that faith it selfe is a Idem in Psal 31. Laudo fructum boni operis sed in fide agnos coradicem the root whence all good fruit doth grow and how then can they be said to haue true faith of whom it is truly said that they haue no root To be short these are said to beleeue but for a time but of them that truly beleeue it is said b Rom. 9.33 Whosoeuer beleeueth in him shall not be confounded and therefore their faith shall neuer faile The next place is lewdly falsified by him alledging that some hauing faith and a good conscience expelling good conscience haue made shipwrack of their faith whereas S. Paul saith not that they had faith and a good conscience but instructeth Timothie for the fighting of a good fight to c 1. Tim. 1.19 haue faith and a good conscience which good conscience some saith he reiecting haue made shipwrack concerning the faith of whom are Hymeneus and Alexander Where by faith as Oecumenius obserueth he meaneth d Oecumen in 1. Tim. 1 Fidem dicit quae est circa dogmata conscientiam vero quae circa conuersationem est Quam inquit conscientiam quae est de rectè viuendo repellentes non nulli Vbi enim quis reprobè vixerit etiam circa fidem nan-fragium facit Siquidem ne terrore futurorum crucientur suo ammo persuadere nuuntur mendacia esse quaecunque apud nos de resurrectione ac iudicio dicuntur a faith or beleefe concerning doctrine and vnderstandeth conscience as touching conuersation which conscience of good life saith he they reiecting made shipwrack of faith For when a man liueth wickedly he maketh shipwrack concerning faith For men that they may not be troubled with the terrour of things to come labour to perswade their owne minds that those things are lies which with vs are spoken concerning the resurrection and iudgement to come S. Pauls words then import that they had professed the faith that is the doctrine of faith the doctrine which in Christianity we beleeue and professe but they held not e 1. Tim. 3.9 the mysterie of faith in a pure conscience they liued lewdly and wickedly in the profession of the faith their consciences were fraught with the guilt of following their owne vngodly lusts and therefore they renounced the faith the doctrine of God that they might not thereby find any crosse or check in their damnable and wicked courses What is this to that true faith whereby we beleeue in Christ to iustification and righteousnesse whereby we repose the trust and confidence of our Saluation in him and do truly call vpon the name of the Lord That they had not this faith it is plaine because S. Paul saith plainly that they reiected a good conscience for a f 1. Tim. 4 1. good conscience is alwaies an inseparable companion of an vnfained faith The greater is the impudency of this brabler who saith as out of the Apostle that they had a good conscience whereas the words of the Apostle are directly contrary to that he saith The other two places are of the same sort g 1. Tim. 1.5 some in the last daies shall reuolt from the faith and h Cap. 6.10 some for couetousnesse haue erred from the faith meaning by faith the doctrine of the Church as where it is said i Act. 6.7 some of the Priests were obedient to the faith and againe k Gal. 1.22 He preacheth the faith which before he destroied and againe l Tit. 1.13 Rebuke them sharply that they may be found in the faith and therefore in the former of those two places he opposeth to faith m 1. Tim. 4.1 the doctrines of deuils that so faith may be knowne to signifie the doctrine which is of God That reuolt thē is frō the faith of publike preaching which wicked men make shew to receiue only by hypocriticall fained faith not frō faith of priuate conscience wherby only true beleeuers make vse of the faith of publike preaching to their owne cōfort and Saluation which is therefore called n Tit. 1.2 the faith of Gods elect because it is found in none but only the elect Thus therefore his places serue not his purpose let vs see now the examples which he alledgeth First he bringeth Saul who he saith at his election was so good a mā as that there was no better then he in Israel and yet became a reprobate But his translation is false for by the very circumstance of the place it is manifest that the holy Ghost there describeth the goodlinesse of Sauls person not the goodnesse of his condition Our translation readeth according to the truth of the text that o 1. Sam. 9.2 he was a goodly young man and a faire so that among the children of Israel there was none goodlier then he from the shoulders vpward he was higher then any of the people Which last words do plainly shew whereto the rest are to be referred So Pagnine translateth it and sheweth that the Hebrew writers do so take it neither doth there appeare any thing whereby we may conceiue spiritually any goodnesse in him at all being from the first crosse and thwart to the commandement of the Lord. The second example is of Solomon of whom he saith that it is probable that he also was a reprobate But that is not probable nay it is altogether vnprobable that so notable a figure of Christ p 2. Sam. 19.24 whom the Lord loued in token thereof gaue him a name q Ver. 25. Iedidiah that is beloued of the Lord of whom in figure of Christ he said r 2. Chro 22.10 I will be his Father and he shall be my Sonne whom it appeareth in the Canticles he acquainted so inwardly with the riches and secrets of his grace that he I say should after be vtterly reprobate and cast away For although God suffered him very greeuously to fall that by the distraction of that kingdome thereby occasioned it might appeare that the kingdome promised was not accomplished in him yet it is more thē probable by that that we read in his book of Ecclesiastes or the Preacher that he wrote that booke as a monument and token of his conuersion and repentance wherein he tooke vpon him the person of a s Eccles 1.12 Preacher for redresse of that which he had offended in the person of a King Further he citeth to his purpose the examples of Iudas the traitour and Simon Magus of whom Saint Luke saith that he beleeued Where we may wonder at his notable impudencie or rather impietie that he maketh Iudas and Simon Magus once members of Iesus Christ Of Iudas our Sauiour Christ saith when he was at the best that t Iohn 6.70 he was a deuill and S. Iohn out of the experience of his whole conuersation that u Cap. 12 6. he was a theefe thereby shewing that it neuer was with any true
was impossible that God should lie we might haue strong consolation which can be but very weake yea none at all so long as we hang it vpon any other thing It is therefore a wicked presumption to hope for Saluation by vertue of our owne doings but the presumption that groweth of faith is a commendable presumption h Ambros de Sacrament lib. 5. cap. 4. Praesume non de operatione suâ— sed de Christi gratia c. Bona praesumptio It is a good presumption saith Ambrose to presume not vpon thine owne worke but vpon the grace of Christ Such a presumption S. Austin teacheth i August in Psal 85. Quicquid est circae te vel inte vnde possit praesumâ—re abijce à te tota praesumptio tua Deus sit Whatsoeuer there is about thee or in thee to presume of cast it from thee and let God be thy whole presumption or presume wholy vpon God Namely in that sort as S. Ambrose teacheth by occasion of Dauids words k Psal 119.116 Receiue me according to thy word l Ambros in Psa 118. Ser. 15. IntoleraÌ„dae praesumptionis videretur Deo dicere suscipe me nisi promissum eius adiungeret hoc est vt auderemus ipse feeiâ—â—i tuo te chirographo conuenimus It were a matter of intollerable presumption saith he to say to God Receiue me but that he addeth the promise of God as if he should say Thou hast caused vs to presume we challenge thee vpon thine owne bond This is the presumption of true faith whereby we withdraw our eyes from our selues and cast them wholy vpon God assuredly beleeuing that we shall receiue because we beleeue in him that promiseth Therefore Gregorie saith m Greg. Magn. in Ezech. hom 22. Per praesumptionem gratiae vitae caniant iusti iudicium quod ti iusti omnes pertimescunt By presuming of grace and life the righteous sing of that iudgement which all the vnrighteous are afraid of Let M. Bishop then learne that there is a godly presumption of Saluation and eternall life which because it cannot arise of any sufficiencie of our workes must necessarily be grounded vpon faith alone Wherein notwithstanding faith receiueth comfort and strength by the good fruits and effects of grace in the feare and loue of God in faithfull care and conscience of duty towards God and men because albeit of themselues they cannot be presumed of yet being fruits of faith euen in their beginnings imperfections are n Bernard de grat lib. arbit Occuliae praedestinationis indicia future foepâ—citatis praesagia tokens of Gods secret election foretokens of future happinesse so that a man o Idem epist 107. Vocatus quisque per timorem iustificatus per amorem praesumit se quâ—que esse de numerâ— beatorum called to God by feare and framed to righteousnes by loue presumeth that he is of the number of them that shal be blessed M. Bishop is not acquainted with true faith and professeth that he knoweth not whether he haue any feare or loue of God and therfore no maruell that he is a stranger to this presumption do take that to be an vnlawfull presumption which indeed is nothing but true faith 6. W. BISHOP To these I will adde two or three others which M. Perkins afterwards seekes to salue by his exceptions as he tearmes them To his first exception I haue answered before The second I will put last for orders sake and answer to the third first which is The Catholikes say Pag 56. we are indeed to beleeue our Saluation on Gods part who is desirous of all mens Saluation very rich in mercie and able to saue vs but our feare riseth in regard of our selues because the promises of remission of sins depend vpon our true repentance Vnlesse you do penance ye shall all perish Luke 13. And the promises of Saluation is made vpon condition of keeping Gods commaundements If thou wilt enter into life keepe the commaundements Againe No man shall be crowned Math. 19.2 Tim. 2. except he combat lawfully Now we not knowing whether we shall well performe these things required by God at our hands haue iust cause to feare lest God do not on his part performe that which he promiseth vpon such conditions To this M. Perkins answereth That for faith and true repentance euerie man that hath them knoweth well that he hath them To which I replie that for faith being rightly taken it may be knowne of the partie that hath it because it is a light of the vnderstanding and so being like a lampe may be easily seene but true repentance requires besides faith both hope and charitie vvhich are seated in the darke corners of the vvill and cannot by faith be seene in themselues but are knowne by their effects vvhich being also vncertaine do make but coniectures and a probable opinion so that place of S. Paul may be omitted where he saith Proue your selues whether you be in faith or no. 2. Cor. 13. Because we accord that it may be tried by vs whether we haue faith or no although I know well that Saint Pauls words carrie a farre different sence But let that passe as impertinent To the other 1. Cor. 2.12 That we haue receiued the spirit which is of God that we might know the things which are giuen of God What things these are which the spirit reuealeth to vs S. Paul teacheth in the same place That which the eye hath not seene nor eare hath heard c. God hath prepared for them that loue him but to vs God hath reuealed by his spirit All this is true but who they be that shall attaine to that blessed Banquet by God so prepared God onely knoweth and by his spirit reuealeth it to verie few And will you learne out of S. Ierome that ancient Doctor the cause why In 3. caput Ion. Therefore saith he it is put ambiguous and left vncertaine that while men are doubtfull of their Saluation they may do penance more manfully and so may moue God to take compassion on them R. ABBOT The condition of repentance is required not as whereby we worke our Saluation but whereby we seeke it and that not by the keeping of the commandements wherein we all faile but in Christ alone by faith in him whence followeth a measure of keeping Gods commandements and of striuing lawfully vnto him not as any proper cause of Saluation but as parts and tokens and preparations of and to that Saluation which we receiue and haue by Christ alone Now here M. Perkins bringeth in the Popish Doctors affirming that we cannot be assured that we haue true faith and repentance because we may lie in secret sinnes and so want that which we suppose our selues to haue M. Perkins answereth that he that doth truely repent and beleeue knoweth that he doth so To this M. Bishop replieth that faith being rightly taken may be
shall be cast forth as the branch and shall wither and be cast into the fire which doth demonstrate that some which were members of Christ be wholy cut off and that for euer Are we not by faith made members of Christ by our aduersaries owne confession and doth not our blessed Sauiour say expounding the parable of the sower Luke 8. That the seed which fell vpon the rocke doth signifie them who with ioy receiue the word and these saith he haue no root but for a time they beleeue and in time of temptation reuolt Doth not S. Paul in expresse tearmes say 1. Tim. 1.19 That some hauing faith and good conscience expelling good conscience haue made shipwracke of their faith of whom were by name Hymenaeus and Alexander The like 1. Tim. 4. That in the last dayes some should reuolt from the faith Againe 1. Tim. 6. That some for couetousnesse sake had erred from the faith And for example amongst other take Saul the first king of Israel who was at his election as the holy Ghost witnesseth so good a man 1. Reg. 19. that there was no better then he in all Israel and yet became reprobate as iâ— in Scripture signified 1 Reg. 15. 16. The like is probable of Solomon and in the new Testament of Iudas the traytor Simon Magus whom S. Luke saith that he also himselfe beleeued Act. 8. and after became an Arch-heretike and so died the like almost may be verified of all Arch-heretikes who before they fell were of the faithfull R. ABBOT This argument were somewhat worth if God hauing made vs partakers of his grace did thenceforth leaue vs to our selues and to our owne keeping for then there were not onely casualtie but certaintie of our falling away from him But looke by what our faith assureth vs of present standing by the same and aâ— farre it secureth vs against future falling the assurance of faith being that a Rom. 8.38 neither things present nor THINGS TO COME shall separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ our Lord. It looketh vpon God as a carefull father who himselfe b Esa 54.13 Ierem. 31.33 teacheth all his children that they may be sure to learne as a good shepheard that c Iere. 23.3.4 so gathereth his flecke as that none of them shall be lacking as a good husbandman that so fenceth d Esa 27.3 his vineyard and keepeth it night and day that none assaile or hurt it as a e Mat. 16.18 rocke strong and sure so that the gates of hell shall not preuaile against the Church of the faithfull that are founded and built vpon it It looketh vnto Gods promise f Ier. 32.40 I will put my feare into their hearts that they shall not depart from me whereby it expecteth perpetuall and assured establishment from him alone It looketh vnto the mediation of Christ who hath not prayed for Peter only that g Luke 22 32. his faith might not faile but h Ioh. 17.11.20 for all that beleeue in him Holy Father keepe them in thy name whereupon the Apostle Peter telleth vs that i 1. Pet. 1.5 we are kept by the power of God through faith vnto Saluation He that keepeth vs by faith must necessarily be vnderstood to preserue and keepe our faith not by any power of ours but by his owne onely power k August de bono perseuer cap. 7. supra Of Free will Sect. 14. who since the fall of man will not haue it to belong to any thing but his only grace that either we come vnto him or do not afterwards depart from him In a word faith seeth in the word of God that the worke of grace is irreuocable and standeth fast and inuiolate for euer l Idem ad artic Sibi falso impos art 12. Nec qua illuminatuâ— obcaecat nec quae aedificauit destruiâ— nec quae plantauit euellit Sine paenitentiae enim sunt dona vocatio Dei. neither doth God blind them whom he hath enlightened nor destroy what he hath builded nor plucke vp what he hath planted because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance m De praevest sanc ca 16 tu est sine mutatione stabiliter fixa sunt that is they are firmely established to be without any change so that n Rom. 8.30 whom he hath called and iustified them he glorifieth because o August de praeâ—â—st sanct ca. 17. Non aâ—tâ—s sed quos praedestinauit ipsos vocauit c. he calleth and iustifieth none but whom he hath predestinated vnto glorie and therefore it followeth that he giueth them perseuerance for the attainement of the said glorie p Ambros de Iacob vit beat â—b cap 6. Num Deus pâ—ior ipse qui comtilit potest dona â—ua resindere eâ— quos adoptione â—uâ—cepit eos à paterni affectâ—â— gratia relegere The Father saith Ambrose that was the giuer cannot reuoke his gifts nor put away him from the grace of his fatherly affection whom he hath entertained and receiued by adoption q Chrys in Rom. hom 9 â—alis ipsa Dei gratia finem nullum habet tâ—rminum non nouit sed ad maiora sin per propagatuâ— atque progreditur Id quod non itam hominibus vsuuenit verbi gratia assecutus est quis magistratum gloriam priâ—ciâ—atum tamen in eo perpetuus non manet sed confestim abâ—o excutitur Nam vt honorem ilium humano maâ—u◠〈◊〉 eripiat certè superuenieâ—s mors omninâ— ereptura est At quae Deus bona largitur haudquaquam talia sunt a quibus vâ— delicet non homo non tempus non rerum aduersarum vu non ipse diabolus non mors ingruens deturbare nos pâ—tâ—â— quiâ— vel mortici cum sumus ium demùm firmiùs ea possidemus atque adeo quo progredimur magis eo maâ—oribus effectis fâ—uimuâ— For such is the grace of God saith Chrysostome it hath no end it neuer determineth but still proceedeth to greater benefits Which is not wont to be so in the gifts of men for a man hauing obtained an office an honor or principality hath no perpetuitie therein but is soone bereft of it For albeit the hand of man do not take it away yet death will which speedily shall ouertake him But the good gifts which God giueth are not so as from which neither man nor time nor any power of aduersities nor the diuell nor death approaching can remoue vs yea when we are dead we do more assuredly possesse the same In a word r Origen in Ierem hom 1. Impossibiâ—e est quod semel viuificauit Deut aut ab eo ipso tut abalio occidi it is impossible saith Origen that that which God quickeneth should be slaine either by himselfe or any other It is true then that he onely that perseuereth to the end shall be saued but it is true also that
Bishop affirming that the faithfull man knoweth himselfe worthie to be hated and yet by faith confidently presumeth that he is beloued of God As yet therefore we haue no proofe that the faithfull man ought to stand in feare of his owne Saluation 12. W. BISHOP Another plaine testimonie is taken out of S. Paul where he sheweth that it is not in vs to iudge of our owne iustice 1. Cor. 4. but we must leaue to God the iudgement of it these be the words I am not guiltie in conscience of any thing but I am not iustified herein but he that iudgeth me is our Lord therefore iudge not before the time vntill our Lord do come who also will lighten the hidden things of darknes and will manifest the counsell of the heart and then the praise shall be to euery man of God So that before Gods iudgement by S. Pauls testimonie men may not assure themselues of their own iustice much lesse of their Saluation Serm. 5. in Psa 118. De constitut monas cap 2. how innocent soeuer they find themselues in their own consciences See vpon this place S. Ambrose S. Basil Theodoret on this place who all agree that men may haue secret faults which God only seeth and therefore they must liue in feare and alwayes pray to be deliuered from them For the rest let S. Augustines testimonie whom our aduersaries acknowledge to be the most diligent and faithfull register of all antiquitie be sufficient This most iudicious and holy Father thus defineth this matter As long as we liue here we our selues cannot iudge of our selues I do not say what we shall be to morrow De verb. Domini serm 35. De ciuit Dei lib. 11. cap. 12. but what we are to day And yet more directly Albeit holy men are certaine of the reward of their perseuerance yet of their owne perseuerance they are found vncertaine For what man can know that he shall perseuer and hold on in the action and increase of iustice vntil the end vnles by some reuelation he be assured of it from him who of his iust but secret iudgement doth not informe all men of this matter but deceiueth none So no iust man is assured of his Saluation by his ordinarie faith by extraordinarie reuelation some man may be assured the rest are not Which is iust the Catholike sentence And because S. Bernard is by our aduersaries cited for them in this point Serm. 1. de Soptuag take his testimonie in as precise tearmes as any Catholike at this time speaketh Thus he writeth Who can say I am one of the elect I am one of the predestinate to life I am one of the number of the children Who I say can thus say the Scripture crying out against him A man knoweth nor Eccles 9. whether he be worthie of loue or hatred Therfore we haue no certaintie but the confidence of hope doth comfort vs that we be not vexed at all with the perplexitie of this doubt The word of God according to S. Bernard crieth out against all them that certainly assure themselues of their Saluation whereon then do they build their faith that beleeue it R. ABBOT The summe of his argument in this place is that we are vncertaine of our owne righteousnesse and therefore can haue no certaintie of our owne Saluation To proue the vncertaintie of our righteousnesse he alledgeth the words of the Apostle a Cor. 4.4 Of this place see further the fourth Section of the next question concerning Iustification I am not guiltie to my selfe in any thing yet am I not therein iustified Where it is worth the noting that whereas the Apostle saith by expresse negatiue I am not iustified thereby he maketh as if the Apostle had meant I cannot tel whether I be iustified or not It may be I am iust it may be I am not iust If I be my iustice shall merit heauen if I be not I know not what may haply become of me But the Apostle neuer made any such doubt he well knew that the cleerenesse of his conscience was not it that could yeeld him iustification before God He knew it to be true which S. Austin saith that b August de peccat mer. remiss lib 2. cap. 19 Quantum ad integerronam regulam veritatis eius pertinet non iustifibabitur c. according to the most entire rule of Gods truth no man liuing shall be found iust in the sight of God and therefore professeth that c Phil. 3.8 he accounteth all things but losse for the excellent knowledge of Christ Iesus our Lord for whom saith he I haue counted all things losse and do iudge them to be doung that I might winne Christ and might be found in him not hauing mine owne righteousnesse which is by the law but the righteousnesse which is by the faith of Christ euen the righteousnesse which is of God by faith Here is then a renouncing of his owne righteousnesse and an acknowledgement of iustification and righteousnesse onely by faith in Christ A notable fruit of which faith it was so to walke as that he could say I am not guiltie to my selfe in any thing in which sort he speaketh elsewhere d 2. Cor. 1.12 This is our reioycing euen the testimonie of our conscience that in simplicitie and godly purenesse not by carnall wisedome but by the grace of God we haue had our conuersation in the world Of which testimonie of conscience S. Iohn saith e 1. Iohn 3.19.21 If our heart condemne vs not but that we are of the truth then haue we boldnesse towards God and shall before him assure our hearts Whereby we are taught that to walke with a good conscience in the faith of Christ ministreth great boldnesse and assurance towards God and therefore that the Apostle in the place cited protesting the innocency of his conscience was farre from professing to stand in doubt of his owne Saluation yea and were not M. Bishop a man of an iron face he would not attribute to the Apostle any such doubt For the true vnderstanding of the place we are to obserue as appeareth by the processe of this epistle that there were diuisions and part-takings amongst the Corinthians some magnifying one of their teachers and some another and they willingly accepting the applause and praises of their followers and each thinking highly of himselfe aboue the rest Now the Apostle vnder his owne name and the names of Apollo and Cephas instructeth those teachers against this vain affectation of human applause he wisheth them to be content to be reckoned each with other the ministers of Christ and therein to haue a care to deale faithfully towards him whose stewards they are endeuoring to their vttermost to please the Lord not thinking the better of themselues for that men magnifie them aboue others because men know thē not nor can duly esteeme of them Nay how should other iudge of vs when we cannot sufficiently
but what we also teach as hath bene declared there 31. W. BISHOP The third Difference of Iustification is howe farre foorth good workes are required thereto Pag. 91. Master Perkins saith That after the doctrine of the Church of Rome there be two kinds of Iustification the first when of a sinner one is made iust the which is of the meere mercie of God through Christ without any merit of man onely some certaine good deuotions of the soule as the acts of Faith Feare Hope Charitie Repentance go before to prepare as it were the way and to make it more fit to receiue that high grace of Iustification The second Iustification is when a iust man by the exercise of vertues is made more iust as a child new borne doth by nouriture grow day by day bigger of this increase of grace Catholikes hold good workes to be the meritorious cause M. Perkins first granteth that good workes do please God and haue a temporall reward 2. That they are necessarie to saluation not as the cause therof but either as markes in a way to direct vs towards saluation or as fruites and signes of righteousnes to declare one to be iust before men all which he shuffleth in rather to delude our arguments then for that they esteem much of good workes which they hold to be no better then deadly sinnes The maine difference then betweene vs consisteth in this whether good workes be the true cause indeed of the increase of our righteousnes which we call the second iustification or whether they be onely fruites signes or markes of it R. ABBOT Here M. Bishop it seemeth did not well like that M. Perkins should do the Church of Rome that wrong to make her better then indeed she is for whereas he had said that they exclude all workes from the first iustification and confesse it to be wholly of grace M. Bishop reformeth his error by adding that certaine good deuotions of the soule as the acts of faith feare hope charitie repentance go before to prepare the way to iustification all which it hath bene his drift hitherto to proue to be properly and truly the causes thereof Now as touching the point in hand M. Perkins obserueth three things accorded vnto by vs in the recitall whereof M. Bishop vseth his wonted guise of deceit and fraud First we graunt that good workes do please God and are approued of him and therefore haue reward which we intend both temporall and eternall but he mentioneth it as if we affirmed no other but only temporall reward Secondly we say that they are necessarie to saluation not as causes either conseruant adiuuant or procreant but either as consequent fruites of that faith which is necessarie to saluation or as markes in a way or rather the way it selfe leading to saluation Thirdly we say that the righteous man is in some sort iustified by workes as S. Iames saith that Abraham was iustified by workes that is declared and made manifest to be iust And this he acknowledgeth to be in some sort also before God for that it pleaseth God by our workes to take the sight and knowledge of our faith albeit we forbeare so to speake both for auoiding confusion in this disputation of iustification properly vnderstood in the sight of God and also for that the same phrase in the Apostles writing of that point sounds another way This last M. Bishop here cōcealeth fearing lest it should preuent him of some of his cauils but that which he doth alledge he saith is shuffled in rather to delude their arguments then that we esteeme much of good workes which he saith we hold to be no better then deadly sinnes Thus the glozing sycophant still playeth his part still peruerting sometimes our saying sometimes our meaning Where he cannot oppugne that which we teach he will make his Reader beleeue that we meane not as we say We see no such difference betwixt them and vs betwixt their liues and ours but that we may well be thought to esteeme good workes as much as they do We would be ashamed to be such as their stories haue described their Popes and Cardinals and Bishops nay as M. Bishop and his fellowes haue described the Iesuites to be Whereas he saith that we account good workes no better then deadly sinnes he very impudently falsifieth that which we say We affirme the good workes of the faithfull to be glorious and acceptable in Gods sight for Christs sake being done in his name and offered vpon the altar of faith in him The imperfection thereof is accidentall and taketh not away the nature of a good worke but onely maketh it an vnperfect good worke which imperfection notwithstanding were sufficient to cause the worke to be reiected if in rigor and extremity God should weigh the same which he doth not but mercifully pardoneth it for Christs sake Seeing then the blemish set aside we acknowledge it to remaine intirely a good worke being the worke of the grace of God to be accepted and rewarded of God with what conscience doth this brabler say that of good workes we make no better then deadly sinnes As touching the question propounded by him it consisteth of two parts the one of the increase of righteousnesse the other of the cause of that increase We say that the righteousnesse whereby we are to be iustified before God admitteth no increase because it must be perfect righteousnesse for perfect righteousnesse consisteth in indiuisibili if any thing be taken from it it is not perfect and if it be not perfect it cannot iustifie before God Now by M. Bishop it appeareth that the inherent righteousnesse which they say is infused into a man in his first iustification is vnperfect because it remaineth afterwards to be increased Of the same inherent iustice we also make no question but that there is an increase thereof to be expected and laboured for and that we are therein to thriue and grow from day to day but hence we argue that it is not that that can make a man iust in the sight of God for the defect that is thereof is not by a meere priuation but by admixtion of the contrarie a August Epist 29. ex vitio est it is by reason of some corruption as S. Austin saith Yea b Idem de perf iustit Peccatum est cùm non est charitas quae esse debet vel minor est quà m debet there is sinne as he againe saith when charitie that is inhernt iustice is lesse then it ought to be But where sinne is a man cannot be said to be iust in the sight of God Therefore by the Popish imagined first iustification a man cannot be iustified in the sight of God no nor by their second iustification because it neuer groweth to that but that it is still capable of increase It remaineth therefore that we are iust in the sight of God onely by the righteousnes of Christ which is without increase being
though any do by occasion name charitie for the wedding garment as men by diuers occasions speake diuersly thereof yet no man was euer so absurd as expresly to exclude true faith from being one part of it as M. Bishop doth And if any do speake sometimes of a faith without charitie and fruites of good workes they speake thereof as we do as being onely a bastard faith a false and fained faith an idle outward receiuing and professing of the faith or doctrine of faith not that true faith which the Apostle speaketh of to which he assigneth our iustification in the sight of God The like foolish argument he maketh from the i Mat. 25.1 foolish virgins he may well call it the like because indeed they are all naught They had faith saith he true but they had not true faith they had not that faith which the Apostle speaketh of wherein our iustification is affirmed to consist For of that faith the Protestants say truly that it cannot be lost because God hath made vnto it the promise of eternall life and therefore Christ prayeth for it that it may neuer faile They had a forme or shew of faith as they had k 2. Tim. 3.5 a forme or shew of godlinesse but neuer knew the power thereof His tale of perfection is an idle dreame as we shall see hereafter if God will As for them that apply this text to the profession of virginitie they do apparent wrong therein the very text it selfe giuing to vnderstand that therby is described the kingdome of heauen by which in these parables euery where is vnderstood the whole state of the outward and militant Church professing to seeke the kingdome of heauen To take it otherwise is to offer violence to a very plaine and manifest text Vnder the name of Virgins all are comprehended who by profession and promise of faith and baptism haue vndertaken to be l 2. Cor. 11.2 virgins that is entire and faithfull vnto Christ By the lampe is imported that outward profession to men the oyle signifieth true faith and a good conscience inwardly to God Howsoeuer the lampes of foolish virgins of idle and emptie professors giue them credit with men so as that they are not barred from the companie and conuersation of the wise yet in the sleepe of death they shall go out and shall not serue to light them to go to God then shall they too late seeke and wish for that the oportunitie whereof before they carelesly omitted Then shall they cry Lord Lord as the other did before but it shall not boot them to cry when the doores shall be shut against them Thus doth Christ giue the same to vnderstand of hypocrites in generall which before he had done of hypocriticall and false teachers and what he saith here he expresseth more fully by the other Euangelist that when they shall cry m Luk. 13.25 Lord Lord open to vs and Christ shall answer vnto them I know you not whence you are then they shall begin to say We haue eaten and drunke in thy presence and thou hast taught in our streets Where we see them pleading that they haue heard Christ preach and they haue bene partakers of his Sacraments but they cannot plead for themselues that they haue beleeued in him therfore he shall answer theÌ„ again I tell you I know ye not whence ye are depart from me ye workers of iniquitie His fourth argument is of n Ioh. 12.42 many amongst the chiefe rulers of the Iewes who beleeued in Christ but yet confessed him not because of the Pharisees lest they should be cast out of the synagogue for they loued the praise of men more then the prayse of God Here we see faith indeed as he saith but we see no necessitie that faith should be vnderstood here to be without charitie Here is weake faith and weake loue too much yet entangled and tyed in the nets of carnall and earthly respects but he hath no ground to affirme that there is no loue Yes saith he for charity prefers the glory and seruice of God before al things in the world whereas these men were afraid to confesse Christ Indeed o 1. Ioh. 4 18. perfect charitie casteth out all feare and perfect faith breedeth perfect charity but there is a beginning of true faith and loue which being yet little and weake and hauing not yet ouermastered all worldly regards is for a time timorous and fearefull to confesse Christ yet groweth to strength by litle and little till it resolue to cleaue vnto him with losse of all other things Such was the faith of Nicodemus and Ioseph of Arimathea who were two of these chiefe rulers the one p Ioh. 3.2 coming to Iesus by night the other a disciple also q Cap. 19.38 but secretly for feare of the Iewes who yet afterwards being stirred vp with those things which they beheld saw in the death of Christ more boldly shewed themselues in his behalfe and in the end forsooke all for the following of his seruice In the meane time they shewed loue also to Christ though weakly r Cap. 7.50.51 the one in speaking in his behalfe Å¿ Luk. 23.51 the other in withholding his consent from the counsell and deed that was acted against Christ both in yeelding themselues to be his disciples and to be instructed by him Such was the faith and loue of the Apostles themselues who were euery while affrighted and in his greatest distresse t Mat. 26.56 all forsooke him and fled But he that u Cap. 12.20 breaketh not the brused reed nor quencheth the smoaking flaxe till he bring foorth iudgement into victorie wheresoeuer he seeth true faith and vnfained loue though yet weake and feeble watereth and cherisheth and vndersetteth the same that it may grow to strength x Aug. in Ioan. tract 53. Videte quemadmodum Euangelista notauerit improbauerit quâ—sdam ques tamen in eum credidisse dixit qui in hoc ingressu fidei si proficerent amorem quoque humanae gloriae proficiendo superarent The Euangelist saith S. Austin noteth and reproueth some of whom notwithstanding he saith that they did beleeue in Christ who if they did grow forward in this beginning of faith wold by growing forward ouercome the loue of humane glory which the Apostle had ouercome who saith God forbid that I should reioyce but in the crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ This growth there is wheresoeuer there is true and vnfained faith and because it cannot grow without loue it groweth to the ouercoming of all contrarie loue til it cleaue wholy vnto God Thus the Gospel expresly teacheth concerning some of these chief rulers and we cannot doubt but that the like befell in the rest of them that did truly beleeue in Christ They beleeued but their faith was weake and their loue was according to their faith til increase of faith brought further strength of loue and they learned by faith
drinkes now defiled with rapine and couetousnesse yea all things should be cleane vnto them It is not for almes then that Christ saith Behold all things shall be cleane vnto you for almes it selfe may be defiled and vncleane but for n 1. Tim 1.5 loue out of a pure heart and a good conscience and faith vnfained So that in effect the words of Christ are but the same with that which the Apostle saith o Tit. 1.15 All things are cleane to them that are cleane that is to them who in heart and conscience are purified and clensed And because p Acts. 15.9 by faith the heart is purified therefore he saith in effect to them that beleeue all things are cleane So then Maister Bishop reasoneth thus To them that giue almes in true faith and a good conscience all things are cleane therefore by almes-deedes we are redeemed and purged from our sinnes We denie the argument because it is not by almes it selfe that all things are cleane vnto vs but almes it selfe receiueth purity and cleanenesse from faith and a good conscience without which it is in Gods sight defiled and vncleane 13 W. BISHOP Math. 3. Luk. 3. Our sixt Bring forth the worthy fruites of penance That is do such workes as become them who are penitent Which as S. Chrysostome expoundeth are He that hath stolen away another mans goods Hom. 10. in Math. let him now giue of his owne he that hath committed fornication let him abstaine from the lawfull companie of his owne wife and so forth recompencing the workes of sinne with the contrarie workes of vertue The same exposition giueth Saint Gregorie Hom. 10. in Euang. In Psal 4. and to omit all others venerable Bede interpreteth them thus Mortifie your sinnes by doing the worthy fruites of penance to wit by afflicting your selues so much for euery offence as worthy penance doth require which will be a sacrifice of iustice that is a most iust sacrifice To this M. Perkins answereth that this text is absurd for the word repent signifieth onely change your minds from sinne to God and testifie it by good workes Reply His answer is most absurd for we argue out of these words Worthy fruites of penance and he answereth to the word going before repent which we vse not against them and for his glose or testifying our repentance is sufficiently confuted by the Fathers before alledged And Saint Iohn expresly maketh them the meanes to escape the wrath of God saying that the Axe was set to the roote of the Tree and vnlesse by worthy fruites of penance they appeased God they should be cut vp and cast into hell fire and seemeth to confute the laying hold on Christes satisfaction by faith saying it will not helpe you to say that yee are the Sonnes of Abraham who was father of all true beleeuers as much as if he had said Trust not to your faith hand off yee generation of vipers For notwithstanding yee be the sonnes of the faithfull vnlesse ye amend your liues and for the euill workes which yee haue done heretofore make recompence and satisfie the iustice of God with good yee shall be cast into hell fire R. ABBOT This argument is like his fellowes that are gone before We must do such workes as become those that are penitent therefore the workes that we do are satisfactions for our sinnes A man would thinke that Maister Bishop should haue more discretion then to bring such light stuffe in so waighty a cause Though Maister Perkins had alledged it out of some of their bookes yet reason would haue required that he in the reuiew should haue better aduised of it But we see Trigge and Trugge will not part companie vvhat his fellowes haue said be it good or bad true or false he will say it to the death Onely his memory faileth him a little where he saith that they vse no argument against vs from the words going before Do penance as they say Repent as we translate it hauing forgotten that his maisters of a Rhem. Testam Annot. Math. 3.2 Rhemes made a stout argument from thence in behalfe of penance and satisfaction Very impudently they dealt therein because it is contrary to their owne doctrine to vrge penance and satisfaction vpon them that are to be baptized and Thomas Aquinas affirmeth it to be an iniurie to the bloud of Christ as I haue b Of Iustification Sect. 20. before shewed and therefore by their owne doctrine the words of Iohn Baptist cannot be vnderstood of any such matter But yet they were faine for a shift to take hold of that because they had nothing else so colourably to serue turne in that behalfe It was out of M. Bishops head what they had said or else without doubt he would haue said the like But M. Perkins hath rightly told him that the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there vsed by S. Iohn signifieth the alteration and change of the mind from sinne to righteousnesse It importeth no acts of penance but inward reforming of our affections for the amendment of our liues And therfore doth Athanasius say that repentance hath it name from thence c Athanas quaest 162. Ideò poenitentia resipiscentia dicitur quod mentem à malo in bonum transferat for that it transferreth or remoueth the minde from euill to good M. Bishop will not stand vpon this he vrgeth the other words worthy fruites of penance Howsoeuer he translate them absurdly yet we approue his exposition of them do such workes as become them that are penitent but what followeth hereof for him Surely we teach men to do such workes as become them that professe repentance to recompence former workes of sinne with contrary workes of vertue former neglect and carelesnesse with due circumspection and watchfulnesse ouer their waies and conuersation We teach that in grieuous sinnes our griefe affliction of mind should be the more and that both inwardly it is so and outwardly appeareth so to be where true repentance is euen as greater wounds cause greater feeling and paine and make men more earnest to seeke remedie and cure But in all this we can finde no satisfaction in all this we cannot finde that our affliction and sorow is the thing it selfe that workes the cure It is the humbling of our selues to seeke mercie at Gods hands for the washing away of our sinnes in the bloud of Iesus Christ but wee know not how it selfe should be taken for a vvater to vvash vs from our sinnes But yet M. Bishop will proue it so to be because Iohn Baptist saith d Ver. 10. Now is the axe laid to the roote of the tree euery tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewen downe and cast into the fire Which is euen as much to the purpose as if he had said iust nothing We say also that euery tree that bringeth not forth good fruite shall be hewen downe and cast into
though in regard of our selues our own indisposition we cannot THE DISSENT 1. VVE hold that a man may be certaine of his saluation in his owne conscience euen in this life and that by an ordinarie and speciall faith They hold that a man is Certaine of his Saluation only by hope both hold a Certainty we by faith they by hope 2. We say our Certaintie is infallible they that it is onely probable 3 Our confidence in Gods mercy in Christ commeth frō certaine and ordinary faith theirs from hope False Thus much of the difference now let vs come to the reasons to and fro R. ABBOT In this first diuision M. Bishop giueth vs onely some briefe notes which need not to be stood vpon In the third conclusion he denieth their agreement with vs but if he vnderstand it as M. Perkins doth of ordinary assurance he had no cause to denie it For seeing in the first conclusion of dissent he graunteth Certainty or assurance by hope and requireth therewith doubting yea affirmeth still that it cannot be without doubting what reason had he to denie the conclusion being indifferently propounded of assurance afterwards more particularly to be distinguished but that he well knew not what he was to say But in that conclusion he should haue taken knowledge what manner of Certainty or assurance of Saluation it is that we teach not such as whereby a man is meerely secure and made absolutely out of doubt but such as many times is assaulted and shaken with many difficulties and feares and doubts which oft do intricate and perplexe the soule of the righteous and faithfull man Which notwithstanding arise not of the nature and condition of faith as if it ought so to be but of the frailty and corruption of our euill nature by reason whereof faith is not such as it ought to be For the true and proper worke of faith is to giue to the beleeuer a stedfast and vnmoueable assurance of the loue of God that he may fully enioy the comfort thereof without interruption or let and whatsoeuer is aduerse and contrary to this assurance and comfort is to be accounted the enemie of faith Therefore it is not the office of faith to cherish and maintaine such feares and doubts but to resist them to fight against them and so much as is possible to expell them and driue them out But yet by reason of the strength of our naturall corruption and the weakenesse of our faith we attaine not to this and how much the weaker our faith is so much are we the further from it So that the case standeth betwixt faith and doubting as it doth betwixt righteousnesse and sinne For there is true righteousnesse in the faithfull and sometimes it mightily preuaileth and the conscience euen gratulateth it selfe and reioyceth in the vse and practise thereof But anone it beginneth to find defect the temptations of sinne iustle it aside the man stumbleth falleth and the light whereby he shined before as a starre in the firmament becommeth eclipsed and darkned and he seemeth to himselfe not to be the man that he was before Neither doth this seldome fall out but euen daily is there a vicissitude and change by turnes euery day bringing his griefes of infirmity and weaknesse and sometimes giuing occasion of great lamentation and mourning by great and grieuous trespasse against God and men But God that a 2. Cor. 4.6 commaundeth the light to shine out of darknesse and can of a poison make a preseruatiue turneth these infirmities to their good making them by experience of sinne to loue righteousnesse the more and to become more wise and warie against temptation and in rising to take the better heed not to fall againe Euen in like sort the case standeth with the assurance of faith wherein is a comfortable testimonie of the loue of God towards vs which we receiue as b 1. Kings 19.7.8 Elias did his meate from the hands of the Angel securing our selues to go in the strength thereof vnto the mount of God and that c 1. Pet. 1.5 thereby we shall be kept through the power of God vnto that saluation which is prepared to be shewed in the last time But yet in the course thereof there is much variety and change by reason that we apprehend not this assurance directly and immediatly as a principle but by consequence and collection as a conclusion so that being subiect to alteration in the apprehending of the premisses there must necessarily be an alteration in the apprehending of the conclusion Our eies are not alwaies alike intent to the word of God we do not alwaies alike conceiue the promises of God nay temptation sometimes hideth them out of our sight The effects of grace do not alwaies appeare the same yea sometimes they seeme to be quite ouerwhelmed with contrarie effects Moreouer in nature it selfe is a voluntary shrinking and relinquishing of the comfort of faith through the seeds of vnbeleefe that originally are sowen in vs so that the ground of our owne hearts is euery while casting vp obiections and questions as mire and dirt to trouble d Iohn 7.38 the spring of the waters of life that they runne not so pure and cleare as otherwise they should do By all which occasions it commeth to passe that the daies of faith are as the daies of the yeare some faire some foule one while a sunne-shine sommer another while a long and tedious winter sometimes no more but a storme and away one while cast downe as it were to hell another while seeming to be as it were in the courts of heauen where is assured standing and no falling sometimes labouring and strugling some other times triumphantly reioycing but in all perplexities and distractions conceiuing still what it hath felt and striuing to attaine to the same againe And as a child affrighted runneth to the father looking for defence and helpe of him euen so in the middest of all feares and temptations faith is stil running vnto God stil importuning of him calling vpon him expostulating with him casting it selfe stil vpon him depending vpon his aid and expecting of him that things become otherwise then presently they are and seldome going so farre but that it seeth a glimse at least of light in darknesse of hope in despaire of comfort in distresse of life in death of heauen in hell or if it loose the sight thereof yet recouereth it soone againe Of all which we see pregnant example in the distresses and temptations of the Saints which for our instruction and comfort are recommended vnto vs in the word of God And this God doth to the intent that being in some sort for the time put off from him we may take the faster hold when we returne againe that the tast of his loue may be the sweeter and our ioy thereof the greater when out of these flouds of temptations we arriue vnto it that e Rom. 5.3 affliction may bring forth
he shall enter into life Looke by what rule he shal answer vs that that cōditiō belōgeth to him that if he keep the cōmandements he shal enter into life by the same rule doth the honest mā take vpon him to beleeue that because he beleeueth in Christ he shall haue euerlasting life By the same rule doth he hearken to all the promises of God as pertaining to him By the same rule doth he interest himselfe in al the gracious louely speeches wherwith God frō time to time hath cōforted his people therfore as occasiō serueth he putteth himself into the person cōditiō of the saints faithful that formerly haue bin into their ioys sorows hopes feares praiers cōplaints taking vnto himselfe those answers and assurances that God hath at any time giuen vnto thē resoluing of al the rest that which in one case the Apostle exēplifieth of that that was written of the iustificatiō of Abraham x Rom. 4.23.24 that those things were not writtē for thē only but for vs also which beleeue as they haue done that we may be assured that God will be the same God to vs as he hath bin to thē As for certainty of perseuerance testimony of predestination election more followeth to be said hereafter But here he confesseth that he that beleeueth knoweth that he beleeueth whereof we infer that then he knoweth beleeueth that he hath eternal life because y 1. Iohn 5 13. they that beleeue in the name of the Son of God are to know that they haue eternal life which is not to be excepted frō being within the bounds of faith because S. Iohn hath so deliuered by the word of faith therfore that the certainty of Saluation is to be beleeued is not begged but proued shal yet further be proued if god wil. M. Per. saith that he that truly repēteth knoweth that he repenteth M. Bi. answereth that he knoweth it indeed by many probable coniectures but not by certainly of faith as if we made our repētance faith the matters of our faith to beleeue that we beleeue or to beleeue that we repēt idlely talking he knoweth not what Our faith repētance are not matters of faith but matters of cōscience feeling which in our affections we discern know finding the same in our selues do beleeue the word of God that he that repēteth beleeueth in the Son of God hath euerlasting life As for that which he saith that a man knoweth his repentance no otherwise but by probable cōiectures it is a ridiculous deuice He that repēteth knoweth further thē by cōiecture the wound of his own hart the grieuāce that he hath towards himself by the cōsciēce of his own sin Surely if he himself had euer truly repēted he wold make it no question whether he that repenteth doth know himself to repēt or not but hitherto he hath bin vnacquainted what either repentance or faith do mean God giue him the true knowledge therof before it be to late But to proue that a mā knoweth not his own repētance but by probable cōiectures he bringeth a place of Iob most absurdly impertinētly If God come to me I shal not see him if he depart from me I shal not vnderstād it Which words of Iob rightly trāslated y Iob 9.11 Whē he goeth by me I see him not when he passeth by I perceiue him not do serue to set forth vnto vs the vnsearchablenes of the waies and works of God which we are not able to cōprehēd euē in those things which are by vs before vs wherin he seemeth most neerly to approch vnto vs. But let vs take the words as he readeth thē I pray thee gentle Reader to obserue in what sort he vseth thē The thing that he would proue is that a man knoweth not his own repentance but by probable cōiectures And how is it proued Because we see not nor vnderstand Gods cōing to vs or departing frō vs. Wherupon he inferreth which is sufficiēt to make a man thankfull yea though he receiued no grace yet were he beholding vnto God who offred him his grace would haue freely bestowed it on him if it had not bene through his own default Now what is that that is sufficiēt to make the man thākful That he knoweth not his own repētance that he neither seeth nor vnderstādeth Gods coming to him nor departing frō him If Gods visitation be not perceiued nor vnderstood what thanks can there be or conuiction of vnthankfulnes Doth a man thank God not know for what or whether there be any thing or not to thāk him for How doth he know any default in this case or can say that God offered him any grace or that he wold freely haue bestowed the same vpon him Out of doubt his wits were a wool gathering whē he wrot this or else his hād out ran his head yet haply he thought it good enough for thē to whom he meant it who must thinke of their ghostly father that he speaks most learnedly whē they vnderstand him least But let me answer him to the place that indeed we see not God nor perceiue him coming to vs or departing from vs but yet we feel him working in vs as Ber. noteth by the alteration that we find in ourselues take occasion to say a Bernard Haec est mutatio dexterae Excelsi This change cometh of the right hand of the most high Of this visitation Cyprian speaks most fitly for our purpose b Cypr. Prolog de cardinalibus Christi operibus Quomodo fulgur nubes disrumpit repentina coruscaetio non tam illuminat quà m hebetat oculum ita aliquādo nescio quo motu tāgeris tangi te sentis eum tamē quite tangit non intueris Dicuntur tibi quaedam verba aercana intrinsecus quae efferre non sufficis vt dubitare non possis quiae juxta te est iminò intra te qui te solicitat nec tamē sicuti est se tibi videndum concedat As the lightning breaketh the clouds the sudden shining therof doth not so much enlightē as dul the eie so somtimes thou art touched with I know not what motion feelest thy self to be touched yet seest not him that toucheth thee There are inwardly spoken vnto thee certaine secret words which thou art not able to vtter so as that thou cāst not doubt but that he is neere thee yea euē within thee which doth solicit thee yet doth not yeeld thee to see him as he is Which words plainly shew that though a man see not God either coming or departing yet he certainly knoweth perceiueth in himself the work of God Therfore of the very words which M. Bish citeth Hier. saith that c Hieron in Iob. cap. 9 Dicit quòd veniētis Dei praesentia sit quando homini innotescit quando
faith properly so called cannot be without these then it is true which we say that true faith can neuer be without charity and good works But that he denieth in the other place and with common consent they all deny it Therefore he must denie that which here he himselfe saith that godly and deuout submission of the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith is a necessary condition of faith properly so called and so as yet there is no exception but that their faith is the same with the deuils faith But taking this which he saith which indeed is true though he by no meanes must stand to it that godly and deuout submission c. is a necessary condition of true faith yet because it is but a condition adioined and not the very nature of faith it selfe surely vnlesse he describe faith in other sort then he doth he answereth yet nothing as touching the very act of faith but that the faith of deuils is all one with their faith His other exception is that the deuils trust not in God for Saluation nor indeauour any manner of way to obtaine it as Christians do Which is euen as vaine as the former was because he answereth nothing to put difference as touching faith it selfe he himselfe still denying that trust in God for a mans owne Saluation is any part of faith But he should haue answered directly to the point what there is in the very nature of faith it selfe whereby their faith is to be distinguished from the faith of deuils whereof he is not able to giue vs any certaine answer And to be short all that he hath here said is but framed for a shew to serue for present shift because he dareth not deny but that there haue bene and are many desperate rakchels yea of their Popes and Cardinals there haue not wanted such in whom there is no godly or deuout submission of vnderstanding to the obedience of faith no trust in God for Saluation no indeauour to obtaine it who yet haue had their Catholike faith to beleeue that Christ hath died and risen againe and that by his bloud there is forgiuenesse of sinnes though not for them yet for them that repent so that in that which he saith hitherto there is nothing at all whereby to put difference betwixt their faith the deuils faith and hereafter we shall see that he is able to say no more then here he hath said 4. W. BISHOP M. Perkins in his first exception graunts Pag. 54. That commonly men do not beleeue their Saluation as infallibly as they do the articles of the faith yet saith he some speciall men do Whereof I inferre by his owne confession that our particular Saluation is not to be beleeued by faith for whatsoeuer we beleeue by faith is as infallible as the word of God which assureth vs of it Then if the common sort of the faithfull do not beleeue their Saluation to be as infallible as the articles of our Creed yea as Gods owne word they are not by faith assured of it Now that some speciall good men either by reuelation from God or by long exercise of a vertuous life haue a great Certaintie of their Saluation we willingly confesse but that Certaintie doth rather belong to a well grounded hope then to an ordinarie faith R. ABBOT M. Perkins rightly saith that the Scriptures in this matter of faith assurance do direct vs the duty of faith what it ought to do and what we are to pray and labour for though we do not all and alwaies attaine vnto it Secondly that though commonly men do not with the like assurance beleeue their owne Saluation as they do the doctrine of faith expressed in the articles of the Creed yet that some speciall men do so as did Abraham and the Prophets and Apostles and martyrs of God in all ages who without doubting laied downe their liues for the testimony of God and for the name of Christ assuring themselues to receiue a better resurrection And so we make no question but that by the same spirit that certified them many faithfull also now do receiue the like certificate of eternall blisse and are thereby ready if occasion serue to do the same that they haue done Now because he saith that commonly men do not so infallibly beleeue their owne Saluation though some speciall men do hereof saith M. Bishop I inferre by his owne confession that our particular Saluation is not to be beleeued by faith But of his confession followeth no such illation For he cannot conclude that therfore our own Saluation is not infallibly to be beleeued by faith because men do not cōmonly so beleeue it but rather that it is so to be beleeued by faith because some special men do beleeue it so for that in those speciall men is example to the rest what they ought to striue vnto But saith M. Bishop Whatsoeuer we beleeue by faith is as infallible as the word of God that assureth vs of it And we graunt that it is as infallible in it selfe but not alwaies so in our apprehension feeling And if he will say that it is alwaies as infallible to vs and our vnderstanding and conscience he speaketh very falsly and absurdlie for there are diuers degrees of faith a Mat. 8.26 little faith b Cap. 15.28 great faith c Rom. 4.21 full assurance of faith euen as a weake eie and a strong eie And as a weake eie seeth but weakly and vnperfectly and a strong eie seeth strongly and more fully discerneth the thing seene so a little faith beleeueth faintly though truly greater faith beleeueth more stedfastly full assurance of faith d Ibid. ver 18. beleeueth vnder hope euen against hope The disciples of Christ said vnto him e Iohn 6.69 We beleeue know that thou art Christ the Sonne of the liuing God Which in it selfe was infallibly true and yet they did not so infallibly apprehend it but that this faith was soone shaken and because they did not yet infallibly beleeue it our Sauiour telleth them that therefore he forewarned them of his death resurrection that f Ibid. ca. 14.29 when it was come to passe they might beleeue namely as S. Austine saith g August in Ioan. tract 79. Quo vtso illud fuerant creditu ri quòd ipse esset Christus filius Dei viui c. Creditur autem hoc no fide noua sed aucta aut certè cū mortuus esset defecta cùm resurrexisset refacta Neque enim eum Dei filium non ante credebant sed cùm in illo factū est quod ante praedixit fides illa quae tunc quādo illit loquebatur fuit parua cùm moreretur penè tā nucta reuixit creuit that he was Christ the Son of the liuing God Which as he addeth they should beleeue not with a new faith but with a faith increased which was quailed in his death but
How can this be better knowne then if we see weigh and consider well what kind of faith that was which all they had who are sayd in Scriptures to be iustified by their faith S. Paul saith of Noe That he was instituted heire of the iustice Heb. 11.7 which is by faith What faith had he That by Christs Righteousnesse he was assured of Saluation No such matter but beleeued that God according to his word and iustice would drowne the world and made an Arke to saue himselfe and his familie as God commaunded him Abraham the Father of beleeuers and the Paterne and example of iustice by faith as the Apostle disputeth to the Romans What faith he was iustified by let S. Paul declare who of him and his faith Rom. cap. 4. hath these words He contrarie to hope beleeueth in hope that he might be made the father of manie Nations according to that which was sayd vnto him So shall thy seed be as the starres of heauen and the sands of the sea and he was not weakned in faith neither did he consider his owne bodie now quite dead whereas he was almost an hundreth yeares old nor the dead Matrice of Sara in the promise of God he staggered not by distrust but was strengthened in faith giuing glorie to God most fully knowing that whatsoeuer he promised he was able also to do therefore was it reputed to him to iustice Lo because he glorified God in beleeuing that old and barren persons might haue children if God sayd the word and that whatsoeuer God promised he was able to performe he was iustified The Centurions faith was verie pleasing vnto our Sauiour who sayd in commendation of it That he had not found so great faith in Israel What faith was that Marrie that he could with a word cure his seruant absent Math. 8. Say the word only quoth he and my seruant shall be healed S. Peters faith so much magnified by the auncient Fathers and highly rewarded by our Sauiour was it any other Math. 16. Then that our Sauiour was Christ the Sonne of the liuing God And briefly let S. Iohn that great Secretarie of the holy Ghost tell vs what faith is the finall end of the whole Gospell These things Iohn 20. saith he are written that you may beleeue that Iesus is Christ the Sonne of God and that beleeuing you may haue life in his name With the Euangelist the Apostle S. Paul accordeth verie well Rom. 10. saying This is the word of faith which we preach for if thou confesse with thy mouth our Lord Iesus Christ and shalt beleeue in thy heart that God raised him from death 1. Cor. 15 thou shalt be saued And in another place I make knowne vnto you the Gospell which I haue preached and by which you shall be saued vnlesse perhaps you haue beleeued in vaine What was that Gospell I haue deliuered vnto you that which I haue receiued that Christ died for our sinnes according to the Scriptures was buried and rose againe the third day c. So by the verdite of S. Paul the beleefe of the articles of the Creed is that iustifying faith by which you must be saued And neither in Saint Paul nor any other place of holy Scriptures is it once taught that a particular faith whereby we apply Christs Righteousnesse to our selues and assure our selues of our saluation is either a iustifying or any Christian mans faith but the verie naturall act of that vgly Monster presumption which being layd as the verie corner stone of the Protestants irreligion what morall and modest conuersation what humilitie and deuotion can they build vpon it R. ABBOT What the reason was why M. Perkins here propounded no obiections of the Papists M. Bishop might haue conceiued because he had a Chap. 3. Of the Certaintie of Saluation before noted and confuted the best that are alledged by them If he had not so done yet it should not be likely that he had therefore omitted them because he knew not how to answer them because this which M. Bishop bringeth for their principall reason is but a verie weake and simple reason The thing that he would proue thereby is that iustifying faith is that Catholike faith as he calleth it whereby we beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed He abuseth the name of Catholike faith whereby hath bene wont to be imported the true and sound doctrine of the Catholike Church comprised in bookes taught in Pulpits and schooles professed by the mouth which a man may preach to others and himselfe be voide of iustifying faith Thus Vigilius saith hauing discoursed of some points of doctrine b Vigil cont Eutych lib. 1. Haec est fides professio Catholica quam Apostoli tradiderunt Martyres roborauerunt fideles hucusque custodiunt This is the Catholike faith and profession which the Apostles deliuered the Martyrs haue confirmed and the faithfull keepe vntill this day Iustifying faith is the priuate act of the heart and conscience of the man that is iustified which though it be grounded and built vpon it yet cannot but absurdly be termed the Catholike faith But M. Bishop perhaps by Catholike faith meaneth that iustifying faith whereby he and his fellow Catholikes must hope to be iustified By which meanes he hath matched the diuel with himselfe and his Catholikes and hath made him a Catholike For if it be the only faith of a Catholike to beleeue all that to be true which God hath reuealed what hindereth the diuell to be a Catholike seeing he beleeueth and to his griefe well knoweth that all is true that is reuealed by God This is that which we rightly call historicall faith the obiect whereof is the word of God in generall and it is no more but credere Deo to beleeue God in that which he speaketh which is incident to diuels and damned men This historicall faith is presupposed and included in iustifying faith but the proper obiect of iustifying saith is c 2. Cor. 5.19 God in Christ reconciling the world vnto himselfe or the promise of Gods mercie to vs in Christ Iesus whereby we do not onely beleeue the promise in generall to be true but do trust in God and expect good at his hands according to that promise for Christs sake This faith therefore is called d Rom. 3.22 Phil. 3.9 the faith of Christ that is whereby we beleeue in Christ and is further expressed to be e Act. 3.16 faith in his name f Rom. 3.25 faith in his bloud Of which S. Austin saith g August in Ioan. tract 35. Fides Christi est credere in eum qui iustificat impium credere in mediatorem sine quo interposito non reconciliamur Deâ— credere in saluatorem qui venit quod perterat quaerâ—re atque saluare c. The faith of Christ is to beleeue in him that iustifieth the vngodly to beleeue in the Mediator without
Iustification as M. Perkins saith we make but one but yet we make degrees of sanctification not euill worse and worst as this cauiller fondly dreameth but good and better and best according to the measure of Gods spirit bestowed vpon vs but yet so as that to the good better and best that is in this life there cleaueth a blemish and staine which would cause the worke to be condemned but that it is graciously accepted and the imperfection thereof mercifully pardoned for Christes sake as shall appeare in the handling of that matter He calleth the affirming of one iustification perfect at first and not after to be lost an absurd position but it is not absurd but to absurd men to whom the truth it selfe is absurd There is in the sight of God but one iustification onely by faith in Christ vnder the couerture whereof we stand thenceforth acceptable vnto God both in our persons and in our workes of obedience vnto euerlasting life In that sence as to present vs iust before God there is no other iustification That that is further is but declaratiua a iustification so called whereby we are iustified and declared to be iustified men The true iustification properly so called cannot be lost because a Rom. 8.30 whom God iustifieth he also glorifieth nor increased because the righteousnesse of Christ is alwaies vniforme and alike By this righteousnesse being the same to all all are equally righteous but by the different grace of sanctification in inherent righteousnesse some are more righteous some lesse and if Iouinian maintained the contrary he erred and therefore those Fathers whom M. Bishop citeth do not course vs at all but say the same that we do and we that they neither is it any other but his grosse ignorance so absurdly to mistake one thing for another We say that there is equality of righteousnesse in one respect and he bringeth the Fathers affirming against Iouinian what we cōfesse that there is difference of righteousnesse in another respect According to that former righteousnesse by imputation of the merit and obedience of Christ a man is as righteous the first day of his conuersion as he is in the end of his life howsoeuer as touching sanctification and inherent righteousnesse he grow much and therin be renewed from day to day 36. W. BISHOP First that of the Reuelations Let him that is iust be yet iustified or as your text hath it He that is righteous Cap. 22. let him be more righteous and that of feare not to be iustified euen vntill death Eccles 18. do conuince that there are more iustifications then one and that a man may increase in iustification and righteousnesse vntill death Which is confirmed where it is said That the path of a iust man proceedeth Prou. 4. as the light doth vntill it be perfect day which is degrees more and more And S. Paule teacheth the same where he saith to men that giue almes plentifully That God will multiply their seed 2. Cor. 9. and augment the increases of the fruites of their iustice Further S. Iames doth most effectually proue this increase of righteousnesse and the second iustification in these words Abraham our father was he not iustified by workes Cap. 2. offering Isaac his sonne vpon the altar That he speaketh of the second iustification is euident for Abraham was iustified before Isaac was borne as it is most manifest by the Scripture it selfe and by that heroicall act of not sparing his onely and intirely beloued Sonne his iustice was much augmented Gen. 15. Rom. 4. And the Apostle himselfe seemeth to haue foreseene all our aduersaries cauillation and to haue so long before preuented them First that common shift of theirs that this worke was a signe or the fruite onely of his faith and no companion of it in the matter of iustification is formally confuted for the holy Ghost speaking distinctly of both his faith and worke and ioyning them both in this act of iustification attributeth the better part of it vnto his worke thus Seest thou that faith did worke with his workes and by the workes the faith was consummate and made perfect Which he doth after fitly declare by a similitude comparing faith to the body and good works to the soule which giue life and lustre to faith otherwise faith is of litle value and estimation with God Which S. Paule also teacheth at large among other speeches including this That if he should haue all faith 1. Cor. 13. and wanted charitie he were nothing And comparing faith and charitie together defineth expresly that charitie is the greater vertue which charitie is the fountaine of all good workes And so by this preferring these works of charity before faith he doth stop the other starting hole of the Protestants that Abraham forsooth was iustified before God by onely faith but was declared iust before men by his works For if God esteeme more of charity then of our faith a man is more iustified before God by charity then by faith Againe in the very place where this noble fact is recorded to shew how acceptable it was to God himselfe it is said in the person of God Gen. 22. Now I know that thou louest me and to conuince all obstinate cauilling is it not said that his faith did in this very fact cooperate with his workes and that the worke made his faith perfect which coniunction of both of them together doth demonstrate that he speaketh of his iustification before God adding also That he was therefore called the friend of God which could not haue bene if thereby he had bene onely declared iust before men and thus doth S. Augustine reconcile the two places of the Apostles S. Paul and S. Iames which seeme contrary S. Paul saying that a man is iustified by faith without workes and S. Iames that a man is iustified by workes and not by faith onely That S. Paul speaketh of works which go before faith such as we of our owne forces without the helpe of grace are able to do and such he saith not to deserue our first iustification But S. Iames disputeth of workes which follow faith and issue out of our soules now garnished will grace and such he holdeth vs to be iustified by Lib. 83. Quest q. 76. Ser. 16. de verb. Apost that is made more and more iust See the place He saith directly that we are iustified and that this iustice doth increase whiles it doth proceede and profit R. ABBOT The exhortation of S. Iohn is that he that hath walked in righteousnesse and innocencie and thereby approoued his profession of the faith of Christ should still continue his course and go forward to iustifie and approoue himselfe to the consciences of all men by the same vertuous and godly life The words haue their reference to outward conuersation iustification is to be vnderstood of the same that S. Iames speaketh of and that is before men and in
distinction is very plainly intimated by S. Paul when he saith r Rom. 4.2 If Abraham were iustified by workes he had to reioice but not with God He denieth not but Abraham was iustified by workes and that he had wherein to glory and to stand vpon his iustification but yet not with God He might do it in respect of men but with God he could not do it So saith Origen vpon those words hauing first put difference betwixt iustification by faith seene onely to God and iustification by works which may be approoued of men ſ Origen in Rom. ca. 4. Abraham si ex operibus iustificatus est habet quidem gloriam ex operibus venientem sed non illam quae apud Deum est If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath the glory which commeth by works but not that which is with God And this distinction is apparant also by S. Austine who speaking as touching inherent iustice and righteousnesse of workes saith t Aug. de Temp. ser 49. Quamdiu viuitur in hac vita nemo iustificatus est sed In conspectu Dei. Nō frustrae addidit In conspectu tuo nisi quia potest esse iustificatus in cōspectu hominū Referet in conspectu Dei Non iustificabitur in conspectu tuo omnis viuens So long as we liue in this life no man is iustified but in the sight of God Not without cause was it that Dauid added In thy sight For it may be that a man may be iustified in the sight of men but let him speake as touching Gods sight and no man liuing shall be iustified in thy sight Where sith S. Austine as touching iustification by workes denieth that any man in this life is iustified in the sight of God it must necessarily follow that that iustification which is by workes must not be vnderstood in the sight of God but onely in the sight of men Now then to speake of iustification before men as S. Iames doth it is true that both faith and workes do concurre and ioine in the act of iustification The faith that inwardly in the heart iustifieth to God and is outwardly professed with the mouth to men is not sufficient to approoue a man outwardly to men and to the Church of God to the sight and conscience whereof euery faithfull man is bound to acquit and cleare himselfe vnlesse it be accompanied and adorned with vertuous and vpright conuersation In this respect therefore it may be said that the better part in some sort is attributed to workes that faith is made perfect by workes that faith is as the body and good workes as the soule and that faith without workes is dead euen as the body is dead without the soule Men specially haue an eie to workes and thereto attribute more then to words He is taken for a halting and halfe Christian that maketh shew of faith and liueth not accordingly Men account him as a carion a dead carkasse lothsome detestable he is euery mans byword as I said before and his name continually carieth reproch with it Hereby it appeareth also that faith though haply it be in the heart yet is here respected onely as it is professed to men For it cannot be that the worke of the hand should giue life to the faith of the heart but rather receiueth life from it Yea M. Bishop himselfe telleth vs that charity within is the life of faith within and therefore workes which are without cannot be said to be the life of faith but as faith it selfe also is without There may be workes whereby a man outwardly may u Luk. 16.15 iustifie himselfe to men as the Pharisees did which yet are dead workes because there is neither faith nor charity to giue them life from the heart Now S. Iames must so be vnderstood as that not charity which is habitually and inuisibly within but works which are outward and apparent must be the life of faith He speaketh therefore of faith as it is outwardly professed which hath it life and grace and honour amongst men by the outward fruites of good workes correspondent to it selfe Very guilefully therefore doth M. Bishop turne his speech from workes whereof S. Iames speaketh to charity there being here so different a consideration to be had of the one and of the other yea he himselfe naming charity the fountaine of good workes and thereby importing that charity as the fountaine differeth from the good workes that issue therefrom The place that he alledgeth to the Corinthians x 1. Cor. 13.2 Though I haue all faith c. is nothing to this purpose because we speake here of a faith that is common to all the faithfull but the Apostle there speaketh of a faith that is peculiar onely to some whereof he hath said the chapter going before y Cap. 12.9.10 To one is giuen the word of wisedome to another the word of knowledge to another is giuen faith meaning the faith whereby miracles are wrought as he himselfe addeth Though I haue all faith so that I could remooue mountaines c. His purpose is to teach men not to be proud of speciall gifts of the spirit but to respect the end and vse thereof which is performed by loue without which they are onely idle shewes As touching the comparison of faith and charity there hath bene enough said z Sect. 22. before For our present state faith hath the preferment and all in all hangeth vpon our faith which is the heart and life of whatsoeuer else is in vs towards God It is faith that giueth God his glory that acknowledgeth him to be that that he is that so setteth him before vs as to draw all our affections vnto him our loue our feare our hope our delight our selues wholy both body and soule The promises of God in speciall manner are made to them that beleeue and trust in him Therefore that God esteemeth more of our charity then of our faith is not the Apostles assertion but M. Bishops fond collection and that which the whole course of Scripture doth gainsay But supposing it to be so the consequence that M. Bishop draweth therefrom is very ridiculous If God esteeme more of charity then of our faith a man is more iustified by charity then by faith As if he should say A man esteemeth more of his eies then of his eares therefore he heareth better with his eies then with his eares A thing may simply absolutely be preferred before another and yet the other in some respect vse may be preferred before it Thus may it very well be said as touching this comparison of faith with charity as before is said Further he alledgeth that God to shew how acceptable Abrahams fact was to him saith Now I know that thou louest me The true text is a Gen. 22.12 Now I know that thou fearest me but thus M. Bishop shufleth and shifteth the best he can to gaine somewhat to charity against faith
vse are therefore deuided in the subiect or may be the one without the companie of the other as by infinite examples may be seene But he maketh faith and charitie more different yet in the Protestants opinion And how For faith sayth he layeth hold of Christs righteousnesse and receiues that in but charitie receiueth nothing in but giueth it selfe forth in all duties of the first and second table But what of this Will he conclude thus There is a difference betwixt faith and charitie therefore faith may be without charitie No forsooth but vnlesse faith may be without charitie the Protestants saluation is vnpossible And why so Marrie charitie is the fulnesse of the law and the Protestants hold it vnpossible to fulfill the law therefore they can haue no charitie and therefore by their owne doctrine they can haue no faith because without charitie there is no faith What a horrible disputer M. Bishop is how deepe a reach hath he into hell that hee can fetch from thence these profound conclusions against the Protestants The Protestants answer to his ridiculous and childish collections is easie and ready True and liuely faith by the consideration of the goodnesse and mercy of God towards vs in Iesus Christ enkindleth in our hearts true charitie and loue towards God and towards our brethren and neighbours for Gods sake The ayme and marke of which charitie is to giue foorth it selfe in all duties of the first and second table But charitie so long as here we liue is vnperfect in all men and but vnperfectly attaineth to that that it aymeth at Some attaine in some good sort to the performance of some duties others to the performance of some other duties but none attaineth to all as r Hieron aduer Pelag. lib. 1. Nullus in isto corpusculo cunctas potest habere virtutes c. Hierome well noteth against the Pelagian heretickes yea and in those that we do attaine vnto there is also some weaknesse and default some blot and staine as hath bene shewed by the corruption of sinne Å¿ Heb. 12.1 that hangeth so fast on and presseth vs downe whilest we are labouring and striuing to ascend vpward vnto God Thus therefore faith and charitie go together weake faith and charitie vnperfect running in the way but oftentimes through frailtie stumbling and falling striuing to the keeping of all Gods commandements but yet forced to say with the Apostle t Rom. 7.19 The good that I wold I do not but the euill that I would not that I do I delight in the law of God as touching the inner man but I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my mind and leading me captiue to the law of sinne But faith is our comfort that God for Christs sake and for his righteousnes sake which he hath wrought for our redemption accepteth vs as perfectly righteous in him that he forgiueth all our sins winketh at all our imperfections and will heale all our wounds and infirmities that what is now impossible through the weaknesse of the flesh may be made expedite and readie vnto vs when there shall be no longer the flesh lusting against the spirit but sin and death and all enemies shall be destroyed and u 1. Cor. 15.28 God shall be all in all Thus the linking of faith and charitie maketh no impossibilitie of our saluation but it is the spirit of error that hath dazeled M. Bishops eyes that he cannot discerne how one truth agreeth and standeth with another 52. W. BISHOP Let vs annex vnto these plaine authorities of holy Scripture one euident testimonie of antiquitie that most incorrupt iudge S. Augustine saith flatly Lib. 15. de Trin. ca. 17. con Cresc lib. 1 cap. 29. that faith may wel be without charity but it caÌ„not profit vs without charitie And That one God is worshipped sometimes out of the Church but that vnskilfully yet is it he Also that one faith is had without charitie and that also out of the Church neither therefore is not faith For there is one God one Faith one Baptisme and one immaculate Catholike Church in which God is not serued onely but in which onely he is truly serued neither in which alone faith is kept but in which onely faith is kept with charitie So that faith and that only true faith Ephes 4. of which the Apostle speaketh One God one faith may be and is in many without charitie R. ABBOT The former of these two places which he citeth out of Austin is answered a Sect. 22. before The faith of which he speaketh is not 〈◊〉 true iustifying faith but onely the outward profession of the doctrine of faith That is plaine by the second b August cont Crescon lib. 1. cap. 29. One faith is had without charitie euen without the Church that is one doctrine of faith euen as the Apostle meaneth when he saith One faith one baptisme c. Thus Saint Austin declareth it when he calleth it c Ibid cap. 28. Fides qua creditur Christum esse filium Dei viâ—i Et cap. 29. Fides qua coâ—fitemur Christum esse filium Dei viui the faith whereby it is beleeued that Christ is the Sonne of the liuing God the faith whereby we confesse Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God and in other meaning he could not say there is but one faith because of the faith of particular consciences the Scripture saith that euery man shall d Habac. 2.4 liue by his owne faith That that he maketh the matter of faith the diuels acknowledge and confesse who yet cannot truly say I beleeue in God I beleeue in Iesus Christ which is the voice and profession of a true iustifying faith and cannot be separated from hope and charitie as hath bene before made manifest by the acknowledgement of Austin himselfe yea and the doctrine of faith though in generall termes it may be sometimes found amongst heretikes yet according to the substance and true meaning thereof it is not to be found with them as the same Saint Austin acknowledgeth saying e August Enchirid cap. 5. Si diligenter quae ad Christum pertinem cogiteÌ„tur nominetenus inuenitur Christus apud quoslibet haereticos qui se Christianos vocari volunt te verò ipsa non est apudeos If diligently those things be considered which belong to Christ Christ is found as touching his name amongst all sorts of heretikes who will needs be called Christians but indeed he is not with them So as then there may be the true faith of Christ in generall words where the true meaning of the faith of Christ is denied and there may be the true meaning of the faith of Christ in the profession of the mouth when the same faith is not truly and effectually imprinted in the heart And in this sort there may be indeed faith without charitie but not the iustifying faith as hath bin often said If there be that
faith concerning which it is said of Abraham f Gen. 15.6 He beleeued the Lord and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse there followeth alwayes charitie as a necessary and infallible consequent and companion thereof 53. W. BISHOP The Protestants bold asseuerations that they cannot be parted are great but their proofes very slender and scarce worth the disprouing The first He that hath not care of his owne hath denied his faith 1. Tim. 5. therefore faith includeth that good worke of prouiding for our owne Answer That faith there seemes to signifie not that faith whereby we beleeue all things reuealed or the Protestants the certaintie of their saluation but for fidelitie and faithfull performance of that which we haue promised in Baptisme which is to keepe all Gods commandements one of the which is to prouide for our children and for them that we haue charge of so that he who hath no such care ouer his owne charge hath denied his faith that is violated his promise in Baptisme There is also another ordinary answer supposing faith to be taken there for the Christian beliefe to wit that one may deny his faith two wayes either in flat denying any article of faith or by doing some thing that is contrarie to the doctrine of our faith Now he that hath no care of his owne doth not deny any article of his faith but committeth a fact contrary to the doctrine of his faith so that not faith but the doctrine of faith or our promise in Baptisme includeth good workes Ioh â— 2 There are among you that beleeue not for he knew who beleeued and who was to betray him Opposing treason to faith as if he had said faith containeth in it selfe fidelitie This argument is farre fetched and little worth For albeit faith hath not fidelity and loue alwaies necessarily ioyned with it yet falling from faith may well draw after it hatred and treason yea ordinarily wickednesse goeth before falling from the faith and is the cause of it which was Iudas case whom our Sauiour there taxed for he blinded with couetousnesse did not beleeue Christes doctrine of the blessed Sacrament and by incredulitie opened the diuell a high way to his heart to negotiate treason in it â— Ioh 2. 3. They obiect that Who saith he knowes God and doth not keepe his commandements is a lyer Answer He is then a lyer in graine who professing the onely true knowledge of God yet blusheth not to say that it is impossible to keepe his commandements but to the obiection knowing God in that place is taken for louing of God as I know ye not that is I loue you not Our Lord knowes the way of the iust Math 7. 25. Psal 1. Ioh. 14. that is approues it loues it so he that knowes God keepes his commaundements as Christ himselfe testifieth If anie loue me he will keepe my word And he that loueth me not will not keepe my words Lastly they say with S. Paul That the iust man liueth by faith But if faith giue life then it cannot be without charitie Answer That faith in a iust man is not without hope and charity by al which conioyned he liueth and not by faith alone But faith is in a sinful and vniust man without charity who holding fast his former beliefe doth in transgressing Gods commandements breake the bands of charity And so it remaineth most certaine that faith may be and too too often is without the sacred societie of charitie R. ABBOT The Protestants asseuerations are indeed very bold but not vpon slender proofes Their proofes are stronger then that any such silly disputers as M. Bishop is shall be able to disproue them As for his proofes to the contrarie thou hast seene gentle Reader how miserable and poore and beggerly they be See now what choise he maketh of our arguments culling out those that he was best able to deale with and what slender shifts he maketh to auoid them a 1. Tim. 5.8 He that prouideth not for his owne saith S. Paul and namely for them of his houshold he denieth the faith and is worse then an infidell It must follow therefore that there can be no faith where this worke of charitie is wilfully cast off M. Bishop telleth vs that by faith is here meant either fidelitie as touching the performance of that we haue promised in baptisme or else the doctrine of faith But let him expound it as he list of either of them it shall yeeld an illation consequence of that which we affirme For seeing the introduction of iustifying faith is b Mark 1.15 repentance from dead workes iustifying faith must alwayes imply a conscience and care of conforming a mans selfe to the doctrine of the Gospell and to the promise and vowe that he hath made in baptisme of obedience vnto God and therefore where dead workes still raigne it cannot be said that iustifying faith hath there taken anie place Therefore he that shaketh off the yoke of the doctrine of the Gospell and by his conuersation disclaimeth the promise that he made in baptisme plainely sheweth that howsoeuer he professe the faith yet that he hath no true faith abiding in him And this the Apostle teacheth of him who is so inhumane and barbarous as that the commandement of God cannot moue him to prouide for them the care of whom euen infidels by instinct of nature do know and conceiue to belong vnto them But we would gladly vnderstand how M. Bishop diuideth the articles of faith from the doctrine of faith For what do the articles of faith containe but onely the doctrine of faith That then contrary to the doctrine of faith must needs also be contrary to the articles of faith He therfore that by his deeds denieth the doctrine of faith denieth in effect also the articles of his faith howsoeuer with his tongue outwardly to men he make shew to confesse the same M. Bishops answer then taketh not away the strength of this argument but rather addeth further force and strength vnto it But it is plaine by the very words that the Apostle vnderstandeth faith as it is opposed to infidelitie affirming that such though they be c Hieron in 1. Tim. cap. 5. Fideles nomine beleeuers in name as Hierome speaketh yet in deed are not beleeuers Therefore Chrysostome expounding the words by that saying of the same Apostle d Tit. 1.16 They professe that they know God but by their deeds they denie him inferreth e Chrysost in 1. Tim. hom 14. Quomodo hutuâ—nodicredit qui Deum abâ—egauitâ— How doth he beleeue that hath denied God The argument therefore is firme and sure that howsoeuer there may be an outward profession of faith yet indeed there is no faith wheresoeuer there wanteth a correspondence of good workes In the second place it is strange to see how M. Bishop making choise of his aduersaries weapons yet is foyled in his owne choise The argument he saith
apparently false that y Tertul. contra Marc. lib. 4. Ascendit ad consultandos Apostolos ne fortè secunduÌ„ illos non credidisset non secundum illos euangelizaret Paul went to Hierusalem to consult with the Apostles lest haply he had not beleeued as they did or did not preach the Gospell as they did As though it were likely that the Apostle would haue continued his preaching for 17. years not knowing whether he preached right or wrong As though he knew not that which he preached to be the truth hauing receiued it as before is shewed by the reuelation of Iesus Christ That which Ierome saith must be esteemed according to the humor wherein he wrote it which was in great choler and stomacke towards S. Austin for disliking his opinion as touching Peters dissimulation mentioned in the chapter wherof we here speake His words are that z Hieron apud August Epi. 11. Ostendens se non habuisse securitateÌ„ Euangelij praedicandi nisi Petri illorum qui cum illo eraÌ„t fuisset sententia roboratum Paul had not had securitie of preaching the Gospell had it not bene confirmed by the sentence of Peter and those that were with him As though he had preached 17. yeares as before was said without warrant of preaching As though he expected confirmation now froÌ„ Peter or those that were with him who so long before had had confirmatioÌ„ froÌ„ Christ himselfe As though he became an Apostle by warrant of Peter those that were with him who in the beginning of his Epistle writeth himselfe a Gal. 1.1 Paul an Apostle not of men nor by man but by Iesus Christ with many other words before mentioned disclaiming the receiuing of any authority froÌ„ men Ieromes heat made him forget that which is before cited out of his exposition vpoÌ„ that Epistle that confereÌ„ce importeth equality therfore that the Apostle shewing that he went to confer with the rest of the Apostles importeth that he receiued of theÌ„ no warrant of authority but only by coÌ„sent As for that which is quoted out of S. Austine it maketh nothing to M. Bishops purpose b August cont Faust lib. 28. ca. 4 Si non inueniret in carne Apostolos quibus coÌ„muâ—icando cuÌ„ quibus EuangeliuÌ„ conferendo eiusdeÌ„ societatis esse appareres ecclesia illi omnino no crederet Sed cùm cognouisset eum hoc annuntiantem quod etiam illâ— annuntiabant et in eorum comunione atque vnitate viuentem accedentibus etiam per eum talibus signis qualia illi operabantur ita eam Domino coÌ„mendante â—â—ruit authoritateÌ„ vt verba illius hodie sic audiantur in ecclesia tanquam in illo Christus sicut ipse verissimè dixit lâ—cutus audiatur If there had bene no Apostles liuing that Paul in communicating with them and conferring with them of the Gospell might appeare to be of the same societie the Church would not haue beleeued him But when they knew him preaching the same which they preached and liuing in their vnity and fellowship doing also the same miracles which they did God thus commending it he obtained authority that his words are now heard in the Church as if Christ were heard speaking in him as he himselfe most truly saith In which words he attributeth to the rest of the Apostles the giuing of a testimonie that he was of the same societie and fellowship with them but importeth nothing at all of any their iudiciall power or superiority ouer him The occasion of the words will shew the purport of them Manicheus the heretike wrote an Epistle as the Apostle of Christ contrarying those things which were written by the true Apostles The Manichees vrged this Epistle as the true story of Christ alledging that the Gospels were corrupted and not true S. Austine questioneth how the Church should take him for an Apostle or admit that for truth which he wrote concerning Christ when as he liued not in the time of the Apostles nor was knowne to be one of them by hauing communion and fellowship with them For euen Paul saith he if he had liued after their times and had not bene knowne to haue society and company with them and by his preaching miracles together with them had not bene commended to the Church by God the Church could not haue taken him for an Apostle of Christ nor beleeued him vpon his owne word This is all that is said and nothing intended that the rest of the Apostles should giue him warrant as Iudges but only as witnesses testifie him to be one of them But now admit that they were as Iudges were to giue commission warrant to S. Paul what is it that M. Bishop would proue thereby Forsooth that there were some of authority for iudgement and deciding the controuersies of the Church Be it so but why doth he take paines for that which we do not denie Yea but it is that Peter may be knowne to be the Iudge Be it so that Peter amongst the rest was one yea a chiefe man amongst them because S. Paul saith that c Gal. 2.9 Iames and Peter and Iohn seemed to be pillars that is speciall and chiefe men amongst the Apostles Yea but that is not enough but Peter must be the high soueraigne Iudge and the rest only assistants helpers to him But that is apparently false because in that iudgment of which S. Paul speaketh Iames sate as the chiefe and accordingly pronounced the definitiue sentence d Chrysost in Act. hom 33. Iacobus fert non resilit illi erat principatus concreduus to him saith Chrysostome the principality or chiefty was committed Yet let vs yeeld so much that Peter was the highest Iudge in this assembly what of that Marry forsooth the Pope succeedeth in Peters place he must therefore be the one high supreme Iudge ouer all Churches This is the issue that M. Bishop driueth at but for his life cannot tell how to conueigh the Pope into S. Peters place This conclusion Bellarmine maketh out of three places that are here alledged quoting them only as M. Bishop doth froÌ„ him but citing no words saying of them that they e Bellar. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. 5. Disertè affirmaÌ„t EcclesiaÌ„ noÌ„ fuisse Paulo credituraÌ„ nisi Euangelium eius à Peâ—â—o confirmatuÌ„ fuisset Ergo Petrâ— erat tunc proinde successâ—ris eius nunc de doctrina fidei expresly affirme that the Church would not haue beleeued Paul had not his Gospell bene confirmed by S. Peter Therefore it belonged to Peter then and now to his successour to iudge of the doctrine of faith Where we see him to be outright a Iesuite that is a man of a brazen face a wicked conscience for that he knew well that two of these do not mention Peter but speake generally of the Apostles the third which is Hierome nameth not Peter alone as
6. 11. plainly professeth that he cannot tell whether he loue God or God loue him who saith that hope and charity are seated in the darke corners of the will and a man hath but onely coniectures and a probable opinion of the being thereof in himselfe What shall he then make bold of in name of friendship with Christ who knoweth not whether he be a friend to Christ or Christ to him As for the saying of Austine why he alledgeth it I know not vnlesse it be that he were onely desirous to say somewhat out of Austine S. Austine noteth that inherent iustice consisteth in charity which is the summe of the law which is the rule of iustice According therefore to the measure of our charity greater or lesse so is the measure of our righteousnesse We say the same but what is this to shew that charity is the fittest instrument to apply vnto vs the merit of Christ But that he may not dreame of iustification before God by any perfection of charity here let him remember what Saint Austine hath said thereof that f August epist 29. Supra cap. 2. sect 8. perfect charity is in no man so long as he liueth here that the lesnesse thereof to that that it ought to be is by reason of a default or corruption in vs by reason whereof no man liuing shall be iustified in the sight of God 30 W. BISHOP M. Perkins fourth Reason is taken from the iudgement of the auncient Church They are blessed Ambros in Rom. 4. to whom without any labour or worke done iniquities are remitted So no workes or repentance is required of them but onely that they beleeue To these and such like words I answer First that it is very vncertaine whether these Commentaries be Saint Ambroses Secondly that that Author excludeth not repentance but onely the workes of Moses law which the Iewes held to be necessary as circumcision and such like see the place and conferre with it that which he hath written in the same worke vpon the fourth to the Hebrewes where he hath these words Faith is a great thing and without it it is not possible to be saued but faith alone doth not suffice but it is necessary that faith worke by charity and conuerse worthy of God De verb. Ap. ser 40. M. Perkins next authority is gathered out of S. Augustine There is one propitiation for all sinners to beleeue in Christ True but where is it that we neede nothing else but to beleeue Leuit. li. 1. ca. 2. 3. Hesichius saith Grace which is of mercy is apprehended by faith alone and not of works that is we do not merit by our works done before grace any thing at Gods hand but of his mercy receiue both faith and iustification Sup. Cāt. ser 22. 4. Bernard hath Whosoeuer thirsteth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee that being iustified by faith alone he may haue peace with God Answer By faith alone he excludeth all other meanes that either Iew or Gentile required but not charity which his very words include for how can we abhorre sinne and thirst after iustice without charity and in the same worke he declareth plainly Serm. 24. that he comprehendeth alwaies charity when he speakes of a iustifying faith saying A right faith doth not make a man righteous if it worke not by charity And againe Neither works without faith nor faith without works is sufficient to make the soule righteous Gal. 3. 5. Chrysostome they said he who rested on faith alone was accursed but Paul sheweth that he is blessed who rested on faith alone Answer He speakes of the Iewes who held Christians accursed because resting on the faith in Christ would not obserue withall Moses law Gal. 5. the Apostle contrariwise denounceth them accursed who would ioyne the ceremonies of Moses law with Christian religion and so faith alone there excludeth onely the old law not the workes of charity so he mangleth pittifully a sentence of S. Basils saying De Humil. Let man acknowledge himselfe to want true iustice and that he is iustified onlie by faith in Christ If a man know himselfe iustified by faith in Christ how can he acknowledge that he wants true iustice His words truly repeated are these Let man acknowledge that he is vnworthie of true iustice and that his iustification comes not of his desert but of the meere mercy of God through Christ So that by faith alone Saint Basil treating of humility excludes all merit of our owne but no necessarie good disposition as you may see in his Sermon de Fide where he proues by many texts of holy Scripture that charitie is as necessarie as faith M. Perkins last testimonie is out of Origen Rom. 3. Who proues as M. Perkins said that onely beleeuing without workes iustifieth by the example of the Theefe on the Crosse of whose good workes there is no mention Answer Origen excludeth no good disposition in vs to iustification but saith that a man may be saued without doing outwardly any good workes if he want time and place as the Theefe did who presently vpon his conuersion was put to death which is good Catholike doctrine but that you may perceiue how necessary the good dispositions before mentioned be to iustification you shall finde if you consider well all circumstances not one of them to haue bene wanting in that good Theefes conuersion First that he stood in feare of Gods iust iudgement appeares by these his words to his fellow Doest thou not feare God c. He had hope to be saued by Christ out of which he said O Lord remember me when thou commest into thy Kingdome By both which speeches is shewed also his faith both in God that he is the gouernour and iust iudge of the world and in Christ that he was the Redeemer of mankind His repentance and confession of his fault is laid downe in this And we truly suffer worthily His charity towards God and his neigbour in reprehending his fellowes blasphemie in defending Christs innocencie and in the middest of his greatest disgraces and raging enemies to confesse him to be King of the world to come out of all which we may gather also that he had a full purpose to amend his life and to haue taken such order for his recouery as it should please Christ his Sauiour to appoint So that he lacked not any one of those dispositions which the Catholike Church requires to iustification Now that that great Doctor Origen meant not to exclude any of these good qualities out of the companie of faith is apparant by that which he hath written on the next Chapter where he saith That faith cannot be imputed to iustice Rom. 4. to such as beleeue in Christ vnlesse they do withall put off the old man and a little before more plainly saying I thinke that faith is the first beginning of saluation hope is proceeding in the building but the
top and perfection of the whole worke is charity R. ABBOT To set downe the places alledged out of Ambrose is sufficient to discouer the bad and euill conscience of M. Bishop in the answering of them and to shew what a one he is indeede in all the rest of his answers First a Ambros in Rom. ca. 3. Iustificati sunt gratis quia nihil operaÌ„tes neque vicem reddentes sola fide iustificati sunt dono Dei they are iustified freely saith he because working nothing nor making any requitall they are iustified by faith alone through the gift of God The second is this b Jbid cap. 4 Manifestè beati sunt quibus sine labore vel opere aliquo remittuntur iniquitates peccata teguâ—tur nulla ab hâ— requisita poenitentiae opera nisi tantùm vt credant They are blessed to whom without any labour or worke their iniquities are forgiuen and sinnes couered no worke of penitencie being required of them but onely to beleeue Thirdly he saith c Idem in 1. Cor. cap. 1. Hoc constitutuÌ„ est à Deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere sola fide gratu accipiens remissioneÌ„ peccatorum This is appointed of God that he that beleeueth in Christ shall be saued without works freely by faith alone receiuing forgiuenesse of sinnes I pray thee now gentle Reader to marke well his answer to these allegations First he saith that it is very vncertaine whether these Commentaries be Ambroses It is true indeede that some make question of the Prefaces that are inserted to the seuerall Epistles but of the Commentaries themselues saue onely vpon the epistle to the Hebrewes I know no man that doubteth Their d Sixt. Senens biblioth sanct lib 4. Sixtus Senensis reckoneth them for the workes of Ambrose for their part and our e Centâ—r Magdeburg lib. 4. cap. 10. Centuristes for our part and on both sides they are alwaies cited in his name There is no doubt but they are the workes of a very auncient writer if they were not his and therefore that can make little to acquit Maister Bishop of crossing the auncient Church vnlesse he can giue vs a better answer But that we shall haue namely that that Author excludeth not repentance but onely the workes of Moses law which the Iewes held to be necessarie as circumcision and such like Short and sweete this he hath told vs and if we will fare better we must take the paines to go further But let him remember that the point in question is of being iustified by faith alone which Saint Ambrose there directly and fully affirmeth by faith onely by faith onely it is required onely to beleeue Now though the ceremoniall workes of Moses law be excluded from iustification yet if we be iustified by any other workes we are not iustified by faith onely or alone He excludeth not repentance saith he but let vs request him to turne vs these words into English Nulla ab his requisita paenitentiae opera nisi tantùm vt credant We take it to be this there being required of theÌ„ no labour or worke of penitency or repentance but onely to beleeue He meaneth indeed by penitencie that which publikely was don for which men were called poenitentes penitents as afterward appeareth but by excluding such works of penitencie it appeareth that it was not his meaning to exclude only circumcision and such other ceremonies of Moses law and therefore that M. Bishops answer is a verie absurd and broken shift Marke the words gentle Reader Working nothing not making any requitall without any labour or worke no worke of penitencie required without workes and freely and by faith alone all sounding that f Ambros in Psal 43. Non facta sua vnumquenque iustificant sed fides prompta a mans works do not iustifie him but his prompt faith as the same S. Ambrose speaketh in another place As for the words which he bringeth to crosse the other they are no way contrarie to vs. We say as he saith that faith alone sufficeth not and yet we say as he also saith that faith sufficeth to iustification For it is one thing to say what sufficeth to iustification another thing to say what sufficeth to the perfection of a Christian and iustified man The place alledged out of Austin inferreth our assertion though it expresse it not If it be our propitiation that is our iustification to beleeue in Christ then onely to beleeue in Christ doth iustifie If not then it cannot be said to be our iustification to beleeue in Christ For where the effect belongeth to many causes alike there it cannot be singularly attributed to anie one His answer to the words of Hesychius is impertinent for Hesychius beside that he saith that grace is not merited because it is of mercie telleth vs also what it is whereby the same is apprehended and that he saith is faith alone g Hesych in Leuit lib. 4 cap. 14. Gratia ex misericordia compassione probatur fide comprehendiur sola non ex operibus Grace which is of mercy is apprehended by faith alone and not of workes If grace be not apprehended by works as Hesychius saith why doth M. Bishop tel vs that it is apprehended by workes If it be apprehended by faith alone why doth he tell vs that it is not apprehended by faith alone Be it that our workes before grace doe not merit our iustification yet if by workes we be iustified as well as by faith then it is not true which this Father saith that the grace of iustification is apprehended by faith and not by workes The words of Saint Bernard are plainely spoken of the imputed righteousnes of Iesus Christ by occasion of the Apostles words that Christ is h 1. Cor. 1 30. made vnto vs of God wisedome righteousnesse sanctification and redemption i Bernard in Cant. ser 22. Iustitia in absolutione peccatoruÌ„ Righteousnes saith he by forgiuenesse of sinnes for prosecuting therof saith of Christ k Iustitiae tuae tanta vbique fragraÌ„tia spargitur vt non solum iustus sed ipsa dicaris iustitia et iustitia iustificans TaÌ„ validus denique es ad iustificandum quaÌ„ multus ad ignosâ—enduÌ„ Quamobrem quisquis pro peccatis compunctus esurit et sitit iustitiaÌ„ credat in te qui iustificas impium solam iustificatus per fidem pacem habebit ad Deum so sweete a sauour of thy righteousnes is euery where spred abroad as that thou art not only called righteous but also righteousnesse it selfe and a iustifying righteousnesse As strong thou art to iustifie as thou art readie to forgiue Whosoeuer therefore being pricked with his sinnes hungreth and thirsteth after righteousnesse let him beleeue in thee who iustifiest the vngodly and being iustified by faith onely he shall haue peace with God M. Bishop telleth vs that S. Bernard by faith alone