A Treatise of Justification, Book 7 · Chapter 7
CAP. VII. De justif l. …: cap. 13.Bellarmines sixe reasons to prove that the Law of God is absolutely possible, answered and refuted.
§. I.
NOW I come to Bellarmines Reasons, which are inReason 1. because a man may doe more than is commanded. number sixe. The first, A man may doe more than is commanded; therefore much more hee is able to fulfill the Commandement. The antecedent hee proveth by three testimonies. The first of Christ, Matth. 19. Who after he had said, if thou wilt enter into life, keepe the Commandements, and the party had answered, all these I have kept from my youth; he saith unto him againe, aMat. 19. 21.if thou wilt be perfect, goe and sell all that thou hast, &c. The second of Chrysostome, who saith, bDe panit. hom 8.that many exceed the Commandements. The third of Augustine, cDe verbis Apestoli serm. 18.who saith, no great burden is imposed upon Virgins: greater love hath imposed a greater weight. As if they should say, what dost thou command? that we should not bee adultresses? Is this that, which thou commandest? In love to thee we doe more than thou commandest.
I answere by distinction. For when he saith a man may doe more than is commanded; that more may be understood either extensivè, to things not commanded at all; or inte…sivè, in respect of things commanded, but done in greater perfection, than is commanded. And thus he meaneth either some speciall Commandement, or the whole Law. If he meane the whole Law, I deny the antecedent. For I have proved that no mortall man is able to fulfill the whole Law, and much lesse to doe more. The Law of God is a perfect rule of righteousnesse, unto which nothing can or ought dDeut. 4. 2: & 12. 32. Prov. 30. 6.to bee added. And to him that goeth about to adde to Gods Law God will adde eAp…c. 22. 18.his judgements because hee addeth nothing but will-worship and sinne. And to such it will be said, Who required these things at your hands? Neither is that obedience to God, which God hath not required. And this is the case of all the religious Orders among the Papists, who professe greater perfection, than God hath required: the severall Religions being so many by-wayes misleading them from that way, which leadeth to heaven. And this overthroweth all their superarrogant workes of supererogation. For there can bee no workes of supererogation over and above the Law, unlesse first the whole Law be fulfilled, and then more bee added thereunto. Neither of which can bee done. If hee meane either things not commanded, or the duties of any one speciall Commandement, then I deny the consequence. For as touching things not commanded; it is manifest, that they who are addicted to will-worship, doe many things not commanded, who notwithstanding neglect the things commanded, making the Commandements of God of none effect fMatth. 15. 6.through their traditions. And this is the condition of all popish Votarles, who though they should fully observe the rules of their severall Orders, yet would bee very farre from fulfilling the whole Law of God. If hee meane some speciall Commandement, as by his proofes it seemeth hee doth, then also I deny the consequence. For though … man should doe more than is required in some speciall Commandement; yet hee would bee defective in respect of others: and hee that faileth in any, is guilty of all.
§. II. But I suppose it would be hard for any Papist to shew, thatWhether in any morall duety more can be well performed than is commanded. in respect of any necessary morall duety more can bee laudably performed, than is by duety required. For whatsoever can be done, it is either commanded of God, or forbidden, or neither commanded nor forbidden. If it be forbidden, it is evill, and not to be done. If it bee commanded, it cannot bee done in greater perfection, than God in his Law doth require it to be done. If it be neither commanded nor forbidden, then it is in it owne nature indi…erent; and therefore in respect of our Christian liberty free, either to bee done, or to be left undone. But because our liberty is not a loose licentiousnesse, but a true liberty, bounded with the Lawes of piety and charity; therefore we are so to use or forbeare the use of these things, as that therein wee doe not offend against either piety or charity. If therefore wee shall use these things as meanes or helpes to performe the dueties either of piety or charity, or refuse them as impediments to either, having either in the using or refusing respect to the glory of God, to the good of our selves or of our brethren: wee shall doe more than is commanded in respect of the particular thing it selfe, which is simply neither commanded nor forbidden▪ but not more in respect of the generall lawes of piety and charity▪ which as they command us to love God with all our soules, and our neighbour as our selves, and forbid the contrary vices: so they command all the meanes and helpes which may bee used for the p…formance of these duplicate page duplicate page duties of piety and charity, and forbid both all impediments of the dueties commanded, and also all provocations to the evils forbidden. Now in these things which are neither simply commanded nor forbidden, counsels have place, either for the using or refusing of them, as shall bee most for Gods glory, the benefit of our brethren, and our owne spirituall good: which counsels as it is a vertue to obey, so to disobey them is a sinne: and consequently the observer of them doth no more than hee ought to doe. And therefore the Papists whiles they enjoyne the observation of the counsels onelyonly to them who would seeme to live in a state of perfection, they teach all others to sinne by disobeying them, as not being tyed to the observation of them. As for example, not to sweare in ordinary communication, not to revenge, nor to resist evill, to blesse them that curse us, to pray for them that persecute us, and many such like, among which they reckon the eigth beatitudes, Matth. 5. 3. &c. In which a good part of the power of Religion consisteth. So that to sweare ordinarily in common talke, to seeke private revenge and such like are no sinnes with the Papists.
§. III. But let us come to his proofes. The first whereof is, Mat. His first proof… ▪ Matth. 16. 21.19. 21. If thou wilt bee perfect, Goe and sell all that thou hast, &c. upon which place they ground their counsell of voluntary poverty. But it is evident by that which before I have said, that this was not a precept or counsell given to all, that would aspire towards perfection (which is the duety and property of all true Christians) but a precept of triall directed in speciall to that rich Iustitiary, to discover unto him his owne imperfection…. Or if it had been but a counsell, according to the popish co…ruction, given to one that had already fulfilled all the Comma…ements (which no man can bee said to have fulfilled untill he …ave fulfilled his course) then had it been no sinne for him not to obey this counsell, nor any hinderance to his salvation. For having fulfilled all the Commandements, as the Papists conceive of him, he might enter into life, though he did not this, which here hee is advised unto. But he sinned in disobeying this precept of triall; which if he had obeyed, hee had done no more than in duety he was bound to doe, having received a speciall Commandement to that purpose. Neither had hee fulfilled those Commandements, which hee saith hee had kept from his youth, otherwise than according to the interpretation of the Scribes and Pharisees; and consequently according to their righteousnesse, which whosoever doth not gMatth. 5: 20.exceed shall not enter into the kingdome of heaven, and much lesse had he fulfilled all the Commandements of God. For by disobeying this Commandement of Christ, he plainely bewrayed himselfe to be a transgressour of the first and last Commandements: yea, that he did not truely affect and prize his owne salvation, but being a meere worldling preferred the love of his pelfe to the love of God, and desired rather to enjoy his worldly wealth for a short time, than to obtaine and for ever to enjoy the heavenly treasures, which Christ promised him, if hee would follow Him. And for this his sinne in disobeying Christ his entrance into heaven was hindered. Insomuch that of him, and all such as he was, our Saviour giveth this hMatth. 19 24.censure, that it is easier for a Camell to goe through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man (that setteth his heart upon riches, as this man did) to enter into the kingdome of God.
§. IV. As for their counsell and vow of voluntary poverty:Counsell of voluntary poverty. though I will not insist thereupon, it being another controversie: yet thus much briefly will I say. First, that it hath no ground in the Scriptures; and therefore being obtruded as a matter of Religion, it is meere will-worship, which is neither acceptable to God, nor availeable to themselves. Secondly, as it is practised among the Papists it is nothing worth, being done neither out of the love of God, nor of their neighbour: but out of a Pharisaicall conceit▪ by their works of supererogation to make God their debtour. For as the Apostle saith, If I should bestow all my goods to …eed the poore, and have not charity, it would profit me nothing. 1 Cor. 13. 3. Thirdly, it is repugnant to the Scriptures and namely to the eigth, the fifth and second Commandement. In the eigth Commandement (as I could shew) there is required a moderate desire of temporall blessings, avoiding the contrary extremes of cove…ing too much, or of affecting voluntary poverty. And accordingly wee are to frame our prayers and our practice. Our prayer, as our Saviour iMatth. 6. 11: Luk. 11. 3.hath taught us to begge of God foreign that is, that portion of temporall blessings, which God in his wisedome doth know to bee expedient for us, that is, as Agur prayeth, Prov. 30, 8. Give mee neither poverty (or beggary as the Latine rendreth it) nor riches; feed mee with food convenient for me. Where Lechem ch…qqi is the very same with foreign. Our practice, not to live idlely upon the sweat of other mens browes, as Friars mendicants and other lusty beggars doe; but every mans duety is, to worke with his hands the thing that is kEphes. 4. 28.good, that is, to earne his living by the lawfull workes of his lawfull calling, not onelyonly that hee may eate his owne bread, which our Saviour teacheth us to begge of God, and the Apostle, to labour for, that we may eat our owne bread, 2 Thes. 3. 12. And the Psalmist promiseth as a blessing to him that feareth God, Psal. 128. 2. For thou shalt eat the labour of thine owne hands: but also that hee may have to give to others, Ephes. 4. 28. Therefore the Apostle, Act. 20. 34, 35. exhorteth the faithfull, by labouring in their lawfull callings, to support the impotent, and to remember the words of our Lord Iesus, for though the Papists esteeme them to live in a state of perfection who live in voluntary beggary; yet our Saviour was wont to say, it is a more blessed thing to give than to receive. And therefore a more blessed estate it is to be able to give, than to live upon the almes of others.
The fifth Commandement teacheth us to honour our private and our publike parents in the Church and common wealth, and the common mother of us all, that is, our Country: all which we are to honour with our service and with our goods as occasion is offered, and need requireth; and not to behave our selves, as if we were borne for our selves alone, neglecting others whom we ought to honour. And therfore by this their counsell the Papists teach men (especially when they take young men or women into their Cloisters against the liking of their parents) to breake the Commandement of God as thelMatth. 15. 4, 5, 6. Pharisees did. Neither can they truely say, that they helpe others with their devotion,Mark. 7. 10, 11, 12, 13. for their devotions▪ are superstitious and Idolatrous: or if they were good, they needed not to goe into a Cloister to performe them, which might and ought to be afforded in a lawfull calling.
The second Commandement under that one kind, of making to ourmNon facias tibi. selves images, forbiddeth willworship aud all devised meanes of Gods worshipnCor▪ 2. 22, 23. according to the doctrine and inventions of men: as all the religions of those manifold orders among the Papists, are willworship and superstition. And under that one kind of worshipping of Images or of God by them he condemneth all false and counterfeit worship, and namely hypocrisie, but the seeming poverty of popish votaries is hypocriticall. For under the profession of voluntary poverty they live in all ease and aboundance. For although the severall Monks and Fryers professe that they have nothing in their owne proper possession, yet they are rich in the common possessions of their Monastaries, which being many times very large are imployed for the maintenance of them. So that a carnal man who maketh no conscience of living incontinently in single life, and maketh account that he was borne for himself alone, hath reason to choose this monasticall life above all others, as most likely to give contentment to his idle and c…rnall disposition. Now then to obtrude this vowed poverty, which as it hath no ground in the scriptures, so it is repugnant therunto in so many respects, as a matter not only of religion, but also of satisfaction both for themselves and others, of merit, of perfection, of supererogation, is a thing to bee detested as most wicked and Antichristian.
§. V. As for his other testimonies: it is plaine, that Chrysostome Of the …ounsell and vow of single life.and Augustine speake but of that one Commandement which forbiddeth adultery. But though a man were able to doe more than that one Commandement requireth: yet it would not follow, that hee were therefore able to doe more than the whole Law requireth. But indeed in respect of that one Commandement more cannot bee done lawfully, than that Commandement prescribeth: or if more should be done, it would not be done in obedience to that Commandement. Indeed if you respect onelyonly the outward letter of that commandement, as the Fathers did, it being a prohibition of the externall act of adultery: it cannot be denyed, but that all, who are not adulterers, have fulfilled that Commandement. But if these two things be considered: first, that the Law isoRom. 7. 14. spirituall, and therefore forbiddeth not onelyonly the outward act of adultery, but all uncleannenesse whatsoever in tho…ght, in word, and indeed, insomuch that he who lookethpMatth. 5. 28. on a woman to …ust after her, hath broken this Commandement: and secondly, that this Commandement, as all the rest, hath two parts, the negative forbidding all uncleannenesse, the affirmative, commanding allq1 Thes. 4. 3, 4, 5. chastity both outward, and also inward, which is the purity or cleannenesse of the soule from all the lusts of the flesh: it must be granted, that nothing can bee added to the perfection of chastity, which this Commandement prescribeth: Yea, but the chastity in single life is more than is commanded. For the Law forbiddeth women to be adulteresses: but they that follow this cou…sell, v…w perpetuall virginity, which is more, as Saint Augustine saith. It is more than the letter of the negative forbidding onelyonly the outward act of adultery, doth require; but not more than the affirmative, being spiritually understood, doth prescribe. Which is to observe chastity in that condition wherein wee live, whether it be in single life or in marriage. Indeed no where is it simply either commanded or forbidden to live, either in single life, or in wedlocke, it being in its owne nature a thing indifferent. But chastity in both is absolutely required. For there is a chastity of wedlocke, as well as of single life: though the Papists most wickedly oppose wedlocke to chastity. Chastity, I say, is simply commanded to all, as an especiall ornament of the soule, from whence it hath itsrCa…titas, foreign name, being the purity and cleanenesse of the soule from all unlawfull lusts. But single life or mariage, are not simply either commanded or forbidden, but to certaine persons. For to them who have not the gift of continencie, which all have not, neither are all capable of (for so much is signified in the Verbe, foreign, Matth. 19. 11.) but onelyonly they to whom it is given, to them marriage is commanded, as an holy ordinance of God, and as an holy remedy against lust: and to them being not able to containe, continuance in single life is forbidden. For the avoiding of fornication and all uncleannesse, every mans1 Cor. 7. 2. that hath not the gift of continencie, is commanded to have his wife: and every woman, that hath not the gift of continencie, is commanded to have her husband. Of them who have the gift of continencie, some are not fit for procreation, but are impotent from their mothers wombe, Math. 19. 12. to these marriage is forbidden. Others are not unfit for procreation, and to those whiles they have the gift of continencie, which in very few who are fit for procreation is perpetuall, they are neither commanded to marry, nor to live single, but as they finde it to be expedient for them. And that estate, which they finde most expedient for the glory of God, and their owne good, they are to choose. And if they make choice of single life in love to God (whom they cannot love sufficiently.) and to their owne soules u…to which they ought not to bee wanting, making themselves …unuches for the Kingdome of God, Matth. 19. 12. they in their choice do… no more than they ought to doe: they being bound by the Law to that perfection of chastity, which no man in this life can attaine unto. For besides the externall, there are two degres of inward chastity: the one is a purity and cleanenesse of the soule, not on…ly from all passions, but also motions of lust, which are called foreign and this is pure and perfect chastity, which we cannot attaine unto whiles wee are infected whith originall or habituall concupiscence, the other is called continencie, which is a virtue restrayning and repressing the concupiscences of the flesh, which t1 Pet. 2. 11.warre against our soules maintaining a continuall warfare against them. To this, those who have the gift of continencie in some measure attaine; but notwithstanding come farre short of that purity, which the Law of God requireth.
§. VI. As for the vowed chastity among the Papists: it is soThe vowed single life among the Papists a sinfull state. farre from being a state of perfection, or supererogation, as that it is, for the most part, a sinnefull state, and that in three respects. First, in respect of making the vow. For it is sinne to vow that, which a man doth not know to be lawfull, or not in his owne power, then doth hee sinne with an high hand, not onelyonly resolving, but also vowing to sinne, and to continue therein. Secondly, in respect of the performing the vow, when the thing vowed, viz. continencie in single life, doth appeare not to be in their power, and yet to performe their vow of single life, live in incontinency and uncleanenesse. Many times it falleth out, that a man at the first doth not know the thing vowed to be either not lawfull, or not in his power: yet because he doth not know it to be lawfull and in his power, he sinneth by rash vowing: but when afterwards it doth appeare to be, either unlawfull, or not in his power, he is not bound to keepe that vow, which rashly he made, but hee is bound to breake it: for by performing it he addeth sinne to sinne, and many times a greater sinne to a lesse, that is to the rashnesse of his vow, the incontinencie of his life. And this is perpetuall among the Popish votaries, who never dissolve their vow, though the performance of it bee never so wicked. Thirdly, because the vowed single life among the Papists being for the most part so filthy and abominable, that all the world cryeth shame upon them for their filthinesse: yet by them is obtruded unto God, as a matter not onelyonly of religion, and satisfaction, but also of merit, of perfection, and supererogation.
And the like might be said of their vow of blinde obedience. For simple and absolute obedience is onelyonly to bee vowed and performed to God. But to vow the like towards any sinfull man, who either doth, or at least may command that which is unlawfull, as sometimes they doe, to murther Princes, or to attempt other traiterous practises, &c. and to thinke that in so doing he doth merit and supererogate, it is to forsake God.
§. VII. His second reason: If the Commandements were impossible, they would binde no man. And so the precepts should bee no precepts: for His s…cond reason, if the precepts were not possible, they would binde no man.it cannot bee imagined, how any man should sinne in that which hee cannot avoid, &c.
His reason is thus to be framed,
To that which is impossible no man is tyed:
To the Commandements all men are tyed:
Therefore the Commandements are not impossible.
The assumption, which no man denyeth, he proveth, because if they did not binde, they were no precepts, neither were the transgression of them a sinne.
The proposition he proveth, because it cannot bee imagined how a man should sinne in that which he cannot avoid.
I answere, as heretofore, by distinction. That the Commandements are said to be impossible, either simply, or by accident. If therefore the meaning of his conclusion be, that the Commandements bee not simply and absolutely impossible, then I grant all, for wee never held that the Commandements are simply impossible: for to man, both before his fall, and after his resurrection, they were and shall be absolutely possible. But since the fall they are impossible in respect of the perfect performance in and by our selves, not simply, but by reason of the flesh, that is to say, through our owne default. For if wee would not have sinned in Adam, the Law had beene possible unto us: but by our voluntary sinne we lost both … possibilitatis, and also possibilitatem non peccand…. Now it were absurd to imagine, that our fault should free us from obedience. Howbeit, even after the fall there is a distinction to be held betweene men unregenerate in the corrupt state of nature, and the regenerate in the state of grace. To the unregenerate the Law is impossible through their owne default, which doth not lessen their sinne: for they sinne voluntarily and many times of malice, as the devils also doe: who though they have brought upon themsel…es a necessity of sinning, so that they can doe no other but sinne: yet this doth not, as I said, extenuate their sinne (for they commit sinne with greedinesse) but rather aggravate their finfulnesse. Those that are habituated in sinne, in whom custome is become as it were another nature, they can no more of themselves ceasse from sinning, than a Black-moore can wash away his blackenesse, Ier. 13. 23.
§. VIII. Yea, but saith Bellarmine, It cannot bee imagined, how a Bellarmines objectio…s that a man doth not sinne in that which he cannot avoid.man should sinne in that, which hee cannot avoid. Answ. That seemeth to be true in respect of the liberty of contradiction, but not in respect of the liberty of contrariety. In respect of a sinfull action a man hath liberty to doe it or not to doe it: which wee call the liberty of contradiction. But he hath not liberty to doe that which is good, his naturall will enabling him onelyonly to sinne. So that although a naturall man may abstaine from this or that sinfull act: yet he sinneth in whatsoever he doth, neither can he doe any other but sinne. If therefore they doe not sin, who are not able to fulfill the Law, then all Infidels, yea all naturall men, who c…n doe nothing but sinne, should be exempted from sinning, which is absurd. To the regenerate man, as I said before, the Law is possible, both in respect of his faith. For he that truely beleeveth in Christ hath fulfilled the Law in Christ. Secondly, in regard of his new obedience: and that in three respects. For first, his new obedience, though it be not compleat; yet it is obedientia inchoata: and though it be not a fulfilling of the Law, yet it is an acceptable keeping thereof. Secondly, though it be unperfect, and stayned with the flesh, yet being …ntyre, that is, sincere and upright, it is in Christ accepted as perfect. Thirdly, because the imperfection thereof being covered with Christs perfect obedience, and cured by his intercession, is remitted. Now all is esteemed done, when that which is not done, is remitted.
§. IX. His third reason: If God should command things impossible, he His third reason, God should be more cruell and more foolish than any tyrant, &c.should be more cruell (horresco referens) and more foolish than any tyrant: in exacting atribute from his owne friends, which none were able to pay, and making such Lawes, which he knew none were able to performe. But the Consequent is blasphemous, therefore the antecedent. To the proposition I answere as before by distinction. That if God should command things simply impossible, there would besome colour for his blasphemous consequence. But the Lord commandeth nothing, but what to man in his first creation was absolutely possible: neither doth he exact any tribute which he did not make us able to pay, nor make any law which we were not able to observe. And although now wee cannot in our selves fulfill it; yet God was not tyed to accommodate his Law, like a Lesbian rule, to our weakenesse contracted by our owne default: but it became him, to propound such Lawes as were answerable to our first integrity, describing what we were, and not what we are: that seeing from what wee are fallen, we might seeke to bee repaired in Christ, who is the end of the Law for righteousnesse to every one that beleeveth, Rom. 10. 4. The covenant of workes God made with man in his state of integrity, when he was able to keepe it. But after the fall, because it was not possible that man should performe that covenant in, and by himselfe, he in great merciemercy made with man the Covenant of grace in Christ. But lest any man should either through ignorance or pride neglect the benefit of the Messias: it pleased God to renew the Covenant of workes, not to that end that men should be justified or saved thereby, but that it might bee a meanes to drive them unto Christ. And fo Bellarmine himselfe hath taughtuDe iustif. l 4. c, 4. §. Sextum discrimen. Lex non data erat ut justificaret, sed ut morbum …stenderet, & ad quaer…ndum medicum excitaret. The Law was not given to that end that it should justifie, but that it might shew the disease, and stirte up men to seeke to the Physitian.
Againe a distinction is to be made, as in the answere to the second reason, of the parties to whom the law is given. For to the wicked and reprobate, who are Gods rebellious subjects, the law is indeed impossible through their owne default: and yet God exacteth most justly that righteousnesse in which hee did create them: hee requireth most justly an accompt of those talents which hee committed to them, though now they be not able to pay. The debt is duely exacted of the debtour, though through his own default hee bee not now able to make payment. As for the elect, whom the Lord hath, before they were, loved in Christ, hee hath given his law to them, not to this end, that either by the observation thereof in their own persons they should bee justified, or by the breach thereof they should bee condemned (for then who could be saved?) But the use of the law to them before their conversion is, that it might bee unto them a Schoolmaster unto Christ: and after their conversion and justification, it might bee a rule whereby to frame their lives and conversation: aspiring alwaies towards that perfection which the law prescribeth, though they cannot fully attaine unto it. Why then, saith Augustine, *De perfectione justiti…. 970.should not this perfection bee enjoyned to man, though no man in this life have it? Non enim rectè curratur, si quò currendum est nesciatur. quomodo autem sciretur, si nullis praeceptis ostenderetur. For men cannot runne well, if they know not whither they must runne, and how should they know that, if by precepts it be not made known to them? And worthy is that saying of Bernard xInCantic serm. 50.to be repeated againe and againe. Neither was the commander ignorant, that the weight of the commandement doth exceed the strength of men, but hee judged it profitable, that hereby they should be admonished of their owne unsufficiencie, and that they might know to what end (or perfection) of righteousnesse they should aspire. Therefore by commanding impossible things hee did not make men transgressors, but humble, that every mouth may bee stoppodyRom. 3. 19. 20. and the whole world made obnoxious to God. For by the works of the Law no flesh shall be justified in his sight. For receiving the commandement, and feeling our defectivenes, wee shall cry to heaven, and God will have merciemercy on us. And wee shall know in that day, that not by the workes of righteousnesse,zT…. 3. 5. which wee have done, but according to his merciemercy hee hath saved us.His fourth reason collected out of three testimonies.
§. X. His fourth reason is collected out of three places of scripture. Rom. 8. 4. Mat. 6. 10. Heb. 5. 9. In the first it is said, that Christ suffered, that the justification of the Law might be fulfilled in us. In the second, we are taught to pray, that Gods will may bee done upon earth, as it is in heaven. In the third, that Christ is made to all that obey him the cause of eternall salvation. But saith hee, if we can…t fulfill the Law, then Christ misseth of his end. For notwithstanding his sufferings, the justification of the Law is not fulfilled in us: neither is our prayer ever obtayned, of fulfilling G…ds will and commandements on earth as in heaven: neither is Christ the authour of salvation to any, because none obey him. The 1. place. Rom. 8. 4.Answ. As touching the first place: because it is often alleaged by Bellarmine, I will somewhat insist upon it. The place is two wayes expounded, either of sanctification, or of justification. Ifit be to be understood of sanctification, as the Papists commonly expound it; we acknowledge, that our sanctification is the end and fruit of our redemption by Christ, and that this end is atchieved i… all those, who live not after the flesh but after the Spirit, that is, in all true believers. I say it is archieved … in this life, and perfectly in the life to come. But as I suppose, it is rather to be understood of justification. For the Apostle having assured the faithfull vers. 1. that notwithstanding sinne, and the body of sinne and of death (wherof hee had complayned chap. 7.) remayneth in them; yet forasmuch as we are delivered from the same by Iesus Christ our Lord vers. 25. there is no condemnation to them which are in Christ, as his members, whom hee describeth by this character, that they walke not after the flesh but after the Spirit: In the verses following he confirmeth the same conclusion, showing how Christ hath delivered us. For saith hee vers. 2. the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath delivered me from the law of sinne and of death. Whereby the law of the Spirit of life we understand the virtue and power of holynes or sanctification not in us, but in Christ Iesus, (for so hee saith, though they doe not observe it, who understand this place of sanctification and righteousnesse inherent) who by his righteousnesse and merits hath delivered us from the power of sinne and of death. But the Apostle, as in the former chapter vers. 24. so here in the singular number speaketh of himself, teaching by his owne example every true Christian to apply the benefits of Christ to himself. For that which was impossible for the law to doe, that is, to justifie us, in that it was weake through the flesh; God sending his owne sonne in the likenes of sinfull flesh, that is, in the humane nature subject to passions and infirmities, and that for sinne, that hee might take away the sinne of the world (for so saith … aRom. 8.foreign) condemned sinne in the flesh, that is, exacted the due punishment of sinne in his humane nature, that the guilt of our sinnes being taken away by his alsufficient satisfaction, foreign that which the law requireth unto justification might by Christ bee fulfilled in us who are his members, which walke not (as also hee had said in the first verse) not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
§. XI. As if the Apostle had said: Although the body of sinne andThe text Rom. 8. expounded. death remaine in us, who are both justified; which made mee cry out chap. 7. 24: yet forasmuch as wee are delivered therefrom by Iesus Christ our Lord, to whom all thanks is therefore due vers. 25. I doe therfore now assure all the faithfull and true members of Christ (who may be knowne by this marke, that they live not after the flesh but after the Spirit) that they are delivered from damnation, and their salvation is sure. Now there are 2. things whereby Christ hath delivered us from the law of sin and death, that is, from the power or guilt of sin and of death: the former is the power and merit of Christs perfect obedience and holynes, which is called the law of the Spirit of life in Christ: the other his sufferings, wherein he yeelded an allsufficient satisfaction by bearing the punishment, whereby sinne was condemned in our nature which had sinned; which nature though foreign free from sinne as Chrysost…me bOecum. in Rom. 8. foreignspeaketh, yet like to the sinfull flesh, that is to say, passible, hee therefore tooke upon him, that because by the observation of the law in our owne persons, it was impossible by reason of our flesh to be justified, all which the Law required to justification, might, …ee doth not say by us, but in us, that is in our nature be performed by Christ, for it is Christ, ascHomil. 13. in Rom. 8. 34. Chrysost…me saith, that fulfilled foreign in us and for us who are his true members, and are to be knowne as I said by this marke, that live not after the flesh but after the Spirit. And therefore this place proveth, that because it is impossible by reason of the flesh to bee justified by that righteousnesse which is prescribed in the Law: therefore God in his mercy sent his Sonne to take our nature upon Him, that therein he might performe for us whatsoever the Law it selfe required to justification. Thus this place is expounded bydIn Rom. 8. 4. Chrysostome, foreign, saith he, is foreign, not to be subject to the curse, and that Christ fulfilled it for us.eIn locum. Oecumenius in like maner: If any man should say, what is this to us? He saith, these things Christ did, that the scope of the Law (for that is foreign) might be fulfilled in us. And what is the scope of the Law? That wee should not bee obnoxious to the curse. Or asfIn Rom. 10. Hom. 17. Chrysostome in another place: the end of the Law is that a man might be justified. For what did the Law intend? To make a man just; but it was not able, because no man fulfilled it.gIn locum. Theodore…, when the Law was not able to performe what it intended by reason of their weakenesse to whom it was given,—the onelyonly begotten Word of God made man, by the humane flesh overcame sinne; having fulfilled all righteousnesse. And being not infected with any blemish of sinne, and having undergone the death of sinners, as if hee had been a sinner, &c. And on those words, that the righteousnesse of the law might bee in us: hee paid our debt, saith hee, and performed the end and scope of the law, What was that? That he might declare them to be just (that is, that hee might justifie them) to whom the law was given.hIn locum. Ambrose, Quando impletur in …bis justificati… (Legis) nis… cum datur remissi… omnium peccatorum? when is the justification of the law fulfilled in us, but when the remission of all our sinnes is granted to us? for as I have before alleaged out ofiR…tract. Lib. …. cap. 19. Augustine, All the Commandements are reputed done, when that which is not done is pardoned. If therefore this place were to bee understood of our fulfilling the righteousnesse of the law in or by our selves, Christ had not obtained his end▪ for so long as the flesh, that is, our inbred cotruption, by reason whereof it is impossible for the law to justifie, remaineth, as in this life it alwayes doth, even in the best; so long it is not possible, either to fulfill the law, or to be justified by the observation of it.
§. XII. To the second place, which is the third petition of theAnsw. To his second and third testimonies. Mat. 6. 10. Lords Prayer, I answere, that wee pray not, that we upon earth may in equality of obedience match the Angels in heaven: but that we may imitate their obedience, and bee like to them in doing the will of God, willingly, readily, faithfully, constantly. For the particle, foreign, as, signifieth not parity but likeness…. In the life to come wee shall indeed be foreign, Matth. 22. 30. as the Angels, but here wee may not dreame of Angelicall perfection.
To thekHeb. 5. 9. third I answere, that our Saviour is Authour of salvation to all that obey him: which is to bee understood both of the obedience of faith, which is the principall, for this is thelIo…. 6. 29. worke of God, (by which in Christ wee fulfill the law) that wee beleeve in Christ; and also of our new obedience. But neither of both doth argue the perfect fulfilling of the law in our owne persons. This threefold cord therefore is easily dissolved.
§. XIII. His fifth reason, Whosoever have the holy Spirit, they fulfill His fifth reason.the Law.
All that are truely justified have the holy Spirit, Rom. 5. 5. & 8. 15. 1 Cor. 3. 16. Gal. 3. 2. Tit. 3. 6.
Therefore all that are truely justified fulfill the Law.
The proposition hee proveth thus, Whosoever have the fruits of the Spirit, Gal. 5. they fulfill the Lawe: All that have the Spirit have the fruits of the Spirit: Therefore all that have the Spirit fulfill the Law.
This second proposition hee proveth, because against those who produce the fruits of the Spirit, as charity, joy, peace, &c. There is no Law, that is, the Law hath not whereof to accuse them, as the breakers thereof. Therefore whosoever is justified, by the helpe of the Spirit he fulfilleth the Law: and if he doe not fulfill the Law, then hath he not received the Spirit, neither is he truely justified.
To the proposition of the first syllogisme, I answere, that those who have received the Spirit doe keepe the Law. But none fulfill the Law, who have not the fulnesse of the Spirit; and none have the fulnesse of the Spirit, in whom the flesh remaineth lusting against the Spirit. In whom this conflict is, as it is in the best, They cannot doe the things that they would, Gal. 5. 17. And much lesse can they fulfill the Law, from which they are so farre, as that the good things they would, they doe not; and the evill things which they would not, they doe, Rom. 7. 19.
And so to the proposition of the second syllogisme, that those who have the Spirit, have the fruits of the Spirit, but not without measure, nor in full measure, but according to the measure of the gift of Christ, Ephes. 4. 7. Having received but the first fruits of the Spirit, Rom. 8. 23.
As for his third prosyllogisme, that against such there is no mGal. 5. 23.law, the meaning is not, that those which have the fruits of the Spirit doe never transgresse the law, for in many nIam. 3. 2.things we offend all: but the words are to be understood, either of the fruites of the Spirit, that against such there is no law, but against the contrary fruites of the flesh: or of the persons indued with the fruites of the Spirit, and then the meaning is, either as 1 Tim. 1. 9. That the law is not given to such: or as Gal. 5. 18. That those who are led by the Spirit, are not under the law; that is, they are neither under the curse, not yet under the terrour and dominion of the law, as if they needed thereby to bee forced to obedience, but they are, as it were, a law unto themselves, willingly performing obedience to that which the law prescribeth, according to the measure of grace received; not but that sometimes they faile, the flesh prevailing against the Spirit. Not under the curse, nor subject to the accusation and condemnation of the Law, because in Christ, who hath freed them from the curse, their sinnes are forgiven. oRom. 8. 33, 34.Who then shall lay any thing to the charge of Gods children, seeing it is God that doth justifie, who shall condemne, seeing Christ who dyed for us, maketh also intercession for us. But this doth not prove, that therefore the faithfull sinne not. But this proveth, that when having sinned they confesse their sinnes, God is just to forgive them, because wee have an Advocate with the Father; Christ Iesus the righteous, and hee is the propitiation for our sinnes. In this forgivenesse of our sinnes, and Gods acceptation of us in Christ, and not in our obedience doth our justification consist. But he that fulfilleth the Law needeth not remission of sinnes, which all doe need. And therefore desperate is Bellarmines conclusion, that whosoever is justified fulfilleth the Law; and whosoever doth not fulfill the Law (which no man doth) is not justified.
§. XIV. And such also is his last argument, which may thus beeHis sixth reason, because the righteous sinne not. framed.
Whosoever sinneth not fulfilleth the Law.
Of every justified man it may be verified, that he sinneth not.
Therefore every justified man fulfilleth the Law.
The proposition he proveth, because he that sinneth not, doth not transgresse the Law: and he that doth not transgresse the Law, doth fulfill it.
First, I answere to the proposition and the proofe thereof: that they are true, if understood of continued acts; as thus, hee that sinneth not, that is, that never sinneth: hee that transgresseth not the Law, that is, that never doth transgresse it, doth fulfill it. For none doe fulfill the Law but they who continue in all the things that are written in the Booke of the Law to doe them, which is duely to bee marked. For the Papists seeme to bee of this opinion, that by any one act of obedience, wherein a man sinneth not, hee doth fulfill the Law. And so they feare not to say, that every worke of charity doth absolutely merit eternall life; wherein they doe grievously erre; imagining, that as one act committed against charity doth absolutely deserve damnation: so any one act proceeding from charity doth absolutely merit salvation. But who knoweth not, that the whole law of God is copulative, and so to bee understood. As therefore in a copulative proposition consisting of many, suppose twenty parts; if any one bee false, though all the rest be true, the whole proposition is false, and to be denyed. So if a man should keepe all the Commandements, and transgresse any one though it were but once, hee is a transgressor of the law, and is, as pIam. 2. 10.Saint Iames saith, guilty of all; and by the sentence of the law is subject to the curse, because he hath not qGal. 3. 10.continued in all the things which are written in the Booke of the law to doe them. Hee that would bee thought to fulfill the law, must not onelyonly abstaine from all the things forbidden, but hee must also doe the things commanded, hee must doe all, hee must continue in doing all. And thus if the proposition and the proofe thereof bee understood, he that sinneth not, he that transgresseth not the Law, that is, he that never sinneth, he that never transgresseth the Law doth fulfill it, are true, but otherwise they are false and to be denyed.
§. XV. I come to the assumption, which Bellarmine proveth thus. Whosoever is regenerate and borne of God sinneth not.
All that are justified are regenerate; and that, because no man denyethit, he proveth by manifold testimonies, Ioh. 1. 12, 13. & 3. 5. 1 Pet. 2. 1 1 Ioh. 4. 7. Rom. 8. 15. Therefore those that are justified sinne not.
The proposition he proveth out of 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoever is borne of God sinneth not, neither can he sinne, because he is borne of God. Yet I will not answere him as he answereth us,rDe justif. 3. 3. c. 15. viz. that there be five expositions of this place, and never a one of them to the purpose, and so dismisse it, being indeed unanswerable: but I answer, that the Apostle doth not meane that the regenerate are foreign, or doe not sinne at all, for to that erroneous sense both Iouin. and Pelag. did abuse that place, as Bellar. here doth: but his meaning may be explained out of his own words in the same Epistle, for as in the fifth chapter. v. 18. When he saith, whosoeveris borne of God sinneth not, he meaneth, as appeareth by the words going before, that he sinneth not unto death: that is committeth not that unpardonable sin, for which we are not to pray, v. 16. so here, when hee saith, whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sin, his meaning may be collected out of the next verse going before vers. 8. compared with Ioh. 8. 34. he that is borne of God worketh not sinne, foreign for hee that worketh sinne, he that is a worker of iniquity, is of the Devill, as hee saith vers. 8. He that worketh sinne, saith our Saviour, Ioh. 8. 34. is the servant of sinne, and therefore in him sinne reigneth. As therefore in the fifth chapter when hee saith, he that is borne of God sinneth not, he meaneth, that he doth not so sinne as he had said vers. 16. viz. unto death: so here when it is said he cannot sinne, his meaning is in that manner, as a worker of iniquity, as the child of the Devill, as the servant of sinne, in whom sinne reigneth. And in this sense Augustine sExpos in G…l. c. 5.saith in quo peccatum non regnat, non peccat, in whom sinne reigneth not, he sinneth not, namely as those who in the scriptures are calledtIoh. 9. 31. sinners, that is impenitent sinners, servants of sinne, in whom sinne reigneth, workers of iniquity, Luk. 13. 27. Matth. 7. 23. who shall bee condemned. But although they, who are borne of God are not such as the Scripture calleth sinners, neither doe so sinne as the servants of sinne, in whom sin reigneth, yet they are penitent and beleeving sinners, in whom sinne remainteh, who often sinne through humane frailty. There is no man that sinneth not saith Salomon, t1 King. 8. 46.yea there is not a righteous man upon earthuEccl. 7. 20. that doeth good and sinneth not; in many things we, saith Iames the just, doe offend all. If we say that wee have not sinned, or that wee have no sinne, saith the most holy Apostle Saint Iohn *1 Ioh. 1. 8, 10.wee deceive our selves, we make him a lyer, and there is no truth in us. And therefore desperate againe is Bellarmines assertion, that whosoever is justified or regenerated, sinneth not, that is, never sinneth: and on the other side, whosoever sinneth is not a man regenerate nor justified, which is to exclude all men from Iustification, and consequently from Salvation.
§. XVI. And thus have I answered Bellarmines arguments concerningOur proofes that the Law is not possible, were propounded before. the possibility of the Law. Now it may be expected that I should propound and mainetaine ours. But this taske I have already performed in handling the third question of this controversie concerning the matter of our justification, where among many other arguments, proving that we are not justified by any righteousnes inherent in us, or performed by us, but onelyonly by the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him, we used thisxLib. 4. cap. 5. for one. By what righteousnesse we are justified, the Law is satisfied: By Christs righteousnesse alone the Law is satisfied, and not by that which is inherent in us, or performed by us. And this assumption wee prove, because wee are not able to sati fie the Law, neither in respect of the Commandement, it being by reason of the flesh impossible unto us; nor in respect of the penalty, which cannot be satisfied by us, but with endlesse torment. So that, as I said before, all this discourse of the possibilitie of the Law is nothing but a defence against a piece of one of our arguments.
Now I should follow him to the second point, which hee propoundedHis discourse concerning the perfection of … s, was before refuted, Lib. 4. to prove that the workes of the righteous are simply and absolutely just, and after their manner, perfect: Which may also seeme to be an answere to another piece of our argument. For that righteousnesse by which wee are justified is perfect, such onelyonly is the righteousnesse of Christ which is out of us in him, such is not that which is inherent in us as the habituall; or performed by us, as the actuall. Bellarmine therefore in opposition to that breach concerning perfect actuall righteousnesse, propounded the proofe of this point. But that our best righteousnesse is unperfect and stained with the flesh, I have fully proved before, and have answered all the arguments which Bellarmine produceth here, in my fourthyLib. 4. c. 2. §. 8. 9. & cap. 3. & 4. Booke, whereunto I referre the reader. Here onelyonly I signifie againe, that Bellarmine falleth very short in his proofes: for where he should prove, that the workes of the faithfull are simply and absolutely just, and perfect: as hee propounded the question; hee now seemeth to prove this, that the good workes of the righteous are truely good, which we deny not.
§. XVII. Yes but you Protestants, will they say, doe teach, thatWhether the best workes of the faithfull be sinnes. the best workes of the faithfull are sinnes, &c. Ans. We doe not say that their good workes, as namely their prayer or their almes, &c. are sinnes: but that in them, they being otherwise good, there are some imperfections and staines which are sinnes: in respect whereof the faithfull man in doing that, which is good, sinneth, according to that, Eccl. 7. 20. We doe confesse that the duties which the faithfull performe are good workes, and so called in the Scriptures, though not purely and perfectly good; but having their imperfections, and being stained with the flesh. Even as we call a man regenerated, a just or a good man, though he be not perfectly just, being partly flesh and partly spirit. Thus a vessell wherein there is wax mixed with hony before it be clarified, is truly called a vessell of hony, though not sinceri mellis, of pure or sincere honey. A cup of wine wherein is a mixture of some water with wine, is truely called a cup of wine though not vini meraci, of pure wine. In like manner a wedge of gold, wherein there is some drosse, is truely called a wedge of gold, though not of pure gold. An heape of corne in the floore wherein there is perhaps as much chaffe as wheat, is truly called an heape of wheat. A field, wherein are tares and other weeds, as well as corne, is notwithstanding called a corne field, the denomination being taken from the better part. Verily, whiles we live in this world, we are as gold wherein there is much drosse, and never are fully refined untill wee are to bee translated into the celestiall house of God. Whiles we are in the Church militant, as it were in Gods floore, we are mingled with much chaffe, and are never perfectly cleansed from the chaffe of our corruptions, untill we are to be translated into the Lords Granaries. And such as wee are, such also are our actions: such as the tree is, such is the fruit. But if hee will prove that men are justified by their workes, hee must prove, not onelyonly that they are truely good, but also purely and perfectly good: and not onelyonly, that some of their workes are truely and purely good, but that all their workes are truely and perfectly, and not that onelyonly, but also perpetually good. For if any of his workes bee sinnes, he cannot be justified by his workes. But this can never be proved. Neither doth hee goe about to prove that all the actions of justified men are good, but some onelyonly, and these not purely, and perfectly, but truely good. To which purpose he spendeth three wholezDe justif. l. 4. c. 15. 16. 17. Chapters, which I have fully answered in my fourth*Lib 4. c. 2. 3. 4. Booke.