discussa poterat ex sola iudicis pietate conualescat Dâ—cat ergo qui etiamss habuero quiâ—piam iustum non respondebo sed meum â—udicem deprecabor Velut si apertiùs fateatur dicens et si ad opus virtutis excreuero ad vitam non ex meritis sed ex venia conualesco All humane righteousnesse saith he if it bee strictly iudged is conuinced to be vnrighteousnesse Therefore a man after his workes of righteousnesse had neede to pray that his righteousnesse which being discussed might sink down vnder the burthen may recouer strength againe by the only clemency of the Iudge Let him say then that though I haue done any thing that is iust yet I will not answer but will supplicate my Iudge As if he should more plainly confess saying Although I attaine to neuer so great a proficiency in the way of vertue yet I come to obtaine life not of merits but of mercy This was the constant doctrine of the Church of Rome in this Bishops dayes We will conclude this point in setting downe the iudgement of Cardinall Contarenus who writ of iustification a little before the Councell of Trent where hauing before of set purpose examined the Protestants doctrine of iustification confesseth ingenuously as he had iudiciously according to his learning and piety scand and compared it that Luthers doctrine together with the Protestants was consonant and agreeable to Catholicke doctrine For as yet the Councell of Trent had not decreed against the Catholicke faith which had beene maintained by all the Fathers of the Church in all ages euen downe to Contarenus his time who writ some three or foure yeares before the first Session of this Councell although the Schoole-men specially the Scotists had according to the Authors name darkened and dimmed the truth whose new doctrine notwithstanding proued not as yet Catholicke before the Councell of Trent wherein the Scotists bore no small sway would needes make it Romane-Catholicke in despite of all Catholickes Where also we may note by the way the falshood of that scandall which Pontificians cast vpon the Protestants Religion as being a doctrine of nouelty broached first by Luther Whereas a Cardinall of the Church of Rome of learning and piety after due examination found and confessed that the Protestant doctrine of iustification being the maine fundamentall doctrine of Christian Religion did consent with Catholicke doctrine But let vs see what this Cardinall saith concerning iustification Attingimus ad duplicem iustitiam alteram nobis inhaerentem qua incipimus esse iusti essicimur consortes diuinae naturae habemus charitatem diffusam in cordibus nostris alteram verò non inhaerentem sed nobis donatam cum Christo iustitiam inquam Christi omne eius meritum simul tempore vtraque nobis donatur vtramque attingimus per fidem Quòd autem Deus donauerit nobis Christum omnia cumeo est Textus Apostoli expressus in Epistola ad Romanos Qui filio suo non pepercit c. His reor nullum posse contradicere Restat iam inquirere vtranam debeamus niti existimare nos iustificari coram Deo id est sanctos iustos haberi ea inquam iustitia quae deceat filios Dei ac oculis Dei satisfaciat an hac iustitia charitate nobis inhaerente an potius iustitia Christi nobis donata imputata Ego prorsus existimo pie Christianè dici quòd debeamus niti niti inquam tanquam restabili quae certònos sustentat iustitia Christi nobis donata non autem sanctitate gratia nobis inharente Haec etenim nostra iustitia est inchoata imperfecta quae tueri nos non potest quin in multis offendamus quin assiduè peccemus ac propterea indigeamus oratione qua quotidiè petamus dimitti nobis debita nostra Idcirco in conspectu Dei non possumus ob hanc iustitiam nostram haberi iusti boni quemadmodum deceret filios Dei esse bonos sanctos sed iustitia Christi nobis donata est vera perfecta iustitia quae omnino placet oculis Dei in qua nihil est quod Deum offendat quod Deo non summopere placeat Hac ergo sola certa stabili nobis nitendum est oâ— eam solam credere nos iustificari coram Deo id est iustos haberi dici iustos Hic est preciosus ille Christianorum thesaurus quem qui inuenit venait omnia quae habet vt emat illum Haec est preciosa margarita quam qui inuenit linquit omnia vt eam habeat c. Inde est quod experimento videmus viros sanctos qui quanto magis in sanctitate proficiunt tanto minus sibi placent ac propterea tanto magis intelligunt se indigere Christo iustitia Christi sibi donata ideoque se reliâ—quunt soli Christo incumbunt Hoc non ob eam accidit causam quòd facti sanctiores minus videant quam prius neque quoniam facti sint animo dimâ—ssiori viliori imò quanto magis in sanctitate proficiunt tanto maiori sunt animo tanto sunt perspicactores Quamobrem factâ— perspicaciores magis intuentur sanctitatis iustitiae ipsiâ— inhaerentis tenuitatem cum qua perspiciunt multas maculas quae eorum oculos factos perspicaciores magis offendunt ac propterea reipsa cogno scunt non sibi nitendum esse sanctitate charitate gratia sibi inhaerente sed conâ—ugiendum sibi esse ad Christum ad gratiam Christi ipsis donatam qua nitantur incumbant We attaine saith hee to a double righteousnesse the one inherent in vs whereby wee begin to be iust and are made partakers of the diuine nature and haue charity shed abroad in our hearts the other not inherent but giuen vs with Christ the righteousnesse I say of Christ and all his merits Both are giuen vs at one time and we attaine both of them by faith And that God hath giuen vs Christ and with him all things it is the Text of the Apostle to the Romanes These things I suppose none can contradict It remaines then to enquire whether of these two we are to trust vnto and to bee esteemed iustified before God For my part saith hee I thinke it agreeable both to Piety and Christianity to say that we ought to relye to relye I say vpon the righteousnesse of Christ giuen vnto vs as vpon a most firme foundation which doth surely sustaine vs and not vpon holinesse and grace inherent in vs. Thus Contarenus And againe in the same book Hac sola inquit certa stabili nobis nitendum est ob eam solam credere nos iustificari coram Deo id est iustos haberi c. We are saith he to relye vpon this only certaine and stable foundation and for the same onely to beleeue that we are iustified before God that is accounted iust This is that
Sancti qui Saluatoris nostri tempora praecesserunt per hanc fidem iustificati expectantes vniuersalom credentium redemptionem in semine Abrahae All the Saints who liued before the times of our Sauiour are iustified by this faith expecting the vniuersall redemption of beleeuers in the seed of Abraham And in his fourth Sermon vpon the Epiphany Hoc est quod iustificat impios hoc est quod ex peccatoribus facit Sanctos si in vno eodemque Domino nostro Iesu Christo vera Deitas vera credatur humanitas This is that which iustifieth the vngodly that is of sinners maketh Saints if in one and the same our Lord Iesus Christ both the true Deity and the true humanity be beleeued Hee putteth this particle of beleeuing the truth of Christs two natures in one person as pointing at the Heresies of Nestorius and Eutyches which in his time were very hot and tended to ouerthrow the truth of his two distinct natures in the vnity of his person This I note by the way left the Pontificians should say that this good Leo meant onely a generall faith concerning Christ. But we see the Catholicke doctrine of those purer and more virgin times of the Church was that there was but one iustifying faith and this not common to good and euill elect and reprobate promiscuously but such as did truely iustifie the wicked and of sinners make Saints So that whosoeuer had this faith were effectually iustified and without the helpe of the Popes Calendar made reall not titular Saints Augustine also saith Vna fides est quae omnes saluos facit qui ex carnali generatione in spiritalem renascendo saluantur terminata in eo qui venit pro nobis iudicart mori It is one faith that saueth all which of carnall generation being spiritually regenerate are saued their faith being bounded in him that came to bee iudged and to dye for vs the Iudge of quicke and dead And againe Ea fides iustos sanauit antiquos quae sanat nos id est Mediatoris Dei hominum c. That faith healed the righteous of old which healeth also vs to wit the faith of the Mediator of God and men c. So that there is but one sauing and saluing faith of all the regenerate And this is according to the expresse doctrine of the holy Scriptures which put an vnreconcilable opposition betweene a dead Faith and a liuing Faith betweene that Faith which is common with the Deuils and Reprobates and that which is proper and peculiar to the elect Saints Hence it is that the Scripture cals that Faith whereby we are iustified a holy Faith yea a most holy Faith Iude 20. Also the Faith giuen to the Saints Iude 3. It is called also Fides electorum the Faith of the elect Tit. 1. 1. St. Peter cals it a precious Faith Therefore sauing and iustifying Faith being that most holy Faith which is proper to the Saints and to the Elect it cannot possibly bee the same with that Faith which is in the Reprobate and Deuils but differeth from it both specie numero in kinde and number as the Logicians speake This doctrine of iustifying and sauing Faith peculiar and proper to Gods elect Saints and not common with any other whatsoeuer is further confirmed by the Catholicke Doctors of former ages Gregory sirnamed also the Great Bishop of Rome about the yeare 590. in his Morals speaking of Faith saith Electi omnes eum quem fide cognouerunt videre quoque per speciem anhelant cuius amore flagrantes aestuant quia eius dulcedinis suauitatem iam in ipsa suae fidei certitudine degustant All the elect saith hee doe striue to see him by face whom they know by faith with whose loue being inflamed they boyle because they now in the very assurance of their faith taste of the delicacy of his sweetnesse This Bishop of Rome doth denominate and appropriate the Faith whereby we now know God and hereafter shall certainely see God face to face to the Elect onely and to all the Elect. And in his Homilies vpon Ezechiel he saith Omnes Electi siue qui in Iudaea esse potuerunt siue qui nunc in Ecclesia existunt in Mediatorem Dei hominum crediderunt credunt qui praeeunt qui sequuntur Osanna clamant Osanna autem latina lingua Saluae nos dicitur ab ipso enim salutem priores quaesierunt praesentes quaerunt benedictum qui venit in nomine Domini confitentur quoniam vna spes vna fides est praecedentium atque sequentium populornm All the Elect saith hee whether those that were in Iudea or which now are in the Church haue beleeued and do beleeue in the Mediator of God and men which goe before and which follow after crying Osanna Now Osanna in the Latine tongue is interpreted Saue vs for of him both they that went before haue sought and those that liue now doe seeke saluation and confesse him to be blessed that commeth in the Name of the Lord because there is one hope one faith of the People past present and to come St Augustine speaketh to the same purpose Antiqui omnes iusti ex fide qua nos viuimus vna eademque vixerunt Incarnationem Passionem Resurrectionemque Christi credentes futuram quam nos credimus factam All the ancient iust men liued by that one and the same faith by which we liue beleeuing the Incarnation Passion and Resurrection of Christ which was to come which we beleeue already fulfilled What clearer testimony can be desired to set forth the vnity of that sauing faith which is common and proper to all the Elect people of God in all ages in the communion and propriety of which faith none but the Elect alone haue a part But the same Gregory saith elsewhere in the title of one of his Dialogues Quod sine fide neque infidelis viuat That euen the infidel doth not liue without Faith But what Faith himselfe answereth Habent etiam infideles fidem sed vtinam in Deum quam si vtique baberent infideles non essent Infidels haue faith saith he but I would to God it were faith in God which faith if they had they should not be infidels Let me here adde one authority of Fulgentius an African Bishop who liued betweene the times of these two Bishops of Rome Virtus est fides non qualis in Daemonibus inuenitur sed qualem Deus Sanctis suis donat quos ex impietate iustificat Faith is a vertue not such a faith as is found to be in the Diuels but such as God giueth to his Saints whom hee iustifieth from sinne Therefore faith being a vertue giuen to Gods Saints whereby 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
illustrate the former point concerning the subiect of Faith and the manner of inherency which it hath in a beleeuer and to cleare the truth of it by Scriptures and by ancient Fathers of the Church The Romane-Catholicke doctrine is no lesse absurd and erroneous in the obiect of sauing Faith than in the subiect of it They run from one extreame to another as the Poet saith Dum vitant stulti vitiae in contraria currunt Fooles from one extremity of folly runne into the contrary But as the true Catholicke doctrine although it exclude no part of Gods Word as the obiect of Faith in generall but yet restraineth the speciall obiect of sauing Faith to Christ and the promises of God in him so though it deny not Faith to haue a place of inherency in the vnderstanding yet it intitleth it not onely to the vnderstanding but to the will to the memory to the affections and all the faculties of the soule as so many Manfions to intertain this noble Queene Faith where she may keepe her Court of residence for her selfe and all her train of Graces that attend her Or wee may compare the seuerall faculties of the soule to so many roomes or chambers in the soule wherein as in a magnificent Palace Faith resideth whose presence as a Prince puts life into euery part whose prerogatiue it is to prescribe to each of her virgin hand-maide Graces their proper taskes her selfe putting her owne hand to euery work acting directing assisting adorning the office of each Grace whereby it is made both acceptable to God and profitable to men The Catholicke Doctrine then concerning the subiect of Faith is That Faith inhereth or resideth not onely in the vnderstanding but also in the will in the memory in the affections and in euery faculty of the soule This is the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures and therefore Catholicke The Scripture saith Corde creditur ad iustitiam With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse And againe it saith Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith And againe Acts 8. 37. Philip said to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thy heart And againe Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith By these and such like places of Scriptures it is euident that the proper subiect of Faith is the heart of man Now by the heart is meant euery power and faculty of the soule and not onely the vnderstanding as Aquinas vnderstandeth the forenamed place of Acts 15. 9. that by purifying of the heart is meant the illuminating of the vnderstanding but also the will the memory the affections and euery faculty of the soule of man First the Sriptures oftentimes by naming the heart meaneth the vnderstanding As Ephesians 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latine rendreth it word for word Illuminatos oculis cordis vestri The eyes of your heart being illuminated but our English translation hath it The eyes of your vnderstanding being enlightened thereby giuing the true meaning of the place that by the heart there is meant the vnderstanding So the Lord faith Matth. 13. 15. Ne corde intelligant Lest they vnderstand with their heart In 1. Kings 3. 9. Salomon askes an vnderstanding heart In 2. Cor. 3. 15. the vaile ouer the Iewes heart was a note of their blindnesse and ignorance in the mysterie of Christ. Secondly heart in Scripture is often taken for the will As Acts 7. 39. The Israelites in their hearts turned back into Egypt that is their will was so if they had had power So Acts 11. 23. Barnabas exhorts that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord that is with a ready will and constant resolution So 1. Cor. 7. 37. He that stands firme in his heart hauing power ouer his owne will and hath decreed in his heart Thirdly the heart is taken for the memory Luke 1. 66. All that heard laid vp those things in their hearts that is in their memory So Deut. 4. 9. Take heede to thy selfe lest thou forget the things which thine eyes haue seene and lest they depart from thy heart that is from thy memory And Deut. 11. 18. Ye shall lay vp these my words in your heart c. that is ye shall remember them continually as signes bound vpon your hands and as front-lets betweene your eyes Hence it is that the Latines vse Recordari for to remember or to record implying that remembrance is an act springing from the heart Hence also doth our Sauiour call the heart the treasury Matth. 12. 35. which agreeth with the memory called Thesaurus rerum the Treasury of things Fourthly heart in Scripture is also taken for the affections and passions of the soule Matth. 6. 21. Where your treasure is there will your heart be also that is your affection So Rom. 1. 24. God gaue them vp to their owne hearts lusts And Psal 62. 10. If riches increase set not your heart vpon them Thus all the motions and inclinations and cogitations in man are referred to the heart as the prime fountaine whence they all originally flow So all the vertues intellectuall and morall are said to be in the heart we say A wise heart a good heart a valiant heart an humble heart an honest heart c. And the contrary as wee say A foolish heart a wicked heart a faint heart a proud heart a deceitfull heart c. Of a valiant man we say He hath a Lyons heart and of a coward He hath the heart of a Hare and of a meeke man He hath a Lambes heart As Nabuchadnezzar for his pride had a Beasts heart giuen him that is a bruitish disposition to liue like a Beast as hee did Now the issue of all this is that faith is that same radicall grace wherein the whole life of the Saints of God all holy graces haue their being and existence of holinesse and from whence they grow and flow euen as all the branches from the roote and the streames from the fountaine For as the heart is the fountaine of all the faculties of the soule of the vnderstanding of the will of the memory of the affections motions cogitations c. all which are signified by the heart in Scripture so Faith beeing in the heart as in the proper seate and subiect and being said to purifie the heart it giues vs to know the excellent nature of Faith which is to diffuse its vertue to the purifying and possessing of euery part and faculty of the soule For possessing the heart it possesseth and filleth the whole soule It illuminates and informes the vnderstanding it reformes and conformes the will it confirmes it with hope it inflames it with loue it prompts the memory with holy meditations and remembrances of Gods loue and goodnesse it moderates and tempers all the affections and passions it directs the motions and cogitations of the soule to their right end and scope and in a word the office of this faith is to
the Popes yoake with his sophisticate Traditions Now the pure gold and siluer of Gods word must goe no longer for currant vnlesse it be stamped in the Popes owne Mynt and subiect also to be abased or inhansed at his pleasure Now the waters of life are of no force vnlesse distilled through the Popes Limbeck nor those riuers of Paradise medicinable if they flow not from the sacred Minerals of the Romish Mountaines Thus in effect the Romish Amazon cuts off the right pap of Scripture which yeelds the sincere milke reseruing only the left to suckle her Paplings withall as that Lupa did Romes founder Romulus or at least the right Pap is so patched to that stepmothers breast as it yeelds no other milke but such as relisheth of the corrupt complexion of the Popes infallibility Thus the first Rubbe is remoued the Scriptures which are made cock-sure for the Pope 2 For Luther they could easily hisse him out for an arch heretick and blast and brand with Anathema those euident truths by him deliuered So that hard it was to iudge whether fared worse Luther for the truths sake or the truth for Luthers 3 For the consent of ancient Fathers the most they stand vpon is S. Augustine who indeed writ more of this diuine mysterie than all the rest put together But the Councell could easily euade him saying as Catarinus about Predestination that S. Aug. his opinion therin was nouel neuer heard of before his time or that S. Aug. was drawn to speake many things awry through heat of disputation against the Pelagians or as Vega Non necesse est c It is not necessary to beleeue all S. Aug. his arguments to be demonstratiue or altogether to stand in force Thus all the Fathers corne though growing from the field of Scriptures proues but chaffe comming once to be sifted in the mysticall if not Satanicall fanne of this actiue Councell 4. 5. For the dissenting Schoolemen and those Dominicans and Franciscans in this Councell whereof Vega and Soto were the two Standard-bearers and bore a great sway therein it behooued the Councell to keepe good quarter with them and to vse all their witts eyther to reconcile them or with some pretty equiuocations to please all parties For this purpose Marcellus Priest intituled of the holy Crosse President of the Councell Cardinall and Apostolicall Legate à latere whose wits were as versatilous as his titles magnificent and various after much sweat spent in chopping and changing peecing and payring after an hundred Congregations wherein these matters were canuased Pro Con at length licked the Decrees and Canons to that forme that each side was pleased and Marcellus applauded on all hands when each Sect might from the same Delphick Oracle pick out his owne meaning Thus came these Trent Decrees to be like a curious Picture which euery one in the Roome imagineth to looke directly vpon him Or like an indented Table-Picture vpon a Wall wherein the one side of the Roome may behold the face of a man the other of a woman and they in the midst of an Owle Thus Soto and Vega who in the time of this Session writ each a Volume of this Subiect though in some smaller points different in their opinions which they grounded vpon the Decrees and dedicated to the Councell were both well pleased yet no otherwise reconciled but as Herod and Pilate Brethren in euill to crucifie Christ. The writing of which two Champions of Trent I haue mostly all along this Treatise confuted Thus as S. Ambrose saith Fucum faciunt qui non audent explicare quod sentiunt censoriè They do but iuggle that dare not set downe in plaine termes what they captiously conceiue And as Hierome against the Pelagian Hereticks Sola haec haeresis quae publicè erubescit loqui quod scripto docere non metuit This only is heresie which blusheth to speake that publickly that it feares not to teach secretly But as there hee saith Ecclesiae victoria est vos apertè dicere quod sentitis sententias vestras prodidisse superasse est It is the Churches victory for you to speake plainly as you think to detect your opinions is to confute them But we haue assayed to pull off Romes vizard and to make the Whore naked Her figge-leaue-righteousnesse will not salue her sinne or hide her shame Only I cannot but lament to see many of my brethren the sonnes of my mother in show to stand vp to plead for Baal Is it the symptome of this our age wherein there is so much learning and so little sound knowledge in the Mysterie of Christ or wherein the Spirit of the world is so predominant that men are so transported with an vnnaturall zeale and loue to Babylon But Wisedome is iustified of her children And now I begin to conceiue the reason why the Iesuites pennes are of late so silent surely because they see ours so poynant in one anothers sides while our Mother-Church bleeds for it But those that be the true Ministers of Christ will say with S. Paul Wee cannot speake any thing against the truth but for the truth Now I could heartily wish that my brethren of the Ministry would imploy the greater part of their paines in preaching and pressing this maine Doctrine of Iustification It would be a maine Bulwarke to batter Babels Tower whereby she would scale heauen with her merits And for Antichrist I wonder to see such a deepe silence of him Doth the Councell of Laterans Decree dare vs not to mention Antichrists comming Otherwise to presse Iesuites with the point of Antichrist would easily stop their mouthes while they would put vs to show the vninterrupted lineall pedigree of the Professors of our Religion from the Apostles all along downeward to Luther Alas this is but a poore shift to gaine time and to cause vs to put vp our weapons against them We can easily descry the pearles of our Religion strawed all along in the bottome of those muddy streames of Popery We can discouer the starres which haue giuen light in all ages of the Church notwithstanding all Romes mysts labouring to eclipse them And although iniury of time had consumed with fire our particular euidences yet we finde them registred in the Court-rowles of Scripture which no fire nor moth shall consume But not to detaine you too long in the Porch of this larger edifice know Christian Reader that this poore Worke hath lien by me licensed for the Presse a pretty space It was borrowed from the interrupted succisiue houres of my Court-attendance If it displease many I passe not so much if it may profite some and therein shall I prayse God This is the fruit of all my labour I seeke no reward so I may shun reproofe What can be said in opposition to this truth or any other by me deliuered in speciall against the Synagogue of Rome I shall be ready to maintaine if occasion require in ampler maner if I may
haue alike liberty with my Antagonists I say no more for the present but commend you to God and to the word of his grace which is able to build you vp and to giue you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified Thine in Christ H. B. TRVTHS TRIVMPH Ouer TRENT CHAP. I. Of mans workes done before grace or of preparation in man vnto Iustification commonly called the merit of Congruitie The Romish Faith THE title of the fift Chapter of the sixt Session of the Councell of Trent is Of the necessitie of preparation to Iustification in men of ripe age where they say That by their free-will stirred vp and helped by grace they are disposed to conuert themselues to their Iustification by free assenting and cooperating with the same grace The ground of which disposition to Iustification is freewill which cooperating with grace produceth fixe seuerall workes of preparation laid downe by the Councell here and reckoned vp by Vega one of the Councels chiefe champions First an Historicall faith conceiued by hearing beleeuing the truth of Gods promises to a sinner in generall Secondly a feare of Gods iustice arising from the apprehension of their sinnes whence they arise thirdly to a hope by conuerting themselues to the consideration of Gods mercy trusting that God for Christs sake will be fauourable vnto them whom they then begin fourthly to loue as the fountaine of all righteousnesse and therefore are moued by a hatred and detestation against sinne that is fiftly by that Penance which they are to doe before Baptisme while sixtly they resolue to receiue Baptisme to begin a new life and to keepe the Commandements of God And Can. 1. If any man shall say that a man may be iustified before God by his owne workes which are done either by the power of mans nature or by the doctrine of the Law without diuine grace by Iesus Christ let him be accursed CHAP. II. Wherein the doctrine of Romish preparation is examined IT being the maine drift of this Councell to establish a righteousnesse inherent in a mans selfe and not finding how to dimme the bright sun-shine of truth against this doctrine but by an artificiall shadow of the second beames of grace medled and mingled with blinde or at the best bleare-eyed nature therefore the iudicious Reader may obserue how while this Councell would seeme in part to ascribe the worke of Iustification to Gods grace it doth in deed and in the maine attribute it to mans nature as may appeare in laying the first stone of this Babylonish building Of the necessitie of preparation to Iustification The whole frame of which preparation composed according to the modell of their Schoole-diuinitie as Cabriel Biel one of their chiefe Sententiaries who liued about fifty yeares before this Councell hath laid it downe as That the Act of the will presupposeth the Act of the vnderstanding and the Act of faith goes formost to apprehend the abomination of sinne and the wages of it hence a feare of Gods wrath and of hell fire hence a dislike and detestation of sinne And this saith he is a disposition of Congruity neither immediate nor sufficient but very remote Then faith turnes it selfe to the consideration of Gods mercy and resolueth that God is ready to remit sinne through the infusion of charity to those that are sufficiently prepared and disposed Vpon that consideration followeth the act of hope whereby a man begins to couet after God as the soueraigne good and from this act of hope he riseth to loue God aboue all things euen out of pure naturals From this loue issueth another dislike and detestation of sinne not for feare of damnation but for God finally aboue all things beloued And all these acts are followed with a purpose of amendment And so at length this comes to be a sufficient merit of Congruity being the immediate and finall disposition to the infusion of grace And this is such a preparation as doth necessarily as by a chaine of so many infolded linkes draw after it the infusion of grace whereby a man is iustified Thus wee see by what perplexed pathes they would leade men towards their iustification But note here what a power they giue to this preparation as euen to necessitate and inforce the infusion of grace because saith Biel to a man that doth as much as lyes in him God hath determined infallibly to giue grace And Aquinas saith it is a merit of Congruity that when a man doth wellvse his vertue God according to his super-excellent vertue should worke more excellently in him Videtur Congruum saith he It seemes Congruous and agreeable to reason that a man operating according to his vertue God should recompence him according to the excellencie of his vertue Yea such is the force of this merit of Congruity that according to Thomas it will merit not onely grace for a mans selfe but also for another man for because saith he a man in the state of grace doth fulfill the will of God it is Congruous or fitting that according to the proportion of friendship God should fulfill mans will in the saluation of another man Such is the nature of their doctrine of Congruitie of which sort are their workes of preparation disposing and fitting a man for grace And this is the sense and summe of the Trent doctrine touching preparation Now to cut off this Goliahs head we neede no other than his owne sword First concerning the title it selfe of the necessity of preparation in the Adulti or men growne as we call them note here the vanity of this doctrine how therein they confound themselues For I would aske them whom they meane by their Adulti or men of yeares Those within their owne Church such as are baptized or Heathens and Pagans without the pale of the Church such as are not yet baptized as Turkes Iewes or Indians Surely they mention those Adulti that are not yet baptized But it must needs be that they include their owne Adulti for else what vse is there in their Church of this doctrine of preparation which they so highly aduance commend vnlesse it be among the barbarous Indians But their Adulti haue already according to their doctrine receiued the grace of Iustification in their Baptisme conferring grace as they say ex opere operato which grace being once by any mortall sin afterwards lost there can be no more merit of Congruitie to merit a reparation of grace as it is in the preparation vnto grace as Thomas teacheth But leaue we the title and let vs come to the thing Popish preparation vnto grace hangs vpon two speciall hinges First free-will secondly that this free-will is moued by grace which their Schoole-men call the first grace implyed in this Councell A free-will they must haue though they confesse it to be weake and feeble And such a free-will wee easily grant them as loth to incurre their Anathema for
of Gods spirit but of mans spirit so that if such proue all abortiues and dead borne it is no maruaile But the sons of God we cannot be till we be in Christ which is till we beleeue in Christ as Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ therefore before this faith in Iesus Christ we are not the children of God no not so much as the Embrio in the first conception But the new creature must bee in Christ Iesus as the Apostle saith Gal. 6. 15. So when Christ himselfe speakes of regeneration to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. instructing him therein how it is begun in a man hee tels him in the continuation of his speech that this appertaines to those that beleeue in the son of man vers 15. and vers 16. For a man to be regenerate or made the son of God by adoption he must be in the son of God by beleeuing in him Where Christ also opposing faith to vnbeliefe saith those are condemned already that beleeue not hauing no part in the regeneration therefore before faith in Christ no regeneration at all no cleansing no sanctification but all condemnation Againe Christ is made vnto vs sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. vnto vs in him Of him are ye in Christ Iesus therefore while out of Christ no sanctification So the adoption of children is by Iesus Christ Ioh. 1. 5. therefore no sons no regeneration but in Iesus Christ. Likewise Ioh. 15. 2. Euery branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away So vers 4. As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in mee â—or without me yee can doe nothing Therefore while a man is out of Christ vntill by faith he be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine from whom hee receiueth the liuely sappe of a new life hee can doe nothing nothing that is good nothing that is acceptable to God no worke of new obedience or sanctification But some may say Regeneration is wrought by the Spirit of God in vs and so may be before faith in Christ and consequently before we come to be actually in Christ. To which I answer True it is that the Holy Ghost is the immediate efficient cause of our regeneration But how doth he worke regeneration in vs namely by working in vs faith in Christ which faith is the very immediate instrument whereby the Holy Ghost doth regenerate sanctifie and cleanse vs sith the Holy Ghost by this faith ingrafteth and vniteth vs into Christ in whom we are regenerate and made the sonnes of God Now that faith is the instrument of our regeneration and sanctification it is euident Acts 15. 9. 26. 18. So that the very first and prime act of Gods sanctifying spirit in vs is to worke faith in vs by which faith in Christ as by a noble instrument the Holy Ghost vniting vsto Christ as members to the head doth regenerate vs and so makes vs the adopted sons of God And before faith in Christ we cannot say wee haue Gods sanctifying spirit in vs I say in regard of prioritie of time For this sanctifying spirit in the same moment that he sanctifies vs he workes faith in Christ in vs by which he regenerates and sanctifies vs. But they re-ioyne by a distinction and say that this repentance which prepares the way to faith and layes the foundation of regeneration is not acceptable to saluation but only to fit prepare vs thereunto and to make vs the more capable of it In this distinction they do much please themselues but they confound themselues in their distinction For they affirme againe that this precedent repentance of theirs is regeneration and sanctification and newnesse of life inchoatiue begun at least in part A bold assertion Is it regeneration begun and in part and being acceptable is it not acceptable to saluation Is not regeneration a worke of our saluation And though regeneration should be begun in this repentance in neuer so small a degree a worke it is of our saluation if it bee true regeneration Logicians know that Magis minus non variant speciem A man in the first conception is a man though imperfect and inchoatiue But they reply again That they do not say this preuious repentance is acceptable to saluation of it self but as it hath relation to faith coÌ„ming after whereby it becomes acceptable A pretty shift And yet they say again That repentance goeth before faith not in the precedency of time but in nature only in the order of causes Now if this repeÌ„tance go before faith in the order of causes then repentance must cause saith so this absurdity wil follow That the effect must giue a form being at least a well being vnto the cause if so be faith the effect consequent of repeÌ„tance as they say make the same acceptable But how doe they proue that this their repentance goes before faith in Christ in nature and in the order of causes They proue it out of Matth. 21. 32. where Christ taxing the infidelity of the Pharisees wherein they came behinde the very Publicans faith Iohn came to you in the way of righteousnesse and ye beleeued him not but the Publicans and the Harlots beleeued him and ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might beleeue him Hence they conclude That repentance must goe before faith as the cause of it alledging Christs words thus Ye repented not that ye might beleeue But leauing out him That ye might beleeue Him to wit Iohn Baptist as it is in the text which implieth what kinde of faith Christ there meaneth to wit an assent to the truth of Iohns doctrine The place thereby comes to bee preuerted For Credere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ei is the faith of assent but Credere in cum that is in Christum is the iustifying faith So that by that place alledged if repentance goeth before faith in the order of causes then certainly that repentance is the cause of no other faith but the faith of assent there spoken of which is not all one faith with the iustifying faith But they which affirme thus yet confess that repentance doth not go before the faith of assent which they terme also the Euangelical faith but that its an effect consequent therof And here by the way I might take iust occasion to shew the absurdity of those that distinguish betweene Euangelicall faith and the faith of Christ as if Euangelicall faith were onely a generall assent to the truth of the Gospell whereas a generall assent and Euangelicall faith are as different as this and the faith of Christ are all one for Euangelicall faith looketh vpon the Gospell not onely as a true history but as the mysterie of God in Christ it embraceth it as the Gospell preaching Christ the Sauiour yea preaching Christ to euery beleeuer of this Gospell in particular As
Luk. 2. 10. 11. The Angels said to the Shepheards â—eare not for behold I bring You good tidings of great ioy that shall be to all people For vnto You is born this day in the City of Dauid a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Note here is the Gospel preached to who I bring You good tidings And what is the tidings To you is borne this day a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. Here we haue an exact summe of the Gospell which is Christ the Sauiour borne to vs. Now to beleeue this Gospell is an Euangelicall faith but such as cannot diuide betweene the Gospell Christ and such also as must needes apprehend and applie Christ by beleeuing in him For To You is borne this day a Sauiour which is Christ the Lord. To You this is a necessary relatiue part of the Gospell for Euangelium or good tidings imply not onely the party sending but also the party or parties to whom it is sent So that the faith of the Gospell must so beleeue the truth of the Gospell as that it leaue out no part of it But one part of it is that this Gospell is sent to You that is to all beleeuers For as much as the Gospell containeth the couenant of grace betweene God and vs God and man being the parties interessed in this Couenant mutually in Christ the Mediator Therefore the Euangelicall faith is not a bare generall assent to the truth of the Gospell but a particular affiance in Christ the summe of the Gospell and so it apprehendeth and applieth this good tidings which is to beleeue the Gospell indeed For that generall faith which they call an assent when it goes no further it makes no difference betweene the Gospell and the Law and other parts of the word of God but beleeueth them all indifferently as a true history when it is called an historicall faith But when faith comes to put a difference pitching vpon the speciall obiect the Gospell and 〈◊〉 this faith becomes an Euangelical faith then it is so the faith of the Gospell as it is also necessarily the speciall faith of Christ whom it apprehendeth layeth hold vpon vnlesse a man can so diuide between Christ the Gospel as the Gospel may be Gospel without Christ or so diuide the Gospell from it self as that we may beleeue it to be good tidings not to vs in particular Whereas the beliefe of the Gospell consists in the apprehending and certain applying of the good tidings therof vnto vs To You is born this day a Sauiour to You is this word of saluation sent This is the Gospell and this is to beleeue the Gospell by applying it to vs to whom it is sent If we do not beleeue it sent to vs we do not beleeue the Gospell for it is so far a Gospell or good tidings to vs as we beleeue it to be sent to vs in particular Nor is this faith of the Gospell a certain or rather vncertaine swimming in the brain that perhaps or probably or possibly God may be merciful vnto vs in Christ A doctrine bred of the spawne of Trent This is a wandring imagination hatched in mans braine hauing no ground of truth or agreement with the faith of the Gospell Thus we see if Euangelicall faith be none other but the faith of Christ and in Christ as we haue sufficiently proued then it followeth that the distinction betweene Euangelicall faith and faith in Christ being vnsound and groundlesse the whole doctrine of the precedency of repentance before faith in Christ as a necessary and acceptable preparatiue thereunto doth euen mole sua of it selfe fall to the ground For the authors of such a doctrine must needes confesse if they will be guided by reason that there is no repentance but faith must goe before it for to cause it as either Legall faith must go before it to cause Legall repentance or Euangelical faith must go before to cause Euangelicall repentance Now if there be no Euangelicall faith to goe before and cause Euangelicall repentance but the faith of Christ then in vaine is any repentance deuised to goe before and cause faith in Christ. This Eagle-eyed faith of Christ hath no sooner glanced vpon the Sun of Righteousnesse but instantly by the force thereof a dreery cloud being raised causeth a gracious but sad shower of repentance to descend from those windowes and floud-gates of the now heauenly Soule to refresh the poore sinner now hungring and thirsting after the liuing waters They say also that the faith to wit Euangelicall faith which is the cause of their Repentance going before and causing the faith of Christ is a generall assent or a generall faith of the truth of the Gospell But how can this generall assent beget in mee a particular Repentance vnlesse with this assent I haue also a particular affiance in the promise of the Gospell of Christ applying it to my self The Gospell saith To you is borne a Sauiour Christ the Lord. I beleeue this to be true But how shall this beliefe moue me to Repentance vnlesse I beleeue that this Sauiour is borne to me in particular Ahab had not so easily repented if Gods iudgements being layd neuer so close to him hee had not beleeued the truth of them in particular towards himselfe So the Nineuites For particular Repentance in euery man must arise from a particular apprehension and application of the Word of God towards himselfe As for their reasons forcing Repentance to goe before Faith in Christ they are very poor and beggarly as that otherwise it leades me to presumption A very friuolous and false surmise For sauing Faith doth no sooner lay hold on Christ with the one hand but withall it layeth the other hand vpon the sinner the subiect wherein it is arraigning him at Gods Tribunall iudging condemning him for that sinner whom Christ came to saue Faith doth no sooner looke on Christ with the right eye but it presently reflects on the sinner with the left eye The reason is because it is impossible I should beleeue Christ to be my Sauiour but withall I must beleeue and acknowledge my selfe to bee the sinner which I cannot truely do but it will necessarily breed in mee that Repentance to saluation not to bee repented of For a Sauiour and a wretched sinner are relatiues which not euen the thought of man can diuide or sunder one from another And so here their reason why such Repentance must needes goe before faith is found faultie which is say they because if Repentance went not before faith in Christ then faith in Christ would proue to be presumption Therefore we haue shewed that in true faith in Chrst there is alwaies true Repentance as the prime and immediate fruite of Faith So that rather the nouell doctrine of such men is a high pride and presumption carrying others also to the top of the same pinacle by perswading them that they haue true Repentance before faith in
by way of relation iustification is the subiect of inherent grace For wee speake here of the formall cause of iustification not of the formall cause of man as if hee were the subiect wherein iustification is a quality inherent But to answer their mis-applyed philosophicall diuinity The forme of a thing is not alwayes a quality inherent as in the subiect where it is but sometimes it is onely adherent and extrinsicall by way of relation As that I am the sonne of such a man the formall cause hereof is not inherent in me but it is originally and relatiuely from my father that begate mee giuing a being to my sonship respectiuely to him So a man set at liberty by the fauour and meanes of another the very forme of his freedome was the others act in freeing of him not inhering in him that is freed but rather adhering vnto him Yea the Pontificians themselues confesse and Vega for one that the formall cause of mans redemption is a thing extrinsicall to wit the oblation of Christ on the Crosse and that the free fauour of God for the merit of Christ is the formall cause of remission of sinnes If therefore the forme of our redemption and remission of sinnes is not within vs but without vs why not as well the forme of our iustification the cause whereof is Christs redemption and the effect of it remission of sinnes In a word it is not with a forme as with an accident the being of an accident is the in-being of it Not so of a forme where being or modus essendi consists not necessarily in the inhering in the subiect whose formall cause it is but it may as well be extrinsicall by conferring a vertue and power whereby the Causatum receiueth the formality of its being But to leaue Philosophy and return to Diuinity it is yet in question whether the matter of this iustification be within vs or rather without vs. The Romane-Catholicke faith teacheth that it is within vs but the Catholicke faith concludeth that the formall cause of our iustification is without vs not within vs. This is that Catholicke doctrine which the Scriptures teach when they ascribe our iustification to faith apprehending that which is without vs where by apprehending is not meant a bare vnderstanding or knowing as Soto in the name of his Romane-Catholickes would haue it but it is also a laying hold vpon and applying of the thing beleeued We haue shewed afore how the Pontificians take the word Imputation namely for a participation of Christs righteousnesse so farre forth as thereby some other righteousnesse being merited is infused into vs and inherent in vs. But the true Catholickes hold otherwise that imputation is of a thing without vs being apprehended and applied by faith So that the thing imputed is that which is by faith apprehended As it is said of Abraham that hee beleeued God and his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse Rom. 4. 3. Now the obiect of Abrahams faith was God yea God promising in regard of which obiect Abrahams faith is imputed to him for righteousnesse Not the act of Abrahams faith being but an instrument but the obiect of it is imputed As we may say we are iustified by the act of faith relatiuely to the obiect Christ not for the act of it Abraham beleeued God and his faith was imputed to him for righteousnesse But how is this sufficient to iustifie a man to beleeue God or the promise of God that it should be said to be imputed to man for righteousnesse I answer To beleeue Gods promise is to haue an eye of faith vpon Christ who is the substance of all Gods promises and in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen 2. Cor. 1. 20. So that God in Christ is the obiect of faith imputed to the beleeuer for righteousnesse But here an obiection crosseth my way cast in by the aduersary of the truth Vega who saith Dixi c. I said that this faith of the Mediator is that to which for the most part and chiefely the Scriptures doe attribute our iustification yet we beleeue also saith he that faith taken generally as it relieth vpon diuine truth may also iustifie a man Nor are wee in that errour wherein some are to thinke that the onely faith of iustification promised or of saluation in Christ doth iustifie vs or is imputed vnto vs for righteousnesse For saith he Noahs faith of the future deluge as Paul witnesseth was imputed to him for righteousnesse and he was appointed the heire of righteousnesse which is by faith in that he beleeued God fore-telling the floud and a hundred yeares before it came began to build the Arke for the safety of his house And to Abraham also as the history of Genâ—sis plainely teacheth it was imputed for righteousnesse because hee beleeued that his posterity should bee multiplied as the starres of heauen So that hence hee concludes that not onely to faith in Gods promises in Christ is righteousnesse imputed but to faith in generall beleeuing Gods truth such as is not in the compasse of Gods promises in Christ but either speculatiue precepts or morall doctrines or other Propheticall predictions or historicall relations So that by the Pontifician doctrine other faith besides that in Gods promises in Christ may be imputed to a man for righteousnesse As Noahs faith in building the Arke against the floud and Abrahams faith in beleeuing Gods promise concerning the multiplication of his seed I answer that no faith is or can bee imputed to a man for righteousnesse but that which hath respect vnto Christ and the promises of God in him But Noahs faith in preparing the Arke to saue himselfe and his family from the floud was imputed to him for righteousnesse True this confirmeth the Catholicke doctrine of the imputation of faith as it lookes vpon Christ for what was the Arke but a Sacramentall type of Christ as Augustine saith Christus figuratus est in Noe in illa Arca orbis terrarum Quare enim in Arca inclusa sunt omnia animaliae nisi vt significarentur omnes gentes Christ is figured in Noe and in that Arke of the whole world for why in that Arke were included all creatures but that all Nations should be signified by them And there hee applies that promise to Abraham Gen. 22. 18. In thy seed shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed And for Abrahams faith in Gods promise what seed of Abraham was this in whom all the Nations of the earth should be blessed Was it not Christ Yes Christ so saith Augustine in the forenamed place Christus in ea prophetia occultus erat in quo benedicuntur omnes gentes Christ saith he was hid in that prophesie in whom all the Nations are blessed But the Apostle or rather the holy Ghost by the Apostle is the best interpreter of that prophecie Gal. 3. 16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the
imputation of Christs righteousnesse or in the remission of sinnes without our inherent righteousnesse as appeareth in the former Chapter What needes more testimony in such a cloud of witnesses Among all which not a word of any inherent righteousnesse not a word of infusion of grace not a word of hope and charity ioyned with faith as equally concurring much lesse precurring and out-stripping faith in the worke of iustification not a word of imputation so to bee vnderstood as if Christ did therefore merit that we might haue grace inherent or of our owne whereby to bee iustified in Gods sight Although true it is that the same ancient Fathers doe often call our inherent righteousnesse which is our sanctification by the name of iustification but they neuer say that hereby we are iustified in the sight of God In a word the consideration of the true difference betweene the first couenant and the second doth easily conclude the truth of this doctrine The first couenant made with Adam in Paradise was the couenant of workes Doe this and liue but the second couenant opposite to that is of grace Beleeue and liue as the Apostle doth notably oppose faith against workes in our iustification Therefore vnlesse wee would bring man againe into the estate of Adam in his earthly Paradise before his fall and so shut out Christ the second Adam to pleade iustification by workes is a monstrous dreaâ—â—e Therefore it was not for nothing that our first Parents were banished out of that earthly Paradise typically to teach them that now they had no more to do with that first condition of their creation the happinesse whereof depended vpon the couenant of workes but now they must seek a new Paradise that is a heauenly and that by a new and liuing way to wit by faith in Christ which is that couenant of grace opposite to the couenant of workes So opposite that as the Apostle saith If it be of grace then it is no more of workes otherwise grace is no more grace But if it bee of workes then is it no more grace otherwise worke is no more worke Rom. 11. 6. CHAP. VI. Of the instrumentall cause of iustification and first of the Romane Catholicke doctrine herein THE Councell of Trentputs no other instrumentall cause of iustification but the Sacrament of Baptisme which saith she is the instrument of faith without which faith no man could euer obtaine iustification Where notwithstanding shee would seeme not altogether to exclude faith as a party-instrument But because Baptisme is so vnderstood as an instrumentall cause as will require rather a particular discourse by it selfe wee will shew here what allowance they giue to faith in iustification That which the Pontificians ascribe to faith in the worke of iustification is either that it is a worke of grace preparing and disposing a man to receiue the grace of iustification as being the beginning of other graces and going before iustification as appeareth out of the Trent Councell Ses. 6. cap. 8. or else that it is a grace concurring with other graces infused and inherent as hope and charity and such like by which ioyntly a man comes to be iustified otherwise they allow faith no hand at all in iustification As may appeare in the Councell of Trent the sixth Session the ninth and eleuenth Canons Si quis dixerit sola fide impium iustificari c. If any man shall say that a sinner is iustified by faith alone c. And if any man shall say that men are iustified either by the onely imputation of Christs righteousnesse or by the onely remission of sinnes excluding grace and charity which is shed abroad in their hearts by the holy Ghost and is inherent in them or also that the grace whereby we are iustified is onely the fauour of God let him bee Anathema or accursed Whereupon Vega in his glosse vpon this place sets this downe for his prime conclusion Certissima fide est tenendum fidem solam absque operibus alijs neque satis esse ad iustificationem acquirendam neque ad tenendam acquifitam Wee are to hold by a most certaine beliefe that faith alone without other workes is neither sufficient to procure iustification nor being procured to preserue it And what those other workes bee hee telleth vs to wit first Baptisme secondly the Eucharist or the Masse thirdly Penance fourthly Confession and Absolution fiftly the keeping of the Commandements c. And againe Multipliciter posse hominem iustificari prima quidem ac communior magisque protrita via est per poenitentiam secunda dilectio Dei super omnia c. Wee say that a man may be iustified many waies The first and more common beaten way is by penance the second by the loue of God aboue all the third by martyrdome the fourth by prayer no doubt so many Pater-nosters and Aue-maries vpon beades and obseruing Cannâ—nicall houres the fift by the Sacraments of the Church and especially by Baptisme Penance and the Eucharist Penance you must note is in great request in the worke of iustification being here againe repeated and rancked in the middest betweene Baptisme and the Eucharist because in Penance there is not onely Confession to know what is in the conscience but satisfaction to tell what is in a mans purse if hee will deale by commutation And in the last place Probabilis est etiam sexta vt videtur via nempe per fidem It seemeth also probable that there is a fixt way namely by Faith But this way of faith comes lag in the reare and it is but probable neyther nay it doth but seeme probable The other wayes therefore are their common high-wayes of iustification this of Faith is onely a way of sufferance and that in some case of Necessitie yet with speciall restriction too as iustifying a man onely from originall sinne as Vega there addeth Videtur enim probabile c. For it seemeth probable that if a man be infected only with originall sinne and so soone as he should come to the vse of reason hauing heard the preaching of faith and seene miracles to confirme it should be willing to receiue it for the sauing of his soule by this onely that he giues credit vnto it hee should be iustified and haue his originall sinne pardoned But here mee thinkes Vega forgets himselfe in two things first that he puts faith in the last place which elsewhere he puts in the first Secondly that he attributes that to faith to wit the taking away of original sinne which eyther was taken away before in the baptized or if the party were not yet baptized Faith is not sufficient to iustifie him from originall sinne without Baptisme eyther in facto or in voto in deed or in desire Yea in the conclusion he saith peremptorily Non fides sed poenitentia primas partes tenet in reconciliatione peccatoris Not faith but penance hath the chiefe place in the reconciliation
we to the Chrystall fountaines of Christs truth CHAP. VII The Catholike Faith of the Doctrine of Faith as the sole immediate Instrument to apprehend and apply the righteousnesse of Christ imputed to vs to our Iustification as beeing the effectuall meane of our vnion with him HAuing seene what credit Faith carryeth among the Pontificians in the work of Iustification which at the best is allowed no more but eyther to dispose and make a man the more apt that also with the helpe of other disposing graces to receiue Iustification which notwithstanding for all his Faith he may faile and come short of or else to come in for a share but must be content with the least share or none at all among other graces as Charity Penance Martyrdome and such like all which take place of Faith in Iustification Let vs now come to take an estimate of Faith according to the standard of Catholike Doctrine weighing it in the most vnpartiall ballance of the Sanctuary Nor doe we purpose in this place to speake particularly and punctually of the propertie and kinde of Faith whereby a man is said to be iustified as referring that to the more proper place but wee will content our selues so to speake of faith here in generall as the only immediate instrumentall cause in vs whereby we come to bee made righteous in the sight of God For as our Iustification is by the Imputation of Christ and his righteousnesse vnto vs so the only instrumentall meane comming betweene to apply and effectually to worke this imputation of Christ to vs is the act of beleeuing which is the property of Faith As Augustine saith Fidelis est à fide fides à credendo A beleeuer hath his name of Faith and Faith of beleeuing As the Apostle saith With the heart man beleeueth to righteousnesse Faith is the hand of the soule which applyes the sacrifice of Christ for sinne It is the hand that puts on the Robe of the righteousnesse of Christ our elder brother vpon vs by the sweete smell whereof God being well pleased bestoweth the blessing of heauen and earth vpon vs of grace and glorie and all Yea faith hath another singular propertie that it is as it were the ligament or sinew which fasteneth and vniteth euery faithfull member to the head Christ Iesus from the influence of whose fulnesse we receiue and grace for grace And the Councell of Trent seemeth to professe as much though with limitation and restriction to her owne reserued sense saying Nam â—ides nisi adeam spes accedat charitas neque vnit perfectè eum Christo neque corporis eius viâ—um membrum efficit For Faith say they vnlesse hope and charitie bee added vnto it doth neither perfectly vnite with Christ nor make a liuing member of his body The Councell neede not here equiuocate for the matter as if she did admit of our spirituall vnion with Christ by Faith indeed but such a Faith as hath hope and charitie ioyned with it whereas in truth her meaning is that not Faith so much as Hope and Charitie doe vnite vs to Christ sith Hope and Charitie make the vnion perfect which faith doth not Yea Charity and Penance as her intimous Vega saith doe more closely vnite vs to Christ than Faith doth But we shall discusse and discouer this mystâ—rie more cleerely when we come to speak of the kinde of Faith required in Iustification In the mean time suffice it vs that we haue the Councels confession That Faith at least with the helpe of Hope and Charitie doth vnite vs to Christ. And though Vega preferre Charitie and Penance before Faith in this worke of vniting with Christ yet thereby hee doth not altogether exclude Faith Faith therefore according to the Pontificians conâ—ession hath at least a share though the least according to their allowance in working our vnion with Christ. But the Catholicke beliefe ascribeth this worke of vnion with Christ primarily yea and solely to Faith namely as the immediate and onely instrument of Gods spirit in vs. Now our iustification by the imputation of Christs righteousnesse stands in our vnion with Christ. This is confeâ—led of all That whatsoeuer we receiue from Christ it is by vertue of our mysticall vnion with him And saith it is that worketh this vnion not Faith as Pontificians teach before it bee formed by Charity To which Faith only Vega ascribeth a certaine vnion with Christ Comparamus enim nobis Spiritum sanctum iustitiam facimusque vt Christus inhabitet in nobis per Eidem informem aut saltem per â—idem vt prius est natura quà m formetur For saith he wee get vnto our selues the holy Ghost and righteousnesse and doe cause Christ to dwell in vs by Faith vnformed or at least by Faith as it is by nature before it bee formed So that by this doctrine a dead Faith or that which differeth not from the Faith of Diuels doth cause our vnion with Christ or Christ to dwell in vs. But let vs see how Vega cleereth this doctrine from this imputation A little after in his second question of faith and workes taking vpon him as he is very venterous to answer an argument brought to proue that Paul excludes no beleeuer from saluation where he saith The righteousnesse of God by the Faith of Iesus Christ vnto all and vpon all that beleeue To this place saith Vega many commonly say that Paul said not Vnto all and vpon all that beleeue him but in him which is onely proper to those that haue charitie and by loue tend vnto him Aliud enim inquiunt est credere Deo quod est ei â—idem adhibere aliud credere Deum quod est credere Deum esse aliud credere in Deum quod est credendo amare credendo diligere credendo in eum ire eius membris incorporari For it is one thing say they to beleeue God that is to giue credit vnto him another thing to beleeue God that is to beleeue that God is and another to beleeue in God that is by beleeuing to loue him by beleeuing to affect him by beleeuing to goe into him and to bee incorporate into his members They are the words of St. Augustine vsed by him very frequently throughout his workes and by name in his nine and twentieth Tract vpon Iohn which Vega quoteth Well how doth Vega auoyde this Argument concerning Faith in Christ bringing saluation vpon all that beleeue Nihil valet hoc refugium commune Non enim habetur graece â—i neque in eum sed absolute dicitur In omnes super omnes qui credunt This common refuge saith hee is nothing worth For it is said absolutely Vnto all and vpon all thatbeleeue the Greeke hath not him or in him Note here good Reader that these Pontificians howsoeuer they would magnifie and preferre their vulgar Latine translation before the originall Hebrew and Greeke yet where it makes not for them they can
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 Oleastrumpropter humilit atem 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 humblefaith 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 vnited 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 consubstantiasity 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 in 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 nontam 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 cnique natura substantia est cum Patris Filijque coâ—stet penitus esse vnam In the vnion betweene God and man each of them notwithstanding retaine their nature and substance proper to themselues but 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 hath no benefit from the thing signified nor is it any longer a signe than in the Sacramentall vse and application to the beleeuing Communicant and so the Sacramentall vnion ceaseth yet
the summe of all wee put on Christ hee becomes wholly ours being made vnto vs of God wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption and all in all Now true it is that this vnion is not only internall inuisible reall and peculiar to Gods elect but also externall visible nominall and common to all Christians So that although all Christians in Common as well Hypocrites and false Professors as the sincere and faithfull may claime a share in this vnion so farre forth as it is externall and visible as beeing wrought by externall and visible instruments the Word and Sacraments wherof all Christians are in common partakers yet onely the Elect and Faithfull are partakers of the internall and true reall vnion with Christ as being wrought by a most powerfull Agent the Spirit of Christ and by a most actiue instrument the Faith of Christ. So that Faith in the hand of Gods spirit is the principall yea and sole immediate instrument and meane to vnite vs vnto Christ euen as the spirit in man is the meane to vnite the body and soule together CHAP. IX Of the other Romane Catholicke euasions to elude and frustrate the euidence of Scriptures concerning sole Faith in Iustification FOrasmuch as the holy Scriptures doe abound with cleare euidences to proue our Iustification by Faith alone in the only imputation of Christs righteousnesse apprehended and applyed by Faith altogether excluding workes from hauing any thing to doe in this worke it stood therefore the Church of Rome vpon to vse all art and wit of men and Angels I meane bad Angels to blunder these Chrystall fountaines by their distinctions and to sophisticate the pure simplicitie of truth with their faire false glosses and farre-fetcht interpretations To beginne with the Epistle to the Romanes where the Apostle in setting down the doctrine of Iustification doth so often attribute Iustification to faith without workes or without the works of the Law opposing faith against works grace against merit the Law of Faith against the Law of workes as being incompatible meanes or instruments to iustification The Pontificians can easily reconcile all by vnderstanding the opposition to bee betweene Faith and eyther those workes of the Law which are ceremoniall or those which are done before a man haue Faith but not of those workes which are done in the state of grace after a man haue receiued faith as is intimated in the eight Chapter of the Sixt Session of the Councell of Trent Wherupon* Vega reckoning vp sundry opnions as of some that take those workes excluded by Paul not only for legall and ceremoniall but morall and naturall of others that say St. Paul spake of workes going before Faith and St. Iames of workes comming after Faith c. At length addes his owne opinion spun like a copweb out of the subtiltie of his owne braine and all vpon the preposition Ex diuersly taken of Paul and Iames as this quaint Franciscan hath obserued For this preposition Ex saith he in Paul signifieth merit and debt but in Iames only co-operation and co-efficiency as where Paul saith that no man is iustified ex operibus by workes hee should meane none is iustified by the merits and due deserts of his owne workes And where Iames saith That a man is iustified ex operibus by workes and not ex fide tantum by faith only he should meane that workes do concurre vnto iustification and not faith alone But wee shall not want a broome to sweep downe this subtile webb But let vs adde first another of his webs which hee also fasteneth vpon his Trent-Fathers namely That Paul speakes of the first iustification from which precedent workes are excluded And Iames of the second Iustification in which subsequent workes are included Now for Vega's first reason and note vpon the preposition Ex it is no lesse really absurd than seemingly subtile For if Paul by saying Neminem ex operibus iustificari None is iustified by workes should meane by the merit or due desert of his workes then consequently by saying hominem ex fide iustificari that a man is iustified by Faith he should meane that man is iustified by the merit and due desert of his Faith which Vega himselfe in the selfe same place denyeth Thus the nimble Spider is wrapped and intangled in his owne webbe And as for the Trent-Fathers conceipt of Pauls first and Iames second Iustification wee shall by and by see the vanitie of it For indeede the iustification which Paul ascribeth to Faith without workes and that which Iames attributeth ioyntly to workes with Faith are so different as they differ not in degrees of first and second but in a most opposite respect as much as Iustification in the sight of God differeth from Iustification in the sight of man As wee shall more plainely shew anon Now for Pauls iustification by faith without workes it is cleare that all workes are excluded without exception not onely legall and ceremoniall and morall done before the state of grace but those also done in the state of grace none are excepted of what nature soeuer Paul shuts all out from iustification for if any be iustified by workes yea by workes of grace then Abraham for Abraham is propounded not onely as a particular beleeuer but as the father and figure of all the faithfull But Abraham was not iustified by workes not by any workes not by his best workes done in the state of grace This the Apostle proues manifestly Rom. 4. 5. To him that worketh not instancing of Abraham but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his Faith is counted for righteousnesse So that Abraham is iustified not by working but by beleeuing To this purpose Gregory surnamed the Great Bishop of Rome vpon the seuen penitentiall Psalmes in the fourth of them to wit Psalme 51. vpon these words Et exultabit lingua mea iustitiam tuam you must pardon the vulgar barbarisme of the Latine the true English is And my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousnesse saith Iustitia Dei fides est the righteousnesse of God is faith And hee instanceth Abraham Abraham beleeued God saith he and it was imputed to him for righteousnesse Quia iustus ex fide viuit Because the iust doth liue by faith Si ergo iusti vita fides est consequens est eandem fidem esse iustitiam sine qua quisque esse iustus non potest If therefore the iust mans life be faith it followeth that the same faith is that righteousnesse without which no man can be iust Or saith hee the righteousnesse of God is that he will not the death of a sinner For it seems iust with man to reuenge his wrong but it is the righteousnesse of God to pardon the penitent So he As therefore 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
remains for me no hope of saluation but in the sole mercy of Iesus Christ. So that the very Arch-Pontificians themselues in their death when their conscience is made their iudge renounce their own Doctrine seeme to desire to dye good Protestants like Balaam who wished he might dye the death of the righteous But I cānot see by what way such dubbling Wanderers can come to heauen because as in their life they denyed the doctrine of Faith so in their death they are for ought wee may deeme deuoyd of the duety of charity Dye they not in a most preposterous malice and enuy They would goe to Heauen but would pull the Ladder after them lest the simple people should follow them So the Hypocriticall Pharisees who shut vp the Kingdome of Heauen against men neither going in themselues nor suffering those that would to enter in Thus the Testimony of Romane Catholickes themselues may bee sufficient to conuince the vanitie and falshood of their iustification by their inherent righteousnesse But yet for more confirmation of the truth and confutation of this damnable doctrine of Popery let vs take a briefe view of the faith and opinion which the Saints of God from time to time haue had concerning their owne inherent righteousnesse Abraham the father and figure of the faithfull for all his workes yet was not iustified by them in the sight of God as the Apostle testifieth of him Rom. 4. 2. for if Abraham were iustified by workes he hath whereof to glory but not before God This onely testimony might stand for all to proue wherein the righteousnesse of all the faithfull consisteth whereby they stand iust in the sight of God to wit not in their inherent righteousnesse but in the onely righteousnesse of Christ imputed and by faith applied Thus Iob confessed he stood iustified Iob 9 2. How should man be iust with God if he will contend with him hee cannot answer him one of a thousand And ver 20. If I iustifie my selfe mine owne mouth shall condemne me if I say I am perfect it shall also proue me peruerse And Chapt. 25. 4. How can man bee iustified with God yea Chapt. 9. 15. whom saith he though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Iudge Indeede towards his friends he stands stoutly in the iustification of himselfe namely of his integrity and sincerity and that hee was no hypocrite as they no lesse vncharitably than vntruely charged him but towards God he beares himself farre otherwise before him he humbles himselfe he makes supplication to his Iudge saith Chap. 9. 30. If I wash my self with snow-water and make my hands neuer so cleane yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine owne clothes shall abhorre me for he is not a man as I am that I should answer him and we should come together in iudgement And Chapt. 10. 14. If I sinne then thou markest mee and thou wilt not acquite me from mine iniquity If I bee wicked woe vnto me and if I be righteous yet will I not lift vp my head I am full of confusion c. But had Iob no good workes Yes looke vpon his life described in his 29. 30 31. Chapters Hee was an eye to the blinde and a foote to the lame a deliuerer of the poore fatherlesse and friendlesse from the oppressor breaking the iawes of the wicked and plucking the spoile out of his teeth He wept for him that was in trouble and his soule was grieued for the poore And though hee were a great man a wise man a Prince yet hee ate not his morcels alone but the poore and fatherlesse fed with him The naked limmes blessed him being warmed with the fleece of his sheepe What sinne was Iob addicted to and what actions of piety and mercy did he not abound in Insomuch as in respect of his sincerity and integrity of heart hee durst say If I haue walked with vanity or if my foote hath hasted to deceit let me be weighed in an euen ballance that God may know mine integrity And God knew his integrity giuing testimony vnto it that he was a man perfect and vpright and one that feared God and eschued euill Yet all this righteousnesse Iob renounceth when he comes to the strict tryall of Gods Tribunall For comming to stand in Gods presence he saith Chapt 42. 5. I haue heard of thee by the hearing of the eare but now mine eye seeth thee wherefore I abhorre my selfe and repent in dust and ashes An admirable type of a faithfull man not trusting in his owne inherent righteousnesse but in the onely mercy of God through Christs merits whereby onely he stands iustified in the sight of God Was not Dauid also a holy man an honest hearted man after Gods owne heart yet he professeth Psal. 71. 15. c. My mouth shall shew forth thy righteousnesse and thy saluation all the day for I know not the numbers that is the perfections thereof I will goe in the strength of the Lord God and will make mention of thy righteousnesse euen of thine onely And in the beginning of the same Psalme In thee O Lord haue I put my trust let me neuer bee put to confusion deliuer me in thy righteousnesse And Psalme 89. 16. speaking in the name of all the faithfull he saith In thy name shall they reioyce all the day and in thy righteousnesse shall they make their boast And vpon the 32. Psalme Paul hath these words as a Commentary of Dauids words Rom. 4. 6. Euen as Dauid also describeth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sinne But Dauid disclaimeth the iustification of all inherent righteousnesse in the sight of God Psal. 143. Heare my prayer O Lord giue eare to my supplication in thy faithfulnesse answer me and in thy righteousnesse And enter not into iudgement with thy seruant for in thy sight shall no man liuing be iustified And Psalme 30. If thou Lord shouldst marke iniquities O Lord who shall stand But there is forgiuenesse with thee that thou mayst be feared So Esay that Euangelicall Prophet aduanceth Gods righteousnesse and disauoweth mans righteousnesse Esay 54. 17. This is the heritage of the seruants of the Lord and their righteousnesse is of me saith the Lord. Yea say the Pontificians our inherent righteousnesse is of the Lord. Nay saith Esay chapt 64. 6. We are all as an vncleane thing and all our righteousnesse are as filthy rags Yea say the Pontificians before we be regenerate and be in Christ. But Esay speaketh of the Church of the Iewes of the circumcised to whom circumcision was a signe of regeneration and of Gods Couenant of grace and a seale of faith and Esay puts himselfe in the number Was Esay now vnregenerate And in the name of
this yet this Faith is a true iustifying Faith though it bee dead This is the expresse perplext doctrine of the Church of Rome concerning Faith without any equiuocation at all Come wee now to examine the truth of this doctrine CHAP. XII Wherein Romane-Catholicke Doctrine concerning the kinde of iustifying Faith is confuted and the Catholicke Doctrine confirmed also of Faiths obiect and subiect FIrst whereas they allow no Faith in Scripture but one which they ground vpon that of the Apostle Ephes. 4. 5. One Faith it is euident they build vpon a wrong ground That there is but one Faith in the Apostles sense it is true that is but one sauing and iustifying Faith but that this faith is that which the Romane Catholicks only allow of is vtterly false and fabulous And yet they cal this the iustifying faith which Vega describeth thus Fides cui sacrae literae nostram tribuunt iustificationem c. That Faith to which the holy Scriptures attribute our iustification is for the most part and specially the Faith of the only Mediator betweene vs and God or to speake more plainely it is the Faith of Iesus Christ to wit a credulity or perswasion whereby we certainly and vndoubtedly beleeue that we may possibly be saued by him alone and also other things which are deliuered eyther by himself or by his Church or by his Apostles which we are to beleeue concerning his life death resurrection glory and dignity and grace Note here the nature of the Pontifician Faith They call it the Faith of the only Mediatour between vs and God This is well said but it is with limitation it is but vt plurimum for the most part Therefore this is not the true Catholicke faith as we shall see anone Then they call this Faith a credulity or perswasion wherby we certainly and vndoubtedly beleeue How Certainly and vndoubtedly beleeue This may passe for good Catholike doctrine But what do we certainly and vndoubtedly beleeue namely Per eum vnum nos posse saluari That we may possibly be saued by him alone So they place their faith in a possibility of saluation by Christ. But is this all No this faith hath for its full and adaequate obiect as the entire rule of it whatsoeuer is reuealed or deliuered by writing or tradition either by Christ himselfe or by his Church or by his Apostles So that this faith must bee regulated as well by that which the Church saith and what he meaneth by the Church we all know as what Christ and his Apostles haue said as well by traditions Romes vnwritten word as by the written Word of God Nay the Councell of Trent goes farther making the maine rule of faith to be that sense and meaning which the Church alwayes vnderstand of Rome hath or shall set downe concerning all things written and vnwritten And this is the Romane-Catholike faith Now if this faith of theirs bee the iustifying faith how comes it to passe that they that haue this faith are not iustified by it And if men hauing this faith may notwithstanding be damned and carry it with them to hell how is it a iustifying faith But with Romes good will we must not touch vpon particulars Suffice it there is one faith and this is the Catholicke faith of Romane-Catholicke beleeuers There is but one faith say they whether it be formed or vnformed which they take from the Scoria of the Schooles forge For Aquinas saith that faith formed or vnformed is one and the same in kinde and in number as the Logicke terme is Indeede Aquinas might speake his pleasure of faith formed and vnformed as being the first Forger of the forme of faith Whereas if this Scoria be but cast into the Test it will presently fume into the ayre For according to Philosophy Aquinas his profest and pretended proper element a thing without forme is non ens if it be Tohu it is Bohu too Gen. 1. 2. For the forme giues the being to the thing Now the faith of Deuils and of the wicked wanting a forme as Pontificians say is no faith at all But the faith of Deuils is not no faith a faith it is therefore a forme it must haue What forme Indeede as Scaliger saith the formes of things are hard to be found out But euery thing that hath but a name must haue a forme that giues the being Now that the faith of Deuils hath a forme proper vnto it is manifest because it hath a speciall act and motion in beleeuing which springeth from the proper forme of it The act of the Deuils faith is to beleeue that God is and that he is true in his word and iust in his iudgements so as it maketh the Deuill to tremble withall If therefore the Deuils faith hath a speciall forme to giue being vnto it then this forme puts a specificall difference betweene the Deuils faith and the Saints faith For euery thing is differenced in kinde from another by its proper forme As therefore the Saints faith hath a speciall forme to difference it from the faith of Deuils so the Deuils faith hath a proper forme to difference it specifically from the faith of Saints as the beasts soule is by the forme of it differenced from a mans soule And the forme makes the maine difference But this by the way to shew how these Philosophicall Doctors defile their owne nest To proceed That there is but one faith whereby we are saued all Catholike Diuines haue euer taught but that the liuing faith which they call formed and the dead faith which they say is vnformed should be all one faith in kinde this is a mysterie neuer known nor I suppose euer so much as dreamt of by any of the ancient Catholick Doctors of the Church Leo sirnamed the Great who was Bishop of Rome about the yeare of Christ 440. while as yet the faith of that Church was truely Catholike he saith Vna fides iustificat vniuersorum temporum Sanctos ad eandem spem fidelium pertinet quicquid per Mediatorem Dei hominum lesum Christum vel nos confitemur factum vel Patres nostri adorauere faciendum A sentence worthy to be written in golden letters One faith saith he doth iustifie the Saints of all times and it appertaines to the same hope of the faithfull whatsoeuer eyther we confesse already done or our Fathers adored should be done by the Mediator of God and men Iesus Christ. Note here this good old Bishop of Rome acknowledgeth one faith What faith A iustifying faith What A faith common to reprobates No such as iustifieth the Saints What Saints Those of the Popes Canonizing No The Saints of all times such as were long before the new order of Saints instituted by the Pope long after St. Leo. Such Saints as are not mentioned in the Popes Calender namely all those Saints of the old Testament whereof the Popes Rubricke hath none As the same Leo saith Omnes
dubium quin latinè possimus dicere apud Haereticos nostrae tempestatis non esse suae gratiae opinionem sed certitudinem Nor do we doubt but that we may say in plaine termes that the Heritiques of our time haue not an opinion of their grace or iustification but a certainety Note here iudicious Reader that the Pontificians doe allow of a certaine vncertaine particular certainety of Faith namely such as may bee eyther true or false They might better haue said iust nothing sauing that they cautelously put this clause by way of preuention that if a particular certainty of Faith bee neuer so manifestly proued yet it may proue at hap-hazzard eyther true or false And this Vega would demonstrate by a distinction saying There is a two-fold certainty Per se or Quoad nos Eyther a certainty in regard of the truth it selfe beleeued or in respect of our apprehension which may be deceiued according to the Councels own Text. In a word in his fift Chapter following hee sets downe foure limitations of certainety that are extra controuersiam without all controuersie allowed of the Pontificians First that euery man may haue a knowledge of his iustification by diuine reuelation and that this hath been truly reuealed to some holy men although but to few and them Gods greatest familiars as the blessed Virgin and the Apostles Secondly it is certaine that all righteous men may by some certaine signes and probable arguments or tokens and coniectures attaine to a probable notice and opinion or as they call it a coniecturall certitude of their iustification Thirdly saith he it is certaine that no mortall man without diuine reuelation can attaine in this life to the certainety of euidence of his iustification Fourthly it is also certaine that no man can without diuine reuelation certainely know anothers iustification vnlesse haply when he shall haue baptized a childe To these limitations wee may here adde the substance of that which Vega sets downe in the 46. Chapter of the same booke the title whereof is Possunt viri spirituales certitudinem assequi de sua gratia Spirituall men may attaine a certainty of their grace and iustification By spirituall men he vnderstandeth those that liue in a state of perfection as they terme it Yet this certainety is so rarely found among such as after much adoe and wauering this way and that way Vega being vncertaine what to thinke of this certainety at length hee is resolued vpon the point and giues vs a rare instance of Saint Anthony whose birth of faithull and religious Parents whose Christian and holy education whose firme faith in beleeuing all which the Church of Rome beleeueth whose care not to offend but to please God in all things whose voluntary pouerty whose inoffensiue and innocent life full of charity whose humility whose dayly comming to Masse and frequent Shrifts whose watchings and fastings and other infinit deuotions induced Vega to thinke that this certainty of saluation may haply bee found in some spirituall men But hee must bee a St. Anthony at the least who is possest with this certainety So few receiue this gift as Christ said of continency No not Martyrs themselues saith Vega Chapter 43. His words are Neque adduci possum vt credam aliquem Martyrem aut habuisse aut habere potuisse certitudinem de sua iustificatione c. Nor can I bee induced to beleeue saith hee that any Martyr eyther had or could haue the certainety of iustification vnlesse God reuealed it vnto him as also their perseuerance and crowne of blessednesse layd vp for them that so they might the more cheerefully and couragiously persist in their confession With these limitations doe the Pontificians confine their allowance of the certainty of Iustification First it is only generall not speciall or particular Secondly if particular there be any they say it may be true or false Thirdly this speciall certainty is giuen to none but by speciall reuelation and that to some speciall choyce persons as the blessed Virgin and the Apostles Fourthly iust men may haue some coniectural signes and probable opinions of their iustification Fifthly if any had this speciall certainty then certainly St. Anthony a priueledge which not euen the holy and faithfull Martyrs are capable off without speciall reuelation saith Vega. His reason is because euen Heretickes may be Martyrs and constantly dye for Christ. This is the state of Pontifician doctrine about certainety and vncertainety of faith in iustification Against which we oppose the truth of Catholick doctrine concerning the certainety of Faith First to their first limitation we oppose That the certainty of Faith is not generall but particular and speciall Secondly to the second that this certainty cannot be false but alwayes infallibly true and that not onely in regard of the truth of Gods word in generall which certainty may be in dogmaticall and historicall Faith but also of Gods speciall promises in Christ which it is the property of sauing faith certainely to apply and appropriate to the beleeuer that vndoubtedly they belong to him in particular Thirdly to the third that neyther this certainety is simply and only a speciall diuine reuelation nor peculiar onely to a few but it is the proper vertue of sauing and iustifying Faith and is in euery true beleeuer in whom true sauing faith is found Fourthly to the fourth that this certainety in euery man iustified is no coniecturall matter gathered by probable signes but a certaine cleare firme euidence of Faith Fiftly to the fift As for St. Anthony much might his priueledge be as hauing the Patronage of Pigs Cattel which the Priests do solemnly on St. Anthonies day blesse in his name and so they are free from all diseases and disasters all the yeare after and therefore the Pigges Masters or Dames are very Hogs if they requite not the Priests paines with the best Pigge But for all St. Anthonies workes of deuotion if they had beene of a far higher and holier nature they make but little for this euidence of certainety but rather the contrary For the more a man confides in his good workes the more vnsettled he is in the certainety of iustification And for Martyrs I meane Christs Martyrs if they haue not this certainty then none euer had it As for Heretickes they cannot dye for Christ while they dye in the quarrell of their Heresie Thus we haue the state of the question on both sides As for Veg's fourth allegation in his fifth Chapter forementioned That no man can certainely know but by speciall reuelation whether another man be iustified or no this is impertinent to the present purpose and so we leaue it extra controuersiam But display wee our forces now in the open field and try we our cause by the dint of truth First that the Pontificians should so stiffly stand for their vncertainty of Faith they haue great reason in regard it is the strongest supporter vncertaine as it is of the
very effect of Gods mercy applied sealed to the conscience by a liuely faith no less assured of the pardon of sin than the Niniuites were of the preseruation of their Citie Thus Vega's triumph is like his Country-treaties very plausible and currant will gaine much if but beleeued the cunning conueyances be not discouered And by this successe of Vega in this one authority which he sets down as a master-peece wee may easily sum vp the account of all his other allegations out of the Fathers for this purpose what will they amount to To the Fathers he addes the authority of Schoole-men for vncertainty of grace in his 14. Chapter and so forwards to the 19. Chapter But let him take his Schoole-men we doe not enuie the Councell of Trent their authority as out of whose Channels is gathered the Sinke of Romane-Catholick faith So that while Vega alledgeth his Schoole-men hee is as the Fish in the sea or a Cocke vpon his owne dunghill Herein I will doe as Christ directeth concerning the Pharisees let them alone they are all blinde leaders of the blinde And for Philosophers as Aristotle c. Vega will haue them all of his side and takes it in great snuffe that any aduersaries of Pontifician vncertainty should alledge any Philosopher to be for them As hee saith in his 44. Chapter in answer to those that produce euen Philosophicall reasons to oppugne vncertainty Laterem lauant cum nobis putant aduersari Aristotelem as much to say as in the Prouerbe They but wash the Blackamore when they thinke to haue Aristotle to be our aduersary Well let them take Aristotle the Schoole-Doctors Chapt. 14. Scotus Chapt. 15. famous Schooles Chapt. 16. Diuines Chap. 17. yea the infallible definition of the See Apostolique Chap. 18. when they haue done all what will they gaine but incertainty imbracing as Ixion an empty cloud of feare and perplexity in stead of Iuno the true substance of solid comfort They may be certain of keeping their weak fort of vncertainty vnsurprised the maintaining whereof brings vnto themselues in the end certaine ruine and sudden destruction Let Popish faith bee alwayes vncertaine doubtfull fearefull perplexed wauering with euery winde of errour of terror let it be such sith it will not sith it cannot bee any other than of those that beleeue and tremble as can neuer be perswaded of the remission of sinnes of Gods fauour and mercy in Christ. Seeing they will needs bee vncertaine let them be vncertaine as the Apostle saith Hee that is ignorant let him be ignorant In the meane time as we yeeld to the Pontificians the vncertainty of their faith so let them suffer vs to maintaine the certainty of true and sauing Catholick faith which is such as the gates of Hell shall neuer preuaile against True it is that Vega hath spent at the least 20. Chapters from the 19. to the 39. wherin he moyles in sweate and dust labouring to answer all obiections that his aduersaries bring for the confirmation of certainty of saluation wherein hee dealeth like a cunning theefe who knowing which way the Bloud-Hound will pursue him strawes saw-dust or some such like thing to sully the tract and dead the sent and at least to retarde and fore-slowe the pace of the pursuer while himselfe in the meane time may escape the more easily Or like the female Foxe which being pursued at the heeles with her traine dasheth her vrine into the dogs eyes that vneath they are able to pursue any further Such is Vega's holy water which he sprinckleth in our way thinking thereby to inueagle euen the most sagacious Or else he would put vs to our shifts as the Philistims did the Israelites who hauing taken all their armour and weapons from them would not suffer them the vse of any iron toole but such as they must frame in their Forge and sharpen with their tooles But blessed be God we are long ago freed from the spirituall bondage of these spirituall Philistims we can tell better how to weald our owne weapons and handle them better in our owne hands than according to the direction and limitation of these vsurpers and taking our owne weapons into our own hands wee shall the better defend the truth against all those oppositions which Vega with all his Pontifician power makes against it And when we haue spoken then as Iob said Mock on But fearing lest I haue tyred the Reader by leading him through the many windings of Pontifician Vncertainties which like an ignis fatuus may easily diuert the Traueller from his plaine path by leading him through inuious and wilde Wasts let vs here pawse and breathe a little and so pursue our purpose in an entire discourse by it selfe wherin also we must looke for sundry skirmishes and assaults which the aduersary will not let to make vpon our very Trenches CHAP. XV. Of the Certaintie of true sauing iustifying Catholicke Faith LEauing the Vncertainty of Saluation to the Pontificians as their vncertainty of Faith in regard of their incertainty in their grace incertainty in their baptisme incertainty in their Sacraments incertainty in their absolution incertainty in their Masse incertainty in their Priests disposition incertainty in their penance and conuersion incertainty in their contrition incertainty in their satisfaction and merits incertainty in their Monastical life incertainty in their Saints incertainty in their charity incertainty in their righteousnesse incertainty in their holy Ghost inhabiting in them incertainty in their in ucation incertainty in their laying downe their life for Christ their incertainety in purgatory while they acknowledge none other certainty but a morall coniecturall certainety which at the best is doubtfull and deceitfull all which not only Soto and Vega but also Bellarmine in his Bookes of iustification iustifying all that eyther the Councell of Trent or her Commentators Vega and Soto or Andradius and others their fellowes haue writ concerning this point yea and much more but that I would not goe out of my Text and prefixed bounds of the Councels proper Commentaries haue amply set down Come we now to encounter this Romane Catholique vncertainty with the Catholique doctrine of the certainty of Faith But before we can come to lay a firme foundation of this certainty of Faith which Pontificians call nothing else but a vaine hereticall presumption wee must digge vp and remoue one maine heape of Rubbish and Sand which the Pontificians haue put to choke vp the hauen of true rest and to vndermine all certainty of Faith and whereon they haue cobbled vp their tottering Tower of vncertainty for the maine ground of their vncertainty is the authority of the Church on which must depend the verity and certainty of the Scriptures themselues Which being so what maruaile is it if they vtterly renounce all Certainety of Faith and of Saluation For what certainty of Faith can there bee if the holy Scriptures the obiect and ground of Faith be not certaine
by diuine reuelation the Fathers haue opened in those words of the 13. Chapter Veruntamen c. But let them that thinke they stand take heede lest they fall and so vnto the end of the Chapter Thus wee haue the state of Pontifician Doctrine touching the certainty of iustification in regard of predestination and perseuerance For the maine substance of these Trent-Fathers Decrees and Canons touching predestination and perseuerance wee shall trye what truth is in them when we come to set downe the opposite doctrine of the Catholicke Faith In the meane time let vs a little weigh the moment of Vega's arguments for the defence of the Councell In his second Chapter of his 12. Booke Of the vncertainty of predestination and perseuerance after a goodly flourish and triumphall tripudiation as if the field were already won before he had strucke stroke he saith Habemus certissima fortissima argumenta c. We haue most certaine and strong arguments whereby to confirme and defend the Doctrine deliuered here by the Fathers and to vanquish the contrary heresies And first to proue this definition of the Fathers saith he Non omnis c. Not euery one that is iustified is predestinate We haue many places of Scripture to serue our purpose prouing that there haue been many in the state of grace and afterwards haue fallen from it and at length damned For example Saul that was elect to be King of Israel is said 1. Sam. 9. 2. to be electus bonus an elect and good man so that there was not a better than he among all the children of Israel Now saith Vega being said to bee bonus electus elect and good as the vulgar Latine hath it it is manifest that he was then in the state of grace for the Scripture saith hee doth not adorne men with such prayses which are out of the state of Gods grace But saith he Saul afterwards fell and was reiected and damned I answer Saul is there called an elect man in that he was a choice and goodly tall young man proper of personage insomuch as none was found comparable to him for personage and stature for hee was taller by the head and shoulders than any of the people Doth this proue that hee was one of Gods eternall election Or doth God elect men to saluation for the goodlinesse of their person No wee see the contrary 1. Sam. 16. 7. That Saul dyed a reprobate and desperately we easily grant it But that Saul euer was in the state of grace Vega saith nothing yet to the purpose to proue it nor euer can he I rather maruaile why Vega omitted a more probable argument to proue Saul to haue once been in the state of grace to wit because the Spirit of the Lord comming vpon him he was turned into another man An argument which some other Pontificians vrge yet Vega alledgeth St. Augustines censure of Saul who concludes him to bee a reprobate saying The example of this Saul makes against some proud heretickes which deny that any of the good gifts of the holy Ghost may be giuen to those that doe not appertaine to the condition of Saints Which saying of that worthy Father doth plainly proue that Saul was neuer of the number of Gods Saints and that euen wicked and reprobate men may haue notwithstanding some speciall gifts of the holy Ghosts and yet be neuer a whit the nearer to the state of grace Saul was said to be changed into another man when Gods Spirit came vpon him not in regard of conuersion from sinne vnto God or from a wicked life to the state of grace but of a priuate man whose thoughts reached no higher than his fathers Asses hee was made a Prince and endowed with Princely qualities of wisedome and courage the gifts of Gods Spirit whereby hee was enabled for such a weighty gouernment Yea we are not affraid to put this case to the tryall euen of a Bishop of Rome Gregory the last good Bishop of Rome saith thus of Saul Saul electus dicitur non secundum gratiam sed secundum iudicium Bonus dicitur vt diuine aequitatis dispositio commendetur Bonum profectò est quicquid est iustum c. Saul is said to bee elect not according to grace but according to iudgement He is called good that the disposition of diuine equity might be commended That indeed is good whatsoeuer is iust c. And he illustrates this by the instance of Ecclesiasticall Pastors Per iustitiam quippe Dei Pastores reprobi c. For by the iustice of God reprobate Pastors are permitted to climbe to the regiment of holy Church but they which are euill by their iniquity are good by diuine dispensation and now by the secret ordination of God they are elected who at the last in the vniuersall iudgement shall be reprobated Therefore a reprobate shepheard because by diuine dignation he is appointed to that office may bee called elect and because he is iustly permitted hee may bee called good And because hee is thought fitter than others to execute Gods iudgements therfore none is said to be better than he among the children of Israel Seeing therefore it cannot be proued that Saul was euer in the state of grace but the contrary is manifest euen by the iudgment of him who was once Bishop of Rome no maruaile if he dyed a desperate Reprobate Hereunto Vega addeth Salomons example that being endued with extraordinary wisedome from God and so standing in the state of grace he afterwards fell away and Vega laboureth to proue that Salomon dyed a Reprobate For answer that God gaue such wisedome to Salomon this proues him no more to be in the state of grace than that which was giuen to Saul This wisedome giuen to Salomon was famous indeede but for ought we finde it was no other but a naturall and morall wisedome and knowledge whereby he might the better iudge that great people committed to his charge as Salomon himselfe saith 1. Kings 3. 9. and know the nature and property of all creatures as 1. Kings 4. 29. 30. 31. c. Not that I deny but that Salomon might now be in the state of grace and no doubt but he was but that hee was not therefore in the state of grace because of his extraordinary wisedome giuen vnto him For doe not wee know that for a naturall and morall wisedome euen Heathen men as many Pagan Philosophers haue farre excelled many of Gods Saints Againe as we deny not but that young Salomon was now in the state of grace so we deny that hee euer fell totally away from this estate It is true he fell fearfully but not totally for marke what the Scripture saith expresly 1. Kings 11. 4. It came to passe when Salomon was old that his wiues turned away his heart after other gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of Dauid his father And in the 6.
Sermon out of which Vega pickes so much matter as he thinkes makes for him Bernard doth consute Vega's mis-conceit of his meaning confirming that truth which wee anouch For where Vega leaues off Bernard goes on and saith Propter hoc data sunt signa quaedam indicia manifesta salutis vt indubitabile sit eum esse de numero Electorum in quo ea signa permanscrint Propter hoc inquam quos praesciuit Deus praedestinauit conformes fieri imaginis Filij fui vt quibus certitudinem negat causa sollicitudinis vel fiduciam praestet gratia consolationis For this cause saith he there are certaine signes and manifest tokens of saluation giuen that it might be indubitable out of all doubt that he is of the number of the Elect in whom these signes doe abide For this cause I say whom God foreknew he also predestinated to bee made conformable vnto the image of his Sonne that to whom the cause of sollicitude or fearfulnesse doth deny certainty the grace of consolation might giue euen a confident assurance So Bernard Whence we see that whereas immediatly before he had said that which Vega alledgeth for his owne purpose alledging authorities of Fathers as Satan did the Scriptures by peece-meale Generationem istam quis enarrabit c. Who shall declare that Generation to wit of Gods Children whereby they are both begotten and preserued in grace that they cannot fall away as Bernard there excellently sheweth Quis potest dicere Ego de electis sum c. Who can say I am one of the elect I am one of the predestinate to life I am of the number of Sonnes Quis haec inquam c. Who I say can say these things the Scriptures gain-saying Nescit homo c. Man knoweth not whether he be worthy of loue or hatred Whereupon he addes Certitudinem vtique non habemus sed spei fiducia consolatur nos ne dubitationis huius anxietate penitus cruciemur We haue not certainty but God doth comfort vs with a confidence of hope lest we should be altogether tormented with anxiety of doubting Thus farre Vega alledgeth out of Bernard But note here Bernard speakes not of vncertainty in regard of faith but in regard of humane frailty which he cals the cause of sollicitude or fearfulnesse and so he concludes not leauing Gods Children in a miserable vncertainty sith they haue many infallible and manifest signes and tokens of their saluation that they are without all doubt in the number of Gods elect hauing the grace of consolation to make them confident that they are predestinate to bee made conformable to the Image of the Sonne of God although they want not in the meane time the clogs of carnall infirmities that doe often impeach and checke their Cheery and Christian confidence while the beames of faith are ouer-clouded with the vanishing vapours of fleshly feare vntill the storme of the afflicted and conflicting conscience be ouer and the cloud wasted by the prepotent sunne-beames of grace which will not long be eclipsed or suspended from shining vpon the faithfull soule But of Bernards authority for the point of certainty more clearely anon where his eyes are not dazeled or deceiued by a false light at least by a mis-apprehension and mis-application of the true light Now to conclude Vega's arguments from the 11. Chapter to the end of his 12. Booke he yeeldeth thus farre That a man may come by some signes to haue some probable coniecture and opinion of his predestination and perseuerance in grace The title of his 11. Chapter is in these words Ex beatitudinibus Euangelicis probabilis potest colligi nostrae aliorum praedestinationis seu perseuerantiae opinio By the Euangelicall beatitudes there may bee gathered a probable opinion of our owne and others predestination or perseuerance And those seuerall beatitudes hee mustereth vp in so many Chapters to the end of the Booke as Humility Meeknesse Mourning Hunger and Thirst after righteousnesse c. as they are laid downe Matth. 5. in all which Chapters Vega doth but fight with his owne shadow where wee leaue him and come to the Catholicke truth CHAP. XVII Of the certainty of Catholicke and true iustifying Faith in regard of the certainty of predestination vnto grace and perseuerance therein vnto glory BEing now by Gods grace to speake of the certainty of sauing Faith in regard of predestination and perseuerance that we may not seeme to build without laying first a foundation it is requisite first of all to lay downe the true state of the Doctrine of predestination as wee finde it reuealed in the Scriptures And so much the rather because the Pontificians haue so miserably mangled it seeking by their cunning vnderminings to blow vp wherein they are very expert Pioners and so to throw downe the most goodly frame of Christian Faith like those their typicall Babylonian Edomites who said of Ierusalem the type of Gods Church and Chosen Raze it Raze it euen to the foundation thereof For the Church of Christ consisting of all the Elect is mainly founded vpon the eternall decree of Gods predestination So that in this case wee are not to forbeare to speake the truth because carnall minded men haue from time to time carped and cauelled at this Doctrine as wee reade in the Councell of Trent For as St. Augustine saith Num propter malos vel frigidos huius sententiae nempe praedestinationis veritas deserenda aut ex Euangelio delenda putabitur Dicatur verum maximè vbi aliqua quaestio vt dicatur impâ—llit capiant qui possunt ne forte cum tacetur propter eos qui capere non possunt non solum veritate fraudentur verum etiam falsitate capiantur qui verum capere quo capiatur falsitas possunt that is Is the truth of this Doctrine to wit of predestination to bee forsaken or shall it be thought worthy to be cancelled out of the Gospell because of those that are wicked and cold Let the truth bee spoken especially where any question doth inforce it to be spoken that they may receiue it who are capable of it lest haply when it is concealed in regard of those that are not able to receiue it they who are capable of the truth whereby falshood may be detected be not only defrauded of the truth but may be taken with falshood And a little after Nonne potius est dicendum verum vt qui potest capere capiat quam tacendum vt non solum id ambo non capiant verum etiam qui est intelligentior ipse sit peior Instat inimicus gratiae atque vrget modis omnibus vt credatur secundum merita nostra dari ac sic gratia iam non sit gratia Et nos nolumus dicere quod teste Scriptura possumus dicere timemus enim videlicet ne loquentibus nobis offendatur qui veritatem non potest capere non timemus ne tacentibus nobis
qui veritatem potest capere falsitate capiatur Aut enim sic praedestinatio praedicanda est quemadmodum eam sancta Scriptura euidenter loquitur vt in praedestinatis sine poenitentia sint dona vocatio Dei aut gratiam Dei secundum nostra dari merita consitendum quod sapiunt Pelagiani that is Is not the truth rather to be spoken that he which can receiue it may receiue it than to be concealed that not onely neyther can receiue it but also he that is more intelligent may be made worse The enemy of grace is instant and vrgeth by all meanes that it might be beleeued it is giuen vnto vs according to our merits and so grace should now bee no more grace And yet wee will not speake that which by the testimony of the Scripture we may speake for we feare forsooth lest if we speake he be offended that cannot receiue the truth and we doe not feare lest while we are silent he which is able to receiue the truth may be deceiued by errour For eyther is predestination so to bee preached as the holy Scripture doth euidently declare it that in those that be predestinate the gifts and calling of God may bee without repentance or else we must confesse that the grace of God is giuen according to our merits which is the opinion of the Pelagians And againe in the same booke Chapt. 21. Nimiae contentionis est praedestinationi contradicere vel de praedestinatione dubitare It is too much peruersuesse to contradict predestination or to call it into question Yet Saint Augustine denies not but that wisedome and discretion is to be vsed in the preaching of it For saith he it is not so bee preached to the ignorant multitude as that the preaching of it may seeme worthy of reproofe For dolosi vel imperiti medici est etiam vtile medicamentum sic allegare vt aut non prosit aut obsit It is the property of a deceiptfull or an vnskilfull Physitian so to apply euen a wholesome plaster as that either it doe no good or else hurt Which was the prouident wisedome of his sacred Maiesty our gracious Soueraigne in his late iniunction to Ministers not to debarre them from the free and lawfull yea the most vsefull and comfortable preaching of that diuine Doctrine of predestination as occasion serued but rather to giue direction at least to younger Diuines lest through want of mature iudgement in the manner of opening that mysterie and applying of it they might haply put a stumbling blocke before the iniudicious and ignorant hearer For otherwise his excellent Maiesty doth himselfe beare royall record to this diuine Doctrine in his learned Paraphase of the Reuelation the 20. Chapter in the latter end in these words The booke of life was opened to the effect that all those whose names were written in it to wit predestinated and elected for saluation before all beginnings might there be selected for eternall glory Now haue not wee in these times the same iust cause of speaking this truth in regard of those Pelagianizing enemies of the grace of God the Pontificians and their complices as Augustine had against the Pelagians both of them contending to ouerthrow the truth of predestination being the ground of the free grace of God in sauing mankinde and to establish mans merits and righteousnesse as the motiue cause of the grace of God Therefore in this so important a cause hauing to deale with so many importunate aduersaries of this fundamentall truth we must not be meale-mouthed lest we come to verifie that of our selues which Gregory once said of some Nonnulli dum veritatis Discipuli esse humiliter negligunt Magistri errorum fiunt Many while out of a kind of humility they neglect to be the Disciples of the truth they become the Masters of errors Come we then in the feare of God to free our selues of the enuie of his great glory in setting down this great mysterie wherein the glory of Gods rich grace doth most clearly shine and shew it selfe Predestination then is an vnchangeable act of Gods good pleasure and will whereby he hath from all eternity of his free grace elected out of the corrupt masse of mankinde fallen in Adam a certaine number of men whom hee hath purposed effectually to bring to eternall saluation by the only absolute meanes and merits of Iesus Christ and by other conditionall and subordinate meanes appointed by him for the receiuing and applying of Christ and walking in him euen vnto the end leauing the rest of men in their originall corruption to their further and finall condemnation The Scripture makes good euery part of this definition First for the subiect of it which is predestination the word is there often vsed which signifieth a fore-determining or appointing or preordaining of a thing But about the name or the thing there is no great question made The very aduersaries are forced to confesse it at least in part Now for the Predicate of the definition it is an act or decree called sometimes in Scripture 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Councell as Ephes. 1. 11. sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Gods Purpose as Rom. 8. 28. sometimes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 1. Pet. 1. 2. which is such a fore-knowledge as is not onely a bare prescience but a Praescitum an established or decreed fore-knowledge as the Latines call a decree of the people Plebiscitum and also the decree or iudgement of a cause Cognitio or tryall or knowledge So 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or praecognitio or fore-knowledge of God is his witting and willing act or decree The Apostle therefore in the forenamed place Rom. 8. doth ioyne the purpose of God and his fore-knowledge together as one and the same thing vers 28. 29. For wee know that all things cooperate or worke together for good to them that loue God being the called according to his purpose and hee addes For whom he fore-knew those hee also predestinated to be conformed to the image of his Sonne So that to predestinate to a conformity vnto Christ is an act of Gods fore-knowledge or fore-decree conducing vnto or producing the end to the which God decreed or purposed Which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fore-knowledge or fore-decree of God is very emphaticall and significant containing in it as wee said before not a bare prescience much lesse that this fore-knowledge in God was led or moued by the euent of those things which he saw would come to passe in the creature according to which euent he should predestinate men to saluation or damnation because he fore-saw they would be such such as the Pontificians whosoeuer symbolize with them in this matter possessed or tainted with the spirit of the Pelagians of which Augustine speaketh but this fore-knowledge in God here hauing speciall and sole reference to the Elect in Christ it importeth a knowledge not of apprehension onely but of loue and approbation as God
pleasure of God as the prime and supreme cause of all That the Sonne of God Iesus Christ came into the world to take our nature vpon him to be incarnate of the Virgin Mary and to become our Mediatour and to accomplish the worke of mans saluation it is wholly and in euery part ascribed to the will and good pleasure of God How often doth Christ himselfe say in the Gospell I came downe from Heauen not to doe mine owne will but the will of him that sent mee Ioh. 6. 38. It pleased the Father that in him should all fulnesse dwell and hauing made peace through the bloud of his Crosse by him to reconcile all things vnto himselfe c. His death and passion were the fruits of Gods will and good pleasure Esa. 53 10. It pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to griefe when thou shalt make his soule an offering for sinne c. and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand His preaching here on the earth and reuealing the mysterie of God vnto Babes was from his Fathers good will Euen so Father for so it seemed good in thy fight Mat. 11. 26. I hope they will not deny or question any of this as by pretending any merit in vs to precede or procure as a motiue from God any part of this grace of Redemption And yet I know not what they meane when they ascribe to the Virgin Mary a merit at least Ex congruo why shee should be the Mother of God That we should be saued by such a means as the preaching of the Gospell which is Christ crucified a meanes contemptible in the eyes of the world it is Gods good pleasure It pleased God by the foolishnesse of preaching to sauâ— them that beleeue 1. Cor. 1. 21. The whole administration of the Word of God is according to his owne will Heb. 2. 4. Our regeneration is not according to the will of the flesh nor the will of man but of God And Iames 1. 18 Of his owne will begate he vs by the Word of truth that wee should be a kinde of first-fruits of his creatures So also our saluation 1. Thes. 4. 3. This is the will of God euen your sanctification It is hee that worketh in vs both to will and to doe of his good pleasure Phil. 2. 13. The perseuerance of Gods Saints and Elect in the state of grace vntill they come to full glory is the will of God Iohn 6. 39. This is the Fathers will which hath sent me that of all which he hath giuen me I should lose nothing but should raise it vp againe at the last day And Mat. 18. 14. It is not your Fathers will that one of these little ones should perish That we inheriteternall life it is Gods good pleasure Luke 12. 32. Feare not little flocke for it is your Fathers good pleasure to giue you the Kingdome So also Iohn 6. 40. It is the will of the Father to giue vs eternall life The Scriptures abound in setting forth the glory of Gods will and good pleasure herein Admirable is the wisedome and counsell of God that hee hath in the holy Scriptures so punctually and particularly pointed out vnto vs the pleasure of his will taking place in euery part and passage of the worke of our Redemption as altogether depending vpon that prime independent eternall will and good pleasure of God in his free purpose and appointment of vs vnto eternall life Let all aduersaries here stop their mouthes and be couered with confusion of face that goe about to robbe God of this his great glory while they would haue Gods electing of vs to depend vpon the free-will and work of man and Gods will and pleasure to bee no more but a consequence of their wils which qualities and actions in them God fore-seeing from all eternity say they did thereupon will that such should be saued according as he saw they would both receiue grace offered and retaine the same vnto the end And this they will haue to be the very substance and whole contents of the Gospell O for a Gagge for this new Gospell Nay no Gospell but it is the old spell of the Serpent which subtile though it were yet it is foolishnesse with God Ye shall be as Gods knowing good and euill That is as some learned Interpreters note vpon it the Serpent would perswade mankinde as indeede he did that hee should not neede any further Gods wisedome and counsell for direction themselues should bee thenceforth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 selfe-wise sufficient yea euen as Gods knowing all things And Salomon saith Hee that is selfe-wise is a foole yea a foole of all fooles Well yet this Doctrine of the Serpent did not directly though by consequence it did exalt man aboue God but onely seemed to place him in an equall ranke with him But this Doctrine built vpon that foundation of the Serpent is now erected so high as it surmounts the Throne of God Now must God become inferiour to his creature his Soâ—ereigne will must daunce attendance at the doore of mans will Onely they haue left God his bare prescience as if he were no better than a poore Prognosticator or Fortune-teller And yet if this hellish and blasphemous doctrine were to bee found onely amongst those ancient Heretiques the Pelagians or among their successors the Pontificians it were but dignum patella operculum no maruaile if they that are of their Father the Deuill doe the workes of their Father The Lord Christ keepe out or whippe out this dotage yea this doctrine of Deuils out of his Schoole Let such vncleane Birds neuer nestle or roost in Christian Nurceries But passe wee to the next point in the definition From the perennious and pure fountaine of Gods will and pleasure doe flow all the riuers of the waters of life towards the creature as first in Gods eternall electing out of the corrupt masse of mankinde a certaine number of men This election of God is the prime and proper act of his good pleasure and will As Ephes. 1. 4. 15. Verses So Deut. 7. 6. 7. 8. Vers. where we haue a type of his election in the children of Israel flowing from the free loue and fauour of God But this reflecteth vpon that before sufficiently confirming this Againe this election is of a certaine number of men I say of a certaine number not of all as some absurdly affirme which is against the nature of an election For Electio est aliquorum non omnium Election is of some not of all as the word it selfe also importeth signifying to gather out from among others Againe a certaine number and definite not vncertaine and indefinite as the Pontificians teach The number of the Elect of God is a certaine and fixed number Hereupon Augustine saith Qui praedestinati sunt in 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 homines 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 pers hominum Saluantis gratiam repellat aut negligat in electis tamen prescitis atque ab Omnium generalitate discretis specialis quaedam censetur vniuersitas Pro parte mundi totus mundus pro parte hominum omnes homines nominantur 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 corrupt 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 runneth 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 rauished 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 newly 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. 2. 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 hath raised vs vp together c. That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding
than the Doctrine of the Catholick faith which is built vpon the holy Scriptures the onely adaequate obiect and rule of Catholike faith Now the ground and foundation of perseuerance in grace vnto the end is the eternall decree and act of Gods good pleasure and will in predestinating and electing a certaine number of men out of the corrupt masse of mankinde to be saued in and through Iesus Christ. So that the certainty of perserance of the elect Saints depends vpon the immutability of that foundation of God which stands sure and hath Gods seale vpon it The Lord knoweth who are his And it is worth the noting yea very materiall for the vnderstanding of the scope of the Apostle in that place to obserue the words immediatly going befoee vers 18. where speaking of the heresie of Hymeneus and Phileâ—us by whose meanes the faith of some was ouerthrowne and least some hereupon might conclude that therefore Gods elect may fall away from faith the Apostle preuents or at least remoues that obiection inferring in the next words Neuerthelesse the foundation of God stands sure c. Yea this foundation of God stands so sure as that it stands not idle and empty but still in all ages in all places where Christ is preached the elect are effectually called and built vpon it vntill the full and finall consummation of the holy and heauenly Temple of God So that as the Apostle saith Whom God did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also iustified and whom hee iustified them hee also glorified Note here the golden chaine of mans saluation Our glorification is chained to our iustification our iustification to our effectuall vocation our effectuall vocation iustification glorification begunne here in grace and consummate hereafter in glory are all chained inseparably to predestination Gods foundation Whereupon S. Augustine saith Quos praedestinauit ipsos vocauit illa scilicet vocatione secundum propositum non ergo alios sed quos praedestinauit ipsos vocauit nec alios sed quos ita vocauit ipsos iustificauit nec alios sed quos praedestinauit vocauit iustificauit ipsos glorificauit illo vtique fine qui non habet finem Whom he predestinated them he also called to wit with that calling which is according to his purpose therefore none else but whom hee predestinated them he also called nor any others but whom he so called them he also iustified nor any others but whom he hath predestinated called iustified them he hath also glorified vnto the end that hath no end And De fide ad Petrum Diaconum cap. 3. Illi cum Christo regnabunt quos Deus gratuita bonitate sua praedestinauit ad Regnum quoniam tales praedestinando praeparauit vt Regno digni essent praeparauit vtique secundum propositum vocandos vt obediant praeparauit iustificandos vt accepta gratia rectè credant bene viuant praeparauit etiam glorificandos vt Christi cohaeredes effecti Regnum coelorum sine fine possideant They shall reigne with Christ whom God of his free goodnesse hath predestinated to the Kingdome for because by predestinating he hath prepared such that they should be worthy of the Kingdome he hath prepared them to be called according to his purpose that they should obey hee hath prepared them to be iustified that hauing receiued grace they should beleeue aright and liue well he hath prepared them also to be glorified that being made coheires with Christ they might possesse the Kingdome of heauen without end Thus we see the maine reason of the Saints perseuerance in grace vnto the end is grounded vpon the immutability of Gods election So that the enemies of the truth and of Gods glory and louers of their owne glory know well enough that their Doctrine of vncertainty and of falling away from grace cannot stand so long as Gods foundation remaineth sure therefore they haue laboured tooth and nayle to vndermyne and blow vp this foundation of God that so men might be as a tottering house built vpon the sand or as a Ship without an anchor tossed vp and downe and running vpon the danger of euery rocke and shelue as St. Iames compares the faithlesse man to the winde-driuen waue Iames 1. 6. Now as God hath preordained and elected vs as to the end of our saluation so to the meanes ordinary and conditionall the Word and Sacraments whereby wee should be in time effectually called to imbraoe by faith the onely absolute meanes of our saluation Iesus Christ in whom we are elected and by whom we are mightily saued So also hee hath ordained and appointed vs vnto holinesse of life and conuersation wherein we should walke and perseuere vnto the end of this life as it is in the definition For good workes being the proper immediate and necessary fruits of iustifying Faith they become also the ordinary high-way to the Kindgome They are via Regni though not causa Regnandi the way of the Kingdome but not the cause of making vs Kings Hereupon the Apostle saith Ephes. 1. 4. That God hath chosen vs in Christ before the foundation of the world that we should be holy and without blame before him in loue And Chapt. 2. 10. We are his workemanship created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes which God hath before ordained that we should walke in them Here the Apostle speakes of the new creature of the regenerate man created or re-created in Christ Iesus created in Christ Iesus vnto good workes that we should walke in them For the good workes of a regenerate man as they are euidences of true faith so they are excellent meanes to preserue vs from falling and to make vs perseuere in grace vnto the end Therfore St. Peter saith 2. Pet. 1. 10. Wherefore Brethren the rather giue diligence to make your calling and election sure for if yee doe these things ye shall neuer fall These things namely such as hee spake of in the fift sixt and seuen Verses to wit all kinde of good workes For so saith he an entrance shall be ministred vnto you aboundantly into the euerlasting Kingdome of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. Obiect But some will here obiect that for as much as the Apostle doth vse If here as putting the assurance of our election vpon Ifs and And 's therefore if a man continue not to doe these things he shall fall and so consequently the assurance of our perseuerance is only conditionall So that it rests in vs eyther to stand or fall from grace Answ. For answer hereunto True it is that the aduersaries of this truth catch at all shadowes whereby they may any way obscure this cleare Doctrine that so all men might remaine still in the shadow of death as Adam would haue done when he thought to hide himselfe from God by taking shrowd vnder the shadowie trees Hereunto they adde sundry places of Scripture as all such where there is eyther
hope of Gods fauour as wee may be of a prize in a Lottery we would hazzard all we haue skin for skin and all to saue our life Yea or if it were in our owne power so to vse the meanes prescribed and the conditions imposed as that thereby we might be saued notwithstanding wee knew that God had determined to saue but a few of many wee should bee willing to vse our best endeauour in hope of the Kings fauour But the case betweene God and man is otherwise We are indeede all of vs fallen into a Premunire and haue forfeited our whole estates liues and liberties for our Rebellion But we heare that though the King of his speciall grace haue purposed to pardon and to preferre a certaine small number in comparison of the rest but withall that this pardon must be procured by such meanes as no one of all his subiects is in himselfe of ability and power to vse and put in practice vnlesse the King also giue vnto him a speciall strength to doe that which the King requireth therefore what should I trouble my selfe for the matter I know the worst of it and seeing it is not in my power to helpe my selfe let the King doe what he will If I be one of those whom he hath purposed to pardon what should I need to take care any further But if not what neede I bestow labour in vaine Yea but withall obserue though the grace and the meanes and the power of right vsing the meanes be of the King because he will haue all the glory of working that which all mans strength and wit could neuer haue accomplished yet the King to his former decree hath added another clause that notwithstanding the Kings purpose and decree which may not be altered notwithstanding the right vse of the meanes of procuring his pardon depend vpon him alone yet the King hath peremptorily commanded all his subiects none excepted that if any shall dare to contemne or neglect those meanes which hee hath prescribed for the good of those whom they chiefly concerne that man shall not onely not be pardoned for his former rebellion but bee bound ouer to a further condemnation to suffer greater torments and tortures than otherwise he should haue done Tell mee now in this case what subiect would be so foolehardy as openly to contemne and reiect the commandement of the King and not rather to doe the best that lyeth in him to obserue those things which he commandeth seeing that of endeauour may come much good but of contempt certaine condemnation Euen thus stands the case betweene God and vs we haue all sinned and forfeited our estates with God He of his mercy hath purposed to saue a certaine number of vs condemned persons he hath withall prescribed the meanes whereby he will saue that speciall number yet the meanes are such as though in their owne nature they bee gentle and easie for Christs yoake is easie and his burthen light yet in regard of our impotency it is in Gods power onely to enable vs to vse the meanes aright Now though God giue his speciall grace strength to none but those whom he hath appointed to saue yet forasmuch as we are ignorant who those be whom he hath ordained to saue and euery man may as well thinke himselfe to bee of the number as any other and seeing though hee cannot of himselfe so much as will that which is truly good but God worketh in vs both to will to do euen of his good pleasure yet because God hath commanded all men indifferently to receiue and entertaine his commandements and conditions which wilfully to refuse despise and oppugne heapeth vpon a man further condemnation which was the miserable case of Corasin Bethsaida and Ierusalem with her contemning oppugning Iewes and because God hath reserued this secret number to himselfe both how many they be and who they be whom he hath purposed to saue none knowing himselfe to be of the number till hee be actually and effectually called and haue receiued the white stone the marke of his election with the new name of the Sonne of God in it which no man knoweth but he that hath it nor any being so wicked but he may proue to be one of the number of Gods elect and so to be effectually called in due time and because for any man to iudge himselfe while he liueth in this world to bee of the number of the reprobate is a desperate iudgement yea a preiudice of Gods purpose and grace and a rash presumption as daring to prye into Gods secrets and to determine that as certaine which God hath left vncertaine therefore for a man to cauill at this truth of God and thereupon to frame friuolous and foolish unreasonable reasons to resist and contemne Gods ordinance what is it but to heape vpon himselfe greater and greater condemnation God will not in the meane time haue his truth dissembled his glory diminished his mercy despised and his iustice disparaged Let no man dare to say Why doth he yet complaine Who art thou vaine man that pleadest against God take thou heede thou giuest not God further occasion to complaine of thee Shall thy politicke or rather braine-sicke reasons be wiser than Gods wisedome God hath willed it so And his will is aboue all humane reason And Gods will is nothing but diuine reason yea wisedome it selfe But yet as a man to answer thy reasons with reasons Thou deniest the certainty of election at least thou wouldst not haue it published and preached Why What 's thy reason for it Because it makes men carelesse of the meanes It is false it is not Gods good will and pleasure which he hath published but it is thine owne peruerse and corrupt will that makes thee carelesse and contemptuous But by this reason of thine which thou canst sub-diuide into manie branches but all growing from the same carnall roote to satisfie thine owne foolish reason in desiring to haue this glorious truth of God dissembled or suppressed thou wouldst destroy two precious things infinitely more deare than a thousand worlds The first is the glory of God which is so nothing much manifested as in this act of his concerning his good pleasure in the disposing of mankind It is that summary doctrine of Gods glory So that to suppresse or supplant this truth is to strip God of his excellent glory It is the saying of a iudicious and learned Diuine Viciatur adulteratur Religio â—imulac minimum aliquid detrahitur ex Dei gloria Religion comes then to be corrupted and adulterated when once Gods glory suffereth the least detriment or diminution No say they wee doe not take away Gods glory for we acknowledge his preuenting grace Iust so did those aduersaries in Augustines time with whom he had to deale of whom he saith A Pelagianorum porrò haeretica peruersitate tantum isti remoti sunt propter quos haec agimus vt liceâ— nondum
velint fateri praedestinatos esse qui per Dei gratiam fiant obedientes atque permaneant iam tamen fateantur quod eorum praeueniat voluntatem quibus datur hâ—c gratia Now these men saith hee with whom wee haue to deale are so much remote from the Hereticall peruersnesse of the Pelagians that although they will not be brought to confesse that they which by the grace of God are made obedient and remaine so are predestinated yet notwithstanding they confesse that this grace preuents the will of those to whom it is giuen But how Augustine discouers their deceit Ideo vitque ne gratis dari credatur gratia sicut veritas loquitur sed potius secundum praecedentis merita voluntatis sicut contra veritatem Pelagianus error obloquitur This must be so forsooth lest grace should be thought to be giuen gratis as the truth speaketh but rather according to the merits of mans precedent will as the Pelagian errour gain-saieth the truth So that in the conclusion the Pelagians and Pontificians with their confederates conspire in the maine not onely to diminish but euen to demolish the glory of God The second precious thing which thou wouldest destroy is the saluation of the elect Thou to make a reprobate by thy carnall reason to become at the best a formall hypocrite puffed vp with the swelling pride of his selfe-righteousnesse wouldst destroy that gracious purpose of God in sauing impotent man which purpose of God is the onely cause of the effectuall sauing of men For take away this purpose of God and no man should be saued And not onely Gods purpose to saue some whom he will doth in time effectually bring them vnto the state of grace in Christ but also is so farre from making them carelesse as it makes them the more carefull to continue in the state of grace Yea not only so but God doth endowe all his with a care and minde and will and power to continue in his fauour and grace And to this end all things worke together cooperate for good to them that loue God to them that are called according to his purpose Hath God giuen me the grace of faith to beleeue in his Sonne Iesus Christ whereby I come now to know what I knew not before namely that I am of the number of Gods elect preordained to saluation before the foundation of the world Am I hereupon carelesse how I liue because I haue receiued the euidence of Gods fauour towards mee in Christ Nay now I begin to be more carefull than euer before that I may also attaine to the end of my saluation And I am so much the more encouraged hereunto not onely because I am ordained of God vnto it but because now the Spirit of Christ dwelleth in me strengthening incouraging comforting confirming mee more and more in the obedience of faith and sealing me vp vnto the day of Redemption I know that God hath appointed to saue me but not without meanes He hath made the meanes easie vnto me and he hath giuen mee both a minde power to obserue the conditions where I through carnall infirmity still dwelling in me faile yet still the means is in my way which is to be renewed by repentance humiliation and obedience I cannot now euer be resolued that because I know I am one of Gods elect therefore I will sinne and liue as I list but because I am one of Gods elect redeemed by Iesus Christ therefore my whole resolution is continually to set forth the prayses of him that hath called mee out of darknesse into his maruellous light St. Iohn was of another minde than these men where 1. Ioh. 3. speaking of our knowledge and assurance of our blessed estate in and through and with Christ he addeth vers 3. He that hath this hope purgeth himselfe euen as hee is pure So that the more certaine our faith and hope is of eternall life the more carefull it makes vs of fitting and preparing ourselues thereunto For he that hath this hope purgeth himselfe Tell me a Prince being borne heire apparant to a Kingdome because he is assured that none can preuent him of his right is he therefore carelesse of his course of life running riot and playing the young Prodigall and not rather disposeth himselfe or at least is carefully brought vp vnder Tutors and Gouernours for that end that by learning obedience in his youth and nonage he may know the better how to Command when he comes to weald the Scepter Now the Child of God by his new birth is borne heire apparant to the kingdome of glorie therefore while he is in his minoritie in the Principalitie of grace and because now he hath many infallible arguments to assure him of the Kingdome is he either himselfe so carelesse or is his heauenly Father so improuident as not euery way to furnish him with those graces beseeming such a Prince whereby he may in time be throughly furnished and accounted worthy to sit with Christ in his Throne Because old Symeon had a reuelation by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ Did he therefore as knowing God to be true in his promise neglect his ordinary meate and other meanes for the sustentation and preseruation of his life because he was to liue certainely vntill he should see the Lord 's Christ Because King Ezechias had a gracious promise from God that he should recouer of his pestilent disease and within three dayes be able to goe vp vnto the house of the Lord and moreouer that he had fifteene yeeres added of God vnto his dayes was Ezechias therefore carelesse of vsing the meanes for his recouery which the Lord had prescribed and so for the prolonging of his life which the Lord had promised Did he not according to Gods direction take and apply the lumpe of dry Figgs to the plague-sore and so recouered so that within three dayes he went vp vnto the house of the Lord to offer the Sacrifice of praise So the elect of God being now effectually called to the state of grace they haue a promise from God that they shall neuer see death that spirituall death which Christ speaks of till they see the Lord 's Christ face to face and know him by beatificall vision euen as they are knowne are they therefore carelesse of the spirirituall food of their soules the Word and Sacraments whereby they are preserued till they come to the fruition of this beatificall vision And being desperately sicke of the pestilence of sinne and hauing health promised and remedy prouided are they therefore so carelesse as not to put forth the hand of faith to apply Christ that lumpe of figgs that cluster of grapes that balme of Gilead to their pestilential sore that recouering perfect health thereby they may after three dayes be raised vp and be able vpon the feet of their holiest affections to ascend vnto the house of the Lord not