hee should say Returne vnto mee O my God and receiue me though now vnworthy the name of a sonne yet set mee in the office of one of thy hired seruants yea make mee the least and lowest of thy seruants so thou make me thine at all Heere is his vnspeakeable longing after God Perceiuest thou ô B. how this man is now prepared in heart and how much he is changed from that hee was before Being descended of an high and honourable race hee now taketh vnto him a low and base estate being before of manly stomacke now hee sits downe among the little children being before hard and stubborne now is become soft as water And further beleeue mee the mountaine doth not more differ from the valley the crooked from the straight the ragged from the smooth the discreetly aged from the little child the hard flint from the soft and tender water These I say differ not from other more then this man now from that hee was in time past and this is the right order and manner of true and vnfained repentance Oh happy and blessed man indeede beyond all compare who can vnderstand it and doe thereafter But hitherto haue I lightly contended by a general kinde of discoursing with this cragged and cloudie sophister for if I should stand vpon euery particular there would bee no end of reprehensions for it is incredible to be told how often he stumbleth and misseth taking Faith for Repentance and likewise Repentance for Faith whereby he euidently declareth vnto vs his grosse ignorance of both Pag. 19.20 He hath not so much as made any mention of Repentance in that place where it should especially haue beene spoken of at the last he puts it after faith or rather hee saith it is faith it selfe which surely hee ought in no case to haue done forasmuch chiefely as God himselfe both in his eternall counsell vnchangeable order hath distinguished these each from other for Repentance is the first beginning and as it were the entrie of our regeneration viz. the effectuall working of the holy Ghost wherby a sinner comming to himsselfe againe doth most earnestly seeke after nothing else at the hand of GOD but to haue his sinnes pardoned and to be receiued into his fauour But faith is the very perfection as it were the highest top of our regeneration viz. The insculpture or engrauing of the holy Ghost whereby the repentant doth assuredly beleeue that all his iniquities are forgiuen and his sinnes couered and that hee is vnited with God in an euerlasting loue through Iesus Christ onely I might now performe a worke perhaps well worth my paines if I should here declare what bee the fruits of this excellent faith that so might be obserued concerning this sanctified regenerate man whom the holy Ghost with such great industrie and speciall care hath begotten and brought foorth not only what a one hee is within himselfe and at home but also what are his works abroad and in open sight But because B. hath altogether omitted this point wee also will deferre to speake of it vntill some other time Now when his hearers were ready to depart hee puts one question more vnto them viz. whether this faith doe by the worthinesse of it self iustifie a man ot not Wherein hee is so tedious that hee cloies them all seeing very children can tell that these kinds of speeches are all figuratiue and there is in them the Metonymia of the cause For the scripture when it teacheth that a man is iustified by faith meaneth by the figure hypallagie that a man is iustified by the grace of Iesus Christ which is reuealed through Faith which kinde of speaking is most vsuall euen amongst the vulgar sort as to say Philoctetes liued by his bow and arrowes Orpheus by his Harp Zeuxis by his pencill when as neuerthelesse it is vnderstood that they by these instruments of their artes and trades did get such things as vvere requisite for their vse and for the maintenance of their liues We haue already accomplished as I suppose the first part of our promise wee haue set forth the true faith of Iesus Christ wee haue furthermore shewed the true causes and parts thereof and after vvhat manner it is wrought and brought to passe in men Moreouer wee haue declared what true repentance towards God is and that the same necessarily before faith and by the eternall ordinance of God in the new making of a sinner and that faith doth of necessitie follow after repentance yet not by debt but by grace not for the worthinesse of him that hath repented but for the fidelitie of him that hath promised according to that which is written Eze 18.28 As often as a sinner repenteth of his sinnes as I liue saith the Lord I wil blot out his iniquities c. That the inheritance might alwaies be giuen by promise as testifieth the Apostle saying Rom. 4.16 But God gaue the inheritance to Abraham freely by promise Thus briefely haue wee followed B. vpon the saying of Paul that a man is iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 It remaineth that we see whether this Justifying faith bee commanded in the lawe yea or no Vpon the words of this vers 28. VVithout the workes of the Lawe c. The ful and perfect explanation of which words B. by a fiue fold question seemeth to himselfe notably to haue performed And first he asketh whether the workes of the lawe are of force to attain the righteousnesse of God and answereth that they are so as they proceede from faith Secondly whereas the workes of the lawe done by faith iustifie hee answereth with Austen that indeed they doe not iustifie but follow him that is iustified Thirdly whereas the workes of the lawe done by faith be necessarie to saluation hee answereth that they are necessarie to saluation but not for Iustification And lest this new vpstart copulation of workes of the lawe and faith should trouble any which the Apostle euery where and here especially opposeth as contraries hee enquireth in the 4. place whether faith may be said in any respect to bee commanded in the law and answereth readily that it is And hee labours in the last place to explaine the reason of this exposition that Paul maketh between faith and the lawe Wee will first see what this violator of the lawe hath disordered in the fourth place for this decided his ignorance in making the other doubt will bee euident to any for in this point alone as in a hinge all the waight of the other difficulties is turned and in these things we will follow our owne order first wee will confute B. afterwards fortifie the truth B. first reason then whereby hee goeth about to proue that faith is required in the lawe is drawne out of these words of the lawe I am thy God that is as this Glossographist and subtill Sophister interprets it I onely will be thy God and thou alone shalt put thy
Rom. 3.28 Therefore wee conclude that a man is Iustified by faith Whilst B. is inquiring and searching for the originall or beginning of this faith First of all he is reckoning vp the causes thereof but hee doth that very vntowardly for hee speaketh of the Efficient cause and of no more but that one He might haue dealt more exactly in all mens iudgements if hee had put downe all the rest of the causes But at once to rid the silly man of that trouble for as it seemeth he sticketh fast hereat we say that the matter of this faith is a sure full and vndoubted trust or confidence the forme is the fauour or grace of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ The efficient cause is the finger of God Viz. the holy Ghost who alone imprinteth this confidence of Grace in the hearts of the elect The end subordinate is the saluation of the Saints but the maine and cheefest end is the glory of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy spirit one God blessed for euer be all power praise honour throughout all times and ages Amen Now then wee vnderstand what faith is as also the causes and essentiall parts wherof it consisteth viz Confidence or trust and grace or fauour Therefore let vs thus passe ouer these things yet so as although wee haue dispatched them aforehand neuerthelesse wee will that they remaine still in minde for our help in those matters that follow after that wee may haue an eie as it were backe againe vnto them as occasion shall require One thing onely is yet behinde yet the greatest of al euen that wherin the summe of the whole controuersie is placed Namely that wee discusse this point How this so precious faith is wrought and ingrafted in men and by what degrees wee must attaine vnto it In the setting foorth whereof if our Diuines had walked so vprightly as they ought to haue done in so waightie a cause peraduenture wee might haue had this powerfull faith vpon earth the true nature whereof being now as it were vtterly lost wee doe retaine nothing of it but the bare shadow onely First let vs see what B. holdeth concerning this point and then wee will establish the truth it selfe Whilest B. goeth about to proue vnto vs the petigree as it were of Faith or whence or how it commeth he teacheth that the whole substance or nature thereof ariseth and issueth from three effects or workes of the holy Ghost the first of which hee saith is knowledge the second as it were an increase of the former he calleth assent and the third beeing the end and perfection of al the rest is trust or cōfidence Now in asmuch as hee saith these are three effects or works of the holy Ghost that doth hee well enough But in this that hee teacheth them to be essentiall parts of faith therein hee is much amisse But let vs discusse these things seuerally and in order This first worke therefore of the holy Ghost B. with moe doth call it the gift of illumination or the faith of knowledge And hee teacheth that the same is incident to vncleane spirits and wicked men into whom the Faith of Abraham can no way come For which cause I do the more exceedingly wonder at the man that when as hee perceiued these differing natures of Faith and knew them to bee as sundry specials of one and the same generall and so diuers gifts of one and the same spirit yet for all that hee maketh one an essentiall part of another for indeed howsoeuer this faith of knowledge doth necessarily goe before the faith of Abraham yet doth it not thereupon follow that it is an essentiall part thereof for many things may bee of such necessitie that some worke cannot bee dispatched vnlesse they be had before yet were it a very improper speech to say that they be of the essence or parts substantiall whereof such worke is made and consisteth it is most necessarie that a man should be born before hee can be an Arithmetitian is birth therefore a part of Arithmetick It is necessarie for him that will deale iustly first of all to consider the case prudently is prudence therefore a part of Iustice But euen like stuffe to this is that also which presently hee inferreth in tearmes forsooth iumping trimly with Aristotles Philosophie Viz. that the end of this good being once knowne is to desire it to follow after it and to apprehend or lay hold vpon it viz. that we may speake according to sobriety The end of this faith of knowledge is to enioy GOD and his righteousnesse euen the grace of Iesus Christ which to affirme vvithout setting downe any due and reasonable difference is an impious falshood for God vouchsafeth not this faith of knowledge to Satan and to reprobates to this end that he may bring them vnto his Christ viz. to righteousnesse of life But euen as the bountifulnesse of God doth grant the benefit that commeth from earth and heauen together with the fruit of that benefit which is growth and increase as well to the Tares as to the Wheat equally and indifferently yet not to this end that the Tares should be made wheat In like manner God very often granteth the benefit of the word and the fruit of that benefit which is to beleeue the truth euen to those that perish yet not to this end that hee may sanctifie them but that insomuch as they would not obey the knowne truth which they plainely vnderstoode he may take vengeance vpon them in greater rigour of his Iustice and seueritie for he that knoweth and doth not shal be beaten with more stripes and to whom more is committed of him more shal be required The second effect or worke of the holy Ghost B. sometimes calleth assent sometimes a certaine putting forward of the will or a kinde of loue and good liking of this happinesse which is offered But what strange boldnesse is this ô B. that thou in things appertaining to God shouldest thus platonize or rather play and deceiue the people of God for the scripture speaketh farre otherwise and ealleth this 2. worke of the holie ghost which is the beginning of our regeneration by the name of Repentance euen the thing whereby wee are prepared to receiue the sanctification of faith For not one beleeue mee either of the Prophets or Apostles hath at any time called it assent or a forward inclination of the will or a loue of the cheefest good beeing offered vnto vs neither doe I thinke indeede that any other durst euer so call it besides thy selfe I let passe this that thou so wantonly hast deuised a twofold loue one called the former which forsooth is before faith and another tearmed the latter which followeth after faith which all of vs with one consent doe say is the effect of faith and called Loue or Charitie But what shall wee say that former loue of thine
foulely committed such loathsome abhominations against nature it selfe as are not to be named After he hath thus brought vnder the haughtinesse of the Gentils he then setteth vpon the Iewes also whom with two encounters hee vtterly ouerthroweth First because they had wickedly falsified with their corrupt interpretations and had transgressed or broken that Lawe of God which in expresse wordes was deliuered to them by the hand of Moses Secondly hee confoundeth them plainely by alleadging the testimonie of the Prophet who being ordained a King and a Prophet to them which were vnder the lawe thus he writeth vpon them in a certaine place of the Psal There is not a good one Psal 14.53 surely not one There is not that doth good not so much as one Thus at the last all workes of mortall men vvhich they made as it were their props and staies to rest themselues vpon beeing quite cast away hee draweth to an end in this manner Therefore wee conclude that a man is iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 without the works of the Lawe viz. without any workes or deeds of our owne whether they beframed according to the lawe of God written in the fleshly tables of our hearts or directed after the will of GOD engrauen once in stone or fashioned by any other writing and rule of diuine ordinances When as therefore B. did perceiue that all saluation and righteousnesse of mankinde was placed wholly in the alone grace of Iesus Christ Viz. in the free fauour of God insomuch as hee taketh pitie vpon them and loueth them in Christ Iesus And that also God setteth forth vnto mankinde one onely way one onelie meanes which indeede is faith by which as by a certaine ladder they must get vp to the attainement of this grace When hee saw that these things were so the man was presently inflamed with a passing earnest zeale thorowly to informe his hearers concerning this so diuine and wonderfull benefit or gift of faith and for that end took vpon him to vnfold this verse or sentence of the Apostle Viz. We conclude that a man is iustified by faith c. In explication whereof hee promiseth that he will obserue two things First what this so precious and excellent faith is by which the righteousnes of God is said hold vpon or apprehended Secondly touching the workes of the lawe and amongst all other points thereof that which is the chiefest of the rest whether faith is to bee reckoned amongst those things which are commanded in the lawe This large vnder-taker of so great a charge will we pursue the very same way that hee is gone And first wee will consider what faith it selfe is what bee the causes and parts thereof and after what manner it is wrought and bred in men In the next place we will discusse that point whether it bee commanded in the lawe or not But if a definition of faith bee required saith B. I suppose that worthy to bee preferred before all other which the Apostle deliuereth writing to the Hebrewes when he saith that faith is the ground of things hoped for and the euidence of things which are not seene In which assertion to speake nothing of the rest I finde fault with B. for two things First and chiefely because this word faith beeing of many significations and carying diuers senses or meanings in holy scripture hee did not afore all other things distinguish that kinde or nature of faith which hee would define vnto his hearers from all the rest by which meanes surely that faith whereof our question is beeing set apart by it selfe and freed from all inconuenience of commixture with other matters would then bee kept in our open sight plaine single vnconfused and alwaies like it selfe How much better is the aduertisement Tertul. contra Marcionem of one that giueth much good aduise when it is so saith he The difficultie ariseth as well from the ambiguitie and doubtfulnesse of meaning as from the obscuritie or hiddennes of matter Then there must be first a distinction after that a definition for as the same writer saith very well The faithfull interpretation or true meaning of words and names of things doth affoord a safe and sute way rightly to vnderstand what bee their due properties The second reproofe which I cast vpon B. is because hee hath affirmed that the Apostolique writer doth in this place giue a definition of faith as if belike the man were ignorant that it is a farre other matter to make a description of a thing or to extoll it with some high commendations then it is to expresse the same by a definition For euery definition is a short and limited declaration of that thing which thou wouldest define from the nearest and most proper causes therof For if any shall say that a man is most excellent of creatures that hee is a breefe or mappe of the whole vniuersall world and that for the structure or fashioning of him the most mighty and blessed GOD did fould vp as it were in one lumpe a certaine representation and notable resemblance of all things whatsoeuer are either by our sight discerned or else be farre aboue our view and past our knowing hee that should thus speake might elegantly indeed and wisely describe a man neuerthelesse all this yeelds vs not the definition of a man nor sheweth properly what he is And after the selfe-same manner euen here our Apostlelike writer forasmuch as he was to deale with a nation that euer was enemy to true godlinesse which at all times refused the righteousnesse appointed by GOD euen the faith of Iesus Christ hee doth so much the more aduance or set forth at large the dignitie and worth of faith telling them that therein consisteth full and wholly both the promise and inheritance and what benefit soeuer a godly and blessed life requireth togither with all the substance of things eternall which by hope are to bee expected Neither could their fathers saith he haue euer pleased God by any other good parts or vertues of their owne but by this faith onely In which discourse verily hee makes a well garnished description of faith setting it out with honorable words of great commendations well beseeming the excellency therof yet doth hee not define it for if hee had done that then thou must needs bee a man very ill aduised to goe and seeke another definition thereof as thou hast done But now at length let vs come to the question of faith which wee haue taken in hand and before I doe define the nature thereof what it is lest I should fall into B. errour I will plainely shew the diuers significations of it This word faith therefore how it is taken in humane learning I will not busie my self at this time to declare But in holy scriptures it hath reference sometimes vnto God sometimes vnto men if to God then it importeth nothing else but the stedfast and vnchangeable truth of his decree and promise if vnto men