Selected quad for the lemma: sense_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
sense_n	faith_n	reason_n	word_n	5,359	5	4.6154	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65069	Tēs pisteōs elegchos, or, The reason of faith briefly discuss'd in a sermon, preach'd at Pauls before the Right Honourable, the Lord Mayor, &c., the third of October, 1658, and publish'd by the order of his lordship, and Court of Aldermen / by Peter Vinke ...	Timoreus, Theophilus.	1659 (1659)	Wing V562; ESTC R39404	19,583	36

〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter part is purely Philosophical taken out of the field of Philosophy and planted here in Scripture the garden of the Lord. It signifies according to its notation these two things 1. Substance which is so call'd quia substat accidentibus ea sustinet because it bears up accidents 1. Substantia which could not be without it As the colour and dimensions of this book could not be without the substance of it Thus faith is the substance that sustains and bears up all other graces 't is the primum vivens the heart in the new man Does he live 't is by faith Rom. 1.17 If he stands 't is by faith 2 Cor. 1.24 Can he walk too 't is by the same faith 2 Cor. 5.7 Without this he is as another man His patience unlesse upon the account of faith because thou didst it is but stupidity or a Stoical apathy His hope unlesse it be through this grace Psal 39.9 2 Thess 2.16 Gal. 2.2 Splendida peccata it is not the good hope 't is presumption His mirth unlesse he rejoyces in believing is madness Nay without faith his best performances are but the better sort of sins only the hand of faith can lay them upon that Altar which sanctifies the gift To do a spiritually living action in order to the service of a living God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be a principal of life within Whatsoever we do unlesse in order to expresse our obedience and thankfulnesse to God through Christ be it never so good for the matter of the action 't is not well done in the manner of it and God does not say if thou doest good but if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted Gen. 4.7 We confesse the flowers of morality just and fair dealings may make mens names sweet amongst their neighbours when in the mean time unlesse they live and act by faith their persons and services may stink in the Nostrils of God These may wash thy face and hands but it is faith onely which can purifie thy heart Acts 15.9 thou art but a Cyclops a Monster in Gods sight if thou hast not the eye of faith 2. 2. Subsistentia The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies subsistence and subsistere is in rerum natura prodire to subsist is to have an actual being Thus faith gives a being to its objects it makes the things hoped for to be as if they now actually were as by a prospective glass things very far distant seem close by to the eye of the body so by faith the promises though many of them not to come till the end of all things appear at hand Hence the Syriack Interpreter reads these words thus Est autem fides certitudo de iis rebus quae sunt in spe ac si jam extiterunt actu A believer is as willing to have Gods promise as its performance and dares take his word as readily as present payment What the Schools say of the divine intellect I may say of all that do partake of the divine nature to such omnia coexistunt all things are as if present with them if they look backward to the Creation of the world their eye of faith views it as clearly as if they had been amongst the Morning-stars that shouted when the foundations of the earth were laid Job 38.6 7. And if they look forward to the dissolution of all things Rev. 20.11 they see the heavens and earth already fleeing away Give me leave to raise this note a little higher Some read the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actively Aug. Epist 117. ad Paul Tra●● 79. in Johan as Saint Austin amongst others and then the sense would be faith is the very subsistence of them that hope to adde a word to what I hinted but now Faith is the differentia constitutiva of a Christian as reason makes us men so faith makes us Christians He that followes sensual objects and is taken with them lives the life of a beast He that lives according to the dictates of reason deals fairely and squarely as you use to speak he lives the life of a man Rom. 16.26 but he that lives in the obedience of faith when he prayes prayes in faith when he hears mixes the Word with faith c. This is he that lives indeed the life of a Christian Nay he liveth the life of God delighted with and joying in the same objects with God to him onely 't is given intelligere ut Angelus and Velle ut Deus to understand as Angels do and to will as his God does The object of faith 2. It s object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the things of which faith is the substance are call'd here things hoped for which because they are the same with the things not seen as appears by Rom. 8.24 I shall speak of them together not being able to takeany notice of the lesse material differences which some make betwixt them Come we rather to the second description in which we shall speak more to that which is the businesse of the Text. The other word that the Apostle uses to express the nature of faith by The other internal form of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a demonstration or undeniable proof Thus the Philosopher frequently and in this sense Scripture uses it as John 16.8 't is said of the Spirit that when he is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. he shall convince the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc He shall bring such arguments and evidances as shall take away all excuse Faith then is the evidence or demonstrative argument that is the souls believing in him that speaks commands promises threatens in the Word is instead of ten thousand arguments to prove the righteousnesse and truth of what it findes there recorded Faith as such does not at all consider the probability or improbability of the things themselves which are recorded in God's Words but it looks singly at the truth and Authority of the Speaker Credimus quia legimus The Arguments which are drawn for the confirmation of our Religion from Myracles the number of its Martyrs it admirable successe and consent of all its Mysteries the correspondency it hath with reason are indeed powerful considerations to make easie and familiar the actings of Faith but Gods faithfulnesse is the onely motive of Faith And in this consists the maine difference betweene Faith and Science Scire est excau fis cognoscere In Arts and Sciences we do not give our assent to any thing till we have found out its nature and causes but in matters of Faith we first assent and believe God on his word and then possibly we search after the reason of the things we have believed not for our own

satisfaction to whom Gods Authority is foundation strong enough to build upon but that we may be able and ready to give an answer to them that ask us a reason of our hope 1 Pet. 3.15 And is not this evidence strong enough to a believer 1. He hath Gods Word for what he believes Dictum Jehovae The Word of the Lord came c. 2. Not a bare word but his solemn promises Rom. 1.2 3. Many of these things are confirmed with an Oath too Heb. 6.13 4. To which also God hath put his seal Rom. 4.11 5. And given actually an earnest of them all in their hearts that believe 2 Cor. 1.22 Surely then the Believers Thus ' saith the Lord is a better argument than the disputers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thus saith the Philosopher Let then others give it for a Rule as the Philosophers did of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to receive nothing upon the credit of whomsoever Or according to the late Mode To doubt of all things The believers way is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take Gods Word and to think himself well enough assured of any thing that God hath asserted there though at present it be not seen That is the other property of the Object of Faith The other expression of faiths object 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not seen That is it is not it cannot be comprehended by sense or reason Thus throughout the whole Sphere of faith's activity its object does not appear 1. In things past it believes the Creation of the world Heb. 11.3 c. 2. In things present Faith believes the Providence of God Coloss 3 1. the sitting of Christ at the right hand of the Father his Intercession c. 3. In things to come It believes the Resurrection Judgment Psal 96.13 c. and yet none of these are seen Nay how many things does the Christian believe when the very contrary unto them seem to appear as that a Virgin should conceive that God should become man c. Unto which the unbelievers blasphemously reply Tam Jupiter Taurus quam Deus homo I shall make some further instances the rather because this is a main foundation of that truth which will close up all 1. Faith believes the doctrine of Justification that they who are called are justified Rom. 8.30 and yet what abundance of guilt is the true believer hanted withal what bitter complaints and teares come daily from him 2. Scripture tells us that the people of God are a holy Nation 1 Pet. 2.9 and do they see this Is not the Canaanite still in the land Oh what dirty corners doe the Sunne discover in that roome or heart where it shines when the Sunne is up what abundance of dust flies about when the house is sweeping what swarmes of corruptions whilest the heart is a cleansing 3. Gods Word sayes that they are blessed that trust in him Psal 2.12 But certainly it is an hidden and invisible happinesse is it a happinesse to be imprison'd mock'd ston'd c. as the Worthies were we read of in this Chapter 4. There is an abundance of all things promised to them that fear God Psal 34.9 And didst ever see this I mean by sense or reason it appears indeed they have an abundance but of all miseries not otherwise Paul had abundance of Ship-wracks Scourgings Stonings 2 Cor. 11.25 but nothing else 2 Cor. 6.10 5. Gods promise is that he will be with us Isa 43.2 Certainly this does not appear unless to the eye of faith who but a very strong believer could have seen God with his people in Gideon's time Judges 6.13 6. The children of God have an eternal life assured to them Rev. 2.10 What appears in order to this they dye as well as others and where is the promise 7. Ay but there shall be a resurrection 1 Cor. 15. This is as little seen as the other what preparation is there towards it after death the body runs through many changes into corruption wormes meat dust c. but still there is nothing seen in the charnal houses and sepulchres that seems a fit ingredient into the glorious body that is promised 1 Cor. 15.43 To forbear more particulars If sense and reason were to give in their verdicts on them it would be at best but a non constat there is not one of them evident And Gods hand appears much in thus ordering the matter Reasons why the object of faith is thus not seen that reason its self should not attain to the things pertaining to God 1. By these means God sets forth the vanity of the wisdome of the flesh which 't is his designe to confound and debase 1 Cor. 1.19 20. 2. God thus advances his own glory all saving knowledge and heavenly wisdome being necessarily his gift Hoc fides credat intelligentia non requirat ●e aut non inventum pute● incredibile aut repertum non credat singulare Bern. de cata Domini 1 Cor. 2.14 Prudentius when the noblest plant in natures garden reason cannot produce such fruit 3. Thus God observes a just proportion between the object and faculty spiritual objects require a spiritual faculty as the eye of the body cannot see spiritual substances no more can a carnal minde discerne spiritual truths nil diurnum nox capit To omit other reasons Having thus explained the words that which I shall pitch upon is the result of them all especially the latter clause in this observation That faith only is the evidence of things not seen Observ when the other faculties cannot discover them but look upon them as doubtful if not false faith accounts them evident and certain For the understanding of this we must know that every thing is properly evident to that faculty to which it does belong as sensible things are obvious to sense rational conclusions are approv'd of by reason and the things of God are in the sphaere only of faith Now these three sense Omne verum à quocunque venit a Spiritu sancto venit Aug. reason and faith being all from God his works in man cannot be contrary one to another neither does any one of them destroy the other neither can any thing be true in one that is false in another if rightly understood As for example when sense sayes that much drink is good for one in a Feaver or Dropsie reason does not contradict this that to sense 't is good only upon a better account it corrects its judgment so when reason dictates that nothing can be made out of nothing and so would deny the Creation that when the privation is total the habit cannot be introduc'd again and from thence would deny the Resurrection Faith does not deny but that these axiomes as to second causes and in the lower orbe of reason are true only it corrects their malignity by shewing a more excellent way and bidding of us look a story higher unto God unto