Chapter 35

That the very conscience of him▪ that desireth to obtain virtue doth testify, that our Fa●th is true; and how the desire of leading an evil life doth both procure the losing of Faith, and hinder the getting it.

BY how much more the witness of any thing in question, is nearer to us, and well known by us; so much doth his credit increase, towards the making us believe, that be saith true. And therefore, since I have ●old thee, of some of the means which give testimony of the truth of our Faith; Harken here, to some others, and those not past, but present. And they again are so near thee, that they are in thy very hart, if thou wilt receive them, and take particular knowledge of them, as thou usest to take of those things, which pass there. This is grounded upon the word, which our Lord spoke. If¹ any man will do the will of my Father, he shall know whether my doctrine be of God, or no. Blessed be thou O Lord, who art so assured of the justice of this thy cause, (that is, the Truth of thy doctrine) that thou leavest the sentence, which is to proceed upon it, in the hands of whosoever will, whether he be friend or enemy; with this only condition, That he who shall make himself the judge thereof, will do the will of God; which is, but that he should be virtuous, and so be saved.

It is² certainly so, that if a man should cordially desire to be good, both towards God, and towards himself, and towards his neighbours; and would seek out the fittest doctrine that he could find for making himself such; if before such an one, I say, they should lay all the Laws, and doctrines, which are in the whole world, both true, and false, (to none of which he already, carried any particular affection, or passion, but did only aim at the finding out of Truth) this man, laying aside all the rest, would take in hand the Gospel, & doctrine of Christ, if he³ understood it, as a thing which might address him better, to the end of his just desires, than any other. And as he were practising the virtue that he aspired to, he would be making experience of the efficacy of this doctrine; & how fit it were, for all that is good for the soul; and how well it were framed for the relief of our necessities; and, in how short a time, & with how great clarity, it did help a man to be virtuous. So that such a man coming on, by the very experience of the power of this doctrine, would confess, as our Lord hath said, That it came from God; and he would also say, that which others said (when they heard Jesus Christ our Lord preaching to them) never did man, speak so well. And if even they, who know not Christ by faith; did but hear that admirable, & charitable word, which our Lord himself did utter with so loud a voice, If⁴ any man be thirsty, let him come to me and drink; and if they would come, and make trial of that delicious fullness; and so take experience of this doctrine, with desire of being virtuous; it is certain, that they would not remain, in their infidelity, and blindness.

But⁵ for as much as they are friends of the world, and not of true and perfect virtue, nor do they seek with care, the certainty of Truth, and the knowledge of God; they continue without hearing, & receiving it. And although they heard it, yet would it not be received by some; because it would be contrary to the things which they desire. And for this, our Lord said to the Pharisees, certain words which I cited once before, How⁶ will you be able to believe, since you seek honour one of another, and seek not the honour, which is of God alone. And not without great weight of reason, did S. Paul⁷ affirm, That some had lost their faith, by giving themselves to covetousness. Not that a man doth instantly lose faith, by committing of any sin, except heresy; but for that, a hart which is affected to things of the world, & disaffected from virtue; when it finds in Christian doctrine, certain Truths, which are contrary to the wicked desires of the same hart, and which condemneth, under so grievous pains, the things which itself desires to practise, it grows by little and little, to seek other doctrine, which may not be of so bad taste in the mouth; nor keep such a barking against the ill affections & actions thereof. And⁸ so the will, being ill inclined, is wont to be a means of putting blindness upon the Understanding; and prevails so fare at last, as to make a man give over that Faith, which cryeth out against wickedness that he may follow and believe other doctrines, wherein he may be more at ease, and live how he lists. And as this corrupted will, is a means sometimes to make him lose Faith that hath it; so is it also a means to de●a●ne him, from it, that hath it not. For both these, & those, carry a fastidious kind of mislike, against perfect virtue; without alleging in very deed any other cause, but only, That it is unsavoury, or too highly good; & so they have also such a mislike, against the Truth of Faith, as being contrary to that wickedness which they love.

Footnotes

1. joan. 7. ↩

2. Note this well, for it is a wise and most certain truth. ↩

3. According to the true sense thereof, which is only taught by the holy Catholic Church. ↩

4. joan 7 ↩

5. Behold here the most true cause why Catholic Religion is no more embraced in England. ↩

6. 1. joan. 5.
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7. 1. Tim 〈◊〉.
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8. The case of most Protestants, who are intel●●g●●. ↩