The suruey of popery vvherein the reader may cleerely behold, not onely the originall and daily incrementes of papistrie, with an euident confutation of the same; but also a succinct and profitable enarration of the state of Gods Church from Adam vntill Christs ascension, contained in the first and second part thereof: and throughout the third part poperie is turned vp-side downe.

The 8 conclusion.

Although good workes doe neither merite grace in this life, nor glorie in the life to come, as which are imperfect, polluted with sinne, and in rigour of iustice worthy of condemnation, as is alreadie prooued; yet because God hath decreed in his eternal counsel to bring vs to heauen by them, as by ordinary meanes and right fruites of a sound christian faith; they may in a godly sense be termed, The secundary instrumentall cause of eternall life; but in no sense the cause of mans iustification. Explico: I say (of mans iustification,) because the latter can neuer be the cause of the former; and consequently good workes following our iustification as the immediate fruites thereof, can by no meanes possible be the cause of the same. In regard whereof S. Austen as in many other thinges,* 1.1 so in this point saide very learnedly; Quòd opera non praecedunt iustificandum, sed sequū∣tur iustificatum. That workes doe not go before iustification, but followe him that is iustified; I say (of eternall life) because when there be many gradual effectes of one and the same cause, then the former may fitly be termed the materiall cause of the latter; that is, as the schooles terme it, Causa sine qua non, The cause without which the latter shall not haue effect. For as vocation,* 1.2 iustification, regeneration, and glorification are the effectes of predestination; euen so by Gods holy ordinance, be∣ing predestinate, wee are called by the hearing of his word vnto

••aith,* 1.3 which faith is the cause of our iustification by apprehen∣ding the righteousnesse of Christ Iesus; after wee be iustified of our iustification proceedes regeneration, as who hauing re∣mission of our sinnes, and being ingraffed in Christ by faith, are indued with more aboundant grace of his holy spirite, tho∣rough which we are dayly more and more regenerate, and made new creatures; after we be regenerate, out of our regeneration spring good workes aswel internall, as externall; as who being made good trees, begin to bring forth good fruits; and so con∣tinuing are brought at the length of Gods free mercie, to the possession of eternall life. For as y^e apostle saith,* 1.4 we are created vnto good workes, which God hath ordained that wee shoulde walke in them: and continuing in them, we shall at the dreadful day of doome heare this ioyfull sentence, pronounced to our vnspeakable comfort; Come yee blessed of my father, take the inheritance of the kingdome, prepared for you from the foun∣dation of the world. For I was an hungred,* 1.5 and ye gaue me meate; I was thirsty, and ye gaue me drink; I was a stranger, and ye took me in vnto you; I was naked and ye clothed me, I I was sicke, and ye visited me; I was in prison, and ye came to me. And with this, it is true yet y^t the apostle saith;* 1.6 Not by the workes of righteousnesse which we had done, but according to his mercie he saued vs, by the washing of the new birth, and by renuing of the holy Ghost, which hee shed on vs aboundantly through Iesus Christ our sauiour, that wee being iustified by his grace, should be made heires according to the hope of eter∣nall life. This is a true saying, and these thinges I will thou shouldest affirme, that they which haue beleeued God, might be carefull to shew forth good workes. These things are good and profitable vnto men. Thus saith S. Paule, and therefore I thinke this a profitable conclusion. By it rightly vnderstood, many places of holy Scripture may easily be answered, which seeme to ascribe iustification or glorification to good workes.

Notes

• * 1.1

  August. de fide & operib. cap. 14. tom. 4.
• * 1.2

  Rom. 8. v. 30. Rom. 10. v. 17.
• * 1.3

  Rom. 5. v. 1. 1. Cor. 1. v. 30. 2. Cor. 4.16. Gal. 6. v. 15. Mat. 7. v. 17.
• * 1.4

  Ephes. 2. v. 10.
• * 1.5

  Math. 25. v. 34.
• * 1.6

  Tit. 3. v. 5.6, 7, 8.