am very sensible that hitherto you may judge my Discourse hath had more Philosophy than Divinitie in it If it be an errour in this place I confesse it and crave your pardon for it only thus much let me say that I could not tell well how to avoide this generall consideration of the nature of Beleefe in regard that the knowledge thereof will cleere our passage to that which followes You have then heard what evidence there is in the object of Beliefe what certainty in the assent given to it how it differs how it agrees with Knowledge There remaines but one thing more to be cleered in the Generall and then I have done with it Beliefe was at first defined to bee an Assent to things knowne by revelation but now yee are further to know that all assent is not of the same kinde and degree but differs according to the diversitie of the Objects assented unto Therefore we must observe that of the Objects of Beliefe 1. Some are represented unto us only as True and Good in themselves without any speciall relation to our benefit and commoditie Vnto such things whether past present or to come the understanding and will of Man doe yeeld that common assent and approbation whereby they allow of the Ttuth and Goodnesse of every thing that is apprehended by them as true and good in what kinde soever it be This is called a bare assent or Credulitas Beliefe in strict termes when wee only beleeve t is good and true and goe no further 2. Some are revealed unto us not only as True and Good in themselves but more specially as contayning some excellent truth and goodnesse that concernes us in regard of some benefit that wee shall get thereby In these things our assent is with adherence affiance trust and dependance upon the thing revealed For as in generall all Truth and Goodnesse drawes the faculties of the soule to an approbation of them when they are knowne so much more doth the goodnesse and truth of those things which are proportionable to our nature and necessities wherein we may claime speciall interest and commodity unite our wills and understanding in strong assent and adherence unto them This kinde of assent is in strict termes called Faith or Trust Fides Fiducia which imply much more than Credulitas Beliefe Fidere in the property of the word is a degree beyond Credere importing an assent with reliance and confidence Now the proper object of this assent is nothing but Promises of some good hereafter to befall us And promises are never beleeved unlesse they bee trusted upon as a Captive cannot be said to beleeve him that promiseth to ransome him upon a day unlesse he trust and depend upon him In which case we cannot distinguish betweene Beleefe and Trust Fidem and Fiduciam to make them two severall Acts which are but one and the same as is manifest thus A promise is a revelation of some such truth as shall be beneficiall to me in particular The truth of such a promise consists in the certaintie of performance The goodnesse of the promise consists in the qualitie of the thing promised more or lesse excellent But now to trust fiduciam ponere fidem habere upon a promise is not to beleeve the goodnesse of the thing promised for that often is knowne perfectly enough but to bebeleeve the Certaintie of Performance of it unto me as for instance if a rich man promise to pay a poore mans debts the poore man needs not beleeve the goodnesse of the promise for he well knowes the benefit thereof What then must hee beleeve The truth of it where in stands that in the performance that the rich man will certainly doe for him what he hath said Now what is this else but to trust him So that Beliefe and Trust or Affiance are here essentially one and the same thing Thus much of Faith or Beliefe taken in its largest extent I come in the next place to the Speciall consideration of Faith as the word is Christian applied unto Divine and Supernaturall matters revealed in the Scriptures Faith in this use of the word hath a double acception 1. Improper and so it is taken three wayes 1. For the object of Faith the things beleeved either 1. Generally for the whole doctrine of faith delivered in Scriptures as 1 Tim. 4. 1. In the latter times some shall depart from that Faith and shall give heed to spirits of error and doctrines of Divells See many the like place 1 Tim. 3. 9. Gal. 3. 2. 1. 23. Act. 6. 7. Iud. vers 3. 2. Specially for Christ himselfe the chiefe object of Faith Gal. 3. 23. before Faith came id est Christ compared with ver 19. 24. 25. 2. For the externall profession of Faith and Religion as Rom. 1. 8. Your Faith is published throughout the whole world See Act. 14. 22. 3. For that vertue which we call Fidelity or Faithfulnesse in words or deeds whether it be in God Rom. 3. 3. shall their unbeliefe make the Faith of God without effect or in Man Tit. 2. 10. that they may shew all good faith or faithfulnesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 This of the word taken improperly the next acception of it is 2. Proper where to give such a description of Faith as may comprise in generall termes all the degrees therof it may be fitly defined thus Faith is an assent given by the reasonable creature to the truth and goodnesse of all divine revelations The termes of this definition are large and require a diligent explication that we may with more facility attaine our chiefe intent in judging aright of the nature of saving or justifying Faith Wherefore in the definition I prove three things to be considered of it 1. The Object of Faith divine Revelations 2. The Subject of Faith the Reasonable creature 3. The Genus of it viz. Assent Of the nature and properties of these in that order I have proposed ¶ 1. The compleat Object of Faith is All divine Revelations of whatsoever things the Creator shall make knowne unto the reasonable creature These Revelations are of two sorts 1. Some immediate from God himselfe by vision dreame or other secret but infallible suggestion Such revelations of divine things were made unto the Prophets Apostles and other holy men of God who as they beleeved certainly the thing revealed so they knew infallibly the truth of the revelation it selfe that it was from God and not an illusion of Satan or their owne braine If you aske me how they knew it as when the Word of God is said to come unto any one of the Prophets telling them inwardly what they should preach or answer in such or such a businesse or when Saint Paul indited one of his Epistles how did he or they know that the thoughts which then came into their mindes were from immediate worke of the holy Ghost I answer t is not possible for any man to describe the manner of
it unlesse himselfe had been acquainted with the like Revelations But this is certaine God-where he comes makes himselfe knowne and such were the lively characters of heavenly majesty brightnesse and cleernesse imprinted on those Revelations that mortall mindes were infallibly ascertained of their Divinity Yea Balaam himselfe though he could have wished with all his heart not to have knowne or beleeved those revelations that so unkindly crost his hope of preferment yet when once the Spirit of God comes upon him he utters his parable with this preface Balaam the son of Beor hath said and the man whose eies are open hath said Hee hath said which heard the words of God which saw the vision of the Almighty falling into a trance but having his eies open He that was at other times driven by the divell into furious motions of mind procured by spells inchantments is now as forcibly moved 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or borne away by the power of the holy Ghost who in this revelation makes so cleere a discovery and strong impression of divine truth in the minde of Balaam that the Wizard cannot but speake what he knowes and beleeves though it quite undoe his owne desire of Greatnesse and Balacks hope of Victory Whence also this rule followes generally true That where the revelation is infallibly knowne to be of God there will be a firme assent to the truth of the things revealed Now we are further to note that upon such immediate revelations and suggestions of the Spirit is grounded that Faith which is usually stiled the Faith of working miracles A gift proper to the primitive times of the Church bestowed then on many for the better establishment of the Gospell among unbeleeving Gentiles or Iewes Though the words of the Promise runne largely Marc. 16 17. yet it seemes not likely that every private true beleever had this priviledge but rather that it was bestowed on such as were Preachers and Publishers of the Gospell for confirmation of their doctrine And amongst them t was given not onely to the truely faithfull beleever but to others also as appears by Iudas to whom this power was given as well as to the rest of the twelve Matt. 10 1. and in many other reprobate Matt. 7. 22. Lord Lord have wee not by thy name prophesied c The proper ground of this faith and assurance of working some miraculous effect was the speciall and particular suggestion of the spirit Other motives there were further off as the generall perswasion of Gods omnipotency the beliefe of that promise which Christ made to his Disciples Matt. 17. 20. Verily I say unto you if yee have Faith as a graine of mustard-seed yee shall say unto this mountaine remove hence to yonder place and it shall remove and nothing shall be impossible to you but more specially that larger promise hee made at his Ascension Mark 16. 17. 18. And these signes shall follow them that beleeve in my name they shall cast out divells they shall speake with new tongues They shall take up Serpents and if they drinke any deadly thing it shall not hurt them they shall lay their hands on the sicke and they shall recover But these grounds were not sufficient to give assurance of performing this or that miraculous act without a speciall and particular suggestion of the Holy Ghost informing them inwardly both touching the time when and matter wherin they should worke a Miracle For as all beleevers had not that power so such as had it could not doe wonders when and in what kinde they pleased but were to expect a speciall warrant and direction from the Spirit like unto Peter who though a faithfull beleever yet durst not venture upon a miraculous attempt of walking dry-shod upon the water without a speciall word from Christ bidding of him come unto him in that manner Matt. 14. 28. 29. In these times wherein this speciall direction ceaseth and also miracles have no use unlesse for conversion of a Countrey where the Gospell hath never beene preached this gift also is ceased Thus much of the first sort of Revelations to bee beleeved the other followes 2. Some Mediate delivered from God by others unto us Such were the answers Sermons which the Prophets and Apostles made by word of mouth unto the people such is now unto us the whole written word of God which is now the only ordinary object of our Faith Now touching the Scriptures wee are to enquire how farre things revealed in them may be knowne how farre they must bee beleeved You have heard before the difference betweene Knowledge and Beliefe that is an assent to things evident this to things not-evident therefore seeing those things that are written are generally the object of our faith wee must diligently examine what evidence there is to bee found in these things or whether any at all that so wee may know what to judge of that assertion of our adversaries the Papists who make obscuritie one essentiall property of Faith In the opening of this question Whether things revealed in Scriptures be evident to Mans understanding let these distinctions be observed in the first place 1. The Scriptures containe in them matters of three sorts viz. 1. Precepts and Declarations of the doctrines of Religion whether in the higher mysteries thereof as of the Trinitie Incarnation of Christ c or in other inferiour points of Sanctification Piety and morall Practice And unto this head may be referred all such discourses of naturall things as are found in the Scripture as of the windes thunder c. 2. Histories of matters of Fact past and gone as of the Creation Fall of Man the Floud c. 3. Predictions of things to come hereafter whether they be meerely Propheticall or withall doe containe some speciall Promise or Threatning concerning those to whom the prediction is made 2. There is a twofold Evidence 1. One of the Narration when it is made in Words and Sentences so plaine perspicuous that the Vnderstanding conceives cleerely what the Speaker or Writen meanes 2. Another of the thing it selfe that is related when either our senses doe plainely perceive it if it be a thing sensible or our understandings doe manifestly behold the truth and reason of it if it bee only intelligible This distinction is most manifest in all discourses and specially in Mathematickes where the meaning of a Proposition or Probleme may be cleerely understood what is to bee knowne or done before one jot of the Demonstration be understood how and wherefore it must be so 3. Wee must distinguish of Mans understanding in a twofold estate 1. Of Naturall corruption as it attaines no further light of knowledge than that which may be gotten by the ordinary gift of God in the course of a learned education and painefull studie of Humanity and Divinity for such ends as men propose unto themselves 2. Of Grace and Regeneration when the Vnderstanding is inlightened and
our assent vnto Diuine Truths springs from these three fountaines 1 From the Infallible Authority of the Reuelation 2 From the excellent greatnesse and worth of things Reuealed 3 From the manifest experiment of some part of their Truth knowne vnto vs. Of these in order The first and chiefest ground whereon is built the Certainty of faiths assent is The Infallible truth and Authority of Diuine Reuelations I call this the chiefest ground because it is that whereunto finally all our Beliefe is resolued For aske the question wherefore do you firmely belieue the Articles of the â—reed The answere is Because God hath reuealed them in Scriptures to be belieued The reason of which answere is this because What euer God saith istrue Now this is a principle in Nature aswell knowne to the reasonable creature as that they haue reason it is grauen deepe vpon the conscience of euery one which tels him That God is so infinitely Wise that hee can be ignorant of nothing that none can circumuent and ouer each him And againe that he is so infinitely good holy and Iust that no â—ie can come of this truth as Iohn speaketh Iohn 2. 21. Wisedome it selfe cannot bee deceiued Truth it selfe cannot deceiue and God is both Wherefore none but a Iesuite like Becaâ—… whose wits haue serued an apprentiship in the mystery of lying and aequiuocation vnder the Father of â—ies would haue affirmed that the Prophets and Apostles though they knew it was God that reuealed heauenly mysteries vnto them yet they knew not Euidently whether God was not deceiued himselfe or would not deceiue them Alying surmise much like that of the Serpent when hee tempted the Woman Yea saith he hath God indeed said so Yes the woman answeres God hath said so and we know it But Satan replies Are you sure that God spake true when hee said it The Diuell then denyed it and Becanus staggers at it as a thing very doubtfull telling vs that when God speakes man cannot be euidently certaine whether he speaks true or false But we reiect with abomination such a suggestion to Infidelity that strikes at the roote of all Christian Faith and shakes the lowest foundation-stone in all that building we know and are euidently assured That God is truth and in him or of him there is no Lie From this first ground of faith in Gods Essentiall truth wee draw another that whersoeuer any Reuelation is certainely known or belieued to be of God there the reasonable creature doth fully assent to the truth of things reuealed Whence all the holy Pen-men of Scriptures did for themselues most certainely belieue the truth of all things they deliuered though sometimes they vnderstood but darkely what was the meaning of that which they spake and wrote because they knew that they were taught them immediatly from God Yea the diuels themselues when they know as they doe these reuelations to be from God howeuer they tempt men to distrust and out of malice raises vp lies and slanders vpon Gods truth yet in the meane time are themselues cleerely conuinced of this truth and doe assent vnto it in their consciences The diuell knew well that Gods threatning to Alam was a certaine truth euen whilst he perswaded him it was but a lie And when he inspired the Pharisies to call Christ. Samaritan Belzebub a possessed Daemoniacke a Deceiuer and all to nought euen then himselfe could not but confesse that he was that Christ Iesus the Sonne of the most high God Mar. 5. 7. But this is the malice of Hell to sight against the Light and furiously to oppose what we cannot but acknowledge to be truth Well Thus far then our Faith goes vpon a sure ground That whatsoeuer God saith is true And againe When wee know euidently that God sayes it wee are ready to belieue it without further question But here in the next place is all the doubt How know wee infallibly that God is the Author of the Scriptures and that such things as therein are proposed for vs to belieue are reuealed by God himselfe This is a fundamentall Question wherein it greatly behoues euery Christian to be rightly informed It would require a large discourse to bee prosecuted through euery particular I shall but onely touch vpon the generall and giue occasion to each one carefully to bethinke himselfe that his faith be built on the rocke and not vpon the Sand. The Question is How is it knowne certenly that the Scriptures are the very word of God it hath two braÌ„ches 1 Toaching each seuerall part of Scripture as it was reuealed and giuen to the Church of God How did the People of the Iewes know that what was deliuered by Moses and other Prophets after him from time to time was the word of God To which I answere they knew the writing and Preaching of Moses and the Prophets to be of diuine Inspiration partly by the holinesse of the Doctrine which they taught the liuely power and worke whereof the hearts of the godly then felt partly by the miracles which they wrought for confirmation of their propheticall office partly by the certaine and infallible accomplishment of all their prophecies Of which triall of Prophets and their prophesies wee haue a generall rule set downe Deut. 18. 18. c. I will raise them vp a Prophet from among their brethren like vnto thee and will pur my words in his mouth and hee shall speake vnto them all that I command him 19. And whosoeuer will not hearken vnto my words which hee shall speake in my name I will require it of him 20. But the Prophet that shall presume to speake a word in my name which I haue not commanded him to speake or that speaketh in the name of other gods euen the same Prophet shall die 2â— And if thou thinke in thine heart How shall wee know the word which the Lord hathnot spoken 22. When a Prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord if the thing follow not nor come to passe that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken but the Prophet hath spoken it presumptuously thou shalt not so be afraid of him By the same meanes were the preaching of Christ also the preaching and writing of the Apostles knowne in their times 2 Touching the whole Scripture as it is now compleatly deliuered vnto vs in writing How can it euidently and infallibly appeare vnto vs that what wee finde written in the Bible is of diuine inspiration the very oracles of God not mans Inuentions In the solution of this Question our aduersaries of the Romish and wee of the Reformed Churches differ irreconcileably Wee affirme that the Scriptures are knowne to be of God by themselues they maintaine that we cannot bee certaine of the Scriptures Diuinity by any other argument then the testimony of the Church which say they doth infallibly propose vnto vs what is to be belieued what is not to be belieued So that ask a Roman Catholike Wherfore do you
doth not teach that 't is honest to beleeve him Can any thing be more senselesse or will not every man in the world excepting a Iesuite confesse that the very light of nature teacheth him to acknowledge that it is a very good and honest thing to beleeve Gods authority let him reveale his will unto us which way hee please But t is the fashion of these writers to dorre their readers with a distinction and so to leave them with a prius conceditur posterius negatur distracted and confounded rather than any whit satisfied This of the first reason That a man may beleeve without the helpe of Gods grace the second followes which also confirmes the former viz. 2. That is no act of Iustifying Faith which is found in Divells Heretickes Hypocrites and Reprobates But this assent unto divine Revelations because of Gods authority is in those both divells and men Ergo It is no act of Iustifying Faith The major is agreed upon that the acts of Iustifying Faith are found onely in those who are justified which cannot be said those persons mentioned The minor is likewise evident That Divells Hereticks Hypocrites and Reprobates may and doe assent unto such propositions as God reveales and that because of Gods authority who doth reveale them This hath beene formerly shewed unto you in the explication of the nature of a generall Faith and t is so cleere by Scriptures and experience that our adversaries cannot deny it The forenamed Schoole-man grants it manifestly as concerning Hypocrites and wicked livers who yet professe the Catholicke Faith for disputing Cap. 8. de Habit. Fidei touching that vertue which is infused into the Will whereby it may if it list command the Supernaturall assent of the Vnderstanding heetelleth us that this Vertue is a distinct vertue from all others and is neither Charity nor Obedience § 10. in conclus and that it is perfect in it selfe though it be without them according as other morall habites of justice temperance c. are Whence hee tells us § 11. in plaine termes Potest esse sinâ— charitate ut patet in Christiano peccatorâ— qui Fidem habet siue gratia charitate A Christian that is a sinner may have Faith without grace and charity What Iustifying Faith yea according to the Romish Divinity for he may beleeve the truth of the articles of Religion because of Gods authority who hath revealed them and to do this is a Supernaturall assent and the proper act of Iustifying Faith as these men teach Now touching the Divells and Heretickes the man is a little more coy He will not confesse that the Divels yeeld that assent of Faith he speakes of They doe not beleeve the mysteries of Religion Per assensum supernat uralem i. e. because of Gods authority but Per assensum quendam naturalem qui non oritur ex pio affectu sed ex vi pondere argumentorum quibus intellectus illorum convincitur cap. 11. quaest 2. § 4. We grant willingly that they doe not assent out of any good affection nor is that needfull to make their assent supernaturall for in hypocriticall impenitent and reprobate Catholickes there 's no pious affection moving them to beleeve and yet if wee beleeve their Doctors there is in them a supernaturall assent of Faith But for that other thing That the divells beleeve onely ex vi pondere argumentorum t is utterly false seeing it cannot be doubted but that they beleeve the truth of many future contingents wherof they are not convinced by any force of argument from the things themselves but from authority of Gods Revelations in his Word or otherwise Which infallible truth of God in all his revelations is so cleerely apprehended by these damned Spirits that it makes them to acknowledge the truth and goodnesse of that which otherwise they abhorre Wherefore that comparison which hee makes betweene the faith of 〈◊〉 and wicked Christians is most vaine and erroneoâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…ith hee you consider the faith of either of them wâ—…â—egard to the Object there 's par ratio both being â—…d about the same things But if you take it with râ—â—ard 〈◊〉 honesty of the act so the assent of the Divells is farrâ—… 〈◊〉 than that of bad Christians who have faith anâ—â—…rkes But wherein He tells us The Faith of Châ—… Supernaturalis Voluntaria Honesta The Faith of Divells is Naturalis Coacta pravis circumstantijs vitiata All which are false For the Faith of Divells is Supernaturallas much as that of wicked Christians seeing both beleeve propter authoritatem Dei revelantis which is formalis ratio of Supernaturall assent Againe the Faith of divells is as voluntary as that of wicked men for it cannot bee wrought in either by compulsion simply and if the Majesty of Gods infallible truth command the assent of Divells to that which they love not doth not the same cause also prevaile with ungodly men who beare as little true affection to God and Goodnesse as the divells doe Lastly the Faith of Divells is as Honest as that of wicked men For let any man speake Is it not as Honest a thing for wicked angâ—lls to beleeve what God saith as it is for wicked men If not wherein lies the dishonesty of that act in the angells or wherein stands the honesty of that act in men Can there be named any circumstances which make the Divels Faith dishonest but that the same or as bad may bee alledged against the honesty of the Faith of wicked Christians Sure I am what everthese men conceit of the Honesty of Faith without workes in men Saint Iames is plaine in his comparison that t is no whit better than the Faith of Divells Iames 2. 19. Thou beleevest that there is one God thou doest well the Divells also beleeve it and doe not they doe well too Yes haply better than thou for they beleeve and tremble which thou doest not To conclude in the last place we object that Heretickes have such a kinde of Faith as the Romanists call Iustifying For though they erre in some articles of Faith yet others they assent unto because of Gods authority revealing them This Becanus denies telling us that Heretici qui veâ— in uno articulo sunt infideles omnem fidem amiserunt cap. 11. quaest 3. § 4. which answer hee makes upon this ground That the Habite of Faith is lost by any one act of infidelity § 2. and therefore whereas Heretickes beleeve many things t is but upon a kinde of custome and by a humane faith We reply and say that that position One act of infidelity destroyes the habit of Faith is false and contrary to reason and Scriptures as hereafter I shall have occasion to shew speaking of the opposites of Faith For the point we grant that He who is a persevering Heretick though but in one fundamentall article he hath no justifying faith not because he hath lost it but because he never had it But
plunging him into some abominable practice to his owne destruction and the disgrace of his Religion Who could have thought that many Starres in the Church shining bright in all outward holinesse could have fallen from Heaven their light bin put out in utter darknesse had not after times discovered that they alwayes lived in some secret ungodly practice For our selves if wee will duely consider the state of our soules it wil be easie hereby to make a prognostication unto our selves what will become of us hereafter Hee that can shift and distinguish and put off from himselfe be content to give God the hearing yet choose to think and doe what hee lists let not his forward faith and zeale in something deceive himselfe as it doth the world but let him write downe himselfe for a counterfeit whose Faith will certainely â—aile when it shall bee assaulted by stronger temptations Now on the other side that Faith which is true and sound hath alwaies this essentiall marke that it doth assent Vniformely to all Gods revealed will It makes not choise of some where it must embrace all it knowes God must have all or he will have nothing and therefore it divides nothing to times and seasons and private respects it beleeves what it likes not as well as that which contents it as well that that brings disadvantage as where there 's likelihood of honour or profit It compares all things within and within us on the one side with Gods truth and goodnesse on the other so reckoning the worst it finds Gods anger to be worst of all forecasting the best it beleeves Gods favour to be better than it Then it resolves let God say what he wil to beleeve that that is good honest profita and excellent to bee followed at all times in all places above all things that can be set against it This is that temper of the soule which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith without faining 1. Tim. 1. 5. this is faire sincere hearty plain dealing This is to ascribe glory to God and give him his full due setting our seale unto his truth ratifying it by a most willing absolute subscription to all Such hath beene the Faith of the Saints That of Abrahams is admirable conflicting with so many yet conquering all oppositions being throughly grounded upon the infinite truth goodnesse and power of God If God bid him leave all his friends his fathers house the land of his nativity to goe into a strange countrey upon hopes of great matters he is upon his journey straight and no intreaty can stay him in Mesopotamia When hee is in Ganaan where bee now his great possessions Hee hath not so much as a foote of land given him Act. 7. 5. not so much as his grave without a purchase from the Hittites But shall his seede enjoy it yea they shall but is a long time first some three hundred yeares after Abraham is dead when the wickednesse of the Cananites is full But where 's the seed it selâ—e that shall enjoy it Abraham waits a hundred yeares before hee have Isaack Now hee hath him shall hee live in Gods sight No Abraham must goe and cut his owne sonnes throate and Isaack the hope of Abraham and of the world must dye by the hand of his old Father Who but Abraham would not here have quarrelled with God and laid slacknesse falshood unjustice and cruelty to his charge But Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubts nothing all this while let God command or promise the most strange unlikely unpleasing unreasonable thing in the world hee will not question it t is God that saith it and therefore hee is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fully assured that hee which hath promised is able to doe it Rom. 4. 21. Moses had a faire way to preâ—erment he was learned wise a proper person brought up at the Court beloved as the Sonne of Pharaohs Daughter every way a man of singular hopes to become Great in AEgypt This would have made a Courtier of these times to have borrowed many a point of Law and Conscience and strained hard to conceale his Religion denie his Nation and turne AEgyptian at least his head would have beene hammering upon a piece of pollicy that the poore Hebrewes might have beene much releeved by him being a great man with Pharaoh But Moses hath no such thoughts his Faith turnes his eyes another way 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unto the Recompence of Reward and then Moses comparing the adversitie of Gods people with the pleasures of Pharaohs Court the rebuke of Christ with the riches of AEgypt hee concludes that it is better to bee a bond-man among the Hebrewes than a revelling Courtier among the AEgyptians that its farre farre better to bee poore and religious for Christs sake though rebuked and scorned of the world than to be great and ungracious Heb. 11. 24 25. 26. In a word reade that whole chapter once and againe and see what is the practice and power of Faith in the Saints of God you shall behold in them an absolute Vniforme and constant resolution to beleeve God above and against all that can bee opposed when temptations come on every side reproaches bonds imprisonment banishment the sword the fagot the gibet and a thousand difficulties present themselves their faith makes way thorough all and come what 〈◊〉 come they are resolved to Follow the Lambe whithiâ— soever hee goes Rev. 14. 4. For Conclusion of this point let me intreate you to be exhorted each one to looke unto this matter to trie how his heart stands affected in point of religion and to remember as long as you live this most pretious and certaine truth That true faith is uniforme and equally respecteth the whole revealed will of God without limitation to this or that particular without reseruing to our selves such or such a wicked resolution without all provision that no inconveniences accrew unto us Hee whose faith is thus patched up and dawbed with untempered morter let him know for certaine that in a frost t will shatter all to peeces and when temptations beates upon it the whose building will runne to ruine Take therefore I beseech you that counsell of Christ which hee gives in this matter Luk. 14. 25. seq Great multitudes then as now did runne after Christ very forward to heare and beleeve his doctrine Christ turnes unto them and tells them that t is another manner of matter than they are aware of to bee his disciple Hee that will be so must hate his father and mother and wife and Children and brethren and sisters yea his owne life for his sake forsaking all taking up his crosse and following him Doubt yee not but this seemed to them a harsh doctrine a very rough and unpleasant religion But t is neither better nor worse and therefore our Saviour bids them bethinke themselves what they have to doe like wise builders to cast up their charges aforehand like provident warriours
abates more or lesse or as there is greater necessity and use of one grace more than another For the case is not altogether alike in our New as in our Naturall birth here all parts are nourished alike and grow proportionably unto full perfection if the body be healthy and of good temper But in the birth of the new creature it is otherwise he is crazic and sickly from the very wombe and first conception infirmity and corruption hangs upon every joint and limbe of him so that although life be in every part yet every part thrives not equally nor is alike active in its operations It s with him as with instants that are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Syderati planet strucken or as wee say taken with some ill aire in whom some parts grow wearish and withered whilst others grow strong and lusty All grow and have life but those more slowly and weakely which diversity make the body somewhat deformed though not monstrous So in Grace every faculty is quickened with spirituall life and strength and yet one may have a more free exercise of this gracious power than another which may bee hindered and kept under through some stopping of the Spirit some ill humour unpurged some corrupt custome company or example inclining it another way And this appeares by manifest experience of that great diversity of the degrees of grace which are found even in one regenerate man who many times proves eminent in some one or few graces yet in others attains but to a very meane mediocrity This distinction between the Vnity of the Habit and Multiplicity of the Operations of Grace infused may be further cleered by comparison with other things as namely with originall justice and originall sinne That was but one Image of God ingraven universally in Adams whole nature possessing and sanctifying every part which were thereby disposed at all occasions to all convenient and due operations without let This also is not a particular but universall depravation indisposing all parts to good ill-disposing them to naught Which as originall justice should have beene is in all infants together with life but shewes it by degrees and with much diversity as with increase of yeares custome of education force of temperature strength of temptations provoke and inslame it So our sanctification being the restoring of originall righteousnesse and doing away of originall corruption is for its inherence one generall habite sanctifying all at once and working in every part a gracious disposition to its proper holy performances though the execution it selfe be with much variety as also hinderance and difficulty by reason of the contrary habite of corruption Againe health is not a particular but universall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or right temper of the whole body which in divers parts hath divers names by which every part workes diversly and all orderly In a universall 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the contrary And such are the habites of grace and corruption Lastly as the reasonable soule in infants hath all its faculties entirely though the exercise of each of them appeare not but in time by degrees so in our regeneration grace is entire even in its infancy and first birth though the operations of it are more or lesse according to our growth in Christ. Now to make application of this to our enquiry touching the originall of faith you may perceive by what is spoken Whereof faith is a part and When faith is wrought in the soule Namely that faith is a part of our sanctification that faith is wrought in the soule then when we are regenerate by the infusion of the habite of grace into our whole man This will appeare if we distinguish between 1. The habite of faith which is in generall the renued quality of the soule whereby it is made able to discerne and yeeld assent unto and also willing to put affiance in all divine truth revealed 2. The act of faith when the understanding and will do actually know and relie upon Gods truth and goodnesse This is a fruit of the former and followes it in time the former is a branch of the Image of God restored unto us a streame of the common fountaine of sanctification whence all graces slow a part of our inherent righteousnesse as is most apparant It being impossible that the understanding and will of man should bee effectually inclined towards their spirituall and supernaturall object to give credence and put confidence in it untill such time as they bee first rectified by grace and purged from their habituall inbred blindnesse and rebellion Which change when it is wrought in the soule by the Spirit of grace sanctifying and quickning it in all the powers thereof with spirituall life then follow those living actions of Faith Hope Love c performed by the strength of inherent and assisting grace Wherefore wee are not to imagine that faith is infused eyther Before or without other graces or that the soule is not at the same time and as soone disposed to love feare God as to beleeve in him or to Humility to Patience to Charity to Repentance as for Faith The seed of all these graces is sowne at once and for their habites they are coâ—vall stemmes of one common roote of inherent sanctity though yet some of them shoot up faster and beare fruit sooner than other Those that doe so are the two principall graces of Faith and Repentance the actions of both which seem to appeare first in the regenerate which of them shew first I will not now dispute but certaine it is that the regenerate soule workes here most lively and stirring and after the infusion of spirituall life the pulse beates strongest in those arteries The reason whereof I take it is the singular use of these two graces arising from the manner of our conversion which being wrought by the sight of sinne and misery on the one side and the representation of grace and mercy on the other of necessity drawes the newly-regenerate soule by strong motions immediately to conceive sorrow for and detestation of its sinnefull misery and also to a vehement desiring and looking after the promise of grace which may bring it deliverance from an estate so damnable But in this point of the priority of one grace before another wee may not be too bold nor curious for as the working of the holy Ghost is secret and wonderfull in making us wild gourds partakers of the sap and sweetenesse of the true Vine so is it not possibly observable in all or the most where and in what branch this sap first buds forth into blossomes and fruit Hence this conclusion is to be observed 1. That Eaith properly is not the roote of all other graces nor the first degree of our sanctification and spirituall life Take faith in which sense we please for the Act or for the Habit If for the Act the Habite is Before that and the roote of it If for the Habit
opposite which at most are but subordinate and differ only as the cause and effect For is it not the fancy of some crackt braine to affirme that there is a Grace every way sufficient and powerfull enough in it selfe to worke the conversion of a Sinner and yet when this grace is given to such a sinner with a purpose and intent to convert him by it it shall be found to be utterly unsufficient to Effect it T is strange whence or how men should conceit a sufficiency in the power of such grace when they finde insufficiency in the performance of the worke 2. By the word Grace we understand some Supernaturall gift freely given unto man from God himselfe 3. By the word Christians wee meane all those that live in externall communion with the militant Church enjoying the ministery of the Word and being of yeares to make use of it for this Question toucheth not Infants 4. Lastly by Conversion as heretofore hath beene shewed we are to understand two things either 1. The Roote and Cause of that act namely the Sanctification of all the Faculties by the Infusion of Habituall Holinesse 2. The Fruite or Act of Conversion properly so called when a man regenerate and renued in all parts doth actually imploy them in loving and obeying God The first is Gods worke upon us the next our worke performed toward him when by the strength of inward Grace given we after convert our selves in Thought and Worke towards God This latter is not here to bee understood in this Question but the former namely that Conversion of a man which God workes in him by infusion of the grace of Regeneration into all parts This infusion of Grace into the Soule by an immediate act of Gods Spirit the Arminians can by no meanes endure to heare of in this businesse of our Conversion and therefore they burden this assertion with odious but untrue imputations of Anabaptisticall Enthusiasmes and of a Lazy expectation of all Grace to be poured into us sleeping without any endeavour of our owne to get it Which slanders are only devised for the countenance of that impious opinion of their owne namely That mans Conversion to God begins in some act which man himselfe performes and not in a worke first wrought in us by God Now that act of man is his assent and actuall Faith given to the promise A lewd imagination sufficiently confuted and cryed downe in the venerable assembly of the last Synod as most derogatory to the whole worke of Grace in our Vocation most repugnant to reason and Scriptures which tell us That the tree must bee good before the fruit can bee so it being impossible that an action so Holy and good as is the yeelding of Assent and Beliefe to the promises of the Gospell should be done by a man unlesse he be first regenerate and sanctified in all his faculties The termes thus explaned the state of the Question is more fully thus Whether God doe bestow upon all such as Heare the Word preached any such Supernaturall gift as is sufficiently powerfull to worke in them true Sanctification though it doe not alwayes effectually produce it Our Adversaries affirme it but we truly maintaine the Negative part opposing against their assertion these two Conclusions 1. That there is no supernaturall gift given unto the unregenerate which is Sufficient to worke his Sanctification but that only which is Effectuall to worke it This hath appeared manifestly enough in the explication of the termes of this Question and will bee more and more evident to us if we consider that maine mistake of our Adversaries in this businesse of our Conversion which is that they imagine our Conversion to begin in some act of ours namely our Assenting and Beleeving not in some act of God sanctifying the Soule before it can Assent and Beleeve Now because this act is good and therefore must be done by Gods helpe for to salve this they have found a daintie new devise of Spirituall strength infused into the Soule by the Holy Ghost which strength when it is inherent in the soule a man may use it if hee will to the producing of the act of Faith If he doe use it then by that act he is converted if not yet that was sufficient to bring forth the Act if it had beene thereto applied As in a like Case when Christ said to the sicke man Arise take up thy bed and walke Hee gave him bodily strength sufficient to doe what he bad him but yet the man might have let his bed lie and stood still if hee list So when God commands us to beleeve he gives us strength sufficient so to doe it albeit we may if we will neglect to make use of it This foule error hath bred all that confusion and darknesse wherein this controversie is wrapped up and it containes two grosse absurdities in it 1. That they suppose a supernaturall abilitie of beleeving infused into the soule by the Holy Ghost which yet shall be no sanctifying grace of the Spirit an opinion altogether new and against reason For aske them is not the inward disability of our soules to beleeve and convert a part of our corruption It cannot bee denied Well is not then the infusion of an Ability to Beleeve and Convert the doing away of that corruption It is And then shall not that gift which abolishes our sinfull infirmities bee justly called a Sanctifying grace It is most evident and none but such as are possest with the Spirit of wilfull contradiction to all manifest truth will affirme That the Rectifying of our weake and corrupt faculties by a supernaturall ability put into them and disposing them to the most excellent worke of Faith can be any thing else than the grace of Regeneration An Act so Holy must come from an Habit as Holy 2. That they suppose the Act in Divine graces goes before the Habit an assertion in Divinitie not tolerable which tells us that the Tree must be good before the fruit can be good And that Question which Christ put to the Pharisees Mat. 12. 34. How can yee that are evill speake good things is more than any Arminian cau tell how to answer This pincheth them and puts them to this choyce either that an unregenerate man who certainely is utterly Evill may by the helpe of such a gift as hath not sanctified nor made him Good not only speake but doe that which is eminently Good namely Beleeve and Convert or that the Act of Faith performed by such a one is not good and sound and so no beginning of true Conversion or that they doe confesse the Habit of Faith as of other graces to be first implanted in our soules in the universall renovation of all the Faculties thereof whence the operation of faith doth afterwards issue And this is the truth which under those obscure and unexplicated termes of Supernaturall strength to Beleeve they grant in effect for the strength is either Nothing
the meaning We have reason to yeeld as much respect to Gods writings as Socrates did sometime to an obscure booke of Heraclitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so when in reading the Scriptures we meet with many hard sentences dark prophecies wee know not the meaning of we also can say That which I understand I beleeve for truth that which I understand not yet I beleeve too that is a truth whatsoever it be But in this case it is manifest that this assent is full of trouble and confusion and whereas faith gives rest and satisfaction to the minde this fills it with anxiety and distraction will any man not strangely carelesse and blockish becontent with such a faith as this I beleeve I know not what And if in some particulars even pure necessitie cause us for the present to bee contented with such a beliefe because of our ignorance must it therefore be brought in as a generall and essentiall property of Faith that t is an assent to things obscure or unknowne But this makes much for the advancement of the Catholike cause and therefore the factors for Rome have reason to stand stiffely in defence of this their doctrine for so when they have dropped in the eares of their disciples this poyson that the faith of a Christian is an assent to things obscure to he knowes not what they have at one stroke nayled their eares to the doores of their Church and made them their slaves for ever and wonne them over to their blinde Canonicall obedience as to beleeve so to doe they know not what The summe of our Adversaries doctrine in this point is briefly expressed by Becanus in his Theolog. Scholasttom 3. cap. 1. Quaest 3. who therein followes his leaders the rest of the Iesuites and Schoolemen To the Question An Revelatio primae veritatis ut sit formale objectum fidei debeat esse obscura he answeres affirmatively that Divine revelations as the objects of Faith must bee obscure and that in a twofold respect 1. Ex partâ— rei revelatae Revelatio enim non debet clard evidenter ostendere rem revelatam A very strange conceit Revelations must not declare things plainely and evidently why so When God revealed his will to the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles did hee not doe it plainely and did not they clearely understand what was meant by the Revelation They did But happly the Iesuites meaning is a little better The revelation must not clarè evidenter ostendere rem that is no revelation hath this force of it selfe Vt rem revelatam exhibeat nobis Praesentem ut clarè intuitivè videamus rem narratâ—â— If this were all the Iesuites meane by this doctrine wee would subscribe unto them and willingly grant that revelation doth not make things Present and offer them to our view for if they were present and seene what need a Revelation In this sense we easily admit the proofes which they bring for Faiths obscurity out of Heb. 11. 1. that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things which we behold not by the eye of sense or reason and out of 1 Cor 13. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True the things that wee beleeve are now knowne by us in this life no otherwise than as wee doe know a man whose face we behold in a glasse but doe not behold his person but our knowledge of the same things in the life to come is as when we know a man standing before him and looking him full in the face So the Scriptures are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glasse wherein we may behold the shape and picture of all things to be beleeved but t is the picture only not the substance and body it selfe Were this all our Adversaries intended the difference betweene us were at an end things beleeued are obscure id est Non-praesentes non-visae we grant it But this doth not fully fit their turne for though the things themselves bee obscure that is not immediatly seene and looked upon yet the narration of them in Scriptures may be perspicuous and plaine to be understood Now they like not this all is quite marr'd if they give way so farre as to grant that the Scriptures are plaine to be understood This may not bee tolerated in their Schooles and Pulpits and therefore t is that in their Sermons and writings upon that subject they so bestirre themselves like a heard of wilde beastes to raise up all the dust they can wherby to darken the light of that bright most Sunne And this is the thing that they aime at in their description of Faith when they tell us that it is an assent to obscure propositions their meaning is villanous to lay a ground for ignorance and implicite beliefe that it suffiseth a religious Christian to salvation that he beleeve in grosse the truth of all which the Scriptures and Church doe deliver though he understand nothing at all distinctly Let him jumble over his Creed in Latine and understand never a letter yet is he a good beleeving Catholike and it sufficeth that the Creed be recited by him in Persona Ecclesiae as Becanus out of Thomas very conceitedly affirmes So in stead of distinct knowledge necessary unto saving faith they breed in their people a dull turbulent and confused assent to something but they know not what which is indeede rather a stubbornnesse and wilfulnesse of resolution than the well advised beliefe of a Christian. Iust so doe Sorcerers and Witches beleeve confidently in the vertue of a number of Verses Spells Characters c. which they cannot tell what to make of and such is the Magicall Faith of those whom the Romish Whore hath bewitched with her inchantments Nor hath this opinion of Obscurity in matter of Faith any ground at all in those two places before alledged For the first in Heb. 11. ver 1. Faith is an argument of things not seene Most true they are not seene because Faith apprehends them and sight destroies Faith But what then are they unknowne too No for Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evident argument even of these things that are not seene Yea but whence doth Faith fetch this argument not from the things themselves for they are unseene Whence then from the Revelation and Declaration of them in the word which makes them cleer to the apprehension of the beleever Againe in that 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee now see through a glasse darkely True wee see things but as in a looking glasse therefore wee see them darkely for let a man first view the shape of any thing in a glasse and afterward look on the thing it selfe his first knowledge of it will bee but dark in comparison of the latter Neverthelesse it is not so darke and obscure but that a man may describe what thing it is hee sees if hee behold a mans face in the glasse hee may distinctly tell that such a man hath such a visage
not properly an assent of Christian faith I prove thus To assent or dissent is an action of the Vnderstanding or of the Will if of the Vnderstanding the object of it is Truth or Falsehood if of the Will the object of it is goodnesse or evill For the assent of the Will the case is manifest that it doth never assent unto and allow of the goodnesse of the obiect or dissent from and disallow the evill of it untill there be knowledge and apprehension of both For this approbation or reprobation of any thing by the Will cannot bee without Election nor Election without foregoing deliberation and judgement of the understanding upon the thing that is chosen or refused Againe for the Vnderstanding how can it assent unto the Truth or dissent from the Falsehood of such things whereof it hath no apprehension at all For so here should be an Act without an Object at least an irrationall act of the rationall part of man For if the Vnderstanding assent or dissent without understanding of whereto or from what is not a non-ens the object of such an act and is not such an act more like the naturall propensions of senslesse creatures whereby they are carried to unknowne ends than the judiciall determination of a reasonable man Though the things beleeved exceed reason yet the revelations of them are not above our knowledge and our assent unto them must be so farre forth rationall that if wee cannot give a reason of the thing beleeved yet wee must give a reason of our beliefe A reason of our beliefe is then rendred when we understand that testimony and authority wherein the thing to be beleeved is revealed unto us This only makes our assent reasonable For as in Scientificall knowledge and opinion the understanding never assents till the nature of the thing it selfe be knowne either fully or in part so in beliefe the understanding assents not till the meaning of the relation or testimony be understood what that thing is distinctly whereto it must assent In the two former wee give the reason of our assent from the thing it selfe knowne in the last wee give the reason of our assent from the authority of the revealer In every one our assent presupposeth knowledge in the former of the thing it selfe in the later of the Revelation Wherefore that implicite faith of the ordinary Papist who following the doctrine of his Teachers contents himselfe that he gives his assent in grosse unto all what ever is in the Bible Churches traditions that it is true whilst yet he understands scarce any Article of his religion distinctly this their implicite assent is meerely bruitish and unreasonable Contrary to the expresse precept of the Apostle Paul Rom. 12. 1. commanding us to offer unto God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a reasonable service and Peter 1 Pet. 3. 15. bidding us be ready to give an answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not a bare answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but with a defence to every one that demandeth of us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Reason of our Faith Now it would be knowne of the Romish Laiety what reason they can give for their faith what Apologie they are able to make for it when as they are utterly ignorant of Scriptures the only reason and defense of our Faith And is not their service and worship of God the very unreasonable motion of an unintelligent beast that 's ordered by his driver but understands not why and for what reason and ground Where particulars are not knowne there may be a generall kinde of beliefe But this generall beliefe is not an actuall assent to the truth of any particular thing revealed till that particular bee knowne and understood Actuall assent to particular truths is then only when they are knowne and according to the increase of distinct knowledge so this assent increaseth Before there is this distinct knowledge there can be no more but Praeparatio animi a resolution of the minde to yeeld assent to any particular if it bee once knowne Which though it be good when wee can doe no otherwise by reason of unavoydable ignorance yet to teach that this is sufficient to true faith is to teach men to be carelesse of all religion T is good where there is knowledge in part and when for the rest ignorance is seene bewayled and avoyded by all earnest desire and possible endevour to get knowledge in all points but t is monstrous flothfulnesse to bee content with this that in generall we beleeve all though we assent to nothing in particular This were indeed a short cut to heaven if no more were required to Christian faith but to force upon ones selfe such a resolution as this Here is the Bible I am resolved to beleeve all that it saith but for particulars I le looke no further let the Church and those that are learned looke to that How farre such a blinde resolution is from Christian faith and pietie besides experience which testifies that all those who have true faith in some things doe alwayes much lament their ignorance and eagerly desire the increase of distinct knowledge the Scriptures also doe abundantly witnesse unto us Wherein no exhortation more common then this unto the encrease of Knowledge yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. as the Apostle prayes for the Collosians Col. 2. 2. And for the Corinthians hee wisheth the like 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 2 Cor. 8. 7. How many prayers of the Saints doe wee finde they have made for knowledge every where mentioned How often is Faith and Knowledge coupled together Ioh. 10. 38. 1 Ioh. 4. 16. c. yea many times confounded and taken one for the other 2 Cor. 4. 14. Esa. 53 â—1 Ioh. 17. 3. c Againe this knowledge is easie to be had by the ayde of the holy Spirit inwardly inlightening and teaching the faithfull when they use such meanes as hee hath appointed See for that purpose Ier. 31. 33 34. 1. Cor. 2. 10. 12. 2. Cor. 4. 6. Ioh. 14. 21. where Christ promiseth to shew himselfe visibly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to those that love him Were knowledge a thing impossible or very difficult or unprofitable some pretence there were to pleade for ignorance but when t is so often commanded us when it may be so easily had when t is so usefull in the having so dangerous to want it it s now impudence to patronize ignorance as a friend to Religion which is a professed enemy to mans reason Wherefore it is a shamelesse assertion of Bellarmine De Iustif. l. c. 5. That Faith may better be defined by ignorance than by knowledge A pestilent conceit which once rooted in men breeds in them an horrible contempt distaste and neglect of Scriptures and all Religion as matters not possible nor necessary for them to comprehend But this is a gull put upon poore people by the Clergy thereby to excuse their owne idlenesse in not teaching them or to gaine the
proue themselues by their owne naturall light manifesting their Diuine Originall whence they are and their right meaning how they must be vnderstood They are Primum â—â—sibile not like Colour which cannot be seene till light make it apparant but like Light it selfe which maketh all other things manifest it selfe too by it own proper Quality Wherefore when we are asked why we doe beleeue the Articles of the Creed we answer Because they are reuealed in Scripture Again How are you sure the Scriptures are the Word of God we answer we know it by the Scriptures themselues the Spirit of God opening our eyes to see those naturall and liuely caracters of Diuine truth which are imprinted vpon those sacred volumes Lastly If we be asked How know you that this is the right meaning of such or such a place We answer We know it by the Scriptures which being diligently examined and compared together plainly discouer their own right expesition In these answers we rest finally resoluing our Faith into the Word of God alone and nothing else As for the Authoritie of any one man or all men in the Church we giue it all due reuerence according to its place and degree We acknowledge the Decisions of Councels and Synods about controuersed Articles of Religion the continuall Preaching of the Word by the Ministers therof the manifold expositions of Doctrines of Diuinitie and Bookes of Scriptures by the Learned in their Writings all these we acknowledge with due regard thankefulnesse to be blessed meanes for the breeding and growth of Christian Faith because they all doe or should point vs vnto the Scriptures holding forth the light of them that we may the more cleerly diseern it in its true brightnesse Thus they are helpes to make vs see the truth but no causes why we beleeâ—e it this we do for its own sake not their saying And vnlesse what they teach doe appeare vnto vs cleerly out of the Scriptures we freely confesse that although their Reuerence will cause vs to Suspend our Iudgement and thorowly to examine the Cause yet their bare authoritie cannot command our assent to any article of Religion that shall be proposed vnto vs. The rule of the Apostle prohibits vs 1 Cor. 2. 5. Our faith may not stand in the Wisedome of Man but in the Power of God Our Aduersaries here thinke that they haue vs vpon an aduantage and caught vs in a circle too as if we also ran round from the Scriptures to the Spirit againe from the Spirit to the Scriptures thus How know you the Scriptures to be Gods Word By the Spirit reuealing the same to my heart and conscience But how know you this reuelation of the Spirit to be true By the Scriptures that testifie The secret of the Lord is reuealed to them that feare him Ps. 15. But how know you this the like places of Scriptures to be Gods Word By the Spirit again Thus they suppose we are intangled but they mistake vs and our doctrine greatly in this particular We teach indeed that we know the Scriptures to be the Word of God by the Spirit of God inwardly Reuealing and Testifying the truth of them vnto our Consciences But it must here be diligently obserued what kind of Reuelation or Testimonie of the Spirit it is wherby we may be said to be sertified assured of the Scriptures Diuine Truth It is not any inward suggestion and inspiration different from those reuelations that are in the Scriptures themselues as if the Spirit did by a second priuat particular reuelation assure me of the truth of those former reuelations made in the Scriptures We haue no warrant for any such priuat reuelations now nor is there any need of them and such as looke for them may easily embrace their own presumptuous fancies in stead of a Reuelation from heauen How then doth the Holy Ghost reueale vnto vs the truth of Scriptures I answer By remouing those impediments that hindred by bestowing those graces that make vs capable of this knowledge There is in vs a two-fold Impediment First Ignorance whereby our eyes are closed that we cannot see the light 〈◊〉 Second Corruption whereby although we see the light yet we cannot but naturally hate it and turne from it The Holy Spirit cures both by a double remedy First of Illumination restoring our decayed vnderstanding to some part of its primitiue perfection Second of Sanctification infusing into our desires and affections some degrees of their primitiue Holinesse and puritie By this worke of the Spirit Opening the eyes of our minds that we may Vnderstand the Scriptures see the wonders of Gods Law and also Rectifying our corrupt affections that we may loue and embrace the Holinesse of Diuine things by this meanes I say is the Diuine truth of Scriptures reuealed to vs. For presently vpon this Opening the eyes of our minds we see the glorious brightnesse and light of the Scriptures shining into our hearts and we discerne in them the apparant characters of heauenly Maiestie as cleerly as a seeing man beholds the Sunne Also after this renewing of our Sinfull inclinations we find presently that our Soules and those things which the Scriptures do reueale vnto vs haue a singular sympathy one towards another our loue that we beare to the beautie and Holinesse of the Word is strong that command which the Word hath ouer vs is most powerfull awfull so that now we haue as kindly a relish of the goodnesse and excellency of Scriptures as a healthfull stomacke hath of wholesome food By these things which we cleerly see in the Scriptures euidently feele in our selues we are fully ascertained in our soules that none but God is the Authour of so He menly Holy Mysteries In this sence we still pray for the Spirit of Reuelation Eph. 1. 17. so called in that place because it inlightens the eyes of our vnderstanding as in vers 18. that then we may see the excellency of Diuine mysteries reuealed to the Church Other inward and secret reuelation of the Spirit we acknowledge not in this businesse Now there is no such circle as our Aduersaries would driue vs into but a plain straight way How know you that the Scriptures are Gods Word We answer By the Scriptures themselues by that wonderfull light excellency of truth and Holinesse shining in them Here we would rest and goe no further But yet if we be asked How we come to see this Light We answer It is by the only worke of the Spirit of God giuing vs eyes to see and hearts to loue this Light If we be further vrged How know you that you doe indeed perceiue such a light as you speake of or how can you make it appeare to another that you are not deceiued therein To these questions we answer That the former is idle iust as if one should aske him that gaâ— then the sun How know you that you now see
〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rooted and stablished in the vndoubted perswasion of this truth We are all very backward in this study and that 's one argument the Scriptures are diuine because our wretched sinfulnes cannot brooke them And againe wee are very dull of vnderstanding in these things which is also a good proof that they come from a most diuine vnderstanding because our Naturall wit is sharpe enough in other things yet comprehend not these mysteries but yet for all this let vs be perswaded with prayer in humility to follow the counsell of Christ. Search the Scriptures the Commandement of our King the seruant of Christ to set the Scriptures in the head of our studies therein laying a sure ground-worke of our beleefe before we haue to doe with men Following this course we may be bold to expect a full resolution of this great Question and experience will in the end make it manifest a most sure word as S. Peter cals it 2 Pet. 1. 19. whereon to build our faith We shall find that this word is a light shining in a darke place and that God who in the creation commanded the light to shine out of darkenes will by this meanes shine also into our hearts to giue vs the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Iesus Christ as it is 2 Cor. 4. 6. Thus doing we shall be constant in our Religious profession while we liue and also vnconquerable in our Spirituall consolation when we are to dye Hitherto of the first ground whereupon the Strength of Taiths assent is built namely the infallible truth of Diuine Reuelatinos I proceed vnto the next two the former whereof is The Greatnesse and excellent worth of the things reuealed They are not toyes tristes matters of smal moment that God proposeth vnto vs to be embraced beleeued But they are the Great things of his Law that he hath written vnto vs Hos. 8. 12. A Law that is Perfect conuerting the soule a Testimony that is Sure making wise the simple Statutes that are Right reioycing the heart Commandements that are Pure enlightening the eyes Iudgments that are True and Righteous altogether more to be desired then what men desire most then Gold yea then much fine Gold sweeter then the Heny that droppeth from the best Hony combe as the holy Prophet Dauid Ps. 19. 7. c. most emphatically amplifies the dignity worth of that part of Scriptures which was in his time giuen vnto the Church Since then we haue a large increase of this heauenly treasure The Gospel fully reuealed and written for our benefit containing in it The Wisdome of God that in a mysterie hid from the princes of this world 1 Cor. 2. 7. the deepe things of God v. 10. the riches of his glorious mysterie Col. 1. â—7 the vnsearchable riches of Christ Eph. 3. 8. All both Law Gospel old new Testament are full of admirable perfection goodnesse excellency in themselues and towards vs they contain matters of greatest consequence in the world He that doth these things saith the Scripture shall liue in them if he doe them not then Cursed is euery one that continueth not in all the words of that Bâ—oke to fulfill them Againe He that beleeueth shall be saued he that beleeveth not shall be damned Mar. 16. 16. No lesse matters are set forth vnto vs in Scripture then Blessing and Cursing Saluation and Damnation Grace Sin Gods fauour and his Displeasure Heauen and Hell Now lay all things in this world together there 's nothing worth the speaking of in comparison of these or that can beare any proportion of worth greatnesse with them Wherfore this ought to be a forceable motiue vnto vs to giue all diligence that we fasten our faith vpon these things with all strength and stedfastnesse not barely and sleightly passing them ouer as things of little moment but laying them vp in our hearts by deepest most attentiue meditation It is strange to see how â—xedulous and apprehensiue men are in other matters that may concern them in their name goods or life Euerie little circumstance is enough to perswade them to a strong beleefe of that which they feare or hope for But in matters of religion there 's scarce any thing will ' worke vpon vs we heed not what we heare or reade promises or threatnings exhortations or admonitions all 's one to vs we passe little for one or other but as the iâ—â—es of old we count these things as Strange matters that little concerne vs. Naturally we are all Atheists Insidels and that of Saluian is true euen of the best of vs. Omma a mamus omnia colimus solus nobis in comparatione omnium Deus vilis est We can study any thing but the Scriptures we can beleeue any thing but Articles of Christian Religion we can loue any thing but God goodnesse The truth is we doe but talke of Religion being far from any thorough apprehension of the excellency worth therof whence it comes to passe that our thoughts of it are sleight and vanishing our affections towards it cold and forced our beleefe of it neerer to a fancy weake imagination then a well grounded faith Wherfore let vs henceforth value Diuine things according to their worth esteeming of them as better to vs then thousands of gold and siluer or whatsoeuer is by the world had in highest account Hence shall we gather strength and vigor to cleaue faster vnto Religion in Faith and zealous affection The last ground remaines whereupon the firmenesse and strength of our assent standeth and that is The manifest experience of some part of the Truth of those things we beleeue It is indeed a commendation of Christian faith that it can beleeue before against Experience And Abrahams faith is herein a glorious pattern to all others who beleeued strongly the promises when for a long time he found but smal performances as may be seen in the storie of his life But genâ—â—ally Faith is but weake till it be confirmed by Experience this giues it life making the Heart of a man strong in Confidence and Resolution See this in an example or two 1 Sam. 30. we find Dauid his men in great distresse for the losse they had sustained at Zâ—klaâ— Dauid sorrowes as well as his seruants his losse is as much as theirs but this doth not pacific them Dauid is their Captain and they thinke this nuthap comes by his fault so in their rage they intend to stone him What shall Dauid do in this case he is but one man in the middest of a fâ—rious multitude slight or resistance cannot helpe him see how his faith helps him out in this exigent He was now in danger but he had bin in as great many a time before and very narrowly had he escaped the snares that Saul and his Courtiers had layd for his life But God deliuered him there and
things past will fill the heart with boldnesse confident expectation of the like successe for the time to come And so much touching the three grounds of Certaintie and Strength in the Assent of Faith I come now to the second point proposed touching this Assent or the diuers degrees of it and those essentiall differences whereby sauing faith in Gods Elect is distinguished from that Faith which is in others We haue shewed you that faith may be in all reasonable creatures and the Scriptures testifie that there is some kind of faith in the Diuels and wicked men We must therefore enquire what their faith is and what the faith of Gods Elect is by what essentiall difference they are distinguished You are therefore to obserue that this assent by which generally all Faith was defined is two-fold 1 Generall to all Diuine Reuelations as good and true whilst barely considered in themselues or as they haue no opposition to our desires being applyed to ourselues 2 Particular when assent is giuen to all Diuine Reuelations as most true and good in regard of our selues when they are applyed to all our particular occasions and compared with all contrarie desires and prouocations Herein lies a substantiall difference of this assent of Faith there being a great Diuersitie betweene an Assent vnto the truth goodnesse of things taken in the generall and an Assent vnto the truth goodnes of the samethings particularly applied as you shall see in the progresse of this discourse The former is but an inferiour degree of Faith and only a step vnto that faith which is true and sauing It is commonly called by two names 1 Historicall Faith synecdochically from one part of the obiect of because it beleeues the Letter of the Scriptures whether Histories or doctrines that are expressed therein 2 Temporarie Faith from the Euent issue of it because it perseueres not vnto the end but failes in time of Temptation It is but one and same degree of faith that hath these two names which assenting to things in grosse flies off and disallowes when it coms to particular application Such a general assent there is in the Diuels who know the Scripturs to be of God and acknowledge the things contained in them to be in themselues true good because from God though mean-while they hate both the one other bitterly The truth of God his Word Essence Attributes works vpon their vnderstandings a deep apprehension of its certainty excellency euen when they with vnspeakable hatred and horrour thinke of it According Iames saith They belieue tremble Such a Faith there is in thousands of Hypocrites reprobates who being inlightened and conuinced of the Truth of the Word yeeld a generall assent vnto it for the time as in those Luk. 8. â—3 Who receiue the Word with ioy but they haue no root which for a while beleeue but in time of temptation goâ— away In those Heb. 6. 4 5 Which were inlightened tasted of the heauenly gift and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost And haue tasted of the good Word of God and of the Powers of the world to come are salue away In those Many that beleeued in Christs Name but yet Christ would not trust them because he knew them all that they were not found at heart Ioh. 2. 23 24. In those many againe that at another time beleeued in him but Christ giues them a caueat that they looke their faith be â—ound 〈◊〉 ye continue in my Word ye are verely my Disciples Ioh. 8. 30. 31. Such a faith was in Simon the Witch Act. 8. 13. who beleeued the Apostles preaching and was baptized euen whilst yet he remained in the gall of bitternesse and bond of iniquitie i. a â—ierce enemie to that truth which he seemed to beleeue and professe and fast bound vnto the loue of those sinnes that he seemed willing to forsake verse 23. Such a conception of Faith there was in Falix who trembled when he heard Paul dispute of righteousnesse temperance and the iudgment to come Acts 24. 25. He beleeued and like the Diuels trembled But Faelix was not temporate his wife Drusilla was another mans wife Felix was vnrighteous and couetous and looked for a bribe and this likes him not that Paul should come so close to him wherefore he hath a shift and put him off in complement to a more conuenient season which Faelix will take at leasure The same imperfect faith there was in King Agrippa who hearing Pauls Apologie could haue found in his heart to haue beene a Christian had it beene a thing in fashion with Kings at that time Acts 26. 28. So was the Case with Herod who heard Iohn Baptist gladly and reuerenced him as a Iust man and holy and did many things willingly Marke 6. 20. But if Iohn be so bold with Hâ—rod as to tell him of his Incest He shall to prison for it and for all that he is a Prophet yet he shall dye if Herod did not feare the multitude more then he reuerenced Iohn Matth. 14. 5. And thus it is with many men still who knowe the Scriptures and assent to the truth of such things as they containe but this goes no further then generalities whilst they approoue and allowe of such things as they know to be good and excellent considered abstractiuely and in the Vniuersalitie and as they doe not crosse them in any of their maine desires and delights And so long they seeme to bee as forward in faith and practise as the best The Causes of this Kinde of Faith in men are many as 1. That common grace of the Spirit whereby men are inlightened in the knowledge of heavenly things Which grace God bestowes upon the unregenerate and unsanctied more for others than their owne good Some light shines upon them whereby they may know and assent unto divine truths for a common good of the Church that others may be instructed by their teaching For Christ in the building of his Church doth also use the helpe and ministery of such men according as Salomon did in the building of the materiall Temple who imployed not the naturall Israelites but the reliques of the Cananites and strangers that lived in the land to be bearers of burdens and hewers of stone and overseers of the worke 2 Chron. 2. 17. And these men though unsanctified and such as doe not themselves heartily esteeme and affect that which they know yet in the generall they beleeve it and willingly teach it to the benefit of the Church Againe 2. Authority of men in high account for their knowledge and wisedome The esteeme that the people had of Iohn the Baptist to bee a great Prophet made Herod reverence him the more and the fame that went of Christ drew many to hearken to his doctrine And so t is still with hundreds whose faith in matters of religion standeth or falleth with their admiration or disesteeme of mens persons The same effect
to muster up their owne forces and duly consider their abilities lest venturing rashly they at last sit downe with losse and disgrace The same I speake to you my brethren Sit yee downe first take counsell reckon the cost see what religion will stand you in your lusts must be crossed the world must be displeased and despised too Sathan must be fought withall hazzard of disgrace and dammage must be undergone friends and goods and life must be parted withall if need require the crosse must be borne daily If now upon these conditions thou art heartily and freely content to plight thy faith to God and take Religion with all its inconveniences then goe on and prosper in this resolution thy heart is sincere and thy faith sound But if upon heady and slight considerations thou hast put thy selfe forward upon the profession of Religion not forecasting the worst aswell as the best of it then know that thy case is like that of the Scribe Mat. 8. 18. who there tells Christ in great forwardnesse Hee would follow him whithersoever he went But when the silly man heard Christ reply otherwise than hee lookt for The Foxes have holes and the birds of the ayre have nests but the Sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head implying that there was little hope to be rich and honourable by being one of his followers this now fits not his covetous and ambitious humour and therefore upon such an unexpected answer hee slinches Christs company is too meane and poore for his great hopes and for him he shall goe alone A miserable thing it is for a man thus to come in at last with a Non putâram I had not thought religion had required such absolute obedience I thought I might have done so and so and yet have beene a true beloever Hadst thou not thought it The more foole thou that wouldest not bethinke thy selfe better in so serious a businesse Thinke then of it now and thinke alwayes of it that hee who beleoves and does only what him pleaseth hee neither beleeves nor doth any thing as hee ought Thus wee have done with Faith as it respects the whole course of Religion and every part of the Word of what nature soever Next wee are to consider of True Faith as it lookes towards the particular promise of Grace and is directed unto Christ. Which Act though it be particular yet is of greater necessity and excellency than all other because it gives life as to our soules so to our beleefe of other things which are beleeved with relation unto Christ. Faith in regard of this particular Object and Act I thus define It is a grade of sanctification wrought by the holy Ghostâ— in every regenerate man whereby for his owne particular hee trusteth perfectly unto the promise of Remission of finnes and Salvation by Christs righteousnesse I neede not stand at large upon every particular That Faith is a sanctifying Grace part of our inherent righteousnesse that the Spirit of God is the onely author of it that a regenerate man is the onely subject of it these things have beene shewed heretofore The Object also of it is manifest by what names soever the Scriptures expresse it namely the Lord Iesus Christ or God in Christ or the Gospell or the Promise 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 all comes to one and wee neede not be curious But touching the proper Act of Faith as it justifies us a little more at large It consisteth in Trust or Reliance upon the promise for our owne particular when the soule depends wholly thereupon looking after no other helpe You have heard heretofore that to Beleeve the truth of a particular promise is to Trust upon the performance of it to mee and that the Assent of Faith which is given to such a promise is properly called Fiducia or Trust. Now the Promise of grace in Christ is made unto us in particular termes both in the Word preached and Sacraments to assent unto this promise is not barely to acknowledge that there is such a thing in the world as Remission of sinnes by Christ to bee bestowed on some God knowes who for this is to beleeve the Promise not as a promise but as an History but this assent is of the whole heart in Trust Reliance Dependance Adherence Affiance or if there bee any other word expressing that action of the regenerate soule whereby it casseth and reposeth it selfe onely upon Gods Promise in Christ for the obtaining of eternall happinesse That Fiducia is of the essence of Iustifying Faith wee make good 1. From the phraso of Scripture used in this businesse Those phrases 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to Beleeve in or upon or into God Christ the holy Ghost are not used as the learned know by prophane Writers but only by Ecclesiastical implying that in Divine matters 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies besides the naked acknowledgement of the Head the confidence and affiance of the Heart 2. From that opposition which is made betweene Faith and distrust or Doubting â—am 1. 16. Let him aske in Faith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 nothing doubting and Rom. 4. 20 Abraham 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 doubted not thorough unbeleefe 3. From that excellent place 2. Tim. 1. 12. where it is apparant that to beleeue is as much as to commit our selves to Christs trust and keeping I know saith the Apostle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in whom I have beleeved or whom I have trusted for as it followes I am perswaded that he is able to keep◠〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that thing wherewith I have entrusted him or delivered up to his keeping What was that His Soule unto everlasting Salvation Wherefore to Beleeve the promise is with Confidence and Trust to relye upon it resting our soules upon the performance of it Which assent of Faith is wrought in the soule in this manner 1 A man is inlightned to see his sinne and miserie and therewith an utter impossibilitie to satisfie God for the one or free himselfe from the other by any power and merit in heaven or earth but onely by the Name of Iesus Christ And this drives him from seeking helpe elsewhere 2 The promise of Grace is proposed and Christ freely offered unto him 3 Whence in the third place the Heart touched by the Spirit of Grace drawes neere unto Christ throwes it selfe into his armes grasping about him with all its might hiding it selfe in the clefts of this rocke from the stormes of Gods furious indignation It bespeakes Christ in all termes of confidence and affiance My Lord my God my hope my fortresse my rocke my strength my salvation Save me or I perish Have you seene how a tender infant in the apprehension of some danger approching runnes into the armes of his Parent for succour so doth a soule pursued by the terrors of the Law and affrighted with the fearefull sight of
and effect to the Word preached which wee maintaine and plead for This point will fall in more fitly to be discussed afterwards in the handling of a few Questions touching the manner of the Working of grace in mans conversion Whereinto though I am somewhat unwilling to enter because that Positive rather than Polemicall Divinity befits this place yet considering the danger whereinto mindes not rightly informed in these points may unhappily fall and that herein it is easie to slip from the truth to Arminianisme and thence to Popery there 's but a threed betweene them I have thought it would not bee unprofitable briefly and plainly to touch upon such materiall controversies as are moved in this matter that even the younger sort might have something to oppose against cauilling gainsayers of the truth and crafty seducers of the uninstructed You are therefore to understand that in point touching Mans conversion there is scarce any circumstance that wee have formerly spoken of but it is quarrelled at and corrupted with false opinions Not the nature and substance of our conversion which say they is not by the infusion of Habituall sanctity into the Soule but through Grace acquired by much paines and industrious actions of our own excited assisted by some helpe of the Spirit Not the moving Cause which is affirmed by them to bee not Gods speciall and actuall Love to his Elect but his common and equall love to all mankinde alike Not the Efficient cause which wee affirme to be the worke of Gods Spirit they say is the Freedome of our wills Not the manner of it without and above the strength of our naturall abilities as wee hold but so farre is the compasse of our owne power that we may helpe or hinder it at our pleasure Not the instrument of it the Word by the worke of the Spirit but as they would have it the Word working by it selfe without any inward vertue of the Spirit besides Lastly not the Subject the Elect only as we maintaine but all in Common upon whom sufficient grace to Conversion is bestowed if we will beleeve them All these Erroneous opinions are founded upon other rotten and unsound principles which are chiefly these 1. That God hath not precisely determined of any mans salvation or damnation in particular but hath left it to be decided by the libertie of their owne wills 2. That God doth not beare any speciall favour to one more than another but that his love is equall to all in generall and his desire of the salvation of all mankinde alike 3. That Christ hath dyed for all men alike procuring so much by his death that God is Placabilis toward all and all men indifferently are Salvabiles if they list to make use of the benefit purchased for them 4. That God requires Faith in Christ of all men whatsoever even of such Infidells as to whom Christ was never preached 5. That God cannot in justice demand of Man the performance of those things which since his fall hee hath no strength to performe and that if God require any such service he is bound in equitie to give unto man new strength for to performe it I doe but only name these articles of the Arminian Faith though even that 's enough to shew their weaknesse and untruth to any that can judge of sound doctrine but I say I mention them only that you may the better perceive what is that maine issue whereinto they are finally resolved and that in plaine termes is this That all men whether Christians or Infidells within or without the Church may bee converted and saved if they will You will say this is broadly spoken but I doe them no wrong reade their bookes compare their tenents and you shall see that this is the upshot of all their discourses God hath excluded none hee loves all alike Christ hath dyed for all Faith is required of all sufficient ability to beleeve and repent is given to all who then or what should hinder the Conversion or Salvation of any one but himselfe his owne meere free-will Surely an opinion that should not bee gainsaid by any but readily embraced by all if it had as much truth in it as it carries shew of Pity and Commiseration to mankinde Wee would be loth to be judged cruell but t is folly not pitie to take upon us to bee more mercifull than God hath declared himselfe to be and t is impiety to tell a lie for God by magnifying the glorious largenesse of his mercy beyond the bounds which himselfe hath prescribed unto it Wherefore against this wide and vast Conclusion of Arminianisme that God hath given sufficient grace to all the world to convert and beleeve if they will I oppose this directly contradictory God hath not given sufficient grace to all and in those to whom hee hath given such grace it depends not on their Free-will whether they will be converted or no. These two propositions destroy one another and one is confuted by that which confirmes the other I will proceed in the handling of them in this order Men that are capable of Vocation are of two sorts 1. Out of the Visible Church and of these the Question will bee Whether God have given to all Pagans and Heathens grace sufficient for their conuersion 2. Within the precincts of the Visible Church and of these the question will be double 1. Whether God doe give unto all Christians grace sufficient to worke their conversion 2. Whether those upon whom such sufficient grace is bestowed may if they list hinder their conversion by the power of their free-will Within the compasse of these three Questions will bee included all that is materiall touching this businesse I will use as much brevity in each as the matter will give leave of the first at this time viz. Whether the Gentiles out of the Church have grace given unto them sufficient for their conversion Wee maintaine the Negative part the Arminians affirme that all Pagans and Infidells have so much grace given unto them that by it they may be converted beleeve and worship God rightly in some sort even without the knowledge of the Gospell A monstrous assertion every way repugnant to Reason and Scriptures For 1. Let it be demanded what this sufficient Grace is that is given to the Gentiles Is it that knowledge of God and goodnesse whereto the Gentiles might come by the light of nature or it is some other supernaturall Revelation If the former there is a double error in it 1. That they call that Grace which is but Nature for if Vniversall Grace given to Heathens be but that knowledge of God and his worship which is attainable by the right use of the light of Nature through the contemplation of the creatures and remainders of the Morall Law in mans heart what is this grace but Nature what this opinion but Pelagianisme 2. In that they suppose this light of Nature well used is a sufficient
basest ranke mistaking the manner of this Service falling from that Spirituall service which by the lawes of Creation was onely required to a thousand carnall outward Ceremonies and observations of their foolish devising some ridiculous and senselesse some strange cruell and horrible against all good nature and humanity some furious madde and drunken some obscene and beastly all superstitious and divellish mistaking lastly the time of this service in appointing a number of Festivalls but neglecting utterly the Sabbath the knowledge whereof was quite worne out among the Gentiles Which particulars are all manifest by records of old and experience of latter times in those places where the Gospell hath not beene yet preached A reason of this generall corruption in the whole frame of Gods worship we may conceive to be this The worship of God that man was to performe in his innocency was wholly Spirituall not consisting in outward Ceremonies Ordinances and Observations according as the same shall againe bee performed by us in Heaven hereafter Such was the perfection of Adams nature that he being fully replenished with the love of his Creator did alwaies more cheerfully delight himselfe in the contemplation of his excellency and obedience to his commands without such externall helpes True it is that to Adam in his innocency was prescribed the observation of the Sabbath and two Sacraments of the Tree of Life and Knowledge of good and evill But for these Sacraments the latter was rather of Abstinence than Action a triall rather than a helpe of his obedience the former was a pledge of his happinesse if hee stood but no meanes of his upholding and so both of them mainely differing from all Sacraments afterwards given unto the Church for the support of our infirmities Likewise the Sabbath was then to bee spent in exercises meerely Spirituall not in any such outward bodily observations as since the Fall have beene instituted by God in regard of our weaknesse And though God alwaies required to bee worshipped in spirit and truth yet since the Fall there have beene certaine externall rites added thereunto which were not needefull in time of innocency Now then this whole frame of the outward and instituted worship of God man once corrupted could not so much as ghesse at God therefore revealed it from time to time in the Old and New Testament and that with many straight prohibitions of adding or altering any things out of our owne invention for who can or could tell with what outward things God would be pleased but he himselfe So that the Heathen being destitute of this light it was no marvell if they became vaine in their imaginations and in this point sought out unto themselves many strange inventions They found by experience how needfull it was by some outward services to give testimony that they beleeved and worship ped a God whom else they might seeme to deny in regard of their monstrous impieties but in what manner to doe this they knew not Onely this you are to observe that the whole world almost retained the custome of sacrificing unto their gods which you must not thinke was a thing learned from the light of Nature for what ground in reason had they to imagine that the wrath of God against a man for sinne should bee appeased with the slaying of a beast but it was a practice received by tradition from the beginning of the world this custome of Sacrificing being the most eminent and principall outward service of God commanded first to Adam and by his precept and practice delivered to posterity Who retaining the outward worke and ceremony as mans corrupt nature is ceremonious enough but forgetting the mystery and signification did quickely pervert that sacred institution in all abominable Idolatry and esteemed the Numen or Deity offended to bee directly pacified by that which in its Originall was onely a figure of that propitiatory sacrifice of Iesus Christ. 2. Let us in the next place enquire of the meere Naturall mans practice as it concerneth man in all Morall duties of the second Table wherein hee will goe much further than in the former So that there is scarce any sin therein forbidden which the Heathen have not condemned or duety commanded which some of them have not praised and practised Instances might be shewed in those many excellent patternes of vertue whose lives have been left registred unto us by the Ancients and hardly is there any man so bad in whom wee shall not finde some one or other eminent part of goodnesse But in this point touching the Vicious or Vertuous practices of the Heathen you are to observe two things wherein the Naturall man will alwaies discover his ignorance and error 1. In determining the right cause and Originall of sinne whence all this disorder which is evidently perceived in mans nature had its beginning and how it came into the world Here the Naturall man is at a stand and cannot possibly ascend so high as to finde out the fall of Adam in his Sin Gods Curse thereupon to discover the fountaine of all our uncleannesse and wretchednesse So that every Naturall man would upon examination of this matter easily fall into that opinion of some that there were Duo principia the one summum Malum the cause of all Evill the other summum Bonum the cause of all Good Wee not much wonder that the remembrance of so memorable an accident as Adams fall should quite bee lost in his posterity seeing that Adam himselfe having that Fact of his in horror and detestation whereby he made himselfe and all the world miserable was not willing to publish his owne shame but rather conceale it from his children as hee would have done from God and as for the most part of his posterity they little heeded to know that whereof they cared not to repent 2. In judging aright of the Nature of sin either in regard of the Punishment of it or in regard of the Evill of it For the Punishment of it though the Heathen had a grosse apprehension of Gods wrath against wicked persons in this life and some kind of punishments they should feele afterwards in Hell yet they never could come so far as to see that all men were in one condition under the Curse of God subject to everlasting damnation in body soule without speciall grace shewed from God And for this cause that knowledge of the Law which the Gentiles had could not worke in them that effect as in the Iewes and Christians it doth These it drives unto Christ to seek after a Saviour from the curse and punishment which the Law threatens them withall but in the Gentiles who apprehend not this Curse it cannot take any such effect Againe for the Evill and Vitiousnesse of sinne they never conceived of it according to the full extent of it They knewit to be bad but not so bad as to deserve such horrible punishment as the Scriptures tell us to be due unto it
Present but yet farre removed out of the reach of sense and eye of reason as what is now done in forraine Countries there is the same impossibility of knowledge by the proper evidence of the things themselves In every one of these our sense utterly failes us our reason which begins at sense failes us also and cannot supply the defect of sense by a necessary deduction of one thing out of another and therefore it is impossible for us to get the knowledge of these things otherwise than by history and records of times past by discourse and relation of things present from such as have seene and knowne them by predictions of things to come Wherein though we may understand and that cleerely enough what is recorded discoursed of and foretold yet will the truth of these things be alwaies inevident to us unlesse our owne sense or reason could also comprehend them As for instance when wee reade any part of the Romane History as the description of the battell at Cannae in Livie wee understand perfectly what he saith and we beleeve it also but unto no mortall man was the truth of this accident evident but only to such as were then living who felt and saw that calamity of the Romane state So when a traveller reports unto us what he hath seene in forraine parts we understand what he saith and doe haply beleeve him but nothing of all that he saith is evident unto us till wee our selves have seene the same things as well as he Take it then Vniversally thus All Objects of Beliefe are known only by the relation and telling of another But no relation of any thing which another makes unto me can make the thing related evident unto me i. e. so to represent it to my senses and understanding that my apprehension of it should be the same with his that hath had the experimentall knowledge of it Let a man describe unto another the fashion of some stately building or the situation of some Citty which he hath seene though he doe it in the most lively maner that may be possible yet can heenever turne his Auditor into a Spectator and make the thing he describes evident to his apprehension unlesse by his discourse he were able to communicate unto him his owne eyes So the most exquisite discourse of some point of Philosophy made unto a yongue auditor in that science cannot make the point evident unto him unlesse the reader could with his words convay his owne understanding into his hearer Such descriptions and discourses can only effect thus much that the hearer shall frame unto himselfe a more lively imagination of things related to him but yet till his owne eies and his owne reason have fully informed him by immediat experiments from the thing it selfe that imagination or conceit cannot make the thing truly evident And in that case let a man for example that hath never seene the King but only heard him discribed or seene his picture let him compare that imagination which he hath of him by those meanes with that other which the very beholding of his person will cause in his minde and he shall manifestly perceive that our knowledge of things which wee get by anothers relation falls wonderfully short of that other knowledge which is bred in us by the proper evidence of the things themselves and that the difference is great betweene the knowing of a thing per speciem propriam as the seeing of a living face and the knowing of the same thing per speciem alienam as the seeing of a liuely picture Hitherto of that property wherein Beliefe and Knowledge doe differ namely evidence of the object Knowledge is an assent to things evident Beliefe an assent to things inevident The other property followes wherein Beliefe agrees with Knowledge and differs from Opinion and that is Certainty in the Subject For in Opinion the Assent is alwaies uncertaine and if not equally indifferent yet inclinable to either side even when its most strongly carried toward one But in Beliefe the Vnderstanding passes over its assent and approbation unto the truth of one part whereupon it fixeth and resteth it selfe And therefore that definition of Beliefe which Suidas hath that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Vehemency of Opinion or a vehement Opinion comes farre short of truth and exactnesse for even a vehement opinion hath alwaies uncertainetie of Assent necessarily joyned with it but it is not so in Beliefe wherein as in Knowledge the Assent may be certaine without all doubting Now of this wee are to enquire what those grounds are whereon men build the Certaintie of their Assent in matters of Beliefe they are these three 1. The Authority of the Speaker 2. The Consequence of things spoken in regard of some good or evill in it of great moment that concernes us 3. Some Eperiment in part of the truth of that which is related According to the diversitie of these three things our Beliefe increaseth more or lesse in certaintie and strength of Assent which appeares thus 1. For the speakers authoritie two things there are that win credit unto his testimony 1. Wisdome and Skill that he be not deceived himselfe 2. Fidelity and Honesty that he will not deceive us Both these are needfull for neither doe wee beleeve a simple man though honest nor yet will we trust a wise man if he be not honest But when wee have a full perswasion of a mans wisedome and faithfulnesse by experience formerly had in other things then we give full credit to his words 2. The nature of the thing much alters the strength of our beliefe for if it be a slight matter that toucheth us not with any apprehension of speciall delight or commodity benefit or danger redounding to our selves be the relation of it never so true and our understanding of it cleere enough yet we heed not the matter much nor doth the minde fixe it selfe upon it in any settled and firme assent But if the matter bee of some great consequence that touches us neerely we beleeve as sooner so with more strength and intention of assent What we much desire or greatly feare we easily beleeve and though our apprehension of it be not very cleere yet we are willing even to force upon our selves a perswasion of it 3. Experiment also in part doth greatly adde unto the strength of our beliefe A story or prophesie whereof we evidently know some part to be true we doe more easily and firmely beleeve the rest A learner that heares a discourse of some conclusion in Nature or Morality if he perceive some part of the truth evidently he is the more willingly induced to assent unto his teacher in all the rest One or two conclusions throughly understood marvellously strengthen our assent to the truth of those that we doe not as yet comprehend Where all these meet together there beliefe is firme and certaine so farre as any failes so
much is our assent weakned But of the three the authority of the speaker is the chiefest whose wisedome and fidelity certainely knowne unto us will move us to a certaine beliefe of those things wherein we apprehend no great matter of consequence nor discerne any evidence of the truth at all whereas if one that hath neither wit nor honesty tell us of a matter of greatest moment wherof we also see the probability and truth in part yet doth he not perswade us to beliefe though he may move us to a strong suspicion Thus then you see that assent being the approbation of the truth of any thing is common to Knowledge Opinion and Beliefe but with this difference In exact Knowledge our assent is alwaies firme and unremoveable in Opinion t is alwaies wavering and mutable in Beliefe t is certaine but more or lesse according to the different concurrence of those three forenamed grounds Now out of that which I have spoken let these two conclusions be carefully observed 1. That all Knowledge is more certaine than Beliefe which rule you must understand in things of the same kind not of divers thus He that most firmely beleeves any truth upon the former grounds is not yet so certaine of it as hee that perfectly knowes it as a Countri-man who strongly beleeves that the Sunne or least Starre is bigger than the whole Earth upon the affirmation of a learned and honest Mathematician is not yet so certaine of it as when afterward he knowes it by infallible demonstration But now in divers kindes our beliefe of some things may bee more certaine than our knowledge of others as our beliefe of divine things upon Gods testimony may be more certaine than the knowledge of humane things by the light of our reason because our understanding hath alwaies this prejudice that in the generall it may possibly erre but Gods Word cannot erre at all 2. That perfect Knowledge takes away all Beliefe that is for so you must understand it perfect knowledge of any thing excludes all beliefe of the same thing otherwise perfect knowledge in one thing may helpe our beliefe in another and knowledge in part of the same thing doth much strengthen our beliefe of the other part But here in this opposition betweene knowledge and beliefe your must alwayes remember what knowledge wee meane namely Scientiam Intuitivam or per Visionem that knowledge which is had by beholding things in their proper nature but not Scientiam Disciplinarem or per Revelationeâ— that knowledge which is got by discourse and relation of others And so these two propositions We beleeve what we know not and We beleeve what we know are not opposite each to other for t is true we beleeve that which we do not know namely by the proper and immediate sight of the things themselves and t is true also we beeleeve that which we doe know viz. by relation which so far forth represents to us the nature of the thing related as that we are not ignorant what it is we doe beleeve Where it must also be observed that the difference is great between these two sorts of knowledge in regard of the assent that is given to matters thus known Knowledge that is by Vision or Intuition of things that are presented to the sense or understanding in their proper evidence inforceth assent unto the things knowne For in this case the apprehension of the thing is so cleere that the understanding cannot but approve the truth of it And therefore the Colledge of the Sceptikes of old was little better than a Society of fools and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perpetuall doubtfulnesse of all things was somewhat worse than madnes when they would not assent that they saw the Sunne shine when they looked on it nor that the fire was hot when they felt it burne nor would be certaine of any principles or conclusions in reason nature And such was Anaxagoras his dull melancholy or wilfull frenzy to maintaine in good sadnesse that the snow was blacke For such is the naturall assinity between evident truth and our understanding that though wee would yet wecannot but subscribe and yeeld our allowance and assent unto it Whence it falls out many times that a Vsurer a Chuch-robber or some other not willing to leave this or that course though doubtfull whether lawfull or not dares not for his life read such or such a booke written on those subjects for feare lest he should bee made to know more than hee is content to practise and that his conscience should bee convicted in spight of his will But now t is not so in that other knowledge by relation let a thing be never so plainly delivered so that we fully conceive the meaning of that which is spoken yet if neyther our owne sense nor reason doe convince us we may choose whether or no we will beleeve and assent unto it embracing it for a truth It is the very naturall property of man never to be satisfied with others reports till we our selves have seene and knowne the thing it selfe by evident experience Draw the liveliest picture of any man the most curious landship of any country it contents not wee must see both the one and other Set downe the most tried experiments in nature taken by most skilfull Artists this pleases not others till their owne triall confirm them Generally every man would faine see with his owne eies heare with his owne eares understand by his owne not another mans reason In which inclination of nature lies the originall of all the distrust and diffidence that is in the world and also the cause of those restlesse inquiries which we make one after another into the same things Whence it comes to passe that whilst we are bulâ—ed in examining our forefathers inventions and posterity also imployed in making triall of our examinations neither we nor they have much time to adde any thing unto the increase of learned knowledge Hence also may we ghesse at one cause why many Sciences even for some thousands of yeares have kept one pitch and not growne above that dwarfish stature they had in their infant invention and also what the reason is why many that reade most prove not the deepest schollars for no greater impediment to exact learning than to make use of other mens understandings and neglect our owne It would also hence appeare that History a pleasant and profitable imploiment is yet of all studied learning the weakest to give full satisfaction to the minde of man because that depends wholly upon such grounds of truth as mans minde desires not to depend upon at all namely anothers tongue eyes and eares And it is observable that very usually those that are of credulous and passive understandings least able to imploy their owne strength in painfull and attentive inquiries after knowledge such doe not unwillingly apply their diligence to that course of study But I
the eyes of the minde opened to discerne of spirituall things according to their spirituall nature Herein also lies a great difference because all things that are inevident to a man unregenerate are not so to the regenerate These things thus distinguished let us set downe the truth touching this point in some few conclusions which follow 1. All things revealed in the Scriptures whether they be Doctrinall Historicall or Propheticall may be knowne in the evidence of the Narration not only by such as are truly sanctified but by those also who remaining unregenerate enjoy only the benefit of common illumination This conclusion is to be observed against that injurious accusation wherewith those of the Romish Church have standered God and his written Word that the Bible is an obscure booke not to be understood A fond and impious conceit if ever any were The Scriptures are obscure say they but to whom trow yee To their learned Clergie and illuminated Doctors No they can understand them well enough they are able to reconcile all seeming contradictions to reduce all tropes and figures to their plaine meaning to note the various acceptions of words to dive into all hidden mysteries of the text and over and above the just meaning finde out many spirituall senses of it that the author never thoughton This they can doe and for witnesse of it we have of their owne writing infinite volumnes both of Controversed Divinitie decided if wee beleeve them by Scripture rightly understood and also of Commentaries upon the text which testifie unto us as no small painfulnesse in searching out so much peremptorinesse in defining the true sense of the most Difficult places of Scriptures And surely well they may bee confident having besides their owne and others wits the helpe of the Popes infallibilitie in which respect one would thinke they should now make an end of writing or at least of jarring one with another in their opinions and interpretations For may we not thinke that the Popes are very uncharitable who being endued with an infallible Spirit doe not sitting at ease in their chaire compile at last an absolute Commentary upon the Bible after which no Iesuite of them all should dare to vent his owne private opinions or it may bee t is bashfulnesse in the Friers not to trouble his Holinesse about so small a triâ—â—e as is the right meaning of Scriptures unlesse we say that the Romish Apollo is not at leisure to utter Oracles from his trivet unto every poore Frier that intends to trouble the world with a new booke Here questionlesse is a great fault but let them take it among them meane while wee see their owne practice confuting their owne opinion of the Scriptures obscurity unlesse they will give us leave to thinke that all their preaching disputing and writing hath beene about they know not what But say they the Scriptures for all this are obscure to the Laity And are they so whose fault is that but the Clergies whose duty it was if pride and lazinesse would have given leave to have seene their people better instructed If Scriptures are plaine unto themselves why did they not make them plaine unto others or must we in earnest speak that of the Romish Clergy which Iob doth of his friends in derision No doubt but they are the people and wisedome shall die with them as for the poore snakes the Laickes they simple soules have not wit enough to understand the meaning of plaine words To such their proud contempt of Gods people we may with indignation oppose that of Iob Even these have understanding as well as they yea are not inferior unto the greatest part of them unlesse they could give the world better proofe of their deeper wisdomes But what if they be inferior are the Scriptures obscure because some things are hard to be understood by the ignorant and unstable mindes So we might say of the plainest book that ever was written of Logick that t is obscure because a fresh man doth not understand it It is no prejudice to the cleernesse and perspicuity of the Declaration that there be some things in it which are hard to be conceived by some men at some times We doe not account the prophecy of Esay touching Christ which the Eunuch read to be a darke and obscure prediction but we know t was cleer and plaine enough though the Eunuch a raw proselyte understood not the meaning of it T is much we cannot be as charitably minded of the Scriptures as we are of other bookes in our ordinary studies wherin when we find some things difficult we can suspect our selves rather than the author when afterward we understand him we doe not censure him of obscurity but blame our owne dulnesse that could not apprehend things plainely enough expressed And me thinkes the Iesuites might be content to give God Almighty leave to write but even as men of greatest understanding do namely to comprise much matter in few words They might know that in such writing and such is the stile of all the Scripture things may be expressed very distinctly and properly which yet cannot â—â—ply be understood at first reading but after some study In which case t were a reasonable thing for our adversaries to perswade the world that the Bible were at least as easie a book as some humane author and that the abundant riches of knowledge in it did by the least deserve as much paines in the search of it as a piece of Aristotle some hard Poet on some intricate crabbed scholasticall discourse of some Iesuite Did they not greatly mistrust the discovery of their owne errors by such an insinuation of Scriptures facility they would never discourage their disciples from them and yet exhort them to the study of many an obscurer author For our selves we have learned better things than to bring God in suspicion with man of envie and fraud as if hee had caused a word to be written for instruction of men which they should not understand and in it had laid a snare to intrappe mens soules in Heresie and false opinions by perverting the Scriptures to their owne perdition No against such calumnies we oppose Christs censure of his owne words for such are the Scriptures Prov. 8. 8 9. All the words of my mouth are in righteousnesse there is nothing froward or perverse in them no danger of Hereticall infection They are all plaine to him that understandeth and right to them that find knowledge nor intricate obscurity that no man can tell what to make on 't Yea we dare avouch that did the simplest of people use but halfe that diligence that they ought in attaining Christian knowledge and would take but as much paines to understand the Scripture as they doe of the Evidences of their Landâ— or the Statute booke or such like experience would quickly tell them that the Scriptures are not so farre above the reach of their understandings as now generally all men
admiration to themselves for being the only oracles of Religion that so they may beare rule over the peoples faith Or else the god of this world hath blinded these Leaders eies and they not willing to goe to hell alone put out also the eyes of the people to the end they may not know more than themselves or all that themselves doe and so their knavery be discovered For us let us detest a doctrine so contrary to the profession of Christianity that takes away all care and study after godly knowledge and makes way for the entrance of Heresies Profanenesse and Irreligion nor rest we in our seach after divine things till wee bee able to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2. Tim. 1. 12. and with the true worshippers of God Wee worship that which wee know Ioh. 4. 22. Hitherto of the First Part proposed to bee handled in the Definition of Faith generally taken namely the Obiect of it which are all Reuelations of what kind soeuer made by God vnto the Creature We come vnto the Second point namely the Subiect in which this Quality of Faith is inherent which in the Definition was expressed to be the Reasonable Creature Within which Latitude wee comprise all created vnderstanding whether of men or of Angels Of liuing men there is no Question not of the best of men that euer were Adam in his innocency and Christ. That Adam had Faith it cannot be doubted by any who knowes that the cause of his fall was his not perseuering in a firme beliefe of that threatning In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die When his ascent to the truth of this reuelation once tottered Satan presently closes in vpon him and so plyes him vpon the aduantage that he leaues him not till he had laid the Happinesse and Honour of that glorious creature in the dust For the Humanity of Christ what was in innocent Adam was also in him as is apparant by those Prayers and Supplications which in the dayes of his flesh he offered vp with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Heb. 5. 7. and that complaint vpon the Crosse in his greatest agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mat. 27. 46. Those prayers were made in Faith and so Hee was heard in that which hee feared nor was his complaint though very pitiful and fetcht from the lowest depth of Misery without much strength of Faith whilst yet he cals him his God whom for the present hee found his enemy Moreouer though Christ as the Son of man was ignorant of the time of the end of the world yet no question but he did perfectly belieue the Article of the last iudgement Touching Angels wee haue S. Iames testimony of the euill Spirits Iam. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They belieue that those chaines of darknesse in which they are now imprisoned shall bee euerlasting and that they shall bee made much heauier vpon them by a multiplication of their torments in the iudgement of that great Day as Iude speaketh Iude 6. This they belieue with such horror besides a world of other particulars which by reuelation of Scripture they know will fall out For there is no doubt but the diuels though they tempt men to vnbeliefe yet doe themselues belieue the truth of the Scriptures which they know well enough to bee of God Their rage and malice against them proues it euidently For the blessed Angels we cannot deny vnto them nothing what wee grant vnto the accursed but as their knowledge of many things is more cleare and exact then it is in the Diuels so is their faith vnto others much more firme and resolued Whence though they know not the day and houre of the end of the world Mar. 13. 32. yet they belieue it with ioy expecting the augmentation of their owne happinesse by accesse of the Churches accomplished glory Nor doe the Spirits of iust men who liued by Faith in this life vtterly cease to liue by Faith after their translation into heauen for euen when they are there they yet still belieue many things both past and to come as the resurrection of their bodies euerlasting life c. And that prayer which the Saints in heauen make for auengment of their bloud-shed vpon the Earth How long Lord Holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Reu. 6. 10. is certainely a prayer made in Faith Wherefore you see that euery part of the world hath faith in it Faith on earth Faith in heauen and Faith in Hell too Whereas there is Created Reason there also there is Faith The reason is this because Perfect Vision only takes away all Faith and where all things that may be knowne are euidently seene and looked vpon being comprehended in their proper nature there is no faith at all But now there is no Created Intellectuall Nature but it may vnderstand more by reuelation then it can comprehend Intuitiuè by beholding the thing it selfe And therefore all Future things which doe nor naturally depend vpon necessary causes cannot be knowne vnto the Angels themselues but onely by reuelation from God Whence the Apostle Peter speaking of the mystery of mans redemption by Christ 1 Peter 1. 11. affirmeth that euen the Angels were greatly desirous to behold that wonderfull mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoâ—pe downe and looke into it as wee doe into darke and obscure places For such was the mystery of the Gospell euen secret and hidden from the knowledge of Angels till God by reuealing it vnto the Church made it knowne also vnto them as the Apostle shewes Eph. 3. 10. In like sort for matters of Fact long agoe past euen the Saints in heauen haue no euident knowledge by Uision but onely by reuelation they must still belieue the stories of the Bible know them they cannot by sight vnlesse we should belieue that vaine opinion De Speculo Trinitatiâ— that the Saints beholding the face of God doe as in a glasse behold in Sin all things present to their view which is iustly reiected by the learned as an impossible thing Wee dare not be curious in these things pressing too farre into those matters which wee haue not seene thus much wee may with reason affirme that God alone is without all beliefe whatsoeuer because hee onely is Perfect in knowledge most distinctly comprehending at once all things past present and to come calling the things that are not as if they were in whose sight all things are manifest yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 13. stripped starke naked and presented to his view in their proper shapes Only such an absolute infinite knowledge takes away all Faith in any kinde whatsoeuer As for the creature it knowes but in part and therefore it mâ—st in part bee alwaies bound to belieue whatsoeuer the creator shall reueale vnto it Thus in the generall you see that
tho Reasonable Creature is the Subiectum quod of Faith but we may yet more particularly enquire of the Subiectum quo in which Facultie of the Reasonable Creature Faith is resident In euerie Intellectuall nature there are vsually made two Distinct Faculties First The Vnderstanding Secondly The Will The Obiect of that is Truth The Obiect of this Goodnesse Now then Faith being an assent to the Truth and Goodnesse of Diuine reuelations we must see in which of those Faculties it is resident or whether in both Our Aduersaries teach that the Assent of Faith is an act of the Vnderstanding onely not of the Will This opinion we reiect as erroneous because Diuine Reuelations are essentially as Good as they be true nor hath their truth any prerogatiue aboue their goodnesse and so Faith is giuen but by halues vnto one part of the Obiect where there is not as well an Election and Approbation of the Goodnesse of it by the Will as an ascent to the truth of it in the Vnderstanding Wherefore we affirme that this Assent of Faith is an act of the Vnderstanding and of the Will both together approuing and allowing the truth and goodnesse of all Diuine things In which assertion you are to note that we doe not make the Habit of Faith to be inherent in two diuers subiects nor this act of Assent to come from two diuers Principles or two seuerall Faculties of the mind but we affirme the subiect is but one and the same namely the intellectuall Nature For I take it with diuers of the Learned yet as they doe vnder correction of the more Learned that those Speculations about the reall distinction of Faculties in such Spirituall Substances as are the Angels and soules of men are but meere subtleties of the Schoole without any true ground in natuâ—e it selfe He that shall in an vnpartiall search after Truth and Full Satisfaction thoroughly examine the same Distinction of Faculties in the Sencitiue Soule that the Common Sence Phantasie and Memory are three powers of it really distinct as in Nature so in place let him but examine the weakenesse of the ground of this distinction and the inexplicable difficulties that doe accompanie it he shall find vpon study of the point that it is no Heresie in Philosophy to hold that our grand Master hath herein affirmed more then will be euer vnderstood or thoroughly iustified by any of his Disciples As in these materiall Formes so much more in those Spirituall Essences Faculties haue beene multiplyed beyond necessitie and that thought to be done by more that may be performed by fewer helpes Our Sences haue in this case deceiued our Reason and because we find in Compounded bodyes diuers actions and motions to flow from diuers qualities we haue therefore imagined that in Simple Spirituall Substances the case must be alike and there is no remedy but we must Vnderstand by one Facultie Will or Nill by another Remember by a third Whereas all these seuerall actions flow immediately from the liuely and actiue essence of such a Spirituall Substance without any such distinct faculties that need come betweene the Agent and the Action For our purpose it appeares that the Vnderstanding and Will are not distinct Faculties that haue distinct actions Thus First The Vnderstanding essentially includes the Will For the Vnderstanding hath a naturall inclmation to Truth as the Will hath to Goodnesse It abhors Falshood as that doth Euill This desire and loue of Truth is 〈◊〉 this refusall and hatred of Falshood is Nolitio and so Velle and Nolle are actions euen of the Vnderstanding too and this proposition Intellectus vulirerum non 〈◊〉 salsum is most true and proper Secondly The Will essentially includes the Vnderstanding For to will or nill any thing good onâ—uill is an action either of knowledge or of ignorance If of ignorance then the Will in reasonable nature shall be an vnreasonable Facultie which is blindly carried to the embracing or refusing of that which it selfe knowes not at all but only it is knowne to another facultie the Vnderstanding But this were an absurd imagination to make the Will Facultatem non-intelligentem and to appropriate vnto it such a motion as is destitute of knowledge like a blind man that is led by the seeing he knowes not whither So should the Doctrine of Free-will in any kind whatsoeuer fall to the ground For how is the Will free but because it may choose this or that How can it make choyce vnlesse it doe also vnderstand campare aduise and deliberate about the nature and consequences of things offered vnto its choyce Wherefore it is manifest that Intelligere and Iudicare are actions belonging vnto the Will also and that this proposition Voluntas intelligit bonum aut malum is true and proper Thus in regard of the actions Valends and Intelligendi we haue no reason to make a distinction of Faculties where the actions are common and indifferently agree to each of them If one facultie can doe both what reason is there to make two And if the Philosopher be in the right denying a distinct facultie for the Memorie in the reasonable soule because the Vnderstanding sufficeth to that for as much as eiusdem est seruare Habitus â—â—s vti we haue the same reason to hold the Vnderstanding and Will to be no distinct Faculties seeing eiusdem est intelligere velle Thirdly The Obiect of the Vnderstanding and Will are one and the same For Truth and Goodnesse are essencially the same thing In Naturall things it is most plaine that their Truth and Goodnesse is all one Their goodnesse is nothing but the Truth of their Being in their perfect conformitie to Gods vnderstanding and will when their Essence and Qualities are perfectly the same which they had by their creation When the Creature is as it was made then it is both True and Good so farre as any part of truth is lost so much of goodnesse is gone And this appeares by the contrarie Malum and â—alsum in the creature opposed to this naturall goodnesse and truth of it are both but one thing namely any Defect or Excesse in the parts or degrees of their Essenâ—e and Qualities otherwise then according to the Truth of their Creation Such defects and excesses we call Errors Vntruths and Euils in nature So that if we consider Truth and Goodnesse in the nature of things themselues it is not possible to make any reall distinction between them What things are in our opinion it matters not much Our conceit we haue of them makes them not either true or good Nor is gold and precious stones any iot the better or worse because ciuill nations haue them in greatest account or Tartars and other Sauadges despise them as toyes and vnnecessarie to mans life Where the Essence of any thing is entire and perfect there is Truth and goodnesse though all thinke nothing or thinke otherwise of it And let vs thinke as long as we
hath the generall custome and consent of the times and Church wherein wee live whereby men are they know not how nor upon what firme grounds drawne to beleeve those things which they see others hold and maintaine fortruth Lastly 3. Some extraordinary worke or event confirming the truth of Religion So did Miracles in the time of Christ and his Apostles perswade many to beleeve who were notwithstanding farre from being true beleevers as Ioh. 2. 23. Many beleeved in his name when they saw the miracles which hee did but t was not good crediting of them that beleeved only upon miracles therefore Christ would not commit himselfe to them ver 24. And thus the Magitian when he saw the signes and great wonders which were done by the Apostles he beleeved and wondred when yet his heart was not right in the sight of God Act. 8. 13. 21. By these and the like meanes is this imperfect and generall kinde of Faith wrought in men destitute of all inward grace and holinesse Such motives as these cause this assent but there is no Internum principium no roote in themselves as our Saviour speakes Mat. 13. 21. whence this beliefe springeth no thorough sanctification of the soule conforming all the powers thereof unto the puritie and holinesse of divine things and inclining the affections to a constant embracing thereof These men like Religion well and commend it as men doe costly Iewells set forth to sale but when it comes to the point that this Good Pearle of great price is to be bought then if God will let them have it at their owne rates there 's a match made they 'le beleeve and be religious if God withall will spare them the use of some sinnes and pleasures they love well but if it must be purchased at Gods price with the sale of all that they have they are no merchants for such a hard bargaine with the yongue man they shrinke away sorrowfull that heaven cannot be had at a cheaper rate Thus when it comes to the proofe in particular application and practice this kinde of faith vanisheth away and comes to just nothing Thus you have the explication of this first degree of Faith withall you see that this faith falls greatly short of that perfection which is required unto that saith which is saving and justifying Neverthelesse our Adversaries of the Romish Church maintaine that this assent is that justifying Faith whereof the Scriptures speake Their opinion touching this point is sufficiently declared by Becanus who followes the rest of that rabble Hee Theol. Schol. Tom. 3. cap. 8. q. 1. disputing of the act of justifying Faith rejects the Lutherans opinion who place Faith in the will and make it to be Fiduciam de misericordia Dei propter Christum and saith that the doctrine of the Catholikes is this that faith belongs to the understanding and is nothing else but Credere sive assentiri eis quae à Deo revelata sunt Thence hee setteth downe this Conclusion § 6. Actus fidei consistit in assensu quo quis assentitur alicui propositioni à Deo revelatae propter authoritatem revelantis In this definition there are two parts 1. the Object of this assent Propositions revealed by God 2. The essentiall difference of this act taken à formaliratione credendi and that is to beleeve propter authoritatem revelantis By this saith Becanus Cap. 8. q. 2. § 2. assensus fidei constituitur in sua specie essentiall that is the assent of Faith is made supernaturall and justifying when wee beleeve things because God hath revealed them for saith he if articles of faith be beleeved upon other motives as upon mans authority c. then this assent of faith is naturall as in Heritickes and Divells So then according to Popish doctrine that faith which justifies us is nothing but a bare assent of the minde to such things as God reveales because of Gods authority that revealed them Than which explication of the nature of justifying faith nothing can be poorer and more below the majestie of so high a grace as faith is I will trouble you but with two reasons proving that this kinde of assent is not that faith whereby wee are justified 1. The act of justifying faith must needs be supernaturall such as cannot bee done without the aide of speciall grace of Gods spirit But unto this assent there is required no such speciall grace therefore it is not an act of justifying faith The Major is evident and granted by the Schooleman Cap. 8. 4. 4. that something there is in faith above nature requiring a supernaturall cause whereto the Scriptures plainely inforce him Eph. 2. 8. By grace yee are saved thorough Faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you it is given for Christ that not only yee should beleeve in him but also suffer for his sake So Ioh. 6. 45. Wherefore § 3. he teacheth that this act of assent must be supernaturall partly in regard of the Object id est divine revelations and partly in regard of the principium or cause by which it is produced id est non per solas naturae vires sed per auxilium gratiae Wee agree then in the Proposition For the assumption That there needes not any speciall grace of the Spirit to worke this bare assent unto the truth of divine revelations this wee prove out of the same Schoolemens doctrine who teach that the Vnderstanding assents not unlesse the Will command it because say they the act of beleeving is absolutely in our treewill Cap 8. q. 5. Well be it so But now say wee the Will may without the helpe of grace command the assent of the Vnderstanding which wee prove thus Whatsoever the Vnderstanding by the only light of Nature judges to be honest that the Will can desire by the only strength of nature But by the only light of Nature the Vnderstanding judges that it is an honest thing to beleeve Gods authority revealing any thing to us therefore the Will by the only strength of Nature may desire this act of beleeving and so consequently there 's no need of Grace to move the Will to command the Vnderstanding T is Becanus owne argument against himselfe cap. 8. q. 5. § 9. Whereto he would faine giue an answer if hee could tell how Something he sayes to that Minor proposition whereof he thus distinguisheth The Vnderstanding by the only light of Nature judges it a thing honest to beleeve Gods authority when hee reveales any thing Via ac modo naturali not when he reveales any thing Via ac modo supernaturali Beleeve it a rare distinction and full of mystery Divine Revelations are of two sorts supernaturall and naturall Againe when God reveales his will to us by naturall meanes then the very light of Nature teacheth us that 't is honest to beleeve his authority But if hee reveale things to us by supernaturall meanes the light of nature
Atheisticall to denie his truth or strangely subtle to shift it off from it selfe when t is pressed with it in particular But when the spirit of Grace hath overshadowed the soule sanctifying all the powers thereof throughout t is admirable to see how it stoopes to the command of the Word There is then a singular harmony betweene the holinesse of the Will and of the Word this food of spirituall life relisheth as sweet and savoury unto the soule as milke to Infants or strong meat to able and healthy men Regeneration hath restored health unto the soule whereby it hath recovered a true taste of the Lords bounty and goodnesse whence followes a constant appetite thereunto asmuch as unto corporall nourishment as the Apostle argues 1 Pet. 2. 1. 2. 3. Hence the soule begins to conceive a high esteeme of the dignity of the Word it sees now nothing so reasonable excellent as the wisedome thereof it beholds nothing â—o terrible as Gods threats nothing so lovely as his favour it sees no ornament of the soule comparable to Grace no pleasure like unto the peace of Conscience it comprehends an end of all other perfection but the further it lookes into Gods law the deeper wonders it discernes it lookes upon the world and reades Vanity in all the things thereof and strange folly in mens desires of them and now it counts no preferment any whit comparable to the hope of heaven it hath now Reall apprehensions of Divine things and conceives of Religion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as of a Worke to be done not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as a businesse to bee discours'd and talked of it judges now that there is an absolute necessity of obeying God though all the world bee displeased and that the regard of saving a mans soule must thrust out of the way all importunate pleasures and profits that would presse in upon us Being thus illightened and inwardly touched by the finger of God the soule presently puts it wholly upon the certainty and excellency of Gods truth revealed it stretcheth forth the armes of her strongest confidence affiance unto every branch of the Scriptures embracing absolutely and without all limitation the truth goodnesse power and wisedome of God shining therein it beleeves what it knowes and as it can where t is ignorant it prayes for knowledge where weake it sues for strength and increase of faith where stubborne it offers it selfe unto God to bee bowed or broken if he please counting it now a happy thing to be crossed in sinne to bee met with at every by-turning with some reproofe or chastisement let him chide or strike it falls downe at his feet and without quarrelling disputing and arguing the case takes all with a Benedictus Dominus c. Blessed be the Lord and blessed bee his Ministers and blessed be their counsell who have kept me from committing this sinne against the Lord. When thus the heart is softened and sanctified then and not before is wrought that habituall Grace and blessed disposition of the will which we call true Faith whereby the Creature is willing to resigne up its understanding desires affections thoughts words workes and all to the disposing of his Creator in such a sort as by his revealed Will hee hath or shall make known beleeving certainly that in every thing t is best to follow his counsell This for cause of true Faith next followes 2. The Object of this particular Faith which is twofold 1. The whole Will of God revealed unto us in his Word containing all Histories Doctrines Commands Threatnings Promises of what kind soever 2. The particular Promise of Remission of sinnes and Everlasting Life by the death of Christ which in one word we call the Gospell It is needfull thus to distinguish of the object of Faith because although it be but one and the same infused grace of true Faith which respects both forasmuch as by the same sacred Habite of the soule we are inclined to beleeve both the whole and each part of Gods will be it in it selfe more or lesse excellent or more or lesse needfull to us neverthelesse Faith as it hath reference to these Objects The whole Will of God and The particular Promise of the Gospell admitteth of divers considerations names and uses Faith as it assents to the whole Will of God in what kind soever I call Legall because it is such a Vertue as is immediately required by the Morall Law in the same manner as other duties of the Morall Law are Forasmuch as all men are bound by the Law of their creation to give full assent and affiance to all things whatsoever God shall reveale unto them And as all other Morall dueties are required of us in their degrees as parts of our outward obedience and inward sanctity necessary to salvation so is this of Faith commanded as 〈◊〉 principall grace of the soule and a prime part of our obedience to the first Commandement And so Faith in this respect may bee called Saving namely as all other Graces are because required in their measure as needfull to Salvation Faith as it assents unto the speciall promise of grace I call Evangelicall because it is such an Act as is expressely commanded in the Gospell the object thereof being not revealed by the Morall Law It is called also properly Saving and Iustifying in regard of the use it now hath through Gods gracious appointment to be the onely instrument of our Iustification and Salvation by Christ. In which distinction between Legal Evangelicall Faith we must not conceive of two distinct Habits of Faith it is but one gracious quality of the soule disposing it to the beliefe of all divine truth which for the substance of it was the same in innocent Adam with that which is in regenerate men The difference stands onely herein 1. In the Degrees Adams Faith was perfect because his understanding was fully inlightened and his affections absolutely conformable to all holinesse Wee know but little and by reason of our inward weaknesse beleeve but weakly what we doe know 2. In the Originall in Adam it was naturall by creation in us t is supernaturall from the holy Ghosts infusion 3. In the particular Object Adam beleeved God without reference to Christ the Mediatour wee beleeve chiefly the promise of Grace in Christ and all other things with some relation to him Here then is no new Faith but a New object of Faith not revealed unto Adam whereto our Faith is now directed and here 's also a singular priviledge newly granted unto Faith that God accepteth it to our Iustification in his sight Otherwise if wee looke unto the grace it selfe as it was in Adam a part of Gods Image given him by creation and is in us a part of the same Image restored by regeneration so there 's no difference at all and therefore in that question whether Iustifying Faith bee commanded in the Morall Law there needs no great dispute t is manifest that
the temper and disposition of this mans soule bring but the word of God unto it and you shall see it presently Lay upon these sinnes the censure of the Word in a faire ingenuous and direct reproofe without scossing and bitter gybing presse it upon the conscience once and againe lovingly and sharpely and see now what strange entertainment Gods word shall finde at such a mans hands The blood begins to be warm'd with wrath and choler the stomacke riseth and the gall of unchristian malice overslowes the conscience and powers of the soule are of purpose turmoyld that the water being troubled their owne image may not appeare in it the head is presently imployed in all cunning tricks and distinctions to avoide the stroke of the Word the tongue is ready with an apologie to defend it and if the hand hold from violence t is well Now whence is all this frowardnesse Hence because the heart is resolved let God say what hee will yet in this point not to beleeve that it is better to follow his counsell than our owne desire In which case t is strange to see with what rage and unmercifull fury the Prophets of old Christ and his Apostles in their times were persecuted by those to whom they preached in all meekenesse and demonstration of good will towards their soules The like fiery opposition have the Ministers of the Gospell and faithfull Preachers of Christ crucisied found ever since at the hands of their people when once they have beene touched where they would not bee medled withall Straightway a whole Parish will be in an uproare durt and scorne is hurld in the face of the Minister and his doctrine all froward courses taken to worke him woe and shame and all this done by those that wil yet be counted obedient and beleeving Christians But are they so indeed they doe not deserve so much as the name A Faith indeed they have but not that which is true and rightly planted For know this that True Faith and a constant wilfull refusall to be guided by God in any one particular whether the doing of a duety or leaving of a sinne are as incompetible as Christ and Bâ—â—â—al For aske a man that is thus partiall in his courses You say you firmly beleeve the promises of the life to come that God will pardon your sinnes and save your soule why do you not as firmly beleeve the promises of this life but are altogether caring and distrustfull in your affaires You beleeve verily that God is offended with murder adultery c. and therefore you leave them why doe you not beleeve also that hee is as much angry at swearing lying drinking and such like disorders You beleeve God hath forbidden stealing and you are perswaded t is nought why doe you not beleeve that usury bribery or idlenesse in a mans calling are as bad being as much forbidden You beleeve that t is a good thing to seeke unto God in time of adversity and when a man 's old sick and now neer unto death then to pray fast do all good works and live religiously is excellent why doe you not beleeve that the same courses of Piety and Holinesse are as acceptable to God as much required of us in time of health youth and prosperity sâ—â—ing God hath equally commanded them at all tiâ—… Aske a thousand such questions he connot answer you to onâ— For is it from a through consideration of Gods tâ—uth wisâ—â—ome power revealed in the Word that he is moved to beleeve such and such things If that were the cause why doth hee not equally beleeve all when Gods authority is the same in all Is it from true love to God and Goodnesse that he is content to be ruled in such things If that were the cause t is certaine he that loves goodnesse for its owne sake would love all things that are good and love alwayes in a good matter as the Apostle speakes What is it then I le answer for him t is that which the Apostle speakes of Heb. 3. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evill heart full of unbeleefe that having embraced certaine truths not prejudiciall to it selfe upon vaine and worldly considerations in others slips the collar and departs away from the living God refusing to accept of his counsell The truth of this is most certaine from that excellent rule of S. Iames Chap. 2. 10. 11. Whosoever shall keepe the whole Law and yet faileth in one point he is guilty of all For he that said Thou shalt not commit adultery said also thou shalt not kill Now though thou doest none adultery yet if thou killest thou art a transgressor of the Law What is it equall that he who transgresseth the Law in one point should be held guilty of the breach of all the Commandements Yea it is most equall and just for Gods Soveraigne Commandement is the same in all Hee therefore that for conscience sake obeyes in one will obey in all Hee that breaks one wilfully and customarily keepes none at all for conscience sake and if all things hit aright he will be as ready to transgresse in the rest as in that one Wherefore God judgeth him according to the disposition of his heart that he is a transgressour of the whole Law So in our obedience of â—aith Gods truth is the same in every part of his Word he that hath spoken this he hath spoken that also he therefore that upon right grounds beleeves in one point will for the same beleeve in another if Gods authority cannot prevaile with him in one that is not the motive which makes him assent to others and therefore if occasion serve such a one will dissent alike from all according to which Habituall disposition of the soule he is rightly to be judged an Vnbeleever He that rejects Gods command in one thing doth not much regard it in any thing hee that willingly slights Gods authority and truth in this point makes as little account of it in another You have now here my brethren opened unto you that Master-veine wherein runnes all that corrupt bloud of Hypocrisie and secret Infidelity wherewith the greatest part of men professing Christianity are infected This is that bitter roote of mens Apostasie and back-sliding from Piety to profannes or from a true Religion to a false Even this partiall and ill directed Faith is that which one justly calls the greatest part of the Divells Iudiciall Astrology whereby he prognosticateth the downfall of many who yet seem Saints in the Church zealous professors of Religion Oh when he sees a man take a dispensation without asking God leave craving pardon with a God be mercifull unto me in this and so standing out in this or that knowne evill practice he now knowes what to judge of such a man he sees a prey within the reach of his snares which thereupon he sets so artificially fitting his temptations to his humors till in the end he catch his heele in the grin
8. 28 30 Gal. 1. 15. Whether may the childe of such a one bee baptized yes because the Wife may be a true Christian and one party makes the children holy But what if both should so sinne Then the childe borne of them is to be baptized as other Insidells at years of discretion and to be held in the same ranke as the children of Christians that turne Turkes And therefore some of the Ancients did erroneously give the Supper to Infants Luc. 17. Zach. 10. 8. Ioh. 10. 3. 4. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Holinesse Quest 1. Exod. 31. 3. 35. 31. * As de Coelo l 1. c. 10. De Mundo cap. 11. 12. Physic. l. 8. De nat Deor. lib. 1. 1. Mat. 16. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 21. 2. 6. seq 1 Pet. 1. 12. 2. 3. * As Bellar. absurdly holds Lib. 1. de missa cap. 20. Mat. 6. Deut. 6. 25. 1 Tim. 1. 5. * This opinion of Arminians of the bestowing of grace vpon the well using of Nature is in effect but the doctrine of Popish preparatory merits of Congruity preceding the gift of grace Both contrary to that of the Apostle 〈◊〉 Tim. 1. 9. 〈◊〉 Quest. And so Adam had Sufficient strength to stand because it would have upheld him being assaulled if he had then made use of it as hee should But that he did not 〈◊〉 2. * And so in Adam who was endued with all inward abilities to doe whatsoever God should command there needed nothing else but the declaration of his Will and Adam could presently obey But in us that want such strength there is required by such a proposall of Gods will another worke of the Spirit giving us power to doe it Iam. 1. 18. Luk. 7. Eph. 3. 7. Coll. 1. 29. Nil obstat quominus dicitur vel sola Dei meralis suasio bomines animales reddere spiritueles saith Grevine cont Aâ—â—es pag. 297. * Namely that acknowledging of the truth which is according unto godlinesse Tit. 1. 1. So Eliah to Elisha What have I done unto thee viz. that thou shouldest be so eager to follow mee He cast on his Mantle said nothing and went his way The Counsell of a Friend and the perswasion of God Qualis unusquisque est 〈◊〉 is â—â—â—is â—idetur Rom. 8 7. a Like places are Ioâ— 2. 1. 13. Esa. 63. 10. 1 Tim. 3 8. Gen. 6. 3. b Mat. 10. 24. c As their fathers had done Esa. 6. 9. 63. 10. d For these were uncercumcised in heart eare id est unregenerate Such are 2 Cor. 5. 2. and 6. 1. Gal. 1. 6. Revel 3. 20. In Act. Synod Dord Sentâ—â— Britan. Theol. de 3. 4. Artic He is excusable for rejecting that which is offered him to that very end that he should reject it not that he should receive it See Som. 7. 10 11 12 13. Luk. 〈◊〉 16. 1 Cor. 3. 5. 6. 5. 10. Ioh. 5. 25. 1 Thes. 2. 13. Eph. 4. 20. seq 3. Question Contra Bogerman p. 363. Contra Tilen P. 337. Episcop disp de Perspic Scripturâ— Arnold contra 〈◊〉 307. a Rev. 3. 17. 18. b Eph. 5. 8. c Ioâ— 1. 5. d 1 Cor. 2. 14. Psal. 119. Eph. 1. 17 18. This their opinion is plain as by other so by those words of theirs in their Defence of the 4. article pa. 164. whereunto our Divines proving a defect and inward disabilitie in mans understanding out of these Scriptures that tells us we are Blinde and Darknesse c. they answer that these Metaphors resolved into their proper sense note unto vs Nihil aliud quà m â—…egenitos rerum 〈◊〉 â—arum voluntatis salutiserae ignaros nasâ—ios â—uisse aâ— proinde â—tiam à dei timore 〈◊〉 At ex hoc aliud nihil concludâ— potest quà m â—os indigere Clarâ vâ—ritatis propositione ut scientiam co 〈◊〉 See alâ—o p. 168. 169. Rom. 7. c Ioh. 14. 17. d Mat. 56. e Psal. f 1 Ioh. 4. 7. g Gal. 5. 23. Col. 3. 12. Mat. 11. 25. h Zach. 12. 10. Rom. 8. 26. i Act. 11. 23. Actum fidei conversionis Deus primò rigide ab homine erigâ—â— ad salutem obtinendam poenam â—â—â—dendâ—m Defens sent â—em circa 4. Artâ—c pag 154. 155. Even in sleepe there is peace of Conscience in the godly and that is a fruit of Faiâ—… Prov. 3. 24. 25 2â— * Act. Script Synod Remonst in declarat sentent de 3. 4. Art pag. 12. 1. Tim. 1. 〈◊〉 Corrected us as an untamed Heyfer â—â—r 31. â—8 * Dâ—… Sâ—â—t â—em de 3. 4. â—rt p. 10. * Prov. 1. 24. seq 9. Chron. â—4 2â— a Ier. 6. 16. 17 b Iob â—1 14. c â—sa 65. 2. Rom. 10. â—lt d Prov. 1. 24. e Ezek. 12. 2. Act. 28. 27. f Act. 7. 51. g Esa. 63. 10. h Mat. 23. 27. i Ioh. 5. 34. 40. k Psal. 58. 5. Act. 13. 46. a 〈◊〉 Cor. 6. 1. b Mat. â—5 25. 28. c Mat. 13. 19. seq d Heb. 6. 4. seq e 〈◊〉 Pet. 2. 21. See the defense of the Remonstrants opinion about the 4. Article exhibited in the Synod in the acts of the Synod printed by the Remonstrants Rev. 3. 17. Ad Simplie l. 1. quest 2. Psal. 119. Marc. 14. 38. Rom. 8. 5. Rom. 7. 21. 2 Cor. 3. 17. a 2 Thes 5. 19 b Eph. 4. 30. c Heb. 3. 12. d Psal. 107. 11 Est enim quaedam necessitas voluntaria as Moulin truely Anat. Armin. * Heb. 12. 23. 2. Generall Vid. Scot. sent l. 3. dist 24. quaest unica Segnius irritant animum demissa per aures quà m quae sunt oculis subjecta fidelibus Is true only in comparing of writing and speaking about abstract matters Or let a grouÌ„ded Scholler compare the conceits of things he hath now by his owne reason with those which had he being a novice c. Cognitie 1. Abstractiva 〈◊〉 evacuat sidem 2. Intuitiva evacuat Scot. ubi supra * The cause is because there is a possibility that the wisest and honestest men may deceive vs or be deceived Every created understanding is â—…lis and therfore binds not oâ—â— assent a T is an erroneous curiositie to make Fiducia a consequent of Fides and to say Therefore I trust a man because I beleeve the truth of his promise that he will do what he sayes there can bee no good construction of such a saying for t is as much as this I trust him because I trust him or if the meaning be thus I beleeve the trust of his promise therefore I trust vpon it id est I seeke not to any other meanes for obtaining the good promised but only his promise then Fiducia shall be the not seeking to other meanes but this is false for not to seeke to other meanes is a consequent of trust reposed in the promise For where there is a continued Act of beleeving or trusting to the Certaintie of performance there the minde doth acquiescere rest it selfe in the promise which acquiescentia is the not seeking and moving after further meanes to helpe it selfe b In Threatnings the matter is the same mutatis mutandis Our Belief of them too is more then a generall assent but it wants a name something t is proportionable to Fiduria in promises but the effects are divers for Fiducia in promises breed joy and hope but a firme assent to the certaine accomplishment of Threatnings breeds feare and despaire if they be unavoydable if avoydable vigilancy to escape them a Num. 24. 2. b Vers. 3. 4. c 2. Pet. 3. 21. d Num 24. 13. I cannot pasâ— the commandement of the L. c. * The reason is because every created understanding is evidently convinced of this That God can tell no lie * Thus prophesie and gift of miracles are joyned together Mat. 7. 〈◊〉 Iob 12. The booke of Canticles which treats of that spirituall and heavenly fellowship the sanctified soule hath with Christ cannot be throughly understood in the true life of it but by those that are sanctified Laert. in Socrat Tom. 3. cap. 8. quaest 1. §. 10. 〈◊〉 2. Cor. 3. 〈◊〉 Fides non habes meritam ubi ratio habet experimentum Psaâ— 77. Iohn 20. * Marc. 16. 22. This shall not come to thee Mat. 17. 23. They shall kill him c. and they were very sorry Ioh. 20. 9. They kâ—ew not the Scriptures that he must rise from the dead Act. 1. 6. Marc. 9. 31. â—2 about Christs temporall kingdome Act. 10. 14. 1â— 34. of the calling of the Gentiles Mat. 13. 3â— â—ain Idol l. 1. 〈◊〉 7. §. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 6. 〈◊〉 12 § 31. 1 King 21. 38. Luk. 24. 25. O soules and flow of heart to â—elieue all the Prophets hauâ— spoken 〈◊〉 6. â—0 1 Pet. 2. 10. 11. a Tom. 3. â—…l School cap. 8. q. 8. Quoâ—odo resoluating 〈◊〉 siâ—e Ibid. Num. 7. 1 Iob. 2. 27. of the â—noâ—uting Luk. 24. 45. What can he answer but this I know it because I see it To demand a reason of bence it absued Col. 1. 23. Dâ— Gub. lib. 5. â—sa 5. 11. c. Ioh 39. 29. Iames 〈◊〉 Drusillam a priore eius marito Azizo Emiseuorum rege bland ti 's abduxerat Ioseph Antiq. lib. 20. cap. 5. Matt. 13. 45. 46 * Ibid. 5. 5. * Cap. 8. q. 2. §. 2. Bellar. de Iustific l. 1. c. 15. * Polan Synta l. 1. c. 32. Iob 5. 27. 2 Reg. 17. 41. Ezâ— 4. 2. a Ioh. 1. 12. Rom. 10. 14. b Rom. 4. 5. Act. 16. 31. c Eph. 1. 12.
at all or Nothing else but that Habituall Faith which wee maintaine to be given us as a principall part of our regeneration These mistakings of the Nature of our Conversion hath utterly confounded our Adversaries in their opinions and writings about this point They speake of Sufficiency of Grace to produce the acts and operations of Faith and other vertues when the Question is meant of the Sufficiencie of Grace in producing the Habit of all Inherent Holinesse Now as in the former example of the sicke man it is one thing to enquire whether the Health and strength Christ gave him was sufficient to cause him to walk another thing to demand what vertue of Christ was sufficient to give him that health and strength so in this case t is one thing to aske whether the grace of Spirituall health or Sanctification be sufficient for the producing of the actions of a Sanctified man another thing to aske what grace is sufficient to worke in the soule the grace of Sanctification it selfe Wherefore in this matter we affirme that as Health when it is in a man is sufficient to every Naturall action though alwaies it be not effectuall because wee make not use of our strength at all times but to worke Health in a sicke man no vertue is sufficient but that onely which being applied proves effectuall to restore it So where Sanctification is it is alwaies sufficient to every gracious action if it be duely exercised thereabouts but may sometime bee ineffectuall through our default in not applying it aright but now to worke Sanctification in the heart that hath it not there is no other gift whatsoever sufficient but the onely vertue and power of the Holy Ghost the immortall seede of our Regeneration and wheresoever this onely and all-sufficient vertue worketh in the heart of any man there it is alwayes infallibly effectuall To dreame of any other inherent quality in the soule given to man as sufficient to Sanctifie the soule and yet after t is given ineffectuall to performe it is a fancy never thought of till of late times wherein mens hearts are strangely embittered in fierce opposition against the glory of Gods free Grace This of the first Conclusion the second followeth and it is this That sufficient grace for Sanctification is not given unto all This is a necessary consectary of the former for seeing Sufficient and Effectuall are all one in this case seeing t is apparant that this grace is not Effectuall in some who are never Sanctified it follows necessarily that such Sufficient grace is not given unto all This were enough to have beene said against this opinion of Sufficiency of Grace given to all within the Church But yet ex abundanti for our better satisfaction I desire your patience and attention in the further examination of this second Conclusion The truth of it will be cleered by considering what the grace is which is given to those that are within the Church Now this grace is twofold 1. The Externall Declaration of Gods will made unto all men in common by the Preaching of the Word the ordinary consequent whereof is Knowledge or Illumination And this is termed our Externall Vocation by the Word 2. The Inward gracious worke and vertue of the Holy Ghost immediately exercised upon the Vnderstanding Will Affections and whole Man The constant effect whereof is Regeneration And this is called our Internall Vocation by the Spirit In the explication of the Nature Distinction and Sufficiency of these two unto the worke of Sanctification consists the further cleering of this troublesome controversie The Orthodoxe sentence which hath beene held touching this matter agreeably to the Scriptures is this There are two things which are ordinarily wrought in men living under the Ministery of the Word 1. Illumination of the Vnderstanding 2. A touch or motion of the Will and Affections These two because they are the fountaine of all Outward actions we onely consider in this businesse letting passe such effects as are visible in mens conversations Now both these are each of them of two different sorts Illumination is either 1. Common and Naturall when a man in hearing or reading conceives the litterall sense and meaning of the Scriptures in most points of Christian Religion so that he is able to discourse dispute and write of them I call this knowledge Common because t is bestowed on reprobates as well as others I call it also Naturall because although the object thereof bee Supernaturall and Divine nor could be knowne but by revelation yet being revealed the manner of apprehending it in such a one is meerely Naturall and Carnall and that light which the Spirit affords to such a one is but some more eminent degree of that common assistance which hee gives to all that seeke after knowledge in any learning for a publicke benefite For the case is plaine enough a learned Schollar unregenerate knowes and studies Divinity in the same manner as he doth any other Art and as in them so in this hee may attaine excellent knowledge by a speciall but no sanctifying gift of the Spirit perfecting his Naturall reason but not making it Spirituall 2. Proper and Spirituall when a man by a singular gift of the Spirit of grace is inabled to judge of Heavenly things in a Spirituall manner according to their truth and goodnesse represented to the understanding in their native beauty and excellency I call this Proper because it belongs onely to the Elect and Spirituall because the Sanctified understanding judgeth of them Spiritually Thus for knowledge next touching the Motions which are wrought in the Will they are likewise double 1. Naturall when upon the understanding of threatnings or promises the Will is touched with some kinde of affections towards those things as they which are naturally hurtfull or beneficiall to it as to love hope desire feare or hate such or such a good or evill thing spoken of in the Word I terme these affections Naturall being proportionable to that first sort of knowledge that bred them For when an unregenerate man shall heare it plainly and amply declared what happinesse belongs to the Saints what comfort is in Gods favour what glory in heaven what horrour in Hell and a bad conscience hee will be easily stirred up with many desires of enjoying the one and escaping the other But this he doth in no other manner than as every man by instinct of Nature will wish and seeke for that good which he knoweth to be proportionable to his nature and also shunne the Contrarie 2. Spirituall when upon the thorough apprehension of all Spirituall Good and Evill known beleeved by Faith the Will is strongly inclined with all Constant and Vehement affections of Love and Hatred earnestly to embrace the one and detest the other above all things else whatsoever How great difference there is betweene these Illuminations and Motions in the regenerate and unregenerate I shall by Gods grace shortly have
In the like manner the Revelations of Scripture are like a cleere well polished glasse free from dust â—lawes crackes or other deformities in them wee may behold all the mysteries of Religion cleerly represented in their shapes and proper colours so farre forth as is needfull for us to see them in this life and when attentively we marke what is shewne unto us wee may take distinct notice of every thing that is to be beleeved by us in all articles of Christian Faith And this knowledge is in it selfe distinct and cleere though compared with that other proper immediate beholding of the things themselves face to face as the Apostle speakes it may justly be termed Darke and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Let one instance make all plaine in Gal. 3. 1. the Apostle saith that Christ was described unto the Galatians 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 before their eyes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being crucified among them Why this was not possible that what was done at Ierusalem on mount Golgatha should bee seene in Galatia many hundred miles from it How then was Christ described and crucified in the sight of these Galatians It was in the cleere and manifest declaration of him by the Apostles preaching Which though it could not make the sufferings of Christ so evident unto the Galatians as they were unto such as stood by the crosse of Christ and saw him suffer yet so cleere and distinct was the representation thereof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the mirrour of the Apostles preaching that the Galatians faith in this case was not an assent to things obscure which they understood not It s one thing then for a matter to be present unto us in it owne nature another for it to be perspicuously plainly set forth in a narration in which latter sense we affirm against the Romanist that all objects of Faith are not Obscure but Evident in those Revelations of them which are made in Scriptures 2. Ex parte Dei Revelantis For non constat nobis clarè evidenter revelationemillam propter quam credimus articulas fidei à Deo factam esse No is it not evident to us that the Scriptures are of God To whom then was it evident to the holy men of God to whom they were first inspired Yes the Iesuite grants that but yet heare his words Num. 12. Prophetae Apostolâ— saith hee habuerunt tantùm evidentiam revelationis non autemevidentiam Primae veritatis Tamet si enim evidenter cognoscerent Deum esse qui ipsis revelabat mysteria fides non tamen evidenter cognoscebant Deum esse summè veracem qui nec falli possit nec fallere Vnde sequitur assensum illorum quem habuerunt circa mysteria fidei fuisse obscurum ejusdem speciei cum assensu fidei nostrae See ye this Iesuite how hee would blow away with one blast all the certainty of Christian faith and so bring the matter about that there shall be no sure footing for it unlesse it be in the authority of the Church and the Popes infallible fancy Revelations of Scripture are not evident to us that they are of God to the Prophets and Apostles they were indeed evidently knowne to bee of God but yet see the mischiefe the Truth of God the Revealer was not evidently knowne unto these holy men nor were they infallibly certaine but that God might and would tell them a lie A foule blasphemy and I know not whether hee doe deserve the name of a Reasonable creature who is not himselfe or thinkes there is any that is not infallibly evidently and most certainly convinced of this truth that God cannot bee deceived himselfe nor will deceive any But touching this point that wee have no such obscure tottering foundation for our faith but a most sure and cleere word full of brightnesse and majesty like light shining into our soules and by it owne characters discovering it owne divine originall of this hereafter more fitly in handling the certainty of Faiths assent Now in the meane time for conclusion of this first point touching the Objects of Faith How farre forth they are Evident or Inevident these two confectaries may be noted out of what hath been said 1. Knowledge by sight takes away Faith that is so far as sight goes but no further for as we said of Beliefe in generall so here Evident Experience of the truth in some things doth helpe our Faith in other Whence t is usuall with the godly to strengthen their faith in the promises for time to come by calling to minde Gods mercies of old and that evident triall of them they have had in time past And Thomas because hee saw the Evident truth of Ghrists Resurrection did more firmely beleeve the rest of the mystery of mans Redemption by him But otherwise in the same things as sight waxeth so Faith waineth the greater light certainty drownes the lesse where Knowledge is perfect the Faith though it remains in the Habit yet it ceaseth in the Act. This is manifest by that opposition which the Apostle makes betweene Faith and Sight 2. Cor. 5. 7. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what this walking by Faith is is plaine Chap. 4. 18. We looke not on the things which are seene but on the things which are not seen for the things which are seene are temporall but the things which are not seene are eternall 2. A distinct explicite knowledge of divine things in the Revelations of them in Scripture is necessary to the being of Christian Faith By explicite knowledge I meane the understanding of the articles of Beliefe so farre forth as they are plainly declared in Scriptures This Historicall knowledge for so we may terme it synecdochicâ—â— of the letter and meaning of the Scriptures in such things as it proposeth to be beleeved is required to the being of Christian Faith as a necessary antecedent thereof For though this knowledge may be where Faith is not yet Faith can never be where this knowledge goes not before Ignorant in this sense and Vnbeleeving are termes reciprocall As perfect knowledge by sight excludes Faith of the thing seene so doth perfect ignorance of any thing destroy all Faith of the same thing I say of the same thing for a man may bee absolutely ignorant in some things yet a beleever in others and therefore wee doe not meane that such an explicite knowledge is necessary to faith as that wee must distinctly apprehend all points of Faith before wee beleeve for the Apostles when yet they were true beleevers were ignorant in many articles of Faith as Christs Resurrection Ascention c. But this wee affirme that where there is totall ignorance of any one article of Faith there can be no Beliefe at all of that article as for example Hee that saith I beleeve a holy Catholike Church and yet knowes not what a holy Catholike Church is what ever hee say hee doth not beleeve it That such a blinde credo is