Of free justification

And first I ask this of Thomas, and then of the Tridentines, What they mean by this motionary Translation of theirs, from Term to Term, from State into State, as they teach. If this be their meaning, that we, who before were dead in sins, having our sins afterwards forgiven through Christ, and being again received into grace with God, being freed from death, and the bond of Damnation, are vouchsafed into favour, and received unto life, and Placed in a free condition: Herein they do wholly agree with us: But if otherways, they think thus, That there is no Justification made, but that which consists of the change of qualities, so that he who before was a sinner, an Evil Doer, a Deceiver, a Perjured person, an Adulterer, a Glutton and Drunkard, having changed his life now, begins to be another Man, fasts twice a week, and out of his own wealth, willingly supplies the want ⟨p. 313⟩of the needy, being forward to help all, unto the expending of the tenth part of all his goods, and so leading his life, and changed into a new Man, that he appears Just and Holy, not by that Righteousness, which either needs Remission, or is imputed to the bounty of the Judge; But which by reason of true Virtues inhering by grace, is justly approved in the sight of God: What hinders, I beseech you, but upon this account the Pharisee in comparison of the Publican goes away justified? The Histories of the Heathen Nations abound with examples of many, who, when they had been very much corrupted by their own disposition, or by education, returned afterwards to a remarkable amendment of their Life, and a habit of good manners: And what will hinder, but we may reckon those also among the Justified, according to the Philosophy of Thomas: If so be Justification be nothing else but a certain motion from contrary into contrary, that is a transmutation from a state of Unrighteousness to a state of Righteousness?

And first I ask this of Thomas, and then of the Tridentines, What they mean by this motionary Translation of theirs, from Term to Term, from State into State, as they teach. If this be their meaning, that we, who before were dead in sins, having our sins afterwards forgiven through Christ, and being again received into grace with God, being freed from death, and the bond of Damnation, are vouchsafed into favour, and received unto life, and Placed in a free condition: Herein they do wholly agree with us: But if otherways, they think thus, That there is no Iustification made, but that which consists of the change of qualities, so that he who before was a sinner, an Evil Doer, a Deceiver, a Perjured person, an Adulterer, a Glutton and Drunkard, having changed his life now, begins to be another Man, fasts twice a week, and out of his own wealth, willingly supplies the want