A Treatise of Justification

CHAP. III. Bellarmine's proofs, that true faith may be severed from Charity, first, from the Scriptures, and then from Fathers.

§. I.

N Ow let us examine Bellarmine's proofs. And first out of the Scriptures. 1. John. 12. 42, 43. Many of the princes or rulers believed in Christ, but they did not confess •… : for they loved the glory of men more than the glory of God. Her •… , saith •… ee, the Evangelist testifieth, that in these Princes, there was Faith without Charity. His reason is thus to be framed.

The proposition is proved, because they loved the glory or praise of men more than of God. Answ. If they did absolutely and altogether prefer the glory of men before the glory of God, then h •… d they neither love of God, nor faith in Christ, see John. 5. 42, 44. But if by force of temptation or by human frailty, as fe •… refulnesse, and too much love of the World, which are corruptions incident to the best, they were for a time hindered from professing Christ; I dare not say, they were void of Charity. For Saint Peter, when he both loved Christ and believed in him, did deny him; which was worse than not confessing him. And it may be, that among those rulers were reckoned, Nicodemus, and Joseph of Arimath •… a; who, though they had not for •… time openly professed Christ: yet when there was greatest cause of fear and of doubt, and least encouragement to profess him, they express •… their love towards him, John. 19. 31, 39. To the assumption, I a •… swear, those princes, who being void of Charity, loved the glory of men more than the glory of God, by the testimony of Christ, neither did, nor could believe, John. 5. 42, 44. Neither did all they truly believe in Christ, who in the Scriptures are said after a sort to have believed in him, For John. 2. 23. many are said to have bel •… ved in his name, to whom our Savior would not, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 concredit himself, because he knew what was in them, verse. 24. 25.

§. II. His second proof is out of 1 Cor. 13. 2. If I had all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. therefore faith may be severed from Charity. Answ. This place is either generally understood of all faith, or particularly of the whole faith of working miracles, but in neither sense doth it favor the popish sancie. If generally, then the Apostle must be understood, as speaking 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , by way of supposition, and not as positively affirming, that either he, or any other having all faith wanted Charity; therefore this supposition ( qu •… nihil ponit ) proveth nothing. Yea, in suppositions and feigned comparisons a man may suppose things incredible and impossible; and much more improbable, (as in this place it self, if I should speak with the tongues of men and Angels and have not love, if I had all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not love, and though I bestow all my goods as it were by morsels to free the poor, and though I gave my body to be burnt and have not Charity) and yet those suppositions, whether improbable or incredible, are of no less force in arguing, than if they were absolutely true. Indeed if the adversary could from this hypothetical proposition truly assume the antecedent (as he cannot) then might he urge this place to some purpose: but if it may more truly be denied, or taken away, (as for example, if I or any other had all faith, and yet had not love, as n •… ver man yet had) then is this allegation to no purpose. To this Bellarmine replieth, that the Apostle doth not argue from a condition impossible, but us •… th an hyperbolt; when notwithstanding it is most evident, that the Apostle speaketh not in a simple hyperbolical speech, as Bellarmine maketh him, but 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 if I had, which I have not, but this supposal or fiction of a condition incredible doth no less prove the necessity of Charity, than if it were absolutely true.

If the place be understood particularly of the faith of miracles, the particle all being not universal but integral, as if it had been said, the whole faith including all the degrees of it (which is very probable, not only in respect of the authority of the Fathers heretofore mentioned, but also by the words themselves: first, because he saith 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , as speaking of a particular; secondly, because he doth instance in a high degree of that particular, so that I could remove mountains, ) then this alegation is impertinent. For the question is not of the faith of miracles, whether it may be severed from Charity, which we confess: but of the true justifying faith: which not all they have, who have the faith of miracles. For that hath been bestowed upon Judas and other reprobates, Matth. 10. 1. & 7. 22, 23. which plainly overthroweth Bellarmine's conceit, that the faith of miracles is the same with j •… stifying faith but excelling, which is false in two respects: for first, it would then follow, that all they who have had this faith, should have been endued with justifying faith, and that all, who have excelled in the greatest measure and degree of justifying faith, should have been adorned with the faith of miracles. Both which are untrue. Secondly, the School men when they distinguish grace into gratia gr •… tum 〈◊〉 , (which is the justifying and sanctifying grace tending to the good and Salvation of the party who hath it) and gratia gratis data tending to the good of others, the faith of working miracles is reckoned in the later rank, 1 Corinthians. 12. 8, 9, 10.

§. III. Yea, but it is promised, Mark. 16. 17. that signs should follow them that believe, namely by a justifying faith whereof is mention, verse. 16. But not, say I, that all believers should be workers of miracles, but some for all. From whence nothing can be proved, but that to some, which did believe, the gift of working miracles should be granted for the confirmation of the faith.

Yea, but by saith in for •… r times the faithful stopped the mouths of Lions, quenched the violence of fire, Heb. 11. 33. 34. Answ. These examples recorded in the Scriptures were not wrought by the faithful themselves: but the Lord because they •… id believe and trust in him, sent his Angel to stop the mouths of Lions, Dan. 6. 22. 23. and to quench the violence of fire, Dan. 3. 17. 25. Howbeit if themselves had wrought these miracles, it would prove no more, but that some who had justifying faith, had also the faith of working miracles.

Neither doth our Savior, Luk. 17. say, that if a man had the justifying faith like a grain of mustard seed, he should be able to remove mountains: for those who have had a great and a strong faith as namely Abraham, have had no such power. Yea, but he speaketh of that faith which the disciples pr •… ied him to increase, Luk. 17. 5. But, say I, if you compare the place with his parallel, Matth. 17. 20. it will appear that both our Savior and his Apostle speak of the faith of miracles. For when our Savior reproved them for their want of faith, in that they were not able to cure the Lunaticke, who notwithstanding were endued with justifying faith, as many others are, who though they have a strong faith, yet are not able to work such a cu •… e: they desire our Savior to increase, or, as the word is add unto them faith: Whereupon our Savior returneth this answer, if you had faith as a grain of mustard seed, &c. doth he mean justifying faith? God forbid! for then no man living could be said to have so much of justifying faith, as is a grain of mustard seed.

§. IV. And whereas in the last place he would prove by the conjunction of these three, Faith, Hope, and Charity, verse 13. that he speaketh of the same faith whereof he had spoken, verse 2. I answer, first, that it followeth not: for here the Apostle maketh a new comparison of of Charity with Faith and Hope, preferring it before them as greater, both in respect of the breadth or 〈◊〉 ; for whereas the benefit of Faith and Hope respecteth habentem, him that hath them, Charity is extended to others: and also in respect of the length, or continuance. For whereas Faith and Hope do cease in the life to come, faith being swallowed up in vision, and hope in fruition: love nevertheless is continued with increase.

Secondly, this place maketh rather against him. Now saith the Apostle, that is, during this life, these three abide, none of them failing altogether in this life, and therefore they always go together; insomuch that whosoever hath any one of them, hath all •… o the other two. No man can have love or hope, unless he have faith: and no man hath true saith, but he hath both love and hope; and according to the measure of his faith, such is the measure both of his love and of his hope. For as that of Gregory is most true, quantum credimus, •… antum amamus; so it is no less true, quantum credimus, tantum speramus. As for his allegation out of Augustine, affirming that faith may be without charity: I deny not but that the faith of hypocrites, which beareth the name of faith, as a carcase or counterfeit do of the man whose they are, is without charity but profiteth not. But that justifying faith may be without charity, he saith not: for how can it be a justifying faith and not profit?

§. V. His third testimony is Ia •… . 2. 14. &c. Where, saith he, Saint James not only teacheth, but also proveth, that faith without works doth not justify, and that it may be without works.

We answer, that he doth not speak of a true justifying faith, but of faith professed only, or of the profession of faith, which I proved before And this appeareth verse. 14. where the question, disputed in that discourse, is propounded. What doth it profit, my brethren, if a man shall say, that he hath faith, or professeth himself to believe, and hath not works, can 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that faith of his, which is in profession only and without works, save him, or justify him? No, by no means, for this affirmative interrogation is a most emphatical negation. This place therefore proveth the contrary, viz. that faith which is wi •… hout works is not a true justifying faith, and therefore a true justifying faith cannot be without works.

But that Saint James speaketh of a true faith, Bellarmine endeavoreth to prove by five reasons against the main drift of the Apostle in that place, which, as I shown before, was to prove, that such a faith, as is without works, is not a true justifying faith. His first reason is, because Saint James calleth it absolutely faith, which name in the Scriptures alw •… yes signifieth the true faith, that is, (or else he speaketh to no purpose) the true justifying faith. First, I answer, that Saint James verse 14. doth not absolutely call it faith: for he doth not say, if a man have faith, meaning a true faith; but if a man shall say, that he hath faith, can that faith which is in profession only, save him? And so in the verses following, the faith which he impleadeth, doth not signify the habi •… of true faith, but the bare profession of faith. But doth this word faith always in the Scriptures fignifie the true justifying faith? Nothing less: for many times in the New Testament, and almost always in the Old, faith is taken for fidel •… ty, or faithfulness, as Tit. 2. 10. sometimes for the doctrine of faith, which is believed, which the Papists themselves call the Catholic faith. As Act. 6. 5. they obeyed the faith, Act. 14. 27, the door of faith, Rom. 12. 6. the analogy of faith, &c. sometimes the profession of faith, as Act. 14. 22. Rom. 1. 8. and so as hereafter I am to show, I am. 2. 14. 24. And in this sense many are said to believe, that is, to have faith, and are called fideles, that is believers, who only profess the faith, and are in their own profession, or opinion of others, believers. So John. 2. 23. & 8. 30, 31. 33. Act. 8. 13. 21. and in this sense all that profess the name of Christ, are called after his name Christians, and are termed Fideles the faithful; not that all who are so called have the true justifying faith, which is not of all, nor yet of all that are called, but only of the elect. For among those, who are called the Faithful, there are many falsi fideles, who are so falsely called, as we heard before out of Gregory: sometimes, for the faith of miracles, as 1 Cor. 12. 9. & 13. 2. Mat. 17. 20. Mar. 11. 22, 23. Luk. 17. 5, 6.

Secondly, he saith, that Saint James in the same chapter, speaking of the s •… me faith, saith that Abraham's faith wrought with his works, Ans. this is also contrary to the drift of Saint James, who by this argument proveth the faith, which is without works to be no true justifying faith: because it is not the faith of Abraham, nor yet of Raba •… .

Thirdly, Saint James there concludeth: ye see then that a man is justified by works and not by faith only, but a 〈◊〉 faith, which Calvin calleth umbram fidei, justifieth neither alone nor at all. Ans. As I said before out of ver. 14. by faith we are here to understand faith professed, or the profession of faith. And to be justified is here understood declarative. Now to declare a man before men to be justified before God, two things are required, the profession of the faith, and a Christian life answerable to his profession: and thus faith professed cooperateth with works to declare a man to be justified. For neither works alone without the profession of the faith will do it, for works without faith are dead, nor the profession of the faith without works; for such a profession is also dead; but both must go together.

Fourthly, saith he, this is proved by two comparisons, which he calleth examples. The former verse. 15. 16. which he doth very sorrily express: first, saith he, he compareth a man having faith without works, to him, who seeing the poor wanting food and raiment, is content with that knowledge, and giveth them no alms. For even as it profiteth nothing the poor that the rich know their want, although it be a most true knowledge, unless, according to that knowledge, they bestow upon them necessaries: so true faith 〈◊〉 nothing, unless a man do study and endeavor to live according to it. Frigide admodum & dilute. For where doth Saint James compare true faith to these rich men's idle knowledge? But the comparison plainly standeth thus. As the profession of charity in giving good words to the poor that want food and raiment (depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled) is vain and unprofitable, if men do not accordingly give them somewhat to supply their necessities: so the profession of faith without works is dead. As therefore that charity which is in word and not in deed, as Saint John speaketh, is counterfeit, so that faith, which is in profession only severed from good works is counterfeit and dead. Secondly, saith he, Saint James compareth faith without works to a body without Spirit, which certainly is a true body, though it be dead. Answ. this also is contrary to the intendment of Saint James who therefore p •… oveth, that faith which is without works, to be no true justifying faith, because it is dead. For the profession of faith without works is like to a man's body that is without Spirit: yea but saith Bellarmine a dead body is a true body, and a dead faith is a true faith. I answer as before. A dead carcase though it be a true body in respect of his three dimensions, and of his composition of the Elements, yet it is not the true original body of a man (for a man is a living creature) no more than a dead branch or bough is a true member of a living Tree.

§. VI. His fourth argument is taken from those testimonies which teach that in the Church there are both good and bad; in the floor, both Wheat and chaff; in the net, fishes both good and bad; in the flock, sheep and goats, &c. His reason standeth thus,

Answ. The assumption is most false, for not all that profess faith who from thence are called fideles in opposition to Infidels, are endued with true justifying faith, which is not of all, but of the Elect, neither be all of the Church that be in it. 1 John. 2. 19. Non existimo quenquam ita desipere, saith Augustine, ut credat ad Eccesiae pertinere unitatem eum, qui non habet charitatem.

But, saith Bellarmine, if the wicked who are in the Church did want trut faith, then should they chiefly be reprehended for their unbelief, but they are reprehended non de amissione fidei sed de omissione operum, not for the amission or loss of faith, but for the omission of good works. Ans. when their want of faith doth appear, they are reprehended for it. But because that is many times hidden, and we are in the judgment of Charity, to judge them faithful who profess the faith, until the contrary appear: therefore hypocrites escape reprehension which open sinners do incur. Bellarm. conclusion, that true justifying faith may in the same party concur with sin and that it may be found in sinners; none deny, but pharisaical Papists, who hold themselves, being after their fashion as namely by Baptism, or absolution justified, to be no sinners; professing that there is no sin in them, nor anything that God can hate. And whereas Bellarmine taketh it for granted, that all in the Church have faith, and that none want it, but such as have lost it, as it is lost, they say, by every act of infidelity: hereby is discovered the most pernicious doctrine of the Church of Rome, whereby innumerable souls are nuzzled in ignorance, infidelity and impenitencio to their utter ruin and perdition. For they teach, that all that are baptized are ex opere operato justified by infusion of Faith Hope and Charity; in which estate they remain, until they commit some mortal sin, then indeed they lose their charity and their justification, but they retain their faith, which was infused in Baptism, and still are to be accounted faithful men and women; though they know nothing, nor actually believe anything; unless to their Baptism be added popish education, by which, for the most part, they are taught to believe as their Church believeth, that being the safest course: which faith disposeth them to justification, directing them after the loss of their charity, wherein their justification consisted, to seek to the Sacrament of penance, that thereby they may recover their justification. Once a year therefore they go to their priest, to him they formally confess their grosser sins; formally they profess themselves sorry for them: the priest absolveth them from eternal punishment, enjoining them some petite penance, whereby they are to satisfy for the temporal penalty, which remaineth after their absolution from the eternal: by the priests absolution they all stand actually justified, the priest refusing none, though in truth they neither have knowledge, nor faith, nor Repentance, or amendment of life, nor any other Grace, without which, for all their sacramental justifications (and other they have none) they live and die in a most woeful state of damnation.

§. VII. His fifth argument is taken from the proper nature of faith and charity: for saith he, if faith and charity cannot be disjoined, either it is, because one is of the nature of the other, or else because one necessarily ariseth or springeth from the other: but neither of these may be said; therefore faith and charity may be severed. Ans. First, I deny the disjunctive proposition, because a third thing may be added; and that is this, or because the spirit of grace or regeneration, who is the author and efficient of both, hath inseparably united them in one and the same subject, wherein, working the one, that is faith; with it, and by it he worketh the other. As touching the Assumption, the former part, that the one is not of the nature of the other, it is denied by the Roman-Catholic: the latter; that the one doth not necessarily spring from the other, by the true Catholics. For the Papists hold, that charity is the form of justifying faith, without which it neither doth, nor can justify. And therefore they, of all men, ought to hold, that justifying faith cannot be severed from charity. For whereas Bellarmine saith, that charity is but the outward form of faith, by which it worketh; I acknowledge no outward form, but of artificial bodies. As for that which is principium motus, by which anything worketh, it is the very 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , the actus primus, the proper form, whereby anything as it is that which it is; so it worketh and produceth his proper and natural effects. And such is the inseparable coexistence of the form and the thing formed, that posita forma, res ipsa ponatur; sublata forma, res ipsa 〈◊〉 . The Papists therefore hold things repugnant and 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , when they teach, that charity is the form of justifying faith, and yet that justifying faith may be severed from it. The second, that the one doth not necessarily spring from the other, we deny. For true faith doth necessarily and infallibly incline the believer to love God and his neighbor for God's sake. For that faith, whereby we are persuaded of God's love to us in Christ, cannot but move and incline us to love God: neither can we love God as good, if we do not first believe, that he is good. And such as is the measure of our faith concerning God's goodness to us, such is the measure of our love to him. Bellarmine consesseth that saith inclineth and disposeth a man to love; but saith, a disposition and inclination non cogit, doth not compel a man, but leaveth him free. As though there were no necessity, but of coaction or constraint.

§. VIII. That charity doth necessarily follow faith, as an inseparable companion, he saith, we have no sound proofs; and therefore are fain to illustrate it by certain similitudes, which he calleth examples. Answ. Whether we have any sound proofs or not, I refer the Christian reader to the fifteen arguments which Bellarmine took no notice of, besides those six I vindicated from his cavils. As for similitudes, they were not brought to prove the point, but to illustrate, and to make it more plain. As if I should compare a regenerate soul to fire as Christ did John the Baptist to a burning and shining lamp; I might say (which was Luther's similitude) as in fire, or rather if you please, in the Sunnebeames two things concur, light and heat, and neither is without the other; the beams of the Sun always by their light producing heat: so in the regenerate soul, there are faith, as the light, and charity as the heat, and neither is without other; because the spirit of regeneration as it were the Sun, by shedding abroad the beams of God's love into our hearts, that is, by working in us faith, by which we are persuaded of God's love towards us in Christ, inflameth our hearts with the love of God; the beams of God's love reflecting from our souls some warmth of love towards God. To this Bellarmine •… answereth, that charity in the Scriptures is compared to fire, &c. Answ. So it may in respect of the heat, as faith also may in respect of the light: as therefore in the fire concurreth both light and heat, which cannot be severed, so in the regenerate soul faith and love. Bucer's similitude was of a sick man, who being desperately sick, if a Physician shall assure him of health, and much more if he shall cure him by forgoing something that is most dear unto him, cannot, if he believe so much, but affect and love him: so we being desperately sick of sin and near to death and damnation, if the Lord shall by giving his own Son, not only redeem us from death, but also entitle us to the kingdom of Heaven: we cannot if we be truly persuaded hereof by faith, but love God again, who hath so loved us. For we love God because he first loved us. To this Bellarmine answereth, that he which believeth is inclined to love him in whom he believeth, but is not forced thereunto, which no man averreth.

§. IX. A third similitude he would seem to produce out of Calvin's Institutions, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Christ and his spirit cannot be separated, so faith and charity cannot be severed: but though both the parts of this comparison are true, yet there is no such similitude propounded by Calvin. But in that place he proveth, that true faith cannot be severed from a godly affection, because true faith embraceth Christ, as he is offered unto us of his Father: now of his Father he is made unto us, not only righteousness, to be received by faith unto justification ; but holiness also to be applied by his spirit unto sanctification. And therefore those that receive Christ receive also his spirit. Bellarmine answereth, that it is true indeed, that he which receiveth Christ receiveth him with his spirit, sed credendo recipit, i. credit illum habere spiritum sanctificationis, but he receiveth by believing, that is, he believeth, that Christ hath aspirit of sanctification; but from hence it doth not follow, that the spirit of sanctification is always with faith in a man, unless it be objectively, even as health is in a sick man (that hath it not) when he thinketh of it, and desireth it. Thus, in popish divinity, to receive the spirit of Christ, is to believe, that Christ hath a spirit of sanctification; but not to be partaker thereof, or to have the communion of the holy Ghost; which notwithstanding all those have, who truly believe in Christ. For all that truly believe are the sons of God, as I have shown, and to so many as be his sons God doth send the spirit of his son into their hearts; his spirit dwelleth in them, and he by his spirit. And if any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his. If therefore all that receive Christ, receive also his spirit, then all that truly believe, are also endued with charity, as I have proved before .

§. X. His sixth argument is taken from an absurdity which, he saith, followeth upon our doctrine. For, saith he, they do therefore contend, that a man is justified by faith only, because if justification depended upon the condition of works or our obedience of the Law, no man could be certain of his justification: (to which effect the Apostle argueth, Rom. 4. 16.) And because they believe, that justification consisteth in this certainty, therefore it woe •… ld follow, that justification is impossible. But if faith necessarily must be joined with charity and good works, so that otherwise it is not faith, but a shadow or counterfeit of it: then it followeth, that justification, in that it dependeth upon a true faith, doth also depend upon works, and upon love which is the fulfilling of the Law; and consequently, that no man can be certain of his justification, but that justification is a thing altogether impossible. And in this argument he doth so please himself, that he concludeth with this Epiphonema: forsooth so stable is the dogmatical building of heretics, that on each side it threateneth ruin.

I answer briefly by distinction; that justification is either before God in foro coelesti, or in the Court of our own Conscience. Before God, when the Lord imputing the perfect righteousness of Christ to a believing sinner, absolveth him from the guilt of his sin and from damnation, and accepteth of him as righteous in Christ, and as an heir of eternal life, and this properly is the justification of a sinner. That justification, which is in the Court of Conscience, is not justification it self, but the assurance of it. Howbeit, commonly, men are then said to be justified, and to have pardon of sin, when the pardon is sealed to their own Conscience. I deny therefore that our justification before God consisteth in the assurance thereof in our own conscience (for those which truly believe, are justified and blessed, whether they be assured thereof or not) or that it dependeth upon our charity or our own good works, but that without respect of our charity, or any worthiness in us, the Lord doth freely and of his mere grace, even when we deserve the contrary, justify us so soon as we truly believe in Christ; that, and no other being the condition of the covenant. And howsoever the assurance of our justification before God, if we were to be justified by our own obedience, were impossible; because to our justification before God perfect and complete obedience is required, which to us by reason of the flesh is impossible: yet the assurance of our justification in our own conscience is not impossible, but is ordinarily obtained by the children of God, by some more, by some less; because it doth not depend upon the perfection, but upon the uprightness of our obedience. If we have a true desire, an unfeigned purpose, a sincere endeavor to walk before God in the obedience of his commandments, though we fail, contrary to our desire and purpose, in many particulars, we may thereby make our election, our calling, our justification sure unto us. For by our works our faith is demonstrated, and our justification known to ourselves and others: in which sense Saint James saith we are justified by works.

§. XI. In the seventh place Bellarmine addeth the consent of the Fathers, into whose mind, he saith, this absurdity never entered, that faith cannot be where charity is not. And yet, for all this brag, he is not able to produce any one pregnant testimony plainly affirming, that true faith, or justifying faith may be without charity: we do not deny, but that the faith of Hypocrites and of all other wicked and impenitent sinners, which is not a true and a lively but a counterfeit and dead faith (which not properly, but catachrestically, or rather equivocally is called faith) is severed from charity and from all other graces of sanctification. And such is the faith, which the Fathers say may be severed from charity. But though he hath not cited any one pregnant testimony against us, yet one he hath cited for us in plain terms avouching, that they do not truly believe, nor have true faith, who do not live well; and to the same purpose I cited Augustine, and divers others of the Fathers.

CAP. IV. Whether justifying faith may be without special apprehension of Christ.

§. I.

T He third error of the Papists concerning the nature of justifying faith is, that they hold it may be, as without knowledge, and without charity, so also without any special apprehension or application of Christ to the believer. But the Scriptures unto justification require, that we should believe in Christ. For howsoever by that faith, which justifieth we do believe whatsoever God hath revealed in his Word: neither hath any man a justifying faith, who denieth credit to anything which he findeth to be revealed by God: notwithstanding as it justifieth, it only respecteth Christ, either directly and expressly, or indirectly and by consequence; Christ himself being, as I shall hereafter show, the proper object of justifying faith. For the promise of justification and salvation in the Gospel is not made to the belief of other things, but only to true faith in Christ. For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, that they who were bitten of the fiery serpents, by looking on the brazen Serpent, which was a figure of Christ, should be healed: even so the Son of man was to be lifted up upon the Cross, that whosoever being stung by the old serpent the Devil, looketh upon him with the ei •… of a true faith, that is believeth in him, should not perish, but have eternal life, which truth is acknowledged by the Master of the sentences: quem Deus proposuit propitiatorem per fidem in sanguine ipsius, i. per fidem passionis: ut •… lim aspicientes in Serpentem aneum in lign •… erectū, à morsibus serpentum sanabantur. Si ergo recto fidei intuitu in illum respicimus qui pro nobis pependit in lig •… o, à vinculis D •… laboli solvimur, i. peccatis. As therefore they who were bitten; by the same eyes, wherewith they looked upon the brazen serpent, beheld all other things which were subject to their view, but were cured by looking upon the serpent, and not by beholding any other thing: so we by the same eye of the soul, which is faith, do believe all other things, which God hath propounded to be believed; his Word being the objectum ad •… quatum of our faith: but we are justified and saved by believing in Christ, and not by believing of any other thing. In so much that if we should believe all other things and did not believe in Christ, our faith would not justify us. And therefore, in the Scriptures, justifying faith is ordinarily called faith in Christ, and sometimes the faith of Christ and sometimes his knowledge: whereby is meant, not that Christ is the subject but the proper object of justifying faith, which is a truth so manifest, that no Christian ought to doubt of it. For all true Christians are so called, because they believe in Christ, and, by believing in him, do hope to be saved by him.

§. II. Now to believe in Christ is to receive him, John. 1. 12. and not to receive him, is not to believe in him, verse. 11. For to receive Christ being so far removed from us, is a spiritual action of the soul, that is to say, of the mind and of the heart, whereby we first apprehend, and after apply Christ unto ourselves. If therefore it be asked qu •… modo tenebo absentem? quomodo in coel •… m manum mittam ut ibi sedentem teneam? how should I lay hold upon him that is absent? how should I send up my hand into heaven, to lay hold on him sitting there? Augustine answereth, fidem mitte & tenuisti. Send up thy faith, and thou hast laid hold on him. But first, we receive Christ in our mind and judgment by assent, which if it be a bare •… and as it were a literal and ineffectual assent, we receive him at the most as the Savior of the World, but not as our Savior; which is the faith of hypocrites, yea, and of Devils, and is all, that th •… Papists require, as necessary, to true faith. But if it be a spiritual, lively, and effectual assent, it worketh upon the heart, that is, both the affections and the will, so that he which in his judgment truly and effectually assenteth to the truth of the Gospel, that Jesus the Son of the Blessed Virgin, is the eternal Son of God, the Messias and Savior of all that truly believe in him, doth also in his heart embrace him, heartily desiring to be made partaker of him, and in his will unfeignedly purposing and resolving to acknowledge him to be our Lord and Savior, and to rest upon him alone for salvation. By the former, which is only a bare assent, we do after a sort credere Christum, acknowledging him to be the Savior of those that believe in him: by the latter, which is the lively and effectual assent working upon the heart, we do credere in Christum, and receive him to be our Savior, whereupon necessarily followeth affiance in Christ, and love of him as our Savior. Thus then by a true belief we receive and embrace Christ: in our judgments by a lively assent, in our hearts desiring earnestly to be partakers of him, (which desire we express by hearty prayer) and in our will •… resolving to acknowledge and profess him to be our only Savior, and to rest upon him alone for salvation. So that a true lively and effectu •… ll faith, is the work of the whole soul, that is to say, as well of the heart as of the mind: for which cause the Apostle saith, cord creditor adjustitiam with the heart man believeth to righteousness, Rom. 10. 10. and Saint Luke that the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, to assent to the Gospel, Act. 16. 14. And Philip requireth the Eunuch to believe with his whole heart. Act. 8. 37. The former is common to the wicked, yea to the Devils, the later is proper to the children of God. For those, who so believe, are born of God, John. •… . 12, 13. 1 John. 5. 1. The former is a literal, a dead, a counterfeit, a not justifying faith; the latter is a lively, true, and justifying faith. This distinction Augustine maketh between Saint Peters faith, and that of the Devils, though their confessions were alike. Thou art the Son of the living God. Hoc dicebat Petrus, ut Christum amplecteretur, hoc dicebant. Daemones, ut Christus ab eis recederet. This said Peter, that he might embrace Christ: this spake the Devils that Christ might depart from them. Oecumenius endeavoring to reconcile the seeming differences between the two Apostles Paul and James, saith there are two significations of the word Faith, the one, as it signifieth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a simple and bare assent, in which sense the Devils are said to believe, that there is one God; the other, as it importeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 the accompanying of the disposition or affection with the firm assent. Of the former Saint James speaketh, and saith, that the simple and bare assent is a dead faith: but Paul of the latter, which is not destitute of good works, which after he calleth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that which is faith indeed.

§. III. Of this faith, whereby we receive Christ to be our Savior, there are two degrees: the former, of special apprehension, whereby we receive and embrace Christ, consisting in a lively and effectual belief, whereby we truly receive Christ: in our judgment by a willing assent; in our affections, by an earnest desire to be made partakers of him and of his merits, which is the desire of application; in our will, by a settled resolution to acknowledge him to be our Savior, and to rest upon him for salvation, which is the unfeigned purpose and endeavor of application. So that in this first degree, though we are not able actually to apply the promise of the Gospel unto ourselves; yet that application is both desired, and intended. The other is of actual and special application of the promise to ourselves, as having the condition of the promise. The former is fides principiorum being grounded on the express Word of God, whosoever believeth in Christ, shall be saved. The other is fides conclusionum, necessarily deduced from the Word by application, in a practical syllogism, after this manner: whosoever believeth in Christ shall be saved, which general is true in every particular, as the Apostle teacheth, Rom. 10. 9. 〈◊〉 therefore thou doest believe in Christ, thou shalt be saved: but I, saith the faithful man, do believe in Christ; therefore I shall be saved: which conclusion cannot be false, the premisses being true. To the former all men are necessarily tied under pain of damnation, John 3. 18. Mark. 16. 16. to the latter none are tied, but they only, who have the former. For the former is the condition of the promise, which whosoever hath not, he ought not to apply the promise to himself, unless he will perniciously deceive himself. By the former we are justified before God in the court of Heaven, which is properly called justification: by the latter we are justified in the court of our conscience, which is not properly justification, but the assurance of it. The former goeth before remission of sin, the latter follows after. The former is the work of God's Spirit, as he doth regenerate us in our first effectual calling; the latter as he is the spirit of adoption sealing us after we have believed. The former is ordinarily wrought by the hearing of the Word, the holy Ghost opening the heart of the hearer to assent thereto, and not by the ministry of the Sacraments, which being the seals of that righteousness which is by faith, were ordained to this purpose to confirm our faith in the application of the promise in particularunto ourselves, and in the particular assurance of our justification and salvation by Christ: that those who have the first degree offaith may proceed to the second. For if thou doest truly believe, that Christ is the Savior: thou art bound to believe, that he is thy Savior; otherwise thou makest God a liar. That therefore thou mayest learn to apply Christ unto thyself, God by his minister delivereth to thee in particular the Sacrament as it were a pledge, to assure thee in particular, that as the Minister doth deliver unto thee the outward sign: so the Lord doth communicate unto thee that believest according to the first degree of faith, the thing signified, that is to say. Christ with all his merits, to thy justification, sanctification and salvation.

§. IV. This distinction of the degrees of faith, as it is most comfortable, for hereby we are taught how to attain to assurance of salvation, as elsewhere I have shown; for having the first degree, which is the condition of the promise, thou mayest apply the promise to thyself, and by application attain to assurance: so it is most true, and most necessary to be held. And first as touching the former degree, which is the special apprehension and embracing of Christ by a lively assent, accompanied with the desire of the heart and resolution of the will as I have said, that it is that faith, which is the condition of the promise, and by which we are justified before God, I have proved by plain testimonies of Scriptures, and other pregnant proofs. The places of Scripture, which I alleged, were these, Mat. 16. 16. 17. John. 20. 31. Act. 8. 37. 38. Rom. 10. 9. 10. 1 John. 5. 1. 5. Whereunto may be added. 1 John. 4. 15. Among the manifold proofs, which I produced, this is one; that if there be no other justifying faith but the special faith, whereby we are assured of the remission of our sins; then two absurdities will follow. The one, that we must apply the promises to ourselves, before we have the condition thereof, which as we ought not to do, lest we play the hypocrites, so we cannot do unless we will perniciously deceive ourselves. The promise is whosoever believeth in Christ hath remission of sin, whosoever believeth in Christ shall be saved, &c. This promise is made to none but to those who truly believe, and are endued with a justifying faith, which is the condition of the promise. It is evident therefore, that a man must be endued with justifying faith, before he can apply the promise, and he must apply the promise before he can have any assurance by special faith. The second absurdity is, that a man must be assured that his sins be forgiven before they be forgiven; and so must believe a lie, yea that a man must be assured, that they are forgiven, to the end that they may be forgiven, which is a great absurdity. This therefore is an undeniable truth, that before we can either apply the promises, or attain to assurance of remission of sin; we must be endued with true justifying faith, which is the condition of the promise, and the means to obtain remission. I must believe therefore by a justifying faith, before I can have remission of sins; I must have remission of sins, before I can have any assurance thereof: and I must ascend by many degrees of assurance, before I come to full assurance; which yet in this life is never so full, but that still more may, and ought to be added to it.

§. V. As touching the second, which by some is called special faith, not only in respect of the object, which is Christ, for so the former is also special, but in respect of the effect, which is, by actual application of the Promises to a man's self, to assure him in particular of his justification and salvation: It is by some both protestant and popish writers called fiducia, that is, affiance. Howbeit the most of our Writers by it meant, assurance. But improperly howsoever, for neither is faith affiance, nor affiance assurance.

This special apprehension & application of Christ, though scorned by the Papists, yet is it, of all graces, the most comfortable, most profitable, most necessary. Most comfortable, for the very life of this life is the assurance of a better life. Most necessary, because without this special receiving of Christ, first, by apprehension, and then by application, we can have no other saving grace. How can we love God, or our neighbor for God's sake, how can we hope and trust in him, how can we rejoice in him, or be thankful to him, if we be not persuaded of his love and bounty towards us? and so of the rest. Most profitable, because from it all other graces proceed; and according to the measure of it, is the measure of all other graces, as I have elsewhere shown. For if the love of God be shed abroad in thy heart by the Holy Ghost, that is, if by faith thou art persuaded of God's love towards thee: thou wilt be moved to love the Lord, and thy neighbor for his sake, then wilt thou hope and trust in him, then wilt thou rejoice in him, and be thankful unto him, and so forth. And the greater thy persuasion is of his love and goodness towards thee, so much the greater will be thy love, thy hope, thy trust, thy thankfulness, thy rejoicing in him, &c. When as therefore the Papists detest and scorn our Doctrine concerning special faith, they do plainly bewray themselves to have no saving grace, nor any truth or power of Religion in them.

§. VI. But that this special receiving and embracing of Christ by faith is necessary to justification, and that faith doth not justify without it, it doth evidently appear by the third and fourth points before handled, in the fourth and fifth Books. For if we be justified only by the righteousness of Christ which is out of us in him, then are we not justified by faith as it is an habit or quality inherent in us, but as it is the hand and instrument whereby we receive Christ his righteousness: which, as it is imputed to us by God, so we apprehend it by faith. And because faith alone doth receive Christ and all his merits; therefore the same benefits, which we receive from Christ, and are properly to be ascribed unto him, as the Author of them, are in the Scriptures attributed also to faith, because by faith we receive Christ. By Christ we live, John. 6. 57. We live by faith, Gal. 2. 20. Hab. 2. 4. By Christ we have remission of sins, Eph. 1. 7. Act. 13. 38. By faith we have remission of sins, Act. 8. 39. 26. 18.

By Christ we are justified, Isaiah. 53. 11. We are justified by faith, Rom. 3. 28. Gal. 3. 24.

By Christ we have peace with God, Col. 1. 20. We have peace with God by faith, Rom. 5. 2.

We have free access to God by Christ, Eph. 2. 18. 3. 12. Heb. 10. 19.

We have free access to God by Faith, Rom. 5. 2. Eph. 3. 12.

We are sanctified by Christ, 1 Cor. 1. 30. Heb. 10. 14.

We are sanctified by Faith, Act. 15. 9.

We overcome the world by Christ, John. 16. 33.

We overcome the world by Faith, 1 John. 5. 4, 5.

We are the Sons of God by Christ, Ephes. 1. 5.

We are the Sons of God by Faith, Gal. 3. 26.

We have an heavenly inheritance by Christ, Gal. 4. 7.

We have an heavenly inheritance by Faith, Act. 26. 18.

We attain to Eternal life by Christ, 1 John. 5. 11, 12.

We attain to Eternal life by Faith, John. 3. 16. & 5. 24. & 6. 47.

We are saved by Christ, John. 3. 17. Matth. 1. 21.

We are saved by Faith, Ephes. 2. 8.

All which benefits are attributed to faith, not absolutely, but relatively, in respect of the object which it doth receive; being no otherwise caused or procured by faith, but as it is the hand and instrument, whereby we receive Christ, who is our life, John. 14. 6. Col. 3. 6. our righteousness, Ier. 23. 6. 1 Corinth. 1. 30. our propitiation, Rom. 3. 25. 1 John. 2. 2. our peace, Ephes. 2. 14. our sanctification, Tit. 2. 14. our victorious conqueror of all the enemies of our salvation, Col. 2. 14, 15. our Redeemer and Savior, who also is eternal Life, 1 John. 5. 20. whom whosoever hath, he hath eternal life, 1 John. 5. 11, 12.

§. VII. But if we do not receive and embrace Christ by a lively assent, at the least, working in our hearts an unfeigned desire to be made partakers of him, and in our wills a settled resolution to acknowledge him to be our Savior, and to rest upon him alone for Salvation, without this special apprehension and application; at least in desire and intent: Christ and his merits do not avail them, that are adulti, and come to years of discretion, unless it be to their greater condemnation: who not caring to lay hold upon Christ and to apprehend and apply his merits unto them, suffer, as much as in them lieth, his precious blood to be spilled in vain, as it is in vain to them, who do not apprehend and seek to apply it to themselves. For though the obedience of Christ both active and passive be a robe of righteousness and our very wedding garment to cover our nakedness and our sins: yet it will not cover us, unless it be put on. Though his stripes and sufferings be a sovereign salve to cure our souls, yet it will not cure them unless it be apply •… d. Though his Body be meat indeed and his Blood be drink indeed to nourish us unto eternal life; yet they will not yield nourishment unto us, unless we eat his Body, and drink his Blood; all which is done by faith apprehending and applying Christ, whereby we put on him and his righteousness, apply the salve of his sufferings, eat his Body and drink his Blood. The which, because the Papists want, and wanting reject; they are fain to flee to their outward formalities, wherein their religion consisteth, and to their opus operatum in the Sacraments, as if they without a true and lively faith were able to justify and to save them; without which notwithstanding our blessed Savior himself doth not avail men to salvation. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not being adultus, though he be baptized and receive all the Sacraments of the Romance Church, he shall notwithstanding be condemned. Mar. 16. 16. John. 3. 18, 36. It is therefore plain and evident, that the faith, which doth justify, must not be a bare assent, but a lively belief or assent, specially apprehending and embracing, and in desire at the least and purpose applying Christ unto us. For actual application cannot be made until we find ourselves to have the condition of the promise, which is that former degree of faith: which being had, and finding ourselves to have it; we are actually to apply the promise, and by application to gather assurance, which some call special faith.

§. VIII. Now let us see what the Papists can object against this clear truth. There are two things, or rather names, which they dispute against, viz. fides specialis, and fiducia, special faith and affiance: which dispute notwithstanding hindereth not anything which I have spoken of the nature of justifying faith, as it justifieth us before God. For of justification, taken in a large sense, there are two degrees, though of that which properly is called justification before God, there neither are nor can be any degrees, as I have shown. The former is the justification of a sinner before God in the Court of Heaven, by imputation of Christ's righteousness apprehended by a lively assent or belief. The second is our justification in the Court of our own Conscience, when we are persuaded and in some measure assured of our justification, which assurance, of some, is called fides specialis, by which, we are not first justified before God: but is then wrought in us, when being already justified by faith, the holy Ghost the Spirit of promise shedding abroad the love of God in our hearts, sealeth us after we have believed, Eph. 1. 13. Howbeit, the former degree of faith is also truly called special, both in respect of the special object which is Christ, and in regard of the special effect, which is the special apprehension or embracing of Christ, not only in the judgment by a lively assent, but also in the heart that is the will and affections, by a desire to be made partaker of him and his merits, and by a settled will and resolution to acknowledge him to be our Savior, and to rely upon him alone for salvation. And in this sense that faith by which we are justified before God is a special faith. But if that only be called special faith by which we are justified in our own Consciences, that is, assured of our justification, that assurance arising from the actual application of the promise to ourselves: then I say and avouch, that this special faith is not that by which we are justified before God. For we must have a justifying faith, being the condition of the promise, before we can proceed to application, and first we must be justified before God, before we can have any assurance thereof in our own Consciences: when as therefore the Papists dispute against t •… is special faith, proving that by it we are not •… ustified before God, they plead besides the purpose. And yet, for all their proofs, it is truly called a justifying faith, because by it we are justified in the Court of our own Conscience.

§. IX. The like is to be said of Fiducia or affiance which is called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 against which the Papists hotly dispute: proving, that it is not of the essence of justifying faith: when notwithstanding divers of their own Writers, as well as of ours, have expounded credere by fidere and fides by fiducia. But they should understand, that many of our Writers, by affiance mean assurance, which is the plerophorie of faith: improperly, I confess, but that was their meaning▪ As for affiance, though it be not of the proper nature and essence of faith: yet it is an inseparable fruit of special faith, in so much that sometimes it seemeth to be implied in the signification of believing in Christ: For he that doth believe in Christ, doth first by a lively assent acknowledge him to be the Savior of all that truly believe in him: and secondly, so believing he is persuaded that he is a Savior to him; and thirdly, believing Christ to be his Savior, doth therefore repose his affiance and trust in him for salvation. But howsoever so much sometimes is implied in the phrase of believing in Christ, yet in the most ordinary and usual acception of the Word in the Scriptures of the New Testament, no more is signified than the lively assent and acknowledging of Christ: yea, sometimes the phrase is used of those who did not so much as give a lively assent, or believed with their heart. Howsoever being convicted by the evidence of truth sealed by miracles, they assented to the truth, and acknowledged Christ to be the Messias. Such were those, John. 2. 23. who are said to have believed on his name, when they saw the miracles which he did: to whom notwithstanding our Savior would give no credit because he knew what was in them. Such a believer was Sim •… Magus, who being convinced by the evidence of truth confirmed by miracles, assented in his judgment but believed not with his heart: for his heart was not right within him, Act. 8. 13. 21. And such a one was Judas, John. 6. 64. who, though he believed, as being a Disciple, yea an Apostle of Christ, yet believed not in deed and in truth.

§. X. But that the phrase is used ordinarily of those which received Christ by a true and lively assent, I could prove by multitude of testimonies, divers whereof I have elsewhere mentioned. But I will content myself with two instances of the Samaritans and of the Eunuch. Of the Samaritans it is said, John 4. 39. That many of them believed in Christ for the saying of the woman, who could believe no more, than she had told them; which at the most, was, that he was Christ. And after, when they professed, that they believed because of his own word; all that they believed was this, that he was indeed the Ch •… ist, the Savior of the world, verse 41. 42. The Eunuch, when Philip told him, that he might be baptized, if he believed with his whole heart, maketh this profession of his faith; I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

§. XI. Now that affiance is not faith, I briefly show thus. First, because it is a fruit and effect of faith. For by faith we have affiance, Ephes. 3. 12. Faith therefore is the cause, affiance the effect▪ and the same thing cannot be both the cause and the effect. For whereas some deny this consequence, trusting to an unlike example; for say they, as natural Philosophy is the science of natural things, and yet by it we attain to the science of natural things: so, though affiance be faith, and faith affiance; yet by faith we attain to affiance: I answer that there is an homonymie in the word science, which in the former part of the example signifieth the art or doctrine, which is a comprehension of precepts: in the latter, the habit of the knowledge of natural things, which by the doctrine holpen with the gifts of nature, and confirmed by exercise, we attain unto. Secondly, because faith is an habit of the mind; affiance, an affection of the heart: and so also differ in the subject. For faith, being a persuasion, is seated in the mind; though working upon the heart; affiance or trust being an affection, is seated in the heart, though proceeding from the persuasion of the mind. Thirdly, because they differ not only in the Subject, but also in the Object. The Object of faith is verum, that which is true: the Object of affiance is bonum, that which is good. Yea, but (say some the Promise is good, and therefore the Object of •… aith is good. I answer, the th •… ng promised is good, and therefore I conceive affiance or hope; which two, in respect of the time to come, differ not. But be the thing promised never so good, yet I believe not the promise, unless I be persuaded that it is true. Faith therefore layeth hold on the Promise, as being true; affiance or hope expect the thing promised, as being good. Those therefore who hold, that affiance, properly so called, is faith; or faith affiance, are not to be defended. Those which by affiance understand assurance, and say, that justifying faith is affiance, do speak the truth, if they understand by faith, not that by which we are justified before God, but that by which we are justified, that is, assured of our justification in our own conscience. Concerning which there needs not to be any other controversy between us and the Papists, than this, whether there be any such certainty or assurance to be had. But that is a different question, not pertinent to the point in hand, which I have elsewhere cleared. And so much of the nature of justifying faith.

CHAP. V. Of the Subject of justifying Faith.

§. I.

N Ow I come to the Subject, that is, both the parties, to whom it belongeth; and the part of the Soul wherein it is. As touching the parties in whom it is, the Papists hold. First, that it is common to the godly with the wicked. Secondly, that it is common to the Elect with the reprobate. The former is the same in substance with that, which I have already handled, whether true faith may be severed from charity and other graces: the negative part of which question, I have proved, and consequently of this, that justifying faith is not common to the godly with the wicked. As touching the second, whether it be common to the Elect with the Reprobate; Bellarmine propoundeth the Romish tenet to be this, fidem & justitiam non esse propriam elector •… m, & semel habitam amitti posse: that faith and justice is not proper to the Elect, and that it being once had, it may be lost; which is the very question of perseverance, whereof I have written a full treatise against Bellarmine, proving that true justifying faith is proper to the Elect, and that being once had it is never lost, either totally or finally.

§. II. Now as touching the part of the soul, wherein justifying faith is seated, Bellarmine and many other Papist •… hold, that it is seated in the understanding only: and of us they report, that we hold it to be seated in the will only: which they do report against their own knowledge; knowing that we hold faith to be a persuasion of the mind and an assent, and finding fault with Calvin, for defining faith to be a kind of knowledge, as it is indeed that kind of knowledge which we have by report or relation from God, grounded upon the infallible authority of God the relator: and finally, not being ignorant, that we hold the proper object of faith to be the truth. But we hold, that it is seated both in the understanding and in the will: and my reason brie •… ely is this, because it is a voluntary assent, and is so defined, not only by some of the ancient Fathers, but also by the ancient Philosophers, who as Thcodore •… reporteth do define it to be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a willing assent of the soul. Th •… refore, to believe is an act, both of the understanding, and of the will. Of the understanding, as it is an assent: of the will, as it is voluntary. Even as liberum •… rbitrium, as it is arbitrium, belongeth to the understanding; and as it is liberum, to the will: not that we seat it in two divers parts of the soul, but only in the mind, that is the reasonable or intellectual part, though it worketh upon the affections also. For the better understanding whereof, we are to know, that when the holy Ghost is pleased to work the grace of faith in the souls of any of the elect, which ordinarily he doth by the ministry of the Gospel, he openeth their hearts as he did the heart of Lydia to assent to the Gospel: which he doth, first, by illuminating their understanding; and opening the eyes of their mind, that they may rightly conceive and judge of the doctrine of salvation: and secondly, by opening, as it were, the ears of the mind, and inclining the will to affect and embrace, what the understanding hath judged and approved to be true and good. The understanding therefore approving, and the Will (which is intellectus extensus, and ordinarily followeth the judgment of the practic understanding) embracing the doctrine of the Gospel, which promiseth salvation by Christ to all that believe: the mind, which containeth both these faculties, being thus opened by the holy Ghost, doth williugly assent to the doctrine •… of the Gospel concerning salvation by Christ. Faith therefore is a voluntary assent of the mind to the promise of the Gospel; unto which, the acts of both the faculties of the mind concur; of the understanding, to judge, that the thing propounded to be believed, is true and good. I mean, that the promise is true, and the thing promised good: of the Will, to accept and to embrace that for true and good, which the understanding hath judged to be such. Out of both which ariseth the voluntary assent of the mind, which we call faith. This faith thus wrought by the holy Ghost, (the Spirit of regeneration) being lively and effectual, worketh upon the heart and affections; which also being renewed by the holy Ghost, readily follow the willing assent of the mind, both to affect Christ, to desire to be made partakers of him, to love him, and torest upon him for salvation: and also to dis-affect and to detest those things, which are repugnant to the Doctrine of the Gospel; the chief whereof is Sin.

§. III. Now that the act of the will doth concur to faith, and that faith, which is an habit of the mind, is seated as well in the will as in the understanding, is a thing testified by the Fathers, and confessed by the School-men and by the Moderne Doctors of the Roman Church. And first for the Fathers: Clemens Alexandrinus, saith, that faith it the willing assent of the soul, and so Theodoret doth define it, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 .

Ambrose, Fides non necessitatis, sed voluntatis res est. Faith is a matter of will and not of necessity: therefore the Apostle saith, not that we domineer over your faith, for dominion is cause of necessity: and again, •… to believe, or not to believe, it is an act of the Will.

Augustine Grace therefore preventeth or goeth before faith: otherwise if faith prevent it, then also the will preven •… eth it, quia fides sine volu •… late •… on potest esse, because faith cannot be without Will.

Again, what is it to believe but to consent that the thing is true which is said? consensio autemutique volentis est, and consenting undoubtedly is of him that is willing. Every man when he willeth, believeth; & cum credit, volens credit, and when he doth believe, he doth willingly believe.

Voluntate utique credimus, verily we believe with our will.

Fides in credentium voluntate consistit, faith standeth in the will of the believers.

And writing upon John. 6. 44. What say we here brethren, if we be drawn unto Christ, then we believe against our wills. No, saith he▪ A man may enter into the Church, nolens, against his will, he may come to the Altar nilling, he may receive the Sacrament, nilling, credere non potest, nisi volens, he cannot believe unless he be willing.

And lastly, in the elect the will is prepared of the Lord, that therefore belongeth to faith, qu •… in voluntate est, which is in the will.

§. IV. Bonaventure: it were not virtuovs to believe, if it were not voluntary ipsum velle credere est essentiale ipsi fidei, to believe willingly is essential to faith it self. Unto the being of the virtue of faith, with the act of reason or understanding concurreth the act of the Will.

Faith never should be a virtue, though it did enlighten the understanding never so much, if it did not also rectify the will.

Thomas Aquinas writing on Rom. 10. 10. Signanter autem dicit, cord creditor, id est, voluntate, he •… peaketh remarkeably, men believe with the hearr, that is, with the Will. For all other things which appertain to the outward worship of God, 〈◊〉 potest, a man may do them nilling: sed credere non potest nisi volens, but none can believe that is not willing: for the understanding of him that believeth is not determined to assent unto the truth by necessity of reason, as of him that hath science, but by the Will.

Again, Intellectus creed •… ntis determinatur ad unum, non per ration •… , sed per voluntatem.

Credere est actus intellectus assentientis veritati divinae ex imperio voluntatis à Deo motae per gratiam.

Credere est actus intellectus, secùndum quod movetur a voluntate ad assentiendum: procedit autem huj •… smodi actus à voluntate & ab intellectu.

Actus fidei dicitur consistere in credentium voluntate: in quantum ex imperio voluntatis▪ intellectus credibilibus assentit.

Gabriel Biel, the act of faith is to believe, which is an act of the understanding, assenting to the truth, proceeding from the command of the will, qui •… nullus credit nisi volens, because no man believeth that is not willing▪ as Saint August •… e teacheth.

§. V. Cardin all Contarenus actus fidei quam vis sit elicitus ab intellectu, est tamen imperatus à 〈◊〉 .

Salmeron Paul saith, men believe with the heart, to exclude feigning, with which many come to baptism; and to show, that faith which justifieth is commanded by the will: to note the difference of forced faith such as is in Devils, and was in those men, who believed in Christ, compelled by the miracles, but Christ did not concredit himself to them, for such a faith doth not justify. For as science is begotten by virtue of demonstrative reason: so faith is not demonstrated, but is undertaken by the virtue or power of the will captivating the understanding unto the obedience of Christ, who doth infuse it: wherefore Augustine tract. 26. in John. other things saith he a man may do against his will, but none can believe, but he that is willing.

§. VI. Thus have I proved against Bellarmine, that to believe is an act of the will, as well as of the understanding; and that the seat of faith is neither the understanding alone, nor the will alone, but the mind which comprehendeth both. Howbeit, I cannot altogether subscribe to the judgment of the School-men, and other learned men, whether Protestants or Papists, who teach, that the understanding is commanded by the will to assent unto divine truths and that it doth credere ex imperio voluntatis. For I do not conceive, how the will, which is intellectus extensus and followeth the judgment of the practike understanding, in so much that it willeth nothing, but what the understanding approveth and judgeth to be willed; how it, I say, should command the understanding. Neither doth their reason satisfy; which is this: that the understanding of man, in matters pertaining to Science, is determined to one thing by the evidence of the thing, or necessity of reason, not by the Will: but the understanding of man in matters belonging to faith, which sometimes surpass the capacity of human reason cannot be determined to any particular, either by the evidence of the thing, or by necessity of reason, both which are wanting in the objects of faith, which are things hoped for and things not seen. And therefore, say they, there can no assent be given, unless the understanding be commanded by the will to assent. But I answer, as the ground of knowing things by Science is the evidence of the thing or necessity of reason: so the ground of believing things is the authority of God speaking in his word, which is infallible, and in certainty surpasseth the grounds of Science, and by it the understanding is determined to such particulars, as it conceiveth to be revealed of God. As therefore in things of science, which the understanding doth judge to be evident, and of necessary truth, the will doth readily embrace them, following therein the judgment of the understanding: and so the mind which containeth both faculties, doth willingly, and yet necessarily, assent thereto, moved thereunto by the evidence of necessary truth: so in matters of faith, which the understanding, though it comprehends them not, yet doth judge infallibly true, moved thereto by the authority of God revealing those truths; the Will, as I conceive, being captivated by the understanding, and submitting it self to the judgment thereof; the mind doth willingly, and yet necessarily assent to such truths revealed by God, moved thereunto by the infallible authority of God speaking in his Word. Which in certainty of truth doth far surmount all grounds of science: and doth captivate the understanding; and it the Will. Why therefore the assent to divine truths which are grounded upon a most certain and in •… allible soundation, which persuadeth the understanding, should more proceed from the Will, than the assent to human sciences, I cannot conceive, or why the Will should command the understanding in them, more than in matters of science.

CAP. VI. Of the object of justifying faith.

§. I.

S O much of the subject: now we come to the object of justifying •… aith; where the question ought not to be made coneeming the object of faith at large, but of that object which is proper to faith, as it justifieth. For we do freely confess •… e, that the object of faith, is all and every truth revealed unto us by God: and that the word of God is objectum fidei adaquatum, the even object of •… aith (that is, we are bound to believe whatsoever is contained in the word; but what is not contained in the word of God, we are not to believe it as a matter of •… aith.) And that therefore by the •… ame faith by which we are justified, we believe whatsoever is contained in the written word of God, whether expressly, or by necessary consequence. So that Bellarmine might have saved a great deal of labor idly spent in proving that, which we confess, that by faith we believe the creation , and all other truths revealed in the word: yea, we profess him to have no true justifying faith, who denieth credit to anything, which he findeth revealed by God. Howbeit the Papi •… extend this object, not only to the Cano •… icall Scriptures, but also to those which we, according to all (almost) antiquity •… call Apocryphal: and not only to the written word, but also to their unwritten verities, as they call the traditions of the Church of Rome; that is, such doctrines and ordinances, as that Church doth teach and observe, having no ground nor warrant in the Scriptures. The which notwithstanding whiles they do not only match, but also prefer them before the written word, do evidently prove the Pope, who by their doctrine is above the Church, and the Church above the Scriptures, to be Antichrist. But this is another controversy whereinto I may not now make an excu •… sion. Only I desire the Reader to take notice of this mark among others of the Catholic Aposta •… ie of the Roman Church, which hath not only departed from the ancient doctrine and rule of faith, which is the Scriptures; but also have set up a new rule, the last resolution of their faith being into the infallible judgment, and irrefragable authority of the Bishop of Rome: and to this purpose let him consider these two testimonies of Saint B •… sil, it is a manifest falling away from the faith, and conviction of pride, either to reject any of those things that are written, or to bring in any of those things that are not written.

The other : 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . All that is without the Scripture inspired of God, being not of faith is sin.

§. II. But howsoever by that faith, which justifieth, we believe all and every truth revealed by God; yet the proper and formal Object of justifying faith, quat •… nus justificat, and by believing whereof it doth justify, is not every truth, but that only, which 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is called the Truth, that is Christ with all his merits, John. 14. 6. or the Doctrine of Salvation by Christ, or the Promises of the Gospel concerning justification and salvation by Christ, which often times in the Scripture is called the Truth, as John. 1. 17. & 5. 33. & 8. 31, 32. and as some think, John. 8. 44. and by Christ •… own Exposition, John. 17. 17. so John. 18. 37. Rom. 2. 8. •… all. 3. 1. & 5. 7. Eph. 4. 21. 2 Thess. 2. 10, 12. 1 Tim. 2. 4. & 4. 3. 2 Tim. 2. 18. cum 1 Tim. 1. 19. 2 Tim. 3. 8. Heb. 10. 26, 1 Pet. 1. 22. 1 John. 2. 21. 2 Job. 1. 2. Sometimes, the word of Truth, or of the truth, Eph. 1. 13. 2 Tim. 2. 15. I am. 1. 18. sometimes the truth of the Gospel, Gal. 2. 5. 14. or the word of the truth of the Gospel, Col. 1. 5. The 〈◊〉 whereof is Christ crucified, 1 Cor. 1. 23. & 2. 2. For this cause justifying faith is called oftentimes the faith of Christ, because he is the proper Object thereof, as Rom. 3. 22, 26. Gal. 2. 16. 20. & 3. 22. Phil. 3. 9. and faith in Christ, as Act. 20. 21. & 24. 24. & 26. 18. Gal. 3. 26. Faith in the blood of Christ, Rom. 3. 25. that faith which is in Christ Jesus, 2 Ti •… . 3. 15. sometimes the faith of the Gospel, Phil. 1. 27. and which is all one, the faith of the truth, 2 Thess. 2. 13. Thus therefore I reason:

That the Promise is made to belief in Christ, and in the Gospel, the Scriptures every wh •… re •… each, as John. 3. 15, 16. 18. 36. & 8. 24. & 11. 25, 26. & •… 2. 46. & 20. 31. Act. 10. 43. & 13. 38, 39. & 16, 31. & 26. 18. Rom. 10. 9, 11. &c. But not to the belief of other things is the promise made, as of the Law, or of the story of the Bible, or of predictions, excepting those stories and prophe •… ies which concern Christ. For howsoever a man cannot have a justifying faith, who denieth credit to any of those other things which he findeth to be revealed by God; yet not by believing of them, but by believing in Christ, •… he is justified.

§. III. But here it may be objected, that the faith, whereby Abraham was justified, had no relation to the promise of salvation by Christ, but to the promises of God concerning his seed. Whereunto I answer, First, that Abraham and all the rest of the faithful before Christ, believed in the promised seed, which was the Messias to come, and by that faith, as the Papists themselves confess, were justified. Secondly, the promises, which concerned his seed, were either the same with the promise of the Gospel, or it was implied in them. The main promise was, that in Abraham, that is, in his seed, all Nations, that is, the faithful in all Nations, should be blessed. For Abraham did not conceive, that in himself all Nations should be blessed, as if himself should be the foundation of Happiness unto All, but in his seed. And so the Lord himself explaneth in Gen. 22. 18. and in thy seed, that is, in Christ, all the nations of the Earth shall be blessed. And so Zechariah Luk. 1. 68. 69, 73. and Peter, Act. 3. 25. This promise made to Abraham is the very same with the promise of the Gospel. For, as the Apostle saith, the Scripture foreseeing, that God would justify the Heathen through faith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 preached, before, the Gospel to Abraham, saying, in thee (that is, in thy seed) shall all nations be blessed. Which promise, as it had been formerly made to our first parents concerning the promised seed, so was it after renewed to Isaac, Gen. 26. 4. and to Jacob, Gen. 28. 14. and, in effect, to David , whose son according to the flesh Messias was to be: who is therefore called the son of David, and the branch of David. In this promised seed Abraham and all other the faithful believed, and by believing in Him were justified.

§. IV. The other promises concerning his seed are two. The former, concerning the multiplication of his seed; that he should be Father of a multitude of Nations, namely in Christ; and that he would be a God to him and his seed, he doth not say to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed, which is Christ, Gal. 3. 16. that is Christ mystical, 1 Cor. 12. 12. containing the multitude of the faithful in all Nations, both Jews and Gentiles. This promise therefore implieth the former, that in Christ the promised seed Abraham himself and his seed, that is, the faithful of all nations, should be blessed, and in confirmation of this promise he was called Abraham, because he was to be a Father of many nations, that is, of the faithful of all nations, for none but they are accounted Abraham's seed, Rom. 9. 7, 8. Gal. 3. 7. 29. and for the same cause he received the Sacrament of Circumcision, as a seal of that righteousness which is by faith, Rom. 4. 11. And that in this promise of the multiplication of his seed, the promise of the Gospel was included, appeareth, because his faith in this promise was imputed to him for righteousness, not for the the approbation or justifying of that act; as it happened in the zealous act of Phineas, Psal. 106. 30. but for the justification of his person, which could not be justified, but by faith in Christ. Which the Papists themselves cannot deny. The chief thing which Abraham apprehended in the promise concerning his seed was, that although he were an hundred year old, and Sarah past child-bearing, yet he should have seed by her, and in that seed himself, and all the faithful of all Nations should be blessed.

§. V. The latter is, that they should possess the land of promise, by which, as by a type, was signified the heavenly Canaan; under which, to all the faithful was promised the Kingdom of heaven, which was the Country, which they, professing themselves Pilgrimes, did seek, Heb. 11. 13, 14, 15, 16. and into which eternal rest Jesus was to bring them who bele •… ve; even as Joshua the type of Christ, who also is called Jesus, brought the Israelites, after their peregrinations, into that land of rest. So that in the latter Promises concerning his seed, and the land of promise, the former was implied concerning the promised seed and blessedness by him, as the principal object of Abraham's faith, for which chiefly he did so much affect and desire seed. Insomuch that when the Lord had promised him to be his buckler and his exceeding great reward, Abraham replied, Lord God what wilt thou give me seeing I go childless. As Abraham therefore who rejoiced to see our Savior Christ's day; and as he, and the rest of the faithful having not received the promises concerning the promised seed; but having seen them a far off, were persuaded of them, that is, believed them, and embraced them, were justified by faith in Christ, the promised seed; so are we, and by nothing else.

And further, we are to note, that before those words recorded, Gen. 15. 6. Abraham had by faith embraced the main promise of the Gospel, Gen. 12. 3. in thee, that is, in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed: and by that faith was justified, by which also he obeyed God, leaving his own country, and, by the same faith, sojourning in the land of promise as a Pilgrim, sought a better country, that is, an heavenly. Therefore as S. James saith, when Abraham in his great trial had approved himself to be a faithful man; that then the Scripture was fulfilled, which saith▪ Abraham believed God, and it was imputed to him for righteousness: Not that then Abraham first believed, but that then by that notable fruit of faith, he approved the truth of his faith, and manifested the truth of that oracle, which then by good proof was verified of him: So, by the like reason, may that place, Gen. 15. 6. be understood, that Abraham believed in the Lord, and it was counted to him for righteousness. Not, that then Abraham, either first believed, or was then first justified, for he had believed the grand promise of the Gospel before, and by it was justified; and before this time had brought forth excellent fruits of faith, Gen. Chap. 12, 13, 14. but that by this new act of believing the Promises renewed (which the Apostle amplifieth Rom. 4. 18.) the truth of his faith was manifested. And thus Bellarmine himself expoundeth those words, Gen. 15. 6. affirming, that as S. James applieth them to that act, •… en. 22. so they may be applied to all notable acts of the faith of Abraham.

Again, justification or imputation of righteousness is actus contin •… us, which is not to be restrained to the instant of our first conversion and justification, but continued to them that believe. And therefore, so long as they have faith, God imputeth righteousness unto them.

§. VI. But for the better clearing of this point, we are to take notice, that Christ and his benefits, or the doctrine of salvation by Christ are the proper object of justifying faith, in two respects, both as it justifi •… th befo •… e God and as in the Court of our own Conscience. Before God, when by a lively and effectual assent or belief, as hath been said we receive and embrace Christ our Savior with all his merits, or, which is all one, the promises of the Gospel concerning justification and salvation by him. Such was the faith of Saint Peter, Math. 16. 16. and of the rest of the Apostles, John. 6. 69. Of Nathaniel, John. 1. 49. Of Martha, John. 11. 27. Of the Samaritans, John. 4. 42. Of the Eunuch Act. 8. 37. With which whosoever are endued, are borne of God, 1 John. 5. 1. they dwell in God, and God in them. 1 John. 4. 14. 15. they overcome the world, 1 John. 5. 5. and unto them blessedness, Mat. 16. 17. John. 20. 29. justification, Rom. 10. 9. 10. and salvation is promised, John. 20. 31. Act. 16. 31. In the Court of our own Conscience it doth justify, when we finding, that we have the former degree, which is the condition of the promise, do soundly apply the promise to ourselves. For he who knoweth, that he hath the condition; not only may, but must apply the promise of the Gospel to himself, otherwise he maketh God a liar, 1 John. 5. 10. This application, as hath been •… aid is made by a practical syllogism, the proposition whereof or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is this: whosoever doth truly believe in Christ he shall be saved: the assumption or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but I, saith the faithful man, do believe in Christ: the conclusion or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : therefore I shall be saved. This conclusion is the voice of special faith. Such was the fa •… th of Job chap. 19. 25. Of David, Psal. 103, 3. Of Thomas, John. 20. 28. Of Saint Paul, Gal. 2. 20. and of all the faithful in the Scriptures: who in many places have applied, and, as it were, appropriated to themselves the mercies of God in Christ. And such is and ought to be the faith of all that truly believe. For the general always includeth the particular. If therefore thou doest truly believe, that Jesus is the Savior of all that truly believe in him, thou art then bound to believe that he is thy Savior. Of this point, I have treated elsewhere, and have answered the objections, so many as I thought worth the answering.

§. VII. Now I come to Bellarmine's dispute concerning the object of faith, wherein he endeavoreth to prove and to maintain three things: First, that the object of faith is not God's special favor in Christ, but whatsoever God hath reve •… led. Secondly, that men may be justified without special faith. Thirdly, that men are not justified by special faith. As touching the first, we do freely confess, that by the justifying faith we do believe, whatsoever we understand to be revealed by God. And further we profess, that by the virtue of justifying faith all articles of Christian Religion become, after a sort, the objects of special faith. For as he who hath the Philosophers stone is said by virtue thereof to turn other metals into Gold: so it may more truly be said of him who is endued with that faith, whereby we are justified before God, that he may and ought to make all the Articles of the catholic or dogmatical faith, the precious objects of special faith by applying them to his own good and comfort, which being a matter of singular use and comfort, I will a little insist upon it. Doest thou then believe by a true and a lively assent, as hath been said, that Jesus the Son of the Blessed Virgin is the erernall Son of God, and the Savior of all those that truly believe in him? Thou art then bound to believe, that he is thy Savior. Doest thou believe that Christ is thy Savior? then must thou believe that God the Father is thy gracious and merciful Father in Christ: that he is all sufficient to bestow upon thee all good things; that he is omnipotent to protect and defend thee from all evil riding upon the heavens for thy help; and so of the other attributes; that he is eternal to Crown thee with everlasting happiness, that he is immutable in his love towards thee; that he is omniscient and therefore knoweth thy wants; omnipresent, that thou mayest pour thy requests into his bosom; true and faithful to perform all his promises to thee; just, to forgive thee thy sins, when thou doest confess them, and to justify thee, seeing Christ hath satisfied his justice for thee; good gracious and merciful unto thee; that he hath loved thee in Christ with an everlasting love, and in him hath adopted thee to be his Son; and if a Son, then also an Heir of God, and coheire with Christ: that he hath created thee for his own glory, whereunto he hath subordinated thy salvation; that he watcheth over thee by his fatherly providence for thy good, causing all things, whether good or bad, to cooperate for thy good; that he will bestow upon thee all good things, as shall be expedient for thee: that the corrections, which befall thee, are fatherly chastisements proceeding from his love; that out of very faithfulness he hath caused thee to be afflicted; that he trieth and proveth thee to do thee good in the end that Christ our Savior in whom thou doest believe, is both God and man: Man, that he might both obey and suffer for thee: God, that his obedience and sufferings might be most perfectly and allsufficiently satisfactory and meritorious for thee that he was conceived and sanctified by the holy Ghost, that he might sanctify thee, that he was incarnate 〈◊〉 redeem thee, that he suffered for thee that thou mightest be freed from all punishment properly so called; that he was crucified for thee, that he might deliver thee from the Curse, that he died for thy sins, and was buried that thy sins might be buried in oblivion, that he descended into hell to overcome death and the gates of hell for thee; that he arose again for thy justification, that he ascended into heaven to prepare an eternal mansion •… or thee, that he sitteth at the right hand of his Pather, both as a Priest to make in •… ercession for thee, and as a King to su •… due all the enemies of thy salvation, and by his power through faith to keep thee safe unto eternal life, that he will come again unto judgment for thy full redemption, to marry thee unto himself, and put thee into the possession of that Kingdom which he hath purchased for thee. Thou art also to believe in the Holy Ghost, as thy Comforter and Sanctifier: thou art to believe that of the Vniverfall Church, which is the company of all the Elect; thou art a member elected of God in Christ, that thou hast a share in the Communion of Saints, that by Christ thou hast remission of sins, that as when thou diest, thou diest in the Lord, so in him thou shalt arise again to glory, and be made partaker of Eternal life.

§. VIII. Whereas therefore this question is usually made, whether every man be bound to believe that he is elected, that he hath remissiō of sins, and that he shall be saved, and so all the particulars before mentioned, that God the Father is his Father, &c. I answer, that not every man is bound so to believe, for then the greater part of men should be bound to believe untruths. But this I say, that every man is bound upon pain of damnation to believe in Christ according to the first degree of faith (for he that believeth not shall be condemned) that is, by a true and lively belief or assent to believe, that Jesus is the Savior of all that truly believe in him; and having this faith, thou art bound to believe, that he is thy Savior, that he died for thy sins, and rose again for thy justification, &c. that in Christ thou art elected, that by him thou hast remission of sins, and that through him thou shalt be saved. But until thou hast that faith (which is the condition of the promise) thou mayest not apply, and by application believe any of these things, unless thou wilt beguile thyself. And thus much may suffice for the first point.

§. IX. For the second: where Bellarmine proveth that a man may be justified without special faith; it is true in respect of our justification before God. But they which hold that we cannot be justified without special faith, speak of justification in the Court of Conscience; which none can attain unto, unless first they apply the promises of the Gospel to themselves. Which to do, the Papists hold to be carnal presumption. Thou mayest profess thyself to believe that Christ is the Savior of the world; but if thou be a Papist, thou mayest not believe that he is thy Savior, that is to say, that thou shalt be saved by him. Thou mayest say, he is thy Savior, as the Papists held him to be Savior of all, as well of those that shall perish, as of them that shall be saved: but if thou shalt not be saved by him, then is he not indeed and in truth thy Savior. Thou mayest have a kind of hope, that thou shalt be saved, but thou mayst not believe it. But that hope will prove a slope, which is not grounded upon faith. Faith being the foundation of hope, and the substance of things hoped for. Neither canst thou truly hope for the performance of a promise to thee, unless first by faith thou art persuaded, that it doth belong to thee. Thou mayest, nay thou must be persuaded that it belongeth to thee, if thou hast the condition of the promise, which is to believe in Christ: for in respect of them that have that condition, the promises of the Gospel are universally to be understood, and as excluding none that believe. Doft thou therefore truly believe in Christ, by a true and a lively assent receiving and embracing him as the Savior? Then mayest thou apply the promises of the Gospel to thyself, and by application attain to some assurance of thy justification and salvation. Yea but, saith the Papist, a man cannot be assured by the certainty of faith that he shall be saved, for many who have thought themselves sure, have been deceived. But fidei falsum subesse non potest. I answer, that as there is a knowledge of principles in themselves manifest, and of conclusions, which are made manifest by discourse, though not absolutely true as principles, but with presupposall of the premisses, they are so true, that it is impossible the conclusion should be false, where the premisses are true: so there is a faith of principles contained in God's Word, which is the dogmatical or catholic faith, which are absolutely true; and there is a faith of conclusions, by necessary consequence deducted from those principles, by application of the general to the particular: which though they be not absolutely true▪ yet they are necessarily true; neither can they possibly be false, the premisses being true, and of such conclusions is the special faith. And so much of the second.

§. X. Now for the third, where Bellarmine disputeth, that we are not justified by special faith, it is true in respect of justification before God: but it is false in respect of justification in the Court of Conscience, without which no man can boldly say that he is justified before God. Of which justification in the Court of •… onscience, they must be understood to speak, who unto justification •… equire special faith▪ by which they are not properly justified and before God▪ but assured thereof in their own Conscience. And no doubt but this is a thing most worthy to be urged and beat upon: as being that thing which above all other things in this world is to be desired and labored for according to the •… xhortation of the Apostle Peter Give diligence to make your calling and election sure▪ But this special faith the Papists above all things derid •… and detes •… ▪ •… thereby discovering themselves to be▪ as I have elsewhere shown, void of all truth and power of Religion. It being, as I have said and proved, a thing most profitable, most comfortable, most necessary: without which no Christian can have any true p •… ce or sound comfor •… , or oug •… to have contentment in his present estate, until •… e have •… tained unto it in some measure. And when he 〈◊〉 attained to some measure, he must endeavor more and mo •… e to increase it. But hereof I have treated in another place , where •… unto I refer the Christian Reader.

CAP. VII. Of the acts or effects of faith: and first, whether faith doth justify, or only dispose to justification. Secondly, whether it doth justify formally.

§. I.

T He next controversy is concerning that act or effect of justifying faith, in respect whereof it is called justifying faith. Of this there are three Questions, the first, whether Faith doth indeed justify, or only dispose a man to justification. Secondly, whether it justify formally, as part of inherent righteousness; or instrumentally, as the hand to receive Christ, who is our righteous •… esse. Thirdly, whether it justify alone. The assertions of the Papists in the two former questions do not seem to •… ang well together. For if faith go before justification disposing a man thereto, how doth it justify formally, as part of that righteousness whereby a man is, as they speak, formally just. And if no dispositions b •… e required to justification, to what purpose do they tell us, that a man must be disposed and prepared by faith and other virtues. For howsoever in their speculations they require preparative dispositions to justification; yet in their practice they seem to require 〈◊〉 . For their justification which is in fact and in deed, is restrained to their Sacraments, as, namely, to Bap •… . And their Sacraments justify ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , and therefore without necessity of any foregoing dispositions. For if any virtuous or good disposition were required, then should their Sacraments justify, not ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 , but ex 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 . Only they require, that he who is by the Sacrament to be justified, do not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 •… lis 〈◊〉 , that is, interpose the obstacls of some mortal sin. And what be these dispositions which must go before justification?

§. II. Forsooth, there are seven, which according to the decree of the Council of Trent, Bellarmine reckoneth, De justif. lib. 1. ca. 13. to prove, that faith doth not justify alone, because the other six also do dispose men thereunto. The seven are, faith, fear, hope, love, penitency, a purpose and desire to receive the Sacrament, a purpose of amendment of life. All which do but prepare and dispose a man. But it is the Sacrament, as, namely, of Baptism , that doth actually justify, and without which no man is justified. But I would gladly know, whether these seven preparatives, be fruits of grace, or works of nature. Not of grace, for, as they teach, no man hath grace before Justification: What then? they are the fruits of nature holpen, I wot not, by what grace: which if it were true would not only prove the main assertion of the Pelagians, Gratiam secundùm merita dari, or as in other words it is expressed in the Council of Trent, Secundùm propriam cajusque dispositionem & operationem. For though, according to their doctrine, these preparations are not merits of condignity, as they say, yet they be of congruity: but also disprove the doctrine of the Apostle, that we are justified freely by his grace. But this seemeth to me absurd, that men should have one justifying faith, and so one hope and one love, &c. going before justification, and another infused in our justification: and that by the one justifying faith going before, we should be prepared to justification; and by the other infused in our justification we should in part be formally justified. But this is certain, that, that faith, which in order of time goeth before justification, is no true justifying faith. For that which goeth before justification, goeth also before regeneration, and what goeth before regeneration, is of nature and not of Grace. But faith in order of time goeth not before justification, though in order of nature it doth; for so soon as a man believeth he is justified, as Jerome saith , Talis est ill qui in Christum credidit, die qua credidit, qualis ill qui universam legem implevit. Such a one is he that believeth in Christ, the very day that he believeth, as he that hath fulfilled the whole Law; nor in order of nature before regeneration; for in our regeneration it is wrought. As therefore no man hath faith who is not regenerated, so no man hath faith who is not thereby justified. The Scripture is plain, that in Christ whosoever believeth 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 is justified, Act. 13. 39. He that believeth in Christ is passed from death to life, John. 5. 24. & 6. 54. which passage from death to life is justification; whereby, as themselves teach, a man is translated from the state of death and damnation, into a state of Grace and Salvation. Faith therefore actually justifieth, and not disposeth only to justification.

§. III. The other question is, whether faith doth justify formally, as they speak, as being a part of inherent righteousness; or instrumentally only, as the hand to receive Christ, who is our righteousness. The Roman Catholics hold •… he former; the true Catholics, the latter. But the former I have sufficiently disproved before, and proved the latter. For if we be not justified by any grace or righteousness inherent in ourselves, or performed by ourselves, which I have before by many undeniable arguments demonstrated: then it followeth necessarily, that we are not justified by faith, as it is a gift or grace, an act, or habit, or quality inherent in us, or performed by us. And if we be justified by the righteousness of Christ only, which being out of us in him is imputed to those who receive it by faith, which also before I invincibly proved: then also it followeth by necessary consequence, that we are justified by faith, only as it is the instrument or hand to apprehend or receive Christ, who is our righteousness. Wherefore where faith is said to justify, or to be imputed to righteousness, it must of necessity be understood relatively, and in respect of the object, to which purpose, both justification, and all other benefits, which we receive by Christ, are attributed to faith, as I have shown before. Not that faith it self worketh these things, but because by it we receive Christ, and with him all his merits and benefits. And for the same cause the faith of all the faithful, though unequal in degrees, in some greater, in some less, is 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 a-like precious in the righteousness of God, and our Savior Jesus Christ, 2 Pet. 1. 1. which is an evidence, that faith doth not justify in respect of its own dignity or worthiness, but in respect of the object, which it doth receive; which being the most perfect righteousness of Christ, unto which nothing can be added, is one and the same to all that receive it. Of this see more, lib. 1. cap. 2. §. 10.

§. IV. Here now the Papists, because we deny faith to justify in respect of its own worthiness and merit, take occasion to inveigh against us, as if we made it Titulum sine re, and as it were a matter of nothing. Which is a malicious, and yet but a frivolous cavil. For first in respect of justification; we acknowledge it to be the only instrument or hand to receive Christ, to be the condition of the Covenant of Grace, to which the Promises of remission of sins and of Salvation are made, without which the promises of the Gospel do not appertain unto us, and without which our blessed Savior doth not save us. Secondly, in respect of Sanctification, we attribute all that and more, which the Papists ascribe unto it in respect of their imaginary justification. That it is the beginning, the foundation, and root of all inherent righteousness; the mother of all other sanctifying Graces, which purifieth the heart, and worketh by love, without which it is impossible to please God, without which, whatsoever is done, is sin.

§. V. But howsoever here the Papists would seem to plead for faith, yet the truth is, that, as they have abolished the benefit of justification, as it is taught in the holy Scriptures, so with it, they have taken away the justifying faith. For though they retain the name, yet in their doctrine there is no such thing. For first, to faith they do not ascribe the power to justify, but only to be a disposition, one among seven, even such a one as servile fear is, of a man unto inherent righteousness, or to the grace of Sanctification, it self being not as yet a justifying or sanctifying grace. Secondly, that faith, being infused, becometh the beginning, and a part of formal inherent righteousness. But so small a part they assign unto it, that they say, that the habit of formal righteousness differeth not from the habit of charity: so that in justification it hath no use at all, and in sanctification charity is all in all: which is a manifest evidence, that the Church of Rome is fallen away from the ancient doctrine of the faith. For both Scriptures and Fathers everywhere ascribe justification to faith, and not to Charity: to faith, and not to works: but the Papists ascribe the first justification to charity, which they make to be the only formal cause of justification, which, as themselves teach, is but one; and the second justification they assign to works.

CHAP. VIII. Whether we be justified by Faith alone: The state of the Controversy, and some reasons on our part.

§. I.

N Ow I come to the third question, which is the principal concerning faith, whether we be justified by faith alone, as we with all antiquity do hold: or not by faith alone, but also by other habits of grace, as charity, and the rest, and by the works of grace, which the Papists hold to concur in us to the act of justification, as the causes thereof. Where first, we are to explain our assertion; and afterwards, both to prove, and to maintain it. And great reason there is, that we should explain it, because the Papists most wickedly, against their own knowledge, calumniate our doctrine in this point. I will therefore explain all the three terms, Fides, justificat, sola, Faith, doth justify, alone: for by Faith we do not understand, as I have shown before, neither the profession of faith, or faith only professed, which S. James doth deny to justify: nor that faith which is a bare assent, which is the faith of Papists, and is common to them with the Devils, and with other hypocrites and wicked men; for such a faith we deny to justify, either alone, or at all: but a true, lively, and effectual belief in Christ, being a special apprehension or receiving and embracing of Christ, and of the promises of the Gospel, joined with application, or at least with a true desire, will and endeavor thereof. The which faith also we deny to be true, if in some measure, it do not purify the heart, if it do not work by love, if it cannot be demonstrated by good works.

§. II. Now for the word justify: shall I need to tell you, that by justifying we do not mean sanctifying? And yet such is the blinded malice of the papists, as that because they wickedly confound justification and sanctification, which we carefully, according to the Scriptures, distinguish: they bear the world in hand, that our assertion is this in effect, that faith alone doth sanctify, and that nothing concurreth to sanctification, but faith only: and consequently, that we teach the people, so they can persuade themselves, that they have faith, they need not take care either for other graces or for a godly life. But howsoever we hold, that faith doth justify alone, yet we do not hold that it doth sanctify alone: but that our sanctification is partly habitual, unto which, with faith, concur the habits of other sanctifying graces, as hope, charity, &c. and partly actual, which is our new obedience in the practice of good works.

§. III. But the word sela alone doth most displease the Papists, who will needs part stakes with Christ in their justification. This therefore is to be explained. And first, when we say, that faith alone doth justify, we do not mean fidem solitariam that faith which is alone, neither do we in construction join sola with fides the subject, but with justificat the predicate: meaning, that true faith, though it be not alone, yet it doth justify alone. Even as the eye, though in respect of being, it is not alone, or if it be, it is not a true and a living, but a dead eye which seeth neither alone nor at all: yet in respect of seeing, unto which no other member doth concur with it, it being the only instrument of that faculty, it is truly said to see alone: so faith, though in respect of the being thereof it is not alone, or if it be, it is not a true and lively but a counterfeit and dead faith: yet in respect of justifying, unto which act no other grace doth concur with it, it being the only instrument of apprehending and receiving Christ, it is truly said to justify alone: wherefore as the brazen Serpent, which was a figure of Christ, was life up and set on high in the wilderness, that whosoever was bitten by the fiery serpents, might, by looking only upon it, be cured. And although their eye could not properly be said to cure them; yet because it was the only instrument to apprehend that object, which God had ordained, as the only remedy to salve them; it is truly said, that by only looking upon that object they were cured. Even so our Savior Christ was lifted up upon the Cross (it is his own similitude, John. 3. 14, 15.) that whosoever being stung by the old serpent doth but look upon him with the eye of faith ( John. 6. 40.) may be justified and saved, for although this eye of the of the soul, which is faith, cannot be said properly to justify them who are sinners: yet because it is •… he only instrument to apprehend that object, which God hath ordained as the only remedy and propitiation for our sin, it is truly said, that by believing only in Christ we are Justified.

§. IV, Secondly, whereas faith it self doth not justify properly, but the object which it doth apprehend, which is Christ and his righteousness, our meaning therefore when we say that faith alone doth justify, can be no other but this, that the righteousness of Christ alone, which is only apprehended by faith, doth justify us. And forasmuch as this is a necessary disjunction, that we are justified either by that righteousness which is inherent in ourselves, or by that which is out of us in Christ (for by some righteousness we are justified, and a third cannot be named:) it followeth therefore necessarily, that if we be not justified by inherent righteousness, then by Christ's righteousness alone: because a third righteousness, by which we should be justified, cannot be named.

§. V. Thirdly, where we say, that Christ's righteousness alone, which is apprehended by faith alone, doth justify, we do not mean absolutely that nothing else doth justify, but nothing in that kind viz. that the righteousness of Christ is the only matter of our justification; and faith the only instrument on our part, by which we are justified. For otherwise, as hath before been shown, we confess that many things else do justify, viz. God, as the Author and principal efficient of our justification, who imputethunto us the righteousness of his Son. The holy Ghost also doth justify us by working in us the grace of faith hy which he applieth Christ's righteousness unto us. The Ministers also do justify, as the instruments of the holy Ghost, both by the ministry of the Gospel, by which faith is begotten in us, and of the Sacraments, whereby the promises of the Gospel are sealed unto us. And lastly, good works do justify, as the signs and evidences, whereby our faith and justification is manifested. But as the matter, nothing doth justify but Christ's righteousness, and as the instrument on our part nothing but faith. And in this sense we do constantly affirm, that by Christ's righteousness alone, apprehended by faith alone, we are justified.

§. VI. For the demonstration of our assertion, I shall not need to bring many new proofs, seeing that all those arguments, which before I have produced, but especially those which concern the matter and form of justification do invincibly prove that we are justified by the righteousness of Christ alone, being apprehended by faith alone, and imputed to them that believe. For if we be justified by the imputed righteousness of Christ alone, and if in us there be nothing which receiveth or maketh us partakers of Christ's righteousness, but faith only: then there is nothing in us, by which we are justified, but only faith. But because the Papists object heresy and novelty against us in this point; I will, besides some few places of Scripture, and some other reasons, briefly propounded, produce the testimonies of the Fathers, and others, who have in all ages lived in the Church before these times.

§. VII. First, therefore, Rom. 3. 24. the word gratis freely, being an exclusive particle, doth import, that we are justified by the grace of God and merits of Christ through faith without righteousness in us; and therefore by faith alone.

Secondly, Gal. 2. 16. We know that by the works of the Law (that is, the righteousness and obedience prescribed in the Law, in which all inherent righteousness is fully and perfectly described) a man is not justified 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 no otherwise but by faith, non nisi per fidem, as Bishop Justinian, or by faith only, as Henry Steven, who well understood the Greek, translateth it, sed tantùm per fidem.

Thirdly, Rom. 4. 5. the exclusive is implied. To him that worketh nor, but hath believed, that is, hath only believed in him who justifieth sinners, his faith is imputed unto righteousness, and so the Syriac Paraphrast readeth; but hath only believed.

Fourthly. Mar. 5. 36. Luk. 8. 50. Only believe.

To this Bellarmine answereth, That Christ speaketh of the miraculous raising of a dead body, and not of the justification of a sinner, for, as for the obtaining of a miraculous cure, he confesseth, that faith doth suffice alone. Thus Bellarmine in that place, to serve his present tume. But in the seventeenth Chapter of the same book, where he would prove, that faith doth justify, not relatively in respect of the Object, but by its own efficacy: he allegeth, that the woman of Canaan procured her daughters health by the efficacy of her faith; and rejecteth his own answer in the other place. Neither may it be answered, saith he, that it is one thing to speak of justification, and another of the curing of a bodily disease. For our Lord by the very same words attributeth Vtramque sanitatem, the health both of the body and the soul to faith. For as he said to the woman who was a sinner, Luk. 7. 50. thy faith hath saved thee: so to the woman which had the bloody issue, Mat. 9. 22. thy faith hath saved thee: and to the blind man whom he restored to sight, Mar. 10. 52. thy faith hath saved thee. And further it is to be thought that our Savior, when he telleth them, whom he cured, that their faith had saved them, that is, himself through faith had saved them, looked higher than to the cure of their bodies, as Mat. 9. 2. son, be of good cheer thy sins are forgiven thee: for sin being the cause of their maladies, the Lord to cure them took away the cause thereof, which was the guilt of sin.

§. VIII. All those places, which exclude works from justification, do by necessary consequence teach justification by faith alone. For, that we are justified by some righteousness, is confessed of all. This righteousness, is either the righteousness of faith, or of works; that is, either the righteousness of Christ apprehended by faith; and that is the righteousness of God, which without the Law is revealed in the Gospel; or that righteousness, which is inherent in ourselves, prescribed in the Law. For neither can a third righteousness be named, by which we should be justified, neither can we be justified by both; the holy Ghost perpetually making such an opposition between them, as that they cannot stand together. If therefore we be not justified by the righteousness of works prescribed in the Law, as all inherent righteousness is; then we are justified by the righteousness of faith alone. Or thus: The righteousness, whereby we are justified, is either inherent in ourselves, and performed by ourselves, which the Scriptures call the righteousness of works; or that, which being out of us, is inherent in Christ, and by him performed for us, which is the righteousness of faith. A third cannot be named, and by both we cannot be justified. If therefore we be not justified by the former, which I have sufficiently, or rather abundantly proved heretofore: then are we justified by the latter alone. For if of two and no more but two, you take away one, you leave the other alone. So is it in all dis-junctions consisting of two opposites sine medio. The one being removed, the other only remaineth.

§. IX. That, by which alone the promise of justification, by which alone justification, by which alone Christ himself who is our righteousness is received, that alone justifieth. By faith alone the promise, by it alone justification, by it alone Christ himself is received. For that is the proper office of faith. For if faith receive the Promise, and justification, and Christ himself, which no other grace in us can do, then it is the proper office of faith. But faith receiveth the promise wherein justification is offered, Gal. 3. 22. it receiveth remission of sins or justification, Act. 10. 43. & 26. 18. & 13. 39. it receiveth Christ himself John. 1. 12. which no other grace can do, as it is evident: therefore faith alone doth justify.

§. X. That which is the only condition of the Covenant of Grace, by that alone we are justified, because to that alone justification is promised.

Faith is the only condition of the Covenant of grace, which is therefore called lex fidei: therefore by faith alone we are justified.

If against the assumption it be objected, that charity, and obedience, and other virtues are also required: I answer, that these are not the conditions of the Covenant, but the things by Covenant promised to them that believe. If we believe, God hath promised to justify us; and being justified, or redeemed, to sanctify and to save us. See Luk. 1. 73, 74, 75. Ier. 31. 33, 34. Heb. 8. 10, 11, 12. Gal. 3. 9. & 14. 22. Charity, obedience, &c. are the conditions of the Covenant of works, Do this, and thou shalt live: but the condition of the Covenant of grace is, Believe, and thou shalt be enabled to walk in the obedience of the law, thou shalt receive the gift of the Spirit, and finally, thou shalt be saved. For being by faith freed from sin, and become Servants to God, you have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life, Rom. 6. 22.

§. XI. The holy Scriptures wheresoever they speak of that by which we are justified, mention nothing in us, but faith; not works, nor other graces, unless it be to exclude them from the act of justification. Which is a plain evidence that faith doth justify alone. Bellarmine answereth, that it doth not follow, that because faith only is mentioned, therefore it justifieth alone. For sometimes, other things, as not only other virtues, but the Sacraments also are mentioned, which notwithstanding do not justify alone. Whereunto I answer, first, that, in the point of justification, faith is mentioned alone, and no other grace with it, even where the holy Ghost treateth ex professo of justification, and of the causes thereof. Secondly, that to no other grace mentioned, either alone, or with others, is justification anywhere ascribed. Neither are the Papists able to produce any testimony out of the holy Scriptures to prove it. As for those which Bellarmine allegeth out of Tit. 3. 5. Ephes. 5. 26. they are not to the purpose, as speaking of the outward means; which we deny not to concur with faith. That out of Luk. 7. 47. hath already been cleared, that love there noteth not the cause, but the sign of forgiveness. That out of Rom. 8. 24. showeth that in this life we are not saved re, but spe, not in fruition, but in expectation. Which hope or expectation as it is termed, verse. 23. is no cause, either of justification, or of salvation. Thirdly, that the justification attributed to Sacraments doth not hinder justification by faith alone. For when we say, that faith doth justify alone, we mean, that nothing in us doth concur to the act of justification, as any cause thereof; but faith only, as hath been shown. As for the Sacraments, we acknowledge them to be external means, and as it were manus offerentis, as faith is manus recipientis. And that the Sacraments be so far srom hindering justification by faith alone, as that they do confirm it, as being the seal •… s of that righteousness which is by faith.

CHAP. IX. Testimonies of the Ancient Fathers, and of others in all ages, for justification by faith alone.

§. I.

N Ow that this Doctrine is no novelty, but that which in all ages hath been the received Doctrine of the Christian Churches, I will prove by the Testimony of the Christian Writers in all ages, but chiefly of the ancient Fathers.

I. Justin Martyr, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . To see God, it is granted men, by faith alone. And by what alone we see God, by that alone we are justified. Again, what other thing could cover our sins, but his righteousness? In whom could we being sinners and impious be justified, but in the only Son of God. By the righteousness therefore of Christ only, which is received and put on by faith only, are our sins covered. In Christ alone those, that are sinners in themselves, are justified; therefore not by righteousness inherent, but only by the righteousness of faith.

II. Irenaeus, whom I find cited and approved by Augustine, Men can no otherwise be saved from the stroke of the old serpent, but by believing in Christ: Even as the Israelites, who were bitten by the fiery serpents, could no otherwise be healed, but by looking on the brazen serpent.

III. Clemens Alex. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . Faith alone is the Catholic salvation of mankind. Again, the power of God alone without demonstrations is able to save 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by faith alone.

IV. Origen more plainly: The Apostle saith that the justification which is by faith alone, is sufficient: so that a man believing only, is justified, and instanceth in the examples of the penitent thief, Luk. 23. and of the penitent woman, Luk. 7. both which were justified by faith alone. And in that place, as hath been observed by others, Origen useth the exclusive particle sola seven times. Bellarmine answereth, that Origen only excludeth external works, when power and occasion is wanting, as in the thief upon the cross. Repl. But it evident, that as S. Paul, so also Origen speaketh of works in general, and that in the penitent these, and in that penitent woman good works were not wanting. For the thee •… e repro •… eth his fellow, confesseth his sin, acknowledgeth Christ's innocence, professeth Christ in his most despicable e •… ate, when his own Disciples •… ed, prayeth unto Christ to remember him, when he should come to his Kingdom. The woman brought an Alabaster box of ointment, stood behind Christ weeping, washed his fee •… with her tears, wiped them with the hairs of her head, kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment; by which actions she t •… tified her faith in Christ, her repentance for her •… inns, her love to her Savior, acknowledged by Christ himself to have been great. Yet not by these good works, but only by their faith, were those two persons justified. And no marvel. For even Abraham himself, though he abounded with good works, yet he was not justified by them, but by faith only. Yea, but saith Bellarmine, Origen doth not exclude love and repen •… nce. Repl. No m •… re do we from the subject, that is, the party justified, but from the act of justification. For, although they do not concur with faith to the act of justification, as any cause thereof: yet they must eoncurre in the subject, that is, the party justified, as necessary fruits of faith, and inseparable companions of justification.

V. Cyprian: Fidem tantùm prodesse, or, as Pamelius will have it, i •… 〈◊〉 , faith only or wh •… lly profitet •… .

VI. Eusebius Casariensis. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , wherefore that faith doth suffice us to salvation which maketh us to know God the Father Almighty, and to subscribe or assent that his only begotten Son is the Savior.

VII. Hilari •… : it 〈◊〉 the Scribes, that sin should be forgiven by a man (for they saw no more in Christ but a man) and that to be remitted by him, which the law could not release: for faith only justifieth. And again, Q •… ia 〈◊〉 sola justificat: and yet again, Hac sola fides confess •… Christum Dei filium omnium beatitudin •… m gl •… riam mer •… it in Petr •… . This faith alone confessed, that Christ is the Son of God, obtained in Peter the glory of all blessedness. To the first B •… llarmine answereth, that the particle ( alone ) excludeth only the law, which 〈◊〉 hath no place in the other two. But if the law be excluded, which i •… the rule of all inherent righteousness, it proveth justification only by faith. For if men be justified either by the legal righteousness, or by th •… Evangelical, and a third cannot be named; then it followeth, that if men have not, nor can have remission of sins and justification by the law, that is by inherent righteousness, which is prescribed in the law; th •… n they must have it according to the Gospel, that is by the righteousness of Christ received by faith only: but the former is true, Act. 13. 38, 39. therefore the latter.

VIII. S. •… asill: This is perfect and entire glorying in God, when a m •… n being not lifted up for his own •… righteousness, knoweth indeed himself to want true justice, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but to be justified by faith alon •… in Christ. 〈◊〉 answereth, that Basil excludeth only works done without faith, or the grace▪ of God. Reply. But Basel mentioneth not works going before Grace, but speaketh of a man already justified, who then doth entirely glory in God, when being not lifted up with a conceit of that righteousness which is in himself, but being conscious to himself of his defectivenesse in respect of inherent righteousness, acknowledgeth himself to be justified only by faith in Christ.

IX. Gregory Nazianzen speaking of those words, Rom. 10. 9. 10. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for it is righteousness to believe only.

X. Saint Ambrose, or whosoever else (as ancient as he) was the Author of the Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul, whom the Papists use to cite under the name of Saint Ambrose, and of Bishop Ambr •… se when they meet with anything that seemeth to make for them. Six •… us Senensis, doth not only acknowledge them to be Ambrose his Commentaries, but also commendeth them, as being breves quidem in verbis, sed sententiarum ponder graves. He in very many places ascribeth justification to faith alone. •… ellarmine saith, he excludeth the works of the cerem •… niall Law, or the necessity of external works: which may serve perhaps for a poor shift, to avoid some few places, but not the most.

• As first, in Rom. 3. 24. They are justified saith he, gratis, that is, freely, because nihil operantes, neque vicem redentes sola fide justificati sunt don •… Dei, that is, without works either going before or following after, they are, through the gift of God, justified by faith only.
• Secondly, In Rom. 4. how can the Jews, who look to be justified by the works of the Law, think, that they are justified with the justification of Abraham, cum videant Abraham non ex operibus legis, sed sola fide justificatum, when they see Abraham to have been justified, not by the works of the Law, but only by faith.

  Non erg •… •… pus est lege, quando impius per solam fidem justificatur apud Deum. There is no need therefore of the Law; seeing a sinner is justified before God by faith alone.

• Thirdly, and on those words of th •… fifth 〈◊〉 according to the Latin, secundum propositum 〈◊〉 ] sic dec •… etum dicit à Deo ut cessante lege solam fidem 〈◊〉 Dei p •… sceret ad sal •… tem.
• Fourthly, He pronounceth them blessed whom God hath ordained that without any labor or observation sol •… fide justificantur apud De •… ; they should be justified before God by faith alone.
• Fifthly, There being nothing required of them, but only that th •… y believe.
• Sixthly, In Rom. 9. Sola fides posita est ad salutem.
• Seventhly, in Rom. 10. Nullum opus dicit legis, sed solam fidem 〈◊〉 in causa Chr •… sti.
• Eighthly, In 1 Cor. 1, this is ordained of God that whosoever believeth in Christ, be safe or saved sine oper •… sol •… fide gratis recipiens remissionem peccatorum, without work receiving freely remission of sins by faith alone.
• Ninthly, In 2 Cor. 3. hac lex (scil. spiritus) d •… t libertatem, solam fidem poscens, the Law of the Spirit (which is the covenant of grace) giveth •… liberty, requiring faith only.
• Tenthly. In Gal. 3. 18. he noteth the improvident presumption of the Jews, who thought that men cannot be justified without the works of the Law cum sciant Abraham qui forma ejus rei est, sine operibus legis per solam fidem, justificatum, when themselves know that Abraham who is the pattern or samplar of that matter, to have been justified by faith alone without the works of the Law.
• Eleventhly, In Gal. 3. 22. that he coming who was promised to Abraham fidem solam ab ijs posceret should require of them faith only.
• Twelfthly, In his forty five sermon, which by some is attributed to Maximus who lived after him forty years; to the penetent thief it sufficeth ad innocentiam, Domino credidisse to make him innocent, that he believed in the Lord.
• Thirteenthly, Another testimony of Ambrose recorded by Gratian: that the grace of God in baptism requireth neither mourning nor any work, sed solam fidem & omnia gratis condonat, but faith alone and forgiveth all freely.

XI. Jerome, or what other Writer no less ancient, was the Author of the commentaries on Paul's Epistles, in very many places teacheth justification by faith alone. Bellarmine •… saith, that Pelagius was the Author of those Commentaries. But this appeareth to be false by those places which S. Augustine citeth out of the commentaries of Pelagius in his three first chapters of his third book, De peccatorum meritis & remission. I deny not, but that divers sentences are found in those Commentaries rankly savouring of the Pelegian heresy, as well as in the writings of other ancient Fathers, either because before the Pelagian her •… sie was spread, they wrote more caresly of those points; or rather because the Pelagian heretics did corrupt their writings: which Possevin himself suspecteth might have happened to this author. These Commentaries do seem to have been in great account in the Church, above 1100 years ago, in that Sed •… lius in his Collectanea, and sometimes by name as 1 Cor. 7. 37. And Primasius in his Commentaries on the Epistles were not ashamed to borrow store of annotations out of these Commentaries, as in other points, so in this, which I have in hand; as may appear by collation of those, which I shall cite out of them. The Author of the ordinary gloss, who lived eight hundred years ago, everywhere citeth them under the name of Jerome. For my part I suspect, that B •… llarmine and other Papists do not so much distaste this Writer for coming too near the Pelagians, as for his too much departing from themselves; I mean especially in this question of justification freely by the grace of God through faith alone in Christ, to which purpose there are more frequent and more pregnant testimonies in these Commentaries than in any other work of the like quantity of any ancient writer whatsoever: and although these Commentaries have been interpolated by the Pelagian heretics, yet those testimonies which I shall allege for Justification by faith alone, the Papists themselves will free from suspicion of Pelagianism. Thus therefore he writeth.

• First, in Ro. 1. 16. on those words, Iudaeo &c.] sive quod justum fuerit, ut quomodo Abraham credens ex Gentib. per solam primum fidem salvatus est, ita caeteri credentes salvarentur. Sedulius hath the same, but leaveth out the word, primum.
• Secondly, In Rom. 4. 3: Tam magna fuit fides Abrahae ut & pristina •… i peccata donarentur, & sola pro omni justitia doceretur accepta.
• Thirdly, in Rom. 4. 5. Convertentem impium per solam fidem justificat D •… us. And upon those words, which are there sound in the Latin edition, secundum propositum gratiae Dei.
• Fourthly, Qui proposuit gratis per solam fidem peccata dimittere.
• Fifthly, In Rom. 4. 11. Vt omnes qui ex Gentibus credunt filii sint Abrahae, dum & illis sola fides ad justitiam reputatur.
• Sixthly, In Rom. 5. 1. Ostendit quod fides faciat filios Abrahae, qui ex sola prima fide justificatus est.
• Seventhly, In Rom. 8. 28. secundum propositum] secundum quod proposuit sola fide salvare quos praesciverat credituros.
• Eighthly, In Rom. 10. 3. Ignorantes quod Deus ex sola fide justificat, & justos se ex legis operibus quam non custodiunt esse putantes, noluerunt se remissioni subjicere peccatorum, ne peccatores fuisse viderentur. Et in Roman. 10. 5.
• Ninthly, Moses distinxit in Levitico inter utramque justitiam fidei scillicet atque factorum, quod altera operibus; altera, sola fidei credulitate accedente fiat.
• Tenthly, In Rom. 10. 10. Ergo si fides sufficit ad justitiam & confessio ad salutem, inter Iudaeum & Gentilem credentes nulla discretio est.
• 11. In 2 Cor. 5. 19. Non reputans illis delicta ipsorum, hoc est per solam fidem cognoscens, read ignoscens, or as Primasius, indulgens.
• 12. In Gal. 1. 12. Neque a me confinxi, neque ab ullo homine accepi, quod Gentes sola fide salvarentur.
• 13. In Gal. 2. 14. Non ex operibus legis, sed sola fide sicut Gentes vitam in Christo invenisse te nosti.
• 14. In Gal. 2. 17. Si enim Gentes fides sola non salvat, nec nos: quia ex operibus n •… mo justificatur.
• 15. In Gal. 2. 20. In fide viva filii Dei] in sola fide, quia nihil debe •… legi antiquae.
• 16. In Gal. 3. 6. Abraham credidit Deo, & reputatum est illi adjustitiam] ita & vobis ad justitiam sola sufficit Fides: unto justice Faith only sufficeth.
• 17. In Gal. 3. 11. In lege •… nemo justificatur] quia nemo illam serval (Let the Papists note that point of Pelagianism) ideo dictum est, quod sola fide justificandi essent.
• 18. In Gal. 3. 14. Vt sola fide Gentes benedicerentur in Christo, sicut pr •… missum fuerat Abrahae.
• 19. In Gal. 3. 26. Aequaliter & Iudaei & Gentes per solam fidem filii Dei estis, quia credidistis Christ •… .
• 20. In Eph. 2. 8. Gratia estis salvati per fidem] non meritis prioris vitae, sed sola fide.
• 21. In Eph. 2. 15. Per solam fidem justificans.
• 22. In Phil. 3. 9. Non habens meam justitiam] hoc est, meo labor quae sitam, sed illam quae ex fide, &c.] sed illam quae à Deo proprie & sola fide collata est Christianis.

XII. Chrysostom, In Rom. 1. 17. thou obtainest righteousness, not by sweat and labor, but receivest it by gift from above 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , bringing one thing only from within, viz. to believe, nothing therefore in us doth concur to the act of justification, but only faith.

• Secondly, In Rom. 3. 27. What is the Law of faith? to save by grace: here he showeth the power of God, that he hath not only saved, but also justified, and brought into glorying, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and that, not requiring works, but seeking faith only.
• Thirdly, In Rom. 4. 1. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : it is not possible to be saved otherwise than by faith.
• Fourthly, In Rom. 8. 24. This one gift have we brought to God, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 to believe him promising things to come: 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and by this only way we are saved.
• Fifthly, In Gal. 3. 6. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 faith sufficed Abraham to righteousness.
• Sixthly, In Gal. 3. 8. They (the justitiaries) said, he that adhereth to faith alone is accursed, but Paul showeth, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 that he which adhereth to faith alone is blessed.
• Seventhly, In Ephes. 2. 15. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 by faith alone he saved.
• Eighthly, In Col. 1. 27. For at once to bring men more senseless than stones to the dignity of Angels simply by bare words 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 and by faith alone, without all difficulty, it is indeed the glory and riches of the mystery.
• Ninthly, In Tit. 1. 13. For if thou doest give credit to thy faith, why doest thou bring in other things 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 as if faith were not sufficient to justify? Bellarmine by other things understandeth the ceremonies of the Law. When Chrysostom indeed rejecteth all other things, because faith it self is sufficient to justify.
• Tenthly, There is a notable testimony cited by Bishop Justinian out of Chrysostom in Psal. 14. which doth not only conclude this question against the Papists: but also putteth a manifest difference betwixt sanctification, which consisteth of many virtues, and justification, unto which faith only is required. Iustitia conflatur ex multis virtutibus & •… na virtus activa non facit justitia •… quemadmodum nec una tabula perficit navigium, nec unus lapis domum. Vna sola virtus justificat fides, quae est virtutum fastigium, Righteousness is compounded of many virtues, and one active virtue maketh not righteousness. Even as one plank doth not make a ship nor one stone an house, only virtue justifieth namely faith which is the top of all virtues.
• 11. Serm. de fide & lege naturae. Without faith no man hath a •… tained to life, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , but the thief on the Cross believing only, was justified and afterwards twice he affirmeth that 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : faith by it self saved. Bellarmine answereth that Chrysostom teacheth, that sometimes faith alone, that is without external works doth suffice: which cannot be applied to the penitent thief, who, as I shown before, wanted not for the time external works; and yet not by them, but by faith alone he was justified.

XIII. Hesychius in Leviticum: Grace is given out of mercy and compassion and is apprehended by faith alone & fide comprehenditur sol •… , not out of works, as the Apostle saith, for then grace shall not be grace.

XIV. Augustine. Nam sine bonorum operum meritis per sidem justificatur impius & quidem solam. For without the merits of good works a sinner is justified, and that by faith alone.

• 2. Apud Gratianum: this is the faith which worketh by love, huic duntaxat remissio delictorum promittitur to this only remission of sins is promised— cui soli venia promitoitu:, to which alone par •… on is promised,— quâ solâ peccata relaxantur by which alone sins are released.
• 3 In Psal. 88. conc. 2. sola fides Christi mundat. The faith of Christ doth cleanse alone.
• 4. Serm de tempore 68, Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. Ecce sine opere justificatur exfide, & quicquid illi legali posset observatione conferri, totum credulitas sola d •… navit. Behold, without works he is justified by faith, and whatsoever might be conferred upon him by the observation of the Law, all that faith alone bestowed.
• 5. In John. 8. On those words, you hear not, because you are not of God: this was spoken to them who where not only vicious by sin, but also foreknown, that they were not to believe ea fide, qua solâ possent à peccatorum obligatione liberari, with that faith by which alone they might be delivered from the bond of their sins.
• 6. Out of his sermons De verbis Domini, this testimony is usually cited. Medicina animae omnium vulnerum, & una propitiatio pro delict •… s credere in Christum. The medicine for all wounds of the soul and the only propitiation for all sins, is to believe in Christ.
• 7. Ad duas Epistolas Pelag. quantaelibet fuisse virtutis •… ntiquos praedices justos, non eos salvos fecit nisi fides mediatoris. qui in remissionem peccatorum sanguine fudit, Bellarmi •… e answereth, that in this place are excluded only Nature and the Law of Moses. Reply, But the place is plain, that though the virtue of the ancient Fathers were never so great, yet neither it, nor anything else could save them, but only faith in Christ.
• 8. Lib. 83. quaest. If any when he hath believed, shall presently depart out of this life, the justification of faith abideth with him, neither for his precedent good works, because not by merit but by grace he came unto it; nor for the subsequent, because he is not suffered to remain in this life. And therefore, say we, by faith alone. To this B •… llrrmine answereth, that Augustine speaketh of a lively faith (as though we spake of any other) for Augustine there saith, that a man is justified without works, going before faith, but that justifying faith is such a faith as worketh by love. Bellarmine then confesseth that a lively faith, which worketh by love, doth justify alone. As for that which is not lively, nor accompanied with charity; we teach, that it justifieth neither alone, nor at all. Thus hath he endeavored in vain to answer some allegations out of six of the Fathers. The rest, either of the same Authors, or of others, either before named, or now to be cited, remain unanswered, saving four others, which because he would have men think we want Testimonies of Antiquity, he hath afforded us out of his own store. Which we will examine in their due place. And instead of the first which he cit •… th out of XV Cyril of Alexandria, being to no purpose, and yet falsified by him (for Cyril doth not say, hominem per solam fidem inhaerere Christo, as Bellarmine citeth him) and being also false, in that sense, for which indeed our prevaricator doth allege him, that a man may abide in Christ by faith, and yet want love and perish: But instead of this I will requite him with another of the same Author, in the same Commentaries upon John, on those words, John. 14. 1. Ye believe in God, believe also in me, per fidem namque, saith he, non aliter servamur, by faith we are saved, and not otherwise, that is, by faith alone.

XVI. To Cyril we adjoin Sedulius, as being of the same time, as Bellarmine, following Trithemius, supposeth he wrote saith Bellarmine an explanation upon all the Epistles of Saint Paul, taken out of Origen, Ambrose, Jerome, and Augustine, meaning those Commentaries of Ambrose and Jerome, which before I cited. Whereby it may appear that those Commentaries in the time of Sedulius were of good esteem: for out of those very Commentaries of Jerome, he hath collected many brief passages, as in other matters, so in this particular. As Jerome therefore had said in Rom. 1. 16. so saith he almost in the same words: justi •… ia Dei est, quod justum fuerat, ut quomodo Abraham credens ex Gentib. per solam fidem justificatus est, ita caeteri fidem ejus imitantes salvarentur.

• 2. In Rom. 4. 5. Convertentem impium per solam fidem justificat Deus. And on those words of the Latin Edition secundum propositam gratiam. that is, saith he, as Jerome had said before, quo gratis proposuit per solam fidem dimittere peccata.
• 3. In Rom. 4. 6. the blessedness of man he calleth remission of sins by faith. It is a great blessedness without the labor of the Law and penitence to obtain the Grace of God by faith alone. Which words are in part taken out of S. Jerome on the same place.
• 4. In Rom. 8. 28. On those words secundum propositum, secundum quod proposuit salvare sola fide, according to which he purposed to save by faith alone those whom he foreknew should believe, whom also he freely called to salvation: Which word for word are taken out of Jerome.
• 5. In Rom. 10. 5. Moses put a difference between either justice, to wit, of faith and of works: because the one, by works; the other, sola credulitate justificet accedentem, by faith alone justifieth him that cometh: and so Jerome on the same place, out of whom also he reciteth word for word, that which before I cited out of him in Rom. 10. 16. Ergo si fides sufficit adjustitiam, &c.
• 7. In Gal. 2. 20. In fide vero filii Dei] i. in sola fide, quia nihil debeo legi: so Jerome.
• 8. In Gal. 3. 14. ex fide. i. ut sola fide salvarentur credentes, &c.

XVII. Theodoret in Rom. 3. 24. sola enim fide allata peccatorum remissionem accepimus. We have received remission of sins, having brought faith only.

• 2. In Rom. 3. 25. Our Lord Christ, is both God, and the propitiatory, and the high Priest, and the Lamb, and by his blood he procured our salvation, Solam à nobis fidem exigens, requiring of us faith alone.
• 3. In Eph. 2. 8. By grace, &c. for we brought only faith. Neither did we of our own accord believe, but being called we came, and when we were come he did not exact of us the purity and innocence of life, sed sola fide suscepta condona vit peccata, but he forgave our sins accepting of our faith alone.
• 4. And in the seventh of his Therapeutickes, after he had cited that of Isaiah. 45. 23. I blot out your iniquities, &c. he addeth, for not by any praise-worthy works of ours, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 but by faith alone we have obtained the mystical or spiritual good things.

XVIII. Prosper Aquitanicus in his Epigrammes. Inde (i. ex doctrina Apostolica) capit (quisque) vitam, quam parit una fides. From the Doctrine of the Apostles a man receiveth life, which faith alone doth beget or procure.

XIX. Claudius Marius Victor ^s — At ill (Abraham)

XX. Petrus Chrysologus: Christus mulieris (haemarrhoissae) docuit exemplo, quàm fides sola totam proficiat ad salutem.

The Testimonies which Bellarmine in the second place out of his own store produceth for us out of Leo, are impertinent, for they speak of the work of faith, not in justifying but in sanctifying of us.

XXI. Primasius in Rom. 4. 3. Tam magna fuit don •… Dei fides Abrah •… ut & pristina ei peccata donarentur, & sola ei pro omni justitia duceretur accepto. The same had Jerome, saving that here is a divers reading: for that which we read in Jerome, prae omni justitia doceretur accepta.— & reputatum est illi ad justitiam] compensatum: sola fides.

• 2. In Rom. 4. 5. Imp •… um per solam fidem justificat, non per opera, quae non habuit; si enim secundum opera, puniend •… s est, non liberandus.
• 3. In Rom. 4. 12. ut omnes qui ex Gentib. credunt secundum fidem filii sint Abrahae, dum & illis sola fides adjustitiam repetatur, the very same had Jerome.
• 4. In Rom. 5. 1. Fides facit filios Abrahae, qui ante circum •… isionem exsola credulitate justificat •… est.
• 5. In Rom. 8. 28. Propositum Dei est, ut sine •… peribus Legis, vel quibuscunque aliis meritis, per fidem solam justificaret impios.
• 6. In •… Cor. 5. 19. Non reputans illis delicta ipsorum, h. e. indulgens per solam fidem quae gratis donata est.
• 7. In Gal. 1. 3. Sola fide salvati est is per gratiam Dei.
• 8. In Gal. 2. 14. Non ex operib. sed sola fide per gratiam vitam habere te nosti. Jerome.
• 9. In Gal. 2. 17. Si enim gentes fides sola non salvavit, nec nos: quia ex operibus nemo justificabitur. Jerome.
• 10. In Gal. 2. 20. In fide vero Filii Dei] in sola fide. Hier.
• 11. In Gal. 3. 6. Abraham credidit Deo, &c. ita & vobis fides sola sufficit adjustitiam. Hier.
• 12. In Gal. 3. 14. Vt in Ge •… tib. benedictio Abrahae fieret in Christo Jesus] ut sola fide Gentes benedicerentur in Christo, sicut promissum fuerat Abrahae. Jerome. ut pollicitationem Spiritus accipiamus per fidem] solam.
• 13. In Gal. 3. 22. Vt necesse esset sola fide per gratiam salvari credentes.
• 14. In Gal. 3. 26. Omnes enim Filii Dei estis per fidem in Christo Jesus] •… nes enim •… qualiter & Iudai & Gentes per fidem solam, quae 〈◊〉 Dei creditis Christo. Jerome.

XXII. Theodulus Caelo-Syriae presbyter, in Rom. 4. 13. Lex ob quam gloriaris nihil profuit adpromissiones ipsi Abraham factas, sed sola fides.

2. In Rom. 5. 2. ad i •… narrabilia dona & beneficia Dei in nos collata, nos 〈◊〉 pr •… er fidem attulimus.

XXIII. Gen •… dius apud Oecumen. in Rom. 3. 24. freely, that is without any good works of thine thou art saved. And again, as having brought with thee nothing but faith—Wherefore all that believe in Christ are justified freely, bringing with them only to believe.

XXIV. Venantius Fortunatus, in expos-symboli, in artic. de remission peccatorum: Nobis in hoc sermon sola creed •… litas sufficit.

XXV. Venerabilis Beda in Psa. 77. 7. per justitiam factorum nullus salvabitur, sed per solam justitiam fidei.

XXVI. Haymo in Gal. 3. 12. Lex non complebatur fide sed opere: Evangelium •… utem completur fide magis quàm operibus quia sola fides salvat.

• 2. In Rom. 1. Pluribus modis ostendit Paulus justitiam & salutem non esse per legem, sed per fidem in Christum, ut a lege abducat, & in sola fide Christi eos constituat.
• 3. In Ev •… ngel. de circumcisione Christi, sola tantummodo fide salvabuntur (gent •… s) siout scriptum est, justus exfide vivet.

XXVII. Photios apud Occumenium in Rom. 4. 1. speaking of Abraham, you see that he hath not so much as any footstep of works, unto so great gifts from God, whence then was he vouchsafed them? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 of faith alone.

• 2. In Gal. 3. 21. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 wherefore by faith alone they are able to obtain the promises.

XXVIII. Smaragdus In Gal. 3. Necesse est sola fide Christi salvari credentes.

XXIX. Oecumenius in Gal. 3. 11. Because the righteous shall live by faith, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 for there is but one way saith he to justify, and that is by faith.

• 2. In Col. 2. 14. 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , for it is fufficient, saith he, to believe only.

XXX. Theophylact in Rom. 4. 5. Doth he that is to be justified bring anything? Faith only.

• 2. In Rom. 9. ult. Fides itaque sola est: faith therefore is alone, and not works with it, it worketh all things, and it justifieth.
• 3. In Gal. 3. 11. Now he doth plainly demonstrate, that faith it self alone hath in it the power of justifying. Bellarmine answereth, for this is the third place which he would seem to afford us out of his own store, that his meaning is, that without faith nothing doth just •… fie. But the meaning is plain, not, that other things cannot justify without faith, but that faith alone without the help of other things is able to justify.
• 4. In 2 Thes. 2. 17. that God pro sola fide, for faith alone will give yea those eternal good things.

XXXI. Anselmus Cantuariensis in Rom. 4. 5. but to him that doth not the works of the Law, but without any precedent work doth come to faith, sufficit ipsa fides adjustitiam, faith it self sufficeth unto righteousness.

• 2. In 1 Cor. 1. 4. For grace is given in Christ, because this is ordained of God, that he which believeth in Christ should be saved without work, sola fide & gratis by faith alone and freely receiving remission of sins.

XXXII. Rupertus Tuitiensis lib. 2. in libros Regum cap. 39. The obstinate Jew persisteth in contention and contemning the faith of Christ, qua sola justificare potest, which alone can justify, arrogateth to himself numerous justice out of his works.

XXXIII. Bernard, out of whom Bellarmine in the fourth place produceth a twofold testimony in our behalf the former in Canticles, serm. 22. Whosoever having compunction for his sins doth hunger and thirst after righteousness, let him believe in Thee who dost justify the sinner, & solam justificatus per fidem, and being justified by faith alone, he shall have peace with thee.

• 2. The other Epist. 77. speaking of Mark. 16. 16. Courteously he did not repeat, but he that is not baptized, shall be condemned: but only, he that believeth not, intimating; that faith sometimes alone is sufficient to salvation, but without it nothing doth suffice.

To the former he answereth that Bernard speaketh de viva fide of a lively faith, &c. as though we spake of any other. If he confess, that a lively faith doth justify alone, it is all that we seek. For as for the dead faith, we confess, that it justifieth neither alone nor at all. And therefore attribute less unto it, than the Papists themselves.

To the other he answereth, that the word solam, excludeth only the necessity of Baptism in the case of necessity. Reply, if sometimes it doth suffice alone to salvation, then much more to justification, and if baptism which is manus dantis be excluded then by the like reason all other things which are in us are excluded from the act of justification.

XXXIV. Thomas Aquinas in 1 Tim. 1. lect. 3. there is not therefore any hope in the moral precepts sed in sola fide, but in faith alone.

• 2. In Gal. 3. 26. Sola fides faith alone maketh men the adoptive sons of God. Now that which alone maketh men the sons of God by adoption, that alone doth justify them.

XXXV. Bo •… aventure in 4. Sent. dist. 15. part. 1. q. 1. because man could not satisfy for so great offense, therefore God gave unto him a Mediator, who should satisfy for the offenee, whereupon in sola fide in the only faith of his passion all fault is remitted, and without faith thereof none is justified.

XXXVI. Nicholas Gorrham in Rom. 4. If he believe only in Christ, though he do not work his faith alone is reputed for sufficient justice.

XXXVII. Couradus Clingius loc. commun. lib. 5. cap. 42. Deu •… justos nos reputat propter solum fidem in Christum, and in the old edition, cap. 117. sola fides been sufficit adjustificationem.

XXXVIII. The judgment of Cardinal Contarenus we heard before, that we are justified by the righteousness of Christ imputed to those that believe: whereupon it necessarily followeth, that in us nothing is required unto justification before God, but only faith.

Thus in all ages of the Church justification by faith alone was a received Doctrine, until the accursed Council of Trent which denounceth a curse against all those, who shall say, that a man is justified by faith alone. And yet even since that Council the force of this truth hath expressed from the professed enemies of the Gospel a confession thereof.

Ben. Iustinianus in his paraphrase on Gal. 2. 16. he rendereth it thus. And yet we are not ignorant that a man is not justified by the works of the Law, sed per unum Jesus Christi fidem but by the only faith in Christ and in his explanation he giveth this sense, because we who are by nature Jews cannot be justified by the Law sed per solam fidem but by faith alone, it followeth that no mortal man can obtain righteousness by the works of the Law, sed sol •… m ex Jesus Christi fide, but only by the faith of Jesus Christ. Yea, Bellarmine himself, saith, that to us the merits of Christ are applied by the Sacraments; Hebr •… is per solum fidem, to the Hebrews by faith alone. But the faithful among the Hebrews were justified no otherwise than Abraham was justified. And as Abraham the Father of all the faithful who was the form, and samplar of this thing was justified, so are we. But Abraham was justified by faith alone, therefore we also are justified by faith only.

Neither is the justification by Sacraments repugnant to justification by faith alone, the meaning of our assertion being this, that in us nothing concurreth to the act of justification, as any cause thereof, but faith only. For being justified by faith alone, as Abraham was, the Sacraments are added, as circumcision was to him, as seals of that righteousness which we have by faith. So that faith only justifieth before God as the hand of the receiver: but the Sacraments serve to justify the faithful in the court of their Conscience by sealing and assuring unto them their justification.

CHAP. X. Bellarmine's arguments, that faith doth not justify alone, first, because it doth not dispose alone to justification, there being seven dispositions whereof faith is but one, and, namely, the first.

§. I.

N Ow let us see what arguments Bellarmine doth bring to prove, that we are not justified by faith alone. Which question, in his opinion, may be disputed three ways, either with relation to the time going before justification, or to the time of justification, or to the time following our justification. In respect of the first, the question which he maketh is, whether faith doth justify alone by way of disposing unto justification. In respect of the second, whether faith be the only formal cause of our justification. In respect of the third, whether for the retaining and preserving of righteousness good works be not required, but faith only sufficeth. The first he disputeth De justif. l. 1. c. 12. and in the twelve chapters following to the end of that book. The second, that faith is not the only and entire formal cause of justification, he disputeth in the second book. The third he disputeth in the fourth book, Chap. 18. & 19. where he endeavoreth to prove that good works do justify. But in mine opinion he should rather have disputed this question, whether faith doth justify at all or not. For whereas they make two justifications, the first habitual; whereby of a sinner a man is made just: the second actual, whereby a man of just is made more just; by their doctrine, faith doth not justify as a part either of the one, or the other: but is required as a necessary companion, and as it were, causa sine qua non, which is no cause. For they make the formal cause of their first justification, which they say truly is but one, to be charity; and the meritorious cause of the second to be good works. Only, that charity, and those good works, must not be without faith. All, which they ascribe to faith, is, that they make it the beginning of justification and a disposition to it. Neither do we deny, but that true faith is the beginning and the root of sanctification, and of all inherent righteousness; insomuch that from it both charity it self, 1 Tim. 1. 5. and all other both internal graces, and external obedience do spring: but the act of justification, neither in the first, nor second do they ascribe to faith. Only unto the first justification they require it as a preparative disposition for the habit of grace to be infused, which doth not differ from Charity; and when it is infused, to be a companion thereof. And to the second, as causa sine qua non, without which works do not justify.

§. II. But to come to Bellarmine's large discourse: the greatest part thereof seemeth to be impertinent, and besides the purpose. But to make all seem pertinent, he maliciously calumniateth us, as if we held all those assertions, which he with such eagerness doth confute. But if we do hold, that faith doth not justify by way of disposing, either alone, or at all: and that it is not the formal cause of justification, either alone, as the entire cause; or at all, as any part thereof: and that it is not a consequent of justification at all, as works indeed are; to what end doth all this dispute serve? unless it be to make their seduced Catholics, who never are permitted to read any of our writings, to believe, that he hath doughtily confuted us.

§. III. And that faith doth not justify alone, by way of disposing, he endeavoreth to prove by five sorts of arguments. The first, from those seven dispositions required by the Council of Trent to justification, among which he reckoneth faith for one. Whereunto in general I answer, that this whole discourse, besides that it is impertinent, for we do not hold, as I have said, that faith doth justify by way of disposition, either alone or at all: it is also an idle speculation disagreeing from their practicke theology, and that in two respects. First, to their speculative justification, they require foregoing preparations and dispositions: but to the obtaining of justification in deed and in practice, no such things are required. For, the efficacy of justifying a sinner they ascribe to their Sacraments, which they say do confer gratiam gratum facientem, that is, justify, ex opere operato; requiring, as I conceive, no preceding preparation, or disposition in the party to be justified, so he do not interpose the obstacle of any mortal sin. For if foregoing dispositions were required before the Sacraments; then they should not justify, as I have said before, ex opere operato, but, ex opere operantis. Secondly, they do teach, that in their first justification, Charity, and with it Faith and Hope are infused, whereby a man that before was a sinner is made righteous. And that therefore a man is first justified, when these are infused; and that these are first infused, when a man is justified: and yet they tell us of a true Faith, true Hope, true Love going before justification. Which by their doctrine, though they go together, I mean Faith, Hope, and Charity, accompanied with other good dispositions, are neither graces nor gifts of grace infused. For before, or without the Sacrament there is no justification, which they have tied to the Sacrament, and before justification, as themselves say, there is no grace. For if they were graces indeed (as no doubt but they are where they are true and go together accompanied with other good dispositions) then men might be justified before the receipt of the Sacrament, as Abraham was; and then the Sacrament to men so qualified, should not conserre grace, but seal it. Thus to maintain their pernicious error concerning the efficacy of the Sacraments justifying ex opere operato (whereby they have turned religion into an outward formality) that Faith, that Hope, that Charity which go before the Sacrament, as namely in Cornelius before his baptism, should be no true graces, because all true justifying and saving grace is infused in the administration of the Sacrament: and this infusion of grace is that, which they call justification. By their doctrine therefore justifying faith is that which in the very act of justification is infused, and being infused doth justify, not by way of disposing, but formally; it self being informed by Charity. And therefore according to their own doctrine, that faith which disposeth to justification, is not justifying Faith. And consequently all this discourse concerning six other preparative dispositions concurring with faith, to prove that we are not justified by faith alone, is besides the purpose. For that faith, which they make their first preparative disposition, is not justisying faith; neither doth justify otherwise by Bellarmine's own confession, than its next companion, viz, servile fear, doth. But we, when we say, that faith alone doth justify, speak not of a bare and naked assent which is common to the wicked which cannot justify, either alone, or at all; but of a true, lively, effectual faith, which worketh by love: and therefore, I say again, this whole dispute of the seven dispositions is merely impertinent.

§. IV. But some will say, do you require no preparative dispositions going before justification? I answer, that in adult is we do: but that no way hindereth the truth of our assertion concerning justification by faith alone: we do confess, that to the begetting of justifying faith preparative dispositions are ordinarily required in adultis, in those who be of years, wrought partly by private education and use of other private means, as reading, meditation, conference, &c. and partly, by the public ministry both of the Law and of the Gospel, by which, first, our minds are illuminated to know God and ourselves, and what we shall be in Christ if we believe in him. Secondly he mollifieth our hearts and humbleth our souls ordinarily by the ministry of the Law and extraordinarily by afflictions, either outward or inward, which are the terrors of a distressed conscience, by which when the Word will not serve, the Lord draweth men, as it were, with a strong hand: that being thus humbled we may become fit auditors of the Gospel, In which the Lord to the humbled and prepared soul revealeth his unspeakable mercies in Christ, stirreth us up, by the ministers of reconciliation, to accept of his mercy in Christ, entreating and persuading us in the name of God, and in Christ's stead, that we would be reconciled unto God. The holy Ghost, having thus knocked at the door of our hearts, at length in his good time he himself openeth our hearts to receive Christ by faith, working in our judgments a lively assent to the doctrine of salvation by Christ, and by it both an earnest desire in our hearts, to be made partakers of Christ (which is the desire of application) and also in our wills a settled resolution to acknowledge him to be our Savior, and to rest upon him alone for salvation, which is the will and purpose of application. Having thus received and embraced Christ by a lively assent or belief, and so having the condition of the promise, which is faith; in the next place we proceed to actual application by special faith; which is farther to be confirmed by the Sacraments, which are the seals of that righteousness which is by faith; and by the practice of piety or leading of a godly life; whereby we are to make, as our election, and calling, so also our justification sure unto us.