Babbington:

Come we, therefore, unto the fourth sort, which is true faith.

And what I pray you is that?

True faith is a knowledge, firm and certain of the good will of God towards us: which is being founded upon the truth of his free promise in Christ, is both revealed to our minds, and sealed in our hearts by the Holy Ghost. Another in more words to the same effect speaks thus: Vera fides est non tantum notitia qua firmiter assentior omnibus que Deus nobis in verbo suo patefecit, sed etiam certa fiducia a Spritu Sancte per Evangelium in corde meo assensa, qua in Deo Acquiesco, certo statuens non soluma aliis,¹ sed mihi quoq remissionem peccatorum, eternam justifiam & vitam donatam esse, edg, gratis ex Dei misericorda propter unius Christi meritum: True faith is not only a knowledge whereby I firmly assent unto all things which God in his word has opened unto us, but also a sure trust raised up in my heart by the Holy Ghost, through the Gospel, whereby I rest in God certainly persuaded, that remission of sin, eternal righteousness and life is given, not only to other[s], but also to me, and that freely of the mercy of God, for the merit of Christ only.

This were sufficient, but that most plainness in these points is most profitable: and, therefore, if you will take every part by itself, I think it will be good.

Consider then with yourself what is first said of faith, namely, that it is notitia, a knowledge, which you must understand thus, not as we know these outward and worldly matter, by sense, but it is an assurance or certainty in us, more than an apprehension, proved by these places and and others: “This is eternal life, to know thee to be the only very good, and whom thou has sent, Jesus Christ.” Again, “which mystery has been hid,” (says S. Paul) “Since the world began, and from all ages, but now is made manifest unto his saints.” Also in another place, “That their hearts might be comforted, and they knit together in love, and in all riches of the full assurance of understanding to know the mystery of God, even the Father of Christ. And we know,” (says S. John), “that we are translated, &c., we know.” All which places you see evidently prove faith to be a knowledge, it could not be, and, therefore, joins faith and knowledge, saying, “And we believe and know, that thou are that Christ, the Son of the living God”: For he yields a reason why he and other of the Apostles believed in Christ, namely, because the knew that he was the Son of God. Which being so, it necessarily follows, that they believe not, to whom those things are unknown, that he has revealed in his Word. And, therefore, the tale of Popery concerning implicita fide, an ignorant faith, is mos foolish: for faith and knowledge are so knit together, that they cannot be separated.

Gervase Babbington, An Explanation of the Catechism Contained in the Book of Common Prayer,” in The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Gervase Babington, Late Bishop of Worcester (London: Printed by Miles Flesher, 1637), 172-173. [Some spelling modernized; italics original; and footnote mine.]

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¹Latin is unclear here.

Babbington:

S. Paul says, “Christ has loved me.” O Paul, the benefit that is common to all, thou uses as peculiar to thyself! “Yea verily,” (says S. Paul) “for albeit that sacrifice were offered for all mankind, yet for the love that I bear towards him, the thing that was done for all, I account as proper and several to myself alone.”  Thus the manner of the Prophets is to do and to say, “O God my God,” notwithstanding he is the God or all the world. But this is the special and all only office of live, of things common to make things peculiar. Thou says, “Christ has loved me.” What say thou? Has Christ loved thee only? & no man else? “No,” (says Paul) “he has loved all mankind, but I owe him thanks, as if he had loved me alone, and had given himself only for me.” By all these testimonies then, both Scriptures and Fathers, you see, the nature of true faith in God’s children, how it does particularize and apply things general to the most nearest comfort. 

Gervase Babbington, An Explanation of the Catechism Contained in the Book of Common Prayer,” in The Works of the Right Reverend Father in God, Gervase Babington, Late Bishop of Worcester (London: Printed by Miles Flesher, 1637), 172. [Some spelling modernized.]

Attersoll:

Again, this providence of God in everything, teaches contentation¹ of mind in every estate; yea, in adversity when we lie under the cross, so that all things go against us, forasmuch as God’s providence has appointed us our lot and position. When we live in peace, and have abundance of outward means to maintain us, as plenty, riches, health, pleasure, friends, liberty, and such like, we must remember from whom they come, and so be put in mind to be thankful for them, because they come not to us by chance, but by God’s providence: so that we must not barely look upon them, nor wholly rest upon them, but behold his goodness and blessing in them. For if we consider aright that all prosperity comes from him, as meat, drink, ease, peace, and all plenty, who is not pricked forward, and stirred up unto thanksgiving towards so loving and bountiful a Father? Hence, it is that the apostle says, “In all things give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus” [1 Thess. 5:18.]. The prophet Isaiah² complains of the unthankfulness of the Jews toward God, “I have nourished and brought up children, but they have rebelled against me, the ox knows his owner, and the ass his mater’s crib, but Israel has not known me, my people have not obeyed me” [Isa. 1:4,5,6,7.]. The prophet David dealt otherwise, and behaved himself with greater duty, teaching us all what to do, when he says, “What shall I render unto the Lord for al his benefits towards me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and praise the name of the Lord” [Psal. 116:12.]. But when these outwards things, whereby life is maintained do fail us, we must not fail to remember, whence famine, war, pestilence, sickness, trouble, and affliction come, that there is no evil in the city which the Lord has not done, Amos 3:6.

Moreover, let us depend upon him for the time to come, assuring ourselves that he will not leave us, not forsake us. He gives us every day experience of his mercies, so that by remembrance of benefits received from him, we cannot doubt of his favor towards us. Lastly, this should be a very strong reason unto us, not to be unmeasurably dismayed, nor excessively offended, when offences and great evils break out among us, as oftentimes it falls out, whereby many are ready to shrink back, and others are much disquieted to see the church of God troubled. We are not to think it strange, or to forsake the faith through these scandals: for God would not suffer any evil to come to pass, unless out of that evil he were able to bring good, and out of that sin to bring forth righteousness, to the glory of his great name, and for the salvation of his dear church. He would never have left Adam unto himself, if he had not determined out of his fall, to gain praise to himself, and to provide better for his people. It is necessary that offences come, but woe to that man by whom they come: Let us not, therefore, fret ourselves because of the wicked men, neither be envious for the evil doers, for they shall soon be cut down like grass, and shall wither as the green herb. And we must rest, and be resolved assuredly, that God does not allow or favor their sin, nor purposes to free them from the guilt and punishment of sin, howsoever he turns there wicked purpose to a good end. For sin is the transgression of his Law [1 John 3:4, John 8:44.]. But God never swerves nor strays from the straight rule of his own will, neither puts wickedness into man, but as the earth affording sap and moisture as well as to evil trees, as the good, cannot be reproved, because the cause why the evil trees bring forth evil fruit is of themselves and their own nature, or as the sun that raises evil smells, and noisome favors from their unsavory puddles, cannot justly be found fault withal, because the reason thereof is not in the sunbeams, in those corrupt places, even so, when God disposes to good ends the sins of men that proceed from the instigation of the Devil, and abide in the ungodly themselves, he cannot be called the cause or author of sin, although by his providence he moves all things, yea, even the ungodly, that are not tbe able to move or remove themselves.

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Lastly, seeing God’s providence extends to everything that is, and disposes it according to his own pleasure, it directs us in our obedience, and puts us in mind of a Christian duty: namely, to be patient in adversity. If we consider that nothing can befall us, but that which is sent by the fatherly will and counsel of God, who has always just causes to exercise his children with chastisements, either to try them, or to humble them: we shall learn to submit ourselves to him, to hold our peace because he has done it, and to keep silence, that we offend not against him [Psal. 39:9.]. This will keep us that we do not rage against second causes, that we do not mutter and murmur against God. That we seek not the revenge our enemies.

William Attersoll, A Commentary Upon the Epistle of Saint Paule to Philemon (Printed at London by Tho. Cotes, and are to be sold by Michael Speake, dwelling at the sign of the blue Bible in Greene-Arbor, 1633), 302-304. [Some spelling modernized; marginal references cited inline; footnote mine; and underlining mine.]

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¹Archaic word denoting ‘to be content.’

²Original: Esay.

Holland:

Secondly, when I say I rest upon the creator of heaven and earth: it yields unto my heart a special comfort thus: God will assuredly keep me in all dangers, for like as no man is so tender over any work as he has made it, for he cannot abide to see it in any way abused. So God being a faithful creator tenderly loves all his creatures. And if the work of any way happen to miscarry he will turn it every way to frame it again to his will, as the potter, but if no means can prevail he dashes it all in pieces [Job 10:3.].

Henry Holland, The History of Adam, or the Foure-Fold State of Man (Printed for T.E. for Thomas Man, Dwelling in Paternoster-Row at the sign of the Talbort, 1602), 128b-129a. [Some spelling modernized; marginal reference cited inline; and underlining mine.]