A day-starre for darke-wandring soules shewing the light, by a Christian controuersie: or briefely and plainely setting forth the mysterie of our saluation. Diuided into principles, obiections, and answeres. By Richard Niccolls, th'elder, of the Inner Temple London, Gent. deceased. Published for the generall benefit of all those who heartily, and with a true path desire their owne saluation: by I.C.

The eight PRINCIPLE.

THe Workes of the rege∣nerate person, or true Bel•…•…euer, doc not me rit or deserue, or are worthy of grace in this life, or Glory in the world to come. Rom. 17. 10. Rom. 8. 18.

Notes vpon the eight Principle.

I•…•… wee note the nature of the word Merit or Desert, we•…•… may easily finde that merit or desert may haue place with men, but not with God: for in me•…•…iting or de∣scruing a thing, we must be nothing in debt for it vnto him, of whom wee will be said to deserue it. Se∣condly, that the things wee bring to deserue by, be not his but our owne. Thirdly, that the things we

bring to deserue by, be at the least equall, or as much in value or worth as the thing wee will be said to deserue. But if any one of these conditions doe faile, there can be no merit or des•…•…rt; much lesse then can the regenerate man by his vvorkes merit or deserue at Gods hands grace in this life, or glory in the world to come, seeing in the same are wanting all these con∣ditions.

For first, whatsoeuer good works may be performed of the regene∣rate man, are due to GOD by a double right: namely, by the right of Creation, and by t•…•…e right of re∣generation. Hereupon Christ giueth warning vnto his Disciples, When yee haue done all thin•…•…s which are commanded you, for yee, Wee are vnprofitable Seruants, we haue done that which was our dutie to doc.

Secondly, whatsoeuer good thing can be done of the regenerate man, is certainely of God, who worketh

in vs both the wi•…•…l and th•…•… dec•…•…: And Saint Paul in another place saith, What hast thou that th•…•… hast 〈◊〉〈◊〉 rec•…•…iued? and if thou hast recei∣ued it, why dost thou boast as if thou hadst not 〈◊〉〈◊〉 it?

Thirdly, the Kingdome of hea∣u•…•…n is of ins•…•…te value, and there∣fore cannot possi•…•…ly be purchased by the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 and deserts of finite 〈◊〉〈◊〉. And hence Saint Paul saith, I co•…•…t th•…•…t the afflictions of this pres•…•…nt life are not w•…•…rthy of the glory, which shall be reueal•…•… a vnto vs. Moreouer, admit that the regene∣rate mans car•…•…iage and gouerne∣ment be such of his out•…•…ard parts, and also of his desires, 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and lusts, that they br•…•…ake not forth into co•…•…mitting of grosse sinnes, nor that hee giue so much as consent to his wicked lusts, but hate them and is against them, and bringeth forth many good workes; yet for so much as hee is not so cleane washed in the La•…•…ar

of Regeneration, but that some part of his inbred corruption, though it be not imputed vnto him, yet re∣maineth in him, hee can in Gods Iustice deserue nothing at Gods hands, but his wrath and condem∣nation: for, the reward of sinne is death; and He•…•… b•…•…aketh the whole Law, wh•…•… by his inbre•…•… lusts break•…•…th the tenth Commandement, which doth not onely forbid consent vnto wicked lusts, (which is also formerly forbidden by the other Commandements) but goeth fur∣ther, and forbiddeth that vvee be not so much as •…•…kled with any kinde of Concupiscence or wicked lust, although our will consent not, yea•…•… be against it.

Also, from this inbred corrup∣tion of the regenerate man sprin∣geth not onely omission of some good which ought to be done, but also wants and defects of his best deeds, and to speake all in a word, Imperfection of Chariti•…•…. For Charitie

(which is a vertue with which wee loue that which ought to bel•…•…d; and so is the ground of all vertues and good workes) is in some more, in some lesse, but perfect Charitie, such as the Law of GOD requi∣reth, (which cannot be increased) is found in none: no, not in the re∣generate man, during his life. For hee cannot perfectly performe the Law of GOD, and loue God with all his soule, with all his heart, vvith all his minde, and his neigh∣bour as himselfe. Hee must needs confesse vvith the Apostle Saint Iohn, If wee say wee haue no sinnes, we deceiue our selues, and the truth 〈◊〉〈◊〉 not in vs.

This imperfection of Charitie wrought through the force and violence of inbred corruption, is cleerely set forth and described by S. Paul in his owne person, pro∣pounding himselfe a true patterne of a man regenerated, Romanes 7. For in the 15. and 19. verses hee

saith, that this inbred corruption made him to omit the good be would, and to do the euill he hated, and in the 18. verse, that to will was present with him, but he found no meanes to performe that which was good: and in the 23. verse that his inbred corruption •…•…ebelled against the law of the minde, and led him cap∣tiue or prisoner to the law of sinne: and in the 25. verse, that it made him serue the law of sinne: and in the 22. verse it appeareth that hee speaketh of himselfe as a man regenerated who delighteth in the Law of God concerning the inner man. VVherefore, howsoeuer wee profit by the worke of regeneration by God wrought in vs, yet doth our charitie & good workes, by rea∣son of the force and violence of ou•…•… •…•…bred corruption, or originall sins, want somewhat of that they should be, and the wants and defects of our good deeds we doe, and the omis∣sion of the good deeds wee ought

to doe, are such, and so many, that wee of necessine (though wee be regenerated) must alwayes with∣out presuming vpon our merits and deserts, humbly for his mercie 〈◊〉〈◊〉 craue at Gods hands forgiue∣nes of our trespasses, with this assu∣rance, that if we acknowledge our sinnes, God is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs all our sinnes, and to clense vs from all our vnrighteousnesse.

Obiection.

It seemeth that there is little difference betwixt the true beleeuer or regenerate person, and the vnbe∣leeuer.

Answere.

The difference betwixt them is very great; for sinne doth onely dwell in the regenerate person against his will, but it reigneth not, nor is im∣puted to him, because hee is iusti∣fied and clensed from his sinnes by faith in CHRIST I•…•…VS: and in this sense in the Scriptures the

regenerate man is sometime said to sinne, and sometime is said not to sinne. The regenerate man sinneth, in regard that sinne dwelleth in him, though it raigne not in him. And he sinneth not, because sinne is not imputed vnto him, but hee is notified and clensed from his sinne by the blood of Christ Iesus. But in the vnregenerate man sin raigneth with his will and consent: and his sinnes are imputed vnto him, be∣cause hee want•…•…th faith to iustifie him, and to cleere him from his sinnes by the rightcousnesse of Ie∣sus Christ.

Also, the regenerate man may say with Saint Paul, I doe not the 〈◊〉〈◊〉 I would: but the vnregenerate man contrariwise saith, I •…•…not so much euill as I would: which how∣soeuer hee speaketh it not in ex∣presse words, yet hee hath it in his heart, as may appeare in coue∣tous, ambitious, and contentious persons, and in Thecues, Fornica∣tors,

Drunkards, and such like, whose lusts are neuer satisfied: moreouer, whereas the vnregene∣rate man waxeth euery day vvorse and worse; the regenerate man contrariwise maketh proceedings in goodnesse. In vvhich (though they be small) it doth appeare that sinne doth not raigne in him, but in some measure is ouercome by him, and in him is in some manner mortified.

Notes

• Luke 17. 1•…•….
• Phil. 2. 13.
• 1 Cor. 4. 7.
• Rom. 8. 18.
• Rom 6. 〈◊〉〈◊〉.
• Iam. 2. 20.
• Gal. 3. 10.
• 1 Iohn 1. 8.
• Iohn 1. 16.
• Rom. 7. 10.