him In the first union we were insensible of it and grace is given to us non petentibus that asked not after it in this second union wee are most sensible of its comfort and benefit and here an augmentation of grace is bestowed on us petentes earnestly suing for it and by faith expecting the receiving of it Wherefore I conclude All grace and vertue whatsoever in us is given us from the fulnesse of Christ the fountaine of all supernaturall life but yet all is not wrought by Christ embraced by our faith but by Christ convaying his grace unto us by his Spirit This first quickens us wee then with Lazarus after life put into us can awake stand up come forth and by faith looke on him that raised us fall downe worship and beleeve in him as our Lord and God The places alledged eyther touch not our sanctification at all or speake onely of the increase of grace not of its first infusion faith being a meanes of that but no efficient or instrument of this Having thus shewed the nature of our conversion or sanctification it remaineth that for the further cleering of many doubts and our more easie passage unto other points wee speake somewhat touching three materiall circumstances necessary to bee considered in this point of our conversion and vocation and they are these 1. The cause whereby 2. The manner how 3. The subject wherein conversion is wrought Of the cause first which is double 1. The impulsive or moving cause 2. The efficient or working cause That which moves God to bestow the grace of sanctification upon man is nothing in man but all in God himselfe namely his free-love to his elect in Christ Which love of God is from eternity before the foundations of the world were laid and though it be revealed unto the elect in time or at their conversion yet doth it not then begin when it begins to bee manifested When wee yet lay in the shadow of death strangers from the life of God through ignorance that was in us when wee were cast out polluted in our bloud not yet washed and seasoned with salt even then God looked on us with tender compassions hee pitted us hee loved us as chosen vessels prepared for glory as heires of grace and life and because he thus loved us he said to us Live hee covered our nakednesse and cloathed us with righteousnesse Now that God doth thus actually love the elect before they are regenerate or can actually beleeve may further appeare by these reasons 1. Where God is actually reconciled there he actually loveth for love and reconciliation are inseparable But with the elect before they convert and beleeve God is actually reconciled Ergo He loves them before their faith and conversion The minor is evident because before they are borne much more before they are regenerate a full Attonement and satisfaction for all offences is made by Christ and accepted on Gods part Whereupon actuall reconciliation must needs follow And this the Scriptures make manifest Christ being the Lambe slaine from the beginning of the world and God testifying of him at his Baptisme long before his death in that speech of admirable consolation This is my beloved Sonne in whom I am pleased well pleased with him for the unspotted holinesse of his owne person well pleased with us in him for his unvaluable merits And hence a second reason à pari 2. If God did actually love the elect before Christs time when an actuall reconciliation was not yet made then much more may hee actually love the elect after the attonement is really made by Christs death even before they doe beleeve it But the former is true as appeares by the salvation of the Patriarkes and therefore the latter may not well be denied The reason of the consequence is this Because it is farre more probable that God should love us upon satisfaction made before our faith than love them upon their faith before satisfaction was given Specially seeing neyther their faith nor ours is any efficient cause why God loves either them or us 3. Election effectuall Vocation and Faith all are fruites and consequents of Gods actuall love unto the Elect which graces and favours he therefore bestowes upon them because hee loves them And therefore t is vaine to say Deus elegit homines diligendos non dilectos or that faith and sanctity are bestowed on us onely to make us capable of Gods love Is not the bestowing of them a fruit of his great mercy and love unto us Yea the whole series and chaine of all Gods gracious workes for mans salvation have Gods love for their first linke as is apparant Ioh. 1. 13. 4. These affections of love and hatred in God are perpetuall being eternall and unchangeable acts of his will Whom he loves he loves alwaies whom he hates he hates for ever Nor doth hee as man at any time begin to love that person whom before he hated or hate that person whom before he loved These things agree not with Gods immutability or omnisciency For it cannot be that like a man he should bee deceived in the placing of his affection or that hee should change his minde where the things themselves change not forasmuch as he that is once hated of God will bee for ever hatefull for who should make him otherwise and he that is once beloved shall be for ever lovely for God that loves him will make him so Wherefore Gods love to the regenerate is not a thing of yesterday as themselves are but one of those ancient favours which have been laid up for us in the treasury of his old and everlasting counsells 5. God loves and saves those of his elect who dye infants and cannot have actuall faith Of which more anon Wherefore I conclude that before conversion much more before actuall faith God actually loves the elect and out of that his great love bestowes upon them the grace of conversion But here I would have you observe a twofold distinction 1. Betweene Gods love in itselfe The manifestation of it to us That is perpetuall and One from all to all eternity without change increase or lessening towards every one of the Elect But the manifestation of this love to our hearts and consciences begins in time at our conversion and is variable according to the severall degrees of grace given and our more or lesse carefull exercise of Piety whereby the light of Gods countenance at one time shines bright upon our soules at another time is in the eclipse Which divers degrees of revelation argue no difference in Gods affection nay in earthly Parents it doth not alway for a strong affection may be concealed but we may truly say That Gods love to us when he decreed to save us is one the same without addition with that which he manifesteth unto us when hee glorifieth us That holy flame of divine love towards us doth burne as hote now as then
proue themselues by their owne naturall light manifesting their Diuine Originall whence they are and their right meaning how they must be vnderstood They are Primum â—â—sibile not like Colour which cannot be seene till light make it apparant but like Light it selfe which maketh all other things manifest it selfe too by it own proper Quality Wherefore when we are asked why we doe beleeue the Articles of the Creed we answer Because they are reuealed in Scripture Again How are you sure the Scriptures are the Word of God we answer we know it by the Scriptures themselues the Spirit of God opening our eyes to see those naturall and liuely caracters of Diuine truth which are imprinted vpon those sacred volumes Lastly If we be asked How know you that this is the right meaning of such or such a place We answer We know it by the Scriptures which being diligently examined and compared together plainly discouer their own right expesition In these answers we rest finally resoluing our Faith into the Word of God alone and nothing else As for the Authoritie of any one man or all men in the Church we giue it all due reuerence according to its place and degree We acknowledge the Decisions of Councels and Synods about controuersed Articles of Religion the continuall Preaching of the Word by the Ministers therof the manifold expositions of Doctrines of Diuinitie and Bookes of Scriptures by the Learned in their Writings all these we acknowledge with due regard thankefulnesse to be blessed meanes for the breeding and growth of Christian Faith because they all doe or should point vs vnto the Scriptures holding forth the light of them that we may the more cleerly diseern it in its true brightnesse Thus they are helpes to make vs see the truth but no causes why we beleeâ—e it this we do for its own sake not their saying And vnlesse what they teach doe appeare vnto vs cleerly out of the Scriptures we freely confesse that although their Reuerence will cause vs to Suspend our Iudgement and thorowly to examine the Cause yet their bare authoritie cannot command our assent to any article of Religion that shall be proposed vnto vs. The rule of the Apostle prohibits vs 1 Cor. 2. 5. Our faith may not stand in the Wisedome of Man but in the Power of God Our Aduersaries here thinke that they haue vs vpon an aduantage and caught vs in a circle too as if we also ran round from the Scriptures to the Spirit againe from the Spirit to the Scriptures thus How know you the Scriptures to be Gods Word By the Spirit reuealing the same to my heart and conscience But how know you this reuelation of the Spirit to be true By the Scriptures that testifie The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him Ps. 15. But how know you this the like places of Scriptures to be Gods Word By the Spirit again Thus they suppose we are intangled but they mistake vs and our doctrine greatly in this particular We teach indeed that we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God by the Spirit of God inwardly Reuealing and Testifying the truth of them vnto our Consciences But it must here be diligently obserued what kind of Reuelation or Testimonie of the Spirit it is wherby we may be said to be sertified assured of the Scriptures Diuine Truth It is not any inward suggestion and inspiration different from those reuelations that are in the Scriptures themselues as if the Spirit did by a second priuat particular reuelation assure me of the truth of those former reuelations made in the Scriptures We haue no warrant for any such priuat reuelations now nor is there any need of them and such as looke for them may easily embrace their own presumptuous fancies in stead of a Reuelation from heauen How then doth the Holy Ghost reueale vnto vs the truth of Scriptures I answer By remouing those impediments that hindred by bestowing those graces that make vs capable of this knowledge There is in vs a two-fold Impediment First Ignorance whereby our eyes are closed that we cannot see the light 〈◊〉 Second Corruption whereby although we see the light yet we cannot but naturally hate it and turne from it The Holy Spirit cures both by a double remedy First of Illumination restoring our decayed vnderstanding to some part of its primitiue perfection Second of Sanctification infusing into our desires and affections some degrees of their primitiue Holinesse and puritie By this worke of the Spirit Opening the eyes of our minds that we may Vnderstand the Scriptures see the wonders of Gods Law and also Rectifying our corrupt affections that we may loue and embrace the Holinesse of Diuine things by this meanes I say is the Diuine truth of Scriptures reuealed to vs. For presently vpon this Opening the eyes of our minds we see the glorious brightnesse and light of the Scriptures shining into our hearts and we discerne in them the apparant characters of heauenly Maiestie as cleerly as a seeing man beholds the Sunne Also after this renewing of our Sinfull inclinations we find presently that our Soules and those things which the Scriptures do reueale vnto vs haue a singular sympathy one towards another our loue that we beare to the beautie and Holinesse of the Word is strong that command which the Word hath ouer vs is most powerfull awfull so that now we haue as kindly a relish of the goodnesse and excellency of Scriptures as a healthfull stomacke hath of wholesome food By these things which we cleerly see in the Scriptures euidently feele in our selues we are fully ascertained in our soules that none but God is the Authour of so He menly Holy Mysteries In this sence we still pray for the Spirit of Reuelation Eph. 1. 17. so called in that place because it inlightens the eyes of our vnderstanding as in vers 18. that then we may see the excellency of Diuine mysteries reuealed to the Church Other inward and secret reuelation of the Spirit we acknowledge not in this businesse Now there is no such circle as our Aduersaries would driue vs into but a plain straight way How know you that the Scriptures are Gods Word We answer By the Scriptures themselues by that wonderfull light excellency of truth and Holinesse shining in them Here we would rest and goe no further But yet if we be asked How we come to see this Light We answer It is by the only worke of the Spirit of God giuing vs eyes to see and hearts to loue this Light If we be further vrged How know you that you doe indeed perceiue such a light as you speake of or how can you make it appeare to another that you are not deceiued therein To these questions we answer That the former is idle iust as if one should aske him that gaâ— then the sun How know you that you now see
hath the generall custome and consent of the times and Church wherein wee live whereby men are they know not how nor upon what firme grounds drawne to beleeve those things which they see others hold and maintaine fortruth Lastly 3. Some extraordinary worke or event confirming the truth of Religion So did Miracles in the time of Christ and his Apostles perswade many to beleeve who were notwithstanding farre from being true beleevers as Ioh. 2. 23. Many beleeved in his name when they saw the miracles which hee did but t was not good crediting of them that beleeved only upon miracles therefore Christ would not commit himselfe to them ver 24. And thus the Magitian when he saw the signes and great wonders which were done by the Apostles he beleeved and wondred when yet his heart was not right in the sight of God Act. 8. 13. 21. By these and the like meanes is this imperfect and generall kinde of Faith wrought in men destitute of all inward grace and holinesse Such motives as these cause this assent but there is no Internum principium no roote in themselves as our Saviour speakes Mat. 13. 21. whence this beliefe springeth no thorough sanctification of the soule conforming all the powers thereof unto the puritie and holinesse of divine things and inclining the affections to a constant embracing thereof These men like Religion well and commend it as men doe costly Iewells set forth to sale but when it comes to the point that this Good Pearle of great price is to be bought then if God will let them have it at their owne rates there 's a match made they 'le beleeve and be religious if God withall will spare them the use of some sinnes and pleasures they love well but if it must be purchased at Gods price with the sale of all that they have they are no merchants for such a hard bargaine with the yongue man they shrinke away sorrowfull that heaven cannot be had at a cheaper rate Thus when it comes to the proofe in particular application and practice this kinde of faith vanisheth away and comes to just nothing Thus you have the explication of this first degree of Faith withall you see that this faith falls greatly short of that perfection which is required unto that saith which is saving and justifying Neverthelesse our Adversaries of the Romish Church maintaine that this assent is that justifying Faith whereof the Scriptures speake Their opinion touching this point is sufficiently declared by Becanus who followes the rest of that rabble Hee Theol. Schol. Tom. 3. cap. 8. q. 1. disputing of the act of justifying Faith rejects the Lutherans opinion who place Faith in the will and make it to be Fiduciam de misericordia Dei propter Christum and saith that the doctrine of the Catholikes is this that faith belongs to the understanding and is nothing else but Credere sive assentiri eis quae à Deo revelata sunt Thence hee setteth downe this Conclusion § 6. Actus fidei consistit in assensu quo quis assentitur alicui propositioni à Deo revelatae propter authoritatem revelantis In this definition there are two parts 1. the Object of this assent Propositions revealed by God 2. The essentiall difference of this act taken à formaliratione credendi and that is to beleeve propter authoritatem revelantis By this saith Becanus Cap. 8. q. 2. § 2. assensus fidei constituitur in sua specie essentiall that is the assent of Faith is made supernaturall and justifying when wee beleeve things because God hath revealed them for saith he if articles of faith be beleeved upon other motives as upon mans authority c. then this assent of faith is naturall as in Heritickes and Divells So then according to Popish doctrine that faith which justifies us is nothing but a bare assent of the minde to such things as God reveales because of Gods authority that revealed them Than which explication of the nature of justifying faith nothing can be poorer and more below the majestie of so high a grace as faith is I will trouble you but with two reasons proving that this kinde of assent is not that faith whereby wee are justified 1. The act of justifying faith must needs be supernaturall such as cannot bee done without the aide of speciall grace of Gods spirit But unto this assent there is required no such speciall grace therefore it is not an act of justifying faith The Major is evident and granted by the Schooleman Cap. 8. 4. 4. that something there is in faith above nature requiring a supernaturall cause whereto the Scriptures plainely inforce him Eph. 2. 8. By grace yee are saved thorough Faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you it is given for Christ that not only yee should beleeve in him but also suffer for his sake So Ioh. 6. 45. Wherefore § 3. he teacheth that this act of assent must be supernaturall partly in regard of the Object id est divine revelations and partly in regard of the principium or cause by which it is produced id est non per solas naturae vires sed per auxilium gratiae Wee agree then in the Proposition For the assumption That there needes not any speciall grace of the Spirit to worke this bare assent unto the truth of divine revelations this wee prove out of the same Schoolemens doctrine who teach that the Vnderstanding assents not unlesse the Will command it because say they the act of beleeving is absolutely in our treewill Cap 8. q. 5. Well be it so But now say wee the Will may without the helpe of grace command the assent of the Vnderstanding which wee prove thus Whatsoever the Vnderstanding by the only light of Nature judges to be honest that the Will can desire by the only strength of nature But by the only light of Nature the Vnderstanding judges that it is an honest thing to beleeve Gods authority revealing any thing to us therefore the Will by the only strength of Nature may desire this act of beleeving and so consequently there 's no need of Grace to move the Will to command the Vnderstanding T is Becanus owne argument against himselfe cap. 8. q. 5. § 9. Whereto he would faine giue an answer if hee could tell how Something he sayes to that Minor proposition whereof he thus distinguisheth The Vnderstanding by the only light of Nature judges it a thing honest to beleeve Gods authority when hee reveales any thing Via ac modo naturali not when he reveales any thing Via ac modo supernaturali Beleeve it a rare distinction and full of mystery Divine Revelations are of two sorts supernaturall and naturall Againe when God reveales his will to us by naturall meanes then the very light of Nature teacheth us that 't is honest to beleeve his authority But if hee reveale things to us by supernaturall meanes the light of nature
workes makes our Faith i. e. our assent to the Articles of Religion because of Gods authority to deserve eternall life Is there in the Scriptures the least intimation of such a strange and uncouth meaning when it tells that wee are justified by Faith To the places of Scriptures Gael 5. 6. Faith workes by Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee answer the meaning of the place is no more but That in Christianity no outward matters are of value that onely which is to be regarded is Faith that bringeth forth good workes These good workes come from Charity or inward love of God and man This Charity is stirred up and provoked to worke through Faith So that Faith workes by Charity as by that chiefe instrument which Faith imployes in the doing of all good works but Charity works by Faith as by the moving cause whereby t is excited to worke according to 1. Tim. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the first wheel in the clock that moves all the rest Faith stirs up and directs the other graces of the soule in their operations whose strength and vigour increaseth according as Faith increaseth Tantum amamâ—… quantum credimus t is cleer in all experience those that have the strongest Faith they shew the greatest love to God and man as in Abraham Moses Paul all the Martyrs But of this more in shewing the connexion between Faith and Obedience To that other place Iames 2. 26. As the body without the Spirit is dead even so Faith without workes is dead we answer that S. Iames understands by that similitude not modum Informationis but necessitatem Vnionis that good workes are necessarily coupled with a justifying Faith not that good workes are the forme and life of Faith à priori They are arguments and effects of a living Faith they are not causes that make it living as is apparent because it is impossible any good worke should goe before justifying Faith Heb. 11. 6. Wherefore this similitude is not so to be strained unto a Philosophicall construction where the Apostle intends no more in all his dispute but to shew that true saying Faith must of necessity bee conjoyned with good workes And if our adversaries bee so strict upon the termes of this similitude t is manifest that they fit not their doctrine for so as the soule is the forme of the body so workes shall be the forme of Faith i. e. an Act shall bee the forme of a Habite which is against reason and their owne doctrine who make the Habituall grace of Charity not good workes the fruits of it to be the forme of Faith S. Iames therefore is to bee taken in the former sense or else wee may without any violence interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place not Spiritum i. e. Animam but Spiritum i. e. Halitum Respirationem and thus the comparison is exact as the body without breathing and motion is dead so Faith without workes Thus it appeares how Faith is sleighted by our adversaries whilst they hold that the Faith wherby a sinner is justified is nothing but an assent to Articles of Religion because of Gods authority Some places of Scriptures there are they would faine build this upon as Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 4. 3. Tit. 1. 1. Ioh. 20. 31. but their arguments thence are so inconsequent and weake they are not worth the mentioning or refuting I proceed therefore from this generall Faith unto that other which is speciall particular Particular assent of Faith is when all things revealed by God are assented unto as most true and excellent in regard of our selves when they are particularly applyed to our proper occasion and compared with all desires and provocations whatsoever to the contrary When we know and beleeve those things that are generally delivered for our selves in application to our owne use and practice as Iob was counselled by his friends so that wee beleeve in this particular aswell as in that at this time aswell as at another In the Explication of the nature of such a particular assent I propose to your consideration two things 1. The Roote and Cause whence it springs 2. The Object of it whereto it is directed 1. The true root and fountaine whence this Blessed assent of Faith ariseth is that grace of sanctification wrought in the heart by the holy Ghost renewing the soule in all the powers thereof T is not common illumination for many know and despise the truth or beleeve it but in generall T is not the Authority of all the men in the world that can perswade to it wee should not then have had so many thousand â—…rmons of Prophets Ministers learned holy and powerfull in their doctrine yet preached to very small purpose with the most of mâ—n T is not miracles and strange accidents that can force this Faith the Iewes had plenty of them yet continued still unbeleeving T is only the sanctifying Grace of Gods spirit that brings this to passe For consider with your selves how deadly an opposition there is betweene a mans unsanctified nature and the wisedome and goodnesse of God all his counsells seeme but craft his words foolishnesse his mercies light and not worthy of estimation His exhortations promises or threatnings are entertained with inward disdaine and the heart saith within it selfe Who is God that I should feare him or what profit shall a man have by beleeving his Word and walking in his wayes Yea men that are otherwise ingenuous and of fairer temper in this case are full of secret scorne and despite of God and goodnesse they account basely of the holinesse of Religion being privie scoffers and bitter deriders of the power of Grace when they are alone by themselves or in company that fits them They make a tush at Scriptures and smile at such perswasions to pietie as they afford counting it an indignitie for men of parts and resolution to bee moved with faire words of a simple man though hee speake in the words of God If their beliefe and knowledge of the truth be good in the generall yet in the application the heart makes violent opposition it begins to hold probable dispute whether it be wisedome to doe so or so whether they be bound in conscience considering such and such circumstances it casts all inconveniences that may possibly be thought on to discourage it selfe yea perchance the truth it selfe shall be called in question and it thinkes Sure I am deceived Gods meaning is otherwise at last it resolves I may doe this and yet fare well enough and If I doe no worse I hope t will not be much amisse and I trust that these commodities and pleasures I enjoy may well countervaile the neglect of such or such a small matter Thus the heart not washed by the holy Ghost in the laver of Regeneration but abiding in its naturall corruption is not nor can be subject to the law of God but proves either impudent and
Atheisticall to denie his truth or strangely subtle to shift it off from it selfe when t is pressed with it in particular But when the spirit of Grace hath overshadowed the soule sanctifying all the powers thereof throughout t is admirable to see how it stoopes to the command of the Word There is then a singular harmony betweene the holinesse of the Will and of the Word this food of spirituall life relisheth as sweet and savoury unto the soule as milke to Infants or strong meat to able and healthy men Regeneration hath restored health unto the soule whereby it hath recovered a true taste of the Lords bounty and goodnesse whence followes a constant appetite thereunto asmuch as unto corporall nourishment as the Apostle argues 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. Hence the soule begins to conceive a high esteeme of the dignity of the Word it sees now nothing so reasonable excellent as the wisedome thereof it beholds nothing â—o terrible as Gods threats nothing so lovely as his favour it sees no ornament of the soule comparable to Grace no pleasure like unto the peace of Conscience it comprehends an end of all other perfection but the further it lookes into Gods law the deeper wonders it discernes it lookes upon the world and reades Vanity in all the things thereof and strange folly in mens desires of them and now it counts no preferment any whit comparable to the hope of heaven it hath now Reall apprehensions of Divine things and conceives of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of a Worke to be done not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a businesse to bee discours'd and talked of it judges now that there is an absolute necessity of obeying God though all the world bee displeased and that the regard of saving a mans soule must thrust out of the way all importunate pleasures and profits that would presse in upon us Being thus illightened and inwardly touched by the finger of God the soule presently puts it wholly upon the certainty and excellency of Gods truth revealed it stretcheth forth the armes of her strongest confidence affiance unto every branch of the Scriptures embracing absolutely and without all limitation the truth goodnesse power and wisedome of God shining therein it beleeves what it knowes and as it can where t is ignorant it prayes for knowledge where weake it sues for strength and increase of faith where stubborne it offers it selfe unto God to bee bowed or broken if he please counting it now a happy thing to be crossed in sinne to bee met with at every by-turning with some reproofe or chastisement let him chide or strike it falls downe at his feet and without quarrelling disputing and arguing the case takes all with a Benedictus Dominus c. Blessed be the Lord and blessed bee his Ministers and blessed be their counsell who have kept me from committing this sinne against the Lord. When thus the heart is softened and sanctified then and not before is wrought that habituall Grace and blessed disposition of the will which we call true Faith whereby the Creature is willing to resigne up its understanding desires affections thoughts words workes and all to the disposing of his Creator in such a sort as by his revealed Will hee hath or shall make known beleeving certainly that in every thing t is best to follow his counsell This for cause of true Faith next followes 2. The Object of this particular Faith which is twofold 1. The whole Will of God revealed unto us in his Word containing all Histories Doctrines Commands Threatnings Promises of what kind soever 2. The particular Promise of Remission of sinnes and Everlasting Life by the death of Christ which in one word we call the Gospell It is needfull thus to distinguish of the object of Faith because although it be but one and the same infused grace of true Faith which respects both forasmuch as by the same sacred Habite of the soule we are inclined to beleeve both the whole and each part of Gods will be it in it selfe more or lesse excellent or more or lesse needfull to us neverthelesse Faith as it hath reference to these Objects The whole Will of God and The particular Promise of the Gospell admitteth of divers considerations names and uses Faith as it assents to the whole Will of God in what kind soever I call Legall because it is such a Vertue as is immediately required by the Morall Law in the same manner as other duties of the Morall Law are Forasmuch as all men are bound by the Law of their creation to give full assent and affiance to all things whatsoever God shall reveale unto them And as all other Morall dueties are required of us in their degrees as parts of our outward obedience and inward sanctity necessary to salvation so is this of Faith commanded as 〈◊〉 principall grace of the soule and a prime part of our obedience to the first Commandement And so Faith in this respect may bee called Saving namely as all other Graces are because required in their measure as needfull to Salvation Faith as it assents unto the speciall promise of grace I call Evangelicall because it is such an Act as is expressely commanded in the Gospell the object thereof being not revealed by the Morall Law It is called also properly Saving and Iustifying in regard of the use it now hath through Gods gracious appointment to be the onely instrument of our Iustification and Salvation by Christ. In which distinction between Legal Evangelicall Faith we must not conceive of two distinct Habits of Faith it is but one gracious quality of the soule disposing it to the beliefe of all divine truth which for the substance of it was the same in innocent Adam with that which is in regenerate men The difference stands onely herein 1. In the Degrees Adams Faith was perfect because his understanding was fully inlightened and his affections absolutely conformable to all holinesse Wee know but little and by reason of our inward weaknesse beleeve but weakly what we doe know 2. In the Originall in Adam it was naturall by creation in us t is supernaturall from the holy Ghosts infusion 3. In the particular Object Adam beleeved God without reference to Christ the Mediatour wee beleeve chiefly the promise of Grace in Christ and all other things with some relation to him Here then is no new Faith but a New object of Faith not revealed unto Adam whereto our Faith is now directed and here 's also a singular priviledge newly granted unto Faith that God accepteth it to our Iustification in his sight Otherwise if wee looke unto the grace it selfe as it was in Adam a part of Gods Image given him by creation and is in us a part of the same Image restored by regeneration so there 's no difference at all and therefore in that question whether Iustifying Faith bee commanded in the Morall Law there needs no great dispute t is manifest that
Gods frowning countenance fly with speed into the bosome of Christ hang upon him and most importunately sues to be taken into his protection Now one favourable looke from him is worth a thousand worlds and if he will but say unto it I am thy salvation it will not exchange the comfort of that word for all the kingdomes of the earth Wherefore the soule now thinkes of nothing but Christ to live or die Christ is all in all with it him it followes with all strong cries and teares for mercie and comfort in him it apprehends plentifull redemption and all sufficiency of salvation and therefore having once laide hand fast upon him to die for it no force shall make him loose his hold This worke of Faith as it doth greatly glorifie God by ascribing the whole honour of our Salvation unto his only free Grace in Iesus Christ so God againe is pleased highly to honour it above all its fellow Graces by making it the blessed instrument of all the comfort we enjoy in this present world thereby giving us assurance of our Iustification in his sight by Christs righteousnesse Whereupon followes in their times a double comfort unto the soule 1. Peace of Conscience resting it selfe secure upon the stability of Gods promise It hath now what to oppose against the severity of Gods justice and the accusations of the Law even an All-sufficient Righteousnesse in Christ able to satisfie them both to the full whereupon it s quieted and injoyes abundance of sweetest peace being freed from those terrors which before compassed it about on every side 2. That kinde of Fiducia which wee call assurance and full perswasion of the pardon of our sins This is a fruit of that other Fiducia or Trusting unto the promise it selfe wherein stands the proper act of justifying faith And it followes it not alwayes presently but after some time haply a long time after much paines taken in the exercise of Faith and other graces For how many faithfull soules are there who stedfastly beleeve and rest themselves only upon Christ for their salvation who yet would give a world to be assured of Gods favour and fully perswaded that their sinnes are pardoned yet aske them in their sorrowes and feares can you beleeve in Christ committing your soules unto him depending only upon him and no other They will answer yea I cast my selfe upon him let him doe with me as he pleaseth while I live I le trust in him But now this although it should yet will not satisfie them they want joy in the Holy Ghost there 's no testimony of the Spirit in them they have no peace no sense and inward feeling of Gods love and therefore they cannot be assured that their sinnes are pardoned and that they be in Gods favour Whereupon they 'le be ready to fall backe and tell you they doe not nor can beleeve in Christ at all A great mistake and that which casteth many a Conscience upon the racke tormenting it with unsufferable feares where there is no cause They have no justifying faith Why Because they want full assurance of the pardon of sinnes A false argument Iustifying Faith is not to be assured of pardon But to trust wholly upon the promise for pardon Which point duly considered would helpe us to a singular remedy for the consolation of consciences distressed about point of their salvation who whilst they eagerly labour and I cannot blame them for an experimentall and sensible assurance of Gods favour doe too too much neglect that comfort which their faith would afford them in that notwithstanding their feare they are able still to commit their soules unto God as to their faithfull Creator and Redeemer These men should doe with their soules as David did with his in the like temptations Why art thou cast downe my soule why art thou disquieted within me Here was little peace and joy doubts still arising which causeth him to aske the question once againe and a third time But see how he still answers Wait on God wait on God and againe wait on God for I will yet give him thankes who is my present helpe and my God Psal. 42. 5. 11. and 43. 5. See when hee hath no comfort here 's his comfort even his faith that he can still depend upon God for comfort The further explication of this point depends upon the resolution of that practicall Syllogisme whereby certainty of Salvation is concluded which is this Whosoever beleeveth His sinnes are pardoned and hee shall be saved But I beleeve Ergo My sinnes are pardoned and I shall bee saved The Major here is of Faith The Minor of Sense and Experience The Conclusion is of both but chiefly of Faith as it followes on the premisses by infallible argumentation and partly of sense as it is founded on the inward experience of Gods grace working upon our soules Wee may take comfort in this conclusion as we are assured of it by faith even when experience and sense it selfe failes But of this more when we shall speake of the fruits and consequents of Faith FINIS Zach. 6. 13. Hist l. 6. c. 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Heb. 6. 7 8. AElian Vat. hist. l. 1. c. 17. * shew much love nâ—rans * Whereof yet many as left unto us as the Cananites among the Israelites Acâ—â— 27. 〈◊〉 A clean heart a right spirit * Therefore it is our body of death which yet hath many earthly members The new man is created a perfect man though but an infant * As infidelity of our corruption Gal. 5. 22. As the Will renued is at once disposed to love our neighbour as well as to love God c. * So Tilenus with others generally makes Faith to be the instrument of Instification and Sanctification with this difference Fides Iustificationem percipit Sanctificationem etiam efficit In the one faith is an instrument only in the other an efficient cause also Tylen Syntag. part 2. disp 45. thes 41. Ob. * As who should say a dead man must first see speak and goe before he have life in him Sol. Eph. 1. 22. 4. 15. Gal. 2. 20. 1. Cor. 6. 17. None can call Christ Lord but by the holy Ghost Rom. 10. 20. Christ is made unto us life righteousnesse c. Vnlesse we will maintaine the Popish Limbus He hath loued vs and chosen vs c. Deut. 7. 7. 8. 10. 15. 1. Ioh. 4. 19. 1. Pet. 1. 3. Tit. 3. 5. 7. Eph. 1. 4. 9. 2. Tim. 1. 9. Rom. 11. 5. 9. 11. God so loved the world c. Col. 1. 13. Ioh. 6. 29. and 1 Cor. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 102. 2 23 1 Pet 1. 28. The loue of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost Col. 2. 9. Act. 10. 38. 1 Cor. 3. Ioh 9. 25. Anat. Armin. For in him we liue and move c. 2 Cor. 3. 5. Psal. 115. 8. Psal. 116. * Iphicrates Arist Rhet. l. 1. cap. 9. * Rom.
Prophets in the famous Vniversity of Oxford yet I assure my selfe that whosoever reads this booke with good attention and understanding shall finde the Authors meditations therein so throughly digested and the nature properties and proper acts of Grace and Faith so distinctly layde downe and accurately distinguished that he shall reape to himselfe much profite and comfort thereby and shall with me admire the grace of God abounding toward the Author in all wisedome and in all knowledge lively sense and utterance of heavenly and supernaturall mysteries far above all which can be expected from or is ordinarily found in one of his age and yeares If as we know trees by their fruit so we may passe our sentence upon the composer of this Treatise by his work we cannot conceive or speake lesse of him but that as hee was from his childehood trayned up in the Schooles of learning and had profited above his equals in the studies of the best arts humane divine so undoubtedly he hath from his tender yeares beene throughly disciplined in the Schole of Christ and hath by much and daily experience of afflictions and manifold temptatiâ—ns in himselfe and of the inward sensible operations of Gods spirit and grace in his owne soule attained to this high measure of heavenly knowledge and understanding whereof he hath here given us a lively experiment It is not the most strong out stretched arme of humane reason nor the most swift and farre flying arrow of the sharpest naturall wit nor the farre extended lines of long continued studies which can reach so high to these heavenly and supernaturall mysteries It is onely the holy Spirit of grace comming upon all these taking possession of mans soule dwelling in him and making him a new creature which brings this kind and measure of profound wisedome and this distinct knowledge of divine things yea by the fiery tryall of inward temptations onely doth that blessed Spirit drive the thirsly soules of Gods militant Saints to digge and dive so deep into the fountaines of the sacred Scriptures and to draw such living waters from the very bottome of those Wells of salvation In a word as the Apostle saith of yongue Abel that by Faith having offered up a more excellent sacrifice than his elder brother Cain he by it obtained witnesse that he was righteous God testifying of his gifts by it he being dead yet speaketh Heb. 11. 4. so I will not doubt nor bee affraid to say of the godly and learned Author of this Booke who having offered up to God in a publike place these exercises as the first fruits of his heavenly learning did not long after leave this world in the flower of his age and ascended up into that supercelestiall glory towards which he had ever bent all his studies and desires and which alwaies hee had sought after in the whole course of his life that by faith hee though yongue in yeares hath offered up a more excellent sacrifice than many of his elder brethren by which hee being dead yet speaketh and shall speake to future ages And as hereby he shall obtaine witnesse of all Gods surviving Saints that hee himselfe was a righteous and faithfull servant of Christ excelling in grace and vertue in the dayes of his pilgrimage here on earth So God also will testifie of this his gift that it is holy and acceptable in the eyes of his Majestie by making it powerfull and effectuall to the begetting and increasing of saving grace faith and knowledge in all such as reade and peruse it with true Christian docilitie diligence and humble devotion To the blessing of which gracious God I leave this worke and to his grace commend you all desiring in my daily prayers to be and continue Your brother companion and fellow souldier in seeking the glory of Gods grace defending the truth of the Gospell and fighting against the spreading errours and springing heresies of this age George Walker The Table of the chiefe matters contained in this Treatise ABilities of man are not to be measured by his own partiall iudgement page 145 Actions of grace and holinesse how far they are in a godly mans owne power 147 Admonition three-fold about searching the Scriptures 217. c. Affections two-fold sensuall rationall described 125 Affections not quickned nor stirred vp to loue of goodnesse before conuersion 125 Not rightly moued towards Spirituall things but when thoy are affected spiritually 130 Articles of the Arminian faith 53 Arminians how they erre about vniuersall grace 54 Their errors about the worke of Gods Word and mans calling 99 Their obiections and reasons answered 106. 107. c. Their errors about the subiection of mans naturall affections to his reason discouered 125. c. They giue large allowance of grace to men vnregenerate 127 Their absurdities therein 128 Their grosse errors about mans will discouered 132 c. Their errors in holding that conuersion doth begin and consist in the act onely of beleeuing 134 135. c. The dangerous issue and conclusion of their errors 136 Assent differs in degree according to the diuersity of the obiects assented vnto 169 Assistance effectuall why denied by God at some times to the regenerate 153 B BAptizing of Infants lawfull 47 Beleefe how it differs from faith and trust 170 C CAlumnies of Arminians and Iesuites 155 Calling outward and inward described 94 How the Arminians conceiue of Calling 99 Catechizing needfull and vsefull in the Church of Christ Preface page 6 Certaintie of assent in Faith springs from three grounds The first 206 The second 220 The third 222 Communion with Christ two-fold 15 Conuersion of a sinner to God 6. 7 The causes of it 16. 24 The subiect 37 The manner how it is wrought 27 It goes before Faith 4 It signifies First Gods infusing of habituall grace Second The regenerate mans actuall imploying of grace infused 89. 144 Conuersion mistaken by Arminians which is a cause of confusion in their writings 92 Conuersion how to be truly discerned 115 Preparatiue meanes vnto it 137. 138 How weake they are and in a man vnregenerate how they are said to be sinfull 139 That they may be resisted and how 140. c. Cooperation of Gods Spirit necessarie in all holy actions of men regenerate 151 Corruption of nature what it is 5 D DEsire of spirituall things after a naturall manner is a corrupt desire 130 E ELect men onely are the proper subiect of true conuersion vnto God 41 Euidence of the Scriptures declared proued 175. 176 Conclusions touching it The first 176 The second 182 The third ibid. 183 F FAlling from grace and finall resistance described 142 Faith in Christ a part of sanctification 10 The habit and act of it and when it is wrought ibid. It is not properly the root of all grace 12 There is some Spirituall life before it 13 and some participation with Christ 15. 23 It helps forward and increaseth grace and all gracious actions 14 Faith is commanded in
the Morall Law 110 Faith Legall and Euangelicall the same in substance and differ only in the vse and obiect 111 The excellencie of Faith 158 What Faith or beleefe is in generall 159 How it agrees with and differs from knowledge opinion 160. c. Three grounds of the certaintie of assent in Faith 164. 206 The first 206 The second 220 The third 222 Faith a degree beyond beleefe being an assent with confidence and reliance 170 Faith taken in a speciall sence as it is Christian Faith described 171 Diuers acceptions of it ibid. 172 The obiect of Faith described 172. c. The subiect euerie reasonable creature 197. 198 Faith is in the whole heart euen in the will as well as in the vnderstanding 199. 230 Faith which Papists call iustifying is the faith of diuels and reprobates 237 Faith foolishly distinguished by Papists into formed and vnformed 237 Faith without works differs in nature from Faith with workes 238 Particular assent in Faith and the root and cause of it 241 The obiect of it two-fold 244 Faith of the Elect wherein it differs from Faith of Hypocrites 247 Faith vnfained 253. 254 Faith of Hypocrites doth not assent to all Diuine truth at all times 147. 148. c. Faith implicit of Papists confuted 194 Faith in the particular promise of grace defined 257 The iustifying act therof propounded proued 258 How it is wrought 259 The comfort of it 260 Faith of the Elect by what degrees of assent and essentiall differences it is distinguished from other Faith 226 Temporarie Faith 227 The causes of it 228. 229 G GOD as Creator how far he may be knowne to naturall men 65 Goodnesse of the naturall man not generall 80 It respâ—cts others more then himselfe 79 Grace what the habit of it is 7 It is infused all at once 10. 11 The actions of it appeare sooner or later stronger or weaker in some 9 It is so firmely wrought in the Elect that it shall neuer be blotted out 34 Grace preuenting assisting inciting helping 13 By what meanes Grace may be quenched 37 Grace sufficient for conuersion not giuen to the Gentiles while they are out of the Church 55. 56. 57 Nor to all Christians in the visible Church 88. 89. c. Grace of conuersion friuolously distinguished into sufficient and effectuall 89 Grace sufficient to conuersion is alwayes effectuall and effectuall Grace onely is sufficient 91 Grace giuen to those who are within the Church set forth in the diuers kinds thereof 94 Grace doth not rectifie inferiour faculties first 127 Grace sufficient to beleeue and turne to God is no other but the Grace of regeneration 92. 93 It is not giuen to all 93 Grace preparatiue to conuersion how it may be resisted 140. 141. c. H HOly Spirit giuen two wayes 26 I IGnorance of the very time of our conuersion no iust cause of doubting fear that we are not conuerted and why 44 Illumination both naturall and spirituall described 94 95 When it is not sufficient for sanctification of the heart 101. c. Common Illumination not giuen to all hearers of the Word 100 Image of God wherein Adam was made 4 Implicit faith of Papists confuted 194. c. Infants dying without Baptisme may be saued 45 Infants are charitably supposed to be regenerate in Baptisme 45 Why they may not receiue the Lords Supper 49. 50 Infusion of grace hath no concurrence of mans naturall abilities but onely requires in him a passiue capacity to receiue 32 K KNowledge of Christian Religion must be alwayes increasing and fruitfull Preface 14 Knowledge meere naturall of the Morall Law brings little practise 70 Knowledge more certaine then beleefe in things of the same kind 166 Perfect Knowledge takes away all beleefe 167 Knowledge by sight so far as sight goes takes away faith 191 Knowledge distinct and explicit of Diuine things necessarie to the being of faith 192 L LAw morall how far it may be knowne to a naturall man 66. 68 Learned men vnsanctified fit to make hereticks pr. 19. 20 Loue of God reacheth to the Elect before they be regenerate 17 Considered in it selfe it differs from the manifestation of it to vs 18 Gods Loue to our persons and actions 19 Light of nature well vsed by the Heathen doth not bind God in Iustice to giue them supernaturall light 84 MEanes of common faith 229 Meditation of what things will stir vs vp to praise Gods rich grace and mercy in our conuersion 38 Ministers dutie in preaching the Word 113 Miraculous faith ground on immediat reuelations 173 Motions naturall and spirituall which are wrought by the Word described 95. 96 NAturall man cannot by the most industrious vse of all helpes naturall attaine to the least knowledge of God as he is mans Redeemer in Christ 64 His knowledge of God confined within two limits 65 How far his knowledge of God as Creator reacheth 65 He neuer goeth so far in practise as he might and as he knowes he ought to doe 71 He neither knowes the cause nor can iudge aright of the nature of sin 74. 75 His vertue and goodnesse how far it goes and is approued of God 76 He cannot possibly desire grace and mercy and why 84 Necessitie doth well stand together with libertie in the will regenerate 156 OBedience of regenerate men how it is made irregular 152 Obscuritie in the obiect of faith as it is held by the Papists confuted 187. 188. c. Obseruation of Gods mercies iudgments on our selus or other a speciall meanes to increase faith 223. P PAssions and affections naturall not subiect to reason 124 Plainnesse of speech and matter to be vsed in preaching of Gods Word Pref. 22. 23 Priesthood of Christ and how Christ and Aaron agree and differ Pref. 23 Promises the obiect of faith 170 QValities in the reasonable soule differ three wayes according to the threefold state of man 4. 5 REgeneration improperly ascribed to the Word 97 Regenerat man hath in him two contrarie qualies grace and corruption as he is spirituall he neuer resists the worke of grace 148 Resistance of grace in Regenerat men whence it flowes 151 How the preuailing act of it is taken away 152 VVhy it preuailes many times 153 Religion breeds ciuility knowledg of all arts 68. 69 Righteousnesse of the naturall man not acceptable to God 81 Rather negatiue then positiue 79 More outward then inward 76. 77 SAnctification how it goes before iustification 21 It is infused into Infants 43 VVrought in a maner meerely supernaturall 29 Sanctification how it hath mans free-will concurring to it two waies 31 Man not a moral agent in it 33. 34 Schollars how made complete Pref. 20. 21. c. Scriptures freed from Popish imputations of obscurity 177. 178. c. How they are certainly knowne to be Gods VVord 208. 209 By themselues 213 and by the Spirit 214. 215 Sin what a snare it hath layd to intrap wicked men 139 Spirit how far
that is not Before but a part of our sanctification nor yet a solitaty Habite infused alone by it selfe but together with the Actus primi or Habits of all supernaturall graces whatsoever T is true in some sense that before faith there is no life nor sanctity in the soule because faith is a part of our life of grace and of sanctity But there are other parts too Hope Charity c. and of these it may be said as well as of faith there 's no grace in the soule till hope charity be wrought in it All are parts of our spirituall life wrought together For as the corporall so the spirituall life is not one distinct but omnes actus primi of every faculty whereby it can worke regularly And though in the body some part may live alone and others bee dead yet in our spirituall life t is farre otherwise all powers are quickned and live together where the habit of one grace is there are all and as soone all as one every Faculty being rectified as well as any and all the operations of each faculty tending to all its objects renued as well as any one operation directed to some one object Wherefore I see not under correction of quicke eyes how Faith can bee accounted the roote whence spring all other fruits of righteousnesse the efficient cause of our sanctification the onely pipe through which the waters of life flow into the soule that first-borne grace in our spirituall regeneration so much that before its actuall operation there is no jot of spirituall life and sanctity in our hearts Many divine Elogies are given to faith in the Scriptures but none such as to cause us to make it the fountaine of all graces That the heart is regenerate before the act of beleeving and other graces wrought therein together with the habit of faith may appear by these reasons 1. It is the true and generall doctrine of all Divines that actuall faith is never wrought in the soule till besides the supernaturall illumination of the understanding the will bee also changed and freed in part from its naturall perversnesse For till this bee done t is utterly impossible it should ever embrace the promise Now the doing away of this ignorance and rebellion what is it but an effect of the grace of sanctification implanted in the soule by which it is sweetly and freely inclined to all heavenly things 2. To beleeve is an action of a man living by grace not dead in sinne The soule therefore is first endued with the life of grace before it can performe this living action 3. There can be no reason given why in our regeneration it should bee necessary first to have faith before we can have any other grace of sanctification no more than that it should be needfull to have some other grace before we can have faith or why we are more fit being unconverted to receive the grace of faith rather than any other grace as of repentance c. A man unregenerate having no preparations at all to any grace is alike disposed to receive every one and so there is no difference on mans part If any say that the Spirit which must worke other graces is not received till wee doe actually beleeve in so saying he confutes himselfe it being most apparant that the Spirit is given to men incredulous to the end to make them beleevers and no man should ever bee converted were not the holy Ghost given to him whilst he is unconverted to worke his conversion Now God that for Christs sake gives faith unto us when we had none without any predisposition in us to receive it can and doth for the same Christs sake give us all other graces as well at the same time 4. It cannot well bee shewne how faith produceth all other vertues in us seeing that all habites of grace are infused not acquired and one habite cannot produce another nor doth one habite bring forth the operations of another T is true that faith lends a hand to helpe forward all gracious actions and does much in their guidance and direction but t is like as the understanding guides the actions of the will and inferiour faculties or as prudence moderates the actions of all other morall vertues which actions notwithstanding come from their proper faculties and habites as their immediate principia and fountaines But of this point more at large when we come to shew the dependance that obedience hath upon faith Against this may be objected That we live by faith Gal. 2. 20. that by faith Christ dwells in our hearts Eph. 3. 17. that through faith we are risen with Christ Col. 2. 12. that by faith we receive the holy Ghost Ioh. 7. 38 39. Eph. 1. 13. So that we have no life till we be in Christ no being in him til we have faith to beleeve on him no sap from the vine no vertue from the body till we be united as branches as members which union is by faith onely no Spirit of grace to give us life till wee have faith to receive it In briefe thus Christ by his Spirit is the author of all our spirituall life sanctification But till we beleeve wee have no participation nor fellowship with Christ and his Spirit Therefore till wee beleeve wee have in us no life at all consequently by faith we are made partakers of all life and grace To which I answer We must carefully distinguish betweene a twofold Vnion and Communion we have with Christ. 1. By the Spirit on his part for Christ as by his Death he is the meritorious cause of life and grace unto the elect so by his Spirit he is the onely efficient of life and grace in the regenerate To whom whilst they are yet dead in sin and destitute of all grace so as they neyther doe nor possibly can beleeve Christ sends his Spirit which breathes life into them changes and purifies their nature by working all holy and rectified abilities in every part Now this first worke of the Spirit creating of grace in the soule doth most apparantly precede not onely the act of beleeving but the habite also for the habite it selfe is infused by this worke And therefore it is also manifest that before all faith we have and must have some participation with Christ even to this end that wee may have faith But this union with him is wrought meerely by the holy Spirit which is that band whereby Christ knits himselfe to us communicating all gracious and quickning vertue from himselfe to us and thereby making us living members of his body 2. By our faith on our parts when being quickned by infused grace wee actually apply our selves to embrace the promise and to relye upon Christ onely And here wee knit our selves to Christ resting upon him alone for all comfort By which uniting of our selves to Christ wee receive a greater increase and larger measure of grace from
occasion to handle at large Having now thus distinguished them let us see how these effects are appliable to their Causes the Word and the Spirit the dependance is thus 1. Common illumination and the naturall movings of the Will that follow thereupon are the effects of the ordinary grace of the Spirit in the ministerie of the Word preached 2. Proper illumination with the Spirituall affections thence arising are the Effects of the Speciall Vertue of the Holy Ghost in the ministery of the Word regenerating the Soule But we must goe further yet and whereas the Word and Spirit are both joyned together in this worke of regeneration wee must carefully see what belongs to one what to the other Wherefore we are to distinguish betweene the 1. Instrument For whatsoever can be ascribed to the Word agrees to it but only as it is an instrument of the power of Gods Spirit Now instruments are either Cooperative or Passive and the word must be one of the two Cooperative it is not moving and working on the soule by any inward force of it selfe For it cannot bee declared what operative force there should be in the bare Declaration of Gods Will to produce the reall effect of Sanctification in the unregenerate heart It is therefore in it selfe a Passive instrument working only Per modum Objects as it containes a Declaration of the Divine will and as it proposeth to the understanding and will the things to be knowne beleeved and practised Now 't is well knowne that no Object whatsoever hath any Active power per se to worke any thing upon the Organ but is only an occasion of working which some Force in or about the Organ makes use of But whence then hath the word its effect from the 2. Principall Agent the Spirit of God who by his immediate and proper vertue workes upon the Vnderstanding and Will causing in that a thorough apprehension of the things proposed and in this a cheerefull obedience to the things so understood The Object of this worke of the Holy Ghost is not the Word as if the Holy Ghost did infuse into it any speciall Vertue wherby it should worke together with himselfe as a partiall Coordinate efficient cause in our Coaversion the Word working one part the Holy Ghost another as the Arminians vainely dispute Act. Synod Defens Act. 4. p. 136. But the object of this Worke is the Soule of man whereinto this vertue of the Spirit is Infusa or Affusa or rather whereabout this Vertue is imployed quickening changing renuing the Faculties of the Soule with such spirituall strength and holinesse that so it may performe what the Word declares is to be done Which effect of Regeneration though properly it commeth only from the Sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost yet by a cōmon Metonymie it is ascribed also to the Word and for that cause wee are said to be borne againe by the Word 1 Pet. 1. 23. to get Faith by Hearing Rom 8. to bee begotten by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 4. 15. to be sanctified by the truth id est the Word Ioh. 17. 17. and hence such proporties as these are ascribed to the Word that it is the Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. that it is mightie in operation sharpe as a two edged Sword Heb. 4. 12. that it is a Sword Eph. 6. 17. Revel 19. 15. that it is Fire and a Hammer to breake the Rocke Ier. 23. 29. that it is Powerfull to cast downe all strong bolds of Mans proud imagination 2 Cor. 10. 4. with many the like which though they properly belong to the invisible power of the Holy Ghost giving effect unto his owne Word yet are figuratively attributed unto the Word it selfe which he useth as his visible Instrument I cannot better expresse the manner how the Holy Ghost useth the Word in the worke of Sanctification than by a Similitude or two Christ meeting a dead Coarse in the Citie of Nain touches the Beare and utters these words Yongue man I say unto thee arise Heare the Command and that given to a dead man But could these words doe any thing to raise him No t was Christs invisible power that quickened the dead not his words which only declared what hee meant to doe by his power Againe to the sicke of the Palsie Hee saith Arise take up thy bed and walke Here 's the Command given to a sicke man But was it the vertue of these words that heald him No 't was that secret vertue which went from Christs Deity which did the Cure His words declared what that should bring to passe So in this matter of our Conversion Christ bids us Awake wee that sleepe and stand up on our feet he bids us Beleeve repent obey turne unto him c. But all these commands worke nothing of themselves but take effect by the only Power of God working upon the Heart In which case the Word is truly the Voice of God not of man Now Gods Voice is not a bare sound or word carrying such or such a meaning with it and no more as mans doth but it is Verbum factivum as well as significativum it deeth and really brings to effect that which it commands to bee done it makes a world when it bids a world to be made it raises us when it bids us arise it awakens us when it bids us awake it workes faith in us when it commands us to beleeve it gives repentance when it bids us repent it makes us holy when it commands us to be so According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty but it is through God and that in Esa. 59. 21. My word saith God shall abide in you but this cannot be till he have first put his Spirit within our hearts Wherefore where this vertue of the Spirit is wanting as it is in most there the Word hath no other vertue than to bee as a faire Mappe presented to the eye wherein are described many matters of excellent knowledge which the unregenerate may gaze upon in a kinde of shallow heartlesse speculation which will differ asmuch from good knowledge as the knowledge of a Countrie by the Mappe and by the eye in travelling it And this is the Sentence of the Orthodox Church touching the Nature and distinction of these two Callings Inward by the worke of the Spirit Outward by the voyce of the Word The Arminians are of another opinion whose judgement about this matter is thas The Word say they and the Spirit alwayes goe together and wheresoever either the Law or Gospell is preached there and then the Quickening power and effectuall vertue of the Holy Ghost is present in all even those that are unregenerate untill such time as by Contumacy and Rebellion against the Spirit they have made themselves unworthy of further helpe But now what is this effectuall power according to the Arminians and what doth it in all men It doth say
not 2. Deut. 29. 3. 4. The Israelites in the wildernesse had all instruction and perswasion that might be by the VVord and by Miracles from God and his servant Moses they had heard Moses and God speake and seene the great tentations miracles and wonders with their eies But was this sufficient to convert them No there wanted that within which God denied them for saith Moses Yet tho Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare unto this day vers 4. Parallell to which is that touching the Iewes among whom Christ had preached so much and so plainely done so many so singular miracles Yet they beleeved not in him Ioha 1â— 37. But what was the cause of that was not the meanes sufficient No God had denied to reveale unto them his arme or power in giving them the knowledge of the Gospell That he proves out of the Prophet Esay who of all the Prophets preacht the Gospell plainest and yet found small credit to his doctrine That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled that he saith Lord who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed vers 38. A very unreasonable complaint saith the Arminian if we construe it so for t is as if Esay had said Lord only the Elect to whom thine arme was revealed they have beleeved it but none of the Reprobates have beleeved it because thine arme was never revealed to them and so they could not beleeve And what reason had Esay then to complaine of them for not doing that which they could not doe I thinke the wisedome of God hath of purpose to checke these pestilent gainsaying Spirits added in the next words vers 39. Therefore they could not beleeve because thus Esaias saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eies and understand with their hearts and should be Converted and I should heale them So Gods Spirit brings that for a good reason which these men count an absurdity They did not beleeve and the Prophet complaines of it yet it was because they could not beleeve And why could they not â—was the want of that Inward worke of grace wee stand for God had not inlightned their mindes nor softned and sanctisied their hearts and therefore they could not beleeve 3. 2. Tim. 2 24 25 26. And the servant of the Lord must not strive but bee gentle unto all men apt to teach patient In meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselves Here 's the Ministers dutie to preach uncessantly using all gentle and good meanes to bring men to repentance but will this diligence in perswasion and patient industry bee effectuall at last It may prove so but when it doth 't is not by it selfe but by Gods speciall grace If â—od peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth After all outward meanes used an inward gift is still to be expected Let vs in the next place come unto reason and experience where we have these perswasive arguments to confirme us in this truth 1. From the like experience in Christs calling of his Disciples to whom he useth no other words but Follow mee or Follow me I will make you fishers of men it is wonderfull that so shortan Invitation should worke so strange so speedy an alteration Sraightway they leave all and follow him what forsake all to follow after a stranger they never knew before with such constancy and yet through so much perill and disgrace and all for a word spoken Follow mee Nay in that word there was more then a word there went with it that Power which could have commanded the attendance of the Armies of Heauen and Earth And those few words accompanied with this secret vertue did more upon the hearts of the Disciples than many a long Sermon upon the Pharisees and obdurate Iewes where Christ was not pleased to shew the like effect of his power So Christ appearing to Saul accosts him with this expostulatorie salutation Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee hee saith no more but only tells him being asked That hee was Iesus of Nazareth whom hee persecuted and that it was hard for him to kicke against the prickes But see what a change these few words have made in a fierce raging persecutor hee is on the sudden as meeke as a Lambe and now all for obedience to that name which before hee furiously persecuted Lord what wilt thou have mee to doe command what thou wilt I am ready to obey Was it externall morall perswasion trow yee that hath made this wonderfull alteration Nor are these examples to bee accounted so extraordinary as if for the substance the same course were not ordinarily observed Were not men wilfully perverse they would confesse that when of many thousands that heare one and the same Sermon some one or two it may be the worst in the company are in a moment so changed that they are not the same men they were new hearts new desires new affections all new in them they would I say confesse that this is the very â—inger of God touching the Heart and not the force of any outward perswasion whatsoever 2. If only a bare proposing of Divine things to the understanding joyned with perswasions of command threatning and the like towards the Will bee all that is needfull to mans conversion it would bee knowne what difference wee shall make betweene the working of Gods word and of Mans of a Divinitie Sermon and a good morall speech Nay more what difference can be made betweene Sathans temptations and all the sacred suggestions of Gods word yea whether Sathans seducements to evill are not likely to prove alwayes more powerfull than Gods perswasions to goodnesse because in both cases the worke it selfe is left wholly to our arbitrement and then Sathan hath the advantage of our naturall Corruption cleerely on his side So that by this Arminian doctrine mans conversion is even desperate seeing Sathan is as powerfull and certainely he is as willing to Pervert as God is to Convert This blasphemous absurditie the Arminians cannot shift their hands of though they strive in vaine about it 3. The old rule must here be remembred Passio râ—cipitur non tam per conditionem agent is quà m dispositionem patient is all exhortations promises commands take effect not according to their owne but according to the quality of him towards whom they are used And so wee see a word doth more with some than a frowne or sharp menace towards another All Speech workes as the Heart of the Hearer is affected not as he intends that utters it Wherefore if there be nothing more to be done on Gods part towards our Conversion but the only proposall and perswasion of the acceptance of Grace it is manifest to all that can judge of the state of Corrupted nature that wee shall never accept of Gods offer but out
so with us that wee know not what these things meane if to our apprehension there appeare more terror in the angry words of a King than the most peremptory threatnings of God if a reproofe of a knowne fault will be rejected by us with contempt and gall if we sleight the sweetest exhortations and the Consolations of God seeme a small matter to us if wee can with a Confident scorne of all Gods counsells hold a resolution to goe on still in our owne courses let God and his Ministers say what they list if our Corruptions trouble us not and of all things in this life we take least notice of the sinfull estate of our soules or of all pleasures and studies wee finde least content in hearing reading meditating on the Word These things are infallible Symptomes of Spirituall death that hath seazed on us and that as yet wee have not so heard the Word the Voyce of the Sonne of God as to be made alive by the hearing of it This tryall is certaine and this Change that the Word and Spirit worke in our regeneration is very sensible if wee be not sensible of it we may be bold to Censure our selves that as yet wee have it not To conclude they only heare the Word as the word of God which finde in it Gods power working Sanctification in their hearts others heare it only as the word of man which goes no further than the naturall care and understanding Where this change of the heart is not all reformation in the life is but counterfeit and hypocriticall In the two former Questions wee have examined the pretended sufficiency of Grace universally bestowed on all whether within or without the Church and shewed you that all those gifts which are ordinarily given either to Christians or Heathens are utterly insufficient for to worke their true Conversion unlesse there bee a further aide of the speciall grace of the Holy Ghost working on the Soule to the sanctification thereof Wee are at this time to come unto our third and last Question whether or no supposing such grace to be given as is truly sufficient to convert it be notwithstanding in mans power freely to choose whether he will be converted or not converted by it The Arminian affirmes that it is so and that when God directly intends to Convert a man and for that purpose affords him all gracious helpes needfull to be given on his part then Man by the liberty of his Will may resist Gods will and worke so as they shall not worke his Conversion A desperate error which whosoever maintaines it is impossible that Christian Humilitie and thankfulnesse can have any place in that mans heart Wherefore it behooves us much to be rightly informed in a point of such consequence wherein it is so easie to become an enemy against the grace of God The Question then is this Whether it be in mans power so to resist the grace of God as finally to hinder his owne Conversion In the explication of this Controversie I shall with Gods helpe proceed in this order 1. To shew unto you in briefe the Opinion and Errours of our Adversaries in this point 2. To unfold and confirme that Truth which the orthodox Church defends as touching this matter 3. To answer such Arguments as are made against it The Opinion of the Arminians touching the power of Mans free Will in the worke of Conversion is most fully and freely expressed by that perverse Sectary Iohannes Arnoldi Corvinus in these words of his so often mentioned in the acts of the late Synod and which are most worthy to be had in everlasting detestation Positis saith he omnibus operationibus gratiae quibus ad Conversionem in nobis eâ—â—iciendam Deus utitur manet tamen ipsa Conversio it a in â—ostra Potestate libera ut possimus non converti id est nosmetipsos vel convertere vel non converters id est Suppose all the operations of Grace which God useth to worke conversion in us bee present yet Conversion it selfe remaines in that sort free in our power that wee may be not converted that is we may convert or not convert our selves This is plaine dealing without ambiguity and doubling When God hath done all that is to be done for his part 't is still on our free choyce whether wee will convert or not Their explication of this conclusion is as strange as the conclusion it selfe is hereticall It is thus there are two operations of Grace precedent to a mans Conversion 1. Illumination of the Vnderstanding in the cleere knowledge of the Law and Gospell Sinne and Grace Which illumination is not you must thinke wrought by any immediate worke of the Holy Ghost opening the understanding to discerne of Spirituall things but by the very plaine evidence of the things themselves so cleerely declared and represented to the Vnderstanding that every man having the use of reason aâ—d judgement and being attentive in the hearing or reading of the Word may by the help of his naturall reason without other Supernaturall light understand the sense of all things delivered in Scripture needfull to be knowne beleeved hoped for or practised This is the first worke of Grace upon the Vnderstanding the next is in the 2. Renovation of the Affections which are quickened and rectified with new motions towards spirituall things So that a man not yet converted may truly Sorrow for his offending of God Bewaile his spirituall death in sinne be inflamed with the love of the truth Desire Grace and the Spirit of regeneration hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and eternall life truly wish for deliverance out of his sinfull estate in briefe offer up to God the Sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart in Humilitie in Confession of sinne in Prayers for mercy in a Purpose and an Assay of amendment of life And thus farre the heart or affections may be changed and quickened when yet a man is not Converted Now this alteration which is wrought in affections is if you will beleeve them not any immediate effect of the Holy Ghost working this change in them but the proper cause of it is the Illumination of the understanding whereupon followes necessarily the stirring up of the affections in their right orderly motions which formerly were dead and disordered by reason of the darknesse of the minde misguiding them These two workes goe before mans Conversion and are wrought in all that heare the Word Vniversally and Irresistably the plainesse of Divine truth is such that men though they would cannot avoide the knowledge of it and the dependance of the affections on the Vnderstanding is such that their motions must needs bee conformable to the knowledge and apprehensions thereof When these two effects are wrought in a man hee is then furnished with sufficient strength to Beleeve and Convert if he will This power and strength is given him irresistably will he nill hee but for the Act of
the worke of Gods Spirit when hee intends to bestow this first grace of Sanctification upon a sinner This of Habituall Conversion in the internall renovation of all the faculties which cannot be resisted or hindered in the next place we are to consider of Conversion as it is our act consisting in the operations and exercises of all gracious habites infused as when we actually beleeue repent and doe other good workes This Active Conversion is nothing but the practice of Sanctification when being made holy and good wee doe good and holy workes as a man after he is raised from death or restored to health performes the actions of a living of a healthy man For that similitude of S. Austins is certaine Non ideo currit rota ut sit rotunda c. as a wheele runs not that it may be round but because it is round so the will beleeves not that it may be regenerate but because it is regenerate And therefore that is an errour of the coursest bran when our adversaries make the act of Beleeving to go before our Sanctification whereas nothing is more certain than this that all holy actions whether of Faith or any other grace come from that common root of holinesse infused into our soules Now then touching these actions proceeding from grace inherent the question is how farre they are in mans power to refuse the doing of them and the question may bee laid generally touching all good workes inward or outward thus Whether or no that man who is truely sanctified may refuse to doe any good and holy worke at all for if any one be in his power to refuse it all may be in his power by the same reason But yet because Faith is a principall grace and all the dispute is touching the act thereof we may restraine the question unto it though whatever can bee spoken of mans power about the action of Faith is appliable to all other gracious actions whatsoever The question therefore is thus Whether after that a man is once sanctified and regenerate it be in the freedom of his will to choose whether he will actually beleeve and assent to the Promise or not For the explication of this point How farre every good action is in a godly mans power to doe or leave it undone you are to note that there is a double beginning or Cause of every gracious action in a man regenerate 1. The spirit of God by his exciting and Cooperating grace 2. Man himselfe renued and sanctified in all his faculties The former is termed Principium à quo the latter Principium quod man worketh but hee must be moved thereto and assisted by the Spirit of grace both together concurre to the producing of every holy action I say both together for although man in his first conversion was meerely passive Gods spirit working all without mans helpe yet Man in performance of any holy act is not meerely Active able to doe all of himselfe without Gods helpe No he is partly Passive partly Active Passive as hee stands in need of Gods grace to stirre up guide and strengthen the endevour of each faculty in the doing of good Active in as much as being thus helped by Grace himselfe willingly moves himselfe to every godly worke Now by reason of this concurrence of man with God these operations of grace are properly called Mans worke not Gods worke in man So that when a regenerate man beleeves this act though it be caused by Gods Spirit yet it is done and exercised by Man voluntarily moving himselfe in that action and therefore wee say it is Man that beleveth not Gods spirit that beleeveth as if the act of beleeving were wrought in mans Will by the Spirit of God in the same sort as Iugglers worke strange motions in their Puppets which seeme to doe wondrous feats but t is an unseene hand that 's the cause of all Such grosse conceits should not have beene devised by ingenuous mindes and put upon so plaine and cleere doctrine as that is touching the concurrence of Gods grace with our strength in all Holy actions whatsoever The point is easie to him that will understand Every good desire and good worke is partly from man because he wills it hee workes it but principally from Gods Spirit because hee makes Man to will and to worke it Without which cooperating grace man by Habituall inherent grace could doe no good worke at all according to that of Christ Ioh. 15. 5. Without mee yee can doe nothing and of the Apostle Phil. 1. 6. He that hath begun the good worke will also performe it and againe Phil. 2. 13. It is God that worketh in you both the will and the deed even of his good pleasure and againe 1 Cor. 15. 10. I have laboured more abundantly than they all yet not I but the grace of God which is in me These things thus explaned we are yet further to note that in a man Regenerate there are two contrary qualities inherent in every Faculty 1. Grace in a rectified holy inclination to goodnesse infused into it 2. Corruption in a vitious Quality disposing it to evill These two Qualities abide in the regenerate and oppose one another till sinne be finally overcome abolished by death Vpon these undeniable grounds let us proceed to declare what is a regenerate mans resistance that hee makes against the working of Grace in hindering the performance of any good worke which you shall perceive by these two conclusions 1. A man regenerate so farre forth as hee is Spirituall never resists the worke of Grace but is constantly most willing and forward to the performance of all holy actions None can be so ignorant in the mystery of Sanctification as to deny this therfore they tell â—…ge wonders in Divinity who teach that mans 〈…〉 put in aequilibrio hanging like a beame upon 〈…〉 to bow either way and indifferently disposed to 〈◊〉 good or evill A very dreame it is contrary to all Sâ—…â—â—d â—â—perience whereby we are taught that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—ing regenerate and made spirituall as it is so 〈◊〉 so farre from standing upon termes of indifferencie deliberating whether it shall yeeld or whether it shall denie obedience whether it shall beleeve or not beleeve c. as on the contrary it doth most constantly and eatnestly desire in all things to obey alwayes A man whose eye God hath truly inlightened and touched his heart by the finger of his sanctifying Spirit doth not stand in a mammering shall I shall I shall I beleeve shall I obey were I best doe this good worke or shall I let it alone No all his desire is now for godlinesse the weight and strength of his resolutions and affections leane wholy to obedience his will chooseth the good with full purpose to cleave to that only turning it selfe from evill with much hatred and detestation This constant determination of the spirituall will unto obedience and that only is a thing most manifest in
not book-learned doe conceive to the infinite prejudice of Christianity But however must the Scriptures be obscure because men are carelesse is the Bible a hard booke because common people understand it not in Latine are all things in it darksome and intricate because one man understands not this or that particular which yet another doth or those of the present age perceive not the meaning of such or such a prophecy which the next age may cleerly understand These are weak inferences and such as cannot overturne our first conclusion namely that all Doctrines Histories Prophecies and whatsoever else in Scriptures may be knowne and understood by the perspicuity of the narration in the literall meaning thereof by all sorts of men bad and good For what history of the Bible can be named that may not be plainly understood I say not by a learned or godly but even by any man What prophecy the meaning whereof hath not or will not be plainly found out What text of doctrine whereof some have not or shall not understand the right meaning and when t is once found out may not all understand what one doth yea take the deepest mysteries of Religion as about the Trinity Incarnation of Christ Resurrection Life everlasting Regeneration and the like there is none of them so obscurely set downe in Scripture but that the declaration of them hath light enough to discover unto us what that thing is which we do beleeve so that we may give an account of our Faith in that behalfe Nor is this knowledge of divine things by tht evidence of the narration any peculiar priviledge of the godly but common unto the unregenerate For Charity though it could wish yet cannot be so blinde as to suppose that every one who is able to interpret Scriptures and to write or preach soundly of the doctrines of Divinity is a man truely sanctified by the Spirit of grace Experience and Reason make good the contrary that a singular measure of knowledge and no measure of sanctification are competible Who sees not abroad in the world many wicked and ungodly wretches abounding in knowledge and yet destitute of all true piety and is it not so in the Divell who as in knowledge he surpasseth the best of men so in malice far exceeds the worst of all creatures The cause is for that this knowledge is onely a degree and necessary antecedent unto saving Faith and is not so essentially linked unto it but that it may be where Faith is not It s easier to informe the understanding than to subdue the will and affections the minde may be plainely taught whilst yet the heart remaines froward unbroken and untractable the very heart and life of Faith is the strong inclination and union of the Soule unto the truth and goodnesse of spirituall things preferring them in our choyce above all other things whatsoever which gracious motion is the proper worke of Gods spirit powerfully binding and drawing the heart to embrace that good which is offered unto it but it doth not necessarily follow the right and cleere information of the Vnderstanding Whence it is both possible and easie for an unregenerate Christian by the helpe of common illumination to goe farre I say by common illumination understanding thereby that course of the Revelation of divine truths now usuall in the Church consisting in the knowledge of all Arts skill of Languages use of other mens labours in their Writings and Commentaries conference and hearing of the learned living and accustomed painfulnesse in study of any kinde of knowledge By these meanes a Christian presupposing the truth of holy Writ may in the state of unregeneration prove excellent in the understanding of Divine mysteries Hee may understand all and every the Articles of Christian beliefe all Controversies in matter of Religion all duties of Piety in Christian practice any Sermon or Treatise tending to holy instruction any place of Scripture of darkest and doubtfullest interpretation Yea in these things many times Sanctity goes not so farre as those common graces doe and you may know by experience that the holiest men have not beene alwaies the happiest expositors of Scriptures nor soundest determiners of Controversies but that both of Papists and Protestants many times men of ungodly lives and Idolatrous profession have equalled and exceeded others in their Commentaries and Treatises And doth not the triall of every day shew that many a wretched man and vile hypocrite may yet make so good a Sermon even about the most spirituall points of Christianity and so heavenly a prayer that those who are of quickest sight yet seeing him but a farre off may deeme him sound hearted So easie a matter it is for love of this world to learne Religion by rote and to teach the tongue to speake what the heart doth not affect This of the first conclusion the next is this 2. All Histories and Predictions are knowne unto the most illuminated understandings by no evidence of the things themselves but only by evidence of the relation I shall not need stand long in proving this conclusion In many precepts and doctrinall discourses sense and Reason may have something to doe but in matters Historicall and Propheticall Faith only beares sway For Histories of things past and gone there is no knowledge at all to be had of them otherwise than from authority of Scriptures relation That the world was drowned Noah saved in the Arke c doth not appeare unto us by any argument from the things themselves evident to sense or reason but only by the story So for Prophecies promises threatnings they are not evident till the event make them evident As that the Iewes shall bee converted the Papacy rooted out c. we know these things only by the Word foretelling them In neither of these kindes can our sense be informed or our understanding convinced of their truth and therefore wee must rest upon Revelation beleeved Of these two kindes principally is the Apostle to bee understood in that description of Faith which hee makes Heb. 11. vers 1. where he useth two words to expresse the objects of Faith the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things not seene the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things hoped for Things not seene are of a more large extent and comprise all both past and to come things hoped for have a speciall relation to promises of some future good Both are the proper objects of Faith which is alwayes drowned in the sight of things that were unseene and possession of things that were hoped for The third and last Conclusion followes which is this 3. Precepts and discourses of Dogmaticall points mentioned in Scriptures are in part knowne by the evidence of the things themselves both to the regenerate also the unregenerate This conclusion is of manifest truth as shall appeare thus In Scriptures there are doctrinall discourses of divers sorts some of matters belonging to Nature and Morality others of mysteries peculiar to Divinity
the meaning We have reason to yeeld as much respect to Gods writings as Socrates did sometime to an obscure booke of Heraclitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so when in reading the Scriptures we meet with many hard sentences dark prophecies wee know not the meaning of we also can say That which I understand I beleeve for truth that which I understand not yet I beleeve too that is a truth whatsoever it be But in this case it is manifest that this assent is full of trouble and confusion and whereas faith gives rest and satisfaction to the minde this fills it with anxiety and distraction will any man not strangely carelesse and blockish becontent with such a faith as this I beleeve I know not what And if in some particulars even pure necessitie cause us for the present to bee contented with such a beliefe because of our ignorance must it therefore be brought in as a generall and essentiall property of Faith that t is an assent to things obscure or unknowne But this makes much for the advancement of the Catholike cause and therefore the factors for Rome have reason to stand stiffely in defence of this their doctrine for so when they have dropped in the eares of their disciples this poyson that the faith of a Christian is an assent to things obscure to he knowes not what they have at one stroke nayled their eares to the doores of their Church and made them their slaves for ever and wonne them over to their blinde Canonicall obedience as to beleeve so to doe they know not what The summe of our Adversaries doctrine in this point is briefly expressed by Becanus in his Theolog. Scholasttom 3. cap. 1. Quaest 3. who therein followes his leaders the rest of the Iesuites and Schoolemen To the Question An Revelatio primae veritatis ut sit formale objectum fidei debeat esse obscura he answeres affirmatively that Divine revelations as the objects of Faith must bee obscure and that in a twofold respect 1. Ex partâ— rei revelatae Revelatio enim non debet clard evidenter ostendere rem revelatam A very strange conceit Revelations must not declare things plainely and evidently why so When God revealed his will to the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles did hee not doe it plainely and did not they clearely understand what was meant by the Revelation They did But happly the Iesuites meaning is a little better The revelation must not clarè evidenter ostendere rem that is no revelation hath this force of it selfe Vt rem revelatam exhibeat nobis Praesentem ut clarè intuitivè videamus rem narratâ—â— If this were all the Iesuites meane by this doctrine wee would subscribe unto them and willingly grant that revelation doth not make things Present and offer them to our view for if they were present and seene what need a Revelation In this sense we easily admit the proofes which they bring for Faiths obscurity out of Heb. 11. 1. that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things which we behold not by the eye of sense or reason and out of 1 Cor 13. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True the things that wee beleeve are now knowne by us in this life no otherwise than as wee doe know a man whose face we behold in a glasse but doe not behold his person but our knowledge of the same things in the life to come is as when we know a man standing before him and looking him full in the face So the Scriptures are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glasse wherein we may behold the shape and picture of all things to be beleeved but t is the picture only not the substance and body it selfe Were this all our Adversaries intended the difference betweene us were at an end things beleeued are obscure id est Non-praesentes non-visae we grant it But this doth not fully fit their turne for though the things themselves bee obscure that is not immediatly seene and looked upon yet the narration of them in Scriptures may be perspicuous and plaine to be understood Now they like not this all is quite marr'd if they give way so farre as to grant that the Scriptures are plaine to be understood This may not bee tolerated in their Schooles and Pulpits and therefore t is that in their Sermons and writings upon that subject they so bestirre themselves like a heard of wilde beastes to raise up all the dust they can wherby to darken the light of that bright most Sunne And this is the thing that they aime at in their description of Faith when they tell us that it is an assent to obscure propositions their meaning is villanous to lay a ground for ignorance and implicite beliefe that it suffiseth a religious Christian to salvation that he beleeve in grosse the truth of all which the Scriptures and Church doe deliver though he understand nothing at all distinctly Let him jumble over his Creed in Latine and understand never a letter yet is he a good beleeving Catholike and it sufficeth that the Creed be recited by him in Persona Ecclesiae as Becanus out of Thomas very conceitedly affirmes So in stead of distinct knowledge necessary unto saving faith they breed in their people a dull turbulent and confused assent to something but they know not what which is indeede rather a stubbornnesse and wilfulnesse of resolution than the well advised beliefe of a Christian. Iust so doe Sorcerers and Witches beleeve confidently in the vertue of a number of Verses Spells Characters c. which they cannot tell what to make of and such is the Magicall Faith of those whom the Romish Whore hath bewitched with her inchantments Nor hath this opinion of Obscurity in matter of Faith any ground at all in those two places before alledged For the first in Heb. 11. ver 1. Faith is an argument of things not seene Most true they are not seene because Faith apprehends them and sight destroies Faith But what then are they unknowne too No for Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evident argument even of these things that are not seene Yea but whence doth Faith fetch this argument not from the things themselves for they are unseene Whence then from the Revelation and Declaration of them in the word which makes them cleer to the apprehension of the beleever Againe in that 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee now see through a glasse darkely True wee see things but as in a looking glasse therefore wee see them darkely for let a man first view the shape of any thing in a glasse and afterward look on the thing it selfe his first knowledge of it will bee but dark in comparison of the latter Neverthelesse it is not so darke and obscure but that a man may describe what thing it is hee sees if hee behold a mans face in the glasse hee may distinctly tell that such a man hath such a visage
things past will fill the heart with boldnesse confident expectation of the like successe for the time to come And so much touching the three grounds of Certaintie and Strength in the Assent of Faith I come now to the second point proposed touching this Assent or the diuers degrees of it and those essentiall differences whereby sauing faith in Gods Elect is distinguished from that Faith which is in others We haue shewed you that faith may be in all reasonable creatures and the Scriptures testifie that there is some kind of faith in the Diuels and wicked men We must therefore enquire what their faith is and what the faith of Gods Elect is by what essentiall difference they are distinguished You are therefore to obserue that this assent by which generally all Faith was defined is two-fold 1 Generall to all Diuine Reuelations as good and true whilst barely considered in themselues or as they haue no opposition to our desires being applyed to ourselues 2 Particular when assent is giuen to all Diuine Reuelations as most true and good in regard of our selues when they are applyed to all our particular occasions and compared with all contrarie desires and prouocations Herein lies a substantiall difference of this assent of Faith there being a great Diuersitie betweene an Assent vnto the truth goodnesse of things taken in the generall and an Assent vnto the truth goodnes of the samethings particularly applied as you shall see in the progresse of this discourse The former is but an inferiour degree of Faith and only a step vnto that faith which is true and sauing It is commonly called by two names 1 Historicall Faith synecdochically from one part of the obiect of because it beleeues the Letter of the Scriptures whether Histories or doctrines that are expressed therein 2 Temporarie Faith from the Euent issue of it because it perseueres not vnto the end but failes in time of Temptation It is but one and same degree of faith that hath these two names which assenting to things in grosse flies off and disallowes when it coms to particular application Such a general assent there is in the Diuels who know the Scripturs to be of God and acknowledge the things contained in them to be in themselues true good because from God though mean-while they hate both the one other bitterly The truth of God his Word Essence Attributes works vpon their vnderstandings a deep apprehension of its certainty excellency euen when they with vnspeakable hatred and horrour thinke of it According Iames saith They belieue tremble Such a Faith there is in thousands of Hypocrites reprobates who being inlightened and conuinced of the Truth of the Word yeeld a generall assent vnto it for the time as in those Luk. 8. â—3 Who receiue the Word with ioy but they haue no root which for a while beleeue but in time of temptation goâ— away In those Heb. 6. 4 5 Which were inlightened tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And haue tasted of the good Word of God and of the Powers of the world to come are salue away In those Many that beleeued in Christs Name but yet Christ would not trust them because he knew them all that they were not found at heart Ioh. 2. 23 24. In those many againe that at another time beleeued in him but Christ giues them a caueat that they looke their faith be â—ound 〈◊〉 ye continue in my Word ye are verely my Disciples Ioh. 8. 30. 31. Such a faith was in Simon the Witch Act. 8. 13. who beleeued the Apostles preaching and was baptized euen whilst yet he remained in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie i. a â—ierce enemie to that truth which he seemed to beleeue and professe and fast bound vnto the loue of those sinnes that he seemed willing to forsake verse 23. Such a conception of Faith there was in Falix who trembled when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse temperance and the iudgment to come Acts 24. 25. He beleeued and like the Diuels trembled But Faelix was not temporate his wife Drusilla was another mans wife Felix was vnrighteous and couetous and looked for a bribe and this likes him not that Paul should come so close to him wherefore he hath a shift and put him off in complement to a more conuenient season which Faelix will take at leasure The same imperfect faith there was in King Agrippa who hearing Pauls Apologie could haue found in his heart to haue beene a Christian had it beene a thing in fashion with Kings at that time Acts 26. 28. So was the Case with Herod who heard Iohn Baptist gladly and reuerenced him as a Iust man and holy and did many things willingly Marke 6. 20. But if Iohn be so bold with Hâ—rod as to tell him of his Incest He shall to prison for it and for all that he is a Prophet yet he shall dye if Herod did not feare the multitude more then he reuerenced Iohn Matth. 14. 5. And thus it is with many men still who knowe the Scriptures and assent to the truth of such things as they containe but this goes no further then generalities whilst they approoue and allowe of such things as they know to be good and excellent considered abstractiuely and in the Vniuersalitie and as they doe not crosse them in any of their maine desires and delights And so long they seeme to bee as forward in faith and practise as the best The Causes of this Kinde of Faith in men are many as 1. That common grace of the Spirit whereby men are inlightened in the knowledge of heavenly things Which grace God bestowes upon the unregenerate and unsanctied more for others than their owne good Some light shines upon them whereby they may know and assent unto divine truths for a common good of the Church that others may be instructed by their teaching For Christ in the building of his Church doth also use the helpe and ministery of such men according as Salomon did in the building of the materiall Temple who imployed not the naturall Israelites but the reliques of the Cananites and strangers that lived in the land to be bearers of burdens and hewers of stone and overseers of the worke 2 Chron. 2. 17. And these men though unsanctified and such as doe not themselves heartily esteeme and affect that which they know yet in the generall they beleeve it and willingly teach it to the benefit of the Church Againe 2. Authority of men in high account for their knowledge and wisedome The esteeme that the people had of Iohn the Baptist to bee a great Prophet made Herod reverence him the more and the fame that went of Christ drew many to hearken to his doctrine And so t is still with hundreds whose faith in matters of religion standeth or falleth with their admiration or disesteeme of mens persons The same effect
doth not teach that 't is honest to beleeve him Can any thing be more senselesse or will not every man in the world excepting a Iesuite confesse that the very light of nature teacheth him to acknowledge that it is a very good and honest thing to beleeve Gods authority let him reveale his will unto us which way hee please But t is the fashion of these writers to dorre their readers with a distinction and so to leave them with a prius conceditur posterius negatur distracted and confounded rather than any whit satisfied This of the first reason That a man may beleeve without the helpe of Gods grace the second followes which also confirmes the former viz. 2. That is no act of Iustifying Faith which is found in Divells Heretickes Hypocrites and Reprobates But this assent unto divine Revelations because of Gods authority is in those both divells and men Ergo It is no act of Iustifying Faith The major is agreed upon that the acts of Iustifying Faith are found onely in those who are justified which cannot be said those persons mentioned The minor is likewise evident That Divells Hereticks Hypocrites and Reprobates may and doe assent unto such propositions as God reveales and that because of Gods authority who doth reveale them This hath beene formerly shewed unto you in the explication of the nature of a generall Faith and t is so cleere by Scriptures and experience that our adversaries cannot deny it The forenamed Schoole-man grants it manifestly as concerning Hypocrites and wicked livers who yet professe the Catholicke Faith for disputing Cap. 8. de Habit. Fidei touching that vertue which is infused into the Will whereby it may if it list command the Supernaturall assent of the Vnderstanding heetelleth us that this Vertue is a distinct vertue from all others and is neither Charity nor Obedience § 10. in conclus and that it is perfect in it selfe though it be without them according as other morall habites of justice temperance c. are Whence hee tells us § 11. in plaine termes Potest esse sinâ— charitate ut patet in Christiano peccatorâ— qui Fidem habet siue gratia charitate A Christian that is a sinner may have Faith without grace and charity What Iustifying Faith yea according to the Romish Divinity for he may beleeve the truth of the articles of Religion because of Gods authority who hath revealed them and to do this is a Supernaturall assent and the proper act of Iustifying Faith as these men teach Now touching the Divells and Heretickes the man is a little more coy He will not confesse that the Divels yeeld that assent of Faith he speakes of They doe not beleeve the mysteries of Religion Per assensum supernat uralem i. e. because of Gods authority but Per assensum quendam naturalem qui non oritur ex pio affectu sed ex vi pondere argumentorum quibus intellectus illorum convincitur cap. 11. quaest 2. § 4. We grant willingly that they doe not assent out of any good affection nor is that needfull to make their assent supernaturall for in hypocriticall impenitent and reprobate Catholickes there 's no pious affection moving them to beleeve and yet if wee beleeve their Doctors there is in them a supernaturall assent of Faith But for that other thing That the divells beleeve onely ex vi pondere argumentorum t is utterly false seeing it cannot be doubted but that they beleeve the truth of many future contingents wherof they are not convinced by any force of argument from the things themselves but from authority of Gods Revelations in his Word or otherwise Which infallible truth of God in all his revelations is so cleerely apprehended by these damned Spirits that it makes them to acknowledge the truth and goodnesse of that which otherwise they abhorre Wherefore that comparison which hee makes betweene the faith of 〈◊〉 and wicked Christians is most vaine and erroneoâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ith hee you consider the faith of either of them wâ—…â—egard to the Object there 's par ratio both being â—…d about the same things But if you take it with râ—â—ard 〈◊〉 honesty of the act so the assent of the Divells is farrâ—… 〈◊〉 than that of bad Christians who have faith anâ—â—…rkes But wherein He tells us The Faith of Châ—… Supernaturalis Voluntaria Honesta The Faith of Divells is Naturalis Coacta pravis circumstantijs vitiata All which are false For the Faith of Divells is Supernaturallas much as that of wicked Christians seeing both beleeve propter authoritatem Dei revelantis which is formalis ratio of Supernaturall assent Againe the Faith of divells is as voluntary as that of wicked men for it cannot bee wrought in either by compulsion simply and if the Majesty of Gods infallible truth command the assent of Divells to that which they love not doth not the same cause also prevaile with ungodly men who beare as little true affection to God and Goodnesse as the divells doe Lastly the Faith of Divells is as Honest as that of wicked men For let any man speake Is it not as Honest a thing for wicked angâ—lls to beleeve what God saith as it is for wicked men If not wherein lies the dishonesty of that act in the angells or wherein stands the honesty of that act in men Can there be named any circumstances which make the Divels Faith dishonest but that the same or as bad may bee alledged against the honesty of the Faith of wicked Christians Sure I am what everthese men conceit of the Honesty of Faith without workes in men Saint Iames is plaine in his comparison that t is no whit better than the Faith of Divells Iames 2. 19. Thou beleevest that there is one God thou doest well the Divells also beleeve it and doe not they doe well too Yes haply better than thou for they beleeve and tremble which thou doest not To conclude in the last place we object that Heretickes have such a kinde of Faith as the Romanists call Iustifying For though they erre in some articles of Faith yet others they assent unto because of Gods authority revealing them This Becanus denies telling us that Heretici qui veâ— in uno articulo sunt infideles omnem fidem amiserunt cap. 11. quaest 3. § 4. which answer hee makes upon this ground That the Habite of Faith is lost by any one act of infidelity § 2. and therefore whereas Heretickes beleeve many things t is but upon a kinde of custome and by a humane faith We reply and say that that position One act of infidelity destroyes the habit of Faith is false and contrary to reason and Scriptures as hereafter I shall have occasion to shew speaking of the opposites of Faith For the point we grant that He who is a persevering Heretick though but in one fundamentall article he hath no justifying faith not because he hath lost it but because he never had it But
the temper and disposition of this mans soule bring but the word of God unto it and you shall see it presently Lay upon these sinnes the censure of the Word in a faire ingenuous and direct reproofe without scossing and bitter gybing presse it upon the conscience once and againe lovingly and sharpely and see now what strange entertainment Gods word shall finde at such a mans hands The blood begins to be warm'd with wrath and choler the stomacke riseth and the gall of unchristian malice overslowes the conscience and powers of the soule are of purpose turmoyld that the water being troubled their owne image may not appeare in it the head is presently imployed in all cunning tricks and distinctions to avoide the stroke of the Word the tongue is ready with an apologie to defend it and if the hand hold from violence t is well Now whence is all this frowardnesse Hence because the heart is resolved let God say what hee will yet in this point not to beleeve that it is better to follow his counsell than our owne desire In which case t is strange to see with what rage and unmercifull fury the Prophets of old Christ and his Apostles in their times were persecuted by those to whom they preached in all meekenesse and demonstration of good will towards their soules The like fiery opposition have the Ministers of the Gospell and faithfull Preachers of Christ crucisied found ever since at the hands of their people when once they have beene touched where they would not bee medled withall Straightway a whole Parish will be in an uproare durt and scorne is hurld in the face of the Minister and his doctrine all froward courses taken to worke him woe and shame and all this done by those that wil yet be counted obedient and beleeving Christians But are they so indeed they doe not deserve so much as the name A Faith indeed they have but not that which is true and rightly planted For know this that True Faith and a constant wilfull refusall to be guided by God in any one particular whether the doing of a duety or leaving of a sinne are as incompetible as Christ and Bâ—â—â—al For aske a man that is thus partiall in his courses You say you firmly beleeve the promises of the life to come that God will pardon your sinnes and save your soule why do you not as firmly beleeve the promises of this life but are altogether caring and distrustfull in your affaires You beleeve verily that God is offended with murder adultery c. and therefore you leave them why doe you not beleeve also that hee is as much angry at swearing lying drinking and such like disorders You beleeve God hath forbidden stealing and you are perswaded t is nought why doe you not beleeve that usury bribery or idlenesse in a mans calling are as bad being as much forbidden You beleeve that t is a good thing to seeke unto God in time of adversity and when a man 's old sick and now neer unto death then to pray fast do all good works and live religiously is excellent why doe you not beleeve that the same courses of Piety and Holinesse are as acceptable to God as much required of us in time of health youth and prosperity sâ—â—ing God hath equally commanded them at all tiâ—… Aske a thousand such questions he connot answer you to onâ— For is it from a through consideration of Gods tâ—uth wisâ—â—ome power revealed in the Word that he is moved to beleeve such and such things If that were the cause why doth hee not equally beleeve all when Gods authority is the same in all Is it from true love to God and Goodnesse that he is content to be ruled in such things If that were the cause t is certaine he that loves goodnesse for its owne sake would love all things that are good and love alwayes in a good matter as the Apostle speakes What is it then I le answer for him t is that which the Apostle speakes of Heb. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evill heart full of unbeleefe that having embraced certaine truths not prejudiciall to it selfe upon vaine and worldly considerations in others slips the collar and departs away from the living God refusing to accept of his counsell The truth of this is most certaine from that excellent rule of S. Iames Chap. 2. 10. 11. Whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet faileth in one point he is guilty of all For he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also thou shalt not kill Now though thou doest none adultery yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the Law What is it equall that he who transgresseth the Law in one point should be held guilty of the breach of all the Commandements Yea it is most equall and just for Gods Soveraigne Commandement is the same in all Hee therefore that for conscience sake obeyes in one will obey in all Hee that breaks one wilfully and customarily keepes none at all for conscience sake and if all things hit aright he will be as ready to transgresse in the rest as in that one Wherefore God judgeth him according to the disposition of his heart that he is a transgressour of the whole Law So in our obedience of â—aith Gods truth is the same in every part of his Word he that hath spoken this he hath spoken that also he therefore that upon right grounds beleeves in one point will for the same beleeve in another if Gods authority cannot prevaile with him in one that is not the motive which makes him assent to others and therefore if occasion serve such a one will dissent alike from all according to which Habituall disposition of the soule he is rightly to be judged an Vnbeleever He that rejects Gods command in one thing doth not much regard it in any thing hee that willingly slights Gods authority and truth in this point makes as little account of it in another You have now here my brethren opened unto you that Master-veine wherein runnes all that corrupt bloud of Hypocrisie and secret Infidelity wherewith the greatest part of men professing Christianity are infected This is that bitter roote of mens Apostasie and back-sliding from Piety to profannes or from a true Religion to a false Even this partiall and ill directed Faith is that which one justly calls the greatest part of the Divells Iudiciall Astrology whereby he prognosticateth the downfall of many who yet seem Saints in the Church zealous professors of Religion Oh when he sees a man take a dispensation without asking God leave craving pardon with a God be mercifull unto me in this and so standing out in this or that knowne evill practice he now knowes what to judge of such a man he sees a prey within the reach of his snares which thereupon he sets so artificially fitting his temptations to his humors till in the end he catch his heele in the grin