For what and to faith, by which we take hold on Christ. works. And yet for all this we acknowledge that we are created, of good according to the doctrine of Paul, unto good works; to those good works, I say, which God hath before ordained", which he in his word hath appointed, and doth require us to walk in the same in which although we walk, and are become rich in good works, yet notwithstanding we do not attribute to them our justification; but, according to the doctrine of the gospel, we humble ourselves under the hand of him that saith: "So ye also, when ye have done all things that are commanded you, yet say, We are unprofitable servants; we have done no more than we ought to do." So then, as often as the godly doth read, that our own works do justify us, that our own works are called righteousness, that unto our own works is given a reward and life everlasting; he doth not by and by swell with pride, nor yet forget the merit of Christ: but, setting a godly and apt interpretation upon such-like places, he doth consider that all things are of the grace of God, and that so great things are attributed to the works of men, because they are received into grace, and are now become the sons of God for Christ his sake; so that at the last, all things may be turned upon Christ himself, for whose sake the godly know that they and all theirs are in favour and accepted of God the Father. In this that I have said (which is a little indeed in respect of the largeness of the matter, but sufficiently long enough in respect of one hour's space appointed me to speak in,) I have declared unto you, dearly beloved, the great effect of faith ; that is to say, that it justifieth the faithful; where, by the way, [6 jam non ex gratia, Lat.] [8 Luke xvii. 10.] [5 ex operibus, Lat.] upon, I have rather briefly touched, than at large discoursed True faith is the well-spring and root of all virtues and good works: and first of all, it satisfieth the mind and desire of man, and maketh it quiet and joyful. For the Lord in the gospel saith: "I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall not hunger; and he that believeth in me shall not thirst at any time." For what can he desire more, which doth already feel, that by true faith he possesseth the very Son of God, in whom are all the heavenly treasures, and in whom is all fulness and grace? Our consciences are made clear and quiet, so soon as we perceive that by true faith Christ, the Son of God, is altogether ours; that he hath appeased the Father in our behalf; that he doth now stand in the presence of the Father, and maketh intercession to him for us. And for that cause saith Paul: "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." Through the same Christ, also, by faith we have a free passage unto the Father3. Wherefore we pray to the Father in his Son's name, and at his hand we obtain all things that are available to our behoof. Very well therefore said the apostle John: "And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us. And if we know that he heareth us, whatsoever we ask, we know also that we have the petitions that we requested at his hands." They that want faith do neither pray to God, nor yet receive of him the things that are for their welfare. Moreover, faith maketh us acceptable to God, and doth command us to have an eye to the well using of God's good gifts. Faith causeth us not to faint in tribulations: yea also, by faith we overcome the world, the flesh, the devil, and all adversities; as the apostle John saith: "For all that is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that vanquisheth the world, even your faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?" Paul saith: "Some were racked, not caring, [1 John vi. 35.] [2 Rom. v. 1.] by faith, to be set at liberty, that they might obtain a better resurrection. Other some were tried with mocks and stripes, with fetters and imprisonments; were stoned, were hewed in pieces, were slain with the edge of the sword: they wandered in sheep-skins and goat-skins, comfortless, oppressed, afflicted, (of whom the world was not worthy,) wandering in deserts and mountains, and in the dens and caves of the earth 6." For the Lord himself in the gospel said: "This spake I unto you, that ye might have peace in me. In the world ye have affliction; but be of good confidence, I have overcome the world." Faith therefore both shall be, and is, the force and strength of patience. Patience is the props, uplifting, and preservation of hope. Of faith springeth charity. Charity "is the fulfilling of the law 9," which containeth in it the sum of all good works. But unless we have a true faith in God, there is no charity in us. "Every one that loveth him that begat," saith John the apostle, "loveth him also that is born of him 10." The hour is past a good while since, and no man is able in many hours, so substantially as it requireth, to declare the whole effect of faith. Ye have heard, dearly beloved, that true faith is the justification of the church or faithful of God; that it is, I say, the forgiveness of all sins, a receiving into the grace of God, á taking by adoption into the number of the sons of God, an assured and blessed sanctification", and finally, the well-spring of all good works. Let us therefore in true faith pray to God the Father, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that he will vouchsafe to fill our hearts with this true faith; that in this present world, being joined to him in faith, we may serve him as we ought; and, after our departure out of this life, we may for ever live with him in whom we believe. him be praise and glory for ever. Amen. [6 Heb. xi. 35-38.] [7 John xvi. 33.] [8 Hæc fulcit, &c., Lat. [9 Rom. xiii. 10.] [11 beatificationem, Lat.] This (faith) is the prop, &c.] To The Apostles' OF THE FIRST ARTICLES OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH THE SEVENTH SERMON. IN my two last sermons I entreated of true faith and the effects thereof; and among the rest in one place I said, that the articles of the christian faith are, as it were, a brief summary of true faith: now therefore I think it to be not beside the purpose, and part of my duty, to lay before you those twelve articles of our belief. For they are the substance and matter of true faith, wherein faith is exercised: which because it is the ground' of things hoped for, here is plainly and briefly declared in these articles what things those are that are to be hoped for. But let no man at this present look for at my hand the busy and full discourse of the articles of our faith: I will but briefly go through them, touching only the most necessary points. They are in another place handled more at large by several parts. Pray ye with me to the Lord, that he will vouchsafe to shew to us his ways, to guide and preserve us in them, to the glory of his own name, and the everlasting salvation of our souls. First, I have to say somewhat touching the common name, whereby the articles of our faith are usually called the Symbol or Creed of the Apostles. A symbol is as much to say as a conferring together, or else a badge3. The articles are called a conferring together, because, by the laying together of the apostles' doctrine, they were made and written to be a rule and an abridgement of the faith preached by the apostles, and received of the catholic or universal church. But what he was that first did thus dispose and write these articles, it is not known, nor left in writing of the holy scriptures. Some there are that do attribute it to the apostles themselves, and therefore do call it by the name of the Apostles' Creed. St Cyprian, the martyr, in his exposition of the Apostles' Creed, saith: "Our ancestors have a saying, that after the Lord's ascension, when by the coming of the Holy Ghost the fiery tongues sat upon every one of the apostles, so [1 substantia, Lat.] [2 operosam, Lat.] [3 et collatio, et indicium, Lat.] that they spake both divers and sundry languages, whereby there was no foreign nation nor barbarous tongue to which they seemed not sufficiently prepared to pass by the way; they had a commandment from the Lord, to go unto all nations to preach the word of God. When therefore they were in a readiness to depart, they laid down among themselves a platform of preaching for them all to follow, lest peradventure, being severed one from another, they should preach divers things to them that were converted to the faith of Christ. Wherefore being there all together, and replenished with the Holy Ghost, they gathered one every one's several sentence, and made that breviary (as I said) to be a pattern for all their preachings to be framed by, appointing it for a rule to be given to them that should believe." This saith Cyprian. But whether they were of the apostles' own making or no, or else that other, the apostles' disciples, made them, yet this is very well known, that the very doctrine of the apostles is purely contained and taught in them. These twelve articles are called also a badge, because by that sign, as it were by a badge, true Christians are discerned from false. of the Apostles' Creed, Now I will declare what order I will use in expounding The partition them unto you. This whole breviary, or abridgement of faith, may be divided into four parts; so that the three first parts may make manifest the mysteries of the three Persons in one Godhead; and that the fourth may lay forth the fruits of faith, that is to say, what good things we look for by faith, and what good things God bestoweth on them that put their trust in him. And yet, this notwithstanding, I will proceed [4 Tradunt majores nostri, quod post ascensionem Domini, cum per adventum sancti Spiritus super singulos quosque apostolos igneæ linguæ sedissent, ut loquelis diversis variisque loquerentur, per quod eis nulla gens extera, nulla lingua barbaries inaccessa videretur et invia, præceptum eis a Domino datum, ob prædicandum Dei verbum, ad singulas quemque proficisci nationes. Discessuri itaque ab invicem normam prius futuræ sibi prædicationis in commune constituunt, ne forte alius ab alio abducti diversum aliquid his, qui ad fidem Christi invitabantur, exponerent. Omnes ergo in uno positi, et Spiritu sancto repleti, breve istud futuræ sibi (ut diximus) prædicationis indicium, conferendo in unum quod sentiebat unusquisque, componunt, atque hanc credentibus dandam esse regulam statuunt.— Cypr. Expos. in Symb. Apost. in init. ed. Oxon. 1682. This tract is not Cyprian's, but was written by Ruffinus.] |