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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A17308	Truth's triumph ouer Trent: or, the great gulfe betweene Sion and Babylon That is, the vnreconcileable opposition betweene the Apostolicke Church of Christ, and the apostate synagogue of Antichrist, in the maine and fundamentall doctrine of iustification, for which the Church of England Christs spouse, hath iustly, through Gods mercie, for these manie yeares, according to Christs voyce, separated her selfe from Babylon, with whom from henceforth she must hold no communion. By H.B. rector of S. Mathews Friday-Street.	Burton, Henry, 1578-1648.	1629 (1629)	STC 4156; ESTC S107077	312,928	398

wilt say then the branches were broken off that I might bee graffed in Well because of their vnbeleefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith And againe ver 23. If the Iewes abide not still in vnbeleefe they shall bee graffed into the true Oliffe tree that is into Christ againe If they abide not still in vnbeleefe implying if they beleeue they shall be re-ingraffed so that faith is the instrumentall meane of our ingraffing into Christ of our vniting with him Whereupon Augustine saith Quam insertionem Oleastri amputatis propter infidelitatis superbiam naturalibus ramis etiam ipse Dominus in Euangelio praedixit occasione illius Centurionis qui in eum ex Gentibus credidit significans inseri Oleastrum propter humilitatem fidei Which ingraffing of the wilde Oliffe the naturall branches for their proud infidelity being cut off the Lord himselfe foretold in the Gospell by occasion of that Centurion who of the Gentiles beleeued in him signifying the implanting of the wilde Oliffe for his humble faith Thus we see vpon what ample proofes and testimonies this truth standeth that by faith wee are vnited vnto Christ. Now because our vnion with Christ is a doctrine of singular vse setting forth the nature and excellency of our Iustification by Christ and wherein we put on and possesse Christ our righteousnesse therefore wee esteeme it fit to bee treated of in an intire Chapter by it selfe CHAP. VIII Of the nature and kinde of the vnion betweene Christ and the faithfull and of the fruits and effects arising from the same VNion is a making of many into one Now there are sundry kindes of vnion there is a consubstantiall vnion as Bernard cals it in the diuinity but this so transcendent as it may be called rather vnity than vnion and rather one than vnity The Father the Word and the Spirit these three are one 1. Ioh. 5. 7. and Christ saith I and the Father are one not wnited but one Ioh. 10. 30. So that this vnion in the diuinity this vnity this one hath no parallel As Bernard saith speaking of some other vnions Haec omnia quid ad illud summum atque vt ita dicam vnicè vnum vbi vnitatem consubstantialitas facit All other vnions what are they to that one supreame and as I may so say that onely one where consubstantiality makes the vnity And super Cantica serm 71. Singularis ac summa illa est vnitas quae non vnitione constat sed extat aeternitate That is the most singular and excellent vnity which consists not by vnition but existeth by eternity There is also a personall vnion and that is of the two natures in Christ which Bernard cals dignatiua vnitas qua limus noster à Dei verbo ●●vnam assumptus est personam a vouchsafing or gracious vnity whereby the word of God vouchsafed to assume our slimie nature into the vnity of his person There is a Sacramentall vnion between the signe and the thing signified in the Sacraments There is a naturall or animall vnion of the soule and body in man There is an accidentall vnion betweene the mind and learning found in a learned man There is an artificiall vnion betweene the hand and the instrument as when the work is predicated of or denominated of them both ioyntly as a carued worke implies both the hand and toole wherewith it was wrought There is a morall vnion between two friends as Dauid and Ionathan There is a ciuill vnion between the Prince and the People There is an vnion of dependency betweene the Creature and the Creator for in him wee liue and moue and haue our being Acts 17. 28. Finally to passe by others there is a spirituall and mysticall vnion betweene Christ and beleeuers which is called spirituall especially from the principall efficient of it the Spirit of God and of Christ as the Apostle declareth 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit are we all baptized into one mysticall body of Christ. Now this spirituall vnion between Christ the beleeuer as it comes short of that first transcendent vnion in the sacred Trinity in vnity so it doth as farre excell all those other vnions yet so as it seemeth to partake in some thing of them all For first concerning that stupendious and wondrous vnion in the diuine Hypostaces or Persons our vnion with Christ is resembled to it as Ioh. 17. 20. 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on mee through their word that they may all be one as thou Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. And Ioh. 14. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you Yea Christ and his beleeuers are so vnited in one in one mysticall body as Christ and they are called one Christ 1. Cor. 14. 12. So is Christ that is Christ and all his members being there compared to one body compacted of many members So is Christ saith the Apostle So then as the Father is in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Father one God so beleeuers are in Christ and Christ in beleeuers one Christ. So that the vnion betweene the Father and the Sonne and betweene Christ and vs seemeth to be alike It is somewhat like indeede but nothing alike for the Father and Christ are one so is Christ and the beleeuer one but yet in different respects The Father and the Sonne are one but essentially and naturally Christ and the beleeuer are one not essentially nor naturally but are made so by grace as Ioh. 17. 23. That they may be made perfect in one So 2. Pet. 1. 4. We are made partakers of the diuine nature by gift And as Bernard saith Hanc vnitatem non tam essentiarum cohaerentia facit quam continentia voluntatum This vnity is wrought not so much by the coherency of essences as by the correspondency and nearenesse of wils And againe Homini Deo sua cuique natura substantia est cum Patris Filijque constet penitu● esse vnam In the vnion betweene God and man each of them notwithstanding retaine their nature and substance proper to themselues bu● the Father and the Sonne haue both one and the same substance So that in our vnity with God in Christ there is not confusio naturarum sed voluntatum consensio not a confusion of natures but a consent of wils Secondly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not an hypostaticall or personall vnion such as is betweene the two natures in Christ but it is mysticall onely and such as maketh the beleeuer in Christ to be with him one Christ yet not personally but spiritually mystically as 1. Cor. 6. 17. He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit Thirdly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not that Sacramentall vnion between the signe and the thing signified sith the signe

tooke the purity of our nature in his conception so now hee put on the impurity of our guilty persons in his condemnation And by the way behold here a great mystery The sonne of God not only in our innocent nature by assumption but in our guilty persons by imputation stands before Pilate the Iudge to bee sentenced by him Why what if Christ had beene killed by any of the sundry attempts of the malicious lewes made vpon his person as by casting him headlong downe the steep Rocke as once they made sure account of him when they had him in the midst of them yea had laid hands on him leading him to the brow of the hill No it was not possible in regard of the purpose of Gods wisedome and iustice destinating his sonne to such a death as he must dye as Luke 24. 26. that Christ could be so put to death by all the power and malice of hell it selfe For Gods wisedome so disposed that the death of his son should be such as might bee most effectuall to satisfie and appease his fathers wrat● and giue a beleeuer sure confidence in the day of iudgement as St. Iohn speakes 1. Ioh. 2. 28. Otherwise if it had beene so that Christ had been killed in any such tumultuous manner or in hugger mugger not by a legall i●diciall proceeding against him how had his death secured vs from the terrour of Gods Tribunall Christ must dye but hee must first be sentenced and iudged to dye by a lawfull Iudge And such was Pilate For howsoeuer Pilate was a man and so subiect to be led away with passion and affection which as a bribe doth blinde the eyes euen of the wise and peruerteth the wayes of iudgement yet a lawfull Iudge hee was deputed and appointed for that Prouince by Caesar yea by a greater than Caesar euen by God himselfe for euery earthly Iudge sustains the person of God himselfe who is the Iudge of all the world Therefore Iehoshaphat in his charge to the Iudges whom he sent said Take heed what you do for ye iudge not for man but for the Lord who is with you in the iudgement And such is the iudgement and sentence which proceedeth from the mouth of an earthly Iudge as that it is to be taken receiued as the iudgement and sentence of God himself As the wise man speakes from the mouth of the holy Ghost Many seeke the Rulers fauour but euery mans iudgement co●●●th from the Lord. Euery mans iudgement Yes euery mans iudgement Nay more which is also there implyed euery iudgement whatsoeuer it bee true or false right or wrong it proceedeth shal I say from the Lord Yes from the Lord. Euery mans iudgment cōmeth from the Lord And yet many men cōplain that their cause is vniustly censur'd sentenc'd by the iudge But God is iust shal not he the Iudge of all the world do right doubtlesse he is most iust and euen that iudgement which seemeth to vs most vniust cōming from an earthly iudge yet the same iudgement comming from God is most iust We will vse no other instance but that iudgement of Pilate passed vpon the Lord Iesus Christ. Iesus Christ the innocent Lambe of God stands arraigned at the barre of Pilates iudgement-seate many accusations are brought against him but without any proofe at all And the Iudge must goe secundum allegata probata according to the allegations and proofes or else aequum licet statuerit haud aequu● fuit though hee giues a iust sentence yet himselfe is vniust Well the ●ewes with much vehemencie of mortall malice accusing Christ before Pilate but all without proofe Pilate knowing that of enuie the Iewes had deliuered him to him to bee condemned acquits Christ as an innocent person and that solemnely before them all But the Iewes at length preuailing with their wicked importunities Pilate contra probata passeth and pronounceth the sentence of condemnation vpon Christ that hee should dye A most vniust and wicked sentence if we consider the person of the Iudge Pilate a man swayed by humane affections and especially feare of men the bane of many a good cause who against his owne conscience pronounced Christ guilty and worthy of death whom he knew for no other but a most innocent person But now take mee this iudgement as-proceeding from the tribunall of God and we shall see it to bee most iust for in or with Pilate God sits vpon the Tribunall to iudge his owne Sonne But God and Pilate passe the same sentence with a most different respect vpon Christ. For Christ here sustaines a two-fold person his owne which only Pilate looked vpon not knowing any other and so Pilates sentence of death was most vniust but Christ bore another person vpon him to wit our sinfull person which God looking vpon and finding him now in our stead a guilty person by the imputation of our sinnes being our suretie hee passeth the same sentence of death vpon him that Pilate did and yet Gods sentence is most iust Yea but God the iudge must goe also Secundum allegata probata according to due allegations true proofes for shall not the Iudge of all the world doe right But all the allegations and accusations brought against Christ wanted proofe yea they were most false True But consider Christ now as he stood in our person so all the allegations accusations brought against him were most true In which respect Christ at the hearing of them was silent as guiltie persons who haue nothing to answer for themselues as he that wanted his wedding garment was speechlesse because Christ knew that hee stood there in our person Against whom what accusation of sinne can be produced but may easily bee proued Christ was accused of two maine impieties against God and against the King and the People as a peruerter and traytor All this was true for sustaining our person standing as our surety and vndertaking to discharge all our debts what debt was so great what sinne so grieuous that hee now stood not charged withall and was not as culpable of This made him to be numbred among transgressours not common offenders but transgressors among criminall yea capitall malefactors and for this very reason euen Barabbas a seditious murtherer is preferred before him If Christ had not thus stood in our stead beene iudged and condemned in our persons he had neuer saued the Thiefe vpon the Crosse. And therefore as St. Ambrose saith Nemo est qui possit excludi quando receptus est Latro There is none that can bee shut out when the Thiefe is let in And standing in our stead if hee had not been formally and legally iudged and so condemned wee should neuer haue beene able to haue stood before Gods iudgement-seate But now Christ being cast and condemned by a lawfull ●udge ordained and appointed of God so that this iudgement was not mans iudgement but Gods this

thine owne workes to robbe God of his glorie and thy selfe of all grace puffing vp thy selfe with pride in steade thereof But leaue we these puddles of errour and come we to the Chryst all fountaines of Christs truth CHAP. VII The Catholike Faith of the Doctrine of Faith as the sole immediate Instrument to apprehend and apply the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs to our Iustification as beeing the effectuall meane of our vnion with him HAuing seene what credit Faith carryeth among the Pontificians in the work of Iustification which at the best is allowed no more but eyther to dispose and make a man the more apt that also with the helpe of other disposing graces to receiue Iustification which notwithstanding for all his Faith he may faile and come short of or else to come in for a share but must be content with the least share or none at all among other graces as Charity Penance Martyrdome and such like all which take place of Faith in Iustification Let vs now come to take an estimate of Faith according to the standard of Catholike Doctrine weighing it in the most vnpartiall ballance of the Sanctuary Nor doe we purpose in this place to speake particularly and punctually of the propertie and kinde of Faith whereby a man is said to be iustified as referring that to the more proper place but wee will content our selues so to speake of faith here in generall as the only immediate instrumentall cause in vs whereby we come to bee made righteous in the sight of God For as our Iustification is by the Imputation of Christ and his righteousnesse vnto vs so the only instrumentall meane comming betweene to apply and effectually to worke this imputation of Christ to vs is the act of beleeuing which is the property of Faith As Augustine saith Fidelis est à fide fides à credendo A beleeuer hath his name of Faith and Faith of beleeuing As the Apostle saith With the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse Faith is the hand of the soule which applyes the sacrifice of Christ for sinne It is the hand that puts on the Robe of the righteousnesse of Christ our elder brother vpon vs by the sweete smell whereof God being well pleased bestoweth the blessing of heauen and earth vpon vs of grace and glorie and all Yea faith hath another singular propertie that it is as it were the ligament or sinew which fasteneth and vniteth euery faithfull member to the head Christ Iesus from the influence of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace And the Councell of Trent seemeth to professe as much though with limitation and restriction to her owne reserued sense saying Nam sides nisi ad eam spes accedat charitas neque vnit perfectè cum Christo neque corporis eius viuum membrum efficit For Faith say they vnlesse hope and charitie bee added vnto it doth neither perfectly vnite with Christ nor make a liuing member of his body The Councell neede not here equiuocate for the matter as if she did admit of our spirituall vnion with Christ by Faith indeed but such a Faith as hath hope and charitie ioyned with it whereas in truth her meaning is that not Faith so much as Hope and Charitie doe vnite vs to Christ sith Hope and Charitie make the vnion perfect which faith doth not Yea Charity and Penance as her intimous Vega saith doe more closely vnite vs to Christ than Faith doth But we shall discusse and discouer this mysterie more cleerely when we come to speak of the kinde of Faith required in Iustification In the mean time suffice it vs that we haue the Councels confession That Faith at least with the helpe of Hope and Charitie doth vnite vs to Christ. And though Vega preferre Charitie and Penance before Faith in this worke of vniting with Christ yet thereby hee doth not altogether exclude Faith Faith therefore according to the Pontificians confession hath at least a share though the least according to their allowance in working our vnion with Christ. But the Catholicke beliefe ascribeth this worke of vnion with Christ primarily yea and solely to Faith namely as the immediate and onely instrument of Gods spirit in vs. Now our iustification by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse stands in our vnion with Christ. This is confessed of all That whatsoeuer we receiue from Christ it is by vertue of our mysticall vnion with him And faith it is that worketh this vnion not Faith as Pontificians teach before it bee formed by Charity To which Faith only Vega ascribeth a certaine vnion with Christ Comparamus enim nobis Spiritum sanctum iustitiam facimusque vt Christus inhabitet in nobis per Fidem informem aut saltem per fidem vt prius est natura quàm formetur For saith he wee get vnto our selues the holy Ghost and righteousnesse and doe cause Christ to dwell in vs by Faith vnformed or at least by Faith as it is by nature before it bee formed So that by this doctrine a dead Faith or that which differeth not from the Faith of Diuels doth cause our vnion with Christ or Christ to dwell in vs. But let vs see how Vega cleereth this doctrine from this imputation A little after in his second question of faith and workes taking vpon him as he is very venterous to answer an argument brought to proue that Paul excludes no beleeuer from saluation where he saith The righteousnesse of God by the Faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue To this place saith Vega many commonly say that Paul said not Vnto all and vpon all that beleeue him but in him which is onely proper to those that haue charitie and by loue tend vnto him Aliud enim inquiunt est credere Deo quod est ei fidem adhibere aliud credere Deum quod est credere Deum esse aliud credere in Deum quod est credendo amare credendo diligere credendo in eum ire eius membris incorporari For it is one thing say they to beleeue God that is to giue credit vnto him another thing to beleeue God that is to beleeue that God is and another to beleeue in God that is by beleeuing to loue him by beleeuing to affect him by beleeuing to goe into him and to bee incorporate into his members They are the words of St. Augustine vsed by him very frequently throughout his workes and by name in his nine and twentieth Tract vpon Iohn which Vega quoteth Well how doth Vega auoyde this Argument concerning Faith in Christ bringing saluation vpon all that beleeue Nihil valet hoc refugium commune Non enim habetur grace ●i neque in eum sed absolute dicitur In omnes super omnes qui credunt This common refuge saith hee is nothing worth For it is said absolutely Vnto all and vpon all that beleeue the Greeke hath not him or in him Note

hath no benefit from the thing signified nor is it any longer a signe than in the Sacramentall vse and application to the beleeuing Communicant and so the Sacramentall vnion ceaseth yet as vnto euery faithfull receiuer wheresoeuer the visible signe is administred the inuisible grace signified is together exhibited by vertue of the Sacramentall vnion hauing dependance on Christs promise and reference to the condition of faith in the Communicant So such is the vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer that wheresoeuer faith is there also is Christ with all his graces present to the beleeuer for hee dwels in our hearts by faith Ephes. 3. 17. Fourthly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not naturall or natiue as Bernard cals it as that betweene the soule and the body in man because the one of them may be separated from the other by death but Christ and the beleeuer are neuer separated no not in death for to me to liue is Christ and to dye is gaine Phil. 1. 21. For who shall separate vs from the loue of Christ Rom. 8. 35. vers 38. I am perswaded that neither death nor life c. shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. But herein they agree as the body hath no life but from the soule so the soule of euery faithfull man hath no life but in and from Christ as the Apostle saith Gal. 2. 20. I am crucified with Christ Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for me And as the soule and the body make one naturall man so Christ and the beleeuer make one spirituall and mysticall Christ and all beleeuers both of Iewes and Gentiles are made one new man not naturall but supernaturall in him Ephes. 2. 15. Fiftly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not an artificiall vnion as that betweene the hand and the instrument of the Artificer for the instrument is subiect to wearing to breaking and at length to casting away when there is no more vse of it but we are so in the hand of Chris● as we are preserued for euer as Ioh. 10. 28. I giue vnto them eternall life and they shall neuer perish neither shall any man plucke them out of my hand yet herein it agreeth that as the instrument can do nothing of it selfe not moue not work without the hand of the Artificer so we can do no good thing without the hand of Christ mouing and directing vs as himselfe saith Without mee ye can doe nothing for hee worketh in vs both to will and to worke of his good pleasure That as the Hatchet may not exalt it selfe against him that heweth with it but yeelds the praise of the worke to his workeman so saith euery faithfull soule as Esa. 26. 12. Lord thou wilt ordaine peace for vs for thou also hast wrought all our workes in vs or for vs. Sixtly this vnion betwixt Christ and euery beleeuer is not an accidentall vnion as betweene a man and learning whereby he becomes a learned man for an accident may be both present and absent without the destruction of the subiect as a man may be learned or vnlearned he may get learning and lose it againe and be a man still but the learning of the holy Ghost wherewith all the faithfull are inspired cannot be missing without destruction to the soule He is no faithfull man that wanteth the knowledge of God in Christ whom to know is eternall life and not to know is eternall death for all the faithfull are taught of God as Ier. 31. 33. 34. verses Yet herein doth our vnion with Christ resemble the accidentall vnion because as no man is borne learned or borne a Philosopher but is made so by education and instruction so no man is borne by nature the childe of God the scholar of Christ but in time becomes a Christian Philosopher by the instruction of the Word of God and the inspiration of the Spirit of God whereby hee is made a faithfull man and a Disciple of Christ. Seuenthly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not a morall vnion such as is between friends which though it be founded at the best vpon vertue yet it is no lesse mortall than it is morall for if thé friendship dye not before the friend dye yet death makes a separation as Dauid lamented the death of his louing friend Ionathan the memory of whom lasted for a while in Dauids kinde vsage of Mephibosheth Ionathans sonne but it soone cooled vpon a small occasion of Mephibosheths false seruant Ziba who by belying his master to Dauid got halfe his masters inheritance from him when himselfe deserued rather to haue beene punished for wronging his master than so rewarded for his dissembling officiousnesse in bringing a present to Dauid of his masters store So friendship is very mortall it dyes often in a mans life time or seldome suruiues death And therefore the Poet said well Foelices ter amplius Quos irrupta tenet copula Nec malis di●ulsus querimonijs Suprema citiùs soluet amor die O happy and thrice happy they Whom loues knot holds inuiolate Nor loosened till lifes last day By back-complaints begetting hate But the vnion betweene Christ and his faithfull ones though it be somewhat like that betweene morall friends but mortall men as being betweene Christ and his friends as he calleth his faithfull Ioh. 15. 15. I haue called you friends c. yet this friendship between Christ and his excelleth all other friendship The Philosophers could say Amicus est alter idem A friend is another selfe And Animus est non vbi animat sed vbi amat The soule is not where it liueth but where it loueth And Amicorum omnia sunt communia Betweene friends all things are common Now these in comparison as they are in practice amongst men are but in a manner meere sayings nominals rather than realls For as Salomon saith Most men will proclaime euery one his own goodnes but a faithfull man who can find Salomon found one among a thousand which I thinke was the Prophet that told him freely of his folly Such friends few can finde especially such as Salomon was But now whatsoeuer can be spoken in praise of friendship is really true betweene Christ and the beleeuer his faithfull man for they are so mutually each of them alteridem another selfe as that they are indeed oneselfe Their soules and spirits are so interchangeably in each other as the spirit of Christ doth really liue in vs and our soules doe liue in him Wee are in the Spirit and the Spirit of Christ in vs Rom. 8. 9. And Now I liue saith the Apostle yet not I but Christ liueth in mee and the life which I now liue in the

St. Leo. Such Saints as are not mentioned in the Popes Calender namely all those Saints of the old Testament whereof the Popes Rubricke hath none As the same Leo saith Omnes Sancti qui Saluatoris nostri tempora praecesserunt per hanc fidem iustificati expectantes vniuersalem credentium redemptionem in semine Abrahae All the Saints who liued before the times of our Sauiour are iustified by this faith expecting the vniuersall redemption of beleeuers in the seed of Abraham And in his fourth Sermon vpon the Epiphany Hoc est quod iustificat impios hoc est quod ex peccatoribus facit Sanctos si in vno eodemque Domino nostro Iesu Christo vera Deitas vera credatur humanitas This is that which iustifieth the vngodly that is of sinners maketh Saints if in one and the same our Lord Iesus Christ both the true Deity and the true humanity be beleeued Hee putteth this particle of beleeuing the truth of Christs two natures in one person as pointing at the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches which in his time were very hot and tended to ouerthrow the truth of his two distinct natures in the vnity of his person This I note by the way lest the Pontificians should say that this good Leo meant onely a generall saith concerning Christ. But we see the Catholicke doctrine of those purer and more virgin times of the Church was that there was but one iustifying faith and this not common to good and euill elect and reprobate promiscuously but such as did truely iustifie the wicked and of sinners make Saints So that whosoeuer had this faith were effectually iustified and without the helpe of the Popes Calendar made reall not titular Saints Augustine also saith Vna fides est quae omnes saluos facit qui ex carnali generatione in spiritalem renascendo saluantur terminata in eo qui venit pro nobis iudicar● mori It is one faith that saueth all which of carnall generation being spiritually regenerate are saued their faith being bounded in him that came to bee iudged and to dye for vs the Iudge of quicke and dead And againe Ea fides iustos sanauit antiquos quae sanat nos id est Mediatoris Dei hominum c. That faith healed the righteous of old which healeth also vs to wit the faith of the Mediator of God and men c. So that there is but one sauing and saluing faith of all the regenerate And this is according to the expresse doctrine of the holy Scriptures which put an vnreconcilable opposition betweene a dead Faith and a liuing Faith betweene that Faith which is common with the Deuils and Reprobates and that which is proper and peculiar to the elect Saints Hence it is that the Scripture cals that Faith whereby we are iustified a holy Faith yea a most holy Faith Iude 20. Also the Faith giuen to the Saints Iude 3. It is called also Fides electorum the Faith of the elect Tit. 1. 1. St. Peter cals it a precious Faith Therefore sauing and iustifying Faith being that most holy Faith which is proper to the Saints and to the Elect it cannot possibly bee the same with that Faith which is in the Reprobate and Deuils but differeth from it both specie numero in kinde and number as the Logicians speake This doctrine of iustifying and sauing Faith peculiar and proper to Gods elect Saints and not common with any other whatsoeuer is further confirmed by the Catholicke Doctors of former ages Gregory sirnamed also the Great Bishop of Rome about the yeare 590. in his Morals speaking of Faith saith Electi omnes eum quem fide cognouerunt videre quoque per speciem anhelant ●uius amore flagrantes aestuant quia eius dulcedinis suauitatem iam in ipsa sua fidei certitudine degustant All the elect saith hee doe striue to see him by face whom they know by faith with whose loue being inflamed they boyle because they now in the very assurance of their faith taste of the delicacy of his sweetnesse This Bishop of Rome doth denominate and appropriate the Faith whereby we now know God and hereafter shall certainely see God face to face to the Elect onely and to all the Elect. And in his Homilies vpon Ezechiel he saith Omnes Electi siue qui in Iudaea esse potuerunt siue qui nunc in Ecclesia existunt in Mediatorem Dei hominum crediderunt credunt qui praecunt qui sequuntur Osanna clamant Osanna autem latina lingua Salua nos dicitur ab ipso enim salutem priores quae●ierunt praesentes quaerunt benedictum qui venit in nomine Domini confitentur quoniam vna spes vna fides est praecedentium atque sequentium populornm All the Elect saith hee whether those that were in Iudea or which now are in the Church haue beleeued and do beleeue in the Mediator of God and men which goe before and which follow after crying Osanna Now Osanna in the Latine tongue is interpreted Saue vs for of him both they that went before haue sought and those that liue now doe seeke saluation and confesse him to beblessed that commeth in the Name of the Lord because there is one hope one faith of the People past present and to come St Augustine speaketh to the same purpose Antiqui omnes iusti ex fide qua nos viuimus vna eademque vixerunt Incarnationem Passionem Resurrectionemque Christi credentes futuram quam nos credimus factam All the ancientiust men liued by that one and the same faith by which we liue beleeuing the Incarnation Passion and Resurrection of Christ which was to come which we beleeue already fulfilled What clearer testimony can be desired to set forth the vnity of that sauing faith which is common and proper to all the Elect people of God in all ages in the communion and propriety of which faith none but the Elect alone haue a part But the same Gregory saith elsewhere in the title of one of his Dialogues Quod sine fide neque infidelis viuat That euen the infidel doth not liue without Faith But what Faith himselfe answereth Habent etiam infideles fidem sed vtinam in Deum quam si vtique haberent infideles non essent Infidels haue faith saith he but I would to God it were faith in God which faith if they had they should not be infidels Let me here adde one authority of Fulgentius an African Bishop who liued betweene the times of these two Bishops of Rome Virtus est fides non qualis in Daemonibus inuenitur sed qualem Deus Sanctis suis donat quos ex imptetate iustificat Faith is a vertue not such a faith as is found to be in the Diuels but such as God giueth to his Saints whom hee iustifieth from sinne Therefore faith being a vertue giuen to Gods Saints whereby

cannot be saued Yes say these selfe-wise carnall Vniuersalists if we were but in as much hope of Gods fauour as wee may be of a prize in a Lottery we would hazzard all we haue skin for skin and all to saue our life Yea or if it were in our owne power so to vse the meanes prescribed and the conditions imposed as that thereby we might be saued notwithstanding wee knew that God had determined to saue but a few of many wee should bee willing to vse our best endeauour in hope of the Kings fauour But the case betweene God and man is otherwise We are indeede all of vs fallen into a Premunire and haue forfeited our whole estates liues and liberties for our Rebellion But we heare that though the King of his speciall grace haue purposed to pardon and to preferre a certaine small number in comparison of the rest but withall that this pardon must be procured by such meanes as no one of all his subiects is in himselfe of ability and power to vse and put in practice vnlesse the King also giue vnto him a speciall strength to doe that which the King requireth therefore what should I trouble my selfe for the matter I know the worst of it and seeing it is not in my power to helpe my selfe let the King doe what he will If I be one of those whom he hath purposed to pardon what should I need to take care any further But if not what neede I bestow labour in vaine Yea but withall obserue though the grace and the meanes and the power of right vsing the meanes be of the King because he will haue all the glory of working that which all mans strength and wit could neuer haue accomplished yet the King to his former decree hath added another clause that notwithstanding the Kings purpose and decree which may not be altered notwithstanding the right vse of the meanes of procuring his pardon depend vpon him alone yet the King hath peremptorily commanded all his subiects none excepted that if any shall dare to contemne or neglect those meanes which hee hath prescribed for the good of those whom they chiefly concerne that man shall not onely not be pardoned for his former rebellion but bee bound ouer to a further condemnation to suffer greater torments and tortures than otherwise he should haue done Tell mee now in this case what subiect would be so foolehardy as openly to contemne and reiect the commandement of the King and not rather to doe the best that lyeth in him to obserue those things which he commandeth seeing that of endeauour may come much good but of contempt certaine condemnation Euen thus stands the case betweene God and vs we haue all sinned and forfeited our estates with God He of his mercy hath purposed to saue a certaine number of vs condemned persons he hath withall prescribed the meanes whereby he will saue that speciall number yet the meanes are such as though in their owne nature they bee gentle and easie for Christs yoake is easie and his burthen light yet in regard of our impotency it is in Gods power onely to enable vs to vse the meanes aright Now though God giue his speciall grace strength to none but those whom he hath appointed to saue yet for as much as we are ignorant who those be whom he hath ordained to saue and euery man may as well thinke himselfe to bee of the number as any other and seeing though hee cannot of himselfe so much as will that which is truly good but God worketh in vs both to will to do euen of his good pleasure yet because God hath commanded all men indifferently to receiue and entertaine his commandements and conditions which wilfully to refuse despise and oppugne heapeth vpon a man further condemnation which was the miserable case of Corasin Bethsaida and Ierusalem with her contemning oppugning Iewes and because God hath reserued this secret number to himselfe both how many they be and who they be whom he hath purposed to saue none knowing himselfe to be of the number till hee be actually and effectually called and haue receiued the white stone the marke of his election with the new name of the Sonne of God in it which no man knoweth but he that hath it nor any being so wicked but he may proue to be one of the number of Gods elect and so to be effectually called in due time and because for any man to iudge himselfe while he liueth in this world to bee of the number of the reprobate is a desperate iudgement yea a preiudice of Gods purpose and grace and a rash presumption as daring to prye into Gods secrets and to determine that as certaine which God hath left vncertaine therefore for a man to cauill at this truth of God and thereupon to frame friuolous and foolish unreasonable reasons to resist and contemne Gods ordinance what is it but to heape vpon himselfe greater and greater condemnation God will not in the meane time haue his truth dissembled his glory diminished his mercy despised and his iustice disparaged Let no man dare to say Why doth he yet complaine Who art thou vaine man that pleadest against God take thou heede thou giuest not God further occasion to complaine of thee Shall thy politicke or rather braine-sicke reasons be wiser than Gods wisedome God hath willed it so And his will is aboue all humane reason And Gods will is nothing but diuine reason yea wisedome it selfe But yet as a man to answer thy reasons with reasons Thou deniest the certainty of election at least thou wouldst not haue it published and preached Why What 's thy reason for it Because it makes men carelesse of the meanes It is false it is not Gods good will and pleasure which he hath published but it is thine owne peruerse and corrupt will that makes thee carelesse and contemptuous But by this reason of thine which thou canst sub-diuide into manie branches but all growing from the same carnall roote to satisfie thine owne foolish reason in desiring to haue this glorious truth of God dissembled or suppressed thou wouldst destroy two precious things infinitely more deare than a thousand worlds The first is the glory of God which is so nothing much manifested as in this act of his concerning his good pleasure in the disposing of mankind It is that summary doctrine of Gods glory So that to suppresse or supplant this truth is to strip God of his excellent glory It is the saying of a iudicious and learned Diuine Viciatur adulteratur Religio simulac minimum aliquid detrahitur ex Dei gloria Religion comes then to be corrupted and adulterated when once Gods glory suffereth the least detriment or diminution No say they wee doe not take away Gods glory for we acknowledge his preuenting grace Iust so did those aduersaries in Augustines time with whom he had to deale of whom he saith A Pelagianoru● porrò haeretica