We need not be at any great trouble to find out the cause thereof. 1Tiletan and other Jesuits produce a cause thereof out of Augustin: Because the Works of Abraham, were not of the Law, but of Faith, not of the Flesh, but of Grace, which because they were not done by the Power of Free-will only, but in the Faith, and (expectation) of Christ, therefore all Praise and Glory was due to Christ, and none to them; which Invention of theirs though it savours more of Wit than Solidity, yet though we grant all this to them, there is no inconvenience in it, seeing both of us acknowledge with Paul, that the Patriarch Abraham found neither matter of glorying, nor Justification before God by Works; and therefore that he had no cause of glorying, because he was not justified by Works; for otherways, if he had been justified by Works, he should have had, wherein to Glory, as the Apostle Paul speaks. But now he hath not any thing, wherein he may Glory before God, therefore he was not justified by Works. And thus hitherto we have treated of the Arguments of the Adversaries, as much as may suffice not only to discover, but also confute their Sophistical Wiles, and captious Deceits, who fight with so great eagerness for their inherent Righteousness, against the Testimony of the Holy Scripture, and the Sacred Gospel of Jesus Christ, and the bright ⟨p. 459⟩shining Light of Grace, yea and against their own Salvation. It remains in the next place, that we should hear, what those Men on the other side answer and oppose to the Arguments, and most approved Reasons managed, not only by us, but by St. Paul, and with what Cavillings and fraudulent Devices, they darken and baffle the clear meaning of the Apostle's Words, and with what deceit they wilfully wrest and deprave the genuine Signification of his Words by their most absurd Interpretation, to the intent they may maintain their own erroneous Doctrine. If they did this only in Ignorance, they should not be so much the Objects of our Anger, as of our Pity and Commiseration, as being Men misled into Error. But they behave themselves as if they were unwilling to be undeceived. And though they cannot but see the Truth in such a clear Light of the Scripture: yet they wilfully shut their eyes, because they are not willing to see, or at least believe the clear shining Light of the Truth;
We need not be at any great trouble to find out the cause thereof. 1Tiletan and other Iesuits produce a cause thereof out of Augustin: Because the Works of Abraham, were not of the Law, but of Faith, not of the Flesh, but of Grace, which because they were not done by the Power of Free-will only, but in the Faith, and (expectation) of Christ, therefore all Praise and Glory was due to Christ, and none to them; which Invention of theirs though it savours more of Wit than Solidity, yet though we grant all this to them, there is no inconvenience in it, seeing both of us acknowledge with Paul, that the Patriarch Abraham found neither matter of glorying, nor Iustification before God by Works; and therefore that he had no cause of glorying, because he was not justified by Works; for otherways, if he had been justified by Works, he should have had, wherein to Glory, as the Apostle Paul speaks. But now he hath not any thing, wherein he may Glory before God, therefore he was not justified by Works. And thus hitherto we have treated of the Arguments of the Adversaries, as much as may suffice not only to discover, but also confute their Sophistical Wiles, and captious Deceits, who fight with so great eagerness for their inherent Righteousness, against the Testimony of the Holy Scripture, and the Sacred Gospel of Iesus Christ, and the bright ⟨p. 459⟩shining Light of Grace, yea and against their own Salvation. It remains in the next place, that we should hear, what those Men on the other side answer and oppose to the Arguments, and most approved Reasons manag'd, not only by us, but by St. Paul, and with what Cavillings and fraudulent Devices, they darken and baffle the clear meaning of the Apostle's Words, and with what deceit they wilfully wrest and deprave the genuine Signification of his Words by their most absurd Interpretation, to the intent they may maintain their own erroneous Doctrine. If they did this only in Ignorance, they should not be so much the Objects of our Anger, as of our Pity and Commiseration, as being Men misled into Errour. But they behave themselves as if they were unwilling to be undeceiv'd. And though they cannot but see the Truth in such a clear Light of the Scripture: yet they wilfully shut their eyes, because they are not willing to see, or at least believe the clear shining Light of the Truth;
- 1Tiletan.
