola dâ—…navit Behold without workes he is justified by faith and whatsoever might bee conferred upon him by the observation of the Law all that faith alone bestowed 5. In Ioan. 8. On those words you heare not because you are not of God this was spoken to them who where not onely vicious by sinne but also foreknowne that they were not to beleeve ea fide qua solâ possent à peccatorum obligatione liberari with that faith by which alone they might be delivered from the bond of their sinnes 6. Out of his sermons De verbis Domini this testimony is usually cited Medicina animae omnium vulnerum una propitiatio pro delictâ—…s credere in Christum The medicine for all wounds of the soule and the onely propitiation for all sinnes is to beleeve in Christ. 7. Ad duas Epistolas Pelag. quantaelibet fuisse virtutis â—…ntiquos praedices justos non eos salvos fecit nisi fides mediatoris qui in remissionem peccatorum sanguine fudit Bellarmiâ—…e answereth that in this place are excluded onely Nature and the Law of Moses Reply But the place is plaine that though the virtue of the ancient Fathers were never so great yet neither it nor any thing else could save them but onely faith in Christ. 8. Lib. 83. quaest If any when hee hath beleeved shall presently depart out of this life the justification of faith abideth with him neither for his precedent good workes because not by merit but by grace hee came unto it nor for the subsequent because he is not suffered to remaine in this life And therefore say we by faith alone To this Bâ—…llrrmine answereth that Augustine speaketh of a lively faith as though wee spake of any other for Augustine there saith that a man is justified without workes going before faith but that justifying faith is such a faith as worketh by love Bellarmine then confesseth that a lively faith which worketh by love doth justifie alone As for that which is not lively nor accompanied with charity we teach that it justifieth neither alone nor at all Thus hath hee indevoured in vaine to answere some allegations out of six of the Fathers The rest either of the same Authors or of others either before named or now to bee cited remaine unanswered saving foure others which because he would have men thinke we want Testimonies of Antiquity hee hath afforded us out of his owne store Which wee will examine in their due place And in stead of the first which hee citâ—…th out of XV Cyrill of Alexandria being to no purpose and yet falsified by him for Cyrill doth not say hominem per solam fidem inhaerere Christo as Bellarmine citeth him and being also false in that sense for which indeed our prevaricator doth alleadge him that a man may abide in Christ by faith and yet want love and perish But in stead of this I will requite him with another of the same Authour in the same Commentaries upon Iohn on those words Ioh. 14. 1. Ye beleeve in God beleeve also in me per fidem namque saith he non aliter servamur by faith we are saved and not otherwise that is by faith alone XVI To Cyrill we adjoyne Sedulius as being of the same time as Bellarmine following Trithemius supposeth hee wrote saith Bellarmine an explanation upon all the Epistles of Saint Paul taken out of Origen Ambrose Hierome and Augustine meaning those Commentaries of Ambrose and Hierome which before I cited Whereby it may appeare that those Commentaries in the time of Sedulius were of good esteeme for out of those very Commentaries of Hierome he hath collected many briefe passages as in other matters so in this particular As Hierome therefore had said in Rom. 1. 16. so saith hee almost in the same words justiâ—…ia Dei est quod
which we shall be judged at the last day at which time God will judge men according to their workes For wee must all appeare before the judgement seat of Christ that wee may receive according to those things which we have done in the body whether it bee good or evill Those that have done good shall goe into everlasting life and they that have done evill into everlasting punishment For good workes though wee are not justified by them nor saved for them yet they are the evidence according to which our Saviour will pronounce the sentence of salvation Matth. 25. 34 35. According to that Psal. 62. 12. And to thee Lord mercie for thou rewardest a man meaning the godly man according to his workes § IX Lastly they are necessary necessitate medij and as that which though it be no cause is called causa sine qua nâ—…n And thus they are necessary first as the way which leadeth to life eternall via qua nos perducturus est ad finem itsum quem promisit the way by which hee will bring us unto that end which he hath promised saith Augustine For those that are justified and by justification entituled to the Kingdome of heaven they are to goe in the way of sanctification towards their glorification Eâ—…h 2. 10. good workes therefore though they bee not the cause of raigning yet they are the way to the Kingdome And so saith Bellarminâ—… himselâ—…e that although God in predestination hath determined to give the Kingdome of heaven to certaine men whom he loved without any prevision of workes notwithstanding hee did withall ordaine that in respect of the execution the way to come to his Kingdome should be good workes I say then with the Prophet Esay this is the way let us walke in it Secondly as necessary fruits of our election for wee are elected to that end that we should bee holy Ephes. 1. 4. as necessary fruits of faith without which it is judged to bee dead â—…am 2. 26. as unseparable consequents of our redemption and justification Luk. 1. 74. And as they are necessary consequents of our justification so they are necessary forerunners of salvation by which wee are fitted for Gods Kingdome because no uncleane thing can enter into the Kingdome of heaven Apoc. 21. 27. and finally so necessary is a godly life that without it no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. I conclude with Bernard that good workes are occulia predestinationis jndicia futurâ—… fâ—…licitatis presagia via regni non caâ—…saregnandi tokens of our secret predestination presages of our future happinesse the way to the Kingdome but not the cause of our obtaining that Kingdome For howsoever good workes are necessary in many respects as I have shewed necessitate presentiae yet they are not necessary necessitate efficientiae as causes of our justification § X. Secondly the Papists calumniate us as if wee taught that good workes are not necessary to sanctification which slander as all the rest ariseth from their willfull and pernicious errour in consounding justificâ—…tion and sanctification In the question of justification we hold according to the Scriptures that if our owne workes or righteousnesse should bee obtruded unto the Lord as the matter or merit thereof whereby wee should bee both acquitted from our sinnes and so delivered from hell and also entituled to the Kingdome of heaven they are not onely to bee rejected but also detested as menstruous clouts as dung as losse But in the question of sanctification where they are considered both as fruits of faith and the Spirit as consequents of justification whereby wee testifie our thankefulnesse to God gather testimonies to our selves of our justification benefit and edifie our brethrenâ—… and also as necessary forerunners of glorification whereby we are fitted and prepared for Gods Kingdome unto which by justification wee are entituled and as the way wherein we are to walke towards our heavenly countrey and as the evidences according to which our Saviour will judge us at the last day c. wee doe acknowledge they are highly to be esteemed of as those things wherein our sanctification doth in good part consist For wee doe teach that our sanctification is partly habituall consisting in the habits of sanctifying graces faith hope charity humility the feare of God c. which is the first justification of the Papists and partly actuall consisting in our new obedience or which is all one in good workes which is their second justification This then is that which we doe hold that although good works doe not concurre with faith unto the act of justification as any cause thereof yet of necessity they must concurre in the subject that is the party justified as necessary fruits of faith as necessary consequents of justification as necessary antecedents of salvation And this is that which not only we but Bellarmine himselfe often citeth out of Augustine Bona opera accedunt justificato non praecedunt justificandum or thus bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequantur justificatum good workes doe not goe before but follow after justification which is a pregnant proofe that they are no causes thereof CAP. II. That we are not justified by Workes § I. HAving thus avoided the calumniations of the Papists wee are now to dispute the question which is to bee understood not of justification before men whereby we are declared or knowne to bee just but of our justification before God whereby hee maketh us just nor of workes as fruits and consequents but as of causes of justification For we doe confesse that men are justified declarativè that is declared and knowne to be just to themselves or others by good works as the proper fruits of faith and undoubted consequents of justification but wee deny that we are justified before God by good works as any causes therof And this our assertion we will first prove by necessary arguments and then defend the same against the objections of the Papists § II. And first I prove it by all the arguments which I used before to prove the five severall points already handled For first if justification is not to be confounded with sanctification as if it consisted in a righteousnesse inherent in our selves or performed by our selves then are we not justified before God by workes But the former hath beene clearely proved therefore the latter is to be confessed .2 If wee bee justified by the meere grace of God and that freely without respect of any workes done by us then are we not justified before God by works For the holy Ghost maketh such an opposition betweene grace and workes that if we be justified by the one we cannot be justified by the other But the antecedent hath beene formerly proved therefore the consequent cannot be denyed 3. If we be not justified before God by righteousnesse inherent in or performed by our selves but onely by the righteousnesse
to the liberty of justification the former in that they are to be subject to the fearefull curse of the Law if at any time they transgresse it though in the least degree as wee doe very often and sometimes in an high degree the other to be excluded from justification if they doe not â—…otally perfectly and perpetually fulfill it which by reason of the flesh is utterly impossible to us Now Christ came to free us from this double bondage of the Law himselfe being made a curse for us and performing all righteousnesse in our behalfe that by the imputation of his sufferings and of his obedience wee might not onely bee freed from the curse but also bee entituled to the Kingdome of heaven And therefore to him that remaineth under this double yoake of bondage Christ profiteth nothing I come to the assumption those that seeke to bee justified by the workes of the Law that is by righteousnesse inherent are debtours to the whole Law for neither are they free from the curse if they breake it as all doe And therefore the Apostle concludeth them who are of workes that is who seeke justification by righteousnesse inherent are under the curse Neither can they be justified unlesse they perfectly keepe it Therefore they who seeke to be justified by the workes of the Law that is by inherent righteousnesse whatsoever whether going before or following grace to them Christ is become of none effect to them he dyed in vaine to them the covenant of grace is disanulled to them the promise is of none effect c. So that whether you conceive of workes as going before or following grace the consequences of the Apostle are one and the same § XII Indeed if the popish doctrine were true that Christ hath merited for us the infusion of that righteousnesse by which we are justied as hee hath done that by which wee are sanctified and that hee hath merited for our workes to make them meritorious of eternall life then those consequences would not be so strong against the workes of grace as of nature But the Scriptures teach us that Christ doth justifie and save us by his blood and by his obedience that is by his owne personall righteousnesse and merits and not by any satisfaction of ours purchased by him nor by any merit of ours by him made meritorious For if his satisfaction and merits for us be full and perfect what need we to patch to them the ragges of our owne satisfactions and merits But if that were the end why Christ died for us that wee by his merits should obtaine both inherent justice whereby we should be justified and also merits of our owne whereby we should be saved as the Papists teach then either that righteousnesse and those workes wâ—…ich wee have by grace are sufficient to justifie and to save us or else Christ died in vaine for us But neither is that inherent righteousnesse which we have from Christ sufficient to justifie us nor those good workes of grace which wee performe sufficient to merit eternall life as I have in this treatise abundantly proved neither did Christ dye in vaine for that to imagine were blasphemy Therfore that was not the end why Christ our Saviour died for us I say againe if Christ dyed to this end that he might merit grace for us whereby we might in our owne persons satisfie the Law and so be justified thereby then he merited not onely that we should perfectly and perpetually without any omission or intermission in all our life fulfill the Law and be alwayes and altogether without sinne which by reason of our sinfulnesse is utterly impossible wee having beene sinners from the wombe yea in the wombe but also that wee should in our owne personâ—… satisfie the penalty which cannot be done but by punishment eternall or that which is equivalent for where hath beene guilt of sinne as in all hath beene there the Law cannot be satisfied without the punishment threatned in the Law And therefore if this were the end of Christs death it must be confessed that he died in vaine but this consequent is Blasphemous and therefore the antecedent is Antichristian § XIII To the fourth place which is Ephesians 2. 8 9. Bellarmine vouchsafeth no severall answere but sleights it over with that common answere that it excludeth onely workes done before faith But this place ought not so to bee sleighted For it doth ex professo teach that salvation and all the degrees thereof as namely justification are to bee ascribed wholly to the grace of God in Christ through faith and not to any workes or deserts of ours whether going before or following justification For first it may seeme needlesse that the Apostle should tell the Ephesians whom before in the same Chapter hee had convicted to have beene before their conversion children of wrath as all are by nature dead in sinne bondslaves of Satan living according to to the course of this world in all manner of sinne untill God in his abundant mercies in Christ by whose grace they were saved quickned them together with Christ that hee I say should tell them that they were not justified by the workes which they had wrought before their conversion Secondly when the Apostle saith you are saved by grace and not by workes will they say hee excludeth onely workes going before salvation why then hee excludeth all And that distinction with which Bellarmine contenteth himfelfe as a sufficient answere cannot be fitted to this place If it be said that the Apostle by Salvation meaneth justification I confesse that among the degrees of Salvation hee doth specially meane justification whereby we receive the right to our inheritance and are intitled to the kingdome of heaven and saved in hope But from hence it is inevitably proved that by what wee are justified we are saved and by what we are saved we are justified But we are saved as the Apostle here saith by the free grace of God through faith not of any workes of ours whatsoever or whensoever performed therefore in the like manner we are justified What then will you say if we bee neither justified by good workes nor saved for them are they therefore to bee neglected I answere in the third place that good workes though they be excluded from the act of justification or merit of salvation yet they are not excluded from the conversation of the faithfull but are therein required as necessary fruits of our regeneration and consequents of our justification as also being the way wherein wee are to walke towards our glorification As the Apostle sheweth in the next words vers 10. for wee are saith he Gods woâ—…kemanship created in Christ Iesus unto good workes which God hath preordained not that wee should bee justified by them or saved for them but that wee should walke in them as the way to eternall life where we are to observe that those words being a prevention of a secret objection
what we were and not what we are that seeing from what wee are fallen we might seeke to bee repaired in Christ who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10. 4. The covenant of workes God made with man in his state of integrity when he was able to keepe it But after the fall because it was not possible that man should performe that covenant in and by himselfe he in great mercie made with man the Covenant of grace in Christ. But lest any man should either through ignorance or pride neglect the benefit of the Messias it pleased God to renew the Covenant of workes not to that end that men should be justified or saved thereby but that it might bee a meanes to drive them unto Christ. And fo Bellarmine himselfe hath taught Lex non data erat ut justificaret sed ut morbum â—…stenderet ad quaerâ—…ndum medicum excitaret The Law was not given to that end that it should justifie but that it might shew the disease and stirte up men to seeke to the Physitian Againe a distinction is to be made as in the answere to the second reason of the parties to whom the law is given For to the wicked and reprobate who are Gods rebellious subjects the law is indeed impossible through their owne default and yet God exacteth most justly that righteousnesse in which hee did create them hee requireth most justly an accompt of those talents which hee committed to them though now they be not able to pay The debt is duely exacted of the debtour though through his own default hee bee not now able to make payment As for the elect whom the Lord hath before they were loved in Christ hee hath given his law to them not to this end that either by the observation thereof in their own persons they should bee justified or by the breach thereof they should bee condemned for then who could be saved But the use of the law to them before their conversion is that it might bee unto them a Schoolmaster unto Christ and after their conversion and justification it might bee a rule whereby to frame their lives and conversation aspiring alwaies towards that perfection which the law prescribeth though they cannot fully attaine unto it Why then saith Augustine should not this perfection bee enjoyned to man though no man in this life have it Non enim rectè curratur si quò currendum est nesciatur quomodo autem sciretur si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur For men cannot runne well if they know not whither they must runne and how should they know that if by precepts it be not made known to them And worthy is that saying of Bernard to be repeated againe and againe Neither was the commander ignorant that the weight of the commandement doth exceed the strength of men but hee judged it profitable that hereby they should be admonished of their owne unsufficiencie and that they might know to what end or perfection of righteousnesse they should aspire Therefore by commanding impossible things hee did not make men transgressors but humble that every mouth may bee stoppod and the whole world made obnoxious to God For by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight For receiving the commandement and feeling our defectivenes wee shall cry to heaven and God will have mercie on us And wee shall know in that day that not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee have done but according to his mercie hee hath saved us § X. His fourth reason is collected out of three places of scripture Rom. 8. 4. Mat. 6. 10. Heb. 5. 9. In the first it is said that Christ suffered that the justification of the Law might be fulfilled in us In the second we are taught to pray that Gods will may bee done upon earth as it is in heaven In the third that Christ is made to all that obey him the cause of eternall salvation But saith hee if we canâ—…t fulfill the Law then Christ misseth of his end For notwithstanding his sufferings the justification of the Law is not fulfilled in us neither is our prayer ever obtayned of fulfilling Gâ—…ds will and commandements on earth as in heaven neither is Christ the authour of salvation to any because none obey him Answ. As touching the first place because it is often alleaged by Bellarmine I will somewhat insist upon it The place is two wayes expounded either of sanctification or of justification Ifit be to be understood of sanctification as the Papists commonly expound it we acknowledge that our sanctification is the end and fruit of our redemption by Christ and that this end is atchieved iâ—… all those who live not after the flesh but after the Spirit that is in all true believers I say it is archieved 〈◊〉 in this life and perfectly in the life to come But as I suppose it is rather to be understood of justification For the Apostle having assured the faithfull vers 1. that notwithstanding sinne and the body of sinne and of death wherof hee had complayned chap. 7. remayneth in them yet forasmuch as we are delivered from the same by Iesus Christ our Lord vers 25. there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ as his members whom hee describeth by this character that they walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit In the verses following he confirmeth the same conclusion showing how Christ hath delivered us For saith hee vers 2. the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath delivered me from the law of sinne and of death Whereby the law of the Spirit of life we understand the virtue and power of holynes or sanctification not in us but in Christ Iesus for so hee saith though they doe not observe it who understand this place of sanctification and righteousnesse inherent who by his righteousnesse and merits hath delivered us from the power of sinne and of death But the Apostle as in the former chapter vers 24. so here in the singular number speaketh of himself teaching by his owne example every true Christian to apply the benefits of Christ to himself For that which was impossible for the law to doe that is to justifie us in that it was weake through the flesh God sending his owne sonne in the likenes of sinfull flesh that is in the humane nature subject to passions and infirmities and that for sinne that hee might take away the sinne of the world for so saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 condemned sinne in the flesh that is exacted the due punishment of sinne in his humane nature that the guilt of our sinnes being taken away by his alsufficient satisfaction 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which the law requireth unto justification might by Christ bee fulfilled in us who are his members which walke not as also hee had said in the first verse not after
are made just before God by workes and Iames affirme it how doe they not contradict one another § IV. Bellarm. hopeth to salve the matter with his new-found distinction of the first and second justification that Paul speaking of the justification wherein a man of a sinner is made just excludeth workes done by the strength of nature without faith and without grace and that Iames speaking of the second justification wherein a just man is made more just saith that by the workes of grace proceeding from faith a man is justified Answ. Such a distinction might be applyed to sanctification which is partly habituall the which they call their first justiâ—…cation consisting chiefly in charity and partly actuall which is their second justfication consisting in good workes but being applyed to justification it hath no ground either in the Scriptures or in the ancient fathers Neither can any such distinction possibly bee applied to that justification which the Scriptures teach as I have showed heretofore Secondly if there could be such a distinction I would say that Paul when hee denyeth Abraham to have been justified by workes did speake of the second justification wich Bellarmine himselfe confesseth For Abraham when he was said to be justified by faith without workes did abound which workes as Bellarmine confesseth and yet was not justifyed by them And that Iames when hee speaketh of Rahab the harlot whom hee affirmeth to have been justified by workes speaketh of the first justification as Bellarmine also affirmeth If therefore Paul say that in the first justification none are justified by workes and Iames affirme that some are as namely Rahab If the Apostle Iames say that Abraham in his second jâ—…stification was justified by workes and Paul doe as planiely deny it how are they reconciled Againe saith Bellarmine Paul from justification onely excludeth the workes done without grace Iames includeth onely the workes of grace I answeare that Paul excludeth from justification Abrahams workes which as else where hee testifieth he wrought by faith And Iames includeth the workes of Rahab the harlot which was done as Bellarmine saith without grace going before Where I desire the reader to observe what Bellarmine answeareth As Paul saith hee when he did speake of the first justification brought the example of Abraham which was indeed of the second that hee might prove as it were à majori from the greater that a sinner cannot bee justified by workes done without faith if righteous Abraham was not made more just by his workes done without faith even so Iames when hee did speake of the second justification brought the example of Rahab which is of the first justification that hee might prove à majori hee should say à minori if my logicke faile me not from the lesse that a just man is made more just by his workes and not onely by faith if Rahab of an harlot was made just by workes and not onely by faith Answ. Thus then hee maketh the Apostles to argue If Abrahams workes would not have justified him without faith much lesse would the good workes of the wicked And if Rahab by her worke of mercie was of an harlot made just how much more shall the good workes of the righteous make them more just § V. Where by the way you may note diverse absurdities which I have partly touched before First that the Apostle forsooth bringeth Abraham as an example of justification by workes when it is most evident that hee bringeth him as an example of justification by imputation of righteousnesse without workes and maketh his example the exemplar or patterne of all others who in like maner are justified by faith without workes or by imputation of righteousnes without workes Secondly That Paul produceth Abraham as an example to prove that a just man is more justified by his workes for which there is no colour praeter impudentiam asseverandi the contrary is proved that Paul speaking of the justification of a sinner applyeth what hee saith to Abraham For hee proveth that Abraham was not justified by workes because the Scripture saith Abraham beleeved God and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace but of debt But to him that worketh not but beleeveth on him that iustifieth the ungodly which was Abrahams case his faith is counted for righteousnesse Thirdly the Apostle when he excludeth Abrahams workes from iustification doth not exclude his good and gracious workes but such as hee did or might have done without grace that is to say gracelesse workes But no doubt the Apostles intent in producing the example of Abraham which Chrysostome also hath observed was this If Abraham who did abound with so many notable works which hee wrought by faith was not iustified by them but onely by faith then it is certaine that none are iustified by workes though their workes be never so gracious Fourthly He supposeth that gracious Abraham might have done good workes without grace and that the Apostle denyeth him to have bene iustified by such workes as hee might have done but did not Fifthly By an impudent devise whereof there is no colour hee maketh the Apostle from the example of Abraham to argue à majori If Abrahams workes would not have iustified him unlesse they had proceeded from faith then much lesse can the workes of sinners and unregenerate men done without faith iustifie them Sixthly He shamefally inverteth the Apostles question and perverteth his whole disputation As if the Apostle disputed this question whether workes doe iustifie without faith which hee doth never so much as mention and not whether faith doth iustifie without workes which is indeed the question Seventhly Where hee saith that the Apostle excludeth workes onely from their imaginary first iustification which is meerely habituall hee conceiveth that the Apostle tooke all these paines to prove that workes are no part of habituall righteousnesse Eightly Where hee saith that the Apostle excludeth from iustification workes of nature and not of grace it is as much as if hee should have said that the Apostle doth so seriously labour to prove that men are not justified by such workes as are not good but evill To conclude it is evident that the Apostle Paul excludeth from the act of justification all workes in geâ—…all whether done before grace or after of all men whether unregenerate or regenerate even of Abraham himself Yea more specially the workes of the faithfull and regenerate First Because he speaketh of good workes even the workes of righteousnesse which wee the faithfull have done Tit. 3. 5. Secondly The question being whether faith doth justifie without workes or whether faith and workes together the Apostle must be understood to exclude those workes from the act of justification which with faith concurre in the party justified Even as Abraham though his faith was accompanied with store of good works yet he was justified and so are all the faithfull
the same Whereunto I will adde that of Durandus both that which wâ—…e are and that also which we have whether they be good acts or good habits or uses all is in us from the liberality of God freely giving and conserving And because by a free gift none is bound to give more but the receiver rather is more bound to the giver wherefore by the good habits good acts and uses given unto â—…s of God God is not obliged to us out of any debt of justice to give more as if he did not give he should be unjust but we rather are obliged to God And it is a rash or blasphemous thing to thinke or speake the contrary If it be said that by the good use of Gods gifts wee may deserve greater I answere that as the good gift it selfe so the good use of it is also the free gift of God which if God reward hee doth not reward our merits but crowne his owne gifts as Aâ—…gustine often speaketh § XIII Secondly that which meriteth is free not onely from the necessity of coaction which condition the Papists acknowledge but also of duety for Quod est debitum non est meritum that which is duâ—…ty is not merit In rendring that which is due wee may satisfie perhaps our debt but not merit reward This is a certaine trueth if the worke bee due the reward is not due ratione operis for the workes sake Quid meriti apud Deum poterimus obtrudere qui debemus omnia How can wee plead merit before God who owe him all things Of that which we doe owe we are not owners the money which is owed is Aes alienum nihil propriè nostrum est nisi quod pro arbitrio possumus facere vel omittere saith Bellarmine Nothing is properly our owne but that which we can upon free choise doe or omit All the good things which wee can doe are due from us to God Luk. 17. 10. So that if we should doe all that is commanded we were but unprofitable servants because we have but done that which was our duety to doe But indeed wee doe not nor cannot performe all that is due so farre are we from merit Againe there is no good thing which wee can doe but it is commanded of God and therefore due Not to doe it is a sinne to doe it is not merit but duety Saint Bernard doth demonstrate for many causes that all our good workes are due unto God saith Bellarminâ—… so that he may exact them all though he would give no reward O if thou didst know saith Bernard how many things and to how many thou doest owe thou shouldst see how they are nothing which thou doest and how not to bee reckoned among the least in comparison of thy debts All that thou art thou owest to him from whom thou hast all And after who then will grumble any more saying Wee labour too much wee fast too much wee watch too much when hee is not able to answere the thousand yea not the least part of his debts Object But it will be said Doth not he well that payeth his debt Answ. In not paying it hee should sinne but in paying hee satisfieth onely his debt he doth not merit a new reward § XIV Thirdly that worke which meriteth must bee pure and perfect and not stained with any corruptions and imperfections for otherwise it will not so much as satisfie our debt but rather make us obnoxious unto punishment every defect and imperfection being a sinne and much lesse will it merit at the hands of God eternall life But all our best obedience is unperfect and stained with the flesh as I have heretofore proved at large all our righteousnesses being as polluted cloutes Gregory saith Omne virtutis nostrae meritum esse vitium Object 1. Yea but the imperfection is taken away by the bloud of Christ. Answ. Where is remission of sinne there can bee no merit of condignity Object 2. Veniall sinnes may stand with perfect righteousnesse Answ. True in respect of imputed righteousnesse by which sinnes are made veniall but in regard of inherent righteousnesse it is absurd Fourthly that which meriteth is more than is due for Debitum non est meritum for debt is not merit but all that we can performe is lesse than that which is due § XV. The thing that we are to merit that is to say the reward first it must bee proportionable to the merit For justice standeth in equality But betweene the best works or sufferings of this life yea martyrdome it selfe and eternall life there is no proportion For the one is finite the other infinite as being the everlasting fruition of God the infinite and chiefe good Wherefore Bernard Quid sunt saith he omnia merita ad tantam gloriam What are all merits to so great glory And Augustin How great labor is that rest worthy of which hath no end If you will make a true comparison and judge truely Eternall rest is rightly bought with eternall labour for eternall rest eternall labor should have been undertaken Thou who art to receive eternall happinesse thou oughtest to beare eternall sufferings Though our labour and tribulations were for a thousand yeares weigh a thousand yeares with eternity Why doest thou weigh that which is infinite with a thing that is finite be it never so great Non valent vitae praesentis obsequia aeternae vitâ—… gaudiis comparari Tantum ubi gratiae divinae retributionis exuberat ut incomparabiliter ineffabiliter â—…mne meritum qâ—…vis bonâ—… ex Deo datae humanae voluntatis operationis excedat Secondly it should bee due upon just desert and not bee given of grace Rom. 4. 4. The day-peny given to the worke of one houre is from bounty Matth. 20. 15. But eternall life is given freely by Gods grace Rom. 6. 23. Of the wicked Chrysostome saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these are justly punished but of the godly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and they are crowned according to grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For although they should performe ten thousand workes it is the munificence of grace that for such small and vile workes such an heaven and kingdome and so great an honour should be given them Thirdly the rule by which rewardis rendred to condigne merits is not meere grace but justice and that either commutativè which standeth in equality or distributivè which respecteth dignity the former observing an arithmeticall the other a geometricall proportion But neither is their equality betweene â—…he merit and the reward neither are the things which wee doe or suffer condigne or any way comparable to the glory that shall bee revealed But the reward of eternall life is given of meere grace in respect of us Rom. 6. 23. According to the good pleasure of God Luke 12. 32. Who crowneâ—…h us with mercies Psal. 103. 4. For by
become of that which is written And thou shalt render to every one according to his workes If it be rendred according to works how shall it be accounted mercie Whereunto he giveth two answeres both of them making against merit The first Sed aliud est secundum opera reddere aliud propter ipsa operareddere It is one thing to render according to workes another to render for the workes themselves for in that which is said according to workes the quality of the workes is meant that whose workes shall appeare to be good his retribution may be glorious according to workes therefore is according to the quality of them whether good or evill For if good then he will reward them with blisse if evill then will he condemne them For to that blessed life saith he wherein we live with God and of God no labour can bee matched no works can be compared especially seeing the Apoâ—…tle saiâ—…h the sufferings of this life are not condigne to the future glory which shall be revealed in us His other answere howbeit in this respect also it may be called mercie because it is given for such workes as no man can attaine unto without mercie It is evident therefore saith hee that to whom God in mercie giveth grace to worke well in this life to them in greater mercie he granteth that in eternall blisse they shall be rewarded with an hundred fold this is that grace which for grace the Apostle saith shall bee given to the Saints of God that unto whom in this life the grace of sanctification is given of God to them the grace of eternall happinesse is given in the life to come which also maketh strongly against merits both because eternall life is a free gift and also because that righteousnesse to which it is given is a free gift and because greater mercie is shewed in giving glory than in giving gracc § III. The second exposition which he assigneth to Augustine is a fiction of his owne braine viz. that in the crowning of the Saints mercie is necessary for the remission of veniall sinnes Not that thâ—…s mercie saith hee is the Crowne of life but because it doth accompany it the Crowne of life being given to their merits and the remission granted to their venial offences which fiction as it is falsely fathered upon Aug. so it is not agreeable to the doctrine of the Church of Rome nor consonant to the truth it self For seeing in the faithful sin according to the truth both in respect of the guilt and also of the corruption is wholly taken away in the end of this life or according to the Church of Romes doctrine is purged and taken away by the fire of Purgatory it is a greaâ—… absurdity to imagine that the faithful whose soules before the resurrection enjoy as they also teach the beatifical vision should after the resurrection need remission of venial sins § IV. For our second argument Bellarmine propoundeth in our behalfe two object out of Esa. 55. 1. and Dan. 9. 18. which he saith might be made The former wherof is availeable against the merit of grace not only the first which he confesseth but the second also and not onely against merit of grace but of glory for that also is promised without price the later against affiance reposed in our own merits For if we are not to trust in them for the obtaining of temporall benefits wherof Bellar understands the Prophet to speak then much lesse eternall between which and our supposed merits there is a farre gâ—…eater disproportion § V. Our third argument is â—…aken out of Luk. 17. 7 8. 9. 10. Which of you having a servant plowing or feeding cattell will say unto him by and by when he is come from the field Goe and sitdown to meat and wil not rather say unto him make ready wherwith I may sup and gird thy selfe and serve me till I have eaten and drunken and afterwards thou shalt eate and drink Doth he thank that servant because he did the things that were commanded him I â—…row not So likewise you when you shal hâ—…ve done all these things which are commanded you which is spoken by supposition and is all one with this connexive If you shall doe all things which are commanded you say we are unprofitable servants wee have done that which was our duety to doe Which place affordeth three unanswerable arguments against the merit of condignity taken from three of those conditions required in merits which before were mentioned The first in respect of God who is our absolute Lord. The second in respect of us who are his bondservants the third in respect of our workes because all that we can doe though we should doe all that is commanded is but our duety § VI. For the first if earthly Masters who with their servants are fellow servants to one heavenly Master doe not owe so much as thanks to their servants for doeing that which they command then much lesse our heavenly Master who is our absolutâ—… Lord doth owe the heavenly reward to his servants when they doâ—… that which hee commandeth though they should doe all that is commanded which they are never able to doe For the second Iâ—… bondservants who are not their owne but their masters men for a servant as the Philosopher saith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and altogether his man another mans man doe owe themselves and all that they can doe to their master and cannot deserve so much as thankes at his hands for doing what hee commandeth though they doe all that is commanded and although their service be profitable to their master and finally though they receive not from him either the will or power of yeelding obedience to him but all that they can desire or expect by their uttermost endevour is to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wâ—…ll pleasing to their master when if their service be any way defective are wel apayed if they escape the whip as Theophylact speaketh how much lesâ—…e wee who are the Lords mancipia and bondservants both by the right of creation and by the right of redemption being in regard thereof servi quia servati and consequently not our owne men but his who hath made and redeemed us and therefore doe owe our selves and all yea more than all we can doe doe wee or can we deserve at the hands of God the reward of eternall life by doing what he commandeth though we should doe all that is commanded which we never doe Especially seeing and also seeming that wee doe not all that is commanded and lastly seeing that our service bringâ—…th him no profit Iob. 22. 2 3. 35. 7. for that which we doe wee receive both the will and power from him Wherefore all that in reason we can desire or expect in regard of our obedience is that wee may bee well pleasing unto him Yea forasmuch as our service is alwayes defective and unperfect
sinne he hath deserved And how then can he by the sufferings of this life wherby he is not able to â—…atisfie for his sinne deserve eternall life The third out of Bernard we doe know saith he that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to the future glory nec si unas omnis sustineat No that they are not though one man should sustayne them all which though it be a very great yet is a very true amplification that if one man should beare all the afflictions of all men in this world yet his afflictions of this time would not be worthy of the glory that shall be revealed Such amplifications are used no lesse truely by Chrysostome and Anselm Chrysostome saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. If we should dye ten thousand deaths and if wee should shew forth al virtue yet could wee not recompence the least part of those honours that God hath already bestowed upon us And if wee cannot by all such meanes be answearable to God for his favours â—…ouchsafed in this world by what meanes might we hope to merit eternall life in the world to come If a man should serve God most devoutly a thousand yeares yet he should not condignely merit to bee in the kingdome of heaven halfe a day saith Anselme § XXII In the sixth place Bellarmine alleageth three testimonies as objected by us viz. Phil. 3. 7 8 9. Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5 7. The first we doe not use to produce against merit of salvation but against justification by inherent righteousnesse and was the sixth Testimony of ours which Bellarmine endevoured to answere as hee doth here See Lib. 7. Cap. 3. § 15. The second was the fourth Testimony which he tooke upon him to answer See my reply Lib. 7. Cap. 3. § 13. The third was the fifth Testimonie of which see Lib. 7. Cap. 3. § 14. But though we doe not alleage the first against merit of workes yet by by consequent it doth disprove it For if workes doe not concurre to justification as the matter therof then can they not be the merit of salvation as hath beene said Secondly if in the question of justification which concerneth our title to Salvation they are to be accounted as things of no worth yea as losse then are they not meritorious of eternall life And whereas Bellarmine challengeth us to alleage any one Father that understandeth Paul to speake of workes done after grace I alleaged before Saint Chrysostome upon the place who understandeth the Apostle as speaking of all 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said all both old and new both past and present and that I confirmed by reason And when he saith that Augustine calleth the righteousnesse of the faithfull Eminentissimam it is apparant that he speaketh not of that which wee have by our obedience performed to the Law but of that most eminent righteousnesse which wee have by faith The other two places exclude workes from being any causes as well of Salvation as of justification And it is plaine that the Apostle speaketh of salvation and of all the degrees thereof that it is wholly to bee ascribed to the grace of God and not our worthinesse His words in the former By grace you are saved through faith noâ—… of workes The latter not by workes of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercie he saved us Whence ariseth this argument If by our merits we are saved then by workes but not by our workes therefore not by merits Or thus If not by workes we are saved because we are saved by grace then much lesse are we saved by our owne merits CAP. III. A new supply of reasons produced against merits and maintayned against Bellarmines cavills § I. OVr first reason The true Doctrine of justification and Salvation taketh from us all cause of boasting in our selves that he which glorieth may glory in the Lord and contrariwise that which doth not take away all cause of boasting in our selves is not the true Doctrine The Doctrine of justification by faith without workes and of salvation by Gods free grace without our merit taketh from us all cause of our boasting in our selves but the Doctrine of justification by workes and of salvation by our owne merits doth not take away all cause of boasting in our selves Both proved Rom. 3. 27. 4. 2. Ephes. 2. 8 9. The effect of Bellarmines answere is that they who plead their owne merits as proceeding from grace doâ—… not glory iâ—… themselves but in the Lord. Reply First so long as they bee ours though given of God as all other good things are we are apt to glory in them as appeareth by the Pharisee who boasteth of his merits though he acknowledgeth that hee received them from God and therefore rendreth thankes for them Secondly the pleading of merit is it selfe a proud boasting Matth. 20. 12. Thirdly the Papists plead merit as proceeding from their owne free will which they require as a necessary condition of merit Fourthly If the good worke proceed meerely from Gods grace then can we not by it merit any thing of God But the Papists teach that by it they merit of God and consequently deny it so farre forth as it meriteth to proceed fâ—…om the grace of God and therefore when they plead merit they glory in themselves rather than in the Lord. § II. Our second reason That doctrine which derogateth from the infinite and all-sufficient merit of Christ is to bee renounced as false and Antichristian The Popish doctrine of merits viz. that we are to be saved by our owne merits and that the faithfull by their owne workes doe truely and condignely merit eternall life derogateth from the infinite and all-sufficient merit of Christ. Therefore it is false and Antichristian The assumption they deny yea though indeed they doe derogate from the merit of Christ yet they denounce anathema against them that shall say so But we not only say it but prove it For first If Christ hath already most sufficiently and fully merited heaven for us then our merits are needlesse or if our merits bee needfull as they teach then are not Christs sufficient for us which is no better than blasphemie Secondly they who teach that Christ hath not merited for all that beleeve and as soone as they truely beleeve the right of eternall life doe greatly derogate from the merit of Christ. For the Scriptures doe teach that Christ hath so merited the right of eternall life to all the faithfull that by him they have alreadie eternall life being alreadie translated from death to life But they who teach that the faithfull are to merit the right of eternall life by their owne good Workes doe in effect teach that CHRIST hath not merited it to the faithfull Therefore they who teach that the faithfull are to merit the right of eternall life by their owne good workes doe greatly derogate
2 Tim. 4. Heb. 6. I shall answere in their due place Unto this Testimony Bellarmine might have added another out of the same Sermon It is necessary first of all to beleeve that thou canst not have remission of sinnes but by the indulgence of God then that thou canst have no good worke unlesse he also give it lastly that by no good workes thou canst merit that is obtaine eternall life unlesse it also be freely given thee nisi gratis detur illa § VII The other three places are these First Totum hominis meritum est si totam spem suam ponat in eo qui totum hominem salvum facit Secondly Proinde meritum meum miseratio Domini Thirdly Fateor non sum dignus ego I confesse I am not worthy neither can I by mine owne merits obtaine the Kingdome of heaven But my Lord possessing it by a double right the inheritance of his Father and the merit of his passion contenting him selfe with the one hee giveth mee the other To these three together Bellarmine frameth two mis-shapen answeres First that Bernards meaning was that our merits are not of our selves but from Gods mercy and that hee would prove out of his 68. Sermon on the Canticles Merita habere cures habita data noveris And therefore say I his meaning was that our good workes doe not merit For being his free gifts they make us indebted to God as he teacheth and not him to us But indeed Bernard doth not speake of our workes or merits either as from us or as in us but of the mercy of God in pardoning our sinnes for the merit of his Sonne And therefore whiles God aboundeth with mercies in Christ he saith hee cannot want merits For mans justice is Gods indulgence and therefore blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne O solus verè beatus cuinon imputavit Dominus peecatum omnes enim peccaverunt sufficit mihi ad omnem justitiam solum habere propitium cui soli peccavi Omne quod mihi ipse non imputare decreverit sic est quasi non fuerit Nâ—…npeccare Dei justitia est hominis justitia indulgentia Dei His second answere is conjecturall that perhaps Bernard out of humility and perhaps not was ignorant of his merits and out of the uncertainty of his owne grace did not trust in his merits but in the mercie of God alone Reply He knew that he had no merits but Gods mercies in Christ because he was not ignorant that he had many sins which notwithstanding he was confident in the mercies of God and merits of Christ. Neither was he so uncertaine of such inherent righteousnesse in himselfe as whereby he might hope to be justified and saved as hee was certaine of the contrary As for his allegation out of the 68. serm in Cantic It is evident thâ—… Bernard by merits understandeth nothing but good workes and not merits properly so called as appeareth by that before alleaged ex serm 1. de annunciat and out of the same 68. serm in cantic Non est quod jam quaeras quibus meritis speremus bona presertim cum andias apud Prophetam Non propter vos sed propter me ego faciam dicit Dominus which is no lesse than to deny merits and in one of the places by Bellarmine cited Meum proinde meritum miseratio Domini Non planè sum meriti inops quandiu ille miserationum non fuerit quòd si misericordiae Dei multae multâ—…s nihilominusâ—… ego in meritis sum But that famous Testimony of his I may not omit though I have mentioned it before in the end of his booke Degratia l. arbitr where he distinguishing the gifts of God into merita and praemia and therefore speaking of merits as proceeding from grace hee saith those things which wee call our merits that is to say good workes spei quaedam sunt seminaria charitatis incentiva occulta praedestinationis indicia suturae faelicitatis prâ—…sagia viâ—… regni non causâ—… regnandi they are certaine seminaries of hope motives of Charity tokens of secret predistination presages of future felicity the way of the kingdome not the cause of reigning and therefore no meritorious cause of salvation § VIII And these were all the Testimonies which Bellarmine taketh notice of as alleaged by us out of the Fathers But I have not so done with them For as in the question of justification by faith alone I produced a multitude of Testimonies to proveâ—… the consent of the ancient Church with us So in this place that good workes are not truely meritorious of eternall life I doe prove not onely by all those Testimonies for if we be not justified by them wee are not saved for them but also by a new supply of Testimonies which by divers learned men have been collected but chiefly by our most learned Primate whereof I will recite so many as his adversary hath meddled with that I may briefly and as it were in transcursu vindicate them from his cavils Of these the first is Origen I can hardly perswade my selfe that there can be any worke which may of duty or debt require the remuneration of God Seeing even that that we are able to doe to thinke or to speake wee doe it by his gift and bounty What debt then shall there be of his whose grace hath gone before from whence I reason thus To no gifts of his God is a debtour or oweth reward as due All our good workes are his gifts therefore to none of our good workes is God a debtour or oweth reward as due Wherof the reason being because they are the gifts of God proceeding from his grace which precedeth our good workes hee is proved to bee ridiculum caput who answereth that Origen speaketh of such workes as are done by the sole power of mans free will without grace § IX Hilarie writing upon the parable of the Workemen Matth. 20. having said that the Gentiles who upon the preaching of the Gospell were to bee saved by the justification of faith were meant by those who being called at the eleventh houre were the first that in the evening received the gift of the wages appointed for the labour of the whole day he addeth these words Merces quidem ex dono nulla est quia debetur ex opere sed gratuitam Deus omnibus ex fidei justificatione donavit Wages indeed by gift there is none because by the worke it is due but to all by the justification of faith God hath given the same free Whence I argue No wages is of free gift Why because it is due to the worke Eternall life is of free gift which God giveth to all that beleeve by the justification of faith Therefore eternall life is not wages Mat. Yea but Hilarie elsewhere saith that the kingdome of God is the wages of such as live well Answ. It is merces indeed
our selves to bee sinners and our righteousnesse consisteth not in our owne merit but in the mercy of God 4. God resisteth the proud and giveth grace to the humble but where is grace it is not the retribution of workes but the largesse of the giver that the saying of the Apostle may be fulfilled it is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that sheweth mercy 5. Writing on those words Esai 64. 8. thou art our Father hee saith Si nostra consideremus merita desperandum est si tuam autem clementiam c. If wee consider our merits wee must despaire but if thy clemency who doest scourge every sonne whom thou receivest we dare powre forth our prayers 6. When the day of judgement or of death shall come all hands will bee dissolved because no worke shall bee found worthy Gods justice and in his sight shall no man living be jâ—…stified namely if he enter into judgement with him whereupon the Prophet saith in the Psâ—…lme If thou Lord observe iniquities who shall abide To these two that thred-bare answere is given that they speake of humane workes not assisted by grace when it is plaine that the former words are spoken in the person of Gods children whose good workes are alwayes assisted by grace the latter of all men even of the best whose workes though proceeding from grace are stained with the flesh and therefore not worthy of Gods justice § XIII The same answere is given to the testimonies of Macaâ—…ius and Marcus the Eremits which cannot bee so eluded Macarius speaking of the dignity of Christians for whom God hath prepared a kingdome writeth thus As touching the gift therefore which they shall inherit a man might well say that if any one should â—…ven from the creation of Adam to the consummation of the world fight against Satan and should suffer afflictions 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hee should doe no great matter in respect of the glory which he shall inherit Marcus among his twenty two sentences concerning those who thinke to bee justified by workes which in the first â—…entence hee calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath divers against merits whereof I will cite a few Our Lord saith he when he would shew that the keeping of the whole Law is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debita to bee performed as a debt and that the adoption of sonnes is given by his blood hee saith when you shall have done all things that are commanded you say wee are unprofitable servants we have done what was our duety to doe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Therefore the kingdome of heaven is not wages or a mercenary reward of workes but the Grace or free Gift of the Lord prepared for his faithfull servants The servant doth no require liberty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a deâ—…erved reward but receiveth it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as given by grace Some not doing the Commandements thinke they beleeve well Others doing them looke to receive the kingdome 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as due wages 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 both sorts misse the heavenly Canaan From Lords no reward is due to servants 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neither doe they obtaine liberty unlesse they serve well If Christ dyed for us according to the Scriptures and wee live not to our selves but to him that dyed for us and rose againe surely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee are bound as debtours to serve him uâ—…till death how then shall we esteeme the adoption or inheritance of sonnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 due unto us § XIV Out of Chrysostome many pregnant testimonies are alleaged first In Coloss. homil 2. Why doth hee call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 lot or inheritance by lot 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. he sheweth that no man by his owne good workes doth obtaine the kingdome for no man sheweth forth such a conversation that hee should bee worthy of the kindgdome but this is altoâ—…ether of the gift of God wherefore he saith when you shall have done all say we are unprofitable servants for what things wee ought to doe wee have done The same hath Theâ—…philact To this you may adde that which I cited before out of his Treatise De compunctione ad Stâ—…lochium and that which hee writeth in Psal. 4. 5. and in his sermon De primâ—… homine praelato â—…mni creaturâ—… In which it is said though we should die ten thousand deaths and should shew forth all virtue though we should performe ten thousand good workes yet we cannot performe any thing worthy of those honours bestowed upon us worthy of that heavenly kingdome or correspondent unto it but it is of his mâ—…rcie of his love of his grace that we are saved than which nothing can bee spoken more plaine against the merit of â—…ondignity To all which a senselesse answere is given that heaven is the free gift of God and yet is purchased by our merits which implyeth a contradiction within it selfe and is expressely repugnant to the Scriptures Rom 4. 4. 11. 6. And the reason which is given to prove it doth overthrow it because the good works which they call merits are the free gifts of God and therfore cannot merit of God as I have shewed before § XV. To that which is alleaged out of the life of Saint Anthâ—…ny and out of Augustine in Psal. 36. Conc. 2. in both which places is notably expressed the infinite disproportion betweene that we can doe or suffer which the Papists call merits and the heavenly reward which evidently overthroweth the Popish doctrine of meriâ—…s as I have heretofore proved it is answered that notwithstanding all this disproportion eternall life is given and justly given as the reward thereof But the question is not whether God doth justly give the reward which he hath freely promised but whether we doe merit and deserve it This answere therefore is frivolous Out of Augustine I have before produced manifold and manifest testimonies but yet because the Papists alleage out of him two Assertions which to them seeme contrary to that wee hold to wit that God is our debtour in respect of eternall life and that in justice he doth render it unto us I will brâ—…efly cleare them For first Augustine every where professeth that God is not a debtour unto us in respect of out desert but in regard of his gracious promise which proveth not our merit but the contrary For what he freely promised without respect of our worthinesse or desert that hee also promised to give freely And therefore eternall life when it is given according to his promise it is given freely and without our desert God is a debtour onely in respect of his promise a debtour unto himselfe as I have said before in respect of his trueth and fidelity it being impossible that he should lie or deny himselfe but not a debtour to us in respect of our
desert or dignity â—…or whatsoever hee hath promised us he hath promised it to them that are unworthy as was alleagâ—…d beforâ—… out of Augustine in Psal. 109. that it should not bee promised as a wages or a mercenary reward but being Grace might according to the name be graciously given Againe it is just with God that hee should render to the faithfull eternall life not because they deserve it but because he hath promised it for what he hath promised he is faithfull and just to performe But hee hath promised without respect of our desert to give it freely therefore it is just that he should freely give it to us and without our desert XI § XVI Theodoret The salvation of men dependeth on Gods mercie alone for wee doe not attaine unto it as wages but it is the gift of Gods goodnesse wherefore the Lord saith Propter me salvabo I will save for mine owne sake c. To this the answere is shamelesse that this place maketh not for our purpose And why For by salvation is not meant eternall life but of our first vocation wherof there is no shew As though Theodoret did contend that we doe not attaine to our first vocation by which we are as it were called into the vineyard as wages And againe he speaketh of the Church that is of them that are already called and no doubt but that by the same grace by which wee are elected called justified wee are also saved but that was free and undeserved and therefore so is this Againe The crownes surpasse the fights the rewards are not to bee compared with the laboâ—…rs For the labour is small but great gaine is hoped for and therefore hee called those things which are expected not wages but glory Rom. 8. 18. and in Rom. 6. 23. Hîc non dicit mercedem sed gratiam heere hee doth not say wages but grace It is answered that although the reward doe much surpasse the paines yet it is a just reward No doubt But why just Not because it is equall as it ought to bee if it bee rendred to merit of condignity but because it is promised and accordingly given of God the righteeous Iudge Prospers testimony which Bellarmine to whom his Disciple doth referre us sought to obscure was before cleared to bee most pregnant against the merit of good workes unto which wee may adde that on Psal. 102. upon these words who crowneth with mercy that we may understand saith he that by the same mercy the crownes of good workes which hee calleth merits are given by which were given the merits of the crownes that is freely and without merit or desert § XVII And this was the doctrine of the primitive Church for the first five hundred yeares and was continued in the next five hundred and in the third also as is plentifully proved by multitude of testimonies in the said learned worke of our most learned Primate unto which because his adversary giveth no answer I will referre the Chri stian reader citing onely a few of the latter times as it were for a taste Venerable Bede Et hoc non ex meritis sed sola gratia And thus that the godly man shall bee well rewarded is not by merits but by grace onely Haymo vita aeterna nulli per debitum redditur sed per gratuitam misericordiam datur Eternal life is rendred to none by debt or duty but is given by free mercie Rupertus the greatnesse or eternity of heavenly glory is a matter not of merit but of grace Photius In Rom. 6. 23. hee did not say that eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the wages of good workes but a free gift Oecumen in Coloss. 1. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. well did he call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as being a certaine inheritance and gift for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy c. Rom. 8. 18. On which place also hee saith the Apostle sheweth that wee neither can suffer nor conferre any thing worthy the remuneration that shall bee there I conclude with Anselmus Si homo mille annis serviret Deo etiam ferventissimè non mereretur ex condigno dimidiam diem esse in regno coelorum If a man should serve God a thousand yeares and that most fervently he should not condignely merit to bee halfe a day in the Kingdome of heaven CHAP. V. Bellarmines dispute sirst concerning the name merit Secondly concerning the thing which he endevoureth to prove out of the Scriptures § I. NOw we are come to Bellarmines dispute concerning merits Wherein he discourseth first of the name and afterwards of the thing it selfe As touching the name hee endevoureth to prove that it is grounded on the Scriptures And to this purpose he alleageth in the first place Eccl. 16. 14. which he according to the vulgar Latine translation readeth thus omnis misâ—…ricordia faciet locum unicuique secundum meritum operum suorum all mercie shall make place for every one according to the merit of his workes So that his first proofe is nothing but a corrupt translation of a testimony cited out of an Apocryphall Booke The words in the originall are these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 make way for every worke of mercie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for every man shall finde according to his woâ—…kes that is saith Bellarmine according to the merit of his workes Answ. But the phraâ—…e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is often used in the Scripture as when it is said God will judge every man or he will render to every one according to their workes doth not import merit that the name of merit should thereon be grounded but the quality of mens workes whether good or evill that is hee will graciously reward them that have done well and he will severely punish those that have done evill and so it is expounded 2 Cor. 5. 10. according to that which hee hath done whether good or evill so Rom. 2. 6 7 8. Matth. 16. 27. cum Matth. 25. 46. Ioh. 5. 29. This truth is acknowledged by Gregory the great it is one thing saith hee to render secundum opera according to workes and another thing to render propter ipsa â—…pera for the workes themselves for in that which is said according to workes ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur the quality it selfe of the workes is understood that whose workes shall appeare to bee good his retribution also shall bee glorious which words were spoken by Gregory in answer to an objection which is the same with Bellarmines in this place If the felicity of Saints be mercie and not acquired by merits as you say what shall become of that which is written and thou shalt render to every man according to his workes If it be rendred according to workes how shall it be esteemed mercie
But saith he it is one thing to say according to workes whereby the quality onely is noted good or bad another for the workes themselves which noteth merit But the Scripture no where saith that God doth reward the godly prâ—…pter opera sua but thus it speaketh To thee Lord mercie for thou rewardest every man that is every good man according to his work you see then that the objeâ—…tion made against Gregories assertion or rather Davids is Bellarmines the answer which Gregory maketh is ours Yea but Hierome saith Bellarmine who was most skilfull in the three languages doth use to translate that which in the Hebrew and Greeke is according to workes by the word merit saying according to the merit of their workes Answ. If he did so that would not prove the use of the name merit in the Scriptures but indeed he doth â—…ot so for usually hee rendreth secundum opera according to their workes Indeed Latine interpreters of latter times in the Church of Rome being poisoned with the Popish doctrine of merits are very forward as might be shewed at large to â—…oist in the word merit into their translations where the originall which they translate hath no such thing an instance whereof I will hereafter give in the translatour of Ignatius The vulgar Latine is more sparing howsoever Gen. 4. 13. it rendreth the words of Caines complaint thus Major est iniquitas mea quam â—…t veniam merear My sinne is greater than I can merit that is according to the ordinary use among the Latines obtaine pardon for it cannot without great absurdity bee understood of merit properly Howbeit the words are rather thus to bee rendred my punishment is greater than I am able to beare which interpretation is proved by those reasons which Cain useth in that place to aggravate not his sinne but his punishment Besides that place the verbe mereri is used but eight times in the Latine Bible and alwaies in sense the worse viz. deserving punishment and that is the proper sense for sinnes are properly merits of punishment and therefore to merit punishment is properly attributed to them The Nowne merit is used but thrice and that onely in the Booke of Ecclesiasticus that is to say besides this place in two others where it signifieth not merit of reward but worth or dignity as namely of the soule chap. 10 31. Of the men chap. 38. 18. So that the name merit taken in the popish sense for a good worke deserving the reward of eternall life hath no warrant at all not so much as in the Latine vulgar translation and much lesse in the originall Scriptures themselves § II. His second testimony is Heb. 13. 16. to doe good and to communicate forget not talibus enim hostâ—…is promeretur Deus for with such hosts say our Rhemists God is promerited The Greeke word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unaptly and barbarously translated promeretur when as it properly signifieth is well pleased and the meaning is that such sacrifices are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well pleasing or acceptable unto God Oecumenius expoundeth it by the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is pleased But not all â—…hings that please God doe merit of him Servants must bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well pleasing to their Masters Tit. 2. 6 and doe that which is pleasing in their sight who notwithstanding cannot merit any thing at their hands So all our obedience in doâ—…ing that will of God which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptable is pleasing to God and wee our selves in so doing are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptable to God but when wee have done all things that wee can wee cannot merit so much as thankes but must confesse our selves to bee unprofitable servants in doing but that which was our duety to doe Luk. 17. 10. Here therefore nothing but a barbarous translation is alleaged to prove that which is not in the originall â—…text Bellarmine though hee cannot deny it to bee barbarous yet he saith it is a very fit translation for most properly we say in Latine that one man doth merit of another and oblige him to him to himselfe whâ—… doth any thing whereby another is pleased or delighted I answere first that who so doth merit of another doth also please him but not whosoever doth that which is pleasing unto another doth also merit of him as I said before of servants Secondly there is great disparity between God and man One man may merit of another or oblige or make him beholding unto him It is therefore a strange conceit of Bellarmine because one man may merit of another by doing him a pleasure that therfore a man may mâ—…rit of God or oblige him unto him By doing good we profit our selves and others but we cannot profit God our goodnes reacheth not to him Psal. 16. 2. Can a man bee profitable unto God saith Eliphaz is it any pleasure to the Almighty that thou art righteous or is it gaine to him that thou makest thy way perfect Iob. 22. 2 3. and so Elihu Iob. 35. 7 8. This translation therefore as it is barbarous so it is impious in making God beholden unto us Yea but saith Bellarmine this word being joyned with that of sacrifices doth not onely signifie that God is delighted with good workes but that his favour is procured and hee induced to reward them that doe well Answer The Apostle doth not say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God is made propitious or as Bellarmine alleaging out of Latine Chrysostome placatur where the Greeke is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in the text of the Apostle For the sacrifice of Christ alone by it selfe is propitiatory the sacrifices of the Law onely as they were types of it As for the spirituall sacrifices whereof the Apostle speaketh they are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 propitiatory but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptable and well pleasing in Christ as being perfumed with the odours of his sacrifice This therefore was but a poore and indeed a base shift which Bellarmine was put to who finding no releefe in the originall text of the Scripture is faine to flee unto corrupt translations as he doth not only in these two places already alleaged but also in that allegation of Chrysostome for placatur and as afterwards wee shall see in citing Ignatius and other Greeke Fathers § III. And this is all the footing that the name merit hath in the Scriptures For though Bellarmine adde two other arguments yet they belong not to the name but to the thing So that here Bellarmine might have begun his third Chapter with this transition sed ut ad rem ipsam veniamus Having spoken of the name let us come to the thing For his other two arguments the one from the word Dignity the other from the name reward used in the Scriptures doe not prove the use of the of the name merit in the holy Scriptures but serve in his conceit to prove the thing and
reward of their labours who are Gods workemen vers 9. labouring for him and not for themselves is the blessing of increase which God giveth thereunto Even as the harvest is the reward of the earing not to be asscribed to the merit of earing but to the blessing of God And so it is here plainely said though the Planter and the Waterer shall have their owne rewards yet their reward is not to bee asscribed to the merit of their labour but to the blessing of God I have planted saith Paul and Apollâ—… hath watered but God gave the increase So then neither he that planteth is any thing nor he that watereth but God that giveth the increase Or if the place should generally be understood oâ—… all workes both good and bad the meaning would be that the reward would be answerable either good or bad That of the Psalmist Psal. 62. 12. To thee Lord mercie for thou rendrest to every man according to his worke is not generally to be understood of the workes of all men both good and bad for the bad works of the wicked hee doth not reward in mercie but judgement without mercie shall bee executed upon them but of the good workes of the godly onely which though they bee good and acceptable to God in Christ yet he rewardeth them not according to merit but according to his mercie The place Apâ—…c 22. 12. may be an exposition of the rest For whereas in the rest it is said that God will judge 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to their dâ—…eds here Christ saith he will render to every one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as his worke shall be viz. good or bad But here the Papists would seeme to bring a reason à pari that as the wicked are damned prâ—…pter peccata for their evill workes so the godly are saved propter opera bona for their good workes And as â—…vill workes merit hell so good workes pari ratione merit heaven Answ. it is impar ratio there is no equality in the comparison For first the Scripture plainely teacheth that by and for their evill works men are condemned and as plainely denieth that by or for good workes men are saved Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. Secondly any one sinne meriteth death because it is a breach of the Law yea of the whole law Iam. 2. 10. but not any one good worke can merit heaven because it is not the fulfilling of the whole law for there must be a concurrence of all duties In so much that if a man should performe all the Commandements and faile in one the breach of that one maketh him guilty of all Thirdly evill workes are purely and perfectly evill and therefore absolutely deserve death but the good workes are not purely and perfectly good as I have heretofore prooved therefore death is the due stipend of sinne but eternall life is the free gift of God Fourthly sinne is absolutely meritorious of damnation but so is not our obedience of Salvation For though we could performe all the commandements by a totall perpetuall and perfect obedience yet wee must acknowledge our selves unprofitable servants and much lesse could we merit thereby because we have done but our duety and where is no more but duety there can bee no merit Debitum non est meritum § XIIII His third argument is taken from those places which do so testifie eternall life to be rendred to good workes that they place the very reason why eternall life is given in good workes The places bee these Matth. 25. 34 35. Come ye blessed of my Father possesse the kingdome prepared fâ—…r you from the beginning of the world For I was hungry and you gave mee meat c. and in the same chapter vers 21. because thou hast beene faithfull in few things c. Apoc. 7. 14. These are they who came out of great tribulation c. therefore they are before the Throne of God In which places the particles enim quia ideo for because therfore are all causall His reason standeth thus To what things the causall particles are applied they are causes of that to which they have relation as namely of Salvation To workes of charity the causall particles are applied Therefore workes of charity are causes of Salvation To the proposition I answere that causall particles doe not alwaies nor for the most part signifie causes so properly called For that is a grosse erâ—…our of the Papists as I noted before The word cause sometimes is used properly to signifie that argument which hath relation onely to its effect by virtue whereof the effect hath its being either as from the efficient or as of the matter or as by the forme or as for the end Sometimes it is used generally to signifie any argument or reason whatsoever which is not the cause of the thing or of the being of that whereof it is said to bee a cause but of the consequence or conclusion and thus the rendring of any reason is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a rendring of the cause though perhaps it bee from the effect or any other argument And forasmuch as persons are discerned and knowne by their effects for as our Saviour saith By their fruits you shall know them therefore it is usuall in the Scriptures from the effect to argue and declare the cause As thus God is mercifull for hee rewardeth the godly according to their workes God is just for hee rewardeth the wicked according to their sinnes This man is elect because he truely beleeveth and repenteth this man truely beleeveth because hee is fruitfull of good workes This is a good tree for it bringeth forth good fruite To the woman that was a sinner much was forgiven for shee loved much In those and infinite more examples the cause or reason which is rendred is from the effect Therefore the proposition is false § XV. Now let us consider the places of Scriptnre which hee alleageth and first Matth. 25. 35. for when I was hungry c. This reason which is alleaged is not from the cause as if good workes were the meritorious cause of our inheriting the kingdome of heaven but from the effect to prove the cause which is expressed Verse 34. as I have shewed before For for what cause are men to be saved First because they are blessed of the Father that is justified and therefore entituled to this kingdome Secondly because they are elected and therefore this kingdome was prepared for them from the beginning Thirdly because they arâ—… the heires of God for whom our Saviour purchased this inheritance noted in the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 iâ—…rit But how shall it appeare who they are that are blessed and justified for whom this kingdome is prepared for whom this inheritance is purchased By the fruits of justification election redemption and namely by the workes of mercy and chariâ—…y towards the poore members of Christ according to which as the evidence our Saviour
sanctification of the Spirit we might bee fitted for his kingdome and receive the inheritance among those that are sanctified And this holinesse is so necessary a property and cognizance of them that shall bee saved as that without it no man shall see God wherefore â—…hough it bee not the cause as I have shewed heretofore yet it is the way to the Kingdome and consequently causa sine quâ—… non And therefore that wee may bee stirred up to seeke after holinesse which is so necessary the Lord in aboundant mercie hath promised eternall life thereunto as the reward whereby hee doth superaboundantly recompence all our service and obedience and most graciously crowne his owne gifts and graces in us Yea but saith toâ—…saack â—…saack yet his pleasure was that hee should obtaine them by the merit of prayer Reply that a man should merit by prayer is as absurd as to imagine that a poore man who hath nothing doth by his begging merit almes It is true that when God promiseth good things unto us as the end wee are to use those meanes which God hâ—…th preordained whereof prayer is a principall and to walke in that way which leadeth to that end but those meanes are no merits nor that way no cause of obtaining that which God as hee hath graciously promised so hee freely bestoweth § XVIII The fourth argument is from those testimonies where the reward is said to bee rendred to good workes out of justice as 2 Thess. 1. 4. we glory in you in the Churches of God for your patience and faâ—…th in all your persecutions and tribulations which you sustaine for an example of the just judgement of God and after vers 6. If yet it bee just with God to repay tribulation to them that vexe you and to you that are vexed rest with us 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good sight I have consummate my course I have kept the faith Concerning the rest there is laid up for me a crowne of justice which our Lord will render to me at that day a just judge Heb. 6. 10. God is not unjust that hee should forget your worke Iam. 1. 12. Blessed is the man that suffereth tentation for when he hath beene proved he shall receive the Crowne of life Apoc. 2. 10. Bee thou faithfull untill death and I will give thee the Crowne of life Hereto also saith hee belong those places Pro. 19. 17. foeneratur Domino he lendeth as it were upon usury to the Lord who hath piâ—…y on the poore 1 Cor. 9 24. Know you not thâ—… they which runne in the race all runne indeed but one receiveth the price so runne that you may obtaine 2. Tim. 1. 12. I am sure that he is able to keepe my depositum unto that day For he should doe wrong who should either not repay that which was lent or not pay the prize to him that overcommeth or not restore the depositum that is the thing which is committed to his trust For all these include justice His argument is thus to be framed That reward which God in justice rendreth to good works is merited by them Eternall life is a reward which God in justice rendreth to good works Therefore eternall life is merited by them The proposition he taketh for â—…ranted the assumption hee proveth by all those testimonies which he hath alleaged § XIX But first I answere to his proposition by distinguishing the word justice which is taken either universally comprehending all morall virtues and so it is all one with Gods goodnesse both as hee is good in himselfe and as hee is good to his creatures comprising the bounty and therein the love the grace and mercie of God as well as that which more properly is called his justice So that what good things is rendred accorâ—…ing to this justice is not therfore merited More particularly justice is either in word or deed God is just in his word both in respect of his precepts which are just as a just Law-giver and also in respect of his promises in performance whereof hee is faithfull and just For it is a just thing for any to stand to his promises yea as the Oratour saith fâ—…ndamentum est justitiâ—… fides Hence in the Scriptures faithfull and just are sometimes joyned as synonyma 1 Ioh. 1. 9 If wee confesse our sinnes he is faithfull and just to forgive us our sinnes And in this sense God is said to be just when hee doth render unto us that which he hath promised So in the places alleaged 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Heb. 6. 10. Iam. 1. 12. Hee is just also in his workes Psal. 48. 10. 145. 17. For God doth whatsoever he willeth and whatsoever he willeth that is just This justice by Philosophers is distinguished into distributive and commutative both observing equality the former geometricall the later arithmeticall But this distinction doth not agree to the justice of God in respect of the later branch which consisteth in commutation that is in mutuall giving and receiving For God giveth all things to all Act. 17. 25. but receiveth not any thing from any Rom. 11. 35 as I have said before and therefore cannot be a debtour to any but to himselfe in regard oâ—… his promise Thus then the justice of God which is in fact may more fully be distinguished that it is either disponens or remunerans disposing either as a just but most free and absolute Lord of all or as he is the just God the Creatour Governour and Preserver of all things Remunerating as he is the just judge As a most free and absolute Lord hee disposeth things according to his absolute will and pleasure Who possessing all things by full and absolute right may according to his pleasure dispose of them doing with his owne what he pleaseth Rom. 9. 18 21. Matth. 20. 15. As hee is the just God that is the Creatour Preserver and Governour of all hee disposeth of all things according to his goodnesse Mat. 5. 45. 48. giving all good things to all not universa singulis but such as are agreeable and fitting to all according to their severall kind nature and quality And from this justice the order of the whole Vniverse dependeth This goodnesse os God sometimes in the Scripture is called his justice Psal. 116. 5. and so translated by the 72. Gen. 19. 19. 32. 10. Exod. 34. 7. Esai 63. 7. and this justice is by the said 72. rendred mercie Deut. 6. 25. 24. 13. Psal. 24. 5. 33. 5. 103. 6. Esai 1. 27. Dan. 4. 24. 9. 16. And as he is God of all and just to all in giving to all those good things which belong to them so is he after a more peculiar manner the God of the faithfull Gen. 17. 7. even the God of their righteousnesse Psa. 4. 1. as their justifier and Saviour by the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ by imputation
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.
lib. 4. cap. 4. § 5. 4. 4. I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby justified lib. 4. cap. 4. § 17. 6. 11. But ye are washed but yee are sanctified but ye are justified c. lib. 2. cap. 3. § 4 lib. 4. cap. 10. § 7. 12. 9. To another faith lib. 6. cap. 1. § 6. 13. 2 Lib. 6. cap. 1. § 6. cap. 3. § 2. 3 4. 13. 13. Now abideth faith hope and charity c. lib. 6. cap. 3. § 4. 15. 49. We shall also beare the image of the heavenly lib. 4. cap. 10. § 12. 16. The second to the Corinthians 4. 17. Lib. 7. cap. 5. § 7. lib. 8. cap. 2. § 21. 5. 21. Him that knew no sinne hee made sinne for us that we might bee made the righteousnesse of God in him lib. 1. cap. 3. § 10. lib. 5. cap. 1. § 4. c. ad finem capitis 7. 1. Perfecting holinesse in the feare of God lib. 7. cap. 8. § 20. 7. 10. Godly sorrow worketh repentance c. lib. 7. cap. 5. § 6. 9. 10. He that ministreth seed multiply your seed and increase the fruits of your righteousnesse lib. 7. cap. 8. § 21. The Epistle to the Galatians 1. 8 9. If we or an Angell from heaven preach any other Gospeâ—…l c. lib. 1. cap. 1. § 1. 2. 16. Knowing that a man is noâ—… justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ c. lib. 7. cap. 3. § 8 c. ad 13. 3. 21. If there had beene a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have beene by the Law lib. 4. cap. 12. § 8. 5. 5. 6. We waite for the hope of righteousnesse by faith which workâ—…th by lo ve lib. 4. cap. 11. § 2 3 4. cap. 12. § 3. in fine lib. 6 cap. 12. § 3. â—… 4. 6. 7. Whatsoever a man soweth that he shall reape lib. 8. cap. 5. § 13. The Epistle to the Ephesians 2. 8. 9. By grace ye are saved through faith not of workes c. lib. 7. cap. 3. § 13. 5. 8. Now we are light in the Lord. lib. 2. cap. 8. § 6. 5. 26 27. That hee might sanctifie and cleanse it that hee might present it unto himselfe c. lib. 2. cap. 8. § 6. The Epistle to the Philippians 1. 9. VVherefore God hath exalted him lib. 1. cap. 4. § 11. 12. 2. 12. VVorke out your salvation in feare lib. 7. cap. 5. § 5. 3. 8 9. I account all things dung that I may winne Christ and may be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse c. lib. 7. cap. 3. § 15. lib. 8. cap. 2. § 22. 3. 15. Let so many as perfect be thus minded lib. 5. cap. 7. § 10 The second to the Thessalonians 1. 5 6. That ye may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompence c. lib. 8. cap. 5. § 20. 22. The first to Timothie 2. 14 15. Notwithstanding sâ—…e shall be saved in child bearing if they continue in faith c. lib. 7. cap. 5 § 4. 5. 8. If any provide not for his owne he hath denyed the faith and is worse than an infidell lib. 6. cap. 2. § 6. The second to Timothy 2. 11 12. If wee bee dead with him we shâ—…ll also live with him if we suffer we shall also reigne l. 7. c. 4. § 11. 16. 2. 21. If a man purge himselfe from these he shall be a vessell unto honour sanctified and meetâ—… for the Masters usâ—… lib. 8. cap. 2. § 9. 4. 7 8. I have fought a good fight henceforth is laid up for me a crowne of righteousnesse c. lib. 8. cap. 5. § 20. To Titus 2. 14. That hee might redeeme us from all iniquity and might purge untâ—… himselfe a peculiar people zelous of good workes lib. 4. cap. 4. § 19 3. 5 6 7. Not by workes of righteousnesse wâ—…n we have done but according to his mercie he saved us by the lâ—…ver of regeneration that being justified c. lib. 4. cap. 10. § 8. lib. 7. cap. 3. § 14. To the Hebrewes 5 9. He became the author of salvation eternall to them that obey him lib. 7. cap. 7. § 12. 6. 10. God is not unrighteous to forget your worke c. lib. 8. cap. 5. § â—…0 9. 28. Christ was once offered to beare the sinnâ—…s of many lib. 2. cap. 8. § 2. 10. 36. Ye have need of patience lib. 7. cap. 5. § 3. 11. 4. 7 c. lib. 4. cap. 10. § 9. 11. 6. He that commâ—…th to God must beleeve that God is and that he is a rewarder c. lib. 6. cap. 10. § 7. cap. 15. § 15. 13. 16. VVith such sacrificâ—…s God is well pleased lib. 8. cap. 5. § 2. Iames. 1. 25. Being a doer of the word this man shall be blessed in his deed lib. 7. cap. 5. § 12. 2. 14. 17. If a man say he hath faith and have not workes c. lib. 6. caâ—… 2. § 5. 10 c. cap. 3. § 5. lib. 7. cap. 5. § 12. 2. 24. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely lib. 2. cap. 4. § 4. 2. 14. c. ad finem capitis lib. 7. â—… 8. § 2 c. 2. 26. As the body without the Spirit is dead c. l. 4. c. 11. § 7. The second of Peter 1. 1. Who have obtained like precious faith with us in the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour IESVS CHRIST lib. 4. c. 2. § 2. The first of Iohn 2. 4. He that saith I know him and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar lib. 6. â—… 2. â—… 8. 2. 5. He that keepeth his word in him the love of God is perfected lib. 5. cap. 7. § 6. 3. 14. We know that wee are passed from death unto life because wee love the brethren l. 6. c. 12. § 3. 4. 19. Wee love him because he first loved us l. 6. c 12. § 5. 5. 1. Whosoever beleeveth that Iesus is the Christ is borne of God lib. 6. cap. 2. § 9. 5. 3. And his Commandements are not grievous l. 7. c. 6. § 8. The Revelation 7. 14 15. These are they that came out of great tribulation therefore are they before the throne of God lib. 8. cap. 5. § 16. 19. 8. The fine linnen is the righteousnesse of Saints lib. 2. c. 2. § 5. 22. 11. He that is righteous let him bee righteous still l. 2. c. 4. § 5. c. 5. § 10. l. 7. c. 8. § 23. 22. 12. I come quickly and my reward is with me to give to every man as his worke shall be The end of the Table of the places of Scriptures expounded in this Treatise A Table of things contained in this Treatise of Iustification A Abraham THough he abounded with good works yet he was justified by faith without workes lib. 4. cap 8. § 15. lib. 7. cap. 3. §
motive in God the principium or primary cause which some call 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of our justification he saith that we are justified by the grace of God Rom. 3. 24. Tit. 3. 7. that wee are saved by his grace Ephes. 2. 8. meaning thereby the gracious favour of God in Christ whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he hath graciously accepted and embraced us in his beloved They most absurdly and wickedly that they may place the matter of their justification and merit of their salvation in themselves doe by grace understand the gifts of grace and namely and especially that of Charity habitually inherent in us For so they teach justifying grace to bee a divine quality inherent in the soule per modum habitus a supernaturall habit infused of God and that not really distinct from Charity And in like manner what in this kind is said of the Love of God they understand it commonly not of Gods Love whereby hee loveth us but of our love whereby wee love God § II. For the better understanding of this point we are to distinguish the divers acceptions of Gods grace For either it signifieth the favour of God in himselfe or the gifts of grace in us The former is the proper signification for the grace of God properly understood is one of Gods attributes whereby he is signified to be gracious and is referred to his goodnesse Exod. 33. 19. cum 34. 6. unto which also his love and mercy are referred but with this distinction For Gods goodnesse is considered either as hee is good in himselfe yea goodnesse it selfe or as hee is good to his creatures which is his bounty which being referred to his creatures either as having goodnesse communicated to them is his love or as being in misery is his mercy or as having deserved no good thing at the hands of God but the contrary is his Grace The latter signification is unproper and metonymicall the word Grace being taken for the effects of his grace viz. his free and undeserved gifts and benefits proceeding from his grace and favour which are not properly called the grace and favour of God but his graces and favours not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gifts of grace Rom. 11. 28. 1 Cor. 1. 7. 12. 4. 31. And in both senses it is either more largely taken for any favour or favours of God though common as both his favour and love in creating preserving and governing his creatures and also the fruits thereof which are his common favours as the gifts of nature in which sense Pelagius did call bonum naturae and namely free-will the grace of God and the gifts dispensed by his providence as his temporall blessings which he graciously bestoweth upon both good and bad Matth. 5. 45. In which respect hee is not onely said to be channun gracious Exod. 22. 27. and graciously to bestow such gifts Gen. 33. 5. 11. Esai â—…6 10. but also to bee the Saviour of all men 1 Tim. 4. 10. yea to save both man and beast Psalm 36. 6. Or else it is used more specially to signifie the peculiar favour and favours of God vouchsafed to his peculiar people viz. the Church tending to the salvation of it and of the members thereof which is the usuall acception of the word in the Scripture § III. This by the Schoolemen is very unfitly distinguished into gratia gratum faciens gratia gratis daâ—…a for first out of this distinction that which chiefly and properly is to be called grace viz. the gracious love and favour of God in Christ is left out Secondly whereas by gratia gratum faciens the justifying and saving grace they meane grace infused and namely the habit of Charity they oppose it to gratia gratis data to grace freely given as if the grace infused were not also freely given But they might have learned either from their Master a better distinction of Grace though he doe but lightly touch upon it that Grace is either gratia gratis Dans gratia gratis Data or a better exposition of that distinction which they have propounded according to the Scriptures that by Gratia gratum faciens is meant the gracious favour of God in himselfe whereby he graciously accepteth us in his Beloved and by gratia gratis data the gifts of grace freely bestowed upon us for so the Apostle seemeth to distinguish Rom. 5. 15. that it is either 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace of God in himselfe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as he speaketh Ephes. 3. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gift of grace in us Or as elsewhere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the grace of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the gifts of grace The former is the gracious favour of God and is in God the giver of all good gifts as the fountaine of all graces the latter are the gifts of grace and are in the receivers as streames derived from that fountaine Now these 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or gifts of grace are either sanctifying graces tending to the salvation of him who is indued with them as faith hope charity the feare of God c. or edifying graces which are given for the salvation of others and those either ordinary as the gifts of the ministery or extraordinary as the gifts of prophecie of tongues of working miracles which the Schoolemen called gratias gratis datas § IV. These 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these gifts of grace whether you understand those edifying or those sanctifying graces may every one of them by a metonymy be caled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a grace or by special relatioÌ„ to some peculiar grace vouchsafed to some particular person 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this or that grace that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this or that giâ—…t of grace yet none of them can absolutely and properly be called the grace of God or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the saving grace of God or gratia gratum faciens of which this question is understood to wit whether this justifying and saving grace of God be inâ—…erent in us as a quality or habit or be out of us in God as being one of his attributes The Papists say it is inherent in us per modum habitus after the manner of an habit infused into us and so is the matter of justification considered as an action of God as we conceive of justification or the forme as they say speaking of justification passively and confounding it with sanctification But we though we doe confesse that in the gifts of saving grace as faith hope charity c. concurring in us our inward or habituall sanctification doth consist yet we deny them or any one of them to be either the matter or forme of justification But contrariwise we constantly affirme that the justifying and saving grace of God or as they speake gratia gratum faciens is the gracious
maketh in the question of justification betweene grace and workes as that if wee bee justified by the one wee cannot be justified by the other but they might as well stand together as the first justification of the Papists which is habituall consisting in the habits of grace infused with the second which is actuall consisting in works or rather the one would infer the other because we cannot be justified by the one I speak of adulti without the other for if wee bee justified by inherent righteousnesse that righteousnesse must be totall and perfect and therfore both habituall and actuall and both must concur unto justification for neither without the other is perfect Object Yea but the Apostle when hee saith that faith doth justifie without workes hee speaketh of the first juâ—…ification unto which works doe not concurre and when hee opposeth grace to workes hee meaneth the works of the Law done before faith without grace by the power of nature Answ. This is all that the Papists have to excuse themselves that they doe not openly contradict the Apostle who so often and so peremptorily concludeth that wee are justified by grace and not by workes by faith without the workes of the Law But it is evident that by the workes of the Law is meant all that obedience and righteousnesse that is prescribed in the Law which is the perfect rule of all inherent righteousnesse And therefore when the workes of the Law are rejected all inherent righteousnesse is excluded from justification It is also manifest that the holy Ghost speaketh generally of all men whether in the state of nature or in the state of grace and of all workes whether going before or following after faith insomuch that the workes which wee have done in righteousnesse Tit 3. 5. are excluded yea the workes of faithfull Abraham are denied to have justified him before God And therefore those who have both faith and works are justified by faith without workes But these objectiots I shall fully satisfie in their due place § X. Sixthly whereas the Papists say that justifying grace is the same with charity I argue thus Charity is the fulfilling of the Law in our owne persons But wee are not justified by our fulfilling of the Law in our owne persons Gal. 2. 16. 3. 10 11. Therefore we are not justified by our charity and consequently not by grace inherent § XI Seventhly that the Apostle by grace in the articles of justification and salvation understood the gracious favour of God in Christ and not inherent grace appeareth both by his assention Rom. 5. 20. that where sinne abounded Gods grace did much more abound and by his question Rom. 6. 1. shall wee continue in sinne that grace may abound for it were a strange conceit that where sinne aboundeth inherent righteousnesse should abound so much the more And to these we may adde those places which speake of going to the throne of grace that we may obtaine mercie and find grace Heb. 4. 16. of the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Iesus Christ for by grace we are saved Eph. 2. 7. 8. of the grace of God and the gift of grace distinguished one from the other Rom. 5. 15. of those that beleeve by the grace of God Act. 18. 27. of commending men to the grace of God Act. 14. 26. 15. 40. of the word of his grace Act. 14. 3. 20. 32. of the Gospell of his grace Act. 20. 24. of the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ who being rich became poore for us 2 Cor. 8. 9. of our predestination to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1. 5 6. of the election of grace Rom. 11. 5. of the appearing of the grace of God which bringeth salvation Tit. 2. 11. of Christ his tasting of death for us by the grace of God Heb. 2. 9. of the reward not imputed of grace to him that worketh Rom. 4. 4. of turning the grace of God into wantonnesse Iud. 4. c. § XII Lastly so cleare is this truth which wee deliver according to the scriptures concerning justifying grace that Albertus Pighius a famous divine among the Papists doth confesse that what the Schoolemen teach concerning justifying grace that it is a quality in our soules infused of God and there remaining after the manner of an habit and that it is the same in substance with the habit of charity c. are meere devises of men having no warrant in the Scriptures Thomas Aquinas also writing on Tit. 2. 11. it is to bee knowne saith he that grace signifieth mercie and mercie alwayes was in God yet in respect of men in times past it lay hid but when Christ the Sonne of God appeared grace appeared and it may be said that in the Nativity of Christ grace appeared two wayes the former because by the greatest grace of God he was given unto us and upon this grace in the second place followed the instruction of mankind wherupon he saith teachingus c. Whereunto we may adde that those few places which Bellarmine alleageth for inherent grace are by some of their owne writers understood of the gracious favour of God as we shall shew in the particulars which now we are to examine CHAP. III. Bellarmines allegation for grace inherent out of Rom. 3. 24. proved to make against himselfe § I. BVt before I propound them I am to advertise the Reader that we do not deny that there are divers graces of sanctification and those also necessary to salvation as faith hope charity the feare of God c. inherent in the soules of the faithfull as divine qualities residing there per modum habitus So that Bellarmine in his booke de gratia lib. arbitr might well have spared his labour whereby he endeavoreth to prove such grace or graces to bee inherent in the soule which never any of us denyed But wee deny that gratia gratum faciens or justifying grace is inherent in us This therefore Bellarmine laboureth to prove lib. 2. de justif cap. 3. unto which in the other place hee doth referre us alleaging Rom. 3. 24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus c. Answ. It cannot bee denyed but that the popish cause in this particular is very desperate when for the defence thereof they are able to alleage one onely place where grace is mentioned and that such a one as is a most pregnant testimony to prove free justification by faith onely without respect of any righteousnesse or grace inherent in us § II. And this is proved first by the context or coherence of these words with those which goe before For thus the Apostle reasoneth Those that bee in themselves sinners and by their sinne obnoxious to the judgement of God are not justified by righteousnesse inherent all which is prescribed in the Law but of necessity must be justified by a righteousnesse
by offering his sonne Isaac and Rahab by her entertaining and delivering of the Espies but no man can bee justified before God by his works who is guilty of any sinne For if Paul who was not conscious to himselfe of any sinne was not thereby justified how can he that is guilty of any or rather many sinnes be justified For whosoever is justified before God is blessed but cursed is every one that continueth not in all the things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them § IV. But if it shall evidently appeare that none of the workes of the faithfull are purely and perfectly good how farre then are the Papists from proving justification by workes And this I will prove by divers arguments which I will also maintaine against the cavils of the Papists And first out of Esa. 64. 6. We are all as an uncleane person or thing all our righteousnesses are as a menstruous cloth Where the Church doth freely confesse her selfe and all her members to bee uncleane and all their righteousnesses that is all their most righteous workes to bee as polluted clouts which though it be a most pregnant testimony wherein wee have just cause to triumph yet Bellarmine saith it is impertinent and that for three reasons First because without doubt the Prophet speaketh not of just men but of notorious sinners for whose sinnes the City of Ierusalem and people of the Iewes was to be delivered into the hands of the King of Babylon And that the prophet speaketh in the person of such wicked men he endeavoureth also to prove by three arguments First because he a little before had said because thou art angry and wee have sinned that is as Cyrill expoundeth it because thou art angry thou hast forsaken us But neither is God angry with the just neither doth hee forsake them I answere no lesse confidently but upon better grounds that without doubt the prophet speaketh in the person of the Church and namely of the faithfull who living after the desolation of Ierusalem in the captivity of Babylon should bewaile their owne sinnes and of the whole people of the Iewes which had drawne upon them those fearefull judgements For these words are part of that prayer of the Church of the Iewes which from the seventh verse of the 63. chapter is continued to the end of the 64. And in token of this continuation the latter part of the last verse of the former chapter in the hebrew is the beginning of this chapter in the Greeke Latine and other translations Now in the former chapter the same persons which here confesse their sinnes after they had magnified Gods mercies towards them verse 7. c. doe say unto God verse 16. doubtlesse thou art our Father though Abraham be ignorant of us and Israel know us not thou O Lord art our Father and our Redeemer And in this chapter as they bewaile in this verse their sinnefulnesse with aggravation so they desire the Lord whom they call their Father not to remember their iniquities because they are his people verse 8. 9. professing their hope of salvation verse 5. which is not the manner of notorious and impenitent sinners but of those that are penitent and faithfull And further that which Esay here foretelleth is accordingly performed First by Daniel chap. 9. from the fourth verse to the twentieth who in like manner in the name and behalfe of the desolate Church of the Iewes prayeth unto God confessing his owne sinnes and of the people of Israel as he speaketh verse 20. Secondly by the Church in captivity which send the like prayer written by Baruch to the priest and people who then were at Ierusalem Baruch 1. from the 15. verse of the first chapter to the end of the third § V. This then is the confession of the Church which according to Tertullians rule is to bee extended unto the faithfull in all times and so it is understood by Origen who saith that no man may glory of his owne righteousnesse seeing here it is said that all our righteousnesse is as the cloth of a menstruous woman by Hierome wee shall bee saved onely by thy mercie who of our selves are uncleane And what righteousnesse soever wee seeme to have is compared to a cloth of a menstruous woman By Augustine all our righteousnesse compared with divine justice is accounted like the cloth of a menstruous woman as the Prophet Esay saith c. and again whatsoever an uncleane person toucheth shall bee uncleane but all wee are as the cloth of a menstruous woman comming from a corrupt masse and uncleane we beare in our foreheads the spot of our uncleannesse which wee cannot conceale at least from thee who seest all things By Bernard in divers places First for our humble righteousnesse if wee have any is perhaps right but not pure unlesse peradventure wee beleeve our selves to be better than our forefathers who no lesse truely than humbly said all our righteousnesse is like the cloth of a menstruous woman for how can there be pure justice where as yet fault cannot bee wanting And againe what can all our righteousnesse bee before God shall it not according to the Prophet be reputed as the cloth of a menstruous woman and all our righteousnesse if it bee straitly judged will it not be found unjust and defective What then will become of our sinnes seeing our righteousnesse cannot answere for it selfe wherefore crying earnestly with the Prophet Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord let us in all humility have recourse to mercie which alone can save our soules Thirdly if I shall bee just I will not lift up my head for all my righteousnesses before him are as the cloth of a menstruous woman Fourthly it is perfect and secure glorying when wee feare all our workes as blessed Iob testifieth of himselfe and when wee acknowledge with the prophet Esay that all our righteousnesses are to bee reputed no other than the cloth of a menstruous woman Fifthly surely if all our righteousnesses being viewed at the light of truth shall bee found like a menstruous cloth what then shall our unrighteousnesses bee found to bee And to the like purpose I might alleage Dionys. Carthus in Psal. 142. Gerson tom 3. de Consolat lib. 4. pros 1. tom 4. tr de sign Cajetan in 2 Cor. 5. 21. Iacob Clict in Canonem apud Cassandrum consult art 6. Stella in Luk. 17. Ferus in Matth. lib. 3. cap. â—…0 Andreas Vega opusc de justif qu. 1. propos 4. Adrianus de Traject afterwards Pope in quartum sentent Quasi pannus menstruatâ—… sunt omnes justitiae nostrae jugiter igitur super pannum bonae vitae quem justitiae operibus teximus stillamus saniem diversorum criminum all our righteousnesses are like the cloath of a menstruous woman wherefore continually upon the cloth of a good life which
an heire of eternall life Christs sufferings and obedience being imputed unto him and accepted of God in his behalfe as if he had suffered and performed the same in his owne person But the doctrine of justification by inherent righteousnesse is as it were a racke to mens consciences For when a man being summoned to appeare before the judgement seat of God shall seriously consider with himselfe what he shall oppose to the accusations of Satan to the conviction of the Law to the Testimony of his owne Conscience confessing himselfe to be a most wretched sinner to the judgment of God the most righteous judge If he looke backe to his owne conversation as having nothing to trust to but his owne righteousnesse he shall finde sufficient matter of despaire He may say with Anselme Terret me vita mea c. my life doth terrifie me for being diligently examined my whole life almost appeareth either to bee sinne or barrennesse and if there seeme to bee any fruit therein it is either so counterfeit or unperfect or some way or other corrupted as that it can doe no other but either not please or displease God And summoning himselfe before the judgement seat of God hee findeth himselfe to bee in great straits On this side saith he will be accusing sinnes on that side terrifying justice under will lye open the horrible gulfe of hell above an angry Iudge within a burning conscience without a flaming world where shall I be hid how shall I appeare to be hid is impossible to appeare is untolerable To avoide these straits there is no way but to renounce the doctrine of justification by works or inherent righteousnes and to fly to the doctrine of the Gospell teaching justification by the grace of God freely without respect of works through the merits of Christ received by faith and to appeale from the tribunall of Gods justice to the throne of his mercy For whiles a man retaineth this opinion that he can bee no otherwise justified than by his owne good workes or inherent righteousnesse he can never be soundly perswaded that his righteousnesse is sufficient for that purpose but ever hath just caufe not onely of doubting but also of despaire And this is the cause of that Popish opinion that no man without speciall revelation can be assured of the remission of his sinnes or of salvation § VI. The eleventh and last argument shall be taken from experience For when men seriously considering of their justification before God as a judiciall act of God as the word it selfe importeth shall sincerely and in the feare of God set themselves before his judgement seat where they must receive the sentence either of absolution or condemnation and shall bethinke themselves what they being accused of Satan and convicted by the testimony of their owne Conscience have to oppose to the just judgement of God why sentence of condemnation should not passe against them they would utterly disclaime their owne righteousnesse For as Augustine and other of the Fathers observe as before I have noted out of the eight and nine verses of Prov. 20. joyned together cum Rex justus sederit in solio quis potest dicere mundum est cor meum when the righteous King shall sit upon his throne who can say my heart is cleane yea the best of the Papists when By deadly sicknesâ—…e as Gods messenger they have beene summoned to come before Gods judgement they have beene forced to leave their schoole-trickes and sophisticall distinctions and plainely renouncing their owne righteousnesse to rest wholly upon the mercies of God and the merits of Christ. Insomuch that many who have lived Papists have in this most weighty point died reformed Catholicks And to this purpose there is extant among them in divers Bookes a forme of visiting the sicke wherein both the Pastor is directed what to say and the sicke person is instructed what to answere The Pastor therefore having demanded these questions Brother dost thou rejoyce that thou shalt dye in the faith doest thou confesse that thou hast not lived so well as thou ought Doth it repent thee hast thou a will to amend if thou hadd'st space of life Dost thou beleeve that our Lord Iesus Christ dyed for thee doest thou beleeve that thou canst not bee saved but by his death and having received affirmative answers to every question he inferreth this exhortation that whiles his soule remaineth in him he should place his whole affiance in the death of Christ and in no other thing and that if God will judge him if hee shall say unto him thou art a sinner that thou hast deserved damnation that hee is angry with thee he should say O Lord I interpose the death of thy Sonne betweene me and thy judgement betweene my sinnes and thee betweene mee and my bad deserts betweene me and thine anger In the edition printed at Venice there are these two questions dost thou beleeve that thou shalt come to glory not by thine owne merits but by the vertue and merit of Christs passion And a little after dost thou beleeve that our Lord Iesus Christ died for our Salvation and that no man can bee saved by his owne merits or by any other meanes but by the merit of his passion unto both which an affirmative answere was made but both blotted out in the Index expurgatorius set forth by Cardinall Quiroga CAP. VIII The disproofe of the Popish assertion affirming that we are not justified by righteousnesse inherent § I. NOw we are severally to disprove the Popish assertion and to prove ours As touching the former that wee are not justified by righteousnesse inherent Our first argument may bee this That righteousnesse of God by which we are justified is not prescribed in the Law as before hath beene proved Rom. 3. 21. nor is that righteousnesse which is of the Law Phil. 3. 9. All inherent righteousnesse is prescribed in the Law and is that which is of the Law Therefore inherent righteousnesse is not that righteousnesse of God by which we are justified That all inherent righteousnesse is prescribed in the Law it is manifest first because the Law is a perfect rule of all inherent righteousnesse whether habituall or actuall secondly because charity wherein they place their inherent righteousnesse even that charity whereby they are to love God withall their soules and their neighbour as themselves that charity which proceedeth from a pure heart from a good conscience and from faith unfained is prescribed in the Law as the summe and complement thereof Matth. 22. 37. 39 40. 1 Tim. 1. 5. § II. To avoid this most evident truth Bellarmine bringeth a frivolous distinction as he applieth it to wit that there is justitia legis and justitia in lege or exlege The justice of the Law the justice in the Law or of the Law The justice of the Law is that very justice which the Law prescribeth or that justice
The second thing is that in the word the Lord revealeth his purpose concerning those that live well or ill Thou thinkest because thou hast a conceit that thou art elected thou canst not be damned though thou live never so wickedly But be not deceived for God hath revealed his purpose concerning impenitent sinners who live and dye in sinne unrepented of that there is no inheritance for them in the kingdome of God As for example thou art a drunkard and wilt not be reclaimed from this sinne and yet presumest that thou shalt be saved because thou hast a conceit that thou art elected But be not deceived no drunkards shall inherit the kingdome of God On the other side thou hast a conceit that because thou art not elected thou canst not be saved though thou shouldest live never so godly But the Scripture is plaine that whosoever truely beleeveth in Christ whosoever unfainedly repenteth him of his sinnes whosoever walketh uprightly before God making Conscience of his wayes hee shall bee saved Therefore whatsoever thy concâ—…it may bee concerning thine election or not election if thou doest truely beleeve in Christ and repenting of thy sinnes doest endevour to lead a good life as sure as God is true thou shalt be saved § IV. Secondly in respect of Gods Word which is infallibly true Now the word plainely testifieth that whosoever is in Christ is a new creature that those who are in Christ live not after the flesh but after the Spirit that they who are Christs doe crucifie the flesh with â—…he lusts thereof that Christ was made unto us not onely righteousnesse and redemption but also sanctification that Christ came not with water alone or bloud alone but with water and blood the bloud of redemption to cleanse us from the guilt of sinne and the water of ablution to purge us from the pollution of sinne that in whom Christ dwelleth by faith hee dwelleth in them by his Spirit and that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his that faith being a fruit of the Spirit and a grace of regeneration it cannot bee where the Spirit of grace and regeneration is not and that unlesse men bee regenerate and borne a-new they cannot see the Kingdome of God § V. Thirdly in respect of Gods Oath in which it is impossible that he should lye Now God hath sworne that whom he redeemeth from the hand of their spirituall enimies he will give them to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the dayes of their life For redemption is as well from the dominion of sinne as from the guilt of it As for those who commit sinne that is in whom sinne raigneth they are the servants of sinne and therefore not actually redeemed by Christ for whom the Sonne freeth they are free indeed Those that are freed from sinne become the servants of righteousnesse Those that are delivered from the hand that is the power of their spirituall enemies are ipso facto made the servants of God whose service is true freedome Thus much of the necessity of infallibility § VI. Secondly they are necessary necessitate pracepti imposing a necessity of duety towards God Our Neighbour Our Selves Towards God that wee may bee not onely obedient obsequious and well pleasing unto him but also which ought to be the chiefe respect of all our actions that wee may shew our selves thankefull unto him who hath been so gracious unto us First by loving him againe who hath lovedus first For when the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by his spirit that is when by faith wrought in us by his spirit we are perswaded of Gods infinite and unspeakable love towards us it cannot be but that our hearts should reflect some love towards him which is to be shewed in a willing observation of his Commandements Secondly in bringing forth those fruits which God expecteth and in atchieving that end which God propoundeth to himselfe in all his benefits bestowed upon us This is the will of God even our sanctification that fruit which he expecteth that end whâ—…ch hee aimeth at in all his blessings This is the end of our elâ—…ction that we may bee holy of our vocation 1 Thess. 4. 7. of our redemption 1 Pet. 2. 24. Tit. 2. 14. Ephes. 5. 26 27. Of our reconciliation Col. 1. 21 22. Of our regeneration Ephes. 2. 10. Of all his temporall benefits Psal. 105. 45 Thirdly by adorning the doctrine of God our Saviour Tit. 2. 10. Fourthly and principally by glorifying God who hath been so good unto us and propounding his glory unto us in all things For herein God is glorified if we bring forth much fruit Ioh. 15. 8. § VII Secondly towards our Neighbour first for avoiding of offence 1 Cor. 10. 32 Phil. 1. 10. making straight pathes unto our feet that others treading in our steppes need not stumble or fall providing things honest in the sight of all men labouring and endevouring to have a good conâ—…cience void of offence towards God and towards men Secondly that wee may edifie our neighbours by a godly example and provoke them to good workes and winne them unto Christ 1 Pet. 3. 1. Thirdly that wee may stoppe the mouthes of the adversaries which otherwise would bee open to blasphemâ—… the truth Tit. 2. 5. Fourthly that wee may cause them also to glorifie God Matth. 5. 16. Fifthly that wee may doe them good in exercising judgment and in practising the dueties of charity and mercie towards them Thirdly towards our Selves First that wee may avoid those judgements which are threatned against all sinnes both of omission and commission Deut. 28. 15 c. Matth. 3. 10 25. 41 42. Secondly that wee may be made partakers of those blessings which are promised to those who aâ—…e obedient to the will of God Psal. 84. 11. § VIII Thirdly they are necessary necessitate signi as necessary signes and evidences whereby wee are to gather assurance to our selves of our justification whereby our faith is to bee demonstrated whereby wee are to make our calling and our election sure Our election can not bee knowne à priori by any foregoing thiâ—…gs but à posteriori and namely by the fruits of sanctification which are also the fruits of our election For by a godly life our faith and justification is manifested 1 Ioh. 3. 7. â—…n respect wherof the faithfull are said to be justified by their workes Iam. 2. 21 25. being justified it is certaine that they are called according to his purpose and iâ—… so called then elected are they elected then undoubtedly they shall bee saved They are the cognizances of them that are to bee saved for by faith wee receive the inheritance among them that are sanctified They are the evidences by
beleeveth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse even as David also describeth the blessednesse of the man unto whom God imputâ—…h righteousnesse without workes Gal. 2. 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ to which adde the words following in the same verse for by the works of the Law shall no flesh bee justified adde also Chap. 3. vers 10. 11. as many as are of the works of the Law that is who seeke justification by the workes of the Law are under the curse For it is written cursed is every one that continueth not in all the things which are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them But that no man is justâ—…fied by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the just shall live by faith Ephes. 2. 8 9. By grace are yee saved through faith not by workes lest any man should boast Phil. 3. 8 9. I account all things but losse and dung that I may gaine Christ and may be found in him not having mine owne righteousnesse which is of the Law as all inherent righteousnesse is but that which is through the faith of Christ the righteousnesse which is of God by Faith Tit. 3. 5. Not by workes of righteousnesse which we have done but according to his mercy he saved us § VI. Bellarmine before he maketh answere to these testimonies noteth three things First what the Apostle meaneth by the Law of workes and by the Law of Faith Secondly what difference there is betwixt the justice of the Law and the justice in the Law Thirdly what the Apostle meaneth by workes when he saith a man is justified without workes For the first he cavilleth with Calvin and Chemnitius and others as though they understood simply by the Law of workes that which requireth workes and by the Law of faith which requireth faith as if the Law of faith did not also require workes and the Law of workes did not also require faith whereas our writers distinguish the two covenants of God that is the Law and the Gospell whereof one is the covenant of workes the other the covenant of grace doe teach that the Law of workes is that which to justification requireth works as the condition thereof the Law of faith that which to justification requireth faith as the condition therof The former saith doe this and thou shalt live Rom. 10. 5. Gal. 3. 12. Mat. 19. 17. the latter beleeve in Christ and thou shalt be saved Iohn 3. 16. Act. 16. 31. But the Papists whiles they teach that in the Gospell perfect righteousnesse is required in us to justification and salvation as the condition thereof as much or rather more than in the Law they doe either confound the Law and the Gospell making either of them to be the Law of workes or else as the Apostle speaketh of the false teachers of the Galathians they teach another Gospell than that which Christ and his Apostles taught which whosoever doth though he were an Angell from heaven he ought to be held accursed But you will say is not obedience to the Law required in the Gospell I answere it is not required unto justification and salvation as the condition but the ability of performing obedience is the grace of the New Testament which is promised to those that beleeve And therefore our new obedience is required as the fruit of our redemption and as the way wherein wee being justified are to walke towards our glorification and as the cognizance of them that shall be saved § VII Bellarmine having rejected our exposition setteth downe his owne the summe and effect whereof in plaine termes is thus That the Law of workes is the letter or the doctrine whether of the Law or of the Gospell prescribing what is to be done but affording no helpe to performe the same And that the Law of faith is the Spirit or the grace of the New testament promised to those that beleeve whereby they are enabled to performe that which is commanded Which distinction betweene the letter and the Spirit as it is propounded by Saint Augustine is true but cannot bee applyed to this place Rom. 3. 27. where by Law on both parts is meant Doctrine according to the proper signification of the Hebrew word Thorah The Law of workes signifying the Morall Law which unto justification requireth workes the Law of faith signifying the Gospell which to justification requireth faith onely and is therefore called the word of faith and the Law of faith For although Bellarmine elsewhere seemeth to make this to be a principall difference betweene the Law and the Gospell that the Law is the letter commanding the Gospell is the Law of faith meaning thereby the grace of the New Testament which is the Law written in our hearts wherby we are enabled to performe obedience to the Law yet hee confesseth that the Gospell in the Scriptures doth ever signifie the doctrine of the Gospell and withall confesseth the doctrine of the Gospell as it commandeth any thing to be a Law of workes So that lex fidei the Law of faith according to this exposition is as well opposed to the Gospell as it signifieth the doctrine thereof as to the Law But the difference betweene the Law of workes which is the morall Law and the Law of faith which is the Gospell in the question of justification whereof the Apostle treateth is to bee fetched from that righteousnesse which either of them requireth to justification For both of them require righteousnesse therunto The Law requireth the righteousnesse of workes the Gospell in which without the Law is revealed the righteousnesse of God by which we are justified teacheth the righteousnesse of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Chrysostome upon this place 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the Law of saith to be saved by grace And this explication fitly agreeth to the scope of the Apostle teaching that by the doctrine not of the Law but of the Gospell all boasting is excluded As if the Apostle had thus argued The true doctrine of justification excludeth all boasting See Ephes. 2. 8 9. but the Law of workes that is that doctrine which teacheth justification by workes doth not exclude all boasting See Rom. 4. 2. which the Law of faith doth teaching that wee are justified by remission of sinnes and saved by grace therfore that doctrine which teacheth justification by works is not the true doctrine but that which teacheth justification by faith without workes § VIII As touching the difference which hee putteth betweene the justice of the Law or that which is in it or by it I have spoken before in the third question of this controversie where I shewed that if it be admitted according to Augustines meaning who was the Author of it it maketh wholly against Bellarmine For though a
viz. if wee be not justified by good workes nor saved for them are they therefore to be neglected No saith the Apostle they that are justified are the workemanship of God created unto good workes which God hath prepared that we being justified and regenerated should walke in them And therefore the Apostle speaketh manifestly not of workes going before grace but of such good workes as are consequents of our justification and fruits of our regeneration wherein we being regenerated and justified are to walke as in the way to our glorification § XIV The next place viz. Tit. 3. 5. which is like to the former Bellarmine shifteth off with the like common answere that it speaketh of workes going before faith But hee may not carry it so For the Apostle having as hee had done Eph. 2. signified that all of us before our conversion lived in all manner of sinne But after that the kindnesse and love of God our Saviour to man appeared not by the workes of righteousnesse which wee have done but according to his mercie hee saved us c. Where as in the former place he useth the phrase of saving unto which as I said Bellarmines distinction cannot bee fitted And secondly the workes which he excludeth hee doth expressely call the works of righteousnesse which terme cannot agree to the works of such men as the Apostle describeth vers 3. and such are all men unregenerate § XV. The sixth and last testimony whereunto Bellarmine answereth is Phil. 3. 8 9. Where the Apostle in the question of justification renouncing his owne inherent righteousnesse which not onely hee had in his Pharisaisme but which then hee had according to the Law desireth to bee found in Christ having that righteousnesse which is through the faith of Christ. Bellarmine answereth according to his distinction formerly used that by the righteousnesse which is of the Law are meant workes done through the knowledge of the Law by the onely strength of nature which I have before confuted Neither would Paul make any question of his justification by his works done before his conversion For before his conversion notwithstanding his Pharisaicall proâ—…ession of righteousnesse hee doth confesse that he was a blasphemer and injurious and of all sinners the chiefe 1 Tim. 1. 13 15. And whereas Chemnitius objecteth that Paul rejecteth not onely his workes before his conversion which he siâ—…nifieth speaking in the time past ver 7. but what things were gaine unto me I counted losse for Christ but also the workes of his present condition which hee noteth speaking in the present tence and using particles of amplification 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea doubtlesse and â—… doe count all things but losse c. As if he should have said nay more than that I even now doe count all things as losse and I doe count all but as dung c. Bellarmine answereth that as the Apostle in the beginning of his conversion had counted them losse so hee did still But if the Apostle had spoken of the same workes whereof he spake ver 7. the amplification used vers 8. would have been but an idle repetition and the exposition which we give was long since delivered by Chrysostome The Apostle saith hee having said these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I counted losse for Christ he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea that which is more I doe count all things losse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he said all both past long since and also present § XVI But here Bellarmine thinketh he hath Chemnitius at a great advantage as if hee had spoken blasphemy for saying that the Apostle calleth his workes done after his calling which were the fruits of the Spirit and for which he expected a reward 2 Tim. 4. 7. even a Crowne of righteousnesse c. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dung Whereunto I reply in the question of sanctification wee doe highly esteeme of good workes but in the question of justification if they shall be obtruded as the matter by which wee stand just before God by which we are both freed from hell and entituled to heaven if affiance or trust be put in them for our justification before God then seeme they never so glorious they are to bee esteemed as things of no worth yea as losse And in the like cause as hath beene shewed the godly have compared their most righteous works to menstâ—…uous clouts And in this sense Chemnitius speaketh that the Apostle quod attinet ad articulum justificationis did thus speake of his workes done after his renovation Immo saith he si fiducâ—… justitiae cor am Deo ad vitam aeternam illis operibus assuaâ—…ur pronunciat ille esse stercora detrimenta But if the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 translated by the vulgar Latine stercora offend Bellarmine hee may translate it quisquilias as Hierome doth meaning thereby things of no value such things as use to be cast to Dogges or Swine according to the notation of the word For as Suidas saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or as others 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is cast to swine And from hence is the verbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifieth to bee rejected as a thing of no worth Chrysostome and Theophylact upon the place by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 chaffe Photius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 straw or stubble But Heâ—…ychius expoundeth it by 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 dung I conclude as Bellarmine doth against Chemnitius Eat nunc Bellarminus queratur c. Let him complaine that wee are enemies to good workes because in the question of justification when men trust to them to bee justified before God by them and so make Idols of them which the holy Ghost calleth Deos stercoreos wee esteeme them not onely as things of no â—…alew but also as losse § XVII To these testimonies I added others out of the same Chapters or Epistles no lesse pregnant than these unto which more might bee adjoyned as Rom. 3. 24. being justified freely by his grace which text affordeth two arguments from the words gratis and gratia From the former I argue thus Those that are justified freely gratis are justified without workes All the faithfull are justified gratis freely Therefore all the faithfull are justified without workes The assumption is proved out of the text The proposition because the word gratis is so expounded by all sorâ—…s of Writers both old and new both protestants and Papists gratis id est siâ—…e â—…ueribus sine meritis as I have shewed heretofore Gratis saith 〈◊〉 quia nihil â—…perantes nec vicem reddentes sola fide justificati sunt dâ—…ne Dei by which words hee excludeth all workes as well following after as going before Oecumenius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thou art saved freely without any good workes of thine which words exclude all merits as well from salvation as from justification And so doe
obedience by that which wee suffer David therefore professeth that it was good for him that hee had been afflicted that hee might learne the statutes of the Lord and confesseth that before hee was afflicted hee went astray but now saith hee I have kept thy word This also is a yoke which Ieremy saith it is good for a man to beare even in or from his youth Lam. 3. 27. For to the Godly it is made an easy yoke and light burden First In comparison of that superexcellent eternall weight of glory wherewith the Lord doth recompence our momentany and light afflictions which are no way comparable to the glory which shall be revealed Secondly because affliction worketh patience and patience probation and probation hope and hope of eternall glory makethus to swallow all the difficulties of this life and with patience and comfort to beare afflictions yea to rejoyce and to triumph in them Rom. 5. 3. 8. 37. Looking unto IESVS the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God Wherefore Saint Iames and Saint Peter in their Epistles doe teach it to be a matter of joy to the faithfull when they are afflicted Thirdly because the nature of afflictions to the faithfull is changed being not evill not punishments to them but rather blessings as being either fatherly chastisements or tryals for their good which proceeding from Gods love are so moderated by his mercy that they doe not exceed their strength 1 Cor. 10. 13. and are through Gods providence made to worke for their good Rom. 8. 28. and profit that they may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Affliction therefore to the faithfull is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a commodious or easie yoake Fourthly because Christ by his Spirit doth minister such comfort to the faithfull in their afflictions that as their sufferings increase so their consolation aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 4 5. § VIII So much of his first Testimony In the second place 1 Ioh. 5. 3. The Holy Ghost setteth downe two notes whereby wee may know that we love God For this saith he is the Love of God first that we keepe his commandements for this in other places also is made the proper note of his Love viz. to keepe his Commandements Exod. 20. 6. Iohn 14. 15. the second that his Commandements are not grievous for nihil difficile amanti Nothing is difficult to him that loveth And so Augustine answereth the Pelagian urging this place quis nesciat non esse grave quod diligendo fit non timendo So that if we truely love God we will out of love and not out of servile feare and constraint yeeld willing obedience to the Commandements of God So that this is the meaning to him that loveth God the Commandements of God are not grievous but he delighteth in them according to the inner Man yeelding voluntary and cheerefull obedience thereto not in perfection but according to the measure of grace received For when the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God assuring us in some measure of Gods love towards us then are our hearts enlarged to love God againe and being enlarged we doe not onely walke but runne also in the way of Gods commandments that is willingly and cheerefully according to the measure of our faith and love wee obey them But though the faithfull doe willingly obey Gods commandements so according to their ability yet they cannot perfectly fulfill them § IX His second sort of testimonies is of such as teach that the Law is kept by them that Love Of this sort he citeth three testimonies the first concerning the Love of God Ioh. 14. 23. If a man love me he will keepe my word The other 2. concerning the love of our neighbor Rom. 13. 8. he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the Law Gal. 5. 14. all the Law is fulfilled in one word thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe From hence he argueth thus They that are able to love God and their neighbour are also able to fulfill the Law the faithfull are able to love God and their neighbour therefore they are able to fulfill the Law The proposition hee proveth by these three testimonies of Scripture The assumption thus If we cannot love God and our neighbour then can wee not be the disciples or friends of Christ but it is absurd to say that none can be the disciples or friends of Christ therefore we are able to love God and our neighbour The proposition of this prosyllogisme he proveth out of Ioh. 15. 35. Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another and Iohn 15. 14. you shall be my friends if you doe the things that I command you Now the thing which he did command was that they should love one another To this long discourse a short answere may suffice we doe confesse that all they who love God and their neighbour doe keepe Gods commandements according to the measure of their love but wee deny that any can fulfill the Law of God who have not a full and perfect love and that to the perfection of love such as the Law requireth none can attaine in this life For our knowledge is but in part therefore our love our regeneration is but in part wee being but partly spirituall and partly carnall and therefore our love The Law is impossible by reason of the flesh therefore whiles the flesh remaineth in us the Law is not possible unto us § X. Bellarmine confesseth that our charity in this life is unperfect because it may be increased and because it shall bee greater in our country Notwithstanding he holdeth that it is so perfect as may suffice for the fulfilling of the Law But David saith that the Law of God is perfect and so perfect as nothing may be added thereto and therefore requireth perfect righteousnesse not onely in respect of the parts but also of the degrees unto which nothing can be added For if any thing can bee added to it then something is wanting which is required to perfection and what is wanting is a fault Peccatum est saith Augustine cum vel non est charitas quâ—… esse debet vel minor est quà m debet It is a sin either when there is not Charity which ought to be or when it is lesse than it ought to be And no doubt but it is lesse than it ought to be when it is not so great as the Law requireth and it is not so great as the Law requireth whiles it may be increased For as Augustine saith quamdiâ—… augeri potest charitas profectò illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est Whiles Charity may be increased assuredly
of the most regenerate is not yet wholly renewed and how much he is not yet renewed so much he is in his old estate c. 6. It is the fulnesse of virtue which the Law saith thou shalt not covet hoc modò impleri non potest this now cannot bee fulfilled 7. So long as love may and ought to bee increased as in this life alwayes it may and ought certainely that which is lesse than it ought to be is faulty by reason of which faultinesse there is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not By reason of which faultinesse no man living shall be justified in Gods sight c. VII Sedulius upon those words for Christ is the end of the Law c that is saith he perfectionem legis habet qui credit in Christâ—… hee hath the perfection of the Law who beleeveth in Christ. For seeing no man was justified by the Law quia nemo impleâ—…at legem because none did fulfill the Law c. VIII Oecumenius for this cause they who adhere to the Law are accursed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they are not able to fulfill the Law IX Bernard neither was the Law-giver ignorant that the weight of the Commandement did exceed the strength of men but hee judged it profitable that by this meanes they might bee admonished of their insufficiencie and that they might know unto what end or perfection of righteousnesse they ought according to their ability strive wherfore mandando impossibilia by commanding things impossible hee made not men transgressours but humble c. 2. Therefore he hath straightly comanded his Commandements to be kept that seeing our imperfection to be defective non posse implere quod dâ—…bet that it cannot fulfill what it ought we might flee to mercie X. Thomas Aquinas on those words Gal. 3. 10. For it is written Cursed c. he proveth saith hee his purpose viz. that no man can be justified by the workes of the Law quia nullus potest servare legem because no man can keepe the Law in that manner that the Law prescribeth Deut. 27. because every one is accursed who doth not continue in all things which arâ—… written in the booke of the Law to doe them that is who doth not fulfill the whole Law Sed implere totam legem est impossibile but to fulfill the whole Law it is impossible XI Cardinall Câ—…sanus Nemo vunquam adimplevit legem never any man fulfilled the Law which consisteth in love but Christ only who came not to breake the Law but to fulfill it Against all these the sacred Councell of Trent denounceth Anathema CAP. VII Bellarmines sixe reasons to prove that the Law of God is absolutely possible answered and refuted § I. NOW I come to Bellarmines Reasons which are in number sixe The first A man may doe more than is commanded therefore much more hee is able to fulfill the Commandement The antecedent hee proveth by three testimonies The first of Christ Matth. 19. Who after he had said if thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements and the party had answered all these I have kept from my youth he saith unto him againe if thou wilt be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast c. The second of Chrysostome who saith that many exceed the Commandements The third of Augustine who saith no great burden is imposed upon Virgins greater love hath imposed a greater weight As if they should say what dost thou command that we should not bee adultresses Is this that which thou commandest In love to thee we doe more than thou commandest I answere by distinction For when he saith a man may doe more than is commanded that more may be understood either extensivè to things not commanded at all or inteâ—…sivè in respect of things commanded but done in greater perfection than is commanded And thus he meaneth either some speciall Commandement or the whole Law If he meane the whole Law I deny the antecedent For I have proved that no mortall man is able to fulfill the whole Law and much lesse to doe more The Law of God is a perfect rule of righteousnesse unto which nothing can or ought to bee added And to him that goeth about to adde to Gods Law God will adde his judgements because hee addeth nothing but will-worship and sinne And to such it will be said Who required these things at your hands Neither is that obedience to God which God hath not required And this is the case of all the religious Orders among the Papists who professe greater perfection than God hath required the severall Religions being so many by-wayes misleading them from that way which leadeth to heaven And this overthroweth all their superarrogant workes of supererogation For there can bee no workes of supererogation over and above the Law unlesse first the whole Law be fulfilled and then more bee added thereunto Neither of which can bee done If hee meane either things not commanded or the duties of any one speciall Commandement then I deny the consequence For as touching things not commanded it is manifest that they who are addicted to will-worship doe many things not commanded who notwithstanding neglect the things commanded making the Commandements of God of none effect through their traditions And this is the condition of all popish Votarles who though they should fully observe the rules of their severall Orders yet would bee very farre from fulfilling the whole Law of God If hee meane some speciall Commandement as by his proofes it seemeth hee doth then also I deny the consequence For though â—… man should doe more than is required in some speciall Commandement yet hee would bee defective in respect of others and hee that faileth in any is guilty of all § II. But I suppose it would be hard for any Papist to shew that in respect of any necessary morall duety more can bee laudably performed than is by duety required For whatsoever can be done it is either commanded of God or forbidden or neither commanded nor forbidden If it be forbidden it is evill and not to be done If it bee commanded it cannot bee done in greater perfection than God in his Law doth require it to be done If it be neither commanded nor forbidden then it is in it owne nature indiâ—…erent and therefore in respect of our Christian liberty free either to bee done or to be left undone But because our liberty is not a loose licentiousnesse but a true liberty bounded with the Lawes of piety and charity therefore we are so to use or forbeare the use of these things as that therein wee doe not offend against either piety or charity If therefore wee shall use these things as meanes or helpes to performe the dueties either of piety or charity or refuse them as impediments to either having either in the using or refusing
soever wee doe is profitable to our selves but not to God Reply Beda giveth two reasons though Bellarmine conceale the better why we doing that which is commanded are notwithstanding called unprofitable servants The former quia Dominus bonorum nostrorum non indiget because the Lord hath no need of our good things Which though true yet doth neither so well fit the comparison wherein the servant though usefull to his master both abroad and at home could not by all his endevour deserve to himselfe so much as thankes neither agreeable to the reason which our Saviour rendreth because we have â—…one what is our duty to doe The latter we are unprofitable servants because saith he Non sunt condignae c. The sufferings of this life are not worthy of the glory that shall be reavealed that is because we cannot deserve the reward of eternall life by our service But as it is elswhere said saith he who crowneth thee in mercie and loving kindenesse hee doth not say in thy merits and workes because by whose mercie wee are prevented that we may in humility serve God by his gift we are crowned that in sublimity we may reigne with him So Bede § XI The third exposition he saith is Augustines viz. That we may be called unprofitable servants when we have kept all Gods Commandements because we doe no more than our duty which indeed is the reason which Christ himselfe doth render neither can wee from thence demand any just reward unlesse God had made a liberall Covenant with us For by our condition we are the bond-servants of God and if he will he may bind us to performe all manner of workes as it pleaseth him without reward This our condition Christ for the preservation of humility would have us to acknowledge Howbeit by his gracious covenant we may expect reward 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. Matth. 20. 13. Which God in his great bounty hath promised to this end that thereby he might draw us to performance of our duety as Augustine teacheth Replpy This answere of Bellaamine is worthy to be observed or rather admired first for the impudencie of it in that he fathereth this exposition upon Augustine who in the place by him quoted doth not once mention this Text of Luk. 17. 10. nor hath one word to that purpose for which this exposition is alleaged excepting the clause of Gods bounty which as it proveth this to bee that very testimony of Augustine which he quoteth so doth it evidently exclude merit Secondly for the force of truth which forceth him to contradict his owne assertions both here and in other places For first hee confesseth that hee which doth no more but his duty doth not merit and that wee doe no more but our duty Whereupon it followeth that we doe not merit Secondly where hee confesseth that wee can doe no more than our duty he renounceth all workes of supererrogation And thirdly in that he confesseth that for the same cause wee are unprofitable servants he taketh away all merit of condignity Fourthly he confesseth that without Gods gracious promise we could expect no reward Which proveth that the reward is due onely ratione pacti and not ratione ipsius operis which afterward he denyeth Fifthly he confesseth that such is the bounty and goodnesse of God that to allure us to the performance of our duty hee doth freely promise a reward Now what God doth freely promise to give he giveth freely and without desert For eternall life which in his word hee hath promised as a reward in his eternall counsell hee purposed freely without any respect of our worthynesse to bestow upon us and what in mercy hee either purposed or promised Christ by his merit hath purchased for us So that we attaine to heaven by a threefold right By Gods free donation electing us in Christ as his free gift Secondly by Christs merit as our inheritance Thirdly by Gods free promise as his gracious reward whereby he crowneth not our merits but his owne gifts and graces in us God indeed hath promised freely to reward our workes but that our workes should merit the reward he hath no where promised or taught § XII His fourth exposition is of Chrysostome that the Lord doth not say ye are unprofitable servants but biddeth them say so which is true But what will Bellarmine inferre therefrom that therefore they were not so God forbid For then our Saviour should have taught his Disciples to lye Neither doth God allow of counterfeit humility But the meaning of our Saviour was to teach his Disciples in humility to confesse the truth that because they had but done their duty if they had done all that is commanded they should not bee lifted up with a proud conceite that thereby they had merited but should no lesse truly than humbly confesse that they were unprofitable servants who by doing no more than their duty could not merit of God And this objection is also answered by Bernard Sed hoc inquies propter humilitatem monuit omne dicendum Planè propter humilitatem numquid contra veritatem But you will say that for humility sake hee admonisheth them thus to say No doubt for humilitie But did hee bid them speake against verity And the same is taught by Chrysostome elsewhere No man saith hee doth shew foorth such a conversation as to be worthy of the kingdome but it is wholly of his gift therefore hee saith when you shall doe all that is commanded say we are unprofitable servants we have done what is our duty to doe And againe in another place where he sheweth that what the Sonne of God did for us hee did not of duty but what good we doe wee doe it of duty Wherefore himselfe said when you shall have done all say ye are unprofitable servants for wee have done what was our duty to doe If therefore wee shew foorth love if we give our goods to the poore we performe our duty c. Object Yea but the servants which imployed their Talents well were commended as profitable servants Answ. They were commended as good servants and faithfull to their master And of him because they profitably imployed their Talents were graciouslie rewarded But of their merit nothing is said If they had not imployed their Talents well they should have beene punished And in that they did imploy them well they did but their duty and that also by assistance of Gods grace who both gave them the Talents and grace to imploy them well and therefore though they had reward yet they did not merit it § XIII Our fourth Testimonie is Rom. 6. 23. For the stipend of sinne is death but the free gift of God is eternall life through IESVS CHRIST our LORD where is an antitheâ—…is or opposition betweene death meaning eternall death the reward of sinne and eternall life the reward of righteousnesse that death is the stipend of sinne justly merited by it but
bountyof God then are they fooles who repose affiance in their owne workes And no doubt but they are fooles who trust in their owne heart as Salomon saith Prov. 28. 26. For as Adrian saith who after was Pope Our merits are like astaffe of reed which not onely breaketh when it is leaned upon but also pierceth the hand of him that leaneth on it To trust in a mans owne righteousnessâ—… is the property of a proud Iustitiary and hypocrite Ezec. 33. 13. Luke 18. 9. and of one that is accursed because hee removeth his heart â—…rom God and putteth his trust in man that is to say hâ—…mselfe for as Bernard well faith for a man to trust in himselfe Non fidei sed per â—…dem est nec confidentiae sed diffidentiae magis in semetipso habere fiduciam But the true and upright Christian renouncing all confidence in his owne righteousnesse as being a beggar in spirit Matth. 5. 3. resteth wholly on the mercies of God and merits of Christ Psal. 130. 3 4. 143. 2. Dan. 9. 18. 1 Cor. 4. 4. Phil. 3. 8 9. according to the advice of our Saviour Luk. 17. 10. If it be objected that the godly in many places of Scripture doe alleage their owne innocency and integrity as seeming to put some affiance therein 2 King 20. 3. Nehem. 5. 19. Psal. 18. 21 24. 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. I answere first it is one thing to place affiance in our good works as causes of our salvation as merit-mongers use to doe another from our good workes as tokens and signes of our election vocation justification and as presages of our glorification to gather comfort assâ—…rance and hope to our selves of our justification and salvation which the faithfull use to doe and to that end are they commanded to practise good workes that they make their calling and election sure 2 Pâ—…t 1. 10. This distinction is acknowledged by Bellarmine Sciendum est saith hee aliud esse fidâ—…ciam nasci ex 〈◊〉 aliâ—…d fiduciam esse ponendam in meritis It is one thing out of our good workes to gather assurance and affiance in God which the faithfull doe as they are exhorted in the Scriptures 2 Pet. 1. 10. Iob 11. 15. Rom. 5. 4. Probation worketh hope 1 Ioh. 3. 21. If our heart condemne us not then have wee confidence towards God and it is another thing to place affiance in our merits which none but proud Iustitiaries and Pharisaicall Hypocrites use to doe Secondly we must distinguish betwixt the innocency and justice of a mans cause and the innocency and justice of his person For the same men in the Scripture who for the justification of their persons desire the Lord not to enter into judgement with them for the justification of their cause have not feared to appeale to Gods judgement § XIII Our sixth reason those who cannot fully discharge their duety much lesse can they merit For they that merit must doe more than their duety For they that doe but their duety though they doe all that is commanded must acknowledge themselves to be unprofitable servants But if they faile in their duety and come short of that which is commanded then can they merit nothing but punishment at the hands of God But no mortall man is able fully to satisfie his duety Our duety is to abstaine from all sinne yea to be 〈◊〉 from all sinne and to doe the things commanded to doe all and to continue in doing all and that in that manner and measure which the Law requireth But those things no mortall man is able to doe as hath beene proved heretofore So farre is every mortall man from meriting any thing but punishment at the hands of God Our seventh reason If good workes doe merit salvation then wee are saved by them but we are not saved by good workes Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. therefore they doe not merit salvation Eightly the last reason The heavenly Canaan is a land of promise as the earthly Canaan was which the Lord gave to the Israelites not because of their merits Deut. 9. 5. Nor for the merit of their forefathers Iosh. 24. 2. but because he loved them and that for no other cause but because hee loved them Deut. 7. 7 8. In which love as hee freely promised it so in the same undeâ—…erved love he did freely bestow it And yet hee was just in giving it because hee had promised it Nehem. 9. 8. The same wee are to conceive of the heavenly Canaan whereof the other was a Type that it is a land of promise and noâ—… of merit freely promised and freely bestowed on the heires of promise CAP. IIII. Testimonies of Fathers disproving merits and first those which Bellarmine hath sought to answere and then others § I. TO the former testimonies and proofes I will adjoyne the testimonies of Fathers and other writers And first those which Bellarmine hath endeavoured to answere of which Hilarie is the first Spes in misericordia Dei in sâ—…culum in seculum seculi est Non enim illa ipsa justitiae opera sufficient ad perfectâ—… beatitudinis meritum nisi misericordia Dei etiam in hac justiâ—…ae voluntate hâ—…manarum demutationum motuum vitia non reputet hinc illud Prophetae dictum est melior est misericordia tua super vitam In tantum misericordia Dei muneratur ut miserans justitia voluntatem aeternitatis quoque suae justum quemque tribuat esse participem His intendement is that the hope of salvation is to bee placed in Gods mercy which is better than our righteous life For the workes of righteousnesse without Gods mercy in forgiving of sinnes will not suffice to obtaine the reward of blessednesse which the mercy of God pitying our will of righteousnesse bestoweth on the just But Bellâ—…mine maketh him speake what pleaseth him for to omit that for sufficient hee readeth Sufficerent Hilary saith hee doth teach that with our goodworkes are mingled certaine sinnes which though they make not a man unjust as being light â—…nd veniâ—…ll yet they need pardon and mercy because nothing that is defiled can enter into the kingdome of heaven Bellarâ—…ines meaning is that at the day of judgement the faithfull shall need Gods mercy for the pardoning of veniall sinnes as heretofore â—…ee hath taught But there is no such matter in Hilary neither is it tâ—…ue as I have shewed beforâ—… that at the day of â—…udgement the faithfull shall need remission of veniall or any other sinnes neither doth Hilary say that the sinnes which are forgiven by the mercy of God are light and such as the Papists call veniall Neither is it true that there bee any sinnes which doe not make them sinners in whom they are seeing Bellarmine here confesseth that men are so defiled by them that they being not remitted exclude them from heaven neither doth hee say with good merits are mingled sinâ—…es neither doth
of virtue yet to life I am enabled not by merits but by pardon To this Bellarmine giveth the same answere which he did to Aâ—…gustine and Prosper which is that one and the same bush whereby he seâ—…keth to stoppe all gapps that he speaketh of such merits as wee have from our selves which neither are nor can be any But to this place this answere cannot be applyed seeing Gregory speaketh those words in the person of Iob whose workes proceeded from grace he being the most gracious man that was then upon the earth The same Gregory writing on the seventh Penitentiall Psalme speaketh to this effect If that felicitie of Saints be mercie and is not acquired by merits which hee had noted before out of the Psalme what then shall become of that which is written and thou rendrest to every man according to his workes if it be rendred according to works how shall it be esteemed mercie But it is one thing saith he to render according to workes another to render for the workes themselves For in that it is said according to workes the quality of works is meant that whose workes shall appeare to bee good his reward may be glorious For to that blessed life wherein we live with God and by God no labour may be matched no workes compared especially seeing the Apostle saith The passions of this time are not condigne to the future glory Where he teacheth these three things First that eternall life is not gotten by merits no not of Saints Secondly That it is not given for our workes as the meritorious cause though according to our workes Thirdly that our workes are not worthy of it and therefore cannot condigneâ—…y merit it § VI. The sixt and last is Bernard out of whom he citeth as objected by us foure Testimonies The first de annunciat serm 1. where is an excellent passage against merits out of which Bellarmine citeth for us one onely sentence But I will recite the whole place Now as touching life eternall we know that the passions of this time are not condigne to the future glory though one man should sustaine them all Neither are the merits of men such that eternall life should bee due to them by right or that God should doe some injury if hee did not give it For to omit that all our merits are Gods gifts and so for them man is more a debtour to God than God to man what are all merits to so great glory Finally who is better than the Prophet who held it necessary to say unto God Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord and a little after when hee had commended speciall faith whiâ—…h the Papists cannot abide he â—…aith ipse peccata condonat ipse donat merita pramia nihilominus ispe redonat hee forgiveth our sinnes he giveth us merits or good workes and he neverthelesse giveth us the rewards In which words are contayned six good arguments against merit of condignity The first If the passions of this life even martyrdome it selfe are not condigne or worthy to the future glory though one did beare them all then much lesse are our actions or good workes But the passions of this time though one man should sustayne them all are not condigne or worthy to the future glory therefore much lesse are our good workes worthy of that glory Secondly Condigne merits are such that eternall life is due unto them by right insomuch as God should seeme to doe wrong if he did not bestow it as the Papists most presumptuously teach But our good workes are not such as Bernard here plainely testifieth therefore our good workes are not condigne merits of eternall life Thirdly Those things which bee the gifts of God doe not merit of God yea they are so farre from meriting at the hands of God that they make men who have them debtours to God and not God to them But our good workes which some call merits are all of them the gifts of God Fourthly Betweene merits of condignity and the reward there is an equall proportion But what are all our good workes which they call merits to so great glory Fifthly They who have condigne merits may boldly appeare before the judgement of God and challenge their due reward but the holiest man that liveth ought to say with David enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord for no man living shall be justified in thy sight if thou enter into judgement with him Sixthly If God doth give unto us both our good works or merits and also the reward then our good workes doe not condignely merit everlasting life but the antecedent is true therefore the consequent Of these six Bellarmine citeth onely the second and that onely he answereth viz. that Bernard teacheth that eternall life is not due to merits by right absolutely because they presuppose both the grace and the promise of God but grace and promise being presupposed eternall life is due by right which he would prove out of 2 Tim. 4. 7. and Heb. 6. Reply Bernard speaketh with presupposall both of Gods grace and promise and teacheth that good workes though proceeding from grace though having the promise of reward yet to them eternall life is not due by right neither doe they merit it condignely as is proved by the six reasons whereof Bellarmine answeareth never a one For in thâ—… first reason he speaketh of the sufferings according to the Apostles meaning of the sonnes and heires of God which they suffer for or with Christ having this promise that if they suffer with Christ they shall be glorified with him yet these though one man should sustaine them all are not condigne to the future glory As for the second which he would seeme to answere instead of explaining it he plainely contradicteth it saying that our merits are such as eternall life is due to them by right In the third argument Bernard doth not onely presuppose that the good works or merits where of he speaketh doe proceed from grace but from thence proveth that because they are Gods gifts they cannot merit of God but the more a man hath of them the more he is indebted to God In the fourth he sheweth that betweene all our workes though never so much proceeding from grace and the future glory which is promised to them there is no proportion In the fifth he speaketh of them that are most godly who have both grace and promise of glory that they are so farre from condigne merit that if God should enter into judgement with them none of them could be justified in his sight In the sixth he setteth downe the degrees of grace freely bestowed upon us that hee doth condonare peccata donare merita redonare praemia Of his grace hee forgiveth our sinnes of his grace he giveth us good workes which hee calleth merits of his grace redoubled upon us he graciously giveth the reward which hee hath freely promised as for his proofes out of
whereof he is just in justifying us Rom. 3. 25 26. and in remitting our sinnes Psal. 51. 14. 1 Ioh. 1. 9. and accepting of us as righteous in Christ unto eternall life and to this justice of Christ and not to ours doth the Lord in justice as a just Iudge render eternall life being no lesse just than mercifull in saving us And in this justice of God as well as his mercie are wee to repose our affiance both for our justification and salvation For if wee truely beleeve in Christ we have in him satisfied Gods justice in him we have fulfilled the Law and therefore remission of sinnes and eternall life is in justice due unto us not for any merits of ours but for the merits of Christ. There remaineth the remunerating or distributive justice of God as a just Iudge judging the world in righteousnesse Psal. 9. 4 8. and rendring to every one according to the quality of their works Psal. 62. 12. Rom. 2. 6. Ier. 32. 19. For it is just with God to reward the righteousnesse of the righteous and to punish the sinnes of the wicked as in the place alleaged 2 Thess. 1. 5 6. and Psal. 18. 20 24. Mat. 10. 41 42. 2 Tim. 4. 8. Exod. 34. 7. And this justice is distinguished according to the quaâ—…ity of the persons towards whom it is exercised for towards the godly it is justitia liberans beans of which Psa. 31. 1. 71. 2. deliver me in thy righteousnesse and towards the wicked vindicans or puniens Psal. 94. 1 2. Exod. 34. 7. 〈◊〉 1. 2 3. The proposition therefore is not true unlesse it bee understood of commutative justice which belongeth not to God For the reward which God giveth to good workes if it bee according to his universall justice it is to bee ascribed not to our merits but to his goodnesse If according to his justice in word not to our merits but to his fidelity If according to his justice as he is absolute Lord not to our merits but to his good pleasure If according to his justice as he is Creator c. not to our merits but to his bounty If according to his justice as hee is the God of our righteousnesse not to our merits but to the merits of Christ. If according to his remunerating justice not to our merits but to his liberality Answ. 2. God may bee said in justice to render reward either in respect of the worthinesse or desert of the worke or in some other respect If not in that respect or if in any other respect it argueth not merit But not in that respect for all our workes are unperfect and stayned with the flesh and no way in worth comparable to the reward but in other respects as first in regard of his promise which it is just with him to performe secondly in regard of Christs merit applyed to us § XX. I come to the assumption which understood of commutative justice is not true of others it is to no purpose Let us then examine his proofes whereof not one doth prove the question For as touching the first viz. 2 Thes. 1. 6. we have said that it is just in respect of Gods remunerative justice by which hee rendreth to every one according to the quality of their workes to recompense tribulation to the wicked which persecute the Church and to the godly who are troubled rest with the Saints The second 2 Tim. 4. 7 8. It is just with God when the faithfull have fought a good fight have finished their course have kept the faith that he should render unto them the crowne of righteousnesse both according to his fidelity in performing his promise for it is just that the crowne which hee hath promised to the faithfull hee should give them having kept the faith and also according to that righteousnesse as he is the God of our righteousnesse that is the justifier and Saviour of all that beleeve For it is just that the righteous judge should give to the Apostle having kept the faith that crowne of righteousnesse which God hath promised and which Christ hath purchased and which in respect of Christ his merit and righteousnesse imputed is in justice due not onely to the Apostle but to all the faithfull who are described by this note that they love his comming If it bee demanded why it is called the crowne of righteousnesse Bernard shall informe us Est ergo quam Paulus expectat corona justiâ—…iae sed justitiae Dei non suae It is therefore a crowne of justice which Paul expecteth but of Gods justice not his owne For it is just that he should render what he oweth and he oweth what he hath promised And this is the justice whereof the Apostle presumeth the promise of God The third Heb. 6. 10. God having promised that he would be mindefull of his servants he is not unfaithfull to breake his promise nor unjust to forget them But what is this to the purpose or that which followeth Iam. 1. 12. that when a man is by bearing affliction found to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 approved he shall receive the crowne of life which God hath promised to all that love him or that Apoc. 20. 10. where to him that is faithfull unto death the Lord promiseth to give out of his gracious bounty a crowne of life As touching those places which concerne loane the prize and the depositum in all three it is presupposed in the very nature of the contracts that a promise is made by the borrower by the master of the game by the depositary that the thing borowed is at the day of payment to be restored the prize is to bee given to him that winneth it and the depositum is to be rendred when the depositor doth demand it and therefore that it is just that the promise in every one should be performed And even so Paul in the last place as Bernard hath well observed Dei promissum suum appellat depositum quia credidit promittenti fidenâ—…er promissum repeâ—…it promissum quidem ex misericordia sed jam ex justitia persolvendum calleth Gods promise or that which he promised his deposâ—…um and because he beleeved the promiser he doth confidently call for the thing promised promised indeed in mercie but now in justice to be rendred § XXI His fifth argument is taken from those Testimonies wherein eternall life is promised to good workes as Maâ—…th 19. 17. If thou wilt enter into life keepe the Commandements and vers 29. Every one that shall leave house or father c. hee shall receive an hundred fold and shall possesse eternall life 1. Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse is profitable for all things having the promise of this life and of that which is to come Iam. 1. 12. he shall receive the crowne of life which God hath promised to them that love him Now saith hee a promise made with the condition of
a worke doth not onely make the thing promised a debt for he that promised is bound to stand to his promises but also causeth that hee who shall fulfill the worke may be said to have merited the thing promised and may by right require it as his reward His reason briefly is this Eternall life is promised upon condition of good workes therefore good workes are meritorious of eternall life I deny the consequence though eternall life bee promised upon condition of good workes yet good workes are not the meritorious cause thereof First The reasons of my deniall are these first because eternall life before we had a being was freely intended to all of us that shall be saved not according to our workes but according to Gods owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before all secular times 2 Tim. 1. 9. Secondly Because Christ hath merited it for all the elect and there is no other meritorious cause of salvation besides him Thirdly Because in Christ it is freely promised to all the faithfull as their inheritance purchased by Christ and therefore not to bee obtayned by their owne merit Fourthly As it was a reward freely promised so it is freely given as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the free gift of God Fifthly Because as it selfe is the free gift of God so the graces and good workes to which it is promised as a reward are the free gifts of God of which the more we have the more are we indebted to God so sarre are wee from meriting any thing at the hands of God by them Sixthly Because all our workes are debita debts or dutyes which we owe unto God and therefore when we have done all wee must say we are unprofitable servants Seventhly Because there can bee no merit of condignity where is not an equall proportion betweene the worke and the reward Eighthly Because our best workes are stained with the flesh Ninthly Because God is our absolute Lord and wee are his bond-servants to whom we owe our selves and whatsoever wee can doe Neither are we able to render unto him so much as is due and much lesse can we merit any thing from him Tenthly Because God to all his creatures giveth all good things but receiveth nothing from any and therefore cannot be made a debtour to any of his creatures Therefore though eternall life bee promised to good workes yet it is not merited by them Yea but saith Bellarmine the promise made with a condition of workes doth make the thing promised due Answ. First where the condition is fully performed there the thing promised is due But wee all faile in the fulfilling And therefore if reward bee given to such as come short of their duety as all doe it must be acknowledged to bee of Gods grace and not of our merit Secondly the thing promised is due not by merit but by promise not in â—…espect of the worke done which is a dutie and that not so perfectly performed but that it needeth pardon but onely in respect of the promise because hee who hath promised hath bound himselfe to keepe his promise But Gods promise was dâ—… gratuitâ—… non de debito I say his promise was freely to give eternall life and so according to his promise he freely bestoweth it Yea but saith he by performing the condition not onely the thing promised becommeth due but he also that hath performed may truely be said to have merited the reward promised But this say I should have beene proved and not taken for granted being denyed by us and disproved by all the tenne arguments even now produced § XXII His sixth argument is taken from those places wherein mention is made of dignity or worthinesse For as before hee had said in his second Chapter to be worthy of reward and to merit it is all one according to that saying of our Saviour Luk. 10. 7. the labourer is worthy of his hire The places are these Wisd. 3. 5. God proved them and found them worthy of himselfe 2 Thes. 1. 5. that you may be counted worthie of Gods kingdome for which allso ye suffer Luk. 20. 35. They that shall be accounted worthy of that world and the resurrection from the dead Apoc. 3. 4. they shall walke with me in whites because they are worthy His reason may thus bee framed whosoever are worthy of eternall life they doe merit or deserve it Those that doe good workes are worthy of eternall life Therefore they doe merit or deserve it I answere by distinction For there is difference betweene these two to be worthy and to be counted worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be worthy by a mans owne worth or merit or by acceptation and grace or favour vouchsafed by another to be esteemed worthy to be worthy in our selves or to be accepted as worthy in Christ. If the word be understood in the former sense I deny the assumption if in the latter I deny the proposition For to be worthy or rather to bee accounted worthy of eternall life by mercie and grace not dignitate sua sed dignatione divina not in themselves but in Christ which is the case of all the faithfull and yet to merit and to deserve it by a mans owne worth implyeth a contradiction Against the assumption I say that none of the faithfull though fruitfull of good workes is in himselfe or by his owne worth or merit worthy of eternall life This hath beene the confession of the faithfull in all ages as I partly noted before Iacob confesseth Gen. 32. 10. that hee was lesse than the least of Gods mercies that is unworthy of them though but temporall what would he have said of eternall David professeth himselfe unworthy of those temporall honours which God had vouchsafed unto him 2 Sam. 7. 18. 1 Chron. 29. 14. Iohn the Baptist confesseth that hee was not worthy to carry Christs shoes Mat. 3. 11. or to loose the latchet of them Luk. 3. 16. Iohn 1. 27. The Centurion whose faith is so highly commended professeth himselfe not to bee worthy that Christ should come under his roofe Mat. 8. 8. The afflictions of this life though one man did beare them all are not worthy of the future glory Roman 8. 18. Adde to these the confessions of the Fathers though cited many of them before Ambrose Quid pâ—…ssumus dignum pramiis facere coelestibus Hâ—…erome Nullum opus dignum Dei justitia reperietur Againe Rever a nihil posset 〈◊〉 condignum pati glâ—…ria coelesti etianisi talis esset illa qualis modò est vita 〈◊〉 No man sheweth forth such a conversation as to be worthy of the Kingdome of Heaven No though a man should die ten thousand deaths and should performe all virtuous actions The Author of the worke not finished upon Matthew what doe we in this world worthy that wee may deserve to bee
of Heaven Fifthly that it is a most unjust thing to desire eternall life of God the most just judge before we merit to receive it Where faith he he plainely condemneth all Lutherans who will not by their workes merit eternall life and yet by assurance of faith they presume it shall be given them Answ. If by his word petere he meane desiring by prayer I say we must desire it before we be worthy of it in our selves But Augustine hath the word poscere meaning that no man ought to challeng or demand eternal life as his due before he hath deserved to receive it To which I answere that none can deserve to receive it by their owâ—…e merits and that none but Pharisees will challenge it But yet all that truely beleeve in Christ doe in him deserve it yea in him they have it and he that will not beleeve this he maketh God a lyar 1 Ioh. 5. 10 11. and therefore every one that knoweth himselfe to beleeve doth or ought to know that he hath eternall life 1 Iohn 5. 13. He might have added a sixt collection that nothing is more unjust than that God should give rewards to men before they deserve them But this sheweth the unsoundnesse of this Testimony not beseeming Augustine For what God giveth he freely giveth and in that which is gratâ—…itum free there is no unjustice May not God doe with his owne what pleafeth him and therfore no unjustice when he gave the whole dayes wages to them that had wrought but an houre and therefore to such as had not deserved it And if it be unjust with God to give the reward of eternall life to them that have not in their owne persons deserved it what will he say of Gods dealing with the elect infants who dying in their infancie are crowned with eternall life This Testimonie therefore was but the assertion of an ungrounded Divine And yet this Testimonie alone with our Braggadochio is sufficient to put us all to silence Eighthly His allegation of Prosper justificatus homo id est ex impio pius factus nullo praecedente bono merito accipit donum quo medio acquir at meritum maketh wholly against the merit of congruity which with the Pelagians the Papists doe hold but against us it hath nothing except perhaps the word merit which is not against us in that sense that he and Augustine use it for a rewardable worke which before justification men have not but with their justification they receive grace from which what good workes doe proceed are to bee rewarded with eternall life Ninthly the word merit being understood in that sense as undoubtedly it is in all the Latine Fathers we subscribe to the Testimonie of Caelestinus Bishop of Rome as making for us rather than against us For having said Dei gratiâ omnia hominis merita praeveniri that all the good workes of men are prevented by Gods grace hee addeth Tant a est enim erga omnes homines bonitas Dei ut nostra velit esse merita quae sunt ipsius Dono pro his quae largitus est aeterna premia sit donaturus which notably setteth forth the unspeakable goodnesse of God to us but not our desert towards him Tenthly the like is to be said of his allegation out of Gregory on those words of Iob c. 3. 19. Parvus magnus ibi sunt quia in hac vita nobis est discretio operum â—…rit in illa proculdubio discretio dignitatum ut quo hic alius alium merito superat illic aâ—…ius alium retributione transcenâ—…at where he using promiscuously the words opera and merita by merita understandeth opera bona proceeding from grace which hee acknowledged to bee the free gifts of God Wherefore his meaning is no more but this that on those to whom in this life God doth give greater grace he bestoweth in the life to come greater glory Eleventhly in the last place hee alleageth Bernard who in the whole controversie of justification and in this question of merits is wholly ours Out of him he citeth two Testimonies The former Merita habere cures habita data noveris perniciosa paupertas penâ—…ria meritorum Answ. Bernard useth ordinarily the word merit unproperly according to the use of the Latine Fathers meaning thereby good workes and that either simply or with relation to reward that is to say rewardable workes such workes or merits saith Bernard we must be carefull to have and having them we must acknowledge them to bee Gods gifts the penurâ—… of them is pernicious poverty The other Omne quod feceris bonum malúmve quod quidem non facere liberum sit meritò ad meritum deputatur Answ. That is worthily accounted merit that is a rewardable worke which is free for a man not to doe For what is not voluntary but forced it deserveth not reward But to speake of merits properly as justly and condignely deserving a due and proportionable reward for the workes sake Bernard acknowledgeth no merits but the mercies of God and the merits of Christ denying our workes to be our merits but Gods gifts nor to be merits properly or meritorious causes of our salvation as I have shewed before And these were all the testimonies of the Fathers which Bellarmine thought good to produce which when the Reader hath compared with those which I formerly alleaged let him pronounce secundum allegata probata whether wee or the Papists have the consent of Antiquitie in this great question of merits § IV. But to the testimonies of the Fathers Bellarmine adjoyneth the authority of foure Councels The first whereof is the second Councell held at Aurenge in France Debetur merces bonis operibus si fiant sed gratia qui non debetur praecedit â—…t fiant Reward is due to good workes when they bee wrought but grace which is not due goeth before that they may be wrought which Canon as all the rest is collected out of the writings of Augustine for the confutation of the Semi-pelagians and is to bee understood according to the constant and perpetuall doctrine of Augustine that reward is due to good workes not in respect of the dignity or worth of workes but in regard of Gods Promise Now there is great difference betweene that which is due by desert and that which is due by promise For where a great reward is promised to a small worke the reward is due by promise but not by desert But much more when eternall life is promised to our workes betwixt which there is no proportion Therefore though eternall life bee a reward due in regard of promise yet it is a free and undeserved reward and is therefore called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of God or as Augustine useth to render it according to the vulgar Latine gratia and that in opposition to the wages or deserved reward of sinne Rom. 6. 23. and
est si divinitùs districtè 〈◊〉 and in the conclusion of his worke lib. 35. cap. 26. wherein as hee professeth that hee sought chiefly to please God so hee confesseth that this intention was accompanied with other worse intentions and sinister respects as seeking to please men and affecting their praise whereupon hee inferreth Si autem de his divinitùs districtè discutimur quis inter ista remanet salutis locus quando mala nostra pura mala sunt bona quae nos 〈◊〉 crediâ—…s pura bona esse nequaquam possunt the evill things saith he which we have are purely and meerely evill but the good things which we suppose our selves to have are not nor can in any wise be purely good and so said Bernard Nostra siquâ—… est humilis justitia recta forsan sed non pura whence it followeth necessarily that none of the workes of the faithfull are pure and consequently that their very best workes are impure This which hath been said may suffice to a conscience not cauterized neither shall I need to say any more in this needlesse argument For though it should bee granted that some of the works of the faithfull were purely good as they are not yet so long as any of their works are sinfull as in many things we faile all insomuch that the righteous as Bellarmine himselfe doth cite the place doth fall seven times a day they cannot be justified by their workes but are by the sentence of the Law in themselves accursed because they doe not continue in all the things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them and because the breach of any one commandement maketh them guilty of all I conclude against the Papists as Epiphâ—…ius did censure the Catharists these men professing themselves pure by this supposition make themselves unpure for whosoever pronounceth himselfe to be pure therein he doth utterly condemne himselfe to be impure CAP. IV. Bellarmines arguments answered § I. THis was our third argument taken from the imperfection of our obedience and righteousnesse which I have defended against Bellarmines cavils before I proceed to the fourth I hold it needfull to answere his arguments in propounding whereof hee falleth short of his projects as I noted before for hee that would prove that men are justified by their workes had need to prove that all the workes of all the faithfull are purely and perfectly good which is impossible to bee proved but hee neither concludeth of all works nor of all the faithfull And yet it is most certaine that if the faithfull be justified by their works then all the works of all the faithfull are purely and perfectly good His proofes are of three sorts authority of Scriptures Testimonies of Fathers and other reasons Out of the Scripture he citeth eight testimonies The first out of Iob 1. 22. In all these things Iob sinned not with his lips And that we may not answere with some of the Rabbins that though he sinned not with his lips yet hee might sinne in his heart hee telleth us that in the next Chapter God giveth him this testimonie that still he retained his innocency and therefore sinned neither in his tongue nor in his heart Againe whereas Satan sought by so many temptations to bring Iob to sinne and God on the other side permitted all those temptations that the patience and vertue of that holy man should bee manifested if Iob should have sinned God should after a sort have beene over come by the devill wherfore it is certaine that that worke of Iobs patience was not stained with any sinne and that the Lutherans which say the contrary take part with the devill against God § II. Answ. Those temptations were permitted by God as tyrals of Iob not perfection but integrity For that is Gods end that they who are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sound and upright may be knowne 1 Cor. 11. 19. and this end was atchieved Cap. 2. vers 3. for still Iob retained his integrity But Satans intention was to prove him to be an hypocrite and to move him not onely to fall but to fall away from God and to blaspheme him to his face and so much hee undertooke both Cap. 1. 11. and Cap. 2. 5. howbeit hee failed in his enterprize And so much is signified in both the places alleaged by Bellarmine that Iob was so farre either from blaspheming God to his face which Satan undertooke he should that he offended not with his lippes nor charged God foolishly or from being discovered to be an hypocrite that by Gods owne testimony he retained his integrity as that word signifieth which Bellarmine according to the vulgar Latine calleth innocencie But Iob though hee were upright and sincere yet he was not perfect nor without sinne as appeareth by his manifold imperfections which afterwards he discovered Cap. 3. c. and also by his free confession of his sinfulnesse Cap. 9. 20. 33. and lastly by his feare and jelousie which hee had over his best actions lest he had sinned in them for as Gregory writing on those words of Iob Verebar omnia opera mea understandeth it to be an humble confession as if he had said quae apertè egerim video sed quid in his latenter pertulerim ignoro what overtly I performed I see but what covertly I suffered therein I know not But here may be objected which Bellarmine in the next Chapter alleageth out of the said Gregory Bonarum mentium est ibi etiam aliquo modo culpam agnoscere ubi culpa non est it is the property of good minds even there to acknowledge a fault where nofault is wherto I answere that Gregory speaketh in regard of humane infirmities which were laid upon man after his fall and namely of the monthly infirmity of women which though they bee not inflicted upon a man for his personall offences yet it is the property of good minds to esteeme them as laid upon them for their sinnes Thus Iob though his afflictions were not inflicted upon him as corrections for his sinnes but as tryals of his vertue yet he imputeth them to his sinnes Iob 13. 26. § III. In the second place he allegeth diverse testimonies out of the Psalmes wherein David pleadeth his owne innocencie and appealeth unto God to be judged according to his owne righteousnesse Psalm 7. 4. 9. 16. 1 2 3. 18. 2. 1. 26. 1. 119. 121. Answ. In some of these places David pleadeth the justice of his particular cause against his adversaries not the absolute innocencie of his person The rest are to be understood of his uprighttnesse and integrity For otherwise no man was more forward to confesse and to deplore his manifold sinnes than David was none more ready to implore Gods mercy none more fearefull that God should enter into strict judgement with him § IV. His third testimony is Matth. 6. 22. If thine eye be single the
whole body shall bee lightsome where Bellarmine without any probability by the body understandeth a good worke and by the single eye a right intention for who knoweth not that many times workes are done with good intentions that are not good This place in Matthew is diversly expounded and may bee applied to many purposes But the proper true meaning may be gathered out of the coherence as I have shewed elsewhere for in the latter part of that Chapter our Saviour sheweth both what in our judgements wee should esteeme out chiefe good vers 19. c. and consequently what in our afflictions and endeavours wee should chiefly desire and labour for vers 25. c. 33. As touching the former he exhorteth us not to lay up our treasure upon earth but in heaven that is that we should place our happinesse not in earthly but in heavenly things For where our treasure is there will our heart bee also That is whatsoever wee esteeme our chiese good upon that our hearts and affections will be set This judgement concerning our chiefe good is by our Saviour compared to the eye whereunto whether it be right or wrong the whole corps or course of our conversation which he compareth to the body will be sutable If we repose our happinesse in heaven our conversation will bee religious and heavenly but if we place our paradise on earth our conversation will be answerable As for example if pleasure be our chiefe good our conversation will be voluptuous if profit it will bee covetous if honour it will be ambitious Such therefore as our judgement is concerning happinesse such will be our desires our endeavours and in a word such will bee our whole conversation But as his allegation is to no purpose so his conclusion is besides the question as if wee held that good workes were in their owne nature mortall sinnes when notwithstanding wee acknowledge them to be good per se and in their kinde as namely prayer and almes-giving but sinfull by accident as being stained with the flâ—…sh § V. His fourth testimony is 1 Cor. 3. 12. If any man build upon this foundation gold silver stones of price c. where he supposeth by gold and silver good workes are understood c. Answ. If they were they might be good and yet not purely good Even as a wedge of gold or of silver is truely called gold or silver though there bee some drosse therein But the Apostle speaketh not of workes but of doctrines for he comparing himselfe and other preachers of the Gospell to builders saith that he as a master-builder had laid the foundation whereon others did build either sound and profitable doctrines which he compareth to gold and silver c. or unsound and unprofitable compared to hay and stubble § VI. His fifth testimony is Iam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all Why I pray saith he doth he not say in all things wee offend all for if all the works of the righteous be sinnes then not onely in many things but in all we offend But Saint Iames knew what to say for in the second chapter hee had distinguished good workes from sinnes If you performe the royall Law according to the Scriptures thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe you doe well but if you accept persons you commit sinne and are reproved of the Law as transgressours Answ. The advise of Saint Iames in this place is that wee should not bee many Masters that is Censurers of our brethren knowing that by censuring and judging of others wee shall receive the greater judgement according to Matth. 7. 1. Rom. 2. 1. For he that will take upon him to censure other mens offences had need to be free from offence But we saith Saints Iames 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 we all of us offend many wayes we are subject to manifold sinnes and corruptions For the Apostle doth not speake of the singular individuall acts but of the divers sorts of sinne As sinnes against God our neighbour or our selves sinnes of omission and commission sinnes in deed in thought and in word which last kinde being the fault of Censurers is as hee noteth in the next words most hard to bee refrained when as the Apostle therefore speaking of all and including himselfe though hee were worthily called Iames the just saith that many wayes wee offend all hee signifieth that even the best of us are subject to manifold corruptions causing us many wayes to offend according tâ—… the severall kinds thereof which is a manifest evidence that wee being sinners cannot bee justified by inherent righteousnesse especially if that bee added that as wee sinne many wayes according to the severall kinds of sinne so in our good workes which are good in their kind as in prayer almes giving c. wee offend by reason of the flesh which polluteth all our best actions But howsoever wee say that our righteousnesses are stained with the flesh yet wee distinguish them from our unrighteousnesses and with Saint Iames we distinguish good workes from sinnes things commanded from things forbidden things according to their kind good but by accident sinnefull from things which according to their kind are absolutely evill § VII His sixth testimony is from those places which exhort us not to sinne as Psalm 4. 4. Esa. 1. 16. Iohn 5. 14. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Iohn 2. 1. For to what purpose serve these exhortations or admonitions if in every good worke wee cannot but sinne Answ. These exhortations doe not shew what wee are able to doe but what wee ought to doe Neither are they to no purpose for first they restraine men and especially the children of God from many particular sinnes Secondly though they exhort us to those things which in this corrupt estate wee are not able perfectly to performe as generally to abstaine from all manner of sin and to avoid all imperfectionsand defects which are incident unto our best actions yet they are to very good purpose For they serve to discover unto us our imperfections and to shew that perfection wherunto we ought to aspire to moveus not to performe our duties perfunctorily but to walke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 accurately making conscience of all our waies to admonish us not to rely upon our owne righteousnesse which is so unperfect but to bewaile our imperfections and to crave pardon to teach us what need wee have of the imputation of Christs righteousnesse and of his intercession for us and lastly to move us with an upright endevour to keepe all Gods Commandements with our whole heart and to strive towards that perfection which in this life wee cannot attaine unto which if wee doe our labour shall not bee vaine in the Lord. For the Lord in his children accepteth of the will for the deed and of their upright endeavours for perfect performance So long therefore as we are upright before God our imperfections
purpose to give us wherewith to merit then would he have infused most perfect righteousnesse into us which should not have beene stained with any sinfulnesse neither should need remission or indulgence But we are so farre from having this power to merit heaven that the best of us had need to pray with David as being not more just than he Enter not into judgement with thy servants O Lord c. for if thou shouldest marke what is amisse who should stand and with the Apostles as being not more holy than they forgive us our trespasses c. our chiefe righteousnesse in this life consisting as Augustine truely saith in remission of sinnes rather than in perfection of virtues Now whiles we are sinners in our selves as all are wee cannot merit any thing but punishment at the hands of God and whiles wee deserve hell how can we possibly merit heaven § X. These were the arguments which Bellarmine tooke upon him to answere but could not satisfie Now wee are to adde some others Our third reason therefore is this If we cannot merit so much as temporall blessings at the hands of God then much lesse eternall But wee cannot merit so much as temporall blessings at Gods hands and therfore much lesse eternall 1. The assumption I prove thus first by the confession of Iacob Gen. 32. 10. that he was lesse than the least of Gods mercies Of David concerning mankinde in generall Psal. 8. 4. and concerning himselfe in particular 2 Sam. 7. 18. Secondly if by all our labours and endevours wee are not able to merit of God so mâ—…ch as a piece of bread but must beg it at Gods hands then can wee not merit eternall life of him But the former is true for therefore our Saviour hath taught us to make this daily praier that God would give us day by day our daily bread To this purpose Saint Hierome saith well that a man could not suffer any thing worthy the heavenly glory though it were such as this present life is But Chrysâ—…stome goeth further if we should dye ten thousand times c. as he was before Anastasius for what good things soever we doe we are not answerable to God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the aire alone which we breathe Basill Those which are esteemed retributions are granted to men onely for the Lords bounty sake for all the righteousnesse of mortall men doe not match the gifts already vouchfafed much lesse those which are to come which exceed our thought But most agreeable to our doctrine is that assertion of Gregâ—…rius Ariminensis quòd â—…dum aeâ—…erna vita c. that no act of man though proceeding from never so great charity doth condignely merit with God not onely eternall life but not so much as any other reward whether eternall or temporall § XI Our fourth reason That which we attaine unto by right of adoption as our inheritance purchased by Christ and prepared for us from the beginning of the world without any respect to our merits that we doe not obtaine by our merits Vnto eternall life we doe attaine by right of adoption as our inheritance purchased by Christ and prepared for us from the beginning of the world and that without any respect of our merits Therefore we doe not attaine to eternall life by our merits The assumption is manifest for therefore in many places of Scripture the Kingdome of heaven is called our inheritance Act. 20. 32. 26. 18. Gal. 3. 18. Ephes. 1. 14. 18. 5. 5. Col. 3. 24. and that an eternall and incorruptible inheritance Heb. 9. 15. 1 Pet. 1. 4. And of this kingdome the faithfull are heires Iam. â—… 5. For therefore are we adopted the sons of God that we may be heires heires of God and fellow heires of Christ Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 4. 7. and to the same end are we justified by his grace that we might according to hope bee made heires of eternall life Tit. 3. 7. Bellarmine himselfe hath taught as we have heard that we are entituled to the Kingdome of heaven jure adoptionis And in that we begin to be the sons of God wee begin â—…o have right to the inheritance of the eternall â—…elicity now we begin to be the sonnes of God before wee begin to bring forth good workes And hereby appeareth the truth of the proposition for we have our right of adoption not by merit but by the free grace of God who hath predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ to himselfe according to the good pleasure of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved And this inheritance was prepared for us from the beginning of the world Mat. 25 34. If it be objected that as it is called an inheritance so also a reward and reward presupposeth merit for so the Councill of Trent teacheth that eternall life is to be propounded to the godly both as grace that is a free gift promised by Christ and as a reward duely to be rendred to their merits according to Gods promise I answere that eternall life is no such reward as presupposeth merit for it is a free reward freely promised freely given Neither can those things stand together which the Councill of Trent hath conjoyned that eternall life should both bee gratia a free gift graciously promised and freely bestowed and also a due wages to be rendred to desert neither if it be the reward of inheritance as it is called Col. 3. 24. which is freely bestowed on the sonnes of God it cannot be a mercenary wages which is due to hired servants § XII Our fifth reason If good workes doâ—… merit eternall life then are they causes of it for merits be the causes of that which is merited But good workes are not the cause of eternall life therefore they doe not merit it The assumption I prove first from that received testimony of Bernard that good workes are via regni non causa regnandi Quid autem hac conclusione firmius saith Cassander who also saith that Thomas Bradwardin and divers other Schoolemen deny good workes to bee the cause of the eternall reward and that some who call them causes doe meane Causam sine qua non which properly is no cause Secondly true causes of salvation may bee trusted in for the obtaining of salvation Our good workes are not to be trusted in for the obtaining of salvation Therefore they are not true causes thereof The proposition is Bellarmines Licet confidere in omni vera causa The assumption also in effect is his For if it be most safe as he truly saith by reason of the uncertainty of our owne righteousnesse which none of them can be certaine of without speciall revelation and danger of vaine glory not to trust in our owne merits but to repose â—…ur whole affiance in the only mercy and