Of Free Justification by Christ, Book 2 · Part 4 – Part 5
Concerning the Meritorious cause of Iustification.
BUT in the mean while, because these things have been already largely discoursed of, there follows after this, that which is next in this Series of causes, that we should In what respect the Meritorious cause of Iustification should be placed in Christ.now examine with the like briefness the Meritorious cause of Iustification, which those Men by the Authority of Trent comprehend only, and wholly in Christ. And now what then will those Scribes and Disputers of this World answer here? What do the Works of the Iust Merit nothing in the sight of God? Do they help nothing towards the obtaining of Righteousness? And where then is that Merit Merits of congruo and condigno Merits of Superrogation that are undue ex opere oper ato.de Gongruo and condigno? Where are the Works of Supererogation that are above due? Where is that grace, which the Sacraments confer upon us, ex opere oper ato? By what Argument now will Andrew Vega defend this. Axiom of his? Faith, says he, and other good Works, whereby we are disposed unto grace that makes us acceptable, and whereby we are formally justified, and made acceptable to God, are Meritorious by the way of agreeableness of such grace, and of our Iustification, &c. Whence it is evident, that either Christ is not the only Meritorious cause of such grace, or that all the other helps of Merits are of no value. Though in the mean while, I do not deny that the death of Christ is truly Meritorious; but let the adversaries consider diligently what it hath merited: That the spiritual help, say they, of Divine Grace and Charity to perform the Law. might be diffused into us. What then? Dyed Christ for no other cause. but that he might obtain the gift of Charity for Mortal Ephes. 2. Colos. 2.Men to perform the Law? Did he not rather dye upon this account, that he might blot out the Hand writing which was against us in the Law, having nailed it to his …, that he might take away the Enmity, and might destroy Death for ever; might dispossess the Devil of his Kingdom, that there might be food and sustenance for our hunger; that he might make Principalities and Powers subject to his Triumpham Dominion, that he might take possession of all Power in Heaven and in Earth. What, if the power of Charity to perform the Law is so great, as they preach, could not this Charity otherways get entrance, unless the Son of God dyed? Yea, were not the Patriarchs, Prophets, and many others of the Saints adorned with the same supernatural gifts? Moreover, since the Death of Christ, is there so great an influence of Charity infused into the holy Patriarchs and Prophets before the Death of Christ.Grace present with any man, that he is able to fulfil all Righteousness? Because the Merit of Christ is perfect, it is necessary that those things also should be perfect, which he hath merited for us by his most perfect price. But on the contrary, my Opinion is, that I think Christ to be indeed the meritorious cause of our Iustification, and that he is not so much the meritorious, Christ only is the meritorious cause of Iustification.as the efficient cause of our Renovation, seeing it is he that baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with Fire. Suppose we grant that this Charity flows in upon us by the Merit of Christ, yet I do not therefore call this same infusion of Grace a cause of meriting Iustification, nor any part of a cause thereof; but it seems rather fit to be reckoned amongst the effects and fruits of Iustification, which follow from thence; neither doth it follow, because the works of Grace and Charity come to us by the Merit of Christ, that therefore the same do merit Iustification before God; for it relies upon no condition of works at all, but only the promise, and that a free one also; and so free, that it implies no condition except one only. And because in this place we enquire what is that only and peculiar condition, the The promise of God unto Salvation relies upon one condition only.Doctrine of the Gospel will easily teach us, if so be we are more willing to hearken to the Gospel, than to the Opinions of Trent.
On what condition properly doth the Promise of Iustification rely.
BUT the condition, whereby we Faith consists of two parts, inward knowledge, and outward confession.are properly justified, is this: That we should believe in Christ, and adhere to him by a constant confession. In which Faith, in the mean while, a diligent Caution should be observed, that this Faith should be directed unto a proper and legitimate Object; which I wonder that it hath not yet been taken notice of by those School Doctors hitherto: Of whom some place the Object of Faith in the first Truth: Others take for its Object, all things that are written in the holy Scriptures: Others do esteem for The Object of … to the ….the Object of Faith, all things that are laid before us to be believed by the Authority of the Catholick Church. And they say not amiss; for I deny not that all these things are both truly and necessarily to be believed by every man: For he that believes the whole Architecture of this World was framed by the handy-work of God in the space of six days, he is indeed led by a right Faith, as all Truths are to be believed with a most sure Faith, whatsoever are mentioned in the Books of the Scripture, which Faith of every particular Truth, as I suppose, doth not therefore justifie a man: For the sense of our question is not, what is truly believed by us, but what Faith that is which justifies the wicked before God from his sins; and that we should search by the Gospel, what is the proper Object of this Faith. In the mean while that is a very ridiculous thing, and too barbarous, that the Pope in his Decretals reduces the Object of Faith to the Keys and Succession Bonifacius in Decretals.of the Roman Chair, and that as necessary to Salvation; but away with this Deceiver and his Cheats.