as true and good whilest considered onely in themselues without oppositions of such matters as they much value So our Sauiour telleth vs that some when they haue heard receiue the word with ioy and for a while belieue but in time of tentation depart and Saint Iohn that euen amongst the Rulers many belieued on him By true and liuely faith rooted in the heart So Bellarmine would perswade vs or otherwise wee might make the Scriptures as a nose of waxe or alter the nature of sacred phrase as wee do counters in accompts Yet if they had in heart belieued vnto righteousnesse they had confessed with their mouth vnto saluation but sayth the Euangelist because of the Pharisees they did not confesse him least they should be put out of the synagogue And was not this to be ashamed of him and of his Gospell before men And whosoeuer is so affected belieueth not in that sense the Prophet speakes whosoeuer belieueth on him shall not be ashamed for vnlesse he acknowledge them in that day they shall not only bee ashamed but confounded with vnbelieuers yea the very reason the Euangelist giues why they did not confesse him condemns the Cardinals glosse either of great folly or impietie For sayth he they loued the prayse of men more then the prayse of God vnto which latter they had assented as much better had they so belieued as our Sauiour meanes when hee demaunds of the Iewes How can ye belieue which receiue honour one of another and seeke not the honour vvhich commeth from God onely Ere our faith become such as layes sure hold on life for of such in that place he speakes wee must Assent vnto the honour that comes from God alone as so much better then that we receiue of men that the later must seem as nothing in coÌ„parison of the former The same word beliefe oft-times is taken not only as it includes these last degrees or proper differences of Assent vnto diuine truthes but as it is accompanied with it essentiall properties or with such works as impulsiuely are from it though proper acts or exercises of other vertues faculties or affections whence they spring as from their naturall roote wherein they reside as in their natiue subiect The places are obuious to euerie one conuersant in Scriptures The like latitude of perfection whether from difference of essence or diuersitie onely in degrees knowledge or vnderstanding in the vse of sacred writers admits Nor did Saint Iohn in that speech He that sayth hee knoweth God and keepeth not his Commandements is a lyar contradict our Sauiour where he supposeth that many know their masters will and do it not For the disciple speakes of true and perfect knowledge the Lord of knowledge externall or imperfect The same analogie the Fathers retaine in the vse of beliefe or faith That the Pontificians can alledge their testimonies to proue faith may bee separated from works or charity is as little pertinent to the point in question betwixt vs and them as it would bee in the schooles to vrge the authority of late Philosophers that stones and mettals did not growe or that trees and plants had no locall motion against him that out of Aristotle did maintaine all bodies endued with life were capable of growth and diminution or all with sense of locall motion He that holds the former conclusions would account stones and mettals amongst bodies inanimate and trees and plants amongst vnsensitiue Now our question is not of euery sort or degree of faith but of that by which the Iust doe liue That no Father did affirme it should be without fruites or workes of holinesse is more then my small reading in them can secure me to affirme albeit reason I haue none to thinke otherwise but iust cause so to presume by the places our aduersaries alleadge so idle they are and impertinent Howsoeuer I dare vndertake for our assertion to bring three Fathers for one or testimonies thrice as many out of the best approued as any Iesuite shall do for his And because some of them scramble at some scattered sentences in Cyprians vvorkes or others fathered vpon him I will instance at this time in him especially the rather because he sealed the truth of his profession with his blood and had least reason to bee partiall for Faith against Charitie of whose abundance in his heart euery letter in his writings almost is a character yea so he esteemed of it that hee thought it impossible for him to prooue a true witnesse of Christ though dying in his cause if hee had liued without brotherly loue How doth hee say he belieues in Christ that doth not vvhat Christ hath giuen him in charge to doe Or how shall hee ataine to the reward of faith vvhich vvill not faithfullie keepe his Commaundements And againe Seeing to see Christ is our ioy nor can our ioy haue being vntill we see him what blindnesse of heart what mad nesse is this to loue the grieuances the paines and miseries of this world not rather to make hast vnto that ioy which neuer can be taken from vs Yet all this beloued brethren comes to passe because wee haue no faith because none belieues the truth of what God hath promised who is true whose word is eternally sure to belieuers If a graue man and of good note should promise thee any thing thou wouldst rely vpon his promise thou wouldst not belieue thou shouldst be deceiued or disappointed by him whom thou knowest to be constant in his words and deeds Behold God speaks to thee and â—ost thou perfidiously wauer through incredulity of minde God hath promised thee at thy departure out of this world immortality and eternity and dost thou doubt This is to be altogether without the knowledge of God this is to offend Christ the master of the faithfull vvith the sin of incredulity this is to haue a place in the Church and to be without faith in the house of faith The like hath Bernard who speaking of the victory that is by faith thus resolues flesh and blood moouing doubts to the contrary Perchance it may tempt some in that they see so many acknowledging Christ to bee the Sonne of God still entangled with the lusts of this world How sayth the Apostle then who is he that ouer commeth the world but he which belieues that IESVS is the Sonne of God vvhen as the world it selfe belieues this truth yea do not the very diuels belieue as much and tremble but I reioine Dost thou imagine that he reputes CHRIST for the sonne of God whosoeuer hee be that is not terrified with his threats that is not allured with his promises which obeies not his commandements and rests not satisfied with his aduise doth not such a one albeit he professe he knowes God deny him by his deeds Valentian notwithstanding would perswade vs that the Fathers when they say faith without works is dead would onely giue vs to
hane fashioned my conceipt vnto the form of words wherein he expresseth his from which my phrase or dialect doth somwhat differ In the maine point we well agree that Faith is an assent as well vnto the goodnesse as vnto the truth of matters diuine That which hee with some auncient Schoole men tearmes certainty of adherence is in my dialect stability oâ— firmnesse of beleefe which I deriue not so much from the euidence or certainty of things beleened as from their worth and goodnesse All of vs by nature adhere more firmly to things of great and knowne worth then wee could doe vnto the very same if their worth either were in it selfe or by vs esteemed lesse albeiâ— their certainty were equall The next lesson which reason will hence learne is That vnto some truths our adherence may be more firme then vnto others of greater euidence and certaintie in case the former excell the later more in goodnesse then they are exexceeded by them in euidence and certaintie But seeing with the Romanist we admit the nature of faith to consist in Assent we might perhaps be thought to confine it wholy as hee doth to the vnderstanding an error iustly abandoned by most in reformed Churches who in this respect for the most part either define it not by Assent or else to make vp one entire and compleate definition match Assent with other tearmes not so well consorting with it as the rules of art in my occasions require To this purpose rather in defence of mine owne then any waie to preiudice other mens methods which must be measured by the end at which they aime the first and second Chapters are premised But some perhaps would reply that Assent being terminated vnto truth can haue no greater alliance with goodnesse then with those differences assigned vnto it by other writers reiected by vs not as false but as not formall And the obiection to speake the truth could not be put off as impertinent did we follow the Romanist in another erroneous principle not discouered much lesse disclaimed by such as most oppugne them from which principle notwithstanding the worst inconueniences can in this argument be obiected to their doctrine directly follow and are not so cleerely or fully auoided by those that contradict them as by vs that assent vnto them in defining Christian faith by Assent Not with the moderne pontifician onely but generally amongst the schoolemen faith and works are so dissociated as if they were of linages altogether distinct and had small or no affinity Most protestant writers acknowledge them to be of entire blood yet somewhat farther remoued then in my opinion they are The principall reason whereof as I coniecture is that they esteeme more of schoole-philosophy then schoole-diuinity and with the schoole-men specially Aquinas and his followers imagine the will and vnderstanding from which faith and good works in their â—erauldry seuerally discend to be faculties really distinct like brother and sister being indeed but two names or titles of one and the same intellectuall nature as truth and goodnesse their supposed really different obiects in matters morall differ onelie in degrees of apprehension as one and the same person knowne a farre off vnder the common notion of a man is oft times cleerely discerned by his approach to be an honest man and our louing friend Sutably to this true Philosophie learned out of the best professors of that facultie and to omitte other Schoole-men out of the wise and learned Gerson I place faith neither in the wil nor vnderstanding but in the intellectual nature as subiect to both these titles or appellations The inference hence taken is that faith although it be formally an Assent may be as imediately terminated vnto the goodnesse as vnto the truth of reuelations diuine And these being of all the matters that can be reuealed or knowne both in themselues and in respect of vs far the best I make that faith which primarily distinguishethâ— true Christian from an hypocrite or fruitlesse professor of orthodoxall religion to bee an assent or adherence vnto reuelations diuine as much better then any contrary good the world the diuell or flesh can present to peruert our choice of what they prescribe for our sauing health or habitually to interrapt or hinder the prosecution of their designes By these deductions drawne forth at large in the sixth Chapter the Reader may easily perceiue the linke betweene faith and works to be most immediate and essentiall This maine conclusion whereon the most of the Treatise following depends is further confirmed Chap. 7. by instances of sacred writers ascribing all the victories of Gods Saints ouer the world Diuell or flesh vnto faith or apprehension of diuine promises better then ought could come in competition with them all backsliding into euill or backwardnesse in good courses vnto want of faith or apprehension of Gods iudgements or threatnings as more terrible then any tortures which man can deuise against his fellow creatures Briefely the whole drift or scope of the Apostle from the later part of the tenth Chapter to the Hebrewes vnto the end of that Epistle iumps fully with the former conclusion Whereunto likewise the vsuall dialect of the holy spirit when he speakes absolutely not with reference to the solecismes of hipocrites or such as haue diuorced truth from honesty or set words and works at variance is exactly consonant It is generally obserued by all interpreters of sacred writ that the termes which it vseth to expresse the proper asts or exercises of sence and vnderstanding still include those affections or practique faculties which are most homogeneall to them The true reason whereof is not because hee who sees the heart and inspires it with faith speakes more vulgarlie or grosly but rather more metaphysically then many Diuines or Philosophers doe as supposing the truth before specified concerning the identity of the wil and vnderstanding with the essentiall combination of truth and goodnesse in matters practicall The consequences hence inferred and exemplified at large in the eight and ninth Chapters are in briefe vnto this purpose As the apprehension of diuine infalibility breeds an infallibility of perswasion or sure reliance vpon his promises so assent vnto his goodnes or imitable attributes assimulates our soules to them Euery obiect rightly apprehended or vnderstood imprints it similitude vpon the apprehensiue faculty The diuine nature therfore must leaue an impression or stampe in our soules as well of his goodnesse as of his veracity otherwise wee apprehend him who is essentially as good as true without any liuely apprehension of his goodnesse This stampe or character of goodnesse diuine is as a touch to drawe the soule as the Adamant doth the iron after it selfe and in this adherence of the intellectiue nature once touched with grace vnto the celestiall promises the definition of sauing faith is accomplished Chap. 9. whose generall or cheefe properties are set foorth Chap. 10. For conclusion of the first Section Chap. 11. I
more familiar and proper If a man should see the sun at mid day in a cloud and the moone in her strength or the beames of the one in at his chamber window the body of the other directly in its sphere his sight of the Sunne would be as euident as of the Moone although the Moone hee could not possibly apprehend more euidently or more directly while his apprehension of the Sunne in respect of what it might be is both waies very imperfect But thus if we make an equall comparison the certainty likewise of our Assent vnto supernaturall obiects should in a correspondent sense bee said lesse or greater then the certainty we haue of humane sciences because the obiects of the one cannot possibly bee better knowne then they are when as the knowledge of the other is not halfe so greate in this life as it shall bee for the Apostle who knew many diuine mysteries more euidently then we doe ought saith of himselfe as well as others we know but in part Yet notwithstanding this halfe knowledge of the one may be more great and certain then the whol knowledge of the other if wee compare them onely betwixt themselues not with the internall capacity of their proper obiects considered as credible or intelligible Or if our apprehension of as much as we know in the one be not so cleere as it is in the other it may further be questioned whether the excessiue multitude of parts apprehended in it though not so cleerly or the variety of motiues procuring our assent though not so euident may not all taken together be as forcible to support as great certainty as ariseth from euidence in humane sciences fully appreheÌ„ded more intensiue in it selfe vet extensiuely not so great as not being grounded vpon so many motiuâ—â— or degrees of internall certainty or veracity in the obiect Thus many pillars though all somwhat declining may beare as great weight as fewer exactly perpendicular or many lights seuerally taken not splendent in the highest degree may better illuminate a large roome then one or two intensiuely much brighter 5. Lastly it were worth a sacred Critiques paines to obserue whether this error that giues certainty the start so farre of euidence did not spring from a confusion of that certainty which is in the obiect with the certainty that may be in the subiect It is true indeed our Assent must bee conformable to the obiect and therefore as is the one so should the other bee most exactly certaine but whether such exact certainty as may bee had in humane sciences be not only necessary by way of duty or precept or as the marke whereat all must aime though fewe in this life can hit but euen vnto the being of a Christian or whether an earnest desire of encreasing our knowledge in matters diuine ioyned with an vnfained vniforme practise of such duties as faith prescribes be not sufficient at least to many albeit the certainty of their belief be not in it selfe so great as their knowledge in some other matters may in charity and for the comfort of weake consciences be doubted Most certainely perswaded euen the weakest alwaies must bee vpon the highest termes of absolute nesessity not to relinquish the profession of Christianity not to despaire of good successe not to be daunted in religious courses for all the arguments the diuell the world and flesh can oppose against them But hereto wee stand in our owne consciences most strictly bound albeit the certainty of our assent vnto diuine matters be lesse then demonstratiue or scientificall seeing as well the danger that may accrew by renouncing as the hopes wee conceiue by continuing our profession are infinitely greater then any we can possibly imagine should arise from embracing contrary suggestions It may well seeme so farre sufficient as not to argue any nullity of Christian faith if our Assent vpon examination or triall proue more certaine then any conclusions can be brought against it which can neuer be demonstratiue nor if well sifted probable and yet retayning firme adherence to the truths contained in the Apostles Creede and an vndaunted resolution to follow the prescripts of Gods word notwithstanding all the blasts of temptatioÌ„s or storms of persecutioÌ„s the wicked spirits or their agents can raise against vs we may be truly said to hold fast the Faith albeit our apprehension of the particular truths it teacheth be not so euident nor the grounds of our adherence to them to speake properly so certain as they are vnto some Mathematical conclusions For what necessity is there faith should be more certaine then such sciences as are more prest to doe her the best seruice they can then any way to oppugne her 6. Or if from the excesse of certainty or fertility of consequences euidently flowing from vndoubted principles these hand maids should pleade for equall interest with their mistris in our soules to quell their insolencies enough it were that besides the infinite reward which wee haue reasons many and great though none absolutly euideÌ„t or demoÌ„stratiuely certain to expect in the life to comithe ioy comfort euery Christian in this life may sensibly reape from the constant embracements of trueths taught or practise of duties enioyned by the rule of faith is much greater then al the delight we can imagine should elsewhere grow Nor doth lesse certainety or euidence of diuine truths in particular any way preiudice but rather aduantage our firme Assent or adherence to them as long as their contemplation or practice euidently affoords ioy and comfort more sincere and sweet then the most exact most certaine and euident knowledge that can be had of other subiects especially if this comfort they yeeld receiue daily increase as euery Christian by stedfast continuance in religious exercises may vndoubtedly perceiue For as I said before the strength of our adherence or Assent ariseth more properly from the excessiue worth of the obiect apprehended then from the euidence of apprehension Thus by the diuine prouidence it comes about that euery Christian may â—itly take vp the Apostles speech but in another sense then he meant it When I am weake in faith then I am strong For though his Assent vnto the articles of this Creed seuerally considered be much lesse euident and certaine then vnto many other matters yet if the fruites of it be euidently greater for the quantity and incomparably more pleasant for the quality the greater interest will their loue and admiration hereby gaine in his soule And who knowes whether he that made the heart of man best knowing how prone it is to be puâ—t vp with pride and ready vpon suddaine change of it wonted diet the beggarly rudiments of this world to surfet with fulnesse of knowledge though of heauenly mysteries doth not with purpose to alay their sweetnesse onely season the streame or current of our desires whilest weake and sickely with some light tincture of his graces seldome infuling the water of
vnderstand that it is not liuely and perfect such as indeed it should be He meanes they denie it not to be numerically the same without workes and with them as the body in his conceipt is one and the same without the soule and with it And it is a manner of speech in his obseruation vsuall to account that which is imperfect in any kinde not to bee true in the same kinde As for example wee vse to say ioy or griefe imperfect or little is no true ioy or griefe although it be some ioy or griefe Who vseth to say so but dunces or who but haeretickes would denie the least degree of spirituall ioy to be true ioy the least sting of conscience to be true griefe Things little in any kinde actually compared with others incomparably greater we vse to reckon as none so we might say the ioy of the godly in this life is as none in respect of that which shall be reuealed But yet the least measure of our internall ioy truely denominates vs ioyfull if we speake absolutely as the Fathers doe when they denie faith without workes to bee true faith For they denie withall that it then denominates as truely faithfull or belieuers as is euident from that obseruation of Gregory vpon those wordes of our Sauiour He that shall belieue and be baptized shall be saued It is likely euery one of you will say within himselfe I haue beleeued therefore I shall be saued He speakes the truth if he haue faith with workes For that is true faith which in manners or deedes contradicts not what it thus professeth in wordes Hence it is that Paul saith of certaine false beleeuers They confesse they know God but denie him by their workes Hence saith Iohn He that saies he beleeues God and keepes not his commandements is a liar This should teach vs to acknowledge the truth of faith in examination of our life For then we are truely faithfull or belieuers when we fulfull in deed what we promised in word For in the day of baptisme wee promised vtterly to forsake all workes and pomps of the old enemy Therefore let euery one of you turne the eies of his minde vnto the former examination and if after baptisme he haue kept his promise made before then let him reioice being thus assured that he is faithfull He ads with all that he which knowes to bewaile his offences past shal haue them couered in the day of iudgement 2. This last testimony will direct the reader to gather the like in other Fathers from their expositions of those passages wherein mention is made of that faith whereunto our Sauiour ascribes eternall life or his Apostles righteousnesse The euidence of which places is in it selfe to such as weigh the circumstances co 〈…〉 nt and praecedent or compare one place with another so forsible that it oft times extorts confessions from pontifician expositors against the most receiued Tenents of their Church first hatched by the schoolemen which neuer saw the light of heauen but through the darke painted glasses of the Cels wherein they were imprisoned and hence imagine our Sauiours forme of doctrine to be of the same hew with midnight Dunsery or grossest ignorance of sacred dialects One vpon these wordes of the Prophet The worke of righteousnesse shall bee peace and the effects of righteousnes quietnes and assurance for euer saith that faith whereto S. Paul ascribeth righteousnes includes all these branches to commit our selues and all our waies vnto God as to a most louing father to whom we haue plight our faith whom we accept for our God sincerely promising to obey him and obserue his lawes He thinks withall that the Apostle did borrow this speech Being iustified by faith wee haue peace with God through our Lord Iesus Christ from the former place of the Prophet Yet this Commentator stiffely denies iustification by such faith alone how inconsequently to this obseruation shall hereafter be examined It well fits our present purpose that the righteousnesse herespoken of by the Prophet is included in Saint Pauls faith 3. Another vpon those wordes of the same Apostle The Gospell of Christ is the power of God vnto saluation counsels vs to learne the right signification of this tearme to belieue as it is vsed in Saint Paules disputes from other places of Scripture especially from that speech of our Sauiour Hee that belieueth on me as the Scripture hath said out of his belly shall slow riuers of liuing water The scripture saith this iudicious pontifician expositor whereto our Sauiour had respect is in the sixteenth Chapter of the second of Chronicles Thâ—â—â—ies of the Lord behold the whole earth and giue strength to such as belieue on him with a perfect heart Now they belieue with a perfect heart which doe not onely giue credence to what the Scripture saith or is otherwise reuealed from aboue but further addresse all the faculties of their soules to doe what faith requires or praescribes And in this sence doth Saint Paul vse this word belieue as if it were to be moued at the hearing of the vvord and to embrace vvhat is said vvith an entire adhaerence of the soule Very fitly to this purpose doth our English translation in the booke of common praier render that place of the Psalmist whose spirit cleaueth not stedfastly vnto God Which the vulgar latine seeking to expresse the hebrew word by word hath rudely expressed non est creditus cum Deo spiritus eius 4. Two places of Scripture onely there be with whose difficultie or obscurity the Iesuite or other of the Trent Councels vassailes hope to extinguish the light and euidence of all the rest so pregnant for vs. The first is that of Saint Paul though I speake vvith the tongues of men and Angels and haue not charity I am become as sounding brasse or as a tinckling cymball He that supposeth all faith may be without charity saith Valentian excepteth none But our writers reply That the faith by which miracles of what kind soeuer are wrought is here onely mentioned and such faith though neuer so entire and perfect may be as in these Corinthians it was without true loue The truth of which answeare most probable from the circumstances of the place as it needs perhaps no further confirmation so for the fuller illustration of it impertinent it will not be for the reader to obserue that of all the Churches which Saint Paul had planted of all he wrote vnto or vouchsafed any mention this of Corinth did most abound in all those extraordinary gifts of the spirit which might set forth the glory of Christ and his gospell before heathen and vnregenerate men especially such as these Corinthians by nature and education weere earnestly addicted to humane arts and sciences wherewith that City at this time flourished most for which reason the Lord in his wisdome would haue the messengers of his truth vnto that place rich in all kind
regeneration may be one and the same in such as perish and those that are saued so cannot the radication or working of it be so the seed which fell by the high way side in stony ground among thornes and in good soile is supposed by our Sauiour one and the same but the radication of it was in some none in others too shallow in others it failed in the setling or taking Thus charity was to be raised in these Corinthians hearts by faith for essence and quality one and the same with that whereby they wrought miracles but by the same faith rightly set firmâ—lier rooted and better taken in their harts or center wherein naturall desires concurre so as it might spread it selfe vniformely with them directing them vnto obiects spirituall and good and fix them fastest vpon such as it adiudged best and most effectuall for edifying themselues and others For had these Disciples by Saint Pauls example a affected no knowledge so much as to know Iesus Christ and him crucified had they gloried in nothing saue in the crosse of the Lord Iesus Christ cructfying them vnto the world and the world vnto them both which were principall lessons of faith or had their Assent or adhaerence vnto Gods loue and mercies in Christ beene as firme and sure as their perswasions of his power to produce effects beyond the course of nature it had wrought as great miracles in themselues as it did in others euen the same minde which was in Christ Iesus such loue to all his members though their corriuals in spirituall guifts as he bare to them when they were his enemies and that was a loue truely wondrous The arguments brought by Pontificians to prooue the faith which worketh miracles and iustifies vs to be the same make in my iudgement most against themselues if we consider that these ministeriall effects wrought vpon others were but emblemes of those internall miracles which faith once rooted in the heart and set vpon it proper and more principall obiects alwaies workes in the belieuers themselues To cast out diuels was but a signe of that conquest which true faith in Christ alwaies obtained ouer hell and death to speak with new tongues but a pledge of that renouation which true faith alwaies workes in the heart and conscience to take away serpents a document of the vertue of faith in resisting or deading such temptations as made way for death into the world the drinking of deadly poison without hurt a sensible token of that soueraign antidote which true faith affords against all the infections our eares are often enforced to sucke from others pestiferous perswasions health restored to others by laying on of hands an irreuocable earnest of that eternall saluation which Faith if firme and rightly set neuer failes to take sure hold of as Gregory excellently expounds that saying of our Sauiour And these signes shall follow them that belieue In my name shall they cast out Diuels they shall speake vvith newe tongues they shal take vp serpents and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shal lay hands on the sick they shal recouer 6. Howsoeuer vpon these reasons the Apostle grounds that exhortation in his very entrance into that discourse couet ye earnestly the gifts and yet shew I vnto you a more excellent waâ—e Loue he meant wherein they might eagerly striue to excell each other without any danger of dissention Many admirable commendations he bestowes vpon it in the words following to kindle a desire of it in their harts as well knowing their faith to be strong enough in matters they much affected but not qualified for iustification because not rightly planted noâ— set on such obiects as would bring forth Christian loue and true humility but rather pride and contention Far was it from his thoughts that the ardour of this sweet affection could otherwise kindle then froÌ„ a firm beliefe ful adhereÌ„ce to the loue of God For we loue him because he loued vs first yea because d vve haue knowne and belieued the loue that God hath to vs for God is loue nor can we faithfully apprehend this attribute in him but it will prodâ—ce the like affection in vs. And yet for the right planting and radication as well of faith as loue spirituall thence springing the exercise of brotherly kindnesse or nourishing of good naturall affection is alwaies auaileable and was peculiarly necessarie vnto this people whose contentious spirits did hinder the right growth and peruert the vse of that faith which God had giuen them Generally the ordinary meanes appointed by God for the right fashioning of Christ in our hearts is the precedent practice of those duties which the doctrine of faith enioines vs as shall hereafter be shewed 7. To such as waigh the circumstances aboue expressed Saint Pauls meaning in the words late cited may best be gathered from the like speech of S. Iames He that keepes the vvhole laâ—e and yet faileth in one point is guilty of all seeing his failing in the one as shall appeare witnesseth he keeps none aright The ground of this inference presupposed these words If I had all faith so that I could moue Mountaines and had not loue I vvere nothing sound as if the Apostle had sayd though I had faith of force enough to produce variety of miracles and all other effects whatsoeuer and yet not effectuall to bring forth Christianloue neither I nor it were anie thing vvorth For in that it works not loue it is apparently dead in it selfe vnable to giue life to any but once firmely belieuing Christ loued vs it is impossible we should not loue him againe and for him our neighbours not belieuing this truth aright wee cannot belieue any other point as we should nor by that faith which rooted as our Sauiour speakes in an honest heart brings forth fruit with patience to saluation Is there any Iesuite that will or dare affirme that faith the Corinthians had was altogether such as Saint Paul ascribes righteousnesse vnto such as the Prophet speakes of when he sayth the iust shall liue by his faith For of that faith Paul being witnesse the performance of Gods will and patient expectation of his promises or as Romish writers confesse feare of God entire submission of our mindes vnto his will and stedfast reliance vpon his prouidence are infallible consequences 8. The Schoole-mens collections from the former place of Saint Paul that charity is as it were the soule and perfection of faith are of as little validity as if from this of Saint Iames late cited I should inferre some one Commandement to be the form or soule of all the rest because if we transgresse one that for example Thou shalt do no murther our obseruation of all the rest should profit vs nothing to saluation Or if the Reader will remember the definition or proprieties of faith last set down this conceit is as preposterous as if we
helping and nourishing the poore For when Zacheus said Loe the one halfe of my goods I giue to the poore and if I haue defrauded any man I restore it fourefold Iesus answered and said This day is saluation come to this house was much as this man also is the sonne of Abraham For if Abrahams belieuing God were reputed vnto him for righteousnesse he likewise that giues almes according to Gods commandement belieues God and he that hath the truth of faith retaines the feare of God and he that retaines the feare of God hath God in his thoughts whiles he shewes compassion to the poore Therefore he workes because he belieues because he knowes all the word of God fore tels is true that the sacred scripture cannot lie that vnfruitfull trees i men barren of good workes must be cut downe and cast into the fire but the mercifull shall be called vnto the heauenly kingdome And in another place he cals such as are fruitfull in works faithfull denying this title to the vnfruitfull and barren If ye haue not beene faithfull in the vnrighteous Mammon who will commit the true riches to your trust And if ye haue not beene faithfull in that which is another mans who will giue you that which is your owne Saluianus * words here inserted in the margine imports no lesse 3. If the workes required by Saint Iames be not truely good without presupposall of saith nor iustification possible without presupposall of such workes the more opperatiue wee make Saint Pauls faith the more we rather draw then loose this former knot whose solution in this respect must be sought by vnfolding the diuerse acceptions of iustification Sometimes then it imports the decree or purpose of God to iustifie sinfull men as whom he predestinated them also he called and whom he called them also he iustified and whom he iustified them also he glorified About iustification in this sence there either is or neede to be no controuersie at least none pertinent to our present purpose But as God decreed before all times to create man yet did not create him vntill time had numbred sixe daies so although his purpose was from eternity to iustifie or absolue vs from our sinnes yet actually he doth not iustifie or absolue vs before we haue actuall being nor doth he iustifie all that haue such being but those onely which haue the seales or pledges of his calling of which whosoeuer are partakers are in a secondarie sence accompted iustified How shall we â—aith the Apostle that are dead to sin liue yet therein Know ye not that all we which haue beene baptized into Iesus Christ haue beene baptised into his death wee are buried then with him by baptisme into his death All persons baptized may be accounted iustified in the same sence they are dead to sinne and dead all such are to sinne not really or actually but by profession in as much as by receiuing this outward seale of Gods couenant or other like pledges of his fauour they binde themselues to abrogate the soueraigntie of sinne in their mortall bodies and to giue their members weapons of righteousnesse vnto God Thus when the Apostle speakes indefinitely of all their saluation or iustification to whom he writes his meaning can be no other then this that all of them haue receiued vndoubted pledges of Gods mercy and neede doubt of iustification actuall or finall absolution so they walke worthy of their calling Their error whose rectification Saint Iames sought did consist in holding these outward seales or conspicuous tokens of Gods fauour whereby their Assent vnto his promises as true was confirmed sufficient to finall approbation or admission into the inheritance of Saints albeit they did not consent vnto euery part of the Law as good in the practise Concerning iustification thus taken there is at this day little or no controuersie vnlesle betweene the spirit and the flesh or betweene our owne conscience and Sathan who still labours to perswade vs this kinde of iustification might suffice Thirdly in as much as God decreed to iustifie man by faith which euen in such as are saued by it is not ordinarily perfected in a moment we are said sometimes to be iustified when the first seeds of that faith which by taking firme roote by fructification or perfection added by the immediate hand of God becomes saluificall are first sowne in our hearts Hee that hath but a resolution for the present syncere though variable to walke in all the waies of his God is in scripture often instiled iust or righteous and may by this resolution or purpose be truely said iustified in the sight of God not absolutely but in respect of opposite prophanenesse or expresse dissimulation If the righteous saith the Lord vnto his Prophet turne away from his righteousnesse and commit iniquities in his transgression that he committed and in his finne that hee hath sinned in them he shall die And againe The righteousnesse of the righteous shall not deliuer him in the day of transgression c. when I shall say vnto the righteous that he shall surely liue if hee trust to his owne righteousnesse and commit iniquitie all his righteousnesse shall be no more remembred but for his iniquitie that he hath committed he shall die for the same And vnto such as are here specified though not vnto such alone that speech of Saint Iohn is litterally appliable Qui iustus est iustificetur adhuc he that is righteous let him be righteous stil or more iustified Nor can that other of S. Paul be restrained to those that haue attained sauing faith or final absolution The hearers of the law are not righteous before God but the doers of the Law shall be instified That is God doth approue their deeds so farre as they are consonant to his law and accounts the syncere practise of morall dueries whereunto light of nature did leade the Gentiles much better then the outward obseruance of legall ceremonies or sabhatarian delight in hearing Thou art not farre from the kingdome of God saith our Sauiour to him that that had discreetely acknowledged this truth to loue the Lord withall the heart and with all the vnderstanding and withall the soule and withall the strength and to loue his neighbour as himselfe is more then all burnt offerings and sacrifices Now if by such workes as the heathen or auditors of the Law not yet sanctified often practised much more by those workes which accompany true and liuely faith we may in a higher degree of the same sence be accounted iustified that is approueable in the sight of God or passiuely capable of a finall absolution or effectuall iustification And this was all Saint Iames meant in that assertion Yee see then how that a man of workes is iustified and not of faith onely which words are but equiualent to the like precedent what auaileth it my brethren though a man say he hath faith when he hath no workes
rather morall then meerely speculatiue nor can wee euer vnderstand them a right but we must vnderstand them as good to vs. But though so to vnderstand any obiect be the cleerest and best â—â—ration or definition the most acute follower Aquinas hath can giue of will or volition yet vnto many not much addicted vnto either it will I doubt seeme a doctrine new and strange that we should will whatsoeuer we vnderstand to be good to vs. 5. But Truth I hope shall not be worse entertained by the ingenious and courteous Reader because a stranger Rather then it should it shall learne the common language after some briefe aduertisements for auoiding the errors thence occasioned or for discouering the originall of the former vnnecessary distinction which doubtlesse was for want of another more needfull betwixt our intellection or approbation of good whilest simply considered in it selfe and whilest compared either with some other more familiar good we must forgoe or some euill which would befall vs if we should continue or accomplish our former choise or approbation For as a candle though as truly bright as visible remaines only visible and rather obscure then bright while actually compared with the mid-day Sunne so our vnwillingnesse to purchase the good which we late approued appearing most cleere and euident from actuall refusall of it and free choise of the contrarie when we come to examine the termes or conditions vpon which it is profered doth quite ouershadow and drowne all former acts of our will or desire to haue it as simply considered and leaues only a conceit of it as true in the braine Yet that both are properly acts of the will or desires is most apparant in matters of secular vse or commodity For euery man knowes it is one thing to desire a commodity simply another to accept it at such a rate A mans vnwillingnesse to giue fiue hundred pound for a Farme doth not argue his vnwillingnesse to haue it gratis or if hee perfectly knew another purchase to be as well worth a thousand his willingnesse would be the same to haue it for fiue hundred as to haue the former gratis Thus many diuine truths are in our first apprehensions assented vnto as good and therefore truly willed whilest simply considered which yet we euidently refuse or will when we come to question about their price And this later act obliterating all impression of the former we vsually appropriate that vnto the vnderstanding though as much belonging vnto the wil. For I neuer knew any so idle or dissolute but would diuerse times wish hee were like some godly men whom he will not imitate and yet his wish to be like them is as proper an act of the will as his vnwillingnesse to imitate them this later notwithstanding wee vsually appropriate to the will though equally appertaining to the vnderstanding would wee make an equall comparison In the former we cannot but will diuine truths simply because simply considered wee vnderstand them as good in the later we do not therefore truly will them because wee doe not at the instant of choyce apprehend or vnderstand them as good being compared either with some entising sensuall good or much seared euill their prosecution would depriue vs of or procure vs. For as in the Article of euerlasting life by Gods assistance shall be shewed it is impossible the intellectiue nature should will or chuse a lesse good before a greater vnlesse there be a defect in such acts as are confined vnto the vnderstanding euen by such as distinguish it from the vvill as either the representation of the good in grosse acknowledged for greater is not formall distinct or cleere or because the approhension is dull or the impression weake Here it contents me that in this resolution I follow our Apostles forme of speech To will sayth he is present with mee but I finde no meanes to performe that which is good Thus he attributes the first act of the intellectiue nature whereby he assented vnto diuine truths contained in the lawe of God as good whilest simply considered vnto the will that afterwards hee effected not the purchase of what he so willed or approued hee ascribes not to anie peculiar defect in the will but to want of abilitie arising partly from the strength of sinnefull affection partly from weakenesse or insufficiencie of Assent or inclination of the minde as it comprehends both the will and vnderstanding 6. But is there no difference betweene Truth and Goodnesse no vse of any distinction betwixt the will and the vnderstanding Yes wee deny not all but had rather seeke a true difference betweene the one couple and a commodious distinction between the other Truth precisely considered includes a right apprehension or representation of the obiect whether actuall or possible As the representation of a winged horse or Hippocentaure or Chymera is false but of a winged Eagle true because the Eagle actually is the horse possibly cannot be such Although it were all one in respect of our ends or purposes whether the Eagle had fowre feet without feathers or the horse wings without feet Goodnesse as in common vse of speech it is made the peculiar obiect of the will besides the true representation of the obiect or conformitie of our imagination to it as hauing actuall or possible being includes a conueniencie in respect of vs or oppertunity of furthering our desires That properly is good which is agreeable that bad which is contrary that indifferent which is alike farre from contrarietie or agreement to such affection as we haue or should haue 7. Notwithstanding this distinction whilest we consider the whole latitude of obiects good and true Truth and Goodnesse in morall matters fully apprehended are in a sort coinsident altogether as vnseparable as sound and melody are in a pleasant consort to attentiue eares within iust distance And as of sounds perceiued by one and the same â—are some are dissonant some consonant some neither one nor other to the internal harmony or constitution of our soules so of truths assented vnto by one and the same intellectiue faculty some are pleasant some distastfull some indifferent in respect of our desires or morall purposes Such as are either indifferent in their nature or essence or vnto some certaine point or degree of apprehension we are sayd to apprehend or conceiue as meerely true And this apprehension or conceit we vsually appropriate to the vnderstanding not that it absolutely excludes euery degree or branch of goodnesse but all besides that immanent delight which floweth from the bare representation or is comprised within the impression made vpon the apprehensiue faculty neuer diffusing it selfe into any other part of the soule saue only that which first entertaines and embraceth the obiect vnapt either by internall nature or imperfect apprehension to make any further entrance As the bare quality of light though not accompanied with any other visible ornaments after long darknesse pleaseth the eye so doth
to shake off the yoke of Romish ciuill tyranny neuer had her blasphemous positions been publiquely held in such detestation as now they are Whence hardly could anie doctrine of diuels haue beene distastfull to our distempered soules which had vnaware sucked deadly poison with our first nurses milke If Princes againe or Potentates had not held the doctrine of the Trinity as an ancient religious custome no way preiudiciall but rather aduantagious to their states and therefore religiously to be obserued either discontented Prelates crossed in their ambitious hopes of honour or such curious contemplators as hold ciuil honour in contempt out of vain-glorious affectation of fame amongst posterity by new inuentions had wrought the maior part of Christendome to their faction so as Arrianisme or some worse heresie had long ere this been established by nationall constitutions 14 The necessitie of these collections depends vpon the vnquestionable truth of this maxim which in the sequell will manifest it selfe that carnall desires or resolutions of equall strength are alwaies a like forcible to weaken alter or inuert our Assent to any one point of beliefe as to another if the opposition be a like direct and our beliefe is of it selfe soonest mis-led or infeebled in matters most remote from light of nature as is the Article of the Trinity This obseruation of diuerse coniunctions or oppositions betwixt mens carnall affections and seuerall points of beliefe is the chiefe part of Sathans astrologie whereby he forecasts the fall of most in sundry ages by meanes in shew most contrary in issue the same By this skill he brings his matters so about that the greater part of mankind in latter daies in their owne conceit louingly embrace Christianity vpon the same grounds or motiues that disposed the heathen so bitterly to oppugne it eleuating the one as high in hipocrisie or Pharisaicall perswasions of their misgrounded faith as he depressed the other in infidelity or malignancie to the Gospell It is a rule againe as cleere and indeficient that either habituall neglect of particular duties enioined or indulgent practice of euill forbidden by Gods word do as euidently euince want of true faith in professed Christians as oppugnation of the whole frame of Christianity doth in infidels or of some principall parts in Arch heretiques Difference there is betwixt them none in the internall constitution of the minde onely the doctrine of faith by alteration of times publicke constitutions or references to som priuate ends gets a coniunction with the ones predominant carnall affections retaining opposition with the others The reason of both assertions is perspicuous to the intelligent for seeing supernaturall obiects compared with others exceed them further in worth then in certainty or credibility we must if rightly both certainly and firmly Assent vnto them not onely as truer then any arguments can bee brought against them but as much better then any profit pleasure or other good the world flesh or diuell can profer vnto vs. Both parts of this certaine and firme Assent must be vniuersal in respect of the obiect and perpetuall in respect of time for as he is not to be held an orthodoxal professor that acknowledgeth the speculatiue or general diuine truth of all the Articles in his Creed or matters proposed by the word of God whiles none gaine-sayes but doubts or recants while the aduersary oppugnes them so is he not to be reputed a sincere faithful christian but rather tainted with hypocrisie that assents vnto the goodnes of diuine precepts whiles temptations are far off but disesteems them in the choice whiles they come in competition with sensual pleasure worldly goods ciuil honour estimation or the like And if we could perswade our selues to a liking of scripture phrase which doubtlesse hath a more fresh and liuely form of wholsome doctrine then Aquinas summes or his followers disputes this Assent vnto diuine matters especially such as peculiarly concerne mans saiuation as perpetually good is a more essentiall part of Christian faith then the acknowledgement of their truth which is a difference proper to an orthodoxall professor of Christianity but remote to a faithfull man or true Christian as he is distinct not onely from Infidels or Hereticks but from Libertines or Hippocrites Thus defect in practice is censured by the spirit of God for vnfaithfulnesse albeit euery omission of good or commission of euil doth not conuince the delinquent of absolute infidelity nor is euery intemperate or incontinent act a iust imputation of incontinencie or intemperancy But as euery partiall defect is a degree or portion of vnfaithfulnesse so if the delinquencie bee habituall without remorse or ioined with indulgence it truly denominates the delinquent an Infidel in his sight that knowes his heart So the Psalmist vsually stiles the wicked and obstinate Israelites by the name of Heathens albeit they renounced not the profession of the true God 15. Our vsuall appropriating this delinquency whether habituall or by intermission actual vnto a peruersity or vntowardnesse of the will as if it did not necessarily argue a correspondent defect or weaknesse of that Assent which we call faith and most suppose to be placed in the vnderstanding onely may hence appeare to be a soleeisme of the Romish language in that to the redresse of this enormity no peculiar reformation of the will or other intellectiue faculty we can imagine distinct from the vnderstanding is required sole fortification of the former Assent in what part of the soule soeuer it be seated or abatement of the contrary desire or inclination inherent for the most part in the sensitiue faculty will suffice Yet it may be such as first vsed this dialect now much abused by the Papacie did take the will in such a generall or catachresticall sense as Saint Augustine doth where vnder this name he comprehendeth not only the inclination rational or intellectuall vnto good but euery appetite desire or motion of the inferiour or sensitiue part whose reformation is in part presupposed as necessary but principally consequent to true Christian faith whose first office ere it selfe be perfect is to subdue affections or keep them vnder from doing euil afterwards to vse them as instruments in doing anie good the word of God shal commend vnto vs. Whence it may bee questioned whether this Assent should not belong vnto the sensitiue faculty in which the Philosopher for the reason late alleadged hath placed moral vertue not altogether incongruously to his speculatiue positions For if the efficacie of agents or terme of their actions be in the Patient moral vertue consisting especially in the modulation of sensitiue desires or affections vnto reason may wel bee referred vnto that part of the soule wherein affections are placed which in respect of the intellectiue faculty is patient Or perhaps to speake more properly and reconcile Aristotle with his master Plato moral vertue may consist partly of a directly or commaunding power in the vnderstanding partly of a submissiue obedience
or right mixture of our sensitiue desires or affections Or lastly seeing in true Philosophy the faculties sensitiue and intellectiue are but branches of one and the same soule or at the most but two parts of that compleat forme which distinguisheth a Man from creatures inanimate and takes from him life sense and reason all at once by it departure this Assent of faith being such as we haue sayd may most commodiously be placed in the common center wherein sensitiue and intellectiue inclinations concurre whence it may easiliest commaund the motions of both and diffuse it force and vertue throughout the whole substance and euerie faculty of the humane soule 16. If the Reader be desirous to haue the definition of faith or that part of it which naturally ariseth from this discourse comprehended as the schoole fashion is in two words he shall not much mistake if he terme it a spirituall prudence which includes as much as an Assent of the inteliectiue faculty able to ouersway and moderate the sensitiue or generally all humane affections or inclinations The Romanists conceit that Christian charity should informe true liuely faith is as preposterous as if we should say the affection doth informe the vnderstanding or vertues morall the intellectuall or if we speake of the loue wee beare to God the analogie of speech is no better then if wee should say the gratefull memory of pleasant obiects informes the faculty that perceiues them In what part of the soule soeuer this Queene of vertues lodge it hath the same commaund ouer our affections or practique powers that sense or appetite hath ouer the progressiue faculty which nature hath giuen to sensitiue creatures for accomplishmēt of their necessary desires That our Christian vertue should physically informe another is a conceit altogether dunsticall and now disclaimed in the explication of the old schoole maxim wherein without Iesuiticall comments no man but would thinke it were literally and necessarily included That Faith morally informes directs and commaunds charity as a guide appointed to it by him that is the author of both neither of them consulted by him that hath them will deny Albeit if lawfull it be to enstamp matters sacred with the exact forme of scholastique speech it is perhaps but one and the same spirituall grace which animates and enables the soule as to discerne the truth so to embrace the goodnesse of reuelations diuine and constantly to practice all kindes of Christian duties bearing diuers titles from execution of seuerall offices whiles it inspires diuers faculties of the same soule as one and the same breath hath different sounds in the seuerall pipes of the same organes or other wind instrument As it illuminates the mind or soueraigne part of the rationall soule it is tearmed faith as it moderates euery particular affection or desire it takes the name of the vertue peculiarly appointed to that charge making it of meerely morall truely Christian Vnto Parents kinsfolk acquaintance benefactors or such as wel deserue of them most men naturally are wel affected vnto all as men we owe humanitie and this affection being made conformable and subordinate to the directions of liuely faith becomes christian charity But ere it become such the same grace which as it illuminates the minde to see and strengthens it to embrace diuine truths proposed is tearmed faith doth alter the quality of this affection by purging it from carnall respect of persons or priuate purposes is termed faith doth alter the quality of this affection by purging it from carnall respect of persons or priuate purposes by enapting it to be ruled by faith which fixeth it only vpon such obiects as Gods word commends and in that degree it prescribes Though before we did affect others vpon such motiues as flesh and blood suggested yet afterwards wee must know no man so but all our loue is in the Lord. And though faith teach vs to enlarge our benignity or good minde towards all as well foes as friends yet it fixeth it especially on such as we deeme neerest allied vnto our Redeemer albeit their personall deserts or references towards vs be not so great In like sort doth one and the same grace perhaps for the manner physically but faith morally informe and moderates euery affection disposition or inclination that can be matter or rudiment of vertue It perfects our notions of equity and iustice it ripens and sublimates our seeds of temperance of valour of liberality For all these or other vertues are in a higher degree in minds endued with faith then in such as are destitute of it and principally set vpon such obiects as the naturall man could not affect But because loue thus informed by grace and directed or touched by faith of all christian vertues most resembles the dispositiō of our Lord and Sauiour and if in this life it could be perfect would fulfill at least the second part of the lawe if we compare it and faith as they are parts of our imperfect righteousnesse charity within its own proper sphere is intensiuely the greater or higher in this edifice as being supported held vpby faith but because our righteousnes is in it selfe imperfect and our charity towards others vnable to withstand Sathans malice against vs without externall muniments procured not by the merits of it but by faithfull prayers and supplications therfore as Christ is Alpha and Omega so is faith the first of al christian vertues in plantation and the last we must in this life rely vpon for retaining vniō with this author and finisher of faith CHRIST IESVS Briefly as he is to all the faithfull so is faith to all other vertues in this life a transcendent foundation and complement It remaines we shew first the truth of our maine conclusion by instances of sacred writ or such practices as it ascribes to faith Secondly the philosophicall premises whence we infer it to be most consonant to the phrase of Gods spirit which often teacheth vs more true philosophy in one word then Philosophers do in large volums The conclusion is we are then said rightly to belieue matters of our owne saluation when we Assent vnto them as good as necessary and worthy to be embraced not only whilst considered in themselues or in generall or without such incumbrances or occurrents as doe often interpose or hinder their practice but euen whilst actually compared with present losse of any sensual good or infliction of any transitory euill the world diuell or flesh can oppose to raise their price 17. Such must this Assent be in the habite or constant resolution though often defectiue in the act vpon disaduantages espied by Sathan But euery such defect we must account a dangerous sinne especially if we haue any distinct notice of actuall competition between carnal and spiritual good for this preposterous choice is properly not of faith but rather directly against the very nature of it as it is now defined to be an Assent vnto the meanes of
or resolution to attempt the meanes that may procure it if it bee apprehended as sure and easie to bee atchieued as it is great Will or desire in this case commonly out-starts the vnderstanding as men in thirst swallow their drinke before they perfectly discerne the taste Now as we say there is no seruice to the seruice of a King so is there no reward to the reward of the Almighty and therefore no workes so faithfully to bee performed as his For as shall hereafter better appeare euen that Faith by which we liue must be concurrent by an vniforme force or strength in euery worke that is truly good for such it is not if not faithfully done Nor can the truth force or vertue of Faith be better discerned or tried without lesse danger of error than by an vniforme or constant practice of what it teacheth to bee good In our Assent vnto the truth of the former maxim That God is a rewarder of then that diligently seeke him this second is necessarily included It is better to obey God than Man Not in this or that particular only or vpon some speciall dayes or seasons peculiarly set apart for his seruice but at all times in all places in euery thing that he commaunds For seeing wee are taught by the Article of creation that his dominion ouer euery creature is perpetually most absolute that of all their Being Existence Effects or Operations it is most true which Iob sayth of Riches The Lord giueth and the Lord taketh away at his pleasure that as he caused light to shine out of darknesse so can he turne matter of sorrow and mourning into ioy and mirth and laughter into woe and lamentations The conclusions essentially answering to these premises are Nothing can be against vs if he be for vs nothing for vs if he be against vs no harme can happen vs from any losse or paine if He be pleased no good from any ioy or mirth wee reape from any creature if He take displeasure at vs. Not that the condition of the faithfull in this life is alwaies so sweet pleasant as they could not be contented to exchange it with others for the present but that the worst which can befall them whilest sustained with hope of ioifull deliuerance grounded on Gods promises or allayed with internall sense of his sauours and extraordinary supportance is much better then the greatest ioyes or pleasures of the wicked whose issue is death This is our Apostles doctrine For no chastening for the present seemeth to be ioyous but grieuous neuerthelesse afterward it yeeldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousnesse vnto them which are exercised thereby 3. That men acknowledging the euident truth of these generalities should vsually faile most grieuously in the performance of particulars is not because they knew the generall and are ignorant of particulars directly subordinate for that is impossible but their assent to either being weake and not well rooted what they knew and assented vnto as true yea willed as good whiles simply considered in the absence of other good or temptations to the contrary they neither truely know nor assent vnto as good when they descend to actuall choise which is neuer effected but by comparing particulars with particulars present Then other desires which before were couched or dormiant begin to rouse themselues and oppugne the assent of faith which at the first like a wise and lawfull but an impotent Monarch may exhort not able to commaund them at length rather yeelding to their importunate demands then continuing resolute to controule their outrages least the soule in which both are seated be rent and torne with ciuill warres That which the Apostle in the processe of the former discourse so much commends in the Patriarches was not so much the quality or heauenly progeny as the strength and valour of their assent vnto Gods word and promises able to commaund all contrary affections of feare hope ioy and loue Noah did not differ from others of the old world in the obiect of his beliefe that there was a God which had created the world and could at his pleasure bring it to nothing was a truth â— manifestly knowne by light of nature and tradition of their Ancestours which successiuely had not beene so many but that they might easily deriue their pedigree from the almighty nor had they any philosophicall heresies or strange paradoxes to draw backe their assent from this part of truth but that God which had lately made would in so short a time destroy the earth with all the inhabitants by her neihhbour element would hardly be assented vnto by drunkards or gluttoÌ„s or if the eares of their soules were not closed vp in the fatnesse of their bellies yet these like their maister the diuell fearing least they had but a short time to raigne would rage the more and belch out these or like vnsauourie speeches Come let vs eate drink make merry and enioy the pleasures of the flesh whiles we may for if this scripulous fellowes words be true wee must all shortly die A present good they felt in such practices and hath the world learned any such wisedom since as to forgoe what they see and enioy vpon vncertaine hope of things vnseene No but rather this hypocrisie to say the truth which hee preached was more euident to them of his times then such as Gods messengers would enforce vpon vs or that Noah was a better Preacher then any wee haue now adayes Yet euen to this Preacher himselfe the Reuelation had been as obscure as most our messages are to this people had his mind been as much set on worldly mirth wealth or iollities This then was the commendation of that Faith by which hee became heire of the righteousnesse we seeke by ours that warned by God of things not seene as yet being waâ—y or as others read moued with feare of God no doubt in feare of whom true religious warinesse consists he prepared an Arke for the sauing of his house by the which he condemned the world and yet saued it too for an euerlasting Couenant was made with him that all flesh should perish no more by the sloud A shadow he was of that great Redeemer which hath comforted vs concerning our hereditarie curse and will saue his people from that fire which shall destroy the world wherin the wicked and worldly minded shall perish without redemption 4. The difficulties which Abrahams faith in his first triall was to wrestle with were much what of the same nature lands and possessions no doubt he had plenty in that place which hee knew and was well knowne in And who would leaue his fathers house or lose assurance of his naturall inheritance for faire promises of a better in a strange land None well experienced in the world Yet such was the strength of Abrahams Assent vnto Gods fidelity and bounty that no sooner called but he obeyed to goe out into a place which he should
better he had a cleered view of the recompence of the reward promised which enabled him to endure as well the want of earthly pleasures and contentments as the height of that great kings displeasure with such constancy as if he had seene him which is invisible and yet was in some sort seene by Moses so is faith of things to the naturall man vaseenâ— but in a manner seene by it 9. Scarse now one liuing would do as Moses did not one that would but should be censured not by worldlings only for a foole but by forward professors of truth for betraying Gods peoples cause if hauing such opportunity as he had of soliciting their good in the Court he should leaue his place to expect Gods prouidence or the priuate contentment of his conscience else-where But from commendation of his Faith the indicious reader may resolue not to troble his mind with such scrupulous cogitations as whether the faithfull albeit no such reward were promised were to indure as Moses did or whether as the Papists falsly lay to our great Worthies charge though others of lesse worth haue spoken somewhat indiscreetly intuition of reward pollute such workes as would be otherwise good if vndertaken onely because we know them pleasant to our God It is a truth most orthodoxall that the chiefe end of our best workes should be the fulfilling of Gods will or pleasure But let not any man hence take occasion by nice distinctions or curiosities to separate what God hath conioyned for his good will and pleasure it is to reward vs bountifully for well doing and to glorifie his name in our felicity nor can wee intend the accomplishment of his will or glory aright but as they are linked with his intention of good to vs. For surely he wils our life and happinesse more then our good deeds which but for the other he willeth not It was a slaunderous speech of an vngracious seruant to say his master reaped where hee had not sowen for our God lookes not for glory but vpon presupposall of good bestowed he neuer punisheth but for ingratitude neglect or abuse of his mercy or bounty The greatest praise we can procure him is to suffer our selues to be saued by the meanes hee hath thereto ordained and this hope of reward euen by his ordinance is that which strengthens the faith of his best seruants Or if thou thinkest that Moses faith was imperfect thy Sauiours beliefe or knowledge of his exaltation as man doubtlesse was not so Yet he as the same Apostle sayth for the ioy that waâ—â—et before him endured the crosse and despised the shame and hence is set at the right hand of God notwithstanding he did all things for the glory of his Father and because he knew it was his will so to doe of which will likewise hee knew it an especiall part that hee should propose heauenly ioyes as a counterpoise to vvorldly paine and sure hope of endlesse ioy as an antidote against transitory shame or disgrace Wherefore let vs also looke vppon CHRIST IESVS the Author and finisher of our faith and haue respect vnto the reward that we may endure with patience the race that is set before vs. 10. That the same faith so much commended by this Apostle was in respect of some obiects speculatiue or but an Assent of foresight of some diuine reuelations as true according to that difference betwixt Truth and Goodnes before handled is apparant from these instances By Faith Isaac blessed Iacob and Esau conc erning things to come By Faith Iacob when he was a dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and leaning on the end of his staffe worshipped By Faith Ioseph when he was a dying made mention of the departing of the children of Israell and gaue commaundement of his bones In none of these did their Assent vrge them to any difficult painfull or dangerous practise it was to wrestle only with the naturall imperfection of mans vnderstanding or incredulity arising thence not from any direct opposition of sensuall or corrupt affection Greater difficulties there were to disswade the people from aduenturing to passe through the red-sea but after this accomplished without danger the miraculous fall of Ierichâ—es walls was not so hard to be perswaded to their posterity or vnto such as had heard what the Lord had done for their fathers Yet by firme Assent vnto this diuine truth as certainly future the City was destroyed and Rahab saued What should we more say for the time would be too short and the discourse too long to insist vpon the like in Gedeon in Baruc in Samson in Iephte in Dauid in Samuel and in the Prophets What victory soeuer these or other Saints of God obtained ouer themselues or their passions ouer the enemies of God his lawes or their country ouer men wilde beastes or other creatures our Apostle ascribes to faith For by Faith they subdued kingdomes not by belieuing they had ouercome before they fought but by becomming valiant in fight from firme beliefe that all victory was from the Lord of hosts to whom it was a like casie to saue with few or with many By the same faith but as fixed vpon the morall lawe or other meanes of saluation they wrought righteousnesse By the same faith they obtained the promises not by perswading themselues they had them already sealed but by practising the conditions annexed vnto them By the same faith they stopped the mouthes of lions quenched the violence of fire escaped the edge of the sword of weake were made strong The weomen receiued their dead raised to life others also were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receiue a better resurrection And others haue been tried by mockings and scourgings yea moreouer by bonds imprisonment They were stoned sawen a sunder tempted slain with the sword they wandred about in sheep-skins and goat-skins being destitute afflicted tormented 11. These last passages of the Apostle warrant the canonicall truth of what an author not canonicall relates concerning these heroicall sonnes and that more heroicall mother whose reolution best exemplifies the nature of faith hitherto described by S. Paul to be such as we haue defined an Assent vnto euery part of Gods service or euery diuine promise not only as true good simply considered but as much better to the party assenting than the fairest profers supreme earthly powers can make either for auoidance of pain or torments present or speediest aduancement to greatest dignities The first resolutely professes in the name of all the rest we are ready to die rather then to transgresse the lawes of our fathers Nor did his soule draw back or shrink at such sauage and vnmerciful vsage as would moue pitty to see it practised vpon a beast Euen to behold a flourishing tree first bereft of bark then of al the naked branches yet 〈◊〉 standing lastly the greene trunk downe and cast full of sap into the fire would be
be his will directly they denie not for this general truth was not as yet directly contradicted by their present passions But now tenne daies had past since Ieremiah and they had mutually pledged their faith the one for notifying the other for executing Gods commaundement concerning this present case their former iealous feares of Nebuchadnezzars ill affection towards them had increased in the interim they had entertained some politicke hopes of shelter in Egypt from the storme that threatned Iudah Both these with the naturall stubbornnesse of their wils accustomed to long after things forbidden concurre to impaire and withdraw their former Assent causing them though not absolutely to distrust Gods power or goodnesse towards them nor altogether to disclaime Ieremiah for a Prophet yet to suspect his fidelity in this particular businesse For when he had made an end of speaking vnto them all the words which the Lord had recorded for the which the Lord their God had sent him vnto them euen all these words then spake Azariah the sonne of Hoshaiah and Iohanan the sonne of Kareah and all the proud men saying vnto Ieremiah thou speakest falsely the Lord our God hath not sent thee to say Goe not into Egypt to soiourne there But Baruch the sonne of Neriah setteth thee on against vs for to deliuer vs into the hands of the Chaldeans that they might put vs to death and carrie vs away captiue into Babylon So Iohanan the sonne of Kareah and all the Captaines of the forces tooke all the remnant of Iudah that were returned from all nations vvhither they had been driuen to dwell in the land of Iudah After they had thus shuffeled from their promise disobeyed Gods word abused his Prophet and prouoked him vnto vvrath with the vvorkes of their hands polluting their soules by burning incense vnto other gods in the land of Aegypt vvhither they were gone to dwell threatned with consummation of Gods vvrath which had ouertaken their fore-fathers and had almost deuoured their natiue countrie they beginne directly calcitrare contra stimulos and vtterly recall their former Assent vnto the generall truth so fully acknowledged before that Gods Commaundements ought to bee obeyed For these wee must consider were most peremptory against idolatry on which their hearts and affections were now fully let so as the opposition betwixt Gods word and their resolutions becomes immediate and diametrall Nor was there any coactiue power to bridle the vnruly bent of their vntamed affections now at liberty to run ryot and acquaint their hearts with what they had secretly wrought before No face of ciuill gouernment professing true religion to discountenance and ouer-awe their audacious and whorish for-heads from open auowing of what they purposed rather the sight of like practises authorised in Egypt did tempt their hearts to conceiue and their mouthes to professe greater abhomination then in their owne land they could haue thought on And as that excesse of insolency which moued the Israelite to wrong his brother made him withall more impatient of Moses reproofe So such of this remnant as were most conscious of former disobedience to Gods lawes were most forward and petulant to disclaime his present will expresly reuealed for their safety and like the old serpent to accuse his inhibitions in like case of false-hood or enuie For when Ieremiah had made an end of all his threatnings then all the men which knew that their wiues had burnt incense to other gods and all the weomen that stood by a great multitude euen all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt in Pathros answered Ieremiah saying As for the word that thou hast spoken vnto vs in the name of the Lord we will not hearken vnto thee but wee will certainly doe whatsoeuer thing goeth forth of our owne mouth to burne incense to the Queene of Heauen and to powre out drinke offrings vnto her as we haue done wee and our Fathers our Kings and our Princes in the Citie of Iudah and in the streets of Ierusalem For then had vvee plentie of victuals and sawe no euill But since wee left off to burne incense to the Queene of heauen and to powre on t drinke offerings vnto her vvee haue vvanted all things and haue beene consumed by the sword and by famine And vvhen vve burnt incense to the Queene of heauen and powred out our drinke offerings vnto her did vvee make our cakes to vvorshippe her and powre out drinke offerings vnto her vvithout our men 16. This last instance of these hypocrites will yeeld somewhat to euince a conclusion hereafter to be inferred That no affection vnrenounced not such as procure greatest applause and admiration amongst men but continually exposes our soules to Sathans checke That this cunning gamester by extraordinary skill to play vpon like aduantages can driue men into any point of infidelity heresie idolatrie atheisme or blasphemy against the holy Ghost as shall bee fittest for his purpose or as the opposition betwixt mens resolutions and truths reuealed shall fall out From the former examples wherby the Elders obtained good report we haue gained thus much for confirmation of our last assertion That the faith whereby Abraham was accounted righteous and by which the sonnes of Abraham must liue is a stedfast Assent to whatsoeuer God shall say as much truer then ought can be sayd against it to whatsoeuer hee shall commaund as much better then either the accomplishment of our owne desires or hopes or obedience to contrary commaundement of earthly powers whether accompanied with seuerest threats of any euil or surest promises of any good they or their instruments can procure vs. CHAP. VIII That knowledge of morall obiects in sacred dialect includes the affections concomitant The exact conformitie or correspondencie betwixt the Assent or adherence resulting from such knowledge and the proper obiect whereto it is applied 1. WHether right or no be it in the iudicious Readers power to examine and determine such choise as is too late for vs to recall is already made of Assent as the fittest threed to follow for vnwinding those perplexities which some late intricate disputes of aduerse parties haue wouen vnawares in this argument which we after them labour to vnfold Now seeing euery Assent especially of the intellectiue nature so necessarily presupposeth knowledge that the certainty as hath been obserued of the one can hardly spring but from the cleerenesse â—â— perspicuity of the other it will be a matter altogether impossible to giue the Reader a distinct and full view of the nature and essence of that Assent whose differencies and properties we out of Scripture seeke vnlesse wee first acquaint him with the true force and value of knowledge vnderstanding or other termes of vse equiualent in the dialect of the sanctuary 2. That words expressing the acts of sense or vnderstanding in the holy Ghost or his language that had not onely the forme of wholsome doctrine but the very words of eternall life vsually
care is to cast all his care on him as on a Guardian most tenderly respecting the wel-fare of all such as with prayers vnfayned commend themselues to his tuition That these are the immediate and proper effects of Christian beliefe or Assent vnto the diuine prouidence our Sauiour enstructs vs where he attributes carking care or worldly solicitude to Gentilisme or Infidelity Take no thought saying what shall we eate or what shall we drinke or wherewithall shall we be cloathed for after all these things do the Gentiles seeke for your heauenly Father knoweth that yee haue need of all these things But seeke ye first the kingdome of God and his righteousnesse and all these things shall be added vnto you A liuely embleme of this correspondency betweene the diuine attributes and our Assent or betweene the characters of Gods will and ours the holy Ghost hath purposely set forth vnto vs in the story of Abraham The prime and fundamentall obiect of Christian beliefe was that most illustrious act of Gods mercy in offering his only sonne in whom he was vvellpleased for the sinnes of the world Now to shew what manner of Assent is on our parts required for right acceptance of this inestimable fauour he will haue the like minde in Abraham that was in himselfe ready he must bee to sacrifice his sonne his onely sonne Isaac whom hee loued ere the couenant bee concluded with him Finally seeing the man CHRIST IESVS as hath been obserued is as the abridgement or visible modell of his fathers goodnesse which is incomprehensible his heauenly disposition the idaeall patterne after whose similitude a Christians life must be framed we are then rightlie said to belieue his incarnation life death and passion when as the Apostle speakes the same minde is in vs that was in him when we are not onelie willing to lay downe our liues for the brethren as he did his for vs but when our liues and conuersations entirely expresse the true proportion of that absolute perfection which shined in his humane nature as it did in the Glory of the Godhead His fathers loue to him brought forth the like affection in him towards vs and to his lawes so must his loue to vs worke loue in vs to our brethren and to all his commaundements Herein saith he is my father glorified that ye beare much fruite and be made my Disciples As the father hath loued me so haue I loued you continue ye in my loue If ye shall keepe my Commaundements ye shall abide in my loue as I haue kept my fathers Commandements and abide in his loue Thus made conformable to him not in one or few but in all points of obedience and Christian vertues we are rightly said to be edified in faith and to haue him fashioned in vs. Nor is there any Article in this creed whose stedfast beliefe doth not in one point or other worke this conformitie as in their explications God willing shall be manifested 10. The whole platforme of diuinity or Theology we may hence gather cannot better be defined or limited then between these two lines or borders A distinct explication first of the obiects to be beleeued and their certainty secondly of the meanes whereby their image or Characters may be engrauen vpon our soules This now may suffice that vnto that assent of faith or beliefe in Christ whereby the iust must liue such a knowledge of him and his attributes is required as shall enstampe our wâ—â— and affections with the â—iue image of his goodnesse and imitable perfections as truly as matteâ—s meerely speculatiue imprint their shape vpon the vnderstanding or obiects visible theirs vpon the eye For seeing all knowledge must be commensurable to the obiects knowne in such an impression of whose entire similitude as the seale leaues in the wax the perfection of it consists Our knowledge of morall obiects diuine especially which are as essentially good as true is imperfect vâ—lesse it include a solid impression of their goodnesse as well as a superfiâ—iall resemblance of their truth From this indiuisible vnion betwixt truth and goodnesse in matters diuine their names in phrase of scripture are oft times vsed promiscnously And it is a Maxime vndoubted in Diuinity That Christ Iesus must dwell in vs by the same bond and knot we dwell in him Now it is impossible that any part of him or which is all one of his liue image should be fashioned in vs by any other meanes then by knowledge or apprehension of his incarnation life death and passion with their consequences in respect of vs impossible that he should abide in vs or we in him by any other linke or bond besides firme and stedfast aâ—sent or adherence vnto these and other truthes concerning him reu ealed and knowne CHAP. IX What manner of knowledge it is whence the last and proper difference of that assent wherein Christian faith consists doth result the complete definition of such faith 1. SEeing the word in a generall the Lord of life in a sence more peculiar is not only the obiect of our beliefe but the true food of our soules and all food essentially includes a relation vnto tast the true nature of that faith or knowledge by which we liue cannot better be notified then by such a proportion betweene our minde and the food of life as is betweene the symbole or organicall faculty of bodily tast and the quality of the meate it relisheth As our bodily tast though the same in respect of all is not alike affected with all meates but relisheth euery one according to their seuerall qualities or degrees of proportion or disproportion with it selfe so though by one and the same faith wee assent vnto all matters reuealed in Scripture as true and good yet our soules find not the like comfort or refreshing in all but some albeit presented a farre off to their sence they apprehend with horror as the dregs of that cup which is in the hands of the Lord whereof all the vngodly must bee enforced to drinke Others though they come but within smell they entertaine with admiration yet feed not on them as we lightly essay strong waters or quintescences but vse them not as ordinary drinke such are the inscrutable mysteries of the Trinity the glory and maiesty of the Godhead Others are continually longed after as their onely food more or lesse according to the seuerall degrees of their goodnes in respect of vs. 2. No man that drinketh old wine straightway desireth new for he saith the old is better And in this case it is as easie to doe as to say because one and the same faculty enclines him to like of both and the apprehension of ones rellish or sweetnes being as proper and naturall as the others that which is so indeed will be esteemed better For where the constitution of the faculty is vniformaly eâ—clined to all it is alwaies most forcibly mooued by such of it proper obiects as are
death Thus much of true faith and the errors concerning the Nature of it It remaines we intreate of misperswasions concerning the possession or presence of it with the right vse of it and other spirituall graces that attend it SECTION 2. Of immature perswasions concerning mens present estate in grace with the meanes to rectifie or preuent them CHAP. I. The generall heads or springs of hypocriticall perswasions with briefe rules for their preuention 1. HHappy were we whom God hath appointed to sowe good seede in others hearts because not altogether without hope to see some fruits of our labours if this censorious age would permit vs to strike as freely at the rootes of Atheism infidelity or hypocrisy as it is ready to censure Atheists Infidels Hereticks or Hypocrites To me it hath often seemed a question very doubtfull but farre aboue my capacity to determine whether such as reuolt from the orthodoxall Church vpon obseruation of monstrous dissonancy betweene the truthes professed in it and the professors liues or resolutions be in case better or worse then such as embrace true religion vpon no better grounds then they or their confederates oppugne it Thus much the word of God will warrant that the portion of hypocrites shall be the bitterest in the life to come And yet hypocrisie if it be of that stampe which our Sauiour so much condemnes is alwaies moulded in that deepe notice or strong perswasion which men haue of their owne loue and others opposition vnto diuine truthes of their owne diligence and others negligence in performance of sundry duties expresly required by Gods lawe And this is a miserie of miseries peculiar to the hypocrite that whereas the height of others impiety ariseth from their opposing the way of truth and godlinesse this monster the more he detests falsehood and error or the impietie whether of others practises or opinions the more still he increaseth his owne corruption and warres vnwittingly against his owne soule For seeing loue to himselfe indulgence to his deare affections or carnall glorying in prerogatiues perhaps spirituall is the common roote as well of his imaginary loue vnto such points of truth as haue some kinde of coniunction with his humours as of the detestation he beares to others obliquities that in life or profession ill consort with him the oftener he lookes either on their knowne transgressions or his owne precise obseruance of such duties as by nature hee is addicted or otherwise accustomed to by both meanes he more pampers and nourishes that vicious habit whence the forementioned bad fruites did growe And thus at length by vsing the helpe of strong but impure vnruly affections to abandon particular errors he ouerthrowes his owne soule as the ancient inhabitants of this land did their state by vsing the Saxons aide to driue out the Picts 2. After this manner the Iew by nursing a loathsome conceit of Publicanes and open sinners dissoluâ—nessesse not tyed vnto so much as any solemn acknowledgement of their misdeeds or set forme of repentance tooke a surfet of those outward ceremonies which God had ordained as sauees to sharpen not as foode to satiate his appetite of sauing health Other-whiles fiercely bending his indignation against the idolatrie of the heathen by too much depression or debasement of their folly he sublimated his owne naturall inclination vnto pride and haughtinesse into presumptuous boasting in the purity of that lawe which God had giuen him by Moses Whence in the fulnesse of time sprung an irreconcileable hatred of the long expected Messias desperate contempt of his Gospell and wilful refusall of saluation preached in his name But howsoeuer the deadlinesse of this disease was most conspicuous in the fall of Gods chosen people whom wee may without suspition of slaunder seeing the holy Ghost hath written the obseruatioÌ„ safely charge with the infection yet the danger of it amongst all professors of true religion throughout euery age and nation continues the same as hauing a perpetuall cause in nature For whether wee speake of contraries morall or phisicall the enmities of the extreames is alwaies greater then betwixt them and the meane from which they alwaies so much further decline as they more eagerly entend their force each against other The greater strength heate and cold from their vicinity gather whether by mutual irritation or a secret kinde of daring each other to combate or by a stricter vnition of the materiall parts wherein their forces lodge the more both disagree with the luke-warme temper The more likewise the prodigall detests the niggards manners or the niggard his the farther both roaue the one ouer the other short from that marke whereat they aime but which truly liberality only hits And as the mutuall discord of extreames grows greater by the increase of their seueral strengths so the hastie or violent introduction of the one into a subiect capable of both makes waie for the others entertainment and excludes the meane which findes no entrance but where it is vshered by moderation So water too much or too violently heated is more apt to freeze then to retaine the middle temper Young prodigalls we often see turne old niggards seldome liberall vnlesse their education haue been exceeding good their naturall discretion extraordinary or the seeds of vertue in them very strong And what more vsuall then for a niggards feast because not agreeable to his ordinary disposition to smell of waste and prodigalitie Buzzards by naturall constitution through extreamity enforced to take heart and turne againe ouerrunning valour boisterously rush into fury And desperate hotshots once made to feele the smart of their folly become afterwards basely timerous The Cynicke could spurne at his fellow Philosophers pride but so as his scornfull heeles did bewray his preposterously proud ambitious heart 3. Are these obseruations true in workes of nature or morall affections onely and not in perswasions of religion Yes euen in these also for hath not the vntimely heat of indiscreete precisenesse disposed sundry in our daies to freeze the sooner in the dregges of Popery Haue not others mounted so high in groundlesse and presumptuous confidence that their sudden fall hath made them sinke for any helpe man could affoord without recouery into the very suds of melancholy and desperation Others vpon a dislike of their former hot enforced zeale haue changed their wonted confidence into carelesnesse and become open professors of licentiousnesse like the possessed childe in the Gospell falling sometimes into the fire sometimes into the contrary element And experience prooues it so common a thing for young Saints such I meane as affect to be ripe in holinesse ere well growne in ordinary discretion or common honesty to prooue old diuels that the bent of nature vnseasonable or too much curbed in the parents oftentimes burst out in the vnbridled affections of their children 4. The reason of the experiments whether in nature moralities or religion is as perspicuous as they are true For contrarie exstreames alwaies
one or few good qualities or practises of such duties as our naturall affections out of particular affinitie or alliance impell vs vnto not counterpoising these perswasions with proposall of contrary difficulties or trying their strength by performance of such other Christian exercises as are most contrary to their natural inclinations As what man is ther by nature free and bountiful but wil throughly Assent vnto our Sauiours saying as true good beatius est dare quà m accipere it is more blessed to giue then to receiue Yet many by too much applauding their obedience in this particular come at length to giue more then is their owne or so much of their owne as others cannot get from them what is theirs and so excessiue diligence in this breeds extreame negligence or rather manifest breach of that other rule altogether as necessary owe nothing vnto any man but loue and yet whiles they compare themselues and their good deeds with the miserable and hard hearted these seeme as Iewes vnto them and they againe vnto these as worse then Infidels being not more carefull to prouide for their wife children and other committed by nature to their charge Many againe by wedding their thoughts vnto this perpetually diuorce themselues from the former of our Sauiour vtterly abandoning all deeds of charitie as the bastard brood of popery and superstition 3. Not one almost by nature faire conditioned or of a a plausible behauiour by education desirous to gaine the loue of all without giuing iust offence to any but will admire the humility the meekenesse the placide and sweet affection of our Sauiour his gentle tollerance of his Disciples long ignorance the milde intreatie and kinde inuitations of grieuous and open sinners And yet many I haue obserued and some farre aboue the vsuall pitch of vulgar Christians many times from too much congratulating this affinity betwixt their naturall disposition and our Sauiours degenerate into old Elies facility or the contrary Stoicall apathie demeaning themselues as if all sinnes were alike as little moued with fowle and grieuous offences against Christ contempt of his Sacraments wilfull and affcted breach of sacred lawes flouting at professed obseruance of fundamentall precepts of Christianitie open auowing wretchlesse neglect of oaths as if they were but matters of ordinary passe some light ierke or gibe or hadnsome exchange of words in table-talke not worthy to be stood vpon amongst friends or mutuall welwillers This is a defect of faith so common to such as for their esteeme and experience in the world are held to be fittest censurers of Christian manners that if one should be put to giue a phisicall definition of discretion according to the vse or application of the word in such mens language he could not better expresse the nature of it than by a temper apt to bee much moued with nothing but what directly crosseth their maine purposes or may defeat them of their principall ends as gaine preferment honor applause of the multitude or fauour with men whose persons they hold in admiration for some aduantage But were our hearts enspired with true and liuely faith it would teach our affections as to hold one straine or tenor in matters of course indifference or wordly consequence so to rise and fall to swell and asswage whether in admiration or detestation according to the different worth or indignity of obiects presented to them Not thus qualified we cannot hold consort with the sweet harmony of our Lord and Sauiours affections whose indignation at indulgence to such open sinnes as directly dishonoured his father did raise it selfe aboue the straine of princely wrath and displeasure witnesse his whipping the buiers and sellers without respect of persons out of the temple yet buying and selling of temples with the appertinences is the readiest meanes with vs to compasse greatest places in the Church and and oft times because we see no meanes of preuailing against the wolues we hope to haue some share or offals of the prey or for our silence to be at length admitted into the association but O my soule come not thou into their secrets vnto their assembly mine Honour though honour should be thy reward bee not thou vnited In their ambition they slay and murder soules and in their selfe will they ruinate the wals of Christs Church Here were a fit place to admonish some most detesting Idols or images in Churches that the sacriledge they commit continually is a sin no lesse detested of their God But it would require a larger comment then in this place I may insert to perswade that truth vnto the belly which euery true Diuine comparing the Prophets word with the Euangelists will conceiue that the abuses committed by these marchandizing Iewes in the Temple wâ—â— more offensiue to the pure eies of the Lord then their forefathers walking after other Gods and burning incense vnto Baall 4 The holy Ghost I am perswaded would not so pathetically haue deciphered the sweet amity of Dauid and Ionathan but with purpose to commend it as an especiall ornament of heroicall minds or as a vertue to be imitated by euery faithfull professor of the truth And yet in men farre otherwise qualified then these woorthies were and aiming at contrary ends first linked in friendship vpon dislike occasions for the most part vpon mutuall consciousnesse of foule crimes or combination in euils and continuing the bond vpon worldly or carnall considerations the imitation of like loue is adulterous It may be Achitophell was as firme and constant vnto Absalom against Dauid as Ionathan was to Dauid against the commandement of his father Saul Notwithstanding that Ionathans reference vnto Saul was neerer then Achitophels vnto Dauid the same affection in the one was like the loue of the bridegroome and the spouse chast and loiall in the other praeposterous and abhominable like the vncleane lusts of Sodome This is a wild plant of barbarous Gentilisme so deepely rooted in most professed Christians hearts that the extirpation of it requires a peculiar volume for scarce can we find any loue amongst men which is not deadly enmity against Christ So mightely is the poison of it diffused throughout all our faculties and affections that close sticking to a friend though in matters neither iustifiable by the law of God or man is held such an extraordinary act of charity as may serue to couer a millian of other vnchristian practises Most out of consciousnesse of such performances will not spare to censure others most maliciously if they will not accord with them to forsweare themselues for their friend forsake their God and denie their Redeemer for so he doth that resolues to patronage or beare his brother out in wrongs or foule offences and rather seekes not first to worke him vnto true repentance to sue for mercy at Gods hands christian reconcilement with his brother whom he offends Whosoeuer loues father or mother brother or sister much more a friend more then
Christ is not worthy of him Yea he forsakes him in not disclaiming them in vniust courses Euen amongst men to professe greatest loue to one and take part with another in causes which equally concerne both and both alike affect is in the mildest censure it can admit a breach of friendship or forsaking of his friend Yet who can be so neere a friend to vs as our Redeemer is to truth what can they whom we loue best on earth so much affect as he doth equitie and righteous dealing Is it then hyperbolicall to affirme or rather hypocrisie either in heart or word to denie that he which for loue to his friend pâ—ruâ—rts equity transgresseth the common rule of charitie and ouerthrowes iudgement especially of the sonnes of affliction openly denies Christ who is alwaies the principall in euery controuersie of right or wrong alwaies more offended with vniust grieuances then the parties grieued are euer better pleased with doing right then he to whom right is done 5 Others againe through heat of blood or greatnes of spirit aduenturous or otherwise prodigall of life for purchase of fame can with ioy imbrace such dangers in Christs cause as would much daunt many good professors In perswasions of zeale hence grounded they might perhaps die in battell against the Infidels or in the Romish inquisition and yet doe no more for the Sauiour of their soules then they would for a strumpet or some consort of bodily lust or then malefactors haue done one for another And it is a miserable kind of martyrdome to sacrifice a stout body to a stabborne minde yet besides the vanitie of the conceipt or ouer esteeme of their owne faith or vncharitable censures of others frailties in like difficulties the very nursing of this resolution vpon these motiues disenables them either for the right fruition or resignation of life vpon others more acceptable to the Lord and giuer of life Few thus brauely minded but are more impatient of life or death attended on with disgrace of the most or such as they expect should be propagators of their fame more impotent then others to resist contempt or set light of publike scorne Howbeit the strength of faith rightly Christian is better tried by valour passiue such as appeared in our Sauiour when he willingly submitted himselfe to the taunts mockes and abuses of his enemies then by valour actiue such as Peter shewed when he smote of the high Prists seruants eare the cause in generall was most iust and the resolution bold hauing not one for three to mainetaine the quarrell but Peter at this time was more fit to make a souldier then a martyr for which seruice secular souldiers are for the most part meaneliest qualified All the circumstances of the story notwithstanding perswade me it was resolution truely noble and Christianly valourous as proceeding from liuely faith in that French Souldier who for his zealous profession of reformed religion adiudged with others to the fire and in lieu of all his good seruice to the King and state hauing this grace bestowed vpon him that he should goe to the stake gentleman-like without a with demaunds the reason why hee might not be permitted to weare such a chaine as his fellowes did esteeming this rebuke of Christ more glorious then the ensignes of Saint Michaels order Such vncorrupt witnesses of Christ were these Aluigeans mentioned in the second booke which neither out of stubborne humour of contradiction nor hope of celebritie amongst men but out of sincere loue vnto the truth gaue euidence for the recouery of Christs Gospell concealed and prescribed against by the iniquitie of former times But in Saint Cyprians time the solemne memoriall of former martyrs and that high accompt which Christians made of Confessors that had escaped did bribe others to giue testimony vnto Christs name desirous to die the death of the righteous out of loue indeed but not of that iust one but of fame and vaine glory Against this poison that religious Father and holy Martyr prepared this antidote following which I esteeme so much the more because of the good effect it wrought in himselfe Christ bequeathed peace vnto vs enioyning vs to be of one heart and one minde the league of loue and charity he commanded should be inuiolately kept He cannot approue himselfe a Martyr that holds not the band of brotherly loue and againe He is a confessor but after confession the danger is greater because the aduersary is more prouoked He is a confessor in this respect he is more stricktly bound to stand for the Gospell as hauing through the Gospell obtained greater glory of the Lord. For the Lord hath said it to whom much is giuen of him much shall be required and more seruice shall bee exacted of him on whom more dignitie hath beene bestowed Let no man perish through the confessors example let no man learne iniustice insolence or perfideousnesse from his manners He is a confessor let him be humble and meeke let him be modest in his cariage that as he is entitled a confessor of Christ so he may imitate Christ whom he consesseth for he hath said He that exalts himselfe shall bee brought low and his father hath exalted him because he humbled himselfe here on earth albeit he were the word the power and wisedome of his father and how can hee loue arrogancie which hath enioyned humility by his law and hath obtained a name aboue all names of his Father as a reward of his humility 6. Non sanguis sed causa facit Martyrem It is not the blood but the cause that makes a Martyr was a saying subscribed vnto by orthodoxall antiquity and since approued by the ioint consent of all truely religious I may adde it is not the cause or profession of whose truth and goodnesse men rest strongly perswaded but the grounds whereupon they imbrace it or motiues inducing them to giue testimony to it which makes their death acceptable vnto God Christ requires we keepe our bodies without blemish or purifie them by repentance if they haue beene spotted with the world ere we offer them vp in sacrifice vnto him He that truely Assents to the greater and more terrible of worldly euils as good and fit to be sustained in his cause will questionlesse suffer and sustaine grieuances of lesse weight at his request Now he that commands vs to deny our selues rather then him before men exacts of vs that we confesse him by integritie and fidelity in his seruice by abstinence from vnlawfull pleasures of what kinde soeuer none of which can bee so deare to vs as is life which he that for his sake renounceth by faith would by the same renounce all pleasures incident to it For he that faithfully obaies in the greater and more difficult will doubtlesse performe like obedience in the lesse We know saith Saint Iohn that we haue passed from death to life because we loue the brethren he that loueth not his
brother abideth in death vnlesse out of this loue as iointly respecting our brethren we lay downe our liues in loue or testimony of the truth we doe not rightly confesse CHRIST nor die in faith for whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer And as he addeth hereby perceiue we the loue of God because he laid downe his life for vs. but whereby shall we perceiue our loue to him if we doe as we ought and we ought as it followeth to lay downe our liues for the brethren Not onely to redeeme many of them if that were possible from a bodily death by dying for them but rather to encourage euery one by our examples to embrace the truth and confesse CHRIST before men whether by life or death whether by profession of truth or practise of workes commanded as occasion shall be offered He that requires vs to lay downe our liues for their soules will looke we should distribute our goods to relieue their bodies otherwise to die for them is no true testimony of our loue to CHRIST for who so hath this worlds goods and seeth his brother hath neede and shutteth vp his bowels of compassion from him how dwelleth the loue of God in him Againe though we feede the poore with all our goods and yet haue not this loue to lay downe our liues for the brethren it profiteth nothing and though we giue our bodies to be burned for them and haue not this other part of loue to feede them or those attributes of it in the same place expressed by the Apostle as long sufferance kindnesse without enuie without boasting without pride without disdaine without exaction of our owne with placide affections neither prouoking nor easie to be prouoked but reioscing in truth and detesting iniquity with viformity of faith hope and conscience it profiteth nothing For as hath beene obserued before consideration of what CHRIST hath done for vs must bring foorth in vs the same minde that was in him a minde to doe his fathers will in euery point alike sincerely but with greater intentions or alacritie as the occasions or exigence of seasons shall require Sometimes we may more faithfully confesse his name by standing for some branch of truth no generall point of saluation in opposition to men of contrary mindes with whom we liue whose proiects tending to the dishonour of Gods name and preiudice of his dearest children we may hinder then by professing all the articles of true religion vpon the enemies racke or witnessing some principall truth before the fagot 7. Besides the obhomination of the causes they maintaine great presumptions or rather strong euidences there be many of their corrupt mindes whom the Romish Church in latter yeares sets footh for Martyres to the world First the Diuifications ascribed vnto them as their enrolements in the catalogue of former Saints inuocations adorations of their reliques and the like would haue mooued most heathen Romanes or Egyptians to haue aduentured on greater dangers or indignities then they are put to for one of their foolish Gods an ape a serpent or a crocodile Yet these men not inconsequently I must confesse vnto their magicall conceipt of faith and holinesse imagined by them in dead workes thinke their blood shed in the Catholique cause shall wipe away their actuall sinnes as clearely as the water of baptisme by their doctrine doth originall And as that sweete relator of his fruitefull obseruations in matters of religion hath ascertained vs that Italians are vsually imboldned to sinne because they must haue matter to confesse so men of great place and authority in this land would not suffer vs retired students to be ignorant that some seminary priests haue purpoposely giuen the raines to fleshly lusts vpon confidence the executioners knife should worke a perfect circumcision or the fire purifie their polluted members at the day of execution Or in case they neuer felt the seuere stroake of iustice yet their constant resolution to suffer and daily expectation of being called vnto this fiery triall should serue as a cloake to couer those impuriâ—es which the purity of CHRISTS blood shed vpon the Crosse such is the abhomination of their hypocrisie without perfect inherent righteousnesse cannot hide So farre too many of them are from sobriety meeknes and humility those other qualifications required by Saint Cyprian in true Martyres that the gift of impudence scurrility and disdaine serues no home-bred malefactors halfe so well in the time of their durance or whilest they are brought before the face of authority or arraigned at the barre of iustice as it doth them as if they would giue vs to vnderstand that the marke of the beast spoken of by S. Iohn had some such especiall vertue as these characters traiterous Gowry brought out of Italy which stopped his blood from running out after his body was runne through as this doth theirs from appearing in their foreheads for onely to blush they are ashamed euen whilest they pierce through their owne soules and pollute their country aire with hideous forraine blasphemies but in re mala animo sâ—vtare bono iâ—uat a good face put vpon a bad matter ofttimes auaileth much yet with men not with God vnto whose mercy I leaue such as affect to bee Pseudo-martyres beseeching him of his infinite goodnesse to alighten their hearts that they may see at length the abhominable filth of that Idole to which so many parents in this land are desirous to sacrifice their dearest children and these men their very soules But oh Lord stop the infection that it spread not from the dead vnto the liuing 8. But leauing this huge lake two no small sinckes of hypocrisie I haue espied from whose noysomenesse many otherwise well affected scarce are free but into which Lord let not my soule descend for their euâ—cation is into the bottomelesse pit The one an opinion there can bee no fit matter of martyrdome in a state authorising the free profession of that religion which amongst many we like best and left to our selues would make choise of The other which in part feeds this is a perswasion that meere errors in doctrine or opinion are more pernitious then affected indulgence to lewd practises or continuance in sinfull courses or open breaches of Gods commandements These are teliques of Romish sorcery which puts an abstract sanctity in the mathematicall forme or superficial draught of orthodoxal doctrine as it is in the braine though deuoide of true holinesse in life and conuersation or good affection in the heart and hence accompteth heresie that is euery opinion different from the tenents or contrary to the practises of their Church a sinne more deadly then any other and which in their iudgement doth vtterly depriue vs of such faith as they maintaine though that no better if not worse then diuels But if we recall what hath been hitherto discussed First That Christian faith is an Assent vnto diuine reuelations not only as true in themselues
the dead from whence also he receiued him in a figure And as hee staggered not at the first promise concerning his birth through vnbeliefe so neither did he now dispute with God about the lawfulnesse of his act nor reason how he should be raised againe Iustified he was at both instants by his beliefe not as terminated to his worke or to the possibilitie of Isaacks birth and resurrection but as through them it found accesse to his birth death and resurrection whom Isaac prefigured Hauing performed Gods will in obeying his Commaund to sacrifice his onely sonne hee patiently expected the promise concer-cerning his Redeemer whose incarnation whose sufferings and exaltation are obiects of Faith not of works effected by God and not by man although to the like application of their benefits the right works as were in Abraham be most necessary seeing true beliefe of this promise as in the first section was declared virtually includes the same minde in vs that was in CHRIST a readinesse to doe workes of euery kinde which notwithstanding are no associates of Faith in the businesse of iustifycation Not to bee weake in faith not to doubt of the promise through vnbeliefe to be strengthened in faith to be fully perswaded that bee which had promised was able also to performe were pure acts of faith though virtually including works as proper thereto as forcibly excluding all other vertues from sharing with it in this businesse as can possibly bee conceiued yet sayth the Apostle euen for these acts late mentioned it was imputed to him for righteousnesse How preposterous then and basely shuffling are the glosses put by Bellarmine vpon the Apostle in this place as if his purpose had been to shew that the impious and vniust could not be iustifyed by workes onely because Abraham though iust before was not made more iust by meere workes without faith when as he leuels his whole discourse to the cleane contrarie point maintained by vs That seeing righteousnesse was imputed to Abraham by faith and not through works none after him should in this life at any time whether before or after the infusion of grace or inherent righteousnesse presume to seeke or hope for like approbation from God otherwise then onely by faith Thus much the Apostle hath as fully and plainly expressed as any ingenuous Reader can desire Now it was not written for his sake alone that it to wit the strength and full assurance of his faith was imputed to him sorrighteousnesse but also for vs to whom it the like faith shall be imputed for righteousnesse if wee belieue in him that raised vp IESVS our Lord from the dead The ground of the Apostles reason or similitude here mentioned wherein the force and strength of our argument is included supposeth all our righteousnesse whether actuall or habituall should bee as vnapt to attaine euerlasting life or saluation which is the end of all graces bestowed vpon vs as Abrahams decrepit body was to produce so many nations yet as he onely by belieuing God who was able to effect thus much and more obtained the promise and was blessed with more children from Sarahs dead wombe then the most fruitfull Parents that liued before or should come after them so wee onely by like firme beliefe in the same God which raised vp our Lord IESVS CHRIST from the dead shall bee partakers of the promise made in him heires of eternall life whereto seeing our inherent rightcousnesse hath no proportion it must for this reason still be sued for as a meere gift of God farther exceeding all desert of any supernaturall grace in vs then the mighty increase of Abrahams seed did the strength of his decaied nature 6. The first spring of all Romish errors in this argument issues out of their generall ignorance of Saint Pauls phrase amongst many of whose sayings seeming hard and incompatible with their schoole conceits that Rom. 4. of Gods iustifying the impious and vngodly ministers greatest offence and causeth them to inuert the course of their diuinitie quite contrary â—o the Apostles methodâ— To pronounce him iust that is internally impious and vniust cannot in their schoole learning stand with Gods truth but to make him which ere while was by nature vniust and impious inherently and perfectly iust by plentifull infusion of grace is an argument as they deeme of his goodnesse no disparagement to his iustice as perchance it were not might wee iudge of his purpose to saue sinners by the rules of humane reason neuer consulting the Canons of life But if wee conceiue of Gods grace by his comments in whom it dwelt in great abundance this verie conceipt of being iustified by its inherence includes extreame antipathy to the nature and vtterly peruerts the right vse of it as to restraine thâ—â— same Apostles speeches to the first iustification or prime infusion of inherent righteousnesse which is the necessarie consequent of the former error is coÌ„tradictiously to contest with the spirit by which he vttered these diuine Oracles For if belieuing him which iustifies the impious were imputed for righteousnesse vnto Abraham after he had been for a long time more righteous then the ordinarie sort of Gods Saints or Elect Abraham all this while vnfaignedly belieued himselfe to be a sinner no way iustified in himselfe but seeking to be iustified by him who if he shew not mercie vnto sinners whiles they are sinners all mankind should vtterly perish Against this poisonous leauen wherewith the Pharisee first and the Romanist his successor since hath infected the bread of life and tainted the first fruites of Gods spirit S. Paul prescribes that Catholick antidote There is no difference all haue sinned and are depriued of the glory of God and are iustified freely by his grace through the redemption which is in CHRIST IESVS Abraham was all his life time comprehended in this catalogue and is made by the Apostle as a perpetuall so a principall instance of that finall resolution Therefore we conclude that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe Was hee then in no sort iustified by workes Yes hee might boldly contest as Iob did and euery godly man yet safely may with others for integrity of life and plenty of workes in which hee might iustly reioice or glorie yet with men not with God In this sense their resolution which say we are iustified by workes before men not before God is most true and warranted by that place of Saint Paul let them nothence deny or occasion others to forget that such integritie or comparatiue rightcousnesse to inherent is necessarily presupposed to iustification in the sight of God and doth not only declare our faith or iustification to men seeing it implies a contradiction in the vnanimous tenent of all reformed Churches to admit faith precedent and workes onely subsequent to the iustification whereof Paul here speakes His drift and scope in that third and fowrth to the Romans
is onely this That although men may bee truely iust and holy in respect of others and rich in all manner of workes that are good as Abraham was thus farre known and approued not by men onely but by God yet when they appeare before his tribunal who best knows as wel the imperfectioÌ„ as the truth of their integritie they must still frame their supplications sub forma pauper is yea sub forma impij alwaies acknowledging themselues to be vnprofitable seruants alwaies praying Lord forgiue vs our sinnes and bee mercifull to vs miserable sinners The onely complement of all inherent righteousnes possible in this life is this perpetuall vnfaigned acknowledgement of our vnrighteonsnesse whereby wee are made immediately capable of his righteousnesse which alone can couer our sinnes as being alone without all staine or mixture of impiety The like vnfaigned acknowledgement of their sinnes or faithfull plea for mercy the hypocrites or men deuoid of faith or grace inherent cannot possibly make as shall anon be declared This absolute necessity and vtter insufficiency of workes or righteousnesse inherent to iustification in the sight of God is as perspicuous from the Apostles instance in Dauid who had resolued this doubt Lord who shall dwell in thy Tabernacle who shall rest in thine holy mountaine with S. Iames He that walketh vprightly and worketh righteousnesse and speaketh the truth in his heart Hee had pronounced a blessing to the man that walketh not in the counsell of the wicked but setteth his delight in the Lawe of the Lord shall we imagine such a man to be without workes The Lord as he addes knoweth the way of the righteous which is as much as Saint Iames meant by iustification as much as was said to Abraham vpon that fact by which as the Apostle sayth hee was iustified For that God should know their wayes implies his approbation of their persons for men vpright and intire in respect of hypocrites and fruitlesse hearers of their workes for such as hee requires in the parties to be iustified by him Were they therfore iustified or finally acquitted by or for their works If finally acquitted then blessed likewise for them Now in opposition to this Pharisaicall conceit S. Paul directed by the Spirit who best knew the Psalmists full meaning in euery passage vpon what occasions and vnto what point hee spake directly brings in Dauid himselfe deriuing the blessednesse vsually pronounced in Scriptures to the intire and vpright in heart from Gods mercies as from it onely true and immediate cause not from their vâ—rightnesse or integrity with which it hath connexion onely finall as being applied onely to parties thus qualified none originall To him that worketh not but belieueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse euen as Dauid declareth the blessednesse of the man vnto whom God imputeth righteousnesse without workes saying Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose sinnes are couered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord imputeth no finne The man then in whose spirit is no guile for of such the Psalmist speaketh is iustified not because of his sincerity but because the Lord imputeth not that sinne vnto him which he still vnfaignedly acknowledgeth to bee in him continually praying Lord enter not into iudgement with thy seruant alwaies confessing Lord in thy sight no flesh liuing shall be iustified to wit otherwise then by not entering into iudgement or by nonimputation of his sinnes Thus you see euen the best of Gods saints seeke iustification onely by faith with Saint Paul and yet require thereto with Saint Iames Pure Religion and vndefiled in the sight of God euen the Father 7. This reconcilement of the seeming contradiction betweene these two Apostles hitherto prosecuted doth voluntarily present it selfe to such as consider the seuerall occasions of their writings and take not their speeches as they now lie most commodiously for application vnto moderne oppositions For one and the same Physician to prescribe medicines much different to diseases altogether diuerse or quite contrarie would neither impeach him of vnskilfulnesse or vnconstancy The very contrarietie of their errors with whom these two Apostles had to deale would drawe speeches from any one of vs that should seuerally entend their refutation in forme as contradictorie as theirs be yet both fully consonant to the truth because rightly proportioned to their opposite ends The Iew whose heresie S. Paul labours to auert from the Romaines and to â—oot out of the Galathians looked for a Messias immediately to crowne the conceited perfection of their workes with honour on earth and glory in heauen not one that should be the end and perfection of the Law to free them from the curse it had brought vpon them or to reconcile them vnto God by his righteousnesse To beate downe this pride there was no remedy possible besides faith in CHRIST no method so auaileable as that hee vseth first setting foorth the haynousnesse of sinne and necessity of it inherence whose consideration might deiect them afterwards prâ—ssing Gods mercies in CHRIST offered to all that would denie themselues confesse their sinnes and by faith vnsaigned relie on their Redeemers satisfaction Saint Iames disputes against the opposite error of the Libertines who presumed the merits and perpetuall mediation of CHRIST to be not onely most necessary but in themselues sufficient to saue all that did apprehend them as true although destitute of such workes as their calling required and as Gods decree exacted for the effectuall application of Christs allsufficient merits which for this reason are scarce mentioned by this Apostle because magnified they were though not too much yet amisse by the parties whom he refutes Their contempt or wanton inuerting of Gods graces offered or in part receiued was no lesse hainous or preposterous then if Bartimeus or others in his case called by our Sauiour in hope to recouer their sight should haue desired Him rather to haue made such a new sun as might make blind men see without any internall light in the eye or alteration in the organ of sight Not by any necessity of nature but by the will and purpose of the Almighty grace and righteousnesse inherent though imperfect are as necessary for effectuall adherence or vnion to CHRIST as the Christall humor of the eye or right constitution of the whole organ is for perception of colours or light externall Hence is the seeming inconuenience arising from Saint Iames his causall forme of speech 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 easilie answered For the immediate and principall cause presupposed it is vsuall to attribute a kinde of causality to the qualification of the subiect though requisite onely as a meere passiue disposition without which the principall or sole agent should want his efficacie To one demaunding why the Moonâ— should be ecclipsed when the earth is directly interposed betweene it and the body of the sunne this forme of speech would neither be improper nor
reiteration but we are not to denie that of all which is incompatible onely with some Wee are therefore to consider there is a threefold iustification one radicall or fundamentall which is the infusion of habituall grace or faith and this is neuer but one another actuall which I accompt actuall supplications made in faith for the remission of sinnes committed either before the infusion of faith or after What it is to pray in faith is partly intimated before partly in the end of this Chapter else-where more fully and purposely handled The third is iustification vertuall which consists in the performance of that and the like precepts watch and pray continually which cannot be meant of actuall prayers for hee that so praies continually shall continually vse much babling In this perpetuity of vertuall prayer consists the permanent duration of iustification which yet hath many interruptions A man may haue the habite of faith and yet not alwaies pray in faith either actually or vertually as he may be out of charity with his brother or vnlawfully deteine goods wrongfully gotten without present forfeiture of his estate in grace though to pray in faith it is impossible in the one case vntill hee be reconciled to his brother or haue freely forgiuen him in the other vntil he hath made restitution of those things his conscience condemned him for keeping The perpetuitie of this vertuall prayer or iustification therein consisting depends vpon the continuance of some former resolution or intention made in faith which is not alwaies preiudiced by minding other matters but only by doing things forbidden by the law of God or as S. Paul speakes not of Faith A man intending to go a iourney vertually continues his former intent so he keepe on his way without digression albeit he actually minde not the businesse hee goes about but entertaine such other thoughts or discourse as way or company shall affoord But if through too much minding cōpany or other matters he should chance to wander or for slow opportunities of dispatching his intended businesses his vertuall intention is interrupted and time lost must bee redeemed with double diligence So must such ruptures as actuall sinnes or omission of necessarie duties make in the perpetuity of vertuall praying or permanency of iustification thence depending be repaired with actuall praiers made in faith But here wee may descry the idle curiosity of some wits more acute then subtile at least then sound and rather apt through multiplying entities without necessity to obscure matters in themselues distinct and cleere then to cleere difficulties or obscurities For some there bee which speake of Faith and Repentance as of two spirituall habits or graces really or at least essentially distinct It is one thing indeed to rise another to walke yet both immediate and proper acts of one and the same motiue faculty so is it one thing to belieue and another to repent yet both formall acts of one and the same habite only the later includes a peculiar reference to a slip or fall whence it receiueth a distinct name from the former which specially imports a direct progresse in the way of godlinesse without interruption Better we cannot notifie the nature of true repentance then by restauration of faith to it wonted throne out of which it had for a time bin iustled by sinfull affections though not deposed from it soueraigntie as Dauid was preiudiced by his sonnes rebellion and for a time enforced to forsake the Hill of Sion though not depriued of his kingdome Euen such repentance as vsually goes before regeneration hath a correspondent faith annexed the difference betwixt them onely such as is betweene heate and calefaction which as some good Philosophers resolue vs is heate not acquired or consistent but onely in the motion or acquisition Or briefly to speake more fully Faith alwaies moues vnto repentance which generally taken may in few words not vnfitly be defined to be a sorrow for sin conceiued and moderated by faith and as the faith is such is the sorrow either meerly morall or truely spirituall 4. The summe of all we haue deliuered in these two chapters is briefly but most diuinely set downe by Saint Iohn who though hee vse not the formall tearmes of iustification yet expresseth by nature of it howsoeuer taken by words equiualent or rather more theologicall or significant as by fellowship with God the Father his Sonne CHRIST and his members and by the fruits of it fulnesse of ioy For being iustified by saith as Saint Paul sayth we haue peace with God through our Lord IESVS CHRIST and reioice in hope of his glorie This then is the message sayth Saint Iohn which we haue heard of him and declare vnto you that God is light and in him is no darknesse at all If vvee say we haue fellowship with him and walke in darknesse we lie and do not the truth But if we walke in the light as he is in the light we haue fellowship one with another This walking in the light as God is in the light is that iustification or qualification whereof S Iames speakes whereby wee become immediatly capable of Christs righteousnesse or actuall participants of his propitiation which is the sole immediate cause of our iustification taken as S. Paul doth it for remission of sins or actuall approbation with God The truth of which doctrine Saint Iohn likewise ratifies in tearmes equiualent in the words immediately following And the blood of CHRIST clenseth vs walking in the light as God is in the light from all sin not from such onely as were committed before the infusion of that grace which is the ground of our fellowship with God and amongst our selues the very lamp by whose light wee walke but from all subsequent transgressions of what kinde soeuer Now if we say that we such as S. Iohn then was regenerate and in the state of grace haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. Euen such then as walke in the light are sinners and not iust in themselues but onely as they are besprinkled with CHRISTS righteous bloud Neuerthelesse if we confesse our sinnes faithfully he is faithfull and iust to forgiue vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse not from sinnes veniall onely And is there any circumstance either in the matter or manner of his discourse which may occasion vs to suspect the same word sinne should not be of equall importance in both these places last cited and that third following These things write I vnto you that you sinne not What venially only No questionlesse he was more desirous that they should not sinne mortally nor do the authors of this distinction deny that men regenerate may sinne so grieuously as to fall both totally and finally from grace yet sayth S. Iohn If any man sin as there is no man that sinneth not both mortally and venially by our aduersaries grant vvee haue an Aduocate with the Father
there were in sight hee were altogether blind and ignorant And I thinke it would be hard for any man to prooue that all such as our Sauiour restored to sight had sauing faith before he opened their eyes or that Naamans condescending to his seruants counsell my father if the Prophet had bid thee doe some great thing wouldest thou not haue done it how much more when he saith to thee wash beclean was an assent of iustifying faith yet were all these cures as immediate workes of Gods power as is the illumination of the minde by faith What God hath wrought in them we know but if Naaman had beene so wilfull as not to haue washed himselfe seauen times in lorden or those blinde men so wayward as vpon the constant fame of former miracles not to haue besought CHRIST to worke the like in them all of them for ought we know or can imagine to the contrary had remained still in their former misery Thus if we graunt that a man altogether vnregenerate vpon the hearing of Gods word or the report that others whom he hath no reason to distrust doe make of the vertue thereof may haue a naturall apprehension of his naturall misery and a desire meerely naturall to bee like them whose estate hee knoweth no better then he that is borne blind doth the light or that as well his apprehension as desire is but a qualification meerely passiue tending onely to this purpose that ascribing the worke of faith to Gods power alone hee may be a subiect not vncapable of this creation we shall auouch nothing contrary to reason naturall or supernaturall For knowledge naturall and spirituall differ not in respect of the materiall obiects knowne but in the manner of apprehending their truth and properties What subiect is there whereof we may not logically dispute albeit demonstration or scientificall conclusions we can haue none but from the proper principles of that science whereto it belongeth first distinctlie and infallibly apprehended And what doth hinder vs to conceiue a naturall or morall assent vnto truths diuine as not impossible though to haue a true tast or homogeniall apprehension of them be the sole and proper effect of faith infused or supernaturall Of the same Diuine truths or rather of the goodnesse annexed to them there may be a naturall or morall desire right in it kinde though not such as Gods lawe requires or can immediately please the lawgiuer yet such as he requires that we may be capable of better None I thinke but would perswade a man whom he knew to be as yet vnregenerate to confesse his sinnes to crie for mercy how spiritually so to perswade him were a mockery but rather to sue for grace that hereafter hee might spiritually desire what now he naturally doth Nor doth he amisse in praying thus albeit his praiers in respect of the fountaine whence they spring be meerely naturall polluted with the poison of sinne Absolutely he praies not aright but in his kinde in as much as his desires are set vpon right obiects though not so symbolized or proportioned to them as they should be This rectitude of naturall desires or endeauours which ariseth from the rectitude of the obiects wheron they are imperfectly set not in respect of degrees or circumstances onely but for the very essence or substance of the act is the point whereunto this discourse is directed Whether this right vse of faculties as yet vnsanctified be in some degree possible to all that heare the word or whether if possible to all any are absolutely excluded from saluation without presupposall of some neglect or abuse of naturall faculties is to be disputed in the seauenth booke From our assertion thus explicated we may inferre the true meane betweene Pelagianisme and Stoicisme to be this Albeit man before regeneration hath no abilitie of doing any thing in it selfe not deseruing Hell yet is there a true and reall possibility left him of doing that which being done maketh him capable of grace to be created in him but which not done by him he shall remaine vncapable of such creation 3. Vpon these plaine grounds we hope now to proceed without offence to God or man It was the meere good will and pleasure of God to ordaine his meere wisedome to reueale those meanes of mans saluation vnto which now reuealed the naturall man may so farre assent as to make some triall of their truth as Naaman did of the Prophets words The deeper apprehension though but naturall man hath of his naturall misery or want of ability to raise himselfe the more apt hee is not to lay but to haue the sure foundation of faith laid in his heart by CHRIST IESVS who is the foundation and chiefe corner stone in the spirituall Temple so he will but frame his life by his masters precepts and example CHAP. III. Of the fundamentall rule of Christianity to forsake all and denie our selues That the sincere practise thereof is a method more admirable and compendious for the attainment of faith then any Artist could prescribe the principles of Christianitie being supposed That the want partly of instruction in the duties contained in it partly of solemne and publicke personall protestation for their performance is the principall cause of hypocrisie and infidelitie 1. THat CHRIST the Sonne of God should suffer so many indignities of the Elders and be killed seemed a doctrine so strange to his Apostles that one of them begins to checke him for abooding so ill of himselfe Bee it farre from thee Lord this shall not come vnto thee What was the reason touching this particular they were not as yet spirituall Thus much at the least our Sauiours reply to Peter imports Get thee behinde me Satan thou art an offence vnto me for thou sauourest not the things that be of God but those that be of men This truth the Prophets long before had deliuered though not so plainly as it could easily bee apprehended without any expositor Our Sauiour therefore vpon this dialogue betwene him and Peter shewes not onely his owne willingnesse to vndergoe all the calamities the Prophet had foretolde but withall that vnlesse his followers which had confessed him for the Messiah were made conformable to him in this point they could not be his Disciples not capable of any other lesson of sauing health If any man will follow mee let him forsake himselfe and take vp his crosse and follow me Necessarie it was the wisdome of God should thus plainly reueale this fundamentall principle of Christianitie vnto whose necessitie notwithstanding men in some sort may assent without the spirit of sanctification or any branch of supernaturall inherent grace Ordinarily it is as true of the first as of the second resurrection First is that which is naturall then that which is spirituall Manie haue assented vnto this rule as true which did neuer spiritually assent vnto it as good in the choyce albeit they haue desired so to do Now
to their deuotion in praier for diuine assistance Others after God had giuen them full assurance of most extraordinarie victories did vse the ordinary stratagems of warre In imitation of them we should remember that albeit our affections will neuer bee loyall vntill faith and sanctifying grace by the sole operation of his Spirit bee seated amongst them yet euen such of these as most resist their admission may be much enfeebled or pined and so made more willing to yeeld when God shall call the soule to parly if wee vse such meanes as haue beene prescribed for cutting off that reliefe or prouision they haue from without Nor can the veriest freshwater Souldier in Christs Campe bee altogether ignorant how the externall obiect nourisheth inbred desires or affections which by sufferance to range abroad increase their strength and confederacie But in all these indeauours we must include praier as a chief associate for God ordinaryly lets in sanctifying grace at the same gate at which honest hearty prayers goe out 2. More particulars concerning subordinate meanes to bee vsed for bringing faith into it throne must bee referred to the place often mentioned onely one admonition remaines for such as would be fit Auditors of these diuine oracles often intimated by our Sauiour but too seldome vrged by his messengers in these daies especially To hide or lay vp Gods word in our hearts which to my capacity implies our secret meditation should farte exceed our table talke discourses of these great mysteries at least while wee are but schollers no professors of diuinitie And if I erre it is rather charitable feare least others wrong their owne soules then any iealousie least they should disparage our profession by proouing Prophets that makes mee thinke one principall reason why the word of faith doth not fructifie or take better roote in the hearts of many indefatigable hearers is because it shootes out too fast in their mouthes they are commonly as swift to speake as to heare which kinde of humour Saint Iames in his time much disliked as knowing perhaps this luxuriant flourish of words did partly hinder the fructification of his hearers faith in deedes and workes But to conclude seeing faith comes by hearing and must be hidden in the heart the surest and most compendious method for setling it therein would bee besides due preparation for ordinary bearing the generall forme of Christian doctrine publiquelie and solemnely deliuered to watch all opportunities when our hearts are throughly affected with vnexpected matter of sorrow ioy griefe feare admiration or the like and forthwith to apply such passages of Scriptures as suit best to the present affection The words though of God whilest vttered by man vsually want weight to make entrance for themselues into hearts not well wrought in tender yeeres by good discipline but yet might easily sinke euen into such being first thus pierced and as it were ploughed vp by reall accidents especially by strange and sad occasions as sicknesse of body or other grieuous crosse or calamity without which neither the threats of the Law nor sweet promises of the Gospell make any great impression vpon many in our daies A faithfull pastor should haue his wits vacant to attend these or such like extraordinary occurrences that happen to his flock alwaies ready in matter of sorrow to poure in salue whiles the wound is open or in occasion of godly mirth or moderate ioy to clap on the seale while the wax is warme and well wrought One short lesson well applyed in such season will worke more vpon the conscience and practique faculties of the soule then a solemne discourse of some howers length though containing much sound doctrine and many very profitable vses without the concurrence of some such internall disposition to receiue them And as the very naming of London Paris or some other great Citie doth stirre vp a more liuely representation of them in his fantasie that hath been in them then a geographicall lecture could doe in his that neuer looked vpon them but in a Mappe so the least after touch or remembrance of the same or like points as haue beene thus seasonably instilled will imprint a more liue working sence of Gods word in the experienced heart then a long elaborate and well pressed exhortation will doe in others Thus much at this time of that faith whereby the iust doth liue and of the qualification required in all fit auditors of the mysteries contained in the Apostles Creed for whose right explication the Lord of his mercie so qualifie my heart and soule that I may be able as to discerne so to deliuer the truth without all respect to mine owne or other persons and so guide euery Christian Readers affections that hee neither be vnwilling to embrace any truth nor willing to entertaine any error for my sake FINIS Omnium Vna 〈…〉 eadeÌ„ lententia cos qui sie in acâ—e procumbebant vitam mereri perpetuam et in paâ—â—e sortis sanctorum praedestinato collocari in lumine Willerm Tyres Archiepis Hist Lib. 3. Cap. â— vide et 6. Vide prefat ad librum 1. pag. 6 a Perlege Aristotelis librosde partibus animalium * Caâ—nden in his description of Richmond shire Quod in montium autem summitatibus vt etiam alibi lapides nonnunquaÌ„ fuerint reperti cocleâ—â— marinas et alia aquatilia referentes si noâ— sint naturae miracula refusi in omnem terram sub Noe delâ—vycerta esse indicia cum Orosio Christiano historico iuaicabo Refuso inquit ille sub Nâ—e in omnem terram mari immissoque dâ—luvio cum toto otbe contecto vnum sâ—acium coeli esset ac Pe. laci dâ—letum suisse vniuersum genus humanum paueis in Aâ—ca fidei suae merito ad substituendaÌ„ origine â— reser uatis euidentissimè veracissimi scriptores docét Fuisse tamen illi contestati sunt qui praeterita quideÌ„ tempora ipsamque auctolem temporum nescientes tamen ex iudicio coniectura lapidum quos in remotis montibus conchis ostreis scabros etiam saepe cauatos aquis Visere solemus conijciendo didicerunt * This importaÌ„ce of Assent Tullie giues vs in that speech Vberius ista quaeso haec enim spinosiora oriâ—â— ut confitear me cogunt quam vt assentiar â— lib. Tuscul et initio a Vid Vasquez in jâ—â— secundae disputat 79. cap 3. num 12. vide eundem disput 62. cap. 3. num 9 * Vide Aristot Ethic. 3 Cap. d Ad probationemcum assumitur quod nâ—llus tenetur â—â—â—mius adhaerere conclusioni quâm sit certitude no tiâ—ae propter qeam illâ—â—dherereâ—â—ista posset concedi cum aliqua conditione sciâ— si illâ— teneatur adhaerere conclusioni praecise propter certitudinem noâ—â—â—iae vbi autem non subest dicta conditio propositio est simpliciter neganda in proposito autem non subest quoniam non praecise propter certitudinem aliquam notitiae propriè loquendo siâ—e conclusionis siue princiâ—iorum
confirmationem Nam licet cortex literâ— proponat captiuitatem populi Iudoici sub regt Babiloniorum liberationem quae facta est per Cyrum nontamen ille precipuus sensus est sed alius quilatet sub cortice literae qui est de captiutiate humani generis sub tyrannide Diaboli liberationem quae factaest per CristuÌ„ Sasbout in 1. ad versum 17. Heb. 10. v. 35. d Rom. 4. v. 3. 4. 5. 6. o De verbis Paulimaior est difficultas non desunt qui existiment Abrahamum tunc primum iustificatum esse a peccatis cum creddit Deo promitienti filium cum de co dictum est Credidit Abraham Deo reputatum est ei ad iustitiam Ita docet Anselmus in comment ad ca. 4. ad Roman candem sententiam indicare videtur S. Augustious praefat in Psal 31. cum aâ—â— exponens hunc locum Ergo ex fide iustificatus est Abrabam si opera non praecess runt tamen sequuta sunt Et siquidem oaec opinio vera esset nulla esset in Paulo difficultas caeterum non auderem dicere Abrahaemum non fuisse multo ante iustificatum quâ—m de eo dictum sit Credidit Abraham Deo c. Dico igitur Pâ—â—lum vsum esse exemplo Abrahae non vt significanet Abrahamum 〈…〉 catum fuisse a peccaâ—â—s 〈…〉 non iust ficari impi 〈…〉 gratia Dei factis sed exside side gâ—aâ—a Dei. Nam si Abraham iustâ—â—s non est factus iustior ex â—perâ—bus sâ—â—e sid multo magis impius non poteâ—â—t sâ—ri iustus ex operibuâ— sine side Iguâ—r Apostolus ad Rom. 4 loquitur de prima iustificatione qua quis ex impio fic iustus tam et si ad probandum eam non siâ—râ— ex opâ—riâ—us sed ex fide exemâ— plâ—m petatase on â—a iustificatione qua quis ex iusto sit iustier Quare Paulus et Iacobus coâ—seâ—â—â—nt omnino in exemplo Abrahe verbis Mâ—â—s intelligengdis quamâ—is ad varias conclusiones probandas illis vtantur Porro sicut Paulus cum loqueretur de prima iustificatione attulit exemplum Abrahae quod erat secundae vt probaret a maiorâ— non pâ—sse impiâ—us iustificari ex operibus sine fide si Abraham iustus non est factus iustier ex operibus sine fide si Iacâ—bus cum loqueretur de sicâ—da iustificatione attulit exemplum Rahab quod est primae iustifications et proâ—â—ret â— maiors iustum fieri iustiorem exoperibus et non ex side tantum si Rahab ex meretâ—â—â— facta est iusta ex operious non ex fide tantum Nam probabile est valde Rahab vsque ad illud tempus quaâ—â—sâ—â—pit nanâ—â—â—â—â—â—ue sâ—â—â—sse non solum meretritem sed etiam infideeÌ„m sed ab eo tempore crâ—didisse in Deum opere ille 〈…〉 ae praeparatum fuisse ad iustificationem â—â— a vt bonum illud opus ex fide factum non suerit meritorium simplic 〈…〉 sicatiâ—nis sed imperfecte de congruo vt supra diximus de dâ—spositionibus ad gratiam Bellaâ— lib. 4. d. Iust cap. 18. a Sess 6 ca. 8. 10 b Gratis autem iustificari dicamur quia nihil corum qua iustificationem praecedunt sine fides sine opera ipsam iustificationis gratiam promeretur Si enim gratia est iam non ex operibus alioquin'vt idem Apostolus inquit gratia iam non est gratia Concil Trideut Sess 6. cap. 8. c Iameâ— 2. 23 Heb. 11. 19 f Videtur etiam promissio quae scribitur cap. 15. intelligenda deposterirate multiplicanda secundum nam â—rum stellarum per semen in quo benedicendae essent omnes nationes terrae Quod si contendas cum illi capite non fiat mentio illius seminis quod est Christus textum tantum â—oqui ad literam de carnali postericate praesertim cum Apostolus in sequentibus tantùm â—rgeat fidem de corporali posteritate qui contra spem inquiens in spem credidit c. Respondere licet ad propositam difficulâ—atâ—m fidem de qua loquitur Genesis tamet si non esset de Christo vt de obiecto innixam tamen faisse fidei vel fiduciae â—e Christo vel si de â—o nondum acceperat expressam reuclationem certe innixam fuisse miserecordiae Dei paratae homâ—il us Et similiter sentiendum est de alijs quibusuis promissionibus corporalâ—bus quod sides quae circa illas versabatur Deo placuit sed in illis in quibus erat fides siue fiducia misericordiae diuinae Sasbout in cap. 4. a d Rom. g Chap. 8. h Rom. 14. 19. 20 g Rom. 4. 23 h This speech of S. Paul is but paraleld to that of S. Iohn â— Ioh. 1. 8. If we say that we haue no sinne we deceiue our selues and the truth is not in vs. As the iustification whereof S. Paul speaks consists in the acknowledgement of our sinnes required by this Apostle in the words following If we acknowledge our sinnes he is faithfull iust to forguie vs our sinnes and to cleanse vs from all vurighteousnesse m Rom. 3. 23 n Rom. 3. 28 o Rom. 4. 2 p VVorkes proceeding from grace inherent iustifie onely in respect of men yet thus farre they iustifie vs not before men only but before God Nor is it possible for anie man not thus far iustified by working grace to make the right plea of faith whereby iustification properly taken that is finall absolution is attained l Psal 15. 1. 2 m Psal 1. 1 Psal 1. 6 n Gen. 2â— 1â— a Rom. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. b Psal 32. 1. 2 c Psal 143. 2 Si quis dixerit hominus iustificati bona opera ita esse dona Dei vt â—â—â— sint etiam bona ipâ—â—â—â— iustificati merita aut ipsum iustâ—â—â— atum bonâ—â— operibus quae ab eo per Dei gratiam Iesu Christi meritum cuius vivâ—m meâ—bâ—â—m est siunt non vâ—re mâ—râ—ri 〈◊〉 gratâ—â— viâ—â—m aeternam 〈◊〉 vitae aeterae si 〈◊〉 â—â— gratia decessâ—râ—t consecutâ—â—nâ—â— atqâ—e etiam gloriae augmeâ—â—â—m â—â—â—themâ— sit 〈◊〉 Trideâ—t sessâ—â— CaÌ„ nonâ— 32. a Num. 25. 8. Ouid. * Mat. 7. 21 * Etsi it qui iustificatur iustitiam aâ—â— pit habet per Christum etiam inhaerentem tamen anima fidelis huic non inâ—ititâ— sed soâ—â— instâ—â—â—e Christi nobis donalae side qui nâ—lla omâ—iâ—o est neceâ—â—â— potest Iestitâ—a Bâ—cer â—â— si q 〈…〉 in liâ—â—llâ— ablata 〈…〉 Ratisbone in colloquin Actisbâ—◠〈…〉 collâ—qâ—in R 〈…〉 nsi eum obâ—â—tâ—â—ssâ—nt ei pro 〈…〉 quaeâ—â—mq as author 〈…〉 qâ—ij apâ—â—llat amâ—â—â—â—as inâ—er quas p 〈…〉 sidem iâ—stâ—â—â—ationâ— iâ—â—tium elle sic respendit â—ioc si intelltâ—â—tur de iustitia inchoâ—â—a quae side spâ— charitate cetaerisque virrutibus hic comprehensis constat recipimus hanc enim iâ—stitia 〈…〉 donum esse nouam in Christ Sercaâ—urâ—m qua â—â—fide â—â—â—â—