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
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifies is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which together with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the latter part is purely Philosophical taken out of the field of Philosophy and planted here in Scripture the garden of the Lord. It signifies according to its notation these two things 1. Substance which is so call'd quia substat accidentibus ea sustinet because it bears up accidents 1. Substantia which could not be without it As the colour and dimensions of this book could not be without the substance of it Thus faith is the substance that sustains and bears up all other graces 't is the primum vivens the heart in the new man Does he live 't is by faith Rom. 1.17 If he stands 't is by faith 2 Cor. 1.24 Can he walk too 't is by the same faith 2 Cor. 5.7 Without this he is as another man His patience unlesse upon the account of faith because thou didst it is but stupidity or a Stoical apathy His hope unlesse it be through this grace Psal 39.9 2 Thess 2.16 Gal. 2.2 Splendida peccata it is not the good hope 't is presumption His mirth unlesse he rejoyces in believing is madness Nay without faith his best performances are but the better sort of sins only the hand of faith can lay them upon that Altar which sanctifies the gift To do a spiritually living action in order to the service of a living God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there must be a principal of life within Whatsoever we do unlesse in order to expresse our obedience and thankfulnesse to God through Christ be it never so good for the matter of the action 't is not well done in the manner of it and God does not say if thou doest good but if thou doest well shalt thou not be accepted Gen. 4.7 We confesse the flowers of morality just and fair dealings may make mens names sweet amongst their neighbours when in the mean time unlesse they live and act by faith their persons and services may stink in the Nostrils of God These may wash thy face and hands but it is faith onely which can purifie thy heart Acts 15.9 thou art but a Cyclops a Monster in Gods sight if thou hast not the eye of faith 2. 2. Subsistentia The word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies subsistence and subsistere is in rerum natura prodire to subsist is to have an actual being Thus faith gives a being to its objects it makes the things hoped for to be as if they now actually were as by a prospective glass things very far distant seem close by to the eye of the body so by faith the promises though many of them not to come till the end of all things appear at hand Hence the Syriack Interpreter reads these words thus Est autem fides certitudo de iis rebus quae sunt in spe ac si jam extiterunt actu A believer is as willing to have Gods promise as its performance and dares take his word as readily as present payment What the Schools say of the divine intellect I may say of all that do partake of the divine nature to such omnia coexistunt all things are as if present with them if they look backward to the Creation of the world their eye of faith views it as clearly as if they had been amongst the Morning-stars that shouted when the foundations of the earth were laid Job 38.6 7. And if they look forward to the dissolution of all things Rev. 20.11 they see the heavens and earth already fleeing away Give me leave to raise this note a little higher Some read the following word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 actively Aug. Epist 117. ad Paul Traâ—â— 79. in Johan as Saint Austin amongst others and then the sense would be faith is the very subsistence of them that hope to adde a word to what I hinted but now Faith is the differentia constitutiva of a Christian as reason makes us men so faith makes us Christians He that followes sensual objects and is taken with them lives the life of a beast He that lives according to the dictates of reason deals fairely and squarely as you use to speak he lives the life of a man Rom. 16.26 but he that lives in the obedience of faith when he prayes prayes in faith when he hears mixes the Word with faith c. This is he that lives indeed the life of a Christian Nay he liveth the life of God delighted with and joying in the same objects with God to him onely 't is given intelligere ut Angelus and Velle ut Deus to understand as Angels do and to will as his God does The object of faith 2. It s object 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or the things of which faith is the substance are call'd here things hoped for which because they are the same with the things not seen as appears by Rom. 8.24 I shall speak of them together not being able to takeany notice of the lesse material differences which some make betwixt them Come we rather to the second description in which we shall speak more to that which is the businesse of the Text. The other word that the Apostle uses to express the nature of faith by The other internal form of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it signifies a demonstration or undeniable proof Thus the Philosopher frequently and in this sense Scripture uses it as John 16.8 't is said of the Spirit that when he is come 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i. e. he shall convince the world 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chrysost in loc He shall bring such arguments and evidances as shall take away all excuse Faith then is the evidence or demonstrative argument that is the souls believing in him that speaks commands promises threatens in the Word is instead of ten thousand arguments to prove the righteousnesse and truth of what it findes there recorded Faith as such does not at all consider the probability or improbability of the things themselves which are recorded in God's Words but it looks singly at the truth and Authority of the Speaker Credimus quia legimus The Arguments which are drawn for the confirmation of our Religion from Myracles the number of its Martyrs it admirable successe and consent of all its Mysteries the correspondency it hath with reason are indeed powerful considerations to make easie and familiar the actings of Faith but Gods faithfulnesse is the onely motive of Faith And in this consists the maine difference betweene Faith and Science Scire est excau fis cognoscere In Arts and Sciences we do not give our assent to any thing till we have found out its nature and causes but in matters of Faith we first assent and believe God on his word and then possibly we search after the reason of the things we have believed not for our own
the ground Man in innocency though he had a power to have obeyed God in whatsoever he should have commanded yet he had not formally any such a grace as faith whose Object is that very Attribute which Adam then had no need of to wit the mercy of God in Christ And what a vast expence was God at to create faith in thee He made the whole World with a fiat a words speaking but when the Apostle tells us of his making faith Ephes 1.19 't is sayes he by the exceeding greatnesse of his power every word hath its weight and emphasis by no less a power then that which raised up Christ from his grave when the sin of the world a grave-stone not easily to be removed lay upon him to keep him there Nay what shall we render for Gods Word manifested in our dayes Rom. 10.8 this is the word of faith Let those who think themselves so sufficiently enlightned without it look upon Athens the eye of Greece as Greece was at that time for knowledge the eye of the whole world And consider how miserably blinde and idolatrous it was till Paul their Phosphorus came amongst them Is the filme over the eye of our mindes lesse then theirs was Acts 17.29 or our cataracts easilier coutch'd hath mans nature taken any higher degrees in knowledge amongst us than it did in that University I fear me that they who decry the super-intendency of faith were it not for those truths which it alone hath evidenc'd for all their goodly reason and parts would now be a worshipping an unknown God too But it is time I now hasten to those especial duties which this Text expects from you be exhorted then 1. To labour for faith Exhort 1. with all your gettings get this way of spiritual knowledge what would ye not give for such a Philosophers stone as some have fancied which can turn all things into gold the Elixar of faith can do this The harshest Providences that believers go through poverty sicknesse death nay temptations desertions infirmities c. onely faith can make them all more pretious than gold which perishes whereas others have riches Eccles 5.13 Rom. 8.28 c. for their hurt These very afflictions work together for the believer's good the thick cloud was as beneficial to the Israelites as the fiery pillar Faith only can turn your shadowes into substances your appearances into realities It hath a kind of Almightiness in it and can speak to things that are not as if they were If faith do but say Let there be light holiness c. it shall be so Mark 9.23 Other things as riches honours c. they are not though seen for will ye set your eyes upon things which are not Prov. 23.5 sayes God whilst you say they are they may cease to be and so prove you a liar to your face but on the contrary The objects of faith as heaven and the happinesse there though not seen Prov. 8◠8 yet they are substantial and abiding and such as will never make a single disappointment And is not true gold in your Counting-houses though not seen better than painted gold in a picture though seen The Apostle tells us that we should take the shield of faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 above all things nay in all things as Hierom reads it Faith is like salt which every sacrifice must be salted with without which 't is impossible to please God Hebr. 11.6 'T was by faith only that Abel offered a more excellent sacrifice than Cain Hebr. 11.4 This is the root as ye have heard which though ragged and unlovely in appearance yet all the fruit of the Tree of life the whole systeme of graces are extracted from it The dead childe indeed is reasons the living childe where it is is faiths Be content to make faith your evidence Exhort 2. To think Gods revealed will the best reason that you can yield your assent unto Do not fear 't will unman you ye never come to be your selves to act truly rationally till ye come to be believers The Worldling that followes no better than a glorious bubble with the neglect of better objects is not himself and that Scholar that too eagerly pursues School-divinity with the neglect of Scripture-divinity is as little himself Much learning hath made thee mad Acts 26 2◠is a truth only mistaken by Festus in the application If we look for certainty where can we finde it if not with him that neither deceives nor can be deceived Is not Gods sole affirmation equivalent to all the several means whereby knowledge is acquit'd Is an I saw it a clearer proof than God said it or is the connexion betwixt the causes and effects which possibly too are but imagin'd such more inseparable than betwixt Gods Word and Truth If God be neither ignorant nor faithless in what he affirms thou art sure enough And lest ye should be scandaliz'd at believing consider but what confusion and disorder there would soon be in the world if in humane affairs themselves we should only go by science and believe nothing si quod noscitur credendum non est quomodo servient parentibus liberi Aug. De utilitate credendi 't is Saint Austins argument How shall children know that these are their parents whom God hath commanded them to honour are not even mothers themselves caus'd to believe their by-standing Friends Midwives and Nurses whereby they come to know those children which they ever after so tenderly affect Nay we are forc'd in worldly matters to act by a civil faith quite contrary to that which that that we see would perswade us to Thus the Husbandman throwes away his seed sometimes too in unkindly weather when to be sure he hath not a demonstrative knowledge that he shall reap any benefit by it And the Mariners hale their Ships out into the Roades whilst the Windes are yet contrary unto them Well may we then in religious matters think it not at all unbecoming us to be acted by a divine faith which whosoever shall take away let him place what he will in its stead he had as good take away the apple from the eye or the heart from the body But what if any should be further inquisitive after the reasons of those things which are asserted in Scripture A poor simple believer might answer that of Paul in such a case where is the Disputer of this world 1 Cor. 1.20 There is no need of the Disputers art to defend or oppose where God hath once declared his will which if all reasons else fail Credo quia impossibile Tert. the faithful will believe because 't is impossible and when the believer is hardest put to it he knowes that he that moderates in the act and sits in the Chair of Truth is most concern'd to solve the objections and sayes he Lord Thou shalt one day answer for me Cyril Hier. Catech. 6. Mat.