--------------- [hrijl the true andperfe'Et qaine. Do m 0 n. fondyeres,andthatmofl~eaiOJtjly, (a) heJbouid A fur:n_ione Rot worthilydeferHe to be i~ theki.ngdomeofheaHtR cw·os.,n.lfOnmch .uhalfead~.S.Bernard faith,Touching ~0~~·. eremdlift,we""""thatthefoffering' ofthutime merecur 4renot 1Vorthy of the glory tocome.; no 710t if one "conJhouldfoffera/I.For the meritJ ofmen arenotJitch d1gno. thllt tternaiJ lifewMJ be dHejDr thttn~ Dr that Gad ~~~~~;1,~e Jhoulddoefame in~urie if b,g_'r,He st not. Forto lrt Virg. paffe~that41lmcrttJ .crcthegifuofGod~ &foman fcrm. r. U r~thcrde.hter to Godforthem)then Godtfl man, anno whtttare all merit tofogre~tt aglory? Lnpty,who ll4o. io betterthlthe.Prophtt,tfJwhomthe LordgiHeth fo worthy a tejlimonie,faying:1h11Hefo1mdam4n, accgrding tomineownehem-t? For allth::zt be httd needtofay to God, En.ter not into i1uigeme11t with B thyftrH•nt. Againe in proceAe of rime,when the merit of coudignttie had taken place , it wasnot generallyreceiued:forit was reieaed offundry fchoolemen, and others, as Gf Gre– goryof .Arimine, ofD11r4nd, ofWaldmfi', of B11rgmjis,and ScotHS. Wherefore to conclude, it nowappeares robe an infallible certaintie, that hethatdeGres to be faued by Chrifi,mufr endure the lolfe of all his workes and venues whatfoeuer, in rhecaufe ofhis own iufiificati– on. Now then if this doOrioe be f0 certaine and infallible,asit is:rherialfo mull we be fee– led in this point witbout doubting, that the prefent ChurchofRome erreth grieuoufly, in that it magnifierh the merit ofworkcs:Yea in C this regard i~ reucrfeth rho very foundation of rrue religion. For if they make aduantage in rho matter offaluation by their works, Chrifr mu£! n<eds vpon infallible c>rtcntie be their lolfe: becaufe Paul makes all workslolfe,thar Chrill may be aduanta~e· Therefore,tarre be it from vs all, to haue any dealing or co~tra<i of fodetie with that Cl<!urch, lefiwe bt par– takers ofhet dangerous and fcarefulllolfes. Againe, in that all vertues and workes of grace are but loflhfor Chrifi; wee mufr not only in our firll cooucrfionJ but cuer afte.r– ward, though we be iufhfied andfanOili<d, euenin the pang of death, by mcere faith, rdl on rhe.meere mercie of God, andapprehend naked Chrifl, that is, Chrill feuercd, in the cafeof faloarion,fromall refpeas of all ver- D tues and workes wharfoeuer. For there is no· thing oppofed to the feuere iudgement of God,but meere Chrifl. If we doe prefume to oppofe any ofourdoingstothe fentenceofthe law,hell,death, cor.dciY·n,\tion, we are fure to goe bytheloflel. Thus much of the cettcnty of 'Pauls lolfes, now followos the ueccfsitie ofthern.They are necefiirie, inasmuchas withtllem, no man can hauepartin Chrill. For the merit ofour vettues and good workes,& the grace ofGod in Chrifi cannot fiand togtther: yea they ar< cootrary as fire & water, and one ouerthrow– cth another in the caufe of iufrificarion and faluarion.Paul,to fignifie this c6rrariety faith, R Il lfelefJicnbcofgrace,# u norofwor/zf:indifit be 6 .om. ' ofworkes,itis not ofgrace.And againe,l/ye Gal. H· beiujlijiedbphe law,ye•re4bo#foedftom Chrijl. And to the fame purpofe Amhroft faith grace u !Yho!Jy rEcetued,or"'holiylof/:and .Auguf/ine:Ir uno W4_!grace~ that i4n()t ftee!J giutntHfYJl'Pay. Hence It followes, thatthe prefcnt religion of rhe Church of Rome aboiilheth Chrifr, in as much as it maintaines & magnifies the merit ofgood works: And this may he gathered by the very dotl:nne of that Church. For it tea– cheth,that men mufr be faued by their praiers, fafrings,almes,pilgrimages,buildingofChur_ ches,chappeis, bridges,&c. What then !hall the pa1Sio11 ofChrifrdoe lwhereto ferues it 1 T.hey anfwer, that it frees vs from death, aRd gmes to our workes, themeritofetcrnaliiife and make them meritoriowfly to increafe ou: iufrification. Henceit followcs,that Chrill is no more but the r. caufe ofour faluation, and t~atwe ourfeiues arefecondary caufc:svuder h1m,and with him. And thus he is made, ofa Sauiour,noSauiour. Secondly, bythe former necefsitie welearne, that whofoeuer will be faued by the merit ofChrifr, mufr come vnto him without vertucs or W<trkes of his owne, cot carrying inhcart,fo muchasthe leafi con• fidence inthem, dlccming himfelfe to bee a rnofi vile, wretched,and miferable finner, as the Publican did, who prayed, Lord bemerci– fulltomoafinncr. Hitherto ofP••Is lolfes: now foilowes the fecond part ofthecomparifon,touchingP4Hls gaine,21ut Chrijl UmJ Gaine.A fentenceto be remembrcd, and to be writteninthetablesof our heart for euer. An.! the reafon thereof is ·manifefr: Chrifi our mediarour God & man, i• the onely founraine ofall good things, that arc,or canbethoughton,whether fpiriruall,or temporal!. Saintlohnfaith,OfhufH/nes we re- Joh.r.r6. ctiNegraceforgra&e. AgaincPaulfaith,lnhim Cob.3. ~n the tre•Jieres of"'ifidome and k;zowledge4re &v.1o. ~idck: and,Teareccmpleate inhim. Andhecals ~:Tim.:.. Chrillourll,anftme,or CoHnttrprice, And as he makes .4d•m the roore ofall euill in mankind, fo he makes Chrilt the roote of all grace and goodndfe. Forthe better clearingMthis dotl:rine, two points are to be handled 1 When Chrill is our gainc I and how? Touching the rimewhen,J fet downc three things.He isour gaine in this life: he is o~r gaine in death: and he is ourgaine after death. To retumetothe firfr:he is our gain in life, ifwe turne from our euill waies, and beleeue in him, in as much as he harh giuen for vs many benefir., which l will reduce rotenne heads.The lirfr is,pardon 1 , offin, witboutrearme oftime, whether pafl, prefenr,or to come.Yet muft wehere remem~ ber, that pardon of fiune is notgiuen abf<>· lutely, whether men repentor no, butvpon codirionofour repentance. The fecond IS the impuraricn of Chrifis obedience in fulfilling •· the law,for our iullificatiq pefore God. From the former benefit ariferh our freedomefrom hell and from the law, in refpeCI ofthecurfe rhe;eof: and from the fecond arifeth aRight to eterna!llife·whereofthe poffefsion is ref<rBed w thelife;ocome.The third isour Adop3• tion,_
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