GOD had done no doubt many good Workes and offered many Sacrifices vnto God yet without respect vnto any of his Workes that hee now the childe and seruant of God had done Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15 6. Gal. 4.9.3 Rom. 4.13 and that his beleeuing was imputed to him for righteousnesse And therefore Paul is bolde to vse such exclusiue words The promise was not giuen through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith And Sicut Abrahae nostra filiorum eius per gratiam sayth Primasius Primas in Epist ad Rom. 4. As was the Iustification of Abrahams so is ours also who are his children by grace But to be short I suppose we may bee bold to gather out of that which is said this reason As Abraham was iustified so shall wee bee but Abraham was iustified by faith without the workes that he did being Gods seruant therefore we also shall so be iustified All this argument may well and strongly be prooued out of this fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes But what neede many Arguments Confitentem habemus reum Stapleton our Countriman a sure friend to the Romish Church and as loth as any of them to write any thing that might any way impugne their Popish Maximes seeing the deadly wound which these words of the Apostle giue to their Doctrine of Merits is very carefull to salue that sore yet the force of truth driueth him to grant that heere the Apostle Antidot in Rom. 3.28 Our works cannot merit forgiuenesse of sinnes Excludit opera à virtute iustificandi absolutè id est à virtute remittendi peccata Excludeth Workes from hauing power simply or absolutely to iustifie that is to remit sinne or from power to remit sin What can be more plaine Good Workes cannot obtaine remission of sins sayth Stapleton and therefore not iustifie absolutely or perfitly Now an vnperfit Iustification we are not acquainted withal neither hath Christ or any of his Apostles taught vs any such But we know that a perfect cause hath her perfect effect a perfit Sacrifice such an one was that which Christ offered hath obtained perfect Iustification before God for all beleeuers But heere I would faine haue asked a question of Stapleton if he had beene aliue or of some other friend of his seeing hee is gone to giue an account how well he hath vsed his talent whether to gaine soules to Christ or to Antichrists how Parish Priests shall doe hereafter When men and women come to bee shriuen and haue confessed their sinnes shall their Ghostly Father bid them fast so many Frydayes Wednesdayes or Saints Eeues gad on Pilgrimage to Hales or Buxton to Compostel to Rome or to Loretta weare Haire-cloth next their skinne goe bare-foote and bare-legged shall they torment their bodie with Whips or other punishments Popish penances plaine cozenages or begger their Posteritie in building Chaunteries and such like places for satisfaction for sinne All this is to no purpose For Stapleton assureth vs there is in these or any other though better workes by farre such as GOD hath commanded no power to remit sinne so that Iustification must bee sought for some better way And so it seemeth the World hath beene couzened a great while by these cogging Companions which haue made men and women beleeue that by such Workes they may satisfie for their sinnes And thus I trust vpon so good a confession of Stapleton so good warrant of the Word and sure grounds of doctrine wee may conclude that a man is iustified and accounted guiltlesse before God by faith apprehending Christ Iesus in whom we haue redemption by forgiuenesse of our sinnes without any Merit of our Wrokes whether before or after our Iustification Now that which out of these words we conclude doth of necessitie follow but that our Aduersaries fearing lest their Diana of Merits should be nothing esteemed if they cast not a mist before mens eyes to hinder from them seeing the cleere light of truth that shineth in our Doctrine Act. 19.25.28 assemble as did the Siluersmiths at the call of Demetrius who told them by that craft they got their goods and with such other speeches made them full of wrath insomuch as they cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Euen so is it with vs. The Romish Demetrius that getteth much by selling such as they call good Workes with his followers seeking to defend the Doctrine of Merits cry out of that which teacheth Iustification by faith only whereby they may haue much losse if want of euill gotten goods may bee counted losse I confesse we teach that Faith only doth iustifie that is that a true and liuely faith wrought in our hearts by Gods Spirit working by loue True faith only iustifieth fruitfull in good workes adorned and beautified with holinesse of life for these are badges whereby to know a true faith doth iustifie and acquite vs before God so as wee boldly stand and plead not guiltie Whereby our Aduersaries may see how vniustly they slander vs and our Doctrine as if wee were enemies to all good Workes And yet we only teach that such a true faith as I haue now described without respect of the Workes that alwayes accompanie it doth iustifie not by the Merit of this faith but in that it is our hand whereby we apprehend and hold fast that Iustification which we haue in Christ through the vnspeakeable mercie of God And this our Doctrine is so warranted in Sacred Scripture as nothing more Saint Paul doeth often vse exclusiue words Exclusiue words Negatiue Equiualent as these are without the Law without Workes Sometime plaine negatiue words Not by Workes not by the Law Otherwhile words equiualent or of such like force As by grace Freely These manners of speech when I consider of I cannot but like well of the good and Christian counsell giuen by Primasius an ancient Writer Audi gratis tace de Meritis Heare what the Apostle sayth freely and speake not a word of Merits Thus therefore I reason for our Doctrine of Iustification by faith only If Workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification then faith only euen by the confession of our Aduersaries doth iustifie For our Romish Catholikes denie not this our Doctrine but in respect of workes neyther doe they in any their Bookes or Writings seeke to match any thing with faith as cause of Iustification but workes only But workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification as the Apostle most plainly proueth Gal. 2.16 Know ye that a man is not iustified by the Workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Againe Ye are saued by grace Eph. 2.8.9 through faith not of your selues it is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast himselfe Lastly these words to the Romanes are very effectuall Rom. 1.28 Therfore wee conclude that a man is iustified
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
he meant and saith For by the Law is knowledge of sinne But the Apostle himselfe is best Interpreter of his owne meaning Out of that he had said some perchance would gather that he had little regard to the Law whereby the Iewes would be offended for they knew the Law was giuen of God Others would take occasion thereupon more boldly to transgresse to meet therefore with these inconueniences hee maketh vnto himselfe this obiection Rom. 3.31 Doe wee then make the Law of no effect through faith Yea we establish the Law But the Law ceremoniall is not by the Gospell established Hebr. 10.1 Rom. 10.4 but abolished For that Law had but the shaddow of good things to come But the end of the Law is Christ So that he offering himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse to God the Father Iob. 19.30 a sacrifice for sin did vpon good ground say It is finished So as Christ being come if wee will still tye our selues to the obseruation of that Law Gal. 5.2 Paul telleth vs that Christ shall profit vs nothing 4. Yee are saith he abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Therefore were the Apostles in their dayes very carefull to teach men to rest vpon Christ and not to imagine that now in the time of the Gospell they are tyed to those impotent and beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 as the Apostle calleth them This may appeare by that notable Councell Act. 15. and in diuers places Much more might bee alleaged to proue that the Law ceremoniall cannot in this place be vnderstood But this I trust is sufficient and had indeed beene more then enough but that our Aduersaries of later time Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. c. 19. Andrad Orthodox Explic. l 6. although they dare not defend that opinion yet would they make it seeme lesse absurd as doth Bellarmine in pointing to some places that their errour is grounded vpon as if they had reason so to teach and Andradius nameth some Fathers of that minde Well then by the Law without all question wee must vnderstand the Law morall But here ariseth another doubt what works are here excluded in these wordes What workes are excluded Without the workes of the Law And here our aduersaries doe earnestly contend not to haue all workes excluded from Iustification but such only as are done before they beleeued For if they should confesse that no works can iustifie then falleth downe that doctrine of Merits to the ground a most gainefull doctrine to Pope and Popish Priests who must supply with their store that which other want of their owne merits But we teach that all workes All works before after excluded from Iustification aswell such as follow our iustification this our aduersaries denie as the workes that wee doe afore our iustification which themselues confesse are in these wordes excluded from being any causes of our iustification before God And to auerre this which we say we haue many strong reasons The first is taken from the wordes themselues being mightily strengthned with the faithfulnesse of him who teacheth this doctrine and with his sincerity in teaching For as hee requireth in other disposers of the secrets of God that euery man be found faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 so he testifieth of his owne faithfulnesse in his ministery speaking vnto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.20 I kept backe nothing saith he that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euery house And againe 27. I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God Neither can wee in reason suppose he would deale more sincerely with them of Ephesus then with the Romanes of whose instruction in the faith how carefull hee was may well bee seene in his first and fifteenth Chapters of that Epistle The Apostle therefore All without exception speaking of workes without any exception as hee doth without the workes of the Law if any workes should not haue beene excluded from iustification he might haue beene charged by the Romanes that he kept backe somwhat from them namely what workes were to be admitted as causes of iustification and what not and so did not shew them all the counsell of God For if he had beene of our aduersaries opinion sincerity would haue forced him to haue said When I say we are iustified without workes I speake only of workes done afore we are iustified not of all workes For when we are once iustified by God then by our workes wee must iustifie our selues So that if any workes may be accounted as causes of our iustification the Apostles manner of speaking would rather haue beseemed some acquiuocating Priest or Iesuite who haue taught their hearts to dissemble and their tongues to lye yea who professe to teach the arte of dissimulation and cogging and glory in their falshood whereby they deceiue the world then this faithfull Apostle It is most certayne therefore that the Apostle being as he was a most faithfull disposer of the mysteries of God one that detested all such doubtfull or double dealing in Gods matters especially 1. Cor. 2.4 Whose preaching standeth not in the iniycing speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of Spirit and power excepting no workes excludeth all And many such like speeches we haue in Scriptures in which such indefinite propositions as Logicians call them are vniuersally to bee vnderstood Hebr. 4.15 Christ is said to bee without sinne Now seeing there is sinne Originall and Actuall of commission and of omission shall we imagine that because the Apostle saith not without all sinne therefore Christ is subiect to some sinne Zach. 2.4 God maketh promise to his people that Ierusalem shall be inhabited without wall Now because there are sundry sorts of walls some of stone some of earth or of other matter as men fancy shall some cauilling companion say Though they had no stone walls yet had they some other walls for their strength But infinite such places might bee brought wherein it may easily appeare that though this vniuersall signe all be not added yet it must be vnderstood as also it must be in these wordes of S. Paul as well all workes going before or following iustification as all Lawes either Naturall or Morall or Ceremoniall Againe if the Apostle had meant only to exclude the workes done in our infidelity he needed not so carefully to haue set down the manner of our Iustification as he doth immediatly before these words That it is by the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.22.24 by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And that Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation 25. through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes In all which there
himselfe sometime with that the Church Romish hath formerly taught Lambertus Danaeus in the place before alleaged reckoneth at the least 37. or 38. who haue taken such paines and yet as not hauing reckoned all referreth them who are desirous to know of mo vnto Trithemius This great Doctor of the chaire for Schoole-diuinitie in a Preface he writeth before his Commentaries vpon Pauls Epistles in the very latter end thereof gathering a briefe and summe of the former part of Pauls Epistle to the Romanes hath these wordes Pluribus modis ostendit iustitiam salutem Lombard Praefat in Comment in Epi. Paul aequè Iudaeis Gentibus esse non per legem sed per fidem Iesu Christi vt à lege eos tollat in sola fide Christi eos constituat The Apostle many wayes proueth that righteousnesse and saluation is both to Iewes and Gentiles alike not by the Law but by faith of Iesus Christ that he may with-draw them from the Law and settle them in the only faith of Christ. And after in the very beginning of his exposition vpon the third Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Philippians Lombard in Epist ad Philip. c. 3. Contra Pseudo-apostolos eos monuit ne legalia ab eis recipiant sed fidem Christi solam sufficere credant Against false Apostles he hath admonished them that they receiue not of them precepts of the Law but beleeue that the only faith of Christ sufficeth Yet haue we the Doctor of Doctors behinde that Angellical Doctor for so they call him whose wordes at Rome are Oracles and his writings with too many haue more credit then the sacred Scriptures Yet in this I beleeue he will proue a Lutheran or Caluinist I know not whether but sure I am a Paulinist Yee shall heare his owne words that you may know I wrong him not Moralium legitimus vsus est saith he vt homo non attribuat eis Tho. Aquin. 1. Tim. 1. Ier. 3. quam quod in eis continetur Data est lex vt cognoscatur peccatum Rom. 7. Concupiscentiam nesciebam nisi lex diceret Non concupisces quod dicitur in decalogo Notable good counsell it is which in these wordes hee giueth and sound and Christian instruction which I would it were well marked The lawfull vse saith he of the morall precepts is when a man ascribeth not any thing to them but what in them is contayned The Law is giuen that sinne might bee knowne Rom. 7. I knew not lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust as is said in the Decalog Now marke the conclusion which he hereupon inferreth Non est ergo in eis spes iustificationis sed in sola fide Rom. 3. Arbitramur hominem iustificari per fidem absque operibus legis Therefore there is not in them the precepts of the Law any hope of iustification but in faith only Rom. 3. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law I haue the more carefully set downe his words because they are so plaine and pregnant for vs. For first he teacheth that the lawfull vse of the morall Law is to let vs see our sinne not to seeke for iustification by it as after he sheweth And why should wee bee taught this if not to driue vs vnto Christ Then also he affirmeth that there is no hope of saluation therein but in faith only And that which doth much contradict our now Romish Catholikes he gathereth this doctrine of Iustification by faith only euen out of these wordes of Paul as we doe How now can we be Heretikes and your Angellical Doctor a Catholike No no hee writeth as plainely for Iustification by faith only as any of vs. It is high time the purgers of mens writings should be set on work to mend their Index Expurgatorius that Thomas may bee taught to speake otherwise then thus or else he will marre all for he speaketh here not Romish For to make it more plaine what hee thinketh elsewhere too concerning iustification by workes when duly and indifferently he considereth of the word it selfe and examineth that he writeth by the true touch-stone one place more out of the said Thomas I trust shall not be thought tedious Expounding the wordes of S. Paul to the Galathians Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse He sheweth the Apostle speaketh here of all workes Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. Ceremoniall or Morall Opera enim non sunt causa quòd aliquis sit iustus apud Deum sed potiùs executiones manifestationes iustitiae Nam nullus per opera iustificatur apud Deum sed per habitum fidei non quidem acquisitum sed infusum Et ideo quicunque ex operibus legis iustificari quaerunt sub maledicto sunt quia per ea peccata non remouentur nec aliquis quo ad Deum iustificatur sed per habitum fidei charitate informatum For saith he workes are not the cause why a man is iust before God but the executions rather or manifestations of iustice For by workes is no man iustified before God but by the habit of faith and that not gotten but giuen Whosoeuer then by the workes of the Law seeke to be iustified are vnder the curse because by works our sinnes are not put away neyther is any iustified before God but by faith beautified with loue These two sentences of Thomas of Aquine being duly weighed doe as plainely auow Iustification by faith only and disproue Iustification by Workes and our owne Merits as any thing we doe say or write insomuch as if he were aliue I make no doubt but he should be forced eyther to recant or would be accounted a Caluinist hee followeth so truly the trace of Saint Pauls Doctrine herein But what if our Countriman Stapleton bee of this minde too I know that if hee were aliue he would not say so for any thing he hath alwayes beene so pestilent and peruerse an enemie to the same calling the Doctrine of Iustification by faith only Stap. Antid in Act. 15.10 Antid in Ro. 3. v. 21. A most wicked and most pestilent Doctrine Yea elsewhere too he is nothing better perswaded thereof but sayth It is impious and full of shame so shamefully doth this impious wretch write of this most comfortable Doctrine But we will not moue him to say it plainly wee will not stand vpon termes so hee teach the substance of the Doctrine we will beare with him And with a little helpe hee will be brought to that We will but lend him a Maior proposition much like that which I vsed in the beginning of this discourse of Iustification by faith only and he will fit himselfe of a Minor and so iumpe with vs in Doctrine If the Apostle exclude from Iustification all workes so as they haue no power to iustifie then faith only doth iustifie but he excludeth all workes from
answering their principall allegations it will not be hard to iudge of all others also I will beginne with such Scriptures as seeme to ascribe Worthinesse vnto men For out of them doth Bellarmine thus gather Dignum esse praemio De Iustific lib. 5. ca. 2 3 What worthinesse in men Wisd 3.5 mereri praemium idem sunt To bee worthy of a reward and to deserue a reward is all one And to proue this worthinesse in men he alleadgeth foure places The first is taken out of the Booke of Wisedome God tryed them and found them worthie of himselfe The Booke from whence this testimonie is taken is knowne not to be Canonicall Scriptures and therfore of no such credit in Gods Church as that vpon places out of it wee may ground any Article of Religion And this answere might serue verie well to this obiection But yet the words themselues doe not of necessity proue merit or worthinesse of the workes that we doe And that first in respect of the person that trieth thē also in regard of them that are tryed He that tryeth his seruants is I know wise enough to examine and spye faults iust also to punish them But he is also content to couer with the righteousnes of his Sonne our faults and to hide our iniquities not beholding vs as in our selues we are sinners Who are found righteous or worthy Dan. 9.24 but as we are in Christ righteous Then also who are they that being tryed are found righteous Euen they whose debt Christ hath paid for whose sinnes hee hath satisfied and sealed vp as Daniel sayth that they may bee no more remembred Whose iniquitie he hath reconciled to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse Of such we see who bring with them nothing whereby they should be found worthy but haue all from Christ it is said he found them worthy Other two places hee bringeth for which wee are much beholding to him because by them we may learne how to answere such testimonies as seeme to ascribe worthinesse vnto men One is out of the answere that Christ maketh vnto the Sadduces a Sect which thought there is no resurrection who thought to intrappe him in a subtile question The question was of one woman that married seuen husbands who all dying they would know whose wife she should be at the Resurrection To whom Christ answeres thus They who shall be counted worthy to enioy that world Luk. 20.35 and the resurrection from the dead neither marry wiues nor are married The other is much like this 2. Thes 1.5 That yee may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which yee also suffer saith S. Paul to the Thessalonians Now who knoweth not that we may bee counted worthy of that which in due consideration we cannot be worthy of So that they are accounted worthy proueth not that they are worthy indeed as shall God willing by and by plainely appeare The fourth place then must serue the turne or else nothing is said That is the wordes of our Sauiour Christ of some of Sardi They shall walke with me in white for they are worthy Reuel 3.4 As if Christ had said they shall triumph with me or raigne in glory and life euerlasting for they are worthy But what are they worthy in respect of their worke or for the merit thereof For if not it helpeth not our Aduersaries And that neither they nor any other No man worthy of eternall life but Christ that is conceiued as we all are of vncleane seede can be worthy in respect of workes I proue thus No man is worthy of eternall life in respect of works but hee who can fulfill the Law but no man can fulfill the Law therefore by their workes no man can be worthy of eternall life My first Proposition I proue thus God himselfe saith to his people of Israel If thou keepe my Statutes thou shalt liue in them Leuit. 18.5 In which wordes as we see a promise of life so must we obserue the condition of keeping Gods statutes if we will looke to be partakers of the promise And no doubt the Apostle S. Paul out of these and such like words hath learned that which he teacheth vs of the iustification which is of the Law The man that doth these things Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Deut 27.26 Gal. 3.10 shal liue thereby But if the condition bee not obserued then marke what followeth Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all the wordes of this Law to doe them This continuance in doing the Law and keeping the Statutes of God teacheth vs neither to be idle nor euill occupied and that wee must not swarue either to the right hand or left leauing the right path of Gods Law at any time For S. Iames hath truly out of this place gathered Iam. 2.10 that whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all Not because whoso breaketh one Commandement breaketh all A thiefe in that he is a thiefe is not a murderer or adulterer but the meaning is he is guilty of transgression and therefore cannot bee saued by the Law If then eternall life be promised to them only that keepe the whole Law as is proued much lesse shall it be merited by any that fulfill not the same My Minor or second Proposition is that no man can fulfill the Law For confirmation whereof I minde rather to point vnto arguments We cannot perfitly fulfill the Law then any way to dilate them First therefore it is a perfection belonging only to Christ to keepe the whole Law He only was without sinne because he neuer did transgresse Hee only could offer the sacrifice of perfect and holy obedience so that in this respect hee only could make the atonement betweene God and vs. As for his Apostles though no doubt good men yet they prayed Luk. 17.5 Mar. 9.24 as they had good cause Increase our faith Helpe our vnbeliefe And our Sauiour himselfe taught them and in them the perfectest that euer was Mat. 6.12 Hebr. 7.26 to pray Forgiue vs our trespasses Our imperfections then being so many and so great Such a high Priest it became vs to haue as is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners made higher then the heauens For but by such a Mediator our sinnes are so great as that wee neuer could haue beene reconciled to God because we are farre from keeping the Law Our conscience teacheth this Secondly our owne consciences will so testifie with me herein and against our selues that I hope I neede not produce much proofe hereof Let vs but examine our selues by that rule which the Author of all truth gaue vnto some who would get as our Papists say they can doe eternall life by doing by which hee meant they should trie and examine themselues Luk. 10.25 Master saith a certaine expounder of the Law what shall I doe to inherit eternall life 26.27 And hee said