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
whom it is once implanted So that hee who is once converted cannot so shake off the grace of his first that hee should need a second conversion and a sinner once raised from death through the infusion of spirituallife like unto Christ he dyes no more but lives for ever to the glorie of God The reason is strong from that of the Apostle Peter 1. Pet. 1. 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 What is this Seed by which we are borne againe It is not the Word eyther alone or principally considered because that is but an instrument and arbitrary too the force whereof so depends on the chiefe agent the power of the Spirit that without it is but a dead sound And the reason why the word Lives endures for ever is only because the power of the H. Spirit w ch gives it its effect is everlasting Well then this Seed is the power or vertue of the H. Ghost so called by similitude because that as of Seed the Conception is formed so by the power of Gods Spirit immediatly the New man or graces of Sanctification are begotten in us But why is this Divine vertue the seed of our regeneration called Incorruptible seed is it in regard of it selfe or in respect of the fruite For it selfe t is most true that as the Person so the Power of the Holy Ghost is eternall and incorruptible But hee is wilfully blinde who sees not that in this place it is so styled in relation to the effect it workes in us quatenus Semen as it is seed incorruptible producing fruit like to it selfe incorruptible and immortall And the opposition here made is manifest We are not borne of corruptible Seed for that perisheth and so what is borne of that must needs be corruptible but wee are borne of incorruptible seede which lives and endures for ever and therefore what is born of that must needs be incorruptible This is plain then that this Quickening Power of Gods Spirit whereby we be regenerate lives for ever not only in it self but in us also supporting and sustaining our soules for ever in their spirituall life of grace once infused into them And if any will cavill St. Iohn puts all out of doubt when speaking of every regenerate person he saith that this Seed remaineth in him and so that cannot sinne 1 Iohn 3. 9. Whosoever is borne of God doth not commit sinne for his Seede remaineth in him and hee cannot sinne because hee is 〈◊〉 of God And this for the Habit of grace the Constancy whereof no desperate defender of the Saints Apostasie bee hee Papist or Arminian shall bee ever able to shake In the next place touching the Operations of Grace which we performe by the ayde of the Spirit there is not such Constancy to be found in them as in the former For the Holy Ghost doth not at all times alike either stirre up the faculties of the Soule by holy motions or assist their endevours in performance of Good desires Some presumptuous Sinne against Conscience some Pride in our owne strength some neglect of pious duties especially Prayer and spirituall Meditation some Carelesse entertainment of the blessed motions of Grace some Security through long enjoying of heavenly comforts some such or other offence may Quench the Spirit and cause him to withdraw from our Soules all Sense of his comfortable presence and assistance for a time And then the Soule being destitute of this actuall concurrence of the good Spirit falls a Languishing bewrayes presently its naturall impotency like hot water taken off the fire begins to returne to its first coldnesse and for a time corruption prevailes against Grace that which is naturall against that which was but Accidentall Such Cessations or Interruptions of grace as these are all men grant and all good men feele but yet though the act faile the Habit ceaseth not nor is the ground straitway barren because it misseth a Season or two They are but chastisements for negligence past and admonitions to ensuing industry both ending in a large augmentation of all comforts when upon submission God is intreated againe to cause the light of his Favour to shine upon us â—…s much touching the second Circumstance about our Conversion viz. the maner how t is wrought I should proceed to the third viz. the Subject of it but I should vtterly weary you who by this time cannot but desire to be rid of mee Pardon me yet a small trespasse upon the time and your patience that I may conclude all in a word or two of application to our practice Yee have heard touching our conversion that the cause of it is Gods free love without our worth before we were that the manner of it is by the grace of the Holy Ghost without our helpe when wee were weake and of no strength Let the serious thought of these things breed in our hearts a double grace 1. Of Thankfulnesse 2. Of Humility Le ts joyne both together for they are twins of one birth and as you shall never see a proud man thankfull either to God or man so you shall never behold an humble minde but it will alwayes appeare in the most gratefull acknowledgement and confession of the least good turn We shal see how great cause there is in this businesse of our conversion that wee should empty our selves of all proude imaginations and fill our hearts and tongues with the Praises of Gods rich grace and free Mercy if wee will enforce upon our dull heartes the powerfull meditation of these foure points 1. The Desperate and forlorne estate of an unconverted person 2. The Impossibilitie of our recovery out of this damnable condition by any strength of our owne or other creature whatsoever 3. The admirable Graciousnesse of Almighty God in providing the meanes and by them effectually working our full deliverance from the power of Sinne Damnation 4. Lastly the blessed estate of Grace whereto hee hath now brought us and wherein hee preserves us under the hope and expectation of eternall glorie I beseech you that among the multitude of your thoughts and studies you would be pleased to make these things the subject of your best advised meditation Hold me for ever guiltie of a damnable lye if you finde not by experience how forcible this course will be to take downe our foolish haughtinesse and swelling conceits of our own sufficiencie and to inlarge the heart in sweetest songs of thanksgiving to him that hath done so great things for our soules My brethren slight it not t is a matter of greatest consequence and touches us neerely Doe but conceive with me How horrible that thought is and ful of unspeakeable terrour when the conscience freed from the clamours of ill companie cooled after the heate of wine and fulnesse of bread retyred from the distracting businesse of our Callings and stilled after the rage of some furious passtons or glut of pleasures shall in silence turne in upon it selfe and falling upon the inquirie
Scriptures and experience of all the Saints in their prayers purposes desires to obey their joy when they could doe it their griefe when they could not Let thy kingdome come thy will be done is the prayer of every faithfull soule not standing upon quarrelsome termes of yeelding or refusing but wholly submitting it selfe and suing for obedience Oh faith David that my waies were directed that I might keepe thy testimonies Vnite my heart unto thee that I may feare thy name Incline mine heart unto thy testimonies with a thousand such prayers of that holy man shewing the firme resolution of a sanctified soule only ayming at obedience Lord increase our faith prayed the weake Disciples Lord I beleeve helpe mine unbeliefe that new convert in both we see an earnest desire not an indifferent deliberation That prayer of the whole Church is excellent Psal. 68. 28. Lord confirme that which thou hast wrought in us and more fully Cant. 1. 2. Draw mee we will runne after thee Here 's no resistency no hanging backe or standing aloofe off in a doubtfull devising what to doe but as soone as these Virgins in the first verse have smelt the favour of the pretious oyntments of Christs grace poured out into their soules they love him him onely him entirely they 'le goe they 'le run after him and whereas corruption clogges them in their course they still shew their readinesse to come by their willingnesse to be drawne And such is the temper of every regenerate man His obedience is his Hearts joy and desire and there is nothing that grieves him more than when he is carried away by his carnall will and unsanctified part against his spirituall and gracious resolutions as may appeare for all by that bitter complaint of the Apostle Rom. 7. the latter end of the Chapter Wherefore the regenerate Will stands not Newter betweene sinne and grace but takes part with grace against sin in a constant resolvednesse to hold with God and Goodnesse against all things that are contrarie to them according to that of Christ The Spirit indeede it willing but the Flesh is weak and that of the Apostle They that live after the Spirit savour the things of the Spirit Now this is that most blessed worke of the Spirit of grace in the regeneration of mans will namely the taking away of that resistency which our adversaries so stiffely and odiously stand for against us and the truth They say that grace leaves the will in indifferency so that it hath power to resist we maintaine the contrary that the proper worke of grace in sanctifying our will is to determine and incline the motions of it onely to obedience and to take away all power of resisting or disobeying Which appeares thus To disobey and not to beleeve is an act of the greatest sinfulnesse that can be To be able to commit this act comes not from power and strength but from weakenesse and infirmity Perfect strength and liberty is to have no power nor will to commit any sinne at all as it is in God and the blessed Spirits and Christs humanity to bee able to doe that which is evill is from weakenesse from corruption Now in the sanctified will this corruption is in part done away by grace so that so farre as the will is made Spirituall it neither doth nor can resist and be disobedient it doth not because it cannot it cannot because it will not it will not because by this new infused grace and holinesse it is made alwaies willing to obey But this point is cleered by the late worthy Bishop of Salisbury The second conclusion is this 2. That a man regenerate so far forth as bee is carnall doth alwaies resist the worke of grace being unwilling and backward to performe any holy action This is manifest by that of the Apostle Rom. 8. 5. They that are after the flesh savour the things of the flesh and againe Gal. 5. 17. The flesh lusteth against the spirit In experience nothing is more certaine even the best men in their best workes and best temper doe sensibly feele many twinges of a froward heart crossing and interrupting their cheerefull performance of holy dueties From which rebellion of the Law in our members against the Law in our mindes the most sanctified man in the world is not free but as long as he lives he hath cause to complaine with the holy Apostle When I would doe good I am thus yoaked that Evill is present with mee In this opposition of two contrary principles of all our good and evill actions we have to observe these two things 1. The necessity of the concurrence of Gods cooperating grace in all holy actions to bee done after our first Conversion For if God should give unto us a power only to doe well by the infusion of Habituall grace and then should leave us unto our selves for the exercise of the Act it is apparant that we should never bring this power into Act by our own strength For wheras we are sanctified but in part and there remaines in every faculty a corrupt inclination to evill as well as an holy disposition to good did not the Spirit of God constantly powerfully assist us in well doing Corruption would prevaile against Grace lead us captive unto the Law of sin that is in our members Not that Corruption is stronger than Grace but because we without the aide of Gods Spirit should be more ready to follow the sinfull motions of our corrupted nature than the sanctified inclinations of grace And if Adams will being only mutable but not as yet tainted with any inward corruption neverthelesse wanting the effectuall assistance and support of Gods grace was so easily seduced by temptation much more our Wills that are holy but in part would quickly bee enticed and drawne away by the deceiveablenesse of inward concupiscence and by the subtilty of Sathans temptations if the Spirit of God did not worke mightily in us repressing the motions of sinne and ayding us against all outward provocations to disobedience 2. The true cause and roote of that irregularitie which is found in the obedience of a regenerate man Which is not that indifferencie or freedome our Adversaries contend for whereby t is in the power of a man regenerate at all times to choose whether he will doe good or evill but it is that opposition which the Flesh maketh against the Spirit by reason whereof a regenerate man when by Grace he constantly desires to obey is by Corruption hindered in the performance This is plaine by that of the Apostle Rom. 7. 19. 20. I doe not the good things which I would but the evill which I would not that doe I Now if I doe that I would not it is no more I that doe it but the sinne that dwelleth in me And againe Gal. 5. 17. The flesh and spirit are contrary one to the other so that yee cannot doe the same things that yee would Whence it
incline to good unwillingly without reason and choice like the naturall propensity in a stone to move downewards or the instinct in brute beasts No this determination of the Will to will onely good is from an internall cause viz. Habituall Sanctity infused into it after which infusion the will inclines it selfe immutably yet freely to that alone which is Spiritually good It cannot chuse but will it yet it wills it freely for to affirme that this immutable inclination to one part takes away all freedome from the will is to deny that there is any freedome of will eyther in unregenerate men and damned spirits whose wills are inclined onely to evill yet they sin freely or in God in the elect Angells in the Saints departed in the manhood of Christ all whose wills are immutably infallibly and after a sort necessarily inclined onely to good and yet they will it most freely without all force or Physicall necessity The neerer we come unto these the nigher we are unto perfection in every faculty And certainely most desirable is that necessity or immutability or servitude or determination or call it what you will whereby our wills are so disposed as they cannot but choose the good cannot but be servants of righteousnesse cannot but endeavour alwaies to obey cannot but be holy and happie Who would thinke himselfe wrongd that is thus blest or imprisoned that is thus restrained Surely it is admirable what strange benefit these Iesuited Arminians have found out in that property of mans will which so fiercely they strive for namely that it must alwaies bee indifferently disposed to good and evill having an equall power to will both alike Is this so rare a priviledge of nature what such an excellent vertue to be able to commit an horrible offence to disobey the Gospell to despise Gods grace to bee a slave to sinne to doe enough at any time to damne ones selfe call we this a prerogative of Nature and is it worth so much contention as hath beene made for it They deserve to enjoy it that are so much in love with it But you are to know that this pertinacity in pleading for Natures prerogatives is nothing but a cunning pretence to debase the dignity of grace and to arme man against God in all pride and contumacy as if wee could frustrate his works and bring his counsells to nought and that if we doe obey when hee calls us wee may triumph in our strength if we doe not obey we may yet glory in our malice whereby wee could make voide Gods holy intentions of doing us good But how happy had it beene for those collapsed Angells and for all Adams posterity had his and their wills beene created with that immutable inclination to goodnesse wherein the Elect Angells and Saints departed are now confirmed And how happy shall we also be when wee shall bee able to obey as those heavenly Spirits now doe willingly constantly unchangeably having neyther will nor power to disobey This service of God alone is perfect freedome and if the Sonne make us but in this sort free then are we free indeede Let us while we here goe mourning under the burden of our flesh and that sinne which hangeth on so fast let 's often send up a wish a prayer to Heaven for the full accomplishment of our redemption sighing within our selves and waiting till we also be delivered from the bondage of that remainder of corruption in us into that glorious freedom of the Sons of God Amen Wee have by the grace of God finished the first point that in the beginning I proposed touching the Antecedents of Faith namely our Vocation and Conversion unto God Wherein hath beene shewed at large by what meanes and in what manner a sinner is made partaker of the grace of God unto salvation In which search I have endevoured to goe no further than I could see the Scriptures lead me the way contenting my selfe with that knowledge of this secret and wonderfull worke of Grace which might be to you and mee most profitable letting passe those curious speculations which have beene conceived touching these things by men that have discovered more willingnesse to dispute and quarrell than good affection to learne or teach ought aright in so holy a businesse My ayme herein hath beene to let you see what is the originall and generation of that most pretious grace of Faith whereof we are to speake The summe of all that hath beene more at large delivered is thus much in briefe that Sanctification or inherent Grace is at the first wrought in the soule of an elect sinner meerely and only by the Spirit of God infusing into the soule new abilities and perfections in each power thereof This worke of the Spirit is such that wee cannot by any worth of ours deserve it wee cannot by any inward power of our owne effect it in part or in whole lastly we cannot by any liberty and strength wee have so forcibly resist as to hinder Gods spirit when he intends to worke it Now of this our Sanctification Faith is a part being an inherent gracious quality infused into the soule at our effectuall Conversion or Regeneration For its originall therefore it is Divine being wrought in us by an immediat action of the spirit of Grace and not any way springing from the liberty of our wils or strength of our corrupted nature We are then now by the assistance of God to come unto the explication of the nature of Faith it selfe to shew you what this grace is wherein the Being thereof doth consist An inquiry it is full of much difficulty but the absolute necessity and singular profit of this knowledge must inforce every one of us to use the uttermost of all godly diligence in searching out the nature of so glorious and usefull a Grace as Faith is The whole frame of Christianity turnes upon this hinge Faith like blood runnes thorough every veine of the wholebody of Religion it gives life and direction to every holy action it s the staffe of our strength the support of all our comfort yea the life of our soules lies upon it and by it the just shall live or by nothing Wherefore it concernes us neerely both to know what it is and when we know it to be sure that we our selves have it Not to have Faith is to want Christ and all hope of happinesse not to know what Faith is is a strong presumption of not having Faith The Apostle concludes both in that exbortation of his to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13. 5. wherewith we also ought to be admonished Prove your selves whether you are in the faith examine your selves know yee not your owne selves that Iesus Christ is in you except yee be reprobates To come then to the unfolding of the essence of Christian Faith I shall begin at the lowest step thereof and so by degrees ascend higher 1. In the first place shewing unto you the nature of
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