confesse our selves to be sinners But the pharisaicall Papist if he be once justified as by their doctrine all are for a time at the least who either are baptized or absolved hee must thinke that in him there is no sinne nothing that God can justly hate And therefore farre bee it from him to make such a confession as this or to cry out with the Apostle Wretched man that I am who shal deliver me from this body of death Rom. 7. 24. § IX His second reason to prove this allegation to bee imperitnent is this Because although Esay should speake of all that is of that whole people yet hee doth not speake of all at all times but onely of the people of the Iewes at that time who for their extreme wickednesse were delivered into captivity as appeareth by the words following verse 10. Zion is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desolation the Temple burnt c. Answ. These words doe prove that the Prophet in this place doth not speake in the person of the wicked Iewes that lived in his time before the desolation of Ierusalem but of the remnant of the faithfull and penitent Iewes who being in captivity bewaile their sinnes and lament the desolation of the Temple and City And therefore what is said of them may be extended to the faithfull in all times being as these were humbled before God for their sinnes as penitent suppliants § X. His third reason because the Prophet speaking onely of the wicked of that time meaneth not all their workes as though all were sinnes for then Bellarmine must confesse that the best workes of the unregenerate are but splendida peccata but such as they accounted to bee their righteousnesse as their sacrifice and new-moones and other ceremoniall observatious wherein they placed their righteousnesse which because they were not 〈◊〉 with a good intention nor as they ought are worthily compared but not by them to a menstruous cloth and are rejected by God Esa. 1. 11. Answ. Here Bellarmine taketh for granted that the Prophet speaketh of the workes of the wicked onely of that time which I have disproved Or if hee had spoken of the wicked it were more probable either that they should place their righteousnesse in morall workes if they had any rather than in ceremoniall or if they placed the top of their righteousnesse as hypocrites many times doe in ceremoniall observations that they would compare those things which they so highly esteemed to menstruous clouts But hee speaketh of all the persons All wee and therefore including the righteous if there were any at all among them as some there were both before the captivity and in it and of all their righteousnesses and therefore not of their ceremonials onely but also of their morals Neither might they performe the chiefe of their ceremonials during their captivity being in a forraine land § XI Secondly that the good workes of the faithfull in this life are not purely and perfectly good I prove because in all our best actions there is a mixture of evill either by the absence or defect of some good thing which ought to bee therein or by the presence of some fault or corruption which ought not to be in them And this I prove first out of Exod. 28. 36. 38. where the high Priest who was the figure of Christ is appointed to weare on his forehead a plate of pure gold which is also called an holy coronet Exod. 29. 6. Levit. 8. 9. engraven with this inscription Holinesse of the Lord and so the 72. translate it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Lord that is of Christ who is the Lord our righteousnesse The end wherefore he was to weare it was that Aaron might beare the iniquity of the holy things which the children of Israel should hallow in all their holy gifts And it was alwaies to be on his forehead that they the holy gifts might be accepted before the Lord where we are plainly taught that in all our best actions and holy services which wee performe to God there is iniquity which must bee taken away by the holinesse and righteousnesse of Christ imputed unto us otherwise they cannot in themselves be accepted of God § XII Secondly out of Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon the earth that doth good and sinneth not that is who in doing good sinneth not For if the meaning were onely thus as Bellarmine would have it that none are so just but that sometimes they sinne according to that 1 King 8. 46. those words that doth good were superfluous for there is no just man that doth not good But his meaning is that there is no just man upon earth who doing good sinneth not that is which doth good so purely and perfectly as that hee doth not sinne therein For to the perfecting of a good worke many things must concur the want of any whereof is a sinne The truth of this doth best appeare in the particulars Prayer is a good worke and so is the hearing of the word c. but there is no man doth so pray or so heare the word but that when hee hath done he hath just cause to pray unto God to forgive his defects and defaults both in the one and the other And in this sense Luther did truly hold that justus in omni opere bono peccat that a just man sinneth in every good worke Not that the worke in respect of its kind or per se is a sinne as if wee said that prayer c. is a sinne but per accidens because in that good worke there happeneth a defect which defect is a sinne not mortall to them who are in Christ but veniall And thus Augustine also seemeth to understand this place For speaking of the imperfection of charity in this life hee saith that so long as it may be increased profectò illud quod minus est quà m debet ex vitio est ex quo vitio non est justus in terra qui faciat bonum non peccet assuredly that which is lesse than it ought to be is out of vice by reason of which vice there is not a just man upon earth who doth good and sinneth not by reason of which vice no living man shall bee justified before God and in another place more plainely hee saith peccatum est cum charitas minor est quà m esse debet it is a sinne when charity is lesse than it ought to bee § XIII Thirdly such as is the tree such is the fruit The tree is corrupt in part For even in the best there is the Old man and the New the flesh and the Spirit betwixt which there is a perpetuall conflict so that wee cannot doe the things wee would and much lesse as we would but all even our best actions are stained with the flesh which is such a law in us that when wee would doe good evill is present with us
inherent that he might be found in Christ indued with his righteousnesse And â—…o these we might adde Iob Esay and Daniel who as well as the former had that righteousnesse which is à Domino I meane righteousnesse inherent but were not justified thereby see Iob 9. 2 3. 15. 20. 10. 15. 42. 6. Esai 6. 1. 5. Dan. 6. 7. 18. § XVI Our foureteénth argument The righteousnesse by which we are justified is the righteousnesse and obedience of one and but of one Rom. 5. 18 19. Inherent righteousnesse is not of one but of so many as are indued therewith Therefore inherent righteousnesse is not that whereby we are justified CAP. IX The severall proofe of our assertion that wee are justified by that righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him § I. _â—…Ow I am to prove severally our assertion that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse And first I prove it by that argument which Bellarmines useth against Osiander what righteousnesse God accepteth in our behalfe by that we are justified The righteousnesse of Christ which he performed for us in the dayes of his flesh God accepteth in our behalfe otherwise saith hee why did the Sonne of God take our flesh upon him why did hee humble himselfe to become obedient untill death c. Therefore by the righteousnesse of Christ performed in his manhood wee are justified c. § II. Hereunto I adde a second out of the same place for Bellarmine though he holdeth against Osiander that wee are not justified by the essentiall righteousnesse of the Godhead yet he confesseth that the Lord accepteth of no righteousnesse as a satisfaction for sinne but that which is of infinite value such is the righteousnesse of Christ onely in regard of the dignity of his Person being the true God the great God God above all blessed for evâ—…rmore therefore by his righteousnesse only we are justified but of this see more in the seventh Chapter here I argue thus what righteousnesse the Lord accepteth as a full satisfaction for our sinnes by that we are justified The righteousnesse of Christ the Lord accepteth as a full satisfaction for our sinne Therefore by Christs righteousnesse we are justified By Christs righteousnesse I say imputed and accepted of God in our behalfe The assumtion is thus proved What righteousnesse is of iâ—…finite value that and that alone the Lord accepteth as a full satisfaction for our sinnes The righteousnesse of Christ is of infinite value as being the righteousnesse of God as it is often called It therefore and by it alone the Lord accepteth as a full satisfaction for our sinnes § III. My third argument shall be from those places wherein either it is said that our righteousnesse is in Christ Esai 45. 24 25. and that we are righteous in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. Phil. 3. 8 9. or our Saviour Christ himselfe is said to bee our righteousnesse Ieremy prophecying of the Messias the righteous Branch whom God would raise to David saith In his daies Iuda shall be saved and Israel shall dwell sasely and this is the name whereby he shall be called IEHOVAH our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. and the very same prophecy is repeated Iâ—…r 33. 16. that the Branch of righteousnesse should grow up to David in whose dayes Iuda should be saved and Ierusalem shall dwell safely and he who shall call her that is Ierusalem his Church for so it ought to be read is IEHOVAH our righteousnesse 1 Cor. 1. 30. But of him ye are in Christ Iesus who of God is made unto us wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption where Christ is said to bee made our righteoâ—…snesse To this Bellarmine answereth that Christ is rightly called our righteousnesse for two causes first because he is the efficient cause of our justice For as God in the Psalmes is called our strength and our Salvation because it is God that strengthneth and saveth us and in this place as Christ is said to bee made our wisedome and redemption because he maketh us wise and redeemeth us So Christ is called our rightâ—…ousnesse because he maketh us just viz. by infusion of righteousnesse § IV. Reply It is true that Christ when hee doth sanctifie us by his Spirit is the Author of inherent righteousnesse in us but this is that which followeth in the text that he is our Sanctification These two benefits as they are here distinguished so they ought not to bee confounded Bernard in a Sermon of his doth oftentimes very eleganâ—…ly goe over these foure unctions as he calleth them distinguishing justification and sanctification as we doe Christ saith hee was made unto us wisedome in preaching justice in absolution of sinnes sanctification in his conversation redemption in his passion the shadow of thine ignorance hee hath driven away with the light of his wisedome and by that righteousnesse which is of faith hee hath loosed the cords of sinne freely justifying the sinner by his godly conversation he hath given a forme of life and by his death he hath given a price of satisfaction he freeth from errour by his wisedome he covereth faults by his righteousnesse he giveth merits that is ability of working well by his life and rewards by his death enlighten mine eyes O Lord that I may bee wise remember not the sinnes of my youth and mine ignorances and I am just lead me O Lord in the way and I am holy but unlesse thy bloud mediate for mee I am not safe hee was made unto us of God wisedome teaching prudence justice forgiving sinnes c. They onely are wise who are instructed by his doctrine they onely just who of his mercie have obtained pardon of sinne those onely temperate or holy who study to imitate his life they onely valiant who imitate his patience § V. And that they are here to bee distinguished appeareth by this consideration that in this text all the benefits which we have by Christ besides our election which is also noted in the first words of him yee are in Christ are reduced unto foure heads For of God wee were elected in Christ who of God is made unto us wisedome in our vocation righteousnesse in our justification holinesse in our Sanctification full redemption in our glorification that so we may learne not to boast in our selves but to ascribe the whole glory of our salvation and of all the degrees thereof to Iesus Christ our alone and perfect Saviour To the like purpose Theophylact observeth the order here used by the Apostle first he exempteth from errour and making men wise instructeth them to the knowledge of God then hee giveth the pardon of sinnes and by his holy Spirit indueth them with holinesse and then granteth perfect deliverance from all evils which hee calleth redemption as Chrysostome also and Oâ—…cumenius who observe the same order And likewise Theoderet he gave you true wisedome he gave unto you
wee ought to thinke our selves mercifully dealt with if wee escape the punishment which by the Law of God is due unto us But here it will bee said if the master shall bee pleased to promise rewards unto the servant for his service well performed may not the servant expect the promised reward I answere that what reward soever shâ—…ll in this kinde be either promised or given it is wholly to be ascribed to the Masters bounty and not to the servants merit § VII For the third That which is done of meere duty by a servant to his Lord there belongeth no reward in justice as deserved by him But all that we who are the servants of God can doe though we should doe all that is commanded is done of meere bounden duety to our Lord. Therefore to all that we can doe though we should doe all that is commanded there belongeth no reward as justly deserved by us But when we have done all that is commanded I speak by supposition as our Saviour doth we must no lesse truely than humbly confesse that wee are unprofitable servants that is as is manifestly gathered out of the parable such as cannot deserve so much as thankes of our Lord. If therefore our gracious Lord shall be pleased out of his bounty freely to promise and according to his promise graciously to reward our imperfect obedience which he might justly punish it is not our merit but his great mercie that he doth not punish it more that he doth accept of it as well pleasing unto him in his welbeloved but most of all that he doth most graciously and undeservedly reward it From whence I reason thus Whosoever are unprofitable servants they doe not merit noâ—… deserve the reward of eternall life of their Lord. All the faithfull though they should doe all that is commanded are unprofitable servants Therefore none of the faithfull though they should doe all that is commanded doe merit or deserve at the hands of God the reward of eternall life And if they who doe all that is commanded cannot merit then much lesse they whose obedience is defective as the obedience even of the best is So saith Hierome si inutilis est qui fecit omnia quid de illo dicendum qui explerenon potuit § VIII The assumption is proved first because our Saviour commandeth his Apostles to confesse as the truth is that when they have done all that is commanded they are unprofitable servants and therefore they who neither doe nor can doe all are impudent lyars when they professe themselves to be profitable servants Secondly by a comparison of earthly Lords and servants For if earthly Lords and masters owe not so much as thankes to their servants who are indeed their fellow servants for all the service which they can doe though they doe not give them the will and the power to doe them acceptable service how much lesse doth God who being our absolute Lord doth also give us will and power to serve him owe unto his servants the reward of the kingdome of heaven And if servants by doing all possible service to their earthly masters who are but their fellow servants cannot deserve so much as thankes at their hands how much lesse can wee who serve the Lord of Lords deserve the kingdome of heaven at his hands by our unperfect and defective service of him Thirdly from the antithesis or opposition that is betweene debitum and meritâ—…m duety and merit For hee that doth but his duety though he performe his whole duty cannot merit a reward of his Master but must confesse himselfe to be an unprofitable servant how much lesse can they merit an heavenly reward at the hands of God who performe not their whole duty but faile in many particulars both by omission and commission as the very best of us doe § IX To avoid the force of this unavoidable argument Bellarmine seeketh many evaâ—…ions which he would gladly father upon the Fathers of the Church For he saith there be foure egregious expositions given by the Fathers none whereof make against the merit of good workes The first of Saint Ambrose that of our selves and by nature we are unprofitable servants â—…apt and unable to fulfill Gods Commandements which our Saviour would have us humbly to acknowledge though by grace we become profitable and therefore as he saith agnoscenda est gratia sed non ignoranda natura Reply Ambrose doth not speake of our corrupt nature neither is it his meaning that by nature wee are unprofitable servants by grace profitable but that by nature wee are servants and by grace sonnes For by nature corrupted wee are not the servants of God but of sinne and Satan But he understandeth the meaning of our Saviour to be that the children of God who are in the state of grace should not glory in their workes as if by them they did merit any thing of God quia jure Domino debemus obsequium because by right we owe obedience to God Neither should we thinke our selves exempted from continued obedience because we are sonnes for as we are sons by the grace of adoption which we are to acknowledge so by nature and creation whereof we are not to be ignorant we are servants As therefore thou who art a master dost not content thy selfe with one worke of thy servant and then biddest him sit downe and eate but having done one worke thou exactest of him another vers 8. So God doth not require the use of one worke in thee but whiles we live we must alwaies work Secondly our Saviour doth not speake of naturall men as being unprofitable because unapt to fulfill Gods Commandements but directeth his speech to the faithfull and namely to his owne Apostles and Disciples who study and endeavour to keepe all Gods Commandements which without grace cannot be done requiring them to make this humble and true confession that even when they have done all that is commanded they are but unprofitable servants such as are described in the parable who deserve nothing at the hands of their master because in doing all that is commanded they doe but their bounden duty and that excludeth merit For debitum non est meritum Yea but Bellarmine proveth out of 2 Tim. 2. 21. that by grace men become profitable to God For he that purgeth himselfe shall become a vessell profitable unto the Lord. Answ. The Greek is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fit for the master of the house to use for the benefit of the houshold and fitted for every good worke But that our piety or obedience bringeth no profit to God I have shewed before And this is the very second exposition of this place which though repugnant to this present assertion Bellarmine himselfe doth commend in the second place For so hee saith § X. We are commanded as Bede expoundeth this Text to acknowledge that we bring no profit to God but that what good thing
in due season and without delay and not alwayes and that the clause concerning the reward of the Lord is not in the Greeke Text then can it not be denied but that Bellarmine endevoured against his owne conscience to father his errour upon the Sonne of Sirach howbeit the reason which he rendreth is Pharisaicall For unto the first justification saith he of sinners not reward but indulgence agreeth as though there were any reward of our righteousnesse which alwayes in this life is impure and imperfect Esai 64. 6. but by indulgence If thou Lord should'st marke what is amisse O Lord who shall stand but with thee there is mercy or indulgence that thou maist be feared Psal. 130. 3 4. To them that love God and keepe his Commandements the Lord sheweth mercy Exod. 20.6 To thee Lord mercie for thou reward'st a man meaning the godly man according to his works Psalm 62. 12. which plainely sheweth that the reward of good workes is to be ascribed to Gods mercy and indulgence and not to our defect for it is great mercy that hee pardoneth the imperfection and iniquity of our good workes greater that he accepteth of them in Christ but greatest that hee graciously rewardeth them and who knoweth not that eternall life it selfe which is the reward that endureth for ever is the free and undeserved gift of God not rendred to our merits but given of his free grace § IV. His second testimony is Iam. 2.24 You see then that a man is justified by workes and not by faith onely Answ. Of this place wee are hereafter to treat more fully Now we are onely to cleare the signification of the word which in this place most evidently signifieth not to bee justified before God or made just but to bee approved or declared just In which sense the Schoolemen themselves doe teach that good workes doe justifie declarativè But here it may be objected that Saint Iames in this place speaketh of that justification whereunto faith concurreth with good workes and good workes with faith But to declare a man to bee justified faith being an inward and hidden grace of the heart hath no use or efficacy but it selfe is to be declared and manifested by workes as it is verse 18. Answ. The Apostle doth not speake of justifying faith it selfe but of the profession thereof or of saith professed onely as appeareth by the fourteenth verse where the question is propounded What doth it profit my brethren if a man shall say hee hath faith and have not workes can that faith which is in profession onely save him Now to the justification of a man before men and declaration of him to bee a man justified before God two things are requisite the profession of the true faith and a godly conversation answerable to that profession For neither good workss declare a man to bee justified if they bee not joyned with the profession of the true faith neither doth the profession of faith justifie a man before men if his faith cannot bee demonstrated by good workes And in this sense it is said that a man is justified that is knowne to bee just by workes and not by faith onely § V. His third testimony is Apoc. 22.11 Qui justus est justificetur adhuc hee that is just let him bee justified still Answ. The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this place doth not signifie to bee justified but to be just as the word is often used not onely in the translation of the Septuagints but also in the new Testament as I have shewed before as being the translation not of the passive but of tsadaq the verbe neuter in Cal which signifieth not to bee justified but to bee just And this exposition is confirmed first by the words going before He that doth wrong let him doe wrong still hee that is filthy let him bee filthy still and so hee that is just let him bee just still Secondly by the authority of the Complutensis editio of the Kings Bible of Andraeas Caesariensis and of Arethas in Apoc. who instead of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 let him worke righteousnesse of some Latine editions of the vulgar translation which instead of justificetur read justitiam faciat and lastly of Cyprian who rendreth the place thus justus adhuc justiora faciat This place therefore doth not speake of the encrease of our justification before God which cannot bee encreased and much lesse are wee exhorted unto it for as soone as a man is justified hee standeth righteous before God in the most perfect righteousnesse of CHRIST which admitteth no encrease but of perseverance in righteousnesse Moreover the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 still doth not signifie encrease but continuance § VI. And these were Bellarmine his three first significations of the word justification whereof not any one can bee proved out of the word of God Fourthly saith he It is taken for the declaration of justice after a judiciall manner in which sense hee â—…s said to be justified who when he had beene by the accuser made guilty of some iniquity is by the sentence of the Iudge declared iust and absolved And to this purpose hee alleageth not onely Prov. 17. 15. hee that justifieth the wicked and condemneth the just c. And Esay 5. 23. But which are not so pertinent Luk. 7. 35. and Luk. 10. 29. Now saith hee of the foure acceptions of the word our adversaries teach this fourth to be most proper As for the â—…econd and the third which ariseth from the second they say it is improper and not to bee found in any approved Authors But of this matter saith hee wee will discourse Libro 2. Cap. 3. whether wee will follow him In the meane time let it bee observed that the Papists who cannot approve their owne acceptions of the word by any one place of Scripture doe neverthelesse acknowledge that use of the word which we doe maintaine But whereas hee doth insinuate that we doe therefore reject the second and third significations because the word is not so used in approved Authors I answer if hee speake of the Latine word as hee doth that it is not used of the Authors of the Latine tongue at all and in the Latine edition of the Scriptures and from thence in other Ecclesiasticall writers it is used as the translation of the Hebrew and the Greeke and must accordingly bee understood And if of the Greeke that it is not used indeed of the Authors of the Greeke tongue in the Popish sense But that is not the reason why wee reject those senses but because they are not to bee found in the holy Scriptures CAP. V. Bellarmines discourse concerning the signification of the word justification de Iustif. lib. 2. cap. 3. examined § I. BVT let us examine Bellarmines disputation concerning the signification of the word Lib. 2. Cap. 3. where alleaging 〈◊〉 5. 17 18 19. to prove
before all secular times but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour 2 Tim. 1. 9. By his gracious favour in Christ God hath redeemed us reconciled us unto himselfe adopted us and not by our charity or any thing in us And finally by his gracious favor we are saved through faith and not of works or of any grace or righteousnesse iuherent in us that he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Iesus Christ Eph. 2. 7 8. Therefore by the gracious favour of God in Christ and not by any grace inherent in us the Lord doth justifie us and therfore the sacred fathers of Trent must take home to themselves according to the censure of the Apostle Gal. 1. 8. 9. that Anathema which they denounce against those who say that the grace whereby wee are justified is onely the gracions favour of God in Christ. § V. Against the proposition if it bee objected that the grace of election is eternall but the benefit of vocation and the rest is temporall and therefore not the same I answer that although the benefit of vocation and of the rest be given us in time yet the grace by which we are called justified and saved is eternall 2 Tim. 1. 9. And therefore Bellarmines distinction of grace into eternall by which wee were elected and temporary by which wee are called and justified is idle and to no purpose § VI. If againe it be objected that by what grace we are sanctified by the same we are justified by inherent grace we are sanctified therefore by inherent grace we are justified I answer by distinction of the phrase by grace for if therby be meant the efficient cause then I confesse the proposition to wit that by what grace we are sanctified we are also justified For the same gracious favor of God is the efficient cause as wel of our sanctification as of our justification and I deny the assumption But if by that phrase be meant the essentiall câ—…use that is the matter or the forme of our sanctification then I confesse the assumption and deny the proposition For by the inherent graces wherin our habitual sanctification consisteth we are sanctified but we are justified not by any grace inherent but onely by the righteousnesse of Christ as I have shewed before and hereafter shall fully prove in its due place For wee are justified by the grace that is the gracious favour of God in Christ gratis in respect of us that is without any cause or desert in us through the redemption which is in Christ without the works of the Law that is without respect of any obedience performed by us or righteousnesse inherent in us that is prescribed in the Law which is the perfect rule of all inherent righteousnesse § VII If in the third place it be objected that faith is a grace inherent but we are justified by faith Or thus faith doth justifie faith is a grace inherent therefore some grace inherent doth justifie I answer againe by distinction that faith doth not justifie as it is a grace or quality inherent or as it is a part of our inherent righteousnesse but relatively as it is the instrument as hath beene said before to receive Christ who is our righteousnesse neither doth faith properly but the object thereof which it apprehendeth justifie As it is the almes properly which releeveth the poore man not the hand which receiveth it For when we say that a man is justified by faith without workes or by faith alone our meaning is that we are justified by the righteousnes of Christ alone which is apprehended by faith onely without respect of any righteousnesse inherent in us or obedieuce performed by us § VIII Fourthly the justifying and saving grace is expressed many times by other words of like signification to the gracious favour of God which cannot be drawne to signifie our charity or any grace inherent in us As appeareth both by such synonyma as are joyned with it in the same places as grace and love 2 Cor. 13. 14. Grace and mercie 1 Tim. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 1. 2. Tit. 1. 4. 2 Iohn 3. and also by parallelling other places as where it is said Tit. 2. 11. When the grace of God appeared the same is expressed thus chap. 3. 4. When the kindnesse of God and his love towards man appeared And where in some places it is said that wee are justified or saved by his grace or according to his grace in others it is said according to his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 his good will and pleasure Eph. 1. 5. 9. Phil. 2. 13. according to his mercy Tit. 3. in which place these foure words are used as Synonyma signifying the same thing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 kindnes or bounty 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 love of mankind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 mercy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace This grace of God is notably expressed Eph. 2. 4. 5. 7. 8. by divers words of the like signification God who is rich in mercie for his great love wherewith he loved us hath when wee were dead in our sinnes quickened us together with Christ by grace you are saved that in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards us through Iesus Christ for by grace yee are saved through faith c. here is the riches of his mercie the exceeding riches of his grace his greatlove wherewith hee loved us his bounty towards us in Christ and all to set forth his saving grace So in the Old Testament mercie and grace are used as words of the like signification Exo. 33. 19. I will bee gracious to whom I will bee gracious and I will shew mercy to whom I will shew mercy which text the Apostle rendreth thus Rom. 9. 15. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercie and I will have compassion of whom I will have compassion Exod. 34. 6. where the Lord proclaiming his goodnesse or bounty before Moses as hee had promised chap. 33. 19. expresseth it in these termes The Lord the Lord God mercifull and gracious slow to anger abundant in chesed ve emeth in bounty and truth which in the New Testament are translated grace and truth keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity c. So Psal. 86. 15. Thou O Lord art a God full of compassion and gracious long suffering and plenteous in mercie and truth Likewise Psal. 130. 8. 2 King 13. 3. So also Psal. 145. 8 9. the Lord is gracious and full of compassion slow to anger and of great mercy the Lord is good to all and his mercies are over all his workes And in like manner Nehem. 9. 17. thou art a God of condonations that is ready to pardon gracious and mercifull slâ—…w to anger and of great bounty § IX Fifthly if justifying grace were inherent there would be no such opposition as the Apostle
we weave by the works of righteousnesse we drop the filthy matter of divers crimes § VI. But let us briefly examine Bellarmines proofes where to omit Cyrill who understandeth the place contrary to Bellarmines conceipt of the wicked Iewes who after they had crucified Christ persisted in their infidelity his first reason is from the words going before because God is not angry with the just nor forsaketh them but according to our doctrine forsooth hee covereth their sinnes and imputeth them not I answere first that when the children of God doâ—… sinne God is angry as the Prophet here saith behold when wee sinne thou art angry God was angry with Moses Exod. 4. 14. Deut. 1. 37. with Aaron Deut. 9. 20. with David 3 Sam. 11. 27. Psalm 38. 3. 88. 16. with Salomon 1 King 11. 9. with his people Psalm 85. 4 5. Esai 47. 6. with the sheepe of his pasture Psalm 74. 1. with his faithfull servants Esai 12. 1. Secondly that by their sinnes they provoke Gods judgements the fruits of his anger from which they are so farre from being exempted that judgement beginneth at the house of God Thirdly that if they meet not the Lord in his judgments and doe not judge themselves then are they sure to be judged of the Lord For though he doth not hate them nor execute upon them the fruits of his eternall anger yet he is angry with his children when they sin for to sin against him is to offend him and for their sins he doth many times judge and correct them but our comfort is when we are judged we are chastized of the Lord that wee should not be condemned with the world Fourthly that they are patiently to beare the anger of God because they have deserved it Lam. 3. 39. Mic. 7. 9. I will beare the indignation of the Lord because I have sinned against him And as touching Gods forsaking of his Children whereof notwithstanding there is no mention in this place it is certaine that although he doth never utterly or finally forsake his children Psalm 37. 25. 28. Heb. 13. 5. Psal. 89. 33. 2 Cor. 4. 9. yet sometimes they are subject to spirituall and temporall desertions for a time wherein God is said to hide his face from them as it is here said vers 7. see Deut. 31. 17 18. Iob 13. 24. Psalm 22. 1. 88. 14. 2 Chron. 32. 31. Esai 8. 17. 54. 8. Ier. 39. 24. 29. Iud. 6. 13. Psal. 77. 7. Esâ—…i 49. 14. and 62. 4. Howbeit that is verified of them which the Lord professeth to his Church by his Prophet Esai c. 44. 7 8. for a small moment have I forsaken thee but in great mercies will I gather thee In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment but with everlasting kindenesse will I have mercie on thee saith the Lord thy redeemer § VII His second proofe is from the words following vers 7. And there is none that calleth upon thy name nor standeth up to take hold of thee But the just doe call upon God therefore the prophet doth not speake in the person of the just Answ. Ordinarily the godly doe give themselves to prayer though sometimes when they are left unto themselves they doe neglect it But as ordinarily they doe not neglect this duty so when they have neglected it their manner is as in this place to complaine of the neglect thereof For according to this prophecie Daniel and the remnant of Iuda which were in captivity in whom it was fulfilled use the very same complaint in their prayer Dan. 9. 13. Baruch 2. 8. § VIII His third proofe is out of the words themselves where the righteousnesse of them that make this prayer is compared to a menstruous cloth and therefore saith he he speaketh not in the person of the just whose good works in the Scriptures are highly commended Ans. It is not likely that the hypocrits who use to trust in their owne righteousnesse and to boast of it would complaine of the defectivenesse therof But howsoever the godly though weak indevors of the faithfull are graciously accepted of God in Christ and freely rewarded yet the children of God when they are humbled under the hand of God or doe summon and present themselves before the judgement seat of the Lord or in their soules doe exercise judgement according to the testimony of their owne conscience they doe use to judge and condemne themselves and to speake as basely of themselves and of their works as the faithfull doe in this place wee are as an uncleane person that is as a Leper who according to the Law was to cry out I am uncleane I am uncleane Levit 13. 45. and all our best actions are stained with the flesh like a polluted cloth or as Dan. cap. 9. and the remnant of Iuda Baruch c. 1. 2 3. in whom this prophecie was fulfilled who speake most basely of themselves and of their actions Yea the more godly a man is the more sensible he is of his corruption and the more ready with aggravation to confesse it Quanto saith Gregory ad Deum veriùs per bona opera surgimus tanto subtiliùs vitae nostrae sordes agnoscimus by how much more truly wee arise to God by good works by so much the more exquisitely wee acknowledge the pollutions of our life and againe with how great cleanenesse soever holy men doe shine notwithstanding by reason of this body wherein they are which is corrupted they judge themselves abominable and by reason of the filth of concupiscences without which they are not they repute themselves uncleane and to the like purpose Cardinall Cont. Godly men saith he by how much the more they profit in godlinesse by so much the lesse they please themselves Especially when they are summoned or doe summon themselves to appeare before God as every one ought to doe who would be justified either before God or in the Court of his owne Conscience Iob the most holy and righteous in his time when hee stood before God abhorred himselfe repenting in dust and ashes The holy Prophet Esaias when in a vision hee beheld God sitting on a throne attended by the Seraphin proclaiming Holy Holy Holy the Lord God of hosts exclaimeth Woe is me I am undone for I am a man of polluted lips and dwell in the midst of a people of uncleane lippes Esa. 6. 5. The faithfull are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beggars in spirit who acknowledging that there is nothing in them whereby they might hope to bee justified or saved as beggars rely wholly upon the mercies of God and merits of Christ renouncing their own merits and in the question of justification deresting them as polluted clouts as dung as losse and acknowledging themselves in themselves to be wretched sinners for as Herome saith Tunc ergo iusti sumus quando nos peccatores fatemur then are wee just when wee
§ XIV Fourthly actions absolutely good may stand in judgement before God But our workes cannot stand in judgement The best of us have need to pray with him who had lesse neede than wee Enter not into judgement with thy servant O Lord. If thou Lord shouldest marke what is amisse even in our best actions who should be able to stand Noliergo intrare mecum in judicium Domine Deus meus wherefore enter not into judgement with me O Lord my God Quantumlibet rectus mihi videar producis tu de the sauro tuoregulam coaptas me adeam pravas invenior For though I seeme to my self never so right thou bringest forth of thy treasury a rule thou examinest mee by it and I am found wicked This which David and Augustine expounding him speake in respect of the person may bee applyed to his best actions as namely to his prayer unto which more specially David in both places doth seeme to have relation Lord heare my prayer c. and enter not into judgement with thy servant Lord heare my voice c. if thou shouldest marke what is amisse who should stand For though my prayer may the best of us say seeme to my selfe never so godly yet thou hast a rule according to which if thou shouldest exactly examine my prayer it would bee found sinnefull Alas Lord I doe not pray with that humility in respect of mine unworthinesse nor with that feeling of my want nor with that reverence of thy great and glorious Majesty nor with that attention of minde nor with that devotion and fervencie of Spirit nor with that assurance of faith c. that I ought to doe Therefore I come unto thee not in any conceit of mine owne righteousnesse or of the worthinesse of my prayer but I come unto thee in the name and mediation of Christ appealing from thy tribunall of justice to the throne of thy grace desiring and beleeving that the incense of my prayers being perfumed with the odours of his merits may and shall bee acceptable unto thee § XV. But if any popish pharisee doth thinke that hee needeth not thus to pray I shall desire his Conscience thus to speake unto him Doest thou thinke that for the worthinesse of thy prayer thou shalt bee heard and that if the Lord should enter into judgement with thee according to his exact rule he could finde no fault with thy prayer Alas besides those blemishes and imperfections even now mentioned whereof the most godly have just cause to complaine thou directest thy prayer not to God alone but to Saints and Angels and so committest horrible idolatry and when thou dost direct thy prayer unto God thou dost conceive of him under some bodily shape whereby thou doest circumscribe him and make him finite and so no God but an idoll of thine owne braine Thou doest not come unto God in the name and mediation of Christ alone who is the onely mediatour betwixt God and man but in the mediation of many others by whose merits and intercession thou hopest and desirest to be heard Thou cravest not the helpe of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of grace and supplication whose helpe thou findest not thy selfe to need for such a prayer as thou doest make Thy prayer is but a formall recitall of a certaine taske of words uttered for the most part without understanding without feeling without devotion without faith Thou if unlearned as the most are thou prayest in an unknowne language speaking like a Parrat thou knowest not what thy prayer is a meere lip-labour thou hopest by the multitude of thy words and the often repetitions of thy Ave-maries thy Pater-nosters and thy Creeds most ridiculously and odiously reiterated upon thy Beads by most superstitious Battology And notwithstanding all this wilt thou bee so wickedly impudent as to obtrude thy orisons unto God not only as an acceptable service wherewith though he should enter into judgement with thee he could finde no fault but also impetratory of thy desires satisfactory for thy sinnes and meritorious of eternall life Nay I assure thee that thy prayer to God with the opinion of satisfaction and merit though it were otherwise well qualified as it is farre from it there being nothing almost performed in it which is required in prayer it were abominable in the sight of God what shall I say more The acceptable and effectuall prayer is the prayer of faith Iam. 5. 16. whereby a man doth specially beleeve that his requests are or shall bee granted to him as namely for remission of sinnes and eternall life but thou I speake to the best and most learned of the Papists thou I say dost scorne and detest this speciall faith and so thy prayer wanting faith besides all other the abominations thereof is turned into sinne § XVI So in like manner in respect of the rest of our actions though seeming laudable unto us wee must pray that the Lord will not enter into judgement with us To which purpose manifold testimonies of the Fathers might be alleaged These few may serve Hilarie what living man can bee justified in the sight of God In whom there is a mixture of anger of sorrow of concupiscence of ignorance of forgetfulnesse of casualty of necessity happening either through the nature of the body or the motion of the soule alwaies wavering Ambrose hee that thinketh hee hath gold hath lead and hee who thinketh himselfe to have the graine of Wheat hath chaffe which may bee burnt Augustine woe to the very laudable life of men if mercie being removed thou dost examine it Gregory in many places of his Morals lib. 5. c. 7. quia sâ—…pe ipsa justitia nostra ad examen divinae justitiae deducta injustitia est sordet in districtione judicis quod inestimatione sulget operantis lib. 5. cap. 18. ipsa nostra perfectio culpâ non caret nisi hanc severus judex in subtili lance examinis misericorditer penset Lib. 9. cap. 1. Sancti viri omne meritum vitium est si ab aeterno arbitriâ—… districtè judicetur Lib. 9. cap. 2. omne virtutis nostrae meritum esse vitium lib. 9. c. 11. Si remota pietate discutitur in illo examine etiam justorum vita succumbit cap. 14. on those words of Iob. Si habuero quippiam justum non respondebo he saith ut enim sape diximus omnis humana justitia injustitia esse convincitur si districtè judicetur prece ergo post justitiam indiget ut quae succumbere discussa poterat ex sola judicis pietate convalescat lib. 1. cap. 27. Si remota pietate discutimur opus nostrum poenâ—… dignum est quod remunerari praemiis prestolamur cap 28. quousque poena corruptionis astringimur quamlibet rectis operibus insudemus veram munditiem nequaquem apprehendimus sed â—…mur lib. 27. cap. 15. Sciunt Sancti quia omnis humana justitia injustitia
Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde c. Nam cùm est adhuc aliquid carnalis concupiscentiae quod vel continendo frenetur non omnimodò ex tota anima diligitur Deus So much of Augustine § III. Divine Testimonies saith he we meet with every where For first our Lord saith Greater charity hath no man than this that a man lay downe his life for his friends Ioh. 15. 13. but it is evident that very many that is to say all the Martyrs haue attained to this perfection of charity Answ. So to lay downe a mans life for others as Christ did lay down his for us is the perfection of Charity But the love of Martyrs though great commeth farre short of this perfection For as Cardinall Tolet hath well observed upon this text the quantity or measure of charity may bee considered three wayes By way of Estimation or appreciation Intension Extension In all which respects the love of Christ doth farre surpasse the love of Martyrs First by way of appreciation because he gave that for us which is more and of greater value than what is given by Martyrs First because of the dignity of his person For hee being the great God and our Saviour gave himselfe for us and therefore gave for us a greater gift than all the Martyrs put together can give Secondly because where Martyrs give their bodies only that they may save their owne soules Christ gave himselfe that is both body and soule for us that hee might redeeme both our bodies and soules which both hee did assume that hee might give both for us not onely in his body suffering death even the death of the Crosse but in his soule undergoing as our surety the wrath of God for us the feare whereof brought him into that agony which made him sweat drops of bloud and the sence of it upon the Crosse made him cry out My God my God why hast thou forsaken me being for a time in his owne sence as a man separated from God which separation from God is the death of the soule Now that Christ did thus farre give his soule as well as his body for us divers of the Fathers especially those which confute the heresie of the Apollinarists who denied that Christ had an humane soule doe teach Cyrill saith that Christ gave his flesh a price of ransome for the flesh of all and his soule likewise a price of ransome for the soules of all Theodoret the good Shepheard gave his body and soule for his sheep who have both body and soule And againe the nature of men consisteth of body and soule both which being lost by sinne our Lord having taken upon him both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for our bodies hee gave his body and for our soules also his soule Irenaeus that Christ redeeming us by his bloud that is by the sufferings of his manhood gave his soule for our soules and his flesh for our our flesh Ambrose the Divinity of the Word was not offered in sacrifice for that which hee had put on he offered in himselfe and hee put on that which before hee had not that is his whole manhood For Christ our Priest both God and man upon the Altar of his Deity for it is the Altar which sanctifieth the sacrifice did offer his whole manhood consisting both of body and soule as a whole burnt offering for us Wheras therefore in the Doctrine of redemption mention is made either of his body alone as Col. 1.22 1 Pet. 2.24 or of his soule onely as Esa. 53. 10 that his soule was made an offering for sinne and in this place Ioh. 15. 12. greater love hath no man than this that a man lay downe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 animam suam his soule for his friends wee are by a Synechdoche to understand the whole manhood that is himselfe as hee was man Now it is a greater love for a man to give both body and soule for another than to give his body onely § IV. Secondly in respect of intension it argueth greater love when a man is willing of his owne accord and desirous to lay downe his life for others than when necessity is laid upon him Christ was willing of his owne accord yea and earnestly desirous for so he saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to lay downe his life for us Martyrs doe not yea ought not ordinaâ—…ily offer themselves to death for quâ—… amat periculum peribit in eo and our Saviour hath taught them when they are persecuted in one city to flee to another But they are and ought to bee willing to lay down their lives rather than deny The Truth Our Saviour prophecying of Saint Peters Martyrdome Iohn 21. 18. saith when thou wast young thou diddest gird thy selfe and walke whither thou wouldest but when thou shalt be old thou shalt stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whither thou wouldest not Againe when a man doth lay downe his life freely as Christ did without either tye of duty or expectation of recompence it argueth greater love than what is so done out of duety as that if hee did it not hee should sinne and so lose his soule by seeking to save his life or out of love to himselfe to lay downe his life to save his owne soule which is the common case of Martyâ—…s § V. Thirdly in respect of extension his love is greater that layeth downe his life not onely for his friends and well willers and such as have beene good unto him for peâ—…adventure for such as the Apostle saith Rom. 5. 7. some though hardly would adventure to dye and some few examples in that kind wee read of but also for sinners and for his enemies who though they doe not love him yet are beloved of him and therefore in respect of his affection are his friends as beloved of him though in respect of their affection enemies Thus our Saviour having loved us commendeth his love towards us Rom. 5. that when we were sinners verse 8. and by our sinnes enemies vers 10. hee dyed for us But Martyrs when they dye for others they lay downe their lives not for their enemies but for their brethren in Christ 1 Iohn 3. 16. § VI. His second proofe is out of 1 Ioh. 2. 5. Hee that keepeth the Word of God in him verily the love of God is perfected But that the Word of God may be kept the same Apostle in the same Epistle teacheth 1 Ioh. 5. 3. and his Commandements are not grievous unto us Answ. The keeping of the Commandements being an effect and fruit of Love Charity is said to bee perfected by it that is perfectly knowne as a good Tree by his fruit and as Faith is said Iam. 2. 22. to bee made perfect by good workes and as Gods strength is perfected in our weakenesse for hereby men are knowne to love God if they
or reason nor manifested by discourse and yet we doe know and are undoubtedly perswaded of the necessary and infallible truth thereof moved theâ—…unto by the divine authority of the propounder which is the Spirit of truth that is called faith which is as you heard out of Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an undoubted assent or full perswasion or assurance eui falsum subesse non potest the subject whereof cannot be false Where fourthly you see indeed that faith is distinguished against Science and evident intelligence but as a speciall under the same generall which is notitia knowledge And therefore the mysteries of saith which surpasse our reason though we doe not understand them by that knowledge which is of propositions either manifâ—…st in themselves or manifested by discourse yet wee know them to be undoubtedly true because of the authority of the propounder knowing whom we doe beleeve And therefore fifthly very absurd was he who said that faith may better be defined by ignorance than by knowledge § XV. Thus have wee seene the salshood of the popish doctrine concerning implicite faith now let us shew the wickednesse of it which consisteth in this that it is an horrible couzenage of the people to their perdition Here therefore two things are to bee shewed first that it is an egregious imposture and couzenage Secondly that it is extremely pernicious to the people Their cozenage stands in this that when they say that the faith required iu a lay man as sufficient to his justification is to beleeve or rather to professe himselfe to beleeve whatsoever the Catholike Church beleeveth though in particular he know not what the Church beleeveth their meaning is that the church of Rome and therein the Pope is not onely the whole materiâ—…ll object but also the formall object of their faith I say the whole materiall object For they teach that whatsoever is to bee beleeved is reduced to this one article of the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church and that this faith is a more 〈◊〉 faith than if a man should say I beleeve the whole Scriptures For hee that beleeveth the Catholike Church beleevâ—…th whatsoever the Catholike Church propoundeth to be beleeved Now their Church propoundeth to be beleeved not onely tho whole written word both Apocryphall and Canonicall but the unwritten also which are the traditions of the Church They make the Church also the formall object of saith not onely which wee beleeve but also for which wâ—… beleeve whatsoever is to bee beleeved and so make the Church to be the rule and the principium or principle of their faith These are the grounds of their imposture But their cozenage especially consisteth in this that whatsoever excellencie they ascribe to the Catholike Church that they attribute wholly and onely to the Church of Rome and therein to the Pope For thâ—…s they expound that Article in their new Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Apostolicall Church of Rome the Mother and Mistris of all other Churches out of which there is no salvation So excluding from salvation all those that have beene are or shall bee who live not in communion with and subjection to the Church and Pope of Rome This is the principall Nâ—…t whereby the greatest number of silly soules are cony â—…ch'd § XVI No doubt the Apostle by Catholike understood the Vniversall and not any particular Church fuch as the Church of Rome which was not then extant when the Creed was made as themselves doe â—…each And thereâ—…ore the Apostles themselves when they made the Creed were not of that Church And by holy Vniversall Church being an object of faith and therefore not seene they understand the universall company of the Elect which is the body of Christ containing not onely the Militant Church but also the Triumphant and not onely the Church after the ascâ—…ion of Christ but also before from the beginning of the world And not onely those who were or are under the Pope but also â—…hose who never acknowledged any subjection to the See of Rome such as were the Churches under the other foure Patriarâ—…es of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem and such as are the greatest part of Christâ—… at this day But if by Vniversall must be meant particular and if by Catholike must be understood Romane then by their doctrine from the company of them that are and shall be saved are excluded first the Church Triumphant secondly the Church which was from the beginning untill the Church of Rome was planâ—…d thirdly the foure 〈◊〉 Churches and others which acknowledged no subjection to the See of Rome in which were many Holy Martyrâ—… and the most of the godly and learned Fathers In all which time the Bishop of Rome was at the most but a Patriarch as others were untill 〈◊〉 that barbarous Tyraâ—…t in the yeare of our Lord 607. made him Vniversall Bishop and Head of the Vniversall Church the proper titâ—… of Antichrist fourthly all those Churches which since that time and at this day acknowledgâ—…â—…o subjection to the Pope as their Head which is the greater and better part of Christendome Now what a 〈◊〉 is this to perswade men that there is no salvation for those who doe not acknowledge the Pope to be their head that is who are not limmes and members of Antichristâ—… especially when the Scriptures teach that Antichrist prevailâ—… in them onely â—… that perish § XVII But although this be a grand imposture as a right reverend learned man hath shewed to teach men to beleeve that the Church of Rome alone is the Catholike Church out of which noâ—…e can be saved yet this is but halfe of their cozenage For 〈◊〉 article of the Church they expound as if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeve that there is a Church as when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I beleeve the commâ—…ion of Saints there mission of â—…nnes c. but as if it were said eredo Ecolâ—…sia oâ—… rather in Ecclesiam I beleeve the Church or in the Church as that which cannot 〈◊〉 and consequently beleeve whatsoâ—…er the Church teacheth or propoundeth to be beleeved making thâ—… Church 〈◊〉 formall object of their faith and principall rule or principle into which their faith is last resolved for which they give credit to the Scriptures themselves which receive their credit and authority from the Church Now by this Church they meane not the universall company of Catholikes for they are compared to Iobs Asses but the Prelates of the Church of Rome and among them the Pope who virtually is the Church in whom alone the prerogative of not erring resideth For a generall or Oecumenicall counsell which is the whole Church representative they say without the Pope may erre but the Pope himselfe alone without a councell cannot erre And therefore the authority of a generall councell and of the Pope together is no more
than of the Pope alone It is the Pope therefore alone that cannot erre who hath an heavenly and infallible judgement who is the supreame Iudge in all controversies the chiefe and onely authenticall interpreter of the Scriptures so that no point of religion is to be held for truth but what he determineth no text of Scripture to be held the word of God in any other sense than hee holdeth yea that a text of Scripture urged against them in another sense than he holdeth is not the word of God but rather of the devill By which meanes the Pope is stept into the roome of Christ and and is undoubtedly become Antichrist So that the implicite faith of the Papists whereby they professe themselves to beleeve what is propounded by the Church meaning especially the See of Rome that is to say the Pope to be beleeved and consequently whereby they professe themselves to beleeve in the Pope as the principall rule principle and foundation of their faith is the very character and marke of the Beast whereby men are branded to destruction § XVIII The which doth also prove the other point viz. how pernicious the doctrine of implicite faith is as tending to the perdition of the seduced people which I will also prove by other reasons For under the name of implicite faith they commend unto the Laity damnable ignorance that having blindfolded them they may lead them as it were by the nose whither it pleaseth them To them it is sufficient to beleeve what the Church beleeveth though they know little or nothing of the Churches beleefe If one of them be called before the Commissioners hee shall say enough and defend himselfe sufficiently when he answereth that he is a Catholike and that he will live and dye in that faith which the Catholike Church doth teach and that this Church can give them a reason of all those things which they demand And thus according to Christs promise Luk. 12. 12. the holy Ghost for sooth teacheth every unlearned Catholike to give sufficient reason of his faith But it is evident that those who live in ignorance doe live in a state of damnation or as the Scripture speaketh doe sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death First because they live without God as it were Atheists in this world For they that know not God have not God Secondly because they are void of all grace whereby they might hope to be saved For knowledge being the first of all graces where that is wanting all the rest are absent Againe without faith there is no saving grace for faith is the mother and roote of all other graces and without knowledge there is no faith as I have already shewed For how can t they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and by hearing knowne Knowledge is as it were the first step towards faith and all other graces and therefore he that hath not that in some measure hath not made one steppe in the way that leadeth to eternall life Thirdly because they are not Christs sheepe nor Gods children For I saith our Saviour know mine and I am knowne of mine Ioh. 10. 14. They shall know me every one of them saith the Lord from the greatest to the least of them Ier. 31. 34. All Gods children shall be taught of God Esai 54. 13. Ioh. 6. 45. every one therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth to mee saith our Saviour and none else All Gods children have the unction from the holy One and they know all needfull things 1 Ioh. 2. 20. 27. Ioh. 16. 13. Fourthly because it hath all the respects of evill in it For it is not one ly a sinne but the cause of all sinne and errour a punishment and the cause of punishment both in this life and in the world to come A sinne repâ—…oved and condemned Ier. 4. 22. 9. 3. Hos. 4. 1. â—… Cor. 15. 34. For it a sacrifice was ordained Levit. 4. 2. yea all the sinnes for which sacrifices were offered were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—… that is ignorances Heb. 9. 7. The cause of sinne Errant qui operantur mulum They erre that sinne and none erre but by ignorance as Augustine saith Non erratur nisi per ignorantiam whence sinners are called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 such as are ignorant and doe erre Heb. 5. 3. Ignorance is the mother of all errours Regnum ignorantiae saith Augustine regnum erroris Ignorance also is a fearefull punishmentâ—… when God doth punish men with blindenesse of heart Esai 6. 9 10. and sendeth upon them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the efficacy of errour 2 Thâ—…s 2. 11. It is also the cause of punishment for the people that understandeth not shall bee punished Hos. 4. 14. as of captivityâ—… Esai 5. 13. of destruction Hos. 4. 6. it maketh men subject to the curse of God Psal. 79. 6. Ier. 10. 25. and to eternall damnation 2. Thes. 1. 8. If our Gospell bee hid saith the Apostle it is hid to them that perish 2 Cor. 4. 3. For if it bee eternall life to know God and Christ our Saviour then not to know God and our Saviour is to misse of eternall life Qui ea quâ—… sunt Domini nesciunt a Domino nesciuntur saith Gregory Paulo attestante qui ait si quis autem ignorat ignorabitur The Councell of Rhemes denyeth that they can bee saved who doe not understand the Creed and the Lords Prayer And againe no man can bee saved without faith and no man can beleeve that which he doth not know nor hath heard Augustine ipsa ignorantia in ets qui intelligere noluerunt sine dubitatione peâ—…catum â—…st in eis autem qui non potuerunt pâ—…na pecâ—…ati Ergo in utrisque non â—…st justa excusatio sed justa damnatio Hierome Ignoratio Scripturarum ignoratio Christi Origen â—…aith the Devills possesse all those that live in ignorance § XIX All this notwithstanding the popish Impostors detaine the people in ignorance they have taken away the Key of knowledge and shut up the Kingdome of Heaven against their followers for neither they goe in themselves neither suffer them that faine would enter to goe in They forbid them to reade the Scriptures which are able to make them wise to salvation 2 Tim. 3. 15. which our Saviour therefore commandeth them to search Ioh. 5. 39. They suffer them not to heare them nor yet the divine service otherwise than in an unknowen tongue contrary to the rule of the Apostle 1 Cor. 14. and wherefore all this partly that their errours and abominations should not be seene for he that evill doeth hateth the light and as theeves by night wish the light of Gods Word to bee put out or at least to bee hid under a Bushell and partly that they may bee Lords over the peoples faith and may make them beleeve what they list
second For if thou doest truely beleeve that Christ is the Saviour thou art bound to beleeve that hee is thy Saviour otherwise thou makest God a lyar That therefore thou mayest learne to apply Christ unto thy selfe God by his minister delivereth to thee in particular the Sacrament as it were a pledge to assure thee in particular that as the Minister doth deliver unto thee the outward signe so the Lord doth communicate unto thee that beleevest according to the first degree of faith the thing signified that is to say Christ with all his merits to thy justification sanctification and salvation § IV. This distinction of the degrees of faith as it is most comfortable for hereby we are taught how to attaine to assurance of salvation as elsewhere I have shewed for having the first degree which is the condition of the promise thou maiest apply the promise to thy selfe and by application attaine to assurance so it is most true and most necessary to bee held And first as touching the former degree which is the speciall apprehension and embracing of Christ by a lively assent accompanyed with the desire of the heart and resolution of the will as I have said that it is that faith which is the condition of the promise and by which wee are justified before God I have proved by plaine testimonies of Scriptures and other pregnant proofes The places of Scripture which I alleaged were these Mat. 16. 16. 17. Ioh. 20. 31. Act. 8. 37. 38. Rom. 10. 9. 10. 1 Ioh. 5. 1. 5. Whereunto may bee added 1 Ioh. 4. 15. Among the manifold proofes which I produced this is one that if there bee no other justifying faith but the speciall faith whereby wee are assured of the remission of our sinnes then two absurdities will follow The one that wee must apply the promises to our selves before wee have the condition thereof which as wee ought not to doe lest wee play the hypocrites so wee cannot doe unlesse wee will perniciously deceive our selves The promise is whosoever beleeveth in Christ hath remission of sinne whosoever beleeveth in Christ shall bee saved c. This promise is made to none but to those who truely beleeve and are endued with a justifying faith which is the condition of the promise It is evident therefore that a man must bee endued with justifying faith before hee can apply the promise and hee must apply the promise before hee can have any assurance by speciall faith The second absurdity is that a man must bee assured that his sinnes be forgiven before they be forgiven and so must beleeve a lie yea that a man must bee assured that they are forgiven to the end that they may be forgiven which is a great absurdity This therefore is an undeniable truth that before we can either apply the promises or attaine to assurance of remission of sinne we must be endued with true justifying faith which is the condition of the promise and the meanes to obtaine remission I must beleeve therefore by a justifying faith before I can have remission of sinnes I must have remission of sinnes before I can have any assurance thereof and I must ascend by many degrees of assurance before I come to full assurance which yet in this life is never so full but that still more may and ought to be added to it § V. As touching the second which by some is called speciall faith not onely in respect of the object which is Christ for so the former is also speciall but in respect of the effect which is by actuall application of the Promises to a mans selfe to assure him in particular of his justification and salvation It is by some both protestant and popish writers called fiducia that is affiance Howbeit the most of our Writers by it meant assurance But unproperly howsoever for neither is faith affiance nor affiance assurance This speciall apprehension application of Christ though scorn'd by the Papists yet is it of all graces the most comfortable most profitable most necessary Most comfortable for the very life of this life is the assurance of a better life Most necessary because without this speciall receiving of Christ first by apprehension and then by application we can have no other saving grace How can we love God or our neighbour for Gods sake how can we hope and trust in him how can we rejoyce in him or be thankefull to him if we be not perswaded of his love and bounty towards us and so of the rest Most profitable because from it all other graces proceed and according to the measure of it is the measure of all other graces as I have elsewhere shewed For if the love of God bee shed abroad in thy heart by the Holy Ghost that is if by faith thou art perswaded of Gods love towards thee thou wilt be moved to love the Lord and thy neighbour for his sake then wilt thou hope and trust in him then wilt thou rejoyce in him and bee thankefull unto him and so forth And the greater thy perswasion is of his love and goodnesse towards thee so much the greater will be thy love thy hope thy trust thy thankefulnesse thy rejoycing in him c. When as therefore the Papists detest and scorne our Doctrine concerning speciall faith they doe plainely bewray themselves to have no saving grace nor any truth or power of Religion in them § VI. But that this speciall receiving and embracing of Christ by faith is necessary to justification and that faith doth not justifie without it it doth evidently appeare by the third and fourth points before handled in the fourth and fifth Bookes For if we be justified only by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him then are we not justified by faith as it is an habit or quality inherent in us but as it is the hand and instrument whereby we receive Christ his righteousnesse which as it is imputed to us by God so we apprehend it by faith And because faith alone doth receive Christ and all his merits therefore the same benefits which we receive from Christ and are properly to bee ascribed unto him as the Authour of them are in the Scriptures attributed also to faith because by faith we receive Christ. By Christ we live Ioh. 6. 57. We live by faith Gal. 2. 20. Hab. 2. 4. By Christ we have remission of sinnes Eph. 1. 7. Act. 13. 38. By faith wee have remission of sinnes Act. 8. 39. 26. 18. By Christ wee are justified Esai 53. 11. Wee are justified by faith Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 3. 24. By Christ we have peace with God Col. 1. 20. We have peace with God by faith Rom. 5. 2. We have free accesse to God by Christ Eph. 2. 18. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 19. We have free accesse to God by Faith Rom. 5. 2. Eph. 3. 12. We are sanctified by Christ 1 Cor. 1. 30. Heb. 10. 14. We are
Exposition Ioh. 17. 17. so Ioh. 18. 37. Rom. 2. 8. â—…al 3. 1. 5. 7. Eph. 4. 21. 2 Thess. 2. 10 12. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 4. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 18. cum 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Heb. 10. 26 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 Ioh. 2. 21. 2 Iob. 1. 2. Sometimes the word of Truth or of the truth Eph. 1. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Iam. 1. 18. sometimes the truth of the Gospell Gal. 2. 5. 14. or the word of the truth of the Gospell Col. 1. 5. The 〈◊〉 whereof is Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. 2. 2. For this cause justifying faith is called oftentimes the faith of Christ because he is the proper Object thereof as Rom. 3. 22 26. Gal. 2. 16. 20. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. and faith in Christ as Act. 20. 21. 24. 24. 26. 18. Gal. 3. 26. Faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3. 25. that faith which is in Christ Iesus 2 Tiâ—… 3. 15. sometimes the faith of the Gospell Phil. 1. 27. and which is all one the faith of the truth 2 Thess. 2. 13. Thus therfore I reason That to the beliâ—…e whereof alone and not of other things remission of sinnes justification and salvation is promised that I say is the proper object of justifying faith But to the beliefe in Christ or in the Doctrine and promises of the Gospell concerning salvation by Christ remission of sins justification and salvation is promised and not to the beliefe of other things Therefore that is the proper object of justifying faith That the Promise is made to beliefe in Christ and in the Gospell the Scriptures every whâ—…re â—…each as Ioh. 3. 15 16. 18. 36. 8. 24. 11. 25 26. â—…2 46. 20. 31. Act. 10. 43. 13. 38 39. 16 31. 26. 18. Rom. 10. 9 11. c. But not to the beliefe of other things is the promise made as of the Law or of the story of the Bible or of predictions excepting those stories and propheâ—…ies which concerne Christ. For howsoever a man cannot have a justifying faith who denieth credit to any of those other things which he findeth to be revealed by God yet not by beleeving of them but by beleeving in Christ â—…hee is justified § III. But here it may be objected that the faith whereby Abraham was justified had no relation to the promise of salvation by Christ but to the promises of God concerning his seed Whereunto I answere First that Abraham and all the rest of the faithfull before Christ beleeved in the promised seed which was the Messias to come and by that faith as the Papists themselves confesse were justifyed Secondly the promises which concerned his seed were either the same with the promise of the Gospell or it was implyed in them The maine promise was that in Abraham that is in his seed all Nations that is the faithfull in all Nations should be blessed For Abraham did not conceive that in himselfe all Nations should be blessed as if himselfe should be the foundation of Happinesse unto All but in his seed And so the Lord himselfe explaneth in Gen. 22. 18. and in thy seed that is in Christ all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed And so Zacharie Luk. 1. 68. 69 73. and Peter Act. 3. 25. This promise made to Abraham is the very same with the promise of the Gospell For as the Apostle saith the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preached before the Gospell to Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all nations be blessed Which promise as it had beene formerly made to our first parents concerning the promised seed so was it after renewed to Isaac Gen. 26. 4. and to Iacob Gen. 28. 14. and in effect to David whose sonne according to the flesh Messias was to be who is therefore called the sonne of David and the branch of David In this promised seed Abraham and all other the faithfull beleeved and by beleeving in Him were justified § IV. The other promises concerning his seed are two The former concerning the multiplication of his seed that hee should bee Father of a multitude of Nations namely in Christ and that hee would be a God to him and his seed hee doth not say to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. that is Christ mysticall 1 Cor. 12. 12. containing the multitude of the faithfull in all Nations both Iewes and Gentiles This promise therefore implyeth the former that in Christ the promised seed Abraham himselfe and his seed that is the faithfull of all nations should be blessed and in confirmation of this promise he was called Abraham because he was to be a Father of many nations that is of the faithfull of all nations for none but they are accounted Abrahams seed Rom. 9. 7 8. Gal. 3. 7. 29. and for the same cause hee received the Sacrament of Circumcision as a seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. And that in this promise of the multiplication of his seed the promise of the Gospell was included appeareth because his faith in this promise was imputed to him for righteousnesse not for the the approbation or justifying of that act as it happened in the zealous act of Phineas Psal. 106. 30. but for the justification of his person which could not be justified but by faith in Christ. Which the Papists themselves cannot denie The chiefe thing which Abraham apprehended in the promise concerning his seed was that although he were an hundred yeere old and Sarah past child-bearing yet he should have seed by her and in that seed himselfe and all the faithfull of all Nations should be blessed § V. The latter is that they should possesse the land of promise by which as by a type was signified the heavenly Canaan under which to all the faithfull was promised the Kingdome of heaven which was the Countrey which they professing themselves Pilgrimes did seeke Heb. 11. 13 14 15 16. and into which eternall rest Iesus was to bring them who beleâ—…ve even as Ioshua the type of Christ who also is called Iesus brought the Israelites after their peregrinations into that land of rest So that in the latter Promises concerning his seed and the land of promise the former was implyed concerning the promised seed and blessednesse by him as the principall object of Abrahams faith for which chiefly hee did so much affect and desire seed Insomuch that when the Lord had promised him to bee his buckler and his exceeding great reward Abraham replied Lord God what wilt thou give mee seeing I goe childlesse As Abraham therefore who rejoyced to see our Saviour Christs day and as he and the rest of the faithfull having not received the promises concerning the promised seed but having seene them a farre off were perswaded of them
are indeed two principall arguments which he bringeth to prove the merit of good workes which it shall suffice to answere in their due place For I doe not thinke them worthy of double paines Only for the present I answer to the first that where is speech of our dignity it is to bee ascribed to Gods dignation as Bernard well saith Digni nos sumus sedipsius dignatione non dignitate nostra wee are worthy but by his dignation or deigning to accept of us as worthy not by our own worthines secondly the words dignus and dignè sometimes do signifie not the equality of worth but that which is convenient meet or becomming as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Col. 1. 10. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thess. 2. 12. 3 Ioh. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eph. 4. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil. 1. 27. To the second thatthere are rewards free liberal and undeserved as wel as those which be mercenary and deserved and therfore the name of reward doth not alwaies presuppose merit or desert To which purpose let the reader compare these paralell places Mat. 5. 46. Luk. 6. 32. where the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are used in the selfe same sense For if you love those that love you what reward have you quam mercedem habetis saith Matthew quae vobis est gratia saith Luke what thankes have you in the one is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Thus much of the name § IV. For the thing Bellarmine bringeth three sorts of proofes Authority of Scripture Testimonies of Fathers and reason The authorityes of Scripture he reduceth to seven heads The first is of those places whâ—…re eternall life is called merces reward His reason is thus framed If eternall life be the reward of good workes then good workes doe merit it but the former is true viz. that eternall life is the reward good workes therefore the latter viz. that good workes doe merit eternall life Answ. The proposition he taketh for granted all his proofe in this place being that sine dubitatione without doubt it is true But in his second Chapter he proved it by this which goeth for a maxiâ—…e among them that merces and meritum are relatives But I answere by distinction That merces reward is of two sorts It is either debita due as justly deserved or gratâ—…ita as freely bestowed and without desert as Ambrose also distinguisheth Alia est merces saith hee liberalitatis gratia aliud virtutis stipendium laboris remâ—…neratio which distinction is insiunated by the Apostle Rom. 4. 4. for reward is either imputed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to grace as the inheritance of an adopted sonne or rendred 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to debt or duty as the hire or wages of an hired servant or labourer who is worthy of his hire And is acknowledged by Bellarmine For when the Apostle saith to him that worketh the reward is not imputed according to grace but according to debt satis aperitè indicat esse quandam mercedem qua imputari possit secundum gratiam non secundum debitum he doth plainely enough shew that there is a certaine reward which may bee imputed according to grace not according to debt Merces noftra saith Augustine gratia vocatur Si gratia est gratis datur Our reward is called gratia so the Latine translateth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if it be grace it is freely given And againe God hath sent a Physitian hee hath sent a Saviour hee hath sent him who should heale freely that is but little that hee should heale freely who should also give reward to them that are healed Nothing can be added to this benevolence Who is he that will say let me heale thee and I give thee a reward Of this free reward wee have examples and Testimonies in the holy Scriptures as first that which Bellarmine in the first place citeth very impertinently to prove the name merit Gen 15. 1. where the Lord saith to Abraham I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward Psalm 127. 3. heritage and reward used promiscuously Children are an heritage from the Lord and the fruit of the wombe is his reward And so merces and gratia as was noted before out of Matth. 5. 46. and Luk. 6. 30. Such a reward is our inheritance in heaven which is therefore called the reward of inheritance Col. 3. 24. And this most plainely appeareth in the antithesis which the Apostle maketh betweene the reward of sinne and the reward of piety The wages of sinne is death but eternall life is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of GOD in IESVS CHRIST our LORD Rom. 6. 23. But of this place we have spoken in our fourth Testimonie whereby it appeareth that howsoever merces debita that is wages and meriâ—…um are relatives yet merit and the reward of eternall life or any other free reward are not relatives Among men wages hath place because the labourer deserveth it and he that hireth him is benefited by the labour and there is ordinarily a due proportion betweene the labour and the wages But with God it is otherwise we can deserve nothing of him neither is hee benefited by our labours neither is there any proportion betweene our workes and the reward of eternall life The proposition therefore though by him taken for granted is by us to be denyed § V. The assumption that eternall life is the reward of good workes wee freely confesse so it bee understood of a free reward which as it was graciously promised so it is freely and undeservedly given Bellarmine therefore should have proved that eternall life is a mercenary and on our part a deserved reward But of all the places which he quoteth both in the second and third Chapters where the word merâ—…es is used not one doth prove eternall life to bee a deserved reward or imply the merit of condignity As Genes 15. 1. I am thy shield and thy exceeding great reward 2 Chron. 15. 7. Your worke shall be rewarded Prov. 11. 18. To him that soweâ—…h righteousnesse there shall bee a sure reward For as Hos. 10. 12. Hee that soweth in righteousnesse shall reape in mercie Wisd. 5. 16. The righteous shall live for ever and their reward is with the Lord Eccl. 18. 22. The reward of the Lord abideth for ever Esai 40. 10. Behold the Lord will come and his reward with him so Apoâ—… 22. 12. Matth. 5. 12. great is your reward in heaven 1 Cor. 3. 8. Every one shall recive his owne reward according to his owne labour § VI. Onely there may bee question of that place Matth. 20. 8. Call the labourers and give them their wages which Bellarminâ—… citeth in the third Chapter and afterwards urgeth both in the same Chapter and in the seventeenth and also nineteenth And for
Christ will judge And thus his reasoâ—… standeth those who are blessed of God that is justified for whom this kingdome waâ—… prepared and this iâ—…heritance purchased they are to inheriâ—… this kingdome But you are such as appeareth by the fruits for your excercising the workes of charity and mercy towards my poore members and that for my sake is a plaine evidence of your election justification and redemption and accordiâ—…g to this evidence I judge of you come therefore inherit the kingdome c. But to this allegation I have answered twice before The second place is out of the same Chapter Verse 21. In which there is no causall particle eâ—…pressed in the originall neither is it any desert but duety of the servant to be faithfull neither any debt or duety of his Lord but his houâ—…y and largesse in rewarding of his fidelity in few things with making him ruler over many things The third place is Apoc. 7. 14. Thesâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…hey who came out of great tribulation c. therefore they are 〈◊〉 the Throne of God In alleaging whereof Bellarmine leaveth out that which is most maâ—…riall that they had washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lambe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 therefore they are before the Throne of God which sheweth that they stood before the Throne of God not in their owne merits but in the merits of Christ by which they were justified That which is said of their tribulation doth not insinuate their desert as though thereby they had deserved to bee before the Throne of God but the order of their afflictions going before their glorification and the consecution of eternall life following thereupon for as it is said of our Saviour Phil. 2. that hee having humbled himselfe unto death the Lord did therefore exalt him Verse 9. and Luke 24. 26. that hee was first to suffer those things and so to enter into his glory so of the faithfull it is likewise said that through much tribulation they must enter into the kingdome of God Act. 14. 22. And this is the answere which Calvin giveth to some of these places that they signifie ordinem consequentiae magis quam causam For whom God haâ—…h appointed to salvation for them he hath prepared the way of obâ—…dience and patience that therein they make walke towards their Countrey which is â—…eaven good workes therefore and afflictions are not the cause of salvation but the way to it § XVI But saith Bellarmine Christ could not more plaiâ—…ely have expressed that good workes are the causâ—…s of salvation than when hee said for when I was hungry you did c. especiâ—…lly seeing hee â—…seth the same forme of fpeech against the wicked for I was hungry and you did not c. In which the cause of damnation is noted I answere that our Saviour if hee had meant that good workes are the meriâ—…orious cause of salvation hee was able to have expressed it in as plaine termes as Bellarmine dothBut his intent in these reasons which hee giveth was not to set downe the causes of salvation or damnation but the notes and markes of them who are to bee saved or condemned as the evidence according to which hee pronounceth sentence Yea but Bellarmine will prove that the particles for and because are truely causall By what reason Forsooth by a circular augmentation becâ—…se good workes are causes And how did hee prove good workes to be causes Because these particles are causall To prove that workes be causes meaning meritorious causes he alleageth three Texts of Scripture 2 Cor. 4. 17. Gal. 6. 8. Phil. 2. 12. Two whereof I discussed before in their due place where he endevoured to prove that good workes aâ—…e necessary necessitate efficiâ—…tiae as causes of salvation viz. 2 Cor. 4. 17. lib. 7. cap. 5. § 7. and of this eighth booke cap. 2. § 21. and Phil. 2. 12. lib. 7. cap. 5. §5 That of Gal. 6. 8. he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reape life everlasting maketh against him rathâ—… than for him For as in the naturall harvest the increase is not to be ascribed to the ploughing and sowing but to the blessing of God so much more in the spirituall § XVII But that these particles are not alwaies truely and properly causall Calvin sheweth by a notable instance God had promised Abraham when hee first called him out of Vr that in him that is in his seed all the nations of the earth should be blessed This promise the Lord often renewed as appeareth in his story which againe hee confirmeth by oath Gen. 22. 16. 18. When Abraham had upon tryall in an excellent manner and measure approved both his faith and obedience unto God By my selfe have I sworne saith the Lord that because thou hast done this thing and hast not withheld thy sonne thine onely sonne in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed becausâ—… thou hast obeyed my voice Here both in the beginning of the oath and in the end the causall particle is used shall wee therefore say that Abrahâ—…ms obedience did merit that all the nations of the earth that is Abraham himselfe and all the faithfull in all nations should bee blessed in the promised seed God had long before made this gracious promise to Abraham without respect of this or any other his workes and had this act of obedience never beene the promise of the promised seed in his posterity would have beene performed so that the grace and love of God was the onely cause why hee promised to send his owne Sonne who should take on him the seed of Abraham and not Abrahams obedience All that can truely bee said is that upon this obedience God tooke occasion to renew his promise and to confirme it by oath for the further confirmation of Abrahams faith So that his obedience was so farre from being the cause of the thing promised as it was but the occasion of renewing the promise But Bellarmine in this example mentioneth onely that inferiour promise concerning the multiplication of Abrahams seed and saith that as God did promise it so he would have him to merit it by his good workes even so the Lord having predestinated all the Elect unto Glory yet his pleasure is that they should attaine unto it by their owne merits Which cleane overthroweth the grace of election which which was without respect of workes and also of salvation For if our election or salvation be of workes or merits then is it not of grace And if this answere of Bellarmine be good then may it in like manner bee applyed to that part of the Oath concerning the promised seed namely that Abraham by his obedience had merited that in the promised seede the faithfull of all nations should bee blessed which is no better than blasphemy It is true that God hath elected us that wee might bee holy and that by the
made partakers of our Lord in the heavenly Kingdome Therefore the Apostle rightly saith I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy of the future glory Augustine Debita redditur poenâ—… damnato indebita gratia liberato â—…t nec ille se indignum queratur nec â—…ignum se iste glorietur In Psal. 30. 17. Salvum me fac non in mea justitia nâ—…n in meis meritis sed in tua misericâ—…rdia non quia ego sum dignus sed quia tu misericors es So in Psal. 41. 7. and 43. 26. Quicquid promisit indignis promisit ut non quasi operibus merces prâ—…mitteretur sed gratia à nomine suo gratis daretur Eusebius Emissenus professeth that wee can neither suffer nor doe any thing worthy of the heavenly good things Gregorie the great Illi beata vita in quâ—… câ—…m Deo dâ—… Deo vivitur nâ—…llus pâ—…test aequari lâ—…bor nulla opera comparari presertim cùm Apostolus dicat non sunt condignâ—… passiâ—…nes c. Anaâ—…tasius Sinaita This is true humility to practise good things and to esteeme himselfe uncleane 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and unworthy of God thinking to bee saved by his goodnesse alone Oecumenius He sheweth that we are not able either to suffer or to conferre any thing worthy of that remuneration which shall bee there Anselme professeth that a thousand yeeres devout service of God doth not condignely merit the being in the Kingdome of Heaven halfe a day Bernard Fateor non sum dignus ego nec propriis possum meritis regnum obtinere coelorum and elsewhere Nihil sumus in cordibus nostris fortè in corde Dei potest aliud latere de nobis Lege homo in corde tuo lege intra teipsum de teipso testimonia veritatis etiam hac communi luce judicabis te indignum Againe Nos sumus sponsa Dei sed in corde Dei Nos sumus sed ipsius dignatione non dignitate nostra quod etsi nâ—…s puerili animositate gratis servari nolumus meritò non salvamur excludit miseriae dissimulatio miserationem nec dignatio locum habet ubi fuerit praesumptio dignitatis The faithfull indeed are digni worthy as it is said Apoc. 3. 4. Sap. 3. 5. but it is dignatione divina non dignitate sua worthy not in themselves but in Gods acceptation in Christ even as they are just not in themselves but in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 21. Augustine Propter nomen tuum h. e. gratis propter nomen tuum non propter meritum meum quiatu dignatus es facere non quia ego dignus cui facias And this is signified in the places alleaged Luk. 20. 35. 2 Thess. 1. 5. which speake not of being worthy but of being accompted worthy in Gods acceptation To the proposition I answere that they who are worthy not in themselves but in Christ not in respect of their owne dignity but of Gods dignation which is the case of all the faithfull though they be accompted worthy of eternall life yet they doe not merit it themselves but the merit of Christ is imputed unto them which excludeth our merit To that of Luk. 10. 7. and likewise 1 Tim. 5. 18. The workman is worthy of his hire hath place among men who can deserve and earne their wages one of another so that the one bee not the bond-servant of the other but Gods workemen of whom those places speake though they deservâ—…â—…heir hire of them among whom they labour yet cannot being not their owne men but the bond-servants of God deserve any thing at his hands Againe even among men the labourer is not worthy of his hire who hath but begun and not perfected his worke but our obedience our righteousnesse our charity whereby we serve God is but inchâ—…ata non perfecta justitia § XXIII His seventh argument is taken from those places where it is said that God is a righteous judge and no accepter of persons as Rom. 2. 11. Gal. 2. 6. 1 Pet. 1. 17. Act. 10. 34. but acception of persons is a vice contrary to distributive justice viz. when a judge giveth reward without merits or a greater reward to lesse merits or a lesse reward to greater merits God therefore in the retribution of rewards considereth the merits of men and according to the diversity of merits he assigneth the mansions of eternall life This argument if it shall conclude the question must thus bee framed If God doe render to men the rewards of eternall life neither without their merits nor greater rewards to lesse nor lesse to greater merits than God in the retribution of rewards considereth the merits of men and consequently the good workes of the faithfull are meritorious of eternall life but the antecedent is true therefore the consequent The assumption hee proveth because the contrary is repugnant to distributive justice Thus therefore he proveth it If God doe render rewards to men without their merits or greater rewards to lesse merits or lesse rewards to greater merits then is he an unjust judge and an accepter of persons which God forbid But God is a righteous judge and no accepter of persons as is proved by the testimonies alleaged therfore he doth not render to men rewards without their merits neither doth he give greater rewards to lesse nor lesse rewards to greater merits Answ. I deny the assumption of the former syllogisme and the proposition of the second The assumption was that God doth not render to men rewards of eternall life without their merits c. For that God doth give the reward of eternall life to some at the least without their merits it is evident in the elect infants who having no merits of their owne are saved only by the merits of Christ. And the like is to be said of all other beleevers for whom our Saviour by his merits hath purchased everlasting life Therefore that assumption is so farre from being true that the contrary thereof is alwaies true viz. that God doth give the reward of eternall life as his free gift to all that are saved without any merit of theirs Neither is there any other merit of eternall life but the merit of Christ which is more than sufficient for all that beleeve The proposition of the prosyllogisme hath two branches in both the parts thereof of both which I deny the consequence for as touching the first although God doe render to men the reward of eternall life without their merits yet hee is not an unjust Iudge For though they have no merit of their owne yet they have the all-sufficient satisfaction and the infinite merit of Christ unto which eternall life is in justice due For the second Although the Lord should give greater rewards to lesse offices and graces and lesse to greater yet were hee not unjust nor an accepter of persons For by the parable of the workmen Mat. 20. Wee learne that the
opere Eleemosynis containing an effectuall exhortation to the workes of charity from the reward that God hath promised and will graciously bestow on those that are forward in these workes Nusquam Dominus meritis ad premium deerit God will no where bee wanting to our good workes to reward them To them that overcome in peace he will give a white crowne for their actions and to them that overcome in persecution hee will redouble a purple crowne for their suffering Where hee saith no more being rightly understood than tâ—…e Preachers of the Gospell use to say upon the like occasion His allegation ouâ—… of Hâ—…larie Regnum Dei vitae nostrae stipendiis quaramus is a grosse mâ—…aking of stipends for merits which are contraries For merits in his owâ—…e conceit are mens workes stipends are the rewards which God gâ—…veth to our workes And this absurdity is increased by our Ieâ—…uites translation set forth in capitall Letters Let us saith he endevour to puâ—…chase the Kingdom of heaven by the price of our good life so that in his learning quaerere is to endevour to purchase and stipenâ—…ia vitae nostrae is the price or merit of our good life The words are spoken by way of exposition upon Matth. 6. 33. Where our Saviour having disswaded us from seeking inordinately the things of this life directeth us what wee are first to seeke But first seeke the Kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall bee added unto you all these things that is stipendia vitae nostrae the stipends of this life of ours which God hath promised to give to them that seeke his Kingdom and his righteousnesse as the petty rewards of our piety For those things that hee calleth stipends must either bee stipends by us given to God or by us received from him But the former is absurd if not blasphemous therefore by the stipends of this life wee are to understand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the things of this life as food and apparell c which God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as it were by way of advantage or surplusage addeth to these to whom hee giveth his kingdome and righteousnesse which they first sought for so hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But if the kingdome of God which with these things is to bee sought were by them to bee purchased then the righteousnesse of God by which wee are justified and entituâ—…ed to that kingdome that is the righteousnesse of God and our Saviour Iesus Christ should also bee purchased by Gods temporall gifts for so hee saith seeke the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and therfore it rather than they should be called stipendium or merces which the Papists themselves deny it being gratia onely aâ—… they confesse and not mâ—…rces As for those other words which Bellarmine citeth De nostro igitur est beata illa aeternitas promerenda c. I presume that hee himselfe would not subscribe unto them as they sound as if wee attained to heaven by any thing that is properly ours and from our selves But Hiâ—…ari's meaning may bee gathered from that which went before For writing upon Matth. 7. 22. Many shall say to mee in that day Lord Lord have not we prophesied in thy Name and in thy Name cast out Devils c. saith that Christ condemneth the hypocrisie of counterfeit Preachers who though they were voâ—…d of sanctifying grace yet because they prophesied and wrought wonders in his Name did therefore promise to themselves the kingdome of heaven quasi verò eorum aliquid proprium sit quae loqâ—…ntur aut faciunâ—… as if any of those things which they say or doe were their owne they beâ—…ng but the instruments of God by whom hee speaketh and worketh for the good of others and therefore both the word and the worke is not theiâ—…s but Gods But if wee desiâ—…e to attaine to that blessed eternity prâ—…standum aliquid est ex proprio at bonum velimus malum omne vitemus totoque affectu praeceptis caelestiâ—…us obtemperemus wee must doe something of our owne that wee will that which is good and shun all evill and with all our affection obey the heavenly precepts which though they be not from our selves yet may be called ours as being our workes and properly tending to our owne good To the testimony of Ambrose Nonne evidens est meritorum aut praemia â—…t sâ—…pplicia post mortem manere wee readily subscribe understanding by merits according to the language of the Latine Fathers workes with relation to reward whether good or bad To the testimony of Ierome Denarius quasâ—… indalgentia veri principis â—…mnes per baptismum omittit de carâ—…ere I am nostri laboris est pro dâ—…versitate virtutum diversa nobis praemiâ—… praeparare I answere that hee diâ—…puting against Iovinâ—…an who held equality of rewards in the life to come using for his argument one and the same day-peny which was given to unequall labours answereth that unus denarius noâ—… est unum prâ—…mium one peny is not one and the same reward sed unâ—… vita ac una de gehenna libe ratio but one life and one deliverance out of hell But as at the granting of a Princes pardon men that are guilty of divers crimes are all released out of prison and every one according to his labour or his workes is in this or that state of life Even so the penny as it were the pardon of the true Prince by baptisme releaseth all out of prison Now it must bee our lâ—…bour according to the diversity of virtues to prepare unto our selves divers rewards His meaning is that in the life to come which as it is eternall is one and the same to all there are divers degrees of glory Whereas therefore wee have deliverance from hell and title to heaven by the true Princes pardon it being purchased for all true beleevers by the merit of Christ which in Baptisme is equally applyed to all the faithfull it must therefore bee our endevour by labouring for a greater measure of grace to prepare as it were for our selves a greater measure of glory For the Lord doth crowne his own graces in us with glory and the greater graces with greater glory And although both the life it selfe and the degrees of glory therin as to sit some on Christs right hand and some on his left in his kingdome are prepared by God as it is said Matth. 20. 23. and by our Saviour who therefore ascended into his fathers house wherein are many mansions that hee might prepare or provide a place for each of us Ioh. 14. 2 3. yet we may be said after a sort to prepare for our selves greater rewards when wee labour to be endued with greater graces To the testimony of Paulinus Tuarum tibi praemia se debere virtâ—…tum justus jâ—…dex agnoscet I onely answere this because I have not the booke that although it bee