to bee accounted worthy of eternall life by mercie and grace, not dignitate sua, sed dignatione divina, not in themselves, but in Christ, which is the case of all the faithfull: and yet to merit and to deserve it by a mans owne worth, implyeth a contradiction.
Against the assumption I say, that none of the faithfull, though fruitfull of good workes, is in himselfe, or by his owne worth or merit worthy of eternall life. This hath beene the confession of the faithfull in all ages, as I partly noted before. Iacob confesseth, Gen. 32. 10. that hee was lesse than the least of Gods mercies, that is, un∣worthy of them, though but temporall; what would he have said of eternall? David professeth himselfe unworthy of those temporall honours which God had vouchsafed unto him, 2 Sam. 7. 18. 1 Chron. 29. 14. Iohn the Baptist confesseth, that hee was not worthy to carry Christs shoes, Mat. 3. 11. or to loose the latchet of them, Luk. 3. 16. Iohn 1. 27. The Centurion, whose faith is so highly commended, professeth himselfe not to bee worthy, that Christ should come un∣der his roofe, Mat. 8. 8. The afflictions of this life, though one man did beare them all, are not worthy of the future glory, Roman. 8. 18. Adde to these the confessions of the Fathers, though cited, many of them, before. Ambrose: Quid p•…•…ssumus dignum pramiis facere coele∣stibus.
H•…•…erome: Nullum opus dignum Dei justitia reperietur. Againe, Re∣ver a nihil posset 〈◊〉〈◊〉 condignum pati gl•…•…ria coelesti, etianisi talis esset illa, qualis modò est vita.
〈◊〉〈◊〉: No man sheweth forth such a conversation, as to be worthy of the Kingdome of Heaven. No though a man should die ten thousand deaths, and should performe all virtuous actions.
The Author of the worke not finished upon Matthew, what doe we in this world, worthy that wee may deserve to bee made parta∣kers of our Lord in the heavenly Kingdome? Therefore the Apo∣stle rightly saith, I reckon, that the sufferings of this time are not wor∣thy of the future glory.
Augustine, Debita redditur poen•…•… damnato, indebita gratia liberato; •…•…t nec ille se indignum queratur, nec •…•…ignum se iste glorietur.
In Psal. 30. 17. ( Salvum me fac) non in mea justitia, n•…•…n in meis meri∣tis, sed in tua miseric•…•…rdia: non quia ego sum dignus, sed quia tu misericors es. So in Psal. 41. 7. and 43. 26.
Quicquid promisit, indignis promisit, ut non quasi operibus merces pr•…•…∣mitteretur, sed gratia à nomine suo gratis daretur.
Eusebius Emissenus professeth, that wee can neither suffer, nor doe any thing worthy of the heavenly good things.
Gregorie the great: Illi beata vita in qu•…•… c•…•…m Deo & d•…•… Deo vivitur, n•…•…llus p•…•…test aequari l•…•…bor, nulla opera comparari, presertim cùm Apostolus di∣cat, non sunt condign•…•… passi•…•…nes, &c.
Ana•…•…tasius Sinaita: This is true humility to practise good things, and to esteeme himselfe uncleane, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and unworthy of God, thinking to bee saved by his goodnesse alone.