A09339:1107
A Golden Chain
A golden chain: or The description of theology containing the order of the causes of salvation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seen in the table annexed. Hereunto is adjoined the order which M. Theodore Beza used in comforting afflicted consciences.A golden chaine: or The description of theologie containing the order of the causes of saluation and damnation, according to Gods word. A view whereof is to be seene in the table annexed. Hereunto is adioyned the order which M. Theodore Beza vsed in comforting afflicted consciences.
Cambridge: printed by John Legat, 1600Cambridge: printed by Iohn Legat, 1600
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
I. Eternal life is the free gift of God. Rom. 6.23. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. Therefore it is not obtained by the merit of works. II. The merit of condignitie, is an action belonging to such an nature as is both God and man, not to a bare creature. For the Angels themselves cannot merit any thing at Gods hands: yea and Adam also, if he had stood in his first innocency, could have deserved nothing of god, because it is the bounden duty of the creature to perform obedience unto his Creator. The merit therefore of condignitie, doth only agree unto Christ God and man, in whom each nature doth, to the effecting of this merit, perform that which belongeth to it. For the humanity it doth minister matter unto the meritorious work, by suffering and performing obedience: but the Deity of Christ, whereunto the humanity is hypostatically united doth confer full and sufficient worthiness unto the work. Hence is it that the Father doth speak thus of his son, Mat. 3.17. This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased ([Greek or Hebrew].) III. In the second commandment God doth promise eternal life to the keepers of his commandments, yet he saith not that they shall obtain it by desert, but that he will show mercy to thousands of them that love him, and keep his commandments. IV. That a work may be meritorious, first there must be an equal proportion betwixt it, and legal justice, or eternal life: secondly, merit doth presuppose this also, that in God there must be a due debt towards man, for God then ought on duty, not by favour, to accept of the person of man. But all our works, yea our most holy works, they cannot come near unto legal righteousness. For, seeing all the regenerate are partly carnal, and partly spiritual, all their works in like sort are imperfectly good. For look what the causes are, and such must the effects needs be. So then, good works do presuppose a due debt in man, none in God. V. The ancient Fathers do not acknowledge this merit of condignitie as currant. August. in his manual, chap. 22. My merit is Gods mercy. Bernard. ser. 63. upon the Cant. It is sufficient to know this, that merits are not sufficient. And ser. 61. Cant. Mans justice is Gods goodness. And epist. 190.