Of Free Justification by Christ, Book 1 · Part 36 – Part 37
The calling of God and his Grace, are Free and Gratuitous, beyond all Merits of our Works.
LET Us come down nearer to our seves, and now take Example from thy self, Christian Brother, whosoever thou art: consider with your self both what you now are, and what formerly you have been; You stand in Faith, Who gave it you? You continue in the Faith, Who upholds you? You are assaulted by Temptations, but do not succumb, Who helps you? You are perpetually in danger amongst so great a Multitude that perish; Who supports you? You Sin daily, Who forgives you? Dangers, Terrours, Miseries, weariness besiege you on every side, Who gives you help? Moreover, whithersoever you turn your self, what do you see else, but all Arguments of Favour and Grace, which take away from Men all confidence in Works, and glorying in Merits? And where then is that thrice accursed curse of the Tridentines, whereby all and every one are devoted to the Trident. Concil. Sess. 6. Can. 11.dreadful destruction of Damnation, who setting aside the helps, the Coadjutor-ship of Merits, asserts that the Grace of God, whereby we are justified, consists only in the favour of God: And whoever dare say that a Man is justified by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness only, or by the remission of Sins only, whilest Charity doth not together with it communicate its influence in the Hearts of the Godly, and that the grace of working well is not joined thereunto, &c. Which if it be true, what should be judged of the Prophets, what should be judged of Christ himself, who are of a contrary judgment? We must either acknowledge that those were destitute of the Spirit of God, or else that those Tridentine Sanctions are contrary to Divine Grace. The Prophet cries with a loud Voice, the Apostle also cries, that it is not of him that runneth or willeth, but of God that sheweth mercy.
And, will the Tridentine Councellours remonstrate against this; that Man's Salvation consists only in the Favour of God? Wherein then? Running, say they, must be added, and the choice of Free-will must be added thereto. Who denies it? We run all of us, each one for his own Portion, being placed in our Stage by God: For the Christian Life is a race, not a play, an exercise, not a vacuity from business, a warfare, not slothfulness. Be it so indeed, yet in this same race how unhappily do we oftiems run? How often do we stumble? How many ways do we fall, how blind and traversed Free Will.a way do we often go? And so sometimes we run head long, either wandering every one his own way as the Prophet speaks, or with the Sheep of the Gospel wander sometimes out of the Folds? Isa. 53.But we return presently, say you, into the Way. well: But who, I beseech you, calls you back? Your own will, or the grace of him, that hath mercy? I see that you return, and I praise it, but to whom is this praise due? To the strength of your will, or to free mercy? And now I would have you teach me what this running of yours deserves. You only look at how much you proceed in running, but you do not also take heed how much you fail in your race. And after all these things do you yet boast of your merits, as if the reward of the Everlasting state were due to your Labours? In which assertions I do not drive at this, to dissolve the Pious endeavours of making Progress, or to dishearten them by desperation.
For the Admonition of the Apostle is not in vain; so run that ye 1 Cor. 9. 2 Tim. 2.may obtain. And again: no Man is Crowned, except he strive Lawfully. Let us therefore so strive, that we may be Crowned, let us so run that we may obtain. But we do not therefore obtain, because we run; but we do therefore run, because the promise is made to them that run, not to them that slumber: So that the running is not the cause The promise is not therefore made, because we run: But we do therefore run because the promise is made. 1 Cor. 15. 2 Tim. 4.of the promise, but the promise stirs up to running, and adds alacrity to the runners. Therefore the Apostle that he may make them the more valiant in striving, adds this promise, your labour shall not be in vain in the Lord. And speaking of himself, I have fought, saith he, the good fight, and a Crown of Righteousness is laid up for me, &c. What then, do you not see that labours well performed, have their own reward due to them?
Be it so indeed: But we treat not here of the labours of Men, but of the merits of Labours, we do not ask, with what rewards the goodness of God dignifies us, but what we our selves deserve Difference between Gift and Merit.to receive. For there is no small difference between Gift and Merit. If Merit is called that, to which a recompense of reward is due by reason of its equality, it is certain there is no equality between those things which we do here on Earth, and those things which being promised we expect in Heaven. The Inheritance of the Everlasting Kingdom is promised, not that which upon the account of hire is due to our Works, but which is promised to our Faith by the free gift of God.
Whence Paul, when he said the wages of Sin his Death, he doth not add next thereunto, the reward of them that live Godly is Life Eternal: But the grace, saith he, or the gift of God is Eternal Life.
And why doth he not as well say, the reward of Righteousness is Eternal Life? But that the difference between gift and reward, between grace and recompence might be evident. For if it is of Rom. 6. Ephes. 2.grace, than it is not of works: If of works, than it is not of grace. But now that he might manifest the Infinite Riches of Divine Grace towards us through Christ Iesus: He Proclaims openly that we are saved through Grace by Faith. And that not of our selves, it is the gift of God, not of Works, lest any Man should boast. Which also elsewhere inculcating more clearly, He says, not by works of Righteousness which we have done: How then? But according to his mercy hath he saved us.
And now what is that mercy, but the favour and loving kindness of God, which remitting the rigour of Iustice, spares those that are unworthy, pardons the penitent, receives them that are undone into favour, which favour or mercy also glories against Iudgment? All which being so, what should be said of the Hypocritical Fathers of Trent, who by the publick decree of their Council of Trent. Sess. 6. Canon. 11.Senate, pronounce those accursed, whosoever dare say, that the grace of God, whereby we are justified is only the favour of God.
The Absurd Paradox of the Tridentines, whereby they deny that we are justified by the favour of God only.
BUT Now by what other thing then will they say that we The Tridentines deny that we are justified by favour only. Glossa ordinaria in cap. 6. ad Rom. The ridiculouscomment of the Glosse of theSchoolmen.are justified, if we obtain it not by the favour of God only? By the Law? But that works Wrath? By the works of the Law? But the Apostle expresly excludes those: Not of works, lest any Man should boast. But here I call to mind the ordinary Glosse, which doth resolve no difficulty, but makes one, by it's subtile comment, partly affirming that we are justified by works, and partly denying it. For thus it says, our works, as they are ours, have no power to justifie, yet consider them as they are not from us, but are wrought by God in us through Grace, they merit Iustification. And for that cause the Apostle would not say, the wages of Righteousness is Eternal Life: But chose rather to say, the grace of God is Eternal Life. Why so? Because, saith this device, those merits, to which Eternal Life is rendered, are not from us, but they come from grace, whence they receive the vertue of meriting: O wise, yea rather wild talk to vilifie grace? What if the Spirit of Christ influencing the Hearts of his own, stirs up the Holy Offices of Charity, and excellent motions to Piety? What doth not the same Spirit also vouchsafe all other gifts to his Church, bestowing on some gifts of Prophesie, on others divers kinds of Tongues, on others admirable Vertues of Curing and Healing; and on others of Teaching, for the Edification of the Saints. What shall we therefore place our whole Iustification in those gifts received from Christ?
I know that there are both many and eminent vertues, wherewith the Spirit of Christ always adorns his Church; but it is one thing to adorn, another thing to justifie the Church. The gift of Sanctification is one thing, the cause of justifying is another: both whereof, though Christ perform by his grace, yet he Sanctifies one way, and Iustifies another, for he Sanctifies by his Spirit; but he Saves and Iustifies only by his Death and Blood: But you will say, if Salvation is not placed in Grace, why then is the grace of God called by Paul Eternal Life? Verily it is certain, and must be confessed, which Paul teaches, that our Life must be attributed wholly unto grace, to which also it behoves us to attribute all other things. But we must look what way this grace saves and justifies; for it is that on which the whole controversy depends: In which the generality of the adversaries are greatly deceived.