Original Douay–Rheims Annotations2 Timothy 4

There shall be a time.

^[1] If ever this time come (as needs it must that the Apostle foresaw and foretold) now it is undoubtedly, for the properties fall so just in every point upon our new Masters and their Disciples, that they may seem to be pourtered out, rather than prophesied of. Never were there such delicate Doctors that could so pleasantly claw and so sweetly rub the itching ears of their hearers, as these, which have a doctrine framed for every man's fancy, lust, liking and desire. the people not so fast crying, ^[2] speak placentia, things that please: but the Masters as fast warranting them to do placentia.

• 1 The Apostle prophesied of our new delicate preachers.
• 2 Esa. 30. v. 10.

A crown of justice.

^[1] This place convinceth for the Catholics, that all good works done by God's grace after the first justification, be truly and properly meritorious, and fully worthy of everlasting life: and that thereupon heaven is the due and just stipend, crown, or recompense, which God by his justice oweth to the persons so working by his grace. for he rendereth or repayeth heaven as a just judge, and not only as a merciful giver. and the crown which he payeth, is not only of mercy or favour or grace, but also of justice ^[2]. It is his merciful favour and grace, that we work well & merit heaven: it is his justice, for those merits to give us a crown correspondent in heaven. S. Augustine upon these words of the Apostle, expresseth both briefly thus, How should he repay as a just judge, unless he had first given as a merciful father? Li. de grat. & lib. arbit. c. 6.

• 1 Works meritorious.
• 2 How heaven is due both of justice and mercy.

And when you hear or read any thing in the Scriptures, that may seem to derogate from man's works in this case, it is always meant of works considered in their own nature and value, not implying the grace of Christ, by which grace it cometh, & not of the work in it-self that we have a right to heaven & deserve it worthily ^[1]: which the Apostle in the 6. to the Hebrews more then insinuateth, saying these words, God is not unjust, to forget your work & love which you have shewed in his name &c. As though he would say, that he were unjust if he did forget to recompense their works. ^[2] The parable also of the men sent into the vineyard, proveth that heaven is our own right, bargained for and wrought for, and accordingly payed unto us as our hire at the day of judgement, for that is merces and μισθὸς whereby the Scripture so often calleth it. It is the goal, the mark, the price, the hire, of all striving, running, labouring, due both by promise and by covenant and right debt ^[3]. See a notable place in S. Augustine in Psal. 83 in fine: and 100 in initio. & ho. 14. c. 2. ii. 50. hom. S. Cyprian also, and namely the later end of his book de opere & eleemosyna: and thou shalt easily contemn the contrary falsehood, which doth not so much derogate from man's works, as from God's grace which is the cause and ground of all worthiness in man's merits. S. Augustine's words ^[4] be these, Mark that he to whom our Lord gave grace, hath our Lord also his debter. He found him a giver, in the time of mercy: he hath him his debter in the time of judgement. See the place and the rest here quoted, where he examineth and explicateth the matter at large.

• 1 It is not of us, but of God's grace, that works be meritorious.
• 2 Mat. 20.
• 3 To such good works heaven is due: to say the contrary, is to derogate from God's grace.
• 4 In Ps. 100.