Answer to a Popish Pamphlet Called the Touchstone of the Reformed Gospel, Part 2 · Subpart 22 – Subpart 24
22. THat good works are not meritorious.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrarie to Math. 16. 27. where it is ſaid, That Chriſt at his ſecond cō ming ſhall reward every one according to his works. To which I will anſwere onlie in the words of Pope Gregorie (in pſal. 7. poenit. & verba, fac auditam) who ſayeth thus, If the felicitie of the ſaints be merciemercy and not acquired by merits, where is that which is written, who ſhall render to every one according to his works? If it be rendred then according to works, how ſhall it be eſteemed merciemercy? but it it one thing (ſayeth he) according to ones works, and another thing to render for the works themſelves. For in that it … ſaid, according to his works, the qualitie of the work is underſtood, that whoſe works are ſeene to be good, his reward ſhall be alſo glorious, as whoſe works are evill his reward ſhall be contrarie; but as to that eternal life, which we hauehave of God & with God, no labour can be equalled (ſayeth he) no works can be compared. Therfore alſo ſayes their late Ferus on Rom. 2. 6. All that this word (according) doeth import in relation to good works, is, that the doing of them is a requiſite condition, without any ſort of meriting (ſayeth he.)
The ſecond place is Math. 5. 11. Rejoyce and bee glad for great is your reward in heaven. As alſo Math. 10. 42. That a cup of cold water given to one of Chriſts, ſhall not want it reward. Whereunto I anſwere 1. That we deny not but that good works hauehave their reward abyding them, for ſo ſayth our Confeſsiō of faith 1647. cap. 16. art. 6. That the Lord looking on believers in his Son, it pleaſed hi… to accept & reward that which is ſincere, altho accompanyed with many weakneſſes and imperfections. But wee diſtinguiſh and ſay that there is a reward in merciemercy wherof Hoſea ſpeaketh 10. 12. ſaying, Sowe in righteouſnes and reape in merciemercy. As alſo the Apoſtle 2. Tim. 1. 16. 17. And there is a reward of merite called wages Rom. 6. 23. Where the Apoſtle ſayeth, The wages of ſinne is death, but (by way of oppoſition) he ſayeth, Life eternall is the free gift of God. upon which place therfore ſayeth Cardinall Cajetan according to Auguſtins like words, de gra. & lib. arb. cap. 9. The gift of God is Eternall life, that we may underſtand (ſayeth he) that it is not for our merits, but of the free gift of God that in end we attaine to eternall life. So alſo ſpeaketh Lombard, That we may underſtand that God bringeth us to eternall life (ſayeth he) for his owne merciemercy ſake and not for our merits. So alſo ſpeaketh their Ferus on Iohn 3. and Math. 20 & Gabriel Biel on the the Canon of the Maſſe, lect. 47. …nd others, yea, Bellarmin himſelf, lib. 5. de Iuſtif. cap. 19. confeſſeth That this hath beene the common and conſtant judgement of Divines in the Roman Church, as Thomas, Bonaventure, Scotus, Durand▪ a…d others, that God rewardeth good works of his meer liberalitie aboue any condignitie. Flat cōtrar to that blaſphemous ſpeech of the Rhemiſts on Heb. 6. 10. ſaying, That our good works are ſo fullie worthie of eternall life which God of his justice oweth to the workers …f the ſame, that he ſhould be unjuſt if Hee rendred not heaven for them.
Laſtlie, Where he ſayeth that the holie Fathers unanimouſlie affirme the ſame, but ſetteth downe none of their words, Let their own Caſſander witneſſe the contrarie, (conſult. art. 6.) ſaying, This doctrine is not to bee paſſed by, which with a full conſent all the ancient Fathers deliver, That our whole confidence of remiſſion of ſinnes, and hope of pardon and Eternall life, is to be placed in the only merciemercy of God and merite of Chriſt, which made Bellarmin alſo conclude (lib. 5. de Iuſtif. cap. 7.) ſaying, for the uncertantie of our own unrighteouſnes, and the danger of vaine glory, it is ſafeſt to place our whole confidence in the onlie merciemercy and bountie of God.
23 THat Faith once had, cannot bee loſt.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrary to Luke 8. 13. Where the ſeed on the rock, are th…ſe who when they heare, receive the word with joy, and for a whyle believe, but in the time of temptation fall away. To which I anſwere, That by the believing of ſuch, no true ſaving faith is meaned. But a temporarie aſſent onlie to that which is ſpoken, as their own Carthuſian & late Stella ſhoweth, becauſe their hearts (ſay they) are hard and rebellious, and deſtitute of the moyſture of grace.
The ſecond place is, 1. Tim. 18. where it it ſaid, That ſome having put away a good conſcience, concerning faith, have made ſhipwrak. Whereunto I anſwer, That by faith is not underſtood true ſaving faith, but the profeſsion of the goſpell onlie, which oftimes in ſcripture receiveth this title, as 1, Tim. 4. 1. and Act. 13. 8. where it is ſaid, That Elimas the Socerer ſought to turne away the deputie from the faith. which by way of expoſition, Heb. 10. 23. is called the Profeſſion of the faith. And thus alſo doth Lombard, Aquinas and Eſtius expound, who declareth it to be alſo the expoſition of Auſelmus.
The third place is, 2. Tim. 2. 16. Concerning the overthrow of the faith ſome, which receiveth the ſame anſwere with the former. And which the very words of the preceeding verſe cleareth, calling this overthrow, Their erring from the trueth. As the forenamed, Lombard, Aquinas and Eſtius alſo ſhoweth.
As for Fathers, he ſayth that they affirme the ſame frequently, but citeth onlie Auguſtin in two bookes. but telleth not what chapter, wheras there are 24. in the one, and 16. in the other.
24. THat God by his will and inevitable decree hath ordained from all eternitie, who ſhall bee damned, and who ſaved.
VVHichWhich he ſayeth is contrary to 1. Tim. 2. 3. 4. Where it is ſaid, That our Saviour will hauehave all men to be ſaved To which I anſwere 1. That Auguſtin in his Enchiridion, cap. 103. expoundeth this place thus, That God will hauehave all to be ſaved that are ſaved, and that none can be ſaved but ſuch as he will. And next, that by all men hee meaneth, all ſorts of men. And thus alſo doeth Aquinas and Lombard expound the words (all men) Aquinas alſo and Cajetan, ſhoweth, that by our Saviours Will, is not meant that which is called Voluntas beneplaciti, or his ſecret Will, whereby from all Eternitie, he hath elected ſome to ſalvation, and reprobated others, but Voluntas ſigni, or his revealed Will. wherby he offereth to all the meanes of ſalvation. And their late Eſtius telleth us, that by (all men) a part onlie by the whole is underſtood, as Philip. 2. 21. where it is ſaid, All men ſeeke their owne, not the things of Chriſt.
The ſecond place 2. Pet. 3. 9. That God is not willing that any ſhould periſh, is coincident with the former.
And as for the words of Ambroſe. That he will not referr to God the prevarication of Adam, nor the treaſone of Judas, though he knew the ſame before it was committed. They no wiſe make againſt us, who in our Conſeſsion of Faith, cap. 5. art. 4. affirme, That the ſinfulnes of men or Angels proceedeth onlie from thēſelves, and not from God, Who being moſt Holie and Righteous, neither is, nor can be Authour or Approver of ſin. And as for other Fathers whom hee citeth onlie, he doth this ſo looſlie as none can know at what words hee aimeth, for example he he citeth Auguſtin lib. 1. de civit. Dei, but no chapter, whereas there are 36. in that book, as alſo he citeth Ambroſe lib. 2. de Cain & Abel. but telleth not in what chapter the words are which he alleadgeth, whereas there are ten in that book. And as for others, none of them ar againſt us, yea, they are clearlie for us, as alſo Cardinall Cajetan and Aquinas on Rom. 9, 20. As likewiſe their late Eſtius on Rom. 9. 13. 20. & 21. goeth as farre in this point of Election and reprobation with us, as any Proteſtant writter whoſoever, and citeth Lombard, Aquinas Hugo▪ de S. victore, Lyra, Cajetan, Prierias and others as of the ſame minde with him, and us.