Certain sermons, first preached, and after published at several times, by M. Thomas Gataker…Certaine sermons, first preached, and after published at severall times, by M. Thomas Gataker…

But why is Gods agreement needful then? or why doth Bellarmine require that also? He telleth you himself; not for any defect or want of worth in the work; but^f because that without some such agreement no reward or wages can of right be claimed for any work, albeit of it self otherwise it be never so worthy.

But why is Gods agreement needfull then? or why doth Bellarmine require that also? Hee telleth you himselfe; not for any defect or want of worth in the worke; but^f because that without some such agreement no reward or wages can of right be claimed for any worke, albeit of it selfe otherwise it be never so worthy.

1. fRequiritur pactum & conventio: nisi enim id praecesserit, non potest ex justitia commutativa, neque ex distributiva etiam, opus alterum obligare, quantumvis eximium sit, & equal mercedi, Idem de Justific. l. 5. c. 14.Requiritur pactum & conventio: nisi enim id praecesserit, non potest ex justitia commutativa, neque ex distributiva etiam, opus alterum obligare, quantumvis eximium sit, & aequale mercedi, Idem de Iustific. l. 5. c. 14.

Lastly, he telleth us that^g there want not very grave Authors, who think that every good work of a just man endued with Charity, meriteth or deserveth life eternal. ^hWhich he thus far forth also subscribeth unto, if this condition be added, that not only the party doing it be endued with Charity, but the very work it self also do actually, or virtually at least proceed from Charity, and be done for Gods sake. So that not only the whole course and tenor of a godly mans life uprightly and religiously led, being laid altogether in one lump, but every particular such action of it, considered alone by it self, should by this their doctrine deserve no less than Heaven at Gods hands. And then belike so oft as they have done any good work merely for Gods sake, so oft have they deserved an Heaven at least of him. It were absurd and senseless for a sorry beggar to imagine (that I may use Bellarmines own comparison) that by weeding though a whole day in the Kings garden at White-hall, he had in regard of the worth of the work done by him, deserved an hundred Jacobuses, because his Majesty had promised for his days work to give him such wages.