this diminitiue enough but hee must put small yea perexigua very small vnto it and so leaue a very small not part but diminitiue particle for faith in the promises of God But Romane-Catholikes must bee content with this poore pittance of faith no otherwise beleeuing Gods promises but as other Histories reuealed in the Word as the Councell of Trent teacheth in her sixt Session and sixt Chapter But else she makes no mention at all of beleeuing in the promises of God and by faith applying them to our owne soules No the Church of Rome is of another spirit she wants that can did ingenuity to acknowledge this gracious mysterie of Christ and of the Gospell So that these Pontifician Romane-Catholickes place onely the truth of God and well too if they ioyned not their owne lying traditions as the generall obiect of faith namely as a true History to be beleeued As Soto commenting vpon the forenamed place of the Councell saith Ratio Christianis credendi est summa infallibilisque Det veritas haec autem eadem perlucet in reuelatis omnibus siue ad Historiam pertineant siue ad Promissiones The reason inducing Christians to beleeue is the soueraigne and infallible truth of God and this same shineth in all those things that are reuealed whether they pertaine to the History or to the Promises But how doth he vnderstand the faith of these promises Sanè quas credimus saith hee non solum verè esse factas sed esse firmissima◠quantum ex parte Dei nisi nos reuitamur which promises indeed we beleeue that not only they were truely made but are most firme as touching Gods part vnlesse we resist But as for speciall Faith in beleeuing and applying the promises of God quòd non pertineat that it appertains not to Catholick Faith saith Soto is most easie to demonstrate Fides enim Catholica ex sola diuina assertione vel promissione pendet quod autem quisque aptus sit idoneus promisso beneficio suscipiendo ex humano sensu cooperatione etiam pendet For saith he the Catholick Faith depends vpon Gods onely affirmation or promise but that any man may be apt or fit to receiue the benefit promised doth depend vpon the sense and also the cooperation of man And so he concludes Ergo huius Fides non est Catholica therefore this mans Faith is not Catholicke So that by Romane-Catholicke Doctrine a speciall Faith in the promises of God in Christ is not the Catholicke Faith for by Catholicke Faith they vnderstand a generall Faith such as is the Catholicke Faith of all Romane-Catholickes And hence it is also that they place Faith onely in the vnderstanding as assenting vnto the truth of God in his Word and not in the will in applying and apprehending the goodnesse and grace of God reuealed in the Word Now to cleare the truth in this point The Catholick Faith is so called not in respect of the generality of it as if iustifying Faith were onely a generall Faith or because the generall obiect of it is whatsoeuer is reuealed in the Word as a Historie but because the true Catholicke Faith is the Faith of all the Elect of all times to the end of the world and because this Faith comprehends all Faith in it For the true Catholicke Faith doth both credere Deum beleeue that God is and credere Deo beleeue that whatsoeuer is contained in the holy Word of God written is true and also credere in Deum beleeue in God that is in especiall beleeue the promises of God in Christ reuealed in the Gospell that they are not onely true in respect of God who promiseth but that they doe belong to euery beleeuer in Christ in particular As Saint Iohn saith speaking of the blessed estate of Gods children both here in that they are now the Sonnes of God and hereafter in the perfect vision of God Euery man that hath this hope in him purifieth himselfe euen as he is pure The Apostle Paul setting forth the nature of iustifying Faith in the example of faithfull Abraham hee bounds it mainely vpon the promise of God in Christ as the speciall obiect of Faith As Rom. 4. 13. The promise that Abraham should be the heire of the world was not to him or to his seede through the Law but through the righteousnesse of Faith for if they which are of the Law bee heires Faith is made voide and the promise made of none effect Therefore it is of Faith that it might be by grace to the end the promise might be sure to all the seede not to that onely which is of the Law but to that also which is of the Faith of Abraham who is the father of vs all And vers 20. Hee staggered not at the promise of God through vnbeliefe but was strong in Faith giuing glory to God So wee see that the promise of God is the speciall obiect of iustifying Faith And hence it is that all true beleeuers who are the children of Abraham are called the children of the Promise Rom. 9. 8. They which are the children of the flesh these are not the children of God but the children of the Promise are counted for the seed heires of the Promise Heb. 6. 17. Yea the promises of God in Christ are the very sum of the Gospel as the Apostle declareth very amply in the third Chapter to the Galathians As vers 8. The Scripture foreseeing that God would iustifie the Heathen through faith preached before the Gospell vnto Abraham saying In thee shall all Nations be blessed So we see plainly that the speciall obiect of Faith is the Gospell of God and the Gospel of God is the promise of God in Christ. This was the summe of all Christs preaching The Kingdome of God is at hand repent yee and beleeue the Gospell And so Gal. 3. 22. the Apostle sweetly concludeth this heauenly Doctrine The Scripture hath concluded all vnder sin that the promise by faith of Iesus Christ might be giuen to them that beleeue Hence also was the Land of Canaan being a type of the Kingdome of Christ called the Land of Promise and Abraham and his sonnes coheires of the same Promise What Promise For hee loooked for a City which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God Heb. 11. 10. And by faith he waited for this promise vers 9. The Pontificians would faine haue that faith whose prayses are so predicated in that 11. Chapter to the Hebrewes to be vnderstood of their kinde of Catholicke faith to wit a generall historicall faith And they alledge the third Verse and the sixt Verse c. Vers. 3. Through faith wee vnderstand that the worlds were framed by the word of God Hence they conclude their Historicall faith And Vers. 6. He that commeth to God must beleeue that God is c. Hence they inferre that Faith is nothing else but a certaine assent concerning the truth of God in his
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. For in these things wee may bee vncertaine and so be deceiued but faith cannot bee deceiued And here wee are ledde by sense but in matter of faith wee are ledde by the spirit And vpon the Epistle to the Romanes Ch. 4. where the Apostle saith vers 21. Being certainly perswaded c. Chrysostome saith Obserue that he saith not simply He beleeued but He was certainely perswaded For such a thing is faith that it is more manifest and cleare than those demonstrations which are deduced from reason and doth more perswade than they For he that is perswaded by reasons may be induced by other reasons to wauer in his iudgement but he that is settled vpon faith hath now long agoe carefully guarded and guirt about his hearing as it were with a Rampart or strong Wall round about lest hee should be infected with peruerse speeches And a little after It is the property of a weake pusillanimous and wretched minde not firmely to beleeue If therefore at any time it happen that any doe flout vs for our certainty and confidence in beleeuing let vs againe obiect vnto them incredulity as to those that are wretched pusillanimous foolish and weake and which haue no better vnderstanding than the very Asses For as to beleeue is the point of a magnanimous and noble minde so to bee incredulous and wauering is a signe of a most foolish minde light and abased euen to the bruitishnesse of the vnreasonable Beasts Therefore saith hee leauing these let vs imitate the Patriarch Abraham and glorifie God as he also gaue glory to God And what is it that he saith giuing glory to God Hee considered Gods righteousnesse and his neuer sufficiently comprehended vertue and power and so conceiuing in his minde a thought worthy and beseeming such a person hee got a most certaine perswasion of the promises So he Thus wee see this holy man disclaimes all hesitation or doubting in faith he propounds the patterne of Abraham whose faith was most certaine whom we are to follow in the same steps as the Apostle saith Rom. 4. 12. for the promise is made sure to all the seede to all those that are of the faith of Abraham vers 16. He that wants this certainty of faith doth not truly beleeue as Chrysostome saith he vnderstandeth no more than a beast than the very Asses hee is of a base and pusillanimous spirit he denieth to giue glory to God which as Chrysostome saith is the most excellent property of a Christian mans life Let the Pontificians and among them Vega with his Councell of Trent looke to their credit in this point least as men without vnderstanding they be found like to the beasts that perish St. Basil saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what is the property of faith an vndoubting assurance or full confidence voide of distrust The same Sain Basil also in another place saith That faith beyond all reasons of Sciences and Arts doth draw the soule to a consent yea and that faith relyeth not vpon Geometricall or necessary demonstrations but is iufused into the soule by the operations of the holy Ghost And againe Faith is an vndoubted assent to those things which are heard in a certaine perswasion of the truth of those things which are preached by the grace of God which Abraham shewed saith hee hauing testimony that hee doubted not through distrust but was strong in the faith giuing glory to God and being certainly perswaded that he which had promised was able also to performe Tertullian afore him saith Fides integra secura est de salute sound and intire Faith is secure of saluation But shall wee neede to bring candles to shew vs the light of the Sunne The Sunne-shine of the Scriptures hath so clearly manifested the truth of the certainty of faith that the ancient Doctors of the Church borrowing their light from that Sunne are as so many Starres witnessing the same truth So as not so much as a cloud of doubtfulnesse is to be seene in them as touching this point howsoeuer the Pontificians dazzled with the bright beames of truth would also cast a myst before faiths eyes and would perswade vs that where the Fathers speak of the certainty of faith they meane some morall or experimentall certainty distinctions which their simple hearted spirits neuer dreamed of in this kinde and where the Fathers speake of our manifold infirmities and weaknesses that are in our nature and of those doubts and feares that arise from our carnall corruption the Pontificians would perswade vs that they meane of the doubts and feares that are in faith So witty are the Pontificians in their selfe-deceiuings Now besides this natiue certainty of sauing faith in euery beleeuer there be many other accruing and concurring helps seruing to seale vp this infallible certainty of faith with all fulnesse of assurance As first the infallible testimony of the Spirit of truth witnessing to our spirits to the spirit of faith that we are the Sonnes of God Rom. 8. 16. And Gal. 4. 6. Because yee are sonnes God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Sonne into your hearts crying Abba Father And Ephes. 1. 13. In whom also yee trusted after that ye heard the Word of truth the Gospell of your saluation in whom also after that yee beleeued yee were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance vntill the redemption of the purchased possession to the praise of his glory This place is very pregnant and worthy our best attention The holy Ghost is called the seale wherewith wee are sealed and the earnest of our inheritance Now a seale and earnest are Symboles of assurance But marke this seale and earnest is giuen vs after that we haue beleeued So that here is the seale of the Spirit annexed to the seale and certainty of our faith ad corroborandum titulum as the Lawyers speake to strengthen our title That as the Apostle saith by two immutable things wee might haue strong consolation who haue fled for refuge to lay hold vpon the hope set before vs which hope wee haue as an anchor of the soule both sure and stedfast and which entereth into that within the vaile whither the fore-runner is for vs entred euen Iesus made an High Priest for euer after the Order of Melchisedech So 1. Ioh. 4. 13. Hereby we know that we dwell in him and he in vs because he hath giuen vs of his Spirit Faith then being certaine and confirmed also by the seale of Gods Spirit what more certaine Hence it is that Bernard writing to Pope Innocent against Abailardus saith Abailardus fidem definiebat aestimationem quâ—si cuique in ea sentire loqui quae libeat liceat aut pendeant ab incerto in vagis ac varijs opinionibus nostrae fidei Sacramenta non magis certa veritate subsistant Nonne si fluctuat fides inanis est spes
a new way to Heauen and beauty to expresse this vertue and to demonstrate this way with the very hand of their owne immaculate exemplary life Let them therefore come forth vpon the Stage and act before vs but a Scene of their Christian life Wee are willing to be Spectators of this rare spectacle and will be as beneuolous to giue them a Plaudite if they deserue it as by their fame and claime we are erected to a high expectation of their performance for we expect to see them act the parts not as common Actors and Comedians act others good parts vpon the Stage whence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Hypocrites haue their names as Gregory saith Haereticorum hypocrisis decoros ipsos hominibus ostendit The hypocrysie of Heretickes makes them appeare beautifull vnto men wee expect I say to see them act the parts not of the ordinary ranke of morallmen but as they professe to goe before others in learning and wit so let them goe before all men in sanctity of life and conuersation which if they doe not their owne Doctrine shall turne to their greater condemnation For seeing they attribute so much to their naturall abilities if they make it not good in their owne practice God will say vnto them Out of thine owne mouth will I condemne thee thou euill seruant Hast thou so much power to doe good and dost it not If the Lord condemne that feare at the best which is taught towards him by the precepts of men how shall hee confound those that for all their humane politicke precepts come infinitely short of the feare of God in their liues But if not only defect of the true feare of God be found in them but excesse of all corruption doe beare sway in their lusts if they be extreame proud couetous ambitious malicious contemners of the true seruants of God if back-biters selfe-louers louers of pleasures more than louers of God hauing a forme of godlinesse but denying the power thereof what reward shall they haue for all their new deuices and quaint doctrines What honour with God What credit with men What comfort in themselues but horrour of conscience What else can bee expected of such as haue lost or neuer had the true faith Can a bad tree bring forth good fruit saith Christ Gregory compareth such to brazen Pipes Sonum bene loquendi habent sed sensum bene viuendi non habent They haue the sound of saying well but they haue not the sense of liuing well But take their workes at the best yet seeing they flowe not from the holy roote of sound faith they are but as many flowers whose colour is beautifull but their sauour banefull Such do stincke odious in the pure nostrils of God yea they are abominable to the Church of God As the same Gregory saith Quia nonnunquam haeretici quanto magis in perfidiae errorem dilabuntur tanto ampliùs in exteriori sese operatione custodiunt ita vt agere prae caeteris magna videantur sancta vniuersalis Ecclesia cuncta eorum opera despicit quae ex authoritate fidei non prodire perpendit Because sometimes hereticks the more they sinke into the errour of perfidiousnesse so much the more warily doe they keepe themselues in their exteriour operation so that they may seeme in comparison of others to doe great things the holy vniuersall Church doth despise all their workes which it considereth not to proceede from the authority of faith Now hauing spoken of the nature of Predestination according to the expresse tenure of the holy Scriptures come wee to set downe the certainty of Catholicke and true iustifying Faith in regard of the certainty of predestination vnto grace and of perseuerance therein vnto glory The Pontificians alledge and obiect That we cannot be certaine of our saluation but depend alwayes doubtfull because say they we cannot know who is predestinate and who shall perseuere in grace without speciall reuelation Now true it is that no beleeuer can know whether another be predestinate or shall perseuere but by speciall reuelation Samuel came to know King Saul to be a reprobate by speciall reuelation Ananias came to know persecuting Saul to bee an elect vessell by speciall reuelation So Paul came to know that Clement and other his fellow-labourers had their names written in the Booke of life Againe no man how wicked soeuer can know or conclude with himselfe that he is a reprobate but eyther by diuine reuelation as Saul came to know this by Samuel from God or else by the effects of finall impenitency and desperation such as commit the sinne of the Holy Ghost especially But that euery true beleeuer may and doth come to know himselfe to be of the number of Gods elect and predestinate vnto life and that not onely by extraordinary reuelation from the Spirit of God but by the illumination of iustifying Faith and consequently is hereby assured of his perseuerance in grace vnto glory is a Doctrine most euident in the holy Scriptures Two generall points therefore come here to be handled First that euery true beleeuer in Christ may and doth certainly know that hee is one of the number of Gods Elect. Secondly that euery true beleeuer may and doth know certainly that he shall perseuere in grace vnto glory For the first of these Euery true beleeuer in Christ may and doth certainly know that hee is one of the number of Gods Elect. And this hee knoweth first by Faith The Faith of Gods Elect is as a chrystall perspectiue glasse though which euery true beleeuer clearely seeth himselfe enrolled in the Booke of life Reioyce in this saith Christ that your names are written in Heauen Now how can any man reioyce of that whereof hee is vncertaine and doubtfull and which he knoweth not So that for the Elect to reioyce that their names are written in Heauen in the Booke of life must needes imply a certaine knowledge that we are of the number of those whose names are written in the Booke of life as also some in the Trent-Councell iudiciously alledged from this very place But the aduersaries obiect that this was spoken in especiall to the elect Disciples to whom Christ gaue a speciall reuelation of their election I answer with Augustine vpon these very words of the Gospell of Christ In this reioyce that your names are written in Heauen Nullus fidelis habet spem si nomen eius non est scriptum in coelo No faithfull man hath any hope if his name bee not written in Heauen So that Augustine applyeth this speech of Christ to all the faithfull As hee there saith Non eos voluit gaudere ex eo quod proprium habebant sed ex eo quod cum caeteris salutem tenebant Inde voluit gaudere Apostolos vnde gaudes tu Christ would not haue his Disciples to reioyce of that which they had proper to themselues namely of casting out Deuils and of doing
vsum experientiae terminos Disce id habere certiùs id tutiùs sequi quod illa suaserit Noli me tangere nondum enim ascendi ad Patrem meum nam tangi à fide voluit Touch me not saith Christ that is dis-wont thy selfe with this seducible sense rest on the Word acquaint thy selfe with faith faith that knowes not how to bee deceiued faith that comprehendeth things inuisible doth not feele the want of sense For it transcendeth the bounds euen of humane reason the vse of nature and the limits of experience Learne to account that for more certaine to follow that more safely which faith shall perswade thee of Touch mee not for I am not yet ascended to my Father is as if he had said he would then be touched by faith Besides the sure and viue testimony of faith we haue the attestation of Gods holy Spirit the testimony whereof is no lesse infallible than it is most euident in the heart of euery true beleeuer This holy Spirit assureth all those that beleeue in Christ and belong to him both of their election and perseuerance This Spirit witnesseth to our spirits that wee are the Sonnes of God that 's for our election and adoption and the Apostle addes If sonnes then also heires yea coheires with Christ of his Kingdome that 's for our perseuerance This Spirit sealeth all beleeuers and is the earnest of our inheritance Till when Euen vntill the redemption of the purchased possession vnto the praise of his glory that is vntill the consummation of all our blessednesse in and with Christ. Therefore is the Holy Ghost the seale and earnest euen of our perseuerance vnto glory This Spirit is that Annointing whereof Saint Iohn speaketh The annointing which yee haue receiued of him abideth in you And againe Hereby wee know that hee abideth in vs by the Spirit which he hath giuen vs. And againe Hereby wee know that wee dwell in him and bee in vs because hee hath giuen vs of his Spirit The Pontificians and Vega by name being consciously conuict and pressed with these cleare euidences are faine to flye to most miserable shifts and euasions Forsitan c. saith Vega Perhaps it appeareth more probable that eyther Saint Iohn spake these things of himselfe onely and his fellow-Apostles or else that hee speakes not here of the mansion and habitation of the Spirit in some particular persons but of his generall residence in the Church Yea moreouer saith hee that testimony whereby Paul proueth that the faithfull doe not vnfitly call God Father as wee call him in the Lords Prayer is not any inward testimony whereby the Holy Ghost doth testifie to euerie righteous man that hee is absolutely the Sonne of God by grace but this testimony forsooth is that glorious and most excellent testimony whereby the Holy Ghost by admirable signes and wonders and peculiarly by his visible descending Acts 2. hath openly testified to all the world that they are the Sonnes of God which did receiue the Faith of Christ and his Baptisme But to assay to answer these Pontifician Peraduentures and seeming Probabilities what were it else but to goe about to shape a coate for the Moone Such lunaticke interpretations such miserable tergiuersations such slye euasions such absurd and senselesse shifts such false and profane glosses deserue no other answer than to be hissed and exploded out of euery common Schoole yea whipped also and lashed out of Gods Sanctuary for such their monstrous and shamelesse profanation of the sacred Truth FINIS Bellarmin de Iustif. l. 1. c. 4. Act. 19. Hist. Concil Trid. lib. 2. Concil Trid. Sess. 6. Proem cap. 2. 5. 7. Bern. Serm. ad Clerum Et super Cant. Serm. 33. See Bulla Pii 4 super confirmatione Conc. Trid. super Forma iuramenti professinis fidei a Luke 22. 31. Amb. de fide l. 1. c. 8. Hier. ad Ctesiph de libero arbitr contra Pelag. Ep. 3. Concil Trid. Ses. 6. cap. 5. Ibid. cap. 6. Free-will the mother of Romes preparatory workes Vega lib. 6. de preparatione adultorum ad Iustif. cap. 12. * Per â—am paenitentiam Which I translate Penance according to the vsuall and vulgar language of their Rhemes Testament nor haue they any other repentance but Penance Can. 1. â—â—el â—ist 14. lib. â— quaest 2. Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 3. c. â— c. Aqu. 12 qu. 1â—4 a. 6. c. quian homo c. The vanity and incongruitie of Popish preparation Concil Trid. Ses. 6. cap. 6. Aqu. 12. quaest â— 14. art 7. c. * This Councell speakes of a former and later grace but names them not Ses. 4. cap. 5. Concil Trin. Ses. 6. Can. 5. a Doctè Richardus de statu inter hom cap. â—2 Cum audis liberum arbitrium esse captiuum nihil aliud intellige quà m infirmum natiuae potestatis virtute priuatum Andr. Vega lib. 15. de vera sicta iustiâ— cap. â— Concil Trin. Ses. 6. cap. 5. Prima gratia seu gratia gratis data secunda gratia seu gratia gratum saciens Romes first and second grace Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 3. 6. Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 5. ad 2. Aqu. 12. qu. 114 art 3. c. Vega de meritis ex Congruo iustif cap. 7. Ibid. propos 3. A notable Pontifician shift Ibid propos 4. Fides alia bona opera quil us disponimur ad gratiam gratum facientem qua â—orâ— aliter iustificamur simus accepti Deo meritoria sunt ex Congruo eiusmodi gratiae nostra iustificationis Soto de nat grat lib. 2. cap. 4 de merito ex congruo What the ancient Fathers vnderstood by the word Merit August Aug de tempore ser. 35. * Greg. in Fuang hom 34. * See Histor. Concil Trid. lib. 2. Pontificians can with facility reconcile flat contradictions Si quis dixerit hominem suis operibus quae vel per humanae naturae vires vel per legis doctrinam siant absque diâ—ina per Iesum Christum gratia possè iustificari coram Deo Anathema sit Can. 1. Ioh. Sarisbury in Polychron lib. 6 cap. 4. Greg. Past. Curae pars 3. admon 33. Qui morbum suum nescit quomodo medicum quaerit maior enim quò citius quia sit culpa agnoscitur co etiam celeriùs emendatur minor verò dum quasi nulla creditur cò peiùs securiùs in vsu retinetur a Rom. 7. 18. b Gen. 6. c Rom. 7. 13. Seâ— 6. Caâ— 7. Si quis dixerit opera omnia quae ante iustificationem fiunt quacunque ratione facta sunt verè esse peccata vel odium Dei mereri c. Anathema sit a Pelagians Pontificians compared together b Aug. contra Pelagianos lib. 3. in fine tom 7. Aug. contra Iul. Pelag. lib. 4. cap. 3. tom 7. Obiection Answer Why Romes doctrine of preparation is hereticall antichristian To receiue Christ is to beleeue in him Vega de meritis ex congruo
the earth of the light of the world they may strongly support thy true Religion season and lighten those places which are dark and vnsauory and all for want of faithfull Ministers thus shall they highly magnifie their office and discharge their stewardship by prouiding and sending painfull labourers into euery corner of thy field Inspire and inflame them Lord with that zeale of thine own wherewith thou didst purge thy Temple from profane merchandize that so they may with the whip-cords of sound Doctrine and wholesome Discipline chase out of thy Church all Heresie and Idolatry Why should the world O Lord complaine and cry Where is the spirit of those ancient Bishops and Martyrs and learned Champions of thy truth as of Cranmer Ridley Latimer Hooper Bucer Peter Martyr Iewel and other faithfull witnesses whose eyther bloud hath beene the seed or preaching and writing the watering of this thy noble Vineyard O keepe farre from vs the spirit of cowardise and lukewarmnesse of ambition and loue of the world lest these infeebling and infatuating our soules wee should proue a generation of peruerse and foolish children pulling downe what our religious fore-fathers with such care and paines mature iudgement and sound knowledge in the truth haue built Stirre vp O Lord the noble hearts of the two honourable Chancellors of our Vniuersities that with the ayde of soueraigne authority they may zealously set themselues to preserue those Fountaines and Nurceries from the mudde of Heresie and the bitter root of Impiety Infuse the spirit of courage zeale vprightnesse and hatred of couetousnesse in aboundance vpon all the reuerend Iudges and Iustices of the Land that they may duely execute the Lawes by freeing the poor innocent from the potent oppressor by cutting downe sinne and cutting off the traiterous ring-leaders to Idolatry Thus thy Church being purged Iustice executed Religion maintained sinne reformed our Couenant with thee renewed our vowes of better obedience and thankfulnesse performed and we through thy merits reconciled to thy Father of mercies thou the great Captaine and Lord of Hosts mayst againe take thy peoples part turne the edge of thy Sword against thine enemies and fill our mouthes with a new song of praise thanksgiuing to thee which sittest vpon the Throne with the Father and the Holy Ghost God blessed for euer Amen The Preface to the Reader CHristian Reader loe here the two great mysteries laid open the one of Godlinesse the summe whereof is Christ beleeued on in the World the other of Iniquity the head whereof is Antichrist beleeued on of the World Two Mysteries incompatible as light and darknesse They are the two bounders disterminating Ierusalem from Babylon This Mysterie of iniquity I meane the Romish doctrine of Iustification is the head-doctrine or source whence all their meritorious satisfactions doe flow And Bellarmine with other Pontificians confesseth Iustification to bee the maine Cardo or hinge whereon hangeth the whole body of controuersies betweene them and the Pretestants Nor was it for nothing that the Councell of Trent so improued all their skill and strength to oppose and oppresse the true Catholicke doctrine of Iustification as whereby the Papall magnificence and the gaine of the Romish Craftsmen for their Diana was endangered So that this their Abortiue was a hatching for seuen moneths so long was this Babylonish Ramme wherewith they would force heauen gates a hammering in the Trent-forge so as the History noteth that the most expert in the Church affirmed That if all the Councels assembled from the Apostles times to that were summed vp together they could not make vp so many Articles as the Trent-Fathers had amassed together in this one sixt Session of that Synod the best part whereof also they were beholden to Aristotle for And no maruaile they were so puzzled for they were to encounter sundry difficulties as first the euidence of Scriptures secondly the concent of ancient Fathers thirdly the powerfull preaching and writings of Luther fourthly the dissent of their Schoolemen and fiftly the diuision of the Councell it selfe some being Thomists some Scotists some Dominicans some Franciscans To satisfie and reconcile all which was more than an Herculean labour But what could be difficult to the Papall Omnipotencie who could send his holy Ghost post from Rome to Trent in a Cloake-bagge which loosed all knots and decided all doubts Nor had the Pope wanting in that Councell the most pregnant wits in the Pontifician world besides a numerous multitude of new titular Bishops as titular for learning as liuing to lay on load of down right voyces to conclude and ratifie whatsoeuer the Pope with his Cardinals in their Conclaue at Rome and his dextrous instruments in the Councell had with no lesse sweat than artifice contriued For the first maine obstacle the euidence of Scripture they are faine to collogue and speake it faire and borrow from it certaine broad Phylacteries wouen with Scripture phrases wherewith the Babylonish Whore partly decks her shamelesse forehead and partly adornes the cobwebbe Robe of her counterfeit selfe-Iustification as Coelestis Pater Iesus Christ the Sun of righteousnesse the author and finisher of our faith The Father of mercies and God of all consolation sent his sonne to redeeme Iewes and Gentiles and that all might receiue adoption of sonnes Him hath God sent forth to be a propitiation for our sinnes in his bloud for this Redemption we ought to giue thanks And ch 7. The Meritorious cause of our Iustification is our Lord Iesus Christ c. O holy Councell Will any suspect the Serpent to lurke vnder such flowers of Paradise Or that they goe about to betray Christ with Hayle Master But in this their profound hypocrisie lyeth the whole Mysterie of Iniquity Si tamen hypocrisis dici debet quae iam latere prae abundantia non valet prae impudentiâ non quaerit as Bernard saith of Romes Clergy in his time If that may be called hypocrisie which neither for the abundancy of it can nor for the impudencie of it cares to conceale it selfe Thus by egregious hypocrisie Arrius deluded the Councell of Nice confessing Christ to be God of God yet denyed his consubstantiality with the Father Thus the second Councell of Nice summoned to decree the erection and veneration of Images makes a goodly Preface giuing thankes to God that they were deliuered from Idols Thus Augustine confesseth how he was seduced by the Manichaean hypocrisie Thus dealeth the Trent Councell And besides her hypocrisie her impudencie displayes it selfe while in this Councell Rome alters the Rule of Faith addes her Traditions Decretals and Canons as a party and equall rule with Scripture guelds the Scriptures of their masculine authoritie and genuine sense closing vp all in the Cabinet of the Popes breast where lodgeth his Infallibilitie And thus the sacred Scriptures which till that Idolatrous Councell of Trent were held the sole and entire Catholicke Canon and rule of Faith must now draw in
of Gods spirit but of mans spirit so that if such proue all abortiues and dead borne it is no maruaile But the sons of God we cannot be till we be in Christ which is till we beleeue in Christ as Gal. 3. 26. Ye are all the children of God by faith in Iesus Christ therefore before this faith in Iesus Christ we are not the children of God no not so much as the Embrio in the first conception But the new creature must bee in Christ Iesus as the Apostle saith Gal. 6. 15. So when Christ himselfe speakes of regeneration to Nicodemus Ioh. 3. instructing him therein how it is begun in a man hee tels him in the continuation of his speech that this appertaines to those that beleeue in the son of man vers 15. and vers 16. For a man to be regenerate or made the son of God by adoption he must be in the son of God by beleeuing in him Where Christ also opposing faith to vnbeliefe saith those are condemned already that beleeue not hauing no part in the regeneration therefore before faith in Christ no regeneration at all no cleansing no sanctification but all condemnation Againe Christ is made vnto vs sanctification 1. Cor. 1. 30. vnto vs in him Of him are ye in Christ Iesus therefore while out of Christ no sanctification So the adoption of children is by Iesus Christ Ioh. 1. 5. therefore no sons no regeneration but in Iesus Christ. Likewise Ioh. 15. 2. Euery branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away So vers 4. As the branch cannot beare fruit of it selfe except it abide in the vine no more can ye except ye abide in mee â—or without me yee can doe nothing Therefore while a man is out of Christ vntill by faith he be ingrafted into Christ the true Vine from whom hee receiueth the liuely sappe of a new life hee can doe nothing nothing that is good nothing that is acceptable to God no worke of new obedience or sanctification But some may say Regeneration is wrought by the Spirit of God in vs and so may be before faith in Christ and consequently before we come to be actually in Christ. To which I answer True it is that the Holy Ghost is the immediate efficient cause of our regeneration But how doth he worke regeneration in vs namely by working in vs faith in Christ which faith is the very immediate instrument whereby the Holy Ghost doth regenerate sanctifie and cleanse vs sith the Holy Ghost by this faith ingrafteth and vniteth vs into Christ in whom we are regenerate and made the sonnes of God Now that faith is the instrument of our regeneration and sanctification it is euident Acts 15. 9. 26. 18. So that the very first and prime act of Gods sanctifying spirit in vs is to worke faith in vs by which faith in Christ as by a noble instrument the Holy Ghost vniting vsto Christ as members to the head doth regenerate vs and so makes vs the adopted sons of God And before faith in Christ we cannot say wee haue Gods sanctifying spirit in vs I say in regard of prioritie of time For this sanctifying spirit in the same moment that he sanctifies vs he workes faith in Christ in vs by which he regenerates and sanctifies vs. But they re-ioyne by a distinction and say that this repentance which prepares the way to faith and layes the foundation of regeneration is not acceptable to saluation but only to fit prepare vs thereunto and to make vs the more capable of it In this distinction they do much please themselues but they confound themselues in their distinction For they affirme againe that this precedent repentance of theirs is regeneration and sanctification and newnesse of life inchoatiue begun at least in part A bold assertion Is it regeneration begun and in part and being acceptable is it not acceptable to saluation Is not regeneration a worke of our saluation And though regeneration should be begun in this repentance in neuer so small a degree a worke it is of our saluation if it bee true regeneration Logicians know that Magis minus non variant speciem A man in the first conception is a man though imperfect and inchoatiue But they reply again That they do not say this preuious repentance is acceptable to saluation of it self but as it hath relation to faith coÌ„ming after whereby it becomes acceptable A pretty shift And yet they say again That repentance goeth before faith not in the precedency of time but in nature only in the order of causes Now if this repeÌ„tance go before faith in the order of causes then repentance must cause saith so this absurdity wil follow That the effect must giue a form being at least a well being vnto the cause if so be faith the effect consequent of repeÌ„tance as they say make the same acceptable But how doe they proue that this their repentance goes before faith in Christ in nature and in the order of causes They proue it out of Matth. 21. 32. where Christ taxing the infidelity of the Pharisees wherein they came behinde the very Publicans faith Iohn came to you in the way of righteousnesse and ye beleeued him not but the Publicans and the Harlots beleeued him and ye when ye had seen it repented not afterward that ye might beleeue him Hence they conclude That repentance must goe before faith as the cause of it alledging Christs words thus Ye repented not that ye might beleeue But leauing out him That ye might beleeue Him to wit Iohn Baptist as it is in the text which implieth what kinde of faith Christ there meaneth to wit an assent to the truth of Iohns doctrine The place thereby comes to bee preuerted For Credere 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ei is the faith of assent but Credere in cum that is in Christum is the iustifying faith So that by that place alledged if repentance goeth before faith in the order of causes then certainly that repentance is the cause of no other faith but the faith of assent there spoken of which is not all one faith with the iustifying faith But they which affirme thus yet confess that repentance doth not go before the faith of assent which they terme also the Euangelical faith but that its an effect consequent therof And here by the way I might take iust occasion to shew the absurdity of those that distinguish betweene Euangelicall faith and the faith of Christ as if Euangelicall faith were onely a generall assent to the truth of the Gospell whereas a generall assent and Euangelicall faith are as different as this and the faith of Christ are all one for Euangelicall faith looketh vpon the Gospell not onely as a true history but as the mysterie of God in Christ it embraceth it as the Gospell preaching Christ the Sauiour yea preaching Christ to euery beleeuer of this Gospell in particular As
it loueth And between these friends all things are most freely common He partakes of our flesh we of his spirit Hee of our nature we of his grace He of our infirmities we of his perfections He of our pouerty we of his riches yea Hee of our sinnes which hee bare vpon the Tree wee of his righteousnesse the best Robe He is called the sonne of man we the Sonnes of God He the Lord our righteousnesse and we the Lord our righteousnesse yea He and we one Christ. O incomparable communion O incomprehensible vnion Neuer such an immediate intercourse and community betweene friends And this not for a day or a yeare or for terme of life but for life without terme For as Christs loue to his is from euerlasting so it is to euerlasting it is without beginning and therefore without ending Ioh. 13. 1. So that of this loue betweene Christ and his faithfull friends and brethren we may sing the Psalme of Dauid the burthen whereof is principally the loue between Christ and his brethren Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in vnity It is like the precious oyntment vpon the head that ran downe vpon the beard euen Aarons beard and went downe to the skirts of his garments As the deaw of Hermon and as the deaw that descended vpon the mountaines of Sion for there the Lord commanded the blessing euen life for euermore This Psalme is a mirrour and cleare type of that vnion and communion of grace betweene Christ and the faithfull Behold therefore it is Christ that maketh his faithfull ones to dwell together in vnitie to bee of one minde in the house of God Psalme 68. 6. He it is that perswades Iaphet to dwell in the Tents of Sem the Gentiles to become one Family with the Iew vnder Christ that one head whose type was Aaron From him our head our high Priest flowes downe the oyle of grace vpon vs vnto the skirts of his clothing euen vpon vs whose nakednesse hee hath couered with the skirts of the robes of his righteousnesse of whose fulnesse wee haue all receiued and grace for grace His head is full of the dew of grace distilling vpon the barren Mountaines of his Sion his Church and chosen to poure a blessing vpon it and there to giue life for euermore Such is the vnion betweene Christ his faithfull ones farre passing the loue betweene dearest friends euen that betweene Ionathan and Dauid passing the loue of women Eightly nor is this vnion betweene Christ and the beleeuer a ciuill vnion such as is betweene the King and the Subiect for alas to what dis-vnion and diuision is this subiect too especially where the Pope is Lord Paramount whenas eyther his roaring Buls of excommunication and deposition of Kings or the poysoned steellettoes or pistols of his all-daring brats doe euen teare the head from the body as too lamentable experience hath proued True it is that Christ is our King and we his seruants hee commands vs wee obey him he is our Princely head we his members but his commandements are not grieuous his yoke is easie and his burden light He hath lightened the burden and sweetened the yoke vnto vs by both hauing borne the grieuousnesse and bitternes of it himselfe alone and for the remnant hee both beares it with vs and giues vs strength to beare it yea he hath so loued vs and so shed his loue abroad in our hearts by his holy Spirit giuen vnto vs that as hee can neuer deny vs the grace and protection of a louing Prince so hee hath giuen vs grace neuer to deny him our most humble homage and louing obedience So that neuer was there such a strait bond betweene Prince and People as betweene Christ and the Beleeuer Ninthly this vnion betweene Christ and the Beleeuer is not a coniugall vnion such as is betweene a man and his wife although this be a mysticall resemblance whereby Christ setteth forth his vnion with vs. For this Coniugall vnion suffereth dissolution and death giues the Suruiuer libertie to marry a new mate Not so with Christ and his Spouse This is a band indissoluble The marriage band is but during this life it holds not in heauen for there they neither marry nor are giuen in marriage but this with Christ suffereth no diuorse but death is a degree to the full consummation of it Also the man and the wife are but one flesh but Christ and the beleeuer one spirit In a word this vnion betweene Christ and the Beleeuer is not the vnion of dependency as between the Creature the Creator for this is common to all the Creatures who haue their being life and sustentation in a dependency from the Creator his raine showreth and his sunne shineth vpon the good and euill vpon the iust and the vniust indifferently All depend and waite vpon thee saith Dauid and thou giuest them their meate in due season when thou openest thine hand they are filled with good when thou withdrawest their breath they returne to their dust But the vnion betweene Christ and his although it be an vnion of dependency wherein the Beleeuers eternall well-beeing hath a necessary dependance on Christ yet this dependance is proper and peculiar to the faithfull and not common with any other Creature vnlesse with the elect Angels who depend vpon Christ for the perpetuation of their happinesse So that the faithfull haue their dependance on Christ not onely as their Creator being the eternall Word common with other Creatures but chiefly as their Redeemer and Sauiour proper to them only and that not only for the supply of things temporall but much more of graces spirituall and glory eternall Thus by shewing what kinde of vnion this between Christ and the Beleeuer is not wee come to see the more cleerely what it is The Scripture also setteth forth this vnion by sundry similitudes especially foure as betweene a house and the foundation betweene the vine and the branches or the oliue roote and the tree betweene the man and the wife betweene the head and the members What more neare the foundation and building make one house the vine and branches one tree the man and wife one flesh the head and members one body So Christ and the beleeuer are one spirit Being vnited to Iesus our head hee becomes the Sauiour of vs his body Ephes. 5. 23. Beeing vnited to Christ wee are annoynted with all his titles and graces we are made Kings and Priests to God his Father Beeing vnited to this foundation we become liuing stones growing vp to an holy Temple in the Lord. Being vnited to this Vine this Oliue we partake of the sweetnesse of the one and of the fatnesse of the other Being vnited to this Spouse wee are endowed with all his goods Being vnited to this head wee receiue the rich influence of spirituall life and motion quickning euery member Yea that which is
essence and in his Word reuealed and in his promises in generall onely But if there were no other place of Scripture to set forth the full nature of true sauing and iustifying Faith this one Chapter were aboundantly sufficient For the Apostle sets forth this Faith in this Chapter in his full proportion and lineaments in all the properties of it As first that this Faith beleeueth the truth of Gods essence as he hath reuealed himselfe in his Word vers 6. and not onely as God is in himselfe of absolute Being but that hee is that God who giues a Being as to all creatures in generall so in especiall to all his promises made in Christ to his Elect. For which cause when God sent Moses to be the Minister of his peoples deliuerance wherein Gods promise to Abraham and to his seed came to be accomplished he bad Moses tell the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I AM hath sent me vnto you Exod. 3. 14. Which name of God doth not onely signifie his essence in himselfe considered but how he giues here by a being to his Euangelicall promises to bring them all to passe in due time This is his name for euer as God himselfe professeth vers 15. Thus the Lord is said to make himselfe knowne to the children of Israel in that their actuall deliuerance out of Egypt so long before promised to Abraham by his name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iehouah which comes of the roote of the former name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a name of his essence In which name Iehouah God saith he was not known to Abraham as Exod. 6. 3. Not but that Abraham by faith knew God in this name that he was true in all his promises but he was said not to know God by this name because he did not experimentally see the accomplishment of his promise And thus to beleeue that God is is not only a bare historicall or naturall faith that there is a God which is in the very Deuils but it is a true Euangelicall faith beleeuing Gods truth in his promises which is such a faith whereby God is pleased as the Apostle saith there in the same verse But a bare historicall faith cannot please God for then the Deuils faith might The Apostle amplifieth this prouing that this faith beleeueth the truth of God in all those things contained in his Word whether they be matters of story as vers 3. or of the promises of God as vers 6. or of the threatnings of God vers 7. c. But principally he doth by many famous examples set forth the noble properties of this faith in applying the speciall promises of God vnto it in which Chapter the word Promise is expresly mentioned no lesse than sixt sundry times but closely flowes that aboundantly through all the veines of the Chapter So faith beleeues that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seeke him vers 6. By faith Abel offered his more excellent sacrifice How by faith for his sacrifice was a type of the true sacrifice Christ Iesus the promised seede Gen. 3. 15. By faith Enoch was translated Was not this by faith of that better life promised in Christ By Faith Noah warned of God prepared the Arke to the sauing of himselfe and house Was it not by Faith in the promise of God By Faith Abraham being called went out c. Was it not by Faith in Gods promise For hee was the heire of the promise and looked for a City c. v. 10. By Faith superannated Sarah conceiued for she iudged him faithfull that had promised v. 11. All these embraced the promises v. 13. 14. c. By Faith Abraham after he had receiued the promises offered vp his only Sonne v. 17. What was it but the promise of God whereupon by Faith Isaac blessed his Sonnes v. 20. and Iacob his v. 21. How came Ioseph at his death to mention Israels deliuerance out of Egypt and as if himselfe also euen after he was dead had a share in that deliuerance giue a charge concerning his bones but by Faith in Gods promise now approaching Why did Moses reiect the honours pleasures and treasures of Egypt preferring the reproach of Christ before them all and choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God but that by Faith hee had a respect to the recompence of reward the promise of God And so of their passing through the Red-Sea and of Rahabs red threed c. stil their Faith was pitched vpon Gods promise But Pontificians must haue leaue to discouer their grosse ignorance in the mystery of Faith and so to erre not knowing the Scriptures beeing iust with God to send them the spirit of giddinesse lest they should come to know that most precious truth which they so willingly and maliciously oppugne Is the promise of God in Christ therefore such a little â—tomus such a perexigua particula such a small mote in the eye of Faith Nay rather the promise of the Gospell doth challenge the chiefe respect to be cast vpon it by the eye of Faith as the most glorious and beautifull obiect it can finde in all the Scriptures Christ the promised seede the fairest of ten thousand is therefore called the Word of God as being the summe of both the Testaments as being the mercy-seate vpon whom the two Cherubims did sixe their constant eyes He was the desire of Patriarches Prophets and Kings Abraham with the eye of Faith saw his day and reioyced it gaue him full contentation yea the sufferings of Christ and the glory that followed and the preaching of the Gospell all comprehending and setting forth Gods precious promises were such as the very Angels desired to look into And St. Augustine saith Certum propriumque fidei Catholicae fundamentum Christus est The sure and proper foundation of Catholicke faith is Christ. Who shall then forbid Faith to fasten its eye vpon this louely obiect or to build vpon this sure proper foundation True it is that Faith denyes no part of holy Scripture of what nature soeuer the due respect and credit It giues free assent to the whole Word of God it subscribes to the truth of euery least tittle contained therein credendo Deo by beleeuing God but that which Faith doth chiefly appropriate and apply to it selfe is the promise of God in Christ credendo in Deum by beleeuing in God Euen as the eye casting a direct ray or beam vpon the obiect which it chiefly aymeth at doth so look vpon it as though it seeme to see nothing else but that onely obiect yet it seeth all things besides round about it in a more generall view so Faith the eye of the soule although it cast the direct beam of beleef vpon the obiect it most affecteth to wit Christ the Sauiour in whom all the promises of God are Yea and Amen to the glory of God the Father yet withall it doth not restraine its generall influence of beleefe from any part of
be the immediate instrument of Gods holy spirit to sanctifie the whole soule and body as the Scripture ascribes the worke of sanctification to faith as the immediate Instrument Acts 26. 18. Sanctified by Faith in me said Christ to his new conuert Apostle The Councell of Trent it selfe confesseth that faith is the roote of other graces Faith say they is the roote of all Iustification placing their iustification in hope and loue c. How then is Faith the roote If it be the roote the roote is not a bare disposition to a tree as they would haue Faith to bee to their iustification A dead roote cannot beare a liuing tree but like roote like tree But a roote naturally produceth and shooteth forth the tree for the life and substance of the tree is originally in the roote and comes from the roote Take away the roote and the tree witherereth for it liues in the roote And the roote giueth life to the tree not the tree to the roote As the Apostle said to the ingraffed Gentile once the Wilde Oliffe Thou bearest not the roote but the roote thee With what reason then can the Pontificians say That charity which is the branch not the roote giues life to the root which is Faith Herein how far themselues differ from senslesse stockes or come short of the vegetable trees I define not Now as the whole tree drawes hislife and nourishment from the roote so all the fruits of holinesse haue their life and nourishment from faith for faith is the roote of them all And as the Apostle saith If the roote be holy so are the branches But Faith the roote of other graces is holy yea most holy as Iude speaketh therfore hope loue and all other graces growing in and from Faith are sanctified by and from Faith for as much as Faith is rooted in Christ from whom it receiues the life as of iustification so of sanctification Hence it is that deuout Bernard saith excellently to this purpose Primum syncera radix sancta fidei in terra humani cordis plantatur cumque fides plenè adulta fuerit velut quaedam magna est Arbor diuersa in se habens poma exquibus reficitur anima plena Deo First the sincere roote of holy Faith is planted in the ground of mans heart and when faith is fully growne vp it becomes as a great Tree hauing in it sundry sorts of Apples wherewith the soule being full of God is refreshed Without Faith saith the Apostle it is impossible to please God But whatsoeuer action proceedeth from Faith therein it pleaseth God By Faith was Abels sacrifice made acceptable to God By Faith Enoch walking with God pleased God And are not all those actions of the Patriarches and Saints of God related in that eleuenth Chapter to the Hebrewes all referred to Faith as the roote from whence they sprang and receiued their life and louelinesse It is Faith that graceth euery action of the iust man for the iust man shall liue by his Faith Whatsoeuer fruite growes not from this roote it is sinne Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne is as true in generall of sauing Faith as it is in particular of the Conscience called Faith by the Apostle Rom 14 23. Now the reason of all this that Faith giues life and beeing to euery grace for as much as euery grace is radically in faith is because where faith is Christ is Now Faith is in the heart and consequently Christ dwelleth in the heart by Faith And if in the heart then in euery part and faculty of the soule and body So that as the soule quickneth euery part of the body so Faith quickneth and sanctifieth euery faculty of the soule As St Augustine saith Fides quae credit in Deum vita animae existit per hanc iustus viuit Faith which beleeueth in God is the life of the soule and by this faith the iust man liueth And elsewhere he saith Vnde mors in anima quia non est fides Vnde in corpore quia non est ibi anima Ergo animae tuae anima fides est Whence is death in the soule because faith is not there Whence in the body because the soule is not there Therefore the soule of thy soule is Faith And as the soule is in the body Tota in toto tota in qualibet parte The whole soule is in the whole body and whole in euery part So Fides tota est in toto tota in qualibet parte Whole faith is in the whole heart and whole in euery faculty of the soule Hence the Apostle making himselfe the instance of the life of faith saith I am crucified with Christ. Neuerthelesse I liue yet not I but Christ liueth in me and the life which I now liue in the flesh I liue by the faith of the Son of God who loued me and gaue himselfe for me Christ therefore is not to be found in that part or faculty of the soule where faith is not If Faith bee not in the will Christ is not there and so in the rest And where Christ is not there is no life no sanctification Our wils therefore our memories our affections our motions and cogitations are dead prophane all out of order if Christ be not and liue not in euery one of them And Christ is not in any of them if Faith be not there Hence it is that Faith is all because as the roote it containes all graces In the vnderstanding it knoweth God in the will it hopeth and loueth God in the memory it thinketh of God with thankefulnesse for his mercies in the affections it feareth God it sorroweth for sinne it patiently suffereth it reioyceth in God in all it serueth God How so From Faith it is that the vnderstanding knoweth God in his Sonne Iesus Christ the knowledge of whom is eternall life And therefore Diuines by knowledge in that place vnderstand Faith And St. Augustine saith Intellectus merces est fidei Ergo noli quaerere intelligere vt credas sed crede vt intelligas Vnderstanding is the reward of Faith Doe not therefore seeke to know that thou mayst beleeue but beleeue that thou mayst vnderstand From Faith it is that the will hopes in God loues God and cleaueth vnto him and so in the rest And therefore St. Augustine placeth Faith in the will saying A Domino praeparatur voluntas hominis vt sit fidei receptaculum The will is prepared of the Lord to be the receptacle of faith And againe Omne quod non est ex fide peccatum est Ac per hoc bona voluntas quae se abstrabit à peccato fidelis est quia iustus ex fide viuit Whatsoeuer is not of Faith is sinne And therefore the good will which withdrawes it selfe from sinne is faithfull because the iust man liueth by Faith Hence it is that Bernard saith Credere in Deum est in eum
antiquity do vnanimously and with one ioynt consent confirme this Catholicke truth of that speciall explicit cleere particular Faith in Christ required in euery true beleeuer For first of all they do all say I beleeue in God c. not We beleeue So the Apostles Creed the Nicene Creede saith I beleeue in one God c. not We beleeue Athanasius his Creede saith Whosoeuer will be saued before all things it is necessary that he hold the Catholicke Faith c. that is Euery man in particular must beleeue And this particular Faith is required not only in regard of euery beleeuer but also in regard of the speciall obiect of Faith which is no confused or vniuersall I wot not what obiect but a speciall obiect to wit the sauing knowledge of God in Christ and the promise of life in him Looke vpon all the Creeds which the Fathers call the obiect of Faith as containing the summe of that which we are to beleeue to our saluation and doe they not mainely present to our Faith Iesus Christ and him crucified Nor this onely in generall that Christ is the redeemer of the world but the specialties of this redemption are set downe to teach vs That not a generall implicit faith will serue the turne but it must bee a particular explicit faith comprehending all those particulars in the Creede declared at large in the Word of God Thus the foundation of Popish vncertainty of Faith being remoued to wit a certaine vncertaine implicit general faith the building it selfe threatneth immediate ruine CHAP. XIV Of the vncertainety of Romane-Catholicke Faith THe Councell of Trent being in generall an enemie to the certainety of Faith which giueth a true beleeuer an assurance of his saluation and withall considering how euident both Scriptures and Fathers were in this point so strongly propugned and maintained by Luther and thirdly the Councell it selfe in the canuase of this point while it was in consultation or rather in contention being diuided into contrary parties and sides some holding for certainety as Catarinus and others for vncertainety as Vega and others as the History of the same Councell doth notably discouer Therefore it became the politicke spirit of the Councell to vse all cautelous circumspection in the definite concluding of this point contriuing it vnder such vmbratilous and sub-obscure termes as that they might seeme neither grossely to oppose the open truth nor yet displease that party of the Councell that seemed to encline to the truths side nor yet leaue Luther vncondemned for defending the truth nor yet betray their owne cause which was to aduance the vncertainty of Romane-Catholicke Faith Vncertainety being the very hint which gaue occasion to the Serpent boldly to insult and so to ouerthrow mankinde For when Eue said lest yee dye the Serpent finding her staggering takes the aduantage strikes her with a down-right blow to the ground Yee shall not dye at all But let vs see the mystery of Trents iniquitie in their wily winding vp this bottomlesse bottome of their implicite Faith in the vncertaintie of it In the ninth Chapter of the sixt Session they haue these words Quamuis necessarium sit credere neque remitts neque remissa vnquam fuisse peccata nisi gratis diuinae misericordia propter Christum nemini tamen fiduciam certitudinem remissionis peccatorum suorum iactanti in ea sola quiâ—scenti peccata dimitti vel dimissa esse dicendum est cum apud Haereticos Schismaticos possit esse imo nostra tempestate sit magna contra Ecclesiam Catholicam contentione praedicetur vana haec ab omni pietate remota fiducia Sed neque illud asserendum est oportere eos qui verè iustificati sunt absque vlla omnino dubitatione apud semetipsos statuere se esse iustificatos neminemque à peccatis absolui nisi eum qui certò credat se absolutum iustificatum esse atque hac sola fide absolutionem iustificationem perfici quasi qui hoc non credidit de Dei promissis deque mortis resurrectionis Christi efficacia dubitet Nam sicut nemo pius de Dei misericordia de Christi merito de Sacramentorum virtute efficacia dubitare debet sic quilibet dum seipsum suamque propriam infirmitatem indispositionem respicit de sua gratia formidare timere potest Cum nullus scire valeat certitudine fidei cui non potest subesse falsum se gratiam Dei esse consequutum Thus farre the whole ninth Chapter That is Although it be necessary to beleeue that sins neyther are nor euer were remitted but freely by diuine mercy for Christ yet no man boasting of confidence and certainty of the remission of his sinnes and therewith wholly resting ought to say that his sinnes are or haue been remitted seeing this vain confidence voide of all piety both may be amongst Heretickes and Schismatickes yea and is now in these our dayes and is preached with great contention against the Catholicke Church But neither is that to be affirmed that they who are truely iustified ought without any doubting at all to conclude with themselues that they are iustified and that none is absolued and iustified from sins but he that certainly beleeueth that he is absolued and iustified and that in this sole faith absolution and iustification consisteth as if a man not beleeuing this should doubt of the promises of God and of the efficacy of Christs death and resurrection For as no godly man ought to doubt of the mercy of God of the merit of Christ and of the power and efficacy of the Sacraments so euery man while hee looketh vpon himselfe and his owne proper infimity and indisposition may be affraid and fearfull of his owne grace seeing no man can know by the certainty of faith wherein there may not lye some error that he hath obtained the grace of God Now I desire the Christian indicious Reader to obserue the sundry passages and as it were the seuerall threads of this Copwebbe First like the painted Whoore she sets afaire face or preface vpon the matter as attributing remission of sinnes to Gods mercy for Christ which euery one must necessarily beleeue she could say no lesse though in the vp-shot of the matter she would haue men to beleeue nothing lesse but in the next place shee comes with a by-blow and condemnes the confidence and assurance of faith vnder the termes of boasting And therefore prefixeth this title before the Chapter Contra inanem Haereticorum fiduciam Against the vaine confidence of Heretickes A notable packe of cunning well beseeming the mysterie of iniquity They doe not goe bluntly to worke to beate downe-right that confidence and certaine assurance which is in a true iustifying faith but slily they wound it as Ioab did Abâ—er vnder the fift ribbe as being in none but him that vainely boasteth and braggeth of the assurance of his iustification Indeede
Tower of Babell as we touched before It is the troubled Sea where Romes Peter-men finde the best fishing As the Iewes said of Christ â—f we let him thus alone all the world will goe after him and the Romanes will come and take away our kingdome so the Romane Pontificians may say If we should allow of certainty of Faith all the people would forsake vs and wee should lose our Kingdome What would become then of the merchandise of soules of Purgatory-Masses and Dirges and Trentals so rich a trade in Romes Court if the People might purchase saluation by faith yea and rest assured of it without any dependance of humane inuentions But let vs examine the former limitations of Pontifician certainty apart First they admit only of a generall certainty but no particular And reason good for as wee said their Faith is onely generall And this their certainty they place in the vnderstanding as they do also their faith The obiect of this certainty is the generall truth of Gods Word So that this is such a certainty as the very Diuels and damned may haue for they beleeue and tremble Why but because they are certainly perswaded of the truth of Gods Word And as the Pontifician faith is common with the wicked so also their certainty which is the fruite of such faith Secondly in that they say that certainty may bee true or false according to the disposition of him in whom it is this is absurd For how can a thing be certaine yet false vnlesse it be certainly false or a false certainety Certainety and falshood are incompatible and meerely opposite Indeede it is one thing to bee certaine another to seeme certaine which seeming certainty is nothing else but opinion Thirdly that they deny certainty of faith in iustification but by speciall reuelation this agreeth with their maine doctrine of faith which indeed hath no other certainty in it than such as is in the reprobate and whereas they restraine their speciall reuelation to some few this shewes the iniquity of Pontificians in making a Monopoly of Gods grace and indeede a meere nullity of sauing Faith Fourthly their probable coniectures of their iustification are altogether abhorrent from the nature of Faith in Christ and meere illusions Such probabilities are impossibilities of saluation But it is a good reason for the Pontificians why they should deny certainty of Faith if the best certainty be onely coniecturall probability Fiftly say they only spirituall men liuing in the state of perfection as deuout St. Anthony may haue a certainety of saluation built vpon his good life This is another strong reason why Pontificians exclude certainty of Faith of saluation seeing it is rather grounded vpon good workes To these they adde two other reasons why no man can be certaine of his iustification because say they no man by the euidence of faith can bee certaine of his predestination For indeede if a man cannot by faith be certaine of his predestination he cannot bee certaine of his iustification The reason is good Lastly say they a man cannot be certaine of his iustification that is not certaine of his perseuerance in grace to the end But no man say they can be sure of perseuerance Therefore no man can bee sure of his saluation These two last reasons are inferred vpon the fifteenth and sixteenth Canons of the Councell of Trent Thus haue we in generall as it were in a light velitation or skirmish spent a small volley vpon the Pontifician forces which march against certainety of faith Come wee now to ioyne the maine battaile wherein wee will obserue this order of sight first wee will shew the weakenesse of those arguments they bring for their vncertainety secondly we will make good and fortifie those arguments authorities and reasons wherewith the Catholike truth of the certainty of faith is maintained and confirmed First for the Pontifician reasons and allegations for their vncertainty of faith wee finde sundry of them set downe in the history of the Councell of Trent together with the answers vnto them forced from the Canuase of the opposite parties some holding that the opinion of certainety of grace was an intolerable arrogancy others that that certainty in its kinde was meritorious The first of these were for the most part Dominicans grounding their opinion of vncertainty vpon the authority of Thomas Aquinas Bonauenture and the Schoole-men Also vpon reason saying That God would not make man certain of grace lest swelling with pride and opinion of himselfe he should dispise others as knowing himselfe to bee righteous and others notorious sinners Also that Christians would grow sleepy sloathfull and carelesse of good workes In which respect incertitude of grace was profitable yea meritorious For perturbation or trouble of minde is that which at first afflicts men but to those that haue learned to beare it it becomes at length meritorious Besides they cite places of holy Scripture as out of Salomon That man knowes not whether hee be worthy of hatred or loue out of the Booke of Wisedome That a man must neuer be free from feare of sinne that it is pardoned out of the Apostle That wee must worke out our saluation with feare and trembling and that St. Paul professeth of himselfe that though his conscience did not accuse him yet he was not therfore iustified These reasons and testimonies besides many others saith the History did chiefly Seripandus Vega and Soto alledge and amplifie out of the Fathers On the other side saith the History Catarinus with Marinarus did out of the same Fathers alledge places to the contrary that it might appeare that the Fathers as they saw occasion did attemper their Sermons to the present occasions sometimes to animate the doubtfull and deiected sometimes to represse the presumptuous still submitting themselues to the authority of the Word of God They said to wit Catarinus and Marinarus that as often as Christ is obserued in the Gospell to forgiue sins so often he said Be of good comfort thy sinnes are forgiuen thee And that it seemed absurd that Christ would minister to any man occasion of presumption or pride or to depriue all of that which might be matter of profit or merit Also that the Scripture bound vs to giue thankes to God for our iustification which vnlesse we be sure we haue receiued with what face yea with what affection shall we giue thankes Sith it is folly to acknowledge a benefit which thou knowest not whether it bee giuen thee or no. Surely St. Paul doth clearely enough affirme this certainety when he would haue the Corinthians sensible that Christ is in them vnlesse they be reprobates and when he saith that therefore wee haue receiued the spirit of God that by him wee might vnderstand what is giuen vs of God And againe more plainely That the holy spirit doth beare witnesse to our spirit that wee are the Sonnes of God And that it is also a part of great impudency
to accuse those of presumption that beleeue the holy Ghost speaking vnto them Ambrose affirming that the holy spirit doth neuer speake vnto vs but withall it makes knowne vnto vs that it is himselfe that speaketh And Christ saith in Iohn That the world cannot receiue the holy Spirit because it neyther seeth nor knoweth him but his Disciples should know that hee should be and abide in them Whence saith the History Catarinus did very wittily conclude that that man dreamed who affirmed that grace was voluntarily receiued and yet that a man knew not whether he hath it or no as if to the receiuing of a thing by a voluntary motion of the minde it were not necessary that he which receiues it of his owne accord should know that both the thing is giuen vnto him and that hee truely receiueth it and being receiued possesseth it The History further saith the weight of these reasons forced those which before accused this opinion of rashnesse first to giue place and then thus farre to yeeld that although for the most part a man cannot haue assurance in this point yet he may seeme at least to haue some coniecture They also denied not certainty to Martyrs nor to the newly Baptized and to others being assured by speciall Reuelation and that which at first they called coniecture they were afterwards brought to call morall faith Yea Vega himselfe who in the beginning admitted onely of probability yeelding to the waight of reasons began to fauour certainty but lest he might seeme to approach too neare the opinion of the Lutherans hee did professe onely so great certainty as might exclude all doubting and could not deceiue but hee would not acknowledge it for the Christian faith but onely humane and experimentall And declaring his opinion by a similitude As quoth he he that hath heate is certaine that he hath it and he were voyde of sense if he should doubt of it So he that hath grace in himselfe doth feele it nor can he doubt but that hee feeleth it but in the sense and apprehension of his soule not by diuine reuelation But the other Patrons of certainty being compelled of the aduersaries to set downe their meaning in expresse and plaine termes whether they beleeued that man might haue certainty of grace or whether they thought a man bound to beleeue it and whether that faith were diuine or humane at length they professed seeing that faith was giuen by the testimony of the holy Ghost that it could not be left to mans liberty and seeing euery man is bound to beleeue diuine reuelations that that faith was no otherwise to be called than diuine And when they seemed to bee pressed with the straits of the Dilemma which was obiected to wit that that faith was either equall to the Catholicke faith or vnequall if it bee not equall then it excluded not all doubtfulnesse if equall then that a righteous man ought as firmely to beleeue hee is iustified as the very Articles of his Creede Catarinus answered that this faith was diuine and as certaine excluding all doubtfulnesse as the Catholicke faith it selfe but yet that it is not the very Catholicke faith For that faith which euerie man giueth to diuine reuelations made vnto him is also diuine and excludeth all doubt but when the Church receiueth these reuelations then that faith becomes vniuersall and Catholicke yet in regard of certainty and freedome from doubting euery mans priuate faith is no way inferiour vnto it but that the Catholicke faith exceedes this onely in the vniuersality Thus all the Prophets had first a priuate faith concerning all things reuealed vnto them of God then after that they were receiued of the Church they had the Catholicke faith of the same things This opinion saith the History at the first sight seemed hard euen to the sauourers of Catarinus to wit all the Carmelites whose Doctor Iohn Bacon did maintaine it as also to the Bishops of Senogalia Wigornia and Salpia to whom at first that degree of faith seemed to bee precipitious and perilous but afterwards hauing diligently weighed examined the force of the reasons it was approued with an admirable consent of the most approued of the Bishops but Soto crying out that it was too fauourable to the Lutherans others againe affirming that Luther was not to be condemned if he had said that this faith doth follow after iustification but condemned for saying it is the iustifying faith And as for the reasons brought on the contrary part they answer that wee ought not to giue heede to the iudgements of the Schoolemen seeing they take the grounds of their opinion from Philosophicall reasons sith humane Philosophy may iudge amisse of diuine instinct Againe that Salomons authority makes not for this purpose Hee that would draw these words No man knoweth whether hee bee worthy of loue or hatred to this purpose then hee should conclude hence that euery most wicked sinner continuing in his sins should not know whether hee bee hated of God or no. And much lesse is that saying of Wisedome to be applyed to this purpose and that there is a fallacy in the Greeke word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which doth not signifie sinne already remitted as it is in the vulgar translation but the expiation and propitiation for sinne and the words of the wise man doe admonish the sinner not to heape vp sinne vpon too much confidence of obtaining pardon and not of pardon already obtained Nor must we ground an Article of faith vpon an error of a Translator Such was the iudgement in those times concerning the vulgar edition of those that had made it authenticall which is easie to be obserued by the bookes set forth by those which were present at the decree of the approbation Also that the phrase of the Apostle worke out with feare and trembling is an Hebraisme which doth not inforce a doubtfulnesse but reuerence or godly feare for as much as euen seruants doe exhibite feare aud trembling to their Masters with whom they are deare and gracious Finally that the place of Saint Paul made for them if it bee taken for iustification For that hee saith he is guilty of no defect and yet that he is not therefore iustified a man may easily inferre that hee was iustified another way which confirmeth certainty But the true meaning of the words is that St. Paul speaking of defect in his function of preaching the Gospell doth affirme that his conscience doth not accuse him of any omission nor is hee therefore so confident as that hee dare say that hee hath performed all the parts of his office but commits the whole iudgement to God And so the History concludes thus Hee that hath not looked into the opposite writings of those that were present at these disputations and which the authors themselues were carefull to commit to print vpon this argument would scarce beleeue how many things were discussed about this Article and with what ardency
Gods Aqua coelestis is neuer wanting to reuiue it Faith may for the time bee asleepe in a mans heart as Christ was in the ship while the heart is euen couered ouer with waues of temptations yet being awakened by prayer by and by the Coast is cleered againe and faith recouering its natiue strength assureth the heart as the Angell did Paul in that dangerous Nauigation That none in this litle Barke of ours shall perish but safely arriue vpon the Honey-hauen of Melita euen at that true Honey-flowing-land of Canaan Indeede Faith suffereth many paroxismes or fits of tentations but all such fits are but as so many fits of an Ague in the Spring which make a man the healthier and stronger all the yeare after What if Faith now and then doe sleepe yet sleepe wee know though it binde vp and as it were deaden the senses for the time that vneath a man sleeping is discerned from a dead man yet this very deepe sleepe tends to the refection of the body and makes it arise more vigorous euen as a Gyant refresht with wine or as a Dazie drooping all the night displayes its cheerfull lookes at the approach of the morning sunne The Sunne may bee eclypsed or clouded a while but anon breakes through all interpositions and oppositions with the fresh darts of his piercing beames and during the Eclipse it lacked none of its light in our vnderstanding but we lacked the light of it in our sense So Faith may be eclipsed or ouer-clouded with tentations for a time yet lose none of its vertue sauing onely we are not so sensible of it till at length it haue ouercome the tentation The fire that is raked vp close vnder the embers though it cannot now be seene yet it is fire still and is the better peserued against the next morning to feede vpon new fewell So Faith though it bee not easily discerned while it lyeth couered vnder the dead ashes of deepe contrition and humiliation for sinne and of mortification yea of tentation yet it is the better preserued that while heauinesse for sinne may endure for a night yet the ioy of Faith returnes in the morning as it were feeding it selfe with new workes of obedience flaming forth in a Christian life So that Faith be it lesse or more is alwayes in its own nature certaine though not alwaies alike in our sense and apprehension The most fruitfull Tree is not free from windes and tempests whereby it is shrewdly shaken yet for all that it is not hindred but rather helped as the Philosophers speake in bringing forth more plentifull fruit in his season sith the roote thereof firmely fastned in the ground is not loosened but rather inlarged to receiue a fresh supply of sappe from the earth to become the more fruitfull Such is a faithfull man whom Dauid compares to a Tree planted by the riuers of water who though he be shaken with sundry windes of temptation yet he bringeth forth his fruit in due season his leafe not withering and his actions prospering sith his Faith as the roote is fixed in Christ hauing the Riuer of the water of life flowing from Gods holy Spirit to nourish it continually for as Esay saith Chap. 27. 10. In measure in the branches thereof wilt thou contend with it in the day when hee bloweth with his fierce winde God moueth the branches of his liuing Trees and that in measure by afflictions and temptations but the rootes are vntouched A ship wee see lying at hull in the Harbour is tossed and tumbled on this side and that side yet being fastned by the Anchor it is not subiect to wracke yea being now vnder sayle exposed to the windes and waues yet it is wafted onwards to the intended Port by the direction of the wise Pilot sitting and steering the Helme according to his Card and Compasse So the faithfull man euen when he rides securely in the Harbour of Tranquility as Dauid did Psal. 30. when hee said In my prosperity I shall neuer bee moued yet God turning away his face for the time hee is troubled but keeping his Anchor-hold of hope both sure and stedfast and adhering to God by faithfull prayer and humble supplication he is preserued from wracke keeping still his faithful station Or let him lanch out into the Deepe and hoyse vp saile for some noble voyage though he be driuen with fierce windes yet Gods Spirit sitting and steering the Helme of his Faith by the Card of Gods Word he bringeth him at length safely to the Hauen where hee would be although through most extreame difficulties So wee see the fruit of sauing Faith may bee suppressed yet the roote not supplanted the act of it may be suspended yet the habit not lost Faith may sleepe and yet liue it may be eclipsed yet hold on his course faint yet not faile sicke yet not to death bruised yet not broken to peeces shaken and weather-beaten yet not suffer vtter shipwracke languish yet not perish Bernard alledging St. Augustines words to wit Fides non coniectando vel opiniando habetur in corde in quo est ab eo cuius est sedcerta scientia acclamante conscientia that is Faith is found in the heart wherein it is of him whose it is not by coniecture or opinion but by certaine knowledge the conscience according with it Bernard thereupon inferreth these words Ego securus in Magistri Gentium sententiam pergo scio quoniam non confundar Placet mihi fateor illius de fide definitio Fides est ait substantia rerum sperandarum argumentum non apparentium Substantia inquit rerum sperandarum non inanium phantasia coniecturarum Substantia nomine aliquid tibi certum â—ixumque praefigitur Non est enim fides estimatio sed certitudo I doe securely follow the iudgement of the Teacher of the Gentiles and I know that I shall not bee confounded His definition of Faith I confesse pleaseth me well Faith saith he is the substance of things hoped for and the euidence of things not seene The substance of things hoped for not the phantasie of vaine coniectures Vnder the name of substance thou hast something certaine and fixed layd downe For faith is not opinion but certainty So Bernard And this was the Catholicke Doctrine of the ancienter Fathers of the Church St. Chrysostome vpon the wordes of the Apostle Heb. 10. 19. Hauing therefore Brethren boldnesse to enter into the most holy by the bloud of Iesus saith Whence is this boldnesse from remission of sins And vpon the 22. vers Let vs draw neere with a true heart in full assurance of faith c. Hee saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Which of vs draw neare Hee that is holy by faith And that with a true heart in full assurance of Faith How is that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wee must so beleeu as if we did with our eies behold things visible before vs. And much more certainely
by diuine reuelation the Fathers haue opened in those words of the 13. Chapter Veruntamen c. But let them that thinke they stand take heede lest they fall and so vnto the end of the Chapter Thus wee haue the state of Pontifician Doctrine touching the certainty of iustification in regard of predestination and perseuerance For the maine substance of these Trent-Fathers Decrees and Canons touching predestination and perseuerance wee shall trye what truth is in them when we come to set downe the opposite doctrine of the Catholicke Faith In the meane time let vs a little weigh the moment of Vega's arguments for the defence of the Councell In his second Chapter of his 12. Booke Of the vncertainty of predestination and perseuerance after a goodly flourish and triumphall tripudiation as if the field were already won before he had strucke stroke he saith Habemus certissima fortissima argumenta c. We haue most certaine and strong arguments whereby to confirme and defend the Doctrine deliuered here by the Fathers and to vanquish the contrary heresies And first to proue this definition of the Fathers saith he Non omnis c. Not euery one that is iustified is predestinate We haue many places of Scripture to serue our purpose prouing that there haue been many in the state of grace and afterwards haue fallen from it and at length damned For example Saul that was elect to be King of Israel is said 1. Sam. 9. 2. to be electus bonus an elect and good man so that there was not a better than he among all the children of Israel Now saith Vega being said to bee bonus electus elect and good as the vulgar Latine hath it it is manifest that he was then in the state of grace for the Scripture saith hee doth not adorne men with such prayses which are out of the state of Gods grace But saith he Saul afterwards fell and was reiected and damned I answer Saul is there called an elect man in that he was a choice and goodly tall young man proper of personage insomuch as none was found comparable to him for personage and stature for hee was taller by the head and shoulders than any of the people Doth this proue that hee was one of Gods eternall election Or doth God elect men to saluation for the goodlinesse of their person No wee see the contrary 1. Sam. 16. 7. That Saul dyed a reprobate and desperately we easily grant it But that Saul euer was in the state of grace Vega saith nothing yet to the purpose to proue it nor euer can he I rather maruaile why Vega omitted a more probable argument to proue Saul to haue once been in the state of grace to wit because the Spirit of the Lord comming vpon him he was turned into another man An argument which some other Pontificians vrge yet Vega alledgeth St. Augustines censure of Saul who concludes him to bee a reprobate saying The example of this Saul makes against some proud heretickes which deny that any of the good gifts of the holy Ghost may be giuen to those that doe not appertaine to the condition of Saints Which saying of that worthy Father doth plainly proue that Saul was neuer of the number of Gods Saints and that euen wicked and reprobate men may haue notwithstanding some speciall gifts of the holy Ghosts and yet be neuer a whit the nearer to the state of grace Saul was said to be changed into another man when Gods Spirit came vpon him not in regard of conuersion from sinne vnto God or from a wicked life to the state of grace but of a priuate man whose thoughts reached no higher than his fathers Asses hee was made a Prince and endowed with Princely qualities of wisedome and courage the gifts of Gods Spirit whereby hee was enabled for such a weighty gouernment Yea we are not affraid to put this case to the tryall euen of a Bishop of Rome Gregory the last good Bishop of Rome saith thus of Saul Saul electus dicitur non secundum gratiam sed secundum iudicium Bonus dicitur vt diuine aequitatis dispositio commendetur Bonum profectò est quicquid est iustum c. Saul is said to bee elect not according to grace but according to iudgement He is called good that the disposition of diuine equity might be commended That indeed is good whatsoeuer is iust c. And he illustrates this by the instance of Ecclesiasticall Pastors Per iustitiam quippe Dei Pastores reprobi c. For by the iustice of God reprobate Pastors are permitted to climbe to the regiment of holy Church but they which are euill by their iniquity are good by diuine dispensation and now by the secret ordination of God they are elected who at the last in the vniuersall iudgement shall be reprobated Therefore a reprobate shepheard because by diuine dignation he is appointed to that office may bee called elect and because he is iustly permitted hee may bee called good And because hee is thought fitter than others to execute Gods iudgements therfore none is said to be better than he among the children of Israel Seeing therefore it cannot be proued that Saul was euer in the state of grace but the contrary is manifest euen by the iudgment of him who was once Bishop of Rome no maruaile if he dyed a desperate Reprobate Hereunto Vega addeth Salomons example that being endued with extraordinary wisedome from God and so standing in the state of grace he afterwards fell away and Vega laboureth to proue that Salomon dyed a Reprobate For answer that God gaue such wisedome to Salomon this proues him no more to be in the state of grace than that which was giuen to Saul This wisedome giuen to Salomon was famous indeede but for ought we finde it was no other but a naturall and morall wisedome and knowledge whereby he might the better iudge that great people committed to his charge as Salomon himselfe saith 1. Kings 3. 9. and know the nature and property of all creatures as 1. Kings 4. 29. 30. 31. c. Not that I deny but that Salomon might now be in the state of grace and no doubt but he was but that hee was not therefore in the state of grace because of his extraordinary wisedome giuen vnto him For doe not wee know that for a naturall and morall wisedome euen Heathen men as many Pagan Philosophers haue farre excelled many of Gods Saints Againe as we deny not but that young Salomon was now in the state of grace so we deny that hee euer fell totally away from this estate It is true he fell fearfully but not totally for marke what the Scripture saith expresly 1. Kings 11. 4. It came to passe when Salomon was old that his wiues turned away his heart after other gods and his heart was not perfect with the Lord his God as was the heart of Dauid his father And in the 6.
reach He may say Who shall fetch Christ from aboue that I may haue him within my reach What reach The Deuill had him within his reach when he carryed him vp to a high mountaine But thou wilt say God reacheth out Christ vnto thee in his Word The Word is neare thee True But where is thy hand to put forth to receiue him Thy hand must bee a liuely faith for to beleeue in Christ is to receiue him as Gods gift But faith also is the speciall gift of God Therefore saith the Apostle By grace are ye saued through faith and not of your selues it is the gift of God Now herein doth the glory of Gods grace shine forth and gloriously display it selfe that he hath not only in his rich mercy prouided vs the means of saluation making tender of it vnto vs in his Word but hee effectually also giueth it vnto vs giuing vs a minde and meanes to receiue it As St. Iohn saith Hee hath giuen vs a minde to know him that is true And Christ No man can come vnto mee except the Father which hath sent mee draw him And againe No man knoweth the Father but the Sonne and he to whom the Sonne will reueale him And Matth. 16. 17. Peter hauing confessed Christ to be the Sonne of the liuing God Christ answered him Blessed art thou Simon Bar-Iona for flesh and bloud hath not reuealed this vnto thee but my Father which is in Heauen As the Apostle also 1. Cor. 12. 3. No man can say that Iesus is Christ but by the holy Ghost that is No man can truly acknowledge him to be his Christ but by the holy Ghost Otherwise the very Deuill seeing his miracles feeling his power euen ouer them confessed saying I know who thou art the holy one of God and Thou art Christ the Sonne of God Yet the Deuill did not this by the holy Ghost nor was it by any power of Gods grace But herein stands that grace of God first in choosing vs freely of his meere loue and mercy not fore-seeing vs to be good but finding vs to be euill shut vp in vnbeleefe that he might haue mercy vpon vs. Secondly not only in prouiding and offering meanes of grace but also in effectuall giuing and bestowing grace vpon all those whom he hath chosen giuing them grace to receiue grace that of his fulnesse we might all receiue and grace for grace as it followeth in the definition Now as God out of his meere loue grace and fauour did from all eternity elect and appoint a certaine number of men fallen in Adam vnto saluation So for the effecting of this his eternall purpose in time hee did also appoint the meanes whereby hee would bring those vnto the end of their saluation The meanes is twofold First the only absolute meane◠which is Iesus Christ Secondly an inferiour and conditionall means whereby we are made capable to receiue Christ with all his benefits First then Christ is that only all-sufficient and absolute meanes whereby God would effectually worke saluation vnto vs vpon and to whom the eye of his grace principally and immediately reflecteth in his electing of vs. So Eph. 1. 4. He chose vs in him and Ephes. 3. 11. according to the eternall purpose which he purposed in Christ Iesus our Lord Now there is no other name vnder Heauen giuen among men whereby we must be saued neyther is there saluation in any other And other foundation can no man lay than that which is laid Iesus Christ 1. Cor. 3. 11. Iesus Christ God-man is the Centre in whom all the lines of Gods loue and mercy to mankinde doe meete Thus are wee chosen in him before the foundation of the world Ephes. 1. 4. Thus are we blessed with all spirituall blessings in heauenly places in Christ ver 3. Thus are wee predestinated vnto the adoption of children by Iesus Christ vers 5. Thus hath God made vs accepted in the Beloued to wit Iesus Christ in whom the Father is well pleased vers 6. Thus haue we redemption through his bloud euen the forgiuenesse of sinnes according to the riches of his grace vers 7. Thus in the dispensation of the fulnesse of time God doth gather in one all things in Christ both which are in heauen and which are in earth euen In him vers 10. Thus in him we haue obtained an inheritance to which wee are predestinated vers 11. Thus in him beleeuing we are sealed with the holy Spirit of promise Now in that God did of his meere grace elect vs vnto saluation therein appeareth the wonderfull mercy and loue of God towards vs in that hee made choice of his owne Sonne to bee the onely soueraigne meanes of this our saluation therein appeareth also the infinite wisedome of God to seale vp and to reueale vnto vs his incomprehensible loue Thus is Christ called the power of God and the wisedome of God In him are hid all the treasures of Gods wisdome This is that deepnesse of the riches of the wisdome knowledge of God wherein the Apostles admiration was swallowed vp and wherewith the blessed Angels themselues were transported with rauishment Luke 2. 13 14. This wisedome of God in Christ God-man all the Deuils could not for all their subtilty comprehend neyther can all the wisedome of flesh and bloud conceiue it it is foolishnesse to the Gentile and a stumbling blocke to the Iew. Who can conceiue that the Sonne of God could suffer and dye Yet this did Iesus Christ in that Hypostaticall vnion of his two natures Who can conceiue that a man should fully satisfie the iustice of God for the sinnes of the world And yet this did the man Iesus Christ that one Mediator betweene God and Man the Man Iesus Christ saith the Apostle 1. Tim. 2. 5. Nothing but the precious bloud of God could reconcile vs to God in appeasing his iustice towards vs nothing but the bloud of God could purchase for vs the fauour of God and eternall life So that in Iesus Christ is reuealed vnto vs 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the manifold wisedome of God as the Apostle speaketh Ephes. 3. 10. In him alone and none but him is the Father well pleased with vs. So is Christ the only soueraigne absolute meanes in whom as wee are elected so we are also saued Yet to the end that all the elect might be made effectually partakers of the loue and fauour of God in Christ the wisedome of God hath also ordained subordinate conditionall and ordinary meanes whereby we should receiue Christ for ours These meanes are the Word of God preached whereby faith is begotten in vs through the operation of Gods Spirit and the holy Sacraments administred whereby our faith in Christ is sealed and confirmed in vs. By this faith it is that we lay hold vpon Christ wherby he is made ours and we made his being mystically vnited vnto him so in him adopted the Sonnes of God by grace as
illustrate the former point concerning the subiect of Faith and the manner of inherency which it hath in a beleeuer and to cleare the truth of it by Scriptures and by ancient Fathers of the Church The Romane-Catholicke doctrine is no lesse absurd and erroneous in the obiect of sauing Faith than in the subiect of it They run from one extreame to another as the Poet saith Dum vitant stulti vitiae in contraria currunt Fooles from one extremity of folly runne into the contrary But as the true Catholicke doctrine although it exclude no part of Gods Word as the obiect of Faith in generall but yet restraineth the speciall obiect of sauing Faith to Christ and the promises of God in him so though it deny not Faith to haue a place of inherency in the vnderstanding yet it intitleth it not onely to the vnderstanding but to the will to the memory to the affections and all the faculties of the soule as so many Manfions to intertain this noble Queene Faith where she may keepe her Court of residence for her selfe and all her train of Graces that attend her Or wee may compare the seuerall faculties of the soule to so many roomes or chambers in the soule wherein as in a magnificent Palace Faith resideth whose presence as a Prince puts life into euery part whose prerogatiue it is to prescribe to each of her virgin hand-maide Graces their proper taskes her selfe putting her owne hand to euery work acting directing assisting adorning the office of each Grace whereby it is made both acceptable to God and profitable to men The Catholicke Doctrine then concerning the subiect of Faith is That Faith inhereth or resideth not onely in the vnderstanding but also in the will in the memory in the affections and in euery faculty of the soule This is the Doctrine of the holy Scriptures and therefore Catholicke The Scripture saith Corde creditur ad iustitiam With the heart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse And againe it saith Ephes. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith And againe Acts 8. 37. Philip said to the Eunuch If thou beleeuest with all thy heart And againe Acts 15. 9. Purifying their hearts by faith By these and such like places of Scriptures it is euident that the proper subiect of Faith is the heart of man Now by the heart is meant euery power and faculty of the soule and not onely the vnderstanding as Aquinas vnderstandeth the forenamed place of Acts 15. 9. that by purifying of the heart is meant the illuminating of the vnderstanding but also the will the memory the affections and euery faculty of the soule of man First the Sriptures oftentimes by naming the heart meaneth the vnderstanding As Ephesians 1. 18. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the vulgar Latine rendreth it word for word Illuminatos oculis cordis vestri The eyes of your heart being illuminated but our English translation hath it The eyes of your vnderstanding being enlightened thereby giuing the true meaning of the place that by the heart there is meant the vnderstanding So the Lord faith Matth. 13. 15. Ne corde intelligant Lest they vnderstand with their heart In 1. Kings 3. 9. Salomon askes an vnderstanding heart In 2. Cor. 3. 15. the vaile ouer the Iewes heart was a note of their blindnesse and ignorance in the mysterie of Christ. Secondly heart in Scripture is often taken for the will As Acts 7. 39. The Israelites in their hearts turned back into Egypt that is their will was so if they had had power So Acts 11. 23. Barnabas exhorts that with purpose of heart they would cleaue vnto the Lord that is with a ready will and constant resolution So 1. Cor. 7. 37. He that stands firme in his heart hauing power ouer his owne will and hath decreed in his heart Thirdly the heart is taken for the memory Luke 1. 66. All that heard laid vp those things in their hearts that is in their memory So Deut. 4. 9. Take heede to thy selfe lest thou forget the things which thine eyes haue seene and lest they depart from thy heart that is from thy memory And Deut. 11. 18. Ye shall lay vp these my words in your heart c. that is ye shall remember them continually as signes bound vpon your hands and as front-lets betweene your eyes Hence it is that the Latines vse Recordari for to remember or to record implying that remembrance is an act springing from the heart Hence also doth our Sauiour call the heart the treasury Matth. 12. 35. which agreeth with the memory called Thesaurus rerum the Treasury of things Fourthly heart in Scripture is also taken for the affections and passions of the soule Matth. 6. 21. Where your treasure is there will your heart be also that is your affection So Rom. 1. 24. God gaue them vp to their owne hearts lusts And Psal 62. 10. If riches increase set not your heart vpon them Thus all the motions and inclinations and cogitations in man are referred to the heart as the prime fountaine whence they all originally flow So all the vertues intellectuall and morall are said to be in the heart we say A wise heart a good heart a valiant heart an humble heart an honest heart c. And the contrary as wee say A foolish heart a wicked heart a faint heart a proud heart a deceitfull heart c. Of a valiant man we say He hath a Lyons heart and of a coward He hath the heart of a Hare and of a meeke man He hath a Lambes heart As Nabuchadnezzar for his pride had a Beasts heart giuen him that is a bruitish disposition to liue like a Beast as hee did Now the issue of all this is that faith is that same radicall grace wherein the whole life of the Saints of God all holy graces haue their being and existence of holinesse and from whence they grow and flow euen as all the branches from the roote and the streames from the fountaine For as the heart is the fountaine of all the faculties of the soule of the vnderstanding of the will of the memory of the affections motions cogitations c. all which are signified by the heart in Scripture so Faith beeing in the heart as in the proper seate and subiect and being said to purifie the heart it giues vs to know the excellent nature of Faith which is to diffuse its vertue to the purifying and possessing of euery part and faculty of the soule For possessing the heart it possesseth and filleth the whole soule It illuminates and informes the vnderstanding it reformes and conformes the will it confirmes it with hope it inflames it with loue it prompts the memory with holy meditations and remembrances of Gods loue and goodnesse it moderates and tempers all the affections and passions it directs the motions and cogitations of the soule to their right end and scope and in a word the office of this faith is to