Thomas Aquinas, and they that follow him, according to the gloss which they call ordinary, do not deny that 1which the Apostle affirms, That we are saved by the Grace of God: But if you ask after what manner: they answer, that it comes to pass upon the account 2of good Works. For these are the words of the Gloss: Grace, says it, is called Eternal Life, because it is rendered to those Merits, which grace hath conferred. And to the same Sense are the Comments of Orbelius, Bonaventure, Halensis, and others, because, say they, without grace no Man can observe the Commands of God. And Thomas adds elsewhere, that to fulfil the Commands of the Law according to the due manner, Grace is necessarily requisite, to wit, to fulfil them with that Charity that ought to be, by which the fulfilling of them becomes Meritorious. Which Comment of theirs, we having formerly explained how false and frivolous it is, there is no need now of any new Arguments. ⟨p. 258⟩Verily the Christian Doctrine teaches us far otherways; for though we confess that which is reasonable: That the Divine Grace is never idle, but always stirs up the minds of the Regenerate to the best things; yet these Works are never of so great value, as to promote them unto Eternal Life, which is freely promised by God, not to them that Work, but to them that Believe; or if Salvation is premised to them that Work, it is not therefore promised because they Work: But they that truly believe, do therefore Work, because Salvation is promised. 3Therefore Justification first proceeds in the most direct Order, as the cause of good Fruits, but that is not effected by these: But it consists only of the free favour of him that confers it upon them, not upon the account of them that Merit, but upon another account; to wit, That whereby the most bountiful Father of his 4own Will, hath given to us, Meriting nothing, his only begotten Son, who hath fulfilled the Law for us, and hath satisfied the Justice of God for our Unjustice. For herein consists all our Salvation, and the Efficacy of Divine Grace, and the praise thereof 5appears very evidently, Not that we in the mean while being idle, should do nothing; but that doing all things, we should Attribute nothing to our selves, imputing all to the Mercy of God.
THomas Aquinas, and they that follow him, according to the gloss which they call ordinary, do not deny that 1which the Apostle affirms, That we are saved by the Grace of God: But if you ask after what manner: they answer, that it comes to pass upon the account 2of good Works. For these are the words of the Gloss: Grace, says it, is called Eternal Life, because it is rendered to those Merits, which grace hath conferred. And to the same Sense are the Comments of Orbelius, Bonaventure, Halensis, and others, because, say they, without grace no Man can observe the Commands of God. And Thomas adds elsewhere, that to fulfill the Commands of the Law according to the due manner, Grace is necessarily requisite, to wit, to fulfill them with that Charity that ought to be, by which the fulfilling of them becomes Meritorious. Which Comment of theirs, we having formerly explained how false and frivolous it is, there is no need now of any new Arguments. ⟨p. 258⟩Verily the Christian Doctrine teaches us far otherways; for though we confess that which is reasonable: That the Divine Grace is never idle, but always stirs up the minds of the Regenerate to the best things; yet these Works are never of so great value, as to promote them unto Eternal Life, which is freely promised by God, not to them that Work, but to them that Believe; or if Salvation is premised to them that Work, it is not therefore promised because they Work: But they that truly believe, do therefore Work, because Salvation is promised. 3Therefore Iustification first proceeds in the most direct Order, as the cause of good Fruits, but that is not effected by these: But it consists only of the free favour of him that confers it upon them, not upon the account of them that Merit, but upon another account; to wit, That whereby the most bountiful Father of his 4own Will, hath given to us, Meriting nothing, his only begotten Son, who hath fulfilled the Law for us, and hath satisfied the Iustice of God for our Unjustice. For herein consists all our Salvation, and the Efficacy of Divine Grace, and the praise thereof 5appears very evidently, Not that we in the mean while being idle, should do nothing; but that doing all things, we should Attribute nothing to our selves, imputing all to the Mercy of God.
- 1Tho. Aqui. lib. 2. sent. dist. 26. q. 6.
- 2Glos. 9. Ro. 6. Orbelius lib. 2. Sent. dist. 2. Bonaventure. Alex. Halensis.
- 3Salvation is promised to them that Work, not for the sake of the Works themselves.
- 4Rom. 11.
- 5In what thing chiefly the Efficacy of Divine Grace appears.
