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
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
IVSTIFYING AND SAVING FAITH DISTINGVISHED from the faith of the Deuils IN A Sermon preached at Pauls crosse in London May 9. 1613. BY MILES MOSSE PASTOR OF the Church of God at Combes in Suffolke and Doctor of Diuinitie The Text. IAM 2. 19. The Deuills beleeue and tremble August Ser. 27. de verb. Apost c. 1. Fides est credere quod nondum vides cuius fidei merces â—st videre quod credis PRINTED BY CANTRELL Lâ—GGâ— Printer to the Vniuersitie of CAMBRIDGE 1614. And are to be sold by MATTHEVV LAVV in Pauls Churchyard at the signe of the Foxe TO MY VERIE HONOVRABLE LORD SIR EDVVARD COOKE Knight Lord chiefe Iustice of England and one of his Maiesties most Honourable priuie Counsell Saluation by Christ Iesus IT is a diuine truth Worthy Lord though crossing humane sense spoken by the Father of truth to him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the father of all our fathers in the truth Virtus mea in infirmitate perâ—icitur My power is perfited in weakenesse That is to say The assisting hand of God is then most lightsomly discerned when the weakenes of man hath most euidently appeared As the great Antesignanus of all the Interpreters most pithily doth expound it As for example Gods diuine Spirit did then most sensibly shewe it selfe in Iacob when hee prophecied so powerfully lying sicke vpon his death bed In Dauid when he prayed so seruently almost ouerwhelmed with troubles In Paul when he sang so cheerefully fastened in the stockes In S. Laurence when he spake so couragiously broyling on the gridiâ—on In a word through the helping-hand of God it commeth to passe that when men are weake then they are strong weake in the flesh strong in the spirit weake in themselues strong in the grace of God All humane infirmities are in nature destructiue They arise from sinne Expecâ—ati â—â—mo ortae sunâ— lachrymae and they tend to death which is the wages of sinne For these are all praenuncij mortis â—arbengers of death and quoddaâ— mortis atrium a dore that leadeth into the house of death euery one weakeneth and furthereth dissolution But nowe theâ—ough grace they are made preseruatiue against pride against securitie against worldlinesse against prophanenesse against a thousand sinnes vtilius est frangi languoribus ad salutem quâ—m remanere incolumes ad damnationem And as it is with bodily infirmities so is it generally with all afflictions They are like Quick-siluer and Henbane and such other creatures which though they be poisonable in nature yet they are made medicinable by art The Scripture compareth them sometimes to fire Peter calleth them the firery tryall Sometimes to water The waters are entered euen into my soule In one of the Psalmes they are both conioyned transâ—â—imus per ignem aquam we passed through fire and water The resemblance is many wayes significant For fire warmeth and fire consumeth water refresheth and water choaketh And this they doe either as they serue vnder men or domineer ouer men for They are cruell masters but profitable seruants saith our English Prouerb So it is with men and their afflictions Where they master as they dâ— in the wicked there they choake and consume them but where they serue as they do in the saints there they warme and refrâ—sh them In so much as Dauid professed Bonum est It is good for mee that I haue beene afflicted And one of the Fathers very notably Inuenies non aliâ—er regnare in nobis Iesum nisi per afflictionem A Christian man shall finde by experience that the Lord Iesus doth not otherwise or more effectually raigne in his heart but euen by affliction I prosecute the Scriptures comparison yet a little farther Plinie writeth that there are some creatures which liâ—e in the fire and some that quench the fire This hath beene true of men and euen in the letter The three young nobles walked vp and downe in the 〈◊〉 and the Apostle saith that some by faith quenched the violence of the fire But it is daily true in the Metaphor The children of God liue and like and thriue in the fire of affliction as the children of Israel increased vnder the bondage of Aegypt which Moses calleth the iron furnace Their tribulation bringing forth patience and patience experience and experience hope and hope making that they are not confounded The same Author reporteth of diuers waters in diuers places in which nothing will sinke As of Asphaltides in Iurie of Arethusa in Armenia of Apuscidamus in Africa Now of that kind are all the waters of trouble to the children of God They sinke not in them they euer float aboue as safe as in Noahs Arke vpon the face of the waters We are afflicted saith S. Paul yet are we not in distresse in pouertie but not ouercome of pouertie We are persecuted but not forsaken cast downe but we perish not The reason is The Lord putteth vnder his hand to hold them vp as it were by the chinne that they sinke not in those waters Yea further the Spirit of God is fire and water it selfe with which Spirit they beeing baptized their troubles are all so spiritually sanctified that they consume them not nor choake them not but they serue like fire to warme their zeale and like water to coole the heat of flesh and so many wayes to fit them better to the workes of their callings But whereunto now tendeth this dolefull treatie of Afflictions I write not this so much for you mine honourable Lord whose pathes are on euery side so prosperous though I doubt not but you haue also your Crosses to beare and which Crosses thorough the grace of God doe more sanctifie you and your actions But I take vp this Argument ère nata as the naturall course is of Epistles to shew how in the studying and acting of this Sermon The power of God hath appeared in my weakenesse Immediately after that the right reuerend Lord the good Bishop of London had by his mâ—ndatorie letters called were to the Crosse it pleased the high Bishop of my soule to crosse mee deepely with infirmitie of bodie which much 〈◊〉 my studie and meditations This infirmitie continuing many weekes and increasing I wrote to London to my most especiall freind a man of mine owne degree and of farre better meanes to performe it to make supplie of my place When 〈◊〉 his vnwillingnesse thereunto I had resolued to 〈◊〉 and to aduenture my bodie I found my iorneying all the way so teadiously painefull as that those about mee were much discomfited and my selfe almost despâ—â—â—ed of habilitie Which caused me when I came there noâ— only to be 〈◊〉 again with that freind of mine to haue relieued 〈◊〉 bùt also at the bèginning of my Sermon to mà ke a certaine Apologie for my selfe aâ— fearing that I should
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
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
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