my censure, yet if you will allow me to speak freely, I will do it according to my duty, and so, that you may perceive that there was nothing less in my design than a perverse inclination to find fault with other men's writings. And you have so handled this subject matter, that you appear to be a philosopher Platonical enough, and no bad Ciceronian orator; but not a very evangelical divine, nor skilful enough to plead the cause of Christian righteousness.

First, as touching the title of the book, "Concerning Righteousness," I find nothing blameworthy, though the frailty of our nature might persuade you rather to discourse something to us of mercy. Being about to treat of righteousness, you have undertaken a very honourable subject, too weighty for you, and a work indeed very difficult and excellent. For what in the whole nature of divine and human things is more excellent than righteousness? Which seeing it comprehends within its circumference all kinds of virtues, the whole praise of piety, and not only the highest perfection of the law, but also the perfect image of God, it may be found in heaven, but on earth it cannot be found, when you have said all you can. Wherefore, I am ready the more to wonder and consider with myself what secret design you had in your mind, that you have composed books so exquisitely accurate concerning righteousness. If it was that by the trumpet of your commendation, you might make it more acceptable to us, you have therein lighted on a matter, suitable enough for setting forth the riches of your eloquence. But for what purpose or end did you that? Will you say, it was that men may the more evidently behold the beauty of righteousness, and admire it the more? But this has been formerly attempted by Plato, and many academics and peripatetics, and that with no bad success. And who is so void of all natural sense, but, though he is not himself endued with the excellency of righteousness, yet he apprehends in his mind the divine brightness thereof, and greatly admires it, and wishes for it with all his heart; if wishes in this case could do any good.

1. Inherent Righteousness, unto perfection, can no where be found in this nature.

I could wish that the integrity of nature, wherein we were of old created, had continued unto the complete exactness of all righteousness; but now in this ruined and

disabled nature, why do you seek after that which we have lost? Rather bring forth something, if you can, whereby we may make up the loss. What can it profit a man already dead, to know the danger whereby he perished? Verily there is more need of a medicine, if you have any, by which you may either comfort him, being destroyed, or restore him to the life that was lost. Yea, this is the thing, say you, which you endeavour in these books disputing of righteousness. For righteousness, as you say, is the only remedy for restoring life, and regaining health; yea, this is the very thing that I chiefly find fault with; not because you write of righteousness. I commend also your praises of righteousness, which are high and copious. Righteousness cannot be praised enough by any man. But there is another thing for which all good men should be angry with you. You present unto us a spectacle, not much differing from that which Origen relates of Celsus and Antipho; who though they wrote very contrary to truth, yet recommended those very books that were against the truth, with the title of "a true saying." After which manner you write indeed concerning righteousness, but nothing can be said more maliciously against true righteousness.

2. A twofold account of doctrine; one of the Law, and another of the Gospel.

For as there is a twofold manner of covenant, so also there is of righteousness, proposed in the Scriptures. The one consists in precepts and works, under the weight whereof we all, of necessity, fall down to destruction. The other is that of the gospel, which is safe-guarded, not by works, not by observance of the law, not by any performance of duties on our side, but by the sure and only faith of Christ the Son of God. Verily, whosoever, rejecting the righteousness of Christ, whereof I speak, leads us aside unto any other manner of righteousness-he pleads not for true righteousness, but against it; and does not undertake the defence of the law of God, but is a professed enemy of the grace of Christ, and his cross, and therefore does not open, but wholly shuts up all passages to true salvation, and all gates and doors of divine grace.

But perhaps these things that have been said hitherto, are enough concerning the title of the book. By which your prudence may lead you easily to suppose, what should

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be judged of the rest of the work. The external form and workmanship is not without beauty, nor unworthy to be looked upon. But when I consider the reasons and force of arguments, when I compare the words and sayings of the Scriptures quoted at a strange rate, with the true sense of Scriptures, not rightly understood by you; and also when I take notice of the end and scope of the whole disputation, I am not willing at present to discover to you what I find. But yet, as of necessity something must be said, I will speak, but only in a few words. If any other man had published these books concerning righteousness, except yourself, I should say to him openly, and to his face, that no man could ever have brought in a greater plague into the doctrine of the general salvation of Christians, nor a filthier blot upon religion, nor have done a greater injury to St. Paul, the Scriptures, and the prophets, than is manifest in these books. But in writing these things to you, I restrain myself for your sake. What then, should the cause of truth therefore be deserted? Wherefore, to observe my duty in both respects, I have taken this way of prosecuting this design, both less to offend you, and likewise perhaps more to benefit the cause I have undertaken to defend.

3. How easy it is to err in the doctrine of Justification.

Seeing that these things and others like unto them, contain the principal heads of all Christian doctrine, divines should take special care lest they err in them; which care, unless they take, there will follow most grievous ruin and perturbation of all things, the foundations being put out of their places. And yet error is no where more easily committed than in these points. Neither is it so strange; for this animal nature we call human reason, when consulted about the things of God, is most blind, and sees nothing, unless it be illuminated with the better light of divine knowledge shining in upon it. For the right understanding of divine things comes by the Spirit of God, and not by human capacity; and though the law, and the things of the law, were in some sense born with us, and cleave unto our nature, yet the mysteries of the doctrine of the gospel are not apprehended so easily, for the nature of both is very different. Moreover, you may see many, who following the guidance of nature, and her precepts more than is meet, do teach and dispute of things belonging to the gospel; just as a philosopher discourses of the principles of nature, or a

moralist of the perfection of virtues, in which they place their chief good; or as a pharisee, sitting in the chair of Moses, would dispute about the righteousness of the law.

But there will be another occasion of treating of these things, if opportunity be granted.

Though you teach us many things in your reasoning about righteousness, yet you scarcely teach any thing to the purpose, and nothing that is profitable for salvation; but on the contrary, that which is very hurtful. For what assurance can there be of salvation, if you shut out mercy, and send us to our own righteousness, as the only way which conveys us to heaven? For all your doctrine of divinity looks that way.

It would take up a long time to rake together out of all your books, those wonderful sayings, which are more than paradoxes, whereby you plead that all the safeguard of our salvation, should be placed in nothing but in the observance and care of righteousness, which if you could as well perform in reality, as you set forth in words magnificently, none were more happy, none more worthy of heaven than you. But now let us suppose that which you would so fain have granted, that heaven is only due to perfect men upon the account of righteousness, and that there is no other way of coming to those blessed mansions, but that which is trodden by the most pure footsteps of good men, and settled in the perfect integrity of works. Now we are not against the deserved praises of righteousness, neither do we withhold from it its rewards. Be it so indeed. But where shall we find this righteousness? Tell me in what country this man of righteous life dwells, who will so direct the course of his life according to this idea of virtue proposed by you, that he fails no where?* Who roots out all manner of wickedness? who refrains himself from railing with his tongue, suppresses the haughtiness, insolence, and madness of an ambitious spirit, and the rashness of a headstrong mind? who crucifies the flesh with its lusts? who, suppressing ungodly lustings, by frequent meditation upon death, brings himself over from all impurity and impiety to the resemblance of Christ? who, separating his mind from the contagion of the body, applies it wholly to the imitation of Christ? who resembles the humility and meekness of Christ, his bounty and benevolence, and his excellent holiness in all respects; and also cuts off all * All have sinned and come short of the glory of God, Rom. iii. 23.

defilements of the mind, and all the roots of filthiness and impurity? Where will that man be found, who performs these and all other duties of true piety, and so performs them, that nothing in his life seems superfluous, nothing is unequal in his duties, nor defective in his manners? He may be found in the books of Osorio; but not in the life, in the daily confessions, or in the holy absolutions of Osorio.

There was of old, I confess, the image of this most perfect righteousness seen and known upon the earth. But that Phoenix hath long since left the earth, and departed hence to heaven, and now sits at the right hand of Majesty, drawing all to Himself;* and I wish that at length he may draw Osorio also to himself. What if the Lord himself, looking down from heaven upon the sons of men, is affirmed in the prophetical psalm, to have found all their ways to be corrupted and depraved-if the mystical and royal holy psalmist durst not in confidence of his own righteousness enter into judgment with his God, or present himself to be tried by him, and condemns all other mortal men of unrighteousness, without excepting so much as one. Or, if Paul, writing to the Romans, very seriously confirms the same, and stops the mouths of all men, that having called them away from a vain trust in their own works, and convinced them of the vanity thereof, he may bring men over, to the help of the Son of God only, which is placed in the faith of him. If John the apostle, yea and if James, that powerful proclaimer and defender of human righteousness, could not himself deny but that in many things we offend all; will you now rise up after them, being a mortal and sinful man, and dare to affirm to others, that which you cannot perform yourself; after this manner, "That it is either righteousness or nothing, which obtains us the favour of God, and makes us acceptable and like unto him?"+

Is there nothing else, I beseech you? What then? Is faith nothing? Is grace nothing? Is the mercy and promise of God nothing? Do the merits of Christ profit nothing to salvation? so that now there is nothing which reconciles us to God, but the righteousness of works? What! Do you so place all righteousness in works, that you think there is no righteousness of faith?

You think perhaps that the righteousness of faith and works is one and the same, and you make no difference * The Son of God only was perfectly holy, Psal. xiv.

† Osorio, l. v. p. 21.