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spirit_n	adoption_n	father_n	receive_v	8,589	5	5.7408	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09274	Vindiciae fidei, or A treatise of iustification by faith wherein that point is fully cleared, and vindicated from the cauils of it's aduersaries. Deliuered in certaine lectures at Magdalen Hall in Oxford, by William Pemble, Master of Arts of the same house: and now published since his death for the publique benefit.	Pemble, William, 1592?-1623.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.	1625 (1625)	STC 19589; ESTC S114368	167,454	232

from the guilt of sinne and course of the Morall Law Secondly Truth for the Ceremoniall Law the substance being brought in and the shadowes vanished wherefore the Iesuite erres greately in this point when he makes the grace of the New Testament to consist in this That strength is thereby giuen us to fulfill the Law The grace of God in the Gospell is chiefely our Iustification and Redemption from the curse of the Law and in the next place strength afforded vs to Obey the Law in some measure not perfectly as our Aduersaries would haue it In the next point he erres as much in saying that the Law of Moses was giueu without grace to obey it A false assertion For although the Law of it selfe giue not grace yet t is certaine that grace was giuen by Christ euen then when Moses published the Law Sufficient for the proofe hereof are 1 These excellent properties ascribed vnto the Law of God as in other places of the old Testament so spetially in the Booke of the Psalmes And amongst them in the 19. and 119. Psalmes Where the Law of God is said to giue light to the ei●s to conuert the Soule to reioice the Heart c. which it could not doe of it selfe had not the grace of the Holy Ghost being giuen in these times without which the Law could worke no such sauing Effects 2 Experienee of those times in the Faith Patience and ●bedience and all sorts of graces shining in those ancient Saints who liued before and after the Law was giuen Which graces they receaued from the Holy Ghost shed vpon their hearts by vertue of Christs mediation whereby they receaued strength to liue holily in Obedience vnto the Law of God The difference betweene these times and those vnder the Law is not That we haue grace and they had none but only in the m●asure and extent of the same grace bestowed both on vs and them In those times as the Doctrine of the Gospell was more obscurely reuealed so the grace which accōpanies it was more sparingly distributed being confined to to a Church collected of one nation and bestowed vpon that Church in a lesser measure then now though yet suffitiently in that measure But in the times of the New Testament the light shines more brightly and grace is dispenced more liberally being extended indifferently to all Nations and poured vpon the Godly in a larger Abundance according as was promised Ieremiah 31. Though also this comparison must be restrained vnto whole Churches what generally is now done for no doubt in many particulars some men vnder the Law exceede for abundance of Grace many vnder the Gospell Wherefore it is a notable iniury vnto the Bounty of God and the honour of those Saints of old to exclude them from partaking of the Gospell to affirme that they were led only by the Spirit of Feare and not of loue that they receaued not the Spirit of adoption to cry Abba father as well as wee though not plentifully as wee and so that they were not Sonnes though vnder Tutors and gouernors as we confesse they were but very Seruants held in Bondage and excluded from the inheritance of Grace and glory till after Christs Death So that at best their adoptio● was but conditionall with regard of Time to come but for the presēt they were handled as slaues fear'd with temporall punishments allured by temporall rewards like a heard of Swine fed with base achors and huskes These be absurd Errors bred out of Scripture misvnderstood Especially that of Iohn 1. Grace came by Christ. Ergo not before Christs In●arnation A sily Argument Christ is as old as the World and his Grace as ancient as the Name of Man vpon Earth grace alwaies came by Crhist was in its measure giuen by him lōg before he appear'd in the flesh He was euer the head of his Church and that his Body which he alwaies quickned by the blessed influence of his Spirit ministered therevnto Whereby the Godly before as well as since his incarnation were made liuing members of that his misticall Body Wherefore it is apparant that grace is not to be tied to the Times of the Gospell and seuered from the Law Nay as of old the Law was not alwaies without grace so now many times the Gospel it selfe is without grace Christ himselfe being a stumbling stone and rocke of offence the Gospell a Sauiour of Death to those many vpon whome Grace is not bestowed to beleeue and embrace it I conclude then That this difference with our Aduersaries make betweene the Law and Gospell is false and that their Error is pernitious in makind the Gospel to be nothing but a Spirit added to the Law that man may fulfill it to his Iustification That thus a man may be saued by Christ through the perfect fulfilling of the Law Which is a monstrous and vncouth Doctrine laying an vnsupportable burthen vpon the conscience of man and hazarding his soule to ●ternall distruction whiles by this meanes he frustrates the Grace of God in Christ and withall frustrats his owne hopes of life expecting to obtaine it by that Law which he is neuer able to fulfill SECT 5. CHAP. I. Iustification by fulfilling the law ouerthrowes Christian libertie the parts of our Christian libertie SO much of the Third Argument The last followes drawne from the Nature of Christian Liberty Which is this 4. Arg. That which ouerthrowes our Christian Liberty purchased for vs by the death of Christ that 's no Euangelical but an Haereticall Doctrine But Iustification by the workes of the Law ouerthrowes the spirituall Liberty of Man obtained for him by Christ. Ergò 'T is an Haeresie against the Gospell For the proofe of the minor Proposition let vs in briefe consider wherein stands that Liberty wherewith Christ hath made vs free that so we may the better perceiue what part thereof this doctrine of Iustification by works doth nullifie and depriue vs of The Liberty wee haue in Christ is either in regard of the Life to come or of this praesent life The first is the Liberty of Glory consisting in a fu●l deliuerance from that state of vanity and misery both sinfull and painfull wherevnto we are now subiect And not we only but the whole Creation which with vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 groaneth and trauaileth in paine till with vs it also be deliuered 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 From the bondage of Corruption into the Glorious libertie of the Sonnes of God as the Apostle declares Rom. 8. 19. seq This Liberty we haue in hope not in possession The next we actually injoy in this life and that is the Liberty of Grace This we may diuide not vnfitly into 3 branches 1 Freedome from Sinne. 2 Freedome from the Law 3 Freedome from Men. 1 Our Freedome from Sinne stands in 2 things 1 In our deliuerance from the Punishment of Sinne. For whereas euery Sinne of it's owne Nature brings with it guiltines and

Iustification are reckoned vp 1 Faith 2 The Feare of God 3 Hope in his mercy 4 Loue of God as the Fountaine of Iustice ad benefactoris saith Bellarmine 5 Repentance a sorrow and detestation of sinne 6 A desire of receiuing the Sacrament of Baptisme 7 A purpose to leade a new life and keepe Gods Commandements All these saith Bellarmine doe iustifie a Man Praeparatoriè antecedentèr dispositiuè Faith that 's the roote and beginning of our Iustification the rest follow in order all must goe before as needfull preparations and Iustification followes as the effect of all in common c. Ergo Not of Faith alone The Iesuite goes ouer euery particular to shew by Scriptures what force each of those graces haue to Iustifie But t is not worth-while to repeate his proofes Vnto the Argument wee answere two things 1 That it is framed vpon the errour which puts out of frame the whole dispute of our Aduersaries about this Article of Iustification namely that Regeneration and Sanctification is all one thing with Iustification and that to Iustifie a sinner is nothing but to doe away inherent corruption by infusion of inherent righteousnesse This we haue heretofore by the Scriptures cleared to be false and therefore this Argument proouing our Sanctification to be wrought by other graces as well as by faith toucheth not the point of Iustification in the Remission of sinnes which faith alone obtaineth through the promise 2 Touching these graces which they make preparatory vnto Iustification that is to Sanctification Wee answere that t is a Philosophicall dreame of such as measure out the workes of Gods Spirit in mans conuersion according to Aristotles Physickes and those disputes touching praeuious or fore-going dispositions that qualifie the matter for receiuing of the Forme We acknowledge that in mans Regeneration all graces of the Spirit are not perfected at once But as the ioynts and sinewes in the bodily so the graces of Sanctification in the spirituall New-birth are at first weake and feeble Which in continuance of time gather more strength according to our growth in Christ. But yet these are true for the substance though imperfect in their degrees and measure There is now true Spirituall life in such a one which was before dead in sinne although there be not the free and able exercise of all the vitall powers Health there is but not entire from all degrees o● sicknesse and euery kinde of disease Wherefore we aff●●me that these vertues which are by our Aduersarics reckoned onely as dispositions vnto Regeneration are if they be true and not counterfeit Mettall the maine parts and fruits of Regeneration Hence we beleeue that these are foule errors viz. To teach that a man without grace by the power of his free-wil may dispose himselfe to his Regeneration by beleeving in Christ fearing and louing of God hoping of his Mercy repenting of his sinnes resoluing vpon amendment and all this with true and sincere affection or to teach if a man cannot do these things of his owne meere strength and free-will yet by the Spetiall aide of God inciting and helping him 〈◊〉 may doe them whilst he is vtterly vns●nctified in statu peccati That true Faith and Feare and Hope and Loue and Repentance and purpose of Reformation are Vertues and Graces in a Man that is yet gracelesse and without Vertue because destitute of Sanctification That these Graces consisting in the inward motion of the soule and change of the Affections are wrought in Man not by any sanctifying Grace of the Holy Ghost inwardly touching the heart but by some other kind of Vertue and aid they know not what externall exciting and helping forward the strength of Nature All these are monstrous and mis-shapen imaginations bred in proud hearts that would faine share the glory of their Conversion betweene Gods grace and their owne free-will and maintained by curious heads whom Philosophicall speculations haue transported beyond the simplicity of diuine Truth The Scripture speaks otherwise of these Graces as of those that belong to such as are not in the way to be made good but are made so already Ye are al the Children of God by Faith in Iesus Christ saith the Apostle Paul Gal. 3. 28. Whosoeuer shall confesse that Iesus is the sonne of God God dwelleth in him and he in God saith Iohn 1. 1. Ioh. 4. 15. and Chap. 5. 1. Whosoeuer beleeueth that Iesus is that Christ is borne of God Doe we by true Faith become the Children of God borne of him in whom hee dwelleth and we in him when as yet in the meane time we are yet vnsanctified vnholy vncleane not in the state of Grace Bellarmine will proue that a man may haue Faith yet not the Child of God ou● of Iohn 1. 12. As many as receiued him to them he gaue power to become the Sonnes of God euen to them th●t beleeue on his name See s●●th he they that beleeue are not yet but haue power if they list to become the Sonnes of God viz. by going on further from Faith to Hope and Loue and the rest of the Tridenti●e dispositions For t is Loue properly and not Faith that makes vs the Sons of God as he would proue contrary to that expresse place of the Galat. out of the 1 Ep. of Iohn where the Apostle hath much excellent matter but nothing to that purpose To the place of Iohn wee answere that the Iesuite playeth with the ambiguity of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is not here a liberty to doe what we list as if we could at our pleasure become Gods adopted sonnes but t is a right and priuiledge which Christ the naturall Sonne bestowes on true beleeuers to be made Gods adopted sonnes and so coheires with him of the heauenly inheritance When is this priuiledge of Adoption bestowed Then when they beleeue and assoone as they beleeue before they be Regenerate No Saint Iohn denies it He giues power to be the Sonnes of God euen to those that beleeue in him Who be they Hee answeres vers 15. Which were borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Faith then is not a Preparatiue to Iustification but a part of it And is not Feare of GOD too No saith Bellarmine That is the beginning of wisedome that is of a perfect Iustification A bad interpretation but a worse Argument T is the beginning therefore not part Nay If the feare of God be the Alpha of Christian graces certainely it selfe makes one Letter of that Alphabet T is such a beginning of wisdome as its selfe is wisdome too Else God himselfe deceaues vs who as it is Iob 28. 28. Sayd vnto man Behold the feare of the Lord that is wisdome and to depart from euill is vnderstanding And therefore to take it in the Iesuits glosse Feare of God is Iustification as well as the beginning of it For

fall as our adnersaries haue done into that Errour of Iustification by workes That blessed Apostle in the second Chapter of his Epistle seemes not only to giue occasion but directly to teach this doctrine of Iustification by workes For in the 21. ver c. He sayeth expressly that Abraham was justified by workes when he offered his sonne Isaack vpon the altar and also that Rahab was in like manner justified by workes when she entertained the spies Whence also he sets downe ver 22. a generall Conclusion That a Man is justified by workes and not by faith alone Now in shew nothing can be spoken more contrary to St. Paule his Doctrine in his Epistle to the Romans and else-where For in the fourth chap. speaking of the same example of Abraham he saieth cleane contrary that Abraham was not justified by workes for then he might haue boasted ver 2. And in the 3 chap. treating generally of mans Iustification by faith after a strong dispute he drawes forth this conclusion That a man is justified by Faith without the workes of the Law v. 28. Which Conclusion is in appearance contradictory to that of St. Iames. This harsh discord betweene these Apostles seemes vnto some not possible to be sweetned by any qualification who knowing that the Holy Ghost neuer forgets himselfe haue concluded that if the spirit of trueth spake by St. Paul it was doubtlesse the spirit of error that spake by the author of this Epistle of Iames. For this cause most likely it was doubted of in ancient times as Eusebius and Hier●me witnes But yet then also publiquely allowed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in many Churches and euer since receaued in all Out of which for the same cause Luther and others of his followers since him would againe throw it forth accounting the author of it to haue built not gold and siluer but straw and stubble vpon the foundation Erasmus assents to Luther And Musculus agrees with them both who in his Commentaries vpon the fourth to the Romans speakes his mind simply that he sees not how Iames and Paul can agree together and therefore he turnes out St. Iames for the wrangler supposing that this Iames was one of the Desciples of Iames the Apostle the brother of Christ who vnder pretence of his Master's name and authority continually snarled at the Apostle Paul and opposed his Doctrine Howbeit his Epistle got credit in after times cum veritas paulatim inualescente mendacio proculcari caeperit That is When error by degrees praevailed against the trueth But this medicine is worse then the disease and is rather violence then skill thus to cut the knot where it cannot bee readily vntied A safer and milder course may be holden and some meanes found out for the according of this grand difference without robbing the Church of somuch pretious Treasure of diuine knowledg as is stored vp in this Epistle Wherefore both they of the Romish and we of the reformed Churches admitting this Epistle for canonical doe each of vs search after a fit reconciliation betweene the Apostles But they and we betweene our selues are irreconcileable in our seuerall reconcileations of them They reconcile them thus By distinguishing 1. of Iustification 2 of Workes Iustification say they of two sortes 1. The first when a man of vnjust is made just and holy by the Infusion of Grace or the Habit of Charitie 2. The 2. When a man of just is made more just by the augmentation of the Habit of Grace first giuen vnto him Againe they diuide workes into two sortes 1. Some goe before Faith being performed by the meere strength of nature and free-will without the helpe of grace and such workes as these are not meritorious 2. Some follow Faith being performed by the aide and assistance of grace giuen vnto man and such workes as these be meritorious These distinctions praepared the worke is now ready for the soddering which they finish artificially glewing togeather the proposition of the two Apostles in this sorte St. Paul saieth that Abraham and all men are justified by Faith without workes This say they is to be vnderstood of the first Iustification and of workes done before Faith without grace by the strength of nature So that the meaning of Paule's proposition Abraham and all men are justified by faith without workes is this Neither Abraham nor any other can deserue the Grace of Sanctification whereby of vnjust and vnholy they be made just and holy by any workes done by them when they are Naturall Men destitute of Grace but only by Faith in Christ Iesus or thus No Man merits Grace to make him a good Man of a Bad by any thing he doth before he beleeue in Christ but by beleeuing he obtaineth this On the other side S. Iames saith that Abraham and all others are iustified by Workes not by Faith only This say the Romanists is meant of the second Iustification and of such workes as are done after Faith by the aide of Grace So the meaning of the Proposition shal be this Abraham and other Men being once made good and just deserue to be made better and more just by such good workes as they performe through the helpe of Grace giuen vnto them not by faith only Being once sanctified they deserue the increase of Sanctificatiō through that merit of their Faith and good workes out of Faith and Charity Is not this difference between these Apostles finely accorded think you They will now walke together being in this sort made friends through the mediation of the Schoole-men But it is otherwise They are so far from reconciling them that they haue abused them both and set them farther asunder making them speake what they neuer meant Neither in S. Paul nor S. Iames is there any ground at all whereon to raise such an interpretation of their words And therefore we respect this reconcilement as the shifting quercke of a Scholeman's braine that hath no footing at all in the text Which we doe vpon these Reasons 1. That distinction of Iustification that is of Sanctification into the first giuing of it and the after increase of it howsoeuer tolerable in other matters is vtterly to no purpose as it is applied vnto the doctrine of these Apostles Who when they speake of Iustification of a sinner in God's sight doe vnderstand thereby the Remission of Sinnes through the imputation of Christ's Righteousnes and not the infusion or increase of inherent Sanctity in the soule of man This confusion of Iustification with sanctification is a prime error of our adversaries in this article as hath bin shewed in clearing the acceptions of the word Iustification and shall be shewed more at large in handling the forme of our Iustification 2. The distinction of Iustification taken in their owne sense is falselie applied to St. Iames as if he spake of the 2. Iustification and to St. Paul as if he spake of the first For first Bellarmine himselfe being