faith is in the diuells for they belieue and tremble as Iames teacheth And therefore those Atheists Quâ—â—â—on credunt peâ—â—res sunt those prophane and obstinate scoffers against religion which will not belieue the scriptures nor acknowledge the truth of the things therein reuealed quam daemonts ad huc nec de mones imitartur August an episi Ioh. tract O. See postscript Sect 12. are worse then the diuels And if they be worse then diuells of hell they must needes be farre from entring into heauen The other kind of common faith is termed a temporary faith which is a certaine ape of iustifying faith yet is not the same for although it goe some degrees beyond an historicall faith yet it comes short of a iustifying faith not onely in regard of sinceritie and manner of apprehension but also in regard of the efficacie in internall and externall actes and in regard of the time of continuance This is called a temporary faith not onely for distinction sake to put a difference betwixt it and other kinds but also because it continueth but for a time as appeareth by this place For this is the faith here spoken of And although some Papists laugh at the very name which we giue it as if it were a new coyned tearme yet you see it is grounded on this text And they might also haue seene it taught by others if either they had read the writings of the ancient August de verarelig cap. 50. Bernard parâ— sâ—rm ser 1. fine epist 42. ad Henr. Senon archiepâ—â—cop to 2. col 63. or their malice against vs had not blinded their eyes Augustine giues the tytle and Bernard doth not onely giue it the like tytle in calling it sides sicla and comparing it to earthen vessells that are easily broken but likewise distinguisheth if froÌ„ the dead faith which is without good workes and from the tryed faith which endureth to the end And also describeth it at large by the very words of this my text This faith was in these Iewes who by the sight of Christs miracles at Ierusalem beleeued in him Ioh. 2.23.24 They are said to beleeue in his name and so doubt were perswaded non curabat corum vâ—rbaâ—â—â—c mouthatur corum â—pphâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈…〉 for 〈◊〉 mâ—xâ—sâ—igâ—â—â—â— coâ—â—oâ—â—ebat Sâ—â—â— did acknowledge that he was the Messiah to come yet Iesus did commit himselfe vnto them because he know them all and what was in them If he had seene a sound and permanent faith in them no doubt he would haue trusted them but because he saw their faith was neither sound nor constant he would not trust them he foresaw that for all their present proâ—ession they might forsake him afterward as the Capernaites did The faith also was in Simon Magus but quod non adhererent sibi constanter nec crat cor corum rectum cuÌ„ eo Ferus in Ioh. 2. Act. 8.13 Act. 21.23 who though before he had bene a notorious sorcerer yet hearing Philip preach did beleeue and was baptized and continued with Philip as a professour of the Gospell and wondered when he saw the great miracles which were wrought yet when he would afterward haue bought the gifts of the holy Ghost for money and haue made a marchandise of them Peter told him that he had neither part nor fellowship in that busines that his heart was not right in the sight of God that he was in the gall of bitternes and in the bond of iniquitie â—piphan cont hares lib. 〈◊〉 to 2. hares 21. Euseb hist â— 14. Niceph. 2.36 And after that if we may giue credit to humane writings and Ecclesiasticall hystories hee became a sorcerer againe and an open enemie to Peter and the rest of the Apostles and in a fearefull manner died at Rome This faith was in Iudas one of the twelue he vnderstood the misterie of the Gospell professed himselfe an Apostle of Christ preached the Gospell as well as other Apostles and for a long time was of honest behauiour yet Christ called him a diuell Ioh. 6.70 Ioh. 17.12 and the childe of perdition Afterward he betrayed his Maister for money and then hanged himselfe through desperation This faith was also in those who fell into the vnrecouerable sinne against the holy Ghost for they were enlightened had a taste of the heauenly gift were partakers of the holy Ghost Heb. 6.4.5 and tasted of the good word of God and of the powers of the world to come And yet they so sel away as they could not be renewed by repentance did crucifie againe the senne of God and made a mocke of him And this faith haue many others who heare the word acknowledge the truth of it hope to be saued by it make profession of it liue in outward obedience and receiue the Sacraments and yet in time of persecution proue Apostataes But that you may the better discerne the nature of this faith I will note the seuerall degrees of it for thereby you may clearely see how faire it doth agree with an historicall a iustifying faith and how faire it doth differ from them both There be sixe degrees of it 1. The first degree is illumination and knowledge These beleeuers haue a knowledge of Gods word especially in the chiefest poynâ—s of Gods will and worship in the fundamentall points of mans redemption and in the most necessary points of mans luetic Iudas could not haue beene a Preacher of the Gospell vnlesse he had knowne these things Christ would not haue sent him to teach these things to others if him selfe had beene ignorant of them Those which fell away to the fearefull sinne against the holy Ghost were before enlightned Vnlesse men know the truth they cannot beleeue it How shall they beleeue except they haue heard And herein this faith aâ—reeth both with an historicall and a iustifying faith Christ sayd of the Apostles Ioh. 1â— 8 They haue knowne surely that I came out from thee and haue beleeued that thou hast sent me Knowledge is the first step and degree to each kinde of faith And therefore those who be ignorant of the principles of Religion come so farre short of a true sauing and iustifying faith that as yet they haue not attayned to an hystoricall or temporary faith 2. The second degree is an assent to the truth of the Gospell They are infallibly perswaded that the whole doctrine of the Gospell is true and euery part of it that it teacheth vs the right way to heauen and that all things therin contained shal certainely be accomplished both for the condemnation of vnbeleeuers and for the saluation of beleeuers In regard hereof Christ saith He that receiueth his testimonie Ioh. 3.33 Rom. 7.16 hath sealed that God is true As Paul sayde I consent to the Law that it is good So this beleeuer will say I consent to the Gospel that it is good Yea he will auouch with the same Apostle 1. Ton. 1.15 This is
5. annot 36. Est fides qua creditur quicquid credendum est baec est virtus theologica Altera quae considâ—nua quâ—dam est seiliâ—â—t qua credimus quod denâ— it dominus â—i quod ab co petimâ—s Stollain Luc. 5. to cap. 145. whereby we beleeue and doe assent to the doctrines reuealed and propounded by the Church to be beleeued which Cyrill called a dogmaticall faith There is another kinde of faith whereby we doe not 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 theologicall 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 time 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 diners 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 oâ—â—t 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 promiâ—â—s 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 â—eare that you will râ—â— or beleâ—ue them then â—â— The Rhemists say Annot. on Rom. 3. Sect. 7. that to apprehend Christs rightâ—ousnes by faith is a 〈…〉 apprehension of that which is not And that it is a false faith And afterward Annot. on Hebr. 11. Secâ— 6. that the Apostle 〈◊〉 not speciall faith the forged faith of Protestants whereby euery one of these new Sect-maâ—â—ters 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 Annot. on Iam. 2.26 Sect. 1. And else-where that a speciall faith is a forged faith that nâ—ther Paul nor Iames nor any other sacred writer euer knewe or spake of any such faith Cardinall Bellarmine maintaineth that Faith is neither Fiducia De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 5.6.7 an issurance of Gods mercie or the Pardon of a Man 's owne sinnes nor yet Notitia acknowledge of such thinges but but onely a firme and certaine assent to the truth of those things which God hath propounded to be deliuered Promptuar catholan feriaâ— 5. hebdâ— 1. Quadragesâ— Doctor Stapleton calleth them Heretickes who place the whole nature propertie vertue and greatnes of faith in a particular applicatiâ—n of Gods generall promises to Belieuers Indeed that which they say is true if there were no other faith taught in the word not wrough 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 Haeretici restringunt ad solâ—m promissionem miserecor diae specialâ—s De iustif lib. 1. cap. Sect. Itaque tribus 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 De iustificat lib. 1. cap. 8.9.10 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 Ioh. 1.12 Gal. 3 14. 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 Lordâ— 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 Ioh. 20.29 saying vnto him Because thou â—â—st â—â—ene nice thou belieuest And maketh that his saith the very same with their faith who were blessed for belieuing Gentiasidem prâ—at â—t 〈◊〉 commendat 1 Ioh. 20. Tract 121. Gaâ—â—â—â— 20. when they had not seene Yea with the faith of Gentiles For Augustâ—â— thâ—nked 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 declare that large loh 6. Whervpon * Quid paras dente ventrem crede maducasti 〈◊〉 tract 25 Crâ—dere in Christum est 〈…〉 pani vt 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ct 26. 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 fedâ— Doth not euery one pray in particular for speciall mercie And is not euery one to belieue that what he asketh he shall obtaâ—ne 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 De sacram inâ—g ner lib. 1. cap. 2. 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 Looke 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 (1) Noncredit in Deum qui non in eo solo collocat totius falvitatis suae fiductam De duplici Martyr Sect. 40. 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 all Gods children but in particular of his owne happines This his assertion doth so gall the Papists that (2) Est etiam hoc caute legendum Annot in Cypr 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 (3) Quanti illuc fidei capacis afferimus tantum gratiae inundantis haurimus Epist. 2. That how much Faith we bring thither to receiue so much we draw of Gods ouerflowing grace This is appointed of God saide (4) Hoc constitutum est a Deo vt qui credit in Christum saluus sit sine opere sola fide gratis accipiens remissionem peccatorum in 1. Cor. 1. 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 (5) Gratia ex miserecordia proebetur fide comprehenditur sola sine operibus In Leuit lib 4. cap 2. Grace of mercie is both offered and also apprehended by faith alone without workes (6) Quomodo in coelum manum mittam vt ibi sedentem teneam fidemmitte tenuisti In Ioh. 11. tract 50. 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 (7) Dâ—â—at anima oranino secura dicut De is mâ—us eâ— tu qui dicit animâ— nostra â—alâ—â—â—â—a go sum dicat sâ—cura non fâ—câ—eâ— inâ—â—â—â—am cum hâ—r dixerit im 〈◊〉 si no 〈◊〉 In Psa 32. 〈◊〉 2. 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 (8) Eâ—â—e creâ—imus in 〈◊〉 queâ—â— side acâ—pimus In â—â—â—pâ—ndo nâ—uâ—â—us quid cogiteâ—â—◠〈◊〉 uÌ„â—â—â—pimus in cordesâ—ginâ—mur De verb. Dâ—m sâ—rm 33. Behold we belieue in Chriâ—t 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 Chrysâ—stome writing of the promises made to the Patriarches and of the maner how they receiued them saith thus (9) 〈…〉 de ys coÌ„ceperunt siâ—u â—am prâ—ul 〈…〉 â—uatuor generationâ—◠〈◊〉 Tam 〈◊〉 deâ—psâ—â—â—â—at â—s pâ—râ—iâ—aâ—â—â— vt â—tiam eas sal 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—si expectare ◠〈…〉 Sâ—erâ—◠〈…〉 aâ—â—â—pisse nobâ— quoqu◠〈…〉 11. 〈◊〉 23. Theophilact on 〈◊〉 16. Neâ— vere hum◠〈◊〉 cognotâ—onâ— sidem hoc loco dicit sed eam quae nihil haesit aÌ„s sacit vt futura tam certa habeamus quam habemus praesentia 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 unto them Thou sâ—est 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 (10) Indubitabilis imudic abilis spes tam corum quae a Deo nobis premissa sunt quam assâ—cutionis nostrarum petitionum De orthodox fide 4.11 Faith is an vndoubted and uniudge-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 (11) Sed adde adhuc vt hoc credas quia per ipsum tili peccata donantur In annunciat Mariae serm 1. initio 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 (12) Nisi quâ—d non erat dâ— membris Christi nec pertinebat ad euin De christs merito vt suum praesumeret suum diceret quod illius esset tanquamrem capitis membrum Ego vero fidenter quod ex 〈◊〉 mihi
deest vsurpo milâ—â— ex vâ—seribus domini quoniam miseric or dia effluunt In cantic serm 61. medio But that Came was not of the members of Christ nor had any thing to do with the mâ—rit 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 Ferâ—s was commended by Sixtus Senâ—nsis to be (13) Biblioth sanct lib. 4. in Iohan Ferus p. 265.14 Non enim semper sides est quod nos fidem dicimus fidem nos dicimus assentire ys quae diuinâ—s scripturis produntur quae ecclesia credenda proponit ComeÌ„t in Mat. 8. lib. 2. 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 (14) Secundum scripturaâ— fides non aliud est nisi fiducia miserecordiae diuine promissae in Christâ— ibid. Non apprehenditur manu corporis sed manu cordis quae est fides Ferus in Ioh. 3.16 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 confidâ—ce of Gods mercy promised in Christ And he bringeth Abrahams example for proofe thereof And of this faith saith hee mâ—ntion 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 fâ—â—e mercy of God this is the true faith whereby the iust man liueth this alone is it which God requirâ—th 〈◊〉 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 (15) Bibliothec sanct lib. 6. annot 43. 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 forgiuing 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 (16) Sed est certa firmâ— staâ—â—li fiducia Christum omniâ—g 〈◊〉 is bona complecti cisque toto corde tota anima totâ—que viribus inhaerere In Ioh. 6.29 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 Paulâ—s 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 (17) Hâ—â—e fideâ— rationis mentsque assâ—â—siâ— quo pâ—rfeâ—tasides dâ—â—i possit adtuncta esse debâ—t eâ—â—â—m animâ— cerâ—a quaedâ—m firmaque fiduâ—ta qua Dei verbo veritatiâ— itain nititur it a fidit fidelis anima vt absque vlla haesitatione quicquia illudsit velut si manibus teneret certum habeat c. Controuers 2. de fidet Iustificat fol. 40.41 in 80. Paris 1542. 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 (18) Enarratan Luc. 5. Imò etiamsi peteret illa dimitti si non confideret certissi ne crederet illa sibi aâ—mittenda â—unquam dimitterentur hauing distinguished of faith that there is one to belieâ—e whatsoeuer is to be belieued called a Theological vertue another is a Confidence by which we belieâ—e 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 (19) Fides dupliciter accipitur Vno modo pro habitu credendi secundum quam assentimur veritatibus sacrae scripturae c. Alia est fides quae considentia vocatur qua petit aliquis a Deo confidenter sperans credens certissime se consequuturum a Domino id quod postulat quae fides necessarià est â—â—anti alias nihil vnquam impetrabit Enarratan Luc. 7. 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 requited 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 (20) Hoc in loco non accâ—pâ—â—ur fides proment is assenâ—u sed pro voluntatis fidâ—câ—â— vt recie Euthymius quae signâ—sir at â—o frequens est in scripturis In Luc. 12. anâ—oâ— 52. and that out of Euthymues that Faith in many places of scripture is takeÌ„ Not for the assens of the minde but for the assuraÌ„ce of the will Iâ—nsentus also writeth the same (21) Proâ—de reâ—issime vt apparet dicâ—tur namine fideâ— in euangeliâ—s cum eâ— trâ—buitur aut falus aut consecutâ—â— ommum quae volumus complecti vtrumque assentum illum â—orâ—â—â— ia credendis de Deo aâ— Christo fidâ—â—â—m ex â—â—â—es boâ—â—tate conceptam c. Concord Euang cap. 32. Therâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—st rightly as appeare that may be saide a 〈◊〉 by thâ— name of Faith in the Gospells whâ— 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 conceyned from his goodnesse c. For these two doe so clâ—auc 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 (22) Haec duo nempe credulâ—tas fiduciasimul videntur includi in nomine sides cum subditur diâ—â—sse dominâ—Ì„ secundum fidein vestram siaâ— vobis vt sit sensâ—s sicut creditis me posse vos sanare ob hoc confiditis mâ— curatur is vos ita fiat vobis Concord Euang. cap. 35. These two to wit Credulity and Confidence seeme to be included together in the name Faith when it is set downe that the Lord said 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 Confidence yet hee acknowledgeth (23) propter haue fidem vtramque internam externam sanitatem dedit Promptuar domini 18. post pentecost 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 (24) Per fidem verbi Dei operantis in nobis veram contritionem penitentiam est iustificaâ—â—er tanquaÌ„ per causam quaÌ„dam praeparatiuam dispositiuam Persidemautem qua absque dubitatione firmiter confidemus nobis peccata nostra propter Christum esse dimissa instisicamur tanquam per causam susceptiuam Antididag Coloniens de instificat hom fol. 21. 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 (25) Non quomodo extranos in ipso est sed sicut quando â—adâ—â—n nobis dumtamen fide apprehenditur ad iustitiâ—â—n importatur ibid. 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 (26) Consiâ—tat art 4. 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 (27) Fatemur verum esse ad iustificationem hominis omnino requiri vt homo certo credas non tantum generaliter quòd propter Christum vere paenitentibus remittantur peccata sed quòd ipsi homini remissa sint propter christum per fidem ibid. 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 (28) Vocamus fâ—â—m viuam motum â—paritus sanâ—â—â— quo vere poratentis â—riguntur ad Denum vere apprehendunt miserecordiam in Christ to premissâ—m vt â—am vere sentiant quod remissionem peccatorum reconeâ—liationem proptâ—r mâ—ritum christi gratuata Dei bonitate acceperunt c. Ibid. We calâ— 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 fieâ— goodnes of God receiued remission of sinnes and reconciliation for the merits of Christ and doe crye Abba Father And therevpon hee inferreth that rightly agreeabâ—y 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 (29) Adâ—â—â—tificationem consequendam requiritur talis fides 〈…〉 exâ—â—â—plo Aâ—raâ—â— ad promissionem Dei non 〈◊〉 per disâ—â—dentiam sed praeter spem in spem credat 〈◊〉 credenti in â—â—m qui siscitat Iesum a mortuis in putaturtim â—anc sidem ad iustificationem peccata nâ—n imputaturim Cassâ—nda ibid. p 13. 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 discases which beareth an image of the inward cure For there Christ required a Faith whereby a man did belieue that Christ was endued with that power that he was able to heale him and trusted that such was his goodnes that he would cure him Cardinall Bellarmine after hee had written very much to prooue that Faith is only an assent to the truth of things reuealed and not an assurance or speciall application of the promises doth at last ouerthrowe all and yeelde to vs. her thus hee â—iâ—â—eth of vs (30) Rectè dicunt posse vnuÌ„quemque promissiones generales sibi applicare per fidem Nam quemadmodum fide catholica credâ— christuÌ„ mortuum esse pro omnibus ita cadem fide credo mortuum esse prome qui sum vnus ex omnibus De iustif lib. 1. cap. 11. Sect Denique quod dicunt they sâ—â—â—ghtly that euery one may by 〈…〉 to himselfe the generâ—ll 〈◊〉 For as I doe belieue by the Catholicke faith that Christ dyed for all So by the same faith I doe belieue that hee dyed for me who am one of them What need we any better witnes then hee who before was our greatest aduersarie Doth not this lay open the nature of Iustifying faith to bee the same that wee teach Is a particular application of generall promises no more then a bare assent to the truth of things reuealed By that faith whereby I beleeue Christ dyed in generall for all doe I also beleeue that hee dyed in particular for me And yet shall wee say that a speciall faith is a forged faith that it is against the nature of faith to apprehend and apply particularly to my selfe the promises of God and the merits of Christ Yet for all this the Cardinall will not graunt that any man is to beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes in particular because the generall promises are not (31) De iustificat lib. cap. 11. sine absolute but conditionall euen with the condition of faith as we acknowledge And therefore demaundeth how a man can absolutely beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him seeing he caÌ„not learne by any worde of God that hee hath such a faith as is required for the obteyning of the pardon of sinnes And saith that none which beleeue are saued vnlesse they beleeue as they ought to beleeue But therein the Cardinall doth not onely contradict himselfe but likewise many of his fellowes who teach that there is but one faith at all that the dead and Catholicke faith are all one as was shewed before If some beleeue as they ought to beleeue and some beleeue not as they ought haue they all one and the same faith If some so beleeue as by beleeuing they shal bee saued and some so beleeue as by beleeuing they cannot be saued shall wee say they haue all one and the same faith Then may wee also say that Peter and Iudas had one and the same repentance The Cardinall here sheweth that they do indeede beleeue (32) Si reuera sicut oportet credant hoc est si fide habeant quae per dilectionem operatur De iustif 1.11 finâ— as they ought to beleeue who haue faith which worketh y loue Yet else-where he laboureth to prooue that (33) De Iustificut lib. 1. cap. 15. a true and Christian faith which by way of disposition iustifyeth the vngodlie may be separated from charitie and from other vertues How repugnant are these things one to another Againe hee that beleeueth may know that he hath faith otherwise Paul would not haue bidden the Corinthians to (34) 2. Cor. 13.5 proue themselues whether they wâ—re in the faith Augustine sayd (35) Fidem vâ—â—et quisque in cordâ— suo esse â—icrâ—au 〈…〉 esse 〈◊〉 credit De Trâ—â—t lib. 13. c. 1. Neâ— fidem qâ—â—squam hominuâ— videt â—â—alio sed vnusquisque in sâ—mâ—â—â—pso Ibid. cap. 2. Epist 1 12. cap. 4. Euery one doth see faith to be in his owne heart if he do belieue or not to be if hee doe not beleeue And that no man can see faith in another but euery one may see it in himselfe The Cardinall saith They beleeue as they ought who haue faith woâ—king by loue yet may a man easily know whether hee haue loue or not (36) In 〈◊〉 Ioh. tracâ—â— 5. Therefore sayd Augustine Let a man looke to his heart and see if he haue charitie and then let him say I am borne of God Yea let not any one aske another let eueriâ— one returne to his owne heart if he there finde brotherly charitie hee may bee sure hee hath passed from death to life Would hee haue sayd thus if a man could not haue knowne whether he had charitie or not Michael Medina as Sixtus (37) Bibliothec sanâ—t lib. 6. amict 215. Senensis testifyeth in defending Ferus against Soto saith There is no man which doubteth but that wee may know true loue and faith to be in vs. Seeing then that by charitie a man may know as the Cardinall teacheth whether hee beleeue as hee ought to beleeue and seeing a man may know whether he haue charitie or not hee may also know whether hee beleeue as he ought and if he beleeue as he ought then by the Cardinals owne confession he may particularly apply to himselfe the generall promises and certainely beleeue that his owne sinnes are pardoned And to conclude this poynt seeing this speciall faith hath such testimony not onely from the diuine Scriptures but likewise from the ancient Doctors of the Church and also from the late Romish writers doe not condemne it as hereticall but seeke earnestly for it as the speciall meane of your saluation SECT VIII THere remaineth another point to be considered touching the persons that be endued with a iustifying faith I taught that it is proper to the Elect. Notwithstanding I knowe that Cardinall Bellarmine goeth about to confute Caluine De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. 14 for holding that Faith and true righteousnes is proper to the Elect Yet doth he not bring any one argument to proue that it is not proper to them but onely laboureth to proue that faith may be lost Touching this point we will acknowledge that the best faith which many of the popish prelates doe teach is common both to the reprobate and Elect. The reprobate may giue an assent to the truth of things reuealed as well as the Elect. But there is another faith besides that and more excellent then it as I haue proued before and that is peculiar to Gods Elect. No maruaile though those papists who knowe it not or will not acknowledge it doe hold that there is no faith peculiar to Gods Elect. If they knew the nature of a iustifying faith they
saying Let vs distinguish what faith we owe to the History or Historicall sense what faith we owe to the vnderstanding or mysticall sense and which is a stedfast faith whether Historicall and temporall or spirituall and eternall Ferâ—â— a learned preaching Fryer vseth the tytle and maketh this faith to be the same with the popish vnformed faith for writing of the Centurions faith he faith (16) Non hic loquitur de hiâ—torica aut informi side sed de si lucia miserâ—cordie c. Comment in Ioh. 8. This is not spoken of an Historical or Vnformed faith but of a confidence of mercy to bee shewed through Christ SECT XI AS there is some difference betwixt vs our aduersaries touching the name so is there greater difference betwixt vs touching the thing Namely whether this hystoricall and dogmaticall faith be the selfe-same with Iustifying faith or whether it be a distinct kinde of it selfe differing from a iustifying faith Many of our aduersaries make them both one The (1) Annot. in Rom. 4.24 Sect. 9. Rhemists say that the Faith which was reputed for Iustice to Abraham was his beliefe of an Article reuealed vnto him by God that is to say his assent and credite giuen to Gods speeches And that iustice shall be reputed to vs by belieuing the articles oâ— Christs death and Resurrection not by any speciall faith And that the Catholicke Faith is that wherewith wee belieue the articles of the Faith which onely iustifieth And Bellarmine alleadgeth much to proue (2) Dâ—â—â—stifâ— lib. 1. cap. 6.7.8.9 that faith which iustifieth is neither Fiduâ—â—a nor Notiâ—â—a but onely an assent to the trueth of those things which God hath reuealed And in very truth the Papists must hold that either this faith iustifieth or none at all because they teach no better ordinary faith then this as appeareth by theyr treatises of faith (3) Tollet instruct sacerd lib. 4. cap. 1. Coster enchirid c. 4. de side initio But it may euidently appeare that this is not the faith which iustifieth vs. There is another faith aboue this and farre more excellent then this and much differing from this which doth iustifie vs alone none other but it I will declare the difference betwixt them that so you may perceiue that they bee not one and the same 1. First In Sect. 7. they differ in their nature For I proued before that by the iustifying faith a Christian doth apprehend and particularly applye to himselfe all the Promises of Gods mercies and of Christes merites Gods the pardon of his sinnes and the saluation of his soule But the Papists themselues acknowledge that this faith is of another nature onely an assent to things reuealed Compare that which I wrote before touching the nature of a true iustifying faith with that which the Papists teach to be the nature forme of this faith and you may see great difference 2. They differ in their essentiall degrees and therefore cannot be the same faith in speciâ— I knowe that magis and minus noÌ„ diuersificant speciem more and lesse doe not alter the kinde as the Logicians speak Yet the want of the true vnderstanding of that Axiâ—me and of applying it aright to the matter in question hath caused some papists to erre in confounding different kindes of faith It is true in accidentall but not in substantiall and essential degrees for there be degrees of both sortes There be accidentall degrees as degrees of quantitie quantitatis continue quantitatis discretae A great horse is of the same kind with a litle horse And the greatest number of the same species with the least There be also substantiall and essentiall degrees as appeareth in the faculties of the soule The sensitiuâ— facultie is a degree aboue the vegetatiue and the reasonable facultie another degree aboue the vnsensitiue These being substantiall and essentiall Degrees doe alter the kinde though not in the same indiuiduo yet in diuers So as that creature which hath an higher degree is of an other kinde then that which hath a lower degree Faith hath the like degrees Some be accidentall and respect the quantitie of Faith So there is (4) Math. 6.30 â— 26.14.31 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a little faith or weake assurance And (5) Heb. 10.22 Rom. 4.20 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a full assurance and strong faith And so faith is saide to be lesser and greater (6) Extensiue quando plura crâ—dibilâ—a cognoscuntur ereduntur explicite Intensiue quando credibilia clâ—â—ius cognoscuntur firmius seruentâ—â—â—teâ—entur Iâ—ra in Luc. 17.5 both extensiuely when more credible things are knowne and belieued expressely as may be seen in belieuers who know much And intensiuely when credible things are more clerely knowne and more firmely and feruently held There be also substantiall and essentiall degâ—ees of faith which respect the substance and forme the nature and naturall properties of it When one belieueth all that another doth and also more and that in an other mannâ— â— and forme So he that hath a iustifying faith belieueth all things that hee belieueth who hath an historicall or dogmaticall faith and that in the same manner Yet doth he belieue more also and after another manner He doth not only belieue that all things written in the scriptures be true but likewise belieueth that God will performe his generall promises in particular toward him for the pardon of his sinne and the saluation of his soule The one of thesâ— is credere Deo to giue credite to God the other is credere in Deum to belieue in God Augustine thus said of them (7) Si creditis in cum creditis eâ— Non autem contiâ—â—o qui credit eâ— credit in eum Nam demones credebant eâ— non credebant in cum In Ioh. 7. tract 29. If yee belieue in him ye giue credite to him But not alwayes he that giueth credit vnto him belieueth in him For the Diuels giue credite to him yet did not belieue in him Yea all papists do freely acknowledge a substeÌ„tiall differeÌ„ce betwixt these two in the very forme manner of belieuing And therfore some do make of them 2. seueral kindes of faith as before I proued Others say that there is no such degree aboue dogmaticall-dogmaticall-faith which before I confuted And which here by the testimony of Augustine is conuinced 3. They differ in their obiects for the one respecteth the truth of God shewed in things reuealed the other respecteth the mercy and goodnes of God in Christ offered to penitent sinners Bernardinus de Senis (8) Ex parte cius quod creditur hoc est reâ— creditae accipitur differentâ—â— hoc mado Nam Deâ—s â—â—â—lulâ—â—ate fider tribus modes accipitur primo vt veritas 2. vt potestas 3. vt bomtas Secundum priâ—um modum credere Deo s per comparationem ad veritatem hoc est vâ—ra esse quae dâ—â—it 2. modo credere Deum c. De
beleeueth shall not be confounded because they doe not put their hope in him Now who that hath any vnderstanding in Religion will say that the faith which is able to saue a mans soule and the faith which is not able to saue a mans soule are both one in kind in nature and substance And that those who are tormented in hell can truely say that while they were on earth they had the very same faith which brought the Saintes to the Kingdome of heauen By that which hath bene spoken touching this point you may vnderstand what a kinde of faith is taught by the greatest Doctors in the Romish church what is the best faith which they require of the people euen an hystoricall faith to giue assent to the truth of things reuealed Which faith as hath bene prooued may be in wicked men in Reprobates in men out of the state of grace in men that shall goe to hell Yea such a faith as is found in the very diuels of Hell What saluation can be obtained in that Church whose preachers teach no better faith Who would be ledde by such guydes I knowe that they would make a difference betwixt the faith of their right Catholickes and the faith of diuels because the one hath Charitie alwayes accompanying it the other wanteth Charity But they might consider that according to their doctrine this maketh no essentiall but a meere accidentall difference Seeing they teach that the same assent to the truth of things reuealed is in some with charitie and in others without charitie in cuideÌ„tly appeareth that according to their doctrine Charitie is not a proper immediate necessary and essentiall propertie of it but meerely accidentall Indeed wee hold that Charitie is a proper necessary effect of a iustifying faith so as faith is no sooner wrought in the heart of any but forthwith hee is endued with loue (45) Vel quòd vna esset de ratione altâ—â—s vâ—l quod vna necessariò nasceretur ab altera c. Licet chaâ—tas oriatur ex fide tameÌ„ non oritur vt propria passio quae necessariò fluâ—t a subiecto sed vt virtus adquam alia disponit inclinat De Iustif lib. 1. cap. 15. Sect quintum argum He cannot but loue him in whom he belieueth and of whose loue and fauour he is perswaded And therefore charitie though it do not make yet it may declare the essentiall difference and the nature of this faith But seeing it is no such necessary effect of their assenting faith it can neyther make nor declare any essentiall difference of it And therefore he who wanteth charitie may haue the same faith in substance that hee hath who is endued with Charitie Bellarmine going about to proue that true faith meaning theyr assenting faith may bee separated from loue draweth one Argument from the proper reason nature of them both If they cannot be seuered saith he 46 It is eyther because the one is of the reason or being of the other or that the one doth necessarily arise from the other Not the first because Faith charitie are not one vertue but two And besides that haue diuers subiectes actes and obiectes For faith is in the vnderstanstanding Charitie in the will Faith belieueth charitie loueth Faith respecteth the first trueth Charitie the chiefe good Not the second because although charity arise of faith yet it doth not arise as a proper passion which doth necessarily flowe from the subiect but as a vertue vnto which an other doth dispose and encline And Thomas Aquinas saith Seeing (47) Cum charitas fit extra essentiam fides per eues aduentum vel recessum non mutatur substart ea eius In Ron. 1 â—ect 6. Charitie is without the essence of faith by the comming or departure of it the substance of faith is not changed And although Bellarmine holde with the school-men that Charitie is the forme of faith yet he (48) Formam esse extrinsecam no intrinsecaÌ„ que det illâ— won vt sit sed vt moueatur De Iustif lib. 2. cap. 4. tteacheth that it is an outward not an inward forme And such a forme as doth not giue beeing vnto it but motion Howe then can it make it make any essentiall differeÌ„ce betwixt that faith which hath it and that faith which wanteth it I know that the Fathers do sometime note loue as a difference betwixt the faith of Christians and diuels and betwixt the faith of good Christians and bad Yet do they not make it the onely difference betwixt them they teach an essentiall diffeteÌ„ce by belieuing in God with trust and confidence Againe they might better make it a difference of theyr faith then the Papists can make it a difference of the faith which they teach because it was a necessary and proper effect proceeding from that their faith not from any other For those that do so belieue in God with hope and confidence of his mercie and goodnes towards them cannot but loue him But papists haue no such confidence nor assuraÌ„ce in their faith which should make them to loue God they may haue all theyr faith without loue And therefore loue cannot distinguish it essentially from the faith of diuels So then to shut vp this point it still remaineth apparent that in the nature and substance there is no difference at all betwixt popish assenting faith and the faith of diuels And surely those that now content themselues with such a faith as is no better in substance then the faith of diuels may iustly feare least hereafter they shall haue no better estate in substance then the deuils haue SECT XII THe last kinde of faith which I mentioned I called a Temporary faith which differeth from a dead faith because while it lasteth it bringeth forth outward fruites And yet is not the same with a iustfying faith because it commeth short of it by many degrees doth not saue any and continueth not vnto the end This faith is scarce knowne to the papists very fewe of their writers make any mention of it Yet lest any should thinke that it is a new coyned tearme and a newly inuented faith I will shew what authors write of it Augustine long agoe (1) Quae sit stabilis fides siuchistorica temporalis siue spiritualis aeterna De verarelig cap. 50. vsed the name and tytle together with the name of Historicall faith as before I declared Bernard (2) Mittunt nos ad quandam fidei trifariam diutsionem vt dicatur sides mortua sicta probata c. Fictam aute ego arbitvor illam vocari fidem quae suscepta quidâ—m excharitate vita moueri inchoat ad bene operandum sedâ—n perseâ—â—â—ns defiâ—it moritur tanquam abortiua Eo vtique 〈◊〉 sictam dixerim nominatam quo vasasiâ—ulâ— vocamus fiâ—â—tâ—â—â— ron quia vâ—delâ—cet vtilia non sint quamdâ—â—â—â—rant scu quâ—a fraâ—â—lia cum sint diu minime durant De hac siâ—â—â—
Lâ—â—â—tes Nch 8.8 reade the booke of the lawe dâ—â—tinctly and gave the sense and caused the pâ—oâ—le to vnderstand it Though thou be not able to vnderstand the word of thy selfe yet mayest thou be made able by them yea and shalt be made able to vnderstand the most necessarie 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 Psal 10.13 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 doin 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 cround 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 confidering 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 vaderstanding 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 Heb. 4.2 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 1. Cor. 2.14 for the naturall man perceiueth not the things of God neither can be knowe them 1. Ioh. 2.27 because they are speritually discerned It is that oyntment which teacheth vs all things Danid prayed often for illumination 1 Psal 119.18 33. Open mine eyes that may see the wonders of thy lawe Teach me ô Lord the way of thy statutes Col. 1.9.2 Ton. 2.7 and I will keepe it vnto the end Paul prayed for it to be bestowed on others As for the Colossians that they might be fulfilled with all knowledge in wisedome and spirituall vnderstanding And for Tâ—mothie to whom he thus wrote Consider what I say and the Lord giue thee vnderstanding in all things Much more should we pray to obtaine it for our selues It is the Lords gift beg it of him by prayer the more dull of capacitie you are by nature the more earnestly and the oftner should you pray to God that by grace he may make a supply of that which you want by nature This is one reason why mary heare and heede not and vnderstand not euen because they will not pray before they heare Iames saith I. mâ—â— 5. If any man lacke wisedome let him aske of God and it shall be giuen him So if you want vnderstading aske it of God and it shall be giuen you 3. Excrcise your selues daily in reading the word in meditating of it in conferring and talking of it Psal 11.99 Danid said I haue had more vnderstanding then all my teachers for thy testimonies are my meditation The Apostle said that men of age to whom strong meare belongeth through long custome haue their wits excretsed Heb. 5.14 to diseerne both good axd euill If you will often reade the scriptures or heare others reade them you shall be better able to vnderstand thé when you heare them expounded better carry away the doctrine drawne from them 4. Attend diligently to that which is deliuered marke and consider it thinke then on that onely and nothing else Euen as the people gaue heede vnto those things which Phillip spake Act. 8.6 And as Lidia Act. 16.14 whé God had opened his hart attended vnto the things which Paul spake This is wanting in many and therefore they vnderstaÌ„d not for no attention no vnderstanding Paul long agoe forbad men to gine heede to fables 1. Tim. 1.4 yet is it now practised by diuers Tu. 1.14 If a man tell a winter tale a fayned fable or a merry iest many listen very attentiuely vnto him marke it well and will talke of it afterward but when the preacher speaketh of heauenly matters which tend to the saluation of mens soules he is heeded by a few Plutarch in Demosth which persós are like the Athenians who regarded not Demosthenes when he spake of matters for the welfare of their citie but listened well vnto him when he told thé a tale of a contention about an asses shadow betwixt the owner and hyrer of the asse You must know that you cannot vnderstand vnles you doe carefully attend and expell all other by-thoughts out of your mindes Luke 4.20 And that you may the better attend you must as Christs hearers did fixe and fasten your eyes on the preacher lest gazing on other things your eyes withdraw your minde from the doctrine deliuered And if your bodies growe drowsie and sleepie sit not long but stand on your feete Euseb de vâ—taconsâ—â—nt lib. 4. Cop. 33. Euen as that worthy and Christian Emperour Constantine the great vsed to do who for reuerence to the word and for his better attention could not be perswaded to fit downe but would most commonly stand at sermons 5. When you vnderstand not a point aske them which be learned and do vnderstand it This was the vsuall practise of the Apostles Math. 15.15 when they vnderstood not the meaning of this
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 Psal 95.7.8 to the hearers of the Gospell To day if ye will heare his voyce harden not your hearts Heb. 3.7 Because the hard hearted can neuer he are 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 drinesie 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 here-turned 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 2. King 22.19 as good king Iosiahs heart did when he heard the lawe read I knowe that none of our hearts are so lost as they should be But if thou fee-lest 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 saluatioÌ„ If Goates blood being warme can soften the hard Adamant Gortandâ—â—pl mart 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 Ezek. 36.2 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 it they endure in their with out 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 See postscript Sect. 4. Sect. 5. Sect. â— yet may we find many seuerall distinct kindes thereof in the holy scriptures There befoure 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 See postscript Sect. 7. Sect. 8. 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 Tit. 1.1 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 Act. 13.48 that as many as were orduned to eternall life beleened Though all of them doe not receiue it at the same time but some sooner sâ—me later yet is there not any of the I 〈◊〉 but at one time or other they doe receiue it This is called an vnfayned faith 1. 〈◊〉 1.5 〈◊〉 or a faith without dissimulation or hypoâ—â—â—e 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 Aâ—â— 15.9 〈◊〉 13.10 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 Rom. 3.2 must we be saued as the Apostle proueth at large in his Epistles â—phâ—â— 2.8 But this is not the faith here spoken of Againe there be other kindes of faith See postscript Seâ—l 9.1 Cor. 1â— 2 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 so that I could remoue mountaines and had not loue I were nothing Iudus 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 me Math. 7.22 ye workers of iniquitic This was extraordinarie giuen to some fewe at the first preaching of the Gospell but hath ceased long agoe The ordinary kindes of faith which may be found in the reprobate are two in number See postscript Seâ—l 10. Seck 11. The one is called an hystoricall the other a temporarie faith The one I say is called an hystoricall faith or a dogmaticall because it is a bare knowledge and acknowledgment of the historie of the scriptures and of the things written therein concerning God his workes his promises and concerning Christ his merites and benefites without any apprehension of the things knowne and acknowledged Ioh. 5.46.47 This is the faith whereby men beleeue Moses and his writings Act. 26.27 This is the faith which Paul would needes fasten on Agrippa 〈◊〉 1.1 August dâ—tâ—â—p to beleeue the Prophets This is not fides qua credimus in deum sed qua credimus deo id est credeâ—e vera esse quae loquitur â—orm 181. Creâ—ere veâ—â—â—â—â—e 〈…〉 mulâ—◠〈◊〉 possunt August 〈◊〉 Iam. 2.19 It is not the faith whereby we belieue in God but the faith whereby we belieue God that is whereby we belieue all things to be true which he speaketh And so differeth very much from a iustifying faith This faith is sound in the vnregenerate They may belieue all things to be true which are written though they little regard them yea this
a true saying and worthy by all meanes to be receiued that Christ Iesus came into the world to saue sinners Herein also this faith agreeth with an hystoricall a iustifying faith And therefore those who in their hearts wil not assent to the truth of the gospel are meere Infidels though they liue in the Church yet they haue no faith at al. 3. A third degree is that he hath a desâ—re in his heart of the pardon of his sin of the saluation of his soule through the mercy of God merits of Christ Euen as Balaam desired to dye the death of the righteous Num. 23.10 and that his lasâ—end might be like vnto his though he had no care to liue the life of the righteous nor prepare himselfe for death as the righteous man doth And as the people of the Iewes who followed Christ from place to place whoÌ„ they hard him speak of the bread which coÌ„meth from heauen Ioh. 6.34 giueth life to the world desired him euermore to giue that bread And yet many of them afterward fell from him Yea moreouer they which haue this faith may not onely haue this desire in their hearts but may also expresse it by prayer to God Almightie and by vsing the meanes of saluation They may seek to enter in at the straight gate and shall not be able Luk. 13.24 As Christ saith many shall doe Herein they go beyond those that haue onely an hystoricall faith for many haue it yet contemne Christ and his merits neuer seeke for saluation by him rather feare him then loue him and with the Diuels beleeue and tremble Yet herein they come short of them who haue a iustifying faith for their desire is not so earnest nor so constant nor so effectuall Not so earnest for the desire of the elect is vehement and very earnest set foorth by hungring thirsting which are vehement and strong appetites in them that haue long wanted meate and drinke yea the strongest desires that can be found in man but these men haue a desire in a lesser measure Neither is their desire so constant for it comes but by fits and may soone be gone againe like to lightning which is a sudden flash and soone gone But the desire of the other is like the light of the Sunne which is permanent Their desire may be quenched before they haue fully obtayned the thing desired but the desire of the other can neuer be satisfyed till they be assured that they haue gotten the thing they wanted Nor yet is it so effectuall in vsing the meanes of saluation with such care diligence painefulnesse and constancie The one sort think no paines too great no labour too long the other thinke lesse will serue the turne and therefore leaue off or lessen their labour in vsing the meanes before they haue gotten sauing grace for their soules 4. The fourth degree is this They may haue an apprehension of Christ and his benefites an inward feeling of some grace and a perswasion of Gods fauour in Christ So they are sayde to taste of the heauenly gift and to taste of the good word of God Heb. 6.4 and to be partakers of the holy Ghost as was shewed before Which wordes must needes import a particular apprehension and an inward cense of some good receiued and some fauour expected As some of the Israelites tasted of the fruites of the Land of Canaan did thereby perceiue what a good Land it was and conceiued some hope of enioying it and yet neuer enioyed the Land but perished in the wildernesse So these beleeuers may haue a taste of heauenly gifts and an hope of enioying euerlasting glory and yet perish in the end And indeed these beleeuers could not haue receiued the word with such ioy as was spoken of before vnlesse they had an apprehension of Gods fauour and some sense of grace in their hearts Yet herein doe they greatly differ from the regenerate 1. In the seat and so in the synceritie of these graces for these beleeuers hearts are as stony ground they cannot receiue the worde into the bottome of their hearts nor suffer the rootes of it to goe deepe enough and so their faith graces are not rooted in the bottome of the heart but sticke in the superficies or vpper part of it All things in them are superficiall and they full of hypocrisie Whereas the iustifying faith and the sauing graces of the regenerate are like a solide body hauing three dimensions length breadth and depth and do possesse the deepest and lowest parte of the heart 2. In the reason and ground of this their apprehension And so it is nothing but vaine presumption for it is built vpon false and mistaken grounds they take the shadow for the substance doe ouerweene their owne graces and take their faith to be vnfayned their repentance to be sound and their regeneration to be effectuall when indeede they are not And so they are like vnto beggers who in their sleepe dreame that they are become very rich 3. In the measure and therefore their apprehension of heauenly things is compared to tasting because the heart doth as it were but with the tip of the tongue lightly taste these spirituall things and doth not feed on them Look what difference there is betwixt Cookes and others that taste meat before it be serued vp to the table the guests that eat the same at the table the same difference there is betwixt the vngenerate the regenerate touching the measure of grace which they receiue Though the regenerate do here receiue but the first fruits of the spirit do know in part and prophesie in part beleeue in part find no perfection in theÌ„selues yet haue they a greater measure then the vnregenerate 4. In the sense iudgement of their want The one wanteth more and yet doth lesse discerne his want like the Angel of Laodicea Reuel 3.17 who thought he was rich whâ—Ì„â—e was poore miserable naked The other wanteth lesse and doth better discerne his want and therefore will say with that man in the Gospell Mar. 9.24 I doe beleeue Lord helpe my vnbeleefe And with the Apostles Lord encrease our faith Luk. 17.5 Yea the one like a Pharisie is proude of that which hee thinketh he hath the other is humbled by knowing what he wanteth The one contenteth himselfe with that which he hath groweth secure and laboureth not to better his estate the other striueth to grow in grace as he groweth in yeeres 5. The fift degree of this temporary faith is outwarde profession of the Gospell A man may haue an hystoricall or dogmaticall faith Ioh. 12.42 yet neuer make profession of it As many of the chiefe Ruler among the Iewe beleeued in Christ but because of the Phaâ—isâ—es did not confesse him But they who haue this temporary faith do professe Christ as long as they keepe it So did Iudas he called Christ his Master did follow
scâ—at alter It doth thee nought auayle to knowe vnles thy knowledge others knowe Those that embrace and professe religion for this end cannot continue constant If the time should come that true Christians should be reuiled and euill spoken of 1. Cor. 4.13 should be made as the filth of the world and the offcouring of all things as the Apostles were these men would renounce their faith 3. It often proceedeth from couetousnes for the getting and keeping of wealth and riches that they may clime vp to high preferment in the world As appeareth in those who sought out Christ and followed him from place to place not so much for the miracles which they had seene and doctrine which they had heard as for the loaues whereof they had eaten Scire volunt vt scientiam suam vendant turpis quaestus est ibid. and wherwith they were filled There be others saith Bernard who deserue knowledge that they may sell it for money for honour and this is filthy lucre There be other two ends whereat some doe aime for some desire knowledge that they may edifie others and this is charitie some desire knowledge that themselues may be edified and this is wisedome And these are to be allowed but all other ends are to be condemned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ad Trall epist 2. Those that professe Christ for worldly profit are not Christians but marchants of Christ as Ignatius tearmeth them And will professe his Gospell no longer then it may stand with worldly profit As may be seene in Demas who for a time was such a professour of the faith that S. Paul reckoned him in the Cathologue of the Saints Coloss 4.14 which saluted the Colossians Yet Paul afterward thus wrote of him Demas hath forsaken me 2. Tim. 4.10 and hath embraced this present world As an house will fall if the foundation be remoued and fire will goe out of it selfe if fewell be withdrawne so these mens faith will faile if the Gospell bring no gaine but losse And seeing those temporizing professours haue these causes propounded to themselues in hearing and receiuing the word in beleeuing and professing it with ioy their faith cannot be sincere for nothing is sincerely done vnles it be done for Gods glory And if it be not sincere it cannot be sound and firme And both waies it differs from iustifying faith for as it doth all things of sinceritie for God himselfe for Christ himselfe for the spirituall and heauenly ben fites of Christ as farre as humane infirmitie will permit so is it firme and constant being built on such grounds as will not shrinke Do not therefore content your selues with this temporary faith but seeke for that which will abide for euer as well in persecution as in peace as well in time of tentation as out of tentation for if your faith faile Reuel 10. Sathan will preuaile against you your hope is gone you loos the fauour of God Luk. 10.42 and the saluation of your owne soules you must be faithfull vnto death if you will receiue the Crowne of life Did not Christ commend Mary for choosing the good part which should neuer be taken away from her Imitate her in your choyse of faith The one will faile you when you stand in most neede of it As in the time of tentation in the time of affliction and at the houre of death But the other will abide with you to comfort and strengthen you at all seasons and against all the enemies of your saluation If once you get it whether you liue long or die soone whether you be assaulted with many suggestions or be free from tentation whether you passe away your daies in peace or vnder the crosse you shal be able at your last end to say to the great comfort of your soules with the Apostle 2. Tim. 4.8 I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith henceforth is laid vp for me the crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous iudge shall giue vnto me at that day 4 The fourth and last propertie of these hearers is their reuolting which is here set forth by the time or occasion as also by the manner of it First by the time and occasion that is the time of tentation There is a double tentation that doth befall men the one is spirituall and inward the other is corporall and outward The spirituall and inward tentation is from the diuell Math. 4.3 And therefore he is often called the tempter 1. Thess 3.5 and is said to tempt vs. And his suggestions and practises against vs are called tentations 1. Cor. 7.5 The corporall and outward tentation is from men Math. 6 1â— who doe afflict vs who doe hurt and persecute vs. And so all outward crosses Iam. 1.2 corporall afflictions and bloody persecutioÌ„s 1. Pet. â—6 are called tentations that is trialls because they try what men are whether dissembling hypocrites or sincere Christians whether their faith be fained or vnfained wauering or stedfast Math. 13.21 little or great And of this tentation must this place be vnderstood Mar. 4.17 for in Mathew and Marke it is called tributation and persecution for the word Christ foresaw that the hearers and professours of the Gospell should afterward be graciously persecuted he therefore foretold what it should worke in this kind of hearers it would cause them to reuolt For the manner of it it is said in Mathew and Marke they are offended and that by and by and immediately but here they goe away they depart will not stand to it as men of courage but shrinke and fall away And this commeth to passe by reason of their owne hardnes as this parable declareth for as stony grounds mingled with some earth are commonly hotte and will cause the corne cast into them to sprout and come vp very speedily but will not suff er the rootes to goe any reasonable depth into the earth there to be fed with moysture therfore in the dry season of summer the blade of the corne will wither together with the rootes So these men though they haue some good motions and affections in their harts receiue the word with chearefulnes and seeme to be very forward for a time yet in time of persecution all their goodnes will be dried vp they will loose their first loue to the word and fall from their former profession They neuer did cleaue to Christ with their whole hearts and therefore are more easily drawne away Men may fall away from Faith eyther by errour and Heresie or by sinne and wickednesse By errour and heresie as did Hymeneus and Alexander 1. Tim. 1.19 who made ship-wracke of Faith As did Hymeneus and Phyletusâ— who erred concerning the Truth Saying 2. Tim. 2. 18. that the Resurrection is already past and did destroy the faith of many As did Nicholas whom for his profession was chosen for
a Deacon yet afterward became an Arch-hereticke Reuel 2.6 first Founder of the heresies of the Nicolaâ—tanes And as those did of whome Saint Paul prophecyed that in the later times Men shall departe from the Faith and giue heede vnto spirites of Errors I. Tim. 4.1 and doctrines of Diuels And as those that in former Ages fell from the Truth to the Heresies of Arrius Pelagius Nestorius and other damnable Heretickes And as those that in the dayes of Queene Mary did fall from the truth of the Gospell formerly professed to the Errours and Idolatrie of the Church of Rome Againe men may fall away by sinne and wickednesse in theyr liues as those who put away a good Conscience As those who beginne in the spirite but ende in the flesh As those who turned backe after Satan As those who had escaped from the filthinesse of the world 1. Tim. 5.15 through the knowledge of our Lorde and Sauiour IESVS CHRIST 2. Pe. 2.20 are yet tangled againe therein and ouercome whose latter ende is worse then the beginning Fulfilling the Prouerbe The Dogge is returned to his owne Vomite the Sowe that was washed to the wallowing in the myre Now these doe not fall away in part only and for a time as the Apostles did at Christs Passion but wholly and perpetually This a fearefull falling away Corporall relapses into naturall diseases are not so dangerous to the body as these relapses into errour and sinne are dangerous to the soule For by them men procure to themselues a double punishment Poenam damni poenam sensus A punishment of losse For they loose the rewarde of theyr former profession and obedience If the Righteous forsake his righteousnes and commit iniquitie all his righteousnes shall be forgotten and he shall die in his iniquitie saith the Lord. 2. Pet. 2.21 Likewise a punishment of sense and that so greeuous as it had bene better for them neuer to haue knowne the way of righteousnes theÌ„ after they haue knowne it to turne away from the holy coÌ„mandement giuen vnto them By their backsliding they more dishonour God and oftend others then if they had neuer made any profession at all And therefore their punishment shall he greater then if they had neuer knowne the Gospell Here then see the danger of persecution it driues many from Christ Such is the disposition of some as they will not suffer any thing for the Gospell they like and loue it when it brings peace and prosperitie with it but they bid it farewell when it brings persecutioÌ„ Though Christ hath suffered much for them yet will not they suffer any thâ—ng for him they would â—aine raigne with him but they will not suffer with him nor for him And therefore if they be called to beare the crosse they will rather renounce the Gospell then beare the waight of it But let them know that if they deny Christ or his word before men he will deny them before his father in heauen he that setteth his hand to the plough and looketh backward is vnfit for the kingdome of God Let vs arme our selues against this danger that we may continue constant in the day of triall Gal. 6.9 Let not any crosses make vs weary of well doing knowing that in due season we shall reape if we faint not And because persecution can neuer harme vs if our hearts be good let vs take heede as we are exhorted by the Apostle lest there be in any of vs an euill heart Heb. 3.12.13 and vnfaithfull to depart away froÌ„ the liuing God but exhort one another daily lest any be hardened with the deceitfulnes of sin If any of your hearts be not yet mollified so as the word of God cannot take deepe rooting in the bottome of them troubles for the Gospell can no sooner befall you then you will renounce it but if your hearts bee throughly mollified if the word take deepe rooting and worke iustifying faith in you Rom. 8.35 neither tribulation nor anguish nor persecution nor famine nor nakednes nor perill nor sword shall separate you from the loue of Christ but in all these things you shall be more then conquerours Sce Gregor Nazaan Orat. 1. in Iulian. And fâ—nally if it be such an hainous offence to fall away in time of persecution what shall we say of them who fall away in time of peace those doe it by compulsion by force and violence these of their owne accord those doe it halfe against their will but these most willingly those to saue their own goods and preserue their liues these to saue neither being in danger of neither those by constraint these through contempt Those among their enemies who were readie to hurt them if they would not recant these among their friends who will helpe them if they abode constant Ante aciâ—Ì„ victi sine congressione prostrate Cypriade laps Sect. â— Those in the field where they feared an ouerthrow these in a laÌ„d of peace where they expected no combat These must needs be more faultie and more inexcusable Those subiects who yeeld to the enemies through feare and for safegard of their liues are more fauoured and more easily pardoned then they who being in no danger did willingly run to the enemies and of their owne accord ioyne with them against their lawfull Prince Oh then what fauour can those expect at Gods hands who in these our happy daies and in this our peaceable land doe fall away from the truth of the Gospell to poperie and profanenesse These are farre worse then dastardly cowards for they yeeld not till they see some danger these yeeld before any danger appeareth Pro. 28.1 Heb. 12.4 These are like those wicked ones who flie when none pursueth them We should resist vnto blood strining against sinne As Christ shed his blood for the saluation of our soules so should we be readie to shed our blood for the maintenance of his Gospell How farre are they from this who fall away before they sawe any enemies to resist what hope can they haue of mercy from Christ who are so easily turned from the sincerity of his Gospell which they should defend with their dearest blood Thinke seriously of this and take heede of declining in such an happie season Luk. 17.32 Remember Lots wiâ—e as Christ biddeth you Facta est stâ—ua salâ—â—vt condiat tâ— In Psal 69. fiâ—e And consider that she for looking backe toward Sodome was turned into a pillar of salt and that to season vs with all as Augustine thought Deceiue not your selues but knowe for a certaintie that the hearing of the Gospell will not further your saluation butâ— rather aggrauate your condemnation if you falâ—â—way from it either in the time of persecution or in the time of peace Vers I. And that which fell among thornes are they which haue heard and after their departure are choaked with cares c. NOW followeth the exposition of the third kind of
thinking that within that space he may need it No more do you reiect any doctrine which serues not for your present purpose keepe it stil in your hearts the time may come when it may much comfort your hearts much edifie your soules and bee a good direction for your liues We haue in these dayes few such hearers Many mens hearts are like a broken pitcher that will hold no water Or like to Siues which hold water no longer then they are kept in the water There be some who are desirous to heare much and yet they keep little they forget as fast as they learne As it is better to eate lesse meate and keepe it in the stomacke and digest it then to eate much and presently to cast it vp againe So is it better to heare lesse and keepe it well then to heart much and presently forget it No more shall profit vs thâ—n that we keepe Quest What must wee doe that we may be able to keepe it Answ 1. Emptie your hearts of euil thoughts and wicked imaginations worldlie cares and carnall lustes and if they be once expelled keepe them still out for as you often heard they wil choake the word Isaack and Isâ—mael could not dwell together in one house The Aâ—ke of God and Dagon could not stand together in one Temple No more can the word and these lustes be kept together in one heart therefore keepe them out that it may be kept in Countrey Farmers hedge and ditch and make good fence round about their sowne fieldes lest beastes should breake in destroy the corne So must thou gard defend thy heart lest these vngodly lusts break in and destroy the seede of the word 2. Meditate often of that which thou hast heard that is also a good meanes to keepe it it wil imprint it more deeplie in thy heart and cause it to worke more effectually vpon thy affections In this respect he is reputed a blessed man that doth meditate in the Law of God day night Psal 1.2 Beastes after they haue eaten their meat will chew the cudde fetch it vp againe out of their belly and chew it ouer anew Lâ—uâ—t 11.2 Such were cleane vnder the Lawe fittest for meate vnto man and for sacrifice vnto GOD. The best learned in olde and late times haue thought that holy meditation is signified thereby You must then after you haue heard call the doctrine to minde againe meditate of it so it will best nourish your soules and make you most fit for the Lords seruice He that neglecteth this cannot long keepe the word 3. Vse holy and Christian conference with others touching that which you haue heard This was commaunded vnder the Law Deut. 6.6.7 The Lord enioyned the Iewes that the wordes which he commaunded them should bee in their hearts yet not that onely but they must rehearse them continually to their children Deut. 11.16 Yea euery one must talke of them when he taried in his house when he walked by the way when he did lie downe and when hee rose vp It was practised and approued vnder the Gospell The two Disciples that trauelled to Emâ—us Luk. 24.14.15.17.27 conferred together touching Christ Christ liked their conference so well as hee vouchsafed them his presence made a third person in the conference and opened to them the Scriptures which foretold his death and resurrection and made their heartes to burne within them while hee talked with them and did manifest himselfe to them to confirme their faith in the truth of his resurrection So graciously did he approue and blesse that holy exercise In conference we may helpe others and others may helpe vs one bringing that to the others memorie which hee had forgotten So also wee may helpe our selues for that which is then repeated is more surely imprinted in the memorie and is not afterwards so easilie forgotten 4. After thou hast heard pray earnestly vnto God that hee will imprint his word in thy heart Ier. 31.33 He promised by his Prophet that in the new couenant of grace he would put his Lawe in the inward parts of his people and write it in their hearts Heb. 8.10 The Lawes of the former couenant hee wrote in Tables of stone but the Lawes of the latter couenant hee will write in the fleshlie tables of mens hearts If he write them in your heartes by the finger of his holy spirit they shall neuer be rased or blotted out Wherefore pray earnestlie vnto him that hee would write them and so shall you be able to keepe them for euer Wherefore be carefull to vse these meanes What is the cause why people heare much and keepe little but are like to bottomlesse barrels which let water runne out as fast as it is powred in That of all the Sermons which they haue heard in their whole life time they haue scarce the abridgement of one left in their heartes or heades for their direction and consolation But euen because they haue neglected these meanes Vse them hereafter and you shall finde how well they will make you able to keepe that which you heare And bring forth fruite The third and last propertie in these hearers is this They bring forth fruite And this is another speciall difference betwixt them and all the rest For the rest eyther bring forth no fruite at all as the first sorte or but for a time as the second or imperfect fruite and in some things onely as the third But these bring forth not for a while but continually not in some thinges onely but in all and that ripe and perfect fruite If good seede bee sowne in good ground it vsually bringeth forth fruite for the vse of them which owe it and sowe it So if some doctrine be preached and people heare it with good heartes it will bring forth fruit in their liues These fruites are brought forth not by profession but by practise and doe consift not so much in wordes as in deedes And therefore Paul prayed that the Philippians might be filled with the fruites of righteousnesse Phil. 1.11 And that the Colossians might please God in all things Colos 1.10 being fruitful in all good works And he saith of the Romanes Rom. 6.22 That they being freed from sinne and made seruants vnto God had their fruits in holinesse So that this fruite cannot be vnderstood of the reward which the Saints receiue in heauâ— but of the obedience which they performe on earth for that is a fruit which they receiue this is a fruite which they bring forth That they receiue from God this they yeeld vnto God that is a fruit of glory this is a fruit of grace See then the disposition of these good hearers They doe not onely heare the word with their cares and vnderstand it with their mindes and keep it in their hearts but they doe also practise it in their liues This is the chiefest end of all the rest Therefore doe
all things spoken and written against the Doctrine of your moderne Priestes If you vouchsafe to reade our writings you commonly giue no more fauourable Censure of them then Iulian the Empetour gaue of the ancient Fathers bookes who thus said of them Soâ—â—◠〈…〉 I read I vnderstood I condemned And we might iustly answere you as Basil and other Learned Byshops answered him Thou hast reade but not vnderstood 〈…〉 for if thou hadst vnderstood thou wouldest not haue condemned Some of you are like those men whereof the Apostle Iude spake who condemne those things which they knowe not Ibid. Others of you knowe and vnderstand more Iude. 10. yet reiect all things as erroneous and hereticall which you knowe to be contradictorie to the positions of your popish priests Yea many of you be such vnequall iudges that although you canot but approue almost all points in the booke yet if there bee but one only thing which you distaste you presently condemne all the rest for it And take it to be as a leafe of Coloquyntis which marreth a whole messe of pottage and as a dead Flye that spoyleth a whole boxe of oyntment In regard whereof I may iustly feare your sharpe and bitter censures of these my Sermons now put foorth to open sight I can expect no more indifferencie and fauour at your hands theÌ„ others my betters haue formerly found NotwithstaÌ„ding as often heretofore I haue laboured by many meanes to giue you satisfaction in your doubtes and demandes both by priuate conference with diuers of the Layetie by seuerall answeres made to the writings of the learned on your side and also by open disputations with your priests as some of you cannot denie if you would testifie truth So would I now giue you full contentment if any reasonable thing will content you for all such exceptions which I thinke you wil take against these Sermons Whereas the learned on your side doe charge vs that in our sermons and writings we interpret the Scriptures according to our owne fancies and priuate conceits and not according to the vniforme sense giuen by the Fathers and the common exposition of the Church and thervpon would perswade you not to heare or reade or belieue any thing which wee proue by the scriptures I will make it apparant that in those points of controuersy touched in these sermons and confirmed by seuerall texts of scripture I haue the consent of the ancient Fathers and also of manie of your owne late wryters Cardinall Bellarmine acknowledgeth that before the Pelagian heresie arose the Fathers did not exactly handle the question of Praedestination by grace Degra lib. arbur libâ—â— cap. 11. initâ—o but onely when occasion was offered did briefly set down their opinions And that Chrysost did not plainly preach preueÌ„ting grace because at that time they were not risen vp Ibid. lib. 6. cap. 6. which denyed it As if the Fathers did speake and write plainely fully of those poynts onely which were controuerted and impugned in those dayes Now it is certaine that few of those poyntes which I mentioned were called into question in their dayes There were many controuersies de co quod creditur non de co quo creditur as the M. of Sentences Lumb sent lib. 3. dâ—st 23. c. out of Augustine distinguisheth of the things to bee beleeued or of the obiect of faith yet not of the habite of faith or of the gift or qualitie whereby wee beleeue And therefore the trueth is not to be gain-sayed though we could not produce very pregnant and plentifull testimonies out of their writings touching the nature and kindes of faith Nowithstanding they haue not left themselues without witnes in that they do vpon occasions declare their iudgements therein which serue to confirme the trueth on our side These testimonies of theirs and the testimonies of your owne Doctors I did forbeare to recite in the Pulpit or write in the copie of the Sermons that so I might auoyde tediousnes Yet hauing diligently perused them and hoping that they would be of force with some that duly consider them I thought good to set them apart by themselues and to adde them as a postcript after all SECT II. WHereas I taught that the word of God is the spirituall seede which must bee sowne in our heartes to make vs fruitfull in all good workes And that Preachers ought to teach and people ought to heare and receiue nothing but the word and did limit the word to the word written I know it crosseth the doctrine of some in your Church and therefore may perhaps be misliked by you First your countrey-man Doctor Stapleton Promptuar in Dominica sexagesim writing a Postill for the instruction of Popish Preachers could not finde in all this Parable any poynt to bee obserued against vs but onely this that the word is the seed And will haue To the same effect the Rhemists not the worde written but the worde preached to be the seede Yea he maketh two words of God the one written write Aâ—â—ot on 1. 〈◊〉 2 1◠〈◊〉 2. the other preached and therby would confute vs who hold that nothing is the word of God but that which is written in the Scriptures of the Olde and New Testaments But theâ—in that great Doctor declared himselfe neither to know what the Scripture is nor what true preaching is noâ— what we hold to be the word of God â—ast what is the Scripture or written word of God It is not the letters and â—illables that be written in bookes but rather the true sense and meaning of them 〈…〉 1. â—â—româ— sayd Nâ— putemus in verbâ—â— scripturatrum esse euangelium sed in sensiâ— Let vs not thinke the Gospel consisteth in the Scriptures but in the meanne Non in 〈…〉 in medvlla non in sermonum folus sâ—d in radice rationis Not in the outward 〈…〉 but in the marrow not in the◠〈◊〉 of beech 〈…〉 4 〈◊〉 4. but in the roote of reason Cardinall Bellarmine woulde haue vs mark that there be two thinges in the Scripture the words written and the sense in them included the wordes are as the sheath the sense is the sword of the spirit As it is a rule among Lawyers that not the bare wordes but the meaning of the wordes is the Law So is it a rule among all Diuines that not the bare words but the true meaning of the words is the Scripture And the reason is Quicquid in duâ—â—â—o sermine neque ad morum honestatem neque ad sideâ— veritatem proprie referrâ— potest â—iguratum esse cognoseas De Doctr. chr lib. 3. cap. 10. Sixt. Biâ—â— other lib. 3. 〈◊〉 Bellar. deverlo Dâ—t lib. 3. cap. 3. because the very words taken properly after their naturall and Grammaticall signification may sometime breede error and then they are not to bee taken properly but figuratiuely According as Augustine well taught That whatsoeuer in the word of
God cannot properly be referred neyther to the honestie of maners nor to the tructh of faith must be knowne to be figuratiue Moreouer the ancient Fathers long agoe the Schoolemen of late time and the Popish writers at this day do teach that there be diâ—ers senses of Scripture And although all of them preferre the hystoricall and litterall sense yet Sixâ—â—s Senensis and Bellarmine doe make it double eyther proper and simple according to the first and naturall signification of the words or metaphoricall and figuratiue when the wordes are translated from their naturall signification to another and that there bee so many kindes of this sense as there bee kindes of figures Now what is preaching but expounding of Scripture and deliuering the true sense of it As appeareth by the practise of Ezra Nehe. 8.8 and the Leuites who reade the Lawe of God distinctly and then gaue the sense and caused the people to vnderstand what was read Those then who in their Sermons deliuer the true sense of the word written according to those seuerall kindes of expositions must needes deliuer the worde of GOD cuen the selfe same worde that is written Againe not onely the things expresly set downe in the Scriptures but likewise such thinges as by sound and necessarie consequence bee collected thence are taken for written truthes and not vnwritten traditions Aeonsus Viruestus a Popish Bishop and a bitter enemie to Luther Adners Luther doginat philippi c. 9. p. 147. acknowledgeth so much For hee saith That things may bee conteyned in the Scripture eyther formally and expresly or materially being drawâ—â— by a necessary collection from the contents And this he saith is called Virtualis continentâ—a 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 thinges 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 Scoties taught De Eucharist lib. 3. c. 23 there was not any expresse place of Scripture to proue Transubstantiation without the declaration expositioÌ„ of the Church Neyther dare the Cardinall reiect that assertion but saith Quia colligitur ex scriptura diuina that Transubstantiation belongeth to the Catholicke faith because it is collected out of the diuine Scripture In his iudgement then that is a written trueth 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 worde of God eyther by expresse testimonies or by necessary collections the worde 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 Doctor woulde 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 discrepant from the doctrine of his owne Church that it may well bee thought that rather malice against vs then any warrant from the text caused him to set 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 hee that will regard what be writeth in the latter end of his obseruation may easilie perceiue how hee ouerthroweth his owne note obserued in the beginning For he produceth the Apostle Peter as an indifferent witnes in this case who saith that the Worde of God endureth for euer and this is the worde which is preached among you whose testimonie doth euidently prooue that the worde written and the worde preached then by the Apostles and other Ecclesiasticall persons was the very same worde For it is apparant by that verse which hee alleadged that the worde of God which endureth for euer and the worde which then was preached were one and the selfe same worde Now what was the word that endureth for euer was it not the worde written If anie will denye this let him reade the former verse in Peter and compare that verse and this Isaiah 40.6.7.8 with the wordes of the prophet Isaiah and hee shall finde it to be the worde written by the Prophet So as Peter maketh the worde written by the prophet and preached by the Apostles to bee the same Againe this great Doctor saith * Immutabile est in natura substancia sua etâ—i propagatione explicatione variâ— 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 Vincentius Lyrenensis who make that agreemeÌ„t betweene the word written and the word preached that they are both one in substaÌ„ce for they preached nothing but what was written yet the word writteÌ„ was made fruitfull by preaching SECT III. BVt to leaue the Docter 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 (1) De verho Dei nonscript lib. 4. c. 1. saith there is verbis Dei scriptrÌ„ 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 Valentia (2) Refutat falsar causar Herbrand cap. 1. 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 (3) Et anteÌ„ scriptura ecclesiae catholicae consensies concors omnium Christianorum per tot uÌ„ terrarum orbem doctrina Huius scripturae praestantia multis partibus super scripturas quas nobis in membranis Apostoli reliquerunt Encherid cap. 1. So also saith Hosius Quod ecclesia docet expressum Dei verbum est De expresso Dei verbo fol. 119. in 106. 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
from me ye workers of iniquitie Augustine confesseth that (6) Contâ—itâ—r â—â—â—â—lian 〈…〉 55. the schismaticall Donâ—â—ists had it as well as the Orthodoxall Christians Popish writers teach that (7) Tho. Aqâ—â— 2.2 qu. 〈…〉 2. wâ—â—ked 〈◊〉 be sometimes indued with it Ill liuers (8) Rhem. ancol â— 1. Cor. 2.8 〈◊〉 1. which haue not other graces of God whereby their person should be gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight Yea (9) Coster on hirâ—d cap. 4. a man that is out of the state of grace Yea a (10) Tho. Aqain 〈◊〉 Cor. 12. lect 2. Pigh controis 2. de fide Bellarm. dâ— iustâ—sâ—â— 1. cap. 15. man that is destitute of Charitie Now how can that be the highest degree of a iustifying faith which wicked men sometime haue and which godly men often want If it be the highâ—st degree of a iustifying faith then none could haue it but they must haue a iustifying faith Though some might bee iustified without it yet none could haue it but they must needes be iustified Bernard put a manifest difference betwixt them saying (11) Parus sermon serm 1. There is one faith of precepts and another faith of miracles that is qua credimus in Deum qua credimus Deum By the faith of precepts we belieue in God Credere antem in Deum But to belieue in God is to trust in him and to loue him By the Faith of Myracles Credimus Deum quia talia potest omnia potest Wee belieue that God can doe such things and can doe all things Theophylact. Duplex est fides nostra distinguisheth them as plainly on Rom. 12.3 saying that Faith in this place is to be taken for the grace of God whereby they wrought miracles For our faith is double The one as that Mar. 10. 52. Thy Faith hath made thee whole Another is the gift of God by which miracles are wrought as that If you haue faith as a graine of mustard-seede and say to this Mountaine c. Stella likewise distinguisheth this â—â—narrat in Luk. 17. to 2 p. 183. from that faith which Papists make their iustifying faith For he will not haue that faith wherby the Apostles might say to the Mulbery tree Plucke thy selfe vp by the roots plant thy selfe in the Sea to be vnderstood of faith a Theologicall vertue to belieue all things written but to be that Confidence whereby they were assured to obtaine what they asked though it were the remoouing of a Mountaine Chrysostâ—mus Enthymius fidem mir aâ—â—lorum non cam qua Christiani sumus intelligunt In Math. 17.20 Maldonatus saith of that Faith commended by Christ to his Apostles for the remouing of mountains Math. 17.20 That Chrysostome and Euthymius vnderstand the faith of myracles not that faith whereby we are Christians Iansenius vpon the same words doth in his owne name expound it of the same faith and distinguisheth it from the other faith Accipitur hic fides non pro ea virtute aqua ducimur fideles quomodâ— accipitur a Paulo cum tres dicit esse vertutes fidem spem charitateâ— c. quam fidem habent omnes christians tuâ—â— habebans omnes apostoli Sed accipitur pro fide signorum c. huinsmodi autem fides non est aliud quam fiducia impetrendi vel faciendi micacula cum opuâ— est aut vâ—â—le anvocato nomine Deâ— Concord Euangel cap 68. Nonest hic sermo de fide crâ—dendorum sed de fide agendorum lila etium communiâ— est omnibus christian 〈◊〉 vero 〈…〉 conâ—â—eâ—â—t In 1. Cor. 12. Est autem haec fiducia toto genere diuersa ab ea quam in se includit sides catholica cuâ— prâ—â—â—puâ— fides miraculorum adiuncta erat c. saying Faith is here taken not for that vertue whereby wee are called belieuers as it is taken of Paul when hee saith there are three vertues Faith Hope Charitie which faith all Christians haue and then the Apostles had But it is taken for the faith of miracles which Paul putteth 1. Cor. 12. among the diuision of Graces which the holy Ghost imparteth to diuers men diuersly euen as he will And this kinde of faith is nothing else but a Confidence of obtaining or working miracles when it is needfull or profitable by calling vpon the Name of God Caiâ—tane doth put as great difference betwixt them writing vpon those words 1. Cor. â—2 Alteri fides in eodem spiritu saith thus There is no speech heere concerning the faith of things to be belieued but concerning the faith of thinges to be done For that is common to all Christians but this agreeth onely to some certaine persons 〈◊〉 also writeth that the faith which is Filâ—â—â—a an Assurance or Confidence is in the whole kinde diuâ—rse from that Catholike faith where vnto the power of miracles was adioyned For the one doth properly respect the truth of God for the obiect the other respecteth the goodnes of God as made ours after a manner by mutuall loue That goeth before the loue of God and is separable from it so as the Apostle affirmed that he might haue all faith of that kinde though hee had not loue But this doth follow loue and is a bud of it That may be euen in the workers of iniquitie who at the day of iudgement shall heare Christ say to them I neuer know you But this belongeth onely to iust and holymen who haue already sanctified or Dedicated their soules to God through the obedience of Charitie So many wayes doth hee distinguish them and so farre was he from making them one and the same kinde of faith or making the one to be a degree of the other Consider then I pray you how the Rhemistes and Bellarmine are singular in this their conforming of a miraculous faith nam illa Dei veritatem proprie pro obiectâ— respicit haec Deâ— bonitatem magis vt iam per â—â—utuum aâ—â—orem quodammodo nostra facta est c. Potâ—st illa fides etiam omnes ac perfecta in operarys iniquâ—â—â—tis esse At ista iustorum tantum sanctorum est c. Controuers 2. de fide p. 42. in 8. An. 152. with a iustifying faith hauing not only the scriptures but also all sorts of writers gainsaying them And therefore it may well be supposed that rather a desire to contradict vs then any consent of theyr owne Church or any sound reason to warraÌ„t them hath moued them to make that confusion of two distinct gifts And will you giue credite to such spitefull and partiall writers SECT X. Of Hystoricall Faith THe first kind of ordinary faith which is common both to the Elect and reprobate I called an historicall or dogmaticall faith yet I knowe there be many who neither can abide the name and tytle of historicall faith nor yet will acknowledge any difference betwixt the thing signified thereby and a iustifying faith but make them both one Touching the name
workes Whervpon Thomas Aquinas gaue this glosse (27) Verba â—â—hite habere sidem per aliqua certa signa non poteris probare cum desint opera verba non sunt testes â—uffi untes In Iacob epist cap. 2. 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 sâ—fficient witnesses And in another place hee saith (28) In 2. thess 2.2 That vngodly men seeme to haue true faith when indeede they haue not Gregory 1. once Bishop of Rome telleth vs That (29) Fidâ—i nostre veritatâ—m in vitae nostra consideratione debemus agnoscere tâ—nc enim veraciter fideleâ— sumus si quod verbis promitâ—mus operibus implâ—mus Hoâ—â—â— 29. 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 (30) I lle veâ—o â—redit quâ— exâ—xcet opeâ—â—â—do quod credit Conâ—â—l Mogunt câ—â—â—â—n 1. 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 doe 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 (31) Rom. 1.17 Galat. 3.11 So the iust man is sayd to liue by Faith And Paul sayd (32) Galat. 2.20 I liue by the Faith in the Sonne of God Ferus hauing described the nature of a true Iustifying faith that it is nothing else but to trust to the free mercy of God (33) ComeÌ„t in Math. 8. he addeth further This is the true Faith whereby the iust man liueth But that which iustifieth not and is destitute of good works is tearmed a dead Faith by the Apostle (34) Iam. 2.26 Yea as the body is dead without the spirit so is faith dead without workes But the (35) Annot. in Iam. 2.26 Rhemists (36) De iustif li. 1. c. 15. Cardinall Bellarmine (37) Enchirid cap. 4. de fide obiect 2. Coster the Iesuite and others doe answere that the Apostle doth not compare a dead faith with a dead man but with a dead body And therefore as a dead body is a true body so a dead faith is a true faith But they must knowe that although the Apostle compare a dead faith not to a dead man but to a dead body yet he compareth it to the dead body of a man which is no true humane body indeed because it wanteth the soule which is the forme of it The Philosopher will teach them That when the bodye is dead there is neyther foote nor hand but onely by equiuocation for all the parts of the body are defined by their office and facultie therefore when they lye dead they are not the same but onely retaine the shadow and shew of the name Though a dead body haue the earthly and materiall parts yet it is not the true body of a man nor the same body that it was before seeing it wanteth his forme life and actiuitie operation and motion So a dead faith hath some materiall parts of a true faith as knowledge vnderstanding and assent yet it is not a true faith indeed because it wanteth speciall application which is the soule of saith It wanteth actiuitie charitie and obedience which are the life of it Diâ—imus Alexandrinus did otherwise take the words of S. Iames then these papists doe for thus he writeth (38) Notandum scilicet quia cum fides mortua sit praeter opera iam neque fides est Nam neque homo mortuus homo est Enarrat in Epist Iacob cap 2. It is to be marked that seeing faith is dead without good workes it is now no faith at all for a dead man is not a man at all Their owne friend Ferus is as peremptorie against them and for vs. Faith without charitie saith he (39) Sine charitate fides titulum quidem fides habet caeterum si non obscurè de eare loqui velis perinde fides est quasi corpus exanime homo aut extincta candela lumen vel exâ—isa arbor est arbor c. Postill Domin quinquages Serm. 7. hath indeed the tytle of faith but if thou wilt not speake obscurely of that matter it is not in that sort faith as a body without a soule is a man as a candle put out is light or as a tree cut downe is a tree What kind of light is that which doth not shine and giue light what kinde of fire is that which is not kindled what kinde of man is that which neyther seeth nor heareth nor feeleth nor moueth What kinde of tree is that which hath neyther rootes nor boughes nor bringeth forth fruite Such a kinde of faith is that which is without charitie namely a dead Faith as Iames nameth it How then can any man iustly say that these two are both one and the same faith Lastly they differ in their effects because the one procureth the saluation of our soules namely that liuely and speciall faith which worketh by loue for of that it is sayde Whosoeuer (40) Ioh. 3.16 beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And by (41) Ephes 2.8 grace wee are saued through faith and not of our selues But the other the Historical faith destitute of works cannot saue (42) Iam. 2.14 any man so teacheth the Apostle And that all those places cannot bee vnderstood of one the same faith all writers giue euidence Augustine said (43) De side operib cap. 16. not that faith of the Diuels who beleeue and tremble and confesse Iesus to bee the Sonne of God is that foundation which suffereth none to perish but that faith which the Apostle saith worketh by loue Now what he took to be the faith of the Diuels I haue before shewed Credunt Deum credunt Deo they haue an historicall faith to beleeue all things to be true which hee hath reuealed Non credunt in Deum they put no confidence in him so want a speciall iustifying faith that should saue them So Bernard (44) In Deum qui credit non consundetur c. Deum Deo credunt Damones ed in illum non credunt In quem qui credit non confundetâ—r quia spein suam non ponunt in illum De sanct Andr. serm 3. writeth He that beleeueth in God shall not be confounded And therevpon inferreth that the Diuels though they beleeue God yet they doe not beleeue in God in whom whosoeuer
Yet all of them are in the same maneâ— 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 Will 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 professe 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 De amâ—ss grat stat peccat lib. â— cap. 8. 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 assenting faith and of a professed Christian become an Infidell but he who hath a true Iustifying faith cannot quite loose it he may fall in ourward 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 Marâ—ellinus 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 Hereticke nor Infidell (19) De Rom. pontif lib. 4. cap. 8. fine 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 20) De Rom. pontif lih 4. cap. 9. sectiex quiâ— bus 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—ong 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 (21) Procul dubio nec illo tempore quo benâ— prâ—que vivunt in isto numero computandi sunt c. De corrept grat cap. 7. Ioh. 6 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 (22) Quia ergo non habuâ—runt perseuer anâ—iam siâ—ut non vere disâ—ipuli christi at a nec ver◠〈◊〉 Deâ— fuerunt etiam quando esse vid-bantur vocabantur De corrept grat cap. 9. of the Disciples which forsooke Christ at Capernaum That they were called Disciples the Gospell so speaking and yet they were not Disciples in trueth because they abode not in his word According to that which he saith If yee abide in my wordâ— yee are verily my Disciples Therefore because they had not perseuerance as they were not truely the Disciples 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 Fâ—r by faith are wee made the sonnes of God as the scripture (23) Ioh. 1.12 Gal. 3.26 teacheth Yea the same Father professedly expounding the place of Iohn where those Disciples are mentioned saith (24) Inter non credentes iosi deputan di sunt quamvâ—s discipuli dicereatur In Ioh. 6. tract 27. They were to be reckoned among vnbeleeuers though they were called Disciples If any suspect that I wrest his words contrary to his meaning let him reade Maldonatus a Papist who writeth that (25) Augustinus Beda existimant numquam istos quiretro abierunâ— habuisse fidem c. Maldonat in Ioh. 6. â—6 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 (26) 1. Tim. 5.15 said were turned back after Satan But of what faith must this be vnderstood What faith did those Disciples and other reuolters want when they were taken for Disciples and Christians Was it an historicall or assenting faith The Iesuites will not yeelde that Coster holdeth that (27) Enchirid cap. 4. de fide Sitne fides in peccatorib p. 179. all in the Church haue such a faith yea though they be as tares among wheat bad fish among good foolish virgines wanting oyle in lamps as the Guest wanting a wedding Garment and like the incestuous Corinthian Bellarmine (28) De Iustificat lib. 1. cap 15. sect quartum argumentum 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 (29) Ioh. 6.64 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 (30) Viritate Christiana vera sides tantum illa iudicetur quae habet efficaciam consequendae salutis c. Vera profectâ— sides vera dilectioue constar vera autem dilectio illa tanium dicitur veritate moraliâ—quae perseuerantiam habet permaenentiam c. Deinde rogandus an fidelis ille dicatur aut amicus qui horaria amuâ—â—tia aut fide illi fuisset comumâ—tus quod si non dicerâ—tur quoniam
de ratione vere fidei choritatis est permaneniâ—a constantia c. Apud Sext. Senens biblioth lib. 6. annot 214. According to Christian veritie faith 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 (31) Orauit dominus paulo post pro perseuerantia ommum apostolorum imo etiam omnium electoruÌ„ Ioh. 17. Pâ—ter sancte serua eos in nomine tuo quos dedisti mihi De Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 3. sect altera expositio 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 fayle Shall wee thinke that Christs prayer was not heard Doth not he elsewhere acknowledge that the Father heard him alwaies Was his prayer ectuall against the losse of grace and faith by sinne and not against the losse of them by Infidelitie Then was his prayer heard but in part How can they prooue that difference SECT XIIII IN prosecuting this point I produced Peter for an example who though he denyed his Maister with an oath vâ—t still kept faith in his heart And lest any should thinke that this â—â—s a speciall priuiledge in Peter I sâ—ewed that (1) Ioh. 17.20 Christ prayed for others as wel as for him Now if there bee 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 Christ praier for all the elect namelie (2) De Corrept grat cap. 12. 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 (3) De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. â—4 Bellarmine and others doe teach that Peter did quite loose his faith and the righteousnes thereof I will let you see the testimonies of all sorts of writers to the contrary Tertullian (4) Sed cur petrum ob vigorem fides Aduers Marcion lib. 4. said his name was changed and he was called Peter for the strength of his faith but he ill deserued that name and Christ erred in giuing him a name not agreeable to his nature if hee quite lost his faith Againe hee speaking of Christs prayer for him thus saith of those words That thy faith might not fayle (5) Ne deficeret fides tua id est ne tantum diabolo permitteretur vt fides periclitaretur quo ostenditur vtrumque apud Deum esse concussionem fidei protectionem cuÌ„ vtrumque ab co petitur Et vtique filius Dei protectionâ— fidei habet insua potestate c. De fuga in persecut that is that so much might not be permitted to the Diuel that his faith might be endangered Whereby it is shewed that both are with God both the shaking of faith and the protection seeing both are asked of him The shaking is from the Diuel the protection is from the Sonne And surely the Son of God hath the protection of faith in his owne power which hee asked of his Father of whom hee receiueth all power in heauen and earth If his faith was not endangered by the diuel but protected and kept safe by God through the prayer of his Son how can any truely say that hee lost his faith Hillary (6) Comment in Psal 52 4. taught as is testifyed by (7) Biblioth sanct lib. 5. annot 181. Sixtus Sâ—nensis that Peter in denying his Maister lost not the firmenesse of his faith because although through the tâ—embling of hiâ— flâ—sh which he could not brydle his tongue buâ—si forth into the deniall of Christ yet a firme faith of confessing Christ vnto Martyrdome did not depart from his heart I might also vige that which not onely he (8) In Math. can 20. See Six Senâ—ns biblioth lib. 6. annot 160. elsewhere but likewise Ambrose (9) Comment in Luc. 22. lib. 10. together with him hath written in excuse of Peters denyall That he denyed him not to be God but denyed that he was only a man Though (10) See Sixt Sâ—nensbiblioth li. 6 annot 160. Hâ—â—rony in Math. 26. Theophylact. in Luc. 22. lerorac Theophylact do confute them because so to excuse the Apostle were to make his Maister a lyar who told him before that hee should that night denie him thrice Yet doth (11) In Luc. 22.32 in Math. 26.75 quanquam possumus Hilarium Ambrosium ab errore benigna interpretatione liberare Mâ—ldonatus excuse them both And thereby they plainely declared that they were farre from thinking that hee lost his faith Augustine alleadged the prayer of Christ for Peters faith against the Pelagians who held that man could not continue in grace and in faith vnlesse mans free will did concurre with Gods grace Dare thou say that Christ praying for Peter that his faith might not faile that it should haue failed (12) An andebis dicere etiamrogante christo ne deficeret fides petri defecturam fâ—isse fi petrus eam dâ—fiâ—ere voluisset c. Sed quia praeparatur voluntas a domino ideo pro illo non possit esse inanis oratio quando rogauit ergo ne fides eius deficeret quid aliud rogauit nisi vt haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam inuictissimaÌ„ perseverantissimam voluntatem De corrept grat cap. 8. if Peter would haue had it to faile that is if hee would not haue had it to continue vnto the ende As if Peter any way willed any other thing then Christ prayed for him that he might will But because the will is prepared of the Lord therefore his prayer for him could not be in vaine Therfore when he prayed that his Faith might not faile what else asked he but that hee might haue in faith a most free a most strong a
Dei maiorem fâ—uctum in vno homine factat quam 〈◊〉 secundâ—m quod tâ—raipsa mâ—gis ulonea est CommeÌ„t 1. Math. 13. how some referre theÌ„ to beginners to proceeders and to the perfect some to Virgines Widowes and maried persons some to thought speeche and deede some to them who expose their goods their bodies and their liues for Christ Yet saith he Christ seemeth heere to meane that outwardly the worde of GOD doth conuert more in one place then in another and aâ—so that the same word of God doth bring forth more fruit in one man then in another According as the ground is fitter Tollet hâ—uing propounded the different expositions of some Fathers (29) Donâ—nus de fructu ipso loquitur qui non semper statui responâ—et praeterealoquitur de fructu seminis dumest in terra volens significare se loqui de â—s qui in hoc sâ—culo fructus â—osie referunt Comment in Luk. 8. annot 17. saith their opinion is the fittest who referre that difference of fruits vnto mens persons as they worke well better and best in this world in what estate soeuer they bee because they doe not alwaies liue perfectly who are in a perfect state And it often commeth to passe that they who are in a lower state bring forth greater and more abundant fruite then they who are in an higher for the Lord speaketh of the fruit it self which is not alwaies answerable to the state And hee speaketh of the fruite of the seede while it is in the earth Whereby he would signifie that hee spake of them who bring forth these fruits in this world Iansâ—nius saide (30) Centesâ—â—â— affeâ—â—â—â— qui perfectam ac sumam vitam agunt sexagesimum vero qui mediocrem trigesimum qui in seriores sunt fructum tamen boâ—um afferentes pro suis viribus Concord Euangel c. 47. They bring forth an hundred folde who leade a perfect and chiefest life They bring forth sixty fold who lead an indifferent good life And they thirty who are infetiour yet bring forth good fruite according to theyr abilitie Mâ—ldoâ—atus reckoneth vp fiue seuerall opinions cut of the Fathers yet will not stand to any of them but saith (31) Fructum vocat â—ut opera bona que sides verbi Dei fructus esse soâ—nt vt Math. 21.4 aut vitum aeternamâ— 2. Cor. 9.6 In Math. 13.23 That Christ calleth fruite eyther Good workes which are accustomed to be the fruits of Faith and of the word of God As when it is sayd The kingdome of God shall be taken from you and giuen to an other Nation which shall bring forth the fruites thereof Math. 21.42 Or else eternall life as 2. Cor. 9.6 Galat. 6.7.8 Iam. 3.18 Do not therfore blame me though in expounding the variety of those fruites I doe dissent from the Rhemists and from the Cardinall seeing I haue the consent of so many of the Fathers and of your owne writers SECT XVI. BVt to conclude least I might seeme ouer-much to exceed the lâ—ngth of a Postscript I knowe your Priests do confidently tell you that they haue all the ancieÌ„t Fathers on their side against vs Euen as Eutiches and Dioscorus insolently bragged (1) See concil Chalcedon act 1. that the Fathers taught their errour And as the Arians falsly pretended (2) Athanas epist De sentent Dionysy Alexandr contra Arianos that Dyonisius Alexandrinus was of their opinion And as the Pelagians (3) Bellarm. de amiss grat statu peccat lib. 4 cap. 9. alledged Clemens Alexandrinus Ambrose Arnobâ—us Chrysost others as maintainers of their heresie I haue therfore giuen you a tast of that vntruth euen in those Controuersies touched in these sermoÌ„s The like hath beue done by others and may be done againe in other Controueâ—siâ—s Doe not therefore belieue those their vaine brags Againe whereas they boast much of vnitie doe make it a marke of the Church and would thereby proue (4) Bellarm. de not 〈◊〉 4. cap. 10. themselues to be the true church you may by these few points euidently see that they haue many â—arres and contentions about the chiefest points of faith As the Anâ—â—â— long agoe were (5) 〈◊〉 histor lib. 5.22 noted not onely to differ in opinion from the orthodox all fathers of the Church but likewise to differ much one from another and that in many points of religion So may it now be obserued that the papists doe not onely varie from vs but likewise dissent many waies one from another And that not onely in ceremonies and circumstances or matters of lesser moment as they charge vs to contend among our selues but likewise in the substantiall points of mans saluation in the very forme nature and properties of a iustifying faith And lastly whereas you all pretend that you haue that true faith in Iesus Christ which is able to saue your soules I would wish you to consider that all those doe dâ—ceiue themselues therein who doe not testifie their faith by their workes as the Apostle teacheth Much hath bene written and that by sundry men in times past touching the bad maners of Rome we who reade those reports and doe knowe the maner of your conuersation may well imagine that sinfull deeds are the proper fruites of poperie And that papists wheresoeuer they be whether at Rome or else where are all alike prophane in their behauiour I know that like pharises you are very strict in obseruing humane preceps as not to eate an egge in Lent not to doâ— any worke on one of the superstitious holydaies abrogated in our Church not to go out of the doores before you haue blessed your selues with the signe of the crosse not to take the better hand of a crosse standing in the high way side not to speake of a dead man vnles you say God haue mercy on his soule Yet are most of you very carelesse in keeping Gods commandements Where may we finde more vngodly swearing more impious profanation of the Sabboth more wilfull disobedience to lawfull authoritie more beastly drunkennes and disordered drinkings and swaggering more filthy whore dome more wastfull gaming more bitter rayling and vncharitable back-byting then is to be seene in the Recusants and non-communicants of this Countrey And so infectious is sinne that theyr bad example doth corrupt the mind and manners of manie about them Doe these hope to be sâ—ued by their good works Will these be accounted confessours of theyr Religion Boni sunt catholici qui fideÌ„ integram sequuÌ„tur bonos more 's Quast in Mat ca. 11. And yet keepe no good conscience in theyr conuersation Augustine sayd truely That they are good Catholickes who follow both sound Faith and good manners Why then should we account them good Catholickes who haue neyther sound Faith nor good manners The Lord of his mercie open your eyes that you see his truth and come out of Babell And also worke true faith in your heartes that you may through hs Sonne inherite his euerlasting kingdome Amen FINIS LONDON Printed by Tho Creede for Arthur Iohnson dwelling at the signe of the white horse neere the great North dore of Saint Paules Church 1614.