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. For thus hee writeth of vs they say rightly that euery one may by faith applye to himselfe the generall promises 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 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 beleeeue 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 as they ought to beleeue who haue faith which worketh by loue Yet else-where he laboureth to prooue that 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 orherwise Paul would not haue bidden the Corinthians to proue themselues whether they were in the faith Augustine sayd 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 working by loue yet may a man easily know whether hee haue loue or not 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 euerie 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 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 for holdin 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 acknowlâ—dge 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 trâ—th 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 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 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 whosoeuer is borne of God sinneth not yea he keepeth himselfe and the wicked toucheth him not Is 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 for 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
A PLAINE AND PROFITAble Exposition of the Parable of the Sower and the Seede Wherein is plainly set forth the difference of hearers both good and bad To which is added a learned answer to the Papists in diuers points of Controuersie betweene vs and them the heads whereof are set downe in the pages following Luke 8. 18. Take heede how yee heare LONDON Printed for William Bladen and are to be sold at his shop at the signe of the Bible at the great North-doore of Pauls 1625. SECT 1. 2. THe word written and the word preached both one SECT 3. Nothing to be preached but what is written SECT 4 5. Of diuers kindes of faith SECT 6 7. Of iustifying faith SECT 8. Iustifying faith proper to the Elect. SECT 9. The faith of miracles SECT 10. The name of historicall faith SECT 11. The difference betwixt historicall and iustifying faith SECT 12. Of Temporary faith SECT 13. Whether Iustifying faith may bee lost SECT 14. Whether Peter lost his faith SECT 15. Of Virginitie and Mariage SECT 16. A friendly admonition to all ignorant Papists against the lies and falshoods of their Priests and lesuits TO THE MOSTREVEREND FATHER IN God George Lord Bishop of Chester RIght Reuerend When I first preached these Sermons I little thought to haue put them forth to publike view yet such hath bene the importunitie of some of my best hearers in mouing me to penne them or some others of my Sermons As I might haue bene thought vnkind and vncurteous if I had altogether denied that their godly and earnest request And the rather was I perswaded by them because it was hoped that the publishing of these might yeeld some benefite not onely to those persons who formerâ—… heard them but likewise to those who hereafter should reade them It is well knowne that the papists make small account of hearing Gods word preached they hope to be saued rather by sight then by hearing Though hearing be a dutie commanded by God exacted by the prophets Enioyned by Christ Required by the Apostles and practised by all good people Though it be an apparent signe of Gods Elect. An infallible marke of Christs sheepe A true note of Gods Saints An euident token of our spirituall kinred with Christ. A plaine testimonie of our happines A comfortable assurance of our perseuerance Though it be an ordinarie and effectuall meane of our conuersion of working faith of receiuing the spirit of obtaining fellowship with Christ and of enioying saluation in heauen And though the neglect and contempt of it hath bene and shall be seuerely punished Yet the papists little regard the word preached seldom will vouchsafe to heare it As they doe wilfully refuse to heare vs so doe they iudge it to be neither greatly necessarie nor much profitable to heare their owne teachers Moses was read and preached euery Sabboth in the Iewes Synagogues It was the custome of Christ and his Apostles to preach to the people in the Synagogues euery Sabboth day The ancientest of the fathers testifie that in their times the people heard a sermon each Lords day And diuers councills haue made decrees for the continuance of that custome in succeeding ages Yet the Romish prelates haue made it a precept of their Church that euery one shall see a masse on each Sabboth but will not make it a precept to heare a sermon each Sabboth As if the often sight of a masse were more necessarie and more profitable then the hearing of a sermon And as if the Sabboth were better sanctified and the peoples soules more edisied by the masse then by the preaching of the word As the priests are accustomed often to say masse but seldome to preach so the people for one sermon which they heare do see fortie or fifty masses Imitating that king who saw three masses each day but seldome heard any sermon And being admonished by Lewis king of FraÌ„ce that he must not bestow all lâ—s time on masses but sould oftner heare sermons answered that he had rather often see his Friend then heare one speaking of him though hee spake neuer so good thinges As if they might with their eyes see Christ corporally present in masses and could onely heare some talke of him at sermons Wherein as they doe most blasphemously preferre their owne inuented idoll before Gods most holy ordinance So doe they bewray their ignorance touching the necessitie and efficacie of the word preached If they would duely consider the scope and doctrine of this parable they might easily perceiue that the hearing of the word is as necessarily required for the direction of their liues and the saluation of their soules As the sowing of the ground with good seed is necessarily required of them that would reape a plentifull crop at haruest And that it is not the sight of their abhominable idoll but the reuerend hearing of Gods sacred word that must make them fruitfull in all good workes Againe wee cannot but acknowledge that the Lord hath sent many skilfull and painefull Husbandmen to sowe his sielde with vs who according to their office and dutie sow it in due season after a good maner and with the best seede And yet it yeeldeth litle fruite People heare much learne litle and practise lesse Which cannot be imputed to the want of good preaching but rather to the want of good hearing the fault is rather in the ground then in the sower or in the seede The seede is good and great store is sowne but the ground is barren The doctrine is sound and the maner of teaching prositable but the people heare amisse and so for want of good hearing loose the fruite of many good sermons because the profit of hearing dependeth on the maner of hearing A medicine sitly prescribed and rightly compounded looseth his vertue in curing the patients disease if it be not duly administred and orderly receiued We to our great griese loose our labour in preaching and the people to their great perill loose their labour in hearing because they heare amisse As therefore I was at first enduced to preach these sermons so was I afterward perswaded to penne them that by them the simpler sorte for whose sake onely I do now publish them might haue some plain direction how to heare for their profit There be some among vs who seeme to be of Iudas his minde and say quorsum perditio haec The pentions giuen by his maiestie for the maintenance of preachers in these popish partes might well be spared or else conuerted to other more necessarie vses what good doe they in the countrey Whom his Maiestie may answere And no doubt if he heard their murmuring speeches would answere them roundly as the Maister of the Vineyard answered the murmuring labourers Is it not lawfull for me to doe with mine owne as I will Is thine eye euill because
aâ—…oe by that ancient Father Augustine and thereby proued neuer to fayle By this faith we are iustifyed as the Apostle plainely and often teacheth and our aduersaries cannot denie though they hold that we are not iustifyed by it alone Now if we be iustified we shall also be glorified Yea whosoeuer thus beleeueth shall not be confounded The Saintes doe keepe this faith in the hottest persecution that can befall them And therefore in describing the cruell tyrannie and grieuous persecution vnder the greate beaste which opened his mouth to blaspheme GOD and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in heauen and made warre against the Saints led many into captiuitie and killed many with the sword The holy Ghost breaketh forth into these speeches Here is the patience and the faith of the Saints because the Saints doe not loose but keepe and expresse their patience and faith in such afflictions Neyther can Sathan by his tentations depriue them of faith as appeareth in the example of Peter Sathan desâ—red to winnow him as wheate yet for his comfort Christ told him that hee had prayed for him that his faith might not fayle Christs prayer was not in vaine Hee at another time acknowledged to his Father that he heard him alwaies And therefore though Peter did afterwardes fall most grieuously in denying his Maister and that with an oathe and with cursing himselfe yet did hee not loose his faith It remayned in his heart though hee did not professe it with his mouth Neyther could this be a singular prerogatiue to Peter for Christ hath as well prayed for others as for him not onely for all the Apostles but likewise for all those that should beleeue in him through their word And therefore in the midst of all afflictions and tentations they shall be kept constant in faith Hee who gaue them faith will make them to continue their faith as he who made them good will make them continue in goodnes He is so faithfull that he will not suffer them to be tempted aboue that which they be able to beare but will giue them the issue with the tentation Their faith may be assaulted but not destroyed weakened but not wasted ecclâ—psed but not extinguished hidde and couered as the Sunne vnder a cloude and fire raked vnder the ashes but not abolished The act of it may be lost for a time but not the habite for if their faith may fayle and they perish why did the Apostle say that after they beleeued they were sealed with the holy spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the possession purchased by Christ And how is it true that they are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation And if iustifying faith may not be lost then it is certaine that if any fall away and vtterly loose their faith they neuer had it Diuers of Christs Disciples did seeme to beleeue in him yet afterward forsooke him and thereupon he said to them there are some of you that beleeue not And the Euangelist addeth a reason for Iesus knewe from the beginning which they were that beleeued not and who should betray him As if there were some of his Disciples that beleeued and some beleeued not namely those that tooke offence at his doctrine and forsooke him as also Iudas the traitour Euen while they followed Christ they wanted this faith Doth not S. Iohn say of reuolters they went out from vs because they were not of vs for if they had bene of vs they should haue continued with vs. Who then doe fall away from the Church but only those who indeed were neuer of the Church were in it but not of it And who are they that liue in the Church and be not of it but those that want a true iustifying faith for by it we are made members of Christ and incorporated into his mysticall body the Church But as for the faith spoken of in this my text it may be lost yea it is of such a nature that seldome it is kept to the end of a mans life Inward tentation by the diuell or outward persecution by men may rob the owners of it It is like to corne growing in the house top which may flourish for a while in the spring time but in heate and drought of summer will wither away And herein consisteth a maine difference betwixt iustifying and temporary faith the one is perpetuall the other for a time And no maruaile thogh it continue not long seeing it is built on temporary causes namely these three 1. It ariseth from curiositie for these beleeuers will heare and learne receiue and professe the Gospell for the newnes of it As the Iewes reioyced for a â—…me in Iohns light especially for the noueltie of it And as the Athenians would heare Paul preach and would know the meaning of his doctrine because as they said he brought certaine straÌ„ge things to their eares And they gaue theÌ„selues to nothing but to tell and heare some newes Bernard noted diuers sorts of persoÌ„s who desired knowledge of heauenly matters seueral ends for which they desired it And the first was of theÌ„ who desired knowledge onely for this end that they might know and this is fowle curiositie Now you know that a wonder lasteth not loÌ„g They who haue curious heads and itching eares after noueltie will not long like the same thing but as the Israelites at the first liked their Manna because it was a strange kind of meate but afterward loathed it wheÌ„ they had bene a while fed with it So these men at the first hearing of the Gospell for the strangenes of the doctrine may admire it receiue it with ioy and professe the faith thereof and yet afterward waxe wearie of it 2. It often ariseth from pride and vaineglory Because others doe condemne the enemies of the Gospell but doe like and loue honour and commend those that beleeue it professe it liue accordingly they to get credit honour among men will professe the faith of Christ submit themselues to his holy Gospel EueÌ„ as the Pharisies did fast and pray and giue almes to be seene and praised of men These persons as Bernard said desire knowledge that themselues may be knowne and this is foolish vanitie which men cannot escape the girding taunt of the scoffing Satyricke Scire tum nihil est nisi te scire hoc sciat 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 should be made as the filth of the world and the ofscouring 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
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 theologieall 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 same 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 diuers 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 of it 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 promises 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 feare that you will rather beleeue them then me The Rhemists say that to apprehend Christs righteousnes by faith is a phâ—ntasticall apprehension of that which is not And that it is a false faith And afterward that the Apostle knewe not speciall faith the forged faith of Protestants whereby euery one of these new Sect-maisters 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 And else-where that a speciall faith is a forged faith that neither Paul nor Iames nor any other sacred writer euer knewe or spake of any such faith Cardinall Bellermine maintaineth that Faith is neither Fiducia an assurance of Gods mercie or the Pardon of a Man 's owne sinnes nor yet Notitia a cknowledge of such thinges but but onely a firme and certaine assent to the truth of those things which God hath propounded to be deliuered Doctor Stapleton calleth them Heretickes who place the whole nature propertie vertue and greatnes of faith in a particular applicatien of Gods geuerall promises to Belieuers Indeed that which they say is true if there were no other faith taught in the word nor wrought 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 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 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. 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 Lorde 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 saying vnto him Because thou hast seene mee thou belieuest And maketh that his faith the very same with their faith who were blessed for belieuing when they had not seene Yea with the faith of Gentiles For Augusti thinketh 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 declareth at large Ioh 6. Whervpon 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 fed Doth not euery one pray in particular for speciall mercie And is not euery one to belieue that what he asketh he shall obtaine 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 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 Looâ—…e 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 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
they were not called according to his purpose and therefore not elected If therefore the elect haue such a faith as neuer shall fayle 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. Feras 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 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 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 all their Catholikes hold that the faith of miracles and the faith of promises 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 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 fâ—ith of others Can these bee one and the same habite Can the one bee a degree of the other seeing they 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 adn 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 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 saith so as I could remooue mountaines as Theodoret and 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 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 Depart from me ye workers of iniquitie Augustine confesseth that the schismaticall Donatists had it as well as the Orthodoxall Christians Popish writers teach that wicked men be sometimes indued with it Ill liuers which haue not other graces of God whereby their persons should be gratefull iust and holie in Gods sight Yea a man that is out of the state of grace Yea a 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 highest 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 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 autem 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. 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 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 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 Ianâ—â—nius vpon the
charitie loueth Faith respecteth the first trueth Charitie the chiese good Not the second because although charity arise of faith yet it doth not arise as a proper passion which doth necessarily flowe from the subiect but as a vertue vnto which an other doth dispose and encline And Thomas Aquinas saith Seeing Charitie is without the essence of faith by the comming or departure of it the substance of faith is not changed And although Bellarmine holde with the school-men that Charitie is the forme of faith yet he tteacheth that it is an outward not an inward forme And such a forme as doth not giue beeing vnto it but motion Howe then can it make it make any essentiall differēce betwixt that faith which hath it and that faith which wanteth it I know that the Fathers do sometime note loue as a difference betwixt the faith of Christians and diuels and betwixt the faith of good Christians and bad Yet do they not make it the onely difference betwixt them they teach an essentiall differēce by belieuing in God with trust and confidence Againe they might better make it a difference of theyr faith then the Papists can make it a difference of the faith which they teach because it was a necessary and proper effect proceeding from that their faith not from any other For those that do so belieue in God with hope and confidence of his mercie and goodnes towards them cannot but loue him But papists haue no such confidence nor assurāce in their faith which should make them to loue God they may haue all theyr faith without loue And therefore loue cannot distinguish it essentially from the faith of diuels So then to shut vp this point it still remaineth apparent that in the nature and substance there is no difference at all betwixt popish assenting faith and the faith of diuels And surely those that now content themselues with such a faith as is no better in substance then the faith of diuels may iustly feare least hereafter they shall haue no better estate in substance then the deuils haue SECT XII THe last kinde of faith which I mentioned I called a Temporary faith which differeth from a dead faith because while it lasteth it bringeth forth outward fruites And yet is not the same with a iustfying faith because it commeth short of it by many degrees doth not saue any and continueth not vnto the end This faith is scarce knowne to the papists very fewe of their writers make any mention of it Yet lest any should thinke that it is a new coyned tearme and a newly inuented faith I will shew what authors write of it Augustine long agoe vsed the name and tytle together with the name of Historicall faith as before I declared Bernard doth at large describe it and sheweth the difference betwixt it and other kindes of faith he maketh a diuisiō 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 an 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 profitable 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 rooted 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 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 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 farre 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 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
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 Councell of Trent decreed that Faith is lost by infidelitie and by euery mortall sinne 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 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 druÌ„kards who without all doubt giue credit to all those things which the Church propoundeth to be beleeued Coster the Iesuite likewise 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 bee 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 belâ—g to the church as Taâ—es 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 haue 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 found in the very diuels Yet a true sauing faith wherof the question is cannot be found in any such persons as keepe a continued 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 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 16â— 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 beleeuers loose by their mortall sinnes Though they loose not the habite yet 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 selfe such a faith as is lost will doe them no good What an absurditie it is to hold that a formed faith and an vnformed faith a liuing faith and a dead faith a iustifying faith and a faith that iustifieth not are one and the selfe same 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 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 as if Infidelitie were not a deadly sinne And if this be so then Bellarmines arguments whereby he would prooue that faith may be lost are altogether impertinent and fall to the ground of themselues seeing they are drawne from a relapse into sinne not into Infidelitie When the Lord spake by his Prophet That if the righteous man did forsake his righteousness and commit iniquitie hee shall dye for the same which is the Cardinals first argument He spake not of a falling from righteousnes into Infielitie but of a falling into mortall sinne as they call it When Christ said Eueâ—y branch that beareth not fruite hee will take away hee vnderstood not of any reuolt to Infidelitie but of the sinnes of omission in which men fayle in their duties The like may be said of Christs words that iniquity should abound and charitie waxe cold 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 maner 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 Wall 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 prosesse 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 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 assâ—â—ting faith
and of a professed Christian become an Infidell but he who hath a true Justifying faith cannot quite loose it he may fall in outward 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 Marcellinus 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 Hereâ—icke nor Infidell 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 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—oâ—g 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 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 of the Discciples which forsooke Christ at Capernaum That they were called Disciples the Gospell so speaking and yet they were not Disciples in truth because they abode not in his word According to that which he saith If yee abide in my Worde yee are verily my Disciples Therefore because they had not perseuerance As they were not truely the Diseiples 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 For by Faith are we made the Sonnes of God as the scripture teacheth Yea the same Father professedly expoundsng the place of Iohn where those Disciples are mentioned saith They were to be reckoned among vnbelieuers though they were called Disciples If any suspect that I wrest his wordes contrary to his meaning Let him reade Maldonatus a Papist who writeth that 52 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 said were turned backe after Satan But of what faith must this be vnderstoode What faith did those Disciples and othe Reuolters want when they were taken for Disciples and Christians Was it an Hystoricall or assenting faith The Iesuites will not yeeld that Castor holdeth that all in the Church haue such a faith yea though they be as Tares among wheat bad fish among good foolish virgins wanting oyle in their Lamps as the guest wanting a wedding-Garment and like the incestuous Corinthian Bellarmine 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 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 According to Christian veritie saith 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 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 faile Shall wee thinke that Christs Prayer was not heard Doth not hee else-where acknowledge that the Father heard him alwayes Was his prayer effectuall against the losse of grace and faith by sinne not against the losse of them by Infidelitie Then was his prayer heard but in part How can they proue that difference SECT XIIII IN prosecuting this point I produced Peuer for an Example who though he denyed his master with an Oath yet still kept Faith in his heart And least any should thinke that this was a speciall priuiledge in Peter I shewed that Christ prayed for others as well as for him Now if there be 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 Christs prayer for all the elect namelie 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 Bellarmine and others doe teach that Peter did quite loose his faith and the righteousnes thereof I will
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. that the Fathers taught their errour And as the Arians falsly pretended that Dyonisius Alexandrinus was of their opinion And as the Pelagians alledged Clemens Alexandrinus Ambrose Arnobius 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 bene done by others and may be done againe in other Controuersies 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 themselues to be the true church you may by these few points euidently see that they haue many iarres and contentions about the chiefest points of faith As the Arians long agoe were noted not onely to differ in opinion from the orthodoxall 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 deceiue 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 doe 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 whoredome 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 saued by their good works Will these be accounted confessours of their Religion And yet keepe no good conscience in their conuersation Augustine said truely That they are good Catholiks who follow both sound Faith and good manners Why then should we account them good Catholickes who haue neither sound Faith nor good manners The Lord of his mercie open your eyes that you see his truth and some out of Babel And also worke true faith in your hearts that you may through his Sonne inherite his euerlasting kingdome Amen FINIS 1 Deut 6. 3 4. 31 12. 13. Math. 17. 5. 2 Isai 28. 23. 66. 2. 5. Ier. 6. 18. 9. 2 10. 1. 3 Math. 11 15. 13 9. 43 Math. 15 10 Luk. 14. 35 4 Act. 13. 16 15. 13 Reuel 〈◊〉 7. 11. 17. 5 Nehâ—m 89. Luk. 51 Lâ—k 15 1. 21. 38. Act. 10 33 13. 7 44 Act. 16. 14 6 Ieh 8. 47 18. 37 1. Ioh. 4. 6 7 Ioh 10. 27 8 Deut. 33. 3 9 Luk. 8. 21 10 Luk. 11 28 11 Math. 7 24 Luâ— 10. 42 12 Ier 23 22 Act. 2. 41 1. Cor. 14 24. 25 13 Act. 4. 〈◊〉 15. 7 Rom. 10. 17 14 Act. 10. 44 Gal. 3. 2. 5 15 Reuel 3. 20. 16 〈◊〉 Tim. 4. 16 â—…am 1. 21. 17 2 Châ—o 24. 19. 23. â—…em 9. 30. Ier. 26. 4. 5 18 Deut 18. 19 Math. 10 14 15. Math 12. 42 19 Act 15. 21. 20 Luk 4 16. 21 Act 17. 42 44 17 2 〈◊〉 4 22 â—ustin Maâ—tye apolog 2 Teâ—â—ull apolog c 39 Origen in â—x od â—omil 7. 23 Colon caâ— 9 Laoâ—ic cap 16 â—â—ul lan ca 19 Magâ—â—t cap 25. 24 Bernatdinâ—de Senâ—s de obseruaâ— sabb serm 1â— cap 3. Tollâ—t instruct sacerdoâ— lib. 〈◊〉 ca 6 Vaux catech cap 3. 25 â—hom Wassingh hist Augt in Exwar â—…1 p 43. Idoâ— dagm Neustr p 472. De Henrico 3. Math. 26 8. Ioh 12 4. Math 20 15. Nâ—hem 4 7 8 2 Tim 3 6 2 Tim 38 Tit 1 11 〈◊〉 Pet 2 3. 1. Sam. 28. 7. Epist. 48. ad viacent Leges principum rectè imploraâ—i aduersus hostes fider modo id fiat animo corrigendi non studio vindicandi August epist 48 Vides epist 50. 60. 61 127 167. 2 P. Martyr comment in Iudic 21 19 21 fol. 177 Simler comment n Exod 20 8 3 Orat in Christi natruit paulo pâ—st â—itium 4 Contra 〈◊〉 orat z prope finem 5 Apud Dadâ—ae loc comâ— tit â—estus dies 6 In psal 32 â—onc 1 In solitracâ— 3 De decem chord cap 〈◊〉 7 Toletan corcil 3. 1. Canon 22. 8 Can. 35. Vides Flac. Illyâ—is catalog test verit in Leo 4 9 Verae religionis homines etiam solennia eorum conscientia potius quà m lasciuia celebraÌ„t c. Siccine exprimitur publicum gaudium pet publicum dedecus haeccine solen es dies principium decent quae alios dies non decent Apologet cap. 35. 10 Sozom. hist l. 8 c 20. 11 In Genes 24 homil 47 in 〈◊〉 homil 55. mino 12 Can. 53 54. 13 Ludou vâ—ues de institut faem lib. 1. c. 11. Catech. Rom part 3. cap. 7. p. 351. Iudolph de vita christi part 〈◊〉 c. 66. A. Tho Aquâ—… Hugo cardio Ferus in Math 14. Iansen concord euangel cap 59. 14 Polydor vitgil de inuent lib 5. c 2 〈◊〉 8 Vaux catech cap 3 15 Nâ—tum ist omnibus nugaces turpes saltationes ab episeopis solere compesci Contr epist. Parmen lib 3 cap 6. 16 Hiero. nim epist. Tranquilin Augustin cpiss 19 coÌ„ Crescon lib. 2 cap. 31 32 Dionys. Alexandr apud Enseb hist. lib. 7 cap. 23. Quis te non videat in me apertum iactaâ—e conuitium