he will yet this must alwayes stand good that faith in the first instant of the being of it gaspeth vnto God by prayer as the thirstie land and together therewith receiueth blessing of God God tieth not himselfe to M. Bishops order but where he giueth faith in the gift thereof he beginneth with it the whole effect and fruit of faith As there is no flame without light but in the beginning of the flame there is ioyntly a beginning of light and yet in nature the flame is before the light so is there no faith without iustification and sanctification and in the first act of faith ioyntly we are iustified and sanctified albeit in order of nature faith is precedent to them both Thus are the speeches vnderstood that he alledgeth out of Austin and thus they are true and make nothing at all to serue for the purpose to which he alledgeth them No more do those other examples that he bringeth of the baptisme of the people conuerted by Peters sermon of the Eunuch and the Apostle Paul He proueth thereby that there was some time betwixt their beleeuing and their being baptized but proueth not that there was any time betwixt their beleeuing and their being iustified For he must vnderstand that we do not tye the iustification of a man to the act or instant of his baptisme and of all these do affirme that they receiued the sacrament of baptisme as Abraham did the sacrament of circumcision After iustification q Rom. 5.11 he receiued the signe of circumcision as the seale of the righteousnesse of faith which he had when he was vncircumcised Euen so did these receiue the signe of baptisme as the seale of forgiuenesse of sinnes and of the righteousnesse of faith which they had embraced and receiued before they were baptized We reade of Cornelius and his companie that r Act. 10.44.47 the holy Ghost came on them they receiued the holy Ghost when they were yet vnbaptized and doth M. Bishop doubt but that they were iustified Constantine the Emperour was not baptized Å¿ Euseb de vita Constant lib. 4. till neere his death and shall we say that till then he was neuer iustified Valentinian was t Ambros de â—bitu Valentia not baptized at all and yet Ambrose doubted not of his iustification Verie idlely therefore and impertinently doth M. Bishop bring these examples and gaineth nothing thereby to his cause I omit his penance in steed of repentance only as a toy that he is in loue withall It is the plaine doctrine of their schooles u Tho. Aqu. p. 3. q. 68. ar 3. in corp Et qui baptizatur pro quibuscunque peccatis noÌ„ est aliqua satisfactio iniungenda hoc enim esset iniuriam facere passioni morti Christi quasi ipsa non esset suffiâ—iens ad plenariam satisfactionem pro peccatis baptizatorum that no penance is to be inioyned vnto men in baptisme or that are to be baptized for any sinnes whatsoeuer because that should be a wrong to the passion and death of Christ as if it were not sufficient for full satisfaction for the sinnes of the baptized Seeing therefore S. Peter in the place alledged expresly directeth his speech to them that were to be baptized M. Bishop and his fellowes would forbeare there to translate doing of penance but that poore men they are afraid they shall be all vndone vnlesse they make the Scripture say somewhat by right or by wrong for doing of penance Whether in those dayes there were talke of applying Christs righteousnesse appeareth I hope sufficiently in this discourse The other fault which M. Perkins here findeth with the Romish doctrine is that they make faith nothing else but an illumination of the mind stirring vp the will which being so moued and helped by grace causeth in the heart manie good spirituall motions M. Bishop putteth in by grace onely to delude the Reader because he vnderstandeth hereby no other grace but the same that Pelagius did as before hath bene said But hereof M. Perkins rightly said that it is as much as if they should say that a dead man onely helped can prepare himselfe to his resurrection Not so good Sir saith M. Bishop but that men spiritually dead being quickened by Gods spirit may haue many good motions I answer you say true good Sir when a man is quickened by Gods spirit but can a man be quickened before he be quickned We suppose that the iustifying of a man is the quickening of him and not we onely but you also in the fiue and twentieth section following do hold that our iustification is the translating of vs from death to life Before iustification then we are not quickened nor receiue any infused or inhabitant grace of the spirit of life wherein spirituall life consisteth Therefore to auouch many good spirituall motions before iustification is to auouch grace without grace life without life the spirit without the spirit and a quickening of vs before we are quickened Which because it cannot be it is true that M. Perkins saith that by your doctrine you make a dead man prepare himselfe to his resurrection What you haue said in the question of Free will I hope hath his answer sufficiently in that place 21 W. BISHOP The third difference saith M. Perkins concerning faith is this Page 84. The Papists say that man is iustified by faith yet not by faith alone but also by other vertues as the feare of God hope loue c. The reasons which are brought to maintaine their opinion are of no moment Well let vs heare some of them that the indifdifferent Reader may iudge whether they be of any moment or no. FIRST REASON MAny sinnes are forgiuen her because she hath loued much Luke 7 47. whence they gather that the womaÌ„ there spokeÌ„ of had pardoÌ„ of her sinnes was iustified by loue Answer In this text loue is not made an impulsiue cause to moue God to pardon her sinnes but onely a signe to shew that God had already pardoned them Reply Obserue first that Catholikes do not teach that she was pardoned for loue alone for they vse not as Protestants do when they find one cause of iustification to exclude all or any of the rest But considering that in sundry places of holy writ iustification is ascribed vnto manie seuerall vertues affirme that not faith alone but diuers other diuine qualities concurre vnto iustification and as mention here made of loue excludeth not faith hope repentance and such like so in other places where faith is onely spoken of there hope charity and the rest must not also be excluded This sinner had assured beliefe in Christes power to remit sinnes and great hope in his mercy that he would forgiue them great sorrow and detestation of her sinne also she had that in such an assembly did so humbly prostrate her selfe at Christes feete to wash them with her teares and to wipe them with the haires
To which purpose he addeth further that albeit other defects and infirmities doe remaine in vs for our greater humiliation and probation yet all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules by the pure grace of God powred abundantly into it in Baptisme Which now how farre it is from truth it appeareth by that that hath beene alreadie sayd I will here adde only the words of Hilary who saith t Hilar. in Psal 118. Gimel Habemus etiaÌ„ nunc admixtam nobit materiam quae morus legi atque peccat bonoxia est in huius caducae carius infirmaeque domicilio corruptionis labeÌ„ ex eius consortio mutuaâ—ur ac nisi glorificato in naturam spiritus corpore vitae verae in nobis non potest esse naturae c. Scit hanc mundi istius sedeÌ„ regionem no esse viuentium scit nos adhuc secundum praefiguraetionem legis emundandos esse Nunc enim admiscemur morticinae in lege quisquis mortuis contrectas immundus est c. We haue as now a matter mingled with vs which is subiect to the law of sinne and death and that in the house of this mortall and weake flesh we gather a blot of corruption by the societie thereof and vntill the body be glorified into the nature of the spirit there cannot be in vs the nature of true life that this world is not the land of the liuing but that we are here still to be cleansed by reason of being blended with the carion of concupiscence and that this was the thing figured in the law where a man was vncleane for touching any dead body Surely if in this life we remaine still in case to be cleansed if there be still a blot of corruption by reason of concupiscence still cleaning fast vnto vs and it can be no otherwise till the body be glorified into the nature of the spirit then it is vtterly false as indeed it is to say that in Baptisme all filth of sinne is cleane scoured out of our soules But whereas all men find by experience both in themselues and others that there is a wonderfull prauity and corruption of nature still continuing whereby we are all forward to that that is euill and altogether backward and vntoward to goodnesse to preuent the obiection hereof M. Bishop acknowledgeth a remainder of somewhat but he qualifieth the opinion thereof with fauourable and gentle termes He saith that defects and infirmities remaine in vs marry in no case must we thinke them to be sinnes But these defects and infirmities are such as for which it is true of vs which Saint Austin saith u August in Psal 37. Resumus adhuc filij irae spe non sumus By reall state and being we are still the children of wrath it is in hope as touching which we are not so How are we yet the children of wrath but by hauing in vs the matter of x In Psal 101. Jâ—â— cum qua omnes â—ati sumâ—â— â—ra de propagine â—aqudaetu â—e massa â—eccati that wrath wherewith we were all borne which what is it but onely sinne These defects then and infirmities what are they properly and in truth but onely sinne But M. Bishop in vsing these termes alludeth to S. Austin who oftentimes so calleth concupiscence and the lusts and motions thereof which if he did in the same meaning as S. Austin doth there should be no matter of great question betwixt him vs. For S. Austin calleth concupiscence vitium a defect not as vnderstanding thereby as the English word importeth a meer priuation and want of somewhat that should be but a positiue euil quality that ought not to be a vicious corrupt condition of man such a defect if we wil so cal it let vs call it y De lib arbit lib 2 cap 1. 〈…〉 â—eâ—tmi â—ites esse corruptio a corruption as he himself expoundeth it as z Fâ—â—st to â—ispra Sect. 8. by reason wherof the same S. Austin saith that no man liuing shall be found righteous in the sight of God as we haue seene before It is vitium such a defect as whereby a De ciuit Dei lib. 12. cap. 3. the nature of man is vitiated and corrupted and so farre as it is corrupted is euill and there is nothing that maketh an euill man but onely sinne It is b Cont. Iul. li. 2. defectus à iustitia a defection or swaruing from righteousnesse hindering that c De perfect iust Rat. 17. sup sec 4 we loue not God with all our soule d Cont. Iul. l. 4 c. 2. InquantuÌ„ inest nocet etsi non ad perdenauÌ„ de sorte sanctorum tameÌ„ ad motuendam spiritualeÌ„ delectationeÌ„ sanctaruÌ„ mentium illaÌ„ de qua dicit Apostolus CoÌ„delector legi c. diminishing that spirituall delight that we ought to haue in the law of God and e De perfect iust Rat. 15. Supra Sect. 2. it is sinne when there is not that loue in vs that ought to be or the same is lesse then it ought to be But it is not onely after Baptisme that S. Austin giueth to concupiscence this name of vitium a defect or rather a vice or vicious qualitie he calleth it from the beginning f De nupt concup l. 1. c. 23. vitium quo vitiata est natura humana a vice or vicious qualitie wherewith the nature of man is vitiated and defiled Now before Baptisme there is no doubt but S. Austin by vice importeth sinne because for it he saith g Ibid. Propter quod damnatur propter hoc damnabili diabolo subrugatur the nature of man is condemned and is vnder the power of the diuell and the thing being still the same how should it after Baptisme be no sinne Albeit after Baptisme he calleth it h Cont. Iul lib. 2. Quia mortuum est in eo reatu quo nos tenebat vitium mortuum a vice or vicious qualitie that is now dead because saith he it is dead as touching the guilt wherewith it held vs but otherwise it liueth still He calleth the lusts thereof i Ibid. vitia à quorum reatu absoluti sumus vices from the guilt whereof we are released importing still that saue the guilt they are still the same that they were before Therefore albeit he forbeare the name of sinne after Baptisme in respect that they haue not the effect of sinne to make guiltie before God because they are alreadie pardoned yet he cannot be supposed otherwise to exclude them from the nature and name of sinne They did make guiltie before and should make guiltie still but that they are pardoned which cannot agree but to sinne onely And this did Pighius a friend of M. Bishops see very well k Pigh de peccats Org. cont 1. Vt vna eade nque manente aequitatis iustitiae regula iâ—leÌ„ aliquid in se manens nuÌ„c propriè primò verèque
knowne of the partie that hath it but true repentance cannot But how must we conceiue of faith when it is rightly taken Forsooth he telleth vs that it is a light of vnderstanding and so being like a lampe may be easily scene But true faith is not onely a matter of vnderstanding but a mixt action of the vnderstanding and will and consisteth not onely in knowing but in seeking and desiring and embracing the thing that we vnderstand Therefore Oecumenius obserueth that the faith recommended by S. Paul beside stedfast assent importeth a Oâ—cumen in epist Iac. cap. 2. Consecutionem ex affectu procedentem cum firmo assensu no mine fidei vocamus a further matter prooceeding out of the affection So we saw before that Bernard maketh it to be such as whereby a man beleeueth that his sinnes are forgiuen him Which M. Bishop might haue learned also of Ferus one of their owne Prophets though a more faithfull Prophet then commonly theirs are who faith that b Ferus in Mat. cap 27. Credere est confidere DeuÌ„ per Chrâ—stum peccata non imputaturum to beleeue is to trust that God for Christs sake wil not impute our sinnes But that we may see the spirit of giddinesse wherewith this man is caried vp and downe he himselfe but a little before hath told vs that godly and deuout submission of the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith is a necessarie condition of faith properly so called Faith then is not only a light of vnderstanding but implieth godlinesse deuotion and submitting of the vnderstanding to the obedience of faith which because it cannot be without repentance hope and charitie it necessarily followeth that if a man knoweth that he hath faith he knoweth also that he hath godlinesse deuotion obedience repentance hope charitie and so M. Bishops replie euen by himselfe is vtterly ouerthrowne And to this purpose S. Austin telleth vs that c August de verb. Dom ser 61 Qui fidem habet sine spe dileâ—â—ane Christum essâ— credâ— non in Christum credit a man cannot beleeue in Christ without hope and loue and S. Bernard that d Berâ—ard in Cant serm 24. Mors fiâ—es separatio esi charitatis the separation of charitie is the death of faith and Origen that e Oriâ—enan Ro. ca 4 Scieâ—s fidei speâ— insenâ— ibiater conarere hope cleaueth inseparably vnto faith Then if a man know that he hath faith he cannot be ignorant that he hath also hope and charitie without which there is no true faith It is therefore a meere fiction of M. Bishop that a man may know that he hath faith but he cannot know that he hath true repentance because repentance requireth hope and charitie which forsooth are seated in the darke corners of the will and cannot certainly be discerned What a fond toy is this that a man hopeth and knoweth not that he hopeth that he repenteth and knoweth not that he repenteth that he loueth and knoweth not that he loueth Surely where these things are they are knowne and if they be not known it is because they are not For f 2. Cor 2.11 the spirit of man knoweth the things that are in man he discerneth what is in himselfe though not alwayes the measure and quantitie thereof Otherwise how doth S. Iohn say q 1 Ioh. 3.14 By this we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren How shall we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren if we cannot know that we loue the brethren h August iâ— Ioan. epist tract 5. Attendat in cor vidcat si habeat charitatem tunc dicat natus sum ex Deo Let a man looke into his heart and see if he haue charitie and then let him say I am borne of God saith S. Austin but to what end if a man cannot see and know whether he haue charitie or not The same S. Austin saith i De ver Apost ser 6. Si quis spiritum Christi non habet non se fellat hic non est eius Ecce adiuuâ—nâ—e ipsius misericordia spirâ—tum Christi habemus ex ipsa dilectione iustitiae integra fide catholica fide spiritum Dei nobis inesse cognoscimus If a man haue not the spirit of Christ let him not deceiue himselfe he is none of Christs Behold saith he by the helpe of Gods mercie we haue the spirit of Christ By the loue of righteousnesse and true faith the Catholike faith we know that there is in vs the spirit of God How shall we know by the loue of righteousnesse that the spirit of God is in vs if we cannot know that there is in vs the loue of righteousnes But to infringe that idle deuice M. Perkins alledgeth the words of S. Paul k 2. Cor. 13.5 Proue your selues whether you are in the faith For to what end is this spoken if we cannot know whether we are in the faith or not But M. Bishop saith that they accord that it may be tried whether a man haue faith or not importing therefore that the place is nothing against them But he may not so auoide for the being in the faith whereof the Apostle speaketh signifieth more then he intendeth thereby Which appeareth plainely by the words which the Apostle addeth Knovv ye not that Christ is in you except yee be reprobates thereby shewing that to proue a mans selfe vvhether he be in the faith is to proue whether Christ be in him because the faith of which he speaketh is that l Bernard in ocâ—aua Pasch ser 1 Eacommendatur fides per quaÌ„ Christus in cordibus nostris habitat liuely faith vvhereby Christ dwelleth in our hearts And m Rom. 8.10 if Christ be in you saith the same Apostle the bodie is dead as touching sinne but the spirit is life for righteousnesse sake which cannot be without repentance hope charitie and such other vertues wherewith the spirit of Christ endueth them in whom Christ doth dwell He therefore that knoweth himselfe to be in the faith as the Apostle meaneth it knoweth Christ to be in himselfe he knoweth himselfe to be dead to sinne and aliue to righteousnesse and that he is not without repentance hope charitie and other vertues wrought in him by the spirit of Christ As for that other meaning of the place which M. Bishop speaketh of if he had set it downe I doubt not but we should haue taken him tardie therein as well as we do in all the rest To the other place of the same Apostle 1 Cor. 2.12 that we haue receiued not the spirit of this world but the spirit which is in God that we may know the things that are giuen vnto vs of God he answereth that the Apostle meaneth it of those things whereof he there speaketh The things which neither eye hath seene nor eare hath heard c. God hath
darknesse and despaire As for vs we hold it a verie mad conclusion to say Except ye repent ye shall perish therefore we are iustified by repentance We rather see by repentance that we haue nothing in our selues whereby to be iustified and therefore learne to relye wholly vpon Christ that we may be iustified by faith in him The next place that he alledgeth is a most notable falsification We are translated saith he from death to life because we loue the brethren whereas the words of S. Iohn are k 1. Ioh. 3.14 We know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren making our loue of the brethren a signe whereby we know that we are translated from death to life not the cause for which we are translated froÌ„ death to life And in this sort doth S. Austin expouÌ„d it l Aug. in epist 1 Ioan. tract 5. Nos scimus Quid nos scimus Quia traÌ„siuimus de moâ—te ad vitam Vnde scimus Quiae dâ—ligimus fratres We know What do we know That we haue passed from death to life Whereby do we know it Because we loue the brethren Which is verie plaine also by comparing the teÌ„ses in which the Apostle expresseth the one the other For he nameth our translating from death to life in the m 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. preterperfect tense as a thing before done but our loue towardes the brethren in the n 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 present tense as a thing which now we do We know that we haue passed or God hath translated vs from death to life because we loue the brethren But our louing the brethren now cannot be the cause of that that God hath done before It is therfore a token onely whereby we are to know what God hath done and to take it as M. Bishop doth is the doctrine of Pelagius that the grace of God is giuen vnto vs according to our merits as before is shewed The next place is of Baptisme as he saith o Ioh. 3.5 Except a man be borne againe of water and of the spirit he cannot enter into the kingdome of God But we can hardly yeeld that this place is precisely to be vnderstood of baptisme because it is not true that except a man be baptized he shall not enter into the kingdome of God but it is infallibly true which Christ saith that except a man be borne againe of water and of the holy Ghost he shal not enter into the kingdom of God Verie wel is it obserued by Bernard that our Sauiour saith p Bernard epist 77. Vide ne fortè ob hoc saluator cùm diceret Qui crediâ—erit baptizâ—tus fuerit saluâ—s erit cautè vigâ—â—antèr noÌ„ repetâ—erit Qui verò baptizâ—tus non fuerit sed tantum qui verò inquit non crediderit câ—ndemnabitur He that beleeueth and is baptized shall be saued but doth not say he that is not baptized but onely he that beleeueth not shall be damned The thiefe was not baptized vpon the crosse but yet Christ saith q Luk. 23.43 This day shalt thou be with me in paradise Valentinian the Emperour was not baptized and yet Ambrose saith r Ambr. de â—bit Valentin Certè quia poposâ—it accepit because he desired it he receiued it S. Austin acknowledgeth as touching them that are of elder yeares and do beleeue Å¿ Aug. de bapt cont Donat. lib 4 cap. 22. Tunc impletur inuisibilitèr cùm mysteriuÌ„ baptismi non contemptus religionis sed articuluâ— necessitatis excludit that baptisme is inuisibly fulfilled in them when not any contempt of religion but a point of necessitie excludeth the mysterie of it Which dispensation we cannot coÌ„ceiue what warrant he had to giue to elder yeares that should not make the same good to infants also when the faith of the parents by which they are interested to baptisme craueth the same for them and only by preuention inuincible they are depriued of their desire it being deemed a thing t Bernard epist. 77. Dignum est et ad Dei spectat benignitatem vt quibus fideÌ„ aeâ—as denegat propriaÌ„ gratia prodesse concedat alienaÌ„ belonging to the mercifulnes of God that grace should yeeld that the faith of others should be auailable for them to whom years yet do not yeeld to beleeue themselues But hereby it appeareth that that speech of Christ is not simply to be vnderstood of baptisme because then baptisme should be simply necessarie to saluation both in old and yong Yet admitting it to be meant of baptisme we say his argument is verie vaine and to say baptisme is necessarie to saluation therefore we are not iustified by faith alone is all one as if he should say It is necessarie to saluation to be iustified by faith alone therefore we are not iustified by faith alone For baptisme as I said before is u Rom. 4 11. the seale of the righteousnesse of faith wherein God setteth before vs and by which he giueth and sealeth and assureth vnto vs the washing away of our sinnes and the accepting of vs for iust and righteous by the merit and bloudshedding of Iesus Christ onely by faith in him It is not then x 1. Pet. 3.21 the washing away of the filth of the flesh that is the outward ceremonie for which baptisme is necessarie to saluation but the spirituall grace which is iustification by faith alone This God offereth in baptisme and we by faith receiue the same but we shall do amisse to put baptisme it selfe in place of that that is offered thereby We eate the meate out of the dishes and vessels wherein it is set before vs but it is absurd thereupon to say that we are fed by the dishes also and not onely by the meate It is Christ onely who in the word and Sacraments is set forth vnto vs to be our righteousnesse and by faith only we therein receiue him to be our righteousnesse and euerlasting life but absurd it is hereupon to say that the Sacraments theÌ„selues are things wherein our righteousnesse doth consist Now therefore except a man in baptisme be borne againe becoming a member of Christ and the child of God through forgiuenesse of sinnes onely by faith in him by vertue therof receiuing the spirit of adoption and being thereby quickened to newnesse of life to walke therein he cannot as Christ saith enter into the kingdome of God And hereby it appeareth that his other place as touching walking in newnesse of life is impertinently alledged the words importing no more then what we teach that newnesse of life is alwayes and necessarily a consequent fruite of iustification though neuer any precedent cause thereof But the place of greatest moment for their part was that that M. Perkins propounded for his obiectioÌ„ We are saued by hope As touching this place M. Bishop saith that M. Perkins saith neither yea nor nay but
faithfull an assurance of Saluation be it by faith be it by charitie let not that here be the question Is there to the faithfull by S. Austines iudgement any assurance of Saluation He could not tell how directly to denie it and yet with a Romish and impudent face passeth it ouer as if there were no such thing The onely shift that he insinuateth is this that this assurance spoken of by S. Austine is by charity and not by faith But what then is there assurance by charitie No such matter for he hath told vs before that charitie is seated in the e Sect. 6. darke corners of the will and we cannot tell whether we haue it or not And so whereas the Apostle and by him S. Austine say that we know that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren he contrariwise saith We cannot know that we are translated from death to life because we cannot know that we loue the brethren in both points absolutely contradicting both the one and the other But to his foolish question I answer him that the affirming of the assurance of faith is no deniall of the meanes and helps from which it gathereth and increaseth this assurance Faith giueth assurance of Saluation by the word of God not onely by apprehending the promises of life Saluation but also by obseruing such marks and tokens as the word of God setteth down to describe thē to whom this Saluation doth appertaine which whē a man findeth in himselfe his faith thereby giueth him the cōfort of Saluation because it beleeueth that which the word of God hath deliuered concerning them in whom those signes marks are found Therfore it doth not only looke to that which Christ saith that f Iohn 3.16 whosoeuer beleeueth shal haue euerlasting life but because Christ also saith g Iohn 8.47 He that is of God heareth Gods word therfore the faithfull man delighting in the word of God beleeueth concerning himselfe that he is of God Because the Apostle saith h Rom. 10.13 Euery one that calleth vpon the name of the Lord shall be saued therfore the faithfull man vnfainedly calling vpon the name of the Lord beleeueth of himself that he shal be saued And so whereas S. Iohn saith that we know that we are translated frō death to life because we loue the brethren it is our faith whereby we take this knowledge that we are translated from death to life because we loue the brethren for how should we know it but that our faith beleeueth that which the word of God hath taught vs in that behalfe How idlely then doth he argue that we need not seeke for charity for assurance of Saluation if we be assured thereof by faith when charity it selfe is appointed for a helpe of that assurance which we haue by faith when from charity it is in some part that faith by the word of God conceiueth a reason of that assurance But by his answers to these places the Reader may esteeme of his wilfulnesse in all the rest How miserable is the case of those men who being so fast bound with the bonds of truth as that they know not which way to stirre yet haue no heart nor conscience to giue assent to that which they are no way able to resist 15. W. BISHOP Sup. 5. cap. Mat. The next Author he citeth is S. Hylarie in these words The Kingdome of heauen which our Lord professed to be in himselfe his wil is that it be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse of vncertaine will at all is an addition otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith it selfe be made doubtfull First he faith but as we say that the Kingdome of heauen is to be hoped for without any doubtfulnesse for we professe Certaintie of hope and denie onely Certaintie of faith as M. Perkins confesseth before And as for faith we say with him also it is not doubtfull but very certaine What maketh this to the purpose that a man must beleeue his owne Saluation when S. Hilary speaketh there of faith of the resurrection of the dead His last Author is S. Bernard Who is the iust man Epist 107. but he that being loued of God loues him againe which comes not to passe but by the spirit reuealing by faith the eternall promise of God of his Saluation to come which reuelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace by which the deeds of the flesh are mortified the man is prepared to the kingdome of heauen together receiuing in one spirit that whereby he may presume that he is loued and loues againe Note that he saith the reuelation of the spirit to be nothing else but the infusion of spirituall graces and comfort whereby a man hath some feeling of Gods goodnesse towards him by which he saith he may presume but not beleeue certainly that he is loued of God But let S. Bernard in the same place interpret himselfe there he speaketh thus as I cited once before It is giuen to men to tast before hand somewhat of the blisse to come c. Of the which knowledge of our selues now in part perceiued a man doth in the meane season glory in hope but not yet in securitie His opinion then is expresly that for all the reuelations of the spirit made by faith vnto vs we are not assured for Certaintie of our Saluation but feele great ioy through the hope we haue hereafter to receiue it R. ABBOT The words of Hilarie are very plaine that a Hilar. in Mat. cap. 5. Regnum coelorum vult Dominus sine aliquae incertae voluntatis ambiguitate sperari alioqum iustificatio ex fide nulla est si fides ipsa sit ambigua without doubting we are to hope for the kingdome of heauen and that it is the will of Christ that we do so Whereof he addeth a reason Otherwise there is no iustification by faith if faith it selfe become doubtfull which if we will accommodate to that that goeth before it must import thus much that we cannot by our faith be iustified to the obtaining of the kingdome of heauen if we do not vndoubtedly beleeue to obtaine the same M. Bishop answereth first that Hilarie saith but as they say No doth Why do they say that without doubting we must hope for the kingdome of heauen He saith yea but forgetting the prouerb that a liar must beare a braine For in the leafe b Sect. 10. before he hath set it downe for a principle confirmed as he saith by aboue an hundred texts of holy writ that the faithfull must stand in feare of their owne Saluation There cannot be certaine and vndoubted hope where there is a necessitie of feare If a man must stand in feare then can he not hope without doubt Thus he knoweth not what he saith nor what to say We must feare and we must not feare we must doubt and we must not doubt there is Certaintie and
we are to be iustified is the obedience of Christ for n Rom. 5.15 by the obedience of one saith the Apostle shall many be made righteous and what is the obedience of Christ but the righteousnesse of Christ The righteousnes of Christ then is the thing to be apprehended and receiued for our iustification And how should we be o 2. Cor. 5.21 made the righteousnesse of God in him but by apprehending and receiuing a righteousnesse which is in him He is called the p Ierem. 23.6 Lord our righteousnes not who maketh vs righteous only but who himselfe is our righteousnes and how should he be our righteousnes but by his righteousnesse Therefore in apprehending and receiuing Christ by faith we apprehend receiue the righteousnes of Christ to be our iustification before God But I need not stand vpon this for seeing through this whole Chapter we shall proue that we receiue no gift of inherent righteousnesse whereby we can be iustified in the sight of God it followeth as is also proued that the righteousnesse which we receiue by faith for iustification is the merite and obedience of Christ imputed vnto vs. Now M. Bishop telleth vs that he can gather a disproofe of all this out of M. Perkins owne explication For saith he if faith created in our hearts be the onely sufficient supernaturall instrument to apprehend the couenant of grace then there needes no Sacraments for that purpose But such disproofes will make men thinke that he is runne not out of his learning onely but also out of his wits If he will apply that answer to M. Perkins it must be thus If faith be the onely instrument whereby we apprehend Christ what neede we anie Sacraments to offer him vnto vs And why did he not as well say what neede there anie word of God to that purpose for his disproofe standeth as good in the one as in the other But M. Perkins setteth both downe as meanes on Gods part to offer Christ vnto vs not as instruments or meanes on our part to apprehend and lay hold of Christ and notably obserueth how the giuing of bread and wine to the seuerall communicants in the Lords Supper is a pledge and signe of Gods particular giuing of Christs bodie and bloud with all his merites to euery of them by faith in him Yea saith M. Bishop but how then are infants iustified who cannot haue any such act of faith I answer him that infants dying are iustified and saued meerely by vertue of the couenant and promise of God to which they are entitled by the calling and faith of their parents and in right whereof they are baptized and entred into the bodie of the Church God hauing sayd q Gen. 17.7 I will be thy God and the God of thy seed For where the offer of the couenant hath no place there the meanes of acceptance cannot be required but by meere and absolute gift righteousnesse and life are giuen and in the Sacrament sealed vnto them who according to the purpose of the grace of God are by inward regeneration made the seed of the faithfull according to the intendment and meaning of the couenant Yet nothing hindereth but that we may conceiue that God calling infants frō hence doth in their passage by the power of his Spirit giue them light of vnderstanding and knowledge and faith of Christ as an entrance to that light and life which after by Christ and with him they enioy for euer Who when he will maketh babes and sucklings to praise him and euen in young children sometimes in our sight sheweth the admirable fruit of his grace in their death far beyond that their yeares are capable of As for infants baptized and continuing to elder yeares they are not alwayes iustified in being baptized but God calleth them some sooner some later some at one houre some at another according to his good will and pleasure and then the medicine long before applied beginneth to worke the effect that doth appertaine vnto it 20. W. BISHOP But to returne vnto the sound doctrine of our Catholike faith M. Perkins finds fault with it one that we teach faith to go before iustification whereas by the word of God saith he at the very instant when any man beleeueth first he is then both iustified and sanctified What word of God so teacheth Ioh. 6.54 Marrie this He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and bloud of Christ and is alreadie passed from death to life I answer that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his bodie in the blessed Sacrament which who so receiueth worthily obtaineth thereby life euerlasting as Christ saith expresly in that place And so this proofe is vaine Now will I proue out of the holy Scriptures that faith goeth before iustification Rom. 10. first by that of S. Paul Whosoeuer calleth on the name of our Lord shall be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whom they do not beleeue how shall they beleeue without a preacher c. Where there is this order set downe to arriue vnto iustification First to heare the preacher then to beleeue afterward to call vpon God for mercie and finally mercie is graunted and giuen in iustification so that prayer goeth betweene faith and iustification This Saint Augustine obserued De praedest sanc cap. 7. De spirit lit cap. 30. when he said Faith is giuen first by which we obtaine the rest And againe By the Law is knowledge of sinne by faith we obtaine grace and by grace our soule is cured If we list to see the practise of this recorded in holy writ reade the second of the Acts and there you shall find how that the people hauing heard S. Peters Sermon were striken to the hearts and beleeued yet were they not straight way iustified but asked of the Apostles what they must do who willed them to do penance and to be baptized in the name of Iesus in remission of their sinnes and then lo they were iustified so that penance and baptisme went betweene their faith and their iustification In like maner Queene Candaces Eunuch hauing heard S. Philip announcing vnto him Christ beleeued that IESVS CHRIST was the Sonne of God no talke in those dayes of applying vnto himselfe Christs righteousnesse yet was he not iustified Act. 8. before descending out of his chariot he was baptized And three dayes passed betwene S. Pauls conuersion and his iustification Act. 9. as doth euidently appeare by the historie of his conuersion The second fault he findeth with our faith is that we take it to be nothing else but an illumination of the mind stirring vp the will which being so moued and helped by grace causeth in the heart many good spirituall motions But this saies M. Perkins is as much to say that dead men onely helped can prepare themselues to their resurrection Not so good Sir but that men spiritually dead being quickned
by Gods spirit may haue many good motions for as our spirit giueth life vnto our bodies so the spirit of God by his grace animateth and giueth life vnto our soules But of this it hath bene once before spoken at large in the question of Free will R. ABBOT We are so to affirme the effect of iustifying faith as may make good what the Scripture hath deliuered concerning it Which because the Church of Rome doth not in making faith precedent in time to iustification and grace M. Perkins iustly findeth fault therewith Our Sauiour saith a Ioh. 5.24 He that heareth my word and beleeueth in him that sent me hath euerlasting life and shall not come into condemnation but is passed froÌ„ death to life Our passing from death to life is our iustification If euery one that beleeueth be passed from death to life then euery one that beleeueth is iustified or if there be any that beleeueth and yet is not iustified theÌ„ it is not true of euery one that beleeueth that he is passed from death to life To this place M. Perkins alluded though he quoted it not but M. Bishop thought it safest for him to say nothing of it To the other place his answer is a simple shift He that beleeueth eateth and drinketh the bodie and bloud of Christ I answer saith M. Bishop that our Sauiour in that text speaketh not of beleeuing but of eating his bodie in the blessed Sacrament But we answer him againe that if Christ speake of eating in the sacrament then it must follow that whosoeuer is not partaker of the sacrament of the bodie and bloud of Christ is excluded from life because our Sauiour expresly saith b Ioh. 6.53 Except ye eate the flesh of the sonne of man and drinke his bloud yee haue no life in you But so to say is absurd and false as in the example of the crucified theefe and many other is apparant and plaine Againe the Sacrament was not instituted long after and will M. Bishop exclude any faithfull that after this time died before that institution from that eating of the flesh of Christ and drinking of his bloud which Christ here recommendeth for the hauing of eternall life S. Austin saith that c Bedâ— in 1. Cor. 10. ex August ser ad infantes in baptisme we are made partakers of the bodie and bloud of Christ so that though one die before he come to the Sacrament of the Bread and the Cup yet is he not depriued of the participation and benefit of that Sacrament seeing he hath found that alreadie which that Sacrament signifieth The Apostle testifieth that the fathers of the old Testament did d 1. Cor. 10.3.4 all eate the same spirituall meate and did all drinke the same spirituall drinke not the same one with another as the e Rhem. Annot. 1. Cor. 10. Rhemistes for a shift expound it but f Aug. in Joan. tract 26. spiritualem eandem quem nos the same that we do For g Idem de vtilit penitent c. 1. Eundem non inuento quomodo intelligam nisi eundem quem manducamus nos I find not saith S. Austin how I should vnderstand The same but the same that we eate Therefore they also did eate the flesh of Christ and drinke his bloud But their eating and drinking was not the participation of the Sacrament Therefore Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his bloud doth not import any thing tied to the participation of the Sacrament Yea the whole course of that text giueth vs plainely to vnderstand that Christ by eating his flesh and drinking his bloud meaneth the same as by beleeuing in him Therefore doth S. Austin by the one expound the other h Aug. in Ioan. tract 25. Crede manducasti Ibid. tract 26. Hortans vt credamus in eum Credere enim in eum hoâ— est manducare pâ—nem viuum Qui credit manducat Beleeue and thou hast eaten he exhorteth vs to beleeue in him for to beleeue in him that is to eate the bread of life he that beleeueth eateth And so saith he of the fathers eating and drinking that this i Idem de vtilit poenit Fide capiebatur non corpore hauriebatur spirituall meate and drinke was receiued by faith and not by the bodie Now if beleefe in Christ be imported by eating and drinking the flesh and bloud of Christ then M. Perkins proofe was not vaine but M. Bishop hath shewed himselfe a vaine man to giue so vaine an answer without any proofe thereof at all Without doubt k Ioh. 6.54 whosoeuer eateth the flesh of Christ and drinketh his bloud hath eternall life But no man hath eternall life but he that is iustified and sanctified Whosoeuer therfore eateth and drinketh the flesh bloud of Christ is iustified sanctified But our beleeuing in Christ is our eating of his flesh and drinking of his bloud So soone therfore as we beleeue in Christ we are iustified sanctified that it may be true which the Apostle saith that l Rom. 3.22 the righteousnesse of God by the faith of Iesus Christ is to all and vpon all that do beleeue which cannot be sayd if any beleeue vpon whom there yet is not the Righteousnesse of God to iustifie him before God The proofes that he alledgeth to the contrarie are verie simple and slender First he alledgeth the words of S. Paul m Rom. 10.13 Whosoeuer shall call vpon the name of the Lord shal be saued but how shall they call vpon him in whom they haue not beleeued c. Where of iustification we heare not a word nor is any thing purposely meant thereof For the words which the Apostle citeth out of the Prophet Ioel touch not the order of iustification but import a promise to them that are iustified by faith in Christ and accordingly do call vpon the name of the Lord that in the calamities and confusion of the world God will preserue them to be partakers of euerlasting saluation Now we graunt that by order of nature there is a precedence of faith to iustification but we denie all prioritie in respect of time And whereas M. Bishop auoucheth that prayer goeth betwixt faith and iustification beside that it is not proued by the Apostles words it is verie vntrue and false For there can be no true prayer without n Zach. 12.10 Vulgat the spirit of grace and of prayer without o Rom. 8.15 Gal. 4.6 the spirit of adoption whereby we cry Abba Father The spirit of adoption and grace is the spirit of sanctification It followeth then that we pray not but by being first sanctified and because sanctification is consequent to iustification it must follow also that iustification goeth before prayer so that in praying for the forgiuenesse of sinnes it commeth to passe with vs which the Prophet saith p Esa 6â— 24 Before they call I will answer them Let M. Bishop order the matter how
he shall require the innocencie of our life in comparison of him that is to be as free from slippes and fals in our state as he is in his And to shew that man being subiect to alterations and chaunges is not iust in Gods sight according to the righteousnes that concerneth him in his owne state he addeth l Ibid. Iustificari in conspectu Dei quis viuentium potest cui ira cui dolor cui cupiditas cui obliuio cui ignoratio cui casus cui necessitas vel per naturam corporis vel per motum semper fluctuantis animae admixta sunt Cui quotidiè grauissimus hostâ—â— immineat drabolui videlicet animae viri fidelis insidians eamque ad interitum per sequens Hanc enim esse causam docet qua nemo viuens iustistâ—arò in conspectu Dei possit And what man liuing can be iustified in Gods sight with whom anger and griefe and lust and ignorance and forgetfulnesse and casualtie and necessitie are blended and mingled either by the nature of the bodie or by the motion of the euer-wauering soule who also hath daily a grieuous enemie at hand euen the diuell lying in waite against the soule of the faithfull man and persecuting the same to destroy it For this doth the Prophet teach to be the cause why no man liuing can be found iust in the sight of God By which words being very cleare and manifest the reader may esteeme with what fidelity M. Bishop hath brought Hilarie to iustifie his exposition of that place With the like truth or rather vntruth he citeth Hierome who saith that m Hieron in Psal 142. Manifestissimè demonstrauit quia misericordiam Deâ— praestolatur c. Hic quasi aliquis iudicet inter Deum Prophetam sicut scriptum est vt iustificeris c. Et proptereà intrat in iudicium Deus vt iustè pumat the Prophet doth manifestly shew that he did waite for Gods mercie that he supposeth some one to be iudge betwixt God and him which so being God should be iustified in his sayings and ouercome when he is iudged who therefore entreth into iudgement that he may iustly punish Then reckoning Abraham and Isaac and Iacob amongst them of whom the Prophet speaketh he inferreth n Ergo nec ipsi Patriarchae iusti ficabuntur in coÌ„spectu Dei Stellae enim non sunt mundae in conspectu eius Therefore not the very Patriarks themselues shall be found iust in the sight of God for euen the starres are not cleane in his sight What can be more plainely spoken to shew that euen the most righteous and iust for want of puritie and iustice should iustly be punished if God should enter into iudgment with them and that if the very starres not by their owne sinne but by being in the o Rom. 8.20.21 bondage of our vanity and corruption be found vncleane before God much more are we vncleane for whose sake it is that that imputation doth lye vpon them But to make it yet further to appeare what Hierome conceiued of those words he saith in another place p Hieron in Esa lib. 6. cap. 14. Cùm dies iudicij vel dormitionis aduenerit dissoluentur omnes manus quia nullum opus dignum Dei iustitia reperietur non iustificabitur c. When the day of iudgement or death shall come all hands shall be faint because no worke shall be found worthy of the iustice of God and no man liuing shall be iustified in his sight Where he plainly teacheth not onely as touching comparison to God but as touching that a iust man in himself ought to be that no man liuing no not so much as in any one worke shall be iustified in Gods sight but his hands that is all his workes shall faile if God enter into iudgement with him The next that he citeth is Arnobius who for one part of his exposition of these words saith that man is not to be found righteous if he be compared to God that q Arno. in Psal 142. Omnis pulchritudo te praeseÌ„te deformis est omnis fortitudo infirma omnes diuitiae mendicitas omnis humaena iustitia iniustitia all beauty in Gods presence is but deformity all strength but weakenesse all riches but beggerie all righteousnesse but vnrighteousnesse But hauing set downe this because this could not sufficiently expresse the meaning of the Prophet he addeth further r Jbid. Et vt vicinaÌ„ tuae iustinae iustitiam humanam exquirere desinas quaeso quoniaÌ„ persecutus est inimicus animaÌ„ meaÌ„ c. Tanta me obscuritate suae circuÌ„dediâ— fraudis vt â—â—ortuuÌ„ me apud DeuÌ„ credens putareÌ„ me nullum â—â—uperationis apud iustitiaÌ„ tuaÌ„ audituÌ„ inuenire idâ—o anxiatus est in me spiritus meus And I pray thee that thou wilt cease to search out the righteousnesse that concerneth man that should be neighbour to thy righteousnesse because the enemie hath persecuted my soule and compassed me about with such darknesse of his deceipt as that beleeuing my selfe to be dead with God I thought I should finde no hearing with thy righteousnesse for my recouerie therefore is my spirit troubled within me It is plaine then by the iudgement of Arnobius that not onely in comparison of God but euen by that righteousnesse that belongeth vnto man no man liuing shall be found iust before the iudgement seat of God Euthymius whom he alledgeth next is as plaine to the same purpose For although with Arnobius he on the one side denie iustification in comparison of God in comparison of whom saith he not onely man but neither the Angels themselues are iust because it is he onely that is not capable of sinne yet not contented herewiâ—h he on the other side expoundeth the praier of the Prophet in this sort Å¿ Euthym. in Psal 142. Id est non districtè mecuÌ„ agas in futuro ad te fugio non sum dignus vocari filius tuus nec ego tecum intrâ—re in iudicium volo nec constituo iustitiam meam quòd non iustificabâ—tur hic in carne vbi nemo hic viuenâ— pâ—enò mundus est Enter not into iudgement c. that is deale not strictly with me in the time to come I flie vnto thee and am not worthy to be called thy sonne neither will I enter into iudgement with thee neither do I set vp mine owne righteousnesse because it shall not be iustified here in the flesh where no man liuing is perfectly cleane He further addeth reasons of the vsing of this praier t Ibidem Quotidiè peccamus Pauca bona facimus in comparatione commâ—ssionis omissionis minima bona faciâ—â—â— in comparatione beneficiorum Dei because we daily sinne because we do few good deedes in comparison of that that we commit in euill and omit in good because we doe little good in comparison of the benefites of God Now then what is become of Maister