The Disabled Debtor Discharged, Part 52
[Thy] Faith. Text.…ac… …ua, i…e. … a… ſal…ii …, …uliiu… al…ri… …des …ui Char…as …rumſeila in loc
Thine, not anothers; it ſeemes then by this,
Doct. Who ſo would be juſtified and ſaved muſt have a faith of their own. That Faith which muſt ſave us muſt be ours and not anothers.
The Iuſt ſhall live by [his] owne faith, ſaith Habakuk, Chap 2.4. So S. Paul, Rom. 1.17. Where though this Pronoune [His] be not expreſſed, yet it is in the nature of the Greeke Tongue underſtood:Hanc hiſt. reſert Georg. Mylius, ex re…atu filij Lutheri in Ep. ad Lect prefix Com…ent ipſius in epiſt. ad Rom Which Text Luther (as yet ſticking faſt in the mire of Popiſh darkneſſe) expounding at Wittenberge was a meanes of his converſion: For by a certaine divine power the ſenſe was ſo imprinted in his mind, that whatſoever he did, he ſtill ſeemed to himſelfe to heare a voice inculcating theſe words unto him. The Iuſt ſhall live by his owne faith. Finding no meanes to pacifie his perplexed ſpirit, it hapned that having buſineſſe to Rome, he gladly tooke the occaſion hoping that by viſiting of the holy Places and Reliques (as they terme them) he ſhould procure ſome quietneſſe to his reſtleſſe mind; thither he went, in his way ſtill theſe words were ſounding in his eares, The Iuſt ſhall live by his owne Faith, and the further he went the more did he heare the ſound. Comming to Rome he uſed all meanes to pacifie that Commotion which was in him: He celebrated the Maſſe with greater devotion than ordinary; ſo that others would have ſung three Maſſes ſooner than he did one. The Italian Monkes laughed at him, crying, Fratello paſſa, paſſa, calling on him to make more ſpeed. But in the midſt of this his devotion, he felt the force of theſe words with greater-vehemency than ever he did before. He conceiving that God was greatly offended with him, he reſolved to pacifie God and purge avvay his ſin by climbing up certain ſteps of Pilates ladder (vvhichwhich the Romaniſts faigne to be brought from Ieruſalem) which he did upon his bare knees, hoping thereby to obtaine that Indulgence which the Pope had granted unto ſuch as ſhould devoutly performe that action. In the midſt of which worke he was ſuddenly aſtoniſhed, and ſtricken (as it were) with a thunder-clap, hearing that voice with a kind of ſtately and fearfull Majeſty: The Iuſt ſhall live by his owne Faith: Hee returnes from Rome to Wittinberg, where conſidering more earneſtly the ſenſe of the ſentence, and argument of the whole Epiſtle, by Gods gratious inſtinct, and the illumination of his bleſſed Spirit, he underſtood the meaning of the words, whereat hee was exceedingly comforted, his minde pacified, and at length began a happy reformation, which through Gods ſpeciall grace and power was effected.
Reaſon. The neceſſity of this appeares, in that particular mercies are promiſed in Scripture, and ſo are particularly to be received and imbraced: As God offers himſelfe to a beleever, ſo muſt a beleever receive him: God offers himſelfe to each particular, and therefore the Faith of each muſt be particular.
Vſe The Papiſts affirme, that a man may be ſaved if he ſay hee beleeveth as the Church beleeveth, Rhem. Annot. on Luk. 12. §. 3.though hee know not what the Church beleeveth. And indeed this they had need to teach, for that their Doctrines (for the moſt part) have no footing in Scripture, and it muſt bee an implicite Faith wherewith they are beleeved.
And on Mat. 9.2. the Rhemiſts have this marginall note, Annot. on Mat. 9. §. 2.that the Faith of one helpeth to obtaine for another. What, Salvation? If that be their meaning as it ſeemeth, we deny it: we may as well ſee with another mans eyes, or heare with anothers eares, or walks with anothers feet; as be ſaved by anothers Faith. Abrahams Faith could not ſave his wicked poſterity. Though Noah, Daniel and David, (thoſe three worthies of the world) ſtood before me (ſaith the Lord) they ſhall deliver but their owne ſoules.
Indeed wee grant them, anothers mans Faith may profit the Body or Eſtate of others in things Temporall: ſo the Centurions Faith did profit his Servant, Mat. 8.13. and the Faith of others, the Palſey man, Mat. 9.2. Yea the Faith of another may be profitable to the ſoule of his Brother in things Spirituall, ſo farre as to pray for him; or be a meanes to allure him unto Chriſt; or give him a right to the outward Covenant, (as the Parents Faith doth to the Child 1 Cor. 7.14. Rom. 11.16.) But in things Eternall, as to ſave from everlaſting vengeance, and to the obteyning of eternall life, it is ineffectuall.
Queſt. But if every one be ſaved by his owne Faith, what becomes of young Infants, who by reaſon of their age have neither knowledge or Faith, and ſo depart this life: Are they ſaved?
Reſp. When we thus urge the neceſſity of a Particular Faith, we are to be underſtood to ſpeake of ſuch as are of a reaſonable age.
Secondly, Infants have Faith: Chriſt himſelfe reckons them amongſt Beleevers, Mat. 18.6. Whoſoever offendeth one of theſe little ones which beleeve in mee. In which reſpect Circumciſion was called a ſeale of Faith.
Vſe 2 Endeavour wee to have (therefore) of our owne: In Gideons Campe every ſoldier had his owne Pitcher: Salomons valiant men had each one his owne ſword by his ſide; and each Virgin is ſaid to have a lamp in her own hand. So every true Beleever profeſſeth for himſelfe, I Beleeve.
But how can it be ſaid to be mine, when it is the Common Faith, Tit. 1.4? And (as Athanaſius in his confeſſion calles it) the Catholike faith; being the Faith of all Chriſtians, and received and profeſſed by the whole Catholike Church?
It is called the Common or Catholike Faith, Firſt in reſpect of the Object of it, which is Common and belongs to all the Faithfull.
Secondly, In reſpect of the Profeſſion of it, it being the badge of every true Chriſtian.
Thirdly, In regard of the Common end of it, which is eternall life, and Salvation: which S. Iude likewiſe cals the Common Salvation, Iude. v. 3.
But in this one Common or Catholike Faith, every one that is a true member of the Church, hath an intereſt; and to it layes a particular claime: they have a peculiar portion in the common ſtocke, as appeares, 2 Pet. 1.1. Like pretious Faith with us: Like for kind, not for degree: ſuch Faith, though not ſo much Faith. The paralell is not drawne à quantitate, ſed à qualitate fidej. In briefe, though Faith be one, ratione objecti, yet it is not one, ratione ſubjecti, every one muſt have a Faith of his owne.
Object. 2. But how is Faith ours; when it is the gift of God, for ſo wee finde, Philip. 1.29. Iohn. 6.29?
Resp. If it be given to us, then it is ours: For what is freer then gift? gifts once beſtowed are proper to the poſſeſſors.
Secondly, It is ſo given; as that it is by us alſo got in part: as the woman of Tekoah ſaid to David, God doth deviſe meanes. 2 Sam. 14.14.So God hath ordained meanes for obteyning Faith, as we find, Rom. 10.17. which who ſo neglects (I ſpeake of thoſe who are adulti, growne up to a reaſonable age) ſhall never obteyne. Now ſuch is Gods grace and goodneſſe, as that he accounts thoſe graces ours which are in part obteyned through our endeavours, though hee hath therein the leading hand, a…d is the All and in All, And thus much of the womans Certificate, wee now come to examine her Paſſport.