certaintie of fayth boldly Heb. 10 35. that we may receiue Mercie find Grace to helpe in time of need Ioh. 3. And wee Cast not away that confidence which hath great recompence of reward Our Fayth is not onely in Cognitio a but in Agnition likewise in acknowledgement as well as in knowledge Inquisitiue fellowes like Nichodemus â—oh 3. puts vp questions How can this thing be or as the Jewes that came in properly with their spoake â—oh 6. How can he giue vs his flâ—sh to eate by beeing thus busie euidently doe bewray themselues that they doe not beleeue Wee may lawfully aske of the virgin Marie how this may bee that wee may be instructed But we may not come with Interrogatories in the case to nourish doubtinges 3. Thirdly albeit Fayth it selfe be the same and common to all yet is it not so in the measure of it But in some it is of greater in some of lesser quantitie As God hath dealt to euery man the measure of Fayth Rom. 12.3 The Seede that was throwne vpon the good Ground came not vp alike but in seuerall plottes verie disproportionably in some thirtie in some sixtie in some an hundred fold It is with Fayth as it is with the body of man First we are Infantes then we increase in yeares and strength We are first Infants in Christ Iesu and by degrees grow from Grace to Grace vntill wee come at last to that height strength as wee grow strong in the Fayth with Abraham There is a Positiue and a Superlatiue Fayth The Positiue is that which otherwise is tearmed 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 A litle Fayth Qâ—â—â—dâ—â— rather then Quantum sampled by our Sauiour to the graine of Mustard seed the least of all Seedes Math. 17.20 which being put into the ground groweth into First an Hearbe 2. the greatest of all Hearbes 3. yea into a Tree 4. into such a broad Tree as the Birdes of the Heauen make their nestes in the branches thereof compared by the Prophet Isay to smoakie Flaxe Isa 42.3 The Superlatiue Fayth is that which is otherwise stiled 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 An absolute Assurance as not being onely a certaine and true perswasion but plenarie compleate But this least degree of Fayth of this Positiue kind this beginning or rudiment of Fayth this smoakie Flaxe which hath no Fire in it of that weaknesse as it giueth neither heate nor light Christ will not quench but will make it gather strength and waxe into a Fire so that we will doe our part and vse the meanes that serue to increase it by diligent meditation vpon the word of God earnest and ardent Prayer and such other holy exercises appertaining to the furtheraunce of our Fayth This litle Fayth may be thus described when one in the humilitie of his heart hath not yet a sense of the certaintie of the remission of his sinnes and yet notwithstanding perswadeth him selfe that they are such as may be forgiuen him his soule desyring forgiuenesse of them and therefore prayeth vnto God that he would forgiue them and giue him strength euer after to forsake theÌ„ The Superlatiue Fayth is the full strength and maturitie of Fayth which dissolueth all doubtes and is not onely in nature certaine but also a large and plentifull perswasion of Gods mercie in Christ of which we gaue you examples before in Abraham and Paul By the first Fayth intricated with doubts men doe as certainly beleeue their Adoption as the Articles of their Fayth but not so firmely and fully By this larger Fayth remission of sinnes is not onely as certainely but also as fully beleeued as any Article of Fayth To end Obiections so our first Question we will iustifie our Doctrine by suffrages of Fathers because it is obiected to vs by our Aduersaries that this poynt of the infallible and speciall certaintie of â—â—â—ction is generally disauowed and conâ—â—mned by the Fathers though otherwise 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ters of Fayth wee hang not on their sâ—â—enes the word of God being the onely rule and square of our beliefe Securâ— estote 〈◊〉 et sanguis sayth Tertullian Tertull de 〈◊〉 â—â—ctione Let flesh and blood be secure and take out their Quiâ—â—â—s est Would ye know why wee should be secure Ambrose telleth you that you haue good cause so to be Ambros iâ— cap. 4. et 5. ad Rom. Securj quia credunt securj â—xemplo Abrahamae They are secure because they doe beleeue they are secure after the example of Abraham So doth S. Augâ—stine Aug. de vâ—rbâ— domini sermâ—â— Sâ—â—â—es 〈◊〉 reâ—â—oâ—e seâ—uâ—â— de proâ—â—ssiâ—â—e Secure in our Pardon secure in the Promise that is made to vs. To whom subscribeth 〈◊〉 De quadrip in tit pag. 2. 3 as he is cited by Cassalius In paâ—â—â—â—â—◠〈◊〉 de â—â—â—â—â—mtione veniae s◠〈◊〉 In the penitent person a certaine securitie is begotten out of the presumption of a Pardon And Augustine August in Psal 39. liketh well this Presumption Thou praesumpâ—â— â—ed mo erata It is a good Presumption but moderate Heare further what Augustine Aug. de verbiâ— Dominâ— sermo 7. sayth Jnterâ—â—go te peccator credis ne Christo velnoâ— Dâ—câ—â— credo quia creus Quod liberè â—otest tibere â—ttiâ—re omnia tua peâ—catâ— â—aâ—os quod 〈◊〉 I demaund of thee O sinner Beleeuest thou in Christ or not Thou tellest me thou beleeuest I aske next what doest thou beleeue Thou answerest that hee can pardon thee all thy sinnes Thou hast that which thou beleeuest Bernard speaketh effectually to our cause in hand Bernard serm â—e Anâ—a nuat Maâ—â—e thus Si creâ—as peccata tua non pâ—sse obâ—uâ—â— rasi percunt contre qâ—â—â— peccasi 〈◊〉 ages sed vlâ—â—rius progredeâ—â— et creâ—â— cum remisiss tibi pâ—â—cata titâ— Hoc est testâ—â—omiuÌ„ qâ—od spiritus stâ—ctus dat in cordibus nostâ—is dicens peccatâ— tua remittuntur tibi Nam sic Apostolus putat hominem Justificaâ—j gratis per si emâ— If thou beleeuest that thy sinnes can not be blotted out but onely by him against whom thou hast sinned thou doest well But proceed further and beleeue that hee hath forgiuen thee thy sinnes For this is this witnesse that the Spirit of God maketh in our hearts saying Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee for so the Apostle taketh a man to be iustified freely by Fayth The Papistes beeing choked with this place fuâ—â—ble vp this answere that Bernard doth not say that we ought to beleeue the remission of our sinnes absolutly withouâ— respect of workes but that he requireth our repentance as a signe by which this Perswasion is wrought But wee answere them that he doth perspicuously auerre that the generall Fayth by which the fundamentall matters of Religion are beleeued is onely the Beginning and Rudiment of Fayth and therefore sufficeth not vnlesse we goe further and apply by Fayth this Grace of God vnto our selues simply without reference to any tradition of our side Mâ—â—ut
The fourth Obiection is thus laide in against vs. There can be no Iustification where there is not Fayth and Repentance But no man can be certaine by the certaintie of Fayth of his vnfained Repentance of his sinnes past and of such a Fayth as God requireth of vs in asmuch as the worde performes no testimonie of our particuler Fayth and Repentance therefore no man can be certaine by the certaintie of Fayth that his sinnes are forgiuen him Our Answere is this that a man by his Fayth should be certaine of his Fayth and Repentance there is no such necessitie because the obiect of Fayth is not of thinges present but of thinges to come whereas Fayth and Repentance are truely present in all that truely beleeue and repent it will suffice if any man any way be vndoubtedly certaine that he hath them And albeit some men fondly feed vpon their owne Fancie as vpon a Restoratiue that they haue Fayth and haue it not as they that dreame that they are great persons when they are out of their dreame finde the contrarie yet the true beleeuer knoweth aswell that hee beleeueth as hee that vnderstandeth knoweth hee vnderstandeth and as hee that beleeueth a man on his word knoweth hee beleeueth him and as hee that holdeth Monie in his hand knoweth that hee holdeth it Wherefore Paul calleth on the Corintians 2. Cor. 13.5 to prooue whether they haue Fayth or no to insinuate that it is a poynt to be prooued and discerned of vs And hee professeth this discerning skill in himselfe where hee sayth J know whom J haue beleeued 2. Tim. 1.12 And S. Iohn maketh it as cleare as the Sunne 1. Ioh. 3.24 By thâ—s wee know that hee dwelles in vs by the spirit which he hath giuen vs. And whereas they vrge vs further herein that albeit we may know that we haue this Fayth yet we can not know whether it be of sufficiencie or no for our securitie in this cause We answere that true Fayth not blinded with hypocrisie in the mediocritie and imperfection thereof sufficeth to assure vs of our particuler Election as the least measure of Manna fedde them in the Desart Exod. 6. as well as they that came in with Cornu copta and had made greater prouision As a Palsie shaking Hand could receiue the benefite of an Almes as well as the strongest Arme and soundest Hand of all As the Flesh that is the weakest part of man hath as much vinacitie in it as the very stones that are of such solide and firme composition The sinceritie of our Fayth beeing of more worth with God then the perfection of it The Will with God is the measure of the action the Desire of any Grace in God is the very Grace it selfe He that hath but a Will to serue God hath the Spirit of God and hee that hath the Spirit of God is in Christ and hee that is in Christ shall neuer see damnation God will approoue his owne workes which he hath wrought in thee and will not reiect thee for thy worke 5. A fift Obiection throwne vpon vs hath deduction from such Scripture authorities as commende Feare vnto vs the contrarie qualitie as it should seeme to this godly securitie of Conscience that this Doctrine of the Knowledge of our particuler Election seemeth to implie as where Salomon sayth Pâ—â—â— 28.14 Blessed is the man that Feareth alway â—â—ul 2.12 As where Paul sayth Worke your saluation with Feare and trembling As where the same Apostle sayth Rom. 11.20 Thou standest by Fayth be not high minded but Feare As where the royall Prophet in the Ode 〈◊〉 2.11 sayth Serue the Lord in Feare and reioyce in trembling Vpon which places Stapleton croweth as a Cocke on the dunghill out of the aduantage that he presumeth he hath against our Doctrine which he sayth giue the foyle to our counterfeite Fayth of our perswasion of Gods Loue not possibly to be lost and to the opinion we hold of the indeleble Fayth of the Elect and to all our Diuinitie of the certaintie of Grace and Saluation His Sophistication and fallacie is thus framed Where there yet remaineth to the beleeuer and to him that standeth in the Fayth matter of feare there this conceiued Beliefe of ours this Fayth inexpungible this presumptuous assurance can not haue a place His reason is because nothing is more aduerse to Securitie then Feare nothing more destroyeth this our certaintie of Saluation then this our facilitie of possibilitie of falling from Grace neither may that be deemed indeleble that is in such danger and hazard to be lost But the Apostle sayth he striketh with feare yea such as beleeue and stand in the sayth therefore in this securitie of ours there is an absolute nullitie I cannot greatly blame him for his dowtie dispute to keepe vs still in suspense of our saluation for the Doctor knoweth well that all their questuous occupation whereby they liue is in the life of this their luxate doctrine and how that if this our diuinitie should stand they might burne their Bookes as the Bookes of curious artes were serued spoken of by Luke in the Actes of the Apostles for the whole masse and waight of all their building their Purgatorie Masse Indulgences Satisfactions Merites and the whole Papacie leaneth vpon this base of base minded Doctrine doubtfulnesse of saluation without which doubt out of doubt all would come tumbling downe with a witnesse at the sound of this our Preaching as the Walles of Hiericho sometimes did at the noyse of the Trumpets of Rammes hornes But I answere Stap eâ—on in his Argument that the Assumption of his Sillogisme is faultie two wayes 1. First for that the Apostle doth not put feare into the heartes of the faythfull standing in the Fayth but only such as make detraction froÌ„ the Faith such as our Hipocrites and seruers of the times such as neuer indeed beeing in the Fayth can not tarrie or stand in the Fayth Secondly he doth not affright the faithfull standers in the Fayth with the terrour of their fall but onely monisheth them to that feare which consisteth in modestie and humilitie Bellarmine in his Bookes of Iustification Bellar. lib. 3. cap. 12. de Iustificat to establish this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Sophisters and to ouerthrow our position of the certaine knowledge of our Predestination vseth the selfe-same argument more briefly framed thus Where feare is there is no assurance but we are all willed to feare therefo e there is no assurance The Proposition is true vnderstood of the seruile feare vnable to stand with this assurance for this feare is in the Diuels who beleeue and tremble But as it hath reference to the filiall feare which is a feare of God of modestie of humilitie it is erroneous false for it is in the nature of this feare not to quench but to kindle Fayth to conserue and to increase it Againe there
is Fallacia non cauâ—ae in the Minor For we are commaunded to feare not by doubting of Grace but by auoyding of sinne pride and displeasure of God Thirdly those threates and terrours are indefinite peculiarly respecting Hipocrites lurking in the Church who beleeue and stand by that Fayth onely Quae creatur which is beleeued in the profession of the doctrine but they doe not beleeue stand in the Fayth Qua creaâ—tur in the which it is beleeued that is in the assuraunce of the heart Now of such onely is the Minor to be taken and so wee giue them the whole argum nt of such as are truely faythfull it is false The Consequent raysed out of this sentence to the Pâ—â—iapâ—â—ta 〈◊〉 VVorke your situation with feare and trembling Therefore the faythfull may feare their fall Beeing applyed to the feare that is cautelous and carefull is not to be denied For the faythfull must feare that is take heed they fall not and foresee that they plunge not themselues through securitie into vtter perdition This feare Fayth it selfe naturally doth beget and this Care is the Tribute that is due vnto it But as it considereth the feare of doubt and distrust of Gods grace the Antecedent is vntrue for the Apostle by exhorting men to such feare should derogate from the Promises of God and to giue the lye vnto him Therefore both Bellarmine and Stâ—pleton doe but wrangle with the Apostles argument This feare of working of our saluation is not in respect of Gods mercie forgiuing our sinnes but in respect of vs and our nature which is euer apt to turne aside from God There is a threefold feare 1. Of Nature 2. Grace 3. Distrust 1. That of Nature is that whereby the nature of man is troubled with that which any way striueth against it and therefore auoydeth it 2. Feare of Grace is that mother Grace of all others which Salomon calleth The beginning of Wisedome and it is a kind of awe or reuerence vnto God as considering how wee are in the presence of God in all thinges wee doe 3. Feare of Distrust is that melancholie and cruell feare that stabbeth the heart with the sword of Gods Iudgements in the sense and sight men haue of their sinnes without hope of recouerie The first of these three was good by Creation Marc. 14. and therefore our Sauiour was not free of this for it is written of him Hee began to feare The third is naught called a Seruile feare The second is that which is so often commended and commaunded vnto vs in these and such like authorities of Scripture whose nature is onely to make vs more warie and heedfull of our selues that wee runne not into sinne while we consider our owne Infirmities and Gods eternall Iudgementes And this kind of feare as well as the first agree well enough with the certaintie of Fayth and can stand togeather In one and the same respect they will not combine but in some diuersitie of Nature and Reason they goe hand in hand togeather The Saintes of God on the one side are smitten with feare while they recount their so manie and so fearefull falles and withall consider how the mouth of the Law condemneth sinne the hand of God striketh it how he spared not Angels Kingdomes Cities nay not his owne Sonne being in the similitude of sinfull flesh On the other side while they regard the Promises of God and called to minde the tender mercies of God which haue been euer of old they receiue comfort and expell all feare and they set sure foote in the Sanctuarie of the Lord. Diuerse causes breed diuerse effectes in the mindes of men A man that is in the toppe of an exceeding high Tower while his minde is intent vnto nothing else but how he may be in danger to fall and so wholly looketh downeward he cannot but feare but while hee considereth that the place where he standeth hath such Battlementes about and that hee is so mured in with a Wall that hee can not fall hee easily doth ridde himselfe of this feare 6. The sixt Obiection is thus mooued To beleeue that our sinnes are forgiuen vs is no Article of our Beliefe and therefore wee haue nothing to doe to beleeue it I answere them it is vnder these words I beleeue the forgiueness of sinnes I conclude it thus The Diuell beleeueth generally and ingrosse that God pardoneth the Church their sinnes but we are to wade further into the Fayth then the Diuell and apply this remission of sinnes euerie one of vs particulerly to our owne soules If the Papistes will not haue their Catholicke sayth to be better then the Diuels let them for all vs keepe their Fayth to them selues 7. The seuenth Obiection standeth thus In respect of Gods Mercie wee must hope for Saluation but in respect of our vnworthinesse wee must doubt the Promise of the Remission of our sinnes not being independant but conditionall thereafter according as our workes be Wee answere first Wee may not at all lawfully doubt of Gods Mercie because doubtfulnesse is not of the nature of Fayth but rather a naturall corruption 2. If wee consider our owne vnworthinesse it is out of all doubt we must be out of all hope and despaire of our saluation S. Paul teacheth Gal. 5.10 They which are of the workes of the Law are vnder the curse And so he speaketh in his owne case of his owne workes of grace 1. Cor. 4.4 Jn this I am not iustified So Dauid being out of all doubt of his owne deserued damnation sayth ingeniously thus Enter not into Iudgement with thy seruant O Lord for no flesh shall be iustified in thy sight Also the regard of our owne vnworthinesse is no preiudice to the resolutioÌ„ of Gods mercie in Christ For true Fayth maketh an entrance vnto God with boldnesse euen for those persons that are vnworthy in themselues The Centurion that confessed himselfe vnworthy vnder whose roose Christ might enter Math. 8.8 Luc. 15.1 yet is a suppliant to Christ for his Seruant The Prodigall Sonne that acknowledged himselfe a capitall sinner against Heauen Luc. 18.10.13 and his father yet tooke vp good heart went to his father The Publicane smote his heart pronouÌ„ced him selfe a sinner at al hands yet doubted he not to goe into the Temple to pray that his sinnes might be forgiuen him Our Fayth should be as the Fayth of Abraham Who beleeued vnder hope against hope whatsoeuer our vnworthinesse be neuer to cast downe the Sheild of the Fayth which we haue towardes God which defendeth the place where the heart doth lie and the Helme of Saluation which couereth our head in the day of Battell Fayth consisteth not so much in the sense of Gods mercie as in the apprehension of it which apprehesion may be when there is no sense of it Iob. 13.13 This appeareth by Jobes example where he sayth Though he slay mee yet I will trust in him Where
are more forcible in some more infirme in some more in othersome lesse are such as follow actuall and habituall Fayth 1 Hearing of the Word 2 Hatred of Sinne Loue of Righteousnesse 3 Patience in aduersitie 4 Endeauour to doe good Workes Wherefore we say that such as are Elected to this end are therewithall Predestinated vnto the meanes that tend to this end For Predestination is not onely of the end but also of the meanes that serue therevnto All as well the end as the meanes are the effectes of Predestination Wherefore rightly saith Saint Augustine August Praedistinatio est praeparatio beneficiorii D j quibus certâ—ssine liberantur quicunque theâ—antur Predestination is a preparation of the benefites of God by which they are most certainely deliuered whosoeuer are deliuered 1. The first Gift of God the effect of Predestination is Christ Iesus with his Obedience Merites Death Resurrection Glorie as hee is ordained Mediator betweene the Father and vs and the head of all the Elect and so the Head Fountaine of all the manifold Graces of God from the flowing streame of his free Predestination powred vpon vs For the effectes of Predestination are so ordinate and subordinate one to the other as those that haue precedencie giue their efficiencie and sufficiencie to their fellowes Wherfore Christ being the formost effect of Election hee is the cause of all the rest from whom and by whom they are all the companie of them conuayed and communicated vnto vs. Wherefore worthily the Apostle in his Letter to the Ephesians the first Chapter Ephes 1.4 layeth vs downe these Lessons 1. That we are Chosen in Christ vers 5. as it were in the head that wee should be his members 2. That hee hath Predestinated vs to Adoption filiation but wee are adopted into this Son-ship in Christ Gal. 4 6. the first borne of manie Brethren and by the communication of the said filiation we are really indeed the Sonnes of God endowed with his Spirit by which wee are regenerated 3. vers 6. That we are made freely accepted to God in Christ his beloued 4. That in the same Christ vers 7. we haue our RedemptioÌ„ through his Blood of the euerlasting Couenant euen the forgiuenesse of our sinnes as all Wisedome and Vnderstanding beside 5. Finally that all thinges in him vers 8. are reconciled togeather as well the thinges in Heauen Gal. 4 10. as the thinges that are in Earth Summarily the Apostle there as in other sundry places teacheth that whatsoeuer good thinges we haue receiued or are to receiue from the first to the last from our eternall Election to our future Glorification wee haue and shall haue them onely in Christ and by Christ in whom wee hold them all in Capite from him Whosoeuer therefore are chosen of God to life euerlasting beside that they are chosen in Christ they are Predestinated vnto Christ that is to the vnion and communion of Christ so that by him it is of necessitie we attaine all other thinges 2. The second Benefite of God and effect of our Election is our effectuall Vocation to Christ and his Gospell by which the Elect onely are called because it is performed 2. Tim. 1.9 According to his owne purpose grace which is giuen to vs in Christ. The outward calling is common with the rest with the verie Rebrobates according to this Aphorisme of our Sauiour Many are called Ioh. 8.47 But few are chosen But the inward true calling by which the vnderstanding is enlightned with the sauing knowledge of God the will is inclined to the will of God is the peculiar of the part predestinate This vocation effectuall is discerned by the verie effects thereof Whereof two are immediate 1. The heartie hearing of Gods word togeather with the vnderstanding therof coupled consorted with constancie cheerefulnesse 2. A serious and sure fayth affiance that we haue in the same Hence is it Ioh. 8.47 that is saide by our Sauiour Hee that is of God that is to meane by election and effectuall vacation heareth Gods word that is willingly cheerefully and continually Yee therefore heare it not because ye are not of God This vocation of ours is done not onely by the preaching of the worde albeit that is the ordinarie meanes wherewith God effecteth it but sometimes he vseth other helpes as Prayer the consideration of his Miracles the admonition of Friendes the interposition of afflictions the inward inspiration of his Spirit Justinus Martyr as witnesseth Eusebius Euseb Lib. 4. 8. was won to the sayth by the regard he had to the rage of Tyrants Aug. Confess Lib. 3. Cap. 4. and to the patient suffrings of the Saintes Augustine in his Confessions telleth vs that hee was conuerted to Christianisme by reading an heathnish Booke of Cicero indorced superscribed Hertensius the forme of his confession is thus Jlle Liber mutauit affectum meum et ad teipsum Domine mutanit preces meas That Booke turned my minde and turned my Prayers vnto thee O Lord my God God in mollifying our Heartes Or any other thing of that nature and conuerting vs doth as hee that would soften the Waxe that is hard to make it apt to take an impression First he chafeth it vp and downe betweene his handes he oyleth it he dippeth it in warme Water he setteth it against the Fire and then bringeth it to the Stampe or Presse and if none of these will doe it good then he medleth no more with it but as a thing vnprofitable hee doth vtterly reiect it This is the course that God taketh in the mollifying and softning of our heartes First he taketh vs as it were into his hands rubbing and stroaking vs with the memoriall of his Benefites then he suppleth vs with his holy Inspirations the vnction and comfortable oyle of his Grace 3. Hee washeth and rinseth vs with the Waters of his Pleasures as out of a Riuer 4. And sometimes worketh our compunction by the fierie tryall of Persecution 5. And lastly striketh vs out of life with the hammer of Death If none of these callinges will make vs come to him hee then casteth all such sinners into Hell as all the people that forget God and will not obey his heauenly Calling Where Fire and Brimstone Storme and Tempest shall be their portion to drinke He calleth by his Word such as are of age wherfore it is said to the Church of Laodiceaâ— Behold I stand at the doore and knocke if any man shall heare my voyce Apoc. 3. and open the doore I will come in to him and suppe with him and hee with mee wherfore Christ saith If any man loueth me and keepeth my wordes Ioh. 14. my Father shall loue him and we will come and abide with him But withal he chiefly worketh our Vocation by his inward inspiration by the which the Father draweth by the Spirit them that