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
disciple as out of Egesippys and Iosâ—phus is related yet was he but a disciple and none of the twelue that were named Apostles And besides that it is to me a great reason which one of the late writers hath alleadged in this case that to write a Catholicke Epistle that is an Epistle common to many churches and not peculiar to any one viâ—â—tur Apostolic◠〈…〉 seemeth to be an office peculiar to an Apostle Beeing an Apostle that wrote this Epistle it must needes be that Iames which is called the sonne of Alpheus as the new Interpreters doe conceiue it and not Iames the sonne of Zebede who was put to death by Herod anon after the ascension of Christ. For this Epistle was written after the Gentiles had receiued the faith as appeareth by the dispersion of the Iewes among them Therefore was the Syrian Interpreter much deceiued who ascribeth this Epistle to that Iames before whome our Sauiour was transfigured in the mount For he was the brother of Iohn and so the sonne of Zebede as it is manifest from the Scriptures The Authoritie and Authentitie of this Epistle hath bin much questioned in the Church Origen mentioneth it not in the Catalogue Eusebius and Hierome affirme that many in ancient time did not receiue it Nicephorus following them agreeth with them all Caiet aâ—e Erasmus Luther Musculiâ— and some others haue hardly approoued it and haue witnessed their distrust of it and added reasons thereunto But that worthie Zanchius hath quite broken the necke of the controuersie by shewing that although many doubted of it in the ancient Churches yet it was neuer questioned of all nor vtterly reiected of any For indeede Augustine Cyprian or Ruffinâ—â— rather Nazianzeâ—e and others doe by name recite it among the Canonicall Scriptures And the reformed Churches at this day doe receiue it Among the rest wee of the Church of England doe not onely approâ—ue it by Subscription but also ascribe it to Iames an Apostle Therefore doe both Campian and Bellâ—rmine vniustly chalenge vs and the Protestants in this behalfe To them I say with our learned Whitakers Alios lacessant nobis posthac ne molesti sint Let them chalenge others and trouble vs no more For we without scrâ—ple and exception doe generally receiue this Epistle for a part of the holy word of God The Occasion that mooued the Apostle to write was not the error of onely faith vnto iustification as the Rhemists would implie out of S. Augustine For The error of onely faith against which S. Augustine writeth was of them that thought the profession of Christian religion how wickedly soeuer a man liued was sufficient to saluation Against which this Epistle and others were written Indeed there seeme to haue beene two principall occasions that procured this Epistle The one the fierie persecution of the Church which causeth the Apostle more then once to inculcate exhortation vnto patience The other that hypocrisie which raigned in many For there were many that professed religion which in word were Christians but not in life and manners Such as Paul prophecied of hauing a shew of godlinesse but denying the power thereof like the Church of Sardi who had a name that she liued but was dead For the reformation of which this Epistle is thrapped full of exhortations vnto all good workes The State of this Epistle is almost wholly Doctrinall Scripsit eam more genere docendi and teacheth in the manner of Common places The fift common place following that memorable Bâ—za who hath so well deserued of the new Testament is begunne at the 14. verse of this second Chapter There the Apostle entreth into discourse what manner of faith that is by which a man is saued and sheweth that it is neither an hypocriticall profession and ostentation of faith where it is not in truth no nor euery kind of true faith which is saith indeed that is able to iustifie a man before God but onely such a kind of true faith as is fruitfull in good workes This doctrine the Apostle first proposeth by way of Question What auaileth it my brethrâ—n if a man say hee hath faith when hee hath no workes can the faith saue him that is can such a kinde of faith saue him As if hee should say No such a faith as hath no workes cannot saue a man Secondly he openeth and illustrateth the truth of this proposition by a familiar similitude For if a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily foode And one of you say vnto them depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding you giue not them those things which are needefull to the bodie what helpeth it Euen so the faith if it haue no workes is dead of it selfe The meaning is Euen as good and charitable words profit not a poore man if we doe not indeede releiue him so speaking of faith and professing of faith will not saue a man vnlesse his deedes declare that hee hath saith indeed Thirdly he bringeth in a true beleeuer whose faith is fruitfull chalenging as it were an hypocriticall professor of faith to declare it by his workes Shew mee thy faith by thy workes and I will shew thee my faith by my workes As if he should say I haue faith and I declare it by my deedes if thou hast faith as thou braggest shew it by thy deedes also Fourthly he sheweth by instance and example that not the shew of faith no nor euery kind of true faith is able to saue and iustifie before God As to beleeue that there is a God that there is but one God that this God is mercifull iust c. no not to beleeue all that to be true which is written of God in the Scriptures is sufficient to saluation For so much the very Deuills of hell beleeue and yet are in no comfort nor hope of fauour And this hee laieth downe in the 19. verse Thou beleeuest that there is one God thou doest well the Deuills also beleeue it and tremble As if he should say In beleeuing so much thou doest well for that is true and ought to be beleeued but this is not inough nor sufficient If it were then the Deuills might be saued for they beleeue so much as well as thou But they beleeue that and yet tremble so thou mâ—iest beleeue as much and yet be damned And thus I am come to the words of my Text The Deuills beleeue and tremble The words are a plaine and full proposition consisting as euery proposition doth ex subiecto The deuills Et ex praedicato duplici beleeue and tremble Of the Subiect I meane not to speake at large though it offereth iust occasion to intreat of the names of the nature of the quaelities and of the number of Deuills of which points also
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
sleeues Thy sins are forgiuen thee Saluation is come to this house The promise is made to you your children who was deliuered to death for our sinnes rase againe to our iustification As he hath chosen us in him who hath predestinated vs to bee adopted To him that loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in his blood and made vs Kings and Priests vnto God and a thousand like So that the Gospell doth not onely preach remission of sinnes and saluation vnto men but it preacheth it with application vnto the hearers And therefore to beleeue the Gospel is to beleeue it with application and so to apply and appropriate the benefits contained in it vnto thine own selfe that hearest it This say I is to beleeue the Gospel And so much for the Gospell which is The word of faith 2. Now as touching the Sacraments which are The seales of faith What manner of faith doe they seale vp and confirme in our hearts Doe they seale vp vnto vs the truth of the storie Are they confirmations vnto vs that Christ was about 30. yeares olde when he was baptized that he was tempted in the wildernesse that hee raised Iairus daughter that hee preached in the Synagogue that he washed his disciples feete or such like Noâ— but they seale vp that which is a great deale more consequent to vs and that is The mercie of God and the benefits of Christ to belong vnto vs. As for example In the Sacrament of baptisme there is first water which Pindarus said was reruns optima the best creature that is a worthy representation of the blood of Christ which Peter calleth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pretious blood for the inestimable effects Secondly there is the vnseparable proprietie of water which is to wash and cleanse a representatioÌ„ of the power and vertue of the blood of Christ which cleanseth from all sinne Yea and thirdly there is the applying of this water vnto the body of the person baptized a signe of the appropriating of the blood of Christ and the vertue thereof vnto him that doth receiue it And so baptisme carrieth with it not onely a representation of Christs blood and the power thereof in generall but also a particularizing of them both vnto the person which is made partaker of that holy Sacrament Hereof S. Paul calleth Baptisme a putting on of Christ All ye that are baptised into Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 haue put on Christ. They haue put him on as their owne garment vpon their owne backs to couer their nakednes to shrowd them from the parching heat and from the pinching cold Hereof againe it is that Peter saith baptisme saueth vs that is shadoweth to vs the power of Christ by which wee are saued Hereof Tertullian said In baptismo tingimur passione Christi In baptisme wee are dipped in the passion of Christ. Hereof said Nazaanzenâ— spiritus sanctus me deisicat per baptismum The holy Ghost deifieth me by baptisme that is by holinesse maketh vs partakers of the godly nature as Peter speaketh Yea hereof is that high commendation which S. Basil giueth to the Sacrament Baptismus est captiuorum aeris alient remissio peccaâ—â—tmors animae regeneratio amictus splendens character indiprensibilis coeli iter regni coelestis conciliatio adoptionis gratia Baptisme is goaldeliuerie to the prisoners discharge to them that are in debt the death of sinne the regeneration of the soule the gorgeous arâ—y the indeprehensible badge the passage to heauen the obtaining of the kingdome of heauen the grace of adoption And such a thing is Baptisme not ex opere operato which the Fathers neuer dreamed of that knewe that wicked men also were baptized as wee haue heard before out of Augustine but by representing yea exhibiting yea applying Christ and his graces vnto vs and sealing vp to our faith the exhibition and the application and so the proprietie and benefit thereof Baptisme therefore applieth to the receiuer the mercie of God in Christ Iesus and the vertue of his blood to remission of sinnes Then to proceed to the Sacrament of the Lords supper there is first Bread and Wine a representation of the bodie and blood of Christ. There are secondly with them the naturall qualities of bread and wine which are to strengthen and make gladde the heart Apprime panis reficâ—â— Bread is a speciall nourisher And wine is sanguis terrae the blood of the earth as Androcides wrote to Alexander Sanguis vnae the blood of the grape A liuely image of the vigor of the bodie and blood of Christ of which himselfe affirmeth My flesh is meate indeede and my blood is drinke indeede Yea and that such meate and such drinke that whosoeuer eateth this flesh and drinketh this blood hath eternall life But all this is Historicall There is therefore yet farther in this Sacrament a giuing of bread a taking and eating of this bread there is also a giuing of this wine a taking and a drinking of this wine by the communicants This Action as it is most liuely so it is most significant it representeth the giuing of the bodie and blood of Christ to the receiuer the taking of the bodie and blood of Christ by the receiuer the eating on the bodie of Christ the drinking on the blood of Christ by the receiuer And so assureth our faith not onely that Christs bodie was broken and Christs blood was shedde but that it was also broken and fâ—â—ed for vs to whom the sacramental signes thereof are there tendered and reached out and so sealeth vp vnto vs our spirituall nourishment by him vnto euerlasting saluation Gregorie Nissene speaking of those words in the Gospell of Iohn There came out of his side blood and water maketh them two images of the two Sacraments Quoniam tum per diuinum baptisma tum per sancti sanguinis participationem vsum consecrari nos ac diuinitatem induore credimus For both by diuine baptisme and by the participation and vse of his holy blood we beleeue that we are consecrated to God and doe put on vpon vs the diuinitie that is the diuine qualities of God And he alleadgeth there Chrysostomes monition vpon the Exposition of those words Cùm ad horrendum poculum accsdis tanquam ab ipso dominico latere bibiturus accedas When thou commest to drinke of this fearefull cuppe in the Sacrament come as if thou shouldest there drinke blood running out of the very side of the Lord. So applicatiue should be our faith in communicating these holy misteries And indeed in such an applying maner did our Lord Iesus institute this Sacrament Take yee eate yee this is my bodie which is giuen not for others only but for you And againe This cuppe is the new Testament in my blood which is shead not for others only but for you
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
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
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
they know that God◠〈◊〉 liâ— Dicta Iehoue dicta pâ—â—a They heâ—â—e the good Angels speake much when they come among them and all thaâ— also they cannot but beleeue to be true For they know that the holy Angels are established in the state of grace Angeli 〈◊〉 sun◠〈…〉 grà tiâ— and so cannot fall by lying and that they were euen from the beginning supported of the holy Ghost ne à veritat◠〈…〉 that their will should neuer decline from the â—ruth Againe they hâ—are much spoken from the 〈◊〉 of God and all that also they 〈◊〉 but beleeue to â—e true For they know that the 〈◊〉 of God is 〈◊〉 veritatis the word of 〈◊〉 〈…〉 God is the teacher of truth and â—hereis 〈…〉 because the Deuills haue beheld in the doing therefore they cannot but beleeue them to be true in the relating The Deuills therefore doe most certainely beleeue 3. From seeing much and hearing much and obseruing much ariseth their abundant and in a manner their inâ—inite knowledge And that not onely about all kind of creatures and secrets of nature but also concerning God himselfe and his diuine mysteries For first They know there is a God Daeâ—oâ—es Deum Pagani credunt Deuils and Infidels acknowledge so much 2. They know there is but one God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 One God of himselfe One God in all 3. They know this God to be such a one as he is for they call him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The most high or almightie God 4. They know that in this one God there are three distinct persons 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. They knowe Christ Iesus I know 6. They know Christ to be the Sonne of God 7. Yea to be God himselfe O lignâ—â—m fâ—â—lix in quo Deus ipse pependiâ— A verse ascribed to one of the Sybills by the Genâ—iles of whom S. Augustine said they were prophetâ—â— non â—psius none of Gods Prophets 8. They know the Scriptures for they alleadge them to Christ and Anthonie the Eremite often heard them sing impuro oâ—e sacrae scriptuâ—aâ— rum eloquiae meditari and with their vâ—cleane mouthes talke and conferre of the holy Scriptureâ— 9. They know the Gospell and the nature thereof for they call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the way to saluation 10. They know many things to come either as they are reuealed vnto them of God or as they foresee the effects in their causes For they foretold the death of Saul and the ouerthrow of the Idols temples in Egypt and Alexandria 11. Yea many times they discerne the secret motions thoughts and affections in the heart ex signis in corpore illos sequentibus so farre as they make impressions in the bodie and bewraied by â—he passions thereof And therefore of their abundant knowledge is it that they take this name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is full of skill full of learning full of knowledge Now then the Deuills knowing so much of God of Christ of the Scriptures of the Gospel of things preâ—ent of things passed of things to come of open actions of priuate thoughts and so forth how can it be but they must also beleeue exceeding much For Fides est cognitio eademque certiâ—â—ima faith is knowledge and a most certaine kind of knowledge yea and that euen in the iudgement of the great Schoolman in quantum intellectuâ— determinatur per fidem ad aliquod cognoscibile Therefore Peter Martyr expoundeth these words of S. Iames of the Deuills knowledge Credere posuit prâ—â—â—sse The deuills beleeue that is the deuills doe know that there is one God c. But the Conclusion is if beleeuing â—e here put for knowing yea if beleefâ— it selfe be knowledge and then the deuills know so much as hath beene before declared it must needs be out of question vnto vs that S. Iames speaketh truly The Deuills 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Doctrine is cleere descend 〈◊〉 to Vse â—nd Application Now the vser of this Doctrine are manifold 1. S. Iames here in the word of an Apostle affirmeth plainly and directly that The deuills beleeue 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and that is sufficien◠〈…〉 needlesse and friuolous for Schoolâ—â—â—â— so long after to enquire vtrâ—â—s in 〈◊〉 â—it fides whither the Deuills haue faith or no And yet a thousand and a thousand such Questions they mooue of which a man may say with the Disciples in the Gospel Ad quid haeâ—perdiâ—io To what ende serueth such waâ—t of time and labour A right learned graue and godly Diuine and a man of famous memorie gaue this censure of them in my hearing He saide they had plus argutiarum quà m doctrinae plus doctrinae quà m vsus a goodly kind of learning forsooth that whetteth the wit with quaint deuises and filleth the head with nice distinctions with which when a man hath stuffed his note books they are like the Staphylodendron that Plinie writeth of whose wood is faire and white like the maple whose leaues are broad and beutifull whose fruit is coddes with nuâ—ts sweet as the filberd and yet Dodoneus saith of it that it is good for nothing I would therefore intreat and perswade all young Diuines to beginne their race with trauersing the worthie writings of Luther Melancthon Calvin Beza Zanchius Musculus and the like bookes some thirtie or fourtie yeares agoe in the onely request and of them to take their chiefe repast vsing only the other like sweet meats after a feast rather to close the stomacke and to delight with varietie then to satisfie the appetite or to support nature For my part I refuse not wholly to vse them as will appeare by this Treatise but in many cases as namely in this of the Deuills beleeuing I hold both their Obiections and Solutions so needeles and friuolous as I doe not vouchsafe them so much as a bare relation This may suffice the bodie of this Auditorie that the Apostle here affirmeth and reason from the Scriptures confirmeth the same that there is faith and beleefe euen in the Deuills Secondly this sheweth that the very Deuils of hell haue some thing in them that is good For they beleeue Now true and right beleefe is of it selfe the good gift of God Indeed the Deuills as bad as they are haue in them many good parts For 1. their naturall substance is good it is the creature of God and all that God made was exceeding good 2. Their naturall qualities are good their knowledge their vnderstanding their wisedome their immortalitie their inuisibilitie their agilitie and the like are all good properties in themselues 3. They often speake that which is good As when they professed Christ to be the Sonne of God and Paul and Barnabas to be the seruants of God For all truth hath correspondencie to God the fountaine
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
in Christ and said Lâ—e here is water c. Now it hath been shewed before that Crederâ— in Christum to beleeue in Christ is a great deale more then to professe him to be the Sonne of God Therefore that example carrieth no weight of argument I am putting now my shippe into the hauen onely this I must adde that after this confirmation of the truth and confutation of falsehood this doctrine of faith apprehending and applying the mercie of God would be seriously and effectually driuen home by Exhortation to the hearts and consciences of the hearers The Papists would be adiured by the high and sauing name of the Lord Iesus no longer to feede themselues and the people with the courser morsels of faith alone neglecting that which is the flower and marrowe of faith and which while they neglect they omit the very life and substance of the whole Gospel Our Historians would be exhorted not to deceiue themselues with a broader nigher and easier way to heauen then God himselfe hath chalked out least they fall into that which leadeth to destruction And lastly all wee present should be carefully admonished to vse all holy meanes by which this sauing and iustifying faith might be kindled increased and continued in our hearts Therefore had wee neede diligently and conscionably to read the Scriptures to heare the word preached to frequent the Sacraments yea we had need to pray much to God to meditate much with our selues to conferre much with others for the strengthening of our consciences in the same But this place beeing by vse almost wholly appropriated vnto Doctrine hardly admitteth any length of Exhortation This therefore onely I will adde I preach these things to you not as if I had alreadie attained to them or were alreadie perfect my selfe well see and know my weakenesse therein But I say on still with the Apostle I followe if that I may comprehend that for whose sake also I am comprehended of Christ Iesus Which that I may attaine vnto I desire all that either heard my Sermon or â—ead this discourse to helpe mee with their praiers And that you may apprehend the like my prayers shall be for you all to God the father in the mediation of Iesus Christ. Amen Bernard serm 61 in Cantica Meritum meum miseratio Domini M. M. FINIS a Iustin. Mart. qu. resp 119. b â— Cor. 12. 9. c Calv. Com. in 2. Cor. 12 9. d Gen. 49. e Psal. 6. 51. alibi f Act. 16. â—4 25. g Ambr Oshe lib. 1. h 2. Cor. 1â— 10. i 〈…〉 4. k Rom â— 23. l 〈…〉 m 〈◊〉 in Gen. 2. 17. n Hugo de 〈◊〉 lib. â— o 1. Pet. 4 12. p Psal. 59. 1. q Psal. 66. 12. r Psal. 119. 71. s 〈…〉 t Plin. l. 11. c. 36. u lib. 10. c 67. x Daâ— 3. 25. y Heb. 11. 34. z Exod. 1. â— a Deut. 4. â—0 b Rom. 5. 3. 4. c Pliâ— l. 5. c. 16. d lib. 6. c. 17. e lib. 31. c. 1. f 2. Cor. 4. 8. g Psal. 37. 24. h Matth. 3. 11. i Ioh. 3. 5. D. Gardener k â— Chr. 15. 2. l Plutere de gerendâ— m 〈…〉 n P. R. o Hier. in let l 4. ad c. 22. p In Scorpiaco q Sen. Proverb r Laeâ—â— in vitâ— Anachars s Naz cyg 〈◊〉 indefiniâ— t 〈…〉 2 Epicurium u Bernard ser. 39. in Caâ—tica x Cie de or at 3. y Plutarch de Socratis Genio Et de placitis Philosop l. 4. cap. 1â— z Aug. â—om 2. epist. 27. Platâ— a Ad Diâ—nis b D. â—rante c Pro. M. Caelio d De serm Domin in monte lib. 1. Prolegomeâ—â— The inscription a 2. Cor. 3. â— b P. Berchorius in dictionario c August in Psal. 90. conâ— â— d Iam. 1. 1. e Tertull de Triâ—it Chrysost in eredo in deum c. Athan in symb f August contr Câ—escon grammat lib. 1. cap. 9. g Grâ—â— scholiast Occuâ—en h Test. Rhem. in 〈◊〉 epist. lacoâ—i i Gen. 〈◊〉 36. k Ambros. com in Rom. 1. l Cyril in Esa. 49. m Aretius in arg in Epist. Iac. n In Epist. Iac. o Lyra. in epist. Iacobi p Euseb. hist l. 2. cap. 1. ex Clement lib 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 q Euseb. hist. 2. cap. 11. Niceph. l. 2. c. 38. Erasmus Gualter Test. Rhem. r Piscator s Mat. 10. 3. t Hemingiâ—s Arcrius Piscaâ— u Act 12. 2. x Mat. 17. 1. The Authoritie y Euseb hist. lib. 6 cap. 19. z Hist. l. 2. c. 12. lib. 3. c. 19. a In Catalog Script b Lib. â— cap 38. cap. 46. c De sacra scriptura thes 5 d De doct christ lib. â— c. 8. e Exposiâ— an symbol f De scripturâ— libeâ—s genninis g Art 6. h Art 37. i Rat 1. k Epitom cont l De saer scripturae cont 1. qu. 1. Art 16. The Occasion m Test. Rhem. arg in epist lae n Fulke Ibid. o De fide operibus p Hemin gius q Iam. 1. 2. Iam. 5. 9. r Aretius s 2. Tim. 3. 5. t Apoc. 3. 1. The state u Athan. x Iam 2. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 1. Subiectum y Apol. c. 32. z De liberis educ a Socrates hist. Eccles. l. 3. c. 19. b Acts. 17. 18. d L. Viâ—es in August de ciâ— Deâ— l. 9. c. 19. e De 〈◊〉 dei lib. 9. c. 19. f 〈◊〉 1. 48. g Apol. cap. 〈◊〉 h Aug. vbi supr i Ioâ— â— 44. k Iadâ— 6. l Cyprian de habitu virgin 2. Praediâ—atum m 2. Tim. 1. 12. n Phocilides o Ioh. 2. 24. p Arist. analyt prior l. 2. q Rom. 10 â— r Gal. 3. 6. s 1. 〈…〉 t lib. 〈◊〉 â—n Luk. â— u Ephes. 2. 〈◊〉 Eph. 6. 12. x Iob 17. 1. Pet. 5. 8. y Aug. de diuinat daem cap. 3. z Apol. c. 2â— a 〈◊〉 Iohan. 14. b Muscul. â—oe coâ—â—de fide c Ioâ— 1. â— d Titâ—â— e Psal. 12. 6. f Isidor de sâ—m boâ— l. 1. c. 1â— g August de 〈…〉 c. 9. h 2. Tim. 2. 15. i Teâ—tul de spectacâ—l k August de 〈…〉 viâ— cap. 37. l Orpheus apud Iust. Mart. cohort ad Graec. m Mar. â— 7. Act. 16 17. n Seraplâ—â—d Thulem Selâ—eâ—cer lib. â— o Act. 19. 14. p Matâ— 8. â—â— q 〈…〉 r Expoâ— in Rom s Mat. 4. 7. t Athan in viâ—â— Aâ—ton u Act. 1â— 7. x 1. Sam. â—8 17. y Aug. de diuin dâ—em c. 1. Aug. de 〈◊〉 Dâ—â— l 8. c 23. z Th. Aqâ—in qâ— obscurioâ—e dâ— dâ—â—non qu. 16. art 8. a Plato in â—rat Lactan. l. â— August de eiv dei l. 9. â— 20. Martian capel Chalcidius in Trinaeum Platonis c. b Zaâ—ch de nat dei l. 3. c. 2. quest 1. c Th. Aq. 〈◊〉 par 1. q. 12. aâ— 13 d Pet. Mart. in Rom 〈…〉 deo e Th. Aq. secun secund q. 5. 〈◊〉 f Mat. â—6 8. o D. Whiâ—aâ—ers p Plin 〈◊〉 lib. 16.