in regard of efficiencie for those onely which are predestinated but for all men in respect of sufficiencie In like manner Aquinas the merit of Christ was alike to all in regard of sufficiencie but not as concerning efficacie Howsoeuer his blood and merits were in themselues sufficient for the iustification and saluatition of all men yet they did not effectually procure them for all but onely for the Elect to whom they were ordained and intended and of whom alone they can bee rightly receiued and embraced Now those that are iustified must be considered in a double condition One according to nature the other according to supernaturall grace According to nature they are sinners for he iustifieth the vngodly Rom. 4.5 and therefore obnoxious to the accusation and malediction of the Law for cursed is euery man that continueth not in al things which are witten in the Law to doe them But according to supernaturall grace they are beleeuers or ingrafted into Christ by faith For the righteousnesse of God is made manifest by the faith of Iesus Christ Vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And 〈◊〉 much for the persons whom God doth iustifie The time of Iustification is in this life with some sooner and with others later but with none at all after this life is ended Vrsâ—inus saith well Remission of sins is giuen to all the Elect and to them alone Yet all the Elect haue not alwaies remission of sinnes but all Beleeuers haue it alwaies because they onely haue remission of sins who beleeue that they haue it But this the Elect do and alwaies beleeue but then first when they are conuerted and indued with faith Yet in respect of the fore-determined purpose of God they haue alwaies remission of sins And aâ—beit sanctification doe often by some fruits thereof appeare before iustification yet this in nature is before the other Wee see the light vsually before the Sunne in the morning and the brooke doth often offer itself vnto our eies before the spring The Properties of Iustification are fiue First it is most excellent and that in respect of the Iustifier which is God 〈◊〉 respect also of the meritorious efficient thereof which is Christ and in regard of those admirable effects which it doth proâ—uâ—e one amongst the rest is this which I adde vnto the former whereof wee haue already spoken to wit that it giues a man the right vse of the good creatures of God which he hath created to be receiued with thanksgiuing of them that beleeue â—or vnto the pure which men are when they be purged by faith in the bloud of Christ â—l things are pure but vnto the that are defiled as euery one is vntill God doe iustifie him and are vnbeleeuing is nothing pure but euen their mindes and consciences are defiled The Reprobates therefore and Vnbeleeuers abuse the giftes of God rather then vse them Therefore as Danaeus speaketh God doth fatten them in this world as Hâ—gs for the slaughter On the contrary those that are now iustified by faith in Christ doe vse them lawfully For they are fed of God as his house-hold seruants They are not theeues and Vsurpers of them as the wicked are but they hold them as lawfull heires and owners of the world 〈◊〉 Secondly Iustification is a most free act performed freely by God without coaction or the least inducement by any dignitie present or foreseen to be in vs hereafter For being absolute Lord of all hee may shew mercie on whom he lists We are by nature all the children of wrath and the viâ—â—als of the deuill destitute of all true grace and subiect to the curse and therefore it is a wonder that wee are not all consumed We must needs then confess that the free grace of God in Christ hath made the difference Chrysostom according to the Scripture truely saith that God of his grace alone doth iustifie our kinde and not through our good deeds labours nor recompence And Theodulus saith Christ is the Author of righteousnesse to them that beleeue in him euen vnto them that had done nothing righteouslie Here then by the way wee may remember that our Iuctification is free in regard of vs that did not deserue it and free also in respect of God who did freely deuise dispose the means therof and freely workes faith within vs by which wee doe apply it to vs. But it is not free but iustly performed in regard of Christ who by his all-sufficient merits did deserue it and by desert acquire it Thirdly Iustification is one absolute entire and indiuiduall act It is once onely acted essentially and directly in this life although it it bee diuers times renewed and applied a fresh to wit when the person iustified doth fall into sin and repent Now though Iustification bee a most perfect and plenary worke of God yet we come to the full perswasion of it but by degrees and though God at once forgiue a man his sinnes by an absolute act which admits neither increase nor decrease yet that man receiues his pardon by such a faith or such a perswasion of faith as is not alwaies one but sometimes stronger sometmies also weaker ebbing and flowing like the salt waters sometimes appearing and some times hidden like the sun with a thicke mist or duskie cloud Fourthly Iustification is an immutable inuiolable and irreuocable aâ—â— of God Peccata semel remissa nunquam redeuÌ„t sins being once remitted are neuer after called into question And he that is once of God for Christ reputed righteous shall be reputed righteous foreuer If it sho d be otherwise it were either long of God or of our selues but not of God who is on changeling I am the Lord I charge not nor of our selues for we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation and so gouerned by his spirit as that we neither doe sinne nor can sinne with full consent of will and without the reluctation and conflict of the spirit The Godly and vngodly doe oftentimes commit the same offence if we respect the act but it is not the same if we consider their maner of acting it The godly sinne against their conscience but not against their full conscience But the vngodly sinne against their 〈◊〉 â—â—conscience and that â—ully And therefore albeit a man that is iustified fall into some grieuous sin as Dauid did yet grace is not vtterly put out neither hath he lost the benefit of his iustification thogh for a time he feele it not Now this property of immutabiliâ—ty is very rare and excellent by much to be preferred to all earthly things For Riches remaine not alwayâ— nor the the crowne from generation to generation Fauour iâ— deceiptfull and beautie iâ— vanitie The fashion of this world passeth away And what 〈◊〉 life It is euen a vapor that appeareth for a little 〈◊〉 and afterwardâ— vanishâ—th away
affections make vs to sprout vp and looke fresh like flowers The meritorious cause of sanctification is Iesus Christ who by his death and obedience hath merited for vs thâ—t the holy Ghost should bee giuen vs to refine and purge vs. And therefore he is said to be made of God vnto vs Sanctification As by Adam our nature is corrupted euen so by Christ it is restored The Ministers of the word are gods liuely Organs which he vseth to draw men out of the territories and regimeÌ„t of the Diueâ— into the kingdome oâ— his sonne Paul is said to be sent to conuert the Gentiles from darkenes vnto light to the Corinths he saith In Christ Iesus I haue begotten you by the Gospell The instruments which he vseth to this purpose are the word and sacraments Gods word is compared to fire and to an hammer For through his blessing it doth breake our marble hearts and burne vp our sin like stubble and kindles in vs a zeale of his glorie a true loue of righteousnes And by the foolishnes of preaching it is his pleasure to saue them that beleeue And as concerning the sacraments they represent and seale vnto vs our insition into Christ our new birth and our progresse and spirituall nutrition vnto eternall life The matter of Sanctification are the parts whereof it doth consist The parts or actes of sanctification are two the Remotion of euill or Mortification and the Substitution of good or Viâ—ification Mortification is a part of Sanctification whereby the power strength and tyrannie of originall sinne is weakned and also by little and little abolished The ground wherof is the power of Christs God-head or the efficacie of his death which being by faith applyed is as a Corafine to consume the corruption of our nature Viuification is the second part of our Regeneration when as wee are raised vp to a new spirituall life that we might liue vnto righteousnes Or it is a work of the spirit by which true Christian habits virtues and dispositions are infused encreased in vs. And this substitution of good or Quickening is Where Christ dwels and raignes in our hearts by his spirit so as we can say we hencefoorth liue not but Christ in vs. The ground of this is the vertue of Christs resurrection or the power of his God-head raising vp his Man head releasing him of the punishment and tyrannie of our sinnes which vertue and power is as a Restoratiue to restore and quicken vs that we might liue vnto God in holinesse and newnesse of life Mortification then is of the Oldâ— man which is the vitiositie and distemper of our nature deriued from Adam the first ViuificatioÌ„ is of the New man which is the nature of man refined and restored to the image of God and this is deriued from Adam the second in whom are hid all the treâ—sures of wisâ—â—â— knowledge and holinesse The forme of Sanctification is the very translation and alteration of the heart and life or a spirituall reduction and conuersion of a man by God from the vncleannes of sinne to true puritie and Christian sanctitie The endes of our Sanctification are the glorie of God the saluation of our soules the edification of our Brethren the beautifying of our honorable prosession and calling the silencing of Athiests and prophane Mockgods the alluring of others vnto God godlines that we might bee something like God our father and Christ our elder brother and gather assurance to our soules that weâ— are in the state of life The effects of Sanctification are first the true loue of God our selues and our neighbours Secondly a serious desire to doe all good duties and to auoyd all the courses of sinne and wickednes Thirdly it makes him that is sanctified to couet and labour for the renouation and conuersion of others Finally it is the roote of all those good fruites wee bring foorth and beare For if the fountaine bee altogether corrupt and foule the waters must needs be also naught and fithy For who can bring a cleane thing out of filthinesse There is not one But when a man is once truely sanctified though not fully the good workes he doth are then truely holy though not fully The Subiects of Sanctification or or the persons sanctified are such as are elected called and iustified and therfore the Apostle saith that whom God predestinated called and iustified he did also glorifie These and none but these are truely sanctified For God sanctifies those only whom he maketh to be Temples of his spirit but all men are not such yea there are a number in the world that sit in perpetuall darknesse and worship the very deuill Indeed a Reprobate may seeme holy but he is not holy but is like a faire apple rotten in the heart or to a wound that hath a skin drawen ouer it but yet festers inwardly And they may liue amongst Gods holy one as Frogs and fishes in one pond but they are not of them but indeed pertaine to another state And finally Christ is sanctification to those onely to whom hee is wisedome righteousnesse and redemption which he is not vnto all but vnto his owne people onely Now why Christ doth not communicate holinesse vnto all as Adam did corruption the reason is because the maner by vvhich Adam doth communicate his euils vnto all and euery one is naturall to wit generation and humane nature but the maner by which Christ doth communicate his benefits is supernaturall to wit faith and the grace of God whereof all men are not pertakers for it dependeth on Gods Election Therefore whosoeuer haue humane nature the same are sinners But they onely are renewed who are possessed of faith Furthermore those which are sanctified must be considered in a twofold estate first as they are in themselues till God doe worke vpon them and that is lothsome and vgly dead in sinnes and trespasses Euen when we were dead in sins hath hee quickned vs together in Christ Secondly as they are made by grace that is a royall priesthood an holy nation and the Temples of God and of his Spirit Finally these things are worthy to be knowen concerning the regenerate First their Countrey which is heauen Secondly their Parents to wit the holy Ghost and the Church Thirdly their Essentiall parts these are an intelligent soule and an organicall body Fourthly their food which is the word of God Fiftly their disposition or condition that in the minde is a diuine light and reformation in heart Sixtly their war-fare or indeuours which is the flight of the pleasures of the flesh and of fleshly vanities Seauenthly their Religion and that is true godlinesse and faith in Christ Lastly their consummation which is eternall life The obiects or two termes of Sanctification are corruption and sinne to bee diminished and extirped and Christian holinesse to bee planted inpired and augmented The
neither were all the seed of Abraham elected as was Abraham It is God who makes vs meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the Saintes and not any prerogatiue or dignitie in vs. We call Christ our Sauiour because he by his dignitie and merit hath deserued our saluation of God for vs euen so wee might be called our owne Electors if we did mooue God to elect vs by our dignities or prerogatiues Finally God respects not these things in sauing vs therefore neither in electing vs. For if they did mooue God to elect vs they should also perswade him to redeeme and saue vs which is against the Scripture in many places Finally the merit of Christ is not the efficient or impulsiue cause of election though it be of saluation For the efficient cause of election which is without beginning must also bee without beginning but the merit of Christ is not froÌ„ eternitie therfore it is not the efficient cause of eternall election Secondly if Christ himselfe as Mediator was elected froÌ„ all eternity then his merit is not the cause of electing but the former is true out of Peter the latter therefore is also true Thirdly the effect of eternall election is not the cause thereof but the merit of Christ is the effect of election For God did not elect vs because Christ was to die for vs but on the contrarie Christ did therefore die for vs because God had elected vs in him Therefore the merit of Christ is not the efficient cause of Gods election Wherefore we do conclude and with Caluin we doe auerre according to the truth Hoc consilium quoad Electos in gratuita eius misericordia fundatum esse that the foundation of Gods Election is laied in his free mercie He will haue mercie on whom he will and chuseth whom he pleaseth And so much for the efficient and impulsiue cause of election The materiall cause or matter of Election is threefold first in which that is in Christ the Mediatour secondly about which that is about certaine men thirdly of which it doth consist of which last wee now entreat and that is the counsell of God For election is nothing but the counsell of GOD for the separation of some men to eternall life The formall cause is the ordination assumption and separation of certaine men from all others to the fruition of present grace and future glory The ends of Election are three The former concernes God that doth elect the 2. latter concerne those that are elected The first is the glory of God and the celebration and declaration of his mercy Rom. 9.23 That hee might declare the riches of his glorie vpon the vessels of mercie which he hath prepared vnto glorie Eph. 1.6 He hath chosen vs to the praise of his glorious grace The glory of God is the supreme end of all things therefore of election And if we be commanded to make it the scope of all our actions wee need not doubt but that God doth aime at it in all his The second end of Election is that we should bee holy and blamelesse before God Augustine saith well He chose vs not because we were then holy neither yet because wee would hereafter prooue holy but he rather chose vs to this end that in the time of grace we might be holy through good works The third end is the saluation and glory of the Elect. Therefore they are sayd to be Ordained to eternall life and prepared vnto glorie and chosen vnto saluation We may not thinke that Election is the absolute wil of God without any end It were impietie to attribute such a will to God as hath no scope or end proposed to it For if nature doe nothing in vaine or to no end and purpose much lesse doth God The effects of Election are the meditation of Christ adoption vocation sauing faith iustification and glorification which comprehendeth two things first regeneration or sanctification in which is conteined perpetuall repentance that is auersion from all euill and conuersion vnto God loue righteousnesse the hatred of sinne the study of good workes calling vpon God true humilitie a desire to see Christ constancie in professing the true faith to the last gaspe For Gods Election is the roote of all the gifts of God in vs and the foundation of all his sauing benefits Secondly glorification comprehendeth in it the complement and fruition of all glory in the life to come that is of all holines and happinesse with the Lord foreuer The Subiect of Election is double The first is the subiect in whom we are elected This subiect is Christ Hee hath chosen vs in him saith Paul Now we are not elected in Christ as hee is God or the Word simply so considered For in this respect he is our Elector as he saith himselfe I know whom I haue chosen Neither are wee elected in him as a meere man For a meere man was not fit for vs to bee elected in But we are elected in him as he is God-man our Head and eternall Mediator in whom God hath placed all spirituall blessings which hee would communicate to vs in his good time And wee are elected in Christ because we were not capable in ourselues of so great excellencie He only as Polanus truely teacheth is the fit meane in whom we were elected considering that by election there is made an vnion and coniunction of vs with God the electour Caluin alleaging that speech of Paul He hath chosen vs in Christ saith that it is all one as if he had said that God because he found nothing worâ—hie of his election in all the seed of Adam did therefore turne his eies vnto his Christ that hee might elect members as it were out of his bodie whom hee would take vnto the fellowship of life It were therefore very absurd to dream of any election out of him hee being the foundation of the execution of Election in respect of the beginning meanes and end The other subiect is the Obiect of Election or the persons that are elected And these are not all the sonnes of Adam without exception of any For first hee that taketh all and refuseth none cannot properly be said to chuse For election supposeth a reiection He which makes a choice refuseth some Secondly whom God electeth hee doth also glorifie But all are not glorified therefore all are not elected Thirdly sauing faith is peculiar to the Elect and not common to all and is a true effect of Gods election Now many being destitute of true faith for euer it must needs bee that they are also out of Gods election Fourthly the Scripture shewes that some are elected and some refused Rom 11.7 The Elect haue obtained it but the rest are blinded God hath made the wicked for the day of euill Gregory saith well Deus miro modâ— God being the creator of all alike hath admirablie
some of them were before their calling notorious sinners committing â—orrible and transcendent enormities â—et now since their calling they were rashed and sanctified and so become new men And as concerning the Thessalonians he saith that the Gospel was not to them in word onely but also in power and much assurance and that they became followers of him and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioy of the holy Ghost and turned to God from Idoles to serue the liuing and true God and increased in faith and mutuall loue and were patient faithfull in al their persecutions afflictions So then if with the Romanes we performe heartie obedience to the word if with those Corinthes we be rich in spirituall graces and haue purged our heartes by true repentance from our former iniquities if we be mortified and renewed if like those good ThessaloniaÌ„s we receiue and beleeue the Gospell if we follow the Lord his faithfull embassadours if we entertâ—ine the word with ioyfulnesse notwithstanding all afflictions if we turne to God from all our owne Gods our owne delights and vanities to which wee had wedded our heartes if our faith increase and our loue abound and if we haue patience and faith as they had in all our crosses and afflictions then may we assure ourselues that wee are effectually called as they were Finally Peter exhorting vs to giue diligence to make calling sure addeth that if we doe these things wee shall neuer fall Now what these things are hee sheweth to wit that they would ioint vertue with their faith and with vertue knowledge with it temperance and with temperance patience with patience godlines with it brotherly kindnes and with brotherly kindnes loue If therfore these graces shine within vs and bee fast rooted in our hearts and vnited in our liues we may assure our soules of our effectuall calling if we do these things we shall neuer fall and if we shall neuer fall then may wee safely conclude that God hath effectually called vs to light and glorie And thus much concerning effectu-vocation which is the first meane whereby God executeth his eternall Election CHAP. 5. What Iustification is All the causes of it Fiue effects of it The subiects and time of it Fiue properties thereof Foure tokens of it THE second is Iustification For those whom hee calleth effectually in time hee also iustifieth actually in time To iustifie is to repute or account one iust Pro. 17.15 He which iustifieth the wicked that is he which reputeth and iudgeth him to be iust is an abomination to the Lord. Luke 16.15 You iustifie your selues before men that is You would be esteemed iust To be iustified is to be cleared or to bee reputed iudged and pronounced iust To be iustified then before God is to be reputed and esteemed righteous in his sight Iustification therefore in his proper significatioÌ„ is an Acceptance wherby God esteemeth vs as righteous being receiued into fauour Or Iustification is a iudiciall and gracious worke of God by which hee iudgeth the Elect being in themselues obnoxious to the accusation and curse of the Law to be iust by faith for Christ through the imputation of his iustice and that vnto the praise of his glorious grace and to their owne saluation The principall efficient of Iustification is God the Father in the Sonne by the holy Spirit For who can forgiue sinnes but God alone It is God that iustifies I saith the Lord euen I am hee that putteth away thine iniquities It 〈◊〉 meet that he should be our pardoner who was our Creator and that he should bee the giuer of grace who was to all the author of nature It is his office to absolue the guiltie by whose iustice hee was made guiltie It beloÌ„gs to him to pronounce a man to be iust whose will is the rule of iustice it is his prerogatiue to giue sentence of life and death because he is by nature right and office the highest Iudge The instrument whereby the benefit of Iustification is offered and proclaimed is the Gospel which therefore is called the word of life the word of saluation the word and ministerie of Reconciliation The outward instruments whereby our iustification is sealed and confirmed to vs are the two Sacramentes and thereupon Circumcision is called the Seale of the righteousnesse of faith The inward Sealer of our iustification is the Holy Ghost who testifieth and sealeth it to our consciences so as that we may perswade our hearts of it The Ministers and liuely instruments for the proclaiming testifying and pronouncing our iustification to vs are the Messengers and Prophets of the Lord according to that of Christ whose sinnes ye remit they shall be remitted to them and whose ye retaine they shall be retained The onely internall instrument whereby we apprehend and receiue the grace of iustification offered vnto vs by God is a true sauing faith Iustifying faith is a gift whereby wee apprehend Christ and his benefits Or it is a worke of Gods Spirit in the heart whereby we receiue and lay hold on Christs obedience for the pardon of our sinnes with God and his accepting of vs as righteous in his â—ight The authour of faith is God For vnto vs It is giuen to beleeue This is the worke of God saith Christ that yee beleeue in him whom hee hath sent Faith both begun and finished is the gift of God as Austen truly teacheth The proper forme and life of faith is not charitie which is a distinct gift of God and a fruite of vnfeigned Faith but the Apprehension and Application of Christ and his benefites vnto our selues particularly The proper obiect of a sauing faith is Iesus Christ God-man and Mediator betwixt God and man Remigius saith My whole faith is in Christ by him alone I beleeue that I am iustified and saued And Beda saith The scope of my faith is Christ the end or marke of my faith whereat it aymeth is the Sonne of God Now to be iustified by faith is to be iustified of God for the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith or as Caluin speaketh he shall be iustified by faith who being excluded from the righteousnesse of works apprehendeth the righteousnesse of Christ by faith wherewith he being inuested doth appeare in the sight of God as righteous and â—ot a sinner So that faith doth iustifie in respect of her obiect onely and not as any meritorious or proper efficient of iustification Euen as the hand that receiueth the treasure which is giuen doth not make the receiuer rich but the treasure it selfe so neither the worke or action of faith doth iustifie vs but Christ himselfe whom we doe apprehend And this faith be it weake or strong is yet able to receiue the righteousnesse of Christ euen as a palsie or shaking hand may receiue a iewel of a king as
truely though not so firmely as the hand that is whole and sound And further this sauing faith is the onely hand whereby wee doe receiue Christ and his merites No man is iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Basil saith This is to glorie in the Lord when a man doth not boast of his ovvne righteousnesse but doth acknowledge that hee is destitute of true righteousnes that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ Chrisostom saith Without faith no man hath obtained life but I am able to shew that a faithfull man both liued and obtained the kingdom of heauen without workes For the thiefe did onely beleeue and was iustified It was well said by Roffensis Fides faeta bonis operibus iustificat ante partum Faith being bigge with good works doth iustifie a man before it bring them forth For as S. Augustine saith Good works doe not goe before him that is to be iustified but follow him that iâ— already iustified And though good workes must neuer bee seuered from faith in the person iustified yet they must be sundred in the act of iustification Though the eie bee not alone yet it sees alone and though the head consult inuent alone yet it is not alone but ioyned to the body so though faith be not alone in the faithfull man yet it alone doth iustifie And thus wee see how to esteeme of faith the Sacraments and the Ministers of God alwaies remembring to ascribe our iustification vnto God Father Sonne and Holy Ghost as the proper and principall efficient thereof as the Scriptures teach vs and confessing with Primasius that God doth iustifie the wicked per solam fidem by faith alone and not by workes The internall impulsiue cause of Iustification which mooueth God to iustifie vs is his grace and meere beneuolence and not our works past present or to come how glorious so euer Paul saith we are iustified freely by his grace And Augustine saith that it is the ineffable grace â—f God that hee which is guilty should be iustified Because all men are shut vp vnder sinne the saluation of man as Anselme saith doth not now consist in the merits of men but in the mercie of God Yea Bellarmine himselfe ingeniously confesseth that by reason of the vncertenty of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glory Iutissimum est it is the safest course to repose our fiduciam Whole confidence in solu Deâ— misericordia in the Sole mercie and goodnesse of God Now then we must not imagine that this grace of God is procured by our workes but that it doth proceed freely from the Lord. No merit of man saith Anselme doth goe before the grace of God Thou hast done no good saith Augustine and yet remission of sinnes is giuen thee Let thy works be marked and they are found euill If God should reward those workes according to their due he should condemne them But God doth not giue thee the punishment that is due but giues thee grace which is not due And againe he saith The grace without which neither Infants nor men of yeares can be saued is not payed by deserts but giuen without desert and thereupon is called grace The externall impulsiue cause or meritorious efficient of our iustification is not our owne workes virtues or obedience First because they bee the Lords due by vertue of many bonds When we haue done all that is biddeÌ„ vs we haue done but our due no more then wee were bound to due Now shall wee thinke that the discharging of one duetie can satisfie Gods iustice for the omission of many dueties and the commission of many faults Secondly all our righteousnesse is as a stained cloth Gregorie saith All mâ—ns righteousnâ—s iâ— found to be vnrighteousnes â—f God strictly iudge it Our very iustice being brought to the rule of Gods iustice is iniustice that stinketh in the sâ—uerity of the Iudge which shineth in the estimation of the Worker And albeit our good works are perfit in respect of the Spirit from whom thee first flow yet are they polluted when they passe from vs because they ruÌ„ through our corrupted hearts and wils as faire water which runnes through a dirty channell Shall wee now say that our perfect righteousnesse can merit any thing of that righteous Iudge before whose iustice nothing polluted can stand vncondemned Wo vnto the laudable life of men sath Aâ—gustine if God should examine it and lay aside his mercie Thirdly our best actions are not answerable to the benefits of iustification But in reason hee which meanes to merit any thing must bring that which is equal to that which hee seekes to merit fourthly he that wil merit of another must not thinke to merit of him vnâ—esse he bring some thing of his owne to merit with and not that which is his of whom hee doth intend to merit But all our vertues our Faith and good workes are Gods so farre as they bee good and not ours For what haue we which wee haue not receiued Without me saith Christ Ye can dâ—e nothing Of our selues we are not able to thinke one good thought When we eâ—ther beleeue or worke though that faith be ours and albeit the workes â—e ours yet when we haue them we haue them not of our selues but they are giuâ—n of God Whatsoeuer saith Augustine Cornelius wrought well Totum Dâ—o dandam est it must all be ascribed vnto God lest any maÌ„ happily should exalt himself Therfore it is absurde to think we merit any thing by good deedes Fiftly good workes in nature follow Iuâ—tification Augustine saith Iustification goes before the doers of the law Mâ—â— being iustified by beleeuing begin afâ—erwards to liue righteously And Saint Paul saith that God doth iustifie the Vngodly By which then it is plainâ— that no man is iustified for his works Finally wee haue the sentence of the Scriptures with vs and the iudgement of the auncient Church Wee haue beleeued in Iesus Christ saith Paul that we might be iustified by the faith of Christ and not by the workes of the lame because that by the workes of the law no flesh shall be iustified God both saued vs not according to the workes of righteousnesse which we haue done but according to his mercie Ambrose saith Let no man glorie in works because no man is iustified by his works Augustine faith The vngodly is iustified by faith without the merits of good workes Primasius saith It is Gods purpose to iustifie the wicked by faith alone without the workes of the law or any other merits of ours whatsoeuer Hâ—miniâ— iustitia indulgentia Deâ— Gods pardon saith Bernard is mans righteousnesse My merit saith hee is Gods mercie Wee conclude therefore saying with Ambroâ—e Wee are not iustified by works but by faith because fleshly 〈◊〉 is an impedimeÌ„t to