I haue had many meditations But by discoursing of them I should not attaine to the principall ende of my thoughts I will therefore deliuer onely so much of them as maketh to the opening of the Text and that euen in three words and so proceede to that which followeth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is necessarie that we vnderstand what kinde of persons or creatures the Apostle intendeth in this word and the more because the word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and hath beene vsed in diuers significations Therefore thus I vnfold it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is a 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tertullian Nescitis geniâ—s daemonas dici inde diminutina voce daemonia Now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or daemon signifieth properly Deus diuinus sapiâ—ns sciens fortunatus faelix as euery meane Scholler that hath read either Greeke Lexicons or Greek Authors easily vnderstandeth And therefore in old time and among the Heathen Daemon was a word of good intendment and vsed to the better part For who knoweth not this distinction betweene Plato and Aristotle that the one was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 yea Plutarch calleth Plato 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which yet Xâ—lander translateth Diuinus Homer was called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the superexcellenciâ— of his wit and knowledge Homer himselfe calleth all his gods 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plato called vniuersi modereatorem 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Hesiâ—â— calleth the Worthies of the golden age 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Libâ—nius extolleth 〈◊〉 after his death ô 〈…〉 The Athenians say of Paul that he was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Beza translâ—â—eth Asetteâ— forth 〈…〉 of new gods Thus hath the word beene vsed But now Post Christum nâ—tum nomen dâ—mâ—â—is suspectum fuit â—diâ—sum tanquam rei maleficae atque imprâ—bae Euer since Christs time the name of Daemon hath beene suspitious and odious as the title or note of some euill and wicked thing Augustine saith that in the Scriptures we haue Angels good and bad â—â—â—quam verò bonâ—s dâ—mones legimus but neuer any good Deuils Sed vbicunque illâ—rum literarum hoc nomen positâ—â— reperitur â—iâ—e dâ—mones â—iâ—e dâ—monia dicuntur non niss maligni significaâ—ntur spiritus But Daemones euer signifie the wicked Spirits Of that I might giue infinite instances Read Matth. 7. 22. Matth. 8. 28. 31. Matth. 9. 33. and other places too long to recite Therefore must Iohannes Eudâ—mon lately come from Rome flie to the Popes omnipotencie for the Canonizing of his name For nor Scriptures nor Fathers allow any good Deuills now to be named in the Church of God No wicked men euer take it in the worse part The Iewes obiect it to Christ in disgrace daemonium habes thou hast a deuill etiam vulgus indoctum in vsâ—â— maledâ—ctis frequentat saith Tertullian The ignorant people vse it only to cursing and banning The Deuill is on thee the Deuil take thee c. No there is none so learned and in learning so well vnderstanding what signification Daemon hath in it selfe and hath borne in former times which dareth now say by way of commendation to his seruant Daemonem habes Thou hast a deuill Sed â—â—ilibet hoc voluerit dicere non se aliter accipi quam malediceâ—e voluisse dubitare non possit But when soeuer he vseth it he can not doubt but to be conceiued as one that meant to reuile him to whome he speaketh So then gather from hence of what kind of persons Iames intendeth his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not of the Heathen gods not of the wise Philosophers not of the valiant Worthies to whome former ages ascribed that name but of the wicked Angels which stoode not in the truth which kept â—ot their beginning those same Apostaâ—a angeli which as Cyprian speaketh ad terrena contagia deâ—oluti è coelesti vigore recesserunt which turning themselues to earthly corruption lost that heauenly excellencie wherein they were created Of these S. Iames hâ—re speaketh and saith that They beleeue and tremble Of these Deuills or wicked Angels the Apostle here auerreth two things the first that They beleeue the second that they tremble 1. They beleeue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The verb vsed in the Original hath diuers significations 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I know to whome I haue trusted 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Râ—lie not vpon the people 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 He committed not himselfe to them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We prooue or confirme all things But most commonly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth in the Scriptures to beleeue to assent vnto to be perswaded of As 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the heart we beleeue vnto righteousnes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Abraham beleeued God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 In part I beleeue it to be true And so mâ—st it of necessitie be taken in this place the whole drift of the Apostle beeing here to intreat of true and false faith and beleefe So the meaning shortly is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Deuills that is to say the euill Angels and damned Spirits doe beleeue that is are perswaded and in their persâ—asion doe assent to many things to be true And this may â—ppeare by diuers reasons 1. Omnia quae credimus vel visu credimus vel auditu saith Saint Ambrosâ—â— All our beleefe ariseth either from sight or hearing Now the Deuills can not 〈◊〉 see much partly by that eminencie of place beeing seated in the aire from whence as from a watch tower they look down round about them partly by their wandâ—ing vp and downe the world 〈◊〉 so great 〈◊〉 as no man no beast no 〈…〉 〈…〉 â—les est saith Tâ—rtâ—â—lian Hoc Angeli daeâ—â—â—eâ— All Spirits both Angels and deuills are like a flying bird Igitâ—r momento vbique sunt Totus orbis illis locus vnus est They are here and there and euery where in a moment all the world is vnto them as one certaine place Not by vbiquitie filling all places at once but by Celâ—ritiâ— moouing to a thousand places in the turning of a hand And therefore if that be true of Augustine Dicuntur credi quâ—â— videntur sicut dicit vnâ—â—quisque aculis suis se crâ—dere Things that are seene are said to be beleeued as euery man saith hee will beleeue his 〈◊〉 eyes then the Deuils seeing so much â—â—ust needs also beleeue much and be perswaded of the truth of much according to this here of S. Iames The Deuils doe beleeue 2. As the Deuills see much so also they â—eare exceeding much Now Fides est assentiâ—i 〈◊〉 to approoue for truth what we â—eare another man speake this is beleefe The Deuills then heare God himselfe speake much when they stand before him And all that they cannot but beleeue to be true because
Preachers of the Augustine confession rightly tearmed stercus Romani Pontificis the very base excrements of the Bishop of Rome they haue with their deepe wisdome wholly missed the cushion and little hath their Anathema maranatha hurt vs or our Churches as they intended in the chiefe point of controuersie now in hand For when they determine thus Si qui dixerit fidem iustificantem nihil aliud esse quà m fiduciam diuinae misericordiae peccata remittentis propter Christum vel eam fiduciam solam esse qua iustificamur anathema fit That is If any man shall say that iustifying faith is nothing els but a confidence in the mercie of God forgiuing sinnes for Christs sake or that this confidence or assurance is alone that faith by which we are iustified let him be accursed In this determination I say they hit not the bird in the eye nor crosse not the Doctrine taught by the Protestants We are not in the heresie of Apelles which saide a man might hold what faith he would otherwise eos enim qui in Christum crucifixum spem coniecissent saluos fore c. so as they reposed their hope in Christ crucified for then they should be saued We doe not say as they suppose that a iustifying faith is nothing els but an assurance of mercie or that this assurance alone ioyned with nothing els doth iustifie No we say that Obiectum fidei adaequatum The generall obiect of faith which is as large as the extent of faith it selfe est omne verbum Dei in genere is vniuersally the whole word of God We say that it is officium fidei veritati Dei subscribere quoties quicquid quocunque modo loquitur to subscribe to all the truth of God how often soeuer whatsoeuer and in what manner soeuer he deliuer it But we say that proprium principale primum proximum obiectum fidei iustificantis the proper and principall the chiefe and neerest obiect of iustifying faith is among all other things which it apprehendeth Christ crucified with all his benefits as he is offered vnto vs in the Word and Sacraments and in Christ and through Christ the mercie of God the Father We say further for the opening of this matter that whereas there are tres partes fidei as Musculus calleth them three parts or three degrees or three saculties or three acts of a true faith Credere Deum Deo In Deum The one to beleeue there is a God the second to beleeue all that God saith to be true the third to beleeue in God with confidence this same tertius fidei gradus to trust in God with confidence of mercie doth ex duobus prioribus emergere arise from the two former and as Chemnitius speaketh praesuppâ—nit includit presupposeth and includeth the former For no man can by faith assure himselfe of the mercie of God who doth not first beleeue that there is a God and that all is true which proceedeth from him Therefore doe not we imagine such a iustifying faith as beleeueth nothing but mercie to himselfe or that beleefe of mercie alone that is ioyned with no beleefe els is sufficient to iustification But we say that a Iustifying faith hath for his Obiect all that God would haue to be beleeued and among all other things principally the mercie of God I make this plaine by a similitude The vegetatiue soule is the soule of plants and is a true soule in his kind though it hath neither sense nor reason The sensitiue soule is the soule of beasts and soules and fishes it is a distinct kind of soule by it selfe including vegetation but void of reason The reasonable soule is the soule of men is a distinct kind of soule by it selfe yet such a one as includeth both vegetation and sense Applie this to the three kinds or degrees of faith Credere Deum to beleeue there is a God is the faith of Infidels and Pagans and is a true faith though it neither beleeue the Word of God nor mercie from God Credere Deo that is to beleeue all that God saith to be true is the faith of Deuills and Reprobates and includeth in it the faith of Infidels and is a true faith in the kind though it apprehend no mercie Credere iâ— Deum that is by faith to relie vpon the mercie of God is the faith of the Elect and comprehendeth both the faith of the Infidels and the faith of the deuills and is a distinct kind of faith in it selfe And this compleat faith consisting of all these three we Protestants say to be that onely faith that iustifieth in the presence of God Against therefore both Historians and Papists I make these foure conclusions 1. True Christian sauing faith doth not onely beleeue God and Christ the word of God and the Word of Christ the storie of God and the storie of Christ but also it doth beleeue and apprehend the mercie of this God per deâ—mmediatorem by Christ the Mediator 2. True Christian sauing faith differeth from the faith of the Deuills only in this and the consequences thereof that the Elect apprehend the mercie of God to them in Christ which the Deuills can not doe 3. To beleeue only the Word of God and the Storie of Christ is to beleeue no more then the Deuills 4. To beleeue all that the Deuills doe beleeue and not by faith to applie the mercie of God to thy selfe in Christ will â—o more keepe thy soule conscience from despaire then it doth the Deuills from trembling of which S. Iames saith here that though they beleeue yet they tremble Now that the word of God is cleare in this case and that God requireth in the Scriptures not only the faith of the storie but also by faith an application of mercie to a mans owne soule I will make manifest vnto you by foure principall arguments whereof The first shall be drawn from the doctrin of the Gospell which is the foundation of truth and is called in the Scriptures verbum fidei the word of faith The second from the Sacraments annexed to this Doctrine which are called sigilla fidei the seales of faith The third from the forme of our Creed which is regula fidei the rule of faith The fourth from the definition or description of faith laid out Heb. 11. 1. Of which their owne canonized Schooleman who is among them as an other Oracle of Delphos saith that though some affirme that it is no perfect definition because it sheweth not the quidditie or essence thereof as the Philosopher speaketh yet if a man rightly consider of it Omnia ex quibus fides potest definiri in praedicta definitione tanguntur licet verba non ordinentur sub forma definitionis that is All things required to the definition of faith are touched therein though the words be not placed in a logicall forme of a definition Therefore 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