that whole Christ may live in yourself, and clothe you, and also may make you a son of God by faith.

What then! may some man say; Is not the Holy Spirit given to them that trust in Christ, to illuminate their minds. with new light, to renew their hearts, to enrich them plentifully with the riches, gifts, and endowments of good works, and to adorn them exceedingly with all kind of virtues? What! do these good works nothing with God, which are performed by the influence of the most Holy Spirit? Do they contribute nothing towards righteousness? Have they no-use or place upon the account of reward? For this seems to be the foundation of all your arguing.

Are then all the promises of God referred to this—That there is no hope of righteousness, no way of salvation, no reconciliation for us, nor remission of sins, unless the law be kept? Where then is that peace with God, which the apostle preaches; Being justified by faith, we have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ? Where is that access to the throne with boldness? Where is the hope of glory, happiness, the blessing, the inheritance of eternal life, according to promise; if these good things come no otherways, as you suppose, but by a covenant of life, which no spot of sin defiles? What! hath your profession of God received this gospel from the teachings of the apostles, or from the opinion of Plato? It is therefore of faith, saith Paul, that the promise may be firm according to grace. But what way is it firm, if it is of works upon any account? Or how is it of faith, if you confine all the promises of God to the law of righteousness, which may confirm the minds of all men, with a sure hope of righteousness, as you say? Or what will that assurance of righteousness be, if you, detaining us in a doubtful wavering of hope, take away all encouragement of good hope?

24. Concerning the promises of God, what, to whom, and how God hath promised.

It remains that we should hear what that is, which God hath promised-to whom he hath promised-how, and for what cause he doth it. Now there are both many and great gifts of God, and ornaments; partly bestowed upon us, and partly promised through the singular bounty of his grace; yea, seeing there is nothing in this workmanship of nature, nor in the meanest things, but what we ought to acknowledge to be his free gift, if we would be thankful.

And also, amongst all these things, which being so many and so great, he hath conferred upon us with so liberal a hand, I esteem that nothing is more glorious nor more - admirable, than this large honour of his kingdom, which the Lord himself promises us in the gospel. Fear not, saith he, little flock, for it is the good will of your Father to give you the kingdom. Which Paul also makes mention of, writing both elsewhere, and also to the Colossians; Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and translated us unto the kingdom of his dear Son, &c. Of which also Daniel hath given an ample testimony; The kingdom, saith he, and the dominion, and the largeness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High, &c.

In which one benefit, seeing the whole sum of our felicity is comprehended; namely, reconciliation with God, imputation of righteousness, remission of sins, peace with God, access with boldness, hope, the glory of God, eternal blessedness and salvation, the inheritance of eternal life, freedom from the accusation and condemnation of the law, Rom. iv. v. Titus iii. Rom. viii.—what can any man, either by desires wish for, or by faith conceive, more glorious? For he that is promoted unto the possession of a kingdom, what more can be added to him, unto the highest splendour of glory, and the degree of the most honourable dignity?

Therefore we have the hereditary mansions of the eternal kingdom promised to us, and that not of works, but of faith; not according to bargain, but according to grace; and therefore according to grace, that the promise may be firm and sure to all the seed.

It is a very weighty cause, and authority not to be contemned. For what is more firm for all manner of security, than that which relies on the certain faithfulness of God, and a free promise? On the contrary, what is more unstable than that which depends on the most uncertain condition of our works, which are either for the most part evil, or always uncertain? Why then wilt thou cast us again out of the most firm safeguard of most sure confidence proposed to us, which rests most safely in the free bounty of God's promises, as if thou drovest us out of a haven of tranquillity procured for us, to be tossed in the tempestuous waters and straits of diffidence and desperation? And do you make those things doubtful and uncertain, which through the bounty of God, we do as it were hold in our

hands with a most assured faith, so that now there is not any thing certain, which a man may satisfy his own soul about touching salvation? for what can be certain, if so be the grace of the promise being taken away, if imputation of righteousness being neglected, which is placed in Christ for us, the whole matter is brought to the account of our actions? and you plead that we are not otherwise righteous before God, than by performing the offices of the divine law?

By the many things, which have been mentioned by you concerning the law and its office, it appears you have two opinions, both of which are false. First, That you affirm, that we, being supported by the grace of God, and guarded by his help, can very easily perform all things, whatsoever are commanded by the law of God. Secondly, Because you plead, that all the nature of our righteousness and salvation consists in performing God's commands; and that there is no other way to heaven but that which is contained in the law of God. Both which reasons, how absurd they are, how contrary to the grace of God and the gospel, and how much disallowed and confuted, not only by all authority of divine Scripture, but also long since contradicted by the sayings of the most ancient fathers, and how void of all support of reason and experience, there is no man that hath so little reason or religion, but evidently perceives it, and clearly takes notice of it. We do not deny that by the help of the grace of the divine Spirit there are wonderful, various, and manifold effects produced, and great gifts are shed abroad in the minds of the regenerate, for governing all parts of life piously and holily; but whence, I pray you, will you teach that such great strength, and such great power to observe righteousness is given by God, and committed unto mortal man, which may be sufficient for performing all things that are prescribed in the most holy law of God?

25. Concerning the perfection of righteousness, and complete obedience of the law.

You press again and again out of the prophet; I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, Jer. xxxi. And also out of the other prophet; And I will give them a heart of flesh, that they may walk in my precepts, and keep my judgments, and also may do these things which are just, &c. Ezek. xi.

I hear the oracles of the prophetical promise, uttered with great evidence, from whence certainly works of new obedience do proceed, which necessarily follow faith; so that if any man inquires for the cause of good work's, he learns that it should not be attributed to the strength of man's will, but the gift of the Holy Spirit. But whence does this gift proceed, but from the merits of Christ? or to whom is it given, but to them that believe in Christ? For the Holy Spirit is received by faith, according to that of Paul; That we may receive the promise of the Spirit by faith. Wherefore, seeing faith is the only thing which procures unto us the Holy Spirit, therefore it cannot be otherwise, but that having received the divine Spirit of sanctification, a new life, and spiritual motions do follow in the hearts of the regenerate. For a mind rightly qualified with the faith of Christ, and being now reconciled to God, as it cannot be destitute of the favour of God, so being stirred up by his holy breathings, begins now to be a law to itself, whereby it fears God, and according to its power honours him with due reverence, cleaves unto him with all its might, refers its actions and counsels to him, calls on him by prayers, adheres to him in adversity, celebrates his benefits with a thankful remembrance, lays its hope and confidence, and its whole self upon him, and also for his sake loves and cherishes all the brethren.

And as there is no man that denies these offices of necessary obedience, performed by the help of the Spirit of God, are fruits of a well-instructed faith, so there is no controversy between us and you in that matter.

But the greatest difference that is between us consists in this; that whereas we assert, that the obedience of man, born again by the divine power, is but begun and imperfect in this mortal infirm state; you, on the contrary, dream of some inconceivable perfection of obedience in works, the Spirit of God so working in us, that whosoever is qualified therewith needs nothing that belongs to complete perfection of righteousness.

But though God hath promised to his saints, that the assisting grace of his Spirit shall not be wanting; which may help forward pious attempts in his elect, and stir up their endeavours after more holy obedience; where hath he at any time promised, or on whom hath he bestowed, that happiness in walking, which turns no where to the right hand nor to the left? which stumbles not through

the whole life? which in all kinds of virtues, by a constant perseverance, so conforms the course of life to complete innocence, that it never fails in any thing? The adversaries for the defence of their own cause, catch at the words cited out of Jeremiah, chap. xxxii. and Ezekiel, chap. xxxvi. I will cause you to walk in my precepts, and keep my judg ments, &c. And then out of Deuteronomy, chap. xxx. I will circumcise, saith the Lord, the fore-skin of your heart, that ye may love the Lord with all your heart, and with all your soul. In these words there is indeed a glorious promise contained of the gift of the Holy Ghost, and the restoring of new obedience; but because there is a twofold perfection, and a twofold righteousness, according to Jerome, one which is suited to the virtues of God, another which is agreeable to our frailty-and again, seeing, according to the authority of Augustine, there is a twofold kind of obedience; one that is seen in this life, being but begun and imperfect, another that is perfect, which is completed in the life to come, it is not difficult to discern in what sense the perfection of renovation should be understood in the Scriptures. That is, not simply and absolutely, but according to the measure and capacity of this life.

Augustine, writing to Boniface, saith, "The virtue which is now in a righteous man, is called perfect, upon this account, because it belongs to his perfection, both to acknowledge in truth, and confess in humility his own imperfection." Moreover, Jerome, not much differing from him, answered wisely, when that place of St. Paul was objected to him, Whosoever of us are perfect, we understand this;* to this Jerome says, "What then do we understand, yea, what ought we to understand? that we who are perfect, should acknowledge ourselves to be imperfect, and that we have not yet comprehended, nor yet attained unto perfection. This is," saith he, "the wisdom of man, to know himself to be imperfect; and that I may so speak, the perfection of all righteous men in the flesh, is imperfect, &c." And afterwards again in the same book, "Therefore, we are righteous then, when we confess ourselves to be sinners. For our righteousness consists not of our own merit, but of the mercy of God, as the Scripture says, The righteous man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech." And again to Ctesiphon, "This is men's only perfection," saith he, "if they know themselves to be imperfect," &c.

*Phil. iii. 15.