A Chain of Graces Drawn Out for Reformation of Manners, Tract · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
THE forme of this Epiſtle ſeemes like to Pharaohs Butlers Vine aGen. 40.9, 10., which, though it bare many buds and bloſſomes, and plentifull cluſters of ripe rich grapes; yet was diuided but into three maine branches. So this, though fully fraught with admirable varietie of excellent matter cunningly wreathed together, yet according to the vſuall frame, conſiſteth but of three principall parts: An Introduction, a Narration, and a Concluſion.
Theſe words begin the ſecond part hereof, commonly called the Narration, & this ſtands on two legs:
1. Exhortation, c. 1.
2. Caution.
Which the Apoſtle puts in
1. Againſt Seducers, cap. 2.
2. Againſt Epicures & godleſſe liuers, c. 3.
I am not ignorant that the two laſt chapters containe a prediction of that great plague to come vponupon the Church by meanes of falſe Teachers, and Atheiſts: yet withall I know the maine ſcope of the Apoſtle not to be Prophecie; but by Prophecie to forewarne and arme the Church againſt thoſe two ſorts of deuouring beaſts. The Prophecie therefore being but the ground of Caution, the Caution deſerues to beare the name of the ſecond branch of the Narration.
The Exhortation (as I conceiue) is graduall, the firſt degree whereof would lift vsus vp to godly conuerſation. The ſecond mounteth higher, and faine would draw vsus to get aſſurance of our effectuall vocation, and election: Ver. 10.both which are firſt ſet downe, and then ſet on: firſt propoſed, and then preſſed by ſundry weighty arguments, which this grand maſter of the aſſembly vſeth as a hammer to faſten his nailes withall.
The former ſtep of this his exhortation is laid downe in theſe 5. 6. and 7. verſes: and this is that which only I intend at this time to aſcend. And here before I can get vp vponupon it, I muſt ſtand & view the ground on which tis built; becauſe there is ſomewhat, worthy obſeruation, in the Apoſtles method.
After he had drawne out, as in a ſmall Map, the large Continent of Religion, eſpecially ſo much thereof as containes the rich reuenue of a Chriſtian, by way of Doctrine, in the foure firſt verſes: now his method leads him to Exhortation; teaching vsus hereby, Obſeruation in generall.that Exhortation is a principall part of the Miniſterie. A thing ſo commonly and conſtantly obſerued by the Apoſtles in eueryevery chapter of their Epiſtles, and ſo inſtantly preſſed on other Miniſters b1 Tim. 4.13. 2 Tim. 4.2. Tit. 2.5., that inſtances need not in ſo plaine a point. Doctrine muſt firſt fill vp the lampe with oyle, and then muſt exhortation added, put fire vntounto it.
The reaſon is, becauſe Diuinitie, howeuer firſt it deales with the Ʋnderſtanding, yet chiefly and principally it wooes the Will cPro. 23.26 Prou. 4.23. Deut. 5.24.. It teacheth truth, and preſſeth goodneſſe. Truth muſt goe before, and lay a ground for goodneſſe. Doctrine muſt firſt informe the Vnderſtanding, that the Vnderſtanding may informe the Will. But goodneſſe is the end of truth; Exhortation therefore followes Doctrine to incline the Will. VponUpon which foundation a great Schooleman builds this definition of Diuinitie, Theologia eſt ſcientia affectiua &c. principaliter vt ipsâ boni fiamus dBonauent. in Proaem. in Sent. quaeſt 3. concluſ.. Theologie is an affectiue knowledge &c. principally intending to make vsus good.
This giues a checke to the purer wits, refined fantaſtiques, Vſe 1 and curious Gallants of our times, who faine would take vponupon them to know more then Apollo, and to laugh this part of Preaching quite out of countenance, as too plaine a ſtraine that grates their tender eares; and therefore in deriſion vſe to ſay of ſuch as vſe it, They are good honeſt men, and giuegive good exhortations, that ſerue plaine country people paſſing well. But &c. I hope you vnderſtand their meaning. Such coarſe morſels will not downe with them; their fine palates call for choicer food. EueryEvery one of them being no leſſe, I hope, then a quick-ſighted Ariſtarchus, from whoſe cenſure Homer himſelfe muſt not be free.
But tell mee, Gallant, are you growne ſo learned as you would be taken? ſo perfect, as if exhortation were a thing ſuperfluous? What? become a downe-right eFor ſuch only were termed Catharoi in the Primitiue Church, who held themſelues perfect. And this doth beſt agree to the ſcoffers of theſe dayes, who thinke themſelues as good as need to be; and that it were a needleſſe and idle thing for them to follow Sermons, reade, pray, auoid ſwearing, &c. it can no way agree to honeſt godly ſober men, who ſtill acknowledge their wants, and goe on in their endeuours; and do not thinke of themſelus, as if they had already attained, or were already perfect. Phil. 3.12.Puritan? ſo good, as needs no mending? Some I know there be that ramble after knowledge as drunkards after liquor, not ſo much to nouriſh, as to pleaſe their drunken appetite. For although eueryevery man can be content to deceiue, yet no man is willing to be deceiu'd himſelfe. Therfore ſome ſearch for truth, who hauehave no minde at all to goodneſſe. But quaerentes verū, ſed non bonum, ideo non inveniunt ſummum bonum: Seeking truth, but not good, therefore they neuer light vponupon the chiefeſt good; as Hugo fHugo de S. Vict. miſcell. lib. 1. tit 73.wittily. But the Gallant hath no cauſe to feare that we ſuſpect him to be ſuch a Gnoſtick: if we could come ſo neere to feele his pulſe; or his proud heart would ſtoope to Catechiſme, wee might ſoone diſcerne that he of all others hath leaſt cauſe to ſcorne the ſpoone, being ſuch as hath need of milke, and not of ſtrong meat gHeb. 5.12.. His birth and breeding tels him ordinarie knowledge ſhould not ſerue his turne, but loth he is to be at paines to get it, and yet vnwilling to be held a Brute, or Vulgar; & therfore ſets a good face vponupon it howſoeuer. And that men may take him to be ſome bodie, he takes vponupon him to correct his Teachers; not vnlike to them who vndertake the cenſure of Magnificat; or like ſome wiſeling, that ſhould aduenture to call his father, foole, to proue himſelfe (ſi placet Deo) the wiſer man. Whereby, in truth, he ſhewes, that yet he is to learne his A. B. C. That ſcholler that once hath learned any thing of his maſter, will rather brag of him, then diſgrace his teaching.
If any ſhould demand a reaſon, why ſo many Gentlemen are ſeduced to Poperie ſooner then meaner men, the anſwer would be eaſie. Their diſdaining to be built vp the ordinarie way, and to be conſcionable hearers of ſuch meane (but yet beſt) preaching, as is fully laden with exhortation vntounto goodneſſe, is the chiefe occaſion of their apoſtaſie. They reſolue, neuer to be catechiſed: they muſt be held ſufficient from their very cradle. Their curious eares will not be beaten with plaine ſong, although they vnderſtand no ſtroke of any curious ſtraine. And then, no maruell, if eueryevery dunſticall catchpole Prieſt, and claw-backe fiſhing Ieſuite doe ouercome them, if once they can but winde into ſlender acquaintance with them: according as S. Paul hath more then once foretold h2 Theſſ. 2.9, 10, 11, 12. 2 Tim. 4.3, 4.Thus man that is in honour and vnderſtandeth not, is like the beaſts that periſh iPſa. 49.20..
This alſo puts in a timely caueat againſt that clawing ſtraine, Vſe 2 which teacheth men to contemne this diuine method, and to diſgrace this kinde of teaching. It is rather for a Paraſite vponupon the Stage then a Diuine in the Pulpit to flatter thus. I need not to apply. I know your wiſdome and diſcretion. I leaue it to your godly care to make the application. I need not to exhort &c. when many times he knowes too well his hearers are too farre from ſuch a care. They only like ſome daintie, fine, ſmart, ſhort, light, ſmooth, eaſie ierkes of wit that may make them ſport, they louelove to ſee the man wittie; ſo he know Maſter; as ſome that delight to play with a Monkey, vntill ſhe fall to ſcratch or bite them. But let no faithfull Miniſter of God ſeeke to humour them herein, this is that indeed, which they would hauehave; but when they hauehave it, they will deſpiſe thee on the open ſtage. And thus the Gallant will not bluſh to ſay,
—my flatterers
Shall be the pure and graueſt of Diuines,
That I can get for money kThe Alchymiſt. Act. 2. Scen. 2..
And thus doth God caſt durt in the very faces of ſuch flatterers, euen by thoſe very men they flatter, although that flatterie be welcome to them. Truſt none of them all therefore with Application: bring hammers *Ier. 23.29.with thy nailes, and driue them in vntounto the very head; yea goad them to the quicke lEccl. 12.12; be inſtant in Exhortation, as well as Doctrine m2 Tim. 4.2.or elſe thou doſt but halfe thy worke, and for thy negligence deſerue a curſe nIer. 48.10. Ezek. 13.9, 10..
Laſtly, Vſe 3 let people be admoniſhed to ſuffer the word of exhortation oHeb. 13.22. When our ſtomacks are downe we are glad of ſharpe ſauces to prouoke appetite. When our knife is dull, we vſe a whetſtone to make it keene, yea ſometimes the Grindſtone too, to make the ſharper edge. Shall wee not then thinke exhortation needfull to ſtirre vsus vp to goodneſſe? who findes not too much dulneſſe in his beſt affections? too much coldneſſe in his moſt feruent deuotions? Oh therefore be glad of exhortation to rouſe our drowſieſpirits; to put them on vntounto ſome duties we yet neglect; or to double our diligence in thoſe we hauehave begun; or giuegive vsus comfort in thoſe we doe performe. It is a great chearing to a godly ſoule to heare a duty preſſed that he is faithfull in. Exhortation is only irkſome vntounto ſuch as hauehave no heart to goodneſſe.
Thus much of the Apoſtles Methode. Now let vsus enter vponupon his preſent Exhortation, in which conſider,
1. Diuiſion. The entrance to it, And beſides this.
2. The exhortation it ſelfe, wherein is ſet forth,
1. The Act, or duty exhorted to; foreign, adde.
2. The Obiect of it, which is double, viz.
1. Cui, that to which this addition muſt bee made. And this is faith.
2. Quod, that which muſt bee added to their faith. And theſe be the ſeuen graces of Virtue, Knowledge, Temperance, Patience, &c. in the text expreſſed.
3. The manner of performance of this dutie, giuing all diligence, &c. This is the naturall reſolution of theſe verſes. But yet for plaineneſſe ſake I will follow the order of words in the handling of them.
And beſides this, foreign, pro foreign, Expoſit. And beſides this.as Beza thinketh. The ſimple ſenſe is this: Beſides all that which God hath done for you, in giuing you pretious faith; all things pertaining to life and godlineſſe; calling you to glory and virtue; endowing you with exceeding great and pretious promiſes that by this ye might be made partakers of the diuine nature, &c. you muſt now on your parts doe this which followeth, viz.
Giuing all diligence, Giuing all diligence.that is, not ſlothfully, and coldly, but earneſtly and painfully, doing the vtmoſt of your endeuour alwaies.
Adde to your faith, Adde to your faith.that is, ioyne, adminiſter, ſupply, daily increaſe vntounto that pretious faith which through the incomprehenſible goodneſſe of God you hauehave obtained, all thoſe pretious fruits and graces following, both as a teſtimony of your liuing faith, and as the way vntounto eternall life, the end of faith.
The obſeruations that from hence ariſe are theſe:
1. Obſeru. 1 We muſt not reſt content in what God on his part hath done for vsus, but adde thereto our owne diligence for the attaining of eternall life. This point is cleare from this preſent text, wherein the Apoſtle exhorteth, and preſſeth to diligence on our parts, to the vtmoſt of our ſtrength. Qui fecit te ſine te, non te iuſtificat ſine te: He that made thee without thy ſelfe, doth not iuſtifie thee without thy ſelfe, ſaith Auſtin pAug. de verb. Apoſtoli. ſer. 15.: becauſe when he made him hee found him nothing; but when hee comes to apply and impute righteouſneſſe to iuſtification, he finds him a reaſonable creature, into which hee infuſeth grace, and enableth him to be willing, and to embrace by faith, that iuſtification which is offered to him. Which giues no hold to any Pelagian ſpirit, to faſten the Tenent of mans will concurring of it ſelfe; for he elſewhere diſclaimes this vtterly; ſaying that God ex nolentibus volentes facit qContr. 2. Ep. Pelag lib. 1. cap. 20., of vnwilling makes vsus willing. And againe, volūtas humana non libertate cōſequitur gratiā, ſed gratiâ potius libertatem rDe Correp. & gra. ca. 8.: Mans will doth not by liberty obtaine grace; but by grace, liberty. And in another place: Let Pelagians know and acknowledge, that GOD workes not in the hearts of men by the force of the law and doctrine, outwardly ſounding in the eare, but by an inward, ſecret, wonderfull, and ineffable power, not onelyonly veras reuelationes, ſed etiam bonas voluntates ſLib. de gra. Chriſti. ca. 24.; true reuelations, but good wils alſo. And ſo he expreſly teacheth in the place firſt cited: Totum ex Deo, non tamen quaſi dormientes, non quaſi vt non conemur, non quaſi vt non velimus tJb. de verb. Apoſt. ſer. 15.. The whole is of God, yet he would not hauehave vsus bee as ſleepers, or as if wee ought not to endeuour, or ſhould not neede to ſet our wils on worke. So that when God hath by his grace made vsus willing, he requires our willingnes and diligence, (beſides what he hath done) to lay hold on that which he hath prepared for vsus. When wee ſet meat before a hungry man, he will not looke we ſhould thruſt it downe his throat, and hee not take the pains to feed himſelfe. Nature teacheth the ſucking childe to draw the breſt when it is put vntounto his mouth. So grace doth teach a Chriſtian not to be idle, but to endeuour according to the ſtrength he hath receiued, to take poſſeſſion of the gifts of God. Though God doth finiſh vp the worke it ſelfe, without mans helpe; yet God requires that Will which in the firſt conuerſion was meerely paſſiue, afterwards to be actiue, and to worke out our ſaluation with feare and trembling uPhil. 1.12.. Becauſe non ſicut in lapidibus inſenſatis, aut in ijs, in quorum natura rationem aut voluntatem non condidit Deus, ſalutem noſtram operatur *Aug. cont. Pelag. de peccat. meris. & remiſſ. lib. 2. cap. 5.: He workes not our ſaluation as if hee wrought in ſenſleſſe ſtones, or in creatures in whom hee hath not created reaſon and will.
Briefly then, he requires our labour; not the ſtrength of nature, but the exerciſe of grace: not the naturall power of our owne will, freely concurring with his worke of grace; but the ſupernaturall power of our will renewed, and enabled to lay hold of eternall life: and ſo we worke, to get what Chriſt hath merited; not to merit, by what wee worke. If any ſhall obiect; Then God doth all, and we doe nothing: for if it be thus, we are wrought vponupon, and doe not worke our ſelues: Auſtin ſupplies me with an anſwer; Immo agis, & ageris, & tū bene agis cum à bono ageris xAug. de verb. Apoſt. ſer. 13.. Thou both workeſt, and art wrought vponupon, and then thou workeſt well, when thou art wrought vponupon by him thats good.
Lorinus then did fouly ouerreach, when from this text, and Auſtin hee would ſeeme to proue a neceſſity of mans will concurring with Gods grace, according to their Popiſh Tenent ex condigno in part deſeruing what it ſtriues vntounto. For though God giues man will, and enables him to take poſſeſſion of what he prouideth, yet this argues not a power, or worth in man to be copes-mate with God in the procuring of ſaluation, no more then a beggar by holding out his hand to receiue an almes, doth by the ſtretching forth of his hand merit the almes hee doth receiue. Nay we doe leſſe: for God giues hands and ſtrength and all vntounto vsus yPhil. 2.13., and only requireth vsus to vſe the hands and ſtrength hee hath beſtowed vponupon vsus, to take poſſeſſion of what in grace and fauour he propoſeth to vsus. I will ſhut vp this with that of an arrant Pope *Coeleſtin. 1. in Epiſt. 1. ad Galliae epiſcop. cap. 12. vt citatur à Petro Crab. Surio & Binio tom. 1. Concil. ex lib. Pontiſicali. nec non à Bellarm. lib. 6. de grat. & lib. arb ca. 11. quaſi Coeleſtinus hoc dixit de libertate voluntatis naturalis; ſed impudenter terquet ſententiam Papae ſuaeiſte Jeſuitia.: Non dubitemus ab ipſius gratia omnia hominis merita praeueniri, per quem fit vt aliquid boni & velle incipiamus & facere. Quo vti que auxilio & munere Dei, non aufertur liberum arbitrium, ſed liberatur, vt de tenebroſo lucidum, de prauo rectum, de imprudente ſit prouidum. Tanta enim erga omnes homines eſt bonitas Dei, vt noſtra velit eſſe merita, quae ſunt ipſius dona, & pro his quaelargitus eſt, aeterna praemiae ſit donaturus. Agit quippe in nobis, vt quod vult & velimus, & agamus, nec otioſa in nobis eſſe patitur, quae exercenda, non negligenda donauit, vt & nos cooperatores ſimus gratiae Dei. We doubt not, ſaith he, that all mans merits come from the grace of God, by whom it comes to paſſe, that we begin to will, and to doe any good thing. By which helpe and gift of God, mans free will is not taken away, but his will made free, that of darke it might become light; of crooked, ſtrait; of fooliſh, wiſe. For ſo great is Gods goodneſſe towards all men, that he accounts thoſe our merits, which are his gifts: beſtowes eternall rewards for thoſe things which hee of his bounty helps vsus to: he worketh in vsus ſo, that what he willeth, we will and worke: nor doth he ſuffer (his grace, or our will thus wrought vponupon; for we may vnderſtand it of either; the Author expreſſeth neither) to be idle, which he gaue to be exerciſed, not negligently vnimployed, that wee might be coworkers with the grace of God.
2. From the manner, the Apoſtle mentions, giuing all diligence; obſerue, Obſeru. 2 that Chriſtianity requireth the greateſt induſtry zHeb. 12.15 Phil. 2.12. 2 Pet. 1.10.. It is a ſtate of happineſſe, but not of idleneſſe. Eaſe is no argument of bliſſe, for then Rogues, and beggers, and their neereſt couſins, our Potcompanions, ſhould bee the happieſt men. We cannot rake a little pelfe together, but with much and tedious toile, and browes bedewd with ſweat; much leſſe will heauen bee attained without our greateſt diligence aMatth. 11.12.. Excellency doth argue rareneſſe, and doubles the difficulty in getting of it. Labor proceſſus virtutis, labour is virtues progreſſe, ſaith S. Ambroſe bAmbroſ. in Pſal. 119.. No labour, no virtue: great labours ſtand in the way to great rewards Not the ſlothfull, careleſſe, or delicate, but the violent take the kingdome of heauen by force: non qui alijs, ſed voluntatibus ſuis praeclaram inferunt violentiam: not ſuch as doe violence to others, but ſuch as offer an excellent kinde of violence to their owne wils, as Bernard ſpeaketh cBern. in octo punct. punct. 6..
Both theſe points condemne the deſperate careleſneſſe of ſuch as throw off all care of ſaluation vntounto God himſelfe, Vſe 1 ſuppoſing, becauſe Chriſt hath done ſo much they need doe nothing; concluding, if they were elected, they cannot goe to hell. Theſe men conſider not what diligence the Lord requireth: or elſe they thinke hee is in ieſt; or ſo good, that now it matters not how bad they be. But this may giuegive them cauſe to feare they hauehave no portion in what hee hath prouided for his children; ſince, that grace which bringeth ſaluation, teacheth men to deny vngodlineſſe and worldly luſts, and to liue ſoberly, righteouſly, and godly in this preſent world dTit. 2.11, 12.. To theſe I ſay no more but that of the Apoſtle, Be not deceiued, God is not mocked, whatſoeuer a man ſoweth, that ſhall he alſo reape eGal. 6.7.. Vſe 2
Hence may wee learne what we muſt doe in working out our owne ſaluation, viz. Neither be idle, nor worke to merit: but onelyonly doe our vtmoſt endeuour in getting all Chriſtian graces, both in obedience vntounto God who doth command this ſeruice, and for the fitting of our ſelues for what he meaneth to aduance vsus to *Dignum valdè eſt, & omnino exigit ratio aequitatis, vt quibus à conſtitutione mundi regnum paratur, spſi etiam ſeſe regno parare non negligant, ne parato regno inueniantur forſitan qui regnaturi fuerant, imparati. Bern. ſerm. ſup. Iob. 5..
And laſtly, Vſe 3 this muſt teach vsus not to reſt in any meaſure of grace receiued, as thinking with our ſelues that now we hauehave enough. Our charge is ſtill to adde, and couet after more as greedily as worldlings thirſt for gold f1 Cor. 31., and drunkards for their wine gEph. 5.18.. Thereof may we craue not cups but flagons full hCant. 2.5.. Let Hercules erect his pillar where he will, a Chriſtians Nil vltra is ſet as farre as heauen, and he that ſtaies before, drops into Hell.
3. Obſerue. Obſeru. 3 Faith is the mother grace and root of all the reſt: therefore he ſaith, adde to your faith, vertue; becauſe we muſt hauehave faith before we can hauehave virtue pleaſing vntounto God iHeb. 11.6.. EueryEvery virtue is the foundation of it owne workes. But faith is the root of eueryevery virtue, and giues a ſoule to eueryevery virtuous action. Other virtues are as the maine armes of trees, that beare a many leſſer branches on them, but faith doth beare and feed thoſe armes, and all. Faith is the Spouſes wedding Ring, the firſt part of all her husbands goods, that after he hath maried her, he endowes her with, and by virtue of the ſame doth giuegive her intereſt in all he doth poſſeſſe.
It is before other graces not in time, becauſe in reſpect of infuſion all graces are infuſed together, but vſu, in reſpect of exerciſe and orderly dependance on each other, as Hales kAlex. de Alens par. 4. q. 12. m. 3. ar. 2.diſtinguiſheth. Or it is firſt, cauſalitate, in reſpect of cauſalitie, not principall and primarie, but ſecondarie and immediate, as the liuer may be ſaid to feed the veines. All graces may be ſaid to be together in time, as fire and the light of it doe both appeare in time together; but yet there is in order of nature betweene themſelues a prioritie: for ſo fire is before the light, becauſe the light is cauſed by the fire. And ſo faith is before other graces, becauſe all graces flow from it, and depend vponupon it, and may be ſaid to be added to it, as the water of a fountaine, that mounting vp on high, deſcendeth backe into the Ceſterne from whence it came.
Where then ſhall Bellarmines good workes, Vſe 1 not only morall, but ſpirituall too, (before grace be giuen at all lBellar de gra. & lib. arbit. lib. 6. c. 15.) hauehave any place, ſince faith is the firſt thing, and leads in all the reſt, that God accepteth in the ſonnes of men? Auſtin well ſaith of him that ſeemes to be moſt virtuous, and yet wanteth faith, that he is like a man galloping vponupon the ſpeed beſide his way. And thus concludes of workes; Si bona videbantur antequam crederes, currebas quidē; ſed praeter viam currendo, errabas potius quàm perueniebas mDe fide ad Petrum.: If thy workes ſeemed good, before thou didſt beleeue, thou didſt run indeed; but, beſides thy way, thou didſt rather wander from, then draw to God.
But the Papiſts thus explaine themſelues: That men without faith may doe good workes, quoad ſubſtantiam operis *Bellar. de grat. & lib. arb. l. 5. c. 6., in reſpect of the ſubſtance of the worke, although they hauehave no faith: but it is not good in reſpect of merit at the hand of God. This ſpake they truly, for none can merit. But the other is a groſſe abſurditie, that they affirme a man may without faith doe a good worke for the ſubſtance of it. Whereas Intentio facit bonum opus, intentionem fides dirigit: the intention makes the worke good, and faith muſt gouerne this intention, or elſe no intention can make it good, as Auſtin ſpeaketh nAuſtin. in princ. expoſ. Epiſt. ad Rom.: and all the world knowes how hee hath ſtygmatiz'd the beſt workes of the moſt virtuous Infidels, eſteeming of them but as glorious ſinnes.
What now remaines to vsus but that aboue all Graces wee firſt make ſure of Faith? Vſe 2 for this is all in all He that doth any thing without it, doth worſe then loſe his labour. For whatſoeuer is not of faith is ſinne. Hold out, and hold faſt Faith, or all is loſt. What euer we part from, let vsus not part with this. This is the maine Cable that holds our Ship at anchor vponupon our ſureſt ground. If this be cut, the ſhip muſt needs to wracke o1 Tim. 1.19. This is the chiefeſt treaſure in our Cabinet. The heathen Seneca could ſay, Nihil retinet qui fidem perdidit: he hath reſerued nothing, that hath loſt his faith. By faith, indeed, he meant, truth; (for other faith he neuer knew) but yet tis true of what wee meane by faith.