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Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
love_n	faith_n	heart_n	love_v	9,402	5	6.3927	4	true

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A91998	A den of theeves discovered. Or certaine errours and false doctrines, delivered in a sermon at a visitation holden at Baldocke in the county of Hertford, Decemb. 9. 1641. By Henry Denne, curate at Pyrton in Hertfordshire. And since printed by his owne appointment. Contradicted justly by many of the auditors. And confuted by Thomas-Atvvood Rotherham, now rector of St John Zacharies, London, and sometimes vicar of Iclkeford in Hertfordshire, neare Hitchin. Here you have the point of iustification by free grace fully handled, together with many difficult places of Scriptnre [sic] (much abused) plainly expounded; and some speciall cases of conscience resolved, whereby the weakest Christian, in the greatest conflict, may gather true and solid comfort. With severall tables very necessary and usefull for the reader. Published by authority.	Rotherham, Thomas Atwood, d. 1657.	1643 (1643)	Wing R2000; Thomason E251_3; ESTC R212516	114,466	110

comfort your drooping spirits against such desperate disconsolate doctrine as this meerely contrary to the doctrine of the Gospel and the true way of preaching Free Grace by Christ who will not breake a bruised Reed nor quench smoaking Flax if an an Angell from heaven preach any other doctrine beleeve him not I say againe cheere up your hearts The gates of Hell shall never prevaile against you you are rich in grace and all the pretious promises of the Gospel belong to you and all the riches of Gods mercie in Christ Jesus are yours what shall I say more I conclude God is yours Christ is yours and all is yours Now we are come to the third question laid downe in Page the 74. at the latter end Whether when Faith lies hid that wee cannot see that we beleeve by the inward Testimony of our conscience that it is possible our workes of pietie or charitie can assure us of salvation his answer is I say no and my reasons are these 1. That which makes me doubt of my Faith will make me doubt of the sinceritie of my worke 2. How is it possible I should judge my worke sincere when I cannot see I beleeve Whatsoever is not of Faith is sinne I answer there are diverse grounds which make a man doubt of his Faith different from those which make him doubt of the sincerit●e of his worke as through the want of apprehension whereby hee can say from his conscience that he is justified and at peace with God And in regard of spirituall desertions There is a twofold inward testimony of conscience The first is an immediate knowledge that a man doth beleeve which is by the prime and next efficient cause namely the Spirit of God called the (k) Id est eandem fidem ex ejusdem Spiritus afflatu dono Beza in loc Spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4.13 and this is more fully set downe downe 1 Cor. 2.12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that wee might know the things that are freely given to us of God The second inward testimony of conscience is the sinceritie of a mans worke whereby a Christian knowes he doth beleeve and concerning the sinceritie of the worke none can judge but a mans owne conscience whose proper office it is and this the Apostle sets downe 2 Cor. 1.12 For our rejoycing is this the testimony of our (l) Certebonam conscientiam habemus quod candide ca an misinceritate quam Dominus in nobis requiri● un sumus Luc. Ostand in loc conscience that in simplicitie and godly sinceritie not with fleshly wisedome but by the grace of God wee have had our conversation in the world Conscience being that privitie which the soule hath to things knowne to none but God and it selfe is able to judge of the intention of every action So that as a tree is knowne by the fruits in like manner Faith is certainely knowne by its fruits as the cause is knowne by the effect And the Apostle (m) Insallibile est signam vere r●natorum organm a postenori valer Arett com in loc 1 Joh. 3.14 makes love to the brethren an infallible signe of a regenerate man We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren So that although we cannot immediately see that wee doe beleeve yet if we find in our conscience that wee love the brethren we know by this that wee doe beleeve for as breath is a certaine signe and evidence of present life so love to the brethren of present Faith even as wee see that when the Sunne is eclipsed though the earth wants the light of it yet not the reall influence and though men see not the Sunne in the light of it they doe see it in its reall influence and vertue So although Faith may be hid in regard of the soules immediate seeing it yet it may evidently see it doth beleeve in regard of Faiths reall influences and effects love to the brethren being one and thus though Faith lies hid Charitie doth and can assure us of our salvation Pag. 75. What workes are done in Faith sayes he that the same acts may not be done in the spirit of bondage If you say indeed that the actions are the same but they differ in the end I grant it and in the efficient also but as I cannot discerne the efficient so neither can I discerne the end of my worke To this I answer I discerne the efficient by the end he that hath a discursive intellect and can make use of that reason which God bath given him can easily tell to what end hee undertakes such and such an action The end being the first thing in the (a) Finis qui ultimus est executione primus est intentione omnis intellectus operativus incipit a fine Keckerm System lib. 1. pag. 165. intention and that which first sets the minde on worke about this or that thus in temporalls so likewise in spiritualls The Christian being able to make use of his sanctified reason can easily tell the intent of his heart and the end hee aymes at especially having the word of God as a sure rule to goe by he can tell whether he loves the brethren out of any by end he hath or onely as brethren setting all other respects aside And finding this holy affection in himselfe must needs conclude it cannot bee in a man that doth not beleeve I have heard of a very godly Minister who as I take it being sicke to death was much troubled about his evidence and doubted whether he did belong to God or no at the last Well sayes he the devill shall never gull me I have one evidence will assure me without faile I am certaine I love Gods people and so gathered comfort Upon these grounds I am bold to determine the question affirmatively That although Faith lies hid for the present yet a man from workes of pietie and charitie which he findes in himselfe may have assurance that he doth beleeve and so is in the state of salvation In his conference pag. 12. he doth confesse Where unfained love to the brethren is found it may be a testimony of grace received but he objects How shall I know his answer is That unlesse we beleeve truely we cannot know we love unfainedly therefore though our love heare witnesse to our Faith before men yet our Faith beares witnesse to our love in the secrets of our heart neither can it ever appeare to bee true love that proceeds not from a heart first imbracing Christ by Faith To this I answer by my loving unfainedly I know I beleeve truely the truth of my worke being an infallible evidence of the truth of my Faith and I can trie my worke by the sure rule of the Word which will not faile and thus though I cannot see my Faith formally yet I can see it effectively I meane in

its effective energie and efficacie Againe our love doth not onely beare witnesse to our Faith before men but also to our selves that we doe beleeve our consciences telling us that it is such a love that must needs flow from Faith and be a fruit and effect of it Good (b) Opera bona tripliciter veniunt consideranda 1. Ratione materiae sive objecti circa quod versantur 2. Ratione originis ex qua procedunt 3. Ratione finis in quem fiunt Laurent com in Epist Jaceb pag. mihi 178. workes are to be considered 1. In regard of the matter or object about which they are conversant 2. In regard of the originall from which they doe proceed 3. In regard of the end for which they are done Now who can judge of the proper and formall object of a mans love to the brethren whether grace be it or no or who can tell whether it flowes from a sincere affection to grace or no or whether there be any by end or not another man cannot judge 1 Cor. 2.11 For what man knoweth the things of man save the spirit of man which is in him by the (c) Spiritus hominis significar substantialem hominis pattem animum seu intellectum conscientiam hominis quae cuique certissime dictat quid in intimis cordis recessibus lateat quisque in sinu gerat Pare com in loc spirit wee are to understand the substantiall part of man the mind or intellect and conscience which doth certainly dictate and tell to every one what lies hid in the secret passages of his heart and every thing that hee carrieth in his bosome for the mind of man doth not onely understand those things which are abroad or mans outward actions but his very inwards And by reflexion upon it selfe knowes and understands that it understands it selfe And thus its plaine that no other can judge of a mans true love to the brethren but his conscience and spirit and the spirit sanctified can by the Word judge certainly another but conjecturally And thus you see our love beares witnesse to our faith in the secrets of our heart and doth infallibly evidence to us that we doe beleeve And my conscience evidences to me that this love could not be in my heart unlesse I had Faith and our Saviour tels us Mat. 25.40 (d) Eleemosyna haec est quae Christum pascit esurientem in paupere Prosper De promis praedict Dei par 2. cap. 7. Inasmuch as we imbrace his Brethren by acts of love we imbrace him in our armes which none can doe without Faith In his conference Pag. 13. he layes downe this as a Note of love to the brethren If they be in poverty to sell the whole or halfe of our possessions and divide among them The sicke man propounds this question Can I not love them unlesse I sell my possessions and divide among them The Minister makes answer Verily no for true love binds us not onely to lay downe our goods but our lives also where need requireth The sicke man saith He hath not loved them thus The Minister tels him then he hath loved them in word not in deed in tongue not in truth And concludes that few can by this marke be assured of their salvation because they come so farre short of the precept and example of our Lord. To this I answer Cannot a man love the Brethren unlesse he actually sell the whole or halfe of his possessions and divide among them its enough if he carry a minde to sell them if need require which every good Christian doth and will in case of necessity part with his estate and life too Pag. 14. In his conference he saith I doe for the present beleeve untill I shall see ground to the contrary that Saint John doth principally speake of our assurance whereby we know (e) Nos scimus quid nos scimus quia transivimus de morte ad vitam undescimus quia diligimus fratres Nemo interroget hominem redeat unusquifque ad cor suum si ibi invenerit Charitatem sraternam securus sit quia transiit de motte ad vitam Jam in dextra est Aug. Expos in Epist Joan. tract 5. col mihi 613. in fine one another to be the children of God this shewes he understands not the meaning of this place it being chiefely to be understood of the evidence we have in our selves Pag. 15. I doe affirme saith he that he that hath no greater witnesse in himselfe than love to the brethren shall never attaine to assurance of Salvation Mark how within the compasse of three leaves he doth say and unsay for Pag. 12. He doth confesse unfained love to the brethren is a testimony of grace received Now whosoever hath a testimony that he hath received Grace hath assurance by this of his Salvation it makes no matter whether the Testimony he hath be greater or lesse so it be sound and true and a Christian in this case may argue a minore ad majus from the lesser to the greater for he that in Truth hath this witnesse is infallibly certaine of the greater and may by this know that he hath that I meane Faith if by it he understands the greater They are cursed speeches of the sicke man to say Hell gapes for him he shall be damned And cursed be the time that ever I laid a foundation upon the sands As though to affirme that unfained love to the brethren is an infallible note of true beleevers were to lay a foundation upon the sands whereas the Apostle affirmes as much Master Perkins speaking of the right way of ministring comfort to a party distressed layes this downe for one ground Namely to love any man because he is a Christian and a childe of God is a sensible and certaine note of a man that is partaker of the true love of God in Christ and he proves it by this place we are upon 1 Joh. 3.14 Having laid downe this ground saith he The way whereby the party in distresse may be brought within the compasse of the promise of Salvation stands in two things in making tryall and applying of the promise First when a man is in the fit of Tentation he will say resolutely he is sure to be damned Aske him in this fit of his love to God he will answer he hath none at all but aske him further whether he love a man because he is a Christian and a Childe of God then he will say he doth indeed In the second place the applying of the promise of life everlasting to the party distressed And that is done by a kinde of reasoning The first part whereof is taken from the Word of God The second from the testimony of the distressed conscience And the conclusion is the applying of the promise on this manner Major Minor He that loves a man because he is a Christian and a childe of God is certainely himselfe a true childe of God But thou lovest a man because he is a Christian and a childe of God Therefore thou art a childe of God Conclus and art translated from death to life as the Apostle speakes Another ground of comfort for a party distressed Master Perkins layes downe from the unfaigned desire after grace which he in his Conference Page 3. and in his Booke Page 74. doth utterly reject First saith Master Perkins let the comforter aske the party in distresse whether he beleeve and repent The distressed party answers no he cannot repent nor beleeve Then we must further aske whether he doth desire to beleeve and repent To this he will answer he doth desire it with all his heart Now for applying the promise to the distressed the Argument will run thus He that hath an unfained desire to repent and beleeve hath remission of sins and life everlasting Major Minor Conelus But thou hast an earnest desire to repent and beleeve in Christ Therefore remission of sinnes and life everlasting is thine Thus Master Perkins But that I may comfort the poore weake Christian against such Doctrine as this That such as doe desire to beleeve doe not beleeve I will conclude with an Example I have read in the workes of that famous Divine Master Greenham who tels of one Master Chambers of Leycester who in his sickenesse grievously despaired and cryed out that he was damned and after dyed yet it is not for any to note him sayes he with the blacke marke of a reprobate One thing which he spake in his extremity O that I had but one drop of Faith must move all men to conceive well of him for by this it seemeth he had an heart which desired to repent and beleeve And therefore a repentant and beleeving heart indeed Blame me not for having a second bout at such Doctrine as this so destructive to poore distressed Consciences so contrary to the Word of God and against the experience of every true broken hearted Christian What Doctrine soever tends to the vilifying of a sanctified life is a Doctrine of devils though it appeare as an Angell of light And such as labour to make the Law of God of no use not so much as a rule of life to a beleever doe deny the Kingly Office of Christ and they are Antichrist Now the Lord give us broken hearts that we may be low in our owne eyes and not be led by our owne humours but that we may be guided by the Spirit of truth according to the word of Truth I will present you with the golden chaine of Salvation and I have done 1. God hath ordained 2. Christ hath merited 3. The Word doth promise 4. The Sacraments doe seale 5. Faith doth receive 6. The mouth doth confesse 7. Workes doe testifie Now to God onely wise Father Sonne and Holy Ghost be all praise as is most due for evermore FINIS

fruit is eternal Christ at the last will welcome none with a Well said but Well done good servant enter thou into thy masters joy If any shall preach to you that because you beleeve you need no repentance neither to bee sorrowfull in confessing your sinnes nor to aske pardon Tell them you have not so learned Christ who himselfe hath taught you that as duely as you aske for your daily bread you should likewise aske for the forgivenesse of sinne let me warne you in the Apostles words 2 Pet. 3.17 Yee therefore beloved seeing yee know these things beware lest yee also being led away with the errour of the wicked fall from your owne stedfastnesse And the very God of peace sanctifie you wholly And I pray God your whole spirit and soule and body be preserved blamelesse unto the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ And so I rest Your carefull Watchman for your soules good who seekes not yours but you THO. ROTHERHAM Septemb. 1. 1643. To my Loving Friends and sometimes Parishioners of Ickleford in the County of Hertford Deare Friends I Know this Booke in Answer to Master Denne was expected a yeare agoe and it hath beene almost so long finished But I have beene hindred by the great distractions of the times And my sickly and crazy body besides other deepe sorrowes which since have befalne me As the parting with a Sonne of no small hopes And the death of my truely religious and tender-hearted Mother of whom I may say as Saint Augustin of his Mother Confess lib. 1. cap. 11. Et conturbata mater carnis meae quoniam sempiternam salutem meam charius parturiebat She suffered sorer pangs that I might be borne againe then She did at my first Birth when in sorrow she brought me forth into the world Witnesse her last dying words which at her last farewell at the point of her death she did with deare affection expresse looking upon me stedfastly and saying O Sonne take heed how thou sinnest against God at any time And I may truly say of her as the same Father speaketh in the first of his Confessions An dicam vitam mortalem an mortem vitalem nescio Whether her whole life was a dying life or a living death I cannot tell but this I can tell to my hearts griefe her gray haires were brought downe with sorrow to the grave Thus you see my hinderances yet at last Post varios casus post tot discrimina rerum I have here presented my answer to the Printed Sermon And that I undertake this worke is not out of hatred to the man but love to the truth and to your soules let me advise you in our Saviours words to take heed what you heare and be not tossed to and fro with every winde of Doctrine He gives his booke this Title The Doctrine of John Baptist And yet every one may see he doth throughout his Sermon Preach downe Johns Doctrine as if of purpose he did intend to confute it Take heed of woolves in Sheepes clothing Aul. Gellius lib. 2. Noct. Attic. reports that the habit of Philosophers was once had in great esteeme and it hapned that a man infamous cloathed himselfe in the habit of a Philosopher and this man asking a gift at the hands of Herodes Atticus one of the Consuls for the Common-wealth of Athens he questioned him who he was but he with indignation answered him he was a Philosopher he might know him by his habit to whom the Consul replyed I see sayes he the face and cloathing of a Philosopher but no Philosopher I apply this to this Sermon Here is Christ pretended and Christianity but Faith and Repentance and Charity cryed downe which are the inside of a Christian And men may pretend the Preaching of Free Grace and Christ and this may make a faire shew but unlesse you see Faith working by love and repentance you cannot see a Christian but an Antichristian I am glad I have this love-token to leave with you whom I alwayes did and ever shall wish well I had while I lived with you a trembling care for your Soules good And I can speake it with a safe conscience I never willingly grieved any in the Towne If from some I had hatred for my good will I leave all to God who in time will lay every mans sinne at his owne doore I desire it may be in mercy to their Soules At my remove from you some imbittered Spirits did invenom their tongues against me and yet would appeare to the world as Angels of light at whose hands I have deserved better I may take up the Prophets complaint They said Let us smite him with the tongue and then we will regard none of his words And it is the Devils policy to raise an evill report against our persons that so he might take away the power of our Ministery from the hearts of men that are our hearers but I thank God who hath wrought otherwise in the hearts of most of my people with whom now I live whom I desire to be followers of me so far forth as I am a follower of Christ I speake not out of pride or singularity in regard of my selfe I thanke God I have learned quietly to passe by evill report but in respect of my Minstery Let my accusers be brought to my face if I cannot make a Christian answer to what any man can lay to my charge then let me be blamed I can truely say I have coveted no mans Silver Gold or Apparell And God knowes my heart my care hath beene more to inrich my selfe with inward abilities for my place than to get outward ability by my place I ever tooke more care for the state of my peoples soules than for my outward estate And now Brethren I commend you to God and to the Word of his Grace which is able to build you up and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctifyed And thus I rest Your true Friend and sometimes carefull Minister THO. ROTHERHAM St. John Zacharies London from my Study August 24. 1643. The Names of the Authors used in this Booke set downe Alphabetically Augustinus Ambrosius Aretius Aquinas Amesius Aristoteles Beyerlinck Bellarminus Brugensis Beza Brentius Bocanus Chrysostomus Chemnitius Concil Trident. Chamierus Cornelius a lapide Cassander Calvinus Cajetanus Durandus Dionys Carthus Davenantius Estius Espencaeus Gregor Magn. Gerhardus Gulielm Paris Gualtherus Gloss interlin Hieronymus Henricus de Urimaria Add. in lib. Sent. Jausenius Joan. Mariana Isidor Hispalens Keckermanus Lombardus Lavaterus Laurentius Lessius Lyranus Machowius Martyr Melancthon Musculus Maldonatus Melchior Adam Molineus Magdeburgensis Osiander Pelargus Polanus Pareus Pererius Pellicanus Prosper Rivetus Rollocus Septuagint Surius Theophylactus Tossanus Toletus Wollebius Zanchius A Table of the principall Contents of this Booke A A Postles How said to doe greater workes then Christ Page 4. Actual remission by legall services p. 63. What actuall remission signifies 64. Actuall and eternall

sinne with amendment of life make Christs Righteousnesse ours in the sight of God according as he layes it downe in his fearefull conclusion We say that we are justified in the sight of God by (n) Non tantum fidem justificare sed etiam solam justificare neque admittere in cam societatem ullam aliam virtutem ulla opera quaecunque sint quocunque censeantur nomine quocunque comprehendantur genere id est non spe non charitate non poenitentia non receptione Sacramentorum non castitate non justitia non pietatte sua quenquam posse justificari sed tantum fide Chamier Paustrat Cathol Tom. 3. de Justific lib. 22. cap. 1 fol. mihi 923. 17. faith alone without the workes of the Law and so we are made partakers of Christs righteousnesse and that becomes ours in the sight of God Gal. 2.16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the workes of the Law but by the faith of Jesus Christ c. We hold that Faith doth justifie alone and doth not admit into its society any other vertue any other worke whatsoever neither can any man be justified by his hope charity Repentance receiving the Sacraments chastity righteousnesse piety but onely by Faith True faith absolutely considered cannot be separated from workes it is not without charity and repentance but considered relatively in its relation it justifieth without workes So that although true Faith cannot be without good workes as Saint James saith Faith without workes is dead nor good workes rightly considered cannot be without faith yet in regard of justification they are manifestly in opposition the one against the other And such is the nature of opposites that they cannot stand together if one be laid downe the other of necessity must be taken away Lay this downe for a ground that we are justified by Faith then justification by workes must needes be denyed We cannot conceive any moment of time wherein Justifying Faith is without good workes in regard of their (o) Particula sola removet opera non ab actu praes●n●iae sed a communicatione efficientiae hoc est non ut adesse fidei justificatis sed fidei in a●●● justification● ●o op●●a●i n●g●● tur Ge●hard locor t●m 3. de Justi● Se●t 6 fol. mihi 607. presence but they doe not communicate or doe any thing neither have they any hand in Justifying of a sinner in the sight of God but are onely standers by And thus we deny that sorrow for sinne with amendment of life justifie us before God neither doe we joyne them with f●●h in point of justification of a sinner in the sight of God let ●●m but name any one Protestant W●●er or any Divine in all 〈◊〉 Country that is guilty of that which he here layeth to th●● charge I perswade my selfe he cannot To taxe the Protestants with a thing contrary to their Doctrine which they openly professe and have with their owne hand subscribed to he sheweth himselfe most injurious and unchristian When he preached his Sermon his aime was to blemish the Ministers and now he hath done it in Print but let him produce any man if he can That he may recant his false Doctrine if he have delivered it and be brought to the knowledge of the truth or if not that he may recant his false aspersion and be taught hereafter to speake the truth Whereas in his conclusion he saith Faith and sorrow for sinne with amendment of life justifie us before God or at least concurre actively to our justification Oh fearefull conclusion in regard of the false inventour The Protestants conclude no such thing They hold that faith it selfe alone justifyeth onely passively as it receiveth (p) Propterea in stam controversiae dictum fidem justificare non quatenus opus est five per se sed relative id est quatenus siguificat applicationem justitiae Christi id est non nostrae sed alienae Chamier Tom 3. de fide Justif lib. 22. cap. 11. fol. 957. Christ not actively in respect of the worke and merit thereof For we are justified by the Righteousnesse of God which is by Faith of Jesus Christ Rom. 3.22 but the Act and worke of Faith is a part of mans Righteousnesse not of Gods therefore so faith (q) Quatenus fides est opus pars quaedam inhaerentis renovationis River Catholic Orthod Tom. 2. fol. 260. Non privamus cam bonis operibus sed duntaxat excludimus bona opera a causis efficientibus justificationis bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum Polanus Syntagm fol. mihi 456. justifyeth not but as it apprehendeth the righteousnesse of God in Christ faith whereby we are justifyed is to be considered partly as it is passive partly as it is active It is passive in apprehending the promises of God in Christ and applying Christ with all his benefits in which respect faith onely justifyeth It is also active in bringing forth good fruites and quickning of us unto every good worke but so it justifyeth not faith then is inseparably joyned with hope and love and necessarily yeeldeth in us good fruites but none of all these doe concurre with Faith in the Act of Justification but it is the office onely of Faith to apply unto us the Righteousnesse of Christ whereby onely we are made righteous before God So that you see we doe hold that faith it selfe doth not concurre actively to our justification much lesse then sorrow for sinne and amendment of life Faith is considered sometime as a quality and gift of God inherent in us but hitherto and in this respect it justifieth not but as it is in the predicament of Relation because it apprehends Christ in the Gospel If it be objected that apprehension is an action Faith therefore to be a worke It is answered that although according to Grammar apprehension is a word active yet in signication it is truely passive For to apprehend is to receive good things offered as the Apostle useth the phrase Phil. 3.12 If I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Faith receives those good things offered in the Gospell (r) Fides non exhibet aliquid Deo sicut charitas sed accipit oblata in Evangeliobona patitur sibi benefieri ut loquitur Lutherus est velut spiritualis manus quae oblatum thesaurum recipit Gerhard tom 3. locor col mihi 650. Gerhard speaking in Luthers words saith Faith suffers it selfe to be well done to and benefited and is the Spirituall hand which receiveth the Treasure offered and so is only passive Page 35. he confesseth some Protestants holy men d●e say that Christ is made ours in the sight of God by faith alone Christ being the garment our faith the hand that putteth this garment on Yet sayes he me thinkes that here is Christ set forth upon some Conditions and not so freely given You see he cannot agree with these holy