they will not preferre themselues How then dare they so stand vpon their merits seeing these godly men haue no trust in their works but so wholy disable them Neyther is there in the Scripture any thing more plainly deliuered any Doctrine more often taught Scriptures are against doctrine of merits Tit. 3.5 then that which teacheth vs to deny our merits and to rest only vpon Gods mercy in Christ for the forgiuenesse of our sinnes Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done saith Saint Paul but according to his mercies he saued vs. And againe God hath saued vs 2. Tim. 1.9 and called vs with a holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen to vs through Christ Iesus before the world was And againe By grace ye are saued through faith Ephes 2.8.9 and that not of your selues it is the gift of God not of workes lest any should boast himselfe And infinite testimonies tending to this end if it were needfull might be brought prouing plainly how little we may rest vpon our merits and how little soundnes is in our workes and therefore also shewing how little cause our aduersaries haue to write that eternall life is due to good workes not of mercy but of merit as LINDAN ANDRADIVS and the Colen Censurers doe teach The reason of this conceit they haue of their workes is because they suppose none but great sinnes hinder our perfection Leuicula vitiola Kemnitius alleageth out of Lindan a Popish Bishop Asspergines naeuuli sunt qui perse non maculant nec contaminant Kem. exam part 1. Veniall sins they lightly esteeme sed quasi puluisculo leuiter aspergunt vitam Christianam vt nihilominùs tamen per se sint perfecta vndique immaculata renatorum opera in hac vita Which if they bee the words of Lindan hee vseth so many diminitiues to lessen and make nothing our breach of Gods Law as thereby he sheweth himselfe to be a very graceles wretch without any feeling of the burden of sinne They are in English thus Little light petty sinnes are as sprinklings and small staines which doe not of themselues blot or defile but as it were with small dust doe lightly sprinkle a Christian life so as notwithstanding the workes of the regenerate are of themselues perfect and euery way vndefiled Indeed Andradius too though not in such scornfull termes as I may well call them teacheth the like Doctrine Andra. Orthodox explicat l. 5. Peccata saith he in quae iusti quotidie labuntur iustitiam euertere nullo pacto possunt ac proinde neque perfectam absolutam legis obedientiam quoquo modo impedire The sinnes whereinto euen the iust daily fall can by no meanes ouerthrow righteousnesse Cens Colon. explicat errorum Dialogi 5. and therefore cannot any thing hinder the full and perfit obedience of the Law The Censurers of Colen also though not so vnmodestly yet as vntruly as Lindan affirme speaking of veniall sins that Leuia illa nec impios nec malos efficiunt nec operum nostrâ—rum obsunt efficaciae Those light sinnes make men neyther wicked nor euill neyther doe they hinder the efficacie of their workes Which their Doctrine to bee most absurd and false wee may proue by many reasons The least sinnes hinder our obedience and staine it as first thus Euery breach of Gods Law maketh our obedience vnperfit but euery veniall sinne is a breach of Gods Law therefore euery veniall sinne maketh our obedience vnperfit My Maior I would thinke should need no proofe seeing that where breach of a Law is there is not absolute obedience to the same And Saint Iames telleth vs Whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law Iam. 2.10 and yet faileth in one point hee is guilty of all But that euery veniall sinne is a breach of Gods Law is plaine For if there be no breach of Law then is not forgiuenesse needfull but forgiuenesse is needfull for the taking away of veniall sinnes as is most manifest by that place of Saint Iohn If wee acknowledge our sinnes 1. Ioh. 1.8.9 he is faithfull to forgiue vs our sinnes and to clense vs from all vnrighteousnesse Whereby we vnderstand that the sinnes that Saint Iohn speaketh of are by forgiuenesse to bee done away And that he speaketh of veniall sinnes not only Andradius Paiuas doth testifie Andro. Orthodox explicat lib. 5. pag. 421. Bell. de Amis grat l. 1 cap. 6. but Bellarmine also in plaine words So that by two witnesses of good credit among our Aduersaries it appeareth that veniall sinnes are no otherwise taken away then other sinnes are and therefore that our perfit obedience is by them so hindered as that it cannot stand before the iust Iudge Againe whatsoeuer sinnes are short of that obedience that God commandeth in this Law Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart Deut. 6.5 with all thy soule with all thy might are hinderances vnto the perfection of obedience but the sinnes which they call venial doe that for in committing of them our whole heart minde and soule is not bent to obserue Gods Law therefore such sinnes are a hinderance to our perfit keeping of the Law But to be short If veniall sinnes be no transgression of Law they are to be much blamed that call them sinnes For where there is no Law there is no transgression but if they bee a breach of Law as before I said they are of the nature of sinnes and vnlesse they be pardoned shall also haue the reward of sinne The godly feare their venial sins But what seeke I to proue that which euery man 's owne conscience if they be not too much besotted will tell them Was it not veniall sinnes as our Aduersaries account that made Paul cry out as he doth O wretched man that I am Rom. 7.24 who shall deliuer me from the bodie of this death He could neuer haue said of himselfe as he doth of being without reproofe concerning the Law if he had beene stained with notorious and such as they call mortall sinnes And shall Paul be so scarred with veniall sinnes and can wee imagine they make vs nothing the worse How much better were it for vs with good Bernard to confesse Passio tua vltimum refugium Ber. in Can. Ser. 22. singulare remedium Deficiente sapientia iustitia non sufficiente succumbentibus sanctitatis meritis illa succurrit O Lord thy passion is my last refuge a singular remedy For when wisdome wanteth Iustice sufficeth not and merits of holinesse faile that helpeth And thus I trust it doth appeare that howsoeuer our Aduersaries teach of veniall sinnes which they confesse are in the godly yet are they such staines in the garment of our righteousnesse as are not to bee shaken off with euery knocke of the brest or washed off with sprinkling a little holy-water or other such like tryfling
to him What is written in the Law How readest thou And hee answered Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God with all thine heart with all thy soule and with all thy strength and with all thy thought 28. and thy neighbour as thy selfe Then he answered him Thou hast said right doe this and thou shalt liue If I say we examine our selues and trie our wayes by this rule which is a very true rule and cannot deceiue we will no doubt acknowledge our manifold transgressions For it is impossible that flesh and bloud so long as it hath within it this bitter roote of corruption which whilest here we liue will neuer leaue vs should so abandon the loue of our selues and our owne delights that thereby our loue of God should be nothing hindered If we consider of our best workes we shall not finde such alacrity and cheerefulnesse in our selues as is fit neither in the worke such respect to Gods will and glory as wee ought to haue So that our conscience must needes tell vs that because we are conceiued of vncleane seede Iob. 14.4 no man can make vs cleane and therefore we must sing that song that they did who thus say We haue beene as an vncleane thing Esa 64.6 and all our righteousnesse as filthy clouts And if we make tryall of our loue to our Neighbour he whose charity among vs most aboundeth will perceiue himselfe to be of his minde who said Proximus egomet mihi I am neerest neighbour to mine owne selfe So shall we be found farre short of the duty we owe either to God or Man These things are so plaine to such as haue any feeling consciences as that I need not stand vpon proofe hereof Lastly the confessions of all the godly The confessions of the godly Iob. 1.8 will teach vs what wee may thinke of our obedience and fulfilling the Law Iob was a good man None was like him vpon the earth an vpright and iust man one that feared God and eschewed euill Yet good Iob as in sundry other places he confesseth himselfe to be guiltie so in these wordes If I would iustifie my selfe Iob. 9.20 mine owne mouth would condemne me If I would be perfit he shall iudge me wicked As if he had said If I would goe about to cleere my selfe I cannot doe it I must acknowledge my transgression 1. Sam. 13.14 Dauid was a man according to Gods owne heart as Samuel reporteth yet he of himselfe and all other saith If thou O Lord straitly marke our iniquities O Lord Psal 130.3 who shall abide it That is none can stand before thee to iustifie himselfe if thou pry into their liues to examine their transgressions The Angell of the Lord calleth DANIEL a man of desires Dan. 9.23 God so delighted in him and loued him yet he in that notable prayer that he maketh for the deliuerance of Gods people now that the 70. yeeres of their captiuity were expired as it were to put God in minde of his promise of deliuerance confesseth not only the sins of their Fathers of their Princes and of the People Dan. 9.5 6 7 8 10 11. but wrappeth himselfe in that number too acknowledging that to them belonged nothing but shame and confusion to God only mercy and forgiuenesse Paul we all say was a good man also taken vp into the third heauen and heard wordes which cannot be spoken which are not possible for man to vtter Rom. 7.21 Yet this heauenly man found by the Law that when he would doe good euill was present with him whereby it came to passe 19. that he did not the good thing which hee would but the euill that he would not that did he as a little before the same Apostle hath complayned To be short S. Iames was an Apostle of our Sauiour Christ Mat. 17.1 whom he tooke to be one of the witnesses of his Transfiguration a faithfull seruant of God yet of himselfe Iam. 3.2 as well as of other his brethren he hath said In multis offendimus omnes We all offend in many things Wee I say that are chosen of God we the Apostles of Iesus Christ who haue receiued the holy Ghost in some good measure who are aided and guided by the grace of God we all I say offend in many things Such confessions of the godly haue imboldened the worthy learned Fathers Hieron in Gal. 3. to say after them as doth HIEROME Nemo legem seruat No man keepeth the Law But of that sort I will bring no mo testimonies Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. The Angellicall Doctor shall speake for all Implere totam legem est impossibile It is a thing vnpâ—ssible to fulfill the whole Law And thus the premisses being proued this conclusion doth follow that in respect of workes no man is worthy But because Christ saith of some of Sardi that they are worthy Worthy how Ephes 1.4 there is no doubt a worthinesse in Gods seruants although in respect of merits wee iustly deny it Therefore Gods children are said to be worthy first in respect of their election in that God hath chosen them before the foundation of the world especially seeing we are chosen in Christ 11. in whom only we are found worthy For we who in our selues are not yet in him are found worthy The meditation hereof made the Apostle not to make reckoning but of this only Phil. 3.9 That he might be found in Christ not hauing his owne righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the faith of Christ Seeing then we haue all our worthinesse from Christ that we may more earnestly seeke to him it is needfull that with all the godly we acknowledge our owne vnworthinesse Now true it is Rom. 8.30 that whom God hath predestinated and chosen to be his he also calleth not only externally by outward meanes but inwardly also by his grace and whom he calleth he also iustifieth and whom he iustifieth he also glorifieth but yet our corruption being such as will not suffer vs sincerely to follow our calling and walke worthy of our profession our worthinesse in this respect will be found but vnworthinesse but as it is supplied by that worthinesse of Christ Hier. ad Clesiphontem Let vs therefore harken to that Hierome saith Haec hominibus sola perfectio est si imperfectos se esse nouerint This is the only perfection of men if they know they are vnperfect And so may we well say of our worthinesse Herein we only are found worthy if we confesse our owne vnworthines For as Saint Augustine writeth August de Spirit lit cap. 36. In ea quae perficienda est iustitia ille multùm profecit qui quà m longè sit à perfectione iustitiae proficiendo cognouit Hee hath much profited in this life in that righteousnesse that is to bee perfited who by profiting knoweth how much he wanteth of
the roote and heat and light from the Sunne but the question which is now to be answered is how the word iustified must here in these wordes of S. Paul be taken Phil. 3.5 I say then it is most likely that S. Paul being of the kindred of Israel of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew of the Hebrewes as hee was best acquainted with the Hebrew phrase so he would rather vse it then the Latine Nay this is more then likely because in this very Chapter before he hath vsed this very word according to the Hebrew phrase and in that sense that it hath commonly in the Scripture as our aduersaries themselues must needes confesse in his allegation out of the 51. Psalme It is therefore very absurd Rom. 3.4 that our aduersaries to confirme their sense of this word are forced so to vnderstand it as it is neuer or at the least very seldome vnderstood in the Scripture so that hardly they can alleage any testimonies where of necessitie it must bee taken in their sense whereas we are able to bring very many which they confesse must haue our sense Another absurditie I find in their interpretation Iustification and sanctification confounded by the Popish interpretation that they confound these two notable benefits which we haue by Christ that is our iustification our sanctification Of the first he speaketh in this place to the end of the fift Chap and of the latter he begins to speake in the sixt Chap. as to the end I need not stand long in proofe hereof Tho. of Aquine whom I know our aduersaries wil trust in a greater matter then this is shall testifie for vs in these wordes After the Apostle hath shewed that by the grace of Christ we are freed from sinnes past Tho. Aquin. in Rom. 6. Lec 1. as well that which hath beene brought in by the first man as that which by the Law aboundeth here he sheweth that by the grace of Christ power is giuen vs to resist sinne afterward And this he teacheth entring into his exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of this Epistle to the Romans prouing directly that which I haue said Now the confounding of these two benefits which the Apostle here and else-where distinguisheth is very absurd But here by the way I would aske a question of our Romish Masters what they thinke of these wordes of their Angellical Doctor For if it be true that he saith as it is indeed most true and well warranted by the Word it selfe then is it most false that our aduersaries here say that the Apostle speaketh of an inherent righteousnesse which I thus proue Inherent righteousnesse is for the auoiding of sinne to come but the Apostle speaketh not of the auoiding of sinne to come before the beginning of the sixt Chapter therefore before the beginning of the sixt Chapter he speaketh not of inherent righteousnesse The Minor which is onely by them to be denyed is taken out of the words of Tho. Aquinas Besides these absurdities we haue strong arguments whereby to refell their interpretation As first The Apostles meaning the intent and meaning of the Apostle who from the 16. verse of the first Chapter vnto these words proueth that all both Iewes and Gentiles stand in need of the mercy of God because they are all found guiltie before him The Gentiles not hauing the Law written All are sinners yet had such light of nature shining in their heart as taught them so far forth to know what was good and what was bad that they had their thoughts accusing one another when they did euill or excusing if they liued according to that knowledge But they walked not after that light neither followed that which their owne conscience told them was good â—â—m 2.15 they shewed not in their life the effect of the Law written in their hearts but might say with that vnhappy woman MEDEA Video meliora proboque deteriora sâ—quor I see and approue that which is better I follow that which is worse As for the Iewes among whom were the Lawes of God written in tables of stone and that they might neuer bee vnmindfull thereof they had their Priests for an ordinarie meane of their instruction yea the Prophets also as Gods extraordinary remembrancers to put them in remembrance of their duty and of Gods Law they I say who had greater helps to haue beene better yet liued so little according to that Law that the Apostle thus chargeth them Rom. 2.24 Rom. 3.20 The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles for you Hereupon the Apostle thus concludeth That by the works of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight Vers 23. But the Apostle hauing thus proued that all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God will not leaue vs in that vncomfortable case but sheweth by and by how we are deliuered And as he hath taught vs that all both Iewes and Gentiles are transgressors of the Law and by transgression guiltie so now most comfortably he declareth how we shall be acquitted of our transgression Our deliuery from sinne that we may plead not guilty The question then being how we being breakers of Gods Law may appeare before our God and with confidence and plead not guilty This we can neuer doe by any inherent righteousnesse no goodnesse no holinesse that in this vale of misery while wee carry about vs this lumpe of sinfull flesh wee can attayne vnto may acquire vs before God but this must be by faith in Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth Now by this it is plaine enough that the Apostle saying wee are iustified by Faith and bringing this as the conclusion of all his former discourse should speake nothing to the purpose if he would here tell vs how we may liue righteously who must rather teach vs how we may be freed from the danger wherein hee hath proued that all men are And as the Apostle had in these words no meaning to shew how wee are inabled to walke in holinesse for of that he meaneth afterward to speake as before I shewed so the words themselues doe sufficiently confute our aduersaries as by this argument may bee proued The Apostle speaketh in these words of such Iustification as is not gotten or had by workes Not by workes but the Iustification in the Popish sence is only by workes therefore the Popish Iustification is not that which the Apostle mentioneth The Maior is plaine by the words of this text A man is iustified without workes The Minor they will not deny For that increase of righteousnesse which our aduersaries so much speake of is nothing else 2. Peâ— but to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue Such a continuall labouring to be adorned with all goodnesse Good
minde But if in the heart it bee not then can it not haue the application that I spoke of Faith must bee in the heart Against this their opinion I thus reason Iustifying faith is in the heart Popish faith is not in the heart therefore Popish faith is not that iustifying faith My Minor is the doctrine of the Papists and of Bellarmine among other as is said before The Maior or first proposition S. Paul will proue for me sufficiently so that it may not be denyed Rom. 10 10 Gal. 4.6 With the heart a man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse What can be more plaine Because you are sonnes saith the same Apostle elsewhere God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts And what worketh it thereby The Apostle telleth vs Whereby wee cry Abba Father And how learne wee this lesson of the Spirit First the Spirit teacheth vs to beleeue and to haue confidence and then this faith bringeth forth prayer as a fruit For How shall they call on him in whom they haue not beleeued Rom. 10.14 The Eunuch after Philip had instructed him in the faith asked if he might not be baptized Philip made answere Act. 8.37 38. If thou beleeuest with all thine heart thou maist Arator therefore a Christian Poet who wrote about 1100. yeeres since hath these wordes Arator in Act. lib. 2. Corde salus credentis erit confessio voce In the heart is the saluation of the beleeuer the confession is in the mouth To be short vnfaithfulnesse is by the Apostle assigned to the heart Hebr. 3.12 Take heed brethren saith he lest there be in any of you at any time an euill heart and vnfaithfull to depart away from the liuing God therefore by the Law of contraries faith must be in the heart too A third fault that I find with this definition is that they say it is assensus solùm An assent onely No true faith without knowledge Bellar. de Iustific l. 1. cap. 7. as before out of Bellarmine I shewed whereby their meaning is to exclude knowledge as a thing nothing at all required in faith In so much as Bellarmine shameth not to affirme that fides melius per ignorantiam quà m per notitiam definitur Faith is better defined by ignorance then by knowledge But herein the common prouerbe is verified plus vident oculi quà m oculus Mo eyes see more then one For the Vniuersity of Colen in their Censure Censur Colon explic Dial. 4. written against Monhemius though they were Papists and in other points aduersaries to the truth yet in this write farre otherwise then Bellarmine doth Fidei ratio in firma notitia consistit The definition say they of faith standeth vpon firme knowledge We cannot herein speake more contrary to Bellarmine then they haue done Yet true it is that Bellarmine in the Booke and Chapter last alleaged by mee granteth that in faith there is a kinde of knowledge for he saith there are in him that beleeueth two things Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. c. 7 assent and apprehension which apprehension he saith is notitia rudis confusa A rude and confused knowledge A knowledge belike such as his sight was Mar. 8.24 who saw men walking like trees sauing that this knowledge is not like to bring forth so good an effect as his vnperfit sight did 25. For he soone after was restored to his sight and saw euery man a farre off cleerely but they who seeke for faith in this confused knowledge shall neuer finde it An vnknowing knowledge the Papists brag of And if you desire to know what this confused knowledge is wherewith they content themselues you may giue a great ghesse thereof by that which they tell vs of the Colliars faith holden for a true faith in the Romish Church commended by Staphilus that slanderous Apostata approued also by Stapleton who translated that idle pamphlet Staphilus his Apologie The Colliar told the Deuill he beleeued as the Church beleeueth and the Church beleeued as he did But further what the Church beleeued or himselfe either he could not tell This is that confused knowledge then that they would men should content themselues withall to bee able to speake of the Church in generall but not of the particular doctrine thereof to call God Father but not to know by what meanes hee is our Father to say wee beleeue in Iesus Christ not vnderstanding any thing of his person or office And thus not to know how to apply vnto our selues the comfort of these or any other generall points is a found faith with our great Masters of Rome But though Staphilus say the Deuill was ouercome with that answere and put to flight yet sure I am that God requireth greater knowledge and therefore giueth his word and appointeth his ministerie for the instruction of his people A particular knowledge is needfull Exod. 12.26 Neither did Moses suppose such a generall knowledge would serue the turne when hee so straitly chargeth the Israelites to instruct their children in the true cause of their feast of Passeouer When your children saith he aske you what seruice is this you keepe Then shall yee say It is the sacrifice of the Lords Passeouer 27. which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Aegypt when he smote the Aegyptians preserued our houses Ioshua also thought it not enough that Gods people should haue a generall perswasion that God was good but hee tooke order that his particular benefits should bee remembred euen of their children Iosh 4.6 7. And when Ioshua would that Moses should forbid Eldad and Medad Num. 11.29 to prophecie in the Host Moses answered Would God that all the Lords people were Prophets and the Lord would put his Spirit vpon them wishing a more speciall knowledge vnto them then was ordinary among Gods people And the Apostle prayeth that the Colossians may be fulfilled with knowledge of Gods will in all wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding He addeth his reason Coloss 1.9 that you may walke worthy of the Lord and please him in all things 10. giuing vs thereby to vnderstand that without particular knowledge of his will in all things we cannot please him But what stand I vpon this point Doth not Saint Peter who they say was the first Pope and therefore that he commandeth they will confesse must bee obeyed require such knowledge in euery Christian 1. Pet. 3.15 that they may be readie to giue answere to euery man that asketh a reason of the hope that is in them Shall wee then content our selues against so many expresse testimonies of the word with that rude and confused knowledge of Bellarmines or the Colliars faith so well liked of Staphilus But what reason haue they so to reioyce in this dimme light Why this generall knowlege is so praised of Papists Ioh. 3 20. like such as haue sore eies and therefore hang
Howsoeuer that gracelesse wretch Boniface the eighth who instituted the first Romish Iubile giuing therein immunitie both from sinne and the punishment thereof would make the world beleeue that hee hath power to forgiue sinnes too Anton. part 3. cap. 8 tit 20. §. 2. The fruit of application Praefat. exhort ad Martyr ad Fortunatuâ— Job 19.25.26 Micah 7.7 â— Tim. 1.15 But as Antoninus Bishop of Florence writing that Historie sayth God only forgiueth sinne But to returne from whence for a few lines I haue digressed When we can in this sort apply vnto our selues the mercy of God and thus make a garment fitting our selues to couer therewith our shame of the wooll of the Lambe as Cyprian in one place prettily speaketh for so he calleth the Scripture Oh with what assurance will wee bee able with Iob to say I am sure my Redeemer liueth I shall see God in my flesh And with Micah I will waite for God my Sauiour my God will heare me And with the Apostle Christ Iesus came into the World to saue sinners whereof I am chiefe Notwithstanding for this cause was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long suffering vnto the example of them who shall in time to come beleeue in hir 〈◊〉 eternall life But the Apostle sheweth in many places vnspeakeable comfort by applying to himselfe in particular the mercies of God in so much as hee assureth himselfe that none could charge Gods seruants to indanger them none could condemne them Rom. 8.33.35.38.39 Yea who shall separate vs sayth hee from the loue of Christ I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor the Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature is able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus wee see what wonderfull assurance and confidence they haue whom Gods Spirit guideth to apply vnto their wounded consciences the most Soueraigne salue of the promises and examples of Gods mercie Whereas others in the time of feare and danger languish in perplexitie Luk. 23 30. Bernard de Annunt serm 3. and could wish the mountaines would fall vpon them and the hills would couer them For truly sayth Bernard as it were speaking vnto God Non reponis â—leum misericordiae nisi in vase fiduciae Thou Lord puttest not the oyle of mercie but into the vessell of confidence This this I say is the faith commended by the Apostle this is the faith that iustifieth before God which beginning with knowledge of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus out of it gathereth confidence and boldnes And thus with good warrant out of the Word I trust wee may affirme that this faith which doth assuredly know and comfortably apply vnto vs the promised mercies of God causeth vs with boldnesse to stand before God without feare of condemnation yet not for the merit or worthinesse of the act of beleeuing but because the office yea the very nature of faith is to apprehend and take hold of Christ through whom wee are found righteous before God in that he is made vnto vs of God wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as before I haue said The last wordes in this sentence What workes of the Law are meant whereof there is any question betweene our aduersaries and vs are these The workes of the Law Out of these arise two doubts The first is what Law the Apostle speaketh of in these wordes For some euen very ancient haue beene in that error that he speaketh of the Law ceremoniall as Origen and others Now the Romish Church not seeing how they might maintayne their doctrine of Merits and Iustification by workes vnlesse they were of that minde also were in former times of that mind too being glad that they might shrowd themselues vnder the name of ancient â—â—â—rs I need not speake in particular of these Popish Writers seeing Bellarmine confesseth as much as I say Nonnulli saith he è Catholicis Bellar. de Iustific l 1. cap. 19. docent per opera quae Apostolus à iustificatione excludit intelligi obseruationem legalium ceremoniarum Many of the Catholikes teach that by the workes which the Apostle excludeth from iustification the obseruation of the ceremoniall Law is meant But how many or how great in learning Not works ceremoniall Rom. 2.13 or accompt soeuer they be S. Paul affordeth vs proofe enough to conuince them of error When he saith The doers of the Law shall be iustified is there any colour of reason to imagine that they who obserue the ceremonies of the Law shall bee iustified Wee see in the first and last Chapters of the Prophet Esay Micah the 6. the 50. Psalme and in other places of Scripture that many who were most diligent performers of the ceremonies were notwithstanding misliked of God yea reproued for satisfying themselues with that externall seruice What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices Esa 1.11 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offrings of Rams and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambs nor of Goates That also which the Apostle writeth of the effect of the Law written in mens hearts by reason whereof we haue thoughts accusing excusing cannot be vnderstood of the Law ceremonial But to come yet neerer to the purpose S. Paul euen in that place where hee handleth this question concluding the former part of this discourse and hauing proued Iewes and Gentiles to be transgressors of the Law either written or of nature thus saith Therefore by the workes of the Law Rom. 3.20 shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight And lest we might make any doubt what Law hee meaneth of he yeeldeth a reason of his former assertion which maketh the matter plaine For by the Law is knowledge of sinne And yet that it may be more manifest what Law is here meant elswhere in plaine wordes he expoundeth himselfe Rom 7.7 I knew not sinne but by the Law For I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Out of which wordes I reason thus The Apostle speaketh of that Law that maketh vs to know sinne but that is not the Law ceremoniall therefore the Apostle speaketh not of the Law ceremoniall Yea this place seemed to S. Augustine to haue such force as that thereupon he groundeth that which we teach August de Spir. lit cap. 8. Ac ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum ea lege dixisse hominem iustificari quae in Sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata praecepta c. And lest any man should thinke the Apostle to haue said that a man is iustified by that which in the old Sacraments haue many figuratiue precepts from whence commeth circumcision which children were commended to receiue he by and by sheweth what Law
into wantonnesse gathered out of the Apostles words that so they beleeued they needed no regard or care how they liued as Augustine saith in moe places then one Therefore Saint Iames teacheth how men shall know that wee are iustified and what manner of faith this true faith is For faith without workes as it is not a true or liuing but a counterfeit and dead faith so it auaileth nothing to Iustification So that the word of Iustification hath not the like signification in S. Iames that it had in S. Paul For in S. Paul it is taken for our iustification before God as in the beginning I haue declared plentifully And in S. Iames it signifieth that Iustification before men whereby we are knowne to be righteous S. Iames his words tend to that end Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes He would haue a faith shewed to men which cannot be but by workes for works are the touchstone whereby a true and liuely faith is discerned from a false and dead faith when oportuniry is offered to vs to bring forth that fruit Otherwise the faith that many speake of will proue no better scarse so good Vers 19. as that the Deuils haue who beleeue and tremble Therefore as S. Peter exhorteth vs to beautifie our selues with that better then any golden chaine of Christian vertues which will make vs neither idle nor vnfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.8 in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ so doth S. Iames giue them of his time to vnderstand how they haue mistaken a bare name of faith and knowledge of Christ for an effectuall and a iustifying faith He therefore speaketh in this sort Thou saist thou hast faith I see it not for thy workes shew no such matter Proue then before men that thou hast this confidence in God that thou hast this assurance within thee of thy atonement with him Primasius who wrote about 1100. yeeres since so expoundeth these wordes reconciling that which seemed to bee contradiction in the Apostles S. Iames saith he speaketh of the workes that shew a man to be faithfull Primas in Rom. cap. 3. as himselfe in that which followeth expoundeth it Shew me by workes thy faith It is workes whereby faith is knowne Venerable Bede also is of that minde Bede vpon Iam. 2. that Iames would vt fidem suam per opera probarent That they should proue their faith by their workes But Thomas of Aquine the Angellicall Doctor whose authority in the Romish Church will beare the sway will loose this knot For reconciling those wordes of PAVL Gal. 3.11 No man is iustified by the Law with these wordes of Iames Iam. 2.21 ABRAHAM was iustified by workes He telleth that the iustification that is of workes is an execution or manifestation of righteousnesse whereby he is shewed to be iust And by and by after The righteousnesse before God is in the inner heart Tho. Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. but the righteousnes that is of workes that is that maketh knowne or manifest him that is iust is before men What can be spoken more plaine S. Paul teacheth how with boldnes we may stand before God pleading not guilty now this confidence is alwayes within vs S. Iames would haue this by their fruit to appeare vnto others Lest men deceiue their owne hearts Iam. 1.26 and the Religion of such men proue vaine as himselfe saith elsewhere Thus then truly considering in what sense the one and the other Apostle doe take the word Iustification the difference appeareth to be none at all and so the matter is easily compounded And thus I trust it will appeare the premises truly considered that our interpretation of the Apostles wordes A man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law is both true and Catholike Rom. 3.28 our conclusion that out of them we gather is sound and agreeable to the Apostles doctrine hauing a very great consent of most approued antiquitie yea and of Popish writers too And our workes how good soeuer haue not in them any worthinesse or merit but are in mercy rewarded according to promise So that the seruant of God must learne with good Bernard to say Bern. super Cantic ser 67. Gratia reddit me mihi iustificatum gratis sic liberatum a seruitute peccati Grace restoreth me to my selfe iustified freely and so deliuered from the thraldome of sinne Luk. 2.23.24 Then shall we sing with that multitude of heauenly Souldiers praysing God and saying Glory be to God on high Yea with those many Angels round about the Throne Reuel 5.11 and about the Beasts and the Elders and those thousand thousands Saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches 12. and wisedome and strength and honor and glory and prayse because O Lord Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud 9. Reuel 1.5 yea thou hast loued vs and in it hast washed vs from our sinnes Which Meditations will teach vs casting off all confidence in our selues or our owne righteousnesse 1. Iob. 3.8 Mat. 1.21 to rest only vpon him that came to destroy the workes of the Deuill and to saue his people from their sinnes who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honor and praise now and euer AMEN FINIS
answering their principall allegations it will not be hard to iudge of all others also I will beginne with such Scriptures as seeme to ascribe Worthinesse vnto men For out of them doth Bellarmine thus gather Dignum esse praemio De Iustific lib. 5. ca. 2 3 What worthinesse in men Wisd 3.5 mereri praemium idem sunt To bee worthy of a reward and to deserue a reward is all one And to proue this worthinesse in men he alleadgeth foure places The first is taken out of the Booke of Wisedome God tryed them and found them worthie of himselfe The Booke from whence this testimonie is taken is knowne not to be Canonicall Scriptures and therfore of no such credit in Gods Church as that vpon places out of it wee may ground any Article of Religion And this answere might serue verie well to this obiection But yet the words themselues doe not of necessity proue merit or worthinesse of the workes that we doe And that first in respect of the person that trieth thē also in regard of them that are tryed He that tryeth his seruants is I know wise enough to examine and spye faults iust also to punish them But he is also content to couer with the righteousnes of his Sonne our faults and to hide our iniquities not beholding vs as in our selues we are sinners Who are found righteous or worthy Dan. 9.24 but as we are in Christ righteous Then also who are they that being tryed are found righteous Euen they whose debt Christ hath paid for whose sinnes hee hath satisfied and sealed vp as Daniel sayth that they may bee no more remembred Whose iniquitie he hath reconciled to bring in euerlasting righteousnesse Of such we see who bring with them nothing whereby they should be found worthy but haue all from Christ it is said he found them worthy Other two places hee bringeth for which wee are much beholding to him because by them we may learne how to answere such testimonies as seeme to ascribe worthinesse vnto men One is out of the answere that Christ maketh vnto the Sadduces a Sect which thought there is no resurrection who thought to intrappe him in a subtile question The question was of one woman that married seuen husbands who all dying they would know whose wife she should be at the Resurrection To whom Christ answeres thus They who shall be counted worthy to enioy that world Luk. 20.35 and the resurrection from the dead neither marry wiues nor are married The other is much like this 2. Thes 1.5 That yee may be counted worthy of the Kingdome of God for which yee also suffer saith S. Paul to the Thessalonians Now who knoweth not that we may bee counted worthy of that which in due consideration we cannot be worthy of So that they are accounted worthy proueth not that they are worthy indeed as shall God willing by and by plainely appeare The fourth place then must serue the turne or else nothing is said That is the wordes of our Sauiour Christ of some of Sardi They shall walke with me in white for they are worthy Reuel 3.4 As if Christ had said they shall triumph with me or raigne in glory and life euerlasting for they are worthy But what are they worthy in respect of their worke or for the merit thereof For if not it helpeth not our Aduersaries And that neither they nor any other No man worthy of eternall life but Christ that is conceiued as we all are of vncleane seede can be worthy in respect of workes I proue thus No man is worthy of eternall life in respect of works but hee who can fulfill the Law but no man can fulfill the Law therefore by their workes no man can be worthy of eternall life My first Proposition I proue thus God himselfe saith to his people of Israel If thou keepe my Statutes thou shalt liue in them Leuit. 18.5 In which wordes as we see a promise of life so must we obserue the condition of keeping Gods statutes if we will looke to be partakers of the promise And no doubt the Apostle S. Paul out of these and such like words hath learned that which he teacheth vs of the iustification which is of the Law The man that doth these things Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3.12 Deut 27.26 Gal. 3.10 shal liue thereby But if the condition bee not obserued then marke what followeth Cursed is euery man that continueth not in all the wordes of this Law to doe them This continuance in doing the Law and keeping the Statutes of God teacheth vs neither to be idle nor euill occupied and that wee must not swarue either to the right hand or left leauing the right path of Gods Law at any time For S. Iames hath truly out of this place gathered Iam. 2.10 that whosoeuer shall keepe the whole Law and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all Not because whoso breaketh one Commandement breaketh all A thiefe in that he is a thiefe is not a murderer or adulterer but the meaning is he is guilty of transgression and therefore cannot bee saued by the Law If then eternall life be promised to them only that keepe the whole Law as is proued much lesse shall it be merited by any that fulfill not the same My Minor or second Proposition is that no man can fulfill the Law For confirmation whereof I minde rather to point vnto arguments We cannot perfitly fulfill the Law then any way to dilate them First therefore it is a perfection belonging only to Christ to keepe the whole Law He only was without sinne because he neuer did transgresse Hee only could offer the sacrifice of perfect and holy obedience so that in this respect hee only could make the atonement betweene God and vs. As for his Apostles though no doubt good men yet they prayed Luk. 17.5 Mar. 9.24 as they had good cause Increase our faith Helpe our vnbeliefe And our Sauiour himselfe taught them and in them the perfectest that euer was Mat. 6.12 Hebr. 7.26 to pray Forgiue vs our trespasses Our imperfections then being so many and so great Such a high Priest it became vs to haue as is holy harmelesse vndefiled separate from sinners made higher then the heauens For but by such a Mediator our sinnes are so great as that wee neuer could haue beene reconciled to God because we are farre from keeping the Law Our conscience teacheth this Secondly our owne consciences will so testifie with me herein and against our selues that I hope I neede not produce much proofe hereof Let vs but examine our selues by that rule which the Author of all truth gaue vnto some who would get as our Papists say they can doe eternall life by doing by which hee meant they should trie and examine themselues Luk. 10.25 Master saith a certaine expounder of the Law what shall I doe to inherit eternall life 26.27 And hee said