104.15 hee had not a drop of the true wine of God to comfort him nor of the oile of Gods spirit to cheere his countenance he now hid his face Gen. 3.8 he ranne awaie from God he had no will nor mind nor desire nor loue towards him he stood in neede of all these afresh to bee powred into him Andradius also and the Vniuersitie of Collen Lib. 4. Orth. explic are of the same opinion almost word for word with the councell of Trent The Fathers of Collen saith Andradius do proue by many and strong reasons that there is free-will in the mindes of men beeing possessed with neuer such vgly monsters of sinne to vndertake any good worke neither that that can be extinguished or blotted out vvith any filthines of sinne whatsoeuer but yet it may bee so bounde with yron fetters that it cannot rid it selfe out of them without the power of God And therefore the cause why wicked men can do no perfect or spirituall good worke as long as their minds are ouerwhelmed with the spots of sinne is not because they lacke free-wil but because that that is so entangled with the snares of sinne and so kept vnder with the weight of their offences that it can no way vnloose it selfe nor by his owne power any way looke vp no otherwise then they which are in the stocks haue power to go although they cannot goe vnlesse the bonds bee first taken away which hinder their moouing VVhen as therefore the light of Gods grace shines into the minds of the wicked it doth not violently thrust righteousnes vpon them or forceth them to embrace those ornaments of their soules but stirres vp the will which now lies on the grounde and being weake helpes it vp that now it being as it were comen to it selfe by Gods helpe it may freely yeeld to the calling and pleasure of God and receiue his grace neither is there any thing then that may hinder or bind this liberty This is also the opinion of the Vniuersitie of Collen and of Andradius concerning this matter But how quite contrarie to the Scriptures is this their assertion Man saie they hath free-will still in him be he neuer so wicked euen to vndertake anie good worke But this his free-will is fettered or hindered onely through sinne the which fetters being by Gods grace remooued it worketh freely that which is good So that they make mans fréewill the chiefe and principall cause of dooing good and the grace of God but the secondarie cause or causa sine qua non as the Philosophers doe tearme it that is the cause without the which the thing could not haue beene doone And thus Vocabularium scholasticae doctrinae a booke of the Papists owne making defines Causa sine qua non Causa sine qua non est qua posita aliud ponitur aliunde quamuis secundum candem That is which cause beeing present another effect followes in another thing and yet by the meanes of it Surelie that which wrought the effect the let beeing taken awaie freelie and of it owne accord maie bee said to be the principall or an equiualent cause at the least if the grace of God do after the let be taken awaie worke with the will as the councell of Trent seemes to affirme But the Scriptures teach quite contrarie to this Esay 26.12 Esay saieth Thou O Lorde hast wrought all our works in vs And what hath our will doone then And saint Paul saieth Phil. 2.13 that it is God which workes in vs both the will and also the performance in those things which bee good according to his good pleasure Man by saint Paul his iudgement abiding yet in his sinnes is not like a man in fetters who would gladlie goe if his fetters were loosed and who would gladly haue his fetters taken awaie from him but quite contrarie hee delights in sinne he loues and likes well of his fetters he thinkes that hee is in Paradise hee would neuer haue not so much as a will or mind to be loosed vnlesse God gaue it him This will then remaines not in man as Andradius and the Vniuersitie of Collen teach but according to the doctrine of saint Paul it is a new worke of God in him And whereas they saie that the grace of God doeth offer no violence in the conuersion of sinners what meanes then that saying of our sauiour Ioh 6.44.12.32 that no man can come vnto him vnles his father draw him And againe when I shall bee exalted from the earth I will draw all vnto me What meanes these drawings of God the father and of his sonne Iesus Christ but a certain holie violence in the conuersion of sinners In that parable of the gospell Luke 14 23. those that sate in the high waies and vnder hedges were they not types of the Gentiles which should be saued And were they not compelled to come in to the Supper Surely without this compulsion they would neuer haue comen in of themselues What meanes also that which Dauid so often prayes in the Psalmes Make me to walke O Lord Psal 119.35.144.8.11.119 107. in the waies of thy commandements and direct my pathes vnto thee and make me know the way that I should walke in and quicken mee according to thy word but that euen he himselfe felt this froward will in himselfe to all goodnesse and this blind vnderstanding so that God had neede euen as it were to force him to goodnesse What meane those goades and nailes which the Preacher speakes of Eccle. 12 11. Hebr. 10.24 and that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that pricking and prouoking to loue and good works which the Apostle mentions but a certaine kind of violence which both God himselfe vseth by the ministerie of his word in drawing sinners to him and wee our selues after our calling must vse one towards another in stirring vp our dull and slow willes to goodnes And no doubt of this violence and of these goades which the Lord God himselfe vseth in the conuersion of sinners it is said in the Acts that the Iewes who were conuerted to the faith by Peters Sermon Acts 2.37 were pricked in their hearts No doubt they felt these goades of God And in their conuersion God vsed some violence But let vs a little consider how other Catholiques somwhat so under then these haue declared their iudgementes concerning this matter First Granatensis writes thus Lib. 2. de orat cap. 11. The necessitie of praying continually vnto God doth spring of mans pouertie and miserie into the which he fell through his sinne and of the diuersitie of his estate wherein hee is now and wherein hee was when God created him For if he had continued in that first estate he had not needed these engines nor so many meanes to drawe his soule to God and that he might be lifted vp to the consideration of heauenly things For euen as the Eagle of hir owne
which are of the circumcision but vnto them also that walke in the steppes of the faith of our father Abraham This to be iustified more which saint Iohn speakes of is no doubt to walke in the steppes of the faith of Abraham And this no doubt also is that which saint Peter meaneth when hee concludes his epistle thus Growe in grace 2. Peter 3.18 and in the knowledge of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ That is grow in your faith and knowledge of the Gospell For this is life eternall saieth our Sauiour to knowe thee to bee the onely true God Ioh. 17.3 and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ Gagneius should haue considered all these places and not grounded his second iustification of workes vpon that one onlie place Whereas also that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let him be righteous still maie signifie rather a perseuerance then an increase But to let Gagneius go with his mystes and cauilles against the trueth and to returne to saint Austen againe As hee quite takes all our iustification from all workes whatsoeuer either ceremoniall or morall so he yéelds this to that our first iustification that it makes vs partakers of the glory of God Lib. spir lit cap. 9. and doe wee thinke then that hee euer thought of anie second Thus hee writes By grace the wicked man is iustified freely that is hauing no merites of his works going before For otherwise grace were not grace because therefore it is giuen not because that we haue doon good works but that we may do them that is not because we haue fulfilled the law but that we might fulfill it For he said I came not to destroie the law but to fulfill it Of whome it is saide We haue seene his glorie the glorie as it were of the onelie begotten Sonne of the Father full of grace and trueth This is the glory whereof it is said All haue sinned and are destitute of the glory of God And this is the grace whereof by and by he saieth Being iustified freely by his grace So that by saint Austens iudgment this grace which we receiue in our first iustification is that grace of God which before our iustification all men were depriued of And will Gagneius saie then that our iustification is imperfect Naie herein also saint Austen agrees with saint Paul who speaking of that first iustification saieth 1. Iohn 15. We being iustified by faith are at peace with God and is it imperfect then no imperfect thing can please God Ephes 2.16 He is light and in him is no darknes at all Naie in another place hee saieth that Iesus Christ hath slaine hatred betweene God and vs and that we haue an entrance now to the father by one spirit no doubt which we receiue in our Baptismes and at our first iustification 19. And that now we are no more strangers or forreiners but citizens with the Saints and of the houshold of God And is this our first iustification as yet imperfect Naie saint Iohn saieth 1. Iohn 1.3 That we haue seene and heard we declare vnto you that you also maie haue fellowship with vs and that our fellowship may be also with the Father and with his Sonne Iesus Christ Do wée beleeue this O happie newes by faith wee are made fellowes with the apostles naie euen with God himselfe and is then our first iustification imperfect and these things Saint Iohn writes to vs that our ioy may be full Who will not reioice that heareth this newes Other Papists make another cauill at our iustification Stella writes thus Of these words of Christ that error of the Lutherans is conuinced Stella in cap. 6 Luc. who dare affirm that faith cannot be without charity but one may truely as it is manifest out of this text of the Gospell heare the vvordes of God and beleeue them and yet not bee in grace But here Stella addes this of his owne and beleeue them that is more then is in the text The text saieth One maie heare the words of God and not do them not be in grace But surelie he that heares them beleeues them will do them also no doubt and therefore such a one is in grace S. Austen also verie excellentlie condemnes the Papists in this their doctrine De fide operib cap. 23 The Lord saith in the Gospell The houre shall come wherein all they that are in the graues shall he are his voice and they shall go which haue doone well into the resurrection of life and they which haue doone euill into the resurrection of iudgment Neither is it said that they which haue beleeued or that they which haue not beleeued but thus they which haue doone wel and that they which haue doon euil for a good life cannot be separated from faith which works thorough loue yea verily that same is a good life it selfe A true liuelie faith and a good life by saint Austens iudgement are vnseparable And againe saint Austen declares his iudgment concering our iustification and she vse of good workes verie manifestlie thus When as the Apostle saith Aug. de fide operib cap. 14. that he supposeth that a man is iustified by faith without the works of the law hee meanes not that when as wee haue receiued and professed the faith that the works of righteousnes should be despised but that euery one may know that he may be iustified through faith although no works of the law haue gone before For they follow a man that is now iustified they do not go before him which is to be iustified This is saint Austens plaine iudgement that workes are fruites of our iustification not rootes they are neither precedent nor concurrent causes but effects following Ibidem And after hee addes the causes why saint Peter Iohn and Iames and Iude wrote their Epistles and expoundes their meanings whereas they seeme to make much for good workes Because this opinion saieth he was then sproong vp that is that works were despised the other apostolique Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iude against this opinion bend al their force so that they very vehemently affirme that faith without workes profiteth nothing As also Saint Paul himselfe cals not faith euery faith wherewith we beleeue in God but that healthfull and euangelicall faith whose workes proceede from charitie and faith saieth he which vvorketh thorow loue Therefore he affirmes that that faith which some men thinke is sufficient to saluation to be of so small force that he saith If so be that I had all faith so that I could moue mountaines out of their places and yet had no charity I am nothing But where this faithfull charitie works there is a good life c. So that by saint Austens iudgement that vaine and barren faith which some men in those dayes imagined of their owne braines and despised all good workes doe both saint Iames and saint Iohn and the
of nature by Ferus iudgement profits nothing but rather hinders our saluation And after Fer. in cap. 10. Act. These beasts signifie all them which should beleeue of the Gentiles For the Church was to bee collected not onely of the Iewes but also of the prophane Gentiles And they are fitly compared to beasts for what is man without the knowledge and the feare of God but a beast according to that Man when as he was in honour vnderstood not c. He was compared to beastes and became like them he liues like a beast as a swine that is washed wil wallow in the myre againe he lacks reason he is full of poison The poison of Aspes is vnder their lippes He is more fierce and cruell then any beast See what a miserable creature a sinner is If thou doest not knowe thy selfe at least wise hereof learne to knowe thy selfe Thus farre Ferus Here man maie see as in a looking glasse what hee is of his owne nature he is a Lyon a Beare a filthie Swine no Lyon so cruell no swine so filthie as he Fer. Ibid And here also wee maie learne out of Ferus what kind of sinners these beastes doe signifie he names thrée kinds of beasts For all that is in the world is either the concupiscence of the flesh or the concupiscence of the eyes or the pride of life Foure footed beasts signifie riotous persons creeping things signifie couetous men foules of the Aire ambitious men that ambitiouslie seeke after honors Peter is commanded to eate and deuour all these c. Sée then what accompt God makes of thee what an vglie monster thou art in his eies whosoeuer art giuen to thy pleasures who soeuer art couetous and greedie of this earthlie claie whosoeuer art ambitous and gapes after honors and promotions Though thou seeme in thine owne eies neuer so glorious nor of so great estimation thou art but a filthie swine a creeping vermine and a soaring Kyte And learne hereby rather to please God then either man or thy selfe Againe vpon these wordes I also am a man hee wrytes thus Ibid. He teacheth the Apostles successours that they ought to flie ambition for it is an horrible fault and it makes vs ascribe vnto our selues those things which God workes in vs or by vs as it were by instruments when as all glory is due vnto God And therefore Paul ascribed to himselfe all the paines he tooke but to God all the fruites of his labours I saieth he haue laboured more then they all but not I but the grace of God with me The fruit of Gods word he yéelds wholie to God For he works in vs both to will and to performe hee teacheth them also to challenge no praise to themselues for these thinges which they haue doone in Christs name and by his power The false Apostles and Byshops obserue neither of these Fer. in cap. 13. Act. And after Thou seest how necessary Christ is ascribe not light to reason nor saluation to thy works but both to Christ And after vpon these words And they beleeued as manie as were predestinate No man beleeues but hee which is predestinate No man comes to me vnlesse my father draw him Here he giues vs to marke that faith is not of the desert of man but of the mercie and election of God for the Lord saith in the Gospell to Peter confessing Christ Flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my father which is in heauen And to Nicodemus vnlesse one be borne againe from aboue he cannot see the kingdome of God All these places doe not impute to God the fault why the wicked are condemned but rather they proue euidently that the election and grace of God is the cause of the saluation of the godly least any man should attribute to our strength that which belongs onely to God Thou seest also here who are predestinate to life they who beleeue in Christ therefore thou needest not curiously dispute of predestination beleeue in Christ and bring forth good works in him and thou art sure that thou art predestinate Otherwise if thou were the very signet of Gods right hand thou shalt be cast away Our owne forces and strength by Ferus his iudgement maie challenge no part in our saluation And declare thy faith by thy good workes as Saint Iames teacheth thee and bee sure of thy predestination saieth Ferus In cap. Act. 17. And vpon these wordes God is in vs. The power of God appeares in no creature more then in man although he fulfill all things as he saith by the Prophet Ieremie An◠I God onely nigh at hand and not a farre off also Therefore he saith truly that God is not farre off of euery one of vs who workes by vs as a workeman with the toole which he hath made And after They are fit to receiue the word of God which earnestly thirst after it In cap. Act. 18. which shut the eies of reason who altogether distrusting to their owne righteousnes wisedome or knowledge do relie onely vpon the word of God acknowledging themselues to be blind and euer to erre and stumble vnles they be lightned with the heauenly light And for this cause they require and earnestly desire often this lightening in their godly prayers Of them it is said in the fift of Matthew Blessed are they which hunger and thirst after righteousnes And a little after The flesh is euer fearefull Ibid. and escheweth perils and trembles at death nor can endure any trouble for the Lords sake Therefore we haue need of the grace of God by which we are that we are By this it appeares that there is no goodnes in the flesh And of Abraham he writes thus In cap. Act. 19. True faith doubts not of the word of God though all things seeme contrary So Abraham beleeued God when as he had heard of him This shall not be thy heire meaning Ismael but he that shall proceed out of thine owne bowels he shall bee thine heire Though he himselfe were an old man and had a very old woman to his wife who also was barren yet he beleeued God promising him a sonne against nature against reason against mans capacity That I may say with Paul He beleeued in hope against hope he gaue God the glory and hee brought in bondage himselfe and his owne reason And that was accompted to him for righteousnes that is pleased God more then all thinges that Abraham had doone hitherto That for this faith he was iust and so accompted of before God c. Thus we may see what is in man euen regenerate still flesh bloud resisting the will word and promises of God which all good Christians must striue dailie to conquour 1. Epist Ioh. 5.4 And this is that great victory of faith which Saint Iohn speakes of And of S. Paul when he was come to Ierusalem the same Ferus writes thus Letting all other things
or labouring as the apostle saieth that crowneth or rewardeth But our gracious God shewing mercy Rom. 9.16 Secondlie hee saieth that as all our good workes were of mercie giuen vs in euery of them God by his grace preuenting our willes so they shall of meere mercie be rewarded as then wee had no merites for which in the beginning of our sanctification wée deserued at Gods handes to haue those good works giuen vs so neither in the rewarding of them nay they shall bee more mercifully and of greater mercy saieth Gregory rewarded at the last then they were giuen at the first Contrary to that Popish assertion which affirmes that our first iustification is free and of mercie but it is not so in the second But Gregory sayeth hee that of mercy hath giuen vs our good workes shall more mercifullie reward them No doubt considering the vnprofitablenesse of vs all after wée haue been admitted into the Lordes seruice and the daily rebellions of the flesh against his holy spirit euen in the best of his seruantes Saint Iohn saith Gal. 5.17 If wee saie wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and there is no truth in vs. And our sauiour teacheth all to say 1. Io. 1.8 When you haue doon all that is commanded you which who can doe yet euen then say Luke 17.10 we are vnprofitable seruants we haue doone but our duties Ierome also hath this notable sentence to this same effect De filio prodigo ad Damas Let this seeme to none dangerous or blasphemous that wee haue said that euen this euill of enuy could creepe in euen to the very Apostles when as we may suppose thus much also to be spoken of the Angelles for the Starres are not cleare in his sight and he marked some frowardnesse in his Angels And it is said in the Psalmes No liuing thing shall be iustified in thy sight He doth not say no man shall be iustified but no liuing thing that is to say no not an Euangelist not an Apostle not a Prophet nay I will ascend higher not Angelles not thrones not rulers or powers or other heauenly vertues It is God alone in whom sinne fals not Thus by Ieromes iudgement all Gods saints are sinners Apostles Prophets Euangelists euen the blessed Virgine Mary all the heauenly powers whatsoeuer God himselfe alone is only without sinne And this doctrine of the fathers is agréeable to the scriptures Dauid writes thus of Canaan which was but a figure of our heauenly inheritance Psalm 44.3 They possessed not that land with their owne sword neither did their owne arme saue them But thy right hand and thy arme and the light of thy countenance Ci Ratsitham as it is in the Hebrew that is because thou haddest an especiall fauour vnto them This Ratson this good pleasure of God gaue them the possession of the land of Canaan not their fighting or working nay it followes Thou art my King O God command the saluation of Iacob The saluation of Iacob and of his posterity is Gods royall commandement not their merites they cannot challenge it And to this also agrées our Sauiour in the Gospell Luke 12 32. Feare not sayeth hee little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome where in the Greeke the same word in effect is vsed which was vsed before in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Rotson haue both one signification and signifie a speciall fauour or good will towards any one And this is the cause of our iustification In cap. 7. Mat. Ferus also of trust in our owne righteousnesse writes thus When the weather is calme euery building easily standeth but winter tries the strength of the building Hee that trusteth in his owne righteousnes seemes to haue a strong building but in the winter in the time of death it then slips and falles downe For against death our strength is nothing this victory belongeth onely to Christ Here thou maiest stand safely Thus Ferus writeth in his copie imprinted at Paris 1564 but the Romaine Corrector biddes put onely in the edition printed at Rome 1577 As though this victory did not belong onely to Christ but that mans arme and power were able to doe some thing also therein And after of our workes hee writes thus In 8. cap. Mat. First we are taught by this that for our good deedes wee should not hunt after praise with men for they are not ours which God vvorkes by vs. Ferus attributes here all our good works to God and takes them quite awaie from vs but the Romaine Corrector biddes vs adde onely that our good workes are not onely ours as though they were in some part mens and in some part Gods Thus they dissent from Ferus and from the trueth to maintaine mans righteousnesse Of mans naturall corruption Ferus writes thus Againe beasts if they be not prouoked will not hurt thee but an euill man being not prouoked nay whom thou hast doon good to will hurt thee Againe a Serpent though he can infect with his poison yet he feares a man but the wicked without all restraint rageth in whom soeuer Therefore man without God is nothing else but a very bruit beast and dare do any thing Thus Ferus writes teaching plainlie the corruption of our nature but the Romaine Corrector biddes put out is nothing else They will haue some goodnesse remaine in man And againe to the same effect hee writes In cap. Mat. 12. Thou hearest that the Kingdome of Christ is not in vs vnlesse Christ first with his Spirit cast out diuels out of our hearts that hereby thou maiest learne that wee by our owne nature are vnder the diuels Kingdome from which we are not deliuered but by Christ The Romane Corrector biddes put out our nature and put in through our fault we are vnder the diuelles Kingdome They still go about to aduance the nature of man And that wee should put no trust in our selues he writes thus We are vnited to Christ through faith In cap. Mat. 11 and faith onely teacheth to trust in Christ which he cannot doe but that distrusteth in himselfe the which then we doe when we acknowledge our own misery And here thou seest that also which we haue admonished before thy first steppe to saluation is to acknowledge our owne insufficiency I would to God all Catholiques would ascend this steppe and what this insufficiencie is he hereafter further declares for manie Catholiques I thinke will not sticke to saie that their workes are imperfect But Ferus goeth on further For this cause saieth hee vvee haue shewed without confession any can hardly bee saued For God will haue vs freely confesse that we were damned in body and soule and so should euer haue beene vnlesse we had beene saued by the mercie of God bestowed vpon vs in Iesus Christ This confession is necessarie for all men For how perfect soeuer
call him The Lord our righteousnes Psal 4. ◠And thus also Dauid cals him heare me O God that art my righteousnes And this also then is another true marke of the true Church to call account Iesus Christ their righteousnes And if this be his name it must not be giuen to anie other he must haue his name alone himselfe They denie him his name that attribute their righteousnes to an thing else in this world what soeuer And this name haue al Gods saints alwaies attributed vnto him Gen. 18.27 I haue begun to speake vnto my Lord saith Abraham which am but dust and ashes thus basely he thought of himselfe what glorie what beautie is in dust and ashes And O Lord saith Iacob I am not worthie of the least of all thy mercies Gen. 32.10 and of all the truth which thou hast shewed vnto thy seruant As though hee should say I can challenge nothing no not the least grace which thou hast bestowed vpon me And Iob saith Iob. 9.2 How should a man compared to God be iustified If he would dispute with him he could not aunswere one thing for a thousand And to Iob agréeth Dauid Innumerable troubles saith hée are comed about me my sinnes haue taken such holde vpon me that I am not able to looke vp Psal 40.12 Yea they are moe in number then the haires of my head and my heart hath failed me Euen Dauid himselfe thus manie in number accounted his sinnes Act. 13.22 being a man according to Gods owne heart And who dare then account his sinnes fewer And our Sauiour likewise teacheth all his when as they haue done all that is commaunded them if they were able to doe it Luk. 17.10 as there is none able euen then to say and to account themselues in deed vnprofitable seruants Much more then when they shall not be able to doe perfectly euen the least of that which is commaunded them Nay if the Apostles themselues shall say they haue no sinne 1. Io. 1.8 they were lyers Much more then anie other Christians whatsoeuer All true Christians account their works doe they neuer so manie and so excellent but duties not deserts as saint Paul teacheth them For the loue of Christ now saith he pincheth vs or constraineth vs to doe all things 2. Cor. 5.14 For we thus iudge that if one be dead for all then were all dead And he died for al that they which liue should not henceforth liue vnto themselues but vnto him that died for them and rose againe Here is the ende and cause of all good works They are but duties which we are bound to doe for Iesus Christs sake that died for vs if so be we could do euen a thousand times more thē we can doe Mat. 5.16 They are light they are not fire Let your light so shine before men saith our Sauiour that men seeing your good works Luke 12.44 may glorifie your heauenly father But he deserueth the praise of this light that kindled the fire And that is he which said I am come to send fire vpon the earth and what will I now but that it burne Io. 2.18 The light is his that oweth the fire our works are not ours they are but the light of faith The Apostle Paul cals them fruits of righteousnes Phil. 1.11 they are not causes thereof They procéed from it When we are iustified then we bring forth good workes Heb. 11.6 2. Cor. 3.5 Before we can doe nothing that is good no not so much as thinke a good thought He that owes the trée may iustly challenge these fruits Ephes 1.13 After saith saint Paul that the Ephesians beléeued which is their new life and iustification they were also sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of their inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased vnto the praise of his glorie God bestowes all his gifts vpon vs our faith whereby we liue and are iustified the holy spirit whereby we are sealed and assured that we are Gods children whereby we are sanctified and enriched with all good works yea and preserued euen till the day we shall obtaine that glorious kingdome of heauen purchased for vs by Iesus Christ for this onely ende that we should be to the praise of his glorie A Christian must in all things and for all things all his life long glorifie God This is the marke he must shoote at the thing he must doe daily And for this cause God bestowes his benefits yea euen all the good works he doth daily vpon him Gal. 1.23 So the Saints magnified God in Paul being now conuerted So in the Psalme all the saints protest Not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs Psal 1 15 1. but vnto thy name giue the glorie And in the Prophet Esay 26.12 Thou hast wrought all our works in vs. We chalenge nothing our selues but onely glorifie thée that by vs vile earth blunt tooles vnfit instrumēts thou wouldest vouchsafe of thy aboundant mercie wisedome and power to worke such excellent things So that this is another marke of the true Church to attribute and ascribe all her righteousnes to the Lord Iesus Christ Another euident marke of the true Church to be cunning in the Scriptures to haue Gods law in her heart Heb 8.8 And this is that which saint Paul alleadgeth out of Ieremie that out of the mouth of two witnesses Deut. 19.15 this truth might be confirmed to vs That he that should now doubt thereof might iustly be condemned Behold the daies wil come saith the Lord when I shall make with the house of Israel with the house of Iudah a new testament Not like the testament I made with their fathers in the day I tooke them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt For they continued not in my testament and I regarded them not saith the Lord. For this is the testament that I will make with the house of Israel after these daies saith the Lord I wil put my lawes in their minds in their harts I wil write them and I will be their God and they shall be my people And they shall not teach euerie man his neighbour saying know the Lord For all shal know me from the greatest of them to the least of thē Here we may note a notable yea and a principal marke of the true Church God cals this his new testament or couenant Why then they that haue not had this or haue it not are not within the couenāt of God are none of his heirs are not partakers of his testament But what is this couenant They shal haue Gods law written in their heart they shall al know God frō the greatest of thē to the smallest Psal 19.7.119.110 They shall now be all cunning in Gods word that thereby as Dauid saith the verie simple shal get vnderstanding that they shall
Scriptures For our inherent righteousnesse or our inward renouation is knowne chiefely to consist in faith hope and charitie wherefore if we shall proue that faith hope and charitie can bee perfect in this life we shall also proue that the imputation of Christs righteousnesse is not necessarie But how contrarie also is this his doctrine to the scriptures We know in part saith saint Paul and we prophesie in part 1. Cor. 13.10 but when that which is perfect is come that which is in part shall be abolished There is no perfection in this life that shall come hereafter in the life to come No doubt that prayer of the Apostles is set downe as a paterne for all Christians to vse Luke 17.5 euen vnto the worlds ende And the Apostles said vnto the Lord Increase our faith How contrarie also he is in this his assertion to Ferus and other Papists hereafter euidently shal God willing appeare Of the merites also of good workes Maister Bellarmine writes thus And first of the nature of a merit or deseruing Lib. 5. de Iustifica cap. 18. many thinges saith he as the sunne the moone the fields vineyardes and gardens yeelde vs great commodities and yet they are not said properly to deserue any thing of vs because they doe not their dueties voluntarily neither can they choose but they must doe as they doe Then wages is due to a desert or merit but debt ariseth not but hereof that one giues another that which was his owne For if he should not giue his owne but that which was another mans nothing were owing or due to him There is nothing properlie ours but that which is in our owne power either to doe or to let passe These things are in our power and of these we are properlie said to haue the Lordship To conclude our euill workes vnlesse they be done freely deserue no punishment therefore neither good works shall deserue any reward vnlesse they be done voluntarily His drift is to proue that we haue in vs fréewill and therefore we maie deserue of God And therefore he writes thus after Now truely the good workes of the iust deserue eternall life ex condigno worthily not onely by reason of the couenant and acceptation of God but also by reason of the worke it selfe So that in the good workes which proceede from grace there is a certaine proportion and equalitie to the reward of eternall life And after he writes thus Whereby we perceiue that same degree of glorie which is due to vs by right of inheritance is giuen vs also by right of the reward For one thing as we haue often said may bee due by two titles that is by inheritance and of merites How contrarie also in this doctrine is he to the doctrine of the scriptures whereas Christ shall saie to all his Come ye blessed of my father Matth. 25.34 Luke 12.32 inherite ye the kingdome prepared for you And againe Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers pleasure to giue you a kingdome He dare affirme that the saints of God shall not onely inherit this kingdome by their fathers frée gift as the scriptures in these places manifestly teach but also that they shall deserue it How contrarie is he also herein to Philippus de Dies Who saith that the iust can challenge nothing of God and to Ferus as appeares in this that followes But here first let vs marke howe contrarie this his doctrine is to that which Gregory a Byshoppe of Rome concerning this matter Greg. in 7. Psal paenit taught in his dayes The mercie of the Lord sayeth hee is for euer and euer vpon them that feare him if so be that the blessednesse of the Saints is mercy and is not gotten by merites where is that which is written And thou shalt giue to euery man according to his works If it be giuen according vnto works how shall it bee accounted merite But it is one thing to giue according to workes and another to giue for our workes In that hee saieth he will giue euery one according to his works the quality of works is vnderstood that he whose works shall appeare good shall haue that glorious reward For to that blessed life wherein we shall liue with God and of God no labour can be equal nor no works compared especially when as the Apostle saith The sufferings of this life are not worthy the glory which shall be reuealed in vs. Maister Bellarmine saieth that in the good works which proceede from grace there is a certaine proportion and equalitie but Gregory saith no labour or worke can bee compared vnto it And after hee writes thus Although in this respect also it may bee called mercie because it is giuen for those vvorkes which vnlesse Gods mercy did preuent him no man could obtaine wherefore it is said in the Psalme My God his mercie hath preuented me For vnlesse he had made the Vesselles of wrath Vessels of mercy his owne holy life had separated none from that lumpe of perdition his owne righteousnesse had deliuered none from the punishment of euerlasting death Therefore it is certaine that to whome he giues mercifully that in this life they should do well he giues them more mercifully that in that euerlasting blessednes they shuld a hundreth fold be rewarded This is the grace which for grace the Apostle affirmes shall be giuen vnto the Saints of God that to whō in this life is giuen the grace of sanctification to them of this also in the life to come shal be giuen the grace of euerlasting hapines Here wee maie note how Gregory makes two expositions of these wordes God shall render to euery one according to his works And in both he takes awaie all merite and in both he sets downe the onelie cause of our reward to be mercie In the first hee saieth not for our workes as anie cause of our saluation but according to our workes as effectes we shall bee rewarded Againe not according to the quantitie of our workes wherein manie Pagans haue excéeded manie Christians as they which voluntarilie did giue themselues to death for the loue of their countrie these were great workes and of these the Romane histories and other doe testifie but according to the qualitie euen be they neuer so few or so small yet if they shall procéede from a liuelie faith they shall bee rewarded as our sauiour witnesseth Euen a cuppe of cold water giuen in his name Mat. 10.42 shall not loose his reward Naie shall surpasse all the Cuppes of most bitter death which those Pagans suffered for their countrie sakes Such an excellent thing is Christian faith it alone giues vertue and makes acceptable vnto God all our workes Our reward shall bee like theirs that came into the Vineyeard at the last houre of the day Mat. 20.24 the mercifull housholder made them equall with them that came first To teach vs that it is not our vvorking or running
to haue reuenged the griefe of his brotherly pity The purpose of a godly mind lookes for no reward but so hir reward hath the conscience of a good worke and the effecting and bringing to passe of a good deed Base minds are pricked forward with promises and are encouraged with the hope of wages but the good soule which takes vpon hir the battell without the obligation of Gods answere reapes to hir self double fruit of praise that she may lay vp in treasure both the grace of most valiant courage and also of most perfect deuotion Thus must all Abrahams Children doe all their workes euen venture their liues not respecting wages but of a free heart with their father Abraham And of God Ambrose after writes thus And also the iustice of God is herein cōmended who rewards godly minds not by the necessity of his promise but through the consideration of his equity thinking it worthy that they which warre without any reward of man should haue a reward laid vp in store in his goodnes for whose sake they haue ventured their soules c. Gods mercie is aboue his promises naie his mercie is aboue all his works Hée will most assuredlie reward all his Againe Ambrose speaking of the vse of the law writes thus But also the law yeelds me this commodity that we are not iustified of the works of the law Amb. de Iacob beat vit ca. 6 therefore I haue no cause why I should glory in my works I haue no cause why I should boast of my selfe and therefore I will glory in Christ I will not reioice in that I am iust but I will reioice in that I am redeemed I will not reioice that I am void of sinne but because that my sinnes are forgiuen mee I wil not reioyce because I haue doon God any seruice or that any other hath doone any thing for me but because Christ is become my Aduocate with the Father because Christs bloud is shedde for me My fault is now become to me the wages of my redemption by the meanes thereof I obtaine Christ For my sake Christ tasted death my fault profited me more then my innocency my innocency made me arrogant my fault made me humble Here thou maist see wherein the law profited thee c. Granatensis of workes and merites writes thus The second steppe to humility is if a man know that that which he hath from God if so bee that hee haue any thing hee hath not obtained it by his owne strength but by the meere grace and mercy of God Gran. de perfect amor dei cap. 16. that he hath receiued it There are found some that beeing well grounded on the first step confesse that all which they haue comes from God yet notwithstanding they nourish in their breasts a secret perswasion that they haue gotten all that they haue to themselues by their owne labour and merites or deserts when as it is most certaine that the merites themselues as well as that which is obtained by the merites to be the graces of God vvhen as we cannot haue a thought or one good desire that is not of God Furthermore also our works haue not the value and merite they haue of themselues but of the grace of God by which they are doone For euen as the value of any coine is not of the substance of the coine but especially of the Image and inscription that it hath so the merit of our workes doeth not so much proceede of the substance of the worke as of the grace of God which giues value to them And therfore as often as by them any grace is giuen vnto vs euen one grace is giuen for another euen as if a friend should giue thee a hundreth pieces of gold and for them afterwards should giue thee a horse Here were both a selling and a giuing gaine and grace Grace because thy friend gaue thee gaine because vvith the mony that he gaue thee thou boughtest the horse of him The Prophet doth couertly teach vs both these when hee saith Come and buy without money and without any exchange Wine and Milke That is meat and drinke both for the beginners and for those that are perfect In which words when as he biddes vs buy he declares our industry but when as he excludes Siluer and all exchange he shewes grace All this therefore declares that man hath nothing in himselfe whereof he may glory thinking that which he hath comes of himselfe yea rather he ought to thinke that he hath of himselfe infinite sinnes for which he deserues so many hels And that all things else whatsoeuer they are come from aboue from the Father of light and are bestowed on vs of grace when as merite it selfe is grace Thus far Granatensis who plainlie affirmes that all our merites are grace And surelie our wages that the best of vs is to looke for if wee bee worthie of anie is like the wages they receiued that came into the Vineyard at the eleuenth houre of the daie a wages also of grace and not of desert or merit But Granatensis goeth forward To this the fourth steppe is to be added for it is not sufficient that a man acknowledge himselfe poore and destitute of all good things but also it is necessary that he acknowledge how truly hee abounds with many euilles that is how greatly he loues himselfe and his owne will and stands in his owne conceit how liuely are all his euill affections and how perfect are all his wicked motions how inconstant he is in good purposes how lauish in his tongue howe carelesse in keeping of his heart what a louer he is of his owne profit and of the desires of his owne pleasures To know these things is the best knowledge in the world and also most profitable For other knowledges as the Apostle sayeth puffe vs vp but this onely makes vs humble And it is also true that to the obtaining of this knowledge our owne exercise onely sufficeth not but wee stand need also of the light of heauen that the mist of our owne selfe-loue do not blindfold vs which is a very blind iudge And for this cause euery Christian ought to aske of God this light and that as earnestly as Saint Frances did who very often in his prayers repeated these words O my God that I may know thee and that I may knowe me Neither is it sufficient for him that he account himselfe such a poore and grieuous sinner but let him imagine that he is the greatest sinner in the world and the most vile of al sinners And this is a degree higher then the former for as a certain doctor saith It shal hurt thee nothing to cast downe thy selfe at the feet of all men but it may hurt thee if thou preferre thy selfe before any one c. Thus Granatensis would haue euerie Christian humble himselfe And is not this the verie doctrine our Church teacheth Granatensis also of our sinnes and the satisfaction
the beast And doth not the Angell preach the euerlasting Gospell againe at the fall of Antichrists kingdome and at the reedifying of the Church of Christ to all nations kinreds tongues and people As though he had corrupted all these And is then Vniuersalitie if these bée true as they are most true an infallible note of the Church The name also that the Apostle giues to Antichrist declares who he is 2. Thes 2.8 he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without law whom no lawe will bind who will dispense with Gods word And he shall sit in a chaire vers 4. and not be vexed with Elias and Enoch as the Papists following the Iewish opinion héerein do teach And hath not the Pope of long time done so till of late God hath reuealed him and taken the vizard of counterfeit holinesse from his face Antiquitie which they make the second mark of the Church were of some force if it be sincere and pure For that saying of our Sauiour against the Iewes Matt. 19.8 is an vndoubted Maxime of true Christian religion From the beginning it was not so But as Antichrist counterfeited holinesse so he also counterfeited Antiquitie He made Gods people beléeue that all his trish trash was frō the beginning lying like the Gibeonits to Iosuah of their old bread and bottles whereas they were inuented but yesterday and of no great antiquitie at all Ios 9.13 So the blind and superstitious Iewes vrged antiquitie against our Sauiour Christ Art thou greater then our father Abraham Ioh. 8.53 whom makest thou thy selfe And thou art not yet fiftie yeares olde and hast thou seene Abraham Thus they séeme to vrge him with antiquitie But he answered them Before Abraham was I am So the woman of Samaria could saie to Christ Ioh. 4.12 Art thou greater then our father Iacob that gaue vs this well and hee himselfe dranke thereof and his cattell and his children So the old Prophet 1. King 13.14 with his graie haires beguiled the man of God But we must cleaue to the word of God whatsoeuer séems old without this is not old it is copper it is no gold The word of God is the true and only touchstone it onlie endures for euer 1. Pet. 1.25 Gen. 4.26 Succession also of how small force it is the historie of Adam teacheth Enoch began to call vpon the name of the Lord. Adams posteritie as it should seeme till his daies Gen. 11.15 had forgotten this And Heber also teacheth the same which after Enoch his planting of it was quite againe rooted vp and remained in the familie of Heber who not agreeing to go with those wicked Idolaters to build the tower of Babel as some thinke his tongue being not diuided gaue the name to the Hebrue tongue Iud. 2.10 After the daies of Iosuah and the Elders which were in his dayes how soone did the next generation forsake the true worship of God For thus it is written And so all that generation was gathered vnto their fathers and another generation arose after him which neither knew the Lord nor yet the works that he had done for Israel Then the children of Israel did wickedly in the sight of the Lord and serued Baalim And do we thinke our generations without Gods speciall grace to be more sound then they So Manasses the sonne of good Ezechias 2. Chron. 24.2 became a most notable Idolater And euen in the newe Testament that we should not looke for anie better succession Act. 20.29 Saint Paul told the Church of Ephesus that he knew that after his departing should grieuous wolues enter in which should not spare the flocke And Saint Peter tels all Christians in his Catholike Epistle That as there were false Prophets among the people of the Iewes 2. Pet. 2.1 so shall there bee false teachers among thē many shal follow the way of their damnable heresies That mystery of Peters death which our Sauiour told him may haue a good spirituall sense that when he is olde another shall draw him whither he would not Ioh. 21.18 And doth not the Pope so Who saith he is his successour teaching doctrines contrarie to his doctrines in his Epistles Ferus describes the notes of the true Church vpon these words Ferus in 9. cap. Act. The Churches had rest through all Iurie Galile and Samaria and were edified and walked in the feare of the Lord were multiplied by the comfort of the holy Ghost He often repeates and beates into our heads with what goods and riches the Primitiue Church was famous to our shame which seek nothing but earthly things And wee thinke wee haue verie well prouided for the Church if it abound in riches and riot And after vpon these words They entred into the Synagogue The examples of Christian life may be gathered out of this Text. In cap. 12. Act. First they enter into the Synagogue they teach not in corners For he that doth the truth comes vnto the light Secondly thou seest heere that the Iewes on their Sabboths came together to heare the law and for that cause especially the Sabboth was ordained And therefore hee saith not on the Sabboth thou shalt be idle but that thou shalt keep it holy For the day is holy in it selfe but it ought also to be holy vnto vs which then it is when wee cease from doing euill works giue our selues to those which be good and especially to the hearing and meditation of the law of God without which it is not kept holy at all Neither is it sufficient for thee to haue heard once vnlesse thou heare often For the diuell is euer in assaulting thee thou must euer resist him with the word of God by which alone he is ouercome And also thou must meditate in the word of God or else thou hearest in vaine Thou must meditate also of thine owne sinnes and of Gods blessings these things also wee must doe in keeping and sanctifying our Sabboth Thirdly he saith that they sate downe Behold also Paul himselfe sits downe amongst others and heares the law he doth not intrude himselfe rashly or foolishly but with silence hee waites till opportunitie was offered to him of preaching The which thing makes verie much against the despisers of the Scriptures and haters of vocall preachings Fourthly after saith he the reading of the law and the prophets Thou seest here that the word of God not mans fancies was read Thou seest also that they did not only teach the law that is works but the Prophets also that is faith for both these are verie profitable and necessary to saluation Fiftly they sent vnto them Paul did not speake but being commaunded least he should seem to any to be presumptuous against those which cannot hold their peace as Elihu in the booke of Iob. Sixtly he said Men and brethren Thou seest that after the reading of the law and Prophets that