Baxters Aphorisms, Part 2 · Chapter 25
CHAP. XXV.
The Concluſion of the whole Treatiſe, demonſtrating that although we with the Scriptures exclude works from Juſtification, yet we include them as neceſſary to a Chriſtian life, and that no leſs ſeriouſly, and upon more ſpirituall grounds, than the Evill Workers that will be juſtified by them.
HAving ended (at preſent) with Mr. Baxter, I have for the Concluſion of all, ſomewhat to ſay that may have relation to the weak reader. It is a difficult thing to remove works from juſtification, and not to expoſe our ſelves therein to the Cenſure of babiſh, ungoſpellized, and unſtabliſhed men, that we therein baniſh them alſo from the life and practice of a Chriſtian. When we teach that the righteouſneſs of the Goſpel is revealed from Faith to Faith: as it is written, the juſt ſhall live by Faith, [not by works:] Rom. 1. 17. And that no man is juſtified by the Law, i. e. by the ſtricteſt obſervation of the righteouſneſs of the Law, Becauſe it is written, that the juſt ſhall live by Faith, Gal. 3. 11. That the inheritance is by Faith, not by works, leſt any man ſhould boaſt, Rom. 4. 1, 2. Eph. 2. 8, 9. That it is of Faith that it may be of Grace: and if it be of grace, then is it no more of works, elſe grace were no more Grace; But if it be of works, then is it no more of grace, otherwiſe works were no more works, Rom. 4. 16. & 11. 6. That whoſoever ſeeketh juſtification and bleſſedneſs by works, worketh himſelf out of it, and ſhall never attaine it, becauſe they ſought it not by Faith, but as it were by the works af the Law, Rom. 9. 31, 32. At the ſound of this doctrine the unſpiritual man excepteth, and fleſh and bloud ſwelleth murmuringly Crying out, What profit is it then to ſerve the Lord? Why ſhould I faſt, pray, give alms, ſhew mercy, ſtudy holines and purity, deny my ſelf the pleaſures of ſinn, any more, when all theſe have no …fficacy in them to juſtifie and ſave? It was the Clamor of men againſt Paul, when he preached the riches of grace abounding the more, by the abounding of Mans ſinns: We will therefore ſinn (ſaid they) that Grace may abound, Rom. 6. 1. And do evill that good may come, Rom. 3. 8. This doctrine of Faith makes voyd the Law, looſing us from all obligation to perform the holines and righteouſneſs which the Law requireth, Rom. 3. 31. And (as Mr. Br. teacheth them further to reply againſt God) tendeth to drive obedience out of the world. For if it be denyed that man can merit happineſs by his own righteouſneſs, he will ceaſe to be righteous and take the bitt in his teeth to run rebell. So deep an impreſſion hath the Covenant of works yet ſtill in mans heart, that though he be inſufficient to do or to think as he ought, 2 Cor. 3. 5. yet he will have [Do and Live] to be the iſſue of Life and Death ſtill. And Mr. Br. teacheth them to ſtopp the hole of mans inſufficiency with this nayl (not of the Sanctuary but of Alexander the Copper-Smith) becauſe we cannot perform legall therefore Goſpel-obedience ſhall do the work, (as if work were not work, when the Title of Goſpel is written on it) and becauſe we cannot fullfill perfect, therefore ſincere obedience ſhall ſerve the Turn.
Hence is it that the Popiſh and Arminian doctrines wherewith this Book of Mr. Br. is fully fraughted, takes every where ſo plauſibly with, and hath ſuch Compleat acceptance among the multitude both of the learned and unlearned. It is a doctrine not above but agreeing with the principles of Nature and the naturall man: even the naturall Conſcience ſuggeſteth it to the unlearned, to ſeek for happineſs by their own righteouſneſs. And both that and the precepts of Moral Philoſophy alſo, together with the Law of Moſes, inſtruct the learned to ſeek for the Summum Bonum, the beſt felicity, all felicity in the way of vertue and vertuous performances. Here now when any comes to them in the name of Chriſt, holding forth to them the ſame doctrine, it kindles in them ſo ſwiftly as fire in towe, no need of the teaching of God, or renewing of the Spirit; Fleſh and bloud of it ſelf gives its ſuffrage to it. An eaſie task have theſe teachers to perſwade men and draw diſciples after them, and ſet them in an activeneſs and dexterity of practicing what they teach. It is eaſily learned to ſwimm ſwiftly with the ſtream, and to drop the Bowle down the hill. But to teach men to live by Faith, and yet to be fruitfull in good works too: Not to ſeek juſtification and life by their righteouſneſs, yet to be zealous of all righteouſnes and good works continually; hic labor hoc opus eſt. It is above the principles of Nature to apprehend it. He muſt ſwimm againſt the ſtream, and roll the Bowl againſt the Hill, walk after the Spirit and not after the Fleſh, that puts it effectually into practice.
Yet that our Doctrine doth not let looſe the reins to the fleſh, nor (howſoever carnall ſenſualliſts may abuſe it to their Condemnation) in the leaſt degree blunt the ſpirits of the ſpirituall man to well-doing, nor deny the both expediency and neceſſity of all good works in the life of a Chriſtian, is evident. 1 Becauſe although we exclude morall qualifications and works from officiating to Juſtification, yet we retein and include them in and unto ſanctification. Our doctrine with Chriſts and his Apoſtles, holds forth the Lord Jeſus to every ſoul to be received both as a juſtifier and ſanctifier; declareth him to have deſcended from heaven both to juſtifie the ungodly, and to ſanctifie the juſtified. That he is made unto us of God, not onelyonly Righteouſneſs, but Sanctification alſo: To juſtifie us by an imputed and ſanctifie us by an inherent righteouſneſs: The one by the effuſion of his bloud, the other by the infuſion of his Spirit. That his office is not onelyonly to ſatisfie juſtice for us that we may live, but alſo to new principle and create us, that we may live to God. Not onelyonly to redeem us from all iniquity, but withall to purifie us [into] a peculiar people, zealous of good works. In whom both theſe works are not in good meaſure, neither of them is in any meaſure, effectually accompliſhed. That ſanctification is the purchaſe of Chriſts bloud, but the immediate effect of his Spirit; merited by his death, but Conferred and Communicated by his life as all power both in heaven and in earth is given into his hand, and as he is aſcended on high to give gifts to men. That both imputed and inherent righteouſnes as termined and actually exiſtent in and upon man, proceed from his union unto Chriſt. That Sanctification is as great and glorious a work as Juſtification, and our real as our relative holineſs and righteouſneſs: Neither could it be diſcerned ſo cleerly how we were quickened [in Law] & raiſed from the dead, who were dead in ſinns and treſpaſſes, and ſo paſſed from death to life, from Condemnation to ſalvation, by the forgiveneſs of ſinn; were we not alſo quickened & raiſed up from under the death and bondage of ſinn, no more to ſerve ſinn, but as alive from the dead, had our fruit [and living motions] to practicall holines and righteouſneſs. That as well our ſanctification as our Juſtification, is in Chriſt, and both from him derivable to us by Faith in him. That Faith is qualified by God to apprehend Chriſt both to purifie us by his bloud, and to ſanctifie us by his Spirit, and ſo becomes inſtrumentall both to Juſtification and ſanctification, yet by a twofold Act; as the Condemned Traytor extends one and the ſame hand to receive from his gracious Prince a pardon of his Treaſon, and a Commiſſion to be his vice-gerent in ſome Noble and magnificent office therein to ſerve his Prince, promote the welfare of his Countrey, and make his own name and perſon famous and pretious in the eyes of all men, among whom his preſent vertuous behaviour and Noble atchievements may wipe off and bring to oblivion the ſtain of his former delinquency. That one (and the ſame a chief) end of our Juſtification by Chriſt is our ſanctification & the fruits thereof, here inchoat and increaſing, hereafter Conſummate and perfected. Therefore are we delivered out of the hands of our enemies, that we may ſerve him without Fear in holineſs and righteouſneſs, Luk. 1. 74, 75. Therefore are we dead to and delivered from the Law, by the body of Chriſt, that we ſhould be married to another, even to him that is raiſed from the dead, that we might bring forth fruit to God, and ſerve not in the oldneſs of the letter, but in the Newneſs of the Spirit, Rom. 7. 4, 6. Chriſt hath made us Kings and Prieſts, or a Royall Prieſthood unto God, to offer up living ſacrifices acceptable to God through him, 1 Pet. 2. 5, 9. Rev. 1. 6. To our inſtalment therein are pre-required, the ſanctification of Conſecration, and the ſanctification of habitual righteouſneſs and holineſs infuſed into us and ſet in actual operation in us. The former of theſe is done chiefly by the ſacrificed bloud of Chriſt ſprinkled upon the Conſcience, and the ſacred veſtiments of his Righteouſneſs put on by Faith (as was typified primarily of Chriſt the High Prieſt, and ſecondarily of the Prieſthood of Saints under the kingdome of Chriſt, by the Conſecration of Aaron and his ſonns, with the bloud of the Altar ſprinkled on them, and the putting on of holy veſtiments upon them, their own being Caſt off, Lev. 8.) The latter Chiefly by the Spirit of Chriſt, in livening enabling and acting them to the work and worſhip for which they are Conſecrated (and I know not but this may be alſo figured in the ordination of the Prieſts under the Law, by the Anoynting oyl in the ſame Chapter mentioned and uſed.) That differs but little from Juſtification as termined to this its end: This differs not at all from ſanctification when it is taken in the ſenſe wherein the ſcriptures often, and our Divines ſtill uſe it, (when they diſtinguiſh between Juſtification and ſanctification) viz. in its active ſenſe, the inſpiration of the habits of holineſs and righteouſneſs, in its paſſive ſenſe, the ſame habits inſpired into the ſoul. Whoſoever wanteth either of theſe prerequiſits to this ſacred office, we grant him to be but a titular Prieſt, a Mock-Saint. For without Conſecration to offer as a Prieſt ſpeaks him an uſurper: And to profeſs Prieſt and not to offer ſpeaks him a rebell and revolter. We own no ſanctification by the Spirit of Chriſt, which hath not Juſtification by his bloud, in order going before it, nor any Juſtification or forgiveneſs by the death of Chriſt, which hath not ſanctification by his Spirit, in order of nature following it.
Thus we do not (as the Papiſts and Mr. Br. learning from the Papiſts object calumniouſly) exclude works from the life of a Chriſtian; but aſſert them to be neceſſary to a Chriſtian life: ſo neceſſary, that without them whoſoever is Capable of working, is no Chriſtian. Though we exclude them from Juſtification, yet we include them in ſanctification, their habits as parts in the whole, their acts or themſelves acted, as fruits thereof. Nay we do not deny in a good ſenſe ſome kind of Cauſality which they have to ſanctifie, that is, to the increaſe of ſanctification. To him that hath, it ſhall be given, and he ſhall have more abundantly. Well done good and faithfull ſervant, thou haſt been faithfull in a little, I will make thee Ruler over much, &c. ſaith our Saviour; Ask and ye ſhall have, ſeek and ye ſhall finde, knock and it ſhall be opened to you. The ground or earth which drinketh in the Rain which cometh oft upon it, and bringeth forth herbs [or fruit, &c.] is neer to a bleſſing. But that which bringeth forth bryars and thorns is rejected and neer to curſing, &c. Heb. 6. 7, 8. with many other the like Teſtimonies of Scripture, which it would be ſuperfluous here to recite. How then do we in the leaſt meaſure blunt the edge of mens affections to good works, by teaching that they do not juſtifie, when we affirm them neceſſary to ſanctification? If Mr. Br. ſhould affirm that Bread and Wine and other Creatures appropriated to mans nutriment, are not ordeined of God to Clothe him, or that his garments are not ordeined of God to Feed him; doth he therein miniſter to me juſt Cauſe to exclaym againſt him, that he fights againſt natural reaſon, perſwading men never more to eat, becauſe their meat is not appointed to Clothe them? or to walk naked becauſe he ſaith, their garments are not uſefull to nouriſh them? No more Cauſe hath Mr. Br. or the Papiſts to accuſe us that we baniſh good works from the life of a Chriſtian, by teaching that they are not uſefull or appropriated to juſtifie, but to ſanctifie very uſefull in all the particulars before-mentioned. How unacquainted with the frame of a Chriſtian ſpirit are theſe objectors? Either they do not experimentally know, or elſe do ſtifle within themſelves this knowledge, that a Chriſt-enjoying and Goſpellized ſoul gaſpeth no leſs for deliverance from the bondage, than from the Condemnation of ſinn: delights ſo much in performing duty to Chriſt, as in receiving pardon from him; groanes ſo pathetically under the body as ever he did under the guilt of ſinn: Cryeth with equall vehemency of aff…ction… for holineſs unto God as for happineſs with him; for Conformity to him in righteouſneſs as in glory: makes no other uſe of his redemption, than to run at liberty the race of obedience ſet before him: embraceth and delighteth in ſanctifying as well as in ſaving grace, in the infuſion as in the imputation of righteouſneſs: labours to diſpenſe all for the Lord and his ſervice, whatſoever he hath received from the Lord and his free grace. Therefore whatſoever the Lord powrs upon him to ſanctification is received with ſo great joy in the Holy Ghoſt as that which is communicated to him to juſtification: and he labours to be and expreſs himſelf wholly Chriſts, as well as to obtein Chriſt wholly his. As for Mr. Brs meerly Morall Men that will receive Chriſt neither to Juſtification nor to ſanctification, but upon their own terms, purchaſing him by Fine and rent, that the glory might be partly theirs and not wholly Chriſts; It is enough that Mr. Br. hardens and ſubverts them in this their Moral madneſs wholly contradictive to the ſpirituallneſs and wiſdome of the Goſpel. We ſhall not be inſnared by all the nicities of his Arts and Chimicall extracts of the ſpirits of his ſpoyling Philoſophy, to involve our ſelves with him in the guilt of poyſoning ſo many ſouls, and turning their beſt righteouſneſs and devotion into ſinn, by encouraging them to appropriate the ſame to ſuch an end as is deſtructive to the glory of Gods grace, and contrary to the minde and rule of the Goſpel. We have one Maſter which is Chriſt, his dictates expreſſed by him and his Apoſtles in the plainneſs and fooliſhneſs of their preaching are ſo ſacred and authoritative with us, that neither the moſt labyrinthical mazes of ſophiſtry ſhall unwinde us, nor the extravagancies of the moſt luxuriating witts, nor the moſt Curious plauſibilities of humane reaſon ſhall (by Gods Grace) unreaſon us ſo from our ſelves, as to undiſciple us from him. Yea though we could not in ſome things give a ſatisfactory anſwer to the ſophiſticated reaſonings of theſe diſputers againſt Chriſt and his Goſpel, yet ſhould we fit down as fools with Chriſt and his Apoſtles adoring the manifold wiſdome of God revealed in a myſtery, rather than be wiſe with theſe men to the world; knowing that the fooliſhneſs of God is wiſer, and the weakneſs of God is ſtronger than men: And we ſeek wiſdome and happineſs from the mines of Chriſts Goſpel, not from the dry quarrie of mans literature and inventions.
2 Though we reject it as an arrogant and preſumptuous doctrine, which Mr. Br. in Common with the Papiſts teacheth, [That we are juſtified and ſaved by our good qualifications and works for our works, for the merit and worthineſſe of our good works] yet we teach and believe that they are (in reſpect of all that have age, ability, and time to perform them) neceſſary Conſequents of our Juſtification and Antecedents of our glorification. Let a man pretend what he will of Faith in Chriſt; yet if by Faith hee do not cleave firmly to him, to derive from him power to mortifie every ſinn, to perform all duty: if he can allow within himſelfe any known evill, or continue in the neglect of any known duty, without ſtriving to get the victory in the ſtrength of Chriſts Spirit, over every ſuch infirmity: wee take ſuch a man ſo farr from Chriſt, as Chriſt is from Belial, A branch in Chriſt not bearing fruit, which is appointed to be cut off and caſt into the fire, becauſe he was never in Chriſt otherwiſe but by a formall profeſſion, never had vitall union to him, or communion with him, by the ligatures of Faith and the Spirit. For ſanctification is an individual companion of Juſtification: And the office of Chriſt is to be the Author of both to all that believe. Otherwiſe the work of his Mediator-ſhip ſhould not be compleated in either one of theſe, and ſo he ſhould not be our Chriſt if a halfe Chriſt only to us. And Sanctification is ſtill begun and carried on towards perfection alſo (where there is time and meanes) in the kingdom of Grace, before its perfecting and ſwallowing up into glory, in the Kingdom of glory. No righteouſneſs and holineſs of man is begun in the next life: But there ſhall be the conſummation in power, of that which here was begun in truth, though it laboured of, and languiſhed with much infirmity.
3 Wee are guiltleſs of thoſe Crimes wherewith Mr. Br. endeavours to defame us and our Doctrine. For 1. Neither doe wee teach or think (as M. Br. ſuggeſteth) that nothing is preaching Chriſt, but preaching him as a pardoning juſtifying Saviour? Aph. pa. 328. Indeed we preach Juſtification to conſiſt, if not only, yet chiefly in the pardon of ſinn through the mediation of Chriſts death. That this benefit of Chriſt is perfected by the ſatisfaction which he hath made to Gods juſtice in ſuffering for us, and appropriated to us by faith alone. But wee deny this to be all the Goſpel-grace exhibited to us by Chriſt, and in and through him. We hold him forth as the Light of the world alſo, having all the treaſures of wiſedom and knowledg hid in him, Joh. 8. 12. Col. 2. 3. from whom are all the irradiations and Revelations of all the myſteries of Grace effectuall to life and holineſs, Mat. 13. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 10. And to the word and ſpirit of Chriſt we ſend all men for illumination. And the Life of the world, not only to reſtore them to life in law, by Juſtification, but as the Lord and principle of Life, to beget in us an inherent life active and moving to all obedience. Therefore we endeavour to ſend all to Chriſt for life, even for this life, becauſe the whole judgment and diſpenſation thereof is committed to him, and he is our all [to ſanctification alſo.] Joh. 5. 21, 22, 25, 26. Col. 3. 11. We indeed except againſt that Doctrine as more Legal than Evangelical, that roars & thunders Condemnation againſt poor Exiles in a dry wilderneſs, where is no water, fainting and even dead with thirſt, if they do not ariſe, work, and fulfill their task. We require firſt, that the Rock be cloven with the Rod of God, that the water of life may guſh out in full Rivers, and that the fainting ſouls be brought to drink thereof, and then called upon in the life and ſtrength which they have hence received, to work and be doing. Yea to come to this ſtream often to drink, that their ſtrength and ſpirits may be daily more revived, that they may b…come daily more enabled for, and more abundant in the work of the Lord. We have not with Mr. Br. yet learned the skill of preaching good works to make Chriſt ours, but follow the rule of the Scriptures, to preach Chriſt into the hearts of men, to make them fruitfull in good works. Neither doe wee count all formall obedience and righteouſneſſe of men, though conſcientiouſly, and by the guidance of Naturall Conſcience, performed to be either ſanctification, or the fruit thereof.
That onelyonly is ſanctification which flowes from the heart of Chriſt, and is infuſed by the Spirit of Chriſt. For the attai… ment thereof we call all men into union and fellowſhip with Chriſt; ſo far are we from holding that Nothing is preaching Chriſt, but the preaching him as Juſtifier and Saviour, that we hold it an empty Preachment that preacheth any good thing without Chriſt, or out of Chriſt, of which men are not taught to make Chriſt the Alpha and the Omega. We leave it to Mr. Br. and his brethren to urge works, duties, obedience, &c. and once in a Moon, upon an auſpicious Tropick thereof, to remember Chriſt and grace, and tell us that all muſt be done by the help of grace, and without Chriſt we can do nothing: Yet leaving us uncertain ſtill, whether it be the Grace and Chriſt of Pelagius, or elſe of God reconciled to us, that he ſpeaketh. I ſhould be too long in expreſſing fully how we hold forth Chriſt, whole Chriſt, and only Chriſt, to Adoption, protection, perſeverance, ſtrengthening, comforting, perfecting, &c. In a word, to all that is either good to be received, or good to be done. In him wee teach that God will have all his fr…ſh ſprings to reſide, that without him we are nothing, can do nothing; that in him and by him we have all, and can do all things. That therefore we preach nothing but Chriſt, yet preach all that is to be preached in preaching him, becauſe in him it pleaſed the Father that all fulneſs ſhould dwell, Col. 1. 19. even all fulneſs for us: ſo that in him we are full, out of him meer emptineſs. We would not have one beam of this Sun of Righteouſneſs clouded, but labour to diſcover to our people his full glory and Soveraignty to all thoſe ſacred ends to which God hath conſecrated him, that if any would have nothing of Chriſt to be preached but his pardoning and ſaving, the ſin may be wholly theirs, not ours, that they will receive the skirt of Chriſt, and conſequently refuſe Chriſt, when we preach to them whole Chriſt, and all the benefits that are by him.
Nor 2 do we deny an ordinate and ſubordinate love to our ſelves (as M…. Br. ſlanders us no leſſe bitingly than ſecretly, App. pa. 81, 82.) in teaching that it is the moſt Goſpel-…rame of Spirit to perform duty out of meer love to God, without ſeeking by ſuch duties wrought [quaſi opere operato] remiſſion of ſins, redemption from Hell, and right to glory by the Merit thereof, (as he teacheth us to do, thinking no doubt, his glory ſhall be great, if he can there perſwade where all the ſu…tleſt ſons of Satan, the Jeſuits have not been able.) Nay we maintayn that none can regularly love himſelf who loveth not God above himſelf, and ſeeks not Gods glory more than his own good. That whoſoever in a pretext of love to himſelf brings his fardle of traſhie works at the feet of Chriſt, by them to purchaſe to himſelf the benefits of his death, is of all men the worſt enemie to himſelf, incurs rejection and expulſion from Chriſt and all the benefits of his death and reſurrection. For hee was ſent to ſeeke o…ely that which was loſt, came not to call the righteous, but ſinners to repen…nce. He loves himſelf indeed, and ſpiritually, that for his love to God denies himſelf. The ſelf-dejected Publican is acce…ted with God, when the prating Phariſee is hurled with his mouth full of works out at the door. Or is there any great difference between this and the Devils doctrine preached to our firſt Parents? Ye ſhall be as Gods, ſaid the Devill; Ye ſhall be all Chriſts, Saviours, Juſtifiers, ſaith Mr. Br. Your righteouſneſs and Chriſts righteouſneſs ſhall jump together into the ſame kind of Cauſality to juſtifie and ſave you. Our firſt Parents hearkned, and ſeeking to become Gods, became Devils, or (what is worſe) ſlaves to the Devill. We have all felt the ſmart, yet many, and that of them which are termed Angels, liſten earneſtly to the like hiſſing of the Serpent now again. We can but mourn for them, that in madd love to themſelves will haſten up to heaven, by climbing high Steeples, that look fairly thither-ward, but can never heave them up to it, nay contrariwiſe can give them no ſuch ſuſtentation, but that they fall thence, and daſh themſelves into ſhivers. Yet in our doctrine is contained a wiſe and ordinate love to our ſelves: Though we uſe not works as waxen wings to ſoar aloft to kiſſe the Sun, and ſettle our ſelves in the ſame Sphere with him, yet wee make uſe of our qualifications and duties to the continuall encreaſe of our ſanctification: and to what greater good for himſelf can mans ſtrongeſt love to himſelf aſpire, than to his full and real perfection, conſiſting in his reſtitution to Gods image, and conformity to his will and nature? This ſhall be the Conſummate bleſſedneſs which we ſhall enjoy above, and it is a bleſſedneſs inchoate and increaſing, while we paſſe from ſtrength to ſtrength in it here. Who are the ſelf-haters and ſelf-deſtroyers, the Papiſts or we, the ſucceſs will at length evidence, and ſuch profeſſed Divines and Chriſtians among us, as have not their eyes ſoyled with Kederminſter duſt and ſmoak, can diſcern already.
Nor thirdly, doth our doctrine tend to drive obedience out of the world: So that we may anſwer Mr. Brs queſtion, Aphor. p. 325. [If men once beleeve that works are not ſo much as a part of the Condition of our Juſtification, will it not much tend to relax their dilig…nce?] with the authority of the Apoſtle, who having taught his Epheſians that we are ſaved by grace through faith, not of works leſt any man ſhould boaſt, Eph. 2. 8, 9. Yet concludeth, that as many as have learned Chriſt truly, and heard him, and have been taught by him as the truth is in Jeſus: Theſe all have learned to put off concerning the former▪ converſation, the old Man which is corrupt, &c. and to be renewed in the ſpirit of the mind, and to put on the New Man, which after God is created in righteouſneſs and true holineſs, Eph. 4. 20.—24. If Mr. Br. had been taught of God as the truth is in Jeſus, I ſhould think he would not have put, at leaſt upon deliberation left in print ſuch a queſtion and bold Cavill againſt the Apoſtle, yea againſt Chriſt himſelf.
Object. But if good works will neither juſtifie nor ſave me, why ſhould I do them, and not take the liberty to do what I liſt?
Anſw. The voyce of a Rebel againſt God, who if hee may not ſerve God to his own ends, will not ſerve him at all, and profeſſeth openly that he doth all that he doth in Gods work, not for Gods ſake, but for his own ſake. An Objection more deſerving to be anſwered with a Thunder-bolt, than with Scripture-reaſon. Yet may there be alledged many other moſt holy and honourable ends for which we are to do good works, though we be not juſtified and ſaved by them. Theſe I had thought here to have particularized, but the work is ſwoln already to a bignes and dimenſion never intended at firſt. And this Task hath been already ſo fully performed by ſo many of our Proteſtant Writers in anſwer to the Papiſts, that I ſhould but glean after them to ſay a little, but begin a new work, if I ſhould ſay all that they have ſayd, and might be ſaid to this purpoſe. I therefore tranſmit the Reader for his full ſatisfaction to read Calv. Inſtit. lib. 3. Cap. 16. Zanch. Confeſſ. Fidei pro ſe & ſua Familia, bound with his Miſcellan Ʋrſin. Catech. Queſt 91. Catech. and his Queſt. 5. upon that Queſtion. Tylenus Synt. part 2. diſp. 46. Th. 8, 9, 10, 11. where is to be read too ſhort an abbreviation of the three former. But M. Perkins in one of his works I remember (though at preſent I am bereaved of them all) hath the very ſame words of Zanchy tranſlated into Engliſh in anſwer to this queſtion. And ſince theſe, whole hundreds both of Engliſh and forreign Divines, have after Zanchy and Perkins delivered the ſame things in ſubſtance with them, though ſome more largely, ſome more compendiouſly, ſo that to the exerciſed Reader it will be ſuperfluous for me to write any thing upon the ſame ſubject.
I ſhall conclude all in the words of Auguſtine, as more needing his Apology than himſelf, where he uſeth it. Lib. de Spir. & Litera. Cap. 35. Haec egi libro iſto loquacius fortaſſe quàm ſat eſt: Sed contra inimicos Gratia Dei paraeùm mihi dixiſſe videor. Nihil que mihi tam multum dicere delectat, quam ubi mihi & Scriptura ejus plurimum ſuffragatur, & id agitur, ut qui gloriatur, in Domomino glorietur, & in omnibus gratias agamus, Domino Deo noſtro ſurſum corda habentes; unde a patre luminum omne Datum optimum, & omne donum perfectum eſt; that is, Theſe things have I treated of in this Book, it may be with more than enough plenty of words and language: But I ſeem to my ſelfe to have ſpoken little againſt the Enemies of the grace of God. And I take delight to be large in ſpeaking about nothing elſe ſo much, as when both the Scripture doth moſt give its teſtimony with me, and the queſtion treated on is, that hee which glorieth may glory in the Lord, and that in all things we may give thanks to God, having our hearts lifted up to the Father of Lights from whom every good and every perfect gift diſcendeth.
He it is that freely juſtifieth us by his Grace, To him be the praiſe and glory of all, and let his Kingdom come, and be ſpeedily inlarged throughout the world, that from all parts thereof there may be a joyfull acclamation of Saints, Amen, Amen.
FINIS.