Fifty Sermons Containing the Chief Points of the Christian Religion, Sermons 1 · Decade 1 · Sermon 5
That there is one onelyonly true Fayth, and what the vertue thereof is.
¶ The fifth Sermon.
BEinge cutte of with the ſhortneſſe of tyme, and deteyned by the excellencie of the matter, I could not in my laſt ſermon make an end of al yt I had determined to ſpeake touching Fayth: now therefore, by the grace of the holy ſpirite I will adde the reſt of the argument which ſeemeth yet to be behind. Pray to the Lorde, that that which by mans voyce is brought to your eares, may by the finger of God be written in your hartes.
True Fayth is ignorant of all diuiſion, for there is ſayth the Apoſtle, Fayth is …ue alone.one Lorde, one Fayth, one Baptiſme, one God and Father of all. For, there remayneth from the beginning of the worlde euen vntounto the ende therof, one and the ſame fayth in all the electe of God. God is one and the ſame for euer, the onelyonly Well of all goodneſſe, that can neuer be drawne drie. The trueth of God, from the beginning of the worlde, is one and the ſame, ſet forth to men in the word of god. Therfore, the obiect and foundatiō of faith, that is God and the worde of God, remaine for euer one and the ſelfe ſame. In one and the ſelfe ſame fayth with vsus hauehave al the elect euer ſince the firſt creation of the worlde beléeued, that vntounto vsus through Chriſt all good things are fréely giuen, and that all truth neceſſary to be beleued is declared in the word of the Lord: wherfore, the faithful of the olde world, hauehave alwayes ſet led their faith on God and his worde: ſo that now without all doubte, there cānot be any more thē one true faith.
I know very well, that in the world … religions, but no more the… one true fayth.there are ſoweb many and ſundrye faythes, that is to ſay, religions. For, there is the Indian fayth, the Iewiſh fayth, the fayth of the Mahometiſts, & the fayth of the Georgians, & yet not withſtāding ther is but one true Chriſtian fayth, the abridgement whereof is conteyued in the articles of our beleefe, and is taught at the full in the ſacred Scriptures of both the Teſtaments. I know alſo that there are ſundry beliefes of men, reſting vponupon ſundry things, and beleuing that which is contrary to true faith: but yet neuertheleſſe, there remaineth but one true beliefe in God and his worde, (which is) an vndoubted perſuaſion and confidence of things moſt true, and aſſuredly certaine.
This confidence doth grow with increaſe Faith do… encreaſe and decreaſe.in the mindes of the faithfull, & contrarily decreaſeth againe and vtterly faileth. And for that cauſe the Apoſtles beſought the lord ſaying: Lord increaſe our faith. And Paul the Apoſtle doth in his writings eueryevery where, wiſh to the faithful the increaſe of the ſpirite and faith. Dauid alſo, before him prayed, ſaying: O God create a cleane harte within me, and take not thy holy ſpirite from me. For he had ſéene how that from Saule, whom he ſuccéeded in the kingdom, the good ſpirite of God was departed, and that in ſtéede therof the wicked ſpirit had entred into his minde which tormented him very pitifully. Here vntounto belongeth that ſaying in the goſpel, To eueryevery one that hath ſhall be giuen, and from him that hath not ſhalbe taken away that which he hath not, or that he maketh no accompt of, and ſhalbe giuen to him that hath. Neither was it in vain, that the Lord ſaid to Peter, I hauehave prayed for thee Peter that thy fayth faile not. For Paul ſpeketh of ſome in his time that made ſhipwracke of their owne …aith, and ouerthrew the faith of other. And to what ende I praye you, doe we dayly heare the worde of God, and make our humble petitions to the Lord, but bycauſe we looke for increaſe of godlineſſe, and requeſt his ayde to keepe vsus that we fall not from true fayth? verily Paul to the Theſſalonians, ſayth: We pray earneſtly daye and night to ſee you perſonally, and to ſupply that which is wanting in your fayth. And a little before, he ſayde: For this cauſe I ſent Timotheus, that I might be certi…ed of your fayth, leaſt by any meanes the tempter had tempted you, and ſo our labour had ben of no effect. The ſame Apoſtle alſo in his epiſtle to the Epheſians, ſayth: Chriſte gaue ſome Apoſtles, ſome Prophetes, ſome Paſtours and teachers to the reſtoring of the Saintes vntounto the building of the body of Chriſt, vntill we all meete together in the vnitie of fayth, and the acknowledging of the ſonne of God, vntounto a perfect man, vntounto the meaſure of age of the fulneſſe of Chriſt, ſo that now we be no longer children. Therfore ſo long as we liue, we learne that our fayth may be perfect, and if ſo be at any time it ſhall be weakned by temptations, that then it may be repayred, and againe confirmed. And in this diuerſitie (I meane) in this increaſe and weakneſſe of fayth, there is no partition or diuiſion, for the ſelfe ſame roote and ſubſtance of fayth doth alwayes remayne, althoughe it be at ſometime more, and at ſomtime leſſe. In like manner, fayth is not therefore Generall and particular faithchanged nor cut in ſunder▪ bicauſe one is called generall fayth, and another particular fayth. For generall faith is no other then that, whiche beleeueth that al the words of God are true, and that God hath a good will to mankind. Particular fayth beléeueth nothing contrarie to this, onelyonly that whiche is cōmon to al, the faythful applieth particularly to him ſelfe, beleeuing that God is not well minded towarde others alone, but euen vntounto him alſo. So then, it bringeth the whole into parts, and that which is generall into particularities. For whereas by generall fayth he beléeueth that all the wordes of God are true: in the ſame ſorte by particular fayth he doth beléeue that the ſoule is immortall, that our bodyes riſe againe, that the faythfull ſhall be ſaued, the vnbeléeuers deſtroyed, and whatſoeuer elſe is of this ſort taught to be beléeued in the word of God. Moreouer, the diſputation touching faith that is poured into vsus, and Faith inſp… red, and Faith gotten.fayth that we our ſelues get, touching formall fayth, and fayth without faſhion, I beléeue to be beaten out of them whiche of them ſelues do bring theſe newe diſputations into the Churche. True faith is obtained by no ſtrength or merite of man, but is powred into him of God, as I declared in my laſte Sermon: and though man obtaine it by harkning vntounto the word of God, yet neuertheleſſe, it is wholy impated to the grace of god. For vnleſſe this grace do worke inwardly in the heart of the hearer, the preacher that laboreth out wardly doth bring no profit at al. We reade in the third chapter of S. Auguſtins booke, De praedeſtinatione Sanctorū. That once he was in an errour, bicauſe he thought that that faythe, wherewith we beleeue in God, is not the gift of God, but that it was in vsus as of our ſelues, and that by it we do obtain the gifts of God, wherby we may in this world liue rightly and holily. But this he confuteth in that booke at large and that ſubſtantially. So then, true faith whiche bendeth on God alone, and is directed by the worde of God, is formall enough or ſufficiently in faſhion. Verily the forme of fayth …mall….is ingrauen in the heart of the faythfull, by the holy Ghoſt. And althoughe it be ſmall and dothe not growe vp to the higheſt degrée, yet notwithſtanding, it is true fayth hauing force in it as it were a graine of muſtarde ſeede. The theef that was crucified with our Lorde, beléeued in the Lord Ieſus, and was ſaued, although the force of fayth was ſtrong in him but a very ſmall ſeaſon, and brought not foorthe any great ſtore of the fruit of good works: finally, that faith of the théefe was not any whit diuers or contrarie from the faith of Saint Peter and Saint Paul but was altogether the very ſame wt theirs, althoughe their faith brought forth ſomwhat more aboundantly the fruite of good works. Peter and Paul were franckly and fréely iuſtified, althoughe they had many good workes: fréely was the théef iuſtified, although his good works were very few or none at all. Let vsus hold therefore, that true fayth is one alone, which notwithſtanding doth increaſe & is augmented, and again, may decreaſe & be extinguiſhed.
There remaineth nowe for me to The power and ef…ecte of faith.declare, the vertue and effect of true fayth. This hath the holye Apoſtle Paule done very excellently well, yea & that moſt abſolutely too. But although in the eleuenth chapter to the Hebrues he had ſayd very muche, he is compelled notwithſtanding to confeſſe that he can not reckon vp all: therfore at this time I meane to rehearſe a few vertues of fayth, leauing the reſt (dearely beloued) to be ſought out and conſidered of your ſelues,
True fayth before al things bringeth with it true knowledge and maketh Faith is the true knowledge that maketh men wiſe.vsus wiſe in déed. For by fayth we knowe God, and iudge aright of the iudgementes and workes of God, of vertues and vices. The wiſdome that it bringeth with it, is without doubte the true wiſdome. Many men hope that they can attaine to true wiſdome by the ſtudie of Philoſophie: but they are deceiued as farre as Heauen is broade. For Philoſophie dothe falſly iudge, and faultily teach many things touching God, the workes of God, the chiefe goodneſſe, the ende of good and euill, and touching things to be deſired and eſchued. But the very ſame things are rightly and truely taught in the word of God, and vnderſtoode and perceiued by fayth. Fayth therefore is the true wiſdome, and maketh vsus wiſe in déede. For Ieremie alſo ſayth. Behold they hauehave caſt away the worde of the Lorde, what wiſedome therefore can there be left in them? The wiſedome of Solomon, is worſhipfully thought of throughout the whole compaſſe of the world. And yet we reade that the Lord in the Goſpell after S. Math. vttred this ſentence againſt the Iewes. The Queene of the South ſhall riſe in iudgement with this generation and ſhall condemne it, bycauſe ſhe came from the endes of the worlde to heare the wiſdome of Solomon: and behold there is one in this place greater then Solomon. Chriſte is preferred before Solomon, and the wiſedome of Chriſt before the wiſdome of Solomon. But it is well known that the wiſedome of Chriſt the ſonne of God can not be attained to without fayth. Fayth therefore bringeth with it the moſt excellēt wiſdome. But herein, this wiſdome of ours deſerueth a ſingular prayſe, bycauſe they that deſire it are not ſent to forreine nations, with great coſt & laboure to learne it, as to the prieſts of Egypt, the Gymnoſophiſtes of India, the Philoſophers of Greece, or to the Rabines of the Iewes. God hath diſperſed the worde of God throughout the whole world, ſo that now the word of faith is in the hearts of all the faithful. For Paul the Apoſtle ſayth. Thus ſaith the iuſtice that is of faith, ſay not in thy heart who ſhall deſcende into heauē? that is, to fetch Chriſt downe from aboue. Or who ſhal deſcend into the deepe? that is to bring Chriſte from the dead againe. But what ſaith he? The word is nighe vntounto thee euen in thy heart: this ſame is the worde of faith which we preach, for if thou cō feſſe with thy mouth the Lord Ieſus, and doeſt beleeue with thy heart that God hath raiſed him from the deade thou ſhalt be ſaued. Faith therefore doth not only make vsus wiſe but happy alſo, the Lord him ſelf bearing witnes thervnto & ſaying to his diſciples. Happy are the eyes that ſee the things that ye ſe. For I ſay vntounto you that many Prophets and Kings hauehave deſired to ſe the things that ye ſe, and to heare the things that ye heare and heard thē not. We ſhal therfore finde in faith, a How man may attaine to …he chiefe goodneſſemoſt certaine determination of ye moſt notable queſtion ſtirred in, ſince ye beginning of ye worlde, of learned & moſt excellent wits, which is: by what meanes a man may liue, be happy, attaine to the chief goodneſſe, be ioyned to the chief goodneſſe, & ſo be iuſtified? There hauehave ben, yea & yet are, diuers opiniōs touching this matter, contrary the one to the other. But we do briefly & truely affirme, that by true faith a man doth liue, is happy, attaineth to ye chief goodneſſe, is conioyned to ye chief goodnes, & alſo iuſtified: ſo ye god dwelleth in vsus, & we in him, & that by faith we are both happy and bleſſed. What I pray you could hauehave ben ſpoken more excellētly worthily or diuinely, touching true faith? for ſe, faith quickneth vsus, maketh vsus happy, ioyneth vsus to the chiefe goodnes, ſo yt he in vsus & we in him may liue, & faith doth alſo fully iuſtifie vsus. But nowe it is beſt to heare ye teſtimonies out of ye ſcriptures. Faith maketh vsus happy. For to S. Pet. cōfeſſing ye Lord Faith maketh happy.Ieſus by true faith it is ſaide. Happy art thou Simon the ſon of Ionas. Fleſh and bloude hath not reuealed this to thee, but my father which is in heauē. S. Paule for ye proofe of faith bringeth in that ſentence of Dauid. Happy are they whoſe iniquities are forgiu…n & whoſe ſinnes are couered. Bleſſed is the mā to whō the Lord ſhal impute no ſin. Faith quickneth or maketh aliue. Faith quicknethEor the iuſt liueth by faith This doth Paule very often in his writings alledge out of the prophets. The ſame Paul alſo ſaith. The life which now I liue in fleſhe, I liue by faith in the ſon of god, who loued me and gaue him ſelf for me. Faith ioyneth vsus to ye eternal & chief goodneſſe, & ſo maketh vsus to Faith ioyneth to god.inioy ye chief goodnes, yt god may dwell in vsus & we in God. For ye Lorde Ieſus him ſelf in the Goſpel ſaith. He which eateth my fleſh, & drinketh my bloud dwelleth in me, & I in him. As the louing father ſēt me, ſo alſo I liue by the father, & he that eteth me ſhal liue by me. But to eate & drink ye Lord is to be léeue in ye Lord, ye he hath giuē him ſelf to death for vsus. Whervpon Iohn ye Apoſtle ſaith. We hauehave ſeene & do witneſſe, that the father hath ſent the ſon the ſauiour of the world. Whoſoeuer ſhal confeſſe that Ieſus is the ſonne of God, God dwelleth in him and he in God. Wherfore alſo Paul ſaide. I liue now, not I, but Chriſt liueth in me.
Moreouer faythe dothe iuſtifie. Faith i… ſtifieth.But for bycauſe ye treatiſe thereof can not be fitlye and fullye made an ende of this houre, I meane to deferre it till the next Sermon that ſhall be. At this preſent (dearely beloued) ye muſt remember, that there is but one true fayth, that is, the Chriſtian fayth. For although there be ſaid to be many fayths, that is religions, yet notwithſtanding there is onelyonly but one true and vndoubted fayth. And that dothe increaſe and againe decreaſe in ſome men. As for thoſe in whom it is rightly and godly obſerued, in them it ſheweth foorthe ſundry vertues. For it bringeth with it true wiſedome, finally, it quickneth and maketh vsus bleſſed and happy in déede. To God the father the authour of all goodneſſe, and of our felicitie, be all prayſe and glory throughe Ieſus Chriſt our Lorde, for euer and euer. Amen.