is true God This righteousnesse of Christ which is called the righteousnesse of God by which we are justified the Papists even Bellarmine himselfe sometimes confesse to be a plenary satisfaction to God and by him imputed to them that beleeve and that this righteousnesse of Christ is the meritorious cause of our justification and that by the merit of Christs righteousnesse we are justified and yet they cannot abide to heare that it is the matter of justification when as wee by the matter of justification understand nothing but that righteonsnesse which is imputed to justification Now it is certaine that the righteousnesse of Christ neither active nor passive which were transient nor the merit thereof can otherwise be communicated to us but by imputation Even as the actuall transgression of Adam and the guilt thereof were by imputation communicated to us Neither could inherent righteousnesse bee merited for us unto our sanctification unlesse his righteousnesse it selfe and the merit thereof were first imputed to us unto justification no more than the actuall sinne of Adam could have infected us with originall corruption if his sinne and the guilt thereof had not first beene imputed to us § V. The fecond part of the assumption was that the righteousnesse inherent in us is our righteousnesse which one would thinke should need no proofe For though we receive it from God as wee doe all other good things which wee have yet it as well as all other good things even our daily bread which we have received from God is to be called ours All good things which we have are Gods gifts and yet they are not called his but ours As our bodies our soules our life our liberty our learning our wisedome our charity our temperance our piety c. and so our righteousnesse The Papists and some others doe teach that that righteousnesse is called Gods righteousnesse which wee shall have from God and that ours which wee have from our selves and by the strength of nature whereto I answer first there can bee no righteousnesse which is not the gift of God from whom all gifts doe come Neither is it credible that the Iewes who were instructed in Gods word should ever looke to bee justified by a righteousnesse not received from God The Pharisee himselfe who trusted unto his owne righteousnesse and thought as the Apostle speaketh of the Iewes to be justified by his owne righteousnesse acknowledged it to be the gift of God and therefore thanked him for it And hereunto Bellarmine elsewhere accordeth endeavouring by the example of the Pharisee who trusted in himselfe as being righteous to prove that men are not justified by speciall faith or by affiance in Gods speciall mercie And lest any should object that hee trusted to a righteousnesse which he had of himselfe hee addeth Neither can it bee said that the Pharisee had faith or affiance of Gods benevolence by reason of his owne merits as though hee â—…eleeved that he had his righteousnesse from himselfe Nam agebat gratias Deo de sua justitia proinde à Deo eam se habere credebat for he gave God thankes for his righteousnesse and therefore beleeved that he had it from God Secondly the righteousnesse of God by which wee are justified is without the Law revealed in the Gospell but all that righteousnesse which is from God within us is fully and perfectly described in the Law § VI. Thirdly as the severall parts of inherent righteousnesse though received from God as being his gifts of grace are notwithstanding called ours as our faith Matth. 9. 2 22. Rom. 1. 8. Hab. 2. 4. â—…am 1. 3. Our charity 2 Cor. 8. 8 24. 1 Cor. 16. 24. Philem. 1. and 7. Our hope Phil. 1. 20. 1 Thess. 2. 19. Our good workes Mat. 5. 16. Apoc. 2. 2. Our patience Luk. 21. 19. 2 Thess. 1. 4. Apoc. 2. 2. 3. 10. 13. 10. So righteousnesse inherent is in very many places of Scripture called ours whereof I will quote some Gen. 30. 33. 1 Sam. 26. 23. 2 Sam. 22. 21 25. 1 King 8. 32. Iob 33. 26. Psalm 7. 8. 18. 20 24. 35. 27. 112. 3 9. Prov. 11. 5 6. Eccl. 7. 16. Esa. 5. 23. 64. 6. Ezech. in his 3. 4. 18. and 33. chapters foureteene times Matth. 5. 20. and 6. 1. according to the Latine 2 Cor. 9. 9 10. but there are two which are most remarkeable Psalm 4. 1. where David thus calleth upon the Lord O God of my righteousnesse that is saith Bellarmine à quo est omnis meâ—… justitia acknowledging all his righteousnesse to bee from God and yet calleth it his owne righteousnes Esa. 54. 17. their righteousnesse is from me saith the Lord from God but yet theirs If it bee objected out of Augustine that it is called the righteousnesse of God non qua justus est sed qua nos justos facit not whereby hee is just but whereby hee maketh us just I answer that Christs righteousnesse both habituall and actuall both active and passive is such for it is not that whereby God that is the Godhead is just but that whereby hee maketh us just Fourthly whereas the Papists will needes have the righteousnesse of God by which wee are justified and which is the principall matter taught in the Gospell to be inherent in us though from God they confound Gods righ teousnes and ours and thereby confound the Law and the Gospell and by confounding them abolish the righteousnes of God as before by confounding justification with sanctification they abolished the benefit of justification and evacuate the Gospell or at least with the false Apostles Gal. 1. teach another Gospell whiles they teach another righteousnesse whereby to bee justified than the righteousnes of God which whosoever doth though hee were an Apostle though an Angel from heaven he ought to be held accursed § VII Our second argument That is the matter of our justification besore God by which wee being sinners in our selves for that justification which the Scriptures teach is the justification of a sinner doe stand righteous before God which wee being sinners may oppose to the judgement of God why he should not condemne us which wee being sinners may interpose betwixt Gods justice and us and which we may plead as a full satisfaction to God for us Such is the righteousnes of Christ for being sinners in our selves yet beleeving in Christ we are in him accepted and constituted righteous The righteousnesse of Christ is that which we being sinners in our selves may oppose to Gods judgement or interpose betwixt Gods justice and us which wee may plead as a full satisfaction made in our behalfe For though by our sins wee have deserved to bee condemned and to be excluded from heaven yet if wee beleeve in Christ his sufferings are accepted in our behalfe to free us from hell and his obedience to entitle us unto heaven In him we have borne the penalty in him wee
with which many come to baptisme and to shew that faith which justifieth is commanded by the will to note the difference of forced faith such as is in Devils and was in those men who beleeved in Christ compelled by the miracles but Christ did not concredit himselfe to them for such a faith doth not justifie For as science is begotten by virtue of demonstrative reason so faith is not demonstrated but is undertaken by the virtue or power of the will captivating the understanding unto the obedience of Christ who doth infuse it wherefore Augustine tract 26. in Ioan. other things saith hee a man may doe against his will but none can beleeve but he that is willing § VI. Thus have I proved against Bellarmine that to beleeve is an act of the will as well as of the understanding and that the seat of faith is neither the understanding alone nor the will alone but the mind which comprehendeth both Howbeit I cannot altogether subscribe to the judgement of the Schoole-men and other learned men whether Protestants or Papists who teach that the understanding is commanded by the will to assent unto divine truthes and that it doth credere ex imperio voluntatis For I doe not conceive how the will which is intellectus extensus and followeth the judgement of the practike understanding in so much that it willeth nothing but what the understanding approveth and judgeth to be willed how it I say should command the understanding Neither doth their reason satisfie which is this that the understanding of man in matters pertaining to Science is determined to one thing by the evidence of the thing or necessity of reason not by the Will but the understanding of man in matters belonging to faith which sometimes surpasse the capacity of humane reason cannot be determined to any particular either by the evidence of the thing or by necessity of reason both which are wanting in the objects of faith which are things hoped for and things not seene And therefore say they there can no assent bee given unlesse the understanding be commanded by the will to assent But I answere as the ground of knowing things by Science is the evidence of the thing or necessity of reason so the ground of beleeving things is the authority of God speaking in his word which is infallible and in certainty surpasseth the grounds of Science and by it the understanding is determined to such particulars as it conceiveth to be revealed of God As therefore in things of science which the understanding doth judge to bee evident and of necessary truth the will doth readily embrace them following therin the judgment of the understanding and so the mind which containeth both faculties doth willingly and yet necessarily assent therto moved therunto by the evidence of necessary truth so in matters of faith which the understanding though it comprehends them not yet doth judge infallibly true moved thereto by the authority of God revealing those truthes the Will as I conceive being captivated by the understanding and submitting it selfe to the judgement thereof the mind doth willingly and yet necessarily assent to such truthes revealed by God moved thereunto by the infallible authority of God speaking in his Word Which in certainty of truth doth farre surmount all grounds of science and doth captivate the understanding and it the Will Why therefore the assent to divine truthes which are grounded upon a most certaine and inâ—…allible soundation which perswadeth the understanding should more proceed from the Will than the assent to humane sciences I cannot conceive or why the Will should command the understanding in them more than in matters of science CAP. VI. Of the object of justifying faith § I. SO much of the subject now wee come to the object of justifying â—…aith where the question ought not to be made coneeming the object of faith at large but of that object which is proper to faith as it justifieth For we doe freely confesâ—…e that the object of faith is all and every truth revealed unto us by God and that the word of God is objectum fidei adaquatum the even object of â—…aith that is we are bound to beleeve whatsoever is contained in the word but what is not contained in the word of God we are not to beleeve it as a matter of â—…aith And that therefore by the â—…ame faith by which we are justified we beleeve whatsoever is contained in the written word of God whether expressely or by necessary consequence So that Bellarmine might have saved a great deale of labour idlely spent in proving that which we confesse that by faith we beleeve the creation and all other truths revealed in the word yea we professe him to have no true justifying faith who denieth credit to any thing which hee findeth revealed by God Howbeit the Papiâ—… extend this object not onely to the Canoâ—…icall Scriptures but also to those which we according to all almost antiquitieâ—… call Apocryphall and not onely to the written word but also to their unwritten verities as they call the traditions of the Church of Rome that is such doctrines and ordinances as that Church doth teach and observe having no ground nor warrant in the Scriptures The which notwithstanding whiles they doe not onely match but also preferre them before the written word doe evidently prove the Pope who by their doctrine is above the Church and the Church above the Scriptures to bee Antichrist But this is another controversie whereinto I may not now make an excuâ—…sion Onely I desire the Reader to take notice of this marke among others of the Catholike Apostaâ—…ie of the Romane Church which hath not onely departed from the ancient doctrine and rule of faith which is the Scriptures but also have set up a new rule the last resolution of their faith being into the infallible judgement and irrefragable authority of the Bishop of Rome and to this purpose let him consider these two testimonies of Saint Bâ—…sil it is a manifest falling away from the faith and conviction of pride either to reject any of those things that are written or to bring in any of those things that are not written The other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 All that is without the Scripture inspired of God being not of faith is sinne § II. But howsoever by that faith which justifieth wee beleeve all and every truth revealed by God yet the proper and formall Object of justifying faith quatâ—…nus justificat and by beleeving whereof it doth justifie is not every truth but that onely which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is called the Truth that is Christ with all his merits Ioh. 14. 6. or the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ or the Promises of the Gospell concerning justification and salvation by Christ which often times in the Scripture is called the Truth as Ioh. 1. 17. 5. 33. 8. 31 32. and as some thinke Ioh. 8. 44. and by Christâ—… owne
of Christ through fâ—…ith then are we not justified by workes But the first I have demonstrated by many undeniable arguments therefore the second must be granted 4. If we be justified by imputative righteousnesse that is to say by the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to them that beleeve the Lord imputing righteousnesse unto them without workes then it is evident that wee are not justified by workes but that is most true as hath plentifully beene proved therefore this 5. If we be justified by faith alone then not by workes But we are justified by faith alone as hath beene proved therefore not by workes The arguments reduced to these five heads which were very many and impregnable might satisfie any reasonable man who is not wilfully addicted to his owne erroneous conceits though I should adde no more but because wee have to deale with men unreasonable I will adde some § III. And first out of Rom. 4. 4 5 6. He that worketh not is not justified by workes he that beleeveth worketh not as the Apostle there sheweth And againe to whom faith is impured unto righteousnesse without workes they are not justified by workes to all the faithfull faith is imputed unto righteousnesse without workes therefore none of the faithfull are justified by workes The assumption is thus proved If to Abraham his faith was imputed for righteousnesse without works then are all the faithfull justified without workes for Abraham is by the Apostle propounded as a patterne therefore as he was justified so are we Rom. 4. 22 23. 24. But to Abraham his faith was imputed for righteousnesse as the Apo stle teacheth Rom. 4. 3 4 5. Therefore all the faithfull are justified without workes 2. The true doctrine of justification is taught in the Scriptures justification by workes is not taught in the Scriptures for the justification taught in the Scriptures is an action of God justifying a sinner but this by workes is neither an action of God neither is it the justification of a sinner but the action of the justitiary himselfe who by the exercise and practise of good workes increaseth his inherent justice or fanctification which hath no affinity with that justification which is taught in the Scriptures 3. None that are justified by faith are justified by workes all the faithfull are justified by faith therefore none of the faithfull are justified by workes The proposition is evidently proved by that opposition which the Apostle constantly maketh betweene faith and workes in the question of justification asfirming that men though abounding with works of grace are justified by faith without workes and saved by faith and not by workes Rom. 3. 28. 4. 3 4 5. Ephes. 2. 8 9. Tit. 3. 5. 4. If any be justified by workes then either the regenerate man or the unregenerate but neither the unregenerate as the Papists confesse nor the regenerate for they are justified already Neither doe the Scriptures acknowledge any sorts or degrees of justification before God § IV. 5. All that are justified by workes are justified by that obedience which they performe to the Law But none are justified by the obedience which they performe to the Law therefore none are justified by workes The proposition is manifest Because the Law being a perfect rule of all inherent righteousnes there neither are nor can be any good works which are not prescribed in the Law Yea whatsoever worke is not conmable to the Law is sinne The assumpâ—…ion may bee proved by many undeniable arguments First by all those places which plainely testifie that by the workes of the Law that is by obedience done to the Law no man living shall be justified Rom. 3. 20 28. Gal. 2. 16. For by the workes of the Law wee understand all duties prescibed and all that obedience which is required in the Law 2. Those that are accursed by the Law are not justified by their obedience of it For to bee justified is to bee blessed Rom. 4. 6. and therefore to be justified and to be accursed are things repugnant But all men whatsoever even those which seeke to bee justified by their obedience to the Law are by the Law accursed Therefore no man is justified by his obedience performed to the Law And this is the Apostles argument Gal. 3. 10. as I have shewed before All transgressours of the Law are by the Law accursed All men since the fall are transgressours of the Law Christ onely 〈◊〉 excepted this assumption the Apostle omitteth because hee taketh it for granted as being a truth received among the faithfull in those times though in these dayes denied by the justitiaries of Rome but elsewhere it is by the Apostle expressed as Rom. 3. 23. all have sinned Wherefore as God hath concluded all under sinne Rom. 11. 32. Gal. 3. 22. so the Law hath concluded them under the curse 3. All that are justified by their obedience to the Law doe perfectly fulfill it by a totall perfect and perpetuall obedience for he that doth not so fulfill it by doing the things commanded though he did nothing that is forbidden by doing all though he did the most by continuing in doing all and in that measure and degree which the Law requireth though he sinned but once in all his life and that either by omission or comming short of his duety is a transgressour of the Law and therefore subject to the curse of the Law because hee hath not continued in all things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them And he that offendeth in one is guilty of all Iam. 2. 10. To whom the perfect fulfilling of the Law is impossible by reason of the flesh they cannot be justified by their obedience performed to it To all even the most regenerate the perfect fulfilling of the Law is impossible by reason of the flesh Rom. 8. 3. Gal. 5. 17. as elsewhere I prove at large Therefore none though regenerate can bee justified by their obedience performed to the Law § V. Sixthly That Doctrine which is repugnant to the Scriptures is false The Doctrine of justification by workes is repugnant to the Scriptures Therefore it is false The assumption is thus proved because the Scriptures in all places where they treat of justification before God doe from the act of justification exclude workes The places of Scripture which we produce to this end Bellarmine reciteth at least some of them with purpose to answere them Rom. 3. 27. Where is boasting then It is excluded By what Law Of workes No but by the Law of faith Verse 28. Therefore wee conclude that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law to which hee might have added verse 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law there shall no flesh be justified Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham were justified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God To which he might have added vers 5. 6. To him that worketh not but
avoid the force of the Apostles arguments as if he concluded not against them we conclude that a man is justified by faith without workes but thus wee conclude that a man is not justified by workes without faith neither the Iewes by the workes of the Law nor the Gentiles by their morall workes without faith as if with faith they did justifie And this he maketh to be the Apostles meaning that workes done before or without faith doe not justifie but proceeding from faith they doe justifie and so is not ashamed to make the Apostle to contradict himselfe But the Apostle doth constantly teach that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law by faith and not by workes and maketh such an opposition betweene faith and works in the question of justification that if we bee justified by the one we are not justified by the other for if by faith then of grace and if of grace then not by workes or if by workes then not of grace It is therefore a most shamelesse and Antichristian perverting of the Apostles doctrine to make him teach that works proceeding from faith doe justifie and that we are justified both by faith and by workes when hee plainely teacheth the contrary CHAP. III. Bellarmines answers to the forenamed places of Scripture refuted § I. FRom these three things thus premised Bellarmine saith it will bee easy to answere all those places which were alleaged And first to Rom. 3. 27. he shapeth an answere unto which I have sufficiently replyed before saving that here hee addeth that not all glorying is excluded but only that which ariseth from such workes as are only done by the strength of â—… mans owne freewill And that hee proveth because the Apostle saith Ubi est gloriatio tua Where is thy boasting that is that boasting whereby thou gloriest in thy selfe and not in the Lord. Whereunto I reply that the word tua thine is not in the originall And if it were yet that glorying whereby thou dost glory though it bee in the Lord though in the grace and favour of God though in thy workes proceeding from grace is thy glorying As the Apostle saith this is our glorying even the testimony of our conscience c. 2 Cor. 1. 12. and 1 Cor. 9. 15. it were better for mâ—… to dye than that any man should make my glorying void 1 Cor. 15. 31. By our rejoycing which I have in Christ Iesus our Lord. § II. The second testimony recited by Bellarminâ—… was from the example of Abraham Rom. 4. For if Abraham who was a most excellent precedent of faith and obedience and is propounded as a patterne for the matter and forme of justification was not justified by his works which proceeded from his faith but notwithstanding that he abounded with workes of grace hee was justified by faith without workes then all the faithfull in like manner though abounding with workes of grace proceeding from faith are not justified by their workes of grace but are justified by faith without workes but the antecedent is evident by the testimony of the Apostle therefore the consequent is a certaine truth Bellarmine answereth that Abraham was justified by faith not by workes going before faith because they could not bee truely just unlesse it were in respect of externall righteousnesse and therefore if he had beene justified by them which he could not have beene unlesse they were truly just hee should have had glory but with men not with God But when we reply that Abraham at that time whereof the Apostle speaketh that he was justified by faith and not by workes and that righteousnesse was imputed unto him without workes was a man regenerate excelling in the grace of faith and abounding in good workes which he wrought by faith And therefore when hee denieth him to bee justified by workes he plainely teacheth that the faithfull are not justified by workes proceeding from faith but although they abound with workes of grace proceeding from their faith yet they are justified by faith without workes To this unanswerable argument taken from the example of Abraham Bellarmine frameth two answeres but such as men use to make when they are brought to a meere non-plus First he saith that Abraham indeed at that time whereof the Apostle speaketh was regenerate and through faith wrought many good workes Notwithstanding the Apostle when hee saith that hee was justified by faith and not by workes doth not reject his workes wrought by faith but affirmeth that they were not wrought without faith because if they had beene such they would not have justified him Therefore he excludeth the workes which Abraham might have wrought not by faith § III. Where Bellarmine first taketh that for granted which the Apostle professedly disputeth against and concludeth the contrary namely that Abraham was justified by workes As if the meaning of the Apostle when he argueth that Abraham was justified by faith without works had beene this that he was justified by workes but yet such as were not without faith Secondly he inverteth the question and perverteth the disputation of the Apostle for the mainetenance of his owne errour As if the question were not whether faith doe justifie without workes which the Apostle affirmatively concludeth but whether works doe justifie without faith which question the Apostle doth not once mention which I desire the readers to take notice of For if the question which the Apostle disputeth be not this whether works doe justifie without faith but this whetheâ—… faith doth justifie without workes then are the Papists evidently confuted by the disputation of the Apostle 3. He supposeth that faithfull Abraham endued with abundant grace might doe good workes without faith and without grace and that the Apostle excludeth such workes not which Abraham did but such as the might have done but did not For it is certaine that the faithfull as when they sinne through infirmity doing that evill which they would not doe may say with the Apostle Rom. 7. 17. Not I but sinne that dwelleth in me so when they performe any good worke they may say with the same Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 10. Not I but the grace of God which is with me 4. It is against sense to make the Apostle dispute that Abraham was not justified by such works as he might have done but did not but more senselesse when he maketh the Apostle to dispute that Abraham was not justified by his sinnes For how doth he prove that they who have faith may worke sometimes without faith by two instances as namely first when they sinne As if the Apostle had said though Abraham were a faithfull man yet some workes he might doe not of faith as namely when he sinned for sinnes are not of faith and by such workes hee was not justified And the like is his second instance when they doe workes purely morall without relation to God for such if they be not of faith are sins But
by some inherent gift The proposition which no man denieth he laboreth to prove by three arguments which he might very well have spared but that he would have the world to thinke that we deny sanctification to be inherent The assumption which do we deny he proveth by his own authority alleaging that in the fifth and the sixth verses The Apostle describeth justification which indeed he doth not to be regeneration and renâ—…vation wroughâ—… in us out of the bounty of God by the laver of Baptisme and effusion of the holy Ghost This we deny first because the word justifie never in the whole Scriptures is used in that sense secondly here the Apostle in plaine termes saith that we are justified and saved not by works of righteousnesse whereby is excluded all justice inherent but by Gods grace How then doth he prove it because in these words vers 7 that being justified by his grace wee might bee heires in hope of eternall life the Apostle rendreth a reason why God by the laver and by the Holy Ghost did regenerate and renew us and saith the cause was that being justified that is saith he that being by that regeneration and renovation justified we might deserve to be made heires of the kingdome and of life everlasting Answ. This glosse maketh the Apostle not like himselfe but like a popish merit-monger corrupteth the text which indeed doth paralell that 1 Cor. 6. 11. shewing how men converted from Gentilisme to Christianity shuld be exhorted to the performance of Christian duties For howsoever whiles they were Gentiles they were addicted to many vices and sinnes yet after they were called which the Apostle expresseth thus after that the bounty and humanity of God was manifested viz. by the preaching of the Gospel God not out of any desert of theirs but out of his meere mercy saved them by Baptisme as Saint Peter also speaketh that is justified them for that is the salvation we have here to bee intitled to salvation or saved in hope that being justified by his grace that is as he said before by his undeserved mercy they should be made heires according to hope of eternall life that is they might be saved in hope Of this sentence therefore stripped of its amplifications as it were its garments the naked substance is this But after we were called God by Baptisme justified us that being justified by his grace we might be saved in hope The amplifications which are added are to set forth and describe Baptisme unto us which as hee had noted to be the seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith when he saith that God justified or saved us by it so he calleth it the laver of regeneration and of the renovation wrought by the Spirit which God hath plentifully bestowed upon us So that these words are not a description of justification as Bellarmine dreameth waking but of Baptisme And they are added according to the purpose of the Apostle in this place as arguments to move men to Christian duties Why Because Baptisme as it was a seale unto them of their justification so also a Sacrament of their regeneration and renovation of the Spirit which Spirit God hath poured forth plentifully upon the faithfull which he speaketh to this end that the faithfull which are Baptized should make this use of their Baptisme not onely as of a seale to assure them of their justification and salvation but also to be a Sacrament token memoriall of their regeneration and renovation wrought by the Spirit plentifully poured upon them To which purpose the Apostle telleth the Romans that so many as were baptized into Christ were baptized into the similitude of Christs death and resurrection whereupon the Apostle inferreth in the next words vers 8. this is a faithfull saying and these things I will thou shouldest affirme and confirme that they which have beleeved in God ought to bee carefull precedents of good workes The Aposâ—…le therefore doth not say as Bellarmine maketh him speake that we are justified or saved or made heires of salvation by regeneration or renovation and much lesse that thereby we merit our inheritance but that God hath justified or saved us Sacramentally by Baptisme which as it is the seale of our justification and salvation so it is also the laver of regeneration and renovation wrought by the Spirit that being justified by his grace we might according to hope bee made heires of eternall life For howsoever we are neither justified nor saved nor made heires of eternall life by our Sanctification yet Sanctification is both the way wherein from our justification wee are to walke unto glorification For God hath chosen us to salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit 2 Thes. 2. 13. and therefore sanctification as it is a necessary consequent of our justification so it is a necessary fore-runner of glorification a necessary marke and cognizance of all that are justified and to be saved And therefore ouâ—… Saviour saith that by faith in him wee receive remission of sinnes and inheritance among them that are sanctified and so the Apostle also Act. 20. 32. § IX His fifth testimony is Heb. 11. and some other places of the Scripture which doe give testimony to some men that they were truly and perfectly just and that not by an imputative justice but inherent his reason is because the Scriptures would not call them absolutely just if they were not absolutely just Answ. To omit that it is one thing to be absolutely called just and another to be just absolutely and perfectly I answere that the faithfull who are commended in the Scriptures for righteous were righteous by a twofold justice both imputative and inherent The former being the righteousnesse of justification the latter of sanctification the former absolute and perfect the latter inchoated and unperfect By the former they were justified before God in respect of the latter though they were also called just yet they were not justified thereby that is they were neither absolved thereby from their sinnes past nor intitled to the kingdome of heaven as may appeare by all those Arguments which before I produced against justification by inherent righteousnesse As for those examples which hee alleageth out of Heb. 11. which is the Chapter of saith namely of Abel vers 4. and Noah vers 7. c. it is evident that they were justified by the righteousnesse which is of faith as is expresly said of Noah vers 7. that is by the righteousnesse of Christ apprehended by faith and imputed to them that beleeve for the righteousnefse which is of faith is imputative Rom. 4. 5. And when it is said that without faith they could not possibly have pleased God it is plainely intimated that by faith they pleased God and that they being besore justified by faith brought forth the fruits of faith acceptable unto God by which their faith was approved But as they were just by imputation that
by imputation of his obedience properly wee are entituled to the kingdome of heaven as I have shewed heretofore But in the popish justification there is neither remission of sinnes properly to free them from hell nor donation of such juâ—…tice as may entitle them to heaven For neither the abolition or extinction of sinne present by infusion of righteousnesse though it were compleate as it is not can satisfie for their former sinnes nor can their righteousnesse being unperfect give them right to heaven But it is the onely satisfaction of Christ by his righteousnesse and obedience both Passive and Active which being communicated unto beleevers by imputation doth both free them from hell and giveth them a Title and Right to the Heavenly Kingdome His proofe taken from the courts of men I admit as good against them who holding that wee are justified onely by the Passive righteousnesse of Christ doe make justification to bee nothing else but remission of sinnes For they whom being guilty in themselves as we all aâ—…e before God a judge doth justifie are freed indeed from punishment but they doe not thereby obtaine new rewards Howbeit there is a great dissimilitude betweene Gods justification of men and that of humane Iudges For a judge by his absolution though he doth free the guilty and indeed faulty parson from punishment and from the guilt binding him over to punishment and thereby perhaps bewrayeth his owne unjustice yet he doth not free him from the fault nor doth he make him righteous and much lesse doth hee indow him with new priviledges But when God doth justifie a beleeving sinner hee doth not onely free him from hell and from the guilt binding him over to condemnation by imputation of Christ sufferings but also by imputation of Christ obedience he maketh him righteous and an heire of eternall life And in thus justifying a beleeving sinner he is just because Christ by his sufferings hath fully satisfied for his sinnes and by his obedience hath merited for him eternall life § XIII His third reason justification of enemies maketh us Gods friends children beloved Citizens of Heaven the Domesticks of God heires of his kingdome as the Scriptures every where speake therefore it doth not stand onely in remission of sinnes Thus farre we agree with him But as it is a good argument against those who hold justification to bee nothing else but remission of sinne so it maketh not for him who holdeth justification by infusion of righteousnesse but against him For whereas the Scriptures testifie that God when he justifieth men hee doth of enemies make them his beloved friends and his children c. It is to be confessed that here is a very great change but is it reall or relative by infusion or by imputation Surely when God reconcileth men unto himselfe and of enemies maketh them his favourites when he adopteth men and of the children of the devill maketh them his owne children when justifying men hee doth of foes make them his beloved friends of bondslaves not onely freemen but also Citizens of heaven of alients his Domesticks of men obnoxious to damnation heires of his Kingdome hee doth not these things by infusion of any reall or positive qualities into them but these are externall favours which God vouchsafeth unto them when forgiving their sinnes and imputing unto them the righteousnesse of his Sonne hee doth in him accept them for such yea and in respect of his relation unto them maketh them such as before they were not And when he hath made men such by imputation he also maketh them such by infusion of such qualities and dispositions as are answerable to that which they are called as I shewed in the beginning whom God receiveth into his grace and favour them hee endueth with grace whom hee redeemeth from the servitude of sinne and Satan hee maketh them his faithfull servants they who are the sonnes of God by adoption are also his sonnes by regeneration and finally those whom God doth justifie them also he doth sanctifie § XIV And this is all which Bellarmine hath brought for the proofes of justification by inherent and infused righteousnesse either from the Scriptures or from naturall reason Afterwards indeed in his eighth Chapter hee produceth the testimonies of Augustine and some others which he calleh the tradition of the ancient Fathers as if they did agree with the doctrine of the present Church of Rome which they doe not For first though some of the Latine Fathers led by the notation of the Latine word which was not to be respected it being bnt the translation of the Hebrew and Greeke did under the name of justification include the benefit of sanctification whereof there is no example in the Scriptures yet they did not exclude that which the Scriptures call justification as â—…the Papists doe For they acknowledged that justification containeth remission of sinnes and that it standeth chiefly in remission of sinnes that being our happinesse and therefore implying besides the not imputing of sinne acceptation unto life The Papists also talke of remission but their remission is not that which the Scriptures and Fathers speake of for the Scriptures and Fathers and all ancient Writers whatsoever by remission understand veniam pardon condonation forgiving not imputing of sinne absolving from it which is a distinct action of God from infusion of righteousnesse that being a worke of God without us working no reall or positive change within us and herein wee have the consent of all antiquity The Papists by remission of sinne understand the expulsion or extinction the utter deletion or abolition of sinne which is not a distinct action as they teach from infusion of righteousnesse but one and the same action which is the infusion of righteousnesse expelling sinne And is an action of God not without us as the other but within us working in us a reall and possitive change And therefore remission of sinne in the Popish sense belongeth not to justification but to perfect sanctification as being a totall mortification of sinne which none attaine unto in this life but of this point I have already treated in the second question of the first controversie Secondly the fathers oftentimes use the word justification in the same sense that wee doe according to the Scriptures as implying the forgivenesse of sinnes and acceptation unto life by the satisfaction and merits of Christ communicated unto us As namely when they teach as very oft they doe that we are justified by faith alone which they could not have taught if by justifying they had meant sanctifying for we are not sanctified by faith alone as all confesse Thirdly the Fathers did not looke to bee justified before God by any righteousnesse inherent in themselves or performed by them but renounced it as being unperfect and stained with the flesh And therefore where they speake of justification by inherent righteousnesse they meant sanctification and not justification before God whereof our question
or reason nor manifested by discourse and yet we doe know and are undoubtedly perswaded of the necessary and infallible truth thereof moved theâ—…unto by the divine authority of the propounder which is the Spirit of truth that is called faith which is as you heard out of Basil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an undoubted assent or full perswasion or assurance eui falsum subesse non potest the subject whereof cannot be false Where fourthly you see indeed that faith is distinguished against Science and evident intelligence but as a speciall under the same generall which is notitia knowledge And therefore the mysteries of saith which surpasse our reason though we doe not understand them by that knowledge which is of propositions either manifâ—…st in themselves or manifested by discourse yet wee know them to be undoubtedly true because of the authority of the propounder knowing whom we doe beleeve And therefore fifthly very absurd was he who said that faith may better be defined by ignorance than by knowledge § XV. Thus have wee seene the salshood of the popish doctrine concerning implicite faith now let us shew the wickednesse of it which consisteth in this that it is an horrible couzenage of the people to their perdition Here therefore two things are to bee shewed first that it is an egregious imposture and couzenage Secondly that it is extremely pernicious to the people Their cozenage stands in this that when they say that the faith required iu a lay man as sufficient to his justification is to beleeve or rather to professe himselfe to beleeve whatsoever the Catholike Church beleeveth though in particular he know not what the Church beleeveth their meaning is that the church of Rome and therein the Pope is not onely the whole materiâ—…ll object but also the formall object of their faith I say the whole materiall object For they teach that whatsoever is to bee beleeved is reduced to this one article of the Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Church and that this faith is a more 〈◊〉 faith than if a man should say I beleeve the whole Scriptures For hee that beleeveth the Catholike Church beleevâ—…th whatsoever the Catholike Church propoundeth to be beleeved Now their Church propoundeth to be beleeved not onely tho whole written word both Apocryphall and Canonicall but the unwritten also which are the traditions of the Church They make the Church also the formall object of saith not onely which wee beleeve but also for which wâ—… beleeve whatsoever is to bee beleeved and so make the Church to be the rule and the principium or principle of their faith These are the grounds of their imposture But their cozenage especially consisteth in this that whatsoever excellencie they ascribe to the Catholike Church that they attribute wholly and onely to the Church of Rome and therein to the Pope For thâ—…s they expound that Article in their new Creed I beleeve the holy Catholike Apostolicall Church of Rome the Mother and Mistris of all other Churches out of which there is no salvation So excluding from salvation all those that have beene are or shall bee who live not in communion with and subjection to the Church and Pope of Rome This is the principall Nâ—…t whereby the greatest number of silly soules are cony â—…ch'd § XVI No doubt the Apostle by Catholike understood the Vniversall and not any particular Church fuch as the Church of Rome which was not then extant when the Creed was made as themselves doe â—…each And thereâ—…ore the Apostles themselves when they made the Creed were not of that Church And by holy Vniversall Church being an object of faith and therefore not seene they understand the universall company of the Elect which is the body of Christ containing not onely the Militant Church but also the Triumphant and not onely the Church after the ascâ—…ion of Christ but also before from the beginning of the world And not onely those who were or are under the Pope but also â—…hose who never acknowledged any subjection to the See of Rome such as were the Churches under the other foure Patriarâ—…es of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem and such as are the greatest part of Christâ—… at this day But if by Vniversall must be meant particular and if by Catholike must be understood Romane then by their doctrine from the company of them that are and shall be saved are excluded first the Church Triumphant secondly the Church which was from the beginning untill the Church of Rome was planâ—…d thirdly the foure 〈◊〉 Churches and others which acknowledged no subjection to the See of Rome in which were many Holy Martyrâ—… and the most of the godly and learned Fathers In all which time the Bishop of Rome was at the most but a Patriarch as others were untill 〈◊〉 that barbarous Tyraâ—…t in the yeare of our Lord 607. made him Vniversall Bishop and Head of the Vniversall Church the proper titâ—… of Antichrist fourthly all those Churches which since that time and at this day acknowledgâ—…â—…o subjection to the Pope as their Head which is the greater and better part of Christendome Now what a 〈◊〉 is this to perswade men that there is no salvation for those who doe not acknowledge the Pope to be their head that is who are not limmes and members of Antichristâ—… especially when the Scriptures teach that Antichrist prevailâ—… in them onely â—… that perish § XVII But although this be a grand imposture as a right reverend learned man hath shewed to teach men to beleeve that the Church of Rome alone is the Catholike Church out of which noâ—…e can be saved yet this is but halfe of their cozenage For 〈◊〉 article of the Church they expound as if it were not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeve that there is a Church as when it is said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. I beleeve the commâ—…ion of Saints there mission of â—…nnes c. but as if it were said eredo Ecolâ—…sia oâ—… rather in Ecclesiam I beleeve the Church or in the Church as that which cannot 〈◊〉 and consequently beleeve whatsoâ—…er the Church teacheth or propoundeth to be beleeved making thâ—… Church 〈◊〉 formall object of their faith and principall rule or principle into which their faith is last resolved for which they give credit to the Scriptures themselves which receive their credit and authority from the Church Now by this Church they meane not the universall company of Catholikes for they are compared to Iobs Asses but the Prelates of the Church of Rome and among them the Pope who virtually is the Church in whom alone the prerogative of not erring resideth For a generall or Oecumenicall counsell which is the whole Church representative they say without the Pope may erre but the Pope himselfe alone without a councell cannot erre And therefore the authority of a generall councell and of the Pope together is no more
violence of fire Heb. 11. 33. 34. Answ. These examples recorded in the Scriptures were not wrought by the faithfull themselves but the Lord because they â—…id beleeve and trust in him sent his Angell to stoppe the mouths of Lions Dan. 6. 22. 23. and to quench the violence of fire Dan. 3. 17. 25. Howbeit if themselves had wrought these miracles it would prove no more but that some who had justifying faith had also the faith of working miracles Neither doth our Saviour Luk. 17. say that if a man had the justifying faith like a graine of mustard seed hee should be able to remoove mountaines for those who have had a great and a strong faith as namely Abraham have had no such power Yea but he speaketh of that faith which the disciples prâ—…ied him to increase Luk. 17. 5. But say I if you compare the place with his parallell Matth. 17. 20. it will appeare that both our Saviour and his Apostle speake of the faith of miracles For when our Saviour reproved them for their want of faith in that they were not able to cure the Lunaticke who notwithstanding were endued with justifying faith as many others are who though they have a strong faith yet are not able to worke such a cuâ—…e they desire our Saviour to increase or as the word is adde unto them faith Whereupon our Saviour returneth this answeare if you had faith as a graine of mustard seed c. doth hee meane justifying faith God forbid for then no man living could bee said to have so much of justifying faith as is a graine of mustard seed § IV. And whereas in the last place hee would prove by the conjunction of these three Faith Hope and Charity verse 13. that hee speaketh of the same faith whereof he had spoken verse 2. I answere first that it followeth not for here the Apostle maketh a new comparison of of Charity with Faith and Hope preferring it before them as greater both in respect of the breadth or 〈◊〉 for whereas the benefit of Faith and Hope respecteth habentem him that hath them Charity is extended to others and also in respect of the length or continuance For whereas Faith and Hope doe cease in the life to come faith being swallowed up in vision and hope in fruition love neverthelesse is continued with increase Secondly this place maketh rather against him Now saith the Apostle that is during this life these three abide none of them failing altogether in this life and therefore they alwayes goe together insomuch that whosoever hath any one of them hath alâ—…o the other two No man can have love or hope unlesse he have faith and no man hath true saith but he hath both love and hope and according to the measure of his faith such is the measure both of his love and of his hope For as that of Gregory is most true quantum credimus â—…antum amamus so it is no lesse true quantum credimus tantum speramus As for his allegation out of Augustine affirming that faith may be without charity I deny not but that the faith of hypocrites which beareth the name of faith as a carcase or counterfeit do of the man whose they are is without charity but profiteth not But that justifying faith may be without charity he saith not for how can it bee a justifying faith and not profit § V. His third testimony is Iaâ—… 2. 14. c. Where saith he Saint Iames not onely teacheth but also proveth that faith without workes doth not justific and that it may be without workes We answer that hee doth not speake of a true justifying faith but of faith professed onely or of the profession of faith which I proved before And this appeareth vers 14. where the question disputed in that discourse is propounded What doth it profit my brethren if a man shall say that hee hath faith or professeth himselfe to beleeve and hath not workes can 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that faith of his which is in profession onely and without workes save him or justifie him No by no meanes for this affirmative interrogation is a most emphaticall negation This place therfore prooveth the contrary viz. that faith which is wiâ—…hout workes is not a true justifying faith and therefore a true justifying faith cannot be without workes But that Saint Iames speaketh of a true faith Bellarmine endevoureth to prove by five reasons against the maine drift of the Apostle in that place which as I shewed before was to prove that such a faith as is without workes is not a true justifying faith His first reason is because Saint Iames calleth it absolutely faith which name in the Scriptures alwâ—…yes signifieth the true faith that is or else hee speaketh to no purpose the true justifying faith First I answer that Saint Iames verse 14. doth not absolutely call it faith for he doth not say if a man have faith meaning a true faith but if a man shall say that hee hath faith can that faith which is in profession only save him And so in the verses following the faith which hee impleadeth doth not signifie the habiâ—… of true faith but the bare profession of faith But doth this word faith alwaies in the Scriptures fignifie the true justifying faith Nothing lesse for many times in the New Testament and almost alwayes in the Old faith is taken for fidelâ—…ty or faithfulnesse as Tit. 2. 10. sometimes for the doctrine of faith which is beleeved which the Papists themselves call the Catholike faith As Act. 6. 5. they obeyed the faith Act. 14. 27 the doore of faith Rom. 12. 6. the analogie of faith c. sometimes the profession of faith as Act. 14. 22. Rom. 1. 8. and so as hereafter I am to shew Iam. 2. 14. 24. And in this sence many are said to beleeve that is to have faith and are called fideles that is beleevers who onely professe the faith and are in their owne profession or opinion of others beleevers So Ioh. 2. 23. 8. 30 31. 33. Act. 8. 13. 21. and in this sence all that professe the name of Christ are called after his name Christians and are termed Fideles the faithfull not that all who are so called have the true justifying faith which is not of all nor yet of all that are called but onely of the elect For among those who are called the Faithfull there are many falsi fideles who are so falsly called as wee heard before out of Gregory sometimes for the faith of miracles as 1 Cor. 12. 9. 13. 2. Mat. 17. 20. Mar. 11. 22 23. Luk. 17. 5 6. Secondly hee saith that Saint Iames in the same chapter speaking of the sâ—…me faith saith that Abrahams faith wrought with his workes Ans. this is also contrary to the drift of Saint Iames who by this argument proveth the faith which is without workes to bee no true justifying faith because it is
Exposition Ioh. 17. 17. so Ioh. 18. 37. Rom. 2. 8. â—…al 3. 1. 5. 7. Eph. 4. 21. 2 Thess. 2. 10 12. 1 Tim. 2. 4. 4. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 18. cum 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Heb. 10. 26 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 Ioh. 2. 21. 2 Iob. 1. 2. Sometimes the word of Truth or of the truth Eph. 1. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 15. Iam. 1. 18. sometimes the truth of the Gospell Gal. 2. 5. 14. or the word of the truth of the Gospell Col. 1. 5. The 〈◊〉 whereof is Christ crucified 1 Cor. 1. 23. 2. 2. For this cause justifying faith is called oftentimes the faith of Christ because he is the proper Object thereof as Rom. 3. 22 26. Gal. 2. 16. 20. 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. and faith in Christ as Act. 20. 21. 24. 24. 26. 18. Gal. 3. 26. Faith in the blood of Christ Rom. 3. 25. that faith which is in Christ Iesus 2 Tiâ—… 3. 15. sometimes the faith of the Gospell Phil. 1. 27. and which is all one the faith of the truth 2 Thess. 2. 13. Thus therfore I reason That to the beliâ—…e whereof alone and not of other things remission of sinnes justification and salvation is promised that I say is the proper object of justifying faith But to the beliefe in Christ or in the Doctrine and promises of the Gospell concerning salvation by Christ remission of sins justification and salvation is promised and not to the beliefe of other things Therefore that is the proper object of justifying faith That the Promise is made to beliefe in Christ and in the Gospell the Scriptures every whâ—…re â—…each as Ioh. 3. 15 16. 18. 36. 8. 24. 11. 25 26. â—…2 46. 20. 31. Act. 10. 43. 13. 38 39. 16 31. 26. 18. Rom. 10. 9 11. c. But not to the beliefe of other things is the promise made as of the Law or of the story of the Bible or of predictions excepting those stories and propheâ—…ies which concerne Christ. For howsoever a man cannot have a justifying faith who denieth credit to any of those other things which he findeth to be revealed by God yet not by beleeving of them but by beleeving in Christ â—…hee is justified § III. But here it may be objected that the faith whereby Abraham was justified had no relation to the promise of salvation by Christ but to the promises of God concerning his seed Whereunto I answere First that Abraham and all the rest of the faithfull before Christ beleeved in the promised seed which was the Messias to come and by that faith as the Papists themselves confesse were justifyed Secondly the promises which concerned his seed were either the same with the promise of the Gospell or it was implyed in them The maine promise was that in Abraham that is in his seed all Nations that is the faithfull in all Nations should be blessed For Abraham did not conceive that in himselfe all Nations should be blessed as if himselfe should be the foundation of Happinesse unto All but in his seed And so the Lord himselfe explaneth in Gen. 22. 18. and in thy seed that is in Christ all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed And so Zacharie Luk. 1. 68. 69 73. and Peter Act. 3. 25. This promise made to Abraham is the very same with the promise of the Gospell For as the Apostle saith the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 preached before the Gospell to Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all nations be blessed Which promise as it had beene formerly made to our first parents concerning the promised seed so was it after renewed to Isaac Gen. 26. 4. and to Iacob Gen. 28. 14. and in effect to David whose sonne according to the flesh Messias was to be who is therefore called the sonne of David and the branch of David In this promised seed Abraham and all other the faithfull beleeved and by beleeving in Him were justified § IV. The other promises concerning his seed are two The former concerning the multiplication of his seed that hee should bee Father of a multitude of Nations namely in Christ and that hee would be a God to him and his seed hee doth not say to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ Gal. 3. 16. that is Christ mysticall 1 Cor. 12. 12. containing the multitude of the faithfull in all Nations both Iewes and Gentiles This promise therefore implyeth the former that in Christ the promised seed Abraham himselfe and his seed that is the faithfull of all nations should be blessed and in confirmation of this promise he was called Abraham because he was to be a Father of many nations that is of the faithfull of all nations for none but they are accounted Abrahams seed Rom. 9. 7 8. Gal. 3. 7. 29. and for the same cause hee received the Sacrament of Circumcision as a seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith Rom. 4. 11. And that in this promise of the multiplication of his seed the promise of the Gospell was included appeareth because his faith in this promise was imputed to him for righteousnesse not for the the approbation or justifying of that act as it happened in the zealous act of Phineas Psal. 106. 30. but for the justification of his person which could not be justified but by faith in Christ. Which the Papists themselves cannot denie The chiefe thing which Abraham apprehended in the promise concerning his seed was that although he were an hundred yeere old and Sarah past child-bearing yet he should have seed by her and in that seed himselfe and all the faithfull of all Nations should be blessed § V. The latter is that they should possesse the land of promise by which as by a type was signified the heavenly Canaan under which to all the faithfull was promised the Kingdome of heaven which was the Countrey which they professing themselves Pilgrimes did seeke Heb. 11. 13 14 15 16. and into which eternall rest Iesus was to bring them who beleâ—…ve even as Ioshua the type of Christ who also is called Iesus brought the Israelites after their peregrinations into that land of rest So that in the latter Promises concerning his seed and the land of promise the former was implyed concerning the promised seed and blessednesse by him as the principall object of Abrahams faith for which chiefly hee did so much affect and desire seed Insomuch that when the Lord had promised him to bee his buckler and his exceeding great reward Abraham replied Lord God what wilt thou give mee seeing I goe childlesse As Abraham therefore who rejoyced to see our Saviour Christs day and as he and the rest of the faithfull having not received the promises concerning the promised seed but having seene them a farre off were perswaded of them
and by beleeving to receive and embrace Christ. The acts of faith in sanctifying and producing morall dueties are immediate acts or imperati which faith produceth by meanes of other virtues commanded by faith such are sperare confidere amare timere obedire pati c Of justification the man indued with faith is not the efficient but the subject and the patient who receiving by faith which is his onely act the righteousnesse of Christ is thereby justified God imputing to the beleever the righteousnesse of his Sonne and therefore though to beleeve bee his owne act yet hee is not said in the active to justifie himselfe by faith but in the passive to bee justified by faith Rom. 3. 24. 28. 5. 1. But in the duties of sanctification and in all morall duties the faithfull man is the efficient of them and his faith as it is said of arts other habits is the principium agendi the principle wherby he worketh and of them faith under God is the prime cause and as some call that which is principium agendi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Such actions are the most of those which Heb. 11. are so highly commended which though they were the fruits of justifying faith yet were the acts of faith not as it justifieth but as it sanctifieth fortifieth or otherwise qualifieth them who are endued with it and this efficiencie of faith in Greeke and Latine is oftner signified without the prepositions than with As Heb. 11. though the sence be the same Of justification therefore faith is but the instrumentall cause justifying relatively that is in respect of the object which it doth receive being the onely instrument to receive that object which alone doth justifie But of the dueties of sanctification and other morall actions such as for the most part are mentioned Heb. 11. whereof the faithfull man is the efficient justifying faith which purifieth the heart and worketh by love and other virtues as affiance c. is the prime cause working them not relatively by apprehending the object but effectually producing them as principium agendi wherby Bellarmines dispute out of Heb. 11. is confuted For there it is said saith hee that by faith the Saints overcame Kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obtained the promises stopped the mouths of Lyons c. Where the particle by doth not signifie apprehension but the true cause For faith was the cause of Abels religious offering of Noahs preparing the Arke of Abrahams obedience c. All this I confesse but that which he would inferre therupon that faith therefore doth not justifie relatively by way of apprehending the object I have already answered for that which hee spake before of apprehending relatively was idle and frivolus § VII The second part of his assumption was that saith is the beginning of justice and consequently the inchoated formall cause of justification So that now belike the seven dispositions shall be the inchoated formes of justification the entire forme being but one viz. charity and consequently the disposing faith and the disposing feare and so of the rest shall be inchoated charity which is ridiculous Bellarmine in this argument as allwayes by justification understandeth sanctification whereof and of all inherent righteousnesse wee acknowledge faith to bee the beginning and consequently the beginning of that righteousnesse by which we are formally just But of justification not the beginning only but the accomplishment and perfection is to be attributed unto faith because no sooner doe we by faith lay hold upon the righteousnesse of Christ which is most perfect but wee are perfectly justified thereby And therefore the Fathers as you heard before â—… acknowledge faith alone to suffice unto justification So Origen in Rom. 3. lib. 3. Hierome and Sedulius in Rom. 10. 10. in Gal. 3. 6. Chrysost. in Gal. 3. 6. in Tit. 1. 13. Augustin de tempore Serm. 68. Chrysâ—…log serâ—… 34. Primasius in Gal. 2. Oecumen in Col. 2. Theophylact in Gal. 3. Anselm in Rom. 4. If faith alone sufficeth unto justification then doth it not onely begin but also perfect and accomplish it For Rom. 5. 1. Being justified by faith wee have peace with God But Bellarmine endeavoureth to prove his assertion by authority of Scriptures and testimonies of Fathers His first testimony out of the Scriptures is Rom. 4. 5. to him that beleeveth in him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Where saith he faith it selfe is counted righteousnesse and consequently faith doth not apprehend the righteousnesse of Christ but faith in Christ is it selfe justice And if it be lively and perfected by Charity it shall be perfect justice if not it shall at the least be unperfect and inchoated justice Answ. If the question were concerning the approbation or justification of the act of faith or the habit I would acknowledge that the Lord doth accept the same though unperfect in it selfe as righteous As the zealous act of Phinehas was counted unto him for righteousnesse throughout all generations But the Apostle speaketh of the justification of the person who cannot by one habit and much lesse by one act of faith be formally just But forasmuch as by faith in Christ the beleever receiveth the perfect righteousnesse of Christ this faith in respect of the object doth fully justifie the beleever and is therefore counted to him for righteousnesse not that it selfe is his righteousnesse nor that he is righteous in himselfe who still in himselfe remaineth a sinner but in Christ. And such was the faith of Abraham and of all the faithfull that not in themselves but in the promised seed all that beleeve in him should be blessed that is justified The Greeke word used sometimes by the Septuagint as Gen. 18. 18. 28. 14. and retained by the Apostle Gal. 3. 8. is very significant viz. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to signifie that not in themselves but in the promised seed they should be justified and blessed for so the Apostle Rom. 4. 5 6 7. useth these words promiscuously as also Gal. 3. 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the heathen through faith preached before the Gospell unto Abraham saying in thee that is in thy seed shall all nations be blessed This blessednesse therefore this justification is obtained by faith and therefore is faith counted righteousnesse because it receiveth it As for faith it selfe absolutely considered without relation to its object we according to the Popish doctrine are justified by it neither in the act of justification nor before Not before for untill it be as they speake formed with Charity it cannot justifie nor in the act for charity alone is the formall cause of justification and then only are we formally justified when Charity is infused or else there are more formall causes of justification than one which Bellarmine according to the doctrine of the Councill of Trent doth utterly deny § VIII His second testimony 1 Corinthians 3. 11. another foundation can
man could performe justitiam legis considered in the abstract as it is described in the doctrine of the Law and as Bellarmine himselfe De justif lib. 1. cap. 1. doth consider it would justifie him because it is perfect yet considered in the concrete for that righteousnesse which men attaine unto in or by the Law doth not justifie because it is unperfect And therefore that righteousnesse which men have in or by the Law doth not fulfill the righteousnes of the Law which the Apostle calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These two distinctions Bellarmine hath devised to shift off onely two of the places cited viz. Rom. 3. 27. and Phil. 3. 8 9. both which distinctions being rightly understood make against himselfe as I have shewed § IX Now he commeth to the third thing viz. what is meant by workes For saith he our adversaries by workes which the Apostle excludeth from justification understand all works whether done before or after faith yea faith it selfe considered as a work which opinion to be most absurd and proceeding from the ignorance of the Scriptures Augustine saith hee teacheth Men not understanding what the Apostle saith we make account that a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law have thought that hee had said that faith is sufficient to a man though he live wickedly and have no good workes which be it farre from that Vessell of Election to thinke And farre bee it also from us so to thinke But although faith alone doth not suffice unto the perfection of a Christian who is to bee saved yet it alone sufficeth unto justification wherein wee have had the consent of many of the Fathers And although to the act of justifying nothing in us concurreth with faith but it alone sufficeth yet in the party justified there must concur with faith both inward graces and also outward works But here the Papists are divided among themselves Some of them thinke that by the workes of the Law are excluded not the workes of the morall but of the ceremoniall Law others that the workes of the morall Law are also excluded not all but such as goe before faith such as are done by the strength of nature without grace and without faith I answere first to both joyntly that not onely the workes of the Law are expressely excluded but all workes whatsoever indefinitely Rom. 4. 2 6. 11. 6. Eph. 2. 9. and more specially the workes which wee have done in righteousnesse Tit. 3. 5. the workes which God hath prepared for the regenerate that they should walke in them Ephes. 2. 9 10. Againe in him that is said not to worke workes are not to bee distinguished but all are understood to be excluded but hee that is justified by faiâ—…h is said not to worke Rom. 4. 4 5. and to have righteousnesse imputed to him without workes verse 6. Therefore his workes are not to bee distinguished but all are understood to be excluded § X. To the former severally I answere first that when the holy Ghost nameth the Law indefinitely he meaneth either the whole Law which is called Mishmereth the observation of the Lord or his charge containing three branches the morall the ceremoniall and the judicial Law or the chiefe part which is the morall Law And that the Apostle meaneth it especially because he speaketh of that Law by which commeth the knowledge of sinne and which was common both to Iewes and Gentiles unto which the whole world was subject Rom. 3. 19 20. whatsoever the Law saith it saith to them who are under the Law that every mouth may bee stopped and all the world may become 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 obnoxious to the judgement of God Therefore by the deedes of the Law there shall no flesh that is neither Iew nor Gentile be justified in his sight for by the Law commeth the knowledge of sinne Moreover it is evident that the Apostle in that place speaketh of that Law which forbiddeth morall offences mentioned from the tenth verse to the ninteenth and by which all both Iewes and Gentiles are convicted to be under sin ver 9. 19. Secondly it is unreasonable to be thought that any man who was a transgressour of the morall Law should looke to bee justified by the observation of the ceremoniall Law which was but a by-law being but an appendice of the first table of the morall Law as the judiciall was an appendice of the second table And further the Apostle professeth that whosoever would be circumcised was bound to the performance of the whole Law Therefore the observer of the ceremoniall law could not be justified without the observation of the morall law Thirdly this answer which is given by some of the Pontificians is rejected by Bellarmine and the greater part of learned Papists who with us following the interpretation of Augustine and other of the ancient Fathers doe confesse that by the workes of the law which the Apostle excludeth from justification are meant the workes of the morall law as well as of the rest § XI But then say I all good workes whatsoever are excluded For in the Law which is the perfect rule of all inherent righteousnesse all good workes are prescribed and therefore those which proceed from faith For if charity which is the fulfilling of the law proceedeth from faith unfained 1 Tim. 1. 5. then doe those good workes which the law prescribeth proceed from faith also or else they are not such as the law requireth And therefore frivolous is the distinction of Bellarmine and other Papists who by the workes of the law excluded from justification underâ—…tand workes done before or without faith by the strength of nature not workes proceeding from faith or workes of grace The absurdity of whâ—…ch distinction being applyed to the question in hand may further appeare 1. If workes going before justification bee excluded from being any cause thereof then much more those workes which follow justification for causes doe not use to follow after but to goe before their effects at least in order of nature 2. The question concerning justification by workes must of necessity be understood of good workes for of those which are not good no question ought to be made But workes done before or without faith are not good For whatsoever is not of faith is sinne and without faith it is impossible to please God Neither can the fruit be good whiles the Tree is bad Neither can it be imagined that a man should bee justified by the workes of the law going before faith unlesse it bee presupposed that a man without faith and before grace is able to fulfill the law For hee that doth not fulfill the law transgresseth it and hee that transgresseth it is cursed not justified by it 3. When the Apostle termeth those workes which hee excludeth from the act of justification the workes of the Law the word Law is added not by way of extenuation as
servant doing or rather but endeavouring to doe his duety is rewarded In these two the arguments are not the same A servant that doth not his duety deserveth punishment and his disobedience is the meritorious cause of his punishment But by doing his duety especially if it bee done unperfectly which is alwayes our case he doth not deserve reward and therefore if hee bee rewarded it is to be ascribed to his masters bounty and not to his desert Such an Antithesis the Apostle maketh betweene the reward of sinne and of godlinesse Rom. 6. 23. Death is the due wages of sinne but eternall life which is the reward of godlinesse is the free gift of God And further as I said before when I formerly answered this allegation In this and many other such conditionall speeches the antecedent is not the cause but a signe token or presage of the consequent If God have given you grace to mortifie the deeds of the flesh it is an evident token that you shall live If God hath adorned you with his grace it is to be presumed that he will crowne his owne grace with glory § IX And such is his seventh testimony p as before I have shewed Rom. 8. 17 18. The Spirit beareth witnesse with our spirits that we are the sonnes and heires of God and coheires with Christ if we suffer with him that wee may also bee glorified with him where is no relation at all of efficiency betwixt our sufferings and glory But Bellarmine will prove it first by the conditionall particle of which I spake in answere to the last argument which doth not as hee saith point out the cause but the evidence by which the holy Ghost doth assure us that wee are the sonnes and heires of God and coheires of Christ who shall bee glorified with him namely if we suffer with him Secondly from the reason which is added concerning the excesse of glory to our sufferings which to my understanding doth plainly confute it For if the sufferings of this life be not condigne as the Vulgar readeth it to the glory that is to come how should they merit it ex condigno as they arrogantly speake But the scope of the Apostle in this place is to encourage the faithfull to suffer for Christ which he doth by two arguments the one from the happy event which is assurance of glorification testified by the holy Spirit who testifieth unto us that if we have grace from God to suffer with Christ that we are the sonnes and heires of God and coheires of Christ who shall bee glorified with him Not that ouâ—… sufferings doe make us the sonnes and heires of God c. but that they are the signes and evidences by which the holy Ghost doth assure us that we are so The other from the disproportion betweene our sufferings from him and the glory which we shall have with him For the Aposâ—…le having weighed both resolveth for so hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that all the sufferings of this life are not comparable to that glory but of this place more hereafter § X. His eighth testimony Rom. 10. 10. with the heart wee beleeve unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation We see here saith he that faith sufficeth not to salvation because it is not true and entire in the heart unlesse thereto be added externall confession And it seemeth that the Apostle alludeth to that speech of our Saviour Matth. 12. 32 33. Him that confesseth me before men will I confesse before my Father and him that denyeth me before men will I deny before my Father that is in heaven Answ. All this we confesse that besides faith confession and many other graces and duties are necessary to salvation not as causes but as causae sine quibus non as I have often said which are no causes § XI His ninth testimony Matth. 25. 34 35. Come yee blessed of my Father possesse the kingdom prepared for you before the beginning of the world For I was hungry and you gave mee to eate c. Surely saith hee the reason which is rendred doth plainely shew that good workes are aliquo modo some way causes of salvation and that for them the kingdome of heaven is given Answ. Of this place I have spoken before when I shewed that the causes of salvation were noted vers 34. Come yee blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdome prepared for you from the foundation of the world And the reason which is rendred is taken from good workes not as the cause for which salvation is given but as the evidence according to which our Saviour judgeth § XII His tenth testimony is out of the Epistle of Saint Iames and it is twofold the former Iam. 1. 25. He that is not a forgetfull hearer but a doer of the worke this man shall bee blessed in his deed the latter Iam. 2. 14. what will it profit my brethren if a man say that he hath faith and have not workes will faith save him But how saith hee out of the former is a man blessed in his deed if his deeds have no relation to happinâ—…sse but affoâ—…diheir idle presence Answ. Wee confesse that good works have relation to happinesse as they are necessary unto it as the way as the causa sine qua non Neither doe I conceive how good works can be idle where they are present though they doe not merit that which infinitely exceedeth their worth And as touching the other place Iam. 2. We confesse also that that faith which is in profession onely and is void of good workes doth not save a man because it is an idle and dead faith This therefore proveth good workes to be necessary necessitate praesentiae but for necessity efficioncie there is no shew nor colour § XIII After those severall testimonies he appealeth to the whole Epistles of Peter Iohn Iames and Iude whose chiefe intention was to prove that to justified men good workes are necessary to salvation and that faith alone doth not suffice as some in these times out of the Epistles of Paul not well understood began to preach I answere that as the Apostles whom he nameth urge the necessity of good workes so doe all true preachers of the Gospell at this day yea Paul himselfe did urge it as much as any of them if not more But the necessity of efficiencie he may as soone prove out of our sermons as out of the writings of the Apostles § XIV To the Scriptures hee addeth the testimonies of the Fathers who as they censured for heretickes those which denyed workes to bee necessary unto salvation so themselves taught that they bee necessary To which both censure and doctrine of the Fathers wee doe most willingly subscribe And wee should greatly wonder how this great Master of Controversies could bee so idle so impertinent so frivolous a disputant but that as I said before these his discourses proving
to the glory of God to the good of our selves or of our brethren wee shall doe more than is commanded in respect of the particular thing it selfe which is simply neither commanded nor forbidden but not more in respect of the generall lawes of piety and charity which as they command us to love God with all our soules and our neighbour as our selves and forbid the contrary vices so they command all the meanes and helpes which may bee used for the pâ—…formance of these duties of piety and charity and forbid both all impediments of the dueties commanded and also all provocations to the evils forbidden Now in these things which are neither simply commanded nor forbidden counsels have place either for the using or refusing of them as shall bee most for Gods glory the benefit of our brethren and our owne spirituall good which counsels as it is a vertue to obey so to disobey them is a sinne and consequently the observer of them doth no more than hee ought to doe And therefore the Papists whiles they enjoyne the observation of the counsels onely to them who would seeme to live in a state of perfection they teach all others to sinne by disobeying them as not being tyed to the observation of them As for example not to sweare in ordinary communication not to revenge nor to resist evill to blesse them that curse us to pray for them that persecute us and many such like among which they reckon the eigth beatitudes Matth. 5. 3. c. In which a good part of the power of Religion consisteth So that to sweare ordinarily in common talke to seeke private revenge and such like are no sinnes with the Papists § III. But let us come to his proofes The first whereof is Mat. 19. 21. If thou wilt bee perfect Goe and sell all that thou hast c. upon which place they ground their counsell of voluntary poverty But it is evident by that which before I have said that this was not a precept or counsell given to all that would aspire towards perfection which is the duety and property of all true Christians but a precept of triall directed in speciall to that rich Iustitiary to discover unto him his owne imperfectionâ—… Or if it had been but a counsell according to the popish coâ—…ruction given to one that had already fulfilled all the Commaâ—…ements which no man can bee said to have fulfilled untill he â—…ave fulfilled his course then had it been no sinne for him not to obey this counsell nor any hinderance to his salvation For having fulfilled all the Commandements as the Papists conceive of him he might enter into life though he did not this which here hee is advised unto But he sinned in disobeying this precept of triall which if he had obeyed hee had done no more than in duety he was bound to doe having received a speciall Commandement to that purpose Neither had hee fulfilled those Commandements which hee saith hee had kept from his youth otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Scribes and Pharisees and consequently according to their righteousnesse which whosoever doth not exceed shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven and much lesse had he fulfilled all the Commandements of God For by disobeying this Commandement of Christ he plainely bewrayed himselfe to be a transgressour of the first and last Commandements yea that he did not truely affect and prize his owne salvation but being a meere worldling preferred the love of his pelfe to the love of God and desired rather to enjoy his worldly wealth for a short time than to obtaine and for ever to enjoy the heavenly treasures which Christ promised him if hee would follow Him And for this his sinne in disobeying Christ his entrance into heaven was hindered Insomuch that of him and all such as he was our Saviour giveth this censure that it is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle than for a rich man that setteth his heart upon riches as this man did to enter into the kingdome of God § IV. As for their counsell and vow of voluntary poverty though I will not insist thereupon it being another controversie yet thus much briefly will I say First that it hath no ground in the Scriptures and therefore being obtruded as a matter of Religion it is meere will-worship which is neither acceptable to God nor availeable to themselves Secondly as it is practised among the Papists it is nothing worth being done neither out of the love of God nor of their neighbour but out of a Pharisaicall conceit by their works of supererogation to make God their debtour For as the Apostle saith If I should bestow all my goods to â—…eed the poore and have not charity it would profit me nothing 1 Cor. 13. 3. Thirdly it is repugnant to the Scriptures and namely to the eigth the fifth and second Commandement In the eigth Commandement as I could shew there is required a moderate desire of temporall blessings avoiding the contrary extremes of coveâ—…ing too much or of affecting voluntary poverty And accordingly wee are to frame our prayers and our practice Our prayer as our Saviour hath taught us to begge of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is that portion of temporall blessings which God in his wisedome doth know to bee expedient for us that is as Agur prayeth Prov. 30 8. Give mee neither poverty or beggary as the Latine rendreth it nor riches feed mee with food convenient for me Where Lechem châ—…qqi is the very same with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Our practice not to live idlely upon the sweat of other mens browes as Friars mendicants and other lusty beggars doe but every mans duety is to worke with his hands the thing that is good that is to earne his living by the lawfull workes of his lawfull calling not onely that hee may eate his owne bread which our Saviour teacheth us to begge of God and the Apostle to labour for that we may eat our owne bread 2 Thes. 3. 12. And the Psalmist promiseth as a blessing to him that feareth God Psal. 128. 2. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine owne hands but also that hee may have to give to others Ephes. 4. 28. Therefore the Apostle Act. 20. 34 35. exhorteth the faithfull by labouring in their lawfull callings to support the impotent and to remember the words of our Lord Iesus for though the Papists esteeme them to live in a state of perfection who live in voluntary beggary yet our Saviour was wont to say it is a more blessed thing to give than to receive And therefore a more blessed estate it is to be able to give than to live upon the almes of others The fifth Commandement teacheth us to honour our private and our publike parents in the Church and common wealth and the common mother of us all that is our Country all which we are to honour with
siâ—…e qâ—… nâ—…n For as the Apostle saith without holinesse no man shall see God Heb. 12. 14. And for this cause we seriously exhâ—…rtall men who professe themselves to beleeve and to be iustified by faith to be careful that they may be precedents of good works for these are good and profitable and necessary as I shewed before when I propounded those arguments which wee doe use to move men unto good workes So much of his first testimony § XIX To that place of Saint Iames he addeth sixe other testimonies to which a short answer will suffice To the first out of Eccles. 18. 21 I have fully answered in the first controversie 2. His second testimony is Rom. 6. 19. As you have exhibited your members to serve uncleannessâ—… and iniquity unto iniquity so now exhibit your members to serve justice unto sanctification Where unto sanctification doth not signifie to get the first holinesse sor he speaketh to them who were holy and just but to increase sanctification But that by sanctification is meant justification and by sanctity justice it is plaine by the antithesis for he opposeth sanctification to iniquity His argument is thus framed Sanctification may and must bee increased by good workes which is proved by this text and not denyed by us Iustification is sanctification And that he proveth because what is opposed to iniquity is justification sanctification is here opposed to iniquity Therefore here sanctification signifieth justification Ans. That justification and sanctification are by no means to be confounded I proved at large in the first question for this is the source of all their errours in the doctrine of justification The Apostle doth carefully distinguish them For having in the former chapters treated of justification by faith without works that men should not abuse that doctrine to licentiousnesse of life in this and the next chapter he treateth of sanctification shewing in this chapter that sanctification is a necessary companion of justification And therefore exhorteth those that are justifiâ—… to the dueties of sanctification The abuse he preventeth vers 1. and 15. for wheras he had taught in the doctrine of justification that where sinne abounded grace did superabound he maketh this objection what then shall we continue in sinne that grace may abound God forbid So againe by Iustification we are freed from the curse of the Law and from the rigour and terrour or dominion it what then shall we sin because wee are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid The unseparable conjunction of these two benefits is shewed by the Sacrament of Baptisme for as it is a seale of that righteousnesse which is by faith unto us being baptized into the remission of sins so it is the laver of regeneration wherin as the Apostle saith we are baptized into Christs death and resurrection that as he dyed so we should dye unto sin and as he rose againe never to dye any more so wee should arise from the grave of sinne never to dye any more for how should they that are dead to sinne live any more therein And hereupon followeth his exhortation that we should not let sinne reigne in us nor give our members as instruments of unrighteousnes unto sin c. And as he doth dehort us from suffering sinne to relgne in us so he assureth the faithfull that sinne shall no more haue dominion over them because they are not under the Law but under grace and having prevented the abuse of that doctrine vers 15. he reneweth both his dehortation from suffering sinne to reigne in them because if it did reigne in them they must needes be the servants of it when as in their redemption they were freed from the bondage of sinne that they might become the servants of righteousnesse and also his exhortation vers 19. that they would yeeld their members as seruants to holinesse c. To his reason that by sanctification here is meant justification because it is opposed to iniquity I answere that both justification and sanctification are opposed to sinne and iniquity but with this difference In sin there are two things the guilt and the corruption or pollution By justification which is opposed to accusing and condemning Rom. 8. 33. wee are freed from the guilt of sin and damnation by our sanctification which is opposed to pollution wee are freed in some measure from the corruption that it is to say from the dominion of sinne § XX. His third testimony is 2 Cor. 7. 1. where the Apostle exhorteth that having these promises of our justification and adoption chap. 6. 16 28 wee should cleanse our selves from all pollution of the flesh and spirit perfecting or accomplishing our sanctification in the feare of God The Apostle doth not exhort us unto justification for that is never done in all the Scriptures but being justified and adopted wee are exhorted with our justification and adoption to joyne the dueties of sanctification and therein to grow and increase untill wee come to a perfect man in Christ. § XXI His fourth testimony 2 Cor. 9. 10. he will multiply your seed and will augment the increases of the fruits of our justice Where we are taught saith he that by almâ—…s-giving our wealth is diminished but our jâ—…stice is increased Answ. We answere that by the Christian practice of vertues our justice but not our justification is increased Howbeit the Apostle doth not speake of justice it selfe to be increased but of the fruites of justice by justice in this place meaning as vers 9. and Matth. 6. 1. liberalitie in almes-giving and by the fruites of righteousnesse almes Unto which that they might bee more and more enabled the Apostle prayeth that their seed may be multiplyed meaning thereby their store which in the faithfull is as it were the seed of almes that having alwayes all sufficiency in all things they might abound to every good worke being enriched in every thing to all bountifulnesse veâ—…s 8 11. so farre is the Apostle from signifying that by their almes-giving their wealth should be diminished § XXII His fifth testimony Ioh. 14. 23. If any love me hee will keepe my word and my Father will love him This new living after the fulfilling of the Commandements what is it sath he but the increase of love and thereby of righteousnesse which by observing the Law of God is required Answ. Wee confessè that by the observance of the Law of God our love of God is exercised and our righteousnesse increased though it be not proved out of this place For this love after the keeping of Christs word here mentioned is Gods love to us not ours to him § XXIII His sixth testimony is Apoc. 22. 11. hee that is just let him be justified yet Answ. The word yet or still doth not signifie increase but continuance or if increase were meant it could not bee understood of the righteousnesse of justification but of sanctification