whole confidence and hope of saluation in me Here therefore saith he is faith commanded As if B. these pronounes Mine Thine are notes alwaies and necessarily of a fatherly power and not rather of Lordship and superioritie What authoritie is this Or what are you haue you power ouer words that thus make and marre them at your pleasure But you say Not I only but many learned men before mee Melanct. Martyr and other As if it skilled whether you of your owne accord and of your selfe erred or following other suffer your selfe to bee seduced euen as cattle goe headlong after the flocks of cattle going before them The 2. reason of B. is thus framed All pietie towards God is commanded in the Decalogu but in faith onely all pietie is conteined therefore faith only is commanded in the lawe Here this Proteus doth delude vs by ambiguitie for if by all pietie towards God hee ineane all those duties of godlinesse which respect the perfect righteousnesse of the lawe viz the righteousnesse of workes then his proposition is true and agreeing to the maiestie of the Lawe but his assumption is manifestly false for faith neither conteines nor performes that spirituall obedience of the lawe viz. the righteousnesse of workes for it cannot it onely laies hold vpon the righteousnesse of God viz. the grace of Iesus Christ Wherby it no lesse attaines the inheritance then if hee had performed the spirituall righteousnesse of the law But if by all pietie towards GOD hee vnderstand all those duties of pietie which the faithfull their nature being now sold vnder sinne doe performe from faith and that no other obedience is required in the lawe besides this of faith if this hee hold I say then his proposition is erroneous no lesse opposite to the maiestie of the lawe then is the furthest part of the East to the vttermost corner of the West for the decalogu requireth that piety of the faithfull which none of them can fulfill neither doth it by the righteous sentence thereof condemne that righteous man that falleth 7. times a day lesse then any wicked one that neuer beleeued for the lawe is deliuered to the delinquent and transgressor not to this or that particular but to all of what mould so euer thou art made that sinnest of what stock vertue pietie saith in what fauour with God it passeth not if thou fault neuer so little it adiudgeth thee to death for the lawe of the decalogue is a spirituall lawe contrariwise euery one euen the most holy is sold vnder sin and so that if God had not found out another lawe of grace and promise by which hee might freelie giue the inheritance to holy Abraham and his seede then blessed Isaak should aswel haue been dishinherited as abiect Ismael and Iacob beloued had perished with Esau that was hated What then wil some say is God vniust that hath giuen such a law to men as none can performe God forbid What is God vnrighteous because thou art wicked made hee not thee holy and graced thee with that perfection that thou mightest easily if thou wouldest performe those things which the lawe commandeth contrariwise thou wittingly and wilfully casts thy selfe headlong into such a forlorne estate as that novv thou art vtterly vnable to pay the debt I will somewhat asswage the sadnesse of this argument by the lenitie of a similitude A certaine master committed to two of his seruants 1000. peeces of siluer vpon a bill at a certaine day in the meane space the seruants through idlenesse aboūding in riot excesse wasted al The day comes the master calls one of them sheweth the bill requires the siluer The seruant on the other side confesseth the bill of his hand but saith that all the money is spent and accuseth his master of vnmercifulnesse and cruelty because hee doth so hardly exact a 1000. peeces of siluer of a poore miserable man that hath not one penny to pay To whom his master wondering at the shamelesse boldnesse of the man answeres Aske I thee any thing but mine owne may I not by right require of thee that which freely and of my owne bounty I put into thy hands am I vnrighteous because thou art riotous or am I cruell because thou art prodigall So his master angerly bids that hee be carried to prison there to bee punished and takes a great oath he shall not come from thence till hee haue paide the vttermost farthing Also hee cals for his fellow with whom after the same manner hee deales by his bill But hee beeing priuie to his riot and prodigalitie quakes euery ioint and hanging down his head saith I acknowledge the bill indeed and confesse all the debt to bee due But my sinne hath brought mee to that extremitie of misery that I am not able to discharge it ô master haue pitie on mee saith hee and weeping falleth at his feete This was the controuersie This also is the issue of it Now B. bee Iudge your selfe for this Lord and master dreadeth not to commit his matter to any vmpire Nay I thinke there can scarce any debtor bee found so impudent and past shame that durst speake in this manner against any couetous base lawe-breaking vsurer as that wicked minded debtor and desperat spend-thrift spoke against his master But B. goeth on God saith hee would first of all haue his people beleeue in him which is the principall part of religion Therefore it followes that hee commanded them faith in his most perfect law ô poore blind cōscience as if forsooth hee had not from the beginning giuen another law viz of promise and life no lesse perfect then this most perfect law of the Decalogue whereby he commanded his people to beleeue place all their affiance in him Here then by the doubtfull termes of the lawe hee deludes both himselfe and others for God in this Decalogue hath inioined that righteousnesse to vs alone which the worthinesse of the worker obtaineth as it is writtē The man that doth these things shal liue in them But by the lawe of grace he hath first twice thrice yea alwaies commended to vs that righteousnesse which is onely obtained by the faith of the beleeuers as it is written Hee that beleeueth in him shall not be ashamed But B. still proceedes to speake perplexedly If saith hee God haue not commanded faith in the law why hath hee commanded other things which without faith are vaine friuolous I would know B. what you meane by this word Other things meane you the ceremonies Thē master Doctor you dispute not the point for the controuersie is not of the ceremoniall but of the moral law for we know and euery one doth thinke except I bee deceiued that the law is Synec vsed for the ceremonies that was our schoolmaster to Christ and that howsoeuer it set not out Christ in expresse tearmes yet in obscurer sort it shadowed him out But if by that word Other things you vnderstand the duties
then it signifieth either the doctrine of the Gospell it selfe or the faithfull discharge of their office that preach the same or else some speciall gift which the holy ghost vouchsafeth vnto vs Now of those gifts of the holy ghost there are but three onely which are intituled by the name of faith For sometimes the knowledge of that great mysterie which the holy ghost reuealeth and the certaine vnderstanding of the truth of GOD is called faith which may fitly be named either historicall Faith or the faith of knowledge Now for this Faith although al the Saints haue it in some measure yet is it not peculiar to them alone for vsually many wicked and filthy doe excell in this yea euen Satan himselfe doth goe farre beyond all others in this kind of Faith For hee beleeueth that God is the creatour of the world that hee is Lord ouer all and acknowledgeth himselfe vnder his dominion And that God made all things by his word as it is written Gen. 1.3 Psal 33.9 He spake the word and they were made he beleeueth this word to be that which is both called the Son of God and is so indeed by whom and for whom all things were made begotten before all time the immortall and wise God alwaies blessed for euer and euer Who after diuers maners appeared to the fathers and spake by the Prophets Hee beleeueth that the same Word in fulnesse of time came downe into the Virgin by the power of the holy ghost was made flesh and of her was born that annointed Sauiour thence-forth called Iesus Christ that the same wrought great miracles preached that hidden mystery of the will of GOD which beeing at that time almost buried in obliuion was long before foretold by the Prophets and hee likewise sealed and confirmed it by his Apostles Hee beleeueth furthermore that the same Word or sonne of GOD Christ Iesus after all this was nailed to the crosse dead and buried according to the Scriptures the third day rose to life againe and was taken vp into heauen sitteth there at the right hand of the Father which hath put all things vnder bis feete Because hee alone is worthy Hee is also most vndoubtedly perswaded that the Lord Iesus Christ did for supplying his own place send down from heau en the powerfull efficacie of his holy spirit to guide and gouerne his Church which past question is nothing else but the company and societie of his holy ones in all places here and there scattered ouer the whole world And hee beleeueth that this companie of Gods owne people is sanctified by the lauer of repentance and the word of faith to bee an holy nation for euer to the Lord himselfe Hee beleeueth moreouer that the same Lord Iesus shall at the last day come in the clouds with greatest power and shall then take vp the Saints to receiue reward of eternall life and to enioy the promises of heauen But as for the vngodly and wicked his comming shall bee to condemne them vnto euerlasting fire yet both sorts shall in that day receiue their fleshly bodies with restauration whereof they shall from the first death returne againe And with thus much faith the very skirmigers of Satan Bribers promoters hypocrites witches heretickes reprobates couetous persons whoremongers and filthy fellows of which kinde of beleeuers at this day the whole world is full betwixt whom and Infidels this is all the difference the one by not beleeuing like wretches as they are doe come vnto perdition the other by beleeuing in such wofull manner as they doe bring themselues to most damnable destruction This kinde of faith if any one would define he may well expresse his minde in saying that it is nothing else but a sure knowledge and a setled assent of the minde by which any man most vndoubtedly beleeueth such things to bee reuealed for the saluation of mankind Secondly that gift of the holy ghost by which any one causeth great admiration to be amongst the people at his great signes and wonders is very often in holy writ called by the name of faith which not vnfitly wee may call miraculous faith But this faith neither haue all the sanctified nor they onely For Iohn wrought no miracles although on the contrarie Iudas did excel therin And with this faith are sometimes notably indued and made famous those witches deceiuers and Iuglers which Rome that head of abominations both calleth Saints and worshippeth them also with altar praiers and Images of whom our Sauiour hath foretold saying And they shall doe great wonders Math. 24. works of great power so that they would deceiue if it were possible the very elect And this kinde of faith may one sitly define in this manner namely that it is a certaine vndoubted confidence whereby one beleeueth that God will by him doe this or that miracle Thirdly that the gift of the holy ghost which any one receiues to eternall life is called by the name of Faith and that most often of all the rest which very same the scripture calleth the Faith of God The faith of the son of God The faith of Abraham The faith of Iesus The faith of Christ and the faith of Iesus Christ The professors of diuinitie haue significantly named it Iustifying Faith Now for this kinde of Faith both all the Saints and they onely haue it for this kinde of faith cannot befall any but such as are sanctified This faith if wee will wee may fitly define in this manner Namely that it is a certaine full and firme confidence engrauen by the power of the holy Ghost in the heart of such a one as is penitent whereby hee assuredly beleeueth that all his sinnes are remitted and that hee is reconciled and made one with God in an euerlasting loue through Christ Iesus See now B. this is the Faith which sanctifieth him that hath it and of one miserable maketh him Blessed as it is written Psal 32.1 Belssed is the man whose iniquities are forgiuen and whose God is the Lord Iehouah Behold B. this is the Faith which Iustifieth the wicked and by which the Iustified liueth as it is written The iust shall liue by Faith Abac. 2.4 This is that faith which ouercommeth which excelleth and which the diuine writer to the Heb. setteth forth with such ornament and inuironeth on euery side with such a multitude of praises this is the faith vvhose worth and fairenesse so cleerely shineth throughout the scripture that as it is to bee wondred how euer it could be so grossely darkned by the vnskilfulnesse of some wise diuines of this our age so much more maruellous is it that the ignorance of such a great benefit especially in this cleare light of all things should not hitherto by Gods most righteous iudgement be seuerely punished And this is that faith concerning which is all the controuersie this day betwixt me and B. which also the Apostle commendeth to the Romans in these words
deliuered by Moses Heare ô Israel Deut. 6.4 the Lord our God is one God thou shalt loue the Lord with all thy heart c. Againe Deut. 10.12 Now ô Israel what doth the Lord thy God require of thee but that thou feare the Lord thy God and honour him c. This is that Law whereof the same Moses saieth Deut. 30.19 Behold I set before you blessing and cursing Life and good death and euill c. Blessing and life if thou chuse this viz. If thou loue the Lord thy God with all thy heart c. Deut. 28. If thou chuse this saith he Blessed shalt thou be at home and blessed abrode c. But contrariwise saith he If thou wilt not be obedient to the voice of the Lord thy God to keepe and doe the Commandements of this Law cursed shalt thou bee at home and cursed abroad c. Behold B. the Law the most high and perfect publishing whereof when the Prophet foresaw thus said The Law shall goe foorth of Sion and the word of the Lord out of Ierusalem He speaketh not of the Law of the Decalogue which was come out most perfectly 700. yeeres before but this Law of life viz. The word of truth viz. The Gospell Behold the Law of which the Prophet Ieremy speaketh I will write my Law in their hearts Not that of the tenne commandements which is to bee trembled at He that doth these things shall line by them but this Law of life and the promise I will bee their God and they shall be my people and I will remember their sinnes no more saith the Lord. Behold the law wherof the true speaking King and Prophet Dauid saith The Law of the Lord is perfect euery way conuerting soules c. Hee meanes not B. that Law of the Decalogue which although it be the Law of God and a Law euery way perfect yet doth not conuert soules neither can it giue life nor restore a sinner But he meanes this Law of grace viz. The promise and righteousnesse of God by the faith of the Messias which is giuen to the beleeuer Behold B. the law wherein faith is commanded for none can loue God with all his heart and his neighbour as himselfe but he that first is sanctified by faith viz. none but he that is washed before by vertue of the holy ghost shal beleeue that al his sins are forgiuen him Hoe saith B. what newes bring you here for that which you cal the Law of grace we say it is the same with the law of the Decalogue What exposition is this will you thus inwrap the Israel of God with your exposition Dare you say this is the same Law with that when God himselfe saith it is another from it Ier. 31.31 For behold the daies come saith the Lord that I will make a new couenant with the house of Iacob Heb. 8.9 not such as I made with your Fathers c. Hitherto leades the Testimony of Moses and that so cleare as if it were written with the beames of the Sunne which yet this Oule sees not Who when hee had deliuered this Law of life to Israel and had added Ceremonies which were as a shadowing out of a Redeemer at length breathing out saith Deut 29.1 These are the words of the couenant which the Lord commanded Moses that he should make with the children of Israel in the land of Moab besides that couenant which hee made in the mount Horeb. And that the law of the Decalogue and the righteousnesse of it which is of workes is not onely another from but also opposit to the law of grace and righteousnesse of God which is manifested by faith the Apostle is a most plentifull witnesse who calleth the law of the Decalogue A weake Law the Law of sinne the Law of death the ministry of condemnation But the law of grace hee cals the power of God vnto saluation The righteousnesse of God the ministrie of the spirit the ministrie of life But hoe will some say Paul is a meere Maniche and a manifest Marcionite that thus detracts from the maiesty of the Law and so odiously inueies against the holy Law of God Saiest thou so dog is the Apostle an Hereticke because thou art blind Thou conceiuest not the truth of his words for hee hath not brought in this combat of the law either in respect of God or the lawes themselues for both are of and from the same God both perfect holy and iust but in respect of vs and our sinne for what so repugnant and hostile as to condemne a sinner and to absolue the same Therefore as we are wont to call a day deadly or fatall not in respect of the day it selfe but of them which must vndergoe some danger And the Iulian law of Treason we call a deadly law in respect of them that are accused of Treasō So the Apostle cals the law of the Deca a weake law because it cannot giue life to the sinner The law of wrath because it causeth wrath against sin The law of sin because it accuseth vs of sin The law of death because it iudgeth vs being bound ouer to death The Ministry of condemnatiō because it cōdemneth euery transgression In which phrase of speech hee calleth also the Gospel it selfe sometimes the sauour of death vnto death namely in respect of those that perish But B. opinion gasping at last doth yet throw one dart more if saith he the righteousnes of the law be so cōtrary to the righteousnesse of God which is of faith how doth faith establish it This I say B. Christ and his righteousnes is giuen to vs who are iustified by faith now the righteousnesse of Christ is the righteousnes of works viz. the ful perfect performance of the Decalogue To vs then that are in Christ Iesus viz. to vs that beleeue in him who hath performed the righteousnesse of the law for vs it is as much to vs as if we our selues had fulfilled it For the end of the law is to iustifie the keeper of it but he that beleeueth in him who hath perfectly performed it this faith shall bee imputed to him for righteousnes no lesse thē if he had perfectly performed the same But let vs proceed and pursue this breathlesse opinion euen to the sepulchre which in a manner dying cannot cast darts doth yet cast out words To what end then saith he serueth the law or what vse is there of it now I say much euery way first it is set downe for the sinner both that hee may not deny the punishment denounced against him for sinne and also that it may take vengeance against him iustly for the same it is also set for a holy and regenerate man that as often as he looke vpon it and alwaies hee ought to looke vpon it hee may so often bewaile his wickednesse and quake at it and likewise as often as he cals to minde which night and day hee
of all the commandements of the Decalogue then are you pressed downe by the same waight that you were before for not onely the worke that we do without faith but also the actions of sin that proceed from faith are vaine and friuolous yea hatefull to God if they be brought to that perfect righteousnes of the ten commandements for the legall righteousnes is spiritual viz. it taxeth thee not onely for the fact but for the inward lust This wicked and faithlesse man is a man-flaier thou a St. beleeuer art angry The law of God condemnes you both for it commandeth not to kill wherein hee forbiddeth as wel anger as murther This wicked and faithlesse man altogether desolate giueth himself ouer to whoredome and reioiceth in it Thou being holy and a beleeuer art set at liberty from the dominion of lust as from a rude and impious mistris now hatest and fliest all the enticements thereof but yet thou hast some affectiō of pronenesse thereto remaining and rebelling against the gouernment of the spirit The law condemnes both for it hath said to him Thou shalt not commit adulterie to thee thou shalt not lust O thou dissembler and heartlesse doctor if thou seest not these things a trifler if thou do But B. goes on If saith he GOD hath not commanded faith in the law hee commands hypocrisie O wickednesse worthy to be caried abroad to bee wondred at Whence come you B I maruell What from Rome seeing you dare so without feare cast out against God the poison of your rashnes With how much fairer a forehead might you haue made these distributions of the matter Either GOD hath commanded faith in the Decalogue or perfect righteousnes but not this therefore that But now you assume that which is falser then falshood it selfe So that neither you nor the very mother of all subtiltie can euer bee able to proue it But B. proceeds in his troubled speech Christ saith hee is propounded to vs in the law Therfore faith is commanded in the law The Antecedent he strengthens by two reasons the first is this There is often mention made saith hee of the Messias in the law and a perpetuall shadowing out and representation of him and his oblations in the washings and sacrifices Therefore Christ is set forth in the lawe I would wonder truely if that you would vtter any word in truth with an honest minde for hereby also as you are wont you delude vs with ambiguitie for the antecedent comprehends the law of the ceremonies wherof there is no controuersie that I know for with one mouth all doe confesse that it was instituted to that end to informe that people to the righteousnes of God viz. the faith of Iesus Christ and that not so darkly but the ceremoniall lawe may more rightly bee called a Gospell then a lawe contrariwise his conclusion of the lawe doth deceitfully thrust vpon vs the decalogue So that he expounds one thing and concludes another that though the Antecedent bee true yet the conclusion is false But B. seeing this first ioinder of no force doth againe set vpon the matter and deales with God by the sealed tables For saith hee when God saith hee is thy God which brought thee out of Egypt doth hee not set forth himselfe as a Redeemer But hee is not a Redeemer but in Christ Therfore inclusiuely Christ is propounded to vs in these words Here B. if I would obiect their iudgements against you as the Treach of the Alpes who say that in euery perfect lawe three things are to be obserued First the preface whereby hee maketh his Auditors attentiue Secōdly direction whereby hee biddeth a thing to bee done or left vndone Thirdly correction whereby he denounceth punishment to the delinquent Here I say if as they doe that are instructed with subtill deceits that with the very names of these men as with legions brought out I could put you to flight I should say that these words of the law Heare O Israel I am the Lord thy God that brought thee out of the land of Egypt were onely a preface of the lawe and as it were a commendation of the future speech should I not stop thy mouth and thy fellowes except you were refractarie But I will not wound you with other mens darts but rather out of my own thus I answer though God saith he is their deliuerer touching this priuate bondage he doth not incontinently propound Christ to them and the benefit of this deliuerance But this is his meaning afore all things That Israel might neuer put out of minde the memorie of so great a benefit and the authour thereof Take heede that you doe not barke againe as if J should say that this Egyptian deliuerance doth heere typically signifie the spirituall deliuerance of mans bondage only I affirme that God hath not vnfolded to his people Israel neither his Christ nor his deliuerance These are if I be not deceiued all the deceits of B Which that they might haue more waight of deceite hee hath also added mens Authorities M. N. for he thought that he should not procure to himselfe sufficient credit by his owne proper and domesticall engines and inuentions except hee vndertooke the patronage of forren errors taken to them Howsoeuer one may fitly thus interpret N. that he thought very soberly and godly if you respect the righteousnes of the lawe viz. the righteousnes of workes But if hee meane the righteousnes of God which is of faith I think he hath erred with you if either hee thought that God would exact al the pietie which the regenerate performe to God by faith according to this rule of the Decalogue or hee that appointed none or enioined other works to the faithfull any where then that which agreeth to the righteousnes of this law as to the rule But this our labor seemes a little to take breath Now after it hath come out of the starting holes of B. as out of writhen turnings of the labyrinth that which is behinde wee shall more pleasantly passe Truth I hope being my companion All the errour of B. then consists herein that hee hath not distinguished the law of life from the Morall lawe which yet God in his eternall counsell and prescript words euen from the beginning hath seuered with as great a distance one from another as Hager differs from Sara bondage from liberty Sina from Sion But now B. I see thee like a fearefull Marriner to foresee the tempest comming a farre off and to dread the Shipwrack of thine error Now when I speake of the Law of life I meane the promise which was giuen to Adam in these words Gen. 1. The seed of the woman shall breake his heade c. Jt was preached afterward to Abraham In thee shall all the Nations of the earth be blessed againe Gen. 12. Looke to heauen and count if thou canst the number of the Starres so shall thy seed be Gen. 22. At last it was