est gratia Concil Trildent Sess 〈…〉 8. and they will tell you in their exposition upon this place that we are justified that is to say made partaker of Christs Righteousnesse freely because none of those things which precede or goe before justification whether faith or workes doe deserve or merit the grace of justification according as the Apostle saith If by grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace Rom. 11.6 Againe aske Cardinall (g) Gratiam appel at Dei donum nobis gratuitum quod nos nullis nostris meritis nulla nostra virtute justos facit Tolet. com in loc Tolet who was a wise Jesuite and he will answer that when the Apostle saith We are justified freely by his grace he calleth grace the free gift of God given to us And that God doth make us just without any of our owne merits without any excellency in us Aske (h) Quod sequitur per gratiam ipsius 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 additum est ac si dica gratis id est per gratiam ipsius nam sensus est homines peccatores justificari absque ullo suorum operum merito persolam gratuitam Dei bonitatem Estius com in loc Estius the learned Jesuite and he will answer that when the Apostle saith We are justified freely by his grace his meaning is that sinfull men are justified without any merit of their owne workes by the alone free grace of God And (i) Nunc satis sit dicere hic agi de prima justificatione per quam ex injusto hamo fit justus quaeque non fit merito bonorum operum heminis Pererius in cap. 3. ad Rom. Disput 13. Pererius the Jesuite upon this place of the Apostle saith that it doth concerne the first Justification by which of unjust a man is made just which is not done by the merit of the good workes of man I go not about to justifie the Papists but to shew you how this Pamphletour doth out of ignorance in this particular falsely charge them Whereas he speakes so confidently pag. 34. at the latter end in these words And I know you are not ignorant that there is no small difference betweene the Protestants themselves How we come to be made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse He should have done well to have shewed wherein they differ and not to make a fault where he can find none to make way for his false accusation he goes on I appeale to your Judgements he meanes his owne judgement in his mis-informed hearers How they differ from Papists who say that Christs righteousnesse is made ours before God by faith and true repentance which is by them defined to be a sorrow for sinne and amendment of life as though our Protestant Divines should make faith and repentance joyned together to be the materiall and meritorious cause of our justification before God It is a wonder a man should dare to be so impudent to invent such a false slander against our Church he shewes himselfe to be a man little read in Protestant writers and lesse conversant with our Protestant Divines I dare say he cannot name one It will appeare by the Articles of Religion which we Protestants here in England are bound to reade when we come to any Church living to be possessed of it and subscribe to with an acknowledgement of our full consent and approbation to and of them that the Protestants hold the cleane contrary I will here set downe the very words of the (k) In the 39. Article Article for that purpose And they are these We are accounted righteous before God onely for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by faith and not for our owne workes or deservings Wherefore that we are justified by faith onely is a most wholesome Doctrine and very full of comfort Now I appeale to the Judgement of those that can but read English and are able to understand it whether he hath not deeply wronged the Protestants and shewed himselfe ignorant in a fundamentall point of our Religion He would if any will be so simple as to beleeve him make us worse then some Papists (l) Firma sana doctrina est per sidem vivaÌ„ estâ—acem juâ—â—â—cati peccatotem vocaâ—â—â—â— autem sideâ—◠〈◊〉 motum pâ—â—â—us lanâ—ti quo vere paenitentes veleâ—â— vitae criguntur aâ—l Eeâ— vere apprehendunt miseri ordiam in Christo promisâ—un ut jam vere sentianâ— quod remissionem peccatorâ— reconciliati onem propter meritum Christi gratuita Dei bonita eaccâ—perunt clamant Abba Pater Cassand Consult Art 4. who hold it to be true and sound Doctrine that sinners are justified by a true and lively faith whereby they apprehend the mercy of God promised in Christ and are sensible that of Gods free bounty and goodnesse they have received remission of their sinnes and Reconciliation for the merit of Christ and doe crye Abba Father What Protestant ever joyned faith and repentance together in point of Justification before God we say faith onely doth justifie in the sight of God in opposition to workes yet this faith is not without an inward change of the heart and true repentance we must distinguish betweene the formall (m) Fidei 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 scrmalis distinguenda est ab ejus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 effectiva mortihcare carnem testistere concupiscentiis catnis est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fidei non formalis sed effectiva formalia autem hdej justincanris 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est aprpehendere meritum Christi ad justitiam corma Deo subsistentem Gerhard Disp Theof part 2. disp 3. pag. mihi 319. Energy or efficacie of faith and the effective faith doth not justifie so farre forth as it doth mortifie the flesh in us and bring forth the fruits of good workes but as it doth imbrace the promise offered in the Gospell concerning the free remission of sinnes through Christ or which is all one because that by faith the Righteousnesse of Christ is imputed unto us Every childe that hath learned his Catechisme will and is able to contradict him in this divised falsehood against the Protestants Whereas he saith Repentance is by the Protestants defined to be a sorrow for sinne I passe it by till I come to speake of that Subject Pag. 35. He frames an argument thus That which makes Christs Righteousnesse ours in the fight of God may be said truely to justifie us before God or at least to concurre actively to our justification but faith and sorrow for sinne with amendment of life make Christs righteousnesse ours in the sight of God Therefore fearefull will be the conclusion faith and sorrow for sinne with amendment of life concurre actively to our justification It must needs be fearefull for him thus lewdly to accuse the Protestants Oh horrid malice Doe but view his Argument well and see whether this be a Protestant Doctrine That faith and sorrow for
sinne with amendment of life make Christs Righteousnesse ours in the sight of God according as he layes it downe in his fearefull conclusion We say that we are justified in the sight of God by (n) Non tantum fidem justificare sed etiam solam justificare neque admittere in cam societatem ullam aliam virtutem ulla opera quaecunque sint quocunque censeantur nomine quocunque comprehendantur genere id est non spe non charitate non poenitentia non receptione Sacramentorum non castitate non justitia non pietatte sua quenquam posse justificari sed tantum fide Chamier Paustrat Cathol Tom. 3. de Justific lib. 22. cap. 1 fol. mihi 923. 17. faith alone without the workes of the Law and so we are made partakers of Christs righteousnesse and that becomes ours in the sight of God Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ c. We hold that Faith doth justifie alone and doth not admit into its society any other vertue any other worke whatsoever neither can any man be justified by his hope charity Repentance receiving the Sacraments chastity righteousnesse piety but onely by Faith True faith absolutely considered cannot be separated from workes it is not without charity and repentance but considered relatively in its relation it justifieth without workes So that although true Faith cannot be without good workes as Saint James saith Faith without workes is dead nor good workes rightly considered cannot be without faith yet in regard of justification they are manifestly in opposition the one against the other And such is the nature of opposites that they cannot stand together if one be laid downe the other of necessity must be taken away Lay this downe for a ground that we are justified by Faith then justification by workes must needes be denyed We cannot conceive any moment of time wherein Justifying Faith is without good workes in regard of their (o) Particula sola removet opera non ab actu praesâ—nâ—iae sed a communicatione efficientiae hoc est non ut adesse fidei justificatis sed fidei in aâ—â—â— justificationâ— â—o opâ—â—aâ—i nâ—gâ—â— tur Geâ—hard locor tâ—m 3. de Justiâ— Seâ—t 6 fol. mihi 607. presence but they doe not communicate or doe any thing neither have they any hand in Justifying of a sinner in the sight of God but are onely standers by And thus we deny that sorrow for sinne with amendment of life justifie us before God neither doe we joyne them with fâ—â—h in point of justification of a sinner in the sight of God let â—â—m but name any one Protestant Wâ—â—er or any Divine in all 〈◊〉 Country that is guilty of that which he here layeth to thâ—â— charge I perswade my selfe he cannot To taxe the Protestants with a thing contrary to their Doctrine which they openly professe and have with their owne hand subscribed to he sheweth himselfe most injurious and unchristian When he preached his Sermon his aime was to blemish the Ministers and now he hath done it in Print but let him produce any man if he can That he may recant his false Doctrine if he have delivered it and be brought to the knowledge of the truth or if not that he may recant his false aspersion and be taught hereafter to speake the truth Whereas in his conclusion he saith Faith and sorrow for sinne with amendment of life justifie us before God or at least concurre actively to our justification Oh fearefull conclusion in regard of the false inventour The Protestants conclude no such thing They hold that faith it selfe alone justifyeth onely passively as it receiveth (p) Propterea in stam controversiae dictum fidem justificare non quatenus opus est five per se sed relative id est quatenus siguificat applicationem justitiae Christi id est non nostrae sed alienae Chamier Tom 3. de fide Justif lib. 22. cap. 11. fol. 957. Christ not actively in respect of the worke and merit thereof For we are justified by the Righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ Rom. 3.22 but the Act and worke of Faith is a part of mans Righteousnesse not of Gods therefore so faith (q) Quatenus fides est opus pars quaedam inhaerentis renovationis River Catholic Orthod Tom. 2. fol. 260. Non privamus cam bonis operibus sed duntaxat excludimus bona opera a causis efficientibus justificationis bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum Polanus Syntagm fol. mihi 456. justifyeth not but as it apprehendeth the righteousnesse of God in Christ faith whereby we are justifyed is to be considered partly as it is passive partly as it is active It is passive in apprehending the promises of God in Christ and applying Christ with all his benefits in which respect faith onely justifyeth It is also active in bringing forth good fruites and quickning of us unto every good worke but so it justifyeth not faith then is inseparably joyned with hope and love and necessarily yeeldeth in us good fruites but none of all these doe concurre with Faith in the Act of Justification but it is the office onely of Faith to apply unto us the Righteousnesse of Christ whereby onely we are made righteous before God So that you see we doe hold that faith it selfe doth not concurre actively to our justification much lesse then sorrow for sinne and amendment of life Faith is considered sometime as a quality and gift of God inherent in us but hitherto and in this respect it justifieth not but as it is in the predicament of Relation because it apprehends Christ in the Gospel If it be objected that apprehension is an action Faith therefore to be a worke It is answered that although according to Grammar apprehension is a word active yet in signication it is truely passive For to apprehend is to receive good things offered as the Apostle useth the phrase Phil. 3.12 If I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Faith receives those good things offered in the Gospell (r) Fides non exhibet aliquid Deo sicut charitas sed accipit oblata in Evangeliobona patitur sibi benefieri ut loquitur Lutherus est velut spiritualis manus quae oblatum thesaurum recipit Gerhard tom 3. locor col mihi 650. Gerhard speaking in Luthers words saith Faith suffers it selfe to be well done to and benefited and is the Spirituall hand which receiveth the Treasure offered and so is only passive Page 35. he confesseth some Protestants holy men dâ—e say that Christ is made ours in the sight of God by faith alone Christ being the garment our faith the hand that putteth this garment on Yet sayes he me thinkes that here is Christ set forth upon some Conditions and not so freely given You see he cannot agree with these holy
is justified passive in regard of us who doe by faith receive Christ without which we cannot be justified Thus you see how destructive his Doctrine is to the maine fundamentall point of our Religion to wit justification by faith So much pressed upon us by Christ and his Apostles and by him denyed And justification without Faith in the sight of God is such a justification as I never read of in Scripture We come to his objection and his answer to it Pag. 36. at the latter end But it will be objected How then is faith said to justifie I answer sayes he if we take faith for the object of our faith That is Christ then faith is properly said to justifie us for by him wee are justifyed he being our Righteousnesse Marke here how he contradicts himselfe He sayes before he cannot conceive how faith should put on Christ and apply Christ and that Christs righteousnesse is made ours before God by Gods imputation before the Act of our Faith and therefore necessarily without it And now confesseth that Faith being taken for the object of our Faith Christ then it is properly said to justifie us and thus it is properly said to justifie Christ being apprehended by Faith Rom. 3.28 Therefore we conclude a man is justified by Faith without the workes of the Law So it is taken in the Treatise of Justification wheresoever Faith is written without expresse mention of Christ we are to understand the righteousnesse of Christ received by Faith Heb. 10.38 Now the just shall live by Faith And doth he not overthrow his Doctrine before delivered when he concludes That Faith taken for the object of our Faith doth properly justifie and how can that be without Faiths apprehension of the object Wee will make this more plaine if it may bee Rom. 3.22 Even the righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ The (f) Ea est fides Jesu Christi non active quam ipse Christus habet sed passive qua ipse Christus habetur seu possideâ—ur Affert haec fides justitiam non effective quasi habitualiter aut formâ—li â—r justos efficiat nec materialiter quasi ipsa sit illud quo justi censâ—nâ—ur sed objective quatenuâ— fertur in Christum qui est justitia nostâ—aâ— et organice quatâ—nus instar manus donum â—â—â—â—itiae gratis propâ—er Christi meriâ—um credentib imputatae apprehendit Pare Com. in loc Faith of Christ is not here taken actively for the Faith which Christ had but passively for the Faith whereby Christ is had and possessed This Faith doth not justifie effectively as working an habituall justice or righteousnesse in us nor materially as though Faith it selfe were that whereby we are justified but it justifieth objectively as it apprehendeth Christ and instrumentally as it applyeth the righteousnesse of Christ Object How are we said to be justified freely seeing Faith is required which is an act in the beleever This Objection may bee urged further thus That is freely bestowed which is conferred without any helpe or worke in the receiver seeing then a man must bring Faith which is a worke of the will how is he said to be justified freely The Answer is that we are (g) Si fides qua ratione actus quidam est et ex se justitiam saceret gratis justitia non daretur at id non habet Ego pauperi scutum gratis porrigo quod ille extensa manua me accipit si quis mihi objiceret tu gratis non dedisti nam et pauper manum extendit nec acciperetnisi id faceret ridicula prosecto esset objectio extensio en im manus non habet ex se scutum adferre extendenti si enins id esset quoties manum extenderet scutum haberet A virtute potius et liberalitate dantis est scutum quamvis illi per manuum extensionem applicetur ita defide Tolet. ad Rom. cap. 3. Annot. 20 Deus imputans nobis justitiam Christi dat nobis fidem qua illam applicate valeamus Machowius quae de stat primi hominis Disput 7. justified freely although the condition of Faith be required because Faith doth not justifie as it is an act of ours but all the vertue thereof proceedeth from the object as the Israelites being healed by looking upon the Brasen Serpent obtained not their health by the very act of opening their eyes but by the object which they beheld which was the Serpent And like as when a rich man giveth his Almes unto the poore though he stretcheth out his hand to receive it yet it is said notwithstanding to be a free gift but adde here further that as when a blind man putteth forth his hand but he that giveth is faine to direct it to receive the almes or if a man have a weake and withered hand which he is not able to stretch out unlesse the other that giveth doth lift it up in this case every way the gift is free So our will is not of it selfe apt to beleeve or will any thing aright unlesse the Lord direct it Faith then being both the worke of God in inclining our will and Faith receiving all the vertue from the object which it apprehendeth namely Christ it remaineth that Faith notwithstanding wee are justified freely And the act of faith thus taken as we have set it downe doth according to Scripture stand in opposition to justification by workes And thus Christ in the Covenant of grace is set forth upon some condition to wit that we beleeve in him which condition God doth not onely require at our hand but doth by his Spirit freely give us and enable us to performe it And Christ freely given and all is done of Gods free grace and mercy It may be objected men may be justified before they doe beleeve and so without Faith for they are justified in Gods decree from all eternitie I answer God hath decreed before all time to justifie some men in time but not without Faith that being an effect of Gods decree and beleeving being that way by which God hath ordained to justifie and save men (g) Docet autem hic locus fidem ab election Dei dependere Calvin in loc Act. 13.48 And as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeved Gal. 3.24 that we might be justified by Faith and in the 26. Verse for yee are all the children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus it is plaine by these places of Scripture that God never made any such decree as to justifie any man before he doth beleeve and it is blasphemy to charge such an Act upon God For to justifie a man before he doth beleeve is to justifie him in his (h) Id est impietatem impiâ— Lapid Com. in loc sinfull wayes which God abhorreth and is contrary to his proclamation Exod. 34.7 that hee will by no meanes cleare the (i) Nempe impoenitentem in peccatis suis sibi placentem Riveâ— Com. in loc guiltie
inanibus sed legis praedicatione coÌ„minationeque paenarum a peccaris corum deterret paenitentibus remissionem peccatorum promittit Ludovic Lavat in Ezek. hom 47. Ezek. 13.22 Because with lyes yee have made the heart of the righteous sad whom I have not made sad and strengthened the hands of the wicked that he should not returne from his wicked way by promising him life Judgement must be applyed to whom it belongs and mercy to whom mercy belongs (g) Legem divinam vehementer acuit in vitia sui temporis vulgaria tanta cum acrimonÌ„ia in vectus est ut aculeos in animis hominum c. Evangelii itidem dulcissima praedicatione animos prosternatos sensu itae divinae percussos ereâ—it ad spem gratiae divinae ac salutis aeicrnae traduxit Melchior Adam in vita ejus Lucas Pollo a German divine a man of eminent parts was wont to preach the law exceeding earnestly inveighing against the common sinnes of the times in which he lived very â—â—arpely That he left a sting in the consciences and mindes of men insomuch that sparing none he gave offence to some which he regarded not having Gods command and the examples of the Prophets and Apostles to back him Againe he Preached the Gospell most sweetely labouring to lift up such as were cast downe and sensible of the wrath of God due to them for their sinnes and to bring them to the hope of Gods free grace and Eternall salvation And in his last sicknesse he desired that when he should be in an Agony and lye a dying to be put in minde of foure things First of Consolations concerning the remission of sinnes Secondly of Consolations concerning Gods gracious presence in afflictions and death it selfe Thirdly concerning finall conservation that God will conserve and keepe his elect against sinne death Satan and hell to Eternall life Fourthly of those words of Christ The Righteous shall goe into life Eternall And did tell the Minister to whom he had committed this charge that in doing thus he should execute the office of a true Pastor And is not this the care of all Gods faithfull Ministers who have had experience of the worke of God upon their owne consciences (h) Quis infirmatur non aegritudine corporls sedanimi qualitatem cuâ—ae suaedeseribit ab effectibus internis Cajetan in loc Quis infirmatur in fide ego non infirmor Si enim aliquem in fide vacillate animadverto sâ— cujus fideÌ„ gravibus tentationibus concuti video ut vix subsistere queat ita ego certe afficior ac si ipse eas tentationes sustinerem neque conquiescere possum donce tales iterum erigam confirmeÌ„ Luc. Osiard in loc 2 Cor. 5.11 Knowing therefore the terrour of the Lord we perswade men And when we see men in distresse of Conscience may we not say with the Apostle Who is weake and I am not weake 2 Cor. 11.29 Who is offended and I burn not I know there are in these parts of the Country many able Preachers who in their Sermons doe rightly and truely distinguish betweene Law and Gospell to the beating downe of the Kingdome of Satan and setting up the Kingdome of Jesus Christ in their severall Parishes whose bowells doe yearne over the soules of their people Witnesse their constant pious and painefull Preaching in such times when Preaching was most opposed whose tender bleeding Consciences having a hand of Iron held over them could not swallow downe that which this man did although their lively-hoods and liberties lay at Stake being threatned with suspension deprivation imprisonment witnesse the reading of the booke of Liberties and other innovations which he yeelded to without making question nay pleaded for them let him not goe about to cast dirt in their faces whose upright conversation and deare affection they expresse to the Soules committed to their charge makes them lovely and honourable in the sight of God and all that truely feare God In the beginning of pag. 27. This question is propounded Did not Moses preach grace The answer is No Moses preacheth the law of works This is answered before onely I propound two questions First whether did Moses ever preach justification by the workes of the Law in plaine termes whether did he ever lay this downe for a doctrine That a man may be justified by the workes of the Law in the sight of God Moses did preach the righteousnesse of faith and so he did preach grace Secondly Whether is not the (i) Foedus gratiae afferens applicans remissionem peccatorum justitiam vitam aetemaÌ„ omnibus in Christum mediatoreÌ„ credentibus ed perpetuum aeternum ac immutabile omnibus mundi temporibus unum arque ideÌ„ nulli abrogationi obnoxium omneÌ„ verustatis ac novitatis â—ationem excludens cumunâ— cademque sir falutis via Gerhaâ—d loco toÌ„ 3. col mihi 292. Covenant of grace one and the same preached in all ages by which all beleevers have beene are and shall be saved but we shall speake more fully of this hereafter I come to the next question propounded pag. 27. Did not Moses speake truth In the Pulpit he made this Answer that he did speake the truth and he did not speake the truth I meeting him on the morrow by accident told him that Moses was to be commended in that he spake the truth but he was blame worthy in that he did not speake the truth he made no answer for the present but writes to me afterward Nimirum tacuisse that he did conceale the truth And so makes him guilty of that which the Apostle pleads for his discharge Act. 20.27 I have not shunned to declare unto you all the Counsell of God And how it can stand with Heb. 3.5 (k) Summa vero est Mosen scilicet fideliter tradi disse populo quae illi Dominus mandaverat Calvin in loc And Moses verely was faithfull in all his house as a servant for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken after Moses did deliver all things which were commanded him of God faithfully to the people for a Testimony of those things which were to be spoken these words are truely to be understood of the Gospell of Christ of which Moses was a witnesse so that here is set downe the (l) Sic consensus doctrinae Mâ—sis atque Apostoli in hac Epistola ex plicatae non obsâ—â—â—e explicabitur Paraeus in loc Agreement betweene the doctrine of Moses and the Apostle expressed in this Epistle so that they were both witnesses of one and the same Christ of one and the same Gospell and did Preach one and the same Doctrine Certainely then Moses did not hold his peace concerning any Truth he was to deliver from God to the people But in Print he sets downe this answer to the question Did not Moses speake Truth yes according to Law and Conscience But not according as the Truth is and was in Christ Let us
men as though Christ in the Covenant of grace may not be set forth upon some condition and yet freely given Can a Covenant bemade without any condition is it not against the nature of a Covenant The word Covenant in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 strictly taken is a league (s) Pactum est quod intâ—r aliquos convenit nam ut fiat pactum requiritur ut duae voluntates in idem conveniant reciproco consensu Bierlir Magn. Theatr. lib. 14. fol. 1. or agreement made betweene parties that are at variance containing in it a mutuall obligation And the Hebrew word hath the signification of friendly parting and of explaining the conditions of Agreement that a Covenant may be made it is required that two wills doe by a reciprocall consent agree in one and the same thing The Covenant of workes is a league touching the saving of some on condition of their perfect obedience Gal. 3.12 And the Law is not of faith but the man that doth them shall live in them see Levit. 18.5 It is plaine that perfect obedience is the condition of the Covenant of workes The Covenant of Grace is an agreement concerning men to be freely saved through faith in Christ Gal. 3.11 The just shall live by Faith May not Faith be said to be the condition required in this Covenant And is not Christ here set forth upon this condition and yet Christ and the condition too freely given to us of God as is fully made plaine (t) Fides hic consideratur non ut opus quoddam nostrum a Deo in nobis exci atum sed ut instrumentum quo recipimus amplectimur salutem ac gratiam est autem necesse ut accipias salutem ac gratiam si servari velis Itaque fides quatenus est instrumentum recipiens salutem nihil impedit quin salus tota sit gratuita Zanc. in loc qu. 2. Ephes 2.8 For by grace are ye saved through faith and that not of our selves it is the gift of God The Lord resolving to give us Christ doth require at our hands that we should receive him and to this end giveth us faith that we might be enabled thereunto and therefore faith as it is an instrument receiving Christ with all his benefits doth not at all hinder but that Christ is freely given because that in our justification and salvation Faith doth not merit or doe any thing but onely receive Christ Whereas he saith He doth here professe his ignorance and that he cannot conceive how faith should put on Christ apply Christ or make Christ ours in the sight of God I beleeve him but because he hath not as yet had experience of such a worke of grace upon his owne soule must it therefore necessarily follow that no soule else hath had it because the foole hath said in his heart there is no God and he sayes true for in his heart there is no God must it therefore follow that there is no God in any mans heart I professe my selfe saith he to leane unto them that say that Christs righteousnesse is made ours before God by Gods imputation before the act of our faith and therefore necessarily without it By the Act of faith which doth consist in beleeving and receiving Christs righteousnesse imputed we doe not understand the work of faith but the (u) Inhaeremus firmiter oppositioni Apostolicae inter fidem opera Rom. 3.28 inter credere operari Rom. 4.5 inter gratiam opera Rom. 11.6 Joh. 6.29 Fides non vocatur opus nostrum sed opus Dei Gerhard locor tom 3. col miâ—i 650. worke of God for so faith is called not our work but the worke of God Joh. 6.29 This is the worke of God that yee beleeve on him whom he hath sent therefore the Act of beleeving is the worke of God which none of the godly will deny t is plaine by the Apostles words Rom. 12.3 According as God hath dealt every man the measure of faith Musculus upon this place sayes that the act of beleeving is also our worke for it is not sayd here this is the worke of God that he should beleeve but that yee beleeve in him but yet this Act of beleeving this worke of ours as he calls it stands in absolute opposition to justification by workes in the sight of God as is plaine by our Saviours intent in this place wherein he doth labour to confute those who held justification by the workes of the Law He doth not say this is the worke of God that yee should be circumcised purified keepe the Sabbath and observe legall Rites and Ceremomies Neither doth he say these are the workes of God That yee repent that yee feare and love God above all and your neighbour as your selfe not but that these workes are necessary and commanded in Scripture and are the (w) Quae omnia non nisi piorum sunt et in Scripturis magno serio praecipiuntur nisique operante deo in nobis fieti nequeunt Tacitis his omnibus unum tantum fidei opus adducit dicens Hoc est opus dei c. Non quod reliqua pietatis opera non sint opera dei sed quod soli fidâ—iâ— cibus vitae aeternae deputatur Muscul Com. in loc workes of God but to shew that faith alone is required for the justification of a sinner in the sight of God that so hee might plainely overthrow Justification by Workes which they altogether insisted upon and therefore tells them that all their workes though never so holy and good availe nothing in the matter of justification but that they must be justified by faith alone This is the worke of God that yee beleeve on him whom hee hath sent Musculus upon this place to illustrate how this work of faith is Gods worke and our worke hath this comparison As the writing of the child whose hand the Schoole-master doth guide while he is a writing this is called the Boyes worke and his Masters Now consider the Master takes his Pen and placeth it in his hand hee frameth and fashioneth every Letter the boy must not stirre his hand in the writing one jot or tittle but as his master doth stirre and move it T is true the boy hath a hand in the writing but his hand is meerely (x) Passivum opus est ut ita loquar Calvin in loc passive the master doth all To apply this consider faith as a work in regard of justification Calvin upon this place takes that libertie to call it a passive worke and that it is so is plaine John 1.12 But to as many as receiv'd him to them gave hee power to bocome the Sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his name You see then to beleeve is to receive Christ and though Tò Credere that is to beleeve be a Verbe active in regard of Nomination yet it is passive in regard of signification for that we call the
not onely the separation of the soule from the body but the punishment which is inflicted upon us from an angry God so that it comprehends eternall destruction and thus every wicked man that is out of Christ is through the feare of death temporall as being the gate to eternall death all his life time subject to bondage The beleeving Jewes were not subject to this bondage they were the Sonnes of God and did receive the spirit of adoption and this slavish feare and bondage was taken away from them by Christ for they were the sonnes of God by adoption as well as wee Pa. 54. To prove that this was a bondage of conscience saith he What is it that makes death bitter but the sting of death and what is the sting of death but sin Wherefore they had conscience of sin This is a doctrine most injurious to the people of God in those times against the blood of Christ certainly the sting of death so of conscience was by Christ taken from them and they could say as well as beleevers now as it is (d) Nec quicquam obstabit quin olim corpora nostra resuscitentur fiat quod olim per propheras Apoâ—â—olos praedictum est Gual in loc hom 87. Verba Prophetae vel Apostoli laetantis Hos 13.14 Glo. Ordin 1 Cor. 15.55 56 57. O death where is thy sting O grave where is thy victory The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the Law but thankes be to God who hath given us victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Pag. 55. he argues thus If the Jewes betweene Moses time and John Baptist were under the Law then under the curse that they were under the Law is proved Gal. 3.23.24 But if under the Law then under the curse Gal. 3.10 Can he prove that because the Apostle saith Before faith came we were kept under the Law therefore the Jewes were under the curse and from Moses to John Baptists time lived and died under the curse which must of necessitie follow Never did any man mis-apply and mis-interpret-Scripture more grossely for this place will prove clearely that their being kept under the Law was not a curse but a blessing upon them and that in a high degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (e) Erat lex quoddam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 munimentum quo circumse ptus populus ille conspicuus inexpugnabilis impermixtus usque ad Christum conservabatur ab aliis populis separatus permanebat Pareus in loc 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth to be fenced about with a garrison of men God did give unto this nation many particular priviledges they being a peculiar people unto himselfe as the morall Law written the Priesthood Rites Ceremonies and forme of government now the Law was quoddam 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is a wall of defence with which the people were hedged in round about and were conspicuous inexpugnable kept separated from other nations untill the comming of Christ thus to be kept under the Law was a peculiar favour of God to theÌ„ above al other nations in the world as God himself witnesseth Deut. 4.7 8. For what nation is there so great who hath God so nigh unto them as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon him for And what nation is there so great that hath statutes and judgements so righteous as all this Law which I set before you this day This place doth confute him the (f) Dicturi erant pscudoapostoli Etiamsi coÌ„cedamus justitiam non manare ex lege sed ex gratuita in Christo promissione quum tamen Deus quem semper unum sui similem esse testatus est oeconomiam istam Mosaicam constituerit c. quo jure vis illam aboâ—ere Responder Apostolus temporariam fuisse istam oeconomiam Beza in loc scope and designe of the Apostle is to confute the false Apostles who were ready to say Although we grant righteousnesse not to come by the Law but from the free promise in Christ Notwithstanding God who is unchangeable did give the Mosaicall Law and oeconomie as you confesse to bring us to Christ how then can this stand with the unchangeablenesse of God that this Law should be abolished The Apostle makes answer that by Gods appointment this was but Temporarie and to endure but till faith came that is till Christs comming in the flesh for Faith is taken metonymically for the principall object of Faith and it were fearefully desperate to thinke that all the people from Moses to John Baptist lived so under the Law as that they were without faith in Jesus Christ Thus you see this place maketh against him and in stead of a curse pronounceth a blessing it being the blessing of God upon the Jewes to be kept under the Law till Faith came that is till Christs incarnation The beleeving Jewes before the comming of Christ were under the Law in respect of Ceremonies but not in respect of the malediction curse thereof To conclude this if by the Law of Moses we understand the Mosaicall Politie so the Law by the comming of Christ was abolished if by the Law wee understand the morall Law or ten Commandements the curse of the Law is and was ever taken away in regard of all true beleevers living in all ages of the world (a) Causa abrogationis manifesta haec est Deus singulari beneficio constituit politiam Mosaicam ut esser certa fedes certa gens quali Schola in qua servatetur doctrina de Filio Dei repeterentur promissiones adderentur illustrissima testimonia in qua certum esset Filium assumpta natura humana concionaturum esse fururum victimam resurrecturum esse editurum testimonia doctrinae quia Deus de his tantis rebus vult nos certos esse voluit autem postea finem esse hujus politiae Melancthon par 2. de leg pag mihi 251. And likewise consider it as a guard whereby the Jewes were fenced in and separated from all other nations so it is by Christs comming abolished Consider it as a rule of life Thus Angels are under the Law Adam before his fall the Saints now in heaven And none yeeld more subjection to it then they this subjection is their libertie and thus the Law considered as a rule of life is the will of God and is eternall as God himselfe Let us goe on and see how he can prove from Gal. 3.10 That the people being under the Law were under the curse The intent of the Apostle in this place is to prove justification by Faith in opposition to the workes of the Law as Vers 8 9. And the Scripture foreseeing that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith preached before the Gospel unto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed So then they which be of Faith are blessed with faithfull Abraham for as
many as be of the (b) Ex operibus legis cos vocat qui in illis constituunt salutis fiduciam Calvin in loc workes of the Law are under the curse In this 10. Verse Paul sets downe a reason whereby he proves that not onely the Jewes but also the Gentiles are blessed as (c) Abraham typus pater est omnium justificatoruÌ„ deinde faedus cum illo cum semine ejus factum est ipse autem non operibus legis sed per fidem imputatam justitiam justus pronunciatus est Ergo intelligitis inquit Apostolus patrem filios per fidem justificari Tossan praelect in loc Abraham was by Faith and the reason is drawne from the contraries thus They that are of the workes that is that looke to be justified by the workes of the Law are under the curse Therefore they that are of Faith are blessed and justified with Abraham So then it is plaine that not they who lived under the Law were cursed and under the curse which he most blasphemously affirmes of all the Jewes betweene Moses and John Baptist and so pronounceth them damned but those who looked to be justified by the workes of the Law but so the beleeving Jewes did not marke well the 6 7 8 9 10. Verses of this third Chapter to the Galatians and you shall see this place makes against him in other things as well as this To this saith he we may adde Heb. 11.39 And these all having obtained a good report through faith received not the promise Can hee conclude from these words that because they received not the promise therefore they were under the curse Then the Apostle should seeme to derogate from and to diminish nay to abolish the faith and felicitie of the Fathers and indeed not to be constant to himselfe but to deny that in this Verse and in the 13. which he doth affirm in the 33. where he saith they obtained promises This seeming contradiction may easily be reconciled if we distinguish betweene the promises the Apostle here speakes of wee must observe the Homonymie of the word promise which signifies diverse things as (d) Quantum ad promissionem primam negat ver 13. patres ante Josuam consecuros esse promissa 2. Quantum ad alteram negat hoc loco patres universos eam consecutos esse qui Messiam promissum incarne videre quidem deliderarunt sed non viderunt Quantum ad tertiam affirmat ver 33. omnes nobiscum consecutos promissionem fuisse omnes enim fide per gratiam Jesu Christi servati suerunt sicut nos Pareus in loc first the promised land of Canaan and so in the 13. Verse the Apostle denies the Fathers who lived before Joshua to have obtained the promises Secondly by promise we are to understand the complement or fulfilling of the promise concerning the Messiah to bee revealed in the flesh and so the Apostle in the 39. verse denies the Fathers to have received the promise because they were not eye-witnesses of the promised Messiah come in the flesh Thirdly by promise is to be understood the blessing of salvation promised in Christ and so the Apostle affirmes in the 33. Verse that the fathers obtained the promise together with us all of them being saved by Faith through the grace of Jesus Christ as well as wee so that it is plaine they were not under the curse but under the blessing their estate and condition being blessed of God through Jesus Christ And whereas the Apostle in the 40. vers saith God having provided some better thing for us that they without us should not be made perfect The Apostles meaning (e) Non est hic sensus nos alia ratione servati quam Patres in V. T. vel dilaram suisse Patrum salutem usque ad Christi adventum verum hic est sensus licet tam excellentes viti suerint tam illustri fide praediti subducti ex his terris Non tamen cum ipsis defâ—â—sse Ecclefiam aut idec minus honorifice sentiendum de populo N. T. cui allquid melius providebatur non quidem si fundamentum salutis spectes sed propter exhibitionem Messiae per quem illi nobiscum nos cum illis vere perficimur sanctificamur unica sc illa oblatione corporis ipsius Tossan in loc is not that we under the New Testament are saved by another way different from that by which the Fathers were saved in the Old Testament or that the Salvation of the Fathers was deferred till Christs comming in the flesh as the Papists would have it but the meaning of this place is that although they were such excellent men indued with such famous and pretious Faith and they being taken out of this life yet notwithstanding the Church did not end in them or that we should have a lesse honourable esteeme of the people of the New Testament for whom God hath provided some better things Not better if we consider the foundation of salvation but in regard of the exhibition and manifestation of the Messias in the flesh by whom they and we are made perfect and sanctifyed by that one oblation of his body as it is Heb. 10.10 Through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all even for the Fathers as well as for us Those places which he uses concerning the difference of the promulgation of the New Covenant Pag. 54. First In the time of Adam Gen. 3.15 Secondly To Abraham Thirdly In Isaiahs time Isa 53. Fourthly In Moses time Fifthly In Daniels time make against him altogether as that in Genesis The seed of the Woman shall breake the Serpents head In this place (f) Tria itaque hic habes descripta 1. Adami Hevae peccatum 2. Deinde spem per Christum 3. Tunc nostri hostis Satanae accuratam descriptionem sub serpentis figuta Pet. Mart. in loc is described the sinne of Adam and hope of pardon through Christ By the seed of the Woman is meant Christ and thus he proves that the New Covenant was preacht from Adam to Christ and that all beleevers in all those ages were under grace and had the Covenant of grace preached to them But Page 55. Sayes he The Prophets speake of a thing to come farre off yet sayes he They speake sometimes in the present and preterperfect tense againe in this he contradicts himselfe and t is true Isa 6.9 The Prophet speakes there in the present tense Unto us a childe is borne he doth not say a childe shall be borne Now the word Nobis us doth comprehend not onely the ancestors which lived before nor those which lived at that time but the successors and posterity of this people for the change of times and humane mortality doth not take away the unity of the people of God and severall Ages and (g) Alia atque alia secula morientiumque nascentâ—um alterationes non constituunt
truth as it was in Christ Jesus who was ever to all beleevers as it is Joh. 14.6 The way the truth and the life No man cometh to the Father but by mee Moses could never come to the Father but by this way and this truth it is blasphemy therfore to say he did not speak according as the truth was in Christ Jesus who was ever that one truth in all ages of the world to all the people of God Againe had not Moses a Conscience sprinkled with the bloud of Christ and did he not in Christ apprehend Gods reconciled face to him in the full pardon and free remission of all his sinnes Why then if Moses spake truth according to conscience shadowing forth the bloud of Christ by the bloud of Bulls and Goats to bee that which did sprinkle the Conscience from dead workes to serve the living God it must needs bee that he spake the truth as it is in Christ Jesus Christ being ever the same in all Ages to the Consciences of all beleevers and certainely Moses spake nothing but what did accord with the truth as it was and is in Christ Jesus he being alwayes that same Truth But to prove this pag. 27. he saith this was the hidden mystery kept secret since the world began but now is made manifest Rom. 16.25 as though this was hidden all the time from Moses to John the Baptist It is strange a man should thus apply Scripture without unfolding the sense of it but it is his course throughout his Booke The scope (r) Quasi restimonii loco ne de praedicatione apostolica quisquam dubitare queat Scripturas propheticas commemotat ut admoneat Evangelii doctrinam nihil habere novi vel ficti sed id tradere quod prophetae olim futurum praedixerint Muscu in loc Hoc additur ne recens hujus Mysterii patefactio suspecta cuiquam fit infirma Testimonium inquit habet prophetarum Pet. Mar. in loc Adeo enim luculentum testimonium reddiderunt Evangelio prophetae omnes ut aliunde melius confirmaâ—â— nequeat Calvin in loc of this place if you consider the connexion with the 26. vers but now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the commandement of the everlasting God made knowne to all Nations for the obedience of faith is quite contrary to his application of it and makes against him And by the Scriptures of the Prophets The Apostle makes mention of this if any should make doubt of his Preaching as a sufficient evidence to prove that the Doctrine of the Gospell was no new or fained Doctrine And that he did deliver nothing but what of old the Prophets did foretell should come to passe And therefore it could not be a mystery hidden and kept secret from Moses and the Prophets as he affirmes falsely for then they should have foretold that which they knew not which no man well in his wits will speake or thinke They did foreknow and foresee all those things concerning Christ which afterwards were accomplished This you may see proved Luk. 18.31 Then he tooke unto him the twelve and said unto them Behold we goe up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the Prophets concerning the Sonne of man shall be accomplished By (s) Secundum revelationem mysterii id est secreti scil de conversione gentium Si autem loquamur de mysterio incarnationis c. Aquin. Comâ—n Epist ad Rom. cap. 16. lect 2. mystery is understood First the calling of the Gentiles Secondly Christs incarnation This was the hidden mystery in regard of the Gentiles who before the comming of Christ did sit in darkenesse and in the shadow of death And now is made manifest and how could the (t) De gentibus nulla quaestio est quiante adventum Christi sedebant in umbra mortis nee vitam hanc aeternam quain Christus suis artulit aut intelligebant aut expetebant Qui poterant cum venturae Messiae praedictiones erant sacris Scripturis consignatae divina autem haec oracula crant Judaeis peculia suit igitur gentilibus simpliciter omni modo absconditum hoc mysteriâ—â— Daven in loc Gentiles know this seeing the predictions of the Messiah to come were set downe and contained in the holy Scriptures And these divine oracles were peculiar to the Jewes onely Psal 147.19.20 He sheweth his word unto Jacob his Statutes and his judgements unto Israel he hath not dealt so with any Nation The Gospell was hid from the Gentiles simply Not so from the Jewes but comparatively in comparison of the cleare light and manifestation of it since the incarnation of Christ as the Apostle himselfe expounds it Ephes 3.5 which in other ages was not made knowne to the sonnes of men as it is now revealed unto his holy Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit So by this it is plaine it was in other ages made knowne To use then this Scripture namely (*) Perpende totuÌ„ progressum mysterii suit quidem ab aeterno disposâ—uÌ„ in Deo absconditum suit postea perprophetas patefactuÌ„ in tempore hominibus ut crederent postremo agnitum revelatuÌ„ gentibus Cadinal Tol. com in loc Rom. 16.25 to prove that this mystery was kept secret and hidden from the people of the Jewes from Moses to John Baptists time is a false interpretation and misse-application of it if he lookes into the 26. verse he may see this mystery is made manifest by the Scriptures of the Prophets thus you see his exposition is a contradiction if made manifest by their writings then manifested to them Againe he useth 1 Pet. 1.10 11 12. The mystery the Prophets searched after as if he could prove by this place that this mystery was hid and kept secret from Moses and the Prophets but this Scripture makes altogether against his absurdity and plainely proves the contrary The Apostles (u) Scopus Apostoli est removere calumniam illam qua etiam tum temporis doctrina Christiana gravabatur esse eam doctrinam novam atque hactenus inauditam atque incognitam contrarium ergo hic asserit Petrus declarans etiam ab ipsis pro phetis eam esse testificatam ac praedicatam Jacobus Lauren. com in loc aime here is to take off an aspersion which some at that time cast upon the Doctrine of the Gospell saying as it is Act. 17.19 May we know what this new Doctrine whereof thou speakest is They did account it a new unknowne unheard of Doctrine the Apostle affirmes the contrary declaring that it is the same which was testified and Preached by the Prophets themselves who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testisied beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow So that from this place it is evident the Prophets did not onely declare the time but the
locale sive circumscriptibile e converso vel quia dimensionemeapiens longitudinis altitudinis latitudinis distantiam facirin loco ut corpus vel quia loco definitur determinatur quoniam cum sit alicubi non ubique in venitur Magist lib. 1. dist 37 cap. 6. Tolle spacia locorum corporibus nusquam erunt quia nusquam erunt necerunt Tolle ipsa corpora qualitatibus corporum non erit ubi sint ideo necesse est ut non sint Aug. Tom. 2. Epist 57. col mihi 275. affirmes that it is the property of a body to be so limited and determined to one place that it cannot be in every place but the Papists doe by their reall presence affirme the body of Christ to be omnipresent and thereby doe utterly overthrow his humane nature Take away the spaces or dimensions of places from bodies and then they shall be no where And because they shall be no where they shall not be at all Take away the bodies themselves from the qualities of bodies and there shall be no place where they are And therefore it followes necessarily that they be not at all And thus you see the Papists doe quite take away the foundation We hold Christ as he is set forth to us in the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets to be the onely foundation Doe not the Papists in making their (b) Concil Trident. Sess 4. Traditionsof equall Authority with Scripture goe about to lay another foundation is not this a wide difference I might instance in other fundamentalls but he doth plainely confute and contradict himselfe when he saith the Papists doe deny Christ comming in the flesh And this is a misfoundation Page 34. He propounds this question I will therefore aske the wise Jesuite how we come to be partakers of Christs Righteousnesse and I am sure I shall have this answer by Sacraments by Penance Faith and other good workes which are a meanes to apply Christ unto us I beleeve he is a man that hath not much troubled himselfe in reading controversies betweene the Papists and us neither hath any insight into the Jesuites If he aske some of the learned Papists how we come to be justified in the sight of God (c) Causa efficiens primaria est honitas miscricordia Dei Bellar. Tom. 4. de Justificat cap. 2. Prima justiria per quam ex impiis reddimur justi non ex merito sed ex misericordia Dei Bellar. de Justif tom 4. lib. 4. cap. 21. Bellarmine will answer that the primary and efficient cause is the goodnesse and mercy of God And according to his distinction of first and second Justification he will tell you that in the first Justification whereby a wicked man becommeth Just in the sight of God it is not from merit but from Gods free mercy And Cardinall (d) Quoniam diximus ad justitiam nos pervenire per fidem justitiam Christi nobis donatuam Inde est quod experimento videmus vitos sanctos qui quanto majus in veritate proficiunt tanto minus hbi placent ac proprerea tanto magis intelligunt se indigere Christo Justitia Christi sibi donata ideoque se relinquunt soli Christo incumbunt Rivet Cathol Orth. tom 2. pag. mihi 243. vide plura ibid. Contarenus saith we are justified by Faith and that the righteousnesse of Christ given unto us whereby we are inserted into Christ and have put on Christ is that certaine solid foundation upon which wee must stay our selves and beleeve that for that alone wee are justified before God that is to be accounted just and to be just and hee doth plainely shew that we are not justified by the workes of Sanctification or by any inherent righteousnesse in our selves but by the righteousnesse of Christ freely given and communicated unto us Thus this Papist telleth us that we are made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse not by penance or any workes of ours but from the free gift of God That of wicked men we are made just in the sight of God is by being made partakers of Christs righteousnesse now whereas he saith Page 34. That the Jesuite will say by Sacraments penance faith and other good workes we are made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse and that they are a meanes to apply Christ unto us The Papists will deny this to his face Bellarmin upon Romans cap. 4 5. where the Apostle makes it plaine That we are not justified by workes saith Paul (e) Paulus ad Râ—m 4. dicit non ex operibus justiheari c. Nos igntur diâ—mus Paulum loqui de prima justificatione qua homo ex impio fir justus ideo recte Pauluâ— dicere hominem justificari sine operibus Quemadmodum enim nemo po est opere suo seips procreate aut a morte revocare procreatus autem vel a morte revocatus ipse se comedendo bibendo nutrit auget sic etiam homo per peccatum mortuus non potest merito opetum suotum se justificare Bellarm. de Justif tom 4. lib. 4. cap. 18. col mihi 267. speakes here of the first Justification whereby a man of wicked is made just in the sight of God and therefore Paul saith rightly that a man is justified without workes He useth this illustration As no man is able by his owne worke to procreate himselfe or to recall himselfe from death but being procreated and made alive from the dead then he doth by eating and drinking nourish himselfe and groweth So a man that is dead in sinne cannot by the merit of his owne workes justifie himselfe but after God hath justified him he is able by living well to cherish and increase righteousnesse in himself and of just to become more just which the Papists call the second Justification and so they labour to bring in merit and justification by workes We deny this second justification And concerning the first justification he saith we are made partakers of that righteousnesse not from merit but from the mercy of God The Apostle tells us how wee come to be made partakers of Christs Righteousnesse Rom. 3.24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ Aske the Councell of Trent (f) Cum vero Apostolus dicir hominiâ—m justificari perhdem gratis ea verba in eo sensu intelligenda sunt quem perpetuus Ecclesiae Carholicae consensus tenuit expressit ut scilicer ignitur per fidem justincari dicamur qua fides est humanâ— salntis initium fundamentum radix omnis justineationis line qua impâ—ssibile est placere Deo ad filiorum ejus confortium pervenire gratis autem justificari ideâ—â— dâ—â—auaut quia nihil comm quae justificationem pracedunt five â—des sive opera ipsam justification Sâ—tatiam promeretur si enim gratia est jam non eâ— opeâ—â—bus alioquin ut idem Apostolus inquâ—â— pratia jam non
Congregation by the sprinkling of the water of cleansing were ceremonially made clean so that it was lawfull for them to come to the Sanctuary of the Lord Not for that this purifying did onely extend it selfe to the flesh and was meerely carnall for then the people of the Jewes should no whit differ from the heathens who had their sacrifices meerely carnall by which they might blot out the infamy of their hainous crimes And to expound this place as he doth is in Calvins phrase an exposition too much prophane If their dayly sacrifices did not prefigure the Messias and were not done out of spirituall respects what was their Temple but a Butchers shambles In this that the Law sanctifyeth to the purifying of the flesh there was a spirituall signification for as the outward uncleannesse did admonish the people of their inward impurity before God so the sprinkling by the water of separation and the receiving of those that were sprinkled into the congregation did signifie to beleevers their spirituall sprinkling and cleansing by the blood of Christ by which alone there is a way laid wide open for sinners to come into the sight of God and with boldnesse to have accesse to the Throne of Grace To limit therefore and bound the legall rites onely to the purifying of the flesh as he doth by his false exposition and to restraine the effect of them onely to civill and politique Government is injurious to the promises of God made to his people who lived in the time of the Law Sacraments and signes have a spirituall signification so that this purifying of the flesh by the water of separation so called because such as were separated for any uncleannesse were sprinkled with it did signify unto the people of the Jews the purifying of the conscience by the blood of Christ now then joyne the (e) Nihil extra usum habere rationem Sacramenti ad usum oportere acâ—edere fide unde tum in veteri tum in novo Testamento extra illum usum Sacramenta nobis inania esse dicuntur Tossan ad Hebraeos praelect cap. 10. signe and the thing signified together and the Law sanctifyeth to the purifying of the conscience Whereas he saith Secondly the Law perfects nothing as pertaining to the Conscience Heb. 10.1 but Johns doctrin is a perfecting doctrine insomuch that beleevers herein have no more conscience of sins To this let us see the meaning of the Apostle Heb. 10.1 in this place hee speakes (f) Non hic agi proprie de Sacramentis sed de toto tabernaculo sacerdotio Levitico Demde vocari umbras ritus externos non simpliciter sed quatenus opponuntur Christo in quo est veritas ad quem in tecto usu respicientes Patres eundem cibum spiritualem comederunt nobiscum vere justificati sunt Tossan ibid. not properly concerning the Sacraments but of the whole Tabernacle and Leviticall Priesthood Againe these externall rites are called shadowes not simply but as they are opposed to Christ in whom is the Truth and to whom the Fathers looking in the right use of them did eate the same spirituall meate with us and were truely justified in the sight of God The Law you will say perfects nothing The meaning is the unbeleeving Jewes cleaving to the Ceremonies and externall rites and looking ex opere operato that is from the worke done to be justified by them without Christ and thus considered they are as Gal. 4.9 Weake and beggerly (g) Egena autem elementa Apostolus ad Gal. appellat ceremonias respectu Judaeorum qui excluso Christo per illas justificari volebant Tossan ibid. elements The Apostle here doth in few words most excellently set forth unto us the difference and agreement of the Old and New Testament of the Law and Gospell of the Doctrine and Sacraments of both The agreement consists in this the Old as well as the New had Christ with his owne oblation of himselfe and eternall redemption Againe of both Testaments in regard of the (h) Utriusque enim Testamenti quoad substantiam ut unus est Deus ita unus Mediator una Ecclesia una fides una salus Pareils in loc substance as there is one God so there is one Mediatour one Church one Faith one Salvation The Doctrine of the Old did lead to Christ The Sacraments and ceremonies did shew and point at Christ whom the Doctrine of the Gospell and our Sacraments doe declare to us The difference is in this They did represent Christ to the Fathers more obscurely and darkly these doe more clearly set him forth to us to conclude this The Law then considered not in opposition but in reference to Christ did perfect something pertaining to the Conscience In that the Apostle saith the worshippers once purged should have had no more conscience of sinnes By (i) Nam etiam per hoc semel purga is non tollitur omnis peccatorum conscientia quandoquidem etiam sanguine Christi justificati nondum in hac vita efficimur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sed perpetuo manemus multorum peccato rum nobis conscii Pareus com in loc conscience is meant the guilt of sinne from which our consciences once purged by the bloud of Christ and our hearts purified by faith There is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus although all conscience of sinne is not taken away which men justified and purged by the bloud of Christ out of humane frailty dayly doe commit And we doe remaine sinners but by the bloud of Christ the guilt of all our sinnes is blotted out though in regard of the filth and the many falls we have our consciences are many times afflicted and we doe continually remaine conscious to our selves of many sinnes And believers in the time of the Law by their Sacrifices which they were commanded of God to offer were put in minde of the bloud of Christ which by faith they did apply to their Consciences and were thereby freed from the guilt of sinne and so had no more conscience of sinnes their Consciences being by faith sprinkled with the bloud of Christ as well as our Consciences who live now in the time of the Gospell To conclude we must distinguish betweene Ceremonies meerly legall and rites to which the promise of grace was annexed And those rites are to be considered either before the comming of Christ or after Before his comming they were commanded of God and profitable Afterward the body being present they are unprofitable and of no use Againe they are considered as they were in thmeselves and as they were in regard of their typicall signification considered in their owne nature and ex opere operato from the worke done without faith in those that used them they had no spirituall effect Notwithstanding to beleevers they were the exercise and sealing of faith in the Messiah to come whom in regard of their typicall signification they did prefigure when the
comfort your drooping spirits against such desperate disconsolate doctrine as this meerely contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel and the true way of preaching Free Grace by Christ who will not breake a bruised Reed nor quench smoaking Flax if an an Angell from heaven preach any other doctrine beleeve him not I say againe cheere up your hearts The gates of Hell shall never prevaile against you you are rich in grace and all the pretious promises of the Gospel belong to you and all the riches of Gods mercie in Christ Jesus are yours what shall I say more I conclude God is yours Christ is yours and all is yours Now we are come to the third question laid downe in Page the 74. at the latter end Whether when Faith lies hid that wee cannot see that we beleeve by the inward Testimony of our conscience that it is possible our workes of pietie or charitie can assure us of salvation his answer is I say no and my reasons are these 1. That which makes me doubt of my Faith will make me doubt of the sinceritie of my worke 2. How is it possible I should judge my worke sincere when I cannot see I beleeve Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne I answer there are diverse grounds which make a man doubt of his Faith different from those which make him doubt of the sinceritâ—e of his worke as through the want of apprehension whereby hee can say from his conscience that he is justified and at peace with God And in regard of spirituall desertions There is a twofold inward testimony of conscience The first is an immediate knowledge that a man doth beleeve which is by the prime and next efficient cause namely the Spirit of God called the (k) Id est eandem fidem ex ejusdem Spiritus afflatu dono Beza in loc Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and this is more fully set downe downe 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God The second inward testimony of conscience is the sinceritie of a mans worke whereby a Christian knowes he doth beleeve and concerning the sinceritie of the worke none can judge but a mans owne conscience whose proper office it is and this the Apostle sets downe 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our (l) Certebonam conscientiam habemus quod candide ca an misinceritate quam Dominus in nobis requiriâ— un sumus Luc. Ostand in loc conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God wee have had our conversation in the world Conscience being that privitie which the soule hath to things knowne to none but God and it selfe is able to judge of the intention of every action So that as a tree is knowne by the fruits in like manner Faith is certainely knowne by its fruits as the cause is knowne by the effect And the Apostle (m) Insallibile est signam vere râ—natorum organm a postenori valer Arett com in loc 1 Joh. 3.14 makes love to the brethren an infallible signe of a regenerate man We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren So that although we cannot immediately see that wee doe beleeve yet if we find in our conscience that wee love the brethren we know by this that wee doe beleeve for as breath is a certaine signe and evidence of present life so love to the brethren of present Faith even as wee see that when the Sunne is eclipsed though the earth wants the light of it yet not the reall influence and though men see not the Sunne in the light of it they doe see it in its reall influence and vertue So although Faith may be hid in regard of the soules immediate seeing it yet it may evidently see it doth beleeve in regard of Faiths reall influences and effects love to the brethren being one and thus though Faith lies hid Charitie doth and can assure us of our salvation Pag. 75. What workes are done in Faith sayes he that the same acts may not be done in the spirit of bondage If you say indeed that the actions are the same but they differ in the end I grant it and in the efficient also but as I cannot discerne the efficient so neither can I discerne the end of my worke To this I answer I discerne the efficient by the end he that hath a discursive intellect and can make use of that reason which God bath given him can easily tell to what end hee undertakes such and such an action The end being the first thing in the (a) Finis qui ultimus est executione primus est intentione omnis intellectus operativus incipit a fine Keckerm System lib. 1. pag. 165. intention and that which first sets the minde on worke about this or that thus in temporalls so likewise in spiritualls The Christian being able to make use of his sanctified reason can easily tell the intent of his heart and the end hee aymes at especially having the word of God as a sure rule to goe by he can tell whether he loves the brethren out of any by end he hath or onely as brethren setting all other respects aside And finding this holy affection in himselfe must needs conclude it cannot bee in a man that doth not beleeve I have heard of a very godly Minister who as I take it being sicke to death was much troubled about his evidence and doubted whether he did belong to God or no at the last Well sayes he the devill shall never gull me I have one evidence will assure me without faile I am certaine I love Gods people and so gathered comfort Upon these grounds I am bold to determine the question affirmatively That although Faith lies hid for the present yet a man from workes of pietie and charitie which he findes in himselfe may have assurance that he doth beleeve and so is in the state of salvation In his conference pag. 12. he doth confesse Where unfained love to the brethren is found it may be a testimony of grace received but he objects How shall I know his answer is That unlesse we beleeve truely we cannot know we love unfainedly therefore though our love heare witnesse to our Faith before men yet our Faith beares witnesse to our love in the secrets of our heart neither can it ever appeare to bee true love that proceeds not from a heart first imbracing Christ by Faith To this I answer by my loving unfainedly I know I beleeve truely the truth of my worke being an infallible evidence of the truth of my Faith and I can trie my worke by the sure rule of the Word which will not faile and thus though I cannot see my Faith formally yet I can see it effectively I meane in