A Treatise of Faith, Part 1 · Chapter 9
CHAP. IX.
Faith is grounded vponupon the word of God, not vponupon the authoritie of the Church, and reſteth vponupon God in Chriſt, not vponupon the Saints militant or triumphant.
§. 1.§. 1. TThe Schoolemen diuide the obiect of faith into the materiall obiect, and into the formall. The materiall are the Articles or things belieued. The formall is the foundation and laſt maine principle whereupon faith relieth, or that whereinto the aſſent, which yeeldeth vntounto the matter belieued, is reſolued. In which ſence, the obiect of faith is all one with the foundation or ground work of it. But howſoeuer we vnderſtand it, whether for the maine reaſon & laſt reſolution of aſſent or for that whereupon our confidence leaneth, relyeth, reſteth, the authoritie of the Church cannot be the ground, nor the Saints tryumphant the obiect of faith diuine.The Authoritie of the Church cannot be the ground of faith. 1. Theſſ. 2.13. 2. Tim. 3.16. We belieue that God hath his Church: but we neither belieue in the Saints militant nor triumphant. The ground or foundation of faith muſt bee ſome thing, which is purely and ſimply diuine, admixt with no errour, yea ſubiect to no errour; the indubitate word and reuelation of Chriſt, the diuine and prime veritie reuealed by inſpiration. But the word of God alone is purely and ſimply diuine admixt with no errour, the Church is ſubiect to errour, neither hath it any truth immediately or by diuine inſpiration,Rom. 11.20. but by ſecond meanes: the authoritie of the Church is a thing create, diſtinct from the firſt veritie. The immortall ſeed whereby wee are regenerate and made faithfull, is the onelyonly formall principle or ground of faith. The word of God alone is that immortall ſeed. Therefore the word of God alone,1. Pet. 1.13. is the onelyonly formall principle of faith. And euen as in Husbandrie, although diuers inſtruments and meanes bee requiſite and neceſſary; to wit, plowing, ſowing, &c. yet the ſeed is the beginning and ſole immediate cauſe of the graine ſpinging vp: euen ſo in the ſpiritual plantation of faith, in which our ſoules are liuing fields, the immortall ſeed which the Apoſtles firſt preached, and afterwards committed to writing, produceth faith as the ſole principle, immediate motiue, and formall obiect of faith: as the miniſterie, authoritie and calling of the Church, produce the ſame as the adiuvant and inſtrumentall cauſe, or as the meanes of applying the word and ſeales thereof, but not as the firſt principle. Whatſoeuer credit the Church hath, it receiueth the ſame from the Scriptures, as is acknowledged by ſome of our principall Aduerſaries, and confirmed by the Apoſtle, who ſaith;Epheſ. 2.20. We are built vponupon the foundation of the Prophets and Apoſtles. The preſent faith of Chriſtians, is of the ſame kind with the faith of the Prophets and Apoſtles. But the faith of theſe holy men was ſounded vponupon immediate diuine reuelation, and not vponupon the authoritie of the Church.
§. 2. Herein the Romaniſts faith differs from the faith of ancient Chriſtians; for the Saints who liued of olde, grounded their faith vponupon the pure and faithfull Word of God,§ 2. The Papiſts make the Popes authoritie the only ground of Faith. as vponupon a ſure foundation, but the authoritie of the Pope, whom they call the Church virtuall, is the firſt ground and laſt reſolution of the Romaniſts faith. Indefinitely or indeterminately, they teach, whatſoeuer God hath ſpoken is moſt true, in that ſence wherein hee me…nt it: But if we deſcend to any determinate ſpeeches, written or vnwritten, either acknowledged or ſuppoſed for God Word, the preſent Romiſh Church doth take vponupon her abſolutely to iudge of all, and eueryevery part of them. If wee ſpeake of that Canon of Scripture which wee hauehave, the ſence or interpretation of any text, any article of faith concluded out of it, the onelyonly cauſe they doe or can belieue them infallibly, is the Popes infallibilitie that commends them. The Churches or Popes propoſall is not only a condition requiſite, but the remonſtratiue root, the immediate cauſe and reaſon of their belieuing diuine reuelations. And if it bee a reaſon why they belieue them, and ſway the minde to embrace the truth, then it is the proper efficient cauſe of beliefe. According to their doctrine, the orthodoxall anſwere to this Interrogation, Why doe you belieue the doctrine of the Trinitie, to be a diuine Reuelation? is, becauſe the Church propoſeth it to me for ſuch. But he that admits this anſwere for ſound and Catholike, and yet den es the Churches propoſall to bee the true and proper cauſe of his beliefe in the former point, hath ſmothered the light of nature, by admitting too artificiall ſubtiltie into his braines. Whatſoeuer it be, Cauſe, Condition, Circumſtance or effect, that truly ſatisfieth this demand, Why doe you belieue this or that? it is a true & proper cauſe of our beliefe though not of the thing belieued. We muſt here obſerue that there is a twofold reſolution; One of the things or matters belieued or knowne into the…r firſt parts or elements; Another of our beliefe or perſwaſions concerning them into their firſt cauſes or motiues. In the one, the moſt generall or remoteſt cauſe; In the other, the moſt immediate or next cauſe alwayes terminates the reſolution. The one imit…tes, the other inuerts the order of compoſition. In the firſt acceptation, the firſt veritie or d…uine infallibilitie is that into which our faith is laſtly reſolued. For this is the firſt ſtep in the progreſſe of true beliefe the loweſt foundation whereon any Religion can be built. But in the ſecond acceptation (as wee alwayes take thoſe tearmes, when we reſolue our owne perſwaſions) that is, for a reſolution of all doubts or demands concerning the ſubiect whereof we treate: A Romane Catholiques faith, muſt according to his Principles, finally bee reſolued into the Churches or Popes inf…llibilitie. For this is the immediate ground, or firſt cauſe of any particular determinate point of Chriſtian Faith: and the immediate is alwayes that, into which our perſwaſions concerning the effect, is finally reſolued, ſeeing it can ſatisfie all demands, doubts, or queſtions concerning it. It will not helpe them, to colour ouer the matter, and ſay, God reuealing diuine truth is the formall obiect of faith: For ſeeing God worketh mediately, and reuealeth no truth vntounto vsus but by externall meanes: and diuine authoritie in it ſelfe is hidden and vnknowne: therefore the thing whereinto our faith is reſolued, muſt be ſomething externally knowne, which we may reade or heare. And our Aduerſaries muſt lead vsus to ſecret reuelation, which in words they pretend ſo much to defie, or yeeld vsus an externall foundation and formall obiect of faith: And reiecting the Scriptures, whatſoeuer they gloſe in wordes, they neither can, nor doe name vsus any other indeed, but the Romane Pope and Church. Nor will it boote them ought to ſay, that Gods Word in the Churches mouth is the rule of faith, whereinto it is finally reſolued, ſeeing the Church defines nothing but by Gods written or vnwritten. For this is more then the partie which belieues it can know, nor hath he any other motiue to belieue it, beſides the Churches definition or aſſertion. Suppoſe then wee ſhould conceiue ſo well of a temporall Iudge, as to preſume hee did neuer ſpeake but according to the true meaning either of ſtatute or cuſtomarie law: yet if wee could not know either the one or the other, or their right interpretation, but only by his determinations; the law were little beholden to him (vnleſſe for a floute) that ſhould ſay, he were reſolued ioyntly by the Iudge and it. For ſeeing the Law is to him altogether vncertaine, but by the Iudges auouchment or interpretation, his laſt reſolution of any act of Iuſtice, muſt be only into the Iudges skill and fidelitie. It is true indeed, that the Churches authoritie is not comprehended in the obiect of beliefe, whileſt it only propoſeth other Articles to be belieued. No more is the Sunne comprehended vnderunder the obiect of our actuall ſight, whileſt we behold colours, or other viſible things by the vertue of it. But yet, as it could not make colours or other things become more viſible vntounto vsus, vnleſſe it ſelfe were the firſt viſible, that is, vnleſſe it might bee ſeene more clearly then thoſe things which we ſee by it, ſo we would direct our ſight vntounto it) ſo would it be impoſſible, the Churches infallible propoſall ſhould be the reaſon of a Romane Catholikes beliefe of Scriptures, or their orthodoxall ſence, vnleſſe it were the firſt and principall credible, or primarie obiect of his beliefe, or that which muſt bee moſt clearely, moſt certainly, and moſt ſtedfaſtly belieued, ſo as all other Articles beſides, muſt be belieued by the beliefe of it. Nor is this propoſall of the Church neceſſarie to the firſt plantation of faith only, but to the growth and continuance of it; as well after faith is produced, whileſt it continues, as whiles it is in planting.
§. 3. God & Chriſt (not the Church and Saints) is the only obiect of all true confidence & truſt. Eſay 26.34, Pſal. 130.5, 6, 7 & 22.5. Prou. 3.5. Iohn 14.1. 1. Pet. 1.21. Rom. 3.22. Pſal. 2.12. Ier. 17.5.§. 3. But to leaue this miſterie of Romiſh iniquitie, and to returne to the matter the authoritie of the Church is not the ground of Chriſtian faith, but the holy Scriptures, and faith reſteth not vponupon the Saints, but vponupon Ieſus Chriſt. God and Chriſt is the obiect of confidence according to the Scripture. God as the authour and parent of all good things, of whom are all things, and wee in him: Chriſt as the onelyonly Mediatour of God and Men, by whom are all things, and we by him: or by whom God beſtoweth vponupon vsus all ſauing bleſſings, and by whom we come vntounto God. They are accurſed, who make the arme of fleſh their ſtay, and truſt in man, in whom there is no helpe or power. The preſent faith of Belieuers hath the ſame obiect with the faith of Adam after his fall Abel, Abraham, Noah, Dauid, the Virgin Marie, all the Patriarches,Epheſ 4 4. Heb. 13.8. Prophets, and Apoſtles. For faith is one in obiect and kind, though different in number and degree. But the confidence of Adam, Abel, Noah, Abraham, &c. was exerciſed about, or directed vntounto God in Chriſt, not ſet vponupon any Saint. Abraham and the reſt, who liued before and vnderunder the Law, belieued in the Meſſias to come: The Apoſtles and all the faithfull ſince, belieue in Chriſt alreadie come: But in nature the obiect of their faith is one and the ſame. Our Aduerſaries confeſſe thus much; Bellarmine proues Chriſt to bee God,Bellar. de Chriſt. lib. 1. cap. 5. becauſe it is written of him, Bleſſed are they that put their trust in him: And the Scripture, ſaith he, teacheth eueryevery where, that wee muſt put our truſt in the true God alone.
The Romane Catechiſme teacheth,Catech. Rom. part. 1. cap. 11. q. 19. that wee belieue the holy Church, not in the Church: by which diuers forme of ſpe…king, ſay they, God the Creatour is diſtinguiſhed from things created.Rhem. annot. in Rom. 10.14. But the Rhemiſts in defence of their Saint-inuocation, are driuen to ſay, that wee are to truſt in the Saints departed, and that the Scripture vſeth alſo this ſpeech, to belieue in men,Exod. 14.31. 2. Chron. 20.21. as They belieued in the Lord, and in his ſeruant Moſes; Belieue in the Lord, and yee ſhall bee eſtabliſhed, &c. This is their firſt pretence, whereby they ſeeke to couer their Idolatrie, whereas they might eaſily hauehave knowne, that the vulgar and the Seuentie both tranſlate theſe places,Deut. 28.66. Iob 24.22. Eſay 33.15. 1. Sam 27.12. Iohn 3.5. They belieued Moſes, and belieue his Prophets: and not, they belieued in Moſes, Belieue in his Prophets. And it is certaine, the prepoſition here added in Hebrew, doth not euer anſwere to In, in our language. What, that it is no leſſe then blaſphemie to ſay, that the Iſraelites were commanded to put their confidence in Moſes and the Prophets, either as the principall authours and parents of any good, or as Mediators betwixt God and them, by and through whoſe mediation they ſhould obtaine all good things ſpirituall and temporall. For ſo they ſhould hauehave made them their arme, who were but fleſh. What is alledged out of Exodus, Moſes ſpeaketh in reproach of the Iſraelites, Ier. 17.5.who belieued neither the Lord, nor Moſes touching the promiſe of their deliuery out of Egypt, vntill ſuch time as they hauing quite paſſed the Red Sea, did ſee their enemies dead in the Sea. And though they belieued the truth of the Lord,Pſal. 106.12. and the word of his ſeruant when they had the accompliſhment of his promiſe; yet they did not confidently betake themſelues to the Lord, as their onelyonly refuge, and reſt vnderunder the ſhadow of his wings. For the Lord complaineth often of their infidelitie towards him;Pſal. 78 22. Heb. 3.1…. and the hiſtorie makes mention of their diſtruſt, murmur…ng, and rebellion againſt the Lord. In the other place the people are prayſed, as thoſe who reſted in the word of the Prophet, before that the promiſe was effected: But they leaned not vponupon the Prophets, as authours of their helpe, neither had that beene prayſe-worthy in them, nay, it had beene deteſtable Idolatrie. If they will hauehave the Hebrew prepoſition to bee of force in thoſe places, by Moſes and the Prophets we are to vnderſtand the word taught by Moſes, and the Prophets from God; as the Chaldee explaineth it; they belieued in the Word of the Lord, and in the propheſie of Moſes his ſeruant. The expoſition of both texts may bee taken out of that of the Lord to Moſes, Exod. 19.9. Iohn 5.45.Loe, I come vntounto thee in a thicke cloud, that the people may heare when I ſpeake with thee, and belieue thee for euer: that is, that they may receiue thee for a faithfull and true Prophet, and belieue in the word that I ſhall make knowne vntounto them by thee. And as the Iſraelites are ſaid to be baptized into Moſes, 1. Cor. 10.1.that is, into the doctrine or law of Moſes, whereof he was a Miniſter▪ ſo are they ſaid to belieue in Moſes and the Prophets, that is, in the word which they taught from God. They were the inſtruments and Miniſters of the Lord, and miniſterially the people belieued in them, that is, in the Word of the Lord publiſhed by them. Of Sion it is ſaid, the poore of his people ſhall truſt in it. Eſay 14.32.The meaning is not, that the faithfull ſhall put their truſt in Sion, as wee muſt hope in God: but that the inhabitants of Sion ſhall dwell in a quiet and ſecure place; as the Prophets often affirme, that ſaluation is in Sion. Ioel 2.32.It may well bee tranſlated, The poore of his people ſhall betake themſelues vntounto it; Iob 24.8. Pſal. 104.18.as vntounto a place of protection and refuge by the bleſſing of God: not as vntounto the chiefe ſtay and prop of their ſoules.
They further obiect, that the Apoſtle referreth faith and louelove to the Saints, ſaying;Phil. 5. verſe. Bellar. de beatitud. Sanct. lib. 1. cap. 20. Verſe 6. Hearing of thy louelove and faith, which thou haſt towards the Lord Ieſus, and toward all Saints. But in this place faith is referred only to Chriſt, and louelove to the brethren, as it appeareth in the two verſes next following. In the former whereof faith is reſtrained vntounto Chriſt, and in the latter, the louelove here mentioned is carried to the brethren: which appeareth alſo in that other where vponupon the ſame occaſion, he ſo diſtinguiſheth faith and louelove, that faith is appropriated vntounto Chriſt, and louelove referred to the Saints. For the very words alſo, the Apoſtle hath ſo fenced them,Epheſ. 1.15. Col. 1 4. that although the truth were not otherwiſe cleare, our Aduerſaries can hauehave no aduantage for their doctrine of pinning our moſt holy faith vponupon the ſleeue of eueryevery Saint.
For although hee hauehave coupled Charitie and Faith together, which in other Epiſtles hee doth diſtinctly referre the one to Chriſt, the other to the faithfull; yet hee hath vſed prepoſitions, which note that faith muſt paſſe no f…rther then to Chriſt, as charitie goeth no further in this place, but vntounto the Saints. For where the prepoſition [foreign] is ſuch as might hauehave ſerued both to note our faith towards Chriſt, and our charitie towards our Brethren; hee declares that hee would not hauehave Faith and Charitie carried to one and the ſame obiect, by the choice of ſeuerall bands of prepoſitions, wherewith to tie each of theſe vertues with the ſubiect whereunto they belong. But to goe no further then to the Rhemiſts tranſlation, can they ſay, that we hauehave charitie in the Lord Ieſus? If with the later clauſe further remoued, which is towards all Saints, they will hauehave both Charitie and Faith conioyned, yet it followeth much more, that with this clauſe, in the Lord Ieſus, which is neerer vntounto charitie then the other, they ought both alſo to be coupled. If this be abſurd, much more is it, that vponupon this ground of coupling Faith and Charitie together, they would hauehave them both carried and applied vntounto theſe words, vntounto the Saints. As for the order of words, and coupling things together, which are to be referred diſtinctly, the like is to be found in other paſſages of holy Scripture.Math. 12.22. Againe, LoueLove and Faith may be put for faithfull, firme, and ſted aſt louelove; the like whereunto we may often find. But by this no reſting of the place, our Aduerſaries are driuen, not only to belieue in the Catholike Church, but alſo in eueryevery ſeuerall member of the Catholike Church. For ſeeing the Apoſtle commendeth Phi…mon for his louelove towards eueryevery Saint that came vntounto him: it followeth, that if (as they ſay) he commendeth faith towards the Saints, hee commendeth it towards eueryevery man a part: and ſo eueryevery Chriſtian is to belieue in other: which our Aduerſaries will not affirme.