be workes that are out of vs wrought in and by the person of our Sauiour Christ namely the workes of obedience in satisfying and fulfilling the lawe These indeede are the workes which iustifie and saue vs none that proceede frō vs. To this effect Paul saith that we are iustified freely by the redemption that is in Christ. Lastly it is alleadged that if all vertues be losse for Christ then faith it selfe I answer Faith must diuersly be considered first of all as a vertue working bringing forth many good fruites in vs. And thus it is to be reputed losse as all other vertues are Secondly it must be considered not as a vertue but as an instrument or hand not to giue or worke any thing but to apprehend and receiue Christ and his benefits And thus it is no losse but is a thing excepted in this text Nowe then we see that the doctrine of Paul is manifest that all vertues and workes both of nature and grace are meere losses in the cause of our iustification and saluation Hence sundrie things may be learned The first that the most holy works of holy men cannot iustifie or merit eternall life When they are brought within the Act of iustification as causes Paul saith they are but losse and as offles to be cast to dogges Let this be noted and remembred for euer against all iustitiarie papists Who if they would but seriously consider this one text they might be farre better resolued then they are Secondly hence the doctrine of our our church is plainely gathered namely that we are saued and iustified by faith alone For all things except our knowledge and faith in Christ are made as doung And that this our doctrine may not be scandalous sundry things must be remembred The first is the right meaning of the doctrine which is that there is nothing within vs that is any cause either efficient materiall formall or finall of iustification but faith The second that faith is no principall cause but onely an instrument The third that faith is no instrument to procure or worke our iustification and saluation but an instrument to receiue or to apprehend our iustification giuen by the father procured by the sonne applied by the holy Ghost The last that faith must be considered as a cause or else as a waie of saluation If as an internall cause in vs it onely iustifieth and consequently saueth vs. If as a waie it doth not saue alone For other vertues and workes though they be no causes yet are they waies to eternall life as well as faith Here then when papists make outcries against vs saying that we looke to be saued by faith alone the true and plaine answere to them is this We consider faith two waies first as a cause within vs not meriting any way but instrumentally apprehending pardon in Christ and applying it to vs for our eternall happinesse Secondly faith may be considered as a way in which we are to walke for the attainement of euerlasting life In the first sense faith alone iustifieth and saueth and nothing els within vs. To this doe the learned fathers agree Basil saith This is perfect reioycing in God when a man is not puffed vp for his owne iustice but acknowledgeth that he wants iustice and that he is iustified by faith alone in Christ. Hilarie That is remitted of Christ by faith which the lawe could not loosen for faith alone iustifies Ambrose They are iustified freely which doe nothing nor repaie like for like are iustified by faith alone through the gift of God Againe in his commentarie vpon the epist. to the Corinth This is appointed of God that he which beleeues in Christ should be saued without worke by faith alone receiuing remission of sinnes Hierom God iustifieth by faith alone Neuertheles if we speake of the way to life then we are not saued onely by faith For though faith be the onely instrument to apprehend Christ yet is it not the onely way to life repentance also is the way yea all vertues all works are the waie In this sense affliction is said to worke vnto vs a more excellent weight of glorie not as a cause but as a way giuing direction And mothers are said to be saued by bearing of children not as by a cause but as by a straight and narrow way Againe Abrahams faith went not alone but had a kind of co-operation with his works faith works both beeing considered as a way to happinesse or as markes in a way In this sense the fathers haue ascribed saluation to many things not as to causes but as to waies Bernard said well that workes are the way to the kingdome of heauen and not the causes of raigning Lactātius saith Great is the helpe of Repentance which whosoeuer taketh away cuts off to himselfe the way of life Chrysostome Some by watching by sleeping on the bare ground by tewing their bodies with daily labour doe blot out their sinnes but thou maiest obtaine the same by a more easie way that is by forgiuing Thus many hundred places of the fathers are to be vnderstood when they ascribe remission of sins to martyrdome to fasting praier workes of mercie and such like Thirdly here is laid downe the foundation of true humilitie For if all our vertues and workes be losses in the case of our saluation then all boasting is excluded and we are to take nothing to our selues but shame and confusion and giue al glorie to God Yea the more our vertues are and workes if we place any confidence in them the greater are our losses Thus we see what things are losses to Paul in the next place let vs consider howe they are losses This Paul settes downe by a gradation thus I count them losse I make them my losses I count them as doung This gradation is nothing els but a repetition of one and the same thing inlarged and amplified in speech Nowe repetitions in scripture are not idle and vaine as they are oftentimes in the writings of men but they commonly signifie two things namely the certainty and the necessitie of the thing repeated and therefore in this place they signifie the certaintie and the necessitie of Pauls losses Certaine they are because he that will be saued by Christ must certainely indure these losses without recouerie The foundation of this certenty lies in an impossibilitie of merit by any works of man which I will make manifest by fiue reasons The first is this It is a principall part of Christian inherent righteousnesse to haue and keepe a good conscience now Paul expresly excludes it from iustification saying I know nothing by my selfe yet am I not thereby iustified 1. Cor. 4. 4. The second is this Paul saith Eph. 2. 9. we are not saued by workes nowe he meanes no other workes but such as followe faith and are done by the spirit of God And this appeares by
therefore imagine to finde Christ where and how we list but we must seeke him in the word and sacraments and there must we receiue him if we desire to receiue him aright The second point to be considered is How faith is a meanes to iustifie I answer thus Faith doth not iustifie as it is an excellent worke of God in vs for then all vertues might be meanes of iustification as well as faith It doth not iustifie as it is an excellent vertue in it selfe because it is imperfect and mingled with vnbeleefe It doth not iustifie as a meanes to prepare and dispose vs to our iustification for so soone as we begin to beleeue in Christ we are iustified without any disposition or preparation comming betweene faith and iustification Lastly it doth not iustifie as it containes in it all other vertues and good workes as the kernell containes the tree with all his branches For then should it be a part yea the principall part of our iustice Whereas Saint Paul distinguisheth iustice and faith saying that our righteousnes is of God vpon faith and not for faith but by faith Now then faith iustifies as it is an Instrument or hand to apprehend or recceiue the benefits of Christ for ours and this apprehension is made when we doe indeede beleeue Christ and his benefits to be ours And least any should imagine that the very action of faith in apprehending Christ iustifieth we are to vnderstand that faith doth not apprehend by power from it selfe but by vertue of the couenant If a man beleeue the kingdome of France to be his it is not therefore his yet if he beleeue Christ and the kingdome of heauen by Christ to be his it is his indeede not simply because he beleeues but because he beleeueth vpon commandement and promise for in the tenour of the couenant God promiseth to impute the obedience of Christ vnto vs for our righteousnes if we beleeue The third point is whether faith alone be the meanes to obtaine the iustice of Christ for vs or no I answer it is the onely meanes without the helpe of any other vertue or worke For Paul here teacheth that faith apprehendeth Christ for righteousnes without the law that is without any thing that the law requireth at our hands And here by this exclusiue particle without the law he teacheth three things The first that nothing within vs is an efficient or meritorious cause either principall or lesse principall in whole or in part of our iustification or reconciliation with God The second that nothing within vs is an instrument or meanes to applie the obedience of Christ vnto vs but faith which is ordained of God to be an hād to receiue the free fauour of God in the merit of Christ. The third that our renouation or sanctification is no matter forme or part of our iustification but that it wholly stands in the imputation of the iustice of Christ. In a word Paul vtterly excludes all things that are within vs whether by nature or by grace frō the act of iustificatiō that in this article onely grace onely Christ onely faith onely mercie in pardon of sinne may raigne It may be here obiected that Abraham was iustified not by faith alone but by workes as S. Iames teacheth I answer there is a double iustification one of the person whereby a man of a sinner is made no sinner the second is the iustification of the faith of the person whereby faith is declared to be true faith and this second is by workes and of it S. Iames speaketh as appeareth v. 18. where he saith Shew me thy faith by thy workes And whereas he saith that Abraham our father was iustified by workes his meaning is that Abraham by workes iustified himselfe to be a true beleeuer yea the father of all the faithfull and his faith was made perfect by workes verse 22. that is declared or iustified to be a true faith The fourth or last point is when and howe long faith alone iustifieth I answer not onely in the beginning of our conuersion but also in the continuance and finall accomplishment thereof For here Paul desires in the day of iudgement to stand before God onely by the iustice of faith without his owne iustice of the lawe And Paul brings in Abraham as I haue noted before in the very middest of godly conuersation and holy obedience to be iustified without any workes by his faith in the Messias And Paul auoucheth three things of faith by it we haue accesse to the grace of God by it we stand in the same grace by it we reioice vnder the hope of glorie Thus then we see there is one onely waie of iustification namely that we are iustified and accepted of God to life eternall through grace alone by faith alone for Christ alone in the beginning middle and ende of our conuersion And here is plainly discouered the errour of the church of Rome It makes a double iustification one whereby a sinner is made of an euill man a iust mā and this they say is by faith alone the second is whereby a man of a iust man is made more iust and this they say is by faith and workes togither but falsely as I haue shewed By all this which hath beene said we see howe righteousnesse comes by and vpon the faith of Christ. And hence we learne that it stands vs in hand to proue whether we haue faith or no because where is no faith there is no iustice Secondly our dutie is to labour for such a faith that can and doth iustifie it selfe to be true faith by workes of loue to God and men Thirdly we must by this faith rest and wholly relie our selues on the obedience of Christ both in life and death yea whatsoeuer doeth befall vs. Though God should reach out his hād destroy vs we must stil rest vpō him Secondly if our iustice be foorth of vs and we must by faith trust God for it then much more must we trust him for health wealth libertie peace foode and raiment and for all the things of this life And if we cannot trust him in the lesse we shall neuer trust him in the principall Therefore it is our part to walke in the duties of our callings and to obey God therein for the successe of our labours to trust him vpon his word yea when all worldly helpes and succours faile to trust in him still If we cannot trust him for our temporall life we shal neuer trust him for our saluatiō The second gaine which Paul desireth is fellowship with Christ in the 10. verse Where it is set forth first generally and then by his partes Generally in these wordes That I may knowe him Here it must be remēbred that knowledge is twofold knowledge of faith of experience Knowldge of faith is to be assured of Christ and his benefits though it be against all humane reason hope experience Of this Paul
The TRVE GAINE more in worth then all the goods in the world Philip. c. 3. v. 7. Printed by Iohn Legat Printer to the Vniuersitie of Cambridge 1601. To the Right worshipfull Sir Edward Denny Knight IT is a Conclusion of our religiō worthy to be cōsidered That Christ alone is our Mediator Iustifier Propitiatour Sauiour by workes and merits which he himselfe wrought within himselfe and not by any works or merits which he worketh in vs by his spirit The scripture saith thus much in expresse wordes Iustified freely by the redēption THAT IS IN CHRIST IESVS Ro. 3. 24. He hath by HIMSELFE purged our sinnes Hebr. 1. 3. He was made sinne for vs that we should be made the righteousnesse of God IN HIM 2. Cor. 5. 21. IN HIM are yee complete Coloss. 3. 10. By his OWNE BLOOD he entred once into the holy place and obtained eternall redemption Heb. 9. 12. Againe Christ is said to purge our consciences from dead workes by his blood because he offered himselfe by his eternall spirit without spot to his father v. 14. And cōmon reason tels vs as much For if men be mystically vnited to Christ and by this vnion receiue the spirit of Christ and by the spirit doe good workes and consequently merit eternal life they are thē becom partners with Christ and are receiued into fellowship with him in the worke of mans redemption whereas he in the Act of our reconciliation with God admits neither deputie nor partner This conclusion beeing thus of infallible trueth it serues greatly to exalt the grace of God to abase nature and to beate downe the pride of all Iustitiarie persons and religions And for the further explaning of it serues this Treatise following which I present to your Worship And the reason of my doing is this I remember almost two yeares agoe in speech you entred into commendatiōs of that golden text Phil. 3. v. 7. and withall gaue signification of your desire that some thing might be set downe whereby you might be brought to a further vnderstanding of that place of scripture Therfore to satisfie your desire I haue here penned a short exposition of it And I haue further presumed to publish it in your name desiring it may be a testimonie of a thankefull minde for your loue fauour towards me Thus wishing to your Worship continuance and increase of loue to the holy worde of God I take my leaue Anno. 1601. Ian. 20. Your Worships in all dutie to command W. Perkins The text Phil. 3. 7. containes a comparison of Vnequalls Protasis the first part I count all things Dung for Christ. Here consider What things are doung All things Vertues and works before his conuersion pag. 5. Vertues and works after his conuersion pag. 12. How they are dung shewed by a gradation pag. 22. 1. I account all things losse 2. I depriue my selfe of them 3. I account them doung Apodosis the second part Christ is my gaine pag. 33. Here consider the amplification by a Gradation 1. I esteeme the knowledge of Christ an exlent thing pag. 46. 2. I desire to gaine Christ. pag. 57. 3. I desire to be found in Christ in the day of iudgement pag. 61. the degrees of Gaine in Christ. 1. Iustice by the faith of Christ. pag. 67. 2. Fellowship with Crist in the vertue of his Resurrection p. 92. Death p. 106. 3. Attainment to the resurrection of the dead Philip. 3. 7. But the things which were advantage to me the same I accounted losse for Christ. Yea doubtlesse I count all things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus my Lord for whome I haue counted all things losse and doe iudge them to be dongue that I might winne Christ And be found in him THE scope of these words is this In the second ver Paul admonisheth the Philippians to take heed of certaine counterfeit Apostles which ioyned Christ and circumcision in the cause of their saluation and put confidence in the flesh that is in the outward works of the ceremoniall morall law And that his Admonition might take the better place he vseth two reasons The first propounded in the 3. v. is this True circumcision is to worship God in spirit to reioyce in Christ and not to put any confidence in the flesh The second reason is framed thus If any man might put confidēce in outward things then I much more but not I therefore no man The proposition or first part of the reason is propounded in the 4. v. and confirmed in the fift and sixt The second part or assumption but I doe not put confidence in outward things is confirmed in the 7. and eight verses thus All things are losse to me in respect of Christ therefore I put no confidence in any thing out of Christ. And this is the very drift of the former wordes In the second place the proper sense and meaning of this portion of Scripture is to be considered And for this cause we are to be aduertised of sundrie things in the wordes themselues And first of all let it be obserued that Paul in the 7. v. saith in the time past I haue counted all things losse and in the next verse in the time present I doe count all things losse The former speach is meant of that time in which he was first called to the knowledge of Christ the second is spoken of the time when he had long continued an Apostle of Christ and writte this epistle to the Philippians This distinction of times in one and the same word makes much to the cleering of the doctrine that shall afterward be deliuered Secondly whereas in our translation it is saide in the eight verse For whome I haue counted all things losse the words are too skant and do not fully expresse the meaning of the holy Ghost For the words fully translated signifie I haue made all things losse or I haue cast away all things or I haue depriued my selfe of all things for Christ. And whereas Paul had said before I count all things losse his meaning is to amplifie his owne words by saying I depriue my selfe of all things and iudge them dunge for Christ. Thirdly the word translated Doung signifieth such things in the intralls of beasts as beeing vnfit for mans vse are cast to dogges and by it Paul signifies that he did not onely esteeme all things as losses and depriue himselfe of them but also cast them away with loathing in a minde neuer to seeke the recouerie of them Lastly it must be knowne that Paul in these verses vseth a similitude borrowed from the marchant man and it may be framed on this manner The marchant in hope of a treasure is cōtent to esteeme his commodities no commodities but losses yea he is further content to cast them out into the sea and to esteeme thē as things cast to dogges that he may obtaine his intended treasure so saith Paul doe I count all my former prerogatiues as losse
meeknesse patience and obedience be in vs which was in Christ. For the same fruites argue the same spirit v. 9. Not hauing mine owne righteousnes which is of the law but that which is of the faith of Christ c. The Apostle hauing taught in generall tearmes that Christ is his gaine here beginnes to declare the same in more particular sort For he sets downe a threefold gaine which he desired to obtaine of Christ the first is the righteousnes of Christ the second is inward fellowship with him the third is the resurrection of the bodie to eternall glorie Now this righteousnesse of Christ which Paul makes his first gaine is handled in the 9. verse for the better knowledge whereof I will first open the meaning of the wordes And first of all it must be knowne that they are an exposition of the wordes which went before For whereas Paul had desired to be found in Christ now he shewes his owne meaning that he desired therein nothing els but that he might be accepted of God for Christs sake and be esteemed righteous in his righteousnes And that this righteousnesse may be the better discerned he sets downe two sorts of iustice the one he refuseth the other he desireth and chooseth The righteousnes refused he calls it his owne because it is within him and it is exercised by the powers of his soule namely his minde will affections He saith further it is of the law that is of the workes which the Law requireth for as Paul saith the righteousnes of the law is this He that doth these things shall liue therein Againe of the iustice desired he saith it is by the faith of Christ that is it ariseth of the obedience of Christ apprehended by faith For in this manner to the Romanes he puts the faith of Christ for faith in the blood of Christ. And whereas some man might happily say that euen this righteousnes is ours as the former Paul addeth further that it is of God wholly and onely and not of vs either in whole or in part beeing freely giuen of him vpon our faith that is when we beleeue In these few wordes Paul coucheth many weightie points of doctrine I will distinctly propound them one by one First of all he makes a double iustice one of the Law the other of the Gospel yea he opposeth them as contraries in the case of iustification and that they may the better be conceiued he describes them seuerally Touching the iustice of the law he sets it downe by two things First he saith it is within vs because it is nothing els but a conformitie of heart life to the will of God reuealed in the said law And the law knowes not the righteousnes which is without vs. Secondly he notes the matter of it that it consists of such vertues and workes as the law prescribeth Now the iustice of the Gospell it is likewise set forth by foure things First it is not in vs but forth of vs because Paul opposeth it to the righteousnesse which is ours and within vs. Secondly Paul sets downe the matter of it or the person in whome it is namely Christ. Of whome Ieremie saith Iehoua is our righteousnes And Christ must be considered two waies as God and as Mediatour according to which two respects he hath a double righteousnes One as God and that is infinite and therefore incommunicable The other as Mediatour is the Obedience of Christ which he performed in his manhood consisting of two parts his sufferings in life and death and his fulfilling of the law for vs. And this very obedience which is in Christ and not in vs is the very matter of the iustice of the Gospel Thirdly Paul sets downe the meanes whereby this iustice is made ours and that is Faith which doth rest on Christ and applie his obedience to vs. Lastly Paul sets downe the author of this Iustice and that is God who of his grace and mercy freely giues Christ and his obedience vnto vs when we beleeue Out of these foure points a definition of the Iustice of the Gospell may be framed thus It is the righteousnes of the Mediatour namely the obedience of Christ giuen vs freely of God and receiued by our faith By this distinction of Legall and Euangelicall iustice we learne the difference of the Law and the Gospel The Law promiseth life vpon the condition of our workes or obedience performed according to the tenour of the law The Gospell requires not the condition of merit or of any work to be done on our parts in the case of our iustification but onely prescribes vs to beleeue in Christ and to rest on his obedience as our iustice before the Tribunall of God Secondly by this we learn that the church of Rome and the learned therein are ignorant of the right difference betweene the Law and the Gospel For they teach that the righteousnesse which stands in our inherent vertues and workes done by vs is required for iustification as wel in the Gospell as in the Law and that the difference lies onely in this that the law is more darke and without grace the Gospel more plaine hauing also the grace of God annexed vnto it to inable vs in our own persons to doe that which both law and Gospell require But this is indeede to make a confusion of the law and Gospell and to abolish the distinction of the twofold iustice before named which may not be The second point of doctrine deliuered by Paul is That a sinner standes iust before the tribunall seat of God not by the iustice of the law but by the iustice of faith which is the obedience of Christ without any works of ours And because this point of doctrine is of great moment and is withall oppugned of many I will further confirme it by some speciall reasons First of all in the iustification of a sinner God manifests his mercie and iustice to the full For as Paul saith he iustifieth freely by his grace and in iustifying he is not onely a iustifier but also iust Now this concurrence of mercie and iustice is no where to be found but in the Obedience of Christ performed by him in our roome and stead As for all Christian vertues and works of godly men they are by mercie accepted of God but they do not satisfie the iustice of God according to the tenour of the law Secondly Paul in the epistle to the Rom. considering Abrahā not as an idolater vnconuerted but as a beleeuer yea as the father of all the faithfull saith that then he was iustified without workes and that his faith that is the Messias apprehended by his faith was counted vnto him for righteousnesse long after his conuersion Nowe as he who is a patterne for vs to follow is iustified so must we be iustified and no otherwise Thirdly as by Adams disobedience we are made sinners so by Christs obedience are we made righteous but
sinner righteous before God But I demaund of the Patrons of this doctrine whether when the workes of preparation are done the doer is in Christ or out of Christ If he be in Christ he is also iustified before he is iustified If he be as yet out of Christ Paul hath giuen the senteÌ„ce that the said workes are to be esteemed as losse and that the merit of coÌ„gruitie is not meate for them that desire to feede on Christ but rather food for dogges Lastly hence we learne howe Christ is to be receiued of vs. Such as would truely come to Christ and receiue him must make losses of al things they must come naked and emptied of all their owne righteousnesse As men in a shipwracke cast out their commodities and when there is no remedie leaue their ship and betake themselues to the sea thus come swimming to the shore euen so must all men first forsake all then come to Christ. Beggars that they may obtaine their almes come in their ragâ— vnfolding legges and armes that their sores and botches may be seene Benadad king of Syria that he might recouer the fauour of the king of Israel castes off his crowne and royall robes he and his men come in sackcloath with halters about their heads and thus he obtaines his desire In like manner comming to Christ we must lay aside all opinion of our owne goodnesse and in abasing of our selues follow beggars fashions and with Benhadad cloath our selues with signes of guiltinesse and confusion of face We must first be annihilated and vtterly in respect of goodnesse be made nothing in our selues that we may be what we are out of our selues in Christ. There is no entring into the kingdome of heaueÌ„ except we receiue it Christ as a little child in all meeknesse and humilitie For there must be nothing in vs to receiue Christ but meere faith resting on meere mercy Let all such think on this as desire to be in Christ and to receiue true comfort by him Thus much of Pauls losses before his conuersion nowe come to be considered the things which were his losses after his conuersion and they are set downe in the words following But doubtlesse I doe thinke all things losses for the excellent knowledge of Iesus Christ my Lord. That these losses may be the better knowne let vs a little consider the meaning of the words Whereas before Paul had said that herefore he counted things to be losse vnto him for Christ that had beene his aduantage some man might happily thinke this is but rash iudgemâ—nt in Paul he therefore to cut off this surmise saith Daubtlesse I count all things losse that is that I may not be thought to speake rashly I say more that I doe nowe account all things losse and I speake it confidently as beeing resolued what I say When he saith I doe count he speakes in the time present of himselfe as beeing not only a Christian but also an Apostle of Christ. And wheÌ„ he saith ALL things the generall speech must be obserued for he excepteth nothing pertaining to him but his knowledge and faith in Christ. Here therefore we must first of all vnderstand the priuiledge of an Apostle secondly all inward Christian vertues as hope feare loue of God good conscience c. for of al the inward gifts none is excepted but faith as I haue said Thirdly here we must vnderstand works not of nature but of grace done and effected by the spirit of God in vs. For in the verse following he doth reiect his owne righteousnes which is of the law Now he saith of all these that they are his losses for Christ. But how are they losses The speach must warily be vnderstood least it be offensiue They are losses not in respect of godly conuersation for they are the causes thereof and they are meanes of shewing our thankfulnes to God and loue to man Now then they are losses onely in respect of iustification and saluation when they are reputed and maintained as meritorious causes thereof either in whole or in part Though when they are rightly vsed applied they are the excellent gifts of God yet when they are brought into the Acte of iustification and saluation they become as losses and dung And this I take to be the meaning of these words To the like purpose the prophet Isai saith in the name of the whole church confessing hir sinnes All our righteousnes is as a cloath vtterly to be cast away And Paul to the Galatians If righteousnes be by the law Christ died without cause or in vaine that is if the righteousnes of the law be our aduantage Christ must be our losse and on the contrarie if he be our aduantage the righteousnesse of the law must be our losse This doctrine of Paul that all vertues and workes both of nature and grace are losses in the case of our saluation soundes not in mans reason and there be many things brought to the contrary First it is alleadged that God doeth accept and crowne our works and therfore that they are not losses I answer God doeth as it were keepe a double court One of iustice the other of mercie In the court of iustice he giues iudgement by the lawe and accurseth euery man that doth not continue in all things written in the lawe to doe them In this court nothing can stand but the passion and righteousnesse of Christ for the best workes that we can doe we may not looke for any acceptation or reward but vse the plea of Dauid Enter not O Lord into iudgement with thy seruant for no flesh shall be iustified in thy sight Nowe in the court of grace and mercie God hath to deale with his owne children that stand before him iustified and reconciled by Christ. And the obedience of such he accepteth in this court and mercifully rewardeth though otherwise it be imperfect yet not for the merit thereof but for the merit and worthinesse of Christ. Thus then good works in rigour of iustice are worthy condemnation are accepted of mercie procured by the merit of Christ. Secondly it is alleadged that workes are necessarie to saluation and therefore not to be reputed losses I answer workes may be considered either as causes of saluation or onely as a waie directing thereto If they be considered as causes they are not necessary but in this respect they are dung If they be respected as a way leading and directing to eternall life they are indeede necessarie thus no otherwise Thirdly it is obiected that the law requires workes and the law must be satisfied therfore that he which is iustified must be iustified by workes The answere is that whosoeuer is iustified and saued is iustified and saued by works But works must be distinguished Some are personall workes done in and by our selues These neither iustifie nor saue any man but in the case of saluation are losse and doung Besides these there