he meant and saith For by the Law is knowledge of sinne But the Apostle himselfe is best Interpreter of his owne meaning Out of that he had said some perchance would gather that he had little regard to the Law whereby the Iewes would be offended for they knew the Law was giuen of God Others would take occasion thereupon more boldly to transgresse to meet therefore with these inconueniences hee maketh vnto himselfe this obiection Rom. 3.31 Doe wee then make the Law of no effect through faith Yea we establish the Law But the Law ceremoniall is not by the Gospell established Hebr. 10.1 Rom. 10.4 but abolished For that Law had but the shaddow of good things to come But the end of the Law is Christ So that he offering himselfe vpon the Altar of the Crosse to God the Father Iob. 19.30 a sacrifice for sin did vpon good ground say It is finished So as Christ being come if wee will still tye our selues to the obseruation of that Law Gal. 5.2 Paul telleth vs that Christ shall profit vs nothing 4. Yee are saith he abolished from Christ whosoeuer are iustified by the Law yee are fallen from grace Therefore were the Apostles in their dayes very carefull to teach men to rest vpon Christ and not to imagine that now in the time of the Gospell they are tyed to those impotent and beggerly rudiments Gal. 4.9 as the Apostle calleth them This may appeare by that notable Councell Act. 15. and in diuers places Much more might bee alleaged to proue that the Law ceremoniall cannot in this place be vnderstood But this I trust is sufficient and had indeed beene more then enough but that our Aduersaries of later time Bellar. de Iustif l. 1. c. 19. Andrad Orthodox Explic. l 6. although they dare not defend that opinion yet would they make it seeme lesse absurd as doth Bellarmine in pointing to some places that their errour is grounded vpon as if they had reason so to teach and Andradius nameth some Fathers of that minde Well then by the Law without all question wee must vnderstand the Law morall But here ariseth another doubt what works are here excluded in these wordes What workes are excluded Without the workes of the Law And here our aduersaries doe earnestly contend not to haue all workes excluded from Iustification but such only as are done before they beleeued For if they should confesse that no works can iustifie then falleth downe that doctrine of Merits to the ground a most gainefull doctrine to Pope and Popish Priests who must supply with their store that which other want of their owne merits But we teach that all workes All works before after excluded from Iustification aswell such as follow our iustification this our aduersaries denie as the workes that wee doe afore our iustification which themselues confesse are in these wordes excluded from being any causes of our iustification before God And to auerre this which we say we haue many strong reasons The first is taken from the wordes themselues being mightily strengthned with the faithfulnesse of him who teacheth this doctrine and with his sincerity in teaching For as hee requireth in other disposers of the secrets of God that euery man be found faithfull 1. Cor. 4.2 so he testifieth of his owne faithfulnesse in his ministery speaking vnto the Elders of the Church of Ephesus Act. 20.20 I kept backe nothing saith he that was profitable but haue shewed you and taught you openly and throughout euery house And againe 27. I haue kept nothing backe but haue shewed you all the counsell of God Neither can wee in reason suppose he would deale more sincerely with them of Ephesus then with the Romanes of whose instruction in the faith how carefull hee was may well bee seene in his first and fifteenth Chapters of that Epistle The Apostle therefore All without exception speaking of workes without any exception as hee doth without the workes of the Law if any workes should not haue beene excluded from iustification he might haue beene charged by the Romanes that he kept backe somwhat from them namely what workes were to be admitted as causes of iustification and what not and so did not shew them all the counsell of God For if he had beene of our aduersaries opinion sincerity would haue forced him to haue said When I say we are iustified without workes I speake only of workes done afore we are iustified not of all workes For when we are once iustified by God then by our workes wee must iustifie our selues So that if any workes may be accounted as causes of our iustification the Apostles manner of speaking would rather haue beseemed some acquiuocating Priest or Iesuite who haue taught their hearts to dissemble and their tongues to lye yea who professe to teach the arte of dissimulation and cogging and glory in their falshood whereby they deceiue the world then this faithfull Apostle It is most certayne therefore that the Apostle being as he was a most faithfull disposer of the mysteries of God one that detested all such doubtfull or double dealing in Gods matters especially 1. Cor. 2.4 Whose preaching standeth not in the iniycing speech of mans wisedome but in the plaine euidence of Spirit and power excepting no workes excludeth all And many such like speeches we haue in Scriptures in which such indefinite propositions as Logicians call them are vniuersally to bee vnderstood Hebr. 4.15 Christ is said to bee without sinne Now seeing there is sinne Originall and Actuall of commission and of omission shall we imagine that because the Apostle saith not without all sinne therefore Christ is subiect to some sinne Zach. 2.4 God maketh promise to his people that Ierusalem shall be inhabited without wall Now because there are sundry sorts of walls some of stone some of earth or of other matter as men fancy shall some cauilling companion say Though they had no stone walls yet had they some other walls for their strength But infinite such places might bee brought wherein it may easily appeare that though this vniuersall signe all be not added yet it must be vnderstood as also it must be in these wordes of S. Paul as well all workes going before or following iustification as all Lawes either Naturall or Morall or Ceremoniall Againe if the Apostle had meant only to exclude the workes done in our infidelity he needed not so carefully to haue set down the manner of our Iustification as he doth immediatly before these words That it is by the righteousnesse of God Rom. 3.22.24 by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue And that Wee are iustified freely by his grace through the Redemption that is in Christ Iesus whom God hath set forth to bee a reconciliation 25. through faith in his bloud to declare his righteousnesse by the forgiuenesse of sinnes In all which there
into wantonnesse gathered out of the Apostles words that so they beleeued they needed no regard or care how they liued as Augustine saith in moe places then one Therefore Saint Iames teacheth how men shall know that wee are iustified and what manner of faith this true faith is For faith without workes as it is not a true or liuing but a counterfeit and dead faith so it auaileth nothing to Iustification So that the word of Iustification hath not the like signification in S. Iames that it had in S. Paul For in S. Paul it is taken for our iustification before God as in the beginning I haue declared plentifully And in S. Iames it signifieth that Iustification before men whereby we are knowne to be righteous S. Iames his words tend to that end Iam. 2.18 Shew me thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes He would haue a faith shewed to men which cannot be but by workes for works are the touchstone whereby a true and liuely faith is discerned from a false and dead faith when oportuniry is offered to vs to bring forth that fruit Otherwise the faith that many speake of will proue no better scarse so good Vers 19. as that the Deuils haue who beleeue and tremble Therefore as S. Peter exhorteth vs to beautifie our selues with that better then any golden chaine of Christian vertues which will make vs neither idle nor vnfruitfull 2 Pet. 1.8 in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ so doth S. Iames giue them of his time to vnderstand how they haue mistaken a bare name of faith and knowledge of Christ for an effectuall and a iustifying faith He therefore speaketh in this sort Thou saist thou hast faith I see it not for thy workes shew no such matter Proue then before men that thou hast this confidence in God that thou hast this assurance within thee of thy atonement with him Primasius who wrote about 1100. yeeres since so expoundeth these wordes reconciling that which seemed to bee contradiction in the Apostles S. Iames saith he speaketh of the workes that shew a man to be faithfull Primas in Rom. cap. 3. as himselfe in that which followeth expoundeth it Shew me by workes thy faith It is workes whereby faith is knowne Venerable Bede also is of that minde Bede vpon Iam. 2. that Iames would vt fidem suam per opera probarent That they should proue their faith by their workes But Thomas of Aquine the Angellicall Doctor whose authority in the Romish Church will beare the sway will loose this knot For reconciling those wordes of PAVL Gal. 3.11 No man is iustified by the Law with these wordes of Iames Iam. 2.21 ABRAHAM was iustified by workes He telleth that the iustification that is of workes is an execution or manifestation of righteousnesse whereby he is shewed to be iust And by and by after The righteousnesse before God is in the inner heart Tho. Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. but the righteousnes that is of workes that is that maketh knowne or manifest him that is iust is before men What can be spoken more plaine S. Paul teacheth how with boldnes we may stand before God pleading not guilty now this confidence is alwayes within vs S. Iames would haue this by their fruit to appeare vnto others Lest men deceiue their owne hearts Iam. 1.26 and the Religion of such men proue vaine as himselfe saith elsewhere Thus then truly considering in what sense the one and the other Apostle doe take the word Iustification the difference appeareth to be none at all and so the matter is easily compounded And thus I trust it will appeare the premises truly considered that our interpretation of the Apostles wordes A man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law is both true and Catholike Rom. 3.28 our conclusion that out of them we gather is sound and agreeable to the Apostles doctrine hauing a very great consent of most approued antiquitie yea and of Popish writers too And our workes how good soeuer haue not in them any worthinesse or merit but are in mercy rewarded according to promise So that the seruant of God must learne with good Bernard to say Bern. super Cantic ser 67. Gratia reddit me mihi iustificatum gratis sic liberatum a seruitute peccati Grace restoreth me to my selfe iustified freely and so deliuered from the thraldome of sinne Luk. 2.23.24 Then shall we sing with that multitude of heauenly Souldiers praysing God and saying Glory be to God on high Yea with those many Angels round about the Throne Reuel 5.11 and about the Beasts and the Elders and those thousand thousands Saying with a lowd voice Worthy is the Lambe that was killed to receiue power and riches 12. and wisedome and strength and honor and glory and prayse because O Lord Thou hast redeemed vs to God by thy bloud 9. Reuel 1.5 yea thou hast loued vs and in it hast washed vs from our sinnes Which Meditations will teach vs casting off all confidence in our selues or our owne righteousnesse 1. Iob. 3.8 Mat. 1.21 to rest only vpon him that came to destroy the workes of the Deuill and to saue his people from their sinnes who his owne selfe bare our sinnes in his body vpon the tree that we being deliuered from sinne should liue in righteousnesse by whose stripes we are healed To him therefore with the Father and the holy Ghost bee all honor and praise now and euer AMEN FINIS
is not one word of Workes but all is ascribed to Christ Wherein the Apostle also writeth so carefully and so warily as if he feared nothing more then that man should rest any thing vpon his Merits To conclude therefore this my first argument I say with the Apostle If it be of grace it is no more of Workes Rom. 11.6 or else were grace no more grace but if it bee of Workes it is no more grace for then were Workes no more Workes So that because the Apostle sayth it is of grace and by faith without Workes therefore Workes are wholly excluded as Andradius himselfe will warrant me to say For Mercedis ratio Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. cum gratiae nomine ex aduerso pugnat For the consideration of reward or Merit is cleane contrarie to grace A second argument I take from the finall causes of this doctrine of Iustification by faith only which are two set downe by the Apostle The one in this Chapter immediately before the words of my Text namely to exclude our reioycing or boasting But if all workes bee not disabled as insufficient causes of our Iustification some workes should be left wherein we might reioyce To exclude reioycing in our selues For by reioycing the Apostle meaneth nothing else but that confidence that men haue whereby they content themselues as if they were out of danger of Gods wrath Saint Paul then concluding out of that he hath taught of Iustification by faith that our reioycing is thereby taken away teacheth vs thus much that whoso apprehendeth with an assured faith this Iustification that we haue by Christ resteth nothing vpon his owne workes or contenteth not himselfe with the righteousnesse that is by the Law But on the contrarie our Aduersaries suppose their reioycing is not taken away In so much as a great man among them dareth affirme Andrad Orthodox Explicat lib. 6. That heauenly blisse is not so freely giuen of God and liberally as in respect of their workes it is due And by and by after We gather that eternall felicitie ought not to bee imputed according to grace but according to debt And therefore within a few words after he also defineth Merit Merit A free action whereunto a reward is due Which Doctrine of Andradius because it is also the Doctrine of the Romish Church wee may truly affirme of them that they doe what in them lyeth to make the Apostle a Lyer when hee affirmeth that reioycing is taken away by the Law of faith seeing they still reioyce and content themselues in their workes But I will end this with one short argument If Iustification may bee by workes then is not our reioycing in the Law taken away by faith but it is by faith taken away therefore Iustification is not by workes The Minor proposition is the wordes of the Apostle Rom. 11.6 The Maior is proued by that which a little before out of the Apostle I alleadged that workes and grace cannot both stand as causes of our Iustification But notably for this purpose doth Chrysostome gather out of these words Chrys in Epist ad Rom. hom 7 If the faithfull man and he who is saued would thinke well of himselfe in this respect that he regardeth the Law doe heare in these words how by the Law it selfe his mouth is stopped how by the Law hee is accused how the Law it selfe denieth as it were saluation to sinners and excludeth all boasting and he who as yet beleeueth not being hereby deiected and humbled may take occasion to draw neere vnto faith thou seest how great force faith hath how it driueth vs from whatsoeuer we had before not suffering vs to reioyce though neuer so little in them And a little before he hath sayd that God saueth Nullis ad hoc vsus operibus sed fidem tantum exigens Not vsing for our Iustification any workes but requiring faith only Sedul in Epist ad Rom. cap. 3. Sedulius also verie well noteth thus Talis gloriatio quae veniebat ex operibus legis excluditur Such reioycing is excluded as commeth of the workes of the Law Our comfort Another end why our Iustification is by faith is for our vnspeakeable comfort That it might come by grace and the promise might bee sure to all the seed Rom. 4.16 Whereas if wee should seeke to get the inheritance by the Law Gal. â— 18 we could not thinke to haue it by promise and so in respect of our owne manifold imperfections wee might alwayes bee doubtfull and wauering and farre from that comfort that Gods children finde in themselues In this respect then it is good that we perswade our selues that we are saued by grace Bell. de Iustific l. 5. c. 7 that we may looke vnto Christ only Yea Bellarmine himselfe giueth this aduice Propter incertitudinem propriae iustitiae periculum inanis gloriae tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia ponere In respect of the vncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse and the danger of vaine glorie the safest way is to put all our confidence only in Gods mercy and goodnesse Very well writeth vpon these words of the Apostle Theophilact Theophil in Epist ad Rom. 4. Quum vniuersa sint in Dei tum gratia tum misericordia fita profecto quae ab eoconferuntur stabilia fore certa omni semini id est credentibus cunctis existimanda sunt Seeing all things are of Gods grace and mercie sure the things that are giuen from him as it may be thought are stable and sure to all the seed that is to all beleeuers Ambros in Epist ad Rom. 4. Saint Ambrose also sayth Firma esse non potest promissio omni semini hoc est omni homini ex omni gente nisi fuerit ex fide The promise cannot bee firme vnto all the seed that is to all men of euery Nation vnlesse it bee of faith And he after yeeldeth a reason of that he hath said because by the Law we are found guiltie and the promise cannot be giuen to them that are guiltie vnlesse they bee purified which must bee done by faith Thus then I reason The promise of Iustification must be sure but vnlesse it be of faith it cannot be sure therefore the promise of Iustification must bee of faith The Maior is Saint Pauls Rom. 4.16 The Minor is the former wordes of Saint Ambrose A third argument to proue that euen the workes of them that are regenerate cannot iustifie and are excluded by Saint Paul from hauing that force is taken from the example of Abraham who is set forth as a patterne in whom wee may learne how wee all can attaine to Iustification as it is plaine to see in the fourth Chapter of this Epistle to the Romanes Abraham Abraham not iustified by workes a good while after he was called out of Vr of the Chaldees had liued a good time in obedience vnto
GOD had done no doubt many good Workes and offered many Sacrifices vnto God yet without respect vnto any of his Workes that hee now the childe and seruant of God had done Abraham beleeued God Gen. 15 6. Gal. 4.9.3 Rom. 4.13 and that his beleeuing was imputed to him for righteousnesse And therefore Paul is bolde to vse such exclusiue words The promise was not giuen through the Law but through the righteousnesse of faith And Sicut Abrahae nostra filiorum eius per gratiam sayth Primasius Primas in Epist ad Rom. 4. As was the Iustification of Abrahams so is ours also who are his children by grace But to be short I suppose we may bee bold to gather out of that which is said this reason As Abraham was iustified so shall wee bee but Abraham was iustified by faith without the workes that he did being Gods seruant therefore we also shall so be iustified All this argument may well and strongly be prooued out of this fourth Chapter of the Epistle to the Romanes But what neede many Arguments Confitentem habemus reum Stapleton our Countriman a sure friend to the Romish Church and as loth as any of them to write any thing that might any way impugne their Popish Maximes seeing the deadly wound which these words of the Apostle giue to their Doctrine of Merits is very carefull to salue that sore yet the force of truth driueth him to grant that heere the Apostle Antidot in Rom. 3.28 Our works cannot merit forgiuenesse of sinnes Excludit opera à virtute iustificandi absolutè id est à virtute remittendi peccata Excludeth Workes from hauing power simply or absolutely to iustifie that is to remit sinne or from power to remit sin What can be more plaine Good Workes cannot obtaine remission of sins sayth Stapleton and therefore not iustifie absolutely or perfitly Now an vnperfit Iustification we are not acquainted withal neither hath Christ or any of his Apostles taught vs any such But we know that a perfect cause hath her perfect effect a perfit Sacrifice such an one was that which Christ offered hath obtained perfect Iustification before God for all beleeuers But heere I would faine haue asked a question of Stapleton if he had beene aliue or of some other friend of his seeing hee is gone to giue an account how well he hath vsed his talent whether to gaine soules to Christ or to Antichrists how Parish Priests shall doe hereafter When men and women come to bee shriuen and haue confessed their sinnes shall their Ghostly Father bid them fast so many Frydayes Wednesdayes or Saints Eeues gad on Pilgrimage to Hales or Buxton to Compostel to Rome or to Loretta weare Haire-cloth next their skinne goe bare-foote and bare-legged shall they torment their bodie with Whips or other punishments Popish penances plaine cozenages or begger their Posteritie in building Chaunteries and such like places for satisfaction for sinne All this is to no purpose For Stapleton assureth vs there is in these or any other though better workes by farre such as GOD hath commanded no power to remit sinne so that Iustification must bee sought for some better way And so it seemeth the World hath beene couzened a great while by these cogging Companions which haue made men and women beleeue that by such Workes they may satisfie for their sinnes And thus I trust vpon so good a confession of Stapleton so good warrant of the Word and sure grounds of doctrine wee may conclude that a man is iustified and accounted guiltlesse before God by faith apprehending Christ Iesus in whom we haue redemption by forgiuenesse of our sinnes without any Merit of our Wrokes whether before or after our Iustification Now that which out of these words we conclude doth of necessitie follow but that our Aduersaries fearing lest their Diana of Merits should be nothing esteemed if they cast not a mist before mens eyes to hinder from them seeing the cleere light of truth that shineth in our Doctrine Act. 19.25.28 assemble as did the Siluersmiths at the call of Demetrius who told them by that craft they got their goods and with such other speeches made them full of wrath insomuch as they cried out saying Great is Diana of the Ephesians Euen so is it with vs. The Romish Demetrius that getteth much by selling such as they call good Workes with his followers seeking to defend the Doctrine of Merits cry out of that which teacheth Iustification by faith only whereby they may haue much losse if want of euill gotten goods may bee counted losse I confesse we teach that Faith only doth iustifie that is that a true and liuely faith wrought in our hearts by Gods Spirit working by loue True faith only iustifieth fruitfull in good workes adorned and beautified with holinesse of life for these are badges whereby to know a true faith doth iustifie and acquite vs before God so as wee boldly stand and plead not guiltie Whereby our Aduersaries may see how vniustly they slander vs and our Doctrine as if wee were enemies to all good Workes And yet we only teach that such a true faith as I haue now described without respect of the Workes that alwayes accompanie it doth iustifie not by the Merit of this faith but in that it is our hand whereby we apprehend and hold fast that Iustification which we haue in Christ through the vnspeakeable mercie of God And this our Doctrine is so warranted in Sacred Scripture as nothing more Saint Paul doeth often vse exclusiue words Exclusiue words Negatiue Equiualent as these are without the Law without Workes Sometime plaine negatiue words Not by Workes not by the Law Otherwhile words equiualent or of such like force As by grace Freely These manners of speech when I consider of I cannot but like well of the good and Christian counsell giuen by Primasius an ancient Writer Audi gratis tace de Meritis Heare what the Apostle sayth freely and speake not a word of Merits Thus therefore I reason for our Doctrine of Iustification by faith only If Workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification then faith only euen by the confession of our Aduersaries doth iustifie For our Romish Catholikes denie not this our Doctrine but in respect of workes neyther doe they in any their Bookes or Writings seeke to match any thing with faith as cause of Iustification but workes only But workes are not to be ioyned with faith in the matter of Iustification as the Apostle most plainly proueth Gal. 2.16 Know ye that a man is not iustified by the Workes of the Law but by the faith of Iesus Christ Againe Ye are saued by grace Eph. 2.8.9 through faith not of your selues it is the gift of God not of Workes lest any man should boast himselfe Lastly these words to the Romanes are very effectuall Rom. 1.28 Therfore wee conclude that a man is iustified
himselfe sometime with that the Church Romish hath formerly taught Lambertus Danaeus in the place before alleaged reckoneth at the least 37. or 38. who haue taken such paines and yet as not hauing reckoned all referreth them who are desirous to know of mo vnto Trithemius This great Doctor of the chaire for Schoole-diuinitie in a Preface he writeth before his Commentaries vpon Pauls Epistles in the very latter end thereof gathering a briefe and summe of the former part of Pauls Epistle to the Romanes hath these wordes Pluribus modis ostendit iustitiam salutem Lombard Praefat in Comment in Epi. Paul aequè Iudaeis Gentibus esse non per legem sed per fidem Iesu Christi vt à lege eos tollat in sola fide Christi eos constituat The Apostle many wayes proueth that righteousnesse and saluation is both to Iewes and Gentiles alike not by the Law but by faith of Iesus Christ that he may with-draw them from the Law and settle them in the only faith of Christ. And after in the very beginning of his exposition vpon the third Chapter of the Epistle vnto the Philippians Lombard in Epist ad Philip. c. 3. Contra Pseudo-apostolos eos monuit ne legalia ab eis recipiant sed fidem Christi solam sufficere credant Against false Apostles he hath admonished them that they receiue not of them precepts of the Law but beleeue that the only faith of Christ sufficeth Yet haue we the Doctor of Doctors behinde that Angellical Doctor for so they call him whose wordes at Rome are Oracles and his writings with too many haue more credit then the sacred Scriptures Yet in this I beleeue he will proue a Lutheran or Caluinist I know not whether but sure I am a Paulinist Yee shall heare his owne words that you may know I wrong him not Moralium legitimus vsus est saith he vt homo non attribuat eis Tho. Aquin. 1. Tim. 1. Ier. 3. quam quod in eis continetur Data est lex vt cognoscatur peccatum Rom. 7. Concupiscentiam nesciebam nisi lex diceret Non concupisces quod dicitur in decalogo Notable good counsell it is which in these wordes hee giueth and sound and Christian instruction which I would it were well marked The lawfull vse saith he of the morall precepts is when a man ascribeth not any thing to them but what in them is contayned The Law is giuen that sinne might bee knowne Rom. 7. I knew not lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust as is said in the Decalog Now marke the conclusion which he hereupon inferreth Non est ergo in eis spes iustificationis sed in sola fide Rom. 3. Arbitramur hominem iustificari per fidem absque operibus legis Therefore there is not in them the precepts of the Law any hope of iustification but in faith only Rom. 3. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Law I haue the more carefully set downe his words because they are so plaine and pregnant for vs. For first he teacheth that the lawfull vse of the morall Law is to let vs see our sinne not to seeke for iustification by it as after he sheweth And why should wee bee taught this if not to driue vs vnto Christ Then also he affirmeth that there is no hope of saluation therein but in faith only And that which doth much contradict our now Romish Catholikes he gathereth this doctrine of Iustification by faith only euen out of these wordes of Paul as we doe How now can we be Heretikes and your Angellical Doctor a Catholike No no hee writeth as plainely for Iustification by faith only as any of vs. It is high time the purgers of mens writings should be set on work to mend their Index Expurgatorius that Thomas may bee taught to speake otherwise then thus or else he will marre all for he speaketh here not Romish For to make it more plaine what hee thinketh elsewhere too concerning iustification by workes when duly and indifferently he considereth of the word it selfe and examineth that he writeth by the true touch-stone one place more out of the said Thomas I trust shall not be thought tedious Expounding the wordes of S. Paul to the Galathians Gal. 3.10 As many as are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse He sheweth the Apostle speaketh here of all workes Aquin. in Gal. 3. Lect. 4. Ceremoniall or Morall Opera enim non sunt causa quòd aliquis sit iustus apud Deum sed potiùs executiones manifestationes iustitiae Nam nullus per opera iustificatur apud Deum sed per habitum fidei non quidem acquisitum sed infusum Et ideo quicunque ex operibus legis iustificari quaerunt sub maledicto sunt quia per ea peccata non remouentur nec aliquis quo ad Deum iustificatur sed per habitum fidei charitate informatum For saith he workes are not the cause why a man is iust before God but the executions rather or manifestations of iustice For by workes is no man iustified before God but by the habit of faith and that not gotten but giuen Whosoeuer then by the workes of the Law seeke to be iustified are vnder the curse because by works our sinnes are not put away neyther is any iustified before God but by faith beautified with loue These two sentences of Thomas of Aquine being duly weighed doe as plainely auow Iustification by faith only and disproue Iustification by Workes and our owne Merits as any thing we doe say or write insomuch as if he were aliue I make no doubt but he should be forced eyther to recant or would be accounted a Caluinist hee followeth so truly the trace of Saint Pauls Doctrine herein But what if our Countriman Stapleton bee of this minde too I know that if hee were aliue he would not say so for any thing he hath alwayes beene so pestilent and peruerse an enemie to the same calling the Doctrine of Iustification by faith only Stap. Antid in Act. 15.10 Antid in Ro. 3. v. 21. A most wicked and most pestilent Doctrine Yea elsewhere too he is nothing better perswaded thereof but sayth It is impious and full of shame so shamefully doth this impious wretch write of this most comfortable Doctrine But we will not moue him to say it plainly wee will not stand vpon termes so hee teach the substance of the Doctrine we will beare with him And with a little helpe hee will be brought to that We will but lend him a Maior proposition much like that which I vsed in the beginning of this discourse of Iustification by faith only and he will fit himselfe of a Minor and so iumpe with vs in Doctrine If the Apostle exclude from Iustification all workes so as they haue no power to iustifie then faith only doth iustifie but he excludeth all workes from
hauing power to iustifie therefore faith only iustifieth The Maior I haue shewed before is not to bee denyed of any Papists because that they seeke not to ioyne with faith any thing in the matter of Iustification but only workes As for my Minor Stap. Antid in Act. 3.10 it is granted by Stapleton in the words before alleadged that the Apostle excludeth Workes from hauing power to iustifie absolutely that is to forgiue sinnes Thus haue we one more on our side then we hoped for and so may be bold I trust to conclude Now although this cloud of witnesses is sufficient I hope to cleere vs from any sinister imputation of euill dealing as if wee would teach that is strange and not heard of but of late dayes yet we haue in this point a better testimonie then all men can affoord vs. For the assurance of this Doctrine is this that the holy Ghost sealeth vp this confidence in our hearts Rom. 8.16 and Gods Spirit beareth witnesse with our Spirit that wee are the children of God and hauing receiued the Sprit of adoption we are bold to cry Abba Father This this I say is the argument that more perswadeth the children of God then all that men can bring This argument did so conuince euen the very conscience of Saint Paul Phil. 3.8.9 That the righteousnesse of the Law was as I may so say but lothsome to him in comparison of that righteousnes which he longed after by Christ This righteousnesse whoso hath a true feeling of he doth but laugh to scorne the idle disputations of them that seeke to proue it must bee had by Workes But I am not ignorant how our Aduersaries doe what in them lyeth to elude the testimonies of God and all good men and as much as they can to dimme the verie light of our consciences that wee should not see this comfort Bell. de Iustif l. 1. c 25 Annot. in Iam. 2.24 And therefore Bellarmine seemeth to make some answer to some few places alleaged out of the Scriptures and Fathers against them So doe the Rhemists too in their Annotations vpon the new Testament But all in vaine the Sunne of truth shineth so cleere that all they can doe is not sufficient to dimme the light thereof For this word Faith only being so commonly vsed as it is teacheth vs that nothing but faith is that which by our Sauiour Christ iustifieth For it only cannot be said to doe it if eyther Law of Ceremonies or of the Commandements the workes eyther of the vnrighteous or of the faithfull bee ioyned with it And therefore though our Aduersaries would sometime exclude one thing from iustifying sometime another yet so long as they exclude not all but faith in Christ Iesus from being cause of our Iustification they seeke but to deceiue vs. Aug de fide operibuc 14. Good workes necessarie when we are iustified Aug. de fide operibus cap. 14. Yet I denie not but workes as S. Augustine sayth doe follow him that alreadie is iustified though they goe not before him that is to be iustified For they are as a little before I said out of Thomas of Aquine the execution and manifestation of our righteousnesse but no causes therof In which sence the Fathers very often especially Saint Augustine in many places hauing shewed plentifully out of the Apostle That we are iustified by faith without the workes of the Law Yet withall he giueth vs to vnderstand that Hoc non agit vt percepta ac professa fide opera iustitiae contemnantur hee goeth not about thereby to make vs contemne the workes of righteousnesse we once hauing receiued and professed faith No we when once we are iustified are Gods workemanship Ephes 2.10 created in Christ Iesus vnto good works which God hath ordained that we should walke in them Againe they tell vs some of the Fathers speake of faith as it is Dogmaticall for our profession or Religion and that in such sence only they affirme Faith only to iustifie because it is the true and not a false faith that must saue Of which I sayd somewhat before when I alleadged the words of Leo for confirmation of our Doctrine But yet somewhat more to explane the matter wee must consider that faith hath two respects Outward Doctrine The one as it is an outward thing which is taught or wee may reade of it in Bookes That pierceth the eares it hath also consent of the minde and vnderstanding when we yeeld to the truth therof But this though a true faitht yet vntill it be planted in the heart and beleeued iustifieth not As for example the Deuill may and did know the true faith as when he said Iesus the Sonne of God Mat. 8.29 Mark 1.24 what haue wee to doe with thee Againe What haue we to doe with thee Iesus of Nazareth art thou come to destroy vs I know what thou art That holy ome of God We reade also elsewhere in Saint Marke Mark 3.11 When the vncleane Spirits saw Christ they fell downe before him and cryed saying Thou art the Sonne of God And Saint Iames sayth plainely Iam. 2.19 The Deuils beleeue that there is one God and tremble But our Aduersaries will grant that although it is a Catholicke faith that the Deuils haue yet it furthereth them not to saluation That faith in Christ Iesus doth iustifie is a true faith that is a true Doctrine yet no doubt acknowledged of many that shall neuer find with comfort the sweetnesse thereof But when this perswasion is well rooted in the heart Inward assurance so that it maketh vs to rest and repose our selues vpon God which we call beleeuing in God then doth it iustifie Thus then although it is most true that it must be a Catholike not an Hereticall faith that saueth yet euen that true Catholike faith doth not quicken it doth not sanctifie or iustifie vnlesse to our endlesse comfort we receiue the same into the heart And so as the Catholike faith is only auaileable so vntill it be receiued into the heart it helpeth not and then it only iustifieth But many things are out of the Scripture obiected against this Doctrine whereby the simple and such as are not acquainted with the Word Heb. 3.14 neyther by long custome haue their wits exercised to discerne both good and euill as the Apostle to the Hebrewes speaketh may soone be deceiued For to such as haue not iudgement to trye Metals euen Tinne will seeme Siluer and Copper Gold because in colour they are somewhat like To say nothing of such places it may bee dangerous in these our euill dayes lest thereby some that desire to know the truth by the name of Scripture wrested to a wrong sence may be led into errour And yet to speak of euery particular place alleadged would bee verie tedious for they are many I haue therefore thought good to draw them into some few heads and so
perfection of righteousnesse Another obiection they haue out of such testimonies as teach that God shall reward euery man according to his worke Psal 62.12 Mat. 16.27 Rom. 2.6 Reue. 22.12 Bell. de Iustific l. 5. c. 2 Aug. Confess l. 9. c. 13 How the godly are rewarded according to workes Of which sort the Scripture affordeth vs diuers And out of those wordes Bellarmine draweth this Doctrine Secundum opera sua id est vt opera merentur According to his workes that is as his workes deserue I might answer him with that golden saying of Saint Augustine Vae hominum vitae etiam ladabili si remota misericordia discutias eam Woe to the life of man that is commendable if thou Lord setting mercie aside doe sift the same But that the absurditie of his assertion may the rather appeare it is needfull that if the reward be giuen according to the merit of the worke there should bee some equalitie of proportion betweene the worke and the reward it meriteth But what proportion can there be betweene workes so vnperfect as before I haue shewed ours to bee and that eternall glorie which is so great and excellent a reward that the Apostle describeth it in these wordes The things which eye hath not seene 1. Cor. 2.9 eare hath not heard neyther can enter into the heart of man God hath prepared for them that loue him Howsoeuer therefore Bellarmine dareth affirme Bell. de Justific lib. 5. cap. 18. That non requiritur absoluta aequaelitas inter meritum praemium a perfit equalitie is not requisite betweene merit and the reward which thing he indeed barely affirmeth without any one testimonie of Scripture or sentence of Fathers yet dare I boldly pronounce that if any man saith that eternall life is giuen as workes deserue and yet that there is no proportion betweene eternall life and the worke hee speaketh most absurdly making merit no merit and deseruing no deseruing whereas in all reason and learning how much a worke wanteth of the equalitie with the reward which is to be giuen for doing it so much it lacketh of meriting that reward Very well therefore S. Bernard after he hath shewed That mens merits are not such Bern. Serm. 1. de Annunt that eternall life is of right due to them or that God should doe wrong if he so giue it not because euen our merits are Gods gifts and therefore we are rather bound to God for them then he to vs asketh this question Quid sunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam What are all merits to so great glory As if he had said There is no proportion no equalitie This then which Bellarmine heerein hath taught is as absurd as if a man should affirme that hee doth not sell twelue penny-worth of ware or doe twelue penny-worth of worke must be deemed to haue truly deserued twelue pence I trow Bellarmine would not well like of such penny-worthes Not as workes merit One other argument I will produce which plainely enough confuteth that which Bellarmine sayth that According to the worke must be expounded as the worke meriteth Consider of the Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard Mat. 20.1.3.5.6 whereof some went to their labour at the dawning of the day others at the third houre but some were not called to worke before the sixt or ninth houres yea other about Sunne-setting that is at the eleuenth houre The Master of the Vineyard when euen was come sent for the Labourers and as hee promised to the first paid to euerie one a pennie But they who came first 12. pleaded that they had borne the burden and heat of the day and therefore thought as our Papists doe they deserued more then the rest But the master of the Vineyard answered they had their due and what hee promised if hee gaue other more that hindred not them Now I would that our Romish Catholikes would answere truly to this question If paiment should haue beene made according to the merit of the worke who deserued most I suppose they will answere for otherwise they cannot truly answere that they who came first to their labour deserued best payment Yet wee see the last had as much as they Therefore it is plaine payment was not made to them nor shal be to vs as our worke meriteth but according to promise For euerie one had his pennie Hill in Mat. Can. Merces quidem nulla est ex dono quia debetur ex opere sed gratuitam Deus omnibus ex fidei iustificatione donauit 20. There is no wages of gift sayth Hilarie for it is due by the worke but God hath giuen a free reward vnto all by Iustification of faith The penny in the Gospell Prosper de vocat Gent. lib. c. 17. Thereby prouing that this penny was not as wages but a free reward not for the worke but giuen in promise Notably therefore sayth Prosper who wrote about that time Saint Augustine did who gathereth out of this parable Operarios accepisse donum gratiae non mercedem operis that these workemen receiued a gift of grace not a reward or wages for their worke But Bellarmine contending for merits would faine remoue this blocke out of the way Hee feareth lest some of his friends stumbling thereon should reele from the Romish Church He therefore out of Augustine and others telleth vs that denarius diurnus Bell. de Iustific li. 3. c. 16 li. 5. cap. 6. this penny for the day worke is aequalitas aeternitatis non gloriae equaelitie of eternitie not of glorie But our controuersie is not what this penny is but in what respect it is giuen whether for the worthinesse of the worke or not If he say for the merit of the worke the Parable is against his opinion therein If he say it is of promise as elsewhere he seemeth to affirme wee haue that we seeke Bell. de Iufic l. 5. c. 19. Wee see saith he the whole penny giuen to them who had not laboured the whole day and the Lord himselfe sheweth in these words I will giue to him as to thee c. that this was done not of dutie but of liberalitie Heere our aduersary confesseth the reward not to be as the labour merited Therefore to omit that needlesse question what this pennie is let vs heere remember that it is not giuen for the worthines of the worke For Bellarmines answere seemeth to mee much like as if I aske which way I may goe to London and he answere me it is a faire Citie Seeing then the reward is of mercie and not of merit let not vs by ascribing that to our workes which is giuen freely in grace be vnthankefull vnto him who so loued vs that he dyed for vs as Saint Hierom exhorteth vs yeelding this reason Ierom vpon Gal. 2. Abiecta est gratia si mihi sola non sufficit Grace is but cast away if it only suffice me
deuices No no vnlesse this our garment be dipt in the bloud of Christ and so made white it will euer appeare defiled A fift obiection They tell vs that eternall life is called a reward great is your reward in Heauen Mat. 5.12 As before in answering their third obiection I sayd that not euery promise proueth that which is giuen to be merited by the worke so heere I doe auerre How life eternall is called a reward that the calling of eternall life a reward doth not euict that it is giuen in regard of the worthinesse of the worke If you demand why it is then called a reward I answere It pleaseth God not only to acquaint vs with his will that we may know what is good and what is euil but also by many arguments sometime of his power sometime of his Iustice sometime of his goodnesse to moue his people to obedience To them therefore that with more alacritie Gal. 6.10 While we haue time to do good vnto all men as the Apostle exhorteth he telleth vs that our labour shall not be without reward The like argument doth the Apostle vse to the Corinthians 1. Co. 15.58 Therefore my beloued brethren be yee stedfast vnmoueable abundant alwayes in the worke of the Lord knowing that your labour is not in vaine in the Lord. But eternall life is called a reward Be it so It is also called a Kingdome Mat. 25.34 and that prepared for Gods seruants from the beginning of the world If prepared so long since for them then not bestowed for the worthinesse of their worke If a Kingdome it is an inheritance that is giuen by grace for we are sonnes by adoption heires of God and heires annexed with Christ. Or else by election we haue this inheritance Rom. 8.17 For no man is elected to a Kengdome in regard of his merits especially so long before hee can doe any thing for it Coloss 3.24 The Apostle calleth it a reward of inheritance Ye shall receiue a reward of inheritance sayth he Howsoeuer therefore it is called sometime a reward yet is it a reward that is promised Gal. 3.29 Bel. de Iustific l. 5. c. 18. and therefore Saint Paul sayth Wee are heires by promise And therefore Bellarmine himselfe confesseth that remota promissione non tenetur Deus acceptare opus nostrum ad mercedem taking away the promise God is not bound to accept our worke to reward it Now if a father promise his sonne being yet but a childe both in strength and discretion and such children are we in heauenly matters a great reward if hee doe some small matter at his appointment yet such as hee knoweth passeth eyther his abilitie or skill whether shall we say when this recompence is giuen that it is of promise or of dutie The sonne indeuoureth as well as he can to doe it and with much adoe with continuall helpe of his father he doth it at length in some sort I hope no man will say his worke deserued it For the Father promised much for a small matter hee helpeth his sonne to doe it and beareth in the end with many wants euen so God for the little that wee can doe promiseth much and that wee doe hath many imperfections too Can wee then thinke of merit Ber in Cant. Serm. â—7 No no the Spouse of Christ doth then shew her selfe to be more full of grace when she ascribeth all to grace knowing her part is first and last Luk. 17.7 But against the meriting of the reward that parable in S. Luke is most plaine A seruant ploweth or doth any other worke in the field when hee commeth home his Master biddeth him not sit downe but willeth him to dresse meat and giue himselfe and wait and serue him teaching vs that we haue no time to bestow otherwise then vpon our Masters worke Ambros in Luke 17. Theopilact in Luk. 17. We must alwayes while wee liue be doing saith Ambrose This Parable sheweth saith Theophilact that a man must not be proud of any good worke no neyther yet in the fulfilling of all the Commandements For the seruant must doe what his Master commandeth neither must hee ascribe it to himselfe as a good worke Ambros in Luk. 7. Dionis Carthus in Luk. 17. And Ambrose gathereth the same lesson too Let no man glory of workes for we owe our seruice to the Lord. So doth the Carthusian also The seruant is tyed to this and after his worke in the field he must labour in the house that he may daily be labouring It being thus let vs consider of the conclusion of the Parable So likewise ye Luk. 17.10 when you haue done all things which were commanded you say We are vnprofitable seruants we haue done that was our dutie to doe Hieron ad Ctesiphontem Theophil in Luk. 17. No merit in this worke If that seruant were vnprofitable that did all sayth Hierom What shall we say of him that could not doe it Theophilact also in like manner If when we haue done all the Commandements yet wee haue no cause to thinke well of our doing how greatly doe we sinne when not doing the greatest part of Gods Commandements yet we are proud of our doing The Carthusian likewise If they must account themselues vnprofitable seruants who haue fulfilled all the Commandements what shall we doe who in so many things transgresse and so vnperfectly perchance keepe that we keepe that as the Prophet Esai sayth all our righteousnesse is like a filthy clout But Bellarmine telleth vs De Iustific lib. 5. cap. 5. Bernard de tripl custodia Bernard de precepto dispensatione that Christ so concludeth to teach humilitie I answere with Bernard Sanè propter humilitatem sed numquid contra veritatem True indeed for humility but is it against verity He also elsewhere thus speaketh to that seruant You are free from duty but not glorious by merit You haue escaped punishment but haue not gotten the crowne The Parable teacheth vs that all wee can doe is dutie therefore wee may not thinke of merit because whatsoeuer wee are able to performe at any time in any place by any meanes we owe all that seruice to God Lastly I come to those words of Iames in shew as contrarie to Saint Paul as can be yet because they both had one teacher both were guided in writing by one Spirit and were both of one faith and Religion we are sure both teach one Doctrine Rom. 3.28 Iam. 2.24 What Iustification is by workes Iude 4. Aug lib. 83. quaest 76. de fide operibus cap. 14. And yet Paul sayth We are iustified by faith without workes Iames sayth Wee are iustified by workes and not by faith only and both these are most true For if we speake of the cause of Iustification then must wee hearken to Saint Paul who teacheth that is by faith without workes But because many turning the grace of God
the roote and heat and light from the Sunne but the question which is now to be answered is how the word iustified must here in these wordes of S. Paul be taken Phil. 3.5 I say then it is most likely that S. Paul being of the kindred of Israel of the tribe of Beniamin an Hebrew of the Hebrewes as hee was best acquainted with the Hebrew phrase so he would rather vse it then the Latine Nay this is more then likely because in this very Chapter before he hath vsed this very word according to the Hebrew phrase and in that sense that it hath commonly in the Scripture as our aduersaries themselues must needes confesse in his allegation out of the 51. Psalme It is therefore very absurd Rom. 3.4 that our aduersaries to confirme their sense of this word are forced so to vnderstand it as it is neuer or at the least very seldome vnderstood in the Scripture so that hardly they can alleage any testimonies where of necessitie it must bee taken in their sense whereas we are able to bring very many which they confesse must haue our sense Another absurditie I find in their interpretation Iustification and sanctification confounded by the Popish interpretation that they confound these two notable benefits which we haue by Christ that is our iustification our sanctification Of the first he speaketh in this place to the end of the fift Chap and of the latter he begins to speake in the sixt Chap. as to the end I need not stand long in proofe hereof Tho. of Aquine whom I know our aduersaries wil trust in a greater matter then this is shall testifie for vs in these wordes After the Apostle hath shewed that by the grace of Christ we are freed from sinnes past Tho. Aquin. in Rom. 6. Lec 1. as well that which hath beene brought in by the first man as that which by the Law aboundeth here he sheweth that by the grace of Christ power is giuen vs to resist sinne afterward And this he teacheth entring into his exposition vpon the sixt Chapter of this Epistle to the Romans prouing directly that which I haue said Now the confounding of these two benefits which the Apostle here and else-where distinguisheth is very absurd But here by the way I would aske a question of our Romish Masters what they thinke of these wordes of their Angellical Doctor For if it be true that he saith as it is indeed most true and well warranted by the Word it selfe then is it most false that our aduersaries here say that the Apostle speaketh of an inherent righteousnesse which I thus proue Inherent righteousnesse is for the auoiding of sinne to come but the Apostle speaketh not of the auoiding of sinne to come before the beginning of the sixt Chapter therefore before the beginning of the sixt Chapter he speaketh not of inherent righteousnesse The Minor which is onely by them to be denyed is taken out of the words of Tho. Aquinas Besides these absurdities we haue strong arguments whereby to refell their interpretation As first The Apostles meaning the intent and meaning of the Apostle who from the 16. verse of the first Chapter vnto these words proueth that all both Iewes and Gentiles stand in need of the mercy of God because they are all found guiltie before him The Gentiles not hauing the Law written All are sinners yet had such light of nature shining in their heart as taught them so far forth to know what was good and what was bad that they had their thoughts accusing one another when they did euill or excusing if they liued according to that knowledge But they walked not after that light neither followed that which their owne conscience told them was good â—â—m 2.15 they shewed not in their life the effect of the Law written in their hearts but might say with that vnhappy woman MEDEA Video meliora proboque deteriora sâ—quor I see and approue that which is better I follow that which is worse As for the Iewes among whom were the Lawes of God written in tables of stone and that they might neuer bee vnmindfull thereof they had their Priests for an ordinarie meane of their instruction yea the Prophets also as Gods extraordinary remembrancers to put them in remembrance of their duty and of Gods Law they I say who had greater helps to haue beene better yet liued so little according to that Law that the Apostle thus chargeth them Rom. 2.24 Rom. 3.20 The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles for you Hereupon the Apostle thus concludeth That by the works of the Law shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight Vers 23. But the Apostle hauing thus proued that all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God will not leaue vs in that vncomfortable case but sheweth by and by how we are deliuered And as he hath taught vs that all both Iewes and Gentiles are transgressors of the Law and by transgression guiltie so now most comfortably he declareth how we shall be acquitted of our transgression Our deliuery from sinne that we may plead not guilty The question then being how we being breakers of Gods Law may appeare before our God and with confidence and plead not guilty This we can neuer doe by any inherent righteousnesse no goodnesse no holinesse that in this vale of misery while wee carry about vs this lumpe of sinfull flesh wee can attayne vnto may acquire vs before God but this must be by faith in Iesus Christ as the Apostle teacheth Now by this it is plaine enough that the Apostle saying wee are iustified by Faith and bringing this as the conclusion of all his former discourse should speake nothing to the purpose if he would here tell vs how we may liue righteously who must rather teach vs how we may be freed from the danger wherein hee hath proued that all men are And as the Apostle had in these words no meaning to shew how wee are inabled to walke in holinesse for of that he meaneth afterward to speake as before I shewed so the words themselues doe sufficiently confute our aduersaries as by this argument may bee proued The Apostle speaketh in these words of such Iustification as is not gotten or had by workes Not by workes but the Iustification in the Popish sence is only by workes therefore the Popish Iustification is not that which the Apostle mentioneth The Maior is plaine by the words of this text A man is iustified without workes The Minor they will not deny For that increase of righteousnesse which our aduersaries so much speake of is nothing else 2. Peâ— but to ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance and with temperance patience and with patience godlinesse and with godlinesse brotherly kindnesse and with brotherly kindnesse loue Such a continuall labouring to be adorned with all goodnesse Good
workes necessarie is the Iustification that is by inherent righteousnesse This I confesse is a goodly ornament vnto a Christian But if wee looke well about vs we shall find it too short to couer our imperfections and therefore must wee seeke otherwise to appeare righteous before God namely in the righteousnesse of Iesus Christ by whom wee haue forgiuenesse of sinnes And whereas the Apostle denyed that wee are iustified by workes would you not thinke hee spoke very absurdly to take this word as the Romish Church vnderstandeth it For to say a man is made godly without good workes and this they must say is as if I should affirme any thing to be burnt in the fire without heate Againe Iustification in our aduersaries sence is alwayes in doing For it is our regeneration or new birth our renouation or sanctification which can neuer bee perfected so long as wee are in this flesh and carry about with vs this bodie subiect to sinne Heere wee are militant and striuing after wee must looke for the crowne Heere we are Pilgrimes after this wee shall be Citizens and rest in ioy For now wee know but in part wee prophecie in part 1. Cor. 13.9 10. But when that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be abolished And as our knowledge is but in part euen so yea much more is our obedience heere very maimed and vnperfect That Paul himselfe confesseth Our inward man is renewed daily sayth he 2. Cor. 4.16 And hee whose prayse is in the Scripture for wisdome doth verie aptly liken the way of the righteous to the morning Pro. 4.18 that shineth as the light that shineth more and more vnto the perfect day By which fit similitude Salomon setteth forth vnto vs the continuall increase in godlinesse that an inherent righteousnesse that I may so terme our maimed and vnperfect obedience can bring forth Saint Bernard pithily and prettily expresseth as much comparing man in respect of his fall vnto one that falleth vpon a heape of stones and in the myre too Bernardus de Coena Domini Cecidimus super aceruum lapidum sayth he in luto vnde non solum inquinati sed etiam vulnerati grauiter quassati sumus lauari quidem cito possuinus ad sanandum vero opus est curatione multa We haue falne vpon a heape of stones and in the mire so as wee are not only defiled but wounded also and sore bruised Wee may quickly be washt but to heale vs there must bee long time By washing away our myre he meaneth our Iustification which he saith may soone be but by healing our wounded and bruised nature he vnderstandeth our sanctification Aug. de Trinit lib. 14. cap. 17. which is long in doing Therefore most truly sayth Saint Augustine Sanè renouatio ista non fit in momento Truly this renewing or new birth is not wrought of a sudden And now to adde an Assumption to that proposition that righteousnesse of which Saint Paul speaketh Iustification already perfited Rom. 5.1 is alreadie in them that are iustified We are iustified sayth hee as speaking of a thing alreadie perfited as also elsewhere being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God The same Apostle telling the Corinthians that Fornicatours Idolaters c. shall not inherit the Kingdom of God applying this vnto them 1. Cor. 6.11 saith Such were some of you but you are iustified These reasons then being wel considered of giue vs to vnderstand that there is so great difference betweene that sence of this word Iustification which our aduersaries would haue and that which is agreeable to the Apostles meaning as that their exposition of this word heere cannot be good and true But as I mislike and that iustly of that they teach so is it needful I should shew what is the true meaning of this word We seeke no strange signification of the word neyther force it to any other then that in the Scriptures most commonly it hath and most properly belongeth vnto it This I might proue by infinite testimonies I will produce but some few Hee that iustifieth the wicked sayth Salomon and hee that condemneth the iust Prou. 17.15 euen they both are abomination vnto the Lord. In like sort in Esay God by that Prophet denounceth Esa 5.23 Woe to them that iustifie the wicked I know our aduersaries will not say that woe shall be to them that shall make a wicked man righteous and reforme his vngodlinesse but to such as call euill good or good euill Esay 5 20. The Prophet Dauid acknowledgeth his sinnes to be verie great that GODS faithfulnesse in shewing mercie to him may bee confessed that thou sayth hee maist be iustified in thy sayings which words the Apostle in this verie Chapter alleadgeth as before is said But that God standeth in need to be iustified in the Popish sence our aduersaries dare not for shame say To be short the Prophet Dauid prayeth thus Enter not into iudgement with thy seruants O Lord for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified In all which and infinite moe places that I might produce the word iustifying is so taken as that a man is absolued or acquited that hee is pronounced not guiltie and so must it in these words be vnderstood when the Apostle sayth wee are iustified by faith that is by faith wee stand before GOD and may plead not guiltie For confirmation of that which I haue said I vse this argument Saint Paul speaketh heere of such Iustification Iustification bringeth peace Rom. 5.1 as maketh vs to haue peace with God For so are the words of the Apostle Being iustifi'd by faith wee haue peace with God But Iustification in the Popish sence maketh vs not to haue peace with GOD and in our sence it bringeth peace with God therefore Saint Paul speaketh not of Iustificatiō in the Popish sence but in ours My Minor only is to be proued for I haue alreadie shewed that the Apostle auerreth the Maior and that hath two parts the one negatiue wherein I deny Iustification in their sence to bring peace with God the other affirmatiue that in our sence it doth That Iustification as it is a doing of good workes and a liuing righteously so farre forth as mans frailetie will permit which is the sence that our aduersaries say belongs to this word heere cannot procure our peace with God I proue because the perfection of the Law which wee are commanded to obserue and keepe is such as man can neuer attaine to the fulfilling thereof None can fulfill the Law For who is hee that can so rule his affections by the Spirit that hee can in all sincerity and soundnesse serue the Lord Not any Man but Christ could euer doe it as the godly most plainely confesse The reason is because the Law commandeth perfection and our weakenesse is not able to performe it The Apostle teacheth vs so much saying
Howsoeuer that gracelesse wretch Boniface the eighth who instituted the first Romish Iubile giuing therein immunitie both from sinne and the punishment thereof would make the world beleeue that hee hath power to forgiue sinnes too Anton. part 3. cap. 8 tit 20. §. 2. The fruit of application Praefat. exhort ad Martyr ad Fortunatuâ— Job 19.25.26 Micah 7.7 â— Tim. 1.15 But as Antoninus Bishop of Florence writing that Historie sayth God only forgiueth sinne But to returne from whence for a few lines I haue digressed When we can in this sort apply vnto our selues the mercy of God and thus make a garment fitting our selues to couer therewith our shame of the wooll of the Lambe as Cyprian in one place prettily speaketh for so he calleth the Scripture Oh with what assurance will wee bee able with Iob to say I am sure my Redeemer liueth I shall see God in my flesh And with Micah I will waite for God my Sauiour my God will heare me And with the Apostle Christ Iesus came into the World to saue sinners whereof I am chiefe Notwithstanding for this cause was I receiued to mercie that Iesus Christ should first shew on me all long suffering vnto the example of them who shall in time to come beleeue in hir 〈◊〉 eternall life But the Apostle sheweth in many places vnspeakeable comfort by applying to himselfe in particular the mercies of God in so much as hee assureth himselfe that none could charge Gods seruants to indanger them none could condemne them Rom. 8.33.35.38.39 Yea who shall separate vs sayth hee from the loue of Christ I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor the Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature is able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. Thus wee see what wonderfull assurance and confidence they haue whom Gods Spirit guideth to apply vnto their wounded consciences the most Soueraigne salue of the promises and examples of Gods mercie Whereas others in the time of feare and danger languish in perplexitie Luk. 23 30. Bernard de Annunt serm 3. and could wish the mountaines would fall vpon them and the hills would couer them For truly sayth Bernard as it were speaking vnto God Non reponis â—leum misericordiae nisi in vase fiduciae Thou Lord puttest not the oyle of mercie but into the vessell of confidence This this I say is the faith commended by the Apostle this is the faith that iustifieth before God which beginning with knowledge of Gods mercy in Christ Iesus out of it gathereth confidence and boldnes And thus with good warrant out of the Word I trust wee may affirme that this faith which doth assuredly know and comfortably apply vnto vs the promised mercies of God causeth vs with boldnesse to stand before God without feare of condemnation yet not for the merit or worthinesse of the act of beleeuing but because the office yea the very nature of faith is to apprehend and take hold of Christ through whom wee are found righteous before God in that he is made vnto vs of God wisedome 1. Cor. 1.30 and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption as before I haue said The last wordes in this sentence What workes of the Law are meant whereof there is any question betweene our aduersaries and vs are these The workes of the Law Out of these arise two doubts The first is what Law the Apostle speaketh of in these wordes For some euen very ancient haue beene in that error that he speaketh of the Law ceremoniall as Origen and others Now the Romish Church not seeing how they might maintayne their doctrine of Merits and Iustification by workes vnlesse they were of that minde also were in former times of that mind too being glad that they might shrowd themselues vnder the name of ancient â—â—â—rs I need not speake in particular of these Popish Writers seeing Bellarmine confesseth as much as I say Nonnulli saith he è Catholicis Bellar. de Iustific l 1. cap. 19. docent per opera quae Apostolus à iustificatione excludit intelligi obseruationem legalium ceremoniarum Many of the Catholikes teach that by the workes which the Apostle excludeth from iustification the obseruation of the ceremoniall Law is meant But how many or how great in learning Not works ceremoniall Rom. 2.13 or accompt soeuer they be S. Paul affordeth vs proofe enough to conuince them of error When he saith The doers of the Law shall be iustified is there any colour of reason to imagine that they who obserue the ceremonies of the Law shall bee iustified Wee see in the first and last Chapters of the Prophet Esay Micah the 6. the 50. Psalme and in other places of Scripture that many who were most diligent performers of the ceremonies were notwithstanding misliked of God yea reproued for satisfying themselues with that externall seruice What haue I to doe with the multitude of your sacrifices Esa 1.11 saith the Lord I am full of the burnt offrings of Rams and of the fat of fed beasts and I desire not the bloud of Bullocks nor of Lambs nor of Goates That also which the Apostle writeth of the effect of the Law written in mens hearts by reason whereof we haue thoughts accusing excusing cannot be vnderstood of the Law ceremonial But to come yet neerer to the purpose S. Paul euen in that place where hee handleth this question concluding the former part of this discourse and hauing proued Iewes and Gentiles to be transgressors of the Law either written or of nature thus saith Therefore by the workes of the Law Rom. 3.20 shall no flesh be iustified in Gods sight And lest we might make any doubt what Law hee meaneth of he yeeldeth a reason of his former assertion which maketh the matter plaine For by the Law is knowledge of sinne And yet that it may be more manifest what Law is here meant elswhere in plaine wordes he expoundeth himselfe Rom 7.7 I knew not sinne but by the Law For I had not known lust except the Law had said Thou shalt not lust Out of which wordes I reason thus The Apostle speaketh of that Law that maketh vs to know sinne but that is not the Law ceremoniall therefore the Apostle speaketh not of the Law ceremoniall Yea this place seemed to S. Augustine to haue such force as that thereupon he groundeth that which we teach August de Spir. lit cap. 8. Ac ne quisquam putaret hic Apostolum ea lege dixisse hominem iustificari quae in Sacramentis veteribus multa continet figurata praecepta c. And lest any man should thinke the Apostle to haue said that a man is iustified by that which in the old Sacraments haue many figuratiue precepts from whence commeth circumcision which children were commended to receiue he by and by sheweth what Law
that he is simply or altogether righteous But sometime also righteousnesse is ascribed vnto men here vpon earth As among sundry other to Zachary and Elizabeth of whom S. Luke writeth Luk. 1.6 Innocent in comparison of other Both were iust before God and walked in all the Commandements and Ordinances of the Lord without reproofe S. Augustine handling this very history doth truly teach what iustice they had as elsewhere so namely in these wordes Secundum quandam inter homines conuersationem laudabilem probabilem Aug. cont Pelag. Celestin l. 1. cap. 48. quam nullus hominum posset iustè in quaerelam vocare They were iust in regard of their conuersation commendable and allowable such as no man might iustly complaine of And after hee bringeth the example of Paul Phil 3.6 who according to the righteousnesse that was by the Law was without reproofe And yet this righteousnesse he accounted dung and losse In comparison saith AVG. of that which he hoped for And because the Pelagians pressed him with an authority out of Ambrose to proue that a man might in this life be perfit he sheweth what minde S. Ambrose was of for that point alleaging some words of his out of Ambrose his Commentaries vpon Esay which booke is not now extant that I haue seene although here and elsewhere S. Aug. make mention thereof And Ambrose himselfe referreth vs also to that booke Amb. in Luc lib. 2. The wordes alleaged are these Multi sunt perfecti in hoc mundo qui si perfectionem veram respicias perfecti esse non possunt Many are perfit in this world who if you looke to true perfection cannot be perfit Whereupon also S. August doth thus conclude Item immaculati sunt multi quum si minutiùs excutâ—as immaculatus esse nemo possit quiae nemo sine peccato Many also are vndefiled when as if you sift the matter narrowly no man can be vndefiled Notably also for this point writeth S. Ambrose by occasion of those wordes of the Apostle Let vs as many as bee perfit Phil. 3.15 bee thus minded Ambros in Ep. ad Phil. cap. 3. Ad comparationem caeterorum qui res diuinas negligentiùs curant perfecti dicendi sunt qui adhibita solertia perfectionis it er ambulant In comparison saith he of such as are negligent in heauenly matters they may be called perfect who are carefull to walke in the wayes of perfection S. BASIL expounding these wordes of the Prophet DAVID Iudge me O Lord according to my righteousnes Basil in Psal 7. and according to my innocency that is in me taketh innocency to bee simplicity or want of experience whereby men fall into many inconueniences And righteousnesse hee interpreteth to be such iustice as is hominibus comprehensibilis possibilis his qui in carne viuunt Such as men may attaine to and is possible for them to haue who liue in the flesh and thus he frameth that prayer Ad librilem humanae fragilitatis iustitiam meam appendens ita me iudices Waighing my righteousnesse in the wayscales of mans frailty iudge me after that manner By all this it doth appeare that though some are commended in Scriptures as iust men yet perfect righteousnes which only can stand before God none can attaine vnto For Hier. cont Pelag. l. 1. Cunctorum in carne iustorum imperfecta iustitia est The perfection euen of all iust men while they are in the flesh is vnperfit as S. Hierome saith but vnperfect righteousnesse cannot merit eternall life therefore no perfection that man hath here can merit that life This which I haue already said I would haue thought a sufficient answere to those Scriptures wherein some are commended as iust but seeing some contend to establish a greater righteousnesse in vs then we can haue I am forced a little further to looke into this matter Kemnitius a great learned man Popish impious speeches of Merits Kem. exam part 1. pag. 211. who hath most learnedly examined those wicked decrees of the impious Councel of Trent telleth vs that Lindan no small foole in the Romish Church Reuerendiss Episcopus Traiectensis he is called is very angry with some of his fellowes for affirming that God of his clemency and goodnesse rewardeth our good works to which he teacheth a reward to be due for the worthinesse thereof Andradius Paiuas I am sure Andrad Orthod explicat lib 6. pag. 518. dareth and shameth not to write that the ioy of heauen which the Scripture calleth the retribution and reward of the righteous is not so much giuen them of God freely and liberally as it is due to their workes And as the Apostle S. Paul proueth our Iustification by grace Rom. 4.4 because otherwise it should rather bee of debt then of fauour and the reward and grace saith he are quite contrary so dareth this man because eternall life is in Scripture called a reward gather this doctrine most false Pag. 519. Pag. 522. That it ought not to be imputed according to grace but as a debt And not long after he reproueth Kemnitius for finding fault with the Censurers of Colen for writing that God set on sale eternall life And not much vnlike is that Cens Colon. explicat Dialog 5. which they of Colen teach That by grace there is in our works an infinitenesse that they being somewhat holpen by that gift of grace doe worthily merit eternal life So that we see they imagine any little helpe will serue the turne A plaine proofe that their studie was more how to defend their doctrine then in sinceritie to examine themselues how vnable they are to keepe Gods Law so as they may merit eternall life thereby A man may iustly wonder how any that hath any feeling of his owne frailty or any knowledge of Gods word can bee so besotted as to teach that which is so contrary to that euery one of vs doe or iustly may feele in our selues and so directly against most manifest Scriptures Is any of them better then he who said no doubt as well in respect of himselfe Iob 15.14 as of others What is man that he should be cleane and he that is borne of a woman that he should be iust Are they more righteous then Dauid who confesseth that if God enter into iudgement with his seruants Psal 143.2 no flesh liuing shall be iustified or found righteous in his sight Are they holier then he who said Dan. 9.5 We haue sinned and haue committed iniquity and done wickedly yea we haue rebelled and haue departed from thy precepts and from thy iudgements Are they of greater power to resist sinne then Paul who said Rom. 7.19 I doe not the good thing that I would and the euill which I would not that doe I I thinke they dare not for very shame to match themselues with these men that had so great testimonie of their sincerity from God himselfe at the least