Trēt amongst whom if any were wiser better then others they were least regarded Sess 6. cā 11 and soonest reiected But whether it were by reading M. Caluin in him the Scriptures of God fitly and forcibly applied or otherwise God opening his heart by what and whom as instrumentall meanes I can not tel certainly Pigghius letteth not to speak the truth in plain tearmes concludeth it with euident like sound reasons M. Stapleton notwithstanding still buildeth his tower of Babel without lime and sand or rather vppon the sand of fraile and weake man the fall whereof can not chuse but be great in the day of triall Very well wisely saith Pigghius we are taught being void of righteousnesse to seeke it Controuers Ratisb 2 extranos without our selues in illo in him in Christ Wherin if it be demaūded how by what right I cā be righteous by the righteousnes that is in an other Iohn 15.14 Rom. 5.19 A rule of the Law a good reason in Philosophy Arist Eth. l. 3. c. 3. That what a man doth by another after a sort he doth by himselfe and it is so accepted except euer where a personall performance is required It is easily aunswered by the right of friendship wherūto Christ hath vouchsafed to accept vs cōmunicating laying all that he hath in cōmon vnto vs his frinds And as by one mans disobedience many were made sinners euen in the guilt of sinne then whilest they were but yet in the loines of Adam so by one man cometh righteousnes vpon al and albeit we and his person be distinct yet that which he the head hath paied for vs the members of his misticall body is as sufficient as if we the members had payd it our selues And a great deal better it is that such treasures should be kept rather in the hands of a strong and safe keeper then of them who once had bene prodigal childrē might be again if their patrimony were deliuered them nowe in as ample or more ample maner then it was at the first This is once harm there can com none by this doctrin but good For as the iustice and mercy of God hereby is the more perfitly established so our righteousnesse is as well obtained likewise better cōfirmed in Christ our elder brother vnder whose perfumed most fragrant sweet attire in whose absolut perfection we appeare perfit before God receaue the blessing as Iacob did in Esawes garments not in his owne at his father Isaaks hands Gen. 27.27 Ambr. de Iacob vita beat lib. 2. cap. 2 Gen. 27.1 which story S. Ambr. others by way of all usiō cōueniently alleadge to this very purpose of mans iustification before the Lord. Yea but God is not like Isaak in his old age whē his eyes were dimme that he will take one brother for an other or impute righteousnes to a mā that is not righteous In deede when we shew both by the naturall propriety and common vse of the word Iustifiyng that it doth not import any imprinting or an indument of any quality in a man but an absolutiō as in iudgemēts in the cōsistories of men so before God Stap. 2. prol in 5. lib. when we are absolued the reply is made that God will not absolue the vnrighteouse man and that he discerneth who are who well enough And who denieth this we knowe and acknowledge that so great is the ielousie of our God that he will not suffer the vngodly to take his * couenāt in their mouths much lesse to enioy his blessings Psal 5.16 * No vncleane thing shall enter the holy citie Reu. 21.27 the workers of iniquitie shall not come nigh him Luc. 13.27 for his face is against them to roote them out Thine eyes are cleare o Lord thou canst not behold iniquitie Psal 5.6 But what shall we say then Shall I say we are righteouse that we haue no sin Of sanctification shal be spoken afterward which they blinde confound with iustification 1. Ioh. 1.10 If we say we haue not onely haue had but yet haue no sin our tongues will faulter for our harts can teach vs a contrary lesson 1. Ioh. 3.20 or if our hearts be a sleepe God is greater then our harts If he enter iudgement not with his enemies Psal 130 but with his seruants who shal abide it who can aunswer one for a thousand Iob. 9.3 who shal appear innocent be pronounced righteouse The case is waighty requireth diligēt attention If we confesse our vnworthines health may seeme to be far frō sinners For the wicked shal come to nought yea and their hope shall perish If thou darest deny thine vnrighteousnes then art thou the more past grace and the deeper in sinne And yet as whē the Patriarks had throwē their brother into the pit they went aside Gen. 37.25 and without remorse fell to their meate afterward their old sinne vnkinde dealing came fresh to their minde so the fat hart that can not feele when he sinneth and how he woundeth his soule in sinneing the time shall come when it shall haue a liuely and a bleeding sense thereof VVisd 5.3 and a sentence accordingly Then belike whether we feele and cōfesse our vnrighteousnes or else bragge presume of a righteousnes all is one No not so for happie are they that findeing their infinite defects innumerall wants nakednes of good and guilt of sinne therby come to that grace and wisedom by grace to seeke for supply of better things and helps in him that is able and sufficiēt in this behalfe Wherein an humble agnition of sundrie our imperfections vnfainedly made from the hart and truly in respect of trespasses ineuitably committed euen of the best men doth not repugne or withstand but establish as I saide before and meruelously settle in mens hartes and greatly set furth and commend the righteousnes and grace of God whereby we obtaine in Christ that which is not in our selues perfit wisedom true holynes entire righteousnes and euerlasting redemptiō For look what he our mediator surely did in our names and for our sakes that the Lord accepteth as done to him selfe by vs conditionally that we still rely vpon him trust in his mercies embrace the promises renounce our selues and leane to Christ The Prophet Esay foretold what Christs office shoulde be Esay 50.11 and was to do that he should iustify many and by what meanes by bearing sustaining their sinnes which he did vpon the crosse when he made due payment for them full purchase of that holynes which he began at his birth and continued in the hole race of his life and finished with his death but declared more apparantly by his rising againe As the Apostle speaketh to the Romanes Rom 4.25 He died for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification Who as in earth taking
part Totum est pro vulnere corpus All is full of boyles and corruption In particular fancie occupieth the head and pride the heart and impudency is seene in the eyes the naturall mans eares are stopt to good itch after euill tidings his throate is an open sepulcher the poyson of Aspes is vnder his deceiptfull lippes stiffe necked is he and obstinate in euerie wicked way his feet are swift to slaughter his hands embrued and bathed in bloud and his right hande an apt instrument of all iniquitie These enormities appeare not euer at all times nor in all persons An easie answer to no hard obiection For certaine men seeme to be and be lesse vnruly then some but those that are ouerruled only by naturs conduction without any secret diuine restraint 1. Ioh. 2.16 haue alwayes ranged out of order without end or stay in any one mēber And what if some did kepe in or rather haue bin kept in frō such so manifest outragiousnes Neuerthelesse God counteth the bodie and the partes therof accessarie to and guilty of all the faultes of the soule as inferiours consenting to their superiours intent Mat. 5.28 And because of their neere coniunction in one person albeit the external act doth not euer follow or outwardly appeare The residence and chiefe throne of sinne in deede The chiefe seat of sinne is in the soule whence it riseth taketh head where it remayneth raigneth most and therfore this part requireth more speciall consideration The chiefest parts of the soule most spoken of among diuines commonly known to Christian people are of the mind and the will The parts of the soule If the mind be wise it is likely the will is better aduised will the rather endeuor to do the better But if the minde be out of her turne the will can neuer be wel in due order Now let vs see a little how it fareth with the naturall man in both these The blindnesse of mans vnderstanding THe natural mā perceiueth not the things that ar of God 1. Cor. 2.14 because they ar spirituall he naturall and therfore in Gods matters he is not onely weake sighted but quite blind Gen. 19.11 The case of the Sodomits that groped as men in the darke and could not find Lots door is one with the cōditiō of the vnregene rat who seeth not the way verily seketh not certainly findeth not the doore that leadeth openeth vnto heauē For in our selues we are not only darkned but darknesse 1. Pet. 2.9 Ioh. 1.5 can darknes cōprehēd the light If the blind lead the blind the one falleth vnder the other vpon but both into the dike If that which shold be thine eye to thine affectiōs be dark how peruerse also is the wilfulnes of all thy lusts But he that beleeueth not but resteth only in the imagined puritie of naturalls as the Pelagians or is in some good liking of natures habilitie as is the Semipelagian the Papist he seeth nothing cōceiueth nothing vnderstandeth nothing as he should Stapl. de vniuer iustif doctr lib. 2 cap. 10 neither is he capable of heauēly thoughts For seme he neuer so mighty potent politik wise discrete honest in all kinde of honestye yet because he hath not faith the true roote of godlinesse those fruites that he can beare things faire in shew yet in truth they are but bastard fruits and vnpleasant to a good tast For without faith and a sure confidence that we do wel Rom. 14.23 Heb. 11.6 which procedeth of a true faith in God Philip. 1.29 it is impossible to please the Lord. And this faith is not of natur but of grace as shall be shewed afterwards For natur being thoroughly poisoned bringeth foorth nothing but poyson who fedeth theron fedeth on poyson eateth drinketh foolishnes and is nourished with folly crawleth vpon his bellie groueleth vpon the earth like the sinfull serpent The wisdom of the world is foolishnes in Gods iudgement who knoweth best what is true wisedome 1. Cor. 1.19 Esay 29.14 Ierem. 5.5 and hath pronounced that the prudency of the prudent worldly wise men he will reproue because they and he agree not in any one part neither in the entrance end or midway of any one action Our wayes are not his wayes Esay 55.8 Psal 99.8 Our inuentiōs prouoke him to wrath our deuises are diuers and contrarie and therfore not for him The peruersnes frowardnes of mans will NOw if the mind be ignorant vnskilfull in that that is to be wished for how can the wil which taketh all her instructiō thēce rightly desire she can not tell what Doth any man ame at the marke he neuer sawe or desire the thing he neuer heard of Christ our Sauiour told the woman of Samaria Ioh. 4.10 if she knew with whom she talked she would craue the waters of life of him but therfore she begged thē not because she knew him not and could not tell neither what nor of whō to ask The very philosopher could tech his scholers and common experience doth testifie the same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that no man loueth or longeth for the thing he neuer loked vpon And howe litle insight or rather how perfectlie blind by nature we are is alreadie shewed Farther no man naturally wisheth for any thing but he hath not only an insight but also a delight therin and it is gratefull to his nature pleasant in his eyes or at the least so supposed either in comparison of somewhat else or in som sort or other so reputed Herupon I will suppose an impossibilitie that man hath a cleare eye in that great misterie of godlines 1. Tim. 3.16 which the Apostle describeth and which is the ground of all knowledge But I aske how is he pleased how is he delighted therwith Be wee Greekes reckoned the wisest of the Gentils or Iewes once the people peculiar chosen of God The mistery of Christ crucified to either of these is either maruelous folly or wonderfull offensiue to both of them alike if God in iustice leaue them to them selues the preaching of the Gospell 1. Cor. 1.23 which shold be the odor of life if they could beleeue loue and embrace it is becom a sauour that they cānot brook a sauor of death to death euerlasting in fine they perish in their sinnes wherin their faithles natur toke such delight Wherfore if a naturall man an vnbeleuer would beare good men in hand that naturs case is not so hard Orth. expl lib. 3 if Andradius the cōmentator of the Coūcell of Trent as being priuy to their secret meaning herein speake neuer so honourablie of the state of heathen men to be saued without Christ if Pigghius or the schole of Colen Contro Ratisb 1 Dial. 2 Sarc in dist Schol. Doct or all the scholemen in the world wold qualify or alay the strēgth
of sinne with vaine reasoning and fond but gay distinctions as they think of conueniency congruity c. What is to be done touch these faire apples of Gomorrha with the finger of the holy Ghost Aug. de Ciuit Dei lib. 21. c. 5 they wil fal straight all to dust Or be it that the wine that the harlot offreth be strong the spice of distinctiōs sweet the harlot subtil her alluremēts many fine forcible yet the truth is stronger and wholsomer 1. Esd 4.4 will and must preuaile In flesh dwelleth no good so saith the spirit of God Rom. 7.18 Wherupon without contradictiō it followeth if no good no degree of good at al ether spark of knowledg or inclinatiō of will or ability to reach out hand towards the receiuing of any good For euē the good willingnesse which is graunted by grace is hindred by nature as much as in her lieth Therefore the old man must be quite put of the old leuen cleane purged out our lusts not proined but digged vp by the rootes throwne away our flesh crucified of our selues altogeather denied O Israel howe long wilt thou tarie in a strange lande woo woorth the man that delighteth in his naturall corruption O sinfull flesh happie is he that taketh thy yong children I meane the very beginnings euen the concupiscences and first motions to sinne and dasheth them against the stones or smothereth them in their cradle or killeth them in their mothers wombe For of flesh can come no good happie is he that maketh away a rebellious euill Concupiscens is verie sinne in whom soeuer ANd euen these by name are full of euill naught and wicked and very sinnes although they come not to age and thou cōsent not vnto them euen in the regenerate mā it is so much more so in the naturall So speaketh S. Augustine in plaine tearmes in handling one of the Psalmes Non illis consentis c. Aug. in Psalm 75. whom I the rather here mention because he is much alleaged to the contrary very vnskilfully and chiefly for that our late Cēsurer sticketh not to vaunt and bragge of S. Augustine and that Maister Charke hath neither shew nor syllable in this case out of him If thou be a scholler I referre thee to the place coted in the margent Defen of the cens pag. 133. if thou art but onely exercised in the worde of God the scripture alone may content thine humble minde M. Traue in his aunswer to the epist suppl p. 252. Rom. 5. and instructe thy conscience most aboundantly It is forbidden in the Law we being new borne in Christ are bidden to pray against it S. Paul doth sigh in respect of it calleth it sinne I trow properlie enough when he saith it is the body of sinne and bonde of death although men that followe their lust Conc. Trid. Sess 5. dec 1. write neuer so hotly in defence of luste saying that S. Paul spake not properly and cursing all them that say the contrarie S. Paul saw many things in heauen 2. Cor. 12.4 that he might not vtter on earth but the sinne he spake against was an inhabitour in the tabernacle of his body and within his bosome he felt the sting thereof sharpe and could not but complaine how truely how properly and with how conuenient words they that haue S. Paules spirit sence and feeling can say with teares and vtter with griefe S. Iames when he would cleare God of sinne he saith God tempteth no man Iam. 1.13 as who would say if he did then were the case altered C oncupiscence a mother sinne But euery man it is generally in particuler true euerie man is tempted of his owne lusts This is the spring the roote the cause of sinne which issueth out into diuerse streames is deduced into sundrie branches by consent then it is called cōmonly and named sinne amongst men who otherwise iudge not but by the externall acte And then also which in deede is S. Augustines meaning God is more prouoked to wrath Tom. 7. c. without repentance foreprised counteth man quoad reatum crimen regnum peccati more guiltie and blameable and thrauld to sinne then when by cōsenting to the sway of his sinnefull lusts he is caried away wilfully with the streame of them But S. Paul considering the waight of sin as before Gods exact iudgemēt in the merit thereof sheweth that whereas we ought to serue and loue him with all our powers the least defect in the least part whether habitually or actually in the nature of sin is perfit sinne Rhem. notes Rom. 7. vers 7. expressely against the commaundement of the Lawe But we will goe on a litle and reason with them Concupiscence tempteth haleth backe from good and helpeth forward to euill This is without question Nowe whether thou consent or dissent that is somwhat to the will it is nothing to the luste except to make it more manifest if thou consent and if thou dissent Rhem. not in Iam. cap. 1. vers 15. yet in the nature of sinne it is neuerthelesse sinnefull though it be stayed in the first degree But if I be not deceiued concupiscence of nature corrupted whereof I principally speake or in whom soeuer ioyntly and indiuisibly importeth always a cōsent withall immediatly ensuing To lust to desire to will for doctrine and exhortions sake well they may be distinguished I can not see how they may be seperated or staied if we had rather hew at some bowe of them then strike at the roote The children of darkenesse are wise in their generation Matt. 16.2 in naturall causes or signes to foresee a tempest in pollicie to forecast the woorst to stop the beginnings to giue no place no not a litle to the raging sea Why do we not the like why are not spirituall harmes discerned and preuented M. Harding in some sort vseth a vaine defence of an vnchast toleratiō of the steewes at Rome Confut. of the Apol. pag. 16 2. Deiect lib. 5. cap. 4. Censur of M. Ch. artic 3. and Defence p. 113. Dist 34. Fraternitatis by reason of the hotnes of the coūtrie as if Italie were hotter then Iurie which is not so or if it were what then and for concupiscence he and his breathern haue since written much But doth the Lawe of God melt away with the heat of either nations or nature of places or men Me thinketh after so great light spread into the worlde after so long debating though of sundrie other sorie quaestions for the Church against the scriptures for works merits against faith and mercie for ignorance against knowledge Stapel lib. 3. Epist to the LL. of the Conc. yet men shoulde not come to this point to be so badly affected and to excuse them when they are oppugned Verily if they had either conscience or remorse their learning should not be thus abused
ad prostituted by open writing to maintaine sinnefull lust The midwiues in Aegypt preserued the children of Israell Exod. 1.17 it was well done if the midwiues of Israell would destroy the children of Aegypt it were better and if the boÌ„d mother with her brats were quite cast out and banished it were best of all if God so would but concupiscence the mother and the first motions and peruerse will to sinne as twinnes that come of her together with froward mindes that foster vp both mother daughters can hardly or neuer be voyded in this vale of sinners proctors for sin yea the perfitest men are imperfit the cleanest vnclean vntil the euening Isych lib. 5. in Leuit. cap. 15. which as Isychiê° alludeth is till men in repentance agnize craue pardon for ther faults which shall be accomplished to the full in the euening that is in the end of the world Yet if in the meane season we suffer naturall corruptions coÌ„cupiscences to haue their motions Suddaine motions entangle a man before a man can deliberate vpon them Rhem. not 7. Rom. v. 15. motioÌ„s naturally moue their foote forwarde and cannot stand at a staie and will seeke incontineÌ„tly to prouoke coÌ„sent wil these once ioyning all in one the hole man is become bound head and hart hand and foote his head can not deuise his hart desire to doe or any member execute a good dutie And thus is man by these meanes subiected made a seruaunt captiued and kept prisoner and as a slaue solde vnto and vnder sinne The whole question of free will handeled at large THis being thus Osor de Iust lib. 7. we can not but maruaile what our aduersaries meane when they crie out amaine we are free we are free Are they mad or do they dreame thus of a freedome in so great subiection of libertie in the middest of captiuitie and extreame bondage As if a man could or would looke for health in sicknes for life in death Eph. 1.2 for the liuing amongst the dead For naturally we are not onely sicke but also dead buried in sin And I pray you what sense what abilitie what will is there in a dead man to perceiue desire or endeuour to be reuiued But stay are men blocks say they and stones yea a great deale worse For timber and stones lift not vppe themselues against the carpenter and mason but man though he be dead from righteousnes yet he liueth and is quicke and full of agilitie in all euill herein he hath a will free enough Fulgent de incar Chr. 19. cap. as it were a streame running downe an hill and yet not properly free being thrawled to sinne as Augustine vsing the word free seemeth to correct himselfe by and by vppon it Serm. 13. de verbis Ap. Male agimus libera voluÌ„tate quanquam non libera sed serua ad peccatum Conc. Aurasic can 7. For concerning godlines his will is wounded maimed it can neither looke vp lift vp haÌ„d or stirre foote to goodnes it was lost long agoe and is not now to be found Yet when God giueth grace and inspireth from aboue we are without comparison farre better then the senslesse matter but all this is else whence that we are thus enabled but to receiue the printe of his spirite I will take away your stonie harte saith the Lorde in his Prophetes Ezech. 36.26 first he taketh away that which is ours that he may giue that which is his Before this if a stone may boast of his softnes then may we if not the stone then neither we For our hartes are all of stone and ragge wherefore I will giue you a newe harte This is more then to renew the olde and this will he doe and wheÌ„ he hath done so then he will write his awe in our hartes and make vs to walke in his wayes Create within me a new hart Psal 51.11 The Prophet Dauid prayed and if he prayed a better prayer then the sonnes of Zebedy Marc. 10.38 that is he knew for what in truth and veritie and for the thing he wanted then is it plaine that our hart for this is not Dauids case alone must be created as if it were not at all And then obserue that that which is to be created is neither of counsell nor consent in a freenes of good will to the creator or in a willingnesse towards his own creation For how can it be before it be framed first and haue his being God often telleth vs and we ought alwayes to agnize that he doth all and we nothing in good things He it is that preuenteth with his grace prepareth by his word enclyneth vs by his spirite worketh both the beginning the ende and the continuance of our good conuersion at the first Obiections of the aduersaries aunswered and conuersation in his lawes euer afterwards notwithstanding all quarelings to the contrarie In the beginning say they when God had made maÌ„ Eccl. 15.14 Stapl. lib. 4. cap. 3. he left him in the hand of his counsell gaue him his commaundements precepts if thou wilt thou shalt obserue the commandements testifie thy good will Water and fire good and euil I life death are set before him he may stretch furth his hande to either as he list liketh best All this is true In the beginning the case was so But this is not the question what man in the beginning by creation could but what by nature now he can do He is a fonde Physition that to comfort his paciente can say nothing but this this man once had a sound body and a perfit constitution it was in him to haue liued long The diseased commeth to the art of Phisicke and seeketh helpe not because he was once whole but for that he is nowe sicke I will shew in a word or two by an easie similitude how sillely they conclude out of that place I haue this or that put into my hande I may holde it fast or let it go Here is a choice a free will but when once I haue let go mine holdfast or wilfully thrown away that which I held before shall I still say August de Natur. Gra. contra Pelag. cap. 53. my hands are full wheÌ„ I haue emptied them or when I haue wouÌ„ded mine owne armes and handes in such sort so that they are not able to reach furth themselues now being vnapt vnfit to apprehend or receiue any thing else but infirmities because these were otherwise therefore shall I presumptuously conclude they are so In Paradise it was so with vs ergo it is so also in other places What Logicke doth reason after this fashion it was ergo it is It was in Paradise ergo elsewhere God cast man out of Paradise Gen. 3.24 and at the east side of the garden of Eden he set the Cherubines his Angels with a shaking naked sword in terrible
Christianity the key of religion the peace of consciēce the water that allayeth the whirl winds and tempests of a troubled soule the wine that gladdeth the heauie hart and the oyle that cheereth the countenance of the sorowful man that droupeth and hangeth head as the bulrush in remorse of his offences are contained herein and depende vpon this happie and heauenly doctrine of our free iustification in Christ Iesu The parts of iustification The partes whereof properly taken to be are but two the remission of sinnes and imputation of righteousnesse the sinnes are ours the righteousnesse Christes The remitting of them vnto vs and the imputing of that which is none of ours are freely bestowed by speciall fauour vpon the faithfull and so of sinners and vniust we are reputed iust and become saued soules for Christes sake Of the righteousnesse of Christ imputed vnto and not inherent in a Christian man FArther fitlie to declare how far remission of sinnes stretcheth and in what maner precisely Christs righteousnes is rekoned ours requireth the lōger stay herin because the aduersaries haue enwrapped hedged in the matter round about with thorns that an vnwary hād can hardly cōe to the truth without dāger of pricking For of remission of sins Stap. li. 5. et lib. 7. ca. 10 they haue made a rasing out of sin quite as if no sinne remained at al after baptisme of imputation Rhe. Note Ro. c. 4. ver 7.8 they make a very imprinting of a perfit righteousnes in vs in both pointes erring very wide frō the truth For albeit the guilt of sinne be remitted and that no sinne hath any such sting as can wounde to death euerlasting Yet the full abolishing of sinne is not in this life but after death in the life to com And albeit vpon our effectual calling faith in Christ which is the gift of God straight way in conuenient time frameth a new by grace in Christ all our thoughts Phil. 3.29 Concil Mileuit can 3 proineth our lusts schooleth our affections and ordereth a right the whole race of our life to a better course and likewise although it be truly said Christ dwelleth in vs and we are his holy temples that we haue in vs his righteousnes his because it procedeth frō his spirit when we beleeue rightly liue accordingly yet that righteousnes whereby we are iustified is resident onely in the person of Christ is not inherent at all in vs for this were to make vs not onely his faithfull seruants and obedient children which is our dutie and must be so but to make our selues very Christes Sauiours of our selues And. ortho expl li 6. ca de iustific if not in whole at the entrie of the first receauing him yet in the chiefest perfection therof in the end of our iustification purchasing it to be really inherent and perfit in vs by meanes of deserts The later Papistes Rhem. not 2. Rom. especially since the councell of Trent haue most mistaken our iustification which when thy haue graūted it to be fre calling it a first free iustification yet by glozing to fro therupon haue much also impayred the freenesse therof and then in iustification which is but one being verie ill vnderstood as the mad-man thinketh he seeth two moones for one they haue found out another in thē selues Stap. lib. 10 cap. 2 Iustificatio imporiat ius ad vitā aeternam which being made vp of good workes must present them iust before the tribunall seate of God and deserueth euer lasting life this they call a 2. iustificatiō Verily we for our parts can not but ingeniously protest confesse we haue not so learned Christ and herein nothing can comfort vs more thē this that we haue not bene brought vp in the schoole of Trēt by Andradius or as auditors at M. Stapletōs feet at Doway or els at Rhemes vnder our late translatours there Our righteousnes is Christ We are iust in him not in our selues For his sake our sinnes are not imputed Coloss 1.20 but his innocencie is imputed In him it hath pleased the Father to be reconciled Eph. 1.7 And so ar al iustified freely by grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus both is in him by his means But I say which is in him inherētly not cleauing to vs. For the truth is the womā is clad with the Sun in the reuelatiō that is to say Reuel 12.1 the church is couered with the righteousnes of Christ the Son of God But as a garment sticketh not to the body no more doth the perfectiō of Christ cleue or stick in the person of any Christiā neither is he or his righteousnes 1. Tim. 2.6 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or a righteousnesse in any degree in this life perfit imparted or gotten or purchased by any way of cōmixture confusiō but he only is ours by imputatiō the pay ransom of our dets though we personally defray and pay no farthing therūto The sonnes of men that meant to build a tower that should reach to heauen when they all spake one language euery one vnderstāding his fellow in the same tongue their worke went forward For an vnderstanding consent is much to farther either the euil intents of the wicked or the godly indeuours of the good Wherefore the Lord descēded cōfoūded their tongues that they might not all speake with one lippe and language and so was their building interrupted and it came to nothing the place receauing a fit name Babell of a deserued confusion Our aduersaries whilest they nestle them selues agreeably together in an opinion as it were legions of vncleane spirites in the bosoms of the simple they beguile the soner the moe But in this their building wherby they would pile vp merits works of deserts morter thē together in the lande of their owne flesh the top whereof should reache vp to heauen the Lorde coulde not suffer suche proude giantes so vngraciously to impaire his glory to haue their foorth but by his prouidence hath descended and diuided their languages among them selues One saith one thing another sayth another thing Pigghius a chiefe master workman with his felowes M. Stapletō a fine builder after the newer fashion with his mates can not agree together about the foundatiō of the worke Pigghius wil haue works preparatory deferring the grace of God Lib. 7. cap. 9 to be the ground work M. Stapletō liketh not that so well Againe which way the frame should rise and vpon what pillers it should rest they vary more M. Stapleton would haue mans righteousnes to rely and be in vpon mā himself Piggh. being better skild in this cause of more remors hūblenes of mind misliketh that shewes by manifest demonstrations it must be otherwise Yet Pigghius good aduise largelye layed foorth in this respect in his bookes could not be heard in the conuent of