Chapter 51. Concerning the Order of the Causes of Salvation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome .
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Chapter 51. Concerning the Order of the Causes of Salvation according to the doctrine of the Church of Rome.
Roman Catholic Doctrines regarding Salvation.
Two things are requisite to obtain salvation:
Predestination, and the Execution of it.
Predestination is a foreordaining of the reasonable creature to grace in this life, and glory in the life to come. Sebast. Cattaneus, Enchirid. Tract 1, last chapter.
In regard to the first effects of it — which are vocation [calling], election, and ordination to eternal life — this has its cause in God; namely, in His will. But in regard to the last effect — which is the execution of such an ordinance, and the obtaining of eternal life — it has its cause from man. This is because, according to common opinion, God's predestination is by reason of works foreseen in man. That is, God predestines or rejects some man, because God foresees that the man will use His grace well or badly. But for a more evident declaration of this, these seven conclusions
must be set down:
I. The Predestination and Reprobation of God, do not constrain or enforce any necessity upon the will of man.
II. God has predestined all men — that is, He has appointed and disposed all men — such that they might obtain eternal salvation.
III. Man is not saved or condemned either by necessity or chance, but voluntarily.
IV. God has predestined some; others He has rejected.
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V. Those whom God has predestined by His absolute predestination, which cannot be lost, shall infallibly die in grace. But those who are predestined by that predestination which is according to present justice, and may be lost by some mortal sin which follows, are not infallibly saved. Rather, they are oftentimes condemned, and lose their crown and glory. From this arises that position of theirs [the Roman Catholics], that he who is justified may be a reprobate and perish eternally. Torrensis Aug. Confess., bk 2, chap. 4, sec.
20. Therefore, predestination is not certain, seeing that it may be lost.
VI. God alone knows the certain and set number of those who are predestined.
VIII. There is one set number of those who are predestined, or reproved, and that can neither be increased nor diminished.
The Execution of Predestination is either in infants, or in those of the years of discretion.
Concerning infants, the merit of Christ is applied to them by baptism rightly administered. So that whatever of original corruption may truly and properly accounted for by sin, it is not only (if I may say) not pared away, or not imputed, but utterly taken away. For there is nothing that God can hate in those who are renewed.
Concil. Trid. Sec 5, Canon 5.
Nevertheless, they are urged to confess that there yet remains in those who are baptized, concupiscence, or the relics of sin. Seeing that this is left in men for them to wrestle with, it does not have power to hurt those who do not yield to it.
The execution of predestination in those who are of riper years, has Six Degrees.
The first degree is Vocation, by which men are called to turn to God, not for their own merits, but by God's prevening grace through Christ.
The second degree is a Preparation to righteousness, by which men apply themselves to justification through the inherent power of free-will,
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after that same power is stirred up by the Holy Ghost.
For free-will is only somewhat diminished, and not extinguished. And therefore, as soon as the Holy Ghost touches and enlightens the heart, it works together with the same spirit, freely assenting to it. This preparation has seven degrees. Biel., bk. 4, dist. 14, quest. 2.
The first is faith, which is a knowledge and assent by which men agree that those things are true which are delivered concerning God and His will, revealed in the word of God.
This is the foundation of justification, and it prepares the heart, because it stirs up free-will, that it may affect the heart with those motions by which it is prepared for justification.
The act of faith is to apprehend the ugliness of sin and the wages of it.
After this follows a fear of God's anger, and of hellfire.
Then men begin to dislike and, in some way, to detest sin. From these arise a certain disposition which has annexed to it, the merit of congruity, yet not immediate or sufficient, but imperfect.
At length, faith returns to the contemplation of God's mercies, and believes that God is ready to forgive sins by the infusion of charity into those who are before sufficiently prepared and disposed.
Out of this contemplation proceeds the act of hope, by which faith begins to desire and to wait on God, as the highest good.
Out this act of hope arises love, by which God is loved above all things in the world.
After this love, follows a new dislike and detestation of sin, not so much in regard to fear of the punishment in hellfire, as in regard to the offence to God, who is simply loved more than all other things.
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After all these, follows a purpose to amend one's life; and here comes the merit of congruity that is sufficient; or else, the immediate, sufficient, and last disposition before the infusion of grace.
The third degree of predestination, is the First Justification, by which unjust men are made just, not only through the remission of their sins, but also by a sanctification of the inward man by his voluntary receiving of grace and gifts.
The efficient cause of this justification, is the mercy of God, and the meritorious passion of our Saviour
Christ, by which He purchased justification for men.
The instrumental cause is baptism. The formal cause is not that justice which was inherent in Christ, but that which He infuses into man; and that is especially hope and charity.
The fourth degree, is the Second Justification, by which just men are made more just. The cause of this is faith, joined with good works.
It is possible for those who are renewed [they say], to keep the commandments. And therefore it is false that a just man commits so much as a "venial sin"
in his best actions, much less that he deserves eternal death for it.
The fifth degree, is Penance —the reparation of a sinner by the sacrament of Penance. This is, as it were, the second board to hold onto after a shipwreck. The reason why this reparation is necessary, is because men lose the grace of justification by every mortal sin.
The sixth and last degree is the Fruit of Justification; namely, the glory of eternal life, which works that are done in grace, ex condigno, condignly [deservedly] merit, of sufficient worthiness.
Condigne merite is when the reward is due in such a way that, if it is not given, an injustice will be committed. This merit is due [the sinner] by the rigor of justice.
Two conditions are requisite to make a merit. I. That a reward should be due by some compact or bargain.
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And this condition is in works, in regard to God. For God, in the Scriptures, has promised a reward to those who work well. II. Besides this compact by which the debtor is bound, there should also be some worthiness in the work itself, or some proportion between the work and the reward.
The worthiness or dignity of the work depends: I. on Christ, because Christ not only merited that his own proper actions should be meritorious, but also the actions of His members. II. On the Holy Ghost. For the Holy Ghost inspires, excites, and moves men to do them. III. On a Habitual Grace, which is a certain participation of the divine essence.
This much concerning the degrees of Executing Predestination.
Now follows Applying Predestination particularly to the persons of men.
No man, as long as he lives in this mortal life, should so presume on the secret mystery of God's predestination, as to determine undoubtedly that he is in the number of those whom God has ordained to eternal happiness. For no man, without special revelation, can know whom God has chosen to be His heirs.
Sess. 6, c. 12.
The sum of all these is this: God, by a certain grace given freely — or rather, a grace prevening or coming before (which is termed an especial aid) — moves a man, that he may dispose himself to his justifying grace; namely, that he may believe, fear, repent, love, and propound to himself newness of life, etc.
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A View of the Distribution of the causes of Salvation & Damnation as the Church of Rome would have it.
GOD Foreknowledg e of works Reprobation Predestination of Creation Infants baptized Men of the age of discretion Faith The fall Merit of congruity off or remote Fear of hell Christ Hatred of sin for its punishment Consideration of God's mercy Hope Merit of congruity sufficient Love
Purpose of amendment of life Obduration by bare permission His passion and death The first justification
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The reparation of grace lost His descension into hell Second justification His glorification by merit of his death Eternal life through the merit of works [His Ascension and eternal reign] Damnation eternally Furthermore, if a sinner by his free-will, yields his assent to this divine motion, and consequently and accordingly rightly disposes himself, God incontinently forgives him his sin, and with this, infuses justifying grace into him, by which he may do good works, and so merit eternal life by them. Bellarmine.
Perkins'
Refutation of those Roman Catholic Doctrines.
Errors of the Papists in their distributing of the causes of salvation And thus is the doctrine of the Church of Rome, surely a very blasphemous doctrine, and no better to be accounted of, than as a gallows set up for the torture and massacre of men's consciences. And, that this may more manifestly appear to be so, I will set down the most principal points of popish doctrine in this case.
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The 1st Error.
Predestination is only of the Elect; the Reprobate are only foreknown.
The Confutation.
The term Predestination, by a figure called synecdoche (the whole for the part), is indeed taken sometimes in the good part, and spoken of the Elect, and the faithful who are called. Rom 8.30, Whom He predestined, them He also called, and whom He called, them He also justified; and whom He justified, them He also glorified. So the Ephesians (Eph 1.5) are said to be predestined into the adoption of the sons of God. Yet this word Predestination may nevertheless be generally extended to the decree of God, whether it is that of predestination to eternal life, or the others to eternal death. The reasons:
I. Act 4.27-28, They gathered themselves together against Your holy son Jesus, …to do whatever Your hand and Your counsel had determined before (or foreordained, or predestined — Greek προώρισεν, proorisen) to be done.
II. Augustine, in De Bono Persev., chap. 17, calls Predestination, the disposition of future works; and in his 15th book of the City of God, chap. 1, he divides all mankind into two cities, one of which is predestined to reign with God eternally, the other predestined to undergo eternal punishment with the devil. In his
Manual to Laurentius, chap. 100, he says that, God has justly predestined wicked men unto punishment, and mercifully predestined the good unto grace. Thomas
Aquinas, part 1, quest. 23, art. 4: It does not matter, in regard to the term Predestination, whether a man is said to be predestined to eternal life, or not.
Furthermore, for a man to say that the Reprobates are foreknown, and not predestined, it is very injurious.
This is because God's foreknowledge may not be
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severed from His will and eternal decree, in anything which is to be. For that which is to be hereafter, is foreknown by God; and that will assuredly come to pass, and shall be — either by the will of God, or without His will. If it is with His will, then no doubt He both decreed and ordained it. If it is without or against His will, then how is God said to be omnipotent? And surely evil itself, though God does not will it in His approving or allowing will, yet He wills the free and willing permission of it. Augustine, in his Manual or Enchiridion to Laurentius, chap. 100, has an excellent saying to this purpose:
Although those things which are evil, in that they are evil, cannot be good; yet it is good that there are not only good, but also evil things. This is to the intent that in a marvellous and unspeakable way, this thing may not be beside or outside of [God's] will, which is also done against His will — because it could not be done unless He suffered it; nor does He suffer it against His will, but willingly.
The 2nd Error.
That Predestination is mutable. For (according to the common opinion of the Papists) whoever is predestined is contingently predestined, on God's part as well as on man's. From this it follows that the one who is predestined — that is, appointed to salvation — may be condemned; and the one who is foreknown — that is, appointed to damnation — may be saved.
The Confutation.
The contrary to this doctrine is most true. Namely, that the decree of God concerning every man's eternal salvation or damnation, is set down and immutable from all eternity. The reasons:
I. Testimonies of Scripture. Rom 11.29, The gifts and calling of God are without repentance
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(ἀμεταμέλητα ametameleta). Mat 24.24, There shall arise false Christs, and false Prophets; and they shall do great signs and miracles, so that (if it were possible) they would deceive even the elect. Rom 8.33-34, Who shall lay anything to the charge of God's chosen? It is
God that justifies; who shall condemn? 2Tim 2.19, The foundation of God stands sure, and has this seal, 'the Lord knows who are His.'
II. Election and reprobation are in God, not in men.
Now, there can be nothing in God which is not immutable. Mal 3.6, I Jehovah am not changed. Isa
46.10, My counsel shall stand, and I will do whatever I will.
III. If this popish conclusion were granted, it would follow, of necessity, that the foreknowledge of God must be made void, His power weakened, and His will changed — each of which is impious to dream of even once. For someone who changes his counsel, or his will, changes it either because he at length sees that he might have taken better advice, or else he sees that he could not bring his former purpose about as he would.
Either of these are far from our Lord God.
IV. If we resolve that the counsel of God is in any way mutable, it will come to pass by this, that every man must be uncertain whether he is predestined to life or not; whereby that notable stay and ground of our full assurance to be saved, is utterly shaken and overturned. Therefore, let this truth be maintained by us: that both the election and reprobation of God stand immutable, so that the Elect cannot become reprobates, nor can the reprobates become elect; and consequently, neither these be saved, nor those condemned.
Exception: The popish sort take exception to this doctrine. If you speak in a compound sense or meaning
(in sensu composito), it is true that the predestined cannot be saved, nor those who are foreknown perish.
But if it is in a divided sense (in sensu diviso), it is not so. This distinction is made plain by this example. White
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colour in a compound meaning cannot be black, because blackness is repugnant and contrary to whiteness. But in a divided sense, white colour now, may afterwards be made black. In the same way, one who is predestined to salvation may, because of the free-will he has, sin and so be damned.
Answer: These are silly shifts [flimsy arguments], and mere sophisms; because those who are predestined to the end, namely, to salvation, are necessarily predestined to the means of salvation which they cannot help but use, and by them, come to the end of itself.
The 3rd Error.
All men are predestined, that is, disposed and ordained by God, so that they might attain eternal life.
Sebast. Cattaneus in his Enchiridion chapter about Predestination.
The Confutation.
This is manifestly false for these reasons:
I. Infants, who depart this life as soon as they are born, seeing that for lack of time they cannot in this life use the means of salvation; even if they may have eternal life, yet they do not obtain it by using the means for it.
II. That which the Lord indeed actually does, He has determined to do that very same thing. For He does nothing either unadvisedly or unwillingly. And He actually forsakes a very great part of mankind, which being shut up under contumacy,
He leaves to itself.
Act 14.16, Who in times past suffered all the Gentiles to walk in their own ways. This is also why, in Eph 2.12, all the Gentiles are said to be ἄθεοι (atheoi or atheists), without God in the world. Therefore God decreed to forsake some men in this life, and consequently He did not ordain all men to obtain eternal life. No indeed, if
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God but once in His secret will, would have all men be saved, it would be impossible for any to perish. This is because God's willing, is His doing of it. And if he that was ordained to salvation perishes, then God must now have stopped willing that which He would have from all eternity, or else begin to will that which before He would not — which cannot be said of God without blasphemy.
III. In 2Th 2.10, Paul says there are certain men who perish, ἀπολλυμένοις (apollumenois), and he distinguishes them from the Elect, verse 13.
Rom 9.21-22, Has not the Potter power, etc. Not only is mention made there of vessels of glory and mercy, but also of certain ones made and fashioned in God's eternal counsel, as vessels of wrath. Now look whom
God has made for wrath and destruction; those He never disposed to obtain eternal life.
The 4th Error.
Predestination in regard to its last effects, has its cause in man; that is, in man's free will and works. For those whom God had foreseen would receive grace offered in Christ, and lead their life according to the law, those
He predestined not of works, but of His mercy — yet, so as He respected their works, or to deal with them according to their works; or (as others say), to ordain them by their foreseen works. For example, God from eternity foresaw and foreknew that Peter would be saved, and Judas condemned. This is because, from the same eternity, He both foresaw and foreknew that Peter would accept the grace offered to him, and afterward use that grace rightly. He also foresaw that Judas would receive the grace offered, yet notwithstanding, because of his perverse will, he would use that grace perversely.
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The Confutation.
This is their forged device of foreseen works.
I. Paul shows it to be plainly counterfeit, when he says that the Ephesians (Eph 1.4) were elected in Christ before the foundations of the world were laid.
And that is not because He foresaw that they would be holy, but that they might be holy and unblameable before God with love. And in Eph 2.10 he says they were created to good works in Christ, that they might walk in them. In these places, good works are made effects of predestination; but the effect foreseen cannot be the cause of its cause. For every cause in the order of both nature and knowledge, goes before its effect.
II. Tit 3.5, Not by works which we have done, but according to His mercy, God elected and saved us.
III. God in electing us, did not regard anything outside of Himself, but in Himself He elected us, Eph
1.4, 9.
Therefore, He did not regard future works.
IV. Some of the popish schoolmen confess that Predestination puts nothing in the predestined party, in respect to him, for which God predestined him. Thom.
1. Primae. Quest. 23, art. 2.
V. Election is only upon God's mercy. Rom 9.16.
VI. God saw no grace in man, but that which He himself must bestow upon him. From this it is apparent that in election, the beginning of it proceeds from grace.
VII. Seeing there is nothing either above God, or greater than God, it must necessarily be impious to assign any cause of His will, either outside of, or above
His majesty. And therefore, we rightly deny that His foreknowledge of faith and works should be accounted the impulsive cause of His decree concerning man's salvation.
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The 5th Error.
By Baptism rightly administered, not only the guiltiness, but also the corruption of original sin is so washed away, that afterward it is not properly accounted a sin.
The Confutation.
We contrarily distinguish sin thus: Sin in regard to the guiltiness of God's wrath, and also in regard to the punishment, are together by one act, taken away in Baptism. But in regard to that error and corruption of nature [caused by original sin], it is not at first quite taken away; but successively, little by little, it is extinguished. Even our renovation wrought by the Holy
Ghost, is little by little begun and increased in us.
Reasons:
I. Paul would not so greatly bewail his original sin, if after Baptism, it ceased to be sin any more. Rom 7.24, I see another law in my members, rebelling against the law of my mind, and leading me captive to the law of sin which is in my members. O miserable man! Who shall deliver me from this body of death?
II. Original sin is called, Rom 7.13, a sin out of measure sinful. And in Heb 12.1, it is a sin that hangs on fast, or easily compasses us about.
III. Concupiscence is the root of actual sin; and therefore, even after Baptism, it must properly be a sin.
IV. If concupiscence were not a sin, where would or could that vehement and hot combat be, between the flesh and the Spirit? Gal 5.17
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The 6th Error.
Baptism is absolutely necessary to salvation, especially for children.
The Confutation.
We deny that Baptism is of absolute necessity to salvation. Reasons:
I. Sacraments do not confer grace, but rather confirm grace, when God has conferred it. The children of faithful parents are born holy, not by natural generation, but by the grace of God; they are not first made holy by baptism. And as for those who are of the age of discretion before they are baptized, they cannot be baptized unless they believe. Now, all those who believe are both justified and reconciled to God. And therefore, even if they are deprived of the Sacraments without their own fault, it is impossible for them to perish.
II. God precisely appointed circumcision to be on the eighth day, not on the first or second. Now, there is no doubt that many infants, before their eighth day, were prevented from circumcision by death; it would be absurd for a man to peremptorily set them down as condemned by this.
III. If circumcision were of such absolute necessity, why was it intermitted [ceased] in the desert for a span of forty years? That was only because the Israelites, often being on a journey, those who were to be circumcised would have been at risk of death by it. No doubt Moses and Aaron would never have omitted this
Sacrament for so long, if it had been absolutely necessary to salvation.
IV. This doctrine of the absolute necessity of Baptism was unknown to the ancient Fathers. For the primitive Church tolerated very godly men (though we do not allow the fact of this) that they should defer their baptism many years, yes, often to the time of their
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death. Hence Constantine the great was not baptized till a little before his death. And Valentinian, because of his delay, was not at all baptized; notwithstanding,
Ambrose pronounced him to be in heaven. And Bernard [of Clairvaux], in his 77th epistle, argues that not every deprivation of Baptism, except for contempt or palpable negligence, is damnable.
The 7th Error.
Man, after the fall of Adam, has free-will to what is good, as well as to do what is evil, although it is in a diverse manner. That is, he has free-will to do evil simply, and without any external aid. But to do good, he has none at all, except by the grace of God preventing or guiding us., Notwithstanding, every man has such grace; and it is in our free-will either to consent and work together with it, or not. And therefore, the power of free-will to do what is good and acceptable to God, is only attenuated and weakened before conversion. And therefore, man can, of himself, work a preparation to justification.
The Confutation.
Man that is not regenerated has free-will to do only what is evil, and none to do good. Not being already converted, he cannot so much as will to have faith, and be converted. Reasons:
I. Man is not said to be weak or sick, but dead in sins, Eph 2.1; Col 1.13.
Therefore, just as someone who is bodily dead cannot stir himself, that he may perform such works of vivification, not even when others help him; so someone who is spiritually dead cannot move himself to live unto God II. He is the servant of Satan and a bond-slave of sin,
Eph 2.2; Rom 6.17.
Now, we know that a servant stands at the beck and pleasure of another, and can do nothing else.
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III. That which no man can by himself know and believe, he cannot will; and no man can know and believe those things that pertain to the Kingdom of God. 1Cor 2.14, The natural man cannot perceive the things of the Spirit of God. 2Cor 3.5, We are not sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves.
Therefore, no man can will by himself, those things that pertain to God's kingdom.
IV. That which is a deadly enemy to goodness, and is directly repugnant to it, does not desire that which is good; and the will is an enemy and directly repugnant to goodness. Rom 8.7, The wisdom of the flesh is hatred against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be.
Objection 1: The word is near to you in your heart, and in your mouth, that you may do it, Deu 30.14.
Answer: It is easy to perform the law legally, but not evangelically.
Now, this is done when any man fulfills the law by a Mediator; and receiving the Spirit of God from Him, he endeavours to perform new obedience.
Objection 2: God gives many precepts by which we are commanded to repent, believe, obey God, etc.
Therefore, to do these we have free-will.
Answer: 1st. Such places do not show us what we can do, but what we should do, and our weakness in what we cannot do. Nor do they show what men can do, but what men should do. 2nd. They are instruments of the Holy Ghost, by which He renews and converts those who shall be saved.
Objection in reply: In commanding these, God does not require impossible things.
Answer: He does not indeed command these to men in their innocence, but now He does to all those who fell in Adam; and that is by their own fault, not God's.
Objection 3: Phi 3.12, Work your salvation with fear and trembling.
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Answer: Paul speaks of those who are already converted, who have their will freed in part.
it is constrained to do that which is good.
Objection 4. If the will is a mere patient, Answer: The will, both in itself and of itself, is a mere patient in her first conversion to God. But if it is considered as it is moved by the Spirit of God, it is an agent. For, being moved, it moves. It is not therefore compelled, but from a nilling will [i.e., not willing], it is made a willing will.
The 8th Error.
The Holy Ghost does not give grace to will, but only unlooses the will which was chained before, and also excites it. So that, the will by her own power disposes herself to justification.
The Confutation.
It is obviously false. To will those things which concern the Kingdom of God — such as faith, conversion, and new obedience — is the mere gift of God's Spirit. Mat 11.27, No man knows the Father but the Son, and those to whom the Son will reveal Him.
Luk 8.10, To you it is given to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of God. Phi 2.13, It is God who works in you to will and to do. 1Cor 12.3, No man can say that Jesus is the Lord except by the Holy Ghost. In brief, anyone who is to be created according to God, unto righteousness and holiness, Eph 4.24, cannot in any way dispose himself to justification, or new creation. For it is impossible that a thing not yet created, should dispose itself to its own creation.
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The 9th Error.
That preparation to grace, which is caused by the power of free-will, may by the merit of congruity, deserve justification.
The Confutation.
These things smell of more than Satanical arrogance. For what man, except one who is not in his right mind, would believe that he to whom so many millions of condemnations are due, could once merit the least dram of grace? The prodigal son was not received into favour because of his defects, but by [his father's] favour. Luk 15.21, His son said to him, I have sinned against heaven, and against you, and am no longer worthy to be called your son.
The 10th Error.
The faith of the godly, or that which justifies, is that by which a man in general believes the promised blessedness of God, and by which also he gives his assent to other mysteries revealed by God concerning the same.
The Confutation.
Faith is not only a general knowledge and assent to the history of the Gospel, but further, it is also a certain power, both apprehending and severally applying the promises of God in Christ, by which a man assuredly sets down that his sins are forgiven him, and that he is reconciled to God. Reasons:
I. A particular assurance of the favour of God, is of the nature of faith. Eph 3.12, By whom we have boldness, and entrance with confidence, by faith in Him. Rom 4.20-21, Neither did he doubt the promise of God through unbelief, but was strengthened in the faith, and gave glory to God, being fully assured that
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He who had promised, was also able to do it. Heb 10.22, Let us draw near with a true heart in assurance of faith.
II. Particular doubting is reprehended. Mat 14.31. O you of little faith, why did you doubt? Luk 12.29, Do not hang in suspense.
III. That which a man prays for to God, that he must assuredly believe to receive, Mar 11.24. But the faithful in their prayers request adoption, justification, and life eternal. And therefore they must certainly believe that they shall receive these benefits.
IV. Rom 5.1, Therefore, being justified, we have peace with God. But there can be no peace where there is not a particular assurance of God's favour.
V. That which the Spirit of God testifies to us particularly, must also be believed particularly. And the Spirit of God gives a particular testimony of the adoption of the faithful, Rom 8.16; Gal 4.6.
This, therefore, is likewise to be believed.
Though they say that no man has a particular assurance except by special revelation, as was that which Abraham and Paul had, it is false. For the faith of these two is set down in Scripture as an example which we should all follow. For this cause, Abraham is called the Father of the faithful; and Paul testifies the very same of himself. 1Tim 1.16, For this cause, I was received to mercy, that Jesus Christ should first show in me all long-suffering, for the example of those who will in time to come, believe in Him unto eternal life. Again, though they say that we have a moral assurance, but not the assurance of faith, this is a popish device. For in Rom 8.15-16, The spirit of adoption together bears witness (συμμαρτυρεῖ, summarturei) to our spirits.
There we see two witnesses of our adoption: our own spirit, and the Spirit of God. Our spirit testifies morally of our adoption by sanctification, and the fruits of it.
And therefore, the Spirit of God also witnesses in another way; namely, by the certainty of faith, declaring and applying the promises of God.
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Objection 1: We are commanded to work our salvation with fear and trembling.
Answer: This fear is not in regard to God's mercy forgiving our sins, but in respect to us and our nature, which is ever prone to slide away, and turn from God.
Objection 2: In respect to God's mercy, we must hope for salvation. But in respect to our unworthiness, we must doubt.
Answer: 1st. We may not at all lawfully doubt God's mercy, because doubtfulness is not of the nature of faith, but rather a natural corruption.
2nd. If we consider our own unworthiness, it is out of all doubt that we must be out of all hope, and despair of our salvation.
Objection 3: There are many sins unknown to us, and so it is also uncertain whether they are pardoned to us.
Answer: He that certainly and truly knows that even one sin is pardoned him, has all his sins remitted before God, whether they are known or unknown.
Objection 4: No man dare swear or die in the defence of this proposition, I am the child of God, or in God's favour and justified.
Answer: Those who have an unfeigned faith will, if they are lawfully called, not only testify their adoption by an oath, but also seal it by their blood.
Objection 5: A man may have this faith which the Protestants talk of, and lie in a mortal sin, and also have a purpose to persevere in mortal sin.
Answer: It is far otherwise, for Act 15.9, True faith purifies the heart.
further affirm that this faith, which to them is nothing but a knowledge and illumination of the mind concerning the truth of God's word, is the root and foundation of justification. If it were true, why should not the devil be just? For he has both a knowledge of God's word, and by believing it, gives his assent; notwithstanding having such a faith, he cannot be called one of the faithful.
These sophisters
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Here they take exception and say, The devil's faith is void of charity, which is the form of faith. But this is a doting surmise of their own brain. For charity is the effect of faith, 1Tim 1.5. And the effect cannot inform the cause.
The 11th Error.
Man's love of God, in order and time, goes before his justification and reconciliation with God.
The Confutation.
No indeed, contrarily, unless we are first persuaded of God's love towards us, we never love Him. 1Joh 4.19,
For we love him because He loved us first. Again, it is impossible that God's enemy should love Him. But someone who is not yet justified or reconciled to God, is
God's enemy, Rom 5.9-10. Nor is any man, before the act of justification, made from God's enemy, His friend.
The 12th Error.
Infused or inherent justice [justness or righteousness] is the formal cause of justification, by which men are justified in the sight of God.
The Confutation.
We contrarily hold that the material cause
of man's justification is the obedience of Christ in suffering and fulfilling the law for us. But as for the formal cause, that must be Imputation, which is an action of God the Father accepting the obedience of Christ for us, as if it were our own. Reasons:
I. Look at what absolves us from all our sins, and by what we obtain eternal life; by that alone we are justified. By Christ's perfect obedience imputed to us, we are absolved from all our sins; and through that, we are accepted by God to eternal life. This we cannot do by inherent holiness. Therefore, by Christ's perfect
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obedience imputed to us, are we alone justified. This will appear to be true in the exercises of invoking God's name, and also of repentance.
For in temptation and conflicts with sin and Satan, faith does not reason this way: 'Now I have charity and inherent grace, and for these, God will accept me.'
Rather, faith more rightly beholds the Son of God as he was made a sacrifice for us, and sits at the right hand of his Father, making intercession for us there. To Him,
I say, faith flies, and is assured that for His Son, God will forgive us all our sins, and will also be reconciled to us, yes, and account us just in His sight — not by any quality inherent in us, but rather by the merit of Jesus
Christ. Rom 5.19.
II. As Christ is made a sinner, so by proportion, those who believe are made just. And Christ was, by imputation only, made and accounted a sinner for us.
2Cor 5.21.
For He became a surety for us, and a sacrifice for our sins, upon whom was to be laid all the guiltiness of God's wrath, and punishment for us. This is why he is said to have become a curse for us
(κατάρας kataras). Gal 3.13 Therefore, again, we are made just only by imputation.
III. The contrary to condemnation is remission of sins; and justification is the opposite of condemnation.
Rom 8.33-34, It is God that justifies, who shall condemn? Therefore, justification is the remission of sins. Now, remission of sins depends only on this imputation of Christ's merits.
IV. Though infused or inherent justice may have its due place, its praise, and also deserts [merits], yet as it is a work of the Holy Ghost, it is not complete in this life; and because of the flesh to which it is united, it is both imperfect, and infected with the dregs of sin. Isa
64.6.
Therefore, before God's judgment seat, it cannot claim this prerogative, to absolve any from the sentence of condemnation.
Objection 1: This imputation is nothing but a vain cogitation.
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Answer: 1st. Yes, it is a relation or a divine ordinance, by which one relative is applied to its correlative; or as the Logicians say, it is as the foundation to the Terminus. 2nd. Just as the imputation of our sins to Christ was indeed something, so the imputation of Christ's justice to us, must not be thought a bare conceit [turn of phrase]. 3rd. Again, the Church of Rom herself maintains imputative justice; namely, as when by Ecclesiastical authority she applies the merits and satisfactions of certain persons to other members of that Church. From this it is apparent that even the Pope's indulgences are imputative.
Objection 2: Imputative justice is not everlasting.
But that justice which the Messiah brings is everlasting.
Answer: Although after this life there is no pardon of sins to be looked for, yet that which is given to us in this life shall, to our salvation, continue in the life to come.
Objection 3: If justification is by imputation, someone may be just before God, who is indeed a very wicked man.
Answer: Not so in any way. For once someone is justified by imputation, he is also sanctified in that same instant.
The 13th Error.
There is also a second justification, and that is obtained by works.
The Confutation.
That popish device of a second justification is a fantastical delusion. For, I. The word of God acknowledges no more than one justification at all; and that is absolute and complete of itself. There is but one justice, one satisfaction of God's being offended. Therefore, there cannot be a manifold justification.
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II. If because of the increase of inherent justice, justice were to be distinguished into several kinds or parts, we might as well make a hundred kinds or parts of justification, as to make two.
III.
What, by order of nature, follows full justification before God, cannot be said to justify. And good works, by order of nature, follow man's justification and his absolution from sins — because no work can please God, unless the person who works it, previously pleases Him. And none can please God except one who, being reconciled to God by the merits of Christ, has peace with Him.
IV. Those works that are not agreeable to the rule of legal justice, cannot justify before the tribunal seat of God; rather, both in and of themselves, they are subject to God's eternal curse. For this is the sentence of the Law. Gal 3.10, Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things written in the book of the Law, to do them. Now, the works even of the regenerate, are not squared according to the rule of legal justice. This is why David, stricken as it were, with the consideration of this, dared not once propose even his best works to the judgment of God, that by them he might plead pardon of his sins. This is why it is that he cries out and says, Psa 143.2, Do not enter into judgment with Your servant, O Lord; for then no flesh living shall be justified in your sight. Job says likewise, Job 9.3, If he
(namely, someone who says he is just) contends with God, he cannot answer Him once in a thousand. And Dan 9.18, We do not present our supplications before You for our own righteousness, but for Your great tender mercies.
V. Justification by works, be whatever they may be, quite overturn the foundation of our faith. Gal 5.2, If you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing; and verse 4, You are abolished from Christ, whoever is justified by the law. You have fallen from grace. In this place, the Apostle does not speak of those who openly resist Christ and the Gospel, but those who mingled the
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merit of Christ together with the works of the Law, as though some part of our salvation consisted in them.
Exception: This place only excludes those moral works of the flesh that precede faith, or the works of the law of Moses.
Answer: This is untrue. For Paul says this of Abraham, being already regenerated, and of those works which were done when he was justified, Rom 4.5,
To him, not who works, but who believes, faith is imputed. Those works which God has prepared, that the regenerate should walk in them, are moral works, and works of grace, Eph 2.10; but these are excluded from justification and working man's salvation. And Paul, being regenerate, says this of himself, 1Cor 4.4, I am not guilty to myself of anything; yet I am not thereby justified.
VI. The cause of the cause, is the cause of the thing caused. Grace without works is the cause of man's predestination, which is the cause of his justification.
And therefore, grace without works shall much more be said to be the cause of justification.
Objection 1: Lev 18.5, He that keeps my statutes shall live in them.
Answer: This statement is a legal sentence, and therefore does not show what men can do, but what they should do.
Objection 2: Psa 119.1, Blessed are those who walk in the Law of the Lord.
Answer: Man is not said, here, to be blessed because he walks uprightly; but because the person of such a walk is justified before God by the merits of Christ.
Objection 3: Psa 7.8, Judge me according to my righteousness; Psa 106.31, And the act of Phinehas was imputed to him for righteousness [cf. Num 25.11].
Answer:
These places are not meant of that righteousness of the person by which it is righteous before God; but of the righteousness of some particular cause, or work. For where David was accused of this
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crime, 2Sam 16.8 that he wanted Saul's kingdom — in this point, in the words mentioned above — David testifies of his innocence before God.
Objection 4: Rev 20.12, We are judged according to our works, therefore also justified by them.
Answer: The reasoning is not alike, because the Last Judgment is not the justifying of a man, but a declaration of that justification which he had obtained beforehand. Therefore, the Last Judgment must be pronounced and taken, not from the causes of justification, but from the effects and signs of it.
Objection 5: Luk 16.9, Make friends of unrighteous Mammon, etc. that they may receive you into eternal habitations.
Answer: They do this, not as authors of salvation, but as witnesses of it.
Objection 6: Dan 4.24, Redeem your sins by righteousness, and your iniquities by mercy towards the poor.
Answer: It is break off your sins, rather than redeem, for so it is in the original. Now, men break off their sins by ceasing from them, not by making satisfaction for them.
Objection 7: Psa 34.21, Evil works condemn; therefore good works justify.
Answer: It does not follow, because good works are not perfectly good, while evil works are perfectly evil.
Objection 8: Rom 8.24, We are saved by hope.
Answer: We must distinguish between justification, and salvation. Salvation is the end, while justification is one degree needed to come to the end. But there is more required to the end, than to a degree subordinate to the end. Therefore, we are saved by hope and faith, but justified by faith alone.
Objection 9: 2Cor 4.17, Affliction causes eternal glory.
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Answer: It does not do this as though effecting it by its own merit, but rather, as a path and way of manifesting and declaring it.
Objection 10. Jas 2.21, Abraham was justified by works.
Answer: Not as any cause of justification, but as a manifestation of it.
Objection 11. Rev 22.11, He that is just, let him be more just.
Answer: This place must be understood of justification before men; namely, of sanctification, or a holy life; not of justification in the sight of God.
Objection 12: Rom 5.1, We are justified by faith, therefore by a work.
Answer: We are justified by faith, not as it is a virtue and a work, but as it is an instrument apprehending the justice of Christ, by which we are justified. And in this respect, by a figure called Metonymy,
faith is said to be imputed to us unto righteousness. Rom 4.11
Objection 13: The works of grace are dyed in the blood of Christ.
Answer: They are indeed dyed in it, but to the end that they might better please God, not justify man. And though they are so stained that they need dying in the blood of Christ, they cannot therefore in any way justify sinful man. And the person of the worker is dyed as well in Christ's blood, as is his work; and yet he cannot say that his person therefore justifies him.
As I have now proved that this doctrine of the Papists is very erroneous, so I also avouch that it is most ridiculous. Because, for a man to say that inherent righteousness is augmented by good works — namely, the fruits of righteousness — it is as to say that the vine is made more fruitful by bearing grapes; or that the internal light of the sun is augmented by the eternal emission of its beams. Luther's saying is far more true:
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Good works do not make a good man, but a good man does good works.
The 14th Error.
Grace is quite extinguished, or rather utterly lost by any mortal sin.
The Confutation.
I. The word of God manifestly declares that it is far otherwise. Joh 6.37, All that the Father gives me, shall come to me; and whoever comes to me, I shall not cast away. Mat 16.18, You are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my Church, so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 1Joh 2.19, They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us. Rom 5.1, Being therefore justified, we have peace with God. Now, how could this be true if the one who was previously justified, could in any way quite fall from grace, and so perish?
II. The elect, after their very grievous fallings from God, immediately repented of their sins, as we may see in the example of David, Peter, etc. This argues that they had not quite fallen from grace, and lost the Spirit of God.
III. If grace is once utterly lost, then the ingrafting of that party into Christ is quite abolished. Therefore, for those who repent, there must succeed a second new ingrafting into Christ. And then it will follow that they must, of necessity, be baptized anew, which is absurd to think.
But for all this, we do not deny that grace may lost in part, and for a time, to the end that the faithful may thereby acknowledge and know their weakness, and be humbled for it. But that there is any total or final falling from grace, we utterly deny.
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The 15th Error.
It is possible to fulfill the Law in this life.
The Confutation.
The Law is evangelically fulfilled by believing in Christ; but not legally fulfilled by doing the works of the Law. Reason: Those who are carnal cannot possibly fulfill the law of God; and the most regenerate, so long as they live in this life, are carnal in part. Rom 7.14, I am (says Paul of himself) carnal, and sold under sin.
Prov 20.9, Who can say, My heart is pure; I am pure from sin? Ecc 7.20, There is none so just upon earth, who does good, and does not sin. Psa 130.3, If You,
Lord, observe what is done amiss, Lord who shall abide it? We are taught to pray to God daily, Forgive us our sins. Mat 6.12
Exception: Indeed, if the justice of the faithful is absolutely considered, it is imperfect; but as God exacts it from our frailty, it is perfect.
Answer: This is but the fancy of some doting Jesuit.
For this sentence of the Law is simple, eternal, and immoveable: Gal 3.10, Cursed is everyone that does not continue in all things which are written in this book, to do them. Nor may we imagine that God will not therefore exact the full accomplishing of the law, because we are frail. For we are creatures and debtors.
Now, we know that the debt does not decrease because of the debtor's poverty.
Objection: The faithful are said to be perfect in this life. Psa 101.6
Answer: There is a twofold perfection. The one is incomplete, which is an endeavour or care to obey God in the observation of all His precepts. The other is termed complete. This is that justice which the law requires — namely, a perfect and absolute justice according to that measure which man performed to
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God in his innocence. The faithful are said to be perfect in the first sense; not in this latter sense.
The 16th Error.
Works done in grace (ex condigno) condignly [deservedly] merit eternal life.
The Confutation.
I. Eternal life is the free gift of God. Rom 6.23, The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Therefore it is not obtained by the merit of works.
II. The merit of condignity is an action belonging to a nature that is both God and man, not to a mere creature. For the angels themselves cannot merit anything at God's hands. Yes, and Adam also, if he had remained in his first innocence, could have deserved nothing from God, because it is the bound duty of the creature to perform obedience to his Creator. The merit of condignity, therefore, agrees only to Christ, who is
God and man, in whom each nature, to effect this merit, performs that which belongs to it. For his humanity provides matter to the meritorious work, by suffering and performing obedience. But the Deity of Christ, to which his humanity is hypostatically united, confers full and sufficient worthiness to that work. This is why the Father speaks thus of His Son: Mat 3.17, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased (εὐδόκησα).
III. In the Second Commandment God promises eternal life to the keepers of His commandments; yet He does not say that they shall obtain it by desert
[merit], but that He will show mercy to thousands of those who love Him, and keep His commandments. Exo
20.6
IV. That a work may be meritorious, first there must be an equal proportion between it and legal justice, or eternal life. Secondly, merit presupposes this also: that
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in God there must be a due debt towards man. For God then should accept the person of man upon duty, not by favour. But all our works, indeed, all our most holy works, cannot come near to legal righteousness. For seeing that all the regenerate are partly carnal, and partly spiritual, all their works are, in the same way, imperfectly good.
For look at what the causes are, and such must be the effects. So then, good works presuppose a due debt in man, but none in God.
V. The ancient Fathers do not acknowledge this merit of condignity as is current. Augustine says in his
Manual, chap. 22, My merit is God's mercy. Bernard, serm. 68 on the Cant., It is sufficient to know this, that merits are not sufficient. And in serm. 61, Cant., Man's justice is God's goodness.
And epist. 190, That the satisfaction of one may be imputed to all, as the sins of all were borne by one. And as for ancient doctors
[scholastic theologians], merit was nothing else to them, than a good work acceptable to God. Augustine epist. 105 to Sixtus: If grace is grace, then it is not bestowed by reason of any merit, but upon free mercy.
What merits of his own can one who is set at liberty brag of, who would have been condemned if he had his merits? So the word merit signifies to do good, to be acceptable, to please — as the old interpreter [Jerome] has used this Latin word, promereri (to merit), for εὐαρεστεῖται (euaresteitai), signifying to please God.
Objection 1: Works have reward attributed to them.
Answer: Reward is not so much attributed to the work, as to the worker, and to him not for himself, but for Christ's merits apprehended by faith. Therefore, it is not our merit, or personal merit; rather, Christ's merit and our reward are correlatives.
Objection 2: 2Th 1.6, It is a righteous thing with God, to recompence tribulations, etc.
Answer: It is righteous, not because God ought to do so out of duty, but because He promised. Now, for God to stand on His word, is part of justice.
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Objection 3: Christ has merited, that our works might merit.
Answer: 1st. This quite takes away the intercession of Christ. 2nd It is against the nature of a legal work, to merit condignly (ex condigno), because both the law of nature and creation bind man to perform legal works unto God. And further, all works are very imperfect, and mixed with sin. 3rd. This doctrine concerning works obscures and darkens the merit of Christ, because the obtaining of eternal life is withdrawn from his death and obedience, and it is attributed to our works. For they say that Christ, by His passion, indeed merited justification for the sinner; but a sinner, once justified, must for himself, by his own merits, even condignly, merit eternal life.
Objection 4: The works of the regenerate are the works of the Holy Ghost, and therefore perfect and pure.
Answer: 1st. The works of God are all perfect, yet in their time, and by degrees. Therefore, sanctification is a work of God, and must remain incomplete in this life; it is made perfect in the world to come. 2nd. The works of God are pure, as they are the works of God alone, not of God and impure man. But now, good works come immediately [directly] from the natural faculties of the soul; namely, from the understanding and the will. And these being as yet only partly regenerated, some corrupt qualities of sin yet remain. These works are not immediately and simply (or wholly) derived from God's
Spirit. Hence, they are all stained with sin.
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The 17th Error.
Man does not know, except by special revelation, whether he is predestined or not.
The Confutation.
The contrary to this is a plain truth. Reasons:
I. That which a man must certainly believe, he may also certainly know without special revelation. And every faithful man must believe that he is elected. It is
God's commandment that we should believe in Christ, 1Joh 3.23.
Now, to believe in Christ is not only to believe that we are adopted, justified, and redeemed by Him; but also elected from eternity in Him.
II. We are very sure of what is sealed to us by the Spirit of God, without special revelation. Our adoption, and consequently our election, is sealed to us by the Spirit of God. 1Cor 2.12, We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that are given to us by God.
Therefore, our election is certainly known to us. Eph 1.3, In whom also you have trusted after you heard the word of truth, even the Gospel of your salvation, in which also, after you believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise.
Exception: The Holy Ghose seals to us our adoption morally, by works; and therefore, the knowledge of our adoption is only probable.
Answer: It seals to us our adoption, by begetting a special trust and confidence. For when we hear God's promises, and think upon them, then the Holy Ghost, by the same promises, moves our understandings and wills, to embrace them. And in moving them, He makes us give our assent to them, and also to rest ourselves in them. From this arises a special assurance that we are adopted, and in the favour of God. Luk 10.20, Rejoice
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rather that your names are written in heaven. But no man can be glad for that good which he is in doubt whether he has received it or not.
III. 2Pet 1.10, Study to make your vocation [your calling] and election sure, βεβαίαν ποιεῖσθαι (bebaian poieisthai). But this is not in respect to God, but ourselves.
Objection: No man may, by the Catholic faith, believe anything which God has not revealed either in the written or unwritten word (i.e., tradition). And there is no such writing or tradition as this: namely, that any particular man — say Peter or Henry — is predestined by God. Therefore no man may believe that he is particularly saved.
Answer: Even though this particular proposition, I am elected, is not expressly set down in the Scriptures, yet it is inclusively comprehended in them, just as the Species is comprehended in its Genus, as the Logicians speak. So that, it may by just consequent be gathered out of God's word, if we reason thus: Those who truly believe are elected, Joh 6.35.
I truly believe.
Therefore I am elected. The first proposition is taken from the Scriptures; the second from the believer's conscience; and the conclusion is easily derived from them both.