IF upon that fore-named illumination of the mind, and disposition of the heart, the Spirit of God hath drawn us to accept of Christ Jesus tendered in the Gospel, then hath Faith been kindly wrought, and by this manner of breeding Faith, a man may have good evidence of the truth of it, especially if he also find that his Faith doth kindly work, and bring forth the proper fruits thereof. For Faith is operative, 1even as fire. Where fire is, there will be heat, the more fire the greater heat: if but a little⟨p. 246⟩ heat, there is a small fire, if no heat at all, surely no fire. I deny not but fire may be so covered over with ashes, that the heat will not sensibly appear, but yet heat there is within, so as if the ashes be removed, the heat will soon be felt: so surely, where true and sound Faith is, there will be some holy heat, some blessed fruits thereof: it may for a time, through the violence of some temptation, be so smothered, and suppressed, as it cannot be discerned, but when the temptation is over, it will soon show it self: if not, I dare boldly say, there is no true, living, justifying Faith, but a mere dead Faith. I have my warrant from an holy Apostle,2 so to say, (Jam. 2. 20, 26.) It is a working Faith, which is the true justifying Faith; and this is the constant doctrine of our Church, taught in our Universities, preached in pulpits, published in print by all that treat of Faith. That which our adversaries object against the orthodoxall and comfortable doctrine of Justification by Faith alone, (that we make justifying Faith to be a naked dead Faith, without all good works) is a mere cavil, and a most malicious slander: for though we teach that in the very act of justification,b Faith only hath his work without works: yet we teach not that this Faith is destitute of all works, but that it is a Faith cwhich purifieth the heart, and dworketh by love. Thus in regard of the office of Faith, we teach as we are taught bye Saint Paul, that a man is justified by Faith without works: and in regard of the quality of Faith we teach, as we are taught byf Saint James, that of works a man is justified (tha• is, declared so to be) and not of Faith only. Wherefore for the sound proof of Faith, we must have also recourse to the fruits of it.
IF vpon that fore-named illumination of the mind, and disposition of the heart, the Spirit of God hath drawne vs to accept of Christ Iesus tendred in the Gospel, then hath Faith been kindly wrought, and by this manner of breeding Faith, a man may haue good euidence of the truth of it, especially if he also finde that his Faith doth kindely worke, and bring forth the proper fruits thereof. For Faith is operatiue, 1euen as fire. Where fire is, there will be heat, the more fire the greater heat: if but a little⟨p. 246⟩ heate, there is a small fire, if no heate at all, surely no fire. I deny not but fire may be so couered ouer with ashes, that the heat will not sensibly appeare, but yet heate there is within, so as if the ashes be remoued, the heat will soon be felt: so surely, where true and sound Faith is, there will be some holy heate, some blessed fruits thereof: it may for a time, through the violence of some temptation, be so smothered, and suppressed, as it cannot be discerned, but when the temptation is ouer, it will soone shew it selfe: if not, I dare boldly say, there is no true, liuing, iustifying Faith, but a meere dead Faith. I haue my warrant from an holy Apostle,2 so to say, (Iam. 2. 20, 26.) It is a working Faith, which is the true iustifying Faith; and this is the constant doctrine of our Church, taught in our Vniuersities, preached in pulpits, published in print by all that treat of Faith. That which our aduersaries obiect against the orthodoxall and comfortable doctrine of Iustification by Faith alone, (that we make iustifying Faith to be a naked dead Faith, without all good workes) is a meere cauill, and a most malicious slander: for though we teach that in the very act of iustification,b Faith onely hath his worke without workes: yet we teach not that this Faith is destitute of all workes, but that it is a Faith cwhich purifieth the heart, and dworketh by loue. Thus in regard of the office of Faith, we teach as wee are taught bye Saint Paul, that a man is iustified by Faith without works: and in regard of the quality of Faith we teach, as wee are taught by
- 1Faith is operative as fi•eFaith is operatiue as fi•e
- 2Absit ut sentiret vas electionis justificari bominem per fidem etiamsi male vivat, & opera bona non habeat, Aug. •de gr. & lib. arb. cap. 7.Absit vt sentiret vas electionis iustificari bominem per fidem etiamsi male vivat, & opera bona non habeat, Aug. •de gr. & lib. arb. cap. 7.
- bEphe. 2. 8, 9,
- cAct. 15. 9.
- dGal. 5. 6.
- eRom. 3. 28.
- fJam, 2. 24.Iam, 2. 24.
