nempe in qua securius constantiusque mens qui scat quam in ullis rationibus talis denique sensus qui nisi ex caelesti Revelatione nequeat Non aliud loquor quam quod apud se experitur fidelium unusquisque nisi quod longe infra justam rei explicationem verba subsidunt Calv. Instit. lib. 2. cap. 7 8 9. And we may here briefly call over what we have attained or passed through For 1. We have shewed in general both what is the Nature of divine Revelation and divine Illumination with their mutual Respect unto one another 2. What are the principal external Arguments or Motives of Credibility whereby the Scripture may be proved to bâ— of a divine Original 3. What kind of Perswasion is the Effect of them or what is the Assent which we give unto the Truth of the Scriptures on their Account 4. What objective Evidence there is unto Reason in the Doctrine of the Scriptures to induce the mind to assent unto them 5. What is the Nature of that Faith whereby we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God and how it is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost 6. What is that Internal Testimony which is given unto the divine Authority of the Scriptures by the holy Spirit what is the Force and Use thereof The Principal Part of our Work doth yet remain That which we have thus far made way for and which is now our only remaining Enquiry is What is the Work of the Holy Ghost with respect unto the objective Evidence which we have concerning the Scripture that it is the Word of God which is the formal Reason of our Faith and whereinto it is resolved that is we come to enquire and to give a direct Answer unto that Question Why we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God what it is that our Faith rests upon herein and what it is that makes it the Duty of every man to believe it so to be unto whom it is proposed And the Reason why I shall be the briefer herein is because I have long since in another Discourse cleared this Argument and I shall not here again call over any thing that was delivered therein because what hath been unto this day gainsaid unto it or excepted against it hath been of little Weight or Consideration Unto this great Enquiry therefore I say We believe the Scripture to be the Word of God with divine Faith for its own sake only or our Faith is resolved into the Authority and Truth of God only as revealing himself unto us therein and thereby And this Authority and Veracity of God do infallibly manifest or evince themselves unto our Faith or our Minds in the exercise of it by the Revelation it self in the Scripture and no otherwise Or Thus saith the Lord is the Reason why we ought to believe and why we do so why we believe at all in general and why we believe any thing in particular And this we call the formal Object or Reason of Faith And it is evident that this is not God himself absolutely considered for so he is only the material Object of our Faith He that cometh unto God must believe that he is Heb. 11. 6. Nor is it the Truth of God absolutely for that we believe as we do other essential Properties of his Nature But it is the Truth of God revealing himself his mind and will unto us in the Scripture This is the sole Reason why we believe any thing with Divine Faith It is or may be enquired wherefore we do believe Jesus Christ to be the Son of God or that God is one in Nature subsisting in three Persons the Father Son and Holy Spirit I answer it is because God himself the first Truth who cannot lie hath revealed and declared these things so to be and he who is our All requireth us so to believe If it be asked how wherein or whereby God hath revealed and declared these things so to be or what is that Revelation which God hath made hereof I answer It is the Scripture and that only And if it be asked how I know this Scripture to be a Divine Revelation to be the Word of God I answer 1. I do not know it demonstratively upon rational scientifical Principles because such a Divine Revelation is not capable of such a Demonstration 1. Cor. 2. 9. 2. I do not assent unto it or think it to be so upon Arguments and Motives highly probable or morally uncontroulable only as I am assuredly perswaded of many other things whereof I can have no certain Demonstration 1 Thes. 2. 15. But I believe it so to be with Faith divine and supernatural resting on and resolved into the Authority and Veracity of God himself evidencing themselves unto my Mind my Soul and Conscience by this Revelation it self and not otherwise Here we rest and deny that we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God formally for any other Reason but it self which assureth us of its Divine Authority And if we rest not here we must run on the Rock of a moral Certainty only which shakes the Foundation of all Divine Faith or fall into the Gulf and Labyrinth of an endless Circle in proving two things mutually by one another as the Church by the Scripture and the Scripture by the Church in an everlasting Rotation Unless we intend so to wander we must come to something wherein we may rest for its own sake and that not with a strong and firm Opinion but with Divine Faith And nothing can rationally pretend unto this Priviledge but the Truth of God manifesting it self in the Scripture And therefore those who will not allow it hereunto do some of them wisely deny that the Scriptures being the Word of God is the Object of Divine Faith directly but only of a moral Perswasion from eternal Arguments and Considerations And I do believe that they will grant that if the Scripture be so to be believed it must be for its own sake For those who would have us to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God upon the Authority of the Church proposing it unto us and witnessing so to be though they make a fair appearance of a ready and easy way for the exercise of Faith yet when things come to be sifted and tried they do so confound all sorts of things that they know not where to stand or abide But it is not now my Business to examine their Pretences I have done it elsewhere I shall therefore prove and establish the Assertion laid down after I have made way to it by one or two previous Observations 1. We suppose herein all the Motives of Credibity before mentioned that is all the Arguments ab extra which vehemently perswade the Scripture to be the Word of God and wherewith it may be protected against Objections and Temptations to the contrary They have all of them their Use and may in their proper place be
THE Reason of Faith OR AN Answer unto that Enquiry Wherefore we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God WITH The Causes and Nature of that Faith wherewith we do so WHEREIN The Grounds whereon the Holy Scripture is believed to be the Word of God with Faith Divine and Supernatural are declared and vindicated By JOHN OWEN D. D. If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luk. 16. 51. LONDON Printed for Nathaniel Ponder at the Peacock in the Poultry near Cornhill 1677. TO THE READER HAving added a brief Account of the Design Order and Method of the ensuing Discourse in an Appendix at the Close of it I shall not here detain the Reader with the Proposal of them Yet some few things remain which I judge it necessary to mind him of Be he who he will I am sure we shall not differ about the weight of the Argument in hand for whether it be the Truth we contend for or otherwise yet it will not be denied but that the Determination of it and the setling of the minds of Men about it are of the highest concernment unto them But whereas so much hath been written of late by others on this Subject any further Debate of it may seem either needless or unseasonable Something therefore may be spoken to evidence that the Reader is not imposed on by that which may absolutely fall under either of those Characters Had the End in and by these Discourses been effectually accomplished it had been altogether useless to renew an indeavour unto the same purpose But whereas an Opposition unto the Scripture and the Grounds whereon we believe it to be a Divine Revelation is still openly continued amongst us a continuation of the Defence of the one and the other cannot reasonably be judged either needless or unseasonable Besides most of the Discourses published of late on this Subject have had their peculiar Designs wherein that here tendred is not expresly ingaged For some of them do principally aim to prove that we have sufficient Grounds to believe the Scripture without any recourse unto or reliance upon the Authoritative Proposal of the Church of Rome which they have sufficiently evinced beyond any possibility of rational Contradiction from their Adversaries Others have pleaded vindicated those rational Considerations whereby our Assent unto the Divine Original of it is fortified and confirmed against the Exceptions and Objections of such whose Love of Sin and Resolutions to live therein tempts them to seek for shelter in an Atheistical Contempt of the Authority of God evidencing it self therein But as neither of these are utterly neglected in the ensuing Discourse so the peculiar Design of it is of another nature For the Inquiries managed therein namely what is the Obligation upon us to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God what are the Causes and what is the Nature of that Faith whereby we do so what it rests on and is resolved into so as to become a Divine and Acceptable Duty do respect the Consciences of Men immediately and the Way whereby they may come to Rest and Assurance in Believing Whereas therefore it is evident that may are often shaken in their Minds with-those Atheistical Objections against the Divine Original and Authority of the Scripture which they frequently meet 〈◊〉 that many know not how to extricate themselves from the ensnaring Questions that they are often attaqued withal about them not for want of a due Assent unto them but of a right Understanding what is the true and formal Reason of that Assent what is the firm Basis and Foundation that it rests upon what Answer they may directly and peremptotily give unto that Enquiry Wherefore do you believe the Scripture to be the Word of God I have endeavoured to give them those Directions herein that upon a due Examination they will find compliant with the Scripture it self right Reason and their own Experience I am not therefore altogether without hopes that this small Discourse may have its use and be given out in its proper season Moreover I think it necessary to acquaint the Reader that as I have allowed all the Arguments pleaded by others to prove the Divine Authority of the Scripture their proper place and force so where I differ in the Explication of any thing belonging unto this Subject from the Conceptions of other Men I have candidly examined such Opinions and the Arguments wherewith they are confirmed without straining the Words cavilling at the Expressions or reflections on the Persons of any of the Authors of them And whereas I have my self been otherwise dealt withal by many and know not how soon I may be so again I do hereby free the Persons of such Humours and Inclinations from all fear of any Reply from me or the least notice of what they shall be pleased to write or say Such kind of Writings are of the same consideration with me as those multiplied false Reports which some have raised concerning me the most of them so ridiculous and foolish so alien from my Principles Practice and Course of life as I can not but wonder how any Persons pretending to Gravity and Sobriety are not sensible how their Credulity and Inclinations are abused in the hearing and repetition of them The Occasion of this Discourse is that which in the last Place I shall acquaint the Reader withal About three years since I published a Book about the Dispensation and Operations of the Spirit of God That Book was one Part only of what I designed on that Subject The Consideration of the Work of the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Illumination of Supplication of Consolation and as the Immediate Author of all Spiritual Offices and Gifts extraordinary and ordinary is designed unto the second Part of it Hereof this insuing Discourse is concerning one Part of his Work as a Spirit of Illumination which upon the earnest Requests of some acquainted with the Nature and Substance of it I have suffered to come out by it self that it might be of the more common use and more easily obtained May 11th 1677. The Reason of Faith OR The Grounds whereon the Scripture is believed to be the Word of God with Faith Divine and Supernatural THe principal design of that Discourse whereof the ensuing Treatise is a part is to declare the Work of the Holy Ghost in the Illumination of the minds of Men. For this Work is particularly and eminently ascribed unto him or the Efficacy of the Grace of God by him dispensed Ephes. 1. 17 18. Heb. 6. 4. Luke 2. 32. Acts 13. 47. Chap. 24. 45. Chap. 26. 18. 2 Cor. 4. 4. 1 Pet. 2. 9. The objective Cause and outward Means of it are the Subjects at present designed unto Consideration And it will issue in these two Enquiries 1. On what Grounds or for what Reason we do believe the Scripture to be the Word of God with Faith
the Scripture to be the Word of God and that we understand savingly the mind of God therein both which belong unto our Illumination That which I shall first enquire into is the way how and the ground whereon we come to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God in a due manner For that this is required of us in a way of duty namely that we should believe the Scripture to be the Word of God with Faith Divine and Supernatural I suppose will not be denyed and it shall be afterwards proved And what is the work of the Spirit of God herein will be our first enquiry Secondly Whereas we see by experience that all who have or enjoy the Scripture do not yet understand it or come to an useful saving Knowledg of the Mind and Will of God therein revealed our other enquiry shall be how we may come to understand the Word of God aright and what is the work of the Spirit of God in the assistance which he affordeth us unto that purpose With respect unto the first of these Enquiries whereunto the present discourse is singly designed I affirm that it is the work of the Holy Spirit to enable us to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God or the supernatural immediate Revelation of his mind unto us and infallibly to evidence it unto our minds so as that we may spiritually and savingly acquiesce therein Some upon a mistake of this Proposition do seem to suppose that we resolve all Faith into private suggestions of the Spirit or deluding pretences thereof and some it may be will be ready to apprehend that we confound the efficient Cause and formal Reason of Faith or believing rendring all rational Arguments and external Testimonies useless But indeed there neither is nor shall be any occasion administred unto these fears or imaginations For we shall plead nothing in this matter but what is consonant to the Faith and Judgment of the Ancient and present Church of God as shall be fully evidenced in our progress I know some have found out other ways whereby the minds of men as they suppose may be sufficiently satisfied in the Divine Authority of the Scripture But I have tasted of their new Wine and desire it not because I know the Old to be better though what they plead is of use in its proper place My Design requires that I should confine my discourse unto as narrow bounds as possible and I shall so do shewing 1. What it is in general infallibly to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God and what is the Ground and Reason of our so doing Or what it is to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God as we are required to believe it so to be in a way of Duty 2. That there are external Arguments of the divine Original of the Scripture which are effectual Motives to perswade us to give an unfeigned assent thereunto 3. That yet moreover God requires of us that we believe them to be his Word with Faith divine supernatural and infallible 4. Evidence the Grounds and Reasons whereon we do so believe and ought so to do Unto these Heads most of what ensues in the first part of this Discourse may be reduced It is meet that we should clear the Foundation whereon we build and the Principles whereon we do proceed that what we design to prove may be the better understood by all sorts of Persons whose edification we intend For these things are the equal concernment of the learned and unlearned Wherefore some things must be insisted on which are generally known and granted And our first Enquiry is What it is to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God with Faith divine and supernatural according as it is our duty so to do And in our Believing or our Faith two things are to be considered 1. What it is that we do believe And 2. Wherefore we do so believe it The first is the material Object of our Faith namely the things which we do believe the latter the formal Object of it or the Cause and Reason why we do believe them and these things are distinct The Material Object of our Faith is the things revealed in the Scripture declared unto us in propositions of Truth For things must be so proposed unto us or we cannot believe them That God is one in three Persons that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the like propositions of Truth are the material Object of our Faith or the things that we do believe And the Reason why we do believe them is because they are proposed in the Scripture Thus the Apostle expresseth the whole of what we intend 1 Cor. 15. 3 4. I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures Christs Death and Burial and Resurrection are the things proposed unto us to be believed and so the Object of our Faith But the Reason why we believe them is because they are declared in the Scriptures see Acts 8. 28 29 30. Sometimes indeed this Expression of believing the Scriptures by a Metonymy denotes both the formal and material Objects of our Faith the Scriptures themselves as such and the things contained in them so John 2. 22. They believed the Scripture and the Word that Jesus said or the things delivered in the Scripture and further declared by Christ which before they understood not And they did so believe what was declared in the Scriptures because it was so declared in them both are intended in the same Expression they believed the Scripture under various considerations so Acts 26. 27. The material Object of our Faith therefore are the Articles of our Creed by whose Enumeration we answer unto that question what we believe giving an account of the hope that is in us as the Apostle doth Acts 26. 22 23. But if moreover we are asked a Reason of our Faith or Hope or why we believe the things we do profess as God to be One in three Persons Jesus Christ to be the Son of God we do not answer because so it is for this is that which we believe which were senseless But we must give some other Answer unto that Enquiry whether it be made by others or our selves The proper Answer unto this Question contains the formal Reason and Object of our Faith that which it rests upon and is resolved into And this is that which we look after 2. We do not in this Enquiry intend any kind of Perswasion or Faith but that which is divine and infallible both which it is from its formal Reason or objective Cause Men may be able to give some kind of Reasons why they believe what they profess so to do that will not suffice or abide the trial in this case although they themselves may rest in
to consider what is their Condition or what it is like to be it is no wonder if they talk of these things after the manner of these days without any Impression on their Minds and Affections or Influence on the practical Understanding But our Enquiry is after what is a sufficient Evidence for the Conviction of rational and unprejudiced Persons and the Defeating of Objections to the contrary which these and the like Arguments do every way answer Some think fit here to stay that is in these or the like external Arguments or rational Motives of Faith such as render the Scriptures so credible as that it is an unreasonable thing not to assent unto them That Certainty which may be attained on these Arguments and Motives is as they say the highest which our Minds are capable of with respect unto this Object and therefore includes all the Assent which is required of us unto this Proposition that the Scriptures are the Word of God or all the Faith whereby we believe them so to be When I speak of these Arguments I intend not them alone which I have insisted on but all others also of the same kind some whereof have been urged and improved by others with great Diligence for in the Variety of such Arguments as offer themselves in this Cause every one chooseth out what seems to him most cogent some amass all that they can think on Now these Arguments with the Evidence tendred in them are such as nothing but perverse Prejudice can detain men from giving a firm Assent unto And no more is required of us but that according to the Motives that are proposed unto us and the Arguments used to that purpose we come unto a Judgment and Perswasion called a moral Assurance of the Truth of the Scripture and endeavour to yield Obedience unto God accordingly And it were to be wished that there were more than it is feared there are who were really so affected with these Arguments and Motives For the Truth is Tradition and Education practically bear the whole sway in this matter But yet when all this is done it will be said that all this is but a meer natural Work whereunto no more is required but the natural exercise and acting of our own Reason and understanding that the Arguments and Motives used though strong are humane and fallible and therefore the Conclusion we make from them is so also and wherein we may be deceived that an Assent grounded and resolved into such rational Arguments only is not Faith in the sense of the Scripture in brief that it is required that we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God with Faith divine and supernatural which cannot be deceived Two things are replyed hereunto 1. That where the Things believed are divine and supernatural so is the Faith whereby we believe them or give our Assent unto them Let the Motives and Arguments whereon we give our Assent be of what kind they will so that the Assent be true and real and the Things believed be divine and supernatural the Faith whereby we believe them is so also But this is all one as if in things natural a man should say our Sight is green when we see that which is so and blew when we see that which is blew And this would be so in things moral if the Specification of Acts were from their material Objects but it is certain that they are not of the same Nature always with the Things they are conversant about nor are they changed thereby from what their Nature is in themselves be it natural or supernatural humane or divine Now things divine are only the material Object of our Faith as hath been shewed before and by an Enumeration of them do we answer unto the Question What is it that you do believe But it is the formal Object or Reason of all our Acts from whence they are denominated or by which they are specified And the formal Reason of our Faith Assent or Believing is that which prevails with us to believe and on whose Account we do so wherewith we answer unto that Question Why do you believe If this be humane Authority Arguments highly probable but absolutely fallible Motives cogent but only to beget a moral Perswasion whatever we do believe thereon our Faith is humane fallible and a moral Assurance only Wherefore it is said 2. That this Assent is sufficient all that is required of us and contains in it all the Assurance which our minds are capable of in this matter For no further Evidence nor Assurance is in any case to be enquired after than the subject matter will bear And so is it in this Case where the Truth is not exposed to Sense nor capable of a scientifical Demonstration but must be received upon such Reasons and Arguments as carry it above the highest Probability though they leave it beneath Science or Knowledge or infallible Assurance if such a Perswasion of Mind there be But yet I must needs say that although those external Arguments whereby learned and rational Men have proved or may yet further prove the Scripture to be a divine Revelation given of God and the Doctrine contained in it to be a heavenly Truth are of singular Use for the strengthening of the Faith of them that do believe by relieving the mind against Temptations and Objections that will arise to the contrary as also for the Conviction of Gainsayers yet to say that they contain the formal Reason of that Assent which is required of us unto the Scripture as the Word of God that our Faith is the Effect and Product of them which it rests upon and is resolved into is both contrary to the Scripture destructive of the Nature of divine Faith and exclusive of the Work of the Holy Ghost in this whole matter VVherefore I shall do these two things before I proceed to our principal Argument designed 1. I shall give some few Reasons proving that the Faith whereby we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God is not a meer firm moral Perswasion built upon external Arguments and Motives of Credibility but is divine and supernatural because the formal Reason of it is so also 2. I shall shew what is the Nature of that Faith whereby we do or ought to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God what is the work of the holy Spirit about it and what is the proper Object of it In the first I shall be very brief for my design is to strengthen the Faith of all and not to weaken the Opinions of any Divine Revelation is the proper Object of divine Faith With such Faith we can believe nothing but what is so and what is so can be received no otherwise by us If we believe it not with divine Faith we believe it not at all Such is the Scripture as the Word of God every where proposed unto us and we are required to believe that is first to
believe it so to be and then to believe the things contained in it For this Proposition that the Scripture is the Word of God is a divine Revelation and so to be believed But God no where requires nor ever did that we should believe any divine Revelation upon such Grounds much less on such Grounds and Motives only They are left unto us as consequential unto our Believing to plead with others in behalf of what we profess and for the Justification of it unto the World But that which requires our Faith and Obedience unto in the receiving of divine Revelations whether immediately given and declared or as recorded in the Scripture is his own Authority and Veracity I am the Lord the High and Lofty One. Thus saith the Lord. To the Law and to the Testimony This is my Son hear him All Scripture is given by Inspiration from God Believe the Lord and his Prophets This alone is that which he requires us to resolve our Faith into So when he gave unto us the Law of our Lives the eternal and unchangeable Rule of our Obedience unto him in the ten Commandments he gives no other Reason to oblige us thereunto but this only I am the Lord thy God The sole formal Reason of all our Obedience is taken from his own Nature and our Relation unto him Nor doth he propose any other Reason why we should believe him or the Revelation which he makes of his Mind and Will And our Faith is part of our Obedience the Root and principal Part of it therefore the Reason of both is the same Neither did our Lord Jesus Christ nor his Apostles ever make use of such Arguments or Motives for the ingenerating of Faith in the minds of men nor have they given Directions for the use of any such Arguments to this End and Purpose But when they were accused to have followed cunningly devised Fables they appealed unto Moses and the Prophets to the Revelations they had themselves received and those that were before recorded It is true they wrought Miracles in confirmation of their own divine Mission and of the Doctrine which they taught But the Miracles of our Saviour were all of them wrought amongst those who believed the whole Scripture then given to be the Word of God and those of the Apostles were before the Writings of the Books of the New Testament Their Doctrine therefore materially considered and their Warranty to teach it was sufficiently yea abundantly confirmed by them But Divine Revelation formally considered and as written was left upon the old Foundation of the Authority of God who gave it No such Method is prescribed no such Example is proposed unto us in the Scripture to make use of these Arguments and Motives for the Conversion of the Souls of men unto God and the ingenerating of Faith in them Yea in some Cases the use of such means is decryed as unprofitable and the Sole Authority of God putting forth his Power in and by his Word is appealed unto 1 Cor. 2. 4 5 13. chap. 14. 26 27. 2 Cor. 4. 7. But yet in a way of Preparation subservient unto the receiving the Scripture as the Word of God and for the Defence of it against Gainsayers and their Objections their use hath been granted and proved But from first to last in the Old and New Testament the Authority and Truth of God are constantly and uniformly proposed as the immediate Ground and Reason of Believing his Revelations nor can it be proved that he doth accept or approve of any kind of Faith or Assent but what is built thereon and resolved thereinto The Sum is We are obliged in a way of Duty to believe the Scriptures to be a Divine Revelation when they are ministerially or providentially proposed unto us whereof afterwards The Ground whereon we are to receive them is the Authority and Veracity of God speaking in them we believe them because they are the Word of God Now this Faith whereby we so believe is Divine and Supernatural because the mal Reason of it is so namely Gods Truth and Authority Wherefore we do not nor ought to believe the Scripture as highly probable or with a moral Perswasion and Assurance built upon Arguments absolutely fallible and humane only For if this be the formal Reason of Faith namely the Veracity and Authority of God if we believe not with Faith divine and supernatural we believe not at all 2. The moral Certainty treated of is a meer Effect of Reason There is no more required unto it but that the Reasons proposed for the Assent required be such as the mind judgeth to be convincing and prevalent whence an inferiour Kind of Knowledge or a firm Opinion or some kind of Perswasion which hath not yet gotten an intelligible Name doth necessarily ensue There is therefore on this Supposition no need of any Work of the Holy Ghost to enable us to believe or to work Faith in us for no more is required herein but what necessarily ariseth from a naked Exercise of Reason If it be said that the Enquiry is not about what is the Work of the Spirit of God in us but concerning the Reasons and Motives to Believing that are proposed unto us I answer it is granted but that we urge herein is that the Act which is exerted on such Motives or the Perswasion which is begotten in our minds by them is purely natural and such as requires no especial Work of the Holy Ghost in us for the effecting of it Now this is not Faith nor can we be said in the Scripture sense to believe thereby and so in particular not the Scriptures to be the Word of God For Faith is the Gift of God and is not of our selves Ephes 2. 8. It is given unto some on the behalf of Christ Phil. 1. 29. and not unto others Mat. 11. 29. chap. 13. 11. But this Assent on external Arguments and Motives is of our selves equally common and exposed unto all No man can say that Jesus is the Lord but by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 12. 3. But he who believeth the Scripture truly aright and according to his Duty doth say so No man cometh to Christ but he that hath heard and learned of the Father John 6. 45. And as this is contrary to the Scripture so it is expresly condemned by the ancient Church particularly by the second Arausican Council Can. 5. 7. Si quis sicut augmentum ita etià m initium Fidei ipsumque credulitatis affectum non per gratiae donum id est per inspirationem Spiritus Sancti corrigentem voluntatem nostram ab infidelitate ad fidem ab impietate ad pietatem sed naturalitèr nobis inesse dicit Apostolicis Dogmatibus adversarius approbatur And plainly Can. 7. Si quis per naturae vigorem bonum aliquod quod ad Salutem pertinet vitae eternae cogitare ut expedit aut eligere sive salutari id est evangelicae Praedicaiioni consentire
and which he cannot but design when the Scripture is proposed unto him in the Ministry of the Church attested by the Arguments insisted on there will appear unto him in the Truths and Doctrines of it or in the things contained in it such an Evidence of the Majesty and Authority of God as will prevail with him to believe it to be a divine Revelation And this Perswasion is such that the mind is established in its Assent unto the Truth so as to yield Obedience unto all that is required of us And whereas our Belief of the Scripture is in order only to the right Performance of our Duty or all that Obedience which God expecteth from us our minds being guided by the Precepts and Directions and duly influenced by the Promises and Threatnings of it thereunto there is no other Faith required of us but what is sufficient to oblige us unto that Obedience This being so far as I can apprehend the Substance of what is by some learned men proposed and adhered unto it shall be briefly examined And I say here as on other occasions that I should rejoyce to see more of such a Faith in the World as would effectually oblige men unto Obedience out of a Conviction of the Excellency of the Doctrine the Truth of the Promises and Threatnings of the Word though learned men should never agree about the formal Reason of Faith Such Notions of Truth when most diligently inquired into are but as sacrifice compared with Obedience But the Truth it self is also to be enquired after diligently This Opinion therefore either supposeth what we shall immediatly declare namely the necessity of an internal effectual Work of the Holy Spirit in the Illumination of our minds so enabling us to believe with Faith divine and supernatural or it doth not If it doth it will be found as I suppose for the Substance of it to be co-incident with what we shall afterwards assert and prove to be the formal Reason of Believing However as it is usually proposed I cannot absolutely comply with it for these two Reasons among others 1. It belongs unto the Nature of Faith of what sort soever it be that it be built on and resolved into Testimony This is that which distinguisheth it from any other Conception Knowledge or Assent of our minds on other Reasons and Causes And if this Testimony be divine so is that Faith whereby we give assent unto it on the part of the Object But the Doctrines contained in the Scripture or the subject Matter of the Truth to be believed have not in them the Nature of a Testimony but are the material not formal Objects of Faith which must always differ If it be said that these Truths or Doctrines do so evidence themselves to be from God as that in and by them we have the Witness and Authority of God himself proposed unto us to resolve our Faith into I will not further contend about it but only say that the Authority of God and so his Veracity do manifest themselves primarily in the Revelation it self before they do so in the things revealed which is that we plead for 2. The Excellency of the Doctrine or things revealed in the Scriptures respects not so much the Truth of them in speculation as their Goodness and Suitableness unto the Souls of Men as to their present Condition and eternal End Now things under that Consideration respect not so much Faith as spiritual Sense and Experience Neither can any man have a due Apprehension of such a goodness suitable unto our Constitution and Condition with absolute usefulness in the Truth of the Scripture but on a Supposition of that antecedent Assent of the mind unto them which is Believing which therefore cannot be the Reason why we do believe But if this Opinion proceed not upon the aforesaid Supposition immediately to be proved but requires no more unto our satisfaction in the Truth of the Scripture and Assent thereon but the due Exercise of Reason or the natural Faculties of our Minds about them when proposed unto us then I suppose it to be most remote from the Truth and that amongst many other Reasons for these that ensue 1. On this Supposition the whole Work of Believing would be a Work of Reason Be it so say some nor is it meet it should be otherwise conceived But if so then the Object of it must be things so evident in themselves and their own Nature as that the Mind is as it were compelled by that Evidence unto an Assent and cannot do otherwise If there be such a Light and Evidence in the things themselves with respect unto our Reason in the right use and exercise of it then is the Mind thereby necessitated unto its Assent which both overthrows the Nature of Faith substituting an Assent upon natural Evidence in the room thereof and is absolutely exclusive of the necessity or use of any Work of the Holy Ghost in our Believing which sober Christians will scarce comply withal 2. There are some Doctrines revealed in the Scripture and those of the most Importance that are so revealed which concern and contain things so above our Reason that without some previous supernatural Dispositions of Mind they carry in them no Evidence of Truth unto meer Reason nor of Suitableness unto our Constitution and End There is required unto such an Apprehension both the spiritual Elevation of the Mind by supernatural Illumination and a divine Assent unto the Authority of the Revelation thereon before Reason can be so much as satisfied in the Truth and Excellency of such Doctrines Such are those concerning the Holy Trinity or the Subsistence of one singular Essence in three distinct Persons the Incarnation of the Son of God the Resurrection of the dead and sundry other that are the most proper Subjects of divine Revelation There is an heavenly Glory in some of these things which as Reason can never throughly apprehend because it is finite and limited so as 't is in us by Nature it can neither receive them nor delight in them as doctrinally proposed unto us with all the Aids and Assistance before mentioned Flesh and Blood reveals not these thisgs unto our minds but our Father which is in Heaven Nor doth any man know these Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but he unto whom it is given nor do any learn these things aright but those that are taught of God 3. Take our Reason singly without the Consideration of divine Grace and Illumination and it is not only weak and limited but depraved and corrupted And the carnal mind cannot subject it self unto the Authority of God in any supernatural Revelation whatever Wherefore the Truth is that the Doctrines of the Gospel which are purely and absolutely so are so far from having a convincing Evidence in themselves of their divine Truth Excellency and Goodness unto the Reason of men as unrenewed by the Holy Ghost as that they are foolishness and most undesirable
unto it as I have elsewhere proved at large We shall therefore proceed There are two Things considerable with respect unto our Believing the Scriptures to be the Word of God in a due manner or according to our Duty The first respects the Subject or the mind of man how it is enabled thereunto the other the Object to be believed with the true Reason why we do believe the Scripture with Faith divine and supernatural The first of these must of necessity fall under our Consideration herein as that without which what ever Reasons Evidences or Motives are proposed unto us we shall never believe in a due manner For whereas the mind of man or the minds of all men are by nature depraved corrupt carnal and enmity against God they cannot of themselves or by virtue of any innate Ability of their own understand or assent unto spiritual things in a spiritual manner which we have sufficiently proved and confirmed before Wherefore that Assent which is wrought in us by meer external Arguments consisting in the rational Conclusion and Judgment which we make upon their Truth and Evidence is not that Faith wherewith we ought to believe the Word of God Wherefore that we may believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God according to our Duty as God requireth it of us in an useful profitable and saving manner above and beyond that natural humane Faith and Assent which is the Effect of the Arguments and Motives of Credibility before insisted on with all others of the like kind there is and must be wrought in us by the power of the Holy Ghost Faith supernatural and divine whereby we are enabled so to do or rather whereby we do so This Work of the Spirit of God as it is distinct from so in order of Nature it is antecedent unto all divine objective Evidence of the Scriptures being the Word of God or the formal Reason moving us to believe it wherefore without it whatever Arguments or Motives are proposed unto us we cannot believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God in a due manner and as it is in duty required of us Some it may be will suppose these things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and impertinent unto our present purpose For while we are enquiring on what Grounds we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God we seem to fly to the Work of the Holy Ghost in our own minds which is irrational But we must not be ashamed of the Gospel nor of the Truth of it because some do not understand or will not duly consider what is proposed It is necessary that we should return unto the Work of the Holy Spirit not with peculiar respect unto the Scriptures that are to be believed but unto our own Minds and that Faith wherewith they are to be believed For it is not the Reason why we believe the Scriptures but the Power whereby we are enabled so to do which at present we enquire after 1. That the Faith whereby we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God is wrought in us by the Holy Ghost can be denied only on two Principles or Suppositions 1. That it is not Faith divine and supernatural whereby we believe them so to be but only we have other moral Assurance thereof 2. That this Faith divine and supernatural is of our selves and is not wrought in us by the Holy Ghost The first of these hath been already disproved and shall be further evicted afterwards and it may be they are very few who are of that Judgment For generally whatever men suppose the prime Object principal Motive and formal Reason of that Faith to be yet that it is Divine and Supernatural they all acknowledg And as to the second what is so 't is of the Operation of the Spirit of God For to say it is divine and supernatural is to say that it is not of our selves but that it is the Grace and Gift of the Spirit of God wrought in us by his divine and supernatural Power And those of the Church of Rome who would resolve our Faith in this matter objectively into the Authority of their Church yet subjectively acknowledge the Work of the Holy Spirit ingenerating Faith in us and that Work to be necessary to our Believing the Scripture in a due manner Externae omnes humanae persuasiones non sunt satis ad credendum quantumcunque ab hominibus competenter ea quae sunt fidei proponantur Sed necessaria est insuper causa interior hoc est divinum quoddam lumen incitans ad credendum oculi quidam interni Dei beneficio ad videndum dati saith Canus Loc. Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. Nor is there any of the Divines of that Church which dissent herein We do not therefore assert any such divine formal Reoson of Believing as that the mind should not stand in need of supernatural Assistance enabling it to assent thereunto Nay we affirm that without this there is in no man any true Faith at all let the Arguments and Motives whereon he believes be as forcible and pregnant with Evidence as can be imagined It is in this Case as in things natural neither the the Light of the Sun nor any perswasive Arguments unto men to look up unto it will enable them to discern it unless they are endued with a due visive Faculty And this the Scripture is express in beyond all possibility of Contradiction Neither is it that I know of by any as yet in express terms denied For indeed that all which is properly called Faith with respect unto divine Revelation and is acceptted with God as such is the Work of the Spirit of God in us or is bestowed on us by him cannot be questioned by any who own the Gospel I have also proved it elsewhere so fully and largly as that I shall give it at present no other Confirmation but what will necessarily fall in with the Description of the Nature of that Faith whereby we do believe and the Way or Manner of its being wrought in us The Work of the Holy Ghost unto this purpose consists in the saving Illumination of the Mind and the Effect of it is a supernatural Light whereby the Mind is renewed see Rom. 12. 1. Ephes. 1. 18 19. chap. 3. 16 17 18 19. It is called an Heart to understand Eyes to see Ears to hear Deut. 29. 4. The opening of the Eyes of our Vunderstanding Ephes. 1. 18. The giving of an Vnderstanding 1 John 5. 20. Hereby we are enabled to discern the Evidences of the divine Original and Authority of the Scripture that are in it self as well as assent unto the Truth contained in it and without it we cannot do so For the natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him neither can be know them because they are spiritually discerned 1 Cor. 2. 14. And unto this end it is written in the Prophets that we
shall be all taught of God John 6. 45. That there is a divine and heavenly Excellency in the Scripture cannot be denied by any who on any Grounds or Motives whatever do own its divine Original For all the Works of God do set forth his Praise and it is impossible that any thing should proceed immediately from Him but that there will be express Characters of divine Excellencies upon it and as to the Communication of these Characters of Himself he hath magnified his Word above all his Name But these we cannot discern be they in themselves never so illustrious without the effectual Communication of the Light mentioned unto our Minds that is without divine supernatural Illumination Herein he who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness shineth into our Hearts the Knowledg of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 6. He irradiates the Mind with a spiritual Light whereby it is enabled to discern the Glory of spiritual Things This they cannot do in whom the God of this World hath blinded the eyes of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine into them v. 6. Those who are under the Power of their natural Darkness and Blindness especially where there are in them also superadded Prejudices begotten and increased by the craft of Satan as there are in the whole World of Unbelievers cannot see nor discern that divine Excellency in the Scripture without an Apprehension whereof no man can believe it a right to be the Word of God Such Persons may assent unto the Truth of the Scripture and its divine Original upon external Arguments and rational Motives but believe it with Faith Divine and Supernatural on those Arguments and Motives only they cannot There are two things which hinder or disenable men from believing with Faith divine and supernatural when any Divine Revelation is objectively proposed unto them First The natural Blindness and Darkness of their Minds which are come upon all by the Fall and the Depravation of our Nature that ensued thereon Secondly The Prejudices that through the Crafts of Satan the God of this World their minds are possessed with by Traditions Educations and Converse in the World This last Obstruction or Hinderance may be so far removed by external Arguments and Motives of Credibility as that men may upon them attain unto a moral Perswasion concerning the Divine Original of the Scripture But these Arguments cannot remove or take away the native Blindness of the mind which is removed by their Renovation and Divine Illumination alone Wherefore none I think will positively affirm that we can believe the Scripture to be the Word of God in the way and manner which God requireth without a supernatural Work of the Holy Spirit upon our minds in the Illumination of them So David prays that God would open his eyes that he might behold wonderous things out of the Law Psal. 119. 10. That he would make him understand the way of his Precepts v. 27. That he would give him understanding and he should keep the Law v. 34. So the Lord Christ also opened the understandings of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Luk. 24. 45. As he had affirmed before that it was given unto some to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God and not unto others Mat. 11. 25. chap. 13. 11. And neither are these things spoken in vain nor is the Grace intended in them needless The Communication of this Light unto us the Scripture calleth Revealing and Revelation Mat. 11. 25. Thou hast hid these things from the Wise and Prudent and hast revealed them unto Babes that is giving them to understand the Mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven when they were preached unto them And no man knoweth the Father but he to whom the Son revealeth him v. 27. So the Apostle prayeth for the Ephesians that God would give them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledg of Christ that the eyes of their understandings being enlightned they might know c. chap. 1. v. 17 18 19. It is true these Ephesians were already Believers or considered by the Apostle as such but if he judged it necessary to pray for them that they might have the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to enlighten the eyes of their Vnderstanding with respect unto further Degrees of Faith and Knowledge or as he speaks in another place that they might come unto the full Assurance of Vnderstanding to the acknowledgment of the Mystery of God Col. 2. 2. Then it is much more necessary to make them Believers who before were not so but utter strangers unto the Faith But as a Pretence hereof hath been abused as we shall see afterwards so the pleading of it is liable to be mistaken For some are ready to apprehend that this Retreat unto a Spirit of Revelation is but a pretence to discard all rational Arguments and to introduce Enthusiasm into their room Now although the Charge be grievous yet because it is groundless we must not forego what the Scripture plainly affirms and instructs us in thereby to avoid it Scripture Testimonies may be expounded according to the Analogy of Faith but denied or despised seem they never so contrary unto our Apprehension of things they must not be Some I confess seem to disregard both the objective Work of the Holy Spirit in this matter whereof we shall treat afterwards and his subjective Work also in our minds that all things may be reduced unto Sense and Reason But we must grant that a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to open the eyes of our Understanding is needful to enable us to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God in a due manner or forgo the Gospel And our Duty it is to pray continually for that Spirit if we intend to be established in the Faith thereof But yet we plead not for external immediate Revelations such as were granted unto the Prophets Apostles and other Penmen of the Scripture The Revelation we intend differs from them both in its especial Subject and formal Reason or Nature that is in the whole kind For 1. The subject matter of divine Prophetical Revelation by a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or immediate divine Inspiration are things not made known before Things they were hid in God or the Counsels of his Will and revealed unto the Apostles and Prophets by the Spirit Ephes. 2. 5 9 10. Whether they were Doctrines or Things they were at least as unto their present Circumstances made known from the Counsels of God by their Revelation But the Matter and Subject of the Revelation we treat of is nothing but what is already revealed It is an internal Revelation of that which is outwardly and antecedent unto it beyond the Bounds thereof it is not to be extended And if any pretend unto immediate Revelations of things not before revealed we have no concernment in
their Pretences 2. They differ likewise in their Nature or Kind For immediate divine prophetical Revelation consisted in an immediate Inspiration or Afflatus or in Visions and Voices from Heaven with a Power of the Holy Ghost transiently affecting their Minds guiding their Tongues and Hands to whom they were granted whereby they received and represented divine Impressions as an Instrument of Musick doth the Skill of the Hand whereby it is moved the Nature of which Revelation I have more fully discoursed elsewhere But this Revelation of the Spirit consists in his effectual Operation freeing our Minds from Darkness Ignorance and Prejudice enabling them to discern spiritual Things in a due manner And such a Spirit of Revelation is necessary unto them who would believe aright the Scripture or any thing else that is divine and supernatural contained therein And if men who through the Power of Temptations and Prejudices are in the dark or at a loss as to the great and fundamental Principle of all Religion namely the Divine Original and Authority of the Scripture will absolutely lean unto their own understandings and have the whole Difference determined by the natural Power and Faculties of their own Souls without seeking after divine Aid and Assistance or earnest Prayer for the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation to open the eyes of their understandings they must be content to abide in their Uncertainties or to come off from them without any Advantage to their Souls Not that I would deny unto men or take them off from the Use of their Reason in this matter for what is their Reason given unto them for unless it be to use it in those things which are of the greatest importance unto them Only I must crave leave to say that it is not sufficient of it self to enable us to the performance of this Duty without the immediate Aid and Assistance of the Holy Spirit of God If any one upon these Principles shall now ask us Wherefore we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God We do not answer It is because the Holy Ghost hath enlightned our minds wrought Faith in us and enabled us to believe it Without this we say indeed did not the Spirit of God so work in us and upon us we neither should nor could believe with Faith divine and supernatural If God had not opened the Heart of Lydia she would not have attended unto the things preached by Paul so as to have received them and without it the Light oftentimes shines into Darkness but the Darkness comprehends it not But this neither is nor can be the formal Object of our Faith or the Reason why we believe the Scripture to be of God or any thing else neither do we nor can we rationally answer by it unto this Question why we do believe This Reason must be something external and evidently proposed unto us For whatever Ability of spiritual Assent there be in the Understanding which is thus wrought in it by the Holy Ghost yet the Understanding cannot assent unto any thing with any Kind of Assent natural or supernatural but what is outwardly proposed unto it as true and that with sufficient Evidence that it is so That therefore which proposeth any thing unto us as true with Evidence of that Truth is the formal Object of our Faith or the Reason why we do believe And what is so proposed must be true and must be evidenced to be true or we cannot believe it and according to the Nature of that Evidence such is our Faith Humane if that be Humane and Divine if that be so Now nothing of this is done by that saving Light which is infused into our minds and is therefore not the Reason why we believe what we do so Whereas therefore some who seem to conceive that the only general Ground of believing the Scripture to be the Word of God doth consist in rational Arguments and Motives of Credibility do grant that private Persons may have their Assurance hereof from the Illumination of the Holy Ghost though it be not pleadable to others they grant what is not that I know of desired by any and which in it self is not true For this Work consisting solely in enabling the mind unto that Kind of Assent which is Faith divine and supernatural on supposition of an external formal Reason of it duely proposed is not the Reason why any do believe nor the Ground whereunto their Faith is resolved It remains only that we enquire whether our Faith in this matter be not resolved into an immediate internal Testimony of the Holy Ghost assuring us of the divine Original and Authority of the Scripture distinct from the Work of spiritual Illumination before described For it is the common Opinion of Protestant Divines that the Testimony of the Holy Ghost is the Ground whereon we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God and in what sense it is so shall be immediately declared But hereon are they generally charged by those of the Church of Rome and others that they resolve all the Ground and Assurance of Faith into their own particular Spirits or the Spirit of every one that will pretend thereunto And this is looked upon as a sufficient Warranty to reproach them with giving countenance unto Enthusiasms and exposing the minds of men to endless delusions Wherefore this matter must be a little further enquired into And By an internal Testimony of the Spirit an extraordinary Afflatus or new immediate Revelation may be intended Men may suppose they have or ought to have an internal particular Testimony that the Scripture is the Word of God whereby and whereby alone they may be infallibly assured that so it is And this is supposed to be of the same nature with the Revelation made unto the Prophets and Penmen of the Scripture for it is neither an external Proposition of Truth nor an internal Ability to assent unto such a Proposition And besides these there is no divine Operation in this kind but an immediate Prophetical Inspiration or Revelation Wherefore as such a Revelation or immediate Testimony of the Spirit is the only Reason why we do believe so it is that alone which our Faith rests on and is resolved into This is that which is commonly imputed unto those who deny either the Authority of the Church or any other external Arguments or Motives of Credibility to be the formal Reason of our Faith Howbeit there is no one of them that I know of who ever asserted any such thing And I do therefore deny that our Faith is resolved into any such private Testimony immediate Revelation or Inspiration of the Holy Ghost And that for the ensuing Reasons 1. Since the finishing of the Canon of the Scripture the Church is not under that Conduct as to stand in need of such new extraordinary Revelations It doth indeed live upon the internal gracious Operations of the Spirit enabling us to understand believe and obey the perfect
and a Resolution to live in an excess of known Sin Multitudes suffer their Minds to be bribed by their corrupt Affections to a Relinquishment of any Regard unto it 3. The scandalous Quarrels and Disputations of those of the Church of Rome against the Scripture and its Authority have contributed much unto the ruine of the Faith of many Their great Design is by all means to secure the Power Authority and Infallibility of their Church Of these they say continually as the Apostle in another case of the Mariners unless these stay in the Ship we cannot be saved Without an Acknowledgment of these things they would have it that men can neither at present believe nor be saved hereafter To secure this Interest the Authority of the Scripture must be by all means questioned and impaired A divine Authority in it self they will allow it but with respect unto us it hath none but what it obtains by the Suffrage and Testimony of their Church But whereas Authority is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and consists essentially in the Relation and Respect which it hath unto others or those that are to be subject unto it to say that it hath an Authority in it self but none towards us is not only to deny that it hath any Authority at all but also to reproach it with an empty name They deal with it as the Souldiers did with Christ they put a Crown on his Head and cloathed him with a purple Robe and bowing the Knee before him mocked him saying Hail King of the Jews The ascribe unto it the Crown and Robe of Divine Authority in it self but not towards any one Person in the World So if they please God shall be God and his Word be of some Credit among men Herein they seek continually to entangle those of the weaker Sort by urging them vehemently with this Question How do you know the Scripture to be the Word of God and have in continual readyness a number of sophistical Artifices to weaken all Evidences that shall be pleaded in its behalf Nor is that all but on all Occasions they insinuate such Objections against it from its Obscurity Imperfection want of Order Difficulties and seeming Contradictions in it as are suited to take off the minds of men from a firm Assent unto it or Reliance on it As if a Company of men should conspire by crafty multiplied Insinuations divulged on all advantages to weaken the Reputation of a chast and sober Matron although they cannot deprive her of her Vertue yet unless the World were wiser than for the most part it appears to be they will insensibly take off from her due esteem And this is as bold an Attempt as can well be made in any Case For the first Tendency of these Courses is to make men Atheists after which success it is left at uncertain hazard whether they will be Papists or no. Wherefore as there can be no greater nor more dishonourable Reflection made on Christian Religion than that it hath no other Evidence or Testimony of its Truth but the Authority and Witness of those by whom it is at present professed and who have notable worldly advantages thereby so the minds of multitudes are secretly influenced by the Poison of these Disputes to think it no way necessary to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God or at least are shaken off from the Grounds whereon they have professed it so to be And the like Dis-service is done unto Faith and the Souls of Men by such as advance a Light within or immediate Inspiration into Competition with it or the Room of it For as such Imaginations take place and prevail in the minds of men so their Respect unto the Scripture and all Sense of its divine Authority doth decay as Experience doth openly manifest It is I say from an unusual Concurrence of these and the like Causes and Occasions that there is at present among us such a Decay in Relinquishment of and Opposition unto the Belief of the Scripture as it may be former Ages could not parallel But against all these Objections and Temptations the Minds of true Believers are secured by Supplies of spiritual Light Wisdom and Grace from the Holy Ghost There are several other especial gracious Actings of the Holy Spirit on the minds of Believers which belong also unto this internal real Testimony whereby their Faith is established Such are his anointing and sealing of them his witnessing with them and his being an Earnest in them all which must be elsewhere spoken unto Hereby is our Faith every day more and more increased and established Wherefore although no internal Work of the Spirit can be the formal Reason of our Faith or that which it is resolved into yet is it such as without it we can never sincerely believe as we ought nor be established in believing against Temptations and Objections And with respect unto this Work of the Holy Ghost it is that Divines at the first Reformation did generally resolve our Faith of the divine Authority of the Scripture into the Testimony of the Holy Spirit But this they did not do exclusively unto the proper use of external Arguments and Motives of Credibility whose Store indeed is great and whose Fountain is inexhaustible For they arise from all the indubitable Notions that we have of God or our selves in reference unto our present Duty or future Happiness Much less did they exclude that Evidence thereof which the Holy Ghost gives unto it in and by it self Their Judgment is well expressed in the excellent Words of one of them Maneat ergo saith he hoc fixum quos Spiritus intus docuit solidè acquiescere in Scripturâ hanc quidem esse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 neque demonstrationi rationibus subjici eam fas esse quam tamen meretur apud nos certitudinem Spiritus testimonio consequi eisi enim Reverentiam sua sibi ultro Majestate conciliat tunc tamen demum serio nos afficit quum per Spiritum obsignata est cordibus nostris Istius ergo veritate illuminati jam non aut nostro aut aliorum judicio credimus a Deo esse Scripturam sed supra humanum judicium certo certius constituimus non secus ac si ipsius Dei numen illic intueremur hominum ministerio ab ipsissimo Dei ore ad nos fluxisse Non Argumenta non veri Similitudines quaerimus quibus judicium nostrum incumbat sed ut rei extra estimandi aleam positae judicium ingeniumque nostrum subjicimus Non qualiter superstitionibus solent miseri homines captivam mentem addicere sed quia non dubiam vim Numinis illic sentimus vigere spirare quam ad parendum scientes ac volentes vividius tamen efficacius quam pro humana aut voluntate aut scientia trahimur accendimur Talis ergo est Persuasio quae rationes non requirat talis notitia cui optima ratio cosnstet
insisted on Especially ought they to be pleaded when the Scripture is attacked by an Atheism arising from the Love and Practice of those Lusts and Sins which are severely condemned therein and threatned with the utmost Vengeance With others they may be considered as previous inducements unto believing or concomitant means of strengthning Faith in them that do believe In the first way I confess to the best of my Observation of things past and present their Use is not great nor ever hath been in the Church of God For assuredly the most that do sincerely believe the divine Original and Authority of the Scripture do it without any great Consideration of them or being much influenced by them And there are many who as Austin speaks are saved simplicitate credendi and not subtilitate disputandi that are not able to enquire much into them nor yet to apprehend much of their Force and Efficacy when they are proposed unto them Most Persons therefore are effectually converted to God and have saving Faith whereby they believe the Scripture and virtually all that is contained in it before they have ever once considered them And God forbid we should think that none believe the Scripture aright but those who are able to apprehend and manage the subtil Arguments of learned men produced in their Confirmation Yea we affirm on the contrary that those who believe them on no other Grounds have indeed no true Divine Faith at all Hence they were not of old insisted on for the ingenerating of Faith in them to whom the Word was preached nor ordinarily are so to this day by any who understand what is their Work and Duty But in the second way wherever there is occasion from Objections Oppositions or Temptations they may be pleaded to good use and purpose And they may do well to be furnished with them who are unavoidably exposed unto trials of that Nature For as for that Course which some take in all places and at all times to be disputing about the Scriptures and their Authority it is a Practice giving countenance unto Atheism and is to be abhorred of all that fear God and the Consequents of it are sufficiently manifest 2. The Ministry of the Church as it is the Ground and Pillar of Truth holding it up and declaring it is in an ordinary way previously necessary unto Believing For Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God We believe the Scripture to be the Word of God for it self alone but not by it self alone The Ministry of the Word is the means which God hath appointed for the Declaration and making known the Testimony which the Holy Spirit gives in the Scripture unto its Divine Original And this is the ordinary way whereby men are brought to believe the Scripture to be the Word of God The Church in its Ministry owning witnessing and avowing it so to be instructing all sorts of Persons out of it there is together with a sense and apprehension of the Truth and Power of the things taught and revealed in it Faith in it self as the Word of God ingenerated in them 3. We do also here suppose the internal effectual Work of the Spirit begetting Faith in us as was before declared without which we can believe neither the Scripture nor any Thing else with Faith divine not for want of Evidence in them but of Faith in our selves These things being supposed we do affirm that it is the Authority and Truth of God as manifesting themselves in the supernatural Revelation made in the Scripture that our Faith ariseth from and is resolved into And herein consists that Testimony which the Spirit gives unto the Word of God that it is so for it is the Spirit that beareth witness because the Spirit is Truth The Holy Ghost being the immediate Author of the whole Scripture doth therein and thereby give Testimony unto the Divine Truth and Original of it by the Characters of Divine Authority and Veracity impressed on it and evidencing themselves in its Power and Efficacy And let it be observed that what we assert respects the Revelation it self the Scripture the Writing 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not meerly the things written or contained in it The Arguments produced by some to prove the Truth of the Doctrines of the Scripture reach not the Cause in hand For our Enquiry is not about believing the Truths revealed but about believing the Revelation it self the Scripture it self to be Divine And this we do only because of the Authority and Veracity of the Revealer that is of God himself manifesting themselves therein To manifest this fully I shall do these things 1. Prove that our Faith is so resolved into the Scripture as a Divine Revelation and not into any thing else that is we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God for its own sake and not for the sake of any thing else either external Arguments or authoritative Testimony of men whatever 2. Shew how or by what means the Scripture doth evidence its own divine Original or the Authority of God is so evidenced in it and by it as that we need no other formal Cause or Reason of our Faith whatever Motives or Means of Believing we may make use of And as to the first of these 1. That is the formal Reason whereon we do believe which the Scripture proposeth as the only Reason why we should so do why it is our Duty to do so and whereunto it requireth our Assent Now this is to it self as it is the Word of God and because it is so Or it proposeth the Authority of God in it self and that alone which we are to acquiesce in and the Truth of God and that alone which our Faith is to rest on and is resolved into It doth not require us to believe it upon the Testimony of any Church or on any other Arguments that it gives us to prove that it is from God but speaks unto us immediately in his name and thereon requires Faith and Obedience Some it may be will ask Whether this prove the Scripture to be the Word of God because it says so of it self when any other Writing may say the same But we are not now giving Arguments to prove unto others the Scripture to be the Word of God but only proving and shewing what our own Faith resteth on and is resolved into or at least ought so to be How it evidenceth it self unto our Faith to be the Word of God we shall afterwards declare It is sufficient unto our present purpose that God requires us to believe the Scripture for no other Reason but because it is his Word or a Divine Revelation from him and if so his Authority and Truth are the formal Reason why we believe the Scripture or any thing contained in it To this purpose do Testimonies abound in particular besides that general Attestation which is given unto it in that sole Preface of divine Revelations Thus saith the
to evidence it self to be so is exceedingly prejudicial unto his Honour and Glory seeing the everlasting Welfare of the Souls of Men is incomparably more concerned therein than in the other ways mentioned And what Reason could be assigned why he should implant a less Evidence of his Divine Authority on this than on them seeing he designed far greater and more glorious Ends in this than in them If any one shall say the Reason is because this kind of Divine Revelation is not capable of receiving such Evidences it must be either because there cannot be evident Characters of Divine Authority Goodness Wisdom Power implanted on it or mixed with it or because an Efficacy to manifest them cannot be communicated unto it That both these are otherwise shall be demonstrated in the last Part of this Discourse which I shall now enter upon It hath been already declared that it is the Authority and Veracity of God revealing themselves in the Scripture and by it that is the formal Reason of our Faith or Supernatural Assent unto it as it is the Word of God It remains only that we enquire in the Second Place into the Way and Means whereby they evidence themselves unto us and the Scripture thereby to be the Word of God so as that we may undoubtedly and infallibly believe it so to be Now because Faith as we have shewed is an Assent upon Testimony and consequently Divine Faith is an Assent upon Divine Testimony There must be some Testimony or Witness in this case whereon Faith doth rest And this we say is the Testimony of the Holy Ghost the Author of the Scriptures given unto them in them and by them And this Work or Testimony of the Spirit may be reduced unto two Heads which may be distinctly insisted on 1. The Impressions or Characters which are subjectively left in the Scripture and upon it by the Holy Spirit its Author of all the Divine Excellencies or Properties of the Divine Nature are the first Means evidencing that Testimony of the Spirit which our Faith rests upon or they do give the first Evidence of its Divine Original and Authority whereon we do believe it The Way whereby we learn the eternal Power and Deity of God from the Works of Creation is no otherwise but by those Marks Tokens and Impressions of his Divine Power Wisdom and Goodness that are upon them For from the Consideration of their Subsistence Greatness Order and Use Reason doth necessarily conclude an Infinite Subsisting Being of whose Power and Wisdom these things are the manifest Effects These are clearly seen and understood by the Things that are made we need no other Arguments to prove that God made the World but it self It carrieth in it and upon it the infallible Tokens of its Original See to this purpose the blessed Meditation of the Psalmist Psal. 104. throughout Now there are greater and more evident Impressions of Divine Excellencies left on the written Word from the Infinite Wisdom of the Author of it than any that are communicated unto the Works of God of what sort soever Hence David comparing the Works and the Word of God as to their instructive Efficacy in declaring God and his Glory although he ascribe much unto the Works of Creation yet doth he prefer the Word incomparably before them Psal. 19. 1 2 3 7 8 9. and Psal. 146. ver 8 9. c. and 19. 20. And these do manifest the Word unto our Faith to be his more clearly than the other do the Works to be his unto our Reason As yet I do not know that it is denied by any or the contrary asserted namely that God as the immediate Author of the Scripture hath left in the very Word it self Evident Tokens and Impressions of his Wisdom Prescience Omniscience Power Goodness Holiness Truth and other Divine Infinite Excellencies sufficiently evidenced unto the enlightned Minds of Believers Some I confess speak suspitiously herein but until they will directly deny it I shall not need further to confirm it than I have done long since in another Treatise And I leave it to be considered whether morally speaking it be possible that God should immediately by himself from the eternal Counsels of his Will reveal Himself his Mind the Thoughts and Purposes of his Heart which had been hidden in Himself from Eternity on purpose that we should believe them and yeild Obedience unto him according to the Declaration of Himself so made and yet not give with it or leave upon it any 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 any infallible Token evidencing him to be the Author of that Revelation Men who are not ashamed of their Christianity will not be so to profess and seal that Profession with their Blood and to rest their eternal Concernments on that Security herein which they have attained namely that there is that Manifestation made of the glorious Properties of God in and by the Scripture as it is a Divine Revelation which incomparably excells in Evidence all that their Reason receives concerning his Power from the Works of Creation This is that whereon we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God with Faith Divine and Supernatural if we believe it so at all There is in it self that Evidence of its Divine Original from the Characters of Divine Excellencies left upon it by its Author the Holy Ghost as Faith quietly rests in and is resolved into And this Evidence is manifest unto the meanest and most unlearned no less than unto the wisest Philosophers And the Truth is if Rational Arguments and External Motives were the sole Ground of receiving the Scripture to be the Word of God it could not be but that learned Men and Philosophers would have always been the forwardest and most ready to admit it and most firmly to adhere unto it and its Profession For whereas all such Arguments do prevail on the Minds of Men according as they are able aright to discern their Force and judge of them learned Philosophers would have had the Advantage incomparably above others And so some have of late affirmed that it was the wise rational and learned Men who at first most readily received the Gospel an Assertion which nothing but gross Ignorance of the Scripture it self and all the Writings concerning the Original of Christianity whether of Christians or Heathens could give the least Countenance unto see 1 Cor. 1. 23 26. From hence is the Scripâ—ure so often compared unto Light called Light a Light shining in a dark place which will evidence it self unto all who are not blind or do wilfully shut their Eyes or have their Eyes blinded by the God of this World lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God should shine unto them which Consideration I have handled at large elsewhere 2. The Spirit of God evidenceth the Divine Original and Authority of the Scripture by the Power and Authority which he puts forth in it and by it over the
Minds and Consciences of Men with its Operation of Divine Effects thereon This the Apostle expresly affirms to be the Reason and Cause of Faith 1 Cor. 14. 24 25. If all prophesy and there comes in one that believeth not or one unlearned he is convinced of all he is judged of all And thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifest and so falling down on his Face he will worship God and report that God is in you of a Truth The Acknowledgment and Confession of God to be in them or among them is a Profession of Faith in the Word administred by them Such Persons assent unto its Divine Authority or believe it to be the Word of God And on what Evidence or Ground of Credibility they did so is expresly declared It was not upon the Force of any external Arguments produced and pleaded unto that Purpose It was not upon the Testimony of this or that or any Church whatever nor was it upon a Conviction of any Miracles which they saw wrought in its Confirmation Yea the Ground of the Faith and Confession declared is opposed unto the Efficacy and Use of the Miraculous Gift of Tongues v. 23 24. Wherefore the only Evidence whereon they received the Word and acknowledged it to be of God was that Divine Power and Efficacy whereof they found and felt the Experience in themselves He is convinced of all judged of all and thus are the Secrets of his Heart made manifest whereon he falls down before it with an Acknowledgment of its Divine Authority finding the VVord to come upon his Conscience with an irresistible Power of Conviction and Judgment thereon He is convinced of all judged of all He cannot but grant that there is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Divine Efficacy in it or accompanying of it Especially his Mind is influenced by this that the Secrets of his Heart are made manifest by it For all Men must acknowledge this to be an Effect of Divine Power seeing God alone is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he who searcheth knoweth and judgeth the Heart And if the VVoman of Samaria believed that Jesus was the Christ because he told her all things that ever she did John 4. 29. there is Reason to believe that VVord to be from God which makes manifest even the Secrets of our Hearts And although I do conceive that by the Word of God Heb. 4. 12. the Living and Eternal Word is principally intended yet the Power and Efficacy there ascribed to him is that which he puts forth by the VVord of the Gospel And so that VVord also in its Place and use pierceth to the dividing asunder of Soul and Spirit of the Joynts and Marrew and is a Discerner or passeth a critical Judgment on the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart or makes manifest the Secrets of mens Hearts as it is here expressed Hereby then doth the Holy Ghost so evidence the Divine Authority of the Word namely by that Divine Power which it hath upon our Souls and Consciences that we do assuredly acquiesce in it to be from God So the Thessalonians are commended that they received the Word not as the Word of Men but as it is in truth the Word of God which effectually works in them that believe 1 Thess. 2. 15. It distinguisheth it self from the Word of Men and evidences it self to be indeed the Word of God by its effectual Operation in them that believe And he who hath this Testimony in himself hath a higher and more firm Assurance of the Truth than what can be attained by the Force of external Arguments or the Credit of Humane Testimony VVherefore I say in general that the Holy Spirit giveth Testimony unto and evinceth the Divine Authority of the Word by its Powerful Operations and Divine Effects on the Souls of them that do believe So that although it be weakness and foolishness unto others yet as is Christ himself unto them that are called it is the Power of God and the VVisdom of God And I must say that although a Man be furnished with external Arguments of all Sorts concerning the Divine Original and Authority of the Scriptures although he esteem his Motives of Credibility to be effectually perswasive and have the Authority of any or all the Churches in the VVorld to confirm his Perswasion yet if he have no Experience in himself of its Divine Power Authority and Efficacy he neither doth nor can believe it to be the Word of God in a due manner with Faith Divine and Supernatural But he that hath this Experience hath that Testimony in himself which will never fail This will be the more manifest if we consider some few of those many Instances wherein it exerts its Power or the Effects which are produced thereby The Principal Divine Effect of the Word of God is in the Conversion of the Souls of Sinners unto God The Greatness and Glory of this Work we have elsewhere declared at large And all those who are acquainted with it as it is declared in the Scripture and have any Experience of it in their own Hearts do constantly give it as an Instance of the exceeding Greatness of the Power of God It may be they speak not improperly who prefer the Work of the New Creation before the Work of the Old for the express Evidences of Almighty Power contained in it as some of the Ancients do Now of this Great and Glorious Effect the Word is the only Instrumental Cause whereby the Divine Power operates and is expressive of it self For we are born again born of God not of Corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the Word of God which abideth for ever 1 Pet. 1. 21. For of his own Will doth God beget us with the Word of Truth Jam. 1. 18. The Word is the Seed of the New Creature in us that whereby our whole Natures our Souls and all their Faculties are changed and renewed into the Image and Likeness of God And by the same Word is this new Nature kept and preserved 1 Pet. 2. 2. and the whole Soul carried on unto the Enjoyment of God It is unto Believers an Ingrafted Word which is able to save their Souls James 1. 21. The Word of God's Grace which is able to build us up and give us an Inheritance among them that are sanctified Acts 20. 32. And that because it is the Power of God unto Salvation unto them that do believe Rom. 1. 16. All the Power which God puts forth and exerts in the Communication of that Grace and Mercy unto Believers whereby they are gradually carried on and prepared unto Salvation he doth it by the Word Therein in an especial manner is the Divine Authority of the Word evidenced by the Divine Power and Efficacy given unto it by the Holy Ghost The VVork which is effected by it in the Regeneration Conversion and Sanctification of the Souls of Believers doth evidence it infallibly unto their Consciences that it is not the VVord
upon them that they cannot see nor discern Spiritual Things no not when they are externally proposed unto them as I have at large evinced elsewhere And no Man can give a greater Evidence that it is so than he who denies it so to be With Respect unto both these Kinds of Darkness the Scripture is a Light and accompanied with a Spiritual Illuminating Efficacy thereby evidencing it self to be a Divine Revelation For what but Divine Truth could recall the Minds of Men from all their wandrings in Error Superstition and other Effects of Darkness which of themselves they love more than Truth All Things being filled with Vanity Error Confusion Misapprehensions about God and our selves our Duty and End our Misery and Blessedness the Scripture where it is communicated by the Providence of God comes in as a Light into a Dark Place discovering all Things clearly and steadily that concern either God or our selves our present or future Condition causing all the Ghosts and false Images of Things which Men had framed and fancied unto themselves in the Dark to vanish and disappear Digitus Dei this is none other but the Power of God But principally it evidenceth this its Divine Efficacy by that Spiritual Saving Light which it conveighs into and implants on the Minds of Believers Hence there is none of them who have gained any Experience by the Observation of God's Dealings with them but shall although they know not the Ways and Methods of the Spirits Operations by the Word yea can say with the Man unto whom the Lord Jesus restored his Sight One thing I know that whereas I was born blind now I see This Power of the Word as the Instrument of the Spirit of God for the Communication of Saving Light and Knowledge unto the Minds of Men the Apostle declares 2 Cor. 3. 18. chap. 4. 4 6. By the Efficacy of this Power doth he evidence the Scripture to be the Word of God Those who believe find by it a Glorious Supernatural Light introduced into their Minds whereby they who before saw nothing in a distinct affecting manner in Spirituals do now clearly discern the Truth the Glory the Beauty and Excellency of Heavenly Mysteries and have their Minds transformed into their Image and LikeLineness And there is no Person who hath the Witness in himself of the kindling of this Heavenly Light in his Mind by the Word but hath also the Evidence in himself of its Divine Original 3. It doth in like manner evidence its Divine Authority by the Awe which it puts on the Minds of the Generality of Mankind unto whom it is made known that they dare not absolutely reject it Multitudes there are unto whom the Word is declared who hate all its Precepts despise all its Promises abhor all its Threatnings like nothing approve of nothing of what it declares or proposes and yet dare not absolutely refuse or reject it They deal with it as they do with God Himself whom they hate also according to the Revelation which he hath made of Himself in his Word They wish he were not sometimes they hope he is not would be glad to be free of his Rule but yet dare not cannot absolutely deny and disown Him because of that Testimony for Himself which he keeps alive in them whether they will or no. The same is the Frame of their Hearts and Minds towards the Scripture and that for no other Reason but because it is the Word of God and manifesteth it selfsso to be They hate it wish it were not hope it is not true but are not by any Means able to shake off a Disquiet in the Sense of its Divine Authority This Testimony it hath fixed in the Hearts of Multitudes of its Enemies Psal. 45. 5. 4. It evidences its Divine Power in administring strong Consolations in the deepest and most unrelievable Distresses Some such there are and such many Men fall into wherein all Means and Hopes of Relief may be utterly removed and taken away So is it when the Miseries of Men are not known unto any that will so much as pity them or wish them Relief or if they have been known and there hath been an Eye to pity them yet there hath been no Hand to help them Such hath been the Condition of innumerable Souls as on other Accounts so in particular under the power of Persecutors when they have been shut up in filthy and nasty Dungeons not to be brought out but unto Death by the most exquisite Tortures that the Malice of Hell could invent or the bloody Cruelty of Man inflict Yet in these and the like Distresses doth the Word of God by its Divine Power and Efficacy break through all interposing Difficulties all dark and discouraging Circumstances supporting refreshing and comforting such poor distressed Sufferers yea commonly filling them under overwhelming Calamities with Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Though they are in Bonds yet is the Word of God not bound neither can all the Power of Hell nor all the Diligence or Fury of Men keep out the Word from entring into Prisons Dungeons Flames and to administer strong Consolations against all Fears Pains Wants Dangers Deaths or whatever we may in this mortal Life be exposed unto And sundry other Instances of the like Nature might be pleaded wherein the Word gives evident Demonstrations unto the Minds and Consciences of Men of its own Divine Power and Authority which is the second Way whereby the Holy Ghost its Author gives Testimony unto its Original But it is not meerly the Grounds and Reasons whereon we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God which we designed to declare The whole Work of the Holy Spirit enabling us to believe them so to be was proposed unto Consideration And beyond what we have insisted on there is yet a further peculiar Work of his whereby he effectually ascertains our minds of the Scriptures being the Word of God whereby we are ultimately established in the Faith thereof And I cannot but both admire and bewail that this should be denied by any that would be esteemed Christians Wherefore if there be any Necessity thereof I shall take Occasion in the Second Part of this Discourse further to confirm this Part of the Truth thus far debated namely that God by his Holy Spirit doth secretly and effectually perswade and satisfy the Minds and Souls of Believers in the Divine Truth and Authority of the Scriptures whereby he infallibly secures their Faith against all Objections and Temptations whatsoever so that they can safely and comfortably dispose of their Souls in all their Concernments with respect unto this Life and Eternity according unto the undeceivable Truth and Guidance of it But I shall no further insist on these Things at present Three Things do offer themselves unto Consideration from what hath been discoursed 1. What is the Ground and Reason why the meanest and most unlearned Sort of Believers do assent unto this Truth that the Scriptures are
the Word of God with no less Firmness Certainty and Assurance of Mind than do the wisest and most Learned of them Yea ofttimes the Faith of the former Sort herein is of the best Growth and firmest Consistency against Oppositions and Temptations Now no Assent of the Mind can be accompanied with any more Assurance than the Evidence whose Effect it is and which it is resolved into will afford Nor doth any Evidence of Truth beget an Assent unto it in the Mind but as it is apprehended and understood Wherefore the Evidence of this Truth wherein soever it consists must be that which is perceived apprehended and understood by the meanest and most unlearned Sort of true Believers For as was said they do no less firmly assent and adhere unto it than the Wisest and most Learned of them It cannot therefore consist in such subtil and learned Arguments whose Sense they cannot understand or comprehend But the Things we have pleaded are of another Nature For those Characters of Divine Wisdom Goodness Holiness Grace and Sovereign Authority which are implanted on the Scripture by the Holy Ghost are as legible unto the Faith of the Meanest as of the most Learned Believer And they also are no less capable of an Experimental Vnderstanding of the Divine Power and Efficacy of the Scriptures in all its Spiritual Operations than those who are more Wise and Skillful in discerning the Force of External Arguments and Motives of Credibility It must therefore of necessity be granted that the formal Reason of Faith consists in those Things whereof the Evidence is equally obvious unto all Sorts of Believers 2. Whence it is that the Assent of Faith whereby we believe the Scriptures to be the Word of God is usually affirmed to be accompanied with more Assurance than any Assent which is the Effect of Science upon the most demonstrative Principles They who affirm this do not consider Faith as it is in this or that Individual Person or in all that do sincerely believe but in its own Nature and Essence and what it is meet and able to produce And the Schoolmen do distinguish between a Certainty or Assurance of Evidence and an Assurance of Adherence In the latter they say the Certainty of Faith doth exceed that of Science but it is less in respect of the former But it is not easily to be conceived how the Certainty of Adherence should exceed the Certainty of Evidence with respect unto any Object whatsoever That which seems to render a Difference in this Case is that the Evidence which we have in Things scientifical is Speculative and affects the Mind only but the Evidence which we have by Faith effectually worketh on the Will also because of the Goodness and Excellency of the Things that are believed And hence it is that the whole Soul doth more firmly adhere unto the Objects of Faith upon that Evidence which it hath of them than unto other Things whereof it hath clearer Evidence wherein the Will and the Affections are little or not at all concerned And Bonaventure giveth a Reason of no small weight why Faith is more certain than Science not with the Certainty of Speculation but of Adherence Quoniam fideles Christiani nec Argumentis nec Tormentis nec Blandimentis adduci possunt vel inclinari ut Veritatem quam credunt vel ore tenus negent quod nemo peritus alicujus scientiae faceret si acerrimis Tormentis cogeretur scientiam suam de conclusione aliqua Geometrica vel Arithmetica retractare Stultus enim ridiculus esset Geometra qui pro sua scientia in Controversiis Geometricis mortem anderet subire nisi in quantum dictat Fides non esse mentiendum And whatever may be said of this Distinction I think it cannot modestly be denied that there is a greater Assurance in Faith than any is in scientifical Conclusions until as many good and wise Men will part with all their worldly Concernments and their Lives by the most exquisite Tortures in the Confirmation of any Truth which they have received meerly on the Ground of Reason acting in Humane Sciences as have so done on the Certainty which they had by Faith that the Scripture is a Divine Revelation For in bearing Testimony hereunto have innumerable Multitudes of the Best the Holiest and the VVisest Men that ever were in the VVorld chearfully and joyfully sacrificed all their Temporal and adventured all their Eternal Concernments For they did it under a full Satisfaction that in parting with all temporary things they should be eternally Blessed or eternally Miserable according as their Perswasion in Faith proved true or false VVherefore unto the Firmitude and Constancy which we have in the Assurance of Faith three Things do concur 1. That this Ability of Assent upon Testimony is the highest and most noble Power or Faculty of our rational Souls and therefore where it hath the highest Evidence whereof it is capable which it hath in the Testimony of God it giveth us the highest Certainty or Assurance whereof in this VVorld we are capable 2. Unto the Assent of Divine Faith there is required an especial internal Operation of the Holy Ghost This rendreth it of another Nature than any meer natural Act and Operation of our Minds And therefore if the Assurance of it may not properly be said to exceed the Assurance of Science in Degree it is only because it is of a more excellent kind and so is not capable of Comparison unto it as to Degrees 3. That the Revelation which God makes of Himself his Mind and Will by his Word is more excellent and accompanied with greater Evidence of his infinitely Glorious Properties wherein alone the Mind can find absolute Rest and Satisfaction which is its Assurance than any other Discovery of Truth of what sort soever is capable of Neither is the Assurance of the Mind absolutely perfect in any thing beneath the Enjoyment of God Wherefore the Soul by Faith making the nearest Approaches whereof in this Life it is capable unto the Eternal Spring of Being Truth and Goodness it hath the highest Rest Satisfaction and Assurance therein that in this Life it can attain unto 3. It followeth from hence that those that would deny either of those two Things or would so separate between them as to exclude the Necessity of either unto the Duty of Believing namely the internal Work of the Holy Spirit on the Minds of Men enabling them to believe and the external Work of the same Holy Spirit giving Evidence in and by the Scripture unto its own Divine Original do endeavour to expell all True Divine Faith out of the World and to substitute a probable Perswasion in the room thereof For a Close unto this Discourse which hath now been drawn forth unto a greater Length than was at first intended I shall consider some Objections that are usually pleaded in Opposition unto the Truth asserted and vindicated It is therefore objected in the first
Scripture to be the VVord of God in a way of Duty For it is not to be meerly Human how firm soever the Perswasions in it may be but Divine and Supernatural of the same kind with that whereby we believe the things themselves contained in the Scripture 7. VVe cannot thus believe the Scripture to be the VVord of God nor any Divine Truth therein contained without the effectual Illumination of our Minds by the Holy Ghost And to exclude the Consideration of his VVork herein is to cast the whole Enquiry out of the Limits of Christian Religion 8. Yet is not this VVork of the Holy Spirit in the Illumination of our Minds whereby we are enabled to believe in a way of Duty with Faith Supernatural and Divine the Ground and Reason why we do believe or the Evidence whereon we do so nor is our Faith resolved thereinto 9. VVhereas also there are sundry other Acts of the Holy Spirit in and upon our minds establishing this Faith against Temptations unto the contrary and further ascertaining us of the Divine Original of the Scripture or testifying it unto us yet are they none of them severally nor all of them joyntly the formal Reason of our Faith nor the Ground which we believe upon Yet are they such as that as without the first VVork of Divine Illumination we cannot believe at all in a due manner so without his other consequent Operations we cannot believe stedfastly against Temptations and Oppositions VVherefore 10. Those only can believe the Scripture aright to be the VVord of God in a way of Duty whose minds are enlightned and who are enabled to believe by the Holy Ghost 11. Those who believe not are of two Sorts for they are either such as oppose and gainsay the VVord as a cunningly devised Fable or such as are willing without prejudice to attend unto the consideration of it The former Sort may be resisted opposed and rebuked by external Arguments and such moral Considerations as vehemently perswade the Divine Original of the Scripture and from the same Principles may their mouths be stopped as to their Cavils and Exceptions against it The other Sort are to be led on unto believing by the Ministry of the Church in the dispensation of the VVord it self which is the Ordinance of God unto that purpose But 12. Neither sort do ever come truly to believe either meerly induced thereunto by force of moral Arguments only or upon the Authority of that Church by whose Ministry the Scripture is proposed unto them to be believed VVherefore 13. The formal Reason of Faith Divine and Supernatural whereby we believe the Scripture to be the VVord of God in the way of Duty and as it is required of us is the Authority and Veracity of God alone evidencing themselves unto our Minds and Consciences in and by the Scripture it self And herein consisteth that Divine Testimony of the Holy Ghost which as it is a Testimony gives our Assent unto the Scriptures the general nature of Faith and as it is a Divine Testimony gives it the especial nature of Faith Divine and Supernatural 14. This Divine Testimony given unto the Divine Original of the Scripture in and by it self whereinto our Faith is ultimately resolved is evidenced and made known as by the Characters of the infinite Perfections of the Divine Nature that are in it and upon it so by the Authority Power and Efficacy over and upon the Souls and Consciences of Men and the Satisfactory Excellency of the Truths contained therein wherewith it is accompanied 15. Wherefore although there be many cogent external Arguments whereby a moral stedfast Perwasion of the Divine Authority of the Scriptures may be attained and it be the principal Duty of the true Church in all Ages to give Testimony thereunto which it hath done successively at all all times since first it was intrusted with it and so although there be many other Means whereby we are induced perswaded and enabled to believe it yet is it for its own sake only efficaciously manifesting it self to be the Word of God or upon the Divine Testimony that is given in it and by it thereunto that we believe it to be so with Faith Divine and Supernatural Corel Those who either deny the necessity of an internal subjective Work of the Holy Ghost enabling us to believe or the objective Testimony of the Holy Spirit given unto the Scripture in and by it self or do deny their joynt concurrence in and unto our Believing do deny all Faith properly Divine and Supernatural This being the Substance of what is declared and pleaded for in the preceding Treatise to prevent the Obloquy of some and confirm the Judgment of others I shall add the Suffrage of Antient and Modern Writers given unto the principal Parts of it and whereon all other things asserted in it do depend Clemens Alexandrinus discourseth at large unto this purpose Stromat 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 We have the Lord himself for the Principle or Beginning of Doctrine who by the Prophets the Gospel and blessed Apostles in various manners and by divers degrees goeth before us or leads us unto knowledg This is that which we lay down as the Reason and Ground of Faith namely the Authority of the Lord himself instructing us by the Scriptures So he adds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And if any one suppose that he needeth any oâ—her Principle the Principle will not be kept that is if we need any other Principle whereinto to resolve our Faith the Word of God is no more a Principle unto us But he who is faithful from himself is worthy to be believed in his Sovereign Writing and Voice which as it appeareth is administred by the Lord for the benefit of men And certainly we use it as a Rule of judging for the invention of things But whatever is judged is not credible or to be believed until it is judged and that is no Principle which stands in need to be judged The Intention of his Words is that God who alone is to believed for himself hath given us his Word as the Rule whereby we are to judg of all things And this Word is so to be believed as not to be subject unto any other Judgment because if it be so it cannot be either a Principle or a Rule And so he proceeds 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wherefore it is meet that embracing by Faith the most sufficient indemonstrable Principle and taking the Demonstrations of the Principle from the Principle it self we are instructed by the Voice of the Lord himself unto the acknowledgment of the Truth In few Words he declares the Substance of what we have pleaded for No more do we maintain in this Cause but what Clemens doth here assert namely that we believe the Scripture for it self as that which needeth no antecedent or external Demonstration but all the Evidence and Demonstration of its Divine Original is to be taken from it self alone which yet
he further confirms 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For we would not attend or give credit simply to the definitions of Men seeing we have right also to define in contradiction unto them And seeing it is not sufficient meerly to say or assert what appears to be Truth but to beget a belief also of what is spoken we expect not the Testimony of Men but confirm that which is enquired about with the voice of the Lord which is more full and firm than any Demonstration yea which rather is the only Demonstration Thus we taking our Demonstrations of the Scripture out of the Scripture are assured by Faith as by Demonstration And in other places as Strom. 4. he plainly affirms that the way of Christians was to prove the Scripture by it self and all other things by the Scripture Basilius speaks to the same purpose on Psal. 115. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith which draws the Soul to assent above all methods of Reasonings Faith which is not the Effect of Geometrical Demonstrations but of the Efficacy of the Spirit The Nature Cause and Efficacy of that Faith whereby we believe the Scripture to be the Word of God are asserted by him Nemesius de Homin cap. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Doctrine of the Divine Oracles hath its credibility from it self because of its Divine Inspiration The Words of Austin though taken notice of by all yet may here be again reported Confess lib. II. cap. 3. Audiam intelligam quo modo fecisti Coelum Terram Scripsit hoc Moses scripsit abiit transivit hinc ad te neque enim nunc ante me est Nam si esset tenerem eum rogarem eum per te obsecrarem ut mihi ista panderet praeberem aures corporis mei sonis erumpentibus ex ore ejus At si Hebraea voce loqueretur frustra pulsaret sensum meum nec inde mentem meam quicquam tangeret Si autem Latinè scirem quid diceret sed unde scirem an verum diceret quod etsi hoc scirem num ab illo scirem Intus utique mihi intus in domicilio cogitationis nec hebraea nec graeca nec latina nec barbara veritas sine oris linguae organis sine strepitu syllabarum diceret verum dicit at ego statim erectus confidenter illi homini tuo dicerem verum dicis Cum ergo illum interrogare non possim te quo plenus vera dixit Veritas te Deus meus rogo parce peccatis meis qui illi servo tuo dedisti haec dicere da mihi haec intelligere I would hear I would understand how thou madest the Heaven and the Earth Moses wrote this he wrote it and is gone hence to thee for he is not now before me for if he were I would hold him and ask him and beseech him for thy sake that he would open these things unto me and I would apply the ears of my body to the sounds breaking forth from his mouth But if he should use the Hebrew Language in vain should he affect my sense for he would not at all touch my mind if he should speak Latin I should know what he said but whence should I know that he spake the Truth and if I should know this also should I know it of him Within me in the habitation of my own thoughts Truth neither in Hebrew Greek Latin nor any barbarous Language without the Organs of mouth or tongue without the Noise of syllables would say he speaks the Truth and I being immediately assured or certain of it would say unto that servant of thine thou speakest Truth Whereas therefore I cannot ask him I ask thee O Truth with which he being filled spake the things that are true O my God I ask of thee pardon my sins and thou who gavest unto this thy servant to speak these things give unto me to understand them That which is most remarkable in these Words is that he plainly affirms that Faith would not ensue on the declaration of the Prophets themselves if they were present with us unless there be an internal Work of the Holy Spirit upon our minds to enable us and perswade them thereunto And indeed he seems to place all Assurance of the Truth of Divine Revelations in the inward Assurance which God gives us of them by his Spirit which we have before considered The second Arausican Council gives full Testimony unto the necessity of the internal Grace of the Spirit that we may believe Can. 7. Siquis Evangelicae proedicationi consentire posse confirmat absque Illuminatione Inspiratione Spiritus Sancti haeretico fallitur Spiritu To descend unto later times wherein these things have been much disputed yet the Truth hath beam'd such Light into the eyes of many as to enforce an Acknowledgment from them when they have examined themselves about it The Words of Baptista Mantuanus are remarkable de Patient lib. 3. cap. 2. Saepe mecum cogitavi unde tam suadibilis sit ipsa Scriptura unde tam potenter influat in animos auditorum unde tantum habeat Energiae ut non ad opinandum tantum sed ad solide credendum omnes inflectat Non est hoc imputandum rationum evidentiae quas non adducit non artis industriae aut verbis suavibus ad persuadendum accomodatis quibus non utitur sed vide an id in causa sit quod persuasi sumus eam a prima veritate fluxisse sed unde sumus ita persuasi nisi ab ipsa quasi ad ei credendum nos suiipsius contrahat authoritas Sed unde oro hanc authoritatem sibi vendicavit neque enim vidimus nos Deum concionantem scribentem docentem tamen ac si vidissemus credimus tenemus a Spiritu Sancto fluxisse quae legimus forsan fuerit haec ratio firmiter adhaerendi quod in ea veritas sit solidior quamvis non clarior habet enim omnis veritas vim inclinativam major majorem maxima maximam sed cur ergo non omnes credunt Evangelio Respond quod non omnes trahuntur a Deo Sed longa opus est disputatione firmiter sacris Scripturis ideo credimus quod divinam Inspirationem intus accipimus I have often thought with my self whence the Scripture it self is so perswasive from whence it doth so powerfully influence the minds of its hearers that it inclines or leads them not only to receive an Opinion but surely to believe This is not to be imputed to the Evidence of Reasons which it doth not produce nor unto the Industry of Art with words smooth and fit to perswade which it useth not see then if this be not the cause of it that we are perswaded that it comes from the first Truth or Verity But whence are we so perswaded but from it self alone as if its own Authority should effectually draw us to believe it But whence I pray hath it this Authority we saw not
God preaching writing or teaching of it but yet as if we had seen him we believe and firmly hold that the things which we read proceeded from the Holy Ghost It may be this is the Reason why we so firmly adhere unto it that truth is more solid in it though not more clear than in other writings for all Truth hath a perswasive power the greater Truth the greater power and that which is greatest the greatest Efficacy of all But why then do not all believe the Gospel Answ. Because all are not drawn of God But what need is there of any long disputation we therefore firmly believe the Scriptures because we have received a Divine Inspiration assuring of us And in what Sense this is allowed hath been declared in the preceding Discourse I shall close the whole with the Testimony of them by whom the Truth which we assert is most vehemently opposed when it riseth in opposition unto an especial interest of their own Two things there are which are principally excepted against in the Doctrine of Protestants concerning our belief of the Scripture The first is with respect unto the Holy Spirit as the efficient cause of Faith for whereas they teach that no man can believe the Scripture to be the Word of God in a due manner and according unto his duty without the real internal Aid and Operation of the Holy Ghost however it be proposed unto him and with what Arguments soever the Truth of its Divine Original be confirmed this is charged on them as an Error and a Crime And secondly whereas they also affirm that there is an inward Testimony or Witness of the Holy Spirit whereby he assures and confirms the minds of men in the Faith of the Scriptures with an Efficacy exceeding all the perswasive Evidence of outward Arguments and Motives this also by some they are traduced for And yet those of the Roman Church who are looked on as most averse from that Resolution of Faith which most Protestants acquiesce in do expresly maintain both these Assertions The Design of Stapleton de principiis Fidei controver 4. lib. 8. cap. 1. is to prove impossibile esse sine speciali gratia ac dono fidei divinitùs infuso actum verae fidei producere aut ex veri nominis fide credere Which he there proves with sundry Arguments namely that it is impossible to produce any act of Faith or to believe with Faith rightly so called without special Grace and the Divine Infusion of the Gift of Faith And Bellarmin speaks to the same purpose Argumenta quae articulos fidei nostrae credibiles faciunt non talia sunt ut fidem omnino indubitatam reddant nisi mens divinitùs adjuvetur De Grat. lib. Arbit lib. 6. cap. 3. The Arguments which render the Articles of our Faith credible are not such as produce an undoubted Faith unless the mind be divinely assisted Melchior Canus loc Theol. lib. 2. cap. 8. disputes expresly to this purpose Id statuendum est authoritatem humanam incitamenta omnia illa praedicta sive alia quaecunque adhibita ab eo qui proponit fidem non esse sufficientes causas ad credendum ut credere tenemur sed praeterea opus esse interiori causa efficiente id est Dei speciali auxilio moventis ad credendum This is firmly to be held that human Authority and all the Motives before mentioned nor any other which may be used by him who proposeth the Object of Faith to be believed are not sufficient causes of believing as we are obliged to believe but there is moreover necessary an internal efficient Cause moving us to believe which is the especial Help or Aid of God And a little after he speaks yet more plainly Externae igitur omnes humanae persuasiones non sunt satis ad credendum quantumcunque ab hominibus competenter ea quae sunt fidei proponantur sed necessaria est insuper causa interior hoc est divinum quoddam lumen incitans ad credendum oculi quidam interiores Dei beneficio ad videndum dati Wherefore all external human Perswasions or Arguments are not sufficient Causes of Faith however the things of Faith may be sufficiently proposed by Men there is moreover necessary an internal Cause that is a certain Divine Light inciting to believe or certain internal Eyes to see given us by the Grace of God Yea all other learned men of the same Profession do speak to the same purpose The other Assertion also they do no less comply withal Arcanum divini Spiritus Testimonium prorsus necessarium est ut quis Ecclesiae Testimonio ac Judicio circa Scripturarum approbationem credat saith Stapleton The secret Testimony of the Spirit is altogether necessary that a Man may believe the Testimony and Judgment of the Church about the Scriptures And the Words of Gregory de Valentia are remarkable Cum hactenus ejusmodi Argumenta pro authoritate Christianae Doctrinae fecerimus quae per seipsa satis prudentibus esse debeant ut animum inducant velle credere tamen nescio an non sit argumentum iis omnibus majus quod qui vere Christiani sunt ita se animo affectos esse quod ad fidem attinet sentiunt ut praecipue quidem propter nullum Argumentum quod vel hactenus fecimus vel ratione similiter excogitari possit sed propter aliud nescio quid quod alio quodam modo longe fortius quam ulla Argumenta persuadet at ad firmiter credendum se intelligant Tom. 3. in Thom. Disp. 7. Qu. 1. punc 4. §. 2. Let any man compare these Words with those of Calvin Institut lib. 1. cap. 7. sect 5. which as I remember I have cited before and he will know whence the sense of them was taken Whereas saith he we have hitherto pleaded Arguments for the Authority of Christian Doctrine which even by themselves ought to suffice prudent persons to induce their minds to belief yet I know not whether there be not an Argument greater than they all namely that those who are truly Christians do find or feel by experience their minds so affected in this matter of Faith that they are moved and obliged firmly to believe neither for any Argument that we have used nor for any of the like sort that can be found out by Reason but for somewhat else which perswades our minds in another manner and far more effectually than any Arguments whatever And to shew what he means by this internal Argument and Perswasion he affirms elsewhere that Deus ipse imprimis est qui Christianam Doctrinam atque adeo Scripturam sacram veram esse voce Revelationis suae interno quodam instinctu impulsu humanis mentibus contestatur It is God Himself who by the voice of his Revelation and by a certain internal Instinct and Impulse witnesseth unto the minds of Men the Truth of Christian Doctrine or of the Holy Scripture These few Testimonies have I produced amongst the many that might be urged to the same purpose not to confirm the Truth which we have pleaded for which stands on far surer foundations but only to obviate Prejudices in the minds of some who being not much conversant in things of this Nature are ready to charge what hath been delivered unto this purpose with Singularity FINIS De Naturae Theologiae lib. 3. ‖ De Naturae Theologiae lib. cap. * Vbi supra de Origine Progressu Idololatriae * Exercitat on the Epist. to the Heb. Exer. 1.