Certain Sermons or Homilies (First Book of Homilies)

All these fathers, martyrs, and other holy men, (whom saint Paul spake of) had their faith surely fired in God, when all the world was against them. They did not only know God to be the Lord, maker and governor of all men in the world: but also they had a special confidence and trust, that he was, and would be their God, their comforter, aider, helper, maintainer, and defender. This is the Christian faith, which these holy men had, and we also ought to have. And although they were not named christian men, yet was it a christian faith that they had, for they looked for all benefits of God the father, through the merits of his son Jesus Christ, as we now do. This difference is between them and us, for they looked, when Christ should come, and we be in the time: when he is come. Therefore sayeth saint Augustine:¹ the time is altered, but not the faith. For we have both one faith in one Christ. The same holy Ghost also, that we have, had they, sayeth saint Paul. For as the holy Ghost doeth teach us to trust in God, and to call upon him as our father: so did he teach them to say,² (as it is written): Thou Lord; art our father and redeemer, and thy name is without beginning and everlasting. God gave them then grace to be his children, as he doeth us now. But now by the coming of our saviour Christ, we have ⟨image 26⟩received more abundantly the spirit of god in our hearts, whereby we may conceive a greater faith, & a surer trust, then many of them had. But in effect they & we be all one: we have the same faith, that they had in God, & they the same, that we have. And .s. Paul so much extolleth their faith, because we should no less, but rather more, give our selves wholly unto Christ, both in profession & living now, when Christ is come, then the old fathers did before his coming. And by all the declaration of .s. Paul, it is evident, that the true, lively, and christian faith, is no dead, vain, or unfruitful thing, but a thing of perfect virtue, of wonderful operation and strength, bringing forth all good motions & good works.

All these fathers, martyrs, and other holy men, (whom sainct Paul spake of) had theyr fayth surely fired in God, when all the worlde was agaynst thē. They did not onely knowe God to be the Lord, maker and gouernor of all men in the worlde: but also they had a special confidence and trust, that he was, and would be their God, their comfortor, aider, helper, mainteyner, and defendor. This is the Christiā faythe, whiche these holy men had, and we also ought to haue. And although thei were not named christian mē, yet was it a christian faithe that they had, for they looked for all benefites of God the father, throughe the merites of hys sonne Iesu Christe, as we now do. This difference is betwene thē and vs, for they looked, when Christ should come, and we be in the tyme: when he is come. Therfore saieth sainct Augustyne: