CHAP. when we come to complain of the ways, by which the XX. Church of Rome disperses the intention of seeking this

comfort.

Cristians

can fulfil

the evan

gelical law.]

CHAPTER XXI.

[OF THE POSSIBILITY OF FULFILLING THE LAW, TO CHRISTIANS.]

THIS is the first controversy and of most moment, as well within the Reformation, as between it and the Church of Rome, which the true notion of justifying faith determines. That of the possibility of fulfilling the law is still easier: as consisting only, in that it is not determined, what law of God it is that we mean. For neither does any man dream of the civil or ceremonial law of Moses in this dispute: nor can the moral law, according to the measure which made the condition of justifying faith under or before the Law, be intended by and for us, that live under the gospel: nor, for the same reason, the original law of righteousness in paradise, that obliged the then state of innocence. We must therefore rest in the evangelical law; which is nothing else but the covenant of grace, tendering everlasting life on God's part, under the condition of taking up and bearing the cross of Christ on our part, in making the profession of Christianity at our baptism, and living according to the same till death. To call this a law2, is no more than to make the covenant of grace a covenant, and not a mere promise: which is, to be no Fanatics. For, this law being settled for the condition of our reconcilement with God, the moral law comes in force as the matter of it: though neither according to the measure of original righteousness in paradise, nor that which was the condition of justifying faith before and under the Law; but according to that measure, which the precepts and example of our Lord Christ introduce, together with the promise of pardon for human infirmities, and of the helps of grace to go through the rest for the future. For, this law being passed under the state of original sin and the bondage of concu

See Epilogue, Bk II. Of the Cov. of Gr., c. xxxii.: Just Weights and Measures, c. xi. § 1.

See Epilogue, ibid., c. iii. § 9, c. vii. § 6, note e.

XXI.

14, 15;

piscence, the condition of it cannot be to live without sin, CHAP. but faithfully to fight against sin. And therefore under this law, and within the bounds of it, there is a distinction to be made between mortal and venial sin. For as the promise cannot be forfeited unless the condition be renounced (which no surprise, no offence in small matters, can be construed to among "friends," which is the person that Cod assumes); so [John xv. is it not usually possible among men, that he, who hath an Rom. v. habitual resolution to maintain the terms of his peace with 10.] God, should on an instant with full consent do that, which he knows must immediately dissolve it: especially, so as not to return to the habitual resolution which a man had; which if he do, the forfeiture then is as readily recovered as incurred, we know. And upon these terms it is, that under the gospel, though a law of so great perfection, yet God commands. nothing impossible. For those sins, which have such strong temptations as are hard to be resisted, supposing the temptations already overcome by resolutions habituated to the contrary, we see, are easily resistible.

CHAPTER XXII.

[OF MERIT AND SATISFACTION.]

of nature to

from the

Now between the controversies concerning merit and satis- [The merit faction there can be no more difference, than there is be- grace by tween the recovery of the state of grace and the attaining of be distin guished the state of glory. And therefore they may both be reduced to one; because there is no controversy, that by the grace of merit of glory by God in Christ, and through Christ, both of them must be de- grace.] cided. Indeed I have often marvelled to see learned men not distinguish between the merit of grace by nature and the merit of glory by grace. For to oblige God to reward any endeavour of man's free will with that grace, which only the death of Christ could purchase, is the same inconvenience that St. Paul infers Gal. ii. 21; "If righteousness come by

See ibid., c. xxxii. § 5, 6.

b See ibid., c. xxxiii.: Just Weights and Measures, c. xi. § 4.

See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxvi. § 5, c. xxx. § 19, 23-26, c. xxxiii. § 13,

sq.

XXII.

CHAP. the Law, then is Christ dead in vain:" the righteousness of the Law being the work of nature, setting the grace of Christ aside. But the merit of glory by grace signifies no more, than a grant of everlasting life upon the condition which the covenant of grace requireth. And therefore it is grounded upon God's mere grace, which moved Him both to tender the covenant, and to provide helps to perform the condition. of it. Therefore that is condemned by the Church for the very ground of Pelagius his heresyd; this is owned by St. Augustine on every turn, and by the rest of the Church in terms of the same value.

[Jesuit doctrine

of merit

of commu

§ 2. It is true, the Jesuits of late, to oblige the see of Rome, do hold in their courses of divinity, that the works upon terms of grace merit glory upon terms of commutative justice £. tative jus- But the worse divines the better Christians; allowing them tice.] to contradict themselves (as others do, when they run from the Church of Rome without reason or measure), in imagining commutative justice in obliging God by that, which His own grace furnishes, and valuing the works of corrupt nature by the incorruptible principle that works them. Besides, this doctrine is so new, that it cannot be said to have passed into the decrees of the council of Trent®.

[School

merit of

and con

§ 3. As for the School, which usually hath made a difference doctrine of between the merit of congruity and condignity, allowing satiscongruity faction to the works of repentance merely in the way of condignity.] gruity (because no man can properly merit while he is out of the state of grace, and yet it is agreeable to the grace of God to receive them to pardon that seek it as He requires), but to the works of grace the merit of glory, [that is,] of condignity: they should have considered, that the works of repentance are under the promise of the gospel towards the recovering of grace, as well as the works of grace towards the attaining of glory; and therefore the condignity, which has no ground but God's free promise, will never bring any reason of commutative justice into that merit, which is grounded upon nothing else. And therefore no man need

See Epilogue, ibid., c. xix. § 19. See ibid., c. xxvi. § 20, 24, c. xxxiii. § 12, 13.

See ibid., c. xxx. § 21. note u; c. xxxii. § 15, 16: Just Weights and

Measures, c. xi. § 4.

See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxx. § 22, c. xxxiii. § 15.

See ibid., c. xxxiii. § 16.

XXII.

to consider, that the works of grace proceed from the Spirit CHAP. of grace, inhabiting all that are in the state of grace, as their own: the works of repentance, from the same Spirit, as moving and acting them, that have forfeited, to recover the gift and endowment of it again. For, both being held by virtue of the same promise, there is no difference in the consideration, whereupon they are granted. And this, I hope, deserves to make the true notion of justifying faith recommendable, as well in reconciling, as determining this controversy. For all that depends upon the covenant, which proceeds from God's mere grace, derogates nothing from His grace, while it maintains His holiness.

CHAPTER XXIII.

[OF PRECEPTS AND COUNSELS.]

life and re

world are

THE difference between precepts and counsels, between [Single works of debt and of supererogation, comes from the same tirement source. The law, which the covenant of grace enacteth, re- from the quires only things essentially good. Retirement from the nct perworld, single life, and all that conduces to the service of God, fection, but are not such; for they are not commanded all Christians. to it.] They, who, moved by God to keep the Christianity which they profess, undertake such a course of life, that so they may do; think you they are not under the same promise, that all Christians are under, of grace and help to fulfil that which they undertake? Then would not our Lord have en- [Matt. xix. couraged it then would not St. Paul have advised virgins 1 Cor. vii. to it then would not the Church from the beginning have 25-28, 36-38.] used and frequented it. Tertullian's book De Velandis Virginibus shews, that virgins were under their bishops' charge from St. Paul's time. The virginity of our Lord's mother', as it is a warrant that the curse of barrenness by the Law is turned into a blessing by the gospel, so was it an example for the Church to follow. And the example, having been followed by all ages of the Church, shews the effect of the promise.

1 See Epilogue, ibid., c. xxxii. § 34 -42: Just Weights and Measures, c. xi. § 2, 3.

See Epilogue, Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. xxxii. § 9, note q.

See Mill, Christian Advocate's Publication for 1843, Accounts of our Lord's Brethren in the N. T. vindicated against Mythical Interpreters, pp. 301 -310. Camb. 1843.

11, 12;

CHAP. For it is no more marvel, that the fruits of single life, than XXIII. that the fruits of Christianity, have decayed by process of

time. Neither is it improper to call the profession of single life for the service of God, a state of perfection; considering the perfection, which the gospel requires above the Law. For this perfection consists not in single life, nor in any thing that is not commanded. But, the profession of single life being the means to attain that perfection, which consists in the service of God, whereof this retirement from the world gives opportunity, in that regard it may be called a state of perfection without offence. Whereas our Fanatics, that imagine themselves to be in a state of perfection, above that Christianity which bringeth life, are in a blasphemous heresy; placing perfection in that, which the common Christianity containeth not.

[Baptism included in

CHAPTER XXIV.

[OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM.]

I HAVE said, that the sacrament of baptism is included in justifying the nature of justifying faith; that is, in the condition of faith.] the covenant of grace. And I cannot imagine, why the

Socinians on one side, and all sects of Fanatics on the other side, should exclude it: only this, that so great an effect cannot be imputed to it but in respect of the grace of Christ, which the Socinians deny; but in respect of the covenant of grace and the condition of it, which no Fanatic owns. For, the profession of Christ's cross being the condition upon which the promises of the gospel become due, what marvel is it, that they should become due upon such a profession as engages all the actions of a man's life to all the world? It is not possible for all the world to name a condition more considerable, on the part of a Christian, for God to accept on His part, and make the promise due. For who can engage

6, notes b, c: Bk. III. Of the Laws of the Ch., c. vi.

■ Miswritten "engageth," in MS.