his meer mercy by his preveening and helping grace doth excite and call a sinner without any of his preceeding merits as it were out of the sleep of sin that he may convert himself vnto God 2. A sinner being thus awakned and assisted by the Divine grace conceiving faith by hearing doth believe all things to be true which are revealed promised by God particularly that a sinner is iustifyed by the free mercy of God through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus 3. This faith representing God to be a severe punisher of sins there ariseth in a sinner thus disposed by faith a fear of Gods iudgments with which the Soule is profitably shaken terrifyed Prou. â— 7 For as Salomon saith the feare of our Lord is the beginning of wisdome 4. The soule of a sinner being thus terrifyed it is raised vp againe to hope by the same faith which represents God to be most bountifull mercyfull in forgiveing sins For which cause he sent his son into the world to deliver vs from sin by his death 5. Vpon this hope confidence in the divine mercy there ariseth the love of God who is so bountifull and mercyfull and likwise a hatred and detestation of sin which God hateth a sorrow and grief for what is past and a firm resolution of a better life in time to come a purpose of observing the divine Commandments of receiving the holy Sacraments Now all these dispositions of fa th fear love hope and the rest being placed in the soule of man by Gods preveening grace Iustification or the infusion of iustifying grace doth follow as we shall see shortly That these preparations difpositions are necessary before iustification the Scripture shewes Our Saviour shew the necessity of preveening grace when he said Iohn 6.44 Heb. 11.6 Eccles 1.28 ibid v. 17. No man can come vnto me vnlesse my Father draw him Of faith S. Paul saith that without faith it is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of those who seek him Of fear beside the former testimony of Salomon it is said that who is without fear cannot be iustifyed And again the fear of our Lord chaseth away sin S. Paul saith of hope that we are saved by it Rom. 8.24 Luke 7.47 Of love our Saviour saith Many sins are forgiven her for she loved much And that repentance is also necessary there is nothing more clear in the Scriptures By all which testimonies it remaines evident that although faith be the first disposition of the soule to iustification yet the others above-mentioned are also requisite Neither can there be any difficulty in this matter since it is as clear as the Sun that no man of a sinner can become the friend of God vnlesse he haue not only faith but also the fear love of God with hope in his mercy and repentance for sins To this purpose S. Augustin saith Aug de predest sanct cap. 7 Idem serm 22. de Verb. Dom fides prima datur ex qua caetera impetrantur That is faith is first given by which the rest are obtain'd And again the house of God is founded by Faith raised vp hy hope and perfected by Charity And as in this sense it is truly said that faith doth iustify to wit as a fundamentall radicall disposition to Iustification so it is no lesse true that fear hope love repentance do also iustify to witt as secondary dispositions proceeding from faith because these likwise dispose the soule fitly to receive the forme of iustice and to become the friend of God and the Scripture ascribes forgivenesse of sins Salvation or Iustification to them as it doth vnto faith For as our Saviour told S. Mary Magdalen that her faith had saved her Luke 7. Rom. 8. Iam. 2. so he said that many sins were forgiven her because she loved much and S. Paul saith we are saved by hope and S. Iames expresly that we are iustifyed by works not by faith only By which consideration it may be easily vnderstood what works S. Paul excludes from Iustification when he saith that a man is iustifyed by faith without the works of the law For he doth not exclude the works of grace but only the works of the law which are done by the strength of nature without the grace of God and do not proceed from faith but go before it Now it is certaine that such works as not proceeding from faith do not properly dispose and prepare the soule vnto Salvation Concil T r d sess 6. câ—p 8. For as the Councel of Trent teacheth faith is the foundation roote and beginning of all Salvation Iustification and is the first effect of Gods free grace in the Soule of man But the Apostle doth not exclude from iustification the works of grace which follow faith for they do iustify that is dispose the Soule vnto Iustification as faith it self doth and they proce d also from grace as faith proceeds from it and therefore are not the works of the law but the works of grace After this manner doth that great Doctour S. Augustin clearly reconcile these two places of S. Paul S. Iames. Aug. lib. 83. quaest 76. The sentences saith he of S. Paul S. Iames be not contrary one to another whâ—n one affirmeth that a man is iustifyed by faith without works the other saith that faith is vaine without works for S. Paul speaketh of works that go before faith and S. Iames of works that do follow faith These preparations disposiâ—ions being placed in the soule Iustification it self doth follow which is not only remission of sins but also sanctification and renovation of the inward man by the voluntary reception of the divine grace gifts But albeit Iustification followeth these dispositions of faith love repentance the rest yet it is altogether free proceeding from the mercy bounty of God without the desert of man For the Catholique Church professeth openly notwitstanding the Ministers strong calumnies to the contrary that no man by any faith or works can merit the grace of Iustification Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 8. as the Councel of Trent teacheth in these words We are said to be freely iustifyed because none of those things which preceed Iustification whether faith or works doth merit the grace of Iustification Now this grace consisteth in two thing s to witt in Remission of sins and inward sanctification by the first the soule is changed purged from sin which is the filthinesse of the Soule and by the second it is adorned and beautifyed with grace which is the beauty of it and made to die vnto sin live vnto iustice But it must be diligently observed that the Catholiques do teach according to the Scriptures that in Iustification our sins are not so forgiven that they remaine in the Soule but they are
it as the same Bellarmin affirmes against Calvins calumnies Secondly it is falsly called vncertain For albeit the Catholiques teach that no man without divine revelation can know the truth of his own repentance by the certainty of divine faith yet he mâ—y know it by a moral certainty ariseing from hope in the divine goodnesse according to that of S. Paul Rom. 8.14 we are saved by Hope which is sufficient to put mans mind in peace and tranquillity Then you as falsly detest the Catholique faith as generall and doubtsome For albeit the Catholiques bele ve not only all that God has reveal'd in geneâ—all but also every particular point yet you call their faith general and doubtsome because they will not beleeve that which God never reveal'd to witt your special faith or rather foolish fancie by which every one of you beleeves that your sins are forgiven and that you are of the number of the predestinate and by which you think to be iustifyed But the Catholiques have no reason to beleeve such a special faith because as it has been shewed above it is nothing but meer presumption and is condemned as a false faith a private fancie by a famous Protestant and it is so groundlesse doubtsome that it brings diverse among your selves who follow closely your principles into great perturbation of mind and some into desperation All which as also the truth and certainty of the Catholiques iustifying faith may be seen handled above in the matter of Iustification and particularly in the 17. Chapter page 183. and some few pages following After you have detested Confession and blamed the Catholiques for requireing so much Contrition now you detest Satisfaction and so you renounce all the three parts of the Sacrament of Penance but you do this with as little reason as you have done the rest For by Satisfactions the Catholiques vnderstand some laborious works such as Prayer A mesdeeds fasting which are offered vp to God in Satisfaction for the temporal punishment due to our sins after the guilt and eternal punishment are taken away by the Sacramental absolution which doctrine is most consonant to the Scripâ—ures holy Fathers That temporal punishment remaines due to sin after the eternal is remitted is most clear in the person of King David 2. Kings ch 12. v. 13. who after he had gote remission of his sins from God by the mouth of Nathan the Prophet was notwithstanding punished temporally with the death of his Son Aug. tract 124. in Ioan. This truth S. Augustin doth testifie saying A man is forced to suffer even after his sins are forgiven c. puniâ—hment doth hold a man temporally whom sin holds not guilty vnto eternal damnation That this temporall paine remaining after the guilt of sin is remitted may be redeemed by good works which are therefore called Satisfactions is also evident For Daniel said to the King Let me Counsell thee Daniel 4. ô King redeem thy sins with almes and thy iniquities with the mercies of the poore S. Iohn Baptist saith Doe fruits worthy of Penance S. Augustin vpon these words of the Psalme Luke 3.8 Cleanse me from my sin desires sinners to say with David No my Lord Aug in psal 50. my sin shall not be vnpunished it shall not be vnpunished but therefore I will not that thou punish it because I punish my own sin I passe by more testimonies for brevities sake It is sufficient to note that the Centurists confesse this was the doctrine practice of the auncient Church as may be seen Centurie 3. col 127. Neither is it any wonder that you who deny all good works are so great Enemies to Satisfactions or works of austerity You detest next the Popes Iustification by works but you might as well with your first Apostle Luther renounce the Iustification of S. Iames who teacheth the same in expresse termes saying Do you see that by works Iames 2. ch v. 24. a man is iustifyed and not by faith only But enough of this matter has been said above Then for opus operatum which you abiure it has bred some of your Ministers endlesse work for being often enquired they could never tell truly what it was but brought diverse ridiculous oftentimes contrary glosses or rather gesses on it which would be too tedious here to insert Whereby it is evident Iude v. 10. that they have blasphemed things as S. Iude speaks whereof they are ignorant and have made many thowsands do the same What the Catholique Doctors intend by opus operatum has been above shewed pag. 202. to witt that the Sacraments of the new Law doe conferre grace by the work wrought that is by the power of the Sacramental action instituted by Christ to that effect and not by the merit of the Minister or Receiver of the Sacraments which is a most certain truth as may be seen above explain'd and confirmed at more length This is a better work wrought then the work of your Covenant which has wrought much mischief in great Britain You are not content to renounce all works of duty which are commanded by denying the possibility of keeping the commandments vnlesse you renounce also works of more perfection not commanded but Counselled which the Catholiques call works of Supererogation That there are such works most laudable commendable albeit you detest them is evident by the Scriptures Fathers For Virginity is not a command but a Counsel and is more perfect then Matrimony Of this S. Paul giveth testimony saying As concerning Virgins a commandment of our Lord I have not but Counsel I give as having obtaynd mercy of our Lord to be faithfull 1. Cor. 7.25 where he also sheweth that he who maries doth well but he who maries not doth better ver â—8 The same also our Saviour shewes saying that there are Eunuches who have gelded themselves for the Kingdome of Heaven Again our Saviour shewes another Counsel Math. 19.12 or work of perfection when he said to the yong man in the Gospell If thou wilt be perfect Goe sell the things thou hast and give to the poore thou shall have treasure in Heaven Math. 19.21 To these two works of perfection is adioyn'd voluntary obedience as Christ himself shew by his voluntary subiection to the blessed Virgin and S. Ioseph He himself being the absolute Lord of them all things S. Luke 2.51 The holy Fathers are most clear for this doctrine S. Chrysostom saith Chrys in 1. ad Cor. c. 9. Some things Christ commandeth somethings he leaveth to our own free-will For he said not sell that thou hast but if thou wilt be perfect sell that thou hast c. And in his 18. homily of Penance he saith Multi ipsa superant mandata Aug. de Virginitate c. 30. Many goe beyond the very commandments S. Augustin also sheweth the difference between Commands Evangelical Counsels affirming that for not doing the first men are
quite taken away For S. Iohn saith of Christ Behold the Lamb of God Iohn 1.29 Acts. 3.19 Mich. 7.19 Heb. 9.28 that taketh away the sins of the world And the spots of our Soules are said to be washed cleanged and our sins to be throwen into the bottome of the sea and to be blotted out and exhausted Therefore in iustification sins do not remaine but they are really taken away As the soule in Iustification is purged and cleanged from the filthinesse of sins which are so forgiven that they are really taken away so it is also beautifyed with inward grace and inherent iustice by which he who was before a sinner is renewed in the Spirit of his mind and hath the love of God powred forth in his heart by the holy Ghost This the Apostle sheweth 1. Cor. 6.11 when writing to the Corinthians he saith These things you were to witt fornicators adulterers c. but you are washed but you are sanctified but you are iustifyed in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God Ephes 4.24 And elswhere be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in iustice and holynesse of truth And writing to the Romans he saith Rom 5.5 The Charity of God is powred forth in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given vs. I forbear to cite more testimonies Aug. de gâ—â—â—ia S. Augustin sheweth that this inherent iustice is the love of God The grace whereby we are iustifyed that is Christ cap. 30. Idem de nat gra c. 70. saith he the love of God poured into our hearts And elswhere Charity begun is iustice begun Charity encreased is iustice encreased great charity is great iustice and most perfect charity is most perfect iustice If therefore charity or the love of God which is powred into our Soules and consequently is inherent intrinsecal in them be the iustice by which we are made formally iust then our iustice is also inherent intrinsecal And hereby all the causes of our Iustification according to the doctrin of the Catholique Church may be clearly vnderstood Concil Trid. sess 6. c. 7. For the efficient cause is our mercyfull God the meritorious our Lord Iesus Christ the final cause the glory of God of Christ and life everlasting and the formal cause is the Iustice of God not that by which he himself is iust but that by which he makes vs iust and with which we being endowed are renewed in the Spirit of our mind and are not only reputed but truly are iust But said the Catholique to me that you may vnderstand more fully how we are made formally iust not by that iustice which is in God but by that iustice which proceeding from God is in vs I will illustrate the matter a litle more vnto yow As sin is the death of the soule so grace and iustice is the life of it Wherefore as the natural life of man is the formal cause of his living naturally so his spiritual life which is grace iustice is the formal cause of his living spiritually As then the natural life or soule of man by which he lives naturally albeit it be from God yet it is not that life by which God lives but it is that life communicated by God to man by which man lives and therefore cannot be any thing external but must be internal in man So the Spiritual life of the soule which is grace iustice by which man lives Spiritually is not the iustice which is in God or by which God is iust but that iuftice which is communicated by God to man whereby man is rendred iust and lives Spiritually and therefore must be internal in him since nothing can live either naturally or Spiritually by any thing which is external vnto it The example of the raising Lazarus from the the dead will yet more cleare this matter For if Christ calling Lazarus from the grave had not given him inward life Lazarus could not haue risen again and lived by the life of Christ which was without him But it was necessary for the resurection of Lazarus that his own life should be inwardly restored to him by Christ It is so in our case for a man who is raised by Christ from the death of sin vnto the life of righteousnesse must have grace or iustice which is the Spiritual life of the soule inwardly communicated to him by Christ the fountain and meritorious cause of all iustice and the source of all Spirituall life or else man could not be raised from the death of sin and live spiritually S. Augustin proves by the holy Scriptures that Christ came into the world Aug. â—ib de peccat mer. remis cap. 26. seq to give vs that Spiritual life I shall heep together saith he many testimonies which shall suffice by which it may appear that for no other cause Christ came into the flesh but that by the disposition of grace he might quicken save and illuminate all those to whom as members appoynted in his body he is head who before were placed in the death sicknesse darknesse of sin I shall only bring two or three of the many testimonies of Scripture which the holy Father heapeth vp there S. Paul saith Ephes 2.4 God who is rich in mercy for his exceeding charity wherwith he loved vs even when we were dead by sins quickned vs together in Christ by whose grace you are saved and raised vs vp with him c. Ibid. c. 4 v. 24. And again be renewed in the Spirit of your mind and put on the new man which according to God is created in Iustice and holynesse of the truth The same Apostle writing to the Colossians saith And you Coloss 2.13 when you were dead in the offenses and vncircumcision of the flesh did he quicken together with him pardoning you all offenses And to Titus he saith Titus 3. v. 5. that we are iustifyed by his grace Whence it is evident that these who haue been sinners and become iust are said to rise again to be quickneed by Christ to be renewed inwardly to be iustifyed by his grace But they could not rise from the death of sin nor be quickned renewed inwardly and be iustifyed by his grace vnlesse they had spiritual life which is grace or iustice inwardly coÌ„municated vnto theÌ„ Therefore these who rise froÌ„ the death of sin are iustifyed quickned inwardly renewed have the spiritual life of iustice flowing from the merits iustice of Christ inwardly remaining in them And hence doth appear clearly the truth of that which the Catholique Church teacheth to witt that we are made iust by the iustice of God not by that wherby he himself is iust but by which he makes vs iust For as nothing can make an man iust but iustice So it is not the external
all men would be cleansed from sin and so all would be saved which is false If they say It is not death simply but death ioyn'd with faith that hath this power Why shall not also faith and life have the same power How can the Presbyterians without any ground in Scripture assigne that power to faith and death which they deny against Scripture to faith and the holy Sacraments and to the blood of Christ Death indeed may put an end to sin that one sin no more but it cannot take away sins already done or else death would be more powerfull according to that tenet then the blood of Christ the holy Sacraments which is not only a groundlesse fancy but also a great absurdity Out of which it followeth that either the Presbyterians must grant that they do not go to heaven which is very much against the assurance of their election or that they are purged from their sins after this life since they are not purged in it which is against their negative confession And so these who deny a a Purgatory for venial sins must grant a new and most dangerous Purgatory for mortal sins For my part I could never find a solid answer to this reason and therefore I leave it to the Presbyteries consideration But because this Catholique did trouble vs with this difficulty I thought to have entangled him as much with the words of Bellarmin whereof I had heard some Ministera often boast Did not Bellarmin said I after he had much laboured to prove Iustification by works in end conclude That it was most safe to put all our confidence in the only mercy of God What will become then of all your works and merits which such a great Champion of your Church doth renounce To which he answered that Bellarmins words fully related do clear the whole matter Bellar. lib. 5. de Iustif cap. 7. prop. 3. and shew the vanity of the Ministers pretences For thus he speaks By reason of the vncertainty of our proper Iustice and of the danger of our vaine glory it is most safe to put all our confidence in the only mercy favour of God Where he doth not deny neither good works nor merits but only affirmeth that for two reasons which he there toucheth that it is most safe not to rely vpon them but vpon the alone mercy of God Out of which the Ministers would make this false collection therefore we are not iustifyed by works Which is as ridiculous as if you would say The Protestants teach that it is most safe to rely vpon the mercy of God Therefore they are not iustifyed by faith If then the Protestants relying vpon the mercy of God taketh not away Iustification by faith why should not also the Catholiques relying on the same mercy not take away Iustification by works Bellarmin speaks so clearly in this matter that his meaning cannot be wrested without malice For he sheweth in the same place that David and other Saints had some confidence in their iustice and good works according to that in the 17. Psalme The Lord will render to me according to my iustice because I have kept his wayes The like he sheweth of Nehemias Ezechias and Ester And this they did with great humility But because such cōfidēce is dangerous to many by reason of pride vaine glory that may arise beside there are few who haue such merits or are sure to have them Therefore Bellarmin saith it is most safe to rely on the mercy of God whereof he gives this reason Either a man hath good works or he hath none but evil works If he hath no good but evil works then he is perniciously deceived who trusts in evil works for these are deceitfull riches as S. Bernard calls them If he hath good works he looseth nothing by not looking on them by putting his trust in the mercy of God alone for God lookes on them knowes them well and will not suffer them to passe without their due reward Thus Bellarmin Yea Concil Trid. sess 6. cap. 16. the Councel of Trent makes the like profession when it saith Although much be given to good works in the holy Scriptures c. Yet God forbid that a Christian should trust or glory in himself not in our Lord whose goodnesse is so great that he willeth these things to be our merits which are his own gifts The Ministers may collect out of these words by their Logique that the Councel of Trent yea and that all Papists are Protestants But they will not distinguish between the necessity of good works and confiding in them which are very different At least all moderat Protestants may know by this open profession the falshood of that calumny which is often beaten into their eares to witt that all Papists presume in their merits S. Augustin sheweth that there are two gulfs in this matter one vpon either hand and that the truth is a direct way in the middle Presumption of iustice or good works is the gulf vpon the one hand and negligence of good works is the precipice on the other But the earnest care of good works and piety accompanyed with humility is the safe way in the middle Thus ended the Catholique to the good satisfaction of some Protestants who were present To conclude this matter wherein I have stayed longer by reason of the Ministers specious pretences of great advantage in it I can not believe any more Iustification by faith only as the principal article of my religion because it is not in Sctipture because it is expresly against Scripture against the holy Fathers because it is an ancient heresy condemned in Simon Magus Eunomius because the Presbyteriās iustifying faith is not a true Catholique faith having the divin reveal'd truth for its obiect as these he retiques required but is a private fancy a false faith Shelf aboue as it is acknowledged by some Protestāts having for its obiect humane presumption Because it makes Christ a most imperfect Physician and either debarreth man from the kingdome of heaven into which he cannot enter with the filthinesse of his sins or exposeth him after this life to a most dangerous purgation Because it breeds neglect of all piety and good works and opens a wide gate to all sort of vice In a word albeit the Ministers bragged much of this article yet I found they had never lesse reason if we will stand to the iudgment of the Scriptures Fathers which God willing I ever intend to prefer to their fancies and to their Philosophical distinctions or rather confusions to which they are forced to run that they may lurk in their obscurities when they are beaten out of the Scriptures in which at first they pretended to be impregnably setled It is sufficient for me that the Scripture expresly saith that a man is iustifyed by works and not by faith only Which is the contradiction of the Presbyterians faith and