hee so much delighteth that thrise like a Nightingale hee recordeth it againe and againe The iust shall liue by faith Rhem. p. 568. 440. Let the iust man saith Saint Augustine cited by Doctor Fulke tollerate the vniust let the temporall labour of the iust tollerate the temporal impunity of the vniust but yet the iust man liueth by faith For there is no other iustice of man in this life but to liue by faith which worketh by loue For if he liue by faith let him also beleeue that hee shall rest after his labour and they shall haue eternall torments after their present ioy Againe seeing all the iust both of elder time and the Apostles liued by right faith which is in our Lord Iesus Christ and had such holy in inners with faith Chrysâ—st in Mat. hom that although they could not be of so perfect vertue in this life as in the life to come yet what sinne soeuer hath crept vpon them of humaine frailty it is immediatly wiped away through the piety of the same faith He that desireth not vaine glory saith Chrysostome being made Christs Vicar ought to preach the iustice of Christ This iustice did Saint Paul preach to the Romanes Galatheans and Hebrewes This iustice did the Fathers preach to those that liued in their times Ambrose telleth the Gentiles that they haue receiued a gift of grace and not of workes Againe Amb. de Voc. Gent. lib. 1. cap. â— they are iustified because working nothing nor making any recompence they are iustified through faith onely by the gift of God â—mb Epist â—d Rom. cap. â— Againe this was Gods determination that the law being at an end the grace of God should require faith onely to saluation The Apostle saith Saint Origen doth say â—rigen epist â—d Rom. 3. cap. that the iustification of faith alone doth suffice so that he which beleeueth onely is iustified although he haue fulfilled no worke Wherefore it standeth vs vpon that take in hand to defend the Apostles writing to be perfect and all things to stand with good order to inquire who hath bene iustified by faith onely without works Therfore for example sake I thinke that the theefe is sufficient which being crucified with Christ cryed to him from the crosse Lord Iesu remember me when thou commest in thy kingdome Neither are there any workes of his described in the Gospell But for his faith Iesus said vnto him This day shalt thou be with me in paradiâ—e Hillariuâ— vpon Matthew saith It moued the Scribes and Pharises that sinne was forgiuen by a man 〈…〉 â—â—ld a man onely in Iesus Christ and that to 〈◊〉 â—or giuen by him which the law could not release for saith onely doth iustifie â—pol pâ—g â—â— Saint Basil cited by Bishop Iewel saith Who so trusteth not in his owne merits nor loâ—â—â—th to be iustified by his owne workes he hath his onely hâ—pe of saluation in the mercy of our Lord. With whom Saint Augustine agreeing thus exhorteth Presume not of thine 〈◊〉 working but of the grace of Christ for the Apostle sâ—ith Yee are saued by grace Gregory Nazaâ—â—â—â— speaking in the person of the Publican that praied with the Pharisie Workes sâ—â—ll not saue me but let thy grace and mercy drop downe 〈◊〉 â—ime prophane man which onely hope ô king thou hast giuen to miserable sinners Rom. 9. annot Rom. 10. text With this saying agreeth the Annotations vpon the Rhems All that be deliuered out of the common condemnation be deliuered by grace and pardon through the meanes and merits of Iesus Christ Againe the law was not giuen as the Iewes ignorant zeale supposed for them to iustifie themselues by it considering they could not fulfill it but to bring them to Christ to beleeue in him and so for his sake to be iustified But to make the truth of this doctrine more apparent wee are to consider there concurres two things necessary to the iustification of faith that is to say the forgiuenesse of our vnrighteousnesse Act. 20.43 Rom. 3.23 Ibid. 4.7 1. Ioh. 1.4 Ibid. 2.12 or the remission of our sins and the imputaion of anothers righteousnesse For the first the Prophets beare witnesse that euery one that beleeueth in him namely Christ shall through his name receiue remession of sinnes that is shall by faith be iustified and absolued from the guilt and punishment of sinne and so become blessed in not hauing his sins imputed vnto him Blessed is the man â—aith the Prophet to whom the Lord imputeth no â—â—nne With whom S. Augustine agreeing Rom. 4.6 thus redoubleth the words of the Prophet Blessed is he to whom the Lord imputeth no sinne neither is there guilt in his heart This is the coÌ„fession of humble Saints which boast not themselues to be that they are not And this is the confession of S. Ambrose cited by Bishop Iewel Apol. pag. 82. I will not glory for that I haue done good to any man nor for that any man hath done good to me but for that Christ is my aduocate with the Father and for that Christs bloud was shed for me Yet notwithstanding this freedome concerning the remission of sinnes we haue no right to eternall life vnlesse we attaine likewise by faith to an vnchangeable and euerlasting righteousnesse which the law requireth Which sempeternall righteousnesse is that which Christ merited for vs in keeping the law making them blessed to whom it is imputed Daniel 9.21 Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth righteousnesse without workes This righteousnesse of Christ being sempeternall one and the same is to him to whom it is imputed yea to the iust man that sinneth seuen times a day perpetually the roote of life The Spirit is life for righteousnesse sake Most excellent to this purpose Rom. 8.10 is that saying of S. Bernard cited by M. Whittaker against Champion He that hath taken the desert of sinne by giuing vnto vs hiâ— righteousnesse he hath payed the debt of sinne and restored life For so death being dead life returneth as sinne being taken away righteousnesse commeth againe Furthermore death is abandoned by Christs death and Christs righteousnesse imputed vnto vs. Suruey pag. 607. pag. 637. Rom. 3.25 But forasmuch as Popish Priests alloweth nor liketh iustifying faith which they stile to be an idle apprehension of Christs iustice and a lying faith Let vs try which way else we may be iustified It is most certaine we all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and therefore remaine in death for the wages of sinne is death And notwithstanding Christs passion as saith Kellison sin is still imputed vnto vs. Can the euerlasting torment of the creature pay this debt Suruey pag. 262. The euerlasting torment of the creature is not able to satisfie for it For although in the place of horrour they are as an Ancient speaketh Plena fletus ex dolore stridor dentiuÌ„ ex furore Full of weeping because of
griefe full of gnashing of teeth because of madnesse Yet Quippe nihil miseris fletus lamentoque prosunt Though they weepe neuer so much teares doe nothing preuaile Therefore we must either bee freed by faith in Christ or not at all namely in beleeuing that Christ hath in the voluntary paiment of the punishment set vs free from all sinne whether originall 1. Iohn 1. annot or actuall as the Annotations vpon the Rhems confesseth Let onely saith S. Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel the price of the bloud of my Lord Apol. pag. 356. 375. auaile me to the perfection of my deliuery Againe for Christ that came not with his due reward but with grace that was not due found all men sinners being himselfe onely free from sin and a deliverer of sinners If we were able to satisfie Gods iustice concerning the punishent of sinne which is the debt that Kellison would haue vs still to owe him yet could we not thereby merit eternall life without a sempeternall righteousnesse the roote of life For the sufferings of this life Rom. 8 13. are not worthy the glory that shall be reueiled in the children of God Therefore not meritorious Where is this sempeternall righteousnesse to be found in man Is it in the vnderstanding 1. Cor. 3.12 That it is not for man knoweth but in part and hee whose notion is but in part cannot attaine to it but in part Who liuing in this body saith S. Augustine which is corrupted and weighâ—th downe the soule Suruâ—y pag. 473. can know all truth when the Apostle saith Wee know but in part Moreouer Kellison saith That our vnderstanding either rightly attaineth to the knowledge of God or not at all And if it erreth in one perfection of God it erreth in all because all is one Is it in the flesh of man The Apostle saith I know that in me that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Moreouer Saint Augustine cited by Kellison plainly proueth Rom. 8.18 Pag. 6â—2 that the flesh hath gotten since Adams fall such a hand ouer the Spirit and will that though we deny consent vnto her lusts and desires yet wee cannot quite represse them bee we as holy and perfect as Paule was Is it to be found in the iust man No the righteousnesse of the iust man is not sempeternall Pro. 24.16 1. Pet. 4.18 1. King 8.40 Rom. 3.23 he falleth seuen times There is no man that sinneth not saith Salomon For there is no difference saith S. Paul for all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God Nay such is the imperfection of man that the very Pagans as Kellison noteth that want the light of saith Suruey pag. 579. yet by the light of reason espied vice in some of our actions Briefly it is not to be found among the sonnes of men Iob. 15.16 who drinke iniquity as water but by Christ who is called our righteousnesse and life by a name demonstratiue and not appellatiue to teach vs that he is our righteousnesse and life O then may we say with Dauid Enter not into iudgment with thy seruant for in thy sight shall none that liueth be iustified And cry out with S. Augustine O Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant What meaneth that Enter not into iudgement with thy seruan Thus much it meaneth Stand not with me in iudgement requiring of me all that thou hast commanded for if thou enter into iudgement with me thou sâ—â—lt finde me guilty I hâ—ue need therefore not of thy vpright iudgement but of thy mercy Againe when the iust King shall sit on his throne who shall glory that he hath a chast heart or who shall glory that he is cleane from sinne Hauing thus proued that we are freely iustified by faith we may say of all popish Priests as Saint Hierome said of the Pharises Ignorantes quod sola side iustificat c. They not knowing that God onely iustifieth by faith and supposing to be iust by the workes of the law which they neuer obserued they would not submit themselues to the remission of sins lest they should seeme to haue bene sinners For thus saith Kellison speaking with the whole mouth of the Vniuersity of Doway Pag. 266. If wee are still sinners and onely reputed iust for Christs iustice which is by faith apprehended and by God imputed vnto vs This is most dishonourable to Christ That we are still sinners is most apparent If we say wee haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and truth is not in vs. 1. Iohn 1. annot Marke 10. annot What sinnes saith Pelagian the hereticke to S. Augustine did Abell and such iust men commit Saint Augustine cited in the Rhems saith They might laugh sometimes immoderatly or iest too much or couet somewhat intemperatly or plucke fruit ouer greedily or in eating take somewhat more then afterward was well digested or haue their intention in time of praier somewhat distracted and such like Againe a man may be sine crimine but not sine peccato 1. Iohn 1. annot Without heinous offences but not without sinne Moreouer the Annotations elsewhere teacheth that none is intirely substantially and of himselfe good but God though by participation of Gods goodnesse mâ—â— are also called Good Againe we be truly called the sonnes of God and so iust indeed though we be not without all sinnes euery one of vs as well iust as vniust being taught and bound to confesse our offences and to aske pardon daily of God by this petition of the Pater noster Forgiue vs our debts Moreouer the Apostle saith God iustifieth the vngodly to him that worketh not Know thou saith S. Augustine Rom. 1. annot cited in the Rhems that faith found thee vniust and if faith giuen to thee made thee iust it found thee a wicked one and of such a one made thee iust What workes then hadst thou being then wicked None couldst thou haue nor can haue before thou beleeuest Beleeue then in him that iustifieth the wicked that thy good workes may be good workes indeed Againe Saint Augustine cited by Bishop Iewel thus speaketh Apol. 22. Iewel 376 pag. For nothing thou shalt saue them What is meant by these words For nothing thou shalt saue them This is the meaning Thou foundest nothing in them wherefore thou â—â—auldest saue them but thou findest much wherefore thou should condemne them Againe Saint Augustine elsewhere thus speaketh Thou art nothing by thy sâ—â—â—â— call vpon God the sinnes are thine the merits are Gods punishment is due to thee and when the reward shâ—ll â—â—me hee will crowne his gift not thy merit Moreouer Dauid that worthy Prophet counteth them blessed not that haue no sinne but whose sinnes we couered To couer them or not to impute them saith the Annotations vpon the Rhems is not to charge vs with our sinnes because by remission they are cleane takeÌ„â—way otherwise it were but a fained forgiuenesse
of the first resurrection without any co-operation of it owne Fides nostra est clauis regni coelorum saith Clemens Alexandrinus cited by Bishop Iewel Apol. Bis Iewel pag. 178. Our faith is the key of the kingdome of heauen Cor clausum habent quia clauem fides non habent saith S. Augustine They haue their hearts shut vp because they lacke the key of faith God giueth vs this key before we can haue passage into heauen wee no sooner receiue the same but Gods treasury is opened vnto vs our of which we receiue through Christ righteousnesse and life that we may be made partakers of the first resurrection Againe â—o make this more apparent our Sauiour saith Except a man be borne againe hee cannot see the kingdome of God Nor cannot enter into the kingdome of God that is into a vertuous life Man is so farre off from disposing himselfe thereunto as Christ testifieth that he is not able to discerne it And no maruell Rom 8.6 1. Cor. 2. for the wisdome of the flesh is death as the Apostle saith Againe the naturall man vnderstandeth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishnesse vnto him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned This did liuely appeare in the Philosophers who did know that there was a God but neither knew what that God was nor how he was to be worshipped And therefore no better stiled in the height of their wisedome by Tertullian and Saint Hierome then the Patriarkes of heretickes He therefore that would attaine to this spirituall knowledge must first receiue his new birth not in body but in minde that is his minde must be illuminated and made spirituall that it may become the minde of Christ by receiuing a recreation from the Spirit of Christ Rhem. Rom. annot We haue the minde of Christ saith the Apostle And the gift of faith which is the first foundation and ground to build vpon must bee created and placed in that royall chaire of illumination before we can either see what a vertuous life is or do any thing that is pleasing to God For without faith it is possible to please God Yet for a further demonstration of that we haue in hand there is a kingdome of darknesse and a kingdome of light The kingdome of darknesse consisteth of dead men wounded to death by Adams transgression The kingdome of light of liuing men reuiued and viuicated by the second Adams spirit Concerning these two kingdomes Col. 1.12.13 the Apostle thus speaketh Giuing thanks to the Father which hath made vâ— meet to be partakers of the inheritance of Saints in light who hath deliuered vs from the power of darknesse that is out of the kingdome of Satan by iustification and hath translated vs into the kingdome of his deare Sonne by sanctificatioÌ„ Vpon which place Theodoret thus speaketh We praise the merciful God which wheras we are vnworthy hath made vs partakers of the Saints in light Thus we see that this translating from the poweâ— of darknesse that is from death to life can bee no more in the will of men that are dead in sin then it was in Lazarus to raise himselfe out of the graue who only are raised by the effectual working power of Gods Spirit as all the selected are from time time As Saint Paul notably teacheth the Ephesians in shewing them what is the exceeding greatnesse of Gods power not onely in raising vp Christ their head from the dead that he might sit at the right hand of his Father but also in raising vp them the members of Christ quickening them together in Christ by whose grace they are saued That they might sit likewise together in the heauenly places in Christ Iesus The dead man cannot be raised againe vnlesse the Lord cry within him saith S. Augustine Seeing therefore that that sanctified body of Christ free from sinne both originall and actuall could not be raised vp but by the exceeding great power of the Godhead Iniurious is this Popish position which would haue vs fellow-workers with the whole Trinity in raising our selues being dead Nay double iniurious it is to the whole trinity First to God the Father in making his couenant to none effect who hath promised for Christs sake to remember our sins no more Secondly to Christ in extenuating the merits of his passion In saying he onely hath merited grace for vs and left vs in Aegypt vnder the slauery of the diuel the Aegyptian Pharaoh Thirdly it abasheth the power of Gods Spirit in making vs fellow workers with him in our recreation as if darknesse could co-operate with light to the perfecting of our redemption which Christ as they say hath not Fourthly most iniuriously for their owne righteousnes for their own merit sake yea in murthering of Princes would tye Gods Spirit to be life vnto them or to whoÌ„ they sell life by selling of merits Masses such like The heresie of Macedonius which said that the holy Ghost is seruant and slaue to the Father the Son is as tollerable as the heresie of these meÌ„ that would make the holy Ghost their seruant yea while they are through false doctrine Monstra portentu as Platinia somtimes said of their Popes Monsters vnnaturall and ill shapen creatures In this position wee may behold the Angels of light preaching the exceeding greatnesse of his power towards vs which beleeue Eph. 1.19 according to the working of his mighty power as the Apostle saith and the Angels of darknesse attributing as vâ—â—â—ankfull to grace that to nature which is proper to the diuinity Teaching also by denying the sufficiency of Christs passion night as Saint Cyprian saith in stead of day destruction in stead of health desperaâ—iâ—â— vnder the colour of hope infidelity vnder the pretence oâ— faith Antichrist vnder the name of Christ OPPOS 6. Christ hath redeemed vs from the seruitude of the laâ—â— not that the law bindeth vs not but because he hatâ— takeÌ„ away the heauinesse of the law And by his grace hath giuen vs force easily to fulfill it which otherwise would haue tyrannized ouer vs in commanding more then we should haue bene able to haue performed Suruâ—y 261. THese Co-operators with grace still seeking tâ— lessen and extenuate the merit of Christs passion Heb. 1. marg Ioh. 17.5 leaue him to merit his owne glory and themselues to do the like Christ saith the Annotationâ— vpon the Rhems by his passion merited his owne glorification When as contrariwise Christ praying to his Father desireth to bee glorified not with any new merited glory but with the glory he had with hiâ— Father before the world was God the creator of alâ— things needed not to haue stepped downe from hiâ— throne to haue taken our nature vpon him to merit his owne glory but our saluation that we might in him become righteous by his whole intire obedience of the law and not as Kellison would haue it by a