Infidelity vnmasked, or, The confutation of a booke published by Mr. William Chillingworth vnder this title, The religion of Protestants, a safe way to saluation [i.e. salvation]

SECTION V. The Necessity of Grace for keeping the Commandements, and ouercoming temptations.

XXV. THis point giues me againe iust occasion to obserue, how they who deny a liuing jnfallible iudge of controuer∣sies, cannot auoyd running into pernitious extremes.

Some hold, that Christians are not bound in con∣science to keepe the Commandements; a in somuch as Luther is not afraid, nor ashamed to say: b

When it is taught, that indeed faith in Christ iustifies, but yet so as we ought to keepe the commandements, because it is writtē, if thou wilt enter into life, keepe the cōmandemēts there Christ is instantly denyed▪ ād faith abolished. And elswhere c Let vs take heed of sinnes, but much more of lawes, and good works; Let vs attend only to the promise of God and faith.

I wonder how a man can take heed of sinne, and ioyntly take heed of good workes. Shall he be still doing, and yet doe neither good, nor badd? Some teach, that it is impossible to keepe the commandements, euen with the assistance of diuine grace. Others, that they may be kept by the force of nature,

and that the assistance of Gods grace is not necessary, except only to keepe them with greater ease or facility.

XXVI. The true Catholike doctrine is, that we may keepe the com∣mandements, and ouercome temptations by the grace of God, not by our owne naturall forces: which is manifestly declared in Holy Scrip∣ture.

EZechiel 36.26. I will giue you a new hart, and put a new spirit in middest of you: and I will take away the stony hart out of your flesh, ād will giue you a fleshie hart. And I will put my spirit in the middest of you: and I will make that you walk in my precepts, and keepe my iudgments, and doe them. 1. Ioan. 5.3. This is the charity of God, that we keepe his commandements. Ioan. 14.23.24. If any loue me, he will keepe my word, and my father will loue him, and we will come to him and will make abode with him. He that loueth me not, keepeth not my words.

Behold, louing or not louing; keeping or not keeping the commandements, goe togeather: But we haue proued, that Grace is ne∣cessary to loue God; it is therfor necessary to keepe his commande∣ments.

Rom. 8.3. For, that which was impossible to the law, in that it was weakned by the flesh: God sending his son in the flesh of sinne, euen of sinne damnes sinne in the flesh. That the iustification of the Law might be fulfilled in vs.

1. Cor. 7.7. The Apostle teaches, that not only the continency of virgins, and widdowes, but maried people also, is the gift of God, saying:

Euery one hath a proper guift of God, one so, and another so. Sap. 8.21. And as I knew that I could not otherwise be continent, vnless God gaue it, this very thing also was wisdom, to know whose this gift was; I went to our Lord▪ and besought him. Rom. 2.13. Not the hearers of the Law are iust with God; but the doers of the Law shall be iustifyed.

And yet the same Apostle sayth Galat: 2, 21.

If iustice by the Law, then Christ dyed in vaine.

And we may say in the same manner, If iustice by nature, and not by Grace, Christ died in vaine. S. Iames 3.8.

The tong no man can tame. Rom. 5.20.21. The Law entered in that sinne might abound, and where sinne abounded, grace did more abound; that as sinne raigned to death: so also grace may raigne by iustice to life euerlasting through Iesus Christ our Lord.

Which words declare, that grace is so necessary for fulfilling the Law, that without it the Law was occasion of death, by reason of hu∣mane

frailty, and corruption. Rom. 4.15.

The Law worketh wrath. Rom. 7. V. 23.24.25. I see another Law in my members, repugning to the law of my mynd, and captiuing me in the law of sinne, that is in my members. Vnhappy man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? The grace of God by Iesus Christ our Lord. 1. Cor. 15.56 57. The power of sinne is the law. But thankes be to God that hath giuen vs victory by our Lord Iesus Christ. 1. Cor. 10.13. God is faithfull, who will not suffer you to be tempted aboue that which you are able: but will make also with tēptation issue, that you may be able to sustaine. Psalm. 17.30. In thee I shallbe deliuered from tēptation. Psa. 26.9. Be thou my helper, forsake me not. Psalm. 29.7.8. I sayd in my aboundance, I will not be moued for euer. Thou hast turned away thy face from me, and I became troubled. Psalm, 117.13. Being thrust I was ouerturned to fall, and our Lord receyued me. 1. Pet. 5. V. 8.9. Be sober and watch: because your aduersary the Diuel as a roaring lion goeth about, seeking whom he may deuoure: whom resist ye, strong in faith.

Not in naturall reason, humane discourse, orwitt, wherin the Diuell would be too hard for mortall men, not assisted by Gods holy Grace.

Notes

• a

  Vide Bellarm: de justificatione l. 4. Cap. 1.
• b

  In Commentario ad Cap: 2 ad Galatas.
• c

  In Sermone de nouo Testamento, si••e de M••ssa.