able to adde one cubit to his stature It is not sufficient for you to free your mindes from these cares while you are in hearing but likewise beware lest they entangle you afterward Expell them so soone as they enter into your mindes euen as you will cut vp thornes bryars and thistles which you see spring vp among the corne after it is sowne If they be in your hearts before you heare they will keepe you from attending from vnderstanding or else from affecting that which you heare And if they enter into your heartes after you haue heard they will hinder you from practising that which before you liked and purposed to obey Such enemies are they to your fruitfull hearing Who then would haue his minde disquieted with them What Ob. will some man say must we haue no care of any thing at all must wee set all at sixe and seuen and let the world wag must we be like some idle and prodigall vnthrifts who cast away all care Not so Sol. we must distinguish of care Est solicitudo diligentiae solicitudo diffidâ—ntiae There is a care of diligence when men in a good manner and due measure vse all honest and lawfull meanes to get and to keepe thinges needfull for this life and for the maintenance of themselues and those which belong vnto them The Wise-man sendeth the sluggard to learne this care of the Pismire Pro. 6.6.8 who prepareth her meate in the Summer and gathereth her foode in the haruest And the Apostle saith that if there be any that prouideth not for his owne and namelie for them of his household 1. Tim. 5.8 hee denieth the faith and is worse then an Infidell This care ought to be in all There is also a care of diffidence and distrust which is an inordinate care when we keepe no measure in our care when we are not content to vse lawful but also vse vnlawfull meanes and when wee will not depend on Gods mercifull prouidence for a blessing on the meanes but forecast before hand what shall bee the successe and disquiet our mindes with thinking what shall be the issue and with fearing an ill euent This care wee must renounce as a fruit of vnbeliefe and as a thorne that will choake the seede of the word We must with diligence and care vse necessarie and lawfull meanes but leaue the issue to him who knoweth best what to doe We must cast this burden on the Lord as the Psalmist teacheth vs and hee shall nourish vs. Psal 55.22 Wee must cast all our care on him as the Apostle exhorteth 1. Pet. 5.7 for hee careth for vs. Let vs rest in his good pleasure and be content to take in good part whatsouer hee sendeth Rom. 8.28 knowing that all thinges worke together for the best to them that loue God And so our care shall not hinder the fruitfulnesse of the word 2. But to proceede in the text what is the second thorne that choaketh the word Christ here nameth riches they are as dangerous this way as worldly cares Though some confound these two and make both but one thorne yet is there indeede great difference betwixt them They are heeâ—e distinguished one from the other as well as voluptuous liuing is distinguished from them both And in truth they are oftentimes seuered and not found together in some persons A man may be perplexed with worldly care yet not grow rich thereby The poore are oftentimes as carefull how to liue and to get wealth as the rich yea sometime more carefull because their charge is greater and theâ—r wantes more but their meanes be fewer and weaker It may bee GOD doth plague their great care with great want the more carefull they are the more needfull they bee If they woulde bee lesse carefull They might bee lesse needfull Againe rich men are sometime without care As is seene in the godlie Abraham was rich so was Iob both in the beginning and also in the later end of his daies and yet both of them free from distrustfull care yet are riches as pricking thornâ—s to choake the word as well as those cares Not onely they who vexe themselues with griping cares how to get and how to exercise their wealth but likewise those who thinke they haue enough already and care not much for more but like the rich man in the Gospell say to their soules Liue at ease Luk â—2 1â— eate drinke and take your pastime you haue much goods laid vp for many yeares may be vnprofitable hearers Although this Euangelist nameth riches simply and absolutely without any addition yet is he to be expounded by Mathew and Marke who call this thorne the deceitfulnes of riches And that declareth the manner how they choake the word namely by deceiuing the owners Then bee they thornes when they deceiue If thou enioy them Chrysost in Math. 13. ho. 45. and vse them in great plentâ—e yet shall they not choake the word in thy heart vnles they first deceiue thy soule but if they once deceiue thee they will choake thee Not the world but the cares of the world not riches but the deceitfulnes of riches make the word fruitles And certaine it is that they deceiue many because they make many vnfruitfull hearers Math. 6.24 In regard whereof Christ said we cannot serue God and riches Math. 19.23 And that a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdome of heauen And Paul said they that will be rich fall into tentations and snares and into many foolish and noysome lusts which drowne men in perdition 1. Tim. 69.10 And while some haue lusted after them Iam. 4.4.1 Ioh. 2.15 they erred from the faith and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes And Iames said Whosoeuer will be a friend of the world maketh himselfe the enemie of God And Iohn said If any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him But how doe they deceiue men we would faine knowe that will some say I answere that riches deceiue men foure waies 1. In respect of the cause of them They make the owner beleeue that God in speciall fauour and mercy did bestowe them vpon him and that he would neuer haue giuen him such abundance vnles he had dearâ—ly loued him And therefore imagineth that he is deepe in Gods bookes and in greater fauour then those that sustaine losses and endure wants This is a grosse deceit Salomon teacheth Ecclâ—s 9.1 that a man knoweth neither loue nor hatred of all that is before him that is he neither knoweth whether God loue him or hate him by his outward estate neither by his riches nor by his pouertie Vers 2. And he giueth a reason because all things come alike to all men And the same condition is to the iust to the wicked to the pure and to the polluted to him that sacrificeth and to him that sacrificeth not As is the good so is the
him was content to acknowledge himselfe to be one of his Apostles and at his sending to go abroad to preach the Gospell So did Simon Magus he was baptized into the Name of Christ and continued with Philip as a Disciple of Christ Mat. 22.14 And so doe all those who be called and not chosen 6. The last degree of this temporary faith is outward obedience vnto the Gospell This was likewise in Iudas His cariage was so honest among the Apostles all the time of Christs passion that when Christ told them Mat. 26.22 that one of them should betray him they did not suspect him any more then any of the rest yea Mar. 14.19 euery one did as much suspect him selfe as Iudas and therefore euery one sayd Master is it I Yea Ioh. 13.24 they caused Iohn who then leaned on Iesus brest to aske him who it was And Christ did manifest him by giuing him a soppe before they could tell who it was And so this faith doeth farre excell that dead faith whereof S. Iames speaketh which is destitute of good works Iam. 4. Yet euen in this respect is it much inferior to a true iustifying faith In regard of outward obedience they differ three wayes 1. In the cause or fountaine whence it proceedeth The obedience of the one proceedeth from an heart which hath the corruption of it suppressed and restrayned but not mortifyed and the affections builded but not changed by regeneration But the obedience of the other proceedes from a pure heart and a good conscience the corruption whereof is not onely repressed and kept vnder but likewise mortifyed and the affections not onely brydeled but also changed by regeneration Yea and the man himselfe is in Christ become a new creature 2. In the measure for the one may yeeld obedience in many things yet seldome in all things he vsually taketh libertie to liue in some one grosse sinne or other Mar. 6.20 eyther openly or secretly As Herode did many things which Iohn Baptist taught him yet continued still his whoredome hee would not put away his brothers wife though he was taught so to doe Mat. 14.4 But the other is carefull to avoyde all manner of sinnes whatsoeuer and to performe all duties alike knowing that if hee faile in one point hee is guiltie of all Iam. 2.10 And though sometime he fall by infirmitie yet he lyeth not long he riseth againe by repentance 3. In the continuance for the one continueth not lâ—ng in his innocencie at last by one occasion or other his corruption will breake forth and carry him to some grosse sinne or damnable apostacie Iudas for a while liued ciuilly but at last was drawne through couetousnesse to betray his Maister Simon Magus for couetousnesse would haue bought and solde the giftes of the holy Ghost and beeing reprooued for that fault became a notorious apostate Hos 6.4 And therefore the righteousnesse of such is fitly resembled to the morning deaw which is dryed vp and gone as soone as the Sunne ascendeth on high But the other perseuereth in his vprightnesse vnto the ende hee hath a good begining and a good ending Euen as Iob who neither by the suggestions of Sathan nor by the losse of his goods nor death of his children nor diseases of his body nor aduise of his wife nor vncharitable censures of his friends coulde bee induced to sinne against God Now then seeing heereby you may discerne what this faith is how it differeth from a sauing faith examine your selues of your faith to see whether it be this or no doe not content your selues with such a faith as is not able to saue your soules Aboue all things see that you haue a special application inward renouation for therein consisteth the very life and soule of sauing faith As you haue seene the nature and degrees of this faith so now see the continuance for it is here sayd They beleeue for a time A while they receiue this faith not alwayes they lose it in the end As they are hypocrites for want of synceritie in the bottome of their hearts so likewise are they temporizers for want of continuance in their courses The Rhemistes in their marginall notes on these wordes would haue this to be obserued against the heretikes as it pleaseth them to terme vs that say Faith once had cannot be lost and that he which now hath not faith neuer had Dâ—â—â—lisicat lib. 3. c. 14. Bellarmine and other Papists alleadge this place to prooue that true faith once had may be quite lost Staplet prompt in for 4. post dom poseh But we answere that the faith whereof Christ heere speaketh may be quite lost so as a man which once had it may want it afterward yet Christ doth not here speake of the true iustifying faith of Gods elect but of the temporary faith See postscript Sect 13. which may be in the reprobate as hath beene shewed before And this is apparant out of the words of the text For the persons who thus beleeue are compared to stony ground who by reason of the hardnesse of their hearts are no more able to bring forth fruite then stony ground is able to yeelde a good croppe of corne God forbidde that wee should imagine that any of the elect in the state of grace should be no better then these In the 15. verse Christ speaketh of them resembleth them to good ground and sayeth they heare the word with a good and honest heart do keepe it and bring forth fruit with patience Againe the persons here spoken of are sayd to want rootes and so their graces are like corne sowne on the top of a rocke which wanteth depth of earth to send downe and feede the rootes Now dare they say that true justifying faith wanteth rootes or is it in any mans heart where it hath nothing to grow vpon Doeth not the Apostle teach Ephes 3.17 that they in whose hearts Christ doth dwell by faith are rooted and grounded in loue And that they who haue receiued Christ Iesus the Lord are rooted and built in him and stablished in the faith True iustifying faith is the roote of all vertues Laudo fructum bom operis sed in fide agnoscoradicem Prafat uâ— enarr on which they grow and from which they receiue life nourishment efficacy Augustine said of Abrahams offering of his sonne I commend the fruit of the good worke but I acknowledge the roote in faith And shall we then say that it hath no rootes it selfe Certaine it is that a true iustifying faith once had can neuer be lost Psal 31. Vide August prefat in Pâ—a 139. Col. 2.5 Rom. 11.29 for it is called a stedfast faith in Iesus Christ It belongeth to that calling and is one of those giftes of God which are without repentance And so it hath beene reckoned long aâ—oe by that ancient Father Augustine and thereby proued neuer to fayle
vnder hope that God will impute to him that belieueth in him who raised Iesus from the dead this Faith to his iustification and will not impute his sinnes to him An example whereof as he saith we haue in the cure of corporall discases which beareth an image of the inward cure For there Christ required a Faith whereby a man did belieue that Christ was endued with that power that he was able to heale him and trusted that such was his goodnes that he would cure him Cardinall Bellarmine after hee had written very much to prooue that Faith is only an assent to the truth of things reuealed and not an assurance or speciall application of the promises doth at last ouerthrowe all and yeelde to vs. her thus hee â—iâ—â—eth of vs (30) Rectè dicunt posse vnuÌ„quemque promissiones generales sibi applicare per fidem Nam quemadmodum fide catholica credâ— christuÌ„ mortuum esse pro omnibus ita cadem fide credo mortuum esse prome qui sum vnus ex omnibus De iustif lib. 1. cap. 11. Sect Denique quod dicunt they sâ—â—â—ghtly that euery one may by 〈…〉 to himselfe the generâ—ll 〈◊〉 For as I doe belieue by the Catholicke faith that Christ dyed for all So by the same faith I doe belieue that hee dyed for me who am one of them What need we any better witnes then hee who before was our greatest aduersarie Doth not this lay open the nature of Iustifying faith to bee the same that wee teach Is a particular application of generall promises no more then a bare assent to the truth of things reuealed By that faith whereby I beleeue Christ dyed in generall for all doe I also beleeue that hee dyed in particular for me And yet shall wee say that a speciall faith is a forged faith that it is against the nature of faith to apprehend and apply particularly to my selfe the promises of God and the merits of Christ Yet for all this the Cardinall will not graunt that any man is to beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes in particular because the generall promises are not (31) De iustificat lib. cap. 11. sine absolute but conditionall euen with the condition of faith as we acknowledge And therefore demaundeth how a man can absolutely beleeue that his sinnes are forgiuen him seeing he caÌ„not learne by any worde of God that hee hath such a faith as is required for the obteyning of the pardon of sinnes And saith that none which beleeue are saued vnlesse they beleeue as they ought to beleeue But therein the Cardinall doth not onely contradict himselfe but likewise many of his fellowes who teach that there is but one faith at all that the dead and Catholicke faith are all one as was shewed before If some beleeue as they ought to beleeue and some beleeue not as they ought haue they all one and the same faith If some so beleeue as by beleeuing they shal bee saued and some so beleeue as by beleeuing they cannot be saued shall wee say they haue all one and the same faith Then may wee also say that Peter and Iudas had one and the same repentance The Cardinall here sheweth that they do indeede beleeue (32) Si reuera sicut oportet credant hoc est si fide habeant quae per dilectionem operatur De iustif 1.11 finâ— as they ought to beleeue who haue faith which worketh y loue Yet else-where he laboureth to prooue that (33) De Iustificut lib. 1. cap. 15. a true and Christian faith which by way of disposition iustifyeth the vngodlie may be separated from charitie and from other vertues How repugnant are these things one to another Againe hee that beleeueth may know that he hath faith otherwise Paul would not haue bidden the Corinthians to (34) 2. Cor. 13.5 proue themselues whether they wâ—re in the faith Augustine sayd (35) Fidem vâ—â—et quisque in cordâ— suo esse â—icrâ—au 〈…〉 esse 〈◊〉 credit De Trâ—â—t lib. 13. c. 1. Neâ— fidem qâ—â—squam hominuâ— videt â—â—alio sed vnusquisque in sâ—mâ—â—â—pso Ibid. cap. 2. Epist 1 12. cap. 4. Euery one doth see faith to be in his owne heart if he do belieue or not to be if hee doe not beleeue And that no man can see faith in another but euery one may see it in himselfe The Cardinall saith They beleeue as they ought who haue faith woâ—king by loue yet may a man easily know whether hee haue loue or not (36) In 〈◊〉 Ioh. tracâ—â— 5. Therefore sayd Augustine Let a man looke to his heart and see if he haue charitie and then let him say I am borne of God Yea let not any one aske another let eueriâ— one returne to his owne heart if he there finde brotherly charitie hee may bee sure hee hath passed from death to life Would hee haue sayd thus if a man could not haue knowne whether he had charitie or not Michael Medina as Sixtus (37) Bibliothec sanâ—t lib. 6. amict 215. Senensis testifyeth in defending Ferus against Soto saith There is no man which doubteth but that wee may know true loue and faith to be in vs. Seeing then that by charitie a man may know as the Cardinall teacheth whether hee beleeue as hee ought to beleeue and seeing a man may know whether he haue charitie or not hee may also know whether hee beleeue as he ought and if he beleeue as he ought then by the Cardinals owne confession he may particularly apply to himselfe the generall promises and certainely beleeue that his owne sinnes are pardoned And to conclude this poynt seeing this speciall faith hath such testimony not onely from the diuine Scriptures but likewise from the ancient Doctors of the Church and also from the late Romish writers doe not condemne it as hereticall but seeke earnestly for it as the speciall meane of your saluation SECT VIII THere remaineth another point to be considered touching the persons that be endued with a iustifying faith I taught that it is proper to the Elect. Notwithstanding I knowe that Cardinall Bellarmine goeth about to confute Caluine De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. 14 for holding that Faith and true righteousnes is proper to the Elect Yet doth he not bring any one argument to proue that it is not proper to them but onely laboureth to proue that faith may be lost Touching this point we will acknowledge that the best faith which many of the popish prelates doe teach is common both to the reprobate and Elect. The reprobate may giue an assent to the truth of things reuealed as well as the Elect. But there is another faith besides that and more excellent then it as I haue proued before and that is peculiar to Gods Elect. No maruaile though those papists who knowe it not or will not acknowledge it doe hold that there is no faith peculiar to Gods Elect. If they knew the nature of a iustifying faith they
workes Whervpon Thomas Aquinas gaue this glosse (27) Verba â—â—hite habere sidem per aliqua certa signa non poteris probare cum desint opera verba non sunt testes â—uffi untes In Iacob epist cap. 2. Shew me thy faith As if hee should say Prooue vnto mee by some certaine signes that thou hast Faith thou canst not proue it when workes be wanting wordes are no sâ—fficient witnesses And in another place hee saith (28) In 2. thess 2.2 That vngodly men seeme to haue true faith when indeede they haue not Gregory 1. once Bishop of Rome telleth vs That (29) Fidâ—i nostre veritatâ—m in vitae nostra consideratione debemus agnoscere tâ—nc enim veraciter fideleâ— sumus si quod verbis promitâ—mus operibus implâ—mus Hoâ—â—â— 29. we ought to make knowne the truth of our faith by the consideration of our life for then are wee beleeuers in truth if that which we promise in words we fulfil in works And froÌ„ him the Councell of Mentz protested (30) I lle veâ—o â—redit quâ— exâ—xcet opeâ—â—â—do quod credit Conâ—â—l Mogunt câ—â—â—â—n 1. that hee doth truely beleeue who exerciseth by working that which he beleeueth If then the one of these bee a true Faith indeede and is truely and properly so to be called and the other is not a true faith indeede and improperly so called how can they be one and the same faith No more then a working horse and an idle painted horse are one and the same Againe these two doe so differ as that the one is called a liuing Faith the other is called a dead Faith That which iustifieth and bringeth forth good works is called a liuing Faith (31) Rom. 1.17 Galat. 3.11 So the iust man is sayd to liue by Faith And Paul sayd (32) Galat. 2.20 I liue by the Faith in the Sonne of God Ferus hauing described the nature of a true Iustifying faith that it is nothing else but to trust to the free mercy of God (33) ComeÌ„t in Math. 8. he addeth further This is the true Faith whereby the iust man liueth But that which iustifieth not and is destitute of good works is tearmed a dead Faith by the Apostle (34) Iam. 2.26 Yea as the body is dead without the spirit so is faith dead without workes But the (35) Annot. in Iam. 2.26 Rhemists (36) De iustif li. 1. c. 15. Cardinall Bellarmine (37) Enchirid cap. 4. de fide obiect 2. Coster the Iesuite and others doe answere that the Apostle doth not compare a dead faith with a dead man but with a dead body And therefore as a dead body is a true body so a dead faith is a true faith But they must knowe that although the Apostle compare a dead faith not to a dead man but to a dead body yet he compareth it to the dead body of a man which is no true humane body indeed because it wanteth the soule which is the forme of it The Philosopher will teach them That when the bodye is dead there is neyther foote nor hand but onely by equiuocation for all the parts of the body are defined by their office and facultie therefore when they lye dead they are not the same but onely retaine the shadow and shew of the name Though a dead body haue the earthly and materiall parts yet it is not the true body of a man nor the same body that it was before seeing it wanteth his forme life and actiuitie operation and motion So a dead faith hath some materiall parts of a true faith as knowledge vnderstanding and assent yet it is not a true faith indeed because it wanteth speciall application which is the soule of saith It wanteth actiuitie charitie and obedience which are the life of it Diâ—imus Alexandrinus did otherwise take the words of S. Iames then these papists doe for thus he writeth (38) Notandum scilicet quia cum fides mortua sit praeter opera iam neque fides est Nam neque homo mortuus homo est Enarrat in Epist Iacob cap 2. It is to be marked that seeing faith is dead without good workes it is now no faith at all for a dead man is not a man at all Their owne friend Ferus is as peremptorie against them and for vs. Faith without charitie saith he (39) Sine charitate fides titulum quidem fides habet caeterum si non obscurè de eare loqui velis perinde fides est quasi corpus exanime homo aut extincta candela lumen vel exâ—isa arbor est arbor c. Postill Domin quinquages Serm. 7. hath indeed the tytle of faith but if thou wilt not speake obscurely of that matter it is not in that sort faith as a body without a soule is a man as a candle put out is light or as a tree cut downe is a tree What kind of light is that which doth not shine and giue light what kinde of fire is that which is not kindled what kinde of man is that which neyther seeth nor heareth nor feeleth nor moueth What kinde of tree is that which hath neyther rootes nor boughes nor bringeth forth fruite Such a kinde of faith is that which is without charitie namely a dead Faith as Iames nameth it How then can any man iustly say that these two are both one and the same faith Lastly they differ in their effects because the one procureth the saluation of our soules namely that liuely and speciall faith which worketh by loue for of that it is sayde Whosoeuer (40) Ioh. 3.16 beleeueth in the Sonne hath euerlasting life And by (41) Ephes 2.8 grace wee are saued through faith and not of our selues But the other the Historical faith destitute of works cannot saue (42) Iam. 2.14 any man so teacheth the Apostle And that all those places cannot bee vnderstood of one the same faith all writers giue euidence Augustine said (43) De side operib cap. 16. not that faith of the Diuels who beleeue and tremble and confesse Iesus to bee the Sonne of God is that foundation which suffereth none to perish but that faith which the Apostle saith worketh by loue Now what he took to be the faith of the Diuels I haue before shewed Credunt Deum credunt Deo they haue an historicall faith to beleeue all things to be true which hee hath reuealed Non credunt in Deum they put no confidence in him so want a speciall iustifying faith that should saue them So Bernard (44) In Deum qui credit non consundetur c. Deum Deo credunt Damones ed in illum non credunt In quem qui credit non confundetâ—r quia spein suam non ponunt in illum De sanct Andr. serm 3. writeth He that beleeueth in God shall not be confounded And therevpon inferreth that the Diuels though they beleeue God yet they doe not beleeue in God in whom whosoeuer
de ratione vere fidei choritatis est permaneniâ—a constantia c. Apud Sext. Senens biblioth lib. 6. annot 214. According to Christian veritie faith he onely that is to be iudged a true faith which hath the efficacy of obtayning saluation According to that Hee that beleeueth in mee hath eternal life And afterward he addeth That true faith indeede doth consist with true loue but that onely is called true loue by a moral truth which hath perseuerance and continuance And that the Scripture neuer called the faith of them who beleeue for a time to be true saith And that those who are damned neuer had true faith And in conclusion he asked Soto whether he is to be called faithfull or a friend who should be ioyned vnto him for an houre by frieÌ„dship and faith which if he will not say because continuance and constancie is of the nature and being of true faith and charitie then cannot such offenders be called true beleeuers in Christ Cardinall Bellarmine holdeth against some who then liued that Christ did not onely (31) Orauit dominus paulo post pro perseuerantia ommum apostolorum imo etiam omnium electoruÌ„ Ioh. 17. Pâ—ter sancte serua eos in nomine tuo quos dedisti mihi De Rom. Pontif. lib. 4. cap. 3. sect altera expositio pray that Peter might continue in faith and in the fauour of God vnto the end but that he also prayed a little after for the perseuerance of all the Apostles yea also of all the elect Ioh. 17. Holy Father keepe them in thy Name whom thou hast giuen me How then can the faith of any of the elect fayle Shall wee thinke that Christs prayer was not heard Doth not he elsewhere acknowledge that the Father heard him alwaies Was his prayer ectuall against the losse of grace and faith by sinne and not against the losse of them by Infidelitie Then was his prayer heard but in part How can they prooue that difference SECT XIIII IN prosecuting this point I produced Peter for an example who though he denyed his Maister with an oath vâ—t still kept faith in his heart And lest any should thinke that this â—â—s a speciall priuiledge in Peter I sâ—ewed that (1) Ioh. 17.20 Christ prayed for others as wel as for him Now if there bee any who imagine that Christ prayed for them after a different maner and to another end let them remember what I alleadged before out of Augustine touching Christ praier for all the elect namelie (2) De Corrept grat cap. 12. That Christ praying for them that their Faith might not fayle without doubt it shall not fayle vnto the end and therefore shall continue vnto the end neyther shall the end of this life find it otherwise then remayning But because that (3) De Iustificat lib. 3. cap. â—4 Bellarmine and others doe teach that Peter did quite loose his faith and the righteousnes thereof I will let you see the testimonies of all sorts of writers to the contrary Tertullian (4) Sed cur petrum ob vigorem fides Aduers Marcion lib. 4. said his name was changed and he was called Peter for the strength of his faith but he ill deserued that name and Christ erred in giuing him a name not agreeable to his nature if hee quite lost his faith Againe hee speaking of Christs prayer for him thus saith of those words That thy faith might not fayle (5) Ne deficeret fides tua id est ne tantum diabolo permitteretur vt fides periclitaretur quo ostenditur vtrumque apud Deum esse concussionem fidei protectionem cuÌ„ vtrumque ab co petitur Et vtique filius Dei protectionâ— fidei habet insua potestate c. De fuga in persecut that is that so much might not be permitted to the Diuel that his faith might be endangered Whereby it is shewed that both are with God both the shaking of faith and the protection seeing both are asked of him The shaking is from the Diuel the protection is from the Sonne And surely the Son of God hath the protection of faith in his owne power which hee asked of his Father of whom hee receiueth all power in heauen and earth If his faith was not endangered by the diuel but protected and kept safe by God through the prayer of his Son how can any truely say that hee lost his faith Hillary (6) Comment in Psal 52 4. taught as is testifyed by (7) Biblioth sanct lib. 5. annot 181. Sixtus Sâ—nensis that Peter in denying his Maister lost not the firmenesse of his faith because although through the tâ—embling of hiâ— flâ—sh which he could not brydle his tongue buâ—si forth into the deniall of Christ yet a firme faith of confessing Christ vnto Martyrdome did not depart from his heart I might also vige that which not onely he (8) In Math. can 20. See Six Senâ—ns biblioth lib. 6. annot 160. elsewhere but likewise Ambrose (9) Comment in Luc. 22. lib. 10. together with him hath written in excuse of Peters denyall That he denyed him not to be God but denyed that he was only a man Though (10) See Sixt Sâ—nensbiblioth li. 6 annot 160. Hâ—â—rony in Math. 26. Theophylact. in Luc. 22. lerorac Theophylact do confute them because so to excuse the Apostle were to make his Maister a lyar who told him before that hee should that night denie him thrice Yet doth (11) In Luc. 22.32 in Math. 26.75 quanquam possumus Hilarium Ambrosium ab errore benigna interpretatione liberare Mâ—ldonatus excuse them both And thereby they plainely declared that they were farre from thinking that hee lost his faith Augustine alleadged the prayer of Christ for Peters faith against the Pelagians who held that man could not continue in grace and in faith vnlesse mans free will did concurre with Gods grace Dare thou say that Christ praying for Peter that his faith might not faile that it should haue failed (12) An andebis dicere etiamrogante christo ne deficeret fides petri defecturam fâ—isse fi petrus eam dâ—fiâ—ere voluisset c. Sed quia praeparatur voluntas a domino ideo pro illo non possit esse inanis oratio quando rogauit ergo ne fides eius deficeret quid aliud rogauit nisi vt haberet in fide liberrimam fortissimam inuictissimaÌ„ perseverantissimam voluntatem De corrept grat cap. 8. if Peter would haue had it to faile that is if hee would not haue had it to continue vnto the ende As if Peter any way willed any other thing then Christ prayed for him that he might will But because the will is prepared of the Lord therefore his prayer for him could not be in vaine Therfore when he prayed that his Faith might not faile what else asked he but that hee might haue in faith a most free a most strong a