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
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
act of faith in (a) In nomen Christi credere est illum recipere tanquam filium dei salvatorem mundi ergo quinon credunt Christum non recipiunt Nam sine fide non recipitur Muscul com in loc justification which is to beleeve signifieth nothing but to receive Christ therefore the act of faith considered as I have here set it downe To say that Christs righteousnesse is made ours before God by Gods imputation before the Act of our faith and therefore necessarily without it This is blasphemy and false Doctrine The Scripture saith We are justified by Faith Here is a Doctrine quite contrary namely That we are justified without faith Bâ—t Pag. 36. You see evidently that he labours to prove that we are justified by Gods imputation of Christs righteousnesse without faith to which purpose he argues thus Even as our sins were made Christs so Christs righteousnesse is made ours now how our sinnes were made Christs let the Prophet Esay (b) Id nunc repetit quod nimuum paenam quam nos exol vere debeamus deus ipsi imposuent candem vero ipse in se receperit tanquam voluntarius Gualter in Isa Hom. 267. speake Cap. 53.6 And the Lord hath layed on him the iniquity of us all that is the guilt and punishment of our iniquities well then the Lord layd it upon Christ and he willingly received it 1 Pet. 2.24 Who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his owne body God layd them on him Christ by his passive obedience received this burthen as Heb. 5.8 He learned obedience by the things which he suffered So then according to his conclusion God layes our sinnes upon Christ and Saint Ambrose upon this Scripture saith that he did willingly receive those things which hee suffered So God layes Christs righteousnesse upon us by imputation and we by the passive obedience of Faith receive it And by this it is plaine that God imputeth Christs righteousnesse to none but such as doe beleeve for Imputation is an action of God freely accounting the righteousnesse of Christ to be his righteousnesse who beleeves in Christ Rom. 4.3.4 and it was imputed or accounted to him for righteousnesse that is Faith was imputed Faith here must be considered two wayes first as a qualitie in it selfe and thus it is imperfect and consequently cannot bee imputed unto us for our justification Again faith must be considered as an instrument or hand receiving Christ and in this regard beleeving is put for the thing beleeved and faith is imputed for righte ousnesse because by it we doe (c) Paulus additâ—n â—rptetationem quod fide gratuita impu atio accipâ—atu Melancâ— par 3. fol. miâ—â— 958. receive imputed righteousnes Rom. 5.17 They which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousnes to wit by faith shall reigne in life by one Jesus Christ These phrases of Speech Faith is imputed for righteousnes Faith justifieth of Faith or through Faith are Aequipollent of like force and signification When we say We are justified by faith or faith is imputed for righteousnesse it is to be understood correlatively the (d) Ostendimus sidem justificare non habitualiter ut est qualitas sed relate quia cortelatum fidei satisfactio meritum Christi fide apprehensum justificat Item organâ—câ— quia fides justitiam imputaâ—am accipit instar dextâ—ae Pareus in cap. 3. ad Rom. dub 8. correlate of faith is the imputed righteousnesse of Christ Faith then being the relate Christs righteousnes the correlate the one cannot be without the other for the Logician will tell you that relate and correlate considered as such that is according to relation they have their being together so that grant one you must needs grant the other to be take away the being of the one and he other cannot be For we cannot conceive so much as one individed instant of time wherein the one can have a being without the other but they have their being together at one and the same instant of time not one before or after the other As a father considered as a man so he hath the being of a man before his sonne but consider him as a father according to the relation added namely according to paternitie and filiation and so and in such manner the being of father and sonne is at one and the same instant To conclude Faith being the relate Christs righteousnesse made ours by Gods (e) Hoc loâ—o sc Rom. 4.34 fides non potest sumi eo sensu ut imputetur ad justitiam quatenus est opus aliquod justitiae et virtutis in nobis sed quod nos dicimus quatenus fides sumitur pro correlato suomempe re credita fide apprehen sa justitia Christi Rivit Orâ—hod Cathol Tom. 2. pag. 260. imputation the correlate it cannot bee but where there is righteousnesse imputed there must needs be Faith for imputed righteousnesse and Faith of necessity have their being together for where no Faith is there is no imputed righteousnesse And it is a contradiction of an high nature not onely in (f) Relatum correlatum qua ralia simul sunt natura cognitione ideoque se muâ—uo ponunt tollunt tam in essendo quam in cognoscendo Kekerman System log in praedicam Relati Can. 4. Logick but in the Scripture it selfe In this fourth Chap. to the Romans this word imputed is divers times repeated in the Doctrine of justification and is joyned unto Faith without which there is no imputation of Christs righteousnesse to us Imputation of righteousnesse and Faith have their being together grant one you must grant the other take away one you must take away the other Rom. 4.23.24 Now it was not written for his sake alone namely Abraham that it was imputed to him but for us also to whom it shall be imputed if we beleeve on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead So that without beleeving Christs righteousnesse cannot be made ours before God There is no space of time betweene justification and justifying Faith for so soone as a man beleeves he is justified and so soone as he is justified hee beleeves Again the Apostle opposeth the Act of beleeving to justification by workes for the Act of beleeving is not our righteousnesse The proper action of Faith is apprehension and the Act of Faith in justification is beleeving or receiving Christs righteousnesse Now giving and receiving in regard of their relation stand or fall together Justification is (g) Justificatio solet distingui in Activam passivam Activailla dicitur quando deus justificat passiva quando justificatur peccator Distingui posse hic Justificationem patet ex ipsa â—erum natura si enim est quidam qui justificat quidam qui justificatur ergo est Activa Passiva justificatio Machowius Disput 17. active passive Active in regard of God that justifyeth Passive in regard of man who
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
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
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
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
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