Abridgment of Institutes of the Christian Religion, Book 3 · Chapter 1 – Chapter 2
CHAP. I. That thoſe thinges which are ſpoken of Chirſt doe profite vsus by the ſecret working of the ſpirite.
NOW muſt wee ſe how thoſe good things com to vsus, which the father hath giuen to his ſon, not to his own proper vſe, but that he might inriche the needy. And firſt we muſt hold this, that whatſoeuer Chriſte hath done it profiteth vsus nothing ſo long as we are ſeparate from him.Faith ioyneth vsus to Chriſt. Eph. 4.15. Rom. 1.17. 1. Pet. 2.4. And wee growe to bee one with Chriſte by faith*, which faith is giuen vsus partlie by the preaching of the worde, partlie by the ſecrete working of the ſpirite*.
2 But that the matter may be more euident, wee muſt vnderſtande that Chriſte came furniſhed with the holie Ghoſt after a peculiar maner: to wit,Why Chryſt came that hee may ſeparate vsus from the worlde, and gather vsus togeather into the hope of eternall inheritance. For this cauſe is he called the ſpirite of ſanctification:Rom. 1.4. becauſe he doth not onlie foſter vsus with a generall power, as other liuing creatures: but he is alſo the roote and ſeed of the heauenlie life in vsus.
3 That ſuch is the effectuall working of the ſpirite in vsus,The efficacie of the Spirit euen the verie titles which are giuen him doe teſtifie and manifeſtlie proue, hee is called the ſpirit of adoptiō*,Gal. 4.6. Rom. 8.15. the earneſt & ſeale of the inheritāce*, water*, oile*, the annointing*, fire*Iſay. 55.1 & 44.3. Ioh. 7.37., the fountaine and hand of God. All which doe plainlie teach that we are made members of Chriſte by the grace and power of Chriſte that hee may containe vsus vnderunder him, and that wee againe may poſſeſſe him*Luke. 3.16..*1. Ioh. 2.20.27*Ioh. 4.14.
4 But becauſe faith is his principall worke,*Eph. 4.15 Rom. 8.29 Faith is the principall work of the Spirit. thoſe things are referred vntounto it for the moſt part, which we finde vttered to expreſſe the force and operation of the ſpirite: becauſe by faith alone hee bringeth vsus to the light of the Goſpell. As Iohn teacheth that there is a prerogatiue graunted to thoſe which beleeue in Chriſte, to be the ſonnes of God, becauſe they are borne not of fleſh, and blood,Ioh. 1.13. Mat. 16.17. but of God*.
CHAP. II. Of faith where is ſet downe the definition thereof, and the properties that it hath are declared.
1 VVHEN in the ſchooles they diſpute about faith,The faith of the Schoolmen ſo ſone as they heare it named they conceiue no higher thing, but a certain cōmon aſſenting to the hiſtorie of the Goſpell: and in calling God ſimply the obiect therof, they carrie away ſillie ſoules rather with a vaniſhyng ſpeculation, then direct thē to the mark. For God dwelleth in light that no man can come vntounto, therfore Chriſt muſt needs come between: for which cauſe hee calleth himſelfe both the light of the world, the way, the truth, & the life*, becauſe no man commeth vntounto the father but by him.
The mediatour Ioh. 18.12 & 14 6.2 Therfore let vsus thanke the ſchoolemen for this euill, who hauehave couered Chriſt as with a veile, drawen before him, whom vnleſſe wee doe directlie behold, wee doe alwaies wander through many Labyrinths & Mazes. And beſide that they do deface the whole force of faith with their dark & miſtie definition, they hauehave forged a deuiſe of intangled faith, with which name adorning moſt groſſe ignorance, they delude the ſillie common people,Intangled faith. to their great deſtruction.
Ob. It is ſufficiēt to beleeue that which ye holy church beleeueth, neither need we to ſeek any further.
An. Is this to beleeue, to vnderſtand nothing, ſo that thou doe obedientlie ſubmitte thy ſenſe to the church? faith is not placed in ignorāce, but in knowledge: & that not only of god, but alſo of ye wil of god.
3 Ob. Becauſe we be inuironned with ignorance many things are to vsus dark now, wherein it is good for vsus to ſuſpend our iudgement, and to ſettle our ſelues to keep the vnitie of the church.
An. I graunt: but yet it is a moſt abſurd thing to giuegive ignorance tempered with humilitie, the name of faith. For faith lyeth in the knowledge of God & of Chriſt, & not in the reuerēce of the church vnderunder the title wherof ſomtimes moſt monſtrous errours are thruſt in.Faith lyeth in the knowledge of God.
Ob. We beleeue nothing abſolutely, without adding this condition, If the church do beleeue ſo.
An. By this meanes truth ſhould be holden in error, light in darknes, true knowledge in ignoraunce.Abſurdities.
4 Obiect. So long as we are in our pilgrimage in the world, our faith is entangled.
An. I graunt that we be ignorant of many things, and that we be compaſſed about with many clouds.It is the greateſt wyſdome to goe forwarde. For the principall wiſedome of euerie moſt perfect man, is, to go forwarde. Which we may note in the Diſciples of Chriſt, before they were fullie illuminate. Becauſe they did ſtagger euen in verie ſmall things.
5 But yet for all this the deſire which the faithfull hauehave to learne and profit,Voluntary ignorance. doth much differ frō groſſe ignorance, wherein they droupe, which are content with an entangled faith, ſuch as the Papiſtes imagine. For if Paule do ſharpely condemne thoſe, who are alwayes learning, & can neuer come to the knowledge of the truth, howe much greater reproch do they deſerue, who of ſet purpoſe are deſirous to know nothing?
6 Therfore this is the true knowledge of Chriſt,The true knowledge of Chriſt. if we receaue him ſuch as he is offred of his father, to wit clothed with his Goſpell: becauſe as he is appointed to be the mark wherat our faith muſt ayme, ſo we can not come directly to him vnleſſe the Goſpell go before vsus.
Queſt. If faith be reſtrained to the Goſpell, what ſhall the doctrine of Moſes and the Prophetes profite vsus?
An. It was ſufficient at that time to edifie faith:Why the Goſpell is called the doctrine of faith Rom. 10.4. but becauſe we hauehave a more perfect manifeſtatiō of Chriſt in the Goſpell, Paule doth for good cauſes call it the doctrine of faith*.
7 And although it be the office of faith to ſubſcribe to the truth of God, as often, and whatſoeuer, and howſoeuer he doth ſpeake: yet it doth properly reſpect his good will, merciemercy and promiſes of grace in Chriſt; into the certaintie whereof the holie Ghoſt doeth illuminate our mindes and confirme our hearts.The definition of faith. Whence we ſhall hauehave a perfect definition of faith, if we ſay that it is a firme and certaine knowledge of Gods good will toward vsus, which being grounded in the trueth of the free promiſe made in Chriſt, is both reuealed to our mindes and ſealed vp in our heartes by the holie Ghoſt.
vnformed faith8 Therefore that diſtinction of faith formed & vnformed, which flieth about in the ſchooles, is vaine.
Obiect. They which beleeue whatſoeuer is neceſſarie to ſaluation, hauehave faith, although they be touched with no feare of God.
An. Paule ſaith otherwiſe, with the hart man beleeueth vntounto righteouſeneſſe*:Rom. 10.10 therefore faith may in no caſe be ſeuered from a godly affection of righteouſneſſe.
9 Obiect. Paule teacheth an vnformed faith, ſaying: if anie mā hauehave all faith, ſo that he can moue mountaines, and yet hauehave no louelove, he is nothing*.
1 Cor. 13.2An. Faith is put in that place for power to worke miracles,Cor. 12.10. which the reprobates alſo had*. Therefore it is no maruell if it bee ſeparate from louelove.
Obiect. There be many formes of faith.
An. There is one onelyonly true faith of the godly.
Obiect. Manie beleeue that there is a God, that the hiſtorie of the Goſpell is true, and euerie parte thereof:Hiſtoricall faith. alſo they are moued with threatenings & promiſes.
An. The name of faith is giuen to ſuch, but vnproperly, becauſe they do not reſiſt the word of God with manifeſt vngodlineſſe.
10 But this whether ſhadowe or image of faith,A ſhaddow of faith. as it is of no importaunce, ſo it is vnworthie to hauehave the name of faith.
Obiect. Simon Magus is ſaid to hauehave beleeued*.
An. He doth ſhortly after bewray his want of faith. Such are they in whom the ſeed of the word is choked before it can bring forth frute*. Let thoſe which boſt of ſuch images of faith, know, that they are no better then the deuils*.Act. 8.13.
11 Obiect. Paule affirmeth that faith is a fruite of election*:Luk. 8.13. Faith of the Deuills and of the reprobate. Ia. 2.19. 1. Th. 15. Faith is the fruite of election. Heb. 6.4. Luk. 8.7.13. Temporall faith. whie then is it attributed to the reprobate?
An. The reprobate are ſometimes moued with the ſame feeling that the elect are*, although none be illuminate into faith, neither do in deed feele the efficacie of the Goſpell, but thoſe which are predeſtinate vntounto ſaluation. By ſuch temporall faith or which endureth onelyonly for a ſhort ſeaſon, they are made without excuſe.
Obiect. Therefore there remaineth no more for the faithful, wherby they may eſteme their adoptiō.
An. Although there be great likelihood betwene the elect of God, and thoſe which hauehave a fraile faith enduring only for a time, yet the ſure confidence is only in the elect, that they crie, Abba father*:Gal. 4.6. which alone continueth ſtable and firme.
12 Obiect. The will of God is vnchangeable, and his trueth doth neuer wauer: therefore the feeling of Gods louelove wherwith men are indued ſhall neuer decay.
An. The reprobate can neuer go ſo farre as to pearce into that hidden reuelatiō, which the Scrip- doth attribute to the elect alone. As a tree which is not planted deepe inough, that it may take roote, doth wither in ſucceſſe of time: though for ſome yeares it ſende foorth both leaues,A ſimilitude. and bloſſomes, and frutes.
Obiect. We might call the Spirit deceitful, which doth beſprinkle the reprobat with ſuch light, which afterward periſh.
An. He doth not quicken the ſeed which lieth in their harts, that it may alwayes remaine incorruptible, as in the elect*.
Rom. 5.5. The ſignification of faith. 1 Tim. 3.9. 1 Tim. 4.1.13 Alſo we muſt marke the doubtfull ſignification of the word. For faith doth oftentimes ſignifie as much as the ſound doctrine of godlineſſe*. Contrariwiſe it is ſometimes reſtrained vntounto ſome particular obiect*Mat. 8.10.. Sometimes it is put for the gift of miracles*Coll. 13.10: ſometimes for the doctrine whereby we are taught in the faith. But we ſpeake of the true faith whereby the children of God are iuſtified.
The expoſition of the definition, Knowledge14 Nowe let vsus proſecute euerie particular point of the definition. By knowledge we meane, not euerie comprehending, ſuch as men vſe to hauehave in their matters, but altogether infinite, and farre ſurpaſſing all other knowledge; & that rather by perſwaſion of the truth of God, then by reaſonable demonſtration.
Obiect. There is no knowledge of that which is infinite.
An. Bicauſe the Lord hath reuealed to his Saints the ſecret of his will,How faith is a knowledge. 1 Ioh. 31. Certayne and firme. which was kept ſecret from ages and generations, faith is for good cauſes called in the Scriptures a knowledge*.
15 We adde that it is certaine and firme, that the more ſounde conſtancie of perſwaſion may be expreſſed. For as faith is not content with a doubtfull and rouling opinion, ſo neither with a darke conceit: but it requireth a full and certaine certaintie ſuch as that vſeth to be which we hauehave of known and tried things.
16 This is the chiefe point of our faith,Toward vsus. that we do not thinke that thoſe promiſes of merciemercy which the Lorde doeth offer are true onelyonly without vsus, and not in vsus: but rather by comprehendinge them within vsus, wee make them our owne. Hence ſpringeth that confidence which Paule calleth peace*.Rom. 5.1.
17 Obiect. But the faithfull finde it farre otherwiſe,Faith is peace who are not onelyonly tempted with vnquietneſſe, but alſo ſometimes ſhaken with moſt grieuous terrors, which do not agree with that certaintie of faith.
An. When wee ſay that faith is certaine, wee do not imagine anie ſuch certaintie as is not touched with anie doubting, (becauſe the faithfull hauehave a continuall combate with their owne diſtruſtfulneſſe) but they neuer fall from that certaine confidence which they hauehave conceaued of the merciemercy of God. Wee hauehave an example in Dauid*.Pſal. 42.6. & 43.5. The vnquietnes of the faithfull. The firſt kinde of feare.
18 Therefore a godly heart doth feele in it ſelfe a diuiſion, which is partly delighted with ſweeteneſſe, by reaſon of the knowledge of Gods goodneſſe: partly it is vexed with bitterneſſe, dy reaſon of the feeling of calamitie: partly it leaneth to the promiſe of the Goſpell: partly it trembleth by reaſon of the teſtimonie of the owne iniquitie.Imperfection of faith is the cauſe of vnquietneſſe. Which variation commeth by reaſon of the imperfection of faith: foraſmuch as we be neuer in ſo good caſe in this courſe of life, that being cured throughly of all misbeliefe, we are whollie repleniſhed and poſſeſſed by faith.
Effects of faith19 Let this be the ſumme. So ſoone as any ſmall drop of faith, is dripped into our mindes, we do forthwith behold the face of God to be pleaſaunt, and faire, and fauourable to vsus, a farre of I graunt, but with ſo certaine a ſight, that we knowe that we are not deceaued. And the more we go forwarde, the nigher do we come to behold him.
20 Paule teacheth both things finely: For whē he ſaith that we know in part, and that we prophecy in part*,1 Cor. 13.9. he ſheweth what a ſmall portion of that diuine wiſedome is giuen vsus in this life. But the ſame doth teach elſwhere how ſure and not deceaueable a taſt euen a ſmall drop of faith doth make vsus feele, when he affirmeth that we behold the glory of God with ſo great efficacie, with open face, without hauing any vaile put betweene, that we are transformed into the ſame image*.2 Cor. 3.18.
21 Furthermore faith doth arme and fortifie hir ſelfe with the word,Faith leneth vponupon the worde. Temptation. to beare of all brunts. If therefore any ſuch temptation do aſſault her, that God is our enemie, becauſe he is angrie: ſhe aunſwereth that he is mercifull euen then when he puniſheth. Becauſe chaſtiſement commeth rather from louelove then from anger. Faith is ſhaken, yet at length it hath the victorie: ſo doth Iohn conclude*, This is the victorie which ouercommeth the world, your faith.
Chaſtiſment cometh rather from louelove then from anger22 There is another kinde of feare & trembling, whereby notwithſtanding the ſecuritie of faith is ſo litle diminiſhed, that it is thereby more ſurely eſtabliſhed. To wit when the faithfull thinking with them ſelues that the examples of Gods vengeance ſhewed vponupon the wicked, are vntounto them in ſteed of inſtructions, they take heede that they prouoke not the wrath of God againſt thēſelues with like wickedneſſe.
23 Therefore we are taught with feare & trembling to worke our owne ſaluation,1 Ioh. 5.4. which is that we accuſtome our ſelues to behold the power of God with great caſting downe of our ſelues.
24 Obiect. So often as we looke vponupon Chriſt, we graunt that we finde full matter of good hope, but becauſe we be vnworthie of all thoſe good thinges which are offered vsus in Chriſt,The ſeconde kynde of feare The feelinge of our owne vnworthines is the cauſe of doubting The hope of the faithfull by beholding our owne vnworthineſſe we ſtagger and doubt.
An. We thinke vponupon Chriſt not ſtanding a farre of, but rather dwelling in vsus. Therfore we looke for ſaluation at his handes, becauſe he doth make vsus (after we be ingrafted into his bodie) partakers, not onelyonly of all his good thinges, but euen of him ſelfe alſo.
25 Bernard diſputeth in like ſort,Hom. 5. dedica templi. by the benefite of God, ſaith he, ſomtimes thinking vponupon the ſoule, me thinkes I ſee in it as it were two contraries: if I behold it as it is in it ſelf, & of it ſelf, I cā ſay nothing more truely of it, then that it is brought to nothing, but of the merciemercy of God, we hauehave cauſe to reioyce, not in our ſelues but in the Lord.
26 Furthermore the feare of the Lord which is called elſewhere the beginning of wiſedome*,The ſoonnelie feare and the ſeruile. Pro. 1.7. and in ſome place wiſedome it ſelfe*Pro. 15.23., although it be but one, yet it floweth from a double vnderſtanding. For God hath in him ſelf the reuerence of a father, and of a maiſter. Therfore he that will worſhip him aright, muſt ſhewe him ſelfe both an obedient child toward him, and alſo ſtudie to do the dutie of an obedient ſeruant.Mal. 1.7.
27 Obiect. Iohn ſaith, that there is no feare in louelove, but that perfect louelove caſteth out feare*.1. Ioh. 4.18
An. He ſpeaketh of the feare and terrour of incredulitie,The difference betweene terrour and feare from which that feare of the faithfull differeth much. For the wicked do not feare God, but ſo ſoone as they heare of his anger, armed with power of reuenge, they quake and are taken with horrour forthwith. But the faithfull do more feare the offence then the puniſhment. Whereby it commeth to paſſe that we ſay there is a double feare, ſeruile and ſonnely.
The goodwill of God is the cauſe of ſaluation.28 Nowe we vnderſtand and know that the poſſeſſion of ſaluation and eternall life is obtained in Gods good will, which our faith doth reſpect. For if we can lacke no good thing ſo long as we hauehave God to be fauourable to vsus: it doth aboundantly ſuffice vsus vntounto the certaintie of ſaluation, when he him ſelfe doth certifie vsus of his louelove. Let him ſhewe his face ſaith the Prophet,Pſal. 80.4. & we ſhalbe ſafe*. Wherfore faith being layde hold on by the louelove of God, hath the promiſes of this life and of the life to come,The promyſes make faith careles. and perfect ſecuritie of all good thinges: but yet ſuch as may be gathered and had out of the worde.
29 Therefore wee make the free promiſe the ground of faith,The free promyſe is the foū dation of faith becauſe faith conſiſteth properlie in it. For though it be perſwaded that God ſpeaketh the truth, whether he command, or forbid: or whether he promiſe or he threaten: and doth alſo obediently receaue his commaundements, obſerue his inhibitions, take heed of his threatnings: yet it beginneth properly with the promiſe, in it it conſiſteth and continueth, and in it it endeth: for it ſeeketh life in the free promiſe of merciemercy: in which ſenſe not the Lawe, but the Goſpell is called the word of faith*.Rom. 1 5. &. 16 17. Pighlus.
30 Obiect. Such a reſtraint in pulling faith in peeces, doth lay hold but vponupon one peece.
An. Faith hath reſpect vntounto all parts of the word of God: but it neuer ſtayeth vntill it come vntounto the free promiſe of grace in Chriſt.
31 And hereby we gather that faith hath no leſſe neede of the word,A ſimilitude. then frute hath of the liuely roote of the tree: becauſe as Dauid doth witneſſe,Pſal 9.11. none truſt in God, but ſuch as know his name*: and in another place, I hauehave hoped in thy worde,Pſal. 119.45. Faith layeth hold vponupon the power of God by the worde. ſaue me*. Therefore we muſt not turne aſide from the word no not one iote, whereby we do alſo lay hold vponupon the power of God, which we do not conceaue to be idle but effectuall, whereby the Iſraelits alſo might learne, that God who was the authour of ſaluation once, would be the euerlaſting keeper thereof.
Obiect. Sara and Rebecca,The errour of Sara and Rebecca. through zeale of faith offended.
An. Both of them erred becauſe they paſſed the bounds of the word.
32 Againe we do not without cauſe include all promiſes in Chriſt:Promyſes in Chriſt. Rom. 1.17. when as the Apoſtle includeth all the whole Goſpell in the knowledg of him*, and in another place he teacheth that all the promiſes of God are in him yea and amen. For whatſoeuer God doth promiſe, he doeth thereby teſtifie his good will,The promyſes a teſtimonye of louelove. ſo that there is no promiſe of his which is not a teſtimonie of louelove. But no man is beloued of God, which is without Chriſt. For he is the beloued Sonne*,Mat. 3.17 & 17.5. Eph. 1.6. Note. 2. Kin. 5.19. in whom the louelove of the Father abideth, & doth afterward deſcend from him vntounto vsus. It followeth that we muſt caſt our eyes vponupon Chriſt, ſo often as anie promiſe is offred vsus.
Obiect. Naaman the Syrian*Act. 10.31., Cornelius the Gentile and Romane*, the Eunuch*Act. 8.7., were acceptable to God, and yet they knewe not Chriſt the Mediatour.
An. I graunt that in ſome point their faith was entāgled, not only as touching the perſon of Chriſt: but alſo as concerning his power,Naamans faith intangled. and the office which was enioyned him by his Father. Yet neuertheleſſe it is certaine that they were inſtructed in the principles which gaue them ſome taſt of Chriſt, though it were verie ſlender.
Preachinge of the worde.33 And this bare and externall preaching of the worde, ought to ſuffice abundantly, to make it to be beleeued, vnleſſe blindneſſe and ſtubburnneſſe did let it. Furthermore without the illumination of the Spirite nothinge is done by the woorde.Note. The holye ghoſt is the authour of faith. Moreouer the Spirite is not onelyonly the beginner of fayth, but he doeth alſo increaſe it by degrees, vntill it bring vsus vntounto the kingdome of heauen.
The increſings of faith.Obiect. On the other ſide Paule teacheth that the Spirite is geuen by the hearinge of faith*.
Gal. 5.5An. If there were one onelyonly gift of the Spirite, he ſhould hauehave ſpoken abſurdly in calling the Spirite an effect of faith, who is the authour and cauſe thereof: but foraſmuch as he ſetteth foorth thoſe giftes wherewith God doeth adorne his Church,The Spirit put for the giftes of God. and by the increaſinges of faith doeth bring it vntounto perfection, no maruell, if he aſcribe thoſe thinges to faith, which doeth prepare vsus to receaue the ſame.
34 Theſe are the myſteries of God, which are reuealed onelyonly to litle ones*Mat. 16.17..Mat. 11.25. For fleſh and bloude doth not reueale them, neither doeth the naturall man vnderſtande thoſe thinges which are of the Spirit*1 Cor. 2.14.: but the doctrine of God is rather to him fooliſhneſſe. Therefore the aide of the holie Ghoſt is neceſſarie, or rather he is his onelyonly power. The word of God is indeed like to the Sunne which ſhineth to all thoſe to whom it is preached,A ſimilitude. but with no frute among the blind.Note. But we which are by nature blind are enlightened by the Spirit.
35 Thereupon Paule calleth the Spirit of faith faith, not that which we hauehave naturallie,1 Cor. 4.13. but that which we hauehave of the Spirit*. Therefore he prayeth that God would fulfil in the Theſſaloniās all his good pleaſure, and the work of faith in power*.2. Theſſ. 1.11. For faith is a ſingular gift,Faith is the gift of God. which God giueth to whome he will.
36 But it is certaine that the minde is not ſufficiently illuminate, by the vnderſtanding and knowledge of the worde, vnleſſe the certaintie thereof do likewiſe pearce into the heart, both which the Spirite worketh.A ſimilitude. Eph. 1.13. Therefore he ſerueth in ſteed of a ſeale to ſeale thoſe promiſes in our heartes*, the certaintie whereof he had before imprinted in our mindes.
37 Obiect. That confirmation is in vaine,Faith is ſhaken but not ouercome when as faith is toſſed and ſhaken with continuall ſtorms of temptations.
An. But it is not ouercome, becauſe God is the protection, aide, tower, and buckler of the faithful*.Pſal. 13.6. & 47 3. & 27.1. OnelyOnly we hauehave neede of patience*.
38 Obiect. We can not otherwiſe be perſwaded of the grace and fauour of God toward vsus,Patience is neceſſarie. Heb. 10.36 Sorboniſts. Coniectures are contrarie to faith. but only by a moral coniecture, as euerie one doth think him ſelfe not to be vnworthie therof.
An. Nothing is more contrarie to faith then cō iectures.
Obiect. No man knoweth whether he be worthy of hatred or of louelove*.Eccle. 9.1.
An. This place is corruptly tranſlated: Salomon his meaning is:The ſenſe. If anie man will eſteeme and iudge by the preſent ſtate of thinges, whome God loueth, and whome he hateth, he ſhall take paines in vaine, ſeeing all thinges fall out a like to the iuſt and the vniuſt, to him that offereth ſacrifice and to him that offereth none.
To know certainly is not to preſume.39 Obiect. It is a point of raſh preſumption, for a man to chalenge and attribute to him ſelf the certaine knowledge of the good will of God.
An. I graunt, if we tooke ſo much vponupon vsus as to make the incomprehenſible counſell of God ſubiect to the ſlenderneſſe of our wit. But we ſay ſimplie with Paule*,1 Cor. 2.12. That we hauehave not receaued the ſpirite of this world, but the Spirit which is of God, who being our teacher, we knowe thoſe things which are giuen vsus of God.
Obiect. It is raſhneſſe to boaſt of the Spirite of God.
Rom. 8, 14. Ioh. 11.An. But Paule pronounceth that they onelyonly are the children of God, which are led by his Spirite. He being our guide we call God father*, and wee knowe aſſuredly that we be the children of God.
40 Obiect. Although we may iudge of the grace of God according to the preſent ſtate of righteouſneſſe, yet the knowledge of perſeuering vntounto the ende, hangeth in doubt.
Perſeuerance. Rom. 8.38.An. I am fully perſwaded, ſaith Paule*, that neither Angels, nor powers, nor principalities &c. ſhall ſeparate vsus from the louelove wherewith the Lord loueth vsus in Chriſt.
Ob. The Apoſtle had that by an eſpeciall reuelatiō.
An. But he handleth in that place thoſe good things which al the faithful in general hauehave by faith and not thoſe which he him ſelfe alone doth ſeale.
Obiect. But the ſame Paul in another place doth terrifie vsus by making mention of our weakeneſſe & inconſtancie. Let him that ſtandeth, take heed leſt he fall*.1 Cor. 10.12.
An. But not with feare and terrour, whereby we may be throwen downe, but whereby we may learne to humble our ſelues vnderunder the mightie hand of God, as Peter declareth*.1 Pet. 3.6
41 By theſe things which we hauehave alreadie ſayd, we ſee that the definition of faith which we ſet downe varieth not from the Apoſtles deſcription. Where he teacheth, that faith is the ſubſtance of things to be hoped for,What faith is. Heb. 11.1. and a certaintie of thinges that are not ſeene*.
Obiect. LoueLove is before faith and hope alſo.
An. Yea faith alone bringeth forth louelove,Faith is the mother of louelove. & euerie good worke beſides.
42 Nowe wherſoeuer this faith ſhall be, it can not be but that it hath hope of eternall ſaluation ioyned with it, as an vnſeparable companion,Faith hath hope for her companyon. or rather that it begetteth and bringeth it forth of it ſelf. Faith beleeueth that God is true, hope waiteth and looketh that in conuenient time he ſhew his truth:Note. faith beleeueth that he is our father, hope waiteth and looketh that he do alwayes ſo ſhewe him ſelfe toward vsus: faith is the foundation wherupon hope reſteth.
43 By reaſon of this affinitie the Scripture doth ſometimes confounde the worde of faith and of hope*.Faith and hope are ſometymes confounded. 1 Pet. 3.4.
Obiect. Hope hath a double foundatiō, the grace of God, and merit of workes.
An. The whole Scripture doeth teach that hope muſt looke vntounto the merciemercy of God alone,Lombardus his error. as it were with both eyes, as vntounto the marke which is common to her as well as to faith.