those beneficial gifts, if they be not thankful. If we should shut up into a strait corner the bountiful grace of the Holy Ghost, and thereupon attempt to build our fancies, we should make as perfect a work thereof, as those that took upon them to build the tower of Babylon. For God would so provide, that the offspring of other best born children should peradventure become most unapt to learn and very dull, as I myself have seen no small number of them very dull, and without all manner of capacity. And, to say the truth, I take it that none of us all here, being gentlemen born, (as I think), but had our beginning that way from a low and base parentage: and through the benefit of learning and other civil knowledge, for the most part, all gentles ascend to their estate. "Then it was again answered, that the most part of the nobility came up by feat of arms and martial acts. “As though, (quoth the archbishop), that the noble captain was always unfurnished of good learning and knowledge, to persuade and dissuade his army rhetorically, which rather that way is brought unto authority than else his manly looks. To conclude, the poor man's son by painstaking will for the most part be learned, when the gentleman's son will not take the pains to get it. And we are taught by the Scriptures, that Almighty God raiseth up from the dunghill and setteth him in high authority; and when so it pleaseth him, of his divine providence, deposeth princes unto a right humble and poor estate. Wherefore if the gentleman's son be apt to learning, let him be admitted: if not apt, let the poor man's child apt enter his room. With such like words in effect." Abp. Cranmer's Works, vol. ii. pp. 397-399. Park. Soc. ed.] MSS. C.C. C.C. Mis 241 et sqq.] NUMBER XXXI. THREE DISCOURSES OF ARCHBISHOP CRANMER, OCCASIONED I. Faith. "THIS book speaketh of the pure Christian faith uncellan. D. feigned, which is without colour, as well in heart, as in [civ. pp. mouth. He that hath this faith converteth from his sin, repenteth him, that he, like 'filius prodigus,' vainly consumed his will, reason, wits, and other goods, which he received of the mere benefit of his heavenly Father, to his said Father's displeasure; and applieth himself wholly to please him again, and trusteth assuredly, that for Christ's sake he will and doth remit his sins, withdraweth his indignation, delivereth him from hell, from the power of the infernal spirits, taketh him to his mercy, and maketh him his own son, and his own heir: and he hath also the very Christian hope, that after this life he shall reign ever with Christ in his kingdom. For St. Paul saith,' Si filii sumus, et hæredes; hæredes quidem Dei, cohæredes autem Christi.' "This is the very pure Christian faith and hope, which every good Christian man ought to profess, believe, and trust, and to say of himself even as Job said, 'Scio quod Redemptor meus vivit, [et in novissimo die terra surrecturus sum, et rursum circumdabor pelle mea, et in carne mea videbo Deum salvatorem meum, quem visurus sum ego ipse et non alius. Reposita est hæc spes mea in sinu meo.'] b [These discourses are corrected from the C.C.C.C. MSS. for this edition.] "And as for the other faith, that the good shall arise unto glory, and the evil unto pain; or that those which 'persevere in God's precepts and laws, so long as they so 58 do, they be the right inheritors of his kingdom;' this is not the commendation of a Christian man's faith, but a most certain proposition, which also the devils believe most certainly. And yet they shall never have their sins forgiven by this faith, nor be inheritors of God's kingdom; because they lack the very Christian faith, not trusting to the goodness and mercy of God for their own offences, but they hate God, envy his glory, and be utterly in despair. "For the more large declaration of the [pure] Christian faith, it is to be considered that there is a general faith, which all that be Christian, as well good as evil, have: as, to believe that God is, that he is the Maker and Creator of all things, and that Christ is the Saviour and Redeemer of the world, and for his sake all penitent sinners have remission of their sins; and that there shall be a general resurrection at the end of this mortal world, at the which Christ shall judge all the good to joy without end, and the evil to pain without end; with such other like things. And all these things even the devils also believe, and tremble for fear and grievousness of God's indignation and torments, which they shall endure, and ever shall do. But they have not the right Christian faith, that their own sins by Christ's redemption be pardoned and forgiven, that themselves by Christ be delivered from God's wrath, and be made his beloved children, and heirs of his kingdom to come. "The other faith have all devils and wicked Christian people that be his members: but this pure Christian faith have none, but those that truly belong to Christ, and be the very members of his body, and endeavour themselves to persevere in his precepts and laws; although many CRANMER, VOL. I. G g pretend to have the same pure faith, which nevertheless have it not, but only in their mouths. For as there is a love in the mouth and a love in the heart, even so there is a faith in mouth and a faith in heart. Examine every man if he trust in God, and love God above all things; and in words he will answer, Yea: but examine every man's acts and deeds, and surely in a great number their acts and deeds condemn their words. For they walk after their own wills and pleasures, and not after God's commandments. And Christ himself saith, 'Qui diligit me, mandata mea servat.' And St. John saith, 'Qui dicit se nosse Deum, et mandata ejus non custodit, mendax est.' "And therefore all those that bridle not their own appetites, but follow them, and accomplish the will of their own carnal minds, they trust in God and love God no further than the lips. And if they persuade themselves that they trust in God and love God in their hearts, and be of any estimation before God, then be they much deceived; and, as St. Paul saith, they deceive their own hearts.' Our own flesh and carnal mind is contrary to the Spirit and motion of God; and they,' saith St. Paul, 'that belong unto Christ, do crucify their flesh with the affections and lusts thereof.' And contrary, he saith, They that follow the lusts of the flesh shall not inherit the kingdom of God.' "These be very notable and fearful sentences unto all such as be not repentant, but live after their own wills, and not after God's will, neither have the right faith nor love unto God, nor shall be inheritors of his kingdom. And though Christ hath paid a sufficient ransom for all the sins in the world, and is a sufficient Redeemer and Saviour of all the world, yet shall they have no part 59 thereof; for they belong not unto Christ, and Christ utterly refuseth them for his, which have faith and love only in their mouth, and have not the same engraven in their hearts, and expressed in their acts and deeds." And so he goes on more largely to illustrate this argument of the necessity of more than a mere faith in the mouth. Afterwards the discourse thus proceeds: "Even as treacle, kept only in the mouth, doth not remedy poison in the whole body; but the treacle must enter down into the body, and then it altereth the whole body, and expelleth all venom and poison: in like manner, he whose profession of his faith is only in his mouth, and altereth not his evil life, is not forgiven his sin, is not delivered from hell, nor from the power of devils, is not made the son of God; but continueth still in the poison of sin, in the wrath and indignation of God, and in the damnation of the wicked in hell. "But, if the profession of our faith of the remission of our own sins, enter within us into the deepness of our hearts, then it must needs kindle a warm fire of love in our hearts towards God, and towards all others for the love of God, a fervent mind to seek and procure God's honour, will, and pleasure in all things,-a good will and mind to help every man, and to do good unto them, so far as our might, wisdom, learning, counsel, health, strength, and all other gifts, which we have received of God, will extend,—and in summa, a firm intent and purpose to do all that is good, and leave all that is evil. This is the very right, pure, perfect, lively, Christian, hearty, and justifying faith, which worketh by love,' as St. Paul saith, and suffereth no venom or poison of sin to remain within the heart: fide Deus purificans corda,' (Acts xv.), but gendereth in the heart an hatred to sin, and maketh the sinner clean a new man : and this is |