then it signifieth either the doctrine of the Gospell it selfe or the faithfull discharge of their office that preach the same or else some speciall gift which the holy ghost vouchsafeth vnto vs Now of those gifts of the holy ghost there are but three onely which are intituled by the name of faith For sometimes the knowledge of that great mysterie which the holy ghost reuealeth and the certaine vnderstanding of the truth of GOD is called faith which may fitly be named either historicall Faith or the faith of knowledge Now for this Faith although al the Saints haue it in some measure yet is it not peculiar to them alone for vsually many wicked and filthy doe excell in this yea euen Satan himselfe doth goe farre beyond all others in this kind of Faith For hee beleeueth that God is the creatour of the world that hee is Lord ouer all and acknowledgeth himselfe vnder his dominion And that God made all things by his word as it is written Gen. 1.3 Psal 33.9 He spake the word and they were made he beleeueth this word to be that which is both called the Son of God and is so indeed by whom and for whom all things were made begotten before all time the immortall and wise God alwaies blessed for euer and euer Who after diuers maners appeared to the fathers and spake by the Prophets Hee beleeueth that the same Word in fulnesse of time came downe into the Virgin by the power of the holy ghost was made flesh and of her was born that annointed Sauiour thence-forth called Iesus Christ that the same wrought great miracles preached that hidden mystery of the will of GOD which beeing at that time almost buried in obliuion was long before foretold by the Prophets and hee likewise sealed and confirmed it by his Apostles Hee beleeueth furthermore that the same Word or sonne of GOD Christ Iesus after all this was nailed to the crosse dead and buried according to the Scriptures the third day rose to life againe and was taken vp into heauen sitteth there at the right hand of the Father which hath put all things vnder bis feete Because hee alone is worthy Hee is also most vndoubtedly perswaded that the Lord Iesus Christ did for supplying his own place send down from heau en the powerfull efficacie of his holy spirit to guide and gouerne his Church which past question is nothing else but the company and societie of his holy ones in all places here and there scattered ouer the whole world And hee beleeueth that this companie of Gods owne people is sanctified by the lauer of repentance and the word of faith to bee an holy nation for euer to the Lord himselfe Hee beleeueth moreouer that the same Lord Iesus shall at the last day come in the clouds with greatest power and shall then take vp the Saints to receiue reward of eternall life and to enioy the promises of heauen But as for the vngodly and wicked his comming shall bee to condemne them vnto euerlasting fire yet both sorts shall in that day receiue their fleshly bodies with restauration whereof they shall from the first death returne againe And with thus much faith the very skirmigers of Satan Bribers promoters hypocrites witches heretickes reprobates couetous persons whoremongers and filthy fellows of which kinde of beleeuers at this day the whole world is full betwixt whom and Infidels this is all the difference the one by not beleeuing like wretches as they are doe come vnto perdition the other by beleeuing in such wofull manner as they doe bring themselues to most damnable destruction This kinde of faith if any one would define he may well expresse his minde in saying that it is nothing else but a sure knowledge and a setled assent of the minde by which any man most vndoubtedly beleeueth such things to bee reuealed for the saluation of mankind Secondly that gift of the holy ghost by which any one causeth great admiration to be amongst the people at his great signes and wonders is very often in holy writ called by the name of faith which not vnfitly wee may call miraculous faith But this faith neither haue all the sanctified nor they onely For Iohn wrought no miracles although on the contrarie Iudas did excel therin And with this faith are sometimes notably indued and made famous those witches deceiuers and Iuglers which Rome that head of abominations both calleth Saints and worshippeth them also with altar praiers and Images of whom our Sauiour hath foretold saying And they shall doe great wonders Math. 24. works of great power so that they would deceiue if it were possible the very elect And this kinde of faith may one sitly define in this manner namely that it is a certaine vndoubted confidence whereby one beleeueth that God will by him doe this or that miracle Thirdly that the gift of the holy ghost which any one receiues to eternall life is called by the name of Faith and that most often of all the rest which very same the scripture calleth the Faith of God The faith of the son of God The faith of Abraham The faith of Iesus The faith of Christ and the faith of Iesus Christ The professors of diuinitie haue significantly named it Iustifying Faith Now for this kinde of Faith both all the Saints and they onely haue it for this kinde of faith cannot befall any but such as are sanctified This faith if wee will wee may fitly define in this manner Namely that it is a certaine full and firme confidence engrauen by the power of the holy Ghost in the heart of such a one as is penitent whereby hee assuredly beleeueth that all his sinnes are remitted and that hee is reconciled and made one with God in an euerlasting loue through Christ Iesus See now B. this is the Faith which sanctifieth him that hath it and of one miserable maketh him Blessed as it is written Psal 32.1 Belssed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose God is the Lord Iehouah Behold B. this is the Faith which Iustifieth the wicked and by which the Iustified liueth as it is written The iust shall liue by Faith Abac. 2.4 This is that faith which ouercommeth which excelleth and which the diuine writer to the Heb. setteth forth with such ornament and inuironeth on euery side with such a multitude of praises this is the faith vvhose worth and fairenesse so cleerely shineth throughout the scripture that as it is to bee wondred how euer it could be so grossely darkned by the vnskilfulnesse of some wise diuines of this our age so much more maruellous is it that the ignorance of such a great benefit especially in this cleare light of all things should not hitherto by Gods most righteous iudgement be seuerely punished And this is that faith concerning which is all the controuersie this day betwixt me and B. which also the Apostle commendeth to the Romans in these words
Rom. 3.28 Therefore wee conclude that a man is Iustified by faith Whilst B. is inquiring and searching for the originall or beginning of this faith First of all he is reckoning vp the causes thereof but hee doth that very vntowardly for hee speaketh of the Efficient cause and of no more but that one He might haue dealt more exactly in all mens iudgements if hee had put downe all the rest of the causes But at once to rid the silly man of that trouble for as it seemeth he sticketh fast hereat we say that the matter of this faith is a sure full and vndoubted trust or confidence the forme is the fauour or grace of God the Father and of the Lord Jesus Christ The efficient cause is the finger of God Viz. the holy Ghost who alone imprinteth this confidence of Grace in the hearts of the elect The end subordinate is the saluation of the Saints but the maine and cheefest end is the glory of God and of our Lord Jesus Christ to whom with the Father and the holy spirit one God blessed for euer be all power praise honour throughout all times and ages Amen Now then wee vnderstand what faith is as also the causes and essentiall parts wherof it consisteth viz Confidence or trust and grace or fauour Therefore let vs thus passe ouer these things yet so as although wee haue dispatched them aforehand neuerthelesse wee will that they remaine still in minde for our help in those matters that follow after that wee may haue an eie as it were backe againe vnto them as occasion shall require One thing onely is yet behinde yet the greatest of al euen that wherin the summe of the whole controuersie is placed Namely that wee discusse this point How this so precious faith is wrought and ingrafted in men and by what degrees wee must attaine vnto it In the setting foorth whereof if our Diuines had walked so vprightly as they ought to haue done in so waightie a cause peraduenture wee might haue had this powerfull faith vpon earth the true nature whereof being now as it were vtterly lost wee doe retaine nothing of it but the bare shadow onely First let vs see what B. holdeth concerning this point and then wee will establish the truth it selfe Whilest B. goeth about to proue vnto vs the petigree as it were of Faith or whence or how it commeth he teacheth that the whole substance or nature thereof ariseth and issueth from three effects or workes of the holy Ghost the first of which hee saith is knowledge the second as it were an increase of the former he calleth assent and the third beeing the end and perfection of al the rest is trust or cōfidence Now in asmuch as hee saith these are three effects or works of the holy Ghost that doth hee well enough But in this that hee teacheth them to be essentiall parts of faith therein hee is much amisse But let vs discusse these things seuerally and in order This first worke therefore of the holy Ghost B. with moe doth call it the gift of illumination or the faith of knowledge And hee teacheth that the same is incident to vncleane spirits and wicked men into whom the Faith of Abraham can no way come For which cause I do the more exceedingly wonder at the man that when as hee perceiued these differing natures of Faith and knew them to bee as sundry specials of one and the same generall and so diuers gifts of one and the same spirit yet for all that hee maketh one an essentiall part of another for indeed howsoeuer this faith of knowledge doth necessarily goe before the faith of Abraham yet doth it not thereupon follow that it is an essentiall part thereof for many things may bee of such necessitie that some worke cannot bee dispatched vnlesse they be had before yet were it a very improper speech to say that they be of the essence or parts substantiall whereof such worke is made and consisteth it is most necessarie that a man should be born before hee can be an Arithmetitian is birth therefore a part of Arithmetick It is necessarie for him that will deale iustly first of all to consider the case prudently is prudence therefore a part of Iustice But euen like stuffe to this is that also which presently hee inferreth in tearmes forsooth iumping trimly with Aristotles Philosophie Viz. that the end of this good being once knowne is to desire it to follow after it and to apprehend or lay hold vpon it viz. that we may speake according to sobriety The end of this faith of knowledge is to enioy GOD and his righteousnesse euen the grace of Iesus Christ which to affirme vvithout setting downe any due and reasonable difference is an impious falshood for God vouchsafeth not this faith of knowledge to Satan and to reprobates to this end that he may bring them vnto his Christ viz. to righteousnesse of life But euen as the bountifulnesse of God doth grant the benefit that commeth from earth and heauen together with the fruit of that benefit which is growth and increase as well to the Tares as to the Wheat equally and indifferently yet not to this end that the Tares should be made wheat In like manner God very often granteth the benefit of the word and the fruit of that benefit which is to beleeue the truth euen to those that perish yet not to this end that hee may sanctifie them but that insomuch as they would not obey the knowne truth which they plainely vnderstoode he may take vengeance vpon them in greater rigour of his Iustice and seueritie for he that knoweth and doth not shal be beaten with more stripes and to whom more is committed of him more shal be required The second effect or worke of the holy Ghost B. sometimes calleth assent sometimes a certaine putting forward of the will or a kinde of loue and good liking of this happinesse which is offered But what strange boldnesse is this ô B. that thou in things appertaining to God shouldest thus platonize or rather play and deceiue the people of God for the scripture speaketh farre otherwise and ealleth this 2. worke of the holie ghost which is the beginning of our regeneration by the name of Repentance euen the thing whereby wee are prepared to receiue the sanctification of faith For not one beleeue mee either of the Prophets or Apostles hath at any time called it assent or a forward inclination of the will or a loue of the cheefest good beeing offered vnto vs neither doe I thinke indeede that any other durst euer so call it besides thy selfe I let passe this that thou so wantonly hast deuised a twofold loue one called the former which forsooth is before faith and another tearmed the latter which followeth after faith which all of vs with one consent doe say is the effect of faith and called Loue or Charitie But what shall wee say that former loue of thine
is B. confidently affirmeth that it is the very soule or life of faith the truest difference of it that can be giuen Because saith he none can trust in the promise of God but such a one as earnestly longeth after God viz. by B. exposition loueth God Wherin he shamefully faileth both in mistaking the word and the matter it selfe Hee is deceiued in the word because hee calleth this earnest longing or desire by the name of loue hee erreth in the matter because hee saith it is a part of faith for although wee grant that this feruent desire and wonderfull seeking after God must needs goe before faith yet wee auouch that it is no part of faith but of repentance as hereafter shal be declared And furthermore to call this desire by the name of loue proueth him to bee a most erroneous fellow For to speake properly in things diuine there is great difference betwixt desire and loue for wee desire such things as wee haue not but exceedingly faine would haue Againe we are said in matters diuine to loue those things which wee haue already and which wee seeke to enioy for euer which points though some others might misse yet to thee so great a doctor this should not haue bin vnknown Namely that none can loue God vnlesse hee bee first sanctified by faith and by that very meanes doe indeede possesse God whom hee loueth for vntill thou art perswaded in thine owne heart that all thy sinnes are remitted and that thou art eternally beloued of God thou canst not possibly loue God againe as it is written Therefore wee loue God because hee loued vs first 1. Joh. 4.19 Now it followeth that we speake of this third effect or worke of the holy Ghost which B. calleth trust or confidence Where that none may mistake him he vnderstandeth the confidence of Grace wherein J cannot but bewaile the wofull blindnesse of this Nicodemus because hee hath placed and set the last and highest stone of our regeneration before euer hee once laid the foundation of repentance especially seeing that it is most vnpossible for any one to obtaine this confidence of Grace except hee first repent himselfe of his former life seriously and from the bottome of his heart for euen as the faith of knowledge namely to beleeue without all doubt that God is and that hee is a rewarder of all them that doe seeke him in Christ Iesus and contrarily one that taketh vengeance on all those which turne away from him for all their sinnes and wicked deeds that euer they committed euen as I say this faith must of necessitie goe before true repentance towards God So our repentance viz. that wee conuerting from our own waies vnto God should returne into the right way must needs goe before the faith of Iesus Christ Therefore this is the difference betwixt the Gospell of God and the Gospell of B. The beginning of the Gospell of God is Repentance as it is written The beginning of the Gospell of Iesus Christ prepare ye the way of the Lord viz performe Repentance on the contrarie B. bestoweth faith vpon his elect neuer so much as once naming Repentance I can easily imagine why it is namely because according to fleshly wisedome he perhaps supposeth that repentance is a companion of none but fooles Therefore hee hath vtterly reiected it as not well beseeming the dignitie or credit of one that is wise O vile and vngratious fellow surely I can scarse hold in my selfe yet I will refraine Oh wretched man J say how darest thou so seditiouslie disturb that most holy order which the wisedome of God hath established First therefore I will enforme this erroneous doctor that true repentance towards God must of necessitie goe before the faith of Iesus Christ Then what this true repentance towards GOD is shall likewise in order be declared But to the end that these things more clearely may bee vnderstoode it behooueth vs not onely to call to minde those things which haue bin abouesaid but to make somewhat a further repetition of the whole matter The first benefit therefore which God vouchsafeth I speake onely of those blessings which pertaine to saluation is the seede and ministery of the Word vnto this outward benefit and ministerie of the Word there is sometimes added a certaine inward vertue and efficacie of the holy ghost who as he leaueth some in vnbeliefe so he inclineth others and causeth them to cleaue fast vnto the truth with the whole assent of their minds and to beleeue it And this kind of faith because it is a solitarie or barren exercise of the vnderstanding only wee call the faith of knowledge and such like faithfull because they professe the faith of Christ we call by a common and generall name Christians Now after this the holy ghost causing his wheele as it were to run about the second time goeth to his worke againe and of those vvhich are beleeuers some hee reformeth and maketh new creatures others he reserueth to their more iust condemnation because the truth which they knew they obeied not But betwixt these generall Christians and those which bee regenerated there is no lesse difference then betwixt the Altar and the Temple the Sanctuarie and the Porch betwixt him the foreskin of whose heart is circumcised and him whose house onely is cleane swept and garnished viz. as betwixt those that are bid to the supper of the lambs marriage and those which are without Dogs Witches Couetous Murderers whoremongers and such as take pleasure in lies But in the reforming of these or making them new creatures the holy Ghost obserueth this order First hee mollifieth or softneth them and causeth them to bewaile their sinnes and by earnest praier to make sure for pardon and with restlesse and vnspeakeable desire to seek the fauour of that GOD whom without all reason they haue offended And this is that second effect or worke of the holy Ghost which is the beginning of our regeneration which B. himselfe calleth the second effect of the spirit but hee is so far from teaching the same perfectly that hee doth not so much as name it rightly for hee calleth it a certain motion or action of the will vnfitly and philosophically The scripture contrarily calleth it repentance which is not onely a certaine motion of the will but a full change altogether of the whole man vvhen that which before was pleasant and delightfull to the sinner is now become nothing but greefe and sorrow of heart vnto him when that which before hee chiefely sought after now hee most of all abhoireth and whereas formerly he reioiced in his falling from God now he incredibly seeketh intreateth thirsteth longeth euen as the Hart panteth after the riuers of water desiring to haue his tedious thirst satisfied To this man now like a woman vvith child labouring of sorrow the holy Ghost doth the third time reach forth his hand and administreth vnto him comforts according to the multitude of his
hee should say Returne vnto mee O my God and receiue me though now vnworthy the name of a sonne yet set mee in the office of one of thy hired seruants yea make mee the least and lowest of thy seruants so thou make me thine at all Heere is his vnspeakeable longing after God Perceiuest thou ô B. how this man is now prepared in heart and how much he is changed from that hee was before Being descended of an high and honourable race hee now taketh vnto him a low and base estate being before of manly stomacke now hee sits downe among the little children being before hard and stubborne now is become soft as water And further beleeue mee the mountaine doth not more differ from the valley the crooked from the straight the ragged from the smooth the discreetly aged from the little child the hard flint from the soft and tender water These I say differ not from other more then this man now from that hee was in time past and this is the right order and manner of true and vnfained repentance Oh happy and blessed man indeede beyond all compare who can vnderstand it and doe thereafter But hitherto haue I lightly contended by a general kinde of discoursing with this cragged and cloudie sophister for if I should stand vpon euery particular there would bee no end of reprehensions for it is incredible to be told how often he stumbleth and misseth taking Faith for Repentance and likewise Repentance for Faith whereby he euidently declareth vnto vs his grosse ignorance of both Pag. 19.20 He hath not so much as made any mention of Repentance in that place where it should especially haue beene spoken of at the last he puts it after faith or rather hee saith it is faith it selfe which surely hee ought in no case to haue done forasmuch chiefely as God himselfe both in his eternall counsell vnchangeable order hath distinguished these each from other for Repentance is the first beginning and as it were the entrie of our regeneration viz. the effectuall working of the holy Ghost wherby a sinner comming to himsselfe againe doth most earnestly seeke after nothing else at the hand of GOD but to haue his sinnes pardoned and to be receiued into his fauour But faith is the very perfection as it were the highest top of our regeneration viz. The insculpture or engrauing of the holy Ghost whereby the repentant doth assuredly beleeue that all his iniquities are forgiuen and his sinnes couered and that hee is vnited with God in an euerlasting loue through Iesus Christ onely I might now performe a worke perhaps well worth my paines if I should here declare what bee the fruits of this excellent faith that so might be obserued concerning this sanctified regenerate man whom the holy Ghost with such great industrie and speciall care hath begotten and brought foorth not only what a one hee is within himselfe and at home but also what are his works abroad and in open sight But because B. hath altogether omitted this point wee also will deferre to speake of it vntill some other time Now when his hearers were ready to depart hee puts one question more vnto them viz. whether this faith doe by the worthinesse of it self iustifie a man ot not Wherein hee is so tedious that hee cloies them all seeing very children can tell that these kinds of speeches are all figuratiue and there is in them the Metonymia of the cause For the scripture when it teacheth that a man is iustified by faith meaneth by the figure hypallagie that a man is iustified by the grace of Iesus Christ which is reuealed through Faith which kinde of speaking is most vsuall euen amongst the vulgar sort as to say Philoctetes liued by his bow and arrowes Orpheus by his Harp Zeuxis by his pencill when as neuerthelesse it is vnderstood that they by these instruments of their artes and trades did get such things as vvere requisite for their vse and for the maintenance of their liues We haue already accomplished as I suppose the first part of our promise wee haue set forth the true faith of Iesus Christ wee haue furthermore shewed the true causes and parts thereof and after vvhat manner it is wrought and brought to passe in men Moreouer wee haue declared what true repentance towards God is and that the same necessarily before faith and by the eternall ordinance of God in the new making of a sinner and that faith doth of necessitie follow after repentance yet not by debt but by grace not for the worthinesse of him that hath repented but for the fidelitie of him that hath promised according to that which is written Eze 18.28 As often as a sinner repenteth of his sinnes as I liue saith the Lord I wil blot out his iniquities c. That the inheritance might alwaies be giuen by promise as testifieth the Apostle saying Rom. 4.16 But God gaue the inheritance to Abraham freely by promise Thus briefely haue wee followed B. vpon the saying of Paul that a man is iustified by faith Rom. 3.28 It remaineth that we see whether this Justifying faith bee commanded in the lawe yea or no Vpon the words of this vers 28. VVithout the workes of the Lawe c. The ful and perfect explanation of which words B. by a fiue fold question seemeth to himselfe notably to haue performed And first he asketh whether the workes of the lawe are of force to attain the righteousnesse of God and answereth that they are so as they proceede from faith Secondly whereas the workes of the lawe done by faith iustifie hee answereth with Austen that indeed they doe not iustifie but follow him that is iustified Thirdly whereas the workes of the lawe done by faith be necessarie to saluation hee answereth that they are necessarie to saluation but not for Iustification And lest this new vpstart copulation of workes of the lawe and faith should trouble any which the Apostle euery where and here especially opposeth as contraries hee enquireth in the 4. place whether faith may be said in any respect to bee commanded in the law and answereth readily that it is And hee labours in the last place to explaine the reason of this exposition that Paul maketh between faith and the lawe Wee will first see what this violator of the lawe hath disordered in the fourth place for this decided his ignorance in making the other doubt will bee euident to any for in this point alone as in a hinge all the waight of the other difficulties is turned and in these things we will follow our owne order first wee will confute B. afterwards fortifie the truth B. first reason then whereby hee goeth about to proue that faith is required in the lawe is drawne out of these words of the lawe I am thy God that is as this Glossographist and subtill Sophister interprets it I onely will be thy God and thou alone shalt put thy