〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from the beginning of the world yea and that in an high degree 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beeing a murderer from the beginning yea and that not of bodies onely but of soules also how much more I say must the touch of his sinne make him to tremble before the presence of God 3. A malefactor condemned and adiudged to death can not but liue in continuall feare expecting hourely his shamefull and painfull execution For death is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as the Philosopher speaketh of all things the most fearefull And then Nulla morâ— inquietior est quam quae statim tota est saith Quintilian The heauiest death is that which commeth with all his weight at once such as is the execution of the malefactour Now this is the present estate of the Deuills They are alreadie cast downe to hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is they are iudicio deputati adiudged and deputed to hell and torments and vnto that execution they are reserued in chaines of darknes or as Iude saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in euerlasting chaines vnder darknes And so like condemned prisoners carceris atrocitatem dimidium ponae sustinent donec as vlâ—imum 〈…〉 trahantur they beare the torture of the 〈…〉 chaines and fetters and manicles the one halfe of their punishment vntill they be drawne forth to the vtmost execution which shall fall vpon them sodâ—â—ly and all at once Therefore how can the Deuills but tremble continually An example of this trembling and feare in the deuills the H. Ghost hath recorded vnto vs in the Scriptures Christ comming into the countrey of the Gergasens there met him two possessed with deuills And what an horrible feare expresse they in their demeanour First they cried out as the witch did when shee discouered the King so neere her who had put Sorcerers and Soothsayers out of the land and as the Disciples cried out for feare thinking they had seene a Spirit when Christ came walking towards them on the waters Clamor exprimit aâ—gustiam animi desperantis This crying out of the deuils when they saw Christ bewraieth the straightnes of a desperate minde As Woe Woe in the Reuelation And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Sophocles and Euripedes Secondly they would faiâ—â— turne him off hand Quid nobis tibi What haue wee to doe with thee As if they should say Come not neere vs wee haue no desire to meddle with thee Thirdly they feare present execution Art thou come hither to torment vs before the time The word in the Originall is very significant 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to cast vs into the torments of hell For so the same word is expressely vsed by S. Luke The rich man in hell 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 beeing in torments And hell it selfe is there called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the place of torments And so in mine opinion the Greeke Church vsed the word in their Liturgie as it is excellently and to speciall purpose alleadged by our learned Bishop of Elie 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 By thy vnknowne sufferings and â—ellish torments Good Lord deliuer vs. And thus eâ—ery 〈◊〉 they shewed that the presence of Christ was a 〈◊〉 vnto them sicut reo praesentia Iudicis seruo fugitiâ—o praesentia Domini sui as the presence of the Iudge is terrible to the guiltie fellâ—n and the presence of the master is fearefull to a fugitiue seruant And if any man will obiect against this that the deuills bewaried no such extremitie of feare because an other Euangelist saith they ranne to him as willing to draw neere him and worshipped him as cheerefully doing their homage Let that man take for answer that the deuills ran to Christ à spiritis malo voluntariè exequente sed à spiritu bono voluntarie compellente the euill spirit executing that which the good Spirit of God inforced them vnto The man must needes runne faith our Prouerbe whome the deuill driueth and the deuill must needes runne when God his master whippeth him forwards And as for the deuills worshipping of Christ farre enough was that from any deuout homage for he did that which he did non humilitate sed necessitate compulsus not induced with due reuerence but compelled by extreame necessitie Non â—more boni sed â—imore grauioris supplicij not for any loue of goodnesse but for feare of greater punishment As a false hearted Papist may crouch and creepe and doppe like a Frier before the Worthy King of great Brittaine not of any loue to his person or honour to his estate but for feare of his sword and the iustice of his Lawes The deuills therefore notwithstanding all this quaked like Aspen leaues at the presence of Christ. From hence arise many lessons of instruction As. 1. The Deuills are euer trembling before God it followeth by necessary consequence that they can carrie no loiall affections not louing deuotions towards God For Quem metuunt oderunt And as Tertullian spake the very same Odium timor spirat feare breatheth out hatred The scholler that daily feareth the rodde the seruant that hourely feareth the whippe neither of them can beare true or hartie loue vnto their master Therefore is the Deuill rightly called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because hee beareth euer tearmes of hostilitie against God and all his seruants S. Iohn in the Reuelation sheweth that the Deuill fought against Michael himselfe whom Daniel calleth the great Prince And rightly for the word implieth Quis sicut Deus who is like the Lord And so it is by the Protestants iustly ascribed to the Sonne of God who as Daniel speaketh standeth for the sonnes of his people Beeing foiled of him he persecuted the woman She being deliuered he went and made warre with the remnant of her seede So God the Sonne of God the Church the members of the Church are continually opposed of the deuill and his ministers Hereof he is called Sathan that is to say an Aduersarie beeing euer ad oppositum resisting where hee can obeying vnwillingly where he cannot resist A notable patterne of all vnsanctified men such Father such children who hauing not receiued the spirit of Adoption and therefore continually in feare of the wrath of God serue God but vnwillingly stoope to God but traiterously no loyall nor soâ—n-like affection ruling in their hearts A good note for a man to knowe what manner of spirit raigneth in him A wicked man led by the spirit of Satan would doe more harme if he durst to satisfie his corrupt affections a good man led by the spirit of God would doe more good if he could to please and honour his heauenly Father But feare restraineth the one and loue inciteth the other 2. This sheweth the miserable estate of the deuills they liue in continuall feare and so in continuall torture Timor supplicamentum
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
habet It is Tertullians speech and almost his peculiar word He putteth supplicamentum for suppliciâ—m and so his meaning is that feare is a punishment of it selfe The same with the Greeke Prouerbe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Feare excludeth all happinesse yea though a man be for the present in the height of prosperitie if he doe but then feare a fall solida foelicitas esse non potest his prosperitie cannot be compleat or perfect How much more then the deuills which by continuance haue wrought feare into an habite and beeing cast from the height of their happinesse halfe way to the depth of their damnation are not onely out of all hope euer to be better but liue in continuall expectation to be worse how much more I say are they seclâ—ded from the least dramme or mite of a cheerefull or blessed estate Feare in a man is a cold affection quafi gelu astringit â—aith Nazianzene As ioy doth warme and by warming doth open all the veins and arteries of the bodie and so enlarge the heart so feare doth coole and by cooling doth binde like a deepe frost all the powers and members of the bodie and so indeede straigteneth the heart Hereof the Greciaâ—s call it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 quasi ligamentuâ—â— for feare is like a band or chaine vnto a prisoner Conscientia accusat ratio indicat timor ligat dolor excruciat saith Gregorie Conscience is the witnesse to accuse reason is the iudge to condemne feare is the cord to pinâ—on and griefe is the gallow tree to execute a sinner And this no doubt is one of the strong chaines or fetters wherewith the Scriptures affirme the deuills to be manacled euen the feare of the wrath of God of which they haue alreadie so sensible experience and to the full measure whereof they are in this feare reserued Now as it is with the Deuills so is it with all wicked vngodly men who haue only that same 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as Paul speaketh the spirit of feare and not of courage and loue they are euer in feare and so euer in torment For There is no peace to the wicked saith the Lord. And this as it is true of all kind of sinners Nullum maleficium sine formidine est quia nec sine conscientia sui No sinne escapeth without feare because it can neuer shake off conscience so is it principally verified of them that sinne like the Deuills that is which are Apostatae Angeli Apostates like the Deuills falling from God and from his sincere religion Woefull is the storie of Francis Spira who after he had subscribed to Poperie could neuer free himselfe from the terrour of hell but died in desperation whom notwithstanding I can not iudge to haue sinned against the holy Ghost as he complained of himselfe For Peccatum in spiritum sanctum est semper malitiosum as I haue sometime defended publikely in the Schooles And lamentable is the historie of Iustice Hales who condâ—scending but to some point of superstition would first haue murdered himselfe with his penknife and after drowned himselfe in a shallow water But what is to be said to those setled pillars of Papacie Iacobus Latomus who died in desperation crying out that he was damned for resisting the knowne truth And to Stephen Gardiner that could not be comforted with the sight of Peters fall and rising againe but professed sealing vp as it were his owne damnation that he had sinned with Peter but had not repented with Peter and a thousand others too long to repeate M. Foxe reporteth of one Iohn Apowell who scoffed at his fellow as he was reading of a religious booke The very next day the said Iohn fell out of his wits and as he lay almost day and night his tongue neuer ceased but he cried out of the Deuill of hell and his words were euer still O the deuill of hell now the deuill of hell thou shalt see the deuill of hell there hee was there hee goeth c. O the miserable estate of deuilish men who like the Deuill abide not in the truth but are euer wasting from one religion to another and falling away some to Atheisme some to Papisme some to Gentilisme a number to Libertinisme from wheÌ„ce can arise nothing but a terrified conscience and a trembling heart It must teach euery man to sue out his Quietus est and to striue to make his peace with God repenting of his sinnes and seeking reconciliation in the blood of Christ in whom and by whom only Wee shall finde rest for our soules While Christ is apprehended and by him our peace attained feare and trembling must be our portion as it is continually to the damned Deuills of hell 3. The Deuills feare and tremble Well and euen so the best children of God alwaies feare and sometimes tremble also Our Sauiour Christ exhorteth vs to feare God principally because hee is able to destroie both bodie and soule in hell And Paul exhorteth vs to make an end of our saluation with feare and trembling And Salomon saith that hee is the blessed man that feareth alwaies What difference then in this behalfe betweene the holy Saints of God and the damned fiends of hell The answer shall be short because it is knowne and common Duo sunt timores Domini seruilis amicalis There are two sorts or kinds of the feare or the Lord. The one a seruile feare as when the slaue or bondman feareth the masters whippe The other a freindlike or filial feare as when a dutifull sonne feareth to greeue and offend a louing father The Deuills feare and tremble but how contremiscunt timore paenorum They tremble only for feare of punishment that God wil plague them for their sinnes The children of God feare also but how ne offendamus quem diligimus ne ab eo separemur least they offend him whom they loue and so he depart from them S. Augustine sheweth this difference by the similitude of two married wiues the one a chast spouse the other a common strumpet Both of them feare their husbands but in a diuerse manner and in a sundrie respect The harlot she saith timeo virum ne veniat I feare my husband least hee come and take me in my naughtinesse The chast Matrone she saith timeo virum ne discedat I feare my husband least for my misdemeanour he should depart from mee The harlot she saith timeo virum ne damnet I feare my husband least he punish me for mine adulterie The chast matrone she saith timeo virum ne deserat I feare my husband least he forsake me for mine vndutifulnesse Both doe feare but the one with a hatred of her husband from whom she expecteth punishment the other with a loue of her husband of whom she is loath to be forsaken So standeth the case betweene the Deuills and the Saints They feare God
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
vs from hell his ascending into heauen will carrie me vp thither also What can be spoken in words more patheticall in sense more applicatiue in faith more apprehensiue Thus spake the Greeke Fathers now turne wee to the Latine Cyprian disswading from the feare of death and rebuking in men their vnwillingnes to die If saith he some graue man of good report promised thee any thing thou wouldest surely beleeue his promise nor wouldest thou doubt that he would deceiue thee knowing him to be a man that will be as good as his word or will stand to his promise well then Nunc deus tecum loquitur iâ— mente incredula perfidus fluctuas Now doth God speake to thee and giue thee his promise and doest thou with an vnbeleeuing heart doubt of performance Deus tibi de hoc mundo recedenti immortalitatem pollicetur atque aeternitatem tu dubitas God promiseth to thee when thou departest out of the world immortalitie and eternitie and doest thou doubt of possession Hoc est Deum omnino non nosse hoc est Christum credentium Magistrum peccato incredulitatis offendere hoc est in Ecclesia constitutum fidem in domo fidei non habere This is not to know God â—t all this is by vnbeleefe to offend Christ the master of the beleeuers this is for one to be in the Church and to haue no faith in thâ— house of faith I gather from hence these conclusions 1. First Gods promises made to vs must be beleeued now they are promises of mercie 2. Secondly God promiseth to vs immortalitie and eternitie they therefore by faith must be assuredly expected 3. Thirdly to doubt of the performance of these is not to knowe God yea it is to haue no faith at all The same Father in the same place Qui spe viuinâ—u in Deum credimus in Christum passum esse pro nobis resurrexisse confidimus in Christo manentes per ipsum atque in ipso resurgentes quid aut ipsi recedere istinâ— de seculo noluâ—â—us aut nostros recedentes quasi perditâ—s plangimus Wee which liue in hope and beleeue in God and put our trust in Christ that he suffered and rose againe for vs abiding in Christ and by him and in him rising againe why are we our selues so loth to depart hence or why doe wee lament our friends departed as if they were vtterly lost Here is beleefe in God here is trust in Christ here is beleeefe that he died for vs and rose againe for vs here is an exhortation built vpon this beleefe to die comfortably and to take the death of our friends patiently doth not this manifestly inferre a faith apprehending mercie Arnobius vpon the Psalmes if that booke be his The meanest Christian saith he and the vilest sinner shall be preferred before that seruant that beareth himselfe aloft and neglecteth his masters honour qui se credit per fidem ad misericordiam peruenire eius qui regnat in secula seculorum euen that sinfull Christian who beleeueth by faith to attaine to his mercie who liueth for euermore Marke that sinner shall be saued who beleeueth to finde mercie Beleefe of mercie therefore bringeth to saluation Tertullian Vt certum esset nos esse filios Dei misit Spiritum suum in corda nostra clamantem Abba Pater That we might be certaine that we are the sons of God he hath sent his spirit into our hearts crying Abba Father Here obserue 1. It is certaine that we are the Sonnes of God How is it certaine Not by reuelation ergo by faith 2. To be the Sonne of God is speciall mercie ergo to beleeue that is to beleeue mercie 3. The Spirit teacheth vs in assurance hereof to call God our Father the name of a Father is a name of â—ercie The Spirit therefore teacheth vs to beleeue mercie S. Ambrose by his faith thus applyeth Christ vnto himselfe Non gloriabor quia iustus sum c. I will not glory saith he that I am righteous but I will glorie that I am redeemed froÌ„ mine vnrighteousnes I will not glorie that I am free from sinne but I will glorie that the sinnes which I haue are forgiuen me Then he addeth Non gloriabor quia profui neque quia profuit mihi quispiam sed quia pro me Advocatus apud Patrem Christus est sed quia pro me Christi sanguis effusuâ— est that is I will not glorie that I haue profited any man nor that any man hath profited mee but I will glorie of this that Christ is an Aduocate for me with the Father and that Christs blood was shed for me Marke Bellarmine here is a notable presumptuous Heretique I am redeemed my sinnes are forgiuen Christ is mine Aduocate Christs blood was shed for me What Protestant euer applyed Christs benefits neerer to his owne vse verily not Luther himselfe when he professed a little before his death I haue taught him I haue knowne him I haue loued him as my life my health my redemption But I returne to the Fathers for neither Luther nor any of Luthers side are olde enough though learned enough to stoppe the Aduersaries mouthes S. Augustine saith thus The deuills beleeued Christ but they did not loue Christ. And therefore though they beleeued yet they said what haue wee to doe with thee Iesu thou Sonne of God But let vs beleeue so as wee may beleeue in him and loue him Et non dicamus Quid nobis tibi est Sed dicaâ—â—us potiùs Ad te pertinemus Tu nos redemisti And let vs not say as the deuills said what haue we to doe with thee as desirous not to come neere him But let vs say rather We are thine we pertaine to thee thou hast redeemed vs as drawing him and his merits home vnto our selues Now let a Papist tell me how a man shall cheerefully goe to Christ and say vnto him I belong to thee thou hast redeemed mee without a faith laying hold of speciall mercie Bernard hath a notable and comfortable saying Si credis peccata tua non posse deleri nisi ab eo cui soli peccâ—sti in quem peccatum non cadit bene facis If saith he thou beleeuest that thy sinnes cannot be wiped away but onely of him against whom onely thou hast sinned and into whom no sinne falleth therein thou doest well Sed adde adhuc vt hoc credas quia per ipsum tibi pecata donantur But yet goe on further and beleeue this also that thy sins are forgiuen to thee Hoc est enim testimonium quod perhibet in corde nostro spiritus sanctus dicens demissa sunt tibi peccata tua For this is the testimonie or record which the holy Ghost beareth in euerie one of our hearts Thy sins are forgiuen to thee A golden sentence To beleeue that God onely can forgiue sinne is well but not sufficient To
so as that withall they hate him in their hearts knowing that he will be and shall be their confounder These feare God so as withall they loue him in their hearts as feeling that he is and beleeuing that he will be their carefull preseruer And if at any time mistrustfull or carnall feare doe take hold vpon the Saints yet it is neither totall nor finall as it is in the Deuills For the regenerate partie will euer cleaue to Gods mercie by faith and the spirit of adoption will at length get the victorie and make them crie with comfort Abba Father whereas the Deuills feare euer totally without one droppe of faith and finally without one moment of comfort Therefore as it is no comfort to the Deuills to know that the Saints doe feare as well as they so it need be no discomfort to the Saints to see that they feare as well as the deuills Mâ—dus agendi actum distinguit They feare punishment these feare losse they feare and â—ate these feare and loue they feare and despaire these feare hope they feare and sinne still these feare and amend they feare and are damned these feare and are saued For there is a feare and reuerence with which we please God the fruit whereof is euerlasting saluation Hitherto I haue spoken of the Deuills beleefe and trembling seuerally and asunder and deriued vses from either necessarie to our instruction Now consider we of them iointly and together They beleeue and yet they tremble They tremble and yet they beleeue What Pugnantia loqueris Iacobe Good S. Iames doest thou not speake contraries How will these two stand together beleeuing and trembling If they beleeue why doe they tremble If they tremble how doe they beleeue for on the one side timor hostilis infidelitatis filius hostile feare is the ofspring of infidelitie Why were the Apostles 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because they were 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Why are yee fearefull O yee of little faith If therefore the deuills tremble it is a signe that they beleeue not On the other side if they beleeue then what need they tremble For first Faith maketh attonment with God Beeing iustified by faith we haue peace toward God If they be at peace with God what cause haue they to feare For If God be on our side who can be against vs Secondly Faith purifieth the heart Now if the Deuills be mundi corde then they are blessed and see God with comfort What then need they feare Thirdly faith giueth boldnes and confidence By whom we haue boldnesse and entrance with confidence by saith in him Boldnes and Confidence are plaine opposites to feare and trembling Fourthly faith worketh by loue Now loue casteth out feare Ergo. If they beleeue they loue if they loue they feare not One of the Fathers expounding that place in the Song of Salomon Thy cheekes are comely with rowes of stones and thy necke with chaines maketh one of those chaines wherewith the Churches necke is adorned to be religiosa sanaque fides a sound and religious â—aith facta de puro diuinae cognitionis auro beaten and composed of pure gold of the diuine knowledge And to this pure and golden chaine of faith he applieth that of Salomon in the Prouerbs Coronam gratiarum accipies vertice tuo â—umellam aurâ—am circa caput tuum Thou shalt receiue a crowne of grace or a gracefull crowne vpon thy head and a chaine of gold about thy necke Now then if the Deuills haue such a crown of grace vpon their heads and such a rich coller of Sss about their necke as faith is a man would think they were adorned and bewtified sufficiently to appeare with iolliâ—ie in the most roiall presence euen of the glorious God himselfe How then saith S. Iames here that they beleeue yet they tremble The answer is this The deuills beleeue much many things as hath bin before declared but yet they beleeue not that which should keepe them from trembling What is that M. Bucer setteth downe in three words Reconciliationem non credunt They beleeue no atonement or reconciliation made or to be made between them and Almightie God Therefore all that which they beleeue will not keepe them from trembling Take for an example of them in this case a malefactor a felon a murderer or traytour conuicted and condemned to death This malefactor knoweth the King who he is he knoweth his prerogatiue royall that he can and is able to pardon him he knoweth and beleeueth further that the King of his naturall disposition is mild kind bounteous pitiâ—ull mercifull as thanked be God our King Iames is at this day The same malefactor knoweth yet further that the King out of his royall bountie and grace hath pardoned many yea some capitall offendors But now withall he hath no meanes nor friend to make to the King to obtaine his pardon he hath neither word not writing from the King to warrant his pardon nay he hath no hope that if he sought for it the King would graunt his pardon nay his heart is so besotted as that he can not thinke of seeking a pardon Here all the knowledge of the King of the Kings mercie of the Kings mercifull dealing with others will not put him out of feare of death but he trembleth daily hourely expecting his execution So is it with the Deuill He knoweth God be knoweth the omnipotent power of God that God can forgiue him and he can say with the leper Master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane He knoweth the infinite mercie of God that he is mercifull gratious flow to anger and abundent in goodnes and truth that the whole earth is full of the goodnes of the Lord that his mercy reacheth to the heauens his truth vnto the clouds yea that the Lord is good to all and his mercies are ouer all his workes He knoweth further that God hath extended his mercifull pardon towards hainoâ—s offenders As to Dauid for adulterie and murder To Salomon for idolatrie To Peter for Apostacie To Paul for persecution and to thousand thousands whose names are not recorded All this the Deuill knoweth well and beleeueth all that he knoweth as hath beene before declared But now the wretched fiend hath neither means to make for his pardon for Christ is but Mediator dei hominum a Mediator betweene God and man not betweene God and the deuills and the goodnes of God which appeared in Christ was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a loue of men not a loue of deuills neither hath he one title or iotte of a promise from God that he shall be pardoned neither hath he the hope that if he begge it God will giue him pardon neither hath he an affection to desire pardon but is shut vp as are all reprobates 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 vnto a heart that knoweth not how to repent Therefore for all his beleefe he trembleth for feare in the expectation of eternall torments Againe take another example of this A man is deepely indebted non est solvendo he hath not to pay he heareth he knoweth he beleeueth that his Creditour is a verie honest and mercifull man that he hath dealt very honestly and mercifully with others giuing day to some remitting to others a third part a halfe part yea to some the whole debt But he hath neither promise from his creditor nor perswasion in himselfe that he will deale so patiently and bountifully with him In this case all the knowledge that he hath of his creditors gentlenesse towards others will no whit satisfie his minde but he will feare daily to be vnder arrest and to kisse the goale Now thus standeth the case betwixt God and the Deuill Hee is runne deepely into debt by his sinnes for sinnes are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 debts Debitum quod perindè iudicio debeatur ab eo exigatur for which we are subiect to conuention and conuiction and exaction as Tertullian speaketh euen as one man is for debt vnto another He knoweth that God many times dealeth with men as the kind householder with his beggerly seruant who when he had nothing to pay his Master forgaue him all But now he hath neither promise from God not beleefe in himselfe that those debts shall be remitted vnto him therefore he liueth dayly vnder feare to bee cast into prison euen into hell fire from which he shall not be deliuered till he hath paid the vtmost farthing And hence it is that not beleeuing mercie from God though he beleeue a great deale more then hundred thousands doe yet he is not at peace with himselfe in his owne heart but as S. Iames saith here doth beleeue and tremble And here now commeth fitly to be examined and discussed the true and essentiall difference between the dead vnprofitable faith of the deuills which will not keepe them from trembling and the liuely sauing faith of the Elect as the Apostle calleth it which causeth their saluation Some conceiue the difference to be this that Alia est vera alia ficta fides The faith of the Saints they say is a true faith the faith of the deuills a false or faigned faith Absurd for we haue heard before out of S. Augustine that the deuills faith was as true a faith as Peters And certen it is that if they haue any faith that must needes be true For quicquid est verè est And that faigned faith which they gather out of the Apostle fide non ficta is none otherwise to be called faith then 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by way of likelihood or similitude because it beareth some resemblance of faith As a king in a play is called a king and the image of a man is called a man when indeede and truth they are neither so nor so Therefore when Harding affirmeth that A true faith may be idle and vtterly without good workes this is certainly true of some kind of faith which notwithstanding is faith indeede as we see in the Reprobate yea and in the deuills And when the reuerend Bishop the peerelesse Iewel of his time replieth that The faith of the deuills indeede and verily is no faith this is euidently false if it be spoken generally of the nature thereof But as the intention of controuersie is there betweene them for they speake of a profitable and liuely faith So Harding lieth in his throat for a true faith can not be idle and Bishop Iewels position is most vndoubtedly true The faith of Deuills in this sense is no faith at all that is no sauing or iustifying faith as after shall appeare And this I thought good to note least either any School-Papist should thinke to finde aduantage in that worthie mans doctrine or that I in this opinion doe dissent from so Reuerend a Diuine But to returne to the purpose Others make this the difference between the faith of the Deuills and the faith of the Elect that the one is informis and the other formata They say that the faith of the deuills is without forme because it wanteth loue the faith of the Saints is perfected and formed for it worketh by loue A common distinction among the Schoolemen and a common opinion to say that charitas est forma fidei charitie is the forme of faith Against which idle and vnlearned opinion of which the Schoolemen are full Peter Martyr disputeth fully and learnedly in his Commentaries vpon the Corinthians whither I send them that will be satisfied in that Question I hold my selfe to my purpose and I say that the School-distinction is absurd of faith formed and vnformed for who can imagine any thing to be without a forme when as this is our principall in nature forma dat esse Qualis est illa fides saith one of their owne quae mortua est formaque sua caret what manner of faith is that which wanteth both life and forme And if that be true of Aquinas that fides informis formata are not diuersi sed ijdem habitus in which notwithstanding the wittie man was grossely deceiued then either the faith of the Deuills hath the same forme that hath the faith of the Elect or some other forme at least it must haue to make it Habituall and without a forme it cannot exist There be others yet that make this the difference betweene them They say that the one is Extorta or Coacta the other is Voluntaria The deuills faith say they is extorted from them ab ipsa rerum euidentia from the verie euidence of that which they see and vnderstand But the faith of men euen of euill men is free and voluntarie Nos enim non credimus contremiscentes id est inuiti coacti sed sponte libenter For we beleeue not trembling saith Bellarmine that is against our wills and by compulsion as doe the Deuills but willingly and of our owne accord Marke by the way how learnedly the great Clarke expoundeth S. Iames The Deuills beleeue trembling that is saith blind Bellarmine by compulsion But let him goe This distinction of faith voluntarie and compelled hath I confesse somewhat more in it then the former For it may be that is true of Thomas Aquines Hoc ipsum daemonibus displicet quòd signa fidei sunt tam euidentis vt per ea credere compellantur The Deuills are grieued at this that the signes of faith are so euident as they are compelled to beleeue whither they will or no. But if I may be bold to interpose my opinion herein reseruing the iudgement therof vnto the learned I hold that the faith of the Elect is as much compelled as the faith of the Deuills and the faith of the Deuills is as voluntarie for that which they