Defense of Perkins Book Called a Reformed Catholic, Point 4 · Section 7
THAT GOOD WORKS BE NOT stained with sinne.
speaker D. B. P. NOw that iust mens workes be not sinnes: which I proue first, by some workes of that patterne of patience, Iob. Of whom it is written, that notwithstanding all the Diuels power and craft in tempting of him, He continued still a single harted, and an vpright man, departing from euill, Cap. 2.and preseruing his innocency. If he continued an innocent, he sinned not: Againe, if in all these instigations to impatience, he remained patient: these his workes were perfect. For S. Iames saith, Esteeme it my brethren, Cap. 1.all ioy, vvhen you shall fall into diuers temptations: knovving that the probation of your faith, vvorketh patience: And let patience hauehave a perfect vvorke, that you may be perfect and entire, fayling in nothing.
speaker A. W. This, as the last point, is a matter belike that this man thinkes himselfe well prepared for: and therefore he runnes a course of his own in them, hauing no such occasion giuen him by Master Perkins; yet let vsus follow him step by step.
By Iobs innocencie continued, nothing else is meant but that he had not (as Satan had affirmed he would) vttered any blasphemie against God. But by this it cannot be prooued, that there was no taint of sinne in his patience. As for his sinceritie and vprightnes, they are vertues that alwaies accompanie true Christians, and without which all is hypocrisie.
That perfection, or perfect worke, is the proouing that his faith is perfect, because it ouercommeth, as your mGlossa Ordin. & Lyra ad lac. 1.glosse expounds it; and he is counted a perfect man, but not simply without any spot in this patience.
speaker D. B. P. 2 King Dauid thus by the inspiration of the holy Ghost speaketh of himselfe: Thou hast (O Lord) prooued my heart, thou hast visited me in Psal. 16.the night, thou hast tried me in fire, and there vvas no iniquity found in me. It must needs then be granted, that some of his workes at least were free from all sinnes and iniquitie. And that the most of them were such, if you heare the holy Ghost testifying it, I hope you vvill beleeue it: read then, vvhere it is of record, That Dauid did that, vvhichwhich vvas right in the sight of our Lord (and not only in the sight of men) and turned from nothing 3. Reg. 15.that he commaunded him, all the daies of his life, except only the matter of Vrias the Hethite.
speaker A. W. Dauid, in that place, doth not cleare himselfe of all sinne, but only protesteth his innocency, in respect of any hurt intended by him against Saul, and the rest of his persecutors. Dauid meaneth not (saith nLyra ad Psal. 17.Lyra) to say, that he is free from all sin, but that he had committed no euill against Saul, for which he should persecute him.
It was one thing for Dauids workes to be righteous in Gods sight, an other thing for them to be perfect. The former we graunt, the later you can no way proue. That commendation the o1 Reg. 15. 5.holy Ghost giues to his works, must needs be spoken in comparison (as pLyra ibi.Lyra affirmeth) because it is certaine, he q2. Sam. 10. 29.wronged Mephthosheth, and r2. Sam. 24. …. 2.numbred the people; but these sins were not comparable to that against Vr…ah, especially for the dishonouring of God by it, in the account of the heathen; This deed (saith s2. Sam. …2. ….Nathan) hath caused the enemies of the Lord to blaspheme.
speaker D. B. P. 3 The Apostle affirmeth, That some men doe build vponupon the only foundation 1. Cor. 3.Christ Iesus, gold, siluer, and pretious stones: that is, being choyce members of Christs Catholike Church, doe many perfect good vvorks, such as being tr…d in the fornace of Gods iudgement, vvill suffer no losse or detriment, as he there saith expresly: Wherfore they must needs be pure, and free from all drosse of sinne, othervvise hauing been so proued in fire, it vvould hauehave been found out.
speaker A. W. The Apostle doth not say so, but this onelyonly, that if t1. Cor. 3, 1….any man build on this foundation, gold, siluer, precious stones, timber, hay, or stubble, eueryevery mans worke shall be made manifest. But put case he had said so; he speaketh of doctrine, built vponupon See 12. Art. par. 1. art. 4. 1.the true foundation, as the whole allegory proues: especially vers. 10. As a skilfull master builder, I hauehave laid the foundation, Vers. 10.and an other builds vponupon it; now in good works, one man layeth not the foundation, and another buildeth vponupon it, but eueryevery man begins and ends his owne worke himselfe. Farther, vers. 9. The Ministers are said to be Gods labourers. Vers. 9.the people (not eueryevery mans worke) Gods husbandrie and Gods building: because he builds them vp by their labour. This place is applied by you Papists to proue Purgatory, euen by uBellarm. d… Purgat.Bellarmine himself; but with what successe, let any man iudge, that either reads our answeres to him, or considers the text.
speaker D. B. P. 4 Many vvorkes of righteous men please God. Make your bodies a Rom. 12. 1. Pet. 2. Philip. 4.quicke sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God: the same offering spirituall sacrifices acceptable to God: And S. Paul calleth almes bestovved on him in prison, an acceptable sacrifice of svveet sauour, and pleasing God. But nothing infected vvith sinne (all vvhichwhich he hateth deadly) can please God and be acceptable in his fight: God of his mercy through Christ doth pardon sinne, or as the Protestants speake, not impure it to the person: but to say that a sinful vvorke is of svveet sauour before him, and a gratefull sacrifice to him, vvere blasphemie: vvherefore vve must needs confesse, that such vvorks vvich so vvell pleased him, vvere not defiled vvith any kind of sinne.
speaker A. W. Your Reason is thus framed.
No workes infected with sinne please God.
Many workes of righteous men please God.
Therefore many workes of righteous men are not infected with sinne.
I graunt your assumption; though the proofe of it, yRom. 12. 1. 2by the first testimony, is insufficient: for it doth not follow that we can do this or that, because we are exhorted to the doing of it.
Your proposition I deny; no sin can please God, nor any action, as it is sinfull; but God both can, and doth pardon the faultines of his childrens workes, and accept the worke it selfe in Christ, yea and reward it too with increase of glorie.
speaker D. B. P. Finally, many vvorkes in holy vvrite be called good, as, That they may see your good works: to be rich in good vvorks: VVe are created in Christ Math. 5. 1. Tim. 6. Ephes. 2.Iesus to good vvorkes: but they could not truly be called good vvorkes, if they vvere infected vvith sin. For according to the iudgement of all learned Diuines, it can be no good vvorke, that fayleth either in substance, or circumstance, that hath any one fault in it: For, Bonum ex integra causa, malum ex quolibet defectu. Wherefore vve must either say, that the holy Ghost calleth euill good, vvhichwhich vvere blasphemy, or else acknovvledge, that there be many good vvorkes free from all infection of sinne.
speaker A. W.
No workes infected with sinne can be truly called good.
Many workes are called good in Scripture.
Therefore many workes are not infected with sinne.
Here is the same fault againe. Your assumption is true, but your proofe naught. For the places you alleage, proue no more, but that the works which we should do, are good; not that they are good as we doe them.
Your proposition is false, as the other was. For the works enioyned by God are very good, but they hauehave some allay, and abasement by our doing of them; which argueth not, that they are not truely, but that they are not perfectly good.
speaker D. B. P. In lieu of the manifold testimonies of Antiquitie, which doth nothing more then recommend good workes, and paint out the excellency of them: I will set downe one passage of S. Augustine wherein this verie controuersie is distinctly declared, and determined: thus he beginneth: Lib. 3. cont. duas epist. Pelag. cap. 7.The iustice (through vvhichwhich the iust man liueth by faith) because it is giuen to man by the spirit of grace is true iustice: the vvhichwhich although it be vvorthilie called in some men perfect, according to the capacity of this life, yet it is but small in comparison of that greater, vvhichwhich man made equall to Angels shall receiue. VVhichWhich (heauenly iustice) he, that had not as yet, saide himselfe to be perfect, in regard of that iustice that vvas in him; and also imperfect, if it be compared to that vvhichwhich he vvanted. But certainely this lesser iustice, or righteousnes, breedeth, and bringeth forth merits, and that greater, is the revvard thereof. VVherefore he that pursueth not this, shall not obtaine that: Hitherto S. Augustine. Note first, that he defineth the iustice which we hauehave in this life, to be true iustice, which is pure from all iniustice and iniquitie: Then, that it is also perfect, not fayling in any dutie, which we be bound to performe. Lastly, that it bringeth forth good workes, such as merit life euerlasting. True it is also, that this iustice although perfect in it self, so farre as mans capacity in this life doth permit: yet being compared vntounto the state of iustice which is in heauen, it may be called imperfect, not that this is not sufficient to defend vsus from all formall transgression of Gods law: but because it keepeth not vsus sometimes from veniall sinne: and hath not such a high degree of perfection as that hath.
speaker A. W. You may wel think we make no small account of works, that make them the way to heauen, that require them, as necessary of eueryevery man that looketh to be saued, that allow them no small reward in heauen; that ground part of our assurance of saluation vponupon them.
First, giuegive me leaue to obserue by the way, that the life zAug. cont… 2. Epist. Pelag. lib. 3. c. 7.Austin heare speaketh of, is not iustification, but holines of conuersation. Then, to your first note, the righteousnesse, we hauehave in this life, is true righteousnes, in regard of the author thereof the spirit of God, who cannot deceiue, nor be deceiued.
It is also called perfect, in some men, not (as you say, without Austins authoritie) because it faileth not in any dutie, which we are bound to performe, but in comparison of the imperfection of it in other men, and the vncapablenes that by our corruption, is in eueryevery one of vsus.
By merits he meaneth good workes; as your selfe also expound them, and as the manner of speech, that the auncient Church vsed, requireth: the reason whereof is, not because they deserue euerlasting life (Augustine hath no such word) but because they shall hauehave a reward; though not vponupon desert, but fauour.
It cannot be called imperfect, because it doth not keepe vsus from sinning; If it be true, that it is sufficient to keepe vsus from all formall transgression of Gods law: else we must say, that Adams righteousnes was imperfect; yea, it may well be held; That the Angels now, and we hereafter in heauen, shall be kept from sinning, not by any strength of inherent righteousnes, but by the speciall grace of God, continually vpholding vsus. That it may be proper to God, that possiblie he cannot sinne, by reason of goodnesse resting in him (that I may so speake) which cannot be lesse then infinite. And sure it is to me somewhat strange, that this perfection of righteousnes, should be able to keepe vsus free from deadly sinnes (as you call them) and not much more easily preserue vsus from veniall.
speaker D. B. P. Saint Augustine hath the like discourse, vvhere he saith directly, that it appertaines to the lesser iustice of this life, not to sinne. So that vve De spirit. & lit. vlt. cap.hauehave out of this oracle of Antiquitie: that many works of a iust man are without sinne.
speaker A. W. The other place of aAug. de spirit. & litera cap. vlt.Austin rather maketh against you. For if it belong to this lesse righteousnes not to sin, and (for al that measure of it, we hauehave) we are not kept from sinning; it may seeme that this righteousnes is not perfect. So hauehave you nothing out of this register of Antiquity, to proue, that any workes of a iust man are without sinne.
speaker D. B. P. To these reasons taken partly out of the Scriptures, and partly out of the record of Antiquitie, let vsus ioyne one or tvvo dravvne from the absurdity of our aduersaries doctrine, vvhichwhich teacheth eueryevery good vvorke of the righteous man to be infected vvith mortall sinne: Which being granted, it vvould follovv necessarily, that no good vvorke in the vvorld, vvere to be done vnderunder paine of damnation: thus: No mortall sinne is to be done vnderunder paine of damnation: for the vvages of sinne is death: but all Rom. 6. A plaine paralogisme, the Assumption and conclusion being faulty.good vvorkes are stained vvith mortall sinne. ergo, no good vvorke is to be done vnderunder paine of damnation.
speaker A. W. Your Syllogisme is naught: because it hath foure termes as they are called, your assumption not being taken out of your proposition, nor your conclusion sutable to the premisses: it should be thus framed.
bSee 12 Art. par. …. art. 2No mortall sin is to be done, vnderunder paine of damnation:
But all good workes are mortall sinnes.
Therefore no good workes are to be dono, vnderunder paine of damnation.
Now the syllogisme is true, but the assumption euidently false. You chose craftily, rather no make a false syllogisme, which you thought eueryevery one could not spie, then a false assumption, manifest to the eyes of the simplest: If you should alter the proposition, that would be as apparantly false, as the assumption is: Nothing stained with mortall sin is to be done vnderunder paine of damnation.
speaker D. B. P. It follovveth secondly; that eueryevery man is bound to sinne deadly. For al men are bound to performe the duties of the first & second table: but eueryevery performance of any dutie is necessarily linked vvith some mortall sin: therefore eueryevery man is bound to commit many mortall sinnes: and consequently to be damned. These are holy and comfortable conclusions, yet inseperable companions, if not svvorne brethren of the Protestants doctrine. Novv let vsus heare vvhat Arguments they bring against this Catholike verity.
speaker A. W. Your other Reason is thus to be framed.
He that is bound to performe the duties of the first and second table, is bound to commit many mortall sinnes.
But eueryevery man is bound to performe all such duties:
Therefore eueryevery man is bound to commit many mortall sinnes.
The proposition is thus proued, according to your collection.
If the performance of such duties be neerely linked with mortall sinne, then he that is bound to performe such duties, is bound to commit many mortall sinnes.
But the performance of such duties (as the Protestants say) is neerely linckt with mortall sinne.
Therfore he that is bound to performe such duties is bound to commit many mortall sinnes.
I deny the consequence of your proposition. This onelyonly followeth vponupon the antecedent, that he, which is bound to performe such duties, is bound to performe that, which is neerely linckt with some mortall sinne: And this we grant to be true; we are bound to the performance of those duties, in the doing whereof, by our corruption, there will be some sinne annexed, which in it owne nature is deadly.
speaker D. B. P. First they alleadge these vvords, Enter not O Lord, into iudgment with thy seruant, because no liuing creature shall be iustified in thy sight. If none Psal. 141.can be iustified before God, it seemes that none of their vvorkes are iust in his sight.
speaker A. W. Ans. There are tvvo common expositions of this place, among the VVhat if there be a third that maketh for it.auncient Fathers: both true, but farre from the Protestants purpose.
The commonnesse of an exposition is a presumption, but not a proofe of the truth thereof: for all these two, there may be a third of more certainty.
speaker D. B. P. The former is S. Augustines, S. Hieromes, S. Gregories in his Commentaries vponupon that place: who say, that no creature ordinarily liueth De perfect. iustitiae. Epist. ad C…esiph.without many veniall sinnes, for the which in iustice they may be punished sharpely, either in this life, or else afterward in Purgatory. Wherfore the best men do very prouidently pray vntounto God, not to deale with them according vntounto their deserts: for if he should so doe, they cannot be iustified and cleared from many veniall faults. And therefore they must all craue pardon for these faults, or else endure Gods iudgements for them, before they can attaine vntounto the reward of their good deeds.
speaker A. W. cAug. de perfect. iustitiae.Austin hath not a word, in that place, of any veniall sinne, but deliuereth the latter exposition, of comparison with Gods righteousnes. Iudge me not (saith Austin) according to thee, who art without sinne, and that, which shall be in the world to come. That, which he saith shall not be iustified, he referres to that perfection of righteousnes which is not in this life.
Neither saith dHieron. epist. ad Ctesip.Ierome any such thing; but speaketh absolutely of all sinne, as the other places alledged by him to the same purpose, manifestly shew. eGal. 3. 22.God hath shut vp all vnderunder sinne. fRom. 3. 233.All hauehave sinned; g1. Reg. 8. 46.If they sin against thee; for there is no man that sinneth not, &c.
Neither doth hGregor. ad Psalm. 141.Gregory make that interpretation, vnlesse we shall say, that there are no sinnes in the heart but veniall. Many (saith he) though iDelinquunt in opere.they sinne not in deed, yet slip now and then by vaine and peruerse thoughts. After he concludes thus: Therefore he shall not be iustified in Gods sight that kCorde delinquit.sinnes in heart, vponupon which God looketh. Where he vseth not the word l slipping, but sinning, as before of the deed. Therfore this first exposition hath not so much as any one authoritie, truly alleaged, to countenance it selfe withall.
speaker D. B. P. The second exposition is more ordinarie, with all the best writers vponupon Lib. ad C… sium cap. 10. Lib. 9. moral cap. 1.the Psalmes: as S. Hilary, S. Hierome, S. Arnobius, S …, and others: Which is also S. Augustine, S. Gregorie. All these say, that mans iustice, in comparison of the iustice of God, will seeme to be no iusti…e at all: and so take these words, No creature, neither man nor Angell, shall be iustified in thy sight: that is, if his iustice appeare before thine, and be compared to it. for as the starres be bright in themselues, and s…ne also goodly in a cleare …ight: yet in the presence of the glitt… sunne beames, they appeare not at all: euen so mans iustice, although considered by it selfe, it be great and perfect in his kind, yet set in the sight and presence of Gods iustice, it vanisheth away, and is not to be seene. This exposition is taken out of Job, where he saith: I kno… … it is Iob. 9. VVe take them in neither of these senses.euen so, that no man compared to God, shall be iustified. Take the words of the Psalme in whether sense you list (that either we hauehave many ve…all faults, for which we cannot be iustified in Gods sight, or else that in the sight of Gods most bright iustice, ours will not appeare at all) and it cannot be thereof iustly concluded, that eueryevery worke of the righteous man is stained with sin. And consequently, the place is not to purpose.
speaker A. W. Let vsus see the other exposition; and first what mHilar. ad Psa. 141.Hilarie saith for it, who indeede applieth it to a comparison with Gods iustice, but not onelyonly in degree of righteousnes. For he reciteth there diuers passions, of anger, griefe, lust, ignorance, &c. which are the cause why we cannot be iustified.
nEra…s in Censur.Erasmus hath brought good reasons to prooue that Commentarie on the Psalmes to be none of Hieromes. I will adde one, which (I thinke) may put the matter out of question, that Hierome refuteth that interpretation, which this Papist would confirme by that place. They (oHieron. …plstola ad Ctesiph. contra Pelagian. saith Hierome) delude this testimonie (none liuing shall be iustified in thy sight) vnderunder a shew of godlinesse, by a new kinde of reasoning. For they say that none is perfect in comparison of God; as if the scripture had said thus. Here is your exposition denied to be the meaning of this scripture. What is then the meaning? When he saith (in thy sight) he will hauehave this vnderstood (pHieron. vbi supra. saith Hierome) that euen those, which to men seeme holy, qScientiae & notitiae Dei▪in Gods knowledge and approbation are not holy: for man looks vponupon the face, but God lookes into the heart. Now if no man be righteous, when he lookes into and considers the heart, whom the secrets of the heart doe not deceiue, it is manifestly shewed, that the heretikes doe not extoll men on high, but derogate from the power of God. Hierome then is so farre from bringing that interpretation for his owne, that he reiects and refutes it: and, that which is worth the obseruing, euen in rHieron. Epistola ad Cresiph.that place which this Papist alleaged for his former exposition. It is no marueile if these men can prooue any thing by the Fathers.
Arnobius indeed doth so interpret it. But if wee rest vponupon authoritie, his bare exposition is not to ouerweigh Hieroms reason. Besides, he is farre from thinking a man righteous in such perfection, as you dreame of; as it is plaine by his former words. Who dares say to God (saith sArnobius ad Psal. 141.Arnobius) heare me in thy truth, and in thy righteousnes? for it is true and iust, that he which hath sinned, should be tAcerrimè.most sharply punished. VponUpon the beginning of the second verse he hath these words: It is thy righteousnes, that being Lord, thou shouldest uContemnas.think skorne to enter into iudgement with thy seruant.
xEuthym. ad Psal. 141.Euthymius denieth that a man can be iustified, if he be examined according to Gods ySummam Iustitiam.perfect iustice. But he addes further: Or if we consider the benefits of God, or his commandements. So that the righteous breake euen the Commandements of God, and are vnrighteous.
It is a needlesse matter to heape vp authorities, for the proofe of that whereof there is no question. Who doubts that both men and Angels, in comparison of Gods infinite perfection, are imperfectly righteous? And this is all zAug. contra Priscil. & Origen.Austin saith. But how can this prooue, that the Psalme is to be vnderstood of mans righteousnes compared with Gods? This is to deceiue your reader with bare names of men, not to perswade him by the consent of the ancient. Neither doe you remember that aAug. ad Psal. 141.Austin, where purposely he expounds that Psalme, giues no such interpretation of it; but makes (in his sight) to be, as it is indeed, in his iudgement. EueryEvery liuing man (saith Austin) may perhaps iustifie himselfe bCo…am se, non co…am te.before himselfe, but not before thee. And afterward: cQuantumlibet …ec…us.How vpright soeuer I seeme to my selfe, thou bringest a rule out of thy treasurie, thou laiest me to it, and I am found dPrauus.euill. So that Austin vnderstands this place wholy as we doe.
eGreg. Moral. lib 9. cap. 1.Gregory is as truly alleaged as Austin, and as himselfe was before. For he doth not so much as allude to the Psalm: but onelyonly say (according to that text of fIob. 9. ….Iob, which he there expounds) that man, compared to God, cannot be counted righteous.
That place of Iob hath the doctrine, which you would wring out of the Psalme: but where is the proofe, that because it is there, therfore also it is here? But let me also shew, that this which you rest vponupon, cannot bee the meaning of gPsal. 142. 3the Psalme. Which I take to be plaine; because if we vnderstand it so, it is no reason to moue God not to enter into iudgement. For what though no man bee so righteous as God? If he be so rigeteous, as God requires such a creature should be, it can neuer hurt him, though God enter into iudgement with him a thousand times. So the sentence should be vaine, there being no occasion of it. Now the conclusion wee make out of these and such like places, is, that no man should fancie to himselfe a possibilitie of keeping Gods Commandements, when the holiest men that euer were, dare not stand before Gods iudgement seate, to giuegive account of those things they hauehave done since they were iustified, and (as the Papists say) receiued this grace.
speaker D. B. P. One other ordinary hackney of theirs, is that out of the Prophet. All A leud metaphor. Esay. 64. It was the fault of your bad horsemanship.our righteousnes is as a menstruous or defiled cloath. The which I hauehave already ridde to death in the beginning of the question of iustification, whereit was alleadged: The answere is briefly, that the Prophet praying for the sinnes of the people, speaketh in the person of the sinfull. Such as the common sort of them were, who had more sins then good workes, and so their righteousnesse was like vntounto a spotted and stained cloath. Now this disproueth not, but that their good workes although but few, yet were free for all sportes of iniquity: it only proueth, that with their few good, they had a great number of euill, which defiled their righteousnes, and made it like a stained cloath.
speaker A. W. I will let passe your lewd allegorie, and your coleworts twice sod, referring the reader to my former answere. Only this I will adde, that the Prophet may well bee thought to refuse your exposition, because he speakes in the plurall.
speaker D. B. P. hOmnes iustitiae nostrae. foreignAll our righteousnesses, or rather, to make English of it, all our good deedes.
3 There is not a man, who doth not sinne: And, blessed is the man, whose sinnes be not imputed to him, And such like. I answere that the best men sinne venially, and are happy when those their sinnes be pardoned: but all this is cleane besides this question, where it is only enquired, vvhether the good workes that the iust doe, be free from sinne, and not whether they at other times doe sin, at the least venially. This is all, vvhichwhich M. Perkins here and there obiecteth against this matter.
speaker A. W. Neither the former nor the latter can reasonably be applied to veniall sinne; that being i…. Reg. 8. 46.Salomons in his prayer, at the dedication of the Temple, praying for the people, in regard of such sinnes as should prouoke God to deliuer them into their enemies hands: The other kPsal 32. 2.Dauids, after those great sinnes of murther and adulterie. Of that idle distinction of veniall sinne it is needlesse to say any thing, till it be better prooued.
speaker D. B. P. But because some others doe alleadge also, some darke places out of the Fathers, I thinke it not amisse, to solue them here together.
S. Cyprian saith: That the be…eiged mind of man, can hardly resist all assaults of the enemie: for when couetousnes is ouerthrowen, vp starts lechery and so forth.
Ans. All this is true, that the life of man is a perpetuall warfare: yet man assisted with the grace of God, may performe it most valiantly, and neuer take any mortall wound of the enemies; although through his …vvne …tie he may be sometimes foyled.
S. H. … affirmeth: That then vve are iust vvhen vve confesse our selues to be sinners.…. 1. cap. Pelag.
Ans. That all iust men confesse themselues to sinne venially: but neither of these places come neare the point in question, that not one good deede of the iust man, is without some spot or staine of sinne.
S. Augustine hath these wordes: Most perfect charitie, which cannot be increased, is to be sound in no man in this life: and as long as it may bee Epist. 29.increased, that …hich is lesse then it ought to be is faultie, of which fault it proceedeth, that there is no man vvho doth good, and doth not sinne. All this we graunt to be true: that no man hath so perfect charitie in this life, but that sometimes he doth lesse then he ought to doe: and consequently doth notso well, but that now and then he sinneth at the least veniall…, and that therefore the said holy Doctor had iust cause to say. V…oe be to the laudable life of a man, if it be examined without merciemercy. All Lib. 9. confess. cap. …3.which notwithstanding iust men may out of that charity, which they hauehave in this life doe many good workes, which are pure from all sinne as hath beene prooued. They alleadge yet another plase out of S. Augustine. That belongeth vntounto the perfection of a iust man, to know in truth his Lib. 3. con. dua… Epist. Pelag. cap. 7.imperfection, and in humility to confesse it. True: that is as he teacheth else where. First, that the perfection of this life is imperfection, being compared with the perfection of the life to come. Againe, that the most perfect in this life, hath many imperfections, both of wit and will, and thereby many light faultes.
Novv come vve vntounto S. Gregory our blessed Apostle, out of vvhose Neuer called to any Apostleship by Christ. Lib. 9. moral. cap. 1.svveete vvords ill vnderstood, they seeme to hauehave sucked this their poison. He saith. The holy man Iob, because hee did see all the merit of our vertue to bee vice, if it bee straightly examined of the invvard iudge doth rightly adde, if I vvill contend vvith him, J cannot ansvvere him one for a thousand.
I ansvvere that by our vertue in that place is to be vnderstood, that vertue vvhichwhich vve hauehave of our ovvn strength, vvithout the aide of Gods grace vvhichwhich vve acknovvledge to bee commonly infected vvith some vice: that S. Gregorie so tooke it, appeares by the vvordes, both going before and follovving: before he vvriteth thus. A man not compared to God, receiued iustice: but compared vntounto him, he leeseth it. For vvhosoeuer compareth himselfe vntounto the author of all good, leeseth that good vvhichwhich he had receiued: for be that doth attribute the good vntounto himselfe, doth fight against God, vvith his evvne gifts: And after thus. …o contend vvith God, is not to giuegive to God the glorie of his vertue, but to take it to himselfe. And so all the merit of this our vertue, vvhichwhich commeth not of God, but is att…buted vntounto our selfe, as proceeding onelyonly from our selues, is the very vice of pride and cannot be preiudiciall vntounto true good vvorks, all vvhichwhich vve acknovvled…e to proceede principally from the grace of God, dvvelling in vsus. He saith … ther vvith S. Augustine that in this life vve cannot attaine vntounto … puritie, such as shall be in heauen: read the beg…ing of his first and second booke o… Morals, and there you shall find him commending Iob to the skyes, as a good and holy man, by his temptations not soyled, but much …anced in vertue.
speaker A. W. These places, for ought I know, are of your owne deuising, to be thus applied: and there fore I will neuer striue about them, though when occasion shal serue, it will appeare that your answers to Austins and Gregories testimonies, are but shifts.
speaker D. B. P. Novv before I depart from this large question of iustification, I vvill handle yet one other question, vvhichwhich commonly ariseth about it: it is,