The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 51
Thy Faith Text.
Here we have the Inſtrumentall cauſe or meanes of the Iuſtification and Salvation of this Penitent. Where obſerve we two things.
Firſt, The Quality. 2. The Propriety. The Quality of the Means is, [Faith] The Propriety [Thy] Faith. Firſt of the Quality.
We may obſerve in that Remiſſion of ſins was before attributed to this womans Charity, and now is ſaid to come of her Faith,
That true Faith is joyned with Love, Hope, and other Graces. It is not alone, where one is there is the other likewiſe.
Doct. Faith, Hope, Charity, and other graces are concomitants; Where one is there is the other. Her Love was ſpoken of before, and here Her Faith is mentioned, ſo that it is cleare enough both were in the ſame ſubject.
The frequent Conjunctions of theſe Graces in the Apoſtles writings makes this good, as 1 Theſ. 1.3. & 3.6, 7. Coloſ. 1.4. Philemon verſe 5. 1 Cor. 13.13.
This is a truth, which the Papiſts ſeeme with their ſtrongeſt forces to gaine-ſay: Stifly maintaining that Faith may be without Love; and indeed we grant that fides Daemonum, the faith of Divells may, but not, fides Chriſtianorum, the Faith of Chriſtians. A man may have an Hiſtoricall Faith (which is that Faith of the Church of Rome, defined by a Catechiſme authorized by the Counſell of Trent) and yet want Charity. Yea he may have a miraculous Faith, and yet be without true Love, 1 Cor. 13.2. But a Iuſtifying faith (which is that Faith muſt ſave) cannot bee ſeparated from it, 1 Iohn 4.7, 16. 1 Iohn 5.1.
And wheras their Schoolemen in reſolving of this caſe, aſſigne to Faith a double ſubſiſtence, Tho 1.…. q 6… art 4.one in genere naturae (when it hath all the Eſſentialls of its nature, wherby it is diſtinct from other intellectuall habits, and is principle of the proper acts therof in reſpect of its proper objects) The other in genere moris (when it is grown to have a virtuous ſubſiſtence in us, that is,Scot in 3. Diſt. 36. art. 4. an acceptableneſſe with God (as Scotus interprets it) and becomes to be a diſpoſition to beatitude) which they confeſſe cannot be without Charity. They ſay little herein againſt us: For we grant that in Nature and Property theſe Graces may be diſtinguiſhed one from another. If we conſider them as Habits of the renewed ſoule, they be diſtinct graces: But that in the Ʋſe they ſhould be ſevered, or that there ſhould be ſuch a kind of faith, as gives intereſt to Chriſts Righteouſneſſe and eternall life without Charity we deny.
Vſe 2 To come nearer home; by our Love proove we the truth of our Faith. Our bleſſed Saviour hath foretold a ſcarcity of Faith on Earth in the laſt times, Luk. 18.18. And yet never were times fuller of Faith then theſe times (which yet are the laſt times) if it be true that men ſay. Who profeſſeth not a faith as firme as Abrahams? But if we bring it to this touch, it will be found no better then that Faith which St. Iames ſpeakes of, A dead faith, yet this is the touchſtone by which it muſt be tryed, as the ſame Apoſtle ſheweth, Iam. 2.18.
nor it is a Ʋerball Love (like theirs who bids a man warme himſelfe, and fill his belly, yet gives nothing) that we are to try our Faith by, but a reall and working Love, 1 Iohn 3.18. So ſhews St. Iames, when he ſaith, Pure Religion and undefiled before God is this, to viſit the fatherleſſe and widdows in their affliction, Iam. 1.17.
Did Religion conſiſt only in Contemplation, it would be better for many than it is; but the greater part of it (like the Ma…hematicks) is in D…monſtration: Faith is a Chriſtians Life, Gal. 2.20. But the Brea…h or Pulſe whereby it may be knowne to live is Charity, without which ſaith S. Paul, I ſhould be nothing profited though I ſhould give all my goods to the poore or ſuffer my body to be burned, &c. Should a man build Churches, repaire Bridges, mend high wayes, ſet up Hoſpitals, yet, hoc aliquid, hoc multum, hoc totum nihil eſt, this ſomething, this much, this all, is nothing at all if love be wanting.Aquin. Nothing in eſſe gratiae, how great ſoever in eſſe Naturae; want of Love will both diſcredit the cauſe and endanger the reward. But of this more hereafter.
Vſe Little Reaſon have the Papiſts (as appeares by this) to charge us ſo deeply and fowly as they do; Quocun que modo vivu…t, per ſolam fidem gloriam ſibi promittunt, & ne que mandatorum obſervationem, ne que paenitentiam eſse neceſsariam praedicat Suarez 06 Apolog. 5.10. nu. 11.as that 06 we are Enemies to good workes and teach our people 06 that it is no matter how men live, promiſing glory by Faith alone, accounting both the keeping of Gods Commandements and Repentance unneceſſary, &c. Whether we are indeed as they would make the world believe (we are, we ſhall heare a…one) In the meane time I would they would ſpeake out, and deale plainly with us, whether they are perſwaded indeed that we cry downe good workes and preach as they ſay?Diſertis verbis docent opera eſſe ad ſalutem neceſsaria Non quidem neceſſitate efficientiae ſed praeſentiae, Bellar. de Iuſtif 4. Bellarmine is aſhamed of theſe calumnies, and doth ingenuouſly confeſſe, That the Proteſtants doe plainely teach that good workes are neceſſary to Salvation: Not in the Act of Iuſtification, but in the Worke of Sanctification without which there can be no Salvation.
And thus much of the Quality of the Means; now for the Propriety.