doe beleeue as is the faith of the Elect. For as they are compelled to beleeue euidentia signorum by the euidence of things so are we compelled to beleeue euidentiâ Spiritus by the euidence of the Spirit the holy Ghost vrging pressing opening and altering our vnbeleeuing heart and drawing vs euen against nature as it were against the haire to the obedience of faith yea no man can obey the Spirit herein but he offereth violence as it were to himselfe and to his owne carnall and vnbeleeuing soule On the other side when they or we doe come to beleeue whither they by sence or we by instinct certainely the faith it selfe must needes be voluntarie For Fides in potestate est saith S. Augustine Faith when we haue it is a thing in our power Cum vult quisque credit qui credit volens credit Euery man beleeueth when hee willeth to beleeue and not before and he that beleeueth beleeueth willingly the finger of God altering our vnwillingnes thereunto The same S. Augustine saith in another place that faith consisteth in voluntate credentium in the will of the beleeuers And rightly for no man howsoeuer induced to beleeue beleeueth when he doth beleeue against his will â—â—des est voluntaria certitudo absentium saith that same Destructorium vitiorum which is ascribed to our learned countriman Alexander Alensis Faith is a voluntarie certentie or a certentie consisting in the will This without all question is true among men how the Deuills should beleeue against their will though it be against their liking my reason doth not conceiue But of these false distinctions and differences betweene the faith of the Deuills and the faith of the Elect inough if not too much Yet yee know that error must be remooued out of the way if we will make cleere passage for truth as weeds must be pulled vp that the corne may growful Omnis error in vitio est saith Nazianzene Euery error is a fault and so would be corrected Now come we to describe the true differences of these two faiths and so in a few words lightsomely to open all that Saint Iames speaketh in this Chapter of a dead faith without workes which can not saue a man and yet no whit therein crossing S. Paul who in his two worthie Epistles to the Romanes and Galathians teacheth and prooueth that Only faith sufficeth to saluation Thus therfore I proceed The Faith of the Elect apprehendeth as many other things so namely and particularly The mercie and loue of God the Father per Deum mediatorem by Christ the Mediator Finding and feeling that God loueth him he in naturall affection turneth to God to loue him againe For gratia gratiam parit Louing God againe he laboureth to serue and honour that God who hath loued him first and that by doing his will and commandements Hereof he bringeth forth good works to the glorie of God and the benefit of his Church And thus faith worketh by loue that is of loue it is fruitfull in good works Quantum credimus tantum amamus quantum amamus tantum de spe praesumimus Quisque enim fidelis tantum credit quantum sperat amat tantum operatur quantum credit sperat amat And this is that which we call fides viua a liuing or a liuely faith because it sheweth the power and life of it selfe by operation as a tree sheweth it selfe to liue by the leaues blossomes and fruit which it bringeth forth And of this faith is all S. Pauls treatie when he maketh it the hand or instrument of our Saluation On the otherside the faith of deuills apprehendeth many things as hath beene before declared but among all it apprehendeth not nor can apprehend no mercie fauour loue or pardon from God as from a Father but all Iustice and seueritie as from an angrie and offended iudge Not beleeuing that God loueth them they haue no inclination to loue God againe Louing him not they haue no care to honour him not seeking his honour they are not carefull to please him by performing any dutie to him or his people And this is that same fides mortua of which S. Iames intreateth in this chapter and is so called because it bringeth forth no more fruit then a dead blocke or rotten tree nor will it saue a man no more then it will the deuills Of whome the Apostle notwithstanding all that their faith professeth here that they tremble in the presence of God This I take to be the true naturall and essentiall difference betweene the faith of the Deuills and the faith of the Saints And here now my shippe must passe between two dangerous rocks the bodies whereof though they be cliuen asunder yet the feete and foundation ioyne both together The good breath of the Spirit of God blow vpon my sailes and the holy wisdome of God set steersman at my helme that I may discouer both and auoid both and saile euen betweene both and so arriue happily in the hauen of truth with the safetie of my selfe and of my hearers There are at this day two dangerous opinions about our Sauing faith The one is the doctrine of our English Libertines which of my knowledge are neither few in number nor small in account And these men doe not onely professe themselues but also teach to others that to beleeue the starie of Christ and what the Scripture hath written of Christ is all-sufficient to Saluation God they say requireth no further faith at our hands And these I call my bare Historians The other is the doctrine of them of the Church of Rome who seclude confidence in the mercie of God from the nature of Iustifying faith Lindane saith Fides illa quâ quis firmiter credit ceriò statuit propter Christum sibi remissa peccata seque possessurum vitam aternam non fides est sed temeritas That saith by which a man assuredly beleeueth certainly concludeth that his sinnes are forgiuen for Christs sake and that he shall inherit euerlasting life is indeede not faith but rashnes Bellarmine whose very name breatheth out nothing but wrath can not abide in this caâ—e to heare of mereie He hath many chapters to prooue by the Scriptures by the tradition of the Church by reason c. that Iustifying faith hath not for his obiect the speciall mercie of God yea and he saith plainly that The Catholiques doe affirme certam promissionem specialis misericordiae non tam ad fidem quam ad praesumptionem pertinere that a certaine promise of speciall mercie belongeth not so much to faith as to presumption Thus for a Christian to professe by faith assurance of his owne saluation is among our Pseudo-Catholiques no better then headie rashnes and haughtie presumption As for that same priuate Couent as the French Kings Ambassador called it openly of the Patres Minores in the Councel of Trent which the
we should repose our trust in God Thus sarre Frier Ferus directly against Frier Bellaâ—mine Fratrum concordia 〈◊〉 a rare kind of agreement among Friers Now to an other What if Father Campian the glory of the Philistims the challenging Goliah of 〈◊〉 time what if he be taken suspicious of this hereticall doctrine of applying faith Read the conference had with him in the tower of London When D. Walker had said To know God mereating to be Almightie in gouerning wise c. this to apprehend is sufficient to saluation Campian replieth as correcting that speech To apprehend these things effectually so that we also obey his Commandements and not onely to graunt theÌ„ to be true but also to apply these things to our selues through the passion of Christ this is saluation and sufficient So then belike by this mans opinion the power wisedome c. of God must be applyed to our selues for our owne benefit thorough the passion of Christ which how a man can doe and not drawe home therewith and therein Gods mercie to himselfe I can not disceâ—ne D. Redmâ—â— seemeth to haue beene a man of great note for grauitie wisdome and learning In the dayes of Henry the eighâ— a great defender of Popeâ—â—e But lying vpon his death bedde about the ende of the raigne of Edward the sixt he greatly lamented that he had too seriously and earnestly withstood this Proposition Onely faith iustifieth And then deliuereth his present opinion about it which is this That So faith doe signifie veram viuam acquiescentem in Christo fidem id est amplexum Christâ— that is So as by the name of faith wee vnderstand a true and liuely faith a faith resting in Christ that is an embracing of Christ as it were in our armes as those doe which haue long deâ—ited to â—ee and enjoy one another and are gladde of the possessing one another it is a true godly sweet and comfortable doctrine viz that onely faith iustifieth The iustifying faith then is a resting vpon Christ with comfort and an embracing of him with ioy which no man can doe which is not perswaded by and in Christ to finde mercie of God Thus haue you an whole Iurie impanaled of either sort Fathers of the one side Popish writers on the other all speaking for such a faith as apprehendeth mercie and applieth it to the beleeuer which doth abundantly shew that so to teach is neither Calvinian noueltie as say our loâ—tie Historians nor rash presumption as say our ignorant Papists Now for that I hold it my dutie to honour the Church in which I liue by giuing testimonie vnto it in all righteousnes which Church hath also receiued honourable testimonie from abroad to hold and teach soundly all points of Doctrine necessarie to Saluation and for that I haue heard with mine â—ares some that haue beene and some that now are great members in our Church challenged by name to be defenders of a sole historicall â—aith I will here in open place declare what the receiued iudgement of our Church is in this case Not caring in the meane time to know nor knowing to regard what euery particular Diuine holdeth in this Argument Tullie said Id ratum habent homines quod 〈…〉 quemprobant 〈…〉 vident I will therefore beleeue till I know the contrarie that all the Bishops and other Prelates which now liue in our Church doe ratifie that in this case which their predecessouâ—s haue determined especially since those their predecessors were men for life and learning so greatly approoued Thus therefore vnderstand the Veredict of our Church The Articles of Religion agreed vpon by that Conuocation Anno. 1562. and againe confirmed by the Subscription of the said Conuocation Anno. 157â— speake thus of Iustification We are accounted righteous before God onely for the merits of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ thorough faith They therefore â—each such a faith as perswadeth a man that hee is iustified before God and that thorough the merits of Iesus Christ applied to him For else how can any man be made righteous by the merits of Christ if those merits of Christ belong not to him And how shall any man be assured of his Iustification vntill hee doe beleeue that those merits doe in particular and in speciall belong to himselfe Againe the Apologie of the Church of England professeth That there is no mortall creature which can be iustified by his owne deserts in Gods sight and therefore that our onely succour and refuge is to flie to the mercie of our Father by Iesus Christ and assuredly to perswade our mindes that he is the obteiner of â—orgiuenesse for our sinnes and that by his blood all our spots of sinne be washed cleane Now hee that is perswaded that Christ obteineth pardon for his sinnes and againe that all his sinnes are washed away in Christâ— blood that man I 〈◊〉 applieth Gods mercie by Christ to himselfe Lastly the good old Deane of Pauls who in the beginning of the late Quâ—enes raigne published a Catechisme authorised publikely to be â—aught in this land thus defineth in it a True Christian-sauing faith Fides est certa cognitio paterâ—â— Deierganos per Christum beneuolentia fiduciaque 〈◊〉 eadem fiâ—â—t in Enangelio testaâ—â—m est Faith is a certaine knowledge of Gods fatherly good will towards vs thorough Christ and a confidence in the same good will of God as it is testified in the Gospel This is the Doctrine of our Church concerning iustifying faith Those therefore which secretly whisper otherwise doe greatly wrong our Church and Church-gouernours yea indeed they greatly wrong themselues to resort with vs to the Word where such a faith is preached to communicate with vs in the Sacraments where such a faith is sâ—aled vp yea to liue in the bosome of our Church where such a faith is maintained and in the meane time to iumpe close with the Papists against vs in so essentiall a point of Saluation I will now conclude this Doctrine with her example of whom I am perswaded all true hearted Englishmen will be gladde to heare that same olde Mother and Nurse of this Church of England that same glorious Defender of this true auncient Catholike and Apostolike faith so many yeares that same raiser vp and protector of all those Bishops and other learned men that haue taught and confirmed this Doctrine of apprehensiue and applying faith among vs I meane the late Queene Elizabeth a woman of most famous and most renowned memorie She â—eared vp the preaching of this faith she maintained this faith she liued in this faith yea she died in this faith applying the mercies of God by the merits of Christ to her owne soule As appeareth in a Sermon put forth in print preached in this very place the next Sabbaoth day after her decease by a Preacher of reuerend respect in this Citie and familiarly knowne to me to be both wise and learned and religious and so one
did that in my yeares which an other said he had done in his vigour Orabam meditata loquens tres tractus in horas To doe it without set forme of words and to misse nothing either of matter or manner must be the act of a man of greater gifts then my selfe But new when I returned home and after so many requests had resolued to commit that which I had said to writing I had no safer rule to walke by then the method by which I had in short notes digested my meditations And therefore in that forme they come forth into the world 3. Thirdly if any take offence at the multitude and multiplicitie of mine allegations I would haue them to knowe that as it is not mine vsuall manner of preaching in the countrie so here are many more Ouotations added and some a great deale more enlarged then as they were at that time deliuered Tullie said of youth Dandum est aliquid aetati So say I in this case something must be giuen to this learned age something to the solemnitie of that place and something to the expectation of the hearers Sure I am that much was to be giuen to this Argument where the Position was to be ouerswaied by Antiquity for that the Doctrine is on all sides challenged of Noueltie It is hard I confesse to hold The golden meane But there is a worse extremitie growne vp in preaching which for reuerence of mine owne coate I will thus taxe from S. Augustine in an allegorie Aduertendum est non solâ—m rerum corporearum nitore pompa sed eriam in ipsis sordibus lutuosis esse posse iactantiam eò periculofiorem quo sub specie seruitutis Dei decipit I haue said if not all that I would yet all that I could the time so straightening me in the penning hereof as I haue scarse found leisure to read it ouer My prayer is now to Almightie God that he would be pleased in mercie to accept of these my poore endeauours and to blesse them to the good of his Church for which they haue been vndertaken And for your Lordship my supplicatioÌ„ shall euer be that God would vouchsafe to continue in you that liuely iustifying and sauing faith treated vpon in this Sermon which may keepe you from trembling here and in the day of iudgement So I take my leaue From Combes in Suffolke Maij. 29. 1613. Your Lordships in all Christian deuotion MILES MOSSE IVSTIFYING AND SAVING FAITH distinguished from The faith of the Deuills The Text. Iam. 2. 19. The Deuills beleeue and tremble THe Inscription of this Epistle is somwhat diuers not onely in the Latine but euen in the Greeke editions also but the best and the most compleat is that which Stephanus and Beza follow 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Catholicke Epistle of Iames the Apostle It noteth foure points worthie of obseruation 1. It is an Epistle And that not onely in a metaphoricall sence as Paul calleth the Corinthians his commendatorie Epistle or as Christ may be called an Epistle sent to vs from his Father or as S. Augustine calleth all the Scriptures Letters or Epistles which haue come to vs hither de illa ciâ—â—itate vnde peregrinâ—â—ur from that heauenly eâ—tie from whence we are yet pilgrims but also in a more proper and vsuall meaning For it is a Letter sent of one friend absent from an other euen from Iames the Apostle to the twelue Tribes scattered abroad And so is by this Tale distinguished from the historicall Propheticall and Poeticall bookes of the holy Scriptures 2. It is a Catholicke Epistle Catholicke not onely because the Doctrine contained in it is orthodoxall in which sence the word Catholicke is often vsed of the Fathers noâ— onely because the vse of it is Catholicke as well to vs as to those to whome it was written at the first but also and rather because it is not directed to any one man as those of Paul to Timothie Titus and Philemon and those of Iohn to the Elect Ladie and Gaim no not onely to some one particular Church or place as those to the Romanes Corinthians Galatianâ— and the rest but to all the Iewes dispersed in all countries of the world as hath beene before our time well obserued Therefore we translate it The generall Epistle not as fearing or abhorring the word Catholicke as the Rhemists obiect vnto vs but as desirous to expresse best the meaning of the word as our learned Fulke the 〈◊〉 of his time hath answered in that behalfe 3. It is the Epistle of S. 〈◊〉 The name of the Author fitly answereth the Argument Iames or Iacob signifieth a Sâ—pplaâ—ter And it was giuen at the first as other names commonly were â—ratiane from a speciall occasion Nec taemen absurdum est saith S. Cyril vt Iacob 〈…〉 supplaentator id est qui Supplantat Sathanam yet may euery supplanter or vnderminer be called a Iacob euen he that supplanteth and vndermineth Sathan Now this Iames the Author of this Epistle is a notable Supplanter of all prophane Esaus which bragge of the Spirit and walke in the 〈◊〉 which professe Faith and neglect workes and so is therein a very piâ—ner to vndermine the kingdome of the Deuill 4. It is the Epistle of Iames the Apostle So the best Greeke copies have it And those which 〈◊〉 the Gospels and Epistles into the Syrian language immediatly after the Apostles times Iacobum Apostolum agnoscunt acknowledge this Iames for an Apostle And so Tremellius translateth it from the Syriake Epistola Iaakub Apostoli The Argument which Illirieus alleadgeth to the contrary viz. that this Iames intituleth himself the seruant of Christ and not an Apostle which he would not haue omitted if he had beene an Apostle maioris authoritatis gratia for the adding of authoritie to his writing is as a number of his positions are more subtill then iudicious For Paul omitteth his title of Apostleship to Philemon So doth the Author of the Epistle to the Hebrewes and both Iohn and Iude. in their Epistles And besides that is not nothing which Lyranus alleadgeth to this purpose that Iames writing to the bragging Iewes who carried themselues so high aboue the Gentiles to induce them by his example to humilitie non nominat se Apostolum quod nomen est dignitutis sed servum quod nomen est subiectionis he intituleth not himselfe an Apostle which is a name of dignitie but the seruant of Christ which is a name of subiection Now this is here worth the noting that this Epistle being written by Iames and Apostle it was not written by that Iames that was syrnamed Oblias whome the Apostles Peter Iames and Iohn are saide to haue ordained Bishop of Ierusalem though I am not ignorant that Eusebius and those that follow him doe so conceiue it For that Iames though he were an holy and worthie
so as that withall they hate him in their hearts knowing that he will be and shall be their confounder These feare God so as withall they loue him in their hearts as feeling that he is and beleeuing that he will be their carefull preseruer And if at any time mistrustfull or carnall feare doe take hold vpon the Saints yet it is neither totall nor finall as it is in the Deuills For the regenerate partie will euer cleaue to Gods mercie by faith and the spirit of adoption will at length get the victorie and make them crie with comfort Abba Father whereas the Deuills feare euer totally without one droppe of faith and finally without one moment of comfort Therefore as it is no comfort to the Deuills to know that the Saints doe feare as well as they so it need be no discomfort to the Saints to see that they feare as well as the deuills Mâ—dus agendi actum distinguit They feare punishment these feare losse they feare and â—ate these feare and loue they feare and despaire these feare hope they feare and sinne still these feare and amend they feare and are damned these feare and are saued For there is a feare and reuerence with which we please God the fruit whereof is euerlasting saluation Hitherto I haue spoken of the Deuills beleefe and trembling seuerally and asunder and deriued vses from either necessarie to our instruction Now consider we of them iointly and together They beleeue and yet they tremble They tremble and yet they beleeue What Pugnantia loqueris Iacobe Good S. Iames doest thou not speake contraries How will these two stand together beleeuing and trembling If they beleeue why doe they tremble If they tremble how doe they beleeue for on the one side timor hostilis infidelitatis filius hostile feare is the ofspring of infidelitie Why were the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why are yee fearefull O yee of little faith If therefore the deuills tremble it is a signe that they beleeue not On the other side if they beleeue then what need they tremble For first Faith maketh attonment with God Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace toward God If they be at peace with God what cause haue they to feare For If God be on our side who can be against vs Secondly Faith purifieth the heart Now if the Deuills be mundi corde then they are blessed and see God with comfort What then need they feare Thirdly faith giueth boldnes and confidence By whom we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence by saith in him Boldnes and Confidence are plaine opposites to feare and trembling Fourthly faith worketh by loue Now loue casteth out feare Ergo. If they beleeue they loue if they loue they feare not One of the Fathers expounding that place in the Song of Salomon Thy cheekes are comely with rowes of stones and thy necke with chaines maketh one of those chaines wherewith the Churches necke is adorned to be religiosa sanaque fides a sound and religious â—aith facta de puro diuinae cognitionis auro beaten and composed of pure gold of the diuine knowledge And to this pure and golden chaine of faith he applieth that of Salomon in the Prouerbs Coronam gratiarum accipies vertice tuo â—umellam aurâ—am circa caput tuum Thou shalt receiue a crowne of grace or a gracefull crowne vpon thy head and a chaine of gold about thy necke Now then if the Deuills haue such a crown of grace vpon their heads and such a rich coller of Sss about their necke as faith is a man would think they were adorned and bewtified sufficiently to appeare with iolliâ—ie in the most roiall presence euen of the glorious God himselfe How then saith S. Iames here that they beleeue yet they tremble The answer is this The deuills beleeue much many things as hath bin before declared but yet they beleeue not that which should keepe them from trembling What is that M. Bucer setteth downe in three words Reconciliationem non credunt They beleeue no atonement or reconciliation made or to be made between them and Almightie God Therefore all that which they beleeue will not keepe them from trembling Take for an example of them in this case a malefactor a felon a murderer or traytour conuicted and condemned to death This malefactor knoweth the King who he is he knoweth his prerogatiue royall that he can and is able to pardon him he knoweth and beleeueth further that the King of his naturall disposition is mild kind bounteous pitiâ—ull mercifull as thanked be God our King Iames is at this day The same malefactor knoweth yet further that the King out of his royall bountie and grace hath pardoned many yea some capitall offendors But now withall he hath no meanes nor friend to make to the King to obtaine his pardon he hath neither word not writing from the King to warrant his pardon nay he hath no hope that if he sought for it the King would graunt his pardon nay his heart is so besotted as that he can not thinke of seeking a pardon Here all the knowledge of the King of the Kings mercie of the Kings mercifull dealing with others will not put him out of feare of death but he trembleth daily hourely expecting his execution So is it with the Deuill He knoweth God be knoweth the omnipotent power of God that God can forgiue him and he can say with the leper Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane He knoweth the infinite mercie of God that he is mercifull gratious flow to anger and abundent in goodnes and truth that the whole earth is full of the goodnes of the Lord that his mercy reacheth to the heauens his truth vnto the clouds yea that the Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes He knoweth further that God hath extended his mercifull pardon towards hainoâ—s offenders As to Dauid for adulterie and murder To Salomon for idolatrie To Peter for Apostacie To Paul for persecution and to thousand thousands whose names are not recorded All this the Deuill knoweth well and beleeueth all that he knoweth as hath beene before declared But now the wretched fiend hath neither means to make for his pardon for Christ is but Mediator dei hominum a Mediator betweene God and man not betweene God and the deuills and the goodnes of God which appeared in Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loue of men not a loue of deuills neither hath he one title or iotte of a promise from God that he shall be pardoned neither hath he the hope that if he begge it God will giue him pardon neither hath he an affection to desire pardon but is shut vp as are all reprobates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
Euery man therefore that taketh these misteries must beleeue that Christs bodie was broken and that Christs blood was shead for him which I trow is a great deale more then to beleeue the storie S. Bernard hath a notable saying expresse to this purpose hoc designat illibatum illud altaris sacrificium vbi dominicum corpus accipimus And this doth that holy and vndefiled sacrifice of the altar signifie vnto vs where we receiue the Lords bodie vt ficut videtur illa forma panis in nos intrare sic nouerimus per eam quam in terris habuit conuersationem ipsum intrarein nos ad habitandum in cordibus nostris per fidem that euen as in that Sacrament the forme of bread is seene and sensibly discerned to enter into vs and our bodies so we might know that Christ himselfe doth enter into vs according to that flate which hee had here amongst vs to dwell in vs and in our hearts by faith The name of the Sacrifice of the Altar I refuse not Our right reuerend and right learned Bishop of Winchester hath abundantly shewed how that tearme was vsed of the Fathers and how it may be receiued of vs. The carnall eating of Christ if S. Bernard any such is also notably confuted by the same man in the same treatise But this is that I would prooue and that pregnantly from the words of the Father that the Sacrament of the Lords supper which hee there calleth the sacrifice of the Altar is not only a bare signe and representation of Christs bodie and blood broken and shead vpon the Altar of the Crosse but also that the receiuing in of the bread and wine into our selues doe seale vp vnto vs that doe receiue them Christs owne entering into vs and dwelling within vs euen in our hearts by a liuely faith And hereof it is that we call the Sacraments signa exhibitina signes that doe exhibite reach forth and tender the things which they figure and represent And our Church rightly profeffeth of the SacrameÌ„ts that they are non tantùm notae pâ—â—fessionis Christianorum not only markes or badges of Christian profession sed certa quaedam potius testimonia efficacia signa gratiae atque bonae in nos voluntatis Dei but rather also and much rather certaine assured testimonies and effectual signes of the grace and good will of God towards vs. In so much that when I come to the Lords table and there the Minister reacheth forth the holy mysteries to mee and I receiue them at his hand Nihil dubito quin ipse vere porrigat ego recipiam saith Calvin I nothing doubt but that Christ doth verily reach out vnto me and I doe verily receiue his bodie and blood to become the food and nourishment of my soule Such a faith therefore doe the Sacraments seale vp vnto vs as doth not only acknowledge al that Christ hath done to be true but also doth applie the merits of Christ and thorough them the mercie of God vnto euery worthy receiuer thereof And so much of the Sacraments which are the seales of faith 3. It followeth to speake of our common forme of Creede which is not amisse called regula fidei the rule or square of our faith Because it containeth the most principall points of our Christian religion to the proportion whereof other particulars must be reduced Blind Bellarmine for who so blind as he that will not see vseth this for the first and as it were principall reason that iustifying faith is not confidence of mercie because that In symbole fidei in the common rule of our faith many things are contained which are necessarie to be beleeued if a man will be iustified by faith of the vnitie of the Trinitie of the incarnation passion and resurrection of Christ c. De speciali autem misericordia ne verbum quidem but in all the Creede or Creedes for hee ioyneth the foure knowne Creeds together there is not one word of speciall mercie And therefore he there striueth to confute Luther and Melancthon that would include the apprehension of speciall mercie in the Creed the one vnder that Article I beleeue the holy Catholique Church the other vnder that Article I beleeue the remission of sinnes Well let the controuersie stand betweene them as it doth for I will not meddle with the latter part of the Creed I will vse a new argument out of the former part which concerneth God and our beleefe in him And touching that I say that not only particular words but the whole tenure of our faith as we professe it in the Creed doth implie apprehension of speciall mercie to the professor Marke how the forme of the Creed runneth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I beleeue in God the Father And I beleeue in Iesus Christ. And againe I beleeue in the holy Ghost which if we could properly expresse in our English tongue and ioyne the preposition to the Accusatiue case should signifie thus much I beleeue towards God or into God the Father I beleeue towards or into Iesus Christ and so forth For Credo in Deum is more essentiall and effectuall then our language will fully expresse And this is no small matter in the eye of the Papists for Master Harding holdeth this forme Credo in Deum so authentike and materiall as that he deeply challengeth the Church of England for professing their faith in another forme Credimus vnam quandam naturam c. Credimus Iesum Christum c. And hee alleadgeth against this that the vtterance of our faith is strange to Christian eares who haue beene accustomed to heare Credo in Deum c. He saith that That other forme of words which we vse soundeth not so Christian like I beleeue there is a God I beleeue that Iesus Christ is the sonne of the Father I beleeue that the holy Ghost is God He rendreth this reason of his rebuke Although this forme of words I beleeue there is a God c. doe expresse a right faith yet beeing such as may be vttered by the Deuills and hath alwaies beene vttered by Heretikes their ministers the auncient and holy Fathers haue liked better the old forme and manner after which euery Christian man saith I beleeue in God I beleeue in Iesus Christ I beleeue in the holy Ghost for this importeth a signification of faith with hope and charitie that other of faith only which the Deuills haue and tremble as S. Iames saith Very well then Omen accipio let M. Hardings speach for this time goe for currant which notwithstanding the good Bishop fully answered in that place let the most auncient most authentique forme of professing our Creed be thus Credo in Deum c. I beleeue in God I beleeue in Iesus Christ c. The Question is now what it is Credere in Deum to beleeue in God Let the Fathers answer S. Augustine saith De Apostolis ipsâ—s dicere
three verses there is a manifest difference of these three titles Credere Christum Credere Christo Credere in Christum As thus Dost thou not beleeue that I am in the Father and the Father in me He speaketh of a beleefe what Christ is Then in the next v. Beleeue me that I am in the Father and the father in me that is Beleeue that I speake truth therein It followeth immediately 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He that beleeueth in me that is with confidence the workes that I doe hee shall doe and greater also He therefore that will rightly expound these 3. verses must of necessitie intertaine this threefold distinction Thirdly the Iesuites Argument is like the Logique and other Popish learning of their Schooles Is not the distinction good betweene Credere Deo and Credere in Deum because that many professe in the Creede I beleeue in God which haue no charitie Why The Creede giueth noâ— faith that is the worke of God But the Creede teacheth what true faith is and how we should professe it And if any man will in the Creede professe that he doth beleeue in God when as he doth only beleeue a God or beleeue God to say true this is but the hypocrisie or vnbeleefe of the professor not a defect of the profession For the sauing profession of faith is beleefe in God with hope of mercie And that the very lesuite himselfe confesseth in the selfe same place Credere in deum est fidei per spem dilectionem operantis to beleeue in God is such a faith or the fruit of such a faith as worketh by hope and loue which is as much as all that I haue spoken of faith about the Creede Fourthly and lastly say that S. Augustine and others had erred in this distinction as the Iesuite will and so I had not soundly built vpon them yet let no Papist that braggeth of the Fathers barke against the argument for besides those which I haue alleadged I can also bring forth Hierome Ruffine Theophilact Primasius The M. of Sentences Thomas Aquinas Nicolas Gorran Granatensis and a number of others of their owne side more or lesse alleadging admitting expounding these three degrees or kinds of faith and euer exalting the latter as the most high perfect and cheife of them all Therefore doth the Creede professe an exact and compleat faith which farre exceedeth the faith of the Deuills which is the purpose that I propound in this place So much therefore of our Creede 4. It remaineth now that I discusse that definition or description of faith which the Apostle giueth in the Epistle to the Hebrewes and that I doe from thence prooue also that Iustifying and sauing faith applyeth to the beleeuer the fauour of God in Iesus Christ. The definition is this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the ground of things that are hoped for The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Schollers knowe is deriued of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persuadeor and so of the praeter perfect tense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 persuasus sum I am perswaded And fitly for as Peter Martyr saith well non solemus credere nisi quod habemus persuasâ—ssimum we are not wont to beleeue any thing but that whereof we are most fully perswaded A good note by the way against the Scholemens doubting or wauering faith whereof Musculus rightly calleth them Doctores dubitationis not dowtie Doctors but Doctors of doubting For as they mooue doubts of euerie thing so they teach men alwaies to doubt of their saluation whereas S. Paul vsing the same verbe whereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is deriued protesteth without doubting in the same case 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am perswaded that neither death nor life nor Angels nor principallities nor powers nor things present nor things to come shall be able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Iesus Christ our Lord. Yea and our Alexander of England one of the learnedest among them to whom is ascribed that Destructorium vitiorum of which I haue spoken before faith that Faith is a kinde of thing infra scientiam supra opinionem lesse then science more then opinion Scientia enim habet cognitionem opinio dubitationem inter hâ—c dâ—â— est fideâ— media quoniam fides non habet cognitionem nec dubitationem For saith he Science hath knowledge and opinion hath doubting and between these two faith is the meane because it neither hath demonstratiue knowledge nor vncertaine doubting Let them goe now and bragge of their doubting faith God giue me that which carieth with it assured perswasion But â—â—â—turne to the purpose This perswasiue or perswaded faith iâ— there of the Apostle called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 now this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is somewhat diuersly translated But the old translation which they must not refuse tearmeth it substantia Faith is the substance of things which wee hope for The Substance how is that How is faith the substance of those things Heare one of their owne who is no small man among them For Abbote Tritenhemius writeth of him that hee was nobiliter eruditus a noble or notable learned man It is Nicolaus de Gorran and what saith hee Faith is the substance id est causa subsistendi in nobis res sperandas scilicet bona futura that is it is the cause or meanes or instrument that the things which we hope for that is to say the good things to come haue an essence or beeing or subsistence in vs. But how that Et hoc vel in futuro quod faciet in nobis subsistere res sperandas in patria per apertam visionem vel in praesenti quod iam facit eas in nobis subsistere per spem expectationem that is to say Faith giueth a beeing or subsistence in vs of those things which wee hope for either in this life or in the life to come In the life to come it will giue vs existence of them per apâ—am visiâ—nem then we shall openly see them yea really possesse them by the benefit of this faith In this present life it giueth an existence of them also for euen now faith causeth a subsistance of them in vs by hope and expectation Is it so doth faith euen while we liue here giue a certen kind of being to those things in our hearts the fruition whereof we afterward expect And what are those things which hereafter we expect A ioyfull resurrection discharge in the day of iudgement the comfortable beholding of God the fruition of his glorious and euerlasting kingdome Why then faith giueth a present existence of these things vnto vs which it cannot giue without the assurance of the mercie of God But looke we a little from this old to some new translation Hemingius turneth it thus Fides est fiducia rerum sperandarum faith is the confidence of things that
are hoped for And in his Commentaries vpon this text hee alledgeth places out of very approoued Authors Polybius and Herodotus where the word hypostasis is so taken yea in the same Epistle is an other place which giueth much light to this interpretation For we are made partakers of Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if we keepe to the ende initium fiduciae so Calvin readeth it the beginning of our confidence that is of our faith which is yet but begunne in vs. Now then if faith be turned into fiducia doe but aske Thomas Aquinas what kind of thing fiducia is He will answer Fiducia est spes futuri auxilij concepta ex dictis aliorum vel ex his quae sunt in se vel in alio Confidence is the hope of future helpe or aide conceiued either from other mens words or from some thing else which a man hath in himselfe or hee knoweth in another Is Confidence such a thing and is faith confidence why then Faith is a hope of future aide or helpe or good conceiued from the words or promises of God and from somewhat else which is not in himselfe for in a mans selfe there is no hope of helpe in time to come but in God as his mercie his truth his loue his free grace vpon which indeed our faith is builded and groweth vp to full confidence in Iesus Christ. Faith therefore apprehendeth speciall râ—ercie Thus I haue finished the foure reasons which I propounded to you fourescoare more might be added if it were necessaire But I stay here and say with the Poet Iam satis est nè me Crispini scrinia Lippâ— Compilâ—sse putes Now for so much as Bellarmine maketh this doctrine of faith apprehending speciall mercie to be an opinion of Heretikes wherein they differ from the Catholikes and our homebredde Historians haue not shamed to auouch that it is The new villainous doctrine of Calvin and Beza a villainous terme to be giuen to so holy reuerend learned men therefore omitting what the Protestant Authors write in this case I will now shew what my poore reading hath found about this point in the Ancienter Fathers of the Church yea and in such Popish writers as hauing not their affections distempered with the heat of contention and disputation haue in a milde and open sort deliuered their minde herein as particular occurrances haue occasioned And first to beginne with the Fathers Irenaeus speaketh thus of faith Semper fides quae est ad magistrum nostrum permanet firma asseuerans nobis quoniam solus verè Deus vt diligamus Deum verè semper quoniam ipse solus Pater speremus subinde plus aliquid accipere discere à Deo quiae bonus est diuitias habens indeterminabiles regnum sine fine disciplinans immensam In effect thus in English Our faith which we beare towards our Lord and Master euer abideth stedfast telling vs that he is the only true God that we must alwaies heartily loue him because hee is our only Father and that we must hope euer and anon to receiue more from God to learne more of God because he is good and hath riches innumerable and an endlesse kingdome and learning vnmeasurable I note from hence 3. things 1. First faith holdeth vs to the onely true God 2. Secondly it holdeth vs to him with loue as to a louing Father 3. Thirdly it teacheth vs daily to expect from him as from a louing father the good which we need both for life and knowledge Now if my faith teach me that God is my Father and maketh me to loue him as a Father and to expect continually fauours from his hand as from a good God louing Father tell me if it doth assure my heart of his loue and mercie Origen thus Fides quae in Christo est praesentis vitae regulam tenet futura spei fiduciam praestat Faith in Christ both giueth direction for this life and yeeldeth assurance of that which we hope for to be hereafter in the life to come Faith therefore assureth vs of that which wee hope for Chrysostome thus Hoc verae fidei est quando promissiones non iuxta solitum morem hominibus cognitum fiunt nos promissionis virtute fidimus This is the propertie of true faith when God maketh promises after an vnusuall manner and such as men are not acquainted with as he did to Abraham Gen. 15. for of that he speaketh in that place and we beleeue depending vpon the promise Faith therefore taketh hold on Gods mercifull though extraordinarie promises Againe the same Father Gloriatur fidelis non solum quod Deum amet germanè sed quod ab illo magnum honorem assecutus est magnam item dilectionem The faithfull man boasteth or reioyceth not onely that he truely loueth God but also for that he hath receiued much honour loue from God Faith therefore perswadeth our hearts that God loueth vs. Epiphanius thus Ego debilis eram per carnem demissus est autem mihi Saluator in similitudine carnis peccati talem dispensationem perficiens qua me à seruitute redimeret à corruptione à morâ—e I was weake in the flesh or by the flesh but there was a Sauiour sent downe for mee in the similitude of sinfull flesh to redeeme me from bondage corruption and death Did Paul euer speake more applicatiuely of Christ to himselfe No not euen then when hee said who hath loued me and giuen himselfe for me for Epiphanius saith of himselfe There was a Sauiour sent downe for me to redeeme me from bondage But shall I nay may I dare to smoother the words that there follow Et factus est mihi iusticia sanctificatio redemptio and this Sauiour thus sent downe was made to me righteousnesse sanctification and redemption Iusticia quidem quoniam per fidem ipsius peccata dissoluit Sanctificatio verò quia per aquam spiritum verbum suum me liberauit Redemptio autem est sanguis ipsius dum pretium redemptionis agni veripro me seipsum tradidit This Sauiour was made vnto me righteousnesse because by my faith he dissolued my sinnes He was made vnto me sanctification because he hath freed me by water and his spirit and his word And my redemption is his blood whilest hee gaue himselfe for me as the true lambe the price of my redemption What did Paul affirme more of the Church in generall then this man of himselfe in particular He is of God made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification and redemption A liuely president of faith laying hold vpon speciall mercie Mortalitas ipsius meae mortalitatis est abolitio Resuscitatio de mortuis ab Orco nostri liberatio Ascensus in coelum me quoque sursum transfert saith Nazivizer His death is the abolishing of my death his raising from the dead is a deliuerie of
vs from hell his ascending into heauen will carrie me vp thither also What can be spoken in words more patheticall in sense more applicatiue in faith more apprehensiue Thus spake the Greeke Fathers now turne wee to the Latine Cyprian disswading from the feare of death and rebuking in men their vnwillingnes to die If saith he some graue man of good report promised thee any thing thou wouldest surely beleeue his promise nor wouldest thou doubt that he would deceiue thee knowing him to be a man that will be as good as his word or will stand to his promise well then Nunc deus tecum loquitur iâ— mente incredula perfidus fluctuas Now doth God speake to thee and giue thee his promise and doest thou with an vnbeleeuing heart doubt of performance Deus tibi de hoc mundo recedenti immortalitatem pollicetur atque aeternitatem tu dubitas God promiseth to thee when thou departest out of the world immortalitie and eternitie and doest thou doubt of possession Hoc est Deum omnino non nosse hoc est Christum credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere hoc est in Ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere This is not to know God â—t all this is by vnbeleefe to offend Christ the master of the beleeuers this is for one to be in the Church and to haue no faith in thâ— house of faith I gather from hence these conclusions 1. First Gods promises made to vs must be beleeued now they are promises of mercie 2. Secondly God promiseth to vs immortalitie and eternitie they therefore by faith must be assuredly expected 3. Thirdly to doubt of the performance of these is not to knowe God yea it is to haue no faith at all The same Father in the same place Qui spe viuinâ—u in Deum credimus in Christum passum esse pro nobis resurrexisse confidimus in Christo manentes per ipsum atque in ipso resurgentes quid aut ipsi recedere istinâ— de seculo noluâ—â—us aut nostros recedentes quasi perditâ—s plangimus Wee which liue in hope and beleeue in God and put our trust in Christ that he suffered and rose againe for vs abiding in Christ and by him and in him rising againe why are we our selues so loth to depart hence or why doe wee lament our friends departed as if they were vtterly lost Here is beleefe in God here is trust in Christ here is beleeefe that he died for vs and rose againe for vs here is an exhortation built vpon this beleefe to die comfortably and to take the death of our friends patiently doth not this manifestly inferre a faith apprehending mercie Arnobius vpon the Psalmes if that booke be his The meanest Christian saith he and the vilest sinner shall be preferred before that seruant that beareth himselfe aloft and neglecteth his masters honour qui se credit per fidem ad misericordiam peruenire eius qui regnat in secula seculorum euen that sinfull Christian who beleeueth by faith to attaine to his mercie who liueth for euermore Marke that sinner shall be saued who beleeueth to finde mercie Beleefe of mercie therefore bringeth to saluation Tertullian Vt certum esset nos esse filios Dei misit Spiritum suum in corda nostra clamantem Abba Pater That we might be certaine that we are the sons of God he hath sent his spirit into our hearts crying Abba Father Here obserue 1. It is certaine that we are the Sonnes of God How is it certaine Not by reuelation ergo by faith 2. To be the Sonne of God is speciall mercie ergo to beleeue that is to beleeue mercie 3. The Spirit teacheth vs in assurance hereof to call God our Father the name of a Father is a name of â—ercie The Spirit therefore teacheth vs to beleeue mercie S. Ambrose by his faith thus applyeth Christ vnto himselfe Non gloriabor quia iustus sum c. I will not glory saith he that I am righteous but I will glorie that I am redeemed froÌ„ mine vnrighteousnes I will not glorie that I am free from sinne but I will glorie that the sinnes which I haue are forgiuen me Then he addeth Non gloriabor quia profui neque quia profuit mihi quispiam sed quia pro me Advocatus apud Patrem Christus est sed quia pro me Christi sanguis effusuâ— est that is I will not glorie that I haue profited any man nor that any man hath profited mee but I will glorie of this that Christ is an Aduocate for me with the Father and that Christs blood was shed for me Marke Bellarmine here is a notable presumptuous Heretique I am redeemed my sinnes are forgiuen Christ is mine Aduocate Christs blood was shed for me What Protestant euer applyed Christs benefits neerer to his owne vse verily not Luther himselfe when he professed a little before his death I haue taught him I haue knowne him I haue loued him as my life my health my redemption But I returne to the Fathers for neither Luther nor any of Luthers side are olde enough though learned enough to stoppe the Aduersaries mouthes S. Augustine saith thus The deuills beleeued Christ but they did not loue Christ. And therefore though they beleeued yet they said what haue wee to doe with thee Iesu thou Sonne of God But let vs beleeue so as wee may beleeue in him and loue him Et non dicamus Quid nobis tibi est Sed dicaâ—â—us potiùs Ad te pertinemus Tu nos redemisti And let vs not say as the deuills said what haue we to doe with thee as desirous not to come neere him But let vs say rather We are thine we pertaine to thee thou hast redeemed vs as drawing him and his merits home vnto our selues Now let a Papist tell me how a man shall cheerefully goe to Christ and say vnto him I belong to thee thou hast redeemed mee without a faith laying hold of speciall mercie Bernard hath a notable and comfortable saying Si credis peccata tua non posse deleri nisi ab eo cui soli peccâ—sti in quem peccatum non cadit bene facis If saith he thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot be wiped away but onely of him against whom onely thou hast sinned and into whom no sinne falleth therein thou doest well Sed adde adhuc vt hoc credas quia per ipsum tibi pecata donantur But yet goe on further and beleeue this also that thy sins are forgiuen to thee Hoc est enim testimonium quod perhibet in corde nostro spiritus sanctus dicens demissa sunt tibi peccata tua For this is the testimonie or record which the holy Ghost beareth in euerie one of our hearts Thy sins are forgiuen to thee A golden sentence To beleeue that God onely can forgiue sinne is well but not sufficient To
beleeue further that God hath forgiuen thy sinne to thee this is necessarie This is the testimonie of the holy ghost in thee which cannot deceiue thee Thy sinnes are forgiuen thee He therefore which hath receiued true faith which is the gift of the holy Ghost and by which the holy ghost testifieth to the conscience he by this faith beleeueth forgiuenesse to himselfe which is a speciall application of mercie Sedulius shall make vp the iust dozen Disposuit Deus propitium se futurum humano generi si credant in sanguine eius se esse liberandos God hath determined to be mercifull to mankind if they beleeue that they shall be deliuered by his blood Short and sweete Hope well and haue well Beleeue deliuerance and take deliuerance But without beleefe of that there is no deliuerie It is therefore no new Doctrine as say our right Worshipfull Masters of the Historie no nor rashnesse and presumption as say Lindane and Bellarmine and other Papists by faith to applie in particular mercie to thy selfe No heare S. Augustine challenging such presumption from noueltie Praesume non de operatione tua sed de gratia Christi gratia enim saluati est is inquit Apostolus Non ergo hic arrogantia est sed fides Praedicare quod acceperiâ— non superbia est sed deuotio Could any thing be spoken more contrary to the doting Papists They dubbe applying faith with the name of Presumption and vnder that name condemne it for a sinne But what saith S. Augustine Presume so it be not of thine own workes but of the grace of Christ. For by grace are yee saued saith the Apostle Herein thus to presume is no arrogancie but faith To professe or acknowledge what thou hast receiued is not pride but deuotion So then there is an holy presumption or confidence in the grace and mercie of God the profession wherof is the fruit of faith We see then what note the olde Fathers song Now if I shew that a number euen of Popish Writers haue taught this applying faith and apprehending by faith of speciall mercie I shall not onely cut the combes of our audacious Englishmen who of grosse ignorance if not of secret malice ascribe the fountaine of this Doctrine to Geneua but I shall also turne the edge of the Papists swords vpon themselues and cause them first to answer their owne before they proceede so peremptorily against strangers Thus therefore I goe on in that course and will summon also an Inquest of them Arnoldus de noua villa was a Spaniard a man famously learned He liued about the yeare of our Lord 1250. two hundred yeares before Luther and Calvin were borne He wrote against many errours of the Romish Church Among the rest he said That the faith which then Christian men were commonly taught was such a faith as the Deuills had Meaning belike saith M. Foxe the reporter hereof as we now affirme that the Papists do teach only the historicall faith which is the faith historiâ— non fiduciae A shreud more in a Papists dish but the Author himselfe were right worthy the seeing which my poore librarie affordeth not Gerson was a great man in his time both for learning and place Chancelor of the Vniuersitie of Paris He making the distinction of fides mortua fides ficta and fides viâ—ae saith that fides viâ—a est credere Dei veritatem â—bin hoc â—um amare timere per affectionem A liuely faith is to beleeue the truth of God But that is not all Besides beleeuing of Gods truth to be truth a liuely faith doth also loue God and feare God in affection as a naturall and louing child loueth and feareth his naturall and louing father for of a seruile feare I trow no Papist is so simple as to expound him Now how shall he affectionately loue and reuerence God as a Father which is not by faith perswaded that God carrieth a fatherly affection towards him The same Gerson preaching to the French King and directing his speach to the King by name exhorteth him against all the temptations of the Deuill to arme himselfe with the sheild of faith in te ipso per bonam dicas credulitatem and saith hee say thus to the Deuill in thy selfe or in thine owne heart by a steadfast faith O humani generis inimice hoc non me vinces pacto nec me falles O Sathan thou enemie of mankind thou shalt not thus ouercome mee nor deceiue mee Quia cùm credam Deum esse illum Deum meum esse Patrem meum Dominum meum c. Thou shalt not ouercome me for why Because I beleeue there is a God and that this God is my God my Father my Lord and all good things to me Marke how he teacheth the King the art of application and by a faith applying the goodnesse of God vnto himselfe to resist the Deuill Now no man can say God is my God my Father my Lord c. but by a speciall confidence in his mercie And for the manifestation thereof let me here insert a saying of S. Augustine though he be none of that band which now I am mustering to shew what manner of faith that is which maketh a man to crie with S. Thomas My Lord and my God So shall we see with what kind of faith Gerson perswaded his Soueraigne to resist the Deuill S. Augustine speaking of that in the Psalme Beâ—tus vir cuius Dominus Deus ipsius Blessed is the man whose Lord is his God saith thus Super omnes est Deus tamen nescio quo modo non facile quisque audet dicere Deuâ— meus nisi qui in eum credit qui illum diligit ipse dicit Deus meus God saith he is God ouer all men and yet I cannot tel how it is that not euery man dareth redily say My God only he that beleeueth in him in eum and loueth him hee saith boldly My God Tuum tibi fecisti cuius es hoc ipse amat Thou hast made God thine owne whose thou art by faith and loue and this God himselfe loueth Then he addeth Prorsus dulcedine affectus tibi secura praesidenti dilectione dic Deus meus Beeing affected in thy selfe with the sweetnesse of God and with a secure and verie confident loue towards God say My God It was obiected to the Protestants in Queene Maries dayes as a note of an Heretike to say my God my Father my Sauiour c. Indeed S. Augustine saith Euery man cannot say so and no maruaile if those bloodie persecutors durst not speake so For a man to say with a good conscience God is my God or God is my Lord hee must haue by faith feeling of Gods mercie and as a fruit of this faith loue towards God for his mercie and then he may comfortably applie God and as it were appropriate God vnto himselfe as his peculiar owne and with this faith resist
all temptations of the Deuill as Gerson well aduised that his Roiall Auditorie Granatensis is another of good note among them He dedicated his bookes to Sixtus Quintus and is of him greatly commended for a teacher of Sanctimonie Let vs here what he writeth of faith In one place he saith Fides proponit nobis beneficia diuina Faith propoundeth or tendereth vnto vs as it were to be fedde vpon the benefits or mercies of God It is therefore exercised about mercie and tendreth mercie to the heart In an other place Fidei atque spei sinum quaâ—ntum poterimus expandamus certi de immensa Domini benignitate nunquam frustrà nos in eo spem collocâ—turos Let vs set open the bosome of our faith and hope as wide as possibly we can beeing assured of the infinite goodnes of God that we shall neuer repose our trust in bim in vaine Here is an assurance of Gods goodnesse which the Papists call presumption and here is a perswasion that God will neuer faile vs which can arise of nothing but from faith in his mercie The same Author in another place Omnes qui a peccato ad gratiam vocantur propter illius gratiam merita vocantur All that are called from sinne to mercie are called thereto for the grace and merits of Christ for of him there hee speaketh A notable speach against Opera praeâ—isa But it followeth In cuius rei signum inter ea quae ad impâ—â— iustificationem requiruntur fides in Christum cum prâ—mis numeratur Qua profiâ—emur atque testamur nos ob eius merita a Deo Patre vocari iustificari In testimonie whereof namely that those which are called are called for the grace and merits of Christ among those things which are required to the iustifying of a sinner faith in Christ is reckoned with the chiefe By which faith we professe and protest that we are called and iustified of God the Father for his merits and fauour Did euer Protestant affirme more of faith then this that it maketh a man in the assurance of his heart to protest that he is called and iustified of God the Father for the merits of Iesus Christâ— What greater mercie can faith seale vp vnto vs For my part I shall neuer begge better faith then this of the Lord. Sâ—â—lla writing vpon that in the Gospel of Luke When he sawe their faith c. saith that There is duplex fides a double kind of faith Altera qua â—reditur haec est virtus Theologica One kind of faith is that by which we beleeue and this is a Theologicall vertue Altera est fides quae confidentia quaedam est scilicet qua credimus quod donabit Deus id quod ab eo petimus There is an other kind of faith which is a certaine confidence or assurance by which we beleeue that God will giue to vs what we begge of him Viraque autem requiritur ab eo cui peccata dimittenda sunt And both these kinds of faith are required of him whose sinnes are forgiuen Of the first kind of faith he saith that he which beleeueth not the things that belong to God cannot bee forgiuen yet therein excepteth the case of infants which cannot knowe them and so not beleeue them De alterae autem â—ide id est de confidentia dicendum est quòd sine illa non possunt peccata dimitti Of the other kind of faith which is confidence or assurance it is absolutely to be said that without it sinnes cannot be forgiuen But marke well what followeth Nam quamvis aliquis credat omnia quae in sacra Scriptura continentur quae Ecclesia credit si non confidit Dominum ei remissurum si ipse doluerit non vâ— ique dimittentur For although a man doe beleeue all that is contained in the holy Scriptures and all that which the Church beleeueth there is iumpe Bellarmines faith yet if he do not beleeue that the Lord will forgiue him if he sorrowe for his sinne there is apprehension of mercie they shall neuer be forgiuen him Imo etiamsi peteret illa dimitti si non confideret certissimè crederet illa sibi dimittenda nunquam dimittentur yea though a man do pray that his sinnes may be forgiuen if hee trust not and most certainely beleeue marke that against doubting that they shall be forgiuen him they shall neuer bee forgiuen him The words are long but neede no long glosse There is a faith which is confidence or assurance of Gods mercie towards vs. And without this faith of obtaining mercie it is not possible to finde mercie at the hand of God Well fate say I then that kinde of faith which â—aieth hold of Gods mercie and beleeueth it to belong vnto himselfe for that shall finde mercie and none but that Guilliandus Bellijâ—â—nâ—is commenteth vpon the Gospel of S. Iohn his booke printed at Paris dedicated to the Cardinall of Guise approoued by the facultie of Diuinitie there Writing vpon those words of Christ This is the worke of God that yee beleeue in him whome he hath sent speaketh in this manner Opus Dei vacauit sidem quâ—â— est certâ— de boniâ—ate Dei persuasio confidensque saâ—utis ab eo expectatâ—o Christ calleth faith the worke of God which is a certen perswasion of the goodnes of God and a confident expectation of saluation from him What can bee more plainâ—e The same man speaking of those words of our Sauiour Whilest you haue the light beleefe in the light Obserua non ait Credite in bâ—ce sed credite in luceâ— Marke saith hee that Christ saith not beleeue in the light with an abâ—â—tiue case but beleeue in the light with an accusatiue case So it is in the Greeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as if we would say Beleeue into the light what that phrase meaneth hath beene before declared But heare his inference from Christs speaking in that manner Vâ— distingâ—at Christus inter fidem vt simplicem historiâ— de Christo notitiam inter fidem viâ—nas seâ— salutarem Quae est certa fiducia qua quis sine dubitatioâ—e statâ—it apud se Christum esse sibi lumen adsalutem Christ saith hee spake in that manner that he might distinguish and put a difference betweene that faith which is a simple or bare knowledge of the historie of Christ and betweene a liuely and sauing faith which liuely and sauing faith is an assured confidence by which a man without doubting mark how verie Papists seclude vncertaintie from Faith resolveth with himselfe that Christ is vnto him light vnto saluation Me thinkes I see Bellarmine here fretting and fuming with the Diuines of Paris for autorizing this book But poore old man what can he do where the Pope himselfe dâ—â—eth not stirre the coales It is best that they suffer France still to approoue our applying faith I shall dispatch some others more shorâ—ly Goâ—ran citeth out of
the glosse seauen mannerâ— of wayes how there is made transiâ—â—s à â—ide ad fidem a passage from faith to faith of which S. Paul speaketh in his Epistle to the Romanes The fourth of them he nameth to be ex side promissionis in fidem completionis from the beleefe of the promise to the beleefe of the performance of the promise He seemeth to say that there is one sâ—eppe of faith to beleeue the making of the promise and a further steppe of faith to beleeue the performance of the promise Howsoeuer hee meane this I collect certainely from him that faith is occupied about the promises of God and the performance of them which cutteth the throates of our bare Historians Iâ— an other place the same Author sheweth that the name of faith is taken diuerse manner of wayes and among the rest sometimes it signifieth certâ—â—udo comprehensionis And in that acception hee expoundeth the forenamed place of S. Paul By it the righteousnesse of God is reâ—eated from faith to faith Now S. Paul speaketh there of that faith which is preached in the Gospel and by which The iust doth liue And therefore if that faith be certitudo comprehensionis then it certainely comprehendeth what the Gospell offereth and those are the promises of mercie Wekelius saith Fide Christum â—angis sentis meritum pasfionis incaâ—â—ationis sine omni praeâ—io mertio gratis tibi daâ—um By faith thou touchest or â—aiest hand on Christ by faith thou feelest the merit of his passion and incarnation freely giuen to thee without any desert of thine going before to purchase it Faith therefore giueth a sense and feeling to a mans heart that the benefits of Christ doe belong to him And againe Fide â—â—quam huâ—t Deâ—ergate maximam charitatem qua cum adhue iâ—imicâ—s esses proprium â—â—um Filium prote dedit sentis â—angistque Christum By â—aith I say thou â—eelest that great loue of God towards thee of which loue hee gaue his owne Sonne for thee when as yet thou wert his enemie thou feelest and touchest Christ. Sed non nisiâ— charitate possides yet thou doest not possesse him but by loue Guadalâ—â—â—nfis writing vpon Hoseâ— and expounding that place Desponsabâ— te â—ihi in â—ide which we translate I will marrie thee to mee in faithfulnesse but he expoundeth there of our faith towards God Fide anima desponsaâ—â—r Deâ— By faith the soule is betrothed to God And againe Fides est arrha desponsationis anime cum Deâ— Faith is the earnest or paunâ— or pledge or gage of our espousing vnto God For the high and righteous God to take vs base and sinnefull men as it were in marriage so neere and so deere vnto himselfe this is a speciall yea and an vnspeakeable mercie Now faith is as it were the marriage ring by which this mercifull contract is assured to our hearts Espensaeus saith that S. Paul in his discourse of Faith non quamlibet fidem qua Deo creditur sed â—am salubrem plâ—neque enangelicam definiuit He doth not define or intreate of euerie kind of faith by which we beleeue God but a sauing faith and altogether Euangelicall or Gospel-like So then in his opinion there is a faith more perâ—it and exquisite then that which beleeueth the truth of God and which more fully answereth the scope and drift of the Doctrine of the Gospell Now what the pith and vigor of the Gospel is hath beene alreadie declaredâ— euen Christ and all that is Christs giuen for our salâ—â—tion But among all the rest giue me leaue largely to make report of that same honest Frier Ferâ—s the honestest Papist I thinke that euer wrote He speaketh so like a Calvinist in this case that it is a wonder his books are not condemned for Hereticall He discoursing of the Centurioâ—s faith which Christ so commendeth in the Gospell I haue not found so great faith no not in Israelâ— â—â—iteth in this manner Non semper â—ides est quod nos fidem dicimus That saith he is not alwaies faith which we call faith How so Fidem nos dicimus assentâ—â—i ijs quae diuinis historijs produntur quae Ecclesia credendo proponit we commonly call this faith to assent to those things which are recorded in the diuine histories and which the Church propoundeth to bee beleeued This the Schoolmen call an vnformed faith or faith wanting a forme and S. Iames a dead faith marke well then of what faith Ferus expoundeth the discourse of S. Iames and which is without workes euen plainely of that which doth onely Credere Deo But to the point he addeth Secundum Scripturam fides non est absque fiducia misericordiae diuinae promissâ— in Christo According to the Scriptures faith is not without confidence of the mercie of God promised in Christ. A grosse Lutheran yet hee prooueth this by diuerse examples out of the holy Scripture It is said of Abraham Abraham beleeued God and that was iâ—puted vnto him for righteousnes What beleeued he No more then that there was a God Yes he beleeued the promise of God when God said to him Feare not Abraham I am thy buckler and reward Abraham relying vpon this promise went out of his owne land c. and he trusted in the mercie and goodnesse of God nothing doubting but wheresoeuer he liued he should finde God his Protectour Credunt ergo qui pro Protectore pro Patre Deum habent non pro Iudice O worthy speech They beleeue which account God for their Protectour and for their Father not for their Iudge But he proceedeth and of this kind of faith he expoundeth these places Yet you did not so beleeue the Lord. And that of Moses and Aaron because you beleeued me not And that in the Gospel He that beleeueth in him shall not bee condemned Non hîc loquitur de historica aut informi fide sed de fiducia misercordiâ— per Christum praestaudae He speaketh not there saith Ferus of an historicall or vnformed faith but of a confidence in the mercie of God to be yeelded by Christ. Many other instances hee there giueth but at length concludeth thus Summa fides quam Scriptura commendat non aliud est quà m fidere graâ—uita miserecordia Dei Hâ—c vera fides est qua iustus viuit hanc vnam à nobis Deus requâ—â—it ad â—anc confirmandam etiam Filium dedâ—◠〈◊〉 de bona voluntate sua erga nos dubitemus sed vt ponamus in Deo spem nostram In English thus The summe or conclusion of all is this The faith which the Scripture commendeth is nothing else then to trust in the free mercie of God This is that true faith by which the iust man liueth this faith onely doth God require of vs and for the confirmation of this faith he hath also giuen his Sonne that we should not doubt of his good will towards vs but that
that would not gloze nor dissemble in the matter It was spoken here now tenne yeares agoe let the performe those same decennalia to that peerelesse Qâ—eene who is worthie to haue her vicenalia yea her centenalia in this and all other our greatest assemblies I find it in that Sermon reported that Queene Elizabeth lying vpon her death bed M. Watson then Bishop of Chichester and her Almoner rehearsed to her the grounds of Christian faith requiring some testimonie of her assenting to them which she readily gaue both with hand and eye And when hee proceeded to tell her that it was not inough generally to beleeue that those things were true but euery Christian man must beleeue that they were true to them that they were members of the true Church truely redeemed by Iesus Christ that their sinnes were forgiuen c. shee did with great shew of faith lift vp her eyes and hands to heauen and staied them long as in testimonie of her assent thereunto O bessed Queene that liued so gloriously that died so Christianly that was optima iâ—dole in her prosperitie by the iudgement of the Papists her enemies that was optima fide in her deepest distresse in the heaâ—ing of the Protestants her â—oiall Subiects that maintained this applying faith while she liued to the good of so many thousands that professed this applying faith when she died to the honour of the Gospell and the sauing of her selfe Thanks be to God for his vnspeakeable grace The Truth beeing thus taught and proouedâ— good order of proceeding would that the contrarie Error and the Arguments which tend to the establishing thereof should be confuted And there is furniture inough in the word of God to dispatch that also for the Scripture is aâ— able to improoue as to Teach But this must be some other mans labour or mine aâ— some more leisure for this were a webbe that would aske three houres weauing more Bellarminâ— hath made vs a world of doe if a man would stand vpon euery Obiection Hee hath soâ—re seuerall Chapters fraâ—ght with Scriptures and Reasons and Fathers alleadged after his manner against faith of speciall mercie To name many were enòugh to confute them but they are vncooth and let them be vnkissed to vse olde Chaucers phrase Two places of Scripture there are which two English Knights once when it was pressed vpon me at the table and that so eagerly as they gaue mee no space to eate they beeing two to one sounded out their own triumph as if their Arguments were inuincible Them I will now indeauour charitably to satisfie by these presents Obiect 1. It is written Ioh. 17. 3. This is life eternall that they may knowe thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to be the onely very God and whome thou hast sent Iesus Christ From hence they would conclude that The sole knowledge of God and of Christ is sufficient to eteranall life Resp. The Answer must consist of many branches which I will first seuerally display and then conioyne all together 1. First Aliquandâ— cognoscere pro eo quod est credere pâ—nitur Sometimes to knowe is put for to beleeue saith S. Augustine speaking of those words That the world may knowe that thou hast sent mee And there he alleadgeth an other like place out of the same Chapter They know that I came out from thee and they haue beleeued that I was sent of thee 〈◊〉 crediderunt Hot dixit posterius crediderunt quod prius dixerat cognouerunt The latter expoundeth the forâ—mer they knowe that is they beleeue So may it be taken also in the third verse and well may knowing be taken for beleeuing contra quia illud noâ—imus quicquid fide non ficta etiamsi nòndum per speciem contuendo iam tamen inconcussè credendo retinemus because we know all that which now wee hold without waâ—ering by faith vnfained though yet we doe not sensibly behold it Take that first though this well I wore doth not fully satifie the purpose 2. Secondly To knowâ— doth not euer signifie bare vnderstanding sed quandâ—m animi adid quod gratuâ—â— nobis est affectioneâ— But to know signifieth sometimes a certaine affection or inclination of the minde with loue and liking to that which is acceptable vnto vs. There is in man as there is in God Dâ—plex notitia a double kind of knowledge one is simplicis speculationis of simple vnderstanding so God knoweth all things both good and euil The other is notitia approbationis that is to know with approouing So God knoweth the way of the righteous that is he knoweth it with liking and approbation And on the other side he neuer knewe thâ—â—icked that is to loue theâ— and their doings Hoc enim loco charitas cognitio dicitur saith Theophilact In that place loue is called knowledge Read more for this distinction if it seeme strange to any August in Psal. 118. Teth. Elias Cretensis in Nazian â—rat 11. Sotto Maior in 2. Tim. 2. I apply it thus to this matter To knowe God and Christ with a bâ—re and simple vnderstanding what they are what they haue done c. this is not nor cannot be eternall life as hath beene before declared But to knowe God and Christ with approbation affected with them louing them taking delight and ioy in them for being such as they are and for doing that which they haue done this is and this must needes bee eternall life For why This affectionate and approouing knowledge is euer ioyned with confidence in the mercie of God and of Christ and in truth is a comfortable Effect of the same The Deuills and the Reprobates knowe God and Christ what they are and what they haue done for mans saluation as well as we but they affect not with liking thaâ— which they know because they are not perswaded of any loue mercie or kindnesse in God towards themselues But the true beleeuer as he knoweth them so hee liketh to know them and is affected to them in loue as perswaded that all the goodnesse loue mercie and fauour which is in God and in Christ doe belong vnto him and thus to know God and Christâ—â— eternall life Thirdly Sciendum duplicem esse Deinotitiam saith Peter Martyr we must know that there is in a man a double kind of the knowledge of God Vnam efficacem qua immutamur ita vt quae nouimus opere conemur exprimere alteram frigidam qua nihilo reddimur meliores There is one an effectuall kind of knowledge by which we are so changed in heart and affection as we striue to expresse in our deeds that which we know Of which kind I take that to be spoken of S. Paul to the Colossians Yee haue put on the new man which is renued in knowledge after the image of him that created him Now this is such a knowledge as ariseth of faith and by faith ioyneth vs to