Selected quad for the lemma: ground_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
ground_n	divine_a	faith_n	infallible_a	2,243	5	9.9055	5	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A09277	Vindiciæ gratiæ. = A plea for grace More especially the grace of faith. Or, certain lectures as touching the nature and properties of grace and faith: wherein, amongst other matters of great use, the maine sinews of Arminius doctrine are cut asunder. Delivered by that late learned and godly man William Pemble, in Magdalen Hall in Oxford.	Pemble, William, 1592?-1623.; Capel, Richard, 1586-1656.	1627 (1627)	STC 19591; ESTC S114374	222,244	312

our assent vnto Diuine Truths springs from these three fountaines 1 From the Infallible Authority of the Reuelation 2 From the excellent greatnesse and worth of things Reuealed 3 From the manifest experiment of some part of their Truth knowne vnto vs. Of these in order The first and chiefest ground whereon is built the Certainty of faiths assent is The Infallible truth and Authority of Diuine Reuelations I call this the chiefest ground because it is that whereunto finally all our Beliefe is resolued For aske the question wherefore do you firmely belieue the Articles of the ●reed The answere is Because God hath reuealed them in Scriptures to be belieued The reason of which answere is this because What euer God saith istrue Now this is a principle in Nature aswell knowne to the reasonable creature as that they haue reason it is grauen deepe vpon the conscience of euery one which tels him That God is so infinitely Wise that hee can be ignorant of nothing that none can circumuent and ouer each him And againe that he is so infinitely good holy and Iust that no ●ie can come of this truth as Iohn speaketh Iohn 2. 21. Wisedome it selfe cannot bee deceiued Truth it selfe cannot deceiue and God is both Wherefore none but a Iesuite like Beca●… whose wits haue serued an apprentiship in the mystery of lying and aequiuocation vnder the Father of ●ies would haue affirmed that the Prophets and Apostles though they knew it was God that reuealed heauenly mysteries vnto them yet they knew not Euidently whether God was not deceiued himselfe or would not deceiue them Alying surmise much like that of the Serpent when hee tempted the Woman Yea saith he hath God indeed said so Yes the woman answeres God hath said so and we know it But Satan replies Are you sure that God spake true when hee said it The Diuell then denyed it and Becanus staggers at it as a thing very doubtfull telling vs that when God speakes man cannot be euidently certaine whether he speaks true or false But we reiect with abomination such a suggestion to Infidelity that strikes at the roote of all Christian Faith and shakes the lowest foundation-stone in all that building we know and are euidently assured That God is truth and in him or of him there is no Lie From this first ground of faith in Gods Essentiall truth wee draw another that whersoeuer any Reuelation is certainely known or belieued to be of God there the reasonable creature doth fully assent to the truth of things reuealed Whence all the holy Pen-men of Scriptures did for themselues most certainely belieue the truth of all things they deliuered though sometimes they vnderstood but darkely what was the meaning of that which they spake and wrote because they knew that they were taught them immediatly from God Yea the diuels themselues when they know as they doe these reuelations to be from God howeuer they tempt men to distrust and out of malice raises vp lies and slanders vpon Gods truth yet in the meane time are themselues cleerely conuinced of this truth and doe assent vnto it in their consciences The diuell knew well that Gods threatning to Alam was a certaine truth euen whilst he perswaded him it was but a lie And when he inspired the Pharisies to call Christ. Samaritan Belzebub a possessed Daemoniacke a Deceiuer and all to nought euen then himselfe could not but confesse that he was that Christ Iesus the Sonne of the most high God Mar. 5. 7. But this is the malice of Hell to sight against the Light and furiously to oppose what we cannot but acknowledge to be truth Well Thus far then our Faith goes vpon a sure ground That whatsoeuer God saith is true And againe When wee know euidently that God sayes it wee are ready to belieue it without further question But here in the next place is all the doubt How know wee infallibly that God is the Author of the Scriptures and that such things as therein are proposed for vs to belieue are reuealed by God himselfe This is a fundamentall Question wherein it greatly behoues euery Christian to be rightly informed It would require a large discourse to bee prosecuted through euery particular I shall but onely touch vpon the generall and giue occasion to each one carefully to bethinke himselfe that his faith be built on the rocke and not vpon the Sand. The Question is How is it knowne certenly that the Scriptures are the very word of God it hath two brāches 1 Toaching each seuerall part of Scripture as it was reuealed and giuen to the Church of God How did the People of the Iewes know that what was deliuered by Moses and other Prophets after him from time to time was the word of God To which I answere they knew the writing and Preaching of Moses and the Prophets to be of diuine Inspiration partly by the holinesse of the Doctrine which they taught the liuely power and worke whereof the hearts of the godly then felt partly by the miracles which they wrought for confirmation of their propheticall office partly by the certaine and infallible accomplishment of all their prophecies Of which triall of Prophets and their prophesies wee haue a generall rule set downe Deut. 18. 18. c. I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee and will pur my words in his mouth and hee shall speake vnto them all that I command him 19. And whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which hee shall speake in my name I will require it of him 20. But the Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my name which I haue not commanded him to speake or that speaketh in the name of other gods euen the same Prophet shall die 2● And if thou thinke in thine heart How shall wee know the word which the Lord hathnot spoken 22. When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to passe that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not so be afraid of him By the same meanes were the preaching of Christ also the preaching and writing of the Apostles knowne in their times 2 Touching the whole Scripture as it is now compleatly deliuered vnto vs in writing How can it euidently and infallibly appeare vnto vs that what wee finde written in the Bible is of diuine inspiration the very oracles of God not mans Inuentions In the solution of this Question our aduersaries of the Romish and wee of the Reformed Churches differ irreconcileably Wee affirme that the Scriptures are knowne to be of God by themselues they maintaine that we cannot bee certaine of the Scriptures Diuinity by any other argument then the testimony of the Church which say they doth infallibly propose vnto vs what is to be belieued what is not to be belieued So that ask a Roman Catholike Wherfore do you

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted and stablished in the vndoubted perswasion of this truth We are all very backward in this study and that 's one argument the Scriptures are diuine because our wretched sinfulnes cannot brooke them And againe wee are very dull of vnderstanding in these things which is also a good proof that they come from a most diuine vnderstanding because our Naturall wit is sharpe enough in other things yet comprehend not these mysteries but yet for all this let vs be perswaded with prayer in humility to follow the counsell of Christ. Search the Scriptures the Commandement of our King the seruant of Christ to set the Scriptures in the head of our studies therein laying a sure ground-worke of our beleefe before we haue to doe with men Following this course we may be bold to expect a full resolution of this great Question and experience will in the end make it manifest a most sure word as S. Peter cals it 2 Pet. 1. 19. whereon to build our faith We shall find that this word is a light shining in a darke place and that God who in the creation commanded the light to shine out of darkenes will by this meanes shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ as it is 2 Cor. 4. 6. Thus doing we shall be constant in our Religious profession while we liue and also vnconquerable in our Spirituall consolation when we are to dye Hitherto of the first ground whereupon the Strength of Taiths assent is built namely the infallible truth of Diuine Reuelatinos I proceed vnto the next two the former whereof is The Greatnesse and excellent worth of the things reuealed They are not toyes tristes matters of smal moment that God proposeth vnto vs to be embraced beleeued But they are the Great things of his Law that he hath written vnto vs Hos. 8. 12. A Law that is Perfect conuerting the soule a Testimony that is Sure making wise the simple Statutes that are Right reioycing the heart Commandements that are Pure enlightening the eyes Iudgments that are True and Righteous altogether more to be desired then what men desire most then Gold yea then much fine Gold sweeter then the Heny that droppeth from the best Hony combe as the holy Prophet Dauid Ps. 19. 7. c. most emphatically amplifies the dignity worth of that part of Scriptures which was in his time giuen vnto the Church Since then we haue a large increase of this heauenly treasure The Gospel fully reuealed and written for our benefit containing in it The Wisdome of God that in a mysterie hid from the princes of this world 1 Cor. 2. 7. the deepe things of God v. 10. the riches of his glorious mysterie Col. 1. ●7 the vnsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8. All both Law Gospel old new Testament are full of admirable perfection goodnesse excellency in themselues and towards vs they contain matters of greatest consequence in the world He that doth these things saith the Scripture shall liue in them if he doe them not then Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the words of that B●oke to fulfill them Againe He that beleeueth shall be saued he that beleeveth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. No lesse matters are set forth vnto vs in Scripture then Blessing and Cursing Saluation and Damnation Grace Sin Gods fauour and his Displeasure Heauen and Hell Now lay all things in this world together there 's nothing worth the speaking of in comparison of these or that can beare any proportion of worth greatnesse with them Wherfore this ought to be a forceable motiue vnto vs to giue all diligence that we fasten our faith vpon these things with all strength and stedfastnesse not barely and sleightly passing them ouer as things of little moment but laying them vp in our hearts by deepest most attentiue meditation It is strange to see how ●xedulous and apprehensiue men are in other matters that may concern them in their name goods or life Euerie little circumstance is enough to perswade them to a strong beleefe of that which they feare or hope for But in matters of religion there 's scarce any thing will ' worke vpon vs we heed not what we heare or reade promises or threatnings exhortations or admonitions all 's one to vs we passe little for one or other but as the i●●es of old we count these things as Strange matters that little concerne vs. Naturally we are all Atheists Insidels and that of Saluian is true euen of the best of vs. Omma a mamus omnia colimus solus nobis in comparatione omnium Deus vilis est We can study any thing but the Scriptures we can beleeue any thing but Articles of Christian Religion we can loue any thing but God goodnesse The truth is we doe but talke of Religion being far from any thorough apprehension of the excellency worth therof whence it comes to passe that our thoughts of it are sleight and vanishing our affections towards it cold and forced our beleefe of it neerer to a fancy weake imagination then a well grounded faith Wherfore let vs henceforth value Diuine things according to their worth esteeming of them as better to vs then thousands of gold and siluer or whatsoeuer is by the world had in highest account Hence shall we gather strength and vigor to cleaue faster vnto Religion in Faith and zealous affection The last ground remaines whereupon the firmenesse and strength of our assent standeth and that is The manifest experience of some part of the Truth of those things we beleeue It is indeed a commendation of Christian faith that it can beleeue before against Experience And Abrahams faith is herein a glorious pattern to all others who beleeued strongly the promises when for a long time he found but smal performances as may be seen in the storie of his life But gen●●ally Faith is but weake till it be confirmed by Experience this giues it life making the Heart of a man strong in Confidence and Resolution See this in an example or two 1 Sam. 30. we find Dauid his men in great distresse for the losse they had sustained at Z●kla● Dauid sorrowes as well as his seruants his losse is as much as theirs but this doth not pacific them Dauid is their Captain and they thinke this nuthap comes by his fault so in their rage they intend to stone him What shall Dauid do in this case he is but one man in the middest of a f●rious multitude slight or resistance cannot helpe him see how his faith helps him out in this exigent He was now in danger but he had bin in as great many a time before and very narrowly had he escaped the snares that Saul and his Courtiers had layd for his life But God deliuered him there and

will we cannot conceiue any naturall thing as true but we must conceiue as Good too Witnesse all I ogicke rules Philosophy Mathematickes there is no conclusion how vnpleasant soeuer it seeme to be but if it be apprehended as True it also affects the vnderstanding with ioy delight and contentment in the goodnesse of it It delights because it is true and so Truth quatenus Truth is good So that vnto such as aske wherefore are the Mathematickes good I answer Because they are True a part of Gods created truth of which it is blasphemy to hold and affirme that any the least part is euill and nought worth nor deseruing a mans study All Truth is amiable like God the Authour of it and goodnesse is so essentially incorporated together with Truth that they cannot be seuered in our knowledge or affection Now in morall and Diuine things the case is much more plaine That their Truth consists wholly in their Goodnesse nor can it be imagined how vertue should be said to be true but onely because it is good or what the Truth of Grace is but onely the Goodnesse of it Wherefore generally that rule is Cortaine Bonum Verum conuertuntur and their praedication each of other is not onely in the Concrete Verum est bonum but also in the abstract Ver●… est bonitas ò cont● 〈◊〉 And so the Scripture takes these two indifferently as Gen. 1. 31. When God had created all his workes he looked on them and saw that they were Very Good They were true as well as good but one includes both And Iohn 8. 44. it is said touching Satan that He abode not in the Truth that is in that perfect and good condition wherein God created him for he fell from his goodnesse as well as from his Truth By this it appeares that this distinction which is made betweene the truth and goodnesse of things is not from their Nature but from our esteeme and conceit of them We measure the goodnesse of things by our owne ends and the vse we haue of them such things as fit our purposes are proportionable to our necessities those we account good and Such things we make the Obiect of our wils because wee desire them with a more notable degree of Constancy and vehemency Other things though very good in themselues yet because they touch vs not and our desire of them is slight and vanishing we make them the obiect of our vnderstanding only as if wee apprehend in them nothing but bare Truth As for example he that shall discourse vnto an intemperate man in his temperate moode how shamefull and vnseemely a thing it is for a Christian to be ouercome of drinke to be a seruant to his appetite to wallow in filthy pleasures to bee seene in base company and hase places and shall tell him how comely and commendable a vertue sobriety is how gracious an ornament of a man how necessary a duty in euery Christian when you tell him of these things he vnderstands you and assents not only to the truth but to the goodnesse of what you say But heere is the mischeefe his resolution stands otherwise sottish delights preuaile against all sober aduise and the stronger desires of pleasures drowne those faint affectious towards Temperance How in this case the truth and goodnesse of the vertue commended is but one thing and the intemperate man did a●t that same time apprehend and approue of both in generall wishing that it were with him as it should be and is with other men But now when anon after he comes to put in practise what he thus knowes and allowes of long Custome and ill perswasions doe so farre darken his former apprehension of the Goodnesse of the thing that now there seemes to be nothing left in his head but a generall notion of the Truth of that which he heard at such a time So then Truth and Goodnesse are not two seuerall things nor apprehended by two seuerall faculties but one and the same thing knowne and desired by the same facultie The difference lyes onely in the diuers degree of our apprehension which varies according as the things apprehended seeme to haue more or lesse agreement with our particular vses and necessities Where matters fit vs in particular there our desires are Strong and Constant When they agree to vs onely in the generall then our Generall Desires not well rooted are choked and stisled by contrarie affections in the particular performance It fares with men as it did with Shimei Salomons commandement of not Departing the Citie is Good till Shimei haue a Seruant take his heeles and run to Gath and then Shimeis beliefe of Solomans threatning must giue way to his Couetous desire of recouering his runnagate Seruant So in matters of Religion men know and approue of their truth and goodnesse in generall wishing that themselues had all the grace and pietie which is so much spoken of but when after they compare it with their more pleasing contentments in this or that kind they renounce the Goodnesse of Religion and hold it onely as a Truth Of which diuersitie in assenting to the goodnesse of things in generall and in particular more shall be spoken hereafter in the next point For conclusion of this point touching the subiect of Faith we doe not appropriate faith either to the Vnderstanding or the Will nor yet refer it to both as vnto two distinct faculties but we place it immediately in the whole intellectuall Nature whether of mans soule or of Angels In which wee follow the sentence of the Scriptures that seate Faith in the whole heart as Rom. 10. 10. With the Heart man belieueth vnto righteousnesse and Acts 8. 37. If thou belieuest with all thine heart Now it is a thing manifest that in Scripture the heart is taken for the Whole soule with all its powers and operations as of vnderstanding 1 King 3. 9. Salomon asketh of Godan vnderstanding Heart of Willing and Choosing Act. 7. 29. In their harts they went backe to Egypt 1 Cor. 7. 37. He that st●n●●th firme in this Heart i. in his purpose and resolution Againe of the Affections Mat. 6. 21. Where the treasure there is the Heart also i. Loue for Rom. 1. 24. of the memory Luk. 1. 16. They did those words in their hearts so Luke 21. 14. We need not goe seeke on t any trouble some distinction of faculties wherein to place faith seeing the Scriptures speake simply of the whole soule and neither Nature nor Scriptures do intimate any necessity at all of mal●ing such a difference Wee come now to the third and last point proposed in the definition or the Genus vnder which it is comprehended that is Assent about which wee must enquire after two things 1 The Certainty of this Assent of Faith 2 The Diuers Degrees and Essentiall Differences whereby the assent of Faith in Gods Elect is distinguished from all other Faith The Certainty and strength of