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
be kept from them See then what an enemie the diuell is to hinder the efficacie of Gods word in mans heart As the preacher laboureth to cast the word into the heart so he to take it out He thrusteth many euill things into the heart he put treason into the heart of Iudas to betray Christ Iob. 13.2 Act. 5.3 he filled the heart of Ananias to lye vnto the holy Ghost So also doth he keepe all manner of good from the heart by the one he would make vs bad by the other he would hinder vs from being good Except it be inpraying hee doth not trouble a man so much in any busines as in hearing of Gods word because he is afraide lest man should be conuerted and saued thereby This his practise is euidently seene in many It appeareth by the euent that he taketh the word from many of our hearers for when the people haue heard the preacher speake a whole houre together and deliuer many profitable points of doctrine and that very plainely yet few can repeate any thing at all many will say they like him well he is a good man and made a very good sermon yet cannot tell one word that he spake What is the reason hereof the diuell hath taken it out of their hearts and heads Report to them an humane historie tell them some strange newes or a tale for their worldly profit or corporall health they will keepe it well enough and at any time and in any company will relate it very readily but teach them a mysterie of saluation instruct them in a dutie to God or man they forget it as soone as they haue heard it What is the cause hereof but this the diuell knowes that the one will neuer profit their soules nor further their saluation and therefore he will not take it from them he is afraid lest the other should profit their soules and further their saluation and therfore he labours to depriue them of it If a man put coyne in a chest and wares in a chamber and within a while come and finde none there he will say a thiefe hath bene there So if people heare much and keepe little or nothing it is certaine the diuell hath bene there to steale it out of their hearts This should teach euery one of vs that be hearers to looke well to our selues and carefully to keep that which we haue heard The diuell will doe what he can to depriue vs of it If he cannot keepe thee from heaving he will if he can rob thee of that which thou hast heard If thou be carelesse in keeping he will be sure to take all from thee You knowe that if a man haue some speciall goods and looke negligently vnto them and care not much whether he keepe them or loose them and a cunning thiefe be very desirous of them he is like within a while to get them Wherefore Gen. 15.11 as Abraham droue away the Fowles that trouble him when he was sacrifising so driue yee away the Diuell who troubleth you whē you heare Euen as you chase away the birds that would eate vp the corne sowne in your fields And as by harrowing of your sowne fieldes you couer the seed with earth that so the Fowles may not deuoure it and that it may better fructify So couer the seede of the worde in the furrowes of thy affections and let it enter deepe into thy heart and so shall it both be safe from the Diuell and fit to yeeld fruit in thy life This practise of the Diuel is amplified by the ends of it which are two the one subordinate to the other The former is least they shoulde beleeue Whence we may obserue two things one in respect of the word and another in respect of the Diuell 1. In respect of the word namely that the hearing and receiuing of the word is a speciall meane to bring men to faith for the Diuell doth therefore hinder men in hearing least by hearing they should belecue Saint Paul sayth That faith is by hearing Rom. 10.17 and hearing by the word of God How can they beleeue in him of whom they haue not heard and and how can they heare without a Preacher And those for whom Christ prayed Ioh. 17.20 must beleeue in him through the Apostles word Act. 8.37 Was not the Eunuch brought to faith by Philips teaching Did not Cornelius beleeue by Peters preaching Act. 10. Did not the Iaylor beleeue by hearing of Paul Act. 16.31 Though all doe not beleeue Non ommum est sides qus audiunt verbum sed quibus Deus partitur mensuram sides who doe heare because some heare amisse yet is hearing Gods ordinance to beget faith Those then that desire faith must heare and receiue the worde Those that may heare and will not cannot beleeue Wofull is their case who heare not at all for whence can they haue faith if they heare not Feareful is their case who hear seldome they haue no faith or a weake faith But happie are they who heare often and well August epist. 105. they beleeue and shall be saued 2. Another thing is to be obserued in respect of the Diuell namely what an enemie he is vnto faith for he takes away the word as it is entring into mens hearts lest they should beleeue This is the very cause why he is so busy in hindering the worde because hee would keepe men from faith And no maruell though he be a deadly enemie vnto faith Heb. 4. he knowes that the word will not profite the hearers vnlesse it be mixed with faith Rom. 〈◊〉 He knowes that by faith we are iustified in Christ Act. 10. that by faith we obtaine remission of sinnes and euerlasting life Very loath he is that we should enioy these blessings and therfore will do what he can to hinder vs of faith which is the hand whereby we receiue them Heb. 11.6 He knowes that without faith it is impossible to please God Rom. ◠14.3 And that whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne Vnwilling he is that we should better please God then himself doth but gladly would he make all our actions sinfull like his Ephes 6. He knoweth that faith is the shield 1. Ioh. 5.4 whereby we quench all his fiery darts that it is the victory whereby wee ouercome the world one of his Champions And therefore wil seeke to keep this weapon out of our hands lest himselfe his champion be foiled therwith We may now say with the Apostle 2. Thes 3.2 All men haue not faith And no maruell seeing the Diuell is a spightfull foe against it and will hinder as many from faith as possibly he can At the end of the world as Christ fore-told the son of man shall scarce find faith on the earth Luk. 18.8 Let it not seeme strange for as at all other times so then especially will he keepe men backe from
faith his wrath shall then be great Reuel 12.12 because hee shall know his time is short Doe not therefore imagine that it is an easie thing to get faith and that thou canst beleeue when thou list thou canst not haue faith but in despight of the Diuell so long as he can hinder thee by any meanes thou shalt not beleeue The Lord must enable thee to frustrate his attempts and must bestow this gift on thee against his will otherwise thou canst neuer receiue it But the more he labours to keepe vs from faith the more earnestly should we labour to obteyne it the more he hateth it the better should we loue it If it were not a most excellent grace he would not hinder vs of it 2. The other end why hee taketh away the word is this Lest they should be saued Where also two other like things may be considered one in respect of the word and faith another in respect of the Diuell 1. In respect of faith and the word that they will bring men to saluation For whereas Christ saith the Diuell takes the word out of mens hearts lest they should beleue be saued he therby insinuateth that if the word enter into the heart do there abide worke faith in it the man shall be saued And so he shall indeed For the Gospell as Paul saith is the power of God vnto saluation to euery one that beleeueth Rom. 1.16 to the lew first and also to the Greacian 1 Cor. 1.21 And it pleased God by the foolishnes of preaching to saue them that beleeue Ioh. 20.31 And therefore the Evangelist saith These things are written that yee might beleeue and in beleeuing haue life through his Name The word bringeth vs to faith and faith to life euerlasting If we get the one we cannot fayle of the other Oh what an heauenly comfort is this to a beleeuing soule Cannot the Diuel by all his practises and pollicies hinder the worde from working faith in thy heart feare him not he cannot possibly hinder thee of eternall saluation in heauen Looke what assurance thou hast of thy present faith the same assurance mayst thou haue of the future saluation of thy soule If thou now beleeue thou shalt receiue the end of thy faith 1. Pet. 1.9 which is the saluation of thy soule But if Sathan so take the worde from thee that thou dost not beleeue neuer looke for saluation in heauen Onely he that beleeueth shall be saued 2. In respect of the Diuell hee is an vtter enemy to the saluation of mens soules he taketh away the word and hindereth them from faith that so hee may preuent their saluation This is the end of both the former The Diuell is enuious vnwilling he is that any of vs should enioy that glory in heauen which he hath lost As hee droue Adam and Eue out of the earthly Paradise so doth he what lyeth in him to keepe vs from the heauenly Paradise He goeth about like a roaring Lion seeking whom he may deuoure As the Ammonites Moabites Amalekites and many other heathen people would haue hindered the Israelites from entering into the land of Canaan So the Diuel all his Angels seeke to hinder vs from the Kingdome of heauen And as the Israelites subdued them before they could get possession So must wee through the mightie power of Christ subdue the Diuell before wee can enioy that most happy and glorious Kingdome Lastly to conclude all the poynts touching these hearers See what excellent things they lose who suffer the Diuell to take the worde out of their hearts They loose faith which is much more precious then gold as Saint Peter saith And hereafter they shall lose the saluation of their soules I. Pet. 1.7 which is more worth then all the world For as CHRIST sayeth What aduantageth it a man to winne the whole world and lose his owne soule Mat. 16.2 You may thinke it little danger to suffer the Diuell to take the worde out of your heartes And it may be some had rather haue it taken from them then the least parte of their worldly riches but know that it is a precious Iewell If you keepe it you retaine all grace and happinesse with it If you leaue it you lose all goodnes with it Oh then when you haue heard it make much of it and keepe it safely and be content rather to lose any thing yea all things that you haue then lose it If you did truely know and would duely consider the danger of this losse you would be more carefull to keepe the word and more afrayde of losing it You who haue Deedes of your Lands and Leases of your houses are very carefull to keepe them safely you will keepe them vnder locke and key and that in the safest place of your houses because you hold your lands liuings by them and may lose your lands and liuings if you lose them As carefull should you be to keepe the word you hold your inheritance by it It is your euidence If it be taken from you you shall lose faith and Gods fauour in this world and the happy possession of an euerlasting and glorious Kingdome in the world to come And they that are on the stones are they which when they haue heard receiue the word with joy Now followeth the exposition of the second kind of ground to wit the rockie and stonie ground Christ declareth who are meant thereby euen another sort of vnprofitable heaters And that he might the better lay open their nature and condition and let all men see who they are he describeth them at large by 4. scuerall properties 1. They heare and receiue the worde with ioy These hearers goe farther then the former The former sort heard the word but vnderstood it not if they vnderstood the words they vnderstood not the matter But these are not blamed for that fault they vnderstood it well and therefore are sayde to receiue it their receiuing of it is made a distinct thing from their hearing Again the other lost it as soone as they heard it the Diuel soon took it from them but these keepe it a great while euen all the time of peace they doe not renounce it till they be presecuted for it Moreouer those did not affect it the Diuell kept it from entring deepe into their hearts he tooke it presently out of their hearts lest it should worke vpon their affections they were such as heard it for fashion sake yet had no great liking or louâ— of it in their hearts These do much affect it it pierceth their hearts it moueth their affections they reioyce in it Lastly those did not so beleeue as these doe either they did not belecue it at all or with an hystoricall faith onely beleeue it to be true but not making such profession of it nor yeelding such outward obedience to it as these doe as afterward shall be shewed The first propertie is that they
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
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
and be saued c. CHrist Iesus our blessed Sauiour did no sooner begin to preach the Gospell but had many hearers With such authoritie did he teach such excellent and profitable doctrine did he deliuer such admirable miracles did he worke to confirme his doctrine and such great same of him was spread abroad that all people were willing and desirous to heare his setmous yea all manner of persons out of all coâ—sles and cuâ—rters of the land shocked vnto him in great mulâ—â—ndes Wherevpon he â—â—â—t onely taking a view of their number but also duly considering their disposition how al of them came not with same intent and purpose how all of them were not alike qualified for profitable hearing and how all of them should not receiue the same benefit by hearing of him he propounded a parable of a fower of corne to declare the diâ—e sitic of hearers who be vnprofitable who be profitable hearers Lest any should imagine that by any kind of hearing they might be saued he lets them vndeistand that there be bad hearers as well as good And because many of them were husbandmen who liued by tilling and sowing of land and all of them were well acquainted with matters of that nature for their better capacitic he setched his similitude from husbandry This parable is first propounded then expounded propounded in the 5.6.7.8 verses of this chapter whereof I for beare to speake because the doctrines thereof may be better considered in the exposition It pleased Christ for the instruction of his disciples and for the edification of his Church in future ages to expound this parable And it is the first parable which wee sind penned with his exposition The occasion of the exposition is set downe in the two verses immediately going before namely a question moued by the Apostles what should be the meaning of it And a reason rendred by Christ why he would explane it to them and not to others because it was giuen to them to knowe the mysteries of the kingdome of God but not to others Now in the verses following is conteyned the matter of the exposition which is double the former respects the seede the later respects the ground The seede faith Christ is the word of God The ground was of soure kinds and signifieth 4. forts of hearers 1 The first kind of ground was the high way What hearers are signified thereby is declared here vers 12. and more may be supplied out of Math. 13.19 touching whom we may obserue 2. things 1. the manner of their hearing 2. the issue and euent of their hearing 1. the manner of their hearing is not here expressed yet is mentioned Math. 13.19 they heare and vnderstand not 2. The issue and euent of their hearing which is set forth by the diuells practise and behauiour toward them And that is described 1. by the manler 2. by the end of it 1. by the manner of it for he is said to come and take the word out of their hearts 2. by the end wherefore he doth so which is double he doth it to preuent 2. things which they might receiue by hearing the one being subordinate to the other the former being a meane of the later and the later being a reward of the former the one is least they should belieue the later is least they should be saued 2. The second kind of ground was stony who are ment thereby is specified vers 13. Another sort of vnprofitable hearers who are described by 4. properties whereof the two first declare their present estate and the two last their future condition 1. they receiue the word with joy 2. they haue no rootes 3. they belieue for a while 4. In time of temptation they fall away 3. The third kind of ground was thornie which also representeth another sort of bad hearets described vers 14. by the causes and by the effect or issue by the causes for 3. things are named which like thornes choake the seede of the word 1. cares 2. riches 3. voluptuous liuing by the effect or issue that followeth thereupon they bring forth no fruite 4. The fourth and last kind of grouÌ„d was good ground in which the seede sprang vp and did beare fruit That is a resemblance of good hearers as appeareth vers 15. And those are described by 3. properties 1. by the manner of their hearing they heare with an honest and good hart 2. by their keeping of it after they haue heard it 3. by their fruitfulnes And that is amplified 2. waies 1. by the maner of it heare with patience 2. by the measure and varietie of it some bring forth more some leste in Math. 13.23 Mar. 4.20 some thirty some sixtie some an hundied fold 1. To begin first with the first and so to proceed in order to the rest Christ sheweth what is ment by the seede when no saith the seede is the word of God By which tytle is plainely manifested the vertue force and efficare of Gods word As seede is the beginning and cause of all the fruit afterward reaped so is the word the beginning and cause of all goodnes in vs euen of all grace in the heart of all good words in the mouth and of all obedience in the life And as good seede if it be well sowne in a fertile soyle will yeeld fruit so the word being well taught to capable and docible persons wil produce some good fruit for the glory of God and for their comfort and saluation The word is resembled to many things in regard of the power and vertue of it As to an hammer that will bruse vs Ior. 23.29 to afire that will either purge or consume vs to a light that will direct vs Psol 119.105 to salt that will scason vs to a sword that will defend vs Mat. 5.18 to seede that will be get vs to foode that will nourish vs to goades that will pricke vs forward Fphes 17. so also to seede that being sowne will yeeld plentie of fruit 1. Pet. 22. because of it owne nature through Gods ordinance and blessing it will prouoke people to obedience Pet. 2.2 If therefore you receiue it and doe not beare fruit the fault is in you Eceles 12.1 and not in it you are but barren soyle vnworthy of such seede Moreouer it is to be obserued that Christ compareth the word to seede that is sowne for in the propounding of the parable he said the sower went out to sowe his seede Vers 5. and now he saith the seede is the word meaning the seede sowne Mathew saith Math. 13.19 that the diuell catcheth away the word sowne in the heart And Marke saith Mar. 4.4 that the sower soweth the word And therefore it must needs be vnderstood of the word preached The word of God as it is written in the scriptures and conteyned in the bookes of the old and new testament is good seede indeed yet it is as seede in the
him was content to acknowledge himselfe to be one of his Apostles and at his sending to go abroad to preach the Gospell So did Simon Magus he was baptized into the Name of Christ and continued with Philip as a Disciple of Christ Mat. 22.14 And so doe all those who be called and not chosen 6. The last degree of this temporary faith is outward obedience vnto the Gospell This was likewise in Iudas His cariage was so honest among the Apostles all the time of Christs passion that when Christ told them Mat. 26.22 that one of them should betray him they did not suspect him any more then any of the rest yea Mar. 14.19 euery one did as much suspect him selfe as Iudas and therefore euery one sayd Master is it I Yea Ioh. 13.24 they caused Iohn who then leaned on Iesus brest to aske him who it was And Christ did manifest him by giuing him a soppe before they could tell who it was And so this faith doeth farre excell that dead faith whereof S. Iames speaketh which is destitute of good works Iam. 4. Yet euen in this respect is it much inferior to a true iustifying faith In regard of outward obedience they differ three wayes 1. In the cause or fountaine whence it proceedeth The obedience of the one proceedeth from an heart which hath the corruption of it suppressed and restrayned but not mortifyed and the affections builded but not changed by regeneration But the obedience of the other proceedes from a pure heart and a good conscience the corruption whereof is not onely repressed and kept vnder but likewise mortifyed and the affections not onely brydeled but also changed by regeneration Yea and the man himselfe is in Christ become a new creature 2. In the measure for the one may yeeld obedience in many things yet seldome in all things he vsually taketh libertie to liue in some one grosse sinne or other Mar. 6.20 eyther openly or secretly As Herode did many things which Iohn Baptist taught him yet continued still his whoredome hee would not put away his brothers wife though he was taught so to doe Mat. 14.4 But the other is carefull to avoyde all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer and to performe all duties alike knowing that if hee faile in one point hee is guiltie of all Iam. 2.10 And though sometime he fall by infirmitie yet he lyeth not long he riseth againe by repentance 3. In the continuance for the one continueth not lâ—ng in his innocencie at last by one occasion or other his corruption will breake forth and carry him to some grosse sinne or damnable apostacie Iudas for a while liued ciuilly but at last was drawne through couetousnesse to betray his Maister Simon Magus for couetousnesse would haue bought and solde the giftes of the holy Ghost and beeing reprooued for that fault became a notorious apostate Hos 6.4 And therefore the righteousnesse of such is fitly resembled to the morning deaw which is dryed vp and gone as soone as the Sunne ascendeth on high But the other perseuereth in his vprightnesse vnto the ende hee hath a good begining and a good ending Euen as Iob who neither by the suggestions of Sathan nor by the losse of his goods nor death of his children nor diseases of his body nor aduise of his wife nor vncharitable censures of his friends coulde bee induced to sinne against God Now then seeing heereby you may discerne what this faith is how it differeth from a sauing faith examine your selues of your faith to see whether it be this or no doe not content your selues with such a faith as is not able to saue your soules Aboue all things see that you haue a special application inward renouation for therein consisteth the very life and soule of sauing faith As you haue seene the nature and degrees of this faith so now see the continuance for it is here sayd They beleeue for a time A while they receiue this faith not alwayes they lose it in the end As they are hypocrites for want of synceritie in the bottome of their hearts so likewise are they temporizers for want of continuance in their courses The Rhemistes in their marginall notes on these wordes would haue this to be obserued against the heretikes as it pleaseth them to terme vs that say Faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had Dâ—â—â—lisicat lib. 3. c. 14. Bellarmine and other Papists alleadge this place to prooue that true faith once had may be quite lost Staplet prompt in for 4. post dom poseh But we answere that the faith whereof Christ heere speaketh may be quite lost so as a man which once had it may want it afterward yet Christ doth not here speake of the true iustifying faith of Gods elect but of the temporary faith See postscript Sect 13. which may be in the reprobate as hath beene shewed before And this is apparant out of the words of the text For the persons who thus beleeue are compared to stony ground who by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts are no more able to bring forth fruite then stony ground is able to yeelde a good croppe of corne God forbidde that wee should imagine that any of the elect in the state of grace should be no better then these In the 15. verse Christ speaketh of them resembleth them to good ground and sayeth they heare the word with a good and honest heart do keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Againe the persons here spoken of are sayd to want rootes and so their graces are like corne sowne on the top of a rocke which wanteth depth of earth to send downe and feede the rootes Now dare they say that true justifying faith wanteth rootes or is it in any mans heart where it hath nothing to grow vpon Doeth not the Apostle teach Ephes 3.17 that they in whose hearts Christ doth dwell by faith are rooted and grounded in loue And that they who haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord are rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith True iustifying faith is the roote of all vertues Laudo fructum bom operis sed in fide agnoscoradicem Prafat uâ— enarr on which they grow and from which they receiue life nourishment efficacy Augustine said of Abrahams offering of his sonne I commend the fruit of the good worke but I acknowledge the roote in faith And shall we then say that it hath no rootes it selfe Certaine it is that a true iustifying faith once had can neuer be lost Psal 31. Vide August prefat in Pâ—a 139. Col. 2.5 Rom. 11.29 for it is called a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ It belongeth to that calling and is one of those giftes of God which are without repentance And so it hath beene reckoned long aâ—oe by that ancient Father Augustine and thereby proued neuer to fayle
which haue corrupt hearts it is loathsome terrible and vnprofitable Vse 1 This should teach euery one of vs to looke to our hearts and see that they be good that so we may be fruitfull hearers husbandmen haue great care to make their ground good and fertile before they sowe it If it be barren they will marke it they will set mucke and dung on it to make it more fruitfull As carefull should thou be to make thy heart good seeing it is the soyle in which the Lords heauenly seede must be sowne If it be not good alreadie vse all good meanes to make it good pray earnestly vnto God that he would sanctifie it by his holy spirit And if it be good labour to make it better the better it is the more fruitfull shall thy heating be And for this purpose heare the word often for it will make thy heart better The longer that the ground of your fields is tilled and sowne the more bare and barren it will be But it is not so with the ground of your hearts the oftner and the longer they are sowne with the scade of Gods word the more fruitfull will they be Such is the nature of this heauenly seede that it will not make the ground more barren but more fertile by often sowing As the seede is good that is sowne in your hearts so let the soyle be made answerable vnto it and then you neede not to doubt of a plentifull encâ—ease Let not so good seede be lost by lighting into bad soyle heare with penitent hearts with sanctified hearts with beleeuing hearts with resolued hearts to receiue and obey whatsoeuer is taught out of the word and you shall be happy hearers Vse 2 2. Furthermore we may hereby discerne who haue good harts who haue bad It is the goodnes of the heart that makes the hearer to bring forth fruit It is the corruption of the heart that hinders his fruitfulnes Those then that heare much and practise little haue bad hearts but those that heare and practise the word in their liues haue honest and good hearts Though none knowe the heart of another immediately and directly but God alone who is the onely searcher of it yet as the Physition can iudge of the inward temperature of the body by the pulse and as we may iudge of the tree by the fruits so may we iudge of the inward goodnes and badnes of the heart by the outward behauiour in the life And to keepe me to the present comparison of this parable If a man knew a field sowne in a good sort with good seede yet afterward did see the corne to be thin and course and yeeld no good crop he will say the ground is barren But if he passe by a close toward haruest time and see the corne very thicke and rancke and beare a long care full of corne he will say it is good land So if we knowe people to be well taught and yet yeeld little obedience in their liues we may iustly suspect that their hearts be not vpright before God but if we see them reforme their liues according to the word auoyd those sinnes which it forbiddeth and practise those duties which it commendeth and that in a constant course of their conuâ—â—sâ—tion 〈◊〉 may be assured that their hearts be honest and good Iâ— therefore you would haue others to thinke that you haue honest and good hearts 〈◊〉 forth the fruits of the word in your liues The second speciall propertie in these hearers is their keeping of the word They doe not onely receiue it with their hearts and lay it vp in the bottome of them but likewise there they keepe it fast Katâ—chousie They will not let it goe out thence nor suffer any to take it from them Beza Annot maâ—or in locum The originall word as some haue obserued is very emphaticall and importeth a keeping with much labour and difficultie And so fitly expresseth the manner of their keeping which is with striuing and strugling against their owne corruptions against Sathans suggestions and against the world allurements Though all conspire and ioyne their forces together yet doe they keepe it so safe and sure as that they cannot wrest it from them And herein they also differ from all the former hearers The first sort lost it as soone as they receiued it euen while they were in hearing the diuell tooke it from them The second sort kept it a while but not long for they beleeue for a time they keepe the word no longer then they kept their faith Though they kept both in time of peace yet they lost both in time of persecution The third sort kept the word yet not long when as afterward it was choaked by cares and pleasures it was taken from them But these kept it for euer neither the diuel by his suggestions nor other men by their persecutions nor their owne lusts by their prouocations can depriue them of the word Such an hearer was the blessed virgin the mother of Christ she kept all her Sauiours sayings in hâ—r heart Luk. 2.51 she did not only lay them vp but also kept them And not onely in her head but likewise in her heart and not some onely but all his words And such keepers are all profitable hearers for if the word enter into mens harts and afterward goe out againe it will doe them little or no good at all Though the meate which a man eateth be receiued into his stomacke yet vnles it continue there for a time and be there digested it will not nourish and seede his body Though seede be cast into the furrowes yet vnles it doe there remaine for a season to sprout and take rooting it will not yeeld any crop to the reapers Euen so though the word should be receiued into the heart yet vnles it doe there abide it cannot fructifie in the life But if it be there safely kept it will bring forth plentifull encrease And therefore Christ said Luk. 11.28 Happie are they which heare the word of God and keepe it Yea he accounteth them more happie for that their keeping of it then was the wombe that bare him and the pappes that gaue him sucke The benefite of this keeping is double 1. It serueth for direction for the word kept in the heart will direct a man in his life teaching him what sins to auoyd what duties to performe It will be a lanterne vnto his feete and a light vnto his path It will be a guide to say vnto him Isai 30.21 this is the way walke in it when he turneth to the right hand or to the left Psal 119.11 And therefore Dauid said of himselfe I haue hid thy promise in my heart that I might not sinne against thee As if the hiding keeping of the word in the heart were a speciall and an effectuall meane to keepe men from sinne And he also writeth of others The mouth of the righteous will
pleaseth the Lord to giue an encrease The consideration whereof serueth for the instruction of all sortes of good hearers whatsoeuer measure of fruites they doe bring forth 1. First this may comfort those good hearers who profit not so much in hearing as some others doe doe not attaine to such a measure of knowledge nor are able to yeeld such abundance of fruit as others doe If their hearts be holy and good if they doe all of faith and sinceritie and desire to bring forth more fruits God will account them profitable hearers and accept of their obedience And the word which they heare shall saue their soules As farmers are glad of all eares which haue corne in them Siue parâ— siue multum omnes bâ—râ—co crunt August in Ps 12. though some be longer some shorter some containe more graines some containe fewer yet will they gather all into the barne So God doth accept of all persons that bring forth the fruits of the word and will bring to heauen as well those that haue lesser as those that haue more fruits Such is his mercy and bountie that although hee require the same measure of all yet finding difference among them because of the diuersitie of his grace he doth so receiue the first and the best as he doth not refuse the second and middle-sort nor yet reiect the last and least Vnder the Lawe there were some Sacrifices cheaper some more costly If men or women Leuit. 12.8 by reason of their pouertie were not able to offer the better the Lord was content to take the meaner And therefore Christ commended the poore Widowes 2. mites Mar. 12.43 aboue all the great gifts which rich men cast into the treasurie And vnder the Gospell Mat. 25. the seruant which receiued two talents and by employment made them foure was commended and rewarded of his maister as well as he that had receiued fiue and made them tenne Mat. 20. And they that wrought but one houre in the Vineyard receiued the same penny at night with them that had borne the heat and burden of the day Wherefore let not thine owne penurie and other mens plentie of fruite dismay thee but consider that if thou practise what thou knowest doest as many good workes as the Lord doth enable thee and art willing and desirous to doe more if abilitie were afforded and occasion offered thou art a good hearer and mayest goe to heauen with those that farre exceede thee in the number of their fruites Yet let not any take occasion hereby to be more backward and sparing in their fruits as if a small quantitie would serue the turne All of vs ought to striue to bring foorth abundance yea each yeere more then other Those which be planted in the house of the Lord do flourish and bring forth in their olde age Psal 92.14 It is to be feared that he who desireth to be no better is not good at all and he that desireth to bring forth no more fruites bringeth forth none at all that be good Let them vnderstand that none bring forth such store of fruit as they ought And that he which soweth sparingly 2. Cor. 9.6 shall reap sparingly he that soweth liberally shall reape liberally God will crowne his owne gifts in vs. The more fruits they beare here the more glorie shall they enioy in heauen Let them therefore striue to abound more more in all good fruits knowing that this consolation belongeth not to them which wil not abound with more though they might but onely to those which would abound with more and cannot being hindered by their infirmities or through want of abilitie and opportunitie In them GOD will take the will for the deede and will no lesse reward them then those who hauing more meanes and better abilitie haue brought forth more fruites 2. Lastly this diuersitie of fruit in good hearers may teach them that bee more plentifull in bearing them then others be not to be proud of themselues nor to despise those that bring forth fewer for both of them are reckoned in the number of good and profitable hearers They which bring forth some lesser fruits may haue good hearts may be iustified may be sanctified may be in fauour with God and at last enter into heauen as wel as thou who aboundest with more 1. Cor. 15.10 Paul laboured more abundantly then all the Apostles and suffered more then any of them 2. Cor. 11.23 And therefore farre more then any common Christian Though toward his end the remembrance therof did much comfort him so as he could say I haue fought a good fight I haue finished my course I haue kept the faith hence forth is layd up for â—â— the Crowne of righteousnes which the Lord the righteous Iudge will giue vnto me at that day 2. Tim. 4.8 Yet hee addeth these words concerning his copartners in the reward And not onely vnto â—â—â— but vnto all thâ—â— also that loue his appearing Because many others who came short of him in the abundance of laboures and sufferings should be crowned as well as he Dost thou surpasse others in the multitude of fruites 1. Cor. 4.7 bee not high minded doe not despise them for what hast thou which thou hast not receiued And if thou hast receiued it why boastest thou of it as if thou hadst nor receiued it If thou abound more then others thou mayst say with the Apostle It is not I 1. Cor. 35.10 but the grace of God which is with me and by his grace I am that I am The more lowly thou art the the better are thy fruits The more and the better graines that an eare of corne hath in it the lower it will bowe downe ward but the fewer and the worse graines it hath the higher and straighter will it stand vp Euen so the more good fruites for number and the sounder for qualitie that any man hath the more lowly and humble will he be The prouder he is and the more he insulteth ouer others the fewer worse be his gifts and fruits Therfore be lowly and humble not arrogating to thy selfe but ascribing to God the glory of all thy fruites Not disdayning any for the smal measure of their fruits but honoring them for their good beginning and praying to God that they may abound more and more And this I pray for you all as the Apostle did for the Philippians Phil. 1. â— 10.1â— that your loue may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all iudgement that yee may discerne things that differ that yee may be pure and without offence vntill the day of Christ filled with the fruites of righteousnes which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God The Lord graunt you all there things for his mercies sake in his beloued Sonne Amen A POSTSCRIPT TO the Papists in Lancashire I Am not ignorant how hastie and rash manie of you bee in condemning
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
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
would not contend with vs about the persons who haue it Though many haue not written of this point yet besides the texts of scripture alleadged we haue the testimonies of some (1) Hom. 17. Augustine as was declared before saith that the faith which worketh by loue onely the seruants of God haue only the Saints of God onely the sonnes of Abraham by faith onely the sonnes of loue (4) Horum sides quae per dilectionem operatur profectio aut omnino non desicit aut siqui sunt quorum deficit reparatur antequam vit a ista finiatur c. De corrept gratia cap. 7. fine the sonnes of promise Will any say that the reprobate are the seruants and saints of God or the beloued sonnes of God or sons of promise If once they were such they should alwaies continue such For as the Apostle teacheth (2) 1. Ioh. 3.9.1 Ioh. 5.18 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not yea he keepeth himselfe and the wicked toucheth him not Is (3) Num igitur Deuâ— pater mâ—dorumest Absit Epist. 54. God the father of the wicked said Augustine God forbid The same father said that the faith of the praedestinate either doth not fayle at all or if there be any of them whose faith fayleth it is repayred againe before this life be ended But as fow those that finally fall away from faith out of doubt saith he at that time when they liued well and godly they were not to be reckoned in that number for they were not seuered from that masse of perdition by the prescience predestination of God And therefore they were not called 〈◊〉 lung to his purpose and therefore not elected If therefore the elect haue such a faith as neuer shall faâ—le to the end of their life and yet there be some who haue a faith that shall finally fayle and they be none of the Elect it must needes follow that a stedfast and permanent faith is proper to the Elect. Fâ—ras (5) Fides vera est soloruÌ„ praedestinatorum In Ioh. 17.6 taught that the true faith belongeth onely to the predestinate Though Dominicus Soto tooke vpon him to confute him yet Michael Medina defended him and saith peremptorily that only the Elect haue true faith that the faith which reprobates haue is no true faith and concludeth that this doctrine is no heresie but the sentence of Christ and his Apostles Sixtus Senensis (6) Biblioth sanct lib. 6. annot 214. mentioneth all this yet doth hee not speake one word against Medina but leaueth him vncontrolled thereby declaring that he approued his opinion SECT IX LEt vs now proceede to other kindes of faith The first kinde of faith which I said was common both to the Elect and reprobate is a miraculous faith which I made to be a distinct faith from the rest But the Rhemists say (1) Annot. on 1. Cor. 12 sect 3. it is not another in substance then the common faith in Christ but is of another accidentall qualitie onely that is of more feruour deuotion zeale and confident trust specially for doing of miracles And Bellarmine affirmeth that (2) De Iustifiâ— lib. 1. cap. 4. De sacram baptis lib. 1. cap. 14. de Iustific lib. 1. cap. 11 15. all their Catholikes hold that the faith of miracles and the faith of promisâ—s are all one And he saith that the faith of miracles is no other thing then a true Catholike faith but excellent and iustifying after his maner Yet they may easily be proued to be seuerall and distinct kindes of faith First they differ in their obiects and actes The one layeth hold of Gods promises mercies in Christ as hath bene formerly proued but this hath the power of God for the obiect for by it a man beleeueth that God by his speciall power will enable him to worke a miracle And therefore Thomas Aquinas (3) Fides per quam miracula fiunt nititâ—r omnipotentie Dei In 1. Cor. 12 lect 2. Apertissime videmus sidem miraculorum respicere tanquam obiectum omripotentiam ducinitatem sily Dei Bellar. de Iustificat lib. 1. cap. 8. saith that the faith by which miracles are wrought doeth rest and stay it selfe on the omnipotencie of God The one resteth on Gods promises and mercies for the pardon of our sinnes and the saluation of our soules The other relyeth on Gods power in regard whereof a man is assured that God will enable him to doe some great and supernaturall worke to ratify the truth of the Gospell and to confirme the faith of others Can these bee one and the same habite Can the one bee a degree of the other seeing the differ so much one from another in their nature in their obiects and in their actes Againe a iustifying faith is an ordinary grace bestowed on men in all ages for there alwaies were now are and alwayes shal be some endued with it The Church alwaies hath beene and euer shal continue to the end of the world And it consisteth of a number of true beleeuers But the Faith of Miracles is an extraordinary gift bestowed on some men at some certayne time 1. Cor 12.9 And therefore it is reckoned by the Apostle among these extraordinary gifts which in his time were bestowed on some in the Church To another saith he is giuen faith by the same spirit meaning not the common faith but that whereof he speaketh afterward If I had all faith so as I could remooue mountaines as Theodoret and (4) See Bellarm de bonis operib in particul lib. 1. cap. 9. sect hinc legimus others doe expound the place And the Apostle maketh it not onely an extraordinary but likewise a seuerall and distinct grace as well as any of those which there hee mentioneth Many writers teach (5) Gregor homil 29. Beda in Marc. 16. Bernard in Ascensdom serm 1. Hugo card in Mar. 16. Ferus in Math. 8. that this gift was needfull at the first preaching of the Gospell and the first planting of the Church but not afterward Euen as at the first setting and planting of a tree watering is needfull but not afterward when it hath taken deepe rooting Now can an extraordinary gift be the same with a common and ordinary Can an extraordinary gift long agoe ceased be a degree of an ordinary gift still continuing in the Church Moreouer theyr difference may bee seene in respect of the persons who receiue them The Iustifying faith is proper onely to the elect and to the Saintes of God as before hath bene proued Yet they may want this miraculous faith A man may bee in state of grace and yet want it As appeareth by the examples of Gods Saintes in all ages who were iustified by faith and yet were not able to worke miracles But wicked men may haue it Those had it who by Christs Name did cast out Diuels and worke great workes and yet shall heare him professe to them Math. 7.23 Depart
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
Gregory Martine (1) Discouer of corrupt translat cap. 12. said that historicall and speciall faith are hereticall tearmes newly deuised Cardinall Bellarmine saith that (2) De iustific lib. 1. cap. 4. Catholikes do not vse the name of historicall faith least they should seeme to thinke that the deedes of the Saints which are recorded in scripture are not beleeued but for the authoritie of the historie writers And that there is (3) De Rom. pont if lib. 3. cap. 21. but one faith which is neither to be called historicall nor miraculous but a Catholike faith Yet the thing feared by the Cardinall to arise vpon the vse of the name is but a vaine pretence If he and his fellowes had feared the like danger in the vse of other names they would neuer haue allowed the â—ame of transubstanstiation lest any should thinke that they hold a reall conuersion of the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of Christs body for so much doth the proper signification of the word import when as the name of historicall faith importeth no such thing as he feareth The onely reason why he and his fellowes contemne the tytle is because we sometime vse it Such is their hatred to vs that they are vnwilling to vse any terme of ours though it bee neuer so fitting and proper But first let them knowe that we may lawfully vse termes tytles to expresse our meaning if the thing meant thereby may bee prooued by the Scripture though the terme it selfe bee not expresly found in the Scripture The ancient Fathers gaue to CHRIST the name and Tytle of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 consubstantiall to expresse the equalitie of his Godhead with the Father The Arians misliked it because they found it not in the Scriptures Yet the Fathers 4 Etsi fortasse nomen ipsum non inueâ—â—etur reâ— tamen ipsa muemretur August ad paâ—ent epist 174. Has 〈◊〉 taâ—ne◠〈◊〉 scripturâ—s non râ—perâ— vitur â—â—dâ—â—re tamen eas cam sent nuam quâ— scripturae volâ—at Athan of lib. Quod Nicen â—â—no â—â—s congruis verbis exposuerit I'tâ—â—riâ— dâ— Trâ—nâ—â— lib. I. pâ—â—â—lâ— post â—nitium Fulgent obiect Arianar discuss 〈…〉 one after another defended it and vsed it still because though the Name it selfe were not there yet the thing signifyed thereby was found there Euen as the Arians themselues gaue to the Father the tytles of Vnbâ—gotten Incomprehensible Incircumscriptible Incorporall and such like which wordes were not found in the Scripture yet were the thinges meant thereby The Cardinall relateth this at large 5 De chirtsto lib 2 c. â— with many testimonies And acknowledgeth that in expressing the mysterie of the Trinitie 6 De chirtsto lib. 2. c. 2. they vse many names and wordes which although they bee not found in Scripture yet their seedes and equiualents are there found And the Rhemists graunt 7 Annot. in 1. Tim. 6.20 Sect. 4. that wee may not measure the newnesse or oldnesse of wordes and tearmes of speaking in religion by holy Scriptures onely as though all those or onely those were new and to bee reiected that are not expresly found in holy writte but wee must esteeme them by the agreeablenesse or disagreeablenesse they haue to the true sense of Scriptures Now wee meane nothing by this Historical Faith but that firme assent which men doe giue to the thinges written in Scripture not onely to the histories of actes done but likewise to all doctrines of faith maners there taught And therefore we also call it a Dogmatical faith a faith whereby wee beleeue all the doctrines of the Scriptures to bee true By which tytle the Cardinal confesseth (8) Bellarm. de iustificat lib. 1. cap. 4. sect quanquam Cyril and Chrysostome haue called this faith And hee himselfe (9) Bellar. de iustif lâ— 1. cap. 11. sect per vocabul calleth that a Dogmaticall faith which he saith wee call an Historicall faith And the faith which wee meane by the Historicall faith wee prooue out of Scriptures as may be seene in my former Sermons Yea the Papists will not deny but that there is such a faith taught in the Scriptures Yea this is the onely faith which they require Yea Bellarmine though hee scarce dare vse the name yet hee acknowledgeth (10) Si tamen hoc nominâ— nempe fide historica appellarâ— fas est assensunâ— quem adâ—â—bemus narrations reruÌ„ praeterâ—aruÌ„ non ob hominum sâ—d ob Dei pâ—â—â— quâ— ea reuelâ—uit authoritatem De iustif lib. 1. cap. 5. that by our Historicall faith wee meane that faith which they call An assent which they giue to the narration of thinges past not for the authoritie of men but of God himselfe who hath reuealed them And that faith he proueth by Scripture If then they agree with vs about the thing why doe they wrangle with vs about the name It is a folish thing saith (11) Stultum est cum dere constet lâ—â—gare de noâ—â—â—nâ— De eu harist lib. 3. cap. 23. Bellarmine to striue about the name when men are agreed of the thing Moreouer not onely the (12) Augustâ—d vâ—â—lâ—t cred c. 2. De genes ad liter cap. 2. Hâ—renim Eucher â—pud Sixt. Senens biâ—â—oth lib. â— p. 13â— old Doctors of the Church but likewise the Romish (13) Sixt. Senens ibid. Durand rational lib. 1. c. 1. Bellarm. de verbo Dei lib. 3. cap. â— writers doe teach that there is an historical sense of the Scriptures and that both simple and siguratiue proper and metophoricall yea and that this sense is especially to be beleeued and (14) Sixt. Senens ibid. Bellarm. de verbo Deâ— lib. 3. ca. 3. Widdringt apolog pro iure principium p. 159. that no arguments are of any force but those that be drawn from that sense Now may not wee well call that an historicall faith whereby wee beleeue all things to be true which are taught and proued out of the word according to that historicall sense And indeede the Papists haue no more reason to mislike the tytle of an historicall faith then to mislike the tytle of an historicall sense but that the one is vsed by vs the other is often vsed by themselues They themselues haue inuented strange names and tytles which they giue to faith as to call one Faith vnformed another formed one Implicite another Explicite when as they can prooue neither the names nor the things signified thereby out of the scriptures Why then wil they blame vs for vsing a tytle the meaning whereof by their owne confession is waranted in the Scripture Yet was not this tytle first inuented by vs (15) Distinguamus ergo quam fidem debeamus historiae quam fidem debeamus intelligentiae c. Quasit stabilis sides fiue historica temporalis siue spiritalâ—s aeterna De verar. lig cap. 50. Augustine did long ago vse the name and distinguished it from other kindes of faith
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
fictone puto illos notarâ— in euangâ—lio qui ad temou credunt in tempore tentationis recedunt Luâ—â— c. Tales sunt animae parvam adhuc tener am habentes charitatem ob hoc earum fidem vâ—uam sed fictam necesse est in tentatione deficere c. Epist 42. doth at large describe it and sheweth the difference betwixt it and other kindes of faith he maketh a diuisioÌ„ of a threefold faith There is a dead faith a fained faith and a tried faith The dead faith the Apostle defineth to be a faith without workes which doth not worke by loue The fained faith saith he I thinke that is called which hauing receiued life from charitie begins to be moued to worke well but not perseuering doth faile and die as aâ— vntimely birth In the same sense indeed I may call it fained or fashioned that we call the potters vessels fictilia non because they are not proficable so long as they last but because seeing they are brickle they doe not last long Of this fayning of faith I thinke they are noted in the Gospell who beleeue for a while and in time of tentation goe away When and whither doe they depart surely from faith to infidelitie And these saith Christ haue no rootes He doth not deny but they haue that which is good but he rather blameth them that they were not â—ooted in that which is good Such are the soules hauing as yet a little and tender charitie and for this cause their faith though liuely yet fained or fraile must needes faile in tentation What kinde of faith euery mans is tribulation doth try If any man faile it is knowne to be fained If any mans continue it is iudged to be a tried and a perfect faith c. So likewise in another place he hauing described what is an vnfained faith (3) Non ficta ponitur ad differentiam mortuae fidei fictae mortua fides est quae sine operibus est fides ficta quae ad tempus credit in tempore tentationis recedit vnde etiam ficta id est fragilis dicitur parus serm 1 he addeth that it is called an vnfained faith to shew the difference of it from a dead faith and a fained faith A dead faith is that which is without workes A fained faith is that which beleeueth for a season and in time of tentation goeth away whence it is called ficta fayned that is fraile or brickle Bernardine hath the same distinction and almost the very same wordes with Bernard in the former place and (4) De Euangel aetern Feria 5. post cineres serm 6. art 3. proueth the difference of a fained and failing faith from a dead faith and a tried faith by the words of the Euangelist Luk. 8.13 they beleeue for a time Michaell Medina was so farte from thinking that this temporarie faith was the same with a iustifying faith that he accounted it while it continued to be no true faith at all For this he writeth (5) Vera fides tantum electorum est Credunt reprobi fateor sed ad bâ—â— am tempore enim tentationis recedunt quam fidem vt pote quae radices non egit veram fidem sancta scripturanon vocat c. Sext. Senes biblioth li. 6. annot 214. True faith is the faith of Gods elect onely I confesse the reprobate doe belieue but for a season For in the time of tentation they goe away Which faith because it hath no rootes the holie Scripture doth not call a true faith And that faith which doth not bring forth the fruite of glorie is no faith before Christ In this respect the reprobate are accused of vnbeliefe Because although they seemed in outward appearance to belieue yet they did not truely belieue because they wanted eyther true Charitie or Constancie which is so annexed to true faith that in Scripture faith is taken for fidelitie and that hee proueth by the wordes of the Apostle 1. Pet. 2.6 These wordes and many more to the same effect are related by Sixtus Senensis yet not confuted nor condemned and therefore seeme to be approued Doe not you therefore condemne me for teaching the temporary faith to be another faith then iustifying faith is Thus I hope you plainely see that there is not one only faith in all men as some of your teachers would bear you in hand but that there be diuers kindes of faith really distinct one from another in nature in degrees in efficacy and operation And that this hath beene the ancient doctrine of the true Church and still hath bene taught by some in the Romane Church I pray God that you may not deceiue your selues with a fained faith nor content your selues with that assenting faith which some doe falsely tell you is sufficient But that you may seeke and also obtaine that iustifying faith which is able to saue your soules Take heede of giuing too much credite to some late popish writers Their malice against vs prouoketh them to speake worse of faith then they ought Though it be the most necessary and most effectuall grace which God here bestoweth on man yet are they greater enemies to it and seeke more to disgrace it then any other gift or grace whatsoeuer Some haue thought so basely of it as they haue taught it was too mean a grace for the Virgine Mary to be endued withal Though Augustine (6) Beatior Mata â—â—â—cipâ—â—do fiâ—â—m Chriâ—ti quâ—mâ—oictpiâ—do carnâ—m Christi The viaginit cap. â— sayd Mary was more blessed by perceiuing the faith of Christ then by conceiuing the flesh of Christ Yet Albertus Magnus who as Hosius saith (7) Albertus quoque non tâ—mer mâ—gâ—â—â—◠〈…〉 Der vâ—rbo was not without cause called Great goeth about to proue that she (8) 〈…〉 cap 76. d 〈…〉 had not faith at all but a certaine kinde of knowledge aboue faith Such a knowledge and puritie as neuer any had in the way but the Angels haue in heauen Oâ— coundâ— at 〈◊〉 is the Dâ—uels pâ—lâ—â—â—e and pâ—aceâ—â—â— that if he cannot make men o◠〈◊〉 wise to thinke tâ—en that faith is bsolutely necessaâ—â— to saluation hee then stiâ—reth vp some 〈…〉 â—hem a false and insufficient 〈◊〉 because hee knoweth that will no mâ—â—e profite them then no faith at all Wherefore â—earce out the true faith and seeke for it SECT XIII IN speaking of that Faith which is called Temporary and may be lost I touched a question whether true Iustifying Faith may be quite lost And the rather because some popish writers alleadge that place to proue that it may bee lost Not to say any thing of those reasons and texts of Scripture then producer by me to proue that true faith cannot be lost I will now for your further satisfaction set downe the testimonies of diuers learned men approoued by your side who consent with mee in this poynt Augustine taught that those who haue this faith shall neuer perish but shall
certainely be saued (1) Fidâ—s quae per dilection moperatur neminâ—m perâ—re permittet D fide opâ—riâ— c. 16. The Faith which worketh by loue suffereth no man to perish said he So in another place when he (2) Omnes qui siâ— credâ—nt tanquam lâ—pides sunt viâ—i de quibus templumd â—â—â— difi atum â—st tanquam ligna imputribilia quibus arca illa compacta est quae in diluuio mergâ—non potuâ—t In Psa 130. inâ—â—o exhorted men to a true and right faith so to beleeue in Christ as that they loued him Not to beleeue in him as the Diuels did who though they beleeued yet did not loue Christ and therefore saide to him What haue wee to doe with thee thou Sonne of God But so to beleeue him as wee loue him and say not What haue wee to doe with thee but rather say Wee belong to thee thou hast redeemed vs. He therevpon inferreth that all they which thus beleue are as liuely stones of which the Temple of God is built and as those neuer putrifying plancks and timber of which the arke was made that could not bee drowned in the Flood If they that thus beleeue cannot perish then their faith cannot be lost for they are kept and saued by faith If any wiâ—â— answere that if they â—eepe their faith they shall not perish but they may lose their faith and so perish Let them heare the same Father in plain tearms denying that For speaking of the praedestinate (3) Horum sâ—es out omâ—â—o non deficit â—ut siqui sunt quorum deficit reparatur antequâ—â—n vâ—â—a ista finiatur del ta quae â—â—ter currerat inâ—quitate aâ—â—â— in finâ—m persâ—uerâ—ntâ—â—d putatâ—â— August de correct grat cap. â— he faith These mens faith which woâ—â—eth by loue eyther doth not fayle at all or if there be some of them whose faith fayleth it is repayred before this lâ—fe bee ended and the iniquitie which came betwixt being blotted out they are reputed to haue perseuerance vnto the end And further teacheth that they whose faith finally faileth were neuer of the number of the elect nor of the number of Christs Disciples Yet more plainely afterward (4) Pro his igâ—tur interpâ—llante Christoâ—ne defâ—â—at fides eâ—râ—â—â— sine dubio non dâ—sâ—aâ—â—ct vsâ—â— insineâ—n ac per hoâ— persâ—â—â—n abâ—t vsque ad 〈◊〉 nee câ—â—n â—sa pâ—râ—â—anâ—ntem â—â—tae hâ—ius intâ—â—â—t siâ—â— De corâ—â—pâ— gratcap 12. Christ therefore praying for these that their faith might not faile without doubt it shall not fayle vnto the end and therefore it shall continue vnto the end neyther shall the end of this life finde it otherwise then continuing This hee speaketh of them who were called according to Gods purpose as the words immediately going before doe â—est fie In whom as there hee saith the gifts and calling of God are without repentance And in this respect hee there preferreth the state of the praedestinate aboue the estate of Adam in Paradise And sheweth that this gift of perseueranâ—e is more needfull for the praedestinate now because they are assaulted with so many and so great Tentations And at last (5) 〈◊〉 homo Dâ—â— non olâ—â—â—z â—mierecâ—r â—â—â—m conâ—ecutuâ—â— est 〈◊〉 sodel a esset verâ—â—◠〈…〉 concludeth the faithfull man not onely because he hath obteynâ—d mercy that he may be faithfull but also because his sâ—â—th i◠〈…〉 not When he glorieth let him glorie in the Lord. Beda rehearseth (6) Sine panâ—â—nâ—â— sunt Dona vocâ—tâ—o Detâ—d est â—sinâ— mutâ—ione stabilitur fixâ— sâ—â—t in Rom. 11.29 the words of Augustine touching the efficacie of Christs prayer in keeping the faith of them who be called according to Gods purpose from fayling recâ—oneth faith as one of those gifts of God that are without repentance and saith they are without repentance because they are stedfaâ—tly fastened without changing And those who beleeue are taught of God and none of them shall perish because Christ looseâ—h none of these whome the father hath giuen him Gregory the great did very fitly distinguish of Gods gifts (7) 〈◊〉 Alia sâ—nâ— dona â—lliâ—◠〈◊〉 quibus â—dâ—â—tamâ—â—â—â—â—aquâ—m pertingitâ—â—â— Alta quâ—bus â—â—te san â—â—â—pro 〈…〉 â—tiluâ—â—te â—â—larâ—utâ—r mansuct â—â—o nâ—mque â—unâ—â—â—tas pâ—tâ—â—tia sidâ—s sâ—es charitas dona cuis sunt sine quabus ad vitam hoâ—mnâ—s â—eruenire ne â—uaquam possunt c. In hâ—s 〈…〉 sine quibus ad vitam pâ—ruâ—nire non poâ—â—â—nt spiritâ—es sanct is in 〈…〉 â—â—ue electis omnibus sâ—mpermanet c. Moral lib. 2. cap. 42. and she â—eâ—l the difference betwixt them in regard of continuance There be some gifts of his without which a man cannot attaine to life There be others by which holines of life is declared for the profit of others for meekenes humilitie patience faith hope charitie are his gifts but those without which men can neuer come to life but prophecie the gift of healing diuersitie of tongnes iâ—terpretation of speech are his gifts yet such as shew the presence of his power for the correction of the beholders In those giftes therefore without which men cannot come to life the holy Ghost doth alwayes abide in his preachers or in all the elect But by the other he doth not alwayes abide To the same effect hee likewise speaketh else-where (8) Insâ—nctâ—â—â—m cordâ—bus â—uxta qua dam vâ—â—tutes empeâ— pâ—râ—nâ—nâ—â— c. In fidâ— spe chaâ—â—tate alysâ— donâ—s sine quiâ—â—us aâ—l câ—lâ—stâ—m pâ—triam non potâ—st vâ—rire pâ—rfesâ—ocum cordanâ—â—â—esâ—â—t Suâ—er Ezechâ—â—â— homil 5. saying The holy Ghost according to certain vertues doth alwayes abide in the harts of the Saintes But according to other hee doth come and goe away goe away and come againe For by Faith Hope and Charitie and other graces without which a man cannot come to Heaueâ— he neuer forsaketâ— the hearts of the perfect Bernard (9) 〈◊〉 Domâ—nâ— serm 10. propounded a question How any of those who are vnited to Christ by faith can be cut off from him as vnfruitfull branches are cut off from the Vine Seeing he that is coupled with Christ is one spirite with him And answered it by distinguishing of faith that there is a dead faith a fained faith a perueâ—se faith and a right faith And therevpon inferred that hee whoÌ„ had any of the three former might be cut off but he who had the last could not be cut off from that Vine Hee shall abide in Christ and beare fruite and the Father will purge him that hee may beare more fruite Most of the learned Papists seeme to come neere vnto vs in this point Though (10) Saepius peâ—cando saepius recidivando co tandem perventunt vt fidem ipsam amittant c. Promptuar dâ—â—â—â—â— 4. post epâ—pâ— â— Stapleton teach that faith cannot be lost by euery mortall sinne but by sinning often and falling often into the same sinnes it may be lost As the rootes of a Tree will not
wither if onely one twig be plucked away but if all be plucked away they will dye Yet is he contradicted by all his followes Thomas Aquinas acknowledgeth that faith remaineth in men when they fall from holynes to sinne (11) Tho. 2. a. 2. a. qu. 4. art 4. Whereas some helde that man sinning mortally after he had receyued a formed faith That faith was lost and another habit of informed faith was infused of God in steede of it He thought it was not conuenient to say any gift of God should bee bestowed on man for the practise of mortall sinne therfore he holdeth that after mortall sinne committed by a Belieuer the same habite of faith remaineth which was in him before And how can any of them say otherwise who teach as I shewed before that the faith which is in a man before grace before his repentance and conuersion is the selfe-same habite in number that is in him after grace and conuersion The Councâ—ll of Trent (12) Asserendum est non modo infidelitate per quam ipsa sides amittitur sed etiam quocunque aâ—â—â— mortali peccato quamvâ—â— non amittatur fides acceptam iustificationis gratiam amitti Sâ—ss 6. cap. 15. decreed that Faith is lost by infidelitie and by euery mortall sâ—nne though faith be not lost yet the receiued grace of iustification is lost As if a man could not loose his faith by any mortall sinne but onely by infidelitie And that by mortall sinne a man might loose his former grace of iustification yet not loose his faith And according to that rule Bellarmine writeth (13) De aâ—â—ss grat statu peccat lib. 1. cap. 8. sectâ—quod autâ—m sâ—cundo that there is no sin which doth necessarily exclude faith but that which is opposed vnto it which is infidelity And this is manifestly testified by experience For we see among the Catholickes manie publicke sinners Murtherers Fornicators Thieues disâ—â—aâ—ds who without all doubt giue credit to all those things which the Church propoundeth to be beleeued Coâ—tâ—r the Iesuite likewise (14) Enchâ—rd loc com cap. 4 â—inâ— fides in peecator â—bus p. 178. as the best Physitions by intemperancie breaking the Rules of theyr arte doe not thereby loose the skill and knowledge of Physicke So a Christian who against the testimony of his owne conscience doth sinne contrary to the lawes of faith neyther looseth his faith nor ceaseth to be a Christian And seeing that by faith belieuers differ from Infidels if sinners want faith they should be Infidels and be separated from the Church after the manner of Infidels And yet sinners beloÌ„g to the church as Tares are in the same fielde with wheate Good-fish in the same Net with bad But by the way consider what kinde of persons they acknowledge for true belieuers euen the worst that almost can be Publike sinners Murtherers Fornicators Theeues Drunkards Such as ought for theyr leawd liues to be excommunicated Such as be tares among wheate A man may finde as holy beleeuers as these in Hell Is this that faith which S. Iames would hâ—ue a man to shewe by his workes It is true indeede that their Assenting faith may bee found in such vngodly persons for it is â—ound in the very diuels Yet a true sauing faith wherof the question is cannot be found in any such persons as keepe a contiâ—ued course in the practise of these sinnes True beleeuers may somtime sinne of infirmitie yet not of wilfulnesse Thogh they fall yet they arise again and doe not long continue in sinne Cyprian asketh (15) Credere se in christum quomodo dâ—â—it qui non faâ—it quod Christus facere precâ—pit De simplic praelat 16. verae fides est quâ— quod verb a dâ—â—it moâ—â—bus non coâ—tradâ—â—t In Mart. 16. bb 4. how any man can say hee belieueth in Christ who doth not that which Christ commanded him to doe As if hee had no true faith who wanteth obedience That is true Faith 16 saide Beda which doth not contradict that in maÌ„ners which it speaketh in words They might therefore better say Such sinners neuer had true faith at all and so cannot loose that which they neuer had Againe obserue what their beleeuer loose by their mortall sinnes Though they loose not the habite yeâ— they loose the forme of faith Yea they loose the life of faith for now it is become a dead faith seeing it wanteth good workes Yea they loose the grace of iustification and so become guilty againe of all theyr former sinnes They might as well loose faith it selfâ— such a faith as is lost will doe them no good What an absurditie it is to hold that a formed faith and an vnformeâ— faith a liuing faith and a dead â—aith a iustifying faith and a faith that iustifieth not are one and the selfesame faith hath bene sufficiently proued already Yet to this absurditie are they driuen that so they may maintaine the vnitie of faith in all sorts of beleeuers When as they should rather acknowledge that their assenting faith and a true iustifying faith are distinct kindes and that those who liue and continue in grosse sinnes though they may haue the former yet they neuer had and therefore cannot possibly loose the later See Sixt. See nâ—nsâ—â—iâ—liothec sanct lib. 6. annot 179. fine annot 191.1 Tim. 5.8 Tit. 1.16 Michael Medina one of their owne Church doth stiffely maintaine it that though an vnformed faith doth not vanish away by mortall sinne yet that sound faith which Christ requires in the Gospell cannot stand with a peruerse continuance in haynous offences And proueth it by the testimonies of S. Paul And therefore that they onely haue a true faith who stil continue in wel doing But although that most of our aduersaries teach that faith may not bee lost by deadly sinne yet they hold it may bee lost by Infidelitie 〈◊〉 if Infidelitie were not a deadly sinne De iustificaâ— lib. 3 cap. 14. And it this be so then Bellarmines arguments whereby he would proouâ— that faith may be lost are altogether impertinent and fall to the ground of themselues seeing they are drawnâ— from a relapse into sinne 〈…〉 Infidelitie When the Lord spake by his Prophet That if the righteous man dâ—d forsâ—ke his righteousnes and commit inâ—quitâ—e bee shall dye for the same which is the Cardinals first aâ—gument He spake not of a falling from righteousnes into infiâ—â—â—â—tieâ— but of a falling into 〈…〉 as they call it When Christ 〈◊〉 â—ucâ—y branch that bearethâ—◠〈…〉 hee will take away hee vndersâ—ood 〈◊〉 of any reuolt to Infidelitie but of the sinnes of omission in which men fayle in their dutâ—es The like may be said of Christs woâ—â—s ther iniquity should abound and charitie weâ—e â—â—ld And of Pauls beating of his body and bringing it into subiection which bee other of his arguments for that purpose He also endeuourth to proue it by 8. seuerall examples of persons who lost their faith
Yet all of them are in the same 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
most inuincible a most perseuering will Prudentius that ancient and Christian Poete (13) Fleuit negator denique ex ore prolapsum â—efas cùm mens maneret innocens animusque servaret sidem Kathemerin Hymn ad galiâ—cant paulo post initium thus wrote of Peters denyall With mouth his Maister who deny'd Hee for that cryme did weepe When innocent his minde remainde And Faith his heart did keepe Leo Bishop of Rome thus saith of Peter (14) Adsiâ—t dextera domuni lesu christi quae labentem te priusquam dâ—ycereris exciperet firmitatem stands inipso cadendipericulo recepists vidit in te dominus non fidem fictam non delectionem auersam sed con-stantiam fuisse turbatam De passâ— dom ser 9. The right hand of the LORD IESVS CHRIST was present which took thee vp as thou was falling before thou was cast downe And thou receiuedst streÌ„gth to staÌ„d in the very danger of falling The Lorde saw in thee not that thy Faith was fained nor thy loue turned from him but that thy Constancie was troubled Weeping abounded when affection fayled not and the fountaine of Charitie washed the words of fearfulnes Neither was the remedie of abolishing deferred where there was not iudgement of will Theophilact doth make this paraphrase (15) quamvâ—s brevâ—tpore concutâ—endus sis sed habes recondita sâ—mina fidei Etiamsi folia abiecerit Pâ—enma spiritus inuadentis sed radix viuet non deficiet fides tua In Luc. 22. of the wordes of Christ to Peter Luke 22.32 Although within a short time thou must be shaken yet thou hast the seedes of faith lying hid Although the spirit or winde of the inuader shall strike off the leaues yet the roote shal liue and thy Faith shall not fayle Bernard said (16) Etsi princepts apostolorum in profundum negationis submergitur non est tamen qui de manu dei possit erâ—ere serm de tripl cohaerent vinc clan glut Though Dauid be branded with the marke of horrible crimes though the chiefest of the Apostles bee plunged into the depth of denyall Yet is there none that can take them out of Gods haÌ„d And in an other place (17) Petrus cuÌ„ peccauit chariâ—atem 〈◊〉 â—â—isit quia peccauit pâ—itus in veritateÌ„ quam in charitatem cum se non esse meÌ„titâ—â— est in re cuins totus erat in corde de natura digâ—it amor diâ—iâ— cap. 6. Peter when he sinned he lost not Charitie He sinned rather against veritie theÌ„ against charitie when he told a lye that hee was not his in deede whose wholly he was in heart And therefore the loue of Truth did presently wash away the denyall of falshood When hee could not be plucked out of Gods hands wheÌ„ he had charitie when he was wholly Christs in hart did hee euen then at that instant want faith Surely no. These things appertâ—ine not to vnbelieuers Beda ascribed such vertue to Christs prayer for the confirmation of Peters faith that he thus expounds them (18) Ipse tuaem sidem 〈◊〉 satana teÌ„tante dâ—ficiat orando pretext In Luc. 22. li. 6. I haue by praying kept thy faith sale that it shall not fayle when Satan tempteth thee The Maâ—ster of Sentences resoluing the question whether Peter had the faith of Christs Passion when hee saw with his owne eyes CHRIST as man to suffer Answereth (19) Lumb sent lib. 3. dis 24. B. That he had faith of his Passion not in that hee belieued that man suffered but in that he belieued hee was God that suffered thereby signifying that he had not lost his faith at the time of Christs Passion Caietane sayd (20) Defecit confessio sid 〈◊〉 cum tâ—r Christum negaâ—â—t sed non deficit fides quonâ—am timore negaâ—it non incredulitate Luk. 22.32 Peters confession of faith failed when he thrice denyed Christ but his faith failed not because hee denyed through feare not through incredulitie Tollet also (21) Petrâ—â— nec negavit esse christum fidem ve eius abâ—ecit sed negauit senouisse eum In Luc. 12. annot 23. that Peter neither denyed him to be Christ nor cast away his faith but denyed that he knew him Catharinus likewise that (22) Commentar in epist ad Galat 2. p. 260. Peter could not lose his faith for the Lord had peculiarly prayed for him that his faith might not faile And least it might be thoght that he praied for that Sea only and not for his person he called him by his old name Simon To wit for thee Simon particularly Maldonarus vpon these wordes All yee shall be offended by me this night (23) Non signisiâ— at fidem apostolos perdituros fidem enim nemo eorum perdidit ne petrus quide ipse quinegavit c. Comment in Math. 26.31 saith that Christ did not signifie that the Apostles should loose thâ—yr faith For none of them lost it No not Peter himselfe who denyed him Although some olde Authors were wont so to speake as if hee lost his faith Not distinguishing the confession of faith from faith it selfe and the denyall of Christ from the losse of faith which are farre different things And so afterward (23) Comment in Mat 27.75 The vulgar error of them is to be taken heede of who thinke that Peter lost his faith (24) Ore negauâ—â— animo râ—tinuâ—â— Comment in Luk. 22.32 For he lost not his faith but denyed it which diuines say is another thing And besides this he saith their opinion is false who think that Peter lost his faith by denying He denieth with his mouth but kept it in his heart as we haue heard Ambrose teaching on Psalm 43. See then what a clowde of witnesses wee haue against Bellarmine But it would make any man to wonder to behold his inconstancy in this point For he plainely contradicteth himselfe eueÌ„ like a right Iesuite holding the affirmatiue or negatiue as it best serued his present purpose When hee would proue that faith and iustice may be lost (25) De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. 14. he produceth Peters example to proue it as if he lost both He sorteth him with Adam as if he lost his faith and iustice in the same manner that Adam did at his fall brought himselfe to the same estate though hee recouered his former state as well as Adam Yea herein the Cardinall equalleth Peter with the diuel with Saul with Iudas with Simon Magus Though hee make him vnlike to them in the recouery of it because hee got his faith againe but they could not Yet for the manner of loosing it and for his present estate after it was lost till it was recouered againe he maketh him altogether equal with them Yet at other times and vpon other occasions he teacheth the coÌ„trary When he pleadeth for the pope that his holines cannot erre (26) De Romam pontifiâ— lib. 4. cap. 3. sect est igitur tertia At
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.
receiuâ— the worde with â—oy For the present time they reioyce in the doctrine of the Gospell it cheareth their hearts delighteth their soules contenteth their mindes mooueth their affections and is to them the most ioyfull newes that euer they heard and yet for all that they are but vnprofitable hearers Such an hearer was King Herode 〈◊〉 6.20 when Iohn Bapâ—â—â—â—â—â— preached hee heard him gladly not onely willingly but also cheerefully and ioyfully hee tooke delight and pleasure in hearing of him and yet afterward was the author of his death Such hearers were most of the Iewes for Christ told them Iob. 5.38 That Iohn was a burning and sinning lampe and that they would for a season haue reioyced in his light They ioyed in his doctrine yet but for a season Hee preached but a while Christ fore-saw that if hee had liued and preached longer they would haue forsaken him Such hearers also were the Capernaites Ioh. 6. who liked Christs doctrine so well as that they followed him for a while but afterward forsooke him Such hearers had the Apostles And such heaâ—ers haue we at this day These hearers are not like Pharoh Exod. 5.2 who said Who is the Lord that I stould hear his voyce Nor like those impious persons who say to God Depart from vs Iob. 21.14 for we desire not the knowledge of thy waies Nor like the Iewes Act. 13.45 who spake against those things which were taught by Paul contradicting them rayling on them thrusting the Apostles from theÌ„ They do willingly heare the word they approue the doctrine of it they loue it like it and reioyce to heare it They wil rather say to Preachers Act. 10.33 as Cornelius his kinsmen said to Peter We are all here present before God to heare all thing that are commaunded thee of God And if these hearers reioyce in the word they will not scorne to be taught by the Ministers but very willingly submit themselues to the Ministâ—ry of the word They will be as forward as any in frequenting Sermons for who will not desire to heare that often which comforteth his heart Yea they may sharply reproue and seuerely censure them as impious and prophane who are carelesse and negligent in hearing of Gods word Yea they may reuererce the Minister as Herode did Iohn Baptist they may patronage protect and countenance him they may maintaine him and be very bountifull toward him for â—ho will not make much of him that dâ—th greatly comfort his heart Yea after they haue heard they may talke and conferre of the doctrine among their familiar acquaintance for who will not often talke of that which reioyceth his heart Of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh All these thinges may be found in these hearers of the second sort who notwithstanding are reckoned among vnfruitfull hearers See then what faire shewes an vnregenerate man may make in heating of Gods word And consider it seriously that not onely the publike persecutors bitter raylers wilfull contemners carelesse and forgetful hearers but likewise some that loue and like the word diligently attend it and finde some comfort in it may be out of the state of grace and kept backe from entring into heauen A fearefull thing to consider it should rowse vs out of security and make vs looke well to the maner of our hearing There be some who are nothing at all mooued with the worde neither terrified with the threatnings and curses of the lawe nor comforted with the heauenly blessings and sweete promises of the Gospell whoâ—â— wee may compare as Christ did the Iâ—wes vnto little children which sitte in the markets and call to their fellowes and say We haue piped vnto you Mat. 11.17 and you hâ—â—â— not daunced we haue mourned vnto you and you haue not lamented We sing both mercy and iudgement and yet they are not moued Seeing Christ reckâ—â—â—th Quest them in the Catalogue of fruitlesse hearâ—rs who are so moued as they reioyce at the word what is to be thought of them who are no more touched then if their hearts were of Adamant If this ioy may be found in the vnregenerate it will be hard to disâ—erne who are regenerated It is a propertie of the regenerate to reioyce at the word Dauid said Thy testimonies haue I taken as on heâ—itage for euâ—r â—sa 119.111 fâ—r they are theiâ— of mine hâ—art 〈◊〉 3. 〈◊〉 The holy peâ—â—â—le of the Lord made great â—o 〈…〉 like the werâ—â— which â—izra thâ— Lâ—â—â—â—â—â—â—â—au the them Act. 2.41 Those three thoâ—â—â—â—and which were conneâ—ted by â—â—â—â—y Sermon did reâ—â—iue his wâ—â—â—d 〈◊〉 The Fuâ—â—uch conuerted by Phillip the â—aylâ—r conuerted by Paul recâ—â—â—ed their dâ—â—trine with ioy of heart 〈◊〉 there no difference betwixt the regenerate â—nd the vnregenerate in this their ioy Answere Indeed both of them receiue the word with ioy yet there may be found great difference betwixt the ioy of the one and the ioy of the other They differ inâ—h se foure things 1. In the cause of it and that is â—â—â—aith And therefore Paul calleth it Phil. 1.25 The ioy of faith The ioy of the regenerate man ariseth from a instifying faith whereby he beleeueth that all the promises of God in Christ shall be performed to him in particular The vnregenerate hath onely a generall historicall faith whereby he certainely beleeueth that many shall be saued by grace in Christ hath some doubtfull hope that he is one of the number but no certaine assistance As if there be many offenders in the same prison one is certainely assured that the King hath graunted pardon to a great number of them hopeth that he is one yet is not sure And another is assured that he is one of the number Both of them will reioyce yet there will be difference betwixt their ioy 2. In the measure and degree for the regenerate haue a greater measure of ioye then the vnregenerate The regenerate haue as great or greater ioy in the word then in any thing else whatsoeuer Therefore Dauâ—d sayde I haue had as greate delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all riches Psal 119.14 The Lawe of thy mouth is better vnto mee vers 72. then thousands of gold and siluer I reioyce at thy word vers 162. as one that findeth a great spotle Their ioy is so great that S. Peter saith 1. Pet. 1.7 They reâ—oyce with ioy vnspeakable It may be felt it cannot be expressed The greatnesse of their ioy Mat. 1â— 44 Christ setteth forth by the exaâ—ple of a man who finding a treasure hid in the fielde for ioy thereof departeth and selleth all that he hath and buyâ—th tâ—es â—ld But the ioy of the vnregenerate is nothing so great They seldâ—â— aâ—◠〈…〉 so great ioy in the worde as in the world but neuer greater Thâ—ir worldly prosits their earthly honours and preferments their carnall pleasures d ee as