Answer to a Jesuit in Ireland, Treatise · Section 11

Answer to a Jesuit in Ireland · Treatise · Section 11

p. 492OF MERITS.

IN the last place we are told, that the Fathers of the unspotted Church of Rome did …each, Tha… man for p. 493his meritorious workes receiveth, through the assistance of Gods grace, the blisse of everlasting happinesse. But our Challenger, I suppose, will hardly finde one Father either of the spotted or unspotted Church of Rome, that ever spake so babishly herein, as he maketh them all to doe. That man, by the assistance of Gods grace, may doe meritorious workes, we have read in divers Authors, and in divers meanings. But after these workes done, that a man should receive through the assistance of Gods grace the blisse of everlasting happinesse, is such a peece of gibbrish, as I doe not remember that before now I have ever met withall even in Babel it selfe. For with them that understand what they speake, assistance hath reference to the doing of the worke, not to the receiving of the reward: and simply to say, that a man for his meritorious workes (taking merit here as the Romanists in this question would have it taken) receiveth through Gods grace the blisse of everlasting happinesse; is to speake flat contrarieties, and to conjoine those things, that cannot possibly be coupled together. For that conclusion of Bernard is most certaine: aaNon est in quo gratia intret, ubi jam meritum occupavit. Bernard. in Cantic. Ser. 67.There is no place for grace to enter, where merit hath taken possession. because it is grounded upon the Apostles determination, Rom. 11.6. If it be of grace, it is no more of workes: or else were grace no more grace.

Neither doe we therefore take away the reward, because we deny the merit of good workes. Wee know, that in the keeping of Gods Commandements there is great reward; Psal. 19.11. and that unto him who soweth righteousnesse, there shall be a sure reward; Prov. 11.18. But the question is, whence he that soweth in this manner, must expect to reape so great and so sure a harvest? Whether from Gods justice; which he must doe p. 494if hee stand as the Iesuites would have him doe upon merit: or from his merciemercy; as a recompence freely bestowed out of Gods gracious bountie, and not in justice due for the worth of the worke performed. Which question, we thinke, the Prophet Hosea hath sufficiently resolved; when he biddeth us sow to our selves in righteousnesse, and reape in MERCIEMERCY, Hose. 10.12. Neither doe we hereby any whit detract from the truth of that axiome, That God will give every man acccording to his works: for still the question remaineth the very same; whether God may not judge a man according to his workes, when he sitteth upon the throne of grace, as well as when he sitteth upon the throne of justice? and wee thinke here, that the Prophet David hath fully cleared the case, in that one sentence, Psal. 62.12. With thee, O Lord, is MERCY: for thou rewardest every one according to his worke.

Originally therefore, and in it selfe, we hold that this reward proceedeth meerely from Gods free bountie and merciemercy: but accidentally, in regard that God hath tied himselfe by his word and promise to conferre such a reward, we grant that it now proveth in a sort to be an act of justice. even as in forgiving of our sins (which in it selfe all men know to be an act of merciemercy) he is said to be faithfull and just, 1 Ioh. 1.9. namely, in regard of the faithfull performance of his promise. For promise, we see, amongst honest men is counted a due debt. but the thing promised being free, and on our part altogether undeserved, if the promiser did not performe, and proved not to be so good as his word; he could not properly be said to doe me wrong, but rather to wrong himself, by impairing his own credit. And therfore Aquinas himselfe confesseth, bbNon sequitur, quòd Deus efficiatur simplicitèr debitor nobis, sed sibi ipsi; in quantum debitum est, ut sua ordinatio impleatur. Thom. 1.2. Quaest. 14. art. 1. ad 3.that God is not hereby simply p. 495made a debter to us, but to himselfe; in as much as it is requisite that his owne ordinance should be fulfilled. Thus was Moses carefull to put the children of Israel in minde touching the Land of Canaan (which was a type of our eternall habitation in Heaven) that it was a Land of promise, and not of merit: which God did give them to possesse, not for their righteousnesse, or for their upright beart, but that he might performe the word which he sware unto their Fathers, Abraham, Izhak, and Iacob, (Deut. 9.5.) Whereupon the Levites say, in their praier unto God, Nehem. 9.8. Thou madest a covenant with Abraham, to give unto his seed the Land of the Canaanites; and hast performed thy word, because thou art IUST. Now because the Lord had made a like promise of the Crowne of life to them that love him: (Iam. 1.12.) therefore S. Paul doth not sticke in like manner to attribute this also to Gods justice. Henceforth (saith he, 2 Tim. 4.8.) is laid up for me the crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lord, the righteous Iudge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Upon which place, Bernard, in his booke of Grace and Free-will, saith most sweetly. ccEst ergo quā Paulus expectat, corona justitiae, sed justitiae Dei, non suae. Iustum quippe est ut reddat quod debet; debet autem quod pollicitus est. Et haec est justitia Dei, de quâ praesumit Apostolus, promissio Dei. Bern. li. de Gratia, & libero arbitrio.That therefore which Paul expecteth, is a crowne of righteousnesse, but of Gods righteousnesse, not his owne. For it is just that he should give what he oweth, and he oweth what he hath promised: and this is the right…usnesse of God, of which the Apostle presumeth, the promise of God.

But this will not content our Iesuites, unlesse wee yeeld unto them; ddNos tam proprié ac veré cum gratiâ Dei bene agentes praemia mereri, quàm sine illâ malé agentes supplicia meremur. Io. Maldonat. in Ezech. 18.20.Ezek 18:20that wee doe as properly and truly merit rewards, when with the grace of God we doe well, as we doe merit punishments, when without grace we do evill. So saith Maldonat. that is to say, unlesse we maintaine, eeOpera bona justorum meritoria esse vitae aeternae ex condigno, non solùm ratione pacti & acceptationis, sed etiam ratione operis; ita ut in opere bono ex gratiâ procedente, sit quaedam proportio & aequalitas ad praemium vitae aeternae. Bellar. de Iustis. l. 5. c. 17.that the good workes of just persons doe merit eternall p. 496life condignely, not only by reason of Gods covenant and acceptation, but also by reason of the worke it selfe: so that in a good worke proceeding from grace, there may be a certaine proportion and equalitie unto the reward of eternall life. So saith Cardinall Bellarmine. For the further opening whereof, Vasquez taketh upon him to prove in order these three distinct Propositions. First, ffOpera bona justo…um ex seipsis, abs que ullo pacto & acceptatione, digna esse remuneratione vitae aeternae; & aequalem valorem condignitatis habere ad consequendam aeternam gloriam. Gabr. Vasquez. Commentar. in 1^am. 2 ae. qu. 114 disp. 214 ca. 5. …nit.that the good workes of just persons are of themselves, without any covenant and acceptation, worthy of the reward of eternall life; and have an equall value of condignitie to the obtaining of eternall glorie. Secondly, ggOperibus justorum nullum dignitatis accrementum provenire ex meritis aut personâ Christi, quod aliâs eadem non haberent, si fierent ex eâdem gratiâ á solo Deo liberaliter sine Christo collatâ. Ibid. init. cap. 7.That no accession of dignitie doth come to the workes of the just by the merits or person of Christ; which the same should not have otherwise, if they had beene done by the same grace bestowed liberally by God alone without Christ. Thirdly, hhOperibus justorum accessisse quidem divinam promissionem: eam tamen nullo modo pertinere ad rationem meriti; sed potiùs advenire operibus, non tantùm jam dignis, sed etiam jam meritorijs. Ibid. init. cap. 8.That Gods promise is annexed indeed to the workes of just men, yet it belongeth no way to the reason of the merit; but commeth rather to the workes, which are alreadie not worthy only, but also meritorious. Unto all which hee addeth afterwards this Corollary. iiCùm opera justi condigné mereantur vitam aeternam, tanquam aequalem mercedem, & praemium: non opus est interventu alterius meriti condigni, quale est meritum Christi, ut eis reddatur vita aeterna. quinimo aliquid habet peculiare meritum cujuscun que justi respectu ipsius hominis justi, quod non habet meritum Christi: nempe reddere ipsum hominem justum, & dignum aeternâ vitâ, ut eam digné consequatur. meritum autem Christi licè… dignissimum sit, quod obtine at á Deo gloriam pro nobis; tamen non habet hanc efficaciam & virtutem, ut reddat nos formaliter justos, & dignos aeternâ vitâ: sed per virtutem ab ipso derivatam hunc consequuntur effectum homines in seipsis. Et ita nunquam petimus á Deo per merita Christi, ut nostris dignis operibus & meritorijs reddatur merces aeternae vitae: sed ut per Christum detur nobis gratia, quâ possimus digné hanc mercedem promereri. Id. ibid. disput. 222. cap. 3. num. 30.31.Seeing the works of a just man doe condignely merit eternall life, as an equall recompence and reward: p. 497there is no need that any other condigne merit, such as is the merit of Christ, should come betweene, that eternall life might be rendred unto them. Yea the merit of every just man hath somewhat peculiar in respect of the just man himselfe, which the merit of Christ hath not: namely, to make the man himselfe just, and worthie of eternall life, that hee may worthily obtaine the same. But the merit of Christ, although it be most worthie to obtaine glory of God for us, yet it hath not this efficacy and vertue, to make us formally just, and worthy of eternall life: but men by vertue derived from him, attaine this effect in themselves. And so we never request of God by the merits of Christ, that the reward of eternall life may be given to our worthy and meritorious workes: but that by Christ grace may be given unto us, whereby we may be enabled worthily to merit this reward. In a word: kkMerita nostra in nobis hanc vim habent, ut reddant nos formaliter digno… v…â aeternâ: merita autem Christi non reddunt no… dignos formaliter; sed Christus dignus est, qui propter illa nobis impetret quicquid ipse pro nobis petierit. Ibid. num. 32.Our merits (saith hee) have this force in us, that they make us formally worthy of eternall life: the merits of Christ doe not make us worthy formally; but Christ is worthy, in regard of them, to impetrate unto us whatsoever he requesteth for us.

Thus doth Vasquez the Iesuite discover unto us to the full the mysterie of this iniquitie: with whom (for the better information of the English Reader) wee joine our Rhemists, who deliver this as their Catholike doctrine. llRhem. annotat. in 2 Tim. 4.8.2 Tim 4:8that all good workes done by Gods grace after the first justification, be truly and properly meritorious, and fully worthy of everlasting life: and that thereupon heaven is the due and just stipend, crowne, or recompence, which God by his justice oweth to the person so working by his grace. (For he rendreth or repayeth heaven, say they, as a just Iudge, and not only as a mercifull giver: and the crowne which he payeth, is not only of mercy, or favour, or grace, but also of justice.) And againe. mmIidem in Luc. 20.35.Luke 20:35that mans workes p. 498done by Christs grace, doe condignely or worthily deserve eternall joy: so as nnIid. in 1. Corinth. 3.8.1 Cor 3:8works can be none other but the value, desert, price, worth, and merit of the same. Whereupon they put us in minde, ooIbid.that the word, Reward, which in our English tongue may signifie a voluntarie or bountifull gift, doth not here so well expresse the nature of the Latine word, Merces, or the Greeke foreign: which are rather the very stipend that the hired work-man or journey-man covenanteth to have of him whose worke he-doth; and is a thing equally and justly answering to the time and weight of his travels and workes, rather than a free gift.

This is that doctrine of merits, which from our very hearts we detest and abhorre; as utterly repugnant to the truth of God, and the common sense of all true-hearted Christians. The lesson which our Saviour taught his disciples, is farre different from this, Luk. 17.10. When ye have done all those things which are commanded you, say: We are unprofitable servants; we have done that which was our dutie to doe. And ppSi inutilis est, qui fecit omnia: quid de illo dicendum est, qui explere non potuit? Hieronym. ad Ctesiphōt. contr. Pelag.if he be unprofitable (saith S. Hierome) who hath done all: what is to be said of him, who could not fulfill them? So likewise the Romanes themselves might remember, that they were taught by S. Paul at the beginning: that there is no proportion of condignitie to be found betwixt not the actions only but the passions also of the Saints, and the reward that is reserved for us in the world to come. For I reckon, that the sufferings of this present time, are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us: saith he, Rom. 8.18. and Bernard thereupon: qqDe aete…nâ vitâ scimus, quia non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam; nec, si unus omnes sustineat. Neque enim talia sunt …ominum merita, ut propter ea vita aeterna deberetur ex jure; aut Deus injuriam aliquam faceret, nisi eam donaret. Nam, ut taceam quòd merita omnia dona Deis sunt, & ita homo magis propter ipsa Deo debitor est, quàm Deus homini: quid sunt merita omnia ad tantam gloriam? Bernard. serm. 1. in Annuntiat. B. Mariae.Concerning the life eternall we know, that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory; no, not if one man did sustaine them all. For the merits of men are not such, that for p. 499them eternall life should be due of right; or God should doe any iniurie, if he did not give it. For, to let passe that all merits are Gods gifts, and in that respect a man is for them made a debter to God, more than God to man: what are all merits in comparison of so great a glory? and S. Ambrose long before him: rrOmnia quae patimur minora sunt & indigna quorum pro laboribus tanta rependaturfuturorum merces bonorum, quae revelabitur in nobis, cùm ad Dei imaginem reformati gloriam ejus facie ad faciem aspicere meruerimus. Ambros. …pist. 22.All those things which we suffer, are too little and unworthy, fot the paines whereof there should be rendred unto us so great reward of good things to come, as shall be revealed in us, when being reformed according to the image of God we shall merit (or obtaine) to see his glory face to face.

Where for the better understanding of the meaning of the Fathers in this point, we may further observe, that merits in their writings doe ordinarily signifie nothing but workes (as in the alleaged place of Bernard:) and ssVerum quidem est, neque id me fugit, usurpari nonnunquam nomen meriti, ubi nulla est ratio meriti, neque ex congruo, neque de condigno. Andr. Vega defens. Concil. Tridentin. de Iustificat. lib. 8. cap. 8. Si aliquis vocabulo promerendi usus est; aliter non intellexit, quàm consecutionem de facto. Stapleton. Promptuar. Catholic. fer. 5. post Dominic. Passion. Vocabulum merendi apud veteres Ecclesiasticos scriptores feré idem valet quod consequi, seu aptum idoneumque fieri ad consequendum. G…org. Cassand. Schol. in Hymnos Ecclesiastic. pag. 179. Oper. Vid. Cochlaeum in Discuss. …onfess. & Apolog. artic. 20.to merit, simply to procure or to attaine, without any relation at all to the dignitie either of the person or the worke; as in the last words of Ambrose is plainly to be seene. And therefore as Tacitus writes of Agricola, that ttIis virtutibus iram Caij Caesaris meritus. Tacit. in vit. Iul. Agricolae.by his vertues he merited (that is to say, incurred) the anger of Caius Caesar: so S. Augustine saith, that he and his fellowes for their good doings at the hands of the Donatists, uuPro actione gratiarum flammas meruimus odiorum. Augustin. contr. liter. Petilian. lib. 3. cap. 6.in stead of thanks merited (that is, incurred) the flames of hatred. On the other side the same Father affirmeth, that S. Paul xxPro persecutionibus & blasphemijs vas electionis meruit nominari. Id. de Praedestinat. & gratiâ.for his persecutions and blasphemies merited (that is, found the grace) to be named a vessell of election; having reference to that in p. 5001 Timoth. 1.13. Who was before a blasphemer, and a persecuter, and injurious; but I obtained mercy. where in stead of foreign, which the vulgar Latine translateth Misericordiam consecutus sum; yyCypri. epist. 73. sect. 11. Augustin. de Bapt…sm. contr. Donatist. lib. 4. cap. 5.S. Cyprian readeth, Misericordiam merui, I merited mercy. Whereunto we may adde that saying which is found also among the workes of S. Augustine: that zzUt omnis …eccator propterea de se non desperet, quia Paulus meruit indulgentiam. Augustin. se…m. 49. de Tempore.no sinner should despaire of himselfe, seeing Paul hath merited pardon. and that of Gregory: aaQuid quòd Paulus, cùm Redemptoris nomen in ter…â conaretur extinguere, ejus v…rba de coelo meruit audire? Greg. Moral. in Iob. lib. 9. cap. 17.Paul when he went about to extinguish the name of our Redeemer upon earth, merited to heare his words from heaven. as also that other straine of his concerning the sin of Adam; which is sung in the Church of Rome at the blessing of the Taper: bbO felix cu… pa, quae talem ac tantum meruit habere Redemptorem. Vid. Iodoc. Cl…cthovei lib. de duab. propositionib. Cer…i Pas…halis.O happy sinne, that merited (that is, found the favour) to have such and so great a Redeemer. Howsoever therefore the ancient Doctors may seeme unto those that are not well acquainted with their language, to speake of merits as the Romanists doe: yet have they nothing common with them but the bare word; in the thing it selfe they differ as much from them every way, as our Church doth.

ccVix mihi suadeo quòd possit ullum opus esse, quod ex debito remunerationem Dei deposcat: cùm etiam hoc ipsum, quòd agere aliquid possumus, vel cogitare, vel proloqui, ipsius dono & largitione faciamus. Origen. lib. 4. in …pist. ad Rom. cap. 4.Rom 4I can hardly be perswaded, saith Origen, that there can be any worke, which may require the reward of God by way of debt: seeing this very thing it selfe, that we can doe or thinke or speake any thing, we doe it by his gift and largesse. ddMerces quidem ex dono nulla est, quia debetur ex opere: sed gratuitam Deus omnibus ex fidei justificatione donavit. Hilar. in Matth. Can. 20.Wages indeed, saith Saint Hilary, there is none of gift, because it is due by worke: but God hath given the same free to all men, by the justification of faith. eeUnde mihi tantum meriti, cui indulgentia pro coronâ est? Ambros. in Exhortat ad Virgines.Whence should I have so great merit, seeing mercy is my Crowne? saith S. p. 501Ambrose. and againe, ffQuis nostrûm fine divinâ potest miseratione subsistere? Quid possumus dignum praemijs facere coelestibus? Quis nostrûm ita assurgit in hoc corpore, ut animum suum clevet, quo jugiter adhaereat Christo? Quo tandem hominum merito defertur, ut haec corruptibilis caro induat incorruptionem, & mortale hoc indua… immortalitatē? Quibus laboribus, quibus injuriis possumus nostra levare peccata? Indignae sunt passiones hujus temporis ad superventuram gloriam. Non ergo secundùm merita nostra, sed secundùm misericordiam Dei, coelestium decretorum in homines forma procedit. Id. in Psal. 118. oct…nar. 20. Vid. eund. de bono mortis, cap. 11.Ps 118Which of us can subsist, without the mercy of God? What can we doe worthy of the heavenly rewards? Which of us doth so rise up in this bodie, that he doth elevate his minde, in such sort as he may continually adhere unto Christ? By what merit of man is it granted, that this corruptible flesh should put on incorruption, and this mortall should put on immortality? By what labours, or by what enduring of injuries, can we abate our sinnes? The sufferings of this time are unworthy for the glory that is to come. Therefore the forme of heavenly decrees doth proceed with men, not according to our merits, but according to Gods mercy. S. Basil expounding those words of the Psalmist, Behold the eye of the Lord is upon them that feare him; upon them that hope in his mercy, (Psalm. 33.18.) saith, that he doth hope in his mercy, ggforeign. Basil. in Psalm. …2.Ps 2who not trusting in his owne good deeds, nor looking to be iustified by workes, hath the hope of his salvation only in the mercies of God. and in his explication of those other words, Psalm. 116.7. Returne unto thy rest, O my soule; for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee. hhforeign. Id. in Psalm. 114. & apud Anton. Meliss. part. 2. serm. 93.Ps 114Everlasting rest (saith he) is laid up for them that strive lawfully in this life; not to be rendred according to the debt of workes, but exhibited by the grace of the bountifull God to them that trust in him. iiSi nostra consideremus merita, desperandum est. Hieronym. lib. 17. in Esai. cap. 64.Isa 64If we consider our owne merits, we must despaire, saith S. Hierome. and, kkCùm dies judicij vel dormitionis advenerit, omnes manus dissolventur, &c. quia nullum opus dignum Dei justitiâ reperietur. Id. lib. 6. in Esai. cap. 13.Isa 13When the day of judgement or death shall come, all hands will faile; because no worke shall be p. 502found worthy of the justice of God. Macarius the Aegyptian Eremite in his 15. homily writeth thus. llforeign. Macar. homil. 15.Touching the gift which Christians shall inherit, this a man may rightly say; that if any one from the time wherein Adam was created unto the very end of the world, did fight against Satan, and undergoe afflictions, he should doe no great matter in respect of the glory that he shall inherit. for he shall reigne together with Christ world without end. His 37. homily is in the Paris edition of the workes of mmMarc. erenit. edit. Paris. an. 1563. Nam in Micropr…sbytico Prooemium illud non habetur: quippe quod Maca…i… constel. esse, non Marci.Marcus the Eremite set out as the Prooeme of his booke of Paradise and the spirituall law. There Macarius exhorteth us, that nnforeign. Macar. homil. 37.beleeving in almighty God, we should with a simple heart and void of scrupulositie come unto him who bestoweth the communion of the spirit according to faith, and not according to the proportion of the workes of faith. Where Ioannes Picus the Popish interpreter of Marcus, giveth us warning in his margent, that this clause is to be understood of a lively faith: but concealeth his owne faithlesnesse in corrupting of the text, by turning the workes of faith into the workes of nature. for foreign, is by his Latine translation (which is to be seene in ooB…blioth…c. Patr. tom 4. pag. 935. B. …dit. Colon.Bibliothecâ Patrum) as much to say as, Non ex proportione operum naturae.

There is a treatise extant of the said Marcus; foreign, touching those who thinke to be justified by their workes: where he maketh two sorts of men, ppforeign. Marc. Eromit. de his qui putant ex operib. justificari, cap. 17. & ex eo Anastasius Sinaita, vel Nicaenus, quaest. 1. pag. 16. edit. Ingolstad.that misse both of them the kingdome of heaven. the one, such as doe not keepe the commandements, and yet imagine that they beleeve aright: the other, such as keeping the commandements, doe expect the kingdome as a wages p. 503due …nto them. For qqforeign. Id. ibid. cap. 2.the Lord (saith he) willing to shew, that all the comm…ndements are of dutie to be performed, and that the adoption of children is freely given to men by his bloud, saith; When you have done a…l things that are commanded you, then say; We are unprofitable servants, and we have done that which was our dutie to doe. Therefore the kingdome of heaven is not the hire of works, but the grace of the Lord prepared for his faithfull servants. This sentence is repeated in the very selfe same words, by rrHesyc. Presb. in foreign, Centur. 1. s…ct. 79.Hesychius in his booke of Sentences written to Thalassius. The like sayings also hath S. Chrysostome. ssforeign. Ch…ysost. in epist. ad Colos…. homil. 2.No man sheweth such a conversation of life, that he may be worthy of the kingdome; but this is wholly of the gift of God. Therefore he saith; When yee have done all, say, We are unprofitable servants; for what we ought to doe, we have done. ttforeign. Id. de compunctione, ad Stelech…um, tom. 6. edit. Savil. pag. 157.Although we did die a thousand deaths, although we did performe all vertuous actions; yet should we come short by farre of rendring any thing worthy of those honours which are conferred upon us by God. uuforeign. Id. in Psalm. 4.Ps 4Although we should doe innumerable good deeds, it is of Gods pitie and benignitie that we are heard. although we should come unto the very top of vertue, it is of mercy that we are saved. xxforeign. Id. in Matth. Homil. 79. edit. Graec. vel 80. Latin.for although we did innumerable workes of mercy, yet would it be of the benignitie of grace, that for such small and meane matters should be given so great a heaven and a kingdome, and such an honour: yyforeign. Id. in Psal 5.Ps 5whereunto nothing we doe can have equall p. 504correspondence. zzSit licèt excellens hominum meritum, sit naturae jura conservans, sit legum jussisobtemperans; impleat fidem, justitiam teneat, virtutes exerceat, damnet vitia, peccata repellat, semet exemplum imitantibus praebeat: si quid gesserit, parū est; quicquid fecerit, minus: omne enim meritum breve est. Numera beneficia, si potes; & tunc considera quid mereris. Cum beneficijs caelestibus tua facta perpēde, cū divinis muneribus actus proprios meditare: nec dignū te judicabis eo quod fueris, si intelligas quid mereris. Serm. de primo homine praelato omni creaturae; tom. 1. oper. Chrysost.Let the merit of men be excellent, let him observe the rights of nature, let him be obedient to the commandements of the Lawes; let him fulfill his faith, keepe justice, exercise vertues, condemne vice, repell sinnes, shew himselfe an example for others to imitate: if he have performed any thing, it is little; whatsoever he hath done is small: for all merit is short. Number Gods benefits, if thou canst: and then consider what thou dost merit. Weigh thine owne deeds with the heavenly benefits, ponder thine owne acts with the divine gifts: and thou wilt not judge thy selfe worthy of that which thou art, if thou understandest what thou dost merit. Whereunto we may adde the exhortation made by S. Antony to his Monkes in Aegypt. aaforeign. &c. foreign. Athanas. Vit. Antonij, pag. 25.The life of man is most short, being measured with the world to come: so that all our time is even nothing, in comparison of everlasting life. And every thing in this world is sold for that which it is worth, and one giveth equall in exchange of equall: but the promise of everlasting life is bought for a very little matter. Wherefore, my sonnes, let us not wax weary; nor thinke that we stay long, or performe some great thing: for the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed on us. Neither when we looke upon the world, let us thinke that we have forsaken any great matters. For all this earth is but a very little thing, in comparison of the whole heaven. Therefore although we had beene lords of the whole earth, and did forsake p. 505the whole earth; that would be nothing worthy to be compared with the kingdome of heaven. For as if one would neglect one peece of brasse, that he might gaine a hundred peeces of gold: so he who is lord of the whole earth and forsaketh it, should but forgoe a little, and receive a hundred fold.

Such an other exhortation doth S. Augustine also make unto his hearers. bbCùm attenderis quid sic accepturus; omnia tibi erunt vilia quae pateris, nec digna aestimabis pro quibus illud accipias. Miraberis tantum dari pro tanto labore. Nam uti que fratres, pro aeternâ requie labor aeternus subeundus erat. Aeternam felicitatem accepturus, aeternas passiones sustinere deberes. Sed si aeternum sustineres laborem; quando venires ad aeternam felicitatem? Ita fit, ut necessariò temporalis sit tribulatio tua, quâ sinitâ venias ad felicitatem infinitam. Sed plané, fratres, posset esse longa tribulatio pro aeternâ felicitate. Verbi gratiâ, ut quoniam felicitas nostra finem non habebit; miseria nostra, & labor noster, & tribulationes nostrae diuturnae essent. Nam etsi mille annorum essent, appende mille annos contra aeternitatem. Quid appendis cum infinito quantumcun que finitum? decem millia annorum, decies centena millia, si dicendum est, & millia millium, quae finem habent, cum aeternitate comparari non possunt. Huc accedit, quia non solùm temporalem voluit laborem tuum Deus, sed etiam brevem. August. in Psal. 36. Conc. 2.Ps 36When thou dost consider (saith he) what thou art to receive; all the things that thou sufferest will be vile unto thee, neither wilt thou esteeme them worthy for which thou shouldst receive it. Thou wilt wonder, that so much is given, for so small a labour. For indeed, brethren, for everlasting rest everlasting labour should be undergone: being to receive everlasting felicitie, thou oughtest to sustaine everlasting sufferings. But if thou shouldst sustaine everlasting labour; when shouldst thou come to everlasting felicitie? So it commeth to passe, that thy tribulation must of necessitie be temporall; that it being finished, thou maist come to infinite felicitie. But yet, brethren, there might have beene long tribulation for eternall felicitie. that, for example, because our felicitie shall have no end; our misery, and our labour, and our tribulations should be of long continuance. For admit they should continue a thousand yeere: weigh a thousand yeeres with eternitie. Why dost thou weigh that which is finite, be it never so great, with that which is infinite? Ten thousand yeeres, ten hundred thousand, if we should say, and a thousand p. 506thousand, which have an end, cannot be compared with eternitie. This then thou hast, that God would have thy labour to be not only temporall, but short also. And therefore doth the same Father every where put us in minde, that God is become our debtor, not by our deservings, but by his owne gratious promise. ccFidelis homo est credens promittenti Deo; fidelis Deus est exhibens quod promisit homini. Teneamus fidelissimum debitorem, quia tenemus misericordissimum promissorem. Ne que enim aliquid ei commodavimus, …ut mutuum commendavimus, ut teneamus eum debitorem: cùm ab illo habeamus quicquid illi offerimus, & ex illo sit quicquid boni sumus. Id. in Psal. 32. Conc. 1.Ps 32Man (saith he) is faithfull, when he beleeveth God promising: God is faithfull, when he performeth that which he hath promised unto man. Let us hold him a most faithfull debtor, because we have him a most mercifull promiser. For we have not done him any pleasure, or leant any thing to him that we should hold him a debtor; seeing we have from himselfe whatsoever we doe offer unto him, and it is from him whatsoever good we are. ddErgo non ei al quid dedimus: & tenemus debitorem. Unde debitorem? Quia promissor est Non dicimus Deo; Domine redde quod accepisti, sed redde quod promisisti. Id. ibid. & in Psal. 83.Ps 83We have not given any thing therefore unto him; and yet we hold him a debtor. Whence a debtor? because he is a promiser. We say not unto God; Lord, pay that which thou hast received, but, pay that which thou hast promised. eeSecu…us ergo esto. Tene debitorem, quia credidisti in promissorem. Id. in Psal. 83. circa finem.Ps 83Be thou secure therefore. Hold him as a debtor, because thou hast beleeved in him as a promiser. ffFidelis Deus qui se nostrum debitorē fecit: non aliquid á nobis accipiendo, sed tanta nobis promittendo, &c. Promisit enim hominibus divinitatem, mortalibus immortalitatem, peccatoribus justificationem, abjectis glorificationē. Quicquid promisit, indignis promisit; ut non quasi operibus merces promitteretur, sed gratia á nomine suo gratis daretur: quia & hoc ipsum quòd justé vivit, inquantū homo potest justé vivere, non merit… h…mani, sed beneficij est divini. Id. in Psal. 109. circa init:Ps 109God is faithfull, who hath made himselfe our debtor; not by receiving any thing from us, but by promising so great things to us. For to men hath he promised divinitie, to those that are mortall immortalitie, to sinners justification, to abjects glorification. Whatsoever he promised, he promised to them that were unworthy; that it might not be promised as wa…es for workes, but being grace, might according to the name be graciously and freely given: because that even this p. 507very thing, that one doth live justly (so farre as a man can live justly) is not a matter of mans merit, but of the gift of God. Therefore, ggIn his quae jam habemus, laudemus Deum la…gitorem: in his quae nondum habemus, teneamus debitorem. Debitor enim factus est, non aliquid à nobis accipiendo, sed quod ei placuit promittendo. Aliter enim dicimus homini, Debes mihi quia dedi tibi: & aliter dicimus, Debes mihi quia promisisti mihi. Quā do dicis, Debes mihi quia dedi tibi; á te processit beneficium, sed mutuatum non donatum. Quando autem dicis, Debes mihi quia promisisti mihi; tu nihil dedisti, & tamen exigis. Bonitas enim ejus qui promisit dabit, &c. Id. de Verbis Apostoli, Serm. 16.in those things which we have alreadie, let us praise God as the giver: in those things which as yet we have not, let us hold him our debtor. For hee is become our debtor, not by receiving any thing from us, but by promising what it pleased him. For it is one thing to say to a man, Thou art debtor to me, because I have given to thee: and another thing to say, Thou art debtor to mee, because thou hast promised me. When thou sayest. Thou art debtor to me, because I have given to thee: a benefit hath proceeded from thee, though lent, not given. But when thou sayest, Thou art debtor to me, because thou hast promised me: thou gavest nothing to him, and yet requirest of him. For the goodnesse of him that hath promised, will give it, &c.

hhHominum salus ex solâ Dei misericordiâ pendet. ne que enim hanc adipiscimur praemium & mercedem justitiae: sed Dei bonitatis donum est. Theodoret. in Sophoni. cap. 3.The salvation of men depends upon the sole mercy of God: saith Theodoret. for we do not obtaine it as the reward and wages of our righteousnes: but it is the gift of Gods goodnesse. iiSuperant certamina coronae, non comparantur cum laboribus remunerationes: labor enim parvus est, sed magnum lucrum speratur. Et p…opte…ea non mercedem sed gloriam vocavit ea quae expectantur. Id. in Roman. 8.18.The crownes doe excell the fights, the rewards are not to be compared with the labours: for the labour is small, but great is the gaine that is hoped for. And therefore the Apostle, Rom. 8.18. called those things that are looked for, not wages, but glory. and Rom. 6.23. kkHîc non dicit mercedeni, sed gratiam. Etsi quis enim summam & absolutam justitiam praestiterit: temporali…us laboribus aeterna in aequilibrio non respondent. Id. in Roman. 6. ult.not wages, but grace. For although a man should performe the greatest and most absolute righteousnesse: things eternall doe not answer temporall labours in equall poise. The same for this point is taught by S. Cyrill of Alexandria: that llforeign. Cyril. Alexandrin. homil. Paschal. 4.the crowne which we are to receive, doth much surpasse the p. 508paines which we take for it. And the Author of the booke of the calling of the Gentiles (attributed unto Prosper) observeth out of the Parable, Matth. 20.9. that God bestoweth eternall life on those that are called at the end of their daies, as well as upon them that had laboured longer: mmNon labori pretiū solvens, sed divitias bonitatis suae in eos, quos sine operibus elegit, effundens: ut etiam hi… qui in multo labore sudârunt, nec amplius quàm novissimi acceperunt; intelligant donum se gratiae, non operum accepisse mercedem. Prosp. de Vocat. Gent. lib. 1. cap. 17.not as paying a price to their labour, but powring out the riches of his goodnesse upon them whom he had chosen without works; that even they also who have sweat with much labour, and have received no more than the last, might understand, that they did receive a gift of grace, and not a due wages for their workes.

This was the doctrine taught in the Church for the first five hundred yeeres after Christ: which wee finde maintained also in the next five hundred. nnMeritum meum regnator coelestis si attenderet, aut exigua bona adipisce…er, aut magna supplicia; & mei idoneus aestimator, quo meritis pervenire non poteram, voto non tenderē. Sed gratias illi, qui delicta nostra sic ne extollamur resecat, utspem ad laetiora (al. latiora) perducat. Enned. Ticinens. l. 2. ep. 10. ad Faust.If the King of heaven should regard my merit (saith Ennodius, Bishop of Pavîa) either I should get little good, or great punishments; and judging of my selfe rightly, whither I could not come by merits, I would not tend in desire. But thankes be to him, who, that we may not be extolled, doth so cut off our offences, that he bringeth our hope unto better things. Our glorification, saith Fulgentius, ooGratia autem etiā ipsa ideo nō injustê dicitur, quia nō solùm donis suis Deus dona sua reddit: sed quia tantū etiā ibi gratia divinae retributionis exuberat, ut incōparabiliter at que ineffabiliter omne meritū, quamvis bonae & ex Deo datae, humanae voluntatis at que operationis excedat. Fulg. ad Monimum, l. 1. c. 10.is not unjustly called Grace: not only because God doth bestow his owne gifts upon his owne gifts; but also because the grace of Gods reward doth so much there abound, as that it exceedeth incomparably and unspeakably all the merit of the will and worke of man, though good, and given from God. For ppTotis licèt & animae & corporis laboribus desudemus, totis licèt obedientiae viribus exerceamur: nihil tamen condignum merito pro coelestibus bonis compensare & offerre valebimus. Non valent vitae praesentis obsequia aeternae vitae gaudijs comparari. Lassescant licèt membra vigilijs; pallescant licèt ora jejunijs: non erunt tamen condignae passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam, quae revelabitur in nobis. Pulsemus ergò, charissimi, in quantum possumus; quia non possumus quantū debemus: futura beatitudo acquiri potest, aestimari non potest. Euseb. Emiss. vel. Gallican. ad Monachos, ser. 3although we did sweat (saith he who beareth the name of Eusebius p. 509Emissenus, or Gallicanus) with all the labours of our soule and bodie, although we were exercised with all the strength of obedience: yet shall not we be able to recompence and offer any thing worthie in merit for the heavenly good things. The offices of this present life cannot be compared with the joyes of the life eternall. Although our members be wearied with watchings; although our faces wax pale with fastings: yet the sufferings of this time will not be worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall bee revealed in us. Let us knocke therefore, dearely beloved, as much as we can, because we cannot as much as we ought: the future blisse may be acquired, but estimated it cannot be.

qqforeign. Agap…t. Diacon. Paraenes. ad Iustinian. sect. 43.Albeit thou hadst good deeds equall in number to the starres, (saith Agapetus the Deacon, to the Emperour Iustinian) yet shalt thou never goe beyond the goodnesse of God. For whatsoever any man shall bring unto God, he doth but offer unto him his owne things, out of his owne store. and as one cannot outstrip his own shadow in the Sunne, (which preventeth him alwaies, although he make never so much speed:) so neither can men by their good doings, outstrip the unmatchable bountie of God. rrUt enim saepe diximus: Omnis humana justitia, injustitia esse cō vincitur, si districté judicetur. Prece ergo post justitiam indiget; ut quae succumbere discussa poterat, ex solâ judicis pietate cōvalescat. &c. Dicat ergo: Qui etiamsi habuero quippiam justum, non respondebo, sed meum judicem deprecabor. Velut, si apertiùs fateatur, dicens: Etsi ad opus virtutis excrevero, ad vitam non ex meritis, sed ex veniâ convalesco. Gregor. Moral. in Iob. lib. 9. cap. 14.All the righteousnesse of man, saith Gregory, is convicted to bee unrighteousnesse, if it be strictly judged. It needeth therefore prayer after righteousnesse; that that which being sifted might faile, by the meere pitie of the Iudge might stand for good. Let him therefore say: Although I had any righteous thing, I would not answer, but I would make supplication to my Iudge. (Iob 9.15) as if he should more plainly confesse, and say: Albeit I did grow up unto the worke of vertue, I should be enabled unto life, not by merits, but by pardon. p. 510But you will say, ssQuòd s…illa sanctorum felicitas misericordia est, & non meritis acquiritur: ubi erit quod scriptum est; Et tu reddes unicuique secundùm opera sua? Si secundùm opera redditur; quomodo misericordia a…stimabitur? Sed aliud est secundùm opera reddere, & aliud propter ipsa opera reddere. In eo enim quòd secundùm opera dicitur, ipsa operum qualitas intelligitur; ut cujus appa…uerint bona opera, ejus sit & retributio glo…iosa. Illi nam que beatae vitae in quâ cum Deo, & de Deo vivitur, nullus potest aequari labor, nulla opera comparati: praesertim cùm. Apostolus dicat; Non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis. Id. in Psal. Poenitent. 7. vers. 9.If this blisse of the Saints be merciemercy, and is not obtained by merits; how shall that stand which is written: And thou shalt render unto every one according to his workes? If it be rendred according to workes; how shall it be accounted merciemercy? But it is one thing to render according to workes; and another thing to render for the works themselves. For when it is said, According to works; the qualitie it selfe of the worke is understood: that whose workes appeare good, his reward way be glorious. For unto that blessed life, wherein wee are to live with God, and by God, no labour can be equalled, no workes compared: seeing the Apostle saith, The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. ttPer justitiam factorum nullus salvabitur, sed per solam justitiam fidei. Bed. in Psalm. 77.Ps 77By the righteousnesse of works no man shall be saved, but only by the righteousnesse of faith: saith Bede. and therefore uuInstruit videlicèt, ut nemo vel libertatem arbitrij, vel merita sua sufficere sibi ad beatitudinem credat; sed solâ gratiâ Dei se salvari posse intelligat. Id. in Psalm. 31.Ps 31no man should beleeve, that either his freedome of will, or his merits, are sufficient to bring him unto blisse; but understand, that he can be saved by the grace of God only. The same Author, writing upon those words of David, Psalm. 24.5 He shall receive a blessing from the Lord, and righteousnesse from the God of his salvation: expoundeth the blessing to be this; xxAccipiet benedictionem, id est, multiplicationem á Domino; hanc scilicèt; ut in praesenti bene promereatur, & in futuro bene remuneretur. Et hoc non ex meritis, sed ex solâ gratiâ. Id. in Psalm. 23.Ps 23that for the present time he shall merit (or worke) well, and for the future shall be rewarded well. and that, not by merits, but by grace only.

To the same purpose Elias Cretensis, the interpreter p. 511of Gregory Nazianzen, writeth thus. **Debemus per misericordiam intelligere mercedem illam, quam nobis Deus rependit. Nos enim tanquam servi, virtutèm debemus, ut optima quae que Deo & grata tanquam debitum quoddam exsolvamus ac offeramus: quippe quum nihil habeamus, quod non ab ipso acceperimu…. Deus autem velut Dominus & herus noster miseretur, nobis que potiùs dona…, quàm rependit. Elias in Nazianzeni Orat. habit. in elect. Eulalij.By mercy we ought to understand that reward, which God doth repay unto us. For wee as servants doe owe vertue, that the best things, and such as are gratefull, wee should pay and offer unto God as a certaine debt: considering that wee hauehave nothing, which we have not received from him: and God on the other side, as our Lord and Master, hath pitie on us, and doth bestow rather, than repay unto us. yyforeign. Anastas quaest. 135.This therefore is true humilitie, (saith Anastasius Sinaita or Nicaenus) to doe good workes, but to account ones selfe uncleane and unworthy of Gods favour, thinking to be saved by his goodnesse alone. For whatsoever good things we doe; wee answer not God for the very aire alone which we doe breathe. And when we have offered unto him all the things that we have, he doth not owe us any reward for all things are his: and none receiving the things that are his owne, is bound to give a reward unto them that bring the same unto him. In the booke set out by the authoritie of Charles the Great against Images; zzArca foederis secundùm quosdam Dominum & Salvatorem nostrum, in quo solo foedus pacis apud Patrem habemus, designat, &c. Cui propitiatorium superponitur, quia scilicèt legalibus sive euangelicis praeceptis, quae in eo fundata sunt, supereminet misericordia ejusdem mediatoris; per quam non ex operibus legis quae fe…imus nos, ne que volentes, ne que currentes, sed ejus miseratione salvamur. Opus Carolin. de Imaginib. lib. 1. cap. 15.…the Arke of the Covenant is said to signifie our Lord and Saviour, in whom alone we have the Covenant of peace with the Father. Over which the Propitiatory is said to be placed: because aboue the Commandements either of the Law, or of the Gospell, which are founded in him, the mercy of the said Mediator taketh place; by which, not by the workes of the Law which we have done, neither willing, nor running, but by his having mercy upon us, we p. 512are saved. So Ambrosius Ansbertus, expounding that place, Rev. 19.7. Let us be glad and rejoyce, and give glory to him; for the mariage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made her selfe readie. aaIn eo autem damus illi gloriam, quo nullis praecedentibus bonorum actuum meritis, sed solâ nos ejus misericordiâ, ad tantam dignitatē pervenisse fateamur. A…bros. Ansbert. lib. 8. in Apocaly…s. c. 19.In this, saith he, doe we give glory to him; when we doe confesse, that by no precedent merits of our good deeds, but by his merciemercy only, we have attained unto so great a dignitie. And Rabanus in his Commentaries upon the Lament. of Ieremie: bbNe dicerent, Patres nostri suo merito placuerunt, ideò tanta sunt à Domino consecuti: intulit non meritis d… tum, sed quia ita sit Deo pl… citum; cujus est gratuitum omne quod praesta…. R…b…n. in Ierem. lib. 18. cap. 2.Lest they should say, Our Fathers were accepted for their merit, and therefore they obtained such great things at the hand of the Lord; he adjoyneth, that this was not given to their merits, but because it so pleased God, whose free gift is whatsoever he bestoweth. Haymo writing upon those words, Psalm. 132.10. For thy servant Davids sake refuse not the face of thine Anointed, saith that, ccPropter David servum tuum, id est, propter meritū ipsius Christi. & hî… datur planè intelligi, nullum de meritis suis debere praesumere; sed omnem salvationem ex Christi meritis expectare. Haymo in Psal. 131.Ps 131For thy servant Davids sake, is as much to say as, For the merit of Christ himselfe: and fro… thence collecteth this doctrine; that none ought to presume of his owne merits, but expect all his salvation from the merits of Christ. So in another place: ddSed & nos agentes poenitentiam, sciamus nihil nos dignum dare posse ad placandum Deum; sed solummodo in sanguine imm…culati & singularis Ag…i nos posse salvari. Id. in Micheae cap. 6.When we performe our repentance, (saith he) let us know that we can give nothing that is worthy for the a…peasing of God; but that only in the bloud of that immaculate and singular Lambe we can be saved. And againe, eeVita aeterna nulli per debitum redditur; sed per gratuitam misericordiam datur. Id. Homil. in Dominic. Septuagesimae.Eternall life is rendred to none by debt; but given by free merciemercy. ffNecesse est solâ fide Christi salvari credentes. Smaragd. in Galat. cap. 3.Gal 3It is of necessitie that beleevers should be saved only by the faith of Christ: saith Smaragdus the Abbot. ggGratiâ, non meritis, salvati sumus à Deo. Comment…r. in Marc. cap. 14. inter foreign Hieronym.Mark 14By grace, not by merits, are we saved of God: saith the Author of the p. 513Commentaries upon S. Marke, falsely attributed to S. Hierome.

That this doctrine was by Gods great merciemercy preserved in the Church the next 500. yeares also, as well as in those middle times: appeareth most evidently by those Instructions and Consolations, which were prescribed to be used unto such as were readie to depart out of this life. hhFormula illa infirmos jam animam agentes interrogandi, in Bibliothecis passim obvia; qu…e & separatim Anselmo Cantuariensi inscribitur, & operi Epistolarum inserta reperitur. Georg. Cassand. in Appendic. ad Opusc. Io. Roffens. de fiduciâ & miseric…rd. â Dei.This forme of preparing men for their death, was commonly to be had in all Libraries, and particularly was found inserted among the Epistles of Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury; who was commonly accounted to bee the Author of it. The substance thereof may be seene (for the copies varie, some being shorter, and some larger than others) in a Tractate written by a Cistercian Monke, of the Art of dying well (which I have in written hand, and have seene also printed in the yeere 1483. and 1504.) in the booke called, Hortulus animae; in Cassanders Appendix to the booke of Iohn Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, de fiduciâ & misericordiâ Dei; (edit. Colon. An. 1556.) Caspar Vlenbergius his Motives; (caus. 14. pag. 462.463. edit. Colon. An. 1589.) in the Romane Sacerdotall (part. 1. tract. 5. cap. 13. fol. 116. edit. Venet. An. 1585.) in the booke intituled, Sacra institutio Baptizandi juxta ritum Sanctae Romanae Ecclesiae, ex decreto Concilij Tridentini restituta, &c. printed at Paris, in the yeere 1575. and in a like booke intituled Ordo Baptizandi, cum Modo visitandi, printed at Venice the same yeere. out of which the Spanish Inquisitors, as well in their New, as in their Old Expurgatory Index (the one set out by Cardinall Quiroga in the yeere 1584. the other by the Cardinall of Sandoval and Roxas, in the yeere 1612.) command p. 514these interrogatories to be blotted out. iiSACERDOS. Credis non proprijs meritis, sed passionis Domini nostri Iesu Christi virtute & me…ito, ad gloriam pervenire? R…spond…at infirmus: Credo. SACERDOS. Credis, quòd Dominus noster Iesus Christus pro nostrâ Salute mortuus sit: & quòd ex proprijs meritis, vel alio modo nullus possit salvari, nisi in merito passionis ejus? Respondeat infirmus: Credo. Ordo baptizandi, & visitandi, edit. Venet. an. 1575. fol. 34. & Institut. Baptiz…ndi, edit. Paris. an. 1575. fol. 35. a. & Sacerdotal. Rom. edit. Venet. an. 1585. fol. 116. b.Dost thou beleeve to come to glory, not by thine owne merits, but by the vertue and merit of the passion of our Lord Iesus Christ? and, Dost thou beleeve, that our Lord Iesus Christ did die for our salvation: and that none can be saved by his owne merits, or by any other meanes, but by the merit of his passion? Whereby we may observe how late it is, since our Romanists in this maine and most substantiall point (which is the very foundation of all our comfort) have most shamefully departed from the faith of their fore-fathers. In other copies of this same Instruction (which are followed by Cassander, Vlenbergius, and Cardinall Hosius himselfe) kkSed & Anselmus Archiepiscopus Cantuari…nsis inte…rogationes quasdam praescripsisse d…citur infi…mis in extremis constitutis: inter quas extrema est. Credis te non posse nisi per mortem Christi salvari? Respondet infirmus: Etiam. Tum illi dicitur. Age ergò, dum superest in …e anima, in hâc solâ morte fiduciam tuam constitue; in nullâ aliâ re fiduciam h…be: huic morti te totum committe, hâc solâ te totum contege, totum immisce te in hâc morte, totum confige; in hâc morte te totum involve. Et si Dominus Deus voluerit te judicare, dic: Domine, mortem Domini nostri Iesu Christi objicio inter me & tuum judicium: aliter tecum non contendo. Et si tibi dixerit, quia peccator es, dic: Domine, mortem Domini Iesu Christi pono inter te & peccata mea. Si dixe…it tibi, quòd meruisti damnationem, dic: Domine, mo…tem Domini nostri Iesu Christi obtendo inter me, & mala merita mea; ipsius que meritum offero pro me…ito, quod ego debuissem habere nec habeo. Si dixerit, quòd tibi …st iratus, dic: Domine, mortem Domini nostri Iesu Christi oppono inter me & iram tuam. Hosius in Confessione P…tricoviens. cap. 73.the last question propounded to the sicke man is this. Dost thou beleeve that thou canst not be saved, but by the death of Christ? Whereunto when he hath made answer affirmatively: he is presently directed to make use thereof, in this manner. Goe too therefore, as long as thy soule remaineth in thee, place thy whole confidence in this death only; have confidence in no other thing: commit thy selfe wholly to this death, with this alone cover thy selfe wholly, intermingle thy selfe wholly in this death, p. 515fasten thy selfe wholly; wrap thy whole selfe in this death. And if the Lord God will judge thee, say: Lord, I oppose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt mee and thy judgement: no otherwise doe I contend with thee. And if he say unto thee, that thou art a sinner, say: Lord, I put the death of the Lord Iesus Christ betwixt thee and my sinnes. If he say unto thee, that thou hast deserved damnation, say: Lord, I set the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt me and my bad merits; and I offer his merit in stead of the merit which I ought to have, but yet have not. If he say, that he is angrie with thee, say: Lord, I interpose the death of our Lord Iesus Christ betwixt me and thine anger.

Adde hereunto the following sentences of the Doctors of these latter ages. llforeign. O…cum…n in Roman. 8. pag. 312.We cannot suffer or bring in any thing worthy of the reward that shall be: saith Oecumenius. So Petrus Blesensis Archdeacon of Bathe. mmNihil molesté potest sustineri in hâc morte vitali, quod coelestibus gaud…js ex aequo respondere sufficiat. Petr. Blesens. in Iob, cap. ult.No trouble can be endured in this vitall death, which is able equally to answer the joyes of heaven. and Anselme Archbishop of Canterbury more fully, before him. nnSi homo mille annis serviret Deo, etiam ferventissimé; non mereretur ex condigno, dimidiam diem esse in regno coelorum. Ans…lm. in lib. de Mensuratione Crucis.If a man should serve God a thousand yeeres, and that most fervently; he should not deserve of condignitie to be halfe a day in the Kingdome of heaven. Radulphus Ardens, expounding those words of the Parable, Matth. 20.13. Didst not thou agree with me for a peny? ooNemo, fratres, ex his verbis putet Deum quasi ex conventione astrictum esse ad reddendum promissum. Sicut enim Deus est liber ad promittendum, ita est liber ad reddendum: praesertim cùm tam merita quàm praemia sint gratia sua. Nihil enim aliud quàm gratiam suam coronat in nobis Deus: qui si vellet in nobis agere districté, non justificaretur in conspectu ejus omnis vivens. Unde Apostolus qui plus omnibus laboravit, dicit: Existimo quòd non sunt condignae passiones hujus temporis ad futuram gloriam quae revelabitur in nobis. Ergo haec conventio nihil aliud est, quam voluntaria Dei promissio. Rad. Ardens. Dominic. in Septuagesima, Homil. 2.Let no man out of these words, saith he, thinke that God is, as it were, tied by agreement to pay that which he hath promised. For as God is free to promise, so is he free to pay: especially seeing p. 516as well merits as rewards are his grace. For God doth crowne nothing else in us but his owne grace: who if hee would deale strictly with us, no man living should be justified in his sight. Whereupon the Apostle, who laboured more than all, saith: I reckon that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Therefore this agreement is nothing else, but Gods voluntary promise. And ppNe miremini, f…atres, si merita justorum gratias voco: teste enim Apostolo, nihil habemus quod non à Deo & gratis accepimus. Sed quoniam per unam gratiam pervenimus ad aliam, merita dicuntur & improprié. Teste enim Augustino, solam gratiam suam coronat in nobis Deus. Id. Dominic. 18 post Trinitat. Homil. 1.doe not wonder (saith he, in another Sermon) if I call the merits of the just graces. for as the Apostle witnesseth, we have nothing which we have not received from God, and that freely. But because by one grace we come unto another; they are called merits, but improperly. For as Augustine witnesseth: God crowneth only his owne grace in us. So Rupertus Tuitiensis: qqRes est non meriti, sed gratiae, magnitudo vel aetern…tas coelestis glo…iae R…pert Tuit. in Iohan. lib. 1. cap. 1.The greatnesse or the eternitie of the heavenly glorie, is not a matter of merit, but of grace. The same doth rrBernard. Cl… niacens. de Contemptu mundi, lib. 1.Bernardus Morlanensis expresse in these rhythmicall verses of his:

Vrbs Sion inclyta, **al. turris & edita.patria condita littore tuto;

Te peto, te colo, te flagro, te volo, canto, saluto.

Nec meritis peto, nam meritis meto morte perire:

Nec reticens tego, quòd meritis ego filius irae.

Vita quidem mea, vita nimis rea, mortua vita:

Quippe reatibus exitialibus obruta, trita.

Spe tamen ambulo, praemia postulo spe que fide que :

Illa perennia postulo praemia nocte die que .

But Bernard of Claraevalle aboue others delivereth this doctrine most sweetly. ssNecesse est primò omnium credere, quòd remissionem peccatorum habere non possis, nisi per indulgentiam Dei: deinde quòd nihil p…orsus habere queas operis boni, nisi & hoc dederit ipse: postremò quòd aeternam vitam nullis potes operibus promereri, nisi gratis detur & illa. Bernard. S…rm. 1. in Annuntiat. B. Mariae.It is necessary (saith hee) that first of all thou shouldest beleeve, that thou canst not p. 517have remission of sinnes, but by the merciemercy of God: then, that thou canst not at all have any whit of a good worke, unlesse he likewise give it thee: lastly, that by no workes thou canst merit eternall life, unlesse that also be freely given unto thee. ttAlioquin si proprié appellentur ea quae dicimus nostra merita: spei quaedam sunt seminaria, charitatis incentiva, occultae praedestinationis indicia, futurae felicitaris praesagia, via regni, nō caussa regnandi. Id. in fine libri de Gra…. & lib. Arb.Otherwise, if wee will properly name those which wee call our merits: they be certaine seminaries of hope, incitements of love, signes of secret predestination, foretokens of future happinesse, the way to the kingdome, not the cause of reigning. uuPericulosa habitatio eorum qui in meritis suis sperant: periculosa, quia ruinosa. Id. in Psal. Qui habitat. Serm. 1.Dangerous is the dwelling of them that trust in their merits: dangerous, because ruinous. xxHoc enim totum hominis meritum, si totam spem suam ponat in eo qui totū hominem salvum facit. Ibid. Serm. 15.For this is the whole merit of man, if hee put all his trust in him who saveth the whole man. yyMeum proinde meritum, miseratio Domini. Non planê sum meriti inops, quandiu ille miserationum non fuerit. Quòd si misericordiae Domini multae, multis nihilo minus ego in meritis sum. Id. in Cant. serm. 61.Therefore my merit is the mercy of the Lord. I am not poore in merit, so long as he is not poore in merciemercy: and if the mercies of the Lord be many, my merits also are many. With which that passage of the Manuall, falsly fathered upon S. Augustine, doth accord so justly; that the one appeareth to be plainly borrowed from the other. zzTota spes mea est in morte Domini mei. Mors ejus meritum meum, refugium meum, salus, vita & resurrectio mea. Meritum meum miseratio Domini. Non sum meriti inops, quamdiu ille miserationum Dominus non defuerit: & misericordiae Domini multae, multus ego sum in meritis. Manual. cap. 22. tom. 9. Operum Augustini.All my hope is in the death of my Lord. His death is my merit, my refuge, my salvation, life and resurrection. My merit is the mercy of the Lord. I am not poore in merit, so long as that Lord of mercies shall not faile: and as long as his mercies are much, much am I in merits.

Neither are the testimonies of the Schoolemen wanting in this cause. For where aaNota quòd cùm dicitur, Deus pro bonis meritis dabit vitam aeternam; Pro, primo notat signum, vel viam; vel occasionem aliquam: sed si dicatur, Propter bona merita dabit vitam aeternam; Propter, notat caussam efficientem. Ideò non recipitur á quibusdam: sed hanc recipiunt, Pro bonis meritis, & consimiles earum; assignantes differentiam inter Pro, & Propter. Georg. Cassander, epist. 19. ad Io. Molinaeum (Oper. pag. 1109.) ex libro MS. vetusti cujusdam Scholastici.God is affirmed to give p. 518the kingdome of heaven for good merits or good works: some made here a difference betwixt pro bonis meritis and propter bona merita. The former, they said, did note, a signe, or a way, or some occasion: and in that sense they admitted the proposition. But according to the latter expression, they would not receive it; because propter did note an efficient cause. And yet for the salving of that also, the Cardinal of Cambraye, Petrus de Alliaco delivereth us this distinction: bbHaec dictio Prop…er quando que capitur consecutivé; & tunc denotat ordinem consecutionis unius …ei ad alia…: ut cúm dicitur, Praemium datur propter meritum. Nihil enim aliud signifa…atur, nisi quòd post meritum datur praemium, & non nisi post meritum: sicut aliâ, patebit in materiâ de merito. Quando que verá capitur caussaliter. Pet. Cameracens. in 1. Sentent. dist. 1. quaest. 2. DD.This word Propter is sometimes taken by way of consequence; and then it noteth the order of the following of one thing upon another: as when it is said, The reward is given for the merit. For nothing else is signified thereby, but that the reward is given after the merit, and not but after the merit. Sometimes againe it is taken causally. And ccQu…a enim caussa est illud ad cujus esse sequitur aliud; dupliciter potest al…quid dici Caussa. Uno modo proprié; quando ad praesentiam esse unius, virtute ejus & ex naturâ rei sequitur esse alterius: & sic ignis est caussa caloris. Alio modo improprié; quando ad praesentiam esse unius sequitur esse alterius, non tamen virtute ejus nec ex naturâ rei, sed ex solâ voluntate alterius: & sic actus meritorius dicitur caussa respectu praemij. Sic etiam caussa sine quâ non dicitur caussa. Ex quo sequitur, quód caussa sine quâ non, non debet absoluté & simpli…iter dici caussa: quia proprié non est caussa. Id. in 4 Sent…quaest. 1. …ctic. 1. D.forasmuch as a cause also is accounted that, upon the being whereof another thing doth follow: a thing may be said to be a cause two manner of waies. One way properly; when upon the presence of the being of the one, by the vertue thereof and out of the nature of the thing there followeth the being of the other: and thus is fire the cause of heat. Another way improperly; when upon the presence of the being of the one there fo…loweth the being of the other, yet not by the vertue thereof nor out of the nature of the thing, but only out of the will of another: and so a meritorious …ot is said to be a cause in respect of the reward; as caussa sine quâ non also is said to be a cause, though it be none properly.

Among those famous Clearkes that lived in the familie p. 519of Richard Angervill Bishop of Durham in the daies of Edward the third; Thomas Bradwardin who was afterward Archbishop of Canterbury, Richard Fitzraufe afterward Archbishop of Armagh, and Robert Holeot the Dominican, were of speciall note. The first of these, in his Defense of the cause of God against the Pelagians of his time, disputeth this point at large: shewing, ddIs in laudatissimâ illâ Summâ contra Pelagianos copiosé & erudité disputat, Meritum non esse caussam aeterni praemij: cum que Scriptura & Doctores confirment, Deum praemiaturum bonos propter merita sua bona; propter, non significare caussam proprié, sed improprié, vel caussam congnoscendi, vel ordinem, vel deni que dispositionem subjecti. Georg. Cassand. epist. 19. ut suprá. Vid. ipsum Bradwardini opus, edit. Lond. an. 1618. á pag. 350. ad 353.that Merit is not the cause of everlasting reward; and that when the Scriptures and Doctors doe affirme, that God will reward the good for their good merits (or workes,) Propter did not signifie the cause properly; but improperly, either the cause of knowing it, or the order, or the disposition of the subject thereunto. Richard of Armagh (whom my countrymen commonly doe call S. Richard of Dundalke, because he was there borne and buried) intimateth this to be his minde; that the reward is here rendred, eeNon propter condignitatem operis, sed propter promissionem & sic propter justitiam praemiantis. Armachan. in Quaest. Armenorum, lib. 12. cap. 21.not for the condignitie of the worke, but for the promise and so for the justice of the rewarder: as heretofore we have heard out of Bernard. Holcot, though in words he maintaine the merit of condignitie; yet he confesseth with the Master of the Sentences, that God is hereby made our debtor, ex. naturâ sui promissi, non ex naturâ nostri commissi, out of the nature of his owne promise, not out of the nature of our doing: and that our workes have this value in them, not naturally, as if there were so great goodnesse in the nature or substance of the merit that everlasting life should be due unto it, but legally, in regard of Gods ordinance and appointment. even ffSicut parva pecunia cupri, ex naturâ suâ sive naturali vigore; non valet tantum, sicut unus panis; sed ex institutione principis tantum valet. Rob. Holcot. in lib. Sapient. cap. 3. lect. 36.as a p. 520little peece of copper, of it owne nature or naturall value, is not worth so much as a loafe of bread; but by the institution of the Prince is worth so much. And in this manner ggPossumus dicere, quòd opera nostra sunt condigna vitae aete…nae ex gratiâ, non ex substantiâ actus. Statuit enim Deus quòd bene operans in gratiâ habebit vitam aeternam. Et ergo per legem & gratiam principis nostri Christi meremur de condigno vitam aeternam. Ibid.we may say (saith he) that our workes are worthy of life everlasting by grace, and not by the substance of the act. For God hath ordained, that he that worketh well in grace should have life everlasting: and therefore by the law and grace of Christ our Prince we merit condignely everlasting life. Whereby we may see, how rightly it hath beene observed by Vasquez; hhContingere enim potest, ut si veram caussam & rationem meriti non assignemus; verbis solùm ab haereticis dissidentes reipsâ cum eis conveniamus, at que in eorum sententiam velimus nolimus, consentire cogamur: quod sané aliquibus Catholicis in hâc controversiâ accidisse, non obscuré inferiùs patebit. Gabr. Vasquez, in 1^am. 2. ae. quaest. 114 disput. 214. cap. 1.that divers of those whom he accounteth Catholickes, doe differ from us only in words, but agree in deed. Of which number he nameth iiGuilielm. Parisiens. tract. de Meritis.Willielmus Parisiensis, kkScotus in 1. Sont. dist. 17. quaest. 3. sect. Hîc potest dici. Id. in 4. distinct. 49. quaest. 6. Loquendo de strictâ justitiâ, Deus nulli nostrum propter quaecun que merita est debitor perfectionis reddendae, tam intensê; propter immoderatum excessum illius perfectionis ultra illa merita.Scotus, llGuilielm. Ockam, in 1. Sent. distinct. 17. quaest. 2. sect. Ideò dico aliter.Ockam, mmGregor, in 1. Sent. distinct. 17. quaest. 1. artic. 2. in confirmationibus secundae conclusion…s & solutione quarto argumenti contra eand.Gregorius Ariminensis, nnGabriel. in 1. Sent. dist. 17. quaest. 3. artic. 3. dub. 2. & in 2. dist. 27. quaest. 3. arti. 3. dub. 2.Gabriel Biel with his ooSupplement. Gabriel. in 4. distinct. 49. quaest. 4. artic. 2. conclus. 3.Supplement, the Chanons of Culleyn in their ppAntididagm. Coloniens. cap. 12. de praemio & retribut. bonorum operum.Antididagma and qqEnchirid. addit. Concilio Coloniensi, tit. de Iustific. sect. Et ut semel hunc articulum.Enchiridion, rrIo. Bunder. Compend. Concertationis, tit. 6. artic. 5.Ioh. Bunderius, ssAlphons. contr. haeres. lib. 10. tit. Meritum, & lib. 7. tit. Gratia.Alphonsus de Castro, and ttVega in Opusc. de Iustif. quaest. 5. ad. 1. & 3.Andreas Vega who was present at the handling of these matters in the last Tridentine Councell.

All these, and sundry others beside them, hold that the dignitie of the good workes done by Gods children doth not proceed from the value of the workes themselves, but only from the gratious promise and p. 521acceptation of God. Yea Gregorius Ariminensis, uuValens ille Gregorius Ariminensis, maximus & studiosissimus Divi Augustini propugnator. Id. ibid. quaest. 6.that most able and carefull defender of S. Augustine (as Vega stileth him) concludeth peremptorily, xxEx hoc ulteriùs infero; quòd nedum vitae aeternae, sed nec alicujus alterius praemij aeterni vel temporalis, aliquis actus hominis ex quacun que charitate elicitus, est de condigno meritorius apud Deum. Gregor. in 1. dist. 17. quaest. 1. art. 2.that no act of man, though issuing from never so great charitie, meriteth of condignitie from God, either eternall life, or yet any other reward whether eternall or temporall. The same conclusion is by Durand the most resolate Doctor (as yyDurandus uti que resolutissimus. Jo. Gerson. epist. ad studentes Collegij Navarrae.Gerson tearmeth him) thus confirmed: zzQuod redditur potiùs ex liberalitate dantis quàm ex debito operis; non cadit sub merito de condigno stricté & proprie accepto, ut expositum est. Sed quicquid á Deo accipimus, sive sit gratia, sive sit gloria, sive bonum temporale vel spirituale, praecedente in nobis propter hoc quocun que bono opere; potiùs & principaliùs accipimus ex liberalitate Dei, quàm reddatur ex debito operis. Ergo nihil penitùs cadit sub merito de condigno sic accepto. Durand. in 2. distinct. 27. quaest. 2. sect. 12.That which is conferred rather out of the liberalitie of the giver than out of the due of the worke, doth not fall within the compasse of the merit of condignitie, strictly and properly taken. But whatsoever we receive of God, whether it be grace or whether it be glory, whether temporall or spirituall good, whatsoever good worke we have before done for it, yet we receive the same rather and more principally out of Gods liberalitie, than out of the due of the worke. Therefore nothing at all falleth within the compasse of the merit of condignitie, so taken. And aaCaussa autem hujus est, quia & illud quod sumus, & quod habemus, sive sunt boni actus, sive boni habitus seu usus; totum est in nobis ex liberalitate divinâ gratis dante & conservante. Et quia ex dono gratuito nullus obligatur ad dandum amplius, sed potiùs recipiens magis obligatur danti: ideò ex bonis habitibus, & ex bonis actibus sive usibus nobis á Deo datis, Deus non obligatur nobis ex aliquo debito justitiae ad aliquid amplius dandum, ita quòd si non dederit sit injustus; sed potiùs nos sumus Deo obligati. Et sentire, seu dicere oppositum, est temerarium seu blasphemum. Ibid. sect. 13.14.the cause hereof is, (saith he) because both that which we are and that which we have, whether they be good acts or good habits, or the use of them, is wholly in us by Gods liberalitie freely giving and preserving the same. Now because none is bound by his owne free gift to give more, but the receiver rather is more bound to him that giveth: therefore by the good habits, and p. 522by the good acts or uses which God hath given us, God is not bound to us by any debt of justice to give any thing more, so as if he did not give it he should be unjust; but we are rather bound to God. And to thinke or say the contrary, is rashnesse or blasphemie.

Of the same judgement with Durand, was Iacobus de Everbaco, as Marsilius witnesseth, who delivereth his owne opinion touching this matter in these three conclusions. I. bbConsiderando opera nostra secundùm se, vel etiam prout sunt ex gratiâ cooperante; non sunt opera meritoria vitae aeternae de condigno. Ma…sil. de I…ghen, in 2. Sent. quaest. 18. art. 4.If we consider our workes in themselves, or as they proceed also from cooperating grace, they are not such workes as deserve eternall life of condignitie. for proofe whereof hee bringeth in many reasons; and that of Durands for one. ccSi de condigno ex operibus gratiâ & libero arbitrio e…iam quantumlibet magnis operatis deberetur vita aeterna: tunc Deus illi injuriam faceret, si sibi vitam aeternam non tribueret. & sic Deus ex magnis datis bonis cogeretur sub justit…â addere ampliora: quod ratio non capit. Ibid.If for the workes wrought by grace and free-will although never so great, eternall life should be due unto any by condignitie: then God should doe him injurie, if he did not give eternall life unto him. and so God by those great good things which he had given, should be constrained in way of justice to adde more great thereunto; which reason doth not comprehend. II. ddHujusmodi opera poss…nt dici vitae aeternae meritoria de condigno; …x acceptatione divinâ originaliter procedente ex merito passionis Christi. Ibid.Such workes as these may be said to merit eternall life of condignitie, by divine acceptation, originally proceeding from the merit of the passion of Christ. III. eeOpera facta ex gratiâ merentur vitam a…ternam de congruo ex liberali Dei dispositione, quâ disposuit ea sic praemiare. Ibid.Workes done by grace doe merit eternall life by way of congruitie; in respect of Gods liberall disposition, who hath so purposed to reward them. Afterwards he proveth out of the Apostle, Rom. 6.23. that ffNon ex nostrâ justitiâ sed ex Dei gratiâ datur vita aeterna: juxta illud ad Rom. 6. Gratia Dei vita aeterna. Ibid.Rom 6eternall life is given out of Gods grace, not out of our righteousnesse, and that God in thus rewarding us, doth neither exercise commutative justice, ggCùm in operibus nostris bonis nihil Deo demus, pro quo per commutationem debeatur nobis praemium. Ibid.because in our good workes we give nothing unto God, for p. 523which by way of commutation the reward should be due unto us; nor yet distributive, hhCùm nullus bene operando se…undùm se & secundùm statum aliquid de condigno me…eatu…, s…d pot…ùs Deo majori obligatione astringitu…, q…ia majora bona recep… Ib…d.because no man by working well, in regard of himselfe and in regard of the state wherein he is, doth merit any thing of condignitie, but is bound to God rather by a greater obligation, because he hath received greater good things from him. And iiEx quibus concluditur, quòd justus sic in remunerando: quia justâ dispositione suâ disposuit ex gratiâ a…ceptationis minus meritum majori praemio coronare; non justitiâ debiti, sed g…atiâ & dispositione beneplaciti d… vini. Ibid.thereupon at last concludeth, that God is just in rewarding, because by his just disposition he hath ordained by the grace of acceptation to crowne the lesser merit with the greater reward; not by the justice of debt, but by the grace and disposition of the divine good pleasure.

But the sentence of the Chancellour and the Theologicall facultie of Paris in the yeere 1354. against one Guido an Austin Fryar, that then defended the merit of condignitie, is not to be overpassed. For by their order, this forme of recantation was prescribed unto him. kkDixi contra Bacchalarium Praedicatorum conferendo cum ipso; quòd homo meretur vitam aeternam de condigno; id est, quòd, si non daretur, o… si… ret injuria. Et scripsr quòd Deus faceret sibi injuriam: & hanc probavi. Istam revoco tanquam falsam, haereticam & blasphemam. Guid. Revocat. errorum fact. Paris. an. 1354. tom. 14. Bibliothec. Pa…. edit. Colon. pag. 347.I said against a Bachelour of the order of the Fryars Preachers in conference with him, that a man doth merit everlasting life of condignitie, that is to say, that in case it were not given, there should injurie be done unto him. I wrote likewise, that God should doe him iniurie: and approved it. This I revoke as FALSE, HERETICALL, and BLASPHEMOVS. Yet now the times are so changed, and men in them that our new Divines of Rhemes stick not to tell us, that it llRhem. annotat. in Hebr. 6.10.Heb 6:10is most cleare to all not blinded in pride and contention, that good workes be meritorious, and the very cause of salvation, so far that God should be unjust, if he rendred not heaven for the same. where to the judgement of the indifferent Reader I referre it, whether side in this case is more likely to have beene p. 524blinded in pride: (we who abase our selves before Gods footstoole, and utterly disclaime all our owne merits; or they who have so high a conceit of them, that they dare in this presumptuous manner to challenge God of injustice, if he should judge them to deserve a lesse reward than Heaven it selfe:) and whether that sentence of our Saviour Christ be not fulfilled in them, as well as in the proud and blinde Pharisees their predecessors. mmIoh. 9.39.John 9:39For judgement I am come into this world, that they which see not might see, and that they which see might be made blinde. And so leaving these blinde leaders of the blinde, who say they nnIoh. 9.41.John 9:41see (by that meanes making their sinne to remaine) and say they ooRevel. 3.17.Rev 3:17are rich and increased with goods (not knowing that they are wretched, and miserable, and poore, and blinde, and naked:) I proceed, and out of the fifteenth Century or Hundred of yeeres after Christ produce other two witnesses of this truth. The one is Paulus Burgensis; who expounding those words of David, Psalm. 36.5. Thy mercy, O Lord, is in heaven, (or, reacheth unto the heavens) writeth thus: ppGloriam coelestem nullus de condigno secundùm legem communem meretur. unde Apostolus ad Rom. 8. Non sunt condignae passiones hujus seculi ad futuram gloriam, quae revelabitur in nobis. & sic manifestum est, quòd in coelo maximé relucet misericordia Dei in beatis. Paul. Burg…ns. addit. ad Lyran. in Psa. 35.Rom 8Ps 35No man according to the common law can merit by condignitie the glory of heaven. whence the Apostle saith in the 8. to the Romans, that the sufferings of this time are not worthy to be compared with the future glory which shall be revealed in us. and so it is manifest that in heaven most of all the mercy of God shineth forth in the blessed. The other is Thomas Walden, who living in England the same time that the other did in Spaine, professeth plainly his dislike of that saying; qqQuòd homo ex meritis est dignus regno coelorum, aut hâc gratiâ vel illâ gloriâ. quamvis quidam Scholastici invenerunt ad hoc dicendum terminos de condigno & congruo. Waldens. tom. 3. de Sacramentalib. tit. 1. cap. 7.that a man by his merits is worthy of the kingdome of heaven, or this grace or that glory: howsoever certaine Schoolemen, that p. 525they might so speake, had invented the tearmes of Condignitie and Congruitie. But rrReputo igitur saniorem Theologum, fideliorem Catholicum, & Scripturis sanctis mag…s concordem; qui tale meritum simpliciter abnegat, & cum modificatione Apostoli & Scripturarum concedit quia simpliciter quis non meretur regnum coelorum, sed ex gratiâ Dei aut voluntate largitoris. Ibid.I repute him (saith he) the sounder Divine, the more faithfull Catholicke, and more consonant with the holy Scriptures, who doth simply denie such merit, and with the qualification of the Apostle and of the Scriptures confesseth, that simply no man meriteth the kingdome of heaven, but by the grace of God or will of the giver. ssSicut omnes sancti priores us que ad recentes Scholasticos & communis scripsit Ecclesia. Ibid.as all the former Saints, untill the late Schoolemen, and the universall Church hath written.

Out of which words of his you may further observe both the time when, and the persons by whom this innovation was made in these latter daies of the Church: namely, that the late Schoolemen were they, that corrupted the ancient doctrine of the Church, and to that end devised their new termes of the merit of congruitie and condignitie. I say, in these latter daies: because if we looke unto higher times, Walden himselfe in that same place doth affirme that it was a branch of the ttPelagiana est haeresis quòd Deus secundùm mensuram operum meritorioru… praemiabit hominem sic merentem. Ibid.Pelagian heresie to hold, that according to the measure of meritorious workes God will reward a man so meriting. Neither indeed can this proud generation of Merit-mongers be derived from a more proper stocke, than from the old either Pelagians or Catharists. For as these doe now adaies maintaine, that they doe uuR…em…s…s an not. in Rom. 9.1.Rom 9:1worke by their owne free-will, and thereby deserve their salvation: so was this wont to be a part of Pelagius his song; xxMihi nullus auferre poteri… liberi arbitrij potestatem: ne si in operibus meis Deus adjutor extiterit, non mihi debeatur merces, sed ei qui in me operatus. Pelag. apud Hieronym. in Dialog. advers. Pelag. lib. 1No man shall take away from me the power of free-will: lest if God be my helper in my workes, the reward be not due to me, but to him that did worke in me. And to yyGloriantes de suis m…ritis. Isidor. lib. 8. Origin. cap. 5. de Catharis.glory of their merits, was a speciall property noted in the p. 526Catharists or ancient Puritans: who standing thus upon their owne puritie, zzEt memoriâ reconde, quòd Ecclesia dic…t pro parte membrorum, copiosa sua esse peccat: ut qui se praedicant esse mundos (si…ut Ca…h…ristae) intelligant se portionem cum sanctâ Ecclesiâ nō h…bere. Cass. in Ps. …4Ps 4doe thereby declare (as Cassiodorus noteth) that they have no portion with the holy Church, which professeth that her sinnes are many. Nay, aaforeign. Epiph. haeres 59. pa…. 216, 2…7.while these men call themselves Puritans, (saith Epiphanius) by this very ground they prove themselves to be impure. for whosoever pronounceth himselfe to be pure, doth therein absolutely condemne himselfe to be impure. For, as S. Hierome in this case disputeth against the Pelagians (and so against the Puritan and Pelagian Romanists) bbTunc ergo justi sumus, quand… nos peccatores fatemu…: & justiti… nostra non ex proprio merito, se ex Dei consistit miseri…ord…â. Hieron. Dialog. adve…s. Pelag. lib. 1.then are we righteous, when we confesse our selves to be sinners; and our righteousnesse consisteth not in our owne merits, but in Gods mercy. with whose resolution against them, we will now conclude this point against their new offspring; that ccP…o n…lo (inquit) salvos faciet eos: h…ud dubium quin j…st…s, qui non prop…io meri…o, sed Dei salvantur cle…en…â Id. ib…d. l…b. 2.the righteous are saved, not by their owne merit, but by Gods clemencie.

And thus have I gone over all the particular articles propounded by our Challenger: and performed therein more a great deale, than he required at my hands. That which he desired in the name of his fello…es, was; that we would alleage but any one Text of Scripture, which condemneth any of the above written points. He hath now presented unto him not texts of Scripture only, but testimonies of the Fathers also, justifying our diss…nt from them not in one but in all those points, wherein he was so confident, that they of our side that had read the Fathers could well testifie, that all antiquitie did in judgement concurre with the now Church of Rome. And if he looke into every one of them more neerely; he may perhaps finde, that we are not such strangers to the originall and first breedings of these Romish errors, as he did imagine. It now remaineth on his part, that he make good what he hath undertaken: p. 527namely, that for the confirmation of all the above mentioned points of his Religion, he produce both good and certaine grounds out of the sacred Scriptures, and the generall consent likewise of the Saints and Fathers of the Primitive Church. Wherein, as I advise him to spare his paines in labouring to prove those things, which he seeth me before hand readily to have yeelded unto: so I wish him also not to forget his owne motion, made in the percloase of his Challenge; that all may be done with Christian charity and sincerity, to the glory of God, and instruction of them that are astray.

FINIS.