Reims Against Rome, Propositions · Proposition 28
XXVIII. Propoſition. That good workes doe merit, and are the cauſe of our ſaluation:
Confuted by their owne Bible.
I. IT concludeth all, euen the beſt that euer were, vnderunder ſinne, 1. Ioh. 1. 8, 10. If we ſay, we hauehave no ſinne, wee deceiue our ſelues. Iohn includes himſelfe. Rom. 3. 23. All hauehave ſinned, Eſai. 53. 6. All we like ſheepe hauehave gone aſtray: on him is the iniquitie of vsus all. 1. King. 8. 46. There is no man that ſinneth not. Iam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all. Iames includes himſelfe, and all to whom he wrote this generall Epiſtle. Pro. 20. 9. Who can ſay, My heart is cleane, I am pure from ſinne? None but Ieſus Chriſt onelyonly, and he alone, Hebr. 4. 15. 1. Ioh. 3. 5. 1. Pet. 2. 22. 2. Cor. 5. 21. Therefore where ſinne is, there is a ſtaine of all our actions; and ſo cannot bee meritorious, or cauſe of ſaluation.
Secondly, it teacheth vsus, that we are like a dead man in ſinnes, Epheſ. 2. 1, 5. Col. 2. 13. ſo as our wils are not to doe good, till God make vsus willing, as in the next Propoſition, I ſhall fully ſhew. Now where mans owne will is wanting, till by another it be made willing, his workes cannot merit. For a meritorious worke muſt come of mans free-will.
Thirdly, it teacheth that all our goodneſſe without vsus and within vsus, is of Gods grace; By the grace of God, I am that I am, ſaith the Apoſtle, 1. Cor. 15. 10. It is of his goodneſſe, Rom. 11. 22. of his benignitie and kindneſſe, Tit. 3. 4. and of his good will, Phil. 2. 13. 2. Tim. 1. 12. that we are conuerted. Now, if all that which we doe, either doing good workes, or ſuffering for his name, 1. Chron. 29. 12, 14, 16. Phil. 2. 29. be of God, and that of his meere grace, mercy, benignitie, and good will; how can man doe a good worke to merit at Gods hands? For a worke that merits, muſt be our owne; but what hauehave we that we hauehave not receiued, 1. Cor. 4. 7? Who hath firſt giuen to him, then retribution ſhall be made of him, Rom. 11. 35? In the meane ſpace we doe giuegive to God onelyonly of his owne, 1. Cor. 29. 12, 14, 16. Deut. 8. 18. And profit we him any thing thereby? He is not the better by vsus, Pſal. 16. 2. What hee willeth vsus to doe, is not for his good, but for our owne, that hee in mercy might doe vsus good, Deut. 5. 29.
Fourthly, it teacheth vsus, that though we in ſtate of grace, be thus furniſhed of God, and hereby made willing and able to doe that which is good and well-pleaſing, through Chriſt, in his ſight: yet are we not in this life able perfectly to fulfill the Law of God: Adam once could; in heauen hereafter we may, but here it is not poſſible. For in Eccl. 7. 21. it is ſaid, There is no iuſt man in the earth that doth good, and ſinneth not. All the examples of the godly witneſſe the truth hereof, and eueryevery mans owne experience, and eueryevery mans owne conſcience, if it bee not dead, or ſeared. For the obedience required, is not onelyonly externall, but ſpirituall and internall alſo, and this abſolutely in all perfection to be performed, to all the commandements generally, to eueryevery commandement particularly, & to eueryevery branch of eueryevery of them, at all times, without the leaſt omiſſion. But this obedience is impoſſible to be performed of any in this life; for that there is both fleſh and Spirit in eueryevery man, which two are ſuch aduerſaries one to another, ſo as the beſt men cannot do the things which they would, Galat. 5. 17. This inability, through this corruption, Saint Paul found and confeſſed to be euen in himſelfe, Rom. 7. 15, 19. Therefore all our obedience being imperfect, our workes cannot bee meritorious, and cauſe of ſaluation. Merit requireth perfection, and admits not imperfection; for curſed is eueryevery one that keepeth not the words of the Law, and fulfilleth them not in workes, Deut. 27. 26. So far is man from meriting, as a malediction is due, if hee doe not obey the commandements, Deut. 11. 28.
V. It teacheth vsus, that therefore through this our defect, good workes are ſecluded from being the meritorious cauſe of our ſaluation, 2. Tim. 1. 9. Epheſ. 2. 8, 9. By grace you are ſaued through faith; not of workes, that no man glory, Rom. 4. 2. If Abraham was iuſtified by workes, hee had to glory, but not with God. None are cleane before him, Iob 25. 4, 5, 6. & 9. 2, 3. Rom. 3. 28. & 9. 16. Wee account a man to be iuſtified by faith, without the workes of the Law. It is not of the willer, nor of the runner, but of God that ſheweth mercy. Pſal. 48. 8, 9. Hee ſhall not In ours, Pſal. 49. 8, 9.giuegive vntounto God his reconciliation, and the price of the Redemption of his owne ſoule. Therefore good workes, though they euer accompanie thoſe that are ſaued, and iuſtified in Chriſt, as fruits of a liuely faith, yet are not the cauſe of ſaluation, nor doe iuſtifie vsus before God.
VI. It teacheth, that God therefore, to make vsus accepted, gaue vsus his Sonne to become all in all for vsus.
Firſt, hee was made vnderunder the Law, to redeeme vsus from vnderunder it, Gal. 4. 4, 5. Secondly, hee was made a curſe for vsus, to redeeme vsus from the curſe, Gal. 3. 43. Thirdly, he was wounded for our iniquities, and broken for our ſinnes, Eſai. 53. 5. by whoſe ſtripes we are healed, 2. Pet. 2. 24. Fourthly, hee himſelfe bare our ſinnes in his bodie vponupon the tree, 1. Pet. 2. 24. making Purgatorie for ſinnes, Heb. 1. 3. and ſo for vsus was made ſinne, that we might be made the iuſtice of God in him, 2. Cor. 5. 21. and ſo liue to iuſtice, 1. Pet. 2. 24. Fiftly, hereby hee is become our Wiſedome, Iuſtice, Sanctification and Redemption, 1. Cor. 1. 30. that we may glory in him, verſe 31. for in him the righteouſneſſe of God through faith is ours, Rom. 10. 3. and 3. 22. and ſo there can be to vsus no condemnation being in Chriſt. Therefore hee is our merit and cauſe of ſaluation, and not our owne workes.
VII. It teacheth, that the Apoſtle hereupon maketh mans bleſſedneſſe to conſiſt, not in his owne merits and workes, but in reputing iuſtice without workes, and in forgiuing, and not imputing ſinne, Rom. 4. 6, 7, 8. which forgiuing is our keeping of the Law. For as Saint Auſtin in retract. lib. 1. cap. 19. ſaith, All the commandements are holden to be kept, when that which is not kept is forgiuen. And againe, All our righteouſneſſe (ſaith he) ſtands rather in the remiſſion of our ſinnes, then in any perfection of iuſtice, De ciu. Dei, lib. 19. cap. 27. Therefore if mans obedience and keeping be in forgiueneſſe, and his bleſſedneſſe ſtand therein without workes, how is it poſſible to imagine, workes to be the meritorious cauſe of our ſaluation?
VIII. It teacheth that, for all the graces in vsus, and for all our obedience to him, God onelyonly promiſeth to be mercifull, as in Deut. 7. 9. Thou ſhalt know that the Lord thy God, hee is a ſtrong and a faithfull God, keeping his Couenant and mercy to them that louelove him, and to them that keepe his precepts. So in Exo. 20. 6. Doing mercy to them that louelove him and keepe his precepts. Here both for the inward louelove of God, and outward obedience, is onelyonly promiſed mercy. Now where mercy needeth, there can be no merit, Rom. 11. 6.
IX. It teacheth, that the godly 1. acknowledge in all humilitie their ſinnes, Pſal. 51. 3, 4. Eſdr. 9. 6. Dan. 9. 1. Secondly, they vilifie themſelues, Iob 9. 2, 3, 30, 31. and 42. 6. 1. Cor. 4. 4. and alſo thoſe things which ſeeme to be of worth in them. We, ſaith the Prophet, are become as one vncleane, and all our iuſtices as the cloth of a menſtruous woman, Eſa. 64. 6. Thirdly, they confeſſe, that if God be ſtrict in iuſtice, none can bee ableIn ours, Pſal. 130. 3. to indure, Pſal. 129. 3. If thou ſhalt obſerue iniquities, O Lord, Lord, who ſhall ſuſtaine it? Fourthly, hereupon they craue that God would not enter into iudgement with them, for that ſo no fleſh ſhould bee iuſtified in his ſight, Pſal. 142. 2. Fiftly, theyIn ours, Pſal. 143. 2. therefore appeale from his iuſtice, to his mercy, calling and crying for it, as in Pſal. 129. 3. With thee there is propitiation: andPſal. 130. 3. Pſal. 51. 1. ſaying alſo in Pſal. 50. 1. HaueHave mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy, giuing a reaſon, Dan. 9. 18. For not in our iuſtifications doe wee proſtrate prayers before thy face, but in thy many commiſerations. And therefore ſaith Dauid, Pſal.Pſal. 119. 118. 76. Let thy mercy be done to comfort mee. Hee ſeeketh comfort in mercy, and not in merit. Did theſe holy people of God dreame of merit, and of the worth of their workes, as the proud condemned Phariſe did, Luk. 18? or rather did they not as the poore Publican did, who cryed, Lord, hauehave mercy on me a ſinner? and therefore went away more iuſtified then the other? The godly know, if that they ſhould iuſtifie themſelues, their owne mouthes would condemne them, Iob 9. 20. And all are by Chriſt, Matth. 6. taught in Prayer, to fly to God for merciemercy, and to begge forgiueneſſe, and not to plead merit.
X. It teacheth, that all whatſoeuer God did to Iſrael his people, all was of his mercy, Pſal. 135. The poſſeſſion of thePſal 136. Land of Canaan was not merited by Gods people, Deut. 9. 5. For, ſaith God, Not becauſe of thy iuſtices, and equitie of thy heart doeſt thou enter in to poſſeſſe thy lands: I doe it not for your ſake, be it knowne vntounto you, ſaith the Lord, but for my holy name. So in Ezech. 36. 22, 32. Now, if the type of heauen could not bee merited by either inward grace, or outward workes, may we think that heauen may be merited, when Saint Paul tels vsus, that it is the gift of God, Rom. 6. 23? Gift is free, and not purchaſed.
XI. It teacheth, that the paſſions of this time are not condigne to the glory to come, Rom. 8. 18. If perſecution and ſuffering Martyrdome cannot merit condignely the glory in heauen: What may wee thinke of other workes whatſoeuer? For neither our goods, nor goodneſſes, is any thing vntounto God, Pſal. 16. 2.
XII. It teacheth, that no man can merit of God, by doing that which he ought to doe; but rather, when wee hauehave done all things that are commanded, to iudge our ſelues vnprofitable ſeruants, Luk. 17. 10. But whatſoeuer we doe in obedience to God, the ſame we ought to doe, and that with all our minde, heart, ſoule, and ſtrength, Matth. 22. and therefore cannot merit by dutie, no more then a man can merit by paying his debts. This it is, which made Saint Paul to ſay that he had nothing to glory of, when he did but his duty, 1. Cor. 9. 16.
Laſtly, it is altogether needleſſe to conceit of merit. For what would we merit? Is it pardon of ſinne? or fauour of God? or life euerlaſting, life and heauen it ſelfe? Then theſe need not bee merited.
For firſt, Chriſt hath by his bloud cleanſed vsus of all our ſinnes, 1. Ioh. 1. 7. God through him hath pardoned all offences, Col. 2. 13. Epheſ. 1. 7. Act. 13. 38. and ſo are wee healed, 1. Pet. 2. 24.
Secondly, Chriſt hath reconciled vsus to God, Rom. 5. 10, 11. and ſo hauehave we peace with him through Chriſt, Rom. 5. 1.
Thirdly, Chriſt hath gotten vsus full aſſurance of Heauen, by the ſureſt way that may be: for it is ours both by purchaſe, Heb. 9. 12. by donation, Ioh. 10. 28. and alſo by inheritance, Rom. 8. 17. Gal. 4. 7. and 3. 29. So as our obedience, and ſeruice, and works are done, not to merit eternall life, but rather to expreſſe our thankefulneſſe for thoſe things which he hath done for vsus.
It is with vsus, as with a man once very rich and wealthy vnderunderSimile. a great Landlord, whoſe Tenant 1. hath runne himſelfe out of all, and turned Bankerupt: 2. is become infinitely in debt, and not able to pay: 3. is at laſt caſt into priſon, there to lye and dye for any meanes poſſible, either by himſelfe, or any of his friends to ſet him free. Now, the ſonne of this his great Landlord is ſo exceeding full of compaſſion and louelove, that of meere pitty, without any ſuite or deſert of the partie impriſoned: Firſt, goeth and payeth all the debt to the vtmoſt farthing, ſatisfying all to the full, & ſo freeth him of his impriſonment. Secondly, then he purchaſeth again his Lands, and redeemeth them for the poore Tenants vſe and benefit, as before, and maketh them ſure to him againe by word and writing, ſealed and deliuered before witneſſes. Thirdly, he furniſheth him with moneyes to ſet him on worke, and to manage this his eſtate as long as hee liueth: So as he becommeth hereby rich. Now, what is this man to doe with theſe his moneys, and with honeſt increaſe thereof? Is he to pay his debts therewith? They bee paid already. Is he to purchaſe his Lands againe, & to redeeme them therewith? They are purchaſed to his hand. What is hee then to doe? By the Law of gratitude, hee is onelyonly to expreſſe his thankefulneſſe, by ſhewing himſelfe obliged to him in all ſeruiceable duties for euer, to louelove him vnfeinedly, feare to offend him at any time, and to be euer ready at his command; and not, like a proud arrogant dotard, to endeuour with this his friends moneys to make needleſſe payments, & purchaſes, as if he ſcorned to be beholding to ſuch a friend, as had done already all theſe things for him. This tenant is Adam and his poſteritie,Application. who loſt Paradiſe, and all his right of heauen and earth, and by his ſinnes to God became infinitely indebted, and ſo is caſt into the kingdome of darkneſſe vnrecouerably, in reſpect of any power of any naturall man to redeeme him. But Chriſt Ieſus he comes, by his death payes his debts, & by his obedience purchaſeth him the right of heauen and earth againe. This he aſſureth him of by his word, writing the couenant in his heart: then giueth he him his Spirit, the ſeale of that inheritance, and ſo thereupon the comfort of conſcience to be witnes thereto. Then doth he beſtow vponupon him manifold gifts and graces to adorne his profeſſion, to glorifie Chriſt, and to allure other to his ſeruice, to ſtop the mouthes of wicked blaſphemers, to inable him the better to doe Chriſts ſeruice, and to ſhew himſelfe thankful, & not to ſtriue vaine-gloriouſly to make himſelfe copurchaſer with Chriſt, and that not with any thing of his owne, but with Chriſts owne gifts and graces. Theſe former ends we Proteſtants onelyonly ayme at, and doe reſt with our Lord and Sauiours purchaſe moſt thankefully. This latter the proud Phariſaicall Papiſts ſtriue vntounto, as if Chriſts paiment and purchaſe were inſufficient without their helpe, and yet without Chriſts bounty, are beggerly wretches. This their pride, ingratitude, and derogation from Chriſts goodneſſe towards them, doe deſerue damnation.
Contraried by Antiquitie.
Auſtin lib. de gra. & lib. arbit. cap. 9. God bringeth vsus to eternall life, not for our merits, but for his owne mercy.
Origen. ad Rom. lib. 4. cap. 4. I hardly beleeue, that there is any worke, that may require the reward of debt. Becauſe this is lately handled out of the Fathers, he that deſires any more, let him reade Biſhop Vſhers laſt booke, touching merits, who citeth Saint Auſtin, Ambroſe, Origen, Hillary, Baſil, Chryſoſtome, Theodoret, Cyril of Alexandria, Proſper, Ennodius, Fulgentius, Euſebius, Emiſſen, Agapetus, Bernard, and diuers others moe. Reade alſo Doctor White his laſt Book againſt Fiſher, of this Controuerſie, pag. 510.
Gainſaid by themſelues.
In the Canon of the Maſſe, the Prieſt makes his prayer thus: Receiue vsus into the fellowſhip of thy Saints, not weighing our merits, but granting vsus pardon by Ieſus Chriſt our Lord. Here is renouncing merit, and appealing to mercy through Chriſt.
Saint Gregory on Pſal. 7. poenit. It is one thing for God to reward men according to their workes, and another for the workes themſelues: and hee alledgeth the Apoſtles ſaying, The ſuffering of this life is not worthy of the glory of the life to come.
Our Aduerſaries grant, that the children which goe to heauen, goe thither without merit, by the vertue of the free Adoption by Ieſus Chriſt. Now, the meanes of ſaluation in Chriſt is one, and not diuers, in reſpect of the perſons ſaued, for one ſort to be ſaued without, and another by merits: as if Chriſt were not alike ſufficient for both; or that there were any other ground of ſaluation, then the free election of grace, Epheſ. 1. 4, 5. Rom. 11. 5, 6. Act. 13. 48.
See the forenamed D. White againſt the merit of condignitie, citing Gregory Arimine, Durand, Marſilius, Waldenſis, Burgenſis, Digreſ. 3 5. Sec. 15.Eckius, with others. Alſo his Brother D. Whites way of the true Church, producing ſome of theſe, and withall, citing Ferus, Bellarmine, Stella his prayer on Luke, chap. 7. and Anſelmes prayer taught the people; renouncing and plainely denying their owne merits, and reſting on Chriſts merits, and his bleſſed death and Paſſion onelyonly.
Scriptures obiected anſwered.
Matth. 16. 27. Hee ſhall reward eueryevery man according to his workes. Matth. 5. 12. Great is your reward in Heauen. So Matth. 10. 42. Rom. 2. 6. 1. Cor. 3. 8. Reuel. 22. 12. Ierem. 31. 16.
Anſw. 1. There is, Rom. 4. 4. a reward of mercy and grace, which we acknowledge, and not of deſert and merit: for a reward may be of bounty aboue any due to the partie, but ſo cannot merit. Ambroſe Epiſt. lib. 1. There is one kinde of reward of liberalitie and grace; and another the wages of vertues and recompence of labours.
Secondly, the reward here being vnderſtood of eternall life, muſt needs be of mercy; for eternall life, ſaith the Apoſtle, is the gift of God, Rom. 6. 23. and not mans purchaſe. A gift is free, and cannot be merited by workes: for to him that works, the reward is reckoned not of grace, but of debt, Rom. 4. 4. Heauen then being Gods gift, cannot bee due for workes, to make God become indebted to man.
Thirdly, the Rewarder here is God. Now, he rewards two wayes, either in meere iuſtice, or in iuſtice and mercy both. In meere iuſtice ſo rewardeth he the wicked, iuſtly deſeruing damnation. In iuſtice and mercy both: ſo beleeuers in Chriſt. In iuſtice firſt, in reſpect of Chriſts meriting reward for his: ſecondly, for that God is iuſt in his promiſe, and hauing promiſed a reward in his iuſtice, he will performe it. In mercy yet this is to vsus: firſt, in reſpect of our ſelues, deſeruing no ſuch reward: then, in reſpect of the mouing cauſe, which is his owne good pleaſure, to make ſuch a promiſe, and to accept vsus in Chriſt, and ſo to reward vsus.
Fourthly, the reward here is promiſed to the perſons, He will reward eueryevery man, and not the worke: for the perſon makes the worke accepted, as Abel did his offering, and not the worke theGen. 4. Heb. 11. perſon with God.
Fifthly, it is not here ſaid, for his workes, as noting any cauſe of mans reward, but according to his workes, ſhewing the qualitie of the works, as they may excell one another, and how our workes ſhould be the meaſure, according to which God would mete and proportion out the heauenly rewards. For as men here excell in vertues, ſo ſhall they in glory; and therefore of ſuch as ſuffer for Chriſt, hee ſaith, Great is your reward, Matth. 5.
Sixtly, if workes were rewarded, yet is it in mercy, and not for the merit of them: for are they not imperfect, as before is proued? Againe, are they not his owne, fruits of his owne Spirit? and can wee merit to giuegive to God his owne? Moreouer, what equalitie is there betweene heauen, the reward, and the worke wrought? None at all. And therefore the reward is in mercy, and not in merit.
2. Cor. 5. 10. Wee muſt all appeare before the Iudgement Seat of Chriſt, that eueryevery one may receiue the things done in his bodie, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
Anſw. 1. Here is intended onelyonly, that in generall there ſhall be a retribution of reward and puniſhment. And therefore the diuers meane of procuring both theſe is not ſpecified: but a phraſe vſed, which may extend to both, according to that he hath done, in either kinde. Otherwiſe for the one, namely, for doing badly, might truely, & properly hauehave bin ſaid, For the merit, or demerit of euill workes, puniſhment is due. But becauſe it could not be ſaid ſo of the other, therefore the word according is vſed. And ſo the ſcope of the place reacheth onelyonly to ſhew, that there ſhall be a manifeſtation of our workes, and retribution for them. But if we will needs particularize here of the manner of rewarding good workes, then wee ſay, that the Iudge here, Ieſus Chriſt, comes not to reward his, according to their merit, with heauen: for it is ſaid, that hee giueth to them eternall life, Ioh. 10. 28. By his bloud himſelfe obtained it for them, Heb. 9. 12. They doe not then merit that which is gift: and therefore he proceeds not here according to any merit in them.
1. Cor. 4. 5. Then ſhall eueryevery man hauehave praiſe of God.
Anſw. 1. Here is no merit ſpoken of.
Secondly, the perſon is praiſed, and not his workes: and this God doth of his goodneſſe, for our faithfulneſſe, Matth. 25. 21, 23. but not for the worthineſſe of the worke done.
Thirdly, Saint Paul, verſe 4. the very next verſe before ſaith, Though I know nothing by my ſelfe, yet am I not thereby iustified. He conceited therefore no merit.
Fourthly, the praiſe here intended ſpecially, is in regard of ſinceritie of teaching, whereby Saint Paul implyeth, that other falſe and proud teachers were not ſo praiſe-worthy, as ſome of the Corinthians thought, being ſeduced by them.
1. Cor. 9. 17, 18. I hauehave a reward, verſe 25.
They ſtriue to obtaine an incorruptible Crowne.
Anſw. 1. This reward is of mercy, and not of merit: for the incorruptible Crowne, that is, Heauen, is obtained by Chriſt, and is his gift to vsus: therefore not obtained by merit.
Secondly, our obtaining by ſtriuing, is the obtaining of the aſſurance of the Crowne in our ſelues, and not the obtaining of the Crowne it ſelfe through the worthineſſe of the ſtriuing: ſeeing we are commanded to ſtriue, Luk. 13. 24. Now, that which is done of duty, cannot merit.
Thirdly, the Apoſtle firſt, in verſe 16. telleth vsus, that in doing his dutie, he hath nothing to glory of: Then in verſe 17. he applyeth the reward, not to the worke wrought, but to his willingneſſe in working: yet he implyeth, that there may be an vnwillingneſſe: and doth hee not acknowledge, Rom. 7. 18. that where a will is, yet there may want abilitie to performe?
Laſtly, in verſe 18. hee plainely expreſſes what hee meaneth there by reward; not heauen, but in preaching, to make the Goſpell of Chriſt without charge.
Hebr. 11. 26. He had reſpect to the recompence of reward.
Anſw. 1. The blundering Friers, whereſoeuer they finde in Scripture, reward, preſently cry out that they hauehave found merit. How oft hauehave we told thē out of the ancient Fathers, nay, out of ciuil experience, that reward & merit be not alwaies Relatiues? that there is a reward of grace as well as of due debt, Rom. 4. 4?
Secondly, who knowes not, but that euen here men requite labours without deſert?
Thirdly, Moſes had reſpect to the recompence vponupon Gods promiſe made, and not vponupon the merit of his owne doing: for hee makes not his owne act, the procurer of the recompence, but the certainty of the recompence, the ſetter of him forward to the worke.
Pſal. 18. 20. The Lord rewarded mee according to my righteouſneſſe, &c.
Anſw. 1. Dauid ſpeaketh in his life time of that which God had done for him in deliuering him from Saul, and from his enemies, which dealt moſt vniuſtly with him: here therefore firſt Dauids righteouſneſſe is his righteouſneſſe towards men, which God mercifully looked vponupon, and not any righteouſneſſe of his before God: for this Dauid diſclaimed, Pſal. 130. 3. and 143. 2. Secondly, the reward here is not heauen, but Dauids deliuerance, and Gods fauourable protection of him in his troubles.
Reuel. 3. 4. For they are worthy.
Anſw. 1. This is ſpoken of the perſons, and not of their workes.
Secondly, the word worthy, is here indeterminately ſet downe, and doth not ſhew how they are worthy. Therefore before it bee determined, it muſt bee proued by other Scriptures, how they became worthy: elſe merit cannot hence bee concluded.
Thirdly, men by the Goſpell are worthy, not of themſelues, but through Chriſt, who is their righteouſneſſe before God, 1. Cor. 1. 30. Worthy they were, becauſe Chriſt was pleaſed to count them worthy, as 2. Theſ. 1. 5.
Fourthly, this may be vnderſtood comparatiuely, in reſpect of others in Sardis, who had defiled themſelues, &c.Digni, non ex dignitate, ſed dignatione.
Col. 2. 24. Knowing that ye ſhall receiue the reward of the inheritance; for yee ſerue the Lord Chriſt.
Anſw. 1. Here the Apoſtle ſpeakes of ſeruants, how in doing faithfully their ſeruice to men, they ſerue Chriſt himſelfe. Now, for ſeruants to ſerue their Maſter faithfully, is a duty commanded by God, Epheſ. 6. 5, 6. But impoſed duties done, cannot merit, Luk. 17. 10. 1. Cor. 9. 16.
Secondly, the word for expreſſeth not the cauſe of the reward: but the ſigne and true token to our ſelues of obtaining it. It noteth the qualitie and condition of ſuch as may looke for eternall life; as alſo the way and order, which they that come thereto, doe obſerue here in this life, and not the cauſe thereof.
Gen. 15. I am thy great reward.
This is ſpoken of God himſelfe. Can he himſelfe be merited of vsus? Can man by any worke bring God himſelfe to bee the very due debt? I tremble to thinke ſo. Let any Phariſe thus challenge God: I dare not.
1. Tim. 4. 8. Godlineſſe hath promiſe of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
Anſw. 1. That which is of promiſe, commeth freely, and is not merited. God promiſed Chriſt. Did we merit him? Chriſt promiſed his holy Spirit. Was it merited?
Secondly, all promiſes of God made to his people, are made in Chriſt. In him all the promiſes of God are yea, and Amen; they hauehave their ground and performance in him, and for his ſake, to vsus. This very word cutteth the ſinewes of Merit, and ſheweth that we claime of God fidelitie in performing his promiſe, but not the paiment of a deſerued debt.
2. Tim. 4. 8. The Crowne of righteouſneſſe, which the Lord that righteous Iudge ſhall giuegive me at that day.
Anſw. 1. Before is ſhewed how eternall life, which is this Crowne of righteouſneſſe, is giuen vsus freely by Chriſt.
Secondly, it is called the Crowne of righteouſneſſe, becauſe he glorifieth thus thoſe whom hee iuſtifieth, Rom. 8. 30.
Thirdly, Saint Paul diſclaimed iuſtification by his owne righteouſneſſe, 1. Cor. 4. 4. & 9. 16. and taught ſaluation to bee by grace, and not by workes, Epheſ. 2. Here therefore hee ſpeakes not of merit: for ſo ſhould hee be contrarie to himſelfe.
Fourthly, Saint Paul ſpeaketh in verſe 7. of nothing done by him, but that which by dutie hee was bound to doe. Was hee not bound to fight a good fight, to finiſh his courſe, and to keepe the faith? Then could hee not merit by his dutie, as before is proued.
Fifthly, the Lord is ſaid to bee righteous in rewarding, not in reſpect either of vsus, or of our worke, but in reſpect of his promiſe to reward, which he is iuſt to performe: for by our workes we make him not debter; but he makes himſelfe ſo of his meere goodneſſe by promiſing, for hee is not vniuſt to forget our works, Heb. 6. 10. for his owne promiſe ſake: for hee is iuſt in his ſayings, Rom. 3. 4. Where note alſo, that the truth of God, verſe 7. is called the righteouſneſſe of God, verſe 5. and he is ſaid to be iuſt, as well in forgiuing, 1. Ioh. 1. 9. as in puniſhing: and a mercifull righteouſneſſe there is in God, euen his faithfulneſſe towards his people, in performance of his Word, which is oppoſed to the iuſtice of God, by which hee rewards men according to their deſerts, Pſal. 143. 1, 21. Conſider this well, and thou ſhalt neuer ſwell with merit.
2. Theſ. 1. 5. That yee may bee counted worthy of the Kingdome of God, for which reſuffer.
Anſw. 1. Touching the word worthy: ſee before the anſwer to Reu. 3. 4.
Secondly, here it is not ſaid, that they are worthy, or might be worthy, but, that they may be counted worthy. Now, to be ſo, and to be counted ſo, doe much differ. For they bee counted ſo, that in themſelues are not ſo, but in another, as wee all bee through Chriſt. So Saint Paul prayeth to God for this, as a mercy from him, towards them, that hee would count them worthy. Now, God doth count none worthy but in Chriſt, in whom onelyonly hee is pleaſed, Matth. 3. 17. Therefore the Theſſalonians were not worthy by any thing in themſelues. Thirdly, their ſufferings made them not worthy of eternall life: for the Apoſtle had taught the contrary, Rom. 8. 18.