I am so far from slighting that I desire they may remain most firmly fixed in the minds of men for as nothing appears in the most holy manners of Christ which is not very worthy of imitation so no part of duty seems more agreeable to every Christian than that all of us should endeavour with all our might to resemble the image proposed unto us especially seeing Paul so gravely and that in more places than one calls us hereunto who making a Comparison of both Fathers Adam and Christ declares what we received of both By Man saith he came death and by Man came the Resurrection from the dead And presently after proceeding on that matter the first Man was of the earth earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven And afterwards concluding with words to the same purpose and exhorting us to imitate the example of his obedience he subjoyns as we have born saith he the image of the earthly let us bear also the image of the heavenly And the Apostle Peter not differing much from Paul proposes Christ for an Example of all long suffering for saith he Christ also suffered for us giving us an Example that ye should follow his footsteps who did no sin who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed all judgment to his Father c. Therefore that you contend so earnestly with the Blessed Apostles for following the footsteps of Christ herein we do very willingly both hear you and assent unto you But that you place all the dignity of our Salvation in this that you refer all the promises of God to this one head as if there were no cause of Salvation but that which is placed only in precepts and instructions of Life herein your discourse seems to pass far beyond the bounds of sound and Apostolick Doctrine For though it is a thing of very great concernment that we should frame all the endeavours and Offices of Life to the imitation of him yet Salvation is not therefore promised because our actions agree to this rule of Righteousness neither is the title of Righteousness given us because we live vertuously but because he was made Righteousness for us For we do not become just before God by imitation but by Regeneration As of Old not through our fault but Adams not by Imitation but by Birth and Propagation the pollution of his Sin was imputed to us unto Condemnation So by vertue of the Second Adam not by any power of our own by being born again not by imitating is Righteousness imputed to us unto the Iustification of Life Neither doth it therefore follow that the examples of Christ are not proposed to us for Imitation It is one thing to reason from causes to effects another thing to reason from effects to causes What if the cause is enquired into that makes us righteous before God Paul will answer That Christ is the external cause who was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God through him But the Internal is our Faith in Christ which is imputed to them that believe forRighteousness But if you ask what are the the effects of this cause Who knows not that they are the Fruits of Pious Works and this very imitation of Christ which you so greatly yea and so deservedly cry up and extol For who can rightly call himself a Christian as you say very well who doth not apply his mind as much as he can to separate himself from all society of the Earthly Father and frame and conform himself wholly to the example of the Heavenly I grant this to be very true as indeed it is For I do not disallow of that which you do rightly assume but I confute that which you would falsly gather from hence For thus you conclude To wit that the whole Magazine of our Salvation is placed in this that by our Pious Labour and Industry we should purchase the Kingdom of God for our selves That they who affirm Faith only is sufficient for Salvation are mad and singularly serviceable to the Old Serpent and that every action we undertake is wholly unprofitable if Faith only is sufficient This is the summ of the Epilogue of this whole debate of yours In which what do you else but by an unskilful huddle of things and without order in disputing turn causes into effects and again effects into causes What when the Apostle Admonishes that Wives should be subject to their Husbands and acknowledge their Authority as the Church is subject to Christ her Husband shall she therefore that is by a Lawful Covenant Married to her Husband not be a Wife before there is added a testimony of due obedience So Children born of Creditable Parents use to resemble them not only in the Lineaments of their Bodies but also in the likeness of their Manners of whom they are begotten What if in some part their resemblance fails What if their manners are dissolute What if they have such a Son as the parable of the Gospel represents to us Who leaving his Father doth no part of his duty shall he therefore cease to be a Son Or shall any Man by the merits of his Life attain to be a Son who is by nature a Servant You may say to what purpose are these things That by these examples you may understand that effects depend on causes and causes are not governed by effects An honest Matron carries with that subjection to her Husband that becomes her and he on the otherside performs his duty in cherishing his Wife These things follow the Conjugal bond but they do not make it just so it is in the Spiritual descent which like another nature regenerates us to Christ and transforms us as new Creatures into the Sons of God Of which thing if the cause be enquired not Works not Hope not Charity but only Faith in Christ Not any Imitation but Baptism being the Sacrament of Faith performs it Concerning which let us hear Paul testifying in very evident Words All of you saith he are the Sons of God through Faith in Christ Iesus Whosoever of you are Baptized in Christ have put on Christ. He that walks being Cloathed with Christ What can be wanting to him unto all Glory and Beauty of Righteousness What can any Man desire more for the security of Eternal Life What is more boundless than Sublimity What is more Sublime than Nobility of Birth What is more excellent than the dignity of high degree Than to be received not only for Servants or Dependents of the Mighty God who comprehends all things by his Power but also as Sons yea and Heirs But if you design to be taught how these so many and so great good things come to us Paul makes Answer By Faith saith he ye are all Sons If Sons then Heirs according to promise And if you ask when that comes to pass whether after the
somewhat cleared your Eyes you may search more exactly into the meaning of the Apostles debate and the force of his reasons And first I would have you see into this what it is the Divine Apostle chiefly treats of here what he breaths after what he drives at by this similitude whereby he compares Adam together with Christ and proposes him as a Type and Figure of Christ. But where there is a Type it is necessary there should be something which by certain agreement of similitude may be answerable to the Type On the contrary where there is no agreement there is no Type Where there is no signification there is no similitude discerned Now whereas the former Adam bears a type and resemblance of him that was to follow let us consider in what this similitude consists What in propagating sin Not at all in the very Nature of the Persons What is more unlike Where then is similitude To wit not in the persons nor things themselves but only in the manner of the thing But it must be explained what that manner is For herein lyes all the controversie between us and the Papists For otherways as touching the things themselves and the Persons we are well enough agreed in that for there is no Man who is asked concerning Adam and concerning Christ but will answer concerning both according as the thing is in truth that he is by nature earthly and in his life a Sinner and that he brought upon us not only an Example but also a cause of sinning by a certain venomous contagion of Nature And on the contrary that Christ is from Heaven Heavenly and most pure from all defilement of sin and that he only is the Saviour of the World Concerning which if I am not mistaken there is an agreement between us and our Adversaries But concerning the manner how these either good or evil things come to us from these two Originally herein consists all the matter of controversie between us for as there are many who think we are no other way guilty but that by the example of sinning we imitate Adam the first Author of Sinning So you may see many who think we are upon no other account righteous and acceptable to God but that being helped by Grace we attain unto Christs most Holy Works and his most pure Innocency of Life or do very nearly resemble the same Who though they seem to say something yet is not all contained in that For though good Education and imitation wisely used hath no small influence for the becoming Vertuous whereby it may come to pass that some perhaps may seem less wicked than others and in some respect to excel others in the praise of Piety But imitation or any instruction of discipline will never perform this In short nor any way besides will be sufficient for this that you may shake form off your neck that which you drew from Adam or that you should attain that which is in Christ that is that you should appear righteous in the sight of God unless Christ come in to your succour another way than by any of your endeavours how great soever You will say After what manner is all this No Men can tell you that better than St. Paul For after what manner the former Adam ruin'd you after the same manner the Second Adam Christ restores you That first Author of your kind whilest thou was not yet born killed thee in the root by his not by thy rebellion and drew thee into misery and destruction In Adam behold Christ for in like manner being born and having dyed for thee by his won Innocency not by thine hath restored thee again to true 〈◊〉 and Paradice As therefore the transgression of Adam was imputed to thee who didst not Sin after the similitude of his transgression So the Righteousness of Christ is imputed unto thee who didst not Work after the similitude of Christ. In the one of whom behold the severity of Iudgment in the other the excellency of Grace What if this perhaps seems hard and strange to any Man in Adam that I should suffer the punishment of another Man's Sin and that those should be punished for the crime of another who committed nothing For it must needs be another Mans crime seeing I am deprived of Righteousness not for my own fault but for the fault of my Parent Let this same Man again leaving Adam cast back his Eyes upon Christ In whom the bounty of a most plentiful clemency makes amends by a counterpoize for the severity of the former Iudgment For from one Man Death passed upon all on them also who sinned not And justly Though I do not so much regard merit here I only consider the manner of the thing Come then let us compare the Type with the Antitype from the disobedience of one Man as I said death passed upon all Men who sinned not after his example which is a thing that cannot be denied After the same manner again from the Righteousness of one Man Life is communicated unto all who did not like him work Righteousness which is agreeable by the like reason for otherways Christ could not agree to his Type Here now consider whosoever thou art Christian Reader whether the judgments of God in Adam should be more dreaded by thee in which the severity of God imputed unto thee being not yet born that which thou hadst not committed or mercy in Christ the Lord should be more loved who tothee not working but believing in him that justifies the wicked imputes the Righteousness thou didst not deserve By which you see worthy Man if Paul the Apostle should be credited how unworthy of any credit your Doctrine is whereby you take away the Grace of all Imputation and leave no Righteousness besides to miserable Sinners but what every Man purchases by his own good deeds which how true it is let us examine by that place of Paul which convinces you of a Lye and a shameful Error by this most evident Argument Argument Ma. After what manner Christ was made sin for us after the like manner we are made the Righteousness of God by Christ. Mi. Christ was made sin for us no other way but by Imputation only Concl. Therefore we are made Righteous before God no other way but by imputation only I beseech you by your Chatholick Charity what will you say or what will you feign O most dear Osorius to this so clear evidence of manifest Scripture Do you not see that you are tyed on every side with Bonds that are Apostolick and wholly of Adamant Now what Turning what Hole to escape at can you find Christ is made sin for us Wherefore That we might be made the Righteousness of God by him saith the Apostle Will you deny it I suppose you will not What way then was he made sin Will you say by committing it No By Imputation then Certainly it is so Right indeed What
condemnation due to Sinners I speak of those Sinners who being turned from their sins by serious Repentance fly to Christ by Faith But methinks I do already hear what your Divinity in this case will mutter against us you will not deny that Christ died for us and that our righteousness is placed in him but yet so that these benefits of his and rewards of justice come not to us by Faith nor by imputation but by the study of Works and Holiness which being given to the Merits of Christ we receive in this Life by the free gift of God Therefore that we who were of old shut up in darkness And even extinct by the strength of death now we do escape the tyranny of Death that we do now recover the gifts of divine righteousness formerly lost and slipt out of our hands and that we obtain the reward of life proposed to vertue all that consists in this that we should wholly abdicate and forsake whatsoever we have from our first Father and transfer our selves wholly to the similitude and imitation of our second Father and so it will come to pass that we shall purchase immortal and divine riches and eternal glory and true righteousness with everlasting praise not by our merits but only by the vertue of Christ Who works all these things in us Therefore according to this sort of Divinity the merits of Christ do nothing else in Heaven but that they obtain unto us Divine Grace whereby we may by way of imitation more easily resemble the most holy footsteps and similitude of Christ our second Father and lead our lives well in this World according to his Laws But now what if we cannot exactly follow the footsteps of his holiness What if imitation falter sometimes and stagger What if the servency of charity and the care of our most holy Religion and the observance of Iustice becomes too remiss Yea what if somewhere a defilement of sin creeps in as infirmity may occasion Or what if that I may use the words of Hierom he that rows a Boat against the stream slacken his hands a little doth he not presently slide back and is carried by the stream whither he would not and who is not remiss sometimes Seeing Paul also confesses that he is sometimes drawn thither whither he would not And then where is the righteousness which was hoped for by Works where is the immortality proposed to vertue Verily unless the greater mercy of our most gracious Father had so taken care for us that our whole Salvation should be laid up in the righteousness of his Son and if faith and imputation did not help us more than imitation of life our condition had stood on a miserable enough and too broken foundation But eternal thanks be to Almighty God the Father of all mercies who according to his unspeakable Wisdom which reaches from end to end strongly and disposes all things sweetly hath not settled our estate by any law of works but by faith that according to Grace the Promise may be sure to all the Seed that though we our selves are weak and void of all righteousness yet it is sufficient that there is one in our Nature which hath fulfilled all righteousness and that he only is righteous for all How say you for all Why not as well as the unrighteousness of one Adam of old was sufficient to bring ruine upon all Therefore let us behold Christ in Adam and compare the one with the other Who though they are very unlike to one another yet agree in this that both being First Fathers of Propagation by an equal similitude something came from both as Progenitors which hath spread abroad upon all Men. To wit Death and Life Sin and justice Therefore one Man destroyed all Men And in like manner one Man saves all Men neither do you your self deny this But let us see how the one destroys and how the other saves those that are destroyed Through his fault say you not our own we contracted the pollution of Sin in our Birth these are your very words Which as I entertain willingly so if they are true and if he in this respect was a Type of Christ which is shewed out of Paul what hinders but that we also in like manner in Regeneration may obtain the reward of Righteousness not for our own Obedience but his The one sinned and by his wickedness ruinated all Men the other obeyed and by his righteousness saves all You say it is true if so be we lead our Life well according to the Imitation and Example of him And where then is the agreement of similitude between Christ and Adam if the one destroyed us in our being Born as you your self confess but Christ cannot save us in our Regeneration except Imitation be joyned And where now is the Grace of Imputation and the Imputation of Faith unto Righteousness so oft repeated in the Scriptures taught by the Apostles testified by the most Ancient Fathers received and delivered by the Church Shall it be sufficient cause to inflict Death upon thy Body that thou wast propagated from Adam and shall it not have cause enough for the justification of thy Soul that thou art born again in Christ What say you Do none dye but they that Sin after the Example of Adam Are none saved but those that by a due imitation attain unto the most Holy Vertues of Christ And what then doth Baptism the Sacrament of Faith in Regeneration if Salvation is purchased by no other thing but by treading in the Footsteps of Christ The Objection of Osorius is Answered where the Imitation of Christ is discoursed of at large BUT you will say what is it not an excellent thing is it not a Pious thing is it not very necessary for every Man who counts his Life and Salvation dear to him who looks for Immortal Glory who seeks stable and eternal pleasures that he separate himself as much as he can from theImitation of the Earthly Father and frame himself wholly to the imitation of the Heavenly Who denies or is Ignorant of that O Osorius Who is so void of all Religion and Sense but is ready of his own accord and with his whole Heart to confess that very thing to you which that you may persuade you do not only explain but also draw forth all the force and efficacy of Speech that you can upon it with so much earnestness and vehemency First who is so Ignorant but knows what we received from both our Parents of which you dispute so prolixly The thing it self and the experience of all things does abundantly make it evident into what deceits and straits into what a gulf of miseries the former hath brought us into So on the contrary how many and how great good things have proceeded from the other Father I think it is unknown to no Man Whose acts for us if we consider what is more excellent If the
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
Salvation and Iustification should be understood to consist principally not in the Life of Men if it were never so Holy but in the Doctrine of Faith rightly taught In which Matter this whole Generation of Papists seems to me not a little deceived who look upon this our Christian Religion to be nothing else but a Moral Doctrine of framing the Life according to the right Rules of Living which when a Man hath strictly observed and thereby gained the Reputation of Vertue and external Honesty they think nothing further is wanting to the compleat Perfection of Christian Philosophy which if it be true I scarcely discern what difference there is between us and the Ancient Philosophers For what Sect of Philosophers was ever so grosly absurd but that they esteemed it honourable to contemn those things with the Admiration and Desire whereof we Christians are so much transported that we are in the next degree to Madness That Money never makes any Man Happy That the end of good should by no means be placed in Honours or Pleasures The Stoicks were not ignorant that no Man is wise but a good Man They saw that nothing was good and honourable but true Vertue and nothing should be accounted Evil but only Filthiness Socrates in Plato Disputes that Injury should not be revenged by an Injury And that the Soul should by all means be drawn away from the Affections of the Body Moreover that the Soul being Immortal they are not in a deplorable Condition who after having passed their Life honestly depart hence into more blessed Habitations What shall I say of Plato or of Aristotle who in his Politicks denies that any thing can be pleasant unto Men in Life except Vertue in which only Pleasure consists How holily doth M. Cicero write of Offices Yea those Men did not only teach such things but not a few of them did also perform great part of their Doctrine both amongst the Greeks and the Latins especially Socrates Aristides Diogenes Epictetus the Curij the Fabij the Fabricij and the Scipio's Whose Life Vertues and famous Acts if we look into and compare them with the Catacatholicks in our Days O how ashamed may they be at so great a difference as is between them And yet as all these things so very excellent profited them nothing to Salvation without Christ so also we should suppose that in all our Vertue and good Deeds there is nothing that distinguishes us before God from their Paganism unless besides the Condition of Life there be added another Doctrine and Profession of Religion which doth not as the Philosophers of old Dispute about Vertues only and Moral Duties or about placing the chief Good in the Excellency of Vertue or Charity nor makes enquiry about legal Righteousness and civil Iudgments But calls us forth unto deeper Mysteries and instructs the Minds of Believers soundly and solidly concerning the Heavenly Iudgment of God his Will his Engagement by Covenant concerning the Son of God and our Eternal Redemption by Christ Peace Iustification Faith the Hope of our Calling the largeness of the Mercy and Grace of God Salvation and the Crown of Immortality These seem to me to be the Principal Heads in which all the Strength and Nature of our Religion all our Peace and Tranquility and all the way of our Salvation and Doctrine is contained Which manner of Doctrine I think all means should be used that it may be retained in the Church sound and entire And this was the chiefest Cause that stirred me up to undertake this Defence wherein I am now engaged not that I might open a Door of Licentiousness to Men of unclean Dispositions But that I might lay open unto all Godly Brethren and especially to those that are afflicted the boundless and eternal Riches of the Grace of God in Christ purchased for us the Glory of the Kingdom the Stable and undoubted good Pleasure of his reconciled favour What if some are of such a perverse Mind that they design to abuse this our peaceable and healthful debate about Faith and the Grace of Iustification for a Defence of their own Uurighteouness and carnal Licentiousness I give them notice now before hand that these things were neither written nor thought upon by me for them but only for the Godly whose Consciences in this World are burdened and afflicted to whom I would peculiarly Dedicate this Work such as it is that I might ease and refresh them in Christ in the great straits of their Agonies with some Lenitive of Evangelical Doctrine against the ensnaring assaults of Satan And likewise that I might strengthen and preserve them as with an Antidote against the Malignity of the Pseudocatholick Adversaries and the subtile deceits of Sophisters Who by an infinite number of Books already published and by hurrying new ones daily into publick view keep no measure and make no end of Writing that they may subvert the right ways of the Lord. In the mean time I have nothing at present that I can say of that our good-by Stapleton but that it troubles me much his Book so prolixely Talkative came no sooner to my Hands Now because this so tumultuous a noise of twelve Books which he seems to have armed against Christ and his twelve Apostles to conquer the simplicity of Evangelical Doctrine requires more leisure to examine his so many and so great Authorities heaped together out of Augustin I must beg a Truce of Him until I can bestow requisite Pains on so great a Doctor if so be God will furnish me with Strength that I may be able to perform it Now I pray the Lord Iesus who was crucified for our Sins that according to the unspeakable greatness of his Power whereby he can do all things with his Father in Heaven and in Earth and according to his great loving Kindness towards us that he would fructifie our Minds daily more and more by the Spirit of his Grace nourish them by his Presence confirm them by his Power that he would defend the afflicted cause of the Gospel against the Plagues of Errour disappoint the attempts of malicious Persons endeavouring our Destruction still disorderly Tumults and vain Ianglings in the Church grant Peace to our Times Pardon to our Sins Strength and Victory to our Faith Skilful Workmen to the Church and Dexterity in working and teaching to the workmen and especially that he would refresh and Comfort with the Gracious Favour of his Divine Majesty the pious and perplexed Consciences of Believers combating with Death and Satan or exercised with sharp Affliction for the Glory of his own Name to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit all Glory is due for ever and ever Amen Iohn Fox Books Printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel A Practical Exposition on the 130. Psalm wherein the Nature of the forgiveness of Sin is declared the Truth and Reality of it asserted and the
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
thing and the holy Scriptures another they affirm that this is performed on this account because Christ being punished for us on the Cross hath by his Merits obtained for us the infusion of Charity Which because it is the perfection of the Law therefore being acquired by the Merit of Christ and received by our free-will it brings forth righteousness not that whereby we are accounted for just but whereby we are both truly just and deserve life But verily this Sophism neither agrees with the History of the Israelites nor satisfies the argument propounded For if those that were then wounded by the Serpents by only beholding the Serpent without any other intermediate cause received present health verily either this type bears not the similitude of Christ or Christ heals us by faith in his name only without interposing the remedy of Charity Otherways the mutual proportion of similitude between us and them between Christ and the Serpent will not rightly agree They lifted up their outward eyes we our inward they to the serpent we to Christ. Both by beholding obtain health through the Promise of God they the health of their Bodies we of our Souls They presently in beholding at the first sight were healed in the same moment by no endeavour of their own but only upon the account of the Object and by vertue of the Promise And what other thing doth this mystical adumbration signifie but Iustification freely prepared and promised to us by the sole contemplation of the Object whereby we apprehend Christ by Faith Will you hear the Promise That every one who seeth him may not perish but have eternal Life And elsewhere And this righteous servant of mine by his knowledge shall Iustifie many But what is it to see him but to believe in him What is the knowledge of that righteous one but the Faith of Christ which Iustifies from sin Therefore what external aspect was to them that the light of Faith is to us What Health was to them Iustification is to us whereby we are delivered from the Curse of sin and are absolved without punishment But if you ask what way There is an answer in readiness to wit according to the very similitude of the Serpent not by any labour of ours but by contemplation of the Object only and by vertue of the Promise I pray you what is more evident What more agreeable And what then should be said to those ill-employed men who by their new doctrine translate Free Iustification which is due only to Faith by vertue of the Promise of God unto works of Charity Of Sin and the healing thereof by Christ. FOR Andradius Hosius Vega the Spaniard and those others of the same Faction confederate with these seem so to contend about the Righteousness of Charity that having almost banished Faith out of the City of Rome they place all the parts of our Salvation or at least the chiefest in Charity and Sanctification And now by what Scriptures will they demonstrate that What say they doth not Christ heal us just as the Brazen Serpent healed the Wounds of those that were hurt Were we not all healed by his stripes Is not he the Lamb that takes away the sins of the World Is not he the Life-giving Serpent who gives cure for our wounds And what are our Wounds say they but Sin What is the healing of Wounds but the puting away of Sins What then shall the Serpent be more powerful in fixing his sting than Christ in taking it out Shall Alam be more powerful to infect Nature than Christ to cleanse it But how is nature purged if yet the contagion of sin remains As in a diseased body unless the hurtful humours are purged off health is not recovered and as the Air being surrounded on every side with black darkness begins not to shine before the brightness of the Sun being returned the darkness vanishes In like manner in the inward diseases of minds the causes of maladies must first be taken away before health is restored But the causes of evils are sins which if they are taken away by Christ how can they remain in the Saints But if they abide not by necessary consequence then it follows that the roots of all sins being cut away they are righteous in the sight of God by that righteousness not which is imputed but which properly inheres in them which is free of all spot of sin which carefully observes the Law which informs the mind with Charity and beautifies it with Divine Ornaments and makes us partakers of the Divine Nature But let us put all these together for brevities sake into the exact form of an argument Sin abolished doth not remain In the Baptized and in those that are come to years who are converted sin is abolished Therefore After Baptism and in those that are come to years after true conversion there remains no more sin This argument having a bad connexion doth evidently destroy it self First there is no man that denies that actual sin is not abolished in Baptized Infants in whom it is not committed In those come to years if all sins are so extinguished that no relicks remain what need is there of any conversion For what place is there for repentance where nothing is committed contrary to duty What if the Life of the Saints is nothing else but almost a daily conversion and mourning for sin how can a daily frailty of sinning be wanting there But let us look upon the parts of the Argument Sin abolished say they doth not remain That is true indeed if perfect and compleat abolishment of sin be understood both as to the Material of Sin and as to the Formal as the Schools speak Therefore as touching the Major in so much I acknowledge sin doth not remain in how much it is abolished in the Saints But after what manner and in what order it is abolished in the Baptized and in the adult it follows next that this should be enquired into in the Minor Therefore I answer to the Minor with a distinction that sin is said to be abolished in the Adult that are Regenerate it is partly true and partly false with a different respect had to divers circumstances But how that is understood it must be explained first as touching the death of the Mediatour which brings Salvation there is no defect in that but it hath abundantly recovered whatsoever perished by Adam yea it hath brought us much greater benefits than the evils which Adam procured unto us But if it be asked how and in what order the Death of Christ effects this I answer not by denying but by distinguishing For seeing two things are considerable in every sin the guilt obliging or the punishment of damnation which Lombard calls passive corruption and then active corruption or the very act of sin or the infirmity of corrupted nature Therefore there is again a twofold remedy prepared for this twofold evil guilt
it self unto us of which the one is Divine and is attributed to God only the other is only referred to men That therefore is peculiar to God this is called our Righteousness but what difference is between this and that there is no great difficulty to discern For that which is the Righteousness of God appears evident in all his works and the perfect exactness of his holiness But that which is the Righteousness of men is received by Faith only not that faith in acting is wholly without works but because in justifying works do nothing before God and that is it which the Apostle seems to to intend in these words saying for this purpose that he may be just and the justifier of him that is of the faith of Iesus Christ c. For this purpose saith he that he may be just how is he just by faith no but by works that thou mayest be justified in thy sayings and mayest overcome when thou art judged But now what way are we justified by works not at all but by Faith Concerning which the Apostle A justifier of him who is of the faith of Iesus Christ c. He said not him that behaved himself well by working but him that is of the faith of Iesus Christ Whence a Disciple being witness whosoever shall believe in Christ with a direct and intent faith it follows by necessary consequence that this Man is esteemed Righteous and is justified before God For otherwise to what purpose should God be said to justifie us by Faith or what need would there be here of any mention of faith at all if holy works of themselves were sufficient to make up a Righteousness By all which things being thus deduced and confirmed it is easie to understand what should be judged of this your definition For if there is no other Righteousness but that which by your definition is placed in holy works and a perfect obedience to the Law of God it thence follows that either we are not tainted with any sins at all or that we must necessarily confess that we are excluded from all possession of Righteousness Both of which are false for though Sin and Righteousness in respect of one and the same thing through a mutual Antithesis whereby they are opposed one against another cannot come together yet nothing hinders but we may be both Sinners and also Righteous upon a different account You will say how can that be If you know not my good Friend I will tell you and in a word that you may understand the more expeditiously We are Sinners in our selves we are Righteous inChrist Hereunto belongs the Mystery of Christ the Son of God given to us by his Father that he with all his works and benefits may become wholly ours for our right and for our advantage So he is said by the Prophet to be born so he is said to be given not to himself but to us So he was Righteous so he fulfilled the Law so he died and rose again that his life might be to us Righteounsness his death might be Redemption and his Resurrection might be Life and Glory Moreover whatsoever is Christ's yea whatsoever Christ. is is not so much his own as yours O Osorius as mine and as it is all ours that by Faith are Iesus Christ's Therefore our Salvation consists of the Redemption purchas'd by another and not of our works For herein shines forth the more than stupendious mercy and unspeakable Grace of a most tender hearted God that he even dedicated his only begotten Son wholly to our advantage that so whatsoever was performed by him was performed not for his sake but for ours neither had it respect to him who had no private need but it redounds as a publick good to us all because he sustains the publick person of All before his Father Wherefore if you desire to know what is our Righteousness Paul and Peter will shew it to you much better than it was defined by you For our Righteousness is Christ our righteous Lord through whose name as many as believe in his name receive Remission of sins What more I pray you would you require unto perfect Righteousness than that sins may never be imputed and that the punishments due to your sins may never be inflicted on you Concerning Inherent and Imputed Righteousness BUT perhaps it is not enough to you that the sins you committed are not imputed to you but that nothing may be committed which may be justly imputed And for that cause you think no man should be reckoned among the Iust but he whose life being upon all accounts untainted is conformable to the perfect rule of the Law having abolished the foot-steps of all sins And indeed that should be wished for if wishes in this case could do any good But you will say that it is not difficult to the Infinite Power of the Almighty God to give strength to perform it to those that ask it of him And again there is not any thing more unsuitable to his Infinite Equity and less honour able to his Infinite Goodness than that he should command his Servants those things which he knows cannot be observed by them But in answer First If those things cannot be kept by us which are commanded by God that comes not to pass through any default of his but through our default who being at first created by him very good brought this disability upon our selves and threw our selves into that necessity of sinning And then what if it so seemed good to his Omnipotent Wisdom to do thus for a Declaration of his own Righteousnes as St. Paul teaches for this purpose that he should be Righteous that is that his Righteousnes might by this means become the more evident through our unrighteousness which could not otherways have been unless he only had been declared to be Righteous and we upon the same account Unrighteous according to Works Which if it had not been so what need had there been why he should justifie us by Faith whom he had seen to be righteous and perfect by Works Yea you say there is very great need of faith and you add a reason Because all the means of destroying and restraining Lust consists in the Grace of God alone which must be obtained by Faith and there is no other way shewed to extinguish and destroy it Therefore Faith as you say prepares the Mind for Righteousness and makes it fit that the great author of all good things should bring into it the seed of righteousness What And does Faith nothing but prepare us for Righteousness But now what way does it prepare Because say you the Grace of God is obtained by Faith and the merit of Christ. But proceed what follows after For it is God only by whose Almighty Power and Bounty we break the force of Lust and restrain all its importunity and maintain the perfect Offices of
no other way laid open to Salvation but by keeping the Commandments and if according to the Iudgment of Bernard the Law is of such a weight that it wholly exceeds humane strength which was just now shewed what hope of Salvation does there now remain for us Verily say you if any man consider his own strength in so great a frailty of humane strength it will be most difficult to attain unto a divine state of righteousness but if you consider in your mind the divine riches which if you will will always be present with you nothing is more easie Hence as Moses says this Commandment which I command thee this day is not above thee nor far off nor placed in Heaven that thou shouldest say who of us can ascend into Heaven Neither is it placed beyond the Sea that thou shouldest say who will pass over the Sea Neither do you bear it now engraven on stones but engraven upon the heart by Faith For if we believe the Promises of God we presently obtain the help of God that we may very easily perform all things that are commanded us and so be saved Must we be thus saved O Osorius in keeping God's Commands is this your harangue and think you this so easie to be performed Why not say you when the Spirit of God helps How little does this Saying differ from that Antient one of the Pelagians which Augustine rehearses in a certain place writing against Iulian the Pelagian for thus they said By an easie endeavour after holiness which God helps a Man may be without sins But let us hear Augustine answering both them and you We deny not saith he that the help of God is so powerful if he will that at this day we might have no evil concupisences against which we should fight though with the greatest certainty of Conquest And yet you your self deny not that it doth not so come to pass but why it comes not to pass who hath known the mind of the Lord Yet I know not a little when I know whatsoever that cause is that it is not the iniquity of a just God nor the insufficiency of an Almighty God Therefore there is something in his deep and hidden Counsel why as long as we live in this mortal flesh there is something in us against which our mind should fight There is also something why we should say forgive us our sins and a little after that Man understands these things who being hunger-bitten returns to himself and says I will arise and go to my Father and presently he subjoyns therefore it comes to pass in this place of infirmity that we should not live proudly and that we should live under the daily remission of sins But whether that be the cause or another which I am much more ignorant of yet that which I cannot doubt is how much soever we get forward under this burthen of a corruptible body if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves c. This he said but why should I urge you with humane Authority seeing the matter it self carries against you with a very strong voice and the whole Scripture gives this honour only to Christ and the Universal experience and example of Men and the practice of life besides your very own retired Sense the Domestick Witnesses of your Conscience do publish a manifest Testimony against you You say we presently obtain the help of God whereby we may most easily perform all things that are commanded us c. Is it so all things what then if I ask you of that first Command of Love which you owe to the Lord your God with all your heart and all the endeavour of your mind or of that whereby you are commanded not to covet at all do you perform it I know what a distinction the talkative Schools of the Sophisters use here according to the substance of the act and according to the intention of the Law-giver But I do not value these Fables of subtleties We know this by the writings of Paul that the Law is Spiritual we are Carnal and sold under sin I ask if thou thy self being compassed about now with this frailty of the flesh dost fulfill this Spiritual Law of God with that sincerity of Spirit that thou oughtest Answer ingenuously are you silent What I my self do by my own strength say you I do not dispute here yet I can by the help of the grace of God O cunning device After all your debate it comes to this that you plead the commands of God are easie and you would have nothing appointed by him which cannot be observed by us Now after a most heavy dream that I may speak with Hierom to deceive ignorant Souls you in vain endeavour to add not without grace But I enquire not what the Almighty Grace of God can do of it self but what it does in you or in any other mortal Man You make the Precepts of Righteousness easie which when the Divine Grace assists do not exceed our best endeavour and yet you cannot produce one Man that hath fulfilled them all Now what an Argument is that that a thing can be which hath not been that that can be done which you bear witness none hath done and to attribute that to I know not whom which you cannot prove to have been in the Patriarchs Prophets and Apostles Paul the Apostle himself complains of the refractory rebellion of his Members who was not able to do the good which he desired crying out that he was both carnal and miserable and captive Augustine testifies that sins may be deminished in this life but that they cease not until death And the same Augustine writing to Petrus concerning holy and righteous Men bids him hold that most firmly that righteous and holy men themselves except Infants that are Baptized none of them all do live without sin in this World And do you think that all the roots of Unrighteousness are so plucked up in the Saints that you can say it is most easie by the help of God which is never wanting to them that desire to pass the life without sin and so obtain Salvation But Hieron is of a far different Opinion for I judge saith he thus That no Creature can be perfect according to true and compleat righteousness That one differs from another and that there are divers righteousnesses in Man no Man doubts and that one is greater or lesser than another and that according to their state or measure they may be called just who in comparison of others are not just Briefly that there is none of the Saints nor Prophets nor Apostles that possess'd all Vertues for now we Prophesie in part and we know in part for all things cannot be in any one Man And to Ctesiphon This should be attributed to him only concerning whom it is written as peculiar to him who did no sin neither was guile found in
his Mouth Wherefore that I may bespeak you with Hierom and in the same words Hierom if you would have this common to you with Christ that you can be without fin what do you leave him that is peculiar to him But if not what remains then but that those high Mountains of righteousness with which you are so puffed up should not only fall but also vanish into smoke You proceed yet seeking as it were a knot in a rush which yet is broke through with no difficult wedge You ask to what purpose the Law was prescribed by God with 〈◊〉 great so care or for what end did he require the Law should always remain in the minds of them whom be instructed in the Law if none of those things which be established by Law was to be in the Power of Men What then say you did God make a jest of the Law did he mock Mankind commanding them to do those things which they could by no means perform and then concluding the matter with a merry Sarcasm you cry O what a jesting God if to mock Mankind he hath bestowed so much pains in preserving and instructing that Generation which you say is just as if a Man should bid one that is a Cripple run a Race or one that is blind view things exactly that are done afar off All which things are comprehended in the sum of this Argument Argument Ma. That is in vain commanded which cannot be performed Mi. God commands nothing in vain Conclu Therefore the Precepts of God are not impossible Ma. A just and prudent Lawgiver never prescribes those Laws which exceed the strength and nature of the Subjects Mi. God is the most Iust and most Wise Lawgiver of all Concl. Therefore the things which are prescribed in the Law of God are not above the strength and nature of the Creature Answer To the major I Answer two ways First That it holds indeed in these Laws which are given only for this end that they may be exactly fulfilled by the Subjects that Salvation might be obtained by the same act of Obedience But now though God willed this very much that his Laws should be performed most exactly by all yet besides this end there are other both many and weighty causes why the Law which is a rule of perfect Righteousness though it could not be kept by us in respect of perfect Obedience yet it was necessary that it should be promulagated either that there might be a publick Testimony of the Iudgment and Anger of God against Sin or that we our selves might be brought more easily to the knowledge of our Sins and Frailty Concerning which Paul said when the Law came Sin revived Or that taking notice of the frailty of corrupted and ruinated Nature being more strongly driven by this necessity we might be pressed forward as by the Ferula of a Pedagogue to Christ who is the end of the Law as also the Law is called a Pedagogue to Christ Or that we may be taught as it were by this same Pedagogy whither we must go That if we cannot attain unto a full obedience of the Law yet we may profit in the Inchoation of obedience as much as we can Wherefore seeing there are so many and so great causes of making a Law it appears evident enough from hence that there is no cause why the Law should seem to be imposed upon us by God in vain And yet it doth not therefore follow because the Law of God after the fall is impossible to Human Nature as to the compleat obedience thereof that therefore it is unprofirable seeing the same hath advantages so remarkable Therefore the major of the Argument implies a fallacy Which by the Logicians is called Arguing form that which is not a cause as if it were a cause But let us proceed to the other reasons in your arguments which are not reasons but deceits and fallacies For so you argue against Luther whom you bring forth most unjustly as a certain most bitter Adversary of Eternal Righteousness What is more contrary to Iustice and Equity say you than that one should be punished upon that account because he hath not performed those things which he could by no means so much as begin I hear you and what follows You proceed also to represent the matter as it were before the Eyes of a Man by the framing of a similitude as if some Haughty and Ill-natured Lord going from home should command one of his Servants who is so tyed up in bonds that he cannot move out of the place where be is to provide him a Dinner to dress his Meat curiously to clean the House to cover the Table and to spread the Hangings I say he that would seriously require such things of a Man tyed up Who is there but would judge him to be mad and out of his wits Then if the same Lord afterwards returning should whip and torture the same Servant who could by no means free himself from the bonds because he had not performed his command should we suppose that Man who is so cruel to his Servant to be a Man or rather a cruel Beast hid under the shape of a Man c You have Pious Reader an Example of very Tragical Cruelty Now receive the Catastrophe of the Tragedy What And shall there be any Man so Wicked that he dare so Impudently impute so great Furiousness and such a kind of Abominable Wickedness than which none seems more outragious to that most High most Excellent and most Wise Lord Creatour and Governour of all things No body for ought that I know good Friend If your self knows any I pray you point at him with your Finger to us Though I am not Ignorane what Men you aim at here But passing by Names let us search the force of your Argument and answer to each of its parts being digested in order Answer Ma. It is contrary to Iustice that any man should suffer punishment for those things which he could by no means perform Mi. God doth all things with perfect Righteousness and Equity Conel Therefore God exacts not punishment for those things which cannot be performed A Fallacy of the Accident is committed For this want of strength and impotency should have a just excuse if Nature had been properly and simply so created But when this weakness was not at first created with Nature it self but crept in some other way against Nature by Sin we must therefore see not only what this corrupted Nature now can do or cannot do but also what it ought simply to do Therefore I answer to the Major and freely own that punishment is not unjustly inflicted for those things which there is no cause but they might have been observed either in regard of the Law-giver himself or in the nature of the things themselves but only by reason of the impotency of the Subjects themselves an impotency contracted through
due manner Grace is necessarily requisite to wit to fulfill them with that Charity that ought to be by which the fulfilling of them becomes Meritorious Which Comment of theirs we having formerly explained how false and frivolous it is there is no need now of any new Arguments Verily the Christian Doctrine teaches us far otherways for though we confess that which is reasonable That the Divine Grace is never idle but always stirs up the minds of the Regenerate to the best things yet these Works are never of so great value as to promote them unto Eternal Life which is freely promised by God not to them that Work but to them that Believe or if Salvation is premised to them that Work it is not therefore promised because they Work But they that truly believe do therefore Work because Salvation is promised Therefore Iustification first proceeds in the most direct Order as the cause of good Fruits but that is not effected by these But it consists only of the free favour of him that confers it upon them not upon the account of them that Merit but upon another account to wit That whereby the most bountiful Father of his own Will hath given to us Meriting nothing his only begotten Son who hath fulfilled the Law for us and hath satisfied the Iustice of God for our Unjustice For herein consists all our Salvation and the Efficacy of Divine Grace and the praise thereof appears very evidently Not that we in the mean while being idle should do nothing but that doing all things we should Attribute nothing to our selves imputing all to the Mercy of God Which things that they may be confirmed with the greater evidence and certainty let us compare them with the most sure Oracles of Sacred Scripture And First beginning at the very first Head of that Book let us consider Adam that Miserable Progenitor and Overturner of our Nature Who when he had both privately and publickly destroyed both himself and us all by an abominable Wickedness received at length the most Blessed Tidings of the promised Seed What could the bounty of God have promised more firmly or given more largely to any Man though he had been most Holy And what did that first and chiefest sinner deserve to receive Abraham was commanded to leave his Native Country and to go out whither God called him thereunto was added a very glorious promise of giving him an Inheritance and he obeyed him that called him The promiser did not fail he was increased and enriched above measure but if I ask by what Merit of his own what can the Admirers of Works answer me here Afterwards Ifaac was born to him when his Father and Mother were so Old that there was no hope remaining of their begetting Children Why so But that God might make it manifest that in the benefits of God there is not left any thing for Human Pride wherein it may glory Ioseph very kindly helped his Brethren who were in danger to Perish for Hunger though they had very inhumanly Conspired his Destruction neither did he only furnish them with plenty of Corn but also promoted them to great Honours And now what Merits did they bring with them that they should be so Honourably Entertained The same may be asked concerning the Israelites who having slain a Lamb without blemish were delivered from most grievous Bondage for what Vertues of their own Whether for keeping the Law But the Law was not yet made at least it was not yet written Was it because they obliged the Prophet Moses with kindnesses whom rather they endeavoured to betray by most unjust ways and complaints After they had endured so many laborious Travels and Iourneys they came at length to the promised Land of their Inheritance in which First the Town of Iericho is Besieged the Walls fall down not by strength but by sounds Afterwards having slain and subdued so many Kings in one day the People is placed in their Habitations It was verily a great Miracle of Victory but whence happened this Victory What shall we say Because the Israelites were more in number I suppose it was not so was it because they were stronger Neither was that the cause What did they then excell all the other Nations in Vertues Yea what Nation was ever more perverse But you will say they obliged God to befriend them by observance of his Worship Yea how often and how grievously did they exasperate God with their sins How wickedly did they murmur against their Leaders and so provoked the anger of God against themselves How often was the Clemency of God by their Perfidious Rebellion Wicked Contrivances Untractable Stubbornness Murmuring Concupiscence and Perverseness not only provoked but also almost overcome so that he would have utterly destroyed the Rebellious People with all their Posterity unless Moses the meekest of Men by Humble Prayer with hands lifted up had turned the provoked Anger of God into Mercy But it is better to take notice what the Lord himself speaks against this People with his own Mouth Say not saith he in thy Heart when the Lord thy God shall destroy those Nations before thee For my Righteousness the Lord brought me in to possess this Land whereas those Nations were destroyed for their own Abominations For thou shalt not enter in to possess their Lands for thy own Righteousness nor for the uprightness of thy Heart but because they did wickedly they were destroyed at thy entring in And that the Lord might fulfill the Word which he promised by Oath to thy Fathers Abraham Isaac and Iacob Know therefore that the Lord thy God hath not given thee this Land for thy Righteousness for thou art a stiff-necked People c. Ye have heard the naked and simple History but yet true of the thing that came to pass and not only true but also much more Mystical If all things happened to them as the Apostle witnesseth under a figure what else should we judge concerning this History but that under the History lies hid a more hidden Mystery For it can not be doubted that this Land of Canaan that was promised to the Israelites Represents those Celestial and Immortal Mansions of the inheritance above which if it be true let us compare the truth with this figure and shadow the Antitype with the Type Iust as they not being helped by any Merites of their own yea contrary to all their Merits neither for any peculiar cause in them but through the singular favour of God promising and for the sake of the Fathers to whom it was promised by Oath received by gift the possession of the Country that flowed with Milk and Honey So also we should Iudge of the Heavenly Country of Immortality That it is not due to any Vertues or Works of ours but that it comes to us by the free promise of God for the sake of his Son into whose hands all things are given that
also a faith that is often taken for hope and so defined As in the Epistle to the Hebrews Where Faith is called the substance of things not seen but hoped for and the evidence of things not appearing but future Moreover there are those that divide the use of this Word into many forms Andreas Vega reckons in the general Nine Significations of the word of Faith Put because in these which I have hitherto reckoned there is no mention made of that person from whom all the Vertue of Iustifying proceeds therefore I see not how it can be that Iustification should rightly agree to the same VVherefore this seems less strange to me in Osorius Hosius and others of that School if their Opinion is not so right about the Iustification of Faith for they seem not to have clearly enough discerned or at least not to have fitly defined that Faith which the Evangelical VVritings propose unto us But if this Faith that we profess contained no other thing in it but that which they pretend to in their Books I would be of the same Opinion which they Preach To wit That it avails little to the procuring of Righteousness That this may be the more evident I would have Pious Readers listen to what those Men teach concerning Faith and how they define it And so they define it that either through blindness they know not or by dissimulation they make as if they knew not what is the true Faith proposed to us in the Gospel for Righteousness And that we may begin first at the Tridentines they so define it That it is a firm assent unto those things that are revealed and made manifest by God And Osorius following these Men Collects the Universal Nature of Faith after a manner not much differing from them That it is a firm and constant assent of the mind stirred up by the Authority of the Speaker But what this Faith is which Osorius describes after this manner let him look to that Verily any Man may think it is not this Faith which Paul speaks of in disputing of Righteousness or to which we from the Authority of Paul affirm that Righteousness should be attributed properly Though in the mean while we deny not that this Faith is true which is asserted by Osorius and others whereby for the Authority of the Church teaching we believe whatsoever things belong to Religion which though they are not seen as Lombard says yet they are believed whether they are past or expected to come As he that gives credit to the things contained in the Articles of the Creed and that are expresly mentioned in the Scriptures He that believes and professes that the World was made by the Word of God and that God is and that he Created all things of no thing Moreover that he believes and professeth that he is powerful and very good That I may proceed in the very words of Osorius endued with boundless and infinite virtue and bounty watching over all parts of the World and passing through them beholding and taking notice of all things and looking well to every thingaccording as the dignity and condition of each thing requires and whatsoever else belonging to the profession of Faith is taught in the Writings of the Prophets Verily that Man is not at all mistaken in believing For the things that are seen by an Internal light of Faith are very true though they are very remote from the Senses But yet this is not the Faith though it be true that justifies us who are miserably defiled and wretched Sinners before God For what Circumcised Iew or hateful Turk is there but believes all these things which Osorius with a long multiplication of words Preaches of God and his Power and Iustice and Immensity For they together with us confess one God and rely on his promises with great hope call upon his Name observe his commands as well as we and also flatter themselves with the Title of the true Church Yea also they are not Ignorant that the Dead shall be restored to Life and promise Eternal Life to themselves Moreover many things which they see not with their Eyes they retain by Faith and pursue by hope Briefly they do no less believe God themselves and confess God But if the Christian Faith according to the Magisterial position of Lombard should be placed in nothing else but a solid apprehension of things to be hoped for and a sure expectation of those things which do not appear what hinders but that both Iews and Saracens may be reckoned faithful upon this account What then you will say Doth not Paul writing to the Hebrews expresly comprehend Faith in that same definition To wit That it is the substance of things hoped for c. Verily I neither reject Paul the Author of this Epistle nor disapprove the definition neither do I examin that nor do so much as enquire for it which is enquired for in Lombard Whether this description be more agreeable to Faith than Hope But this I answer That we may confess this Faith to be true which is here defin'd But surely that is not the Faith which properly justifies the wicked in the sight of the Lord. Why so Because there is wanting to the definition the Genus Property and difference which distinguishes Faith from Hope Also there is wanting the true and proper object of Faith which should by no means have been omitted To wit The person of him in whom only all the promises of God and the whole cause of our Iustification is contained Who unless he comes in in vain other things are either believed or hoped for by us neither will all that substance of things hoped for avail us any whit unto Salvation What then you will say Hath not the most gracious Father promised us his mercy Hath he not engaged himself by an inviolable Covenant that he would pardon our Sins Must we not give credit to those things which are promised by God He hath promised indeed I confess but how Only in Christ his Son To whom Only to them that believe in the Son I know and acknowledge that the promises of God are most sure in which he promises as Osorius rehearses Infinite Riches excellent Pleasure an immortal Kingdom great Dignity everlasting Glory But yet these good things are neither so promised or given by God that in the mean while he exacts nothing of us for the obtaining of these good things which he promises Therefore this is not the state of the question whether we should believe God promising which is common to us with the Iews themselves and Turks Neither do I ask that what the Lord hath promised For Salvation is promised Pardon of Sins is promised But this is it which properly comes in question here Upon what account and for what cause this Salvation and Pardon of Sins is promised whether there is no condition interposed Or whether there is
As if this Assurance and full Perswasion which we maintain did rely on any Dignity of ours and did not wholly depend upon the certainty of the promise of God I come to their other Calumny no less absurd whereby they most unjustly slander us as if we referred the whole cause of our Iustification to nothing else but only an opinionative assurance so that to obtain the Remission of sins we taught that no other thing is necessary but that every Man should by a special faith be perswaded in his own mind that his sins are forgiven him which is most false as there is almost nothing true in the Books of Hosius For though we confess this to be most sure that nothing is more sure than our Iustification by Christ yet if the cause be enquired for which properly justifies us from our sins we answer It is faith not whereby we believe that we are Iustified as Hosius chatters but whereby we believe in Christ the Son of God who only is a propitiation for our sin Concerning the Word Iustification what it signifies in the Scriptures Whether it consists of Remission of Sins only or not And by what ways and means Iustification is obtained NOW ye Papists ye have our Opinion of Iustifying Faith and the true Nature thereof explained unto you what its power is and what its object Moreover ye understand how this Faith is distinguished from Hope and Assurance And wherein the true and next cause of Iustification is taken up whereof if ye enquire for the Internal cause it is faith only whereby we belleve in Christ If ye enquire for the External Matter thereof it is Christ only whom we embrace by Faith But because ye do by no means allow thereof that we should be Iustified by Faith only that we may confute your Calumnies in this matter or amend your errour I see there remain two things to be unfolded by me and to be considered by you First What the Scripture properly understands by the word Iustification And then Who and what manner of persons they are who are Iustified by Faith As touching Iustification they of Trent deny that it consists only in the Remission of sins unless there is joyned therewith a voluntary receiving of grace and some other things go before by which as preparatories Men are disposed to receive Iustification But Pious Reader If you have not yet heard what this Preparatory Disposition is and by what degrees it arises and into what order it is digested by these Men it is worth while to take notice of it For Men are disposed unto Righteousness whilst being helped by the preventing grace of Divine Vocation without any Merits of Works going before they receive Faith by hearing Now what this Faith is it hath been shewed above for according to the opinion of the Papists it is a firm assent unto those things that are revealed and discovered by God And yet they plead that a Man is not presently Iustified by this naked assent or faith But it behoves that other Dispositions be added by Divine grace whereby men are prepared for Iustification Faith Fear Hope Love Repentance Hatred and Detestation of Sin Love of Righteousness Prayer and the like so that indeed the beginning of Iustification is the free calling of God Whence Faith comes by hearing Whereby Men believe those things to be true that are revealed by God Whether they be such things as belong to the free mercy of God towards sinners through the Redemption which is in Christ Iesus Or whether they be such things as belong to the fear of Divine Iustice from which Faith by consideration of the Divine Iudgment fear ariseth whereby Men are terrified to their advantage that they may forsake and detest their sins And afterwards from the same faith through consideration of free Mercy purchased fo penitent sinners by Christ assurance proceeds whereby they are perswaded that God will be gracious to them for Christ's sake And thus by this consideration of so great goodness they begin to call upon God as the Fountain of all Righteousness and to love him and to cast away sin and to endeavour after newness of life and to keep the Commandments And by this means we obtain a perfect disposition or preparation to Righteousness whereby we are commanded to prepare our Hearts to the Lord. And afterwards Iustification follows this preparation which is not only the Remission of sins but also Sanctification and Renovation of the inner Man by a voluntary accepting of grace and gifts whence a Man of unjust is made just and of an Enemy a Friend that he may be an Heir according to the hope of Eternal Life c. But now from what part of the Apostolick or Prophetick Scripture have they taken this Doctrine From none neither is there need of any The Tridentine Oracle is sufficient for Scripture Amongst the Doctors Canisius endeavours a valiant defence of this Decree but he gains nothing at all For tho' we acknowledge with Augustin and the Doctors that which cannot be deny'd that we are Debtors to the grace of God for all we receive both for those things which belong to the forgiveness of sins and also those things which belong to new Obedience Yet what makes this for the matter we are now treating of For the Subject matter at present is not what the efficacious power of Divine grace performs in us without which Augustin justly pleads against the Pelagians that all our strength is wholly ineffectual but what that is which justifies a wicked Man before God What that 〈◊〉 wherein this our Iustification whereof I speak consists in the Remission of sins only or in the possession of Vertues Moreover what that is which is properly signified in the Scriptures by the word Iustification Though in this also the Adversaries are not very well agreed with one another but in this one thing they are wonderfully agreed to oppose Saint Paul with all their might First they of Trent as I have said do thus divide their opinion that they make two parts of Iustification The one in Remission which they attribute to Faith The other in new Obedience and Works meritorious of increase as they speak by which the Righteouness of Faith is perfected of which opinion Tilet an is the Author Again there are Others who are so far from explaining what is signified by the word Iustification that referring all to the Righteousness of Works they think that Iustification is not worthy to be mentioned in Books Of whom and the chief amongst many is this Osorius of ours Thomas Aquinas discoursing of many things about Iustification as also about many other things seems to have described it after this manner To wit according to the nature of Motion which is made in Man from one contrary to another So that it is a kind of Transmutation from a State of unrighteousness to a State of Righteousness And he explains the
reason why this is called the Iustification of a wicked Man in these words To wit because all motion is denominated more from the term to which than from the term from which therefore that Transmutation whereby a Man is changed from a State of unrighteousness through the Remission of sin to a State of righteousness it takes its name from the term to which and it is called the Iustification of the wicked These things said he and he said not amiss if so be it be rightly understood for suppose we grant that which must necessarily be acknowledged that there is no Iustification of a wicked Man without a Transmutation and that Transmutation is not made without Remission and also that there is no motion without a twofold term yet there is a twofold consideration requisite here First where he places his term to which That is where he would place this State of Righteousness If in this life it is false But if in the other it is most true For here by the help of Divine grace we proceed from Vertue to Vertue But we shall attain the term of full Righteousness only in the life to come And then as touching the word Righteousness I must ask Thomas what Righteousness he means if he means Human or Inherent Righteousness whereby he thinks we are Iustified before God I answer That we shall never attain unto that state of Righteousness in this life But if he understand That Righteousness which 〈◊〉 Preaches which is God's and not ours the assertion of Thomas doth not at all differ from the words of the Apostle for thus saith he that we might be made the Righteousness of God through him First what is called this Righteousness of God but that which is not ours Which God approves in us by his imputation And then why doth he add through him but that we may understand that this Righteousness consists not in any performance of our Vertues but is only upon the account of Christ's imputed to us that he only may be just and the justifier of him that is of the Faith of Iesus Reasons are brought against the Definition of Iustification set down by Thomas BUT because here we fall into a debate with Thomas about the definition of Iustification Out of whose Breasts the late School Divines seem to have sucked whatsoever poyson runs in this Controversie It will not be unconvenient as it were by tracing his Foot-steps to pursue the deceits of this definition by a more exact enquiry and to confute them by just Authority that we may as much as in us lies bring to nothing these Sophistical tricks But by what reason more happily or by what authority more conveniently shall I do it then if I oppose St. Hierom to St. Thomas who I think is nothing inferior to him as it were beating out one hard wedge with another harder wedge Now whereas Thomas measuring this peripatetical Iustification by a Physical Motion he terminates it by these bonds to wit That it is a Transmutation from a Term of Unrighteousness by Remission of sins to a Term or State of Righteousness immediately the Divines of the Council of Trent following him snatch at this same definition and thus express it that it is a Translation from that State in which Man is born a Son of the first Adam into a State of grace and adoption of the Sons of God by the second Adam Iesus Christ our Saviour Though this latter definition seems to be somewhat more cautious in words but it differs not much in the Sense yet one answer is sufficient to both of them And first I ask this of Thomas and then of the Tridentines What they mean by this motionary Translation of theirs from Term to Term from State into State as they teach If this be their meaning that we who before were dead in sins having our sins afterwards forgiven through Christ and being again received into grace with God being freed from death and the bond of Damnation are vouchsafed into favour and received unto life and Placed in a free condition Herein they do wholly agree with us But if otherways they think thus That there is no Iustification made but that which consists of the change of qualities so that he who before was a sinner an Evil Doer a Deceiver a Perjured person an Adulterer a Glutton and Drunkard having changed his life now begins to be another Man fasts twice a week and out of his own wealth willingly supplies the want of the needy being forward to help all unto the expending of the tenth part of all his goods and so leading his life and changed into a new Man that he appears Iust and Holy not by thatRighteousness which either needsRemission or is imputed to the bounty of the Iudge But which by reason of true Vertues inhering by grace is justly approved in the sight of God What hinders I beseech you but upon this account the Pharisee in comparison of the Publican goes away justified The Histories of the Heathen Nations abound with examples of many who when they had been very much corrupted by their own disposition or by education returned afterwards to a remarkable amendment of their Life and a habit of good manners And what will hinder but we may reckon those also among the Iustified according to the Philosophy of Thomas If so be Iustification be nothing else but a certain motion from contrary into contrary that is a transmutation from a state of Unrighteousness to a state of Righteousness But there is added in the definition by the remission of Sin and what does this help their cause For if there is no other Iustification but that which consists of Remission of Sins why then do they of Trent deny Iustification to confist of Remission of Sins only Moreover whereas in the Remission of Sins always a suspicion of hidden Sin lyes hid which needs the Patronage of a Pardon where now will that state and term of Inherent Righteousness consist which cannot otherways defend it self before the Iudge without his Mercy and Remission But why should I contend with any more words about this matter when the Opinion of Hierom is contrary thereunto who speaking particularly of these degrees of Righteousness utterly beats down and overturns all this both Station and term settled by Thomas For whereas Thomas disputing about the motion of Iustification proceeds from one term to another term in which the motion ceases and the transmutation receives an end and station on the contrary Hierom running through all degrees teaches that we never fix in a station and are always in a race in this Life and that that is always imperfect here which we Men thought to be perfect And he confirms it by the example of Paul Who forgetting things past stretched himself always to things beyod him by which he teaches that things which are behind should be neglected and things to come should be desired that what he thought
but what the Sentence of the Iudge doth judicially determine concerning us We contend not about Habitual Righteousness but Evangelical Iustification For it is one thing to dispute about Righteousness and another to dispute about Iustification But these Logical Divines confound these two with one another too unskilfully defining Righteousness thus as if it were nothing else but to make righteous Or if there is any difference this is the manner of it that our Faith in Christ is by no means the cause of perfect Righteousness but only the beginning of that which is to be perfected And that we do not therefore stand as righteous in the sight of God because our sins are forgiven us and we are reconciled to God for Christ's sake Though also they do not deny this that in this very remission or reconciliation where by a wicked man is first justified before God through Faith and the Merit of Christ some part of humane Iustification is contained which also is necessarily requisite But they say that it is not enough that sins are forgiven and that we are reconciled unto God which is the first part of Iustification unless another part also be added thereto which compleats the former which of what sort it is you may see here by their own words When first say they man begins to detest sin as offensive to God and so of a wicked man is made just and reconciled at one and the same time and in the same instant God infuses his Grace waiting no interval of time which Grace where it comes there we having received inward Renovation by the Holy Spirit receive Righteousness and are made truly righteous before God And this is that other part of Iustification whereof I spake without which no Righteousness is truly perfected because it is most certain that God justifies no man or pronounces no man just but him whom by the gift of his Spirit through internal Renovation he makes righteous and cloaths adorns and endues with Righteousness c. Answ. Why should I answer these men in many words If they understand it of the Power of the Divine Bounty I grant that there is nothing which the Infinite Power of the most high God cannot do But it is not the matter of our Controversie what the heavenly Grace can but what it will do Neither doth it follow as a rational consequence because that the Almighty Grace of God can make us just that therefore we are made just Therefore either prove that there is any man endued with such a Righteousness which doth not always stand in need of the Mercy of God Or confess that which is the truth with Augustin that all assurance of our Iustification acquiesces in the remission of sins only through the Mercy of God Against the Tridentines who deny that we are Iustified by Mercy or Remission only BUT it pleased the Tridentine Senate to determine otherways for this is their Opinion That Iustification is not purchased by God's pardoning Grace only but by the commendation of Vertues But let them again hear what Augustin answers them to the contrary who in opposition to the Tridentine Opinions refers all to the Grace of God only and to Imputation writing these words All the Commands of God saith he are esteemed to be done when that which is not done is forgiven A very short sentence if it be reckoned according to the number of words But if we rightly consider their efficacy who sees not that all the buildings of the Adversaries whereby with so much ado they establish their inherency are utterly overturned by this Answer of Augustin Which that it may appear the more evidently First Let us gather the assertion of the Council on which all their defence seems to lean into the exact form of an Argument according to the art and use of Disputants which should rather have been done by them And then let us see what should be answered by the Authority of Learned Interpreters The Argument of the Tridentine Council Argument Ma. Whosoever observe all the Commands of God they have an Inherent Righteousness and that which is their own Mi. Whosoever keep all the Commands of God are esteemed for righteous before God Concl. Therefore they that have a Righteousness which is their own and inherent are justified before God Answer The smoke of this Argument will easily vanish by using the distinction of Augustin Therefore we answer the Minor by the Authority of the Doctor For there is a twofold manner of keeping the Commands one is when whatsoever is commanded by God is done And after this manner the Son of God only is righteous of whom only it is said In the Volume of thy Book it is written of me I come that I might do thy will O God c. The other is when that which is not done is forgiven And after this second manner we are righteous that is we are accounted for righteous not upon any account of Merits but only by the pardon of those things that have been done amiss Wherefore by retorting the Argument upon the Adversaries we may dispute after this manner The retorting of the Argument Ma. The observation of all the Commands of God procures true Righteousness to men Mi. The keeping of all the Commands is performed by remission and imputation when that which is not done is pardoned Concl. Therefore by Remission and Imputation real Iustification is procured for us The Minor is upheld by the legitimate Testimony of Augustin lib. Retract cap. 19. But the Tridentine Heroes do here answer That is true indeed as it is understood of the first Iustification but not of the second For by such an usual Scheme of Sophistical Speech they use to baffle the most evident Oracles of Scripture concerning our free Iustification by Christ. As when Paul reasons of Faith justifying freely without Works they interpret it thus that it is said of the first Iustification which consists of Remission only and Reconciliation by Faith But that there is another Iustification besides this which by inward Renovation is begotten of Inherent Righteousness to which they attribute the much more excellent part of true Iustification But here again Augustin helps by confuting this idle Tale with sound speech who writing of this same second unjust Iustification of theirs Our very Righteousness saith he though it be true because of the end or true good to which it is referred yet it is so great in this life that it consists rather in the remission of sins than in the perfection of Vertues Yea the same Augustin elsewhere adjudges the Life of the Regenerate how laudable soever to a Curse if it is to be judged in a separation from Mercy What then Augustin curses all the Righteousness of Humane Life without the Mercy of God And should not they of Trent be accursed who are not afraid to curse those that with Augustin affirm that all the comfort of our Iustification relies
you may say That is true indeed and therefore this proves that Faith only doth not justifie I answer and also request the Adversaries that laying aside the desire of vain jangling they would examine the matter according to Scripture and right Reason Though the manifest Testimony of the Apostle Paul and the Examples of the Saints make it an undoubted Truth that only Faith in Christ the Son of God hath the power of justifying without Works Yet it cannot open this power upon all but only those in whom a fitness is found for receiving the displayings of Divine Grace Of the Repentance of those that are Iustified by Faith BUT None are found more fit than those that seem to themselves most unworthy and none less fit than those that are most highly conceited of their own worthiness Seeing we are all Sinners by Nature nothing can be more reasonable than that we should acknowledge the filthiness of our own abominations and cast our selves down at the Feet of Almighty God And there is nothing that God more requires than this Whose Nature or rather Mercy is such that he delights not in any thing more than in a humble Heart and a broken Spirit as the Psalmist declares He saveth such as are of a contrite Spirit And in the Prophet Isaiah God testifies of himself that he is the high and lofty one that inhabiteth Eternity and dwells in the high and Holy place and also with him that is humble and of a contrite Spirit to comfort the humble Spirit and to revive the Heart of the contrite ones And for that cause he calls aloud in the Gospel and offers his kind invitations chiefly to such as labour and are heavy laden that they may come unto him and be eased What is coming to Christ but believing What is it to be eased or refreshed but to be justified Though indeed he calls all and despises none that come to him Yet so it comes to pass for the most part that none come to Christ as they ought unless they be pressed and burdened under the sense of their Sin and Misery And again that Heavenly Physician is seldom sent unto any others but such As the Prophet bears witness who making a particular description of those to whom Christ was to be sent he sets before us the meek the broken in Heart the Captives the Prisoners the Mourners in Sion them that are walking in Darkness and sitting in the shadow of Death c. And the Psalmist speaks much to the same purpose Ps. 107. describing the Mercy of God on this manner He filleth the hungry Soul with goodness and such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of Death being bound in Affliction and Iron Though he being sent by the Father is given to all yet he is not entertained by all with the like Affection The Lord himself shews the cause thereof For what need have the whole of the Physician Therefore as a skilful Physician doth not Administer his Medicines but when sickness requires it so Faith cleanses none but those whom Repentance also amends neither doth the Gospel heal any but those whom first the Law hath slain and Conscience hath wounded And as that is most true which we Preach by the Authority of Paul the Apostle that Men are justified by Faith only without Works so on the other side it is false which the adversaries assert that by this Doctrine of Faith it comes to pass that all care of good Works is cast off and the reins are let loose to all manner of wickedness Howbeit if they speak of such impenitent persons as go on resolutely in their Sins we acknowledge that such as they are not justified by Faith and yet we assert that this is no way prejudicial to the cause that we plead But if they speak of such as join Repentance with Evangelical Faith and therefore stand in need of consolation if they deny that those are justified by the Faith of Christ only they discover themselves to be utter Enemies of the Gospel and adversaries to Christ. And again if they assert that such penitent believers become worse by this Doctrine they do therein err exceedingly and lye abominably Wherefore that the Mouth of Malice and Slander may be stopped I admonish these professours of Divinity who condem 〈◊〉 this Doctrine of Paul as Heretical that they would take our proposition not by halves but whole and join the legitimate predicate of the proposition with the subject that when Faith is said to justifie they should reckon that is not enough unless they understand aright whom this Faith justifies To wit none of those that continue stubborn and impenitent in their wicked courses but only such as acknowledge their Sins with grief of Heart and being weary of their former abominations fly to Christ by Faith for resuge But here they take another occasion to cavil 〈◊〉 For if Faith justifies none but them that repent then as they say Faith only doth not justifie but together with Faith a Godly Sorrow and Mourning for Sin Iustifie also I Answer It is true indeed that Faith is joyned with Repentance in him that is justified from his Sins And yet Repentance is no cause of Iustification As those that are afficted with a painful Disease Their pain makes them desirous of a cure but yet there is no healing vertue in this desire So Faith and Conversion are joyntly united in the person that is justified But as touching the cause of Iustifying Repentance indeed prepares a Soul for the reception of Iustification but the cause of justifying lyes altogether in Faith and not at all in Repentance For the just Iudge doth not absolve him who hath violated his Iustice because he is grieved upon that account but because he believes in Christ who hath satisfied Iustice and for whose sake Pardon is promised to such as Repent for in him are all the springs of our Iustification But lest this Discourse should grow too Ample for if every thing were treated of particularly it might be enlarged beyond all bounds Let us come close to the Adversary and Fight Hand to Hand that in a Summary Representation it may the more easily appear to the Reader with what Arguments they defend themselves what Arguments they defend themselves what Scriptures they quote what force and what fallacy is in their Arguments THE Third Book A Confutation of the Arguments Whereby the Adversaries defend their Inherent Righteousness against the Righteousness of Faith An Argument taken out of St. Iames. No Dead thing Iustifies All Faith without Works is Dead Therefore No Faith Iustifies without Works Answer First the manner of arguing is captious and transgresses the right Laws of Logick For the terms therein exceed the due number For there is a redundancy in the conclusion by this addition without Works For this should have been the conclusion Therefore no Faith that is without Works justifies And that may be well granted
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
thereof is not placed in the works of men but it depends upon the free favour of God and the like we may say of Iustification for those whom he justifies he justifies in Christ but if you ask why doth he justifie in Christ the cause appears evident which cannot be found in our VVorks but before all VVorks in the favour of God only But you may say Those things are not well compared with one another which disagree in Nature for Election and Vocation and Glorification are such things as being once determined of God cannot be disannulled But the Case is otherways in Iustification which may sometimes be lost and sometimes retained according as it is hindered or not hindered by the Grace of God For thus spake Vega and Scotus and others That I may Answer such Men I confess indeed if the manner of our Iustification were such as those Men feign to wit if its chief reliance were upon Works and the increase of Vertues it would be true which they assert concerning the uncertainty of losing or keeping Iustification But seeing all the stability of our Iustification depends not at all upon our Works but upon the Merits of Christ by Faith and the Remission of Sins by his Righteousness therefore it is that as there is one Election and Vocation and that sure and firm so also Iustification is not twofold but one and the same and such an one as endures for ever I call it one because there remains always one and the same cause and manner of Iustifying which relies not on the Merits of Works but consists of Faith and the Remission of Sins And though the Sins from which we are justified are not all of the same kind but are distinguished by times and variety of Actions yet nevertheless Iustification that is the Remission of Sins in respect of the form and manner is not divers but one Not twofold but simple as Faith also which is the procuring cause of Iustification is not which though it is daily increased yet it remains always one and the same Moreover as this Iustification which increases together with Faith is only one so also the same being firm and stable no less than the Promise of God on which it relies undergoes no change but continues firm and constant and the cause thereof is because it relies not on Works but Faith only whence the Apostle said It is therefore by Faith that according to Grace the Promise may be sure to all the Seed On the contrary they who make a twofold Iustification and assign divers causes of both of which the one confists of Faith only without Works going before which they call the first and the other which they call the second is increased by Works of Grace as they speak I see not what they can find in the Scriptures for the defence of their Opinion for Paul writing to so many Churches acknowledges no cause of Iustification but one which he professes to be Faith in Christ and that without Works What need is there of better evidence Can you not be perswaded to believe the Truth which hath been so often and so perspicuously demonstrated by so great a Master as Paul But to what purpose hath Christ appointed him to be a Teacher to us Gentiles if we despise his Instructions and chuse to our selves other Masters that teach another Gospel And what else do those Men who reject the Apostle's Doctrine and hearken to such as teach contrary thereunto Paul says Without Works Man is justified Will you then dare to plead for Iustification by Works in Opposition to the Apostle Dare you deny what he affirms But you say I detract nothing from Works in opposition unto Paul but I add Grace from whence they receive the power of Meriting and Iustifying Then according to your Opinion Works being assisted by Grace do justifie but without Grace they avail nothing But what will you answer to St. Paul who without making any Distinction of Works says not of such or such Works only but indefinitely and in the general of all Works It is of Faith and not of Works lest any should boast And again to the Romans If by Grace then it is not of Works and elsewhere To him that worketh not c. And how often doth he in all his Epistles Attribute all Power of Iustifying to Faith shutting out not only such or such Works but all Works of what kind soever concerning which Paul speaking indefinitely and absolutely utterly excludes them from any concernment in Iustification Which would be false if any Works whether performed by Grace and in Faith or without Grace were conducible to Iustification And hence this Argument arises An Argument against inherent Righteousness We are justified without Works by Faith as Paul testifies VVorks of Charity infused by Grace are VVorks Therefore without these Works also that consist of Grace we are justified The Adversaries Answer to the Major Paul asserts that we are justified without Works but with this Exception unless they be planted in us by Faith and the influence of Grace for the Apostle excludes not such kind of Works because they please God and procure Iustification Contrarily those VVorks only are excluded that are of the Law or of Nature without which we are said to be justified But this Answer doth not satisfie the VVords of Paul who without making any such Exception or Distinction of VVorks teaches simply and indefinitely that we are justified without Works By what Logick then have these Sophisters learned to make a definite and particular Proposition of that which is Indefinite and Universal Or what Reason have they to confine that unto a particular Case which Paul speaks of Works in the general Let us consider the Words of the Apostle Who if he had believed that Works of Charity infused procure Iustification in the sight of God it cannot be doubted but he would have expresly said so much Now he says expresly without any Exception By Works shall no Flesh be justified Whence we may form this Argument If Works performed by Grace and in Faith were meritorious of Iustification then some flesh would be justified by Works seeing there are many Believers that Work by Grace But no flesh at all shall be justified by Works as Paul bears witness Therefore it is false that good Works performed by Grace have any Power of justifying Let us confirm the saying of Paul by Scriptural Examples That which Paul here preaches of free Salvation without Works the same Isaiah foretells will come to pass though in other Words yet to the same purpose under the Symbols of Wine and Milk All ye that thirst saith he come without Money and without Price and buy Wine and Milk What is signified here by Wine and Milk but the glorious Mystery of our Iustification and what is the signification of these Words wherein we are commanded to eat without Money and without Price but that
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
Prov. 24. Prov. 24. 1 Iohn 1. August de Civitate Dei l. 19. c. 17. August in Ioan. Tract 4. Aug. Epist. 54. ad Macedon Andrad lib. 6. Lorichius c. 8. A brief summary of the things treated of before Iames 3. Faith only justifies sinners but whom Iames a Servant of Iesus Christ and Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ reconciled Hosius in confut 〈◊〉 140. Canis in praefatione in Andrad 〈◊〉 Andrad Vega de justificat in Epist. Osor. de just 〈◊〉 7. Osor. ibid. 〈◊〉 2. An Answer to the Objections The consequence is denied The abuse of good things should be taken away but the things themselves should be continued Mark 16. Esa. 52. Hosius 〈◊〉 lib. 3. pag. 140. Against the assurance of Christian Salvation Objection Faith only Answer In Sermons frequent Exhortations are used to Pious Works An Answer to this Objection Ambiguity Faith only Iustifies but not all kind of Sinners The Love of Mary Magdaline Love rises from Faith not Faith from Love Charity is no cause of Iustification Psal. 34. Isa. 57. Andrad Vega. De Iustif. pag. 833. Coming to christ is believing in him Esa. 16. 9. Esa. 9. Ps. 107. Ioh. 1. If we confess our Sins he is faithful to sorgive us and the Blood of Iesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin Faith only justifies the Uogodly but not unless he be first humbled by Repentance A Fallacy in the terms The Life of Faith is not begotten of Charity but only is evidenced thereby A twofold Life and Operation of Faith What Faith Works with God and what with Men. A twofold Opperation of Faith After what manner doth 〈◊〉 only Iustifie 〈◊〉 Life of Faith is not Charity but Christ. Gal. 2. 1 Cor. 4. Rom. 4. Ex Andrad Viga de Iustificatione Quaest. 1 Ex Canisio aliis August we are justified by that by which we are saved Psal. 32. Rom. 4. Blessed are they whose Iniquities are forgiven c. Iacobus Cartusiensis de Authoritate Ecclesiae An. 1440. Works withoutFaith thoeminent in themselves are of no value with God yet on the contrary the Works of believers that are mean in themselves lack not their reward How the name of reward in Scriptures is attributed to works Works imputed for Merits by Grace Andr. Vega. Iohn 6. Romans 8. Matth. 25. A notion of Bucer It is one thing to do the Will of the Father and another thing to obey it without any imperfection A feigned and hypocritical Faith An Answer to the first Argument Answer to the second The strength of our Vertues is weak Works please for the sake of the perfon being first reconciled Aug. de fide operibus Iacob David Abraham Adam Abel Iames 1. Romans 2. The Argument retorted upon the Adversaries Iames 2. The words of Christ are considered Matth. 7. A good Conscience and Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1. Ex Andrad Vega. Mat. 25. A bad Consequence 1. Timoth. A good Conscience and Faith unfeigned 2. Iames. Let him ask in Faith not wavering Mat. 14. O thou of little Faith wherefore didst thou doubt 3. Ephes. 4. One God one Faith 4. Habbac The Iust lives by Faith 5. Mat. 15. O Woman great is thy Faith c. 6. Mat. 14. Luk. 17. If ye have Faith as a grain of Mustard Seed 7. Iames. 3. Faith without Works is dead c. 8. Coloss. 2. The confirmation of Faith 9. Ephes. Taking the Shield of Faith Act. 10. 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 10. The inevitable severity of Iudgment should stir us up to care watchfulness Ioh. 5. Coloss. 3. As we are Workers but as we are Believers Rom. 4. Habbac Ioh. 17. A Fillacious Sophismfrom the concrete to the abstract A Fallacy Mercy forgiving Evil deeds Imputation puttidg a great value upon finall things The Iudgment of God is twofold according to Aug. de confut Evang. lib. 2. cap. 30. The Iudgment of damnation the Iudgment of discretion The Righteousness of condemnation The Mercy of separation A twofold kind of sinners Romans 8. Who are liable to the Iudgment of Condemnation The Rule of Right Iohn 5. Luke 21. Why the day of Iudgment is called a day of Redemption The Saints shall judge the World Pit Canis in opere Catechistico de Iudicio cap. 3. Psalm 142. Iob 31. It is incident to the greatest Saints to be in donbt sometimes concerning their spiritual graces and to be afraid of their sins Romans 8. Galat. 4. Philip. 1. Apoc. 22. 2 Tim. 4. For them that love his appearance Iohn 5. Of the wedding garment Answ. Rom. 13. Galat. 3. Apoc. 7. The Parable of the Marriage and Marriage-Garment considered and explained Isa. 25. The Marriage of the Lamb of God with his Bride The Guests of the Marriage The Guests of the Marriage Feast Luk. 14. Who are the Blind and the Lame that are invited to the Marriage Rom. 9. Against the Righteousness of Works The Wedding-garment Philip. 3. Agreeableness should be every where observed according to the circumstances of places times and things The Kingdom of the Law and the Kingdom of the Gospel The difference between the Law and the Gospel What the wedding garment signifies Matthew 5. The sense of thatScripture I came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it A twofold Office of Christ the Mediatour The Errour of those who take Christ for theirLawgiver Christ is not a Law-giver but a Redeemer Christ is one way under the Law and we that are in Christ another way Andr. Vega de Iustif. pag. 741. The glorious resemblance between the Bread of the Sacrament and the Lords Passion Isa. 25. Iohn 6. Iohn 6. Iohn 2. 38. Luke 8. Matth. 4. Iohn 17. Romans 9. Repentance doth not make a Sinner perfect but evidences what he is The material of Repentance Heb. 9. How far the Promises reach and to whom they belong What Faith does and what Repentance August de 〈◊〉 gratia cap. 7. To come to Christ is to believe in him for he himself says No Man cometh to me unless it be given him of my Father Andrad Vega de Iust. 2. p. 741. A twofold necessity 1. Absolute 2. In respect of Consequencee How are good Works are necessary to Salvation Paul was a Zealous Exhorter to a Holy Life Necessity of Consequence Tit. 2. Rom. 3. Ibid. Gal. 3. Rom. 11. Tit. 3. Eph. 2. 2 Tim. 1. Rom. 9. 〈◊〉 Rom. 3. now he demonstrates that Faith only hath in it self the Power of justifying Oecumen photi in Cap. Rom. 3. only believing Origen Cap. 3. The only just cause of Glorying is in the Cross of Christ. August de verb. domini Serm. 4. He would have this one thing imputed whereby the others are gathered by Consequence Amb. 1 Cor. 1 It is appointed by God that a Believer should be justified by Faith only Chrysost. Serm. 5. in Cap. 2. Eph. Paul professes him to be Blessed who is supported by Faith only Basil. de humil by Faith only which is in Christ. Hierom. in Epist. ad Gal. cap. 1.
Nazianzen de moderatione Our Righteousness is Faith only Bernard our Righteousness is no other thing but the Indulgence of God Thom. Aquin. in 1 Tim. 1. Therefore there is no hope of Iustification but in Faith only A twofold Iustification 〈◊〉 to the Papists The second Iustification of Papisis overturned A Rule of Law Ambrose in Cap. 3. ad Rom. It is proved out of Ambrose that a twofold manner of Iustificatoin is impossible Gregor 2. lib. Moral Cap. 40. Gregor ibid. There is a twofold consideration both of good and Evil Works An Answer by way of Instance Every Union of things doth not confound their Offices Erasmus censurus Parisiensium Tit. 7. They of Paris argue that Faith can be without Charity 1 Cor. 13. Chrysostom A cavilling about the Word all An Argument out of a place of 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 13. Mat. 11. In the Kingdom of Heaven Faith is greater than Charity 1 Cor. 13. The Offices of Charity Charity commended from its duration How great things Faith doth in Heaven How Charity is greater than Faith and how Faith is greater than Charity Iustification before God Iustification before men What the Iustification is whereof Iames speaks Human Iustification which consists in the shewing of good works An outward appearance is often deceitful Gen. 15. Gal. 3. Romans 3. Reason 1. Reason 2. Reason 3. Reason Tiletan Free Iustification by Faith is proved by the Words of Paul Andr. Vega de just pag. 751. Rom. 4. The Distinction of the Papists is idle and Impertinent Rom. 1. Eph. 1. Colos. 2. Wherein the difference between the Law and Grace consists A Similitude The Distinction of Hosius 2. Arg. out of Paul Rom. 3. Andraeas Vega Isa. 1. Aug. de perfect just But when the highest Lord shall sit on the Throne who will boast that he hath a clean Heart And who will boast that he is pure from his Sin Unless it be those that Glory in their own Righteousness and not in the Mercy of the Iudge What manner of Gospel Paul preached Rom. 3. The popish comment about the universal Sign is overturned Aug. de praedest Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 8. Hab. No Man denies Works to be necessary Basil. in Psal. 32. Nazian 3 Argum. St. Paul Rom. 4. 4 Argum. Rom. 10. 5 Argum. Acts 13. 6 Argum. Acts 10. 7 Argum. 1 Cor. 3. 8 Argum. Arguments out of S. Paul Rom. 4. Rom. 10. Romans 4. Acts 13. 1 Cor. 3. An argument taken from Examples Acts 2. Acts 8. Acts 16. Luke 7. Luke 18. Luke 23. Luke 18. Inherent Righteousness Rom. 10. Gal. 3. Rom. 10. A Sophistical Pretence A Sophistical Objection How Grace justifies according to the Opinion of the Papists Works considered in a twofold respect as they are either of grace or of nature Aug. de spirttu litera cap. 30. What is righteousness by the Law The righteousness of the Law righteousness by the Law or in the Law A Rule of Lawyers Aug. de fid oper c. 15. The cause why we are chosen and justified in Christ only Vega de fide operibus q. 2. pa. 754. It is sufficient that we by believing only be justified unless we do otherways hinder the Grace of God by our Sins One manner of justifying and that perpetual The Distinction of a first and second Iustification is confuted The cause of Iustification is not twofold but one Eph. 2. Rom. 11. The Caviling of the Papists An indefinite Proposition Rom. 3. Isa. 55. A frivolous Trick of the Sophisters Isa. 52. The VVords of Paul wrested by the Papists Tarrianus Iesuit pro epist. pent lib. 4. An Answer to the first Objection An Answer to the Objection An Answer to the third Objection 1 Tim. 1. 1 Tim. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2 Cor. 5. Ephes. 3. The blind Errour of the Papists about the sense and scope of Pauls Epistles Romans 7. Vega de Iustificat p. 771. Iohn 3. Romans 4. Aug. de Haeres Haeres 54. Iohn 6. Acts 10. Acts 16. Gal. 5. Tridentine Counc 1. Sess. 6. cap. 7. Objection from the words of Paul Answer Why Faith is alone in Iustifying How Faith Charity and other vertues are joyned together What where how Faith works by Love Trid. Concil cap. 11. If any say that a man is justified by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness only or by the remission of sins only excluding Grace and Charity which is spread abroad in the hearts and inheres in them Or if any say that the Grace whereby we are justified is only the favour of God let him be accursed If any say that Iustifying Faith is nothing else but a fiducial relyance on the Mercy of God forgiving sins for Christ's sake or that this fiducial relyance is the only thing whereby we are justified let him be accursed Sess. 6. cap. 2. Rom. 4. 11. Rom. 3. Rom. 4. Testimonies out of the Prophets Ierem. 23. Ezek. 34. Isa. 41. Isa. 43. Isa. 44. Zeph. 2. The necessity of Pious Works Apoc. 3.