God cannot properly be referred neyther to the honestie of maners nor to the tructh of faith must be knowne to be figuratiue Moreouer the ancient Fathers long agoe the Schoolemen of late time and the Popish writers at this day do teach that there be diâ—ers senses of Scripture And although all of them preferre the hystoricall and litterall sense yet Sixâ—â—s Senensis and Bellarmine doe make it double eyther proper and simple according to the first and naturall signification of the words or metaphoricall and figuratiue when the wordes are translated from their naturall signification to another and that there bee so many kindes of this sense as there bee kindes of figures Now what is preaching but expounding of Scripture and deliuering the true sense of it As appeareth by the practise of Ezra Nehe. 8.8 and the Leuites who reade the Lawe of God distinctly and then gaue the sense and caused the people to vnderstand what was read Those then who in their Sermons deliuer the true sense of the word written according to those seuerall kindes of expositions must needes deliuer the worde of GOD cuen the selfe same worde that is written Againe not onely the things expresly set downe in the Scriptures but likewise such thinges as by sound and necessarie consequence bee collected thence are taken for written truthes and not vnwritten traditions Aeonsus Viruestus a Popish Bishop and a bitter enemie to Luther Adners Luther doginat philippi c. 9. p. 147. acknowledgeth so much For hee saith That things may bee conteyned in the Scripture eyther formally and expresly or materially being drawâ—â— by a necessary collection from the contents And this he saith is called Virtualis continentâ—a To denie this saith hee is not Christian wisedome but Iewish superstition And then teacheth that wee are as much bound to giue assent to those thinges that be materially conteyned and drawne thence by a lawfull collection as to those that be formerly and expresly conteyned Bellarmine cannot deny but that Scoties taught De Eucharist lib. 3. c. 23 there was not any expresse place of Scripture to proue Transubstantiation without the declaration expositioÌ„ of the Church Neyther dare the Cardinall reiect that assertion but saith Quia colligitur ex scriptura diuina that Transubstantiation belongeth to the Catholicke faith because it is collected out of the diuine Scripture In his iudgement then that is a written trueth which is collected from the Scripture as well as that which is expressely set downe in the Scripture If therefore Preachers deliuer no other doctrines in their Sermons if they confute and condemne no other errors if they teach no other duties if they reproue no other sinnes if they minister no other consolations and if they vrge no other exhortations then they haue warrant in the written worde of God eyther by expresse testimonies or by necessary collections the worde which they preach is the very same in kind in nature and substance with the word written And so there is not one word written and another word preached as the Doctor woulde beare men in hand but one and the same word diuersly vsed So absurd is this his obseruation so voyde of reason so destitute of proofe and so discrepant from the doctrine of his owne Church that it may well bee thought that rather malice against vs then any warrant from the text caused him to set it downe And heere behold how farre malice doth carry your teachers euen to forsake their owne companions and to ouerthrow the coÌ„mon and receiued doctrine of their owne Church that so they may crosse and condemne vs. And to conclude with him hee that will regard what be writeth in the latter end of his obseruation may easilie perceiue how hee ouerthroweth his owne note obserued in the beginning For he produceth the Apostle Peter as an indifferent witnes in this case who saith that the Worde of God endureth for euer and this is the worde which is preached among you whose testimonie doth euidently prooue that the worde written and the worde preached then by the Apostles and other Ecclesiasticall persons was the very same worde For it is apparant by that verse which hee alleadged that the worde of God which endureth for euer and the worde which then was preached were one and the selfe same worde Now what was the word that endureth for euer was it not the worde written If anie will denye this let him reade the former verse in Peter and compare that verse and this Isaiah 40.6.7.8 with the wordes of the prophet Isaiah and hee shall finde it to be the worde written by the Prophet So as Peter maketh the worde written by the prophet and preached by the Apostles to bee the same Againe this great Doctor saith * Immutabile est in natura substancia sua etâ—i propagatione explicatione variâ— the Word is the Seede because it is vnchangeable in it owne nature and substance though diuers in explication and proueth it out of Basil and Vincentius Lyrenensis who make that agreemeÌ„t betweene the word written and the word preached that they are both one in substaÌ„ce for they preached nothing but what was written yet the word writteÌ„ was made fruitfull by preaching SECT III. BVt to leaue the Docter and his obseruation It may be some others will acknowledge contrarie to his minde that whosoeuer preacheth nothing but such doctrines as are either expresly taught or necessarily gathered from the scriptures preacheth nothing but the written word And yet will likewise contradict me because they hold that there is another word of God besides the written word Bellarmine (1) De verho Dei nonscript lib. 4. c. 1. saith there is verbis Dei scriptrÌ„ verbum Dei non scriptum A word of God written namely the bookes of the old and new Testaments And a word of God not written namely the traditions of the Church which be not written in the scriptures Gregory de Valentia (2) Refutat falsar causar Herbrand cap. 1. holdeth it for a most certaine thing that the word of God is not onely conteyned in written letters as it pleaseth him to tearme the scriptures in way of disgrace but is also put in the voyce of the Church and there doth sound Coster the Iesuite speaketh more plainely and peremptorily (3) Et anteÌ„ scriptura ecclesiae catholicae consensies concors omnium Christianorum per tot uÌ„ terrarum orbem doctrina Huius scripturae praestantia multis partibus super scripturas quas nobis in membranis Apostoli reliquerunt Encherid cap. 1. So also saith Hosius Quod ecclesia docet expressum Dei verbum est De expresso Dei verbo fol. 119. in 106. That the consent of the Catholike Church and the consonant doctrine of all Christians throughout the world is the scripture And in many points excelleth the scriptures which the Apostles haue left vs in parchments And this he maketh the first and
(21) Euseb â—yst libâ— â— c. 2â— Epiphan hâ—resâ— 51. Hâ—ron Catâ—loâ—â—â—riptâ—r in loâ—â—â— most Authors 〈…〉 that when Iohn pereceyued how other Euangelists wrote onely the things of one yeare euen the yeare after Iohns imprisonment 〈…〉 1. 〈◊〉 5. cap 8. hee approued those and in his Gospell added the things done and taught in the former yeares And because some Heretickes denyed the God-head of CHRIST Sixt Senens Biblioth lib. 1. in Ioh vp 18. lib. 7. haerâ—sis 5. p. 583. he considering that other Euangelistes did at large describe his Humanitie but spake little of his God-head did in his Gospell write such thinges as proued him to be GOD. And added those Sermons which the rest had omitted And therevppon Sixtus Senensis (22) Exomnibus simul coniunctis cosonantissima ac perfectissima salutis nostrae hystoria resulâ—â—t lib. 7. haresis 5. saide against the Alogan Heretickes That from them all ioyned togetherâ— there ariseth a most Consonant and most perfect Hystorie of our saluation It is then to be examined whether the Euangelistes haue written that Christ taught any traditions receyued from men If they write no such matter it is certaine that hee taught none at all Let our Aduersaires runne thorough the whole Newe-Testament and they shall not bee able to finde any one of theyr Traditions recorded by the Euangelistes as a doctrine taught by Christ Seeing then Christ taught no traditions why should wee presume to teach any must wee not receiue from him the matter of our Doctrine and imitate him in the manner of teaching Saide not Ambrose well (23) Nos nona omnia quae Christus non docuit iurè damnamus quia fidelibus via est Christus Si igitur Christus non docuit quod docemus etiam nos id detestabile iudicamus De virginib li. 3. that wee doe iustly condemne all newe things which Christ hath not taught because Christ is the way to Belieuers If therefore Christ haue not taught that which wee teach euen we doe iudge it to be detestable 2. Againe the Apostle Paul was a painefull Sower and did sowe all the worde of God And therefore could (25) Act. 20 26. protest to his hearers that hee had kept nothing backe from them but had shewed them all the counsell of God Now what word taught he Did hee teach traditions and mans ordinances Did he not teach oâ—ly writteÌ„ truths Did he (26) Acts. 17.2 not proue his doctrine by the scriptures Did he not in his apologie before Festus (27) Act. 26 22. auouch that hee taught none other things then those which the Prophetes and Moses did say should come And how could the (28) Acts 17.10.11 Bereans haue examiâ—â—d his doctrine by the Scriptures if hee had deliuered anie thing not taught in the Scriptures Yea Saint Paul was so fâ—rre from preaching any other Doctrine then that which was wirtten (29) Galath 1.8.9 that hee denounced him to be accuâ—sed whether hee were man or Angell that should teach otherwise I knowe Bellarmine would elude that place by two seuerall answeres yet all in vaine First (30) De ver bo Des non script lib. 4. cap 10. he saith that the Apostle speaketh not onely of the word written but of euery word whether it be written oâ—â—t be by tradition But besidâ—â— that hee beggâ—th the question be hath the wordes of the Text and the testimonies of the â—athers and of 〈◊〉 Popish writers against him For the Apostle speaketh of that wâ—â—de which hee and the rest of the Apoâ—â—â—â— preached and therefore he saith If was or 〈◊〉 Angell preach otherwise then that which wee haue preached And what worde hee preached I haue proued before not any traditions but the written word If it be true which Ireneus and Niâ—â—phâ—râ—s doe write Iren. li. 3. c. 1. Niâ—eph hist lib. 2. c. 34. that what the Apostles preached at first was afterward by the will of God set downe in the scripturâ—s it must be acknowledged that they preached no traditions seeing we can finde no traditions penned by theÌ„ in their Epistles And though they had bene traditious when they were preached yet they ceased to be traditions when once they were written by them Againe the Fathers restraine the words of the Apostle to the scriptures as if he were accuâ—sed that would preach any thing not coÌ„tained in them Vobis annâ—ciâ—â—erit preterqu quod inscripturâ—â—â—â—galâ—bus euangâ—licis accepiâ—tis anathâ—na sit Augustine is most plaine therein Whether concerning Christ or concerning his Church or any other thing that pertâ—ineth to our â—aith or life I will not say â—fâ—râ—e for we are not to be compared to him who 〈◊〉 weâ— but euen as he going forward added If â—n Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you besides that which ye haue receiued in the scriptures of the lawe and the Gospell let him be accursed Basill likewise teacheth Cont. lit Petilian lib. 3. cap. 6. that hearers who be skilfull in the scriptures ought to examine those things which bee deliuered of their teachers Sum. morea sum 72. cap. 1. And to receiue those things which be agreeable to the scriptures and to reiect those that be not And produceth this testimonie of the Apostle to proue it which had bene an impertinent proofe if the Apostle had spoken as well of a word not written as of a word written The Cardinall mentioneth both these testimonies Bellarm. de verbo dei non script lib. 4.10 and would auoyd them by saying that they doe not of purpose expound this place but doe proue by this place that it is not lawfull to auouch any thing contrary to the scriptures Yet caÌ„not he deny but that they doe alleadge this place of the Apostle And I hope he will not say but that they doe deliuer the true sense of it and doe alleadge it according to the true meaning of the Apostle Doth the Cardinall thinke that such learned fathers would giue one sense of it when purposely they expound it and another sense when they alleadged it to prooue a point which they haue in haÌ„d This were to wrest the scripture to make it serue their present turne I hope he will not so iudge of such reuerend men And to say that they onely proue thence that it is not lawful to auouch any thing contrary to scripture is to alter and inuert their words Doth not Augustine say Praeterquam quod accepistis besides that which you haue receiued but of that afterward And if by that place they proue that nothing must be taught contrary to the scriptures then must they not hold with the Cardinall that the Apostle speaketh of each word as well written as not written but onely of the written word And so the Cardinall maketh them to confute him In Galal 1. Chrysostome purposely expounding the place saith Paul preferreth the scriptures Si vel paulum euangeli zauerint praeter euangelium quod
5. annot 36. Est fides qua creditur quicquid credendum est baec est virtus theologica Altera quae considâ—nua quâ—dam est seiliâ—â—t qua credimus quod denâ— it dominus â—i quod ab co petimâ—s Stollain Luc. 5. to cap. 145. whereby we beleeue and doe assent to the doctrines reuealed and propounded by the Church to be beleeued which Cyrill called a dogmaticall faith There is another kinde of faith whereby we doe not onely assent to the doctrines but also doe beleeue that the things which we aske to be done shall be accomplished by God which we call an assurance Stella also as plainely maketh two kindes of Faith There is a faith saith he whereby we beleeue whatsoeuer is to be beleeued and this is a theologicall vertue There is another faith which is a certaine confidence to wit that whereby we beleeue that the Lord will giue vs that which we aske of him I could produce more witnesses speaking to the time purpose but I spare them till I come to speake of the seuerall kindes by themselues yet consider that not onely the ancient Fathers but likewise some great Clearkes in the late Romish Church haue made diners kindes of faith Why then should we be condemned as Heretikes for teaching the same SECT VII LEt vs now come to the seuerall kinds of faith in particular And let vs first coÌ„sider a little touching iustifying faith It may be you will mislike two things in that description oâ—â—t which I set downe in one of the precedent sermons The one respecteth the nature of it the other respecteth the persons that be endued with it because some of your side teach contrary therevnto 1. Touching the nature of it I shewed that by it a Christian doth apprehend and apply to himselfe all the promiâ—â—s of God in Christ and all the merits of Christ for his present iustification and for his future saluation I know it as well as you that many of your learned meÌ„ teach the contrary and therefore I â—eare that you will râ—â— or beleâ—ue them then â—â— The Rhemists say Annot. on Rom. 3. Sect. 7. that to apprehend Christs rightâ—ousnes by faith is a 〈…〉 apprehension of that which is not And that it is a false faith And afterward Annot. on Hebr. 11. Secâ— 6. that the Apostle 〈◊〉 not speciall faith the forged faith of Protestants whereby euery one of these new Sect-maâ—â—ters and their followers as it pleaseth them in the meeknes of their spirit to tearme vs beleeue their sinnes are remitted and themselues shall be saued Annot. on Iam. 2.26 Sect. 1. And else-where that a speciall faith is a forged faith that nâ—ther Paul nor Iames nor any other sacred writer euer knewe or spake of any such faith Cardinall Bellarmine maintaineth that Faith is neither Fiducia De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 5.6.7 an issurance of Gods mercie or the Pardon of a Man 's owne sinnes nor yet Notitia acknowledge of such thinges but but onely a firme and certaine assent to the truth of those things which God hath propounded to be deliuered Promptuar catholan feriaâ— 5. hebdâ— 1. Quadragesâ— Doctor Stapleton calleth them Heretickes who place the whole nature propertie vertue and greatnes of faith in a particular applicatiâ—n of Gods generall promises to Belieuers Indeed that which they say is true if there were no other faith taught in the word not wrough in the hearts of Christians then that which is generally taught and found in the present Romane Church But they which vnderstand the word aright and are iustified by Faith do know and feele another kinde of faith farre surpassing that Bellarmine doth much wrong vs and more trouble himselfe in this point then needed Haeretici restringunt ad solâ—m promissionem miserecor diae specialâ—s De iustif lib. 1. cap. Sect. Itaque tribus He saith that they differ from vs in the obiect of iustifying faith because we whom he commonly calleth by the name of Heretickes doe restraine it to a sole promise of a speciall mercy And afterward spendeth many chapters in prouing that the obiect of a iustifying faith is not a speciall mercy De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 8.9.10 but all things which God hath reuealed For we doe not hold that the promise of a speciall mercy to a man in particular is the obiect of a true iustifying faith vnder the new testament we finde none such made to any of vs The generall promises of mercy in Christ are the material obiects which being indefinitly propounded it is an acte of faith to make a true Christian to apply them particularly to himselfe But to come to the matter now in question It may easily be proued that a iustifying faith is not onely an assent to the truth of things reuealed in the word but likewise an apprehension and particular applying of the generall promises of Gods mercies and Christs merits for the remission of sinnes In the scriptures faith is called a receiuing of Christ Ioh. 1.12 Gal. 3 14. And a receiuing of the promise Can there be a receiuing of a thing without application was Christ receiued generally of all together for all together and not particularly by euery one for himself When Thomas saide to CHRIST My God and my Lordâ— Did not he especially and particularly applye Christ and his benefites to himselfe who was GOD and Lorde to all true Christians Yet Christ gaue it the name and Tytle of Faith Ioh. 20.29 saying vnto him Because thou â—â—st â—â—ene nice thou belieuest And maketh that his saith the very same with their faith who were blessed for belieuing Gentiasidem prâ—at â—t 〈◊〉 commendat 1 Ioh. 20. Tract 121. Gaâ—â—â—â— 20. when they had not seene Yea with the faith of Gentiles For Augustâ—â— thâ—nked he did thereby preach and commend the faith of the Gentiles When Paul saide Christ hath loued me and giuen himselfe for mee Did hee not applye particularly to himselfe Christ and his benefites yet this hee did by that faith whereof hee spake immediately before euen by that faith in the Sonne of God whereby he then liued Is not Christ that bread which must nourish our soules and is not Faith the eating of him as himselfe declare that large loh 6. Whervpon * Quid paras dente ventrem crede maducasti 〈◊〉 tract 25 Crâ—dere in Christum est 〈…〉 pani vt 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ct 26. Augustine said What preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly belieue thou hast eaten And can there be any eating vnlesse there be be a speciall Application of the meate to the person that is fedâ— Doth not euery one pray in particular for speciall mercie And is not euery one to belieue that what he asketh he shall obtaâ—ne And certaine it is that whosoeuer doth worthilie by Faith receiue the sacrament of the Lords supper hee doth by faith particularly receiue Christ and all his benefites and particularly applyeth all the
blade but neuer to beare a ripe eare So they who haue hearts altogether hardened will not heare or at least not receiue the word of God at all into any part of their hearts but those who haue hearts partly soft and partly hard may receiue the word and retaine it for a time but will neuer bring forth the fruites of it Wherefore the holy Ghost saith in the Psalmes and it is applyed by the Apostle Psal 95.7.8 to the hearers of the Gospell To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 Because the hard hearted can neuer he are the word of God so reuerently and effectually as they ought to doe the Lord biddeth vs not to harden but to soften our hearts if we will heare his voyce The harder the heart is the more vnprofitable shall be the hearing the softer the heart is the more profitable shall the hearing be Againe this hardnes will cause men to deny the word in time of tentation The moysture and softnes aboue is the cause of receiuing the word with ioy and beleeuing for a time but the hardnes and drinesie below is the cause of reuolting afterward When Gods hand was heauie on Pharoh he somewhat relented humbled himselfe and confessed his sinne but as soone as it was remoued here-turned with the dogge to his vomit and became as obstinate as euer he was before So if a mans heart be mollified onely in part he may relent while he heares the word and may embrace it with peace but in time of persecution may grow as hard as euer he was before euen as yron is soft in some measure while it is in the fire but becommeth hard againe when it is cold Let vs not therefore content our selues with an vpper softening but see that our hearts be softened to the very bottome that they may melt like waxe at the fire 2. King 22.19 as good king Iosiahs heart did when he heard the lawe read I knowe that none of our hearts are so lost as they should be But if thou fee-lest thine owne hardnes doest mislike it desirest earnestly that it may be more and more mollified and doest vse all good meanes for the further mollifying of it thy heart either is alreadie or shall be within a while so softened as it may receiue the word profitably to thy saluatioÌ„ If Goates blood being warme can soften the hard Adamant Gortandâ—â—pl mart doubt not but the blood of Christ can sufficiently mollifie thy heart though it were as hard as a rocke If thou pray earnestly vnto God to take away the stony heart of thy body Ezek. 36.2 and to giue thee an heart of flesh be assured that he will performe it seeing he hath promised it by his holy Prophet 3. Let vs now come to the third propertie of these hearers They belieue for a time Mathew and Marke say they endure for a season that it they endure in their with out a while They doe belieue yet not long But it is to be considered what kinde of faith this is Though the Papists teach that there is but onely one kinde of faith See postscript Sect. 4. Sect. 5. Sect. â— yet may we find many seuerall distinct kindes thereof in the holy scriptures There befoure kindes of faith One is proper and peculiar to Gods elect and to the regenerate The rest are common both to the elect and the reprobate That which is proper and peculiar to the elect is a true iustifying faith See postscript Sect. 7. Sect. 8. whereby a man doth apprehend and apply to himselfe all the promises of God in Christ and all the merits of Christ for the pardon of his sinne and the saluation of his soule Tit. 1.1 This is called by S. Paul the faith of Gods Elect because onely they and all they be endued with it And therefore it is said Act. 13.48 that as many as were orduned to eternall life beleened Though all of them doe not receiue it at the same time but some sooner sâ—me later yet is there not any of the I 〈◊〉 but at one time or other they doe receiue it This is called an vnfayned faith 1. 〈◊〉 1.5 〈◊〉 or a faith without dissimulation or hypoâ—â—â—e because it is not counterfaited and is a faith in deed and in truth and is seated not in the tongues or the head but in the bottome of the heart This faith is said to purifie the heart Aâ—â— 15.9 〈◊〉 13.10 and is called the faith of the Saints because none haue it but those who be sanctified By this faith are we now iustified without the workes of the law and by this Rom. 3.2 must we be saued as the Apostle proueth at large in his Epistles â—phâ—â— 2.8 But this is not the faith here spoken of Againe there be other kindes of faith See postscript Seâ—l 9.1 Cor. 1â— 2 which be common both to the Elect and reprobate And these are either extraordinarie or ordinarie Extraordinarie as the faith of working miracles whereof the Apostle speaketh saying If I had all faith so that I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Iudus the childe of perdition had this faith as well as the rest of the Apostles for he wrought miracles as well as they And many shall say to Christ haue not we in thy name cast out diuells and by thy name done many great miracles to whom he shall answere I neuer knew you depart from me Math. 7.22 ye workers of iniquitic This was extraordinarie giuen to some fewe at the first preaching of the Gospell but hath ceased long agoe The ordinary kindes of faith which may be found in the reprobate are two in number See postscript Seâ—l 10. Seck 11. The one is called an hystoricall the other a temporarie faith The one I say is called an hystoricall faith or a dogmaticall because it is a bare knowledge and acknowledgment of the historie of the scriptures and of the things written therein concerning God his workes his promises and concerning Christ his merites and benefites without any apprehension of the things knowne and acknowledged Ioh. 5.46.47 This is the faith whereby men beleeue Moses and his writings Act. 26.27 This is the faith which Paul would needes fasten on Agrippa 〈◊〉 1.1 August dâ—tâ—â—p to beleeue the Prophets This is not fides qua credimus in deum sed qua credimus deo id est credeâ—e vera esse quae loquitur â—orm 181. Creâ—ere veâ—â—â—â—â—e 〈…〉 mulâ—◠〈◊〉 possunt August 〈◊〉 Iam. 2.19 It is not the faith whereby we belieue in God but the faith whereby we belieue God that is whereby we belieue all things to be true which he speaketh And so differeth very much from a iustifying faith This faith is sound in the vnregenerate They may belieue all things to be true which are written though they little regard them yea this
faith is in the diuells for they belieue and tremble as Iames teacheth And therefore those Atheists Quâ—â—â—on credunt peâ—â—res sunt those prophane and obstinate scoffers against religion which will not belieue the scriptures nor acknowledge the truth of the things therein reuealed quam daemonts ad huc nec de mones imitartur August an episi Ioh. tract O. See postscript Sect 12. are worse then the diuels And if they be worse then diuells of hell they must needes be farre from entring into heauen The other kind of common faith is termed a temporary faith which is a certaine ape of iustifying faith yet is not the same for although it goe some degrees beyond an historicall faith yet it comes short of a iustifying faith not onely in regard of sinceritie and manner of apprehension but also in regard of the efficacie in internall and externall actes and in regard of the time of continuance This is called a temporary faith not onely for distinction sake to put a difference betwixt it and other kinds but also because it continueth but for a time as appeareth by this place For this is the faith here spoken of And although some Papists laugh at the very name which we giue it as if it were a new coyned tearme yet you see it is grounded on this text And they might also haue seene it taught by others if either they had read the writings of the ancient August de verarelig cap. 50. Bernard parâ— sâ—rm ser 1. fine epist 42. ad Henr. Senon archiepâ—â—cop to 2. col 63. or their malice against vs had not blinded their eyes Augustine giues the tytle and Bernard doth not onely giue it the like tytle in calling it sides sicla and comparing it to earthen vessells that are easily broken but likewise distinguisheth if froÌ„ the dead faith which is without good workes and from the tryed faith which endureth to the end And also describeth it at large by the very words of this my text This faith was in these Iewes who by the sight of Christs miracles at Ierusalem beleeued in him Ioh. 2.23.24 They are said to beleeue in his name and so doubt were perswaded non curabat corum vâ—rbaâ—â—â—c mouthatur corum â—pphâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 mâ—xâ—sâ—igâ—â—â—â— coâ—â—oâ—â—ebat Sâ—â—â— did acknowledge that he was the Messiah to come yet Iesus did commit himselfe vnto them because he know them all and what was in them If he had seene a sound and permanent faith in them no doubt he would haue trusted them but because he saw their faith was neither sound nor constant he would not trust them he foresaw that for all their present proâ—ession they might forsake him afterward as the Capernaites did The faith also was in Simon Magus but quod non adhererent sibi constanter nec crat cor corum rectum cuÌ„ eo Ferus in Ioh. 2. Act. 8.13 Act. 21.23 who though before he had bene a notorious sorcerer yet hearing Philip preach did beleeue and was baptized and continued with Philip as a professour of the Gospell and wondered when he saw the great miracles which were wrought yet when he would afterward haue bought the gifts of the holy Ghost for money and haue made a marchandise of them Peter told him that he had neither part nor fellowship in that busines that his heart was not right in the sight of God that he was in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquitie â—piphan cont hares lib. 〈◊〉 to 2. hares 21. Euseb hist â— 14. Niceph. 2.36 And after that if we may giue credit to humane writings and Ecclesiasticall hystories hee became a sorcerer againe and an open enemie to Peter and the rest of the Apostles and in a fearefull manner died at Rome This faith was in Iudas one of the twelue he vnderstood the misterie of the Gospell professed himselfe an Apostle of Christ preached the Gospell as well as other Apostles and for a long time was of honest behauiour yet Christ called him a diuell Ioh. 6.70 Ioh. 17.12 and the childe of perdition Afterward he betrayed his Maister for money and then hanged himselfe through desperation This faith was also in those who fell into the vnrecouerable sinne against the holy Ghost for they were enlightened had a taste of the heauenly gift were partakers of the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4.5 and tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come And yet they so sel away as they could not be renewed by repentance did crucifie againe the senne of God and made a mocke of him And this faith haue many others who heare the word acknowledge the truth of it hope to be saued by it make profession of it liue in outward obedience and receiue the Sacraments and yet in time of persecution proue Apostataes But that you may the better discerne the nature of this faith I will note the seuerall degrees of it for thereby you may clearely see how faire it doth agree with an historicall a iustifying faith and how faire it doth differ from them both There be sixe degrees of it 1. The first degree is illumination and knowledge These beleeuers haue a knowledge of Gods word especially in the chiefest poynâ—s of Gods will and worship in the fundamentall points of mans redemption and in the most necessary points of mans luetic Iudas could not haue beene a Preacher of the Gospell vnlesse he had knowne these things Christ would not haue sent him to teach these things to others if him selfe had beene ignorant of them Those which fell away to the fearefull sinne against the holy Ghost were before enlightned Vnlesse men know the truth they cannot beleeue it How shall they beleeue except they haue heard And herein this faith aâ—reeth both with an historicall and a iustifying faith Christ sayd of the Apostles Ioh. 1â— 8 They haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and haue beleeued that thou hast sent me Knowledge is the first step and degree to each kinde of faith And therefore those who be ignorant of the principles of Religion come so farre short of a true sauing and iustifying faith that as yet they haue not attayned to an hystoricall or temporary faith 2. The second degree is an assent to the truth of the Gospell They are infallibly perswaded that the whole doctrine of the Gospell is true and euery part of it that it teacheth vs the right way to heauen and that all things therin contained shal certainely be accomplished both for the condemnation of vnbeleeuers and for the saluation of beleeuers In regard hereof Christ saith He that receiueth his testimonie Ioh. 3.33 Rom. 7.16 hath sealed that God is true As Paul sayde I consent to the Law that it is good So this beleeuer will say I consent to the Gospel that it is good Yea he will auouch with the same Apostle 1. Ton. 1.15 This is
accâ—pistis before angels comming from heaueÌ„ As also that Paul doth not say if they preach contrary things or if they subuert the whole Gospell but if they preach but euen a little beside the Gospell which ye haue recâ—â—â—ed let them be accursed Thomas Aquinas their Angelicall Doctor Quam illud quod conâ—inetur in euangâ—l 〈◊〉 apostolâ—s in sacra scripturaam â—â—ite vel expresse Thom. in Gal. 1. professedly expouÌ„ding that place doth write that nothing is to be preached but that which is conteyned in the Gospells and in the Epistles and in the holy scripture implâ—â—â—ely or expresly Will they say that their Traditions are conteyned in the scriptures either expresly or by way of implication or consequent then are they not vnwritten verities as they tearme them A second answere of the Cardinall is this that the Apostle by Praeter vnderstood Contra. And therefore did not forbid new doctrines and precepts which were besides those that were deliuered but onely doctrines and precepts contrarie to the former Yet will not this serue his turne For in matters of faith and religion prâ—ter and contra are both alike Whatsoeuer is taught as necessarie to saluation if it be besides the scripture must be condemned as well as that which is contrarie to the Scriptures The reason is because the Scriptures conteyne all thinges which Ministers are to teach as necessary to saluation And therefore Paul told Timothie 2. Tim. 3.15.10.17 that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And were profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse Two of which respect mens mindes what they are to know and â—â—â—eeue as the trueth and what they are to reiect as errors Two of them respect their maners what sinnes they are to auoyde what dutâ—es they are to performe Is there any things needfull to bee taught the people but these things And because the Cardinall answereth that the Scriptures are profitable for all these things but not sufficient Consider the wordes of the Apostle following where hee declareth the end of this profitablenes namely Verse 17 that the man of God may be absolute bâ—ing made perfect to all good works By the man of God he meaneth the Minister of the Gospell That tytle had he in his former Epistle giuen vnto Timothie 1. Tim. 6.11 And Lyra saith 1. Tim. 6.11 Homo dei 1. ad diuinum officium ordinatus qualis estu Lyra in 2. Tim. 3. the man of God was one ordeyned to the diuine office such a one as Timothie was If then the Scripture being profitable for those foure vses will thereby make a Minister of the Gospell absolute and perfect for each good worke belonging vnto him he is not to teach any things ouer and besides the Scripture Theophylact thus writeth on the former place In Gal. 1. Hee doth not inferre if they onely preach contrary things but if they preach that which is beside that which we haue preached that is if they shall adde any thing that is but a very little more they are subiect to the curse And indeed it may seeme strange that the Papists are so earnest to haue vnwritteÌ„ traditions as wel preached as written truthes seeing the things written are more cettaine more excellent and necessary and require a long time to bee all taught and learned They are more certaine because all men are more certainely assured that the Scriptures the doctrines conteyned in them bee the word of God then that vnwritten traditions be his worde De verbo Dei lib 1. cap. 2. Bellarmine confesseth that nothing is better knowne nothing more certaine then the sacred Scriptures which bee conteyned in the writings of the Prophets Apostles that he must needes be most foolish who denyeth that they are to be beleeued And produceth 5. inuincible and infallible proofes that they are the very word of God De verbo Dei noÌ„script lib. 4. cap. 5. WheÌ„ he commeth to speake of traditions he alleadgeth no such proofes but onely goeth about to prooue by 4. places of Scripture which haue bene long agoe answered that there are some traditions though neyther he nor any of his fellowes can tell what they are nor can make a perfit Catalogue of them so vncertain are they Indeede hee deliuereth fine rules De vero Dei noâ— srâ—pt liâ— 4. cap. 9. Ibib. lib. 4. cap. 2. whereby true traditions may bee discerned from false and counterfait traditions yet those rules are grounded on the authoritie of men and do not infallibly proue them to bee the word of God Yea he teacheth that al traditions haue not the like authoritie some haue diuine authoritie some haue Apostolical some ecclesiastical And therfore all of them cannot haue the same authority with the written word which himselfe before proued to haue diuine authoritie And how do they know any thing to bee a tradition but by humane writings and histories which as the Cardinall confesseth De effect suram lib. 2. cap. 25. sine can breede but humane beleefe wherein may be falshood Neither are they so necessarie and profitable as the Scripture It is able â—o make a man wife to saluation It iâ—â— the seede of regeneration It is the foode of our soules It is the sword of the spirit to defend vs from the Diâ—â—ell In bringeth vs to faith and saluation as before I proued Can such profite bee reaped from traditions Did eueâ— any approued authour ascribe such â—â—â—tue and efficacy to them Did â—uer any Christian obteyne these benefites by them Moreouer the thinges taught in the Scripture are not easily learned Augustine wrote that the profunditie of the Scripture is so great Epâ—st 3. that hee might hee might dayly prosâ—â—â—e in them if from the beginning of his childhood to his crooked old age be should with greatest leisure chiâ—fesâ— studie and better wit endeuour himself to learne them onely The Papists will not gain-say this seeing they hold the Scripture to be very obscure Pambo confessed that in 19. Socrat. hist. lib. 4. c. 18. yeeres hee had not learned to practise one lesson taught him out of Psal 39. to refraine his tongue from euill How many yeeres then may our people requiâ—e to learne the meaning and the practise of al things written in the Olde and New Testament I would therefore wish our Popish Priestes and people first to learne how to vnderstand and practise all thinges that bee written and when they haue learned all those then to begin with traditions It is no wisedome to contend much and busie themselues greatly about traditions before they haue learned and practised all things written which be farre more certaine more necessarie and profitable If they would take this course I am assured that there is not any one of them though he liued to be as old as Methuselah that would euer trouble eyther himselfe or vs with traditions Si rusticus â—redat suo epiâ—copo
deest vsurpo milâ—â— ex vâ—seribus domini quoniam miseric or dia effluunt In cantic serm 61. medio But that Came was not of the members of Christ nor had any thing to do with the mâ—rit of Christ that he might presume the same to be his he would haue called that his owne which was Christs as the member doth that which is the heades Thereby teaching that the true beleeuer being a member of Christ doeth call that his owne which is Christs and doth without sinne presume that the merit of Christ is his in particular And therefore in the next words he saith thus of himselfe Whatsoeuer is wanting vnto me from my selfe I boldly take it vnto me out of the bowels of the Lord Iesus because they flow out with mercy Let vs descend to the Popish writers we may finde many of them to iumpe with vs herein Ferâ—s was commended by Sixtus Senâ—nsis to be (13) Biblioth sanct lib. 4. in Iohan Ferus p. 265.14 Non enim semper sides est quod nos fidem dicimus fidem nos dicimus assentire ys quae diuinâ—s scripturis produntur quae ecclesia credenda proponit ComeÌ„t in Mat. 8. lib. 2. a man excellently learned in the diuine Scriptures whose equall in the office of preaching the Gospell the Catholicke Churches of the Germaines haue not in this our time Yet doeth hee in many places condemne the Popish description of faith and approue ours (14) Secundum scripturaâ— fides non aliud est nisi fiducia miserecordiae diuine promissae in Christâ— ibid. Non apprehenditur manu corporis sed manu cordis quae est fides Ferus in Ioh. 3.16 That is not alwayes faith whith we call faith we call it faith to assent to those things which be deliuered in the diuine histories and which the Church propoundeth to be belieued The Scripture speaketh farre otherwise of Faith For according to the Scriptures faith is nothing else but a confidâ—ce of Gods mercy promised in Christ And he bringeth Abrahams example for proofe thereof And of this faith saith hee mâ—ntion is made in the Gospell where it is sayd Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not bee condemned The faith which the Scripture commendeth is no other thing then to trust to the fâ—â—e mercy of God this is the true faith whereby the iust man liueth this alone is it which God requirâ—th 〈◊〉 An example of this faith we haue in the Centurion for we do not read that he rehearsed the Articles of faith but that he came to Christ with great trust These wordes make so much for vs that Sixtus Senensis (15) Bibliothec sanct lib. 6. annot 43. sayd of them that hee seemeth to allude to the error of them who teach that iustifying faith is nothing else but an assurance of Gods mercy forgiuing our sinnes through Christ And Dominicus Soto tooke vpon him to confute him in that poynt but Michael Medina defended him against Soto And else-where he speaketh as fully for vs (16) Sed est certa firmâ— staâ—â—li fiducia Christum omniâ—g 〈◊〉 is bona complecti cisque toto corde tota anima totâ—que viribus inhaerere In Ioh. 6.29 To belieue in Christ saith hee is not to know his works for Sathan knoweth this neyther is it to remember or thinke with himselfe that Christ hath suffered and risen againe for euen vngodly men remember these things and thinke of them and yet are made nothing better But it is with certaine sure and stedfast trust to take hold of Christ and all his benefits and to sticke to them with all the heart all the soule and all the strength Pighius in his booke of controuersies dedicated to the Pope Paulâ—s 3. doth teach that although Faith as it is vsually taken by ecclesiasticall writers bee that habite of the minde whereby we do certainly and without any doubting assent to those things which for our saluation are reuealed of God to his Church (17) Hâ—â—e fideâ— rationis mentsque assâ—â—siâ— quo pâ—rfeâ—tasides dâ—â—i possit adtuncta esse debâ—t eâ—â—â—m animâ— cerâ—a quaedâ—m firmaque fiduâ—ta qua Dei verbo veritatiâ— itain nititur it a fidit fidelis anima vt absque vlla haesitatione quicquia illudsit velut si manibus teneret certum habeat c. Controuers 2. de fidet Iustificat fol. 40.41 in 80. Paris 1542. Yet vnto this faith assent of reason and the minde that it may be called a perfect faith there ought also to be adioyned a certaine sure and firme trust of the heart whereby the belieuing soule doth so stay vpon trust to the worde and truth of God that without all doubting whatsoeuer it is he hath it as sure as if he held it in his handes And hee further addeth that this is the Faith and not that assent of reason which the Lord euery where required of them whome hee vouchsafed to heale Of that he spake when he saide Daughter be of comfort thy Faith hath made thee whole And this is the same Faith which maketh prayer effectuall which Christ and Iames require in them that pray Didacus Stella (18) Enarratan Luc. 5. Imò etiamsi peteret illa dimitti si non confideret certissi ne crederet illa sibi aâ—mittenda â—unquam dimitterentur hauing distinguished of faith that there is one to belieâ—e whatsoeuer is to be belieued called a Theological vertue another is a Confidence by which we belieâ—e that the Lorde will giue whatsoeuer we aske He saith that without this faith 1. this Confidence our sinnes cannot be forgiuen For although a man belieue all thinges contained in holy Scriptures to be true and all things which the Church belieueth yet if he shuld not trust and most certainly belieue that they shall be forgiuen him they should neuer be forgiuen him And saint Iames saith Let him aske in faith nothing doubting To the like purpose doth he afterward distinguish of faith describe the later kinde saying (19) Fides dupliciter accipitur Vno modo pro habitu credendi secundum quam assentimur veritatibus sacrae scripturae c. Alia est fides quae considentia vocatur qua petit aliquis a Deo confidenter sperans credens certissime se consequuturum a Domino id quod postulat quae fides necessarià est â—â—anti alias nihil vnquam impetrabit Enarratan Luc. 7. Faith is taken two wayes One way for the habite of belieuing according to which we doe assent to the trueths of the Scripture And this is the Faith without which it is impossible to please God And this is one of the three Theologicall vertues 1. Cor. 13. And by this faith a belieuer differeth from an Infidell There is another faith which is called a Confidence whereby a man asketh of God confidently hoping and belieuing most certainly that he shall obtaine of the Lord that which he asketh Which faith is needefull for him that prayeth otherwise
hee shall neuer obtaine any thing If this be the faith requited of them that pray aright it is the faith of all Gods Saints and of them which are iustified for they pray often and are heard And if this man write truely then those who teach and haue no other faith then an assent to the truth of things reuealed can neuer obtaine pardon of their sinnes nor haue their petitions graunted Tollet taught (20) Hoc in loco non accâ—pâ—â—ur fides proment is assenâ—u sed pro voluntatis fidâ—câ—â— vt recie Euthymius quae signâ—sir at â—o frequens est in scripturis In Luc. 12. anâ—oâ— 52. and that out of Euthymues that Faith in many places of scripture is takeÌ„ Not for the assens of the minde but for the assuraÌ„ce of the will Iâ—nsentus also writeth the same (21) Proâ—de reâ—issime vt apparet dicâ—tur namine fideâ— in euangeliâ—s cum eâ— trâ—buitur aut falus aut consecutâ—â— ommum quae volumus complecti vtrumque assentum illum â—orâ—â—â— ia credendis de Deo aâ— Christo fidâ—â—â—m ex â—â—â—es boâ—â—tate conceptam c. Concord Euang cap. 32. Therâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—st rightly as appeare that may be saide a 〈◊〉 by thâ— name of Faith in the Gospells whâ— saluation or the obtaining of those things which wee desire is ascribed vnto it both these are comprehended both that firme assent in things to be belieued concerning God and Christ and also a Confidence conceyned from his goodnesse c. For these two doe so clâ—auc together that neyther can there be any Confidence without Credulitie neyther can Credulitie without Confidence obtayne any thing of God And to the same effect afterward thus (22) Haec duo nempe credulâ—tas fiduciasimul videntur includi in nomine sides cum subditur diâ—â—sse dominâ—Ì„ secundum fidein vestram siaâ— vobis vt sit sensâ—s sicut creditis me posse vos sanare ob hoc confiditis mâ— curatur is vos ita fiat vobis Concord Euang. cap. 35. These two to wit Credulity and Confidence seeme to be included together in the name Faith when it is set downe that the Lord said According to your Faith be it vnto you That the meaning may be As ye belieue that I can heale you and for this doe trust that I will heale you So be it vnto you If then by the testimonie of these Authors Faith bee often so taken in the Scriptures And if this be the only Faith whereby we obtaine such things at the handes of God Why should wee be condemned as Hereticks for teaching such a faith Ought not we to haue such a faith in Christ for the saluation of our soules that those men had in him for the curing of their bodyes Though Stapleton denie this speciall Confidence yet hee acknowledgeth (23) propter haue fidem vtramque internam externam sanitatem dedit Promptuar domini 18. post pentecost that for one and the same faith Christ gaue them both outward inward health Paulus Burgensis saith that Abraham by the Faith which was imputed to him for Righteousnes did not onely belieue that he should be the Father of many Nations but rather that he his seed should obtaine euerlasting life in heauen In Genes 15. Addit 2. The Diuines of Colone taught that (24) Per fidem verbi Dei operantis in nobis veram contritionem penitentiam est iustificaâ—â—er tanquaÌ„ per causam quaÌ„dam praeparatiuam dispositiuam Persidemautem qua absque dubitatione firmiter confidemus nobis peccata nostra propter Christum esse dimissa instisicamur tanquam per causam susceptiuam Antididag Coloniens de instificat hom fol. 21. through the faith of the word of God working in vs true Contrition and Repentance and other works of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine cause preparing and disposing vs. But through the Faith whereby without doubting we doe firmely trust our sinnes are forgiuen vs through Christ wee are iustified as by a cause receiuing it And also adde further that the (25) Non quomodo extranos in ipso est sed sicut quando â—adâ—â—n nobis dumtamen fide apprehenditur ad iustitiâ—â—n importatur ibid. Righteousnes of Christ is the cause of our Iustification not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same is imputed vnto vs for Righteousnes yet so that it be apprehended by faith Cassander who was so highly esteemed for learning and wisedome that two Romane Emperors Ferdinand and Maximilian 2. sent to him for his aduise howe to compound the controuersies in religion approueth their opinion saith that (26) Consiâ—tat art 4. Booke was greatly commended of all the Learnedst diuines through Italy France as a Booke that excellently relateth the summe of the Ancients opinion touching religion out of whose writings the booke is as it were confirmed And with great approbation citeth these words out of it (27) Fatemur verum esse ad iustificationem hominis omnino requiri vt homo certo credas non tantum generaliter quòd propter Christum vere paenitentibus remittantur peccata sed quòd ipsi homini remissa sint propter christum per fidem ibid. Wee confesse it to be true that it is altogether required for the iustifying of a man that a man doe certainly belieue not onely generally that for Christ sinnes be forgiuen to them that be truely penitent but also that they be forgiuen to the man himselfe for Christ by faith Hee also alledgeth out of the Ratisbone booke these words (28) Vocamus fâ—â—m viuam motum â—paritus sanâ—â—â— quo vere poratentis â—riguntur ad Denum vere apprehendunt miserecordiam in Christ to premissâ—m vt â—am vere sentiant quod remissionem peccatorum reconeâ—liationem proptâ—r mâ—ritum christi gratuata Dei bonitate acceperunt c. Ibid. We calâ— a liuely faith a motion of the holy Ghost whereby they who truely repent are lifted vp to God and doe truely apprehend mercie promised in Christ that now they truely perceiue that they haue through the fieâ— goodnes of God receiued remission of sinnes and reconciliation for the merits of Christ and doe crye Abba Father And therevpon hee inferreth that rightly agreeabâ—y to the scriptures it is saide that this is the nature of a Iustifying Faith that it perceiue that feeling of Gods fauour which the holy Ghost worketh in vs. And further addeth that to obtaine Iustification (29) Adâ—â—â—tificationem consequendam requiritur talis fides 〈…〉 exâ—â—â—plo Aâ—raâ—â— ad promissionem Dei non 〈◊〉 per disâ—â—dentiam sed praeter spem in spem credat 〈◊〉 credenti in â—â—m qui siscitat Iesum a mortuis in putaturtim â—anc sidem ad iustificationem peccata nâ—n imputaturim Cassâ—nda ibid. p 13. Such a Faith is required whereby a man after the example of Abraham doth not doubt of the promise of God through distrust but aboue hope belieueth
vnder hope that God will impute to him that belieueth in him who raised Iesus from the dead this Faith to his iustification and will not impute his sinnes to him An example whereof as he saith we haue in the cure of corporall discases which beareth an image of the inward cure For there Christ required a Faith whereby a man did belieue that Christ was endued with that power that he was able to heale him and trusted that such was his goodnes that he would cure him Cardinall Bellarmine after hee had written very much to prooue that Faith is only an assent to the truth of things reuealed and not an assurance or speciall application of the promises doth at last ouerthrowe all and yeelde to vs. her thus hee â—iâ—â—eth of vs (30) Rectè dicunt posse vnuÌ„quemque promissiones generales sibi applicare per fidem Nam quemadmodum fide catholica credâ— christuÌ„ mortuum esse pro omnibus ita cadem fide credo mortuum esse prome qui sum vnus ex omnibus De iustif lib. 1. cap. 11. Sect Denique quod dicunt they sâ—â—â—ghtly that euery one may by 〈…〉 to himselfe the generâ—ll 〈◊〉 For as I doe belieue by the Catholicke faith that Christ dyed for all So by the same faith I doe belieue that hee dyed for me who am one of them What need we any better witnes then hee who before was our greatest aduersarie Doth not this lay open the nature of Iustifying faith to bee the same that wee teach Is a particular application of generall promises no more then a bare assent to the truth of things reuealed By that faith whereby I beleeue Christ dyed in generall for all doe I also beleeue that hee dyed in particular for me And yet shall wee say that a speciall faith is a forged faith that it is against the nature of faith to apprehend and apply particularly to my selfe the promises of God and the merits of Christ Yet for all this the Cardinall will not graunt that any man is to beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes in particular because the generall promises are not (31) De iustificat lib. cap. 11. sine absolute but conditionall euen with the condition of faith as we acknowledge And therefore demaundeth how a man can absolutely beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him seeing he caÌ„not learne by any worde of God that hee hath such a faith as is required for the obteyning of the pardon of sinnes And saith that none which beleeue are saued vnlesse they beleeue as they ought to beleeue But therein the Cardinall doth not onely contradict himselfe but likewise many of his fellowes who teach that there is but one faith at all that the dead and Catholicke faith are all one as was shewed before If some beleeue as they ought to beleeue and some beleeue not as they ought haue they all one and the same faith If some so beleeue as by beleeuing they shal bee saued and some so beleeue as by beleeuing they cannot be saued shall wee say they haue all one and the same faith Then may wee also say that Peter and Iudas had one and the same repentance The Cardinall here sheweth that they do indeede beleeue (32) Si reuera sicut oportet credant hoc est si fide habeant quae per dilectionem operatur De iustif 1.11 finâ— as they ought to beleeue who haue faith which worketh y loue Yet else-where he laboureth to prooue that (33) De Iustificut lib. 1. cap. 15. a true and Christian faith which by way of disposition iustifyeth the vngodlie may be separated from charitie and from other vertues How repugnant are these things one to another Againe hee that beleeueth may know that he hath faith otherwise Paul would not haue bidden the Corinthians to (34) 2. Cor. 13.5 proue themselues whether they wâ—re in the faith Augustine sayd (35) Fidem vâ—â—et quisque in cordâ— suo esse â—icrâ—au 〈…〉 esse 〈◊〉 credit De Trâ—â—t lib. 13. c. 1. Neâ— fidem qâ—â—squam hominuâ— videt â—â—alio sed vnusquisque in sâ—mâ—â—â—pso Ibid. cap. 2. Epist 1 12. cap. 4. Euery one doth see faith to be in his owne heart if he do belieue or not to be if hee doe not beleeue And that no man can see faith in another but euery one may see it in himselfe The Cardinall saith They beleeue as they ought who haue faith woâ—king by loue yet may a man easily know whether hee haue loue or not (36) In 〈◊〉 Ioh. tracâ—â— 5. Therefore sayd Augustine Let a man looke to his heart and see if he haue charitie and then let him say I am borne of God Yea let not any one aske another let eueriâ— one returne to his owne heart if he there finde brotherly charitie hee may bee sure hee hath passed from death to life Would hee haue sayd thus if a man could not haue knowne whether he had charitie or not Michael Medina as Sixtus (37) Bibliothec sanâ—t lib. 6. amict 215. Senensis testifyeth in defending Ferus against Soto saith There is no man which doubteth but that wee may know true loue and faith to be in vs. Seeing then that by charitie a man may know as the Cardinall teacheth whether hee beleeue as hee ought to beleeue and seeing a man may know whether he haue charitie or not hee may also know whether hee beleeue as he ought and if he beleeue as he ought then by the Cardinals owne confession he may particularly apply to himselfe the generall promises and certainely beleeue that his owne sinnes are pardoned And to conclude this poynt seeing this speciall faith hath such testimony not onely from the diuine Scriptures but likewise from the ancient Doctors of the Church and also from the late Romish writers doe not condemne it as hereticall but seeke earnestly for it as the speciall meane of your saluation SECT VIII THere remaineth another point to be considered touching the persons that be endued with a iustifying faith I taught that it is proper to the Elect. Notwithstanding I knowe that Cardinall Bellarmine goeth about to confute Caluine De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. 14 for holding that Faith and true righteousnes is proper to the Elect Yet doth he not bring any one argument to proue that it is not proper to them but onely laboureth to proue that faith may be lost Touching this point we will acknowledge that the best faith which many of the popish prelates doe teach is common both to the reprobate and Elect. The reprobate may giue an assent to the truth of things reuealed as well as the Elect. But there is another faith besides that and more excellent then it as I haue proued before and that is peculiar to Gods Elect. No maruaile though those papists who knowe it not or will not acknowledge it doe hold that there is no faith peculiar to Gods Elect. If they knew the nature of a iustifying faith they
from me ye workers of iniquitie Augustine confesseth that (6) Contâ—itâ—r â—â—â—â—lian 〈…〉 55. the schismaticall Donâ—â—ists had it as well as the Orthodoxall Christians Popish writers teach that (7) Tho. Aqâ—â— 2.2 qu. 〈…〉 2. wâ—â—ked 〈◊〉 be sometimes indued with it Ill liuers (8) Rhem. ancol â— 1. Cor. 2.8 〈◊〉 1. which haue not other graces of God whereby their person should be gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight Yea (9) Coster on hirâ—d cap. 4. a man that is out of the state of grace Yea a (10) Tho. Aqain 〈◊〉 Cor. 12. lect 2. Pigh controis 2. de fide Bellarm. dâ— iustâ—sâ—â— 1. cap. 15. man that is destitute of Charitie Now how can that be the highest degree of a iustifying faith which wicked men sometime haue and which godly men often want If it be the highâ—st degree of a iustifying faith then none could haue it but they must haue a iustifying faith Though some might bee iustified without it yet none could haue it but they must needes be iustified Bernard put a manifest difference betwixt them saying (11) Parus sermon serm 1. There is one faith of precepts and another faith of miracles that is qua credimus in Deum qua credimus Deum By the faith of precepts we belieue in God Credere antem in Deum But to belieue in God is to trust in him and to loue him By the Faith of Myracles Credimus Deum quia talia potest omnia potest Wee belieue that God can doe such things and can doe all things Theophylact. Duplex est fides nostra distinguisheth them as plainly on Rom. 12.3 saying that Faith in this place is to be taken for the grace of God whereby they wrought miracles For our faith is double The one as that Mar. 10. 52. Thy Faith hath made thee whole Another is the gift of God by which miracles are wrought as that If you haue faith as a graine of mustard-seede and say to this Mountaine c. Stella likewise distinguisheth this â—â—narrat in Luk. 17. to 2 p. 183. from that faith which Papists make their iustifying faith For he will not haue that faith wherby the Apostles might say to the Mulbery tree Plucke thy selfe vp by the roots plant thy selfe in the Sea to be vnderstood of faith a Theologicall vertue to belieue all things written but to be that Confidence whereby they were assured to obtaine what they asked though it were the remoouing of a Mountaine Chrysostâ—mus Enthymius fidem mir aâ—â—lorum non cam qua Christiani sumus intelligunt In Math. 17.20 Maldonatus saith of that Faith commended by Christ to his Apostles for the remouing of mountains Math. 17.20 That Chrysostome and Euthymius vnderstand the faith of myracles not that faith whereby we are Christians Iansenius vpon the same words doth in his owne name expound it of the same faith and distinguisheth it from the other faith Accipitur hic fides non pro ea virtute aqua ducimur fideles quomodâ— accipitur a Paulo cum tres dicit esse vertutes fidem spem charitateâ— c. quam fidem habent omnes christians tuâ—â— habebans omnes apostoli Sed accipitur pro fide signorum c. huinsmodi autem fides non est aliud quam fiducia impetrendi vel faciendi micacula cum opuâ— est aut vâ—â—le anvocato nomine Deâ— Concord Euangel cap 68. Nonest hic sermo de fide crâ—dendorum sed de fide agendorum lila etium communiâ— est omnibus christian 〈◊〉 vero 〈…〉 conâ—â—eâ—â—t In 1. Cor. 12. Est autem haec fiducia toto genere diuersa ab ea quam in se includit sides catholica cuâ— prâ—â—â—puâ— fides miraculorum adiuncta erat c. saying Faith is here taken not for that vertue whereby wee are called belieuers as it is taken of Paul when hee saith there are three vertues Faith Hope Charitie which faith all Christians haue and then the Apostles had But it is taken for the faith of miracles which Paul putteth 1. Cor. 12. among the diuision of Graces which the holy Ghost imparteth to diuers men diuersly euen as he will And this kinde of faith is nothing else but a Confidence of obtaining or working miracles when it is needfull or profitable by calling vpon the Name of God Caiâ—tane doth put as great difference betwixt them writing vpon those words 1. Cor. â—2 Alteri fides in eodem spiritu saith thus There is no speech heere concerning the faith of things to be belieued but concerning the faith of thinges to be done For that is common to all Christians but this agreeth onely to some certaine persons 〈◊〉 also writeth that the faith which is Filâ—â—â—a an Assurance or Confidence is in the whole kinde diuâ—rse from that Catholike faith where vnto the power of miracles was adioyned For the one doth properly respect the truth of God for the obiect the other respecteth the goodnes of God as made ours after a manner by mutuall loue That goeth before the loue of God and is separable from it so as the Apostle affirmed that he might haue all faith of that kinde though hee had not loue But this doth follow loue and is a bud of it That may be euen in the workers of iniquitie who at the day of iudgement shall heare Christ say to them I neuer know you But this belongeth onely to iust and holymen who haue already sanctified or Dedicated their soules to God through the obedience of Charitie So many wayes doth hee distinguish them and so farre was he from making them one and the same kinde of faith or making the one to be a degree of the other Consider then I pray you how the Rhemistes and Bellarmine are singular in this their conforming of a miraculous faith nam illa Dei veritatem proprie pro obiectâ— respicit haec Deâ— bonitatem magis vt iam per â—â—utuum aâ—â—orem quodammodo nostra facta est c. Potâ—st illa fides etiam omnes ac perfecta in operarys iniquâ—â—â—tis esse At ista iustorum tantum sanctorum est c. Controuers 2. de fide p. 42. in 8. An. 152. with a iustifying faith hauing not only the scriptures but also all sorts of writers gainsaying them And therefore it may well be supposed that rather a desire to contradict vs then any consent of theyr owne Church or any sound reason to warraÌ„t them hath moued them to make that confusion of two distinct gifts And will you giue credite to such spitefull and partiall writers SECT X. Of Hystoricall Faith THe first kind of ordinary faith which is common both to the Elect and reprobate I called an historicall or dogmaticall faith yet I knowe there be many who neither can abide the name and tytle of historicall faith nor yet will acknowledge any difference betwixt the thing signified thereby and a iustifying faith but make them both one Touching the name
Gregory Martine (1) Discouer of corrupt translat cap. 12. said that historicall and speciall faith are hereticall tearmes newly deuised Cardinall Bellarmine saith that (2) De iustific lib. 1. cap. 4. Catholikes do not vse the name of historicall faith least they should seeme to thinke that the deedes of the Saints which are recorded in scripture are not beleeued but for the authoritie of the historie writers And that there is (3) De Rom. pont if lib. 3. cap. 21. but one faith which is neither to be called historicall nor miraculous but a Catholike faith Yet the thing feared by the Cardinall to arise vpon the vse of the name is but a vaine pretence If he and his fellowes had feared the like danger in the vse of other names they would neuer haue allowed the â—ame of transubstanstiation lest any should thinke that they hold a reall conuersion of the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of Christs body for so much doth the proper signification of the word import when as the name of historicall faith importeth no such thing as he feareth The onely reason why he and his fellowes contemne the tytle is because we sometime vse it Such is their hatred to vs that they are vnwilling to vse any terme of ours though it bee neuer so fitting and proper But first let them knowe that we may lawfully vse termes tytles to expresse our meaning if the thing meant thereby may bee prooued by the Scripture though the terme it selfe bee not expresly found in the Scripture The ancient Fathers gaue to CHRIST the name and Tytle of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantiall to expresse the equalitie of his Godhead with the Father The Arians misliked it because they found it not in the Scriptures Yet the Fathers 4 Etsi fortasse nomen ipsum non inueâ—â—etur reâ— tamen ipsa muemretur August ad paâ—ent epist 174. Has 〈◊〉 taâ—ne◠〈◊〉 scripturâ—s non râ—perâ— vitur â—â—dâ—â—re tamen eas cam sent nuam quâ— scripturae volâ—at Athan of lib. Quod Nicen â—â—no â—â—s congruis verbis exposuerit I'tâ—â—riâ— dâ— Trâ—nâ—â— lib. I. pâ—â—â—lâ— post â—nitium Fulgent obiect Arianar discuss 〈…〉 one after another defended it and vsed it still because though the Name it selfe were not there yet the thing signifyed thereby was found there Euen as the Arians themselues gaue to the Father the tytles of Vnbâ—gotten Incomprehensible Incircumscriptible Incorporall and such like which wordes were not found in the Scripture yet were the thinges meant thereby The Cardinall relateth this at large 5 De chirtsto lib 2 c. â— with many testimonies And acknowledgeth that in expressing the mysterie of the Trinitie 6 De chirtsto lib. 2. c. 2. they vse many names and wordes which although they bee not found in Scripture yet their seedes and equiualents are there found And the Rhemists graunt 7 Annot. in 1. Tim. 6.20 Sect. 4. that wee may not measure the newnesse or oldnesse of wordes and tearmes of speaking in religion by holy Scriptures onely as though all those or onely those were new and to bee reiected that are not expresly found in holy writte but wee must esteeme them by the agreeablenesse or disagreeablenesse they haue to the true sense of Scriptures Now wee meane nothing by this Historical Faith but that firme assent which men doe giue to the thinges written in Scripture not onely to the histories of actes done but likewise to all doctrines of faith maners there taught And therefore we also call it a Dogmatical faith a faith whereby wee beleeue all the doctrines of the Scriptures to bee true By which tytle the Cardinal confesseth (8) Bellarm. de iustificat lib. 1. cap. 4. sect quanquam Cyril and Chrysostome haue called this faith And hee himselfe (9) Bellar. de iustif lâ— 1. cap. 11. sect per vocabul calleth that a Dogmaticall faith which he saith wee call an Historicall faith And the faith which wee meane by the Historicall faith wee prooue out of Scriptures as may be seene in my former Sermons Yea the Papists will not deny but that there is such a faith taught in the Scriptures Yea this is the onely faith which they require Yea Bellarmine though hee scarce dare vse the name yet hee acknowledgeth (10) Si tamen hoc nominâ— nempe fide historica appellarâ— fas est assensunâ— quem adâ—â—bemus narrations reruÌ„ praeterâ—aruÌ„ non ob hominum sâ—d ob Dei pâ—â—â— quâ— ea reuelâ—uit authoritatem De iustif lib. 1. cap. 5. that by our Historicall faith wee meane that faith which they call An assent which they giue to the narration of thinges past not for the authoritie of men but of God himselfe who hath reuealed them And that faith he proueth by Scripture If then they agree with vs about the thing why doe they wrangle with vs about the name It is a folish thing saith (11) Stultum est cum dere constet lâ—â—gare de noâ—â—â—nâ— De eu harist lib. 3. cap. 23. Bellarmine to striue about the name when men are agreed of the thing Moreouer not onely the (12) Augustâ—d vâ—â—lâ—t cred c. 2. De genes ad liter cap. 2. Hâ—renim Eucher â—pud Sixt. Senens biâ—â—oth lib. â— p. 13â— old Doctors of the Church but likewise the Romish (13) Sixt. Senens ibid. Durand rational lib. 1. c. 1. Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. â— writers doe teach that there is an historical sense of the Scriptures and that both simple and siguratiue proper and metophoricall yea and that this sense is especially to be beleeued and (14) Sixt. Senens ibid. Bellarm. de verbo Deâ— lib. 3. ca. 3. Widdringt apolog pro iure principium p. 159. that no arguments are of any force but those that be drawn from that sense Now may not wee well call that an historicall faith whereby wee beleeue all things to be true which are taught and proued out of the word according to that historicall sense And indeede the Papists haue no more reason to mislike the tytle of an historicall faith then to mislike the tytle of an historicall sense but that the one is vsed by vs the other is often vsed by themselues They themselues haue inuented strange names and tytles which they giue to faith as to call one Faith vnformed another formed one Implicite another Explicite when as they can prooue neither the names nor the things signified thereby out of the scriptures Why then wil they blame vs for vsing a tytle the meaning whereof by their owne confession is waranted in the Scripture Yet was not this tytle first inuented by vs (15) Distinguamus ergo quam fidem debeamus historiae quam fidem debeamus intelligentiae c. Quasit stabilis sides fiue historica temporalis siue spiritalâ—s aeterna De verar. lig cap. 50. Augustine did long ago vse the name and distinguished it from other kindes of faith
saying Let vs distinguish what faith we owe to the History or Historicall sense what faith we owe to the vnderstanding or mysticall sense and which is a stedfast faith whether Historicall and temporall or spirituall and eternall Ferâ—â— a learned preaching Fryer vseth the tytle and maketh this faith to be the same with the popish vnformed faith for writing of the Centurions faith he faith (16) Non hic loquitur de hiâ—torica aut informi side sed de si lucia miserâ—cordie c. Comment in Ioh. 8. This is not spoken of an Historical or Vnformed faith but of a confidence of mercy to bee shewed through Christ SECT XI AS there is some difference betwixt vs our aduersaries touching the name so is there greater difference betwixt vs touching the thing Namely whether this hystoricall and dogmaticall faith be the selfe-same with Iustifying faith or whether it be a distinct kinde of it selfe differing from a iustifying faith Many of our aduersaries make them both one The (1) Annot. in Rom. 4.24 Sect. 9. Rhemists say that the Faith which was reputed for Iustice to Abraham was his beliefe of an Article reuealed vnto him by God that is to say his assent and credite giuen to Gods speeches And that iustice shall be reputed to vs by belieuing the articles oâ— Christs death and Resurrection not by any speciall faith And that the Catholicke Faith is that wherewith wee belieue the articles of the Faith which onely iustifieth And Bellarmine alleadgeth much to proue (2) Dâ—â—â—stifâ— lib. 1. cap. 6.7.8.9 that faith which iustifieth is neither Fiduâ—â—a nor Notiâ—â—a but onely an assent to the trueth of those things which God hath reuealed And in very truth the Papists must hold that either this faith iustifieth or none at all because they teach no better ordinary faith then this as appeareth by theyr treatises of faith (3) Tollet instruct sacerd lib. 4. cap. 1. Coster enchirid c. 4. de side initio But it may euidently appeare that this is not the faith which iustifieth vs. There is another faith aboue this and farre more excellent then this and much differing from this which doth iustifie vs alone none other but it I will declare the difference betwixt them that so you may perceiue that they bee not one and the same 1. First In Sect. 7. they differ in their nature For I proued before that by the iustifying faith a Christian doth apprehend and particularly applye to himselfe all the Promises of Gods mercies and of Christes merites Gods the pardon of his sinnes and the saluation of his soule But the Papists themselues acknowledge that this faith is of another nature onely an assent to things reuealed Compare that which I wrote before touching the nature of a true iustifying faith with that which the Papists teach to be the nature forme of this faith and you may see great difference 2. They differ in their essentiall degrees and therefore cannot be the same faith in speciâ— I knowe that magis and minus noÌ„ diuersificant speciem more and lesse doe not alter the kinde as the Logicians speak Yet the want of the true vnderstanding of that Axiâ—me and of applying it aright to the matter in question hath caused some papists to erre in confounding different kindes of faith It is true in accidentall but not in substantiall and essential degrees for there be degrees of both sortes There be accidentall degrees as degrees of quantitie quantitatis continue quantitatis discretae A great horse is of the same kind with a litle horse And the greatest number of the same species with the least There be also substantiall and essentiall degrees as appeareth in the faculties of the soule The sensitiuâ— facultie is a degree aboue the vegetatiue and the reasonable facultie another degree aboue the vnsensitiue These being substantiall and essentiall Degrees doe alter the kinde though not in the same indiuiduo yet in diuers So as that creature which hath an higher degree is of an other kinde then that which hath a lower degree Faith hath the like degrees Some be accidentall and respect the quantitie of Faith So there is (4) Math. 6.30 â— 26.14.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little faith or weake assurance And (5) Heb. 10.22 Rom. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full assurance and strong faith And so faith is saide to be lesser and greater (6) Extensiue quando plura crâ—dibilâ—a cognoscuntur ereduntur explicite Intensiue quando credibilia clâ—â—ius cognoscuntur firmius seruentâ—â—â—teâ—entur Iâ—ra in Luc. 17.5 both extensiuely when more credible things are knowne and belieued expressely as may be seen in belieuers who know much And intensiuely when credible things are more clerely knowne and more firmely and feruently held There be also substantiall and essentiall degâ—ees of faith which respect the substance and forme the nature and naturall properties of it When one belieueth all that another doth and also more and that in an other mannâ— â— and forme So he that hath a iustifying faith belieueth all things that hee belieueth who hath an historicall or dogmaticall faith and that in the same manner Yet doth he belieue more also and after another manner He doth not only belieue that all things written in the scriptures be true but likewise belieueth that God will performe his generall promises in particular toward him for the pardon of his sinne and the saluation of his soule The one of thesâ— is credere Deo to giue credite to God the other is credere in Deum to belieue in God Augustine thus said of them (7) Si creditis in cum creditis eâ— Non autem contiâ—â—o qui credit eâ— credit in eum Nam demones credebant eâ— non credebant in cum In Ioh. 7. tract 29. If yee belieue in him ye giue credite to him But not alwayes he that giueth credit vnto him belieueth in him For the Diuels giue credite to him yet did not belieue in him Yea all papists do freely acknowledge a substeÌ„tiall differeÌ„ce betwixt these two in the very forme manner of belieuing And therfore some do make of them 2. seueral kindes of faith as before I proued Others say that there is no such degree aboue dogmaticall-faith which before I confuted And which here by the testimony of Augustine is conuinced 3. They differ in their obiects for the one respecteth the truth of God shewed in things reuealed the other respecteth the mercy and goodnes of God in Christ offered to penitent sinners Bernardinus de Senis (8) Ex parte cius quod creditur hoc est reâ— creditae accipitur differentâ—â— hoc mado Nam Deâ—s â—â—â—lulâ—â—ate fider tribus modes accipitur primo vt veritas 2. vt potestas 3. vt bomtas Secundum priâ—um modum credere Deo s per comparationem ad veritatem hoc est vâ—ra esse quae dâ—â—it 2. modo credere Deum c. De
fictone puto illos notarâ— in euangâ—lio qui ad temou credunt in tempore tentationis recedunt Luâ—â— c. Tales sunt animae parvam adhuc tener am habentes charitatem ob hoc earum fidem vâ—uam sed fictam necesse est in tentatione deficere c. Epist 42. doth at large describe it and sheweth the difference betwixt it and other kindes of faith he maketh a diuisioÌ„ of a threefold faith There is a dead faith a fained faith and a tried faith The dead faith the Apostle defineth to be a faith without workes which doth not worke by loue The fained faith saith he I thinke that is called which hauing receiued life from charitie begins to be moued to worke well but not perseuering doth faile and die as aâ— vntimely birth In the same sense indeed I may call it fained or fashioned that we call the potters vessels fictilia non because they are not proficable so long as they last but because seeing they are brickle they doe not last long Of this fayning of faith I thinke they are noted in the Gospell who beleeue for a while and in time of tentation goe away When and whither doe they depart surely from faith to infidelitie And these saith Christ haue no rootes He doth not deny but they haue that which is good but he rather blameth them that they were not â—ooted in that which is good Such are the soules hauing as yet a little and tender charitie and for this cause their faith though liuely yet fained or fraile must needes faile in tentation What kinde of faith euery mans is tribulation doth try If any man faile it is knowne to be fained If any mans continue it is iudged to be a tried and a perfect faith c. So likewise in another place he hauing described what is an vnfained faith (3) Non ficta ponitur ad differentiam mortuae fidei fictae mortua fides est quae sine operibus est fides ficta quae ad tempus credit in tempore tentationis recedit vnde etiam ficta id est fragilis dicitur parus serm 1 he addeth that it is called an vnfained faith to shew the difference of it from a dead faith and a fained faith A dead faith is that which is without workes A fained faith is that which beleeueth for a season and in time of tentation goeth away whence it is called ficta fayned that is fraile or brickle Bernardine hath the same distinction and almost the very same wordes with Bernard in the former place and (4) De Euangel aetern Feria 5. post cineres serm 6. art 3. proueth the difference of a fained and failing faith from a dead faith and a tried faith by the words of the Euangelist Luk. 8.13 they beleeue for a time Michaell Medina was so farte from thinking that this temporarie faith was the same with a iustifying faith that he accounted it while it continued to be no true faith at all For this he writeth (5) Vera fides tantum electorum est Credunt reprobi fateor sed ad bâ—â— am tempore enim tentationis recedunt quam fidem vt pote quae radices non egit veram fidem sancta scripturanon vocat c. Sext. Senes biblioth li. 6. annot 214. True faith is the faith of Gods elect onely I confesse the reprobate doe belieue but for a season For in the time of tentation they goe away Which faith because it hath no rootes the holie Scripture doth not call a true faith And that faith which doth not bring forth the fruite of glorie is no faith before Christ In this respect the reprobate are accused of vnbeliefe Because although they seemed in outward appearance to belieue yet they did not truely belieue because they wanted eyther true Charitie or Constancie which is so annexed to true faith that in Scripture faith is taken for fidelitie and that hee proueth by the wordes of the Apostle 1. Pet. 2.6 These wordes and many more to the same effect are related by Sixtus Senensis yet not confuted nor condemned and therefore seeme to be approued Doe not you therefore condemne me for teaching the temporary faith to be another faith then iustifying faith is Thus I hope you plainely see that there is not one only faith in all men as some of your teachers would bear you in hand but that there be diuers kindes of faith really distinct one from another in nature in degrees in efficacy and operation And that this hath beene the ancient doctrine of the true Church and still hath bene taught by some in the Romane Church I pray God that you may not deceiue your selues with a fained faith nor content your selues with that assenting faith which some doe falsely tell you is sufficient But that you may seeke and also obtaine that iustifying faith which is able to saue your soules Take heede of giuing too much credite to some late popish writers Their malice against vs prouoketh them to speake worse of faith then they ought Though it be the most necessary and most effectuall grace which God here bestoweth on man yet are they greater enemies to it and seeke more to disgrace it then any other gift or grace whatsoeuer Some haue thought so basely of it as they haue taught it was too mean a grace for the Virgine Mary to be endued withal Though Augustine (6) Beatior Mata â—â—â—cipâ—â—do fiâ—â—m Chriâ—ti quâ—mâ—oictpiâ—do carnâ—m Christi The viaginit cap. â— sayd Mary was more blessed by perceiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Yet Albertus Magnus who as Hosius saith (7) Albertus quoque non tâ—mer mâ—gâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 Der vâ—rbo was not without cause called Great goeth about to proue that she (8) 〈…〉 cap 76. d 〈…〉 had not faith at all but a certaine kinde of knowledge aboue faith Such a knowledge and puritie as neuer any had in the way but the Angels haue in heauen Oâ— coundâ— at 〈◊〉 is the Dâ—uels pâ—lâ—â—â—e and pâ—aceâ—â—â— that if he cannot make men o◠〈◊〉 wise to thinke tâ—en that faith is bsolutely necessaâ—â— to saluation hee then stiâ—reth vp some 〈…〉 â—hem a false and insufficient 〈◊〉 because hee knoweth that will no mâ—â—e profite them then no faith at all Wherefore â—earce out the true faith and seeke for it SECT XIII IN speaking of that Faith which is called Temporary and may be lost I touched a question whether true Iustifying Faith may be quite lost And the rather because some popish writers alleadge that place to proue that it may bee lost Not to say any thing of those reasons and texts of Scripture then producer by me to proue that true faith cannot be lost I will now for your further satisfaction set downe the testimonies of diuers learned men approoued by your side who consent with mee in this poynt Augustine taught that those who haue this faith shall neuer perish but shall
Yet all of them are in the same maneâ— impertinent The bad Angels and Adam before their falles had no such faith as now wee haue nor any such promise of perseuerance yet dare hee not say that any of them fell to Infidelitie For the Diuels haue their assenting faith as before I haue proued but it is apparant touching the rest whom hee alleadgeth Will the Cardinall say that Saul Dauid Salomon Peter and Iudas fell froÌ„ faith to Infidelitie Became they Pagans by their falls Did they not still professe the same God that they did before Did they denye the trueth of his word Why then will hee produce their examples to prooue that a man may lose his faith De amâ—ss grat stat peccat lib. â— cap. 8. seeing he himselfe before taught that faith cannot bee lost by any mortall sinne but onely by Infidelitie Let the Cardinall therefore eyther alter his opinion or bring more pertinent proofes But may true faith be lost by infidelitie may a iustified beleeuer become an Infidell a Iew a Turke a Pagan surely no. A man may quite loose their assenting faith and of a professed Christian become an Infidell but he who hath a true Iustifying faith cannot quite loose it he may fall in ourward shew onely still retayning faith in his heart so did Peter in his fall as shall afterward appeare but he who falleth away indeed and in truth totally and finally neuer had this iustifying faith Marâ—ellinus Bishop of Rome seemed to fall into infidelitie when he sacrificed to Idols did he then loose his faith was he then become an Infidell indeed Then may the Bishop of Rome not onely erre in matters of faith but likewise quite loose his faith and become an Infidell yea an Infidell then may be the head of the Romane Church To auoyd this inconuenience Bellarmine answereth that he was neither Hereticke nor Infidell (19) De Rom. pontif lib. 4. cap. 8. fine but onely in outward acte for feare of death did sacrifice to Idolls As if he kept faith in his heart when he performed the outward act of an Infidell 20) De Rom. pontif lih 4. cap. 9. sectiex quiâ— bus And of Liberius another Bishop of Rome he likewise saith That though it be true that he subscribed to the Arian heresie yet hee was no Hereticke but onely sinned in outward acte as Marcellinus did Why then may we not say that a Iustified beleeuer though hee through feare fall to the outward act of Infidelitie yet still keepeth faith in his heart Moreouer the testimonies which I alleadged out of the Fathers are absolute generall as well against the losing of faith by infidelitie as against the losâ—ong of it by sinne But if any did fall to Infidelitie not onely in outward act but also in hart totally in deed in truth they were iudged by the Fathers neuer to haue had this faith Augustine (21) Procul dubio nec illo tempore quo benâ— prâ—que vivunt in isto numero computandi sunt c. De corrept grat cap. 7. Ioh. 6 said that those who doe not perseuere but so fall away from Christian faith and conuersation that the end of this life finde them such out of doubt at that time when they liued well and godly were not to be reckoned in the number of the elect and of them who are called according to his purpose So hee writeth (22) Quia ergo non habuâ—runt perseuer anâ—iam siâ—ut non vere disâ—ipuli christi at a nec ver◠〈◊〉 Deâ— fuerunt etiam quando esse vid-bantur vocabantur De corrept grat cap. 9. of the Disciples which forsooke Christ at Capernaum That they were called Disciples the Gospell so speaking and yet they were not Disciples in trueth because they abode not in his word According to that which he saith If yee abide in my wordâ— yee are verily my Disciples Therefore because they had not perseuerance as they were not truely the Disciples of Christ so neyther were they truely the sonnes of God euen when they seemed to bee and were so called And if they were not truely the sonnes of God they had no faith Fâ—r by faith are wee made the sonnes of God as the scripture (23) Ioh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 teacheth Yea the same Father professedly expounding the place of Iohn where those Disciples are mentioned saith (24) Inter non credentes iosi deputan di sunt quamvâ—s discipuli dicereatur In Ioh. 6. tract 27. They were to be reckoned among vnbeleeuers though they were called Disciples If any suspect that I wrest his words contrary to his meaning let him reade Maldonatus a Papist who writeth that (25) Augustinus Beda existimant numquam istos quiretro abierunâ— habuisse fidem c. Maldonat in Ioh. 6. â—6 the Disciples which beleeued not when they followed Christ were Iudas and the murmurers And that Augustine and Beda doe thinke that those which went backe neuer had faith no more then those which S. Paul (26) 1. Tim. 5.15 said were turned back after Satan But of what faith must this be vnderstood What faith did those Disciples and other reuolters want when they were taken for Disciples and Christians Was it an historicall or assenting faith The Iesuites will not yeelde that Coster holdeth that (27) Enchirid cap. 4. de fide Sitne fides in peccatorib p. 179. all in the Church haue such a faith yea though they be as tares among wheat bad fish among good foolish virgines wanting oyle in lamps as the Guest wanting a wedding Garment and like the incestuous Corinthian Bellarmine (28) De Iustificat lib. 1. cap 15. sect quartum argumentum auoucheth that all in the Church are such beleeuers though they be wicked ones and instanceth in the forenamed Parables as if all the persons noted therein had that faith though they wanted charity good works Those Disciples and other reuolters before their backe-sliding were in the Church and yet wanted faith As Christ (29) Ioh. 6.64 himself Augustine and others haue taught And therefore seeing that by the doctrine of the Iesuites they could not want an historicall and assenting faith they must needs want another faith namely a true iustifying faith But of all others Michael Medina is most plaine and copious in this point as in parte I declared when I spake of a temporary faith yet more may be added to shew his resolute opinion that none haue true faith but they which keepe it to the end (30) Viritate Christiana vera sides tantum illa iudicetur quae habet efficaciam consequendae salutis c. Vera profectâ— sides vera dilectioue constar vera autem dilectio illa tanium dicitur veritate moraliâ—quae perseuerantiam habet permaenentiam c. Deinde rogandus an fidelis ille dicatur aut amicus qui horaria amuâ—â—tia aut fide illi fuisset comumâ—tus quod si non dicerâ—tur quoniam
de ratione vere fidei choritatis est permaneniâ—a constantia c. Apud Sext. Senens biblioth lib. 6. annot 214. According to Christian veritie faith he onely that is to be iudged a true faith which hath the efficacy of obtayning saluation According to that Hee that beleeueth in mee hath eternal life And afterward he addeth That true faith indeede doth consist with true loue but that onely is called true loue by a moral truth which hath perseuerance and continuance And that the Scripture neuer called the faith of them who beleeue for a time to be true saith And that those who are damned neuer had true faith And in conclusion he asked Soto whether he is to be called faithfull or a friend who should be ioyned vnto him for an houre by frieÌ„dship and faith which if he will not say because continuance and constancie is of the nature and being of true faith and charitie then cannot such offenders be called true beleeuers in Christ Cardinall Bellarmine holdeth against some who then liued that Christ did not onely (31) Orauit dominus paulo post pro perseuerantia ommum apostolorum imo etiam omnium electoruÌ„ Ioh. 17. Pâ—ter sancte serua eos in nomine tuo quos dedisti mihi De Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 3. sect altera expositio pray that Peter might continue in faith and in the fauour of God vnto the end but that he also prayed a little after for the perseuerance of all the Apostles yea also of all the elect Ioh. 17. Holy Father keepe them in thy Name whom thou hast giuen me How then can the faith of any of the elect fayle Shall wee thinke that Christs prayer was not heard Doth not he elsewhere acknowledge that the Father heard him alwaies Was his prayer ectuall against the losse of grace and faith by sinne and not against the losse of them by Infidelitie Then was his prayer heard but in part How can they prooue that difference SECT XIIII IN prosecuting this point I produced Peter for an example who though he denyed his Maister with an oath vâ—t still kept faith in his heart And lest any should thinke that this â—â—s a speciall priuiledge in Peter I sâ—ewed that (1) Ioh. 17.20 Christ prayed for others as wel as for him Now if there bee any who imagine that Christ prayed for them after a different maner and to another end let them remember what I alleadged before out of Augustine touching Christ praier for all the elect namelie (2) De Corrept grat cap. 12. That Christ praying for them that their Faith might not fayle without doubt it shall not fayle vnto the end and therefore shall continue vnto the end neyther shall the end of this life find it otherwise then remayning But because that (3) De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. â—4 Bellarmine and others doe teach that Peter did quite loose his faith and the righteousnes thereof I will let you see the testimonies of all sorts of writers to the contrary Tertullian (4) Sed cur petrum ob vigorem fides Aduers Marcion lib. 4. said his name was changed and he was called Peter for the strength of his faith but he ill deserued that name and Christ erred in giuing him a name not agreeable to his nature if hee quite lost his faith Againe hee speaking of Christs prayer for him thus saith of those words That thy faith might not fayle (5) Ne deficeret fides tua id est ne tantum diabolo permitteretur vt fides periclitaretur quo ostenditur vtrumque apud Deum esse concussionem fidei protectionem cuÌ„ vtrumque ab co petitur Et vtique filius Dei protectionâ— fidei habet insua potestate c. De fuga in persecut that is that so much might not be permitted to the Diuel that his faith might be endangered Whereby it is shewed that both are with God both the shaking of faith and the protection seeing both are asked of him The shaking is from the Diuel the protection is from the Sonne And surely the Son of God hath the protection of faith in his owne power which hee asked of his Father of whom hee receiueth all power in heauen and earth If his faith was not endangered by the diuel but protected and kept safe by God through the prayer of his Son how can any truely say that hee lost his faith Hillary (6) Comment in Psal 52 4. taught as is testifyed by (7) Biblioth sanct lib. 5. annot 181. Sixtus Sâ—nensis that Peter in denying his Maister lost not the firmenesse of his faith because although through the tâ—embling of hiâ— flâ—sh which he could not brydle his tongue buâ—si forth into the deniall of Christ yet a firme faith of confessing Christ vnto Martyrdome did not depart from his heart I might also vige that which not onely he (8) In Math. can 20. See Six Senâ—ns biblioth lib. 6. annot 160. elsewhere but likewise Ambrose (9) Comment in Luc. 22. lib. 10. together with him hath written in excuse of Peters denyall That he denyed him not to be God but denyed that he was only a man Though (10) See Sixt Sâ—nensbiblioth li. 6 annot 160. Hâ—â—rony in Math. 26. Theophylact. in Luc. 22. lerorac Theophylact do confute them because so to excuse the Apostle were to make his Maister a lyar who told him before that hee should that night denie him thrice Yet doth (11) In Luc. 22.32 in Math. 26.75 quanquam possumus Hilarium Ambrosium ab errore benigna interpretatione liberare Mâ—ldonatus excuse them both And thereby they plainely declared that they were farre from thinking that hee lost his faith Augustine alleadged the prayer of Christ for Peters faith against the Pelagians who held that man could not continue in grace and in faith vnlesse mans free will did concurre with Gods grace Dare thou say that Christ praying for Peter that his faith might not faile that it should haue failed (12) An andebis dicere etiamrogante christo ne deficeret fides petri defecturam fâ—isse fi petrus eam dâ—fiâ—ere voluisset c. Sed quia praeparatur voluntas a domino ideo pro illo non possit esse inanis oratio quando rogauit ergo ne fides eius deficeret quid aliud rogauit nisi vt haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam inuictissimaÌ„ perseverantissimam voluntatem De corrept grat cap. 8. if Peter would haue had it to faile that is if hee would not haue had it to continue vnto the ende As if Peter any way willed any other thing then Christ prayed for him that he might will But because the will is prepared of the Lord therefore his prayer for him could not be in vaine Therfore when he prayed that his Faith might not faile what else asked he but that hee might haue in faith a most free a most strong a
all things spoken and written against the Doctrine of your moderne Priestes If you vouchsafe to reade our writings you commonly giue no more fauourable Censure of them then Iulian the Empetour gaue of the ancient Fathers bookes who thus said of them Soâ—â—◠〈…〉 I read I vnderstood I condemned And we might iustly answere you as Basil and other Learned Byshops answered him Thou hast reade but not vnderstood 〈…〉 for if thou hadst vnderstood thou wouldest not haue condemned Some of you are like those men whereof the Apostle Iude spake who condemne those things which they knowe not Ibid. Others of you knowe and vnderstand more Iude. 10. yet reiect all things as erroneous and hereticall which you knowe to be contradictorie to the positions of your popish priests Yea many of you be such vnequall iudges that although you canot but approue almost all points in the booke yet if there bee but one only thing which you distaste you presently condemne all the rest for it And take it to be as a leafe of Coloquyntis which marreth a whole messe of pottage and as a dead Flye that spoyleth a whole boxe of oyntment In regard whereof I may iustly feare your sharpe and bitter censures of these my Sermons now put foorth to open sight I can expect no more indifferencie and fauour at your hands theÌ„ others my betters haue formerly found NotwithstaÌ„ding as often heretofore I haue laboured by many meanes to giue you satisfaction in your doubtes and demandes both by priuate conference with diuers of the Layetie by seuerall answeres made to the writings of the learned on your side and also by open disputations with your priests as some of you cannot denie if you would testifie truth So would I now giue you full contentment if any reasonable thing will content you for all such exceptions which I thinke you wil take against these Sermons Whereas the learned on your side doe charge vs that in our sermons and writings we interpret the Scriptures according to our owne fancies and priuate conceits and not according to the vniforme sense giuen by the Fathers and the common exposition of the Church and thervpon would perswade you not to heare or reade or belieue any thing which wee proue by the scriptures I will make it apparant that in those points of controuersy touched in these sermons and confirmed by seuerall texts of scripture I haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and also of manie of your owne late wryters Cardinall Bellarmine acknowledgeth that before the Pelagian heresie arose the Fathers did not exactly handle the question of Praedestination by grace Degra lib. arbur libâ—â— cap. 11. initâ—o but onely when occasion was offered did briefly set down their opinions And that Chrysost did not plainly preach preueÌ„ting grace because at that time they were not risen vp Ibid. lib. 6. cap. 6. which denyed it As if the Fathers did speake and write plainely fully of those poynts onely which were controuerted and impugned in those dayes Now it is certaine that few of those poyntes which I mentioned were called into question in their dayes There were many controuersies de co quod creditur non de co quo creditur as the M. of Sentences Lumb sent lib. 3. dâ—st 23. c. out of Augustine distinguisheth of the things to bee beleeued or of the obiect of faith yet not of the habite of faith or of the gift or qualitie whereby wee beleeue And therefore the trueth is not to be gain-sayed though we could not produce very pregnant and plentifull testimonies out of their writings touching the nature and kindes of faith Nowithstanding they haue not left themselues without witnes in that they do vpon occasions declare their iudgements therein which serue to confirme the trueth on our side These testimonies of theirs and the testimonies of your owne Doctors I did forbeare to recite in the Pulpit or write in the copie of the Sermons that so I might auoyde tediousnes Yet hauing diligently perused them and hoping that they would be of force with some that duly consider them I thought good to set them apart by themselues and to adde them as a postcript after all SECT II. WHereas I taught that the word of God is the spirituall seede which must bee sowne in our heartes to make vs fruitfull in all good workes And that Preachers ought to teach and people ought to heare and receiue nothing but the word and did limit the word to the word written I know it crosseth the doctrine of some in your Church and therefore may perhaps be misliked by you First your countrey-man Doctor Stapleton Promptuar in Dominica sexagesim writing a Postill for the instruction of Popish Preachers could not finde in all this Parable any poynt to bee obserued against vs but onely this that the word is the seed And will haue To the same effect the Rhemists not the worde written but the worde preached to be the seede Yea he maketh two words of God the one written write Aâ—â—ot on 1. 〈◊〉 2 1◠〈◊〉 2. the other preached and therby would confute vs who hold that nothing is the word of God but that which is written in the Scriptures of the Olde and New Testaments But theâ—in that great Doctor declared himselfe neither to know what the Scripture is nor what true preaching is noâ— what we hold to be the word of God â—ast what is the Scripture or written word of God It is not the letters and â—illables that be written in bookes but rather the true sense and meaning of them 〈…〉 1. â—â—româ— sayd Nâ— putemus in verbâ—â— scripturatrum esse euangelium sed in sensiâ— Let vs not thinke the Gospel consisteth in the Scriptures but in the meanne Non in 〈…〉 in medvlla non in sermonum folus sâ—d in radice rationis Not in the outward 〈…〉 but in the marrow not in the◠〈◊〉 of beech 〈…〉 4 〈◊〉 4. but in the roote of reason Cardinall Bellarmine woulde haue vs mark that there be two thinges in the Scripture the words written and the sense in them included the wordes are as the sheath the sense is the sword of the spirit As it is a rule among Lawyers that not the bare wordes but the meaning of the wordes is the Law So is it a rule among all Diuines that not the bare words but the true meaning of the words is the Scripture And the reason is Quicquid in duâ—â—â—o sermine neque ad morum honestatem neque ad sideâ— veritatem proprie referrâ— potest â—iguratum esse cognoseas De Doctr. chr lib. 3. cap. 10. Sixt. Biâ—â— other lib. 3. 〈◊〉 Bellar. deverlo Dâ—t lib. 3. cap. 3. because the very words taken properly after their naturall and Grammaticall signification may sometime breede error and then they are not to bee taken properly but figuratiuely According as Augustine well taught That whatsoeuer in the word of
would not contend with vs about the persons who haue it Though many haue not written of this point yet besides the texts of scripture alleadged we haue the testimonies of some (1) Hom. 17. Augustine as was declared before saith that the faith which worketh by loue onely the seruants of God haue only the Saints of God onely the sonnes of Abraham by faith onely the sonnes of loue (4) Horum sides quae per dilectionem operatur profectio aut omnino non desicit aut siqui sunt quorum deficit reparatur antequam vit a ista finiatur c. De corrept gratia cap. 7. fine the sonnes of promise Will any say that the reprobate are the seruants and saints of God or the beloued sonnes of God or sons of promise If once they were such they should alwaies continue such For as the Apostle teacheth (2) 1. Ioh. 3.9.1 Ioh. 5.18 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not yea he keepeth himselfe and the wicked toucheth him not Is (3) Num igitur Deuâ— pater mâ—dorumest Absit Epist. 54. God the father of the wicked said Augustine God forbid The same father said that the faith of the praedestinate either doth not fayle at all or if there be any of them whose faith fayleth it is repayred againe before this life be ended But as fow those that finally fall away from faith out of doubt saith he at that time when they liued well and godly they were not to be reckoned in that number for they were not seuered from that masse of perdition by the prescience predestination of God And therefore they were not called 〈◊〉 lung to his purpose and therefore not elected If therefore the elect haue such a faith as neuer shall faâ—le to the end of their life and yet there be some who haue a faith that shall finally fayle and they be none of the Elect it must needes follow that a stedfast and permanent faith is proper to the Elect. Fâ—ras (5) Fides vera est soloruÌ„ praedestinatorum In Ioh. 17.6 taught that the true faith belongeth onely to the predestinate Though Dominicus Soto tooke vpon him to confute him yet Michael Medina defended him and saith peremptorily that only the Elect haue true faith that the faith which reprobates haue is no true faith and concludeth that this doctrine is no heresie but the sentence of Christ and his Apostles Sixtus Senensis (6) Biblioth sanct lib. 6. annot 214. mentioneth all this yet doth hee not speake one word against Medina but leaueth him vncontrolled thereby declaring that he approued his opinion SECT IX LEt vs now proceede to other kindes of faith The first kinde of faith which I said was common both to the Elect and reprobate is a miraculous faith which I made to be a distinct faith from the rest But the Rhemists say (1) Annot. on 1. Cor. 12 sect 3. it is not another in substance then the common faith in Christ but is of another accidentall qualitie onely that is of more feruour deuotion zeale and confident trust specially for doing of miracles And Bellarmine affirmeth that (2) De Iustifiâ— lib. 1. cap. 4. De sacram baptis lib. 1. cap. 14. de Iustific lib. 1. cap. 11 15. all their Catholikes hold that the faith of miracles and the faith of promisâ—s are all one And he saith that the faith of miracles is no other thing then a true Catholike faith but excellent and iustifying after his maner Yet they may easily be proued to be seuerall and distinct kindes of faith First they differ in their obiects and actes The one layeth hold of Gods promises mercies in Christ as hath bene formerly proued but this hath the power of God for the obiect for by it a man beleeueth that God by his speciall power will enable him to worke a miracle And therefore Thomas Aquinas (3) Fides per quam miracula fiunt nititâ—r omnipotentie Dei In 1. Cor. 12 lect 2. Apertissime videmus sidem miraculorum respicere tanquam obiectum omripotentiam ducinitatem sily Dei Bellar. de Iustificat lib. 1. cap. 8. saith that the faith by which miracles are wrought doeth rest and stay it selfe on the omnipotencie of God The one resteth on Gods promises and mercies for the pardon of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules The other relyeth on Gods power in regard whereof a man is assured that God will enable him to doe some great and supernaturall worke to ratify the truth of the Gospell and to confirme the faith of others Can these bee one and the same habite Can the one bee a degree of the other seeing the differ so much one from another in their nature in their obiects and in their actes Againe a iustifying faith is an ordinary grace bestowed on men in all ages for there alwaies were now are and alwayes shal be some endued with it The Church alwaies hath beene and euer shal continue to the end of the world And it consisteth of a number of true beleeuers But the Faith of Miracles is an extraordinary gift bestowed on some men at some certayne time 1. Cor 12.9 And therefore it is reckoned by the Apostle among these extraordinary gifts which in his time were bestowed on some in the Church To another saith he is giuen faith by the same spirit meaning not the common faith but that whereof he speaketh afterward If I had all faith so as I could remooue mountaines as Theodoret and (4) See Bellarm de bonis operib in particul lib. 1. cap. 9. sect hinc legimus others doe expound the place And the Apostle maketh it not onely an extraordinary but likewise a seuerall and distinct grace as well as any of those which there hee mentioneth Many writers teach (5) Gregor homil 29. Beda in Marc. 16. Bernard in Ascensdom serm 1. Hugo card in Mar. 16. Ferus in Math. 8. that this gift was needfull at the first preaching of the Gospell and the first planting of the Church but not afterward Euen as at the first setting and planting of a tree watering is needfull but not afterward when it hath taken deepe rooting Now can an extraordinary gift be the same with a common and ordinary Can an extraordinary gift long agoe ceased be a degree of an ordinary gift still continuing in the Church Moreouer theyr difference may bee seene in respect of the persons who receiue them The Iustifying faith is proper onely to the elect and to the Saintes of God as before hath bene proued Yet they may want this miraculous faith A man may bee in state of grace and yet want it As appeareth by the examples of Gods Saintes in all ages who were iustified by faith and yet were not able to worke miracles But wicked men may haue it Those had it who by Christs Name did cast out Diuels and worke great workes and yet shall heare him professe to them Math. 7.23 Depart