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himself, as may appeaTrhfkth these words, All the commandments, saith he, are accounted to be done, when that is pardoned which is not done, &c. And likewise might I expound Jeromeby Jerome, whereas he in another place speaking of the commandments to be possible, though he denieth it not to be true, yet he asketh how that saying is to be understood; meaning that although the commandments are possible to us after a certain manner, yet absolutely and simply he doth not so affirm. Well, and what if this were granted, that God hath given a law to man which man cannot keep, what great thing were here to be detested, or what prejudice hereby should ensue either to God's justice, or goodness in giving a law impossible for us, perfectly to be kept, more than in giving us the sun, the brightness whereof it is impossible for us to behold, and yet to walk in the light thereof every man as he may? If a cunning physician should come with an excellent potion to his patient grievously sick, and say, Either ye must drink this, or ye cannot live; and if the weak stomach of the party cannot brook it, yet is the physician nothing to blame, but keepeth the true order of physic. Scilurus Scytha, when he gave his children every one a fagot, commanding them to break it, knew right well before, that they were not able to do
it, and yet in so doing did he both fatherly and wisely, to the intent his children might learn thereby to see their own weakness, and not to trust to their own private strength too much.But to let this hold go, let us come more near to close with our adversaries in this matter, and with all the parts thereof more attently.If we, by grace helping us, say they, are not able to perform fully and perfectly the righteousness of the law, then were God unjust in commanding things impossible; and unmerciful in condemning the servant for that which he cannot avoid. But that were detestable blasphemy to say. Therefore, say they, it must needs be concluded that it is not impossible for a justified man, by God's grace, to perform the perfect fulfilling of the law.Whereunto I answer by the Scriptures, that if God had given such a law to be fulfilled of man which no man could fulfil, and that all men for not fulfilling the same should be condemned, then might they with some reason object this blasphemy unto us. But now we confess and say, that God hath given a law to be fulfilled of man, and that hecommandeth nothing impossible. Yea, and furthermore, with the Scriptures, confess that man hath fulfilled this law actually, really, and thoroughly in all points; and yet all this being confessed, neither is it true which they infer, that the justified man therefore is able by grace to fulfil the real perfection of the law; neither is it true that he which fulfilleth it not, shall therefore be condemned; neither that in God is any unrighteousness or unmercifulness in all this to be inferred, but he remaineth still most just and merciful. Yea, and to say truth, his mercy and justice could not otherwise both stand and appear together, but only by this way above confessed. And how is all this proved?First, that God hath given a law to be fulfilled, we all confess.
Secondly, that Christ from the beginning, before the law was given, was preordinate to be incarnate and to take our nature, no man can deny. Thirdly, that the same Christ in the same our nature hath utterly fulfilled and discharged the law, it is manifest. And how then is that to be accounted impossible to man, which man so clearly hath accomplished? Fourthly, that in the same nature and humanity of Christ, the Son of God and the son of man, the whole nature of mankind is included, the Scripture teacheth; and therefore is he called the second Adam. For as all we were included in the nature of Adam, who first disobeyed, and by him are condemned, so are we likewise generally included in the human nature of this second Adam which first obeyed, and by him saved. So that we, being now in Christ, that is to say, God beholding our whole nature in the nature of his own Son, his fulfilling is our fulfilling, and what he doth, that we do, especially in all such points as belong to his humanity. And therefore is he denominated in Scripture to be our righteousness. For as this proposition is true, Christ died for all men; so is this proposition true also, Christ was made innocent for us all. So that what he hath fulfilled, we also have fulfilled, although not after the same manner, yet in as good effect as if it had been done after the same manner. He for us, we by him; he actually performed, we by imputation; he by virtue and merit, we by gift and grace. And this is the perfect grace that we have to fulfil the perfection of the law. Other grace than this God never gave, nor ever will give to any justified person really and absolutely to satisfy the perfect righteousness of the law. Neither doth it stand with the glory of Christ, that any such perfect grace should be given us. For, if by our infirmity the strength of Christ be made perfect, as Christ himself answereth to St. Paul, 2 Cor. xii. so contrariwise, by our

perfection the virtue of Christ's cross is lessened. Not that there is any such perfection in us indeed, whose righteousness, as St. Augustine saith, consists more in the remission of sins than in the perfection of virtues; but such is the blindness of many, that, standing in a vain persuasion of their perfection when they are imperfect, they falsely flatter themselves to be something, when indeed they are stark nothing; and after the example of the Laodiceans imagine themselves to be rich and gay, when indeed they be utterly empty and naked. Rev. iii. Fifthly, And though it be so, as it is indeed, that no such grace is given to us from above to attain to the high perfection of the law; yet, notwithstanding, by the grace of God we bring to the law such obedience as we may. And though we bring not that perfection of fulfilling the law, which needeth no remission, yet we bring that endeavour of well doing, which the Lord, for faith's sake, both accepteth in us, and also crowneth. And as for that imperfection which remaineth, God imputed not for his Christ, who hath purchased for us perpetual reconciliation and remission of sins. Sixthly, By these hitherto declared, it appeareth that although we, for our parts, neither
by nature, nor by grace, can possibly satisfy the full innocency of the law, yet neither is it true which our adversaries do infer, speaking absolutely, that God hath commanded things impossible to man. For so much as man hath utterly discharged whatsoever God hath commanded, how then can the commandments be said to be impossible to man, which man hath fulfilled? And though we, for our parts, speaking particularly, cannot perform the same, yet that argueth neither blasphemy to be in us, to say we cannot fulfil the commandments, nor any unrighteousness or unmercifulness in God, in giving that which we cannot perform. For as we acknowledge God to be just in giving the law, to declare thereby what we should be; so we have to acknowledge doubly, and to thank his mercy, first for giving such a person unto us who hath satisfied the law for us; and also in not condemning us for our parts not fulfilling it ourselves; but hath set in the church a perpetual remedy, which is, remission of sins to help and supply that which lacketh in us. Whereby, as our adversaries may see, neither is there any unmercifulness in God, nor blasphemy in us; so we may see in their doctrine to be no truth. Seventhly and lastly, Forsomuch as the Council of Trent, and all our adversaries, stand so much upon this argument; that the law is not impossible to be performed of us, because God hath given it unto us, who of his justice cannot command things impossible; here, therefore, is to be noted out of the Scriptures, that they seem not sufficiently hitherto to have considered the first original and entering of the law. Which law, I mean the law of nature, imprinted in the soul and conscience of every mortal man, (for as touching the law of Moses written in outward tables, which is but a renewing of the law wrought in man before, we speak not,) entered first into the world, not so much by the voluntary purpose and will of God, speaking of the ordinary will of
God revealed in the Scriptures, as it was procured and enforced by man himself against God's will and warning. For when man in paradise was in state of innocency, he was not obediently content with that felicity wherein he was, but disobediently would needs extend his hand to the tree of knowledge of good and evil. And albeit Almighty God gave him sufficient warning before what danger would follow, yet he, of wilful presumption, would taste of the fruit forbidden. Which being done, then began his eyes to be open; then did he see, then did he know, and then began he to cover himself. Now, if the law of nature did not first enter with this knowledge into the world, let the adversaries themselves tell me when it began to enter. If it did, then let them answer how the law first was given, whether by God's own free motion and mere doing, or else by man's own seeking and procurement. To conclude, therefore, if man procured the law upon his own head, which, when he had done, he was not able to perform, then let us not say that God gave a law to man, which man could not fulfil; but let us say, that man's own wilfulness procured a law to himself, which afterwards was not in his possibility to accomplish. But of this enough. The rest I refer to the exercised spiritual Christian to muse more upon.Furthermore, as touching their allegation of Christ's words, Take my yoke upon you, for my yoke is sweet, and my burden is light, &c. by which words they argue the commandments of God to be easy and possible to be kept.1 answer, that these words of Christ mean not the law of Moses, but are to be understood of the receiving of Christ to be our Messias and Saviour, and that we should become subjects under his kingdom, that is, to believe in him, and to be his disciples; who, in so doing, shall find his yoke and our subjection under him to be pleasant and sweet. For there shall we have remission of all our sins, shall overcome the devil and the world, shall be free from death, shall be eased from ceremonies, shall be raised in the

resurrection to everlasting life, and in the mean time shall taste the sweet comforts of the Holy Ghost in our hearts, &c.Again, where they allege the example of Zacharias and Elizabeth, whom the Scripture commendeth, to be both just before God, and to walk in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord, &c. Luke i. To this I could answer Canada Goose Jackets thus, that if Zacharias and Elizabeth were both just before God, it was not because God could not, but because he would not find fault with them. But let mine own answer go, I will set St. Jerome to answer hereunto; where he declareth two manner of perfections to be in holy scriptures; one Canada Goose Outlet which is agreeable to the virtues of Coach Outlet Online God, and is void of all sin and immutable. And this, saith he, is appropriate only unto God, and was here declared in Christ. Theother which agreethto our fragility and is not pure from all sin, and is called perfect, not by comparison to God's justice, but so accounted in the knowledge of God, who seeth the good endeavour of the frail creature, and accepteth the same; and in the same place produceth this example
both of Zacharias and Elizabeth, and also of Job. The like answer also Coach Factory Outlet may be gathered out of St. Augustine, who, speaking of the worthiness which is in just men here, saith that it may be called perfect, so far as they both truly acknowledge, and humbly confess, their own imperfection going withal, &c. So that of the righteousness of Zacharias we may say as St. Paul said, by the righteousness of Abraham, That if he have any thing to glory, he hath to glory with men, but not with God, Rom.iv. In whose judgment, saith David, no flesh shall be justified, &c. Psal. cxliii. only the flesh of the Son of God excepted, who only being just, died for the unjust, as St. Peter witnesseth. Whereupon I ground this reason:—Christ died for the unjust; Zacharias and Elizabeth were not unjust before God, as they say; therefore, Christ died not for them. Which is absurd to grant; so that rather this argument is to be holden from the contrary. Christ died for the unjust; Coach Outlet Christ died for Zacharias and Elizabeth; therefore, Zacharias and Elizabeth were unjust, Coach Factory Outlet Online &c. Again, they that do the commandments, do live therein; Zacharias and Elizabeth lived not in the commandments, but died; therefore Zacharias and Elizabeth did not all the commandments so justly as they should.Thus then the righteousness and innocency of man being overthrown, as ye have heard, let us now repair to our matter again, and seek true innocency where it is to be found, that is, in Christ only, and in no flesh else, whether it be justified or unjustified; whether before baptism, or after baptism; whether by grace with nature, or by nature without grace. For neither that nature is given, nor that grace dispensed to any man living in this flesh, to be found innocent by the law, save only to Him of whom it is written; God giveth not to Coach Factory Outlet him the Spirit after measure, &c. Let his innocency therefore stand Coach Outlet Store Online alone, that he may be as he Coach Factory Outlet Online is, alone holy; not merely exceeding us by comparison of greater and less, but utterly confounding us for our unrighteousness, knowing what is written of us, There is none that doth good, no not one, &c. Psal. xiv.
And hers also let the title of the "holy father,"* called " most holy," fall down for shame. Of His Canada Goose Cheap fulness then let us receive, not as men having somewhat, but as utterly empty of all goodness. Let us humble ourselves with confession of humility, so ascribing all righteousness unto Him, that we forget not what God speaketh of our righteousness by his prophet, saying, All our righteousness is like a beggarly patched piece of a defiled cloth, Isa. lxiv. Such are our works, not speaking only of our works before justification; but also Canada Goose Sale even they that follow after justification, if God should look upon them in judgment, without Christ, are no better. Of this innocency of Christ Jesus, the immaculate Lamb of God, I preach the more earnestly, and stand the longer, because in the same consisteth one of the principal effects of our redemption, joined with the effusion of his blood. For as his perfect innocency, without the shedding of his blood, could not serve our turn, so neither the death of his body, without his innocent life, could redeem us. For so it behoved innocency to redeem iniquity, the just to die for the unjust. Wherein appeareth the wondrous wisdom of God's almighty majesty in working our redemption. Who, seeing the generation of mankind Coach Outlet Store Online fallen from so happy a state, wherein he was first created, into such a miserable decay and destruction, both of body and soul, and all through Canada Goose Coats his own wilful presumption, in procuring the necessity of the law upon his own head, the strength whereof he could not accomplish, nor avoid the penalty; being subject thereby to the power of death and tyranny of Satan, wrapped in ignorance, drowned in darkness, running headlong to all idolatry and vanity, void of all regard and care of his Coach Outlet Creator; whom neither counsel could reform, nor any earthly help restore, not only being past recovery, but almost past all possibility, but that nothing is impossible with God—he, I say, of his wisdom beholding, and of his mercy pitying this Coach Outlet Online misery of man, found a singular way for