A Christian Survey for the Conscience, Confession · Testimony from scripture 3
Out of Luther, and other Diuines.
LVTHER in Poſtilis True faith perpetuall, and immoueable.Maior. in Euang. Natiuit. Do…ini. Deſcribing in the ſhepheards themſelues the qualitie of both, to wit, of true and not true, of Diuine (as he ſpeaketh) and of humane faith▪ hee teacheth the nature of true faith to bee conſtant, perpetuall, and immoueable, but of Faith not true, that in fine it vtterly faileth. Theſe are his words.
And from hence take out the difference of faith, both diuine and humane. Humane faith doth adhaere to the mans perſon, giuegive credence, beleeue his word, and honour him for the ſpeakers ſake. But Diuine faith contrariwiſe doth cleane faſt to the Word, which is God himſelfe; and doth beleeue, put affiance, and reuerence it, not for the ſpeakers ſake, but doth perceiue the word ſo certainely, that no man can remooue him from it. Such were theſe Samaritans of whom we read Ioh. 4. That at the firſt indeed they were by the voice of a Damſell excited to heare Chriſt; but after the hearing of him, they ſaid to the woman, We doe not now beleeue for thy word ſake, but for that we hauehave knowne him to bee that Sauiour of the World. On the contrarie ſide, ſo many as gaue faith to Chriſt, moued with his perſon and miracles, all of them againe fell away when Chriſt was crucified. So alwaies it hath been, and ſo it muſt bee at this day, vnleſſe the Word of it ſelfe doe clearely manifeſt it ſelfe to the heart, and (as it were) captiuate the ſame, in ſuch ſort as that they perceiue the certaintie thereof to be ſuch, as by no meanes they can thence be drawne, yea if the whole World, all the Angels, all the Powers of Hell doe ſay to the contrarie; nay if God himſelfe ſhould ſay otherwiſe, as oftentimes hee is wont to tempt his Elect, as ſeeming to appeare vntounto them as if he intended to vtter things contrarie to his former promiſes. Which fell out with Abraham, when he was commanded to offer his ſonne Iſaac: as alſo to Iacob in his conflict with the Angell; and with Dauid, when he was purſued by Abſalom. Such faith doth perſiſt immoueable, both in life and in death; as well in Hell as Heauen; neither can it by any thing be deiected, for that it is founded vponupon the ſole and bare word of God, without all reſpect of perſons. With ſuch Faith theſe ſhepheards were repleniſhed. Theſe things Luther.
Let likewiſe his whole▪ Homily be read in 14. Ioh. being the Goſpel for the Feaſt of Pentecoſt, which is, of the Holy Ghoſt.
Alſo in feſto Sanctae Catharina; expounding the Goſpell of the ten Virgins, who had taken their Lamps he ſaith. The wiſe Virgins are true Chriſtians, endued with true faith; ſuch hauehave oile alwaies in their lampes: But the vnwiſe to be hypocrites, who hauehave a counterfet faith, and hauehave no oyle in their Lampes. Therfore of true beleeuers he ſaith; Furthermore, ſuch as are rightly ſeaſoned with the doctrine of the Goſpell, do lightly regard theſe ſtormes and tempeſts, but perſiſt immoueable, and perſe…e vntounto the end; and therefore are truely bleſſed, as ſaith Chriſt, Hee hat continueth to the end ſhall be ſaued.
Likewiſe in the ſame place; the other Virgins had not onelyonly their Lampes in their hands, but had alſo with their Lampes oyle in a readineſſe, that is, true faith, which God hath laid vp in their harts: they are furniſhed how to defend themſelues if any harme befall them. For they hauehave the worke of God for afſiſtance, not any fained opinion, which cannot beate off the aſſaults of death; ſuch did continue in the hope of the diuine promiſes. Theſe things Luth…r. Therefore the true beleeuers continue in hope. Alſo in the other page: Hence is it (ſaith he) that our Lampes ſhall neuer be extinguiſhed. Thus much he. Therfore the Lampe of true faith is neuer put out in the Saints.
The ſame Luther To. 5. in 1. Pet. 1. vponupon theſe words; Wee are borne againe not of corruptible but incorruptible ſeed. The word is foorthwith preached and heard; but when it taketh poſſeſsion of the heart, it cannot after die or bee aboliſhed. Neither will it indeed ſuffer thee to die, but will conſerue thee as long as thou doeſt adhere vntounto it. For example: When I doe he are that Ieſus Christ ſuffered death, and hath done away my ſinnes, and deſerued heauen for mee, and withall hath giuen mee all that he hath, now I do heare the Goſpell; when this is publiſhed in words, preſently it paſſeth away: but if it be receiued in the heart, and thou doeſt embrace him by faith, now can he not any more fall away: this truth can no creature demoliſh; the depth of Hell cannot at all exp…gne it.