Saints with your niceties and falsities any longer for thus you reason No historicall Faith hath any interest in the matter of Iustification But firmely to belieue the truth of Gods Word and specially the Gospell is historicall Faith Therefore firmely to belieue the truth of Gods Word and specially the Gospell hath no interest in the matter of Iustification Good Sir I deny your Maior which you thus endeuour to proue ab absurdo enumeratione partium No generall knowledge shall haue any stroke in the matter of Iustification All historicall Faith is a generall knowledge Therefore no historicall Faith hath any interest in the matter of iustification Proue your Minor which I denie telling you moreouer that firmely to consent to the truth of Gods Word in genere and the Gospell in Specie is not a Generall knowledge but a Speciall knowledge and therefore I argue Such a speciall knowledge of the Gospell is the beginning of Faith Iustifying Mat. 13.11 Ioh. 17.3 Mat. 16.17 But firmely to consent to the truth of Gods Word and the Gospell is such a speciall knowledge ex confesso Therfore firmely to consent to the truth of Gods Word and especially the Gospell is the beginning of Iustifying Faith I. D. If you were as farre from hood-winking your owne eyes as I am from blearing the eies of others you might easily perceiue that now I deale against our common aduersaries the Papists and ouerthrow the iustification of their Historicall Faith by the chiefest arguments which Protestants vse But you after the manner of those Gladiators called Andabatae nor see nor care whom or what you strike and so mildly affected are you towards mee that so you may make some probable shew of endammaging or disaduantaging mee you reck not though through my sides you reach and wound the best Diuines of our Church yea and the common truth which wee all maintaine Neither doe I vse such circumguagues nor wiredraw my arguments into such a length as you beare vs in hand but hauing nakedly and plainely defined what Historicall Faith is I proue by two reasons that Faith so defined doth not iustifie the first whereof is this because it is absurd that so generall a Knowledge should iustifie So that your Ferio Syllogisme deserues a Ferula and vtterly to bee cashed as being no creature of mine but an idle figment of your owne and the next in Celarent for so you forme it although indeed it bee also in Ferio the Minor proposition and Conclusion notwithstanding your generall notes being but particular enuntiations is the onely Syllogisme intended by mee and including my first argument The Maior whereof it seemes you grant saying nothing vnto it and the Minor only you deny which I cannot but wonder at seeing both the Minor and Conclusion are vniuersally vouched by all the Diuines of our side The Conclusion is that Historicall Faith iustifies not So saith Hyperius De fide Hom. iustificandi There is a certaine Historicall Faith whereby those things which are propounded in holy writ are simply beleeued but yet is not applyed vnto Christ and the matter of our Saluation Loco de Fide The Minor is that Historicall Faith is a generall Knowledge So sayth Kemnitius There is a certaine generall Faith which vsually is tearmed Historicall and againe Historicall Faith is a generall assent holding in generall that the promise of the Gospell is true And M. Perkins Ser. caus c. 36. A generall Faith whereby they giue assent vnto the Gospell Neither doe I know any one of our Diuines that either in the Conclusion or the Minor doth gainsay them So that by the iudgement of these men both consenting to Gods Word in generall and to the Gospell in speciall is not a Speciall but Generall Knowledge and if the Speciality of the Gospell being but a part of the whole Scripture did specify Faith it would follow thereupon that there are as many Speciall Faiths as there are seuerall Articles of the Creed which were vnreasonable to imagine For that Faith which assenteth vnto the Gospell is no other then that which assenteth vnto the rest of holy Scripture and although it may principally respect that part of diuine truth yet doth it not only respect it nor is limited thereunto as vnto the proper adequate obiect thereof but vniuersally extendeth it selfe vnto all supernaturall reuealed verities whatsoeuer As for that Faith which our Diuines call Speciall is to be vnderstood of Faith of Promises wherby the Saints apply and appropriate them vnto themselues particularly and indiuidually assuring themselues of their present iustification and future saluation And the ignorance hereof as I ween is the cause why you turne generall into speciall and write of this matter so wildly and confusedly This notwithstanding very peremptorily you pronounce that Historiall Faith is a speciall Knowledge and thereupon Syllogistically inferre that it is the Beginning of Iustifying Faith to what end I wot not well vnlesse it bee to proue that it doth iustify because as you conclude it is the beginning of that Faith But whatsoeuer your intent bee your argument I answer by distinguishing of the word Beginning For if you vnderstand thereby a Pre-requisite or Preparatiue vnto iustifying Faith you doe but fight with a shadow for in that sence I grant the Conclusion neither doth such a beginning of Iustifying Faith iustify If you meane thereby that it is Iustifying Faith inchoat and in a remisser degree then I deny your Maior and say that such a knowledge call it as you please generall or speciall is not the beginning of iustifying Faith If it were then Diuels and Reprobates hauing it should haue iustifying Faith which Gods Word attributes vnto the Elect onely Tit. 1.1 And if it bee true that Faith of person is the consummation of Iustifying Faith as in the former section you say it cannot bee that such a knowledge should bee the Beginning thereof vnlesse you will say that Accidents may passe from one Subiect to another which is against all Philosophy For Historicall Faith is in the Vnderstanding and Faith of Person is in the Will and therefore Faith of Story beginning in the Mind can haue no subsistence elsewhere and iustifying Faith being perfected in the Will cannot bee begunne in any other Subiect The passages quoted in the margent though you should rack them till they rent asunder yet will they not confesse what you alledge them for For how I pray you hang these things together To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heauen This is life euerlasting to know thee Flesh and Bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father Ergo Such a knowledge is iustifying Faith begun This is too violent astraining of Scripture and as Volusian speaketh is not a sucking of milke but drawing of bloud from the dugs of the Church Ep. 1. ad Nic. 1. As for the Minor I haue already sufficiently demonstrated the falshood thereof only
which they are iustified and so come to eternall life But what say I vnto the Minor deliuered in other tearmes thus Knowledge of Christ apprehendeth eternall life I say first it is not the same Proposition because the tearmes are changed neither are they equipollent Secondly I grant it to bee true whether you meane by knowledge Dogmaticall Faith or Particular assurance for by the one doe we apprehend that there is an eternall life by the other that wee haue speciall interest in it Well then if it apprehendeth eternall life doth it not follow that therefore also it apprehendeth iustification No by no meanes for as wee haue aboue demonstrated it is not necessary that that which apprehendeth the latter should apprehend the former also And yet though I disallow the consequence the consequent I readily yeeld you that Particular knowledge apprehendeth iustification for so haue wee defined Faith of promise to be a perswasion or assurance that the promise of God made in Christ to wit iustification remission of sinnes adoption regeneration finally election it selfe and eternall saluation doe particularly pertaine vnto mee and are mine What gather you now of this Ergo say you it is iustifying Faith How so Because whatsoeuer apprehendeth iustification is iustifying Faith Nay contrarily whatsoeuer apprehendeth iustification it not iustifying Faith for apprehension followeth iustification no man apprehending himselfe to bee iustified vntill hee be iustified but Iustifying Faith is in nature before iustification that being the cause and this the effect And therefore vnlesse you will say that that which followeth is that which goeth before you cannot say that that which apprehendeth iustification is that which iustifieth To conclude therefore neither is Faith knowledge nor knowledge Faith but particular knowledge for ought you haue yet said or can say commeth in time after Faith But whereas finally you inferre that Faith is knowledge in the beginning knowledge in proceeding knowledge in the end besides that the foundation vpon which it is grounded is vntrue it is cleane contrary also to that which erewhile you affirmed that Faith is but one compounded of my three nice distinctions the first being the beginning the second the progresse the third the end For the third is Faith of Person and in the Will and is by your confession there the end of Faith yet here you say faith is knowledge in the end which things how they can stand together I see not vnlesse you will say that knowledge is in the Will and so confound the faculties and operations of the soule N. B. In Ioh. 1. Ep. c. 5. to 13. The place of Saint Iohn by you cited to proue your Minor in your argument maketh nothing for you because the Apostle speaketh of their increase of knowledge and not of the originall begetting of knowledge and so saith M. Caluin I. D. The text in the clearest tearmes that may bee distinguisheth betweene Belieuing and knowing and vnto that giueth the priority before this but your glosse confoundeth their natures and saith that the Apostle here speaketh onely of increase of knowledge Wo to the glosse that corrupteth the text for if this bee S. Iohns meaning it is as if hee should say I write vnto you that know that yee are iustified haue eternall life that yee may increase in knowing that yee haue eternall life and that yee may know yee are iustified and haue eternall life which how vnworthy it is the pen of an Apostle euery one easily seeth But Caluin you say interpreteth the place as you doe Bee it so yet is it not the name of Caluin how venerable soeuer that may sway this matter For seeing I professe to differ from him in the definition of Iustifying Faith hee defining it by knowledge I by Affiance you may not thinke it vnreasonable if in this point and the explication of such scriptures as may seeme to concerne it I desire rather to bee pressed with his reasons then borne downe with his authority But what saith Caluin Because there ought to bee dayly proceedings in Faith therefore he writes to them that belieue already that they may more firmely and certainly belieue Whereunto I willingly assent if you apply it as Beza in his annotations doth vnto the last clause of the verse and that yee may belieue for then the meaning without forcing or constraining the words will bee as if hee should say I write vnto you that belieue that belieuing yee may know yee haue eternall life knowing the same may constantly perseuere and proceed on in Belieuing For as the clouds poure downe raine to moisten the earth and the earth moistned sendeth vp vapours againe to make clouds so likewise Faith begets Assurance and Assurance being gotten doth againe confirme and strengthen faith And thus doe the Century-writers expound this place Cent. 1. l. 2. c. 4. p. 276. gathering from it that Cetainty of Saluation is an Effect of Faith and so euidently distinguishing knowledge from Faith Treatise 3. Arg. That which in nature comes after iustification cannot bee iustifying Faith This appeares because Faith is the Efficient Instrumentall cause of Iustification and euery Efficient by the rule of Logicke is in nature before the Effect But this knowledge or assurance is in nature after Iustification Ergo it is not Faith N. B. Your Minor is very false and so proued by my former arguments For particular knowledge and assurance of our saluation is not in nature after Faith but is Faith and wholy infused by the Spirit of God and begotten by hearing of the Word preached and commeth to act by degrees according to the measure of grace giuen of God For it is in Habitu sometime not in actu Faith habituall in power actuall in the deed of belieuing as when one sleepeth his beliefe is not in actu and yet hee liueth vnto God by his faith which liueth powerfully in him though not actually I. D. The Maior of my Syllogisme is vndeniable because as I haue said Faith is the cause of iustification For as D. Fulke saith vnto Bristow excluding it from Efficient causes Reioinder to Bristow p. 172. Seeing Scripture often affirmeth that God worketh in vs by Faith faith must needs be an instrumentall efficient when you haue said all that you can except you will teach vs new Grammar and Logicke The Minor therefore you say is very false and so proued by your former arguments But those arguments are already answered and thus I proue the Minor For as for the rest of your idle and wilde talke touching the infusion begetting degrees habit act of Faith I willingly passe ouer lest pursuing you in this course I seeme to run riot and play the wanton with you Treatise The truth of a Proposition is alwayes in nature before the knowledge of the truth for Propositions are not therefore true because they are knowne so but they are first true and knowne so Therefore this Proposition I know I am iustified spoken
they of whom I learned it seemed vnto me to bee no Papists and were commonly taken for very good Protestants Christ saith Beza Conf. c. 4. 9. 4. is offered vnto vs to be possessed of vs with this condition if we doe belieue in him On that condition saith Vrsinus In Catechismoq de Euang is Christs righteousnesse made ours if wee receiue it Now that receiuing is the worke and act of Faith alone The condition of Faith saith Hemingius Syntag. de Euang Art 30. Cent. 1. l. 1. c. 4. p. 93. is required that the benefit may be applied that is remission of sinnes The law say the Century-writers hath the Promise with condition of Doing and fulfilling it the Gospell hath the free Promise with condition of Belieuing and receiuing it by Faith That saith Master Foxe De Christo gratis iustif p. 237. 244. which properly wee inquire is for what cause or reason Saluation and Pardon of sinnes is promised whether vpon some condition or none at all And that the Promise is made vpon no condition no man I thinke will say wherefore it remaines of necessity wee acknowledge some condition and that is Faith In Camp 8. Rat. In the Law saith Whitaker the condition was hard which no man could satisfy but Christ propounds vnto vs a more easy condition Belieue and thou shalt bee saued Against Sanders cauils on the Lords supper p. 424. De iustif l. 1. c. 12. Ter. Eun. Act. 2. Sc. 11. Gods promises saith Fulke require the condition of Faith in them that shall obtaine them Finally Cardinall Bellarmine who hitherto hath euer been esteemed no meane Papist reports this to bee the confession of all his aduersaries and that they cannot deny it That remission of sinnes is promised vpon condition of Faith But Lord what ods and difference there is betweene simple folke and intelligent persons For vnlesse you had told it mee I had neuer knowne that Bellarmins aduersaries were Papists nor that these men whom I haue named had beene wolues in sheepskins Neither did I vntill now vnderstand what you meant when you charged mee with Popery and speaking pure Papist your meaning I see was that I spake right as Beza Vrsinus Hemingius the Century-Writers Foxe Whitaker Fulke and all the rest of that ranke vse to do For confirmation of my Minor and to proue Iustification to bee conditionall I bring as you say that place of Math. Be of good comfort Sonne thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee In handling whereof you tell mee farther first that I wrest the text and falsifie the meaning thereof then that I translate the Greeke falsly and contrary to the words themselues and all the world for 1600 yeeres lastly that most impudently and quite contrary to knowledge and conscience I adde vnto the Scripture Telling mee moreouer that I haue a mind to doe mischiefe but want power that I contemne all Grammar and parget a rotten cause with vntempered morter and therefore must needs incurre fearefull iudgement if in time I craue not mercy at the hand of God Thus Master Baxter like Saint George a horse backe you fight with a painted dragon and faining monsters to your selfe set vpon them with such Herculean impetuousnesse and fury as if you would amaze simple people with your great puissance powres and then as if you had flaild to powder your true aduersary as well as your imaginary and strawen enemy you giue foorth most terrible menaces and threats that folke henceforward may not dare to meddle with your mothers sonne more For where I pray you doe you finde this passage of S. Mathew quoted by me and vnlesse you had resolued by falshood and forgerie to maintaine this quarrell against mee with what face could you father the allegation of it vpon mee No Sir I did not so much as dreame of that place only I say in generall that the Scriptures make this to bee the tenor of the Euangelicall promise Belieue and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee Ioh. 3.10 little thinking that you who would bee counted a Master in Israel had beene ignorant of a doctrine so euident and fundamentall For that so it is let these few texts bee carefully considered Belieue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt bee saued and thine houshold Act. 16.31 Act. 10.23 That through his Name all that belieue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes That whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Ioh. 3.15.16 Rom. 10.9 Gal. 3.22 If thou belieue thou shalt bee saued That the promise of Iesus Christ should bee giuen to them that belieue To these few I might easily adde six hundred mo all which although not in precise forme of words yet in vertue and meaning are all one with this Belieue and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee and from them doe all Diuines gather that the Promise of the Gospell is not absolute but conditionall if we Belieue as is aboue plentifully declared Which being so you shew your selfe in this Thrasonicall and swaggering section to bee too-too base and recreant vtterly void both of forhead and conscience otherwise you would not first so palpably and desperately haue belied mee and then so impudently and vnciuilly reuell vpon mee Though you deserue it yet will I not cast backe the dirt you here throw at mee againe into your owne face I shall but defile my hands in so doing rather will I as Saint Bernard counselleth Breake the arrowes of contumely vpon the sheeld of Patience Ser. 40. de modo benè viuendi and hold forth the buckler of a good conscience against the sword of your malicious tongue But albeit I intended not nor aimed at this place of Mathew as being euery way vnsufficient to proue that iustification is promised vpon condition of Faith yet is it not so abhorring from my purpose but that it may affoard at least a probable proofe for my maine conclusion For. Beza in his annotations on Mark. 2.5 doth vs to wit that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated imperatiuely thus Be thy sinnes pardoned as if it were in the third person plurall of the Coniunctiue mood which Diomedes called the Mandatiue mood for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eustathius and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed by Homer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason why it may thus be turned is because the Scribes vnderstood Christ as if hee himselfe had actually forgiuen the Palsie-man his sins as appeareth in the sixt and seuenth verses which they could not so haue conceiued if hee had onely told him that his sinnes were forgiuen him Now if this bee the right translation what say you to this argument The Palsie-man first belieued for so it is said When Iesus saw their Faith meaning as well the Faith of the sicke man as of them that brought him and then after Christ forgaue his sins
source of all Rebellion and Disobedience N. B. Your Genus is that Faith iustifying is a Rest which is false when you speake more learnedly I will deigne you farther answer I. D. That Rest is not the Genus of Iustifying Faith I easily grant you for as appeares manifestly in my Treatise I make Affiance or which is all one Rest to bee the Act or Forme of Faith and not the Genus thereof If I had thought it fitting to haue troubled the Definition therewith I was not so ignorant but I could haue called it either an infused grace or a gratious habit or a Theologicall vertue but because the Philosopher taught me that Habits are sufficiently defined by their Acts in reference vnto their proper Obiects I held it needlesse to expresse it But suppose I had made it to be the right Genus how doe you disproue it Forsooth it is sufficient for such a Pythagoras as you are to say it is false an inexpiable wrong would it be to demand a reason of your sayings Onely you adde Plut. in vitâ Alex. that when I shall speake more learnedly you will deigne me farther answer Brauely againe spoken and Alexander-like for neither would hee being a King contend with any but Kings neither may you being so transcendent for your learning and surmounting the most of men as farre as the Sun doth the lesser lights without impeachment of honour vouchsafe disputation with any but your Peers much lesse with such a one as is scarce to bee found in any Predicament Yet seeing the Sunne so surpassing in glory is no way enuious of his light but imparteth bountifully of his beames to the enlightning of the rest of the starres it may please you also with whom wisdome must liue and dye Ioh. 12.2 out of your benignity to send forth some influence of your learning vpon mee that I may more cleerely discerne at least in this question betweene truth and that which is onely seeming so N. B. Shew mee for your warrant one place of Scripture that so tearmeth it any one Father of the Church old or new for these 1600. yeeres Greeks or Latins that will auouch it and I will yeeld to your Genus The Hebrew word for Faith and the Greek word whereof you haue heard before doe vtterly condemne you they both signifying a perswasion and an Assurance and neuer a Rest I maruell you will teach the Holy Ghost to speake and the Church now to vnderstand what Faith is and that by such a woodden Definition which may rather moue to choller then consent I. D. If by denying vnto mee the warrant of Scriptures of Fathers old and new Greeke and Latin for 1600. yeeres and of the Greeke and Hebrew words for Faith you intend to proue that Affiance or Rest is not the Genus of Faith it shall without more a-doo bee yeelded vnto you for as appeares in the former section I make it to bee not the Genus but the Act or Forme thereof But if you would thereby perswade that Rest or Affiance is not the Act of Faith I must tell you that these reasons are cleane out of date and that you doe too much abuse your Readers patience setting againe before him these Coleworts now more then twice sodden For both in the beginning of this disputation and in the last section saue two before this I haue throughly scanned cleered this businesse shewing that I am so farre from teaching the Holy Ghost to speake and the Church to vnderstand what Faith is as you vnchristianly lay vnto my charge that I vse no other tearme but that which the Spirit of God hath in Scripture sanctified to this purpose and the Holy Church hath euer spoken and vsed But because I am loth to pester my paper with so many Tautologies and needles repetitions as you vse to doe thither must I entreate the courteous Reader to repaire for satisfaction In the meane season seeing both by expresse testimony of Scripture and cleere euidence of reason I haue warranted euery part of my definition and yet you without disprouing the weakest of my proofes tauntingly call it a woodden Definition you must pardon mee if I tell you plainely that this wood-kinde of answering deserues to bee reformed with a little woodden correction But where you say my Definition may rather moue to choler then consent a man would thinke reading this your answer that either your principles were so incurably hurt or your braine dam'd and ram'd vp with such a deale of dull and tough flegme that it were as easy almost to remoue a mountaine as to moue you either to the one or the other And yet indeed I find you of a cleene contrary complexion euen the most pettish and waspish gentleman that euer I met withall euery small petty occasion stirs your choler and works you presently out of temper But because I see it is your impotency disease I beare with you the more praying you notwithstanding to haue as much patience as you may if at times for the purging of this humor I play the Physician and minister some small quantity of rheubarb vnto you N. B. For alas Master Downe what Rest can a man haue vpon Christ without Assurance to bee saued by his death and Passion and knowledge of his Lord and Sauiour A full assurance therefore as a cause worketh Rest vpon Christ as an effect and is therefore the Generall word in the Definition of Iustifying Faith I. D. Your argument if I mistake not standeth thus That which is an Effect of Assurance cannot be the Act of Faith But Resting vpon Christ is an Effect of Assurance Ergo it cannot bee the Act of Faith I distinguish of Assurance for it is either of the generall proposition or of the Speciall and indiuiduall of the Generall when wee are assured that Whosoeuer Belieueth on Christ shall bee iustified and saued of the Speciall when wee are certainly perswaded that We are iustified and shall bee saued If you meane the former then I deny the Maior for such Historicall Assurance is a necessary pre-requisite vnto Iustifying Faith and is the cause without which wee cannot belieue on Christ and therefore that which is such an effect of Assurance may bee the Act of Faith If you vnderstand the latter then doe I grant the Maior for if such Assurance be as I haue demonstratiuely proued it selfe the Effect of Faith it is more then manifest that That which is an effect of such Assurance cannot bee the Act of Faith But then I deny the Minor that Resting vpon Christ is an effect of such assurance affirming that contrarily Resting vpon Christ is the cause of such Assurance and Assurance is the Effect of that Resting But what rest say you can a man haue vpon Christ without Assurance to be saued by his Death Passion Surely vnlesse wee know his Death and Passion to bee the onely meanes of saluation wee cannot rest vpon him for it but to
the many excellent and heauenly graces wherewith the spirit of God beautifieth and enricheth the hearts of his Elect there is no one of more either necessity vnto saluation or importance for comfort and consolation then that of Iustifying Faith For as by the first Act of this faith our Iustification before God our peace with God our incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ Iesus our conuersion vnto God are first wrought and effected so by the consequent continued Acts of the same Fayth are wee being fallen dayly renewed and from both totall and finall falling away safely preserued and maintained This cōsidered me-thinkes no time can be better employed nor no paines more profitably taken then in the quest and enquiry of the true nature and definition of Iustifying Fayth And although I cannot deny but hee may haue fayth who cannot like a Logician define it and may haue the benefit of Iustification by it who cannot distinguinsh the nature of it yet this withall I boldly auerre that the ignorance hereof or a confused and indistinct apprehension of it disableth vs both from giuing and taking direct and euident comfort from it whereas a cleare and distinct knowledge thereof is able to satisfie and replenish with comfort any distressed or afflicted conscience For this cause haue I vndertaken so briefly and perspicuously as I can to set downe my opinion of the definition of Fayth perswading my selfe I doe not endeauouring at leastwise not to swarue from the wholesome doctrine of Christ and Gods word From the writings and doctrine of most learned and worthy Diuines peraduenture it doth and indeed it doth vary to whom although as farre farre inferior I owe all respect reuerence yet being Gods freeman I cannot endure to bee mans bond-man and sweare to all they say One Paphnutius sometime in the matter of Priests marriage preuailed against a whole Counsell of most learned and godly Bishops Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. and young Elihu may speake more oportunely pertinently then they that are much his Ancients Therefore as Nisus sayth in Virgill Neque hac nostris spectentur ab annis Aeneid l. 9. looke not how greene or how gray his head be that speaketh but let the touch of truth try all and what by it shall appeare to be base and counterfait refuse and reiect that which shall be found true and sound approue and embrace And that preiudice too strongly possesse thee not take my protestation that I neuer haue entertained this opinion rashly and inconsiderately but vpon mature aduise and deliberation nor broach it vpon a preposterous humour of nouelty or ambition to build vp mine owne credit existimation by the ruine and disparagement of so great Diuines for this were Subulâ leonem excipere to encounter a Lion with a bodkin as it is in the Prouerbe but vpon a sincere affection and desire to minister solid and found consolation to despayring and perplexed minds which as after shall appeare vpon this foundation may most firmely be raised And now trusting what I say shall be weighed in the ballance not of preiudice but vpright iudgement I leaue to preface any farther and come directly to the purprose Because I purpose not to raise my building very high I meane not to lay my foundation very deepe therefore neither will I play the Phylologer in shewing the diuers vses and acceptations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fides id est Faith or quote Ciceros Fiat quod dictum est or St. Augustines Fac quod dicis Offic. l. 1. to doe as a man sayes for the notation of Faith neither will I play the Phylosopher in discoursing of Physicall or Morall or Ciuill Faith wherein it were easie to wast much oile and paper nor lastly will I speake of that Theologicall Faith called Miraculous either in Agent or Patient which I take to bee none other then a diuine instinct for the working of a Miracle For albeit they who at the last day shall say Lord in thy name haue we not cast out Diuels may seeme to haue trusted in Miraculous Faith for Iustification Mat. 7.22.23 and acknowledgement of Christ yet notwithstanding neuer any controuersie about it hath exercised the Church of God To deferre your expectations therefore no farther three Faiths there seeme to be which lay claime and title to the priuiledge of justification giue me leaue to distinguish and denominate them according to their Obiects neither be offended if I handle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giue new termes to old matters The first is Fides Historiae Historicall Faith which is an Assent of the mind vnto the truth of Gods word and specially the Gospell And this Faith whether it be according to the distinction of the Scoolemen Acquisite gotten by much hearing and experience without illumination or infused and reuealed by the spirit of illumination it hath no interest in the matter of Iustification For besides that it is absurd that so generall a Knowledge should iustify Acquisit Faith the Diuels haue according to that of St Iames Iam. 2. 19. The Diuels beleeue tremble Infused faith the Reprobates may haue as Balaam Iudas Magus Now the Scripture is plaine that justifying faith is propper and peculiar vnto the Elect and therefore Historicall faith cannot justifie The second is Fides Promissionum Faith of promises which is a Perswasion or Assurance that the promises of God made in Christ to wit Iustification Remission of sinnes Adoption Regeneration and finally Election it selfe and eternall Saluation doe particularly pertaine to me and are mine Now this although I deny not but in Scripture it is called faith and that euery Saint of God both may and ought to haue this particular perswasion and Assurance yet this I confidently deny that this perswasion is that which justifies a man before God and my reasons are these 1. If this were justifying Faith then whosoeuer liues and dyes without this particular Assurance he cannot be saued Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God But a man may be saued without it I instance in those our Brethren of Germanie who hold that faith may finally and totally fall away and consequently that there can be no certainty of Saluation whom yet the Church of God calleth and counteth brethren and it were vncharitable to censure of them otherwise Therefore or at leastwise probably Faith is not an Assurance 2. That which is in time after Iustifying Faith cannot be that faith This is vndeniable But this particular knowledge is in time after faith This I proue out of 1. Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life Behold Beleeuing goes before and Knowledge comes after as for that which followeth in the same verse and that yee may beleeue I interpret it of Perseuerance growth in Faith Howsoeuer beleeuing Knowing are distinguished and
therefore are not one 3. That which in nature comes after Iustification cannot be Iustifying faith This appeares because Faith is the Efficient instrumentall cause of Iustification and euery Efficient by the rule of Logick is in nature before the Effect But this knowledge or Assurance is in nature after iustificatiō This I proue thus the truth of a proposition is alwayes in nature before the knowledge of the truth for Propositions are not therefore true because knowne so but they are first true and then knowne so Therefore this Proposition I know I am iustified spoken by on that is iustified must needs presuppose the partie before to be iustified Therefore this knowledge of Iustification in nature following Iustification it cannot be Iustifying faith 4. In conditionall promises there can be no Assurance of the thing promised before the performance of the condition V. G. This is a conditionall promise in the couenant of workes doe this and thou shalt liue life is promised but on condition of doing and therefore vntill we haue performed the condition we cannot nor may not looke that God should be reciprocall and giue vs life So in the couenant of grace iustification is promised but vpon condition of faith so sayth the Scripture beleeue and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee And therefore the condition of beleeuing must first be performed before we can assure our selues our sins are forgiuen If so then faith going before and Assurance following after Assurance cannot be justifying faith 5 That from whence followeth a blasphemous absurdity cannot be a truth for from truth nought but truth can be concluded But from this that faith is an Assurance such an absurdity doth follow What is that That God commands a man to know an vntruth to assure himselfe of that which neuer shall be For God being truth cannot command falshood to be taken for truth Nether tell me here for who art thou that disputest with God for this is a ruled case in diuinity God cānot doe things which imply contradiction and therefore not make vntruth to be truth or knowledge error Now that this absurdity followes from hence thus I demonstrate it God commands the Reprobate to beleeue For Ioh. 18.8.9 for vnbeleefe the world shall bee condemned but no condemnation but for breach of a commandement 1 Ioh. 3.4 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is the transgression of the law and therefore they are commanded to beleeue I aske you then what it is to beleeue you will say to know to assure Therefore God commands the Reprobates to know and bee assured But this is a blasphemous absurdity therefore is your opinion absurd which infers it 6. That which the wicked may haue cannot be iustifying faith for it is Fides Electorum the faith of the Elect. But the wicked may haue this perswasion yea and many haue beene most confidently perswaded that they are in the fauour of God You will say it is no true perswasion but I say if forme make truth they are as formally and therefore as truly perswaded of it as the godly And therefore if the godly are therefore and for this cause iustified because cause they are strongly perswaded that they are iustified then why should not the wicked likewise be iustified by his strong perswasion But in truth these kind of speeches are vnreasonable and senselesse and so the opinion cannot be reasonable These sixe reasons shall suffice for the present although many more might be added only from hence I gather this Corollary that if iustifying Faith be not a Knowledge or Assurance much lesse is it a full knowledge or full Assurance Nay though we should graunt it to be a knowledge yet is it against Logick to define it by the perfection of knowledg For as there is a strong tree so there is a brused reed as there is a burning lamp so there is smoking flaxe as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Faith come to full age and maturity so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Faith in the nonage and minority So therefore to define it were to exclude the weake Faith and to make the Definition narrower and of lesse latitude then the definite Besides it is a most discomfortable doctrine vnto a troubled mind and leads the directest way to desperation for so the palsie hand of Faith should not receiue Christ And were not this to quench fire with oile and to adde Aloes to wormwood and might not hee that thus comforteth be counted one of Iobs miserable comforters Ob. The godly are said to know and to be perswaded yea the Prophet saith Io. 3.14 Ioh. 17.3 Esa 53.11 Heb. 11.1 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many and Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Subsistence and Euidence Ans First I graunt the godly may and ought to know but the question is not of their duty but what it is which iustifies them 2 Secondly to know and so likewise the Verbs of Sence in the Hebrew tongue vsually signifieth not onely an act of the Minde or outward Sence but of the Will and affection also So in the Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 1.6 Mat. 7.13 The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous and in the Gospell Depart I know you not and elsewhere I will not heare see c. that is God will not so know heare see c. as in fauour to loue or approue And so doe I interprete that of the Prophet Christ being so knowne as to bee embraced and rested vpon by the Will shall iustify many 3 Thirdly that Definition in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes I deny with Peter Martyr and the rest of our Diuines to bee perfect but rather by the Effects to describe it And as for that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subsistence whereon you seeme to stand take this first that the writers of the new Testament vse words in the same sence that the Seuentie Translators doe Secondly that that which in Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expectation that the Septuagint turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Ruth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruth 1.12 so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrewes shall not be Subsistence but expectation or desire of things that are hoped for But of this umpliandum censeo I pronounce nothing only I conclude his second Faith not to be Iustifying Faith And because you shall not count me singular or alone in this point read M. Foxe in his booke de Christo gratis iustificante and you shall find him earnest against this opinion The third faith is Fides Persone or Personalis meriti Faith of Person or of Personall merit and of this I make the Obiect to be Christ the Mediator meriting the Act of it Fiducia a Rest or Deuolution the Subiect of it the facultie of the Will and not the Vnderstanding the next End of it Iustification the remote End eternall Saluation And thus I
Ergo Faith goes before Remission But Assurance as wee haue shewed followes after Remission Ergo it is not Faith But you will follow the ordinary translation I giue you good leaue for I take it to bee the truest yet from thence also thus I argue The Palsie man belieued yet was not assured his sinnes were forgiuen him till Christ told him so much for otherwise what needed Christ to tell him what hee knew already Ergo Assurance is not Faith Treatise That from whence followes a blasphemous absurditie cannot bee a truth for from truth nought but truth can bee concluded But from this that Faith is Assurance such an absurditie doth follow What is that That God commands to Belieue an vntruth and to bee assured of that which neuer shall bee For God being truth cannot command falshood to bee taken for truth Neither tell mee here of who art thou that disputest with God For this is a ruled case in Diuinity God cannot doe things which imply contradiction and therefore not make vntruth to bee truth or knowledge errour Now that this absurdity followes from thence thus I demonstrate God commands the Reprobate to belieue for for vnbeliefe the world shall bee condemned But no condemnation but for breach of a commandement for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore they are commanded to Belieue I aske you then what it is to belieue You will say to know to bee assured Therefore God commands the Reprobates to know and to bee assured But this is a blasphemous absurdity therefore is your opinion absurd which infers it N. B. Two things in this argument are betweene vs to be discussed First whether it bee a blasphemous absurdity to hold that God commandeth a reprobate to belieue that hee shall bee saued You affirme it I deny it Secondly whether in this point God commandeth a Reprobate to belieue an vntruth when hee commandeth a reprobate to belieue and hee shall be saued You affirme it I deny it I. D. That it is a blasphemous absurdity to say that God commands Reprobates to know and to bee assured that they are already iustified and shall bee saued I haue indeed affirmed and I thinke haue also sufficiently confirmed But that God should commaund a Reprobate to belieue an vntruth if hee command him to belieue and hee shall bee saued I neuer yet affirmed What then This that He should command him to belieue an vntruth if hee command him to belieue that hee is iustified and shall bee saued A small difference will you say betweene And and That So was there betwixt Shibboleth and Sibboleth Iude. 12.6 yet enough to discerne an enemy from a friend For this proposition Belieue and thou shalt bee saued is Hypotheticall and Conditionall as if it were said in other tearmes If thou belieue thou shalt bee saued But this Belieue and assure thy selfe that thou shalt bee saued is Categoricall and Absolute excluding all Condition Now that God commands all both Elect and Reprobate to Belieue in the Lord Iesus and promises vnto them Iustification and Saluation conditionally if they Belieue I grant but that hee commands the Reprobate absolutely to know and assure himselfe that hee is already iustified and shall hereafter bee saued and glorified I constantly deny Which yet your opinion that Faith is an Assurance necessarily infers and therefore cannot bee true This matter being thus cleared let vs now bring your answers to the ballance and weigh them N. B. First therefore I answer Mat. 16.15.16 God cammandeth all men to Belieue the Gospell to bee saued and therefore the Reprobates If you demaund why hee commandeth them to belieue that which neuer shall be I answer So it pleased him So answereth Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Math. 11. v. 26. Now goe Master Downe and dispute with Iesus Christ and tell him that his Father deliuereth a blsphemous absurdity Search not too farre into the counsels of God lest you bee ouerwhelmed of his Maiesty reuerence his doctrine if you cannot vnderstand it for who is able to search out the reason of his wayes and counsels Rom. 11. seeing they bee like a great deep I. D. No Master Baxter it is not for dust and ashes to contend with the Creator of all things nor for base clay to enter disputation with so glorious a Maiestie Whatsoeuer that eternall truth speaketh I reuerence and adore and dare not presume to search a higher reason of his actions then his will knowing full well that his will is the prime rule and cause of Iustice and therefore that it is both folly to seeke a former then the first and impiety to subiect Gods will vnto some extrinsecall director But yet with you who as I take it are made of no better moulds then my selfe and are not exempted from those humane infirmities whereunto the rest of your brethren are subiect I hope I may bee bold to enter argument and to hold disputation as in other matters so touching this present question also To you therefore this I say that God doth indeed command the reprobate to belieue vnto saluation and yet neuer shall he belieue nor bee saued The cause hereof I know to bee Gods will and am content with all lowlinesse and humility to say with Christ Mat. 11.26 Euen so O Father because thy good pleasure was such But what is this to our purpose For it is one thing to command a Reprobate to belieue the Gospell another thing to command him to know and assure himselfe that hee is already iustified and shall bee saued for to Belieue the Gospell is to assent vnto an infallible truth but to bee perswaded of the other is to yeeld to that which neither is nor euer shall bee true You should therefore euidently demonstrate out of the Scriptures that God commands a Reprobate so to bee assured and perswaded and then if I rested not satisfied with Gods reuealed will you might iustly bid mee goe and dispute with Christ and forbid to search into the counsels of God lest I be ouerwhelmed with his Maiesty But if in Gods booke you cannot shew it I hold it a humane fancy rather then a diuine truth and therefore though I may not curiously prie into the secrets of God yet may I freely trie and examine the ground of mens opinions N. B. Againe it is an vntruth that God commandeth when he biddeth a Reprobate to belieue and hee shall bee saued For if hee could belieue he should then be saued without doubt Ioh. 11. That hee cannot belieue the reason is Christ hath not washed him Io. 13.8 neither hath opened his heart to belieue So that if hee could haue belieued hee should haue this doctrine effectuall vnto him to saluation That he therefore could not belieue is not to bee imputed to the falsity of the doctrine but to the hardnesse of his owne heart I. D. The commandement of God is absolute Belieue the promise of Saluation is conditionall if we Belieue That the Promise
of the Doctrine whether you meane thereby either this Doctrine that God commands him to belieue or this that it is absurd hee should command him to bee assured I confesse indeed that neither is the cause why the Reprobate cannot belieue but that either of them is false you shall neuer bee able to shew and I haue sufficiently proued the contrary N. B. Ex. 14.4 Rom. 9. If you aske who hath hardned him I answer God who hath power ouer the vessels of his owne making to shew his Iustice or mercy vpon them as pleaseth his diuine Maiesty If you will demand the cause why God would not giue him a fleshly heart to belieue Ioh. 12.39.40 I answer I know not Est enim aliqua docta ignorantia there is a certaine learned ignorance as well teacheth Master Caluin neither can our shallow wits search out the cause of his doings But this I know that it is so and the cause thereof principally to be his good pleasure To conclude therefore this point this Doctrine bringeth no blasphemous absurdity as you impurely and impiously affirme neither is the Doctrine false or implieth contradictories though our blind natures cannot vnderstand the things that bee of God Of this matter and argument let these places bee well weighed and by you either answered or reuerenced Rom. 11.23 Gal. 3.22 Act. 13.48 2 Thess 3.2 Mat. 13.11 Prou. 16.4 Rom. 9 1â— 19 20. and from henceforth leaue off to greeue the Spirit of God wherewith the elect are sealed vnto the day of Redemption I. D. This is right that Sophysticall place which Aristotle in his Topicks calleth Apagogen Lib. 2. c. 5. See Muret. var. lect l. 7. c. 10. that is Abduction For whereas I goe about to proue that God commandeth not a Reprobate to bee assured because so doing hee should command him to belieue a manifest falshood which implieth contradiction and affirmeth errour to bee truth you not knowing what answer to make vnto the argument deriue the attention of the Reader another way and runne out into the common place of Gods secret counsels and the cause of Induration and the Reprobates inability to belieue discoursing too and fro of these things at pleasure hauing no other reason for so doing but onely because in my argument you read the word Reprobate and that I told you in this point you had no iust cause to say vnto mee as in our priuate conference you did who art thou that disputeth with God And yet as if all the while you had been in the very bowels of the cause and had not wandred so much as a haires breadth from it you conclude very soberly and sadly Therefore this Doctrine bringeth no absurdity neither is false nor implyeth contradiction But faine would I know what the Premisses are whereupon you inferre this Therefore or whether by the rules of your Logicke you may conclude without them Vnlesse this bee the sequele I know not what to make of it Our shallow wits cannot search out the cause of Gods works Ergo wee may not thinke it absurd that God shoulâ— command a Reprobate to belieue and assure himselfe of that which neither is nor neuer shall be true Vaine man proue once that God commandeth so and I will presently grant it is not absurd to thinke so Why dispute you so earnestly of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 why it is when I flatly deny the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that it is And why doe you thus alwayes grate vpon the Conclusions and make so little reckoning to answer the proofes I bring for it Well not to wrestle with words any longer nor so fruitlesly to beate the aire because you thinke like the Cuttle-Fish to escape the net by casting about you a filthy inke of foule speeches telling me I speak impurely impiously and charging me with Presumption and Curiosity for inquiring into the Counsels of God giue mee leaue by distinguishing matters to cleare the water which you wittingly and purposely haue pudled and withall to let the Reader see how basely and cowardly you seeke out starting holes to shift your selfe aside from my arguments rather then Schollerly to answer them by some conuenient solutions Consider therefore I pray you these few Positions 1. The secret Counsels of God are those matters which hee hath treasured vp in the closet of his owne knowledge and doth not disclose vnto mankind but what truth soeuer it hath pleased him in wisdome to reueale vnto vs and hath registred in his Word is not to bee esteemed nor taken for a secret 2. As to search into the hidden and secret Counsels of God is damnable Presumption so not to search and inquire into his reuealed will is damnable Negligence For as Moyses saith The secret things belong vnto the Lord our God Deut. 29.29 but the things reuealed vnto vs and our children for euer De vocat Gent. l. 1. c. 7. Whereupon Prosper The things which God would haue hidden must not be searched and the things which hee hath made manifest must not bee neglected lest in them we be found vnlawfully curious and in these damnably vngratefull 3. They therefore that painfully and diligently trauell to find out such truths as are either expressed or infolded in the written word are not to bee tearmed Curious but Studious So distinguisheth Saint Augustin Although both De vâ—il credendi ca. 9. saith hee bee carried with a great desire of knowing yet the curious man inquireth those things which nothing concerne him and the Studious man contrarily inquireth those things which doe pertaine vnto him 4. This is a reuealed truth that There is no contradiction in God and that Hee cannot doe those things which imply contradiction 2 Cor. 1.17.18.19.20 Heb. 6.18 or are repugnant vnto the nature and definition of a thing For in God as saith S. Paul there is not yea and nay but yea and Amen neither is it possible that hee should lie or deny himselfe and it is rather impotency then Power so to bee able to doe whereas contrarily De Trin. l. 15. c. 14. as elegantly Saint Augustin saith Powerfully hath hee not power to doe this neither is it infirmity but firmity because that truth cannot bee false 5. These two Propositions are contradictory The Reprobate is iustified The Reprobate is not iustified and The Reprobate shall bee saued The Reprobate shall not bee saued God therefore cannot make that they should be true at once For as Saint Augustin saith Contrà Faustum Man l. 26. c. 5. Whosoeuer saith if God bee omnipotent let him make that those things which haue been haue not been sees not that he faith if God be omnipotent let him make that those things which are true in that they are true be false 6. One part of the Contradiction is necessarily false namely this The Reprobate is iustified Rom. 8.30 The Reprobate shall bee saued for they onely who are Predestinated vnto life are as Saint Paul
saith effectually called and they onely who are effectually called are iustified and shall bee glorified And if it were possible that they should bee saued then were there change in the vnchangeable decree of God which hath finally reiected them which is impossible 7. Hee that commands a Reprobate that is not iustified and shall neuer bee saued to belieue that hee is iustified and shall be saued implieth a Contradiction therein and makes Falshood to bee Truth and Faith errour For according to that infallible maxime Falshood is not vnder Faith and therefore if the Obiect bee Falshood it is not Faith which apprehendeth it for true if it bee Faith Falshood is not the Obiect thereof So that hee which commands that false Proposition to bee belieued makes that to bee Faith which cannot beare the definition of Faith and that to bee the Obiect which is not the Obiect thereof that is as I said makes Faith to bee error and Falshood Truth which are contradictories 8. God therefore neither doth nor can so command neither is it impure or impious to affirme so much being in the Word of God so manifestly reuealed Impious rather and blasphemous is it to say the contrary for it imputes impotency and weaknes vnto God making him to say Yea and Nay and to auouch that for truth which is euidently false 9. But this opinion that Faith is an Assurance infers this blasphemous absurdity For as I haue shewed God cōmands all men euen Reprobates to belieue now to belieue as you say is to bee assured of iustification and Saluation Ergo God commands the Reprobate to be assured of his Iustification and Saluation which is absurd 10. Absurd therefore is that opinion that Faith is Assurance which infers it For from truth no absurdity or blasphemie but onely truth can follow These few Positions I pray thee Gentle Reader consider diligently and compare Master Baxters reply with them and then bee iudge whether hee paint not gourds as it is in the Prouerbe and talke cleane beside the purpose Those places of Scripture which you desire may bee well waighed and then by mee either answered or reuerenced I haue according to your desire duly examined and doe from my heart adore them as being the words of the Eternall Verity and this answer doe I giue vnto them that not one of them touches the question in debate betwixt vs. Rom. 11.23 The first telleth vs that the Iewes if they persist not in infidelity shall againe by the power of God bee ingrafted Gal. 3.22 the second that the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ might bee giuen to them that Belieue both which argue against your selfe that Faith is the condition of the Promise the third saith that as many as were ordained vnto eternall life belieued Act. 13.48 2. Thess 3.2 Mat. 13.11 the fourth that euery man hath not Faith the fift that to know the mysteries of the kingdome of Heauen is giuen to some and denied to other some by which three it is cleere that Reprobates doe not belieue Prou. 16.4 Rom. 9.18.19.20 but the Elect onely the sixt affirmeth that God made the wicked for the euill day the last that God sheweth mercy vpon whome hee will and hardneth also whome he will and that in this point there is no disputing with God intimating therein that there is both an Election and Reprobation and that both depend vpon the good pleasure of God But not one of them proueth that God commandeth a Reprobate to assure himselfe of his present iustification and future Saluation which is the matter in question and therefore I hope I may notwithstanding them all freely conclude that as God cannot command to doe that which is vniust because hee is iustice it selfe so he cannot command to belieue that which is vntrue because hee is truth it selfe Neither doe I I trust so concluding grieue the Spirit of God although perhaps therein I greeue your stubborne spirit which hath I feare me throughout this reply too much rebelled against the light and therefore take heed lest you your selfe greeue the Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 wherewith the elect are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Treatise Arg. 6. That which the wicked may haue cannot bee iustifying Faith for it is The Faith of the Elect But the wicked may haue this Perswasion yea and many haue beene most confidently perswaded that they are in the fauour of God You will say it is true Perswasion But I say if forme make truth they are as formally and therefore as truly perswaded of it as the godly If the Godly then are therefore and for this cause iustified because they are strongly perswaded they are Iustified then why should not the wicked likewise bee iustified by his strong Perswasion But in truth these kind of speeches are vnreasonable and senselesse and so that opinion cannot be reasonable N. B. Many die and are saued that haue not a full Perswasion and assurance of their Saluation yet are saued by Faith I will answer you when you shew mee the man that so did die and was saued and How you know that hee had at his death no full Assurance of his Saluation in Christ Iesu and yet had Faith and when you proue that there is at the houre of death when the elect are made without spot or wrinkle in the Saints of God a doubtfull Faith I. D. That many Reprobates and wicked men are strongly perswaded they are in the grace and fauor of God nothing is more cleere and manifest Prou. 30.12 There is a generation saith Salomon that are cleane in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse Reu. 3.17 And the Angell of the Church of Laodicea saith of himselfe that hee is rich and growne to great wealth and had need of nothing Vers 14. Vers 17. and yet in the iudgement of him that is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse was wretched and miserable Inst l. 3. c. 2. §. 11. and poore and blind and naked Yea Experience it selfe saith Caluin sheweth that Reprobates sometime are affected with the like feeling almost that the elect are that in their owne iudgement they differ nothing at all from the Elect. Such is the deceitfulnesse of mans heart and the blindnesse of his selfe-loue that it makes him easily ouerweene himselfe and to promise peace vnto his soule when hee is in the ready way vnto destruction You will say that the Perswasion of the Reprobate and wicked is built vpon a false and erronious ground and therfore is Presumption rather then true Assurance For answer hereunto consider that the Elect of God before his Iustification is but a wicked man whence Diuines vse to call it The Iustification of the wicked warranted therein by that of Saint Paul Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but belieueth in him that iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed vnto
righteousnesse Rom. 3.28 Consider moreouer that Faith as a cause goeth before Iustification for wee are iustified by Faith and therefore if the Elect bee wicked before his iustification hee must needs much more bee wicked before the first act of his Belieuing In regard whereof Saint Augustin saith Enar. in Ps 311 Know thou that Faith when it was giuen thee found thee a sinner These things being so as without controuersie they are I then demand of you if Faith bee Assurance what ground hath the Elect for his Assurance in the first Act of his Faith more then the Reprobates and wicked haue Certainly vnlesse you will flye with the Anabaptists vnto I know not what Enthusiasms and sudden reuelations grounded vpon no arguments formerly by the Holy Ghost imprinted in the soule you cannot possibly shew any seeing before Faith they lie together in the same masse of corruption and are alike liable vnto eternall damnation Now vnto this argument thus enlarged and explaned let vs see what answer you returne When I can shew the man that died without Assurance and was saued and how I know at his death hee had no full Perswasion and can proue that there is at the houre of death in the Saints a Doubtfull Faith then you say you will answer mee What M. Baxter and not till then Suppose I cannot satisfy your demands as indeed who knoweth what is in the heart of man at the houre of his death shall my argument therefore for euer stand vnanswered Declar. of Spir. Desert And yet M. Perkins telleth you that When a Professor of the Gospell shall despaire at his end men are to leaue secret iudgements vnto God and charitably iudge the best of him and hee instanceth in one M. Chambers who in his sicknesse grieuously despaired and cried out that hee was damned yet saith hee it is not for any to note him with the blacke marke of a Reprobate The like censure elsewhere giueth he of Francis Spiera Yea further saith hee When a Professor of the Gospell shall make away himselfe though it bee a fearefull case yet still the same opinion must bee carried So that it seemes by this learned mans iudgement who for ought I know is not singular herein but followeth the common opinion of other Diuines that it is possible for a man to die in Faith and so to bee saued and yet to die in Despaire and so without Assurance whence it followeth necessarily that Faith is not Assurance But this answer of yours Antholog l. 2 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 brings mee in minde of a pretie Epigram of Nicarchus which you may read in the Greeke anthologie A deafe man commences sute against another deafe man before a deafe iudge the plaintife pleads that the defendant owes him fiue months rent for his house the defendant answers for himselfe that hee had been grinding at mill all night the Iudge looking vpon them why contend yee thus good fellowes quoth hee is shee not mother to you both then keepe her both hardly Semblable hereunto is your answer for as if you were as blind as they were deafe and had not eyes in your head to read my writing when I speake of onions as it is in the Prouerbe you answer of garlicke and roue the whole heauen wide from the marke you should shoot at I say that the wicked may bee strongly perswaded and therefore Faith is not a Perswasion you like the deafe defendant reply that you haue beene grinding at mill all night telling mee I shall then receiue answer when I shew the man that died without Perswasion and yet was saued by Faith and other such stuffe of the same stampe Verily I am perswaded if old Sibyl or Oedipus or any other that hath anciently been esteemed for reading riddles should reuiue againe yet would they not bee able with all their cunning to deuise how to accommodate and fit this answer to any part of my argument For mine owne part I can make of it nor fish nor flesh nor good red herring and therefore not troubling my selfe with your follies here I leaue it as I found it vnkith vnkist as they say N. B. And in the meane time I will hasten to your Definition of Faith which you call the third kinde of Faith and onely Iustifying Faith I. D. Soft and faire no hast but good you post away so fast vnto the Definition that you leaue something behind you vnanswered which desires and deserues your further consideration For first I proue vnto you that Faith cannot be a full Perswasion certaine Assurance partly because it is not so much as Assurance partly because such Fulnes agrees not to little Faith and so makes the definition narrower and of lesse latitude then the definite and partly because it is a most discomfortable doctrine to weake Christians who finding this strength of Assurance wanting in themselues may doubt whether they haue any Faith at all if Faith bee no other then a full Assurance and firme resolution Againe I answer certaine obiections the chiefest you can haue against mee and that with such generall solutions as will cut off almost any reason you can oppose vnto mee These things being of such importance and consequence should not thus haue beene balked and husht vp in silence for while they stand vnstirred and vntoucht you cannot reasonably bee thought either fully to haue satisfied my arguments or sufficiently to haue maintained your owne cause Out of doubt therefore it would haue been much better for your credit to haue made lesse hast and more good speed for tripping away so fast and leauing matters of such weight vtterly vnanswered all the Schollers in our Countrey to blow backe your owne scoffe into your owne face will thinke the worse of your haste so long as they liue for this tricke To conclude this point whereas there are two many faults as Simplicius saith too vsually committed in the disputation and determination of Questions it appeareth by what I haue now said that you haue hitherto grossely faulted in the former For you doe but reiect and deny my Conclusions without refuting the confirmations I bring for them and so if not altogether alienate from you yet leaue in suspence and doubt the mind euen of those who otherwise might bee of the same opinion with you Now if you offend likewise in the second and doe not in the remainder of your Reply vtterly raze and ouerthrow the foundations of my Doctrine but suffer them to stand vnshaken and vnmoued you shall both leaue the thirst of your readers expectation vnquenched and vnsatisfied and proue your selfe but a bragging and boasting Pyrgopolinices threatning much and performing nothing Let vs therefore take a view hereof and see what you haue to say against the definition which I giue to Iustifying Faith Treatise The third Faith is Faith of Person or Personall Merit and of this Faith I make the Obiect to bee Christ the Mediator meriting the
tell you the promise is not conditionall O hominis acumen argumentum lepidum O yee noble Schollers Wo vnto you You cannot escape Gods hand Quite contrary is this to your knowledge and conscience Goe dispute with Iesus Christ and tell him his Father deliuereth a blasphemous absurdity All Fathers all Writers old and new Greeke and Latin for 1600. yeeres besides many other such peremptory and confident speeches Instit Orator l 6. c. 5. Quintilian thought it scarce worthy to bee remembred in his Institutions that his Orator bee not turbulent and tumultuous as are they who are vnlettered and therefore I maruell how you who would bee counted as wise as Thales could forget your selfe so much as to imitate base barristers and pettifoggers Saue only Declam 18. as the same Quintilian saith it was necessary to auouch with as much contention of voice as might bee that which otherwise you could not proue that what affirmation it could not haue from truth it might receiue from your manner of speaking But Vanity saith Saint Augustin De ciuit Dei l. 5. c. 27. is wonderfull talkatiue yet is not therefore so powerfull as verity for if shee list shee can also bee lowder then verity For the shallower the brooke the more the murmure and the emptier the caske the greater the sound And therefore I would wish the Reader not to bee terrified with Torrents Enar. in Ps 57. as Saint Augustin speaketh whose waters make a noise for a time but presently will cease and cannot long continue For doubtlesse if they of the hot and dry countreyes of Tema and Sabaea repaire hither in hope to satisfy and quench their thirst Iob. 6.19.20 they shall as Iob saith returne confounded and ashamed because their brother hath deceiued them as a brooke and as the rising of riuers which suddenly are dryed vp and faile out of their places Iudg. 16.17 These Master Baxter are the Topicall places whence all your arguments are deduced and if I may so say the fiue locks wherein your chiefest strength lyeth What impressions they may haue made in the minds of simple people I cannot tell Plaut Paen. Hor. l. 1. Ep. 7. Perhaps they that cannot discerne betweene Conicall and true gold will bee content to receiue Lupins insteed of currant money and sounding words for sound proofes And indeed it is the manner of the vnskilfull vulgar though reiected and refused as most incompetent yet to beare themselues as iudges in euery cause how weighty soeuer and without taking any knowledge at all of the right issue to pronounce him ouercome that holds his peace and him to haue answered that hath not held his peace the controuersie to bee doubtfull or undecidable if both parties haue sayd alike much whither side speakes with more reason neither doe they attend and if they doe yet can they not vnderstand And because Vanity De ciuit Dei l. 5. c. 27. as wee haue obserued out of Saint Augustin is euermore talkatiue then verity and hee seemeth vnto them to haue spoken best who hath said most therefore doe they for the most part giue sentence against the truth for vaine talking But howsoeuer simple and ignorant people may iudge sure I am they that are wise and learned will esteeme the course you haue taken rather preiudiciall then any way auaileable vnto your cause For should a man as Iob saith Iob. 13.7 talke deceitfully for Gods cause or is the strength of truth so empaired that shee can no longer stand but by such wrie and sinister meanes Nay verily but shee is still of so noble and hautie a nature that shee scorneth to haue her conquests empeached by so base and dishonorable succors Deprauing of the aduersaries words and meaning impertinent digressions dissembling of his reasons and answers vnchristian reuelling and reproaching and tumultuous hoobubs and outcries are the vsuall weapons of those who resolue to fight in vnrighteous quarels But truth being pure and simple will not and standing firme vpon her owne base needs not and because falshood hath no subsistence but only by her cannot bee assisted and supported by such vniust and fraudulent policies Although therefore as I haue said these meanes may bee forcible inough to seduce and beguile simple people yet they that are wise and iudicious know that naked truth neuer comes disguised either in a Wolues or Foxes case but prudently discerning and separating betwixt passionate speeches and found reasons Rhetoricall flourishes and Logicall demonstrations vnnecessary circumstances and substantiall matter iudge alwayes of controuersies not by what is confidently said and affirmed but by what is reasonable alledged and proued And whosoeuer thou bee Christian Reader that art in this sort affected and qualified Deut. 33.8 Exod. 28.30 Mal. 2.7 especially if thou bee the man of Gods mercies vpon whose heart the Lords Vrim and Thummim are set whose lips preserue knowledge and at whose mouth the Law is to bee sought because thou art the Angell of the Lord of Hosts to thee and to thy vpright and vnpartiall censure doe I most humbly submit my selfe and my whole proceedings in this cause If thou approue Ps 141.5 it shall the more confirme and settle mee in the truth if thou reproue it shall not breake my head but bee vnto mee a most soueraigne and pretious ointment Iudge therefore betweene vs both indifferently and freely and the Lord giue thee a right iudgement in all things 2 Tim. 2.7 And thus Master Baxter haue you at length my whole and entire Apologie not importunately and violently wrested from mee as you say your Answer was from you but voluntarily of mine owne accord endited for the information and satisfaction of those who earnestly expect the issue of this combat Whereby the prudent and discreet Reader and I hope your selfe also may perceiue how small cause you had so vnseasonably to sing your Paean in your Prologue and to trumpet out victory before you were entred in the lists If for all this as yet you rest vnsatisfied the fault is your owne and not mine Eurip. for I cannot as Euripides saith fill him that is not staunch powring wise sayings into a man that is not wise And yet it may bee your Conscience and inward man are fully satisfied although ambition and vaine glory cause you to dissemble it If without all paraphrase and circumlocution I call a spade a spade and giue the right name vnto euery thing I beseech you beare a little with the ingenuity of my nature Plut. Apophth wee Macedonians are somewhat rude And yet I would haue you know that it is not so much your ignorance as your insolency which I inueigh against For Yuo Viliomar in Rob. Tit. as a late learned Humanist writeth There is no mortall man but is in some degree tainted with ignorance and this contagion haue wee drawne from mortality it selfe for man when hee erreth erreth because hee is a man