Of Nature and Grace, Book 2 · Part 6
How onelyonly faith doth iuſtifie and ſaue.
IF then iuſtification come not by works, nor ſaluation by merites, what is the meane whereby both the one and the other is apprehēded? Firſt it hath ben clearly proued hetherto, that there is no meriting without perfection, & likewiſe that perfectiō there can be none,Act. 15.10. the yoke of the law being heuier, then that the fathers ſtrong ſhoulders could beare it vp: & therefore to great a burdē for their children, who came after and were weaker: and that not onelyonly in reſpecte of the ceremoniall Lawe, (which Maiſter Stapleton ſuppoſeth) but rather in regard of the Law of deeds.Lib. 6. cap. 6 For their ceremonies were neither ſo many in number, nor in obſeruation ſo harde: and how troubleſome ſoeuer they were to the prieſthod, notwithſtāding generally to the people were they both very few, & very eaſie, to ſpeak of. But yet becaus by the ceremonies, as namely the circumciſion, if they truſted therin, they were become debtors of the whole Law, therefore was the Law an inſupportable yoke, and whereby poſſibly came no perfection, in conſideration whereof S. Peter preacheth in the Actes, that by grace in Ieſus Chriſt, through beleefe ſaluation is attained. The hande of fauour reacheth it furth, the hand of faith receaueth it offred, and the ſpirite of adoption repoſeth it in the hartes of beleuers, and ſealeth it faſt vp in the aſſurance of a certaine hope againſt the day of euerlaſting redemption.
Herein we leane not to a broken reede, neither feeke we for moiſture,Iob. 6.20. as they that went to Tema and Scheba, in the wildernes, where the waters were dried vp: we look not to trie balme out of the hard flint. For worldly promotion commeth neither from the Weſt nor from the Eaſt, much leſſe eternall ſaluation. OnelyOnly by grace we beleeue to be ſaued, and neither in parte,The meaning of theſe words ſaith alone doth ſaue expoūded. neither in whole by any thing elſe. And this is our meaning, when we ſaie: Faith alone doth ſaue, and iuſtifie: that is: we are wholely ſaued, and ſolely iuſtified by God alone, in whom we beleeue and neither by the preparations of nature, nor by the libertie of will, or elſe by the worthynes of any deedes as parts & cauſes of our iuſtification, our whole repoſe is onelyonly in the merciemercy of the father, that gaue vsus his ſonne, and in the merit of the ſonne that laid down his life to ſaue vsus then, when we were his enemies, & much more no doubt, now ſaueth he vsus when we are his frindes,Phil. 1.29. by faith in him, and that not for the dignity of faith. For the merite of ſaluation reſteth ſtill in him the Sauiour, and not in vsus the perſons ſaued. And faith it ſelfe although it be no cauſe of procuring, but a meane of receauing ſaluation, yet is it alſo the gift of God, who knoweth onelyonly, (as Auguſtine ſpeaketh) how to giuegive to, and not to take of his creatures, and therfore, we truſt in him, and onelyonly in him. And this is the doctrine of faith, & of al the faithfull of all ages, & of all places, that it is onelyonly faith, that receaueth ſaluatiō, that is in effect, that God alone & only he doth all as the ſole cauſe of ſauing the faithfull, that they may beleeue ſtedfaſtly in him, & in him alone.
A while in theſe latter dayes & corrupt times, when the ruines of true doctrine were greteſt, with bold faces a ſort of ignorāt & vnreaden ſcriblers bore the world in hād, that Solafides, only faith was a mōſter neuer born, nor heard of til Luther forged it firſt. Since, being compeld to lay aſide a litle their ſchoole brablers, & to take in hand the ancient fathers, and old doctors, wherunto they were skilfully directed, by the learned of this laſt age, their outcries, that thoſe wordes (only faith) in good record can not be found, are well slaked.
At length euen M. Stapleton him ſelfe, can cite redily,Stapl. lib. 8. cap. 35. Hylary, Origen, Chriſoſtō, Baſile, Auſtine, & others, and he quoteth places in plaine & pregnāt words as clear as criſtall that onelyonly faith doth iuſtifie. But now when he hath foūd, the words which were firſt found to his handes:Rhem. not. Iam. 2.24 both he & out of him our M. of Rhemes reioine: that the fathers neuer wrot thē in ſenſu Proteſtantum, in the ſence & meaning that the Proteſtants take thē: as if belike, they were very like our Papiſts, that ſomtime ſpeake well, and meane il, not only of the Prince, & the laws in the common wealth, but alſo of Chriſt, of his grace, & of the ſcripture in the Church of God. But cōcerning the point of this matter: Only faith doth iuſtify. So ſay we, as ſayd the fathers before vsus many yeares ago, their wordes be the ſame with ours, and why not their ſence? Firſt forſooth in ſaying that only faith doth iuſtifie, is meant that the Lawe cannot iuſtifie without faith. Doth then the Lawe iuſtifie with faith, and faith togeather with the Lawe? and doe the fathers meane ſo? truely children woulde be more thē aſhamed of ſuch contradictions, you let not moſt falſly to father vponupon thoſe good men & fathers of reuerend and godly memory. For if faith doe iuſtifie alone as ſay they, & ſaie trulie, then doubtles without the law doth it iuſtifie, or if not without the law, or if the law with it, then not alone. For whoſoeuer doth any thing alone, he doth it without the helpe of any other. Wherfore faith iuſtifying alone doth it without the law, or any thing elſe except perchaunce alone ſignify not alone, which may be true in Rhemes, & Doway, verely we that tarie at home, & rome not abroad, neuer harde the like interpretatiō in any of our ſcholes
Again only faith (they ſay) excludeth the works of natur, as the vertues of the Gētiles, & in caſe of neceſſity wher time wāteth onelyonly faith is ſufficient, nether are externall works required, as of the theef on the cros. Farther, onelyonly faith is oppoſed either to the misbeleef of heretiks, or vntounto the vnbe lefe of infidels, likewiſe is it ſet vp againſt the pride of vaunting Phariſeis, & alſo againſt the fonde buſie curioſitie of vaine heades. In theſe ſences only, is only faith meant & taken in the fathers. Well, if this were ſo, what of all this? for the firſt of all theſe laſt anſwers heaped vp together, be it agreed vpō, that faith alone doth iuſtifie, without natures worke at all. For ſo vponupon good occaſiō & warrāt out of the word of god, hauehave the fathers ſpokē, & ſo you ſeem to agnize that they hauehave. Wel then, be it cōcluded as an euerlaſting truth, that in the caſe of iuſtifying, nature hath not to do at all. And will you graunt this? no not ſo, & why not ſo? becauſe (as you dream) faith alone doth iuſtify, is as much to ſay, as natur doth not iuſtify without faith, but with faith it doth. This was the former ſtarting hole: where faith alon was faith & the law, & here faith alone is faith & nature. Verily this is not faith alone, but ſport alone for Satā: but to vsus that morn & thirſt for your ſaluatiō, what a ſinguler grief is it to cōſider how mē that beare the name of Chriſtians will needes be thus wilfully deceaued, dauncing & ſkipping vp & downe in the netts of their own deuiſing, & thinke no man diſcerneth. The fathers intend by this worde onelyonly faith to exclude both the Law of Moſes and the Law of nature. But they conclude all together, & include the workes of the one and the other within faith. Call ye me this excluding? then to go on with the reſt, you ſay when ſome of the Fathers by onelyonly faith exclude, pride, infidelitie, hereſie, and curioſitie, you may as well ſay, verum eſt, without faith: & yet notwithſtanding conioyne them altogether faith and infidelitie, faith and pride, faith and hereſie, faith and curioſitie, making vp (as it were) a Daniels image of cō trarie mettals,Dan. 2.33 that can not poſſibly cleaue or hang together. But if excluding be including, you may ſay and conclude what you will, and diſtinguiſh at pleaſure, and defend with eaſe, and all is well, ſpeciallie if you get but fauourable readers, that can and will thinke what ſoeuer cometh from beyond ſeas muſt needes go for good. Not withſtanding that the ſimple may ſee the childiſh fondneſſe, and the extreame falſitie of this ſo abſurd dealing, I will ſhew it then in the like reaſon: I would hauehave a garment made onelyonly of cloath, meaning by onelyonly cloath to exclude ſtitching, lacing, & facing with ſilk: ſhall the Taylor come, & ſtitch, lace and face my garment, & face me out, that when I willed it to be made of cloth alone, that without cloth forſooth, I wold not hauehave it ſtitcht, laced & faced: but with cloth I would. Verily it had need be a very brode cloth, that cā couer ouer al this follie, it is ſo brode: and a verie cunning, not a Taylor but a Rhetorician, or rather a Magician that muſt perſwade me ſo, and ſo bewitch a man againſt all ſenſe & reaſon in the world.
As for the theef, that was ſaued by faith alone without externall workes alleadged by the Fathers, that doth verie well proue that faith alone in ſauing doeth the deede,Ambroſ. in Rom. 3 and not workes. For the way to heauen is but ſingle, and one & the ſame to all. The thiefe was ſaued and entered Paradiſe by faith onelyonly: therefore alſo muſt all ſo do, if they will enter. For God will not ſaue ſome by him ſelfe in merciemercy, and ſaue others by them ſelues, partlie in merciemercy, and partlie by their owne workes. If the thiefe had liued longer time he ſhould & would hauehave liued well: but his beleeuing was the wing that caried him vp, and the key that opened the doore of heauen. When time wanteth not, onelyonly faith excludeth not either workes or the goodneſſe of woorkes in earth, but the meritoriouſe deſeruing by workes with God in heauen, and hereby both in heauen and in earth the free merciemercy and grace of God is beleeued, embraced, and gloriouſlie ſet foorth, by this moſt excellent confeſſion of onelyonly faith, whereby we agnize the gift, the free gift of God according to his purpoſe, promis, fauour, grace, and mere merciemercy.
In the ſtorie of the Goſpell in particular, by examples thus much is prooued, and where onelyonly faith is named, exacted, and cōmended euen in bodily cares, much more in ghoſtly cauſes of the ſoule, where our Sauiour doth not ſo much reſpect the teares of ſome, or in others their feare and trembling, nor their crying & calling after him, but their faith, and the greatneſſe of their faith.Mat. 9.22 Luc. 7.50 Mat. 15.28 Luc. 8.50 Thy faith hath made the whole Thy faith hath ſaued thee. O woman great is thy faith. I hauehave not found ſo great faith in Iſraell. And in the eight of Luke, and fifte of Mark. Beleeue onlie. OnelyOnly marke that. And withall marke, if you will the Papiſts doubling anſwer herunto.Rhem. not. Mar. 5.36 Onelie beleeue, that is either eſpecially, or only in caſes of bodily diſeaſes. What? I pray you why ſay you or and or? If onelyonly be not only but eſpecially and principally, then ſay ſo. Or if onelyonly be onelyonly, then ſay ſo, and houer not vp and down like the birde that was ſent out of the ark,Gen. 8.9 and could not find where to ſet her foote. But in deed neither is onelyonly, eſpecially, neither is onelyonly, onelyonly in bodily ſickneſſe alone, as ſhall plainelie appear. And therfore herein ye hauehave made vsus not onelyonly one lye alone, but two lowde lyes, and thoſe together without taking breath one vponupon an anothers head. For, as for the firſt, was Chriſt like your Phiſitian, that biddeth his pacient be of good cheere and onelyonly hauehave a good heart, yet withall a good diet muſt be kept, and potions receiued, as thinges more requiſite? O M. Allen, and M. Martin, and who euer elſe had finger in that your late gewgawe tranſlation: was there, I ſay not were there other things, but was there any one thing, not onelyonly more requiſite, but in equall degree as neceſſarie as faith?Luc. 8.44 For woulde Chriſt require the leſſe, and omit the more neceſſarie? or if many things were to be required, woulde he ſay, onelyonly beleeue. No. when all other helpes fayled, then they came to our Sauiour. And therefore other helpes being preterneceſſarie he wel required thē wholy to put their truſt in him: not that he could not cure, yea reuiue without their beleeuing that he could, but that dutie would he hauehave at their hands, and only that in ſuch reſpects.
Wherefore when this former ſhift ſerued not the turne, you added, though onelyonly fayth be requiſite and nothing elſe, yet that concerned the healing of the body, & not the ſauing of the ſoule. Of healing the bodie I graunt: but withall of ſauing the ſoule, that theſe words are not ſpoken, is not ſo eaſilie proued. For Chriſt Ieſus the Sauiour both of bodie & ſoule, moſt principally ſaueth the moſt principall part, & therefore to ſhew what, & how alone he worketh ſpecially in recuring their ſoules diſeaſed with ſinne, view thoſe miraculous cures done ſo euidently vponupon their bodies. Wherfore by conuenient reaſon it followeth, if faith alone be required in thē, much rather in the other, wherein conſiſteth the greater cure in vsus, and whence ariſeth the greater glorie to him ſelfe that cureth.
Contrarie to this in the example of Mary Magdalen ſomewhat is brought foorth as who therfore had her ſinnes forgiuen,Rhem. not. Luc. 7.50 becauſe ſhe loued much. So that louelove alſo was required, & not faith alone. Conſider we the ſtory a litle for our better vnderſtā ding: wherin it is ſaid to her: Thy faith hath ſaued thee, go in peace. & a litle before both of & to her: Many ſinnes are forgiuē, becauſe ſhe loued much. Our of which I obſerue 4. notes, remiſſion of ſinns, peace of cōſcience faith embracing ſaluation, & due louelove enſuing therupō. Peace of mind cometh after ward in place to be ſpoken of. The ſole mean of receiuing remiſſiō is faith, the only cauſe of remitting is mercy. For otherwiſe remiſſion were no remiſſiō. And were not faith the only meane, but her louelove alſo as the Rhemiſh note is: Chriſt whē he ſaid: Thy faith hath ſaued the, he ſhold hauehave ſaid nay thy louelove & thy faith, or thy faith & thy louelove hauehave ſaued thee: eſpecially were louelove ſo noble, & ſo cōpendious, & ſo effectuall a diſpoſitiō therūto,Lib. 8. c. 30. as M. Stapletō beareth vsus in hand it is, & in her was, Many ſins were for giuen her, becauſe ſhe loued. The Greeke word doth ſignify therfor,foreign aſwel as becauſe But they vrge the word becauſe, as a precedent cauſe. But ſe the like euen in the ſame word: we ſay, this apple tree is a good tree. why? becauſe it beareth good frute. Yet is not the frute cauſe of the tré, nor the goodnes of the apple cauſe of the good tree, but indeed becauſe the tré is good, therefore it bringeth fruit according to his kind, & this is the proper natural cauſe, but we in cōmō ſpeech ſay it is a good tree becauſe we taſt the goodneſſe in the frute. But this kinde of cauſe is an after cauſe & a cauſe in reaſoning, but no making cauſe as nether was Maries louelove, of her ſins remitted. But therefore ſhe loued, not that the dignity of her louelove was precedēt to the pardon of her ſins, but hauing receiued fauour & pardō, cōſequētly her dutiful louelove enſued therupō. This appereth by that ſaying inſerted: to whō leſſe is forgiuen, he loueth leſſe, to whō more, he loueth more. Mary had many ſinnes forgiuē her, & therfore ſhe loued accordingly: & therfore Chriſt ſaid. i. cōcluded, many ſins wer forgiuē becauſe ſhe loued much. This obiectiō hath bin anſwerd more thē 1000. times. In a word I will ſhew that nether did ſhe, nor could ſhe, louelove & louelove ſo entirly, before her ſins wer remitted. For beig not in the ſtate of grace, what could her louelove be but luſt, and no louelove, fancy and no true dilection? a notorious ſinner ſhee was, and therefore verie farre from louing, and nothing neare louing much aright. They that louelove God, keepe his commaundementes: ſo do not ſinners: then did not ſhe. Calleth M. Stapleton this a noble diſpoſition? God be mercifull vntounto vsus, as he was to Marie, that we may ſhew tokens of a true louelove, as ſhe did, not before, but after the multitude of all our ſinnes pardoned, and done away in Ieſus Chriſt our onelyonly Sauiour.
The faireſt argument of all other to the ſhewe is a concluſiō that S. Iames maketh: and at the firſt ſight, woulde make a man thinke, greatly making againſt the doctrin of onelyonly faith, where he ſayth: ye ſee then how a man is iuſtified of workes & not of faith onelyonly. wheras notwithſtanding S. Paule euerie where inculcateth nothing more then faith without workes. Doubtles theſe noble Apoſtles are not contrarie the one to the other: neither are the Scripturs as a houſe deuided in it ſelfe. God forbid they ſhould.
S. Paule teaching that we are ſaued by grace, and therefore not by workes, yet for that there were certaine vaine perſons crept in among them, he exhorteth withal that they ſhould not receaue the grace of God in vaine. Likwiſe, when he had ſhewed, that life euerlaſting was the gift of God, and therefore no purchaſe of works, yet withall alſo he warneth them, that they beware alſo howe they tourne the grace of God into wantonneſſe. As Sainct Paule is vehement in this caſe, ſo vpō greater occaſion S. Iames was moſt worthelie as earneſt as Sainct Paule.
For whileſt ſome heard that faith without workes did iuſtifie (vnſtable and vnlearned minded men, as they were) peruerting that Scripture, as alſo, other Scriptures to their owne damnation, they bade adieu to all good deedes, ſaying in theyr fooliſh hearts, if faith without workes can ſaue, we can beleeue, that there is a God: & if onelyonly faith will ſerue, we can beleeue, and what neede more? And thus contenting thēſelues in a generalitie of their profeſſion of faith, falſlie ſo called, litle reckoning was made, how bad ſoeuer their conuerſation were.
For remedie whereof S. Iames aſketh, what ſuch a faith could auaile them? for either it was no faith and ſo nothing worth: or a deuils faith, & ſo worſe then nothing. Yet leſt any imagin that S. Iames plainly & ſimply graunteth a deuils faith to be faith, mark further how he doth not. For when he ſpeaketh of faith in deede, and properly in the firſt chapter, he ſaith it is no waue that is to ſay, no trembling leafe, no ſhiuering reede, fully in S. Paules meaning that it is an euidēt probatiō, & a certain, ſtable, grounded, ſtrong thing. Wherfore S. Iames whē he likeneth this ſuppoſed faith to the quaking faith of deuilles, he ſpeaketh not properly but by compariſon, and meaneth an other matter, then either himſelfe ſpeaketh of in his firſt chapter, or elſe S. Paule elſewhere in his Epiſtles. For properly he tearmeth this maner of faith a dead faith, that is, no faith at al. And this he proueth by aſimilitude: that as a man may argue that a bodie is not quicke but dead, without the ſpirit, that is, without all ſpirituall motions, life & ſence, ſo is faith without works. For faith appeareth quicke and liuely in her operations and working. Yet not, as the Papiſt dreameth, that works are the ſoule of faith, but I ſay as the ſpirit and vital breath of faith,foreign. wherin it liketh well, and greatly deliteth, and manifeſtly ſheweth it ſelfe. For if a man be a faithfull man, verilie alſo that man will liue vprightly, & walk honeſtly, and do workes worthy of his faith, not that faith is made of works, but that where faith goeth before, works euer folow after. In ſo much that a man may well conclude, a faithful man, ergo fruitfull, a fruteles mā, ergo faithles. Thou wilt ſay, thou haſt faith. that is a verball faith, & nothing els. Faith is not made of words, but ſhewed in deeds. As the Sūne is not without his beames, no more is faith without her bright ſhining woorkes. Yet the Sunne is not made of beames: no more is faith of workes. Yet may I well argue thus. If it hauehave no beams, it is no Sunne, and ſo faith, if it hauehave no workes, well it may be called faith of vain men, in truth it is not. For the Chriſtian fayth of ſaued men, worketh euer in time conuenient by charitie, Gal. 5.6& can not be idle.
For as by it, and by it alone wee hauehave acceſſe to God, and truſt in his promiſes, without all wauering embracing the benefits of Chriſts death and paſſion, which is the chiefe dutie of faith, ſo alſo where it lacketh roote in the good ground of godly hearts, it bringeth out, & breaketh foorth into other frutes. And thoſe of ſundry ſorts to the vſe of men according to the diuerſe duties of diſcretion and charitie. But ſtill before God in the actiō of iuſtifying, wherof Paul diſputeth moſt, faith alone doth al, or rather receaueth all of God that doeth all. In other reſpects ſhe neuer is without her traine, and as the eye and only the eye in beholding the ſerpent in the wildernes, recouered the children of Iſraell, and yet their eyes were not without the reſt of the parts of their faces, & their eyes ſerued thē alſo, for directing their feet otherwiſe, ſo the onelyonly eye of faith, or onelyonly faith as the eye of the ſoul beholdeth Chriſt of whom the ſerpent was but a figure, & therby only in him are we ſaued, yet although in this regard alone it doth the deede, yet is it not alone, but continually accompanied with godlineſſe, & all good woorks, in ſo much that where we finde not good works, it is bootleſſe to ſeeke for faith, for faith wil no where lodge or liue without works: the mother cannot be without her daughers. If you kill the children, you kill the parent to. So that chaſe away works, & faith will not tary after. If a man wil ſay, he retaineth her, & retaineth not her retinew, well may he ſay ſo, but in ſooth & veritie, in ſteede of a iuſtifying faith he laieth hold on an vnprofitable deueliſh faith, a dead faith, a verbal faith, a ſhadow of faith, a faith which he ſo calleth, yet is not faith at all, neither hath it any affinity with the iuſtifying faith, which iuſtifieth alone, yet is not alone, as hath bene declared in manie wordes and happilie in mo then was needefull, but onelyonly for the ſimpler ſort.
As there is a double taking of this word faith, either true or verball, ſo alſo is there a diuerſe acception of this worde iuſtifying, either for a beleeuing & an apprehending the iuſtice of Chriſt imputed, or for a declaration that we are ſuch perſons to the opinion of others by iuſt liuing, which is a iuſtification before men. Of the former meaning Sainct Paul doth argue, the later ſence S. Iames forceth and ſtandeth moſt vponupon. For ſaith he, I am a man (and not God) that ſeeth the heart. I am but man ſhew me thy faith &c. So that theſe Apoſtles, Paule and Iames, albeit they vſe the ſame tearmes, both of faith and iuſtifying, yet becauſe they treating in deede thinges diuerſe, they can not be ſayde, to varie, when as they ſpeake of ſundrie matters, and not both ſpeciallie of one, and the ſame thing, though ſeeming ſo in tearmes. For Sainct Paule treateth of one faith, & S. Iames of an other: S. Paul of one iuſtification, Sainct Iames of an other. Sainct Paul vponupon a certaine doctrine, and Sainct Iames vppon a ſuppoſition.
If wee looke to heauen, faith onelyonly aſcendeth thether, or rather grace deſcendeth vntounto faith in true maner of ſpeaking. Workes are left below, who onelyonly iuſtifie before men in earth. For otherwiſe men can not tell who is iuſtified, and who not, but by workes. But as onelie works do iuſtifie here, ſo no doubt doth onelyonly fayth there in reſpect of heauen.
The example of Abraham cleereth all,Gen. 15.6 Rom. 4.5 Gal. 3.6 and giueth great light hereunto. Abraham beleeued God, and it was imputed vntounto him for righteouſneſſe. (that is) he was iuſtified before God by faith. And then in offring his ſonne was he called the friend of God, and ſo iuſtified, called, and pronounced ſo. And ſo was his iuſtice thoroughly completed, and his faith in proofe perfited and allowed of. In the former of imputation of righteouſneſſe, Paule and Iames in expreſſe wordes, both agree. In the latter they diſagree not. For Paule ſpeaketh not thereof, but onelie Iames, who vppon great occaſions preſſeth the neceſſarie ſequeles of a true faith, and iuſtification to enſue, before men, ſtraight vppon a iuſtification praecedent beefore God. Wherupon as it were word for word, and in ſence he reaſoneth thus: If thine offences were pardoned in Chriſt, thie ſinnes remitted, and Chriſtes righteouſneſſe imputed: that is, weareſt thou iuſtified by fayth before God, it would follow neceſſarilie, that thy fayth would ſhewe it ſelfe, and thy deedes without, would declare what thou art within, and therebie ſhouldeſt thou be reputed a iuſt man, and ſo be iuſtified before men alſo. But hee that wanteth the neceſſarie conſequences of ſuch a cauſe, maie it not be concluded, that hee wanteth the cauſe it ſelfe?
In the Goſpell there were that boaſted of the line and race of Abraham. But the children of Abraham, that are in deede his children are a poſteritie according to faith, and not after the fleſh.Mat. 3.9 Wherefore ſaith our Sauiour vntounto them. If ye were the children of Abraham by fayth, ye would do the workes of Abrahā, as Abraham did. No workers, ergo no faithful childrē of his for all their vaunting. For though workes made them not his children, but faith, yet where ſuch works lacked, Chriſt therupon reaſoneth the wanting of faith it ſelfe. And it is true both in the nature of the thinges, and in the iudgement of the world. Yet all this doeth not diſproue, that faith alone doth iuſtifie before God, nether doth it inferre, that workes do otherwiſe iuſtifie thē onelyonly before mē, & by the neceſſity of due conſequēt to inſue. Works hauehave their vſes, though not that vſe: one key wil not ſerue for euerie lock. They ſhew our faith to mē, they ar no parts of faith to make it vp, they are good duties that follow of faith, and ſo they iuſtifie & no otherwiſe, in the eyes of men the behoulders. I am ouer long herin.
Touching the other example of Rahab the harlot: what were her works? ſhe receiued & preſerued Ioſues meſſengers: therby was ſhe iuſtified, that is ſo reputed in the cāp. This one fact could not make her iuſt. But being iuſtified no doubt before by beleeuing in God, opportunitie ſeruinge well, ſhee declared what ſhe was in giuinge ſuch entertainement to the Lords ſeruāts. Which ſtorie well ſheweth, that God hath his where a mā would litle thinke, euen in that curſed city. Let no man deſpaire. Rahab an inhabitante of wicked Iericho, and ſhe ſometime an harlot is accepted, but ſee withall ſhe changeth her former life, and of an harlot became the hoſteſſe of Gods ſeruants. Wherin I note: an harlot was far frō meriting & therefore as afterwardes her good workes are recorded, ſo yet is not her former fault omitted, both to ſhew what ſhe obtained firſt by fauour and pardon of her fault, and then in dutie what ſhee did is ſpoken of, wherby ſhe became knowen to the Lords people, and this was her iuſtification enſuing vponupon a beleefe that went in fauour before. Wherby it appeared how S. Iames in theſe examples forced the vſe of good workes not to iuſtifie before God, but in ſeruice, dutie, and opinion of and to men.
Greater amplificatiōs may be brought, by the skilfull in theſe caſes, to this purpoſe. In effect, this is all that either the Apoſtle meaneth, or I can ſay vponupon his meaning: & ſo much is plainly meant, that though in ſome functions they may be diuerſly occupied, yet true faith, and good workes euer meete togeather, and ioyntly reſt in the iuſtified man.
But maruelous are the aduerſaries in their conceits.Rhem. not. 1. Cor. 13.13 For they imagine a faithfull man to be without all faithfull and good dealing, as if they coulde finde vsus out great ſprings without the iſſue of many waters, or much water without any moiſture, or a burning fire without his heat. We may diſtinguiſhe matters in their natures by teaching, although we find them not ſundred in the perſons in whom we find them. And we do vſually diſtinguiſh faith and works, but in the faithfull they are neuer found apart: & therefore we do not ſeparate them there. So that contrary to that, which ſomtimes we are charged withall, we euer ſet forth a faith adorned with vertues, and not make a naked faith ſtript out of her attire, & ſtill we tell them faith neither is nor can be foūd alone in the man iuſtified, as hath bene proued at large, in the examination of the place of Iames.
But they to diſproue this, labour by all meanes poſſibly,Rhem. not. 1. Cor. 13.13 & in ſpeciall they alleadg S. Paul to the Corinth. in whom ſay they, faith is ſeuered from louelove, and if from louelove, then from all good works, true, if frō louelove. For all good works are ſummarily comprehēded hēded in louelove, which therfore is ſaid to be the fulfilling of the lawe, becauſe it is of a greater ſpan, cōtaining the works both of the firſt and ſecōd table in louing God aboue al things, & our neighbour as our ſelf. Then if faith be ſeparated from louelove, thē alſo from other works. Now that from louelove it may be ſeuered, S. Paul ſpeaketh ſay they in his owne perſon: If I had all faith, and had not louelove, &c. ergo all faith may be had without louelove.
S. Paul as he had faith, ſo was he not void of louelove, whoſe louelove was ſo great that he had care of all cōgregatiōs,1. Cor. 11.28. Suppoſing doth not euer proue the thing ſuppoſed. & therefore he doth but onelyonly put a caſe, nether is it generally grāted, that al faith doth ſignify all faith in al kindes, but in ſome one kinde all the degrees of that faith. And herein many iudge that S. Paul meaneth a miraculous faith, & not the iuſtifying, becauſe he ſaith, If I had all faith, ſo that I could remoue mountaines, that is all ſuch faith, and yet had not louelove, &c. But if this be the ſenſe, then doth it not import that the iuſtifying faith may lacke louelove, but the miraculous faith, if yet it proue ſo much. Whether S. Paul meane a miraculous faith, or no, or whether a miraculous faith (let it be a faith) can be ſeuered from the iuſtifying or no, I will not greatlie ſtriue. There is no edificatiō in multiplying of impertinent queſtiōs. This muſt be cōſidered wel, that the Apoſtle ſayth not down right, he hath faith, and that he hath not louelove, but If I had faith. Nowe I truſt they will not proue matters with ifs and ands. Our Sauiour ſaid touching the beloued Diſciple what if he woulde that he ſhoulde tarie ſtill till his comming?Ioh. 21.23. vponupon this conditionall (if) an error was ſtraight ſpread abroad, that Iohn ſhoulde not die. In like manner S. Paul alſo ſaith, If I ſpake with the tunges of men, 1. Cor. 13.1.and of Angells, &c. You will not go about hereby I truſt, to proue that the Apoſtle had a verie Angels toūg, or that Angels had tunges. S. Paule maketh ſuppoſels, and thereupon he ſetteth furth the excellent commendatiō of louelove, which verely in ſundrie points is far more commēdable then faith it ſelfe, in ſo much that a man may vſe the Poets wordes in a better mater, O matre pulchra filia pulchrior? A beawtifull mother faith,Horat. a fayrer daughter louelove. But S. Paule doth no where diſioyne them, but concluding the praiſes of louelove, ſaith: there are three that remaine (togeather) Faith, Hope, & Charitie: faith beleeuing in the promiſes, hope looking, and longing for them, charitie louing the promiſet, and in him and for his ſake louing all that is to be beloued. Of all theſe the laſt is the greateſt, what? in iuſtifying? no. S. Paul debateth the matter to the cō trarie euerie where. Wherein then? in the multitude of other duties, and for the euerlaſting durance therof both in this world, and alſo in the world to come. For when knowledge ſhall ceaſe, & faith ſhall hauehave his date, and hope ſhalbe expired in the leaſe of this life, in the life to come remaineth louelove. And this is all that the Apoſtle meaneth, which neither confuteth the adonnes of faith in her proper office of iuſtifying, neither yet doth it any way cōfirme, that in other reſpectes ſhe can be alone in the man iuſtified. And thus much of only faith, and yet of faith that is neuer alone.