obedience then is not the immediate cause of our absolution, but the obedience and righteousnesse of Christ. By the immediate and next cause we understand such a cause as is necessarily accompanied by the effect, and without whose participation the effect never doth, nor can be-fall any: such a cause as whosoever is partaker of, is by participation of it, forth-with absolved; such a cause as who so can probably hope to be partaker of, he may upon the same degrees of probability hope for finall absolution; such a cause, as who so doubts or feares, least he shall never be partaker of in this life, must upon the same termes doubt or despaire of his absolution or salvation. But if workes be accounted for the exact righteousnesse of the Law unto us, not the obedience of Christ received by faith, but the works of holinesse in us, are the absolute cause of remission of sins and acceptance unto life. And what else doe the words sound, as they be interpreted, but, that as exact obedience to the Law, should have been the matter or cause of Justification from justice, so sincere obedience by the estimation of grace, is the matter of Justification by grace. They will say, I know, faith and workes are onely the condition without which remission cannot be obtained: but faith is not a bare condition, without which the thing cannot be, (for that is no cause at all) but an instrumentall cause: and workes, if they be any cause of Justification, instrumentall they cannot be, but the matter whereupon, and for which we are justified or accounted righteous. Workes doe not embrace Christ, but if causes of Justification, they must challenge to themselves: and therefore how faith and workes should be conjoyned as con-causes in Justification it is impossible to conceive, seeing the one, that is, faith attributes all to the free-grace of God; In eo quod solvimus est aliqua ratio meriti.the other, that is, workes, challenge to themselves: the one will aspire no higher, but to be the instrumentall cause of free remission: the other can sit no lower, but to be the matter of Justification, if any cause at all. For if works be accounted to us in the roome or place of exact obedience in free Justification, doe they not supply the place? are they not advanced to the dignity of works compleate and perfect in Justification from justice?
3. If faith with workes be accepted for righteousnesse to Justification, then faith justifieth not as it imbraceth the promises of mercy, and by it we partake in the merits of Christs death andobedience,
