WE be such aenemies of our own salvation by reason of our natural corruption, that if God did but only advertise us that we should find our salvation in Jesus Christ, we2 would make but a mock of it, as the world hath always done, and will do until the end of the world, Moreover cif he had not joined other things to it but only told us that the means to feel the fruit of this medicine against eternal death, is to believe in Jesus Christ, this had served no more then the other. For concerning all this we be but dumb, ddeaf, eand naturally blind, fand it had been as impossible for us to gbelieve of our selves as it is impossible for a man y• is dead to fly. Wherefore it was necessary that with the same, this our Good father which hath elected us, should come and redouble his mercy •owardes his enemies, and declaring hto us that he ⟨image 38⟩hath so loved the world y• he hath given his only begotten son, upon this condition, that whosoever embrace him by faith, shall not perish. He createth in us likewise this means of faith which he requireth of us. Now the faith which we speak of, is not to believe only that God is God, and that the contents of his word be •rewe (for the Devils have this9 faith, and can not but tremble at it) but kwe call faith a certain knowledge which the holy Ghost by his only grace and goodness, engraveth more and more in the hearts of the elected of god, by y• which each one of them being ass•r•eined in his heart of his election, doth apply & appropriate to himself the promise of his salvation in Jesus Christ. Faith I say, believeth not only that Jesus Christ is dead & risen for11 sinners, but proceedeth to embrace Jesus Christ, in whom only she trusteth and so assureth her self of her salvation that she mdoubteth not, and for that ⟨p. 16⟩cause said Saint Bernard naccording to all the Scripture as followeth. If thou believe that thy since may not be put away, but by him whom thou hast offended, and also who is not subject to sin, thou dost well: but yet join thereto another point, that is so say, that thou believe also that by him thy sins before given. And this is the witness which the holy Ghost bringeth in our hearts, saying: thy sins are forgiven thee.
WE be such aenemies of our own saluation by reason of our naturall corruption, that yf God did but only aduertise vs that we should fynd our saluation in Iesus Christe, wee2 woulde make but a mocke of it, as the world hath alwayes done, and wil doe vntyl the ende of the world, Moreouer cif he had not ioyned other thinges to it but onelye tolde vs that the means to feele the fruite of this medicin against eternall death, is to beleue in Iesus Christe, this had serued no more then the other. For concerning al this wee be but dumbe, ddeafe, eand naturally blind, fand it had bene as impossible for vs to gbeleue of our selues as it is impossible for a man y• is dead to flye. Wherefore it was necessarye that with the same, this our Good father which hath elected vs, should com and redouble his mercy •owardes his enemies, and declaring hto vs that he ⟨image 38⟩hath so loued the worlde y• he hath geuen his onel•e begotten sonne, vppon this condycyon, that whosoeuer embrace him by fayth, shall not peryshe. He createth in vs likewyse this meanes of fayth which he requireth of vs. Nowe the faith which we speake of, is not to beleue onelye that God is God, and that the contentes of his word bee •rewe (for the Deuilles haue thys9 faythe, and can not but tremble at it) but kwe call faythe a certayne knowledge which the holy Ghost by his onely grace and goodnes, engraueth more and more in the hearts of the elected of god, by y which eche one of thē being assreined in his heart of his election, doth apply & appropriat to himself the promyse of hys saluatyon in Iesus Christ. Fayth I say, beleueth not only that Iesus Christ is dead & rysen for
- aRoma. 8. 1. Cor. 2.
- 2b Luke. 23
- cJohn. 3Iohn. 3
- dPsal. 51
- eProver. 40Prouer. 40
- fJohn. 1Iohn. 1
- gJohn. 12Iohn. 12
- hJohn. 3, bIohn. 3, b
- 9i James. •. di Iames. •. d
- k1. Cor. 2 c
- 11Rom. 8,
- mEphe. 3
- nFirst sermon of the annunciation.First sermō of the anunciation.
