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That popish deuice of a second iustification, is a fantasticall delusion. For, I. The word of God doth acknowledge no more but one iustification at all, and that absolute and complete of it selfe. There is but one iustice, but one sa∣tisfaction of God being offended therefore there cannot be a manifold iusti∣fication.
II. If by reason of the increase of inherent iustice, iustification should be distinguished into seuerall kindes or parts, we might as well make an hun∣dreth kinds, or parts of iustification, as two. III. That which by order of na∣ture doth follow after full iustification before God, it cannot be said to iusti∣fie: But good workes doe by order of nature follow mans iustification, and his absolution from sinnes: because no worke can please God, except the person it selfe, that worketh the same, doe before please him. But no mans per∣son can please God, but such an one as beeing reconciled to God, by the me∣rits of Christ hath peace with him. IV. Such workes as are not agreeable to the rule of legall iustice: they, before the tribunall seat of God, cannot iustifie, but rather both in, and of themselues are subiect to Gods eternall curse. For this is the sentence of the Law, Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all things written in the booke of the Law to doe them. Now the works euen of the regene∣rate; are not squared according to the rule of legall iustice: wherefore Dauid being, as it were stricken, with the cōsideration of this, durst not once oppose, no not his best works to the iudgement of God, that by them he might plead pardon of his sinnes; whence it is that he crieth out and saith, Enter not into iudgement with thy seruant, O Lord: for then no flesh liuing shall be iustified in thy sight. The like doth Iob 9.3. If he (namely, such an one as saith he is iust) contend with God, he cannot answer him one of a thousand. And Dan. 9. 18. We doe not present our supplications before thee for our owne righteousnesse, but for thy great tender mercies. V. Iustification by works, let them be whatsoeuer they can be, doth quite ouerturne the foundation of our faith. Gal. 5.2. If ye be circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing. and v. 4. Ye are abolished from Christ, whosoeuer are iustified by the law: ye are fallen from grace. In this place the Apostle speaketh of them, not which did openly resist Christ, and the Gospel, but of such as did with the merit of Christ mingle together the workes of the Law; as though some part of our saluation consisted in them. Exception. This place doth onely exclude such morall works of the flesh, as doe goe before faith, or the workes of the law of Moses. Ans. This is vntrue. For euen of Abraham being already regenerated, and of those his works which were done when he was iustified, Paul speaketh thus, To him, not which worketh, but which beleeueth is faith impu∣ted. Those works which God hath prepared that the regenerate should walke in them, are morall works, and workes of grace; but these are excluded from iustification, and working mans saluation. Eph. 2.10. And Paul beeing rege∣nerate saith thus of himselfe, I am not guiltie vnto my selfe of any thing, yet am, I not thereby iustified. VI. The cause of the cause is the cause of the thing cau∣sed; but grace without works is the cause of mans predestination, the which is the cause of his iustification: and therefore grace without workes shall much more be saide to be the cause of iustification.
Obiect. I. Levit. 18.5. He that keepeth my statutes shall liue in them. Ans. This saving is a legall sentence: and therefore sheweth not what men can doe, but what they should doe.
Obiect. II. Psal. 119.1. Blessed are those that walke in the Law of the Lord. Ans. Man is not here said to be blessed, because he walketh vprightly, but because the person of such: walker is, by the merits of Christ, iustified before God.
Obiect. III. Iudge me according to my righteousnes. Psal. 7. And the fact of Phi∣nees was imputed to him for righteouses. Ans. These places are not meant of that righteousnes of the person, by which it is righteous before God; but of the righteousnes of some particular cause, or worke. For where as Dauid was accused of this crime, that he did affect Sauls kingdome, he in this point doth in the words aboue mentioned, testifie his innocencie before God.
Obiect. IV. We are iudged according to our workes, therefore also by them iusti∣fied. Ans. The reason is not alike: because the last iudgement is not the iusti∣fying of a man, but a declaration of that iustification which he had before ob∣tained. Therfore the last iudgement must be pronounced and taken, not from the causes of iustification, but from the effects and signes thereof.
Obiect. V. Make you friends of vnrighteous Mammon, &c. that they may re∣ceiue you into eternall habitations. Ans. This they doe, not as authors of saluati∣on, but as witnesses of the same.
Obiect. VI. Dan. 4.24. Redeeme thy sinnes by righteousnes, and thine iniquitie by mercie towards the poore. Ans. It is rather, breake off thy sinnes, then redeeme, for so is the originall: now men breake off their sinnes, by ceasing from them, not satisfying for them.
Obiect. VII. Euill workes condemne: therefore good workes iustifie. Answ. It followeth not; because good works are not perfectly good, as euill works are perfectly euill.
Obiect. VIII. We are saued by hope, Rom. 8. Answer. We must distinguish betwixt iustification, and saluation: saluation is the end, iustification is one de∣gree to come to the ende: but there is more required to the ende then to a de∣gree subordinate to the ende: therefore we are saued by hope and faith, but iu∣stified by faith alone.
Obiect. IX. Affliction causeth eternall glorie, 2. Cor. 4.17. Ans. This is doth not, as by it owne merit, effecting the same, but, rather as a path and way mani∣festing and declaring the same.
Obiect. X. Iam. 2.21. Abraham was iustified by workes. Ans. Not as any cause of iustification, but as a manifestation thereof.
Obiect. XI. He that is iust, let him be more iust. Ans. This place must be vnder∣stood of iustification before men, namely, of sanctification, or an holy life: not of iustification in the sight of God.
Obiect. XII. We are iustified by faith, therefore by a worke. Ans. We are iustified by faith, not as it is a vertue, and a worke, but as it is an instrument ap∣prehending the iustice of Christ, whereby we are iustified. And in this respect faith is said, by the figure called Metonymia, to be imputed to vs vnto righte∣ousnesse.
Obiect. XIII. The workes of grace are dyed in the blood of Christ. Ans. They are indeed dyed therein, but to the ende they might the better please God, not iustifie man: and whereas they are so stained as that they neede dying in the blood of Christ, therefore can they not any waies iustifie sinnefull man. And the person of the worker, is as well died in Christs blood, as is his work, yet he can not say that his person doth therefore iustifie him.
And as I haue now prooued that this doctrine of the Papists is very erroni∣ous,
so I also auouch that it is most ridiculous. Because for a man to say that in∣herent righteousnes is, by good works, namely the fruits of righteousnes, aug∣mented; is as if a man should say, that the vine is made more fruitfull by bea∣ring grapes, or that the internall light of the sunne is augmented by the exter∣nall emission of the beames. Luthers saying is farre more true. Good workes doe not make a good man, but a good man doth make workes good.