that we should do no good works. 2 Tim. iii. 5: Tit. i. 16: 20, 26. See below, p. 36. The devils have faith, but not the true faith. God and profit of our neighbours: much less it is our office, after that we be once made Christ's members, to live contrary to the same, making ourselves members of the devil, walking after his inticements and after the suggestions of the world and the flesh; whereby we know that we do serve the world and the devil, and not God. For that faith which bringeth forth, without repentance, either evil works or no good works is not a right, pure, and lively faith, but a dead, devilish, counterfeit, and feigned faith, as St. Paul and St. James call it. For even the devils know and believe that Christ was born of a virgin, that he fasted forty days and forty nights without meat and drink, that he wrought all kind of miracles, declaring himself very God. They believe also that Christ for our sakes suffered most painful death, to redeem us from everlasting death, and that he rose again from death the third day: they believe that he ascended into heaven, and that he sitteth on the right hand of the Father, and at the last end of this world shall come again and judge both the quick and the dead. These articles of our faith the devils believe; and so they believe all things that be written in the New and Old Testament to be true and yet for all this faith they be but devils, remaining still in their damnable estate, What is the lacking the very true Christian faith. For the right and true Christian faith is, not only to believe that holy Scripture and all the foresaid articles of our faith are true, but also to have a sure trust and confidence in God's merciful promises to be saved from everlasting damnation by Christ; whereof doth follow a loving heart to obey his commandments. And this true Christian faith neither devil hath, nor yet any man which, in the outward profession of his mouth and in his outward receiving of the Sacraments, in coming to the church and in all other outward appearances, seemeth to be a Christian man, and yet in his living and deeds sheweth the contrary. For how true and justifying faith. They that contínue în evil living have not true faith. any 1 G that er is it is 'hrist's aking his world serve that tance right BOND can a man have this true faith, this sure trust and confidence in God, that by the merits of Christ his sins be forgiven, and he reconciled to the favour of God, and to be partaker of the kingdom of heaven by Christ, when he liveth ungodly and denieth Christ in his deeds? Surely no such ungodly man can have this faith and trust in God. For, as they know Christ to be the only Saviour of the world, so they know also that wicked men shall not enjoy the kingdom of God. They know that God hateth unrighteousness, that he will destroy all those Ps. v. 5, 6. that speak untruly; that those that have done good John v. 29. works, which cannot be done without a lively faith in Christ, shall come forth into the resurrection of life, and those that have done evil shall come unto the resurrection of judgment. And very well they know also that to them that be contentious, and to them that Rom, ii. 8, 9. will not be obedient unto the truth, but will obey unrighteousness, shall come indignation, wrath, and affliction, &c. Therefore, to conclude, considering the infinite benefits of God shewed and given unto us mercifully without our deserts; who hath not onlycreated us of nothing, and from a piece of vile clay, of his infinite goodness, hath exalted us, as touching our soul, unto his own similitude and likeness; but also, whereas we were condemned to hell and death everlasting, hath given his own natural Son (being God eternal, immortal, and equal unto himself in power and glory) to be incarnated, and to take our mortal nature upon him with the infirmities of the same, and in the same nature to suffer most shameful and painful death for our offences, to the intent to justify us and to restore us to life everlasting; so making us also his dear beloved children, brethren unto his only Heb. i. 11. Son our Saviour Christ, and inheritors for ever with him of his eternal kingdom of heaven: these great and merciful benefits of God, if they be well considered, do neither minister unto us occasion to be idle and to live without doing any good works, neither yet stirreth us by any means to do evil things; but contrariwise, if we be not desperate persons, and our hearts harder than stones, they move us to render ourselves unto God wholly with all our will, hearts, might, and power; to serve him in all good deeds, obeying his commandments during our lives; to seek in all things his glory and honour, not our sensual pleasures and vainglory; evermore dreading willingly to offend such a merciful God and loving Redeemer in word, thought, or deed. And the said benefits of God, deeply considered, do move us for his sake also to be ever ready to give ourselves to our neighbours, and, as much as lieth in us, to study with all our endeavour to do good to every man. These be the fruits of the true faith: to do good, as much as lieth in us, to every man; and, above all things and in all things, to advance the glory of God, of whom only we have our sanctification, justification, salvation, and redemption. To whom be ever glory, praise, and honour world without end. Amen. NOCIS I our › the h$ 14 TRUE, LIVELY, AND CHRISTIAN FAITH. THE first coming unto God, good Christian people, Faith. ways. There is one faith which in Scripture is called a A dead faith. dead faith; which bringeth forth no good works, Jaines ii. 17, but is idle, barren, and unfruitful. And this faith 19. by the holy Apostle St. James is compared to the faith of devils; which believe God to be true and just, and tremble for fear, yet they do nothing well, but all evil. And such a manner of faith have the wicked and naughty Christian people; which confess God, as St. Paul saith, in their mouth, but deny Tit. i. 16. him in their deeds, being abominable and without the right faith and to all good works reproveable. And this faith is a persuasion and belief in man's heart, whereby he knoweth that there is a God, and agreeth unto all truth of God's most holy word contained in holy Scripture. So that it consisteth only in believing of the word of God, that it is true. And this is not properly called faith: but, as he that readeth Cesar's Commentaries, believing the A lively faith. Gal. v. 6. same to be true, hath thereby a knowledge of Cesar's life and notable acts, because he believeth the history of Cesar, yet it is not properly said that he believeth in Cesar, of whom he looketh for no help nor benefit; even so he that believeth that all that is spoken of God in the Bible is true, and yet liveth so ungodly that he cannot look to enjoy the promises and benefits of God, although it may be said that such a man hath a faith and belief to the words of God, yet it is not properly said that he believeth in God, or hath such a faith and trust in God whereby he may surely look for grace, mercy, and everlasting life at God's hand, but rather for indignation and punishment according to the merits of his wicked life. For, as it is written in a book intituled to be of Didymus Alexandrinus, "forasmuch as faith without works is dead, it is not now faith; as a dead man is not a man." This dead faith therefore is not that sure and substantial faith which saveth sinners. Another faith there is in Scripture, which is not, as the foresaid faith, idle, unfruitful, and dead, but worketh by charity, as St. Paul declareth Gal. v: which, as the other vain faith is called a dead faith, so may this be called a quick or lively faith. And this is not only the common belief of the articles of our faith, but it is also a sure trust and confidence of the mercy of God through our Lord Jesus Christ, and a steadfast hope of all good things to be received at God's hand; and that, although we through infirmity or temptation of our ghostly enemy do fall from him by sin, yet, if we return again unto him by true repentance, that he will forgive and forget our offences for his Son's sake our Saviour Jesus Christ, and will make us inheritors with him of his everlasting kingdom; and that in the mean time, until that kingdom come, he will be our protector and defender in all perils and dangers, whatsoever do chance; and that, though sometime he doth send us sharp adversity, yet that evermore he will be a loving Father unto |