which unless they were recommended upon the account of that faith, would all be abominable in the sight of God; and though they may be called works, yet cannot be called good works in God's account, unless they are supported by faith. Whence Augustine, admonishing not without cause, commands us to believe in Him that justifies the wicked, that our good works may be good works; for those deserve not to be called good, as long as they proceed not from a good root, &c.

But here you object approved testimonies and examples, rehearsed out of the sacred oracles of divine Scripture, in which, without any mention of faith, salvation is assuredly promised to them that repent, as in Ezekiel, ch. xviii. I desire not the death of a sinner, but that the wicked should turn from his way and live. There are set before us the examples of the Ninevites, of David, Manasseh, and others; and lest I should weary you, I will make a short collection of the whole matter. You say that "the prophets proclaim, and openly avouch, that there is no hope of salvation showed unto any, but only to those who are with their whole heart brought back from an unclean and wicked life to the practice of holiness," &c. And teach us "that there is no other way at all, either to avert destruction, or procure salvation."*

There is one answer abundantly sufficient for all such objections. Namely, that there is indeed necessarily required a sincere reformation of heart and life, in those who are to obtain life. As in an heir, for whom there is appointed the possession of an inheritance to be enjoyed, there is necessarily required dutifulness towards his father; which dutifulness, nevertheless, when it is most exactly performed, is not any cause of obtaining the inheritance. And, in like manner, there is nothing that can be more certain, than that repentance and renovation do much commend the life of Christians to God, yet it makes them not Christians; neither does it so much commend the person of the penitent, as it is itself commended by the dignity of the man; who, if he is a Christian, his repentance is approved. But, if he be an alien from the faith, the lamenting of sin does not at all profit for the obtaining of righteousness, neither does it take away sin. But, as you say, Repentance has divine promises," and indeed I am not against your opinion in that, for God does not desire the death of a sinner, and * Osor. De Just. lib. ii. p. 42.

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promises also life to him that repents. That is right. But let us see how God promises it, and by pondering the circumstances of things, times, and persons, let us consider what is promised, and to whom, and what is the true eause of promising. Indeed the old law has dark promises, the gospel also has its own promises, as both covenants have likewise their own atonements. But what manner of promises has repentance in the old law? God promises life to them that return from their wickedness. What! does he signify an eternal life, or a temporary peace and felicity of this outward life? If you answer an eternal life, I would then know what difference there will be between legal and evangelical promises? but when I steadfastly contemplate upon the nature and kind of both times and testaments in the holy word of God, and compare the virtue of one kingdom with the other, this seems to me to be the difference between Moses and Christ; that all his blessings and rewards, promised by God to those that lead their life according to the prescription of the law, go not beyond the bounds of a certain earthly blessedness and recompense. In which, notwithstanding, we think there are contained no small benefits of God.

For what could happen to any man in this mortal state, to which we are all of necessity subject, not only more desirable, but also of a larger extent by the wonderful power of God, than when you are, by the singular gift of God, placed in such a country, as by a wonderful fruitfulness, and plenty of all good things, excels all other nations whatsoever; you should then pass your life in it, being compassed about with the divine protection. That you may not only yourself live long in the land, which the Lord your God hath given you, but that it should also be well with your sons after you, through all generations. That you may maintain your state with dignity, and abundance of all the best things, that the adversity of common fortune may have no power over you, that no enemy may annoy you, no tempest may cloud your tranquillity, that no storm of evil things may shake you; that at home and abroad, whether you are in the field, or in your house, going out or coming in, all things may happen successfully to you, according to your heart's desire. And moreover, that God should bless all your wealth, and works of your hands, and that at no time the powerful providence of God should forsake you, unto the utmost bounds of the most aged life. Unto these add

the plenteous fruitfulness of the land, the incomes of fruits and corn, the continual increases. of wealth, the constant fruitfulness of cattle, besides other very plentiful promises and blessings of the like kind, whereof there is a long catalogue described in the law, which are appointed for those who inviolably obey the most holy precepts of God, and turn from their sins to righteousness. All which promises, being by the prophets set before the penitent, seem to be of such a sort, that they either signify temporary rewards in this world, and mitigate outward punishments in this life; or if they are referred to eternal life, they do at least imply the faith of a Mediator, by a certain silent condition. And therefore, among divines there are learned and famous men, who rightly and learnedly prove, that the preaching of repentance belongs peculiarly to the gospel and not to the law. For the law preaches damnation to sinners. The gospel preaches salvation to the penitent. Therefore, when the Lord says, Return, and ye shall be saved-I desire not the death of a sinner, &c. it is not the preaching of the law, which pronounces the sentence of condemnation without mercy; but it is the very voice of the gospel.

And this seems to me to be the chief difference between Moses and Christ, that he, being as it were a certain earthly Christ, procures an earthly liberty for the people, and sets before them the duties that are incumbent upon them in leading their lives; so all the doctrine and benefits of Christ are peculiarly and chiefly directed unto life eternal, and call us thereunto, especially from this world. But if we suppose that these legal promises should notwithstanding be referred to eternal life, yet, when they did not pass the bounds of that people only, and reached not to other nations, but to those peculiarly, who waited for the seed promised to them, therefore the promises of the law included faith, at least by a certain silent condition. Wherefore, as touching those legal promises, in which the holy prophets held out unto them that repented, and were converted, pardon and many other benefits, in these must be considered, not only what is promised, but also, to whom the promise is made; being such, as belonging not to others, but those only, who being descended from the seed of Abraham, were contained in the covenant, and had a right to the Lamb slain from the beginning. Therefore, according to the authority of Augustine, we ought always to look

to the root in such promises, and the mind should always be raised up to the Mediator of the new covenant, in whom alone all the promises of God are yea and amen. Which, seeing it is so, and seeing all the promises of eternal life are contained in this only Mediator, Christ, as in the only ark of the covenant, neither is there any faculty given us by God which attains to the knowledge of Christ and the understanding of his benefits, but faith only; therefore it is, that this illuminated faith, which only leads us to the knowledge of Christ, claims to itself only, all power of justifying, without any other means. Not so much because of the dignity of its act, or upon some account of charity joined with it, whereby it should be formed, but only upon the account, and by the virtue of its object, unto which it is bent, from whence it receives all this power of healing. Just as the Israelites of old, when they were envenomed with deadly poison, regained their health, not because they had eyes and a power of beholding, but because they fastened their eyes, at the command of God, upon the serpent, that was set up before their eyes. In like manner also, it comes to pass to us, that whereas it is Christ only, that bestows everlasting life and righteousness on them that behold him, and he becomes not a Saviour, unless he be received by faith, hence the inward sight of faith being fixed upon him, brings salvation. Whence, by evident demonstration, an argument is framed from principles and causes, issuing into conclusions by necessary consequence according to Scriptures. As thus,

The beholding of the serpent set up, without any other condition being added, healed the wounded;

Christ is the serpent set up for us to behold:

Therefore, the only beholding of Christ set up for us, (that is, faith in him,) without any addition whatsoever, brings healing to our wounds.*

And I know the adversaries will not deny that Christ is the only serpent, who being made a curse for us, makes a medicine for our wounds. But if you ask, how? They will answer one thing, and the Holy Scriptures another; they affirm that this is performed, because Christ being punished for us on the cross, hath by his merits obtained for us the infusion of charity. Which, because it is the * The papists deny not Christ to be a Saviour, but they do not well agree in the manner how he saves. The council of Trent, Hosius, Andradius, Canisius, &c. differ.

perfection of the law, therefore being acquired by the merit of Christ, and received by our free-will, brings forth righteousness, not that whereby we are accounted for just, but whereby we are both truly just, and deserve life. But verily this sophism neither agrees with the history of the Israelites, nor satisfies the argument propounded. For, if those that were then wounded by the serpents, by only beholding the serpent, without any other intermediate cause, received present health; verily either this type bears not the similitude of Christ, or Christ heals us by faith in his name only, without interposing the remedy of charity. Otherwise the mutual proportion of similitude between us and them, between Christ and the serpent, will not rightly agree. They lifted up their outward eyes, we our inward, they to the serpent, we to Christ. Both, by beholding, obtain health through the promise of God; they the health of their bodies, we of our souls. They presently, in beholding at the first sight, were healed in the same moment, by no endeavour of their own, but only upon the account of the object, and by virtue of the promise. And what other thing doth this mystical shadowing forth signify, but justification freely prepared and promised to us, by the sole contemplation of the object, whereby we apprehend Christ by faith? Will you hear the promise? That every one who seeth him may not perish, but have eternal life. And elsewhere, This righteous servant of mine by his knowledge shall justify many. But what is it to see him, but to believe in him? What is the knowledge of that righteous one, but the faith of Christ, which justifies from sin? Therefore, what outward beholding was to them, that the light of faith is to us. What health was to them, justification is to us, whereby we are delivered from the curse of sin, and are absolved without punishment. But if you ask, what way? There is an answer in readiness, namely, according to the very similitude of the serpent, not by any labour of ours, but by contemplation of the object only, and by virtue of the promise. I pray you what is more evident? What more agreeable? And what then should be said to those ill-employed men, who by their new doctrine, translate Free Justification, which is due only to faith, by virtue of the promise of God, unto works of charity.

15. Of sin and the healing thereof by Christ.

Those of the Romish faction seem so to contend about