A Treatise of Justification, Book 4 · Chapter 4
CAP. IV. Bellarmines arguments answered.
§. I. THis was our third argument taken from the imperfectionHis first testimony, Job 1. 22 of our obedience and righteousnesse, which I have defended against Bellarmines cavils: before I proceed to the fourth, I hold it needfull to answere his arguments in propounding whereof hee falleth short of his projects: as I noted before, for hee that would prove that men are justified by their workes; had need to prove, that all the workes of all the faithfull, are purely and perfectly good, which is impossible to bee proved: but hee neither concludeth of all works nor of all the faithfull. And yet it is most certaine, that if the faithfull be justified by their works, then all the works of all the faithfull are purely and perfectly good. His proofes are of three sorts: authority of Scriptures, Testimonies of Fathers, and other reasons. Out of the Scripture he citeth eight testimonies aDe Iustif. lib. 4 cap. 15.The first out of Iob 1. 22. In all these things Iob sinned not with his lips: And that we may not answere with some Non peccavit Iob labiis suis.of the Rabbins, that though he sinned not with his lips, yet hee might sinne in his heart: hee telleth us, that in the next Chapter, bIob 2. 3.God giveth him this testimonie, that still he retained his innocency; and therefore sinned neither in his tongue, nor in his heart. Againe, whereas Satan sought by so many temptations to bring Iob to sinne, and God on the other side permitted all those temptations, that the patience and vertue of that holy man should bee manifested; if Iob should have sinned, God should after a sort have beene over come by the devill: wherfore it is certaine, that that worke of Iobs patience was not stained with any sinne; and that the Lutherans, which say the contrary, take part with the devill against God.
§. II. Answ. Those temptations were permitted by God, as tyralsAnswere to his allegation out of Iob 1. 22. of Iob, not perfection, but integrity. For that is Gods end, that they who are foreign, sound and upright may be knowne, 1 Cor. 11. 19. and this end was atchieved, Cap. 2. vers. 3. for still Iob retained his integrity. But Satans intention was to prove him to be an hypocrite, and to move him not onelyonly to fall, but to fall away from God, and to blaspheme him to his face and so much hee undertooke both Cap. 1. 11. and Cap. 2. 5. howbeit hee failed in his enterprize. And so much is signified in both the places alleaged by Bellarmine: that Iob was so farre, either from blaspheming God to his face, which Satan undertooke he should, that he offended not with his lippes, nor charged God foolishly; or, from being discovered to be an hypocrite, that by Gods owne testimony he retained his integrity, as that word signifieth which cTummath.Bellarmine, according to the vulgar Latine, calleth innocencie. But Iob though hee were upright and sincere, yet he was not perfect, nor without sinne; as appeareth by his manifold imperfections, which afterwards he discovered Cap. 3. &c. and also by his free confession of his sinfulnesse, Cap. 9. 20. 33. and lastly by his feare and jelousie, which hee had over his best actions lest he had sinned in them: for as dMoral. lib. 9. c. 2 262Gregory writing on those words of Iob, Verebar omnia opera mea, eIob 9. 28.understandeth it to be an humble confession, as if he had said, quae apertè egerim video, sed quid in his latenter pertulerim, ignoro, what overtly I performed, I see: but what covertly I suffered therein, I know not. But here may be objected, which Bellarmine in the next Chapter alleageth out of the said fEpist. ad August. resp. 10.Gregory, Bonarum mentium est, ibi etiam aliquo modo culpam agnoscere, ubi culpa non est, it is the property of good minds even there to acknowledge a fault, where nofault is, wherto I answere, that Gregory speaketh in regard of humane infirmities which were laid upon man after his fall, (and namely of the monthly infirmity of women) which though they bee not inflicted upon a man for his personall offences: yet it is the property of good minds to esteeme them as laid upon them for their sinnes. Thus Iob, though his afflictions were not inflicted upon him, as corrections for his sinnes, but as tryals of his vertue; yet he imputeth them to his sinnes, Iob 13. 26.
§. III. In the second place he allegeth diverse testimonies out of theTwo alegations out of the Psalmes, answered. Psalmes wherein David pleadeth his owne innocencie, and appealeth unto God to be judged according to his owne righteousnesse Psalm. 7. 4. 9. 16. 1, 2, 3. 18. 2. 1. 26. 1. 119. 121. Answ. In some of these places David pleadeth the justice of his particular cause against his adversaries, not the absolute innocencie of his person. The rest are to be understood of his uprighttnesse and integrity. For otherwise, no man was more forward to confesse and to deplore his manifold sinnes, than David was; none more ready to implore Gods mercy, none more fearefull that God should enter into strict judgement with him.
§. IV. His third testimony is Matth. 6. 22. If thine eye be single, the whole body shall bee lightsome: where Bellarmine, without anyHis third testimony Matth. 6. 22. probability, by the body understandeth a good worke, and by the single eye, a right intention: for who knoweth not, that many times workes are done with good intentions that are not good. This place in Matthew is diversly expounded, and may bee applied to many purposes. But the proper true meaning may be gathered out of the coherence, as I have shewed elsewhere gSerm. in Mat. 6. 33.for in the latter part of that Chapter our Saviour sheweth, both what in our judgements wee should esteeme out chiefe good, vers. 19. &c. and consequently, what in our afflictions and endeavours wee should chiefly desire and labour for, vers. 25. &c. 33. As touching the former, he exhorteth us not to lay up our treasure upon earth, but in heaven; that is, that we should place our happinesse, not in earthly, but in heavenly things. For where our treasure is, there will our heart bee also. That is, whatsoever wee esteeme our chiese good, upon that our hearts and affections will be set. This judgement, concerning our chiefe good, is by our Saviour compared to the eye; whereunto, whether it be right or wrong, the whole corps or course of our conversation, which he compareth to the body, will be sutable. If we repose our happinesse in heaven, our conversation will bee religious and heavenly, but if we place our paradise on earth, our conversation will be answerable. As for example, if pleasure be our chiefe good, our conversation will be voluptuous; if profit, it will bee covetous; if honour, it will be ambitious. Such therefore as our judgement is concerning happinesse, such will be our desires, our endeavours, and in a word, such will bee our whole conversation. But as his allegation is to no purpose, so his conclusion is besides the question, as if wee held that good workes were in their owne nature mortall sinnes: when notwithstanding wee acknowledge them to be good, per se, and in their kinde; as namely prayer, and almes-giving, but sinfull by accident, as being stained with the fl…sh.
§. V. His fourth testimony is, 1 Cor. 3. 12. If any man build uponHis fourth Testimonie 1 Cor. 3. 12. this foundation, gold, silver, stones of price, &c. where he supposeth by gold and silver good workes are understood, &c. Answ. If they were, they might be good, and yet not purely good. Even as a wedge of gold or of silver, is truely called gold or silver, though there bee some drosse therein. But the Apostle speaketh not of workes, but of doctrines: for he comparing himselfe and other preachers of the Gospell to builders, saith, that he, as a master-builder had laid the foundation, whereon others did build, either sound and profitable doctrines, which he compareth to gold and silver, &c. or unsound and unprofitable, compared to hay and stubble.
§. VI. His fifth testimony is, Iam. 3. 2. In many things we offendHis fifth Testimony Iam. 3. 2. all; Why I pray; saith he, doth he not say, in all things wee offend all: for if all the works of the righteous be sinnes, then not onelyonly in many things, but in all we offend. But Saint Iames knew what to say, for in the second chapter hee had distinguished good workes from sinnes. If you performe the royall Law according to the Scriptures, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe, you doe well: but if you accept persons, you commit sinne, and are reproved of the Law as transgressours. Answ. The advise of Saint Iames in this place is, that wee should not bee many Masters, that is, Censurers of our brethren; knowing, that by censuring and judging of others wee shall receive the greater judgement, according to Matth. 7. 1. Rom. 2. 1. For he that will take upon him to censure other mens offences, had need to be free from offence. But we, saith Saints Iames, foreign that is, foreign, we all of us offend many wayes, we are subject to manifold sinnes and corruptions. For the Apostle doth not speake of the singular individuall acts, but of the divers sorts of sinne. As sinnes against God, our neighbour, or our selves: sinnes of omission, and commission: sinnes in deed, in thought, and in word: which last kinde being the fault of Censurers, is as hee noteth in the next words, most hard to bee refrained: when as the Apostle therefore speaking of all, and including himselfe, though hee were worthily called Iames the just, saith, that many wayes wee offend all; hee signifieth, that even the best of us are subject to manifold corruptions, causing us many wayes to offend according t… the severall kinds thereof: which is a manifest evidence, that wee, being sinners, cannot bee justified by inherent righteousnesse, especially, if that bee added, that as wee sinne many wayes according to the severall kinds of sinne; so in our good workes, which are good in their kind, as in prayer, almes giving, &c. wee offend by reason of the flesh, which polluteth all our best actions. But howsoever wee say, that our righteousnesses are stained with the flesh: yet wee distinguish them from our unrighteousnesses, and with Saint Iames we distinguish good workes from sinnes; things commanded from things forbidden; things according to their kind good, but by accident sinnefull, from things which according to their kind are absolutely evill.
§. VII. His sixth testimony is from those places which exhort us not to Sixthly, from those places which exhort us not to sinne.sinne, as Psalm. 4. 4. Esa. 1. 16. Iohn 5. 14. 2 Pet. 1. 10. 1 Iohn 2. 1. For to what purpose serve these exhortations or admonitions, if in every good worke wee cannot but sinne.
Answ. These exhortations doe not shew, what wee are able to doe, but what wee ought to doe. Neither are they to no purpose,▪ for first, they restraine men and especially the children of God from many particular sinnes. Secondly, though they exhort us to those things, which in this corrupt estate wee are not able perfectly to performe, as generally to abstaine from all manner of sin, and to avoid all imperfectionsand defects, which are incident unto our best actions; yet they are to very good purpose. For they serve to discover unto us our imperfections, and to shew that perfection wherunto we ought to aspire; to moveus not to performe our duties perfunctorily, but to walke foreign hEph. 5. 15.accurately, making conscience of all our waies; to admonish us not to rely upon our owne righteousnesse, which is so unperfect; but to bewaile our imperfections, and to crave pardon; to teach us what need wee have of the imputation of Christs righteousnesse, and of his intercession for us: and lastly, to move us with an upright endevour to keepe all Gods Commandements with our whole heart, and to strive towards that perfection which in this life wee cannot attaine unto, which if wee doe, our labour shall not bee vaine in the Lord. For the Lord in his children acceptethl 1 Cor. 15. 58. of the will k2 Cor. 8. 12.for the deed, and of their upright endeavours for perfect performance. So long therefore as we are upright before God, our imperfections ought not too much to discourage us; knowing, that his grace l2 Cor. 12. 9.is sufficient for us, and that his strength is made perfect in our weakenesse.
§. VIII. His seventh testimony is taken from those places which Seventhly, from those places which testifie that the workes of just men doe please God.teach that the workes of the righteous doe please God, Mat. 3. 4. Sap. 9. 1. 2 Act. 10. 35. 1 Pet. 2. 5. Phil. 4. 18. But nothing can please God, but that which is truly good and pure from all vice, as Calvin himselfe confesseth, Iust. l. 3. c. 12. §. 1.
Answ. As God hath made two covenants with men, the one of works the other of grace: so himselfe may bee considered, either as a severe judge, judging according to the Law, which is the covenant of workes, beholding men as they are in themselves: or, as a mercifull father in Christ, dealing with us according to the covenant of Grace, …eholding us in his beloved. As he is a Iudge judging according to the Law, no obedience can satisfie or please him, but that which is pure and perfect, as Calvin truely saith. As hee is the father of the faithfull in Christ, judging according to the covenant of Grace, he dealeth with us as a loving father with his children, Malach. 3. 17. Psalm. 103. 13. accepting the upright, though weake and unperfect▪ endevours of his children, in lieu of perfect performance. Hence in the Scriptures to be upright, or, to walke with God, is to please God, Gen. 5. 24, cum Heb. 11. 5. and they, who are upright are his delight, Pro. 11. 20. Not, that either they, or, their actions are perfect, or accepted of God in and for themselves, as being pure from sinne; but that being covered with the righteousnesse of Christ, they are accepted m1 Pet. 2. 5.in him: and not onelyonly accepted, but also graciously rewarded. Then belike saith Bellarmine, the righteousnesse of Christ is imputed not onelyonly to the sinners themselves, but to their sinnes also making them an acceptable sacrifice to God. Answ. Wee speake not of the sinnes of the faithfull, as hee maliciously cavilleth, as if we made no difference betwixt their good workes and their sinnes; but of their good workes, which, though unperfect and stained with the flesh, the Lord accepteth in Christ, as truly good, not imputing to the faithfull their wants, but covering them with the perfect obedience of Christ.
§. IX. His eighth testimony is from those places which absolutely call Testimony 8. from those places which call the workes of the faithfull good workes.the workes of the righteous, good workes, as Mat. 5. 16. 1 Tim 6. 17. Tit. 3. 8. Eph. 2. 10.
Answ. where he saith that the workes of the faithfull are called absolutely good workes, there is an ambiguity to bee cleared. For though the Scriptures absolutely call the works of the righteous good workes: yet they doe not say that they▪ are absolutely good. All good workes and vertues being considered in the abstract, as they are in themselves according to their kinde, and as they are prescribed in the word of God, are absolutely good: but considered, as it were in the concrete, as they bee in us, or, performed by us, mixed with imperfections, and stained with the flesh, they are not absolutely, purely, and perfectly good. Prayer in it selfe, and …s it is prescribed in the word of God, is a worke absolutely good: but as it is performed by us, it may bee truely good, if performed in truth, and with an upright heart; but it is not absolutely and purely good, by reason of those imperfections which concurre there. with. So faith and love, and all other graces considered in the abstract, are absolutely good, but considered as they bee in us, they are truly, but not purely and absolutely good by reason of the impersections and defects which alwayes accompany them,
But saith Bellarmine out of Dionysi…s Areopagita, that worke is to be called evill, in which there is any defect: but it is not to be called good, unlesse it be entirely and wholly good: which is true according to the rigour of the Law, from which our Saviour Christ hath freed the faithfull: and in that sence all the good workes of the Papists themselves, even their prayers in which they so much trust, are sins. Or, if they deny any defect to be in their prayers, or, other their supposed good works, they speake lyes in hypoc…isie, n1 Tim. 4. 2.having cauterized consciences. But here againe let the Reader observe the desperate doctrine of the Papists; who as they account no man justified in whom there is any sinne, so they teach all workes to bee absolutely sinnes, in which is any defect: whereupon the accusation which they falsly lay to our charge, will bee verified of them, viz. that all the best workes of the faithfull are sinnes. For wee deny them to bee sinnes though they have some defects; but they affirme them absolutely to bee sinnes, if there be any defect in them, as undoubtedly there alwayes is, as I have alr…ady proved.De iustif. l. 4. c. 1… Testimonies of Fathers.
§. X. These were his testimonies of holy Scriptures: in the next place hee produceth other witnesses, viz. Ambrose, Hierome, Aug…stine, Gregory and Bernard: who testifie nothing against our assertion, but against the malicious misconceit of the Papists, who conceive, or, at least report of us, that wee put no difference betwixt good workes and sins. From which wee are so farre, that wee willingly, subscribe to that conclusion, which hee would prove out of the fathers, and is the title of his chapter, Opera bona non esse peccata, sed verè bona, that good workes are not sinnes, but truly good.
§. XI. Now follow his reasons; which if they served to prove noDe iustif. l 4. c. 17 Reasons, first the workes of the iust are not conteminated. more, than the same question, which againe, is propounded to bee proved, wee would not gaine say. But his first reason is brought to prove, that the good workes of the righteous are no way vitiated, corrupted, or defiled: and consequently that they are not onelyonly truely, but also purelyNot with concupiscence. good. For if they were contaminated, saith hee, that would arise, either from our inbred concupiscence; or, from the defect of love towards God, or, from the mixture of veniall sinnes concurring with them. But from none of these. For neither is that concupiscence a sinne in the regenerat…, nor is the want of the love of God a sinne in them, nor veniall sinnes such sinnes, as are contrary to the Law of God, or unto charity.
Thus, for the confirmation of one error Bellarmin… broacheth three more. But if concupiscence bee a sinne, if the want of Gods love bee a sinne, if those, which the Papists call veniall sinnes, bee sinnes indeede: then must it bee confessed, that the good workes which are stayned with the flesh, which proceed from a defective love of God and our brethren that are mixed with divers imperfections and corruptions, are notpurely good.
§. XII. As for concupiscence of the flesh, which remaineth in theConcupiscence in the regenerate a sinne. regenerate, it hath possessed and defiled all the parts and faculties of the soule, which as they are in the regenerate partly spirit, so they are also partly flesh. And these two are opposite one to the other, the Spirit lusting against the Flesh, and the Flesh lusting against the Spirit. So that though Will be present with us, oRom. 7. 18. Gal. 5. 17.that wee cannot doe what we would and much lesse after what manner wee would, that is, with our whole soules, with our whole mind, heart, and affections. For what good wee minde or will as wee are Spirit, the same wee will as wee are Flesh. This concupiscence the Apostle had not knownepRom. 7. 7. to bee a sinne, had not the Law said, non concupisces, that is, thou shalt have none evill concupiscence, neither habituall nor actuall. Neither is it onelyonly a sinne, as the Apostle oftentimes doth cal it, but also it is the mother-sinne, Iam. 1. 13 Rom. 7. 17. which taking occasion by the Law, to produce ill concupiscences therein forbidden, is convinced, not onelyonly to bee a sinne, but exceedingly sinnefull, Rom. 7. 13. But of this I have spoken before, and proved by the testimony of Augustine, that concupiscence against which the good Spirit lusteth, (viz. in the regenerate, for in the unregenerate the Spirit is not) is both a sinne, and the cause of sin, and a punishment sinne.Secondly, nor with want of charity.
§. XIII. And as touching the second: the summe of the Law is, that we should love God with all our heart, and with all our soule, &c. but where is any defect of love, there God is not loved with all the heart, &c. it being legally understood: and therefore every defect is an aberration from the Law, and consequently a sinne. I have also proved out of Augustine, qEpist. 29. illud quod minus est qudm debet exvitio est.that it is a fault where love is lesse than it ought to bee, from which fault it is, that there is not a righteous man upon earth which doth good, and sinneth not. For which also though wee1 De persect iustie. resp. adul. Peccatumest, vel cum non est charitas quae esse debetvel minor est quàm debet, sive hocvoluntate vitari possit sive non possit. Thirdly, nor with veniall sinnes. bee never so good proficients, wee must of necessity say, forgive us our debts. Therefore every defect is a debt, that is, a sinne, whereunto wee may adde that of the same Augustine. It is a sinne, either when there is not charity where it ought to bee, or is lesse than it ought to bee, whether this may or may not bee avoided by the Will.
§. XIV. And as to the third: If those, which the Papists call veniall sinnes bee not contrary to the Law, then they are not forbidden in the Law: and without doubt they are not commanded therein. Now if neither they bee commanded nor forbidden, then they are things indifferent:. but that is absurd: yea but (saith hee) veniall sinnes hinder not justice, And the Scripture absolutely calleth some men just and perfect, notwithstanding their veniall sinnes. I answere, they hinder not imputative justice, nor evangelicall perfection which is uprightenesse: for to them that beleeve and repent they are not imputed. Neither can it be denied, but that the most upright men have their imperfections, infirmities and slippes, which though in themselves and according to the Law are mortall sinnes (for if they should not bee forgiven, they would, as Bellarmine himselfe confesseth, exclude men from heaven:) yet to them that are in Christ Iesus th…y become veniall by the merciemercy of God, through the merits and intercession of Christ.
§. XV. His second reason is taken from divers absurdities, whichHis second reason, from sixe absurdities which he putteth upon us. hee conceiveth doe follow upon our assertion: when as indeed they follow not upon our doctrine, but upon his malicious misconceiving and misreport thereof; as if wee held, that all, even the best workes of the righteous are mortall sinnes. But wee acknowledge, that the good workes of men regenerate are truly good, and so to bee called, notwithstanding the imperfection thereof. OnelyOnly wee deny them to be purely good: wherin we have the consent of holy Scriptures and of the ancient Fathers, some whereof I before alleaged, to whom I added Gregory and Bernard. Gregory in the concl…sion of his Moralls saith thus, Mala nostra Moral. l 35. c. 26.pura mala sunt, & bona quae nos habere credimus, pura bona esse uequaquā possunt: Our evill things are purely evill, and the good things which weDeve…bis Esaiae serm. 5. recta for sitan sed in pura. suppose our selves to have, can by no meanes bee purely good. Bernard, t Our lowly justice (if we have any,) is perhaps true, but not pure. Vnlesse peradventure wee beleeve our selves to bee better than our fore-fathers, who said no lesse truely, than humbly, all our righteousnesses are as it were the cloth of a menstruous woman; wee doe not say that the good workes of the faithfull are sins, and much lesse mortall sins: For we hold, that the sins of the faithful become to them venial. But this we say with Salomon, uEccl. 7. 20.that there is not a righteous man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not, which in effect is the same with that assertion of Luther, Iustus in omni opere bono peccat.
§. XVI. Now let us examine the absurdities, which hee absurdly,The second absurditie th…t then the worke of faith, and of pray er were a sinne. upon his owne malitious misconceit, objecteth against us. In all which it is supposed, that wee call the good workes of the righteous sinnes, yea mortall sinnes. The first: if all the workes of the faithfull bee sinnes, then the worke of faith, whereby we are justified, and that prayer whereby we begge remission of sinne, should be sinnes.
Answ. The worke of faith and the act of prayer are good, but notSec…nd absurd. purely and perfectly good. Neither are we justified by the worthinesse or by the worke of our faith, but by the Object which it doth receive; nor obtaine our desires by the merit of our prayer, but by the mediation and intercession of Christ our Saviour. Our faith is such, that wee have need alwayes to pray, Lord increase our faith, Lord I beleeve, help mine unbeleefe: and our prayer such, that when wee have performed it in the best manner we can, wee have neede to pray, that the wants and imperfections of our prayer may bee forgiven us.
§. XVII. The second: If all the works of the righteous be sinnes, with what face could the Apostle say, *1 Cor. 4. 4.that h… knew nothing by himselfe? And what boldnesse was that, for his good workes, that is, for his mortall sinnes, to expect x2 Tim. 4. 8.a Crowne of righteousnesse? Answ. Though the Apostle had no doubt sometimes offended after his conversion; yet he was not conscious to himselfe in particular of any actuall sinne or crime committed by him: for as the Psalmist saith,yPsal. 19. 13. who can understand his errors? No man, saith Basil, zforeignis foreign, free from sinne but God; for of those many things wherein we offend, the most wee understand not: for which cause the Apostle saith, I know nothing by my selfe, but in that I am not justified: foreign that is, in many things I offend, and doc not perceive whence also the Prophet saith, who understandeth his trespasses? But though hee was not conscious to himselfe of his slippes and oversights; yet hee was not ignorent of his owneaRom. 7. 24. corruptious and infirmities: against which when hee had prayed to God, hee received this answere; b… Cor. 12. 9.My grace is sufficient for thee, and in weakenesse my power is made perfect. Neither did the Apostle expect the reward for the merit of his works, but for the truth and fidelity of God, who is just in keeping his promise made to the upright, though unperfect indeavers of his servants. And therefore the reward, whereby God doth crowne his owne gifts in us, is called a crowne of righteousnesse, not of ours, but of Gods righteousnesse, as cDe gratia & lib. arbit. in fine. The third absurdity.Bernard saith.
§. XVIII. The third: If all the works of the righteous were mortall sinnes, then God himselfe should sinne mortally, because it is God that worketh in us, when we doe any good works, Phil. 1. and 2. Answ. If all good workes were absolutely sinnes, yea mortall sinnes, as they malitiously charge us to hold: then indeed, God, who is the author of them, might perhaps bee said, though not to sinne, and much lesse to sinne mortally (for he is not subject to the precept of the Law and much lesse to the curse of it) yet to be the author of sinne. But wee hold, that the good works of the faithfull are truly good, though not purely good: and that what goodnesse is in them is the worke of God, and what impurity is in them, it is from the flesh, which staineth the workes of grace in us. Neither are the defects of the secondary causes to be imputed to the first cause. That which God worketh in us, no doubt is good, but this good worke hee hath but begun in us, as in the place by him quoted, Philippians 1. 6. for our in regeneration wee are not wholly renewed, and at once, for then wee should bee wholy spirit and no flesh. Neither doth the leaven of grace season the whole lumpe at once, but the inward d2 Cor. 4. 16.man is renewed day by day: And what is not yet renued is a remainer of the old man, and what is not Spirit, is flesh. Now betweene these two there is a perpetuall conflict, eGal. 5. 17.the spirit lusting against the flesh, and the flesh lusting against the Spirit. So that a man regenerate cannot with full consent of will doe either good or evill, there being a reluctation of the Spirit against the evill, which the flesh affecteth; and a rēluctation of the flesh against that good, which is willed by the Spirit. By reason of this conflict it comes to passe, that as the sinnes of the faithfull are sinnes of infirmity more or lesse, and not wilfull sinnes committed of meere malice: so the good works of theThe fourth absurdity. faithfull are not purely good, but stained with the flesh.
§. XIX. The 4. that our assertion is greatly injurious to our Redeemer, who as the Apostle saith, gave himselfe for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, & might purge unto himselfe an acceptable people, zealous of goodworks: For neither should he truly have redemed us from any iniquity, nor truly cleansed his people, nor made them zealous of works truly good, but of mortall sinnes, namely if all their good works be mortall sinnes, (which we utterly deny)
But I answere, Our Saviour Christ gave himselfe for us, both that he might justifie us by redeeming us from all iniquity, and also that hee might sanctifie, or as the Apostle speaketh, that hee might purifie unto himselfe a peculiar people, zelous or studious of good works. The iniquity from which he redeemeth us, is not onelyonly of those transgressions, which are absolutely sinnes, but also of those unperfect and defective workes, which wee indevour to performe in obedience to God. And herein, as I have said, the high Priest was a notable type of our Saviour Christ, who did weare in the forefront of his Miter a plate of gold, in which was ingraven this inscription fExod. 28 36. 38.Holinesse of the Lord, meaning of gIer. 23. 6.Iehovah our righteousnesse, which he was appointed to weare, that he might beare the iniquity of the holy things, which the Children of Israell should hallow in all their holy gifts, that notwithstanding the iniquity of them they might be accepted before the Lord, by imputation of his holinesse, who is Iehovah our righteousnesse. And the like is to be said of the incense hApoc. 8. 3. 4.of the Saints upon earth, that is, of their prayers, and all other their good works: which have need to bee perfumed with the odours iEphes. 5. 2.of Christs sacrifice; that so being defective in themselves, they may be accepted k1 Pet. 2. 5.of God in Christ. As for our sanctification, it is true, that Christ gave himselfe to sanctifie us. But this sanctification is but begun, and in part in this life, and is to be perfected in the life to come. So saith the Apostle, lEphes. 5. 25, 26, 27.Ephcs. 5. that Christ loved his Church and gave himselfe for it, that hee might sanctifie and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, that he might present it to himselfe (viz. at the mariage of the Lambe) a glorious Church, not having spot or wrinckle or any such thing, but that it should be holy and without blemish: which last words, as I have shewed out of Augustine, are to bee understood not of the Church militant on earth, but of the Church triumphant in heaven. The workes, which we are to be studious of, are workes not onelyonly truly, but also, as much as is possible, purely good. For though wee cannot in this life attaine to full purity and perfection: yet we must aspire towards it, affecting and desiring to performe good works in a better manner and measure, than wee can indeed attaine unto. Howbeit we must say with the mRom. 7. 18.Apostle to will is present with me, but how to performe that which is good, I finde not, for the good that I would, I doe not, but the evill which I would not, that I doe, and lest it should bee said, that the Apostle speaketh all these things in the perof a carnall man, he concludeth thus: so then foreign, even I my selfe, with the minde, that is, the Spirit serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the Law of sinne.
§. XX. The fifth, If all good workes are mortall sinnes, then some mortall The fifth absurditie.sinnes are good works: and then we may conclude thus. All good works are to be done: some mortall sinnes are good works; therefore some mortall sinnes are to be done. Againe, no mortall sinne is to bee done; all good workes are mortall sinnes; therefore no good worke is to bee done. Conclusions worthy of the Lutherans, that some mortall sinnes are to bee done, and that no good worke is to be done. Answ. we deny good workes to bee mortall sinnes. though in every good worke the most righteous doe sinne. The worke it selfe is good, though the defect or imperfection, which goeth with it, is evill. The good worke therefore is to bee done: the defect we are to strive and to pray against, and to crave pardon for it. To which deprecation we are to expect this answeare or the like, My n2 Cor. 12. 9.grace is sufficient for thee, and in thy weakenesse my power is perfected. Againe, wee must distinguish betwixt workes, which are sinnes absolutely and per se: and those which are onelyonly by accident. For those which are good per se, are to be performed as well as we can, because commanded, knowing that God will accept of our upright though weake indevour.The sixth absurdity.
§. XXI. The sixth and the last, who seeth not, that these words, good workes are mortall sinnes, imply a contradiction, for they shall be good and not good, &c.
Answ. We doe not affirme that good workes are mortall sinnes, neither doe we deny them to be truly good. OnelyOnly we deny them to bee purely and perfectly good. And we acknowledge the impurity and imperfection concurring with them to bee a sinne: and consequently, that the good workes of the faithfull are good per se, as being commanded, as being the fruits of the Spirit, and of faith working by love; but sinfull per accidens, as being stained with the flesh, yea, but saith Bellarmine, Bonum non existit nisi ex integra causa, malum verò ex quolibet vitio: that is, that is not to bee accounted a good worke whereunto all things doe not concurre which are requisite, but that is evill wherein there is any defect: therefore if there be any defect or imperfection to bee found in any worke, that worke is not to be accounted good but evill. Answ. that rule of Diony sius, is true, according to the rigour of the Law, which they call foreign from which our Saviour hath delivered us; but it is not true according to the covenant of grace, wherein the Lord accepteth the sincere and upright indevours of his children. though defective and unperfect, for perfect performance, their wants being not imputed unto them, but covered with the robe of Christs perfect righteousnesse. As therefore their persons, though in themselves sinners, are in o2 Cor. 5. 21.Christ accepted as righteous; so their actions, though in themselves defective, are acceptable p1 Pet. 2. 5.in Christ. Here therefore wee may justly retort both the accusation it selfe, and all these absurdities upon the Papists, who be necessary consequence are proved to hold, that all the workes of the righteous are simply evill and so absolutely to be called sinnes.
Those works wherein is found any defect or imperfection are not good, but absolutely they are to bee called sinnes, as the Papists teach:
But in all even the best works of the righteous there is to be found some defect, imperfection, or blemish, as being stained with the flesh. This assumption is plainely taught in the holy Scriptures as I have proved heretofore:
Therefore all, even the best actions of the righteous, are absolutely to be called sinnes, as the Papists teach.
Here then let all men againe take notice of the Popish pharisaisme, or pharisaicall hypocrisie of Papists, with whom no man is just or justified, in whom is any sinne: no action good, but simply evill, in which is any defect: and yet their persons are just, and their actions not onelyonly good, but also meritorious, and that ex condigno, and that ratione operis, of eternall life.