Sometime, I say, they seek to temper, and to qualify, and to correct it, as Apothecaries do* poisons, when in desperate cases they minister them to try conclusions with forlorn Patients. Thus Bellarmine having at large discussed the Point; laid down a good distinction for the clearing of the difference between us and them, when we say, thata No confidence is to be put in mans merits; and they say,b that some may be; to wit, thatc it is one thing for confidence to be put in them, and another thing for confidence to arise from them: and with a trembling kind of assertion affirmed the former, that not only confidence may arise from them; but thatd some confidence also may be placed in them, if men be certain that they are such, and so that they be not proud of them: (And yet how sorteth this their doctrine, I pray you, with their Prayers, where they say;e God that seest that we trust in nothing that we do? Or what is this then, but even to mock God to his face, when they tell him they do not that, which indeed they do?) At length he cometh to conclude that we have the safest course on our side. Asf it is the best and behovefull course, saith Bernard, not to pretend merit, but to request mercy: So it is the surest and the safest course, saith Bellarmine, not to trust in any work or worth of our own, but to rely wholly upon Gods mercy. For,g In regard, saith he, of the uncertainty of our own righteousness, and the jeopardy of vain-glory, it is the safest course for a man to repose his whole trust in the mercy and goodness of God alone. And he produceth to this purpose the speeches and practices of divers holy men of God lying upon their death-beds: (as indeed the most, even Papists also, yea and some Popes too, whatsoever they were taught or held otherwise while they lived, are glad (to prevent the worst) to die Protestants in this Point, and to renounce all their pretended merits, worth, and works then, when they should stand them most in stead:) For so Ambrose at point of death, saith he, spake to his ⟨p. 273⟩people;h I have not so lived among you, that I should be ashamed to live longer with you: nor am I afraid to die, because we have a good Master. Which speech of his Augustine used much to admire and commend;
Sometime, I say, they seeke to temper, and to qualifie, and to correct it, as Apothecaries doe* poisons, when in desperate cases they minister them to trie conclusions with forlorne Patients. Thus Bellarmine having at large discussed the Point; laid downe a good distinction for the clearing of the difference betweene us and them, when wee say, thata No confidence is to bee put in mans merits; and they say,b that some may be; to wit, thatc it is one thing for confidence to be put in them, and another thing for confidence to arise from them: and with a trembling kinde of assertion affirmed the former, that not onely confidence may arise from them; but thatd some confidence also may be placed in them, if men be certaine that they are such, and so that they be not proud of them: (And yet how sorteth this their doctrine, I pray you, with their Prayers, where they say;e God that seest that we trust in nothing that we doe? Or what is this then, but even to mocke God to his face, when they tell him they doe not that, which indeed they doe?) At length he commeth to conclude that wee have the safest course on our side. Asf it is the best and behovefull course, saith Bernard, not to pretend merit, but to request mercy: So it is the surest and the safest course, saith Bellarmine, not to trust in any worke or worth of our owne, but to rely wholly upon Gods mercie. For,g In regard, saith he, of the uncertaintie of our owne righteousnesse, and the jeopardy of vaine-glory, it is the safest course for a man to repose his whole trust in the mercy and goodnesse of God alone. And he produceth to this purpose the speeches and practices of divers holy men of God lying upon their death-beds: (as indeed the most, even Papists also, yea and some Popes too, whatsoever they were taught or held otherwise while they lived, are glad (to prevent the worst) to die Protestants in this Point, and to renounce all their pretended merits, worth, and workes then, when they should stand them most in stead:) For so Ambrose at point of death, saith he, spake to his ⟨p. 273⟩
- *Nam & ipsa venena inferuntur medicamentis. Isidor. Orig. lib. 12. cap. 4.
- aCalvinus docet nullam in propriis meritis fiduciam esse locandam. Institut. lib. 3. c. 12. §. 3, 4.
- bNos aliquam etiam in meritis pony posse docemus. Bellar. de Justif. l 5 c 7.Nos aliquam etiam in meritis poni posse docemus. Bellar. de Iustif. l 5 c 7.
- cAliud est fiduciam nasci ex meritis: aliud in meritis ponendam. Bellar. ibid.
- dIn bonis meritis, quae verè talia esse compertum sit, fiducia aliqua collota ī potest, modò superbia caveatur. Ib.In bonis meritis, quae verè talia esse compertum sit, fiducia aliqua collota ī potest, modò superbia caveatur. Ib.
- eDeus, qui conspicis, quia in nulla nostra actione confidimus. Collect. in Sexages.
- fUtilissimum est coram Deo non justitiam praetendere, s•d misericordiam postulare, Bernard. ep. 42.Vtilissimum est coram Deo non justitiam praetendere, s•d misericordiam postulare, Bernard. ep. 42.
- gPropter periculum inanis gloriae, & incertitudinem justitiae nostrae; Tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia & benignitate reponere, Bellarm. de Justif. lib. 5. cap. 7.Propter periculum inanis gloriae, & incertitudinem justitiae nostrae; Tutissimum est fiduciam totam in sola Dei misericordia & benignitate reponere, Bellarm. de Iustif. lib. 5. cap. 7.
- hNon fic vixi, ut me pudeat inter vos vivere: nec mori timeo, quia bonum Dominum habemus, •aulin. in vit. Am.
