did the former Ioh. 16.13 Certainly the Spirit that leadeth into all truth is yet and euer shall bee amongst vs vnto the end of the world And as before the writings of the Fathers were hee directed his Church vnto the true sence of Scripture so now I doubt not but if all whatsoeuer they haue written were vtterly lost he would still guide vs therein as hee did them And verily vnlesse wee will bee too vnthankfull wee cannot but confesse that as age through Gods bounty hath had more meanes then those heretofore so through his blessing it hath made further proceedings also in the knowledge of Scripture For besides that wee haue whatsoeuer helps they had we haue ouer and aboue the benefit of all their works together with much skilfulnes in the Originall of the old Testament which most of them wanted and of the new also wherewith some were but little acquainted In regard whereof whosoeuer shall duly compare the ancient Commentaries with those of latter times must needs bee either weake in iudgement or obstinate in preiudice if hee preferre not these Your owne men ingenuously acknowledge so much Art 18. cont Luther It cannot bee vnknowne to any saith Fisher B. of Rochester that there are many things as well in other Scriptures as the Gospels now more cleerely discussed and throughly vnderstood then in ancient times namely because the Ancients had not the yce broken vnto them or because their age sufficed not exactly to sound the whole sea of Scripture In Rom. 5. disp 51. And Salmeron God hath not giuen to all men all that euery age might enioy some truths which the former knew not Euery age hath euer ascribed much to antiquity yet this wee auouch the yonger the Doctors the cleerer sighted And Dominicus Bannes Jt is not necessary that the more remote the Church is from the Apostles times the lesse perfect knowledge of the mysterie of Faith should bee therein because after the Apostles time there were not the most learned in the Church which had dexterity in vnderstanding the matters of Faith Wee are not therefore enwrapped in the more darknesse for that in respect of time wee are more distant from Christ but rather the Doctors of these latter times being godly and treading in the steps of the ancient Fathers haue attained more expresse vnderstanding in some things then they had For they are like children standing on the shoulders of Giants who being lifted by the talnesse of Giants no maruell if they see further then they themselues In Luc. 10. This similitude Stella also vseth to the same purpose God forbid saith he that I should condemne what such and so many wise men haue with one accord affirmed yet wee know well that Pigmies set on the shoulders of Giants see further then the Giants themselues doe Thus they Whereby you see the Fathers haue no prerogatiue aboue vs because they were before vs but wee rather haue the aduantage because wee come after them In a word bee they whatsoeuer you will their seruants wee are not but their fellow seruants sent from God with the same commission to the same end and with the same promises that they were Neither doth their authority more bind vs in that they are our predecessors then our authority shall bind them who many ages hereafter may be our successors But draw we a little closer The ancient Fathers say you are the ground of your Faith What seuerally and single by themselues 〈◊〉 12. I suppose no for there is not one of them as your owne side confesseth but hath his error and I presume you would bee loth to follow them therein The Fathers therefore either all iointly or the more part of them agreeing in one So Canus Loc. lib. 7. c. 3. What the greater part of the Fathers iudgeth that wee professe to bee of the Catholicke Faith So Salmeron also In 1. Ioh. 3. disp 25. When all or almost all Fathers agree in one it is an ineuitable argumeÌ„t And Gregory of Valentia It is infallibly true which they deliuer with one consent Anal. l. 8. c. 8. â—ea an infallible rule iudging And Onuphrius Prim. Pap. p. 1. c. 6. It is rash and foolish and terrible rashnesse to goe against a sense giuen by the Fathers for the vnderstanding of the Scriptures And finally the Councell of Trent which peremptorily chargeth that no man dare to interprete the Scriptures against the vnanimous consent of the Fathers This then vndoubtedly being your assertion as euery way according with the Tenet of the Church of Rome let vs in Gods name trie the strength thereof and see with what security and safety a man may aduenture his Faith and consequently his eternall saluation vpon this ground And first whosoeuer will stedfastly repose his Faith vpon consent of Fathers had need be right well assured which are the authenticall writings of the Fathers For if these bee doubtfull and vncertaine the whole frame raised vpon them must of necessity shake and totter Now that there are bookes more then a good many which in their forefronts are inscribed and entitled vnto the Fathers yet in truth are meerely suppositious and apocryphall I know you cannot bee ignorant Nor Origen nor Athanasius nor Basil nor Chrysostome nor Cyril nor Tertullian nor Cyprian nor Ambrose nor Hierâ—me nor Augustin nor any one almost of all the Fathers but hath suffered notorious wrong in this kind hauing base brats and misbegotten bastards fathered vpon him Which also is so cleere and manifest that Posseuin and Salmeron and Maldonat and Baronius and Bellarmine and all the rest of that side though too frequently they make vse of such refuse stuffe yet euery where in their writings are constrained to acknowledge so much Biblioth l. 4. But amongst the rest Sixtus Senensis especially who purposely recording the works of all the Fathers taketh vpon him to demonstrate as much in euery one of them as in his Catalogue hee passeth from one Father to another So that indeed it would bee but an idle wasting both of oile and time if I should spend many words in proofe of that which is denied of none and therefore I forbeare further to trouble you with particularity Only because in our Conference you so confidently affirmed that Dionysius the Areopagite euen he who was Saint Pauls conuert and Scholler was the right Author of all those books that are now extant vnder his name I must entreat you to haue a little patience while I maintaine against you the negatiue which I then held and for which I stand still engaged vnto you That this Denise is but a counterfait but Diuines proue by sundry vnanswerable arguments I will not vrge them all but cull out the choicest Omitting therefore the Stile sauouring more of three hundred yeeres after then those Apostolicall times and his curious speculations in the secrets of heauen as if hee had beene surueyer thereof or had taken a muster
Duraeus Con. Whitel◠p. 140. The Fathers are not counted Fathers when they either write or teach of their owne and what they haue not receiued from the Church p. 1. pa. 75. And Dominicus Bannes The more part of Doctors if some few bee against them make no infallible argument in matters of Faith De iurisd p. 4. Dr Marta also The common opinion of Doctors is not to bee regarded when another contrary opinion fauoureth the power of the keyes and the iurisdiction of the Church De vorb Dei l. 3. c. 10. Likewise Bellarmine The Fathers expound the Scriptures not as Iudges but as Doctors now not to this but that authority is required And De conc In expounding the Scripture the Catholike Church doth not alway and in all things follow the Fathers The writings of the Fathers are no rules and haue no authority to bind vs. In Rom. 14. Finally Tom teltroth Cornelius Mus To speake freely I would yeeld more credence to one chiefe Bishop in those things which concerne the mysteries of Faith then a thousand Augustins Hieromes or Gregories And thus as a right learned writer saith Reinol Conf. c. 2. d. 2. you vse the Fathers as Marchants are wont to vse their counters Sometime they stand with you for pence sometime for pounds as they bee next and readiest at hand to make vp your accounts So that I cannot but maruell how you dare to make that the ground of your Faith which the learnedst of your side so ordinarily reiect as an vnsure foundation to build vpon Shall I tell you M. Bayly you haue been fouly gulled and beguiled by your new Masters For notwithstanding all this faire pretence of Fathers yet in the end not Consent of Fathers but the authority of the present Church must bee your surest anchorhold So saith Gregory de Valentia a man well seene in the Romish mysteries Tom. in Thom. 3. d. 1. q. 1. p. 7. §. 3. De Sacram. l. 2. c. 25. Neither the holy Scripture nor yet tradition alone if yee separate from it the present authority in the Church is that infallible authority and mistresse of Faith So Bellarmine also The firmity of all ancient Councels and Doctrines depends vpon the authority of the present Church And this reason they render because without the authority of the present Church yee can neuer haue infallible certainty either of Scripture or Councels or Traditions which they bee or what is the true meaning of them So that now you must of force remoue your Faith from the ancient Fathers and rest it vpon the present Church But what are you now more safe then you were before Neuer a whit vnlesse you may further bee resolued what is the present Church For it is taken three seuerall wayes by you and is either the Church essentiall consisting of all Catholicks whatsoeuer Prier in Luth. tom 1. fund ◠or Representatiue of Bishops in a Coūcell or Virtuall the Pope who is head of the Church Now which of these three must you pitch vpon The first So say some But the most part of this Church is the Vulgar who are not comprehensiue of those matters which are controuerted neither is it possible for you to gather the voices of such a diuided and dispersed body Others therefore direct you to the second But what to a Councell with the Pope or without the Pope For here is such confusion of tongues and part taking of each side that I feare you will hardly find any rest for the sole of your foote this way Howbeit if the most voices of the new cut now adayes may sway it not a Councell without the Pope but the Pope whether with a Councell or without it it mattereth not much Tom. 3. p. 24. must bee the iudge and ground of Faith In this question saith Gregory de Valentia by the Church wee meant the Roman Bishops in whom resides the full authority of the Church when hee pleases to determine matters of Faith whether hee doe it with a Councell or without And Greiser Def. Bellarm. 10. 1. p. 1450. b. when wee affirme the Church to bee iudge of all controuersies of Faith by the Church wee vnderstand the B. of Rome who for the time being gouernes the ship of the militant Church And Albertin I say that besides the first verity there is an infallible rule liuing and endued with reason such as is the Church and this rule liuing and endued with reason is the chiefe B. of Rome So that Tom. 1. dis 44. Sect. 1. the Popes determination is the truth saith Suares and were it contrary to the sayings of all the Saints yet were it to bee preferred afore them nay if an Angell from Heauen were opposed against him the Popes determination were to bee preferred By all which you see that as you haue once already remoued your Faith from the ancient Fathers to your Mother the present Church so must you bee faine now againe to remoue it from your mother the present Church vnto your holy Father the present Pope But besides that it is altogether vnprobable that the Spirit of Truth should bee chained vnto the chaire of those men who many of them haue beene monsters rather then men and not only Heretiks but very Atheists and Infidels I would willingly learne why the Pope is so seldome in the humour to decide controuersies Why haue wee not from him an exact Commentary on the Bible that wee need no longer stand in doubt of the meaning thereof And why doth hee not stint the deadly fo-hood that now is on foot betweene the Iesuites and Dominicans But suppose hee bee both able and ready to resolue what must I trauell from England so farre as Rome for resolution and when I am arriued before him hath hee clouen tongues sitting vpon him to speake vnto mee in the language I vnderstand Or if I vnderstand him how am I assured that speaking to mee hee intendeth to teach the whole Church for otherwise hee may erre as Bellarmine shewes Innocent the eighth did De Rom. Pont. l. 4. c. 14. permitting the Norwegians to celebrate the sacrifice of the Masse without wine Shall I tell you a mystery Whatsoeuer your Priests and Iesuits prate either of Fathers or Church or Pope yet to an ordinary man who cannot of himselfe be resolued by them the authority of his Diocesan is sufficient yea and hee merits by belieuing it although what hee teach bee false This perhaps may seeme strange to you L. 3. d. 25. q. v. art 1. yet thus saith Gabriel Biel If a simple and vnlearned man heare his Prelate preach any thing contrary to the Faith thinking that what his Prelate hath so preached is belieued by the Church Instr Sacer. l. 4. c. 3. such a one not only not sinneth but by belieuing that which is false meriteth And Tolet Againe if a Countrey-man belieue his Bishop propounding some hereticall Doctrine about the
themselues of the vniust imputations of heresie and apostasie wherewith they were charged haue beene forced sundrie times to set forth seuerall Confessions of their Faith all which or most of which are recorded in the harmonie of Confessions Scurrilous therefore is that taunt of Papists who for this cause terme vs Confessionists For what haue we done herein whereunto their slanderous criminations haue not compelled vs what whereof we haue not example from the Primiue Church Nay what whereof we haue not Gods expresse commandement 1 Pet. 3.16 charging vs to bee ready on euery occasion to render an account of the Hope that is in vs But yet among all the ancient Creeds this of the Apostles hath euer beene counted of greatest authority and ought still so to bee counted Among the ancient Creeds I say for the Scripture is peerles and equall authority with it neither may it chalenge vnto it selfe neither did any of the ancient Fathers giue it as aboue wee haue touched For although the substance and matter of the Creed be diuine and perfectly according with the Scripture yet for forme and order of words it is humane whereas the Scripture both for substance and circumstance matter and forme and all is no way humane but wholly and entirely diuine The greater the blasphemie of Rhemish Iesuites auouching this Creed to be the Rule whereby all the writings of the new Testament are to be tried In Ro. 12.6 and approued whereas contrarily the Scripture out of which the Creed is collected is the only Rule by which both it and all other Creeds are to bee examined Howbeit the second place as it is its due so we willingly yeeld vnto it First in regard of the antiquity thereof because of all other it is the eldest Secondly for the perfection and fulnes thereof there being no one article of absolute necessity vnto Saluation which is not either in expresse tearmes or impliedly and in its principles contayned therein Thirdly and lastly because it hath had the vniuersall approbation of all Churches in all times both ancient and moderne The ancient Fathers giue vnto it most honorable and magnificent titles They call it the key of Faith the rule of Faith the foundation of Faith the summe of Faith the forme of Faith the body of Faith the rule of truth the sacrament of humane saluation the mysterie of religion the character of the Church and the like On it they commented rather then on any other Creed vnto it all others were conformed so as they seeme to be but expositions of it Finally it was their manner neuer to admit any that was adultus either to the Sacrament of Baptisme or to the holy Eucharist without making confession of his Faith by rehearsing this Creed In like manner all the reformed Churches with all reuerence and duty receiue it they vse it in their publick Liturgies and expound it in their Catechismes The more malitious is the slander of Gregorie Martin and others Disc of Eng. trans c. 12. who shame not to say that we hold not the Christian Faith of the articles of the Creed Yea saith another of vs they haue no faith nor religion Tho. Wright Att. they are infidels they beleeue not the holy Catholick Church the communion of Saints the remission of sins that Christ is the sonne of God or that he descended into Hell And as if these had not yet said enough Credo Caluiniscq another opening his mouth as wide as Hel affirmeth our Creed to bee this I beleeue in the Diuell the tormentor helmighty corrupter of heauen earth And in not-Iesus-not-Christ the only stepsonne degenerate who was spoiled of his glory by the holy Ghost and borne of Mary no Virgin c. To all which I answer Increpet te Dominus the Lord rebuke thee Satan If they haue called our master Belzebub it can be no disgrace to vs to suffer the same reproch The more incredible things they charge vs withall the lesse are themselues beleeued and the more credit do wee gaine vnto our profession All what is contayned in holy writ in this Creed of the Apostles in that of Nice and Athanasius wee firmely and entirely beleeue Let Hell and Antichrist and all the brood of Papists burst with malice and enuy yet this and no other Faith do wee hold and teach A SHORT CATECHISME QVaest Who placed you here in this World Ans God the maker and Gouernour of all things Q. Wherefore did hee place you here A. To serue and glorify him Q. How will he be serued A. By doing his holy Will and Commandements Q. What Commandments hath hee giuen you A. The ten Commandements of the Morall law Q. Repeat them vnto me A. Heare Israel I am the Lord thy God which c. Q. What duties doth God require of you in this law A. Two to loue God aboue all and my neighbour as my selfe Q. Haue you done this perfectly A. No neither yet can I nor any man els Q. Why can you not A. Because all are conceiued and borne in sinne Q. How commeth that to passe A. By the fall of our first parents Q. Had you obeyed the law what had beene the reward A. Life euerlasting Q. What is the punishment of Disobedience A. Euerlasting death Q. Your case then it seemes is very miserable A. Very miserable vnlesse God bee mercifull in Iesus Christ Q. What is Iesus Christ A. The Eternall Sonne of GOD made Man Q. Wherefore was he made Man A. To die for mans sin and to reconcile him vnto GOD. Q. Are all men reconciled by him A. No but true belieuers onely Q. Who are true Belieuers A. They who by faith accept him for their only Mediatour and Sauiour Q. How is this Faith wrought A. By the preaching of the Gospell Q. What is the summe of the Gospell A. It is contained in the Apostles Creed Q. Repeat the same vnto me A. I Belieue in God the Father Almighty maker c. Q. How may we know that we haue true Faith A. By the fruites thereof Q. What are the fruites of Faith A. New Obedience and Repentance Q. What is new Obedience A. A sincere practice of holynesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of my life Q. Can you doe this perfectly A. No but if I striue vnto perfection God in grace accepteth it Q. But what if you fall into sinne againe A. I am to rise againe by speedy repentance Q. What call you repentance A. A hearty sorrow for sinne with the amendement thereof Q. You say it must bee speedy tell mee wherefore A. Because if I bee preuented by death I perish eternally Q. What is the benefit of Repentance A. Forgiuenesse of sinnes with recouery of Gods fauour Q. You haue told mee how Faith is wrought and how it may bee discerned tell me now how it must be nourished and preserued A. By the vse of the Sacraments and Prayer Q. What is a Sacrament A. A seale of the
vs see what you reioyne hereunto First you say I beg the matter in Question What matter that Historicall Faith is a generall knowledge but neither is that the matter now in Question neither doe I any way beg it For in this Syllogisme the Question is whether Historicall Faith doe iustify of your Question there appeares nor palme nor footstep which yet in the former section against your negatiue I haue proued to bee most true That which you adde if it bee not senselesse is contrary both to your selfe and vnto reason For saying that Historicall Faith is proper and speciall vnto the Elect in the beginning of their iustifying Faith you plainely distinguish it from iustifying Faith which is contrary to what you haue elsewhere said If you still confound them and make Historicall Faith the beginning of Iustifying Faith it is as if you should say the beginning of iustifying Faith is speciall and peculiar vnto the Elect in the beginning of their iustifying Faith which is altogether witlesse and senselesse Lastly to say that Historicall Faith which before was Generall and common as soone as it is conioyned with application and Resting on Christ becomes speciall and peculiar is vtterly void of reason For as Grace superadded vnto Nature in the Elect makes not Nature speciall and peculiar vnto them but that still it remaines common vnto all men so also Historicall Faith by accession of Iustifying Faith or Affiance changeth not its nature and becomes Speciall but as it was euermore continues Generall Generall I say both Obiectiuely as stretching it selfe vnto all supernaturall reuealed verities and Subiectiuely not being appropriated vnto the Elect onely but commonly incident vnto others also Secondly you deny the Minor telling mee plainely that it is ridiculous yea blasphemous to say that Diuels haue Faith or that euer Balaam Iudas or Magus had Faith If I should now temper my inke with some sharper ingredient and in the zeale of my affection say vnto you as the Angell sometime said vnto Satan Iude 9. The Lord rebuke thee it were no more then here you iustly deserue For it is not holy and learned men alone which yet were too impudent but euen the spirit of Wisdome and truth himselfe whom I tremble to speake it you charge with ridiculousnes and blasphemie For doth not the Holy Ghost by Saint Iames in expresse tearmes say The Diuels belieue and tremble and by Saint Luke Then Simon himselfe also belieued Iam. 2.19 Act. 8.13 and did not Balaam prophecying of Christ and Iudas preaching Christ assent vnto those truths wherewith they were illuminated And what Orthodoxe Diuine is there ancient or moderne who falling vpon this question doth not acknowledge that Diuels and Reprobates doe Historically belieue De vnico Bapt. cont Petil. c. 10. Saint Augustine is bold and compareth the Faith of Diuels confessing Christ Wee know thee who thou art euen the Sonne of God with that memorable confession of Peter Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God This confession saith hee was fruitfull vnto Peter but pernicious vnto the Diuels yet in both not false but true not to bee denied but acknowledged not to bee detested but approued And a little after hauing vouched that of Saint Iames the Diuels belieue and tremble and compared therewith the Faith of those who belieue the truth of God but liue wickedly Behold saith hee Wee haue found out of the Church not onely certaine men but Diuels also confessing the same Faith of one God yet both confirmed by the Apostles rather then denied Of the same iudgement are our latter writers That Faith is attributed to Simon Magus Inst lib. 3. ca. 2. §. 10. saith Caluin We vnderstand not with some that hee fained in words a Faith which was not in his heart but thinke rather that being ouercome by the Maiesty of the Gospell hee did in a sort belieue and acknowledge Christ to be the Author of Life and Saluation Simon saith Beza In Act. 8.13 On the Creed Ans to Rhem. T. in Iam. 2.6 belieued with Historicall Faith Historicall Faith saith Perkins is in the Diuell and his Angels Such a Faith saith Fulke as is in Diuels namely an acknowledging that there is one God and so likewise of all the rest of the Articles of Faith to bee true without trust or confidence in God Finally the whole Church of Auspurg Whereas Saint Iames saith Harm Confess the Diuels belieue and tremble hee speaketh of an Historicall Faith Now this Faith doth not iustifie for the Diuels and the wicked are cunning in the History Which last words I would wish you to note and obserue For if Historicall Faith bee no other then an assent of the Mind vnto the truth of Gods Word then Diuels and Reprobates so assenting yea being cunning in the Story must needs haue Historicall Faith Adde hereunto that if they doe not so much as Historically belieue then the sinnes which they commit against the Gospell are onely sinnes of ignorance and not against knowledge neither can they offend of malice or fall into that vnpardonable sinne which is against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12.32 Neither lastly can any bee said to haue made shipwracke of Faith which yet the Scripture saith some haue done 1 Tim. 1.19 vnlesse perhaps you will say a man may make shipwracke of that which hee neuer had So that now if I haue spoken ridiculously and blasphemously as you say you see what Schoolemasters haue deceiued me and vpon what reasons I haue been drawne into this folly and impiety or rather the world sees what folly it is in you thus against all reason to impute blasphemy and ridiculousnesse vnto the truth of God and the most glorious preachers and defenders thereof Yet Caluin you say telleth mee it is ridiculous to say that Diuels haue Faith and it is plaine that this whole disputation Iam. 2. is not about Faith But is it possible that Caluin should striue against the torrent of so maine authority or like the Philosopher of whom Aristotle speaketh forget his owne voice and vnsay that which he had formerly said Certainly if you wil giue him leaue to bee the interpreter of his owne meaning you shall find hee doth not For when hee denieth that Diuels haue Faith and that Saint Iames there disputeth of Faith hee vnderstandeth not Faith indefinitely but particularly iustifying Faith This is euident by his annotation on the twentieth verse In Iam. 2.20 Here saith hee is no disputation of the cause of Iustification whereby what other can hee meane then Iustifying Faith And when hee saith the dispute is not about Faith hee addeth forthwith but of a vulgar knowledge which conioyneth a man to God no more then the sight of the Sunne lifts him to Heauen Now what is that Faith which vnites vs vnto God but onely Iustifying Faith and what is this vulgar knowledge other then Historicall Faith by which the eye of the mind sees diuine truth
Entire Faith by which the whole sauing truth is belieued and professed And this againe either in Vnity or in Schisme in Vnity with other Churches of God or in Schisme with Separation from them Now all these and eueryone of them are of the Christian Church for they are neither Gentiles nor Iewes nor Turks being by the calling of grace brought to the profession of the Christian Religion But yet among them there is exceeding great difference for they that hold the entire truth of Christ are of that Christian Church which is called Oxthodoxall they that hold it in part onely are of that Christian Church which is Hereticall They that entirely hold the truth in Vnity with other Churches of God are of that Christian Orthodoxall Church which is Catholicke they that hold the same whole truth in Separation from them are of that Christian Orthodoxall Church which is Schismaticall And such is the Church of Brownists to which you haue adioyned your selfe But they who hold the whole truth of Christ not onely in Vnity but also in Sincerity being truly iustified by Faith and Sanctified in the lauour of Regeneration they I say are of that Christian Orthodoxall Catholicke Church which is Inuisible and knowne only vnto God For although both the persons and profession of those that are thus called be visible and may by outward sense bee discerned whereby in the eye of Charity they are to bee counted Gods elect people yet the inward truth and sincerity of the heart is to vs inuisible and seene of none but onely him who trieth the heart and raines and so alone knoweth who are his These distinctions thus promised I come at length to answer your Syllogisme and demand of you which of these Callings it is that you meane If the last whereby wee haue receiued entirely to belieue the whole truth of Christ and that not onely in Vnity but also in Sincerity and with a sanctified heart then I deny the Maior for it is not the Visible but the Inuisible Church alone that cōsists of such members Neither can such a Visible Church bee found vpon the face of the earth for here corne and cockle chaffe and wheat Saints and hypochrits are mingled together neither can you affirme other of that Church whereunto now you associate your selfe If you meane any other of the Callings aboue mentioned or all of them besides this last then I deny your Minor For here in England wee are a company of people to whom not onely grace hath beene offered but who also haue receiued grace to belieue the truth of Christ and therefore are not Infidels but of the Church of Christ Againe we haue receiued to belieue the whole truth and therefore are an Oxthodoxall not an Hereticall Church Lastly wee hold the whole truth of God in Unity with other Churches and amongst vs there are thousands also who professe the same with sincere and sanctified hearts and therefore wee are not a Schismaticall as you are but a true Catholicke Church This Minor thus denied you goe not about to strengthen with so much as one argument and yet hither should you haue bent all your forces About the Maior you bestow a little more paines endeuouring to fortify it with sixe reasons which although they bee to little purpose yet to giue you the more satisfaction let vs briefly examine them And first that which is in order first 1. Cor. 12.27 Exod. 19.5.6 1. Cor. 14.33 1. Tim. 3.15 Mat. 13.24.31 Psal 46.4.5.80.1 1. Pet. 2.5.9 Rev. 1.11.12.13.20 1. Because a true visible Church is the body of Christ a Kingdome of Priests a Church of Saints the houshold of God the Kingdome of heauen the Citie of God the sheep of the Lord a chosen generation a golden Candlestick c. These titles properly belong vnto the inuisible Church consisting of those who are effectually called by sauing grace And when they are said affirmed of any visible Church you must vnderstand that the denomination is in regard of the better part thereof namely those Saints who haue receiued the spirit of adoption the earnest penny of their euerlasting inheritance not that no euill men are mixed with them In Corinth and Galatia as there were many holy and faithfull seruants of God so were there many lewd and vngodly men also for it is well knowen that they were much pestered both with error in doctrine and corruption in manners And yet the Apostle S. Paul neuer sticketh at it to acknowledge them visible Churches which I am sure he would not haue done had he thought that the mixture of bad and good in the same society did nullify a Church Nay rather if he had beene of your humour he would haue aduized a separation 1. How should it els haue Christ for the Prophet Priest Heb. 3.1.2.3 5 6.9 12.28 Mat. 28.18.19.20 Ps 110.1.4.1 Pet. 2.4.5.25 Act. 2.41.47 Eph. 1.22.23.2.19.22 King thereof or how should men know where to ioine and become members of the body of Christ with assurance to haue him their head c. It is the Inuisible Church the Church of the first borne as S. Paul calleth it whose names are enrolled in heauen Heb. 12.23 vnto which Christ properly and vniuocally is a Prophet Priest and King For he is a Head in such manner vnto those only who are knit together with him in the same mysticall body by the vnity of the same spirit and to whom hee communicateth from himselfe the sweet influence of life sense motion euen grace for grace Ioh. 1.16 as S. Iohn speaketh Is he not then a Head also of the visible Church yes as it is a Church it is a Church equiuocally and so is Christ the Head thereof For hypocrits and wicked men mingled with the good are not members of Christ as Ambrose saith but of the diuell and therefore Christ properly is not their Head Head and Body being Correlatiues Who are Elected and by true Iustifying Faith are ingrafted into Christs body you may charitably iudge but cannot certenly know for God only knoweth who are his Neuertheles where you see a Society of men professing entirely and in vnity the truth of Christ ioine your selfe vnto them knowing that they are a Christian orthodoxall Catholick Church And assure your selfe that there are among them sundry who are the deare Saints of God and professe the truth in sincerity and vprightnes of heart also which if you shall do together with them you need not doubt but you shall haue Christ to be your head Mat. 28.18.19.20 2. Cor. 6.17.18 Lev. 26.11.12 Ps 46.4.5 Es 59.20.21 Ez. 37.27.28 48.35 3. How should it els haue assurance of the promises seales of Gods Couenant presence and blessing to belong and appertaine vnto them The promises of Christ are proclaimed in such mixed companies vnto all on condition of faith repentance though actually performed vnto those only who actually haue performed the condition by repenting and
credit of my Ministery to wipe away the slanderous aspersions and imputations of I know not what strange opinions and dangerous intentions wrongfullie if not maliciously charged vpon me lest if I dissemble them I bee thought to confesse them or to approue them if I refell them not Thirdly and lastly in regard of others and among the rest those my good friends especially who occasioned the preaching of this doctrine partly to preserue from recidiuation such as by the comfortablenesse thereof were recouered out of great distresse and partly to preuent others from falling into the like perplexitie Although therefore I denie not but that good houres bestowed vpon so bad a subiect might haue beene more profitably employed especially considering that by the violent struggling thereof against the rooke of truth it hath whollie turned it selfe into froth and hath not so much as a drop of cleere reason in it yet notwithstanding for the reasons aforesaid and that it may perfectly appeare how stedfast and vnmoued the rocke stands and how little the stormes and tempests raised against it haue preuailed vpon it I haue thought good to skim away the fome of Sophistrie wrought about it and to discouer the very ground whereon it is setled Which when I shall haue done I doubt not howsoeuer my aduersary with his tong-valiantnes and swelling words may haue made vnexperienced folke belieue that with the breath of his mouth hee is able to driue whole armies of arguments before him yet I shall approue euen to the iudgement of preiudice it selfe that whatsoeuer in this windie wordie Pamphlet he hath vented against me is vainer then vanitie it selfe And thus Christian Reader haue I at length fully acquainted thee with the whole story both of the originall and progresse of this controuersie Now it remaineth ere thou passe thy censure and sentence thereupon that thou be pleased to bestow a little paines in perusing our aduersary writings and what thou findest in them said or gainsaid diligently to examine not by the deceitfull ballance of priuate opinion but by the publicke beame of the Sanctuarie euen the Scriptures of God For mans siluer is mingled with drosse Esa 1.22 and his wine is tempered with water neither hath he receiued such a measure of the Spirit as to know all things or to be exempted from possibility of erring but God is light and in him is no darknesse 1 Ioh. 1.5 and truth is vnto him so necessary and essentiall as it is impossible hee should either deceiue or be deceiued it implying contradiction with his nature And therefore the priuilege of infallibility belonging vnto him alone to him alone belongeth also the prerogatiue of supreme iudicature so that whatsoeuer he saith is simply and absolutely to bee belieued whereas the sayings of men are by his word to be tried and determined This I say not to impeach the credit or estimation of any only I would reserue vnto God the Soueraigne authority due vnto him Which if any presume to arrogate or claime vnto himselfe as indeed the Bishop of Rome doth vnto his chaire as if it were made of Irish timber and might not endure a spider to hang his web thereon hee is vndoubtedly possessed with the Spirit of Antichristian pride and like another Lucifer vsurpeth vpon the throne of God But they that are led by the Spirit of Christ and haue beene reputed the worthiest instruments and ornaments in the Church acknowledging holy Writ to be the Standard of truth and the only vnmoued Principle into which all Questions of Faith are finally to bee resolued boldly exact the writings of other men thereunto and meekely submit their owne to be censured thereby Let one S. Augustin speake for all The disputations of men saith he Epist 111. ad Fortunatian how Catholicke or laudable soeuer we ought not to esteeme as Canonicall Scripture as if it were not lawfull sauing the honor due vnto them to disallow or reiect any thing in their writings if happily wee find ought in them swaruing from truth Such am I in the writings of other men and so would I haue others to vnderstand in mee Now therefore to draw to a conclusion seeing to thy vpright censure and arbitrement I referre my selfe and the rule by which thou art to proceed if thou wilt pronounce righteously is as we haue shewed not the opinion of man but the oracle of God I must entreate thee that laying aside all respect of persons thou suffer not thy selfe to bee swayed either with the multitude or greatnes of those that are contrary minded but conferring cause with cause and counterpoising reason against reason thou giue thy iudgement of them as the weight of Diuine euidence shall incline thee For otherwise if like a partiall Festus willing to doe the Iewes a pleasure Act. 25.9 thou demand of me Whither I will goe vp to Ierusalem and there bee iudged of these things before thee I must roundly and peremptorily answer thee with S. Paul V. 10.11 I stand at Caesars barre where I ought to be iudged to the Iewes I haue done no wrong neither may any man deliuer me vnto them I appeale vnto Caesar But if with the same Festus better aduised by his Counsell V. 12. thou say vnto me as hee did vnto Paul Hast thou appealed vnto Caesar Vnto Caesar shalt thou goe then looke what definitiue sentence soeuer thou shalt giue according to Caesars law I meane the sacred Scriptures I shall as becommeth a subiect of the Kingdome humbly submit my selfe vnto it and without further prouocation or appeale quietly and peaceably rest in it In the meane season I conclude with that holy and deuout prayer of Fulgentius beseeching the God of all truth De Praedest to Mon. l. 1. that by his preuenting and pursuing mercy whatsoeuer truths we know which sauingly are to bee knowne he would teach vs in those which already we know to be true hee would keepe vs wherein as men we faile and are deceiued he would correct vs in what truths we doubt of hee would confirme vs and from false and pernicious errors he would deliuer vs Eph. 4.13 that so at length wee may all meet as the Apostle speaketh in the vnity of Faith and knowledge of the Son of God vnto a perfect man euen to the measure of the age of the fulnesse of Christ Amen A TREATISE OF THE TRVE NATVRE AND DEFINITION of justifying faith IF it be true which Tertullian sayth that euen in the very smallest matters regard is to bee had of Truth surely in those weighty profound mysteries of Religion wherein errour doth so much hazard soule and saluation nothing ought more carefully to be respected then the search and finding out of Truth For as the same Father sayth Apol. aduer Gen. c. 46. Although Philosophers Player-like affect the truth as being ambitious of glory yet Christians studiously follow it as being carefull of their Saluation Now among
the many excellent and heauenly graces wherewith the spirit of God beautifieth and enricheth the hearts of his Elect there is no one of more either necessity vnto saluation or importance for comfort and consolation then that of Iustifying Faith For as by the first Act of this faith our Iustification before God our peace with God our incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ Iesus our conuersion vnto God are first wrought and effected so by the consequent continued Acts of the same Fayth are wee being fallen dayly renewed and from both totall and finall falling away safely preserued and maintained This cōsidered me-thinkes no time can be better employed nor no paines more profitably taken then in the quest and enquiry of the true nature and definition of Iustifying Fayth And although I cannot deny but hee may haue fayth who cannot like a Logician define it and may haue the benefit of Iustification by it who cannot distinguinsh the nature of it yet this withall I boldly auerre that the ignorance hereof or a confused and indistinct apprehension of it disableth vs both from giuing and taking direct and euident comfort from it whereas a cleare and distinct knowledge thereof is able to satisfie and replenish with comfort any distressed or afflicted conscience For this cause haue I vndertaken so briefly and perspicuously as I can to set downe my opinion of the definition of Fayth perswading my selfe I doe not endeauouring at leastwise not to swarue from the wholesome doctrine of Christ and Gods word From the writings and doctrine of most learned and worthy Diuines peraduenture it doth and indeed it doth vary to whom although as farre farre inferior I owe all respect reuerence yet being Gods freeman I cannot endure to bee mans bond-man and sweare to all they say One Paphnutius sometime in the matter of Priests marriage preuailed against a whole Counsell of most learned and godly Bishops Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. and young Elihu may speake more oportunely pertinently then they that are much his Ancients Therefore as Nisus sayth in Virgill Neque hac nostris spectentur ab annis Aeneid l. 9. looke not how greene or how gray his head be that speaketh but let the touch of truth try all and what by it shall appeare to be base and counterfait refuse and reiect that which shall be found true and sound approue and embrace And that preiudice too strongly possesse thee not take my protestation that I neuer haue entertained this opinion rashly and inconsiderately but vpon mature aduise and deliberation nor broach it vpon a preposterous humour of nouelty or ambition to build vp mine owne credit existimation by the ruine and disparagement of so great Diuines for this were Subulâ leonem excipere to encounter a Lion with a bodkin as it is in the Prouerbe but vpon a sincere affection and desire to minister solid and found consolation to despayring and perplexed minds which as after shall appeare vpon this foundation may most firmely be raised And now trusting what I say shall be weighed in the ballance not of preiudice but vpright iudgement I leaue to preface any farther and come directly to the purprose Because I purpose not to raise my building very high I meane not to lay my foundation very deepe therefore neither will I play the Phylologer in shewing the diuers vses and acceptations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fides id est Faith or quote Ciceros Fiat quod dictum est or St. Augustines Fac quod dicis Offic. l. 1. to doe as a man sayes for the notation of Faith neither will I play the Phylosopher in discoursing of Physicall or Morall or Ciuill Faith wherein it were easie to wast much oile and paper nor lastly will I speake of that Theologicall Faith called Miraculous either in Agent or Patient which I take to bee none other then a diuine instinct for the working of a Miracle For albeit they who at the last day shall say Lord in thy name haue we not cast out Diuels may seeme to haue trusted in Miraculous Faith for Iustification Mat. 7.22.23 and acknowledgement of Christ yet notwithstanding neuer any controuersie about it hath exercised the Church of God To deferre your expectations therefore no farther three Faiths there seeme to be which lay claime and title to the priuiledge of justification giue me leaue to distinguish and denominate them according to their Obiects neither be offended if I handle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giue new termes to old matters The first is Fides Historiae Historicall Faith which is an Assent of the mind vnto the truth of Gods word and specially the Gospell And this Faith whether it be according to the distinction of the Scoolemen Acquisite gotten by much hearing and experience without illumination or infused and reuealed by the spirit of illumination it hath no interest in the matter of Iustification For besides that it is absurd that so generall a Knowledge should iustify Acquisit Faith the Diuels haue according to that of St Iames Iam. 2. 19. The Diuels beleeue tremble Infused faith the Reprobates may haue as Balaam Iudas Magus Now the Scripture is plaine that justifying faith is propper and peculiar vnto the Elect and therefore Historicall faith cannot justifie The second is Fides Promissionum Faith of promises which is a Perswasion or Assurance that the promises of God made in Christ to wit Iustification Remission of sinnes Adoption Regeneration and finally Election it selfe and eternall Saluation doe particularly pertaine to me and are mine Now this although I deny not but in Scripture it is called faith and that euery Saint of God both may and ought to haue this particular perswasion and Assurance yet this I confidently deny that this perswasion is that which justifies a man before God and my reasons are these 1. If this were justifying Faith then whosoeuer liues and dyes without this particular Assurance he cannot be saued Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God But a man may be saued without it I instance in those our Brethren of Germanie who hold that faith may finally and totally fall away and consequently that there can be no certainty of Saluation whom yet the Church of God calleth and counteth brethren and it were vncharitable to censure of them otherwise Therefore or at leastwise probably Faith is not an Assurance 2. That which is in time after Iustifying Faith cannot be that faith This is vndeniable But this particular knowledge is in time after faith This I proue out of 1. Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life Behold Beleeuing goes before and Knowledge comes after as for that which followeth in the same verse and that yee may beleeue I interpret it of Perseuerance growth in Faith Howsoeuer beleeuing Knowing are distinguished and
therefore are not one 3. That which in nature comes after Iustification cannot be Iustifying faith This appeares because Faith is the Efficient instrumentall cause of Iustification and euery Efficient by the rule of Logick is in nature before the Effect But this knowledge or Assurance is in nature after iustificatiō This I proue thus the truth of a proposition is alwayes in nature before the knowledge of the truth for Propositions are not therefore true because knowne so but they are first true and then knowne so Therefore this Proposition I know I am iustified spoken by on that is iustified must needs presuppose the partie before to be iustified Therefore this knowledge of Iustification in nature following Iustification it cannot be Iustifying faith 4. In conditionall promises there can be no Assurance of the thing promised before the performance of the condition V. G. This is a conditionall promise in the couenant of workes doe this and thou shalt liue life is promised but on condition of doing and therefore vntill we haue performed the condition we cannot nor may not looke that God should be reciprocall and giue vs life So in the couenant of grace iustification is promised but vpon condition of faith so sayth the Scripture beleeue and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee And therefore the condition of beleeuing must first be performed before we can assure our selues our sins are forgiuen If so then faith going before and Assurance following after Assurance cannot be justifying faith 5 That from whence followeth a blasphemous absurdity cannot be a truth for from truth nought but truth can be concluded But from this that faith is an Assurance such an absurdity doth follow What is that That God commands a man to know an vntruth to assure himselfe of that which neuer shall be For God being truth cannot command falshood to be taken for truth Nether tell me here for who art thou that disputest with God for this is a ruled case in diuinity God cānot doe things which imply contradiction and therefore not make vntruth to be truth or knowledge error Now that this absurdity followes from hence thus I demonstrate it God commands the Reprobate to beleeue For Ioh. 18.8.9 for vnbeleefe the world shall bee condemned but no condemnation but for breach of a commandement 1 Ioh. 3.4 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sinne is the transgression of the law and therefore they are commanded to beleeue I aske you then what it is to beleeue you will say to know to assure Therefore God commands the Reprobates to know and bee assured But this is a blasphemous absurdity therefore is your opinion absurd which infers it 6. That which the wicked may haue cannot be iustifying faith for it is Fides Electorum the faith of the Elect. But the wicked may haue this perswasion yea and many haue beene most confidently perswaded that they are in the fauour of God You will say it is no true perswasion but I say if forme make truth they are as formally and therefore as truly perswaded of it as the godly And therefore if the godly are therefore and for this cause iustified because cause they are strongly perswaded that they are iustified then why should not the wicked likewise be iustified by his strong perswasion But in truth these kind of speeches are vnreasonable and senselesse and so the opinion cannot be reasonable These sixe reasons shall suffice for the present although many more might be added only from hence I gather this Corollary that if iustifying Faith be not a Knowledge or Assurance much lesse is it a full knowledge or full Assurance Nay though we should graunt it to be a knowledge yet is it against Logick to define it by the perfection of knowledg For as there is a strong tree so there is a brused reed as there is a burning lamp so there is smoking flaxe as there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Faith come to full age and maturity so there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Faith in the nonage and minority So therefore to define it were to exclude the weake Faith and to make the Definition narrower and of lesse latitude then the definite Besides it is a most discomfortable doctrine vnto a troubled mind and leads the directest way to desperation for so the palsie hand of Faith should not receiue Christ And were not this to quench fire with oile and to adde Aloes to wormwood and might not hee that thus comforteth be counted one of Iobs miserable comforters Ob. The godly are said to know and to be perswaded yea the Prophet saith Io. 3.14 Ioh. 17.3 Esa 53.11 Heb. 11.1 By his knowledge shall my righteous seruant iustifie many and Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Subsistence and Euidence Ans First I graunt the godly may and ought to know but the question is not of their duty but what it is which iustifies them 2 Secondly to know and so likewise the Verbs of Sence in the Hebrew tongue vsually signifieth not onely an act of the Minde or outward Sence but of the Will and affection also So in the Psalme 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Psal 1.6 Mat. 7.13 The Lord knoweth the way of the Righteous and in the Gospell Depart I know you not and elsewhere I will not heare see c. that is God will not so know heare see c. as in fauour to loue or approue And so doe I interprete that of the Prophet Christ being so knowne as to bee embraced and rested vpon by the Will shall iustify many 3 Thirdly that Definition in the eleuenth to the Hebrewes I deny with Peter Martyr and the rest of our Diuines to bee perfect but rather by the Effects to describe it And as for that word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Subsistence whereon you seeme to stand take this first that the writers of the new Testament vse words in the same sence that the Seuentie Translators doe Secondly that that which in Hebrew is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Expectation that the Septuagint turne 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in Ruth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ruth 1.12 so that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Hebrewes shall not be Subsistence but expectation or desire of things that are hoped for But of this umpliandum censeo I pronounce nothing only I conclude his second Faith not to be Iustifying Faith And because you shall not count me singular or alone in this point read M. Foxe in his booke de Christo gratis iustificante and you shall find him earnest against this opinion The third faith is Fides Persone or Personalis meriti Faith of Person or of Personall merit and of this I make the Obiect to be Christ the Mediator meriting the Act of it Fiducia a Rest or Deuolution the Subiect of it the facultie of the Will and not the Vnderstanding the next End of it Iustification the remote End eternall Saluation And thus I
define it a Rest of the Will vpon Christ and his merits for Iustification and consequently Saluation In which Definition 1 That the Obiect of it is the Person or Personall merit of Christ the whole tenor of Scripture proues which runs thus Hee that beleeueth in mee shall not perish Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 14.1 Ioh. 1.12 and Yee belieue also in me and As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to bee the Sonnes of God that is to them that belieued in his Name and in six hundred places besides But if thou wilt be further informed see M. Foxe in the booke before quoted 2 That the Act of it is Fiducia Affiance I report me to all the words vsed in the originall of the old Testament as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to retire vnto 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to deuolue or Roll vpon 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to trust or put confidence in and all the rest and to the forme of words vsed in the new as Credere in Sperare in to beleeue and hope in or vpon 3 That it is Subiectiuely in the Will appeares by the Act for Fiducia Affiance without controuersie is in the Will as also by the Obiect Christ which implies not a Knowledge but Fiducia or Rest Ob. Fiducia Affiance is Spes roborata a confirmed Hope therefore if you make Faith to be Fiducia Affiance you make it likewise to be hope and vnskilfully confound two distinct vertues Ans I denie Fiducia Affiance to bee Hope although the Prince of Schoolemen Thomas of Watering and his followers haue heretofore taught it For 1 Hope looks to the End which is Saluation Affiance to the meanes which is Christs personall merit 2 The Act of Hope is expectare to looke out for the Act of Affiance is tuniti to leane on or rest vpon 3 Hope is of things that are future but Affiance of that which is present So yet Faith is Fiducia Affiance which I further confirme by S. Augustins authority Credere est amare In Ioh. 7. tract 29. amando in Deum tendere To belieue is to loue and by louing to moue vnto God expounding Amare by Confidere Loue by Affiance according to that Fathers vsuall phrase in his Tractates vpon Iohn Ob. Faith may be both Notitia Fiducia Knowledge and Affiance and so both in the Will and in the Understanding Ans It cannot bee because it is impossible for one and the same Habit to bee Subiectiuely in two seuerall Faculties of so different natures Indeed Bonauenture saith Hope is in both being Certi expectatio In 3. Scut citante Kemnit loco de iustif a certaine expectation Expectation being in the will certitude in the Vnderstanding But I answer that Certainty is the ground of diuine Hope but no part of the nature thereof as knowledge of a thing to be loue-worthy is the ground of loue for Ignoti nulla cupido no desire of that which is vnknowne but not of the nature of it and therefore as you cannot place Loue both in the Mind and Will no more may you Hope or Faith Ob. If Faith bee Fiducia Affiance then the wicked may haue it for Balaam desired the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 Mat. 13.20.21 and some receiue the Word with ioy belieuing but for a time Ans There is a double Affiance the one is sleight and superficiall and grounded on no other foundation then a generall apprehension that it is good to bee saued by Christ but leaue not their former course and embrace a new the other is setled and grounded hauing these precedents 1 A particular knowledge of our sinfull estate examined by the rule of Gods Word 2 An apprehension of Gods wrath and eternall death deserued by sinne 3 Vnfained sorrow for sinne with resolution of new life 4 A knowledge of Christ and here 1 Of his sufficiencie 2 His louing inuitation of all to rest on him for Iustification and Saluation These foure things going before if by the operation of Gods spirit shall afterward follow a rest vpon Iesus Christ for Iustification Saluation I pronounce this Rest to bee that Act which doth iustify before God So that these three Faiths shall bee as the three Propositions of a Categoricke Syllogisme Faith of Story being the Maior Faith of Person or Personall merit being the Assumption and Faith of Promises being the Conclusion on this wise De Whosoeuer shall as formerly is declared rest vpon the merits of Christ for his Iustification and Saluation he shall be iustified and saued This the Scripture affirmeth and to acknowledge the truth thereof is Historicall Faith ri But I doe so rest vpon Christ This the Conscience priuy to the sincerity of the heart assumeth which act of Resting I tearme Iustifying Faith j. Therefore I am iustified shall be saued And this is the Faith of Promise concluded of the former premisses and is the Assurance before mentioned To draw to a Conclusion concerning these three Faiths I adde farther that to the Faith of Story many doe not aspire namely such Paynims and Gentiles to whom God hath not vouchsafed the Ministery of the Word and meanes of knowledge yet many Reprobates doe liuing within the compasse and territory of the Church and remaine for all that vniustified Vnto the Faith of Person and that Affiance which I call sleight and superficiall many likewise of the vessels of wrath doe attaine but cannot goe one step farther whereas all and euery of the Elect rest on Christ in the second manner and vpon the precedents before specified and are thereby iustified Vnto the Faith of promise though the children of God may come and most do come yet some doubtlesse partly through the strength of flesh and mixture of infidelity with their Faith partly through the force and violence of temptation doe not nor dare not inferre the Conclusion and yet may be iustified Lastly and finally whereas Faith is distinguished into 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 full Faith and little Faith I take it that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is not to bee restrained to Faith of Promise onely but that both are common to all three so that a weake assent vnto the story is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong assent is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a strong Affiance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a weake Affiance is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bold and confident inference of the Conclusion is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a fearefull and timerous inference is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But yet neither of them in the first doth iustifie although one of them of necessity must goe before Iustification nor yet in the third although 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may and ought to follow but in the second the least dramme of Affiance though it bee but as a graine of mustard-seed doth iustifie as perfectly as the greatest quantity because it receiues all Christ who is not capable of magis and minus more and
lesse as a palsie hand may receiue as much though shakingly as doth the hand of a strong man stedfastly And thus with as much breuity as I could with auoiding of obscurity I haue deliuered my mind concerning the true nature and definition of iustifying Faith which whether wee haue or no how easie it is to finde out how full of sweet vse and comfort it is in comparison of the common receiued opinion not Eagles onely but Moles may see If any notwithstanding the euidence of my reasons shall persist in his former iudgement suo fruatur per me iudicio Let him abound in his owne sense but for my selfe my word shall alwayes bee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the right is on my side Neuerthelesse if any by sound and substantiall arguments shall conuince mee I will not proue refractary or opinionate Ep. 9. ad Hier. In Retract but according to S. Augustins counsell vnto Hierome and his owne heroicall practice I will 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and retract all I haue said or written For I count it a plaine token of a peruerse and illiberall mind for a man seeing his errour whereby he was misled rather to bend his wit for to find reason that he was not in error and so to bee mad with reason then to frame his wit and will to assent and yeeld to truth being demonstrated vnto him Hor. l. 1. ep 6. ad Numie But vntill that be giue me leaue to conclude with the Poët Si quid nouisti rectius istis Candidus imperti si non his vtere mecum If ought you know righter then here you see Impart it friendly els this vse with me I. D. A DEFENCE OF THE FORMER TREATISE OF IVSTIFYING FAITH Against the answer of N. B. N. B. IT had been good M. Downe you had been aduised and warned by Diphilus in Athenaeus who said Lib. 15. in fabula cui titulus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 acceptâ candelâ candelabrum quaerebamus we tooke the candle before wee had the candlesticke meaning that it sauoureth not of prouidence to light the one before wee bee sure of the other Without doubt you would not then haue builded your doctrine here in this Cittie till you had layd a good foundation for the same euen Iesus Christ 1 Cor. 3.11 Apoc. 1. who standeth in the midst of the seuen golden Candlesticks and is the sole foundation of the eternall verity But such was the iudgement of God cast vpon vs for our sinnes Mat. 18. that refusing the wholesome doctrine of his Word and following fantasies and nouelties of our owne inuentions we should now giue heed to lying spirits and be led away with the spirit of error But we be to them by whom offences come you cannot escape the hand of God except you speedily repent and make satisfaction to this offended flock I. D. Indeed M. Baxter if I haue presumed to determine a question meerly Theologicall by such principles as are heterogeneall and Improper vnto the science of Diuinity I must needs confesse I haue foully faulted and iustly deserued the blame of Improuidence you lay vpon me Poster l. 1. c. 7. §. 1. 4. For it is impossible to demonstrate saith the Philosopher passing from one kind to another as for Arithmetike to demonstrate a probleme or conclusion in Geometrie Eccles 2.14 But had your eyes been where Solomon sayth a wise mans eyes should be when you read my writing you could not but perceiue that I had builded my doctrine vpon that very same good foundation you speake of euen Iesus Christ and his blessed word For whatsoeuer I haue affirmed throughout that whole discourse I haue sufficiently warranted either by expresse testimony of Scripture or which is equiualent by necessary collection from it Vnto your aduice therfore out of Diphilus in Athenaus I answer with the like but more sanctified words of Athanasius Orat. contra Arrian Loe we speake boldly out of the sacred Scriptures of holy and religious Faith and setting the candle as it were vpon the candlesticke doe wee thus pronounce of the nature and definition of Iustifying Faith But put case M. Baxter I had been mistaken either in the truth of the conclusion or in the proofes thereof yet considering at least wise the probability of the one and the comfortablenes of the other Charity I am sure would haue iudged the publishing thereof to haue proceeded to vse the words of Augustin rather from the errour of loue then the loue of error The more vncharitable are you that being not able to conuince mee of the least vntruth ranke me notwithstanding in the number of lying spirits and so peremptorily denounce wo and iudgement against me 1 King 19.12 Wherein as you bewray how little you fauour of his mild spirit who chose rather to come in a still and soft voice then in a tempest and whirlewind so greatly are you deceiued if you thinke such causes and idle meanes either affright or affect me No no I am not so simple to belieue that the earthquakes when moles beginne to heaue or that thunderbolts presently flie abroad the world when euery hot braine threatens fire from heauen Prou. 26.2 For as the bird by wandring and the swallow by flying escapeth so the vndeserued curse shall not come saith Solomon Act. 4.36 And therefore vnlesse you can proue mee in deliuering this doctrine to haue beene an vnaduised Barnabas I haue no cause to feare when you proue yourselfe but a rash and hasty Boanerges Mar. 3.17 N. B. Your Sermon made here in Bristol Nouemb. 5. 1601. stuffed with quirks full of elenchs and subtle distinctions wholly bent it selfe against the truth of God and hath shaken the well affected minds of many who by your Sophismes seduced scarce know by what means they shall bee saued Demosth in Philip. You gaue vs Mandragor as to drinke and vnder a sugred potion of your owne sole contriuing cast vpon vs the spirit of slumber Aristoph in Pluto Was it not a bold part thus in peace to play the Lion and rent in sunder vnder pretence of truth the blessed vnion of holy piety to deliuer such new coined strange vncouth and singular definitions diuisions or distinctions of Iustifying Faith being indeed Callida mendacia craftie vntruths Plaut Mostel Athen. Dipnos li. 3. Cic. pro Cluent as Apollo himselfe could by no meanes vnderstand to vse the phrase of Antiphanes and then to boast that scarce Archimedes could better and more liuely haue depainted his Theoremes then you iustifying Faith Theocrit hodaep then you forsooth had then against all writers old and new in one sole and sillie Sermon walking without fire in the darke delineated yea demonstrated as you say true Iustifying Faith the comfort of a Christian man I. D. Three heinous faults you charge my Sermon withall Vntruth in the Matter Sophistrie in the Manner and Breach of peace in the
question bee indeed as they seeme vnto me sound and necessary you may as well chide the Sun for mouing towards the west or the earth for resting stedfastly on her center as me for being swayed and perswaded by them And yet by your leaue I was not so transported with Confidence but that I still kept my selfe within the bounds of Modesty For although it pelase you in the former section to charge me with â—oasting that scarce Archimedes could better and more liuely haue painted his Theoremes then I iustifying Faith yet was I in truth as farre from it as you are from truth in affirming of it submitting my selfe in all humility vnto the censure of Gods Church and promising vpon conuiction of my error to reuerse what euer I had said Yea but very insolently I haue bidden battell to all the learned men of Christendome bitten snapt and snarled at Melancthon Martyr c. yea all Fathers and Writers both old and new for these 1600. yeeres 1 Sam. 17.26 Intolerable arrogance I confesse if your accusation be iust for who but a presumptuous and proud Goliah would in such opprobrious manner defie and reuile the host of the liuing God But tell me I beseech you what are those despitefull and contumelious tearmes wherewith I haue so reproched those famous and excellent men Nay did I in my Sermon so much as name either Melancthon or Martyr or Caluin or Beza or Grynaus or Pelanus or Whitaker or Perkins whom yet you say I snapt and snarled at For that you adde particularly of M. Perkins as if I had boasted by my sudden arguments to haue driuen him so hard to the wall as hee knew not what to answer is but a blacke drop of your slanderous pen. The truth is this that in a priuate conference I told you that he being demaÌ„ded if Faith be an assurance of our present state in grace and future saluation what comfort remained for him who not feeling this assurance thinks himselfe to bee without Faith and consequently in the state of damnation his answer was which also in his books he hath published that desire of assurance is in the acceptation of God as assurance indeed to the which I sayd I could no way yeeld seeing by the couenant of Grace actuall Faith it selfe is absolutely required vnto Iustification and therefore actuall assurance if Faith bee assurance Besides this priuate speech all I haue publikely said or written is no more but this in generall that though my opinion differ from the writings and doctrine of most learned and worthy Diuines to whom as farre inferiour I owe all respect and reuerence yet being Gods freeman I cannot endure to bee mans Bondman and sweare to all they say And is not this the same in effect which all our Diuines answer when they are charged by the aduersary to dissent from the Fathers Let one Whitaker speake for them all We are saith he not the seruants but the Sons of the Fathers Contrà Duraeum if out of the law and from diuine authority they prescribe any thing vnto vs wee obey them as Parents if they command ought against the voice of the heauenly doctrine wee say wee must harken not vnto them but God You Iesuits like bondmen and base slaues admit without iudgement and reason all the sayings of the Fathers fearing I thinke the gibbet or whip if yee refuse any Now M. Baxter say if you dare that glorious Whitaker with the rest of our Diuines bite and snap and snarle at the Fathers as well as I if you dare not and yet I vse no other language then they doe then are biting and snapping and snarling but your owne doggish tearmes arguing rather notorious Sycophancie in you then such barbarous inciuility in me Well yet sith you will needs say you come barefoot to these mountaines giue me leaâ—e to sift your arguments and to shape you an answer for the defence of Iustifying Faith Exod. 3.5 Sir it was reason I should pull off my shooes and come barefoot to these mountaines because the ground on which I was to stand is holy Neuerthelesse in this encounter with you I trust you shall find my feet so well shâ—â— with the preparation of the Gospell of peace Ephes 6.15 that I need not care what briers or thornes soeuer you plant in my way And therefore good leaue haue you sift my arguments in Gods name at your pleasure for to that very end sent I them you in writing But I am afraid least insteed of sifting I find from you nothing else but meere shifting as indeed I doe not For to some of my arguments you shape no answer at all some you unshape and turne cleane out of the forme I set vpon them to not one of them doe you shape so much as probable or tolerable answer So that although you seeme very ambitious and greedie of the title yet if you haue no better skill in sifting arguments and shaping answers you will hardly obtaine so high an honor as to bee stiled Defender of the Faith Further you tell me that shortly I shall receiue the writings of other most learned men and grasple with them They shall bee welcome M. Baxter whensoeuer they come for the more you are that impugne the truth the more honorable will the victory be But I beseech you Sir when will that shortly you speake of be expired for it is now more then two yeeres since you first threatned me with them as by the date of your writing appeareth and yet hitherto could I neuer heare either from them or of them whether they be white or blacke Only it seemes they are very angrie Pismires that a man cannot spit among them without sore lips But when I shall speake with these enemies in the gate as the Psalmist saith I hope they shall finde my lips so seasoned with the salt of grace and so well prouided of an answer Psal 127.5 Col. 4.6 that I need not feare if they proue a nest I say not of Ants onely but euen of Waspes and Hornets also In the meane season if they bee so deeply learned as you pretend how is it that you so hastily preuent them and haue not the manners to stay till your betters haue spoken It is not you say vpon presumption of your greater learning being one of the least but out of a greater measure of zeale as being the most offended But M. Baxter they that doe the works of Zimri haue not lightly in them the affection of Phinees And seeing you will needs bee the most offended shall I say being the most offending Certainly hauing no iust cause of offence giuen you it is not so much either the glory of God or the satisfaction of your people as your own factiousnesse and vaineglory that sets you so forward in this busines and makes you so impatient to thinke of the second place Of a colder temper it seemes are those learned Rabbies you scarre me
withall who while you hazard your selfe in the forlorne hope wisely prouide for their owne security in the reerward And as the Turke vses to marshall the basest of his nations in the front of the battell that the enemies armes being wearied swords blunted vpon them his â—aâ—jâ—ars may find the lesse danger and â—esistance so these I thinke are not vnwilling that you with your wrangling a while comber and annoy mee that hauing spent my strength vpon you I should not be able to endure the force of their second charge But vnto 〈◊〉 â—â—ish policy I oppose the old Roman wisdom Veget. l. 1. c. â—1 and as thâ—â— exercising their young souldiers to skirmish and 〈…〉 Martiall actiuities against a post â—repared 〈…〉 â—hereby with more readines and skill to encounter a true enemie so will I by trying and experiencing my selfe vpon you fit and prouide my selfe to the better entertainment vnto those learned aduersaries whensoeuer they shall please to assaile me N. B. Your writings are well polished and shew whence you came and where you were bred Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but as smooth as they bee they cannot helpe you nor saue you from blemish except you speedily which I wish snetch the new hatched Mansters For the faire shooe helpeth no man of the Gowt I. D. Here M. Baxter you bestow vpon me once for all a few drops of your holy water sprinkle telling me that my writings are smooth and well polished sauouring something of the place whence I came and where I was bred but withall remembring me I thinke lest I should grow too proud of your praises that though the shooe be faire the foot is gowtie that is though the stile and manner of handling be Schollerly yet the argument and matter is erronious if not hereticall And so as Hierome spea◠〈◊〉 you cast vpon me an honorable kind of contumely Ep. 6 ad Pam. Ocean commâ—â—â—ing mee a little for some good parts but vtterly bereauing one of the truth of Faith Which commendation also here vousafed mee in grosse anon you rob mee of againe by retaile allowing mee nothing but ridiculous vnlearned and inkehorne speeches and scarce affording me skill enough to compose a Syllogisme But the best is your iudgement is not the truest touch to trie desert by and therfore whether you praise or dispraise it no way moues me the one cannot better me the other cannot disparage mee Neuerthelesse if you can plainly and directly shew that like another Ixion embracing a cloud insteed of Iuno I meane my owne fancie insteed of Gods truth I haue begotten thereupon these monsters as you tearme them of opinions I will as you wish mee speedily snetch them Psal 137.9 and dash their heads against the stones that they grow not vp to the strength and stature of Giants to the further danger and disturbance of the Church But till then pardon mee if I neither snetch them 1 Pet. 2.2 nor feare blemish by them nay if as the blessed ofspring of celestiall verity I still feed and cherish them with the sincere milke of the word that they may grow thereby to the further comforting of distressed soules Iude 20. and building vp of the Saints in their most holy Faith And thus much in briefe for answer to your Prologue now take wee a view also of the Disputation it selfe Wherein if you obserue due proportion and Decorum as that is no other then a head without wit or braine so this can bee no better then a body without heart and spirit N. B. But that I may orderly proceed I will briefely 〈◊〉 the state of the Question betwixt vs and next shewing how it is holden by you and denyed by mee The Quest The Question is whether iustifyâ—â—g Faith by the Church for 1600. yeeres bee rightly dâ—fined you deny it I affirme it I. D. In word you promise orderly proceeding but indeed you lay the foundation of Babel and by peruerting the state of the Question disorder and confound the whole Disputation For whereas I inquire What is the true Nature and definition of iustifying Faith and determine that that act whereby a man stands iustified before God is not Assurance in the Mind but Affiance in the Will you to forestall the reader on your side and to worke all the preiudice you can against mee substitute insteed thereof this enuious demaund Whether iustifying Faith by the Church for 1600. yeeres bee rightly defined and boldly auerre that I maintaine it negatiuely you affirmatiuely How you can quit your selfe of manifest preuarication herein I see not vnles perhaps you say that albeit directly in precise tearmes I affirme not so much yet defining otherwise then the Church hitherto hath done indirectly and by consequence I auouch no lesse But this figleafe is not broad enough to couer your nakednesse For suppose it were so yet was it your dutie to haue retained the Question in that very forme of words I propounded it vnto you and not in lieu of my Conclusion to place a Consectary of your owne collection If whereas you hold that Faith is Assurance I should state the Question thus Whether God commaund a lie to bee beleeued as true and then peremptorily pronounce that you affirme it and I deny it would you not think your selfe much wronged and abused And yet this absurditie necessarily following vpon that opinion as in my fift Argument is firmely proued I should so doing but serue you with your owne sauce and repay you in your owne coine How forcible therefore soeuer your Consequence may be in this place it is very vnseasonable and with more credit should you haue performed your promise of orderly proceeding if you had reserued it thither where you meane to argue against mee But Camels saith Pliny loue not to drinke till they haue troubled the water Hist Nat. l. 8. ca. 18. nor Sophisters to dispute till they haue clouded the Question Neuerthelesse because you vaunt so much and so often of all the learned men of Christendome all the Church all the world all Fathers all Writers old and new Greeke and Latin for these 1600. yeeres giue mee leaue in this place once for all to apply mine answer thereunto I say therefore that it is but a vaine and idle brag full of Arrogance Temerity and Vntruth Arrogance in that you would seeme to haue read all Authors that haue wrtten these 1600. yeeres which if you were such a glutton of bookes and withall had the strength of an oke and the time of Mathuselah yet could you not by any meanes performe Temerity in that you thinke with the countenance of one inartificiall argument to outbraue so many sound Demonstrations grounded on Gods Word and according with right reason Vntruth in that you beare the world in hand as if all Writers both old and new were cleerely against me not so much as one giuing his suffrage and voice with mee whereas in my
things Hence the ancient Fathers inuented the word Trinity to signify the plurality of persons in one substance Homousios to expresse the consubstantiality of the Sonne with the Father Theotokos to maintaine the personall vnion of both natures in Christ and six hundred such like words vtterly vnknown vnto former ages Ibid. old matters as the same Athanasius saith Cap. 18. receiuing new names those new names couching vnder them no new meaning According whereunto Vincentius Lirinensis though he would not haue his Timothie to broach new things yet giueth him leaue to teach the same things he hath learned after a new manner Being therfore warrāted both by the precept practice of the Primitiue Church I see no cause but that euen in this point also I may be permitted to vse new tearmes Perhaps you will say that not only the tearme wherewith it is inuested but the matter hereof is also new for so much your questions out of Hierome and Tertullian and the floud of words following with not a drop of reason in them seeme to import Whereunto though I haue already sufficiently answered yet now I adde by way of surplus that many Truths lye a long time hidden in their principles and vnheeded of the wisest which being at length disclosed and brought to light are not therefore new in themselues but onely vnto vs comming newly vnto our knowledge euen as the countrey of America is called the new world not because it is of a latter creation then Europe Asia or Africa but only because it is of a later discouery These Conclusions vntill their dependency and coherence with the principles doe manifestly appeare vnto vs it sufficeth to beleeue them implicitly and in the preparation of the Minde but when they shall bee vnfolded out of their principles and clearly demonstrated vnto vs by necessary deduction from them we are bound to yeeld distinct and expresse assent vnto them And then as it would haue been great folly in the Spaniard to haue refused the gold and treasures of the new world because it was found out not by the old Argonauts but by Christopher Columbus a late sailer so would it bee great sinne in vs to disclaime and renounce the benefit of a truth because it is made known vnto vs not by an ancient Father but by a man of yesterday or to day Iam. 2.1 For this were to haue the faith of God in respect of persons as S. Iames saith and to restraine the gift of the Spirit of Wisdome and reuelation vnto the times of our predecessors as if they only had eyes giuen them to spie out truths and it were impossible for vs to see what they saw not although wee caried the Sunne in our hands as Lactantius speaketh Now then to apply this vnto the matter in hand if the point you quarell at bee not onely new vnto the present custome De Ciuit. Dei lib. 22. c. 7. as S. Augustin speaketh but also contrary vnto reason and the grounds of Faith I confesse it is erronious and iustly may you come vpon mee with your demaunds out of Hierome and Tertullian Ep. 23. ad Paulin. De veland virg cap. 1. who are you whence when that after 400. yeeres you should goe about to teach vs what wee knew not before But if it bee new only vnto vs and not in it selfe then doe I answer your Hierome with Hierome Weigh not truth by time and Tertullian with Tertullian Nor space of times nor patronage of persons nor priuiledge of places may prescribe against truth For that which is no otherwise new is true and as the truth of God is with all reuerence and submission to bee embraced Howbeit this I say not as if I would be thought to bee the first discouerer hereof or that it had laine hid as it were in the pit of Democritus vntill this time For that there is a Faith whose obiect is the Person of the Mediator was neuer yet vnknowne in the Church but hath euer beene manifest euen from the beginning Search the Scriptures and you shall find therein nothing more cleere then this For as in the treatise sent you I haue shewed the whole tenor of them runs thus Hee that beleeueth in mee shall not perish Ioh. 3.16 Ioh. 14.1 Ioh. 1.12 yee beleeue in God beleeue also in mee As many as receiued him to them hee gaue power to bee the Sonnes of God that is to them that beleeue in him c. Rom. 3.22.26 Gal. 2.16.3.22 Phil. 3.9 Iam. 2.1 Reu. 2.13.14.12 Whereunto I adde that in sundry places it is expresly called the Faith of Iesus Christ not because it inhereth in Christ as in a Subiect but for that it hath relation and respect vnto Christ as vnto the right Obiect And that at length it appeareth both that the matter is euery way old though the tearme bee new and that new tearmes may bee giuen to old matters euen of this kind so as they bee proper determined and adequated thereunto It remaineth onely to shew that such is the tearme which here I vse For proofe whereof I say no more but this that if our best Diuines haue conueniently distinguished other Faiths according to their obiects calling one Faith of story because Scripture story another Faith of Promise because the Euangelicall promise a third Faith of Miracles because miracles are the proper obiect of them I see no reason why I may not as freely and as fitly call that Faith of Person which hath for its Obiect the Person of Iesus Christ Neither can I conceiue if this bee an inkhorne tearme as it pleaseth your elegancy to tearme it why Faith of Story Faith of Promise Faith of Miracles should not bee inkhorne-tearmes also But you are a very nice and dainty man you can tast no wine how old or generous soeuer vnlesse the cup out of which you drinke it bee grauen by Myron or Polycletus N. B. But this hath beene the course of all fanaticall spirits in all ages moued with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Phil 1.14 selfe-loue contention hypocrisie and couetousnesse De Haeresibus ad Quodvult Deum to condemne all others to set vp and stablish their owne fantasies Read Augustine yea see the Ecclesiasticall histories Eusebius Sozomen Euagrius Dorotheus Vincentius c. there shall you see whereupon these Schismes in the Church began Let mee therefore intreate you if you will needs deale in these graue causes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yet that you will deale also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 well as becommeth a wise man For otherwise you shall bewray your mind desirous of nouelties hazard your credit offend the Church yea as hee saith take vpon you to glew an egge Diogenianus loosing your labour and making your selfe ridiculous to the best I. D. What hath beene the course of fanaticall spirits in all ages and whereupon they haue been moued to beginne their Schismes in the Church I am not now to learne
of you neither needed you in this point so to flourish with your Greeke or to make such a rumble with the names of Eusebius Sozomen Euagrius Dorotheus Vincentius and the rest But what my inward motiues haue beene and with what affection I haue proceeded in this businesse God and my owne conscience are a sufficient theater for your tongue is not the fanne of this floore And seeing my earnest protestation in my preface cannot perswade your vncharitable heart to entertaine a better opinion of my sincere and vpright meaning in this cause but that you will notwithstanding reckon me in the number of fanaticall spirits possessed with selfe-loue contention hypocrisie and couetousnesse condemning all other to set vp and stablish their owne fantasies I appeale vnto him who alone knoweth the heart and trieth the raines Ep. 69. ad Florent Pupian and say vnto you in the words of S. Cyprian These things haue I written out of a pure mind and conscience and with stedfast trust vpon my Lord and God You haue my letters I haue yours in the day of iudgement both shall bee rehearsed before the tribunall of Christ Whereas you intreat mee to deale in this graue cause well and as becommeth a wise man surely hitherto I haue indeuoured so to doe how well I haue performed it I leaue vnto the censure of the Church and specially of those vnto whom the Spirits of the Prophets are subiect In the meane season pardon mee if I feare none of those dangers you threaten vnto mee How your selfe will auoid them I cannot tell for neuer was there man wrote with lesse reason and more follie Treatise Three Faiths there seeme to be which lay claime and title to the priuiledge of iustification Faith of History Faith of promise and Faith of Person The first is an assent of the mind vnto the truth of Gods Word and specially the Gospell And this whether it bee Acquisite or Infused hath no interest in the matter of iustification For besides that is absurd generall knowledge should iustifie N. B. That you dare bee so bold to make such a distribution of Faith I impute it to your desire of nouelties Eph. 4. as you say in the words last betweene vs debated I tell you there is but one Faith and that a true and liuely working Faith Knowledge the beginning Application or Apprehension the Progresse Rest the end of Faith and this onely is iustifying Faith and comprehendeth your three nice distinctions and is compounded of them all conioyned together the first the beginning the second the progresse the third being the end I. D. It is not desire of noueltie in mee but loue of confusion in you that dare not haue those things distinguished which in their natures are diuided For distinction of that which is ambiguous Top. 1. c. vlt. saith Aristotle is the prime and most necessary principle both of defining and disputing well the neglect whereof insteed of profitable reasoning about matters of substance induceth fruitlesse contention and iangling about words Now that Faith is equiuocall and needeth distinction appeares first by reason for that it comprehendeth vnder it sometime more and sometime fewer things is both affirmed and denied of the same persons is a word of accident attributed to diuers Subiects not contained vnder one next Genus as to the Elect to Reprobates to Diuels Secondly by authority Ser. de temp 181. It is one thing to belieue a God another to yeeld beliefe vnto God another to belieue on God saith Augustine There is a kind of gift equiuocally called Faith saith Oecumenius In 1. Cor. 13. In 1. Cor. 12. Not Faith of doctrines but Faith of miracles saith Theophilact There is one Faith of Precepts another of Signes another of Promises saith Bernard The same among the latter writers confesseth Melancthon Martyr Kemnitius Hiperius Caluin Vrsin Foxe Perkins and who not Nay behold Saul himselfe also among the Prophets for besides that anon you acknowledge Faith sometime to bee spoken abusiuely and by an equiuocation you doe expresly both in your margent and text affirme that there are three kinds of Faith and approue the same distribution which here you condemne in me For all this I tell you say you there is but one Faith and that is iustifying Faith Shall I now say vnto you as elsewhere you doe vnto mee that you speake pure Bellarmine De Iustif l. 2. cap. 4. For indeed you vse the very language of that Iesuit Sectaries saith hee vnderstanding Protestants are wont to distinguish three faiths of history of miracles of promises but Catholicks teach that they are one and the same Faith and that iustifying Faith But doth not the Apostle in the place here quoted by you auouch that there is but one Faith yes verily but thereby in the iudgement of the best Diuines hee meaneth not that Faith whereby wee doe belieue but that which we doe belieue that is not the Habit but the Obiect of Faith as if hee should more plainely say there is but one Christian Religion And although in regard of the variety and multitude of materiall obiects there may seeme to bee not one but many Faiths yet because the formall reason wherefore we doe belieue them is but one namely diuine testimony and they are in such sort linked and woouen together that one Article cannot bee denied without the dissolution of the whole Creed all being according to the old rule one copulatiue it is therefore rightly and iustly called one Faith Finally where you say Faith comprehendeth my three nice distinctions and is compounded of them all I answer that such composition is altogether impossible for Faith of Story and Faith of Promise are in the Vnderstanding but Faith of Person is in the Will and it cannot be that one and the same Habit should bee subiectiuely in two seuerall faculties of so different natures For the Habit that is for example in Peter is one in number and that which is one in number is indiuisible and that which is indiuisible cannot bee at once in two Subiects because as Philosophie teacheth Numeration is from the plurality of Subiects This M. Perkins saw On the Creed and therefore saith Some doe place Faith partly in the Mind partly in the Will because it hath two parts Knowledge Affiance but it seemes not greatly to stand with reason that one particular and single Grace should bee seated in diuers parts or Faculties of the Soule And this also you cannot bee ignorant was answered in my treatise vnto the same obiection which obiection I maruell how you can with modestie and credit mention vnlesse withall you were prouided to satisfie my answer But seeing as Cicero saith of Hortensius when you haue ought to say you haue not the power to hold your peace Verrin 3. it is an euident and strong presumption now that you say nothing that you haue nothing to say N. B. Bleare not the eyes of Gods
Saints with your niceties and falsities any longer for thus you reason No historicall Faith hath any interest in the matter of Iustification But firmely to belieue the truth of Gods Word and specially the Gospell is historicall Faith Therefore firmely to belieue the truth of Gods Word and specially the Gospell hath no interest in the matter of Iustification Good Sir I deny your Maior which you thus endeuour to proue ab absurdo enumeratione partium No generall knowledge shall haue any stroke in the matter of Iustification All historicall Faith is a generall knowledge Therefore no historicall Faith hath any interest in the matter of iustification Proue your Minor which I denie telling you moreouer that firmely to consent to the truth of Gods Word in genere and the Gospell in Specie is not a Generall knowledge but a Speciall knowledge and therefore I argue Such a speciall knowledge of the Gospell is the beginning of Faith Iustifying Mat. 13.11 Ioh. 17.3 Mat. 16.17 But firmely to consent to the truth of Gods Word and the Gospell is such a speciall knowledge ex confesso Therfore firmely to consent to the truth of Gods Word and especially the Gospell is the beginning of Iustifying Faith I. D. If you were as farre from hood-winking your owne eyes as I am from blearing the eies of others you might easily perceiue that now I deale against our common aduersaries the Papists and ouerthrow the iustification of their Historicall Faith by the chiefest arguments which Protestants vse But you after the manner of those Gladiators called Andabatae nor see nor care whom or what you strike and so mildly affected are you towards mee that so you may make some probable shew of endammaging or disaduantaging mee you reck not though through my sides you reach and wound the best Diuines of our Church yea and the common truth which wee all maintaine Neither doe I vse such circumguagues nor wiredraw my arguments into such a length as you beare vs in hand but hauing nakedly and plainely defined what Historicall Faith is I proue by two reasons that Faith so defined doth not iustifie the first whereof is this because it is absurd that so generall a Knowledge should iustifie So that your Ferio Syllogisme deserues a Ferula and vtterly to bee cashed as being no creature of mine but an idle figment of your owne and the next in Celarent for so you forme it although indeed it bee also in Ferio the Minor proposition and Conclusion notwithstanding your generall notes being but particular enuntiations is the onely Syllogisme intended by mee and including my first argument The Maior whereof it seemes you grant saying nothing vnto it and the Minor only you deny which I cannot but wonder at seeing both the Minor and Conclusion are vniuersally vouched by all the Diuines of our side The Conclusion is that Historicall Faith iustifies not So saith Hyperius De fide Hom. iustificandi There is a certaine Historicall Faith whereby those things which are propounded in holy writ are simply beleeued but yet is not applyed vnto Christ and the matter of our Saluation Loco de Fide The Minor is that Historicall Faith is a generall Knowledge So sayth Kemnitius There is a certaine generall Faith which vsually is tearmed Historicall and againe Historicall Faith is a generall assent holding in generall that the promise of the Gospell is true And M. Perkins Ser. caus c. 36. A generall Faith whereby they giue assent vnto the Gospell Neither doe I know any one of our Diuines that either in the Conclusion or the Minor doth gainsay them So that by the iudgement of these men both consenting to Gods Word in generall and to the Gospell in speciall is not a Speciall but Generall Knowledge and if the Speciality of the Gospell being but a part of the whole Scripture did specify Faith it would follow thereupon that there are as many Speciall Faiths as there are seuerall Articles of the Creed which were vnreasonable to imagine For that Faith which assenteth vnto the Gospell is no other then that which assenteth vnto the rest of holy Scripture and although it may principally respect that part of diuine truth yet doth it not only respect it nor is limited thereunto as vnto the proper adequate obiect thereof but vniuersally extendeth it selfe vnto all supernaturall reuealed verities whatsoeuer As for that Faith which our Diuines call Speciall is to be vnderstood of Faith of Promises wherby the Saints apply and appropriate them vnto themselues particularly and indiuidually assuring themselues of their present iustification and future saluation And the ignorance hereof as I ween is the cause why you turne generall into speciall and write of this matter so wildly and confusedly This notwithstanding very peremptorily you pronounce that Historiall Faith is a speciall Knowledge and thereupon Syllogistically inferre that it is the Beginning of Iustifying Faith to what end I wot not well vnlesse it bee to proue that it doth iustify because as you conclude it is the beginning of that Faith But whatsoeuer your intent bee your argument I answer by distinguishing of the word Beginning For if you vnderstand thereby a Pre-requisite or Preparatiue vnto iustifying Faith you doe but fight with a shadow for in that sence I grant the Conclusion neither doth such a beginning of Iustifying Faith iustify If you meane thereby that it is Iustifying Faith inchoat and in a remisser degree then I deny your Maior and say that such a knowledge call it as you please generall or speciall is not the beginning of iustifying Faith If it were then Diuels and Reprobates hauing it should haue iustifying Faith which Gods Word attributes vnto the Elect onely Tit. 1.1 And if it bee true that Faith of person is the consummation of Iustifying Faith as in the former section you say it cannot bee that such a knowledge should bee the Beginning thereof vnlesse you will say that Accidents may passe from one Subiect to another which is against all Philosophy For Historicall Faith is in the Vnderstanding and Faith of Person is in the Will and therefore Faith of Story beginning in the Mind can haue no subsistence elsewhere and iustifying Faith being perfected in the Will cannot bee begunne in any other Subiect The passages quoted in the margent though you should rack them till they rent asunder yet will they not confesse what you alledge them for For how I pray you hang these things together To you it is giuen to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of heauen This is life euerlasting to know thee Flesh and Bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father Ergo Such a knowledge is iustifying Faith begun This is too violent astraining of Scripture and as Volusian speaketh is not a sucking of milke but drawing of bloud from the dugs of the Church Ep. 1. ad Nic. 1. As for the Minor I haue already sufficiently demonstrated the falshood thereof only
it seemeth strange why you should take it as confessed For sure I am in expresse tearmes I haue affirmed the contrary neither can I guesse of what words you gather it vnlesse perhaps of that I say and specially the Gospell which were too ridiculous For that indeed confesseth the Gospell to bee a speciall part of Gods truth but not determining Faith onely thereunto it doth in no sort specifie it as is aboue fully proued N. B. Historicall Faith not diuided from the other two kinds but ioyned with thē is cause of Iustification Againe I would pray you to speake more learnedly and argue soundly For if you had said formerly No Historicall Faith only iustifieth c. We had been agreed For Historica Fides est causa iustificationis non solitaria sed socia non diuisa sed coniuncta But speaking thus absolutely you speake vnlearnedly Well thus you proceed leauing your Minor naked and exposed to the mercie of the World I. D Agreed quoth you Nay hee can hardly agree with mee that is at warre with himselfe and had I spoken neuer so learnedly and argued neuer so soundly yet I verily belieue you would haue quarrelled at it because I see you make contradiction of mee the onely rule of your speeches That there is but one Faith you say it is nouelty not to grant and that Faith only iustifies I think you dare not deny how is it then that in the margent forgetting your selfe you talke of three kinds of Faith which except my Arithmetike faile mee are more then one and ioyne fellowes with that in iustification in the body of your text which yet you confesse doth onely iustify But what is it that comes not within the sphere of your omnipotent Philosophie The power of your Logicke hath already contracted Vniuersall into Speciall and why then may not the subtlety of your Metaphysicke find a plurality also in an Vnity But to be plaine with you I say that Historicall Faith is so far from being a ioint cause that at all properly vnderstood of Iustification but onely as I haue said a Pre-requisite or Preparatiue thereunto True it is that Faith of Person is neuer Solitary but is euer conioyned with sundry other graces and among the rest with Historicall Faith yet are not their operations to bee confounded because in the same person they are conioyned Many seeds lye in my hand together yet euery one hath his seuerall and distinct vertue Faith of Person is neuer without Faith of Story yet it is Faith of Person which onely iustifies And as in the generation of man the Sensitiue soule goes before and prepares a fit organ for the infusion of the Reasonable and yet not the Sensitiue but the Reasonable only doth informe so in the reparation of man Faith of Story proceeds and makes way for the inducement of Faith of Person and yet not Faith of Story but Faith of Person only doth iustifie Now whether in speaking thus absolutely I haue spoken vnlearnedly as you say or no it skilleth not much seeing I am sure I haue spoken truly 1 Cor. 15.9 What euer I am by the grace of God I am and desire so to bee vnto his glory My want and inability I thanke God I know yet know I no cause why in this mediocrity of knowledge and speech I should in comparison with you any whit disable my selfe But sith as the Apostle saith knowledge puffeth vp 1 Cor. 8.1 God grant vs both the spirit of humility that denying our selues and all our learning wee may be content to bee wholly captiuated vnto the obedience of the Faith of Christ The Minor which you say I left naked and exposed to the mercy of the world was this that Historicall Faith is a generall knowledge which indeed in my Treatise I did forbeare to confirme not for want of sufficient proofes but presuming that so euident a truth would neuer haue beene denied But now I hope it appeares by what I haue aboue said to bee so well guarded with strength of reason and approbation of the learned that henceforward it need not feare the rigor of your opposition Treatise Acquisite Faith the Diuels haue according to that of Saint Iames The Diuels belieue and tremble Infused Faith the Reprobates may haue as Balaam Iudas Magus Now iustifying Faith is proper to the Elect and therefore historicall Faith cannot iustifie N. B. O yee noble Schollers marke this Syllogisme I haue made your arguments hitherto for you Master Downe and in this creeping and incroching argument tell you that you beg the matter in question For I deny that your definition of Historicall Faith is a generall knowledge but speciall and peculiar vnto the Elect in the beginning of their iustifying Faith conioyned with the Application and Resting vpon Christ and his merits And to bee plaine with you I tell you it is ridiculous yea blasphemous to say that Diuels haue Faith or that euer Balaam Iudas or Magus had Faith And so telleth you M. Caluin In Iac. 2.19 Ridiculum erit si quis Diabolos habere fidem dicat it is ridiculous for any man to say that Diuels haue Faith For there is but one Faith Eph. 4. and the other is spoken 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 abusiuely and by an equiuocation and is but a vulgar knowledge or rather peculiar shew by miracles c. as the same M. Caluin sheweth right learnedly 1 Cor. 13.2 Calu. ibid. and also telleth you Abundé constat totam hanc disputationem de fide non haberi it is plaine that this whole disputation Iam. 2. is not about Faith Let this therefore serue for an answer I pray you to your first distinction of Historicall Faith which you confound with a vulgar knowledge as appeareth before knowing this No man that finally contemneth this Speciall knowledge of Gods Word and specially the Gospell can be saued For hee can neuer haue the other two kinds of Faith spoken of before except he begin with this kind of Faith I. D. Surely I am very deeply beholding vnto your Mastership hauing so small skill in Logicke that you will bee pleased to forme my arguments and to shape them in so excellent fashion for mee But I beseech you spare your paines where you are like to reape little thanks for your labour Such officiousnesse in an aduersary is not without suspicion and if you may haue the hammering of my arguments your weakest answers I doubt not will be proofe inough against them Leaue me therfore I pray you to the meaning of my own weapons and looke you well vnto your owne defence for I feare mee you will hardly bee able to auoid the danger of them For thus I reason That Faith which Diuels and Reprobates haue iustifies not Historicall Faith Diuels and Reprobates haue Ergo Historicall Faith iustifies not Here you see nor creeping nor incroching but faire and plaine dealing and such as I am well content all noble Schollers marke it But let
impudent glossems of your owne But yet when I say a man ought to haue Assurance doe I not therein confesse it to bee so necessary vnto Saluation that a man cannot be saued without it Nothing lesse and God forbid that euery ignorance or doubting of what wee ought to know should presently exclude and barre vs from Saluation for then no flesh possibly could bee saued Although therefore when I say a man may bee assured I confesse a possibility and when I say hee ought to bee assured I acknowledge a dutie yet doth it not follow thereupon that such assurance is of absolute necessity Necessary it may bee vnto the well-being of the Sonne of God but not vnto his Being as if hee could not bee a new creature without it necessary to cheere and solace him in the way to the end but not vnto the end it selfe as if without it hee could not aspire vnto saluation Such absolute necessity of assurance vpon paine of damnation I know none saue onely of those truths which wee call fundamentall among which I suppose your and my iustification and saluation are not to bee reckoned And yet had I said which I deny that Assurance is necessary vnto Saluation what inconuenience is it to say that neuerthelesse it is not necessary vnto iustification For Saluation is the End Iustification a meane or way vnto the End and more things are subordinate vnto the end then vnto the way as vnto Saluation both Faith and workes are necessary but vnto Iustification Faith alone is required And therefore also it is no absurdity to say that two Faiths are requisite vnto Saluation as indeed Faith of Story and Faith of Person are although but one Faith iustify which is Faith of Person And thus much for your plaine-song now let vs heare your descant and diuision vpon it N. B. Martiall Emerepes apud Apophth Chrysippus Dij mentem tibi dent tuam Philaeni God send you your right wits to see these errors and to amend them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ne vities Musicam said one Corrupt not musicke speake not contraries nor nouelties You cannot alwayes saile in the night but at last will bee taken if you were as craftie as a Cuckow Athanas in Symb. as spake Pliny and Aristotle Wee hold in Diuinity but one Faith and not diuers in specie and that euery Christian man is bound to haue it hauing meanes giuen him from God vpon paine of damnation and that no man can ordinarily bee saued without it And therefore doe cast out your cobwebs as following his counsell that said Vasis eijcias quas nectit aranea telas knowing that your speeches endeauour to mingle water and fire together which is impossible to doe Neither are your forces any thing able to deceiue Gods Elect so long time trained vp in his blessed schoole Well may you consume your selfe as one said Comedo meipsum more Polypi Alcaeus apud Athen. l. 7. Catull. Mat. 11. 1 Tim. 3.15 Act. 9. I eat vp my selfe like Polypus but the Church can you not deceiue for your sacke is full of Spiders as Catullus telleth one Nam tui Catulli Plenus sacculus est aranearum The Church is no reed but the pillar of truth and therefore it is hard for you to spurne against it I. D. Vnto this Rapsodie of sentences and prouerbs drawn in like Hercules oxen and tyed together like Samsons foxes so preposterously by the tailes were I a Grammar-schoole-boy againe I would quickly patch you vp an answer in the same kinde But now I affect not an opinion of learning that way desiring as becomes a Diuine rather to bee reall then verball If children either in age or vnderstanding bee pleased with such Pedanterie and delight to see so many babies in your writing I enuie it not so long as the grauer and learneder sort rest contented and satisfied with the substance of my reasons Only vnto that charitable prayer which you make for me out of that deuout Poet Martiall that God would send me my wits againe Lib. 2. Sat. 3. I know not what kinder wish to oppose then that of Horace the deuouter Poet of the two that you which are franticke and bedlem-mad would something beare with those who are but a little discrazed and distempered For indeed you are right twin vnto the Lunaticke gentleman in Horace and as hee euery day visited the theater and there â—ate clapping his hands and keeping a stirreas if he saw some notable Tragedieacted before him whereas the stage all the while was empty so you here make much adoe and tell mee of I know not what absurdities contrarieties and nouelties and yet the ground you lay for them is in my words no where to bee found Wherefore as Sophâ—cles being accused of dotage read before the iudges his Ordipus Coloneus which he had very lately composed Cic. de Senect and then demaunded of them whether it seemed the poem of a dotard or no so because you charge mee as berâ—â— of my right wits and fraught with nothing else but errors and contradictions I appeale vnto the Christian reader praying him to peruse and ponder my treatise and if hee please this Disputation also and then to iudge indifferently betwixt vs whether I bee as this Festus accuseth me mad and beside my selfe or else with Saint Paul Act. 26.24.25 haue spoken the words of truth and sobernes Treatise 1. Arg. If this were iustifying Faith then whosoeuer liues and dies without this particular Assurance cannot bee saued sine Fide c. without Faith it is impossible to please God But a man may bee saued without it Ergo. N. E. I hope you meane de adultis of men that haue meanes giuen them from God to get this Assurance for otherwise I easily agree that God may extraordinarily saue whom it pleaseth him But doubting not of your meaning and denying your Minor you take vpon you to proue it first by an instance and next by six reasons All which let vs see I. D. Epist 57. Taking me to meane de adultis you doe no whit mistake mee for as Augustin saith that Infants know the things of God who know not so much as the things of men if wee should goe about by words to demonstrate I feare mee wee should bee iniurious euen to our very senses endeuouring to perswade that by speech the euidence of whose truth surpasseth all faculty and office of speech Neuerthelesse because it is written without Faith no man can please God and the iust shall liue by his owne faith many learned men haue hereupon conclude that Infants haue a Faith euen of their owne Adacta Colloq Mompelg Resp de Bapt. in so much that Beza though of a different iudgement confesseth this to bee a very solid and firme foundation and soone after addeth that of this matter very learned Diuines yea and the ancient Fathers also differ in opinion for this Question saith he is among the
Ergo Faith goes before Remission But Assurance as wee haue shewed followes after Remission Ergo it is not Faith But you will follow the ordinary translation I giue you good leaue for I take it to bee the truest yet from thence also thus I argue The Palsie man belieued yet was not assured his sinnes were forgiuen him till Christ told him so much for otherwise what needed Christ to tell him what hee knew already Ergo Assurance is not Faith Treatise That from whence followes a blasphemous absurditie cannot bee a truth for from truth nought but truth can bee concluded But from this that Faith is Assurance such an absurditie doth follow What is that That God commands to Belieue an vntruth and to bee assured of that which neuer shall bee For God being truth cannot command falshood to bee taken for truth Neither tell mee here of who art thou that disputest with God For this is a ruled case in Diuinity God cannot doe things which imply contradiction and therefore not make vntruth to bee truth or knowledge errour Now that this absurdity followes from thence thus I demonstrate God commands the Reprobate to belieue for for vnbeliefe the world shall bee condemned But no condemnation but for breach of a commandement for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore they are commanded to Belieue I aske you then what it is to belieue You will say to know to bee assured Therefore God commands the Reprobates to know and to bee assured But this is a blasphemous absurdity therefore is your opinion absurd which infers it N. B. Two things in this argument are betweene vs to be discussed First whether it bee a blasphemous absurdity to hold that God commandeth a reprobate to belieue that hee shall bee saued You affirme it I deny it Secondly whether in this point God commandeth a Reprobate to belieue an vntruth when hee commandeth a reprobate to belieue and hee shall be saued You affirme it I deny it I. D. That it is a blasphemous absurdity to say that God commands Reprobates to know and to bee assured that they are already iustified and shall bee saued I haue indeed affirmed and I thinke haue also sufficiently confirmed But that God should commaund a Reprobate to belieue an vntruth if hee command him to belieue and hee shall bee saued I neuer yet affirmed What then This that He should command him to belieue an vntruth if hee command him to belieue that hee is iustified and shall bee saued A small difference will you say betweene And and That So was there betwixt Shibboleth and Sibboleth Iude. 12.6 yet enough to discerne an enemy from a friend For this proposition Belieue and thou shalt bee saued is Hypotheticall and Conditionall as if it were said in other tearmes If thou belieue thou shalt bee saued But this Belieue and assure thy selfe that thou shalt bee saued is Categoricall and Absolute excluding all Condition Now that God commands all both Elect and Reprobate to Belieue in the Lord Iesus and promises vnto them Iustification and Saluation conditionally if they Belieue I grant but that hee commands the Reprobate absolutely to know and assure himselfe that hee is already iustified and shall hereafter bee saued and glorified I constantly deny Which yet your opinion that Faith is an Assurance necessarily infers and therefore cannot bee true This matter being thus cleared let vs now bring your answers to the ballance and weigh them N. B. First therefore I answer Mat. 16.15.16 God cammandeth all men to Belieue the Gospell to bee saued and therefore the Reprobates If you demaund why hee commandeth them to belieue that which neuer shall be I answer So it pleased him So answereth Iesus Christ the Sonne of God Math. 11. v. 26. Now goe Master Downe and dispute with Iesus Christ and tell him that his Father deliuereth a blsphemous absurdity Search not too farre into the counsels of God lest you bee ouerwhelmed of his Maiesty reuerence his doctrine if you cannot vnderstand it for who is able to search out the reason of his wayes and counsels Rom. 11. seeing they bee like a great deep I. D. No Master Baxter it is not for dust and ashes to contend with the Creator of all things nor for base clay to enter disputation with so glorious a Maiestie Whatsoeuer that eternall truth speaketh I reuerence and adore and dare not presume to search a higher reason of his actions then his will knowing full well that his will is the prime rule and cause of Iustice and therefore that it is both folly to seeke a former then the first and impiety to subiect Gods will vnto some extrinsecall director But yet with you who as I take it are made of no better moulds then my selfe and are not exempted from those humane infirmities whereunto the rest of your brethren are subiect I hope I may bee bold to enter argument and to hold disputation as in other matters so touching this present question also To you therefore this I say that God doth indeed command the reprobate to belieue vnto saluation and yet neuer shall he belieue nor bee saued The cause hereof I know to bee Gods will and am content with all lowlinesse and humility to say with Christ Mat. 11.26 Euen so O Father because thy good pleasure was such But what is this to our purpose For it is one thing to command a Reprobate to belieue the Gospell another thing to command him to know and assure himselfe that hee is already iustified and shall bee saued for to Belieue the Gospell is to assent vnto an infallible truth but to bee perswaded of the other is to yeeld to that which neither is nor euer shall bee true You should therefore euidently demonstrate out of the Scriptures that God commands a Reprobate so to bee assured and perswaded and then if I rested not satisfied with Gods reuealed will you might iustly bid mee goe and dispute with Christ and forbid to search into the counsels of God lest I be ouerwhelmed with his Maiesty But if in Gods booke you cannot shew it I hold it a humane fancy rather then a diuine truth and therefore though I may not curiously prie into the secrets of God yet may I freely trie and examine the ground of mens opinions N. B. Againe it is an vntruth that God commandeth when he biddeth a Reprobate to belieue and hee shall bee saued For if hee could belieue he should then be saued without doubt Ioh. 11. That hee cannot belieue the reason is Christ hath not washed him Io. 13.8 neither hath opened his heart to belieue So that if hee could haue belieued hee should haue this doctrine effectuall vnto him to saluation That he therefore could not belieue is not to bee imputed to the falsity of the doctrine but to the hardnesse of his owne heart I. D. The commandement of God is absolute Belieue the promise of Saluation is conditionall if we Belieue That the Promise
saith effectually called and they onely who are effectually called are iustified and shall bee glorified And if it were possible that they should bee saued then were there change in the vnchangeable decree of God which hath finally reiected them which is impossible 7. Hee that commands a Reprobate that is not iustified and shall neuer bee saued to belieue that hee is iustified and shall be saued implieth a Contradiction therein and makes Falshood to bee Truth and Faith errour For according to that infallible maxime Falshood is not vnder Faith and therefore if the Obiect bee Falshood it is not Faith which apprehendeth it for true if it bee Faith Falshood is not the Obiect thereof So that hee which commands that false Proposition to bee belieued makes that to bee Faith which cannot beare the definition of Faith and that to bee the Obiect which is not the Obiect thereof that is as I said makes Faith to bee error and Falshood Truth which are contradictories 8. God therefore neither doth nor can so command neither is it impure or impious to affirme so much being in the Word of God so manifestly reuealed Impious rather and blasphemous is it to say the contrary for it imputes impotency and weaknes vnto God making him to say Yea and Nay and to auouch that for truth which is euidently false 9. But this opinion that Faith is an Assurance infers this blasphemous absurdity For as I haue shewed God cōmands all men euen Reprobates to belieue now to belieue as you say is to bee assured of iustification and Saluation Ergo God commands the Reprobate to be assured of his Iustification and Saluation which is absurd 10. Absurd therefore is that opinion that Faith is Assurance which infers it For from truth no absurdity or blasphemie but onely truth can follow These few Positions I pray thee Gentle Reader consider diligently and compare Master Baxters reply with them and then bee iudge whether hee paint not gourds as it is in the Prouerbe and talke cleane beside the purpose Those places of Scripture which you desire may bee well waighed and then by mee either answered or reuerenced I haue according to your desire duly examined and doe from my heart adore them as being the words of the Eternall Verity and this answer doe I giue vnto them that not one of them touches the question in debate betwixt vs. Rom. 11.23 The first telleth vs that the Iewes if they persist not in infidelity shall againe by the power of God bee ingrafted Gal. 3.22 the second that the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ might bee giuen to them that Belieue both which argue against your selfe that Faith is the condition of the Promise the third saith that as many as were ordained vnto eternall life belieued Act. 13.48 2. Thess 3.2 Mat. 13.11 the fourth that euery man hath not Faith the fift that to know the mysteries of the kingdome of Heauen is giuen to some and denied to other some by which three it is cleere that Reprobates doe not belieue Prou. 16.4 Rom. 9.18.19.20 but the Elect onely the sixt affirmeth that God made the wicked for the euill day the last that God sheweth mercy vpon whome hee will and hardneth also whome he will and that in this point there is no disputing with God intimating therein that there is both an Election and Reprobation and that both depend vpon the good pleasure of God But not one of them proueth that God commandeth a Reprobate to assure himselfe of his present iustification and future Saluation which is the matter in question and therefore I hope I may notwithstanding them all freely conclude that as God cannot command to doe that which is vniust because hee is iustice it selfe so he cannot command to belieue that which is vntrue because hee is truth it selfe Neither doe I I trust so concluding grieue the Spirit of God although perhaps therein I greeue your stubborne spirit which hath I feare me throughout this reply too much rebelled against the light and therefore take heed lest you your selfe greeue the Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 wherewith the elect are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Treatise Arg. 6. That which the wicked may haue cannot bee iustifying Faith for it is The Faith of the Elect But the wicked may haue this Perswasion yea and many haue beene most confidently perswaded that they are in the fauour of God You will say it is true Perswasion But I say if forme make truth they are as formally and therefore as truly perswaded of it as the godly If the Godly then are therefore and for this cause iustified because they are strongly perswaded they are Iustified then why should not the wicked likewise bee iustified by his strong Perswasion But in truth these kind of speeches are vnreasonable and senselesse and so that opinion cannot be reasonable N. B. Many die and are saued that haue not a full Perswasion and assurance of their Saluation yet are saued by Faith I will answer you when you shew mee the man that so did die and was saued and How you know that hee had at his death no full Assurance of his Saluation in Christ Iesu and yet had Faith and when you proue that there is at the houre of death when the elect are made without spot or wrinkle in the Saints of God a doubtfull Faith I. D. That many Reprobates and wicked men are strongly perswaded they are in the grace and fauor of God nothing is more cleere and manifest Prou. 30.12 There is a generation saith Salomon that are cleane in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse Reu. 3.17 And the Angell of the Church of Laodicea saith of himselfe that hee is rich and growne to great wealth and had need of nothing Vers 14. Vers 17. and yet in the iudgement of him that is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse was wretched and miserable Inst l. 3. c. 2. §. 11. and poore and blind and naked Yea Experience it selfe saith Caluin sheweth that Reprobates sometime are affected with the like feeling almost that the elect are that in their owne iudgement they differ nothing at all from the Elect. Such is the deceitfulnesse of mans heart and the blindnesse of his selfe-loue that it makes him easily ouerweene himselfe and to promise peace vnto his soule when hee is in the ready way vnto destruction You will say that the Perswasion of the Reprobate and wicked is built vpon a false and erronious ground and therfore is Presumption rather then true Assurance For answer hereunto consider that the Elect of God before his Iustification is but a wicked man whence Diuines vse to call it The Iustification of the wicked warranted therein by that of Saint Paul Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but belieueth in him that iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed vnto
with him But if you vnderstand Faith in the second Act and as it is in operation and action then may you iustly call it a labour for as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 6.29 to belieue in him whom the Father hath sent is a Worke which God requireth vs to doe in regard whereof the Apostle Paul calleth it the Worke of Faith 1 Thess 1.3 And because Faith iustifieth not as it is in the first but in the second act that is not as it is an Habit but as it is in action accepting and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits hence is it saith Bucer that Protestants vsually define it by a motion De iustific Let the Maior therefore in this sense bee granted vnto you The Minor which you thinke to bee so cocksure I flatly deny confidently affirming that Rest is a labour prouided you vnderstand no other Rest then that which in my Treatise I haue expressed and declared For if by Rest you meane Quiet such Rest without all question is not Labour for it is the end of labour and a cessation from it and therefore well did you say that when eternall rest is wrought then the labour of Faith ceaseth But you cannot bee ignorant that by Rest I vnderstand not Quiet but Affiance in as much as I render the Latin word Fiducia by it and make the Act thereof to bee Inniti which as I haue shewed in some of our English translations is oftentimes turned by Resting and Staying vpon And this Rest that is this Relying this Reposing this Trusting or Belieuing on Christ is not a Quiet but a motion or operation and therefore a labour True it is that whosoeuer commeth vnto Christ and setteth his whole Affiance vpon him shall thereby finde refreshment and Quiet vnto his soule yet neuerthelesse it is apparant that Affiance it selfe is an act or motion of the Will and not a Quiet euen as the inclination of a mans selfe vpon his staffe or the laying of him downe vpon his bed is an action of the body In a word remember what a little before I haue deliuered to cleare this tearme from all ambiguity and take it in the same sense which there I giue vnto it and vnlesse you will say that light is darknesse you cannot but confesse that such rest is a labour and so that notwithstanding this argument Faith may be a Rest But now giue mee leaue to take vp the weapon which you are forced to lay downe and to trie whether a blow therewith from my arme will pearce any deeper for thus I retort your owne reason against you Faith is rather a labour then a rest Assurance is not so but rather a rest then a labour Ergo Faith is not Assurance The Maior is your owne and you may not deny it The Minor I proue thus Intellection or knowledge saith Aristotle is more like vnto rest and quiet then vnto motion for although the mind while it is inquiring seeking for knowledge is euer in motion and so laboureth yet when the Habit of knowledge is once acquired and gotten then is there no farther motion of the vnderstanding thereunto but a sweet rest and Quiet therein Whereupon saith the same Philosopher By the quieting setling of the soule doth a man become intelligent and wise meaning by Quiet as Iulius Scaliger expoundeth him Exerc. in Card. 307. 13. nothing else but the assent of the minde I assume But Assurance is such intellection or knowledge for it is an habituall assent vnto this truth that wee are in the present state of grace and shall infallibly bee saued Wherefore I conclude that Assurance is rather a rest or quiet then a labour whence also it farther followeth that Faith being as you confesse rather a labour then a rest cannot be Assurance Againe Faith you say ceaseth when eternall pacification and rest is wrought I grant for the Obiect of Faith as the Apostle saith are things which are not seene whereupon Saint Augustin elegantly Heb. 11.1 Si vides non est Fides Beholding is not Belieuing As therefore while we liue here in these earthly tabernacles and are absent from the Lord wee walke not by Sight but by Faith so when wee shall be clothed vpon 2. Cor. 5.4.7 Vers 4. and mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life then shall wee walke not by Faith but by Sight Neither is the ceasing of Faith any losse or disaduantage but an exchange for the better namely vision for Seeing vnto Belieuing is as the full brightnesse of the Sunne is to the glimmering light of a candle I assume then But Assurance ceaseth not when eternall pacification and rest is wrought for then the certainty of our Election of our adoption of our acceptation into grace and finally of our Saluation is so farre from ceasing that it is by so much the more confirmed vnto vs as intuitiue apprehension and the sight of the eye is more infallible then heare-say or seeing by reflexion I conclude therefore out of your owne principles that Faith ceasing and Assurance not ceasing Faith is not Assurance But as touching Affiance or Resting vpon the mediation of Christ for iustification and Saluation it is euident that that ceaseth when wee shall haue obtained eternall rest and pacification For being perfectly quitted of our sinnes and in full possession of Saluation how can wee farther set out Affiance vpon him for it Especially seeing hee shall then cease to bee vnto vs a Mediator of Redemption and Reconciliation in regard whereof only hee is the Obiect of Affiance or Iustifying Faith and shall bee vnto vs no otherwise then he is vnto the Elect Angels a Mediatour of Conseruation to confirme preserue vs eternally in the most blessed state of glory For neither shall hee Prophecy any more vnto vs by the ministry of the Gospell nor propitiate for vs by the sacrifice of his death and Passion nor gouerne vs by the scepter of his word as here hee doth 1 Cor. 15.24 but in this respect shall hee deliuer vp the Kingdome vnto his Father and the Godhead in the holy Trinity shall without all meanes bee immediately vnto vs all in all N. B. Rest therefore in Christ is the Effect of Faith and Faith is the cause of Rest and so consequently Faith is not Rest nor Rest is not Faith I. D. If say you Faith bee the cause of Rest and Rest bee the Effect of Faith then is not Faith Rest nor Rest Faith This I yeeld you But Faith is the cause of Rest and Rest is the effect of Faith How proue you this It seemeth by the illatiue particle Therefore that you referre vs for this vnto some former premisses What then haue you formerly said That a full assurance as a cause worketh rest vpon Christ as an effect But neither is Assurance Faith and I haue sufficiently proued that Assurance is not the cause of Rest nor Rest an effect of Assurance Againe you say that Faith
or word Rest you shall hardly perswade mee that hee will take it for any other then the effect of true Iustifying Faith I. D. Neither is it your vaine surmising what Master Perkins would say Neither his expresse and direct saying that may be the decider of this controuersie How well that worthy man deserued of the Church of God wherein hee was like another Baptist both a shining and a burning torch Ioh. 5.35 I cannot bee ignorant who knew him so well and very vngratefull were I if I should not acknowledge to haue receiued a good part of that little skill I haue in my profession from his mouth hauing beene for sundry yeeres his ordinary auditor Yet because hee was not a Peter or a Paul nor so preserued from error by the Spirit of truth that hee could mistake in nothing I hope I may without arrogance and with reseruation of due reuerence honor vnto his worth in some points dissent from him And if you may seat Faith both in the vnderstanding and the will notwithstanding that M. Perkins place it only in the vnderstanding On the Creed affirming that it scarce standeth with reason that one single grace should inhere in two distinct faculties why may not I take the same liberty vnto my selfe and define Iustifying Faith by Affiance although M. Perkins would take it for no other then the Effect of Iustifying Faith for so indeed hee doth and I deny not but freely confesse that vpon the reasons aboue rendred I doe in this point altogether differ from him Neither yet did I say that I blanked him with my rare and cunning disputes for this is but the renewing of your old slander the vanity of which I haue already detected Onely it seemes that your best wine is wel-nie spent seeing now you serue your guests with these dregs and that you are driuen to a very narrow strait when you are faine to arme against me such base calumniations and fictions of your owne braine N. B. When you send me to Master Foxe in his Booke de Christo gratis justificante without citing the place where or the words what of mee your speech deserueth none answer but this I dare vndertake you abuse the writings of so reuerend a man I. D. The authority of Master Foxe was not vouched by me to iustify my Definition that Faith is Affiance but to ouerthrow yours who affirme that Faith is Assurance and therefore was placed as was fitting after those arguments which I vrged against you Neuerthelesse here it pleaseth you after your desultory and disorderly manner of disputing in a very vndue place to giue answer vnto it And the reason why with such violence you hale it hither as I guesse is this that not appearing where it should it may seeme to giue no euidence at all against your Assurance and being ordered where it should not it may seeme to bee but idly alledged as being of no force to maintaine my Affiance But yet let vs see what exceptions you take to eleuate this authority Because I cite not the place where nor the words what my speech you say deserues no answer I wisse M. Baxter that booke is not of such bulke but that perusing the titles of each Chapter you might soone haue found out the places by me intended and you know that the schedule I sent you being endited at Bristoll where I was farre from my bookes I could not possibly referre you vnto the very page and line as otherwise I would haue done But now because I haue the booke at hand I will set you downe his direct words and quote you the page where you may read them and then leaue you to bee iudge your selfe whether as you charge mee I abuse the writings of that reuerend man or hee agree with mee in this that Faith is not Assurance Foxe Master Foxe therefore in his booke de Christo gratis iustificante pag. 246 saith thus My iudgement and opinion is that this confidence of mercy and certainty of Saluation promised is a thing which ought to bee very neerely conioined with Faith and which euery one ought necessarily to apply vnto himselfe yet being most applied is not that which onely by it selfe properly and absolutely dischargeth vs of our sinnes and iustifies before God but that there is some other thing propounded in the Gospell which in nature goeth before this certainty and iustifieth before God For Faith vpon the Person of the Sonne of God whereby wee are first reconciled vnto God necessarily goes before Againe pag. 253. Although saith hee certainty and assurance of diuine grace which it selfe is sometime commended vnder the name of Faith bee very neerely ioined with Faith yet this assurance doth not properly import the cause of iustifying but receiueth it being brought neither worketh iustification but is rather wrought by it and maketh them certaine who by the Faith of Christ are iustified but it selfe iustifieth not And yet againe pag. 255. If the question bee of the cause which properly iustifieth from sinne I answer it is that Faith not whereby wee belieue that wee are iustified but whereby wee belieue in Christ the Sonne of God Thus M. Foxe and thus by M. Foxe it appeareth as I affirmed that in this point I am not singular and alone Yet to preuent captious cauils you may bee pleased to vnderstand that the Latin word vsed by Master Foxe to wit Fiducia I haue in my translation englished Confidence and Assurance not that I was afraid lest rendring it Affiance hee might seeme to exclude my affiance also from the Definition of Faith for had hee done so it were nothing to mee hauing shewed that hee denies Faith to be Assurance which was all I there affirmed of him but because if you marke his words attentiuely you shall find that by Fiducia hee vnderstands not Affiance but confident Perswasion or Assurance for hee doth euer confound it with Certainty and expresly defines it to bee that whereby wee are assured of our iustification by Christ So doth Melancthon also and Kemnitius and many others vnderstanding by Fiducia a firme Perswasion that our sinnes are certainly remitted by the propitiation of Christ and all the benefits of the promise of grace giuen communicated and applyed vnto vs. So that vnlesse I would haue depraued my authors meaning I could not translate otherwise then I haue done N. B. Now thinke not that I hold that a man ordinarily saued may be saued without relying vpon Christ Iesus for I hold the cleane contrary viz. that true Iustifying Faith assuring a man in spirituall knowledge of his owne saluation in Iesus Christ worketh and causeth a sweet rest and reposing of the whole soule vpon Christ and his Merits But I deny that this Rest is Faith or this Faith Rest no more then the tree can be the fruite or the fruite the tree I. D. That no man can ordinarily bee saued without Relying vpon Christ I grant for according to my
proued against the first that Faith is not a Knowledge or Assurance against the thirteenth that the onely proper Obiect of Faith is the Person of the Mediator and against the foureteenth that the Forme thereof is Affiance and not any such Relation or Certainty The ninth sixteenth and seuenteenth in part I deny the ninth where you make Faith and Knowledge to bee conuertible which I haue proued to haue different natures and Definitions the sixteenth where you affirme Resting vpon Christ to bee an effect of Faith which I haue demonstrated to bee the Forme and proper Act of Faith the seuenteenth where you say that the subiect of Faith is both the Vnderstanding and the Will against which I haue shewed that it is impossible for one and the same Habit to be subiectiuely in two seuerall faculties of the Soule The rest of your Positions sauing the inconuenience of some tearmes and setting a fauourable construction vpon them I acknowledge to bee true and because as the Apostle speaketh I can doe nothing against the truth but for the truth therefore I oppose them not but readily and willingly yeeld and subscribe vnto them But Master Baxter in all this long discourse of Faith hauing spoken so carefully of the Definition of Faith of the vnity of it in kind and difference of it in number and degree of the imperfection sufficiencie efficient principall and instrumentall of the obiect both in generall and speciall of the forme and end both Subordinate and Highest finally of the Effects Subiects and adiuncts thereof in all this long discourse I say how is it that wee heare not so much as a word of Iustification which notwithstanding is the immediate and proper Effect of Faith Immediate because it is the first fruite and benefit that springeth of it and commeth before Adoption and Sanctification proper because it is the Act of Faith onely and not of any other Grace which iustifies a man before God Whether it were of negligence or of policy that you haue omitted so materiall and necessary a point I cannot say If of negligence it deserues a seuere chastisement if of policy it was I think you foresaw what a dangerous consequence would follow thereupon For if you had placed Iustification as needs you must haue done if you had mentioned it among the Effects of Faith the Reader possibly might haue reasoned thus If iustification be an Effect of Faith and so follow after Faith then cannot Assurance of Iustification bee Faith because it is an effect of Iustification and followes after for it is necessary that a man bee iustified before hee can bee assured that hee is iustified And thus you had cast away your whole pot of broth 2 King 4.39 if you had not warily kept this Coloquintida out of it But vpon what ground soeuer you haue forborne to speake of this point I will by your leaue supply this defect and in a word or two shew you in what sense I affirme that Affiance iustifies and deny it of Assurance for in some sort Assurance also may bee said to iustifie Iustification is a law-tearme and is opposed vnto Condemnation As therefore Condemnation is the sentence of a iudge pronouncing a man to be guilty and deliuering him ouer to bee punished so is Iustification also the sentence of a iudge but absoluing and acquitting a man both from crime and punishment Now there are three barres at which all men are arraigned and three Iudges who at their seuerall barres either iustify vs or condemne vs that is to say the barre of God the barre of Conscience and the barre of Men. If wee bee condemned at all these barres and by all these Iudges wee are of all creatures the most miserable if wee bee absolued at them all and by them all of all men wee be the most blessed Againe if Men acquit vs what booteth it if our owne Conscience condemne vs and if our Conscience acquit vs what auaileth it if God condemne vs for who can deliuer the prey out of the pawes of that Lion On the contrary side if men condemne vs it mattereth not so as our Conscience doe absolue vs and if our Conscience also doe condemne vs yet happy are we if God absolue vs for God is greater then our Conscience What that is 1 Ioh. 3.20 for which sentence of Condemnation passeth vpon vs at any of these bars there is no question for it is well knowne to bee sinne sinne I say which is so indeed or at least is so in appearance For although nothing appeare vnto God otherwise then it is so that there can bee no error in his iudgement yet our owne consciences and other men may easily bee deceiued and mistaken and so without cause oftentimes pronounce sentence of Condemnation What then is that by which wee are iustifyed and absolued from our sins and the punishment of death due vnto them Surely that which is contrary vnto sinne euen Righteousnesse What Righteousnesse Phil. 3.9 for as the Apostle distinguisheth there is a Righteousnesse which is of the law and there is a righteousnesse which is of Faith by the former shall no flesh liuing bee iustified by the latter euery one that Belieueth is iustified God iustifieth vs at his barre when hee seeth our Faith that by firme Affiance wee rest and rely our selues vpon Christ to bee our Mediator accepting him to bee our Prophet Priest and King for then according vnto promise doth hee accept the Passiue obedience of Christ to satisfy for our sinnes past and imputeth vnto vs his Actiue obedience to supply the want of that perfect legall righteousnesse which should be in vs. Our Conscience iustifies vs at his barre when it is perswaded that God hath already iustified vs for as long as it is perswaded that God condemneth it cannot acquit vs. If the perswasion of the Conscience be built vpon a sandy and deceitfull foundation it is rather vaine presumption then true assurance and the iudgement that it giueth is erronious but if it bee grounded vpon infallible euidence euen the testimony of the Spirit of God Rom. 8.16 witnessing with our spirits that wee are the sons of God then is the Assurance sound and certaine and the sentence pronounced thereupon iust and rightfull Phil. 4.7 whence presently ariseth in our soules such vnconceiuable peace as passeth all vnderstanding and such durable ioy as nothing can take from vs. Finally Men iustify vs at their barre also Ioh. 16.22 Mat. 5.16 when our light so shineth before them that they see our good works which are the fruits of Faith and a good Conscience and thereby are moued to glorify our Heauenly Father as being perswaded in the iudgement of Charity that they are indeed as they seeme to bee euen iustified before God and borne againe of water and the Holy Ghost This iudgement because it is built vpon probability onely and not vpon certainty for who knowes whether the outward appearance come from
reproued in him bee faulty and erronious and that also hee bee guilty thereof For they that thinke themselues to bee in health will hardly be drawne to take Physicke In Pastore and then shall we better correct them that are wayward saith Gregory when those things which they belieue to bee well done wee demonstrate to bee euill Whereas therefore it pleaseth you here in the conclusion and closing vp of your Answer to charge mee with a most Vnpeaceable and Vncharitable disposition praying God it may worke in me a willing mind to embrace peace and brotherly loue you may not thinke that this can any way affect or moue mee vnlesse first you shew that I am guilty of this crime and beare a mind so auerse and abhorring from Peace and Charity as you pretend which I am sure hitherto you neither haue done nor can doe For though you haue carefully searched euery corner of my Treatise and ransackt euery letter and syllable thereof with as much greedinesse as euer Laban did Iacobs stuffe to find his Idols therein Gen. 31.33 yet haue you not found any thing sauouring other then of Peace and Loue or if you haue why doe you not as Iacob said vnto his Vncle put it here before your brethren my brethren Vers 37. that they may iudge betweene vs both You will say perhaps that in broaching this erronious doctrine touching the Definition of Faith I plainely bewrayed a seditious spirit and that I intended the interruption of Peace and dissolution of loue But neither is it necessary that whosoeuer deliuereth an error should presently haue such a seditious intention for then what writer almost either ancient or late but is guilty of that impiety Neither is the doctrine errronious but sound and good and now plentifully proued so to bee by this Defence thereof against your Answer So that this accusation of yours is altogether vniust and grounded vpon no truth at all Suppose neuerthelesse it were iust and that you had found your Idols I meane both Falshood and Faction in my writing is it possible thinke you that such an Answer as this is either of it selfe or sanctified by your Prayer may be effectuall to reclaime mee from mine errour or to worke mee vnto a more peaceable mind Certainly it is impossible For what is it of it selfe other then a fardle of vanities And what promise haue you in Gods word that vpon your prayer you shall bee able to open the eyes of the blind by dawbing them ouer with clay or to still the raging of the sea by sending forth more stormes and tempests vpon it And that such is your Answer and such the course you haue taken therein although this Defence haue already made it as cleere as the noone-day yet must I intreat your patience before I dismisse you in a word or two to trauerse it ouer againe and in a briefe Synopsis as it were to set before you the very spirit and quintessence thereof that if it be possible you may see your nakednesse Gen. 3.10 and be ashamed First it is your manner like the Schollers of Theodorus to receiue with the left hand that which I offer with the right that is to wrest and peruert my plainest words Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to make them speake not that which I intend but what you conceiue is fittest for you to descant vpon For example where I say I will not speake of the notation or diuerse acceptions of the word Faith you turne it another way saying I refuse and accuse and find fault with them Againe where I argue thus It is very probable that many are saued without Assurance because our brethren of Germany hold a man cannot bee assured of Saluation you make me reason thus Whatsoeuer our brethren of Germany hold is true And againe where I affirme that the Saint of God both may bee assured and ought to bee assured you report mee to say that hee ought to have it as of necessity to saluation And yet againe where I say God should command a reprobate to believe an vntruth if hee command him to belieue that hee shall bee saued you relate it as if I had sayd God should command a reprobate to belieue an vntruth if hee command him to belieue and hee shall bee saued These and sundry other sentences in like sort doe you misconster and wilfully depraue vnlesse perhaps your ignorance bee so grosse and palpable that you could not picke the right sense out of the plainest tearmes that possibly could bee vsed But nothing is well spoken Terent. Pigh Hierar lib. 3. cap. 3. saith the Poet which by ill relating a Sycophant may not peruert and if some bee growne to that height of impiety as to make holy writ it selfe a nose of waxe and to vary the sence thereof according to the alteration and change of time I may not thinke it much if the speeches of so meane a one as I am be as hardly vsed and feele the racke of sinister interpretation also Onely as Diogenes being informed that some derided him Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 they deride not mee quoth hee so say I while you oppose your selfe not vnto the meaning naturally bred in my words but vnto a forraine sense by you brought vnto them you strike not mee but your owne fancies and like a distracted Aiax fall a murthering of poore cattell insteed of Vlysses and his companions Secondly it is your guise vpon euery small occasion and sometime none at all to shake hands and bid farewell vnto the matter in question and to runne out into many idle and impertinent discourses before you returne to it againe In arte Poet. Not much vnlike the foolish Poet in Horace who professing to sing the fortune of Priamus and the famous warre of Troy by and by spends all his art and skill in describing the groue and altar of Diana or of some Crystall riuer hastning about the pleasant and delightfull medowes Of this sort is that purple patch in answer to my first argument where you spend a whole side of paper to proue that which I neuer denied That Faith can neither finally nor totally fall away and tedious collation you make vpon that of Matthew Sonne bee of good comfort thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee a place which I neuer alledged so much as in my dreame and finally that vnnecessary excursion into the common place of Election and Reprobation and Gods absolute will which makes no more to the answering of my fift argument then an axe to the opening of a locke or a key to the cleauing of wood as it is in the Prouerbe These extrauagances and outtopes seeme to mee very strong presumptions that though you could say but little to the purpose Epist yet your itching tongue had rather talke idly then say nothing But a wise man as Hierome saith before hee speaketh considereth many things not onely what but also when
and where and will bee sure that it bee both true in regard of substance and pertinent in regard of circumstance For as a word oportunely spoken is Prou. 25.11 as Salomon saith Like an aple of gold with pictures of siluer so a word vttered vnseasonably and out of due place are like Iewels and goldrings sticking in the noses and lips of the barbarous Indians and rather deforming then becomming them Thirdly it is another tricke of yours in matters vnnecessary and of no moment to bee as loud as Stentor but in things that very much presse you and call for satisfaction to bee as mute as one possessed with a dumbe spirit For example in answer to my threefold distinction of Faith I tell you say you iustifying Faith comprehends your three nice distinctions but whereas I proue the contrary because it is impossible for one and the same habit to be subiectiuely in seuerall faculties to this you say not so much as gry Againe whereas in my third argument I assume that assurance in nature comes after iustification you deny it but the proofe I bring for it because the truth of a Proposition is in nature before the knowledge of it and that therefore Iustification goes before assurance you passe ouer very slily and say not one word vnto it Furthermore whereas I frame this obiection against my selfe By the knowledge of himselfe shall my righteous seruant iustify many Ergo Faith is a knowledge and this Affiance may bee in the wicked Ergo Faith is not Affiance you can bee well content to borrow them from mee and to dart backe as it were my owne arguments against mee but close vp your eyes not daring to behold the answers wherewith I assoiled them Gen. 29.17 as if you had beene a tender-eyed Leah and had met with an Obiect ouer-bright for you It may be you learned this policy of Antony Cicl l. 2. de orat who held it the safest and surest course for an Oratour when hee meeteth with a knotty peece and is vnprouided of a fit wedge for it to passe it ouer with silence and say nothing But if as Cato defineth and Quintilian largely maintaineth an Oratour bee a good man skilfull to speake in causes Instit Orator l. 12. c. 1. I assure you hee will much disdaine such base and dishonest shifting as no way fitting with his owne goodnesse or becomming the defence of a good cause And howsoeuer in a continued Oration because the mind can hardly so diuide it selfe as at once to reflect vpon what is already spoken and to attend what is presently said and bee imminent and instant vpon what followeth to bee sayd many things may soone bee forgotten and scape vnobserued by the Anditors yet may not the like bee hoped for in a written tract specially when it shall fall into the hand of an aduersary for hauing leasure and time inough to peruse it ouer againe and againe hee will bee sure to sift and examine euery sentence and syllable with such curiosity that such palpable omissions as these cannot possibly passe vnheeded by him But your trust was that this writing of yours being entrusted vnto a few of your friends onely should neuer come to bee so seuerely scanned by me Otherwise had you had but the least dramme of wit or shame either you would neuer haue set pen to paper knowing how vnable you were to answer or you would not thus haue playd the Abce-boy and when you met with a hard word which you could not read thinke it enough to skip it ouer Fourthly as if the old Comedy or Cartrailing were againe reuiued and allowed you lode mee euery foot with most bitter reproches and contumelious tearmes Xenoph. Sympos And as cunning Cockmasters distrusting the weaknesse of their Cocks feed them with garlicke that yet they may annoy their aduersaries with the rancknesse of their breath so you seeing by pure strength of reason you were very vnlikely to preuaile against mee you thought yet with the stincking breath of slanderous and opprobrious speeches to molest and trouble mee For I pray you are not these the principall flowers of your Rhetoricke Quirks Elenchs Sophismes Crafty lies silly Sermon Monsters Antipistos you are no Constable Incke-horne-tearmes Itching-eares Fanaticall spirits Selfe-loue Contention Hypocrisie Desire of nouelties Niceties Falsities Vnlearned Ridiculous Blasphemous Hominis acumen your arguments sauour mightily of Popery your sacke is full of spiders you haue a minde to doe mischiefe Intolerable impudence you incurre fearefull iudgement you grieue Gods Spirit captious cauils Pure Bellarmine Pure Papist and six hundred other like phrases wherewith euery page yea line almost is farced and stuffed so that a man may sooner rid Augias stable then your Answer of them Certainly the fountaine cannot be sweet whose streames are so vnsauoury and the stomacke must needs bee full of many rotten and corrupt humours that sendeth forth such a pestilent and noisome breath But it seemes by the date of your writing it was towards dog-dayes when you endited it and you hoped to preuent a burning feuer or some such dangerous sicknesse by discharging your stomacke of so much filthy choler It had been no hard matter to haue come euen with you in the same kind and to vexe you with requiting like for like saue onely that I considered not so much what you deserue as what best becomes him who pleads the cause of truth For truth should bee maintained with the spirit of truth and sobernesse Herodot Polyhimn It is the nature indeed of reprochfull speeches as Syagrius the Spartan said to stirre prouoke a man vnto wrath yet ought it not so to preuaile vpon a wise man as to moue him inordinately or vndecently to reply Enuy may haue taught you to speake euill and a good conscience hath taught mee to contemne euill speeches you will needs bee lord of your tongue and I will bee as much lord of my eares And yet if sometimes I sprinckle a little salt vpon you or to fret away some of your ranke flesh apply smarting corrosiues vnto you Publ. Mim you must remember it is the intemperance of the Patient that makes the Physician cruell and according to the old saying they that rashly speake what they should not must sometime for punishment heare what they would not Fiftly and lastly it is your fashion not so much to care what you say as how loudly you cry hoping I thinke that as C. Marius sometime said Valer. Max. l. 5. c. 2. that Lawes could not bee heard in time of warre because of the clattering of armour so neither should the voice of truth bee heard in this dispute by reason of your vociferation and clamorousnesse For thus you come vpon mee How dare you deale thus That you dare bee so bold with what face can you accuse I tell you there is but one faith I tell you it is ridiculous and blasphemous I tell you Faith is a knowledge I
first infancy beene seasoned and sanctified with the Christian Faith cannot easily be conceiued or imagined Sixtly tell mee doe all that haue receiued Faith in their infancy loose it againe when they come to bee of more yeeres It seemeth so if then they receiued it for otherwise why are they put to their Catechisme and taught the elements of Faith againe But this were a very strange course For how should they loose it vnlesse perhaps God secretly steale that from them which earst he gaue them which to say is very derogatory to the bounty of God who neuer withdraweth grace once giuen vntill man by abusing it haue deserued to loose it Not loosing it therefore and yet learning it when they come to yeeres of capacity It is a plaine argument they neuer receiued it in their Infancy Seuenthly and lastly there is not the least Habit either acquired by custome or infused from aboue but maketh a man more apt and prone vnto their proper actions For example whosoeuer is possessed of the vertues of Iustice Temperance Liberality Fortitude will readily doe iustly temperatly liberally valiantly it being the nature of Habits to facilitate Actions Tell mee then are the Children of Christians when they come first to be instructed more capable of Christian Religion or more inclinable to holy actions then the Children of Infidels Experience tels vs they are not but are as waxe indifferently flexible any way It is absurd therefore and void of reason to place in Infants the Habit of Faith which yet inclines them no more to the Acts of Faith then those that are without it Now hauing thus briefly demonstrated that Infants haue neither Actuall nor Habituall Faith it followeth in the next place to answer the contrary arguments aboue set downe And first where it is said that Faith is a necessary meanes vnto Iustification and Saluation in as much as none can please God or liue without it I answer in a word it is to bee vnderstood not of Infants But de Adultis of those that are of riper yeeres vnto whom alone Faith is necessary These cannot please God nor liue nor bee iustified and saued without a particular Faith of their owne but Infants by reason of their incapacity through the indulgence of God may Adde hereunto that according to the Tenent of our Diuines it is not the Habit but the Act of Faith that doth iustify in regard whereof they define it by a Motion of the Will grounded vpon an assent of the Mind vnto the truth of the Gospell Vnlesse therefore you grant vnto Infants such a motion both of the Mind and Will which Papists expresly deny and Lutherans seeme to stagger at neither can they bee iustified by Actuall Faith hauing none And seeing without it the Habit auailes nothing at all as being an idle Faith I see not to what end the Habit should bee infused And if it bee to no end neither is it infused For if Nature doe not much lesse doth God any thing in vaine To that of our Sauiour where hee seemeth expresly to affirme that Little-ones belieue I answer first that those Little-ones are not Infants properly but such men as resemble little Children in holy Innocence Simplicity in regard whereof they are elsewhere called by Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Infants Secondly Mat. 11.25 grant it that Children bee also meant yet not such Children as are infants but growne to some stature and capacity For although the Child whom Christ tooke in his armes be called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little Child yet was hee both a follower and hearer of Christ and such a one as in some measure could vnderstand such as were those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 little Children to whom Saint Iohn thought it not vnfit to write 1 Ioh. 2.14 For as the text saith hee was one that came of himselfe being called and farther hee was capable of scandall and offence which questionlesse is not incident vnto Infants Lastly to the example of Iohn the Baptist Ep. 57. I answer with Saint Augustin Nec quod factum est in Iohanne contemno nec inde regulam quid sentiendun sit de paruulis figo immò id in illo mirabiliter praedico quia in alijs non inuenio Neither doe I contemne saith hee that which was done in Iohn neither doe I from thence frame a rule what wee are to thinke of little-ones yea I acknowledge it to bee marueilous in him because I find it not in others Moreouer it is not said of him Credidit in vtero he belieued in the wombe but only exultauit he sprang in the wombe this exultation or Springing diuinitùs facta est in Infante non humanitùs ab Infante was done by the power of God in the Infant and not by any humane power of the Infant Or if vse of reason and will were so hastned vnto him as hee did belieue in miraculis habendum est diuinae potentiae non ad humanae trahendum est exemplar naturae it is to bee reckoned among the miracles of Gods power and not to be drawne into an example of human nature And thus much of reasons both for and against the Faith of Infants Now I know it will here farther bee demanded if Infants haue neither Actuall nor Habituall Faith of their owne how then and by what meanes are they Iustified and Saued For it is mercilesse and against all Diuinity to exclude them from either Whereunto I answer in the words of Bernard Epist 77. Saluantur ipsi per fidem non tamen suam sed alienam they are also saued by Faith yet not their owne Faith but anothers Anothers Will you say this seemeth very strange Heare then what the same Bernard yet further addeth Dignum est ad Dei spectat dignitatem vt quibus fidem aetas denegat propriam gratia concedat prodesse alienam It is fit and belongs vnto the dignity of God that to whom age denies a proper Faith of their owne grace should yeeld them the benefit of anothers Faith And againe Nec enim omnipotent is iustitia propriam ab his putat exigendam fidem quos nouit propriam nullam habere culpam for neither doth the iustice of God Almighty thinke that a proper Faith is to bee required of those whom he knowes to haue no proper fault of their owne In which words of Bernard two excellent reasons are rendred why the Faith of another through the grace and indulgence of God should bee auailable vnto them the first because their Jnfancy denies vnto them a proper Faith of their owne the second because besides that Originall Corruption traduced into them from their parents without their knowledge or consent they haue no other sinne of their owne Can they not then by reason of their tender yeeres haue a Faith of their owne It befits the goodnes of God that they bee holpen by the Faith of another Haue they no proper and particular
Articles he meriteth by belieuing although it be an error because hee is bound to belieue vntill it manifestly appeare that it is against the Church O immortall God if this bee true how easy a thing is it for a Papist to bee saued Onely belieue what your Prelate or Curate telleth you and you shall not need to trouble your selfe further for whether it be true or false sound doctrine or heresy you are out of danger nay it is meritorious to belieue it Alas alas that poore simple people should bee so miserably cheated and seduced God I hope will ere long open their eyes to see these impostures and by the light of his word guide their feet in a surer way In the meane season giue me leaue to summe vp all what I haue hitherto sayd and thereupon to inferre the Conclusion first intended Seeing therefore as wee haue now fully demonstrated the Fathers were but men as wee are neither hauing the Promise nor assuming vnto themselues the Priuiledge of Infallibility aboue vs seeing secondly many Counterfaits are set forth vnder the names of the Fathers which the best of your side cannot so readily discerne and which they ordinarily alledge in euery controuersie betwixt vs for authenticall Fathers seeing thirdly the writings of the Fathers are pitifully corrupted and adulterated by Hereticks and others and that sundry wayes by Addition Substraction Alteration Misquotation and False translation seeing fourthly the sayings of the Fathers are so ambiguous and obscure that not onely we and you one against another but your owne side also among themselues are distracted and diuided touching the sence and meaning of them seeing fiftly the more part of the Fathers sometime consent in errour yea and such errors as the present Church of Rome condemneth with Anathema seeing sixtly the most learned of your side make no scruple to reiect the Fathers whensoeuer they consent against them and warrant their so doing with diuerse reasons seeing lastly they make not Consent of Fathers but the authority of the present Church that is to say the Pope for the time being to bee the onely Infallible iudge of Controuersies seeing I say all these things are vndoubtedly so I will not bee afraid to conclude that the pretended Consent of Fathers is too weake and deceitfull a ground for a man with security to build his Faith vpon For whereas you say that beleeuing as the Fathers did if they bee saued as doubtlesse they are you cannot miscary take heed lest this proue but a broken reed and deceiue you in the end For first if for the reasons aboue set down you cannot be infallibly certaine which are the true Fathers and what is their right meaning how can you bee infallibly certaine that you belieue as they did Againe doe you thinke it safe to hold all their errors also and because they are not condemned for them that you shall escape condemnation in like manner beleeuing them Cont. Haer. c. 10. Heare then what Vincentius Lirinensis saith O wonderfull change of things saith hee the Authors of the same opinion are iudged Catholicks and the followers Heretiks the Masters are absolued and the Schollers condemned the Writers of the books shall bee the Sonnes of the Kingdome and Hell shall keep those that maintaine them For who doubts but blessed Cyprian the light of Bishops and holy Martyrs together with the rest of his Collegues shall raigne for euer with Christ Contrarily who is so impious as to deny that the Donatists and the rest of that pestilent crew who vnder the authority of that Councell presume to rebaptize shall burne for euermore with the Diuell Thus hee whereby you see how dangerous it is to beleeue euen as the best haue done before vs vnlesse wee haue better warrant then so for our doing Lastly suppose the Fathers consenting erred not yet are you neuer the safer For the strength of Faith exceeds not the strength of the testimony nor the strength of the testimony the Veracity of the Witnesse Now the Veracity of the Fathers is but the Veracity of men and the Veracity of men is imperfect and inconstant euer leauing roome for that word of truth All men are lyers Whence it followeth that your Faith being grounded only on the Veracity of men is no better then an Acquisite and Humane Faith Whereby though you belieue all that the Fathers did yet not belieuing as they did they may bee saued and you perish For they building vpon diuine testimony belieued with a Diuine Faith and therefore Sauing but you relying on humane authority belieue onely with an Acquisite and Humane Faith which saueth not no not although the things you belieue thereby are true For an Acquisite Faith the diuels themselues may haue and yet are damned Wherefore it being as you see so dangerous and vnsafe to trust in man and as the Prophet speaketh to make flesh your arme let mee entreat you euen in the bowels of Iesus Christ to take vnto you Christian seuerity and with all speed to returne your Faith backe againe vpon the rocke from which so rashly and vnaduisedly you remoued it Remember I beseech you how S. Augustin in a controuersy betwixt him and Hierome touching S. Peters dissimulation hauing eleuated the authority of foure of those seuen Fathers which were vrged against him and not being able to oppose three to the other three remaining Epist 19. quitteth himselfe thus When saith he I seeke a third that I also may oppose three to three verily I suppose I might easily find him if I had read much howbeit to mee the Apostle Paul shall bee insteed of all yea and aboue them all To him I flie to him I appeale of him I aske and demand c. In like manner doe you also and in Gods name let your finall appeale bee made vnto the holy Scriptures as vnto the supreme iudge in all questions of Faith Catech. 4. Theod. l. 1. c. 7. For as Cyril B. of Ierusalem saith The security of our Faith ariseth from the demonstration of the holy Scripture and the resolution of those things we seeke for must bee taken out of the diuine inspired Scripture saith Constantin in his oration to the Bishops of the Nicen Councell Con. Herm. De bon vid. c. 1. Orat. de ijs q. adeunt Hierosol Hom. 13. in 2. Cor. Epist 112. ad Paulin. And reason for the Scriptures are the rule of Faith as Tertullian and Augustin say A straight and inflexible rule as Gregory Nyssen saith A most exquisite rule and exact square and ballance to trie all things by saith Chrysostome In regard whereof saith Saint Augustin If a matter bee grounded on the euident authority of holy Scripture such I say as the Church calleth Canonicall it is without all doubt to bee belieued but as touching other witnesses and testimonies vpon whose credit a thing is vrged vpon vs to bee belieued thou majest lawfully either credit or not credit them as thou perceiuest them
haue better exprest it For my part I cannot guesse what it should bee nor will I trouble my braine in seeking it Happily your selfe know not what you would And thus haue I though breefly yet fully answered all your reasons It now remaineth that either you produce sounder arguments then yet you haue giuen vs or adde more vigor and strength vnto these or because I feare you can do neither that considering the weaknes of those reeds whereon you haue hitherto leaned hence forward you trust them no more It can bee no disgrace vnto you to bee ouercome of Truth neither is it leuity or inconstancy vpon sight of your errour to change both your opinion and practice Take therefore vnto you Christian seuerity and ingenuously reuoke what you haue held or done amisse so shall you giue glorie vnto God and God shall honour you in the sight of all his Saints But if notwithstanding all that hath beene said you meane still to persist in your error and will not bee persuaded although you be perswaded I feare lest after straining at these gnats you fall to swallowing downe of Camels and proceed from dislike of a few indifferent ceremonies vnto flat schisme and separation which God forbid for his mercies sake Amen See T de ora HOW S. PAVL AND S. IAMES ARE TO BEE reconciled in the matter of IVSTIFICATION YOV demand how Saint Paul teaching Iustification by Faith onely without the Works of the Law Ro. 5.20.28 Gal. 2.16 Iam. 2.24 and Saint Iames affirming that of Works a man is iustified and not of Faith only may bee reconciled I will endeuour to giue you the best satisfaction I can in a few Propositions 1 Scripture being the Word of God who is truth and whose promises are not yea and nay 2. Cor. 1.17.18.19.20 but yea and Amen although sometime there may seeme contrariety in it yet reall difference and repugnancy there can bee none truth euer agreeing and neuer contradicting it selfe 2 Paul therefore and Iames being inspired by the same spirit must needs conspire in the same truth although the one exclude Works from Faith in the matter of Iustification the other include Works together with Faith 3 The readiest way to reconcile this seeming contradiction is to obserue carefully the Occasions whereupon they were moued to deliuer these doctrines and to distinguish the Equiuocation and diuers vse of these two words Iustification and Faith For if there bee the same meaning in both and no ambiguity in either of these tearmes it cannot bee auoided but they must of necessity crosse one the other 4 Saint Pauls occasion was this Hee saw with what eagernesse contention certaine Iewes maintained Act. 15.1 that vnlesse the law of Moses were kept and obserued together with the Gospell there could bee no Iustification and that thereby mans Works were either substituted in the roome of or yoked together with Faith to the great preiudice of Gods free Grace Ro. 2.24 And therefore against these he proues by the testimony of the Law the Prophets that we are Iustified by Faith in Christ freely without the works of the Law 5 Hereupon some there were who like spiders sucking venome out of the wholsomest flowers so interpreted this comfortable doctrine as if it skilled not whether they practized good works and led a godly vertuous life so as they did belieue And against this sort of men the Apostle Saint Iames thought it necessary to oppose himselfe 6 So that Saint Iames doth not dispute against Saint Paul but for the right meaning of S. Paul against those that depraued and wrested his doctrine to a wrong sence Paul so defending Iustification by Faith without Works as hee denies not the necessary practice of them but only denies the power of Iustification vnto them Iames so establishing good Works not as giuing them force to make a man acceptable and iust in the sight of Gods iustice but onely disabling that Faith from hauing any power to Iustify vs which is not accompanied with them 7 And thus Saint Augustin vnderstandeth it When De fide oper l. 1. c. 14. saith he the Apostle saith that a man is iustified by Faith without the Works of the Law hee meaneth not that Faith being receiued and professed the works of Iustice should bee contemned but that euery one should know that he may be iustified by Faith although the works of the law goe not before For they follow him that is iustified but goe not before him that is to bee iustified And againe 83. quaest q. 16. When as Paul speakes of the good works of Abraham which accompanied his Faith it is manifest that by the example of Abraham he doth not so teach that a man is iustified by Faith without works that if hee doe belieue it concernes him not to worke well but to to this end rather that no man should thinke that by the merit of his former good Works he hath attained the gift of iustification which is by Faith 8 As the consideration of the different occasions which moued these two Apostles to speake so differently doth in part cleere this question so will it yet bee more euident if wee know the seuerall acceptions and vses of these words Iustification and Faith and in what sence either Apostle vnderstands them 9 Iustification vsually in the Scripture phrase signifieth not to make iust by infusing the quality of Iustice into the soule 2. King 15.4 Deut. 25.1 Psal 81.3 Prov. 17.15 Mat. 12.37 Ro. 8.33.34 but to pronounce and declare to be iust being indeed a Law-terme and drawne from ciuill Courts of iudicature and is opposed to Condemnation And this is so cleere that Tolet a Iesuite confesseth it most frequently so to signify in Scripture Pineda Vega and Salmeron three great Papists acknowledge it in this sence to be vsed by S. Paul in his Epistle to the Romans where hee disputeth purposely of Iustification 10 Now there is a double tribunall where wee are to bee iudged one is Gods the other Mans and therefore God is sayd to Iustify and Man also God when he acquits a sinner from his sinnes for the merit of his Son Christ Man when seeing our good works which are the fruites and testimonies of our grace with God out of the iudgement of Charity hee accounts vs the Sonnes of God Of the former Saint Paul speakes of the latter S. Iames. S. Paul enquireth how wee are made lust before God namely by Faith S. James how it may appeare vnto men that wee are Iust namely by Works Faith is the principle of Existence by which we are Iust Works of Knowledge by which we are knowne to be Iust Iac. 2.10 In id cap. 11 That Saint Iames vnderstandeth such a Declaratiue Iustification is plaine by that he saith Shew mee thy Faith by thy Works And Thomas of Aquin affirmeth that Workes following Faith are not said to Iustify as Iustification is an infusion of
Iewes more then the Epistle to the Hebrewes neither were they all written to all Catholicks for the second and third of Iohn were sent vnto priuate persons onely and all the rest as vniuersally concerne all Catholicks as these few tearmed Catholicke doe I conclude therefore the word Catholicke being latter then the Apostles so must the Creed bee also which vses it Thirdly the different relation of the story bewrayes the vncertainty of it for they giue not all the same article vnto the same Apostle Some marshall them iust as S. Luke doth in the first of the Acts others thus Peter Andrew Iohn Iames the elder Thomas Iames the younger Bartlemew Mathew Simon Iude Mathias Againe some of them attribute vnto Peter part onely of the first article I belieue in God the Father almighty and vnto Iohn the other part Maker of Heauen and Earth But others attribute the whole article vnto Peter and giue another vnto Iohn The like may bee obserued in other articles If then they bee certaine of the tradition why doe they differ thus in their reports If they differ thus one from another who can bee certaine of the tradition Fourthly if the Creed both for matter forme were from the Apostles and they deliuered it precisely in those words in which we now haue it why is it not placed in the Canon of Scripture Certainly in the Church although it euer haue been much esteemed yet was it neuer counted Canonicall Neither hath it been preserued so safe from addition detraction mutation as the rest of the Scriptures always haue been For euen in the ancientest times we find great variety in it Ruffin writing a iust comment on it omits that clause Maker of Heauen and Earth And who knowes not how many there are who relating this Creed leaue out the article of Christ descending into hell De Christi anima c. 6 Euen Bellarmin himselfe confesseth that it was not found anciently in all Creeds and hee voucheth for it Irenaeus Origen Tertullian and Augustin though fiue times he expoūd it and finally the Creed of the Roman Church also as Ruffin witnesseth vnto whom if hee had been so pleased he might haue added a whole armie of others whom for breuities sake I omit Finally the ancient Doctors were so farre from equalling it with Scripture that they appealed from it thereunto as to an higher authority Catech. 4. Cyril plainely affirmeth that wee may not beleeue the Creed without Scripture Biblioth sanc Patr. tom 9. And Paschasius against Macedonius shrowding himselfe vnder some words of the Creed appealeth vnto the Canonicall Scripture for that of it saith hee the text of the Creed dependeth Which had they thought it had been from the Apostles in such forme and as now we haue it without question they neuer would haue done Fiftly the reason which they assigne why they composed this Creed discouers the vanity thereof What was that That it might be forsooth vnto the Apostles a canon rule according to which they should square and conforme their preaching What vnto the Apostles to whom Christ promised his blessed Spirit that should lead them into all truth And that himselfe would put into their mouths a ready answer vpon all occasions so that they should not need to bethinke themselues what to say Could they possibly doubt lest any difference or discord should grow among them in matter of Faith who were so guided by the Spirit of truth and vnity that they could not in any point either erre themselues or lead any other into error Surely so to thinke derogateth much from the truth of Christ and imputeth much weaknesse vnto the Spirit of God and detracteth from the certainty of our Faith which dependeth on their preaching So that for this cause it is vnlikely they made this Creed at leastwise to this end De Symb. ad Cat. l. 1. c. 1. Lastly Saint Augustin saith thus not that false Augustin vpon whom those Sermons de tempore are fathered and whose authority is vsually alledged to warrant this legend but the true S. Augustin saith Illa verba Symboli qua audiuistis per Scripturas sparsa sunt inde collecta ad vnum redacta those words of the Creed which you haue heard are dispersed through the Scriptures and being gathered from thence are reduced into one With him agreeth Paschasius De Spirit Sanct. c. 1. De sacris omninò voluminibus quae sunt credenda sumamus de quorum fonte symboli ipsius series deriuata consistit Let vs take out of the sacred volumes what things wee are to belieue out of which fountaine the order of the Creed is deriued Centur. 1. l. 2. c. 4. And Marcellus a Bishop in a letter to Iulius Bishop of Rome professeth hauing rehearsed the words of the Creed Se hanc fidem ex Scripturis accepisse a maioribus secundum Deum accepisse candem in Ecclesiâ Dei praedicare that he receiued this Faith out of the Scriptures and next after God from his ancestors and that hee preached it in the Church of God If then as these Fathers affirme the Creed bee gathered out of the Scriptures how can the Apostles bee authors thereof For out of the old Testament they could not gather that Christ was borne of the Virgin Mary or that hee suffered vnder Pontius Pilate And as for the new many of the Apostles were dead before all was written and Iames before any was written besides that no part of it was written when the Creed was compiled if it bee true which the legend saith And these are the reasons for which it seemeth vnto me more then probable that the Apostles were neuer Authors of this Creed If it be so will some say why doth it then beare the Apostles name I answere because as out of S. Augustin and others we haue shewed the matter therein contayned is perfectly agreeable with the Apostles writings and was collected out of them Moreouer Apostolicall is a terme extended by writers vnto the first three hundred years after Christ Haet sola fides saith Damasus Ep. 5. quae Nicaeae Apostolorum authoritate fundata est perpetua est firmitate seruanda this only Faith which was established at Nice by the authority of the Apostles is firmely and perpetually to be held So Scythianus and Terebinthus are said to haue liued temporibus Apostolorum in the time of the Apostles Epiph. Haer. 66. who yet liued in Aurelians time towards three hundred years after Christ And Isidor distinguishing betweene Apostles and the First Apostles saith that Apostles continued downe vntill Pope Syluester and that the times before the great Councell of Nice were Apostolicall Although therefore the first Apostles were not the founders of this Creed yet those succeeding Apostles were of whom it may be called the Apostles Creed These things being so let it bee obserued thereupon first how friuolously Papists cauill and quarell with vs affirming that wee hold
thou shouldst me reiect And yet I claime the crowne of thine elect Alas how may so bold a sute be heard And sinfull wretch obtaine a Saints reward Nay shall I not thy kindled wrath inflame Crauing all good deseruing nought but shame Sin bids me feare yet still I hope for grace Grace bids me hope yet still I feare disgrace While feare doth hope and hope doth feare restraine 'Twixt feare and hope my heart is rent in twaine Wilt thou sweet Iesus plead my cause for me Alas my bare estate affoords no fee Yet if in forme of poore to thee I flie Thy word is past thou canst me not deny Thee then mine aduocate I entertaine By thee an easy sute I shall obtaine So double comfort shall my heart enioy Of present grace and hope of future ioy Hope of Pardon SHould I O Lord excuse or cloake my sin Are thine eyes so dim that thou canst not see Can guilty soule thy gracious fauour win Or by righteous doome iust reputed be Thy crystall eyes my secret thoughts behold Yea thou knowst them long ere they be conceiued Thou art not man to be corrupt with gold Not by vaine excuse canst thou be deceiued Yet will I not despaire to gaine Pardon for my great offences Though iustice doome eternall paine With iustice mercy still dispences When shall I then to those high ioyes aspire Which in heauen aboue thou reserust for me Mount vp my soule with wings of high desire Till thou heauen enioy what ioy can there be On barren earth sin is the seed we sow And the crop we reape is but sorrowes gaine And if sometime from sin short pleasures grow Sinfull pleasures end in the eternall paine Then sith on earth we reape no graine But short ioyes long sorrowes bringing O let me liue where Angels raigne Then endles Alleluiah singing The Epicure and Christian Time doth haste Life as a shadow flies Breath as a vapor soone doth wast And none returns that dies Come let vs banish woes And liue while life doth last Crowne we our heads with budding rose And of each pleasure tast What though precise fooles do vs blame Shall wee forgoe content Pleasure is substance vertue name And life will soone be spent Time shall cease Archangels tromp shall sing Death shall his prisoners all release And them to iudgement bring Then shall these sinfull ioyes To endles wayling turne And they that scorned vertues choice In brimstone flames shall burne Then they that erst fond Stoicks Shall wisedomes children proue When they among the Saints esteemed Shall raigne with Christ aboue A Sinners appeale from Iustice to Mercy AY me from me my wonted ioyes are fled And saddest greefe on my poore hart hath seazd Thy mortall sting ô sin this wo hath bred And dreadfull wrath of my deare Lord displeased I see his sword vpreard me to confound And guilty soule attends her deadly wound Oh then my soule where canst thou rest secure Where wilt thou flie from his reuenging ire If vp heauen there enters nought impure If downe to hell there flames eternall fire Nor deepest sea nor shade of darkest night Can secret thee from his al-seeing spright Yet from thy selfe thy selfe a refuge art When from thy iustice to thy grace we flie O gracious Lord to thee my pensiue heart With teares of true remorse for grace doth crie Thy mercy Lord my soule from death may saue O rid my dying soule from lowest graue A Caroll for the Natiuity A Wonder strange this day was wrought Exceeding mans and Angels thought Though domb haue spoke and blind haue seene And they reuiu'd who dead haue beene Yet neuer vertue like to this Whereby was wrought mans endlesse blisse Behold then and amazed stand This is the finger of Gods hand A virgin pure without mans aide Hath borne a child yet still a maide Which babe this day began to be Yet was from all eternity A King of Kings and yet a thrall Possessing nought yet Lord of all Creator yet a creature Light of the world and yet obscure Most beauteous and yet without forme Ador'd of Angels yet a worme Omnipotent yet fraile and weake Th' eternall Word yet could not speake Most quiet calme yet without rest The food of Saints yet suckt the brest Embracing all yet but a span Immortall life yet mortall man Man yet in God subsisting aye God yet confined to case of clay Both God and man 'twixt both to treat And firmest league 'twixt them to set That mercy might with iustice meet And peace and truth each other greet O blessed dame whose lips might kisse whose paps did nurse this babe of blisse O blessed babe whose ioyfull birth Hath chang'd our sighs to tunes of mirth Who now thy sweets may tast and proue By faith on earth in heauen by loue Christ comforting a distressed soule SIgh no more soule oh sigh no more Despaire not thou thus euer Thy God hath grace for thee in store His mercy faileth neuer Then sigh not so Let sorrowes go Sing in the highest Hosanna And change thy dolefull sounds of woe Into Halleluiah Manifold are thy sins I know And deep in crimson died Yet whiter shalt thou bee then snow In my blood purified Then sigh not so c. Heauen against thee shut by sin Haue I for thee vnlocked Since thou so kindly letst me in When at thy heart I knocked Then sigh not so c. Come to me lo thy Sauiour cryes Thou canst not be refused For neuer did I yet despise A broken heart and bruised Then sigh not so c. There in peace shalt thou liue and raigne And neuer more be sory Aboue the measure of thy paine Shall bee thy weight of glory Then sigh not so Let sorrowes go Sing in the highest Hosanna And change thy dolefull sounds of woe Into Halleluiah THE FIRST PSALME BLessed yea thrice blest are they That lewd counsels haue not traced Nor haue stood in sinners way Nor in scorners chaire are placed But in Gods lawes they delight Them they study day and night These like trees stand euermore By the riuers freshly springing Pleasant fruit in plenteous store Duly in their season bringing Neuer shall their leafe decay What they doe shall prosper aye But the wicked are like dust To and fro with tempest driuen Neither shall they with the iust Stand when iudgement shall be giuen For God knowes the iust mans way And them stroyes that from him stray Psalme 12. SIth on earth all friends doe faile Prouing faythlesse and vnkind Sith now euery where preuaile Flattring lips and double mind Lord send help from heauen aboue Who alone art perfect loue But these false dissembling tongues God eftsoones will root them out Those that triumph in their wrongs Vttering proud words and stout Who shall curb our tongues say they Ours they are and they shall swayâ—s For when once the poore doth crie And to God his vowes addresse Now saith God arise will I Him to saue them to