Chapter 44

That we must give our Lord great thanks, for the gift of Faith; and that we must use it, to the end for which it was given; in such sort, as that we attribute not that to it which it hath not; and what both the one, and the other is.

IT is much reason, O thou Child of Christ, that all we who are Christians, be most cordially thankful to our Lord, who, out of his grace, bestowed this benefit of Faith upon us, whereby we might be grateful to him. Nor must we suffer a day to pass, without confessing this Faith; at the least in the morning, and evening; and without giving him particular thankes for this benefit. We must procure to conserve it in great sincerity, and purity, as a thing which importeth us much; considering to what end it was given us; both that we might not fail to use it for that which it is, & that we attribute not that to it, which it hath not.

It is given us, to the end that we may believe, that which God commandeth us to believe; and that it may be a light of knowledge, which may help to move our will, towards the loving of God, and the keeping of his commandments, whereby a man may be saved. But if any one will attribute to this Faith, that by it¹ alone, we arrive to have justice, and pardon of our sins; he shall fall into a² grievous error; as they have done who did affirm it, because, as already hath been said by the authority of S. Paul, No man can say, that Jesus is our Lord, but by inspiration of the holy ghost. Whereby it is to be understood, that the same inspiration is requisite to believe all the other mysteries of our Faith. And we know that our Lord said to some of them who heard him, why do you call me Lord, Lord; and do not the things that I command you. Now since they could so much as call Jesus, Lord but by faith inspired, as S. Paul saith; & yet, not doing that, which our Lord commanded, they were not in state of grace; it followeth clearly, that a man may have Faith without grace, which S. Paul affirmeth also in another place, where he faith, That if a man should have the gift of speaking tongues, and should comprehend, and possess all knowledge, and prophesy, and have all faith, so fare as that he could remove mountains from one place to another, and yet should be without charity, all this were nothing. And since it is certain, that the gift of tongues, (with the rest, which is there recounted) is compatible with mortal sin, it stands not with reason that men should make it impossible, for faith to be without charity; though it be true, that charity cannot be without faith. They are the words of the divine scripture, That justice is given by faith; but that it should be given by faith alone, is an invention of men; & a very ignorant, and perverse error. Whereof our Lord did warn us, when he said to S. Mary Magdalen. That many sins were forgiven her, because she loved much. Which words are as clear, to show that love is requisite, as there are any in the whole scripture, to show the necessity of faith. And that not only there must be love in the justification of a sinner; but because love is a disposition towards the obtaining of pardon, as faith is, they both must go hand in hand; and of both did our Lord make mention, in the conversion of S. Mary Magdalen. For, at the end of the discourse, he said; Thy faith hath saved thee, go in peace. Nor in that which our Lord said before, That many sins were forgiven her, because she loved much, would he say that it was, because she believed much, (giving the effect, the name of the cause) since it is evident, that our Lord having asked, which of these two debtors did love him most who released the debt, it was answered, He to whom the more was released (and not he to whom the less) he was to have concluded his discourse, with speaking of love, and not of Faith. And if liberty may be taken, for a man to say, that he called Faith, Love; (terming the effect, by the name of his cause) let us also take liberty to say, that in those places of the Scripture, where it is affirmed, That man is justified by Faith, Love is to be understood, by the name of Faith, by considering in the cause, the effect.

In plain manner did our Lord speak here (unless a man be disposed to hood wink himself, in so fair a light) and he called faith and love, by their own names, and both of them are requisite to justification, as we have said already. And our Lord did settle the same conjunction, when he said afterward to his disciples, The³ Father himself loveth you, because you have loved me, and have believed that I issued from him. And since faith & love, are both requisite to a man, without doubt he will have grief for his sins, as having grievously offended God, whom he loveth above all things; as it is plain, by the example of S. Mary Magdalen, and of other sinners who were comuerted to God.

Now⁴ because both these things are requisite (and others also which flow from them) towards the obtaining of justice; therefore doth the holy Scripture, sometimes name Faith, and sometimes Love, & sometimes sorrow & grief; of Repentance; and sometimes The humble prayer of the penitent, who saith, Lord have mercy upon me a sinner; and sometimes the knowledge of the sin itself. I have sinned, O Lord, said David; & instantly he heard the word of pardon, in the name of God. But yet he, who should be induced by this, to say that sin is pardoned, by a man's only knowledge of the sin; should fall into no small error; since Cain, and judas, and Saul, and many others did know their sin, and yet came not to obtain pardon of it. And so fare, without all ground, is it for them to say, That by only Faith it is obtained, in respect that the Scripture doth in some places make mention of Faith alone; as it is that, for the same reason, we might also exclude faith out of this business, as being unnecessary, because, in other places, the Scripture saith, That sins are forgiven by penance, & other means, without making any mention at all of Faith.

But⁵ the truth of Catholic doctrine is this, That both the one, and the others, are requisite; as dispositions, towards the obtaining of pardon and grace And if any man shall reflect upon this, That Faith is named many times, by way of attributing justice to it, and that by faith we are made the sons of God; and partakers of the merits of Jesus Christ, and such like effects, as do accompany grace, and charity; it is not because faith alone is sufficient for it; but because, when the Scripture attributeth these effects to Faith, it is to be understood of that Faith, which is form by charity, and which is the life thereof. Neither yet must these effects be attributed to Faith, as if necessarily, upon our having faith, we must have love; because true faith may remain, as hath been said, even when grace and love are lost; which love, as S. Paul saith, is greater than either faith or hope. And when our Lord spoke of faith and love, as well in that passage of S. Mary Magdalen, as in that other, which we mentioned, with his disciples, he named love, before faith; giving the precedent place of perfection, to that which was the act of the will; which yet, after a sort, is subsequent, if it be compared with an act of the understanding, to which faith belongeth.

It is also to be understood, that although the Sacraments of Baptism, and Penance, are necessarily to be received (or at least, a purpose of receiving them must be entertained) for the obtaining of that Grace which is lost (the former by Infidels, and the latter, by believers, who, after Baptism, have committed mortal sin) yet is there not, in holy Scripture, so frequent speech of them as of faith, for the reason, which shortly I shall relate. But yet, neither is the mention of them forborn, lest any one should think, that they were not necessary, towards the obtaining of justice. S. Paul⁶ faith, That God saved us, by the Baptism of regeneration, and renovation of the holy Ghost; and that Christ did cleanse his Church, by the Baptism of water, in the word of life. And it, because the Scripture saith, That we are justified by faith, we were to cast away the Sacraments; as justly were we to cast away says, since it saith, That salvation, and cleanness, is given by holy Baptism. But our Lord doth couple these things together, by saying, He,⁷ that shall believe, and be baptised, he shall be saved. The same Lord of ours, said also to his Apostles, when he instituted the Sacrament of Penance, Whose⁸ sins you shall pardon, they are pardoned &c. and consequently grace and justice, is given by this Sacrament, since there can be no pardon of sin, unless grace be given withal; which is signified, and contained, in all the seven Sacraments of the Church. And it is given to him that receiveth them wel● even with more abundance, than⁹ there is disposition in the receiver; in regard that they are privileged works, which by the very being received, do confer grace. Therefore ought they to be received, and renewed, in extraordinary manner, as the Catholic Church doth believe, and teach us.

Now,¹⁰ if Faith were, in the beginning of the Church, so frequently mentioned, & preached; it was fi● to be so, because the faith was then newly planted; and the endeavour was, to make infidels receive it; and to enter by it, as by the first gate, which showeth the way to salvation; that when once they were come in, they might be informed more particularly, both of what they were further to believe, and what they were to do.

So also was it necessary in those times to express, after a particular manner, the mystery, and high value of the passion, and death of our redeemer Jesus Christ, who with extreme dishonour, had then been crucified; and how the faith of this mystery, maketh men believe and confess, That upon that wood, which to outward appearance was so dishonourable, that divine life was hanged; and that there, in the midst of the earth, God wrought, by means of his death, the recovery, and salvation of the world. This faith being such, doth honour the dishonour of the Cross; and is the exaltation of that baseness, which was exercised thereon, in a strange, and extreme manner. For which reason, it was fit to make often mention of the name of faith; and that with great respect; since it resulted to the honour of Jesus Christ our Lord, of whose person, and merits she¹¹ giveth testimony, by preaching the height thereof.

So as, if the Scripture say. That men are iustifyedly faith; it is not meant, as if that alone were sufficient; but because it is the beginning, and foundation, and rote of all that is good; as the Council of Trent defineth; and¹² they who attribute justification to faith alone, do but seek for comfort in their tepidities; or in the impiety of their lives; desiring to secure themselves by the way of believing, that their Circle may be the wider in the way of living. And the peace, and confidence of a good conscience, which is caused by perfect charity, these men will needs obtain, without the taking of such pains, as the perfection of virtue doth require. Yea, and they content not themselves herewith; but, although, according to the very truth, no man can be entirely certain in this life, whether he be worthy of love, or hate, (though yet according to the grace & ver●ue which he hath, more or less, he may have more, or fewer reasons of confidence) yet these men, who give that certainty to such as believe, (according to their own imagination) that they are pardoned by God, which a Christian man is to have, in believing an article of faith, are people deceived by the devil; and these things are believed, by such as have neither any firm ground of faith; nor any sanctity of life; but are haters of all obedience; and who, being blindfold, go groping after the mysteries of God; and indeed if they were not blinded, the devil could not so easily deceive them.

Footnotes

1. A grievous error it is to hold that saith alone will save our souls. ↩

2. Note this discourse very well, for it doth much import. ↩

3. joan. 16. ↩

4. If this be well considered, it will overthrew the fancies, which the Caluinish have, concerning Faith. ↩

5. The doctrine of the Catholic Church, concerning this point. ↩

6. Tim. 3. ↩

7. Marc. v●●uno. ↩

8. joan. 10. ↩

9. To which disposition out of the Sacrament, there would not be allowed so great a grace, though yet still, the recea●●● must have good disposition, if he mean to acquire new gra●e and not to co●●●t a new ●acri ledge. ↩

10. This is worthy o● great consideration. ↩

11. The Church. ↩

12. O how true is this. ↩