CHAP. I. Of mans workes done before grace , or of preparation in man vnto Iustification , commonly called the merit of Congruitie .

The Romish Faith .

THE title of the fift Chapter of the sixt Session of the Councell of Trent , is Of the necessitie Concil. Trid. Ses. 6. cap. 5. of preparation to Iustification in men of ripe age ; where they say , That by their free-will , stirred vp and helped by grace , they are disposed to conuert themselues to their Iustification , by free assenting and cooperating with the same grace . Ibid. cap. 6. Free-will the mother of Romes preparatory workes . The ground of which disposition to Iustification , is freewill ; which cooperating with grace , produceth fixe seuerall workes of preparation , laid downe by the Councell here , and reckoned vp by Vega , one of the Councels chiefe champions . Vega lib. 6. de preparatione adultorum ad Iustif. cap. 12. First , an Historicall faith conceiued by hearing , beleeuing the truth of Gods promises to a sinner in generall : Secondly , a feare of Gods iustice , arising from the apprehension of their sinnes ; whence they arise ( thirdly ) to a hope , by conuerting themselues to the consideration of Gods mercy , trusting that God , for Christs sake , will be fauourable vnto them ; whom they then begin ( fourthly ) to loue , as the fountaine of all righteousnesse : and therefore are moued by a hatred and detestation against sinne , that is ( fiftly ) by that * * Per ●am paenitentiam , Which I translate Penance , according to the vsuall and vulgar language of their Rhemes Testament : nor haue they any other repentance but Penance . Can. 1. Penance which they are to doe before Baptisme , while ( sixtly ) they resolue to receiue Baptisme , to begin a new life , and to keepe the Commandements of God . And Can. 1. If any man shall say that a man may be iustified before God by his owne workes , which are done either by the power of mans nature , or by the doctrine of the Law , without diuine grace by Iesus Christ , let him be accursed .

CHAP. II. Wherein the doctrine of Romish preparation is examined .

IT being the maine drift of this Councell , to establish a righteousnesse inherent in a mans selfe ; and not finding how to dimme the bright sun-shine of truth against this doctrine , but by an artificiall shadow of the second beames of grace , medled and mingled with blinde , or at the best , bleare-eyed nature : therefore the iudicious Reader may obserue , how while this Councell would seeme in part to ascribe the worke of Iustification to Gods grace , it doth in deed , and in the maine , attribute it to mans nature ; as may appeare in laying the first stone of this Babylonish building , Of the necessitie of preparation to Iustification . The whole frame of which preparation , composed according to the modell of their Schoole-diuinitie , as Cabriel Biel , one of their chiefe Sententiaries , who liued ●●el ●ist. 14. lib. ● ▪ quaest ▪ 2. about fifty yeares before this Councell , hath laid it downe , as , That the Act of the will , presupposeth the Act of the vnderstanding ; and the Act of faith goes formost to apprehend the abomination of sinne , and the wages of it : hence a feare of Gods wrath , and of hell fire , hence a dislike and detestation of sinne . And this ( saith he ) is a disposition of Congruity , neither immediate nor sufficient , but very remote . Then faith turnes it selfe to the consideration of Gods mercy , and resolueth that God is ready to remit sinne , through the infusion of charity , to those that are sufficiently prepared and disposed . Vpon that consideration followeth the act of hope , whereby a man begins to couet after God , as the soueraigne good ; and from this act of hope , he riseth to loue God aboue all things , euen out of pure naturals . From this loue issueth another dislike and detestation of sinne ; not for feare of damnation , but for God , finally , aboue all things beloued : And all these acts are followed with a purpose of amendment . And so at length this comes to be a sufficient merit of Congruity , being the immediate and finall disposition to the infusion of grace . And this is such a preparation , as doth necessarily , as by a chaine of so many infolded linkes , draw after it the infusion of grace , whereby a man is iustified . Thus wee see , by what perplexed pathes they would leade men towards their iustification . But note here , what a power they giue to this preparation , as euen to necessitate and inforce the infusion of grace : because , saith Biel , to a man that doth as much as lyes in him , God hath determined infallibly to giue grace . And Aquinas saith , it is a merit of Congruity , that when a man Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art. 3. c. & ● . c. doth wellvse his vertue , God , according to his super-excellent vertue , should worke more excellently in him : Videtur Congruum , saith he : It seemes Congruous , and agreeable to reason , that a man operating according to his vertue , God should recompence him according to the excellencie of his vertue . Yea , such is the force of this merit of Congruity , that according to Thomas , Aqu. 12 qu. 1●4 a. 6. c. quian , homo &c. it will merit not onely grace for a mans selfe , but also for another man : for because ( saith he ) a man in the state of grace doth fulfill the will of God , it is Congruous , or fitting , that according to the proportion of friendship , God should fulfill mans will in the saluation of another man . Such is the nature of their doctrine of Congruitie , of which sort are their workes of preparation , disposing and fitting a man for grace . And this is the sense and summe of the Trent doctrine , touching preparation .

Now to cut off this Goliahs head , we neede no other than his owne sword . First , concerning the title it selfe , of the necessity of preparation in the Adulti , or men growne , as we call them ; note here the vanity of this doctrine , how therein they confound themselues . For I would aske them , whom they meane by their Adulti , or men of yeares ? Those within their The vanity and incongruitie of Popish preparation . owne Church , such as are baptized ? or Heathens and Pagans , without the pale of the Church , such as are not yet baptized , as Turkes , Iewes , or Indians ? Surely they mention those Adulti that are not yet baptized . But it must needs be , that they include Concil. Trid. Ses. 6. cap. 6. their owne Adulti : for else what vse is there in their Church of this doctrine of preparation , which they so highly aduance & commend , vnlesse it be among the barbarous Indians ? But their Adulti haue already ( according to their doctrine ) receiued the grace of Iustification in their Baptisme , conferring grace , as they say , ex opere operato : which grace being once by any mortall sin afterwards lost , there can be no more merit of Congruitie , to merit a reparation of grace , as it is in the preparation vnto grace , as Thomas teacheth . Aqu. 12. quaest. ● 14. art. 7. c.

But leaue we the title , and let vs come to the thing . Popish preparation vnto grace , hangs vpon two speciall hinges : First , free-will ; secondly , that this free-will is moued by grace , which their Schoole-men call the first grace , implyed in this * * This Councell speakes of a former and later grace , but names them not . Ses. 4. cap. 5. Concil. Trin. Ses. 6. Can. 5. Councell . A free-will they must haue , though they confesse it to be weake and feeble . And such a free-will wee easily grant them ; as loth to incurre their Anathema , for saying that free-will is altogether lost , and extinguished by Adams fall . The praise which Vega , their Interpreter , giues to Richardus learned saying ( as he cals it ) of free-will , wee also ( with its proper limitation ) admit of . a a Doctè Richardus ( de statu inter hom. cap. ●2 . ) Cum audis liberum arbitrium esse captiuum , nihil aliud intellige , quàm infirmum , & natiuae potestatis virtute priuatum . Andr. Vega lib. 15. de vera & sicta iusti● . cap. ● . When thou hearest ( saith he ) that free-will is a captiue , vnderstand nothing else , but that it is weake , and depriued of the vertue of its natiue power . Being thus weake then , how should it dispose it selfe to receiue grace ? No , saith the Councell , ( as also their Schoole-men ) Free-will being weake , it must be stirred vp , moued , and helped by grace , and then it disposeth it selfe freely to receiue the grace of iustification . So free-will , as the God Baal , being asleepe , must bee awakened , and stirred vp by Gods grace . Well , but what grace of God is this , I pray you , that thus moueth mans free-will , as the waight , that sets the wheele a going ? Surely I can learne no more from the Councels own mouth , ( who knowes full well how to temper her words ) but that this mouing grace of God is some sound in the eare , whereby Popish faith is conceiued . Or else , when God toucheth mans heart by the Concil. Trin. Ses. 6. cap. 5. illumination of the Holy Ghost , according to that of Gabriel Biel , who saith , that the will in the acts of it , doth presuppose the acts of the vnderstanding : and the vnderstanding wee know , must be informed by hearing , or by speciall illumination . But in generall , this grace they call the first grace , or a Prima gratia , seu gratia gratis data : secunda gratia , seu gratia gratum saciens . Romes first and second grace . grace that is freely giuen , differing from the second grace , which they call a grace that makes a man gracious and acceptable . They say , this first grace is freely giuen , because no merit goes before it : neither is this any sauing grace , because ( as they confesse ) all men are alike capable of it , and many receiue it , that neuer come to saluation . This is that grace , which Arminius cals his sufficient grace .

But Aquinas saith plainly , that this first grace is not the Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art. 3. 6. grace of the Holy Ghost ; for to the grace of the Holy Ghost , hee attributeth the merit of Condignity : but to that grace , whereby the will disposeth it selfe , the merit only of Congruitie . But this first grace being once receiued , and entertained by free-wil , cooperating with it , a man disposeth & prepareth himselfe to merit the second grace by way of Congruity . And yet Aquinas , speaking of this grace , saith , Deus non dat gratiam Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art. 5. ad 2. nisi dignis , &c. God giues not grace but to the worthy ; yet ( saith hee ) not so , as being first worthy , but because hee by grace makes them worthy . O miserable perplexity ! If God giue grace to none but to the worthy , then they were worthy before hee gaue them grace ; but if they were not worthy before he gaue them grace , how doth he giue grace to none but to the worthie ? But whatsoeuer this first grace is , wherby the will is first moued , Aquinas tels vs what it is not ; namely , that it is not the Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art. 3. c. grace of the Holy Ghost : for the merit that proceedeth of the grace of the Holy Ghost , is of Condignity ; but the merit that proceedeth from free-will , moued by the first grace , is onely the merit of Congruity , farre inferiour to that of Condignitie . But that we may not lose our selues in this Maze , let Vega and Soto tell vs the Counsels minde in this point , as being themselues most prinie to it . Onely the worst is , wee finde them two of opposite opinions , in this point of merit by Congruitie . Vega admitteth merit of Congruity after the first Vega de meritis ex Congruo iustif . cap. 7. grace , disposing a man to the grace of iustification . But it is pretty to note the vafrous and subtile elusion and euasion that he findeth against the streame of Fathers , and especially of St. Augustine in this point : For whereas they ( as himselfe confesseth ) Ibid. propos . 3. shut out all kind of merit from iustification , teaching that it is freely giuen to all : Vega turnes the Cat in the pan , and saith , Loquuntur de gratia iustificationis , &c. They speake A notable Pontifician shift . ( saith he ) of the grace of iustification , as it comprehends all the gifts of God belonging to our iustification ; whereof , in that proposition a little before , hee makes the first grace to be one . And so take iustification as it comprehends the first grace in it , it excludes all merit ; because no merit goes before the first grace , as the most of them teach : but taking the grace of iustification alone by it selfe , which is the gratia gratum faciens , the grace that makes a man accepted , it may bee questioned ( saith he ) whether that may not fall vnder the merit at least of Congruitie . Whereupon hee inferreth his fourth proposition , which is , That faith and other good workes , whereby wee are disposed Ibid propos . 4. Fides & alia bona opera , quil us disponimur ad gratiam gratum facientem , qua ●or● aliter iustificamur , & simus accepti Deo , meritoria sunt ex Congruo eiusmodi gratiae , & nostra iustificationis . vnto the second grace , by which wee are formally iustified , and made acceptable to God , doe by Congruitie merit such grace , and our iustification . Yea Vega ibid. saith , Alia sunt merita ex congruo , quae in peccatoribus reperiuntur , quae nullo praemi● digna sunt , quia fiunt ab hominibus Deo ingratis & exo●is : sed tamen eiusmodi ex se sunt , vt Congruum sit , & diuinam bonitatem condeceat , ea ex liberalitate & benignitate sua acceptare , vt trahat peccatores ad suam gratiam : Of another sort are those merits of Congruitie found in sinners , which are worthy of no reward , as being done by men not liked nor beloued of God : but yet of themselues they are such , that it is Congruous and meete , and beseeming the diuine goodnesse , out of his liberalitie and bountie to accept them , that hee may draw sinners to his grace . But Soto on the other side , shutteth out all manner of merit of Congruity , going before iustification . Pergimus Soto de nat. & grat . lib. 2. cap. 4 de merito ex congruo . pro ingenio nostro constituere , &c. Wee proceede ( saith Soto ) according to our capacitie to define , that before iustification , which is wrought by that grace that makes a man accepted , there is in mans workes no merit , either of Condignitie or of Congruitie . But a little after , hee makes a full amends for it , saying , Cum autem quis , &c. When a man begins once to be in the state of grace , ( to wit of iustification ) then may hee merit both for himselfe by Condignitie , and for others by Congruitie . Other merit of Congruity , going before the grace of iustification , Soto confesseth he findes no foundation of any , vnlesse that of St. Augustine , alleadged by Thomas ; Fides meretur iustificationem ; that faith meriteth iustification . But Soto would haue this put among St. Augustines retractations : whereas by Merit in that place , is meant , not either any Congruity or Condignity , ( termes vnknowne to the ancient Fathers in any such sense ) but onely the meanes or instrument to procure or acquire grace . And as Soto himselfe a little after , acknowledgeth St. Augustines meaning , expressed by himselfe , by the word Impetrare iustificationem : That whereas he saith , Faith doth merit iustification , his meaning is , faith obtaineth iustification , sine aliqua ratione meriti ; without any respect of merit .

Here let mee insert by the way , a worthy annotation of What the ancient Fathers vnderstood by the word Merit . George Cassander , vpon the word Mereri , or Merit , in his second Scholia vpon his Ecclesiasticke hymnes , printed at Paris 1616 ▪ for in other later impressions , haply you shall finde this Scholia is quite purged out by the Index Expurgatorius , composed by the commandement of the Catholike King , Philip the second , and by the aduice also of the Duke of Albany ; the copy whereof was printed at Strasburgh . The words of the Index are these : Scholium incipiens , Vocabulum merendi apud veteres , &c. deleatur totum . The Scholium of George Cassander , beginning thus , &c. Let it be wholly cancelled ▪ But being notwithstanding preserued from this Purgatory fire , let vs note it . Vocabulum merendi apud veteres Ecclesiasticos Scriptores , ferè idem valet , quod consequi , seu aptum idoneumque fieri ad consequendum . Id , quodinter caetera , vel ex vno Cypriani loco apparet . Nam quod Paultu inquit , 1. Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quod vulgò dicitur , Misericordiam consecutus sum : vel vt Erasmus veriit , Misericordiam adeptus sum : id Cyprianus ad Iubaianum legit , Misericordiam merui . Et multa loca sunt in Ecclesiasticis officijs , & precibus , vbi hoc vocabulum hoc intellectu accipi debeat . Quae vocis notio si retineatur , multa quae duriùs dici videntur , mitiora & commodiora apparebunt . The word Merit ( saith Cassander ) among ancient Ecclesiasticall Writers , doth commonly import as much , as to attaine , or to be made apt and fit to attaine , or obtaine . That , which among others , doth appeare out of one place of Cyprian . For that which Paul saith , 1. Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , which the vulgar latine rendreth , But I obtained mercie : or as Erasmus rendreth it , I got or receiued mercie . The same doth Cyprian to Iubaianus reade , I merited mercie . And many other places ( saith hee ) there are in the Ecclesiasticall offices and prayers , where this word ( Merit ) ought to bee taken in this sense . Which sense of the word , if it bee retained , many things which seeme to be spoken harshly , will appear more gentle and accommodate . Thus Cassander . But this ( among sundry other sayings of Cassander ) being condemned by the Index to bee purged out of his workes , doth plainly shew what opinion the Pontificians haue of Merit , aduancing it to a sense of a higher straine , than the ancient Fathers of the Church were euer acquainted withall . Or let the Pontificians themselues interpret vnto vs the meaning of this word Merit , vsed by St. Augustine , speaking of the sinne of our first Parents , Foelix culpa , quae tale● August . meruit Redemptorem . Will they say , that Adams sinne merited , either by Congruity or by Condignity , Christ the Redeemer ? And againe , where hee saith , Nemo de sui peccati dimissione desperet , Aug de tempore ser. 35. quando illi veniam meruerunt , qui occiderunt Christum : Let none despaire of the pardon of his sinne , when as they merited pardon which killed Christ . Will they therefore say , that they which murthered Christ , merited pardon , either Congruously or Condignly ? Or what meant Gregory , firnamed the Great , Bishop of Rome , when he vsed the word Merit to Sauls persecuting the Church of Christ , saying * * Greg. in Fuang . hom. 34. Illi dictum est , Quid me persequeris ? Iste verò audire meruit , Dimissum est tibi peccatum tuum ; To him it was said , Why do est thou persecute me ? But he merited to heare , Thy sinne is forgiuen thee . What merit was this trow we ? And the same Gregory speaking of the theefe vpon the Crosse , saith , Latro cruentis manibus audire meruit , &c. The theefe with his bloudy hands merited to heare , This day shalt thou be with me in Paradise . What merit was in his bloudy hands ? But thus we see the meaning of the word Merit in these purer and ancient times , vsed for to obtaine , or such like .

But to returne whence we digressed ; we see Vega and Soto , two grand Captaines in the Trent Councell , one directly opposite to the other in the matter of merit of Congruity . But the Councell , through the dexterity of * * See Histor. Concil. Trid. lib. 2. Pontificians can with facility reconcile flat contradictions . Sancti Crucij , hath so composed the decrees , and namely this of preparation , as that by profound equiuocations , euen flat contradictions are reconciled . But the conclusion is , that merit of Congruitie is ratified by the Councell , in the necessity of preparatorie workes to iustification ; but inuolued in such generall termes , that Soto and his side holding the contrary , may not take offence at it , but be made to beleeue , that the Councell is for them . In so much as Soto in his three bookes de Natura & Gratia , which he writes as a Commentary of this Session of the Councell , sets downe all the Decrees and Canons of the same , as the ground and text of his Commentary .

Take one notable instance of their egregious equiuocation , in the first Canon of this Session before alleadged . If any Si quis dixerit , hominem suis operibus , quae vel per humanae naturae vires , vel per legis doctrinam siant , absque di●ina per Iesum Christum gratia , possè iustificari coram Deo , Anathema sit . Can. 1. man shall say , that a man may bee iustified before God by his owne workes , which are done either by the power of mans nature , or by the doctrine of the law , without diuine grace by Iesus Christ , let him be accursed . Note here what variety of senses this Canon is full charged withall . Would Vega and his side haue their merit of Congruity decreed ? Here is a Canon leueld against all those that shall say , that a man by his own works may be iustified before God , without the grace of God ; implying , that by , and with the grace of God assisting a man , he may be iustified before God by his owne works , done by the power of nature ( as his free-will ) or by the doctrine of the law . Yea but thus Soto may feare , that the Anathema , the deadly bullet of this Canon , will hit himselfe , for denying all merit of Congruity , done by the power of nature , assisted by grace , going before iustification . Then let Soto but view ouer the Canon againe , & hee shall see it turned and leuelled against the Pelagians , who taught , that a man by his owne workes , done by the power of nature , may be iustified before God , without diuine grace by Iesus Christ . Or against the vnbeleeuing Iewes , who thought to be iustified before God by the obseruation of Moses law , sauing onely that the Councell hath cautelously and correctedly expressed this , vnder the name of the letter of Moses law , Chapt. 1. as here , vnder the name of the doctrine of the law , lest ( as the History of the Trent-Councell hath well obserued ) if it had passed ( as at the first draught ) in these words , per legem Mosis , by Moses law ; then exception might haue beene taken in the behalfe of Circumcision , to which some ascribing remission of sinnes , this Canon or that Decree might haue been a preiudice to their opinion . Thus all parties , euen the contrary factions of that Councell , were well satisfied , while one side conceiued the Decree made expresly for them ; and the other side , that it made not against them . The Decrees being not vnlike an artificiall indented picturetable , which to him that lookes full vpon it , presents one kinde of forme or face ; to him that stands on the one side , another forme ; and to him on the other side , a third . Or like a plaine picture , which hanging on the wall , although the posture of the face be set one way , yet it seemes to cast equall aspect vpon euery one in the roome . Thus is verified that of Guido Clemens , Priest and Cardinall of St. Potentiana , who saith , that in the Church of Rome there is quaedam radix duplicitatis , Ioh. Sarisbury ▪ in Polychron . lib. 6 cap. 4. simplicitati columbae contraria ; a certaine roote of doublenesse , which is contrary to the doues simpliciti● . To conclude this point of Popish preparation ; it is so farre from fitting and disposing a man to receiue the grace of iustification ( grace of iustification being rightly vnderstood ) as it is a maine impediment and stumbling blocke in the way vnto it . For whereas this preparation of theirs aduanceth mans free-will , and other naturall powers to the attainment of grace ; what doth this else but puffe a man vp with a conceit of himselfe , that he is in a better state than indeed he is , as hauing something left in him , which being helped by some motion of common ( or I wot not what ) grace , is able to leade him to the full possession of grace , and so of glory ? Gregory saith well , Hee that Greg. Past. Curae pars 3. admon . 33. Qui morbum suum nescit , quomodo medicum quaerit ? maior enim , quò citius , quia sit culpa , agnoscitur , co etiam celeriùs emendatur : minor verò , dum quasi nulla creditur , cò peiùs & securiùs in vsu retinetur . knowes not his disease , how doth he seek to the Physitian ? for the greater the fault is , being the sooner acknowledged , it is the more speedily amended ; but the lesser sinne , while it is deemed to be as it were none at all , is so much the worse , and more securely kept in vre . If Saint Paul , speaking in the person of a regenerate man , as exercised with the combate betweene the flesh and the spirit a a Rom. 7. 18. , complaines , that in him , that is , in his flesh dwels no good thing : then what good thing can there be in any vnregenerate man to dispose him to any grace , whose b b Gen. 6. imaginations of his heart are onely euill continually ? They are euill , and onely euill ; and that continually onely euill . If corrupt Nature haue yet any thing left to brag off , if any free-will to this grace whereof we speake ; where is that conuicting power of the Law , that makes sinne out of measure sinfull ? That casts a man downe in the sense of his misery , causing him to cry out , c c Rom. 7. 13. Wretched man that I am , who shall deliuer me from this bodie of death ? How shall a man come to Christ , wearie and laden , that he may be refreshed ? How comes the vngodly to be iustified , if hee bring any merit to dispose him thereunto ? How shall the Law then be our Schoolmaster to bring vs to Christ , who came not to call the righteous , but sinners to repentance ? Wee need none other testimony to conuince this Pontifician puffe-doctrine of preparatory workes , to bee at the least Cousin-germaine to that of the Pelagians , than the Councell of Trent it selfe .

The Pelagians held , that some men vsing the reason of their owne will , haue or doe liue in this world without any sinne . To this agreeth that Canon of Trent , If any shall say , that all Se● . 6. Ca● . 7. Si quis dixerit , opera omnia , quae ante iustificationem fiunt , quacunque ratione facta sunt , verè esse peccata , vel odium Dei mereri , &c. Anathema sit . workes done before iustification , howsoeuer they bee done , are truely sinnes , and deserue the hatred of God ; let him be accursed . Compare now the Pelagian and Pontifician doctrine together , and one egge is not liker another . a a Pelagians & Pontificians compared together . All workes done before iustification are not truely sinnes , say the Trent-Fathers ; therefore the workes of the Pelagian heretickes done before , or without iustification , whatsoeuer , or howsoeuer done , are no sinnes , as they taught . Shall St. Austine be vmpire in this case ? b b Aug. contra Pelagianos . lib. 3. in fine . tom. 7. Pelagianorum sententia est , sine vllo peccato , aliquos homines tam ratione propriae voluntatis vtentes , in hoc saeculo vixisse vel viuere . Optandum est vt fiat , conandum est vt fiat , supplicandum est vt fiat , non tamen quasi factum fuerit , confidendum est . Qui seipsum talem putat , ipse se decipit , & veritas in eo non est ; non ob aliud , nisi quia falsum putat . It is the opinion of the Pelagians , that some men by vsing the reason of their owne will , haue , and doe liue in this world without sinne . It were to be wished so , it were to be laboured for , it is to be prayed for , yet not to be beleeued , as if it were so . He that thinkes himselfe such a one , deceiueth himselfe , and the truth is not in him ; for no other cause , but because he deemeth falsely . And in another place hee saith , Si Gentilis ( inquis ) nudum operuit , nunquid quia non est ex Aug. contra Iul. Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3. tom. 7. fide , peccatum est ? Prorsus in quantum non est ex fide , peccatum est ; non quia per scipsum factum , quod est nudum operire , peccatum est : sod in tali opere non in Domino gloriari , solus impius negat esse peccatum . Nam quamuis bona , malè tamen facit ; ideo negare non potes eum peccare , qui malè quodlibet facit . Fructus bonos non facit arbor mala : An dicis hominem infidelem arborem bonam ? If a Heathen ( saist thou ) shall couer the naked , is it therefore a sin , because it is not of faith ? Certainly , in as much as it is not of faith , it is sinne ; not in regard of the worke it selfe , which is to clothe the naked , is it a sin : but in such a worke , not to glory in the Lord , only the wicked man denieth this to be a sin : For although he doth good , yet he doth it ill ; therefore thou canst not deny that he sinneth , that doth any thing ill . An euill tree doth not beare good fruit : Do est thou callan vnfaithfull man a good tree ? Note here , St. Augustine condemnes all workes for sinnes , that are not done in the state of grace , but in the state of nature and infidelity . Therefore St. Augustine is anathematized of the Church of Rome , for saying that all workes done before iustification , are indeede sinns .

But whereas the Pontificians may obiect , that St. Augustine Obiection . condemnes onely such workes , as are done without faith , and not those Pontifician workes of preparation , wherof faith ( as they affirme ) is the roote :

I answer , St. Augustine speaketh honestly , without equiuocation : Answer . for hauing to do with the Pelagians , those enemies of the grace of God , hee opposeth the state of grace against the state of nature : shewing that whatsoeuer a man doth in the state of nature before he be in the state of grace , it is sin : stiling euen the best workes of these heathen moralists , but splendida peccata , glittering sinnes . Now whatsoeuer is done before iustification , is done in the state of nature , & consequently it is sinne , in St. Augustines sense , because it is the bad fruit of a bad tree . As for that first grace , whereby the Papists teach a man is stirred vp to prepare himselfe for iustification , it doth not set a man , ipso facto , in the state of grace , hee is for all that faith of his , a meere naturall man still . And therefore that faith , which they speake of , going before iustification , is not freed from the imputation of sin , whereas that sauing faith , whereof St. Augustine speaketh , is that which doth actually not dispose vnto , but possesse a man of , the state of grace , which is the verie state of iustification , as we shall see in the due place hereafter . Therefore Popish preparation vnto iustification , is nothing else but meere Pelagianisme : both Pelagians and Pontificians ioyntly holding , that all workes done without , or before iustification , are no sins .