what Pharisaicall conceit the Papists have of themselves that being once ex opere operato justified by their Sacraments though they neither have knowledge nor faith nor repentance nor any sanctifying grace in them yet they are not truely and indeed sinners in themselves neither is there any sinne in them And therefore unlesse they will play the hypocrites and dally with God they ought not to pray as Christ taught his owne Apostles to pray forgive us our sinnes But by saying there is no sinne in themselves it is evident that there is no truth in them 1 loh. 1. 8. § VIII His eighth argument is taken out of the Canticles where Christ is compared to the Husband or Bridegrome the Church or justified soule to the Spouse which Spouse is said to bee most faire and beautifull yea tota pulchra viz. by beauty inhereâ—…t in her selfe and not by the beauty of her Husband imputed to her Answ. From allegoricall Scriptures no sound argument can bee drawne especially when they are not understood But be it that by the Spouse is meant the Church of Christ. Is it the Church triumphant as it mayseeme when she is said to be tota pulchra then is it to no purpose alleaged As for the Church militant that commendation cannot be verified of it by reason of many deformed members which be alwayes in the visible Church besides which the Papists acknowledge no other But if the Church militant bee meant then of what time for it may not be thought that what is spoken in the Canticles doth agree to the Church at al times The Spouse which somtimes is said to be tota pulchra in other places is said to be blacke sometimes She enjoyethher Beloved somtimes She is at a losse sometimes she adhereth to her Love sometimes She neglecteth him But suppose she be alwaies and altogether beautiful which me thinks should hardly be verified of the Church of Rome besides which they acknowledg no other true Church especially when the visible Head therof the Popes have beene monsters of men their Clergie Sodomiticall their Laity void of all truth and power of Religion their whole Church in respect of her faith hereticall in regard of her religion idolatrous and in respect of both apostaticall but suppose I say the true universall Church which is the company of the elect to be wholly beautifull This totall beauty cannot be understood of her inherent righteousnesse which is stayned and unperfect but of that righteousnesse which her husband hath imputed and imparted to her as we heard before out of Gregory Nyssen § IX Yea but Bellarmine will prove that this beauty is inherent first because her beauty is described as that which is proper to women and his as that which is proper to men and therefore that his beauty is one and hers another Secondly because it is absurd to imagine hee absurdly chargeth us that the Spouse of Christ is deformed in herselfe being onâ—…ly adorned outwardly with her Husbands garment But this labour Bellarmine might have spared For wee doe acknowledge that the true Church is beautifull and that by a twofold beauty the one the perfect beauty of her Husband communicated to her by imputation the other unperfect and inherent which being but begun in this life is to be perfected in the life to come but howsoever this inward beauty be unperfect yet because it is upright her Husband is delighted therewith and in regard of this inward uprightnesse and integrity she is said to be glorious within In which respect the Tabernacle of the Congregation was a fit type of the Church militant which in outward appearance is black and brown like the tents of Kedar but within faire and beautifull like the hangings of Salomon even as the tabernacle which outwardly made but a homely shew being covered with Rams skinnes and Badgers skins was inwardly glorious wee acknowledge therefore that there is inherent righteousnesse in the true Church and in all the true and lively memâ—…ers thereof In regard whereof in the Creed we professe our selves to beleeve that she is holy and that the communion of her members among themselves and with their head is the communion of Saints But that by this inherent righteousnesse either the Church or any member thereof is justified before God we doe utterly deny § X. His ninth and tenth arguments I will put together because one answere may serve for both His ninth reason is this by justification the heart is cleansed that it may be prepared for the vision of God for untill it be cleane it cannot see God The tenth Christ suffered and gave himselfe for his Church that he might sanctifie it Heb. 13. 12. Ephes. 5. 26. Tit. 2. 14. loh. 17. 19. which is not done by imputation c. Both those objections arise from the wilfull ignorance of the Papists who will not distinguish justification from sanctification The righteousnesse of sanctification of which these places speake wee acknowledge to be inherent though that of justification be imputed and that which I have shewed heretofore as wee are by justification entitled to the kingdome of heaven so by sanctification we are fitted and prepared for it We confesse that the heart must be cleane and pure before it can see God and that by sanctification begun in this life the heart is prepared but never fully cleansed untill it come to see God wee acknowledge that our sanctification is the end not onely of our redemption but also of our Election Ephes. 1. 4. of our creation and recreation according to Gods image Ephes. 4. 24. of our vocation 1 Thes. 4. 7. of our justification and reconciliation Col. 1. 22. Luk. 1. 74. 75. That sanctification is the way wherein men being elected called justified are to walke to their glorification But though it bee via regni yet it is not causa regnandi that our Saviour by his Spirit doth truly really and inherently worke the worke of sanctification in all those that are justified But I beseech you what is the force of both these arguments Our hearts must be cleansed by inherent purity therefore we are not justified by imputed righteousnesse Christ dyed and gave himselfe for us that wee might bee sanctified with true inherent grace therefore we are not justified by righteousnesse imputed Christ gave himselfe for us that he might redeeme and justifie us that being reedeemed and justified wee might worship him in holinesse and righteousnesse before him Finally Bellarmine telleth us that many other arguments might bee produced but these he saith were the principall which notwithstanding for the most part were such as deserved with scome to bee rejected rather than to bee in good earnest refuted which neverthelesse argueth not the insufficiencie of the disputant but the badnesse of the cause which admitteth no better proofes A TREATISE OF IVSTIFICATION THE SIXTH BOOKE Concerning Faith CAP. I. What Faith is and that it is not without knowledge § I. THâ—…
sense given by the Church of Rome and therein by the Pope who is as they say the supreme and onely authenticall interpreter of the Word from whom it is not lawfull to dissent So that in his sense any portion of the Scriptures though obscure must bee acknowledged the word of God but urged in any other sense it is the word of the Devill rather than the Word of God Now it is the sense of the Scriptures which is the Word of God rather than the letter the sense being the soule and life of the letter Non enim in legendo Scripturae sed in intelligendo consistunt saith Hierome The words saith Bellarmine are as the sheath the sense is the sword of the Spirit Thus hath the Church of Rome revolted from the generall doctrine of faith which is the written word of God or the holy Canonicall Scriptures The speciall doctrines of faith are the severall articles taught in the Scriptures which are the speciall objects of faith either quae justificat onely or qua justificat The justifying faith beleeâ—…h all the articles and doctrines of faith which are taught in the Word of God but the peculiar object of faith quatenus justificat is the doctrine of the Gospell As touching the speciall doctrines of Christian faith there are divers bundreds of errors wherein the Church of Rome hath revolted from the faith not at once but at diveâ—…s times and by degrees The number whereof is so great as that Popery or the Catholicisme of Papiâ—…ts may justly bee called the Catholike Apostasie But from the peculiar doctrine of faith quatenus justificat which is the doctrine of the Gospell concerning justification by faith in Christ alone the Church of Rome chiefly erreth as I have shewed in this Treatise and by their Antichristian doctrine in this point they are revolted from the Gospell which is Verbum fidei the Word or Doctrine of faith they are fallen from the comfortable doctrine of this grace and to them Christ is made of none effect as I have proved This assertion concerning the Apostâ—…sie of the now Church of Rome I â—…ppose as an antidote against the poison of their impudently depraved article concerning the Catholike Church wherein there is a double imposture or poysoâ—… both in respect of the object and also of the act of faith which two in every article of the Creed are to be considered For first in respect of the object whereas the Apostles Creed hath The holy Catholike Church they understand the Catholike Romane Church the mother for soâ—…th and mistresse of all Churches which they call â—…atholike not as it is one particular Church as every Orthodox Church was wont to bee called as the Catholike Church of Smyrna c. but as it comprehendeth all particular Churches which live in Communion with and in subjection to the See of Rome all which are as they say but one Church because they are subject to one visible head the Pope of Rome And they adde that out of this communion with the See of Rome and without this subjection to the Pope of Rome as the universall Bishop there is no salvation With this one nâ—…t they coâ—…y-catch those seduced soules which either they draw to their side or detaine in Communion with them Howheit it is a most shamelesse imposture For first can it bee imagined that the Apostles by Catholike understood the Romane Church which when they composed the Creede was not extant nor for divers yeeres after No doubt the Apostles meant that Church which then had a being and whereof themselves were members which also had been from the beginning of the world and was to continue for ever viz. the universall company of the Elect and that is the meaning of the word Catholike Secondly for the first sixe hundred yeares the Bishop of Rome did not challenge unto himsâ—…lse the Title or authority of universall Bishop but was onely the Archbishop or Patriarch of Rome unto whom the foure other Patriarches of Constantinople Alexandria Antioch and Ierusalem were no more subject than hee to them every one of them having the primacy within their severall Patriarchicall jurisdictions And although after the grant of the Tyrant Phocas in the yeare sixe hundred seven the Pope challenged for himselfe to be the universall Bishop and for his See to be the head of all Churches yet by the Greeke and other Churches which were and are the better and greater part of Christendome this claime never was nor is at this day acknowledged All which Churches notwithstanding wherein were innumerable Saints and Martyrs and the most holy Fatheâ—…s of the Church by this Romish article are most wicâ—…edly and schiâ—…matically excluded from Salvation because they acknowledged no subjection to the See of Rome But if the now Church of Rome be the Apostaticall Church having revolted from the ancient Religion of Christians by their idâ—…latry will-worship and supersâ—…ition and from the Ancienâ—… faith of Christians contained generally in the holy Canonicall Scriptures and more particularly in the Gospell as by other almost innumerable errours of Popery so more especially by those which I confute in this booke and if the head of this Catholike Apostasie that is to say the Pope be Antichrist then let all Christians who have any care of their soules consider whether it bee safe for them to live in the Communion of that Sect and in subjection to that See where they must have the apostaticall Church even the whore of Babylon to be their mother from whom they are commanded to separate Apoc. 18. 4. and the Antichrist to be their father their head their universall Bishop who prevaileth in them onely that perish 2 Thes. 2. 10. 2. As touching the act of faith their coozenage in respect thereof is worse if worse may be For where the Apostles Creed hath Credo sanctam Ecclesiam Catholicam they understand this article as if the words were not Credo Ecclesiam I beleeve that there is a Catholike Church and that there is a Communion of Saints the members of that Church c but credo Ecclesiae or in Ecclesiam I give credit to the Church or I beleeve in the Church making the Church whereby they understand the now Church of Rome not onely the materiall but also formall object of faith in which they beleeve and for which they beleeve whatsoever it beleeveth or propoundeth to be beleeved And in this exposition they are growne so impudent as that they say that the Church Catholike meaning the now Romane Church is the very principle of our faith for which we are to beleeve the holy Scriptures and all other articles that it is the chiefe priâ—…ciple wheron the authority of the Scriptures dependeth and the last principle into which their faith is to bee resolved that in this article is summarily contained the whole Word of God not onely written but also unwritten that Christ propounded unto us the
who dissenteth from the truth even from that which the Church doth hold § V Secondly they are absurd in saying that faith may better be defined by ignorance than by knowledge For notitia knowledge is the genus both of faith and of science whereas ignorance is a privation of knowledge It were therefore very strange if faith which is an habit of the mind should be defined by a privation and namely of that habit which is the genus of it Yea but saith Bellarmine faith is opposed to science and therefore better to be defined by ignorance than by knowledge I answere it is opposed to science not as a privation that it should bee defined by ignorance but as a species of the same kind 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 contra divided for notitia as the genus is divided into science and faith the former being a knowledge of things either manifest in themselves which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or made manifest by discourse of reason which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the latter being a knowledge of things neither manifest to sence nor reason but knowne onely by relation from God where by the way you are to observe that the knowledge required in faith is not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the cause such as is in science but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is to beleeve the relation to be true and that whatsoever God revealeth is infallibly true And therfore by faith our judgements are captivated to yeeld assent to divine revelations though either they may be above reason or may seeme to be against sence or reason For though sence and reason may bee deceived yet the ground of our faith which is the authority of God cannot be deceived nec fidei falsum subesse potest neither can the subject of faith be false As for example the mysteries of the Trinity and of the incarnation of our Saviour bee above our reason the articles of the creation of all things from nothing and of the resurrection of the body seeme contrary to reason the article of eternall life contayneth such things as never eye did see nor eare heare neither did they ever enter into the heart of man and so of other articles of Christian religion which notwithstanding we doe firmely beleeve and undoubtedly know to be true as God hath revealed the same grounding this our faith and knowledge on the authority of God speaking in his Word This distinction of knowledge being acknowledged that the knowledge of faith is neither the certaine intelligence of things in themselves manifest to sense or reason nor that science which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by the causes or attained by discourse of reason but onely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that the things revealed by God are infallibly true by reason of his authority who is Truth it selfe might serve as a sufficient answer to so many of Bellarmines arguments and allegations as seeme worth the answering But I will briefly examine his proofes which are allegation of Scriptures reason and testimonies of Fathers § VI. As for his allegation of Scripture the first place alleadged out of Esa. 7. 9. is not as Bellarmine alleageth it unlesse you beleeve you shall not understand but if you beleeve not you shall not be established or as the vulgar Latine which Bellarmine ought to stand to non permâ—…nebitis as contrariwise 2 Chron. 20. 20. if you beleeve in the Lord you shall be established or as the Latine securieritis Neither doth it follow that faith is not knowledge because without faith we cannot come to the certaine intelligence of that which we beleeve For as knowledge of the thing revealed goeth before faith so faith goeth before the exact understanding and comprehension In the two next places 1 Cor. 13. 2. 12. 9. where faith as he saith is distinguished as a severall gift from knowledge by faith is not meant justifying faith but the faith of miracles as I have else where shewed Neither doe wee deny but that knowledge may be a distinct gift from faith As that knowledge which is either principiorum or conclusionum which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Neither is knowledge alwayes joyned with acknowledgement which is faith though acknowledgement implyeth knowledge alwayes Knowledge therefore may be without faith but faith cannot be without knowledge To the fourth out of 2 Cor. 10. 5. that where knowledge is there needs no captivating of the understanding I answere that faith being onely notitia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and giving firme assent to that whereof it knoweth no reason yea though perhaps it seeme above or against reason subjecteth or captivateth the understanding to the authority of God The last is from those places wherein the obedience of faith is mentioned For saith he obedience in beleeving were not needfull if by faith knowledge were given to men I answere that in those places faith doth signifie the doctrine of faith that is the Gospell the truth which men are then said to obey Rom. 10. 16. Gal. 3. 1. Act. 6. 7. when they beleeve and professe it As contrariwise those who doe not beleeve are said 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to disobey and that in opposition to beleefe Ioh. 3. 36. Act. 14. 2. 17. 5. 19. 9. Rom. 11. 30 31 32. 15. 31. Heb. 3. 18 19. 1 Pet. 2. 7. Neither should it seeme strange to Bellarmine that by faith men attaine to knowledge I meane to greater knowledge when he urging even now that place Esai 7. 9. said faith is a degree and way to knowledge § VII To the Testimony of Irenaeus if it were entirely cited I would subscribe For speaking of those words 1 Cor. 8. Scientia inflat dilectio autem adificat and having thereupon inferred that it were better to know but a little and to love God than in a conceit of great knowledge to bee found blasphemous against God hee repeateth the same againe Melius itáque est sicuti predixi nihil omnio scientem quempiaâ—… ne quidem unam causam cujusllbet eorum quae facta sunt cur factum credere Deo persever are in ejus dilectione quae honorem vivificat nec aliud inquirere adscientiam nisi Iâ—…SVM Christum filium Dei qui pro nobis crucifixâ—…s est quà m per quaestionum subtilitates multiloquium in impietatem cadere Where first observe that the knowledge whereof he speaketh is that whereby the causes or reasons of things are knowne And wee doe confesse that a man may and ought simply to beleeve God without such knowledge and secondly that he speaketh by way of comparison that it is better for a man to content himselfe with the knowledge of Christ alone joyned with love which is not to be accounted implicite faith for the Apostle himselfe determined to know nothing among the Corinthians but Christ and him crucified than affecting the knowledge of subtile and curious questions to fall into
that they may rule them at their pleasure that they may lead them whither they please For hee that walketh in darkenesse knoweth not whither he goeth may as easily bee led up and downe as Sampson after his eyes were put out But those that are of God doe wish that the people of God may increase in knowledge of God 1 Thes. 1. 10. that they may be perfect in understanding 1 Cor. 14. 20. that they may abound more and more in knowledge Phil. 1. 9. For not to be proficients in knowledge they esteeme a great fault Heb. 5. 11 12. 2 Tim. 3. 7. that the Word of Christ may dwell in them richly in all Wisedome Col. 2. 2. 3. 16. that they may bee able and ready to give an answere to every man that asketh a reason of that hope that is in them 1 Pet. 3. 15. for where men of all other professions can give a reason of that which they doe professe it is a great absurdity as Chrysostome testifieth for a man professing himselfe a Christian not to bee able to give an account of his faith that they may trye all things and hold fast that which is good 1 Thes. 5. 21. that Husbands may be able to instruct their Wives and housholders their families Deut. 6. 7. 11. 19. Yea Moses the Man of God wished that all the Lords people were Prophets Num. 11. 29. § XX. And as the godly have wished so the Lord hath promised that in the Church of Christ there should bee plenty of knowledge Esa. 11. 9. Ier. 31. 34. and that all the faithfull should bee taught of God Esai 54. 13. And this was verified in times past in the primitive Churches and is at this day in all true Churches and where it is not in some measure verified as it is not in the Church of Rome that is not a true Church Not to speake of the present times I will produce one Testimony of the ancient Churches In which it was usuall to bee seene that the points of Christian Religion were knowne not onely to the Teachers of the Church but also to all manner of artificers and handicrafts men of women likewise not onely such as were lettered but those of the meanest sort even servants and handmaids and not onely Citizens but also Countrey people as Husband-men and laborers had this knowledge who might bee found conferring of the Divine Trinity of the Creation of all things and having better knowledge of the nature of man than Plato or Aristâ—…tle Finally the Papists by their doctrine of implicite faith do bereave the faithfull of their chiefe rejoycing For thus saith the Lord Let not the wise man glory in his wisedome neither let the mighty man glory in his might let not the rich man glory in his riches but let him that glorieth glory in this that he understandeth and knoweth mee that I am the Lord which exercise loving kindnesse judgement and righteousnesse in the earth for in these things I delight saith the Lord. So much of the first question CAP. II. Prâ—…ving that a true justifying faith cannot bee severed from Charity and other graces § I. THE second question concerning the nature of faith is whether a true justifying faith may be severed from Charity and from all other graces of Sanctification The Papists hold the affirmative we the negative The reasons of our assertion that true justifying faith is ever accompanied with Charity and other graces and cannot indeed be severed from them are manifold and manifest My first reason is this All that are regenerate and borne of God have Charity and other graces of sanctification All that truly beleeve in Christ or which is all one that have a true justifying faith are regenerate and borne of God Therefore all that truely beleeve in Christ have charity and other graces of sanctification The proposition is thus proved Regeneration consisteth in the infusion of graces of sanctification and therfore they who are regenerate are indued with those graces Seondly regeneration is the renewing of a man according to the image of God in true holinesse and righteousnesse Ephes. 4. 24. both which are comprehended in Charity The former being the love of God the other of our neighbour Thirdly the Papists themselves doe teach that when men are regenerated in baptisme there is with faith infused Charity Fourthly as he that hath Charity is borne of God and knoweth him so he that hath not Charity knoweth not God and much lesse is borne of him 1 Ioh. 4. 8. The assumption All that have a true justifying faith are regenerate and borne of God For first whosoever beleeveth that I â—…â—…vs is the Christ is bome of God 1 Ioh. 5. 1. Secondly as many as receive Christ by faith to them he gave this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 this priviledge or prerogatiye to be the sonnes of God even to them that beleeve on his name who are borne not of bloud nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man but of God Ioh. 1. 12. 13. Thirdly All that doe truely beleeve are the children of God by faith in Christ Iesus Gal. 3. 26. Fourthly Faith is a grace of regeneration which the holy Ghost doth ingenerate and infuse when hee doth regenerate as the Papists themselves confesse Neither is it of nature or from our selves but it is the speciall gift of God Ephes 2 8. for no man can truly say that is with a lively and unfained assent of the heart that Iesus is the Lord but by the holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. To beleeve that Iesus is the Christ the Sonne of the living God flesh and bloud hath not revealed to any man but God the Father who is in heaven Matth. 16. 16 17. No man saith our Saviour can come to me that is beleeve in me Ioh. 6. 35. except the Father who hath sent me draw him Iohn 6. 44. and except it be given unto him by my Father vers 65. and how given as a proper fruit of election For justifying faith is the faith of the elect 7 〈◊〉 1. 1 given unto us when we are called according to the purpose of God and his grace given unto us in Christ before all secular times 2 Tim. 1. 9. For those whom God giveth to Christ by election they come unto him by faith Ioh. 6. 37. and so many as are ordained to eternall life beleeve Act. 13. 48. § II. Secondly Whosoeverâ—…have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them are â—…udued with Charity and other graces which all are the fruits of the Spirit who is the Spirit of grace and contrarywise they who have not Charity have not the Spirit of Christ. For the Spirit of Christ is the Spirit of love God is love and he that abideth in love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Ioh 4. 16. but he that loveth not knoweth not God and much lesse dwelleth in him vers 8. All that
by Faith Act. 15. 9. We overcome the world by Christ Ioh. 16. 33. We overcome the world by Faith 1 Ioh. 5. 4 5. We are the Sons of God by Christ Ephes. 1. 5. We are the Sons of God by Faith Gal. 3. 26. We have an heavenly inheritance by Christ Gal. 4. 7. We have an heavenly inheritance by Faith Act. 26. 18. We attaine to Eternall life by Christ 1 Ioh. 5. 11 12. We attaine to Eternall life by Faith Ioh. 3. 16. 5. 24. 6. 47. We are saved by Christ Ioh. 3. 17. Matth. 1. 21. We are saved by Faith Ephes. 2. 8. All which benefits are attributed to faith not absolutely but relatively in respect of the object which it doth receive being no otherwise caused or procured by faith but as it is the hand and instrument whereby we receive Christ who is our life Ioh. 14. 6. Col. 3. 6. our righteousnesse Ier. 23. 6. 1 Corinth 1. 30. our propitiation Rom. 3. 25. 1 Ioh. 2. 2. our peace Ephes. 2. 14. our sanctification Tit. 2. 14. our victorious conqueror of all the enemies of our salvation Col. 2. 14 15. our Redeemer and Saviour who also is eternall Life 1 Ioh. 5. 20. whom whosoever hath he hath eternall life 1 Ioh. 5. 11 12. § VII But if we doe not receive and embrace Christ by a lively assent at the least working in our hearts an unfained desire to be made partakers of him and in our wils a settled resolution to acknowledge him to bee our Saviour and to rest upon him alone for Salvation without this speciall apprehension and application at least in desire and intent Christ and his merits doe not availe them that are adulti and come to yeeres of discretion unlesse it be to their greater condemnation who not caring to lay hold upon Christ and to apprehend and apply his merits unto them suffer as much as in them lyeth his precious blood to be spilt in vaine as it is in vaine to them who doe not apprehend and seeke to apply it to themselves For though the obedience of Christ both active and passive bee a robe of righteousnesse and our very wedding garment to cover our nakednesse and our sinnes yet it will not cover us unlesse it bee put on Though his stripes and sufferings be a soveraigne salve to cure our soules yet it will not cure them unlesse it be applyâ—…d Though his Body be meate indeed and his Bloud bee drinke indeed to nourish us unto eternall life yet they will not yeeld nourishment unto us unlesse we eate his Body and drinke his Bloud all which is done by faith apprehending and applying Christ whereby we put on him and his righteousnesse apply the salve of his sufferings eate his Body and drinke his Bloud The which because the Papists want and wanting reject they are faine to flee to their outward formalities wherein their religion consisteth and to their opus operatum in the Sacraments as if they without a true and lively faith were able to justifie and to save them without which notwithstanding our blessed Saviour himselfe doth not availe men to salvation He that beleeveth and is baptized shall be saved but he that beleeveth not being adultus though hee bee baptized and receive all the Sacraments of the Romance Church hee shall notwithstanding be condemned Mar. 16. 16. Ioh. 3. 18 36. It is therefore plaine and evident that the faith which doth justifie must not bee a bare assent but a lively beleefe or assent specially apprehending and embracing and in desire at the least and purpose applying Christ unto us For actuall application cannot bee made untill wee finde our selves to have the condition of the promise which is that former degree of faith which being had and finding our selves to have it wee are actually to apply the promise and by application to gather assurance which some call speciall faith § VIII Now let us see what the Papists can object against this cleare truth There are two things or rather names which they dispute against viz. fides specialis and fiducia speciall faith and affiance which dispute notwithstanding hindreth not anything which I have spoken of the nature of justifying faith as it justifieth us before God For of justification taken in a large sence there are two degrees though of that which properly is called justification before God there neither are nor can bee any degrees as I have shewed The former is the justification of a sinner before God in the Court of Heaven by imputation of Christs righteousnesse apprehended by a lively assent or beleefe The second is our justification in the Court of our owne Conscience when wee are perswaded and in some measure assured of our justification which assurance of some is called fides specialis by which wee are not first justified before God but is then wrought in us when being already justified by faith the holy Ghost the Spirit of promise shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts sealeth us after wee have beleeved Eph. 1. 13. How beit the former degree of faith is also truely called speciall both in respect of the speciall object which is Christ and in regard of the speciall effect which is the speciall apprehension or embracing of Christ not onely in the judgement by a lively assent but also in the heart that is the will and affections by a desire to bee made partaker of him and his merits and by a setled will and resolution to acknowledge him to bee our Saviour and to rely upon him alone for salvation And in this sence that faith by which we are justified before God is a speciall faith But if that onely be called speciall faith by which we are justified in our owne Consciences that is assured of our justification that assurance arising from the actuall application of the promise to our selves then I say and avouch that this speciall faith is not that by which we are justified before God For we must have a justifying faith being the condition of the promise before we can proceed to application and first wee must bee justified before God before wee can have any assurance thereof in our owne Consciences when as therefore the Papists dispute against tâ—…is speciall faith proving that by it we are not â—…ustified before God they plead besides the purpose And yet for all their proofes it is truely called a justifying faith because by it we are justified in the Court of our owne Conscience § IX The like is to be said of Fiducia or affiance which is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 against which the Papists hotly dispute proving that it is not of the essence of justifying faith when notwithstanding divers of their owne Writers as well as of ours have expounded credere by fidere and fides by fiducia But they should understand that many of our Writers by affiance meane assurance which is the plerophorie of faith unproperly I confesse but
most worthy to be urged and beat upon as being that thing which above all other things in this world is to be desired and laboured for according to the â—…xhortation of the Apostle Peter Give diligence to make your calling and election sure But this speciall faith the Papists above all things deridâ—… and detesâ—… â—…thereby discovering themselves to bee as I have elsewhere shewed voide of all truth and power of Religion It being as I have said and proved a thing most profitable most comfortable most necessary without which no Christian can have any true pâ—…ce or sound comforâ—… or ougâ—… to have contentment in his present estate untill â—…e have â—…tained unto it in some measure And when hee 〈◊〉 attained to some measure he must endevour more and moâ—…e to increase it But hereof I have treated in another place wherâ—…unto I referre the Christian Reader CAP. VII Of the acts or effects of faith and first whether faith doth justifie or only dispose to justification Secondly whether it doth justifie formally § I. THe next controversie is concerning that act or effect of justifying faith in respect whereof it is called justifying faith Of this there are three Questions the first whether Faith doth indeed justifie or onely dispose a man to justification Secondly whether it justifie formally as part of inherent righteousnesse or instrumentally as the hand to receive Christ who is our righteousâ—…esse Thirdly whether it justifie alone The assertions of the Papists in the two former questions doe not seeme to â—…ang well together For if faith goe before justification disposing a man thereto how doth it justifie formally as part of that righteousnesse whereby a man is as they speake formally just And if no dispositions bâ—…e required to justification to what purpose doe they tell us that a man must be disposed and prepared by faith and other virtues For howsoever in their speculations they require preparative dispositions to justification yet in their practise they seeme to require 〈◊〉 For their justification which is in fact and in deed is restrained to their Sacraments as namely to Bapâ—… And their Sacraments justifie ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore without necessity of any foregoing dispositions For if any virtuous or good disposition were required then should their Sacraments justifie not ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Onely they require that he who is by the Sacrament to be justified doe not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…lis 〈◊〉 that is interpose the obstacls of some mortall sinne And what be these dispositions which must goe before justification § II. Forsooth there are seven which according to the decree of the Councell of Trent Bellarmine reckoneth De justif lib. 1. ca. 13. to prove that faith doth not justifie alone because the other sixe also doe dispose men thereunto The seven are faith feare hope love penitencie a purpose and desire to receive the Sacrament a purpose of amendment of life All which doe but prepare and dispose a man But it is the Sacrament as namely of Baptisme that doth actually justifie and without which no man is justified But I would gladly know whether these seven preparatives be fruits of grace or works of nature Not of grace for as they teach no man hath grace before Iustification What then they are the fruits of nature holpen I wot not by what grace which if it were true would not onely prove the maine assertion of the Pelagians Gratiam secundùm merita dari or as in other words it is expressed in the Councell of Trent Secundùm propriam cajusque dispositionem operationem For though according to their doctrine these preparations are not merits of condignity as they say yet they bee of congruity but also disprove the doctrine of the Apostle that we are justified freely by his grace But this seemeth to me absurd that men should have one justifying faith and so one hope and one love c. going before justification and another infused in our justification and that by the one justifying faith going before we should be prepared to justification and by the other infused in our justification we should in part be formally justified But this is certaine that that faith which in order of time goeth before justification is no true justifying faith For that which goeth before justification goeth also before regeneration and what goeth before regeneration is of nature and not of Grace But faith in order of time goeth not before justification though in order of nature it doth for so soone as a man beleeveth he is justified as Hierome saith Talis est ille qui in Christum credidit die qua credidit qualis ille qui universam legem implevit Such a one is hee that beleeveth in Christ the very day that hee beleeveth as hee that hath fulfilled the whole Law nor in order of nature before regeneration for in our regeneration it is wrought As therefore no man hath faith who is not regenerated so no man hath faith who is not thereby justified The Scripture is plaine that in Christ whosoever beleeveth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is justified Act. 13. 39. He that beleeveth in Christ is passed from death to life Ioh. 5. 24. 6. 54. which passage from death to life is justification whereby as themselves teach a man is translated from the state of death and damnation into a state of Grace and Salvation Faith therefore actually justifieth and not disposeth onely to justification § III. The other question is whether faith doth justifie formally as they speake as being a part of inherent righteousnesse or instrumentally only as the hand to receive Christ who is our righteousnesse The Romane Catholikes hold â—…he former the true Catholikes the latter But the former I have sufficiently disproved before and proved the latter For if we be not justified by any grace or righteousnesse inherent in our selves or performed by our selves which I have before by many undeniable arguments demonstrated then it followeth necessarily that we are not justified by faith as it is a gift or grace an act or habit or quality inherent in us or performed by us And if we be justified by the righteousnesse of Christ onely which being out of us in him is imputed to those who receive it by faith which also before I invincibly proved then also it followeth by necessary consequence that wee are justified by faith onely as it is the instrument or hand to apprehend or receive Christ who is our righteousnesse Wherefore where faith is said to justifie or to bee imputed to righteousnesse it must of necessity be understood relatively and in respect of the object to which purpose both justification and all other benefits which we receive by Christ are attributed to faith as I have shewed before Not that faith it selfe worketh these things but because by it wee receive Christ and with him all his merits and benefits And for the same cause the
doth not justifie alone first because it doth not dispose alone to justification there being seven dispositions whereof faith is but one and namely the first § I. NOw let us see what arguments Bellarmine doth bring to prove that we are not justified by faith alone Which question in his opinion may bee disputed three wayes either with relation to the time going before justification or to the time of justification or to the time following our justification In respect of the first the question which he maketh is whether faith doth justifie alone by way of disposing unto justification In respect of the second whether faith be the onely formall cause of our justification In respect of the third whether for the retaining and preserving of righteousnesse good workes be not required but faith onely sufficeth The first he disputeth De justif l. 1. c. 12. and in the twelve chapters following to the end of that booke The second that faith is not the onely and entire formall cause of justification he disputeth in the second booke The third he disputeth in the fourth booke Chap. 18. 19. where he endevoureth to prove that good workes doe justifie But in mine opinion hee should rather have disputed this question whether faith doth justifie at all or not For whereas they make two justifications the first habituall whereby of a sinner a man is made just the second actuall whereby a man of just is made more just by their doctrine faith doth not justifie as a part either of the one or the other but is required as a necessary companion and as it were causa sine qua non which is no cause For they make the formall cause of their first justification which they say truely is but one to be charity and the meritorious cause of the second to be good workes Onely that charity and those good workes must not be without faith All which they ascribe to faith is that they make it the beginning of justification and a disposition to it Neither doe we deny but that true faith is the beginning and the root of sanctification and of all inherent righteousnesse insomuch that from it both charity it selfe 1 Tim. 1. 5. and all other both internall graces and externall obedience doe spring but the act of justification neither in the first nor second doe they ascribe to faith Onely unto the first justification they require it as a preparative disposition for the habit of grace to bee infused which doth not differ from Charity and when it is infused to be a companion thereof And to the second as causa sine qua non without which workes doe not justifie § II. But to come to Bellarmines large discourse the greatest part thereof seemeth to bee impertinent and besides the purpose But to make all seeme pertinent he maliciously calumniateth us as if we held all those assertions which hee with such eagernesse doth confute But if we doe hold that faith doth not justifie by way of disposing either alone or at all and that it is not the formall cause of justification either alone as the entire cause or at all as any part thereof and that it is not a consequent of justification at all as works indeed are to what end doth all this dispute serve unlesse it be to make their seduced Catholiks who never are permitted to read any of our writings to beleeve that he hath doughtily confuted us § III. And that faith doth not justifie alone by way of disposing he endeavoureth to prove by five sorts of arguments The first from those seven dispositions required by the Councell of Trent to justification among which he reckoneth faith for one Whereunto in generall I answere that this whole discourse besides that it is impertinent for wee doe not hold as I have said that faith doth justifie by way of disposition either alone or at all it is also an idle speculation disagreeing from their practicke theologie and that in two respects First to their speculative justification they require foregoing preparations and dispositions but to the obtayning of justification in deed and in practise no such things are required For the efficacie of justifying a sinner they ascribe to their Sacraments which they say doe conferre gratiam gratum facientem that is justifie ex opere operato requiring as I conceive no preceding preparation or disposition in the party to be justified so hee doe not interpose the obstacle of any mortall sinne For if foregoing dispositions were required before the Sacraments then they should not justifie as I have said before ex opere operato but ex opere operantis Secondly they doe teach that in their first justification Charity and with it Faith and Hope are infused whereby a man that before was a sinner is made righteous And that therefore a man is first justified when these are infused and that these are first infused when a man is justified and yet they tell us of a true Faith true Hope true Love going before justification Which by their doctrine though they goe together I meane Faith Hope and Charity accompanied with other good dispositions are neither graces nor gifts of grace infused For before or without the Sacrament there is no justification which they have tyed to the Sacrament and before justification as themselves say there is no grace For if they were graces indeed as no doubt but they are where they are true and goe together accompanied with other good dispositions then men might be justified before the receit of the Sacrament as Abraham was and then the Sacrament to men so qualified should not conserre grace but seale it Thus to mainetaine their pernicious errour concerning the efficacie of the Sacraments justifying ex opere operato whereby they have turned religion into an outward formality that Faith that Hope that Charity which goe before the Sacrament as namely in Cornelius before his baptisme should be no true graces because all true justifying and saving grace is insused in the administration of the Sacrament and this infusion of grace is that which they call justification By their doctrine therefore justifying faith is that which in the very act of justification is infused and being infused doth justifie not by way of disposing but formally it selfe being informed by Charity And therefore according to their owne doctrine that faith which disposeth to justification is not justifying Faith And consequently all this discourse concerning six other preparative dispositions concurring with faith to prove that we are not justified by faith alone is besides the purpose For that faith which they make their first preparative disposition is not justisying faith neither doth justifie otherwise by Bellarmines owne confession than its next companion viz servile feare doth But wee when we say that faith alone doth justifie speake not of a bare and naked assent which is common to the wicked which cannot justifie either alone or at all but of a true