Common Places, Part 3 · Chapter 3 · Section 4
VVhether true Faith may be ſeuered from Charitie.
18 But now let vsus propound thrée things to be inquired; the firſt, In 1. Co. 13 verſe. 3.whether true faith may be ſeuered from charitie, as our aduerſaries perſuade themſelues that it may; another is, whether charitie be the forme of faith, according as the Schoole-men teach; laſtlie, Wherein charitie and faith excell one anotherlet vsus ſée wherein charitie is more excellent than faith, and likewiſe how faith dooth excell charitie. Concerning the firſt, it ſhall be conuenient before all things, that we by ſome certeine definition ſet foorth the nature of faith: for then we may eaſilie diſcerne how much it is ioined with charitie. Let vsus rip vp the matter throughlie; & firſt let vsus make a difference betwéene ſuppoſing and beléeuing. The difference betweene ſuppoſing and beleeuing.When anie man dooth giuen his aſſent vntounto one ſide of a controuerſie, he is ſaid to ſuppoſe or hauehave opinion: which thing is not without ſuſpicion, and a doubtfull mind; leaſt peraduenture the matter ſhould be otherwiſe. But we are not ſaid to beléeue, vnleſſe we doo alreadie giuegive a firme and aſſured conſent vntounto the one ſide, ſo that we ſuſpect nothing at all of the truth of the other ſide. Wherefore to beléeue, according as ſerueth to our purpoſe, What is, to beleeue.is by the inſpiration of the holie Ghoſt, to giuegive a firme aſſent vntounto the word of God, and that by the authoritie of God himſelfe. We ſaie, that the inſpiration of God is required, bicauſe humane reaſons in thoſe things doo faile, and The naturall man perceiueth not thoſe things which be of God; for he thinketh them to be but fooliſhnes, and he cannot giuegive credit vntounto them.
And that a firme aſſent is required in a true faith, Auguſtine.Auguſtine declareth in his 109. treatiſe vponupon Iohn; when he ſaith, We muſt beléeue immooueablie, firmelie, ſtedfaſtlie, and couragiouſlie, leaſt a man wander about his owne affaires, The word of God of two ſorts.and abandon Chriſt. And we muſt giuegive our aſſent vntounto the word of God, which is of twoo ſorts; written, and not written. For thoſe things, which God ſpake vntounto the prophets, the prophets beléeued: & yet were not thoſe things written by others before them. Gen. 15, 6.Abraham beléeued that he ſhould be bleſſed, ſo as all nations ſhould obteine bleſſing in his ſéed: alſo he beléeued that God was to be obeied, Gen. 22, 3.when his ſonne was demanded for ſacrifice; and yet had he not read anie thing written thereof. Wherefore that which we hauehave ſpoken of faith, maketh nothing againſt them which ſaie, that faith is an aſſent giuen to the Goſpell of Chriſt; or to the merciemercy of God giuen vsus through Chriſt; or elſe offered vntounto vsus by him, for the remiſſion of ſinnes. Forſomuch as theſe be the moſt high and principall things in the word of God, vntounto the which, the lawe, the prophets, the threatenings, promiſes, and hiſtories, how manie ſoeuer be found in the holie ſcriptures, be directed. Wherefore I agrée with them, and what they imbraced in the Goſpell; but as touching remiſſion of ſins through Chriſt, I alſo doo affirme to be conteined in the word of God.
Heb. 11, 1. The definition of faith which is in the epiſtle to the Hebrues.19 The epiſtle to the Hebrues the eleuenth chapter, hath a moſt plaine definition of faith, where it is called foreign, that is, The ground or being of things, which are hoped for; in Gréeke, foreign. And ſurelie in this reſpect, faith comprehendeth the Goſpell, eternall life, the fellowſhip of Chriſt, and thereby the remiſſion of ſinnes: for theſe be the things which wée hope for. But ſéeing thoſe things cannot appéere by naturall euidence, neither yet ſticke faſt in our minds, or can firmelie abide by the induſtrie of our owne reaſon, or by the helpe of humane knowledge, they hauehave néed of faith, as a prop or ground-worke, vntounto the which ſurelie they may leane. Afterward is added foreign, that is, An euident token or argument of thoſe things which appeere not. For thoſe things, which be taught vsus in the ſcriptures, vnleſſe they be admitted by faith, will not ſéeme of themſelues verie likelie to be true vntounto our reaſon. And whereas there is mention made of foreign, or foreign, [that is, A being, or euident token] that firme aſſent is declared, the which we ſaie we hauehave néed of in beléeuing. Wherevnto there is no let, that we being compaſſed on euerie ſide with the fleſh, are oftentimes put to trouble by wauering and infirmitie; If at anie time wee wauer in faith, that is not faiths fault but ours.ſéeing this commeth not to paſſe by anie error of faith, but by our owne fault. Wherefore, we define faith by itſelfe, according to the propertie thereof, and not as it is weakened in vsus. Wherevpon the doubting and infirmitie of ſuch an aſſent, is the cauſe of notable falles, The weakenes of our aſſent is the cauſe of ſinnes.which hauehave happened vntounto godlie men, and which we ſée doo euerie daie happen. For whatſoeuer naughtines men doo commit, they doo ſinne thorough the want and imperfection of faith; bicauſe either they beléeue not, that God ordeined lawes againſt the ſinnes, which they commit; or elſe thoſe lawes, which are made, they conſider not as they ought to doo; or ſomtimes they giuegive but weake aſſent vntounto thoſe things that be read and deliuered vntounto them.
20 Ariſtotle in his Ethiks maketh diligent inquirie, how it can be, Ariſtotle.that when as yet there is a knowledge of diuine things, anie thing can be committed againſt the ſame: and he ſaith; It may be, that there is reteined onelie a generall knowlege; but ſéeing that particular things doo vrge ſpeciallie, the force of a particular thing laid before vsus, eaſilie ouercommeth the generall knowledge, and maketh the ſame more féeble. If anie man hauehave aſſured himſelfe, that all theft is an vniuſt and infamous thing; and on the other part conceiueth, that it were fit for him to followe all his owne commoditie; it may ſoone come to paſſe, that he will not bring in the particular thing of the firſt ſentence, whereby hée ſhould earneſtlie reckon with himſelfe on this wiſe: That which thou now attempteſt is theft, a thing vniuſt and infamous. For if he did thoroughlie caſt in his mind theſe things, and fixe his eies vponupon them, he would not ſteale: but theſe things being verie off times abandoned, and not conſidered of, he onelie reſpecteth the particular thing of the other propoſition; namelie, that this monie, this garment, this ſtuffe will both be commodious to him, and ſerue him to great vſe. About which things, his mind being bent and occupied, he is ſoone ſnarled; bicauſe that true knowledge, while it is but ſmallie regarded by him, is vnperfect, and in a maner extinguiſhed.
So Dauid, as concerning faith, An example in Dauid.knew verie well, that all adulterie both is ſinne, and diſpleaſeth God excéedinglie: 2. Sam. 11, 4but when he committed the ſame, he had euen then but onelie a generall knowledge thereof, the which was weake and of verie ſmall efficacie; and he conuerted in a maner all his cogitations vntounto ſpeciall and preſent allurements, ſo euidently was the beautie of the woman which he beheld fixed in his mind. VntoUnto which delights he gaue more of his conſent, than vntounto the generall ſentence drawne out of the word of God, and perceiued by faith: wherefore thou ſéeſt, that through the weakenes of faith he came to his fall. An example in PeterAlſo Peter knew with a generall knowledge, that the libertie of the Goſpell ſhould be kept, & that corrupt opinions ſhould not be brought in through his example: on the other part he ſawe, that offenſe, ſhould be taken awaie from the weake brethren. Gal. 2, 12.Wherefore when the Iewes had come vntounto him, he began to withdrawe himſelfe from the Ethniks, neither did he eate with them; bicauſe he did not remember himſelfe ſo much as he ought to hauehave doone, that by this act euill opinions would créepe in, and by that meanes the libertie of the Goſpell be ouerthrowne: but he chéefelie had in his mind his weake brethren the Iewes, toward whom he was more affected than it was méet he ſhould. And therefore he fell, bicauſe he thought that they ought by no meanes to be offended. So that he was vponupon iuſt cauſe blamed by Paule, that he walked not vprightlie. By theſe things it appéereth, of how great importance is the ſtrength & ſtedfaſtnes of the aſſent of faith; which I repeated before.
21 I confeſſe, that while we liue here, the ſame cannot perfectlie be had; bicauſe we now knowe in part onelie, There is no whole firme aſſent in this life. 1. Cor. 13, 6.whereas vntounto a ſtrong aſſent is required a full knowledge. But bicauſe that deſire may not ſuddenlie turne vsus from the right, nor yet affection diſturbe the iudgement of faith, this notable remedie we hauehave; A remedie againſt the weaknes of faith.namelie, that with a fixed and attentiue mind we be continuallie occupied in the word of God; and that we examine our actions by the ſame: therein let vsus exerciſe our ſelues, therein let vsus imploie our buſineſſe, and therein let vsus earneſtlie ſpend our whole time and trauell. We muſt not behold with our eies, nor faſten our mind vponupon thoſe things that are againſt the commandements of God, & which cauſe Gods word not to be beléeued. Abraham being now a hundred yéeres old, heard that he ſhould beget a ſonne; Gen. 17, 1. An example in Abraham. Rom. 4, 19.he reſpected not (as the apoſtle ſaith) his owne dead bodie, he gaue the glorie to God, remembring with himſelfe, that he which was able to doo all things, and which failed not, nor might not faile, promiſed this vntounto him. Hereby it came to paſſe, that neither he doubted, nor yet miſtruſted. Theſe things hauehave we ſaid touching the ſtablenes and ſtrength of the aſſent of faith. And of what efficacie this ſtrength of of faith is in the beléeuers, Auguſtine declared vponupon the ninth treatiſe of Iohn, when he ſaid; Auguſtine.To beléeue in Chriſt, is, in beléeuing to looue; in beléeuing to go vntounto him, & to be made a member of him. Now doo we gather, A definition of faith.that faith is a gift or power inſpired into vsus by the ſpirit of God; by which faith we giuegive a firme and ſtedfaſt aſſent vntounto the word of God, through the authoritie thereof. This definition I doubt not but is made plaine, by thoſe things which I hauehave alreadie ſpoken.
22 I am not ignorant, that the apoſtle Iames mentioned, that It is a dead faith which is deſtitute of good works; howbeit, that is no faith, Iame 1, 20 A dead faith is no faith.when it is pronounced to be dead: euen as a man, when he is dead, cannot be called a man, vnleſſe we vſe a figuratiue ſpéech. And when they ſaie that a man is buried, they vnderſtand the ſame of the dead carcaſe: A dead faith is the dead carcaſe of faitheuen ſo this is not to be accounted faith, but rather a dead carcaſe of faith; neither dooth it in nature agrée with true faith, but in name onelie. The apoſtle Paule alſo writing vntounto Timothie, called the ſame feigned, ſaieng on this wiſe; 1. Tim. 1, … Paule called it a …eigned faith. Matt. 13, 21. Temporary beleeuers.Let charitie proceed from a pure hart, a good conſcience, & a faith not feigned. And Chriſt in the Goſpell deſcribed certeine beléeuers, but thoſe temporarie, or which beléeued but for a time. Wherefore, when as in the holie ſcriptures it is intreated concerning iuſtification by faith, & other things of that ſort; thoſe are not to be aſcribed vntounto a dead faith, but vntounto a liuelie faith: after which maner I at this preſent may order my ſpéech. Amongſt the Schoole-diuines there is boaſt made of faith formed, and faith without forme; for ſuch terms they hauehave: but the ſame we will examine a little after. Onlie I will now declare this; to wit, that Thomas Aquinas held, Thomas Aquinas ſaith that faith formed and vnformed hauehave both one habit.that faith formed and faith vnformed be of one habit or qualitie: bicauſe (as he thinketh) it belongeth little or nothing vntounto faith, whether charitie be preſent or not preſent; for this they thinke is doone by chance, or (as they ſaie) by accidens. Certeinlie it is to be woondered, that ſo notable a man ſhould be ſo much deceiued, as he would not hauehave theſe two to be diſtinguiſhed in their owne nature, ſéeing the one is a dead faith, and the other a liuelie faith: the one maketh vntounto eternall life, and the other vntounto condemnation. For a dead faith putteth a certeine goodlie ſhew in the mind, but ſuch, Faith vnformed is faultie, bicauſe it onlie taketh awaie excuſe.as ſéeing it dooth not iuſtifie or regenerate, it onelie taketh awaie the excuſe of ignorance: as Paule teacheth vntounto the Romans, and Chriſt in the Goſpell of Iohn; If I had not come (ſaith he) and had not talked with them, they ſhould hauehave had no ſinne.
23 Faith, hope, Rom. 1, 20. Ioh. 15, 22.and charitie we appoint to be thrée ſeuerall things: neither doo we mingle them togither, or confound them one in another, as our aduerſaries laie to our charge; but we ſaie, that they be inſeparable companions, in ſuch ſort, A ſimilitude.as where true faith is, there alſo will hope and charitie be preſent: their natures neuertheles being ſafe and vnmixed. Neither would we euer grant charitie to be an accident vntounto faith, ſauing that peraduenture our aduerſaries, vnderunder the name of an accident, have vnderſtood a thing proper. For charitie dooth no leſſe folowe faith, A ſimilitude.than light foloweth the ſunne; which thing ſhall be ſhewed by authorities out of the ſcripture, and alſo by diuerſe reaſons. Paule vntounto the Hebrues, Heb. 11, 1.in the definition of faith (as we declared before) The firſt reaſon.appointed Faith to be a ground or argument of thoſe things which are hoped for. Here now thou ſéeſt, that hope and faith are ioined togither: for ſo ſoone as euer we hauehave aſſented vntounto the promiſes of the merciemercy of God, and the remiſſion of ſinnes, we doo hope for them; for we hauehave confidence, that we ſhall obteine thoſe things which God hath promiſed. And it cannot be, but we ſhould alſo louelove thoſe things, which we alreadie knowe and hope to be ſingular good. The ſecond reaſon.Moreouer, faith is the power, whereby we apprehend Chriſt, who is by God made vntounto vsus wiſedome, righteouſnes, ſanctification, and redemption. But what righteouſnes or ſanctification can there be vntounto vsus, if charitie be abſent? The third reaſon.Further, faith cauſeth vsus to apprehend God, not onelie in reſpect that he is good, but alſo as he is our ſouereigne good. Which thing, ſo ſoone as euer it is perceiued, it followeth neceſſarilie, that we ſhould proſecute the ſame with louelove and charitie. I verelie would neuer aſſent vntounto thoſe crabbed Sophiſters, which ſaie, that it may be, that the bleſſed may vnderſtand the chéefeſt good thing, and yet neuertheles may withhold their will from the louelove and imbracing of the ſame.
Auguſtine.24 Now let vsus come to the fathers. Auguſtine De fide & operibus, the 16. chap. writeth, that Faith which is without charitie, is the faith of diuels, and not of chriſtians. And he iudgeth that to beléeue in Chriſt, perteineth onelie vntounto the true faith, of the which we now preſentlie ſpeake; and he declareth it to be the ſame, which worketh by louelove. And in the next chapter he moſt plainelie writeth, that thoſe adulterous perſons, which will ſtill perſiſt in their vncleannes begun, muſt not be admitted vntounto baptiſme; bicauſe he denieth that they beléeue in Chriſt: for either (ſaith he) they iudge that God hath made no lawe againſt ſuch wickednes, or elſe they thinke that they may be the members of Chriſt togither with the members of an harlot. And thus he manifeſtlie prooueth after a ſort, that they beléeue not in ſome place the word of God. But it is neceſſarie, that true faith giuegive equall aſſent vntounto the whole word of God. Chryſoſtome in his ſermon, Chryſoſt.which is intituled De fide, & lege naturae, & ſpiritu ſancto, writeth; So ſoone as thou beléeueſt, thou ſhalt be garniſhed with good works: & he addeth, Ierom.that faith by it ſelfe is full of good works. Ierom againſt the Luciferians dooth ſaie, that Faith is a firme and vndoubted thing. I ſtand readie in praier, but I ſhould not praie vnleſſe I beléeued: and if ſo be I did beléeue, I would clenſe that hart, whereby God is diſcerned; my chéekes would be watered with teares, I would knocke my breſt, my bodie would tremble, my face would be wan, and I would lie at the féet of Chriſt crucified, &c. In theſe words thou ſéeſt, that manie good works are ioined with faith.
In the booke named The calling of the Gentils, being aſcribed vntounto Ambroſe, it is written, Ambroſe.that Faith is the begetter of a good will, and of a iuſt action. Gregorie.Gregorie in his 22. homilie vponupon Ezechiel ſaith; Looke how much we beléeue, ſo much we doo louelove. But this thing is more certeinlie prooued by the teſtimonie of the holie ſcriptures. When the apoſtles were demanded by Chriſt, The fourth reaſon.whether they alſo would depart? Peter anſwered; Lord, to whom ſhall we go? Iohn. 6, 67.Thou haſt the words of eternall life: for we knowe and beleeue, that thou art Chriſt the ſonne of the liuing God. Here it appéereth, that vntounto knowledge, and vntounto a liuelie faith was ioined charitie, whereby the apoſtles would not forſake Chriſt. Chriſt ſaid; The fift reaſon. Iohn. 6, 40. Iohn. 3, 36.Euerie man that beleeueth in me hath life eternall. Iohn Baptiſt pronounced the ſame, when he ſaid; He that beleeueth in the ſonne, hath euerlaſting life. True it is indéed, that while we liue here, we hauehave no abſolute or perfect faith; but hauehave onelie an entrance of the the ſame: but howſoeuer it be, The ſixt reaſon. Abac. 2, 4. The ſeuenth reaſon. Gal. 3, 26. Iohn. 6, 45. The eight reaſon. Iohn 17, 3. The ninth reaſon.without charitie it cannot conſiſt. The prophet Abacuk ſaith; The iuſt man dooth liue by faith. Paule vntounto the Galathians ſaith; Ye be all the children of God by faith. And in the Goſpell of Iohn; Euerie man that hath heard of my father, and hath learned and beleeued, commeth vntounto me. And againe; This is the life eternall, that they knowe thee onelie the true God, and Ieſus Chriſt whom thou haſt ſent. All theſe things, which we hauehave recited; ſéeing they be had by ſaith, and without charitie they take no place, doo ſhew, that of neceſſitie true faith is ioined with charitie.
25 In the firſt epiſtle of Iohn, the fift chapter; verſe. 1.Whoſoeuer beleeueth, that Ieſus is that Chriſt, The truth reaſon.is borne of God. Some there be which ſ…e, that thoſe which hauehave faith, are not preſentlie the children of God; but that they may eaſilie become [the children of God,] bicauſe they hauehave alredie atteined to ſome preparation vntounto the ſame. And Pighius, who amongſt other defends this opinion, bringeth in the Goſpell of Iohn; Iohn. 1, 12.And how manie ſoeuer hauehave receiued him, to them hath he giuen power to be made the children of God. Behold (ſaith he) the euangeliſt hath giuen to them, which alonelie beléeue, the power to obteine the adoption of the children. Howbeit, this man ſhould prudentlie hauehave weied thoſe words which followe: The place of Iohn is aſſoiled.for the euangeliſt addeth; that this power is giuen vntounto them which beléeued in his name, Which are borne, not of bloud, nor of the fleſh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Wherefore they which hauehave receiued him, and beléeued in his name, are ſaid to be borne of God and therefore are regenerated and iuſtified: the which things without charitie cannot be had. And whereas they are ſaid to hauehave receiued power, it is all one, as if it ſhould be ſaid, that they receiued the gift and grace to be the children of God. How the beleeuers may hauehave power to be made the ſonnes of God.Power here in this place is not vnderſtood to be that which is diſſeuered from the thing it ſelfe, and from the effect. Wherefore Hilarie in his firſt booke De trinitate, ſaith; They which hauehave receiued, are augmented to be the ſonnes of God, not by growing of the fleſh, but by the ſpringing of faith.
Further, if we would grant, that power in that place doth make ſhew of ſome thing as yet to be looked for, & which had no effect; they hauehave not yet gotten that which they would, namelie, that they ſhould interpret charitie or iuſtification to be looked for after faith, as though theſe things for a certeine ſpace of time were differed from faith begun; but it ſhould rather be referred to perfect adoption. Adoption of two ſorts Rom. 8. 15.For adoption (as Paule ſpeaketh) is of two ſorts, one we hauehave now preſentlie, which is ſpoken of vntounto the Romans; Ye hauehave not receiued the ſpirit of bondage to feare anie more, but the ſpirit of adoption of the children, wherein we crie; Abba, Father. And this adoption hauehave they alreadie obteined, who hauehave receiued Chriſt by faith: and as the euangeliſt ſaith; They be borne of God, and the ſelfe-ſame men be indued with charitie. But there is another adoption which is perfect, this ſhall be giuen in the reſurrection, when we ſhall be frée from all gréefe & corruption. Of this there is plaine mention made in the ſaid chapter to the Romans, when it is ſaid; Ibidem. 19.Euerie creature groneth, and waiteth for the reuelation of the children of God: yea & we our ſelues hauing the firſt fruits of the ſpirit, doo grone amongſt our ſelues, waiting for the adoption and redemption of our bodies. Wherefore we will ſaie, that the beléeuers, and thoſe that be iuſtified and borne of God, hauehave a power; I meane a right vntounto that perfect adoption, the which we expect to obteine at the time appointed. Wherefore, howſoeuer they hauehave vnderſtood that word Power, they prooue nothing againſt vsus.
What is to be ſiad of them which liue vnpurelie and yet confeſſe that the articles of the faith be true.26 But they be woont to caſt vsus in the téeth with them, which liue an vncleane life, & which acquaint themſelues with hainous crimes; who neuertheleſſe agrée to all the articles of ſaith that we doo, and yet for all that it is certeine, that they behauing themſelues ſo diſhoneſtly, be deſtitute of charitie: wherefore (ſaie they) it cannot be denied, but that in them, at the leaſt wiſe, faith is ſeparated from charitie. I anſwere, that the faith of theſe men may indéed be called a true faith, as touching thoſe things which they confeſſe; but concerning the faith it ſelfe, if we throughlie conſider the nature thereof, it is no verie true and lawfull faith. To make this thing manifeſt, I will vſe examples; A ſimilitude.If a man conclude that an eclipſe ſhall be, which is to com, but prooueth it by a falſe kind of argument, & ſheweth not the ſame by anie iuſt demonſtration; his knowledge, as touching the concluſion which he brought in, may be called true; yet, bicauſe he vſeth a naughtie reaſon, the ſenſe thereof ſhall neuer be called a true knowledge, but a falſe & ſophiſticall. Alſo verie many Turks do confeſſe manie things that we beléeue; as the creation of the world, What the Turks beleeue togither with vsus.the reſurrection of the dead, and that Chriſt was borne of the virgin Marie: whom neuertheleſſe we will neuer account to be indued with the true faith.
Againe, they obiect that which is in Iohn; that There were certeine princes, Ioh. 12, 42.which beleeued in Chriſt, which notwithſtanding durſt not confeſſe his name. And againe, Iohn. 2, 24.That there were ſome which beleeued, vntounto whom neuertheleſſe Chriſt committed not himſelfe. Now theſe things (ſaie they) declare, that theſe men had faith without charitie. Howbeit, we yéeld not as they would hauehave vsus, that theſe princes were indued with the true faith: and Chriſt taught, that they did not beléeue trulie; How (ſaith he) can you beleeue, which ſeeke glorie of your ſelues? And certeine indéed it is, Iohn. 5, 44. Note a teſtimonie of Chriſt.that the princes which iudged not euill of Chriſt; would not therefore confeſſe him: bicauſe they feared to be caſt out of the ſynagog; and while they deſired too much the preſeruation of their honor & dignitie, they were turned awaie from the confeſſion of Chriſt; wherefore Chriſt pronounced them not to beléeue. Theſe men ſaie moreouer; They which beléeue trulie, when they fall into gréeuous ſinnes, and yet neuertheleſſe doo beléeue the ſame things which they did before, cannot be counted without faith; when as yet they be deſpoiled of charitie. But we admit not, that while they be conuerſant in their ſins, they hauehave faith. Titus. 1, 16. The de… eng of God ſtandeth not with the faith of Chriſt. They hauehave an image of faith, but not faith.Againſt them the apoſtle beareth record, that They confeſſe themſelues to knowe God, but in their deeds they deny him. But with a ſound & true faith, the denieng of God cannot ſtand; wherefore theſe men ſhall be rather ſaid to retaine an image and ſhew of faith, than the true faith of which we now intreat. And theſe things ſhall ſuffice at this time for the firſt queſtion.