Let us confirm the saying of Paul by Scriptural Examples. That which Paul here preaches of free Salvation without Works, the same Isaiah foretells, will come to pass, though in other Words yet to the same purpose, under the Symbols of Wine and Milk. All ye that thirst, saith he, come without 1Money, and without Price, and buy Wine and Milk. What is signified here by Wine and Milk, but the glorious Mystery of our Justification? and what is the signification of these Words, wherein we are commanded to eat without Money and without Price, but that the Lord would intimate unto us by the Prophet the same thing, that the Apostle declares, to wit that we attain unto so great Felicity by the free Gift of God only, and not by Works or Merits of Works? For what can be the sense of these Words of the Apostle [Without Works] but the same that the Prophet expresseth in these Words (without Money, and without Price:) What hole can the Papists find here, to creep out at? Without our own Works say they, or without those that go before Faith, as Campian says, or without the Works of the Law as Osorius speaks, but not without the Works of Faith, or those Works which flow from the Grace of God; but this vain Sophistry is overthrown 2by the similitude of the Prophet, which would be utterly absurd, unless upon all accounts Salvation were freely offered without any Condition of Works. ⟨p. 491⟩For otherwise, what will they answer the Prophet, or how can they interpret his Words, where he commands to eat without Money and without Price? Will they distinguish Money in this place just as they distinguish Works? So that they reject that Money as unprofitable, which is our own, being purchased by our own labours, but what is given us of God, they are so far from excluding this, that unless we have it, it is in vain to come and eat. O vain janglings of Sophisters, not so fit to be confuted by Arguments as to be hissed away, and accursed by an Apostolical Execration. Suitable hereunto is that saying of the same Prophet: Ye were sold for nought, and ye shall 3be redeemed without Silver: What else can be understood by these Words, but the freeness of the Infinite Mercy of God towards us without any Merit of ours?
Let us confirm the saying of Paul by Scriptural Examples. That which Paul here preaches of free Salvation without Works, the same Isaiah foretells, will come to pass, though in other Words yet to the same purpose, under the Symbols of Wine and Milk. All ye that thirst, saith he, come without 1Money, and without Price, and buy Wine and Milk. What is signified here by Wine and Milk, but the glorious Mystery of our Iustification? and what is the signification of these Words, wherein we are commanded to eat without Money and without Price, but that the Lord would intimate unto us by the Prophet the same thing, that the Apostle declares, to wit that we attain unto so great Felicity by the free Gift of God only, and not by Works or Merits of Works? For what can be the sense of these Words of the Apostle [Without Works] but the same that the Prophet expresseth in these Words (without Money, and without Price:) What hole can the Papists find here, to creep out at? Without our own Works say they, or without those that go before Faith, as Campian says, or without the Works of the Law as Osorius speaks, but not without the Works of Faith, or those Works which flow from the Grace of God; but this vain Sophistry is overthrown 2by the similitude of the Prophet, which would be utterly absurd, unless upon all accounts Salvation were freely offered without any Condition of Works. ⟨p. 491⟩For otherwise, what will they answer the Prophet, or how can they interpret his Words, where he commands to eat without Money and without Price? Will they distinguish Money in this place just as they distinguish Works? So that they reject that Money as unprofitable, which is our own, being purchased by our own labours, but what is given us of God, they are so far from excluding this, that unless we have it, it is in vain to come and eat. O vain janglings of Sophisters, not so fit to be confuted by Arguments as to be hissed away, and accursed by an Apostolical Execration. Suitable hereunto is that saying of the same Prophet: Ye were sold for nought, and ye shall 3be redeemed without Silver: What else can be understood by these Words, but the freeness of the Infinite Mercy of God towards us without any Merit of ours?
- 1Isa. 55.
- 2A frivolous Trick of the Sophisters.
- 3Isa. 52.
