will either read or heare it read vnto them they cannot but know and vnderstand it This I could easily shew in euery particular and fundamentall point but that I should hold you too long Ps 19.8.9 Ps 119.105.130 Only if it bee not so tell me why doth the Holy Ghost say that they giue wisedome to the simple and light to the eyes that they are a lanterne to our feete and a light vnto our paths that the entrance into them sheweth light and giueth vnderstanding to the simple 2. Pet. 1.19 And why doth the holy Apostle S. Peter tearme them a light shining in a darke place Neither is it to bee neglected that all this is meant of the Scripturs of the old Testament Ioh. 20.31 which if they bee so lightsome how bright and cleere are they of the new These things are written saith Saint Iohn to the end yee might beleeue that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of God Rom. 15.4 and that beleeuing yee might haue life through his Name And Saint Paul The things that are written are written for our instruction Now if the Scriptures in things necessary be so obscure and hard to vnderstand either it is because the Holy Ghost could not write more plainely or because he would not That hee could not no man will say that hee would not crosseth the end of his writing which was as is aboue said to instruct in the Faith and to bring vs vnto life But that God by writing obscurely and yet commanding vs to search should either intend to mocke vs or faile of his owne end cannot bee imagined without notable impiety Heare what the Fathers say Dial. cum Tryph. Iustin Martyr Harken to the things which I shall report from the holy Scriptures which Scriptures need not to bee expounded but onely heard Clemens of Alexandria Exhort ad Ethnic Heare yee that are farre off heare yee that are nigh the Word is hidden from none it is a common light it shineth vnto all men there is no Cimmerian darkenesse in it let vs hasten to saluation to regeneration Chrysostome In. 2. Thess hom 3. All things necessary are cleere and plaine in the Scriptures so that were it not through our owne negligence wee should not need Homilies and Sermons Augustin Doct. Christ l. 2. c. 9. In those things which are plainely set downe in the Scripture are found all those things which containe Faith and Manners of life to wit Hope and Charity And Bernard Ser. in illud Sap. Iustum deduxit The wayes of the Lord are straight faire full and plaine wayes Straight without error because they lead vnto life faire without filth because they teach cleannesse full for multitude because all the world is within Christs net plaine without difficulty because they yeeld sweetnesse Biblioth l. 6. ann 152. Hereunto your owne men agree Sixtus Senensis diuideth the Scripture into two parts granting that the one is cleere and euident containing the first and highest principles of things that are to be belieued and the chiefe precepts of good life and examples easy to bee knowne such as are some morall sentences and certaine holy Histories Anal. â—iâ— p. 100. profitable for the ordering of manners And Gregory of Valentia Such verities concerning our Faith as are absolutely and necessarily to bee knowne and belieued of all men are in a manner plainely taught in the Scriptures themselues Thus all things necessary to saluation are so plainely set downe in Scripture that at least wise for the determination of them your externall Humane Iudge needeth not Yea but neither are all satisfied with these plaine places neither are all places of Scripture plaine True Yet haue you no reason to doubt of that which is plaine because some through frowardnesse will not vnderstand no more then you haue of the snow whether it be white because Anaxagoras thought that it was blacke If nothing can be certaine but that which is vnquestioned we must all turne Scepticks and neuer beleeue any thing For as in Philosophy so in Diuinity there is nothing almost so absurd but one or other hath held and what dispute there is euen about this Iudge of yours and the last resolution of Faith you cannot bee ignorant As for those darker places if you vnderstand them not yet assenting vnto the plainer you are without danger seeing in those plainer as wee haue shewed all things necessary are comprehended Neither is their darkenesse so great but that without your torch-bearer they may bee enlightned In Esa 19. For as Hierome saith It is the order of the Scripture after hard things to set downe things that are plaine and what is first spoken in Parables afterward to deliuer in cleere tearmes Doct. Christ l. 2. c. 6. And Augustin There is nothing almost among those obscurities but in other places one may find it most plainely deliuered In. 2. Cor. hom 9. And Chrysostome The Scripture euery where when it speaketh any thing obscurely interpreteth it selfe againe in another place So the rest And hence they gather that Scripture is to bee interpreted by Scripture and the doubtfull places by those that are more certaine as appeareth in their writings but specially by Saint Augustin in his books of Christian Doctrine purposely by him written to demonstrate as much According to this precept was their continuall practice and what interpretation they found agreeing with plaine Scripture and the particular circumstances of the text that they admitted as true but what they iudged to swarue from it that they reiected as contrary to the Analogie of Faith and the Principles of our Religion Which course if wee also take and this course wee ought to take vnlesse wee thinke that God is not the best interpreter of his owne words we cannot at leastwise dangerously erre in our interpretations and we may boldly refuse those as false which we find contrary vnto this Analogie of Faith For example These words of Christ This is my Body wee vnderstand thus This Bread is Sacramentally my Body you thus This Bread is turned or transubstantiated into my Body The question now is whether is the truer interpretation yours or ours Let vs trie it by this rule Your owne Scotus and Cameracensis thinke that opinion which holdeth the substance of bread and wine to remaine 4 d. l. 11. q. 3. lit F. Quaest in 4. q. 6. a. 2. Lit. â— to bee the more probable and reasonable opinion yea and in all appearance more agreeable with the words of institution De Euchar. l. 3. c. 23. In regard whereof saith Bellarmine It may iustly be doubted whether the text bee cleere enough to inforce it transubstantiation seeing most learned and witty men such as Scotus was haue thought the contrary So that in these mens iudgement the likelyhood is on our side and you haue great reason to doubt of your exposition Besides this the Analogy of Faith teacheth vs that Christs Body is
they of whom I learned it seemed vnto me to bee no Papists and were commonly taken for very good Protestants Christ saith Beza Conf. c. 4. 9. 4. is offered vnto vs to be possessed of vs with this condition if we doe belieue in him On that condition saith Vrsinus In Catechismoq de Euang is Christs righteousnesse made ours if wee receiue it Now that receiuing is the worke and act of Faith alone The condition of Faith saith Hemingius Syntag. de Euang Art 30. Cent. 1. l. 1. c. 4. p. 93. is required that the benefit may be applied that is remission of sinnes The law say the Century-writers hath the Promise with condition of Doing and fulfilling it the Gospell hath the free Promise with condition of Belieuing and receiuing it by Faith That saith Master Foxe De Christo gratis iustif p. 237. 244. which properly wee inquire is for what cause or reason Saluation and Pardon of sinnes is promised whether vpon some condition or none at all And that the Promise is made vpon no condition no man I thinke will say wherefore it remaines of necessity wee acknowledge some condition and that is Faith In Camp 8. Rat. In the Law saith Whitaker the condition was hard which no man could satisfy but Christ propounds vnto vs a more easy condition Belieue and thou shalt bee saued Against Sanders cauils on the Lords supper p. 424. De iustif l. 1. c. 12. Ter. Eun. Act. 2. Sc. 11. Gods promises saith Fulke require the condition of Faith in them that shall obtaine them Finally Cardinall Bellarmine who hitherto hath euer been esteemed no meane Papist reports this to bee the confession of all his aduersaries and that they cannot deny it That remission of sinnes is promised vpon condition of Faith But Lord what ods and difference there is betweene simple folke and intelligent persons For vnlesse you had told it mee I had neuer knowne that Bellarmins aduersaries were Papists nor that these men whom I haue named had beene wolues in sheepskins Neither did I vntill now vnderstand what you meant when you charged mee with Popery and speaking pure Papist your meaning I see was that I spake right as Beza Vrsinus Hemingius the Century-Writers Foxe Whitaker Fulke and all the rest of that ranke vse to do For confirmation of my Minor and to proue Iustification to bee conditionall I bring as you say that place of Math. Be of good comfort Sonne thy sinnes bee forgiuen thee In handling whereof you tell mee farther first that I wrest the text and falsifie the meaning thereof then that I translate the Greeke falsly and contrary to the words themselues and all the world for 1600 yeeres lastly that most impudently and quite contrary to knowledge and conscience I adde vnto the Scripture Telling mee moreouer that I haue a mind to doe mischiefe but want power that I contemne all Grammar and parget a rotten cause with vntempered morter and therefore must needs incurre fearefull iudgement if in time I craue not mercy at the hand of God Thus Master Baxter like Saint George a horse backe you fight with a painted dragon and faining monsters to your selfe set vpon them with such Herculean impetuousnesse and fury as if you would amaze simple people with your great puissance powres and then as if you had flaild to powder your true aduersary as well as your imaginary and strawen enemy you giue foorth most terrible menaces and threats that folke henceforward may not dare to meddle with your mothers sonne more For where I pray you doe you finde this passage of S. Mathew quoted by me and vnlesse you had resolued by falshood and forgerie to maintaine this quarrell against mee with what face could you father the allegation of it vpon mee No Sir I did not so much as dreame of that place only I say in generall that the Scriptures make this to bee the tenor of the Euangelicall promise Belieue and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee Ioh. 3.10 little thinking that you who would bee counted a Master in Israel had beene ignorant of a doctrine so euident and fundamentall For that so it is let these few texts bee carefully considered Belieue in the Lord Iesus and thou shalt bee saued and thine houshold Act. 16.31 Act. 10.23 That through his Name all that belieue in him shall receiue remission of sinnes That whosoeuer belieueth in him should not perish but haue eternall life Ioh. 3.15.16 Rom. 10.9 Gal. 3.22 If thou belieue thou shalt bee saued That the promise of Iesus Christ should bee giuen to them that belieue To these few I might easily adde six hundred mo all which although not in precise forme of words yet in vertue and meaning are all one with this Belieue and thy sinnes shall be forgiuen thee and from them doe all Diuines gather that the Promise of the Gospell is not absolute but conditionall if we Belieue as is aboue plentifully declared Which being so you shew your selfe in this Thrasonicall and swaggering section to bee too-too base and recreant vtterly void both of forhead and conscience otherwise you would not first so palpably and desperately haue belied mee and then so impudently and vnciuilly reuell vpon mee Though you deserue it yet will I not cast backe the dirt you here throw at mee againe into your owne face I shall but defile my hands in so doing rather will I as Saint Bernard counselleth Breake the arrowes of contumely vpon the sheeld of Patience Ser. 40. de modo benè viuendi and hold forth the buckler of a good conscience against the sword of your malicious tongue But albeit I intended not nor aimed at this place of Mathew as being euery way vnsufficient to proue that iustification is promised vpon condition of Faith yet is it not so abhorring from my purpose but that it may affoard at least a probable proofe for my maine conclusion For. Beza in his annotations on Mark. 2.5 doth vs to wit that the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be translated imperatiuely thus Be thy sinnes pardoned as if it were in the third person plurall of the Coniunctiue mood which Diomedes called the Mandatiue mood for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith Eustathius and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is vsed by Homer for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The reason why it may thus be turned is because the Scribes vnderstood Christ as if hee himselfe had actually forgiuen the Palsie-man his sins as appeareth in the sixt and seuenth verses which they could not so haue conceiued if hee had onely told him that his sinnes were forgiuen him Now if this bee the right translation what say you to this argument The Palsie-man first belieued for so it is said When Iesus saw their Faith meaning as well the Faith of the sicke man as of them that brought him and then after Christ forgaue his sins
saith effectually called and they onely who are effectually called are iustified and shall bee glorified And if it were possible that they should bee saued then were there change in the vnchangeable decree of God which hath finally reiected them which is impossible 7. Hee that commands a Reprobate that is not iustified and shall neuer bee saued to belieue that hee is iustified and shall be saued implieth a Contradiction therein and makes Falshood to bee Truth and Faith errour For according to that infallible maxime Falshood is not vnder Faith and therefore if the Obiect bee Falshood it is not Faith which apprehendeth it for true if it bee Faith Falshood is not the Obiect thereof So that hee which commands that false Proposition to bee belieued makes that to bee Faith which cannot beare the definition of Faith and that to bee the Obiect which is not the Obiect thereof that is as I said makes Faith to bee error and Falshood Truth which are contradictories 8. God therefore neither doth nor can so command neither is it impure or impious to affirme so much being in the Word of God so manifestly reuealed Impious rather and blasphemous is it to say the contrary for it imputes impotency and weaknes vnto God making him to say Yea and Nay and to auouch that for truth which is euidently false 9. But this opinion that Faith is an Assurance infers this blasphemous absurdity For as I haue shewed God cōmands all men euen Reprobates to belieue now to belieue as you say is to bee assured of iustification and Saluation Ergo God commands the Reprobate to be assured of his Iustification and Saluation which is absurd 10. Absurd therefore is that opinion that Faith is Assurance which infers it For from truth no absurdity or blasphemie but onely truth can follow These few Positions I pray thee Gentle Reader consider diligently and compare Master Baxters reply with them and then bee iudge whether hee paint not gourds as it is in the Prouerbe and talke cleane beside the purpose Those places of Scripture which you desire may bee well waighed and then by mee either answered or reuerenced I haue according to your desire duly examined and doe from my heart adore them as being the words of the Eternall Verity and this answer doe I giue vnto them that not one of them touches the question in debate betwixt vs. Rom. 11.23 The first telleth vs that the Iewes if they persist not in infidelity shall againe by the power of God bee ingrafted Gal. 3.22 the second that the Scripture hath concluded all vnder sinne that the promise by the Faith of Iesus Christ might bee giuen to them that Belieue both which argue against your selfe that Faith is the condition of the Promise the third saith that as many as were ordained vnto eternall life belieued Act. 13.48 2. Thess 3.2 Mat. 13.11 the fourth that euery man hath not Faith the fift that to know the mysteries of the kingdome of Heauen is giuen to some and denied to other some by which three it is cleere that Reprobates doe not belieue Prou. 16.4 Rom. 9.18.19.20 but the Elect onely the sixt affirmeth that God made the wicked for the euill day the last that God sheweth mercy vpon whome hee will and hardneth also whome he will and that in this point there is no disputing with God intimating therein that there is both an Election and Reprobation and that both depend vpon the good pleasure of God But not one of them proueth that God commandeth a Reprobate to assure himselfe of his present iustification and future Saluation which is the matter in question and therefore I hope I may notwithstanding them all freely conclude that as God cannot command to doe that which is vniust because hee is iustice it selfe so he cannot command to belieue that which is vntrue because hee is truth it selfe Neither doe I I trust so concluding grieue the Spirit of God although perhaps therein I greeue your stubborne spirit which hath I feare me throughout this reply too much rebelled against the light and therefore take heed lest you your selfe greeue the Spirit of God Eph. 4.30 wherewith the elect are sealed vnto the day of Redemption Treatise Arg. 6. That which the wicked may haue cannot bee iustifying Faith for it is The Faith of the Elect But the wicked may haue this Perswasion yea and many haue beene most confidently perswaded that they are in the fauour of God You will say it is true Perswasion But I say if forme make truth they are as formally and therefore as truly perswaded of it as the godly If the Godly then are therefore and for this cause iustified because they are strongly perswaded they are Iustified then why should not the wicked likewise bee iustified by his strong Perswasion But in truth these kind of speeches are vnreasonable and senselesse and so that opinion cannot be reasonable N. B. Many die and are saued that haue not a full Perswasion and assurance of their Saluation yet are saued by Faith I will answer you when you shew mee the man that so did die and was saued and How you know that hee had at his death no full Assurance of his Saluation in Christ Iesu and yet had Faith and when you proue that there is at the houre of death when the elect are made without spot or wrinkle in the Saints of God a doubtfull Faith I. D. That many Reprobates and wicked men are strongly perswaded they are in the grace and fauor of God nothing is more cleere and manifest Prou. 30.12 There is a generation saith Salomon that are cleane in their owne eyes and yet are not washed from their filthinesse Reu. 3.17 And the Angell of the Church of Laodicea saith of himselfe that hee is rich and growne to great wealth and had need of nothing Vers 14. Vers 17. and yet in the iudgement of him that is Amen the faithfull and true witnesse was wretched and miserable Inst l. 3. c. 2. §. 11. and poore and blind and naked Yea Experience it selfe saith Caluin sheweth that Reprobates sometime are affected with the like feeling almost that the elect are that in their owne iudgement they differ nothing at all from the Elect. Such is the deceitfulnesse of mans heart and the blindnesse of his selfe-loue that it makes him easily ouerweene himselfe and to promise peace vnto his soule when hee is in the ready way vnto destruction You will say that the Perswasion of the Reprobate and wicked is built vpon a false and erronious ground and therfore is Presumption rather then true Assurance For answer hereunto consider that the Elect of God before his Iustification is but a wicked man whence Diuines vse to call it The Iustification of the wicked warranted therein by that of Saint Paul Rom. 4.5 To him that worketh not but belieueth in him that iustifieth the wicked his faith is imputed vnto
the many excellent and heauenly graces wherewith the spirit of God beautifieth and enricheth the hearts of his Elect there is no one of more either necessity vnto saluation or importance for comfort and consolation then that of Iustifying Faith For as by the first Act of this faith our Iustification before God our peace with God our incorporation into the mysticall body of Christ Iesus our conuersion vnto God are first wrought and effected so by the consequent continued Acts of the same Fayth are wee being fallen dayly renewed and from both totall and finall falling away safely preserued and maintained This cōsidered me-thinkes no time can be better employed nor no paines more profitably taken then in the quest and enquiry of the true nature and definition of Iustifying Fayth And although I cannot deny but hee may haue fayth who cannot like a Logician define it and may haue the benefit of Iustification by it who cannot distinguinsh the nature of it yet this withall I boldly auerre that the ignorance hereof or a confused and indistinct apprehension of it disableth vs both from giuing and taking direct and euident comfort from it whereas a cleare and distinct knowledge thereof is able to satisfie and replenish with comfort any distressed or afflicted conscience For this cause haue I vndertaken so briefly and perspicuously as I can to set downe my opinion of the definition of Fayth perswading my selfe I doe not endeauouring at leastwise not to swarue from the wholesome doctrine of Christ and Gods word From the writings and doctrine of most learned and worthy Diuines peraduenture it doth and indeed it doth vary to whom although as farre farre inferior I owe all respect reuerence yet being Gods freeman I cannot endure to bee mans bond-man and sweare to all they say One Paphnutius sometime in the matter of Priests marriage preuailed against a whole Counsell of most learned and godly Bishops Socrat. l. 1. c. 8. and young Elihu may speake more oportunely pertinently then they that are much his Ancients Therefore as Nisus sayth in Virgill Neque hac nostris spectentur ab annis Aeneid l. 9. looke not how greene or how gray his head be that speaketh but let the touch of truth try all and what by it shall appeare to be base and counterfait refuse and reiect that which shall be found true and sound approue and embrace And that preiudice too strongly possesse thee not take my protestation that I neuer haue entertained this opinion rashly and inconsiderately but vpon mature aduise and deliberation nor broach it vpon a preposterous humour of nouelty or ambition to build vp mine owne credit existimation by the ruine and disparagement of so great Diuines for this were Subulâ leonem excipere to encounter a Lion with a bodkin as it is in the Prouerbe but vpon a sincere affection and desire to minister solid and found consolation to despayring and perplexed minds which as after shall appeare vpon this foundation may most firmely be raised And now trusting what I say shall be weighed in the ballance not of preiudice but vpright iudgement I leaue to preface any farther and come directly to the purprose Because I purpose not to raise my building very high I meane not to lay my foundation very deepe therefore neither will I play the Phylologer in shewing the diuers vses and acceptations of the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Fides id est Faith or quote Ciceros Fiat quod dictum est or St. Augustines Fac quod dicis Offic. l. 1. to doe as a man sayes for the notation of Faith neither will I play the Phylosopher in discoursing of Physicall or Morall or Ciuill Faith wherein it were easie to wast much oile and paper nor lastly will I speake of that Theologicall Faith called Miraculous either in Agent or Patient which I take to bee none other then a diuine instinct for the working of a Miracle For albeit they who at the last day shall say Lord in thy name haue we not cast out Diuels may seeme to haue trusted in Miraculous Faith for Iustification Mat. 7.22.23 and acknowledgement of Christ yet notwithstanding neuer any controuersie about it hath exercised the Church of God To deferre your expectations therefore no farther three Faiths there seeme to be which lay claime and title to the priuiledge of justification giue me leaue to distinguish and denominate them according to their Obiects neither be offended if I handle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giue new termes to old matters The first is Fides Historiae Historicall Faith which is an Assent of the mind vnto the truth of Gods word and specially the Gospell And this Faith whether it be according to the distinction of the Scoolemen Acquisite gotten by much hearing and experience without illumination or infused and reuealed by the spirit of illumination it hath no interest in the matter of Iustification For besides that it is absurd that so generall a Knowledge should iustify Acquisit Faith the Diuels haue according to that of St Iames Iam. 2. 19. The Diuels beleeue tremble Infused faith the Reprobates may haue as Balaam Iudas Magus Now the Scripture is plaine that justifying faith is propper and peculiar vnto the Elect and therefore Historicall faith cannot justifie The second is Fides Promissionum Faith of promises which is a Perswasion or Assurance that the promises of God made in Christ to wit Iustification Remission of sinnes Adoption Regeneration and finally Election it selfe and eternall Saluation doe particularly pertaine to me and are mine Now this although I deny not but in Scripture it is called faith and that euery Saint of God both may and ought to haue this particular perswasion and Assurance yet this I confidently deny that this perswasion is that which justifies a man before God and my reasons are these 1. If this were justifying Faith then whosoeuer liues and dyes without this particular Assurance he cannot be saued Heb. 11.6 Without faith it is impossible to please God But a man may be saued without it I instance in those our Brethren of Germanie who hold that faith may finally and totally fall away and consequently that there can be no certainty of Saluation whom yet the Church of God calleth and counteth brethren and it were vncharitable to censure of them otherwise Therefore or at leastwise probably Faith is not an Assurance 2. That which is in time after Iustifying Faith cannot be that faith This is vndeniable But this particular knowledge is in time after faith This I proue out of 1. Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that beleeue in the name of the Sonne of God that ye may know that ye haue eternall life Behold Beleeuing goes before and Knowledge comes after as for that which followeth in the same verse and that yee may beleeue I interpret it of Perseuerance growth in Faith Howsoeuer beleeuing Knowing are distinguished and
vs see what you reioyne hereunto First you say I beg the matter in Question What matter that Historicall Faith is a generall knowledge but neither is that the matter now in Question neither doe I any way beg it For in this Syllogisme the Question is whether Historicall Faith doe iustify of your Question there appeares nor palme nor footstep which yet in the former section against your negatiue I haue proued to bee most true That which you adde if it bee not senselesse is contrary both to your selfe and vnto reason For saying that Historicall Faith is proper and speciall vnto the Elect in the beginning of their iustifying Faith you plainely distinguish it from iustifying Faith which is contrary to what you haue elsewhere said If you still confound them and make Historicall Faith the beginning of Iustifying Faith it is as if you should say the beginning of iustifying Faith is speciall and peculiar vnto the Elect in the beginning of their iustifying Faith which is altogether witlesse and senselesse Lastly to say that Historicall Faith which before was Generall and common as soone as it is conioyned with application and Resting on Christ becomes speciall and peculiar is vtterly void of reason For as Grace superadded vnto Nature in the Elect makes not Nature speciall and peculiar vnto them but that still it remaines common vnto all men so also Historicall Faith by accession of Iustifying Faith or Affiance changeth not its nature and becomes Speciall but as it was euermore continues Generall Generall I say both Obiectiuely as stretching it selfe vnto all supernaturall reuealed verities and Subiectiuely not being appropriated vnto the Elect onely but commonly incident vnto others also Secondly you deny the Minor telling mee plainely that it is ridiculous yea blasphemous to say that Diuels haue Faith or that euer Balaam Iudas or Magus had Faith If I should now temper my inke with some sharper ingredient and in the zeale of my affection say vnto you as the Angell sometime said vnto Satan Iude 9. The Lord rebuke thee it were no more then here you iustly deserue For it is not holy and learned men alone which yet were too impudent but euen the spirit of Wisdome and truth himselfe whom I tremble to speake it you charge with ridiculousnes and blasphemie For doth not the Holy Ghost by Saint Iames in expresse tearmes say The Diuels belieue and tremble and by Saint Luke Then Simon himselfe also belieued Iam. 2.19 Act. 8.13 and did not Balaam prophecying of Christ and Iudas preaching Christ assent vnto those truths wherewith they were illuminated And what Orthodoxe Diuine is there ancient or moderne who falling vpon this question doth not acknowledge that Diuels and Reprobates doe Historically belieue De vnico Bapt. cont Petil. c. 10. Saint Augustine is bold and compareth the Faith of Diuels confessing Christ Wee know thee who thou art euen the Sonne of God with that memorable confession of Peter Thou art the Christ the Sonne of the liuing God This confession saith hee was fruitfull vnto Peter but pernicious vnto the Diuels yet in both not false but true not to bee denied but acknowledged not to bee detested but approued And a little after hauing vouched that of Saint Iames the Diuels belieue and tremble and compared therewith the Faith of those who belieue the truth of God but liue wickedly Behold saith hee Wee haue found out of the Church not onely certaine men but Diuels also confessing the same Faith of one God yet both confirmed by the Apostles rather then denied Of the same iudgement are our latter writers That Faith is attributed to Simon Magus Inst lib. 3. ca. 2. §. 10. saith Caluin We vnderstand not with some that hee fained in words a Faith which was not in his heart but thinke rather that being ouercome by the Maiesty of the Gospell hee did in a sort belieue and acknowledge Christ to be the Author of Life and Saluation Simon saith Beza In Act. 8.13 On the Creed Ans to Rhem. T. in Iam. 2.6 belieued with Historicall Faith Historicall Faith saith Perkins is in the Diuell and his Angels Such a Faith saith Fulke as is in Diuels namely an acknowledging that there is one God and so likewise of all the rest of the Articles of Faith to bee true without trust or confidence in God Finally the whole Church of Auspurg Whereas Saint Iames saith Harm Confess the Diuels belieue and tremble hee speaketh of an Historicall Faith Now this Faith doth not iustifie for the Diuels and the wicked are cunning in the History Which last words I would wish you to note and obserue For if Historicall Faith bee no other then an assent of the Mind vnto the truth of Gods Word then Diuels and Reprobates so assenting yea being cunning in the Story must needs haue Historicall Faith Adde hereunto that if they doe not so much as Historically belieue then the sinnes which they commit against the Gospell are onely sinnes of ignorance and not against knowledge neither can they offend of malice or fall into that vnpardonable sinne which is against the Holy Ghost Mat. 12.32 Neither lastly can any bee said to haue made shipwracke of Faith which yet the Scripture saith some haue done 1 Tim. 1.19 vnlesse perhaps you will say a man may make shipwracke of that which hee neuer had So that now if I haue spoken ridiculously and blasphemously as you say you see what Schoolemasters haue deceiued me and vpon what reasons I haue been drawne into this folly and impiety or rather the world sees what folly it is in you thus against all reason to impute blasphemy and ridiculousnesse vnto the truth of God and the most glorious preachers and defenders thereof Yet Caluin you say telleth mee it is ridiculous to say that Diuels haue Faith and it is plaine that this whole disputation Iam. 2. is not about Faith But is it possible that Caluin should striue against the torrent of so maine authority or like the Philosopher of whom Aristotle speaketh forget his owne voice and vnsay that which he had formerly said Certainly if you wil giue him leaue to bee the interpreter of his owne meaning you shall find hee doth not For when hee denieth that Diuels haue Faith and that Saint Iames there disputeth of Faith hee vnderstandeth not Faith indefinitely but particularly iustifying Faith This is euident by his annotation on the twentieth verse In Iam. 2.20 Here saith hee is no disputation of the cause of Iustification whereby what other can hee meane then Iustifying Faith And when hee saith the dispute is not about Faith hee addeth forthwith but of a vulgar knowledge which conioyneth a man to God no more then the sight of the Sunne lifts him to Heauen Now what is that Faith which vnites vs vnto God but onely Iustifying Faith and what is this vulgar knowledge other then Historicall Faith by which the eye of the mind sees diuine truth
reasons for Other writers saith hee I so read that how much soeuer they excell in holinesse and learning Ep. 19. ad Hieron I doe not therfore thinke any thing to be true because they iudge so but because they perswade me either by those Canonicall Authors or by probable reason not abhorring from truth Bellarmine vpbraiding Illyricus for his Coniectures is thus answered by learned Iunius Contrà Bell. de transl impl 1. c. 11. Bee not so hot I pray you against humane coniectures In a word whether wee would modestly shew our owne opinion or refell anothers wee deale humanely saying it is a coniecture but to vpbraid humane coniectures is meere inhumanity Dan. Cham. de oecum Pont. Nay Daniel Chamier a very learned late writer in his booke de oecumenico Pontifice doth professedly distinguish his arguments into Scripture Coniecture and Testimony and will you therefore say of him as you doe vnto mee that hee doubted of the truth of his cause determined to ensnare poore silly Readers and walked not recto pectore with an vpright conscience Reioinder to Brist reply But so it is I vse the very words of D. Fulk being almost in the same tearmes cauilled withall by blundering Bristow When you can say nothing against my assertion your selfe you would make mee vncertaine of it and say that it is but a light suspicion of mine because in one place before I come to the sound proofe of it I say it is a probable coniecture And doth it follow therefore that I doubt of it because I offer a probable coniecture vnto other mens vnderstanding before by order of discourse I am brought to the manifest probation of it Well yet if Probable like you not those that follow are Necessary and I feare mee you will bee able to say little to them that leaue this without answer and the weaker the argument the more disgrace to bee graueld by it But my purpose in vsing both was for the more strength and perswasion for as Pindar saith It is the surest and safest way in a tempestuous night to cast out of the ship two ankers Olymp. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 6. Treatise 2. Arg. That which is in time after iustifying Faith cannot bee that Faith This is vndeniable But this Particular knowledge is in time after that Faith This I proue out of 1 Ioh. 5.13 These things haue I written vnto you that belieue in the name of the Sonne of God that yee may know that yee haue Eternall life Behold Belieuing goes before and Knowledge comes after As for that which followeth in the same verse and that yee may belieue I interprete it of Perseuerance and growth in Faith Howsoeuer Belieuing and Knowing are here distinguished and therefore are not all one N. B. I deny your Minor neither doth that place of S. Iohn helpe you ought as wee shall see anon I tell you that iustifying Faith is a Particular Knowledge though in other tearmes by vs vsed and by the Scripture set downe So that where you say a man first belieueth and then knoweth wee say hee beleeueth that is hee particularly knoweth apprehendeth and applieth Christ to himselfe perpetually and liuely to his saluation So that Belieuing and particular knowing himselfe to bee elected are one and that it is this knowledge thus I argue I. D. Before you come to bestow a word or two vpon the Minor which you deny you thinke it good like a cunning and subtle disputer flatly to deny the Conclusion and peremptorily to auouch the Contradictory vnto it then very prodigally to wast a multitude of words in the proofe thereof A maruelous policy I promise you vtterly disabling me from farther replying for as much as Logicke it selfe giues no precept how a man may reply vpon him who denies the Conclusion and taking the Contradictory thereof as granted goes about thereby to disproue the Premises For so doe you when you say Faith is a knowledge and therefore goes not afore knowledge my reason being contrarily framed thus Faith goes before knowledge therefore is not knowledge Doubtles had you not had the heart of Zenodotus Martial and the liuer of Crates as the Poet saith you could neuer haue stumbled vpon so politicke a deuise But let vs heare your reasons N. B. What soeuer iustifieth a man is Faith Darij Esa 53.11 But particular knowledge iustifieth a man Therfore particular knowledge is Faith I proue the Minor out of the Scripture By the knowledge of himselfe saith the Lord shall my righteous seruant justify many Lo M. Downe here the knowledge of Christ iustifieth a man and is the same in effect and working that Faith is and therefore are they both one which you make to bee twaine by distinction and originall Your speech helpeth Bellarmine that saith Faith may bee rather in ignorantiá implicitâ in an ignorance couched then in explicitâ cognitione a discouered knowledge Tom. 3. de iustif l. 5. c. 7. I. D. Iud. 14.18 Seeing here you plow with my heifer as Samson sometime said vnto the Philistines how is it that you read not my riddle also I meane hauing borrowed this Obiection from my Treatise why take you not from thence the answer also Surely that you vrge the one so eagerly and so diligently suppresse the other I know no cause but this you knew not how to reply vnto it and therefore I will by your fauor repeate the same againe vntil you find out some forcible reason to driue me from it The verbs of vnder standing and sence in the Hebrew tongue signifie not onely the acts of them but of the will and affections also So Psal 1.6 the Lord knoweth the way of the righteous And Depart I know you not And I will not heare see c. that is God will not so know heare see as to loue and approue And so may I interpret that of the Prophet Christ being so knowne as to bee embraced and rested on by the will shall iustifie many Adde now that it is neither necessary nor likely your Particular knowledge should bee here ment for the Obiect of the Prophets knowledge is no other then Christ but the Obiect of your knowledge is your owne selfe or your present state in grace and future Saluation And what a senselesse speech doe you put into the mouth of the Prophet for by your glosse it is as if hee should say My righteous seruant by making many to know that they are already iustified shall bring many vnto that which already they haue namely iustification But Esay had in him both the Spirit of Wisdome and the Tongue of Eloquence and therefore pardon me if I cannot thinke he vsed to speake non-sense like you Where you say my speech helpeth Bellarmine who saith Faith may bee rather in ignorantiâ implicitâ in an ignorance couched then in explicitâ cognitione a discouered knowledge First Bellarmine hath no such words neither I thinke did hee euer dreame
which they are iustified and so come to eternall life But what say I vnto the Minor deliuered in other tearmes thus Knowledge of Christ apprehendeth eternall life I say first it is not the same Proposition because the tearmes are changed neither are they equipollent Secondly I grant it to bee true whether you meane by knowledge Dogmaticall Faith or Particular assurance for by the one doe we apprehend that there is an eternall life by the other that wee haue speciall interest in it Well then if it apprehendeth eternall life doth it not follow that therefore also it apprehendeth iustification No by no meanes for as wee haue aboue demonstrated it is not necessary that that which apprehendeth the latter should apprehend the former also And yet though I disallow the consequence the consequent I readily yeeld you that Particular knowledge apprehendeth iustification for so haue wee defined Faith of promise to be a perswasion or assurance that the promise of God made in Christ to wit iustification remission of sinnes adoption regeneration finally election it selfe and eternall saluation doe particularly pertaine vnto mee and are mine What gather you now of this Ergo say you it is iustifying Faith How so Because whatsoeuer apprehendeth iustification is iustifying Faith Nay contrarily whatsoeuer apprehendeth iustification it not iustifying Faith for apprehension followeth iustification no man apprehending himselfe to bee iustified vntill hee be iustified but Iustifying Faith is in nature before iustification that being the cause and this the effect And therefore vnlesse you will say that that which followeth is that which goeth before you cannot say that that which apprehendeth iustification is that which iustifieth To conclude therefore neither is Faith knowledge nor knowledge Faith but particular knowledge for ought you haue yet said or can say commeth in time after Faith But whereas finally you inferre that Faith is knowledge in the beginning knowledge in proceeding knowledge in the end besides that the foundation vpon which it is grounded is vntrue it is cleane contrary also to that which erewhile you affirmed that Faith is but one compounded of my three nice distinctions the first being the beginning the second the progresse the third the end For the third is Faith of Person and in the Will and is by your confession there the end of Faith yet here you say faith is knowledge in the end which things how they can stand together I see not vnlesse you will say that knowledge is in the Will and so confound the faculties and operations of the soule N. B. In Ioh. 1. Ep. c. 5. to 13. The place of Saint Iohn by you cited to proue your Minor in your argument maketh nothing for you because the Apostle speaketh of their increase of knowledge and not of the originall begetting of knowledge and so saith M. Caluin I. D. The text in the clearest tearmes that may bee distinguisheth betweene Belieuing and knowing and vnto that giueth the priority before this but your glosse confoundeth their natures and saith that the Apostle here speaketh onely of increase of knowledge Wo to the glosse that corrupteth the text for if this bee S. Iohns meaning it is as if hee should say I write vnto you that know that yee are iustified haue eternall life that yee may increase in knowing that yee haue eternall life and that yee may know yee are iustified and haue eternall life which how vnworthy it is the pen of an Apostle euery one easily seeth But Caluin you say interpreteth the place as you doe Bee it so yet is it not the name of Caluin how venerable soeuer that may sway this matter For seeing I professe to differ from him in the definition of Iustifying Faith hee defining it by knowledge I by Affiance you may not thinke it vnreasonable if in this point and the explication of such scriptures as may seeme to concerne it I desire rather to bee pressed with his reasons then borne downe with his authority But what saith Caluin Because there ought to bee dayly proceedings in Faith therefore he writes to them that belieue already that they may more firmely and certainly belieue Whereunto I willingly assent if you apply it as Beza in his annotations doth vnto the last clause of the verse and that yee may belieue for then the meaning without forcing or constraining the words will bee as if hee should say I write vnto you that belieue that belieuing yee may know yee haue eternall life knowing the same may constantly perseuere and proceed on in Belieuing For as the clouds poure downe raine to moisten the earth and the earth moistned sendeth vp vapours againe to make clouds so likewise Faith begets Assurance and Assurance being gotten doth againe confirme and strengthen faith And thus doe the Century-writers expound this place Cent. 1. l. 2. c. 4. p. 276. gathering from it that Cetainty of Saluation is an Effect of Faith and so euidently distinguishing knowledge from Faith Treatise 3. Arg. That which in nature comes after iustification cannot bee iustifying Faith This appeares because Faith is the Efficient Instrumentall cause of Iustification and euery Efficient by the rule of Logicke is in nature before the Effect But this knowledge or assurance is in nature after Iustification Ergo it is not Faith N. B. Your Minor is very false and so proued by my former arguments For particular knowledge and assurance of our saluation is not in nature after Faith but is Faith and wholy infused by the Spirit of God and begotten by hearing of the Word preached and commeth to act by degrees according to the measure of grace giuen of God For it is in Habitu sometime not in actu Faith habituall in power actuall in the deed of belieuing as when one sleepeth his beliefe is not in actu and yet hee liueth vnto God by his faith which liueth powerfully in him though not actually I. D. The Maior of my Syllogisme is vndeniable because as I haue said Faith is the cause of iustification For as D. Fulke saith vnto Bristow excluding it from Efficient causes Reioinder to Bristow p. 172. Seeing Scripture often affirmeth that God worketh in vs by Faith faith must needs be an instrumentall efficient when you haue said all that you can except you will teach vs new Grammar and Logicke The Minor therefore you say is very false and so proued by your former arguments But those arguments are already answered and thus I proue the Minor For as for the rest of your idle and wilde talke touching the infusion begetting degrees habit act of Faith I willingly passe ouer lest pursuing you in this course I seeme to run riot and play the wanton with you Treatise The truth of a Proposition is alwayes in nature before the knowledge of the truth for Propositions are not therefore true because they are knowne so but they are first true and knowne so Therefore this Proposition I know I am iustified spoken
like a boat in a storme without a Pilote answering tumultuarily what euer comes next to head and scorning like another Cassius Seuerus to keep either in method your matter Tacit. vel potiùs Quintil. de causs corrupt eloq or modestie in your words But as you lead the dance so must I needs follow Thus therefore you argue No man can be damned hauing iustifying Faith A man may be damned resting his will vpon Christ his merits Ergo Resting of the will vpon Christ and his merits is not iustifying Faith The Maior I grant the Minor thus you confirme Hee that wanteth sanctification may bee damned A man resting his will vpon Christ and his merits may want sanctification Ergo a man resting his will vpon Christ and his merits may be damned The Maior againe I grant if you vnderstand it either thus Hee that finally wanteth sanctification shall bee damned or thus Hee that wanteth present sanctification is for the present in the state of damnation for otherwise the Elect vntill their effectuall vocation want sanctification and yet shall neuer actually be damned The Minor you barely affirme but confirme not thinking it as it seemes proofe inough if you say it and subscribe thereunto Witnesse our selfe vnto this argument therefore I answer two things First that you are a very vnkind and vngratefull man that hauing now the third or fourth time borowed arguments of me to serue your need haue not the good manners to say mee God a mercy for it or to acknowledge to whom you haue beene beholding For in my Treatise thus I obiected against my selfe If Faith be Affiance then the wicked may haue it for Balaam desired to die the death of the Righteous and some receiue the Word with ioy belieuing for a time And vnto this obiection in the same Treatise I gaue a sufficient and full solution distinguishing betweene that Affiance which is sleight and superficiall and that which is setled and grounded as there you may read more at large for thither I referre you But because Hecub act 2. as Euripides saith the same speech spoken by diuerse persons is not alike entertained peraduenture this answer would be better accepted if you might haue it from the mouth of greater authority Read then M. Perkins exposition of the Creed whereupon the first word I Belieue hee intreats of the nature of Faith and you shall find in effect the same obiection in like manner answered and distinction made betweene the fleeting motions desires of them who liue still in their sins after the course of the world the Desire of reconciliation that comes from a bruzed heart brings with it alwayes reformation amendment of life This solution howsoeuer now you haue cunningly dissembled yet I must pray you the next time not to ouerslip it for otherwise you shall bee counted but a miching disputer and no whit at all disaduantage your aduersary fighting against him with no better weapon then a rusty sword both edge and point rebated Secondly I answer vnto your Minor negatiuely denying that such Resting of the will vpon Christ and his merits as wee haue described and in the definition vnderstand can at any time bee separated from Sanctification For besides that it is contrary vnto your owne Positions as anon in the due place shall bee obserued it is also flatly repugnant vnto the rules of holy Scripture For doth not the Scripture pronounce them all Blessed that retire themselues vnto the Lord Psal 2.12 Psal 25.2 Psal 125.1 that they shall not bee ashamed that put their trust in him that they shall be like vnto mount Sion which can neuer bee remoued but standeth fast for euermore 2 Chron. 16 8.9 that to rest vpon the Lord is to bee of a perfect heart Finally doth it not affirme that whosoeuer receiueth Christ and belieueth in him Ioh. 1.12 Rom. 4.5 Ioh. 3.36 1 Ioh. 5.1 Rom. 8.1.14 is the Son of God is iustified before God hath euerlasting life is borne of God is led by the Spirit of God and walketh not after the flesh but after the Spirit vnlesse therefore vtterly stripping your selfe of all modesty you will put on the forehead of an harlot and say that all these things may bee affirmed of the Vnsanctified man how can you possibly auouch that a man resting his will vpon Christ retiring vnto him trusting on him belieuing in him and accepting of him to bee his Mediator can be without sanctification and for want thereof bee damned eternally Nay whosoeuer accepteth Iesus Christ for his Mediator submitteth himselfe as wee haue shewed not onely vnto his Prophecy and Priesthood but also vnto his Kingdome and if hee submit himselfe vnto his Kingdome that is vnto his rule and gouernment how can hee bee Vnsanctified for the Vnsanctified man subiecteth himselfe vnto the Flesh and not vnto the Spirit of Christ Act. 15.9 where by the way you may obserue defining Faith in this sort how and after what manner it purifieth the heart and begetteth in vs sanctity and newnesse of life whereas defining it by Assurance as you doe it doth not readily appeare how such Assurance can bee the principle and reason of our Sanctification True it is that Assurance may bee vnto vs a strong motiue to proceed on in Sanctification and holynesse of life but it is so farre from causing it that it is rather caused by it For by our holy life and conuersation as by the fruites doe wee necessarily gather that Faith which is the cause thereof is in vs and so grow to an Assurance of our Iustification and present state in grace In regard whereof Saint Peter as it is in the vulgar translation and some Greeke copies commandeth by good works to make our calling and election sure 2 Pet. 1.10 And although in sundry copies and translations By good works is omitted yet the addition thereof misliketh not Beza In loc praed Ibid. and Fulke confesseth that the circumstance of the place doth of necessity require that good works bee vnderstood though they bee not expressed in the text On the other side if you define Faith with mee to bee that Act whereby wee accept and make choice of Christ to bee our Mediator that is to say our Prophet Priest and King who seeth not that this Faith working in vs a free and voluntary subiection vnto the Kingdom of Christ is the very purifier of our hearts and the cause of all our holy studies and indeuours whence also it appeareth what the reason is why our Sauiour vnto belieuing in the Sonne opposeth Disobedience vnto him when hee saith Ioh. 3.36 Hee that belieueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life and hee that obeyeth not the Sonne shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him namely because as Acceptation of him to bee our King is the root of all Obedience so the reiection and refusall of him to bee our King is the very
with him But if you vnderstand Faith in the second Act and as it is in operation and action then may you iustly call it a labour for as our Sauiour saith Ioh. 6.29 to belieue in him whom the Father hath sent is a Worke which God requireth vs to doe in regard whereof the Apostle Paul calleth it the Worke of Faith 1 Thess 1.3 And because Faith iustifieth not as it is in the first but in the second act that is not as it is an Habit but as it is in action accepting and applying vnto vs Christ and his merits hence is it saith Bucer that Protestants vsually define it by a motion De iustific Let the Maior therefore in this sense bee granted vnto you The Minor which you thinke to bee so cocksure I flatly deny confidently affirming that Rest is a labour prouided you vnderstand no other Rest then that which in my Treatise I haue expressed and declared For if by Rest you meane Quiet such Rest without all question is not Labour for it is the end of labour and a cessation from it and therefore well did you say that when eternall rest is wrought then the labour of Faith ceaseth But you cannot bee ignorant that by Rest I vnderstand not Quiet but Affiance in as much as I render the Latin word Fiducia by it and make the Act thereof to bee Inniti which as I haue shewed in some of our English translations is oftentimes turned by Resting and Staying vpon And this Rest that is this Relying this Reposing this Trusting or Belieuing on Christ is not a Quiet but a motion or operation and therefore a labour True it is that whosoeuer commeth vnto Christ and setteth his whole Affiance vpon him shall thereby finde refreshment and Quiet vnto his soule yet neuerthelesse it is apparant that Affiance it selfe is an act or motion of the Will and not a Quiet euen as the inclination of a mans selfe vpon his staffe or the laying of him downe vpon his bed is an action of the body In a word remember what a little before I haue deliuered to cleare this tearme from all ambiguity and take it in the same sense which there I giue vnto it and vnlesse you will say that light is darknesse you cannot but confesse that such rest is a labour and so that notwithstanding this argument Faith may be a Rest But now giue mee leaue to take vp the weapon which you are forced to lay downe and to trie whether a blow therewith from my arme will pearce any deeper for thus I retort your owne reason against you Faith is rather a labour then a rest Assurance is not so but rather a rest then a labour Ergo Faith is not Assurance The Maior is your owne and you may not deny it The Minor I proue thus Intellection or knowledge saith Aristotle is more like vnto rest and quiet then vnto motion for although the mind while it is inquiring seeking for knowledge is euer in motion and so laboureth yet when the Habit of knowledge is once acquired and gotten then is there no farther motion of the vnderstanding thereunto but a sweet rest and Quiet therein Whereupon saith the same Philosopher By the quieting setling of the soule doth a man become intelligent and wise meaning by Quiet as Iulius Scaliger expoundeth him Exerc. in Card. 307. 13. nothing else but the assent of the minde I assume But Assurance is such intellection or knowledge for it is an habituall assent vnto this truth that wee are in the present state of grace and shall infallibly bee saued Wherefore I conclude that Assurance is rather a rest or quiet then a labour whence also it farther followeth that Faith being as you confesse rather a labour then a rest cannot be Assurance Againe Faith you say ceaseth when eternall pacification and rest is wrought I grant for the Obiect of Faith as the Apostle saith are things which are not seene whereupon Saint Augustin elegantly Heb. 11.1 Si vides non est Fides Beholding is not Belieuing As therefore while we liue here in these earthly tabernacles and are absent from the Lord wee walke not by Sight but by Faith so when wee shall be clothed vpon 2. Cor. 5.4.7 Vers 4. and mortality shall bee swallowed vp of life then shall wee walke not by Faith but by Sight Neither is the ceasing of Faith any losse or disaduantage but an exchange for the better namely vision for Seeing vnto Belieuing is as the full brightnesse of the Sunne is to the glimmering light of a candle I assume then But Assurance ceaseth not when eternall pacification and rest is wrought for then the certainty of our Election of our adoption of our acceptation into grace and finally of our Saluation is so farre from ceasing that it is by so much the more confirmed vnto vs as intuitiue apprehension and the sight of the eye is more infallible then heare-say or seeing by reflexion I conclude therefore out of your owne principles that Faith ceasing and Assurance not ceasing Faith is not Assurance But as touching Affiance or Resting vpon the mediation of Christ for iustification and Saluation it is euident that that ceaseth when wee shall haue obtained eternall rest and pacification For being perfectly quitted of our sinnes and in full possession of Saluation how can wee farther set out Affiance vpon him for it Especially seeing hee shall then cease to bee vnto vs a Mediator of Redemption and Reconciliation in regard whereof only hee is the Obiect of Affiance or Iustifying Faith and shall bee vnto vs no otherwise then he is vnto the Elect Angels a Mediatour of Conseruation to confirme preserue vs eternally in the most blessed state of glory For neither shall hee Prophecy any more vnto vs by the ministry of the Gospell nor propitiate for vs by the sacrifice of his death and Passion nor gouerne vs by the scepter of his word as here hee doth 1 Cor. 15.24 but in this respect shall hee deliuer vp the Kingdome vnto his Father and the Godhead in the holy Trinity shall without all meanes bee immediately vnto vs all in all N. B. Rest therefore in Christ is the Effect of Faith and Faith is the cause of Rest and so consequently Faith is not Rest nor Rest is not Faith I. D. If say you Faith bee the cause of Rest and Rest bee the Effect of Faith then is not Faith Rest nor Rest Faith This I yeeld you But Faith is the cause of Rest and Rest is the effect of Faith How proue you this It seemeth by the illatiue particle Therefore that you referre vs for this vnto some former premisses What then haue you formerly said That a full assurance as a cause worketh rest vpon Christ as an effect But neither is Assurance Faith and I haue sufficiently proued that Assurance is not the cause of Rest nor Rest an effect of Assurance Againe you say that Faith
and to vpbraid error in man is to reproch euen mortality in selfe Which if you had seriously and duly considered either you would not with such petulancy haue beene caried against the errors you imagine to be in mee or at least you would haue remembred your selfe also to be a man But seeing you count your selfe the only wise-man and others as the Poet speaketh Homer to fly about like shadowes you may not thinke it hard if being both ignorant and insolent you be admonished of the one and chastised for the other OF THE FAITH OF INFANTS AND HOW THEY ARE Iustified and Saued By the late Reuerend and Learned Diuine Master Iohn Downe Bachelour of Diuinity and sometimes Fellow of Emanuell Colledge in Cambridge OXFORD Prinred by IOHN LICHFIELD for EDWARD FORREST Anno Domini M.DC.XXXV OF THE FAITH OF INFANTS AND HOW THEY ARE Iustified and Saued THat Christian Infants haue a particular Faith of their owne is generally affirmed both by Papists and Lutherans yet with some difference De Bapt. l. 1. c. 10. as Bellarmine writeth For Papists hold that they haue onely Habituall Faith and that it together with Hope and Charity is infused into them in the Sacrament of Baptisme but the Lutherans saith he attribute vnto them Actuall Faith or something like thereunto Wherein it may be the Cardinall doth them some wrong Field Append. part 2. §. 1. For it is obserued by some Diuines that they constantly deny Children to haue any actuall apprehension of Gods mercies or that they feele in themselues any such motions of Faith Whereupon it must needs follow that their meaning is not to attribute vnto them Actuall Faith but a kind of Habituall Faith onely or that seed root and Habit whence Actuall motions in due time doe flow But bee their opinion herein whatsoeuer it will bee sure I am that both Lutheran and Papist agree in this that Infants haue a particular Faith of their owne The principall reasons that they alledge for proofe hereof are these Heb. 11.6 Infants please God but without Faith it is impossible to please him Mat. 19.14 The Kingdome of God belongs vnto them Which yet the Scriptures say cannot be attained without Faith The Word of God euery where maketh particular Faith a necessary meanes vnto Iustification and Saluation as where the Prophet saith The iust man shall liue by his Faith Hab. 2.4 but Infants are iustified before God and being iustified cannot but bee saued Matt 18.6 Mar. 9.36 Luc. 1.41 Nay Christ himselfe expresly saith that they doe belieue And Iohn the Baptist in the very wombe of his Mother was filled with the Holy Ghost and sprang at the salutation of the Blessed Virgin Other arguments they vse but they are all of the like nature and notwithstanding them all I cannot bee perswaded that Infants while they are such haue any Faith of their owne either Actuall or Habituall And these among sundry others are my chiefest reasons Deut. 1.39 First the Scripture in plaine tearmes affirmeth that they haue no knowledge at all either of good or euill and that they cannot so much as discerne betweene the right and the left hand If so Ion. 4.11 how can they who conceiue not of things naturall vnderstand those things that are heauenly and aboue the pitch of nature To this effect Saint Augustin Epist 57. Scire diuina paruulos qui nec humana adhuc norint si verbis velimus ostendere vereorne ipsis sensibus nostris facere videamur iniurià m quando iâ—â—loquendo fuadere studemus vbi omnes vires officiumque sermonis superet euidentia veritatis that is If wee should goe about to demonstrate with words that Children know the things of God who as yet know not the things of men I feare wee should offer wrong euen to our very senses endeuouring to perswade by speech that the euidence of the truth whereof far exceeds all power and office of speech Secondly when Infants are presented at the holy Font and either sprinkled with the water of Baptisme or dipped therein how chanceth it that they so much dislike thereof testifying their dislike by their crying and other motion of the body Certainly had they actuall Faith they would endure all with much patience and cheerefulnesse and neuer bewray so much aduersenesse and discontent But if in doing so they goe against their knowledge the Sacrament must needs bee so fâ—rre from auailing them to the washing away of Originall guilt that by their reluctation they rather contract a further guilt of Actuall sinne which I suppose none except he be too too vncharitable will imagine of them Thirdly if they haue Faith why are they not after their initiation by Baptisme forthwith admitted vnto holy Communion In the time of Saint Augustin and Innocent the first it was the practice of the Church so to doe and it continued as some write for the space of sixe hundred yeeres downe vnto the times of Ludouicus Pius and Lotharius But why is that custome now growne out of vse and why are Children barred from the Eucharist if they belieue as well as elder people Nay why are they not rather admitted then those of riper yeeres For Infants haue not so much as euill thoughts in them but these by reason of their longer life haue made themselues guilty of many euill deeds besides Fourthly Faith as Saint Paul witnesseth commeth by hearing and hearing by the Word of God preached But Infants heare not neither by the eare nor by any other way proportionable thereunto or if they doe yet they vnderstand not what they heare For did they vnderstand I presume they would harken more attentiuely vnto what is said then we see they doe Wherefore not hearing neither doe they belieue If you say they belieue by an inward Hearing then is that Faith wrought either by Ordinary or Extraordinary meanes Not by Extraordinary meanes for it is done euery day and houre By Ordinary therefore If so then haue wee a double manner of working Faith and both of them Ordinary the one by Inward Hearing in Infants only the other by Inward and Outward also in those that are Adulti which is a meere nouelty in the Church of God Fiftly how commeth it to passe if Children haue Faith that among so many millions of them as haue beene in the world not so much as one of them when they come to riper yeares giueth any testimony of his Faith vntill hee bee farther taught and informed If a child borne of Christian parents and entred into the visible Church by Baptisme shall afterwards while hee is yet in his tender yeeres fall into the hands of Infidels or Turks as the more the pitie many thousands of them haue done and the whole band of Ianizars they say consists of no other doth hee not readily receiue that religion which is first instilled into him without once dreaming of the Christian Faith Which yet how it should bee hauing from his
it might bee a generall custome but not a generall opinion and so indeed some of your men turne it off and the Councell of Trent saith that as those holy Fathers had probable cause of their doing according to the reason of the time so without controuersie must we belieue that they did it not vpon necessity of saluation But first this is a question not of Faith but of Fact namely what those Fathers did belieue in this point and in a matter of Fact your selues confesse a Councell may bee deceiued Secondly the sayings aboue related are so plaine and expresse as none can bee more so that it must needs bee extreme madnesse to yeeld vnto this consequent the Councell of Trent that is a few men of yesterday say so and therefore though Pope Innocent and Augustin and other of the ancient Fathers say the contrary of themselues yet must wee not belieue them Thirdly the very Text of Scripture which they alledged to proue their opinion vnderstanding it of the Eucharist as they did manifestly argues they held a necessity of it to Infants Vnlesse you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drinke his blood yee shall not haue life in you Lastly you are to know that the Fathers brought in this of the Eucharist against the Pelagians to proue the necessity of Baptisme thus None can bee saued without partaking of the holy Communion None may partake of the holy Commumunion except hee bee Baptized Ergo none can bee saued except hee bee Baptized The Assumption they tooke for granted the Maior they warranted by the aforesaid text So that the Conclusion must of necessity fall to the ground and Baptisme cannot bee necessary vnlesse the Eucharist also bee necessary And thus haue I discharged this obligation also and haue made good my promise vnto you as touching this point From which together with the other particulars aboue mentioned I conclude that the Fathers haue generally erred and consequently that Consent of Fathers cannot bee a ground of Faith vnlesse you will consent with them in error Which will yet further appeare if you will please to take notice that your own men orderly reiect them notwithstanding their Consent For why should they doe thus after so many vaunts and brags if they thought the more part of them could not erre Yet that so they doe Loc. l. 7. c. 1. n. 1. Rom. 5. learne by these few examples Canus saith that from that place of the Apostle In whom haue all sinned all the holy Fathers with one mouth affirme the Blessed Virgin to haue beene conceiued in Originall sinne as namely Chrysostome Eusebius Remigius Ambrose Augustin Bernard Bede Anselme Erardus Martyr S. Antony Bonauenture Aquinas Vincentius Damascenus Hugo de sancto Victore Yet saith hee though there were no Author to stand against them the argument drawne from consent of all the Fathers is but weake and the contrary opinion is more probably and piously defended Salmeron also beeing hardly beset with the same army of Fathers in the same point quits himselfe like a man thus In Rom. 5. d. 51. To this multitude of Doctors we oppose another multitude to driue out one naile with another his meaning is the learned men of these latter times against the Ancient Fathers Michael Medina confesseth that Hierome Ambrose De Sacr. hom orig l. 1. c. 5. Augustin Sedulius Primasius Chrysostome Theodoret Occumenius and Theophylact to whom hee might haue added diuers others that I say they held there was no difference betweene a Presbyter and a Bishop yet hee reiecteth it as the opinion of the Heretike Aërius That Christ is the true Shepheard mentioned in the tenth of Iohn Augustin Chrysostome Hierome Caesarius Cyril Theodoret Aponius Gregorius Rom. Anastasius Sinaita Prosper Theophylact Euthymius Rupertus Cyprian Leontius Eucherius Lugd. Bede Bernard Anselme Cantear Liranus and many others affirme yet Antid Huang in Ioh. 10. saith Stapleton the Pope is vnderstood thereby All the Ancient Fathers in a manner as Gregory Nazianzen Origen Athanasius the Author of the imperfect worke on Mathew Saint Ambrose Antiq. Iud. l. 3. c. 4. De Decal de legg spec Saint Hierome and generally all the ancient Hebrewes as both Iosephus and Philo testifie diuided the Decalogue as wee doe making the first table to consist of foure Commandements concerning Gods worship and that against Images to bee the second your Church notwithstanding to couer her spirituall fornications and the sacrilegious razing of that Commandement out of your Prayer-books and Catechismes goes against all antiquity diuiding the first table onely into three Commandements Quaest 71. in Exod. and cutting the tenth into two hauing no other colour for it but onely one Augustins single authority To bee breefe In the exposition of this verse In Psal 31. saith Tolet nor the Greeks nor the Latins nor they who follow the Hebrewes seeme to mee to speake perfectly So almost all expound In Mat. 19.11 In Mat. 16.18 saith Maldonat with whom I cannot agree And againe The meaning of these words of Christ seemes not to bee that which all bring whom I remember to haue read except Hilary And yet againe The opinions of the Fathers touching this sentence are diuerse but to speake freely I rest in none of them In Mat. 11.11 13. In Ioh. 6.62 And All the Fathers almost so expound but their interpretation seemeth not to me fit enough And lastly Thus I expound it and although I haue no Author for this exposition yet I approue it rather then that of Augustin and the rest albeit most probable because if more crosseth the meaning of the Caluinists Which last clause I would pray you well to consider for by it not Consent of Fathers but crossing of Caluinists is the rule of truth O impudence O perfidiousnesse to boast and bragge so much of Fathers and yet in truth to make so little reckoning of them But to let you see how the world is cheated by these Impostors heare a little further If at any time saith Cardinall Cajetan Proaem in lib. Moysis yee meet with a sence agreeing with the text although swarning from the streame of the Doctors let the Reader shew himselfe an indifferent Censor neither let any detest it for this cause because it disagreeth from the ancient Doctors For God hath not tyed the exposition of the Scripture vnto the sences of the ancient Doctors otherwise all hope would bee taken from vs of expounding the Scripture This saying of Cajetan is I confesse reproued by some of your men yet is hee defended by Andradius who also saith Defens fid Trid. l. ◠We may forsake all the sences of the Fathers and bring a new vnlike vnto theirs and the Fathers spake not oracles when they expounded the Scripture Maldonat is very peremptory Whatsoeuer many ancient Fathers haue thought Sum. q. 12. 2. 4. whether it bee true Matrimony after a vow the contrary is now true And
beleeuing And to these the Seales of the Couenant of grace the presence of God his blessings do appertaine also If then you would bee assured that both the promises seales belong vnto you ioine your selfe to such companies and performe the condition with them and the Spirit of adoption will certifie and assure you thereof If you will not you must seek out of the world or hang euer in doubt for in the world there are none but such companies Act. 2.41.42.47.11.21.24.18.27 Mat. 18.17.20 1. Cor. 5.4.5.12.13 Ps 149.9 4. How els should it haue or vse the power of Christ to receiue in members ioyning vnto them or to cast out such as are obstinate offenders It is true there is a power giuen by Christ vnto the Church â—o receiue into their Society such as professe the entire Faith of Christ in Vnity but whether they professe the same in sincerity also that the Church cannot tell and yet receiues them Againe shee hath power to censure and cast out obstinate offenders but yet hereby it appeares that the Church visible is a mingled coÌ„pany and that offenders are to bee accounted members thereof vntill by a legall proceeding they be cut off Suppose that the Church grow remisse in denouncing offenders and tolerate them too much this argues that corruption is crept into the Church not that is no Church 5. Because that euery Church as they haue Communion with Christ and are one body with him 1. Cor. 10.16.17 Hag. 2.12.14 1. Cor. 5.6 Num. 19.13.20.22 5.2.3 Heb. 12.15 so haue they Communion also one with another and are all one body and by communion with open wicked retained among them are all defiled The members of euery Church haue I grant both Vnion and Communion one with another the Christian Church in the Christian Faith the Orthodoxall Church in the entire Christian Faith the Catholicke Church in the entire Christian Faith with Vnity the Inuisible Church in the entire Christian Faith with Unity and Sanctity This last Vnion and Communion is onely among the Saints the former may bee both betweene good and bad That if you speake of you speake not of a Visible Church and so nothing to the purpose this if you speake of you speake vntruly as wee haue shewed Moreouer to say that the toleration or presence of open wicked sinners in the Church defiles either the godly or the holy things of the godly is to make the sin of the wicked more powerfull to hinder the descent of heauenly blessings then Christs loue and vnion with vs is auayleable to conuay them vnto vs. And then was Christ much to blame who suffered the Sacrament euen at the first institution to be polluted with Iudas presence But you should consider that priuate conuersation is one thing and publicke Church-meetings another which you ignorantly confounding beguile your selfe Priuatly you may refuse at pleasure to conuerse with the wicked in publike assemblies you cannot auoid them That is in your owne power but to remoue them thence is in the Magistrats only Ps 84.10 Cant. 16.7 Os 2.2.19.20 2. Cor. 6.15 Reu. 1.11.12.20.17.1.5 6 How else should a true and visible Church bee truly and rightly distinguished from all false Churches Here at length haue you discouered vnto vs the very ground of your errour in that you cannot see how a true visible Church can bee distinguished from a false if notorious offenders bee suffered to haue any communion therein Learne then that true and false Churches are differenced by hauing or wanting the forme and essence of a Church The Christian Church is discerned from Heathnish Iewish Turkish congregations by the Christian Faith an Orthodoxe Church from an Hereticall by an entire Faith a Catholicke from a Schismaticall by an entire Faith held in Unity and the Inuisible Church from all other by the Sanctity of euery member but this is knowne to God onely the rest may bee discerned by man also You ought therefore to put a difference between a Corrupt Church and a false Church A false Church wanteth the essence and therefore is no Church a corrupt Church wanteth onely the purity it should haue yet hauing the essence it is a Church Which if you had well considered you would not haue condemned our Church if yet so corrupt as you weene for no Church vnlesse you would also say a sicke man were no man much lesse would you haue rent your selfe from it And thus you see your second ground failes you also and that you haue not demonstrated that sound members are to separate themselues from the communion of the whole body because of a few rotten meÌ„bers Now therfore except you haue stronger arguments then here you haue sent me or can adde more strength and vertue to these I must intreate you to remember your promise that if it could appeare by euident remonstrance that your grounds were sandy deceitfull you would retire your selfe into the bosome of that Church out of which you haue so scandalously withdrawne your selfe Which if you shall sincerely doe you shall both quit your selfe of the fearfull sin of Schisme into which you are fallen and reunite yourselfe vnto as glorious a Church as I verily beleeue hath beene since the Apostolicall and Primitiue times Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent Reuel 2.5 OF VOWES AND SPECIALLY THAT OF VIRGINITY YOVR desire to bee resolued touching the vow of Virginity or Single life both how lawfull it is how farre it bindes I will endeauour to satisfie you as breefly and plainly as I can first shewing you what is the nature and definition of a vow in generall and then applying it vnto your particular question for the more easie and fuller determination thereof 1. A vow rightly defined is a promise made vnto God of things lawfull by such as haue power so to doe thereby to testify their affection and duty towards him This short definition containing the whole and entire nature of a lawfull Vow I will for your better vnderstanding vnfold in the seuerall parts thereof 2. I call it a Promise not a Purpose for a Purpose being only an inclination of the minde to do something binds not vnto performance and is alterable without sin But a Promise comprehendeth both a Purpose and Obligation also binding the Conscience vnto performance absolutely if the forme of the Promise be absolute conditionally if conditionall 3. And this promise whether it be internally conceiued in the heart or externally vttered by the mouth it is all one vnto God who vnderstandeth as well the language of the one as of the other Yet as in Praying so in Vowing speech is not vnprofitable the solemnity thereof both more inwardly affecting our selues and by example more edifying others 4. The Party to whom Vowes are to bee directed is God only for it is a part of diuine worship and enioyned in the third commandement A part of diuine worship I say simply if it bee of things