A Treatise of Justification, Book 7 · Chapter 6
CHAP. VI. Of the verity of the justice of works, and of the possibilitie of fulfilling the Law.
§. I.
NOw Bellarmine will discourse of the truth of the justice of workes, or of actuall righteousnesse.De justif. lib. 4. cap. 10. And in this dispute he spendeth eigth Chapters.Of the truth of the justice of good workes, not denyed by us. But to what end? for, I feare, hee wandreth still. Hee had in the first booke propounded five principall arguments to prove that faith doth not justifie alone. The Fifth and last was, that good workes also doe justifie, and therefore not faith alone. This assertion hee laboureth to prove by divers arguments. The first from the necessity of good workes, which I have answeared. The second from the verity of the justice of workes, namely that the good workes of the faithfull and regenerate are truely good, which wee doe not deny, wee say indeed, that the seeming good workes of men unregenerate are not truely good: because an evill tree cannot bring forth good fruit. But the good workes of the regenerate, being the workes of grace, and the fruits of the Spirit, wee acknowledge to be truely good. But will it hereupon followe, that therfore they are, or may be justified by workes? Nothing lesse. Hee must prove that the workes of the regenerate are not onelyonly truely good, but also purely and perfectly good, and not onelyonly that, but that they are also perpetually and universally good. For if they faile in any one particular (as in aIam. 3. 2.many things we, saith Iames the just, offend all) they cannot be justified by their obedience. For hee that offende…h in one is guilty bIam. 2. 10.of the breach of the whole Law: and is so farre from being justified by his obedience, that by the sentence of the Law hee is accursed: because he hath not continued in all the things which are written in the booke of the Law to doe them. unlesse therfore he can prove, that not onelyonly some, but all the workes of the faithfull are not onelyonly truely, but also purely and perfectly good (which is impossible to be proved) he cannot possibly conclude, that they are justified by them: will you then know, to what end serveth this discourse? The subtile Sophister, because hee would seeme to have the better end of the staffe, chooseth rather to confute our pretended errours, than to defend his owne.
§. II. But indeed this whole dispute is defensive: serving to answeareBellarmines dispute is indeed defensive. a piece of one of our arguments against justification by inherent righteousnesse: because our obedience is neither totall, nor perfect, nor perpetuall. Not totall, because wee neither doe nor can fulfill the whole Law of God. Not perfect, nor pure, because it is stayned with the flesh. Not perpetuall, because interrupted, either by omission of duetyes or commission of sinnes. To the two former Bellarmine answereth, (the third being unanswerable) and maintayneth the contrary assertions; setting downe the state of the question thus: Whether men justified may by the helpe of Gods grace so fulfill the Law of God, that their workes are not onelyonly not to be called sinnes, but also deserve truely and properly to be called just. But this question commeth short of that which hee ought to prove, in two respects. For first if the just, meaning all the just, are justified by their workes, hee must proove that not onelyonly some choice men may by the speciall help of Gods grace fulfill the Law, but that all doe; or else hee must confesse that they are not justified by their obedience. Neither is it sufficient, that their workes be not sinnes or truely just, unlesse their workes, not some, but all, be not onelyonly truely, but also purely good. But of this question so propounded by him, he saith that we (whom hee calleth heretickes) hold the negative; The Papists (who are no heretikes) hold the affirmative; whose assertion hee setteth downe in three articles.
First, that the Law of God to just men is absolutely possible, not indeed by the onelyonly strength of nature, but by the help of divine grace.
Secondly, That the workes of the righteous are simply, and absolutely just, and after their maner prefect.
Thirdly, That a man is truely justified by workes. Thus you see how, as it were by chance, hee stumbleth upon the maine question (where unto his whole dispute ought to be referred) bringing it in as a proofe of the verity of the justice of good workes; wher… by it selfought to be either proved or defended, otherwise all this discourse of the verity of good workes is impertinent. These three he saith hee will prove in order. And in all three I must have the patience to followe him.
§. III. And first of the possibility or impossibility of fulfilling the Law. Concerning which, what wee doe hold, may appeare by these distinctions, for first, wee doe not hold, that it is absolutely impossible:Whether the faithfull doe or can fulfill the Law. for God, if it so please him, can enable man perfectly to fulfill the Law, as hee did in our first creation, and as hee will doe at our full redemption. But in this estate, since the fall, to a man living in the flesh, it is not possible. And thuscDe peccator. meritis & remiss. l. 2. c. 6. & 7. Augustine, if the question bee whether God bee able to make a man to live without sinne, doth freely confesse it, but if the question bee, whether God ever enabled any man to be without sinne, that he denyeth. The second distinction is concerning the regenerate and the unregenerate. For unto the unregenerate being fallen in Adam, the Law through their owne fault is impossible. But the regenerate may bee said to keepe the whole Law, and that in three respects. First, in regard of their faith: for hee ithat truely beleeveth in Christ hath fulfilled the Law: dRom. 10. 4.for Christ is foreign the end and complement of the Law to every one that beleeveth, his obedience being imputed to them. Qui credit in Christum, saith ein Rom. 10.Theodoret, scopum Legis adimplet: he that beleeveth in Christ fulfilleth the scope of the Law, andfApud Oecum. in Rom. 10. Photius, foreign, the Apostle therefore saith, that hee which beleeveth in Christ fulfilleth the law. Ambrose likewise on thosegin Rom. 2. 13. words, not the hearers of the law, but the doers shall be justified: Hoc dicit, saith hee, quia non hi justi sunt, qui audiunt legem, sed qui credunt in Christum, quem tex promisit, & hoc est facere legem. This hee saith, because not they are j…st who heare the Law, but they who beleeve in Christ, whom the law promised: and this is to performe the law: and againe, Qui credit in Christum hic fecisse legem dicitur: whosoever beleeveth in Christ hee is said to have performed the law. The like hath Sedulius, that faith standeth for the perfection of the whole law, in Rom. 10. 4. Secondly, in respect of our new obedience. Thirdly, in respect of Gods acceptation, accepting of our syncere, though weake endevour, and pardoning our defectivenesse therein; which being forgiven, our obedience is reputed, as if wee had performed all. For as Augustine saith,hRetract. Lib. i. cap. 13. Omnia ergo mandata facta deputantur, quando quicquid non fit, ignoscitur. All the Commandements are esteemed as done, when that which is not done, is pardoned. But the question is properly understood of our new obedience, in regard whereof another distinction is to bee acknowledged, betweene the keeping or observing of the law, and the fulfilling of it; which the Papists feeme to confound. For all the faithfull by their new obedience keepe the law according to the measureiEphes. 4. 7. of grace received; but none fulfill it. Their new obedience consisting In studio pretatis & justitia, in the study of piety and righteousnesse, whereby they are studious of good workes. This study standeth in a syneere desire, an unfained purpose, an upright endevour to walke in the obedience of all Gods Commandements. And this study and practise of piety, though accompanied with manifold …, yea, with many slippes both of omission and commission, happening contrary to their generall desire and purpose through humane infirmity; the Lord (who in his children accepteth duplicate page duplicate page of the will k for the deed) esteemeth so highly of, that those things which are done with an upright heart and syncere endevour, are said2 Cor. 8. 12. in the Scriptures to bee done with the whole soule, and with a perfect heart, which must be evangelically, and not legally understood: this perfection standing not in the perfect performance, but in the uprightnesse of the heart, striving towards perfection. Thus all the faithfull keepe the law, who have a syncere desire, purpose and endevour to obey it; but none doe or can fulfill it, unlesse they continue in all the things which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them. Which never any since the fall (Christ onelyonly excepted) were able to doe: for the law is kept with the heart, Psal. 119. 34. 69. 129. but not fulfilled but by thelQui legem implet, observat totus, totam, per totam vitam. That the Law is possible Bel larmine proveth by …. Matth. 11. 30. whole man, I say, the whole man, performing the whole law, alwaies.
§. IV. But that the law is possible to the faithfull, Bellarmine endevoureth to prove, by Scriptures, Fathers, and Reason. Out of the Scriptures he produceth three sorts of testimonies: the first of these, Which testifie that the law is not onelyonly possible, but also easie: as first, Mat. 11. 30. For my yoke is easie, and my burden light. Secondly, 1 Ioh. 5. 3. And his Commandements are not grievous. To the former I answere; that by the yoke and burden of Christ wee are not to understand the yoke of the law exacting perfect obedience to bee performed by us unto justification, or for default thereof subjecting us to the curse; for this was the chiefe yoke of bondage which neither we nor our fathers were able to beare, Act. 15. 10. From which our Saviour hathmGal. 5. 1. made us free: but by the yoke and burden of Christ we are to understand his Law and Doctrine evangelicall, which may bee reduced to two Heads, the Law and Doctrine of faith, the Law and Doctrine of obedience, and that twofold, the obedience of his precepts, which is called our new obedience, and Obedientia crucis, which is the taking up and bearing our crosse. The law of faith resp…cteth our justification; the Doctrine of our new obedience, respecteth our sanctification; the obedience of the Crosse is Christian patience or Tolerantia crucis. And these yokes or burdens Christ is it seemeth, would have men comming unto him to take upon them, by learning of him (which argueth, that by them Christs Doctrine or Discipline is meant) that they might bee eased from those yokes under which they labour, and those burdens under which they are wearied. And these are of two sorts, the guilt of sinne which is a most heavie yoke or burden under which the guilty conscience laboureth: and the corruption of sin wherewith men being overladen are wearyed. From the former men are freed in their justification by the law of faith, which is easie and light, Christ having taken our burden upon him. For even as the Israelites in the wildernesse, when they were bitten by the fiery serpents, had no greater burden or taske laid upon them than to lift up their eyes towards the Brasen Serpent, and were cured:nIoh. 3. 4, 5. Even so wee, when wee are stung by the old Serpent and labour under the guilt of sinne, and desire to bee eased or cured thereof: this charge our Saviour layeth upon us, to lift up the eyeoIoh. 6. 40. of faith to him that was figured by the brasen Serpent, and wee shall finde rest unto our soules. From the second men are freed in their sanctification by Christs Law or doctrine of obedience both active and passive. The active is our new obedience, whereof as of sanctification there are two parts: mortification, whereby we dye to sinne, and our vivification wherby we live to God, both which the Doctrine of Christ doth teach. Tit. 2. 11, 12. The grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all, teaching us, that we should renounce all ungodlinesse and wordly lusts (there is mortification) and that wee should live soberly, and justly, and holily in this present world, there is our vivification. So Ephes. 4. 20, 21, 24. Those that have learned Christ have been taught to be put off the old man and to put on the new.
§. V. This yoake also is easie to the faithfull, and this burden light.Christs yoke easie in respect of our new obedience. First, because the faithfull being freed from the terrour and coaction of the Law are enabled to obey God with willing minds, as not being under the Law, but under grace. Secondly, because as the Lord promised in the Covenant of grace, which is the doctrine of the Gospell, to give grace to the heires of promise, wherby they are enabled to serve him, with upright hearts and with willing and constant minds: so doth he assist them with his grace making them both able and willing to worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse.
Thirdly, because the new obedience required of us doth not consist in the perfect performance, which the Lord doth not expect from such weakenesse as is in the best of us, but in the sincere and upright desire, purpose, and endeavour to walke in obedience, according to the measure of grace received.
Fourthly, because our unperfect obedience is accepted of God in Christ, and the wants thereof pardoned by the intercession of Christ, who with the odourspApoc. 8. 4. of his own sacrifice perfumeth the incense of our prayers and of other duties making them acceptable unto God. And this was figured by that ceremony of the goldenqExod. 28. …6, 38. plate as I have shewed heretofore, which the high priest, who was a type of Christ, was to weare in the foresront of the Miter with this inscription, Holinesse of the Lord, that is, of the Messias, who is IEHOVAH our righteousnesse, to the end that Christ figured by the high priest might beare the iniquity of the holy things, which the children of Israell should hallow in all their holy gifts, and it was alwaies to bee upon his forehead, that they may be accepted before the Lord.
Fifthly, because if through humane frailty, the flesh prevailing against the Spirit, the faithfull doe at any time offend, as in many things we all doe: we have an Advocate with the Father, Christ Iesus the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sinnes, 1 Ioh. 2. 2. He sitting at the right hand of his Father maketh intercession for us, Rom. 8. 34. Heb. 9. 24.
§. VI. Against the fourth reason Bellarmine taketh exception. ForBellarmines dilemma. whereas some of our Divines have taught, as he saith, that therefore it is called an easie yoake and light burden because of the remission of such offences as the faithfull commit, he pusheth at them with this Dilemma. That this remission or not imputation, either taketh away the obligation of the Law, so that the faithfull …hough they doe offend doe in…urre no guilt: or else doth not take away this obligation, but that the faithfull contract the guilt which afterward is remitted. If the former, then, saith hee, it ceasseth to be a Law. For it is no Law which doth not binde. If the latter, then it is a hard y…ake and a heavy burden which cannot be borne. To the former I answere, that remission is of guilt contracted, and therefore it is absurdly surmised, that there should be remission where was no guilt. To the latter: that according to the Law of faith the guilt contracted is remitted to the faithfull returning unto God, confessing their sinne, and craving pardon in the name and mediation of Christ. Which proveth the Law of workes to bee an hard yoake and heavie burden: but the Law of faith to be easie and light. For by the Law of workes the guilt is contracted, and by the Law of faith it is remitted.
§. VII. But the obedience of the Crosse also serveth to free usThe obedience of the crosse, is also the yoke of Christ. from the Corruption of sinne. For hee that hath suffered in the flesh ceasseth from sinne. And therefore David pronounced the man blessed whom the Lord chastenethrPsal. 94 12. and teacheth out of his Law. For foreign quae nocent doc…nt. Wee learne obediencesHeb. 5. 8. by that which wee suffer. David therefore professethtPsal. 119. 71. that it was good for him that hee had been afflicted, that hee might learne the statutes of the Lord and confesseth that before hee was afflicteduVers. 67. hee went astray: but now, saith hee, I have kept thy word. This also is a yoke; which Ieremy saith it is good for a man to beare, even in, or from his youth Lam. 3. 27. For to the Godly it is made an easy yoke, and light burden. First, In comparison of that superexcellent*2 Cor. 4. 17. eternall weight of glory wherewith the Lord doth recompence our momentany and light afflictions, which arexRom. 8. 18. no way comparable to the glory which shall be revealed.
Secondly, because affliction worketh patience, and patience probation, and probation hope, and hope of eternall glory makethus to swallow all the difficulties of this life, and with patience and comfort to beare afflictions, yea to rejoyce and to triumph in them, Rom. 5. 3. & 8. 37. Looking unto IESVSyHeb. 12. 2: the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the crosse, despising the shame, and is set downe at the right hand of the throne of God. Wherefore SaintzIam. 1. 2, 12. Iames and Sainta1 Pet. 1. 8. 4. 13. Peter in their Epistles, doe teach it to be a matter of joy to the faithfull when they are afflicted.
Thirdly, because the nature of afflictions to the faithfull is changed, being not evill, not punishments to them, but rather blessings, as being either fatherly chastisements, or tryals for their good: which proceeding from Gods love are so moderated by his mercy that they doe not exceed their strength, 1 Cor. 10. 13. and are through Gods providence made to worke for their good, Rom. 8. 28. and profit, that they may be partakers of his holinesse, Heb. 12. 10. Affliction therefore to the faithfull is foreign, a commodious or easie yoake.
Fourthly, because Christ by his Spirit doth minister such comfortpPsal. 94. 19… to the faithfull in their afflictions, that as their sufferings increase, so their consolation aboundeth by Christ, 2 Cor. 1. 4, 5.
§. VIII. So much of his first Testimony. In the second place,His second place. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. 1 Ioh. 5. 3. The Holy Ghost setteth downe two notes, whereby wee may know that we love God. For this, saith he, is the Love of God: first, that we keepe his commandements: for this in other places also is made the proper note of his Love, viz. to keepe his Commandements, Exod. 20. 6. Iohn 14. 15. the second, that his Commandements are not grievous, forcGen. 29. 20. nihil difficile amanti. Nothing is difficult to him that loveth. And sodLib. de perfectione justitiae. Augustine answereth the Pelagian urging this place, quis nesciat—non esse grave quod diligendo fit, non timendo. So that if we truely love God, we will out of love, and not out of servile feare and constraint, yeeld willing obedience to the Commandements of God. So that this is the meaning, to him that loveth God, the Commandements of God are not grievous, but he delighteth in them according to the inner Man, yeelding voluntary and cheerefull obedience thereto, not in perfection, but according to the measure of grace received. For when the Love of God is shedeRom. 5. 5. abroad in our hearts by the Spirit of God assuring us in some measure of Gods love towards us, then are our hearts enlarged to love God againe: and being enlargedfPsal. 119. 3…: we doe not onelyonly walke, but runne also in the way of Gods commandments, that is, willingly and cheerefully according to the measure of our faith and love, wee obey them. But though the faithfull doe willingly obey Gods commandements so according to their ability, yet they cannot perfectly fulfill them.
§. IX. His second sort of testimonies is of such as teach that the His second rank of testimonies.Law is kept by them that Love.
Of this sort he citeth three testimonies, the first, concerning the Love of God, Ioh. 14. 23. If a man love me, he will keepe my word. The other 2. concerning the love of our neighbor, Rom. 13. 8. he that loveth his neighbour hath fulfilled the Law, Gal. 5. 14. all the Law is fulfilled in one word, thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe. From hence he argueth thus: They that are able to love God and their neighbour, are also able to fulfill the Law: the faithfull are able to love God and their neighbour, therefore they are able to fulfill the Law. The proposition hee proveth by these three testimonies of Scripture. The assumption, thus. If we cannot love God and our neighbour then can wee not be the disciples or friends of Christ, but it is absurd to say, that none can be the disciples or friends of Christ: therefore we are able to love God and our neighbour. The proposition of this prosyllogisme he proveth out of, Ioh. 15. 35. Hereby shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another, and Iohn. 15. 14. you shall be my friends if you doe the things that I command you. Now the thing which he did command was, that they should love one another. To this long discourse a short answere may suffice: we doe confesse, that all they who love God and their neighbour doe keepe Gods commandements according to the measure of their love: but wee deny, that any can fulfill the Law of God, who have not a full and perfect love, and that to the perfection of love, such as the Law requireth, none can attaine in this life. For our knowledge is but in part, therefore our love: our regeneration is but in part (wee being but partly spirituall and partly carnall,) and therefore our love. The Law is impossible, by reason of the flesh, therefore whiles the flesh remaineth in us, the Law is not possible unto us.
§. X. Bellarmine confesseth that our charity in this life is unperfect because Bellarmines reply.it may be increased, and because it shall bee greater in our country. Notwithstanding he holdeth, that it is so perfect as may suffice for the fulfilling of the Law. But David saith, that the Law of God isgPsal. 19. 7. perfect, and so perfect as nothing may be added thereto, and therefore requireth perfect righteousnesse not onelyonly in respect of the parts but also of the degrees unto which nothing can be added. For if any thing can bee added to it, then something is wanting, which is required to perfection: and what is wanting is a fault. Peccatum est, saithhDe perfect. justif. ad 15. Augustine, cum vel non est charitas qu… esse debet, vel minor est quàm debet. It is a sin, either when there is not Charity which ought to be, or when it is lesse than it ought to be. And no doubt but it is lesse than it ought to be, when it is not so great as the Law requireth, and it is not so great as the Law requireth, whiles it may be increased. For asiEpist. 29. Augustine saith, quamdi… augeri potest (charitas) profectò illud quod minus est quam debet ex vitio est. Whiles Charity may be increased, assuredly that which is lesse than it ought to be, is faulty, or vicious. By reason of which vice: there is not a righteous man upon earth, that doth good and sinneth not. By reason of which vice no man living shall be justified before God. By reason of which vice if we shall say that we have no sinne, we deceive our selves, and the truth is not in us. And for which though we be never so good proficients we must of necessity say, forgive us our debts, &c.His second reply.
§. XI. Secondly, hee replyeth: that the Law which prescribeth love, requireth no more but that we should love with our whole heart. But that this not onelyonly may be done, but also should be done in the new Testament, the Scripture doth witnesse, Deu…. 30. 6. Answ. The Phrase of loving with the whole heart being legally understood according to the perfection prescribed in the Law, doth signifie as it soundeth, neither can be performed by any mortall man, though regenerate, because he is partly flesh and partly Spirit. Neither can more, than the Law requireth in this behalfe, be performed in our Country. For askDe spiritu & litera, cap. 36. August. saith, in the life to come, our love shal be not only above that which here we have, but also far above that which we either aske or think. Notwithstanding it can be no more than (what the Law requireth) with all our heart, with all our soule and with all our minde. For there doth not remaine in us any thing which may be added ad totum to that which is all; for if any thing remaine which might bee added, then it is not totum all. But the phrase is many times Evangelically understood, as in the place quoted, to signifie not absolute or legall perfection, but the integrity and uprightnesse of the heart, which is the Evangelicall perfection, as I have shewed elsewherelCovenant of grace, c…ap. 10. His third reply., and shall againe ere long declare.
§. XII. Thirdly, he replyeth, that the Scriptures teach, that men may bee perfect in this life. And to this purpose alle…geth, Gen. 6. 9. & 17. 1. Matth. 5. 48. & 19. 17. Phil. 3. 15. 1 Ioh… 2. 5. The use of the word in these and some other places is to bee distinguished. For in the most of them it is not opposed to imperfection (and so many places are impertinently alleaged) but either to hypocrisie, and so it signifieth up. right and sincere, as Gen. 6. 9. & 17. 1. Or to partiality when wee are good to some but not to others, as Matth. 5. 48. Be you perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect, doing good to men of all sorts, both good and bad, both friends and foes: or to infancy and childhood, and so it signifieth adultus a growne man, and so it is used, 1 Cor. 14. 20. Heb. 5. 14. and so in the place cited, Phil. 3. 15. Where the Apostle acknowledging that he had not attained to perfection but still labouring to bee a good proficient, exhorteth so many as are perfect to be of the same minde with him, that is to strive towards perfection, as having not yet attained to i…. In 1 Iohn 2. 5. the phrase is varied. In him that keepeth Gods word the love of God is perfected, that is perfectly knowne, hereby we know that we are in him. And so is the word used, Iam. 2. 22. 2 Cor. 12. 9. There remaineth onelyonly the answere of Christ to the justitiary, Matth. 19. 17. If thou wilt bee perfect &c. Which as I have shewed before our Saviour fitteth to the disposition of that justitiary whom having a great conceit of himselfe, that he had kept all the commandements of God from his youth, he thought good to discover and unmaske by a commandement of tryall. If thou wilt,mVers. 21. saith hee, bee perfect, that is, If thou wilt approve thy selfe to be a perfect observer of the Law, as thou pretendest, goe and sell that thou hast, and give to the poore, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven, and come and follow mee. For if thou refusest so to doe, thou shalt bewray thy selfe to bee a meere wordling, preferring the love of the world besore the love of God, and desiring to retaine thy earthly wealth, rather than to obtaine the heavenly treasure.
§. XIII. His third sort of testimonies is of such as doe testifie, that some have kept the Commandements of God, and namely those of loving with the whole heart; and of not coveting. And to to this purpose he alleageth the examples of David, of Iosiah, of Asa and his people, of Iosuah, and others whom hee doth but name, of Zachary and Elizabeth, of the Apostles, and namely of Paul, and in conclusion of Ezechias and of Abraham. Answ. All these were sincere and upright keepers and observers of the Law: but none of them were perfect and perpetuall fulfillers of it; none of them w…re w…thout sinne.
David was a man according to Gods owne heart, in respect of his uprightnesse and integrity, 1 King. 3. 6. and for that, and not for any absolute perfection he is commended in the places alleaged, Psal. 119. 10. 1 King. 14. 8. Act. 13. 22. 1 King. 15. 5. And yet for all this David was a sinner, and in many of his PsalmesnPsal. 25. 7. 11. 38. 4, 18. bewayleth his manifold sinnes,Psal. 51. 5, 119. 17…. desiring the Lord not to enter oPsal. 143. 2. & 130. 3, 4.into judgement with him, for if hee should, neither he nor any other could be just in his sight; placing his justification in the remission pPsal. 32. 1. Rom. 4. 6.of his sinnes, and in Gods acceptation of him imputing unto him righteousnesse without workes.
q2 King. 23. 25.Iosias, also was a godly and upright king, but yet not without fault; in that hee harkened not unto the Words of Necho from the mouth of God, but presumptuously fought against him, 2 Chron. 35. 22.
Of the people under Asa, no more can be gathered, r2 Chro. 15. 15.but that with upright hearts and willing minds they entred into a covenant to seeke the Lord in sincerity and truth. Of Asa himselfe, the Scripture indeed doth testifie, s2 Chro. 15. 17.that his heart was perfect, that is, upright, before the Lord all his dayes. Notwithstanding in the same place it is said, that the high places were not taken away: and in the next Chapter three sinnes of his are recorded: t2 Chro. 16. 7, 10, 12.that hee had relied on the King of Syria and not on the Lord: that being reproved therefore by the Prophet Hanani, he committed the Prophet to prison: that in his sickenesse he sought not to the Lord but to the Physitians.
That which is said of uIosh. 11. 14, 15.… doth not concerne the observation of the Morall Law, but those politicke precepts, which the Lord had given to Moses, and Moses to Iosu…h, concerning the utter destruction of the *Deut. 7. 2.Canaanites, whom the Lord had delivered into his hands.
Of xLuk. 1, 6.Zachary and Elizabeth it is said, first, that they were just before God, that is, upright: and secondly, that they walked in all the commandements and ordinances of the Lord blamelesse, which latter they might doe, and yet bee farre from that perfection which the Law requireth. For Paul professeth of himselfe, that even before his conversion he was, touching the righteousnes, which is in the Law blamelesse, Phil. 3. 6. They were blamelesse before men, but not faultles before God. For Zacharias did use to sacrifice for his owne sinnes, as well as for others, as Augustine saith in his answere to this argument alleaged by the Pelagians. And who knoweth not, that for the sinne of incredulity hee was both deafe yLuk. 1. …0. 62.and dumbe for a time.
As touching the Apostles before the resurrection of Christ; though our Saviour call them his friends, and giveth them this testimony thatz Luk. 12. 4. they had kept his word: yet who can bee ignorant how farre they wereIoh. 15. 15. Joh. 17. 6.at that time from perfection, and with how great imperfections they kept his word.
But it is strange, that he should alleage the example of S. Paul. Rom. 7. as one that had kept the Commandement forbidding concupiscence: when in that chapter hee doth not onelyonly confesse, that by that Commandement aRom. 7. 7, 8.hee was convicted to bee a sinner, in that hee had concupiscence: but also that that habituall concupiscence might appeare exceedingly sinnefull, it did take occasion by the Law to worke in him all manner of actuall concupiscence.
§. XIV. But Bellarmines conceit is, that concupiscence in the ApostleWhether concupiscence in the Apostle were a sinne. was no sinne, because he did not consent to it. Whereto I answere, first, that as he was carnall bRom. 7. …4. 25.he did consent unto it, but not as he was spirituall, for so hee saith: I delight in the Law of God after the inward man; cRom. 7. 23.but I see another Law in my members warring against the Law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the Law of sin which is in my members. Whereupon he cryeth out, v. 24. O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? meaning therby the flesh, or the body of sin. Secondly, though the Apostle had not consented to concupiscence, yet both the habituall concupiscence it self remainning in him after his regeneration, and the actual concupiscences going before co…sent▪ arising from thence, were sins. The habituall is often called by the Apostle a sin, and is noted to be the sinning sin, which taking occasion by the Law to send forth evill concupiscences (namely which the Law forbiddeth) was exceedingly sinfull. As for those foreign or first motions of sinne in the thought or affections going before consent, and arising from our owne concupiscence: they are those very sinnes which are directly forbidden in the tenth Commandement, for those which are joyned dMat. 5. 28.with consent, are forbidden in the former Commandements. Neither could Paul, who had beene trayned up in the Law, bee ignorant of that which the very heathen knew by the light of nature, that evill concupiscence, accompanyed with consent, was a sinne. But that which is forbidden in the tenth commandement, the Apostle had not knowne to bee a sinne, except the Law had said, thou shalt not lust, or thou shalt not have any evill concupiscence.
Hence Bellarmine concludeth, that because the Law hath beene kept by many, it is possible. Neither doe we deny it to bee kept by the faithfull, in respect of their upright walking in all the Commandements of God, but wee deny it to be perfectly fulfilled by them. Their new obedience which they performe with upright hearts and willing mindes, hath the title of perfection given unto it, and is a perfection begunne in respect of the parts (for even an infant that is formed in the wombe is perfect in respect of his parts) and is accepted of God in Christ, the Lord not imputing to the faithfull their imperfections. And it is a good saying of Augustine eRetract. l. 1. cap. 19.O…nia ergo mandata facta deputantur, quando quicquid non fit ignoscitur. All the Commandements are esteemed as done, when that wh…ch is not done is pardoned.
§ XV. But this answere, concerning perfection of obedience begunne,Bellarmines instance that the godly before mentioned, absolutely fulfilled the Law and were perfect. and the imperfections remitted, will not serve the turne, saith B…llarmine. For he cannot absolutely be said to fulfill the Law, that sinneth in ke…ping it. But the Scripture saith of the Fathers, that not onelyonly, th…y did absolutely keep the Law, but also that they kept it with their whole hea…t, and with a perfect heart. Yea …zechias profess…th that he had walked before the Lord in truth and with a perfect heart. And if Ezechias walked before God with a perf…ct heart, who will deny it to Abraham, to whom it was said, fGen. 17. 1.walke before me and be perfect. Answ. Wee doe read, that the faithfull did keepe the Law, but wee never read, that they did ab…olutely fulfill it, but that all of them had their imperfections, and their sinnes. And although many o… them abounded with good workes, yet their justification consisted in the remission of their sinnes, and Gods acceptation of them in Christ, imputing righteousnesse unto them without workes.
And where as it is said, that they obeyed God with their whole heartWhat is meant by a perfect heart. and with a perfect heart, this is to be understood of an entire or upright heart. The hebrew words Tham, Thom, T…min, and Shalem, which signif…e perfect or perfection, are synonyma or words of the same sence with …ashar, Iosher, and Emeth, that is, upright, uprightnesse and truth, or sincerity, and are signified by the phrase of walking with God, or be fore God, and a…e the same with the Greek words foreign, all of them opposed, not to imperfection, but to hypocrisie. For Thom, Tham, and Thamin consider these places Psal. 35. 21. where Thom and Iosher are used as synonima, the latter being the exposition of the former. Let perfection and … preserve mee. Iosh. 24. 14. Where Thamin and Em…th are used promiscuously, serve the Lord in perfection and in truth. Psal. 37. 37. where Tham and Iashar are put for the same; observe the perfect man, and behold the upright, for the end of that man is peace. So Iob is commended to have been Ish Th… Vejashar a perfect and upright man. The word Shalem, which in the same speech of Ezechias, 2 King. 20. 3. is by the 72. translated foreign, perfect is by them re…dred Esay 38. 3. foreign a true heart: as an upright heart is called Heb. 10. 22.
§. XVI. The phrase of performing dueties with the whole heartWhat is meant by whole heart. Deut. 26. 16 as to seeke God with all the heart, Deut. 4. 29. Psal. 119. …, 10. to keepe his Commandements with all the heart and with all …he soule, 2 King. 23. 3. Psal. 119. 34, 69. to turne unto the Lord with all the heart, Io…l. 2. 12. importeth nothing else (where it is not legally understood) but an entyre or upright heart, that is, not an heart and an heart, (as hypocrites use to speake, Psal. 12. 2.) 1 Chron. 12. 33. the phrase not with an heart and an heart, is expounded vers. 38. to be a perfect or upright heart. Thus to serve the Lord in truth, is to serve him with the whole heart, 1 Sam. 12. 24. and to praise God with the whole heart, Psal. 9. 1. & 111. 1. is to prai…e him with uprightnesse of heart, Psal. 119. 7.
Thus to walke with God, or before God, is to bee perfect or upright Gen. 17. 1. and to bee perfect or upright is to walke with God, or before him, for to walke with God is for a man to behave himselfe as in his p…esence▪ and to walke before God is to behave a mans selfe in his sight, that is uprightly. Thus Hen…ch, Gen. 5. 22. 24. No…h, Gen. 6. 9. Abraham and Is…ack, Gen. 48. 15. David, and others, are said to have walked before God. Of David it is said, that hee walked before God in truth and righteousnesse and uprightnesse of heart, 1 Kin. 3. 6, of Ezekias, 2 King. 20. 3. that hee walked before God in truth with a perfect, that is an upright heart. For you are not so to understand it, as if Ezekias had no imperfections. For when the Lord left him a little unto himselfe, that he might try him, and know, that is, make knowne unto him what was in his heart; he rendred not againe according to the benefits done to him, but h…s heart was lifted up with pride, 2 Chron. 32. 24, 25, 31.
From this example of Ezechias, as it were, from the lesse, Bellarmine inferreth. If Ezechias walked before God with a perfect heart, who will deny it to Abraham, to whom it was said, walke before me and be perf…ct.
Answ. I doubt not, but Abraham did walke before God▪ that is to say, was perfect or upright. For so much the Scriptures testifie of him, Gen. 24. 40. & 26. 5. & 48. 15. and that hee was the friend of God, 2 Chr…. 20. 7. Esai. 41. 8. Iam. 2. 23. But Bellarmines proofe is very slender; that Abraham was such, because hee was required so to be. For so the whole people of Israel (which for the uprightnesse required in them, was called Iesh…run, Deut. 32. 15. & 33. 5, 26.) are exhorted, Deut. 18. 13. thou shalt be perfect, that is, upright with the Lord thy God. Ios. 24. 14. serve him in perfection and in truth. 1 Sam. 12. 24. In truth with all your heart. And thus it appeareth, that the termes of perfect heart and whole heart in the places before mentioned, doe not import any legall perfection, but uprightnesse and integrity of hear…: which though it be but a perfection inchoated, or begun, being only a perfection in respect of the par…s, and not of the degrees, towards which notwithstanding it aspireth▪ yet neverthelesse it is the Evangelicall, the Christian, and the best perf…ction, which we can attaine unto this life.
§. XVII. These were his proofes out of the Scriptures. Now gDe justif. l. 4. cap. 12.he will pr…ve out of the Fathers, that the Law of God is not impossible,His testimonies out of the Fathers. he sho…ld say, (for so he propounded the state of the question) absolutely pos…ble.
But …he Fathers may be distinguished into two rankes. For either they we… such, as wrote before Pelagius spred his errour, or after. Those wh…h wrote before, did as gContr. Iulian Pelag. lib. 1. c. 2.Augustine saith, write more carelesly of thee things: insomuch that … would seeme to father his errours up… them. Those who wrote after hee had broached his heresies, as na…ely Hierome in his latter dayes, and Augustine, had the like controvere, though not altogether the same with Pelagius, that we have with the …apists. For both doe hold the same assertion, that the Law is possibl… both doe use the like arguments, and both doe abuse the same Test…onies of Scripture to confirme their errour.
§. XVIII. There are, I confesse, two seeming differences betweeneThe difference betweene the Pelagian… and Papists not great. the P…agians and the Papists. The one, that the P…lagians held, that a man …y strength of nature might fulfill the Commandements of God, which …e Papists deny. The other, that a man might so fulfill the Law of God, as that he might live without si…, which the Papists also deny. But if it … considered, that the Pelagia…s did call the power of nature Gods grac… and did acknowledge, that the direction and instruction, which men ha…e by the Word and Law of God was to bee ascribed to Gods grace; a…d that the gr…ce of God doth helpe men more easily to obey the Law o… God: i… will appeare, that there is no such great differenc… in the fo…er respect, as is pretend…d.
Againe, the … betweene the Pelagians and Papists is not in respect of … or impossibility, but in respect of greater or lesse difficulty. For the Papists do… not a…knowledge, that men by nat…re are dead in sinne, …d utterly deprived of the Spirituall life: but that they are sicke and weake, and …yed with the bands of sinne, so that they cannot fulfill the Law of God, unlesse they … …olpen and loosed by grace: but being holpen by grace, then the fulfilling of the Commandements is easie to them. The Pelagians likewise confesse, that by the grace of God, which they call bonum naturae, or the power or possibility of nature, they were enabled; by the grace of God vouchsafed in his Word and Law, guided and directed; by the justifying grace of God freed from the bond of their sinnes; and by the Sanctifying grace of God holpen with more ease to fulfill the Commandements of God. So that the Papists, although they doe not with the Pelagians deny originall sinne, or the necessity of saving grace: yet they doe extenuate the originall corruption, and so magnifie the strength of nature, that they differ not much from them. For whereas originall corruption is both a privation of the habit of originall righteousnesse, and also an evill and wicked disposition and pronenesse to all manner o… sinne, infecting all the parts and faculties of the soule: they make the …rivation to be of the act onelyonly and not of the habit or power; as if it were not a meere impotencie to that which is spiritually good, but a dfficulty: the evill disposition, either they altogether deny, saying that …iginall sinne is onelyonly carentia justitiae debit ae in esse the want of originall …ighteousnesse; or else they so extenuate it, that they make it to be lese than any veniall sinne, and in the regenerate no sinne at all. But Au…ustine doth truly teach against both Pelagians and Papists, that man by …nne lost both bonum possibilitatis, and also possibilitatem non peccandi: as I vill hereafter *§. 20.shew.
And as touching the other difference… though the Papists hold, …at a man cannot bee altogether without sinne for any long time, tho…h for some short time (in which short time, if he shall say he hath no sine, he shall make Saint Io…n, and not himselfe a lyar, 1 Ioh. 1. 8.) yet …ey say, they may be without all si…nes, excepting those which they do …all veniall: which they doe so extenuate, that indeed they make the… no sinnes, as being no anomies or transgressions of the Law com…tted against the Law, or repugnant to Charity, but onelyonly besides the …aw; such as may well stand together with perfect inherent righteo…esse. For they say, he onelyonly is a righteous man in whom there is no si…e, and yet that there is no man so righteous, as that he liveth without …ese veniall sinnes. But if they be … and not contrary to the Lw, then they are neither commanded nor forbidden, and so no sinnes …t all, but foreign, things indifferent.
§. XIX. But let us examine his testimonies, two wh…reof are scarce worth the examining; the one out of hIn Ios. h…mil. 9. in sin. in c. 8. 35.Orig…n, the oth…r out of Cyrill; and yet both of them so little to his purpo…, as the…seeme to make against him, rather than for him. Orig… compareth …to women such men, as say they are not able to observe certaine p…epts of Christ; which the Papists doe not call precepts, but Counèlls, and therefore belong not at all, as they teach, but to those who would be thought to live in a state of perfection. Besides which notorio…s hypocrites, all in the Church of Rome are by this testimony to be …ompared to women; who not onelyonly say they cannot, but also thinke …hey need not to observe them as to sell all that a man hath and give it to the poore (which indeed is neither a commandemen…, nor counsell given by Christ unto all, but a precept of tryall to that one wealthy justitiary) iMat▪ 19. 21.to him that striketh thee on the one cheeke turne to him the other also; blesse him that curseth thee, pray for him that persecuteth thee, and such like; which are indeed precepts given to all the faithfull, and not counsailes directed onelyonly to such, as are, or would seeme to be perfect.
Cyrill. kCont. Iulian. lib. 3.saith hee, affirmeth that the precept it self, thou shalt not lust, which is noted to be most diffic…lt, may through grace be fulfilled. Answ. That place of Cyrill, as it is translated into Latine, is in a maner without sence: neither can any thing be soundly inferred from it. He… seemeth to say, that Christ restoring mans nature to his originall perfection (which is but begunne in this life) said▪ To them of old it was said, thou shalt not commit adultery, but I say unto you, thou shalt not lust; quamvis res sit, ut …pinor, ad qu…m pertingi nequeat, though it be a thing, as I suppose, which cannot be attained unto (namely in this life) yet to this perfection Christ hath reformed or restored us, viz. inchoative in this life, and perfectly in the life to come.
§. XX. The rest of the testimonyes are of …wo sorts: for eitherTo the rest of Fathers. they deny the commandements of God to be impossible, as B…sil. orat. in illud, attende tibi, Deut. 15. 9. Hier…e. …dvers. Pelag. lib. 3. & in Matth. 5. …. de Natura & gratia, Cap 43. &c. or else they affirme, that they are possible, if men would, as C…ncil. Ar…sican. 2. Can. ult. Hil…ru in Psalm. 118. Chrys…stom. in Matth …om. 39. & in Hebr. homil. 16. &c.
Answ. To preserve these fathers from contradicting themselves, certaine distinctions are to be admitted. For the same men, who de…y the law to be impossible, doe con…esse lHier. adv. Pelag. l. 3. Aug. de Nat. & gr. cap. 43. De Grat. & lib. arb. cap. 6.that God commandeth some things which wee cannot doe, a…d that never any since the fall of Adam did, or could fulfill the whole law of God; and that there is no man that liveth without sinne. Their meaning therfore is, that although no man can fulfill the law, yet it is not impossible. The first distinction is that, which I mentione… before, b…twixt the perfect fulfilling, and the upright keeping of Gods commandments, for although they cannot in this life be fulfilled in th…t p…rfection, which the law requireth: yet they may, and usually are kept of the faithfull in sincerity and upright…esse, which the Lord in the covenant of grace acceptech. The second is conser…ing impossibility. For when it is said, that the law is impossible to be fulfilled p…ctly; it is either understood simply & per se, as the fathers understood it, as it is impossible, saith Basil, for the eye of a man to see his owne backe; or conditionally and per accidens in respect of mans condition or estate. For the law was possible to man in his integrity, when he was in the earth by Paradise before his fall; and shall be possible againe, when hee shall be fully renewed in the heavenly Paradise. But to man being fallen into the state of disobedience, the fulfilling of the law is impossible by accident. For mRom. 8. 7.foreign the fleshly disposition of our corrupt nature, is not subject to the law of God, neither can it be. The third distinction is in respect of the persons, for men are either foreign unregenerate; or foreign regenerate. The regenerate man by the grace of God is both willing and able to keepe the law, according to the measure of grace received. The unregenerate man is not able to keepe the law, because hee will not; the very frame of his will being enmity against God. Rom. 8. 7. Gen. 6. 5. & 8. 21. And here it is to be observed, that those fathers, which had to doe with the Pelagians, who held that men by strength of nature were able to fulfill the Law of God, or else the Lord commandiug them unpossible things should be unjust, neither should the fault be in men who cannot obey, but in God who enjoyneth impossible things: did grant unto them, that God did not command impossibilityes: yet they did hold (which the Papists also confesse) that no man without grace could performe them. For indeed to an unregenerate man, who is dead in sinne, it is as unpossi…le to fulfill the w…ole law of God which is spirituall; as it is for a dead man to perf…rme the actions of the naturall life. For as I said before out of Augustine nHypognost. l. 3.man by his sinne hath lost not onelyonly bonum possibilitatis, so that …ee can doe no good; but also oDe Nat. & gra. cap. 48.possibilitatem non peccandi, so that hee cannot but sinne, though hee sinne most freely. For this is the freedome of a man not regenerate, quâ potest peccare, & non potest non peccare, … dam nabiliur, saith the Master pLib. 2. dist. 25. F. G.of the sentences, whereby hee is able to sinne, and can doe no other but sinne, and that damnably.
§. XXI. And further to those testimonies which affirme thatAnsw. to those testimonies which affirme, that men may fulfill the law if they will. men may fulfill the commandements if they will: I answeare that nothing can be inferred from thence u…lesse it be proved, that men at all times are willing to fulfill them. For if they be not willing they are not able, and much lesse doe they actually performe them. Thus therefore they must argue.
To them that are allwaies willing to keepe the commandements, the Law is not impossible.
But all men are alwaies willing to keepe the Commandements:
Therefore to no man is the Law impossible.
The proposition is not generally true in respect of the regenerate themselves: unto whom to will is oftentimes present, when how to performe that which is good, they find not R…m. 7. 18. For the good that they would they doe not, and the evill which they would not, that they doe v. 19.
But the assumption is manifestly false, and the contrary is generally true. No man is allwaies willing &c. And therefore from those Testimonyes wherein the condition of the will is interposed, nothing can be concluded for the absolute possibility of fulfilling the Law, but rather against it. For those who are not at all times so willing as they ought to be to fulfill the Law, they cannot allwaies fulfill it. But no man is at all times so willing as he ought to be to fullfill the Law. Augustine qDe pec…at. merit. & remiss. Cap. 14.averreth N…minem esse qui tantum velit … res exigit. therfore no man is able allwaies to fulfill it. For although perhaps he could, if hee would, (which as even now I said is not generally true of the regenerate themselves:) yet whiles hee will not, hee cannot. For the will of obeying is the chiefe part of obedience. The meaning therfore of those Fathers is, that the impossibility of the Law is not to be ascribed to the Law, as if it were not possible, but to the will of man who will not obey it.
§ XXII. Now that the Fathers, who deny the Law to be impossibleThat the fathers did not meane that the Law is absolutely po…ible. doe not meane, that it is absolutely possible to be perfectly fulfilled, appeareth by these reasons. First, because they yeelded so farre to the objection of the Pelagians, as not to deny it to be possible to the unregenerate, as I noted before. Secondly, because they held, that all men are sinners, and that no man in this mortall life can live without sinne, and consequently, without transgressing the Law. Now it is manifest, that hee who transgresseth th… Law doth not fulfill it. But when we thus argue Bellarmine saith we confound two questions, which ought not to be confounded: whether the Commandements may be kept, and whether a man may live without sinne▪ which questions are so different, that to the former …gustine allwayes answered affirmatively, to which purpose …ee citeth. D… peccat. merit. & remiss. lib. 2. cap. 3. & 6. De N…tur. & gratia. c. 69. De gratia & lib. arbitr. c. 16. in Psal. 56. And to the latter, negatively, to which purpose hee quoteth Lib. de Natur. & gratia. cap. 34. De spiritu & litera cap. ult. contr. 2. Epistolas Pelag. c. 14. Epist. 89. & 95. and the whole booke de perfectione justiti….
A…sw. This say I, is a plaine evidence, that Augustine, when hee saith (which wee also say) that a man may keepe the Commandements, meaneth not the perfect fulfilling of the Law. For if the question be propounded concerning the perfect fulfilling of the Law, it is the same in effect with the other. For hee that perfectly fulfilleth the Law doth undoubtedly live without …nne: and hee that doth not live without sinne, doth not perfectly fulfill the Law. Wherefore the affirmation of the one question understood of perfect fulfilling, and the Negation of the other, doth imply a contradiction.
Thirdly, Because the fathers explane their meaning, when they say that the Law is possible, and that a man may keepe the commandements, not in respect of the perfect fulfilling: but partly, in respect of the since…e study and upright endevour to performe: and partly in respect of Gods merciemercy in Christ, pardoning what is wanting in their obedience. So saith Augustine, rContr. 2. Epist. Pelag. lib. 3. c. 7hîc studium pracepta servandi gratia Dei tribuit, qu… si quid etiam in eis pr…ceptis minus serv…tur, ignoscit. Here the grace of God bestoweth the study of keeping the precepts: which also, if any thing in those precepts be not kept, it pardoneth & which I cited before, sRetract. l. c. 19.all the commandements are reputed to be done when whatsoever is not done, is pardoned: And elsewhere hee saith, tDe …. Dei l. …9. c 27▪that our righteous…esse in this life doth consist rather in remission of sins, than in perfection of virtues. For as touching perfection, he saith, uContr. 2 Epis…olas Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 7.V…rtutem quae nu… est in homine justo, perfectam hactenus nominare, ut ad ejus perfectionem pertineat, etiam ipsius imperfectionis & in veritate agnitio, & in humilitate confessio▪ that the virtue, which now is in a just man, is …o farre forth called perfect, that to the perfection thereof appertaineth, both the acknowledgment of the imperfection there of in truth, and the conf…ssion of it in humilily.
§. XXIII. But he…e Bellarmine holdeth a strange para…oxe. That although a man cannot live without sin, yet he may perfectly fulfill theB…llarmines …paradox, that a man may fulfill the Law, though he cannot live without sinne. Law of God. The absurdity whereof hee hopeth to salve with the distinction of sinnes into veniall and mortall; because veniall sinnes, without which none are in this life, doe not hinder the fulfilling of the Law. But this distinction will not serve his turne, unlesse hee can prove that veniall sinnes are no sinnes. For if they be sinnes, they are transgressions of the Law. And if they be transg…essions of the Law, as undoubtedly th…y are, or else they *1 Io…. 3. 4.be no sinnes; then hee that cannot live wit… out them, cannot live without transgression of the Law; and hee th…t cannot live without transgression of the Law, cannot perfectly fulfill it. I will not enter into the full discussing of this question at this time, because it is another controversy; onelyonly for the clearing of the point in hand, I doe avouch according to the S…riptures, that the wages of sinne or stipend, Rom. 6. 23. the foreign the just recompence of reward Heb. 2. 2. is death, and that the least sinne, according to the sentence of the Law, if it be a sinne, maketh a man subj…ct to the curse of God Gal. 3. 10. And that as every sinne deserveth death and therefore in it self is mortall: so every sinne is punish…d with death, either with the death of the party who hath no part in Christ, to whom all sinnes are mortall: or with the death of Christ, as the sinnes of those who are his members; to whom their sinnes, which in their owne nature are mortall, become veniall, as being allready punished in Christ, and the justice of God satisfied for them by the satisfaction given by Christ: whose bloud doth cleanse us x1 Ioh. 1. 7, 8. Tit. 2. 14.from all our sinnes, both great and small, none being so small, but that it is of sufficient weight to presse down the sinner to hell, being of infinit guilt, committed against infinite justice, deserving infinite punishment, for which the justice of God cannot be satisfyed, but by a propitiation of infinite value. Thus therefore I reason. That sinn… which is punished with the death of Christ is in it selfe mortall; all and every, even …he least, sinne of the faithfull is punished with the death of Christ: therfore all and every, even the least sinne of the faithfull is in it selfe mortall.
But Bellarmine hath a conceipt, yDe justi…. l. 4. c. 14. ad 4.that veniall sinnes are not simply si…nes, nor against the Law, but besides it. I answere. First, that which is besides the Law is an aberration from it, and a declination from it …ither to the right hand, or to the left, and that is foreign ▪ and is zDeut. 5. 32. & 28. 14.absolutely forbidden. Secondly, to doe that which is besides the Law, is not to doe that, which is commanded, but hee that doth not the thing commanded, that doth not all, that doth not continue in doing all is subject to the curse. Thirdly, Whatsoever is not agreeable or conformable to the Law is foreign, that is a sinne. But that which is besides the Law is not conformable unto it; therefore it is a sinne, and a transgression of the Law, which whosoever committeth, hee doth not fulfill the Law.
Fourthly, Things forbidden in the Law are against the Law. Those, which they call veniall sinnes, are forbidden in the Law. For either they are forbidden, or commanded, or neither forbidden, nor commanded. If they be commanded, then are they duetyes and not sinners: if neither commanded, nor forbidden, then are they foreign things indifferent; it remayneth therefore that they are forbidden.
§. XXIV. Now because the proofe of this point, that the fulfillingTestimonyes of the Fathers that the law is not possible to be fulfilled of us. of the Law is not possible unto us, is a matter of great consequence; for thereby the popish doctrine of justification by inherent righteousnesse in generall, and by workes in particular is evidently confuted; I will to those arguments heretofore aLib. 4 cap. 5. §. 5. &c.used, adde the testimonies of antiquity, in requitall of Bellarmines allegations out of the Fathers.
First, Therefore Iustin Martyr bDialog. cum …, pag. 98.saith, that never any man did accurately performe all the things that are commanded. foreign.
Secondly, Eusebius Caesariensis demonstrates cDemonstr. Evang. l. 1.that things required in foreign to all men impossible.
Thirdly, Ambrose. dIn Gal. 3.Tanta mandata sunt, ut impossibile sit servari ea, so great things are commanded, that it is impossible they should be kept, whence Peter in the Acts of the Apostles saith, why doe you impose a yoke upon the brethren, which neither our fathers, nor we were able to beare.
Fourthly, Chrysostome: eIn Rom. 10. 4. hom. 17.what did the Law intend? to make a man just, but it was not able, foreign for no man did fulfill it.
2. No man fIn vers. 5.could be justified by the Law, unlesse hee fulfilled all foreign But this was not possible to any man, therfore that righteousnesse it self is quashit.
3. That the Apostle gIn Gal 3.by Testimony cited out of Deut. proveth foreign that no man hath fulfilled the Law.
Hierome and Augustine in this point deliver the same things against the Pelagians, which wee doe against the Papists.
Fifthly, Quoniam a. saith Hierome, hLib. 2. in Gal. 3. 10.nemo potest implere legem, that no man can fulfill the Law, and doe all things that are commanded, the Apostle testifieth also elsewhere. For that which was impossible of the Law, in that it was weake through the flesh Rom. 8. 3. &c.
2. This is the onelyonly perfection of men iAd Ctesiph…nt. advers. Pelag. 254.if they know themselves to be unperfect. And you, saith hee, when you have done all, say, wee are unprofitable servants, wee have done what was our duety to doe. If hee be unprofitable who hath done all, what is to be said of him who was not able to fulfill?
3. And againe, thou saist the Commandements of God are easie, & tamen nullum proferre potes qui universa compleverit, and yet canst bring forth none that hath fulfilled them all.
4. God, kIbid. 255.saith the Pelagian, hath given possible Commandements and who denyeth this? but how this sentence is to bee understood the vessell of election most plainely teacheth, that which was impossible of the Law, in that it was weak through the flesh, & c▪ that is, that the Law is not simply impossible, but by reason of the flesh, that which was possible before the fall, is since the fall impossible, by reason of mans coruption.
5. When lIbid. 256.the Pelagians said, that although no man bee without sinne, yet he might be without sinne; what kinde of arguing saith he, is this, posse esse quod nunquam fuerit, that that may be which never was: posse fieri quod nullum fecisse testeris, that that may be done which your selfe testifie never any man did, and to attribute that I know not to whom, which you can never prove to have beene in the Patriarches, or Prophets, or Apostles.
6. That mContr. Pelag. lib 1. 264. in… llud M…t. 19. si vis esse perse cius.which our Saviour Christ saith, if thou wilt be perfect, is said to him, who could not, yea, would not, and therefore could not.
7. Then nIbib. 265.are we just, when we confesse our selves to be sinners; and our righteousnesse consisteth not of our owne merit, but of Gods merciemercy.
8. If oLib. 2. advers. Pe…ag. 283.wee doe not that which we would, but worke that which wee would not, how say ye, that a man may be without sinne, if he will? Behold the Apostle and all beleevers are not able to accomplish what they would.
9. Having cited many testimonies, to prove, that no man is justified by the workes of the Law, all these, saith he, pIbid. 284. f.I runne through ut ostendam a nullo legem esse im…letam, that I might shew that the Law is fulfilled of none; meaning by the Law all the Commandements which are contained in the Law.
10. If you qLib. 3. 298.can shew the man, who hath fulfilled all, then may you shew a man, who needeth not Gods merciemercy.
11. The rIn Psal. 67.Law is made weake, quoniam nemo potest i…plere eam, nisi Dominus, because none but our Lord can fulfill it.
VI. Augustine sDe spiritu, & litera. c. 36.saith, that to that immortall life appertaineth that precept; thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, with all thy soule, and with all thy might: but to this life let not sinne reigne in your mortall bodies to obey the lusts thereof, to that life, thou shalt not lust: to this, thou shalt not goe after thy lusts.
2. God doth tIbid.so worke righteousnesse in his Saints labouring under the temptation of this life, that notwithstanding there remaineth, both what he may largely adde to them when they aske, and also what he may mercifully forgive, when they confesse.
3. In the same chapter, hee had said, that the two Commandements of loving God with all our heart, and our neighbours as our selves, wee shall fulfill, when we shall see face to face. But, saith he, the same is now commanded us, ut admoneremur quid fide exposcere, quò spem praemittere; ut oblivis…endo quaeretro sunt, in quae anteri…ra nos extendere debeamus, that wee might be admonished, what by faith to desire, whether to send before our hope, unto what things which are before we should preasse forward, forgetting what is behind.
4. That the virtue uContr. 2. epistolas Pelag. lib. 3. cap. 7.which now is in a just man is so farre to be called perfect, that to the perfection thereof there belongeth the acknowledgment of its imperfection in verity and the confession thereof in humility; for then this petite justice is according to its small measure infirmely perfect, when it understandeth what is wanting to it selfe. And therefore the Apostle saith, both that he is unperfect, and that hee is perfect: unperfect, considering how much he wanted unto justice, the fulnesse whereof he did as yet hunger after and thirst, perfect, both because he is not asha…ed to confesse his imperfections, and goeth forward well that he may attaine unto it.
5. Surely, hee that is renewed from day to day *2 Cor. 4. 16.(which is the cause of the most regenerate) is xDe peccat. merit. & remiss. l. 2. c. 7.not yet wholly renewed, and how much he is not yet renewed, so much he is in his old estate, &c.
6. It is yDe temp. serm. 45.the fulnesse of virtue, which the Law saith, thou shalt not covet, hoc, modò impleri non potest, this now cannot bee fulfilled.
7. So long zEpist. 29.as love may and ought to bee increased (as in this life alwayes it may and ought) certainely, that which is lesse than it ought to be is faulty, by reason of which faultinesse there is not a just man upon the earth, that doth good and sinneth not. By reason of which faultinesse no man living shall be justified in Gods sight, &c.
VII. Sedulius aIn Rom. 10.upon those words, for Christ is the end of the Law &c, that is, saith he, perfectionem legis habet qui credit in Christ…, hee hath the perfection of the Law who beleeveth in Christ. For seeing no man was justified by the Law, quia nemo imple…at legem, because none did fulfill the Law, &c.
VIII. Oecumenius, bIn Gal. 3.for this cause they, who adhere to the Law are accursed, foreign, because they are not able to fulfill the Law.
IX. Bernard, cIn Cantic. serm. 50.neither was the Law-giver ignorant, that the weight of the Commandement did exceed the strength of men, but hee judged it profitable, that by this meanes they might bee admonished of their insufficiencie, and that they might know unto what end or perfection of righteousnesse they ought, according to their ability, strive, wherfore mandando impossibilia by commanding things impossible, hee made not men transgressours, but humble, &c.
2. Therefore dIn vigil. Nativit. Dei serm. 2.he hath straightly comanded his Commandements to be kept, that seeing our imperfection to be defective, & non posse implere quod d…bet, that it cannot fulfill what it ought, we might flee to merciemercy.
X. Thomas Aquinas eTh…. Aqui. in Gal. 3.on those words Gal. 3. 10. For it is written, Cursed, &c. he proveth, saith hee, his purpose, viz. that no man can be justified by the workes of the Law, quia nullus potest servare legem because no man can keepe the Law in that manner that the Law prescribeth, Deut. 27. because every one is accursed, who doth not continue in all things which ar… written in the booke of the Law to doe them, that is, who doth not fulfill the whole Law. Sed implere totam legem est impossibile, but to fulfill the whole Law it is impossible.
XI. Cardinall C…sanus fExercit. l. 10. serm. in parasceue pag. 664.Nemo vunquam adimplevit legem never any man fulfilled the Law which consisteth in love, but Christ only, who came not to breake the Law but to fulfill it.
Against all these the sacred Councell of Trent gSess. 6. can. 18.denounceth Anathema.