you do accuse, than that he in that wherein you accuse him, any way standeth in need of our weak defence. If man rightly value but the merit of the Son of God; and, how so humble, and innocent obedience, to so low a state, must needs in justice, make a full satisfaction, for so great a sin; he cannot choose but confess that "Only for the merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ through faith, and not for works and our merits, we are accounted righteous before God."* If the soul of man, did serve only to give him being in this life, then things appertaining to this life would content him, as we see they do other creatures; which creatures, enjoying those things by which they live, they do seek no further, but in this contentation, do shew a kind of acknowledgment that there is no higher good which, any way, doth belong unto them. With man it is far otherwise; for although all inferior things were in the possession of one, yet he would ever with a desire thirst for something above all those; so that nature, even in this life, doth claim a perfection, higher and more divine than any thing in itself, † which man must receive in the reward: now rewards do always presuppose such duties performed as are rewardable;‡ our natural means unto blessedness are our Works, nor is it possible, that nature should ever find any other way to Salvation, but only this. Yet seeing that no man can say, since the foundation of the world, that his Works are pure, but that all flesh is guilty of that, for which God hath threatened eternally to punish; there resteth either no way unto salvation, or a way which must needs be supernatural, and above man's reach. Had Adam continued in his first estate, man's absolute righteousness and integrity in all his actions, had been the way of life to him and to all his posterity; though, peradventure, not in so large a manner as heavenly felicity doth import; the possession whereof, even the least moment, were too abundant a retribution. Yet now, we failing in that which was our duty, it were a thing impossible in nature, to obtain the other. The light of nature is never able to find out any way of obtaining the reward of bliss, but by performing exactly the works of righteousness. Therefore God hath prepared a supernatural way, namely that we do "believe;"§ "not that God doth require nothing unto happiness, at the hands of men (as Master Hooker saith), saving only a naked Faith (for Hope and Charity we may not exclude) but that without Faith all other things are as nothing;" this "being the ground of those other divine virtues." "The principal object of Faith, is that eternal verity, which hath discovered the treasures, of hidden wisdom in Christ; the highest object of Hope, is that everlasting goodness, which in Christ * Art. 11. Eccles. Angl. de Hominis justificat. + "Summa merces est ut ipso perfruamur." AUG. de Doct. Christi, cap. 6. § John vi. 29. Matt. vii. 11. doth quicken the dead; the final object of Charity, is that incomprehensible beauty, which shineth in the countenance of Christ, the Son of the living God. The first beginneth here, with a weak apprehension of things not seen, and endeth in the beholding of God in the world to come. The second beginneth here, with a trembling expectation of things far removed, and as yet, but only heard of; and endeth with a real and actual fruition, of that which no tongue is able to express. The third beginneth here, with a weak inclination of heart towards him, unto whom, we are not able to approach, and endeth with an endless union; the mystery whereof, is higher, than the reach of the thoughts of men."* And howsoever the apprehension of that righteousness whereby man is justified, be properly but the work of one, yet we dare not (neither do any learned in our Church) make Faith to be naked of other virtues; and therefore it is so much the more strange, that you follow the error which our adversaries have accused us for, as though it were an opinion holden by our Church. In this article against Master Hooker, you say, that God requireth no more at the hands of men, unto happiness, than a naked belief." And a little after; "We claim nothing, by any duty we do, or can do, or any virtue which we find in ourselves, but only by that naked faith," &c. In these assertions (which in my opinion are repugnant to our Church), and, in the best construction, make but a harsh sound; what do you else, but discover that error which they of the Church of Rome, by a mistaking, have thought us to hold? as though it were our doctrine, that we could be justified, by a Faith that were merely "naked?" Luther striving to shew how little our Works did, in the merit of man's Salvation, speaketh somewhat harshly, when he saith, "Faith without and before we have charity, doth justify." And in another place (both which are not unjustly called in question by those of the Church of Rome) he saith; "Faith unless it be without even the least good Works, doth not justify; nay, it is no faith. But Master Calvin speaketh in this, better than either Luther or you; Faith alone justifieth, but not that faith which is alone. § For if our Church held a "naked" Faith (which none that were wise ever did), might not all the world justly accuse us as enemies to good Works? The most of the learned in Germany held a necessity of good Works; "not a necessity of effecting, but a necessity of presence;" || for we are saved doubtless by grace, but Vol. I. p. 125, 6. "Fides et sine et ante charitatem justificat." LUTH. in 2. ad Gal. LUTH. Tom. I. prop. 3. "Fides nisi sit sine ullis etiam minimis operibus non justificat, imo non est fides." § In Anti Concil. ad art. 11. sess. 6. Melancthon. Brent. Chemnis. Calvin. Inst. lib. iii. cap. 16. "Necessitas præsentiæ, non efficientiæ," (having years) we cannot ordinarily be saved unless we have good Works.* For Faith which we teach to justify, is not void of good Works; as Dr. Fulke answereth to the Rheims' objection. And therefore, in another place, he saith, "the elect are always fruitful of good Works." From hence, (seeing faith hath no assurance for itself either to God or to man) we exhort in our sermons to good Works, we persuade to humiliation, by fasting and weeping; which are (if they be truly penitent) means to blot out sin, through God's unspeakable and undeserved mercy. For as St. Paul saith, "Godly sorrow causeth repentance unto salvation, not to be repented of:"§ And therefore, saith St. Jerome, "fasting and sackcloth are the armour of repentance." "And that men please God by fasting (saith Dr. Fulke) as Anna, Tobie, Judith, Hester, we doubt nothing at all while we use it to the right end allowed of God; that is, humbling of ourselves, and chastising of our bodies that it [they] might be more obedient to the Spirit, and fervent in prayer." || Nay, our solemn Fasts are, as Mr. Hooker saith," the splendour, and outward glory of our religion; forcible witnesses of ancient truth; provocations to the exercise of all piety; shadows of our endless felicity in heaven; and everlasting records and memorials upon earth;" which, it is great pity it is so much neglected, because even therein, they which cannot be drawn to hearken unto what we teach might only by looking upon that we do, in a manner read whatsoever we believe. Now, that he saith, the "attainment unto any gracious benefit of God's unspeakable and undeserved mercy, the phrase of antiquity hath called by the name of Merit;"** this is that, wherein you desire to be resolved. And surely, he hath read little, who is ignorant that the heathen Masters of the Latin tongue, and the Fathers for antiquity, nearest unto those times, have used the word (Merit) far in another sense, than that whereunto the violence of some constructions have wrested it at this day.†† And Aquinas himself understandeth by the name of Merit, not a Work not due, which should deserve a reward; but a Work which mercifully, and by the goodness of God, a reward followeth. The phrase of the Latin doth properly make one to merit of another, and, as it were, to bind him to him who doth any thing which pleaseth and delighteth him, for whom it is done. Thus that place in the Epistle to the Hebrews, "To do good, and to distribute, forget not; for with * "Gratia salvamur, sed non absque bonis operibus." CLEM. ALEXAND. Strom. 5. In Jac. ii. annot. 11. In Matt. xxv. annot. 3. § 2 Cor. vii. 10. ¶ [Vol. II. p. 332.] In Rhem. Test. Matt. xv. annot. 3. ** [Vol. II. p. 340.] Meriting for obtaining: so in the Confession of Wittenburg. ++ Casaubon. in Pl. Epist. Mereri stipendia. Calv. Inst. lib. iii. cap.-sect. 2. Usi sunt (fateor) passiin vetusti ecclesiæ scriptores, atque utinam voculæ unius (abusu) (so that it properly signifieth otherwise) erroris materiam posteris non præbuissent. Mark, the word (præbuissent) gave but only occasion. such sacrifice God is well pleased."* Where they of Rhemes, following the Latin, promeretur, say "promerited;" shewing that they meant nothing else in ancient time, by Merit, but that delight, allowance, and contentment, which God taketh in those good things we do, and so rewardeth them. And Dr. Fulke confesseth that Primasius, who was St. Austin's scholar, used the same word, promeretur, as it was taken amongst the vulgar at that day, far differing from the sense wherein it is now used. Thus much briefly, may serve for answer in this point; That Faith is not alone, though alone it justify; that though a man sin, (if he repent) his Faith may save him; that there are uses (nay excellent uses) of good Works, though they do not save us; and last of all, if posterity had not corrupted the word merit, that we would not be afraid to speak in the phrase of antiquity, and call our virtuous attainment (by mercy of grace) by the name of merit.‡ ARTICLE VII. THE VIRTUE OF WORKS. As goodness, so Truth being but one, whatsoever is opposite (be it never so carefully observed) in the course of a long stream, at the last foldeth itself in a contradiction. For falsehood hath no more strength to prove a truth; than truth hath weakness to beget a lie. Then, the ground of all true assertions concurring immoveably in that one first truth, of which all other inferior are but branches; whatsoever goeth about to disprove that, must of necessity, in his [its] own parts be divers, and imply a contrariety, seeing it laboureth to infringe the certainty of that which, eternally and unchangeably, is ["It cannot be denied by any modesty, but that the words evapeoteîtai d Meòs signify that God is well pleased,' or God is pleased; and, therefore, that our translation is true, and the Vulgate not so, or at the least not so due. And the Vulgate, and the Jesuits after it, having so translated it before (in chap. xi. 5, 6), it is so much the greater fault there (in chap. xiii.) not to give the same weight of words in the translation, where the same valuation is in the original. And although the ancient writers, as Primasius following this translation, and Cyprian as they have alleged him before (p. 18 of their Pref.), use this word (promeretur), yet that they vary from this Popish sense of Meriting, this one sentence of Jerom doth notably declare; so much the more to be regarded as the Jesuits will needs have this translation [the Vulgate] Jerom's. Let therefore Jerom himself, the father, as they say, of this translation, expound himself. 'It is,' saith he (in Epist. ad Rom. cap. iv.), 'a great blessedness to deserve the grace of God without the labour of the Law and of Repentance, as when one receiveth a dignity of nought;' than which, what can be more pregnant to the advancement of God's free Grace, without all manner of Work? Look also at Pontianus (in Vita Cyp.) which was Cyprian's Deacon, who useth the same word that Cyprian declareth that his meaning is no other than that God is pleased with such good duties."-CARTWRIGHT'S Confut. of the Rhemist Test. p. 650.] but one. Hence cometh it, that unskilful men (the grounds of whose opinions are but the uncertainties of their own ignorance) are thought to want memory whilst they contradict themselves; when indeed, the defect is in judgment, which cannot make Truth the ground of their knowledge; from which, if they swerve never so little, they do not sooner oppugn others, than cross themselves; truth admitting no coherence of contrarieties, seeing itself is but only one. From this hath proceeded that oversight of a great number, who speaking first against a truth uttered by others; come at length to speak even directly against themselves. Thus you that in the former Article, disputed of Faith, "naked" and destitute of all good Works, make your next step to those good Works that do accompany Faith. Where I understand not (but perhaps you do) why you call them good, if they arise not naturally out of Faith; or, why you call that Faith "naked," which is accompanied with these good Works. But, doubtless, there being a moral goodness, even where there is want of supernatural light; and the most certain token of that goodness beingif the general persuasion of all men do so account it; it cannot choose, but seem strange, that the approbation of these, should, in your opinion, be applied to those works that are done out of faith, after man is justified; seeing there is a good (as Mr. Hooker saith) that doth follow unto all things by observing the course of their nature; yet natural agents cannot obtain either reward, or punishment: for amongst creatures in this world, only man's observation of the law of his nature (because he hath will) is righteousness; only man's transgression sin. For even to do that, which nature telleth us we ought (howsoever we know it) must needs be acceptable in God's sight. How this, uttered out of great judgment to another purpose (namely, that good things are done, and allowed, whereof we have other direction than Scripture)* is by you wrested against the Articles of our Church, either concerning the perfection of Works which are with Faith, or the goodness of Works without Faith; to say plainly, I cannot yet understand! Therefore, as the dealing is unequal, to make him say what you list, so the advantage is too great, to make him an adversary to a cause of your own making; when the whole scope of his speech is to another purpose. For there is no indifferent reader but had he considered what Mr. Hooker speaketh, and to what end, in those places by you alleged; he must of necessity have wondered at your sharp and acute judgments, that would, without blushing, adventure to allege him to that end. But an opinion, doubtless, that these things would never be examined, gave that confidence to your first motion; which consideration would have * Vol. I. p. 190. |