Rhemes against Rome: or, The remoouing of the gagg of the new Gospell, and rightly placing it in the mouthes of the Romists, by the Rhemists in their English translation of the Scriptures. Which counter-gagg is heere fitted by the industrious hand of Richard Bernard ...

Scriptures obiected answered.

Matth. 16. 27. Hee shall reward euery man according to his workes. Matth. 5. 12. Great is your reward in Heauen. So Matth. 10. 42. Rom. 2. 6. 1. Cor. 3. 8. Reuel. 22. 12. Ierem. 31. 16.

Answ. 1. There is, Rom. 4. 4. a reward of mercy and grace, which we acknowledge, and not of desert and merit: for a re∣ward may be of bounty aboue any due to the partie, but so cannot merit. Ambrose Epist. lib. 1. There is one kinde of re∣ward of liberalitie and grace; and another the wages of vertues and recompence of labours.

Secondly, the reward here being vnderstood of eternall life, must needs be of mercy; for eternall life, saith the Apostle, is the gift of God, Rom. 6. 23. and not mans purchase. A gift is free, and cannot be merited by workes: for to him that works, the reward is reckoned not of grace, but of debt, Rom. 4. 4. Hea∣uen then being Gods gift, cannot bee due for workes, to make God become indebted to man.

Thirdly, the Rewarder here is God. Now, he rewards two wayes, either in meere iustice, or in iustice and mercy both. In meere iustice so rewardeth he the wicked, iustly deseruing dam∣nation. In iustice and mercy both: so beleeuers in Christ. In iustice first, in respect of Christs meriting reward for his: se∣condly, for that God is iust in his promise, and hauing promised a reward in his iustice, he will performe it. In mercy yet this is to

vs: first, in respect of our selues, deseruing no such reward: then, in respect of the mouing cause, which is his owne good pleasure, to make such a promise, and to accept vs in Christ, and so to reward vs.

Fourthly, the reward here is promised to the persons, He will reward euery man, and not the worke: for the person makes the worke accepted, as Abel did his offering, and not the worke the* 1.1 person with God.

Fifthly, it is not here said, for his workes, as noting any cause of mans reward, but according to his workes, shewing the quali∣tie of the works, as they may excell one another, and how our workes should be the measure, according to which God would mete and proportion out the heauenly rewards. For as men here excell in vertues, so shall they in glory; and therefore of such as suffer for Christ, hee saith, Great is your reward, Matth. 5.

Sixtly, if workes were rewarded, yet is it in mercy, and not for the merit of them: for are they not imperfect, as before is proued? Againe, are they not his owne, fruits of his owne Spi∣rit? and can wee merit to giue to God his owne? Moreouer, what equalitie is there betweene heauen, the reward, and the worke wrought? None at all. And therefore the reward is in mercy, and not in merit.

2. Cor. 5. 10. Wee must all appeare before the Iudgement Seat of Christ, that euery one may receiue the things done in his bodie, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.

Answ. 1. Here is intended onely, that in generall there shall be a retribution of reward and punishment. And therefore the diuers meane of procuring both these is not specified: but a phrase vsed, which may extend to both, according to that he hath done, in either kinde. Otherwise for the one, namely, for doing badly, might truely, & properly haue bin said, For the merit, or demerit of euill workes, punishment is due. But because it could not be said so of the other, therefore the word according is vsed. And so the scope of the place reacheth onely to shew, that there shall be a manifestation of our workes, and retribution for them. But if we will needs particularize here of the manner

of rewarding good workes, then wee say, that the Iudge here, Iesus Christ, comes not to reward his, according to their merit, with heauen: for it is said, that hee giueth to them eternall life, Ioh. 10. 28. By his bloud himselfe obtained it for them, Heb. 9. 12. They doe not then merit that which is gift: and therefore he proceeds not here according to any merit in them.

1. Cor. 4. 5. Then shall euery man haue praise of God.

Answ. 1. Here is no merit spoken of.

Secondly, the person is praised, and not his workes: and this God doth of his goodnesse, for our faithfulnesse, Matth. 25. 21, 23. but not for the worthinesse of the worke done.

Thirdly, Saint Paul, verse 4. the very next verse before saith, Though I know nothing by my selfe, yet am I not thereby iustified. He conceited therefore no merit.

Fourthly, the praise here intended specially, is in regard of sinceritie of teaching, whereby Saint Paul implyeth, that other false and proud teachers were not so praise-worthy, as some of the Corinthians thought, being seduced by them.

1. Cor. 9. 17, 18. I haue a reward, verse 25.

They striue to obtaine an incorruptible Crowne.

Answ. 1. This reward is of mercy, and not of merit: for the incorruptible Crowne, that is, Heauen, is obtai∣ned by Christ, and is his gift to vs: therefore not obtained by merit.

Secondly, our obtaining by striuing, is the obtaining of the assurance of the Crowne in our selues, and not the obtaining of the Crowne it selfe through the worthinesse of the striuing: seeing we are commanded to striue, Luk. 13. 24. Now, that which is done of duty, cannot merit.

Thirdly, the Apostle first, in verse 16. telleth vs, that in do∣ing his dutie, he hath nothing to glory of: Then in verse 17. he applyeth the reward, not to the worke wrought, but to his willingnesse in working: yet he implyeth, that there may be an vnwillingnesse: and doth hee not acknowledge, Rom. 7. 18. that where a will is, yet there may want abilitie to per∣forme?

Lastly, in verse 18. hee plainely expresses what hee meaneth there by reward; not heauen, but in preaching, to make the Gospell of Christ without charge.

Hebr. 11. 26. He had respect to the recompence of reward.

Answ. 1. The blundering Friers, wheresoeuer they finde in Scripture, reward, presently cry out that they haue found merit. How oft haue we told thē out of the ancient Fathers, nay, out of ciuil experience, that reward & merit be not alwaies Relatiues? that there is a reward of grace as well as of due debt, Rom. 4. 4?

Secondly, who knowes not, but that euen here men requite labours without desert?

Thirdly, Moses had respect to the recompence vpon Gods promise made, and not vpon the merit of his owne doing: for hee makes not his owne act, the procurer of the recompence, but the certainty of the recompence, the setter of him forward to the worke.

Psal. 18. 20. The Lord rewarded mee according to my righte∣ousnesse, &c.

Answ. 1. Dauid speaketh in his life time of that which God had done for him in deliuering him from Saul, and from his enemies, which dealt most vniustly with him: here therefore first Dauids righteousnesse is his righteousnesse towards men, which God mercifully looked vpon, and not any righteous∣nesse of his before God: for this Dauid disclaimed, Psal. 130. 3. and 143. 2. Secondly, the reward here is not heauen, but Dauids deliuerance, and Gods fauourable protection of him in his troubles.

Reuel. 3. 4. For they are worthy.

Answ. 1. This is spoken of the persons, and not of their workes.

Secondly, the word worthy, is here indeterminately set downe, and doth not shew how they are worthy. Therefore before it bee determined, it must bee proued by other Scrip∣tures, how they became worthy: else merit cannot hence bee concluded.

Thirdly, men by the Gospell are worthy, not of themselues, but through Christ, who is their righteousnesse before God,

1. Cor. 1. 30. Worthy they were, because Christ was pleased to count them worthy, as 2. Thes. 1. 5.

Fourthly, this may be vnderstood comparatiuely, in respect of others in Sardis, who had defiled themselues, &c.* 1.2

Col. 2. 24. Knowing that ye shall receiue the reward of the inhe∣ritance; for yee serue the Lord Christ.

Answ. 1. Here the Apostle speakes of seruants, how in do∣ing faithfully their seruice to men, they serue Christ himselfe. Now, for seruants to serue their Master faithfully, is a duty com∣manded by God, Ephes. 6. 5, 6. But imposed duties done, can∣not merit, Luk. 17. 10. 1. Cor. 9. 16.

Secondly, the word for expresseth not the cause of the reward: but the signe and true token to our selues of obtaining it. It no∣teth the qualitie and condition of such as may looke for eternall life; as also the way and order, which they that come thereto, doe obserue here in this life, and not the cause thereof.

Gen. 15. I am thy great reward.

This is spoken of God himselfe. Can he himselfe be merited of vs? Can man by any worke bring God himselfe to bee the very due debt? I tremble to thinke so. Let any Pharise thus challenge God: I dare not.

1. Tim. 4. 8. Godlinesse hath promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Answ. 1. That which is of promise, commeth freely, and is not merited. God promised Christ. Did we merit him? Christ promised his holy Spirit. Was it merited?

Secondly, all promises of God made to his people, are made in Christ. In him all the promises of God are yea, and Amen; they haue their ground and performance in him, and for his sake, to vs. This very word cutteth the sinewes of Merit, and sheweth that we claime of God fidelitie in performing his pro∣mise, but not the paiment of a deserued debt.

2. Tim. 4. 8. The Crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lord that righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day.

Answ. 1. Before is shewed how eternall life, which is this Crowne of righteousnesse, is giuen vs freely by Christ.

Secondly, it is called the Crowne of righteousnesse, be∣cause

he glorifieth thus those whom hee iustifieth, Rom. 8. 30.

Thirdly, Saint Paul disclaimed iustification by his owne righteousnesse, 1. Cor. 4. 4. & 9. 16. and taught saluation to bee by grace, and not by workes, Ephes. 2. Here therefore hee speakes not of merit: for so should hee be contrarie to him∣selfe.

Fourthly, Saint Paul speaketh in verse 7. of nothing done by him, but that which by dutie hee was bound to doe. Was hee not bound to fight a good fight, to finish his course, and to keepe the faith? Then could hee not merit by his dutie, as be∣fore is proued.

Fifthly, the Lord is said to bee righteous in rewarding, not in respect either of vs, or of our worke, but in respect of his promise to reward, which he is iust to performe: for by our workes we make him not debter; but he makes himselfe so of his meere goodnesse by promising, for hee is not vniust to for∣get our works, Heb. 6. 10. for his owne promise sake: for hee is iust in his sayings, Rom. 3. 4. Where note also, that the truth of God, verse 7. is called the righteousnesse of God, verse 5. and he is said to be iust, as well in forgiuing, 1. Ioh. 1. 9. as in pu∣nishing: and a mercifull righteousnesse there is in God, euen his faithfulnesse towards his people, in performance of his Word, which is opposed to the iustice of God, by which hee rewards men according to their deserts, Psal. 143. 1, 21. Consider this well, and thou shalt neuer swell with merit.

2. Thes. 1. 5. That yee may bee counted worthy of the Kingdome of God, for which resuffer.

Answ. 1. Touching the word worthy: see before the answer to Reu. 3. 4.

Secondly, here it is not said, that they are worthy, or might be worthy, but, that they may be counted worthy. Now, to be so, and to be counted so, doe much differ. For they bee counted so, that in themselues are not so, but in another, as wee all bee through Christ. So Saint Paul prayeth to God for this, as a mercy from him, towards them, that hee would count them worthy. Now, God doth count none worthy but in Christ, in whom onely hee is pleased, Matth. 3. 17. Therefore the Thessa∣lonians

were not worthy by any thing in themselues. Thirdly, their sufferings made them not worthy of eternall life: for the Apostle had taught the contrary, Rom. 8. 18.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Gen. 4. Heb. 11.
• * 1.2

  Digni, non ex dignitate, sed dignatione.