yours deserves You only look at how much you proceed in running but you do not also take heed how much you fail in your race And after all these things do you yet boast of your merits as if the reward of the Everlasting state were due to your Labours In which assertions I do not drive at this to dissolve the Pious endeavours of making Progress or to dishearten them by desperation For the Admonition of the Apostle is not in vain so run that ye may obtain And again no Man is Crowned except he strive Lawfully Let us therefore so strive that we may be Crowned let us so run that we may obtain But we do not therefore obtain because we run but we do therefore run because the promise is made to them that run not to them that slumber So that the running is not the cause of the promise but the promise stirs up to running and adds alacrity to the runners Therefore the Apostle that he may make them the more valiant in striving adds this promise your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And speaking of himself I have fought saith he the good fight and a Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me c. What then do you not see that labours well performed have their own reward due to them Be it so indeed But we treat not here of the labours of Men but of the merits of Labours we do not ask with what rewards the goodness of God dignifies us but what we our selves deserve to receive For there is no small difference between Gift and Merit If Merit is called that to which a recompense of reward is due by reason of its equality it is certain there is no equality between those things which we do here on Earth and those things which being promised we expect in Heaven The Inheritance of the Everlasting Kingdom is promised not that which upon the account of hire is due to our Works but which is promised to our Faith by the free gift of God Whence Paul when he said the wages of Sin his Death he doth not add next thereunto the reward of them that live Godly is Life Eternal But the grace saith he or the gift of God is Eternal Life And why doth he not as well say the reward of Righteousness is Eternal Life But that the difference between gift and reward between grace and recompence might be evident For if it is of grace than it is not of works If of works than it is not of grace But now that he might manifest the Infinite Riches of Divine Grace towards us through Christ Iesus He Proclaims openly that we are saved through Grace by Faith And that not of our selves it is the gift of God not of Works lest any Man should boast Which also elsewhere inculcating more clearly He says not by works of Righteousness which we have done How then But according to his mercy hath he saved us And now what is that mercy but the favour and loving kindness of God which remitting the rigour of Iustice spares those that are unworthy pardons the penitent receives them that are undone into favour which favour or mercy also glories against Iudgment All which being so what should be said of the Hypocritical Fathers of Trent who by the publick decree of their Senate pronounce those accursed whosoever dare say that the grace of God whereby we are justified is only the favour of God The Absurd Paradox of the Tridentines whereby they deny that we are justified by the favour of God only BUT Now by what other thing then will they say that we are justified if we obtain it not by the favour of God only By the Law But that works Wrath By the works of the Law But the Apostle expresly excludes those Not of works lest any Man should boast But here I call to mind the ordinary Glosse which doth resolve no difficulty but makes one by it's subtile comment partly affirming that we are justified by works and partly denying it For thus it says our works as they are ours have no power to justifie yet consider them as they are not from us but are wrought by God in us through Grace they merit Iustification And for that cause the Apostle would not say the wages of Righteousness is Eternal Life But chose rather to say the grace of God is Eternal Life Why so Because saith this device those merits to which Eternal Life is rendered are not from us but they come from grace whence they receive the vertue of meriting O wise yea rather wild talk to vilifie grace What if the Spirit of Christ influencing the Hearts of his own stirs up the Holy Offices of Charity and excellent motions to Piety What doth not the same Spirit also vouchsafe all other gifts to his Church bestowing on some gifts of Prophesie on others divers kinds of Tongues on others admirable Vertues of Curing and Healing and on others of Teaching for the Edification of the Saints What shall we therefore place our whole Iustification in those gifts received from Christ I know that there are both many and eminent vertues wherewith the Spirit of Christ always adorns his Church but it is one thing to adorn another thing to justifie the Church The gift of Sanctification is one thing the cause of justifying is another both whereof though Christ perform by his grace yet he Sanctifies one way and Iustifies another for he Sanctifies by his Spirit but he Saves and Iustifies only by his Death and Blood But you will say if Salvation is not placed in Grace why then is the grace of God called by Paul Eternal Life Verily it is certain and must be confessed which Paul teaches that our Life must be attributed wholly unto grace to which also it behoves us to attribute all other things But we must look what way this grace saves and justifies for it is that on which the whole controversy depends In which the generality of the adversaries are greatly deceived Against the Tridentines It is Demonstrated by the Scriptures that the grace of God whereby we are Iustified consists only in the free favour of God and Remission of sins not in the Merits of Works or Infusion of Charity THomas Aquinas and they that follow him according to the gloss which they call ordinary do not deny that which the Apostle affirms That we are saved by the Grace of God But if you ask after what manner they answer that it comes to pass upon the account of good Works For these are the words of the Gloss Grace says it is called Eternal Life because it is rendered to those Merits which grace hath conferred And to the same Sense are the Comments of Orbelius Bonaventure Halensis and others because say they without grace no Man can observe the Commands of God And Thomas adds elsewhere that to fulfill the Commands of the Law according to the
I am so far from slighting that I desire they may remain most firmly fixed in the minds of men for as nothing appears in the most holy manners of Christ which is not very worthy of imitation so no part of duty seems more agreeable to every Christian than that all of us should endeavour with all our might to resemble the image proposed unto us especially seeing Paul so gravely and that in more places than one calls us hereunto who making a Comparison of both Fathers Adam and Christ declares what we received of both By Man saith he came death and by Man came the Resurrection from the dead And presently after proceeding on that matter the first Man was of the earth earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven And afterwards concluding with words to the same purpose and exhorting us to imitate the example of his obedience he subjoyns as we have born saith he the image of the earthly let us bear also the image of the heavenly And the Apostle Peter not differing much from Paul proposes Christ for an Example of all long suffering for saith he Christ also suffered for us giving us an Example that ye should follow his footsteps who did no sin who when he was reviled reviled not again when he suffered he threatned not but committed all judgment to his Father c. Therefore that you contend so earnestly with the Blessed Apostles for following the footsteps of Christ herein we do very willingly both hear you and assent unto you But that you place all the dignity of our Salvation in this that you refer all the promises of God to this one head as if there were no cause of Salvation but that which is placed only in precepts and instructions of Life herein your discourse seems to pass far beyond the bounds of sound and Apostolick Doctrine For though it is a thing of very great concernment that we should frame all the endeavours and Offices of Life to the imitation of him yet Salvation is not therefore promised because our actions agree to this rule of Righteousness neither is the title of Righteousness given us because we live vertuously but because he was made Righteousness for us For we do not become just before God by imitation but by Regeneration As of Old not through our fault but Adams not by Imitation but by Birth and Propagation the pollution of his Sin was imputed to us unto Condemnation So by vertue of the Second Adam not by any power of our own by being born again not by imitating is Righteousness imputed to us unto the Iustification of Life Neither doth it therefore follow that the examples of Christ are not proposed to us for Imitation It is one thing to reason from causes to effects another thing to reason from effects to causes What if the cause is enquired into that makes us righteous before God Paul will answer That Christ is the external cause who was made Sin for us that we might be made the Righteousness of God through him But the Internal is our Faith in Christ which is imputed to them that believe forRighteousness But if you ask what are the the effects of this cause Who knows not that they are the Fruits of Pious Works and this very imitation of Christ which you so greatly yea and so deservedly cry up and extol For who can rightly call himself a Christian as you say very well who doth not apply his mind as much as he can to separate himself from all society of the Earthly Father and frame and conform himself wholly to the example of the Heavenly I grant this to be very true as indeed it is For I do not disallow of that which you do rightly assume but I confute that which you would falsly gather from hence For thus you conclude To wit that the whole Magazine of our Salvation is placed in this that by our Pious Labour and Industry we should purchase the Kingdom of God for our selves That they who affirm Faith only is sufficient for Salvation are mad and singularly serviceable to the Old Serpent and that every action we undertake is wholly unprofitable if Faith only is sufficient This is the summ of the Epilogue of this whole debate of yours In which what do you else but by an unskilful huddle of things and without order in disputing turn causes into effects and again effects into causes What when the Apostle Admonishes that Wives should be subject to their Husbands and acknowledge their Authority as the Church is subject to Christ her Husband shall she therefore that is by a Lawful Covenant Married to her Husband not be a Wife before there is added a testimony of due obedience So Children born of Creditable Parents use to resemble them not only in the Lineaments of their Bodies but also in the likeness of their Manners of whom they are begotten What if in some part their resemblance fails What if their manners are dissolute What if they have such a Son as the parable of the Gospel represents to us Who leaving his Father doth no part of his duty shall he therefore cease to be a Son Or shall any Man by the merits of his Life attain to be a Son who is by nature a Servant You may say to what purpose are these things That by these examples you may understand that effects depend on causes and causes are not governed by effects An honest Matron carries with that subjection to her Husband that becomes her and he on the otherside performs his duty in cherishing his Wife These things follow the Conjugal bond but they do not make it just so it is in the Spiritual descent which like another nature regenerates us to Christ and transforms us as new Creatures into the Sons of God Of which thing if the cause be enquired not Works not Hope not Charity but only Faith in Christ Not any Imitation but Baptism being the Sacrament of Faith performs it Concerning which let us hear Paul testifying in very evident Words All of you saith he are the Sons of God through Faith in Christ Iesus Whosoever of you are Baptized in Christ have put on Christ. He that walks being Cloathed with Christ What can be wanting to him unto all Glory and Beauty of Righteousness What can any Man desire more for the security of Eternal Life What is more boundless than Sublimity What is more Sublime than Nobility of Birth What is more excellent than the dignity of high degree Than to be received not only for Servants or Dependents of the Mighty God who comprehends all things by his Power but also as Sons yea and Heirs But if you design to be taught how these so many and so great good things come to us Paul makes Answer By Faith saith he ye are all Sons If Sons then Heirs according to promise And if you ask when that comes to pass whether after the
merits of Works or before Works the same Paul will teach you As soon as you are Baptized saith he you have put on Christ. To which also Chrysostom subscribing saith as soon as a Man Belives he is presently also Iustified Which if it be true then it is false which you assert For you affirm that the obtaining of Salvation consists wholly in this that we should transform our selves entirely into the similitude of Christ. And again youn say there is no other way of Salvation established for us but that which is contained in the Law of God And the same you affirmed elsewhere having openly asserted That ascent into Heaven is given to the merits of the greatest Vertues and that the Mansions of the Eternal Kingdom are given justly and deservedly to Holy and Pure Men. For so Say you it comes to pass that the Immortal Kingdom is due by the best right to Iust Men not only as a recompence and remard but also as a Lawful Inheritance being founded upon the Wisdom and Bounty of the Father All which things as being represented gloriously by you seem at a distance to have some shew of Truth if they be referred to that Platonick Righteousness of yours or to the state of our First Innocency But now in this wounded and destroyed Nature they have no place at all but that they may wholly prelude from us all passages into the Eternal Mansions of the Kingdom I know indeed that the Everlasting reward of Righteousness is due by best right to Pure and Holy Men as you say and those that observe the Law unblameably But I know likewise that the Eternal Punishments of Hell are due to those that do not perform the Royal Law according to the Scriptures What would you do in this case good Friend What good can your Platonick Philosophy do here I am not Ignorant what the Lord said to the Rich Pharisee If you will enter into Life keep the commands That indeed is true Do you then perform what he was commanded to do Sell all that you have and give to the Poor and follow Christ Naked But if you do it not what else can you look for but to perish together with him But now the goodness of God hath found out another way to consult our Infirmity who hath not only put upon us the beauty of Righteousness but whole Christ so that you may not only being Naked follow Christ but that whole Christ may live in your self and Cloath you and also may make you a Son of God by Faith What then may some Man say is not the Holy Spirit given to them that trust in Christ to Illuminate their minds with new light to renew their Hearts to enrich them plentifully with the Riches Gifts and Endowments of good Works and to adorn them exceedingly with all kind of Vertues What do these good Works nothing with God which are performed by the influence of the most Holy Spirit Do they contribute nothing towards Righteousness have they no use nor place upon the account of reward For this seems to be the Foundation of all your arguing Where you write these words If we believe the promises of God we presently obtain the help of God that we may very easily do all things that are commanded us and so may be saved And presently after the Interposition of a few words You say Faith causes us to have the Law of God Written in our mind and so to make an everlasting Covenant of Salvation with the Lord. Therefore when we have the Law of God put into the most inward parts of our mind it comes to pass that Lust being subdued Evil concupisence extinguished the pravity of a stubborn mind taken away the mind becomes on a sudden a Temple of the Holy Ghost and is stirred up with all its might to the study of the Law of God And that I may express it in one word such a Man contains the Magnificence and Glory of Divine Righteousness comprehended in his mind And a little after you say Therefore it is of Faith Saith Paul that according to Grace the promise may be firm What manner of promise is that That they who come to the Lord with the Faith of Christ may both be freed from their Wickedness and delivered from the Curse whereunto they were lyable and may have the Law of God Written in their Hearts and have the very Divinity of the Holy Spirit comprehended in their mind and not defile their Life with any wicked deed But may govern it by the Law of God or as it is in Ezekiel They may walk in the commands of God and perform Holy and excellent works and also that they may be Righteous For hereunto all the promises of God are referred c. Answer What do I hear Are then all the promises of God referred to this That there is no hope of Righteousness no way of Salvation no reconciliation for us nor remission of Sins unless the Law be kept And where then is that peace with God which the Apostle Preaches Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ Where is that access to the Throne with boldness Where is the hope of Glory Happiness the Blessing the Inheritance of Eternal Life according to promise if these good things come no otherways as you suppose but by a Covenant of Life which no spot of Sin defiles What hath your profession of God received this Gospel from the teachings of the Apostles or from the opinion of Plato It is therefore of Faith Saith Paul that the promise may be firm according to Grace But what way is it firm if it is of Works upon any account Or how is it of Faith if you confine all the Promises of God to the Law of Righteousness which may confirm the minds of all men with a sure hope of Righteousness as you say Or what will that assurance of Righteousness be if you with the Tridentine and Iesuitical Iebusites detaining us in a doubtful wavering of hope take aways all encouragement of good hope Concerning the Promises of God what to whom and how God hath promised BUT now because here there is a convenientoccasion of speaking concerning the Promises of God it remains that we should hear from you who treat of these things so sharply what that is which God hath promised to whom he hath promised how and for what cause he doth it Now there are both many and great Gifts of God and Ornaments partly bestowed upon us and partly promised through the singular bounty of his Grace yea seeing there is nothing in this Workmanship of Nature nor in the meanest things but what we ought to acknowledge to be his free Gift if we would be thankful And also amongst all these things which being so many and so great he hath conferted upon us with so liberal a hand I esteem that nothing is more glorious nor more admirable
than this large honour of his Kingdom which the Lord himself promises us in the Gospel Fear not saith he little Flock for it is the good will of your Father to give you the Kingdom Which Paul also makes mention of writing both elsewhere and also to the Colossians Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us unto the Kingdom of his dear Son c. Of which also Daniel a most famous Prophet hath given an ample Testimony The Kingdom saith he and the Dominion and the largeness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High c. In which one benefit seeing the whole Sum of our Felicity is comprehended to wit reconciliation with God imputation of Righteousness remission of Sins Peace with God access with boldness hope the glory of God eternal blessedness and salvation the Inheritance of Eternal Life freedom from the accusation and condemnation of the Law What can any Man either by desires wish for or by Faith conceive more glorius For he that is promoted unto the possession of a Kingdom what more can be added to him unto the highest splendour of Glory and the degree of the most honourable Dignity Therefore we have as you see O Osorius the hereditary Mansions of the Eternal Kingdom promised to us and that not of Works but of Faith not according to Bargain but according to Grace and therefore according to Grace that the Promise may be firm and sure to all the Seed It is a very weighty Cause and Authority not to be contemned For what is more firm for all manner of security than that which relies on the certain faithfulness of God and a free promise On the contrary what is more unstable than that which depends on the most uncertain condition of our Works which are either for the most part evil or always uncertain Why then wilt thou cast us again out of the most firm safeguard of most sure confidence proposed to us which rests most safely in the free bounty of God promising as if thou drovest us out of a Haven of Tranquillity procured for us to be tossed in the tempestuous Waters and Straits of Diffidence and Desperation And do you make those things doubtful and uncertain which through the bounty of God we do as it were hold in our hands with a most assured Faith so that now there is not any thing certain which a man may satisfie his own Soul about touching Salvation for I pray you what can be certain if so be the Grace of the Promise being taken away if Imputation of Righteousness being neglected which is placed in Christ for us the whole matter is brought to the account of our actions and you plead that we are not otherways righteous before God than by performing the Offices of the Divine Law Objection But you will say What hath not God promised in Iereremiah and Ezekiel to those that come to God by Faith that they shall have his Law written in their mind that they shall have the very presence of the Holy Ghost within their mind and defile their life with no sin but govern it by the Law of God and walk in the Precepts of God and perform excellent and holy works and moreover that they shall be righteous c. Ans. 1. As touching the promise of the Spirit of God it is very true what you cite out of Ieremiah For God in his bounty hath promised that he will write his Law not only in Tables of Stone as before but in the inward Tables of their minds and indeed accordingly he hath performed and doth perform daily what he hath promised And what doth your Logical reasoning gather thence Therefore say you seeing we have the Law of God put into our inward parts it comes to pass that giving credit to the promises of God we do presently obtain the help of God that we may very easily do all things that are commanded us and so be saved c. Therefore by these many things which have been hitherto mentioned by you concerning the Law and its Office I perceive you have two Opinions both of which are false First That you affirm that we being supported by the Grace of God and guarded by his help can very easily perform all things whatsoever are commanded by the Law of God Secondly Because you plead that all the nature of our Righteousness and Salvation consists in performing God's Commands and that there is no other way to Heaven but that which is contained in the Law of God Both which Reasons of yours how absurd they are how contrary to the Grace of God and the Gospel and how much disallowed and confuted not only by all Authority of Divine Scripture but also long since contradicted by the sayings of the most Antient Fathers and how void of all support of reason and experience there is no Man that hath so little Reason or Religion but evidently perceives it and clearly takes notice of it For though we do not deny that by the help of the grace of the Divine Spirit there are wonderful various and manifold effects produced and great gifts are shed abroad in the minds of the Regenerate for governing all parts of Life piously and holily but whence I pray you will you teach that so great strength and so great power to observe Righteousness is given by God and committed unto mortal Man which may be sufficient for performing all things that are prescribed in the most holy Law of God Concerning the Perfection of Righteousness and compleat Obedience of the Law You proceed to press again and again that Antient Song out of the Prophet I will put saith he my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And also out of the other Prophet And I will give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my Precepts and keep my Iudgments and also may do these things which are just c. I hear the Oracles of the Prophetical Promise uttered with great evidence from whence certainly works of New Obedience do proceed which necessarily follow Faith so that if any Man do now enquire for the cause of good works presently he learns hence that it should not be attributed to the strength of Man's Will but the Gift of the holy Spirit but now whence does this Gift proceed but from the Merits of Christ or to whom is it given but to them that believe in Christ For the holy Spirit is received by Faith according to that of Paul That we may receive the promise of the Spirit by Faith Wherefore seeing Faith is the only thing which procures unto us the holy Spirit therefore it cannot otherways be but that having received the Divine Spirit of Sanctification a new Life and spiritual motions do follow in the hearts of the Regenerate For a mind rightly qualified with the Faith of Christ
are in Heaven and in Earth What will the Angelical Dogmatist answer here with his gloss But that either those things did not happen to them in a figure and that they belong not at all to us or he must needs acknowledge that our Interests are hereby Represented answerable to theirs That I we may proceed in the Sacred Mysteries of Scripture what shall I now say of those who being bitten by Serpents had no other way of Recovery but by the Serpent set up upon a pole Again what shall I say of those in the Prophet Ionah who being in dreadful danger as soon as they had thrown out Ionah and had committed him to the mercy of the Waters the Tempest being presently quieted escaped safe with the Ship What else do all these Arguments teach but that casting away confidence in all other things and distrusting our selves we may account that all the help for our obtaining Salvation is placed in no other thing or vertue but in his death only who by his Blood hath Reconciled all things both in Heaven and in Earth How often in the Psalms in the Prophers in the Gospel doth the Scripture shutting up all under fin take away from Man not only Merits but oft-times drives the Holiest unto this by an acknowledgment of his own unrighteousness that he acknowledges his Salvation to be placed not in those things that are given but those that are forgiven to him by God For as touching the name of Merit or Reward if it be found any where for it is found sometimes let no Man from hence flatter himself as if God owed it to any Man But let him know rather upon what account he is said to do that not because the Deeds which of themselves are imperfect deserve life yea which rather stand in need of Pardon But because the bounty of God imputes these Works such as they are for Merits to them who Work Why so To wit because they are the Works of the Faithful who if they were not Believers their Merits would have no room at all nor be of any value in the sight of God As if a Father say to a Son if so be thou lovest Learning thou shalt obtain any thing of me and be my dearly beloved Son By this Speech the Father doth not so oblige himself to the Son as if for no other cause but for performing Obedience he would receive him to himself for a Son yea because he is a Son therefore the Father commands what he will and the Son performs what he ought God useth sometimes thus to propose a Recompense and Rewards to the Regenerate whereby we may be stirred up to do well And there is no doubt but the Rewards promised will follow the office performed But in the mean while let us see to whom this promise was made and for what cause it was made of which thing let us understand what is the Opinion of Osorius God hath promised faith he to all that live righteously great wealth exceeding great pleasures and an immortal Kingdom very great dignity everlasting glory c. There are many faults in these vicious Argumentations and that is none of the least which is committed by making a division not sufficient In which kind Osorius offends here For whereas there are two kinds of promises very much differing from one another the one belionging to the Law being annexed unto certain conditions the other belonging to the Gospel being free without all condition of Law The whole discourse of Osorius is so taken up in that Legal kind that he doth not so much as make mention of the other God hath promised says he to all that live righteously c. That is true indeed if we look to those things that belong to the Law For the Law as it hath its threatnings so also it hath its promises proposed to them that live unblameably in which we are commanded to do this and live Concerning which Paul also saith Peace and life to every one that doth good c. So then the Law promiseth and the Gospel also promiseth but upon a different account for they differ in this The promises of the Law regard the Desert of Life But the Grace of the Gospel doth not so much regard the manner of Life as the Faith of the Person and measures his dignity not by the merits of Works but measures the merits of Works themselves by the Faith of the Believer and the dignity of the Object only on whom he believes Wherefore as touching Rewards proposed in the Gospel it is not enough to look only on the things themselves which are proposed but the consideration must be referred to the Faith and Person of Believers of what sort they are whether planted in Christ by Faith or out of Christ to whom the promise is made If out of Christ they are servants and unbelievers no promise or expectation of reward belongs to them But if in Christ they are Sons and regenerate by Faith then all is due to Faith not to Works It is of Grace and not of Merit whatsoever the Father either promises his Sons for Love's sake or imputes unto them in the place of a reward And indeed this Imputation in which all the confidence of our Salvation is contained proceeds from the grace and favour of God only and also it must be considered that there is a twofold kind of Imputation with God the one whereby the Righteousness of Christ is ascribed to us and when for his sake our petty duties are imputed for great and recompensed with the highest rewards the other when he doth not punish but pardon great crimes in his own that are regenerate Concerning which the Apostle said God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself not imputing their trespasses unto them But the Sons of the Papacy do in no ways endure this Imputation Why so Andradius together with Monhemius and the Colognists think it an unworthy thing that any man should be called righteous by another man's Righteousness which is not inherent in himself Tiletanus cries that it is more than absurd and that it hath not been heard of in the World that that can be the true form of any thing which is not in it As if a man should call Cicero couragious with the Courage which is not in himself but in the mind of Achilles To whom that I may answer this cavilling would take place if our affair were carried on by Nature and not by Grace if by Law and not by Redemption I know that our Debt is infinite the payment whereof the Law doth necessarily require of us Neither do I deny that we are not able to pay nor will ever be able to pay that debt if our ability be considered But what if some rich King intervene who paying the debt that was owing gets himself a right to the indebted Citizens and having freed them from all obligation makes
we have hitherto discoursed of grace and its gifts I think there is a sufficient defence made against the assaults of Sophisters for the guarding of this principle which assigns all the power of justifying to Faith only through the free mercy of God But because I see it is not clear enough amongst Divines what that Faith is whereof we speak I thought it requisite to speak something of it in this place To wit that having surveyed the Opinions of others and rightly explained those things which seem to need distinction about the manifold homonymy of this Word we may at length be led as it were by the footstepsof the word of God to that true Faith which truly and simply justifies us But because the word Faith is used in various Senses and there are many things that are believed by us for whatsoever things we find to be true and sure we presently give credit to them but yet any sort of perswasion setled in the mind though it be true or any sort of truth about things conceived doth not therefore upon that account justifie before God Therefore in this so great diversity of things to be believed we must see what that Faith is whereof all our Salvation and Righteousness before God consists and what is the proper and simple definition thereof whence it receives its power to justifie to whom it belongs and in what Notions it differs from that Faith which our Adversaries hold Which state of Faith if it had been rightly and definitively seen into by our Divines I am either deceived or else those boasting admirers of Works would wholly change that Opinion or at least moderate themselves more in this matter of disputation But now I know not how it comes to pass that whereas no kind of Doctrine either more admirable for dignity or more excellent for use or more happy for the Salvation of Men hath shined forth or that moreover appears more perspicuously to the Eyes of all Men by manifest Testimonies of Evangelical Scripture yet there is no opinion that hath more numerous or more bitter Adversaries Which whence it comes to pass I can not be satisfied in wondering unless that whereof I spake be the cause thereof because they seem not to have discerned aright by the Gospel what that Faith is to which free Iustification is proposed Which may appear evidently by many Arguments and such as are not at all obscure unto him that reads their Writings Collections Articles Councils and Disputes And in this very Rank Osorius comes first and next Hosius one of his nearest Allies who opposing the Faith of Luther doth not so much consute that as betray his own ignorance For what ignorance is this What kind of intemperance that drawing your pen against your Adversary whom you cannot run down by true Reasons you carp at things not understood and you wound the Innocent with false Accusations where I beseech you did Luther either Teach or Dream of this Faith which you feign he holds To wit that every one obtains Righteousness or is justified upon that account only because he determines himself acceptable to God for these are your words and not yours only For Hosius also harps no less upon the same string together with you and the whole hundreds of almost all the Divines of that Class I know that Luther hath discoursed many things gravely and excellently of Faith and freely saving Righteousness of Faith But he understands this Faith which justifies us much otherways than your accusation pretends Who was ever so mad as that he judged Faith to be confined within these limits and that it is no other thing but that every Man should have a very good opinion of his own Salvation and should be strongly persuaded thereof in his own mind Though in the mean while I deny not that there is always joined with Faith a confidence of good hope yet if we will rightly examin the proper Natures and Causes of things we will find that there is no small difference between Hope and Faith For every Man doth not obtain Righteousness upon the account that he is very couragious in hoping well For otherways what Turk or Iew is there who doth not in his own mind catch at a goodly persuasion about his own Salvation and the gracious favour of God We may also add unto these the Pope of Rome who by a certain Magnifical but most vain hope flattering himself doubts not of his being the only Successour of Peter So also the Papists doubt not but as soon as they have whispered their Sins into the Ears of a Priest by a silent Confession that immediately they go away Pardoned after the performance of this Work and when they put the Innocent Servants of Christ to Death or the Faith they do not at all distrust that they do God Service whereas the matter is far otherways Therefore it is requisite to see not what every Man hopes but how rightly he hopes nor how great his hope is but how true The same also must be done in Faith But that it may appear true it should not be measured by Human Opinion but according to the right Rule of Scripture Neither is it only requisite to look what any one promiseth but to whom and for what it is promised There are wonderful and infinite things which the bounty of God promises in the way of free gift For Salvation and Life Eternal is promised Yet these good things are not therefore promised because they are hoped by us but we therefore hope because they are promised So then Hope doth not go before the promise as a cause and make it but follows it as an effect and it depends upon the promise and not the promise upon it By which you see that it is not Hope no not when it is most right that justifies us and renders us capable of the promise of God But some other thing What is that I beseech you but Faith to which properly the promise is made For the Covenant of Eternal Life is made properly with us believing and not only hoping that is not for the sake of that which is hoped but for the sake of that on which Faith relies Not every Faith Iustifies BUT What I just now said of Hope the same also again must be said of Faith that it must be true and right and not only that it must be great For every Faith doth not avail for Iustification because there are many and divers kinds of believing First there is a Faith whereby we both know that God is and fear him and the Devils themselves are not without this Faith There is another Faith whereby we believe God and give certain credit to his promises The Schoolmen add unto these a third kind of believing whereby we are said to believe in God And this Faith they divide variously into a formed and formless Faith into an habitual and actual faith There is
also a faith that is often taken for hope and so defined As in the Epistle to the Hebrews Where Faith is called the substance of things not seen but hoped for and the evidence of things not appearing but future Moreover there are those that divide the use of this Word into many forms Andreas Vega reckons in the general Nine Significations of the word of Faith Put because in these which I have hitherto reckoned there is no mention made of that person from whom all the Vertue of Iustifying proceeds therefore I see not how it can be that Iustification should rightly agree to the same VVherefore this seems less strange to me in Osorius Hosius and others of that School if their Opinion is not so right about the Iustification of Faith for they seem not to have clearly enough discerned or at least not to have fitly defined that Faith which the Evangelical VVritings propose unto us But if this Faith that we profess contained no other thing in it but that which they pretend to in their Books I would be of the same Opinion which they Preach To wit That it avails little to the procuring of Righteousness That this may be the more evident I would have Pious Readers listen to what those Men teach concerning Faith and how they define it And so they define it that either through blindness they know not or by dissimulation they make as if they knew not what is the true Faith proposed to us in the Gospel for Righteousness And that we may begin first at the Tridentines they so define it That it is a firm assent unto those things that are revealed and made manifest by God And Osorius following these Men Collects the Universal Nature of Faith after a manner not much differing from them That it is a firm and constant assent of the mind stirred up by the Authority of the Speaker But what this Faith is which Osorius describes after this manner let him look to that Verily any Man may think it is not this Faith which Paul speaks of in disputing of Righteousness or to which we from the Authority of Paul affirm that Righteousness should be attributed properly Though in the mean while we deny not that this Faith is true which is asserted by Osorius and others whereby for the Authority of the Church teaching we believe whatsoever things belong to Religion which though they are not seen as Lombard says yet they are believed whether they are past or expected to come As he that gives credit to the things contained in the Articles of the Creed and that are expresly mentioned in the Scriptures He that believes and professes that the World was made by the Word of God and that God is and that he Created all things of no thing Moreover that he believes and professeth that he is powerful and very good That I may proceed in the very words of Osorius endued with boundless and infinite virtue and bounty watching over all parts of the World and passing through them beholding and taking notice of all things and looking well to every thingaccording as the dignity and condition of each thing requires and whatsoever else belonging to the profession of Faith is taught in the Writings of the Prophets Verily that Man is not at all mistaken in believing For the things that are seen by an Internal light of Faith are very true though they are very remote from the Senses But yet this is not the Faith though it be true that justifies us who are miserably defiled and wretched Sinners before God For what Circumcised Iew or hateful Turk is there but believes all these things which Osorius with a long multiplication of words Preaches of God and his Power and Iustice and Immensity For they together with us confess one God and rely on his promises with great hope call upon his Name observe his commands as well as we and also flatter themselves with the Title of the true Church Yea also they are not Ignorant that the Dead shall be restored to Life and promise Eternal Life to themselves Moreover many things which they see not with their Eyes they retain by Faith and pursue by hope Briefly they do no less believe God themselves and confess God But if the Christian Faith according to the Magisterial position of Lombard should be placed in nothing else but a solid apprehension of things to be hoped for and a sure expectation of those things which do not appear what hinders but that both Iews and Saracens may be reckoned faithful upon this account What then you will say Doth not Paul writing to the Hebrews expresly comprehend Faith in that same definition To wit That it is the substance of things hoped for c. Verily I neither reject Paul the Author of this Epistle nor disapprove the definition neither do I examin that nor do so much as enquire for it which is enquired for in Lombard Whether this description be more agreeable to Faith than Hope But this I answer That we may confess this Faith to be true which is here defin'd But surely that is not the Faith which properly justifies the wicked in the sight of the Lord. Why so Because there is wanting to the definition the Genus Property and difference which distinguishes Faith from Hope Also there is wanting the true and proper object of Faith which should by no means have been omitted To wit The person of him in whom only all the promises of God and the whole cause of our Iustification is contained Who unless he comes in in vain other things are either believed or hoped for by us neither will all that substance of things hoped for avail us any whit unto Salvation What then you will say Hath not the most gracious Father promised us his mercy Hath he not engaged himself by an inviolable Covenant that he would pardon our Sins Must we not give credit to those things which are promised by God He hath promised indeed I confess but how Only in Christ his Son To whom Only to them that believe in the Son I know and acknowledge that the promises of God are most sure in which he promises as Osorius rehearses Infinite Riches excellent Pleasure an immortal Kingdom great Dignity everlasting Glory But yet these good things are neither so promised or given by God that in the mean while he exacts nothing of us for the obtaining of these good things which he promises Therefore this is not the state of the question whether we should believe God promising which is common to us with the Iews themselves and Turks Neither do I ask that what the Lord hath promised For Salvation is promised Pardon of Sins is promised But this is it which properly comes in question here Upon what account and for what cause this Salvation and Pardon of Sins is promised whether there is no condition interposed Or whether there is
thus define Faith unto us that they place its Object in the Mercy of God only For thus is Faith defined by most of our Divines at this day to wit That it is a firm and constant relyance on the Mercy of God promised freely for the sake of Christ. Which definition if it be true by this means it appears that the Object of Faith is placed no otherways nor in any other thing but in the free Mercy of God laid hold upon which neither I my self deny to be true in this sense as Faith in this place is taken for a relyance as it is often used in this signification because it hath a respect to Mercy and brings forth Assurance in the mind of Believers But whether this relyance properly justifies us before God it may here be enquired not without profit A Question Whether only relyance on Mercy justifies of it self Verily as for my part I am not nor ever was the man that would be prejudicial to another man's Opinion I allow that every man should be persuaded in his own mind I hinder it not But if I am permitted freely to profess in a free Church what my Opinion is my reason leads me to think that this relyance on Mercy and assurance of Salvation promised must be a thing very nearly joyned with Faith and which every man ought to apply to himself but then when it is most applied it is not that which properly and absolutely unloads us of our sins and justifies us before God but that there is some other thing proposed in Gospel which by Nature should in some respect go before this assurance and justifie us in the sight of God For Faith in the person of the Son which reconciles us to God doth necessarily go before And then relyance on most assured Mercy follows this Faith concerning which none of those that believe in Christ can doubt Objection But you may say What doth not Mercy promised in Christ go before the vocation of Faith doth not the same Mercy freely justifie Believers Moreover seeing the Promises of God are most sure may not the same be safely and constantly trusted in That I may answer these men Indeed the Mercy of God moves first no man doubts of that which is the cause and original of all good things But it is not that which is matter of Controversie in this place Whether Mercy on God's part is the Mother of our Iustification but what that is on our part which hath power with God for our Reconciliation whether relyance on Mercy or Faith in the Person of the Son I know that the Mercy of God is immense and infinite in which is comprehended all the Election of the Saints Neither am I ignorant that those things are most sure which are proposed to be believed in the Articles of the Creed than which as nothing is more sure so neither is there any thing which any man ought to doubt of about the assurance of those things which are promised or concerning the faithfulness of the Promiser For what is more sure than the Promises of God what more stable than the faithfulness of the Promiser what more free than Mercy freely proposed in Christ Wherefore the rather this unsavoury and no less reproachful barking of Hosius Andradius and such like men should be hissed away out of the Society of Christians who kicking against the pricks bring all things into doubt and uncertainty with the Academicks and they look upon it as a thing unsufferable for a man to take upon him to rely upon the promise of Salvation which they of Trent condemn with an Anathema Hosius detests it as vain and unprofitable arguing as if this assurance of Divine Grace did nothing but open to the Consciences of men a door to a certain slothful laziness and dissolute life Therefore saith he as prudent Fathers and Masters sometimes do they hide their Love towards their Children and Servants that they might keep them the more in fear and in their duty So God doth also towards his Servants that being kept wavering between hope and fear he may by that means the more easily drive them from security and negligence c. Concerning the Assurance of Christian Reliance against Hosius A Worthy comparison for sooth of God and Men which disannuls and destroys all the Promises of God the whole Doctrine of the Gospel yea and the foundations of all Religion For to what purpose should God promise by his Word if he would not have us assured of those things which are promised A Son was promised to Abraham and he believed not at all distrusting him that promised and it is accounted a praise to him What then Do you praise the undaunted confidence of Abraham and do you dispraise ours In like manner the Seed to come was promised to miserable Adam To what purpose that he might stick in a trembling wavering diffidence or rather that he might support his mind with the expectation of the promised consolation There are so many engagements of promises in both Covenants which if the Divine Truth would not have made sure unto us why then would he have them written in the Word and recorded in Books Briefly why are we commanded in the Christian Articles of Faith to believe the remission of sins the Resurrection of the flesh and Life Eternal but that we might reckon those things to be most sure unto us which are inserted in the Articles Therefore that is false which Hosius affirms That no man is bound to believe firmly or to hold assuredly either concerning himself or this man or that man that his sins are forgiven him for Christ's sake that he is in a state of grace and that he is assuredly to possess the Kingdom of Heaven c. And again neither is that less false which he fathers upon men of our persuasion as if we held thus that every man is a partaker upon that account only because he hath determined himself to be a person that will be accepted of God which is not true and is not without an impudent calumny For we are not of such an Opinion as to believe that an assured persuasion of Mercy should by any means be separated from Iustifying Faith which the Divines of the Popish way do abominably neither again do we transfer properly the very cause of Iustification into this confidence and naked application of Marcy as they falsly slander us Why so because yet some other thing is wanting which must needs go before this application of the Promise and which is necessarily required to the true cause of Iustifying The cause of Iustification depends not on confidence or the application of Mercy only YOU will say What then Is not the free Promise of God a most true cause on which our whole Iustification depends If you say on God's part it is true if you ask on our part you must go further and something seems to
As if this Assurance and full Perswasion which we maintain did rely on any Dignity of ours and did not wholly depend upon the certainty of the promise of God I come to their other Calumny no less absurd whereby they most unjustly slander us as if we referred the whole cause of our Iustification to nothing else but only an opinionative assurance so that to obtain the Remission of sins we taught that no other thing is necessary but that every Man should by a special faith be perswaded in his own mind that his sins are forgiven him which is most false as there is almost nothing true in the Books of Hosius For though we confess this to be most sure that nothing is more sure than our Iustification by Christ yet if the cause be enquired for which properly justifies us from our sins we answer It is faith not whereby we believe that we are Iustified as Hosius chatters but whereby we believe in Christ the Son of God who only is a propitiation for our sin Concerning the Word Iustification what it signifies in the Scriptures Whether it consists of Remission of Sins only or not And by what ways and means Iustification is obtained NOW ye Papists ye have our Opinion of Iustifying Faith and the true Nature thereof explained unto you what its power is and what its object Moreover ye understand how this Faith is distinguished from Hope and Assurance And wherein the true and next cause of Iustification is taken up whereof if ye enquire for the Internal cause it is faith only whereby we belleve in Christ If ye enquire for the External Matter thereof it is Christ only whom we embrace by Faith But because ye do by no means allow thereof that we should be Iustified by Faith only that we may confute your Calumnies in this matter or amend your errour I see there remain two things to be unfolded by me and to be considered by you First What the Scripture properly understands by the word Iustification And then Who and what manner of persons they are who are Iustified by Faith As touching Iustification they of Trent deny that it consists only in the Remission of sins unless there is joyned therewith a voluntary receiving of grace and some other things go before by which as preparatories Men are disposed to receive Iustification But Pious Reader If you have not yet heard what this Preparatory Disposition is and by what degrees it arises and into what order it is digested by these Men it is worth while to take notice of it For Men are disposed unto Righteousness whilst being helped by the preventing grace of Divine Vocation without any Merits of Works going before they receive Faith by hearing Now what this Faith is it hath been shewed above for according to the opinion of the Papists it is a firm assent unto those things that are revealed and discovered by God And yet they plead that a Man is not presently Iustified by this naked assent or faith But it behoves that other Dispositions be added by Divine grace whereby men are prepared for Iustification Faith Fear Hope Love Repentance Hatred and Detestation of Sin Love of Righteousness Prayer and the like so that indeed the beginning of Iustification is the free calling of God Whence Faith comes by hearing Whereby Men believe those things to be true that are revealed by God Whether they be such things as belong to the free mercy of God towards sinners through the Redemption which is in Christ Iesus Or whether they be such things as belong to the fear of Divine Iustice from which Faith by consideration of the Divine Iudgment fear ariseth whereby Men are terrified to their advantage that they may forsake and detest their sins And afterwards from the same faith through consideration of free Mercy purchased fo penitent sinners by Christ assurance proceeds whereby they are perswaded that God will be gracious to them for Christ's sake And thus by this consideration of so great goodness they begin to call upon God as the Fountain of all Righteousness and to love him and to cast away sin and to endeavour after newness of life and to keep the Commandments And by this means we obtain a perfect disposition or preparation to Righteousness whereby we are commanded to prepare our Hearts to the Lord. And afterwards Iustification follows this preparation which is not only the Remission of sins but also Sanctification and Renovation of the inner Man by a voluntary accepting of grace and gifts whence a Man of unjust is made just and of an Enemy a Friend that he may be an Heir according to the hope of Eternal Life c. But now from what part of the Apostolick or Prophetick Scripture have they taken this Doctrine From none neither is there need of any The Tridentine Oracle is sufficient for Scripture Amongst the Doctors Canisius endeavours a valiant defence of this Decree but he gains nothing at all For tho' we acknowledge with Augustin and the Doctors that which cannot be deny'd that we are Debtors to the grace of God for all we receive both for those things which belong to the forgiveness of sins and also those things which belong to new Obedience Yet what makes this for the matter we are now treating of For the Subject matter at present is not what the efficacious power of Divine grace performs in us without which Augustin justly pleads against the Pelagians that all our strength is wholly ineffectual but what that is which justifies a wicked Man before God What that 〈◊〉 wherein this our Iustification whereof I speak consists in the Remission of sins only or in the possession of Vertues Moreover what that is which is properly signified in the Scriptures by the word Iustification Though in this also the Adversaries are not very well agreed with one another but in this one thing they are wonderfully agreed to oppose Saint Paul with all their might First they of Trent as I have said do thus divide their opinion that they make two parts of Iustification The one in Remission which they attribute to Faith The other in new Obedience and Works meritorious of increase as they speak by which the Righteouness of Faith is perfected of which opinion Tilet an is the Author Again there are Others who are so far from explaining what is signified by the word Iustification that referring all to the Righteousness of Works they think that Iustification is not worthy to be mentioned in Books Of whom and the chief amongst many is this Osorius of ours Thomas Aquinas discoursing of many things about Iustification as also about many other things seems to have described it after this manner To wit according to the nature of Motion which is made in Man from one contrary to another So that it is a kind of Transmutation from a State of unrighteousness to a State of Righteousness And he explains the
without any disadvantage to our Cause For suppose we grant that Faith is Dead which is not moved with a desire of doing good Works according to the saying of St. Iames yet it doth not therefore follow from hence that no Faith Iustifies without Works From which two things do follow worthy of consideration First That no Faith justifies that is not lively And next though it abounds in good Works and never is without them yet it only without Works Iustifies This will appear evident by the Example of St. Paul Who though he was not conscious to himself of any Wickedness yet he durst not affirm himself to be thereby Iustified I think nothing hinders but the whole Argument may be yielded unto if so be the terms are rightly placed The Adversaries gather out of the Apostle Iames that Faith is dead which is without Works and herein we do not much oppose them But what follows from hence Therefore as they say dead Faith without Works doth not justifie And I deny it not But what Conclusion flows from this manner of Arguing Therefore only Faith doth not justiste Why so If no Faith but that which is lively justifies and if it receives Life only from Works then this is the consequence that Faith justifies only upon the account of good Works I Answer First though we grant it is true that the Faith which justifies us in the sight of God is lively and always joyned with a Godly Life Yet that this Faith justifies and reconciles us no other ways but upon the account of good Works is most false For this is not a good consequence from the premises Because Faith is not alone in the Life of the Believer therefore Faith is not alone in the Office of justifying Or because the Faith that justifies is not a dead but a lively Faith therefore it doth not justifie alone without Works For herein is a fallacy of the Consequence But you may object Whence then is Faith said to be lively and not Dead but from Works Which if it be so of necessity it must draw all its Life and Vertue from Works Nay the matter is quite contrary For though in the sight of Men Faith is not discerned to be Lively and Vigorous but by Works yet Faith receives not Life from Works but rather Works from Faith As Fruits draw their Life and Sap from the Root of the Tree but not the Root from them Iust so external actions proceed from Faith as the Root which if they be good they evidence the Root to be sound and lively and this is all they do but they communicate no Life thereunto And this Life and Vertue of Faith is not one but Twofold And it acteth partly in Heaven and partly in Earth If you ask what it doth amongst Men upon Earth It does good to its Neighbour working by Love But before God in Heaven it justifies the Ungodly not by Love but by the Son of God whom it only lays hold of Therefore those Men seem not to have got a clear insight into the Vertue and Nature of the Grace of Faith that suppose the whole Life thereof to consist in Love as if Faith of it self could do nothing but as it receives Vertue and Efficacy from Charity Indeed both may seem to be true in the External Actions of Human Life in which Faith lyes like a dead thing unless it be enlivened by Charity to the exercise of good Works And hereunto belongs that saying of Paul whereby he so much commends Faith working by Love understanding such Works as Faith working by Love brings forth to the view of a Human Eye Yet with God Faith hath a far different operation for it only without any reliance upon Works or assistance of Charity but trusting to the naked promise of God and the dignity of the Mediatour climbs up to Heaven and gets access into the presence of God where it does great and wonderful things combating with the Iudgment to come fighting against the terrours of Death Satan and Hell pleads the cause of a Sinner obtains his pardon absolves and justifies him from the accusations of a guilty Conscience takes away all Iniquity reconciles God to the Sinner appeases his wrath subdues the power of Death and the Devil and procures Peace yea and Paradise it self with theThief that had led a wicked Life and yet at Death was justified by Faith in the Redeemer Who would desire more or greater things And now so many and great things being done by Faith let us enquire After what manner it does them Not as it lives and works by Love but as it lives only by Christ and relies on the promise for the Life of Faith which lives before God is not Charity but Christ not receiving Life from Charity but communicating life unto it and justifying Works that they may be acceptable to God which would otherways be abominable Unto the truth of this we have a sufficient Testimony given us by Paul When he says my Life is Christ and again the Life that I now live in the Flesh I live not by the Love but by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me And elsewhere speaking of himself he says That he was not conscious to himself of any VVickedness and yet he denies that he is thereby Iustified as the same Apostle discoursing about the works of Abraham though they were never so Eminent for Holiness yet he saw nothing in them which that Great Patriarch might make a matter of Glorying before God Hereunto may be added the Arguments of others that have been strangely wrested out of Scriptures There are six Reasons principally which they pretend the Evangelists furnish them with against the Righteousness of Faith First they draw an Argument from these words of Christ Come ye blessed of my Father to the Kingdom prepared for you For I was an hungred and ye gave me Meat Argument Da. That which is the cause of blessedness is also the cause of Iustification Whom he hath Iustified them he hath also Glorified c. Rom. 8. Ri. Works of Mercy are the cause of blessedness for I was an hungred and ye gave c. Mat. 25. I. Therefore Works of Mercy are the cause of Iustification Answer I deny the Minor For Works of Mercy as they are considered in themselves are not the cause of Iustification or blessedness but rather effects and furits of Iustification for they are no otherways pleasing to God but as they are performed by persons in a justified state and it is by the Faith of Christ that they become acceptable For unless Faith go before and justifie the person of him that worketh his works are not at all regarded by God because they do not satisfie the Law of God being tainted with the corruption of depraved Nature and come far short of that perfection which Divine Iustice requires Wherefore if we will Reason aright about
can do them no hurt in the Iudgment which are already done away and pardoned before the Iudgment by Faith and Repentance And besides this if they did any thing well and worthy of praise they receive an everlasting Reward not for the merit of the Work but according to free Imputation whereby God in his Infinite Mercy sets such a value on the works of them that believe in his Name though they are vile and contemptible in themselves that he rewards them with the recompence of the promised Inheritance not for any merit of theirs but according as he hath promised it freely in his Son Now there being a twofold manner of Divine Iudgment as we have shewed out of Augustine one belonging to the Iustice of condemnation and another to the Mercy of Separation According to this diversity of Iudgment we must distinguish between those that are to be called before this Tribunal of the great Iudge for all of us must be called and presented before it but the distinction between those that shall appear must be observed For though we are all sinners by Nature and in the practice of our Lives yet we are not all sinners after the same manner There are some whose sins are already forgiven by Faith and the free Grace of God and there is no doubt but the Mercy of Separation will deliver such from the Iudgment of Condemnation because there is nothing that can be justly alledged against them For who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is God that justifies who is he that condemns Or how can they in Righteousness be called to Iudgment for these things that were pardoned by the Iudge himself before they were brought under the Tryal of Iudgment For the offence being taken away the offender is not liable to Iudgment Wherefore no Sentence of Condemnation should affright those that are in Christ Iesus What Law can hold them guilty that are not under the Law but under Grace And again there are others that having passed their days in all manner of wickedness and abominations at their departure out of this Life carry with them a guilty self-condemning Conscience unto Iudgment Of which sort of Monsters this World hath been very fruitful Such as Epicurus Diagoras Lucian Sardanapalus vain glorious Boasters implacable Persecuters and Murderers of the Saints and such like Who though they may flatter themselves in this Life as if they were safe and out of danger yet they will find to their sorrow that there is a Iudge before whom they must unavoidably appear and give a strict account of all the actions of their Lives Therefore as touching the Iudgment of the Evil and the Good as I deny not that it is certainly true the Lord will judge the Living and the Dead in Righteousness and Equity So if they understand it of the Iudgment of Condemnation I answer as the Lawyers use to say The Exception limits the Rule For though this Iudgment is to be general yet if it be taken for the condemnatory Iudgment the general Rule is of force excepting those things that should be excepted But what this Exception is and to whom it belongs it appears evident enough by the distinction of separation mentioned by Christ in several places He that hears my Word and believes in him that sent me shall not come into condemnation but shall pass from death to life And again where the Lord fore-telling the time of his coming to Iudgment says thus When these things begin to come to pass look up and lift up your heads And presently gives the reason thereof for your Redemption draweth near Wherefore did it please him to make mention of Redemption to his Disciples without naming of Iudgment Certainly it was because as Paul speaks There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Iesus as on the contrary there is no Redemption to those who live without the Faith of Christ in slavery to this World and the Flesh. And elsewhere the Lord when he turned himself to his Disciples and could promise them nothing that was more glorious and magnificent he said unto them Ye also shall sit upon Thrones judging the Twelve Tribes of Israel Moreover Paul writing to the Corintbians says Know ye not that the Saints shall judge the World And yet breathing forth something more glorious he exalts Saints above the highest pitch of worldly dignity adding further Know ye not that we shall judge the Angels If the Saints shall be judges how should they be judged in this Court of Iudicature in which they have something to do but nothing to fear Whether the Iudgment of God is terrible to the Saints THerefore let Canisius produce what he can answer unto these Scriptures for it is his Opinion that all men should be possessed with fear of Iudgment These are his words Not only Sinners but also Saints themselves are oft-times affrighted at the fore-thoughts of Iudgement Thus the Iesuit speaks in his own Dialect But let us hear what Scripture-proofs he brings to maintain his Assertion Hence saith he David feared and with great fervency breathed forth this Petition Lord enter not into Iudgment with thy Servant In like manner Iob feared though he was innocent What shall I do said he when God ariseth to judge and when he visiteth What shall I answer For destruction from the Almighty was a terrour to me and because of his greatness I could not endure I was afraid of all my sorrows for I knew thou wouldest not hold me innocent c. To this Objection I answer in short Who knows not that in us and our Works there is nothing whereof we ought not to be greatly afraid So David and Iob and all the Saints the more they call to mind the actions and practice of their Lives the more they are surprized with the fear of Divine Iudgment and repose the less confidence in themselves But this doth not at all abate our rejoycing in Christ Iesus so that relying upon the never failing Promise of God and being assured of the remission of our sins we strive against this fear as much as we can Howbeit we cannot be so perfectly rid of this fear which is placed in our Nature but that it will sometimes return and cause trouble to the most eminent Saints But that which sometimes happens through infirmity is one thing and that which always becomes the Saints to do is another So David and Iob before the return of spiritual comfort were in terrour but after God had restored unto them the joy of his Salvation all fear vanished away Canisius in saying the Saints should be possessed with the fear of Iudgment does what in him lies to root out all the assurance of Faith out of the minds of the godly and to make the Promise of God and our fiducial relyance on him utterly void and of none effect Does Christ encourage us to lift up our
thereof is not placed in the works of men but it depends upon the free favour of God and the like we may say of Iustification for those whom he justifies he justifies in Christ but if you ask why doth he justifie in Christ the cause appears evident which cannot be found in our VVorks but before all VVorks in the favour of God only But you may say Those things are not well compared with one another which disagree in Nature for Election and Vocation and Glorification are such things as being once determined of God cannot be disannulled But the Case is otherways in Iustification which may sometimes be lost and sometimes retained according as it is hindered or not hindered by the Grace of God For thus spake Vega and Scotus and others That I may Answer such Men I confess indeed if the manner of our Iustification were such as those Men feign to wit if its chief reliance were upon Works and the increase of Vertues it would be true which they assert concerning the uncertainty of losing or keeping Iustification But seeing all the stability of our Iustification depends not at all upon our Works but upon the Merits of Christ by Faith and the Remission of Sins by his Righteousness therefore it is that as there is one Election and Vocation and that sure and firm so also Iustification is not twofold but one and the same and such an one as endures for ever I call it one because there remains always one and the same cause and manner of Iustifying which relies not on the Merits of Works but consists of Faith and the Remission of Sins And though the Sins from which we are justified are not all of the same kind but are distinguished by times and variety of Actions yet nevertheless Iustification that is the Remission of Sins in respect of the form and manner is not divers but one Not twofold but simple as Faith also which is the procuring cause of Iustification is not which though it is daily increased yet it remains always one and the same Moreover as this Iustification which increases together with Faith is only one so also the same being firm and stable no less than the Promise of God on which it relies undergoes no change but continues firm and constant and the cause thereof is because it relies not on Works but Faith only whence the Apostle said It is therefore by Faith that according to Grace the Promise may be sure to all the Seed On the contrary they who make a twofold Iustification and assign divers causes of both of which the one confists of Faith only without Works going before which they call the first and the other which they call the second is increased by Works of Grace as they speak I see not what they can find in the Scriptures for the defence of their Opinion for Paul writing to so many Churches acknowledges no cause of Iustification but one which he professes to be Faith in Christ and that without Works What need is there of better evidence Can you not be perswaded to believe the Truth which hath been so often and so perspicuously demonstrated by so great a Master as Paul But to what purpose hath Christ appointed him to be a Teacher to us Gentiles if we despise his Instructions and chuse to our selves other Masters that teach another Gospel And what else do those Men who reject the Apostle's Doctrine and hearken to such as teach contrary thereunto Paul says Without Works Man is justified Will you then dare to plead for Iustification by Works in Opposition to the Apostle Dare you deny what he affirms But you say I detract nothing from Works in opposition unto Paul but I add Grace from whence they receive the power of Meriting and Iustifying Then according to your Opinion Works being assisted by Grace do justifie but without Grace they avail nothing But what will you answer to St. Paul who without making any Distinction of Works says not of such or such Works only but indefinitely and in the general of all Works It is of Faith and not of Works lest any should boast And again to the Romans If by Grace then it is not of Works and elsewhere To him that worketh not c. And how often doth he in all his Epistles Attribute all Power of Iustifying to Faith shutting out not only such or such Works but all Works of what kind soever concerning which Paul speaking indefinitely and absolutely utterly excludes them from any concernment in Iustification Which would be false if any Works whether performed by Grace and in Faith or without Grace were conducible to Iustification And hence this Argument arises An Argument against inherent Righteousness We are justified without Works by Faith as Paul testifies VVorks of Charity infused by Grace are VVorks Therefore without these Works also that consist of Grace we are justified The Adversaries Answer to the Major Paul asserts that we are justified without Works but with this Exception unless they be planted in us by Faith and the influence of Grace for the Apostle excludes not such kind of Works because they please God and procure Iustification Contrarily those VVorks only are excluded that are of the Law or of Nature without which we are said to be justified But this Answer doth not satisfie the VVords of Paul who without making any such Exception or Distinction of VVorks teaches simply and indefinitely that we are justified without Works By what Logick then have these Sophisters learned to make a definite and particular Proposition of that which is Indefinite and Universal Or what Reason have they to confine that unto a particular Case which Paul speaks of Works in the general Let us consider the Words of the Apostle Who if he had believed that Works of Charity infused procure Iustification in the sight of God it cannot be doubted but he would have expresly said so much Now he says expresly without any Exception By Works shall no Flesh be justified Whence we may form this Argument If Works performed by Grace and in Faith were meritorious of Iustification then some flesh would be justified by Works seeing there are many Believers that Work by Grace But no flesh at all shall be justified by Works as Paul bears witness Therefore it is false that good Works performed by Grace have any Power of justifying Let us confirm the saying of Paul by Scriptural Examples That which Paul here preaches of free Salvation without Works the same Isaiah foretells will come to pass though in other Words yet to the same purpose under the Symbols of Wine and Milk All ye that thirst saith he come without Money and without Price and buy Wine and Milk What is signified here by Wine and Milk but the glorious Mystery of our Iustification and what is the signification of these Words wherein we are commanded to eat without Money and without Price but that
and Sinners insa different account Sinners in our selves Righteous in Christ. Isaiah 9. Whole Christ is ours Christ bears our publick person before the Father What is our Righteousness according to Paul Osor. de just lib. 2. lib. 7. p. 187. lib. 9. p. 228. Osor. de just lib. 2. lib. 7. p. 187. lib. 9. p. 228. God commands not any thing which cannot be observed by men according to the opinion of Osorius it is no fault in God if he command those things which cannot be kept by us Rom. 3. There had been no need for God to Iustifie us by Faith if we could be justified by works de justit lib. 4. pag. 90. Pag. 105. Preparation for Righteonsness Mat. 5. Whatsoever things the law 〈◊〉 it saith to those that are in the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the World may be guilty before God R. 3. Rev. 15. 4. The Ecclesiastical Hymn thou only are holy Hierom. ad Ctesiphontem Dial. 2. Aug. in Io. Hom. 49. Rom. 3. Rom. 9. Gal. 2. 1 Cor. 1. Rom. 4. Rom. 11. Hab. 2. Rom. 4. Gal. 3. 2 Tim. 1. Ephes. 2. Tit. 3. Rom. 11. Phil. 3. Rom. 4. Rom. 9. Concil Trident Sess. 6. A definition of rig hteousness according to the Iesuits of Colonia Censur Coloniensis 186 frat Alpbonsus Philip 4. p. 34. Argum. ex Topicis Aristot. 1 Cor. 1. 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 4. 3. Answer to the Iesuitical quibbles Men judge by qualities but God judgeth otherwise 2 Cor. 5. Prov. cap. 8. Aug. ad Boniface lib. 3. cap. 7. Bernard in Dominic Serm. 3. By what Righteousness they are justified before God by Christs or our own Aug. in Psal. 31. Christ is wholly ours with all his good things As Christ was made sin so we are made righteous But Christ was not made sin by inherent sin Therefore we also are not made righteous by inherent rightcousness The Righteousness of Faith Internal and inherent righteousness whereby we are justified according to the Gospel Faith is a most internal and inherent righteousness This is the work of God that ye should believe in him whom he hath sent Iohn 6. Augustine Iohn 3. So God loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that all that believe in him c. Rom. 8. 1 Cor. 1. A rule of Law that which a Man doth by another he seems to have done by himself A comparison of Adam and Christ. The former Adam a Type of the second Rom. 5. As Evil was 〈◊〉 ed by the Sin of one so good is propagated by the Iustification of one by the Disobedience of one many were made Sinners Rom. 5. As many dyed by the Sin of one so by the grace of one many are justified Rom. 5. After what manner the sin of one is imputed unto all in like manner also the Righteonsness of one is imputed to all Otherways there would be no resemblance between Christ and Adam Adam a Type of Christ. Wherein the similitude of Adam and Christ consists A Imitation of Life Christ to be seen in Adam The severity of the Iudgment of God in Adam again the excellency of Mercy in Christ. The Type is compared with the Archetype Death took its beginning of making havock from the Sin of one not of many The heaviness of Iustice was again made amends for and over-balanced by as great mercy 2 Cor. 5. Isaiah 53. The Blood of Redemption encountering with Righteousness yet not violating Righteousness but Redeeming it An Answer The singular providence of the Eternal God in governing the business of our Redemption Rom. 6. Christ Iustifies Sinners but what Sinners Oso dejust lib. 7. The whole nature of our Salvation consists in nothing else but in the imitation of Christ and expressing a resemblance of him according to Osorius In what respect the similitude of Christ and Adam agrees Death and Sin from Adam Osor. de just lib. 7. p. 179. Osorius is opposed to Osorius Only by being propagated from Adam we perish And why are we not as well saved by being born again from Christ Object Osor. pag 180. Answer The imitation of Christ is very necessary for all Matt. 11. Charitv the bond of perfection Colos. 3. How no sign of Charity appears in the Roman Tyranny The Laws of the Popes are written with blood 1 Cor. 15. 1 Pet. 2. The promises of God are not tyed to the imitation ofChrist but to Faith A comparison of the First and Second Adam Christ the external cause of justification Faith in Christ the Internal Effects causes De just lib. 7. pag. 186. An argument from like things Luk. 18. Baptism a Sacrament of Faith Galat. 3. what Faith in Christ performs according to Paul Galas 3. Chrysostom Oso de just lib. 7. de just 1. 9. p. 232. de just 1. 6. p. 148. Iames. 2. Mat. 12. What the renewing of the Holy Ghost makes in us Oso de just lib. 9. P. 233. De just lib. 9. P. 234. Rom. 5. Ephes. 3. Rom. 4. De just lib. 9. pag. 234. We are beholden to the grace of God for all benefits and what that is which his singular favour towards us is ehiefly seen Luke 12. Daniel 7. Romans 5. Romans 4. Titus 3. Romans 8. On what foundation doth the free Promise of God chiefly stand Theassurance of confidence and persuasion from the free promise of God Osor. de just 1. 9. pag. 234. Ibid. p. 233. Lib. 9. p. 232. Two Paradoxes of Osorius both of which are false Ier. 31. 〈◊〉 11. Osor. l. 9. No man denies that the works of new Obedience proceed from the fountain of Divine Grace and the Merits of Christ. Every faithful man that is truly born again in Christ is a Law to himself or ought so to be Works of Faith Osor. de Iust. lib. 3. p. 71. Ier. 32. Ezek. 11. How far the Spirit of renovation promised and given by God reaches Ier. 31. Ezek. 36. Deut. 30. Hier. cont Pelag. Dial. 1. A twofold perfection or a twofold righteousness according to Hierome August cont duas Epistolas Pela l. 3. cap. 8. A twofold sort of Obedience according to Augustine Aug. de peccat merit remiss lib. 2. cap. 15. Aug. de peccat merit remis lib. 1. cap. 7. Aug. ad Bonifac lib. 3. cap. 7. Hierom. Advers pelag lib. 1. Hierom. ibid. Prover 18. Hierom. ad Ctesiphontem Deut. 30. I will Circumcise the Foreskin of thy Heart that thou mayst love me with all thy Heart and with all thy Soul Pelagianism August of the Perfection of Righteousness By whom Righteousness is obtained When Perfection is attained Aug. of the Spirit and Letter Aug ad Bonifac. lib. 3. cap. 7. Begun Obdience Imputation of Righteousness according to Augustine Augustine to Hierom. Epist. 29. Cpprian cited by Augustine Hierom. adversus Pelagi Ambros. lib. 10. Epist. 84. Aug. lib. 10. Epist. 84. Bernard super Cantic Serm. 50. Why God commanded things impossible Hieron Augustin Cyprian Orig. hom 21. on 〈◊〉 Cyprian de
not how great Faith and Hope is but how true The difference between confidence hoping and Faith justifying Confidence or Hope looks properly at the promise Faith looks at the Person of the Redeemer Not every Faith Iuifies 〈◊〉 3. Sentent distinct 23. I believe a God I believe God I believe in God Hebr. 11. Andreas Vega Hisp. De Iust. q. 1. Nine Significations of Faith in Vega. It is no wonder if Faith as it is defined by the Papists does not Iustifie The definition of Faith in Osor. lib. 2. Numb 46. 〈◊〉 lib. 3. Dist. 23. What Faith is according to Osorius and the Papists Osor. lib. 1. pag. 7. Not every Faith apprehending true things justifies What manner of Faith is this which is 〈◊〉 Hebr. 11. Faith looks upon the promise but yet not upon this only but rather another object whence it receives Iustification Osor. lib. 6. Nu. 150. Lib. 5. Num. 21. A Question How the promise is free if it is confined by a condition Answer The Mediatour The Promise with a Condition Lombard For what 〈◊〉 Christ was given to us of the Father according to the Papists Trident. Concil 〈◊〉 6. c. 7. Andrad Orthod explic lib. 6. pag. 471. The order of causes according to the Papists in the manner of justifying The nextand last cause of Iustification is the perfection of the Law The cause of procuring grace is the Merit of Christ and the voluntary acceptance of free will Merit de congruo A Refutation of the Popish Division as touching the order of causes The condition of Iustification depends not on the perfection of the Law as the next and ultimate end Charity is in part as the Saints often teach Sentent lib. 3. dist 31. Charity does not go before Faith but follows after it neither doth it form Faith but it is informed by Faith In what respect the Meritorious cause of Iustification should be placed in Christ. Merits of congruo and condigno Merits of Superrogation that are undue ex opere oper ato Ephes. 2. Colos. 2. Charity infused into the holy Patriarchs and Prophets before the Death of Christ. Christ only is the meritorious cause of Iustification The promise of God unto Salvation relies upon one condition only Faith consists of two parts inward knowledge and outward confession The Object of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the 〈◊〉 Bonifacius in Decretals The Object of Faith according to the more sound Orthodox The definition of Falth according to the more reformed Divines Faith often taken for trust in mercy Whether only relyance on mercy properly justifies us before God Assurance of Salvation is necessatily joyned with Faith An Answer to the objection Mercy the first cause of our Iustification on God's part On our part are considered relyance on the Mercy promised and Faith in the Person of the Mediatour The Opinion of the Papists concerning the uncertainty of our Salvation in Christ exploded Hosius lib. 3. confut p. 140. An Answer against the Hosian uncertainty Hosius lib. 1. confut p. 15. Hosius ibid. Osor. de Iust. l. 2. p. 32. The cause of Iustification in respect of God is Mercy in respect of us Faith in the Mediatour Faith only in the person of the Son of God justifies Ioh. 6. Ioh. 1. Ioh. 3. Ioh. 6. Ioh. 11. Ioh. 14. Ioh. 6. Rom. 4. Rom. 3. Ioh. 20. Act. 8. Act. 16. Philip. 3. Ephes 3. Galat. 3. Act. 26. Act. 10. Ioh. 8. Ioh. 6. Ioh. 15. Galat. 3. The Object of Faith that justifies The Object of Faith which certifies The definition of faith whereby we are justified Perswasion of Mercy follows the faith of Christ in Order Wherein Iustifying faith and assurance do differ The Subject of Faith The Subject of Assurance A twofold Calumny of the Papists Hosius in confut lib. 1. pag. 14. What it is to be Iustified in the Scriptures Trident. Conc. cap. 7. Sess. 6. By what ways and means Men are prepared for Iustification Trident. Concil Sess. 6. cap. 6. Tiletanus in Apol. pag. 250. 241. Free Will cooperating Wher ein Iustification consists according to the Tridentines Tiletanus in Apol. pag. 237. 〈◊〉 12. q. 113. arti 1. What the Iustification of the wicked is according to Thomas A 〈◊〉 al motion in Iustification The Term to which The opinion of Thomas is examined Whether Iustification consists in Remission only or in change of qualities 2 Cor. 5. Hierom. cont Pelag. Dial. 1. Phil. 10. 23. Out of Alphonsus and the Tridentines The Pharisaical Righteousness of the Roman Catholicks Works not of the Law but of Grace No Man is Righteous 〈◊〉 by inherent Righteousness according to the Roman Divinity A twofold Errour of the Papists Formal Righteousness Iudicial Righteousness To justifie according to the Papises is nothing else but to make righteous Two parts of Iustification of which the first consists in remission the other in works of Faith Alphonsus in 〈◊〉 Christ. Relig. p. 456. The other part of Tridentine Iustification Aug. de perfect Iust. For that is not sin which is not imputed for sin ibid. Whosoever says that after the remission of sins received any man hath lived or doth live so righteously in the flesh or that he hath no sin contradicts the Apostle Iohn who says If we say we have no sin c. for he says not we had but we have For Inherent righteousness A twofold manner of keeping the Commands Psal. 39. August lib. Retract c. 19. Oecumenius in cap. 3. ad Rom. Oicumen ibid. Oicumen ibid. Out of the Roman Missal Isai. 5. 53. Dan. 9. Abraham and Sarah Genes cap. 17. Moses Aaron Psal. 143. peter Mat. 15. Paul Philip. 3. 〈◊〉 Tiletan in defence of the Council of Trent pt 1. Alphonsus in 〈◊〉 Cant. 3. Grace Charity Charity was given to renew us not to justifie us 2 Cor. 10. Ephes. 4. 1. Cor. 13. The Church of God in this life is never so perfect but that she hath need of the Mercy of God Ioh. 7. 1 Tim. 3. A Bishop must be 〈◊〉 the Husband of one Wife Vigilant Sober Modest given to Hospitality apt to teach no Drunkard not greedy of filthy Lucre but Meek not a 〈◊〉 not Covetous one that ruleth well his own House having his Children in subjection with all decency Not a Novice not puffed up having a good testimony of them which are without Hierom. ad Ctesiphon Dial. 1. Hierom. ad Ctesiphon Dial. 2. Precepts of Evangelical Righteousness Mark 9. Hierom. Mat. 19. Popes Cardinals Bishops Governors or the Church The Orders and Rules of Monks The strise about Primacy in Churches Psal. 31. Blessedness the highest degree of all good things Lorichius cap. 8. Of the Remission of Sins A Twofold kind of Sin Reigning Sin 1 Iohn 3. Sin not reigning Romans 8. The Saints themselvessin sometimes They that sin finally The Saints though they fall sometimes into sin they do not continue in sin 2 Cor. 12. 1 Iohn 3. A Fallacy from that which is said in a certain sense to that which is said simply