of8vferitf. 579 vntothem; {econdly,by theiro..ynedigni:ie: A !Or Chri!l: bath merited that our works nitght merit. And this is the fubfiance oftheir do– ~lrine. From it we diOent in thefe points. I. We renounce all perlonall merits, rhat is all merits withinthe perfon of any meere m~n- I I. And wee renounce all merit of workes,that is,all merit ofany worke done by any meere man whatfoeuer. And the true merit wherebywe looketo attaioe the fauour ofGod, andliteeuerlafiing, is to be found in the perfon ofChri!l: alone: who is the frore– houfe of all our merits : whofe prerogatiue it is,to be the perfon alone in whom God is well pleafed.Gods fanour is ofinfinite dignitie,and nocreature is able to doe aworke that may B couoteruaile the fauour ofGod,faue Chri!l: a· lone: who,by reafon ofthe dignity ofhis per– fon,beingnot ameere man : but God-man, or Man-god, can doe fuch workes as are ofend– lelfe dignitie, euery way anfwerable to the fa– uonr of God: and therefore fufficient to merit the fame for vs.And thoughamerit orme– ritorious w"rke agree onely to the perfon of Chrifr,yet is it m1de eurs,by imputation. For as his righteoufnes is made ours,foare hi• me– rits depending thereon: but his·righteoufneffe is made ours by imputation,as I haue fhewed. Hence arifeth another point, namely, that as Chrifisrighteoufnelfe is made ours really by imputation to make vs righteous : fo wee by the merit ofhis righteoufr1effe imputed to vs, ·c doe merit and def<rue life euerlall:ing. And · thi• is our doGrioe. Ina word , the Papitt: maiaraineth the merit of his owne workes: but we renounce them all, and refrolily on the merit ofChrifi.Aod that our doC!rine is trath, ,and theirs fahbood, I will make-manifefi by Cundry reafons; and then anfwer their argu– ments tothe connary. 0NrRe4jins. The fir£! rhall be.taken from the properties andconditions that mull: bee in a workemeri– torious,and they are foure. I. Aman mu£! doe itofhimf<lfe,and by himfelfe: for ifitbe done by another, the merit doth aot properly be. lm1g to the doer. I!. Aman mull: doeit oft his own free-will& pleafure, not ofdue debt: D for when we doe that whichweare bound to doe,wedoe no more but our dutie. II J, The · worke mull: be done to the profit ofanother, who thereupon mu£! bee bound to repay the like. I V. The reward and the .worke mufl: be in_proportion equall : for ifthe reward be more the the work,it isnot a reward ofdefert buca giftofgood wii.Hence followes a nota– ble conclufion: That Chrifts Manhoodco•fide. redc_pattftomhH GodhMd s cannotmerit.tt GQds h~nd: though it bee more exce/Jent eseryw4y~then all,bothmen.,dA•gels. For being thuoconfi. dered, it doth nothing ofit felfe, butby grace receiued from the Godhead : thopgh it bee alfo without meafure. Se.condly,Chrifisman– hoodis a creature, aqd in that regard bound to doe whatfoeuer it doth. Thirdly,Chrifl: a• man cannot giue any thing to God , but that which hereceiued from God; therefore can– not the manhood properly by it (elfe merit, butonly as it is perfonally vnited totheGod– headoftheSon. Andifthisbefo, thenmuch ldfe can any meere man, or any Angel merit: yea it is amaduestothinke, thateither our a– ftions orperfons fhould be capable ofany me– rit whereby we mi~htattaine to life eternall. Re4jon.ll. Exoa.2o.6. Andfhewmercievp– on thoufands inthemthat loue mee,and keepe my commandements. Hence I reafon thus : Where reward is giuenvpon mercy , there is no merit:butreward isgiuen ofmercy to them that fulfill thelaw:therefore oo.merir:. What can we any way def.rue,when onr full rrcom– pence mull: beof mercie ! And this app~ares further by .4Jam: ifhe had flood to this day, hee could not by his cominuall and perfeft o– bedience haue procured a further increafe of fauour at Gods hand, butibouldonely haue continued rhat happic efiate in which he was fir{l created. -, Reafon.l! r. Scripture dired!y condemotth meritefworkes. Rom.6.23. Thewagesujfinne u Jwh: but thegift of God u ~terna/1/i(e tho. roNgh lefH• Chrift our Lord. The propolition ofthe argument required, that S. Paul fhould haue faid:the reward ofgood workcs is cter– nall life, iflife euerlafring could be deferued, which cannottbecaufe itis afree gifr. Againc 1 Tit. 3·5. Wurefoued,not bywor/t.!s if righteeuf neffo whichwe hfiMdnr.e,bMaccllrding to hi.smer_ 9 hefouedvs.And Eph.2.8.1o. Bygracejouare ./auedthrostgh[4ith~and that not ofyourftlue.t,i't i4 thegift uj.God;not ofwork!s,which Godbathpre. paredthatl!'!fhouldwalk!inthem. Ifanyworks be crowned,it iscerrainethat thcfufferings cf Martyrsfhall be rewarded;now ofthem 'l'auf faith,Rom 8·t8.Thefo!feri>Jgsufthillifearc•.ot worthygfrheglory toctJme. Where then i,s the valueanddig•1itieof others workes ? l'o tnis purpofe Ambroft faith, The iNjJ man though hee be tormentedinthebrafinBuO, ilfti/1 iJ<ft,becaHft heiuflijieth God,andfoith, he fi1ffereth leffithen hufinnes doftrue. ' Retlfon.l V.Whofoeuerwill merit,mufi fulfill the whole law: but none >an keepe t_he wholelaw :for if we)"), wehauenofinne,we de. ceiHeo,-fiiues, t .Joh.t. 8. And he thatfinues .againft one commandemeot, isguilty of the r,m.>. whole law:and what canhemeritthat is ~uil· ro. tieofthebreachofthewholelaw.l . ~hub. G Reafon. V. We aretaughtt<l pray on this u . manner,Giut vsthil Jay olir daily bred: wherin ~: weacknowledge euery morfell of bread to be the meere gifi:ofGod withoutdeC.rt: & theefore mu£! we much moreacknowledge life e– ternaltobeeuery way thegift ofGod<Itmuft needs therefore be a Satanical! infolencie for any mama imagine,that he can by hisworke~ , De in. merit ererna,IJ life, who qonet merit bread. rerpdla. Rettjon. VI.Confelit ofthe ancient Church. toone (e) Bmtard, Thoft whi>hwuaJioJIT'merits,•re Douid..;. , the 'Ill") to the kJ.ngdome, 4ndnet the caufe of ;:~ Ptal. re.!g_!Jing
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