Collectanea. Out of St. Gregory the Great, and St. Bernard the devout, against the Papists who adhere to the doctrine of the present Church of Rome, in the most fundamentall points betweene them and vs.

That faith only iustifieth; and that there it an infallible certaintie of salvation from confidence of Gods mercy in Christ, knowne to a man in his owne conscience by an ordinary special divine faith.

COrde creditur adiustitiam, ore fit con∣fessio ad salutem. Iustitia siquidem in corde, panis in domo. Est enim iustitia pani & beati qui esuriunt & sitiunt iustitiam, quoniam ipsi saturabuntur. Siergo in corde iustitia, est iustitia quae ex fide est. Hac e∣nim sola habet gloriam apud Deum. Fit eti∣am ore confessio ad salutem, & securus iam suscipe eum qui in Bethleem Iuda naseitur Iesum Christum filium Dei. With the hart man beleeueth vnto righteousnesse, and

with the mouth man confesseth to salva∣tion. Truely righteousnesse in the heart, is as bread in the mouth, for righteousnesse is bread; and blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousnesse for they shall be satisfied. If therefore righteous∣nesse be in the heart, it is the righteousnes that is of faith, for that only hath glory with God: Let the confession bee also in the mouth to salvation, and then being se∣cure, receaue him who was borne in Be∣thleem Iuda Iesus Christ the son of God.

Nam sibi quidem ipsi fidere, non fides, sed perfidiae est. For truely for one to trust in himselfe is not of faith, but of vnbeleefe; neither is it confidence for a man to put his trust in his owne selfe, but diffidence & mistrust rather. But he is faithfull, who neither trusteth to himselfe, nor hopeth in himselfe, but is to himselfe as a lost vessel, so loosing his owne life, that he may keep it to everlasting life.

At vero iustitiae tuae tanta vbi{que} fragrā∣tia spargitur, vt non solum iustus sed etiam ipsa dicaris iustitia, & iustitia iustificans. Tam validus deni{que} es ad iustificandum, quam multus ad ignoscendum. Quamobrem

quisquis pro peccatis compunctus esurit, & sitit iustitiam, credat in te, qui iustific as impium, & solam iustifieat us per fidem pa∣cem habebit ad Deum. But indeed so sweet a savour of thy righteousnesse is every where spread abroad, that thou maist not only bee called righteous, but righteous∣nesse it selfe, and a iustifying righteous∣nesse. Furthermore, thou art as able to iu∣stifie, as thou art ready to forgiue. Where fore whosoever inwardly grieued for his sinne, doth hunger and thirst after righte∣ousnesse, Let him beleeue in thee who iusti∣fied the vngodly, and being iustified by faith only, he shall haue peace with God.

Againe in the same place, speaking of Christ who is our righteousnesse saith, Per iustitiam deni{que} quea ex fide est, solvit funes peccatorum GRATIS iustificans peccatorem. By the righteousnesse which is of faith, he looseth the cords of sinners, FREELY iustifying the sinner. And tea∣ching vs to beleeue in Christ speaketh of him, as of a righteousnesse quae delicta do∣nat, that forgiueth sinnes; And wherein that righteousnesse doth essentially and really consist, he expresseth thus, Delicta

inventutis meae & ignorantias meat ne me∣mineris & iustus sum. Remember not the offences of my youth and my ignorances and I am righteous or iust.

Sicredis peccata tua non posse deleri nisi ab eo cui soli peccasti, & in quem peccatum non cadit, benefacis; sed adde adhuc, vt & hoc credas, quia per ipsum peccata tibi con∣donantur. Hoc est testimonium quod perhi∣bet in corde spiritus sanctus, dicens dimissa sunt tibi peccata tua. If thou dost bele eue, that thy sinnes cannot be forgiuen, but by him against whom thou hast only sinned, and on whom sinne never fell, thou dost well, but adde withall, that thou should∣est beleeue also, that by him thy sinnes are forgiuen thee. This is the witnes that the holy Ghost beareth in thy heart say∣ing, thy sinnes are forgiuen thee.

Againe, Iustus est quis, nisi qui amanti se Deo, vicem rependit amoris? quod non fit nisi revelante spiritu per fidem homini aeter∣num dei propositum super sua salute futura. Quae sane revelatio, non est aliud quam in∣fusio gratiae spiritualis. Who is iust but hee that returneth loue to God who hath lo∣ved him? which is not done, but when the

spirit by faith, revealeth to a man the eter∣nall purpose of God concerning his own salvation to come. Quae sane revelatio &c which revelation is nothing else but the infusion of spirituall grace whereby the deeds of the flesh are mortified, and the man prepared to the kingdome of heauē, which flesh and bloud inherit not, recea∣ving together in one spirit, both whereby he may presume that he is beloued, and doth also loue againe. And this secret of faith he presently after saith is fons signa∣tus, cui alienus non communicat, est sol iu∣stitiae qui timentibus deum tantum oritur. A spring and fountaine shut and sealed vp to be private to themselues, the sonne of righteousnesse, which doth not shine but to them that feare God. And if there bee any that feele not that comfort in them∣selues, the Prophet (saith he) doth pro∣nounce of them that they are gens quae nō audivit vocem Deisui, a people that haue not harkned to the voice of God speak∣ing in them.

And before all this, in the same Epistle Sic ad ortum solis iustitiae sacramentum absconditum à seculis de praedestinatis &

beatificandis emergere aliquanclo incipit ex abysso aternitatis, dum quis{que} vocatus per timorem, iustificatus per amorem prasumit se quo{que} esse de numero beatorum, sciens ni∣mirum quia quos iustificavit illos & magni∣ficanit. So at the rising of the sun of righ∣teousnesse (in our iustification) the secret that was hidden from the beginning cō∣cerning them that are predestinate, and shall be blessed, beginneth to appeare out of the depth of eternitie, whilst a man called by the feare of God, and made iust by loue, presumeth that hee is one of the number of the blessed, knowing that whom he hath iustified, them also he hath glorified. For what? hee heareth himselfe called, when hee is striken with the feare of God, and he feeleth that he is iustified, when hee is all besprinkled with the loue of God, and shall he doubt of his glorifi∣cation? he is receaved into favour, hee is advanced, and shall he doubt onely of the finishing? It followeth, habes homo huius arcani indicem spiritum iustificantem, co{que} ipso testificantem spiritui tuo quod filius dei & ipse sis; agnosce consilium Dei in vocati∣one Dei. O man thou hast for thy decla∣rer

of that secret the spirit iustifying thee, and thereby testifying to thy Spirit, that euen thou art the child of God; acknow∣ledge therefore the counsel of God in thy iustificatiō. And this euery one receiveth in his iustification, wherein he beginneth to know, as he is known, there being givē to him to perceive somwhat beforehād of his future blisse, even as it hath lien hid from everlasting in God, by whom hee was predestinate, and shall more fully ap∣peare in the same God, when hee shall make him blessed; yet, of which know∣ledge of himselfe, now already perceived in part, he for the time reioycety in hope, but not in security rightly acknowledging himselfe to be the child, not of wrath, but of grace, he hath the triall & proofe of the fatherly affection of Gods goodnesse to∣wards him, he perceiveth and considently resolveth that he is beloved of God, and presumeth that he is one of the number of the blessed.

To conclude, this he saith of the sinner casting away the works of darkenes, and putting on the armour of light, Gloriari iam incipit, he now beginneth to glory

besides hope, in the hope of the glory of the sons of God; which glory now euen neere at hand hee beholdeth with open face, leaping for ioy at this new light, hee considereth and saith, Signatum est super nos lumen vultus tui Domine, dedisti laeti∣tiam in corde meo. The light of thy coun∣tenance is scaled vpon vs O Lord, thou hast put gladnesse in my heart. Iam si O bone Pater vermis vilissimus & odio dig∣nissimus sempiterno, tamen confidit amari, quia se sentit amare▪ imo quia se amari prae∣sentit non confunditur redamare. Although most gratious Father, he now bee a most vile worme, & worthy of euerlasting ha∣tred, yet doth he assure himselfe that hee is beloved, because he feeleth himselfe to loue; nay because he first feeleth himself to be beloved; therefore hee is not asha∣med to loue againe.

Again: Quis poterit salvus esse? dicunt discipuli Salvatoris. Apud homines hoc impossibile est, sed non apud Deum. Who shalbe saved? say the Disciples of our Sa∣viour. This is impossible with men, but not with God. This is our whole confi∣dence; this is our onely comfort; this is

the whole meanes of our hope But being sure of Gods ablenesse to saue vs, what do we to be assured of his will thereto? For who knoweth whether hee be worthy of loue or hatred? who hath knowen the mind of the Lord, or who hath beene his counsellor? Hic iam planè fidem nobis sub∣venire necesse est. But heere faith must needs helpe vs; heere Gods truth must needs be our succour, that that which ly∣eth hid concerning vs in the Heart of God our Father may by his Spirit be revea∣led vnto vs, and his Spirit by the testimony thereof may perswade our spirits, that wee are the children of God, and that it is done by calling & iustifying of vs freely by faith; in which two there is as it were a certaine middle passage, from the eternall prede∣stination to the glorification which shall be heereafter.

Againe, vpon this Text, Omnis qui na∣tus est ex Deo, non peccat, sed generatio coe∣lestis conservat illum. Euery one that is borne of God sinneth not, but the gene∣ration of God, or he that is begotten of God, doth keepe him, saith. Sed generati∣onem istam quis enarrabit? But who shall

declare this generation? who can say, I am one of the number of the elect? I am one of the children; The Scripture say∣ing, Man doth not know whethe hee be worthy of loue or hatred: verily we haue not a certainety, but the boldnes of hope doth comfort vs, lest we should be alto∣gether grieved with the perplexity of the doubt, Sed propter hoc data sunt signaquae∣dam, &c: but for all this there are manifest signes and tokens of salvation, that it is without all doubt that hee is of the num∣ber of the Elect, in whom those tokens doe remaine.

Of which tokens or signes he speaketh thus in another place, Quomodo sine testi∣monio electos suos deserat Deus? How should God leaue his Elect without testi∣mony? (of their election) or what com∣fort might there bee vnto them floting carefully betwixt hope and feare, if they did not finde the favour to haue some te∣stimony thereof? The Lord knoweth who are his, he onely knoweth whom he hath chosen from the beginning; but what man knoweth, if hee be worthy of loue or hatred? But if, as certaine it is,

that certainety be deemed vnto vs, how much the more delightfull shall they bee, if we can finde any tokens of this electiō? For what rest can our soule haue, so long as it hath no testimony of its owne prede∣stination? Therefore it is a word to bee beleeved, and worthy by al meanes to be received, whereby the witnesse and testi∣mony of our saluation is commended vn∣to vs.

Further, speaking of the seuenth Loafe. and the three peeces belonging vnto it: & expressing this certainety in himself saith, Septimus quo{que} panis est spes obtinendi, cu∣ius nihilominus teneo fragmenta tria, & co∣rum sapor dulcis admodum gutturi meo. The seuenth Loafe saith he, is hope of ob∣taining pardon for my sin; of which Loafe I hold three pieces, the taste of which is very sweet to my throat. There be three I say, which doe so strengthen and con∣firme my heart, as that no want of merits, no consideration of mine owne vilenesse, no estimation of the heavenly blisse can cast mee downe from the height of my hope being fast rooted therein. These 3 I say, wherein my hope wholly consisteth

charitatem adoptionis, veritatem promissi∣onis, potestatem redditionis; the loue of God in adopting me; the truth of his pro∣mise; & his power to performe the same. Let my foolish thought now repine and murmure as much as it will, saying, Who art thou, and how great is that glory; and by what merits doest thou hope to ob∣taine the same? & I will boldly answere. I know whom I haue beleeved, and I am certaine and sure of it, because he hath a∣dopted me in great loue, because he is true in his promise, and because he is of power to make good the same.

Further. Quae in vobis anima sensit ali∣quando in secreto conscientiae suae spiritum filij clamantem, Abba Pater, Ipsa, ipsapa∣terno se diligi affectu praesumat, quae eodem se spiritu, quo & filius affectam sentit, con∣fide quaecun{que} es illa, confide nihil hasitans. What soule amongst you soever doth sometime feele in the secret of his consci∣ence, the spirit of the sonne, crying Abba Father; that soule, euen that soule may presume that it is beloued with a Fatherly affection, which doth feele it selfe belo∣ved by the same spirit, that the sonne is;

bee bold how foule soever thou art, bee bold, doubting nothing at all. In the spi∣rit of the son, acknowledge thy selfe to bee the daughter of the wife and sister of the son. Non est quod iam talis anima di∣cere vereatur, dilectus meus mihi: quod ex eo quod se diligere, & vehementer diligere sentit, etiam diligi nihilominus vehementer non ambigit, ac de sua singulari intentione, solicitudine, cura, opera, diligentia studio{que} quo incessanter & ardenter invigilat quem∣admodum placeat Deo, aeque haec omnia in ipso indubitanter agnoscit, recordans pro∣missionis eius; Ergo ex proprijs, quae sunt pe∣nes Deum agnoscit, nec dubitat se amari, qui amat. There is now no occasion that such a soule should be afraid to say, my Welbeloved is mine, which out of that, that it perceiveth it self to loue, & vehemently to loue, doth nothing doubt, but that it is beloved againe vehemently; & out of its owne speciall diligence, care, study, inde∣vour, whereby it doth earnestly & with∣out intermission take good heed, how it may please God, it doth vndoubtedly ac∣knowledge all these things to be in him, remembring his promise. Therefore from

those things which are properly Gods it doth acknowledge, nor at all doubt, but that it is beloved, which doth loue.

Mens quae divino Spiritu impletur, hà∣bet evidentissima sua signa, virtutes scilieet & humilitatem, quae si utra{que} perfectè in u∣namente conveniant, liquet quod de prae∣sentia Spiritus Sancti testimonium ferant. The mind that is filled with the holy Spi∣rit, hath its most evident signes & tokēs, that is to wit, grace and humility, both which if they meet together in one soule, it is certaine, that they beare witnesse of the presence of the holy Ghost.

Deum sitiens anima prius timore com∣pungitur, post amore &c. at verò quum lon∣ga moeroris anxietate fuerit formido con∣sumpta▪ quaedam iam de presumptione veniae nascitur securitas. The soule that thirsteth after God, is first pricked with feare, then with loue; but when feare through long heavinesse of sorrow shalbe consumed, there is then a certaine security bred of obtaining mercy.

Iustiviri securitas recte Leoni compara∣tur, quia contra se cum quoslibet iusurgere conspicit, ad mentis suae confidentiam redit:

& scit quia cunctos adversantes superat, quia illum solum diligit, quem invitus nullo modo amittat. The cōfidence of a iust man may rightly be compared to a Lion; be∣cause when he seeth any to rise vp against him, retireth to the assurance of his owne mind, & knoweth that he doth overcome all that oppose, because he onely loueth him, whom vnwillingly by no meanes he may lose.

Notes

• In vigil. natal. dom. Serm. 1. in fine.
• Faith as it is an instrument of ap¦prehēding Christ to righteousnesse and life everla∣sting is alwaies alone, but as it is the way to sal∣vation, it is not alone. Rom. 10.10.
• Ibid. Serm. 5. If there were in∣herent righte∣ousnesse; man might trust to himselfe, but hee may not trust to himselfe, there∣fore he hath not inherent righte∣ousnesse.
• Hunger & thirst after righteous∣nesse saith he, not inherent righteousnesse, but that righte∣ousnesse which consisteth in the forgiuenesse of sinnes. Idem ibid. Note. Iustificati∣on before God is no where in al the Scripture a∣scribed to any o∣ther vertuesaue only faith, the promise of salva∣tion is somtimes adioyned to o∣ther vertues, as fruits and marks of them whom God hath saued but never as causes thereof. S. Bernard spea∣keth of a righ∣teousnesse, that forgiueth sinnes, and that is not inherent righte∣ousnesse, I trow. This is the very forme of our righteousnesse, not to remem∣ber our offences. Ser. 1. de annun.
• The faith wher∣by a man is tis∣stified, is such a faith as where∣by I beleeue my owne salvation.
• Epist. 107. Why should not a mā beleeue his owne salvation, when the spirit by faith revealeth to him the purpose of God, that he shal be saued.
• Ibid.
• Saint Bernard establisheth a foresight of fu∣ture blisse.
• Although a mā must not at all times reioyce in security, as though there were nothing a∣ny more to trou∣ble him: but he may be thus far secure, as to be without doubt of an happy issue & deliverance, and this is the hope that we re∣ioyce in.
• For all his de∣niall of glorying in security, yet doth he ever e∣stablish our re∣ioycing in hope, because much conflict remai∣neth for the at∣tayning of that which notwith∣standing cer∣tainly and vn∣doubtedly is ho∣ped for.
• Serm. 5. in de∣dicatione ec∣cles.
• Although by o∣ther meanes wee cannot know whether we be beloved or hated of God; yet by faith and by the spirit of God, that secret is re∣vealed vnto vs, that wee are be∣loued of God & are his children.
• In Septuag. Serm. 1. 1. Iohn. 5. v. 18.
• This excludeth all apprehension of flesh and bloud, as iudg∣ment of reason or humane knowledge, but the secret of the spirit is exclu∣deth not.
• In Octav. Pasc. Serm. 2.
• The certainety of faith is gathe∣red from such signes & tokens as by the Word of God are deli∣uered vnto vs, & according to Saint Bernard are such as doe keepe vs from that wauing & wandring, which otherwise might bee be∣twixt hope and feare. Idem de E∣vang. septem panis Serm. 3.
• Saint Bernard affirmeth a cer∣tainty of faith, built, not vpon his owne imme∣diate knowledge and apprehensi∣on, but vpon the loue of God in adopting him the truth of his promise, and his power to per∣forme the same.
• Serm. 8. in Cant.
• In Cant. 69. Serm.
• Greg. dial. lib. 1. cap. 1.
• Greg. lib. 6. registri c. 187.
• Greg. Moral. lib. 31. cap. 23.