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
euangel aetern serm 6. art 3. c. 2. fine out of Alexander Halensis saith that credere Deo hath the truth of God for his obiect and so we beleeue him because we thinke those things to be true which he speaketh but credere Deum respecteth his power as he is omnipotent and the Creator but credere in Deum hath respect to his goodnes wherevnto we come through loue Pighius naming but two of these three for he ioyneth two of them together saith (9) Illa Deâ— vâ—ritatem proprâ— pro obiecto respicit haec dâ—i bonitatem magis vt tam per mâ—tuum amorem quodam modo nostra facta est Controu 2. the one doth properly respect the truth of God for an obiect the other doth rather respect the goodnes of God as it is after a sort through naturall love now made ours (10) Quod syncero pectore fideret illius bonitaâ— Paraphrasan Hebr. 11.4 The faith which made Abels sacrifice acceptable to God was a iustifying faith yet Erasmus said God accepted his sacrifice because he did with a sincere heart trust his goodnes And we heard before (11) Concord Euangel cap. 32. fiduciam ex illius bonitate conceptam out of Iansenius that the faith by which men are saued obtaine their requests doth not onely comprehend a firme assent in things to be beleeued but likewise an assurance conceiued and arising from his goodnes Can these be one and the same habite who differ so much in their speciall and proper obiects 4. They differ in their proper and immediate effects For first the one iustifieth the other doth not iustifie That there is a faith which iustifieth Paul teacheth at large and in many places (12) Rom. 3.28 We conclude saith he that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the law (13) Rom. 4.5 And to him that worketh not but beleeueth in him that iusâ—fâ—th thâ— vngodly his â—aith is counted for righteousnes And (14) Gal. 2.10 knowe that a man is not iustifyed by the workes of the lawe but by the faith of Iesus Christ I neede not proue this seeing the papists confesse (15) Concâ—l Trident. sess 6. cap. 8. Bellarm. de grat â— liber arlatr lib. 1. cap. 6. De Iusâ—if lib. 1. with vs that there is a faith which iustifieth though they contend with vs about the maner how it iustifieth That there is a faith that iustifyeth not the Apostie Iames teacheth namely (16) Iâ—m 2.17.20 c. a dead faith a faith with-workes such a faith as the diuels haue Angustine teacheth vs which is the faith which iustifyeth namely the faith qua credimus in Deum wherby we beleeue in God And which is the faith which iustifieth not namely fides qua credimus Deo wherby we giue credit to God when he saith (17) Credimus apostolo sâ—d non credimus in apostolum non cuim apostolus iustficat impium credenti autem in cum qui iustificat impiâ—â—â—â—d putatur fides â—â—us ad iusâ—â—tâ—â—m In Ioh. 12. tract 54. we beleeue the Apostle but we beleeue not in the Apostle because the Apostle doth not iustifie the vngodly but vnto him that beleeueth in him who iustifieth the vngodly his faith shall be reputed for righteousnes As if credere Deo which is an historicall and dogmaticall faith were not sufficient to iustifie vs but credere Deum which is to haue a special confidence in God as before was declared Not only (18) In Ioh. 7. tract 29. Augustine but likewise (19) De sanct Andr. serm 3. Bernard and the (20) Lumb sent lib. 3. dist 23. d. Mâ— of sentences doe teacth hat the diuels credunt Deo doe belieue all things to be true which God hath reuealed which is a right historical faith And yet I hope the Papists will not say that the diuels are iustified For then might they holde with Origen that they shall be saued (21) Per hanâ— fide iustificatur impius vt deinde ipsa fides incipiat per delectionâ—â— operari Sentent lib. 3. dist 23. d. Lumbard hauing shewed the defference betwixt these three Credere Deo crâ—dâ—â—e Dâ—um and credere in Deum doth say of the last By this faith the vngodly is iustified that afterward Faith it selfe may beginne to worke by loue Because a man is iustified by it and not by eyther of the other two and because it doth worke by loue not before it iustifie but rather begins to worke by loue when it hath iustified And therefore doth â—ot iustifie by vertue of charitie whereby it worketh Are you then so simple to belieue that the faith which iustifieth and the faith which iustifieth not are all one That two men hauing one and the same faith the one of them should be iustified by his faith and the other should not be iustified by his If they bee one and the same faith whence comes this great difference in their proper and immediate effects But the other faith is without good workes (22) Iam. 2.17.20 as Saint Iames teacheth and this is called by him a dead faith The Councell of Trent * â—â—rissime dâ—citur Fâ—dâ—ni sine operibus niortuanâ— otiosam esse Sess 6. cap. 7. acknowledgeth that it may most truely be said Faith without workes is deade and idle And what faith is this but euen an hystoricall faith Ferus wrote (23) Hanc sâ—holaâ—â—icâ— infoâ—mâ—m Iacobus mortuam appella fidem qualis autem est quae mortua est formaque suâ—â—ubstantiaâ—â—â—ret profecto non files sed opinio vana est Commâ—nt in Math. 8.8 that the faith whereby wee assent to those thinges which be deliuered in the diuine hystories and which the Church propouÌ„deth to be belieued the schoolmen call vâ—â—â—rmed faith and Iames calleth a dead faith But what faith is that which is dead and wanteth his substantiall forme Truely saith he it is no faith but a vaine opinion And then afterward describeth a iustifying faith as being another kinde of faith Though Dominicus Soto went about to confute his description of a iustifying faith yet did he not mislike any thing which hee spake of the hystoricall vnformed and dead faith And so by his silence doth iustify him heerein as may appeare (24) Bablioth sanct lib. 6. annot 43. in Sixtus Sen usis Now the faith with workes and the faith without works doe so much differ that the one is properly called a faith and a true faith the other is not called a faith but only by equiuocation Therefore Augustine said (25) Non crediâ— Iesum esse ChristuÌ„ qui non sic vinit quomodo praecepit Christus In epist Ioh. tractat 10. hee doth not belieue Iesus to be Christ who doth not so liue as Christ hath commanded Iames faith (26) Iam. 2.14 Shewe me thy faith by thy workes and I will shewe thee my faith by my workes As if neyther of them had any true faith vnlesse they could shewe it by their
workes Whervpon Thomas Aquinas gaue this glosse (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
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