and haue not charitie I am nothing gather two conclusions against vs the first is thâ—t true faith may bee without loue the second that faith alone without good workes is nothing worth in the businesse of our iustification To the first answere is made that the speech of Paul is not a categoricall proposition but an hypotheticall supposition if it were possible that all faith should be without good workes it were nothing Secondly Paul here speakes not of a iustifying saith of that faith of beleeuers which is common and generall but of the speciall gift of faith to worke miracles of which our Sauiour in the Gospell If yee had faith aâ— much as a graine of mustard seâ—de and should say vnto this mulbery tree Pluck thy selfe vp by the rootes and plant thâ— selfe in the sea it should euen obey you This hee said vnto the beleeuing Apostles and therefore cannot bee construed of a sauing faith but of a miraculous faith and so S. Ambrose notes vpon this text to doe wonders and to cast out diuels by faith is nothing worth except a man be an earnest follower of good conuersation Our Diuines acknowledge that euery kind of faith is not ioyned with loue for there is a dead â—aith and there is a liuely whereby Christ liueth in vs we in Christ. There is a faith of diuâ—ls and a faith of Gods elect There is a faith whereby the beleeuer shal neuer perish and there is a faith whereby some beleeue for a time and in the day of temptation fall away There is a faith which the world destroyeth and a faith which is our victorie by which a Christian ouercomes the world There is a faith whereby wee beleeue there is a God and there is a faith whereby we beleeue in God according to these differences of faith in Scripture there is a faith without workes and there is a faith which worketh by loue We say then of the faith of Gods elect whereby we beleeue in God to which the promise of iustification and eternall saluation is made that is a faith which cannot be separated from charity but wheresoeuer it is there is loue ioyned with it bringing forth the fruites of righteousnesse which are by Iesus Christ vnto the glorie and praise of God Inseparabilis est bona vita à sidâ— qua per dâ—â—e iionem operatur imò verò ea iâ—sâ— est bona vâ—â—â— saith Aâ—gustine according to that of Irenaeus to beleeue is to doe as God will and therfore Beza translates here 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not omnem fidem but toâ—â—m â—idem implying not all kinde of faith but all faith of this kinde to worke miracles as if Paul should argue thus If a man could worke neuer so many miracles and faile in his morals he should be nequâ—m nequam is nequiâ—quam as our Apostle speakes a nothing The second conclusion gathered out of these words against vs is that faith alone without charitie nothing auaileth to iustification Our answere is that albeit faith is not solitaria yet in our iustification it is sâ—la euen as the eye in regard of being is neuer alone from the head yet in respect of seeing it is alone for it is the eye onely that doth see So saith subsists not without other graces of God as hope loue c. yet in regard of the act of iustification it is alone without them all For the further opening of this hard point you must vnderstand that separating of things one from another is either real in the subiect or mental in the vnderstanding real separation of faith and charitie wee wholly denie For Bellarmine confesseth expressely that Luthâ—r Melanâ—thon Chemnitius Caluin and other learned Protestants haue taught that good workes in sâ—me sort be necessarie to saluation and that there is no true â—aith vnlesse it bring forth good workes and be conioyned with charitie Separation mental in vnderstanding and consideration is either negatiue or priuatiue Negatiue when in the vnderstanding there is an affirming of one and denying of another Priuatiue when of things that cannot be separated indeed yet a man vnderstands the one and omitteth to vnderstand the other As for example though light and heate cannot be sepaâ—ated in the fire yet a man may consider the light and not the heate so then in our iustification wee doe not negatiuely separate other graces from faith as if faith existed alone without hope and loue but priuatiuely making them effects and consequents not concurâ—ing causes of our iustification Our assertion is faith considered without hope and charitie that is hope and charitie not considered with it doth iustifie Christ Iesus is our husband and we are his spouse now the Bridegroome must bee â—lone with the Bride in his secret chamber all the seruants and the familie being put apart afterward when the doore is opened and he commeth foorth into the waiting roome then let all the seruants and handmaids attend then let hope doe her office let loue doe the duties of loue then as S. Peter exhorts ioyne vertue with faith and with vertue knowledge and with knowledge temperance c. The Papists obiect that loue is the life of faith All faiths actiuitie proceedes only from charitie and without which our â—aith is dead So the Scripture plainly that in Christ neither is circumcision any thing neither vncircumcision but faith which worketh by loue Cardinall Bellarmine reades 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 passiuely wrought by loue disagreeing herein from all the Fathers and that which becomes him worse from the vulgar Latine to which all Papists are tied by the Councell of Trent as also from the Rhemish translation in Enlish which hath as our Testament worâ—eth actiuely for they foresaw this absurditie that if they should haue translated faith wrought by loue then it would haue followed that loue must needs be before faith whereas all of them acknowledge faith to be before loue according to that of Augustine Faith is giuen first by which wee obtaine the rest and Altissiodorensis in his golden Summe saith that faith hope and charitie are a created trinitie resembling the three diuine persons vncreat For the Sonne is begotten of the Father and the holy Ghost proceeds from both so stedfast hope is bred of faith and loue doth issue from them both And Bellarmine cites often in his workes out of Augustine Domus Deicredendo fundatur sperando erigitur diligendo perficitur The foundation of Gods house in our soules is faith the walles hope the roofe charitie The Prophet in a vision saw the transgressor against the transgressor and the destroyer against the desâ—royer So the schoolmen oppose the schoolmen and their Champion Bellarmine fights against Bellarmine For if faith be the foundation of all other vertues as himselfe writes lib. 1. de Rom. pont cap. 10. then it is not as hee
disputes in lib. 1. de Iustificat cap. 4. wrought by charitie but contrariwise charitie doth arise from faith It is then an idle dreame to suppose that charitie is inclosed in faith as a diamond is in a ring for Christ is the pretious pearle which giues life and lustre to the ring The iust liue not by loue but by faith in him It is an improper speech as our Diuines obserue to say that faith worketh by loue as the bodie by the soule the matter by the forme for the soule rather worketh by the bodie then the bodie by the soule The matter is passiue the forme actiue Secondly we say that Paul in that text faith which worketh by loue doth not intend iustification but y e whole course of a Christian aftâ—r his iustification hee shuts out of Gods kingdome nullifidians and meritmongers on the left hand nudifidians and carnall Gospellers on the right In Christ neither circumcision auaileth any thing neither vncircumcision that is to say no merit nor worshipping No religious order in the world but faith alone without any trust in workes auaileth before God On the right hand he doth exclude slothfull and idle persons affirming that if faith only doe iustifie then let vs worke nothing but barely beleeue Not so yâ— carelesse generation enemies of grace for faith is operatiue working by loue Paul therefore sets foorth in that excellent sentence the whole perfection of a Christian in this life namely that inwardly it consists in faith toward God and outwardly in good workes and loue toward our neighbours so that a man is a perfect Christian inwardly through faith before God who hath no neede of our workes and outwardly before men whom our faith profiteth nothing by loue Faith is the Christians hand Now an hand hath a propertie to reach out it selfe and to receiue a gift but it can not cut a peece of wood without an hatchet or saw or some such like instrument yet by help of them it can either cut or diuide Such is the nature of faith it doth receiue Christ into the heart but as for the duties of the fiâ—st and second table faith cannot of it selfe bring them forth no more then the hand can cut of it selfe yet ioine loue to faith and then as our Apostle â—â—ith worketh through loue performing all duties so well to man as God The propertie of true faith is to receiue in to it selfe The nature of true loue is to lay out it selfe vnto other faith then alone iustifieth apprehending and applying Christs merits vnto it selfe but it cannot manifest it selfe to other except it be ioyned with loue Shew me thy â—â—ith out of thy workes And thus as you see that inward worke of iustification is ascribed in holy Scripture to faith onely but outward workes of sanctâ—fication holinâ—sse and righteousnesse to faith and loue ioyntly I refâ—â—re the distressed soule to the comfortable Commentaries of Mâ—rtin Lâ—â—â—er vpon the Galathians and the curious Diuine to Doâ—tor Abbot his Apologie for the reformed Câ—tholike Tiâ— Iâ—â—tiâ—ication For I will ingenuously confesse that my conscieâ—â—e was neuer quieted more then in reading the one and my curiositie neuer satisfied more then in examining the other Though I bestoâ— all my goods to â—eed the poore â— Mâ—rcifull workes are pro sacriâ—iciâ—s imâ— prae sacriâ—iciâ—s accepted of God as sacrifice Heb. 13.16 yea more then sacrifice Hosea 6.6 I will haue mercie not sacrifice To be mercifull is the sole worke common to man with God It is then an higher step of perfection to distribute goods vnto the poore then to spâ—ake with the tongues of men and Angels or to be furnished with all varietie of knowledge yet Paul saith If I bestow my goods all my goods not vpon the rich but vpon the poore to feede not to feast them and had not loue it profits me nothing Where note fiue degrees of this amplification the first is to giue for most men as it is in the prouerbe are better at the rake then at the pitchforke readier to pull in then to giue out The second is to giue not another mans but our owne goods If I bestow my goods According to that of Salomon Ecclesiastes 11.1 Cast thy bread vpon the waters Paâ—is si tuus qui tuus The third is all our goods not some small portion or great summe but all according to that of Christ If thou wilt be perfect sell all that thou hast and giue it to the poore The fourth is to giue not to the rich but to the poore Frange panem esurienti saith the Prophet Deale thy bread to the hungry The last is to giue to the poore not superfluously to feast but necessarily to feede them If a man performe this and more then this out of vaineglorious ostentation or idle prodigalitie not out of loue to Christ and compassion of his members it were but so much as nothing Though I gaue my bodie to be burned Loue is seene more in deedes then in words and in suffering more then in doing and of all suffering death is most terrible and of all kindes of death burning is most fearfull Here then are many degrees in this one speech as Interpreters obserue first si tradidero not if I be forced but if of mine owne accord I giue my bodie to be burned as it is said of Christ he gaue himselfe for vs a sacrifice Secondly si tradidero corpus if I suffer losse not of goods onely though that be very commendable Heb. 10.34 Ye suffered with ioy the spoiling of your goods But affliction in body which is far dearer then our wealth as the father of lies in this truly Skinne for skinne and all that euer a man hath will hee giue for his life Thirdly Sâ—traâ—â—dero corpus meum if I giue not onely the body of my child though a woman is highly magnified for such an act in the 2. of Maccabees 7. but my hod not onelie flesh of my flesh but flesh which is my flesh not onely to suffâ—r a naturall death but a violent and of all violent the most terrible to be rosted yea consumed in the fire If any suffer all this and want charity to particular persons espâ—cially toward the common body of the Church it is no better or rather indeed worâ—e then nothing I beseech you therefore by the mercifulnesse of Gâ—d whatsoeuer you speake whatsoeuer you study whatsoeuer you doe whatsoeuer you suffer let all be done in loue Vniuersa inutilitèr habet qui vnum illud quô vniuersis vtatur non hâ—bet Vnprofitably quoth Augustine hath he all who wants that one whereby he should vse all As the same father in another place QuaÌ„ta est charitas quae si desit frustrà habentur caetera si adsit rectè habentur omnia How great is loue for if it be wanting all other graces lose their grace but if present all are profitable So the text
an heretike Not to presse this place nor vrge any other scripture we may beate the Rhemish and Romish in this controuersie with their owne weapons Antiquitie and Custome For it is acknowledged that the Christians in old time read the Bible to their great edification and increase of faith in their mother tongue The Armenians had the Psalter and some other peeces of Scripture translated by S. Chrysostome The Sclauonians by S. Hierome the Goths by Vulpilas and that before he was an Arian The Italians three hundred yeers since by Iames Archbishop of Genua and the Bible was in French also two hundred yeeres agoe Beside these the Syrians Arabians Aethioptans had of ancient time the Scriptures in their seuerall languages as it is manifest by those portions of them which are at this day brought from their countries into this part of the world To speake of our owne countrey venerable Beda did translate the whole Bible into the Saxon tongue and the Gospel of S. Iohn into English K. Alfred also considering the great ignorance that was in his kingdome translated both the Testaments into his natiue language Queene Anne wife to Richard the second had Scriptures translated in the vulgar as Thomas Arundel then Archbishop of Yorke and Chancellor of England mentioned at her funerall sermon anno 1394. Moreouer in a Parliament of this King Richard there was a bill put in to disanull the Bible traÌ„slated into English vnto which Iohn Duke of Lancaster answered and said We will not be the refuse of al men other Nations haue Gods lawes in their owne language Thomas Arundel as we reade in the constitutions of Linwood being translated vnto the sea of Canterburie made strait prouision in a Councell holden at Oxford that no version set out by Wickliffe or his adherents should be suffered being not approued by the Diocesan It is apparent then out of our owne Chronicles that the Bible was turned into the mother tongue before and after the Conquest before and after the time of Wickliffe before and after the daies of Luther and all this paine was vndertaken by good and holie men that the people of God reading and vnderstanding the Scripture through patience and comfort of the Sonne might haue certaine hope of another life As then I condemne the malice of Papists in forbidding so likewise the negligence of carnall Gospellers in forbearing to reade those things aforetime written for our learning Our forefathers heretofore spared neither cost nor paine they ventred their crownes and their heads too for the new TestameÌ„t in English translated by Master Tyndall and when they could not heare the Gospell in the Church publikely they receiued much comfort by reading it in their houses priuately the very children became fathers vnto their parents and begat them in Christ euen by reading a few plaine Chapters vnto them in a corner but in our time when euery shop hath Bibles of diuers translations editions volumes annotations the number of those who can readâ— is but small the number of those who doe reade is lesse the number of those who reade as they should least of all If a learned Clerk should â—en a treatise for thy particular instruction thou wouldest instantly with all diligence peruse it If a Nobleman should send thee gracious letters concerning thy preferment thou wouldest with all dutifull respect entertaine theÌ„ If thy father or some other friend taking a iourney into a farre countrey should penne his Will and leaue it in thine hands and custody thou wouldest hold it as a great token of his loue Behold the Bible is written by Wisedome it selfe for our learning that we may be perfect vnto all good workes It is Gods Epistle and Letters patent wherein are granted vnto vs many gracious immunities and priuiledges it is his Testament wherein all his will is reuealed whatsoeuer hee would haue done or vndone and therefore let vs pray with the Church that wee may in such wise reade holie Scriptures heare mark learne and inwardly digest them that by patience and comfort of Gods holie word wee may embrace and euerhold fast the hope of euerlasting life through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen The Gospel LVKE 21.25 There shall be signes in the Sunne c. THe Sunne of righteousnesse appeareth in three signes Leo. Virgo Libra First roring as a Lion in the Law so that the people could not endure his voyce Then in Virgo borne of a Virgin in the Gospell in Libra weying our workes in his ballance at the last and dreadfull audite Or there is a three-fold comming of Christ according to the three-fold difference of time Past. Present Future Which Bernard hath vttered elegantly venit ad homines in homines contra homines He came among men in time past when as the Word was made flesh and dwelt among vs hee comes into men in the present by his grace and holie Spirit Apoc. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the doore and knocke He shall in the future come against men to iudge both the quicke and the dead but the Sonne of man hath but two commings in the forme of man his first comming in great meeknes his second in exceeding maiestie At his first comming he rode vpon an asse in his second as it is here said he shall ride vpon the clouds In his first comming he came to be iudged in his second he comes to iudge In his first comming the people did triumph and reioyce crying Hosanna but in his second comming the people shall bee at their wits end for feare and for looking after those things which shall come on the world In that therefore the Church hath adioyned this Gospell of his second comming vnto that other of his first comming it doth teach all Teachers this lesson that their song be like Dauids of iudgement and mercie that in all their sermons they mingle faith and feare that they preach Christ to be a Iudge so well as an Aduocate This method Christ himselfe did vse who did as well expound the Law as propound the Gospell who denounced woe to the proud Pharisies and pronounced blessednesse to the poore in spirit who powred wine and oyle into the wounds of him that was halfe dead oyle which is supple wine which is sharpe and when he departed he gaue to the host two pence that is to the Preachers who take charge of him the two Testaments and willed them to temper and applie these two till hee come againe that thinking on the Gospell we might neuer despaire and thinking on the Law wee might neuer presume that looking vpon Christs first comming wee might reioyce and expecting his second comming wee might feare because there shall be signes in the Sunne and in the Moone c. In handling whereof I will not trouble you with idle curiosities only note two plaine points Especiallie to wit the Certaintie Of Christs second comming Especiallie