it theâ— he did more sensibly and firmly rest upon God for the performance of his promise to him 2. If mens persons are justified before God by their own personal good works then they are so justified either by those good works they do before their faith or by those that follow after their faith but they are not justified before God by their own personal good works which they do before their Faith nor by those which they do after their Faith or after they believe in Christ therefore they are not justified before God by their own personal works 1. Their persons are not justified before God by their works which they do before they believe in Christ because they are not formally good they are not pleasing unto God for as much as they spring not from faith in Jesus Christ neither do they make men meet to receive grace and so do not dispositivè justifie as Papists hold or as the School-Authors say deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not done as God hath commanded them to be done we doubt not but that they have the nature of sin So saith the Church of England in her 13th Article of Religion Works done before faith in Christ though they may be materially good yet they are not formally good but are perfectly evil yea are * Virtutes Eâ—hnicorum sunt splendida peccata Rom. 1. 17. sins for whatsoever is not of faith is sin saith St. Paul and the Church of England Rom. 14. 23. Homily of good Works T. 1. p. 30. 2. Their persons are not justified before God by those good works which they do after they believe in Christ and which proceed from Faith in Christ which I prove thus 1. By the twelfth Article of Religion of the Church of England Albeit that good works which are the fruits of faith and follow after justification cannot put away our sins and endure the severity of Gods judgment 2. Because they are imperfectly good and so stand in need of the perfect righteousness of Christ to cover their infirmities as may be proved by our Homily for Good-Friday T. 2. p. 177. Our acts and deeds be full of imperfectness and infirmity and therefore nothing worthy of themselves to stir God to any favour much less to challenge that glory that is due to Christ acts and merits 3. Because they follow the justified and are done after their justification and this argument the Church of England teacheth out of Saint Augustine in her Homily of good works T. 2. p. 82. Good * Bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequntur justificatum S. August de fide operibus c. 4. 14. And this Doctrine John Lambert Martyr sealed with his blood Fox Book of Martyrs p. 1091. works go not before in him which shall afterward be justified but good works do follow after when a man is justified 4. Because it was confessed on all hands that no mens persons were ever justified before God by doing of evil works and therefore the Apostle had no need to prove that men were not justified by them but the works of unbelievers are †If an Heathen may cloath the naked feed the hungry and do such other like works yet because he doth them not in faith for the honour and love of God they be but dead vain and fruitless works to him Hom. of Faith p. 31. See there also p 30. all the life of them that lack true faith is sin Ibi. p. 31. evil works for an evil tree cannot bring forth good fruit Mat 7. 17. And whatsoever is not of faith is sin Rom. 14. 23. And without faith it is impossible to please God Heb. 11. 6. Therefore it follows that the Apostle Paul did intend to prove that the good works of men which proceed from faith do not justifie menspersons in Gods sight 5. And lastly Papists themselves distinguishing of a twofold Justification first and second confess that all works are excluded from the first Justification which only is properly Justification their second is Sanctification properly Bellarmine himself Lib. 4 c. 15. de Justificatione confesseth that the Apostle Paul doth in the Epistle to the Romans dispute of the first Justification therefore he excludes all our works from the Justification of our persons before God 4. It is contrary to the Confession of Faith of the Reformed Churches of Christ as may clearly be seen in the Harmony of Confessions Sect. 9. To give you a sight of some things they declare at large the latter Confession of Helvetia c. 15. saith thus To justifie in the Apostles disputation touching Justification doth signifie to remit sins to absolve from the fault and the punishment thereof to receive into favour to pronounce a man just for the Apostle saith to the Romans God is he that justifieth who is he that can condemn where to justifie and condemn are opposed and in the Acts of the Apostles Act. 13. the Apostle saith Through Christ is preached unto you forgiveness of sins and from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses by him every one that believeth is justified For in the law also and in the Prophets we real Deut. 25. 1. That if a controversie were risen amongst any and they came to judgment the judg shaâ—l judg them that is justifie the righteous and condemn the wicked And in the fifth Chapter of Isaiah Wo to them that justifie the wicked for rewards Now it is most certain that we are all by nature sinners and before the judgment-seat of God convicted of ungodliness and guilty of death but we are justified that is acquitted from sin and death by God the Judg through the grace of Christ alone and not by any respect or merit of ours For what is more plain than that which Paul saith All have sinned and are destitute of the glory of God and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus for Christ took upon himself and bare the sins of the world and did satisfie the justice of God God therefore is merciful unto our sins for Christ alone that suffered and rose again and doth not impute them to us but he imputeth the justice of Christ unto us for our own so that now we are not only cleansed from sin and purged and holy but also endued with the righteousness of Christ yea and acquitted from sin death and condemnation finally we are righteous and heirs of eternal life To speak properly then it is God alone that justifieth us and that only for Christ by not imputing to us our sins but imputing Christs righteousness unto us But because we do receive this Justification not by any works but by faith in the mercy of God and in Christ therefore we teach and believe with the Apostle that sinful man is justified only by faith in Christ not by the Law or by any works For the Apostle saith Rom. 3. We
is * This is Pelagius his Doctrine as may be seen in Alvarez de Auxil gratiae l. 1. disp 1. p. 4. n. 2. possible for men in the state of corruption to keep the whole Moral Law of God Both which are very gross Errors but the former of these I should suppose he doth not hold Because 1. He complains against Nonconformists though causelesly and very falsely for Antinomianism 2. He presseth obedience to the Law and good works so much as that he saith that those that have confidence in Gods mercy through Christ must come down again from the top of the tree and begin at the bottom in obedience to all Gods Commandments And this must go before we can actually receive his pardon and absolution according to that of the Apostle Tit. 3. 5 6 7. where it is visible saith he that his mercy cannot save us unless we become new creatures and that this must go before the justification we expect by the grace of God In his licensed Parable of the Pilgrim 〈◊〉 502 511 〈◊〉 But yet if he hold it I shall say no more than what Gods Word expresly and in terminis saith Gal. 3. 10. Cursed is every 〈◊〉 that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them Either Gods word is false or his Doctrine But the second which is this ' That 't is possible for men in the state of corruption exactly and perfectly to fulfill the whole Moral Law of God Papists that they may establish their Justification of mens persons before God by their own inherent righteousness or good works do affirm that believers * Bellar. de observatione Legis T. 4. l. 6. c. 7. can by the help of Gods grace and the spirit of love infused into them at their Justification perfectly fulfill the whole Moral Law of God And this seems to be the Doctors insinuation To which our Divines do answer that 't is true the Law of God is Evangelically kept or fulfilled by true believers in Christ Jesus whose perfect righteousness and obedience is imputed to them and thereby their sincere obedience though very imperfect as referred to the Law is accepted of God as perfect But the Law is not legally kept by exact and perfect doing for matter and manner all the works thereof by any justified or regenerated person in this life since Christ ascended up into Heaven And this I have proved by the Doctrine of the Church of England and may be further proved even by those portions of Sacred Writings which she appoints to be said before the Common-prayers begin or the Exhortation thereto Enter not into judgment with thy servants O Lord for no flesh is righteous in thy sight Psal 143. 2. And if we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Joh. 1. â—8 The Church of England as I have shewed teacheth that the works of unjustified men are sins Art 13. And that the most holy and righteous * Davenant Deter 10. pag. 50. works of regenerate persons have some sin in them Art 15. and their graces are but imperfect They know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9. and they believe but in part Mark 9. 24. Lord I believe help thou mine unbelief And our frailty is such that we can never fulfil the Law according to the perfection that the Law requireth Plenissima charitas est in nemine August Epist 29. Homily for Good Friday T. 2. p. 182. and p. 177. and there is original sin in the regenerate Article the ninth And that concupiscence * Bishop Prideaux Fascic Controvers l. 3. de peccato q. 5. p. 123. in the regenerate is properly sin Article the ninth That God made man in the state of innocency upright and able to fulfil the whole Law of God That 't is now since his fall in his corrupt estate though in part renewed impossible ordinarily for him to fulfil the Law is not the fault of the Law which is holy and just and good but of man who hath by his own default disabled himself that it much magnifies and commends the free grace of God in that he doth for Christs sake accept of true believers imperfect performances as if they were exactly conformed to the perfect Law of God which yet they are not Adam Noah Abraham Isaac Jacob David Solomon Hezekiah Josiah Jonah Job Peter and Paul sinned David sinned after his person was justified Psal 51. and so did Peter by denying of Christ Luk. 22. 57 58 60. and by his unseasonable and scandalous using the Ceremonies of the Law or Judaizing Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. And St. Paul himself feels and complains Rom. 7. 20 21 24. of siâ— that did dwell in him of a law in his members that did draw him to do that which he would not and hinder him from doing that which he would do and of a body of death And Gal. 3. 17. That the flesh lusteth against the Spirit These few failings of Dr. Patrick and Mr. Fowler and Doctor Jeremy Taylor c. may not only serve to put in the other scale against the many little pretended ones the Debater objects against Mr. W. B. and Mr. T. W. and others but also prove That some great Conformists to the Discipline of the Church of England are the greatest Nonconformists to the Doctrine thereof and those tollerated if not protected and promoted while Nonformists to the Discipline but stout defenders of the Doctrine of Faith and Sacraments thereof are rejected and silenced ART XI That unregenerated persons own good works do make thâ—â— meet to receive grace from God or as the School-Author say deserve grace of congruity THis I renounce because 't is contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England but before I prove it for the better understanding of this error and the truth know 1. That grace in Sacred Scripture signifies two things 1. The favour of God or of man in himself and so 't is taken and used in the Old and New Testament As Gen. 6. 8. And Noah foâ—â—â— grace in the eyes of God Gen. 18. 3. Gen. 39. 21. Ezra 9. 8. Esth 2. 1â— So the Virgin Mary found 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 grace with God Rom. 3. 24. Beng justified freely by his grace that is by the free favour or love mercy or goodness that is in God manifested to us in Christ Rom. 11 5 Election of Grace Ephes 2 8. By grace ye are saved Sometimes it signifies 2. The gift of grace that is that gracious habit of grace that is inâ—erent in us as Rom. 11. 29. 2 Cor. 8. 7. See that ye abound in thâ—â— grace also Ephes 3. 7. The gift of grace Ephes 4. 7. Vnto every oâ—â— of vs is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ Col. 3 16. Singing with grace in your hearts Heb. 12. 28 Let us have grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence
and godly feâ— 2 Pet. 3. 18 But grow in grace 2. That the * Aquinas 12ae q. 114. a. 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Medina in 12ae q. 114. a. 3. Schoolmen speak of 〈◊〉 twofold merit whereof the 1 Is Meritum de congruo merit oâ— congruity which is not truly and properly merit but such as it is 't is defined to be this That it is congruous convenient Dr. Davenant de justitia c 6. p 603. â—emble of Justification c. 1. S. 2. p. 163. or agreeable to goodness that Gâ—l do reward a man working according to his vertue or power â—â—at he hath Which many learned men do deny to be truly and properly merit For that is truly and properly meritorious that doth properly and absolutely for it self deserve a reward or which doth in its formal reason include equality or condignity to that reward of which it is said to be meritorious But merits of congruity do not truly and properly deserve a reward or carry an equality or proportion with the thing said to be merited the grace of God and therefore are not truly and properly merits their merit of congruity is nothing else but fitness for which they have no ground in Scripture or right reason yet Bellarmine the Council of Trent and other Papists retain the name and give it chiefly to those dispositions and preparations which they say go before Justification according to which they say grace is ex congruo due and so comply with Pelagius his false Doctrine long since condemned Gratiam secundum merita dari i. e. Grace is Aug. Epist 106 107. contra duas Epistolas Pelagianorum lib. 2. c. 8. to be given according to merits That is it 's congruous or fit that grace or favour be bestowed upon men by God according to their deservings For if those dispositions be merits and if according to them grace be given as the Council of Trent * Secundum propriam cujusque dispositionem Sess 6. cap. 7. defineth do they not plainly hold that grace is given to men of God according to their merits 2. Meritum de condigno Merit of condignity is that which includes in its formal reason equality condignity or worthiness proportionable to the thing of which 't is said to be meritorious And thus they say the good works of regenerate men do merit heaven of which hereafter Not to trouble you with a full confutation of this Scriptureless and reasonless distinction of merits but to apply it to our present purpose in hand I say 1. That good * I call them good works so quoad substantiam but formally are evil because they call them so works done by an unregenerate man before the grace of Christ be received or the inspiration of his Spirit do not ex congruo merit the favour of God For 1. there is no proportion between them 2. Then our Election should not be of Grace as 't is said to be by the unerring Spirit of God Rom. 11. 5. but of sinful mans sinful works which they call deserts confuted before in Article the sixth 2. That good works of unregenerate men before the saving grace of Jesus Christ be infused into them 〈◊〉 Quia ego volo Deus me adjuvat est Pelagianorum Alvarez de auxiliis Divinae gratiae l. 1. disp 1. p. 11. wrought in them by his holy Spirit 〈◊〉 received by them do not merit ex câ—â—gruo or deserve grace that is saving grace of congruity Papists indeed 〈◊〉 hold that good works done by man before he receive the spâ—â— grace of Christ do provoke God to bestow his saving grace 〈◊〉 him and that the man himself a 〈◊〉 tle * The Synod of Dort reject as an error the Doctrine of them that teach that in spiritual death no spiritual gifts were separated from the will of man for that the will of it self was never corrupted but only INCUMBRED by the darkness of the understanding and unruliness of the affections which IMPEDIMENTS BEING REMOVED the will may put in ure her own inbred faculty of freedom that is of her self will or nill chuse or refuse any kind of good set before her Which they say is contrary to Jer. 17. 9. Ephes 2. 3. Chap. 3 4. Errour 3d. hindrance being taken away 〈◊〉 rendred disposed to receive the graâ—â— of God Hence is that of some Schoâ—â— men of some I say for they do not agree but some are sounder than Jesuits and Arminians that God doth not deny grace to him that doth endeavour to do what is in him to obtain it And he doth what is in him that doth forsake the act of sin the will of 〈◊〉 ning and doth endeavour to do good and to convert himself to God He that doth this deserves grace say they by this merit of congruity because it is congruous say they that to a man acting according to his vertue God should give a reward according to the excellency of his vertue And also because it were incongruous or unfit 〈◊〉 give grace to them that neglect to 〈◊〉 these things and voluntarily oppoâ—â— grace offered And this merit of congruity was brought into the Church by some erroneous Schoolmen and 〈◊〉 others made use of that some reason might be given or shewed of mans part why to sâ—â— grace is given and to others not given and so they make the first 〈◊〉 ving cause of grace taken either for the favour of God or gifts of grace of God Spirit to be in man and in mans own natural power or free will Which I suppose is sufficiently confuted before Articles the sixth and seventh 3. That good works done before the saving grace of Christ received and wrought in a man â—o make him meet to receive the saving grace of God These works I call good according to them which may be good quoâ—â— substantiam materialiter but are evil quoad modum formaliter because not done to Gods glory in faith and in love and obedience to God and his will Now these Errors I renounce because they are contrary to the Doctrine of the Church of England 1. In her 13th Article which is this Works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his 〈◊〉 are not pleasant to God forasmuch as they spring not of faith in Jesâ—â— Crist neither do they make men meet to receive grace or as the School-Aâ—rthor say deserve grace of congruity yea rather for that they are not 〈◊〉 â—s God hath willed and commanded them to be done we doubt not but they have the nature of sin In which Article are these three Conclusions 1. That works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of his Spirit are not pleasant unto God 2. That works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of 〈◊〉 Spirit do not make men meet to receive grace or do not deserve grace of congruity 3. That works done before the grace of Christ and the inspiration of 〈◊〉 Spirit have the nature of sin