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A07719 A short analysis of a part of the second chapter of S. Iames, from the 14. verse to the end of the same With a briefe confutation of the Rhemists annotations therevpon written. By Iohn Morgan. 1588 Morgan, John, fl. 1588. 1588 (1588) STC 18103; ESTC S107508 19,383 50

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12. Now haue I tried that thou fearest God whē as thou hast not withdrawen from me it 〈◊〉 only begotten sonne as if he should say by this déede was Abraham iustified because he testified that he did truly beléeue in God and by that meanes as the Apostle faith the Scripture was fulfilled and all did perceiue it for to be true that he did beléeue in God and that this was imputed to him for righteousnesse Rhemists Annotat. Iames 2. vers 24. Not by faith only This proposition or speach is directly opposite or contradictorie to that which the Heretikes hold For the Apostle saith man is iustified by good works and not by faith only but the Heretikes say man is not iustified by good works but by faith only neither can they pretend that there is the like contradiction or contrarietie betwixt S. Iames speach and S. Paules For though S. Paule say man is iustified by faith yet he neuer saith by faith only nor euer meaneth by that faith which is alone but alwayes by that faith which worketh by charitie Gal. 5. as he there expoundeth himselfe Though concerning works also there is a difference betwixt the first iustification whereof S. Paule specially speaketh and the second iustification whereof of S. Iames doth more specially treate of which thing else-where there is ynough said see Annot. Rom. 2. ver 13. The Fathers indeede sometimes vse this exclusiue Sola only but in far other sense then the Protestants for some of thē thereby exclude only the works of Moses law against the Iewes some the works of nature and morall vertues without the grace or knowledge of Christ against the Gentiles some the necessitie of externall good works where the parties lack time and means to do thē as in the case of the penitēt theef some the false opinions sects and religions contrary to the Catholike faith against heretiks and miscreants some exclude reason sense arguing in matters of faith misterie against such as will beleeue nothing but that they see or vnderstand some the merits of works done in sinne before the first iustification some the arrogant Pharisaicall vaunting of mans owne proper works and iustice against such as referre not their actiōs and good deeds to Gods grace To these purposes the holy Doctors say sometimes that only faith saueth and serueth but neuer as the Protestants would haue it to exclude frō iustification and saluation the cooperation of mans free will dispositiōs preparations of our hearts by praiers penance and sacraments the vertues of hope charity the purpose of well-working and of the obseruation of Gods cōmaundements much lesse the works and merits of the childrē of God proceeding of grace and charitie after they be iustified and are now in his fauour which are not only dispositions and preparations to iustice but the meritorious cause of greater iustice and saluation Aunswere YOu would faine make vs opposite or contradictorie to S. Iames but neuer shall you bring it to passe till you haue made S. Iames contrary to S. Paule the principall shew of your reasoning consisteth heerein for though S. Paule as you say do affirme that a man is iustified by faith yet he neuer saith by faith only If we can proue that by necessary illation this word only is implied in the Apostles words then either you shal be compelled to confesse S. Paul to be cōtradictory to S. Iames or else to accord with S. Augustine or rather with S. Iames himself by his own discourse opening his own words Now to proue that S. Paul did mean faith only I pray you to cōsider these reasons out of that Apostle himself Paul doth couple nothing with faith in this busines therfore he teacheth that faith alone is sufficient For if it haue nothing coupled with it in iustifying of vs then it is manifest that faith alone doth iustifie vs for whatsoeuer may séeme any thing at all to iustifie vs that altogether is remoued frō faith in iustification for what might a man think to be ioyned with faith in this cause I deeme he will say works therfore if works be disioined it remaineth and that necessarie that we are iustified by faith alone Heere therefore Paule speaking in his owne words Rom. 3.28 we gather that a man is iustified 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without the works of the law And againe he which worketh not but beléeueth him which iustifieth the vngodly his faith is imputed for righteousnes Rom. 4. ver 5. Againe therefore by the works of the law shal no flesh be iustified in his sight Rom. 3. ver 20. Againe euen as Dauid doth pronounce that man to be blessed to whome God doth impute righteousnes without works Rom. 4. ver 6. And in another Epistle more clerely knowing that a man is not iustified by the works of the law 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but by the faith of Iesus Christ what could be said that more could confirme our sentēce or meaning for if not by that works of the law but by faith we are iustified then that must needs folow that we are iustified by faith alone Héereunto may be added that he writeth we are iustified freely and by the gift of God for by grace saith the Apostle ye are saued by faith and that not of your selues it is the gift of God least any man should boast Ephes 2. vers 8.9 And in another place they are iustified freely through his grace Gratis eius gratia Rom. 3. vers 24. It these things do not satisfie you then I pray you answere me this argument If we be not iustified by the works of the law if to him which worketh not but iustifieth the vngodly his faith is imputed for righteousnesse If by the works of the law no man is iustified If righteousnesse be imputed without workes if freely if of grace if by the gift of God to conclude if we are not iustified but by faith Then we are iustified by faith alone The Antecedent is true therefore the consequent we graunt though faith only iustifie yet is not faith alone But as a Queene accompanied with her maides of Honor is only Queene and yet not alone hauing her traine wayting vpon her and as the eye in the bodie seeth only and yet not alone without the rest of the members so although faith only iustifie yet she is not alone but hath hope charitie patience attending vpō her as hand-maids to do the will of her God Concerning your first second iustification S. Paule neuer knew any such distinction for Galat. 2. after his cōuersion vers 20. And the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the sonne of God who hath loued me giuen him-selfe for me As this iustification by faith was first so the Apostle maketh it the latter resting only in that not seeking any second It is well the light of truth hath so far-foorth shined vnto you that you could find in the Fathers this Exclusiue sola
except it were a due debt it were vncertaine because hire is certaine mercie is vncertaine But confound grace and workes as you will and compound with S. Paule if you cau Rom. 11. vers 6. If it be of grace not now of workes otherwise now grace is not grace but if of works not now of grace otherwise the worke now were not worke Thus I haue seene a little according to your direction your Annot. Rom. 4. vers 1. Now to follow you in S. Iames. Rhemists Cap. 2. Vers 22. Faith did worke with Some Heretikes hold that good workes are pernitious to Saluation iustification other that though they be not hurtfull but required yet they be no causes or workers of Saluation much lesse meritorious but are as fruits and effects issuing necessarily out of faith Both which fictions falshods and flights from the plaine truth of Gods word are refuted by these wordes when the Apostle sayth that faith worketh together with good works maketh faith to bee a coadiutour or Cooperator with works and so both ioyntly concurring as causes and workers of iustification yea afterward he maketh workes the more principal cause when he resembleth faith to the bodie and workes to the spirite or life of man Aunswere IT were to bée wished that you had nominated those Heretikes that wee might haue knowne them by their names If any haue sayd their workes are imperfect and so pernitious for any man to place his confidence of euerlasting life in his maimed and stayned obedience they haue such partners as you shall not for so saying bee able to attach of heresie S. Paule when as he abounded with most excellent workes he denyed that hée obtayned righteousnesse or life thereby 1. Cor. cap. 4. vers 4. Neither would he reioyce in any thing but in the crosse of Christ Galath 6. vers 14. Hieroni. in Esaiam cap. 64 If we behold our owne merits we must be driuen to desperation And Origen vpon Math. Tract 8 Say that you are vnprofitable seruants saith Christ for notwithstanding we haue done all things that are commaunded yet haue we done no good thing for if our doings were good indéede then were they not vnprofitable but any good déede of ours is called good not rightly or duly but by abuse of speach We say flatly maugre the Deuill and Antichrist that our works be not causes or workers of our saluation much lesse meritorious Rom. 9. vers 16 It is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but of God that hath mercy 1. Tim. 2. vers 5.6 There is one God and one mediator of God and men the man Christ Iesus who hath giuen him-selfe the price of redemption for vs but if our works imbrued and drenched in the bloud of Christ can pacifie the wrath of God or make perfect our redemption it is manifest there is not one mediator and redeemer when as euery man is redeemed by his owne works What blasphemie is this to say or once to thinke that Christ suffered death and poured out his bloud not that he him-selfe should saue vs by his bloud but that he should giue the same power to our works that which you call fictions falsehoods and flights shal be prooued to be the fixed faithfull firme truth of God Doth not S. Peter in the 15. of the Acts giue this vnto faith to purifie our hearts vers 9. Doth not the same Apostle 2. Epist cap. 1. vers 5. make vertue knowledge temperance patience brotherly kindnesse lone the fruits and effects of our faith after that by the preaching of the Gospell and the spirit of God we are made partakers of the diuine nature vers 4. The Apostle Iames doth not refute this doctrine by these words faith worketh together with good works no more then S. Paule doth confute his owne doctrine when he saith Galath 5. vers 6. faith working by loue thereby declaring that a true faith is effectuall and fertil of good works If you remember your marginall note vpon the 4. cap. Rom. vers 2. Iustice before man and Iustice before God we graunt faith to be a coadiutor or cooperator with works and so both iointly concurring as causes and workers of iustification before men but if you come before God take your aunswere of S. Augustine in Psalm 94. Si Deus vellet pro merit is agere non inueniret nisi quod damnaret If God would deale with vs according to that we haue deserued he should find nothing but that he might condemne In that which you ioyne afterwards whereas you say yea afterward he maketh works the more principall cause when he resembleth faith to the body and works to the life or spirit of a man The Lord open your eyes that you may see this mysterie remeur this vaile from your eyes of the confidence of your works We protest before God and all good men that we neuer meant to make faith the chiefe only cause of our iustification but that the grace and mercy of God by our Sauiour Iesus Christ promised to the faithfull in his holy word is the principall originall cause and very fountaine of our iustification and that faith not a dead faith as they thought against whome S. Iames wrote but a liuely faith being wrought in our harts by the word of God and by the operation of the holy Ghost beleuing Gods promise of his mercy in Christ is the instrumētall cause in vs whereby only we receiue our iustification without the merit of out works yet being iustified we are most hounden in all good works as much as it shall please God to giue vs grace thereunto I can but muze at your folly which make works the more principall cause of our iustification because he resembleth faith to the bodie and good works to the soule if either you had knowne the true scope of this Scripture or the weakenesse of an argument drawne from likenesse Omnis similitudo claudicat you would not haue argued so fondly S. Iames speaketh of a dead faith which is only an imaginarie and mathematicall phantasie which is as farre different from a true christian faith as is a vizard from a mans face an image from a man a painted smoke from a burning flambe Rhemists Annotation Iam. 2. ver 23. The friend of God By this also another false and friuolous euasion of the Heretikes is ouertaken when they feine that the Apostle heere when he saith works do iustifie meaneth that they shew vs iust before men and auaile not to our iustice before God for the Apostle euidently declareth that Abraham by his works was made or truly called the friend of God and therefore was not as the Heretikes say by his works approued iust before man only Aunswere OUr true exposition howsoeuer it séeme vnto you a false and friuolous euasion yet I hope all that haue vsed that distinction are not Heretikes for then is the Angell an Heretike which so hath taught vs Genesis 22. vers