Court of his own Conscience and in reference to his own faith and practice he should so examine and judge of the things that relate thereunto as to be fully perswaded in his own mind Rom. 14.5 He should so prove all things as to hold fast that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Thus Christ in his infinite wisdome goodness and faithfulness hath given two sorts of judgment to his Church and people One publick belonging to an Assembly of Godly Pastors and Elders for of that which the Prophets teach let the Prophets judge and the Spirits of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets The other is a more private personal judgment which concerns all the faithful who are to judge of what is taught and to try the Spirits in both these judgments we should remember that Christ hath committed nothing to the Church but the ministry of giving judgment for as touching the Soveraignty of Judgment and Authority it belongs only to him Councels may expound and declare the doctrine of the Scriptures but they have no power from Christ to make any new Doctrines or Articles of faith And every Christian ought in a rational way to judge of their determinations according to the word of God and not yeild blind obedience thereunto for this were to unchristian yea to unman himself Of this opinion are all the Protestant Churches in general and particularly the Church of England (k.) See Rogers on 39. Articles P. 103. who maintains that every sound member of the Church hath Authority from Christ to judge in controversies of faith and so to imbrace truth and avoid error The Church as a faithful witness should give Testimony of the Doctrine of Christ but ought not to judge the word nor to judge otherwise then Gods word judgeth General Councels consisting of men that are not infallible may err The things therefore that are ordained by general Councels do so far bind as they are Consonant to the word of God and no further for we are not to ground our faith upon them but only upon the Authority of Gods word Now that such a rational judgment or a judgment in foro interno as hath been asserted belongs to every Christian so as he may and ought to make use of his Reason in judging of the Doctrines of Religion and of Ecclesiastical Laws and determinations is thus proved and demonstrated First From those plain Texts of Scripture Take heed that no man deceive you Mat. 24.4 Prove all things and hold that which is good 1 Thes 5.21 Beloved believe not every Spirit but try the Spirits whether they are of God 1 Joh. 4.1 He that is Spiritual judgeth all things yet he himself is judged of no man 1 Cor. 2.15 Which Texts together with many other that might be alledged do not only concern publick Ministers but also private Christians yea chiefly them as being most in danger to be seduced Secondly This hath been also the approved practice of the faithful thus to search the Scriptures and try the Spirits and exercise their Spiritual Senses that they might discern things that differ Heb. 5.14 The Bereans are counted more noble then others because they searched the Scriptures and tryed Pauls Doctrine by the Scriptures though he spake from an infallible Spirit Acts 17.11 The Church at Ephesus is commended for trying them that said they were Apostles and were not and finding them lyers and deceivers after tryal Rev. 2.2 And Christ tells us that his true Sheep will follow him for they know his voice but a stranger they will not follow but will flee from him Joh. 10.4 5. Now this they could not do unless they did exercise a rational judgment in matters of faith Thirdly Every Christian is to give an account of his faith and practice to God yea he should be alwayes ready to give an Answer to every man that asketh him a Reason of the hope which is in him 1 Pet. 3.15 But how can he do this rationally and understandingly without tryal and examination If he be found to embrace whatever his superiors shall impose upon him truly then the blind implicite faith of the Collier will serve well enough Is this according to the Scripture which tells us that we cannot truly believe unless we have knowledge That every man should be perswaded in his own mind concerning the things which he doth believe and practice and that whatsoever is not of faith is sin Fourthly How shall a Christian cleanse his heart and wayes but by taking heed thereto according to the word of God Psal 119.9 How shall he walk as a Child of light unless the word be a Lamp to his feet and a light to his paths Psal 119.105 How can he walk wisely and Circumspectly as he ought to do understanding what the will of God is as the Apostle speaks Ephes 5.17 if we do not allow him a judgment of discretion and discerning in matters of this nature that so he may try Spirits and Doctrines Fifthly were it the duty of a private Christian to receive all Doctrines that are proposed to him by his Superiors without tryal and examination then could not he be justly charged with sin and guilt who receiveth error in stead of truth from those that are above him in dignity and Authority but we find that this will not excuse him If the Blind lead the Blind both shall fall into the pit Luk. 6.39 and we are to fly from Strangers and not hearken to the words of those Prophets that speak the visions of their own hearts and not out of the mouth of the Lord Jer. 23.16 We must not believe every Spirit but beware of false Prophets and Seducers which no Christian can avoid upon good grounds unless he pass a rational judgment upon them and their Doctrines Why was Ephraim oppressed and broken in judgment but because he willingly walked after the Commandment of his Ruler and Governor corrupting the worship of God and did not impartially examine and judge of the same by the rule of Gods word Hos 5.11 Sixthly God hath furnished a Christian with abilities for this end with Reason as man he hath a reflexive faculty which Beasts have not he hath a rational understanding Soul which is the Candle of the Lord that enableth him to compare one thing with another and to deduce genuine inferences and conclusions from such premises as are laid down and propounded And then further God hath not only given his people the light of humane Reason and understanding as rational men but hath also infus'd into them a principle of divine light and knowledge as Christians to search and try the Doctrines of Religion whether they be true or false God hath given them a Spiritual unction or understanding as the Apostle speaks 1 John 2.27 Chap. 5.20 that they may know him who is truth it self and they need not that any man teach them but as this anointing teacheth them which is truth and is no lye If any man
are proved by the Scriptures but as for the Scriptures they prove and evidence themselves sufficiently to the judgment of every true Christian by their own light manifesting their divine Original They are primum visibile not like colour that cannot be seen till light make it apparent but like light it self which maketh all other things manifest and it self too by its own proper quality Now then if a true believer should be ask'd why he believes the Articles of the Christian Religion he may truly answer thus because they are revealed in the holy Scriptures If it be further demanded how he can assure himself that the Scriptures are the word of God he may answer that he knows it by the Scriptures themselves the Spirit of God enlightning his understanding to see those lively characters of divine truth which are imprinted upon those sacred Volumes If yet it be further demanded how he knows whether that is the right meaning of such or such a place of Scripture he may likewise truly say that he knows it by the Scriptures which being diligently examined and compared together do plainly discover to the humble teachable Soul their own true sense and meaning in the things which concern everlasting Salvation And thus the faith of a Christian is finally and ultimately resolved into the infallible word of God or a divine Testimony and into nothing less As for the Authority and Testimony of the Church and the judgments and writings of the Godly learned they are good helps to make us see the Truth but no causes why we believe it this we do for its own sake not for their sayings or determinations which if they do not accord with the Scriptures we ought not to assent thereunto Though we should give due Reverence to the Assemblies of Godly judicious men and thoroughly examine and weigh with humility and self-denyal the grounds of our dissent from them yet the bare Authority of men though never so eminent for learning and piety should not command our assent to any Article of Religion that shall be proposed to us For our faith should not stand in the wisdome of men as the Apostle speaks but in the power of God and the Testimony and demonstration of his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 5. The first and chiefest ground whereon is built the certainty of faith's assent is the infallible truth and Authority of divine Revelation because God hath said it we are to believe it and assent to it for whatsoever God saith is true now this is a principle of Nature and Reason which is deeply ingraven into the heart and Conscience of every Rational man that God himself is so infinitely wise that he can be ignorant of nothing nor can any Creature circumvent and over-reach him and withal he is so infinitely good holy and just that no lye or untruth can proceed from him wisdome it self cannot be deceived truth it self cannot deceive and God is both And therefore wheresoever any Revelation is certainly known or believed to be of God there the reasonable Creature doth fully assent to the truth of things revealed But now the great question will be how we know infallibly that God is the Author of the Scriptures and that what we find written therein is of divine inspiration the very Oracles of God Here lyes the great yea the irreconcileable difference between the Church of Rome and us for whereas we maintain according to the truth that the Scriptures are known to be of God by themselves and by their own light and power they hold that we cannot be certain of their divine Authority but by the Testimony of the Church which as they say doth infalliby propose unto us what is to be believed and what is not to be believed And so by this means our faith shall be resolved either into nothing at all for they differ exceedingly about the Church representative and the supreme Judge of controversies here on Earth or at the furthest it shall be resolved but only into humane Authority and so shall be but a humane faith That Circle which they falsly charge upon us (m.) Mr. W. Pemble nature and properties of grace and faith P. 210 211. they themselves are guilty of and can never be dis-intangled therefrom by their Principles For ask a Romanist why do you believe that the Pope cannot err he will tell you because the Scripture saith so thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and I have prayed that thy faith may not fail and the like Texts of Scripture But how know you that this is the infallible word of God and that your interpretation is the right sence and meaning of these places To this he answers because the Pope and the Councel of Trent say so or as some of them hold because the Pope only saith so or as others of them because a general Councel saith so If we further urge him yea but how know you infallibly that the Pope and Councel do not err in saying so he will answer you because the Scripture affirms they cannot err for thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church c. And thus they run round in a Circle (n.) The Popish Circle described and are so intangled that the wisest and most learned of them know not how to deliver themselves Indeed they accuse us with open mouth as if we were intangled in a Circle running round from the Scriptures to the Spirit and again from the Spirit to the Scriptures as thus how know you the Scriptures to be the word of God by the Spirit revealing the same to my heart and Conscience but how know you this Revelation of the Spirit to be true By the Scriptures which testifie that the secret of the Lord is revealed to them that fear him But then further how know you this and the like places of Scripture to be the word of God we know it by the Spirit which reveals to us the things that are freely given us of God And thus they pretend that they have caught us in a Circle but they greatly mistake us though we do not mistake their Doctrine we teach indeed that we know the Scriptures infallibly to be the word of God by the Spirit of God inwardly revealing and testifying the truth of them to our Consciences But what kind of Revelation or Testimony is this It is not any inward suggestion or immediate inspiration different from those Revelations of Divine truth that are in the Scriptures themselves as if the Spirit of God did by a second private immediate Revelation assure me of the truth of those former Revelations contained in the Scriptures we have no warrant for this in an ordinary way but the Spirit of God reveals and testifies to our Consciences the divine Authority and truth of the Scriptures by removing those impediments that hindred as namely our ignorance and unbelief and by bestowing upon us those graces that make us capable of
presence of Christ For outwardly the first Temple was far more glorious than the second and therefore the second must be made more glorious in some other other respect Nor could the destruction of the second Temple which yet we read of Luke 19.44 and likewise in the History of Josephus fall out before but must needs be since the coming of the true Messias Suidas reports this from one Theodosius a Noble Jew That before Christ sharply rebuked the Pharises they marvelling at His wise Questions and Answers made Him one of the Priests without which He being of the Tribe of Judah could not have been suffered to Preach at Nazareth and Capernaum and registred His Name in these words Jesus the Son of the Living GOD and of the Virgin Mary which Register was preserved at the sacking of Jerusalem and afterward laid up in the City Tiberias The Jews themselves have been miserably deceived in prefixing the time of the coming of the Messias so that in this matter they are become ridiculous one to another there is now no Bethlehem where the Messias should be born if He be not already come The Prophecies are clearly fulfilled and those dreadful Judgments threatned against the Jews for rejecting the Messias manifestly even in the view of the Word brought upon them Vespasian at the Siege of Jerusalem offered them Peace but they would not accept of it he made his entrance into their City at Cedron where they took Christ on the same Feast-day that Christ was taken and whipped them where they whipped Christ and sold twenty Jews for a penny as they had sold Christ for thirty pence and thus they were punished in the same kind that they had sinned against God Are they not Vagabonds at this day throughout the World hated of all men for crucifying Christ Having no Temple no City no fixed Worship no setled Government neither Civil nor Ecclesiastical And though they attempted by the Assistance of Julian that wicked Emperor to Build again their City and Temple yet their Attempt came to nothing but was destroyed by Fire from Heaven And now poor Wretches they abide and have been so for many hundred years without a King and without a Sacrifice and without an Ephod and without Teraphim Hos 3.4 And whereas they vainly expect that the Messias at His first coming will be an outward glorious Prince like the Princes of this World this is quite contrary to many Texts in the Old Testament which they pretend to believe and which assure us that the Messias shall come in great meekness and lowliness Zach. 9.9 That He shall be wounded and pierced for the sins of the People and that their iniquities shall be laid upon Him Psal 22.16 17 18. Isa 53.4 5.6 That He who is the Shepherd and God's fellow shall be smitten by the Sword of the Lord and that the Messias shall be cut off and slain Zach. 13.7 Dan. 9.26 Out of these and the like Texts in the Old Testament the Ancient Rabbins do generally gather that the true Messias should be such a person and so dealt with as is described in these places and that His Kingdom should be Divine and Spiritual and should not consist in outward worldly pomp and magnificence By what hath been already said and much more that might be alledged any rational sober man may easily perceive how vain and unreasonable how blind and contumacious the Jews are at this day in denying Jesus to be the true Messias and in maligning and opposing the Christian Religion Thirdly and lastly Against the Doctrine of Mahomet and the Turkish Religion * III. Against the Turkish Superstition there is enough if not more than enough alledged to convince any man of reason that it is but of yesterday and a meer Fable if compared with the Antiquity and Truth of the Christian Religion And that Mahomet himself their great Prophet was a vile wicked wretch and Impostor whom God suffered in His just judgment to delude and even besot the World because they had abused the precious Gospel of Christ Mahomet's Doctrine forsooth is so hardy and so unquestionable that it must not be disputed of which is a sufficient evidence of the vanity and falseness of it The Money is good say they but you must not bring it to the Touchstone to try it nor must you weigh it whereas Truth loveth trial and fears no colours Their foolish Alchoran which contains the body and substance of their Heresie is stuffed with vain Fables and false Tales fit for Fools and Children so that Andraeas Maurus a Saracen and a Bishop besides many other Writers noteth at least nine hundred Untruths in this wicked Alchoran whereof two in the Eighth Section are exceeding gross and palpable One that Abraham was the Son of Lazarus the other that Mary the Mother of Christ was the Sister of Aaron both which are manifest untruths And what shall we think that the God of Truth and Wisdom will regard such false Tales and fopperies in His Worship as are found in this Alchoran Be it far from us to entertain such a thought of God How gross and sensual and foolish are many things mentioned therein as Sect. 16. where Mahomet said that he felt the Hand of God seventy times colder than Ice Is this becoming the Holy Majesty of God And again that one Angel hath seven thousand Heads and that the Devil is Circumcised and such like ridiculous stuff which a Rational discreet man would be asham'd of If we look to the Promises and Rewards of this Religion they refer to Pleasures that are meerly carnal and sensual fit for none but Sardanapalus Heliogabalus and such like monstrous Epicures that have lost their Wits and Reason If we consider the Precepts of this Religion we shall find that they are indulgent to Perjury Adultery and other wickedness A Turk may have four Wives and five Concubines he must not be accused though never so wicked under four Witnesses This wicked Religion of theirs allows Men to couple themselves with Beasts and to spoil one anothers Goods and therefore it is false wicked and to be abhorred And as for the Miracles which the Turkish Religion pretends unto they have no Authentick testimony nor possibility of Truth in them in the judgment of any sober Rational man Take one Instance for all which is this that an Angel when he was a Child opened his Heart and took out that lump of Blood which is the Cause of Sin And then for the way and means of propagating this Religion it is not like that of the Christians Spiritual and Divine by the efficacy of the Gospel of Peace and Reconciliation But 't is Carnal and Wicked by Cruelty and Compulsion killing men that are of a different Religion so that he is the most religious amongst them that can shed most Blood and destroy most Christians And this shews even to an Eye of Reason that the Mahumetan Religion is a meer Imposture and a
this Divine knowledge and assurance illuminating our understanding renewing our wills and sanctifying our hearts and affections In which sence the Spirit of God in the Scripture is to us a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation opening the eyes of our understandings that we may see by a spiritual light the excellency of those divine Mysteries that are in the Word of God Ephes 1.17 18. Now this Doctrine of ours is no such Circle as the Papists pretend it to be but a plain and strait way for a sober Christian to walk in Thus How know you that the Scriptures are Gods Word We answer By the Scriptures themselves by that wonderful light and excellency of truth and holiness that shineth in them here we would rest and go no further But yet if we be asked How we come to see this light We answer It is by the only work of the Spirit of God giving us eyes to see and hearts to embrace and love the light If we be further urged for some are thus importunate But how know you that you do indeed perceive such a heavenly light as you speak of Or how can you make it appear to others that you are not deceived Now truly this is but a vain question it being an absurd thing to demand a reason of sense which is as if one should ask him that gazeth on the Sun How know you that you see the light Why he is certain that he sees it and knows that he is not deceived though he cannot convince a blind man of it and if in case he that is blind requires him that sees to prove unto him by sound argument that he beholds such an object he demands an impossible thing of him unless he could give him eyes to see it Some of the most learned Papists after all their disputing and wrangling are driven at last to acknowledge this inward illumination and testimony of the Spirit of God Stapleton himself even in that Book where he defends the Authority of the Church saith That the godly are brought to faith by the voice of the Church but being once brought and enlightened with the light of divine Inspiration then they believe no more for the Churches voice but because of the heavenly light And again in the last Book that ever he wrote against learned Whitaker he tells us plainly That the inward perswasion of the holy Ghost is so necessary and effectual for the believing of every object of faith that without it neither can any thing by any man be believed though the Church testified with it a thousand times and by it alone any matter may be believed though the Church held her peace or were never heard Hereby it appears that we may be infallibly assured of the divine Authority of the Scriptures though the Authority and testimony of the Church be not so regarded by us as the Papists would have it But yet when we have to do with Infidels and Atheists that scoff at this divine light and inward testimony of the Spirit we have more Reason on our side as hath been shewed at large to convince them and to prove that the Christian Religion is the true Religion and that the Scriptures do contain the Word and Laws of the most high God then any other Religion nay then all other Religions in the world As for the inward testimony of the Spirit witnessing the divine authority of the Scripture and how it is to be considered take these following Rules * Rules concerning the Spirits testimony for preventing mistakes First That the Spirit of God doth assuredly perswade the Conscience of a Christian that the Scriptures are the Word of God not by an immediate Vision or Revelation under which pretence Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light hath deluded and ensnared many poor souls but by enlightening the eyes of our understanding to behold the light writing the Law in our hearts and inward parts as God hath promised in the new Covenant sealing up the Promises to our souls and causing us experimentally to feel the powerful effects thereof Secondly This divine supernatural perswasion wrought in Believers by the Spirit of God is more certain and more satisfactory then can be proved by our weak imperfect Reason or expressed in words for things doubtful may be proved but as for things that are in themselves most clear and certain we say they need no rational proof or demonstration as the shining of the Sun which discovers it self by its own light needs not be confirmed by any rational Arguments to him that hath his eyes open to see the light thereof Thirdly It is such a testimony and demonstration of the divine Authority of the Scriptures as is certain and manifest to him that hath the Spirit for it makes it self evident where it comes but this is private and particular not publick and common testifying only to him who is endued therewith but not convincing others nor confirming doctrines to them In this case men must have recourse to the visible standing Rule to the written Law and Testimony if any man speak not according to this let him pretend never so much to the inward testimony and revelation of the Spirit it is because the light and truth of God is not in him Fourthly This testimony of the Spirit therefore is not to be severed from the Word which is the Instrument of the holy Ghost and his publick authentick testimony Nor is it injurious to the Spirit of God to be tried by the Word seeing there is a mutual relation and correspondence between the truth of the party witnessing and the truth of the thing witnessed And this holy Spirit the Author of the Scriptures is every where like unto and doth every where agree with himself as it is in a pair of Indentures there is no difference at all between them but the very same things that are mentioned in the one are also mentioned in the other so it is between the Spirit revealing and the truths of God revealed in the Scriptures Fifthly The testimony of the Spirit doth not teach or assure all and every one of the letters syllables and words of the Scriptures which are only as a vessel to carry and convey the heavenly light unto us but it doth seal in our hearts the saving truth contained in those sacred Writings into what language soever they be translated Hence it is that the Apostle tells the Corinthians that they are the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshly Tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 Sixthly and lastly The Spirit of God doth not lead them in whom he dwelleth and witnesseth absolutely and at once into every truth of God so as utterly to dispel all ignorance and darkness out of the soul but he leadeth them into all truth necessary to salvation and by degrees John 16.12 13. Being a free voluntary Agent he worketh when and
where and in what measure he pleaseth so that holy men partakers of the same Spirit in several degrees may err and mistake in some things and dissent one from another in matters that are not fundamental And thus we have given you some Rules to prevent mistakes touching the inward testimony and revelation of the Spirit of God It will not be amiss now to reflect a little yet without any rankor or bitterness against the persons of men upon their opinion that derogate from the Spirit of God and divine revelation and set up Reason as a Judge in matters of Religion and so resolve their Faith finally into Reason CHAP. XV. Briefly shewing when Reason is rightly used and when abused to the prejudice of the Spirits Testimony in the Scripture NO discreet rational man will deny the use of Reason in judging matters Civil and Religious in the sence formerly declared and proved If you will shew your self a man and not a beast a judicious understanding Christian and not a Child in knowledge and judgment then you must make use of your Reason in examining those matters that are propounded to you whether Civil or Religious but yet if you admit Reason to be the only Rule or Standard to measure the Mysteries of Faith by and to judge of and comprehend the most divine supernatural Doctrines and Truths of Christ then you ascribe too much to Reason and too little to the Spirit of God and Faith Eye hath not seen nor ear heard saith the Apostle neither have entred into the heart of man the things which God hath prepared for them that love him And as none know the things of a man save the spirit of a man which is in him even so the things of God knoweth no man but the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.9 11. The rational Creature is a competent Judge of things meerly rational but the spiritual man only in whom the Spirit of God dwelleth can rightly and spiritually discern and judge of things that are meerly spiritual and supernatural and therefore we must take heed that we confound not the Spirit and Faith of the Gospel with our natural Reason nor prejudice the divine Authority of the Scriptures by ascribing too much to Reason as we ought not to take from Reason that which is due to her in reference to divine matters First Then we acknowledge that Reason is the eye of mans Soul or that Organ which lets into his Soul that divine light and testimony of God which begets Faith and upon which Faith doth rest it self and into which it is finally resolved Reason is not the object on which our Faith resteth but that faculty which being sanctified takes in the light of Faith which leads us to Christ and the things that are heavenly and supernatural The judgment and determination of the Word of God inspired by the Spirit of God is that wherein we finally rest as the rule of our Faith and the light of divine Understanding and Reason sanctified is that whereby a Christian judgeth of spiritual things God in his Word speaks to reasonable Creatures not to brute beasts who by way of discourse weighing what goes before and what follows the Text and comparing Scripture with Scripture do come to a right understanding of the will and mind of God therefore we are commanded as men that have reason in us to search the Scriptures to try the Spirits and to judge what the Apostles say These are acts of Reason and Judgment by the help whereof we are enabled to give a sober rational account of our own Faith and to convince the Adversaries and gain-sayers If you be to deal with an Adversary that hates the Christian Religion how can you think to perswade him to Christianity unless you shew him a reason as indeed the Christian Religion is the wisest and most rational Religion If you say your Church is the true Church you must give a reason for it or else no discreet man will believe you seeing many pretend to the true Church that do not belong to it If you urge a Scripture for your opinion sober men will rationally judge whether it be agreeable to your sence and interpretation or not and accordingly will embrace or reject your opinion It concerns every man as he tenders the peace and salvation of his own soul to be certain of the truth of his Religion And seeing there are so many opinions and such variety of perswasions in the world touching matters of Religion we ought to consider which perswasion hath the best and surest grounds for it that we may with peace and safety venture our souls upon it Now this we cannot well do unless we make use of our Reason in comparing one thing with another that we may embrace the truth and reject error Secondly Though there are mysteries of Faith which Reason cannot comprehend yea in their proper nature they are contrary to the dictates of natural Reason Ex nihilo nihil fit saith Reason and Ex nihilo omnia fiunt saith Faith The dead cannot return again to life saith Reason Thy dead bones shall live again and this mortality shall put on immortality saith Faith yet the rational Soul of man being overpower'd and acted by a higher principle even by the Spirit of God sees the greatest reason in the world to believe these and all other divine supernatural mysteries and truths because the Scripture revealeth them to be of God and from God Is it not meet and reasonable and well becoming us that are rational Creatures to believe the God of Truth speaking to us in his Word though what he speaks seem never so unreasonable never so contrary to flesh and blood Yet Reason will tell us this That all that God speaks for from this pure Fountain can proceed nothing but pure streams is true and good divine and heavenly whatever our corruption saith to the contrary So then our Faith must be resolved into the divine truth and authority of Gods Word and our Reason captivated and subjected unto this higher principle to believe what we find revealed in the Scriptures because it is revealed and comes from the God of truth that cannot lye Thirdly As I have reason to believe all that God speaks in general as being the God of truth so I have reason also to believe in particular that the doctrine of Scripture is Gods revealed Mind and Will Nor is it sufficient to a well-grounded Faith for a man to say he believes all that God reveals to be true but he must also believe that the mysteries contained in the holy Scriptures are the things which God hath revealed for his salvation 'T is true according to the Judgment of our Divines that Faith may rightly be said to be a firm assent without evidence of many things in themselves which we do believe but yet the medium by force whereof we are drawn to believe must be evident unto us As now if I be asked by an enemy
of the Christian Religion Why I believe the Incarnation Death and Resurrection of Christ I answer Because Gods Word testifieth of them as things most certain and true If he ask me further How know you that God hath revealed these things I answer By infallible signs and testimonies from Heaven beyond all humane power as hath been shewed Chap. 12. of this Treatise by which mans reason may be convinced that those writings are of God and so I can prove that a Christian hath more reason for his Religion then any other whether Jew or Turk or Heathen Fourthly Though in these respects that have been mentioned our Reason may be of very good use in reference to spiritual and divine things yet we must not make our Reason the rule and measure of our Faith in matters that are beyond our Reason As for example there is a Trinity of Persons in the Godhead as the Scripture assures us Matth. 28.19 1 John 5.7 Shall I now reject this great Mystery because it corresponds not with the dictates of my Reason and Understanding and say with those self-will'd Socinians that because it is impossible to Reason that three should be one God therefore I will not believe this great Truth But only interpret it thus that these three agree in one and are one by consent of minds and wills for so a thousand men may be one And again If because I cannot conceive or comprehend by my Reason how Christ and his Father can be one in substance and essence therefore I will find out another interpretation which may agree with my Reason though it be contrary to the mind of God in the Scriptures and to the Articles of the Christian Faith Truly this is to set Reason in the Chair or Throne above the Spirit of God in the Scriptures and so the sacred Scripture or Divine testimony shall vail Bonnet to our Sense and Reason and not we to the Authority of God in his Word Now this is the practice of curious proud Wits who will not believe any thing be it never so sublime and mysterious unless forsooth it be made evident to their shallow understandings Hence it is that they consult with the dictates of Reason about the chiefest Articles of Faith and accordingly expound them or rather pervert them denying and rejecting the Person and Offices of Christ the Doctrine of satisfaction and propitiation by Christ the Resurrection of the same Individual body the absolute Decrees of God and other Mysteries of the like nature and so at length God leaving them to their own vain reasonings and the wicked imaginations of their own hearts they become meer Atheists Indeed every Christian as hath been said ought to give a Reason of the Faith and Hope that is in him but we must put a difference between giving a reason of our believing and a reason of the thing believed I believe the Doctrine of the Trinity That Christ is consubstantial and coessential with the Father that he was incarnate and born of a Virgin that Jacob was loved and Esau rejected before they had done either good or evil and the reason and ground of my belief is because the same is written in the infallible Word of God But now to demonstrate and evidence these high Truths and Mysteries to humane Reason from the nature of things or otherwise to disbelieve them this is a course destructive to the Christian Faith and Religion There are some things that are evident in themselves as the Principles of Geometry that every whole and entire thing is bigger then a part of it and the like But then there are other things that are not evident in themselves but are revealed and made known to us both that they are and what they are by a forreign medium without the compass of the things themselves Of this sort are all those things which we are perswaded of by the report of others and this is that certainty of knowledge which we have of things that are believed the truth of which in themselves appeareth not to us nor is seen of us And in this respect Faith is truly said to be an assent without evidence upon the credit of the Revealer In these things our Reason reacheth but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that such things are the Truth of God but the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is hid from us we cannot shew a reason how such things should be Thus to tye our Faith to Reason and form our belief by the dictates of reason so as to refuse to believe any thing without evidence from the nature of the thing it self demonstrated and made known to our Reason argues much pride and self-confidence setting up our Reason above the Will of God * Against subjecting the Scripture to Reason revealed and arraigning the sacred Scriptures at the Bar of our Reason Now this is not to be admitted but to be rejected by all Christians and that upon these Grounds and Considerations First Because our Reason and Understandings are but weak and shallow in the knowledge of the Mysteries of Nature and we are much more ignorant and blind in the mysteries of Grace and in things that are divine and supernatural John 1.5 1 Cor. 1.19 20. 1 Cor. 2.11.14 1 Cor. 13.12 When the world by all its wisdom and reason knew not God in Christ It pleased God saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe Yea not only in the men of the world but in the most eminent Saints there is still much blindness in their understandings and much perverseness in their wills and in the reasonings of their hearts against the Truths of God Now these vain and carnal and foolish reasonings of ours should be regulated and corrected by the Word of God Mans Reason should not presume to regulate the Word but the Word of God should regulate and correct mans Reason The Word is the rule and not our Reason for that which is to be regulated cannot be the rule to regulate Secondly To bring Scripture to the Bar of our Reason and so make Reason the Judge in divine mysteries is exceeding preposterous for this were to subordinate and make subject that which is much superiour to that which is far inferiour that which is perfect and without error to that which is imperfect and erroneous Now certainly that which is weak and corrupt is not fit to judge that which is holy and perfect nor is that which is subject to errors and mistakes as mans Reason is fit to regulate and judge the Word of God which is all light and all truth and is profitable for doctrine for reproof for correction for instruction in righteousness that the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good works 2 Tim. 3.16 17. As John the Baptist said to Christ (n) Mr. Lyford on Heb. 5.13 14. cap. 1. pag. 28. I have need to be baptized of thee and comest thou to me that am
spiritual things that none can be saved by the meer improvement of natural Light and Reason and yet notwithstanding the rational intellectual delights of Philosophers and Scholars do far excel all earthly and sensitive pleasures yea the Light of Reason but especially the Light of Faith enables a man to bear affliction and arms him against the excessive fear of death And lastly That Mans Reason and the due exercise of it is a great mercy which should be thankfully acknowledged by us Having gone thus far we shall now by the Lords assistance briefly sum up and comprehend in these two last Chapters the substance of what we intended to say concerning Faith and humane Reason CHAP. XXI Shewing distinctly in some particulars the use of humane Reason and Knowledge in reference to the Christian Religion FOr the better opening and clearing of this great Point to the satisfaction of the Christian Reader we shall first premise a few Considerations and then afterward shew particularly what good use may be made of humane Reason and Knowledge in divine matters I. Consider That the Light of Nature and Reason is not near so clear and bright in us since the Fall as it was in Adam before the Fall but is much darkned Eclipsed and depraved even in those that are most rational and moral whereas it was perfectly implanted in Adam's heart and nature we have but only some fragments of it remaining in us This is so evident in Scripture and Experience that it is generally acknowledged by all Christians When Sense is deceived (Å¿) Weems Portrait of the Image of God Reason corrects Sense but when Reason errs as she often doth in divine and religious matters she cannot cure her self but her Mistriss Divinity must come in and teach her Sarah being old God promised her a Son this she laughed at as being contrary to her Reason in which respect she thought it impossible that a Woman so stricken in years should have a Child but Faith corrected her corrupt Reason she believed by Faith that which her Reason could not take up and comprehend Thus also Nicodemus failed in his reasoning against the mystery of Spiritual regeneration II. Consider That the Light of Nature or natural Reason the Light of Faith or Grace and the light of Glory should be carefully distinguished by us and put in their several places and spheres Reason is but as the light of a Candle a glimmering diminutive derivative light Faith is as the light of a Star which is a far clearer and brighter light but the light of Glory is most perfect as the light of the Sun wherein we shall see God as he is and behold him face to face Lumen naturae (t) Vid. Rob. Baron excercitat de triplici Lumine est quo ea cognoscimus quae solis naturae viribus sine auxilio Dei speciali intelligi a nobis dijudicari possunt lumen fidei est quo ea cognoscimus intelligimus quae Deus in verbo suo nobis patefecit lumen gloriae est quo beati spiritus in Coelis clare perspicue vident gloriosissimam Dei essentiam III. Consider That although some Truths and Mysteries do far transcend the Light of Nature and Reason yet there is nothing true in Divinity that crosseth the truth of Reason as it is the remnant of Gods Image in us Indeed when by Reason we take up a Truth and by Faith we believe the same Truth if in this case Reason claim the first place she is to be blamed as being not a dutiful Handmaid to Faith As for the Doctrine of the Trinity the Incarnation and hypostatical Union in Christ the great mystery of Predestination c. though these may be said to be above the Light of Reason yet they are not contrary or contradictory thereunto 't is the greatest Reason in the World that the Creature should believe and rest in the divine infallible testimony and revelation of his Creator There are some things in Divinity mixtly divine other things are meerly divine In those things that are mixtly divine Reason may be of use yet only in the second place Primo creduntur postea intelliguntur as a man first believes the Souls immortality and then he begins to take up the same by Reason here Reason must not go before but follow Faith for that which I believe I believe it ex authoritate dicentis relying upon the truth of him that saith it and all the evidence I get by Reason is nothing to this certitude If Reason should go before as an Usher to make way to Faith we should never believe and hereupon the Schoolmen say well Rationes praecedentes minuunt fidem sed rationes subsequentes augent fidem Reason going before Faith weakens Faith but coming after it strengthens Faith Reason makes not the matter more sure Ex parte veritatis dictantis sed ex parte inlectus assentientis In respect of God the Speaker but in respect of the weakness of our understanding for by this access of further knowledge it is more confirmed But now in things that are meerly and purely divine and supernatural Quae cadunt directe sub fide which fall directly under Faith as those high mysteries of the Trinity and Incarnation of Christ what can Reason or Philosophy do here but admire these depths which she can never reach unto Hence it is that God is pleased sometimes to work effectually upon some learned Infidels not by the eloquence and subtil reasonings of learned Divines but by the plain downright discourses of Christians of meaner Parts To this purpose that Story is remarkable which we read of Divers Learned men having long endeavoured by strength of Reason and Argument to perswade an Infidel to be baptized into the Faith of Christ he being learned also did evade all their Arguments at length a grave pious Man amongst them of no repute for Philosophical learning stands up and bespeaks him with some downright affectionate expressions which wrought so effectually upon him that he presently submitted to the Truth in these words (v) Donec audiebam rationes humanas humanis rationibus repugnabam caeterum simul atque audivi Spiritum loquentem cessi Spiritui Whilst I heard only humane Reasons I opposed the same with humane Reasons but when I heard the voice of the Spirit of God speaking powerfully I presently yielded to that powerful voice 'T is also reported of learned Junius that before his Conversion whilst as yet he was no better then an Atheist meeting a plain Countryman and discoursing with him about Religion he observed him to speak so experimentally and with so much affection as made him conclude that certainly there was something more in the Christian Religion then his humane Learning and Reason had yet discovered and this was a special means of his Conversion IV. Consider That the same Object may be and is known both by the Light of Nature and Reason and also by the Light
Authority of the sacred Scriptures proved by Reason Page 97 1. Because no other or better Revelation of Gods Will can be produced 2. The Old Testament hath been throughout all Ages witnessed to and wonderfully preserved by the Jews 3. The whole universal Church of Christ have all along witnessed the Divine Authority of the Old and New Testament even to the death 4. God hath confirmed the Authority thereof by great and strange Miracles from Heaven 5. The Scriptures are the most antient and authentical of any writing 6. The stile order contexture and frame of the Scripture shew the Divine Authority thereof 7. Another Reason is taken from the wonderful powerful effects of the Doctrine of the Scriptures 8. From the admirable harmony and consent thereof 9. The matter treated of therein is divine and wonderful Here are mentioned five notes of a Divine Power 10. The end which the Scriptures aim at is divine and heavenly CHAP. XIII Of the use of Reason in the interpreting of Scripture and judging of Controversies Page 110 1. Here is a discovery of the unreasonableness of the Popish implicite Faith and blind Obedience 2. Their Doctrine of Transubstantiation is made apppear 1. To be against Sense 2. Against Reason 3. Against Faith 3. 'T is also shewed that there is a twofold Judgment in matters of Religion one in foro publico another in foro privato 4. That every private Christian ought to make use of his Reason and to exercise a Judgment of discretion in trying Spirits and Doctrines This is proved by six cogent Arguments Objections against this tenet and practise answered CHAP. XIV Of the Internal testimony of the Holy Ghost proving the Divine Authority of the Scriptures Page 123 1. It is here shewed that this Testimony is more satisfactory to the Conscience then all other proofs 2. That a Christians Faith should be ultimately and finally resolved into the Testimony of the Holy Ghost and not into the Testimony of the Church which is but humane 3. The Popish Circle is described and the Protestant Doctrine herein vindicated 4. Some Rules and Cautions concerning the Testimony of the Spirit are here propounded to prevent mistakes CHAP. XV. Shewing when Reason is rightly used and when abused to the prejudice of the Spirits Testimony in the Scriptures Page 133 1. Reason is the Organ which lets into the Soul the Light of Faith 2. It being overpowered by the Spirit of God sees the greatest reasonableness in the Truths and Wayes of Christ 3. Reason is exceeding useful in maintaining the Doctrine of Christ 4. Nevertheless we should not make Reason the Judge in Divine matters nor subject the Authority of the Scriptures to our Reason as Socinians do Three Arguments against it CHAP. XVI Of the difference betwixt the meer rational and spiritual man and their Acts about spiritual things Here is shewed Page 142 1. That the Spiritual man hath Christ formed in him and lives the life of Christ which the meer rational man doth not 2. That the divine Principle which acts the Spiritual man is more then the improvement of the most excellent natural and rational abilities 3. That man is passive in the new spiritual Birth and cannot by all his Reason discern how this spiritual life is wrought 4. How and wherein the spiritual Mans Acts and Operations do far transcend the meer rational Mans. 5. They differ in the nature and effects of their Faith in reference to Christ and the Promises in five Particulars CHAP. XVII Proving that none can be saved by the meer improvement of the Light of Reason Page 152 1. Divers of the Fathers and some modern Writers have err'd in this Point 2. Four things are laid down for the better opening of it God might reveal his Son if he so pleased in an extraordinary way to some Heathens 3. It is proved by nine Arguments that no rational moral Heathen can be saved without faith in Christ as Mediator One or two material Objections answered CHAP. XVIII Of rational and intellectual delights Here is shewed Page 16â— 1. That every being chuseth to it self some kind of pleasure As 1. God who is the chiefest Being 2. The Angels 3. Men that have rational Souls 4. The sensitive Creatures 2. In what particulars the delights of Reason and of the Mind do far excel the pleasures of the Body CHAP. XIX Shewing that Reason and much more Faith doth fortifie a man against the excessive fear of death Page 172 1. Here are eight Considerations drawn from Reason against the slavish fear of death 2. Seven Arguments are also drawn from Faith in the Word of God against the fear of death 3. The famous sayings of some dying Christians are mentioned CHAP. XX. That humane Reason and the due exercise thereof is a great mercy Page 187 1. This is opened in some particulars 2. It is here shewed that man who hath a reasonable Soul is wonderfully made like a curious piece of Embroydery 1. In respect of his Body and the members thereof 2. In respect of his rational Soul wherein Man far excels other Creatures Five things mentioned relating to the excellency of the reasonable Soul 3. In respect of his new spiritual Birth and participation of the Divine nature CHAP. XXI A Recapitulation of particulars touching the use of humane Reason and Knowledge in reference to the Christian Religion Page 195 1. Here are five Considerations premised 2. The excellency and use of humane Reason and Knowledge is particularly held forth As 1. Some that have been famous Instruments in the Church of God have abounded therein 2. The Penmen of the holy Scriptures make use of it 3. It helps us to understand the Grammatical literal sense and the Chronology and Prophesies of Scripture 4. It 's useful for convincing Heathens and Infidels 5. In trying Spirits and Doctrines comparing Scripture with Scripture 6. As a passive qualification of the subject for Faith and Repentance in which case there must be a Principle of Reason CHAP. XXII How and in what respects Reason comes short and is abused in Divine things Page 206 1. Reason cannot discover the mystery of the Trinity Incarnation of Christ c. 2. Nor the sinfulness and corruption of mans heart and nature 3. It cannot prescribe the true worship of God 4. Nor enable us perfectly to perform natural and civil Actions without the general assistance of God 5. Our assent to the Gospel should be the assent of Faith and not of meer Reason 6. The Scripture and not Reason is the Rule for a Christian to walk by in spiritual matters he must be crucified to his Reason Here is also shewed in six particulars when and wherein humane Reason and Knowledge is abused and so becomes dangerous to the Christian Religion