A Trial of the Romish Clergys Title to the Church, Text and commentary · Quoted chapter 1
A. D.
A TREATISE OF FAITH, CHAP. I.
That true faith is abſolutely neceſſary to ſaluation.
A. W.
TRue faith, whether we take it for an aſſent to the truth of that which God hath reuealed, or for beleeuing in God, is abſolutely neceſſary onelyonly for thoſe which are come to yeares of diſcretion, not for them that die in their infancie. Which I deliuer, not by way of confutation, but of explication, becauſe I am perſwaded you and I agree in this point.
A. D. §. 1.
Whoſoeuer hath a true deſire to pleaſe God, and an earneſt care to ſaue his owne ſoule, (the which ſhould be the chiefest deſire, and care of eueryevery Christian man) muſt firſt reſolue, and ſettle himſelfe in a ſound beliefe of matters of faith: holding it for a moſt aſſured ground, That there is a faith, which, whoſoeuer wanteth, cannot poſſibly pleaſe God (nor conſequently be ſaued, ſith none are ſaued that do not pleaſe God.)
A. W.
Faith being ſo diuerſly taken, both in Scripture and other writings, it had bin fit for him, that profeſſeth plainneſſe, either to hauehave ſet downe the ſeuerall ſignifications of the word, or to hauehave ſhewed in what ſenſe, he himſelfe vſeth it, in this treatiſe. fBellar. de Iuſtif. lib. 1. cap. 4. §. Iam verò.Bellarmine giues it foure ſignifications. gSander. de Iuſtif. lib. 2. cap. 2. pag. 174.Sanders, ſix. hAndr. Vega qq. 15. q. 1.Vega nine. Yea this author himſelfe (as it ſhall appeare) taketh it not alwayes in one and the ſame ſenſe, but diuerſly, as it beſt fitteth his preſent purpoſe: eſpecially in one of theſe two ſignificatiōs, either for the habit, or quality of faith, whereby we are enabled to beleeue; or for the obiect of the ſame faith, that is, for the things that are to be beleeued. Example we hauehave of both in this firſt Chapter. Matters of faith, are ſuch points as we are bound to beleeue. That faith, which, whoſoeuer wanteth, cannot pleaſe God, is the qualitie of faith in the ſoule. And theſe diuers vſes of the word, are within the compaſſe of three lines. To which I may adde a third ſenſe out of this ſame chapter: where by faith, actuall beleeuing is vnderſtood; as in the places of Scripture alledged. For i. is not the hauing, but the vſing of faith, that iuſtifieth. So thē where he ſaith, that iChap. 3. è Baſilio. cap. 15. p. 85.true faith is abſolutely neceſſary to ſaluation, his meaning is, that no man can be ſaued, vnleſſe he do aſſent to the truth of thoſe matters which God hath enioyned all men to beleeue: or, that there are certaine points to be beleeued, without aſſent to the truth whereof, no man can be ſaued. But what need was there of this diſcourſe, ſince both parties that were to conferre, agreed about this point without any doubting? Or if there were any doubt, it was on the Papiſts ſide, rather then on ours, becauſe kBellar. de Eccleſ. milit. lib. 3 cap. 10. ad obiect. 1.they require not true faith to make a man a member of the Church, but onelyonly the outward profeſſion of beleefe. Yea lMelchior Canus. loc. com. lib. 6. cap. 8. pag. 418.the Pope may be head of the Church, though he beleeue not with his heart. And therfore it may not ſeeme ſtrange to vsus, that a Ieſuited Prieſt in Wisbich caſtle ſhould affirme, mDeclar. mot. inter Ieſuit. & ſacerdot. pag. 29.That *Homo non Chriſtianin.one that was no Chriſtian, might be Pope of Rome. But ſuch a glorious title of the neceſſitie of faith, maketh a goodly ſhew to the ignorant; yet let no man deceiue himſelfe herewithall. For this faith, which the Papiſts in words ſo magnifie, is not that beleef in Ieſus Chriſt, whereby a Chriſtian man, reſting on him for pardon of his ſinne, is iuſtified: but onelyonly an agreeing to the truth of Scripture. So that a man may be full of this their, faith, and nBellar de Sacr. Bap. lib. 1 cap. 14. §. Quod antem.yet be euerlaſtingly damned.
A. D. §. 2.
This ground is ſet downe by S. Paul himſelfe, who ſaith, Sine fide impoſſibile eſt placere Deo: without faith it is vnpoſſible toHeb. 11. Ser. 38. de Tempore. pleaſe God. The ſame is confirmed by S. Auguſtine who ſaith, Conſtat, neminem ad veram poſſe peruenire beatitudinem, niſi Deo placeat: & Deo neminem placere poſſe, niſi per ſidem. Fides namue eſt bonorum omnium fundamentum. Fides eſt humanae ſalutis initium. Sine hac, nemo ad filiorum Dei conſortium peruenire poteſt; quia ſine ipfa, nec in hoc ſeculo, quiſ quam iuſtificationis conſequitur gratiam, nec in futuro, vitam poſſide bit aeternam. It is certaine, that none can come to true hap pineſſe, vnleſſe he pleaſe God: and that none can pleaſe God, but by faith. For faith is the foundation of all good things. Faith is the beginning of mans ſaluation. Without this, none can come to the fellowſhip of the children of God: becauſe without this, neither doth any, in this world, obtaine the grace of iuſtification, neither ſhall …e, in the next, poſſeſſe eternall life. Thus ſaith S. Auſten.
A. W.
Well might this whole chapter hauehave bene ſpared; eſpecially ſince your proofe is no more direct for your purpoſe. For oHeb. 11. 6.Saint Paule, in that place, ſpeaketh of pDefence of Refor. Catho. pag. 202.a true iuſtifying faith, which preſuppoſeth a beleefe of all things, knowne to be reuealed by God, and requireth, that a man ſhould not onelyonly acknowledge God to be a rewarder of them, that come vntounto him, that is, qIoan. 6. 35.beleeue in him, but alſo, that he ſhould reſt vponupon him, as vponupon ſuch a one: without which, queſtionleſſe no man can pleaſe God, though he aſſent neuer ſo ſtedfaſtly to the truth of thoſe, and ſuch like points. But if you will needs expound the Apoſtle of aſſent onelyonly, I muſt put you in mind, that by this place you can proue neceſſitie of faith no farther, then for the beleeuing of thoſe two points he ſpecifieth, That God is, and That he is a rewarder of them, that come vntounto him. Indeed whoſoeuer doubts of theſe particulars thus declared in Scripture, can neither be ſaued, nor pleaſe God: but it doth not follow hereupon, that therefore there is a neceſſitie of faith, to the beleeuing of other matters, many whereof hauehave no dependance vponupon either of theſe.
A. D. §. 3.
And the ſame might be confirmed out of other *Rom. 2. Gal. 3. Eph. 2.Scriptures and *Conc. Milev. Can. 4. Concil. Trid. ſeſſ. 6. cap. 7. 8. Iren. l. 5. cap. 29. Chryſoſt. hom. 32. in Ioan. & ſerm. de Fide & Char. Cyril. Alex. in Ioan. lib. 4.Fathers, but that the matter is cleare enough.
A. W.
The firſt of theſe places rRom. 3. 22.Rom. 2. is (I take it) miſquoted by the Printer, 2. for 3. In the ſecond there is not one word of faith: the Apoſtle there labouring to conuince both Gentiles and Iewes of ſin againſt God, by the breach of the law of nature, & Moſes. ſGal. 2. 16. Epheſ. 2. 8.The other two are to be vnderſtood of true iuſtifying faith, which muſt needs be more then aſſenting to the truth of that which God ſpeaketh; as the very phraſe of beleeuing in Ieſus Chriſt proueth: which cannot with any likelihood of reaſon, be takē for giuing credit to thoſe things which are ſpoken by, or of our Sauiour Chriſt. It is one thing to beleeue that God is, Credere Deum, foreign: another thing to beleeue in God, Credere in Deū, foreign: though the latter alwayes imply the former, and the former ſometimes the latter. tIren. lib. 5. cap. 29.Irenaeus hath not a ſyllable of the neceſſitie of faith, in the place which you quote: and uLib. 4. cap. 10. 14.where he ſpeakes of it, he onelyonly ſhewes, it was neceſſary that God ſhould reueale his truth by his Word, which was his Sonne; becauſe, by the light of naturall reaſon, all things neceſſary to ſaluation could not be found out. This knowledge Irenaeus tyeth to the Scriptures. Had it not bene better for you to hauehave ſpared theſe needleſſe allegations, in a matter that was out of queſtion?
A. D. §. 4.
OnelyOnly this I will adde, that when the Scriptures do require faith, as a thing abſolutely neceſſary to ſaluation; the common tradition of Councels and Fathers do interprete, not onelyonly that there is a poſitiue precept of faith, (for if it were but a poſitiue precept, ignorance might excuſe in ſome caſe) but that at leaſt ſome kind of faith is neceſſaria neceſſitate medij, that is to ſay, is ordained as a neceſſary means, without which, no man can attaine ſaluation in any caſe: and that in this matter, ſi quis ignorat, ignorabitur, if any man by ignorance do not know, he ſhall not be knowne, as S. Paul ſpeaketh.1. Cor. 14.
A. W.
This interpretation of the Scriptures meaning, in requiring faith as a thing abſolutely neceſſary to ſaluation, is altogether vnneceſſary. For who knowes not, that there can be no ſaluation without that which is abſolutely neceſſary therunto? Therefore it was more then enough to name the common tradition of Councels and Fathers. But ſuch gay termes make a goodly ſhew in the eies of the ſimple. But I pray tel me, what hauehave you got by this learned interpretation? Is there any Chriſtian man ſo ignorant, as to deny, that ſome kind of faith is ordained as a neceſſary meanes, without which men cannot attaine to ſaluation in any caſe? Sure, this can neither hurt vsus, who acknowledge faith to be neceſſary, and (if you ſpeake of iuſtifying faith) altogether ſufficient to iuſtification: nor helpe you, who allow no faith, but that which depends vponupon the authoritie of the Church. But the Councels and Fathers ſay, that kind of faith is neceſſary. What of that? Do they therefore hold it neceſſary to ſaluation for a man to beleeue whatſoeuer the Church ſhall teach, though without the warrant of Scripture? Can a man in no caſe attaine to ſaluation, without this faith? May not the very reading of Scripture, without any miniſtery of man, be a meanes, by the worke of Gods ſpirit in his heart, to breed true faith to iuſtification and ſaluation? The neceſſitie of faith is double. Firſt concerning faith, as you take it, for an aſſent; it is not poſſible for any man to be ſaued, that doth not certainly beleeue, that xAct. 4, 12.there is no name vnderunder heauen, by which he may be ſaued, but the name of Ieſus; and that in him there is ſaluation: yet may a man attaine to ſaluation, that is not reſolued of many points, which are determined by the Church, that is, by any company of men whatſoeuer. Secondly, faith is neceſſary to ſaluation, becauſe no man can be ſaued that doth not beleeue in Ieſus Chriſt: that is, that doth not wholy renounce himſelfe, and reſt vponupon Ieſus Chriſt to be iuſtified by his obedience and ſacrifice. But the Lord hath not ſo tied his owne hands, that he cannot worke both theſe in the heart of whō he wil, without ſome man to tell him by word of mouth, that he muſt thus beleeue. y1. Cor. 14. 38.The proofe you bring out of the Apoſtle, is vtterly falſe, both for the tranſlation and application. zforeign.The word vſed by the Apoſtle, is no where to be found either in the paſsiue or middle voyce, as it muſt needs be, if it ſhould ſignifie ſhall not be knowne; but is meerly actiue, the firſt preſent tenſe of the Imperatiue moode, or (as Ramus cals it) the firſt future infect: and is as much in Engliſh, as let him be ignorant: ſo do the learned of your owne ſide tranſlate it, aIgnoret. Vatablus.Vatablus, bIgnarus eſto Pagnin.Pagninus, cIgnorabitur: pro ignoret. Caietan.Caietan, dAlionſ. Salm. cōment. in Euang. proſeg: 10 quinquag. 2. can. 17.Salmero; ſo do they expoūd it: as if he ſhould ſay (quoth eVatablus. ad 1. Cor. 14.Vatablus) If any man will not know theſe things, and will be ignorant, let him be ignorant, at his owne peril. I will not ſtriue (ſaith Cardinal fCaietan. ibid.Caietan, with thē that know not theſe to be the Lords cōmandemēts: but if any man be ignorāt, let him be ignorāt. The ſame ſenſe giuegive gChryſoſt. ad 1. Cor. hom. 37.Chryſoſtom, hTheoph. ibid.Theophylact and iOecumen ibi.Oecumenius. As if the Apoſtle by a kind of ironicall conceſſion ſhould (as it were) leaue eueryevery man to himſelf, to think and do in thoſe matters as ſhould pleaſe him. And therefore Chryſoſtome expounds it by that, k1. Cor. 11. 16If any man list to be contentious, we hauehave no ſuch cuſtom, nor the Churches of God. As if he ſhould ſay, let him that will, refuſe to be ruled by me, in theſe caſes: it is enough for vsus, that the Churches of God and we Apoſtles hauehave no ſuch cuſtome. It is further to be obſerued, that the Apoſtle ſpeaks not of ſuch points, as by their being vnknown, might endanger a mans ſaluatiō, but of matters of leſſe momēt, cōcerning the orderly and decent cariage of things in the publick congregation. This lChryſ. vbi ſup.Chryſoſtome notes, ſaying that the Apoſtle doth not vſe thus kind of reproofe eueryevery where, but mQuoties nō magna peccata ſunt.when the faults are not great. But it is an exceeding great fault for a man not to acknowledge the truth of thoſe points, without beleefe whereof he cannot be ſaued. Therefore in Chryſoſtome his iudgement, the Apoſtle ſpeaks not in that place of the want of ſuch a faith, as is ſo neceſſary a means to ſaluation, as that without it, a man cannot attaine thereunto.