not to do any thing in Religion because I think it rational it may be will-worship but to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8.20 Neither are we to admit only so much of Scripture as we fancy to be consonant to reason but we are to admit so much only of reason as we are sure is not contrary to Scripture the lesser gives way to the greater God made the Scripture-light as the Sunne to rule the Gospel-day the Moon-light of reason he makes to rule the night amongst those that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death And if at any time we go to Law with revealed truths before this Heathen Judge reason we might win the case indeed but lose truth and hazard our souls The grounds of this assertion are 1. The impotency of reason this eye is blood-shot it cannot see throughly into natural causes if you think it can tell me from whence comes the heat of the stomack the strength of the nether jaw stand upon the banks of our Euripus the Thames and give a satisfactory reason of its ebbing and flowing Or answer me those questions propounded in the 36. 37 38. Chapters of Job And if thy reason be either not faithful or able in its own things who will commit unto it the resolution of those things that are not its own 2. But suppose it had not contracted any impotency yet at best reason is fallible and may be deceiv'd The eye is the most certain of all the senses and yet I have read of twenty wayes whereby it may be deceived in its Object I am sure there are many more wayes whereby this eye of the minde may be imposed upon reason at best is a creature Whittaker de authoritate Scripturae it hath erred it may erre and we should be alwayes at incertainties if we had not an infallible Rule for our souls something which may be believed for its own sake which only Gods Word may safely be Nay never did Gods children erre more dangerously then when they eyed natural causes and reason too much 'T was the cause of Sarah's laughing Gen. 18.12 Luke 1.18 Gal. 1.16 after I am waxed old shall I have pleasure and of Zechariah's doubting I am an old man and my wife well stricken in years And therefore Saint Paul sayes that when he was call'd to be an Apostle to go and preach amongst the Heathens in the midst of contempt and persecution he conferr'd not with flesh and blood certainly if he had they would have said to him too Master spare thy self Though then we yield that reason is a light yet we say also 't is but noctiluca cerebri Aug. Prov. 20.27 a glow-worm light for all its lustre we have still need of the Sun I grant it is the candle of the Lord but I am sure withal that it hath need of snuffing and if at any time it be a rule it must be regula regulata not regulans no further a Rule then it is its self ruled according to Scripture and the Word of God Consider 2 Negatively That that very truth promise c. which you do believe does not benefit your souls as to eternity in that 't is rational but as 't is believed for example that God might commiserate Mankinde and finde out wayes for its recovery is rational but as this is rational barely it does not at all conduce to our salvation but as there hath been a Declaration to this purpose made by God in his Word An assertion or principle how rational soever is low faint and dead as to the begetting or carrying on of a spiritual life till the Spirit it self does animate and enliven it 't is Gods speaking of these or the like truths in Scripture and to the heart which makes them seed apt for the propagating a new life The reason in them is but as a stick that bears up a Vine or Plant more precious than its self but gives it not life The life of faith is from its self not from reason The sum of what hath been spoken amounts to thus much Reason is our Reuben the top of our excellency Apollonius Tyaneus Musonius Vorstius c as men but if it goes up to our fathers bed it shall not excell and experience of all ages hath taught us that none have proved more desperate enemies to the truth of Religion than many otherwise excellently parted men Thus we have heard of some who having digged too deep have met with such damps as have extinguish'd the candle they were let down withal thus learning as a flash of lightning leaves men in the greater darknesse And surely there is much of that commination Isa 7 9. fulfill'd amongst us which the Septuagint and many of the Antients read thus if ye will not believe ye shall not understand Cypr. lib. 1. adversus Judaeot Tertull. adverâ—us Marc. Psal 25.9.1 Cor. 1.26 the things of God are to be believed that they may be understood The modest and humble believer not the captious and proud Philosopher hath the promise to understand them As beasts though of more exquisite sense then men yet cannot determine of humane affairs so men if barely though excellently rational will be as much at a losse in heavenly matters God would not that a tool any sharp instrument should be lifted up towards the making of his Altar Exod 20.25 Câ—ussin â—â— saincte Cour. some think the truth and substance of that Law was to shew how much God did abhorre to have the point of the acutest reason lifted up upon the Altar of faith How much then certainly are they to blame who draw the Curtains and shut out in their very Sermons and spiritual discourses the day-light of Scripture that they may enlighten them as they think the better by the candle of reason but I would not prevent my self in the application which I am now come unto This Scripture instructs exhorts comforts Applic. 't is useful first for instruction we may hence learn 1. The nature of faith and 2. the condition of the faithful The nature of faith 1. Instruction which is twofold and concerning it these two things 1. 'T is not an opinion barely 1. In the nature of faith 't is an evidence But yet secondly 1. 'T is not a bare opinion 't is not an absolute assurance for 't is of things not seen In the first place we hence learn that true faith is not a bare opinion or imagination there are these two remarkable differences between them For first the object of opinion is something look'd upon as in its own nature uncertain the object of faith as in its self certain The Scepticks those great Opinionists held that there was nothing certain but notwithstanding whatsoever was said for any matter to day as much might be said on the contrary side to morrow But believers build upon a word which is not Yea and Nay changeable and inconstant
satisfaction to whom Gods Authority is foundation strong enough to build upon but that we may be able and ready to give an answer to them that ask us a reason of our hope 1 Pet. 3.15 And is not this evidence strong enough to a believer 1. He hath Gods Word for what he believes Dictum Jehovae The Word of the Lord came c. 2. Not a bare word but his solemn promises Rom. 1.2 3. Many of these things are confirmed with an Oath too Heb. 6.13 4. To which also God hath put his seal Rom. 4.11 5. And given actually an earnest of them all in their hearts that believe 2 Cor. 1.22 Surely then the Believers Thus ' saith the Lord is a better argument than the disputers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Thus saith the Philosopher Let then others give it for a Rule as the Philosophers did of old 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to receive nothing upon the credit of whomsoever Or according to the late Mode To doubt of all things The believers way is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to take Gods Word and to think himself well enough assured of any thing that God hath asserted there though at present it be not seen That is the other property of the Object of Faith The other expression of faiths object 't is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is not seen That is it is not it cannot be comprehended by sense or reason Thus throughout the whole Sphere of faith's activity its object does not appear 1. In things past it believes the Creation of the world Heb. 11.3 c. 2. In things present Faith believes the Providence of God Coloss 3 1. the sitting of Christ at the right hand of the Father his Intercession c. 3. In things to come It believes the Resurrection Judgment Psal 96.13 c. and yet none of these are seen Nay how many things does the Christian believe when the very contrary unto them seem to appear as that a Virgin should conceive that God should become man c. Unto which the unbelievers blasphemously reply Tam Jupiter Taurus quam Deus homo I shall make some further instances the rather because this is a main foundation of that truth which will close up all 1. Faith believes the doctrine of Justification that they who are called are justified Rom. 8.30 and yet what abundance of guilt is the true believer hanted withal what bitter complaints and teares come daily from him 2. Scripture tells us that the people of God are a holy Nation 1 Pet. 2.9 and do they see this Is not the Canaanite still in the land Oh what dirty corners doe the Sunne discover in that roome or heart where it shines when the Sunne is up what abundance of dust flies about when the house is sweeping what swarmes of corruptions whilest the heart is a cleansing 3. Gods Word sayes that they are blessed that trust in him Psal 2.12 But certainly it is an hidden and invisible happinesse is it a happinesse to be imprison'd mock'd ston'd c. as the Worthies were we read of in this Chapter 4. There is an abundance of all things promised to them that fear God Psal 34.9 And didst ever see this I mean by sense or reason it appears indeed they have an abundance but of all miseries not otherwise Paul had abundance of Ship-wracks Scourgings Stonings 2 Cor. 11.25 but nothing else 2 Cor. 6.10 5. Gods promise is that he will be with us Isa 43.2 Certainly this does not appear unless to the eye of faith who but a very strong believer could have seen God with his people in Gideon's time Judges 6.13 6. The children of God have an eternal life assured to them Rev. 2.10 What appears in order to this they dye as well as others and where is the promise 7. Ay but there shall be a resurrection 1 Cor. 15. This is as little seen as the other what preparation is there towards it after death the body runs through many changes into corruption wormes meat dust c. but still there is nothing seen in the charnal houses and sepulchres that seems a fit ingredient into the glorious body that is promised 1 Cor. 15.43 To forbear more particulars If sense and reason were to give in their verdicts on them it would be at best but a non constat there is not one of them evident And Gods hand appears much in thus ordering the matter Reasons why the object of faith is thus not seen that reason its self should not attain to the things pertaining to God 1. By these means God sets forth the vanity of the wisdome of the flesh which 't is his designe to confound and debase 1 Cor. 1.19 20. 2. God thus advances his own glory all saving knowledge and heavenly wisdome being necessarily his gift Hoc fides credat intelligentia non requirat â—e aut non inventum puteâ— incredibile aut repertum non credat singulare Bern. de cata Domini 1 Cor. 2.14 Prudentius when the noblest plant in natures garden reason cannot produce such fruit 3. Thus God observes a just proportion between the object and faculty spiritual objects require a spiritual faculty as the eye of the body cannot see spiritual substances no more can a carnal minde discerne spiritual truths nil diurnum nox capit To omit other reasons Having thus explained the words that which I shall pitch upon is the result of them all especially the latter clause in this observation That faith only is the evidence of things not seen Observ when the other faculties cannot discover them but look upon them as doubtful if not false faith accounts them evident and certain For the understanding of this we must know that every thing is properly evident to that faculty to which it does belong as sensible things are obvious to sense rational conclusions are approv'd of by reason and the things of God are in the sphaere only of faith Now these three sense Omne verum à quocunque venit a Spiritu sancto venit Aug. reason and faith being all from God his works in man cannot be contrary one to another neither does any one of them destroy the other neither can any thing be true in one that is false in another if rightly understood As for example when sense sayes that much drink is good for one in a Feaver or Dropsie reason does not contradict this that to sense 't is good only upon a better account it corrects its judgment so when reason dictates that nothing can be made out of nothing and so would deny the Creation that when the privation is total the habit cannot be introduc'd again and from thence would deny the Resurrection Faith does not deny but that these axiomes as to second causes and in the lower orbe of reason are true only it corrects their malignity by shewing a more excellent way and bidding of us look a story higher unto God unto
2 Cor. 1.18 but 't is in Christ Yea that is like himself who is the same yesterday to day and for evermore Hebr. 13.8 Men indeed too ordinarily dress Religion as the Heathens did their gods or as the Papists do their images according to the fashion of the time and place in which they live and think that there is little or nothing more in it But be not deceiv'd God will not set his seal in water in a fluid transitory imagination or opinion but in wax in that understanding which though ductile and flexible is fit to retain those impressions which his Spirit shall make in it Secondly Faith differs from opinion in that opinion is onely matter of speculation faith is practical also The seat of opinion is onely the head but wiih the heart man believes Rom. 10.10 To know and assent unto the truths in Scripture will not alone make a man a believer unlesse such a one as the Devil is James 2.19 who believes and trembles Interroge te utrùm credis dicis credo fac quod dicis fidcs est Aug. 'T is not a right faith untill it does what it sayes Nay faith is with all the heart it takes in every faculty for its object hath a double aspect upon the soul first as true and so it bespeaks assent in the understanding and then also as good and thus it excites and draws forth the will and affections without this latter acting of a truth or promise upon the soul a man hath no more benefit by it then he hath nourishment from his food when he only sees and believes the wholesomnesse of it but eats it not Try then your faith by this you would not take a false sixpence and will ye be put off with a false jewel a false faith On the other side 2. Faith is not alwayes an assurance 2 Pet. 1.10 as faith is not an opinion barely so 't is not an assurance for though it be an evidence 't is of things not seen now assurance is a kinde of sight of these things We will suppose assurance much to be endeavoured after when the Apostle charges us to make our calling and election sure and indeed there is no warmth in a direct beam Faith which is the direct act the souls going unto and relying upon Christ will at length save but the reflexe act of assurance chiefly comforts Our present businesse is to shew that they are distinct Consider then that faith is so farre from being an assurance that it must necessarily go before it otherwise a man might be assur'd of what is not and as we are partakers of humane nature before that we know we are and bear the image of the earthy before we know we do so we bear the image of the heavenly and be partakers of the divine nature before we know of it There is an infancy or non-age in both natures as to us and the spiritual life here is no more exempted from its weaknesse than the natural life is from the infirmities which belong unto it I will but name some other particular differences 1. Faith is constant 't is a seed immortal assurance is not the vision is sometimes taken up nay suddenly Acts 10 16. The influence of the Sunne does alwayes remain but the light of the Sun does not it shine and claps in again 2. Faith which justifies admits of no degrees that is wheresoever it is it is in its compleat essence or not at all The soul cannot be partly married or united unto Christ and partly not but on the contrary assurance hath its degrees where it is it is usually but incompleat we know thus too but in part sometimes we read our evidences by a candle-light as well as other-while by a Sunne-beam 3. The act of faith is grounded upon Gods Word Assurance is chiefly grounded upon experience though indeed in both the soul is helped by the Spirit Now I have said this the rather for their sakes who walk in darknesse and see no light such Trees of the Lord may stand and grow Isa 50. ult when most shaken with the winde and clouded from the Sun Remember then what ye have heard this day faith to be viz. As the miraculous cloud which we read of Exod. 14.20 which hath its light side as 't is an evidence but hath its dark side also as 't is of things not seen We come to tell you the condition of a believer 2. Instruct In the condition of a believer which cannot but be desirable Faith hath made him a great one indeed richer than the richest 't is this man only that can say truly as they did vainly Hos 12.8 I have found me out substance a carnal man hath but shadowes lyes which he trusts unto He may dream he eats c. but if ever God awaken him either here or hereafter he shall finde he is hungry truly indigent and full of wants Oh man greatly beloved this is he that hath made the best discovery of what before was but a terra incognita an unknown Region where true Gold and Jewels of real price are to be found and to this place he travels all the remainder of his life nay more he hath a kind of possession of it already Phil. 3.20 and is whilest he lives on earth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Citizen of heaven and there he hath his conversation enjoying by faith the happinesse and doing by love the duties of that place As to earth he is vel praesens absens like Archimedes at the taking of Syracuse never minding what becomes of the world and worldly matters Faith brings him better Relations Riches Possessions then their fading ones are and therefore as to heaven he is vel Absens praesens his heart as another fore-runner is entred in He hath sent his soul as a Prodromus to prepare the way for his body And in the mean while let the winds blow from what corner they will Matth. 7.25 impavidum ferient they can't cause him to make ship-wrack of his substance Thus in the midst of a storme the nodes of the compasse remain immovable when there is nothing else in the whole ship but is tossed too and fro The other things in the ship as the other men of the world are hurried whither the present Tempest and season carries them But believers as the points in the Compasse are fixt at all times being governed not by the various windes but by the constant heavens Ah how much then hath the meanest true servant of God to blesse him for flesh and blood hath not revealed these things Mat. 16.17 acquir'd this substance for them but your Father which is in heaven Faith is a supernatural gift not onely in respect of nature corrupted as all other graces be but in respect also of nature as 't was at first created Faith is not as other graces in our regeneration repaired but as it were new built from
whom all things are possible And as if you would act rationally you must claudere quinque fenestras not follow your sensual appetites so if you will act religiously you will be forc'd in many cases to say with Luther tu stulta ratio tace thou foolish reason give way Let our Apostle be heard in this case who tells us concerning the mysteries of Religion 1 Cor. 2.9 that eye hath not seen nor eare heard they are out of the reach of sense neither have they entred into the heart of man they exceed the capacity of reason And therefore when a soul is conquered and taken in for God the Articles of its Surrender are that it should now cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts it self * Adversus scientiam Dei quae est Christianorum fides Bern. Ad Milites Templi Isa 54 1◠against the knowledge of God and bring into captivity every thought 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the obedience of Christ 2 Cor. 10.5 So that henceforth this soul must according to this agreement give up its self to be taught of God those things which its nature is neither able nor willing otherwise to conceive of I know I am upon a ticklish point This truth stands betwixt the Scylla of Enthysiasts who are ready to decry every thing because it is rational and the Charybdis of Socinians who cavil at every thing that is above the level of their reason as if they needed to fear to be guilty of blinde obedience when they have the Sun of Righteousnesse God in his Word to go before them I shall endeavour to do something towards the resolution of this great case in several particulars I will not call it my award betwixt these two parties faith and reason yet I shall labour to give to each its due The use of reason and faith laid down 1. Positively 1. In Civil Affairs 1. Positively 1. 'T is granted on all sides that reason hath its use in Civil Affairs and Worldly Matters those that deny it to be a Jacob's ladder to climb up into heaven by acknowledge it to be an useful staffe to walk upon earth withal We are not to pull out this eye because we cannot look stedfastly with it upon the Sunne The Musitian does not cut off the strings and throw them away because the Instrument is out of tune Nay more 2. In Religion Matters reason is useful in the things of God 1. Reason is necessary for the conversion of Pagans and Infidels to the faith of Christ the very milk of the Word is too strong meat for such at first 'T is in vain to alledge Scripture to such as are not yet induc'd to believe the authority of it We must deal with such as men that cure the bodily blinde not bring them at first to gaze upon the Sunne but use them to lesser lights till at last they be able to look upon the greatest Thus nature does not expose us to the Sun-beams immediately out of pitchy darknesse till she hath inured us by a twilight to bear them 2. Reason is the subject of divine knowledge in a believing soul 't is the vessel which God fills with the oile of this grace God in Regeneration does not make another faculty another eye but purges it As at the first time of writing the Law God afforded the Tables and writing too Exod. 24.12 Exod. 34.1 but at the renewing of it Moses provided the Tables though the writing still was Gods in our Creation we have heart and holinesse both minde and knowledge Tables and writing from God but in our renovation God takes the faculties which we have already and engraves his Image on them God makes all things indeed new in quality not in substance And this is the greater miracle of the two that the same man should by the same faculty apprehend the same things so diversly from what he did in his unregeneracy worldly things which were so great in his eyes as when the prospective glasse is turn'd seem now very small and inconsiderable and the things of God which did scarce appear unto him as if he had now got Galileo's glasse to look on the heavens withal he views them in their just dimensions 3. Reason is the Instrument that God makes use of to direct and guide the whole man by 'T is the Rudder in the ship let it be bound for what place it will that as whatsoever we hear we hear by the ear and whatsoever we see we see by the eye so whatsoever we understand we understand by this faculty By the eye of our understanding when enlightned we know what is the hope of our calling c. Ephes 1.18 By reason we know what may be inferr'd from Scripture and what not Hence not to mention the Trinity c. we grant and use two Sacraments because reason infers these from Scripture and on the other side we reject a great many that others would bring into the Church because we cannot by reason prove them to be commanded there 4. I may adde moreover there is nothing which faith believes but what is when throughly understood agreeable to right reason It may be above it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plutarch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it cannot as you have heard be against it True reason did never go about to comprise the Bible in its own nut-shell faith it self is but a kind of a new life of reason 'T is the highest reason to believe what God sayes without further enquiry If ye have not made your selves more the children of darknesse than ye yet were by nature and if God hath not in judgment blinded you and given you over to a reprobate minde does not your very reason tell you how vain it is to measure immensity by a finite compasse or span eternity by your imperfect duration To fathom the depth of the Wisdome of God by the line and plummet of the wisdome of man Rom. 11.33 I have read of one of the Antients I think 't was Austin who being very thoughtful about the Nature and Essence of God he espies as he was meditating by the Sea shoar a young man taking the water out of the Sea with a Ladle and putting of it into a little hole which he had made The Father demands the reason of so frivolous an employment The young man tells him that he was emptying the sea into that hole and that he might sooner make the vast Ocean to be contained in that small place than the other should comprehend the deep Mysteries he was meditating of in his shallow understanding Being we have freely granted thus much Negatively I hope none will be offended if we dare not go further in its commendation but must lest we should encroach on Faith prescribe some bounds to Reason 1. Reason may not be the Rule to try or measure revealed truths by that you should believe no more than what it affirms to I am