instructed in the law, if none of those things which he established by law was to be in the power of men ?”*

Though God willed that his laws should be performed most exactly by all, yet there are other, both many and weighty causes, why the law, which is a rule of perfect righteousness, though it could not be kept by us in respect of perfect obedience, yet it was necessary that it should be promulgated either that there might be a public testimony of the judgment and anger of God against sin, or that we ourselves might be brought more easily to the knowledge of our sins and frailty. Concerning which Paul said, When the law came sin revived. Or, that taking notice of the frailty of corrupted and ruined nature, being more strongly driven by this necessity, we might be pressed forward, as by the ferula of a pedagogue, to Christ, who is the end of the law, as also the law is called a pedagogue to Christ: or that we may be taught, as it were by this same pedagogy, whither we must go: that if we cannot attain unto a full obedience of the law, yet we may profit in the inchoation of obedience as much as we can.

Wherefore, seeing there are so many and such great causes of making a law, it appears evident enough from hence, that there is no cause why the law should seem to be imposed upon us by God in vain. And yet it doth not therefore follow that because the law of God, after the fall, is impossible to human nature, as to the complete obedience thereof, that therefore it is unprofitable, seeing the same hath other advantages so remarkable.

But let us proceed to the other reasons in your argument. You say, "What is more contrary to justice and equity, than that one should be punished upon that account, because he hath not performed those things which he could by no means so much as begin?" You proceed also to represent the matter as it were before the eyes of a man, by the framing of similitudes.

Here is a fallacy. This want of strength and impotency would have a just excuse, if nature had been properly and simply so created. But when this weakness was not at first created with nature itself, but crept in some other way, against nature, by sin, we must therefore see, not only what this corrupted nature now can do, or cannot do, but also what it ought simply to do. Punishment is not un * Osor. de Just. lib. viii. p. 197.

+ Osor. de Just. lib. viii. p. 8.

justly inflicted for those things, which there is no cause but they might have been observed, either in regard of the lawgiver himself, or in the nature of the things themselves, but only by reason of the impotency of the subjects themselves, an impotency contracted through their own default.

As Augustine signifies, "Yea, therefore, it is man's fault, because it came to pass by the will of man only; that he is come to that necessity, which the will of man only cannot shake off." What cruelty should it be reckoned if a Lord require just punishment to be inflicted on a servant that is corrupt and flagitious? Yea, behold rather singular clemency in the Lord, who is so far from inflicting upon the servant the punishment which he deserved, that he receives him into favour without any merit; yea, moreover exposes his dearly beloved Son to undergo punishment for the servant.

What other thing do Luther and Calvin, but proclaim, according to the gospel, the free pardoning grace of God to all that by faith embrace Christ, who was slain for us? They are so far from being guilty of this calumny, which you most unjustly cast upon them, that you can no where find any, who with greater earnestness do declare the infinite riches of divine grace to mortal men.

26. How Christ takes away sins.

I confess that the riches of divine grace are infinite, and that the gifts are excellent, which God bestows upon his own; yet the grace of God doth not so perfect any man in this life, but that oft in small things we offend all, James ii. and pray daily, that our debts may be forgiven us. Yea, what is all the discourse of the saints to God but a continual praying and deprecating, as Jerome witnesses, whereby it extorts the clemency of the Creator, that we, who cannot be saved by our own strength, may be saved by his mercy. Concerning which, Psal. xxxii. "For this shall every saint pray unto thee in a time when thou mayest be found. Whence Jerome infers, and not without reason, "If he is a saint how doth he pray for the pardon of sin? If he hath iniquity, upon what account.is he called holy? namely, after that manner whereby it is elsewhere said, A just man falleth seven times a day, and riseth up again. And again, A just man is an accuser of himself in the beginning of his speech. Therefore the

grace of God helps our infirmities, that they may be diminished. But we deny that he so helps them, that they are wholly taken away. It helps indeed infirmities, as hath been said, but yet it leaves us infirm, that it may always help us. No man is ignorant how great power of Christ appeared in the holy apostles, which yet did not fully complete their strength, but it was rather perfected by their infirmity. We know, saith Paul, in part, and we prophesy in part: but when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. We now see darkly through a glass, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know as I am known.

Therefore, that I may answer in a word, if you suppose there is that help of divine grace, which makes obedience in this life to be wholly unblamable and perfect; Augustine will presently deny that, who, discoursing of the first precept of righteousness, whereby we are commanded to love God, with all our heart, and our neighbour as ourselves: "We shall fulfil that," saith he, "in that life, where we shall see face to face." He farther says, "And therefore that man hath profited much in this life, in that righteousness, which is to be perfected, who by profiting knows how far he is from the perfection of righteousness."

Moreover, that which is argued from the power of divine grace, is not sufficient to exclude the necessity of sin. They say, indeed, that by the perfect grace of God it is possible that a man may not sin at all in this life. Be it so; yet all things are not made which can be made by the singular power of God. So, by the power of God helping us we could fly, yet we do not fly: for God willeth not all things, which his power is able to do. But you say, "He willeth and commandeth with great authority, that we should observe his precepts, which he would not command unless he knew them to be possible." It is true, indeed, if they are understood according to that nature, which he first created in us; so that in him there is no cause but that the precepts, as they should be judged right, so also they should be judged possible. But hearken to Jerome aptly untying this knot. "God hath commanded things possible," saith he, "this no man doubts of. But because men did not possible things, therefore all the world is become subject to God, and needs his mercy."

There is not any thing so difficult in human things but

infinite Omnipotency can do it by a word of his power; to whom it would not be difficult to restore this frailty of fallen nature to its ancient state of innocency, if he would. And there is no doubt but God would do it, if he had decreed to do as much by his secret counsel, as he could do by his infinite majesty. Now, therefore, either prove that all infirmity of the flesh is taken away in the regenerate, and that they are restored to their former innocency, which is without all sin, and also freed from a necessity of dying, or cease to dream of that perfection of righteousness in this life which hitherto hath not been found in any of the saints, whether apostles, or patriarchs, or prophets.

Where hath God.so engaged his faithfulness that the remainders of all sin being cut off, and all infirmity of sinning being taken away, he would so heal mankind, having so thoroughly purged them from all sin, that evil concupiscence being subdued, and all matter of the ancient contagion being blotted out, no relics of sin should remain in this life, but that it may be most easy to obey the commands of God, and so obtain salvation?

Many testimonies are brought, as that with Christ God hath promised that he will give us all things, &c. (Also Psal. ciii. li. Isa. lxi. Jer. 1. Ezek. xxxvi. Micah vii. John i.) But what do they all aim at, but that we may understand, that by Christ all the pollutions of our sinful nature are done away?

There is one answer, and a well fitted one, out of Augustine. "Distinguish the times," saith he, "and you will reconcile Scriptures." Our sins are done away by Christ; no man doubts of that. But we must see how they are done away. He does them away in this life, he will also do them away in the life to come; but not after one and the same manner: for iniquity is taken away, and sin receives an end, as is evident by the prophecy of Daniel. But if you ask, How in this flesh? Augustine will answer you: "None," saith he, "takes away sin, but Christ, who is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. And he takes them away, both by removing the sins that were done, and by helping that they may not be done, and by bringing to the future life where they cannot be done at all. Therefore, in this life there is only a race to righteousness, and in the other life will be the prize. This then is our righteousness now, whereby we run, hungering, and

thirsting, to the perfection and fulness of that righteousness wherewith we shall afterward be satisfied in the other life. Hence the apostle saith, Not that I have already attained, or am already perfect. Brethren, I do not think that I have apprehended, but one thing I do, forgetting the things that are behind, and being stretched forth to those things that are before, I press forward to the mark of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus."

Therefore, according to Augustine, here is the race, here is the progress, there will be the perfection. Here, as running in a race, we proceed from virtue to virtue. There we are perfected. Now, we have only the seeds of virtues begun then, in that fulness of charity, when that shall be perfected in us which now is imperfect, that precept shall be fulfilled; Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul. For whilst there is any carnal concupiscence, which may be restrained by continency, God is not in all respects loved with all the soul; for the flesh doth not lust without the soul, though the flesh is said to lust, because the soul lusteth carnally; therefore as long as the saints are burdened with this flesh, which they cannot shake off, verily sin, dwelling in the flesh, cannot be absent. But it is taken out of the world, after the very same manner that the death of Christ hath driven death from our necks, and yet we die. The same comes to pass in the destroying of sin; that being freed from sin by Christ, yet we are not without sin, for these two things come always together, being tied to one another by very near connexion-that where sin is, there by necessary consequence death follows; wherefore, if the flesh is yet held in bonds by the cruelty of death, by the same reason it is proved, that the relics of sin remain also in the flesh. But now where then is that righteousness which Christ hath purchased for us? Where our life is, there is also our righteousness. Not in this flesh which we put off, but in that body which we shall in due time put on uncorrupted. For such are all the benefits of Christ, purchased for us, that the promise of them being showed afar off, as of old the holy land to the Hebrews, it is apprehended by faith, and the Spirit in this life, but the full possession belongs only, peculiarly, and in the whole, to the other life.