A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.

Our reasons.

I. Rom. 3.28. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law. Some answer, that ceremoniall workes be excluded here: some, that morall works: some, works going before faith. But let them deuise what they can for themselues, the truth is, that Paul excludeth all works whatsoeuer, as by the very text will appeare. For v. 24. he saith, We are iustified freely by his grace: that is, by the meere gift of God: giuing vs to vnderstand, that a sinner in his iustification is meerely passiue, that is, doing nothing on his part where∣by God should accept him to life euerlasting. And v. 27. he saith, iustification by faith excludeth all boasting: and therefore all kind of works are thereby ex∣cluded; and specially such as are most of all the matter of boasting, that is, good workes. For if a sinner, after that he is iustified by the merit of Christ, were iustified more by his owne workes, then might he haue some matter of boasting in himselfe. And that we may not doubt of Pauls meaning, consider and read Eph. 2.8,9. By grace (saith he) you are saued t••rough faith: and that

not of your selues, it is the gift of God: not of workes least any man should boast him∣selfe. Here Paul excludes all and euery worke, and directly workes of grace themselues as appeares by the reason following: For we are his workemanshippe created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes: which God hath ordained that we•• should walke in them. Nowe let the Papists tell me, what bee the workes which God hath prepared for men to walke in, and to which they are regenerate, vnlesse they bee the most excellent workes of grace, and let them marke howe Paul excludes them wholly from the worke of iustification and salua∣tion.

II. Gal. 5.3. If ye be circumcised, ye are bound to the whole lawe, and ye are abo∣lished from Christ. Here Paul disputeth against such men as would bee saued partly by Christ, and partly by the workes of the lawe: hence I reason thus. If a man will be iustified by workes, he is bound to fulfill the whole lawe, accor∣ding to the rigour thereof: that is Pauls ground. I nowe assume: no man can fullfill the lawe according to the rigour thereof: for the liues and workes of most righteous men are imperfect, and stained with sinne: and therefore they are taught euery day, to say on this manner: forgiue vs our debts. Againe our knowledge is imperfect, and therefore our faith, repentance, and sanctifi••atiō is answerable. And lastly, the regenerate man is partly flesh and partly spirit: and therefore his best workes are partly from the flesh, and in part one∣ly spirituall. Thus then for any man to bee bound to the rigour of the whole lawe, is as much as if he were bound to his owne damnation.

III. Election to saluation is of grace without workes; therefore the iustifi∣cation of a sinner is of grace alone without workes. For it is a certen rule, that the cause of a cause is the cause of a thing caused. Now grace without workes is the cause of election, which election is the cause of our iustification: & ther∣fore grace without workes is the cause of our iustification.

IV. A man must first be fully iustified before he can doe a good worke: for the person must first please God before his works can please him. But the person of a sinner cannot please God till he be perfectly iustified: and there∣fore till hee be iustified, he cannot doe so much as one good worke. And thus good workes cannot be any meritorious causes of iustification, after which they are both for time, and order of nature. In a word, whereas they make two distinct iustifications: we acknowledge that there be degrees of sanctification, yet so as iustification is onely one, standing in remission of sinnes and Gods acceptation of vs to life euerlasting by Christ: and this iustification hath no degrees but is perfect at the very first.