unless it was his personal word I but his Christening is registred in the Church Book of Malmsbury a good legal evidence and perhaps he enjoyed his fathers estate by this I know not but certainly there is a possibility of Error in it because the Church Book may be counteâ—feited and many a man hath intruded into other mens estates by unjust means but our evidence is recorded may I say or ingraven in these volumes which have been attested in every age since the first writing with the Blood of many martyrs which can be affirmed of no Church Book in the world worms and Cankers may eat them and thieves may break through and steal them and counterfeit them but these are subject to no corruption but by the providence of God have been and will be preserved so long as the world stands and endures So I think evidently that it appears that we have as full an assurance that these Scriptures are Divine as men can have of any thing in this world which they receive by hear-say Nay let us go further examine whether we have not a Demonstration from the effect to the cause we know such a man was our friend by his voice when he speaks another by his style as the report is of Sr. Thomas Moore with Erasmus aut Erasmus aut Diabolus Yea Critiques every where discerne Authors by their Styles may not we think you discern God by these heavenly writings which are more than humane When we hear a man discoursing of high points in Philosophy learnedly we know such an effect cannot proceed from a Country-education at the Cart and Plough it requires â—nother study and industry When the Scripture teacheth us things higher than the natural wit of man 〈◊〉 reach to as I have shewed it must needs come from a higher strain than our natural Condition could deliver to us I will conclude with one word The Scriptures must be writ by good or ill men ill men could not do it it reacheth those doctrines which destroy the Devil and his Kingdom all evil if good men writ it they would not 〈◊〉 to say thâ—y were inâ—pired by God when they were not they would not deliver such things for assâ—â—â—d â—ruths which none could know but God if God did not teach it them Upon these invincible Grounds I think I may say that we have a mighty assurance that these are divine revelations which he wickedly aâ—â—irms we have no assurance of But it may be objâ—cted if the demonstration be so evâ—dent why do not all men receive it for the understanding is made after such a manner as the Eye when you shew it colours the Eye must see them so shew by demonstration a truth to the understanding it must needs assent For my part I do not apprehend that man hath liberty in his understanding to accept or refuse truths which are laid open to iâ— neither do I think that which is called liberum arbitrium is only a freedom of the will but a result out of them both however it is not in the understanding alone nor is this belief of our that these things are revealed only an act of the understanding but of the will which refuseth to heare the voice of the Charmer charme he never so wisely Sometimes a malitious Will wâ—ll not permit a man to study and think of these arguments which the more he studyeth the more he will approve sometimes when he hath studyed them it will make him seek further and being not delighted with that reason which is proposed it will not be satisfied with it so that there is a submission to these reasons offered which is necessary to our assent to them And certainly that is much by such arguments as shew the happiness-men have in being under Gods Government for then men will seek what and wherein â—e will bless them and when he finds that these Scriptures and these only are rational for a man to think are his own dictates he will willingly submit to them 〈…〉 when a proud manâ—â—all think that he and he only is faber not fortuna only but of his own happiness and that he need not seck to God for assistance then he slighâ—s all these discourses and listens not to them But still a man may say it seems that resolution of our faith is into this way of arguing I answer noâ— our faith is resolved into the divine revelations that God hath said this or that this is but a preparation for that foundation when a wise and vertuous man tells me any thing I believe it for the esteem of him and that is my last resolution of that faith because such a man speaks it but before this I must be prepared for this with an acquaintance that this is such a man and I must know he speaketh it These preparatory Acts are neceâ—â—ary for the introduction of that Act of faith in him but faith in him is the foundation of my belief in that sentence it is evidently so in this Case we believe these divine truths absolutely and the last resolution of them is into this that God hath revealed them but yet it may be enquired whether these Arguments be necessary to our assent to these divine principles or not Certainly to a man who should be converted from Paganisme Vt prudenter credat that he be not carryed about with winds of Doctrine it is fit he should have these or some other equivalent Arguments to induce him to them But to a man born in the Church and bred up in the Christian religion it is comfortable to his faith when he finds it attended with such invincible reasons and he is able to understand them But if not simplicity of faith and obedience to God will be blessed by him It will not be expected that I should engage in more niceties of this kind I hope it appears that we have assurance of these divine revelations It was therefore not only a bold but impious and wicked affirmation of him to say it is evidently impossible for a man to be assured of the revelation to another without a revelation particularly made to himself But he proceeds to answer some seeming proofes brought to affirm the assurance of these revelations I will put them down in order and examine his answer The first is drawn from miracles and is thus set down in the place last cited CHAP. XXII SECT VIII Mr. Hobbs his answer to the first proof retorted Miracies defined FOR though a man may be induced to believe such revelation from the Miracles they see him do that is the first Objection he answers Miracles are marvellous works but that which is marvellous to one may not be so to another This answer of his to speak ad hominem doth not become him as I shewed in my first piece page 1â—9 He had said that Concerning the worlds magnitude and bâ—ginning he was content with that doctrine which the Scripture perswaded and the fame of these miracles
certainty of their predictions objected ANd so I come to the persons who delivered these truths to us who will give us as full assurance as any thing else of the certainty The persons were of most eminent integrity and affirmed that these writings were delivered them from God I will begin with the first Moses a man who approved his conversation with God and Gods approbation of him by most certain signs first by those mighty wonders which he wrought in Aegypt before Pharaoh upon him and his in their journey afterwards by his wonderful conduct of the Children of Israel through the wilderness the like of which was never known The bringing water out of the rock feeding that mighty Host with bread and flesh the miraculous stopping the mouths of Korah c. why should we imagine that this man should lye and say he received this law from God when he did not Yes to make himself King among them Indeed the rebells last spoke of did object that but God confuted it by a miraculous destroying them and we see although whilst he lived he went betwixt God and them delivering prayers to God for them and bringing Gods will to them yet we find not that he acquired any high matters for himself the Priesthood which was to be a perpetual dignity he put Aaron into the Politique government he bequeathâ—d to Josuah and we do not find him contriving more than an ordinary proportion for his Children which shews that he had no self end in any thing he did Nay we may read in the 32. of Exodus 10. when Moses interceded with God for favour to the Children of Israel God made him answer let me alone that my wrâ—th may wax hot against them and that I may consume them and I will make of thee a great Nation Nevertheless Moses was not bribed with this for his own interest to forsake Gods glory but presently after presseth God for his own honour to have pitty upon the Israelites as you may read vers 11. c. where methinks he did like Abraham offer his whole posterity to Gods glory and honour which sheweth that Moses had no sinister ends in his actions but only the glory of God which certainly could not rise out of such a proud lye as to take upon him divine revelations where there were none Nâ—xt let us consider the Prophets they were men that adventured their lives and suffered miseries for those truths they foretold and â—aught yea they were sure of it and they who followed their counsels according to these revelations which God made to them it was well with them and mischief followed them who did otherwise Those things which they foretold did come to pass accordingly both concerning the Jewes and all other nations yea the whole world why should not we be assured that these things came from God which they say were revealed by him since we see them true in all those works which they forespoke of CHAP. XXII SECT VI. Of the doctrine of the Apostles the efficacy of their preaching The power of â—ongues their sufferings and patience not possible but from divine inspiration A further assertion of the same argument à posteriori such effect not producible but from a divine law IF we descend to the Apostles we shall find they were a sort of men of mean extraction and education how could it be possible that they unless by revelation should attain to such an efficacy of preaching as to be able to convince the whole world and preach this divine Philosophy How came they by the power of Tongues to be able to travel through the world and preach to every man in his own language but by the supernatural assistance of the Holy Ghost Why would they undertake the work through such cruel persecutions foretold them that they should be as sheep amongst wolves but that it was a duty enjoyned them from the Holy Ghost and they were sure that he who promised it would make good their reward in heaven hereafter for here they were to have miseries Truly I know not what can be opposed against this but that both from the matters delivered rom the manner that they are delivered by and from the persons who delivered them we have as great an assurance that these truths were revealed to them by God as can be wrought by humane faith Yea but let us consider further and it is scientifical à posteriâ—ri from the effect to the cause for if it be not possible that these effects should come from any cause but God as indeed I think it not possible then it is demonstrated that these must be revelations and we have a mighty assurance of them CHAP. XXII SECT VII Another argument ad hominem Mr. Hobbs his assurance of his being born at Malmsbury not comparable to this of the verity of the holy scriptures Some doubts of the place of Mr. Hobbs his birth from the erring of his doctrines from Christianity The attestation of the Gospel from the sufferings of the Saints and Martyrs The encrease and continuance of it in despite of persecution The Scriptures not possible to be written by bad men in regard their design is to destroy the Kingdom of Satan Good men would not obtrude a Lye upon the world Faith resolved into divine revelation The rest is a preparation to this faith and conclusion of this point LEt Mr. Hobbs tell me what assurance he hath of any thing He saith in the beginning of this Book that he is Thomas Hobbs of Malmsbury I think he is as sure of this as of any thing but I am much surer and so may any man be that this Scripture was writ by divine revelation than he can be of that first for his place that he was of Malmsbury which is a town in Wiltshire where Christianity is professed where men are assured of the Scriptures that they are by divine revelation How should it breed such a monster who would bring all their hopes of heaven their faith in Gods promises to be dubious as if they were not promised But he is Thomas Hobbs how knows he that perhaps his mother told him so and the midwife I know not whether after he came to the years of discretion he ever talked with them but if he did it is but a weak Testimony in respect of ours which was and is affirmed by such divine and incomparable persons as the Apostles and Prophets were His Mother and the Midwife although true persons yet were apt to be deceived and it may be he was a supposititious Child how oft have such things been done when contrariwise these men who have delivered infalible truths many ages before they came to pass cannot be conceived to have any Error I but perhaps he will say he is like his father in his countenance in his speech certainly not so like as these truths are to that incomparable essence which we call God than which nothing more fully expressed these divine perfections
Generals Chamberlains and the like and those cannot justly be laid aside out of those places that they are born to and have by Inheritances without great and just cause of disinheriting be produced SECT IV. The eleventh Inference affirmed where there is no Law there is no transgression and consequently no punishment HIs eleventh is most true That to the Sâ—veraign is committed the power of punishing and rewarding according to Law or if there be no Law I fear to joyn with him here to punish where is no Law according as he shall judge meet to conduce to the deterring of men from doing disservice to the Commonwealth This I like not sin is the transgression of a Law where no Law no sin therefore no punishment His last Inference is after a long preamble That it belongs to the Soveraign Power to give Titles of Honour I agree with him in this clause but observe that his twelfth eleventh tenth ninth Inferences are all page 92. SECT V. Mr. Hobbs his Objection and Answer approved Kings more incommodated then Subjects from the burthen of their Crimes and their account to the King of Kings I Have thus briefly touched upon these particular Inferences which he calls the right of a Soveraign and having câ—nsâ—red them any man may easily look through that which follows in that Cap. but in the latter end of that Cap. page 94. he seems to answer an Objection â— A man may here object that the condition of Subjects is very miserable as being obnoxious to the lusts or other irregular passions of him oâ— them who have so unlimited a power in their hands and commonly they who live under a Monarch think it the fault of Monarchy c. not considering saith he that the estate of man can never be without some incommodity or other I think he speaks truth in almost all this whole Paragraph but as a Christian man who is assured there is a God a Heaven and Hell I may say that as all Subjects must whilst they are in this world have incommodities so Kings have many more their Crowns are made of Thorns and their Scepters too heavy almost for men to bear because they have a mighty accompt to make up to their King the King of Kings of the good or evil in their Government with which words I end this Cap. and come to his next which is Cap. 19. entituled thus Of the several kinds of Commonwealth by Institution and of Suâ—cession to the Soveraign Power CHAP. XIII SECT 1. Mr. Hobbs his expression of Representative not proper and diminutive of Soveraignty Two Questions raised about the divisions of Commonwealths left to the judgment of others HE begins this Cap. with an Exposition of that ancient division of a Commonwealth into Monarchical Aristocratical and Democratical which he affirms to be the only forms by which any Commonwealth is governed and in the hottom of this 94 page he proves it thus For the Reprâ—seâ—itative must needs be one man or more and if more then it is â—ither the Assembly of all or but of a part When the Representative is one man then it is a Monarchy when an Assembly of all that will come together then it is a Democracy or popular Commonwealth when an Assembly of a part only then it is Aristocracy Other kinds of Commonwealths there can be none for either one or more or all must have the Soveraign Power which I have shewed to be indivisible I will not here contend against that word Representative which I have oft already spoke against and cannot be a fit word to express a Soveraign for it makes him to be but an Image or Creature of the people whose Supreme he is But for that division of a Common-wealth which he propoâ—eth although it is so honoured by the universality of Writers in Politicks that it were not modesty in any particular man to deny it yet give me leave to put a Question I will not be peremptory in it Why since a Commonwealth is the whole Body Politick and consists in the whâ—le Regiment from the King to the Cottager why there may not be thought of some division in respect of subordination as well as in respect of the Supreme But I will leave the answer to some younger head who may have leisure to examine it and raise another Question Since the division is made only out of the quantity or number which constiâ—ute a Supreme why may not some things be thought upon concerning the quality of it which may give a new and another illustration to that condition of a Supreme For although this term of the quality of a Supreme is not usually expressed in the notion of the thing yet the matter and sense of that word is often delivered by them as Tyranny for Monarchy by the first of which they understand a Monarch governing without Law so Oligarchy for Aristocracy as Mr. Hâ—bbs expresseth in the following words page 95. SECT II. Tyranny and Monarchy different forms of Government Miscalling alters not the nature of the thing Oeconomical Government consisteâ—t with Anarchy THâ—re be other names of Gâ—vernmeâ—t in the Hâ—stâ—ries and Bâ—oks of Pâ—licy as Tyranny and Oligarchy but they are not the names of other forms of Government but of the same forms misliked Indeed in the first they are divers forms to govern by Laws or without Laws differing forms differing in the very essential acts of Government In the second you may find a great difference in the persons the one being enabled to his place by his vertue the other by riches only or such like accommodations But let us consider what he adds for saith he They who are discontented under Monarchy call it Tyranny and they who are displeased with Aristocracy call it Oligarchy they who find themselves grieved under a Democracy calâ— it Anarchy which signifies a want of Government and yet I thâ—nk no man believes a want of Government to be any new kind of Government I believe what he saith hath truth they will miscall them so but yet this proves not that these miscallings are not founded upon a truth A vertuous man is branded with calumny and yet for all that a vertuous man and a vicious man differ although the vertuous man be abused so differ these Governments one from another What he speaks of Dâ—mocracy and Anarchy was ingenious but unapplicable to any the other And although in the strictness of that word Anarchy it is not possible to allow any Government yet if it be appliâ—d to Political Government it may notwithstanding granting it there consist with Oeconomical Government And when a Democracy is grown loose that the Authority in relation to the whole Commonwealth is lost yet Government may be found in Families What he adds is not of great moment when he saith Nor by the same reason ought they to believe that the Government is of one kind when they like it and another when they dislike it or are oppressed by the Governours
that paragraph he concluded it unjust in the defence of another man to resist the sword of the Common-wealth But saith he in case a great many men together have already resisted the soveraign power unjustly or committed some capital crime for which every one of them expecteth death whether have they not the libertie then to joyne together and assist and defend one another Certainly they have for they but defend their lives which the guilty may as well do as the innocent Let the Reader consider here what a justification this was of those men who bore unjust armes at that time when he writ this book in English It is true he allows the first rising to be unjust but all that damnable prosecution of that war even that act which I never think upon but with horror the murther of king Charles the first was lawful by him for when they had drawn their swords in rebellion their lives were forfeited and then all the future prosecution was just because in defence of their lives I but page 113. where I am at the bottom of that paragraph he gives a fair pretence for what he speaks which is The offer of pardon taketh from them to whom it is offered the plea of felf defence and maketh their perseverance in assisting or defending the rest unlawful A goodly piece of nicetie I if a soveraign do not give his subjects pardon for their rebellâ—on they may continue on and only the first act is unjust all other murthers rapines iniquities of men are not to be reckoned in the catalogue of unjust actions as if one sin preceding wâ—ich causeth the following might also justifie them and for offering pardon he knows they have answered that that cannot serve them as long as there is power in the offended partie to make his revenge and justifie his proceeding against them and unless they take away that there is no security for them These things I thought to have passed by but being so abominable it was necessary to lay hold upon them at the least with this animadversion And now I pass over twenty more and leap to his 26. Chap. 148. CHAP. XXII SECT I. Mr. Hobs his endeavour to render the Christian religion suspected Of the assurance we have of revelations The difference of assurance from the object from the acts Assurance from science from opinion from faith The assurance of faith greater than that of science The assurance we have of the truth of Christian religion by divine revelation from the things themselves revealed from the manner of their delivery and the persons who delivered them to us The particulars of the creation described by Moses not possible to be known without divine revelation An argument from reason to confirm the former assertion WHich Chap. is entitled of Civil laws but treats of all laws and divers distinctions of them but in this page about the middle of the page he enters into a discourse of divine positive laws which he distinguisheth from natural laws that the one are eternal I will cavil at nothing that is he means always consisting with men to whom they are given the other had a beginning the one are universal to all men that have humane nature but he saith the positive are instituted in time and to particular persons or nations and declared for such by those whom God hâ—th authorised to declare them But saith he this authority of man to declare what be these positive laws of God how can it be known God may command a man by a supernatural way to deliver laws to other men But because it is of the essence of laws that he who is to be obliged be assured of the authority of him that declareth it which we cannot naturally take notice to be from God I transcribe all this because the reader by it should understand from what ground he raiseth two questions which he answering unchristianly will require a better satisfaction from my pen. The questions are these How can a man without supernatural revelation be assured of the revelation received by the declarer and how can he be bound to obey them Two noble questions to be disputed against heathens and because upon all occasions he takes advantage to make himself seem such whether he be or no God knows I shall endeavour to refute him But withall give the reader this caution that throughout his Book he violently forceth himself to such disputes as may render Christian religion suspected as if he had an ambition to make this Bable shall I say or impious treatise of his to be authentick for what necessity had he here to raise those doubts It had been enough for him and his whole design to shew that the holy Bible had manifested those positive laws to us and never to have raised such scruples whereby a man may doubt as it seems he doth whether these laws are divine or not Consider therefore his answer for the first question how a man can be assured of the revelation of another without a revelation particularly to himself it is evidently impossible and I answer it is possiible we will try it out and first let us consider this leading term for this discourse which is assuted how a man can be assured the power of that word must be explained There is a diversity of assurances Mathematical physical moral all which have their several force and differ only by degrees In the first kind we are assured that two and two make four and the like in the second that fire will burn whose nature doth if not hindred break out into the act in the third that when I see a debauched man stay with a company of drunkards along time at a Tavern I can be assured that they will be inflamed with drink so likewise when a pious man hears the bell tole to prayers he will go to Church Thus our assurance is vaâ—ied according to the object which it is busied about But there is another diversity drawn from the difference of this act which produceth assurance as thus there is an assurance from science from opinion from faith The certainty of science is drawn from the certainty of the medium by which it is proved and is exceeding great by some esteemed greater than that of faith at the least of a greater evidence although for my part I am not of that mind for it being a most clear and absolute truth that God is infinitely verax as well as verus true speaking as well as true being and faith I mean divine faith being an adhesion to what God speaks it is not possible to be a falsehood then there is the greatest argumentative evidence that can be of the truth of such a proposition which God hath delivered but I will not involve my self in niceties That which is proper to my immediate discourse is that science is from natural opperations of natur I causes faith divine faith from supernatural from God which must be more certain in
it self â—y faith made more certain to us opinion is only probable which may be other and this probability either relates to science as it is probable such causes will produce such effects or such effects proceed from such causes or else it relates to faith and it is then when a good honest man speaks any thing it is by faith probable to be true but yet it may be otherwise only divine faith admitts of no falsehood in its self and requires no doubting or hesitation in us Now although this assurance of opinion and probability be the least yet it yields us such an assurance as we build the greatest moral and politick actions which are practised amongst us upon it As when a man is dead his hand and seale pâ—sseth away his estate witnesses are dead likewise these are probable arguments only but being the greatest that the subject question can 〈◊〉 the greatest matters must be regulated by such probable arguments I can say the like of oathes they have neither a Physical certainty nor do they produce a divine faith but yet when we have hand and seal and Oath Mr. Hobbs will not say I think that we have no assurance How then can he say that we have no assurance that these are divine revelations which are delivered in the Bible for that is the sence of the question which he proposeth but that we have great assurance is that which I affirm I shall not here meddle with School nicetyes nor with any thing about infused faith but only the acquired faith which we have of these truths Many learned men have debated this question with great variety of Learning which may be perused in their Comments upon the 3. of the sentences Dist. 24. as likewise many times in Prolog and 22. of Aquinas question 1. as also in Imasâ—â—undae with many particular treatises to that purpose I turn the reader to these places which with ease he may peruse and find amongst them what he reads not with me who intend to deliver such things here as they have scarce touched upon My arguments shall be drawn first from the things delivered in this book Then from the manner of the delivery and Thirdly from the persons who delivered these things in all which I shall not meddle with those particular Books or Chapters of Books which are controverted betwixt us and the Church of Rome I think it incomparably handled by my much honoured and truly Reverend Brother Iohn Lord Bishop of Durham but my design is to shew that the bulke of Christianity and our faith is delivered in such a manner in respect of the things delivered of the manner of the delivery and of the persons who delivered them that it is most rational for a man to assure himself that these were divine revelations if it be not absolutely impossible that they should be other I will begin with the things delivered and first with the beginning of the Bible the first book of Moses the 1. Chap. of Genesis where we find the Creation so delivered as it was not possible for man to do it without revelation Men might and men have by reason even Philosophers guessed and proved that the world was created but to say when and set it down in such a method as that a man may find the year in which it was done this was never undertaken by any nor could any man do it but by divine revelation Yet you may think that Adam being made a perfect man might know the instant when he first appeared in the world and communicate that to Seth and he downward but could Adam without revelation know that he was made of earth Nay could Adam without revelation know how Evah was taken out of him or all the works of God which were wrought in the 6. dayes before he was made this could not be this story of the Creation must need be a revelation no man of himself could search it out But I am afraid Mr. Hobbs will say it is false no Christian ever said it was so but I suppose my self to have to do with an heathen not an Atheist but a Theist at the best Well then it is most reasonable for any man to think this story to be true because it is rational for a man to think that since God will and must be worshipped by men and it is impossible for men to know what worship is proper to be given him unless he tells them It is then most reasonable for a man to think that God will prescribe how that worship is to be performed and therefore caused this whole book to be writ for mens instruction and in it sets down this work of his creation to shew man the foundation of all his duty from whence it is derived that he owes God his being soul and Body that he should be humble who was taken out of the dust and to dust he must return that he that made him can destroy him and the like which God being pretended to do no where else it is most reasonable to think it is done here CHAP. XXII SECT II. The doctrine of the new Testament and particularly the incarnation of our blessed Saviour and the manner of it not possible to be known without a revelation The truth of the incarnation evicted from the miraculous Life and Actions of our blessed Saviour and the prophecies of the Old Testament and especially of Isaias The Iewes witnesses of the truth of the Books of the Old Testament SO then this being a truth fit for a man to know it being impossible for man to know it without a revelatiâ—n a man may justly be assured that it was revealed by God and so I will pass to the New Testament where we will consider the conception of the blessed Virgin as related there and so not pâ—ssible to be recorded but from a divine revelation Men might be assured from the Prophets who writ before of it that there should be such a thing and that it should be about that time but that it should happen now and that this should be the Virgin which should be the mother of our Saviour that none could tell but by revelation no not she her self It is true when she found her self with child she might wonder how that should come about since she knew not man as she answered the Angel who foretold it to her Luke the 1. and the 24. but that it should be so contrived and perfected as it was by the overshadowing of the Highest this she could not have known but by a revelation But I doubt Mr. Hobbs will answer this was not so his wicked wit seems to imagine such a thing I will prove it theâ—efore by the glorious fruit of her womb which shewed it self to arise from such a stock and living and dying as he did he could â—ot be less than descended from such a supernatural generation Well then he was so conceived as is taught and this could not be taught
never come to perfection so that by this consequence God can command notâ—ing because he cooperates in the performance He proceeds with the same proposition in other terms and I will follow him Faith of supernatural Law saith he is not a fulfilling but only an assenting to the same Faith of that supernatural Law which concerns Faith must needs be a fulfilling of it if it be such as is according to the Law of Faith as St. Paul phraseth it Rom. 3. 27 But only saith he an assenting to it What if it be but only an assenting to it yet I can shew other operations of faith besides that yet if that assenting be the act which God requires in his command of faith faith is the fulfilling of that Law which exacts it And yet give me leave to add one note more Although faith were a meer act of the understanding an assent as he terms it yet because this assent is impeded by many vices in the Soul which untill they are mastered the Soul cannot break out into a full and compleat assent unto the divine propositions it comes in regard of them under this notion of a command You may observe Iohn 12. 4â— 43. Nevertheless among the chief Rulers many believed but because of the Pharisees they did not confess him lest they should be put out of the Synagogue for they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God Mark in this they are said to believe being convinced in their understandings of the truth of the doctrine they had a credulity of the things but vain-glory hindred them from practising accordingly the praise of men as likewise a wicked love of it and I may add another passion fear out of that Phrase because of the Pharisees i. e. because they feared them and it is the same which he speaks of the Patents to him who was cured of the blindness John 9. 22. These words spoke his Parents because they feared the Jewes These words that is that shifting of the confession of Christ so that unworthy fear love pride are impediments to faith I know it may be objected here that it is spoke of the confession of faith not the act or habit of faith and these other things may hinder these outward acts of faith which do not choak its being and nature I answer it is true but withall it cannot be aâ— true and right faith which is ashamed or afraid to express it self for a true faith of divine perfections is such as must believe the divine perfections infinitely excellent and his veracity so likewise and therefore he must needs be confident that when he honours him God will bless him and so cannot fear any thing in this world This I hope may suffice for the satisfaction of the Reader in this CHAP. XXII SECT XV. Faith a duty to God against Mr. Hobbs his assertion his constant endeavours to asperse the duties of Christianity Miracles the ordinate means of faith The use of the means necessary to the attaining of the end HE goes on and saith And not a duty that we exhibite to God but a gift which God freely giveth to whom he pleaseth Faith is not a duty which we exhibite to God! such a language as was never heard from a Christian no not from a Jew a Turk or an Heathen if he were not an Atheist If he thought there were a God he must needs think that faith is due to him Who would fear him trust in him if he doth not believe his promiâ—es and threats If he think he is the chief good he must think him true in all his sayings that they are according to his intentions and that he is able to make good what he intends Who can honour him but he that believes he is or would honour him but he that believes he is a rewarder of them who seek him It is the duty which he who hath cannot lack the rest and he who hath not doth nothing upright But it seems he utters his mind clearly in this sentence which he did more obscurely otherwhere labouring throughout this discourse to weaken our faith Well let us go on but saith he it is a gift which God freely giveth to whom he pleaseth what therefore no command concerning it he may say the same of Hope and Charity and indeed of all the things of this World the Earth is the Lords and all that is in it and to whom he pleaseth he giveth it but is there therefore no command concerning these things Consider Reader that although faith be Gods gift yet God gives it according to those rules which he hath set down faith is introduced by hearing by such setled wayes as God hath appointed to produce it and therefore I do think that no man living can shew me faith where that faith was not wrought by God in his ordinary way of working and therefore one part of his distinction which he used before either by Gods operation ordinary or extraordinary might have been spared if applyed to the immediate operation I know the conversion of St. Paul may be objected and the like where God wrought his faith by a miraculous manifestation of himself to him yet consider that the conversion of St. Paul was produced immediatly by that miracle which was in a most setled course of Gods working bâ— hearing and seeing for hearing the word or reading it seeing some vision or miracle are most ordinate means by which God bestoweth that blessing upon his servants by preaching by visions by miracles And I do not believe that any man in the world can perswade me that he hath a right and religious faith who never heard or saw any thing which did perswade him to it Again consider that there are three things which make a gift profitable besides the giving the receiving and the right use of it the first only concerns God the two latter men Now suppose that the Sun which alone can do it should shine if men will remain in their prison keeping the doors and windows shut they shall not be able to see by that gift of light yea if he open the windows of his house and shut those of his body he shall not see Out of these ariseth the faultiness of infidelity that men shut out that means which God gives them to believe they will not hear or read the word of God they scorn his miracles and all those glorious revelations which have been made to his servants When the hands of God are open to give and the hands of men not so to receive and when he sows his seed of righteousness and the pleasures and the cares of the World choak it then the duty of faith is subject to a command although given by God CHAP. XXII SECT XVI Vnbelief the greatest breach of Gods Law St. John 3. 18 and 19. explained The justice of God in the condemnation of men for want of faith The case of Abraham Genesis 17. 10. elucidated The power of