A reformed Catholike: or, A declaration shewing how neere we may come to the present Church of Rome in sundrie points of religion: and vvherein we must for euer depart from them with an advertisment to all fauourers of the Romane religion, shewing that the said religion is against the Catholike principles and grounds of the catechisme.

Our consent.

We holde that there is a kinde of im∣plicite or vnexpressed faith; yea that the faith of euery man in some part of his life, as in the time of his first conuersion, and in the time of some grieuous temptation or distresse, is implicite or infoulded. The Samaritans are

said to beleeue, Ioh 4. 14. because they took Christ for the Messias, and therevpon were content to learne and obey the glad tidings of saluation. And in the same place, v. 51. the Ruler with his family is said to beleeve, who did no more but generally acknowledge that Christ was the Messias, & yeelded him∣selfe to beleeue and obey his holy doctrine; beeing mooued therevnto by a miracle wrought vpon his young sonne. And Rahab Heb. 11. 13. is said to beleeue, yea shee is com∣mended for faith euen at the time when shee receiued the spies. Nowe in the worde of God we cannot finde, that shee had any more but a confused, general, or infoulded faith, whereby shee beleeued that the God of the Hebrwes was the true God & his word to be obeyed. And this faith (as it seemes) was wrought by hir by the report and rela∣tiō of the miracles done in the land of Egipt: whereby shee was moued to ioyne hir selfe vnto the people of God and to beleeue as they did. By these examples then it is mani∣fest that in the very seruants of God, there is and may be for a time an implicite faith. For

the better vnderstanding of this point, it is to be considered that faith may be infolded two waies: first in respect of knowledge of things to be beleeued: secondly, in respect of the ap∣prehension of the obiect of faith, namely Christ and his benefits. Now faith is infol∣ded in respect of knowledge, when as sundry things that are necessarie to saluation are not as yet distinctly knowne. Though Christ cō∣mended the faith of his disciples, for such a faith, against which the gates of hell should not preuaile; yet was it vnexpressed or wrapped vp in regard of sundrie points of religion: for first of all, Peter that made con∣fession of Christ in the name of the rest, was at that time ignorant of the particular means wherby his redemption should be wrought. For after this, he went about to disswade his master from the suffering of death at Hieru∣salem, whereupon Christ sharply rebuked him, saying, Come behinde me Sathan, thou art an offence vnto me. Againe, they were all ignorant of Christs resurrection, till certaine women who first sawe him after he was ri∣sen againe, had told them: and they by expe∣rience

in the person of Christ had learned the truth. Thirdly, they were ignorant of the ascension: for they dreamed of an earth∣ly kingdome, at the very time when he was about to ascende: saying, Wilt thou at this time restore the kingdome to Israel? Act. 1. 6. And after Christs ascension, Peter knew no∣thing of the breaking downe of the partiti∣on wall betweene the Iewes and Gentiles, till God had better schooled him in a vision, Acts 10. 14. And no doubt, we haue ordinary examples of this Implicit faith in sundry per∣sons among vs. For some there be, which are dull and hard both for vnderstanding and memorie, and thereupon make no such pro∣ceedings in knowledge as many others doe: and yet for good affection and conscience in their doings, so far as they know, they come not short of any; hauing withall a continuall care to increase in knowledge, and to walke in obedience according to that which they know. And such persons though they be ig∣norant in many things, yet haue they a mea∣ning of true faith: and that which is wanting in knowledge is supplied in affection: and in

some respects they are to be preferred be∣fore many that haue the glibbe tongue, and the braine swimming with knowledge. To this purpose Melancthon said well, We must acknowledge the great mercie of God, vvho puts a difference betvveene sinnes of igno∣rance, and such as are done vvittingly; and forgiues manifold ignorances to them, that know but the foundation and be teachable; as may be seene by the Apostles, in whome there was much want of vnderstanding before the resurrection of Christ. But, as hath bin saide, he requires that we be teachable, and he will not haue vs to be hardned in our sluggishnes and dulnes. As it is said, psal. 1. he meditateth in his law day and night.

The second kinde of implicite faith, is in regard of Apprehension; when as a man can not say distinctly and certenly, I beleeue the pardon of my sinnes, but I doe vnfainedly de∣sire to beleeue the pardon of them all: and I desire to repent. This case befalls many of Gods children, when they are touched in conscience for their sinnes. But where men are displeased with themselues for their of∣fences,

and doe withall constantly from the heart desire to beleeue, and to be reconciled to God; there is faith and many other graces of God infolded: as in the little and tender budde, is infolded the leafe, the blossome, and the fruit. For though a desire to repent and to beleeue, be not faith and repentance in na∣ture, yet in Gods acceptation it is, God accep∣ting the will for the deede. Isai 42. v. 3. Christ will not quench the smoking flaxe, which as yet by reason of weakenesse giues neither light nor heate. Christ saith, Math. 6. 6. Blessed are they that HVNGER AND THIRST after righteousnes: for they shall be satisfied: where by persons hungring and thirsting are meant al such, as feele with grief their owne want of righteousnes, and with∣all desire to be iustified and sanctified. Rom. 8. 26. God heares & regards the very grones and sighes of his seruants: yea, though they be vnspeakeable by reason they are often∣times little, weake, & confused; yet God hath respect vnto thē, because they are the worke of his owne spirit. Thus whē we see that in a touched heart desiring to beleue, there is an

infolded faith. And this is the faith which many of the true seruants of God haue: and our saluation standes not so much in our ap∣prehending of Christ, as in Christs compre∣hending of vs: and therefore Paul saith, Phi∣lip. 3. 12. he followeth, namely after perfecti∣on, if that he might comprehend that, for vvhose sake he is comprehended of Christ. Now if any shall say, that without a liuely faith in Christ none can be saued; I answer, that God accepts the desire to beleeue for liuely faith, in the time of temptation, and in the time of our first conuersion, as I haue saide. Put case, a man that neuer yet repented, falls into some grieuous sicknes, and then be∣ginnes to be touched in conscience for his sinnes, and to be truly humbled: hereupon he is exhorted to beleeue his owne reconciliati∣on with God in Christ, & the pardon of his owne sinnes. And as he is exhorted, so he en∣deauoureth according to the measure of grace receiued, to beleue; yet after much stri∣••ing he cannot resolue himselfe, that he doth distinctly and certenly beleeue the pardon of his owne sinnes: onely this he can say, that he

doth heartily desire to beleeue: this he wish∣eth aboue all things in the world: and he e∣steemes all things as dung for Christ: & thus he dies. I demand now, what shall we say of him? surely, we may say nothing, but that he died the child of God, and is vndoubtedly sa∣ued. For howsoeuer it were an happy thing if men could come to that fulnesse of faith which was in Abrahā, and many seruants of God: yet certen it is, that God in sundrie cases accepts of this desire to beleeue, for ttue faith indeede. And looke as it is in nature, so is it in grace: in nature some die when they are children, some in olde age, and some in full strength, and yet all die men: so againe, some die babes in Christ, some of more perfect faith: and yet the weakest hauing the seeds of grace, is the child of God: & faith in his infan∣cie is faith. Al this while, it must be remēbred I say not, there is a true faith without all ap∣prehension, but without a Distinct apprehē∣sion for some space of time: for this very de∣sire by faith to apprehend Christ & his me∣rits, is a kind of apprehension. And thus we see the kindes of implicite or infolded faith.

This doctrine is to be learned for two causes: first of all it serues to rectifie the con∣sciences of weake ones, that they be not de∣ceiued touching their estare. For if we thinke that no faith can saue, but a full per∣swasion, such as the faith of Abraham was, many truly bearing the name of Christ must be put out of the role of the children of God. We are therefore to knowe that there is a growth in grace, as in nature: & there be dif∣ferences & degrees of true faith, and the least of them al is this Infolded faith. This in effect is the doctrine of master Caluin: that, when we begin by faith to knowe somewhat, and haue a desire to learne more, this may be tearmed an vnexpressed faith. Secondly this point of doctrine serues to rectifie and in part to expound suudrie catechismes, in that they seeme to propound faith vnto men at so high a reach, as fewe can attaine vnto it: defining it to be a certen and full per∣swasion of Gods loue and fauour in Christ: whereas, though euery faith be for his na∣ture a certen perswasiō yet onely the strong faith is the full perswasion. Therefore faith is

not only in general tearms to be defined, but also the degrees and measures thereof are to be expounded, that weak ones to their com∣fort may be truely informed of their estate. And though we teach there is a kinde of implicite faith, which is the beginning of true and liuely faith: yet none must herevpon take an occasion to content themselues ther∣with, but labour to increase and go on from faith to faith: and so indeed will euery one do that hath any beginnings of true faith, be they neuer so little. And he which thinks he hath a desire to beleeue, and contents him∣selfe therewith: hath indeede no true desire to beleeue.

Notes

• 〈◊〉〈◊〉. phil. 〈◊〉〈◊〉. de g••ad. delict.
• Iust. lib. 3. c. 2. 9▪ 5.