and more familiarly to him self to wit vpō the Iewes 1. Iewes 2. Gentiles Notwithstāding he did afterward make the same benefit cōmō to all nations 2 But whether God did make him self knowen to the fathers by oracles visions or he did inform them by the ministerie diligence of men of that which they should afterward deliuer to their posteritie as from hand to hand He reuealed himselfe to the fathers by oracles and visions yet it is out of all doubt that the firme certaintie of that doctrine was ingrauen in their harts so that they were perswaded did vnderstand that that which they had learned came from God The certainty of the propheticall Scripture For God did alwayes make vndoubted assurance for credit for his word which did farre surpasse all vncertaine opinion Therefore he enrolled his oracles in publike tables he published his Law whereto the Prophets were afterward added to be interpreters thereof 3 And because mans mind is very much enclined to forget God Naturall forgetfulnes Error because it is wonderfully bent toward all manner errors because the lust therof to forge newe kinds of religion is great we may see howe necessarie such enrolling of the celestiall doctrine was Boldnes lest either through forgetfulnes it should perish or through errour vanish away or be corrupt through mans boldnesse 4 Therefore after that the Prophet had sayde that the heauens declare the glorie of God * Psal 19.1 that the firmament sheweth his handiwork that the ordinate course of the dayes and nights set forth his maiestie de descendeth afterward to make mentiō of his word The Lawe of God saith he is vndefiled conuerting the soules c. Where he propoundeth the peculiar schoole of the children of God The schoole of Gods children which alone leadeth them vnto the true knowledge of saluation and without which we shall alwayes orre CHAP. VII Of the authoritie of the Scripture 1. THerefore because we haue not oracles daily from heauen the Scriptures alone are extant whereby alone it pleased the Lord to haue his truth continually kept in remembrance the same Scriptures are of full authoritie with the faithfull by no other meanes then when they be perswaded that they came from heauen as if the liuely voyces of God were heard there Obiect The Scripture hath as much authoritie and weight as is graunted vnto it by the consent of the Church The Scripture resteth not vpon mans authoritie An. The eternall and inuiolable truth of God resteth not vpon mans pleasure 2 Moreouer the Apostle saith that the Church is builded vpon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles * Eph. 2.20 Quest Howe shall we be perswaded that it came from God vnlesse we flie vnto the decree of the Church An. The Scripture sheweth in it selfe apparent sense of her trueth The first argument drawen from the testimonie of the holie Ghost which the Spirit of God doeth seale in our minds being firmely imprinted therin 3 Obiect Augustine saith I had not beleeued the Gospel vnlesse the authority of the Church had moued me * Lib contra epist fundamentalem Chap. 9. An. He had to deale with the Manichees which would haue men to beleeue thē without any gaine saying when they were perswaded that they had the truth but could not shewe it He demaundeth what they would do if they should light on a man which doth not beleeue euen the Gospell In the forth chap of the same booke After that he addeth and I truely would not beleeue the Gospell c. signifying that at such time as he was a stranger from the faith he could by no meanes be brought to embrace the Gospell as the certaine truth of God vntill hee was ouercome by the authoritie of the Church Quest Why then doth he oftentimes vrge the Manichees with the consent of the whole Church when he will proue the same Scripture which they refused An. He doth no where ayme at this to teach that the authoritie which we graunt the Scriptures to haue doth depende vpon the determination or decree of men but doth onely which was of great importance in the cause bring forth the iudgment of the whole Church wherein he had the vpper hand of his aduersaries 4 Therefore if we will well prouide for our consciences that they be not continually caried about with an vnstable doubting or that they do not wauer ne yet stay at euery small stop we must fet a perswasion further then either from mans reasons or iudgements or coniectures to wit frō the secret testimonie of the Spirit Quest By what reasons can it be prooued that Moses and the Prophetes were inspired by God to speake The testimony of the holie Ghost is more excellent then anie reason An. The testimonie of the Spirit doth surpasse all reason though there may manie argumentes be alledged whereby it may appeare that if there be God in heauen the Law and Prophecies Gospell came from him That doth I say as witnesse saying my Spirit which is in thee and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth and in the mouth of thy seed shall not faile for euer * Isay 51.16.19 21. For the Spirit is the earnest seale to confirme the faith of the godly * 2. Cor. 1 22. Eph 1.13 because vntill he lighten their minds they do alwayes wauer amidst manie doubts There is no true faith without the illumination of the holie ghost 5 Therefore let this remaine firme that they whom the holy Ghost hath taught do rest soundly in the Scripture that that alone is the true faith which is sealed in our harts by his seale * Isay 54.13 CHAP. VIII Humane proofes which serue to establish the authoritie of the Scripture 2. Argument from the efficacye thereof 1. FVrthermore we see how great force the truth of the Scripture hath seeing there is no writing of man howe finely soeuer it be polished which is of such force to moue vs although the high mysteries of the kingdome of heauen be deliuered vnder a contemptible basenesse of words 2 Obiect Eloquence Some of the prophets did vse an elegant and fine kind of speach An. The holy Ghost meant to shewe by such examples that he wanted not eloquence whē he vsed in other places a plaine and homely stile Obiect Sathan doth craftilie sowe wicked errors in a rude and almost barbarous speech that he may more easilie deceaue sillie men An. Sathan is a counterfaytor of God in manie things Sathan a counterfayter of God but all those who are indued with meane vnderstanding do see howe vaine and filthie that curious counterfaiting is if they conferre mans inuentions and the word of God together 3 Besides those wherof I haue alreadie spoken 3. Argu. drawē from antiquity the verie antiquitie of the Scripture hath no small weight forasmuch as there is no monument of
againe may possesse him * Luke 3.16 * 1. Ioh. 2.20.27 * Ioh. 4.14 4 But because faith is his principall worke * Eph. 4.15 Rom. 8.29 Faith is the principall work of the Spirit those things are referred vnto it for the most part which we finde vttered to expresse the force and operation of the spirite because by faith alone hee bringeth vs to the light of the Gospell As Iohn teacheth that there is a prerogatiue graunted to those which beleeue in Christe to be the sonnes of God because they are borne not of flesh and blood Ioh. 1.13 Mat. 16.17 but of God* CHAP. II. Of faith where is set downe the definition thereof and the properties that it hath are declared 1 VVHEN in the schooles they dispute about faith The faith of the Schoolmen so sone as they heare it named they conceiue no higher thing but a certain cōmon assenting to the historie of the Gospell and in calling God simply the obiect therof they carrie away sillie soules rather with a vanishyng speculation then direct thē to the mark For God dwelleth in light that no man can come vnto therfore Christ must needs come between for which cause hee calleth himselfe both the light of the world the way the truth the life* because no man commeth vnto the father but by him The mediatour Ioh. 18.12 14 6. 2 Therfore let vs thanke the schoolemen for this euill who haue couered Christ as with a veile drawen before him whom vnlesse wee doe directlie behold wee doe alwaies wander through many Labyrinths Mazes And beside that they do deface the whole force of faith with their dark mistie definition they haue forged a deuise of intangled faith with which name adorning most grosse ignorance they delude the sillie common people Intangled faith to their great destruction Ob. It is sufficiēt to beleeue that which the holy church beleeueth neither need we to seek any further An. Is this to beleeue to vnderstand nothing so that thou doe obedientlie submitte thy sense to the church faith is not placed in ignorāce but in knowledge that not only of god but also of the wil of god 3 Ob. Because we be inuironned with ignorance many things are to vs dark now wherein it is good for vs to suspend our iudgement and to settle our selues to keep the vnitie of the church An. I graunt but yet it is a most absurd thing to giue ignorance tempered with humilitie the name of faith For faith lyeth in the knowledge of God of Christ not in the reuerēce of the church vnder the title wherof somtimes most monstrous errours are thrust in Faith lyeth in the knowledge of God Ob. We beleeue nothing absolutely without adding this condition If the church do beleeue so An. By this meanes truth should be holden in error light in darknes true knowledge in ignoraunce Absurdities 4 Obiect So long as we are in our pilgrimage in the world our faith is entangled An. I graunt that we be ignorant of many things and that we be compassed about with many clouds It is the greatest wysdome to goe forwarde For the principall wisedome of euerie most perfect man is to go forwarde Which we may note in the Disciples of Christ before they were fullie illuminate Because they did stagger euen in verie small things 5 But yet for all this the desire which the faithfull haue to learne and profit Voluntary ignorance doth much differ frō grosse ignorance wherein they droupe which are content with an entangled faith such as the Papistes imagine For if Paule do sharpely condemne those who are alwayes learning can neuer come to the knowledge of the truth howe much greater reproch do they deserue who of set purpose are desirous to know nothing 6 Therfore this is the true knowledge of Christ The true knowledge of Christ if we receaue him such as he is offred of his father to wit clothed with his Gospell because as he is appointed to be the mark wherat our faith must ayme so we can not come directly to him vnlesse the Gospell go before vs. Quest If faith be restrained to the Gospell what shall the doctrine of Moses and the Prophetes profite vs An. It was sufficient at that time to edifie faith Why the Gospell is called the doctrine of faith Rom. 10.4 but because we haue a more perfect manifestatiō of Christ in the Gospell Paule doth for good causes call it the doctrine of faith* 7 And although it be the office of faith to subscribe to the truth of God as often and whatsoeuer and howsoeuer he doth speake yet it doth properly respect his good will mercie and promises of grace in Christ into the certaintie whereof the holie Ghost doeth illuminate our mindes and confirme our hearts The definition of faith Whence we shall haue a perfect definition of faith if we say that it is a firme and certaine knowledge of Gods good will toward vs which being grounded in the trueth of the free promise made in Christ is both reuealed to our mindes and sealed vp in our heartes by the holie Ghost vnformed faith 8 Therefore that distinction of faith formed vnformed which flieth about in the schooles is vaine Obiect They which beleeue whatsoeuer is necessarie to saluation haue faith although they be touched with no feare of God An. Paule saith otherwise with the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousenesse* Rom. 10.10 therefore faith may in no case be seuered from a godly affection of righteousnesse 9 Obiect Paule teacheth an vnformed faith saying if anie mā haue all faith so that he can moue mountaines and yet haue no loue he is nothing* 1 Cor. 13.2 An. Faith is put in that place for power to worke miracles Cor. 12.10 which the reprobates also had* Therefore it is no maruell if it bee separate from loue Obiect There be many formes of faith An. There is one onely true faith of the godly Obiect Manie beleeue that there is a God that the historie of the Gospell is true and euerie parte thereof Historicall faith also they are moued with threatenings promises An. The name of faith is giuen to such but vnproperly because they do not resist the word of God with manifest vngodlinesse 10 But this whether shadowe or image of faith A shaddow of faith as it is of no importaunce so it is vnworthie to haue the name of faith Obiect Simon Magus is said to haue beleeued* An. He doth shortly after bewray his want of faith Such are they in whom the seed of the word is choked before it can bring forth frute* Let those which bost of such images of faith know that they are no better then the deuils* Act. 8.13 11 Obiect Paule affirmeth that faith is a fruite of election* Luk. 8.13 Faith of the Deuills and of the reprobate Ia. 2.19 1.
not reueale them neither doeth the naturall man vnderstande those thinges which are of the Spirit * 1 Cor. 2.14 but the doctrine of God is rather to him foolishnesse Therefore the aide of the holie Ghost is necessarie or rather he is his onely power The word of God is indeed like to the Sunne which shineth to all those to whom it is preached A similitude but with no frute among the blind Note But we which are by nature blind are enlightened by the Spirit 35 Thereupon Paule calleth the Spirit of faith faith not that which we haue naturallie 1 Cor. 4.13 but that which we haue of the Spirit* Therefore he prayeth that God would fulfil in the Thessaloniās all his good pleasure and the work of faith in power* 2. Thess 1.11 For faith is a singular gift Faith is the gift of God which God giueth to whome he will 36 But it is certaine that the minde is not sufficiently illuminate by the vnderstanding and knowledge of the worde vnlesse the certaintie thereof do likewise pearce into the heart both which the Spirite worketh A similitude Eph. 1.13 Therefore he serueth in steed of a seale to seale those promises in our heartes* the certaintie whereof he had before imprinted in our mindes 37 Obiect That confirmation is in vaine Faith is shaken but not ouercome when as faith is tossed and shaken with continuall storms of temptations An. But it is not ouercome because God is the protection aide tower and buckler of the faithful* Psal 13.6 47 3. 27.1 Onely we haue neede of patience* 38 Obiect We can not otherwise be perswaded of the grace and fauour of God toward vs Patience is necessarie Heb. 10.36 Sorbonists Coniectures are contrarie to faith but only by a moral coniecture as euerie one doth think him selfe not to be vnworthie therof An. Nothing is more contrarie to faith then cōiectures Obiect No man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or of loue* Eccle. 9.1 An. This place is corruptly translated Salomon his meaning is The sense If anie man will esteeme and iudge by the present state of thinges whome God loueth and whome he hateth he shall take paines in vaine seeing all thinges fall out a like to the iust and the vniust to him that offereth sacrifice and to him that offereth none To know certainly is not to presume 39 Obiect It is a point of rash presumption for a man to chalenge and attribute to him self the certaine knowledge of the good will of God An. I graunt if we tooke so much vpon vs as to make the incomprehensible counsell of God subiect to the slendernesse of our wit But we say simplie with Paule* 1 Cor. 2.12 That we haue not receaued the spirite of this world but the Spirit which is of God who being our teacher we knowe those things which are giuen vs of God Obiect It is rashnesse to boast of the Spirite of God Rom. 8 14. Ioh. 11. An. But Paule pronounceth that they onely are the children of God which are led by his Spirite He being our guide we call God father* and wee knowe assuredly that we be the children of God 40 Obiect Although we may iudge of the grace of God according to the present state of righteousnesse yet the knowledge of perseuering vnto the ende hangeth in doubt Perseuerance Rom. 8.38 An. I am fully perswaded saith Paule* that neither Angels nor powers nor principalities c. shall separate vs from the loue wherewith the Lord loueth vs in Christ Ob. The Apostle had that by an especiall reuelatiō An. But he handleth in that place those good things which al the faithful in general haue by faith and not those which he him selfe alone doth seale Obiect But the same Paul in another place doth terrifie vs by making mention of our weakenesse inconstancie Let him that standeth take heed lest he fall* 1 Cor. 10.12 An. But not with feare and terrour whereby we may be throwen downe but whereby we may learne to humble our selues vnder the mightie hand of God as Peter declareth* 1 Pet. 3.6 41 By these things which we haue alreadie sayd we see that the definition of faith which we set downe varieth not from the Apostles description Where he teacheth that faith is the substance of things to be hoped for What faith is Heb. 11.1 and a certaintie of thinges that are not seene* Obiect Loue is before faith and hope also An. Yea faith alone bringeth forth loue Faith is the mother of loue euerie good worke besides 42 Nowe whersoeuer this faith shall be it can not be but that it hath hope of eternall saluation ioyned with it as an vnseparable companion Faith hath hope for her companyon or rather that it begetteth and bringeth it forth of it self Faith beleeueth that God is true hope waiteth and looketh that in conuenient time he shew his truth Note faith beleeueth that he is our father hope waiteth and looketh that he do alwayes so shewe him selfe toward vs faith is the foundation wherupon hope resteth 43 By reason of this affinitie the Scripture doth sometimes confounde the worde of faith and of hope* Faith and hope are sometymes confounded 1 Pet. 3.4 Obiect Hope hath a double foundatiō the grace of God and merit of workes An. The whole Scripture doeth teach that hope must looke vnto the mercie of God alone Lombardus his error as it were with both eyes as vnto the marke which is common to her as well as to faith CHAP. III. That we are regenerate by faith where repentance is handled The partes of the Gospell 1 THerefore faith doth possesse Christ doth rest vpon the Gospell which hath two parts repentance and remission of sinnes Christ geueth both and we obtaine both by faith And repentāce proceedeth from faith as frute from a tree Repentance proceedeth from faith 2 Obiect Christ and Iohn in their sermons do first exhort the people vnto repentance and then afterward they adde that the kingdome of heauen was at hand* Therfore repentaunce goeth before faith Mat. 3.2 which we haue by the Gospell An. We must not superstitiously stick to the placing of syllables For it is all one as if they should say because the kingdome of heauen is at hande therefore repent For in the Prophet that voyce is commaunded to begin with consolation and glad tidings* Isay 40 3. The partes of repentance 3 Certaine learned men haue sayd that repentance consisteth in two parts in mortification and viuification They interprete mortification to be the sorowe and terrour of minde conceaued of the knowledge of sinne Mortification and the feeling of the iudgement of God Viuification and viuification to be the consolation which ariseth of faith to wit when a man being throwen downe with the conscience feeling of his sinne and
poore he biddeth those which labour come to him * Mat. 11.28 he calleth not the iust but sinners * Mat. 9.13 ◠8 Therefore if we will giue place to the calling of Christ let vs abandon both arrogancie also securitie Arrogancie securitie are two plagues Note that beeing readie wee may make hast vnto Christ that being empty hungry we may be filled with his good thinges Because euerie man doth so much hinder the bountifulnesse of God as be doth rest in himselfe CHAP. XIII That ther must be two things obserued in free iustificatiō 1 VVE must especially respect two things first that the Lords glorie remain to him vntouched vndeminished Two thinges in iustification that our cōsciēces haue a calme tranquilitie before his iudgement seate that shal be obserued if he alone be knowē to be iust to iustify him which is of the faith of Iesus Christ Because so long as man hath anie thing to say for himselfe so long there is somewhat taken from the glorie of God Let the knowledge of our owne iniquitie be added Note 1 Cor. 1.13 Rom. 2.19 whereby being beaten downe wee may flie vnto Christ in whom we may reioyce and triumph* 2 So it is indeed we do neuer trulie glorie in him vnlesse wee be throughlie spoiled of our owne glorie* Obiect Hee doeth not glorie who without arrogancie doth recognize his owne righteousnesse The end of iustification An. Such estimation breedeth confidence and confidence glorying Therefore let vs remember that in the whole disputation of righteousnesse wee must haue respect vnto this end that the praise thereof remaine sounde and whole to the Lord. For no man can chalendge to himselfe euen the verie least iote of righteousnesse without sacrilege Whence peace of conscience doth come 3 Whereas wee set downe in the second place that the conscience cānot otherwise be kept before God vnlesse free righteousnesse bee giuen vs by the gift of God let vs alwaies remember that saying of Soloman Who will say I haue cleansed my heart I am purified from my sinne There is no man surelie which is not drenched in infinite filthinesse He shall haue no quietnesse of conscience thereby but shall rather be tormented with the terror of hell He shall profite nothing by deferring or driuing of Pro. 20.9 By works commeth doubting and at length desperation whē euerie man for himselfe accounteth how much hee oweth Desperation cōmeth by workes and how vnable he is to pay Lo now faith is extinguished oppressed for to doubt and despaire is not to beleeue 4 Againe the promise should be voide for if the accomplishment thereof depend vpon our merite when shall wee come to this point to deserue the goodnesse of God Moreouer that second member followeth vpon the former for the promise shall be fulfilled to none but to those which shall beleeue it Therfore if faith be fallen there remaineth no force of the promise Therfore the inheritance is of faith that it may be according to grace Mercy truth are ioyned togither Psal 119.76 Ies 9.6 Eph. 2.4 to establishe the promise for it is abundantlie confirmed when it resteth vpon mercie alone because mercie and truth are knit together with a perpetuall knot* Therfore seeing that faith doth lay hold vpon Christ alone it followeth that hee is not without cause called the king of peace our peace which appeaseth all the trobles of the soule If the meanes bee demaunded we must come vnto his sacrifice 5 For Paul denieth that there is anie peace or quiet ioy left to mens consciences Rom. 1.5 Rom. 8.45 Psal 23.4 vnlesse it bee set downe that wee are iustified by faith which is a thing altogether passiue to iustification bringing nothing of ours to win Gods fauour but we receiue that of Christ which we want CHAP. XIIII VVhat manner of beginning iustification hath and the continuall processe thereof 1 THAT wee may more easilie discusse what maner righteousnesse man may haue during the whole course of this life What manner righteousnes man hath let vs make a fourefold degree For men are either indued with no knoweledge of God as idolaters or being entered by the sacramentes they denie God not with their mouth but in their deedes or they are hypocrites or being regenerate they meditate vpon true holines In the first when they are to bee iudged by their naturall gifts there shall not be foūd one sparkle of goodnes frō the crown of the head vnto the sole of the foote 1 Naturall Idolaters 2 Ob. What excellent giftes soeuer are seen in the vnbeleeuers they are gifts of God as in Titus Traianus iustice Ier. 17 9. Gen. 8.21 moderation equitie in Vespasian continencie 3 An. Neuerthelesse that is true which Augustine writeth that all those which are strangers frō the religion of god howsoeuer they be counted wōderful for the opinion of vertue which men haue of them are not only worthie of no reward but rather of punishment because they pollute the pure giftes of God with the filthines of their heart Obiect They are Gods instruments to preserue societie An. Notwithstāding they do most wickedlie execute these good works of god because they are kept from doing euil not with any sincere desire of goodnesse Why the workes of the wicked be no good workes but by ambition by the loue of themselues or by some sinister affection 4 Furthermore Iohn saith that there is no life without the sonne of God Therefore as for those which haue no part in Christ 1 Ioh. 5.12 how great soeuer they be whatsoeuer they do or goe aboue they goe forward notwithstanding vnto destruction vnto the iudgement of eternal death forasmuch as they cannot please God being destitute of faith* Heb. 12.6 5 The thing shall appeare more plainely if the grace of God be set against the naturall condition of mā as cōtrary The miserie of man is knowen by the grace of God The scripture crieth that God findeth nothing in man whereby he may be moued to do good to him but that he doth preuent him with his free goodnes For what can a man that is dead do to recouer life But when hee doth inlighten vs with the knowledge of him selfe he is said to raise vs vp from death and to make vs a newe creature* 1 Ioh. 5.25 Eph. 2.4 6 So soone as Isaias hath described the vniuersall destruction of all mankind he doth excellentlie adde afterward the order of his restoring* Ies 59.15 If the couenāt of God which is our first ioyning with God do rest vpon the mercie of God Iustification is the beginninge of loue Rom. 5.6 Coll. 1.21 1 Ioh. 4.10 Ose 14 5. there is no foundation left for our owne righteousnesse For if iustification be the beginning of loue* what righteousnesse of works do go before it 7 Vnder this sort are comprehended the second third order
the hart but that he is so affected and moued within that he obeyeth with his heart CHAP. IIII. How God worketh in the harts of men Mans captiuitie 1 IT is sufficiētly proued that man is so holdē captiue vnder the yoke of sinne that he cānot of his owne nature either aspire by desire or by diligence trauell to goodnesse Quest There remaine two doubtes to be vnfolded the first whether we sinne willingly when we are made slaues of the deuill the seconde whether in euill workes we ought to attribute anie thing to God Two doubtes A similitude The condition of mans will An. As touching the first Augustine compareth mans wil to an horse that waiteth his maisters pleasure God and the deuill to riders or horsemen If God sit vpon it he ruleth it well like a skilfull rider But if the deuill possesse it he carieth it headlong vnto death ouer steep downe places like a wanton rider So the wil followeth Sathan being bewitched with his inchauntments 2 But farre other is the order of Gods working in such thinges Which that it may appeare more plainely Diuerse endes of one action let vs take the calamitie which was broght vpon Iob by the Chaldees for an example It is the Lords purpose to exercise by calamitie the patiēce of his seruant Sathan indeuoreth to driue him into despaire the Chaldees studie contrarie to equitie to get gaine by that which is another mans Therfore one and the same fact is assigned to God to Sathan to man but the variety in the manner end causeth that therein appeareth the iustice of God to be without fault that the wickednesse of Sathan and man bewrayeth it self to their reproch Lib de praedest 3 Obiect Augustine saith that hardening and making blind doth appertaine not to the working of God but vnto his foreknowledge An. Augustine himselfe holdeth Lib. contra Lulianum that sinnes are not onely by the sufferance or pacience of God but also by his power Will and sufferance in God that by this meanes former sinnes may be punished Therefore he foreseeth euill he hath suffered it and he would it which is done two maner of wayes First he maketh blinde hauing taken away his light and maketh mens harts stonie hauing taken away his Spirit Secondly to execute his iudgements by the minister of his wrath Sathā he doth both direct their counsells whither he will and he prouoketh their willes and strengtheneth their endeuors 4 After the first way this seemeth to be spoken He taketh away the lippe from those which speake truth he taketh away reason from the elders* Ezech. 7.26 according to the latter I will harden the hart of Pharao that he may not heare you Exod. 4 21. 7. and let the people go* 5 Furthermore it shall appeare sufficiently euen by one place that the ministery of Sathan doth come betweene to pricke forward the reprobate so often as the Lord appointeth them hither or thither by his prouidence For it is often sayde in Samuell that the euill spirit of the Lord or the euill spirit from the Lord either caught or let go Saull* 1. Sam. 16.14 18.10 29.9 2. Thes 2.9 Also we must adde that which Paull teacheth that the efficacie of errour and seducing is sent of God that they may beleue lying which haue not obeyed the truth 6 Hitherto we haue handeled those actions which appertaine vnto the spirituall life wherein we haue seene the weakenesse of will Will can doe nothing in bodely thinges let vs nowe see what libertie man hath in those actions which are neither iust of them selues nor yet corrupt and do rather appertaine vnto the bodily life Surely if we weigh with our own vnderstanding the administrations of outward things we shall nothing doubt that they are so farre placed vnder mans will but if we giue eare to so manie testimonies which crie that the Lord doth also gouerne our minds in these thinges they shall enforce vs to make our will subiect to the speciall motion of the grace of God who did reconcile the willes of the Aegyptians to the Israelites God bendeth the wills of men that they should lend them all pretiouse things* Neither would Iacob surely haue sayde of his sonne Ioseph whom he thought to haue bene a prophane Aegyptian God graunt that you may find mercie in the sight of this man * Gen. 43.14 Exod. 11.5 7 Obiect These are particular examples to the rule whereof all things in generall ought not to be reduced Election is not free An They proue sufficiently that so often as God will make a way for his prouidence he doth bend turne the wills of men euen in outward things and that their choice is not so free but that the will of God hath power ouer the same Experience Also dayly experience doth teach that iudgement doth often faile euen in matters which are nothing intricate the mind fainteth euen in things that are not hard againe counsell is somtimes readie in most hard matters in daungerous matters the hart and mind get the victorie of all straites Solomon interpreteth that that the eare may heare that the eye may see the Lord maketh both* Pro. 20.12 8 Obiect We must esteeme the power of mans will by the euent of things An. Yea the power whereof we speake must be considered within man and not measured by the outward successe CHAP. V. A refutation of the obiections which are wont to be brought for the defence of Freewill 1 VVE haue spoken enough of the thraldome of mans will as it may seeme vnlesse they which go about to carrie him headlong with a false opinion of freedome did set certaine reasons of theirs against vs being partly absurd partly confirmed by certain places of Scripture ill vnderstood to the ouerthrowing of our opinion we will beate backe both engines in order Obiect If sinne be of necessitie Of absurdities Pelagius Sinne is both of necessitie also voluntarie it ceaseth now to be sinne if it be voluntarie then it may be auoyded An. Sinne is both of necessitie and also voluntarie because men being become bond slaues of sinne after the fall of Adam can will nothing but that which is euill 2. Obiect Vnlesse both vertues and also vices proceede from the free election of will it is not meete that man should either be punished or rewarded Aristotle An. These are not like Punishments are of desert For we are by good right punished from whom the fault and blame of sinne doth flow but rewards are of grace So Augustine In Psal 70. * If thou haue thy due thou must be punished What is done then God hath not repayed to thee punishment Rewardes of grace but he giueth thee grace which was not due 3 Obiect If this be not the power of our will Note to chuse good or euill either all
Th. 15. Faith is the fruite of election Heb. 6.4 Luk. 8.7.13 Temporall faith whie then is it attributed to the reprobate An. The reprobate are sometimes moued with the same feeling that the elect are* although none be illuminate into faith neither do in deed feele the efficacie of the Gospell but those which are predestinate vnto saluation By such temporall faith or which endureth onely for a short season they are made without excuse Obiect Therefore there remaineth no more for the faithful wherby they may esteme their adoptiō An. Although there be great likelihood betwene the elect of God and those which haue a fraile faith enduring only for a time yet the sure confidence is only in the elect that they crie Abba father* Gal. 4.6 which alone continueth stable and firme 12 Obiect The will of God is vnchangeable and his trueth doth neuer wauer therefore the feeling of Gods loue wherwith men are indued shall neuer decay An. The reprobate can neuer go so farre as to pearce into that hidden reuelatiō which the Scrip doth attribute to the elect alone As a tree which is not planted deepe inough that it may take roote doth wither in successe of time though for some yeares it sende foorth both leaues A similitude and blossomes and frutes Obiect We might call the Spirit deceitful which doth besprinkle the reprobat with such light which afterward perish An. He doth not quicken the seed which lieth in their harts that it may alwayes remaine incorruptible as in the elect* Rom. 5.5 The signification of faith 1 Tim. 3.9 1 Tim. 4.1 13 Also we must marke the doubtfull signification of the word For faith doth oftentimes signifie as much as the sound doctrine of godlinesse* Contrariwise it is sometimes restrained vnto some particular obiect * Mat. 8.10 Sometimes it is put for the gift of miracles * Coll. 13.10 sometimes for the doctrine whereby we are taught in the faith But we speake of the true faith whereby the children of God are iustified The exposition of the definition Knowledge 14 Nowe let vs prosecute euerie particular point of the definition By knowledge we meane not euerie comprehending such as men vse to haue in their matters but altogether infinite and farre surpassing all other knowledge that rather by perswasion of the truth of God then by reasonable demonstration Obiect There is no knowledge of that which is infinite An. Bicause the Lord hath reuealed to his Saints the secret of his will How faith is a knowledge 1 Ioh. 31. Certayne and firme which was kept secret from ages and generations faith is for good causes called in the Scriptures a knowledge* 15 We adde that it is certaine and firme that the more sounde constancie of perswasion may be expressed For as faith is not content with a doubtfull and rouling opinion so neither with a darke conceit but it requireth a full and certaine certaintie such as that vseth to be which we haue of known and tried things 16 This is the chiefe point of our faith Toward vs. that we do not thinke that those promises of mercie which the Lorde doeth offer are true onely without vs and not in vs but rather by comprehendinge them within vs wee make them our owne Hence springeth that confidence which Paule calleth peace* Rom. 5.1 17 Obiect But the faithfull finde it farre otherwise Faith is peace who are not onely tempted with vnquietnesse but also sometimes shaken with most grieuous terrors which do not agree with that certaintie of faith An. When wee say that faith is certaine wee do not imagine anie such certaintie as is not touched with anie doubting because the faithfull haue a continuall combate with their owne distrustfulnesse but they neuer fall from that certaine confidence which they haue conceaued of the mercie of God Wee haue an example in Dauid* Psal 42.6 43.5 The vnquietnes of the faithfull The first kinde of feare 18 Therefore a godly heart doth feele in it selfe a diuision which is partly delighted with sweetenesse by reason of the knowledge of Gods goodnesse partly it is vexed with bitternesse dy reason of the feeling of calamitie partly it leaneth to the promise of the Gospell partly it trembleth by reason of the testimonie of the owne iniquitie Imperfection of faith is the cause of vnquietnesse Which variation commeth by reason of the imperfection of faith forasmuch as we be neuer in so good case in this course of life that being cured throughly of all misbeliefe we are whollie replenished and possessed by faith Effects of faith 19 Let this be the summe So soone as any small drop of faith is dripped into our mindes we do forthwith behold the face of God to be pleasaunt and faire and fauourable to vs a farre of I graunt but with so certaine a sight that we knowe that we are not deceaued And the more we go forwarde the nigher do we come to behold him 20 Paule teacheth both things finely For whē he saith that we know in part and that we prophecy in part* 1 Cor. 13.9 he sheweth what a small portion of that diuine wisedome is giuen vs in this life But the same doth teach elswhere how sure and not deceaueable a tast euen a small drop of faith doth make vs feele when he affirmeth that we behold the glory of God with so great efficacie with open face without hauing any vaile put betweene that we are transformed into the same image* 2 Cor. 3.18 21 Furthermore faith doth arme and fortifie hir selfe with the word Faith leneth vpon the worde Temptation to beare of all brunts If therefore any such temptation do assault her that God is our enemie because he is angrie she aunswereth that he is mercifull euen then when he punisheth Because chastisement commeth rather from loue then from anger Faith is shaken yet at length it hath the victorie so doth Iohn conclude* This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world your faith Chastisment cometh rather from loue then from anger 22 There is another kinde of feare trembling whereby notwithstanding the securitie of faith is so litle diminished that it is thereby more surely established To wit when the faithfull thinking with them selues that the examples of Gods vengeance shewed vpon the wicked are vnto them in steed of instructions they take heede that they prouoke not the wrath of God against thēselues with like wickednesse 23 Therefore we are taught with feare trembling to worke our owne saluation 1 Ioh. 5.4 which is that we accustome our selues to behold the power of God with great casting downe of our selues 24 Obiect So often as we looke vpon Christ we graunt that we finde full matter of good hope but because we be vnworthie of all those good thinges which are offered vs in Christ The seconde kynde of feare The feelinge of our owne vnworthines is the cause of