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.

Obiections of Papists.

Obiect. I. In sundrie places of Scripture, promise of reward is made to them

that beleeue and doe good workes: therefore our workes doe merit: for a re∣ward and merit be relatiues. Answ. Reward is two-fold: of debt, and of mercie. Life euerlasting is not a reward of debt but of mercie, giuen of the good will of God, without any thing done of man. Secondly, the kingdome of heauen is properly an inheritance giuen of a father to a child, and therefore it is called a reward not properly, but by a figure or by resemblance. For as a workeman hauing ended his labour, receiueth his wages; so after men haue lead their liues and finished their course in keeping faith & good conscience, as dutiful children, God giueth them eternall life. And hereupon it is tearmed a reward. Thirdly, if I should graunt that life euerlasting is a deserued reward, it is not for our works, but for Christs merit imputed to vs, causing vs there∣by to merit: and thus the relation stands directly betweene the Reward and Christs Merit applied vnto vs.

Ob. II. Christ by his death merited that our works should merit life euer∣lasting. Ans. That is false: all we finde in Scripture is, that Christ by his merit procured pardon of sinne, imputation of righteousnes, & life euerlasting: & it is no where saide in the word of God, that Christ did merit, that our workes should merit: it is a dotage of their owne deuifing. He died not for our good works to make them able to satisfie Gods anger; but for our sinnes that they might be pardoned. Thus much saith the Scripture, and no more. And in that Christ did sufficiently merit life eternall for vs, by his own death: it is a suffici∣ent proofe that he neuer intended to giue vs power of meriting the same: vn∣les we suppose that at some time he giues more then is needfull. Again, Christ in the office of mediation as he is a king, Priest, and prophet, admitteth no de∣putie or fellow. For he is a most perfect Mediatour, doing all things by him∣selfe, without the helpe of any. And the ministers that dispence the word are not his deputies, but reasonable and voluntarie instruments, which he vseth. But if men by works can merit increase of grace & happines for themselues, then hath Christ partners in the work of redēption: men doing that by him, which he doth of himselfe, in procuring their saluatiō. Nay, if this might stād, that Christ did merit, that our workes should merit, then Christ should merit that our stained righteousnes being for this cause not capable of merit, should neuertheles merit. I cal it stained; because we are partly flesh & partly spirit: & therfore in our selues deseruing the curse of the law, though we be regenerate. Again, for one good work we do, we haue many euil, the offēce wherof defa∣ceth the merit of our best deeds, & maks thē too light in the balāce of the law.

Obiect. III. Our works merit by bargaine or couenant, because God hath promised to reward them. Ans. The word of God sets downe two couenants: one legall, the other euangelical. In the legall couenant life euerlasting is pro∣mised to workes, for that is the condition of the law; doe these things & thou shalt liue. But on this manner can no man merit life euerlasting, because none is able to doe all that the law requires; whether we respect the manner, or the measure of obedience. In the euangelicall couenant, the promises that are made are not made to any worke or vertue in man, but to the worker: not for any merit of his owne person or worke, but for the person and merit of Christ. For example, it is a promise of the Gospell, Be faithfull vnto

death, and I will giue thee the crowne of life. Reuelat. 2.10. Here the promise is not made to the vertue of fidelitie, but to the faithfull person; whose fidelitie is but a token that he is in Christ: for the merit of whose obedience God pro∣miseth the crowne of life: and therefore Christ saith further, I come quickly and will giue to euery man according to his workes: marke, he saith not to the worke, or for the worke; but to the worker according to his workes. And thus the bond of all other promises of the Gospel, in which God willingly binds him∣selfe to reward our workes, doe not directly concerne vs, but haue respect to the person, and obedience of Christ, for whose sake alone God bindes him∣selfe as debter vnto vs, and giues the recompence or reward, according to the measure of our faith testified by our works. And therefore it cannot be truly gathered, that workes do merit by any promise or couenant, passed on Gods part to man. Some may say, if workes merit not why are they mentioned in the promises? I answer, not because they merit, but because they are tokens that the doer of the worke is in Christ, for whose merit the promise shall be accomplished.

Obiect. IV. Good workes are perfect and without fault, for they are the workes of the holy Ghost, who cannot sinne: therefore they merit. Ans. If workes did proceede onely and immediatly from the holy Ghost, there could not be any fault in them: but our works come from the holy Ghost, in and by the will and vnderstanding of man: and by this meanes they are tainted with sinne; as water in the fountaine is both cleare and sweete, yet the streames thereof passing through the filthie channell, are defiled thereby. Againe they reason thus: That which we are bound to doe hath no fault in it: but we are bound to doe good workes: therefore they are perfect. Ans. The proposition must be expounded: that which we are bound to doe, in it selfe, according to the intention of the commander, hath no fault: or, that which we are bound to doe according as we are bound to doe it, hath no fault, yet in regard of the intention of the doer, or in regard of our manner of doing, it may be faultie.

Obiect. V. Christ saith, Reuel. 3.4. that the faithfull in the Church of Sardis shall walke with him in white, for they are worthie: therefore beleeuers merit. Ans. Euery beleeuer is worthie to walke with Christ; yet not worthie in him∣selfe, but in Christ, to whome he is vnited, and made bone of his bone, & flesh of his flesh. And by reason of this coniunction it is, that men are said to be worthie, because they are inriched with Christs merits and righteousnes.

Obiect. VI. 2. Tim. 4.8. Euerlasting life is tearmed a crowne, and a crowne of righteousnes to be giuen of a iust iudge: therfore man for his part by his works deserues the same. Ans. Euerlasting life is called a crowne onely in resemblāce. For as he which runneth a race, must continue and runne to the end, and then be crowned; euen so must we continue to walke in good workes vnto the ende, and then receiue eternall life. And it is called a crowne of righteousnes, not because it belongs to any man by due and desert; but because God hath bound himselfe by a promise to giue it, in performing whereof he is tearmed iust: and by vertue of this promise it is obtained and no otherwise. These are the principall obiections, by which we may iudge what the rest are. And thus we see what is the truth, namely that merit is necessarie to saluation: yet nei∣ther

merit of mans worke, or person, but the merit of Christ imputed to vs, whereby we beeing in him doe procure and deserue the fauour of God and life eternall.