cause of Justification that is within us and from which we are denominated really just whereas the remission of Sin is an act of God without us and of the deletion of the habit of Sin inherent not of the pardon of the acts of Sin formerly committed After that this is agreed on also by Protestants that these two go always together and that none is reconciled or received into God's favour by remission of Sin who is not also at the same time renewed in his mind and made righteous by infusion of the Holy Spirit β. β. Calvin Institut Lib. 3. ch 14. § 9. Fatemur dum nos intercedente Christi justitia sibi reconciliat Deus ac gratuita peccatorum remissione donatos pro justis habet cum ejusmodi misericordia conjunctum hoc esse beneficium quod per Spiritum suum in nobis habitat Lib. 3. cap. 16. § 1. Jam utrumque nobis confert Christus utrumque fide consequimur vitae scilicet novitatem gratuitam reconciliationem De vera Christianae pacificationis ratione 2. Cap. Si quis ex adverso objiciat non aliter nos fieri participes Christi justitiae quia dum ejus Spiritu in obedientiam legis renovamur hoc quidem fatendum est c. Again Neque vero cum homines dicimus gratis justificari Christi beneficio tacenda est regeneationis gratia Quin potias cavendum ne a nobis separentur quae perpetuo Dominus conjungit Quid ergo Doceantur homines fieri non posse ut justi censeantur Christi Merito quin renoventur ejus Spiritu in sanctissimam vitam frustraque gratuita Dei adoptione gloriari omnes in quibus Spiritus regenerationis non habitat denique nullos a Deo recipi in gratiam qui non justi quoque vere fiant Mountague Appeal p. 170. Whom Christ doth not quicken he doth not justify This is directly the Doctrine of the Scripture Gal. 3.22 1. Cor. 6.11 Heb. 9.14 Rev. 1.5 6. 1. Pet. 2.9 Fathers also are cited c. Bishop Forbes de Justific Lib. 2. c. 4. Protestantes unanimi consensu fatentur inhaerentis justitiae seu sanctitatis infusionem cum gratuita nostri justificatione necessario ac perpetuo conjunctam esse Now first that our Justification consists not only in the former but also in the later Catholicks evidently collect from many Texts of Scripture which do apply our freedome from God's wrath and punishment and inheriting eternal life to this later as other Texts do to the former Such are these Rom. 3.24 Where we are said to be justified freely i. e. without any thing in us deserving it by his Grace i. e. infused as all grant it is at that time when God justifies us Titus 3.5 ver Where speaking of Baptisme the Apostle saith That according to his mercy he saved us by the laver of regeneration and renovation i. e. internal of the Holy Ghost that being justified by his Grace i. e. in this internal renovation c. we should be made Heirs of eternal life 1. Cor. 6.11 compared with the former where speaking of the same Baptisme he saith But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus into which they are baptized and by the Spirit of God i. e. infused in our Baptisme by which infused we are said here expresly as to be sanctified so justified and this put the last as also Rom. 8.30 it is put alone but there necessarily including also our Sanctification Rom. 4.25 Where Christ is said to be delivered for our offences i. e. the remission of them and to be raised again for our justification i. e. for our regeneration or renovation by the Spirit given unto us upon his Resurrection comp Rom. 8.10 Eph. 4.23 24. where the new man is said to be created in justice Gal. 5 6. comp 6.15 Rom. 6.7 He that is dead i. e. to Sin by a new life given by Grace is justified from Sin comp Gal. 3.21 Rom. 5.17.21 Where 't is said That those who receive abundance of Grace and donation of Justice shall reign in life c. And that Grace reigneth i. e. in us by or thr Justice to life eternal It were needless to add more To the same matter belong all those Texts wherein we are said By being born again and by inherent righteousness to be made Friends Domesticks Children Heirs of God All those Texts which atribute Salvation or also remission of Sin or punishment either to the several particular habits and branches of this inherent Righteousness as to that of Faith of Hope or Charity of the Love or Fear or Service of God or Love Mercy and Alms to our Neighbour or to the several Act of these Habits and Graces i. e. to our good works following Regeneration Lastly All those Texts wherein God is said To accept persons for their inherent holiness or righteousness And as this is evident in Scripture so it is concluded by many Protestants that the Term Justification both sometimes in Scripture and most frequently by the Fathers is used to signify not only remission of Sin but internal Sanctification and in this Latitude have several Protestants themselves explained it γ. γ. Bishop Forbes de Justificatione Lib. 2. Cap. 4. cioncerning the Scriptures Verbum justificari quandoque etiam in Scriptura significare justitia imbui vel donari non diffitentur permulti docti Protestantes contra aliorum rigidorum id pertinaciter negantium sententiam quoting there the words of Beza Zanchy Peter Martyr Chamier and others Again concerning the Fathers Ibid. c. 5. Hanc fuisse communem Patrum omnium tum Graecorum tum Latinorum Sententiam ex quamplurimis illorum dictis Augustini imprimis acerimi gratiae Christi propugnatoris nemini in veterum lectione versato obscurum esse potest Res adeo certa manifesta est ut dissentientes ipsimet Protestantes id ultro concedunt quoting the Confessions of Calvin Chemnitius Beza Bucer Chamier c. to this purpose Imo saith the same Forbes multi etiam doctissimi Protestantes hanc ipsam sententiam secuti sunt aut saltem eam non omnino improbarunt quoting after many others Spalatensis Bishop Mountague and Dr. Feild Whose words are Append. 3. l. 11. c. The first Justification implyeth in it three things remission of Sins past acceptation and receiving into that favour that righteous men are wont to find with God and the grant of the gift of the Holy Spirit and of that sanctifying and renewing Grace whereby we may be framed to the declining of Sin and doing of the works of righteousness 2. Again Catholicks contend that in comparing these two concurrents to our Justification the later i. e. to be made internally and habitually just ut peccatis mortui justitiae vivamus 1. Pet. 2.24 is the chiefer and more principal then the first i. e. to be reputed only not unjust or not a Sinner To which may be added that there being two
to have done them for none can truly be said or thought to have performed such righteousness or satisfactions that hath not done them himself but another for him but as to the benefit or effect of them χ. χ. Bellarm. de Justificat 2. l. 10. c. Dominus Jesus Christus justitia nostra 1. Cor. 1. Quoniam satisfecit Patri pro nobis eam Satisfactionem ita nobis donat communicat cum nos justificat ut nostra satisfactio justitia dici potest And a little after Non esset absurdum si quis diceret nobis imputari Christi justitiam merita cum nobis donentur applicentur ac si nos ipsi Deo satisfecissemus modo non negetur esse in nobis praeterca justitiam inhaerentem c. Again Ibid. 7. c. Si solum vellent nobis imputari Christi merita or justitiam quia nobis donata sunt possumus ea Deo Patri offerre pro peccatis nostris c. Recta esset eorum sententia Cap. 11. Potest sano modo accommodari exemplum Patriarchae Jacob justitiae imputativae si quis dicat oportere ut induamus merita Christi I add or Justitiam sive obedientiam activam Christi for this also is part of his Merits See Bellarm. de Christo 5. l. 9. c initio and illis quodammodo tecti petamus a Deo indulgentiam peccatorum nam solus Christus pro peccatis nostris satisfacere potuit I add tam obedientia activa See Rom. 5.18 19. Gal. 4.4 5. Phil. 2.5 c. Matt. 3.15 quam passiva and illa satisfactio nobis donatur applicatur nostra reputatur cum Deo reconciliamur justificamur Thorndike Epilog 2. l. 29. c. p. 248. The Supposition that one man's doings or sufferings may be personally and immediatly imputed to another man's account is utterly unreasonable And I therefore must and do say that as it is sufficient so it it is true that the sufferings of Christ are imputed unto us in the nature of a meritorious cause moving God to grant mankind those terms of Reconcilement which the Gospel importeth Not all the benefit and effect in such a manner as that whatever is any way due to the active or passive righteousness of Christ is thus due to us for so we should all receive a future reward equal to one another and also equal to that of Christ our Lord's but all that benefit and effect of them which our sinful condition stands in need of and which God hath further thought fit to dispence for the purchasing by an equal compensation and satisfaction of our present pardon and future Glory The benefit and reward of which merits as to our glorification he applies variously according to the different degrees of our own present sanctity and good works that dispose us for such a participation of these Merits Such dispositions produced by prevenient and assistant Grace in adultis are a certain degree of Faith or believing the truth of all the Divine Revelations and Promises and particularly that of God's justifying the ungodly by his Grace thro the redemption which is in Christ Jesus the fear of God's judgments for Sin hope and trust in his mercy thro Christ love of his goodness hate and repentance for former Sins serious purpose of a better life and observance of God's Commandments and the desire and susception where oportunity of Baptisme the Sacrament instrumental hereunto See Conc. Trid. Sess 6.6 c. 4ly They grant that among these previous dispositions or conditions of Justification Faith is the beginning of the rest and so the Foundation and root of all our Justification and that without which it is impossible in any other act to please God So we neither fear God's Judgments nor hope for his Pardon nor love his Goodness nor put confidence in his only Son's Merits unless we first believe these And therefore St. Paul opposing the condition of the new Covenant Faith and all other acts or works following it as by God's promise to them and not their own worth applying Christ's Merits to us for our Justification to the merits of the works of the Law in the Jew and of Nature in the Gentile but never opposing Faith to any of those acts of Grace consequential so long as these maintained in no other manner to concur to our Justification than Faith it self doth therefore most perfectly agreeeth with St. James λ. λ. Mr. Thorndike Just Weights 9. c. p. 60. To be justified by Faith alone is with St. Paul to be justified by Christianity alone St. James in arguing that a Christian is justified by Works and not by Faith alone intended to teach that the profession of Christianity justifieth not when it is not performed Bishop Forbes de Justifie 4. l. 6. c. p. 173. Sanctus Paulus intellexit semper ex fide viva quatenus viva i. e. operante vel externe vel interne per charitatem nos justificari Atque hoc ipsum est quod Beatus Jocobus hic sed Paulo clarius distinctius affirmat hominem ex operibus justificari non ex fide tantum The same thing appears from St. Paul's Arguments made against Justification by Works many of which are faulty if made against Works following Faith and wrought by Grace As his arguing Rom. 4.4 Rom. 4.13 compared with 2.6 1. Cor. 3.13 14. Jo. 15.10 Gal. 2.21 5.4 3.13 Eph. 2.8 9 10. Tit. 3 4 5. Phil. 3.9 compared with the precedent verses 3 4 5 6. and with Rom. 10.3 9.31 In all or most of which if instead of works of the Law you read works of the formerly justified and pardoned their Sins by God's meer mercy produced by Grace that is procured by Christ's merits you will find the arguing and consequence invalid and faulty This Apostle I say mentions this Faith more frequently than the rest as being the very beginning and first fruits of Divine Grace and that without which none of the rest that are added to it either can be at all or if being can be any thing worth μ. μ. Conc. Trid. Sess 6.8 c. Cum vero Apostolus dicit justificari hominem per fidem per fidem ideo justificari dicimur quia fides est humanae salutis initium fundamentum radix omnis justificationis sine qua impossibile est placere Deo ad filiorum ejus consortium pervenire Stapleton de Justificat 8. l. c. ult Fide nos necessario vel ante omnia maxime justificamur dum impius quidem justificatur quia a fide ordiendum est Dum justus autem justificatur magis quia omnia justitiae opera in fide recta fieri a fide procedere debent Bellarm. de Justificat 5 l. 7. c. In homine nondum conciliato primus motus ad salutem est fidei inde sequitur amor desiderium beatitudinis per fidem jam cognitae post amorem sive cupiditatem Beatitudinis sequitur in homine spes Mediante
them For if some more imperfect acts of Faith of Repentance Hope Love c. done only by God's assistant Grace did thro God's promise and Christ's merits procure our first Justification and the consequents thereof much more the same acts and others the like now more perfect and proceeding from Grace inhabitant do thro the same promise and merits confer on or procure for us a greater or as some stile it a second Justification viz. An improvement of our former justice the remission of such Venial Sins as are still committed by the justified and a richer eternal reward 9. They affirm That a man may fall away again from this state of Justification by incurring those greater Sins either of Omission or Commission which are for this cause called commonly Mortal from which fall he is capable of restorement to a second Justification or justified condition by the same means as he attained the first only if instead of Baptisme not iterable he make use of the Sacrament of Penance for his entrance into it where-in concerning the just value and vertue of Penal Works see below Head XIX 10. These are the Catholicks Positions concerning Justification much tending to the promotion of pious endeavours and an holy life with whom also the more moderate Protestants do in most if not all the former Points concur But meanwhile there are other Tenents of the more rigid Protestants on this subject and several also of them broached by the first Author of the Reformation which brings a very great prejudice to it that tend much to the relaxation of good manners the breeding of false securities and weakning mens endeavours in the prosecution of a good life such as these ζ. ζ. See the most rigid Protestants maintaining the most of these Opinions cited and censured by Bishop Forbes in his Considerationes aequae placidae de Justificatione And by Dr. Hammond in his Treatise of Fundamentals from the 11th to the 19th Chapter And by Mr. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. from the 4th to the 10th Chapter 1st Their placing Justification only in the remission of Sin and imputation to us of the righteousness of Christ not in infusion of Grace or renovation of life making men fancy here that all their work is done for and without them none to be done in or by them 2ly In such remission of Sin their making Justification as it were one momentaneous act and God at one and the same time remitting to us all our Sins past present and to come which must needs produce afterward a very careless behaviour both to committing and repenting of Sin 3ly In such imputation of Christ's Righteousness their maintaining it in such a manner not as if we were meritoriously justified by the application of the effects of it to us as if it had been our own but formally justified by a translation of it and investiture with it in such a manner as if it were inherent in us and esteemed to be done by our selves 4ly From whence ariseth also a conceit that all men by this righteousness apprehended by their Faith are equally justified or all esteemed equally righteous in their Justification 5ly And so also that all become equal in the future celestial reward whether working much or working little 6ly Their making the only instrument or necessary condition required in us for Justification or remission of Sin Faith alone an easy act of the brain as Dr. Hammond Of Fundamentals p. 116. observes having nothing in it repugnant to our passions and not any other good disposition wrought in us by God's especial Grace Repentance purpose of a better Life and this Faith too required of us for this purpose not as any work or duty but only as an instrument or hand to apprehend and apply Christ's merits to us and to make his righteousness ours c. 7ly Their making this Faith that justifies us a strong fiducia or full assurance that we are justified or if you will that we shall be justified only on those terms if we firmly believe we shall be so Which obliging men of what life soever to believe they are or shall be justified without looking after any requisite thereto save only this full belief renders those who continue still unreformed in their Manners yet by such strong fancy secure of their Salvation whilst none more than they extol the all-sufficiency of Christ's Righteousness nor none so much as they do or have reason to diffide in and dis-esteem their own From which Tenent also it follows that all those that are truly justified are assured or certainly know that they are justified The ordinary effect of which Doctrine is despair in some who find in themselves no such assurance certain presumption in others who are fully assured without just cause 8ly Their holding that a justifying is only a true Faith which breeds a great presumption in those for their being also justified persons who do and have no reason but to take themselves for true believers and who would even give their bodies to be burnt for any Article of the Christian Faith 1. Cor. 13.3 and yet do or may want Charity and so Justification 9ly Their holding good works and the other dispositions that always accompany a justified Faith to be necessary to our Justification or Salvation only as effects and fruits or also signs and assurances to our selves or others of this Faith necessary for their presence indeed but not for their efficiency as causa sine qua non ad salutem non impediendum but not as instruments or conditions required thereto as our Faith is thus destroying obedience it self by taking away the chief motives that men have to it and making them neglect any further pains-taking for the production of those things which they are taught do necessarily grow from Faith or which serve only to justify them not before God but Men. 10ly Their expounding St. Paul not only to exclude Works performed by strength of Nature but done by Grace from any way disposing us or concurring thereto And St. James only to speak of good Works as declaring our Justification before men not obtaining it with God 11ly Their affirming the Promises of the Gospel to be meerly gratuital excepting for Faith and not conditional upon Obedience as those of the Law were denying our Lord to be any Legislator or denying Christian liberty to be so far obliged to the Obedience of the Law as that any account is had of our observing of it in any degree as to obtaining or improving our Justification And that Christians ought now not as tied to it by God's Law but spontaneously and freely to do that Will of his which was formerly made known to them by the Law Which Obedience of our's how little soever and upon such terms we may guess it will not be much yet is accepted by God through the more perfect Obedience of his Son made ours by Faith See Calvin Institutiones 3. l. 19. c. 2.4 § And then we may
reconciliatione consequendae ejusdem beatitudinis c. 5. This Faith therefore Catholicks maintain That it may be said in this respect primarily to justify us I mean by way of disposition and condition required and accepted from us in order thereto But 5ly not it solely either when it is not accompanied with the rest for so it may be but in such case is injustificant or yet as if when so accompanied it alone and not they as well as it and in the same manner as it concurred to our Justification For first in the Scriptures frequently our Justification i. e. pardon of Sin and donation of Grace is attributed as to it so to them See for Repentance which also includeth fear justifying or procuring both remission of Sin and renovation by the Spirit the Apostles Sermons in the Acts ch 2. v. 38. Repent saith St. Peter and be Baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of Sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost And Chap. 3. ver 19. Repent ye that your sins may be blotted out Chap. 5. ver 31. This Prince hath God exalted to give Repentance to Israel and remission of Sins And Chap. 11. ver 18. Then hath God say the Christians also given to the Gentiles repentance unto life And Luk. 24.47 Our Lord commandeth That Repentance and remission of Sin be preached in his Name unto all Nations And Luk. 13.3.5 telleth the People That without Repentance they must perish See the same 2. Pet. 3.9 1. Jo. 1.9 But if we confess our sins God is faithful and just to forgive them in so much that it is agitated in the Schools whether Faith or Repentance in our Justification have I say not the first for Repentance presupposeth Faith but the principal place The same may be shewed of Love Luk. 7.47 Much is forgiven her saith our Lord because she loved much And 1. Jo. 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we love the brethren he that loveth not abideth in death And very frequently it is the reward of eternal Life particularly promised See 1. Cor. 2.9 Luk. 6.35 Jam. 1.12.2.5 Rom. 8.28 1. Cor. 16.22 The same promise of Remission of Sin and eternal life made yet more frequently to Obedience Reformation of Life works of Charity and Mercy Matt. 6.15 If ye forgive not men their trespasses neither will the Father forgive your trespasses Matt. 5.7 Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy Acts 10.35 In every Nation He that feareth God and worketh righteousness is acceptable to him Heb. 6.10 God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of Love And 2. Tim. 4.7 8. The Lord the just Judge lays up a Crown of Righteousness for those who fight a good Fight And Gal. 6.7 Be not deceived saith the Apostle St. Paul speaking of good works God is not mocked what a man sowes that shall he reap And let no man deceive you saith St. John 1. Epist c. 3. v. 7. He that doth righteousness is righteous even as he our Lord Christ is righteous 'T is needless to name more See St. Jam. c. 2. v. 21. c. Matt. 5.1 Jo. 15.14 Nay not only by their deeds but words also men are justified or condemned Matt. 12.37 The same promise made also to the receiving of the Sacraments Acts c. 2.28 22.16 Eph. 5.26 Tit. 3.5 6 7. This concerning the Expressions of Scripture 2. As Faith may be conceived to justify us only by its relation to and apprehension of Christ's Merits and not as it is a work of our's any way meriting of it self our Justification so also may all the rest of the forenamed dispositions For by Love and Hope built on Faith we do yet more closely apprehend and apply these Merits than we do by Faith alone and as God is pleased to justify us by Christ's Merits but not by these unknown to us but that he first requires an eye of Faith that we see them or if you will a hand of Faith that we take or lay hold of them So he requires further the arms of Love to embrace them and of Hope to hold them fast and this after that Repentance also with much importunity and tears hath first procured our nearer access to them otherwise whatever we think our Faith without these sees or catcheth at them but possesseth them not and what greater opposition is there shewed to our meriting by saying we are justified by Faith alone and that relatively too than that by Faith and other works of Grace so long as we say all in their proper acts only point at and terminate in the same Merits of Christ not their own as well as Faith doth r. Of this matter well the Cardinal de Justificatione Lib. 1. 16. Cap. Esto apprehendatur aliquo modo justificatio per fidem certe non ita apprehenditur ut reipsa jam habeatur inhaereat sed solum ut sit in mente per modum objecti actione intellectus aut voluntatis apprehensi at hoc modo apprehendunt etiam amor gaudium ut scribit St. Augustinus in Lib. 8. Cons cap. 2. Ubi de Victorino loquens volebant eum inquit omnes rapere in corsuum rapiebant amando gaudendo Hae rapientium manus erant Dr. Fern Answer to Scripture Mistaken 4. c. p. 92. Albeit good Works do not justify but follow Justification yet are there many works or workings of the Soul required in and to Justification Again These works or workings of the Soul naming there desire fear love sorrow purposes are preparatory and dispositive to Justification And Pag. 94. There are other acts and works also besides Faith which according to their measure are required in Justification as conditions of receiving remission of Sins so Repentance and the act of Charity in forgiving others Bishop Forbes de Justificat 1. l. 4. c. Sacrae literae nusquam nec diserte nec per necessariam consequentiam fidoi Soli omnem omnino vim justificandi tribuunt five quod idem est asserunt fidem esse unicum instrumentum medium accipiendae apprehendendae gratiae justificationis Ibid. Patres plurimi nos Sola fide justificari affirmant Sed si pura mente c. legeris clare videbis per vocem Sola Patres omnia simpliciter fidei gratiae opera a causis justificationis salutis aeternae nunquam excludere voluisse Sed primo legem naturae Mosaicam Secundo opera omnia propriis viribus sine fide in Christum gratia Dei praeveniente facta Tertio falsam fidem vel haeresin cui tunc fidem non autem operibus opponunt Quarto Operum externorum etiam ex gratia factorum ut charitatis paenitentâ—e Sacramentorum perceptionis necessitatem absolutam quando scilicet aut potestas aut occasio deest ejusmodi opera faciendi tum enim sufficit Sola fides sine operibus externis Sed non sine omni bono affectu
paenitentiae dilectionis in Deum quae opera sunt interna Denique quinto omnem inanem fiduciam operum nostrorum Sive interne sive externe factorum Cap. 5. § 14. Proinde censemus omnem rigidorum Protestantium sententiam a veritate a charitate Christiana alienam esse qui assertionem de sola fide non justificante communiter a Romanensibus defensam citra omnem vel fidei ipsius vel meriti opinionem etiam improprie dicti vel aliorum operum seu actuum cum fide ad justificationem concurrentium non solùm cum sancta Scriptura piis Patribus e diametro pugnare contendunt sed etiam praeter alia innumera justam Protestantibus a Romana Ecclesia secedendi causam praebuisse praebere Dr. Hammond Pract. Catech. 1. l. § 4. p. 75. The necessary qualifications conditions or moral instruments of our Justification are Faith Repentance firm purpose of a new life and the rest of those Graces upon which in the Gospel pardon is promised the Christian And afterwards This kind of Sanctification so he calls the dispositions to Justification wrought in us by God's Grace is precedent in order of nature to Justification i.e. I must first believe repent and return before God will pardon 6. They affirm also that one may have a true faith or belief of all the Articles of our Creed and particularly of this man's Redemption through Christ's Merits or if we take Faith for fiducia may have also a fiducial confidence that he in particular shall obtain or if you will hath already obtained remission of his Sins through the same redemption and merits and yet not by this Faith or fiducia attain Justification if these be not accompanied with Repentance and the other necessary preparations thereto For there are many wicked and irregenerate men who yet do truly believe all the Articles of the Creed and are thereby fully convinced of their duty yet led away with lusts do contrary to what they know they ought and some of them who are also fully tho groundlesly for want of Repentance and the other requisites perswaded that themselves are of the number of the justified ξ ξ. Thorndike Epilog 2. l. p. 28. It is manifest to all Christians that there are too many in the world whom we cannot imagine to have any due title to those promises and yet do really and verily believe the Faith of Christ to be true and him and his Apostles sent from God to preach it And from their belief stand convict that they ought to proceed accordingly yet We see men not always to do that which reasonably from their belief they ought to do c. Again on the other side q Trust and confidence in God through Christ obtains the promises of the Gospel who denies it But is this trust always well grounded and true Is it not possible for a man to imagine his title to the promises of the Gospel to be good when it is not I would we had no cause to believe how oft it comes to pass All which argues these other Acts are necessary concurrents to Justification as well as such Faith For it seems very unreasonable that such Faith when without the other as many times it is is effectless as to attaining Justification and yet when it is with them they effectless and it doing the whole especially if the former Scriptures be reviewed using the same expressions of their concurrence to this effect as they do of Faith 7. Our Justification i. e. remission of Sin and infusion of habitual Grace which Infants also when baptized receive as well as others whereby we are made new creatures and by the infusion of his Holy Spirit born of God and his Seed remaining in us and so made his Sons and Heirs being thus attained upon our Faith and the other forementioned dispositions required in us Next Catholicks grant That the thus justified not only have a right to but may also attain the possession of eternal life before and without external good works issuing from such habitual or inherent Grace or before any justification or merit by them And that their works are not necessary to justification the producing or continuing of it or to the obtaining the reward of it eternal life when either power as in those who as yet have not the use of reason or who are prevented by suddain death or an occasion of such good works is wanting or also when occasion being offered yet the omission of such good works amount not to a mortal Sin by which Sins only man falls from his former Justification ξ. But 8ly They affirm which is also allowed by Learned Protestants π. pgr Dr. Field Append. to 3. l. 11. c. In Answer to Dr. Stapleton's Words That Actions of Virtue and careful endeavour to walk in the Commandments of God are not necessary to our second Justification or the augmentation progress and dayly perfecting of the same more and more is a Calumniation for they the Protestants make the second Justification to consist in two parts 1st The dayly well doing whereby the righteousness inherent is more and more perfected And 2ly the dayly remission of such sinful defects as are found in their actions Dr. Fern Answer to Scripture Mistaken p. 92. If they intend no more by second Justification than is here expressed in the Trent Decree viz. Renovation day by day and yielding up our Members as Weapons of Righteousness to Sanctification and increase in Righteousness we have no cause to quarrel at the thing but only that they will call that Justification which indeed is Sanctification Bishop Forbes de Justificat 4. l. 6. c. Perperam a Protestantibus rigidioribus rejicitur distinctio usitatissima justificationis in primam secundam Nam praeter Justificationem primam necessario etiam agnoscenda admittenda est justificatio secunda quae consistit in progressu augmento complemento pro statis vitae justitiae primum donatae in remissione illorum delictorum in quae quotidie justi incidunt Confirming it there with several Protestant Authorities That this first Justification thus attained before these good Works is in case of longer-life both necessarily continued by good Works or acts of inherent Grace either external or only internal where is some impediment of the external so that he who commits a mortal Sin in omission of such works falls from his former Justification and also is increased or further degrees of Justification or inhabitant Grace or as the Protestants had rather call it Sanctification received or added by the same good works for such acts external or internal do still increase the habit or render the person more holy whereby the already just is still made more just so Abraham tho just before yet was more highly justified by that Heroick act of the Oblation of his only Son Jam. 2. And the future reward also becomes greater to these good Works according to our greater Justification by
things very considerable in Sin the transient act and the remaining habit of which the later is far the worse and of which it is necessary that the one be deleted as well as the other pardoned for any one to be accounted positively just or not impious this later the habit is not removed or abolished but by Grace first infused and also whether before or rather after the same Grace infused our former actual Sins are pardoned is thought by Protestants a thing doubtful and not necessary to be decided δ δ. See the words of Calvin in Antidoto Conc. Trident. Of Beza contra Illyricum and others in Forbes de Justific 2. l. 4. c. p. 70 71. Simul nos justificari renovari saith Calvin dico in Christo per fidem nobis unito applicato neque haec an illa ordine antegrediatur tantillum laborandum censeo cum unam sine altera nunquam recipiamus This infusion of Grace therefore by several titles claims the chief place in our Justification and is that thing only in us that justifieth or maketh us to be really just and so is usually stiled the formal cause of our Justification 3. Meanwhile both the one and the other being the effects only of God's mercy Catholicks affirm That since God justifieth us not for those but for the righteousness and sufferings of Christ as the sole meritorious cause thereof it is not necessary as to our Justification in respect of inherent righteousness that this be every way consummate and perfect 4. Nay further they freely concede that it is such as that it doth produce some particular acts perfect and without contagion of Sin learned Protestants assenting ε. ε. Forbes Ibid. c. 5. Ecquid magis injuriose contumeliose dici potest in Christi Gratiam quam asserere nos nihilominus nihil prorsus vel cogitare vel dicere vel agere posse quod purum sit a peccati Sorde And § 13. Sententia haec rigida multis etiam doctissimis Protestantibus aliisque viris moderatissimis semper unprobata fuit quoting them at large Ibid. Yet ordinarily it doth many or the most mixt with several imperfections and that Venial Sins do both adhere to and intervene between many of the good actions of the justified ζ. ζ. Estius 2. Sent. 41. d. 4. § Et justi in iis operibus quae indubitate bona sunt saepe-numero peccant dum its se aliquonsque vel concupiscentiae vel negligentiae vel alicujus levioris circumstantiae ad integritatem boni operis requisitae defectus admiscent Forbes de Justificatione 4. l. 3. c. 8. § Communiter sentiunt Romani nullum Sanctorum vitare posse omnia venialia peccata per longum vitae tempus Conc. Trid. Sess 6. Can. 23. Which Sins after are remitted only by God's Mercy through Christ's Merits as those are before Justification γ. γ. Bellarm. de Justificat 4. l. 14. c. In Answer to the Objection Post primam reconciliationem Christus ociosus esset saith no Quoniam peccata nostra quamvis levia quotidiana ipse purgat sanguis ejus emundat nos ab omni peccato Estius 2. Sent. 42. d. 6. § Nemo quantumcunque justus nisi sanguine Christi Redemptoris etiam a Veniali peccato emundatus fuit in regnum Dei admitti potest See the same in Bellarm. de Justificat 4. l. 21. c. § Resp non dicit 5. Lastly Several learned Catholicks do not hold this inherent righteousness or internal renovation so absolutely necessary to mans Justification i. e. to remission of Sin or capacity of future Glory as that none possibly could had it so pleased God received from him pardon of his offences or also through virtue of Christ's merits an eternal glory without having such inherent righteousness and whilst he only reduced to his pure Naturals or that none could possibly or justly be deprived of Glory that hath such inherent righteousness Vid. Bellarmin de Justificat 2. l. 16. c. Reatus paenae quartus effectus Scotus 1. Sent. 17. d. F. a Sanct. Clara Deus Natura Prob. 23. But only maintaining that it is God's Pact or Covenant and declared Will that Christ's Merits should this and no other way merit for us freedome from Hell and life eternal Namely First by satisfying for our former Sins and procuring for us this donation of the sanctifying Spirit within us 2ly What Catholicks do include in and understand by Justification being thus explained Next they affirm that there is nothing in man that can antecedently merit this our Justification but that the sole meritorious cause of it both in respect of remission of Sin or any punishment due unto it and of the donation of Grace destroying in us the habits and pollutions of Sin and producing good works is the obedience active and passive the works labours sufferings and satisfactions of Jesus Christ only exclusive to the works sufferings or satisfactions of any other Where also they maintain that neither any works of our's done by the meer strength of nature have the least worth in them to procure God's assistant Grace for the producing of any previous disposition to this Justification as of Faith Repentance a love of God c. Nor again these dispositions tho wrought by assistant Grace and having some supernatural dignity in them have any such worth as by it to procure from God setting aside his meer bounty and free promise the Justification it self ζ. ζ. Conc. Trid. Sess 6.8 c. Nihil eorum quae justificationem praecedunt sive fides sive opera ipsam justificationis gratiam promeretur 'T is true that these dispositions to or conditions of man's Justification as effected by Grace having some true worth in them tho this no way comparable to the Acts produced by Grace inherent after Justification and besides having a gracious promise made to or acceptance of them which two things none can deny some Catholick Authors think that this word Meritum qualifying it with the addition de congruo may be justly applyed to them especially since St. Austine and other Fathers have so applyed it formerly St. Austine and other Fathers have so applyed it formerly St. Aust Ep. 105 106. others think not the matter agreed on the difference is about words and the Church's Subjects left to their liberty See Bellarm. de Justific 1. l. 21. c. And see Head XVI Merits 3. Yet they next affirm That there are some conditions or dispositions required of us and also by God's free first exciting and then assisting Grace man's Will assenting and co-operating wrought in us Which tho by any worth of theirs they cannot merit yet by vertue of God's free Promise and the new Covenant do certainly impetrate the applying or if Protestants Will imputing to us both the active and passive Obedience of Christ viz. all his Merits which are accepted by God instead of and as if they had been our own but this not as to our being esteemed by God our selves
guess what a poor harvest there will be of good Works where they are thus only Free-will-offerings 12ly Their depressing the righteousness and true worth of good Works flowing from Grace infused and by this undervaluing the true Power of God's Grace given unto us and so by this again inconsiderately lessening the effects of Christ's merits also as purchasing this infusion of Grace whereby to forbear sinning as much as they seem to extol them in the pardoning of us whilst doing nothing but sinning lessening also the same merits in the removing of Sin whilst they make it in their Justification rather covered than the strength and habit deleted and eradicated misapplying Rom. ch 7. 13ly Their affirming that the pretended restoring of the once justified and afterwards faln from Grace to the State of Grace again taught and used in the Church is a thing meerly imaginary See Dr. Field Append. 3. l. p. 312. for that he who is once justified can never be unjustified and who are once assured of their Justification are also assured of perseverance in it happen afterwards what sin will happen Which sins also consequently tho of the same kind must not be in these persons of the same guilt as in others i. e. losing the Kingdome of Heaven 1. Cor. 6. and so these persons being indeed though they perswade themselves otherwise by such sins faln from Grace Now are the Keys of the Church and those Sacraments and such a measure of repentance neglected whereby they might have been restored and so the last state of these men worse than the first that before their justification and their end miserable because too much conceited and secure These are the Tenents of some more rigid Protestants in the Point of Justification in opposition to the Roman Doctrines In some of which if perhaps their meaning may by a charitable construction be reconciled to truth yet do their expressions seem very pernicious to a good life and easily misunderstood by the vulgar or those who take them in the most obvious sense HEAD XVI Of Merit Of Merit COncerning the Merits of Grace inhabitant or of the good Works that proceed from it 1. Catholicks do generally disclaim any merit of them in such a sense as the word Merit is explained by Protestants See Field Append. 3. l. p. 324. Forbes de Justifica 5. l. 3. c. p. 197. viz. First Ut opus sit nostrum non ejus a quo mercedem expectamus 2ly Ut sit indebitum 3ly Ut nihil unquam faciendum omittatur nec omittendum committatur sive quoad partes sive gradus 4ly Ut sit aequalitas inter opus mercedem Or yet as Merit is taken in the former Covenant of Works involving the first and third of these Conditions They willingly granting That as there are no works of our's done by Grace assistant tho having some worth in them that can merit our Justification so neither any Works of the already justified proceeding from Grace infused and inhabitant tho having yet a greater worth in them that can merit the future divine reward promised to them as condigne i. e. as any way in strict justice equalling it α. α. Bellarm. de Justific 5. l. 14. c. Opera bona si considerentur ex natura sua remota promissione dignitate principii operantis nullam habent proportionem ad beatitudinem illam supernaturalem proinde non eis debetur ex justitia merces aeternae vitae quoting Rom. 8.18 Luk. 19.17 Matt. 19.29 centuplum 2. Cor. 4.17 and in his using the Phrase ex condigno for this reason because their Works have not only a promise made to them of a reward but also a dignity by reason of the divine principle of them God's Grace in us that hath some correspondency or similitude to the reward as the Seed to the fruit a lesser degree of Grace here to a higher measure there-of here and hereafter in the next world yet he disclaims any equality in a sense strictly taken as most clearly appears in his answer to the Objection made against condignity viz. the great inequality of our present Works tho proceeding from Grace and life eternal especially taken for the Object thereof Deus merces nostra magna nimis as also the inequality of the imperfect knowledge and charity we have here to that perfect we shall receive for it hereafter To which he answers Ibid. c. 18. Negari non potest quin beatitudo longe excellat actioni meritoriae cum in illa sit coguitio charitas perfecta in ista vero sit cognitio charitas imperfecta And That Non requiritur absoluta aequalitas inter meritum praemium secundum justitiam distributivam ut dici possit praemium ex condigno etiam ex parte operis sed sufficit ut sit proportio quaedam secundum quam is qui meretur dici possit dignus eo praemio And That Ideo dicimus ex condigno deberi fidei formatae per charitatem visionem cum ardentissima charitate quia dignum est ut res a Deo inchoata disposita tandem aliquando perficiatur absolvatur Granting also there that God doth always remunerare justorum opera supra condignum This account gives this Cardinal of the Word Condignum See the like in Scotus 1. l. 17. d. 1. q. Praemium speaking of aeterna beatitudo est majus bonum merito justitia stricta non reddit melius pro minus bono ideo bene dicitur quod Deus semper praemiat ultra meritum condignum See more Testimonies tending to this purpose below ε. and Head _____ Letters χ. Ï. Ï„. Ï…. φ. Or Secondly As nostra or ex nobis or 3ly As indebita γ. 1. or 4ly All of them quoad partes gradus perfect and free from faults See Head XV. of Justification Further also conceding that these good Works in order to that meriting which is by Catholicks ascribed to them do stand in need of the supply or support of the Merits of our Lord and that in many several respects 1st Both for procuring the gift of that Grace to us which in us procures or produceth these good Works β. 2ly And for procuring the Pact and Promise which God hath made to them without which whatsoever their worth had been they could have claimed from God no such reward 3ly And for the remission of the imperfections and Venial Sins accompanying many of them pardoned to us for Christ's not their Merit see Head XV. 4ly And lastly For the exhibiting to God an Obedience which in its true worth equalizeth or if you will exceeds the reward for Catholicks affirm a meritorious cause as of our Justification so of our Glorification perfectly equalling life eternal and the highest degrees thereof which any one receiveth but this not in us or our Works α but in Christ the effect of whose merits is dispenced to us for this end according to the measure of these our Works which as the
eternal save only upon his free and gracious promise made to them or at least in commutative justice do deserve it from any worth in them that equals it and for both these doth not always depend only on the Merits of Christ is held by Catholicks to err from Truth and to be guilty of a most false presumption 2ly For the true concurrence that good Works have by Christ's Merits thro God's free promise for obtaining or meriting life eternal here also as every one ought in general to believe most certainly and infallibly that all who perform such Evangelical Obedience shall obtain life Eternal So they affirm 1st That none is obliged to believe specially that his own Works or Obedience is such as cannot miss of it or that if he have not a full perswasion of the merit of his own Works or of his own Justification or Salvation or of the particular application of Christ's Merits to himself he cannot be justified or saved or partake of his Merits 2ly That by reason of the liableness of the once justified by or in their Baptisme to fall away again by committing Mortal Sin from their Justification and then the difficulty of discerning exactly among their Sins committed what are Mortal and losing the Divine Grace what are not then again by reason of the difficulty of knowing in our regaining a second Justification when we have a sufficient repentance or sorrow and contrition for our former Sins without which the Churches Sacraments do not profit us and a different measure of which is required according to the greatness of our fault and when we have not And 3ly by reason If we were ascertained of our regained estate of the great allay and impairment which our actions in this estate may receive from the mixture of many Venial sins so that our faults do many times equal sometimes exceed our good deeds nay sometimes that which we think a good act is no better than a true tho Venial Sin and is augmented also in our presumption that it is none By reason also of the difficulty to distinguish between Evangelical Counsels and Precepts in respect of which a different observance is required under penalty of falling into some Mortal Sin or only failing of Perfection And lastly by reason of the uncertainty of our perseverance and that our present Merits or Piety may not be all evacuated by some future miscarriages I say by reason of all these Catholicks affirm it the safest course especially for those who have not attained to any great perfection not to put any or much least it should happen to be a mistaken confidence in any merit or sufficiency of their own present works to those ends for which God requireth them of us But rather wholly to trust in and rely on God's mercy both for our present condition that if it be not safe he will through Christ's Merits by improving our Faith and Repentance change and amend it and for our present actions when we are in a safe condition that if they be full of defects and miscarriages he will for Christ's Merits remit these and for the future more sanctify them and give us also perseverance in them We ever remembring that of the Apostle 1. Cor. 4.4 Nihil mihi conscius sum sed non in hoc justificatus sum qui autem judicat me Dominus est Of which matter thus the Council of Trent Sess 6. c. 9. Sicut nemo pius de Dei misericordia Christi Meritis Sacramentorum virtute efficacia dubitare potest Sic quilibet dum seipsum suamque propriam infirmitatem indispositionem respicit de sua gratia i. e. of his Regeneration formidare timere potest 7ly Yet lastly they grant That such justified as are eminent in Sanctity both may have by special revelation which God sometimes condescending to a great familiarity communicates unto them an infallible certainty of their present justification and if persevering Salvation and may also without such revelation tho not attain any infallible certainty or perswasion cui non potest sub-esse falsum by reason of the possible defect of their judgment about some of the aforenamed particulars upon which therefore can never be built any Divine Faith the object of which is only Divine Revelation and therefore that only which is absolutely infallible yet have a strong and moral-certain perswasion or faith cui non sub-est dubium or dubitatio may have a fearless and calm security that they are actually justified and consequently if persevering shall be glorified Which is called the Testimony of a good Conscience grounded on their present Obedience as the condition and service required of them for rendring them capable of such a reward and of Christ's most perfect obedience the adequate meritorious cause thereof See 2. Cor. 1.12 1. Jo. 3.18 19 20. c. 24.4.17 2. Pet. 1.10 2. Tim. 4.7 8. To which Testimony of a good Conscience is added also the witness within them of the Holy Spirit Rom. 8.15 tho this witness as also it s other ordinary operations in us most-what is not certainly known by us to be its witness or operation for if it were so this would amount to special revelation Catholicks therefore affirm not a particular application of Christ's Merits to themselves or a confidence of their own Salvation in any justified to be unlawful but only an infallible certainty of these to be except by revelation unattainable and whilst they say that one tho in the state of Justification de sua gratia formidare timere potest yet they say not that every one timere debet ξ. ξ. See the Roman Writers quoted to this purpose by Dr. Field Append. 3. l. p. 318. c. And by Bishop Forbes de Justificat 3. l. 1. c. p. 95. c. Where Communior Romanensium sententia saith he libenter admittit ex vivae fidei sensu seu charitatis bonorum operum experimento certitudinem aliquam minoris inferioris gradus oriri quae conjecturalis probabilis nominari potest quae licet non omnem formidinem pellat tamen tollit omnem anxietatem haesitationem Progrediuntur alii quidam Romani ulterius certitudinem aliquam aliam minorem quidem certitudine fidei divinae Conjecturali tamen majorem quam certitudinem moralem appellandam censent admittunt Ita ut nullam habeant de sua justificatione formidinem deceptionis The Pharisee very confident Luk. 18.11 went home unjustified the Publican very fearful justified and so the Leper believing Christ's Power but doubting his good Pleasure si vis potes yet was cleansed Matt. 8.2 HEAD XVII Concerning Sin Venial and Mortal Concerning Sin Venial and Mortal THE Catholick Doctrine is 1. That all the Baptized are truely Regenerate 2. That a Man falls not from this state of Regeneration or from God's Grace and favour by committing any Sin how small soever nor yet continues still in this State whilst committing any Sin how
dilectio Dei quanta illi cognitioni plenae perfectaeque debetur jam culpae deputandum est but that in some particulars or others still there is in some part in this life a failing of our duty not only some defect in our Virtue but also from it St. Thomas 2 2. q. 184. art 3. speaks thus in answer to the Argument Ad observationem praeceptorum omnes tenentur cum sit de necessitate salutis igitur perfectio Christianae vitae non consistit in praeceptis quia omnes ad perfectionem non tenentur That Non est transgressor praecepti perfectae dilectionis qui non attingit ad medios perfectionis gradus dummodo attingit ad infimum Which lower degree every justified person must be possessed of before performing Counsels Est autem saith he alia perfectio charitatis i. e. the higher degrees of it that transcend the Precept ad quam aliquis per aliquid spirituale augmentum pervenit i. e. by practising and using the advantage of Counsels ut puta cum homo etiam a rebus licitis abstineat ut liberius divinis Obsequiis Vacet So the very highest Degree that of perfect Dilection Diliges Dominum Deum tuum ex toto corde totis viribus doth not command under pain of sinning and punishment an entire employment of all our powers thoughts and affections on God wholly perpetually nor that we never love desire or think on any thing besides him Protestants assenting but only such a sincerity of our love ut nihil supra eum aequaliter ei diligatur Beyond which there may be yet a more intense dilection of him in Consilio and most acceptable to God to which we stand upon no such penalty obliged ζ. p. 125. Neither can Zachary and Elizabeth who walked in all the Commandments of the Law blameless and so observed this Precept amongst others be imagined to have always exercised the same intensive act of love or the one an act always exactly equal in degree to that of the other 4ly In comparing Counsels and Precepts or some Counsels with others it is granted that the practice of some may be the means or instruments of the acquiring of the other or of any higher perfection therein or also of the preservation of them acquired in respect of which as the means compared with the end there Counsel may be esteemed inferior to the Precept So by exercising some higher degrees of temperance that are in Consilio we arrive easilier to the preservation of virginal or also a conjugal and necessary Chastity and such as is sub Praecepto And granted That all Counsels whatsoever are subordinate and instrumental to the attaining of that one Counsel of perfect Dilection In which and not in any other of them tho every one of them also containeth a greater perfection than the particular Precept to which it relates as hath been said Thes 2. ultimately consists the greatest perfection attainable in this life and of which is that much noted proposition of St. Thomas 2.2 q. 184. a. 3. to be understood That perfectio Christiane vitae per se essentialiter consistit in Praeceptis viz. in these two charitatis or dilectionis Dei proximi secundario autem instrumentaliter in Consiliis viz. those higher acts of other Virtues that do all tend to the perfecting of this love but it is meant by him of this Precept of Love in respect of the superior degrees thereof which are in Consilio and not of the inferiour to which we are obliged under Sin nor of the necessary degree of Charity which every one must already have to be in the state of Grace or Justification which state only produceth the acceptable performance of these Counsels we speak of that tend all to a greater Dilection and yet which state always presupposeth this Dilection already had in some degree γ p. 119. 5ly In comparing the several States of men according to their practice of necessary Duties or also of Counsels as it seems clear that in respect of any Precept of necessary Obedience and the Counsel relating to it caeteris paribus he must needs possess a higher degree of Christian perfection that besides the Precept observes also the Counsel that is that performes the higher degrees of any Virtue than he who only the less so it is granted that one in the observance of some particular Counsels as Virginity or Evangelical Poverty c. may be much inferiour to another that observes them not where some other disparities appear As where the other observes some other Counsels of an higher perfection in which the former person is deficient and especially if the later have attained to that which is the end of all the other a more intensively-perfect love of God or also if he hath been constant in the performance of all the necessary duties with more purity and freedome from Venial Sins 6ly Affirmed also That in one who in respect of some duties aspires to Counsels and doth more at least as to the external act than is commanded yet if he be disobedient so far as to sin mortally in respect of any other duty there ceaseth now all Supererogation or any acceptable or rewardable performance of any such Counsels because no work Meritorious or of Supererogation can be done save by those who are in the state of Grace and possessed of the habit of Charity See Head XVI And therefore far are Catholicks from imagining any acquitting or recompensing of disobedience in one thing by Supererogation in another neither is the laudable tho imperfect performance of some Evangelical Counsels before Justification whereby more easily to attain it and the practice of necessary duties reckoned by Catholicks any work of Supererogation or to be any way preferrable to or so perfect as the observance of those Precepts of necessary Obedience after our Justification to which such Counsels facilitate the way Much less yet is any thing to be accounted an act of greater perfection or work of Supererogation which is necessary to be done in order to performing any Precept for every Precept involves the injunction of all such means without which it cannot be observed upon the same penalty 7ly This for the thing As for the expression of Supererogations it is a word used but not invented by later times but derived from Antiquity who also took it up from the Scripture Luk. 10.35 Quodcunque Supererogaveris ego cum rediero reddam tibi Where St. Austine De Sanctis Virgin cap. 30. Nec enim sicut non Maechaberis non occides ita dici potest non Nubes illa exiguntur ista offeruntur si fiunt ista laudantur imperat vobis in hoc autem si quid Amplius Supererogaveritis in redeundo reddit vobis And De Opere Monach. c. 5. Amplius erogabat Apostolus Paulus qui suis ut ipse testatur Stipendiis militabat Again Confess l. 1. c. 4. Supererogatur tibi ut debeas quis habet
forbidden Again p. 171. The Pharisees doing some things which were not commanded was no part of their Hypocrisy I add or fault but on the contrary either their saying but not doing or their preferring their own Traditions before commanded Duties But still this is no prejudice to those real performances of more strictness than the Law exacts Fasting twice in the Week and the like supposing they offend in no other respect but that they are uncommanded performances Again p. 128. To Cawdry urging concerning these very matters we are here speaking of Penances Pilgrimages Laniations of the Body c. That since the Romanists do not hold them forth as Commands of God that which makes them impious mistaken Mortifications is their being voluntary Worships He answers It is not their making them the Worship of God that renders them culpable but the unfitness or inordinateness of them to that end to which they are designed Such Laniations of our own Bodies and might not he here have added St. Paul's 1. Cor. 9.27 being on that account deprived of all appearance of being acceptable to God Acceptable to God useful to that end or such end the pricklings of an hair cloth Matt. 11.21 But not the lashes of a Discipline Why so Yet allows he there St. Paul's Sufferings 2. Cor. 11.27 which why it may not include beating or scourging as well as pining or prickling the Body who can give a good reason Bishop White Answer to Fisher p. 302. In a thing adiaphorous i. e. no way commanded by the Scripture it is sufficient to make the practice lawful if it be not repugnant to the Scripture That are no way prohibited 2ly As are some way expedient and conducible to that good end to which they are designed and therefore also acceptable to God which many Penal Works ordinarily used in the Catholick Church need no such refuge being either such as are commanded and no where prohibited and such as are known to be acceptable to his Divine Majesty commanded us in the Scriptures at least as to some inferior degree or recommended to us there either in particular or in general and such as have been frequently practised by former Saints and experienced powerful for correcting vicious habits preventing temptations and such as in Scripture have frequent promises made to them of remission both of Sin to the not yet justified and of God's temporal scourges for Sin to those already received into his favour γ. 2. γ. 2. Bellarm. de Paenitent 4. l. 6. c. Opera Satisfactoria in genere non sunt caeremoniae sed res utilissimae quarum in divinis literis extant exempla promissiones prâ—cepta i. e. quoad certum modum the superior degrees being in Consilio and therefore when done much more acceptable to God Again Cap. 4. Paenitentiam Scripturae passim describunt per fletum planctum jejunium saccum c. Itaque cum dicuntur aliqui Paenas sponte sua assumere illud sponte sua non excludit mandatum Dei de paenitentia agenda operibus laboriosis assumendis sed excludit certum genus aut majorem mensuram operum laboriosorum quam Scriptura aut Ecclesia in particulari praescripserit Lastly Catholicks affirm that any such Acts may be reckoned penal and satisfactory either when voluntarily undertaken and imposed by our selves or when enjoined us by our spiritual Physitian the Priest God's appointed Officer for reconciling Penitents and prescribing the ways of making their peace with God or also when some of these or other Sufferings first imposed on us by God yet are by our patience and chearful acceptation of them made and so offered back unto him as it were Sufferings of our own choice in conformity to his holy Will This said concerning the matter of Penances next to proceed to their effect 2ly Catholicks then declare That in the freeing us from Sin and its bad effects there are contained these particulars 1st The remitting of the fault or sin it self as to the offence given to God by it and our being resumed into his favour 2dly The remitting of the eternal punishment due thereto which always accompanies the former the retention of such punishment not consisting with a restored amity 3ly The remitting of the temporal punishment or of some part of it 4ly The removing out of our Soul of the vicious habit or inclination to Sin left in it by the former frequented acts thereof That three of these the 1st 2d and 4th are removed in our Justification without any thing in us meriting this or satisfying for them ε. ε. Concil Trident. Sess 6.14 c. In paenitentia continentur c. Satisfactiones per jejunia c non quidem pro paena aeterna quae vel Sacramento vel Sacramenti voto una cum culpa remittitur c. See Melancthon Apol. Confess Aug. Art de Confess Fatentur Adversarii quod Satisfactiones non prosint ad remissionem Culpae And Rivet in Dialys Discuss Grot. Art 4. opposing Grotius thought by him to speak somewhat Socinian-like concerning our Saviour's Satisfaction Hic etiam novam ipsis Pontificiis doctrinam aperit Baptismo precibus satisfieri Deo pro peccatis Applicari Satisfactionem Christi per Sacramentum per fidem hactenus apud Christianos creditum est Sacramentum preces adhibitas esse Satisfactionem pro peccatis nemo hactenus dixit vel credidit Only some pre-dispositions in us being required without which the Application of Christ's Merits and Satisfactions and our Justification is not attained That of these conditions or predispositions required in us one is Repentance and in it a due Contrition in a greater or lesser degree according to the quality of our former offences especially in any greater relapses from our first Justification And again That for the producing such due contrition as likewise for the bringing the purpose of Reformation another and chief part thereof to good effect there is ordinarily requisite the practice of the forementioned works of Penance some or other more or less according to the more stubborn or flexible inclinations of the Soul to a penitent sorrow and remorse and softness or hardness of the hearts of wretched sinners less Penance being necessary as the person better disposed χ. Yet that neither are these Penal Works so far made necessary by Catholicks as if all or most of them were to precede every ones Justification or any of them so absolutely necessary thereto as that true Contrition may not possibly be without it or such true Contrition as is without it not obtain a perfect Justification ζ. ζ. Bellarm. de Indulgent 2. l. 17. c. Satis novinus posse hominem per internam conversionem ad Deum ita vehementer accendi in amorem Dei de peccatis suis dolere cum proposito Confessionis ut continuo recipiat remissionem omnium culparum paenarum I add further which intense and worthy Sorrow or Contrition did the Church know she might absolve such
sufferer by the exercise and improvement of many Christian Virtues in his patient and chearful undergoing of them Again for the deterring them or at least others by the Example of these their punishments seen or heard of from committing the like offences This last being one end of all temporal punishments whatever whether in this life or after it so long as any live to take notice of them for Death it-self is a perpetual Memorial to men of God's hate to Sin and the circumstances of many mens death a warning to others not to provoke God's judgments in the like manner 3. Again Of these temporal punishments reserved they affirm not That all of them are certainly removable by any ordinary means used to avert or prevent them As the retaining of which may some other way above mentioned tend more to God's glory as for Example that of David was not released nor that of Moses nor is the General one of a corporal Death at some time or other executed on all Ï€. Ï€. Bellarm. de Faenit 4. l. 3. c. Paenae temporales hujus vitae interdum non possunt redimi sed necessario perpetiendae sunt id quod extra omnem controversiam esse videtur Deus enim aliquando ita paenam aliquam constituit ut nullam pro ea redemptionem accipere velit Talis imprimis paena mors est quam nullus quantumvis justus nllo pio opere avertere potuit Talis fuit illa paena Davidis 2. King 12. Moysis See Antidagm Coloniense de Satisfactione Interim tamen hoc praedicatum doctum fuit a Patribus neminem vel posse vel debere Deo terminum aut modum remissionis paenae statuere ac si oporteret Deum ad completam Canonicam satisfactionem illico a flagellis suis cessare Christo vero reconciliatori nostro cui Pater omne judicium dedit prorsus relinquenda est paenae remissio a quo petere oportet ut obedientiam nostram velit per meritum suum patri caelesti facere acceptam paenam pro-meritam misericorditer avertere And again of those removable they grant That some may be so only upon an intense act of Contrition or upon Prayer and Deprecation without any further Penances especially where opportunity doth not admit them which Prayers and those considered not as Penal but meerly as petitioning as they are held effectual by impetration of the application of Christ's Merits which God for averting temporal punishments from others living or dead so much more may they be from our selves Ï. Ï. Lugo de Paenitent Disp 24. § 1. Facilius potest aliquis impetrare sibi quam alteri Neque illa peccata manent tunc impunita sed satisfit plene divinae justitiae applicando Satisfactiones Christi pro paena quam nos debebamus solvere quae applicatio obtineri potest aliquando per orationes Sicut nec manent impunita peccata quando paena pro iis debita remittitur per Indulgentias aut Sacramenta vel Sacrificia quia tunc etiam Satisfactiones Christi applicantur quibus solvitur plenissime totum debitum But meanwhile the faithful not knowing the just measure value or effect of his own Contrition or Prayers where time serves cannot upon this prudently omit any other means which God hath left as helpful for attaining the same effect and those things are at all times to be held necessary and useful which at no time he knows to be superfluous 8ly Catholicks affirm That as the aforesaid Penances and Satisfactions when done only by Grace assistant are prevalent with God for obtaining the Remission of Sin and its eternal punishment in our Justification so after it that these when done by Grace inhabitant may much more prevail with God for obtaining the remission of some temporal punishment Chastisement or Correction still reserved by God as the scourge of the Sin though after his having re-admitted into favour the Sinner A thing conceded also by Protestants σ. σ. Chemnitins Exam. Conc. Trid. 2. Part de Satisfactionibus Illas etiam temporales paenas Scriptura tradit reconciliatis propter filium mediatorem saepe vel mitigari velprorsus tolli quando vera humilitate peccata agnoscunt fide Deum invocant veterem hominem mortificant serio novam vitam meditantur hoc est non in debitis humanarum traditionum operibus sed tota paenitentia quae habet mandatum Dei paenae illae propter Christum mitigantur quoting 2. Paralip 6.26 Joel 2.13 1. Cor. 11. Observandum vero est saith he paenas temporarias mitigari tota paenitentia non quod opera ejus sint vel compensationes vel merita remissionis peccatorum sed quia castigationibus illis Deus in reconciliatis nihil aliud quaerit quam ut conservetur magis accendatur crescat augeatur vera humilitas agnitio odium detestatio peccati exercitium fidei mortificatio veteris hominis patientia spes c. Daille De Paenis Satisfact 7. l. 6. c. answering to the Fathers Significant saith he temporalibus illis paenis quaecunque tandem sint eos quos peccati vere paenituit i. e. paenitentia ejusque fructibus lachrymis jejuniis orationibus eleemosynis as he expresseth it before non aliter eximi ac liberari quam si nullas unquam essent promeriti Hunc vero paenitentiae certum immutabilem eventum esse quod ex Patrum dictis sequitur ultro ac libentes fatemur eventum istum ex jure justitia sive ex paenitentiae ipsius dignitate esse non autem ex mera Dei optimi misericordia ac veritate constantissime quidem negamus Bishop White against Fisher Q. 21. P. 540. grants That after great and enormous offences committed by his people God doth chastise them with the rod of Correction Ps 89.33 1. Cor. 11.31 32. Which Correction is a pain of Castigation but not a punishment of Malediction Grants also That this affliction or pain of chastisement inflicted upon penitent Sinners may by Prayer of Faith exercise of Virtue Humiliation and Mortification be either removed or else mitigated But denies that such persons can by Prayer Mortification or any good Works merit release of any temporal Mulct And contends That the Fathers under the word Satisfaction understand not the word Satisfaction strictly and in rigor for satisfaction of condignity as Romists do but improperly and largely to wit For satisfaction of deprecation congruity or impetration Calvin De Christiana Pacificat 5. c. Qui paenas divinas avertere cupit non est quod studeat satisfactione aliqua quod deliquit expungere because Christ's Satisfactions have and only can do this Sed se quibuscunque potest modis cum ad humilitatem tum ad veram resipiscentiam erudiens suipsius peccati ultor sit homo ne Deum experiatur ultorem by not having Christ's Satisfactions applied to or accepted for him Qui Deum sibi vult parcere ipse sibi nec parcat nec
injuriam quam Deo fecimus Nihilominus tamen accedente gratia Dei eaque multiplici vere possumus aliquo modo ex propriis ad aequalitatem ac per hee juste ex condigno satisfacere Aâ—iquo modo i. e. dum opera nostra ut a Spiritu Christi in nobis habitante procedunt quandam habent infinitatem And Dum Deus qui omnia nostra sibi jure vendicare posset non omnia quae facere possumus imperat Lugo De Paenit Disp 24. § 1. Comparing Merit and Satisfaction Sicut mereri in the sence that Catholicks use it non est emere pro aequali pretio aequalitate rei sed est seminare apud aequitatem gratitudinem Principis quare aequalitas meriti non est sicut precii sed sicut seminis in corde Principis faecundissimo Sic etiam facere non est satis pati sed imitatur meritum eo quod debitor tendat ad placandum Principem alliciendam ejus mansuetudinem ac clementiam ut acceptet voluntariam punitionem anticipatam placetur ne exigat debitam paenam Unde multo minor paenalitas sufficiet ad expiandum debitum majoris paenalitatis And Disp 25. § 2. Dico Satisfactionem aequalem non Mathematice non enim requiritur talis sed juxta regulam dispositionem divinam qua Christus instituit in hoc Sacramento tantam Satisfactionem Paenitentis cum tali dispositione interna valere ad tollendum tantum reatum paenae temporalis See the stating of Merit in Merits α. 3ly Yet that these Penances being the fruits of the Spirit in the Regenerate and adopted Sons of God have a supernatural dignity in them most acceptable to him See Merit Thes 3 4. especially those done freely by them beyond the obligation of his Precepts and so the same which hath been said of the worth of their other good works See before in order to their meriting in some fence eternal life may much more be said of these in order to their meriting in the same fence the remission of or which is the same satisfying God for some temporal Punishment That is In such a fence as these good Works may have a worth acceptable to God for obtaining from him that which is more they may for procuring or giving satisfaction to him for that which is less β. A like worth to which no Penal Works have that precede our Justification as to any remission of the eternal punishment a pardon always received before the production of these later Penances that follow Justification which therefore are affirmed Satisfactions for the temporal Punishment not for the eternal Conc. Trid. Sess 6. c. 14. 4ly But in this satisfaction or remission of the one Sufferings that are to be inflicted for the other Penalties voluntarily undergone there is affirmed no equality in strict justice of the later to the former of the sufferings performed by us to those remitted by God but these far greater affirmed to be averted by the other far lesser therefore they are called Satisfactions in reference to God's acceptance not Satispassions a just recompence of in comparison to such punishments Ï…. But since God's Justice suffers no Sin to pass unpunished nor Punishment to pass unsatisfied-for to the uttermost by some person or other therefore for whatever they are deficient herein it is affirmed to be abundantly supplied in and by the Satisfactions of our Lord applied for the remitting of these temporal Punishments less or more according to the various measure of those self-revenges and fruits of Penance which Christians bring forth and offer to God for their release As also the same Satisfactions of our Lord are affirmed to be applied to the faithful for remission of these Punishments by the Sacraments of the Church by oblation of the Sacrifice of Christ's Body and Blood for them by the Churches Indulgences Lastly by their own Prayers though without any other Penal Works as God pleaseth God's Justice finding these plenary Satisfactions in his Son for any Punishment eternal or temporal the pardon of which his Mercy is pleased to indulge us without our own φ. φ. Concil Trid. § 14. c. 1. Sacramento Paenitentiae one part of which are Satisfactions lapsis post Baptismum beneficium mortis Christi applicatur Ibid. c. 13. Si quis dixerit pro peccatis quoad paenam temporalem minime Deo per Christi merita satisfieri paenis ab eo inflictis c. Anathema sit Again Can. 14. Si quis dixerit Satisfactiones quibus Paenitentes per Christum Jesum peccata redimunt non esse cultus Dei c. Again Cap. 8. Dum satisfaciendo patimur pro peccatis Christo Jesu qui pro peccatis nostris satisfecit ex quo omnis nostra sufficientia est conformes efficimur Omnis Gloriatio nostra in Christo est in quo meremur in quo satisfacimus facientes fructus dignos paenitentiae qui ex illo vim habent ab illo offeruntur Patri per illum per illius merita acceptantur a Patre c. Ubi vides saith Cardinal Lugo De Paenit Disp 24. § 1. intervenire merita Christi non solum ut fiant nostrae satisfactiones sod etiam ut acceptentur a Deo Again Cap. 9. Corporalibus flagellis a Deo inflictis a nobis patienter toleratis apud Deum Patrem per Christum Jesum satisfacere valemus Upon which thus Lugo Ibid. Congruum est quod hoc etiam beneficium non aliter concederetur nisi propter Christum propter quem Deus remittit indulget omnia quae quolibet modo nobis remittuntur indulgentur For since God's Justice must be fully satisfied by some person or other for all Sin and all its due punishments Else why suffered Christ and the Satisfactions of our Penal Works are affirmed not in rigid justice to equal the temporal punishment remitted here also our Satisfactions are compleated by Christ's in the same manner as our Merits And what Cardinal Lugo saith in Defence of that Thesis Liberari nos posse a debito paenae temporalis per impetrationem vel merito congruo may as well be said of our freedome from it by our imperfect and diminutive Satisfactions Nostra peccata non manere tunc impunita as to what they fully deserve Sed satisfieri plene divinae justitiae applicando satisfactiones Christi propaena quam nos debebamus solvere quae applicatio obtineri potest aliquando per orationes Sicut nec manent impunita peccata quando paena pro iis debita remittitur per Indulgentias aut Sacramenta vel Sacrificia quia tunc etiam Satisfactiones Christi applicantur quibus solvitur plenissime totum debitum Suarez De Paenit Disp 36. § 1. Nostra Satisfactio Christi Satisfactioni innititur non solum quia per illum habemus virtutem satisfaciendi sed etiam quia nostra satisfactio propter ipsum acceptatur ut rationem justitiae participet in ejus satisfactione