Of Free Justification by Christ, Book 1 · Part 38
Against the Tridentines.
It is Demonstrated by the Scriptures, that the grace of God whereby we are Iustified, consists only in the free favour of God, and Remission of sins, not in the Merits of Works, or Infusion of Charity.
THomas Aquinas, and they that follow him, according to the gloss which they call ordinary, do not deny that Tho. Aqui. lib. 2. sent. dist. 26. q. 6.which the Apostle affirms, That we are saved by the Grace of God: But if you ask after what manner: they answer, that it comes to pass upon the account Glos. 9. Ro. 6. Orbelius lib. 2. Sent. dist. 2. Bonaventure. Alex. Halensis.of good Works. For these are the words of the Gloss: Grace, says it, is called Eternal Life, because it is rendered to those Merits, which grace hath conferred. And to the same Sense are the Comments of Orbelius, Bonaventure, Halensis, and others, because, say they, without grace no Man can observe the Commands of God. And Thomas adds elsewhere, that to fulfill the Commands of the Law according to the due manner, Grace is necessarily requisite, to wit, to fulfill them with that Charity that ought to be, by which the fulfilling of them becomes Meritorious. Which Comment of theirs, we having formerly explained how false and frivolous it is, there is no need now of any new Arguments. Verily the Christian Doctrine teaches us far otherways; for though we confess that which is reasonable: That the Divine Grace is never idle, but always stirs up the minds of the Regenerate to the best things; yet these Works are never of so great value, as to promote them unto Eternal Life, which is freely promised by God, not to them that Work, but to them that Believe; or if Salvation is premised to them that Work, it is not therefore promised because they Work: But they that truly believe, do therefore Work, because Salvation is promised. Salvation is promised to them that Work, not for the sake of the Works themselves.Therefore Iustification first proceeds in the most direct Order, as the cause of good Fruits, but that is not effected by these: But it consists only of the free favour of him that confers it upon them, not upon the account of them that Merit, but upon another account; to wit, That whereby the most bountiful Father of his Rom. 11.own Will, hath given to us, Meriting nothing, his only begotten Son, who hath fulfilled the Law for us, and hath satisfied the Iustice of God for our Unjustice. For herein consists all our Salvation, and the Efficacy of Divine Grace, and the praise thereof In what thing chiefly the Efficacy of Divine Grace appears.appears very evidently, Not that we in the mean while being idle, should do nothing; but that doing all things, we should Attribute nothing to our selves, imputing all to the Mercy of God.
Which things that they may be confirmed with the greater evidence and certainty, let us compare them with the most sure Oracles of Sacred Scripture. And Examples of Divine Grace are produced out of the Scriptures. AdamGen. 3.First, beginning at the very first Head of that Book, let us consider Adam, that Miserable Progenitor, and Overturner of our Nature. Who when he had both privately and publickly destroyed both himself and us all, by an abominable Wickedness, received at length the most Blessed Tidings of the promised Seed. What could the bounty of God have promised more firmly, or given more largely to any Man, though he had been most Holy? And what did that first and chiefest sinner deserve to receive? Abraham was commanded Abraham. Gen. 12.to leave his Native Country, and to go out whither God called him, thereunto was added a very glorious promise of giving him an Inheritance, and he obeyed him that called him. The promiser did not fail, he was increased and enriched above measure; but if I ask, by what Merit of his own, what can the Admirers of Works answer me here? Afterwards Ifaac was born to him, when his Isaac. Gen. 27.Father and Mother were so Old, that there was no hope remaining of their begetting Children. Why so? But that God might make it manifest, that in the benefits of God, there is not left any thing for Human Pride, wherein it may Ioseph. Gen. 65.glory? Ioseph very kindly helped his Brethren, who were in danger to Perish for Hunger, though they had very inhumanly Conspired his Destruction, neither did he only furnish them with plenty of Corn, but also promoted them to great Honours. And now what Merits did they bring with them, that they should be so Honourably Entertained? The same may be asked concerning the Israelites, who The Israelites delivered fromthe Bondage of Pharaoh. Exod. 12.having slain a Lamb without blemish, were delivered from most grievous Bondage: for what Vertues of their own? Whether for keeping the Law? But the Law was not yet made, at least it was not yet written. Was it because they obliged the Prophet Moses with kindnesses, whom rather The Law was promulgatedbyGod, after the deliverance of the People.they endeavoured to betray, by most unjust ways and complaints? After they had endured so many laborious Travels and Iourneys, they came at length to the promised Land of their Inheritance, in which, First, the Town of Iericho is Besieged, the Walls fall down, not by strength, but by sounds. Afterwards having slain and subdued so many Kings in one day, the People is placed in their Habitations. It was verily a great Miracle of Victory, but whence happened this Victory? What shall we say? Because the Israelites were more in number: I suppose it was not so: was it because they were stronger? Neither was that the cause: What, did they then excell all the other Nations in Vertues? Yea, what Nation was ever more perverse? But you will say, they obliged God to befriend them by observance of his Worship. Yea, how often and how grievously did they exasperate God with their sins? How wickedly did they murmur against their Leaders, and so provoked the anger of God against themselves? How often was the Clemency of God by their Perfidious Rebellion, Wicked Contrivances, Untractable Stubbornness, Murmuring Concupiscence and Perverseness, not only provoked, but also almost overcome, so that he would have utterly destroyed the Rebellious People with all their Posterity, unless Moses, the meekest of Men, by Humble Prayer with hands lifted up, had turned the provoked Anger of God into Mercy? But it is better to take notice, what the The Land of promise, the Victory of the People of Israel. Deut. 9.Lord himself speaks against this People with his own Mouth: Say not, saith he, in thy Heart, when the Lord thy God shall destroy those Nations before thee; For my Righteousness the Lord brought me in, to possess this Land, whereas those Nations were destroyed for their own Abominations: For thou shalt not enter in to possess their Lands, for thy own Righteousness, nor for the uprightness of thy Heart, but because they did wickedly, they were destroyed at thy entring in: And that the Lord might fulfill the Word which he promised by Oath to thy Fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Iacob. Know therefore, that the Lord thy God hath not given thee this Land for thy Righteousness, for thou art a stiff-necked People, &c.
Ye have heard the naked and simple History, but yet true, of the thing that came to pass, and not only true, but also much 1 Cor. 7. The Land of promise is a Type of the promised Kingdom.more Mystical. If all things happened to them, as the Apostle witnesseth, under a figure, what else should we judge concerning this History, but that under the History, lies hid a more hidden Mystery: For it can not be doubted, that this Land of Canaan, that was promised to the Israelites, Represents those Celestial and Immortal Mansions of the inheritance above, which if it be true, let us compare the truth with this figure and shadow, the Antitype with the Type. Iust as they, not being helped by any Merites, of their own, yea, contrary to all their Merits, neither for any peculiar cause in them, but through the singular favour of God promising, and for the sake of the Fathers, to whom it was promised by Oath, received by gift the possession of the Country that flowed with Milk and Honey: So also we should Iudge of the Heavenly Country of Immortality: That it is not due to any Vertues or Works of ours, but that it comes to us by the free promise of God, for the sake of his Son, into whose hands all things are given, that are in Heaven and in Earth.
What will the Angelical Dogmatist answer here with his gloss? But that either those things did not happen to them Thomas Aquinas with the ordinary Gloss.in a figure, and that they belong not at all to us; or he must needs acknowledge that our Interests are hereby Represented answerable to theirs. That I we may proceed in the Sacred Mysteries of Scripture, what shall I now: say of those, who being bitten by Serpents, had no other way of Recovery, but by the Serpent set up upon a pole? Again what shall I say of those in the Prophet Ionah; who being in dreadful danger, as soon as they had thrown out Ionah, and had committed him The Hebrews recover their Health by looking on the Serpent. Ionas a Type of Christ, saving the lives of his own by his Death.to the mercy of the Waters, the Tempest being presently quieted, escaped safe with the Ship? What else do all these Arguments teach, but that casting away confidence in all other things, and distrusting our selves, we may account that all the help for our obtaining Salvation, is placed in no other thing or vertue, but in his death only, who by his Blood, hath Reconciled all things both in Heaven and in Earth. How often in the Psalms, in the Prophers, in the Gospel, doth the Scripture, shutting up all under fin, take away from Man not only Merits, but oft-times drives the Holiest unto this by an acknowledgment of his own unrighteousness, that he acknowledges his Salvation to be placed, not in those things that are given, but those that are forgiven to him by God. For as touching the name of Merit or Reward, if it be found any where (for it is found sometimes) let no Man from hence flatter himself, as if God owed it to any Man: But let him know rather, upon what account he is said to do that: not because the Deeds, which of themselves are imperfect, deserve life (yea, which rather stand in need of Pardon:) But because the bounty of God imputes these Works, such as they are for Merits to them who Work: Why so? To wit, because they are the Works of the Faithful; who, if they were The Pious Works of Believers are impured for Merits, not according to Righteousriess, but according to Grace.not Believers, their Merits would have no room at all, nor be of any value in the sight of God. As if a Father say to a Son, if so be thou lovest Learning, thou shalt obtain any thing of me, and be my dearly beloved Son: By this Speech the Father doth not so oblige himself to the Son, as if for no other cause, but for performing Obedience, he would receive him to himself for a Son, yea, because he is a Son; therefore the Father commands what he will, and the Son performs what he ought. God useth sometimes thus to propose a Recompense and Rewards to the Regenerate, whereby we may be stirred up to do well: And there is no doubt but the Rewards promised, will follow the office performed.
But in the mean while let us see to whom this promise was made, and for what cause it was made; of which thing let us understand what is the Opinion of Osorius: God hath promised, faith he, to all that live Osor. de Iust. lib. 6. p. 150.righteously, great wealth, exceeding great pleasures, and an immortal Kingdom, very great dignity, everlasting glory, &c. There are many faults in these vicious Argumentations, and that is none of the least, which is committed by making a division not sufficient: In which kind Osorius offends here: For whereas there are two kinds of promises very much differing Legal promimises. Evangelical promises.from one another; the one belionging to the Law, being annexed unto certain conditions; the other belonging to the Gospel, being free, without all condition of Law. The whole discourse of Osorius is so taken up in that Legal kind, that he doth not so much as make mention of the other. God hath promised, says he, to all that live righteously, &c. That is true indeed, if we look to those Romans 2.things that belong to the Law: For the Law, as it hath its threatnings, so also it hath its promises proposed to them that live unblameably; in which we are commanded to do this and live. Concerning which Paul also saith, Peace and life to every one that doth good, &c. So then the Law promiseth, and the Gospel also promiseth, but upon a different account; for they differ in this; The promises of the Law regard the Desert of Life: But the Grace of the Gospel doth not so much regard the manner of Life, as the Faith of the Person, and measures his dignity, not by the merits of Works, but measures the merits of Works themselves, by the Faith of the Believer, and the dignity of the Object only on whom he believes. Wherefore as touching Rewards proposed in the Gospel, it is not enough to look only on the things themselves, which are proposed, but the consideration must be referred to the Faith and Person of Believers, of what sort they are, whether planted in Christ by Faith, or out of Christ, to whom the promise is made? If out of Christ they are servants and unbelievers, no promise or expectation of reward belongs to them. But if in Christ they are Sons and regenerate by Faith; then all is due to Faith, not to Works: It is of Grace, and not of Merit, whatsoever the Father either promises his Sons for Love's sake, or imputes unto them in the place of a reward. And indeed this Imputation, in which all the confidence of our Salvation is contained, proceeds from the grace and favour of God only; and also it must be considered, that there Imputation twofold.is a twofold kind of Imputation with God; the one, whereby the Righteousness of Christ is ascribed to us, and when for his sake, our petty duties are imputed for great, and recompensed with the highest rewards; the other, when he doth not punish, but pardon great crimes in his own that are regenerate: Concerning which the Apostle said, God was 2 Cor. 5. Romans 4. Psalm 32.in Christ reconciling the World to himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them. But the Sons of the Papacy do in no ways endure this Imputation. Why so? Andradius together with Monhemius and the Colognists think it an unworthy thing, that any man should be called righteous by another man's Righteousness, Andrad. lib. 6. Orthod. Explic. pag. 477. 454.which is not inherent in himself. Tiletanus cries that it is more than absurd, and that it hath not been Tiletanus in Apolog. contra …. p. 226.heard of in the World, that that can be the true form of any thing, which is not in it. As if a man should call Cicero couragious with the Courage which is not in himself, but in the mind of Achilles. To whom that I may answer, this cavilling would take place, if our affair were carried on by Nature, and not by Grace; if by Law, and not by Redemption.
I know that our Debt is infinite, the payment whereof the Law doth necessarily require of us. Neither do I deny that we are not able to pay, nor will ever be able to pay that debt, if our ability be considered. But what if some rich King intervene, who paying the debt that was owing, gets himself a right to the indebted Citizens, and having freed them from all obligation, makes them subject to his own command; what will those furious and importunate pleaders for Works say here? May we not enjoy the bounty of another, because we have no ability of our own? what, will they say that no payment is By the Law it is reckoned that he did a thing, who does it by another.just, but what is paid with a man's own money. That which is done by a Friend for the sake of a Friend, is it not just as if it had been done by himself? If that which was due from us, be paid by the price of Christ, is there any Law so cruel as to exact the same debt of us again? and what will the Adversaries require more here? that he should be condemned for unjust, whosoever hath no Righteousness of his own: And indeed I acknowledge this to be true in Iudicatories, if no Redemption intervene, which may satisfie in the room of another. But now seeing our Affairs are in such a condition, that the condemnation of the Law, hath nothing that it can demand of us; I think that is a sufficient Plea for us, which was done by him, who made satisfaction for us. But these men do again cry out against us, saying that it cannot be by Nature, and that it is no less contrary to all natural Reason, that any thing should take its being from that form, which is not its own, but another's.
I answer, That it is true indeed formally, as to the essence of a thing, but not judicially: For tho' the Righteousness of another, which is not inherent in us, cannot render us essentially just, who are by Nature unjust: But nothing hinders but the Righteousness of another may help our Righteousness, according to Iudicial Imputation; just as nothing hinders, but the Riches of another may be cast upon anothers Poverty, by a certain Communion or Imputation of good things; so that he who in himself is poor, yet may be esteemed rich in another: And not unlike unto this is our Communion of mutual Imputation with Christ; for as our sins being imputed to Christ, were hurtful to him, even unto the damage of punishment; so by the like Mystery of dispensation, the Righteousness of Christ being adjudged and imputed to us, though it doth not inhere in us essentially, yet in respect of possession and dispensation of Iudgment it is profitable to us for a reward of Life, just as if it had been our own Righteousness; for otherways to what purpose is Christ said to have done and suffered all these things for us, if what he did and suffered, serve not for our advantage? But if they serve for our advantage, why cannot those things be justly accounted for ours, which were undertaken in our name, and for our sake? If the name of Imputation doth so greatly offend them, which they think doth not well agree with Christian Piety, wherefore then doth Paul so often seem in his Writings not only to use this word Imputation, but to delight in it? But afterwards, Christ willing, There is frequent mention of Imputation in Paul's Writings.we shall discourse of this matter more largely in its own place.