〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 perceiueth not receiueth not this gift it is farre aboue out of his reach He may say Who shall fetch Christ from aboue that I may haue him within my reach What reach The Deuill had him within his reach when he carryed him vp to a high mountaine But thou wilt say God reacheth out Christ vnto thee in his Word The Word is neare thee True But where is thy hand to put forth to receiue him Thy hand must bee a liuely faith for to beleeue in Christ is to receiue him as Gods gift But faith also is the speciall gift of God Therefore saith the Apostle By grace are ye saued through faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God Now herein doth the glory of Gods grace shine forth and gloriously display it selfe that he hath not only in his rich mercy prouided vs the means of saluation making tender of it vnto vs in his Word but hee effectually also giueth it vnto vs giuing vs a minde and meanes to receiue it As St. Iohn saith Hee hath giuen vs a minde to know him that is true And Christ No man can come vnto mee except the Father which hath sent mee draw him And againe No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him And Matth. 16. 17. Peter hauing confessed Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God Christ answered him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in Heauen As the Apostle also 1. Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost that is No man can truly acknowledge him to be his Christ but by the holy Ghost Otherwise the very Deuill seeing his miracles feeling his power euen ouer them confessed saying I know who thou art the holy one of God and Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Yet the Deuill did not this by the holy Ghost nor was it by any power of Gods grace But herein stands that grace of God first in choosing vs freely of his meere loue and mercy not fore-seeing vs to be good but finding vs to be euill shut vp in vnbeleese that he might haue mercy vpon vs. Secondly not only in prouiding and offering meanes of grace but also in effectuall giuing and bestowing grace vpon all those whom he hath chosen giuing them grace to receiue grace that of his fulnesse we might all receiue and grace for grace as it followeth in the definition Now as God out of his meere loue grace and fauour did from all eternity elect and appoint a certaine number of men fallen in Adam vnto saluation So for the effecting of this his eternall purpose in time hee did also appoint the meanes whereby hee would bring those vnto the end of their saluation The meanes is twofold First the only absolute meanes which is Iesus Christ Secondly an inferiour and conditionall means whereby we are made capable to receiue Christ with all his benefits First then Christ is that only all-sufficient and absolute meanes whereby God would effectually worke saluation vnto vs vpon and to whom the eye of his grace principally and immediately reflecteth in his electing of vs. So Eph. 1. 4. He chose vs in him and Ephes. 3. 11. according to the eternall purpose which he purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord. Now there is no other name vnder Heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued neyther is there saluation in any other And other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. 11. Iesus Christ God-man is the Centre in whom all the lines of Gods loue and mercy to mankinde doe meete Thus are wee chosen in him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4. Thus are we blessed with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ ver 3. Thus are wee predestinated vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vers ◠Thus hath God made vs accepted in the Beloued to wit Iesus Christ in whom the Father is well pleased vers 6. Thus haue we redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace vers 7. Thus in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time God doth gather in one all things in Christ both which are in heauen and which are in earth euen In him vers 10. Thus in him we haue obtained an inheritance to which wee are predestinated vers 11. Thus in him beleeuing we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Now in that God did of his meere grace elect vs vnto saluation therein appeareth the wonderfull mercy and loue of God towards vs in that hee made choice of his owne Sonne to bee the onely soueraigne meanes of this our saluation therein appeareth also the infinite wisedome of God to seale vp and to reueale vnto vs his incomprehensible loue Thus is Christ called the power of God and the wisedome of God In him are hid all the treasures of Gods wisdome This is that deepnesse of the riches of the wisdome knowledge of God wherein the Apostles admiration was swallowed vp and where with the blessed Angels themselues were transported with rauishment Luke 2. 13 14. This wisedome of God in Christ God-man all the Deuils could not for all their subtilty comprehend neyther can all the wisedome of flesh and bloud conceiue it it is foolishnesse to the Gentile and a stumbling blocke to the Iow Who can conceiue that the Sonne of God could suffer and dye Yet this did Iesus Christ in that Hypostaticall vnion of his two natures Who can conceiue that a man should fully satisfie the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world And yet this did the man Iesus Christ that one Mediator betweene God and Man the Man Iesus Christ saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. 5. Nothing but the precious bloud of God could reconcile vs to God in appeasing his iustice towards vs nothing but the bloud of God could purchase for vs the fauour of God and eternall life So that in Iesus Christ is reuealed vnto vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisedome of God as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 3. 10. In him alone and none but him is the Father well pleased with vs. So is Christ the only soueraigne absolute meanes in whom as wee are elected so we are also saued Yet to the end that all the elect might be made effectually partakers of the loue and fauour of God in Christ the wisedome of God hath also ordained subordinate conditionall and ordinary meanes whereby we should receiue Christ for ours These meanes are the Word of God preached whereby faith is begotten in vs through the operation of Gods Spirit and the holy Sacraments administred whereby our faith in Christ is sealed and confirmed in vs. By this faith it is that we lay hold vpon Christ wherby he is made ours and we
sontit Denique transgreditur fines etiam rationis humanae naturae vsum experientiae terminos Disce id habere certiùs id tutiù◠sequi quod illa suaserit Nolime tangere nondum enim ascendi ad Patrem meum nam tangi à fide voluit Touch me not saith Christ that is dis-wont thy selfe with this seducible sense rest on the Word acquaint thy selfe with faith faith that knowes not how to bee deceiued faith that comprehendeth things inuisible doth not feele the want of sense For it transcendeth the bounds euen of humane reason the vse of nature and the limits of experience Learne to account that for more certaine to follow that more safely which faith shall perswade thee of Touch me not for I am not yet ascended to my Father is as if he had said he would then be touched by faith Besides the sure and viue testimony of faith we haue the attestation of Gods holy Spirit the testimony whereof is no lesse infallible than it is most euident in the heart of euery true beleeuer This holy Spirit assureth all those that beleeue in Christ and belong to him both of their election and perseuerance This Spirit witnesseth to our spirits that wee are the Sonnes of God that 's for our election and adoption and the Apostle addes If sonnes then also heires yea coheires with Christ of his Kingdome that 's for our perseuerance This Spirit sealeth all beleeuers and is the earnest of our inheritance Till when Euen vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glory that is vntill the consummation of all our blessednesse in and with Christ. Therefore is the Holy Ghost the seale and earnest euen of our perseuerance vnto glory This Spirit is that Annointing whereof Saint Iohn speaketh The annointing which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you And againe Hereby wee know that hee abideth in vs by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs. And againe Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and hee in vs because hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit The Pontificians and Vega by name being consciously conuict and pressed with these cleare euidences are faine to flye to most miserable shifts and euasions Forsitan c. saith Vega * Perhaps it appeareth more probable that eyther Saint Iohn spake these things of himselfe onely and his fellow-Apostles or else that hee speakes not here of the mansion and habitation of the Spirit in some particular persons but of his generall residence in the Church Yea moreouer saith hee that testimony whereby Paul proueth that the faithfull doe not vnfitly call God Father as wee call him in the Lords Prayer is not any inward testimony whereby the Holy Ghost doth testifie to euerie righteous man that hee is absolutely the Sonne of God by grace but this testimony forsooth is that glorious and most excellent testimony whereby the Holy Ghost by admirable signes and wonders and peculiarly by his visible descending Acts 2. hath openly testified to all the world that they are the Sonnes of God which did receiue the Faith of Christ and his Baptisine But to assay to answer these Pontifician Peraduentures and seeming Probabilities what were it else but to goe about to shape a coate for the Moone Such lunaticke interpretations such miserable tergiuersations such slye euasions such absurd and senselesse shifts such false and profane glosses deserue no other answer than to be hissed and exploded out of euery common Schoole yea whipped also and lashed out of Gods Sanctuary for such their monstrous and shamelesse profanation of the sacred Truth FINIS Bellarmin de Iustif. l. 1. c. 4. Act. 19. Hist. Conâ— Trid. lib. â— Concil Trid. Seâ—â— 6. Proem cap. 2. 5. 7. Beâ—n Serm. â—â— Clerum Et super Cant. Serm. 33. See Bulla Pii super confirmatione Conâ— Trid. super Forma iuramenti profesâ—â—nis fidei a Luke 2â— â—1 Amb. de fide l. 1. c. 8. Hier. ad Ctesiph de libero arbitr contra Pelag. Ep. 3. Concil Trid. Ses. 6. cap. 5. Ibid. cap. 6. Free-will the mother of Romes preparatory workes Vega lib. 6. de preparatione adultorum ad Iustif. cap. 12. * Per â—am paenitentiam Which I translate Penance according to the vsuall and vulgar language of their Rhemes Testament nor haue they any other repentance but Penance Can. 1. Biel dist 14. lib. 3. â—uâ—st 2. Aqu. 72. qu. 114 art 3. c. 6. c. Aqu. 12 qu. 114 a. 6. c. quian homo c. The vanity and incongruitie of Popish preparation Concil Trid. Ses. 6. cap. 6. Aqu. 12. quaest 114. art 7. c. * This Councell speakes of a former and later grace but names them not Ses. 4. cap. 5. Concil Trin. Ses. 6. Can. 5. a Hoctè Richardus de statu inter hom cap. 12. Cum audis liberum arbitrium esse captiuum nihil aliud intellige quà m infirmum natiuae potestatis virtute priuatum Andr. Vega lib. 15. de vera ficta iustif cap. 4. Concil Trin. Ses. 6. cap. 5. Prima gratia seu gratia grâ—tis data secunda gratia seu gratia gratum faciens Romes first and second grace Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 3. 6. Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 5. ad 2. Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 3. c. Vega de meritis ex Congruo iustif cap. 7. Ibid. propos 3. A notable Pontifician shift Ibid propos 4. Fides alia bona opera quibus disponimur ad gratiam gratum facientem qua formaliter iustificamur fimus accepti Deo meritoria suntex Congruo eiusmodi gratiae nostrae iustificationis Soto de nat grat lib. 2. cap. â— de merito ex congruo What the ancient Fathers vnderstood by the word Merit August Aug de tempore â—er 35. * Greg. in Euang hom 34. * See Histor. Concil Trid. lib. 2. Pontificians can with facility reconcile flat contradictions Si quis dixerit hominem suis operibus quae vel per humanae naturae vires vel per legis doctrinam fiant absque diuina per Iesum Christum gratia posse iustificari coram Deo Anathema sit Can. 1. Ioâ— Sarisbur in Polychron lib. 6 cap. 4. Greg. Past. Curae pars 3. admon 33. Qui morbum suum nescit quomodo medicum quaerit maior enim quò citiùs quia sit culpa agnoscitur eo etiam celeriùs emendatur minor verò dum quasi nulla creditur eò peiùs securiùs in vsu retinetur a Rom. 7. 18. b Gen. 6. c Rom. 7. 13. Ses. 6. Can. 7. Si quis dixerit opera omnia quae ante iustificationem fiunt quac unque ratione facta sunt verè esse peccata vel â—dium Dei mereri c. Anathema sit a Pelagians Pontificians compared together b Aug. contra Pelagianos lib. 3. in fine tom 7. Aug. contra Iul. Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3. tom 7. Obiection Answer Why Romes doctrine of preparation is hereticall antichristian To receiue Christ is to beleeue in
Spirit of zeale and piety vpon all the Ministers of thy Word and Sacraments especially vpon the reuerend Arch-Bishops Bishops that standing in the place of Pillars in thy Temple of the salt of the earth of the light of the world they may strongly support thy true Religion season and lighten those places which are dark and vnsauory and all for want of faithfull Ministers thus shall they highly magnifie their office and discharge their stewardship by prouiding and sending painfull labourers into euery corner of thy field Inspire and inflame them Lord with that zeale of thine own wherewith thou didst purge thy Temple from profane merchandize that so they may with the whip-cords of sound Doctrine and wholesome Discipline chase out of thy Church all Herefie and Idolatry Why should the world O Lord complaine and cry Where is the spirit of those aâ—cient Bishops and Martyrs and 〈…〉 Champions of thy truth as of Cranmer â—â—â—mer Hooper Bucer Peter Martyr Iewel and other faithfull witnesses whose eyther bloud hath beene the seed or preaching and writing the watering of this thy noble Vineyard O keepe farre from vs the spirit of cowardise and lukewarmnesse of ambition and loue of the world lest these infeebling and infatuating our soules wee should proue a generation of peruerse and foolish children pulling downe what our religious fore-fathers with such care and paines mature iudgement and sound knowledge in the truth haue built Stirre vp O Lord the noble hearts of the two honourable Chancellors of our Vniuersities that with the ayde of soueraigne authority they may zealously set themselues to preserue those Fountaines and Nurceries from the mudde of Heresie and the bitter root of Impiety Infuse the spirit of courage zeale vprightnesse and hatred of couetousnesse in aboundance vpon all the reuerend Iudges and Iustices of the Land that they may duely execute the Lawes by freeing the poor innocent from the potent oppressor by cutting downe sinne and cutting off the traiterous ring-leaders to Idolatry Thus thy Church being purged Iustice executed Religion maintained sinne reformed our Couenant with thee renewed our vowes of better obedience and thankfulnesse performed and we through thy merits reconciled to thy Father of mercies thou the great Captaine and Lord of Hosts mayst againe take thy peoples part turne the edge of thy Sword against thine enemies and fill our mouthes with a new song of praise thankâ—giuing to thee which sittest vpon the Throne with the Father and the Holy Ghost God blessed for euer Amen The Preface to the Reader CHristian Reader loe here the two great mysteries laid open the one of Godlinesse the summe where of is Christ beleeued on in the World the other of Iniquity the head whereof is Antichrist beleeued on of the World Two Mysteries incompatible as light and darknesse They are the two bounders disterminating Ierusalem from Babylon This Mysterie of iniquity I meane the Romish doctrine of Iustification is the head-doctrine or source whence all their meritorious satisfactions doe flow And Bellarmine with other Pontificians confesseth Iustification to bee the maine Cardo or hinge whereon hangeth the whole body of controuersies betweene them and the Pretestants Nor was it for nothing that the Councell of Trent so improued all their skill and strength to oppose and oppresse the true Catholicke doctrine of Iustification as whereby the Papall magnificence and the gaine of the Romish Craftsmen for their Diana was endangered So that this their Abortiue was a hatching for seuen moneths so long was this Babylonish Raâ—â—â—â— wherewith they would force heauen gates a hammering in the Trent-forge so as the History noteth that the most expert in the Church affirmed That if all the 〈…〉 assembled from the Apostles times to that were summed vp together they could not make vp so many Articles as the Trent-Fathers had amassed together in this one sixt Session of that Synod the best part whereof also they were beholden to Aristotle for And no maruaile they were so puzzled for they were to encounter sundry difficulties as first the euidence of Scriptures secondly the concent of ancient Fathers thirdly the powerfull preaching and writings of Luther fourthly the dissent of their Schoolemen and fiftly the diuision of the Councell it selfe some being Thomists some Scotists some Dominicans some Franciscans To satisfie and reconcile all which was more than an Herculean labour But what could be difficult to the Papall Omnipotencie who could send his holy Ghost post from Rome to Trent in a Cloake-bagge which loosed all knots and decided all doubts Nor had the Pope wanting in that Councell the most pregnant wits in the Pontifician world beâ—â—aes a numerous multitude of new titular Bishops as titular for learning as liuing to lay on load of down right voyces to conclude and ratifie whatsoeuer the Pope with his Cardinals in their Conclaue at Rome and his dextrous instruments in the Councell had with no lesse sweat than artifice contriued For the first maine obstacle the euidence of Scripture they are faine to collegue and speake it faire and borrow from it certaine broad Phylacteries wouen with Scripture phrases wherewith the Babylonish where partly decks her shamelesse forehead and partly adornes the cobwebbe Robe of her counterfeit selfe-Iustification as Coelestis Pater Iesus Christ the Sun of righteousnesse the author and finisher of our faith The Father of mercies and God of all consolation sent his sonne to redeeme Iewes and Gentiles and that all might receiue adoption of sonnes Him hath God sent forth to be apropitiation for our sinnes in his bloud for this Redemption we ought to giue thanks And ch 7. The Meâ—itorious cause of our Iustification is our Lord Iesus Christ c. O holy Councell Will any suspect the Serpent to lurke vnder such flowers of Paradise Or that they goe about to betray Christ with Hâ—yle Master But in this their profound hypocrisie lyeth the whole Mysterie of Iniquity Sitamen hypocrisis dici debet quae iam latere prae abundantia non valet prae impudentiâ non quaerit as Bernard saith of Romes Clergy in his time If that may be called hypocrisie which neither for the abundancy of it can nor for the impudencie of it cares to conceale it selfe Thus by egregious hypocrisie Arrius deluded the Councell of Nice confessing Christ to be God of God yet denyed his consubstâ—ntiality with the Father Thus the second Councell of Nice summoned to decree the erection and veneration of Images makes a goodly Preface giuing thankes to God that they were deliuered from Idols Thus Augustine confesseth how he was seduced by the Manichaean hypocrisie Thus dealeth the Trent Councell And besides her hypocrisie her impudencie displayes it selfe while in this Councell Rome alters the Rule of Faith addes her Traditions Decretals and Canons as a party and equall rule with Scripture guelds the Scriptures of their masâ—uline authoritie and genuine sense closing vp all in the Cabinet of the Popes breast where
Apostle elegantly saith were while in the state of sinne free from righteousnesse Christ therfore was so made sinne for vs as that he was reputed yea and iudged as a sinner as Esay saith He was numbred with the transgressours and hee bare the sinne of many Now that Christ is said to bee made sin in the abstract and we to be made righteousnesse in the abstract not righteous in the concrete as Logicians speake Lyra saith Ideo in abstracto dicitur iustitia Dei vt efficeremur perfecte iusti We are said to be made the righteousnesse of God in the abstract that is perfectly iust And that is wee are made iust but relatiuely in respect to Christ as he was made sinne but relatiuely in respect of vs we are made the righteousnesse of God in him as hee was made sinne for vs and in vs to wit in our person as wee haue said so he is called The Lord our righteousnesse Yet true it is that Christ might be said to be made sinne to wit the sacrifice for sinne though not so properly in this place But if Papists will wrangle and wring out this sense from this place because the Glosse saith so let them remember that as Lyra's Glosse saith As we are made perfectly iust by Christ so was he made a perfect sacrifice for vs to free vs both à culpa poena from the fault and the penaltie and not a lame sacrifice or imperfect to free vs onely à culpae but not à poena as Papists say reseruing the punishment for their purgatorie But of this hereafter Howsoeuer if they will needes take sinne there for the sacrifice for sinne yet Christ was so the sacrifice for sinne as must necessarily imply the imputation of our sinnes vpon his person But enough of this place which one place is enough to proue the formall cause of our iustification to be the righteousnesse of Christimputed vnto vs. It followeth therefore that the formall cause of our iustification that which makes vs truely iust in the sight of God yea before Gods iudgement seate is the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs and that no otherwise than our sinnes were imputed to him whereby hee was made a malefactor not by hauing our sinnes in him but vpon him He bore our sinnes vpon him saith Peter So Esay Hee bare the sinnes of many and was numbred with the transgressors Hee is the truth of the type of those two goates Leuit. 16. the one slaine the other let goe figuring the humanity the slaine Goate and the diuinity of Christ the scape Goate or the slaine Goate the death of Christ and the scape Goate his resurrection For he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification which his rising againe from the dead is liuely shadowed in the scape Goat on which Aaron put both his hands confessed ouer him all the iniquities of the children of Israel putting them vpon the head of the Goate sending him away by the hand of a fit man into the wildernesse where those sinnes should neuer be seene more vers 21. Hee was that Ioshua the high Priest our Iesus or Iehoshua and high Priest who offering himselfe vpon the Crosse was clothed in filthy garments euen with the menstruous cloth of our sinnes imputed vnto him or imposed vpon him As Chrysostome applies that place to Christ that we might be clad in the glorious robes of his righteousnesse put vpon vs As the ordinary Glosse vpon this place saith excellently Iesus est indutus sordidis vestibus quiae qui peccatum non fecit pro nobis peccatum factus est Sed haec sordida vestis est ei ablata cum nostra deleuit peccata vt quia ille sordidis indutus est vestibus nos resurgentes in eo semper candida habeamus vestimenta Iesus hath filthie rayment put vpon him because he that did no sinne was made sinne for vs. But this filthy rayment was taken from him when he had cancelled our sinnes that because he was attired in filthy rayment we rising againe in him may alwayes haue white garments vpon vs. That we as Iacob being cladde in the sweete smelling robes of our elder brother Christ might bee accounted as a field which the Lord hath blessed and so receiue the blessing of the birth-right in our elder brothers name As the type is very pregnant to this purpose whereupon Ambrose saith thus Iacob primogeniturae benedictionem obtinuit veste fratris maioris natu indutus â—ic vestis Christi optimum odorem spirat c. Iacob clothed in the garment of his elder brother obtained the blessing of the birth-right so the garment of Christ doth yeeld a fragrant smell c. And againe Quod Isaac odorem vestium â—lfecit fortasse illud est quia non operibus iustificamur sed fide quoniam carnalis infirmit as operibus impedimento est sed fidei clarit aâ— factorum obumbrat errorem quae meretur venianâ— delâ—ctorum That Isaac smelled the odour of the garments haply it is to signifie that we are not iustified by workes but by faith because carnall infirmity is an impediment to workes but the glory of faith doth shadow the errour of our workes and procureth pardon of our sinnes The conuert Prodigall had the fatte Calfe slaine for him and the best robe put vpon him Euery sinner is this Prodigall yea that beleeuing repenting theefe hanging vpon the Crosse as Saint Augustine compares them together Iesus Christ is the fatte Calfe killed for vs his righteousnesse is that best robe put vpon vs. So St. Augustine applyeth it Proferat hic pater stolam illam primam induat filium immortalitate quem secum videt in cruce pendentem mactet vitulum saginatum hominem illum susceptum etiam pro latronibus crucifixum Let the father bring forth that best robe let him clothe his sonne with immortality whom he seeth crucified with Christ let him kill the fatte Calfe that man taken and crucified euen for theeues And the ordinary Glosse saith Adduâ—ite vitulam id est pradicate Christum mortem eius insinuate Bring forthe the fat Calfe that is preach Christ and put men in minde of his death Nor is that an obscure type of Christ clothing vs with his righteousnesse which wee finde Gen. 3. 21. where the Lord God doth make coates of akinnes and therewith clotheth the man and the woman No doubt of skinnes of beasts sacrificed types of Christ. The Scripture it selfe leades vs to this construction so often mentioning the putting on of Christ as Gal. 3. 26. 27. Being by faith in Iesus Christ made the children of God and such saith the Apostle haue put on Christ. Now what is it to put on Christ but to make him wholly ours As the king of Babel is said to put on Egypt as a garment in token that it was become wholly his Ier. 43. 12. Christ standing before Pilate to be iudged as he
wilt say then the branches were broken off that I might bee graffed in Well because of their vnbeleefe they were broken off and thou standest by faith And againe ver 23. If the Iewes abide not still in vnbeleefe they shall bee graffed into the true Oliffe tree that is into Christ againe If they abide not still in vnbeleefe implying if they beleeue they shall be re-ingraffed so that faith is the instrumentall meane of our ingraffing into Christ of our vniting with him Whereupon Augustine saith Quam insertionem Oleastri amputatis propter infidelitatis superbiam naturalibus ramis etiam ipse Dominus in Euangelio praedixit occasione illius Centurionis qui in eum ex Gentibus credidit significans inseri Oleastrum propter humilitatem fidei Which ingraffing of the wilde Oliffe the naturall branches for their proud infidelity being cut off the Lord himselfe foretold in the Gospell by occasion of that Centurion who of the Gentiles beleeued in him signifying the implanting of the wilde Oliffe for his humble faith Thus we see vpon what ample proofes and testimonies this truth standeth that by faith wee are vnited vnto Christ. Now because our vnion with Christ is a doctrine of singular vse setting forth the nature and excellency of our Iustification by Christ and wherein we put on and possesse Christ our righteousnesse therefore wee esteeme it fit to bee treated of in an intire Chapter by it selfe CHAP. VIII Of the nature and kinde of the vnion betweene Christ and the faithfull and of the fruits and effects arising from the same VNion is a making of many into one Now there are sundry kindes of vnion there is a consubstantiall vnion as Bernard cals it in the diuinity but this so transcendent as it may be called rather vnity than vnion and rather one than vnity The Father the Word and the Spirit these three are one 1. Ioh. 5. 7. and Christ saith I and the Father are one not wnited but one Ioh. 10. 30. So that this vnion in the diuinity this vnity this one hath no parallel As Bernard saith speaking of some other vnions Haec omnia quid ad illud summum atque vt ita dicam vnicè vnum vbi vnitatem consubstantialitas facit All other vnions what are they to that one supreame and as I may so say that onely one where consubstantiality makes the vnity And super Cantica serm 71. Singularis ac summa illa est vnitas quae non vnitione constat sed extat aeternitate That is the most singular and excellent vnity which consists not by vnition but existeth by eternity There is also a personall vnion and that is of the two natures in Christ which Bernard cals dignatiua vnitas qua limus noster à Dei verbo â—â—vnam assumptus est personam a vouchsafing or gracious vnity whereby the word of God vouchsafed to assume our slimie nature into the vnity of his person There is a Sacramentall vnion between the signe and the thing signified in the Sacraments There is a naturall or animall vnion of the soule and body in man There is an accidentall vnion betweene the mind and learning found in a learned man There is an artificiall vnion betweene the hand and the instrument as when the work is predicated of or denominated of them both ioyntly as a carued worke implies both the hand and toole wherewith it was wrought There is a morall vnion between two friends as Dauid and Ionathan There is a ciuill vnion between the Prince and the People There is an vnion of dependency betweene the Creature and the Creator for in him wee liue and moue and haue our being Acts 17. 28. Finally to passe by others there is a spirituall and mysticall vnion betweene Christ and beleeuers which is called spirituall especially from the principall efficient of it the Spirit of God and of Christ as the Apostle declareth 1. Cor. 12. 13. By one spirit are we all baptized into one mysticall body of Christ. Now this spirituall vnion between Christ the beleeuer as it comes short of that first transcendent vnion in the sacred Trinity in vnity so it doth as farre excell all those other vnions yet so as it seemeth to partake in some thing of them all For first concerning that stupendious and wondrous vnion in the diuine Hypostaces or Persons our vnion with Christ is resembled to it as Ioh. 17. 20. 21. Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall beleeue on mee through their word that they may all be one as thou Father art in mee and I in thee that they also may be one in vs. And Ioh. 14. 20. At that day ye shall know that I am in the Father and you in mee and I in you Yea Christ and his beleeuers are so vnited in one in one mysticall body as Christ and they are called one Christ 1. Cor. 14. 12. So is Christ that is Christ and all his members being there compared to one body compacted of many members So is Christ saith the Apostle So then as the Father is in the Sonne and the Sonne in the Father one God so beleeuers are in Christ and Christ in beleeuers one Christ. So that the vnion betweene the Father and the Sonne and betweene Christ and vs seemeth to be alike It is somewhat like indeede but nothing alike for the Father and Christ are one so is Christ and the beleeuer one but yet in different respects The Father and the Sonne are one but essentially and naturally Christ and the beleeuer are one not essentially nor naturally but are made so by grace as Ioh. 17. 23. That they may be made perfect in one So 2. Pet. 1. 4. We are made partakers of the diuine nature by gift And as Bernard saith Hanc vnitatem non tam essentiarum cohaerentia facit quam continentia voluntatum This vnity is wrought not so much by the coherency of essences as by the correspondency and nearenesse of wils And againe Homini Deo sua cuique natura substantia est cum Patris Filijque constet penituâ— esse vnam In the vnion betweene God and man each of them notwithstanding retaine their nature and substance proper to themselues buâ— the Father and the Sonne haue both one and the same substance So that in our vnity with God in Christ there is not confusio naturarum sed voluntatum consensio not a confusion of natures but a consent of wils Secondly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not an hypostaticall or personall vnion such as is betweene the two natures in Christ but it is mysticall onely and such as maketh the beleeuer in Christ to be with him one Christ yet not personally but spiritually mystically as 1. Cor. 6. 17. He that is ioyned vnto the Lord is one spirit Thirdly this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer is not that Sacramentall vnion between the signe and the thing signified sith the signe
flesh I liue by the faith of the Sonne of God who loued mee and gaue himselfe for mee Here is true loue indeede where the soule is not where it liueth but where it loueth And between these friends all things are most freely common He partakes of our flesh we of his spirit Hee of our nature we of his grace He of our infirmities we of his perfections He of our pouerty we of his riches yea Hee of our sinnes which hee bare vpon the Tree wee of his righteousnesse the best Robe He is called the sonne of man we the Sonnes of God He the Lord our righteousnesse and we the Lord our righteousnesse yea He and we one Christ. O incomparable communion O incomprehensible vnion Neuer such an immediate intercourse and community betweene friends And this not for a day or a yeare or for terme of life but for life without terme For as Christs loue to his is from euerlasting so it is to euerlasting it is without beginning and therefore without ending Ioh. 13. 1. So that of this loue betweene Christ and his faithfull friends and brethren we may sing the Psalme of Dauid the burthen whereof is principally the loue between Christ and his brethren Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in vnity It is like the precious oyntment vpon the head that ran downe vpon the beard euen Aarons beard and went downe to the skirts of his garments As the deaw of Hermon and as the deaw that descended vpon the mountaines of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing euen life for euermore This Psalme is a mirrour and cleare type of that vnion and communion of grace betweene Christ and the faithfull Behold therefore it is Christ that maketh his faithfull ones to dwell together in vnitie to bee of one minde in the house of God Psalme 68. 6. He it is that perswades Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem the Gentiles to become one Family with the Iew vnder Christ that one head whose type was Aaron From him our head our high Priest flowes downe the oyle of grace vpon vs vnto the skirts of his clothing euen vpon vs whose nakednesse hee hath couered with the skirts of the robes of his righteousnesse of whose fulnesse wee haue all receiued and grace for grace His head is full of the dew of grace distilling vpon the barren Mountaines of his Sion his Church and chosen to poure a blessing vpon it and there to giue life for euermore Such is the vnion betweene Christ his faithfull ones farre passing the loue betweene dearest friends euen that betweene Ionathan and Dauid passing the loue of women Eightly nor is this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer a ciuill vnion such as is betweene the King and the Subiect for alas to what dis-vnion and diuision is this subiect too especially where the Pope is Lord Paramount whenas eyther his roaring Buls of excommunication and deposition of Kings or the poysoned steellettoes or pistols of his all-daring brats doe euen teare the head from the body as too lamentable experience hath proued True it is that Christ is our King and we his seruants hee commands vs wee obey him he is our Princely head we his members but his commandements are not grieuous his yoke is easie and his burden light He hath lightened the burden and sweetened the yoke vnto vs by both hauing borne the grieuousnesse and bitternes of it himselfe alone and for the remnant hee both beares it with vs and giues vs strength to beare it yea he hath so loued vs and so shed his loue abroad in our hearts by his holy Spirit giuen vnto vs that as hee can neuer deny vs the grace and protection of a louing Prince so hee hath giuen vs grace neuer to deny him our most humble homage and louing obedience So that neuer was there such a strait bond betweene Prince and People as betweene Christ and the Beleeuer Ninthly this vnion betweene Christ and the Beleeuer is not a coniugall vnion such as is betweene a man and his wife although this be a mysticall resemblance whereby Christ setteth forth his vnion with vs. For this Coniugall vnion suffereth dissolution and death giues the Suruiuer libertie to marry a new mate Not so with Christ and his Spouse This is a band indissoluble The marriage band is but during this life it holds not in heauen for there they neither marry nor are giuen in marriage but this with Christ suffereth no diuorse but death is a degree to the full consummation of it Also the man and the wife are but one flesh but Christ and the beleeuer one spirit In a word this vnion betweene Christ and the Beleeuer is not the vnion of dependency as between the Creature the Creator for this is common to all the Creatures who haue their being life and sustentation in a dependency from the Creator his raine showreth and his sunne shineth vpon the good and euill vpon the iust and the vniust indifferently All depend and waite vpon thee saith Dauid and thou giuest them their meate in due season when thou openest thine hand they are filled with good when thou withdrawest their breath they returne to their dust But the vnion betweene Christ and his although it be an vnion of dependency wherein the Beleeuers eternall well-beeing hath a necessary dependance on Christ yet this dependance is proper and peculiar to the faithfull and not common with any other Creature vnlesse with the elect Angels who depend vpon Christ for the perpetuation of their happinesse So that the faithfull haue their dependance on Christ not onely as their Creator being the eternall Word common with other Creatures but chiefly as their Redeemer and Sauiour proper to them only and that not only for the supply of things temporall but much more of graces spirituall and glory eternall Thus by shewing what kinde of vnion this between Christ and the Beleeuer is not wee come to see the more cleerely what it is The Scripture also setteth forth this vnion by sundry similitudes especially foure as betweene a house and the foundation betweene the vine and the branches or the oliue roote and the tree betweene the man and the wife betweene the head and the members What more neare the foundation and building make one house the vine and branches one tree the man and wife one flesh the head and members one body So Christ and the beleeuer are one spirit Being vnited to Iesus our head hee becomes the Sauiour of vs his body Ephes. 5. 23. Beeing vnited to Christ wee are annoynted with all his titles and graces we are made Kings and Priests to God his Father Beeing vnited to this foundation we become liuing stones growing vp to an holy Temple in the Lord. Being vnited to this Vine this Oliue we partake of the sweetnesse of the one and of the fatnesse of the other Being
Abraham is iustified so euery sonne of Abraham to wit euery beleeuer is iustified namely by faith and not by workes Now was not beleeuing Abraham a regenerate person Did he not bring forth many fruits of faith many good workes of charity piety mercy hospitality obedience humility and the like yet none of these come within the account of his iustification in the sight of God For to him that worketh not but beleeueth on him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Therefore though the Pontificians would neuer so faine foist and croud in by head and shoulders their workes comming after faith whereby they may be iustified yet they are all thrust out by the Apostle as those workers were shut out of Heauen by Christ Mat. 7. 22. 23. except they could either bring the Text within the compasse of their Index expurgatorius as they haue done the glosse and sentences of Fathers in the like kind or proue Abraham an vnregenerate person or force the Apostle to say that though Abraham were not iustified by workes but by faith yet Abraham was iustified first by faith and then by workes Yea but say they although Paul make no mention of Abrahams iustification by workes yet Iames another Apostle saith plainly Was not Abraham our father iustified by works when he had offered Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Therefore Abraham was iustified not onely by faith but by works also Therefore to loose this Gordian knot wherein the Pontificians so much triumph wee will vse no other sword not Alexanders but the sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God to cut it asunder At the first sight Paul and Iames seeme to be at great oddes the one ascribing iustification to faith without workes the other to faith and workes In both the Pontificians vnderstand one and the same iustification in kinde but to differ only in degree or order as Pauls iustification to be the first and that of Iames the second but both iustifying in the sight of God But we shall finde it far otherwise namely that these two Apostles doe speak of two different iustifications differing not in degree or order but in kinde and quality So that Paul speakes of that iustification whereby a man stands iust in the presence of God which is attributed to faith and not to workes at all and Iames of another iustification namely of a testification of a mans faith declaring a man to be a true beleeuer by good workes which are the proper fruits and effects of sauing and iustifying faith For if Iames should-vnderstand by being iustified by faith and workes together such a iustification as makes a man iust in the sight of God then he should directly crosse his fellow-Apostle who shuts out all workes from hauing any thing to doe in our iustification in Gods sight For Paul saith Rom 4. 2. If Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God But Iames saith Abraham was iustified by workes therefore this iustification of Abraham by workes was not that iustification which makes a man to reioyce before God to wit the iustification by faith which Paul directly opposeth to iustification by workes Rom. 4. Now that Iames speaketh of iustification by workes and not by faith onely as vnderstanding a testification and demonstration of sound and sauing faith is euident by the whole passage of his second Chapter where the Apostle exhorting to workes of mercy and charity and meeting with false professors that turned the grace of God into wantonnesse professing they had faith but made no conscience of a Christian conuersation to testifie the truth and life of their faith by good workes hereupon he inferreth ver 14. What doth it profit my brethren though a man say hee hath faith and haue no workes can the faith saue him No that faith which is without workes is dead and cannot saue a man Yea such a faith is no better than that of Diuels Well yet thou saist thou hast faith But there is as well a dead faith as a liuing faith a faith common with Diuels as a faith proper to beleeuers a sauing faith as a deceiuing faith Shew mee therefore whether thou hast that-liuing sauing faith of true beleeuers or no. It is not enough to say thou hast this faith vnlesse thou canst proue it It is one thing to say it another to haue it Now the proofe of it is by the fruits of it to wit good workes as the tree is knowne by the fruits For the liuing sauing Faith is not an idle but an operatiue working Faith it is a Faith euer working by loue Therefore as the man saith to his Neighbour vers 18. Thou hast Faith and I haue workes shew me thy Faith without thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes In which words the Apostle puts a plaine difference betweene a dead and a liuing faith which yet we are not able to iudge of or to discerne one from another but by good workes and so speakes here of no other iustification by workes but only such as is declaratiue or demonstratiue in the sight of men as it is said here Shew me thy Faith by thy workes So that wee see here how it is the Apostles drift to discouer the true sauing liuing Faith from a false counterfeit and dead faith which notwithstanding vaine professors so much glory of Hereupon the Apostle instanceth the Faith of Abraham and Rahab which was proued to bee a liuing and sauing Faith by the fruits and effects of it Note the Apostles Context seriously and with iudgement In the 20. vers Wilt thou know O vaine man that Faith without workes is dead Was not Abraham our father iustified by workes when hee had offered Isaac his sonne vpon the Altar Seest thou how Faith wrought with his workes and by workes was Faith made perfect And the Scripture was fulfilled which saith Abraham beleeued God and it was imputed vnto him for righteousnesse and he was called the friend of God Ye see then how that by workes a man is iustified and not by Faith onely First Faith without workes is dead But Abraham was iustified by Faith But by what Faith Was it a liuing and sauing Faith that Abraham had Yes How doth that appeare By his workes euen by the workes of Faith which gaue testimony to his Faith that it was a liuing sauing and iustifying Faith for by workes his Faith was made perfect not that his workes added any being of perfection to his Faith but by way of demonstration and testimony onely As we haue the like phrase in Matth. 21. 16. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfited praise not that Gods praise and glory receiued any addition of perfection by the mouth of those babes but onely in respect of the promulgation and declaration of his praise So here As also the Apostle inferreth in the next words vers 23. Thus the Scripture
they are iustified how can this Faith bee in the Diuels or Damned And St. Augustine to the same purpose speaking of Peters Faith proper to the Elect saith Dic quae fides Quae per dilectionem operatur Hanc daemones non habent fidem quae per dilectionem operatur sed soli serui Dei soli Sancti Dei soli fide filij Abrahae soli filij dilectionis filij promissionis ideo est charitas dicta Tell me what faith had Peter That which worketh by loue This faith which worketh by loue the Deuils haue not but only Gods seruants only Gods saints onely the sonnes of Abraham by faith onely the sonnes of loue the sonnes of the promise therefore it is called also charity Note here how St. Augustine puts a distinct difference between that kinde of Faith of Gods saints which is neuer separated from charity but alwayes working by loue and that in the Deuils and damned which is not capable of charity no more than the Salamander of heat Discernenda est ergo fides Daemonum à fide Sanctorum Plane discernenda vigilanter diligenter Therfore saith he the faith of the Diuels is to be discerned from the faith of the Saints Yea it is to be heedfully and carefully discerned Yea the whole current of ancient Fathers runne mainly to proue that sauing and iustifying Faith is a Faith proper to the Elect and Saints of God and meerely distinct in kind and nature from that faith which is common with reprobates and deuils Hence it is that they giue sauing and iustifying Faith such Epithets and Attributes as doe distinguish it from the faith which is in the reprobate and damned As they call it Sancta integra vera viua non reproba fides c. A holy intire true liuing not a reprobate faith Origen saith Certum est quod remissionem peccatorum nullus accipiat nisi detulerit integram probam sanctam fidem per quam mercari possit Arietam cuius natura haec est vt peccata credentis abstergat It is certaine that none can receiue remission of sins vnlesse he bring an entire godly and holy faith wherewith he may buy the Ramme the nature whereof is this to take away the sins of the beleeuer And againe Si fidem obtuleris tanquam precium hoc est Siclum sanctum Christo velut Ariete immaculato in hostiam dato remissionem accipies peccatorum If thou shalt offer thy faith as a price that is the holy Sicle hauing Christ as an immaculate Ramme offered vp in sacrifice thou shalt receiue remission of sinnes This ancient Doctor of the Church cals faith a price as Peter cals it a precious faith Chrysostome vpon the third Chapter to the Romanes saith What is the Law of Faith To be saued by grace Hee declareth the power of God that not only he saueth but also iustifieth and glorifieth without the helpe of any workes but requiring only faith If therefore God do saue and iustifie and glorifie vs by faith without the helpe of any workes concurring in our iustification then surely wicked and godlesse men so remaining whatsoeuer other faith they may haue they haue nothing to doe with this iustifying Faith by which most properly we are called Fideles Theophylact saith Qui credit in Filium non iudicatur Nunquid si immundam egerit vitam non iudicatur Maximè quidem Non eâ—im verè fideles sunt eiusmodi Hee that beleeueth in the Son is not condemned But if a man leade an impure life is he not condemned Yes doubtlesse For such men are no true beleeuers St. Basil saith What is the property of a Christian Faith working by loue The Faith then of a Christian is not separate from loue for it is alwayes operans working by loue And the same Father addeth What is the property of Faith A ful perswasion without reasoning c. where the same Father sheweth other common properties of faith as it apprehends the truth of Gods Oracles and is true it selfâ— without adding or detracting Our Sauiours words in the third of Iohn v. 16. are very powerfull God so loued the world that he gaue his onely begotten Sonne that whosoeuer beleeueth in him should not perish but haue euerlasting life Whence issueth this conclusion Whosoeuer beleeueth in Iesus Christ shall neuer perish But wicked men by the confession of Pontificians although they beleeue do perish Therefore that faith or beleefe which wicked men haue is not that faith or beleefe in Christ which will not suffer any man to perish St. Augustine to this purpose vpon these words Credo in Deum c. saith Non dicit Credo Deum vel credo Deo quamuis haec necessaria saluti sint Aliud est enim credere illi aliud credere illum aliud credere in illum Credere illi est credere vera esse quae loquitur credere illum credere quia ipse est Deus credere in illum diligere illum Credere vera esse quae lâ—quitur multi malipossunt credere autem ipsum esse Deum Daemones possunt credere vero in Deum soli nouerunt qui diligunt illum qui non solum nomine Christiani sunt sed factis vita quia sine dilectione fides inanis est cum dilectione fides Christiani sine dilectione fides Daemonis I beleeue in God c. He saith not I beleeue that God is or I beleeue God although also these are necessarie to saluation For it is one thing to beleeu him another to beleeue that he is and another to beleeue in him To beleeue him is to beleeue those things are true which he speaketh to beleeue that he is is to beleeue that he is God or that God is to be beleeue in him or into him as the Scottish Dialect or Phrase doth more liuely expresse it is to loue him To beleeue those things to bee true which he speaketh euen many wicked men may doe it and to beleeue that God is euen the Diuels can also doe it but to beleeue in God they only can skill which doe loue him which are Christians not onely in name but also in their deeds and life because faith without loue is vaine with loue the faith of a Christian without loue the faith of Diuels So this holy Father As elsewhere throughout his workes he teacheth this as the Catholik doctrine constantly maintained in the Church of Christ That sauing and instifying faith is a faith meerely distinct and different in kinde and nature from that faith which is in wicked men and in Diuels cleane contrary to the Romane Catholicke doctrine as the like place we alledged before in the sixt Chapter out of his 29. Tract vpon St. Iohn And it is also vsed by the Glosse vpon Rom. 4. Vega citeth the place by way of obiection but leaues it vnanswered as we haue formerly shewed For indeede it is vnanswerable And therefore but only in that one place and that
only be iustified but also saued without the explicite or cleare and vnfolded Faith of Christ. Where note that they not onely exclude the necessity of a distinct Faith in Christ but also put a maine difference between iustification and saluation For a Pontifician may be iustified and yet not saued Vega addes his reason for saith hee although Christ bound all men to beleeue the Gospell when he commanded his Apostles that they should preach it throughout the whole world pronounced them damned that beleeued not yet seeing there may be an inuincible ignorance of the Gospell that is eyther for want of the meanes or by reason of a wicked and peruerse disposition as they say this shall be no impediment in this respect why they may not be both iustified and saued which shall obserue other naturall precepts Thus the Councell of Trent with her Pontificians deale with Faith and Iustification as Cheaters who when they play with Nouices doe so shuffle and packe the Cardes that they make the game sure on their owne side and all to cheate the other of his money So the Pontificians cheate their simple people of their siluer and soules too by shuffling the particular sauing faith in Christ with such sleight of hand in the whole pack of generall faith that they are sure neuer to rise sauers Well come wee now to shew the vanity of this generall faith by setting against it the speciall particular faith which Gods Word teacheth and requireth of euery one that is truly iustified and so consequently perfectly saued We haue spoken before sufficiently of the proper and speciall obiect of sauing faith to wit Iesus Christ the summe of the Gospell and the substance of all Gods promises Therefore we will now confine our speech to the specialty and particularity of sauing faith in respect of the common subiect of it to wit euery beleeuer in particular It is the Catholicke Doctrine of the holy Scriptures that euery beleeuer must haue a speciall particular proper faith of his owne yea a cleare explicite and vnfolded faith in Christ that hee is not onely the Redeemer of mankinde in generall nor onely that we may be saued by him but that euery one in particular doe beleeue Christ is his Redeemer and Sauiour This is the speciall property of sauing faith particularly to apply Christ with all Gods promises in him to my soule and thy soule The Scriptures are very pregnant for the proofe of this point both in the Law in the Prophets and in the New Testament In the Law this particular faith is shadowed vnto vs by three remarkable types one of the hand another of the 〈◊〉 and the third of the Sicle of the Sanctuary To which also we may adde the particular sacrifice which euery man was to bring for his owne sinne We will begin with the last In the Law euery man was to bring a particular sacrifice for his particular sinne Leuit. 4. 27. 28. If any of the common people sinne c. not onely the Priest as vers 3. nor onely the Congregation vers 13. but if any one of the common people sinne c. then hee shall bring What an offering in generall no hee shall bring his offering as a Kidde without blemish for his sinne which hee hath sinned Now this offering without blemish what was it but a liuely type of Christ as of the Lambe without spot as Peter speaketh who was offered vp and sacrifised for euery sinner beleeuing in particular For the further confirmation of this point in the second place euery man bringing his particular offering for his particular sinne was to lay his hand vpon his offering as Leuit. 4. 29. Thus the Priest must doe also vers 4. thus the whole Congregation must doe vers 15. All must lay their hands vpon their sacrifice Now what is meant by the hand but a particular faith in euery beleeuer apprehending and applying Christ to the taking away and purging of his sinne This we touched before in the point of imputation where wee shewed that the hand thus layed vpon the sacrifice was a figure of faith Origen applies the laying on of the hand to the imposing of our sinnes vpon Christ the true sacrifice Hence it was that together with the imposition of the hand the sinnes of the offendors were confessed ouer the sacrifice and put vpon the head thereof Leuit. 16. 21. So that this imposition of the hand as it did figure the laying of our sinnes vpon Christ whereby he became sinne for vs by imputation bearing them vpon him So also it was a reciprocall signification of the imputation and application of Christs righteousnesse to euery beleeuer whereby wee become the righteousnesse of God in him the hand of faith comming betweene laying our sinne vpon Christ our sacrifice and receiuing his righteousnesse vnto vs. Among the Hebrew Doctors Maimony saith of this impâ—sition of the hand or hands that deafe men fooles children seruants weomen the blinde and the stranger might not impose their hand vpon the sacrifice Now wee know that the deafe fooles and children are voyde of actuall faith seruants weomen blinde and strangers might be in a mysterie debarred and excluded for seruants were types of the seruants of sinne weomen wee know were denyed the vse of Circumcision they were not reckoned in the number of those sixe hundred thousand that came out of Egypt who were all men of warre types of Christs Souldiers who must be of a Masculine vertue And Abraham the Father of the faithfull is said in Scripture to beget sonnes but not daughters Abraham non genuit filias saith Origen But this was in a mysterie only as Melchisedechs birth and death are not mentioned in Scripture and that in a mystery The blinde were of the nature of the deafe and the strangers argued those that were aliens from the Common-wealth of Israel and strangers from the Couenants of promise as the Apostle speaketh Not that I meane these were denyed to haue any part in Gods Couenant but in a mystery and type onely as we haue said Also the same Rabbi saith that this imposition of the hand must be done by a mans self not by another as the iust man shall liue by his faith not by anothers faith Abac. 2. 4 It must bee done with all a mans might as Philip said to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thy heart And immediately vpon the imposition the sacrifice was slaine figuring our faith in Christs bloud Rom. 3. 2. 5. Origen compares faith to the figure of the hoâ—y Sicle Leuit. 3. Siclo sancto comparandus nobis est Christus qui peccata nostra dissoluat Siclus sanctus fidei nostrae formam tenet We must with the Sicle of the Sanctuary purchase vnto vs Christ who may take away our sinnes The holy Sicle is the figure of our faith for saith hee if thou shalt offer faith as a price Christ as it were the
which the authors themselues were carefull to commit to print vpon this argument would scarce beleeue how many things were discussed about this Article and with what ardency not onely of the Diuines but also of all the Bishops who were perswaded that their opinion was right that they had hit vpon the truth So that the Cardinall of St. Crosse saw that many had more neede of a bridle than of spurres and by frequent digressions from the purpose and passages to other questions he often would expresse his desire of putting an end to this controuersie It was twice propounded in the Synod of the Prelates to relinquish altogether this question as being ambiguous long and tedious yet affection bearing sway they fell backe vpon it againe Thus farre the History which though somewhat long yet I hope the Reader will not thinke it more tedious in the reading of it than I haue done in the inserting of it which I haue the rather done that it might the more appear how this point of certainty hauing on the one side euidence of truth to confirme it and on the other humane wit and affection to oppugne it did puzzle and perplexe the whole Synod and fill them full of vncertainties Wee see those reasons and authorities alledged by the aduerse faction who were for vncertainty very acutely and pregnantly answered by Catarinus and those with him Also whereas they catched here and there at some passages of the Fathers seeming to fauour their doctrine of vncertainty it is well noted by the History that the Fathers might sometimes by accommodating their exhortations to the people as the occasion required represse the insolency of such as were presumptuous and vainly confident in the assurance of their saluation howsoeuer they continued in sinne whereas the Fathers in their maine discourses of faith speake most clearely in the confirmation of the certainty of iustification as we shall see hereafter Come wee now to Vega's incounters with the certainty of faith he takes great paines to beate the ayre what with answering what with vrging arguments for his Pontifician Goddesse Vncertainty now an Article of Romes faith Hee vndertakes according to his rare dexterity to answer all opposites and to expound or moderate the meaning of such authorities as are alledged out of the Scriptures or Fathers making them by some pretty quaint distinction to speake iust as him listeth The first place he bringeth for his vncertainty is out of Iob 9. 20. If I iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne mee if I say I am perfect it shall also proue me peruerse Vega makes much adoe about this place fending and prouing but the very sight of the Text is sufficient to confute his folly in applying it to his vncertainty of iustification when as this place doth giue such a deadly wound to their iustification it selfe by their inherent righteousnesse which holy Iob here vtterly disclaimeth But doth Iob here vtter one syllable of the vncertainty of his faith in God his Sauiour and Redeemer Nay doth he not protest the contrary Though he slay mee yet will I trust in him And vers 18. Behold now I haue ordered my cause I know that I shall be iustified Who is he that will pleade with mee What clearer testimony could this holy man giue of his strong confidence and assurance of his iustification by faith in God So that I maruaile Vega would at all meddle with the example of Iob who throughout his booke is such a cleare mirrour of a true beleeuer whose faith is fortified with all confidence and assurance sauing that hee can easily impute Iobs certainty to a speciall reuelation and not to the property of faith But let not Vega with his iugling by casting a false myst think so easily to eclipse the clear beames of truth With the like successe he is tampering with Dauid and Salomon He alledgeth that of Dauid Who can vnderstand his errors Hereupon he inferreth if a man doe not know his sins how can he be sure of his iustification To this allegation we neede vse no other answer but Bernards exposition which Vega himselfe both obiecteth and takes vpon him to answer that these words of Dauid are vnderstood onely of veniall sinnes not of mortall This Vega confessing to be verisimile very probable and likely to be true yet answereth that seeing mortall sinnes are more truely and properly sinnes and do more defile the soule than veniall sinnes why should these words bee restrained onely to veniall sinnes I will not now enter into a discussion of veniall and mortall sinnes a distinction most grosly and impiously abused by the Pontificians but this I say that according to the iudgement of Pontificians of veniall sinnes they must needes confesse that these words of Dauid must bee meant onely of veniall sinnes that is such as the Pontificians call veniall The very word in the vulgar Latine will beare no other sense Delicta which signifieth slippes or errors or certaine defects and omissions such as the Pontificians ranke amongst their veniall sinnes But this place of Dauid makes nothing at all against certainty of faith For what if a man yea the holiest man if Dauid doe not know his sinnes his slippes and errors yet while he complaines hereof and confesseth them in generall vnto God praying O cleanse thou me from my secret faults what hindreth but that God cleansing him from all his faults should seale vnto him the certainty of the remission of all his sins apprehended by a liuely faith As Dauid saith in the 32. Psalme Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiuen and whose sinne is couered c. But how shall a man come to be certaine of this his blessednesse Dauid instanceth it in himselfe vers 5. I acknowledged my sinne vnto thee and mine iniquity haue I not hid I said I will confesse my transgressions vnto the Lord and thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne How did Dauid know that God had forgiuen his sinnes seeing he saith peremptorily Thou forgauest the iniquity of my sinne Did not Dauid know this by the certainty of faith Vega I know hath his answer at his fingers ends and will say that Dauid came to know this eyther by speciall diuine reuelation or else by Nathans pronouncing Dauids absolution saying The Lord hath put away thy sinne Yea but Dauid tels vs in the next words that this was not his case alone but it was common to euery godly man in particular For this saith Dauid shall euery one that is godly pray vnto thee in a time when thou mayst be found that is Euery godly man should haue the like comfortable successe vpon his repentance as Dauid had and say with confidence as Dauid did Thou forgauest the transgression of my sinne But Vega suspecting the strength of the Father's authority he addes thereto the Sonnes to wit Salomons Pro. 20. 9. Who can say I haue made my heart cleane I am pure from my sin Quis Who
Regnum Dei eorum ita certus est numerus vt nec addatur eis quisquam nec minuatur ex eis The number of them that are predestinate vnto the Kingdome of God is so certaine that neyther any can bee added vnto them nor diminished of them This is according to the truth of God 2. Tim. 2. 19. The foundation of God stands sure hauing this seale The Lord knoweth who are his If the Lord know who are his hee knoweth how many are his and if how many there is a certaine number of them else the Lords knowledge were vncertaine Christ saith also I know mine and am knowne of mine yea he calleth his owne sheepe by name Christ knoweth the certaine number of sheepe that belong vnto his fold And their names are inrolled in Heauen Heb. 12. 23. And Christ saith few are chosen in comparison of the residue And Pauperis est numerare pecus Christ the Shepheard can easily number his little flocke Yea hee that numbereth our haires doth he not number the persons of his elect Therefore the seruants of God are sealed in their fore-heads and the number of them is set downe of all the Tribes of Israel Reuel 7. Indeed in the 9. Verse a great multitude did Iohn see which no Man could number But they are certaine with God So the number of Gods elect is certaine as certaine to God as the number of the Starres of Heauen which God calleth all by their names So great is the Lord so great his power and his vnderstanding infinite Obiect But it may be obiected that election appertaineth to all indifferently as being left to euery ones choice For the Scripture saith that God would haue all men to be saued as 1. Tim. 2. 4. and Rom. 11. 33. God hath shut vp all in vnbeliefe that hee might haue mercy vpon all But these places proue not that Gods election belongeth to all for then the Scripture should bee opposite to it selfe which saith elsewhere That few are chosen But as St. Augustine well noteth this All is simply meant of all the Elect. As he saith Omnes â—ommes vult saluos fieri vt intelligantur omnes praedestinati quia omne genus hominum in eis est sicut dictum est Pharisaeis Decimatis omne olus Luc. 11. 42. vbi non intelligendum est nisi omne quod habebant that is God would haue all men to bee saued meaning all the predestinate because in them is all sorts of men as it was said to the Pharisees Yee tithe all kinde of herbes where we are not to vnderstand but all that they had As also St. Ambrose saith Quamuis magna pars hominum Saluantis gratiam repellat aut negligat in electiâ— tamen praesoitis atque ab Omnium generalitate discretis specialis quaedam câ—nsetur vniuersitas Pro parte mundi totus mundus pro parte hominum omnes homines nominâ—ntur Although a great part of men reiect or neglect the grace of the Sauiour yet a certaine speciall vniuersality is accounted in those that are elect and fore-knowne and separated from the generality of All. For a part of the world the whole world and for a part of men all men are named Next this certaine number is elected out of the corrupt masse of mankinde all corrupt in Adams loynes after his fall Therefore the elect are called vessels of mercy and mercy implyes misery Hence the Apostle very aptly compares the corrupt masse of mankinde to a lumpe of Potters clay and clay is nothing but dirt Also an example of Gods election we haue in Iacob and Esau in the same place Rom. 9. which two are set out as types of all mankinde Iacob of the Elect and Esau of the Reprobate Now to what time or condition had Gods act or purpose of separating these two one from the other speciall reference Namely while they were yet vnborne and before they had done good or euill that the purpose of God according to election might stand not of workes but of him that calleth it was said vnto her The elder shall serue the younger Iacob haue I loued but Esau haue I hated So that God did in his eternall purpose elect Iacob and reiect Esau in their Mothers wombe before they had actually done good or euill but not before they had both of them alike contracted the corruption of originall sinne in their Mothers wombe Hence it is that presently after mans fall Gen. 3. the Lord God first reuealeth the mysterie of his will in his eternall purpose towards mankinde in putting an enmity betweene the Serpents seed and the Womans seed both Angels and Men. The Serpents seede are the Reprobate a generation of Vipers of their Father the Deuill The Womans seede there are the Elect first Christ and in him all the Elect who are blessed in him and who with Christ are at continuall enmity with the Serpent and his seede Michael and his Angels fighting against the Dragon and his Angels the bond-womans sonne persecuting the free-womans sonne in an allegory Gal. 4. Thus Gods election had a speciall reference to the corrupt masse out of which he chose vs to saluation So Ezech. 16. Abraham the Father of the faithfull for his natiuity and birth was an idolatrous Amorite Ierusalem the type of Gods Elect was chosen in her bloud ver 5. as the Lord saith None eye pitied thee but thou wast cast out in the open field to the loathing of thy person in the day that thou wast borne and when I passed by thee and saw thee polluted in thine owne bloud I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy bloud Liue yea I said vnto thee when thou wast in thy bloud Liue. Now this election of God in choosing out of the coâ—â—â—â— masse and lumpe of mankinde such as shall be saued doth necessarily imply that this election is of his free grace as is expressed in the definition which is a point worthy our speciall consideration although indeed this free grace of God is the very life-bloud as it were which â—unneth through the whole body and filleth euery veine of the definition It is called an election of grace Rom. 11. 5. To this grace it is that the Apostle â—auished with the admiration of Gods incomprehensible loue breaking forth into a gratefull acclamation and benediction of God for it as if now hee had but â—â—â—â—ly come forth or were still in his rapture in the third Heauen referreth and ascribeth the whole worke of our saluation To the praise of the glory of his grace saith he wherein he hath made vs accepted in the Beloued Ephes. 1. 6 And in the seuenth Verse In whom we haue redemption through his bloud the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace And Chapt. â— 4. c. God who is rich in mercy for his great loue wherewith hee loued vs euen when we were dead in sinnes hath quickned vs together with Christ by grace ye are saued and