should be idle but so he is not saith Bellarmine First because he alwayes ministers strength and grace by which wee doe good works Secondly hee purgeth our daily and lighter sinnes and his blood cleanseth vs from all sinnes Or if through transgression of the law we fall away from our state of righteousnes he neuer thelesse is stil the propitiation for our sins and reconciles vs not only seuen times but seueÌ„ty times seuen times to his father if conuerted by his grace we addresse our selues to serious repentance Therfore we make not CHRIST an idle mediatour in saying the Law may be fulfilled but our aduersaries truly make his benefits vneffectuall when they teach that the excellency of his obedience could not effect that the iustification which is by the Law should bee fulfilled in vs. Whatsoeuer he thought it was safest for him to professe as hee hath written because the Trent Fathers for conclusion of that session accurse all that should say their resolutions in this point did rather disparage then set foorth the excellencie of CHRISTS sacrifice or the true woorth of his merits But the more mercifull Bellarmine makes his God the readier to forgiue our frequent trespasses the greater stil is their former mockery seeing euery time they repeat that petition they implicitely yet necessarily include the appurtenances Lord make vs such as wee shall not need of thy forgiuenesse The excesse of diuine Maiesty in respect of princely dignity presupposed their mockery of God in suing for restauration of grace after relapses into mortall sinne may for the quality be resembled by imagination of some great fauourite in the Court after many bountifull rewards for little or no seruice falling to rob or steale and lastly crauing pardon in these or like tearmes I haue grieuously offended against your Crowne and dignity but by your wonted grace I beseech you bestow as good preferment on me as before I had and amends shall quickly bee made for all the wrongs I haue done vnto my fellow subiects you shall not finde matter of death in me againe so long as your bounty towards me lasts that I shall not commit some petty sinnes of wantonnesse quarrelling drinking swearing I hope your highnesse will not expect for these are not against your Law but besides it The insolency of this imagination in a malefactour could an earthly Prince knowe the heart whence it issued would make his former offence in it self and course of common iustice meritorious of death altogether vncapable of mercy otherwise easie to haue beene obtained And is it either lesse exclusiue from Gods fauour or more prouocatiue of his seuerity to beg such grace at his hands as shall wipe out all former reckonings where with he could charge vs or hauing promised sincere obedience to the Law to elude the Lawgiuer with that distinction without which Bellarmine thinkes our Writers arguments to proue the fulfilling of the Law impossible can hardly be answered They saith he which grant as Vega doth veniall sinnes to be against the Law are enforced to hold that to keepe the Law is onely possible in as much as onely the greater part of it may bee kept whence the denomination is indefinitely attributed to the whole But what can they say to that of Iames. Hee that keepeth the whole Law and offendeth in one point is guilty of all The solide answere therefore in his iudgement is that veniall sinnes without which we doe not liue are not sinnes simply but imperfectly and in a sort neither are they against the Law but besides the Law Such as first did apply this distinction to that purpose for which the moderne Romanist now misuseth it might perhaps be in part excused by the barbarousnesse of the times wherein they liued and their ignorance in Scriptures But wee haue cause to feare that Bellarmines generall skill and knowledge in them vvas punished by GOD vvith particular grosse and palpable ignorance or blindnesse rather in thinking this quiâ—ke of wit should glue together such Oracles of the Apostles as without it would mightily iarre and start asunder As that of Iames late cited He that offends in one mortally is guilty of all and this other In many things we al offend 1. venially or these two of S. Iohn He that is borne of God sinneth not If we say we haue no sin we deceiue our selues So doubtlesse they do and mightily mistake both these great Apostles meaning that thinke any in this should be so righteous as not to stand in neede of Gods fauour for absolution from sins committed against his Law but of their meaning in the Chapter following 9. These discussions may informe the Reader that Bellarmines conclusion of this controuersie wherein hee may seeme vnto the vnobseruant to attribute somewhat to Gods mercies in the businesse of iustification after grace infused was but like the first inuitation of an Italian onely for fashion sake For if his authority could haue moued any of his profession after fulnesse of grace to haue tasted the louing kindnesse of the Lord he could not be ignorant that the Trent Councell had shut the doore vpon them It is the safest way saith he * to put our whole trust in Gods mercies VVhy so because there is no trust or confidence to be put in our owne good workes or fruits of grace No rather because it is more easie to grow proud of our deeds then to be assured of our sincerity in doing them But if neither safe it be to trust in them nor by his doctrine to any purpose without them to trust in Gods mercies hee hath left his Romane Catholikes in a miserable case VVhat is it then they can hope or desire Gods mercies should doe for them To remit their sinnes How By not imputing them this is all they can condemne in vs. VVhat then to set heauen open vnto them without remission of sinnes or iustification This is more then can be laid to any heritickes charge none euer liued but granted iustification to bee a necessary gate through which all that haue sinned must enter into heauen It remaines then the onely ground of all hope or trust a Romanist can haue of any good from Gods mercies must be his precedent perswasion or beliefe of absolute and perfect righteousnesse either now inhabiting his soule or hereafter to be obtayned That is hee must trust God one time or other will be so mercifull to him as he shall not stand in neede of his mercie at the houre of death 10. He that wold clearly conuince the Romish church or her childreÌ„ of a capitall crime vsually obiected by our writers shold begin w th the vertual intentioÌ„ of the priest by rigid positions of their late writers most necessarily required to the effectual working of the Sacraments for that euidently breedeth doubt whervnto if we adioyne this absolute necessity of compleat habitual grace inherent for remission of sins it openly condemnes the Trent Councell it selfe for nursing
IESVS CHRIST the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes In what manner onely as he is the meritorious cause or fountaine of grace whereby wee are immediately and throughly cleansed No rather as he is righteous and by interposition of his eternall sacrifice euen till this day as immediate a cause of our pardon from all sinnes whether past or present as it was of our generall reconcilement while it was offered Nor did he die to procure vs grace wherby we might become righteous and pure in his fathers sight but gaue vs grace that we might be purified by his death and passion yet if sinnes mortall as well as veniall to vse our aduersaries language bee comprehended in the saying last cited Bellarmines reconciliation of the former words if wee say that we haue no sinne with this other vvhosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not is palpably false 5. But if his be amisse it will be expected we reconcile them a right and so we may with as great ease as perspicuity In the latter then he speakes of habituall sin or such indulgence to transgressions as S. Iames makes liable to breach of the whole law for by sinne it is euident he includes as much as he had said in the beginning of that discourse whosoeuer committeth sinne transgresseth also the Lawe Why is there anie sinne which in the Protestants doctrine is not a transgression of the lawe or is it possible a man should goe against the commandement and not transgresse it But if some sinnes there be as Roman Catholiques teach onely besides the lawe in doing them we doe not transgresse the Lawe but rather pretergresse or goe besides it Yet seeing the Law-giuers will was that we should do the lawe not onely heare it much lesse goe besides it there is no pretergression of it but is directly against the Law giuers will otherwise a seruants negligence should not bee against his masters will but besides it For tell mee O yee fooles and blinde whether is more onely to omit the good deedes of the lawe or to commit such as your selues acknowledge to bee besides it Though the matter of omission may be â—arre greater yet for the forme of the action whence the denomination of opposition must be taken no sinne of omission can be so properly said to be against the Law as the least positiue sinne or transgression we can imagine Hee that commits any thing disagreeable to the Lawe doth omit what is commaunded by the lawe and somewhat more and therefore doth more properly goe against the lawe then hee which onely omits what is commaunded But it is vsually the nature of hypocrisie to place either sanctity or impietie rather in the matter or outward act than in the heart or affection Farre otherwise are we taught by the spirit of truth that it is the heart which God requireth No matter of sinne can be so light but is if the heart be set vpon it in the issue deadly and excludes from mercie scarce any obiect so bad as that the bare assent vnto it without delight or custome is vtterly incompatible with the habit of grace Nor doth Saint Iohn in the former places seeming contrarie suppose any difference in the act or matter of sinne but onely in the heart or habite of the sinner Euery one transgresseth the lawe in what sinne soeuer but euery transgression makes not a man a law-breaker or transgressour this denomination is not absolutely giuen but from a greater inclination or delight in doing euill then doing good And it is cleere that Saint Iohn when hee sayth he that is borne of God sinneth not vseth the selfe-same syllogisticall terme he had done before in that phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that committeth sinne Now the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 according to the Hebraisme which he followes imports not the act or operation onely but the habit or rather more then habit and the whole phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is as much as the Latine operarius iniquitatis one that maketh a trade of sinne or professeth iniquitie whose seruice is altogether incompatible with the profession or hope of a Christian And this was the conclusion our Apostle was in both places to inferre as hauing taught immediatly before euery one that hath this hope of being the Sonne of God doth purge himselfe as he is pure and in habite becomes like vnto him as on the contrarie which is the Apostles inference likewise he that committes sinne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 resembles his father the diuell whose chiefe delight is in doing mischiefe It may be a Romane Catholicke will sooner belieue if we send him vnto Maldonat who commenting vpon the like speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thus farre beares witnesse vnto the truth we teach that the hebrew phrase aimes rather at the habit then the act that to work or doe iniquity is as much as to be an artificer or craftesmaster of iniquity 2. But wee receiue not the record of man there is another that beareth witnesse of it euen our Sauiour from whose mouth Saint Iohn learned both the matter and phrase of that discourse Verily saith he to the Iewes whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruant of sinne and the seruant abideth not in the house for euer but the son abideth for euer If the sonne therefore shall make you free ye shall be free indeed from the raigne of sinne not from all acts of sinne Hence did Saint Iohn take that lesson You know that he was manifested to take away our sinnes and in him is no sinne To be altogether without sinne then was his peculiar but Whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not Not at all So he should not need any aduocation but he is no worker of iniquity nor doth he sin as Diuels doe for whose sinnes CHRIST was no propitiation That so the Apostle meant is apparent from the paralell vse of the same words immediately after reciprocally changed Hee that committeth sinne is of the diuell for the diuell sinneth from the beginning that is hath continued his apostacy or trade of sinne euer since his fall For this purpose tâ—e sonne of God was manifested that he might destroy the workes of the diuell What were these Delight in sinne wilfull indulgence to transgressions and such vnrelenting opposition to the truth proposed as did conuince the Iewes by our Sauiours verdict in the place last cited to be the sonnes of the diuell yee are of your father the diuell and the lusts of your father ye will doe he was a murtherer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his owne for he is a lier and the father of lies And because I tell you the truth ye beleeue me not yet which of you can rebuke me of sinne His disciples they might because the sonnes of men but in that there
or properties of true Faith Loue Fidelitie and Confidence with the manner of their resultance from it p 100. CHAP. 11 Of the diuerse acceptions of faith in Scriptures or Fathers of the Romanist pernicious error concerning the nature of it and charity whereby his in aginarie workes of merit necessarily become either dead apish or polluted p 110 SECTION 2. Of immature perswasions concerning mens present estate in grace with the meanes to rectifie or preuent them of the right vse of faith and other spirituall graces Pag. 135. CHAP. 10 The generall heads or springs of hypocriticall perswasions with briefe rules for their preuention p 136 CHAP. 2 That our Assent vnto the first principles of Christianitie by profession of which the saith of auncient Christians was vsually tryed may bee to our owne apprehension exceeding strong and yet our beliefe in Christ no better then the Heathens that oppugned them that it is a matter of more difficultie to be a true Christian now then in the Primitiue Church did we rightly examine the strength â—pâ—r faith not by such points as theirs was tried but by resisting popâ—â—ar customes or resolutions of our times actully opposite to the most essentiall and vtmost as Idolatrie is to the remote or generall differences of Christian faith p 143 CHAP. 3 That we moderne Christians may hate Christ as much as wee do the memory of such Iewes as crucified him albeit readie if we were called to formall triall rather to die then openly to deny him or his Gospell what meanes are surest for iust triall whether wee be better affected towards him then these Iewes were p 163 CHAP. 4 That the fruits of righteousnesse if but of one or few kindes argue the stocke whence they spring to be either imperfect or vnsound of the danger that may come by partiality in the practise of precepts alike diuine or from difformitie of zeale that our Assent to generalities oftimes appeares greater to our selues then indeed it is from our pronenesse or eager desires to transgresse in some particulars p 174. CHAP. 5 That true faith is the soule of good workes that it equally respects all the Commandements of God and can admit no dispensation for non-performance of necessarie duties p 192 CHAP. 6 Of difficulties arising from the former discourses in the Protestants doctrine of iustification by faith without workes That faith is as immediatly aâ—t to doe good workes of euery kinde as to iustifie Of the diuerse accepâ—ions of Iustification That the iustification by workes mentioned by S. Iames is proposed as subordinate to S Pauls iustification by faith without works The true reconcilement of these two Apostles speeches contrarie only in appearance from the contrariety of their seuerall ends or intentions p 206 CHAP. 7 Of the differences betwixt vs and the Romish Church concerning Iustification or the right vse or measure of grace or righteousnesse inherent p 229 CHAP. 8 How far the Lawe must be fulfilled in this life of the regiment of grace of the permanencie of Iustification what interruptions it may admit how these must be repaired or in what sense it may be sayd to be reiterated That euerie sinne is against Gods Law though euery sinne not incompatible with the state of grace p 253 CHAP. 9 That firmly to beleeue Gods mercies in Christ is the hardest point of seruice in Christian warfare That our confidence in them can bâ— no greater then our fidelity in the practise of his coÌ„mandements That meditation vpon Christs last appearance is the surest method for grounding true confidence in him p 272 SECTION 3. Of the right plantation of Faith page 278. CHAP. â— That Christian Faith although immediately infused by God without any cooperation of man doth not exclude but rather more necessarily require precedent humane endeauours for the attaining of it p 279 CHAP. 2 That circumspect following the rules of Scripture is more auaileable for attaining true faith then the practise of morall precepts for producing morall habits That there may be naturall perswasions of spirituall truths and morall desires of spirituall good both right in their kinde though nothing worth in themselues but onely capable of better because not hypocriticall p 283 CHAP. 3 Of the fundamentall rule of Christianity to forsake all and denie our selues That the sincere practise thereof is a method more admirable and compendious for the attainment of faith then any Artist could prescribe the principles of Christianity being supposed That the want partly of instruction in the duties contained in it partly of solemne and publicke personall protestation for their performance is the principall cause of hypocrisie and infidelity p 282 CHAP. 4 That the obseruance of the former rule is most easie vnto men of meaner gifts vnto whom in this respect Gods mercy is greater then if their guiftes were better and yet his mercy iustly to bee esteemed greatest towards such as haue most excellent guifts by nature p 299 CHAP. 5 Our Sauiours Parables especially those Mat 13. Mark 4. Luk 8 most soueraigne rules for the plantation and growth of faith of vnfruitfull hearers resembled by the high-way side and stonie ground with briefe caueats for altering their disposition p 306 CHAP. 6 Of that temper which in proportion answeres to thornie ground of the deceitfulnesse of riches how difficult a matter it is to haue them and not to trust in them The reason why most rich men of our times neuer mistrust themselues of putting this trust in Mammon p 310 CHAP. 7 Of the antipathy betweene true faith and ambition or selfe-exaltation That the one resembles our Sauiours the other Sathans disposition Briefe admonitions for auoiding such dangers as growe from other branches of voluptuous life p. 317. CHAP. 8 Of the goodnesse or honesty of heart required by our Sauiour in fruitfull hearers of the ordinarie progresse from faith natural to spirituall and the different esteeme of diuine truths or precepts in the regenerate man and him that is not but sincerely desires to bee such vacancy to attend all intimations of the spirit to be sought after by all meanes possible That alienation of our chiefe desires from their corrupt obiects is much auaileable for purchase of the inestimable pearle p. 331. CHAP. 9 That faith cannot excercise it soueraigntie our affections or desires vntil â—t be seated in the hart with brief admonitions for bringing it into his throne p. 346. Places of Scripture expounded or illustrated by Obseruation in the Treatise following ⸪ Out of the Olde Testament GENESIS Cha. 22 Verse 2 TAke now thine onely sonne Isaac whom thou louest c. Section 1. chap. 7. parag 5. Verse 12 Sect. 1. chap. 8. par 9. EXODVS Cha. 10 Verse 8 9 10 Goe and serue the Lord your God but who are they that shall goe c. Sect. 2. c. 8. par 5. Verse 26 Therefore our cattell also shall goe with vs c. neither do wee know how we shall serue the Lord vntill we come thither ibid.
a foile and seeing they can hardly finde others of life and conuersation much fowler they purpose vnto themselues this difformity or disproportion in such opinions as are indifferent inrespect of their delights and therefore easie to bee embraced with ioy as a salue vnto their sore consciences apt for to breed such a perswasion of faith or grace inherent as the Pharisee had with whom vpon this conceit they say Lord wee thanke thee that wee are not as other men are not as these ê“eeuish Schismatiques or monstrous and mishapen Hereticks Others out of the like humour againe will bitterly inueigh against vncharitablenesse from which indeed they are free in respect of their owne crimmous consorts but yet thinke it no small point of zeale to censure religious Preachers most vncharitably for reproouing the vnfruitfull workes of darknesse But as was intimated the forme of this temptation is in diuers well minded the same Many if we respect that great aboundance God hath either blessed them with or permitted them to scrape together very defectiue in workes of charitie or deuotion albeit Leuyes reuenewes pay them tribute for this purpose will be more forward in frequenting religious assemblies or holy exercises then such as fructifie more by one howers conference with a true diuine or reading a religious treatise than they do by noting twenty sermons The true reason of this diformity is not alwaies perhaps not vsually as some not so obseruant of their owne temptations as they might be deeme from actuall dissimulation with the world and themselues or expresse purpose to vse religion onely in policie for a garment to couer their mis-shapennesse but rather from a secret working of the soule conscious of it eternall want and penury of works best pleasing God which she thus seekes to recompease by extraordinary diligence in such duties as shall not much displease herselfe or preiudice her sweet delights or alter her most familiar purposes Thus did the Iewes from whom this disease descends hope to repaire their want of mercie with multitude of sacrifices no lesse necessarily required by the lawe then sermons are by the Gospell And the stomacke when it either hath no solid food or is vnable to digest it wil naturally desire to fill it selfe though with water or such light meats as breed nought but winde The like aduantage hypocrisie oft gaines to strengthen it selfe by antedating indulgences to vnlawfull acts or delights vpon presumption of increasing faith by repentance 10. Who is he which now truely feareth God but calling his former thoughts to strict accompt will professe hee hath sometimes been indulgent to naturall desires or such pleasures as haue accompanied him from the cradle vpon hope his alacrity in doing good should by this relaxation be augmented or repaired Or would we be as obseruant of our demeanure toward God as we are of it towards men or their deportment toward vs we could not long remaine in ignorance that our Assent vnto generall principles of faith or future practises of duties enioyned doe oft-times appeare greater then indeed they are from our pronenesse inslantly to transgresse in some particulars which to prosecute without checke or incumbrance we hardly could without making our selues faire promises of reformation in time to come For apprehension or feare of defection either finall or totall cannot but curbe the vnruly appetites of flesh and blood in such as haue any touch of conscience or religion In these allurements we intreat our consciences as men intentiue vpon waighty businesse do cumbersome guests or importunate sollicitours if such as in ciuility they must respect making faire proffers they will bee for them against another time to be quit of them for the present Nor do they alwaies make shewe of more than they meane albeit when the heat of businesse is allaid they be more loath to be vrged with performance of what they promised then they were to promise The reason in this and the former case is the same eager desire of prosecuting what they had in hand without interruption or delay made them more hearty then otherwise they would haue been in their proffers because the vnkindnesse which might be taken or vnciuill tearmes that might grow vpon an vncourteous dismission might breed vexation of mind or vnaptnesse to dispatch their instant affaires In like sort many put off their Creditors with earnest protestations and serious purposes to giue them contentment ere long but if contrary occasions in the meane time meete them they take vp with their promises and recall their purposes both now are conditionall They would bee as willing as any man liuing if they had it and can heartily wish they had wherwith to giue euery man full satisfaction The same protestations we vsually make vnto our God and relent from them vpon like occasions when new temptations do assault vs we request him as Naaman did to be mercifull vnto vs in some one or all or if not simply for the sinne yet for the act at the present and perhaps vow double diligence in his lawes for times ensuing yea oftentimes apprehend this experience of our transgression and the sting of sinne thence arising as a motiue to make vs more earnest solicitors for grace When as God knowes by spending the time allotted vs for repentance in such trifling pleasures wee cast our selues more and more behinde hand entring further into Satan that cruell extortioners bands alwaies disenabling our selues as much to resist the next temptation as our delight hath been in yeelding to this At length we come to desperate debtors last protestations If we could a base our selues in stooping vnto a vulgar life or abstaine from such pleasures as nature and education hath made vs more capable of then others are we could be as willing to performe anie Christian duty as the best that now wee are more backward then most are must not be thought to proceed from any lesse esteeme of CHRIST and his kingdome but from multitude of great and waightie occasions to withdrawe vs. Some againe perswade themselues they beare great inward affection towards God but yet whiles they outwardly transgresse his lawes or at least shew not their loue vnto him in the practise the blame must be laid vpon others which indiscreetly crosse them let them haue their wils and it shall be made manifest vnto the world they are both as willing and able to doe God any seruice as the most forward professor lluing This is a temptation incident to braue minds so euery proud man thinkes his owne paralel to Caesars protestations of loue and loyaltie to Rome when he came in armes against it for thus hee deifies it amongst the other gods Summique ô Numinis instar Roma â—aue caeptis non te furialibus armis Persequor en adsum victor terraquemarique Caesar vhique tuus liceat modò nunc quoque miles Ille erit ille nocens qui me tibi fecerat hostem Thine aide ô Rome'mongst greatest gods I
operation become spiritually vitall Lay apart all filthinesse and superfluity of naughtinesse and receiue with meekenesse the ingrafted word which is able to saue your soules This was the word of faith which was to fructifie in their deeds wherefore he saith Be ye doers of the word not hearers onely deceiuing your owne selues And doers of it many of them were in part whence they grounded a conceipt of holinesse bringeth forth as it seemes either contemptuous or vncharitable censures of others To this disease he applies that medicine If any man among you seeme to be religious and bridleth not his tongue but deceiueth his owne heart this mans religion is vaine And seeing they held such intertainements as we speake of before because glorious in the worlds eye good and acceptable in the sight of God of whose glory and good liking they conceiued according to the customes best approued amongst men he further giueth them these imitable characters of his goodnes Pure religion and vndefiled before God and the father is this to visit the fatherlesse and the widowes in their afflictions and to keepe himselfe vnspotted from the world My brethren haue not the faith of our Lord IESVS CHRIST the Lord of glory with respect of persons This patterne Moses long before had drawne from Gods owne presence for his people to worke by circumcise therefore the foreskinne of your hearts that was to be vnspotted of the world For the Lord your God is God of Gods and Lord of Lords the Lord of glory a great God and a mighty and a terrible which accepteth no person nor taketh reward which doth right vnto the fatherlesse and widow and loueth the stranger in giuing him foode and rayment loue ye therefore the stranger for ye were all strangers in the land of Egypt 4. Want of conformity to this rule abundantly argues the leuity of their beliefe vnto such generall truths as they acknowledged The old Romane prouerbe of faith passiue or fidelitie fidem nemo perdit nisi qui non habet is more appliable to faith actiue or truely Christian No man can haue the faith of Iesus the Lord of glory with respect of persons but he that hath not the faith of Christ Iesus For he that saith he belieues CHRIT and keeps not his commaundements or rather altogether inuerts them by costly inuitations of the rich and mighty without due respect of the poore and needy is by Saint Iohns rule a liar Yet this preposterous respect of persons which is so incompatible with true faith in CHRIST as formally contrary to it patterne it was as our Apostle tels vs that made them transgressors of the Law euen whilest they did things commaunded by the Law But if ye haue respect of persons ye commit sinne and are conuinced by the Law as transgressors The head or first fountaine as well of these erroneous perswasions as of difformities in their works was want of firme assent vnto the diuine attributes or vnto the soueraigne will and pleasure of the Lawgiuer For the Apostle to prooue that assertion which containeth the reason of the former Whosoeuer shall keep the whole law and yet offends in one point he is guilty of all giueth vs that golden and metaphisicall rule by which this whole discourse hath beene framed He that said thou shalt not commit adultery said also thou shalt not kill now if thou commit no adultery yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the Law a positiue or actuall transgressor by this act of murther a negatiue transgressor or non obseruer of the Law in his abstinence from adultery Nor could his supposed chastity or restraint of lust be a Christian action or truely vitall because not inspired by faith or firme assent vnto Gods will or commaundement whose soueraignty once faithfully acknowledged and established in his thougths would haue beene a like potent to haue restrained naturall inclination to murther or bloodshed acts altogether as displeasing and contrary to the will of God Quando serâ—us ex domini sui iust â—â— ea facit tantummodo quae vult facere non dominicam voluntatem implet sed suam saith Saluianus That a seruant goes cheerefully to the faire when he is bid or to supply his Maisters roome at a feast is no good argument of his fidelitie trust or diligence to doe his Masters will Many forward enough vpon these or like occasions commanded to goe a shorter errand vpon more waighty businesse when he had as good a desire or opportunity to sport or feast themselues at home would by their backewardnesse or grumbling bewray they had not learned to submit their wils vnto their masters or to preferre his businesse before their sport without which the doing of what is enioined is but an impotent and lame obedience f If a seruant say vnto his Master I will not doe as it pleaseth thee though afterwards hee doe it hee shall displease him that nourisheth him Knaues and catchpoles oft doe what the Law requires should be done yet are no true obseruers of the Law because this seruice they performe not out of faith and loialty to the Prince or Lawgiuer but in desire of gaine or some priuate respect alwaies as powerfull to make some obserue as others to transgresse paenall statutes If an Ambassador should transact such points of his instructions as make iointly for his owne aduancement neglecting others as necessary for the state his negligence in the latter would impeach his fidelity in the former albeit he did that which his Prince would haue done For he did it not because it was the Princes will it should be done but because his owne will was to haue some good done to him And perhaps one and the same humour of ambition feare or the like might cause his diligence in the one and negligence in the other and so may one and the same affection cause a man to obserue one commaundement and transgresse another But he alone obeyes Gods commaundements that wholly submits his will to Gods will that doth what God commaunds because he belieues he did commaund it that auoids what God forbids out of beliefe that God forbids it or because he knowes it to be displeasant to his goodnesse God commands all without exception to glorifie his name both in body and spirit as well as to honour father and mother or to abstaine from stealth Many can stand at open defiance with the world for any touch of disobedience in these latter which yet if out of faith they did obserue they would be as chast of their bodies as honest of their hands and equalize their diligence in duties towards their parents with deuotion towards Gods vnto whom zealous and religious praiers from out a chast and pure minde are more pleasant then honoring of father and mother then abstinance from theft and coozenage Faultinesse or negligence in the former argues a faulty diligence in the
was no sinne in him had they beene of God they might haue knowne him to be his sonne For hee that is of God heareth Gods word but they therefore heard them not because they were not of God In this saith Saint Iohn the children of God are manifest and the children of the diuell whosoeuer doth not righteousnesse is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother As this phrase to doe righteousnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 euidently imports not the bare acts but habituall practice of righteousnesse so needes must the like phrase 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to commit sinne include an habituall practice or trade of sinne and yet to commit sinne and to sinne are vsed promiscuously as tearmes altogether equiualent in this chapter by Saint Iohn Our former conclusion therefore is most firme that the difference supposed by the same Apostle in these two places If wee say that we haue no sinne we deceiue cur selues and whosoeuer abideth in him sinneth not consists not in the act or obiect of sinne but in the habit or affection of him that sinneth The same answere fully reconciles the like speeches of Saint Iames. He that offends in one to wit habitually or indulgently is guilty of all and yet in many things we all offend actually not habitually or out of infirmity not with delight But euery offence whether actuall or habituall whether of infirmity or of purpose is directly against the Law or will of the Lawgiuer for neuer was woman I thinke so wilfull or pettish as to bee offended vnlesse her will were thwarted or contradicted onely cases altogether omitted which can haue no place in God or matters in their nature meerely indifferent can truely be said to be besides the Law or his minde that made it 7. But perhaps that passage of scripture which first instructed and since confirmed me in the truth hitherto deliuered will giue best satisfaction to the Reader Concerning that exclamation of Saint Paul O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from the body of this death some make question but no learned Diuine I thinke will demaund whether Dauid vttered that complaint of himselfe or of some other Who can vnderstand his errors cleanse me from my secret sinnes yet was he then borne of God for vnto him the statutes of the Lord were right euen the ioy of his heart the commaundements pare and delightfull vnto his eyes his feare able to cleanse the heart his iudgements true and righteous altogether all more to be desired then gold yea then much fine gold so liuely and quicke was the apprehension of his faith and yet vniformely enclined to practice For by the commaund ements he was warned to* beware of sinne and in keeping them he found great reward But was he enabled exactly to fulfill the perfection of the Law which had conuerted his soule or did he euer hope to attaine to such perfection as the Romanist must ere he can haue any hope of life to be altogether without any sinne deserning death No this is the height of his desire Keepe backe thy seruant from presumptuous sinnes let them not haue dominion ouer me then shall I be vpright and I shall be innocent from much transgression or as the Gospell expounds his meaning from the raigne of sinne But freed there from did he not stand in need of Gods fauour or mercy for remitting the seattered forces or vanquished reliques of the host of sinne Rather thus qualified he had sure hope his praiers for mercy should be heard yet through the mediation of the Messiah that was to come For so he concludes Let the wordes of my mouth or as the inter line ary well expresseth the propheticall dialect Then shall the words of my mouth being thus freed from the raigne of sinne and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in thy sight O Lord my Rocke and my Redeemer Thus did he of whom CHRIST according to the flesh was to come after his conuersion vnto God and long continuance in the state of habituall grace expect redemption not by infusion of inherent righteousnesse in so full measure as should make him immediately and formally iust in the sight of God but by fauourable acceptance of his praiers directed not to the throne of iustice but to the Lord his Rocke and Redeemer That such qualification as here he speakes of is a necessary condition of praiers made in faith that praiers so made whether for priuate or publike good are neuer reiected by God is elsewhere partly and shall God willing more at large bee shewed The like qualification for effectuall praiers another Psalmist hath expressed If I regard iniquity in my heart the Lord will not heare me But verily God hath heard me he hath attended to the voice of my praier In the perpetuity of praiers or meditations thus conceiued or vttered by hearts free from the raigne of sinne or guilt of indulgence to secret vnlawfull desires haue we without dissention doubtlesse from these Prophets and holy men of God placed the permanencie of iustification actuall or vertuall which are the fruites or Crowne of iustification radicall or fundamentall the onely right vse and end of all grace inherent For though faith or grace at their first infusion may assure vs our sinnes are remitted yet may we not take these or other pledges of Gods loue and fauour as a full discharge or finall acquittance of all reckonings betwixt Him and vs but rather as a stocke bestowed vpon vs to beginne the new world with for which with the increase we must still thinke our selues accomprable Though it be a truth not vnquestionable that a man once actually iustified or truely sanctified cannot finally vse Gods graces amisse yet is it very doubtfull whether one may not either abuse or not vse such gifts of God as rightly vsed or imploied to his glory might haue beene means infallible of iustification But this is a rule as vnquestionable as true that were it possible for a man to vse any extraordinary measure of inhaerent grace amisse he were to be called to a strict accompt as well for all his former sinnes as this abuse of his talent The irresiagable consequence of which vnquestionable truth is this doctrine we now maintaine The immediate qualification for remission of sinnes is not the habit or inherence but the right vse of grace or perseuerance in praiers conceiued by that faith which vnites vs vnto CHRIST If this vertuall in tention or resolution either by contrary acts or meere negligence be remitted our sinnes past whether committed before the infusion of grace or after recouer their wonted strength according to the degrees of this remission and their seuerall waight vntill we repaire our slackenesse by feruent zeale and intensiue deuotion iointly incline the minde to distrust of Gods present fauour or our sure estate in grace 8. What we haue set downe more at large
reuelations thus acknowledged difference there is betwixt vs and the Romanist some doubt there may be amongst our selues The Romanist will haue the obiect of Christian faith as directly to comprehend vnwritten as written reuelations diuine we take the actuall and ordinary limits of it from the plot drawn by the pens of Prophets Apostles and Euangelists Two entiâ—e moities we make of it and no more the old Testament deliuered vnto vs by the Iewe and the new acknowledged by the Romane Church The principall doubt amongst our selues the discussion whereof will naturally fall in the Article of remission of sinnes is whether our personall election predestination saluatioÌ„ or possessory right in state of grace be directly contained vnder the formal obiect of Christian faith as any proper integrall or homogeneall part therof whereunto the former Assent may be immediately terminated Examination of the difference betwixt vs and the Romish Churches comes not at all within the compasse of this present suruey 2. It is agreed on by all sides againe that euery assent vnto supernaturall trueths reuealed of what rancke soeuer suffiseth not to the attaining of supernaturall and eternall blisse which is the onely end and marke by approach whereto or declination from which the sufficiency or insufficiency of faith as christian must be measured Yea some there be so farre from thinking euery assent should fit the former purpose that they seeme scarce to vouchsafe assent any room or place in the definition of such belief or faith as we now treate of but rather suspect it as a terme though of it selfe indifferent yet abused by Popery Least I should mistake them or their followers me the point questioned I would thus propose VVhether they dislike assent should be acknowledged as the supream kinde or stock whence al particular branches of faith should lineally descend as diuers persons of the same kindred do from one and the same first progenitor or whether they would admit som other compeere with it from which true christian faith should more immediately be deriued as from a ioynt but a better or more proper originall or lastly whether they hold it an indignity for such faith to deriue its pedigree at all from assent as from any part of its first Originall If they be for this last opinion they are too nice to admit any Logicall dispute If for the second I request them to permit me my method as charitably as I allow them theirs Albeit perhaps I could guesse the originall of their disliking my termes to be onely hence that they obseruing fewer differences betwixt Assents then happily may be found think when we define Christian faith by Assent we meane only a bare Assent 3. He that would define Man to be a substance or bodily liuing creature should come farre short of the truth which notwithstanding he shall neuer be able to hit but by following the same line For man is but the complement or perfection of bodily liuing creatures as these are of materiall substances All the differences of either he hath not in him albeit nothing essentially in him which is not either a true and formall difference of Substance generally taken or some kinde of soule indued with life And the onely right way to finde out the entire nature or complete essence of Man were to seeke out as they lie in order all the proper differences whereby substances from the highest to the lowest are essentially and formally diuided In diuisiue progresses specially if they be long often shall he be enforced to cut or interfere that will follow his method which of liuing creatures made some to haue feete others none and of such as had feete some to haue feathers some none iustly taxed by the great Philosopher for what affinity haue feete with feathers kindred betwixt them there can be none direct and lineall He had framed his next steps aright had he thus proceedeed Of liuing footed creatures some haue two feet some fowre some more some fewer of both sorts some are solid footed some clouen of clouen footed creatures some haue toes some clawes others talants and of all these some more some fewer 4 But as few take notice of more discents in meaner families then fall out within their owne memory so most Writers omit this direct prosecution of genealogies in matters morall or not distinguishable by ordinary sense without accurate or laborious inspection How beit I haue euer beene of opinion that the continuall adoption of forreine differences for want of proper a fault most common to curious Dichotomists neuer allotting more then two branches to one stocke whence scarce either naturally growes doth breed as many needlesse intricate difficulties in the search of truth as frequent alienation of lands from Name to Name by often matching with vncouth families for want of succession in heir-males doth in trial of titles of Honour or inheritance Euen in the order or ranke of materiall and sensible bodies which in a sort marshall themselues vnto our view we vsually suffer the intermediate linkes of the chaine by which we should proceed to lie double and vnfoulded coupling things close together which nature had set farre asunder As what a crosse double is it we vse before we make that long leape or vast stride rather as it were with one legge shakled and another loose when proceeding from Vegetables to Creatures endued with sense we say of them some are rationall some irrationall Thus indeed wee might cast about to entangle one that would denie a manifest truth or to bee sure to encompasse a truth vndiscouered no fit method it can be for orderly suting our conceits to the reall natures whose knowledge we seeke but rather a tricke to cast off such as would artificially hunt out Natures foot-steps in her progresse as not louing to range at randome in hope to stumble vpon their game First neither is irrationality any further degree of sense nor doth sense expresse that generall notion whereto reason is a directly subordinate as meer sense SecoÌ„dly betwixt reason that general notioÌ„ of knowledge or perception by some branch or other whereof euery sensitiue creature exceeds Vegetables the intermediate degrees of sense are many yet euery one almost as directly shooting out of other as that part of the Vine branch which growes this yeere doth out of such as grew the former Vegetables haue life but perceiue not the defect or competency of that nutriment by which they liue altogether vncapable either of paine or pleasure The first ranke of such as we call sensitiue creatures are pained by defect and pleased by competency of necessary nutriment but perhaps with nothing els capable onely of contraction dilatation for lessening griefe and enlarging content otherwise immooueable Others euidently enioy the sense of touching which is the onely roote of taste alwaies furnished with motion requisite for satisfying appetite or generally for attaining such pleasures or auoiding such grieuances as accompany either of these 2.
helping and nourishing the poore For when Zacheus said Loe the one halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man I restore it fourefold Iesus answered and said This day is saluation come to this house was much as this man also is the sonne of Abraham For if Abrahams belieuing God were reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he likewise that giues almes according to Gods commandement belieues God and he that hath the truth of faith retaines the feare of God and he that retaines the feare of God hath God in his thoughts whiles he shewes compassion to the poore Therefore he workes because he belieues because he knowes all the word of God fore tels is true that the sacred scripture cannot lie that vnfruitfull trees i men barren of good workes must be cut downe and cast into the fire but the mercifull shall be called vnto the heauenly kingdome And in another place he cals such as are fruitfull in works faithfull denying this title to the vnfruitfull and barren If ye haue not beene faithfull in the vnrighteous Mammon who will commit the true riches to your trust And if ye haue not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who will giue you that which is your owne Saluianus * words here inserted in the margine imports no lesse 3. If the workes required by Saint Iames be not truely good without presupposall of saith nor iustification possible without presupposall of such workes the more opperatiue wee make Saint Pauls faith the more we rather draw then loose this former knot whose solution in this respect must be sought by vnfolding the diuerse acceptions of iustification Sometimes then it imports the decree or purpose of God to iustifie sinfull men as whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified About iustification in this sence there either is or neede to be no controuersie at least none pertinent to our present purpose But as God decreed before all times to create man yet did not create him vntill time had numbred sixe daies so although his purpose was from eternity to iustifie or absolue vs from our sinnes yet actually he doth not iustifie or absolue vs before we haue actuall being nor doth he iustifie all that haue such being but those onely which haue the seales or pledges of his calling of which whosoeuer are partakers are in a secondarie sence accompted iustified How shall we â—aith the Apostle that are dead to sin liue yet therein Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death All persons baptized may be accounted iustified in the same sence they are dead to sinne and dead all such are to sinne not really or actually but by profession in as much as by receiuing this outward seale of Gods couenant or other like pledges of his fauour they binde themselues to abrogate the soueraigntie of sinne in their mortall bodies and to giue their members weapons of righteousnesse vnto God Thus when the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all their saluation or iustification to whom he writes his meaning can be no other then this that all of them haue receiued vndoubted pledges of Gods mercy and neede doubt of iustification actuall or finall absolution so they walke worthy of their calling Their error whose rectification Saint Iames sought did consist in holding these outward seales or conspicuous tokens of Gods fauour whereby their Assent vnto his promises as true was confirmed sufficient to finall approbation or admission into the inheritance of Saints albeit they did not consent vnto euery part of the Law as good in the practise Concerning iustification thus taken there is at this day little or no controuersie vnlesle betweene the spirit and the flesh or betweene our owne conscience and Sathan who still labours to perswade vs this kinde of iustification might suffice Thirdly in as much as God decreed to iustifie man by faith which euen in such as are saued by it is not ordinarily perfected in a moment we are said sometimes to be iustified when the first seeds of that faith which by taking firme roote by fructification or perfection added by the immediate hand of God becomes saluificall are first sowne in our hearts Hee that hath but a resolution for the present syncere though variable to walke in all the waies of his God is in scripture often instiled iust or righteous and may by this resolution or purpose be truely said iustified in the sight of God not absolutely but in respect of opposite prophanenesse or expresse dissimulation If the righteous saith the Lord vnto his Prophet turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquities in his transgression that he committed and in his finne that hee hath sinned in them he shall die And againe The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of transgression c. when I shall say vnto the righteous that he shall surely liue if hee trust to his owne righteousnesse and commit iniquitie all his righteousnesse shall be no more remembred but for his iniquitie that he hath committed he shall die for the same And vnto such as are here specified though not vnto such alone that speech of Saint Iohn is litterally appliable Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc he that is righteous let him be righteous stil or more iustified Nor can that other of S. Paul be restrained to those that haue attained sauing faith or final absolution The hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the Law shall be instified That is God doth approue their deeds so farre as they are consonant to his law and accounts the syncere practise of morall dueries whereunto light of nature did leade the Gentiles much better then the outward obseruance of legall ceremonies or sabhatarian delight in hearing Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God saith our Sauiour to him that that had discreetely acknowledged this truth to loue the Lord withall the heart and with all the vnderstanding and withall the soule and withall the strength and to loue his neighbour as himselfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices Now if by such workes as the heathen or auditors of the Law not yet sanctified often practised much more by those workes which accompany true and liuely faith we may in a higher degree of the same sence be accounted iustified that is approueable in the sight of God or passiuely capable of a finall absolution or effectuall iustification And this was all Saint Iames meant in that assertion Yee see then how that a man of workes is iustified and not of faith onely which words are but equiualent to the like precedent what auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no workes
cause of iustification by which our sinnes are formally remitted is as if we should aske one of their young pupils what were Latine for manus Iustification taken as we doe it for remission of sinnes not by inherent righteousnesse or ought within vs immediatly incompetible with them but by the externall merits of Christ is a forme or entity as simple as any formall cause can be and simple or vncompounded entities can neither haue formall causes or ought in proportion answearing to them Wherefore as I said it is either the follie or knauery of our aduersaries to demaund a formall cause of their iustification that deny themselues to beformallie iust in the sight of God For so to be iust and to bee iust onely by acceptance or non-imputation of vniustice are tearmes as opposite as can bee imagined Hee alone is formallie iust which hath that forme inherent in himselfe by which he is denominated iust and so accepted with God as Philosophers deny the same to be formally hot because it hath no forme of heate inherent in it but onely produceth heat in other bodies To be formally iust we for these reasons attribute onely vnto Christ who alone hath such righteousnesse inherent in himselfe as by the interposition of it betweene Gods iustice and sinfull flesh doth stop the proceeding of his iudgements as Phinehas zeale did stay the plague otherwise ready to deuoure the host of Israell Our aduersaries in that they acknowledge inherent righteousnesse to be the sole formall cause of iustification doe by the same assertion necessarily graunt it to be the sole true immediate cause of remission of sinnes of absolution from death and admisâ—ion to life This is the onely point from which they cannot start at which neuerthelesse whiles they stand they may acknowledge Christ come in the flesh crucified dead and buried or perhaps ascended into heauen but denie they doe the power of his sitting at the right hand of God the vertue of his mediation or intercession and more then halfe euacuate the eternity of his Priesthood as shall be shewed after this briefe explication of our assertion 2. When we teach iustification by faith and not by workes our meaning is by the doctrine of faith wee are bound to acknowledge and confesse that CHRIST IESVS by his eternall Priesthood whose offices in their seuerall places shall bee expressed is not onelie the sole meritorious cause of all graces or righteousnesse inherent requisite to finall absolution but these supposed in the party to bee absolued hee is likewise the sole immediate cause of finall absolution or iustification The latter part of this assertion may admit this ilustration Suppose a man not destitute of other senses yet ready euery moment to droupe or fall into some deadly fit vnlesse his spirits were refreshed by pleasant musicke we might truely say one in this case did liue by the sense of hearing for deafe hee should quickly die yet were musicke the sole immediate cause of his preseruation without actuall application of whose sound euen this sense it selfe by whose meanes his spirits refreshed better enable his other senses to their proper functions would foorthwith faile him In this sort doe sinfull men drawe life from CHRIST by faith alone by which likewise and not by workes wee are sayd to abide in him as being vnited in spirit to him albeit by abiding so vnited our other faculties are strengthened and viuificated to bring forth the fruits of righteousnesse The former instance notwithstanding doth not exemplifie the first part of our Assertion for musicke only continues life naturall which is supposed to haue another originall But if we speake of life spirituall maintained by saith and of which faith it selfe is a part it was originally and wholly deriued from CHRIST on whom faith and all other graces whatsoeuer tam in fieri quam infacto as well in the first production as during the time of their continuance and preseruation depend as essentially and perpetually as the light of the moone or other participated or reflected splendor doth on the brightnesse of the Sunne Nor may wee imagine that this borrowed and variable righteousnesse in vs though thus depending on the Sonne of righteousnesse is or can be euen whiles it remaines without eclipse or in such fulnesse as in this life the best men at any time are capable of sufficient for the time being to acquit or absolue vs if God should enter into iudgement with vs. This strict dependence of such righteousnesse as we haue on CHRISTS righteousnesse presupposed faith is said to iustifie vs not by any effects in vs deriued from him but by its transeunt acts reciprocally lifting vp our hearts to the fountaine whence grace and spirituall life doth flow and reflecting the beames or raies of our mindes thus illuminated vnto our mysticall head still deâ—iuing vertue from his crucified body to stint the deadly issues of sinne not vtterly to expell all reliques of vnrighteousnesse For when we take the eyes of faith of him albeit the habite of faith and other graces remaine as intire in vs as euer they were the very memory of transgressions past or the sight of sinnes inherent whilest we look on them deiect vs. According to this disferent aspect euen the best men liuing whilest this brittle glasse of mortality and mutability is in running may bee subiect to the like subalternation of hopes and feare the exiled Poâ—t hath expressed Spes mihi magna subest dum te mitissime Caesar Spes mihi respicio dum mea facta cadit Strength to my hopes doth still accrewe whil'st Caesars mildnesse I do vie we But mine owne facts whilest I beholde my heart doth faile my hopes growe colde But though sinne may often sting vs by fits and bring vs almost to deaths dore by vicissitude of despaire or dismaâ— yet we recouer as presently by faithfull looking on the glorious author as the Israelites did by beholding the visible signe of saluation 3. The controuersie hitherto proposed and declared in as scholasticke forme as our English tongue well can beare may be reduced in fewest tearmes and fittest for popular instruction vnto the right vse and immediate end of faith and other sanctifying graces We of reformed Churches with vnanimous consent of heart and minde belieue and teach and thou O CHRIST our Lord our life and strength giue iudgement out of thy throne of Maiestie whether not more agreeable to thy minde then shee which sits as Queene of heauen and brags as if she were thy best beloued Spouse or her children do That our Faith our Hope and Charitie or whatsoeuer pledges of thy fathers loue and fauour towards vs we through thy merits haue obtained were giuen vs not to alter but to better that plea we made before we had them Being by nature the sonnes of wrath and groning vnder the heauie burden of our sinnes with teares and sighes by thy precious blood by thy death and passion wee daily besought Him for
same faith though not hypostatically yet truely vnited by such a mysticall but reall vnion as may without solecisme ground as well this denomination as our title or interest in Gods fauour More consequently by much to his owne positions might Bellarmine likewise haue granted that as we are truly the sonnes of wrath by nature albeit euery lineament of Gods image in vs be not quite razed but rather all or most much defared by Adams sinne made ours partly by reall propagation but more principally in his doctrine by imputation so we become the sonnes of God by the spirit of adoption though not so powerfull in vs as vtterly to extirpate all relickes of sin yet able so to dead the force or operation of it as it did the remainder of Gods image in vs before we were renewed by Christ Thus walking not after the flesh though in the flesh nor working sin though sin worke in vs we may through grace or this earnest of the spirit but onely for the righteousnesse of Christ whereto wee are by it vnited haue a more reall title to be enstiled his brethren sons of our heauenly father then Hee can haue as Bellarmine obiects by our doctrine he hath to be called the son of him that is the father of lies and Iesuiticall equiuocation Albeit there was no guile in him yet hee bare the punishment due to our rebellions and was not this commutation of punishment â—herby the seruants of sin are acquitted and the Lord of righteousnesse condemned sufficient to make such as are in part willing to doe for others as hee hath done for them immediately capable of absolution by his innocency of reward by his righteousnesse The a Apostle doubtlesse meant no lesse when hee saide He hath made him to be sin for vs which knew no sin that we should be made the righteousnesse of God in Him 7. The second point against which our aduersaries dash doth so euidently bewray their greatest pilots vnskilfulnesse in this hauen of saluation as euery childe that can repeate his Pater noster may easily perceiue the Trent Fathers themselues did not vnderstand it Nor can the subscribers to this decree vse that celestial prayer without plain mocking of God and Christ This imputation needs no other proofe then the cleare proposall of such positions as they now all holde de fide Take wee then one of their Catechumenies whether destitute of faith or no it skils not that hath not as yet attayned to the first iustification as they distinguish that is one destitute of habituall grace or inherent righteousnesse such a man by their Churches discipline is â—â—â—mitted or rather commanded to vse this petition amongst the rest forgiue vs our trespasses as wee forgiue them that trespasse against vs. What sinnes or trespasses doth hee request should be forgiuen him Mortall especially for their remission onely is necessary to the first iustification But how must God remit them Immediately by pardoning or forgiuing them No they are immediately remitted by actuall introduction of the contrary former grace inherent which formally expels them out of the soule as light to vse Bellarmines owne illustration of their positions in this point doth darknesse out of the aire Nor is there any possibility of remitting sinnes by other meanes left to omnipotence it selfe since the publication of Iesuiticall Comments vpon the Trent Councells decree What then is the full meaning or finall resolution of this petition whilest vttered by men as yet not iustified Lord forgiue vs our trespasses or mortall sinnes This verily and no other Lord by infusion of thy grace make vs such as shall not need of thy pardon or forgiuenesse For to holde that ouer and aboue the infusion of that grace by which the staine of sinne being clearely wiped out we are made iust Gods fauour or condonation to vse their Latine word with addition of one English letter is any way requisite for our acceptance or approbation with him is in formall tearmes the very opinion which Vasquez so peremptorily condemnes in Canus Nedina Victoria Gabriel Richardus Ariminensis Scotus and others as contradictorie to the Trent Councells oft mentioned decree and so indeede it is for by that decree being made formally iust by grace alone we become the immediate or formall obiects of Gods iustice or fidelity now strictly bound to render vs quid pro quo eternall life for grace inherent vtterly exempted from all dependance on his mercy and fauour And whereas some of their late Writers desirous to giue the Church all possible satisfaction yet partly fearing openly to wrong God or flatly to contradict his word had granted that grace infused did quite extirpate all sinne and make vs absolutely iust in our selues but yet could not by it nature or sole entitie obliterate all relation of trespasse or offence commited against God before wee had it as being vnable to make full recompence or satisfaction for them euen this opinion is now reiected as hereticall and contrary to the Councells meaning It remaines therefore that the true and full meaning of that petition in the Lords prayer forgiue vs our trespasses according to our aduersaries construction is Lord grant that we stand not in neede of thy forgiuenesse if wee suppose this petition to be conceiued either by men destitute of perfect inherent righteousnesse or such as distrust or doubt whether they haue it or no. But imagine a man could be as I thinke few Papists are more then morally certaine hee were in the state of perfect grace his vse of the same request would bee superfluous or requisite onely in respect of veniall sinnes albeit euen these if they imprint any vncomely marke or aspersion neuer so light on their soules must be taken away by introduction of the contrary forme as by acts of penitency or the like whereunto Gods concourse or aide of grace is necessarie so that his desiring God to forgiue him them is but to request his help that he may not need his fauour And though in their esteeme but a light one yet a prety mockery of God it is that after infusion of grace they should not stand in neede of his mercy or imputation of their Redeemers righteousnesse either for remitting or taking away of the staine of mortall sinnes or the punishment due vnto them and yet after God hath done all and Christs mediation as farre as concernes them fully accomplished most of them must be highly beholden to the Pope not onely in this life but after death for releasing the punishment due to veniall and petty sinnes 8 Some part of the first difficultie Bellarmine from what place of Caluin Melancthon and Chemnitius I remember not he expresseth not hath thus proposed CHRIST is our mediatour not onely in our first reconciliation but during the whole time of our life in which regard we alwayes stand in neede of his intercession and consequently alwayes sinne and transgresse the Law otherwise CHRIST after our first reconciliation
reiteration but we are not to denie that of all which is incompatible onely with some Wee are therefore to consider there is a threefold iustification one radicall or fundamentall which is the infusion of habituall grace or faith and this is neuer but one another actuall which I accompt actuall supplications made in faith for the remission of sinnes committed either before the infusion of faith or after What it is to pray in faith is partly intimated before partly in the end of this Chapter else-where more fully and purposely handled The third is iustification vertuall which consists in the performance of that and the like precepts watch and pray continually which cannot be meant of actuall prayers for hee that so praies continually shall continually vse much babling In this perpetuity of vertuall prayer consists the permanent duration of iustification which yet hath many interruptions A man may haue the habite of faith and yet not alwaies pray in faith either actually or vertually as he may be out of charity with his brother or vnlawfully deteine goods wrongfully gotten without present forfeiture of his estate in grace though to pray in faith it is impossible in the one case vntill hee be reconciled to his brother or haue freely forgiuen him in the other vntil he hath made restitution of those things his conscience condemned him for keeping The perpetuitie of this vertuall prayer or iustification therein consisting depends vpon the continuance of some former resolution or intention made in faith which is not alwaies preiudiced by minding other matters but only by doing things forbidden by the law of God or as S. Paul speakes not of Faith A man intending to go a iourney vertually continues his former intent so he keepe on his way without digression albeit he actually minde not the businesse hee goes about but entertaine such other thoughts or discourse as way or company shall affoord But if through too much minding cōpany or other matters he should chance to wander or for slow opportunities of dispatching his intended businesses his vertuall intention is interrupted and time lost must bee redeemed with double diligence So must such ruptures as actuall sinnes or omission of necessarie duties make in the perpetuity of vertuall praying or permanency of iustification thence depending be repaired with actuall praiers made in faith But here wee may descry the idle curiosity of some wits more acute then subtile at least then sound and rather apt through multiplying entities without necessity to obscure matters in themselues distinct and cleere then to cleere difficulties or obscurities For some there bee which speake of Faith and Repentance as of two spirituall habits or graces really or at least essentially distinct It is one thing indeed to rise another to walke yet both immediate and proper acts of one and the same motiue faculty so is it one thing to belieue and another to repent yet both formall acts of one and the same habite only the later includes a peculiar reference to a slip or fall whence it receiueth a distinct name from the former which specially imports a direct progresse in the way of godlinesse without interruption Better we cannot notifie the nature of true repentance then by restauration of faith to it wonted throne out of which it had for a time bin iustled by sinfull affections though not deposed from it soueraigntie as Dauid was preiudiced by his sonnes rebellion and for a time enforced to forsake the Hill of Sion though not depriued of his kingdome Euen such repentance as vsually goes before regeneration hath a correspondent faith annexed the difference betwixt them onely such as is betweene heate and calefaction which as some good Philosophers resolue vs is heate not acquired or consistent but onely in the motion or acquisition Or briefly to speake more fully Faith alwaies moues vnto repentance which generally taken may in few words not vnfitly be defined to be a sorrow for sin conceiued and moderated by faith and as the faith is such is the sorrow either meerly morall or truely spirituall 4. The summe of all we haue deliuered in these two chapters is briefly but most diuinely set downe by Saint Iohn who though hee vse not the formall tearmes of iustification yet expresseth by nature of it howsoeuer taken by words equiualent or rather more theologicall or significant as by fellowship with God the Father his Sonne CHRIST and his members and by the fruits of it fulnesse of ioy For being iustified by saith as Saint Paul sayth we haue peace with God through our Lord IESVS CHRIST and reioice in hope of his glorie This then is the message sayth Saint Iohn which we haue heard of him and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darknesse at all If vvee say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie and do not the truth But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another This walking in the light as God is in the light is that iustification or qualification whereof S Iames speakes whereby wee become immediatly capable of Christs righteousnesse or actuall participants of his propitiation which is the sole immediate cause of our iustification taken as S. Paul doth it for remission of sins or actuall approbation with God The truth of which doctrine Saint Iohn likewise ratifies in tearmes equiualent in the words immediately following And the blood of CHRIST clenseth vs walking in the light as God is in the light from all sin not from such onely as were committed before the infusion of that grace which is the ground of our fellowship with God and amongst our selues the very lamp by whose light wee walke but from all subsequent transgressions of what kinde soeuer Now if we say that we such as S. Iohn then was regenerate and in the state of grace haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Euen such then as walke in the light are sinners and not iust in themselues but onely as they are besprinkled with CHRISTS righteous bloud Neuerthelesse if we confesse our sinnes faithfully he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse not from sinnes veniall onely And is there any circumstance either in the matter or manner of his discourse which may occasion vs to suspect the same word sinne should not be of equall importance in both these places last cited and that third following These things write I vnto you that you sinne not What venially only No questionlesse he was more desirous that they should not sinne mortally nor do the authors of this distinction deny that men regenerate may sinne so grieuously as to fall both totally and finally from grace yet sayth S. Iohn If any man sin as there is no man that sinneth not both mortally and venially by our aduersaries grant vvee haue an Aduocate with the Father
not haue done though our Sauiour in person should haue charged him so to doe Easier it is by this assiduous carefulnesse and religious practice to weede all rootes of loue or trust in riches by little and little out of the heart then to bee plucked from them vpon a suddaine albeit vtterly to extirpate all trust in them where they abound is onely possible to the omnipotent power and a rare document of diuine mercie as that dialogue betwixt our Sauiour and his Disciples begunne vpon the former young mans sorrowfull departure at the mention of such qualification as he exacted of his followers doth necessarily implie IESVS saith the Euangelist looked round about and said vnto his Disciples How hardly doe they that haue riches enter into the Kingdome of God His manner of vttring it or other circumstances not expressed did intimate greater difficulty to his Disciples at the first hearing then this short speech doth vnto vs. For they were astoâ—ied at his words Did they then mistake him or was he willing to make the difficulty lesâ—e then they conceiued it No he answered againe children how hard it is for them that trust in riches to enter into the Kingdome of heauen It is easier for a camell to goe through the eye of a needle then for whom he that trusts in riches No for a rich man to enter into the kingdome of God Well might this reassumption of the former difficultie increase their astonishment and extort that demaund who then what rich man at least can be saued with men it is impossible any should but not with God Howbeit to make entrance into the kingdome of God for him that trusts in riches while he trusts in them is no act of his omnipotent power seeing no man can trust in him and in riches too for this were to serue him and Mammon nor is it possible by the diuine decree that any should enter into that kingdome without trust in God The matter therefore which seemed altogether vnpossible to the conceipt of CHRISTS disciples was for a rich man not to trust in riches as much as this young man did this is an extraordinary gift of God to be sought with greater care with greater diligence and frequency of praiers of fastings and practices of charity then either wealth preferment health life or whatsoeuer may befall it Blessed is the rich which is found without blemish and hath not gone after gold nor hoped in money and treasure Who is he and we will commend him for wonderfull things hath he done among his people Who hath beene tried thereby and found perfect let him be an example of glory who might offend and hath not offended or doe euill and hath not done it Therefore shall his goods be established and the congregation shall declare his almes 4. But as in most other points so in this we vsually fill vp the measure of our iniquitie vnto the brimme ere wee thinke Gods iudgements can approach vs by a generall ouersight elsewhere discouered in vsing the seculiar phrase of our corrupt times rather then the gage of the sanctuary for notifying the capacity of that body of sinne which we beare about vs or the greatnesse of our actuall transgressions Who will not confesse that it is very hard to haue riches and not to trust in them and impossible for him that trusts in them to enter into the kingdome of God But who is he will thus assume It is very likely that I trust in riches what is it blindes vs but the grosse language whereto we are accustomed as if to trust in them were to say vnto them ye shall deliuer mee to pray or offer sacrifice vnto them yet so our hearts say though we perceiue it not vnlesse we be more carefull and vigilant to make vs friends of the vnrighteous Mammon then either to get or keepe treasures though lawfull vnlesse more delighted in employing them to charitable vses then in watching or entertaining oportunities for increasing them In them we trust not in our God vnlesse the inclinations of our hearts to get or forgoe them be so iustly poised that any occasion of doing good doe cast our resolution as readily one way as the other that their losse if by Gods appointment they take wing doe not so depresse our soules but that they may instantly returne as Iobs did vnto their wonted station The Lord hath giuen and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the name of the Lord. So prepared we should bee that our ioy should flow as well when our earthly store doth ebbe as when it swelleth Let the brother of low degree saith Saint Iames reioice in that he is exalted but the rich in that he is made low for as the flower of the grasse he passeth away Thus whiles wealth increases it should occasion vs to trust in God because he giues it but more whiles it failes because it is then more manifest there is no trust to be reposed in it CHAP. VII Of the antipathy betweene true Faith and ambition or selfe-exaltation That the one resembles our Sauiours the other Sathans disposition Briefe admonitions for auoiding such dangers as grow from other branches of voluptuous life 1. SEeing desire of riches drawes vs into so many snates and intangles vs with so many noisome lusts the reader happily will condemne the couetous as the man whom God abhorreth most Howbeit besides couetousnesse or loue of riches another root of euill there is whose antipathy with the seed of life is like the enmity betwixt the womans and the serpents seedâ— And no maruell seeing true and liuely faith is the expresse image of that humble meek lowly mind which was in Christ as this wilde tare whose extirpation we seeke is but the ofspring of the great serpents venemous pride Riches choke or stiâ—le the word of life in the growth and make the passage into the kingdome of God so hard and narrow for the rich man as is declared but aspiring thoughts perish the very first seedes and rootes of faith and cast downe the ambitious man headlong from approaching the gate whereat the righteous enter for a euery one that exalts himselfe shall bee brought low Could we rightly measure the nature of ambition or exaltation of mans selfe by the true rule of the sanctuary and not by the popular notions or conceipts that men this way very faulty haue of this infernall sinne we might finde a more compendious ascent vnto the holie mount then most doe take or care to enquire after The roote whence this mischiefe springs as all agree is a desire of ciuill power or greatenes which then onely in vulgar esteeme brancheth it selfe into ambition when this greatnes is sought for by vnlawfull meanes but this is a mist of error or hypocrisie in the minde which riseth from foggy desires of this grosse humour in the heart For we may as often we doe vse lawfull meanes for compassing most vnlawfull ends
confirmationem Nam licet cortex literâ— proponat captiuitatem populi Iudoici sub regt Babiloniorum liberationem quae facta est per Cyrum nontamen ille precipuus sensus est sed alius quilatet sub cortice literae qui est de captiutiate humani generis sub tyrannide Diaboli liberationem quae factaest per CristuÌ„ Sasbout in 1. ad versum 17. Heb. 10. v. 35. d Rom. 4. v. 3. 4. 5. 6. o De verbis Paulimaior est difficultas non desunt qui existiment Abrahamum tunc primum iustificatum esse a peccatis cum creddit Deo promitienti filium cum de co dictum est Credidit Abraham Deo reputatum est ei ad iustitiam Ita docet Anselmus in comment ad ca. 4. ad Roman candem sententiam indicare videtur S. Augustious praefat in Psal 31. cum aâ—â— exponens hunc locum Ergo ex fide iustificatus est Abrabam si opera non praecess runt tamen sequuta sunt Et siquidem oaec opinio vera esset nulla esset in Paulo difficultas caeterum non auderem dicere Abrahaemum non fuisse multo ante iustificatum quâ—m de eo dictum sit Credidit Abraham Deo c. Dico igitur Pâ—â—lum vsum esse exemplo Abrahae non vt significanet Abrahamum 〈…〉 catum fuisse a peccaâ—â—s 〈…〉 non iust ficari impi 〈…〉 gratia Dei factis sed exside side gâ—aâ—a Dei. Nam si Abraham iustâ—â—s non est factus iustior ex â—perâ—bus sâ—â—e sid multo magis impius non poteâ—â—t sâ—ri iustus ex operibuâ— sine side Iguâ—r Apostolus ad Rom. 4 loquitur de prima iustificatione qua quis ex impio fic iustus tam et si ad probandum eam non siâ—râ— ex opâ—riâ—us sed ex fide exemâ— plâ—m petatase on â—a iustificatione qua quis ex iusto sit iustier Quare Paulus et Iacobus coâ—seâ—â—â—nt omnino in exemplo Abrahe verbis Mâ—â—s intelligengdis quamâ—is ad varias conclusiones probandas illis vtantur Porro sicut Paulus cum loqueretur de prima iustificatione attulit exemplum Abrahae quod erat secundae vt probaret a maiorâ— non pâ—sse impiâ—us iustificari ex operibus sine fide si Abraham iustus non est factus iustier ex operibus sine fide si Iacâ—bus cum loqueretur de sicâ—da iustificatione attulit exemplum Rahab quod est primae iustifications et proâ—â—ret â— maiors iustum fieri iustiorem exoperibus et non ex side tantum si Rahab ex meretâ—â—â— facta est iusta ex operious non ex fide tantum Nam probabile est valde Rahab vsque ad illud tempus quaâ—â—sâ—â—pit nanâ—â—â—â—â—â—ue sâ—â—â—sse non solum meretritem sed etiam infideeÌ„m sed ab eo tempore crâ—didisse in Deum opere ille 〈…〉 ae praeparatum fuisse ad iustificationem â—â— a vt bonum illud opus ex fide factum non suerit meritorium simplic 〈…〉 sicatiâ—nis sed imperfecte de congruo vt supra diximus de dâ—spositionibus ad gratiam Bellaâ— lib. 4. d. Iust cap. 18. a Sess 6 ca. 8. 10 b Gratis autem iustificari dicamur quia nihil corum qua iustificationem praecedunt sine fides sine opera ipsam iustificationis gratiam promeretur Si enim gratia est iam non ex operibus alioquin'vt idem Apostolus inquit gratia iam non est gratia Concil Trideut Sess 6. cap. 8. c Iameâ— 2. 23 Heb. 11. 19 f Videtur etiam promissio quae scribitur cap. 15. intelligenda deposterirate multiplicanda secundum nam â—rum stellarum per semen in quo benedicendae essent omnes nationes terrae Quod si contendas cum illi capite non fiat mentio illius seminis quod est Christus textum tantum â—oqui ad literam de carnali postericate praesertim cum Apostolus in sequentibus tantùm â—rgeat fidem de corporali posteritate qui contra spem inquiens in spem credidit c. Respondere licet ad propositam difficulâ—atâ—m fidem de qua loquitur Genesis tamet si non esset de Christo vt de obiecto innixam tamen faisse fidei vel fiduciae â—e Christo vel si de â—o nondum acceperat expressam reuclationem certe innixam fuisse miserecordiae Dei paratae homâ—il us Et similiter sentiendum est de alijs quibusuis promissionibus corporalâ—bus quod sides quae circa illas versabatur Deo placuit sed in illis in quibus erat fides siue fiducia misericordiae diuinae Sasbout in cap. 4. a d Rom. g Chap. 8. h Rom. 14. 19. 20 g Rom. 4. 23 h This speech of S. Paul is but paraleld to that of S. Iohn â— Ioh. 1. 8. If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. As the iustification whereof S. Paul speaks consists in the acknowledgement of our sinnes required by this Apostle in the words following If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forguie vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vurighteousnesse m Rom. 3. 23 n Rom. 3. 28 o Rom. 4. 2 p VVorkes proceeding from grace inherent iustifie onely in respect of men yet thus farre they iustifie vs not before men only but before God Nor is it possible for anie man not thus far iustified by working grace to make the right plea of faith whereby iustification properly taken that is finall absolution is attained l Psal 15. 1. 2 m Psal 1. 1 Psal 1. 6 n Gen. 2â— 1â— a Rom. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. b Psal 32. 1. 2 c Psal 143. 2 Si quis dixerit hominus iustificati bona opera ita esse dona Dei vt â—â—â— sint etiam bona ipâ—â—â—â— iustificati merita aut ipsum iustâ—â—â— atum bonâ—â— operibus quae ab eo per Dei gratiam Iesu Christi meritum cuius vivâ—m meâ—bâ—â—m est siunt non vâ—re mâ—râ—ri 〈◊〉 gratâ—â— viâ—â—m aeternam 〈◊〉 vitae aeterae si 〈◊〉 â—â— gratia decessâ—râ—t consecutâ—â—nâ—â— atqâ—e etiam gloriae augmeâ—â—â—m â—â—â—themâ— sit 〈◊〉 Trideâ—t sessâ—â— CaÌ„ nonâ— 32. a Num. 25. 8. Ouid. * Mat. 7. 21 * Etsi it qui iustificatur iustitiam aâ—â— pit habet per Christum etiam inhaerentem tamen anima fidelis huic non inâ—ititâ— sed soâ—â— instâ—â—â—e Christi nobis donalae side qui nâ—lla omâ—iâ—o est neceâ—â—â— potest Iestitâ—a Bâ—cer â—â— si q 〈…〉 in liâ—â—llâ— ablata 〈…〉 Ratisbone in colloquin Actisbâ—◠〈…〉 collâ—qâ—in R 〈…〉 nsi eum obâ—â—tâ—â—ssâ—nt ei pro 〈…〉 quaeâ—â—mq as author 〈…〉 qâ—ij apâ—â—llat amâ—â—â—â—as inâ—er quas p 〈…〉 sidem iâ—stâ—â—â—ationâ— iâ—â—tium elle sic respendit â—ioc si intelltâ—â—tur de iustitia inchoâ—â—a quae side spâ— charitate cetaerisque virrutibus hic comprehensis constat recipimus hanc enim iâ—stitia 〈…〉 donum esse nouam in Christ Sercaâ—urâ—m qua â—â—fide â—â—â—â—