worke doth not onely make the thing promised a debt for he that promised is bound to stand to his promises but also causeth that hee who shall fulfill the worke may be said to have merited the thing promised and may by right require it as his reward His reason briefly is this Eternall life is promised upon condition of good workes therefore good workes are meritorious of eternall life I deny the consequence though eternall life bee promised upon condition of good workes yet good workes are not the meritorious cause thereof First The reasons of my deniall are these first because eternall life before we had a being was freely intended to all of us that shall be saved not according to our workes but according to Gods owne purpose and grace which was given us in Christ Iesus before all secular times 2 Tim. 1. 9. Secondly Because Christ hath merited it for all the elect and there is no other meritorious cause of salvation besides him Thirdly Because in Christ it is freely promised to all the faithfull as their inheritance purchased by Christ and therefore not to bee obtayned by their owne merit Fourthly As it was a reward freely promised so it is freely given as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the free gift of God Fifthly Because as it selfe is the free gift of God so the graces and good workes to which it is promised as a reward are the free gifts of God of which the more we have the more are we indebted to God so sarre are wee from meriting any thing at the hands of God by them Sixthly Because all our workes are debita debts or dutyes which we owe unto God and therefore when we have done all wee must say we are unprofitable servants Seventhly Because there can bee no merit of condignity where is not an equall proportion betweene the worke and the reward Eighthly Because our best workes are stained with the flesh Ninthly Because God is our absolute Lord and wee are his bond-servants to whom we owe our selves and whatsoever wee can doe Neither are we able to render unto him so much as is due and much lesse can we merit any thing from him Tenthly Because God to all his creatures giveth all good things but receiveth nothing from any and therefore cannot be made a debtour to any of his creatures Therefore though eternall life bee promised to good workes yet it is not merited by them Yea but saith Bellarmine the promise made with a condition of workes doth make the thing promised due Answ. First where the condition is fully performed there the thing promised is due But wee all faile in the fulfilling And therefore if reward bee given to such as come short of their duety as all doe it must be acknowledged to bee of Gods grace and not of our merit Secondly the thing promised is due not by merit but by promise not in â—…espect of the worke done which is a dutie and that not so perfectly performed but that it needeth pardon but onely in respect of the promise because hee who hath promised hath bound himselfe to keepe his promise But Gods promise was dâ—… gratuitâ—… non de debito I say his promise was freely to give eternall life and so according to his promise he freely bestoweth it Yea but saith he by performing the condition not onely the thing promised becommeth due but he also that hath performed may truely be said to have merited the reward promised But this say I should have beene proved and not taken for granted being denyed by us and disproved by all the tenne arguments even now produced § XXII His sixth argument is taken from those places wherein mention is made of dignity or worthinesse For as before hee had said in his second Chapter to be worthy of reward and to merit it is all one according to that saying of our Saviour Luk. 10. 7. the labourer is worthy of his hire The places are these Wisd. 3. 5. God proved them and found them worthy of himselfe 2 Thes. 1. 5. that you may be counted worthie of Gods kingdome for which allso ye suffer Luk. 20. 35. They that shall be accounted worthy of that world and the resurrection from the dead Apoc. 3. 4. they shall walke with me in whites because they are worthy His reason may thus bee framed whosoever are worthy of eternall life they doe merit or deserve it Those that doe good workes are worthy of eternall life Therefore they doe merit or deserve it I answere by distinction For there is difference betweene these two to be worthy and to be counted worthy 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be worthy by a mans owne worth or merit or by acceptation and grace or favour vouchsafed by another to be esteemed worthy to be worthy in our selves or to be accepted as worthy in Christ. If the word be understood in the former sense I deny the assumption if in the latter I deny the proposition For to be worthy or rather to bee accounted worthy of eternall life by mercie and grace not dignitate sua sed dignatione divina not in themselves but in Christ which is the case of all the faithfull and yet to merit and to deserve it by a mans owne worth implyeth a contradiction Against the assumption I say that none of the faithfull though fruitfull of good workes is in himselfe or by his owne worth or merit worthy of eternall life This hath beene the confession of the faithfull in all ages as I partly noted before Iacob confesseth Gen. 32. 10. that hee was lesse than the least of Gods mercies that is unworthy of them though but temporall what would he have said of eternall David professeth himselfe unworthy of those temporall honours which God had vouchsafed unto him 2 Sam. 7. 18. 1 Chron. 29. 14. Iohn the Baptist confesseth that hee was not worthy to carry Christs shoes Mat. 3. 11. or to loose the latchet of them Luk. 3. 16. Iohn 1. 27. The Centurion whose faith is so highly commended professeth himselfe not to bee worthy that Christ should come under his roofe Mat. 8. 8. The afflictions of this life though one man did beare them all are not worthy of the future glory Roman 8. 18. Adde to these the confessions of the Fathers though cited many of them before Ambrose Quid pâ—…ssumus dignum pramiis facere coelestibus Hâ—…erome Nullum opus dignum Dei justitia reperietur Againe Rever a nihil posset 〈◊〉 condignum pati glâ—…ria coelesti etianisi talis esset illa qualis modò est vita 〈◊〉 No man sheweth forth such a conversation as to be worthy of the Kingdome of Heaven No though a man should die ten thousand deaths and should performe all virtuous actions The Author of the worke not finished upon Matthew what doe we in this world worthy that wee may deserve to bee 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
favour of God in Christ which is out of us in him concurring to our justification neither as the matter nor forme but as the efficient cause thereof Against which assertion the accursed Councell of Trent hath denounced Anathema If any man shall say that the grace by which we are justified is onely the favour of God let him be accursed But first I will produce our proofes and then answere their objections CAP. II. Our proofes that by the Grace of God by which we are justified is meant the gracious favour of God in Christ. § I. THe Papists for all their cursing are not able to produce any one pregnant testimony to prove that the grace whereby wee are justified is inherent in us But that Grace doth signifie that favour of God wee are able out of the New Testament to alleage above fifty testimonies whereof some shall hereafter be cited And as for the Old Testament it is evident that the Hebrew words which signifie the grace of God and are to be translated by the word grace doe alwaies signifie favour and never grace inherent As if I have found grace in thy sight Gen. 18. 3. Ex. 33. 13. 17. God gave Ioseph grace in the sight of the keeper Gen. 39. 21. and the people of Israel grace in the sight of the Egyptians Exod. 3. 21. In which sense the blessed Virgin is said to have found grace with God Luk. 1. 30. and our Saviour to have increased in grace with God and man Luk. 2. 52. § II. Secondly that grace whereby the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gratos fecit made us gracious or graciously accepted us in his beloved is gratia gratum faciens that is the justifying and saving grace By the gracions love and favour of God in Christ which is out of us in him the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 hath made us gratious or gratiously accepted us in his beloved and not by any gift of grace inherent in us Therefore the gratious love and favour of God in Christ is gratia gratum faciens that is the justifying and saving grace and not any gift of grace inherent in us The proposition is in it solfe evident The assumption is proved out of Eph. 1. Blessed be God who hath blessed us in Christ with all spirituall blessings according as he hath elected us in him before the foundation of the world having predestinated us unto the adoption of children to the praise of the glory of his grace wherein or whereby 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 id est gratos fecit hee hath made us accepted in his beloved in whom wee have redemption through his blood even forgivenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace verse 3 4 5 6. 7. For by or in that grace to the glorious praise whereof the Lord elected us before the foundation of the world and according to the riches whereof wee are redeemed by Christ the Lord hath gratiously accepted us in his beloved But it were very absurd to say that God hath elected us to the praise of the glory of our Charity or that wee are redeemed according to the riches of our charity But we were elected to the praise of the glory of his grace that is of his gracious love and bounty in Christ which grace was given unto us in Christ before all secular times and according to the riches of this grace he hath redeemed us by Christ. Wherefore gratia gratum faciens the grace by which wee are justified is not any gift of grace inherent in us but the eternall grace and favour of God vouchsafed unto us in Christ before the foundation of the world and before all secular times § III. In respect of this grace whereby the Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 graciously accepted the blessed Virgin she is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Luk. 1. 28. graciously accepted or graced or as it is expounded verse 30. that she had found grace and favour with God And so may all the elect and faithfull children of God be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in many places of the Old Testament they are in the very same sense called chasidim passively understood Especially where that word is read with the Affix or Pronoune betokening God to signifie his chasidim the favorites of God and thus it is read with the Affix of thâ—… first Person when God is the speaker calling them Chasidai my favourits or of the second whenthe speech is directed unto God and then they are called in the plurall Chasideica thy favorits Psal. 52. 9. 79. 2. 132. 9. 145. 10. and in the singular Chasideca thy favourite Deut. 33. 8. Psal. 16. 10. 89. 19. or of the third person in the singular Chasido his favourite or Chasidso Psal. 4. 3. and in the plurall Chasidain his favourites Psal. 31. 24. 85. 9. 97. 10. 116. 15. 149. 9. that is as not onely Tremellius and Iunius but also Vatablus interpret it quos benignitate prosequitur those whom God doth specially favour those who have found grace with God which commonly are translated Saints and so are all the faithfull usually called even in the New Testament as the translation of the Hebrew chasidim sanctity not being the cause of Gods favour which is eternall but the proper badge and cognizance of those who are the favorites of God by which they are knowne And further out of the same place Eph. 1. 6. where it is said that by this grace hee hath made us gracious in his beloved it is plainely proved that by it is meant the gracious favour of God towards us in Christ in which respect it is also called the grace of our Lord Iesus Christ. Act. 15. 11. So Rom. 16. 20. 1 Cor. 16. 23. 2 Cor. 13. 14. Gal. 1. 6. 6. 18. Phi. 4. 23. 1 Thess. 5. 28. 2 Thess. 3. 18. Philem. 25. Apoc. 22. 21. and to the same effect it is called the love of Christ Rom. 8. 35. that is as it is expressed vers 39. the love of God which is in Christ. Which places cannot without absurdity bee understood of that grace of God or of that love of God which is in us that is to say of our love of God § IV. Thirdly by what grace of God wee are elected called redeemed reconciled adopted saved by the same wee are justified But by the gracious favour of God by which hee hath gratiously accepted of us in his beloved and not by any thing in us we were elected according to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of his will to the praise of the glory of his grace Eph. 1. 5 6 for which cause our election unto life is called the election of grace Rom. 11. 5. By grace wee are effectually called according to his purpose For God hath called us with an holy calling not according to our workes but according to his owne purpose of grace which grace was given us in Christ Iesus
in true holinesse and righteousnesse Of this grace of sanctification there is more frequent mention in the Fathers who wrote against the Pelagians than of the other Because the Pelagians acknowledging the grace of God in forgiving sinnes which is indeed the justifying and saving grace they had not the like occasion to insist upon the declaration and proofe thereof as they had of the other which the Pelagians denyed § II. Of whose errors in this point there were foure degrees For first they acknowledge no other inward grace of God but bonum naturae the possibility of nature and the power of free-will which because it is freely given of God without any precedent merits of ours they acknowledged to bee Gods grace In the second place they acknowledged the grace that is the gracious favour of God in forgiving sinnes but the inward vertue avoid sinnes and to walke in obedience they ascribed to the power of nature Thirdly for our direction and instruction how and what sinnes to avoid and how and what duties to performe they acknowledged Gods grace in teaching and instructing us by his word and by his law Fourthly they acknowledged after a sort the helpe of grace for the more easie performance of their duties but they denied the necessity thereof because without grace they being directed by the word were able of themselves though not so easily to fulfill the Law § III. These three latter degrees are condemned by so many decrees of the Councell of Milevis among which this is one denouncing Anathema against such as shall say that the grace of God whereby wee are justified through our Lord Iesus Christ doth availe onely to remission of sinnes which are already committed and not for a helpe that we may not commit them unto which rightly understood we doe subscribe acknowledging that by the same grace of God by which we were elected redeemed called reconciled adopted justified wee are also sanctified For wee professe that our blessed Saviour was given unto us of God not onely to bee our justification and redemption but also to be our Sanctification And we doe acknowledge that in the Covenant of grace the Lord hath not onely promised remission of sinnes to those that beleeve in Christ but hee hath also sworne that he will give us being redeemed and having remission of sinne to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him all the daies of our life And therefore we do also willingly subscribe to those sentences of Augustine which Gratian hath transcribed into the third part of his decree No man taketh away sinnes but Christ alone who is the Lambe of God taking away the sinnes of the world Now he taketh them away both by forgiving those that are already committed among which originall sinne is contained and also by helping that they bee not committed and by bringing us unto life where they cannot bee committed at all And againe the grace which by our Lord Iesus Christ is given is neither the knowledge of the divine Law neither nature nor remission of sinnes alone but it felfe also causeth that the Law be fulfilled that nature be freed that sinne raigne not And this I presume is as much as can truely bee alleaged out of the Fathers For seeing they doe hold as wee shall hereafter shew justification by faith onely it cannot bee imagined that they held justification properly understood by inherent graces unlesse wee can imagine that they thought there is no inherent grace but faith onely § IV. But howsoever the Fathers may be excused who opposing the errors of the Pelagians which oppugned the sanctifying grace did much insist upon the declaration the proofe and the amplification thereof oftner speaking of this gift of grace which was oppugned than of the gracious favour of God in forgiving of sinnes which the Pelagians did confesse yet the backsliding posterity cannot bee excused and that in three respects For first they leave out altogether the proper signification of grace which is most frequent in the holy Scriptures as if there were no other grace to bee acknowledged but that which is inherent Secondly they take away that grace of remission which the Pelagians did confesse and in the roome thereof they have brought in an utter deletion or abolition of sinne caused by the infusion of grace Thirdly that grace which they would seeme so much to magnifie is not much better acknowledged by them than it was by the Pelagians For first they doe not acknowledge it to be a quickning and reviving grace to them that are dead but an healing grace to the sicke and a helping grace to the weake And by how much they extoll the power of nature and lessen the foulenesse of originall sinne so much they extenuat the benefit of grace and are as well as the Pelagians worthily termed the enemies of Gods grace Secondly there seemeth to be little or no difference betweene the Pelagians bonum Naturae which they acknowledged to bee Gods grace and that sufficient grace which the Papists hold to be common to all Thirdly neither is there any great difference betweene them in respect of that grace whereby men are called For the Pelagians acknowledged the great grace of God in revealing his will unto us and in directing us what to doe and what to beleeve and withall confessed that God doth worke in us to will by revealing his will to us And what doe the Papists acknowldge more but that God having called us by his word and moved us to turne unto him it is in the power of our free-will either to accept Gods effectuall grace or to refuse it But this belongeth to another controversie A TREATISE OF IV STIFICATION THE FOVRTH BOOKE Of the Matter of Justification CAP. I. The state of the question concerning the matter of justification it being the principall point in controversie § I. THE third Capitall errour of the Papists in the question of justification is concerning that righteousnesse whereby we are justified where for prevention of Popish calumniations I must desire the Reader to remember three things First that the controversie is not concerning our Sanctification but concerning our Iustification For wee confesse that our habituall sanctification consisteth in our righteousnesse inherent and actuall in our new obedience Secondly that the question is not of our justification before men but before God For we acknowledge that we are justified that is declared and knowne to be just not onely by profession of the faith but also by good workes as Saint Iames teacheth Thirdly that wee doe not deny that there is a righteousnesse in the faithfull as Bellarmine falsly chargeth us For we professe that there is no faithfull or justified man in whom there is not inherent righteousnesse more or lesse according to the measure of grace received And further we professe that this righteousnesse which we have from God and is inherent in us is graciously both
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
is manifest both in respect of the affirmative that we are reconciled unto God by the death of his Sonne Rom. 5. 10. Col. 1. 21 22 and also of the negative For we were enemies when we were reconciled and such enemies as whatsoever we minded was enmity against God Rom. 8. 7. Lastly the fourth branch needeth no proofe neither in respect of the affirmative unlesse it may bee thought needfull to prove that we are saved by the merits of Christ nor in respect of the negative the Scriptures so often testifying that we are saved by grace through faith not by workes no not by any workes of righteousnesse that we have done So much of this argument which if I should strive for number might stand for eight foure for the affirmative and foure against the negative CAP. VII Containing sixe other arguments proving joyntly that we are justified by Christs righteousnesse and not by ours § I. THe sixth argument The righteousnesse by which we are justified is the righteousnesse of faith and not of workes as Saint Paul constantly teacheth The righteousnesse which is out of us in Christ is the righteousnesse of faith or the righteousnesse which we receive and have by faith or the righteousnesse of God by faith The righteousnesse inherent is of workes By that justice therefore we are justified and not by this § 2. The seventh The righteousnesse of God by which wee are justified is not prescribed in the Law to justification but without the Law is revealed in the Gospell Rom. 3. 21. The righteousnesse which is out of us in Christ was not prescribed in the Law to justification but without the Law is revealed in the Gospell righteousnesse inherent is prescribed in the Law to justification which in the question of justification is renounced in the doctrine of the Gospell This being the maine difference betweene the Law and the Gospell that the Law to justification requireth perfect obedience to bee performed in our owne persons the Gospell propoundeth the obedience of Christ which hee performed for us to bee accepted in their behalf who beleeve in him Wherfore let him be held accursed though hee were an Apostle though an Angell from heaven who shall reach justification by the legall righteousnesse and not by the evangelicall Againe the Law was given as the Apostle saith foure hundred and thirty yeares after the covenant of Grace and promise of justification by faith in Christ was made to Abraham and therefore cannot disanull that covenant which was before confirmed in Christ that it should make the promise of none effect which it would if the promise of justification were made upon condition of fulfilling the Law § III. Eightly By what righteousnesse we are justified the justice of God is fully satisfied God being so mercifull in forgiving sinnes that he remaineth just Rom. 3. 25 26. For though he proclaime himselfe mercifull and gracious long-suffering and abundant in goodnesse and truth keeping mercie for thousands forgiving iniquity transgression and sinne yet he protesteth that absolving he will not absolve that is by no meanes will absolve such as ought not to be absolved that is such as for whom his justice is not satisfied Neither doth he indeed forgive any sinne for which his justice is not satisfied But as every sinne deserveth death so it is punished with death either with the death of the party for whom he hath no other satisfaction or with the death of Christ who hath satisfied the justice of God for the sinnes of all that truly beleeve in him By the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him the justice of God is fully satisfied as Bellarmine himselfe proveth g and therefore professeth that in him he is well pleased Finally saith Bellarmine Nothing more frequently doth all the Scripture testifie than that the passion and death of Christ was a full and perfect satisfaction for sinnes He made the attonement betweene God and us giving himselfe an offering and sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour But by that righteousnesse which it inherent in us the justice of God is not satisfied as Bellarmine confesseth Therefore wee are justified by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out us in him and not by righteousnesse inherent in us And here I will make bold with Bellarmine to borow a speech from him which he borrowed as it seemes from our Writers to the confusion of himselfe and all other Popish Iustitiaries For where Osiander had argued that God accepteth for a satisfaction no justice but that which is infinite and consequently none but his owne uncreated and essentiall righteousnesse Bellarmine answereth God indeed doth not accept as a true satisfaction for sinne any justice but that which is infinite because sinne is an infinite offence But that some justice may be finite that is of infinite price and valour it is not necessary that it should be the essentiall justice of God but it is sufficient that it be the justice of an infinite person such as Christ is God and man Therefore the obedience the passion and death of the Sonne of God though in it selfe and essentially it was a created justice and finite notwithstanding in regard of the person who obeyed suffered and died it was infinite and in the true rigour of justice it was a propitiation for our sinnes and not for our sinnes alone but for the sins of the whole world From whence I argue thus that justice which is of infinite value the Lord accepteth as a true satisfaction for sinne and that which is not of infinite value he doth not accept for the offence of sinne is infinite But the righteousnesse of Christ onely is of infinite value ours is not therefore the Lord accepteth Christs righteousnesse and not ours as a true satisfaction for sinne § IV. Ninthly they that cannot be justified without remission of sin are justified neither by inherent righteousnesse because they are sinners nor without the righteousnesse of Christ imputed without which as there can be no satisfaction for sinne so no remission of sinne But no man can be justified without remission of sinne Therefore no man is justified by righteousnesse inherent but onely by the righteousnesse of Christ. § V. The tenth that is to be esteemed the true doctrine of justification which doth minister sound comfort to the distressed conscience of the faithfull and that falfe which is a racke to the conscience of Gods children when they are humbled under the hand of God The doctrine of justification by the merits and obedience of Christ imputed ministreth singular comfort to the distressed conscience of the faithfull even in the agony of death assuring the beleeving sinner that howsoever the devill accuseth the Law convicteth the conscience confesseth his demerits yet notwithstanding if hee truly beleeve in Christ he shall be accepted of God as righteous in Christ and as
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
obedience by that which wee suffer David therefore professeth that it was good for him that hee had been afflicted that hee might learne the statutes of the Lord and confesseth that before hee was afflicted hee went astray but now saith hee I have kept thy word This also is a yoke which Ieremy saith it is good for a man to beare even in or from his youth Lam. 3. 27. For to the Godly it is made an easy yoke and light burden First In comparison of that superexcellent eternall weight of glory wherewith the Lord doth recompence our momentany and light afflictions which are no way comparable to the glory which shall be revealed Secondly because affliction worketh patience and patience probation and probation hope and hope of eternall glory makethus to swallow all the difficulties of this life and with patience and comfort to beare afflictions yea to rejoyce and to triumph in them Rom. 5. 3. 8. 37. Looking unto IESVS the author and finisher of our faith who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse despising the shame and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God Wherefore Saint Iames and Saint Peter in their Epistles doe teach it to be a matter of joy to the faithfull when they are afflicted Thirdly because the nature of afflictions to the faithfull is changed being not evill not punishments to them but rather blessings as being either fatherly chastisements or tryals for their good which proceeding from Gods love are so moderated by his mercy that they doe not exceed their strength 1 Cor. 10. 13. and are through Gods providence made to worke for their good Rom. 8. 28. and profit that they may be partakers of his holinesse Heb. 12. 10. Affliction therefore to the faithfull is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a commodious or easie yoake Fourthly because Christ by his Spirit doth minister such comfort to the faithfull in their afflictions that as their sufferings increase so their consolation aboundeth by Christ 2 Cor. 1. 4 5. § VIII So much of his first Testimony In the second place 1 Ioh. 5. 3. The Holy Ghost setteth downe two notes whereby wee may know that we love God For this saith he is the Love of God first that we keepe his commandements for this in other places also is made the proper note of his Love viz. to keepe his Commandements Exod. 20. 6. Iohn 14. 15. the second that his Commandements are not grievous for nihil difficile amanti Nothing is difficult to him that loveth And so Augustine answereth the Pelagian urging this place quis nesciat non esse grave quod diligendo fit non timendo So that if we truely love God we will out of love and not out of servile feare and constraint yeeld willing obedience to the Commandements of God So that this is the meaning to him that loveth God the Commandements of God are not grievous but he delighteth in them according to the inner Man yeelding voluntary and cheerefull obedience thereto not in perfection but according to the measure of grace received For when the Love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God assuring us in some measure of Gods love towards us then are our hearts enlarged to love God againe and being enlarged we doe not onely walke but runne also in the way of Gods commandments that is willingly and cheerefully according to the measure of our faith and love wee obey them But though the faithfull doe willingly obey Gods commandements so according to their ability yet they cannot perfectly fulfill them § IX His second sort of testimonies is of such as teach that the Law is kept by them that Love Of this sort he citeth three testimonies the first concerning the Love of God Ioh. 14. 23. If a man love me he will keepe my word The other 2. concerning the love of our neighbor Rom. 13. 8. he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the Law Gal. 5. 14. all the Law is fulfilled in one word thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe From hence he argueth thus They that are able to love God and their neighbour are also able to fulfill the Law the faithfull are able to love God and their neighbour therefore they are able to fulfill the Law The proposition hee proveth by these three testimonies of Scripture The assumption thus If we cannot love God and our neighbour then can wee not be the disciples or friends of Christ but it is absurd to say that none can be the disciples or friends of Christ therefore we are able to love God and our neighbour The proposition of this prosyllogisme he proveth out of Ioh. 15. 35. Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples if you have love one to another and Iohn 15. 14. you shall be my friends if you doe the things that I command you Now the thing which he did command was that they should love one another To this long discourse a short answere may suffice we doe confesse that all they who love God and their neighbour doe keepe Gods commandements according to the measure of their love but wee deny that any can fulfill the Law of God who have not a full and perfect love and that to the perfection of love such as the Law requireth none can attaine in this life For our knowledge is but in part therefore our love our regeneration is but in part wee being but partly spirituall and partly carnall and therefore our love The Law is impossible by reason of the flesh therefore whiles the flesh remaineth in us the Law is not possible unto us § X. Bellarmine confesseth that our charity in this life is unperfect because it may be increased and because it shall bee greater in our country Notwithstanding he holdeth that it is so perfect as may suffice for the fulfilling of the Law But David saith that the Law of God is perfect and so perfect as nothing may be added thereto and therefore requireth perfect righteousnesse not onely in respect of the parts but also of the degrees unto which nothing can be added For if any thing can bee added to it then something is wanting which is required to perfection and what is wanting is a fault Peccatum est saith Augustine cum vel non est charitas quâ—… esse debet vel minor est quà m debet It is a sin either when there is not Charity which ought to be or when it is lesse than it ought to be And no doubt but it is lesse than it ought to be when it is not so great as the Law requireth and it is not so great as the Law requireth whiles it may be increased For as Augustine saith quamdiâ—… augeri potest charitas profectò illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est Whiles Charity may be increased assuredly