Faith or Beliefe in generall as this word is taken in the largest extent in relation to all civill or naturall things 2. In the next place explaining the meaning of this word Faith as it is used in speciall about Divine and Supernaturall things declared to us in Scriptures The opening of the nature of Beliefe in generall will give much light for the understanding of the speciall consideration thereof therefore I begin with that first Not to trouble you with reckoning up all the improper acceptions of this word Fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to tell you that sometime it is taken for Fidelity or Trustinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when a thing is done or spoken bonafide faithfully or trustily and in that exclamation Vestram fidem c. sometimes for Arguments or Proofes from Reason or Authority brought to breed beliefe in another which acception is usuall in Rhetoritians Arist. 1. Rhet. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quintil. l. 5. cap. 10. Haec omnia argumenta generaliter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant c. Faith or Beliefe in the proper acception of the word is an Assent to such matters a◠are knowne only by Revelation from another This definition agrees to beliefe as it is taken in the largest sense the Genus i◠Assent the difference is taken from the object whereto Assent is yeelded and that is such things as wee understand onely by anothers revelation Both parts will be plainly understood if we distinguish between three sorts of knowledge Cognitionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are incident unto man 1. The first is Scientia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledge properly so called which is bred in us by the evident certainety of things presented unto our reason or sense When wee understand such principles and conclusions in all arts and sciences as are demonstrable by evident and infallible reason or when we know such particulars as come under our senses when they are rightly disposed 2. The second is Opinio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Opinion an imperfect knowledge of things not cleerely presented unto reason or sense when we apprehend things in part and obscurely so that wee cannot absolutely say t is this or t is that 3. The third is Fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beliefe which is a knowledge grounded on testimony and authority of others when wee assent to those things whereof by our owne sense and reason we have no certainety nor evidence only we beleeve them because such and such have told us they are so These three divers apprehensions of things wee expresse in formes of speech agreeable the first when we say I know this to be so the second thus I thinke it is so the last in this I beleeve it is so A great difference there is betweene these three apprehensions of the understanding as every one may easily discerne but more cleerly thus it stands 1. Knowledge whether it be of things past present or to come hath evermore certainety in the subject and evidence in the object accompanying it For the things that are knowne must bee alwaies apparant to the senses or to the understanding To the senses by the proportionablenesse of the qualities in the Object and due application of them to the Organ To the understanding by the bright light of reason shining in the things themselves Wherefore the Object of knowledge is evermore evident and being thus evident and apparant the apprehension thereof in the Subject by the sense and understanding must needs bee cleere and most distinct whence ariseth such an assent unto the truth of the thing as is most firme and certaine excluding all doubting whatsoeuer as for instance that the Fire is hot the Water moist the Sunne light that Quicquid dicitur vel negatur de Vniversali dicitur vel negatur de Particulari Quae conveniunt in uno tertio inter se conveniunt with the like these things are evident making such a lively impression upon the senses and so cleerly discovering their reasonablenesse to the understanding that we strongly assent unto their truth without all doubting 2. Opinion is contrary unto knowledge and alwayes hath uncertainetie in the Subject and inevidence in the Object attending on it For some things there are of their owne nature uncertaine and contingent whereof our best knowledge is but a doubtfull conjecture as that a red evening and a gray morning should bring a faire day Againe those things that are in themselves certaine enough and necessary yet unto us they will be but onely probable and conjecturall if either our senses through weakenesse and distemper perceive them not throughly or our understanding doe not cleerely apprehend the nature and reason of them Whence it followes that for want of cleere evidence in the things themselves our assent unto their truth will be alwayes wavering doubtfull without any fixed determination to embrace any side resolvedly but so holding it selfe to that part which for the present seemes most probable as that it is ready to shift it selfe unto the other side when better reason shall bee discovered 3. Beliefe partly agrees partly differs both from the one and the other for it partakes but of one property namely certainety in the Subject though very variable but never of evidence in the Object Both shall appeare unto you in order For the Object of beliefe it may bee certaine and necessary in it selfe but quâ tale it is never evident to the beleever For evident as I said before those things onely are which by their owne proper qualitie and light worke a cleere apprehension of themselves in the senses or understanding or both Now such things are not beleeved but knowne as for instance what wee see heare touch taste or smell by these senses orderly disposed we doe not say we beleeve it but we know it as that the Fire is hot the Water cold He that relates unto mee an accident that himselfe hath seene He knowes it but I that heare him doe beleeve it Againe things that wee understand by manifest and infallible reason those also we know we doe not beleeve as for example If an Astronomer foretell an Eclipse to fall out an hundred years hence hee doth not beleeve but he knowes this effect will ensue by the infallible motion of the Heavens but an unlearned man that findes this in an Ephemerides hee onely beleeves it But now that which is the Object of Beliefe so farre as it is the Object thereof doth not fall under the cleere apprehension either of sense or understanding by its owne naturall light For things beleeved are of three sorts Past Present or to Come Of things Past before we were and of things to Come t is not possible for us to get any knowledge from the things themselves by our sense or reason unlesse it be Astronomicall demonstrations as was touched before or such Physicall effects as depend upon necessary connexion of their causes Touching things
at all or Nothing else but that Habituall Faith which wee maintaine to be given us as a principall part of our regeneration These mistakings of the Nature of our Conversion hath utterly confounded our Adversaries in their opinions and writings about this point They speake of Sufficiency of Grace to produce the acts and operations of Faith and other vertues when the Question is meant of the Sufficiencie of Grace in producing the Habit of all Inherent Holinesse Now as in the former example of the sicke man it is one thing to enquire whether the Health and strength Christ gave him was sufficient to cause him to walk another thing to demand what vertue of Christ was sufficient to give him that health and strength so in this case t is one thing to aske whether the grace of Spirituall health or Sanctification be sufficient for the producing of the actions of a Sanctified man another thing to aske what grace is sufficient to worke in the soule the grace of Sanctification it selfe Wherefore in this matter we affirme that as Health when it is in a man is sufficient to every Naturall action though alwaies it be not effectuall because wee make not use of our strength at all times but to worke Health in a sicke man no vertue is sufficient but that onely which being applied proves effectuall to restore it So where Sanctification is it is alwaies sufficient to every gracious action if it be duely exercised thereabouts but may sometime bee ineffectuall through our default in not applying it aright but now to worke Sanctification in the heart that hath it not there is no other gift whatsoever sufficient but the onely vertue and power of the Holy Ghost the immortall seede of our Regeneration and wheresoever this onely and all-sufficient vertue worketh in the heart of any man there it is alwayes infallibly effectuall To dreame of any other inherent quality in the soule given to man as sufficient to Sanctifie the soule and yet after t is given ineffectuall to performe it is a fancy never thought of till of late times wherein mens hearts are strangely embittered in fierce opposition against the glory of Gods free Grace This of the first Conclusion the second followeth and it is this That sufficient grace for Sanctification is not given unto all This is a necessary consectary of the former for seeing Sufficient and Effectuall are all one in this case seeing t is apparant that this grace is not Effectuall in some who are never Sanctified it follows necessarily that such Sufficient grace is not given unto all This were enough to have beene said against this opinion of Sufficiency of Grace given to all within the Church But yet ex abundanti for our better satisfaction I desire your patience and attention in the further examination of this second Conclusion The truth of it will be cleered by considering what the grace is which is given to those that are within the Church Now this grace is twofold 1. The Externall Declaration of Gods will made unto all men in common by the Preaching of the Word the ordinary consequent whereof is Knowledge or Illumination And this is termed our Externall Vocation by the Word 2. The Inward gracious worke and vertue of the Holy Ghost immediately exercised upon the Vnderstanding Will Affections and whole Man The constant effect whereof is Regeneration And this is called our Internall Vocation by the Spirit In the explication of the Nature Distinction and Sufficiency of these two unto the worke of Sanctification consists the further cleering of this troublesome controversie The Orthodoxe sentence which hath beene held touching this matter agreeably to the Scriptures is this There are two things which are ordinarily wrought in men living under the Ministery of the Word 1. Illumination of the Vnderstanding 2. A touch or motion of the Will and Affections These two because they are the fountaine of all Outward actions we onely consider in this businesse letting passe such effects as are visible in mens conversations Now both these are each of them of two different sorts Illumination is either 1. Common and Naturall when a man in hearing or reading conceives the litterall sense and meaning of the Scriptures in most points of Christian Religion so that he is able to discourse dispute and write of them I call this knowledge Common because t is bestowed on reprobates as well as others I call it also Naturall because although the object thereof bee Supernaturall and Divine nor could be knowne but by revelation yet being revealed the manner of apprehending it in such a one is meerely Naturall and Carnall and that light which the Spirit affords to such a one is but some more eminent degree of that common assistance which hee gives to all that seeke after knowledge in any learning for a publicke benefite For the case is plaine enough a learned Schollar unregenerate knowes and studies Divinity in the same manner as he doth any other Art and as in them so in this hee may attaine excellent knowledge by a speciall but no sanctifying gift of the Spirit perfecting his Naturall reason but not making it Spirituall 2. Proper and Spirituall when a man by a singular gift of the Spirit of grace is inabled to judge of Heavenly things in a Spirituall manner according to their truth and goodnesse represented to the understanding in their native beauty and excellency I call this Proper because it belongs onely to the Elect and Spirituall because the Sanctified understanding judgeth of them Spiritually Thus for knowledge next touching the Motions which are wrought in the Will they are likewise double 1. Naturall when upon the understanding of threatnings or promises the Will is touched with some kinde of affections towards those things as they which are naturally hurtfull or beneficiall to it as to love hope desire feare or hate such or such a good or evill thing spoken of in the Word I terme these affections Naturall being proportionable to that first sort of knowledge that bred them For when an unregenerate man shall heare it plainly and amply declared what happinesse belongs to the Saints what comfort is in Gods favour what glory in heaven what horrour in Hell and a bad conscience hee will be easily stirred up with many desires of enjoying the one and escaping the other But this he doth in no other manner than as every man by instinct of Nature will wish and seeke for that good which he knoweth to be proportionable to his nature and also shunne the Contrarie 2. Spirituall when upon the thorough apprehension of all Spirituall Good and Evill known beleeved by Faith the Will is strongly inclined with all Constant and Vehement affections of Love and Hatred earnestly to embrace the one and detest the other above all things else whatsoever How great difference there is betweene these Illuminations and Motions in the regenerate and unregenerate I shall by Gods grace shortly have
bee assured that a heart surcharged with covetous desires ambitious thoughts voluptuous uncleane and impure affections is farre un fit for the study and meditation of these sacred writings and shall never attaine to the saving understanding thereof Againe be humble and not proud sober and not curious neglect no helpes of Nature or Art that may bee gotten nor relye too much upon either as foolish Anabaptists doe on the one side and presumptuous wits on the other whose stocke will soone decay Study to obey not to dispute turne not conscience into questions and controversies lest whilst thou art resolving what to do thou doe just nothing Draw not all to reason leave something for faith where thou canst not found the bottome admire the depth kisse the booke and lay it downe weepe over thine ignorance and send one heartie wish to heaven Oh when shall I come to know as I am knowne Goe not without nor before thy guide but let thine eyes bee alwaies towards that Lambe who onely can open this booke and thy understanding And then Blessed is he that readeth and he that heareth the words of the prophecy of this booke for the time is at hand Yea the time is at hand when all shall be accomplished and wee must bee accomptable when arts shall cease tongues shall be abolished knowledge shall vanish away Doe but thinke now one thought what will be the joy of thy conscience in that day when thou maist truly say Lord thou hast written to me the great things of thy Law and I have not accounted them a strange thing or with David I have hid thy Word within my heart that I might not erre from thy Commandements 2. This for your private in the second place attend to hearing as well as reading It is a fault greatly reproveable in many who despise all but their owne study Gods ordinance of preaching and a moneths paines of the learned cannot do them so much good as an houres study of their owne who therefore out of scorne of Gods ordinance and other mens abilities will keepe home And I could wish that yet it were so that whom God lookes for at the Church he might finde them in their studies they should be though not so wel busied as they ought yet not so ill imployed as now they are But I spare them in this place hoping that none heares mee who doth not hate this practise and tremble to cast such contempt upon the sacred office and ordination of the publike Ministery I le rather touch upon our private an exercise of an inferiour nature yet of excellent use and great necessity Let that before spoken perswade your attention and diligence in thriving by it and besides that know the worke of providence to be such that how simple soever the messenger be that brings it yet Gods words will alwaies accomplish that whereto it is sent in hardening or softening the heart Here only let me commend unto your acceptance and expectation a double plainnesse needfull to be used 1. Of stile and speech that matter may have leave to command words and not bee constrained to follow them in servile attendance How many excellent discourses are tortured wrested and pinched in obscured through curiosity of penning hidden allusions forced phrases uncouth Epithites with other deformities of plaine speaking your owne eares and eyes may be sufficient judges A great slavery to make the minde a servant to the tongue and so to tie her up in fetters that shee may not walke but by number and measure Good speech make the most on 't is but the garment of truth and she is so glorious within shee needes no outward decking yet if she doe appeare in a rayment of needle-worke it s but for a more majestike comelinesse not gawdy gainesse Truth is like our first Parents most beautifull when naked t was sinne covered them t is ignorance hides this Let perspicuity and method bee ever the graces of speech and distinctnesse of delivery the daughter of a cleer apprchension for my self I must alwaies thinke they know not what they say who so speake as others know not what they meane If they doe it of purpose they are envious to others and injurious to Nature and the best interpretation I can make of such misty and cloudy eloquence is that it serves onely to shadow an ignorant minde or an ill meaning T is naught in all discourse about religion much more as if the darknesse of our understanding were not hinderance enough without obscurity of speech and of all I am sure in this kinde of exercise most un fit where both matter and auditors require plainnesse Catechismes are pend like lawes in plaine not eloquent termes its a great absurdity in definitions summary decisions to seek after tropes and figures Wherefore for curious discourses sitted to rub itching ears let AElians grave censure of Myrmerides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 coaches with foure horses so little you might hide them undor a slies wing or Callicrates his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 copies of verses written so small as a chery stone might hold them passe likewise upon them they are to say the least 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a laborious losse of time Certainely I finde both the one and the other cendemned in Pauls practise and the Iewes example Hee was learned and spake all languages and that exactly eloquently if Gods teaching can doe any thing more than a Grammarians or Rhetoricians schoole yet in case of preaching hee would not doe that which he condemned in the false Apostles but professeth his opinion and practise 1. Cor. 2. 1. I came not to you with excellency of words or of wisedome and verse 4. nor stood my word and my preaching in the entising speech of mans wisedome but in plaine evidence of the Spirit and of Power and he gives a reason for it verse 5. That your faith should not be in the wisedome of men as wrought by mans perswasion but in the power of God Againe Exekiel was an eloquent man and the Iewes tooke a pleasure to heare him but where grace wanted what could his eloquence helpe Yee shall have it in Gods owne words Ezek 33. 31. 32. They come unto thee as a people useth to come and my people sit before thee and heare thy words but they will not doe them for with their mouths they make jests and their heart goeth after their covetousnesse But it may be Ezekiels utterance was harsh and they were offended at it No it followes And loe thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice and can play well on an instrument for they heare thy words but they doe them not This for speech the other plainnesse is 2. Of the matter that ye will give mee leave to enquire after the old way and to walke in it I meane that plaine path which the Scriptures have laid forth before us the easiest I assure me to
settled plantation for many ages In which time learning Arts and all Civilitie seemed to have beene confined to those middle parts of the world the rest further remote being left in grosse ignorance and barbarisme And the same course is held to this day wherein Learning and Civility hath abandoned the Easterne countries which have forsaken true Religion and hath not yet approached to the Westerne Americans who have not heard the sound of the Gospell Now then in the course of times it could not bee but sundry accidents would fall out for the dispearcing of sacred knowledge as trading and commerce of Merchants both strangers into Iudaea and Iewes into forraine parts Entertaining of Slaves and Captives who if barbarous learned of their Iewish if Iewes taught their barbarous Masters many mysteries of Religion received and beleeved among the people of God The perigrination and sojourning of many Iewes abroad in forraine parts as no countrey soever but hath some of its people in all countreys which Iewes as they learned the superstitions of the Heathen so they brought in amongst them some pieces and relickes of true Religion Lastly the Curiosity of the Philosophers of those times shaming the negligence of the learned now who would with any cost purchase bookes of any Art in any Language which they thought contained some secret knowledge and rare mysterie as also spared no labour in travelling into forraine parts wherein they heard were any men or meanes whereby their knowledge might be increased Wherefore it is more than probable that those Ancients Zoroastres Hermes Orpheus Plato and others drew their knowledge which in part they had of many high mysteries out of a deeper and cleerer fountaine than the muddy shallow springs of their owne naturall reason though in the passage this water was much soyled by them with the mudde of many idle fables and silly conceits A reason whereof we may conceive to be either the darknesse of their apprehension not cleerely discerning what was perhaps plainely enough delivered or the corruption of those Idolatrous times which permitted not the least innovation in opinion or practice touching the matter of Religion as appeares in the case of Socrates which constrayned the learned in those dayes to conceale much of what they knew or to declare it darkly in many mistie and foggy fables whose interpretation aftertimes forgot and so beleeved a lie for a true tale Hitherto of the knowledge of a meere naturall man let us next descend to the Effects thereof in regard of Practice which admitting of a double consideration as theformer What may be what hath beene done shall yet here be handled joyntly together By the former discourse it appeares how imperfect the knowledge of the wisest naturall man is whence it followes that his practice will come as farre short of his knowledge as his knowledge doth of perfection For so t is even with the best Christians who practise farre lesse than they know much more with the naturall man whose knowledge is too darke and uncertaine to cause any powerfull and vigorous impression upon his will and sensuall affections which will be too too violent and untamed to give way to the commands of his understanding Yea should we suppose in a naturall man the cleerest apprehension of all duties in the morall Law yet could it not much better his practice so easily would the Naturall Conscience bee choaked and borne downe by the power of Corruption unlesse it bee supported by Faith which only puts life into our knowledge and strength unto our practice And in this case there is no difference betweene a Naturall Heathen and an Vnregenerate Christian who in knowledge may and doth exceed the other and yet come short of him in practice For seeing they both alike want Faith and Sanctification it is possible that goodnesse of naturall temper civility of education strictnesse of government due hope of reward and praise or feare of the contrary with the like motives may carry a Heathen as farre in vertuous courses as bare illumination can a Christian. The same corruption in both perhaps greater in the Christian than Heathen as sinne abounds more where unsanctified knowledge abounds I say the like corruption in both would imprison this knowledge in unrighteousnesse that it breake not forth into Religious practice Whence wee finde that Christians much more Philosophers have not beene the same men in the Chaire and in their Conversations but that their opinions and discourses have beene full of Sanctity and Temperance when their lives have beene defiled with all Impiety and Sensuality Wherefore for the generall let us set downe this Conclusion as most true that The meere naturall man never goes so farre in the application of his knowledge unto practice as hee might doe and as hee knowes he should doe And therefore the Gentiles are condemned for detaining the truth in injustice for sinning against their consciences accusing them for knowing God and yet not glorifying him as God So that t is cleere although the Naturall man cannot doe or know so much as he ought yet hee knowes more than hee is ever willing to practise and for that cause his knowledge is sufficient to condemne him of his unrighteousnesse towards man and false worship of God himselfe though it bee not sufficient to direct him in the true meanes and manner of Gods right worship or the practice of a holy life And thus in Gods wonderfull judgement he is left as without sufficient direction for well doing so without all lawfull excuse for his ill doing But come we to particulars the Naturall mans practice respects either God in his Inward worship Outward Man 1. In things concerning God and his worship the Naturall man utterly perverts himselfe in his practice there being in this case the greatest deformity and disagreement that may be betweene his knowledge in the speculation and his application thereof to practice Consider him in the Inward worship of the heart how hee stands affected toward the Deity in those inward affections of Love Feare Credence and Confidence which are required as part of our Spirituall worship of God It would be strange to see the disposition of a meere Naturall mans heart in this part of Gods worship how feeble cold and forced these affections would bee how full of hypocrisie and falshood being secretly fastned to the creature when they pretend to bee directed to the Creator just like unregenerate Christians that will make shew of Love Feare Faith and Trust in God when t is apparant they intend nothing lesse in their affections Consider him in the Outward worship of God and the Naturall man is farre more defective as appeares by the manifest experience of all ages who corrupted their waies in nothing so much as the service of God mistaking the object and seeking for that Deity which they apprehended in a generall Notion not onely in the Similitude but in Nature of the Creatures and those many times of the weakest and
much is our assent weakned But of the three the authority of the speaker is the chiefest whose wisedome and fidelity certainely knowne unto us will move us to a certaine beliefe of those things wherein we apprehend no great matter of consequence nor discerne any evidence of the truth at all whereas if one that hath neither wit nor honesty tell us of a matter of greatest moment wherof we also see the probability and truth in part yet doth he not perswade us to beliefe though he may move us to a strong suspicion Thus then you see that assent being the approbation of the truth of any thing is common to Knowledge Opinion and Beliefe but with this difference In exact Knowledge our assent is alwaies firme and unremoveable in Opinion t is alwaies wavering and mutable in Beliefe t is certaine but more or lesse according to the different concurrence of those three forenamed grounds Now out of that which I have spoken let these two conclusions be carefully observed 1. That all Knowledge is more certaine than Beliefe which rule you must understand in things of the same kind not of divers thus He that most firmely beleeves any truth upon the former grounds is not yet so certaine of it as hee that perfectly knowes it as a Countri-man who strongly beleeves that the Sunne or least Starre is bigger than the whole Earth upon the affirmation of a learned and honest Mathematician is not yet so certaine of it as when afterward he knowes it by infallible demonstration But now in divers kindes our beliefe of some things may bee more certaine than our knowledge of others as our beliefe of divine things upon Gods testimony may be more certaine than the knowledge of humane things by the light of our reason because our understanding hath alwaies this prejudice that in the generall it may possibly erre but Gods Word cannot erre at all 2. That perfect Knowledge takes away all Beliefe that is for so you must understand it perfect knowledge of any thing excludes all beliefe of the same thing otherwise perfect knowledge in one thing may helpe our beliefe in another and knowledge in part of the same thing doth much strengthen our beliefe of the other part But here in this opposition betweene knowledge and beliefe your must alwayes remember what knowledge wee meane namely Scientiam Intuitivam or per Visionem that knowledge which is had by beholding things in their proper nature but not Scientiam Disciplinarem or per Revelationeâ— that knowledge which is got by discourse and relation of others And so these two propositions We beleeve what we know not and We beleeve what we know are not opposite each to other for t is true we beleeve that which we do not know namely by the proper and immediate sight of the things themselves and t is true also we beeleeve that which we doe know viz. by relation which so far forth represents to us the nature of the thing related as that we are not ignorant what it is we doe beleeve Where it must also be observed that the difference is great between these two sorts of knowledge in regard of the assent that is given to matters thus known Knowledge that is by Vision or Intuition of things that are presented to the sense or understanding in their proper evidence inforceth assent unto the things knowne For in this case the apprehension of the thing is so cleere that the understanding cannot but approve the truth of it And therefore the Colledge of the Sceptikes of old was little better than a Society of fools and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perpetuall doubtfulnesse of all things was somewhat worse than madnes when they would not assent that they saw the Sunne shine when they looked on it nor that the fire was hot when they felt it burne nor would be certaine of any principles or conclusions in reason nature And such was Anaxagoras his dull melancholy or wilfull frenzy to maintaine in good sadnesse that the snow was blacke For such is the naturall assinity between evident truth and our understanding that though wee would yet wecannot but subscribe and yeeld our allowance and assent unto it Whence it falls out many times that a Vsurer a Chuch-robber or some other not willing to leave this or that course though doubtfull whether lawfull or not dares not for his life read such or such a booke written on those subjects for feare lest he should bee made to know more than hee is content to practise and that his conscience should bee convicted in spight of his will But now t is not so in that other knowledge by relation let a thing be never so plainly delivered so that we fully conceive the meaning of that which is spoken yet if neyther our owne sense nor reason doe convince us we may choose whether or no we will beleeve and assent unto it embracing it for a truth It is the very naturall property of man never to be satisfied with others reports till we our selves have seene and knowne the thing it selfe by evident experience Draw the liveliest picture of any man the most curious landship of any country it contents not wee must see both the one and other Set downe the most tried experiments in nature taken by most skilfull Artists this pleases not others till their owne triall confirm them Generally every man would faine see with his owne eies heare with his owne eares understand by his owne not another mans reason In which inclination of nature lies the originall of all the distrust and diffidence that is in the world and also the cause of those restlesse inquiries which we make one after another into the same things Whence it comes to passe that whilst we are bulâ—ed in examining our forefathers inventions and posterity also imployed in making triall of our examinations neither we nor they have much time to adde any thing unto the increase of learned knowledge Hence also may we ghesse at one cause why many Sciences even for some thousands of yeares have kept one pitch and not growne above that dwarfish stature they had in their infant invention and also what the reason is why many that reade most prove not the deepest schollars for no greater impediment to exact learning than to make use of other mens understandings and neglect our owne It would also hence appeare that History a pleasant and profitable imploiment is yet of all studied learning the weakest to give full satisfaction to the minde of man because that depends wholly upon such grounds of truth as mans minde desires not to depend upon at all namely anothers tongue eyes and eares And it is observable that very usually those that are of credulous and passive understandings least able to imploy their owne strength in painfull and attentive inquiries after knowledge such doe not unwillingly apply their diligence to that course of study But I
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