merits of Works or before Works the same Paul will teach you As soon as you are Baptized saith he you have put on Christ. To which also Chrysostom subscribing saith as soon as a Man Belives he is presently also Iustified Which if it be true then it is false which you assert For you affirm that the obtaining of Salvation consists wholly in this that we should transform our selves entirely into the similitude of Christ. And again youn say there is no other way of Salvation established for us but that which is contained in the Law of God And the same you affirmed elsewhere having openly asserted That ascent into Heaven is given to the merits of the greatest Vertues and that the Mansions of the Eternal Kingdom are given justly and deservedly to Holy and Pure Men. For so Say you it comes to pass that the Immortal Kingdom is due by the best right to Iust Men not only as a recompence and remard but also as a Lawful Inheritance being founded upon the Wisdom and Bounty of the Father All which things as being represented gloriously by you seem at a distance to have some shew of Truth if they be referred to that Platonick Righteousness of yours or to the state of our First Innocency But now in this wounded and destroyed Nature they have no place at all but that they may wholly prelude from us all passages into the Eternal Mansions of the Kingdom I know indeed that the Everlasting reward of Righteousness is due by best right to Pure and Holy Men as you say and those that observe the Law unblameably But I know likewise that the Eternal Punishments of Hell are due to those that do not perform the Royal Law according to the Scriptures What would you do in this case good Friend What good can your Platonick Philosophy do here I am not Ignorant what the Lord said to the Rich Pharisee If you will enter into Life keep the commands That indeed is true Do you then perform what he was commanded to do Sell all that you have and give to the Poor and follow Christ Naked But if you do it not what else can you look for but to perish together with him But now the goodness of God hath found out another way to consult our Infirmity who hath not only put upon us the beauty of Righteousness but whole Christ so that you may not only being Naked follow Christ but that whole Christ may live in your self and Cloath you and also may make you a Son of God by Faith What then may some Man say is not the Holy Spirit given to them that trust in Christ to Illuminate their minds with new light to renew their Hearts to enrich them plentifully with the Riches Gifts and Endowments of good Works and to adorn them exceedingly with all kind of Vertues What do these good Works nothing with God which are performed by the influence of the most Holy Spirit Do they contribute nothing towards Righteousness have they no use nor place upon the account of reward For this seems to be the Foundation of all your arguing Where you write these words If we believe the promises of God we presently obtain the help of God that we may very easily do all things that are commanded us and so may be saved And presently after the Interposition of a few words You say Faith causes us to have the Law of God Written in our mind and so to make an everlasting Covenant of Salvation with the Lord. Therefore when we have the Law of God put into the most inward parts of our mind it comes to pass that Lust being subdued Evil concupisence extinguished the pravity of a stubborn mind taken away the mind becomes on a sudden a Temple of the Holy Ghost and is stirred up with all its might to the study of the Law of God And that I may express it in one word such a Man contains the Magnificence and Glory of Divine Righteousness comprehended in his mind And a little after you say Therefore it is of Faith Saith Paul that according to Grace the promise may be firm What manner of promise is that That they who come to the Lord with the Faith of Christ may both be freed from their Wickedness and delivered from the Curse whereunto they were lyable and may have the Law of God Written in their Hearts and have the very Divinity of the Holy Spirit comprehended in their mind and not defile their Life with any wicked deed But may govern it by the Law of God or as it is in Ezekiel They may walk in the commands of God and perform Holy and excellent works and also that they may be Righteous For hereunto all the promises of God are referred c. Answer What do I hear Are then all the promises of God referred to this That there is no hope of Righteousness no way of Salvation no reconciliation for us nor remission of Sins unless the Law be kept And where then is that peace with God which the Apostle Preaches Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Where is that access to the Throne with boldness Where is the hope of Glory Happiness the Blessing the Inheritance of Eternal Life according to promise if these good things come no otherways as you suppose but by a Covenant of Life which no spot of Sin defiles What hath your profession of God received this Gospel from the teachings of the Apostles or from the opinion of Plato It is therefore of Faith Saith Paul that the promise may be firm according to Grace But what way is it firm if it is of Works upon any account Or how is it of Faith if you confine all the Promises of God to the Law of Righteousness which may confirm the minds of all men with a sure hope of Righteousness as you say Or what will that assurance of Righteousness be if you with the Tridentine and Iesuitical Iebusites detaining us in a doubtful wavering of hope take aways all encouragement of good hope Concerning the Promises of God what to whom and how God hath promised BUT now because here there is a convenientoccasion of speaking concerning the Promises of God it remains that we should hear from you who treat of these things so sharply what that is which God hath promised to whom he hath promised how and for what cause he doth it Now there are both many and great Gifts of God and Ornaments partly bestowed upon us and partly promised through the singular bounty of his Grace yea seeing there is nothing in this Workmanship of Nature nor in the meanest things but what we ought to acknowledge to be his free Gift if we would be thankful And also amongst all these things which being so many and so great he hath conferted upon us with so liberal a hand I esteem that nothing is more glorious nor more admirable
defilements of the mind and all the roots of filthiness and impurity I say where will that man be found who performs these and all other duties of true Piety and so performs them that nothing in his Life seems superfiuous nothing is unequal in his duties nor defective in his manners I think he may be found in the Books of Osorius but not in the Life in the daily Confessions or in the Holy Absolutions of Osorius There was of Old I confess the Image of this most perfect righteousness seen and known upon the Earth But that Phoenix hath long since left the Earth and departed hence to Heaven and now sits at the right hand of Majesty drawing all to himself and I wish that at length he may draw Osorius also to himself What if the Lord himself looking down from Heaven upon the Sons of Men is affirmed in the Prophetical Psalm to have found all their ways corrupted and depraved if the Mystical and Royal Holy Psalmist durst not in confidence of his own righteousness enter into judgment with his God or present himself to be tryed by him and condemns all other mortal men of unrighteousness without excepting so much as one If Paul writing to the Romans in a very serious debate confirms the same and stops the mouths of all men that he may bring men over having called them away from a vain trust in their own works and convinced them of the vanity thereof to the help of the Son of God only which is placed in the faith of him If Iohn the Apostle yea and if that powerful proclaimer and defender of humane righteousness could not himself deny but that in many things we offend all I pray you O Osorius Will you now rise up after them not the eighth but the ninth Proclaimer of Righteousness being a mortal and sinful man who dare affirm to others that which you cannot perform your self after this manner That it is either righteousness or nothing which obtains us the favour of God and makes us acceptable and like unto him Qu. What do I hear is there nothing else I beseech you What then Is Faith nothing Is Grace nothing Is the Mercy and Promise of God nothing Do the Merits of Christ profit nothing to Salvation So that now there is nothing which reconciles us to God but the righteousness of works What Do you so place all righteousness in works that you think there is no righteousness of Faith Then you think perhaps that the righteousness of faith and works is one and the same and you make no difference between the Law and the Gospel whereas Paul teaches you far otherwise who openly and with great fervency of Spirit deprecates that other righteousness which is of works that he may be found in him not having the righteousness which is of the Law but that which is of the Faith of Christ which is of God righteousness by Faith Do you not perceive here a manifest opposition between these two To be justified by the Law and to be justified by Faith yea and those very things which Paul removed far away from him as Dung in respect of obtaining Salvation Will you pave that only way for us to Heaven And in the mean while disputing about works I discourse of these things with you as if there were any such strength of so great vertues in this life as could deserve not only the reward of righteousness but also the name thereof What will you say if the most holy performances and endeavours undertaken in whatsoever manner by the most perfect men in this corrupted nature are so unprofitable to the immortality of Life that they are rejected by Christ as things without profit yea that they are despised and utterly contemned in the sight of God like a menstruous cloth as the Prophet Isaiah witnesseth unless they be underproped with better Grace and the commendation of Faith What if in Isaiah we are all said and that truly to have gone astray like Sheep every one in his own way from whom so great a Prophet doth not separate himself What do you suppose should be judged of our virtues and righteousness But you will say this complaint of the Prophet belongs not to all in the general but only to the Iews who in those times wickedly forsook their duty but by the same reason you may affirm that all the diseases of all men and times were not healed by the Death of Christ but theirs only who in those times had gone astray out of the way as lost Sheep But how frivolous this cavilling is it appears evident by the context of this Prophetical Prediction Whereby you see Osorius being convinced by Sacred Testimonies that those merits of our greatest vertues if they be looked upon in themselves are far from the perfection of that righteousness which your Philology Cloaths with very beautiful Colours Which yet I would not have to be so said by me nor underslood by you as if those that live vertuosly did nothing aright and praise worthy in this life Or as if the Godly Works of the Saints were not acceptable to God which God himself hath commanded to be done for thus you reason concerning Works that they come not indeed without Faith and the Grace of God but yet so that when they come you affirm that the Kingdom of Eternal Salvation is due to them by the best right not only as a recompense and reward but also as a lawful Patrimony as if the promise of Salvation depended not on Evangelical Faith but on the Righteousness of the Law and not on Christs merits only unless a Covenant of Works be joined together with it or as if faith it self profited nothing for the obtaining of Life upon any other account but that it may procure Grace which may stir us up to the praise-worthy performances of works by which works we attain unto eternal Life Faith Iustifies no otherways but upon the account of good works according to the opinion of Osorius For so your words do manifestly signifie where treating of Faith and enquiring why we are said to be saved by it you presently add a cause because say you we obtain the Divine protection only by faith and so very easily observe the precepts of the law and obey Divine Institutions and again concluding to the same purpose No man that is in his right wits shall obtain Salvation except he keep the Law or which is equivalent thereunto except he be ready and prepared in his mind te keept it And again in the same place discoursing of the Salvation of Christians Do you ask how a man is Saved Is there another way prepared for Salvation but what is eontained in the Law of God none at all Therefore we miserable mortals have a way to the Immortal Kingdom laid out and shewed unto us and that a very easie one you Osorius being our guide and teacher which is
and being now reconciled to God as it cannot be destitute of the favour of God so being stirred up by his holy breathings begins now to be a Law to it self whereby it fears God and according to its power honours him with due Reverence cleaves unto him with all its might refers its actions and counsels to him calls on him by prayers adheres to him in adversity celebrates his benefits with a thankful remembrance lays its hope and confidence and its whole self upon him and also for his sake loves and cherishes all the Brethren And as there is no Man that denies these Offices of necessary Obedience performed by the help of the Spirit of God are fruits of a well-instructed Faith So there is no controversie between us and you in that matter especially seeing you your self also together with us confess That these are not works of the Law but of Faith and that they should not be referred so much to the Law as to the holy Spirit and Faith relying upon his help as you say But the greatest difference that is between us consists in this that whereas we assert That the Obedience of Man born again by the Divine Power is but begun and imperfect in this mortal infirm state You on the contrary dream of I know not what perfection of obedience in works the Spirit of God so working in us that whosoever is qualified therewith needs nothing that belongs to compleat perfection of righteousness for all your debate about this matter seems to drive at this as being concluded with this one Syllogism Argument Ma. Whosoever walk in the Precepts of the Lord and perform them should be called perfect who can easily live without sin Mi. All the Faithful according to the promise of God walk in his precepts and perform them because God promises nothing but what he can and will perform Concl. Therefore according to the promise of God nothing hinders but Believers may be perfect here who are capacitated to live without sin That I may answer the Argument it is a Sophistical Argument from secundum quid to simpliciter because in the Major those are called perfect who walk in the Precepts of the Lord and frame their life according to them it is true in them who simply and perfectly perform all those things which are commanded in the Law according to that perfection which is requisite According to which Rule if the major be understood that which is assumed in the minor must be upon this account deny'd For though God hath promised to his Saints that the Assisting grace of his Spirit shall not be wanting which may help forward pious attempts in his Elect and stir up their endeavours after more holy obedience but where hath he at any time promised or on whom hath he bestowed that happiness in walking which turns no where to the right hand nor to the left which stumbles not through the whole life which in all kind of vertues by a constant perseverance so conforms the course of life to compleat innocency that it never fails in any thing The Adversaries use for the defence of their own cause to catch at the words that were just now cited out of Ierem. chap. 31. and Ezek. chap. 26. I will cause you to walk in my Precepts and keep my Iudgments c. And then out of Deut. chap. 30. I will Circumcise saith the Lord the fore-skin of your heart that ye may love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul. I know indeed that in these words there is a glorious promise contained of the gift of the Holy Ghost and the restoring of new obedience but because there is a twofold perfection and a twofold righteousness according to Hierom. one which is suited to the vertues of God another which is agreeable to our frailty And again seeing according to the Authority of Augustine there is a twofold kind of Obedience one that is seen in this Life being but begun and imperfect Another that is perfect which is compleated in the life to come It is not difficult to discern in what sense the perfection of Renovation should be understood in the Scriptures To wit not simply and absolutely but according to the measure and capacity of this Life Therefore Augustine says well that a Man is sometimes called perfect because he hath profited in a great degree And the same again But whereas Men are called Saints sometimes and perfect in the Scriptures I say to this that it is a certain manner of perfection whereby Holy Men acknowledge their own imperfection They are also called perfect who in any respect imitate the perfection of the Heavenly Father who rains on the Iust and Unjust c. And again the same Augustine writing to Boniface The Vertue saith he which is now in a Righteous Man is called perfect upon this account because it belongs to his perfection both to acknowledge in Truth and confess in Humility his own Imperfection Moreover Hierom not much differing from him answered wittily To whom when that place of St. Paul was objected Whosoever of us are perfect we understand this To this Hierom says What then do we understand yea what ought we to understand that we who are perfect should acknowledge our selves to be unperfect and that they have not yet comprehended nor yet attained unto perfection This is saith he the Wisdom of Man to know himself to be imperfect and that I may so speak the perfection of all Righteous Men in the Flesh is imperfect c. And afterwards again in the same Book Therefore we are Righteous then when we confess our selves to be Sinners For our Righteousness consists not of our own merit but of the mercy of God as the Scripture says The Righteous Man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his Speech And again to Ctesiphon This is Mens only perfection saith he if they know themselves to be imperfect c. Moreover the Adversaries set upon us with another Argument also which they produce out of the words of Deut. 30. To defend the perfection of their own Righteousness after this manner Ma. In these two commands thou shalt love thy God with all thy Soul and thy Neighbour as thy self is contained the summ of all perfection Mi. They that are regenerate can love God with all their Heart and all their Soul and their Neighbours as themselves according to the promise of God Deut. 30. Concl. Hence then it follows that the Regenerate by the help of the Spirit of God can fulfil all Righteousness by the Works of the Law This reasoning as it differs not much from the former so there is implied in it a certain kind of fallacy not unlike it Which of what sort it is if I may with your allowance Osorius I will declare For there lurks under the words of Scripture not rightly understood a fallacy or venom wholly Pelagian But
exhort unto Works of Piety and by the Authority of Scripture thunder the Iudgments of God against Harlots Adulterers Covetous Persons Highway-men Sorcerers that they may know there will be no place for such in the Kingdom of God and Christ except they amend their lives Who was more zealous than Paul in exalting the Righteousness of Faith And who was more Holy in Life than he or more fervent against the sins of those that walked not after the Spirit but after the flesh The Books of our Divines do evidence the same in which they discourse no less of Repentance and good Works than of Faith joyning always the one with the other Therefore as touching the manner of Teaching you will find that it is not Faith only which is Treated of in the Churches and Books of Men of our perswasion But if the matter of debate between us be about the cause of Salvation and Iustification there is nothing more agreeable to sound Doctrine than that an ungodly sinner is Iustified before God by Faith only without Works But you may object this Doctrine hardens the People in their sinful courses If you understand it of all it is false If of evil doers that run on in sin against their Conscience and take no care to restrain their Lusts As for such who ever said or taught that they are Iustified by Faith only And yet nevertheless the Truth of this Assertion remains invincible whereby we affirm that a wicked Man is Iustified by Faith only without Works if the Scope and meaning thereof be well understood Which will be easie if by adding that which supplies the room of a predicate the proposition be made entire As when Faith only is said to Iustifie add unto the Subject of this Enunciation it s own proper predicate or I may rather say add the proper Subject of Iustification and understand aright who they are whom Faith only Iustifies without Works according to the saying of Paul For herein chiefly lies the difficulty of this Controversie Neither is there any thing wherein the Adversaries are more grosly mistaken And herein they follow the Foot-steps of those concerning whom Cyprian justly complains saying They look at that which is said in the first place but regard not what follows after They catch at that which we assert of Faith only Exclusively and think there is injury done to good Works if Faith only is sufficient to Salvation But they take no notice what manner of Persons they are to whom this Iustification by Faith belongs It is the Advice of those School Divines to consider the reasons of things proposed according to their Subject matter and why then do they not observe their own Rule in this Evangelical Assertion Christ affirms it Paul confirms it yea the common practice of life natural Reason and Experience and the Conscience of all good Men proclaim that Ruine comes only from our Works and Salvation only from Christ. And because we receive this only Mediatour Christ by Faith only hence it is that we assert it is Faith that justifies believing sinners before God But let us see what manner of Sinners they are whom Faith Iustifies Is it the Rebellious and Impenitent No verily Then it must be such sinners as are Converted and Humbled and have the fear of God before their Eyes But there is no fear that such will continue to wallow in their former filthiness but on the contrary they are hereby so much the more stirred up to amend their lives All Ages have abounded with Examples of those to whom the Doctrine of free Iustification by Faith in Christ as it conduced much to their necessary consolation so it was no hinderance to their leading an holy life If Charity according as the Adversaries themselves do testifie is the perfection of the Law which is the Rule of Life I would ask such men whether he to whom more or he to whom fewer sins are forgiven hath the strongest obligation to love either God or his Neighbour which of these two mentioned in the Gospel loved Christ with the greater ardency of affection Simon the Pharisee or Mary that brought with her no good works at all but a great multitude of sins And why was her Love to the Lord more vehement but because she had more sins forgiven her But let us proceed Wherefore were so many and so great offences forgiven her but for her Faith which guided her Love for she did not therefore believe in Christ because she loved him but because she knew him to be the Son of God her Faith being thereby incited to act the more vigorously she loved much For Love proceeds from Faith and not Faith from Love Because we believe therefore we Love but we do not believe because we Love-Whence the Lord regarding more her Faith then her Love said unto her thy Faith not thy Love hath saved thee How Love and Repentance are concerned in Iustification BUT You may say Is Faith alone here Is it not joyned together with Love and Repentance I grant indeed that they are all three together in the person of the Believer But in the Case of Iustification Faith only is regarded And the other do follow as Fruits and Effects thereof For as that Woman unless she had believed in the Mediatour made known unto her by Faith she had nevor loved him So she had never come unto him as her Physician unless the Disease of her Troubled Conscience had driven her Wherefore if we reason aright about Causes these things follow 〈◊〉 as Effects and Fruits thereof but they are no causes of obtaining Salvation We have spoken of Mary Magdalene let us now behold the Pharisee and compare the one with the other If the Woman that was a Sinner by her love mericed as they speak Iustification What shall we say of the Pharisee Did not he also love the Lord Would he have gone to him so Courteously or invited him so lovingly or received him into his House so kindly or entertained him at Dinner so honourably unless he had been moved with some Affection of Love What shall I say of his Faith Did he not believe being instructed by the Holy Scriptures in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth Did he not receive Christ as a Prophet Now he believing in the Father and receiving the Son with Affectionate Love What could be wanting to him that was necessary to Iustification If so be all our Iustification is perfected by Charity And yet I suppose no Man will say that this Pharisee was justified by Christ that is set free from all Condemnation by this love of his Why Because Faith in Christ as a Saviour was wanting But suppose he had Faith and he trusting to his own Righteousness and being puffed up with Pride upon that account had begged no help and imagined he needed no Pardon would this Faith have availed him to Iustification I do no not believe it But
Apostle's Words and with what deceit they wilfully wrest and deprave the genuine Signification of his Words by their most absurd Interpretation to the intent they may maintain their own erroneous Doctrine If they did this only in Ignorance they should not be so much the Objects of our Anger as of our Pity and Commiseration as being Men misled into Errour But they behave themselves as if they were unwilling to be undeceiv'd And though they cannot but see the Truth in such a clear Light of the Scripture yet they wilfully shut their eyes because they are not willing to see or at least believe the clear shining Light of the Truth which that it may appear the more evident unto all Men let us now produce the Answers and deceitful Shifts of the Adversaries whereby they maintain their own Cause against our Arguments And because there are eight Arguments out of St. Paul which we oppose against the Papists we think it is not unprofitable in this place to set down what the Papists answer unto these The Answers of the Adversaries which they oppose against the eight Arguments of St. Paul together with a Refutation of those Answers BY the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified before him for by the Law comes the Knowledge of Sin But now the Righteousness of God is manifessed without the Law being testified by the Law and the Prophets to wit the Righteousness of God by the Faith of Iesus Christ upon all that believe c. Which is also confirmed by these Words Gal. 3. Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law for by the Works of the Law no flesh is justified c. I Appeal unto thee Courteous and Pious Reader what Man is there if he duely consider these Words of Paul that can gather any other thing from them but what their genuine Signification holds forth Which is this That the Works of the Law should be utterly excluded from having any hand in Iustification And if Works are excluded what can be a more undoubted Truth than that we are justified by Faith only What is more solid than this Argument of Paul What can be more plainly expressed What Words are more familiar if so be they are not darkned by a Sophistical Interpretation If according to the Testimony of Paul we are not justified by Works or obedience to the Law but by Faith without Works who can deny that our Iustification consists of Faith only unless he desperately oppose himself not only against Paul the Apostle but also the Holy Spirit God But behold here the Deceit or rather the Malice of sinful Men. They do not openly reject the Words of the Apostle but wrest the sense and meaning of them to serve their own purpose They deny not that Works should be excluded but pray take notice of the captious Snares of Sophisters who endeavour by a cunning way of distinguishing to baffle the simplicity of Apostolical Doctrine For they divide asunder Works and their Iustification into two parts calling the one Works of the Law and the other Works of Grace And they say the Works of the Law are unprofitable to Iustification but the other they account very necessary Therefore they Answer to the Words of Paul with this Distinction By the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified c. The meaning of these Words say they is this No Man shall be justified before God for his own Works which he hath done as by the Vertue and Merit thereof but by the Vertue and Merit of Grace infused For according to Paul's manner of speaking then a thing is said to be done by Works when it is done by Works when it is done as a due Debt or for the Works Wherefore there being a twofold Iustification as they say one by Grace infused and another by the Obligation of the Law without Grace In this Case Iustification by VVorks and every thing that is contrary to Iustification by Grace is excluded And so the saying of the Apostle holds true as they Interpret to him that worketh the Reward is not imputed according to Grace but according to Debt as if he should say that what is given by VVorks or for them is not given according to Grace but according to Debt therefore that Iustification which is separated from Grace is excluded but not the Iustification that comes by VVorks with the Assistance of Grace c. VVhat else should I Answer to these Sophisters but that I pray God to give them Repentance and a better frame of Spirit that they may not always resist the Holy Ghost and overspread the Truth with darkness VVhat Man is there but clearly perceives that it is altogether contrary to the VVords and Meaning of the Apostle to build the Hope of Salvation upon any VVorks when he doth so manifestly teach and protest against it denying that we are justified any other way but by Faith without the VVorks of the Law Yea they themselves deny not that the exclusive VVord is understood of the Works of the Law though not of the Works of Grace but now what are these Works of Grace those forsooth which the influence of the Grace of Christ performs in the Souls of the regenerate but were not the Romans to whom the Apostle wrote regenerate in Christ VVere they not partakers of the same Grace Did they not abound in the VVorks of Grace VVhom yet the Apostle denies to be justified by their own VVorks It is true indeed say they if you understand it of their own VVorks which are called VVorks of the Law but not those VVorks which are Christ's How ridiculous is this as if those things that are planted 〈◊〉 us by the Spirit of Christ were not also oftentimes called ours Yea Faith it self which is most especially reckoned amongst those Gifts it is usual to Scripture to give it the Epithet of ours and yours Paul expresses himself thus By the Communion of my Faith and yours and again Hearing of your Faith and in another place Your Faith which is in Christ c. Is it not evident that he speaks of that Faith which we have in Christ through the free gift of God How much more then may this be understood of VVorks which when Paul excludes from Iustification it cannot be doubted but he understands it not only of VVorks that are ours wholly and done by our own Strength but also of those VVorks that are done by the help of Grace operating in us so that there is nothing in the Works either of the Law or of Grace except Faith only but what rather contributes to Destruction than Iustification What is commanded in the Law of God that we can do without Grace Therefore seeing Paul removes all Works from the Office of justifying it must needs be that he understands it of the Works of Grace as well as of our own Works or the Works of the Law What shall we say
King of Israel the Lord is in the midst of thee thou shalt not be afraid of evil any more c. How then doth this so great Peace and Tranquility of Conscience so often repeated in the Prophets consist with that trembling fear and doubtfulness which the Papists plead for For what encouragement is there for Hope when the Mind is restless through fear and all thingsly at an uncertainty For how can Hope avoid being uncertain if Salvation must be hoped for by Works and not by free Donation Howbeit we are not ignorant nor deny that Sanctification and Renovation and the practice of good Works that flow from hence are Benefits bestowed upon us by Christ which of necessity all good Christians must endeavour to attain unto But that is not the state of this Controversie for the debate here is not about governing the Life in this World but about Eternal Salvation and the cause thereof Nor whether Offices belonging to Christian Piety should be performed but whether when they are performed they are so much accounted of by God that they Merit Salvation and reconcile an offended God to Mankind Whether Vertues and good Works are able to stand before the Iudgment Seat of God without being condemned according to the rigid Sentence of the Law Whether under great Terrours of Conscience when Salvation hangs in doubt we may safely rely upon them that we may become the Sons of God and inherit Eternal Life And yet it is not therefore false that as long as this Life endures it is very requisite that Believers should be careful to lead Holy Lives and utterly abhor all wickedness But it must be considered how it is requisite In respect of the necessity of Obedience it is true but if you say that it is requisite in respect of our obtaining a right unto Eternal Life and Salvation nothing is more false or pernicious because it is not purchased by our Merits but is given to us that deserve not and are unworthy and it is given then whilest we are yet Sinners that it may evidently appear that all the Glory of our Salvation is due to the Mercy of God and not to our Works which follow Reconciliation to God as Fruits thereof but do not procure it Therefore as I have already admonished I must again renew this Admonition that in this course of Obedience the godly practice of Charity should not be separated from us but should of necessity accompany Faith but yet it must be so admitted that it shut not out Faith from its own Office and Dignity nor justle out the glorious Riches of the Grace of God which is in Christ Iesus Nor darken the Glory of the Cross of Christ nor take away Consolation from troubled Consciences nor corrupt the sound Doctrine which the Apostles have taught us which seeing it places all our Salvation in nothing else but the Benefit of Redemption by Christ let men of understanding and Piety iudge which of the two Opinions is in the right whether they that place all the Hope of their Salvation in Faith only or they that place it in the Righteousness of inherent Works only and call Faith if alone a Presumption Verily if the Spirit of Christ could not endure those Laodiceans who were puffed up with a false Imagination of their own Righteousness and understood not how wretched and miserable and naked they were I suppose it may easily appear what should be judged of Popish Catholicks and all this Divinity of theirs I beg of Christ the infinitely Glorious and only begotten Son of God King of Kings Preserver of Life the Merciful Author and Defender of our Salvation the Glory of Heaven the brightness of his Father's Glory according to his Infinite Goodness unto whose Everlasting Dominion all things are subject that are in Heaven and in Earth that we miserable Men whom Nature hath brought into this wretched Condition who are Poor and Needy Naked and Blind and utterly destroyed being restored by his Bounty and having Salvation bestowed upon us by his free Gift and being cloathed with his Ornaments and enriched with his Wealth and carried on by the safe conduct of his Spirit we may grow in him daily more and more and never fall from him being strong in the Faith and fruitful in good Works until at length at the coming of his Kingdom we be received into those blessed Mansions of Immortality where he Lives and Reigns with the Father and the Holy Spirit in Eternal Glory Amen FINIS Acts 10. The necessity of this Defence against Osorius The Enemies of the Grace of God under the Title of righteousness The Books of Osorius concerning righteousness The Title of the Books concerning righteousness The image of righteousness described by Osori us The praise of righteousness The Platonick Catholick righteousness Osorius in Writing of Righteousness doth greatly oppose Christian Righteousness A twofold manner of righteousness The righteousness of the Law Human Reason understands not the Doctrine of Free Iustification Osorius de justit lib. 1. pag. 3. Lib. 10. de Iustit pag. 232. Lib. 2. p. 44. Lib. 6. pag. 148. All have finned and come short of the glory of God The Idea of the Osorian righteousness can be more easily found in his Books than in his Mauners The Son of God only was perfectly Holly Pals. 14. Rom. 3. 1 Io. 1. Iacob 3. Oso 1. 5. p. 21. Osorius confounds the righteousness of faith and works without any distinction Phil. 3. It is one thing to be justified by faith and another thing to be justified by the Law There are no performances of the most perfect men that are without some imperfection in the sight of God We are all as unclean and all our righteousness as a menstruous cloth Isa. 64. All we like Sheep have gone astray Isa. 5. 3. A frivolous exception of Osorius The Papists do not clearly enough explain why Works are called good What good works do essect according to the opinion of Papists Lib. 9. 233. What sort of righteousuess is that of Osorius Lib. 9. p. 232. Lib. 9. p. 232. what way men come to Heaven according to the opinion of Osorius Adam De justit lib. 4. pag. 90. Lib. 3. p. 68. The right way to Heaven consists in the Exercise ofChuity according to the Opinion of Osorius An answer to things alledged Paul a great 〈◊〉 of Charity Paul a great Preacher of Charity Not Charity but Faith opens a way to the Kingdom of Heaven Rom. 3. 4. A twofold manner of Righteousness of the Law and of the Gospel or Faith The Righteousness of Faith The necessary distinction of Legal and Evangelical Righteousness The Office of the Law How the Righteousness of the Law and Christ is one and not one The strength and operation of the Law The Law as out of Christ is confidered what it doth The difference between the Law and Christ. Christ the only Antidote against the Stings of the Law A question by what
all our actions should be directed therefore it is his opinion that it is not possible that he who puts away the rule it self from him and hates it should be joined to the same But what do you drive at in all these florid expressions it is this He then that asserts it to be possible that God should approve the wicked and join them to himself asserts it to be possible for God not to be God These things need no prolix answer For though we grant this to be very true which you mention from the Scriptures that the rule of Divine Iustice is perfect and that eternal light cannot endure any thing that is wicked or not agreeable to equity but you have not yet proved that those should be called wicked who flying to Christ by Faith receive from him the Pardon of their Sins who having their Sins blotted out and all Iniquity forgiven are written by the same Psalmist among the number of the blessed whom God himself purifying by faith and pouring his holy Spirit upon them of ungodly he hath made them godly and graciously received them into his favour for the sake of his dear Son And such we were all formerly as your Oration describes wicked sinners and all void of the glory of God before Christ washed us with his blood but now after we are washed from our former filthiness sanctified and justified in the name of our Lord Iesus Christ and by the spirit of our God Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect Those whom God Iustifies who shall condemn Then you go on and deny that it is possible that God should be unlike himself to favour wickedness or make friendship with wicked men of an unclean life And therefore you conclude we must needs be first righteous before we are received into the favour of God Right but who are they whom you call by the name of Iust You must teach us that If you judge they are such as are defiled with no pollution or can say with Christ Who amongst you will prove me guilty of Sin Verily I confess it seems not unlike to truth what you prove concerning the conformity of the Righteous unto God and that we must needs be all of us such if we would with acceptance have to do with that most pure Nature of the Divine Righteousness without a Mediator and Redeemer But if you take those for Righteous who are Righteous by Faith not by Life that is those whom daily forgiveness received by faith brings as righteous in the Presence of God in that sense this debate of yours about Righteousness does us no diskindness For by this means it comes to pass that whom Faith dayly absolves you your self cannot hold them guilty of any crime Therefore if they are not unrighteous nothing hinders them from being admitted with bold access into the presence of the Divine Majesty through the benefit of their Redeemer But you deny that it is agreeable to the nature of God to account any man worthy of his approbation except him whom his countenance beholds to be righteous Therefore it is necessary that our righteousness should go before the favour of God But whence that righteousness should come to us herein is all the contention between us You seem to acknowledge no righteousness but that which the perfection of life procures We place all our righteousness in Christ not in our selves in the faith of him only not in our own works What say you can any man obtain favour from that highest goodness as long as he hates not wickedness as long as be puts not away Iniquity from him which hath a perpetual War with Divine Equity Who is ignorant of or denies that For how can it be that that everlasting Law should not hate sin and wickedness with the greatest abhorrency Well and what do these Mountains of Gilboa bring forth unto us at length he concludes That it is therefore necessary that whosoever thinks to be received into the friendship of God must first hate wickedness Verily there is no man that denies it For though we should grant that a wise and wholesom or sound sorrow whereof you speak makes the first part of our conversion and that the true righteousness of faith doth not follow except some trouble of a penitent mind go before it doth not therefore come to pass that the very cause of justification should be attributed unto repentance for if repentance be nothing else but a grief of mind at the remembrance of sin it proves indeed that sin went before but takes not away that which was committed It declares perhaps some change of mind in him that committed it but takes not away the punishment that is due to justice Moreover repentance testifies that justice is lost but repairs not the loss thereof As pain coming of a wound inflicted makes not a medicine to it self but receives it from some other thing In like manner repentance goes before the remission of sins but doth not cause it just as Seryphius did not cause the recovering of the City of Tarentum who unless he had first lost it Fabius had not recovered it How many may you see in a common-wealth who having violated the publick Laws or been guilty of Treason against their Prince being overwhelmed with grief and shame with all their heart lament the wickedness of their crime and they do not wickedly that they are ashamed and repent But yet they do not escape the due punishment of the Law Therefore the detestation of their sin proves them guilty but doth not free them from condemnation But if there is so great severity of Laws and Iudgments in humane offences which no deploring of ill life can wash away what then should be judged of these that are committed against the highest and infinite Majesty Which Angels offending in one thing were not unpunished having been thrust out of Heaven and whom no sorrow could restore again what should be said to us in this frail condition of sinful nature in which dwelleth no good thing who offend by a daily either negligence of duties or filthiness of deeds Is it sufficient to turn away the vengeance of so great a God to say I have erred unless there be some other thing besides the sense of grief to help guilty and wounded nature which may defend this weak part of our repentance with a stronger safe-guard and may be sufficient to appease and reconcile offended justice with a proportionable price and so to speak can contend with Divine Iustice by opposing a righteousness equal thereunto For as the wound is infinite that is inflicted on our nature so it is just that a remedy of the like nature should be applied the strength and greatness whereof being infinite may by proportionable greatness be suited to the Majesty offended which verily consists not in repentance or charity or any offices of ours but is
contained in Christ only who is the only begotten Son of God And because our Faith only lays hold on him and he cannot profit any but Believers therefore it comes to pass that faith only without works that is without any merits of works compleats all our Righteousness before God Concerning the Praise of Repentance the Dignity and Benefit and Peculiar Office thereof BUT you will say to what purpose then is it to repent and to amend evil deeds or what shall be answered to these Scriptures which promise in more places than one the pardon of all sins to those that lament their sins and are converted unto a better life That I may answer these I would have you take notice of this in the first place When we attribute the vertue of justifying to Faith and in this case place it alone being helped by no addition of our works Let no man so mis-understand as if we did drive away and 〈◊〉 all saving Repentance and other holy Offices of Duty and Charity from every action of life as Andradius falsly gathers against Chemnitius For that we may openly confess the truth what else is this whole life of Godly Men but a continual repentance and a perpetual detestation and condemnation of sin whilst we are forced by the Gospel with daily groans to breath forth this Petition Forgive us our sins as if we were conflicting in a continual place of wrestling in which sometimes we stand by the Spirit sometimes we fall through the infirmity of the Flesh and sometimes we again make new repentance yet we always overcome and triumph by Faith to wit obtaining the pardon of our faults and we obtain true righteousness for ever Therefore away with impudent slanders let just judgment be exercised and let things be comprehended each in their own places and bounds Pious tears a serious deploring of former destruction and a just care of living a better life with all other pious exercises are things which we do not thrust away nor put out of their place only we search what is the place what is the peculiar office of those things And in the first place this is a thing that should not be doubted of by any Man that Repentance as it is an excellent gift of God so it brings forth fruits not to be repented of according to its Office the Office or duty whereof I reckon to be twofold The first is that which duly detests the sins committed The other that which diligently endeavours the Reformation of the life from which follows both great praise and greater fruits and also very great incitements to vertue For he that being weary of his former wickedness applys his mind wholly to amend his ungodly Life by a future reformation verily he hath made a great progress towards Salvation but he is not therefore as yet put into a certain possession of Salvation or because of that taken up with the Penitent Malefactor into Paradise For it is one thing to weep for the things that one hath done amiss and another thing to obtain the pardon of them Verily he that seriously purposes with himself to amend his life I judge that he ought justly to be praised but yet that is not enough as I suppose to turn away the anger of an offended God to put away the heinous nature of Sin to procure a clear tranquility of Conscience and to shake off the tyranny of death for to obtain that Victory we will need another Panoply or compleat Armour than Repentance or the forces of our vertues for nothing that we can do is sufficient to bring this to pass but only faith in the Son of God And therefore Repentance with Charity and other Offices of that kind have a necessary connexion with faith not that they may give form to this as to a dead matter but that rather they may receive life and Spirit from it not that Faith hath need of these for justification but that they themselves may be justified by the value received by Faith in Christ which unless they were recommended upon the account of that Faith would all be abominable in the sight of God and though they may be call'd works yet cannot be call'd good works in Gods account unless they are supported by Faith Whence Augustin admonishing not without cause commands us to believe in him that justifies the Wicked that our very good works may be good works for those deserve not to be called good as long as they proceed not from a good root c. But here you object approved Testimonies and Examples rehearsed out of the Sacred Oracles of Divine Scripture in which without any mention of Faith Salvation is assuredly promised to them that Repent as in Ezekiel I de sire not the death of a Sinner but that the wicked should turn from his way and live There are set before us the Examples of the Ninivites of David Manasseh and others and lest I should weary you with Rehearsing of every one of them which are infinite I will make a short Collection of the whole inatter You say that thus the Prophets proclaim and openly avouch this thing that there is no hope of Salvation shewed unto any but only those who are with their whole heart brought back from an unclean and wicked life to the practise of Holiness c. And presently concluding with this Opinion you teach us that there is no other way at all either to avert destruction or procure salvation Lest I should speak many things in vain there is one Answer abundantly sufficient for all such Objections that there is indeed necessarily required a sincere reformation of heart and life in these who are to obtain life as in an Heir for whom there is appointed the possession of an Inheritance to be enjoyed there is necessarily required dutifulness towards his Father which dutifulness nevertheless when it is most exactly performed is not any cause of obtaining the inheritance And in like manner there is nothing that can be more certain than that Repentance and Renovation do much commend the life of Christians to God yet it makes them not Christians neither doth it so much commend the person of the Penitent as it is it self commended by the dignity of the man who if he is a Christian his Repentance is approved But if he be an Alien from the faith the lamenting of sin doth not at all profit for the obtaining of Righteousness neither doth it take away Sin But as you say Repentance hath Divine Promises and indeed I am not against your Opinion in that for God doth not desire the death of a Sinner promising also life to him that repents That 's right But let us see how he promises it and by pondering the Circumstances of things times and persons let us consider what is promised and to whom and what is the true cause of promising Indeed the old Law hath dark promises the Gospel
Religion and trampled upon all Actions worthy of Praise and exercises of Eminent Vertue as things of no worth and condemned Pious Tears and judged those Men abominable and Wicked who wept and mourned for their Iniquities or upon any account lamented the Sins they committed And as if he taught a certain new way of Salvation and such a one as neither requires works of vis nor any sorrow neither occasions any trouble to sinners but teaches that confidence alone is sufficient to wit such a confidence whereby every Wicked and Ungodly Man may be supposed acceptable to God tho'he himself do not at all endeavour to restrain his wickedness or pretend to any desire after Piety but only so supposeth in his own mind that he is dear to God That the favour of God is prepared for all yea for the unclean and Wicked though sin rules and reigns with an universal dominion over them Moreover that Luther should think it a great Wickedness to lament Mans first ruine or fall and to fear punishment c. Besides other things also of the like sort no less absurd than false which being wrested by you to a wrong sense you use to lay to his charge not that they are really true of him but they are puposely feigned by you that by any means possible ye may render him odious to the ignorant People But these cunning attempts of yours avail nothing for the Writings and Sermons of Luther are publickly known There are also extant the publick Confessions of the Saxon. Churches first presented unto Carolus Caesar in the Assembly of Augusta Anno. 1530. And afterwards Anno. 1551. Shewed and offered to the Council of Trent in which what they teach concerning the true way of Iustification according to the Word of God what they Iudge and Preach of repentance and the Holy Fruits of good Works by all which they do sufficiently defend themselves against your frivolous calumnies and most vain accusations that there is no need of any other defence besides The opposite Assertions of the Adversaries against the Free Imputation of Righteousness produced and examined WHich things seeing they are so and sufficient defence hath been made for those of our Profession let us proceed to that which remains We will then first declare the opposite assertions and decrees of the Adversaries what they say and judge concerning Righteousness Faith Grace Repentance and Works and next we will compare their Opinion with ours and both together with the holy Gospel of God that it may be the more evident to the Reader what should be judged of both And here first come forth unto us Osorius none of the meanest Champions in this Cause all whose contention against Luther drives at this to destroy all imputation of Righteousness and to leave no other way of Righteousness but that which consists in works and observation of the Law and which might maintain according to the Decrees of Trent that we are not only esteemed righteous but also are really or inherently Righteous in the sight of God even unto justification In which way of justifying he doth not exclude Faith and Grace but he so mingles these together that the praise it self of Righteousness is founded on works and all else so subservient that Faith first goes before that it may only prepare and make way for the obtaining of Grace And Grace afterwards follows which brings forth good works in us and then works themselves perfect and compleat Righteousness For after this manner doth Osorius dispute in his Third Book And this is the sum of what he says therefore seeing the Law either written on Tables or received by Revelation cannot take away the unbridled lust of the mind and whilst lust remains in its vigour no man can by any means obey the precepts of the Law which are given for our attaining Righteousness Therefore it is that no man relying only on the help of the Law can be holy unless he be furnished with the immediate help of the Holy Spirit against lust and farther because we obtain this Divine help not by the Law but by Faith Therefore it is that all actions of Charity are called works of Faith not of the Law both by other Divine Writers and also by Paul who frequently by the name of Faith understands all Offices of Charity c. You have here a Specimen of the Osorian Righteousness so described by him that Righteousness seems to consist not at all in Faith without Works but in Works which are called Works of Faith not of the Law Which Righteousness whoso wants he denies that it is possible for him to be received into the favour of God 〈◊〉 chiefly upon this Argument Because that Divine Nature being most holy and most pure and which can endure no filthiness of Iniquity it behoveth him therefore that would enjoy the presence thereof to conform himself unto the same Image for there is no Communion between light and darkness there is no union between the holiness of righteousness and the wickedness of unrighteousness Which seeing it is so he therefore concludes that Luther they of Luther's Party do err first in this that they dare assert that sin in those whom that infinite purity hath united unto it self by a most Holy Love is not wholly removed nor altogether abolish'd and pluck'd up by the roots nor all its fibers quite extirpated And also that they affirm that a Law is laid upon us by God which cannot be kept In the one of which the Divine Clemency and Bounty is distrusted In the other abominable reproach is cast upon his Infinite Power and Godhead Concerning Righteousness and its definition given by Osorius and others THou hast ingenuous Reader the whole Model of Osorian Righteousness described in a short compend in which what is true and what is faulty it remains that we should examine with like brevity according to the Rules of Evangelical Doctrine beginning first at the very definition of righteousness because thereupon depends the substance of the whole Controversie For so Osorius defines Righteousness that it is a state of Soul founded on the Law of God and that bears a clear resemblance to the immutability of the Divine Vertue In like manner also Andradius not much differing from him Righteoufness saith he is an unmoveable equity and government of mind which measures all its actions and counsels by the Law of God And the same again presently Righteousness is a habit of mind fashioned by the Divine Law to obey that Divine Law and Will as it perswades to perform the Offices of every vertue C. So that I need not here gather together the definitions of others of the Party of whom I find so many to be of the same Opinion that they think a Righteous Man should be defined from works of Righteousness just as a wise Man from Wisdom a Musician from Musick and other Artificers are formally denominated from
than this large honour of his Kingdom which the Lord himself promises us in the Gospel Fear not saith he little Flock for it is the good will of your Father to give you the Kingdom Which Paul also makes mention of writing both elsewhere and also to the Colossians Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us unto the Kingdom of his dear Son c. Of which also Daniel a most famous Prophet hath given an ample Testimony The Kingdom saith he and the Dominion and the largeness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High c. In which one benefit seeing the whole Sum of our Felicity is comprehended to wit reconciliation with God imputation of Righteousness remission of Sins Peace with God access with boldness hope the glory of God eternal blessedness and salvation the Inheritance of Eternal Life freedom from the accusation and condemnation of the Law What can any Man either by desires wish for or by Faith conceive more glorius For he that is promoted unto the possession of a Kingdom what more can be added to him unto the highest splendour of Glory and the degree of the most honourable Dignity Therefore we have as you see O Osorius the hereditary Mansions of the Eternal Kingdom promised to us and that not of Works but of Faith not according to Bargain but according to Grace and therefore according to Grace that the Promise may be firm and sure to all the Seed It is a very weighty Cause and Authority not to be contemned For what is more firm for all manner of security than that which relies on the certain faithfulness of God and a free promise On the contrary what is more unstable than that which depends on the most uncertain condition of our Works which are either for the most part evil or always uncertain Why then wilt thou cast us again out of the most firm safeguard of most sure confidence proposed to us which rests most safely in the free bounty of God promising as if thou drovest us out of a Haven of Tranquillity procured for us to be tossed in the tempestuous Waters and Straits of Diffidence and Desperation And do you make those things doubtful and uncertain which through the bounty of God we do as it were hold in our hands with a most assured Faith so that now there is not any thing certain which a man may satisfie his own Soul about touching Salvation for I pray you what can be certain if so be the Grace of the Promise being taken away if Imputation of Righteousness being neglected which is placed in Christ for us the whole matter is brought to the account of our actions and you plead that we are not otherways righteous before God than by performing the Offices of the Divine Law Objection But you will say What hath not God promised in Iereremiah and Ezekiel to those that come to God by Faith that they shall have his Law written in their mind that they shall have the very presence of the Holy Ghost within their mind and defile their life with no sin but govern it by the Law of God and walk in the Precepts of God and perform excellent and holy works and moreover that they shall be righteous c. Ans. 1. As touching the promise of the Spirit of God it is very true what you cite out of Ieremiah For God in his bounty hath promised that he will write his Law not only in Tables of Stone as before but in the inward Tables of their minds and indeed accordingly he hath performed and doth perform daily what he hath promised And what doth your Logical reasoning gather thence Therefore say you seeing we have the Law of God put into our inward parts it comes to pass that giving credit to the promises of God we do presently obtain the help of God that we may very easily do all things that are commanded us and so be saved c. Therefore by these many things which have been hitherto mentioned by you concerning the Law and its Office I perceive you have two Opinions both of which are false First That you affirm that we being supported by the Grace of God and guarded by his help can very easily perform all things whatsoever are commanded by the Law of God Secondly Because you plead that all the nature of our Righteousness and Salvation consists in performing God's Commands and that there is no other way to Heaven but that which is contained in the Law of God Both which Reasons of yours how absurd they are how contrary to the Grace of God and the Gospel and how much disallowed and confuted not only by all Authority of Divine Scripture but also long since contradicted by the sayings of the most Antient Fathers and how void of all support of reason and experience there is no Man that hath so little Reason or Religion but evidently perceives it and clearly takes notice of it For though we do not deny that by the help of the grace of the Divine Spirit there are wonderful various and manifold effects produced and great gifts are shed abroad in the minds of the Regenerate for governing all parts of Life piously and holily but whence I pray you will you teach that so great strength and so great power to observe Righteousness is given by God and committed unto mortal Man which may be sufficient for performing all things that are prescribed in the most holy Law of God Concerning the Perfection of Righteousness and compleat Obedience of the Law You proceed to press again and again that Antient Song out of the Prophet I will put saith he my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And also out of the other Prophet And I will give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my Precepts and keep my Iudgments and also may do these things which are just c. I hear the Oracles of the Prophetical Promise uttered with great evidence from whence certainly works of New Obedience do proceed which necessarily follow Faith so that if any Man do now enquire for the cause of good works presently he learns hence that it should not be attributed to the strength of Man's Will but the Gift of the holy Spirit but now whence does this Gift proceed but from the Merits of Christ or to whom is it given but to them that believe in Christ For the holy Spirit is received by Faith according to that of Paul That we may receive the promise of the Spirit by Faith Wherefore seeing Faith is the only thing which procures unto us the holy Spirit therefore it cannot otherways be but that having received the Divine Spirit of Sanctification a new Life and spiritual motions do follow in the hearts of the Regenerate For a mind rightly qualified with the Faith of Christ
we must see how they are done away He does them away in this Life he will also do them 〈◊〉 in the Life to come but not after one and the same manner For Iniquity is taken away and Sin receives an end as is evident by the Prophecy of Daniel But if you ask how in this Flesh Augustin will answer you None saith he takes away Sin but Christ who is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World And he takes them away both by removing the Sins that were done and by helping that they may not be done and by bringing to the Future Life where they cannot be done at all Therefore in this Life there is only a race to Righteousness and in the other Life will be the prize This then is our Righteousness now whereby we run Hungering and Thirsting to the perfection and fulness of that Righteousness wherewith we shall afterward be satisfied in the other Life Hence the Apostle saith Not that I have already attained or am already perfect Brethren I do not think that I have apprehended but one thing I do forgetting the things that are behind and being stretched forth to those things that are before I press forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Iesus c. Therefore according to Augustin here is the Race here is the Progress there will be the Perfection Here as running in a Race we proceed from Vertue to Vertue There we are perfected Now we have only the Seeds of Vertues begun then in that fulness of Charity when that shall be perfected in us which now is imperfect that precept shall be fulfilled Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul For whilest there is yet any Carnal concupiscence which may be restrained by continency God is not in all respects loved with all the Soul for the Flesh doth not Lust without the Soul though the Flesh is said to Lust because the Soul Lusteth Carnally c. Therefore as long as the Saints are burthened with this Flesh which they cannot shake off verily Sin dwelling in the Flesh cannot be absent Objection But how say you is Sin taken out of the World If the Corruption of Sin yet does reign in the Saints Answer I will tell you briefly to wit after the very same manner that the death of Christ hath driven 〈◊〉 from our necks and yet we dye The same comes to pass in the destroying of sin that being freed from Sin by Christ yet we are not without sin for these two things come always together being tied to one another by a very near connexion That where sin is there by necessary consequence death follows wherefore if the flesh is yet held in bonds by the cruelty of death by the same reason it is proved that the relicks of sin remain also in the flesh But now where is then that righteousness which Christ hath purchased for us Would you know O Osorius where our life is there is also our righteousness Not in this flesh which we put off but in that body which we shall in due time put on uncorrupted For such are all the benefits of Christ purchased for us that the promise of them being shewed afar off as of old the Holy Land to the Hebrews it is apprehended by Faith and the Spirit in this life but the full possession belongs only peculiarly and in the whole to the other life Christ begins his Benefits in this Life and perfects them in the Life to come Now these great Benefits of the Son of God consist chiefly in this that sin being totally abolished death being destroyed he restores us being plucked out of the Kingdom of the Devil unto the possession of eternal Life in which God communicates himself wholly to us and is wholly all in all And this most glorious work of his most full of the highest dignity he begins in this miserable life and will compleat it in the other life when that shall come to pass which is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O Death where is thy Victory O Death where is thy Sting Howbeit these things are not said upon this account as if there were nothing in the interim or but little in this life which the help of the grace of Christ does for us As of old the help of the Eternal God was never wanting to the Israelites in the waste Widerness whom he was to bring into the habitations of promise so verily neither are Christs benefits towards us little and the riches of his bounty are not small which the present Grace of Christ pours daily upon us with a full hand when in this sinful Nature he often helps our infirmities forgives our sins instructs us with his word refreshes us with hope supports us by Faith feeds and strengthens us by the Sacraments and refreshes us by his own Spirit adorns us with his gifts renews our hearts and stirs them up to spiritual motions of better life and obedience restrains vitious affections by whose guidance there increase in us the beginnings of eternal life the knowledge of God invocation fear faith true repentance a new law and the image of him who Created us c. And seeing Christ works these things in us with continual care daily more and more promoting and bringing unto maturity that which he hath begun in us there is therefore no cause why the Graces of Christ here should seem needless to any Man But these beginnings of Divine Grace must be distinguished from that perfect and compleat renovation of Nature which shall be seen in the glorified after this life For though it should not be doubted but great advantages are communicated to Believers by the Divine help of the Holy Spirit both to shun those things that are grievously offensive and also to exercise the Offices of Piety of which Paul Rom. 8. They who are led saith he by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Yet there is not given to the regenerate in this life a compleat conformity to the Law of God but it is reserved for the other life for the life of the Saints in this World should not be called a life of the flesh but of Faith rather not a life of perfect but of begun love and mortification as being not so much discerned in justice as in justification not in perfect holiness but in sanctification not in perfect purity but in purification not in perfection but in going forward But this good Friend ours thinks this should by no means be suffered Who so fights against us as if all the Nature of Salvation consisted not in Iustification the name whereof he doth not account worthy of any mention but in Iustice it self not in the growth but in the perfection of Vertues And as if it were not allowable otherways to aspire to those just rewards of Felicity but
these consequences from them Seeing such a Iudgment is approaching as will bring every one to render an account of their Lives therefore no Man should flatter himself with hopes that any of his offences either in words or deeds will go unpunished but every Man should so frame his Life that Faith and Holiness may be jointly united together and not separated from one another And this is a truth which many now a days have need to be admonished of not only Papists but also Protestants who make profession of the Name and Faith of Christ but yet notwithstanding they so behave themselves as if they thought an-outside shew of Religion were sufficient and as if they did not look for Iudgment to come they are so void of care to walk worthy of that Holy profession giving themselves up against their Conscience to all uncleaness with greediness whereby they both greatly provoke the wrath of God and put themselves in dreadful danger of the loss of Eternal Salvation Against such Men as run on into open wickedness without measure or remorse we may by better consequence draw this inference We must appear all of us before the Iudgment seat of God where account will be taken of all the Actions and Practice of our Lives Therefore let every one that hath regard to his own Salvation endeavour according to his power to lead a Life suitable to his Profession and without Hypocrisie to join a good Conscience with a good Faith For the word of Truth hath told us They that have done Evil shall come forth unto the Resurrection of Damnation But are such Scriptures contrary to Iustification by Faith in such as together with the profession of faith in Christ joyn the fruits of Obedience which though it is not perfect upon all accounts yet it is yielded in sincerity and uprightness of Heart according to their weak power and capacity Which though it comes far short of the compleat perfection of the Law yet nevertheless our Iustification is full and perfect in the sight of God For what is defective in our Works he supplies by his own imputation thro' faith in his Son which Faith is imputed to us for Righteousness not for our working but for our believing for though the abominable rebellion of wicked Men who walk not after the Spirit but after the flesh brings upon them the Iudgment of Condemnation yet this continues to be a truth The Iust shall live by Faith And he that believeth in me shall never perish But you may say The Sentence of the Iudge remains evident and uncontroulable which promises the Resurrection of Life to them that lead a Godly Life I answer It is very true which the Lord says but the conclusion drawn from hence is very false For in these Words Christ joyning the Fruit and the Tree Persons and things together gives the comfortable hope of Eternal Life unto his own Servants who according to their power labour diligently in the Gospel Not thereby determining what their Works deserve but shewing with how many and great rewards he will crown their labours who have suffered any thing for his Name But those Men contrariways arguing from the concrete to the abstract and dividing things from persons conclude amiss by this Enthymema They that are believers in Christ exercising themselves diligently in all Holiness shall be received into Eternal Life Therefore Good Works are the cause of Eternal Life To this I may make a brief and easie Answer Answer I deny the consequence for it is a Fallacy a non causa pro causa for in the antecedent the works of the godly are brought in as effects but in the conclusion as a cause whence there is no sound conclusion from the concrete to the abstract For it is no rational arguing because believers living Holily receive the gift of Eternal Life therefore their deeds merit Eternal Life Iust as if a Man should reason on this manner a Wife being Obedient to her Husband is admitted to be a partaker of all his Goods Therefore her Obedience is worthy of a share in all his Possessions A Son being Obedient to his Father is received for his Heir therefore his Obedience deserves the Inheritance VVorks are evidences of faith in Christ but not the cause of Salvation Iust as a Tree that brings forth Fruit if it hath any goodness in it receives it not from the Fruit but the Fruit hath all its goodness from the Tree In like manner the works of the Godly have nothing that they can claim a right unto in Iudgment If they find any favour or reward that is not due to them but partly to Mercy and partly to Imputation for the sake of the Mediatour to Mercy which pardons Evil deeds to Imputation which puts a great value upon good VVorks though of very little worth in themselves and crowns them with rewards So that all the praise belong not to Men but to God Not to Righteousness but Grace not to Works but Faith not to Iudgment but Mercy But you will say Shall we not all come to Iudgment Must we not all appear before the Tribunal of God It is true we shall all come But Augustin tells us of a twofold Iudgment one of condemnation and another of discretion whereby the Goats shall be separated from the Lambs and not Lambs condemned with the Goats It is an Article of my faith that we shall all of us come to Iudgment but I do hope the Elect of God will not come into the Iudgment of Condemnation And here we must carefully distinguish between the Lambs and the Goats between those that are united to Christ by Faith and the damned crew of Unbelievers For though in this just Iudgment of God every one shall give account to God of all their Works And there is no doubt but a reward will be given suitable to every man's Works but in a far different manner to the one and the other For they who seek for Salvation not by Faith nor the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness only but by the Works of the Law they shall receive a reward according to the desert of their deeds upon this condition that they shall live by the Sentence of the Law if they fulfil the Law as they ought but if not what else must they expect but that according to the just Decree of the Law no violation thereof should be found so small as not to make the sinner liable to Condemnation and justly so For he that hath no power in himself to obtain Righteousness and is not willing to receive it when it is offered by another if he suffer the punishment due to his sins let him not accuse the Law of unjustice but himself of unbelief On the contrary they that by sincere Faith are converted unto Christ if they have committed any evil thing for who among the holiest that is can run through his Race without a fall Their sins
are far from Righteousness None need the Physician but they that are Sick neither doth Christ invite any to come unto him but such as are heavy laden Come unto me saith he all ye that labour and are heavy laden and I will give you rest But what is coming to Christ but believing in him according to the saying of Augustin Therefore as Christ rejects none that come unto him that is such as return to him by believing but revives and justifies them so faith in Christ in which only our Salvation consists is no where of a saving efficacy but only in those whom it finds burdened and afflicted Another Objection If Faith only were sufficient to Iustification it would follow that good Works are not necessary But the Consequent is false And Therefore the Antecedent also is false That Faith ony is sufficient Vega confirms the Minor with this Argument Unless good Works had been necessary in all respects Paul had not so carefully given Instructions about Vertue and rebuked Vice and so mightily commended good Manners and Integrity of Life but we shall afterwards enquire into the Minor I come now to the Argument And First I deny the Major for this is not a necessary Consequence Salvation is obtained by Faith in Christ only Therefore good Works are not necessary The necessity of Vertue and honest discipline is and always hath been very great in all respects both private and publick yet this necessity doth not at all detract from the peculiar dignity of Faith that it should not be the only cause of Iustification as on the other side the Iustification of Faith doth not take away the necessity nor lessen the care of a Godly Life Therefore both Faith in Christ and the practice of Holiness are necessary the one to justifie Sinners in the sight of God and the other to exercise them that are justified in this World Therefore There is need of a distinction in this case for according to Philosophy a thing is said to be necessary two manner of ways First Absolutely and simply when one thing is so necessary to another that it cannot be done or consist without it Secondly In respect of Consequence when a thing is of such a Nature that as soon as it begins to be other things also are joyned with it or at least soon follow after and thus good works in persons justified are necessary to Salvation not simply but in regard of Consequence By what I have said any Reader that is not void of Sense may easily discern that we seek not to banish good Works out of the World that they should not be necessary but we only remove them from being a cause of Iustifying That so both Faith and Works may be put each of them in their own place and contained within their own bounds For Paul did not in vain nor without great necessity exhort with much vehemency to the Godly practice of a Christian Life For what is more glorious in it self or more worthy of the profession of Christianity or fitter to adorn the Doctrine of the Gospel than that those who are called by the Name of Christ should resemble him exactly in their manners and the practice of their lives And as they profess themselves to be Citizens of the Heavenly Kingdom they should according to their power endeavour to lead a Life like Heaven upon Earth On the contrary what is more abominable or odius than if those who have been engaged by so many benefits exalted to so great dignity and are joyned to him into so near an union by so many Covenants and Obligations if yet they do not follow his Foot-steps nor imitate him in the practice of their lives Therefore in this we and they agree that Works of Piety are very necessary but we must consider wherein this necessity lies For they are effects which of necessity depend upon their cause from whence they proceed but the cause hath no dependance upon them by any necessity By the like Consequence we call many things necessary in common Offices of Civility and Humanity as when Kindnesses are received what is more necessary and according to Iustice than a thankful remembrance of a Favour received and a readiness of Mind to give evidence of thankfulness not only in Words but also by repaying Kindness with Kindness if there be Opportunity Which thankfulness was nevertheless no cause of the Kindness that was done Let us here compare other kinds of Offices Who knows not that a Son and Heir ought of necessity to be dutiful to his Father But again who can be ignorant that this is no cause in him why he should receive the Inheritance The same also may be observed in Marriage where the Wife being tyed to her own Husband of necessity owes Subjection to him which nevertheless she shews to him not so much for any Law of necessity that extorts it as of her own accord and willingly being provoked by a Principle of Love moreover when she shews him the greatest Subjection this necessity is no cause of the Marriage bond Iust so it is in the performance of Godly Works which Paul commands us to maintain for necessary uses not that necessity of Works is any cause of Iustification but because it cannot otherways be but that where true Faith is there of necessity good Works are required and yet they are not so much required as they are a necessary Consequence for who was ever endued with the true Knowledge of Christ the Son of God or had the secret breathings of his Spirit or had a lively sense of his unsearchable Power and the unspeakable Glory of his Majesty but is drawn after him with the Cords of Love and cleaves unto him with all his Heart setting light by all the Vanities of this World Moreover who hath a true savour of Christ but he dispises the World and all the things of the World as the dirt under his Feet So that now there is no need of any Law to exact Works of Righteousness of him who is truly planted in Christ because he is a Law to himself and does more of his own accord than can be commanded by any Compulsion An Argument of the Iesuites The Word only is not found in the Holy Scripture therefore Faith only doth not justifie Though it is not true that this exclusive Word is no where found in the Holy Scriptures yet suppose we should grant it to be true what would be the Consequence Verily those things that follow from a necessary Consequence though they are not expressed yet they are implied And therefore ye also your selves admit many Words into your Confession of Faith of which the Scripture makes no mention But let us proceed you say this Exclusive Word is not found in Canonical Scripture I confess it is not in so many Letters and Syllables But seeing we meet with so many other things in sacred Writings that exclude all these Accessory
takes a view of his Kingdom and the glorious Riches thereof and is ravished at the admiration of the universal Power that is given to him over all Heaven and Earth and searches for the Promises of the Father that are ratified in his Son the Mediatour and by search understands them and in Heaven beholds them to be sure and infallible wherewith the mind of a Believer being now confirmed takes pleasure in them and triumphs with great joy and now Faith by relying on these Promises becomes fearless of danger and invincible and stands firmly against the fury of Satan the power of Death the terrours of a guilty Conscience the Gates of Hell the malice of the World and the oppositions of the rebellious flesh Hence flows a gladsome tranquility of Conscience and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost and thence it is that Hope derives its fiducial Relyance and Charity its fervent Zeal from Faith only For the mind being supported and safe guarded by Faith in Christ what more can it wish for to arrive unto the highest pitch of felicity Moreover who can fully express with words or conceive in his mind all the good things that Faith by means of the Mediatour prepares in Heaven for those that are yet groveling upon the ground This Faith is that which reconciles man who was in a woful and wretched condition unto God Iustifies a sinner that was at the brink of despair opens the Gates of Paradise to the penitent Malefactor Obtains the Grace of the Holy Spirit for the Centurion gives Peter the Keys of the Kingdom of Heaven justifies the Publican procures pardon to the man sick of the Palsie heals the Woman with the bloody Issue restores sight to blind Bartimaeus procures us the Grace of Adoption the hope of the Resurrection and Life Everlasting and overcomes Death which can by no other power be conquered and gets Victory over Satan who cannot be subdued by any of our Vertues nor by our Charity but the Shield of Faith only drives him away and puts him to flight Thus pious Reader I have given you some description both of Faith and Charity you may take your liberty to judge how you should account of both and what should be attributed unto Charity which though it may seem to claim the principality in things belonging to this Life yet in Iustification and obtaining the pardon of sins it is so far from having the superiority that in this case it can do nothing at all What need is there of words to prove this for Paul the Apostle explains himself abundantly in what sense Charity is greater to wit because of its duration which appears evident by these things that follow For he draws this Inference from what he had said Charity saith he never fails though Prophecies and Miracles may be abolished Another Argument out of St. Iames cap. 2. Abraham was justified by Works Therefore Faith only doth not justifie Answer Paul furnishes us with an Answer to this Argument Whereas that excellent Patriarch made no doubt of sacrificing his dearly beloved Son at the command of God therefore the Apostle Iames says That he was justified by Works If they understand it amongst men it is true but not in the sight of God unless we would give the Lye to Paul that choice Instrument in the hand of Christ who discoursing of the Works of the Patriarch he says That if he hath any thing to glory in he hath it before men but not before God And why before men and not before God but because the Iustification of men is one thing and the Iustification of God is another for men judge by the appearance and the sight of Works moves them to justifie Now the whole Epistle of the Apostle Iames is taken up about this outward appearance of Works before men and its whole design is that by our good deeds and Charity which is inseparably joyned with saving Faith we should give evidence that the Faith wherein we glory before God is a lively Faith and not counterfeit nor unfruitful Wherefore presently he adds Shew me thy Faith without thy Works and I will shew thee my Faith by my Works By which it easily appears what Iustification it is whereof the Apostle Iames speaks to wit that which by works discovers it self before men Now as for this neither Paul nor any other man doubts of it For what man is there but will confess that Charity and good Works must of necessity be joyned unto Faith which unless they be seen by men in those that make a profession of Faith it is very evident that such a Faith as they profess is in reality no Faith at all but an empty name and shadow thereof But what does all this make against Iustification by Faith That Faith appears not to be lively in the Eyes of men out of which as out of a living Root the blossoms and flowers of godly works do not grow But does not Faith therefore justifie in the sight of God without works because it is not evidenced by the Testimony of good deeds joyned therewith But suppose that good works are joyned with Faith which give evidence to men that it is a lively Faith Will Faith justifie thee you will say Why not and I acknowledge the same my self But I ask wherefore doth Faith justifie before God because of the works that appear unto men or are the works rather acceptable because of Faith But how many works seem to be excellent in the sight of men to which human Reason gives applause and men because of them are accounted holy and just when yet the matter is far otherways And this is that Human Iustification which I spake of and the Apostle Iames hath written of which though someties it judges according to Truth yet much oftener it is deceived in judging Why so because the Iudgment of God and the Iudgment of men are of a different nature What man looking upon the Lives of the Pharisees their long Prayers frequent Fastings and Washings their holy-like deportment and all their outward shews of Piety but would have judged them to be men very near and dear unto God when yet none were greater Strangers and Enemies to God than they What man is there at this day who looking upon the Orders of the Monks their Vows Fastings Rules Austerity and Rigour of Discipline but would reckon them amongst the chiefest of those that are justified when yet they are no such men in the sight of God And yet in the mean while I deny not this to be true which Iames writes For he that being endued with no Vertue or Love to Vertue makes an outward profession of Faith in Christ and leads not a Life suitable thereunto I say according to the Apostle Iames that such a man's Faith is little worth But if such a man in the last hour of his Life come to himself and fly to Christ for Refuge by an unfeigned Faith and beg
promulgation of the Law I would ask him What the Law is which if it is nothing but the Rule of Righteousness how can any man be just where there is no Law But what man was there ever in the World but he carried about with him the Law of God if not written in Tables yet written on his heart and engraven on his conscience But the Decalogue was not yet engraven on Tables of Stone But what was contained in the Moral Decalogue which that holy man did not already comprehend within his own heart both of loving God and his Neighbour of not Murthering of not committing Adultery or honouring Parents c. 3. As touching the scope of this Epistle how greatly is campian mistaken For who is so void of sense that he doth not clearly perceive that the drift of the Apostle is not that which those Iesuits dream of to attribute our Salvation or Iustification to any Works either going before or following after Neither was this Office of an Ambassadour committed unto him that he might contend with the Iews about Ceremonies or with the Gentiles about Moral Duties but as Peter was entrusted with the Apostleship of the Circumcision so also the Preaching of the Gospel to the Uncircumcision was committed unto Paul not that he should Preach the Law but the Faith which before he opposed Not that he might declare the Righteousness of Works in which there is no Salvation but that God by him might reveal his Son amongst the Gentiles and might manifest unto the World that heavenly Trophy and glad Tydings of Peace and Victory obtained in Heaven by Christ and spread abroad far and wide through the Churches the boundless riches of Divine Grace which he had experienced in himself For he was called for this purpose to the Apostleship that the infinitely gracious Lord and Redeemer Christ Iesus might first exercise his Mercy towards him and afterwards by him declare his great Mercy towards Sinners not only by hisExample but also by his Ministry For thus he bears witness of himself that the Ministry of Reconciliation was committed to him for which he was appointed to be a Preacher and Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Truth that he being an Ambassadour in Christ's stead might invite all men yea and beg of them that they would be reconciled unto God And this seems to be the principal scope that Paul aims at not only in the Epistle to the Romans but also in all his Doctrine to proclaim amongst the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and that he might set before the view of all men what is the Communion of the Mystery that was hidden with God in former Ages c. But now in the Righteousness of Works no such Mystery lay hidden with God from former Ages Therefore it is false and abominable which Campian the Iesuit and such like Sophisters assert concerning the scope and sense of Paul's Epistle to the Romans For by the Law which Paul excludes from Iustification they understand that part thereof which comprehends Ceremonial and Iudicial Works wherein the Iews gloried or Works purely Moral performed before Faith on which the Gentiles relied Yea on the contrary when Paul removes the Law from Iustification he doth not only exclude it upon the account of Iewish Ceremonies or Moral Works performed before Faith but also upon the account of its weakness through the flesh both in Iews and Gentiles both in the regenerate and the unregenerate so that it cannot make sufficient satisfaction to the Iustice of God And Paul affirms That for this cause God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh What did God do but what flesh could not do For sin he condemned sin in the flesh In what flesh ours or his own Sons Who of all the Regenerate though endued with great habitual Faith and Grace hath so led his life walking not according to the flesh but according to the spirit but he always carries about with him flesh that is weak in many respects and vicious and subject to sin Concerning which every one may complain with the Apostle I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing And again I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me c. For what they speak of Works following Faith and Grace how little that helps their cause appears not more evident by any Argument than by the Lives of those that maintain this Controversie if they be strictly enquired into If that be true which Campian with his Iesuits pleads for That Righteousness is not obtained in men come to years but by Works that follow after Faith Let us behold then what excellent Works this Faith of the Mother Church of Rome brings forth seeing they so much glory in the Title of Catholick Faith and Preach so many things about Charity which is the fulfilling of the Law Let us look into the Life and Works of the Roman Popes Cardinals and Bishops and the whole Crew of the Monks and Iesuits Where can you find more of the flesh or less of true holiness than in those false-hearted and painted Hypocrites whose whole profession of Religion consists in Purple Gowns high topped Mitres Purple Caps Rings adorned with Iewels solemn Vows Ceremonies which in reality are rather Stage-playes than Exercises of Piety This appears to be too true by the unhappy Tumults raised in the World the Wars and Persecutions that are stirred up by none more than by those very men that call themselves Spiritual and Catholick whom it should become to be the chiefest encouragers of Concord and Messengers of Peace But having so much enlarged upon this sort of men with their Works and Merits let us return to the Examples of those of whom we spake before who were freely admitted unto Baptism and received into favour by Faith without any commendation of Merits at all yea without mention of any Works except such perhaps as were evil Amongst which number those Iews may be reckoned of whom three thousand at one time were Baptized by Peter Likewise also the Eunuch whom Faith only without Works made not only meet for Baptism but also an Heir of the Heavenly Kingdom And the Iaylor whom Paul Baptized Moreover Paul himself and all the Apostles and Publicans the family of Cornelius Zacehaeus Mary Magdalen and the Thief on the Cross If Faith without Works was sufficient to them for the Grace of Baptism why not also for the obtaining of Iustification and Life Eternal Vega and those of his Association answers after his usual manner that in all these Repentance was joyned with Faith and other things also belonging to good Manners and a godly Life But it easily appears how vain and insignificant this Answer of Vega is He says Repentance and other Vertues are joyned with Faith Which tho' I confess to be in some sense true in the lives and persons of
and Sinners insa different account Sinners in our selves Righteous in Christ. Isaiah 9. Whole Christ is ours Christ bears our publick person before the Father What is our Righteousness according to Paul Osor. de just lib. 2. lib. 7. p. 187. lib. 9. p. 228. Osor. de just lib. 2. lib. 7. p. 187. lib. 9. p. 228. God commands not any thing which cannot be observed by men according to the opinion of Osorius it is no fault in God if he command those things which cannot be kept by us Rom. 3. There had been no need for God to Iustifie us by Faith if we could be justified by works de justit lib. 4. pag. 90. Pag. 105. Preparation for Righteonsness Mat. 5. Whatsoever things the law 〈◊〉 it saith to those that are in the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the World may be guilty before God R. 3. Rev. 15. 4. The Ecclesiastical Hymn thou only are holy Hierom. ad Ctesiphontem Dial. 2. Aug. in Io. Hom. 49. Rom. 3. Rom. 9. Gal. 2. 1 Cor. 1. Rom. 4. Rom. 11. Hab. 2. Rom. 4. Gal. 3. 2 Tim. 1. Ephes. 2. Tit. 3. Rom. 11. Phil. 3. Rom. 4. Rom. 9. Concil Trident Sess. 6. A definition of rig hteousness according to the Iesuits of Colonia Censur Coloniensis 186 frat Alpbonsus Philip 4. p. 34. Argum. ex Topicis Aristot. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 4. 3. Answer to the Iesuitical quibbles Men judge by qualities but God judgeth otherwise 2 Cor. 5. Prov. cap. 8. Aug. ad Boniface lib. 3. cap. 7. Bernard in Dominic Serm. 3. By what Righteousness they are justified before God by Christs or our own Aug. in Psal. 31. Christ is wholly ours with all his good things As Christ was made sin so we are made righteous But Christ was not made sin by inherent sin Therefore we also are not made righteous by inherent rightcousness The Righteousness of Faith Internal and inherent righteousness whereby we are justified according to the Gospel Faith is a most internal and inherent righteousness This is the work of God that ye should believe in him whom he hath sent Iohn 6. Augustine Iohn 3. So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that all that believe in him c. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 1. A rule of Law that which a Man doth by another he seems to have done by himself A comparison of Adam and Christ. The former Adam a Type of the second Rom. 5. As Evil was 〈◊〉 ed by the Sin of one so good is propagated by the Iustification of one by the Disobedience of one many were made Sinners Rom. 5. As many dyed by the Sin of one so by the grace of one many are justified Rom. 5. After what manner the sin of one is imputed unto all in like manner also the Righteonsness of one is imputed to all Otherways there would be no resemblance between Christ and Adam Adam a Type of Christ. Wherein the similitude of Adam and Christ consists A Imitation of Life Christ to be seen in Adam The severity of the Iudgment of God in Adam again the excellency of Mercy in Christ. The Type is compared with the Archetype Death took its beginning of making havock from the Sin of one not of many The heaviness of Iustice was again made amends for and over-balanced by as great mercy 2 Cor. 5. Isaiah 53. The Blood of Redemption encountering with Righteousness yet not violating Righteousness but Redeeming it An Answer The singular providence of the Eternal God in governing the business of our Redemption Rom. 6. Christ Iustifies Sinners but what Sinners Oso dejust lib. 7. The whole nature of our Salvation consists in nothing else but in the imitation of Christ and expressing a resemblance of him according to Osorius In what respect the similitude of Christ and Adam agrees Death and Sin from Adam Osor. de just lib. 7. p. 179. Osorius is opposed to Osorius Only by being propagated from Adam we perish And why are we not as well saved by being born again from Christ Object Osor. pag 180. Answer The imitation of Christ is very necessary for all Matt. 11. Charitv the bond of perfection Colos. 3. How no sign of Charity appears in the Roman Tyranny The Laws of the Popes are written with blood 1 Cor. 15. 1 Pet. 2. The promises of God are not tyed to the imitation ofChrist but to Faith A comparison of the First and Second Adam Christ the external cause of justification Faith in Christ the Internal Effects causes De just lib. 7. pag. 186. An argument from like things Luk. 18. Baptism a Sacrament of Faith Galat. 3. what Faith in Christ performs according to Paul Galas 3. Chrysostom Oso de just lib. 7. de just 1. 9. p. 232. de just 1. 6. p. 148. Iames. 2. Mat. 12. What the renewing of the Holy Ghost makes in us Oso de just lib. 9. P. 233. De just lib. 9. P. 234. Rom. 5. Ephes. 3. Rom. 4. De just lib. 9. pag. 234. We are beholden to the grace of God for all benefits and what that is which his singular favour towards us is ehiefly seen Luke 12. Daniel 7. Romans 5. Romans 4. Titus 3. Romans 8. On what foundation doth the free Promise of God chiefly stand Theassurance of confidence and persuasion from the free promise of God Osor. de just 1. 9. pag. 234. Ibid. p. 233. Lib. 9. p. 232. Two Paradoxes of Osorius both of which are false Ier. 31. 〈◊〉 11. Osor. l. 9. No man denies that the works of new Obedience proceed from the fountain of Divine Grace and the Merits of Christ. Every faithful man that is truly born again in Christ is a Law to himself or ought so to be Works of Faith Osor. de Iust. lib. 3. p. 71. Ier. 32. Ezek. 11. How far the Spirit of renovation promised and given by God reaches Ier. 31. Ezek. 36. Deut. 30. Hier. cont Pelag. Dial. 1. A twofold perfection or a twofold righteousness according to Hierome August cont duas Epistolas Pela l. 3. cap. 8. A twofold sort of Obedience according to Augustine Aug. de peccat merit remiss lib. 2. cap. 15. Aug. de peccat merit remis lib. 1. cap. 7. Aug. ad Bonifac lib. 3. cap. 7. Hierom. Advers pelag lib. 1. Hierom. ibid. Prover 18. Hierom. ad Ctesiphontem Deut. 30. I will Circumcise the Foreskin of thy Heart that thou mayst love me with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul Pelagianism August of the Perfection of Righteousness By whom Righteousness is obtained When Perfection is attained Aug. of the Spirit and Letter Aug ad Bonifac. lib. 3. cap. 7. Begun Obdience Imputation of Righteousness according to Augustine Augustine to Hierom. Epist. 29. Cpprian cited by Augustine Hierom. adversus Pelagi Ambros. lib. 10. Epist. 84. Aug. lib. 10. Epist. 84. Bernard super Cantic Serm. 50. Why God commanded things impossible Hieron Augustin Cyprian Orig. hom 21. on 〈◊〉 Cyprian de
Osor. lib. 5. The Papists err from the scope of the Question Osor. lib. 3. p. 68 69. Osor. lib. 4. nu 103 104. Tit. 3. Hosius Osor. lib. 4. Nu. 104. Ex Hosio confut lib. 5. pag. 451. Hosius ibid. Ex Hosio lib. 5. Nu. 452. Andra. lib. 6. pa. ibi Orthod Explic. An Answer to the Adversaries The Roman Church is a Pseudocatholick Enemies of Faith and Grace under the Vizard of Religion Osor. lib. 6. p. 151. A pseudosyllogism An Answer to the Argument Pardoning Grace or Grace of Remission Rom. 9. 6 4. Coloss. 1. Rom. 3. Renewing Grace Grace is divided into Two parts The Syllogism is redundant with four Termini Aparalogism in the second figure concluding affirmatively A twofold sort of Works Rom. 14. Aug. of Nature and Grace The reparation of the Grace of Christ though it is begun in respect of the mind it is not yet perfected in respect of the Flesh Which shall be in the Countrey where Man shall not only be able to persevere but shall not be able to Sin An Argument from like Comparison Levit. 22. Deut. 15. Christ fulfilled all the Law not for himself but for us if for us then we also fulfil it by him Tho. 12. 109. pag. 259. The Roman Catholicks falsly so called obtrude another Gospel upon us The sum of all our Salvation and Religion is chiefly discerned in two things Faith and Renovation by Grace Grace Faith Wherein Beatitude consists according to the Shcolastick Doctors Divines disputing about the chief good Pelagians Adversaries of Grace Augustine a defender of Grace against the Pelagians The Papists Semipelagians Wherein the Papists agree with the Pelagians How Thomas Aquin. and the Thomists define grace Tho. 129. 109. Art 6. That the will may be prepared to work well and to enjoy God there is required an habitual gift of Grace which is the principle of a meritorious work Guillerm in sentent lib. 2. qu. 26. Art 1. a common definition among the Schoolmen Albert. in sentent lib. 2. dist 26. Art 2. Grace is a habit in the essence of the Soul which according to infused Vertues make perfect for act makes the possessor good A vulgar and usual defini-nition of Grace in the Schools The Schoolmen disagree with one another in the manner of Grace 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Osor. lib. 5. p. 26. Dost thou deny Grace to be a Vertue what then is Grace if it is not a Veatue Thomas against Osorius Faith excluded from Iustification by the Thomists Thom. 12. q. 109. Art 5. why the holy Spitit is given Thom. 12. qu. 114. Art 4. The motion of humane mind to the fruition of divine good is a proper act of Charity by which all acts of other Vertues are appointed for this end according to which other Vertues are commanded by chariey and therefore the merit of Eternal Life belongs chiefly to charity c. Censura Gololoniens fol. 148 149. christ by his Death hath merited this that Believers are endued with charity and other Vertues which qualities being now received by the Merit of christ man himself by Inherent Righteousuess merits a greater Righteousness Reconciliation and at length Life Eternal c. And fol. 170 Faith is only the preparatory Cause and way to Iustification that afterwards we may by another thing be righteous before God not by Faith apprehending Christ c. Iustification is divided into two parts Iacob Pava Orthod Exp. 6. p. 470. Then the Spirit is communicated when at the coming of Righteousness we are made righteous when all our sins being extinguished we are renewed by charity spread abroad in our hearts by the Spirit which Charity because it informs the mind with the Love of the Divine Law is called Righteousness Of how large an extent the fruit of the Lord's passion is Ephes Christ only by his Personal Office is a Saviour and the Holy Spirit by his Office is a Helper and Comforter of them that are saved Answers Aug. Epist. 65. Righteousness receives not its vertue from Merits but Merits receive vertue from the Iustified The Dignity of 〈◊〉 is valued by the Person of the believer not the Person by the Deeds How the Reward of the Saints is appointed in the Scriptures Heaven is not a reward to the Saints but in the Heavens Ro. 6. An Objection concerning the rewards proposed Answer That which is due upon the account of Obedience deserves no grace Lu. 17. Ro. 8. August praefatione in Psal 31. Grace is often signified in the Scripture under the name of reward Whatsoever we are or shall be we are in debt to the Grace of God sor it A wonderful and secret operation of the Grace of God is shewed by Examples Trident. Concil Sess. 6. Can. 11. Free Will Isa. 53. 1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 2. The promise is not therefore made because we run But we do therefore run because the promise is made 1 Cor. 15. 2 Tim. 4. Difference between Gift and Merit Rom. 6. Ephes. 2. Council of Trent Sess. 6. Canon 11. The Tridentines deny that we are justified by favour only Glossa ordinaria in cap. 6. ad Rom. The ridiculouscomment of the Glosse of theSchoolmen Tho. Aqui. lib. 2. sent dist 26. q. 6. Glos. 9. Ro. 6. Orbelius lib. 2. Sent. dist 2. Bonaventure Alex. Halensis Salvation is promised to them that Work not for the sake of the Works themselves Rom. 11. In what thing chiefly the Efficacy of Divine Grace appears Examples of Divine Grace are produced out of the Scriptures AdamGen 3. Abraham Gen. 12. Isaac Gen. 27. Ioseph Gen. 65. The Israelites delivered fromthe Bondage of Pharaoh Exod. 12. The Law was promulgatedbyGod after the deliverance of the People The Land of promise the Victory of the People of Israel Deut. 9. 1 Cor. 7. The Land of promise is a Type of the promised Kingdom Thomas Aquinas with the ordinary Gloss. The Hebrews recover their Health by looking on the Serpent Ionas a Type of Christ saving the lives of his own by his Death The Pious Works of Believers are impured for Merits not according to Righteousriess but according to Grace Osor. de Iust. lib. 6. p. 150. Legal promimises Evangelical promises Romans 2. Imputation twofold 2 Cor. 5. Romans 4. Psalm 32. Andrad lib. 6. Orthod Explic. pag. 477. 454. Tiletanus in Apolog contra 〈◊〉 p. 226. By the Law it is reckoned that he did a thing who does it by another There is frequent mention of Imputation in Paul's Writings Faith without Works imputed for Righteousness Wherefore Worksare separated from Iustification Tho. Aquin. 〈◊〉 109. Ro. 7. Ro. 8. Wisd. 9. Deut. 27. Galat. 3. The manifold signification of Faith Errour and disturbauce among Divines proceeds chiefly from the wrong defining and misunderstanding of Faith Osorius Hosius Luther is falssy traduced Osor. li. 2. pa. 32. There is always joined with Faith a confidence of good hope Confidence and hope accompanies justifying Faith but doth not it self justifie It is requisite to see
the cause of blessedness this manner of arguing will appear to be more forcible by an evident Testimony of Scripture Argument Ma. That which is the cause of blessedness the same is the cause of Iustification Mi. Remission of Sins is the cause of blessedness and Salvation Con. Theresore Remission of Sins is the cause of Iustification But you may say What must then be answered to the Words of Christ who seems to promise the blessedness of the Kingdom as a reward of Works You may find an answer to this objection in the Book of Iacobus Cartusiensis who hath written on this manner Men do accept and love the persons of others for their Works that are acceptable and profitable to them but God accepts the Works for the sake of the person c. Therefore here there is need of a distinction between the Work and the person of the Worker But you may say Are not Works that are performed in Charity for the relief of the Poor pleasing and acceptable to God We deny not that our selves But we enquire into the cause wherefore they become acceptable Which that it may appear the more evidently let us examine these words of Scripture I was an hungred said Christ and ye gave me Meat I was thristy and ye gave me Drink c. I ask in the first place who is it here that was an hungred You will say Christ either himself in his own Body or in a Member of his Body Did you then feed Christ when he was an hungred That was Piously done indeed Therefore I see and commend what you have done But I ask what was it that stirred you up to do it Whether was it Charity setting Faith a work or was it not rather Faith setting Charity a work But what if some other that was no Member of Christ whether Heathen or Turk had need of your Meat Would you in your Charity have fed him I doubt of that But suppose you your self had not believed in Christ but had been an Enemy to him if you had seen one that belonged to Christ almost ready to perish for hunger would you have relieved him I do not believe so Why Because it is only believers that feed Christ but Infidels persecute him The Lord was thirsty on the Cross and he had Vinegar given him for drink which was a Hellish wickedness But why did they give him Vinegar Was it want of Love or was it not rather want of Faith in those unbelieving Pharisees Who if they had not wanted Faith they would not have wanted Charity to administer help and Charity would not have been unrewarded But let us proceed Suppose one that is not a believers whether Turk or Heathen should refresh a hungry Christian by giving him of his Meat as old Simon the Pharisee entertained Christ with a Dinner And many of the Heathens have been Eminent in offices of kindness and Love Can the giving of Meat and Drink by any such without Faith merit Eternal Life Surely not But if a believer gives his Christian Brother so much as a Cup of cold Water in his necessity shall he lack his Reward Christ himself says he shall not Hereby you may see whence it is that our Vertues and good deeds are acceptable to God and dignified with Rewards not for themselves but for the Faith of him that works them which first justifies the person before all works And after the person is justified his performances are accepted and though they are of small value in themselves yet they are looked upon as great and rewarded plentifully Wherefore we deny not that sometimes in the Scriptures the name of Reward is joyned with Eternal Life and that the works of Brotherly Charity may in some sense be called meritorious if so be these works are performed by persons who are already justified and received into favour by remission of sins and have obtained a right unto the promise of Eternal Life Not that their works are of such value that they should make satisfaction to the Law of God or merit any thing with God ex congruo or condigne as they phrase it either by congruity or worthiness But they are imputed as Merit by Grace Not that Eternal Life is due to the works themselves but because there are consolations laid up in Heaven for Saints and persons in a justified state to support them in their afflictions Eternal Life not being due to them for their works but by right of the promise just as a Son and Heir to whom his Father's Inheritance is due doth not merit the right of Sonship by any duties that he performs but he being born a Son his duties upon that account are meritorious so that he wants not a due reward and recompence Therefore in this Popish Argument there is a fallacy Another Argument taken from the words of Christ Matth. 25. Da. HE that doth the will of the Father shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven Ti. It is the will of the Father that we should do good works that are commanded in his Law Si. Therefore an entrance into Heaven is obtained by the works of the Law Answer Suppose we grant all contained in this Argument what will these Roman Iusticiaries infer from thence Therefore as Vega speaks Faith is not sufficient to Salvation without the keeping of the Commandments It is easie to answer him in a word Let him keep the Commandments according to the exact Rule of the Divine Will and he shall be saved But neither he nor any other man can perfectly keep the Commands of God in this Life From whence we infer this by necessary consequence That either there is no hope of obtaining the Kingdom or else that it lies not in the works of the Law Now if it be so what remains but that finding this is not the way to Heaven we should seek for another way and because there is no door of Salvation opened to sinners in the Law of Commandments therefore we must flie to another Refuge But what that Refuge is appearing to us from Heaven it self the Divine Will declares unto us which is not set forth in the Old Law but in the New Testament of the Gospel And this is his Will that every one who believeth in the Son should not perish but have Eternal Life For whereas the Law was weak because of the flesh God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Objection But here some may object Will the Faith of Christ justifie us in such a manner that there may be a Legality and Impunity for us to disobey the Will of his Father God forbid The Liberty of the Gospel allows not that for it openly affirms That they who are justified by the Faith of Christ walk not after the flesh but
after the spirit And to this purpose our Lord himself speaks though not in the same words Not every one that saith unto me Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven For what is it to do the Will of the Father but as Paul expresses it to walk not after the flesh but after the spirit In which place a perfect obedience to the whole Law is not required to Iustification but the meaning of our Lord's words is this that he requires a Faith which is not counterfeit nor hypocritical but upright and sincere which doth not only outwardly and with the mouth make mention of the name of the Lord or the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord as the Pharisees and Hypocrites did of old but heartily endeavours to walk in the fear of God and though it cannot perform all things commanded in the Law yet it strives as much as in it lies to shun all things that are contrary to the Will of God that at least sin may not have the dominion if it cannot be wholly excluded or rooted out Thus I understand these words of Christ To do the Will of his Father which is in Heaven For God requires us to do his Will but does not exact a compleat perfection of Obedience in this Mortal Life On the contrary he that makes an outward shew of Faith and an external profession of the Name of Christ whilst he takes no care to lead a Life suitable to his profession but runs on in sins against his Conscience it is certain that such a Faith according to the saying of Christ profits him nothing though he boast in the Name of the Lord as much as he will not that Faith without Works doth not justifie before God provided it be true and not counterfeit that is if it is received into a heart truly humbled as seed into good ground But because that Faith which doth not provoke unto Love and good Works though it may be boasted of at a high rate yet in reality it is no Faith at all but only a shadow and false resemblance of Faith And the same Answer may serve for all their Arguments which they have wrested out of the Sermons of Christ in the Gospel to defend their Doctrine of Iustification by Works Of which sort are these next following Argument Matth. 7. Many shall say to me in that day Lord we have prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name we have cast out Devils and in thy Name we have done many mighty works Then shall I profess unto them I know you not depart from me ye that work iniquity From these words they draw this Argument Ce. Whosoever is rejected of Christ is not justified La. Every one that works iniquity though he hath the Faith of Miracles is rejected of Christ. Rent Therefore he that works iniquity tho' he hath Faith he is not justified Or thus We are approved by Christ after the same manner that we are justified By Works ofRighteousness we are approved of Christ. Therefore by Works of Righteousness we are justified Answer I answer to the first The Minor must be understood with a distinction He that works iniquity is taken two manner of ways in Scripture Sometimes godly men work iniquity and likewise wicked men for both of them sin but they differ in their manner of working iniquity Godly men commit many things which they hate and which are truly sins But because they delight not in them in their inner man but in their love to Christ they endeavour with all their might to return unto God by Repentance God doth not impute their sins to them wherefore those sins that are done away by remission are not reckoned for sins But the case is far otherways in those that are wholly bent upon the fulfilling of the lusts of the flesh and continue in them with delight and satisfaction And unto them belongs that sentence of Christ whereby he commands all that work iniquity to depart from him As touching the second Argument it is a fallacy a non causa pro causa as we call it if our Vertues were of sufficient efficacy to merit the Grace of God there would be some ground for that which they infer Now our Works being such as have always need of Mercy and never satisfie the Law of God nor bring Peace to the Conscience nor support us under the stroke of Death or the weight of Iudgment How evidently doth it hence appear what we should answer to this Argument Good Works are pleasing to God I grant their assumption But first the person must please God and be reconciled to him that so his works may please and be acceptable for the person being once reconciled the works from thence derive their dignity I acknowledge therefore that works of Piety are pleasing to God but yet only as they are performed by persons reconciled and justified But if the manner how they that do good works are reconciled be enquired into they do not obtain Reconciliation by works but before all merits of works for works go not before him that is to be justified as a cause thereof but always as an effect follow him that is justified As fruits if they be good they receive their goodness from the Tree whence they grow but they are not the cause why the Tree is good So in like manner we grant with Augustine that the righteous have great merits But it comes not from their merits but from another caufe that they are righteous So Iacob was beloved of God before he had done either good or evil What did David before he was anointed King to deserve so great a dignity The same may be said of Abraham of whom we read in sacred Records how great things were promised to him when first he was called away from his Fathers house But the Scripture gives us no account of any merits of his as if thereby he had Right unto so great preferments What shall I say of Adam did he not first lose Paradise before he received the promise of recovery And God had respect unto the Sacrifice of Abel What is your Opinion concerning this Did the worth of his Oblation procure him this favour Or shall we say there was some other thing that made his person acceptable to God before he had any regard to his Sacrifice If you cast your Eyes about upon all the Histories of the holy Scripture and take a view of all the Generations of the People of Israel when God in his great goodness did bear with all the provocations of that People can you discern any thing in their works that merited so great long-suffering and patience or should we say that it was only for the sake of Christ that was to be born of that Nation In like manner it may be said of the Church which though it hath been