onely assent to the doctrines but also doe beleeue that the things which we aske to be done shall be accomplished by God which we call an assurance Stella also as plainely maketh two kindes of Faith There is a faith saith he whereby we beleeue whatsoeuer is to be beleeued and this is a theologieall vertue There is another faith which is a certaine confidence to wit that whereby we beleeue that the Lord will giue vs that which we aske of him I could produce more witnesses speaking to the same purpose but I spare them till I come to speake of the seuerall kindes by themselues yet consider that not onely the ancient Fathers but likewise some great Clearkes in the late Romish Church haue made diuers kindes of faith Why then should we be condemned as Heretikes for teaching the same SECT VII LEt vs now come to the seuerall kinds of faith in particular And let vs first coÌ„sider a little touching iustifying faith It may be you will mislike two things in that description of it which I set downe in one of the precedent sermons The one respecteth the nature of it the other respecteth the persons that be endued with it because some of your side teach contrary therevnto 1. Touching the nature of it I shewed that by it a Christian doth apprehend and apply to himselfe all the promises of God in Christ and all the merits of Christ for his present iustification and for his future saluation I know it as well as you that many of your learned meÌ„ teach the contrary and therefore I feare that you will rather beleeue them then me The Rhemists say that to apprehend Christs righteousnes by faith is a phâ—ntasticall apprehension of that which is not And that it is a false faith And afterward that the Apostle knewe not speciall faith the forged faith of Protestants whereby euery one of these new Sect-maisters and their followers as it pleaseth them in the meeknes of their spirit to tearme vs beleeue their sinnes are remitted and themselues shall be saued And else-where that a speciall faith is a forged faith that neither Paul nor Iames nor any other sacred writer euer knewe or spake of any such faith Cardinall Bellermine maintaineth that Faith is neither Fiducia an assurance of Gods mercie or the Pardon of a Man 's owne sinnes nor yet Notitia a cknowledge of such thinges but but onely a firme and certaine assent to the truth of those things which God hath propounded to be deliuered Doctor Stapleton calleth them Heretickes who place the whole nature propertie vertue and greatnes of faith in a particular applicatien of Gods geuerall promises to Belieuers Indeed that which they say is true if there were no other faith taught in the word nor wrought in the hearts of Christians then that which is generally taught and found in the present Romane Church But they which vnderstand the word aright and are iustified by Faith do know and feele another kinde of faith farre surpassing that Bellarmine doth much wrong vs and more trouble himselfe in this point then needed He saith that they differ from vs in the obiect of iustifying faith because we whom he commonly calleth by the name of Heretickes doe restraine it to a sole promise of a speciall mercy And afterward spendeth many chapters in prouing that the obiect of a iustifying faith is not a speciall mercy but all things which God hath reuealed For we doe not hold that the promise of a speciall mercy to a man in particular is the obiect of a true iustifying faith vnder the new testament we finde none such made to any of vs The generall promises of mercy in Christ are the material obiects which being indefinitly propounded it is an acte of faith to make a true Christian to apply them particularly to himselfe But to come to the matter now in question It may easily be proued that a iustifying faith is not onely an assent to the truth of things reuealed in the word but likewise an apprehension and particular applying of the generall promises of Gods mercies and Christs merits for the remission of sinnes In the scriptures faith is called a receiuing of Christ. And a receiuing of the promise Can there be a receiuing of a thing without application was Christ receiued generally of all together for all together and not particularly by euery one for himself When Thomas saide to CHRIST My God and my Lorde Did not he especially and particularly applye Christ and his benefites to himselfe who was GOD and Lorde to all true Christians Yet Christ gaue it the name and Tytle of Faith saying vnto him Because thou hast seene mee thou belieuest And maketh that his faith the very same with their faith who were blessed for belieuing when they had not seene Yea with the faith of Gentiles For Augusti thinketh he did thereby preach and commend the faith of the Gentiles When Paul saide Christ hath loued me and giuen himselfe for mee Did hee not applye particularly to himselfe Christ and his benefites yet this hee did by that faith whereof hee spake immediately before euen by that faith in the Sonne of God whereby he then liued Is not Christ that bread which must nourish our soules and is not Faith the eating of him as himselfe declareth at large Ioh 6. Whervpon Augustine said What preparest thou thy teeth and thy belly belieue thou hast eaten And can there be any eating vnlesse there be be a speciall Application of the meate to the person that is fed Doth not euery one pray in particular for speciall mercie And is not euery one to belieue that what he asketh he shall obtaine And certaine it is that whosoeuer doth worthilie by Faith receiue the sacrament of the Lords supper hee doth by faith particularly receiue Christ and all his benefites and particularly applyeth all the promises of Gods mercies in him Bellarmine confesseth that they agree with vs that Faith is necessarily required for the profitable receiuing of the Sacrament And is there not an Analogie betwixt the signes and the thing signied Looâ—…e then how wee receiue the outward Signes so must wee by faith receiue the thing signified As therefore euerie one doeth particularly with his owne hand receiue to himselfe and for himselfe the outward signe So euery one that belieueth doth particularly receiue to himselfe and for himselfe Christ and all his benefites Let vs come to the Fathers It may be some of you will neither yeeld to scriptures alleadged by vs nor yet to any reasons vnles you may heare the Fathers speake as we doe That godly Martyr Cyprian said that although a man daily rehearsed all the articles of the creede Yet he doth not beleeue in God who doth not place in him onely the assurance of his whole felicitie he holdeth that faith is a confidence or assurance and not in generall of the happines and saluation of
and of a professed Christian become an Infidell but he who hath a true Justifying faith cannot quite loose it he may fall in outward shew onely still retayning faith in his heart so did Peter in his fall as shall afterward appeare but he who falleth away indeed and in truth totally and finally neuer had this iustifying faith Marcellinus Bishop of Rome seemed to fall into infidelitie when he sacrificed to Idols did he then loose his faith was he then become an Infidell indeed Then may the Bishop of Rome not onely erre in matters of faith but likewise quite loose his faith and become an Infidell yea an Infidell then may be the head of the Romane Church To auoyd this inconuenience Bellarmine answereth that he was neither Hereâ—icke nor Infidell but onely in outward acte for feare of death did sacrifice to Idolls As if he kept faith in his heart when he performed the outward act of an Infidell And of Liberius another Bishop of Rome he likewise saith That though it be true that he subscribed to the Arian heresie yet hee was no Hereticke but onely sinned in outward acte as Marcellinus did Why then may we not say that a Iustified beleeuer though hee through feare fall to the outward act of Infidelitie yet still keepeth faith in his heart Moreouer the testimonies which I alleadged out of the Fathers are absolute generall as well against the losing of faith by infidelitie as against the losâ—oâ—g of it by sinne But if any did fall to Infidelitie not onely in outward act but also in hart totally in deed in truth they were iudged by the Fathers neuer to haue had this faith Augustine said that those who doe not perseuere but so fall away from Christian faith and conuersation that the end of this life finde them such out of doubt at that time when they liued well and godly were not to be reckoned in the number of the elect and of them who are called according to his purpose So hee writeth of the Discciples which forsooke Christ at Capernaum That they were called Disciples the Gospell so speaking and yet they were not Disciples in truth because they abode not in his word According to that which he saith If yee abide in my Worde yee are verily my Disciples Therefore because they had not perseuerance As they were not truely the Diseiples of Christ So neyther were they truely the sonnes of God Euen when they seemed to bee and were so called And if they were not truely the Sonnes of God they had no faith For by Faith are we made the Sonnes of God as the scripture teacheth Yea the same Father professedly expoundsng the place of Iohn where those Disciples are mentioned saith They were to be reckoned among vnbelieuers though they were called Disciples If any suspect that I wrest his wordes contrary to his meaning Let him reade Maldonatus a Papist who writeth that 52 the Disciples which beleeued not when they followed Christ were Iudas and the murmurers And that Augustine and Beda doe thinke that those which went backe neuer had faith no more then those which S. Paul said were turned backe after Satan But of what faith must this be vnderstoode What faith did those Disciples and othe Reuolters want when they were taken for Disciples and Christians Was it an Hystoricall or assenting faith The Iesuites will not yeeld that Castor holdeth that all in the Church haue such a faith yea though they be as Tares among wheat bad fish among good foolish virgins wanting oyle in their Lamps as the guest wanting a wedding-Garment and like the incestuous Corinthian Bellarmine auoucheth that all in the Church are such beleeuers though they be wicked ones and instanceth in the forenamed Parables as if all the persons noted therein had that faith though they wanted charity good works Those Disciples and other reuolters before their backe-sliding were in the Church and yet wanted faith As Christ himself Augustine and others haue taught And therefore seeing that by the doctrine of the Iesuites they could not want an historicall and assenting faith they must needs want another faith namely a true iustifying faith But of all others Michael Medina is most plaine and copious in this point as in parte I declared when I spake of a temporary faith yet more may be added to shew his resolute opinion that none haue true faith but they which keepe it to the end According to Christian veritie saith he onely that is to be iudged a true faith which hath the efficacy of obtayning saluation According to that Hee that beleeueth in mee hath eternal life And afterward he addeth That true faith indeede doth consist with true loue but that onely is called true loue by a moral truth which hath perseuerance and continuance And that the Scripture neuer called the faith of them who beleeue for a time to be true saith And that those who are damned neuer had true faith And in conclusion he asked Soto whether he is to be called faithfull or a friend who should be ioyned vnto him for an houre by frieÌ„dship and faith which if he will not say because continuance and constancie is of the nature and being of true faith and charitie then cannot such offenders be called true beleeuers in Christ. Cardinall Bellarmine holdeth against some who then liued that Christ did not onely pray that Peter might continue in faith and in the fauour of God vnto the end but that he also prayed a little after for the perseuerance of all the Apostles yea also of all the elect Ioh. 17. Holy Father keepe them in thy Name whom thou hast giuen me How then can the Faith of any of the Elect faile Shall wee thinke that Christs Prayer was not heard Doth not hee else-where acknowledge that the Father heard him alwayes Was his prayer effectuall against the losse of grace and faith by sinne not against the losse of them by Infidelitie Then was his prayer heard but in part How can they proue that difference SECT XIIII IN prosecuting this point I produced Peuer for an Example who though he denyed his master with an Oath yet still kept Faith in his heart And least any should thinke that this was a speciall priuiledge in Peter I shewed that Christ prayed for others as well as for him Now if there be any who imagine that Christ prayed for them after a different maner and to another end let them remember what I alleadged before out of Augustine touching Christs prayer for all the elect namelie That Christ praying for them that their Faith might not fayle without doubt it shall not fayle vnto the end and therefore shall continue vnto the end neyther shall the end of this life find it otherwise then remayning But because that Bellarmine and others doe teach that Peter did quite loose his faith and the righteousnes thereof I will
hee and the rest of the Apostles preached and therefore he saith If wee or an Angell preach otherwise then that which wee haue preached And what worde hee preached I haue proued before not any traditions but the written word If it be true which Irenaeus and Nicephorus doe write that what the Apostles preached at first was afterward by the will of God set downe in the scriptures it must be acknowledged that they preached no traditions seeing we can finde no traditions penned by thē in their Epistles And though they had bene traditious when they were preached yet they ceased to be traditions when once they were written by them Againe the Fathers restraine the words of the Apostle to the scriptures as if he were accursed that would preach any thing not cōtained in them Augustine is most plaine therein Whether concerning Christ or concerning his Church or any other thing that pertaineth to our faith or life I will not say if wee for we are not to be compared to him who saide if wee but euen as he going forward added If an Angell from heauen shall preach vnto you besides that which ye haue receiued in the scriptures of the lawe and the Gospell let him be accursed Basill likewise teacheth that hearers who be skilfull in the scriptures ought to examine those things which bee deliuered of their teachers And to receiue those things which be agreeable to the scriptures and to reiect those that be not And produceth this testimonie of the Apostle to proue it which had bene an impertinent proofe if the Apostle had spoken as well of a word not written as of a word written The Cardinall mentioneth both these testimonies and would auoyd them by saying that they doe not of purpose expound this place but doe proue by this place that it is not lawfull to auouch any thing contrary to the scriptures Yet cānot he deny but that they doe alleadge this place of the Apostle And I hope he will not say but that they doe deliuer the true sense of it and doe alleadge it according to the true meaning of the Apostle Doth the Cardinall thinke that such learned fathers would giue one sense of it when purposely they expound it and another sense when they alleadged it to prooue a point which they haue in hād This were to wrest the scripture to make it serue their present turne I hope he will not so iudge of such reuerend men And to say that they onely proue thence that it is not lawful to auouch any thing contrary to scripture is to alter and inuert their words Doth not Augustine say praeterquam quod accepistis besides that which you haue receiued but of that afterward And if by that place they proue that nothing must be taught contrary to the scriptures then must they not hold with the Cardinall that the Apostle speaketh of each word as well written as not written but onely of the written word And so the Cardinall maketh them to confute him Chrysostome purposely expounding the place saith Paul preferreth the scriptures before angels comming from heauē As also that Paul doth not say if they preach contrary things or if they subuert the whole Gospell but if they preach but euen a little beside the Gespell which ye haue receiued let them be accursed Thomas Aquinas their Angelicall Doctor professedly expoūding that place doth write that nothing is to be preached but that which is conteyned in the Gospells and in the Epistles and in the holy scripture implicitely or expresly Will they say that their Traditions are conteyned in the scriptures either expresly or by way of implication or consequent thenare they not vnwritten verities as they tearme them A second answere of the Cardinall is this that the Apostle by Praeter vnderstood Contra. And therefore did not forbid new doctrines and precepts which were besides those that were deliuered but onely doctrines and precepts contrarie to the former Yet will not this serue his turne For in matters of faith and religion proeter and contra are both alike Whatsoeuer is taught as necessarie to saluation if it be besides the scripture must be condemned as well as that which is contrarie to the Scriptures The reason is because the Scriptures conteyne all thinges which Ministers are to teach as necessary to saluation And therefore Paul told Timothie that they were able to make him wise vnto saluation And were profitable to teach to improue to correct and to instruct in righteousnesse Two of which respect mens mindes what they are to know and beleeeue as the trueth and what they are to reiect as errors Two of them respect their maners what sinnes they are to auoyde what duties they are to performe Is there any things needfull to bee taught the people but these things And because the Cardinall answereth that the Scriptures are profitable for all these things but not sufficient Consider the wordes of the Apostle following where hee declareth the end of this profitablenes namely that the man of God may be absolute being made perfect to all good works By the man of God he meaneth the Minister of the Gospell That tytle had he in his former Epistle giuen vnto Timothie And Lyra saith the man of God was one ordeyned to the diuine office such a one as Timothie was If then the Scripture being profitable for those foure vses will thereby make a Minister of the Gospell absolute and perfect for each good worke belonging vnto him he is not to teach any things ouer and besides the Scripture Theophylact thus writeth on the former place Hee doth not inferre if they onely preach contrary things but if they preach that which is beside that which we haue preached that is if they shall adde any thing that is but a very little more they are subiect to the curse And indeed it may seeme strange that the Papists are so earnest to haue vnwrittē traditions as wel preached as written truthes seeing the things written are more cettaine more excellent and necessary and require a long time to bee all taught and learned They are more certaine because all men are more certainely assured that the Scriptures the doctrines conteyned in them bee the word of God then that vnwritten traditions be his worde Bellarmine confesseth that nothing is better knowne nothing more certaine then the sacred Scriptures which bee conteyned in the writings of the Prophets Apostles that he must needes be most foolish who denyeth that they are to be beleeued And produceth 5. inuincible and infallible proofes that they are the very word of God Whē he commeth to speake of traditions he alleadgeth no such proofes but onely goeth about to prooue by 4. places of Scripture which haue bene long agoe answered that there are some traditions though neyther he nor any of his fellowes can tell what they are nor can make a perfit Catalogue of them so vncertain are
Mathew sets downe one propertie of them and Luke another Mathew saith They are such as heare and vnderstand not There be 2. sorts of hearers who vnderstaÌ„d not the word 1 Some through naturall infirmitie through defect of capacity conceipt vnderstaÌ„ding memorie If these naturall faculties be not perfit they cannot possibly vnderstand the word which they heare but of these Christ doth not heare speake this is rather an infirmitie then a fault rather a punishment of sin then sin it selfe God may beare with their weaknes especially if their mind and vnderstanding be as weak in apprehending worldly matters as it is in diume If they vnderstand the fundamentall grounds of Religion If they mislike this their infirmitie desire to haue it redressed If they haue a care according to their small capacity to encrease in knowledge And if they frame their liues according to the measure of knowledge which they haue receiued 2. Some vnderstand not the word through negligence carelesnes contempt who heare the word but heed it not regard it not marke it not care not much for it let it passe as it coÌ„meth and are thinking of some other matter while they should attend to it who are so farre from laying it deepe in their hearts as they will not suffer it long to continue in their heads Of these persons doth Christ heere speake for he noteth it as a great fault in them and opposeth them to those who receiue the word with ioy And fitly are they resembled to the high way as before was declared This kind of hearers is not wanting in these daies who marke and vnderstand little or nothing of that we speake though wee speake neuer so plainely If they heare a long discourse of worldly matters they giue attentiue eares can carry it away repeat it to others but let them heare a poynt of necessarie doctrine on an article of their faith discussed they conceiue little and afterwards can rehearse nothing at all So that in them is fulfilled that Prophecie of Esay applyed by Christ to the obstinate Iewes By hearing they heare vnderstand note by seing they see perceiue not Let them know that their hearing shall not profit them vnles they vnderstand Indeed there be some who vnderstand what they heare yet shall reape no benefit by it yet is there not any who shal haue any coÌ„modity by that which he heares and vnderstands not Wherefore we must say to them as Christ said to the multitude heare and vnderstand you loose your labour in hearing if you vnderstand not The Eunuch thought it impossible for him to vnderstand the scripture he reade without a guide yet thereby implyed that if he had a guide he could vnderstand Our people haue such guides and yet many of them vnderstand little If one aske them the meaning of a text which they heard lately and learnedly pithily and plainly expounded they cannot tell the sense of it If one aske their opinion touching a point of doctrine lately taught them they are not able to speake any thing of it which declareth that they vnderstood it not and so they proue themselues to be no good hearers Some say they are not learned they are of a dull capacitie yet they haue a good meaning and as good an heart as those who vnderstand most they hope God will beare with them and accept of their good meaning when as they should rather accuse themselues of negligence If they did duly prepare themselues and carefully attend they might vnderstaÌ„d much more then they do But let them first know that though they be not learned and cannot reade yet ought they and may be able to vnderstand for God hath furnished preachers with learning and appoynted them so to explane the word that the simple may vnderstand it Euen as Ezra and the Leuites reade the booke of the lawe distinctly and gaue the sense and caused the people to vnderstand it Though thou be not able to vnderstand the word of thy selfe yet may â—st thou be made able by them yea and shalt be made able to vnderstand the most necessatie points of saluation before thou canst be made fit for heauen yea many of the most necessarie points are so easie of themselues that thou may vnderstand them at the first hearing if thou wilt carefully marke them The entrance into Gods word sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple And therefore if thou vnderstand not thou should rather blame thy selfe for want of attention then for want of capacitie or learning Againe know this that God will neuer accept of thy good meaning nor of thy good heart vnles thou d oin some competent measure vnderstand his word for it is the word rightly vnderstood that must direct thy good meaning and correct thy heart thou maist thinke thy meaning is good and thy heart good when both be naught as indeed they are if thou vnderstand not the word aright And how should God accept of thy good meaning voyd of vnderstanding It is but the sacrifice of fooles blindnes was a blemish which made beastes vnfit for sacrifice And doest thou thinke God will accept thy blind deuotion deceiue not thy owne soule herein but seeke for vnderstanding There be some that be desirous to vnderstand what they heare and it may be would gladly knowe how they may be able I would aduise them to doe these 6. things 1. Let them prepare themselues before they come to heare As we must prepare our selues before we pray if we will not pray vainely and as we must prepare our selues before we come to the Sacrament if we will not receiue it vnworthily so must wee prepare our selues before we heare if we will not heare vnprofitably The husbandman prepares his ground by plowing it before he sowe it If thou goe rashly to heare without preparation thou shalt yeeld no more fruit then a field that is sowne before it be plowed Thou maist prepare thy selfe by considering before hand that the word which thou goest to heare is not the word of a mortall man but the word of the euerliuing God that not man onely speakes vnto thee but that God speaketh vnto thee in and by the man That the word is the power of God to saluation that one day thou must giue account to God for thy hearing If thou doest seriously consider these things before hand they will prepare thee to heare with more reuerence and vnderstanding Againe prepare thy selfe by vnfained humiliation for thy former sinnes least God for the punishment of them should blind thy vnderstanding when thou hearest Likewise prepare thy selfe by renewing thy faith in the truth of Gods word and of his promises knowing that the word will not profit the hearers vnles it be mixed with faith 2. Pray earnestly vnto the Lord that he would enlighten thy minde by his holy spirit for the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God neither can
and growe for a while but not long if heate drought doe come it will be parched and wither away for lacke of moysture Such is the case of some hearers their hearts being mollified in part somewhat soft aboue but very hard below toward the bottome will not suffer the word to take any deepe rooting in them It may enter into their harts yet it cannot pearce into the bottome of them It may be some rooting yet very ebbe and shallow It may prosper for a while and they make some profession of it yet not long And in regard hereof they become vnprofitable hearers So as from hence we may obserue a double danger and inconuenience of an heart that is not throughly mollified to the bottome It both hindereth the rooting of the word and also the fruitfulnes of it 1. It hindereth the rooting of the word so as it cannot possibly go deepe enough the word should descend to the bottome of the heart and there take rooting and be continually nourished with the moysture of it but it cannot descend so farre vnles it be throughly mollified Not onely they whose hearts are altogether hard as was the hart of Pharaoh when he heard Moses and Aaron and the Scribes and Pharises when they heard Christ but also they whose hearts are softened onely in part are vnprofitable hearers As not onely those rockes which be bare on the top and altogether hard and haue no manner of soyle and moysture aboue but likewise those which be couered with a litle moysture and earth aboue but not much are vnfit to receiue seede The one will not receiue the seede at all nor suffer it to sprout or shoote forth a blade the other will cause it to sproute and shoote forth a blade but neuer to beare a ripe eare So they who haue hearts altogether hardened will not heare or at least not receiue the word of God at all into any part of their hearts but those who haue hearts partly soft and partly hard may receiue the word and retaine it for a time but will neuer bring forth the fruites of it Wherefore the holy Ghost saith in the Psalmes and it is applyed by the Apostle to the hearers of the Gospell To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Because the hard hearted can neuer heare the word of God so reuerently and effectually as they ought to doe the Lord biddeth vs not to harden but to soften our hearts if we will heare his voyce The harder the heart is the more vnprofitable shall be the hearing the softer the heart is the more profitable shall the hearing be Againe this hardnes will cause men to deny the word in time of tentation The moysture and softnes aboue is the cause of receiuing the word with ioy and beleeuing for a time but the hardnes and drinesse below is the cause of reuolting afterward When Gods hand was heauie on Pharoh he somewhat relented humbled himselfe and confessed his sinne but as soone as it was remoued he returned with the dogge to his vomit and became as obstinate as euer he was before So if a mans heart be mollified onely in part he may relent while he heares the word and may embrace it with peace but in time of persecution may grow as hard as euer he was before euen as yron is soft in some measure while it is in the fire but becommeth hard againe when it is cold Let vs not therefore content our selues with an vpper softening but see that our hearts be softened to the very bottome that they may melt like waxe at the fire as good king Iosiahs heart did when he heard the lawe read I knowe that none of our hearts are so soft as they should be But if thou feelest thine owne hardnes doest mislike it desirest earnestly that it may be more and more mollified and doest vse all good meanes for the further mollifying of it thy heart either is alreadie or shall be within a while so softened as it may receiue the word profitably to thy saluatiō If Goates blood being warme can soften the hard Adamant doubt not but the blood of Christ can sufficiently mollifie thy heart though it were as hard as a rocke If thou pray earnestly vnto God to take away the stony heart of thy body and to giue thee an heart of flesh be assured that he will performe it seeing he hath promised it by his holy Prophet 3. Let vs now come to the third propertie of these hearers They belieue for a time Mathew and Marke say they endure for a season that is they endure in their faith but a while They doe belieue yet not long But it is to be considered what kinde of faith this is Though the Papists teach that there is but onely one kinde of faith yet may we find many seuerall distinct kindes thereof in the holy scriptures There be foure kindes of faith One is proper and peculiar to Gods elect and to the regenerate The rest are common both to the elect and the reprobate That which is proper and peculiar to the elect is a true iustifying faith whereby a man doth apprehend and apply to himselfe all the promises of God in Christ and all the merits of Christ for the pardon of his sinne and the saluation of his soule This is called by S. Paul the faith of Gods Elect because onely they and all they be endued with it And therefore it is said that as many as were ordained to eternall life beleeued Though all of them doe not receiue it at the same time but some sooner some later yet is there not any of the Elect but at one time or other they doe receiue it This is called an vnfayned faith or a faith without dissimulation or hypocrisie because it is not counterfaited and is a faith in deed and in truth and is seated not in the tongues or the head but in the bottome of the heart This faith is said to purifie the heart and is called the faith of the Saints because none haue it but those who be sanctified By this faith are we now iustified without the workes of the law and by this must we be saued as the Apostle proueth at large in his Epistles But this is not the faith here spoken of Againe there be other kindes of faith which be common both to the Elect and reprobate And these are either extraordinarie or ordinarie Extraordinarie as the faith of working miracles whereof the Apostle speaketh saying If I had all faith sothat I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Iudas the childe of perdition had this faith as well as the rest of the Apostles for he wrought miracles as well as they And many shall say to Christ haue not we in thy name cast out diuells and by thy name done many great miracles to whom he shall answere I neuer knew you depart from
his name from vnder heauen Wherefore let all rich men take heede lest they be thus deceiued let them know that riches are common both to good and bad yea that the worst often haue them and the best often want them and therfore let not the hauing of them make them to presume any whit the more on Gods fauour or lesse feare his iudgments 2. Riches deceiue men in respect of the nature of them In making them to thinke that they be farre better then indeed they are That they are good in their owne nature that they make thē better that haue them That they yeeld the greatest blessings benefits comforts that man receiueth on the earth That those who enioy them are the happiest and those who want them are the most miserable in the world This is a notorious deceyt for they are not good in their owne nature but onely in the vse Not good to all but onely to the good who knowe how to vse them aright They are not Riches in trueth but in showe and doe as much differ from true riches as the shadowe differeth from the substance Happie men may want them miserable men may haue them Naball had them when Dauid wanted them The Rich Glutton that at at his death was sent to hell torments had them in abundance when as Lazarus who after death was carryed to Abrahams bosome did want them The Apostles had neither golde nor siluer and yet were happie They make fewe better but many worse and are occasions of much euill Neyther can they yeeld any great benefits to the owners either for soules or bodies They cannot redeeme our soules wee were not bought with corruptible things as siluer and golde The whole world and all the wealth thereof were not a sufficient Ransome for one soule nor a full satisfaction to God for one sinne They rather hinder then further our saluation Can they exempt men from Gods iudgements Doe not Rich men feele them as well as poore Can they free our bodyes from diseases Are not Rich men subiect to diseases as well as poore men Can they preserue vs from death Doe not Rich men dye as well as poore All the benefits which you can reape by them are no better no more then the Rich Glutton had who was costly cladde and daintily fedde Are not they then fondly deceiued who thinke so highly and make so great account of them Wherefore take heede least you be thus deceyued This deceyte is also a Thorne in the heart to choake the worde It will cause men to set theyr heartes on Riches to loue them and desire them and seeke them more then they ought It will make them to serue God and keepe his word no further then it serueth for their commoditie If the word command any thing which they thinke will hinder their profite they will rather transgresse the word then forgoe their gaine Such men will not get and employ their wealth as the word doth direct but would haue the word and the teachers thereof to allowe them to get and employ their wealth as they list Take heede of this deceit If thou be deluded in this sort euery trifling commoditie will hinder you in obedience to the word 3. Riches deceiue men in regard of their effects because they will not performe that which they seeme to promise and which their owners expected at their hands They seeme to promise and men expect nothing but good from them and yet they bring much euill with them As thornes doe beare greene leaues white flowers and sweete blossomes yet vnder the same doe carry sharpe prickes that will make a man to bleede if he doe not handle them choysely and warily So riches doe promise to men great ease high honour many pleasures and much contentment and yet withall they bring great paine much trouble and little contentment They are not gotten without great labour nor kept without great care and feare nor lost without great sorrowe And so they are little better then the apples of Sodome which seeme to be faire and ripe and fit to be eaten but if one taste them they vanish into powder and smoake And that which is worse they will seeme to make a man more fit and yet in truth doe oftentimes make him more vnfit for Gods seruice They puffe vp his heart with pride they make him more secure and careles of heauenly things lesse to feare God and his iudgements and lesse to regard and obey his word And therefore the Lord not without iust cause gaue warning before hand to the people of Israel that when they were placed in Canaan a land that flowed with milke and hony and had eaten and filled themselues with the fruites thereof they should beware that they forgat not the Lord their God not keeping his commandements and his ordinances And afterward he thus complaineth of them I spake vnto thee when thou wast in prosperitie but thou saidst I will not heare this hath bene thy manner from thy youth Dauid in the time of his exile and persecution committed no such sinnes as he did when he was setled in his kingdome And it hath bene obserued and confessed by many of the learned that the Church more abounded in pietie and zeale when it was persecuted and poore then when it was peaceable and endowed with riches And thereupon it was said Religio peperit diuitias sed silia deuorauit matrem Religion brought forth riches but the daughter hath deuoured the mother That as the Church encreased in possessions so it decreased in vertue Some write that whē Christian Emperours with good entents enriched the Church with lands and possessions a voyce was heard to crye This day is venome or poyson powred into the Church And afterward the Church began to complaine and say In pace mea amaritudo mea maxima In pace mea amaritudo mea amarissima In my peace my bitternes is the greatest In my peace my bitternes is the most bitter Not so bitter before by the death of Martyrs and conflict with Heretikes as now by the manners of the household So that not a fewe but many haue bene deceiued and corrupted by riches this way and therefore all had neede to looke to themselues 4. Lastly riches deceiue men in respect of the continuance Many trust to them and hope to enioy them long when as they are presently depriued of them Thus was Dauid deceiued In his prosperitie he said I shall neuer be moued the Lord of his goodnes had made his mountaine to stand strong but thē the Lord did hide his face and he was troubled In regard whereof Salomon saith Wilt thou cast thine eyes vpon that which is nothing for riches taketh her to her wings like an Eagle which flyeth into the heauen And Paul bad Timothie charge rich men not to trust to vncertaine riches vncertaine they are and therefore not to be trusted they
his Father Sanctify them with thy trueth thy word is the trueth And the Apostle teacheth that GOD doth sanctify the Church clense it by the washing of the water through the word Now thē the plaister must be applyed to the place that is wounded or sore If it be applied to any other place it will do no good If the disease come frō the hart or inward parts it is in vain to lay the plaister to the head to the eare to the hand or to the foote so long as the heart inward parts are not cured they will minister new corrupt matter to the outward parts If then our hearts be corrupt we must not onely be content to apply the word to the eares by hearing it to the head by vnderstanding it to the tongue by talking of it but also to the heart for the purging of it at the first and for the guiding of it alwaies afterward 2. Againe the heart is the seate of the affections you must therefore receiue the word into your hearts that so it may worke on your affections both to sanctifie them as also to stirre them vp vnto good Thou must loue the word trust in the word and reioyce in the word or rather thou must loue God trust in God and reioyce in God because of his word as was shewed before in the example of Dauid Thou canst not doe this vnles thou receiue the word with thy heart As meate cannot nourish thy body vnles it be receiued into thy stomacke And as seede can neuer sprout nor come vp vnles it be cast into the furrowes and clods of the earth no more will the word profit thy soule vnles it be receiued into thy heart 3. Moreouer the heart is the commander of the whole man and sets all on worke according to the disposition of it selfe Of the abundance of the hart the mouth speaketh as saith our Sauiour A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things and an euill man out of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill things As the primum mobile doth turne all the other inferiour orbes round about with it And as the watch wheele of a clocke guideth all the other wheeles If it stand they stand if it goe they goe if it goe slowly they goe slowly if it go swiftly they go swiftly So doth the heart of man rule and order all the senses and parts of his body either to good or euill they are exercised as it is affected Those then that would be obedient hearers of the word must needes receiue and embrace it with their hearts that so their hearts louing and lyking and beleeuing it may set all their senses and all the parts of their bodies on worke to practise it 4. Lastly the heart is the safest place for it As sowne corne if it lye on the top of the furrowes may easily be deuoured by the fowles of the ayre but if it be hid and couered is free from that danger so the word which thou hearest if it goe no further then thy eares or head it is easily taken from thee but if it descend to the bottome of thy heart it may there be safelie kept It is an heauenly treasure And therefore thou must imitate that man who finding a treasure in the field did hide it and for ioy thereof went and sold all that he had to buy that field Though men will suffer their baser stuffe and wodden vessell to be more common and lye more open and remaine in greater danger yet their best and most costly stuffe their iewells and coyne they will lay vp in the safest places So seeing the word of God is most precious of great value and worth lay it vp safely in the bottome of the heart And if this be a property of good hearers to heare the word with their hearts then those who bring their bodies to the Church and leaue their hearts at home who draw neere to God with their lippes and with their eares when their hearts are farre from him cannot be good hearers If thou wouldest be of that number prepare thy heart before hand and while thou hearest let not thy heart be thinking on any by-matters but onely attend to that heare with thy heart as well as with thy eares and then shalt thou be blessed by thy hearing 2. Againe note hence more specially the qualitie and disposition of their hearts who heare profitably they heare with an honest and good heart It is not any kind of heart that will make your hearing profitable it must be an honest and good heart Though thou shouldest heare with thy heart as well as with thy eares yet vnles it be a good heart it will little auaile thee For in the goodnes of the heart consisteth a maine difference betwixt these hearers and some of the former Those which be compared to stony ground did heare with their harts For they are saide not onely to heare but also to receiue the word with ioy Yet were they not good and honest hearts They were hard and stony and would not suffer the worde to take rooting deepe enough And those that be resembled to Thornie ground did heare with their hearts yet were their hearts not good They were full of worldly cares and carnall delights which afterward choaked the word But these receiued it with good and honest hearts and therefore did both retaine it and obey it In describing of the qualitie of this their hart Christ here vseth two words which be of a neere yet not of the same signification There is some difference ketwixt them the one properly signifieth faire beautifull seemly and comely the other signifieth good and excellent The one noteth the outward apparent qualitie the other expresseth the inward nature and inherent propertie of the thing And so here by is signified that the heart of these hearers is good each way both outwardly before men manifesting it self to be good by open profession by aboundance of fruites and by constant perseuerance And also inwardly in it selfe and before God by a sincere sanctification and holie disposition And so their heart differeth from the heartes of the former hearers For though they in receyuing the Worde with ioy in belieuing it and bringing forth some fruites of it did make some faire showe and gaue some outward signe of a good heart yet their heart was not effectually sanctified within and they made those faire showes but for a time Afterward they reuolting in time of Tentation or failing in their fruites thorough worldly cares and voluptuousnes bewrayed the filthinesse of theyr hearts Those then that would bee good hearers must haue good hearts both waies Both inwardly in their owne nature and inclination as also outwardly before men by the fruites and testimonies As is the heart so will the hearing be Good meete will not nourish that mans bodie who hath a bad stomacke that cannot well
vnwritten traditions Alfonsus Uiruestus a Popish Bishop and a bitter enemie to Luther acknowledgeth so much For he saith That things may bee contayned in the Scripture eyther formally and expresly or materially being drawne by a necessary collection from the contents And this he saith is called Uirtualis continentia To denie this saith hee is not Christian wisedome but Iewish superstition And then teacheth that wee are as much bound to giue assent to those things that be materially conteyned and drawne thence by a lawfull collection as to those that be formerly and expresly conteyned Bellarmine cannot deny but that Scotus taught there was not any expresse place of Scripture to proue Transubstantiation without the declaration expositioÌ„ of the Church Neither dare the Cardinall reiect that assertion but saith that Transubstantiation belongeth to the Catholicke faith because it is collected out of the diuine Scripture In his iudgement then that is a written truth which is collected from the Scripture as well as that which is expressely set downe in the Scripture If therefore Preachers deliuer no other doctrines in their Sermons if they confute and condemne no other errors if they teach no other duties if they reproue no other sinnes if they minister no other consolations and if they vrge no other exhortations then they haue warrant in the written word of God eyther by expresse testimonies or by necessary collections the word which they preach is the very same in kind in nature and substance with the word written And so there is not one word written and another word preached as the Docter would beare men in hand but one and the same word diuersly vsed So absurd is this his obseruation so voyde of reason so destitute of proofe and so discreâ—ant from the doctrine of his owne Church that it may well be thought that rather malice against vs then any warrant from the text caused him to sâ—t it downe And heere behold how farre malice doth carry your teachers euen to forsake their owne companions and to ouerthrow the coÌ„mon and receiued doctrine of their owne Church that so they may crosse and condemne vs. And to conclude with him he that will regard what he writeth in the latter end of his obseruation may easily perceiue how hee ouerthroweth his owne note obserued in the beginning For he produceth the Apostle Peter as an in different witnes in this case who saith that the Word of God endureth for euer and this is the word which is preached among you whose testimonie doth euidently prooue that the word written and the word preached then by the Apostles and other Ecclesiasticall persons was the very same word For it is apparant by that verse which he alleadged that the word of God which endureth for euer and the word which then was preached were one and the selfe same word Now what was the word that endureth for euer was it not the word written If any will denye this let him reade the former verse in Peter and compare that verse and this with the words of the Prophet Isaiah and hee shall finde it to be the word written by the Prophet So as Peter maketh the word written by the Prophet and preached by the Apostles to be the same Againe this great Docter saith the Word is the Seede because it is vnchangeable in it owne nature and substance though diuers in explication and proueth it out of Basil and Uincentius Lyrenensâ—s who make that agreemeÌ„t betweene the word written and the word preached that they are both one in substance for they preached nothing but what was written yet the word writteÌ„ was made fruitfull by preaching SECT III. BVt to leaue the Doctor and his obseruation It may be some others will acknowledge contrarie to his minde that whosoeuer preacheth nothing but such doctrines as are either expresly taught or necessarily gathered from the scriptures preacheth nothing but the written word And yet will likewise contradict me because they hold that there is another word of God besides the written word Bellarmine saith there is verbuÌ„ Dei scriptuÌ„ verbum Dei non scriptum A word of God written namely the bookes of the old and new Testaments And a word of God not written namely the traditions of the Church which be not written in the scriptures Gregory de Ualentia holdeth it for a most certaine thing that the word of God is not onely conteyned in written letters as it pleaseth him to tearme the scriptures in way of disgrace but is also put in the voyce of the Church and there doth sound Coster the Iesuite speaketh more plainely and peremptorily That the consent of the Catholike Church and the consonant doctrine of all Christians throughout the world is the scripture And in many points excelleth the scriptures which the Apostles haue left vs in parchments And this he maketh the first and chiefest kinde of scripture which now wee haue vnder the Gospell and saith that is a scripture penned with their owne hands The scriptures penned by the Apostles and Euangelists he placeth in the second ranke And addeth that a scripture of the third kind is in the degrees of generall Councells The decrees whereof if a man respect truth if he respect the seale and confirmation of the holy Ghost or the presence of Christ haue the same waight and moment that the holy gospells of God haue And so whereas Bellarmine made but two words of God he maketh three and two of his three are neither of the Cardinalls two Now those who depend on such teachers as these wil hold that albeit the seede be the word of God and Preachers must teach nothing but the word yet they may preach the traditions of the Church and the canons of councells as well as the contents of the written word because these be the word of God as well as the written word Wherevnto I answere that if the Traditions of the Church the word put in the mouth of the Church and the decrees of Councells be eyther expresly taught in the written word or may be warranted thence by iust and lawfull consequence we will acknowledge them to be the word of God But if they be praeter verbum besides the word writteÌ„ hauing neither way any warrant thereby they are not to be preached as the word of God but to be taken as the word of man And if they be contrary to the word written they are so farre from being the word of God as they must rather bee reputed to be the word of the diuell I neede not to stand on the first and last kinde For we acknowledge the first as well as the papists and the papists doe in generall condemne the last as well as we though they iustifie some in particular All the doubt is whether such traditions and canons that bee praeter verbum are to be taught to the people as the true word of God and be the seede
all Gods children but in particular of his owne happines This his assertion doth so gall the Papists that Pamelius said it must be read warily because he knewe that if it were reade in the very sense which the words did beare and the author meant without some corrupt glosse contrary to his meaning it would iustifie our doctrine of faith and make most of the popish crew who haue no confidence of their owne saluation but an assent to the truth of Gods worde to be a company of vnbelieuers The same Father saith That how much Faith we bring thither to receiue so much we draw of Gods ouerflowing grace This is appointed of God saide Ambrose that hee who belieueth in Christ should bee saued without works by faith only receiuing freely the remission of sinnes To the like effect speaketh Hesychius Grace of mercie is both offered and also apprehended by faith alone without workes Augustine maketh Faith the hand whereby euery one must lay holde of Christ now sitting in Heauen Is not that more then a bare assent to thinges reuealed Is not this a speciall Application When the same Father stirred vp his owne soule with these wordes Let my soule say yea let it altogether confidently say Thou art my God who doth say to my soule I am thy saluation c. Did hee not in particular appropriate and apply to himselfe the generall fauours and mercies of God and made him who was God ouer all to be his God in particular And when he sayd Behold we belieue in Christ whom we receiue by faith In receiuing we know what we thinke we receiue a little and are fed in the heart he shewed the nature of faith to be rather an apprehension and application then an assent Chrysostome writing of the promises made to the Patriarches and of the maner how they receiued them saith thus They did by faith alone conceiue a certaine assurance of them seeing them a farre off before foure generations they had such a certain perswasion of them that they did euen salute them as Sea-faring men doe a farre off see the Cities desired which they salute before they enter into them Thou seest that this they receiued is to expect and haue confidence of them If therefore to haue confidence is to receiue We also may receiue them Wherein he declareth the nature of faith not to consist onely in an assent giuen to the truth of things reuealed but a confidence and assurance of the promises of God made to man And that by this confidence beleeuers are saide to receiue the promises And that as they then receiued the promises by that their confidence so also we now by the like confidence are to receiue them Damascen expounding the Apostles description of faith that it is the ground of things hoped for hath these words Faith is an vndoubted and vniudge-able hope as well of those things which are promised vs of God as of obteyning our petitions If then any man may particularly aske the forgiuenes of his owne sinnes and the saluation of his owne soule he may in particular beleeue that his owne sins shall be pardoned his owne soule saued Bernard is plentifull this way thus he saith If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot be blotted out but by him against whom onely thou hast sinned thou doest well but yet adde more that thou also beleeue this that thy sinnes are forgiuen thee by him Is not this a speciall faith Is not this more theÌ„ an assent in generall to things reuealed Is not this the faith so much impugned by our late papists And for a speciall application of Christs merits vnto vs for the pardon of a mans owne sinnes and the saluation of his owne soule he speaketh as plainely But that Caine was not of the members of Christ nor had any thing to do with the merit of Christ that he might presume the same to be his he would haue called that his owne which was Christs as the member doth that which is the heades Thereby teaching that the true beleeuer being a member of Christ doeth call that his owne which is Christs and doth without sinne presume that the merit of Christ is his in particular And therefore in the next words he saith thus of himselfe Whatsoeuer is wanting vnto me from my selfe I boldly take it vnto me out of the bowels of the Lord Iesus because they flow out with mercy Let vs descend to the Popish writers we may finde many of them to iumpe with vs herein Ferus was commended by Sixtus Senensis to be a man excellently learned in the diuine Scriptures whose equall in the office of preaching the Gospell the Catholicke Churches of the Germaines haue not in this our time Yet doeth hee in many places condemne the Popish description of faith and approue ours That is not alwayes faith whith we call faith we call it faith to assent to those things which be deliuered in the diuine histories and which the Church propoundeth to be belieued The Scripture speaketh farre otherwise of Faith For according to the Scriptures faith is nothing else but a consideÌ„ce of Gods mercy promised in Christ. And he bringeth Abrahams example for proofe thereof And of this faith saith hee mention is made in the Gospell where it is sayd Hee that beleeueth in the Sonne of God shall not bee condemned The faith which the Scripture commendeth is no other thing then to trust to the free mercy of God this is the true faith whereby the iust man liueth this alone is it which God requireth of vs. An example of this faith we haue in the Centurion for we do not read that he rehearsed the Articles of faith but that he came to Christ with great trust These wordes make so much for vs that Sixtus Senensis sayd of them that hee seemeth to allude to the error of them who teach that iustifying faith is nothing else but an assurance of Gods mercy forgiâ—ing our sinnes through Christ. And Dominicus Soto tooke vpon him to confute him in that poynt but Michael Medina defended him against Soto And else-where he speaketh as fully for vs To belieue in Christ saith hee is not to know his works for Sathan knoweth this neyther is it to remember or thinke with himselfe that Christ hath suffered and risen againe for euen vngodly men remember these things and thinke of them and yet are made nothing better But it is with certaine sure and stedfast trust to take hold of Christ and all his benefits and to sticke to them with all the heart all the soule and all the strength Pighius in his booke of controuersies dedicated to the Pope Paulus 3. doth teach that although Faith as it is vsually taken by ecclesiasticall writers bee that habite of the minde whereby we do certainly and without any doubting assent to those things which for our saluation are reuealed of God to his Church
Yet vnto this faith assent of reason and the minde that it may be called a perfect faith there ought also to be adioyned a certaine sure and firme trust of the heart whereby the belieuing soule doth so stay vpon trust to the worde and truth of God that without all doubting whatsoeuer it is he hath it as sure as if he held it in his handes And hee further addeth that this is the Faith and not that assent of reason which the Lord euery where required of them whome hee vouchsafed to heale Of that he spake when he saide Daughter be of comfort thy Faith hath made thee whole And this is the same Faith which maketh prayer effectuall which Christ and Iames require in them that pray Didacus Stella hauing distinguished of faith that there is one to belieue whatsoeuer is to be belieued called a Theological vertue another is a Considence by which we belieue that the Lorde will giue whatsoeuer we aske He saith that without this faith 1. this Confidence our sinnes cannot be forgiuen For although a man belieue all thinges contained in holy Scriptures to be true and all things which the Church belieueth yet if he shuld not trust and most certainly belieue that they shall be forgiuen him they should neuer be forgiuen him And saint Iames saith Let him aske in faith nothing doubting To the like purpose doth he afterward distinguish of faith describe the later kinde saying Faith is taken two wayes One way for the habite of belieuing according to which we doe assent to the trueths of the Scripture And this is the Faith without which it is impossible to please God And this is one of the three Theologicall vertues 1. Cor. 13. And by this faith a belieuer differeth from an Infidell There is another faith which is called a Confidence whereby a man asketh of God confidently hoping and belieuing most certainly that he shall obtaine of the Lord that which he asketh Which faith is needefull for him that prayeth otherwise hee shall neuer obtaine any thing If this be the faith required of them that pray aright it is the faith of all Gods Saints and of them which are iustified for they pray often and are heard And if this man write truely then those who teach and haue no other faith then an assent to the truth of things reuealed can neuer obtaine pardon of their sinnes nor haue their petitions graunted Tollet taught and that out of Euthymius that Faith in many places of scripture is takeÌ„ Not for the assent of the minde but for the assuraÌ„ce of the will Iansenius also writeth the same Therfore most rightly as appeareth it may be saide that by the name of Faith in the Gospells wheÌ„ saluation or the obtaining of those things which wee desire is ascribed vnto it both these are comprehended both that firme assent in things to be belieued concerning God and Christ and also a Confidence conceyued from his goodnesse c. For these two doe so cleaue together that neyther can there be any Confidence without Credulitie neyther can Credulitie without Confidence obtayne any thing of God And to the same effect afterward thus These two to wit Credulity and Confidence seeme to be included together in the name Faith when it is set downe that the Lord saâ—d According to your Faith be it vnto you That the meaning may be As ye belieue that I can heale you and for this doe trust that I will heale you So be it vnto you If then by the testimonie of these Authors Faith bee often so taken in the Scriptures And if this be the only Faith whereby we obtaine such things at the handes of God Why should wee be condemned as Hereticks for teaching such a faith Ought not we to haue such a faith in Christ for the saluation of our soules that those men had in him for the curing of their bodyes Though Stapleton denie this speciall Considence yet hee acknowledgeth that for one and the same faith Christ gaue them both outward inward health Paulus Burgensis saith that Abraham by the Faith which was imputed to him for Righteousnes did not onely belieue that he should be the Father of many Nations but rather that he his seed should obtaine euerlasting life in heauen In Genes 15. Addit 2. The Diuines of Colone taught that through the faith of the word of God working in vs true Contrition and Repentance and other works of preuenting grace we are iustified as by a certaine cause preparing and disposing vs. But through the Faith whereby without doubting we doe firmely trust our sinnes are forgiuen vs through Christ wee are iustified as by a cause receiuing it And also adde further that the Righteousnes of Christ is the cause of our Iustification not as it is out of vs in him but as and when the same is imputed vnto vs for Righteousnes yet so that it be apprehended by faith Cassander who was so highly esteemed for learning and wisedome that two Romane Emperors Ferdinand and Maximilian 2. sent to him for his aduise howe to compound the controuersies in religion approueth their opinion saith that Booke was greatly commended of all the Learnedst diuines through Italy France as a Booke that excellently relateth the summe of the Ancients opinion touching religion out of whose writings the booke is as it were confirmed And with great approbation citeth these words out of it Wee confesse it to be true that it is altogether required for the iustifying of a man that a man doe certainly belieue not onely generally that for Christ sinnes be forgiuen to them that be truely penitent but also that they be forgiuen to the man himselfe for Christ by faith Hee also alledgeth out of the Ratisbone booke these words We call a liuely faith a motion of the holy Ghost whereby they who truely repent are lifted vp to God and doe truely apprehend mercie promised in Christ that now they truely perceiue that they haue through the free goodnes of God receiued remission of sinnes and reconciliation for the merits of Christ and doe crye Abba Fâ—ther And therevpon hee inferreth that rightly agreeably to the scriptures it is saide that this is the nature of a Iustifying Faith that it perceiue that feeling of Gods fauour which the holy Ghost worketh in vs. And further addeth that to obtaine Iustification Such a Faith is required whereby a man after the example of Abraham doth not doubt of the promise of God through distrust but aboue hope belieueth vnder hope that God will impute to him that belieueth in him who raised Iesus from the dead this Faith to his iustification and will not impute his sinnes to him An example whereof as he saith we haue in the cure of corporall diseases which beareth an image of the inward cure For there Christ required a Faith whereby a man did belieue that Christ
things reuealed the other respecteth the mercy and goodnes of God in Christ offered to penitent sinners Bernardinus de Senis out of Alexander Halensis saith that credere Deo hath the truth of God for his obiect and so we beleeue him because we thinke those things to be true which he speaketh but credere Deum respecteth his power as he is omnipotent and the Creator but credere in Deum hath respect to his goodnes wherevnto we come through loue Pighius naming but two of these three for he ioyneth two of them together saith the one doth properly respect the truth of God for an obiect the other doth rather respect the goodnes of God as it is after a sort through naturall loue now made ours The faith which made Abels sacrifice acceptable to God was a iustifying faith yet Erasmus said God accepted his sacrifice because he did with a sincere heart trust his goodnes And we heard before out of Iansenius that the faith by which meÌ„ are saued obtaine their requests doth not onely comprehend a firme assent in things to be beleeued but likewise an assurance conceiued and arising from his goodnes Can these be one and the same habite who differ so much in their speciall and proper obiects 4. They differ in their proper and immediate effects For first the one iustifieth the other doth not iustifie That there is a faith which iustifieth Paul teacheth at large and in many places We conclude saith he â—hat a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law And to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iustifieth the vngodly his faith is counted for righteousnes And know that a man is not iustifyed by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ. I need not proue this seeing the papists confesse with vs that there is a Faith which iustifieth though they contend with vs about the maner how it iustifieth That there is a Faith that iustifieth not the Apostle Iames teacheth Namely a dead Faith a faith without works such a faith as the diuels haue Augustine teacheth vs which is the Faith which iustifieth Namely the faith qua credimus in Deum whereby we belieue in God and which is the Faith which iustifieth not namely Fides quacredimus Deo wherby we giue credit to God wheÌ„ he saith we belieue the Apostle but wee belieue not in the Apostle because the Apostle doth not iustifie the vngodly but vnto him that belieueth in him who iustifieth the vngodly his faith shall be reputed for Righteousnesse As if Credere Deo which is an historicall and dogmaticall faith were not sufficient to â—…stifie vs but credere Deum which is to haue a special confidence in God as before was declared Not only Augustine but likewise Bernard and the M of sentences doe teach that the diuels credunt Deo doe belieue all things to be true which God hath reuealed which is a right historical faith And yet I hope the Papists will not say that the diuels are iustified For then might they holde with Origen that they shall be saued Lumbard hauing shewed the difference betwixt these three Credere Deo credere Deum and credere in Deum doth say of the last By this faith the vngodly is iustified that afterward Faith it selfe may beginne to worke by loue Because a man is iustified by it and not by eyther of the other two and because it doth worke by loue not before it iustifie but rather begins to worke by loue when it hath iustified And therefore doth not iustifie by vertue of charitie whereby it worketh Are you then so simple to belieue that the Faith which iustifieth and the faith which iustifieth not are all one That two men hauing one and the same Faith the one of them should bee iustified by his Faith and the other should not be iustified by his If they bee one and the same Faith whence comes this great difference in theyr proper and immediate effects But the other faith is without good workes as Saint Iames teacheth and this is called by him a dead faith The Councell of Trent acknowledgeth that it may most truely be said Faith without Workes is dead and idle And what faith is this but euen an hystoricall faith Ferus wrote that by Faith whereby wee assent to those things which be deliuered in the diuine hystories and which the Church propoundeth to be belieued the schoolmen call vnformed Faith and Iames calleth a Dead-faith But what faith is that which is dead and wanteth his substantiall forme Truely saith he it is no faith but a vaine opinion And then afterward describeth a iustifying faith as being another kinde of faith Though Dominicus Soto went about to confute his description of a iustifying faith yet did he not mislike any thing which hee spake of the hystoricall vnformed and dead faith And so by his silence doth iustify him heerein as may appeare in Sixtus Senensis Now the faith with workes and the faith without works doe so much differ that the one is properly called a faith and a true faith the other is not called a faith but only by equiuocation Therefore Augustine said hee doth not belieue Jesus to be Christ who doth not so liue as Christ hath commanded Iames saith 26 Shewe me thy faith by thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes As if neyther of them had any true faith vnlesse they could shewe it by their workes Whervpon Thomas Aquinas gaue this glosse Shew me thy faith As if hee should say Prooue vnto mee by some certaine signes that thou hast Faith thou canst not proue it when workes be wanting wordes are no sufficient witnesses And in another place hee saith That vngodly men seeme to haue true faith when indeede they haue not Gregory 1. once Bishop of Rome telleth vs That we ought to make knowne the truth of our faith by the consideration of our life for then are wee beleeuers in truth if that which we promise in words we fulfil in works And froÌ„ him the Councell of Mentz protested that hee doth truely beleeue who exerciseth by working that which he beleeueth If then the one of these bee a true Faith indeede and is truely and properly so to be called and the other is not a true faith indeede and improperly so called how can they be one and the same faith No more then a working horse and an idle painted horse are one and the same Againe these two doc so differ as that the one is called a liuing Faith the other is called a dead Faith That which iustifieth and bringeth forth good works is called a liuing Faith So the iust man is sayd to liue by Faith And Paul sayd I liue by the Faith in the Sonne of God Ferus hauing described the nature of a true Iustifying faith that it
mortally after he had receyued a formed faith That faith was lost and another habit of informed faith was infused of God in steede of it He thought it was not conuenient to say any gift of God should bee bestowed on man for the practise of mortall sinne therfore he holdeth that after mortall sinne committed by a Belieuer the same habite of faith remaineth which was in him before And how can any of them say otherwise who teach as I shewed before that the faith which is in a man before grace before his repentance and conuersion is the selfe-same habite in number that is in him after grace and conuersion The Councell of Trent decreed that Faith is lost by infidelitie and by euery mortall sinne though faith be not lost yet the receiued grace of iustification is lost As if a man could not loose his faith by any mortall sinne but onely by infidelitie And that by mortall sinne a man might loose his former grace of iustification yet not loose his faith And according to that rule Bellarmine writeth that there is no sin which doth necessarily exclude faith but that which is opposed vnto it which is infidelity And this is manifestly testified by experience For we see among the Catholickes manie publicke sinners Murtherers Fornicators Thieues druÌ„kards who without all doubt giue credit to all those things which the Church propoundeth to be beleeued Coster the Iesuite likewise as the best Physitions by intemperancie breaking the Rules of theyr arte doe not thereby loose the skill and knowledge of Physicke So a Christian who against the testimony of his owne conscience doth sinne contrary to the lawes of faith neyther looseth his faith nor ceaseth to bee Christian. And seeing that by faith belieuers differ from Infidels if sinners want faith they should be Infidels and be separated from the Church after the manner of Infidels And yet sinners belâ—g to the church as Taâ—es are in the same fielde with wheate Good-fish in the same Net with bad But by the way consider what kinde of persons they acknowledge for true belieuers euen the worst that almost can be Publike sinners Murtherers Fornicators Theeues Drunkards Such as ought for theyr leawd liues to be excommunicated Such as be tares among wheate A man may finde as holy beleeuers as these in Hell Is this that faith which S. Iames would haue a man to shewe by his workes It is true indeede that their Assenting faith may bee found in such vngodly persons for it is found in the very diuels Yet a true sauing faith wherof the question is cannot be found in any such persons as keepe a continued course in the practise of these sinnes True beleeuers may somtime sinne of infirmitie yet not of wilfulnesse Thogh they fall yet they arise again and doe not long continue in sinne Cyprian asketh how any man can say hee belieueth in Christ who doth not that which Christ commanded him to doe As if hee had no true faith who wanteth obedience That is true Faith 16â— saide Beda which doth not contradict that in maÌ„ners which it speaketh in words They might therefore better say Such sinners neuer had true faith at all and so cannot loose that which they neuer had Againe obserue what their beleeuers loose by their mortall sinnes Though they loose not the habite yet they loose the forme of faith Yea they loose the life of faith for now it is become a dead faith seeing it wanteth good workes Yea they loose the grace of iustification and so become guilty againe of all theyr former sinnes They might as well loose faith it selfe such a faith as is lost will doe them no good What an absurditie it is to hold that a formed faith and an vnformed faith a liuing faith and a dead faith a iustifying faith and a faith that iustifieth not are one and the selfe same faith hath bene sufficiently proued already Yet to this absurditie are they driuen that so they may maintaine the vnitie of faith in all sorts of beleeuers When as they should rather acknowledge that their assenting faith and a true iustifying faith are distinct kindes and that those who liue and continue in grosse sinnes though they may haue the former yet they neuer had and therefore cannot possibly loose the later Michael Medina one of their owne Church doth stiffely maintaine it that though an vnformed faith doth not vanish away by mortall sinne yet that sound faith which Christ requires in the Gospell cannot stand with a peruerse continuance in haynous offences And proueth it by the testimonies of S. Paul And therefore that they onely haue a true faith who stil continue in wel doing But although that most of our aduersaries teach that faith may not bee lost by deadly sinne yet they hold it may bee lost by Infidelitie as if Infidelitie were not a deadly sinne And if this be so then Bellarmines arguments whereby he would prooue that faith may be lost are altogether impertinent and fall to the ground of themselues seeing they are drawne from a relapse into sinne not into Infidelitie When the Lord spake by his Prophet That if the righteous man did forsake his righteousness and commit iniquitie hee shall dye for the same which is the Cardinals first argument He spake not of a falling from righteousnes into Infielitie but of a falling into mortall sinne as they call it When Christ said Eueâ—y branch that beareth not fruite hee will take away hee vnderstood not of any reuolt to Infidelitie but of the sinnes of omission in which men fayle in their duties The like may be said of Christs words that iniquity should abound and charitie waxe cold And of Pauls beating of his body and bringing it into subiection which bee other of his arguments for that purpose He also endeuourth to proue it by 8. seuerall examples of persons who lost their faith Yet all of them are in the same maner impertinent The bad Angels and Adam before their falles had no such faith as now wee haue nor any such promise of perseuerance yet dare hee not say that any of them fell to Infidelitie For the Diuels haue their assenting faith as before I haue proued but it is apparant touching the rest whom hee alleadgeth Wall the Cardinall say that Saul Dauid Salomon Peter and Iudas fell froÌ„ faith to Infidelitie Became they Pagans by their falls Did they not still prosesse the same God that they did before Did they denye the trueth of his word Why then will hee produce their examples to prooue that a man may lose his faith seeing he himselfe before taught that faith cannot bee lost by any mortall sinne but onely by Infidelitie Let the Cardinall therefore eyther alter his opinion or bring more pertinent proofes But may true faith be lost by infidelitie may a iustified beleeuer become an Infidell a Iew a Turke a Pagan surely no. A man may quite loose their assâ—â—ting faith