of himselfe Veni vidi vici that is I came I saw I ouercame So Christ came in humility he saw our miserie and for vs he gate the victory In his first comming hee presented himselfe to the world in penury pouerty humility Borne of a woman made vnder the Law subiect to the Law condemned by a Law against all Law We haue a Law and by our Law he ought to die câie the h Ioh. 19.7 Iewes to Pilate But at his second comming he shall appeare in maiesty and great glorie not to be condemned but to condemne Venit Christus occultè iudicandus veniet manifestè iudicaturus saith i Aug. de ciuit Dei Quoties Diem illum considero toto corpore contremisco siue comedo siue bibo semper videtur illa tuba sonare in auribus Surgite mortui venite ad iudâcium Hieron Austen that is Christ at his first comming was priuily condemned but at his second comming he shall âpenly iudge and condemne and woe be vnto them âen whom he hath not redeemed from the curse of the âaw they shall neuer receiue the adoption of Sonnes At the day of the second comming of Christ when âe shall come to iudge hee will not be perswaded by âtty nor moued by intreaty nor corrupted by mony âerefore as k Aug. lib. 3. de Symbolo Austen writes Hic dum tempus habet âat anima pro se quia hic locus est misericordiae ibi erit loâs iustitiae that is While time serues let the soule looke ãâã her selfe for this is the place of mercy then is the time ãâã Iustice Christ at his first comming came ferendo bearing our ârrowes at his second comming he will come feriendo âeating and * Psa 2.9 breaking the wicked in peeces like a Potârs vessell It is a piercing consideration of l Ansel de similitudinib muÌdi Anselmus speaking âf this day of Christs second comming A dextris erunt âeccata à sinistris daemonia subtus infernus de super Iudex âatus foris mundus ardens intus conscientia furens heu âuser peccator sic deprehensus quo fugies latere erit imâssibile apparere intolerabile that is On the right hand ãâã and thy sinnes on the left the diuels beneath hell aâoue the angrie Iudge abroad the world burning withâ thy conscience raging alas wofull sinner so taken whither shalt thou flie to hide thee it is vnpossible to âppeare it is intolerable Therefore if wee desire to haue him a gentle louing ând a mercifull Iudge vnto vs at his second comming âet vs be well grounded in his first comming belieuing âtedfastly his Incarnation admiring his humiliation apââying his obedience righteousnesse merits passion with all the benefits and fruits thereto belonging vnto our soules by a faithful application put on al Christs meâits knowing that wee of our selues be vnprofitable serâants and haue no merits saying with m Ber. Ser. 53 Bernard Sufficit ad meritum scire quòd non sufficiant merita that is To know the sufficiency of man merites is to know that they will not suffice For what haue wee that wee haue not * Omne bonum nostrum vel ipse vel ab ipso Aug. lib. 1 de doct Christ c. 31. receiued Deus autor est meriti qui voluntatem applicat operi opus applicat voluntati saith n Aug. lib. de lib. arb Boni si quid habeo à Deo sumpsi non à me praesumpsi Aug. Ep. 52. Austen that is God is the author of merit who applieth the will to the worke and the worke to the will Let vs beleeue that Christs inherent righteousnesse sufficeth to take away our inherent wickednesse That Christs obedience is made our obedience by imputation his merits our merits that he by his painefull passion hath for all our sinnes made a perfect satisfaction that all his sorrowes and sufferings were to worke our Redemption to redeeme vs that were vnder the Law and from the curse of the Law that by grace we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes So that by this you may vnderstand that wee receiue the adoption of Sonnes not for our good * Qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere sola side gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum Ambros com in 1. Cor. 1.4 Anselm enarrat in eum loc works or by the workes of the Law but onely by grace and a liuely faith in Christ Iesus for to this end he was made of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs that were vnder the Law that we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes As o Rom. 4.25 Paul saith of Christ Who was deliuered to death for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification and as the same p Rom. 3.24 Apostle saith And aâe iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Iesus and yet somewhat more fully the said q Gal. 2.16 Apostle Know that a man is not iustified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ c. Because that by the workes of the Law no flesh is iustified the Apostle Paul aboundeth with pregnant proofes to manifest this conclusion That onely faith doth iustifie To cite a place or two in steade of many as namely to the r Ephesians Ephes 2.8.9 By grace ye are sâued through faith and that not of your selues for it is the gift of God not of works lest any man should boast himselfe What place ãâã be more perspicuous against Iusticiaries and meritângers then that place and againe to the Å¿ Rom. 3.28 Romanes ãâã maketh his vndenyable conclusion saying Therfore ãâã conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the âorks of the Law and so in many other * Rom. 1.17 Rom. 3.16 Rom. 5.1 Gal. 3.8.11 places And howsoeuer the abortiue châldren of the false moâer which would diuide Iustification partly to faith âd partly to workes looke asquint vpon this doctrine âlding that faith alone doth not iustifie and as the âhemists more boldly t Rhemists in 1. Pet. 4.7 c. that charitable workes of merâ cause remission of sinnes in the sight of God and so âeanes of Iustification Wherein I say as one before me obserues that albeit âr faith is not solitaria going alone for it is alwayes ãâã companied with good * Opera fidei pedissequa Chri. de fide lege Perk. similitud refor cathol tit Iustificat Tutiores sumus si Deo totum damus Aug. workes the fruits of faith ât in our Iustification it is sola alone euen as the eye âhich in regard of being is neuer alone from the head ât in respect of seeing it is alone for the eye onely sees âo faith subsists not without otâer graces yet in regard âf the act of Iustification it is alone without them all The u Bellar. de Iustificat lib 4. cap. 1. §. ac primuÌ coÌfessio c. Papists
themselues confesse that Luther Meânction Chemnitius Caluin and other learned Proâstants teach that good workes be necessâry to saluaâon in some sort and that it is no * Inseparabâlis est bona vita à fide c. Aug. de fide operib c. 23. true faith that is âoid of them though the inward worke of Iustification ãâã ascribed in holy Scripture to faith onely and herein âe hold no more then Saint Paul taught vs and the best âathers approued and some of the Papists allowed I âill produce but a testimony or two in steade of the âloud of witnesses we a e compassed about * Origen in Ep st ad Rom. lib. 3. cap. 3. Origen âpeaking of this point of Iustification saiâh Per fidem âstificatus est latro sine operibus Legis that is By faith the âheefe was iustified without the works of the Law and ãâã little after Igitur iustificatur homo per fidem cui ad iuâtitiam nihil conferunt opera Legis that is Therfore a man is iustified by faith to whom the workes of the Law helpe nothing to his iustifying x Ambros de vocaâââne Gentiââ Ambrose speakes likewise for vs saying Hoc constâtutum à Deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere sola fide that is This is so ordained of God that hee which beleeues in Christ shall be saued without works only by faith y Athanas ad Galatas c. 3. Athanasius speaks plainely In lege nemo iustificatur quia iustus ex fide viuit c. concluding Fidem solaÌ iustificandi inse habere virtutem that is By the Law none is iustified for the iust man liues by faith onely faith hath the vertue or power of iustifying Saint z Aug. ad Sixtum Presbiterii con Pelagianos Epist 105. Austen hath many places to confirme this point one for all Colligimus hominem non iustificari praeceptis bonae vitae sed per fidem Iesu Christi non lege operum sed lege fidei non litera sed spiritu non factorum meritis sed gratuita gratia that is We collect that a man is iustified not by the precepts of good life but by faith in Iesus Christ not by the Law of works but by the Law of faith not by the letter but by the spirit not by the merits of our works but by free grace If I should examine this point copiously I should as it were write Iliades after Homer Our Diuines haue so chased and traced the Papists in this passage that though they can gather vp their feet nimbly and cunningly yet they haue beene so hard followed that they haue made them ouertake and enter-fire in their pace The old Papists wil condemne their yonger brethren the new Iesuites for they liked this Truth which wee hold weâl enough for a Aquinas lect 4. in 3 Rom. lâct 4. in 3 Gal. Aquinas hath left it written that works be not the cause why a man is iust before God but rather a manifestation of his iustice for no man is iustified by works but by the habite of infused faith So b Antididagm Colontens tit de Iustis hom p. 29. Gropper with the Diuines of Colen say By faith we are iustified as by the apprehensiue cause and c Art 1. contra Lutherum Roffensis as moderator of the question saith Fides absque partu operum hoc est cum nondum peperit opera iustificare potest âat is Faith without the birth of works that is before ãâã hath brought forth any works can iustifie yea many âf the Papists approued it for sound Diuinity till the late âiuiâll Councell of Trent reiected it So that the rayling âhemists were too intemperat in their glosing Glosse âpon the third of the Romanes the 22. verse calling it a âew no-Iustice a phantasticall apprehension shewing âeir phantasticall examination of the verse and repreâension of the Truth or as an d Wright Art 9. other of their disciples âlles it a Solisidian portion or as an e Apolog. Ep. sect 8. other a desolatiân of order a doctrine against the Commonwealth Surely for the reuerence of Romes elder Sonnes they âould forbeare to cast such stones lest vnawares they âoe hit their step-mother As in many things so in this they offer vs wrong imaâining that wee exclude good workes from iustifying âith we know that there can be * See D. Abbot against Bishop pag. 482. no reall separation of âith from good workes separation mentall in vnder âanding is negatiue or priuatiue negatiue when in âe vnderstanding there is an affirming of one and denyâg of another priuatiue when of things that cannot âe separated really yet a man vnderstands the one and âmitteth to vnderstand the other So in our Iustificatiân wee doe not negatiuely separate other graces from âith as if faith existed alone without them but priuaâuely making them effects and consequents not conâutring causes of our Iustification Wee truely confesse âhat a iustifying faith is operatiue as f Staplet de Iustificat lib. 9. cap 7. Stapleton himself afââmes we doe and as g Super Euang. in festo Ioan. Euangelist Luther vsed heerein a fit similiâude Faith is like Saint Iohn in Christs bosome possessing âll the merits of Christ and good workes are like Saint Peter following his Master Faith is the h Hom. of good works part 1. nest of good workes and if our birds be neuer so faire they will be âost excâpt they bee brough forth in true Beliefe our good wo kes vnâesse they bee layed vpon the Altar of faith are not acceptable to God Infidels or heretikes saith k Aug. in Psal 8 Austen in doing glorious acts haue not where to lay their young for wanting faith they build vpon the land Whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne as the l Rom. 14.23 Apostle Domus Dei credendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur saith * Nemo coÌputet bona opera sua aute fidem vbi sides non erat bonum opus non erat Aug. lib. 50. hom homil 17. Austen that is The foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walles hope the roofe loue and good life Wee detest and abiure that error of m Aug. haeres 48. Manicheus who thought God made the soule but not the body So the Papists would make the world beleeue that wee so build faith in the soule as if wee professed our selues Libertines in the body or were Nudifidians carnal Gospellers as they are Nullifidians and Merit-mungers No a good faith and a good life bee inseparable like Harpocrates twinnes liue and die together Faith goes before good life followes so n Aug. de fide operib c. 7. Quicquid operaÌur homo ex se naledictae arborâ malus est fructis Aug. super Ioan. Ser. 4. 48. Austen Nisi praecedat fides vita bona sequi non potest that is Vnlesse faith goes before good
life cannot follow and as it is a true and old saying in diuinity Good workes follow him that is iustified * Aug. lb. de fide operibus Non praecedunt iustificandum that is They doe not goe before hee is iustified We doe not hold that an historicall faith iustifies but a liuely faith which inwardly is seene to God and outwardly shewed in good workes and loue to our neighbours Good workes though they be not causa regnandi that is The cause to make vs raigne in Gods kingdome yet they be via regni the way to the kingdome for though God will not reward vs propter opera that is for our works yet he will o Reu. 22.12 Rom. 2.6 reward vs secundum opera that is according to our workes And thus I haue a little exceeded my limits for I study not to be Controuersall but Doctrinall in freeing our * Eccles Angl. in Confess art 12. Iewels Apologie part 2. ca. 20. Zanch. Comment in 1. Thess 4. Luth. Com. Epist ad Gal. c. 5. v. 6. Church-doctrine from the calumniations of the enemies of the grace of God who like the Adder stoppes his eare against the voice of the charmer charme hee neuer so wisely or truely The summe of all is this That wee were not able to redeeme our selues nay no Saints could ransome vs for p Mat. 25.9 they can spare no oyle for our lampes no Angels redeeme vs for God layed folly on his q Iob. 4.18 Angels onely Christ Iesus must bee the r 2. Cor. 5.21 propitiation for sinne that knew no sinne who was made of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law and to iustifie vs by a liuely faith in him and his merits that we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes Now therefore to drawe to a conclusion What shall we render vnto the Lord for all his benefits bestowed vpon vs which benefits wee could not haue receiued but by Christs Incarnation By it we haue a Kingdome in possessionem Possesse the Å¿ Matt. 25.34 kingdome prepared for you from the beginning of the world His body in refectionem that is for our spirituall repast My u Iohn 6.5.5 flesh is meat indeede his blood in ablutionem that is for clensing vs he * Reu. 1.5 washeth vs from our sinnes in his blood his life in redemptionem for our redemption I x Ioh. 10.11 lay downe my life for my sheepe his Diuinity in visionem to behold it We y 1. Cor. 13.12 shall see him face to face his eternity in fruitionem that is in fruition * Ioh. 17.3 This is life eternall that they may know thee to be the onely very God and whom thou hast sent Iesus Christ Oh Beloued had I the tongue of an Angell or you the hearts of glorified Saints I could not vtter nor you conceiue the immeasurable measure of diuine benefits we receiue by the Incarnation of our Sauiour what shal we render for them Let * Psal 115.12.13 vs take the Cup of Saluation and giue thankes and prayse the name of the Lord. Let vs imitate those a Math. 2.11 Wisemen Who hauing found the Babe fell downe and worshipped him and opened their Treasures and presented gifts * Auruââ soluitur quasi Regi magno Thus immolatur vt Deo Myrrha praebetur vt Redemptori c. Aug. in Ser. Epiphan Gold Incense and Myrrh Iuuencus Aurum Thus Myrrham Regique hominique Deoque dona ferunt that is Gold Frankincense and Mirrhe the Wisemen offer To him as King as man as God thây proffer So let vs fall downe and worship this blessed Babe of Bethleem and let vs offer gifts First A liuely faith b 1. Pet. 1.7 which is more precious then gold Secondly heartie Prayers and Prayses which are as Incense vnto the Lord like the c Reu. 5.8 foure and twentie Elders fall downe before the Lambe hauing euery one Harpes and golden Vials which are the prayers of the Saints Thirdly Let vs offer Myrrhe b tter and contrite repentance for ouâ sinnes considering that Christ who is the fountaine of al goodnesse was for our sinnes and sakes accounted as d Luther loc com tit de Christi passione Luther writes Omnium possimus reputatiuè coram hominibus imputatiuè coram Deo that is as the worst of all by estimation before men by imputation before God by estimation before men So the e Mark 3.22 Scribes blasphemed him He hath Beelzebub by Imputation before God for all our sinnes were imputed to him Propter scelera nostra attritus est sayth f Esay 53.5 Esay that is He was broken for our iniquities and wounded for our transgressions What shal I say more but with g Ioh. 1.29 Iohn Baptist Ecce Agnus Dei that is behold the Lambe of God which takes away the sinnes of the world At this fulnesse of time God sent this Lambe as a Lambe among Wolues to redeeme and to reduce to his fold the scattered flock of Israel Redemptor noster homo nascendo Agnus moriendo Leo resurgendo Aquila ascendendo factus est sayth h Greg. hom 4. Gregorie that is Our Redeemer made man by his Incarnation suffered as a Lambe in his passion shewed himselfe a Lion of the Tribe of Iudah in his resurrection and mounted as a diuine Eagle in his Ascension and now i Heb. 1.3 sitteth at the right hand of his Father By his Incarnation we are regenerated by his Passion redeemed by his Resurrection restored from death to life by k Ioh. 14.2 his Ascension he hath prepared an heauenly possession He was made of a woman and made the Sonne of man that we might be made the Sonnes of God he was made vnder the law and bond to the law that we might be freed from the bendage of the law Hee conquered the law by a double right as l Luther in textum Luther writes First as the Sonne of God Lord of the Law Secondly in our person which is as much as if we had ouercome the law our selues for his victorie is ours All this for our sakes that we might receiue the adoption of Sonnes and hath sent the Spirit of his Sonne into our hearts which cryeth Abba Father Let this meditation be euermore a Cordial of comfort the aqua vitae water of life to reuiue our sinne-sicke soules and perplexed consciences against Sinne Sathan and the Law which alwayes accuse vs terrifie vs and condemne vs let vs tell them boldly that they haue no power ouer vs for God the Father sent his Sonne maââ of a woman and made vnder the Law to redeeme vs from the curse of the Law Let vs creepe into that hole which bloody * Aug. Manuel ãâã Longinus made with his speare in our Sauiours side there let vs hide our selues against our foes let vs plunge our bleeding conscience in his bloody wounds dolorous death victorious resurrection and glorious ascension and let vs firmely and faithfully beleeue that our Sauiour was borne liued died rose againe and ascended that wee might receââe and enioy the fruition of the adoption of Sonnes The dew of heauen which fell vpon the âeece of n Iudg. 6.38 Gedeon fall downe vpon these our labours ââmeditations and water them with the dew of diuine grace in all your hearts to his eternall glory and your endlesse comfort and that for Iesus Christ his sake our onely Lord Sauiour and Redeemer to whom with the Father and the holy Ghost three persons in Trinitie one eternall God in vnitie be ascribed euerlasting glory might and Maiestie Dignitie and Dominion Prayse and Thanksgiuing world without end Amen Tri-vni Deo laus gloria 2. MACCA 15.39 If I haue done well and as the story required it is the thing that I desired but if I haue spoken slenderly and barelâ is that I could