Selected quad for the lemma: faith_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
faith_n	catholic_n	church_n	profess_v	6,124	5	9.0713	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A07625	The testament of William Bel. Gentleman Left written in his owne hand. Sett out above 33. yeares after his death. With annotations at the end, and sentences, out of the H. Scripture, fathers, &c. By his sonne Francis Bel, of the Order of Freers Minors, definitor of the province of England: guardian of S. Bonaventures colledge in Dovvay: and professor of the sacred Hebrevv tongue, in the same. Electo meo fœdus excidi	Bell, William, d. 1598.; Bell, James, d. 1643.	1632 (1632)	STC 1802; ESTC S113723	71,054	197

Sathan and 〈◊〉 ministers are taken in hand wherby our li● is continually endangered and sodeinly t●ken away wherof there be infinite natura● some ruefull tragicall examples A● having respect and regard of my fraile su●stance of my short pilgrimage in th● worlde and long account I haue to ma●● to my Maker in the worlde to come A●● desirous to make knowne to my posteri● the state of my soule and bodie I doe no● declare ordaine and publish my will a●● testament as a farewell to the vaine and disembling world and doe therby giue a●● bequeath deuise and declare in manner 〈◊〉 forme following §. 1. IN PRIMIS I giue and as a true Christian Catholike man bequeathe my ●oule into the hands and mercie of Almigh●ie God by faith confessing and in hope re●osing my salvation to bee in the only me●ites death and Passion of CHRIST IESVS ●rusting to raigne with him in glorie that ●or the redemption of mee and all man●inde raigned and triumphed over sinne ●eath and hell it selfe in the Altar of the Crosse Wherunto I implore and beseech ●he assistance by prayer of the blessed and ●mmaculate Virgin MARIE and of all the ●oly companie of heaven who being now ●n glorie members of the triumphant Church haue in Christ compassion of the members of the militant Church And I will that my bodie when it shall bee dis●olued into his first substance bee decently ●uried in the parish Church of Handburie ●r wheresoever else it sh●ll please God to ●ppoint §. 2. And for as much as in this ruefull decay ●f the Catholike religion and in this most ●iurious and troublesome time I as a true ●hristian and carefull father haue a zealouse care to leaue to all the world and especially to my Children for their imitation a Confession of my faith §. 3. Bee it knowne to them and to all the world that I professe and from my heart protest to liue and die a member of Christs true Catholike and Apostolike Church out of the vnitie and fellowship wherof there never was nor is nor can bee salvation what plausible perswasions or pleasing pretences soever now bee or by the divels drift may hereafter bee devised to the contrarie In which faith and vnitie of which Church I acknowledge God the Father my Maker God the Son my Redeemer and God the holy Ghost my Sanctifier three persons and one very and eternal God §. 4. I beleeue and hold the twelue Articles o● the Christian faith as the Catholik● Church teacheth them The Nicen● Creed and Athanasius Creed I hold an● acknowledge the ten commandements a God declared them to Moyses to be th● substance of the Law I beleeue there be in Christs Church seaven Sacraments or fountaines of grace wherby the holy Ghost doth by our receiving and vse of the same worke in our soules grace that is to say Baptisme Confirmation Matrimonie Confession Orders Supper of our Lord ●nd Extreame Vnction and that to be deprived of the vse of these is an impediment ●nd stopping of Gods grace in vs wherof many a Christian soule doth in this time of ●inne feele a ruefull losse §. 5. I beleeue that in the Sacrament of the ●ords Supper otherwise called the Sacrament of the Altar after the words of Conse●ration in the sacrifice of the Masse done ●y the Priest duely ordained there remai●eth the very Real presēce of Christs Bodie ●nd Bloud without any other substance of ●reatures and that all figurative speeches all ●pirituall meanings all glosses of words all ●●rmises of false spirits that suppose or teach ●he contrarie are derogatorie to the power ●f God and injuriouse to the salvation of ●hristian soules the words of the Gospell ●ying Take eate this is my Bodie and ●ke and drinke this is my Bloud §. 6. I beleeue that the examination of conscience and Confessiō of sinnes to a ghostly father is a worke necessarie to salvation as the Church of God doth require it and that it is the most comfortable meane to stirre vp the soule sunke into sinne vnto repentance and amendment that can bee and that by the often vse therof Gods grace doth wonderfully worke in our mindes and that by the neglecting of the same Satan worketh his will §. 7. I beleeue that the doctrine of the Catholike Church concerning invocation of saints prayer for the dead and holding of the place for purgation of soules dying in the state of grace and of christian workes to be effect of christian faith is a most sound and wholsome doctrine and that the new found Doctrine of sole faith is the fine force of Satan to deceiue the world §. 8. I beleeue and firmely avow that the holy Ghost since Christs ascension hath bin and continued with this Catholike and Apostolike Church teaching her all truth and so shall continue to the end of the world and that the gates of Hell shall never prevaile against her according to Christs promise And that the pretended reformers of Religion are Divels transformed into the shape of Angels of light fallne into the delicacie of wordly mens delights in this latter age of the world And that this is true may be proued by a sensible consequent First of the new pretēded reformed Religion there was never publike profession in the Christian world before these fortie or fiftie yeares last past or thereabouts then it being fifteene hūdred yeares since Christ established his Church either it is to be confessed that the Church and Religion that had beginning and continuance from Christs time vntill these pretended reformed dayes is the true Church and true Religion and that the contrarie is f●lse or else ●hat Christ hath not kept promise when he ascended saying that he would send to his d●sciples the comforter which should teach them all truth and cōtinue with them to the end of the world but to say so were blasphemie as I trust every Christian heart will affirme And Christs Church is no hidden thing for in the scriptures shee is cōpared to a Citie set vpon an hill that every one may see to a Candle set vpon a cādlesticke to lighten al that come into the house And a most ruefull and lamentable thing my deare infants it is that we should now condemne that Religion which we received first into this Realme aboue thirteene hundred yeares past and continued in vntill about fiftie yeares past and then altered into such a libertie of life a discharging of the conscience a carnalitie of pleasures a securitie of salvation a rash beleeving of spirits a condemning of the Fathers a pride af opinions a setting vp of sects a pretending of pietie a performing of impietie a dissolving of obedience and generally into such a pleasant safetie of sinning as I can not but in the charitie towards all Christians and especially of you my deare children that may haply liue to see and feele the truth of these things with an inward sorrow of heart remember §. 9. For conclusion I holde and

1.10 Apoc. 22.11 Which places mak● also against sole faith 1. Cor. 15.58 Pag. 21. § 8. lin 4 TEACHING HE● ALL TRVTH Ioannes 14.16 16.13 Lin. 6. GATES OF HELL Mat. 16.18 Lin. 10. ANGELS OF LIGHT A● Gal. 1.8 But although we or an Angel from heaven evangelize to you another thing besides that we haue evangelized to you● Anathema Idem 2. Cor. 11.13 Lin. 11 DELICACIE OF WORLDL● MENS DELIGHTS Contrarie to th● delights of good men who renouncing th● world haue fixed their delight in God O● such the Apostle warned his Disciple 2. Tim. 3. Know that in the last dayes ther● sh●ll be dangerous times and there shall b● men loving themselves covetous loftie proude blasphemous disobeying Parents vngratefull wicked without affection without peace laying crimes vpon others incontinent rude without benignitie traitours sawcie puffed vp and lovers of pleasures more then of God having the appearance of pietie but denying the vertue therof Avoide these Lin. 17. FORTIE OR FIFTIE YEARES Luther fell from the Catholike Church anno 1517. Yet there was no publike profession of Lutheranisme or libertie so soone Pag. 22. lin 5. A CITIE SET VPON AN HILL Mat. 5.14.15 Where also of the light of it and Marc. 4.21 Luc. 11.33 Pag. 22. lin 12. THIRTEENE HVNDRED YEARES England first received the Christian religion from Ioseph ●b Arimathia that buried Christ and came after into England preached there the Gospell and baptized them that beleeued as Gildas Sapiens wrighteth Venerable Bede Polydore Vergill and others And Baronius at the yeare of our Lord 35. num 3. But more fully it was converted 180. yeares after Christ in the reigne of King Lucius by S. Fugatius and S. Damian sent thither from Rome by Eleutherius Pope And also 400. yeares after that by S. Augustine and his fellowes sent thither by S. Gregorie the great about the yeare 600. Pag. 22. § 9. I HOLD AND BELEEVE ALL THAT THE CATHOLIKE AND APOSTOLIKE CHVRCH If any one come to you and bring not this doctrine receiue him not into the house nor say to him God saue you 2. Ioan. 1. Ambrose He denyeth Chr●st that confesseth not all things that are Christs Hilarius It becommeth the ministers of truth to professe true things Aug. lib. de fide ad Petrum cap. 39. Most firmely hold and no way doubt that every Heretike or Schismatike baptized in the name of the Father and of the Sonne and of the holy Ghost if he be not aggregated to the Catholike Church how many almesdeeds soever he doe although he shed his bloud for the name of Christ can by no meanes be saved For to every man that holdeth not the vnitie of the Catholike Church neither Baptisme nor Almes how copious soever it be nor death for the name of Christ vndergone can be of any value to salvation as long as he persevereth in that hereticall or schismaticall pravitie which leadeth vnto death Cap. 40. Most firmely hold and no way doubt that not all which are baptized within the Catholike Church shall receiu● life everlasting but they which having received baptisme do liue a right that is wh● haue abstained them from the vices an● concupiscences of the flesh For the kingdome of Heaven as Infidels Heretikes and Schismatikes shall not haue it 〈◊〉 wicked Catholikes can never possesse it Vincentius Lyrenensis He is a true and naturall Catholike that loveth the truth o● God the Church the bodie of Christ who before the divine religion before the Catholike faith preferreth nothing not the authoritie of any man not loue nor wit nor eloquence nor Philosophie but despising all these and there remaining fixed and steedfast whatsoever vniversally from all antiquitie he knoweth the Catholike Church to haue holden that only he decreeth with himselfe to hold and beleeue and whatsoever afterward he perceiveth new and vnheard of to haue beene introduced by any one otherwise then all or contrarie to all the Saints that he vnderstandeth to appertaine not to Religion but rather to temptation Lin. 4. GODLY CEREMONIALL RIGHTS He that will condemne the ceremonies of Gods Church let him first trie if he can himselfe leade a humane life amongst civill men ●ithout all ceremonie let him separate all substance from his accidents and see whether it be worth the looking vpon As in accidents there is difference and some make the substance to be better accepted then others for examples sake in colour in savour c. So ceremonies doe according as they are better or worse set out the substance of the thing wherabout they be vsed What is any artificers worke although according to the substantiall part it be wholly finished vnlesse i● be also polite As God gaue to his people i● the old law precepts Morall Iudiciall and Ceremoniall so in the new testament there are Doctrine Sacraments with their ceremonies and Discipline Deut. 6. Keepe the precepts of thy Lord God the testimonies and ceremonies which he hath commanded thee Lin. 13. CONTINVALL PRAYER Luc. 18. Wee must alwaies pray and never faile Psalm 118. Psal 5. Vtinā dirigantur viae meae ad custodiendas iustificationes tuas Dirige Domine Deus meus in cōspectu tuo viam meam Be instant in prayer watching therin with thanks-giving Coloss 4.2 Pray without intermissiō 1. Thess 5.17 Psalm 24. Dirige me in veritate tua doce me ...... dirige me in semitam rectam 89. Opus manuum nostrarum dirige Pag. 23. § 10. FROM A RESOLVTE HEART No temptation doth so soone seaze or overthrow him that is well resolved and constantly settled in his minde as it doth him that is doubtfull and wavering 2. Cor. 8.12 If the will be prompt according to what it hath it is accepted The works of our will that spring immediately from it cannot suffer violence from any power but in those workes or acts that are of other powers commanded by the will shee may suffer violence S. Thomas 1. 2. Q. 6. A. 4. Violence Feare Concupiscence Ignorance c. May assaile the will but cannot overcome it to cause it doe a thing for that no agent in his action can be compelled Violence and feare may diminish and make an act lesse voluntarie Concupiscence ofter encreasseth and maketh it more voluntarie Ignorance maketh it not to be voluntarie but not involuntarie or against ones will He that doth but foresee the dangers is lesse strooken by the dint of them Heb. 13 9. The best thing saith the Apostle is to establish the heart with grace And Ecclesiastic 2.1 Comming to the service of God stand in iustice and feare and prepare thy soule for temptation Our wavering mind addeth forces to the temptation Prosper 3. de vita contemplativa Every man vntill by certaine definition he confirme himselfe in that he hath chosen being as it were in a forked way of vncertaine deliberation is torne in peeces by the very diversitie of wills Vertue exhorteth and provoketh a man that all ambiguitie of definition deposed he vndertake

his dayes be measured whose verie substance is as nothing in the sight of God LONG ACCOVNT Long and strict Mat. 12.36 when of every idle word which men haue spoken they shall render an account therof in the day of iudgement Every one of vs shall render to God an account for himselfe Rom. 14 12. § 1. Pag. 17. A TRVE CHRISTIAN CATHOLIKE MAN By this title did S. Augustine stile himselfe Sed de me quid dicam Lib. de vtilitate credēdi qui iam Catholicus Christianus eram But of my selfe what shall I say who was now a Catholike Christian The name of Christian was given to the Disciples first at Antioch in the very beginning of the Apostles preaching of Christs Gospell Act. 11.26 The Apostles themselves in their symbole called the Church Catholike and the members therof Catholiks As many as being baptized haue put on Christ are called Christians this the vse of the name hath obtained although with some nations he is not holden in common vnderstanding for a true Christian that is not also a Catholike and the one name comprehendeth as much as the other and they be convertible Besides these so ancient names wherby ever since Christs time those of the true Religion haue beene knowne whosoever bringeth in another doth iniurie to the catholike cause which the Hereticks of our times haue laboured much in to haue vs called Roman Catholikes that cōsequently themselves might also be called catholikes of other particular Churches suppose of Amstelrodam Geneua or the like This they doe pricked on by the sting of envie seing vs alone to beare away from thē that most ancient and glorious name while they therby shut out of the whole must of necessitie remaine sects and by one name whatsoever they be be called Heretikes This fraude and the poyson of their malicious intention some Catholikes not perceiving take vpon them the addition of Roman Which although it be good in it selfe because the Roman Church is the Catholike Church yet more glorious it were for vs and more confusion to our adversaries to stand fast to that our first name of Catholike which we haue prescribed from them and never suffered to goe out of our hands Aug. de vera Religione Tom. 1. Taking Catholike in the true sense it signifieth a man that professeth the only true Religion wherin one God is worshipped and with most purified pietie knowne and acknowledged for the beginning of all nature by whom all the vniverse is both begunne and perfected and conteined in the one onely and vniversall Church which is called Catholike and not tyed to one place but diffused into all places and all times We Saith S. Augustine Aug. de vera Religione c. 7. must hold the Christian Religion and the communicatiō of that Church which is Catholike called Catholike not only of those that are her owne but also of all her enemies For whether they will or noe the verie Hereticks themselves and nourtured in schismes when they speake not with their owne cōpagnions but with strangers they call Catholike nothing else but Catholike for otherwise they can not be vnderstood vnlesse they discerne her by this name by which shee is called of all the vniversall world Of vniversall Saith S. Augustine Aug. contra litteras Petiliani c. 38 Tom. 7. Act. 1. Catholike tooke the name our Lord himselfe saying It is not for you to know the times which my Father hath kept in his owne power but you shall receiue the vertue of the holy Ghost comming vpon you and ye shall be witnesses for me in Hierusalem all Iudea Samaria and through all the earth Behold frō whēce Catholike is called A Christian I am and a Catholike I am of the same Christian faith that the Disciples were at Antioch and the same Catholike faith that was founded vpon saint Peter and continueth in his successours the vicars of Christ at Rome which is to be a Christian Catholike man simplie and absolutely He that calleth himselfe a Roman Catholike doth like him that calleth a man a risible reasonable man giving no more distinction in the last then at the first for all that they will haue a Roman Catholike to signifie is but the same that is signified by a Catholike A Roman Catholike soundeth in some sense as if one should say a particular vniversall Augustine Aug. contra Gaudēt lib. 5. tom 7. Marke a little what Church Cyptian called Catholike when he defended the vnitie therof the Church sayth he spread through with the light of our Lord streacheth out her beames through the whole world Yet it is one light which is everie where diffused and the vnitie of the bodie is not separated Shee extendeth her branches over the vniversall earth with copious plentie her large spread streames more broad shee layeth forth yet the head is one and the origin one and one mother copious in successions of fecunditie ...... if yours be ●he Catholike Church shew her stretching ●er beames over the whole world Shew ●hat shee extends her branches with co●ious fertilitie over the vniversall earth For hence is Catholike of the Greeke ●ord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 named and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 holon in Greeke maketh in English the whole or ●niversall so that through the whole or ●ccording to the whole is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Catholon from whence Catholike ●s called To be a Christian is glorious and may suffice vs in as much as he that is a good Christian must necessariely be a good Catholike for he is a Christian that being baptized professeth the whole doctrine of IESVS CHRIST in his Church and the same is also a Catholike which name was given to distinguish betweene some and others of the baptized that not professing the whole doctrine of Christ did sticke to parts and making a doctrine of their owne leaving the whole are therfore Heretikes which only name is condistinguisht against Catholikes that whosoever is not a Catholike is by the same an Heretike and not a Luthers Catholike as the Germans call it nor a Calvins Catholike nor no Catholike for no other sort of Catholike is there or can b● then a Christian Catholike S. Peeter Ma●men dyed a Martyr at Damascus about th● yeare of our Lord 742. Slaine by the Ar●bians for saying Everie one that embrace● not the Christian Catholike faith is da●ned like as Mahomet your false proph● is Mart. Rom. 9. Kal. Mart. Theophan in hi● Miscell lib. 22. Anno 2. Constant 6. Imp. Aug. l. 1 Quaest ex Mat. Good Catholikes and evill Catholike S. Augustin admitteth Calling those evi● Catholikes who although they beleeu● those things to bee true which appertain● to the true doctrine of faith and if the● be any thing that they doe not know the● thinke it is to be sought out and withou● breach of pietie doe discusse it withou● any preiudice to the truth it selfe and in a●

much as they can doe loue and honou● those that ar● good and whom they think● to bee good yet they liue wickedly and full of heinous crimes otherwaies then the● beleeue that they ought to liue And good Catholikes are those which follow both entire faith and good manners Aug de Civitate Dei l. 10 c. 32. What is the vniversall way but tha● which everie nation hath not proper only to it selfe but is given from God that i● may be common to the vniversitie of nations to all people this is our pietie which therfore is called Catholike because it is not delivered to any certaine people as to the Iewes but to all humane kinde and excludeth not any one by this all may be saved and without it none and in this every nation hath not his owne religion like as with the Gentils for with the Romans other Gods were and worshipped after another manner then with the Greekes others with them then with the French Spanish Scythians Indians Persians all nations that haue professed Christ doe worship the same God and with the same kind of sacrifice and Augustine Aug. Breuiculi cōt calleth the Church Catholike not alone for the plenitude of sacraments therin but also for the vniversitie of nations and people that therin communicate S. Athanasius Luc. Act. 11.26 Mart. Rom. 8. Kal. mart in his dispute against Arrius giveth the reason of the Disciples being called Christians thus All that beleeued in our Lord IESVS CHRIST were not called Christians but only Disciples And because there arose many Authors of new opinions contrarie to the Apostolicall doctrine they called all their followers Disciples and there was no difference in name betweene true and false Disciples whether they were Christs or Dosithees or the followers of one Iudas or of Iohn that confessed themselves as it were of Christs Church but all were called by that one name of Disciples Then the Apostles cōming together as by S. Lukes narratiō the Acts beare witnesse called all the Disciples by one name Christians differencing them from the common name of Disciples and that the saying of the divine Oracle pronounced by Isaias 62.2 might be accomplished which hath And thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of our Lord shall declare c. Epipha haeret 27. Not long after the Heretikes had emulation to this name and the Carpocratians first vsurped it whom others followed reproaching so great a name with false doctrine evill manners as now they would doe with the name of Catholike Rom. 10. Pag. 17. § 1. lin 4. BY FAITH CONFESSING With the heart we beleeue to iustice with mouth Confession is made to salvation Faith in the heart confession in the mouth This is the word of faith which we preach saith the Apostle that if thou confesse our Lord IESVS in thy mouth and beleeue in thy heart that God hath raised him from death Aug. de fide ad Petrum Tom. 3. thou shalt be safe S. Augustin to Peter the Deacon I am glad indeed that thou hast so much solicitude for the keeping of the true faith without any vice of perfidiousnesse without which faith no conversion can profit nor yet be at all for the Apostolicall authoritie saith that without faith it is impossible to please God because faith is the foundation of all good things faith is the beginning of humane salvation without this faith no man can come to the number of the Sōnes of God because without it neither in this world doth any one obtaine the grace of iustification nor in the world to come shall he possesse life everlasting And if any one doe not walke here by faith he shall not come to the vision Without faith all mans labour is in vaine for such it is as without the true faith whosoever will please God by contempt of the world as if one bending toward the countrie in which he knoweth he shall liue blessedly should leaue the right way and improvidently follow errour by which he cannot come to the blessed Citie but fall into precipice where will be no ioy giuen to him that cometh but destruction brought in to him that falleth IN HOPE REPOSING MY SALVATION A right order first to beleeue and confesse then to hope I haue beleeved and therfore haue I spoaken and am over much humbled saith the Psalmist as it were betwixt hope and feare Augustin Encheridion ad Laurentium Tom. 3. What can be hoped for which is not beleeved and yet something may be beleeved which is not hoped for As which of the faithfull beleeveth not the paines of the damned and yet he doth not hope for them and whosoever beleeveth that they be now at hand hanging over his head and with a flying motion of his minde doth abhorre them is better said to feare then to hope Which Lucan distinguishing hath set downe thus Lett him that feareth hope Faith is both of evill things and good for both good and evill things are beleeved and that with good and not with evill faith Faith is also of things past and present and to come for we beleeue that Christ dyed which now is passed We beleeue that he sitteth at the right hand of the Father which now is We beleeue that he shall come to iudge which is to be Faith is also of a mans owne things and of other mens for everie man beleeveth of himselfe that he had a beginning and that he was not ever and such other things nor only of other men but also of the Angels we beleeue many things that appertaine to Religion But hope is only of good things and those to come and belonging to him that is said to hope for them All which being so for these causes faith is to be distinguished from hope as well in reasonable difference as in the name For in that belongeth to the not seeing either those things that are beleeved or hoped for it is common to faith and hope In the Epistle to the Hebrewes the testimonie wherof the illustrious defenders of the Catholike rule haue vsed faith is said to be a convincing of those things which are not seene Although when any one saith himselfe to haue beleeved not words nor witnesses nor any arguments but the evidence of the present things that is to haue given credit to them it seemeth not so absurd that he might rightly be reprehended in word and it should be said vnto him thou hast seene and therfore thou hast not beleeved whence it may be thought not to be consequent that whatsoever thing is beleeved must not be seene but better we call that faith which is taught by the divine word of those things to witt which are not seene And of hope the Apostle saith hope which is seene is not hope for that which one seeth what doth he hope for but if we hope for the things that we see not we expect with patience When therfore future good things be

beleeved of vs they are no other thing then hoped for Now what shall I say of loue without the which faith profiteth nothing and hope without loue cannot be To conclude as S. Iames saith the divelles beleeue and tremble and yet they doe not hope or loue but rather that which b●leeving wee hope for and loue they feare shall come vpon them Wherfore the Apostle Paul approoveth commendeth the faith which worcketh by loue which verily cannot be without hope nor hope without loue nor both without faith D. Thom. 2.2 quaest 17. Eternall beatitude is the proper obiect of hope For we may not hope for lesse of God then himselfe in enioying of whom consisteth life everlasting And supposing our vnion to our neighbour by loue a man may by the vertue of Theologicall hope hope for beatitude for him as well as for himselfe Psalm 145. Hierem. 17.5 but to confide in Princes or the sonnes of men concerning salvation or to set our hope in man the holy Ghost forbiddeth and giues a curse to him that doth it That faith being old will I keep in which a childe I was borne Hieronymus ad Pammachium Oceanum paulo ante finem Tom. 2. Now doth faith swimme in many mens lippes when in their heart there is either none at all or that that is doth vehemently languish For who doth not professe that which we reade in the Deuteronomie Heare Israel Deut. 6. 10. thy Lord thy God is one Lord And thou shalt adore thy God and serue him alone Who doth not daily recite with mouth I beleeue in God the father Almightie notwithstanding he beleeveth not in God that doth not place in him alone all the trust of his felicitie neither hath he one God and Lord that by harlottrie by riotte and avarice doth the commands of Sathan nor doth he serue him alone that serveth his bellie that is given to this world which is set all vpon wickednesse The heathens thinke there be many Gods and dost thou seeme to thy selfe a perfect Christian because thou art persuaded that there is but one God What great matter doest thou the Iewes doe the same who daily blaspheme the Sonne of God in their Synagogues the same doe the divells beleeue and tremble at it If truly thou beleevest in God beleeue him to be iust and true Iust in rewarding the good and punishing the evill true in his promises beleeue that there is no hope of salvation but only in his Sonne whome he delivered to the crosse for all of vs and to death beleeve that no evill can fall to them that deliver themselues wholly over vnto his will and doe persever in the same this is to beleeue in God the Father this is to beleeue in his Sonne this is to beleeue in the holy Ghost Cyprian de duplici martyrio longe ante finem Tomo 4. Vnexercised faith soone languisheth and idle is tempted with frequent discommodities the craftie enemie breakes in vpon remisse sentinels but externe fraude instructs the man that 's exercised in warre and beares him gloriously to the palme of victorie Peace therfore to the faithfull is matter of corruption Ambros serm 11. in Psal 118. longius ante finē Tom. 4. Psalm 141. I haue cryed to thee O Lord I haue said thou art my hope my portion in the land of the living Psal 26 Abide our Lord deale manfully and thy heart shall be comforted and sustaine our Lord. Because the world what it promiseth seemeth here to giue in the land of the dying and our Lord what he promiseth is to giue in the land of the living many are wearie of expecting the true ioy and are not ashamed to loue the deceitfull of such the Scripture saith Eccle. 2 Woe to them that haue lost their patient sustayning and diverted into wicked wayes Aug. de verbis Apost serm 25. Tom. 10. Spe salvi facti sumus Spes non confundit by hope we are saved hope confoundeth not How hope should be without faith I doe not finde for no man hopeth that he can attaine that which he doth not beleeue to be It behooveth therfore that al three be in the minde faith hope and charitie that both a man beleeue the things be true to which he is called and hope that he may attaine to them and that he loue them Aug. lib. 21. sententiarum sent 8. One hope is of the eternall rewards another of comfort in the humilitie of tribulation Aug. enarr in Psalm 118. super Memor esto verbi tui servo tuo in quo mihi spem dedisti Tomo 8. Because the man that is converted to God hath his delight changed the things that he delights in are also changed and not taken quite away for all our delights in this life are not yet in deede but the hope it selfe is so certaine as it is to be preferred before all the delights of this world Aug. enarr in Psalm 74. Tomo 8. Pag. 17. § 1. lin 5. IN THE ONELY MERITS All our merits are founded in the merits of Christs incarnation life and passion which ground worke taken away no man hath or ever had or could haue since Adam any merits towards life everlasting which by his demerits he lost and merited damnation Aug. Cōfess cap 13. tom 1. Et de Trinit l. 13. c. 10. tom 8. Whosoever reckeneth vp his merits to thee what doth he but recken vp thy free guifts What was so necessarie to erect our hope and deliver mortall mindes deiected with the very condition of mortalitie from despairing of immortalitie as that it should be demonstrated vnto vs how much God weighed vs and how much he loved vs And what token of this more manifest and more excellent then that the Sonne of God immutably good remaining in himselfe what he was and taking of vs and for vs what he was not without detriment of his soules nature vouchsafing to enter into our fellowship first without any evill merit of his owne he would beare our evils and so now beleeving how much God loveth vs and hoping for that which before we despaired of with bountie no way due he would bestow his gifts vpon vs without any good merits of ours yea with many precedent euill merits for even those things that are called our merits are his gifts for that faith may worke by loue the charitie of God is diffused in our hearts by the holy Ghost given vs. Aug. enarr in Psalm 144. tom 8. Gratia salvi facti estis Where thou hearest grace vnderstand gratis if therfore gratis then thou hast brought nothing thou hast merited nothing For if any thing be rendred for merits it is wages and not grace by grace saith he you are saved through faith Expound that more cleerely for the arrogant for those that please themselves for those that are ignorant of Gods iustice and will constitute their owne And this selfe same thing more openly And this quoth he that you are made