Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

And yet we have to consider here, ¹that god in giving and inspiring faith, doth not use his absolute power, or miracles in working, but a certain ordinary means agreeable to mans capacity: although he can in deed give faith without those means, to whom when, and how it pleaseth him: But we read, that the Lord hath used this ordinary means, even from the first creation of all things. Whom he meaneth to bestow knowledge and faith on: to them he sendeth teachers, by the word of God to preach true faith unto them. Not because it lieth in mans power, will or ministry, to give faith, nor because the outward word spoken by mans mouth, is able of it self to bring faith: but the voice of man, and the preaching of Gods word, do teach us what true faith is, or what God doth will and command us to believe. For God him self alone by sending his holy spirit into the hearts and minds of men, doth open our hearts, persuade our minds, and cause us with all our heart to believe that, which we by his word and teaching have learned to believe. The Lord could by miracle from heaven, without any preaching at all, have bestowed faith in Christ upon Cornelius the Centurion at Caesarea: but yet, by an Angel he doth send him to the preaching of Peter. And while Peter preacheth, God by his holy spirit worketh in the heart of Cornelius, causing him to believe his preaching. Verily Saint Paul saith, Howe shall they believe in him of whom they have not heard. How shall they hear without a preacher? And how shall they preach if they be not sent? So then, faith cometh by hearing: and hearing by the word of God. In another place also, Who is Paul (saith he) or what is Apollos, but ministers, by whom ye have believed, according as God hath given to every one? I have planted, Apollos watered, but God hath given increase. So then he that planteth is nothing, nor he that watereth, but God that giveth increase. With this doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul doth that agree which Augustine writeth, in the Preface of his book of Christian doctrine, where he saith: That which we have to learn at mans hand, let every one learn at mans hand without disdain.

And yet we haue to consider here, ¹that god in giuing and inspiring faith, dothe not vse his absolute power, or miracles in working, but a certaine ordinarie meanes agréeable to mans capacitie: although he can in déed giue fayth without those meanes, to whom when, and howe it pleaseth him: But we reade, that the Lord hath vsed this ordinarie meanes, euen from the first creation of all things. Whome he meaneth to bestowe knowledge and faith on: to them he sendeth teachers, by the worde of God to preache true fayth vnto them. Not bycause it lyeth in mans power, wil or ministerie, to giue fayth, nor bicause the outward worde spoken by mans mouth, is able of it selfe to bring fayth: but the voice of man, and the preaching of Gods worde, do teache vs what true fayth is, or what God dothe will and commaunde vs to beléeue. For God him selfe alone by sending his holy spirite into the hearts and myndes of men, dothe open our hearts, persuade oure myndes, and cause vs with all oure heart to beléeue that, which we by his worde and teaching haue learned to beleeue. The Lorde could by miracle from heauen, without any preaching at all, haue bestowed fayth in Christe vpon Cornelius the Centurion at Cesaria: but yet, by an Aungell he dothe sende him to the preaching of Peter. And while Peter preacheth, God by his holy spirite worketh in the hearte of Cornelius, causing him to beléeue his preaching. Verily Sainte Paule sayth, Howe shall they beleeue in him of whome they haue not heard. How shall they heare without a preacher? And howe shall they preache if they be not sent? So then, fayth commeth by hearing: and hearing by the word of God. In another place also, Who is Paule (sayth he) or what is Apollos, but ministers, by whome ye haue beleeued, according as God hath giuen to euery one? I haue planted, Apollos watred, but God hath giuen increase. So then he that planteth is nothing, nor he that watreth, but God that giueth increase. With this doctrine of Saint Peter and Saint Paul doth that agrée which Augustine writeth, in the Preface of his booke of Christian doctrine, where he sayth: That whiche we haue to learne at mans hande, let euery one learne at mans hande without disdaine.