dwells not where there is any Sin Con. Therefore no Sin remains in the regenerate Answer No Man discovers the deceit of this argument better than St. Paul himself who complaining of himself and deploring his misery could not according as he desired totally root out the strength of Sin out of his Flesh though he was held in Captivity against his will and yet no Man can say that he was void of the Grace of God But let us more accurately examin the reason of the Argument Which seems to draw its chief force from things privatively opposite for Sin and Grace are privatively opposite Which cannot consist together in the same subject Whence this Reason of the Argument follows Argument Ma. There is no Union of Sin with the Grace of God Mi. The Regenerate stand in the Grace of God Con. Therefore no Sin remains in the Regenerate Answer Here there is need of a Twofold distinction To wit of Sin and of the Sinner For as one Sin is reigning 〈◊〉 another is not reigning So there is more then one sort of Sinners For though both the Godly and the Ungodly Sin Yet not after one and the same manner For that Man Sins one way who rushes upon all manner of Wickedness against his Conscience and wittingly and willingly perseveres in sin without Repentance of whom it is said Iohn 3. He that worketh unrighteousness is not of God And that man sins another way who is rather overcome by his infirmity than yields willingly to the sinful inclinations of his flesh though sometimes he slips into the evil that he would not And nevertheless with his mind obeys the Law of God and endeavouring after Holiness in the midst of his sins he strives and cries out against them Therefore I answer with this distinction of the Majon which I deny not to be true in those who living according to the flesh wallow in all filthiness without measure or shame Of whom Paul said expresly If ye live after the flesh ye shall die but yet it must be acknowledged after the Example of the same Apostle that the Holy Spirit of God dwelling in us may consist with infirmities in the Regenerate And oft-times after this manner the Apostle joyns the Old Man and the New Man in the Regenerate the Law of the Members and the Law of the Mind the Flesh striving against the Spirit and the Spirit against the Flesh as when speaking of himself he testifies Therefore I my self with my mind serve the Law of God and with my flesh I serve the Law of sin As this disease of infirmity being never idle in the Saints doth often drive them into great and grievous sins and brings them to such distress sometimes that for a season they seem like unto the wicked forsaken of God and void of all Faith and Consolation But God in his infinite Goodness never leaves them so destitute of his Mercy whom once he hath planted in his Son by Faith but that he puts his hand under them when they fall that they are not broken to pieces and again he stretches forth his hand unto them to reduce them from their sins Though he is greatly offended and angry at their wickedness yet in his wrath remembring Mercy he doth not cast them off for ever This appears evidently by the known Examples of David Peter Manasseh Evah Adam Aaron Miriam Solomon and others And this is the difference between the godly and ungodly that though both of them fall into grievous sins against their Conscience yet in this they are distinguished the wicked run head-long on in their sins and taking pleasure in them not only for a while but through their whole life give themselves up to the bondage of corruption and take no care to return unto God by Repentance but the case is contrariwise with the Godly and Regenerate for though they may sin securely for a time and reigning sin may have dominion over them for the present yet nevertheless by the Grace of God they are brought to the acknowledgment of their sins and are recovered by Repentance Therefore I answer to the Major with this restriction It were so except Remission came together with Conversion without which Divine Grace hath no place in sinners Now though Conversion may seem lost for a season by the falls of the Saints yet notwithstanding the Regenerate are not cast out of the favour of God in as much as they are not finally forsaken Otherways if any sin of infirmity should utterly make void all the Grace of God how was the Grace of Christ sufficient for Paul when he was buffeted by a Messenger of Satan or how is his strength said to be made perfect in weakness Moreover how else is that saying of the Apostle true Where sin abounded grace hath superabounded if Divine Grace hath no union with any but them that are arrived at perfection But here again there arises an Objection out of Iohn Whosoever is born of God cannot sin c. And what is concluded from hence Therefore he that is truly regenerate in Christ is free from all pollution of sin The same fallacy returns again from that which is said in a certain sense to that which is said simply If the signification of the word sinning be taken simply in this place for any kind of sin in this sense it is false which they assume by a wrong interpretation of Iohn But if it be understood of those only who wilfully give themselves up to work wickedness or through obstinate malice allow themselves in sinning and resolutely persevere therein I confess that which they cite out of the Apostle is true of such to wit that they are not of God who sin after this manner which yet cannot be truly said of the regenerate that are born of God Therefore the difference should be observed not only of the things which are committed but much more of those that commit them For the same disease of corrupted Nature and inclination to sin abides in both which nevertheless the Regenerate suppress by strugling against it resisting their vicious affections as much as in them lies Howbeit they are not so perfect and entire but that sometimes they wilfully fall into gross sins but they do not continue in them but at length return to God by Repentance Therefore let us grant that which neither can be denied nor ought to be excused that both the godly and ungodly by reason of the common Law of Infirmity are liable to sin but yet they differ very much in their purpose and continuance Solomon knew this difference and therefore spake of it The righteous man though he fall seven times yet he rises up again but the wicked fall into mischief Perhaps they of Trent themselves will not deny that there is some natural infirmity common to the godly and ungodly which makes it possible for them to sin if they will but they deny that
promulgation of the Law I would ask him What the Law is which if it is nothing but the Rule of Righteousness how can any man be just where there is no Law But what man was there ever in the World but he carried about with him the Law of God if not written in Tables yet written on his heart and engraven on his conscience But the Decalogue was not yet engraven on Tables of Stone But what was contained in the Moral Decalogue which that holy man did not already comprehend within his own heart both of loving God and his Neighbour of not Murthering of not committing Adultery or honouring Parents c. 3. As touching the scope of this Epistle how greatly is campian mistaken For who is so void of sense that he doth not clearly perceive that the drift of the Apostle is not that which those Iesuits dream of to attribute our Salvation or Iustification to any Works either going before or following after Neither was this Office of an Ambassadour committed unto him that he might contend with the Iews about Ceremonies or with the Gentiles about Moral Duties but as Peter was entrusted with the Apostleship of the Circumcision so also the Preaching of the Gospel to the Uncircumcision was committed unto Paul not that he should Preach the Law but the Faith which before he opposed Not that he might declare the Righteousness of Works in which there is no Salvation but that God by him might reveal his Son amongst the Gentiles and might manifest unto the World that heavenly Trophy and glad Tydings of Peace and Victory obtained in Heaven by Christ and spread abroad far and wide through the Churches the boundless riches of Divine Grace which he had experienced in himself For he was called for this purpose to the Apostleship that the infinitely gracious Lord and Redeemer Christ Iesus might first exercise his Mercy towards him and afterwards by him declare his great Mercy towards Sinners not only by hisExample but also by his Ministry For thus he bears witness of himself that the Ministry of Reconciliation was committed to him for which he was appointed to be a Preacher and Apostle and Teacher of the Gentiles in Faith and Truth that he being an Ambassadour in Christ's stead might invite all men yea and beg of them that they would be reconciled unto God And this seems to be the principal scope that Paul aims at not only in the Epistle to the Romans but also in all his Doctrine to proclaim amongst the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ and that he might set before the view of all men what is the Communion of the Mystery that was hidden with God in former Ages c. But now in the Righteousness of Works no such Mystery lay hidden with God from former Ages Therefore it is false and abominable which Campian the Iesuit and such like Sophisters assert concerning the scope and sense of Paul's Epistle to the Romans For by the Law which Paul excludes from Iustification they understand that part thereof which comprehends Ceremonial and Iudicial Works wherein the Iews gloried or Works purely Moral performed before Faith on which the Gentiles relied Yea on the contrary when Paul removes the Law from Iustification he doth not only exclude it upon the account of Iewish Ceremonies or Moral Works performed before Faith but also upon the account of its weakness through the flesh both in Iews and Gentiles both in the regenerate and the unregenerate so that it cannot make sufficient satisfaction to the Iustice of God And Paul affirms That for this cause God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh What did God do but what flesh could not do For sin he condemned sin in the flesh In what flesh ours or his own Sons Who of all the Regenerate though endued with great habitual Faith and Grace hath so led his life walking not according to the flesh but according to the spirit but he always carries about with him flesh that is weak in many respects and vicious and subject to sin Concerning which every one may complain with the Apostle I know that in me that is in my flesh dwells no good thing And again I find a Law that when I would do good evil is present with me c. For what they speak of Works following Faith and Grace how little that helps their cause appears not more evident by any Argument than by the Lives of those that maintain this Controversie if they be strictly enquired into If that be true which Campian with his Iesuits pleads for That Righteousness is not obtained in men come to years but by Works that follow after Faith Let us behold then what excellent Works this Faith of the Mother Church of Rome brings forth seeing they so much glory in the Title of Catholick Faith and Preach so many things about Charity which is the fulfilling of the Law Let us look into the Life and Works of the Roman Popes Cardinals and Bishops and the whole Crew of the Monks and Iesuits Where can you find more of the flesh or less of true holiness than in those false-hearted and painted Hypocrites whose whole profession of Religion consists in Purple Gowns high topped Mitres Purple Caps Rings adorned with Iewels solemn Vows Ceremonies which in reality are rather Stage-playes than Exercises of Piety This appears to be too true by the unhappy Tumults raised in the World the Wars and Persecutions that are stirred up by none more than by those very men that call themselves Spiritual and Catholick whom it should become to be the chiefest encouragers of Concord and Messengers of Peace But having so much enlarged upon this sort of men with their Works and Merits let us return to the Examples of those of whom we spake before who were freely admitted unto Baptism and received into favour by Faith without any commendation of Merits at all yea without mention of any Works except such perhaps as were evil Amongst which number those Iews may be reckoned of whom three thousand at one time were Baptized by Peter Likewise also the Eunuch whom Faith only without Works made not only meet for Baptism but also an Heir of the Heavenly Kingdom And the Iaylor whom Paul Baptized Moreover Paul himself and all the Apostles and Publicans the family of Cornelius Zacehaeus Mary Magdalen and the Thief on the Cross If Faith without Works was sufficient to them for the Grace of Baptism why not also for the obtaining of Iustification and Life Eternal Vega and those of his Association answers after his usual manner that in all these Repentance was joyned with Faith and other things also belonging to good Manners and a godly Life But it easily appears how vain and insignificant this Answer of Vega is He says Repentance and other Vertues are joyned with Faith Which tho' I confess to be in some sense true in the lives and persons of
Salvation and Iustification should be understood to consist principally not in the Life of Men if it were never so Holy but in the Doctrine of Faith rightly taught In which Matter this whole Generation of Papists seems to me not a little deceived who look upon this our Christian Religion to be nothing else but a Moral Doctrine of framing the Life according to the right Rules of Living which when a Man hath strictly observed and thereby gained the Reputation of Vertue and external Honesty they think nothing further is wanting to the compleat Perfection of Christian Philosophy which if it be true I scarcely discern what difference there is between us and the Ancient Philosophers For what Sect of Philosophers was ever so grosly absurd but that they esteemed it honourable to contemn those things with the Admiration and Desire whereof we Christians are so much transported that we are in the next degree to Madness That Money never makes any Man Happy That the end of good should by no means be placed in Honours or Pleasures The Stoicks were not ignorant that no Man is wise but a good Man They saw that nothing was good and honourable but true Vertue and nothing should be accounted Evil but only Filthiness Socrates in Plato Disputes that Injury should not be revenged by an Injury And that the Soul should by all means be drawn away from the Affections of the Body Moreover that the Soul being Immortal they are not in a deplorable Condition who after having passed their Life honestly depart hence into more blessed Habitations What shall I say of Plato or of Aristotle who in his Politicks denies that any thing can be pleasant unto Men in Life except Vertue in which only Pleasure consists How holily doth M. Cicero write of Offices Yea those Men did not only teach such things but not a few of them did also perform great part of their Doctrine both amongst the Greeks and the Latins especially Socrates Aristides Diogenes Epictetus the Curij the Fabij the Fabricij and the Scipio's Whose Life Vertues and famous Acts if we look into and compare them with the Catacatholicks in our Days O how ashamed may they be at so great a difference as is between them And yet as all these things so very excellent profited them nothing to Salvation without Christ so also we should suppose that in all our Vertue and good Deeds there is nothing that distinguishes us before God from their Paganism unless besides the Condition of Life there be added another Doctrine and Profession of Religion which doth not as the Philosophers of old Dispute about Vertues only and Moral Duties or about placing the chief Good in the Excellency of Vertue or Charity nor makes enquiry about legal Righteousness and civil Iudgments But calls us forth unto deeper Mysteries and instructs the Minds of Believers soundly and solidly concerning the Heavenly Iudgment of God his Will his Engagement by Covenant concerning the Son of God and our Eternal Redemption by Christ Peace Iustification Faith the Hope of our Calling the largeness of the Mercy and Grace of God Salvation and the Crown of Immortality These seem to me to be the Principal Heads in which all the Strength and Nature of our Religion all our Peace and Tranquility and all the way of our Salvation and Doctrine is contained Which manner of Doctrine I think all means should be used that it may be retained in the Church sound and entire And this was the chiefest Cause that stirred me up to undertake this Defence wherein I am now engaged not that I might open a Door of Licentiousness to Men of unclean Dispositions But that I might lay open unto all Godly Brethren and especially to those that are afflicted the boundless and eternal Riches of the Grace of God in Christ purchased for us the Glory of the Kingdom the Stable and undoubted good Pleasure of his reconciled favour What if some are of such a perverse Mind that they design to abuse this our peaceable and healthful debate about Faith and the Grace of Iustification for a Defence of their own Uurighteouness and carnal Licentiousness I give them notice now before hand that these things were neither written nor thought upon by me for them but only for the Godly whose Consciences in this World are burdened and afflicted to whom I would peculiarly Dedicate this Work such as it is that I might ease and refresh them in Christ in the great straits of their Agonies with some Lenitive of Evangelical Doctrine against the ensnaring assaults of Satan And likewise that I might strengthen and preserve them as with an Antidote against the Malignity of the Pseudocatholick Adversaries and the subtile deceits of Sophisters Who by an infinite number of Books already published and by hurrying new ones daily into publick view keep no measure and make no end of Writing that they may subvert the right ways of the Lord. In the mean time I have nothing at present that I can say of that our good-by Stapleton but that it troubles me much his Book so prolixely Talkative came no sooner to my Hands Now because this so tumultuous a noise of twelve Books which he seems to have armed against Christ and his twelve Apostles to conquer the simplicity of Evangelical Doctrine requires more leisure to examine his so many and so great Authorities heaped together out of Augustin I must beg a Truce of Him until I can bestow requisite Pains on so great a Doctor if so be God will furnish me with Strength that I may be able to perform it Now I pray the Lord Iesus who was crucified for our Sins that according to the unspeakable greatness of his Power whereby he can do all things with his Father in Heaven and in Earth and according to his great loving Kindness towards us that he would fructifie our Minds daily more and more by the Spirit of his Grace nourish them by his Presence confirm them by his Power that he would defend the afflicted cause of the Gospel against the Plagues of Errour disappoint the attempts of malicious Persons endeavouring our Destruction still disorderly Tumults and vain Ianglings in the Church grant Peace to our Times Pardon to our Sins Strength and Victory to our Faith Skilful Workmen to the Church and Dexterity in working and teaching to the workmen and especially that he would refresh and Comfort with the Gracious Favour of his Divine Majesty the pious and perplexed Consciences of Believers combating with Death and Satan or exercised with sharp Affliction for the Glory of his own Name to whom with the Father and the Holy Spirit all Glory is due for ever and ever Amen Iohn Fox Books Printed for and are to be sold by Tho. Parkhurst at the Bible and Three Crowns in Cheapside near Mercers-Chapel A Practical Exposition on the 130. Psalm wherein the Nature of the forgiveness of Sin is declared the Truth and Reality of it asserted and the
Case of a Soul Distressed with the guilt of Sin and relieved by a discovery of forgiveness with God is at large Discoursed The Grace and Duty of being Spiritually Minded declared and practically improved A Declaration of the glorious Mystery of the Person of Christ God and Man Of Temptation the Nature Power the danger of entring into it means of preventing that Danger A Vindication of the Doctrine of the Trinity these five by Dr. Iohn Owen A Body of practical Divinity consisting of above 176 Sermons on the lesser Catechism composed by the Reverend Assembly of Divines at Westminster with a Supplement of some Sermons on several Texts of Scripture by Tho. Watson formerly Minister of St. Stephens Walbrook Printed from his own hand-writing recommended by several Ministers to Masters of Families and others The Confirming Work of Religion Or its Great Things made plain by their Primary Evidences and Demonstrations Whereby the meanest in the Church may soon be made able to render a Rational account of their Faith Written by R. Fleming Author of the Fulfilling of the Scriptures The Gospel Mystery of Sanctification in sundry practical Directions suited to the Case of those who labour under the guilt and power of indwelling Sin To which is added a Sermon of Iustification By Mr. Walter Marshal late Preacher of the Gospel The Confession of Faith together with the larger and smaller Catechisms by the Reverend Assembly of Divines then sitting at Westminster presented to both Houses of Parliament Again published with Scriptures at large and the Emphasis of the Scriptures in a different Character An Earnest Call to Family-Religion or a Discourse concerning Family-worship being the substance of eighteen Sermons preached by Samuel Slater M. A. Minister of the Gospel The Sure Mercies of David Or a Second Part of Heart-treasure Wherein is contained the summ and substance of Gospel-mercies purchased by Christ and Promised in the Covenant of Grace together with the several ways how they are made sure to all the Heirs of Promise and how they are to be improved for the Saints Fort and Defence Settlement and Incouragement in shaking and back-sliding times By O. Heywood OF Free Iustification by Christ. In Reading your Books Hierom Osorius concerning Righteousness though I had not leisure accurately to trace every particular on which you have enlarged yet by what I have here and there collected I think I do well enough perceive whereat you drive what you design and what you endeavour For according to my apprehension you are endeavouring not to strike at some part of Christian Doctrine of smaller concernment but to cut the very Throat and extinguish the Breath and Spirit of the Gospel and to besiege the whole state of our Felicity and the Castle and chief City of Christian Liberty and to pluck up from the very Foundation all the Munitions of Peace and Life For what other thing dost thou in all these ten Books whereby thou snatchest away out of the Hands Studies Minds and Consciences of Men and out of the Earth as the Sun out of the World that most glorious Light of our Free Iustification purchased by the great bounty of Christ and confirmed by the Eternal Covenant of God Which being taken away I see not what thou leavest remaining to us but Cimmerian and Osorian Darkness in which we may grope like blind Moles Which endeavours of thine though of themselves being vain and frivolous there is no great cause why they should be feared in their opposition against the invincible force of Divine Truth yet because they strive to with-hold from us that which is most excellent in all Religion therefore I thought it was necessary to write these things unto thee not being provoked by any Enmity or Hatred against thy Person that I might vex thee but that I might admonish thee both friendly and freely and so much the more freely in how much greater danger I see thou art entangled unless thou return back and endeavour to walk more uprightly according to the Gospel of Christ. For what think you Sir That by your deeds performed as well as can be imagined and by the steps of your vertues you can lay for your self a passage into the Kingdom of God Or think you that any man living in this slippery condition of Nature can root out all his Lusts and utterly cut off all their enticements and so contain himself within the bounds of his duty that he can equalize those habitations of Eternal Glory with a proportionable dignity of Righteousness or dare promise them to himself upon such an account unless the bounty of God had freely put this honour upon us O be not of such an opinion This is not the way to Heaven Either you must change your mind or lay down this hope Howbeit this opinion seems not to be yours only but common to you with many to wit the late School-Divines especially those who have a greater veneration for the authority of the Pope than the Writings of the Apostles who being all infected with the same contagion of error do boldly profess the same that you affirm But yet all of them do not proceed in the same manner and method Those do so frame their notions that all men may understand they are the professed Enemies of Divine Grace and our Free Iustification in Christ which they hiss out of the Schools and openly anathamatize Your arguings are somewhat different though you have undertaken obstinately to maintain the same thing that they do but you hide the same venom with a more subtile artifice so that it insinuates more easily and lies less open to rebuke For I see you write Books concerning Righteousness and those not a few nor unpolished When I look on the argument I see it is honourable and plausible When I look into your manner of Speech your painted eloquence and laudatory amplifications wherewith you adorn the Glory Loveliness and Beauty of Righteousness with a Tragedian-like sublimity of style I confess this is not unworthy of praise For who should not deservedly praise him whom he sees so inflamed with the praises of Righteousness But if any man look more inwardly and consider with himself according to right reason with what mind for what end for what pretence and with what arguments you maintain those parts of righteousness so much praised and compare them with the Gospel of Christ he will be forced to acknowledge that you are defective in many things If you will permit me briefly to give my opinion of the whole frame of this work though you have little regard to what my censure is yet if you will allow me to speak freely to you as becomes me I will do it according to my duty and I will so do it that you your self may perceive that there was nothing less in my design in writing to you than a perverse inclination to find fault with other mens writings And thus I judge you have so handled
of the general Salvation of Christians nor a filthier blot upon Religion nor have done a greater injury to St. Paul the Scriptures and the Prophets than is manifest in these Books But in writing these things to you I restrain my self for your sake lest I pass the bounds of modesty which I have set to my self What then should the cause of Truth therefore be deserted You your self do not require that of me as I suppose Wherefore that I may as much as I can observe that which is my duty in both respects I have laid hold on this way of prosecuting this design which you see and which necessity hath laid upon me whereby I might both less offend you and likewise perhaps more benefit the cause I have undertaken to defend Therefore seeing I judged it necessary to oppose your attempts in this matter so I thought it most convenient not that I should in this Book answer to all the small scraps of Reasons in the order that you observe which indeed is none at all in a tumultuary confusion in those Ten Books but that I may by choice touch upon and confute the chief of them How easie it is to err in the Doctrine of Iustification SEeing these things and others like unto them contain the principal Heads of all Christian Doctrine therefore Divines should take a special care lest they err in these which care unless they take there will follow a most grievous ruin and perturbation of all things the foundations being as it were put out of their places And yet I know not how it comes to pass that error is no where more easily committed than in these Points Neither is it so strange for so it comes to pass that this animal nature we call Human Reason when consulted with about the things of God is most blind and sees nothing unless it be Illuminated with the better Light of Divine Knowledge shining in upon it For the right understanding of Divine things comes by the Spirit of God and not by Human Capacity and though the Law and the things of the Law were in some sense born with us and cleave unto our Nature Yet the Mysteries of the Doctrine of the Gospel are not apprehended so easily because the Nature of both is very different Moreover you may see many who following the guidance of Nature and her precepts more than is meet do teach and dispute of things belonging to the Gospel just as if a Philosopher should discourse of the Principles of Nature or a Moralist of the perfection of Vertues in which they place their chiefest good or as if a Pharisee sitting in the Chair of Moses should dispute about the Righteousness of the Law But there will be another occasion of treating of these things if opportunity be granted In the mean while that I may speak ingenuously of thee O Osorius with how much the greater natural parts God in his bounty hath adorned thee and heaped upon thee it is the more grievous to me that thou art violently drawn aside with others into that blindness of error That though you teach us many things in your reasoning about Righteousness yet you scarcely teach any thing that makes much to the purpose and nothing at all that is profitable for Salvation but rather on the contrary that which is very hurtful For I beseech you What assurance can there be of Salvation if you shut out Mercy and send us to our own Righteousness as the only way which conveys us to Heaven for all your Doctrine of Divinity looks that way To wit when discoursing of the hope of remedy you affirm there is no other way but that only of becoming like unto God and being united unto him and that this is the only way of a Blessed Life which consists wholly in Righteousness which whoso do observe those you affirm do abound with Divine Riches and Eternal Glory As if there were no hope remaining for him that turns a little aside from these footsteps Than which what could be said or invented more repugnant to the Gospel yea also elsewhere repeating again the same thing tho' in different Words How should a Man be saved say you Is there any other paved way to Salvation but what is contained in the Law of God None at all c. And again in another Book as in all your Books reasoning about the Works of the Law you assert that Righteousness is purchased by these that Men go up to Heaven by these as by steps that eternal rewards are appointed for these and you plead that this is the only way we have to Heaven which is paved with renowned Works c. Moreover you proclaim yet with more open Mouth Wherefore say you it must be attested with greater freedom of Speech that the ascent into Heaven is given to the Merits of the greatest Vertues and that the Mansions of the Everlasting Kingdom are given justly and deservedly to Holy and Chast Men c. It would take up a long time and be much more troublesome to rake together out of every one of your Books every one of those wonderful sayings which are more than Paradoxes whereby you plead that all the safeguard of our Salvation should be placed in nothing else but in the observance and care of Righteousness which if you could as well perform in effect and reality as you set them forth in Words magnificently I should esteem that none were more happy none more worthy of Heaven than you But now let us suppose that which I see you would so fain have granted that Heaven is only due to perfect Men no other ways but upon the account of Righteousness and that there is no other way of coming to those blessed mansions but that which is trodden by the most pure footsteps of good men and settled in the perfect integrity of Works Now we are not against the deserved praises of righteousness neither do we with-hold from it its rewards Be it so indeed But where shall we find this Righteousness Dic quibus in terris erit mihi magnus Apollo Tell me in what Country and I shall esteem you to be a great Oracle This man of righteous life dwells who will so direct the course of his Life according to this Idea of Vertue proposed by you that he fails no where who Roots out all manner of wickedness who refrains himself from railing with his Tongue Suppresses the Haughtiness Insolency and madness of an Ambitious Spirit and the rashness of a Headstrong Mind who Crucifies the Flesh with its Lusts who suppressing ungodly lustings by frequent meditation upon Death brings himself over from all Impurity and Impiety to the resemblance of Christ who separating his mind from the Contagion of the Body applies it wholly to the Imitation of Christ who resembles the humility and meekness of Christ his bounty and benevolence and his excellent Holiness in all respects and also cuts off all
greatness of his benefits what more Divine If his Life it self every way perfect with all purity of the greatest Vertues what more admirable Unto whose example as the most perfect rule for imitation seeing you invite us so earnestly I must needs both willingly approve of your Piety therein and also give you thanks upon this account for your diligence And so much the more upon the account that the unhappy calamity of these times does so greatly need such incitements which I know not by what means having obliterated the footsteps of the Heavenly Adam seem to have degenerated again unto the Earthly Father with a perfect conspiracy Wherefore I could the rather with to these manners and times that those things which are very well discoursed of by you concerning following the Example of Christ concerning the resembling of his Death concerning imitating his Divine Life may pierce not only the Ears of Men but also the most inward parts of their minds For what is more solid for Advice or more seasonable for the Time than that which you so much enlarge upon with a plentiful amplification of Words that every Man according to his power should propose unto himself Christ the chiefest Example of all Vertue and Master of Life for Imitation and Resemblance That having rooted out the filth and relicks of the Old Nature He may drive away very far from him with a resolved and magnanimous Spirit all Taints of impurity And because as you say we cannot be in the middle between the two therefore it remains that having forsaken the party of the body we should so fight under the banner of Christ our Prince we should so subdue the body it self by the power of his saving Crosi all rebellion of the body should so be overcome in us that this unbridled lust which maintains everlasting enmity against God may at length yield to his command and that we may not lessen any endeavour or labour howsoever great in this most holy observance of Iustice and imitation of Christ. As these things are proposed by you most excellent Osorius no less Holily than Eloquently so I would that in like manner your Rhetorick might make a suitable Harmony concerning the Imitation of Christ in the Ears of the Roman Bishops and Cardinals That these Men having abdicated the perishing and transitory Wealth of this World with which they overflow beyond all measure of their own profession and also above royal magnificence may at length think of the poverty of Christ that they may diminish their Possessions and large Inheritances heaped together their Diadems and their other regalities I say not according to the example of the Ancient Philosophers but according to the contentation of the most Holy Apostles that seriously rejecting the luxury and superfluity of this Life their vain glory their needless vanities and trifles may at length cease to be conform to the wicked fashions of this World And that laying aside all haughtiness and pride of Life they may submit themselves to the humility of Christ and restrain and compose the exorbitancy of their Minds and Spirits And laying down this Popish Cruelty and Tyranny learn to become meek of Christ that most perfect pattern of meekness Learn saith he of me because I am meek and lowly of Spirit I do not require that those Roman Priests should wash the Feet of the Poor according to the example of Christ but that they should not embrue their cruel Hands in the Blood of their Brethren neither do I require that they should give Water to refresh the Disciples of Christ but that they should not heap up Flames and Faggots to burn their Bodies nor lay Snares for them or devise to entrap them privily design their ruine and destruction furnish Darts and Weapons to slay them for whom Christ was Sacrificed and by whom they themselves were never hurt If Example should be taken from Christ I pray you what doth the Divine Father and Creator commend more unto us what else doth his whole life breath but mutual Charity both towards Friends and also towards Enemies Who not only doth not break the shaken and bruised Reed but upon the Cross prays for his very Crucifiers Therefore we have an example singularly excellent which we may imitate We have also together with an example a commendation by the mouth of the Apostle by whom Charity is called the bond of perfection Moreover there is not wanting the Preaching of Divines who in their Books in their Exercises in their Sermons do attribute so much to Charity that they call It the form the perfection and the very life of faith without which there is no other vertue that can be helpful to Salvation And now I need not here in many words declare what agreement there is between the Doctrine of those great extollers of Charity and the practice of their lives seeing there are so many proofs before our eyes so many ten thousands of men slain do witness it and so great abundance of Christian blood shed there is so great outrage of Persecution every where there is nothing safe from slaughter fury tumult snares contentions dangers articles of Inquisition bonds and imprisonments In some places the Turk makes havock with the Sword and elsewhere with flames and smoak And the Fathers of the Roman Court exercise Cruelty First they make Laws written with blood which afterwards they commit to Political Monarchs to be promulgated and to the other Officers to be executed by Law On the sudden Citizens of good repute and Learned Ministers are violently haled to examinations and afterwards to death if any Man dare but open his mouth against the manifest abuses of errours they spare neither Age nor Sex nor Condition Thus forsooth those perfect Roman Catholick Nobles imitate the Charity of Christ so they follow his Divine Life so they resemble his death so they shew forth his meekness so they bear the Image of the Divine Father so they wholly and more than wholly form and fashion themselves from the imitation of the earthly Father to the example of the Heavenly Who justly deserve to hear from the Lord ye are those that justifie your selves before men but God knoweth your hearts for that which is of high account before Men is abominable before God What if the most Holy Popes and purple Cardinals those Chiefest Dignitaries of the Church with all this your Order of Bishops and the most strict Orders of Monks who by Place Dignity and Profession seem to approach nearest unto Christ and to supply his place upon earth differ so much from him what cause is there why we should hope better of the whole body of the common people or that any Man should promise himself Salvation in following the footsteps of Christ but God willing I shall elsewhere make enquity into this just matter of complaint Now let us return to you Osorius whose so godly and eloquent exhortations about putting on and imitating Christ
than this large honour of his Kingdom which the Lord himself promises us in the Gospel Fear not saith he little Flock for it is the good will of your Father to give you the Kingdom Which Paul also makes mention of writing both elsewhere and also to the Colossians Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness and translated us unto the Kingdom of his dear Son c. Of which also Daniel a most famous Prophet hath given an ample Testimony The Kingdom saith he and the Dominion and the largeness of the Kingdoms under the whole Heaven shall be given to the People of the Saints of the most High c. In which one benefit seeing the whole Sum of our Felicity is comprehended to wit reconciliation with God imputation of Righteousness remission of Sins Peace with God access with boldness hope the glory of God eternal blessedness and salvation the Inheritance of Eternal Life freedom from the accusation and condemnation of the Law What can any Man either by desires wish for or by Faith conceive more glorius For he that is promoted unto the possession of a Kingdom what more can be added to him unto the highest splendour of Glory and the degree of the most honourable Dignity Therefore we have as you see O Osorius the hereditary Mansions of the Eternal Kingdom promised to us and that not of Works but of Faith not according to Bargain but according to Grace and therefore according to Grace that the Promise may be firm and sure to all the Seed It is a very weighty Cause and Authority not to be contemned For what is more firm for all manner of security than that which relies on the certain faithfulness of God and a free promise On the contrary what is more unstable than that which depends on the most uncertain condition of our Works which are either for the most part evil or always uncertain Why then wilt thou cast us again out of the most firm safeguard of most sure confidence proposed to us which rests most safely in the free bounty of God promising as if thou drovest us out of a Haven of Tranquillity procured for us to be tossed in the tempestuous Waters and Straits of Diffidence and Desperation And do you make those things doubtful and uncertain which through the bounty of God we do as it were hold in our hands with a most assured Faith so that now there is not any thing certain which a man may satisfie his own Soul about touching Salvation for I pray you what can be certain if so be the Grace of the Promise being taken away if Imputation of Righteousness being neglected which is placed in Christ for us the whole matter is brought to the account of our actions and you plead that we are not otherways righteous before God than by performing the Offices of the Divine Law Objection But you will say What hath not God promised in Iereremiah and Ezekiel to those that come to God by Faith that they shall have his Law written in their mind that they shall have the very presence of the Holy Ghost within their mind and defile their life with no sin but govern it by the Law of God and walk in the Precepts of God and perform excellent and holy works and moreover that they shall be righteous c. Ans. 1. As touching the promise of the Spirit of God it is very true what you cite out of Ieremiah For God in his bounty hath promised that he will write his Law not only in Tables of Stone as before but in the inward Tables of their minds and indeed accordingly he hath performed and doth perform daily what he hath promised And what doth your Logical reasoning gather thence Therefore say you seeing we have the Law of God put into our inward parts it comes to pass that giving credit to the promises of God we do presently obtain the help of God that we may very easily do all things that are commanded us and so be saved c. Therefore by these many things which have been hitherto mentioned by you concerning the Law and its Office I perceive you have two Opinions both of which are false First That you affirm that we being supported by the Grace of God and guarded by his help can very easily perform all things whatsoever are commanded by the Law of God Secondly Because you plead that all the nature of our Righteousness and Salvation consists in performing God's Commands and that there is no other way to Heaven but that which is contained in the Law of God Both which Reasons of yours how absurd they are how contrary to the Grace of God and the Gospel and how much disallowed and confuted not only by all Authority of Divine Scripture but also long since contradicted by the sayings of the most Antient Fathers and how void of all support of reason and experience there is no Man that hath so little Reason or Religion but evidently perceives it and clearly takes notice of it For though we do not deny that by the help of the grace of the Divine Spirit there are wonderful various and manifold effects produced and great gifts are shed abroad in the minds of the Regenerate for governing all parts of Life piously and holily but whence I pray you will you teach that so great strength and so great power to observe Righteousness is given by God and committed unto mortal Man which may be sufficient for performing all things that are prescribed in the most holy Law of God Concerning the Perfection of Righteousness and compleat Obedience of the Law You proceed to press again and again that Antient Song out of the Prophet I will put saith he my Law in their inward parts and write it in their hearts And also out of the other Prophet And I will give them a heart of flesh that they may walk in my Precepts and keep my Iudgments and also may do these things which are just c. I hear the Oracles of the Prophetical Promise uttered with great evidence from whence certainly works of New Obedience do proceed which necessarily follow Faith so that if any Man do now enquire for the cause of good works presently he learns hence that it should not be attributed to the strength of Man's Will but the Gift of the holy Spirit but now whence does this Gift proceed but from the Merits of Christ or to whom is it given but to them that believe in Christ For the holy Spirit is received by Faith according to that of Paul That we may receive the promise of the Spirit by Faith Wherefore seeing Faith is the only thing which procures unto us the holy Spirit therefore it cannot otherways be but that having received the Divine Spirit of Sanctification a new Life and spiritual motions do follow in the hearts of the Regenerate For a mind rightly qualified with the Faith of Christ
and being now reconciled to God as it cannot be destitute of the favour of God so being stirred up by his holy breathings begins now to be a Law to it self whereby it fears God and according to its power honours him with due Reverence cleaves unto him with all its might refers its actions and counsels to him calls on him by prayers adheres to him in adversity celebrates his benefits with a thankful remembrance lays its hope and confidence and its whole self upon him and also for his sake loves and cherishes all the Brethren And as there is no Man that denies these Offices of necessary Obedience performed by the help of the Spirit of God are fruits of a well-instructed Faith So there is no controversie between us and you in that matter especially seeing you your self also together with us confess That these are not works of the Law but of Faith and that they should not be referred so much to the Law as to the holy Spirit and Faith relying upon his help as you say But the greatest difference that is between us consists in this that whereas we assert That the Obedience of Man born again by the Divine Power is but begun and imperfect in this mortal infirm state You on the contrary dream of I know not what perfection of obedience in works the Spirit of God so working in us that whosoever is qualified therewith needs nothing that belongs to compleat perfection of righteousness for all your debate about this matter seems to drive at this as being concluded with this one Syllogism Argument Ma. Whosoever walk in the Precepts of the Lord and perform them should be called perfect who can easily live without sin Mi. All the Faithful according to the promise of God walk in his precepts and perform them because God promises nothing but what he can and will perform Concl. Therefore according to the promise of God nothing hinders but Believers may be perfect here who are capacitated to live without sin That I may answer the Argument it is a Sophistical Argument from secundum quid to simpliciter because in the Major those are called perfect who walk in the Precepts of the Lord and frame their life according to them it is true in them who simply and perfectly perform all those things which are commanded in the Law according to that perfection which is requisite According to which Rule if the major be understood that which is assumed in the minor must be upon this account deny'd For though God hath promised to his Saints that the Assisting grace of his Spirit shall not be wanting which may help forward pious attempts in his Elect and stir up their endeavours after more holy obedience but where hath he at any time promised or on whom hath he bestowed that happiness in walking which turns no where to the right hand nor to the left which stumbles not through the whole life which in all kind of vertues by a constant perseverance so conforms the course of life to compleat innocency that it never fails in any thing The Adversaries use for the defence of their own cause to catch at the words that were just now cited out of Ierem. chap. 31. and Ezek. chap. 26. I will cause you to walk in my Precepts and keep my Iudgments c. And then out of Deut. chap. 30. I will Circumcise saith the Lord the fore-skin of your heart that ye may love the Lord with all your heart and with all your soul. I know indeed that in these words there is a glorious promise contained of the gift of the Holy Ghost and the restoring of new obedience but because there is a twofold perfection and a twofold righteousness according to Hierom. one which is suited to the vertues of God another which is agreeable to our frailty And again seeing according to the Authority of Augustine there is a twofold kind of Obedience one that is seen in this Life being but begun and imperfect Another that is perfect which is compleated in the life to come It is not difficult to discern in what sense the perfection of Renovation should be understood in the Scriptures To wit not simply and absolutely but according to the measure and capacity of this Life Therefore Augustine says well that a Man is sometimes called perfect because he hath profited in a great degree And the same again But whereas Men are called Saints sometimes and perfect in the Scriptures I say to this that it is a certain manner of perfection whereby Holy Men acknowledge their own imperfection They are also called perfect who in any respect imitate the perfection of the Heavenly Father who rains on the Iust and Unjust c. And again the same Augustine writing to Boniface The Vertue saith he which is now in a Righteous Man is called perfect upon this account because it belongs to his perfection both to acknowledge in Truth and confess in Humility his own Imperfection Moreover Hierom not much differing from him answered wittily To whom when that place of St. Paul was objected Whosoever of us are perfect we understand this To this Hierom says What then do we understand yea what ought we to understand that we who are perfect should acknowledge our selves to be unperfect and that they have not yet comprehended nor yet attained unto perfection This is saith he the Wisdom of Man to know himself to be imperfect and that I may so speak the perfection of all Righteous Men in the Flesh is imperfect c. And afterwards again in the same Book Therefore we are Righteous then when we confess our selves to be Sinners For our Righteousness consists not of our own merit but of the mercy of God as the Scripture says The Righteous Man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his Speech And again to Ctesiphon This is Mens only perfection saith he if they know themselves to be imperfect c. Moreover the Adversaries set upon us with another Argument also which they produce out of the words of Deut. 30. To defend the perfection of their own Righteousness after this manner Ma. In these two commands thou shalt love thy God with all thy Soul and thy Neighbour as thy self is contained the summ of all perfection Mi. They that are regenerate can love God with all their Heart and all their Soul and their Neighbours as themselves according to the promise of God Deut. 30. Concl. Hence then it follows that the Regenerate by the help of the Spirit of God can fulfil all Righteousness by the Works of the Law This reasoning as it differs not much from the former so there is implied in it a certain kind of fallacy not unlike it Which of what sort it is if I may with your allowance Osorius I will declare For there lurks under the words of Scripture not rightly understood a fallacy or venom wholly Pelagian But
Companions of your Society who being all instructed in the same School seem to make a Conspiracy about this one thing as it were giving notice by a watch-word viz. to overthrow all the efficacy of Evangelical Grace to destroy the assurance of Faith to oveturn all For what place is there for Grace I beseech you if Heaven is given not by the free gift of the bestower but to the Merits of holy men as you say And what will you answer Paul the Apostle who denies that grace is any more grace if men deal with God by Works whence that may be brought not without just cause against you and yours which Augustine of old brought in his contending with the Antient Pelagians of his time For thus you plead That Heaven is justly and deservedly given to the Merits of holy men On the contrary Augustine being taught by Apostolick Authority If it is given saith he to any Merits it is not then given freely but is render'd as due and by this means it is not by a true name called grace where the reward as the Apostle speaks is not imputed according to grace but according to debt But that it may be true grace that is free it finds nothing in Man to whom it should be due otherways according to the mind of the Apostle grace would not be grace c. And now with what fair colours cast on them will those things being contrary to one another be made to agree Augustine with St. Paul affirms that grace finds nothing in Man to which it should be due That it may be free On the contrary the Papists contend that Heaven is given as a due debt to the Merits of the Saints What is more contrary Grace saith he doth not only help the righteous man but also justifies the ungodly in which there appears a twofold effect and fruit of Divine Grace both in helping the righteous and justifying the ungodly With the one of which you being contented ye either unworthily pass by the other or which is more abominable ye oppose it wickedly whilst ye admit no grace of justifying but that which seems to be joyned with Vertue and the Iustice of Merits And yet after all these things whereas nothing more contrary to grace can be spoken this sweet Oratour would perswade us with his flourished speeches that they are no such men as overturn the Grace of God as some ignorant men say but that they celebrate with due praise the wonderful effect of grace and teach that all the Merits of the Saints should be referred to the Grace of God Now we acknowledge this to be most certain that there is not any thing but what should be referred to the Grace of God whence Hierom accounts it for Sacrilege if any man thinks he can abstain from sinning without grace But here there is need to explain what the word grace signifies according to the caution of the Gospel For grace in the holy Scriptures is not only understood concerning the help of the Holy Spirit but it comprehends both free Imputation which is by Christ which the Papists cannot endure and the help of the Holy Spirit in performing the Offices of Vertues How the Papists and Protestants agree and differ in understanding the word Grace Now whereas both Papists and Protestants seem to attribute Man's Iustifaication to grace herein they both agree But they say this after their manner of speaking we after ours For this is the difference between these and the Protestants that the Papists by the name of grace understand only gifts that are conferr'd upon those that are justified to wit habits which they call infused and excellent Endowments of lovely Vertues and other things of that kind wherewith the Elect are adorned by the free gift of God But the contrary party being otherways taught by the Scriptures and confirmed by the sayings of the Fathers perceiving these very gifts of the Spirit of God as long as they live in this flesh are imperfect through our default they deny that men can be justified by these because Divine Iustice cannot at all be satisfied by these And therefore it is that they attribute Iustification only to the grace and mercy of God which consists not of any remuneration of Vertues but rather imputation of Righteousness and forgiveness of sins For we do not find fault with this in them that they do rightly affirm that all our good works should be referred to the grace of God which neither the Iews themselves nor the Turks will deny But we justly disapprove that they do not define this grace according to Scripture For whereas grace is so defined by this sort of men that it is nothing else but a habit infused by God like his own goodness and love whereby he that hath it is rendered acceptable to God and it makes Works acceptable to him and meritorious It is easily demonstrated both by Scriptures and Reason how faulty this definition is because the thing defined is of a larger extent than the definition For the grace whereby God loved Iacob and hated Esau before they did either good or evil was grace which yeâ—â—as not any Habit either begotten in them by the power of Nature or infused by grace whereby Iacob that had it that I may use their words was render'd acceptable to God After the like manner the grace which in the midst of his persecution of Saints changed Paul into an Instrument in the hand of Electing grace was not an infused Habit but went before an infused Habit and first made him a man acceptable to Christ before the Habit making acceptable was infused The same should be said of the Thief the Publican the Leper and many others in the History of the Gospel who were not saved by an infused Habit but only by an infused Faith for otherways what did that word so often repeated in the Gospel signifie Thy Faith hath saved thee Which word if it be true then either Faith is Righteousness or else Righteousness can by no means save us And the same reason is to be given of the Conversion of the Gentiles whom of old the grace of God brought from impure Paganism to the Communion of the Gospel not for any Inherent Righteousness but for his great Love wherewith he loved the unworthy and the wretched sinners Moreover what shall be said of the Apostles themselves whom Christ verily chose not being just as Augustine speaks but to be justified when he said I chose you out of the World What if Christ chose them out of the World that they might be just then they were first unjust in the World whom he chose out of the World that they might be just If they were first just and not sinners of the World whom Christ chose out of the World then they first chose Christ that they being just might be chosen by him But it was not so for he himself says to them
Apostle's Words and with what deceit they wilfully wrest and deprave the genuine Signification of his Words by their most absurd Interpretation to the intent they may maintain their own erroneous Doctrine If they did this only in Ignorance they should not be so much the Objects of our Anger as of our Pity and Commiseration as being Men misled into Errour But they behave themselves as if they were unwilling to be undeceiv'd And though they cannot but see the Truth in such a clear Light of the Scripture yet they wilfully shut their eyes because they are not willing to see or at least believe the clear shining Light of the Truth which that it may appear the more evident unto all Men let us now produce the Answers and deceitful Shifts of the Adversaries whereby they maintain their own Cause against our Arguments And because there are eight Arguments out of St. Paul which we oppose against the Papists we think it is not unprofitable in this place to set down what the Papists answer unto these The Answers of the Adversaries which they oppose against the eight Arguments of St. Paul together with a Refutation of those Answers BY the Works of the Law shall no flesh be justified before him for by the Law comes the Knowledge of Sin But now the Righteousness of God is manifessed without the Law being testified by the Law and the Prophets to wit the Righteousness of God by the Faith of Iesus Christ upon all that believe c. Which is also confirmed by these Words Gal. 3. Knowing that a Man is not justified by the Works of the Law for by the Works of the Law no flesh is justified c. I Appeal unto thee Courteous and Pious Reader what Man is there if he duely consider these Words of Paul that can gather any other thing from them but what their genuine Signification holds forth Which is this That the Works of the Law should be utterly excluded from having any hand in Iustification And if Works are excluded what can be a more undoubted Truth than that we are justified by Faith only What is more solid than this Argument of Paul What can be more plainly expressed What Words are more familiar if so be they are not darkned by a Sophistical Interpretation If according to the Testimony of Paul we are not justified by Works or obedience to the Law but by Faith without Works who can deny that our Iustification consists of Faith only unless he desperately oppose himself not only against Paul the Apostle but also the Holy Spirit God But behold here the Deceit or rather the Malice of sinful Men. They do not openly reject the Words of the Apostle but wrest the sense and meaning of them to serve their own purpose They deny not that Works should be excluded but pray take notice of the captious Snares of Sophisters who endeavour by a cunning way of distinguishing to baffle the simplicity of Apostolical Doctrine For they divide asunder Works and their Iustification into two parts calling the one Works of the Law and the other Works of Grace And they say the Works of the Law are unprofitable to Iustification but the other they account very necessary Therefore they Answer to the Words of Paul with this Distinction By the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified c. The meaning of these Words say they is this No Man shall be justified before God for his own Works which he hath done as by the Vertue and Merit thereof but by the Vertue and Merit of Grace infused For according to Paul's manner of speaking then a thing is said to be done by Works when it is done by Works when it is done as a due Debt or for the Works Wherefore there being a twofold Iustification as they say one by Grace infused and another by the Obligation of the Law without Grace In this Case Iustification by VVorks and every thing that is contrary to Iustification by Grace is excluded And so the saying of the Apostle holds true as they Interpret to him that worketh the Reward is not imputed according to Grace but according to Debt as if he should say that what is given by VVorks or for them is not given according to Grace but according to Debt therefore that Iustification which is separated from Grace is excluded but not the Iustification that comes by VVorks with the Assistance of Grace c. VVhat else should I Answer to these Sophisters but that I pray God to give them Repentance and a better frame of Spirit that they may not always resist the Holy Ghost and overspread the Truth with darkness VVhat Man is there but clearly perceives that it is altogether contrary to the VVords and Meaning of the Apostle to build the Hope of Salvation upon any VVorks when he doth so manifestly teach and protest against it denying that we are justified any other way but by Faith without the VVorks of the Law Yea they themselves deny not that the exclusive VVord is understood of the Works of the Law though not of the Works of Grace but now what are these Works of Grace those forsooth which the influence of the Grace of Christ performs in the Souls of the regenerate but were not the Romans to whom the Apostle wrote regenerate in Christ VVere they not partakers of the same Grace Did they not abound in the VVorks of Grace VVhom yet the Apostle denies to be justified by their own VVorks It is true indeed say they if you understand it of their own VVorks which are called VVorks of the Law but not those VVorks which are Christ's How ridiculous is this as if those things that are planted 〈◊〉 us by the Spirit of Christ were not also oftentimes called ours Yea Faith it self which is most especially reckoned amongst those Gifts it is usual to Scripture to give it the Epithet of ours and yours Paul expresses himself thus By the Communion of my Faith and yours and again Hearing of your Faith and in another place Your Faith which is in Christ c. Is it not evident that he speaks of that Faith which we have in Christ through the free gift of God How much more then may this be understood of VVorks which when Paul excludes from Iustification it cannot be doubted but he understands it not only of VVorks that are ours wholly and done by our own Strength but also of those VVorks that are done by the help of Grace operating in us so that there is nothing in the Works either of the Law or of Grace except Faith only but what rather contributes to Destruction than Iustification What is commanded in the Law of God that we can do without Grace Therefore seeing Paul removes all Works from the Office of justifying it must needs be that he understands it of the Works of Grace as well as of our own Works or the Works of the Law What shall we say
of those Works but only upon the account of its Object which because Faith only without Charity embraces therefore Faith only without Charity receives from thence the power of Iustifying If all things that any way are or are done together should be joyned in one and the same Office it would come to pass that he that hath Feet Eyes and Ears because he hath not these Members alone therefore he should be said to go not with-his Feet only but to walk with his Eyes and see with his Ears as hath been formerly demonstrated Iust so the case is in Faith Charity and other Vertues Which tho' being infused by Grace they inhere in the same subject yet each one of them are distinguished by their peculiar Offices Therefore if it be asked concerning the Office of Iustification What it is that reconciles us to God and procures Eternal Life for us I answer it is Faith and that only If you ask how I answer by Christ the Mediatour Again if you ask what manner of Faith that is I answer It is not an idle or dead Faith but lively and active But if you would know by what marks you distinguish between a true Faith and that which is counterfeit St. Paul answers that question The Faith that is true works by Love What where and How Faith worketh by Charity BUT here there are several things that need to be explained as what Faith works where and after what manner it works for Faith doth not act every where after one and the same manner It acts one way with men and another way with God It is true that it works by Love as Paul says but it must be understood in respect of men not in respect of God Neither doth Faith perform the same in both respects nor after the same manner for with men it works by Love but with God it works not by Love but by Christ only by whom it is admirable to consider what and how great things Faith performs It obtains grants of Petitions pardon of sins it reconciles justifies wrestles overcomes reigns and triumphs Faith only does these things not with men but with God not working by Charity but by Christ our Lord. Therefore Faith works one thing by Christ and another thing by Charity By Christ it obtains Salvation by Charity it performs Obedience to the Law Doth it perform perfect Obedience No. Doth it then perform imperfect Obedience But that is not sufficient to procure Righteousness and Salvation And where then is that excellent integrity of Life Where is Charity 's meritorious efficacy to purchase Salvation Where is the Assertion of the Tridentine Decree which only attributes the beginning of Iustification to Faith but makes the formal cause thereof to be Charity or New Obedience which they call Righteousness inherent in us whereby we are not only accounted righteous but are both called and also really are righteous before God adding also a dreadful Curse if any dare be of another Iudgment Which manner of Doctrine if it be admitted it utterly disannuls the sacred Scripture and overturns all the foundation of our Religion For if this be the condition of our Salvation that it must rely upon good deeds and not free Imputation only Where then is that Righteousness which is attributed unto Faith so often Preached by Paul Where is the difference between the Law and the Gospel which unless it be carefully observed we may be as blind as to the knowledge of the Scripture as Moles and Batts at Noon-day Moreover where is that opposition mentioned by Paul between the Righteousness of the Law and of Faith between Grace and Debt Where is glorying in Works excluded Where is Faith accounted to Abraham for Righteousness And how will the Tridentine Decrees agree with that which Paul says Faith is accounted for Righteousness not to him that Works but to him that believes in him who justifies the ungodly And where be those remarkable exceptive and exclusive Particles whereby our Salvation is wholly cut off from Works and ascribed unto Imputation Moreover where are all those sweet Promises if those Men rob us of the Assurance of Salvation and God's Imputation Let us now proceed to the Prophets that if any are less moved with the Authority and writings of the Apostles if they have any thing to say for themselves they may either Answer the evident Testimonies of the Prophets or yield unto them And first that I may begin at this I ask of them that deny that it is sufficient to assurance of Iustification that Christ hath fulfilled all Righteousness for us unless thereunto be added also a Righteousness implanted and inherent in us being formed in us of his free Bounty which makes us formally Righteous satisfies the Law and merits Life Which if it be so I ask of them Whether any Man will be assured that he is in a state of Salvation in this Life If they deny it where then is that Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost whereof there is so frequent mention in the writings of the Prophets and Apostles Where is that frequent singing of Praise in the Books of the Prophets Where is that Everlasting Ioy and Gladness which Isaiah the Prophet foretels shall be upon the head of those who being redeemed by the Lord shall come into Sion with Praise Where is that way so straight that Fools cannot err therein Where is that Voice of the Prophet preaching Peace and proclaiming Glad tidings and comforting his own People which taking away all Fear Grief and Sighing confirms fearful and affrighted Consciences strengthens weak Kness and feeble Hands yea provokes the very Beasts of the Field and the Ostriches to the Exercise of glorifying God If yet we waver in doubtful and uncertain fears and have no firm hope of Salvation but in that Righteousness which is inherent in our selves according to the Pseudocatholick Opinion of the Church of Rome where then is that fiducial reliance where is that Holy Courage concerning which Ieremiah the Prophet foretold In those days Iudah shall be saved and Israel shall dwell safely And again to the same purpose Ezekiel foretelling of the future Peace of the Church And I will make with them a Covenant of Peace And they that dwell in the VVilderness shall sleep safely in the woods and shall be in their own Land without fear And presently he subjoins But they shall dwell safely without any fear Hereunto belongs the encouragement that Isaiah gives the People of the Messiah commanding them not to be afraid Fear not saith he for I am with thee And again Fear not for I have redeemed thee And again Fear not my Servant Iacob c. Hereunto also agree the Words of Zephaniah Prophesying by the same Spirit Be glad O Daughter of Sion and be joyful O Israel and rejoice with all thy Heart O Daughter of Ierusalem The Loard hath taken away thy Iudgment he hath turned away thy Enemies The