hauing power to iustifie therefore faith only iustifieth The Maior I haue shewed before is not to bee denyed of any Papists because that they seeke not to ioyne with faith any thing in the matter of Iustification but only workes As for my Minor Stap. Antid in Act. 3.10 it is granted by Stapleton in the words before alleadged that the Apostle excludeth Workes from hauing power to iustifie absolutely that is to forgiue sinnes Thus haue we one more on our side then we hoped for and so may be bold I trust to conclude Now although this cloud of witnesses is sufficient I hope to cleere vs from any sinister imputation of euill dealing as if wee would teach that is strange and not heard of but of late dayes yet we haue in this point a better testimonie then all men can affoord vs. For the assurance of this Doctrine is this that the holy Ghost sealeth vp this confidence in our hearts Rom. 8.16 and Gods Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that wee are the children of God and hauing receiued the Sprit of adoption we are bold to cry Abba Father This this I say is the argument that more perswadeth the children of God then all that men can bring This argument did so conuince euen the very conscience of Saint Paul Phil. 3.8.9 That the righteousnesse of the Law was as I may so say but lothsome to him in comparison of that righteousnes which he longed after by Christ This righteousnesse whoso hath a true feeling of he doth but laugh to scorne the idle disputations of them that seeke to proue it must bee had by Workes But I am not ignorant how our Aduersaries doe what in them lyeth to elude the testimonies of God and all good men and as much as they can to dimme the verie light of our consciences that wee should not see this comfort Bell. de Iustif l. 1. c 25 Annot. in Iam. 2.24 And therefore Bellarmine seemeth to make some answer to some few places alleaged out of the Scriptures and Fathers against them So doe the Rhemists too in their Annotations vpon the new Testament But all in vaine the Sunne of truth shineth so cleere that all they can doe is not sufficient to dimme the light thereof For this word Faith only being so commonly vsed as it is teacheth vs that nothing but faith is that which by our Sauiour Christ iustifieth For it only cannot be said to doe it if eyther Law of Ceremonies or of the Commandements the workes eyther of the vnrighteous or of the faithfull bee ioyned with it And therefore though our Aduersaries would sometime exclude one thing from iustifying sometime another yet so long as they exclude not all but faith in Christ Iesus from being cause of our Iustification they seeke but to deceiue vs. Aug de fide operibuc 14. Good workes necessarie when we are iustified Aug. de fide operibus cap. 14. Yet I denie not but workes as S. Augustine sayth doe follow him that alreadie is iustified though they goe not before him that is to be iustified For they are as a little before I said out of Thomas of Aquine the execution and manifestation of our righteousnesse but no causes therof In which sence the Fathers very often especially Saint Augustine in many places hauing shewed plentifully out of the Apostle That we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Yet withall he giueth vs to vnderstand that Hoc non agit vt percepta ac professa fide opera iustitiae contemnantur hee goeth not about thereby to make vs contemne the workes of righteousnesse we once hauing receiued and professed faith No we when once we are iustified are Gods workemanship Ephes 2.10 created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Againe they tell vs some of the Fathers speake of faith as it is Dogmaticall for our profession or Religion and that in such sence only they affirme Faith only to iustifie because it is the true and not a false faith that must saue Of which I sayd somewhat before when I alleadged the words of Leo for confirmation of our Doctrine But yet somewhat more to explane the matter wee must consider that faith hath two respects Outward Doctrine The one as it is an outward thing which is taught or wee may reade of it in Bookes That pierceth the eares it hath also consent of the minde and vnderstanding when we yeeld to the truth therof But this though a true faitht yet vntill it be planted in the heart and beleeued iustifieth not As for example the Deuill may and did know the true faith as when he said Iesus the Sonne of God Mat. 8.29 Mark 1.24 what haue wee to doe with thee Againe What haue we to doe with thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know what thou art That holy ome of God We reade also elsewhere in Saint Marke Mark 3.11 When the vncleane Spirits saw Christ they fell downe before him and cryed saying Thou art the Sonne of God And Saint Iames sayth plainely Iam. 2.19 The Deuils beleeue that there is one God and tremble But our Aduersaries will grant that although it is a Catholicke faith that the Deuils haue yet it furthereth them not to saluation That faith in Christ Iesus doth iustifie is a true faith that is a true Doctrine yet no doubt acknowledged of many that shall neuer find with comfort the sweetnesse thereof But when this perswasion is well rooted in the heart Inward assurance so that it maketh vs to rest and repose our selues vpon God which we call beleeuing in God then doth it iustifie Thus then although it is most true that it must be a Catholike not an Hereticall faith that saueth yet euen that true Catholike faith doth not quicken it doth not sanctifie or iustifie vnlesse to our endlesse comfort we receiue the same into the heart And so as the Catholike faith is only auaileable so vntill it be receiued into the heart it helpeth not and then it only iustifieth But many things are out of the Scripture obiected against this Doctrine whereby the simple and such as are not acquainted with the Word Heb. 3.14 neyther by long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill as the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh may soone be deceiued For to such as haue not iudgement to trye Metals euen Tinne will seeme Siluer and Copper Gold because in colour they are somewhat like To say nothing of such places it may bee dangerous in these our euill dayes lest thereby some that desire to know the truth by the name of Scripture wrested to a wrong sence may be led into errour And yet to speak of euery particular place alleadged would bee verie tedious for they are many I haue therefore thought good to draw them into some few heads and so
It was impossible for the Law in as much as it was weake Rom. 8.2.3 because of the flesh to free vs from the Law of sinne or of death If then our obedience be so vnperfit can wee hope to finde quietnesse in our consciences and peace with GOD when wee shall stand before him who because he is infinite in wisedome seeth all things bee they done neuer so secretly or in the darke yea hee heareth what we whisper in the eare and knoweth the most secret thoughts of the heart and because he is iust will punish transgressors and in that he is Almightie is able to take vengeance No no our best workes can in this case giue vs no securitie Then by inherent righteousnesse we haue not peace with God But that knowing our selues to bee acquited of our sinnes wee haue peace with GOD and in that sence wee take this word of iustifying it is most plaine Sinne hindreth our peace with God For first the thing that hindreth this our peace is sinne sinne I say that naughtie and noysome neighbour euen the worst neighbour that any man can dwell with It neuer resteth but eyther by faire meanes or foule it intiseth to consent to it Rom. 7.23 For what else is that Law that Paul did see in his mēbers rebelling against the Law of his mind and leading him captiue vnto the law of sinne which was in his members And when it hath preuailed Psal 51.3 it is euer before vs as a seruant of God complaineth neither will it let vs take any rest Gen. 4.7 it lyeth at the doore of our conscience alwaies accusing and bawling against vs. And marke I pray you what sowre fruit this bitter roote yeeldeth It maketh a breach betweene God and vs as the Prophet Esay telleth Gods people in his dayes Esa 59.2 Your sinnes haue separated betweene you and your God and your iniquities haue hidden his face from you that hee will not heare And by that meanes wee are depriued of many blessings which GOD vseth to bestow vpon his seruants as another of the Prophets also saith to the Iewes Ier. 5.25 Your iniquities haue turned away these things speaking of raine in due season and the appointed time of haruest and your sinnes haue hindered good things from you Leuit. 26. Deut. 8. And yet by sinne wee haue greater hurt then this For God denounceth many plagues against his people if they transgresse which also that he can powre vpon the inhabitants of the earth when in his iust iudgement hee will execute the same the drowning of the World in that generall deluge and the casting of fire and brimstone from Heauen vpon those wicked Cities of the plaine and the rooting out of that Nation which he did chuse to serue him doth sufficiently teach vs. Vntill then sinne so odious to GOD so grieuous vnto men bee taken away it is impossible there should be any true quietnesse or peace vnto men For GOD often telleth his people howsoeuer they would flatter themselues in their owne strength or in the friendship of their confederates or in their externall ceremonies and seruice of GOD in outward shew That there is no peace to the wicked Esa 48.22 Esa 50.11 Psal 14.5 1. Thess 5. ◠but they shall lye downe in sorrow and feare where no feare is because they haue promised to themselues peace and safetie without this atonement with God Out of all which it doth appeare that if wee will haue peace with God we must first haue sinne this cumbersome neighbour remoued which altogether hindereth this reconciliation whereby we haue quietnesse of consciences Therefore the Apostle telleth vs Rom. 3.24.25 that Wee are iustified freely by Gods grace through the redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation through faith in his bloud Reconciliation with God by forgiuenesse of sinne Act. 13.38 Ephes 1.7 to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes that are past through the patience of God And the same Apostle preaching at Antioch teacheth this Iustification in these words Men brethren through this man is preached vnto you forgiuenesse of sinnes as also elsewhere By Christ we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to his rich grace Which great and inestimable benefit whoso feeleth hath to his vnspeakeable comfort a most sweet tast of that blessednes which the Apostle out of the Prophet Dauid mentioneth Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen Ps 32.1 2. Rom. 4.7 S. Aug. de verb. Dom. Serm. 61. Hieron in Rom. 4. or whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth not sinne Fide viuenti sayth Saint Augustine soluuntur peccata He who liueth by faith hath his sinnes forgiuen him And Saint Hierome hauing written thus Per solam fidem iustificat Deus God by faith only doth iustifie doth after shew how this iustification is and in what manner Proposuit per solam fidem peccata dimittere He purposed to forgiue sinnes by faith only And thus by forgiuenesse of sinnes the cause of this dangerous iarre betweene GOD and vs being taken away we haue boldnesse to cal him Father and to stand before him pleading not guiltie But God gaue a Law to his people Exo. 23.15 Good workes That none should appeare before the Lord emptie So that being now freed from sinne yet must we be fraught and loden with holinesse and righteousnesse Well therefore doth Saint Peter out of the Psalme conioyne these two precepts Eschew euill doe good Psa 34.14 1. Pet. 3.11 But where shall this goodnesse be had Or how shall wee get any thing that may bee acceptable to God Our light is but darkenesse our righteousnesse but as stained clothes And when we haue indeuoured our selues as much as we are able to serue the Lord yet shall we find many wants much imperfection It is therefore good we doe as did Bernard who of himselfe thus writeth Ber. in Cantic ser 61. Christ alone supplyeth all our wants Ego vero fidenter quod ex me mihi deest vsurpo mihi ex visceribus Domini quia misericordia affluunt nec desunt foramina per quae effluant I sayth Bernard doe boldly take out of the bowels of the Lord that which I want of mine owne because they abound with mercie neyther want they holes by which they may gush out And after he addeth what holes these are Foderunt manus cius pedes eius latusque lancea forauerunt per has rimas licet mihi sugere mel de petra oleumque de saxo durissimo id est gustare videre quà m suauis est Dominus Psal 21.16 They haue pierced mine hands and my feet and haue opened my side with a speare and by these rifts I may sucke hony out of the rocke and oyle out of the hardest stone that is I may taste and see how sweet the Lord
deuices No no vnlesse this our garment be dipt in the bloud of Christ and so made white it will euer appeare defiled A fift obiection They tell vs that eternall life is called a reward great is your reward in Heauen Mat. 5.12 As before in answering their third obiection I sayd that not euery promise proueth that which is giuen to be merited by the worke so heere I doe auerre How life eternall is called a reward that the calling of eternall life a reward doth not euict that it is giuen in regard of the worthinesse of the worke If you demand why it is then called a reward I answere It pleaseth God not only to acquaint vs with his will that we may know what is good and what is euil but also by many arguments sometime of his power sometime of his Iustice sometime of his goodnesse to moue his people to obedience To them therefore that with more alacritie Gal. 6.10 While we haue time to do good vnto all men as the Apostle exhorteth he telleth vs that our labour shall not be without reward The like argument doth the Apostle vse to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15.58 Therefore my beloued brethren be yee stedfast vnmoueable abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. But eternall life is called a reward Be it so It is also called a Kingdome Mat. 25.34 and that prepared for Gods seruants from the beginning of the world If prepared so long since for them then not bestowed for the worthinesse of their worke If a Kingdome it is an inheritance that is giuen by grace for we are sonnes by adoption heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. Or else by election we haue this inheritance Rom. 8.17 For no man is elected to a Kengdome in regard of his merits especially so long before hee can doe any thing for it Coloss 3.24 The Apostle calleth it a reward of inheritance Ye shall receiue a reward of inheritance sayth he Howsoeuer therefore it is called sometime a reward yet is it a reward that is promised Gal. 3.29 Bel. de Iustific l. 5. c. 18. and therefore Saint Paul sayth Wee are heires by promise And therefore Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that remota promissione non tenetur Deus acceptare opus nostrum ad mercedem taking away the promise God is not bound to accept our worke to reward it Now if a father promise his sonne being yet but a childe both in strength and discretion and such children are we in heauenly matters a great reward if hee doe some small matter at his appointment yet such as hee knoweth passeth eyther his abilitie or skill whether shall we say when this recompence is giuen that it is of promise or of dutie The sonne indeuoureth as well as he can to doe it and with much adoe with continuall helpe of his father he doth it at length in some sort I hope no man will say his worke deserued it For the Father promised much for a small matter hee helpeth his sonne to doe it and beareth in the end with many wants euen so God for the little that wee can doe promiseth much and that wee doe hath many imperfections too Can wee then thinke of merit Ber in Cant. Serm. â—7 No no the Spouse of Christ doth then shew her selfe to be more full of grace when she ascribeth all to grace knowing her part is first and last Luk. 17.7 But against the meriting of the reward that parable in S. Luke is most plaine A seruant ploweth or doth any other worke in the field when hee commeth home his Master biddeth him not sit downe but willeth him to dresse meat and giue himselfe and wait and serue him teaching vs that we haue no time to bestow otherwise then vpon our Masters worke Ambros in Luke 17. Theopilact in Luk. 17. We must alwayes while wee liue be doing saith Ambrose This Parable sheweth saith Theophilact that a man must not be proud of any good worke no neyther yet in the fulfilling of all the Commandements For the seruant must doe what his Master commandeth neither must hee ascribe it to himselfe as a good worke Ambros in Luk. 7. Dionis Carthus in Luk. 17. And Ambrose gathereth the same lesson too Let no man glory of workes for we owe our seruice to the Lord. So doth the Carthusian also The seruant is tyed to this and after his worke in the field he must labour in the house that he may daily be labouring It being thus let vs consider of the conclusion of the Parable So likewise ye Luk. 17.10 when you haue done all things which were commanded you say We are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that was our dutie to doe Hieron ad Ctesiphontem Theophil in Luk. 17. No merit in this worke If that seruant were vnprofitable that did all sayth Hierom What shall we say of him that could not doe it Theophilact also in like manner If when we haue done all the Commandements yet wee haue no cause to thinke well of our doing how greatly doe we sinne when not doing the greatest part of Gods Commandements yet we are proud of our doing The Carthusian likewise If they must account themselues vnprofitable seruants who haue fulfilled all the Commandements what shall we doe who in so many things transgresse and so vnperfectly perchance keepe that we keepe that as the Prophet Esai sayth all our righteousnesse is like a filthy clout But Bellarmine telleth vs De Iustific lib. 5. cap. 5. Bernard de tripl custodia Bernard de precepto dispensatione that Christ so concludeth to teach humilitie I answere with Bernard Sanè propter humilitatem sed numquid contra veritatem True indeed for humility but is it against verity He also elsewhere thus speaketh to that seruant You are free from duty but not glorious by merit You haue escaped punishment but haue not gotten the crowne The Parable teacheth vs that all wee can doe is dutie therefore wee may not thinke of merit because whatsoeuer wee are able to performe at any time in any place by any meanes we owe all that seruice to God Lastly I come to those words of Iames in shew as contrarie to Saint Paul as can be yet because they both had one teacher both were guided in writing by one Spirit and were both of one faith and Religion we are sure both teach one Doctrine Rom. 3.28 Iam. 2.24 What Iustification is by workes Iude 4. Aug lib. 83. quaest 76. de fide operibus cap. 14. And yet Paul sayth We are iustified by faith without workes Iames sayth Wee are iustified by workes and not by faith only and both these are most true For if we speake of the cause of Iustification then must wee hearken to Saint Paul who teacheth that is by faith without workes But because many turning the grace of God
is not one word of Workes but all is ascribed to Christ Wherein the Apostle also writeth so carefully and so warily as if he feared nothing more then that man should rest any thing vpon his Merits To conclude therefore this my first argument I say with the Apostle If it be of grace it is no more of Workes Rom. 11.6 or else were grace no more grace but if it bee of Workes it is no more grace for then were Workes no more Workes So that because the Apostle sayth it is of grace and by faith without Workes therefore Workes are wholly excluded as Andradius himselfe will warrant me to say For Mercedis ratio Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. cum gratiae nomine ex aduerso pugnat For the consideration of reward or Merit is cleane contrarie to grace A second argument I take from the finall causes of this doctrine of Iustification by faith only which are two set downe by the Apostle The one in this Chapter immediately before the words of my Text namely to exclude our reioycing or boasting But if all workes bee not disabled as insufficient causes of our Iustification some workes should be left wherein we might reioyce To exclude reioycing in our selues For by reioycing the Apostle meaneth nothing else but that confidence that men haue whereby they content themselues as if they were out of danger of Gods wrath Saint Paul then concluding out of that he hath taught of Iustification by faith that our reioycing is thereby taken away teacheth vs thus much that whoso apprehendeth with an assured faith this Iustification that we haue by Christ resteth nothing vpon his owne workes or contenteth not himselfe with the righteousnesse that is by the Law But on the contrarie our Aduersaries suppose their reioycing is not taken away In so much as a great man among them dareth affirme Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. That heauenly blisse is not so freely giuen of God and liberally as in respect of their workes it is due And by and by after We gather that eternall felicitie ought not to bee imputed according to grace but according to debt And therefore within a few words after he also defineth Merit Merit A free action whereunto a reward is due Which Doctrine of Andradius because it is also the Doctrine of the Romish Church wee may truly affirme of them that they doe what in them lyeth to make the Apostle a Lyer when hee affirmeth that reioycing is taken away by the Law of faith seeing they still reioyce and content themselues in their workes But I will end this with one short argument If Iustification may bee by workes then is not our reioycing in the Law taken away by faith but it is by faith taken away therefore Iustification is not by workes The Minor proposition is the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 11.6 The Maior is proued by that which a little before out of the Apostle I alleadged that workes and grace cannot both stand as causes of our Iustification But notably for this purpose doth Chrysostome gather out of these words Chrys in Epist ad Rom. hom 7 If the faithfull man and he who is saued would thinke well of himselfe in this respect that he regardeth the Law doe heare in these words how by the Law it selfe his mouth is stopped how by the Law hee is accused how the Law it selfe denieth as it were saluation to sinners and excludeth all boasting and he who as yet beleeueth not being hereby deiected and humbled may take occasion to draw neere vnto faith thou seest how great force faith hath how it driueth vs from whatsoeuer we had before not suffering vs to reioyce though neuer so little in them And a little before he hath sayd that God saueth Nullis ad hoc vsus operibus sed fidem tantum exigens Not vsing for our Iustification any workes but requiring faith only Sedul in Epist ad Rom. cap. 3. Sedulius also verie well noteth thus Talis gloriatio quae veniebat ex operibus legis excluditur Such reioycing is excluded as commeth of the workes of the Law Our comfort Another end why our Iustification is by faith is for our vnspeakeable comfort That it might come by grace and the promise might bee sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 Whereas if wee should seeke to get the inheritance by the Law Gal. â— 18 we could not thinke to haue it by promise and so in respect of our owne manifold imperfections wee might alwayes bee doubtfull and wauering and farre from that comfort that Gods children finde in themselues In this respect then it is good that we perswade our selues that we are saued by grace Bell. de Iustific l. 5. c. 7 that we may looke vnto Christ only Yea Bellarmine himselfe giueth this aduice Propter incertitudinem propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia ponere In respect of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie the safest way is to put all our confidence only in Gods mercy and goodnesse Very well writeth vpon these words of the Apostle Theophilact Theophil in Epist ad Rom. 4. Quum vniuersa sint in Dei tum gratia tum misericordia fita profecto quae ab eoconferuntur stabilia fore certa omni semini id est credentibus cunctis existimanda sunt Seeing all things are of Gods grace and mercie sure the things that are giuen from him as it may be thought are stable and sure to all the seed that is to all beleeuers Ambros in Epist ad Rom. 4. Saint Ambrose also sayth Firma esse non potest promissio omni semini hoc est omni homini ex omni gente nisi fuerit ex fide The promise cannot bee firme vnto all the seed that is to all men of euery Nation vnlesse it bee of faith And he after yeeldeth a reason of that he hath said because by the Law we are found guiltie and the promise cannot be giuen to them that are guiltie vnlesse they bee purified which must bee done by faith Thus then I reason The promise of Iustification must be sure but vnlesse it be of faith it cannot be sure therefore the promise of Iustification must bee of faith The Maior is Saint Pauls Rom. 4.16 The Minor is the former wordes of Saint Ambrose A third argument to proue that euen the workes of them that are regenerate cannot iustifie and are excluded by Saint Paul from hauing that force is taken from the example of Abraham who is set forth as a patterne in whom wee may learne how wee all can attaine to Iustification as it is plaine to see in the fourth Chapter of this Epistle to the Romanes Abraham Abraham not iustified by workes a good while after he was called out of Vr of the Chaldees had liued a good time in obedience vnto
euery man according to his worke I say his worke not other mens workes For as S. Paul saith 2. Cor. 5.10 We must all appeare before the Iudgement seat of Christ that euery man may receiue the things which are done in his body according to that he not another hath done whether it be good or euill It is therefore a farre more Christian lesson to learne out of these wordes Eph. 2.10 because we are Gods workmanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath ordayned that wee should walke in them Gal. 6.10 1. Pet. 1.17 while we haue time to doe good vnto all men as S. Paul exhorteth vs and to passe the time of our dwelling here in feare as S. Peter willeth then so to puffe vp our selues with pride of our merits as if we had some good in vs 1. Cor. 4.7 that we haue not receiued as the Apostle vpbraideth the Corinthians Thirdly they obiect against this doctrine of Iustification such Scriptures as promise vnto workes eternall life Reuel 7.14 Promise of life eternall These are they saith Christ which did come out of great tribulation and haue washed their long robes white in the bloud of the Lambe Therefore are they in the presence of the Throne of God 15. Mat. 25.34 35. Of this sort also is that Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world For I was hungry and yee gaue me meat I thirsted and yee gaue me drinke I was a stranger and yee lodged me Bellarm. de Iustific l. 5. cap. 3. c. It seemeth Bellarmine reposeth in this argument much confidence as did that great Goliah the Philistine in his great strength and mighty weapons But not euery promise of reward proueth that the thing whereunto it is so promised deserueth the reward Mat. 5.10 which our Aduersaries are to proue Blessed are they the Truth himselfe telleth vs which suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the Kingdome of heauen And yet the Apostle S. Paul counteth Rom. 8.18 That the afflictions of this present life are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed vnto vs. Neither doth the Apostle take vpon him to controll that which Christ affirmed For Christ speaketh of a reward which shall be giuen in mercy S. Paul telleth vs that eternall life cannot be gotten by merits Mat. 10.42 Likewise Whosoeuer shall giue a cup of cold water only to one of these little ones to drinke in the name of a Disciple verily I say vnto you hee shall not leese his reward Vpon which wordes the Author of the vnperfect worke in Chrysostome Author oporis Imperf hom 26. writeth thus Non quia aliquid est quod dat habet mercedem sed quia magnus est propter quem dat He hath his reward not because it is any thing that he giueth but because hee is great for whose sake hee giueth it And Leo a Pope handling the same wordes too yeeldeth this reason why a cup of cold water a thing of it selfe very meane should haue promise of reward saith thus Quae per se vilsa sunt fides efficit pretiosa Leo serm 6. de quadrag simile ser 4. de itiun ser 3. Things base of themselues faith maketh precious But to this end that which before I spoke of the workes of the regenerate tendeth For let a man not regenerate offer many times of I say not cold water but of most precious liquor to what vse or to whom he will yet cannot he hope for any reward in heauen For it is faith that purifieth our hearts and also teacheth vs to depend vpon the goodnes of God framing our hearts vnto obedience and seasoneth our offrings and all that we doe It is faith I say that taking hold of the promises looketh in all our workes not what we doe but what God promiseth August in Psal 32. Non aliquid Deo dedimus debitorem tenemus Vnde debitorem quia promissor est Non dicimus Deo Redde quod accepisti sed Redde quod promisisti We gaue nothing to God and he is become our debter How is he our debter Because he is a promiser We say not to God Restore what thou hast receiued but Pay that thou hast promised And againe Fidelis Deus qui se nobis fecit debitorem August in Psal 109. non aliquid à nobis accipiendo sed tanta promittendo God is faithfull who hath made himselfe our debter not in taking any thing of vs but in promising so great things to vs. Wee therefore confesse that eternall life is a reward giuen to good workes but not in respect of the merit of the worke but in regard of the promise which he that is faithfull hath made A seruant is hyred to doe his Masters worke hee agreeth of his wages and taketh the worke in hand But his Master oft findeth fault with his negligence want of skill to worke as he should or other wants whereby his worke he findeth not well done which he also might if he would alleage as not being bound to pay for that is not done or is euill done Yet his Master payeth him that he promised not because his worke deserued the wages but because he promised him so much and was not willing to remember all the faults that were in the worke Euen so is it with the best seruants that God hath Our seruice is farre short of that it should be yet God for Christ his sake pardoneth our wants accepteth our good indeuours and because he is faithfull is as good as his word and promise to vs. A fourth obiection they haue out of such places as testifie of the innocency of Gods seruants And they are of two sorts For the Prophet Dauid doth very often by that argument craue aide of God Psal 7.8 because of his innocency and righteousnesse Iudge thou me O Lord saith he according to my righteousnesse and according to the innocency that is in me Psal 25.21 Againe Let my vprightnesse and equitie preserue me Whoso readeth the booke of Psalmes shall find this very common Innocent herein not simply But out of such prayers no man may conclude that Dauid pleadeth righteousnes before God or merit of works He only alleageth that in this point he was righteous that he had giuen no iust cause to them why they should so persecute and pursue him and seeke his life Therefore hee complayneth that they hate him without a cause Psal 35.19 Psal 69.4 and make him restore the thing hee neuer tooke Infinite such places are in Scripture whereby it plainely appeareth what innocency or righteousnesse the Prophet speaketh of Not that he is iust before God but that men deale vniustly with him And this is no good argument Dauid saith he is righteous in respect of his aduersaries malice against him therefore he pleadeth his iustice before God himselfe or
into wantonnesse gathered out of the Apostles words that so they beleeued they needed no regard or care how they liued as Augustine saith in moe places then one Therefore Saint Iames teacheth how men shall know that wee are iustified and what manner of faith this true faith is For faith without workes as it is not a true or liuing but a counterfeit and dead faith so it auaileth nothing to Iustification So that the word of Iustification hath not the like signification in S. Iames that it had in S. Paul For in S. Paul it is taken for our iustification before God as in the beginning I haue declared plentifully And in S. Iames it signifieth that Iustification before men whereby we are knowne to be righteous S. Iames his words tend to that end Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes He would haue a faith shewed to men which cannot be but by workes for works are the touchstone whereby a true and liuely faith is discerned from a false and dead faith when oportuniry is offered to vs to bring forth that fruit Otherwise the faith that many speake of will proue no better scarse so good Vers 19. as that the Deuils haue who beleeue and tremble Therefore as S. Peter exhorteth vs to beautifie our selues with that better then any golden chaine of Christian vertues which will make vs neither idle nor vnfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.8 in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ so doth S. Iames giue them of his time to vnderstand how they haue mistaken a bare name of faith and knowledge of Christ for an effectuall and a iustifying faith He therefore speaketh in this sort Thou saist thou hast faith I see it not for thy workes shew no such matter Proue then before men that thou hast this confidence in God that thou hast this assurance within thee of thy atonement with him Primasius who wrote about 1100. yeeres since so expoundeth these wordes reconciling that which seemed to bee contradiction in the Apostles S. Iames saith he speaketh of the workes that shew a man to be faithfull Primas in Rom. cap. 3. as himselfe in that which followeth expoundeth it Shew me by workes thy faith It is workes whereby faith is knowne Venerable Bede also is of that minde Bede vpon Iam. 2. that Iames would vt fidem suam per opera probarent That they should proue their faith by their workes But Thomas of Aquine the Angellicall Doctor whose authority in the Romish Church will beare the sway will loose this knot For reconciling those wordes of PAVL Gal. 3.11 No man is iustified by the Law with these wordes of Iames Iam. 2.21 ABRAHAM was iustified by workes He telleth that the iustification that is of workes is an execution or manifestation of righteousnesse whereby he is shewed to be iust And by and by after The righteousnesse before God is in the inner heart Tho. Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. but the righteousnes that is of workes that is that maketh knowne or manifest him that is iust is before men What can be spoken more plaine S. Paul teacheth how with boldnes we may stand before God pleading not guilty now this confidence is alwayes within vs S. Iames would haue this by their fruit to appeare vnto others Lest men deceiue their owne hearts Iam. 1.26 and the Religion of such men proue vaine as himselfe saith elsewhere Thus then truly considering in what sense the one and the other Apostle doe take the word Iustification the difference appeareth to be none at all and so the matter is easily compounded And thus I trust it will appeare the premises truly considered that our interpretation of the Apostles wordes A man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law is both true and Catholike Rom. 3.28 our conclusion that out of them we gather is sound and agreeable to the Apostles doctrine hauing a very great consent of most approued antiquitie yea and of Popish writers too And our workes how good soeuer haue not in them any worthinesse or merit but are in mercy rewarded according to promise So that the seruant of God must learne with good Bernard to say Bern. super Cantic ser 67. Gratia reddit me mihi iustificatum gratis sic liberatum a seruitute peccati Grace restoreth me to my selfe iustified freely and so deliuered from the thraldome of sinne Luk. 2.23.24 Then shall we sing with that multitude of heauenly Souldiers praysing God and saying Glory be to God on high Yea with those many Angels round about the Throne Reuel 5.11 and about the Beasts and the Elders and those thousand thousands Saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches 12. and wisedome and strength and honor and glory and prayse because O Lord Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud 9. Reuel 1.5 yea thou hast loued vs and in it hast washed vs from our sinnes Which Meditations will teach vs casting off all confidence in our selues or our owne righteousnesse 1. Iob. 3.8 Mat. 1.21 to rest only vpon him that came to destroy the workes of the Deuill and to saue his people from their sinnes who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honor and praise now and euer AMEN FINIS