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weighed, and laid up, as it were, in bundle for them, notwithstanding we see by daily experience, in a number even of them, that when the hour of death approacheth, when they secretly hear themselves summoned forthwith to appear, and stand at the bar of that Judge, whose brightness causeth the eyes of the angels themselves to dazzle, all these idle imaginations do then begin to hide their faces; to name merits then, is to lay their souls upon the rack, the memory of their own deeds is loathsome unto them, they forsake all things wherein they have put any trust or confidence; no staff to lean upon, no ease, no rest, no comfort then, but only in Jesus Christ.

22. Wherefore if this proposition were true, "To hold in such wise, as the church of Rome doth, that we cannot be saved by Christ alone without works, is directly to deny the foundation of faith;" I say, that if this proposition, were true nevertheless so many ways I have shewed, whereby we may hope that thousands of our fathers which lived in popish superstition might be saved." But what if it be not true? What if neither that of the Galatians concerning circumcision, nor this of the church of Rome by works, be any direct denial of the foundation, as it is affirmed that both are? I need not wade so far as to discuss this controversy, the matter which was first brought into question being so clear, as I hope it is. Howbeit, because I desire that the truth even in that also should receive light, I will do mine endeavour to set down somewhat more plainly; first, the foundation of faith, what it is: secondly, what it is directly to deny the foundation : thirdly, whether they whom God hath chosen to be heirs of life, may fall so far as directly to deny it: fourthly, whether the Galatians did so by admitting the error about circumcision and the law; last of all, whether the church of Rome for this one opinion of works, may be thought to do the like, and thereupon to be no more a Christian church, than are the assemblies of Turks and Jews.

foundation

23. This word foundation being figuratively used, hath always What the reference to somewhat which resembleth a material building, as of faith is. both that doctrine of laws and the community of Christians do. By the masters of civil policy nothing is so much inculcated, as that commonwealths are founded upon laws; for that a multitude cannot be compacted into one body otherwise than by a common

They may cease to put any confidence in works, and yet never think, living in popish superstition, they did amiss. Pighius died popish, and yet denied popery in the article of justification by works long before his death.

i. 23.

a

acception of laws, whereby they are to be kept in order. The ground of all civil laws is this; "No man ought to be hurt or injured by another;" take away this persuasion, and ye take away all the laws; take away laws, and what shall become of comEphes. monweals? So it is in our spiritual Christian community: I do not mean that body mystical, whereof Christ is only the head, that building undiscernible by mortal eyes, wherein Christ is the Ephes. chief corner-stone: but I speak of the visible church; the founii. 20. dation whereof is the doctrine which the prophets and the apostles professed. The mark whereunto their doctrine tendeth, is John pointed at in these words of Peter unto Christ, "Thou hast the vi. 63. words of eternal life:" in those words of Paul to Timothy, "The iii. 15. Holy Scriptures are able to make thee wise unto salvation."

iv. 15.

2 Tim.

It is the demand of nature itself, "What shall we do to have eternal life?" The desire of immortality and the knowledge of that whereby it may be obtained, is so natural unto all men, that even they who are not persuaded that they shall, do notwithstanding wish that they might, know a way how to see no end of life. And because natural means are not able to resist the force of death, are no people in the earth so savage which hath not devised some supernatural help or other to fly for aid and succour in extremities against the enemies of the laws. A longing therefore to be saved, without understanding the true way how, hath been the cause of all the superstitions in the world. O that the miserable state of others, which wander in darkness, and wot not whither they go, could give us understanding hearts, worthily to esteem the riches of the mercy of God towards us, before whose eyes the doors of the kingdom of heaven are set wide open! Should we offer violence unto it? It offereth violence unto us, and we gather strength to withstand it. But I am besides my purpose when I fall to bewail the cold affection which we bear towards that whereby we should be saved; my purpose being only to set down what the ground of salvation is. The doctrine of the gospel proposethsalvation as the end: and doth it not teach the way of attaining thereunto? Yet the damsel possessed with a spirit of diviActs nation spake the truth: "These men are the servants of the most xvi. 17. high God, which shew unto us the way of salvation: A new and x. 20. living way which Christ hath prepared for us through the veil, that is, his flesh;" salvation purchased by the death of Christ.

Heb.

a Vocata ad concionem multitudine, quæ coalescere in populi unius corpus, nulla re præterquam legibus poterat. Liv. de Rom. lib. i.

By this foundation the children of God, before the written law, were distinguished from the sons of men; the reverend Gen. xlix. patriarchs both possessed it living, and spake expressly of it at

iv. 12.

the hour of their death. It comforted Job in the midst of Job xix. grief; as it was afterward the anchor-hold of all the righteous in Israel, from the writing of the law to the time of grace; every prophet making mention of it. It was famously spoken of, about the time, when the coming of Christ to accomplish the promises, which were made long before it drew near, that the sound thereof was heard amongst the gentiles. When he was come, as many as were his acknowledged that he was their salvation; he, that long-expected hope of Israel; he, that "seed, in whom all the nations of the earth shall be blessed." So that now he is a name of ruin, a name of death and condemnation, unto such as dream of a new Messias, to as many as look for salvation by any other but by him. "For amongst men there is given no Acts other name under heaven whereby we must be saved." Thus much St. Mark doth intimate by that which he doth put in the front of this book, making his entrance with these words: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God." His doctrine he termeth the gospel, because he teacheth salvation; the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God, because it teacheth salvation by him. This is then the foundation whereupon the frame of the gospel is erected; that very Jesus whom the Virgin Luke conceived of the Holy Ghost, whom Simeon embraced in his ii. 28. arms, whom Pilate condemned, whom the Jews crucified, whom the apostles preached, he is Christ, the Lord, the only Saviour of the world: "other foundation can no man lay." Thus I have briefly 1 Cor.iii. opened that principle in Christianity, which we call the foundation of our faith. It followeth now that I declare unto you, what it is directly to overthrow it. This will be better opened, if we understand, what it is to hold the foundation of faith.

24. There are which defend, that many of the gentiles, who never heard the name of Christ, held the foundation of Christianity, and why? They acknowledged many of them; the providence of God, his infinite wisdom, strength, power; his goodness, and his mercy towards the children of men; that God hath judgment in store for the wicked, but for the righteous which serve him rewards, &c. In this which they confessed, that lieth covered which we believe; in the rudiments of their knowledge concerning God, the foundation of our faith concerning Christ

lieth secretly wrapped up, and is virtually contained: therefore they held the foundation of faith, though they never had it. Might we not with as good a colour of reason defend, that every ploughman hath all the sciences wherein philosophers have excelled? For no man is ignorant of their first principles, which do virtually contain whatsoever by natural means is or can be known. Yea, might we not with as great reason affirm, that a man might put three mighty oaks wheresoever three acorns may be put? For virtually an acorn is an oak. To avoid such paradoxes, we teach plainly, that to hold the foundation is in express terms to acknowledge it.

25. Now, because the foundation is an affirmative position, they all overthrow it, who deny it; they directly overthrow it, who deny it directly; and they overthrow it by consequent, or indirectly, which hold any one assertion whatsoever, whereupon the direct denial thereof may be necessarily concluded. What is the question between the gentiles and us, but this, Whether salvation be by Christ? What between the Jews and us, but this, Whether by this Jesus, whom we call Christ, yea or no? This is to be the main point whereupon Christianity standeth, it is clear by that one sentence of Festus concerning Paul's accusers: "They brought no crime of such things as I supposed, but had certain questions against him of their superstitions, and of one Jesus which was dead, whom Paul affirmed to be alive." Where we see that Jesus dead and raised for the salvation of the world, is by Jews denied, despised by a gentile, by a Christian apostle maintained. The fathers therefore in the primitive church, when they wrote; Tertullian, the book which he called Apolegeticus; Minutius Felix, the book which he entitleth Octavius; Arnobius, the seven books against the gentiles; Chrysostom, his orations against the Jews; Eusebius, his ten books of evangelical demonstration: they stand in defence of Christianity against them, by whom the foundation thereof was directly denied. But the writings of the fathers against Novatians, Pelagians, and other heretics of the like note, refel positions, whereby the foundation of Christian faith was overthrown by consequent only. In the former sort of writings the foundation is proved; in the latter, it is alleged as a proof, which to nien that had been known directly to deny, must needs have seemed a very beggarly kind of disputing. All infidels therefore deny the foundation of faith directly; by consequent, many a Christian man, yea, whole Christian churches denied it, and do deny it at

this present day. Christian churches, the foundation of Christianity? not directly, for then they cease to be Christian churches; but by consequent, in respect whereof we condemn them as erroneous, although, for holding the foundation, we do and must hold them Christians.

26. We see what it is to hold the foundation; what directly, and what by consequent, to deny it. The next thing which followeth is, whether they whom God hath chosen to obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, may, once effectually called, and through faith justified truly, afterward fall so far, as directly to deny the foundation which their hearts have before embraced with joy and comfort in the Holy Ghost; for such is the faith which indeed doth justify. Devils know the same things which we believe, and the minds of the most ungodly may be fully persuaded of the truth; which knowledge in the one and in the other, is sometimes termed faith, but equivocally, being indeed no such faith as that whereby a Christian man is justified. It is the Spirit of adoption which worketh faith in us, in them not; the things which we believe, are by us apprehended, not only as true, but also as good, and that to us: as good, they are not by them apprehended; as true as they are. Whereupon followeth the third difference; the Christian man the more he increaseth in faith, the more his joy and comfort abound: but they, the more sure they are of the truth, the more they quake and tremble at it. This begetteth another effect, where the hearts of the one sort have a different disposition from the other. "Non ignoro plerosque conscientia meritorum, nihil se esse per mortem' magis optare quam credere; malunt enim extingui penitus, quam ad supplicia reparari." I am not ignorant, saith Minutius, that there be many, who being conscious what they are to look for, do rather wish that they might, than think that they shall cease, when they cease to live; because they hold it better that death should consume them unto nothing, than God revive them unto punishment. So it is in other articles of faith, whereof wicked men think, no doubt, many times they are too true: on the contrary side, to the other, there is no grief or torment greater, than to feel their persuasion weak in things whereof, when they are persuaded, they reap such comfort and joy of spirit: such is the faith whereby we are justified: such, I mean, in respect of the quality. For touching the prin cipal object of faith, longer than it holdeth the foundation whereof we have spoken, it neither justifieth, nor is, but ceaseth to be

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