remains for me no hope of saluation but in the sole mercy of Iesus Christ. So that the very Arch-Pontificians themselues in their death when their conscience is made their iudge renounce their own Doctrine seeme to desire to dye good Protestants like Balaam who wished he might dye the death of the righteous But I cānot see by what way such dubbling Wanderers can come to heauen because as in their life they denyed the doctrine of Faith so in their death they are for ought wee may deeme deuoyd of the duety of charity Dye they not in a most preposterous malice and enuy They would goe to Heauen but would pull the Ladder after them lest the simple people should follow them So the Hypocriticall Pharisees who shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen against men neither going in themselues nor suffering those that would to enter in Thus the Testimony of Romane Catholickes themselues may bee sufficient to conuince the vanitie and falshood of their iustification by their inherent righteousnesse But yet for more confirmation of the truth and confutation of this damnable doctrine of Popery let vs take a briefe view of the faith and opinion which the Saints of God from time to time haue had concerning their owne inherent righteousnesse Abraham the father and figure of the faithfull for all his workes yet was not iustified by them in the sight of God as the Apostle testifieth of him Rom. 4. 2. for if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God This onely testimony might stand for all to proue wherein the righteousnesse of all the faithfull consisteth whereby they stand iust in the sight of God to wit not in their inherent righteousnesse but in the onely righteousnesse of Christ imputed and by faith applied Thus Iob confessed he stood iustified Iob 9 2. How should man be iust with God if he will contend with him hee cannot answer him one of a thousand And ver 20. If I iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me if I say I am perfect it shall also proue me peruerse And Chapt. 25. 4. How can man bee iustified with God yea Chapt. 9. 15. whom saith he though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Iudge Indeede towards his friends he stands stoutly in the iustification of himselfe namely of his integrity and sincerity and that hee was no hypocrite as they no lesse vncharitably than vntruely charged him but towards God he beares himself farre otherwise before him he humbles himselfe he makes supplication to his Iudge saith Chap. 9. 30. If I wash my self with snow-water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me for he is not a man as I am that I should answer him and we should come together in iudgement And Chapt. 10. 14. If I sinne then thou markest mee and thou wilt not acquite me from mine iniquity If I bee wicked woe vnto me and if I be righteous yet will I not lift vp my head I am full of confusion c. But had Iob no good workes Yes looke vpon his life described in his 29. 30 31. Chapters Hee was an eye to the blinde and a foote to the lame a deliuerer of the poore fatherlesse and friendlesse from the oppressor breaking the iawes of the wicked and plucking the spoile out of his teeth He wept for him that was in trouble and his soule was grieued for the poore And though hee were a great man a wise man a Prince yet hee ate not his morcels alone but the poore and fatherlesse fed with him The naked limmes blessed him being warmed with the fleece of his sheepe What sinne was Iob addicted to and what actions of piety and mercy did he not abound in Insomuch as in respect of his sincerity and integrity of heart hee durst say If I haue walked with vanity or if my foote hath hasted to deceit let me be weighed in an euen ballance that God may know mine integrity And God knew his integrity giuing testimony vnto it that he was a man perfect and vpright and one that feared God and eschued euill Yet all this righteousnesse Iob renounceth when he comes to the strict tryall of Gods Tribunall For comming to stand in Gods presence he saith Chapt 42. 5. I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes An admirable type of a faithfull man not trusting in his owne inherent righteousnesse but in the onely mercy of God through Christs merits whereby onely he stands iustified in the sight of God Was not Dauid also a holy man an honest hearted man after Gods owne heart yet he professeth Psal. 71. 15. c. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and thy saluation all the day for I know not the numbers that is the perfections thereof I will goe in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousnesse euen of thine onely And in the beginning of the same Psalme In thee O Lord haue I put my trust let me neuer bee put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnesse And Psalme 89. 16. speaking in the name of all the faithfull he saith In thy name shall they reioyce all the day and in thy righteousnesse shall they make their boast And vpon the 32. Psalme Paul hath these words as a Commentary of Dauids words Rom. 4. 6. Euen as Dauid also describeth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne But Dauid disclaimeth the iustification of all inherent righteousnesse in the sight of God Psal. 143. Heare my prayer O Lord giue eare to my supplication in thy faithfulnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified And Psalme 30. If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayst be feared So Esay that Euangelicall Prophet aduanceth Gods righteousnesse and disauoweth mans righteousnesse Esay 54. 17. This is the heritage of the seruants of the Lord and their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord. Yea say the Pontificians our inherent righteousnesse is of the Lord. Nay saith Esay chapt 64. 6. We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy rags Yea say the Pontificians before we be regenerate and be in Christ. But Esay speaketh of the Church of the Iewes of the circumcised to whom circumcision was a signe of regeneration and of Gods Couenant of grace and a seale of faith and Esay puts himselfe in the number Was Esay now vnregenerate And in the name of
himselfe and the whole Church of the Iewes hee renounceth all inherent righteousnesse as filthy rags in no sort to bee patched and pieced to that garment of saluation to that robe of righteousnesse namely Christs righteousnesse imputed and put vpon vs by the hand of faith wherein Esay and all the faithfull reioyce as hee saith Esa. 61. 10. I will greatly reioyce in the Lord my soule shall be ioyfull in my God for he hath clothed me with the garments of saluation he hath couered me with the robe of righteousnesse as a Bridegroome decketh himselfe with ornaments and as a Bride adorneth her selfe with her Iewels And in the 43. of Esay vers 25. 26. there is a flat opposition betweene Gods mercy and our workes in iustification I euen I am hee that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine owne sake and will not remember thy sins But may not our workes come in as sharers with Gods mercies What workes The Prophet addeth in Gods person Put me in remembrance let vs pleade together declare thou that thou mayst be iustified If God pleade with vs in iudgement we haue no euidence of any workes in vs whereby to be iustified in his sight But our workes and obedience to Gods lawes are called our righteousnesse As Matth. 5. 20. Except your righteousnesse exceede the righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees yee cannot enter into the Kingdome of God I answer this place may well be vnderstood of Euangelicall righteousnesse opposite to that legall righteousnesse of the Scribes and Pharisees and so Christ points vs to the righteousnesse of faith in him But admit our workes be called our righteousnesse what then doth it follow that this is our righteousnesse to iustifie vs in the sight of God Nothing lesse For Moses saith speaking of obedience to Gods commandements Deut. 9. Speake not thou in thy heart after that thou art come to possesse that good Land saying For my righteousnesse the Lord hath brought me in to possesse this Land No faith Moses vnderstand that the Lord thy God giueth thee not this good Land to possesse it for thy righteousnesse Now the Land of Canaan was a type of Gods Kingdome which wee cannot come to possesse by our own inherent righteousnesse Whereupon St Ambrose in his enarration vpon the 43. Psalme but according to our accompt 44. v. 3. They got not the Land in possession by their owne sword c. saith Patres nostri vtpote proximi haeredes Patriarcharum plantati in terra repromissionis non suis hoc meritis vindicabant Our fathers to wit the next successours and heires of the Patriarches beeing planted in the Land of promise did not claime this as due to their merits Ideo nec Moses cos induxit ne Legis hoc existimetur esse sed gratiae Lex enim merita examinat gratia fidem spectat Therefore saith he neither did Moses bring them in thither that it might not be reckoned as the worke of the Law but of Grace for the Law examineth workes or merits but Grace respecteth faith Therefore as not Moses but Iosua or Iesus forso was his Name was appointed to bring the children of Israel into the possession of Canaan the Land of promise which importeth also the Land of mercy or of grace So not the Law giuen by Moses but Iesus Christ by whom came grace and truth hee our true Ioshua bringeth his people into the possession of grace and glory Ergo qui non in brachio suo hoc est in sua operatione praesumit sed in Dei gratia credens quòd non facta sua vnumquemque iustificant sed fides prompta dicit Domino Tues ipse Rex meus Deus meus qui mandas salutes Iacob Therefore saith holy Ambrose he that presumeth not in his owne arme that is in his workes but in the grace of God beleeuing that not a mans workes but his prompt and cleare faith doth iustifie him this man saith vnto the Lord Thou art my King and my God that commandest saluation for Iacob True it is that the same Father in another place saith Sola fides non sufficit operari per dilectionem c. Sole faith is not sufficient it is necessary that faith worke by loue and conuerse worthy of God And a little after Festinemus c. Let vs hasten to enter into that rest because faith is not sufficient but a life beseeming faith must be added and great care vsed that faith bee not idle For it is necessary for euery one that would possesse Heauen to adorne his faith with good workes So he True a most pious and Christian speech but in all this he saith not that faith alone is not sufficient to iustifie vs in the sight of God and so to bring vs to the possession of Heauen for then hee should contradict himselfe elsewhere where hee saith Sublatis omnibus operibus legis sola fides posita est ad salutem All the workes of the law being remoued onely faith takes place in our saluation Marke he saith Sola fides onely faith And againe the same Father saith elsewhere Non operibus iustificamur sed fide quonâ—am carnalis infirmitas operibus impedimento est sed fidei claritas factorum obumbrat errorem quae meretur veniam delictorum We are not iustified saith he by workes but by faith because the infirmity of the flesh is an impediment to workes but the glory of faith doth couer the errour of our workes which faith obtaineth remission of sinnes And againe Infirmitas excludit à venia fides excusat à culpa Our infirmity excludeth vs from pardon and faith excuseth vs from blame And setting downe his peremptory iudgement grounded vpon Scripture he saith Arbitramur secundum Apostolum iustificari hominem per fidem sine operibus legis Iustificetur ergo ex fide Dauid qui per legem peccatum agnouit sed peccati veniam ex fide credidit Wee definitiuely conclude saith hee according to the Apostle that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law Therefore let Dauid be iustified by faith who by the law acknowledged his sinne and by faith beleeued the pardon of his sinne And againe elsewhere Deus clementia bonitatis suae semper homini procurans vt quod sine lege peccatum erat in lege posset deleri hoc decreuit vt solam fidem poneret per quam omnium peccata abolerentur That is God by the clemency of his goodnesse alwayes prouiding for man that both sinne committed without law and in the law might be blotted out hath made this decree to appoint sole faith whereby all mens sinnes might be abolished Now compare these iudicious sayings of this holy man with that hee said formerly that sole faith is not sufficient but a good life must be added and it will plainly appeare that he speakes of faith alone as sufficient to iustifie vs in the sight of God and to
wisedome Whereupon Augustine saith Quae incerta Quae occulta Quia Deus ignoscit talibus peccatoribus confitentibus punientibus sua peccata What vncertainty What hidden things Because God doth pardon such to wit sinners confessing and punishing or repenting of their sinnes And Augustine addes as Vega also alledgeth Nihil tam occultum nihil tam incertum Nothing so secret nothing so vncertaine And Vega here leaping ouer Augustines amplification and exposition of his meaning he onely addes Augustines conclusion Hoc incertum patefecerit Deus seruo suo Dauid c. This vncertaine thing God reuealed to his seruant Dauid For when standing and accusing himselfe hee said Peccaui I haue sinned forthwith hee heard of the Prophet that is of the Spirit of God which was in the Prophet The Lord hath put away thy sinne Well now let vs a little insist vpon these words of Augustine which Vega ingeniously confesseth doe most clearely fauour their cause of Pontifician vncertainty of all other that hee hath read in all Augustines workes First whereas Augustine taking the vulgar Latine for the onely Text which hee followeth vseth the word incerta I answer there is no such word in the Originall for incertum The words in the Originall are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is word for word And in the secret or in the hidden part as our last translation well renders it thou shalt make me to know wisedome Not a word of vncertainty Therefore Vega takes a very vncertaine ground yea rather a meere Boh◠or emptinesse whereon to build his vncertainty Besides sith Augustine going vpon an vnwarrantable ground taking that for Text which Gods Word knoweth not are we therefore bound presently to take his exposition for Gospell And whereas hee applies those vncertaine and hidden things to the remission of sinnes wee know Augustine oftentimes abounds with rare conceits but else how this application or exposition should result from the Text vnlesse raised vp by the strength of conceit the Text it selfe giues vs no euidence to see But that wee may not seeme too strait-laced in limiting the ouer-lauish liberty of the vulgar Latine if wee take downe both the Text and Augustines Glosse at one bit together it will not choake vs nor cause vs to surfeit especially if we take all the ingredients of it For it is with Scriptures and Fathers as with Physicke if the Dosis haue eyther moe or fewer ingredients than the wise Physitian prescribeth it may alter the whole nature of the Physicke and in stead of health procure more hurt to the body And here I must tell you that Vega deales with St. Augustine as eyther a negligent or rather malicious Apothecary who for some sinister respects leaues out some speciall ingredient out of the composition Or else to goe no further than the Scripture hee treades in the very steppes of the Tempter who craftily left out the most materiall word in all the Text which was In all thy wayes without which we haue no warrant of Gods protection and so Sathan by his false fingering would haue made the promise of God of none effect So playeth Vega. For as we noted euen now Vega in relating Augustines exposition leaues out the most materiall thing which Augustine noteth in his explaning and applying those Incerta or vncertaine things to remission of sinnes And that is the instance he giueth of the Niniuites That we may recollect all to one intire head which Vega hath so torne asunder wee will set downe Augustines words whole together Incerta occulta sapientiae tuae manifestasti mihi they be the words of his vulgar Text. Whereupon he inferreth Quae occulta Quae incerta Quia Deu◠ignoscit talibus id est poenitentibus Nihil tam occultum nihil tam incertum Ad hoc incertum Niniuitae poenitentiam egerunt dixerunt enim c. What hidden what vncertaine things Because God pardoneth euen such that is penitent persons Nothing so hidden nothing so vncertaine Vpon this certainty the Niniuites repented for they said though after the Prophet had threatned though after that voice Three dayes and Niniuie shall be destroyed they said among themselues that the mercy of God was to be intreated They said thus reasoning with themselues Who knoweth if God will returne and shew mercy It was vncertaine when they said Quis nouit Who knoweth But hauing once repented they reaped certaine mercy c. So Augustine Do we not see here a manifest difference between Augustines owne application of vncertainty Vega's strained application Vega would apply this vncertainty of the remission of sins to the time past vnderstanding it of sins already pardoned as if a man were altogether vncertaine that his sins are pardoned when they are already pardoned But Augustine tels vs plainly that he vnderstands this vncertainty of remission of sins in the future tense that is concerning the vncertainty of sins to be pardoned for which God denounceth expresse iudgments as in the example of the Niniuites God hath threatned peremptorily that within forty dayes Niniuie should be destroyed What should the Niniuites now doe in this case They beleeue God that hee was true in his word Yet they resolue to repent speedily But to what purpose when now the sentence was already pronounced of him that cannot lye Yes as knowing that such like threatnings are conditionall they would at least put it to an aduenture Who knoweth if God will returne and pardon It may be God will shew mercy No maruell if the Niniuites were doubtfull of the pardon of those sins which they knew they had committed but had not yet repented of But whence proceeded this their vncertainty From their faith No but Augustine tels vs the reason Quia peccata magna erant Niniuitarum dixerunt Quis nouit Because the Niniuites sins were great they said Who knoweth So that their vncertainty proceeded not from the defect of faith but from the excesse of their sins But as they were vncertaine before they repented after they had repented they found certam misericordiam certaine mercy saith Augustine witnesse the preseruation of themselues and their Citie As therefore the Niniuites were vncertaine in regard of the grieuousnesse of their sinnes and the greatnesse of Gods iudgement already peremptorily threatned whether they should finde God fauourable or no in reuersing his sentence and preseruing their Citie but afterwards vpon their repentance found the certainty of Gods mercy in sparing them whereof the sparing of their City was a certaine and infallible argument So sinnefull men burthened with the guilt and horrour of sinnes and borne downe with the terrour of Gods wrath threatned in his Word may well bee doubtfull and vncertaine how God may deale with them although they resolue with themselues to repent and humble themselues but after vpon their true repentance God being mercifull in pardoning their sins they finde now certam misericordiam certaine mercy the certainty whereof is the
riches of his grace in his kindnesse towards vs through Christ Iesus What greater loue what greater grace what richer mercy than for God to cast his eye of fauour vpon vs euen when we were dead in sinnes As the Apostle saith also Rom. 5. 8. God commendeth his loue towards vs in that while we were yet sinners when we were enemies Christ dyed for vs. And in the vulgar Latine set forth by the Diuines of Louain printed at Antwerpe 1584. in the fourth to the Romanes Verse 5. wee finde these words in the Text Ei verò qui non operatur credenti autem in eum qui iustificat impium reputatur fides eius ad iustitiam secundum propositum gratiae Dei Now to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is reckoned for righteousness according to the purpose of the grace of God Now these last words are not in our vulgar translations nor in most Greeke Copies but the Louain Doctors haue noted in the margent that they are found in some Manuscripts and Greeke Copies And it were to be wished that they had added no worse than this into that their translation for it is but that which is the generall Doctrine of the Gospell of Christ. For the preaching of the Gospel what is it but a beame of this grace of God shining vpon sinners as Tit. 2. 11. The grace of God that bringeth saluation hath appeared vnto all men And the Gospel is the Gospel of the grace of God Act. 20. 24. And the Word of God is the word of his grace vers 32. And Acts 14. 3. Yea we finde the very same words in the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 9. Who hath saued vs and called vs with an holy calling not according to our workes but marke according to his owne purpose and grace which was giuen vs in Christ Iesus before the world began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Sauiour Iesus Christ c. So that the ground of our saluation by Iesus Christ is the meere grace of God by this grace we are saued by this grace we come to inherit eternall life for eternall life is of the grace of God it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the free gift of his grace And wee are heires of the grace of life 1. Pet. 3. 7. The Apostle Paul was so in loue with this grace that all his Epistles are perfumed throughout as it were with this precious oyntment Hee nameth it not so little as a hundreth times The salutation of each Epistle hath grace in it yea the Apostle sets it as his marke at the end of euery Epistle and would haue all his Epistles knowne by that marke to bee his As hee saith 2. Thes. 3. 17. 18. The salutation of Paul with mine owne hand which is the token in euery Epistle so I write The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ bee with you all So that besides other probable arguments I finding this marke at the end of the Epistle to the Hebrewes I conclude it to bee Pauls Epistle No one Apostle ends his Epistle with the prayer and wishing of grace but onely Paul Indeede the Reuelation endeth so The grace of our Lord Iesus Christ be with you all Amen Thus Gods gracious eternall purpose in electing to saluation such as in his speciall fauour hee was pleased to foreknow being the prime and originall cause whereon depends the whole frame of our effectuall saluation it teacheth vs a maine difference between the first Couenant and the second The first Couenant was made with the first Adam in Paradise which indeed did meerly depend vpon mans will to keep it or to break it Doe this and thou shalt liue This was that first Couenant which Man failing to keep so forfeiting his estate God now makes a second Couenant in the second Adam which he will not as he did in the first hazzard vpon mans will or ability in the keeping of it Gods wisdome well weighing that if Adam in his perfection so easily and quickly brake the first Couenant though hee had both will and power to keepe it how much more man now corrupt and weake would neuer bee able to keepe the second Couenant And therefore to make sure worke God takes a contrary course in the second Couenant which that it may for euer stand firme and immutable hee hath established it vpon the sure foundation of his owne good pleasure and will wherein is no shadow of change Well the conclusion is Gods free grace and fauour is the ground of our election it is the foundation whereon depends our whole saluation wee are elected wee are saued all by grace according to his purpose and grace This grace of God the Pontifician Church cannot away withall as being an enemy to all their Doctrine And therfore the Councell of Trent hath excluded yea and condemned the grace of God as the sole efficient cause of saluation for Ses. 6. Can. 11. the words be Si quis dixerit c. gratiam qua iustificamur esse tantum fauorem Dei anathema sit that is If any shall say that the grace whereby we are iustified is onely the fauour of God let him be Anathema or accursed If Romes Curse were of force then wofull were the case of St. Paul that doth so often mightily magnifie the grace of God in our iustification yea the only grace and fauour of God excluding workes as not hauing the least share with Gods grace therein Nay the whole Word of God which is the Word of his grace and the Gospell of his grace must fall vnder Romes Curse Howsoeuer the equiuocating Romanists would foyst and shuffle in their workes by the name of grace by which indeed they destroy and ouerthrow the grace of God Obiect But say some It is sufficient that wee grant that Gods grace doth manifest it selfe in prouiding for vs and offering vnto vs meanes whereby we may be saued without which meanes because we cannot be saued therefore we are said to be saued by the grace of God Answ. Is that sufficient O enemies of the grace of God and of your owne saluation Will you so limit Gods grace Will ye so eclipse the glory of his grace as to confine it within such narrow bounds Indeede great and infinitely great was Gods loue in so louing the world that he gaue his only begotten Sonne that all that beleeue in him should not perish but haue life euerlasting But did his gift depend vpon mans acceptance that it might be effectuall if man would otherwise not Then as Esay saith Who hath beleeued our report Had not then this great loue of God beene vtterly lost Had not this gift beene such as no man would receiue it For what saith the Scripture All haue sinned and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 come short of the glory of God The naturall man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perceiueth not receiueth not this gift it is farre aboue out of his
discussa poterat ex sola iudicis pietate conualescat Dâ—cat ergo qui etiamss habuero quiâ—piam iustum non respondebo sed meum â—udicem deprecabor Velut si apertiùs fateatur dicens et si ad opus virtutis excreuero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia conualesco All humane righteousnesse saith he if it bee strictly iudged is conuinced to be vnrighteousnesse Therefore a man after his workes of righteousnesse had neede to pray that his righteousnesse which being discussed might sink down vnder the burthen may recouer strength againe by the only clemency of the Iudge Let him say then that though I haue done any thing that is iust yet I will not answer but will supplicate my Iudge As if he should more plainly confess saying Although I attaine to neuer so great a proficiency in the way of vertue yet I come to obtaine life not of merits but of mercy This was the constant doctrine of the Church of Rome in this Bishops dayes We will conclude this point in setting downe the iudgement of Cardinall Contarenus who writ of iustification a little before the Councell of Trent where hauing before of set purpose examined the Protestants doctrine of iustification confesseth ingenuously as he had iudiciously according to his learning and piety scand and compared it that Luthers doctrine together with the Protestants was consonant and agreeable to Catholicke doctrine For as yet the Councell of Trent had not decreed against the Catholicke faith which had beene maintained by all the Fathers of the Church in all ages euen downe to Contarenus his time who writ some three or foure yeares before the first Session of this Councell although the Schoole-men specially the Scotists had according to the Authors name darkened and dimmed the truth whose new doctrine notwithstanding proued not as yet Catholicke before the Councell of Trent wherein the Scotists bore no small sway would needes make it Romane-Catholicke in despite of all Catholickes Where also we may note by the way the falshood of that scandall which Pontificians cast vpon the Protestants Religion as being a doctrine of nouelty broached first by Luther Whereas a Cardinall of the Church of Rome of learning and piety after due examination found and confessed that the Protestant doctrine of iustification being the maine fundamentall doctrine of Christian Religion did consent with Catholicke doctrine But let vs see what this Cardinall saith concerning iustification Attingimus ad duplicem iustitiam alteram nobis inhaerentem qua incipimus esse iusti essicimur consortes diuinae naturae habemus charitatem diffusam in cordibus nostris alteram verò non inhaerentem sed nobis donatam cum Christo iustitiam inquam Christi omne eius meritum simul tempore vtraque nobis donatur vtramque attingimus per fidem Quòd autem Deus donauerit nobis Christum omnia cumeo est Textus Apostoli expressus in Epistola ad Romanos Qui filio suo non pepercit c. His reor nullum posse contradicere Restat iam inquirere vtranam debeamus niti existimare nos iustificari coram Deo id est sanctos iustos haberi ea inquam iustitia quae deceat filios Dei ac oculis Dei satisfaciat an hac iustitia charitate nobis inhaerente an potius iustitia Christi nobis donata imputata Ego prorsus existimo pie Christianè dici quòd debeamus niti niti inquam tanquam restabili quae certònos sustentat iustitia Christi nobis donata non autem sanctitate gratia nobis inharente Haec etenim nostra iustitia est inchoata imperfecta quae tueri nos non potest quin in multis offendamus quin assiduè peccemus ac propterea indigeamus oratione qua quotidiè petamus dimitti nobis debita nostra Idcirco in conspectu Dei non possumus ob hanc iustitiam nostram haberi iusti boni quemadmodum deceret filios Dei esse bonos sanctos sed iustitia Christi nobis donata est vera perfecta iustitia quae omnino placet oculis Dei in qua nihil est quod Deum offendat quod Deo non summopere placeat Hac ergo sola certa stabili nobis nitendum est oâ— eam solam credere nos iustificari coram Deo id est iustos haberi dici iustos Hic est preciosus ille Christianorum thesaurus quem qui inuenit venait omnia quae habet vt emat illum Haec est preciosa margarita quam qui inuenit linquit omnia vt eam habeat c. Inde est quod experimento videmus viros sanctos qui quanto magis in sanctitate proficiunt tanto minus sibi placent ac propterea tanto magis intelligunt se indigere Christo iustitia Christi sibi donata ideoque se reliâ—quunt soli Christo incumbunt Hoc non ob eam accidit causam quòd facti sanctiores minus videant quam prius neque quoniam facti sint animo dimâ—ssiori viliori imò quanto magis in sanctitate proficiunt tanto maiori sunt animo tanto sunt perspicactores Quamobrem factâ— perspicaciores magis intuentur sanctitatis iustitiae ipsiâ— inhaerentis tenuitatem cum qua perspiciunt multas maculas quae eorum oculos factos perspicaciores magis offendunt ac propterea reipsa cogno scunt non sibi nitendum esse sanctitate charitate gratia sibi inhaerente sed conâ—ugiendum sibi esse ad Christum ad gratiam Christi ipsis donatam qua nitantur incumbant We attaine saith hee to a double righteousnesse the one inherent in vs whereby wee begin to be iust and are made partakers of the diuine nature and haue charity shed abroad in our hearts the other not inherent but giuen vs with Christ the righteousnesse I say of Christ and all his merits Both are giuen vs at one time and we attaine both of them by faith And that God hath giuen vs Christ and with him all things it is the Text of the Apostle to the Romanes These things I suppose none can contradict It remaines then to enquire whether of these two we are to trust vnto and to bee esteemed iustified before God For my part saith hee I thinke it agreeable both to Piety and Christianity to say that we ought to relye to relye I say vpon the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto vs as vpon a most firme foundation which doth surely sustaine vs and not vpon holinesse and grace inherent in vs. Thus Contarenus And againe in the same book Hac sola inquit certa stabili nobis nitendum est ob eam solam credere nos iustificari coram Deo id est iustos haberi c. We are saith he to relye vpon this only certaine and stable foundation and for the same onely to beleeue that we are iustified before God that is accounted iust This is that
ex eis The number of them that are predestinate vnto the Kingdome of God is so certaine that neyther any can bee added vnto them nor diminished of them This is according to the truth of God 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God stands sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his If the Lord know who are his hee knoweth how many are his and if how many there is a certaine number of them else the Lords knowledge were vncertaine Christ saith also I know mine and am knowne of mine yea he calleth his owne sheepe by name Christ knoweth the certaine number of sheepe that belong vnto his fold And their names are inrolled in Heauen Heb. 12. 23. And Christ saith few are chosen in comparison of the residue And Pauperis est numerare pecus Christ the Shepheard can easily number his little flocke Yea hee that numbereth our haires doth he not number the persons of his elect Therefore the seruants of God are sealed in their fore-heads and the number of them is set downe of all the Tribes of Israel Reuel 7. Indeed in the 9. Verse a great multitude did Iohn see which no Man could number But they are certaine with God So the number of Gods elect is certaine as certaine to God as the number of the Starres of Heauen which God calleth all by their names So great is the Lord so great his power and his vnderstanding infinite Obiect But it may be obiected that election appertaineth to all indifferently as being left to euery ones choice For the Scripture saith that God would haue all men to be saued as 1. Tim. 2 4 and Rom 11. 33. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that hee might haue mercy vpon all But these places proue not that Gods election belongeth to all for then the Scripture should bee opposite to it selfe which saith elsewhere That few are chosen But as St. Augustine well noteth this All is simply meant of all the Elect. As he saith Omnes homines vult saluos fieri vt intelligantur omnes praedestinati quia omne genus hominum in eis est sicut dictum est Pharisaeis Decimatis omne olus Luc. 11 42. vbi non intelligendum est nisi omne quod habebant that is God would haue all men to bee saued meaning all the predestinate because in them is all sorts of men as it was said to the Pharisees Yee tithe all kinde of herbes where we are not to vnderstand but all that they had As also St. Ambrose saith Quamuis magna pers hominum Saluantis gratiam repellat aut negligat in electis tamen prescitis atque ab Omnium generalitate discretis specialis quaedam censetur vniuersitas Pro parte mundi totus mundus pro parte hominum omnes homines nominantur Although a great part of men reiect or neglect the grace of the Sauiour yet a certaine speciall vniuersality is accounted in those that are elect and fore-knowne and separated from the generality of All. For a part of the world the whole world and for a part of men all men are named Next this certaine number is elected out of the corrupt masse of mankinde all corrupt in Adams loynes after his fall Therefore the elect are called vessels of mercy and mercy implyes misery Hence the Apostle very aptly compares the corrupt masse of mankinde to a lumpe of Potters clay and clay is nothing but dirt Also an example of Gods election we haue in Iacob and Esau in the same place Rom. 9 which two are set out as types of all mankinde Iacob of the Elect and Esau of the Reprobate Now to what time or condition had Gods act or purpose of separating these two one from the other speciall reference Namely while they were yet vnborne and before they had done good or euill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said vnto her The elder shall serue the younger Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated So that God did in his eternall purpose elect Iacob and reiect Esau in their Mothers wombe before they had actually done good or euill but not before they had both of them alike contracted the corruption of originall sinne in their Mothers wombe Hence it is that presently after mans fall Gen. 3. the Lord God first reuealeth the mysterie of his will in his eternall purpose towards mankinde in putting an enmity betweene the Serpents seed and the Womans seed both Angels and Men. The Serpents seede are the Reprobate a generation of Vipers of their Father the Deuill The Womans seede there are the Elect first Christ and in him all the Elect who are blessed in him and who with Christ are at continuall enmity with the Serpent and his seede Michael and his Angels fighting against the Dragon and his Angels the bond-womans sonne persecuting the free-womans sonne in an allegory Gal. 4. Thus Gods election had a speciall reference to the corrupt masse out of which he chose vs to saluation So Ezech. 16. Abraham the Father of the faithfull for his natiuity and birth was an idolatrous Amorite Ierusalem the type of Gods Elect was chosen in her bloud ver 5. as the Lord saith None eye pitied thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne and when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy bloud Liue yea I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy bloud Liue. Now this election of God in choosing out of the corrupt masse and lumpe of mankinde such as shall be saued doth necessarily imply that this election is of his free grace as is expressed in the definition which is a point worthy our speciall consideration although indeed this free grace of God is the very life-bloud as it were which runneth through the whole body and filleth euery veine of the definition It is called an election of grace Rom. 11. 5. To this grace it is that the Apostle rauished with the admiration of Gods incomprehensible loue breaking forth into a gratefull acclamation and benediction of God for it as if now hee had but newly come forth or were still in his rapture in the third Heauen referreth and ascribeth the whole worke of our saluation To the praise of the glory of his grace saith he wherein he hath made vs accepted in the Beloued Ephes. 1. 6. And in the seuenth Verse In whom we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace And Chapt. 2. 4. c. God who is rich in mercy for his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned vs together with Christ by grace ye are saued and hath raised vs vp together c. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding
hope of Gods fauour as wee may be of a prize in a Lottery we would hazzard all we haue skin for skin and all to saue our life Yea or if it were in our owne power so to vse the meanes prescribed and the conditions imposed as that thereby we might be saued notwithstanding wee knew that God had determined to saue but a few of many wee should bee willing to vse our best endeauour in hope of the Kings fauour But the case betweene God and man is otherwise We are indeede all of vs fallen into a Premunire and haue forfeited our whole estates liues and liberties for our Rebellion But we heare that though the King of his speciall grace haue purposed to pardon and to preferre a certaine small number in comparison of the rest but withall that this pardon must be procured by such meanes as no one of all his subiects is in himselfe of ability and power to vse and put in practice vnlesse the King also giue vnto him a speciall strength to doe that which the King requireth therefore what should I trouble my selfe for the matter I know the worst of it and seeing it is not in my power to helpe my selfe let the King doe what he will If I be one of those whom he hath purposed to pardon what should I need to take care any further But if not what neede I bestow labour in vaine Yea but withall obserue though the grace and the meanes and the power of right vsing the meanes be of the King because he will haue all the glory of working that which all mans strength and wit could neuer haue accomplished yet the King to his former decree hath added another clause that notwithstanding the Kings purpose and decree which may not be altered notwithstanding the right vse of the meanes of procuring his pardon depend vpon him alone yet the King hath peremptorily commanded all his subiects none excepted that if any shall dare to contemne or neglect those meanes which hee hath prescribed for the good of those whom they chiefly concerne that man shall not onely not be pardoned for his former rebellion but bee bound ouer to a further condemnation to suffer greater torments and tortures than otherwise he should haue done Tell mee now in this case what subiect would be so foolehardy as openly to contemne and reiect the commandement of the King and not rather to doe the best that lyeth in him to obserue those things which he commandeth seeing that of endeauour may come much good but of contempt certaine condemnation Euen thus stands the case betweene God and vs we haue all sinned and forfeited our estates with God He of his mercy hath purposed to saue a certaine number of vs condemned persons he hath withall prescribed the meanes whereby he will saue that speciall number yet the meanes are such as though in their owne nature they bee gentle and easie for Christs yoake is easie and his burthen light yet in regard of our impotency it is in Gods power onely to enable vs to vse the meanes aright Now though God giue his speciall grace strength to none but those whom he hath appointed to saue yet forasmuch as we are ignorant who those be whom he hath ordained to saue and euery man may as well thinke himselfe to bee of the number as any other and seeing though hee cannot of himselfe so much as will that which is truly good but God worketh in vs both to will to do euen of his good pleasure yet because God hath commanded all men indifferently to receiue and entertaine his commandements and conditions which wilfully to refuse despise and oppugne heapeth vpon a man further condemnation which was the miserable case of Corasin Bethsaida and Ierusalem with her contemning oppugning Iewes and because God hath reserued this secret number to himselfe both how many they be and who they be whom he hath purposed to saue none knowing himselfe to be of the number till hee be actually and effectually called and haue receiued the white stone the marke of his election with the new name of the Sonne of God in it which no man knoweth but he that hath it nor any being so wicked but he may proue to be one of the number of Gods elect and so to be effectually called in due time and because for any man to iudge himselfe while he liueth in this world to bee of the number of the reprobate is a desperate iudgement yea a preiudice of Gods purpose and grace and a rash presumption as daring to prye into Gods secrets and to determine that as certaine which God hath left vncertaine therefore for a man to cauill at this truth of God and thereupon to frame friuolous and foolish unreasonable reasons to resist and contemne Gods ordinance what is it but to heape vpon himselfe greater and greater condemnation God will not in the meane time haue his truth dissembled his glory diminished his mercy despised and his iustice disparaged Let no man dare to say Why doth he yet complaine Who art thou vaine man that pleadest against God take thou heede thou giuest not God further occasion to complaine of thee Shall thy politicke or rather braine-sicke reasons be wiser than Gods wisedome God hath willed it so And his will is aboue all humane reason And Gods will is nothing but diuine reason yea wisedome it selfe But yet as a man to answer thy reasons with reasons Thou deniest the certainty of election at least thou wouldst not haue it published and preached Why What 's thy reason for it Because it makes men carelesse of the meanes It is false it is not Gods good will and pleasure which he hath published but it is thine owne peruerse and corrupt will that makes thee carelesse and contemptuous But by this reason of thine which thou canst sub-diuide into manie branches but all growing from the same carnall roote to satisfie thine owne foolish reason in desiring to haue this glorious truth of God dissembled or suppressed thou wouldst destroy two precious things infinitely more deare than a thousand worlds The first is the glory of God which is so nothing much manifested as in this act of his concerning his good pleasure in the disposing of mankind It is that summary doctrine of Gods glory So that to suppresse or supplant this truth is to strip God of his excellent glory It is the saying of a iudicious and learned Diuine Viciatur adulteratur Religio â—imulac minimum aliquid detrahitur ex Dei gloria Religion comes then to be corrupted and adulterated when once Gods glory suffereth the least detriment or diminution No say they wee doe not take away Gods glory for we acknowledge his preuenting grace Iust so did those aduersaries in Augustines time with whom he had to deale of whom he saith A Pelagianorum porrò haeretica peruersitate tantum isti remoti sunt propter quos haec agimus vt liceâ— nondum
adult ad iustif cap. 19 Ignorantia prauae dispositionis cap. 18. ibid. in fine 1. Pet. 1. 19. Orig. in Leuit. Maimony in tract de sacrif offerend cap. 3. Ephes. 2. 12. Acts 8. 37. Origen super â—euit Iob 19. 27. Iohn 3. Aug. in Ioan. tract 12. c. 3. Abac. 2. 4. Iohn 20. 28. 29 * The most ancient and authenticke Creeds require explicit faith in Christ and the promises of God in him Histor. Concil Trid. lib. 2. Concil Trid. Sess. 6. cap. 9. * No rest or peace to the wicked * Certainty of faith a great aduersary to Romane-Catholickes a The Pontifician Opus operatum yoaked with Gods mercy and Christs merit b Faith of fearfull Diuels approued and commended Concil Trid. Sess. 6. Can. 12. Can. 14. Chemnitij Examen de fide Iustisic Ier. 2. 24. Soto de nat grat lib. 3. c. 10. Luther in Gen. cap. 4â— Liu. lib. 1. Doâ— 1. Soto de nat grat lib. 3. c. 10. Iudges 8. 21. Vega lib. 6. de incertitud grat cap. 2. Certainety of the true Catholicke faith opposite to Romish vncertainety Non poena sed causa facit Martyrium Euangelium facit Martyrium Cypri A troubled vnsettled conscience like the troubled sea Iude 13. Vega de incertitud grat c. 25. Concil Trid. Sess. 6. can 15. * The reason is naught if he meane that the knowledge of predestination must precede the knowledge of our iustification For we do not therefore beleeue our iustification because we must first know our predestination but we come to know our predestination by the fruit of it iustification Histor. Concil Trid. lib. 2. * Note the iudgement of some Pontificians themselues concerning their Schoole-men * As we noted before out of Vega reiecting the vulgar latine when it makes not for his turne * In this Councell of Trent if the most learned and iudicious of them had not beene ouerswayed by humane affection no doubt but the truth had preuailed in a great measure Vega lib. 9. de incertitud grat Iob 13. 15. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 * Concil Trid. Sess. 6. c. 12. quoted in the Margent Rom. 〈…〉 Pro. 28. 1. Vega l. 9. de incert grat c. 11. * So Pagnin himselfe rendreth it by Vega's own confession ibid. Note here how impertinent this place is for Vega sith hee would proue by it vncertainty of faith of a mans own saluation whereas the place speakes of Daniels vncertainty of anothers saluation Multa videntur non sunt Eccle 5. 5. Aug. in Psal. 50 or 51. vers 8. * As Aug. de vera falsa poeâ—itentia c. 19 expresseth himselfe saying Poenitere est poenam tenere vt semper puniat in se vlciscendo quod commisit peccando ille poenam tenet qui semper punit quod commisisse dolet tom â— Vâ—e saâ—huumÌ„ Choâ—mah Thodâ—igneni Psal. 91. 11. Matth. 4. 6. * Though the Text be Yet 40. dayes * Deuils Iames 2. * Bulla Pii Quarti super forma iuramenti professionis fidei Affixed to their Councell of Trent a Bulla Pii Quarti P. R. super confirmatione Consilii Triden Sexti de officio delegati lib. 1. Papa est Lex animaâ—a in terris The Pope is aliuing Law vpon earth And hee is said to haue all Lawes in the cabinet of his brest as their extrauagants say Ephes. 2. 20. Reuel 8. 10. 11. Aug. Epist. lib. Epist. 130. Cirtensibus Aug. de vnitate Eccles. c. 16 Aug. de Baptismo contra Donat lib. 2. c. 3. * He excepts none no not the Bishop of Rome * Not a word of the Bishop of Romes authority ouer general Councels Those former ages were ignorant of it Aug. contra faustum Manichaeum lib. 32. cap. 19. Aug. contra Epist. Manich. quam vocant sundamenti lib. cap. 5. tom 6. Iohn 4. 42. Aug Paulinae Epist. 112. August contra Maxim Arrian Epist. lib. 3. c. 14. August Tertul. aduersuâ— Hermog lib. Chrys. in Mat. 24. hom 49. ab incerto autore Rom. 2. 29. Chrys. in Mat. 23. homil 24. Acts 19. 35. Aug. contra literas Peâ—illiani Donaâ—istae lib. 3. cap. 6. * Marc. 9. 24. * Rom. 4. 18. Tremel pascere fide Esay 7. 9. * Heb. Lachasoth Mat. 23. 37. Heb. 11. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrys. in Heb. 11. 1. homil 21. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Theophrast 〈◊〉 5. de causis plantarum * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vega lib. 14. de peccato mortali venâ—â—li Esay 28. 16. Pro. 28. 1. Psal. 112. 7. Matth. 9. * Psal. 19. Iosh. 10. Heb. 11. 35. a Bern. Epist. 190. b He meaneth the old Martyrs of the Church that suffered for the true religion not the new Martyrs of Rome that iustly suffer for rebellion and treason Concil Trid. Sess. 6. Can. 12 13. 14. Acts 27. Acts 28. 1. Psal. 1. Chrysost. in Heb. 10. bom 19 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Chrys in Rom. c. 4. serm 8. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Basil. Ethica in fine definitionis 80. Basil. in Psal. 115. Basil. in asceâ—ica Tertul. lib. de Baptismo * Vega de incertitud grat cap. 32. 33. 34. c. Where hee takes vpon him to interpret the authorities of the Fathers making against Pontifician vncertainty Bern. eâ—ist 19â— * To wit by Christ. Iohn 5. 39. Aug. in Psal. 144. 〈…〉 Ambros. de â—aâ—n â—â—â—â— lib. 2. caâ— 7. Ambr. in â—pist ad Rom. â—aâ— 1. Theoph. in Luâ— 16. Vega lib. 9. de incertitud graâ— cap. 41. 2. Chron. 30. 18. 19. 20. vers Ad Triarios res redijt The Priests intention a Supercedeas to all certainty of faith The testimonie of a good conscience â—â—ero Godly loue a seale badge of the certaintie of saluation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Seneca Heb. 12. 6. 2. Cor. 12. * Concil Trid Scs. 6. cap. 13. Phil. 2. 12. 13. Aug. de nat grat contra Pelag. cap. 33. tom 7. Aug. in Psal. 130. concio 4. Esay â—â— Aug. in Psal. 147. in prooemio Psal. 107. Concil Trid. ses 6. Can. 12. 13 Plato in Phâ—done Vega. * To wit the Trent-Fathers so vsually termed by equiuocation * By some good chance doubtlesse Vega lib. 12. de incertitud praed stinat perseuerantiae c. 2 Saul one of Vega's Elect. Aug. lib. 2. â—â—â—implic qu. 1. Greg. lib. 4. ca. 3. in 1. Reg. 9. Salomon one of Vega's Reprobates though once Elect. Salomon fell not away totally Salomons fall as not totall so not finall Eccles. 2. 3. Aug confes lib. 6. cap. 7. Numb 20. 12. Example of Iudas Matth. 10. â— Iudas had not sauing grace Aug. quaest super Genes lib. 1. qu. 117. tom 4. Aug. in Psal. 55. Aug. de haeresibus ad Quod-vult-deum lib. 6. 18. Cainites Rom. 3. 22. 23. * We are too well acquainted with your Pontifician promises â— Pet. 2. Pro. 28. 14. Bern. in Septuages serm 1. Eccles. 9. 1. Psal. 137. Aug. de bono perseuer lib. 2. cap. 16. Greg. moral 6. Predestination defined * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉