the Light And for the later it demands an impossible thing as if a blind man should require him that sees to proue vnto him by sound argument that he beholds such or such things which cannot be done In short A man inlightened and sanctified by the Spirit doth perceiue the truth of holy Scriptures infallibly by their owne proper light and for his own proper vse albeit he be not able to demonstrate so much to another to make him see what himselfe doth Now here we should goe further in the explication of this assertion that the Scriptures are knowne to be the Word of God by themselues and all such arguments as do demonstrate this truth should be layd forth before you But it would take vp a long discourse and the point more directly belongs vnto those generall coÌ„trouersies about the Scriptures which are moued between vs and the Papists amongst which this touching the Infallibly certaintie of Scriptures is at large handled and maintained by the Learned of our side Amongst whom the learned â—ackson deserues due prayse and thankes of all that loue Learning for his diligent examination of this point in his first second Booke of Commentaries vpon the Apostles Creed Books that are fruitfull of exquisite obseruation in this kind and being as painfully studied as they are with much diligence and labour compiled will I perswade my selfe giue much satisfaction to those that honestly seeke for it I conclude all touching this point with a threefold admonition which by way of application I shall briefly dispatch intending only to perswade euery one not to slight so serious a matter but carefully to examine vpon what certaintie his faith is built 1 Admonition is this That in this enquiry after the Scriptures certainty wee must looke that wee giue satisfaction vnto our owne soules but that is impossible to satisfie all others who are disposed to cauill The truth of Scriptures is knowne vnto them for whose benefit they were written namely the elect and as in another case the Apostle spake Rom. 11. 7. The elect haue obtained it the rest haue beene hardened so here The â—lect doe see this light the rest are blinded Wherefore when the eyes of our vnderstanding are opened to see the wonders of Gods Law to behold the admirable maiesty purity holinesse and oxcellence of diuine reuelations in the Scriptures when we feele vpon our foules the awfull commanding power of them to binde our consciences vnto obedience to master our vnruly lusts and wholy to captinate vs vnto their Soueraignety wee must not now begin to doubt of the truth of this which wee so sensibly see and feele because another cauils dispises vs and will not be won with our perswasions to thinke as we thinke For he that sees the Sunne hath no cause to distrust his owne eye-sight because he cannot perswade a blind man by any argument possible that he beholds a most glorious and excellent light 2 Admonition is to put you in minde of that danger wherein carelesse men who build without hauing laid a sure foundation Come to most men and aske them Why doe you beliue the Scriptures and these points of religion out of them Their answere is Because they bee the Word of God Yea but what perswades you to thinke so Here they are staggered and haue nothing to say but they are lead vnto this beliefe by Custome of Education in a Christian Church wherein the Scriptures Diuinity is generally receiued for an vndoubted truth and they belieue what they see others doubt not of else it were a shame for them But in the meane time themselues haue neuer laboured to get infallible assurance vnto their owne consciences from the Scriptures themselues by prayer study all due obseruation Now what is the issue of such an ill grounded beliefe I le tell you t is partly Disobedience against and Apostacy from the Truth partly Dispaire and losse of all comfort in time of need Where there is onely a slight opinion of the Scriptures authority there easily followes Disobedience to all their commands Tell the Ambitious and distrustfull worldling That the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof is first to be sought for and then other things shal be cast vpon him That godlinesse is great gaine That Humility goeth before Honor c. Tell the vncleane person that Whoremongers and Adulterers God will iudge Tell the Drunkard That they who doe such things shall not inherit the Kingdome of God Tell the Swearer That for Oathes the land mournes and God will not hold him guiltlesse that taketh his name invaine What doe these men thinke when the Scriptures are thus brought against their faults Doe they verily belieue that this is the word of God They will not say otherwise for shame of the world but who can belieue that their consciences are thorowly conuinced of it when there is to be seene so strange a disproportion betweene their Faith and practise in these particulars No they laugh secretly in their hearts at the simplicity of silly men who tremble at the word and dare not for their liues venter vpon the practise of such things as it forbids which they meane while freely follow to their great contentment Furthermore these men that do thus rebel against God in one religion will be ready if occasion serue to reuolt from that vnto another religion seeing the grounds whereupon they embrace any religion are alike in all Besides let mee tell them thus much that this loose and vnsetled faith is one of the ficry darts forcible engines of Satan whereby he affaults and ouerthrowes the hope and comfort of many a dying man Who hauing not strengthened himselfe on this point by vndoubted arguments and experiments is there laid at where hee lies open and vnarmed by such cunning cauils shifts and elusions brought against the authority of Scriptures that the poore man not able to cleare himselfe from such suggestions fals into an vniuersall doubting of all Religion and at last percciuing his Faith hath onely grasped at the ayre and embraced the empty shadow of mans authority insteed of the Substance of Diuine truth he is vtterly confounded and sinks downe in despaire If I am able to iudge any thing of the Methods of Satans temptations I dare say that this weapon is reserued vsually for the last combat and that many a mans faith hath perished vpon this rocke both in life and especially in the last agonies conflicts with the powers of death and darknesse 3 Wherfore let this be a third Admonition that euery one of vs be well aduised to prouide our selues of such arguments for confirmation of our faith in this point as wil hold water and abide the siery triall of Satans temptations Vnde seis is a sore question and Satan can tell how to enforce his arguments with better skill then any Iesuie and Heretike Wherefore let vs looke to it in time that we wauer not but may be 〈◊〉
certainely belieue such and such Articles of Faith His answere will bee Because the Church which can discerne what is what is not of God hath infallibly decreed such and such things to be belieued Against which impious doctrine we except and say That by this meanes our Faith is resolued either into nothing at all or at the furthest but only into humane Authority 1 That is resolued into iust nothing but runs round in a Circle like a mill-horse For aske a Roman Catholike why doe you belieue the Pope cannot erre His answere is because the Scripture saith so Tues Petrus c. and Orauipro te ne deficiat sides tua and Sum vâ—b scum ad consummationem saculs with such other places But how know you that those places are Scripture and that that is the right meaning of those places He answeres because the Councell of Trent and the Pope say so Yea but how know you infallibly they doe not erre in saying so Hee answeres Because the Scripture affirmes they cannot erre for Thou art Peter vpon this rocke c This is the Fayries dance wherein men smitten with the spirit of giddinesse are led round in a ring being neuer able to free them or finde any resting place whereon to fixe the assurance of their Faith 2 That at best their faith is resolued finally into Mans Authority Which appeares thus aske a Papist Why doe you belieue Purgatory He will say Because God in his word hath reuealed it as an Article of Faith Zach. 9. 11. I haue loosed thy prisoners out of the pit wherein is no water i. out of Purgatory and Luke 16. Lazarus was carried into Abrahams bosome i. into Purgatory with such like Well but why doe you infallibly belieue that this is Gods word and that this is the meaning of it Hee sayes Because the Church i. Counceis and Popes say so Hee can goe no further vnlesse hee will runne round Here then hee must stay resting his Faith on mans Testimony and Authority Which hee doth manifestly forasmuch as it appeares not by any argument from the Scriptures themselues that such a doctrine as Purgatory is contained in them and therefore he assents to the truth of it finally and onely because the Church for sooth hath conceiued the meaning of those places to be such Now this is not to belieue the Scriptures but to belieue the Opinion of the Church that is to say of men like our selues Heere Becanus helpes at a dead lift by a schoole distinction thus Fidesresoluitur Formaliter in Deumprimam veritatem reuelantem Directiuè in EcclesiaÌ„ propter infallililitateÌ„ proponeÌ„dt The shift of a Sophister What Faith is it that is thus resolued Theologicall or Humane Neither saith hee Theologicall Faith is resolued into Gods authority Humane is resolued into mans authority as to belieue an Article because Caluiâ— or Lutber teach it or say wee because Pope Paul the fift Gregory the 13. or any other Pope Cardinall Bishop or Bishops teach it What saith is it then which is resolued into the Churches authority It is saith the Iesuite neither saith neque purè diuina neque purè humana sed quasi media inferior is cuinsdam ordinis Iust so I take it men vse to speak when they cannot tell what to say It is Quasi and Aliquomodò and Alicuius generis c. It is something if they could tell what But be it what it may be if it be not a diuine Faith What shall become of the vulgar sort in their Church must they bee saued by such a middle kinde of Faith betweene Diuine and Humane This is a new way to heauen of the Iesuiâ—es inuention wherein it will bee a matter beyond his skill so to conduct a poore vnlearned Catholike that he step not aside leaning too much vpoÌ„mans authoriti whereon he should not trust at all and too little on Gods on whom he should altogether relie Plaine folke haue no skill in such nice distinctions of belieuing God Formaliter and the Church Directiuè and it will trouble the authors of them to giue a reasonable meaning of them For what is it to belieue the Church Directiuè is it to be drawne by the Churches direction in the ministeriall Preaching and application of the Scriptures vnto beleefe of the Articles of Faith Wee grant such a resolution of our faith into the Churches authority as a motiue to induce and persivade vs to belieue But Becames denies that the Church is to be reckoned inter motiua fidei and therefore he must needs account it inter formales rationes fidei as a case of reason and proper foundation of our faith whereinto it is resolued formaliter And so it is for there is neuer a Papist that wil belieue any thing that God saith but onely for this reason because the Church allowes of it It is not the light and Euidence of Gods word by it owne selfe Euincing its owne Diuinity and Interpreting its owne meaning t is not this they rest vpon if they did what need they goe further but it is meerely formally and directly the Testimony and Opinion of men whether Fathers Councels Popes or whomsoeuer they please to style the Church This impiery is horrible and so maine an errour in the foundation of Faith that it makes the whole frame to â—otter fastening the consolation and Hope of man vpon the vncertainty of another mans testimony therby throwing him into inextricable difficulties and doubts besides offering intollerable indignity vnto God in giuing such authority vnto his seruant and vassall as tends to the contumely of the Lord and Master For so it is when a few men met together in a Councell-house or one poore sinfull illeterate Pope shal be deemed of power sufficient and iudgement infallible to set themselues downe vpon the bench and to call that word which shall iudge them at the last day vnto the bar and there to interpret ratifie or nullifie what and how themselues best pleaseth Wee might wellbe ashamed of our religion when wee dispute with Athiests and infidels if wee had no better reason to confirme our Religion but our owne testimonie because we say it is the truth and the Romish Church might blush when she pleads for her infallibilitie from those places formerly mentioned yet in sine hath no other warrant from them but onely this it is so and it shall be so because shee her selfe hath decreed that onely to bee the true meaning of those Scriptures But to leaue these absurdities blasphemies and come to the truth that which we maintaine touching the Certaintie of the Scriptures Diuine authoritie is this viz. That we are infallibly ascertained of the Scriptures Diuinitie by the Scriptures themselues I or as in other Sciences there are alwayes some principles Per se not a indemonstrabiliâ— whence other things are proued so in Diuinitie all conclusions in point of Beliefe and Practise are proued by the Scriptures but for the Scriptures they
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
be found the safest to travel in Mens writings are infinite their opinions changeable their resolutions doubtfull and if wee begin there wee are out of the way at the first entrance and t is hazzard but wee loose truth and our selves among so many turnings and windings of errors heresies opinions conjectures quarrelsome contradictions disputes and brawling controversies as we shall meete withall Who would be so troubled in his way to heaven thus wearied and vexed with endlesse and needlesse discourses which like the envious Amalekites set upon us in our sore travell towards Canaan assaulting the simplicity of our faith disquieting the peace of conscience by strange decisions of doubtfull cases darkning the cleer light of sacred Scripture which shines dimme through such painted glasse and in briefe mingling the sincerâ— milke of the Word with the noisome ingredients of carnall reason and corrupt affections Surely we doe not beleeve when we read that in the 12. of Eccl. v. 12. There is no end of making of bookes and much reading is a wearinesse to the flesh if we did we would hence learne to see a fault which an eager desire of learning not wel guided drawes upon us all that would be schollars A strange curiosity to prie into all books of the same kinde thinking wee never know the truth till wee know what all men have said of it And are we certaine then wee have it It were somewhat if t were in learning as t is in bearing of a burden where many weake men may beare that which one or few cannot But in the search of knowledge it fares as in descrying a thing a farre off where one quicke sight will see further than a thousand cleere eyes It is most usuall in comparing of humane authors for the Scriptures its certaine that they alone without other helpes are sufficient for our direction in all necessary truth and were our hearts inflamed with love of their excellent holinesse and our heads a little more acquainted with study and meditation therein wee should finde by experience that more light shineth in this sunne than in all the starres of the Church which doe but borrow their light from hence For mine owne part I have alwaies wondred at the discord between the doctrine and practice of many Divines who stiffely and truly maintaining against the Papists the all-sufficiency of Scriptures for heavenly instruction doe yet in their private studies condemne them of insufficiency bestowing to say the least three parts of their times and paines in the wearisome reading of those huge volumes of Fathers Schoole-men and other Writers for one part which they spend in the meditation of the Scriptures Wee love to seeke gold among drosse when wee may have it ready tried and purified to our hands yea pure as mettall tryed in a furnace and fined seven times as the Prophet speakes Psal. 12. 6. Blame not my resolution to follow Salomons admonition By these things my sonne bee admonished and to goe to the living not to the dead to the Law and Testimony the lively oracles of God ever speaking loud enough if wee have eares to heare what the Spirit saith and plaine enough if as our Apostle speakes wee had our wits exercised to discerne both good and evill You shall doe mee wrong to conceive any such meaning by my words as if I would dash out all writings of men with one stroke or condemne all Libraries to the fire an arrogant impiety it were so to thinke or speake of mens paines in writing and Gods providence in preserving their bookes No. I touch none but those who consult onely with flesh and bloud men like themselves out of whose discourses they frame to themselves an humane divinity making such to be pillars that should bee but helpers of their faith which how likely t is to faile in time of triall I wish them to forecast betime before they feele it too late Among you my Brethren I suppose there is none who had not rather have his soule saved than his fancy pleased and therefore will bee willing to beleeve where God affirmes to obey where he commands without mans authority to convince your reason or perswade your affections And if so I am eased of the most troublesome least profitable toile the curious search and allegations of Authors which if you do expect you overburden me if I should promise I should belie mine owne knowledge and as I suppose your opinion of my meannesse Furthermore for deeper speculations new-minted Divinity or elder Heresies buried in hell with their authors or strange opinions husht up in silence it will bee a wrong to imbroile the mindes of such an auditory and to shake them with the unseasonable blasts of doubtfull disputes before they have taken deeper roote in the faith You must pardon mee I speake to those whom this exercise most concernes that are the yonguer in age and knowledge And therefore I must beseech you beloved and much respected in the Lord who are the elder and stronger in the Lords stocke to give mee leave to drive on in Iacobs pace so as I weary not nor leave behinde the more tender Lambes I dare say wee may all at last come to Canaan and yet breake no company He that gives to them that want takes not away from them that have and you know that men may bee nourished with milk though infants cannot live with stronger meate Finis Prologi THE NATVRE AND properties of GRACE and FAITH THe summe of all Christian dueties is briefly comprised under these two heads Agenda and Credenda Doing and Beleeving Which the Apostle 2. Tim. 1. 13. makes the two maine parts of all wholesome doctrine Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of mee in Faith and Love which is in Christ Iesus The Epitome of Love is the morall Law briefly contained in ten more briefly in two precepts Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thy selfe The sum of Faith more at large delivered in the Apostolicall writings is shortly drawne into that excellent compendium which wee now use and call the Apostles Creede containing the substance of Evangelicall doctrine Both these Faith and Love have one common adversary Satan by whom they have beene continually assaulted and whether more dangerously it is not easie to determine they seeme both to bee imbarked together in the same bottome and if Conscience suffer shipwrack Faith sinkes too and if Faith the most precious lading be throwne overboard I doubt how Charity will be able to make a saving voiage As Paul said of the Marriners attempting an escape in their dangerous passage so I of those Except they abide in the ship ve cannot be saved and you may observe it equally difficult to find an Hereticke vertuous or an Atheisticall vicious liver a true beleever Wherefore the divell cares not much where he begins his battery yet if I be not deceived
occasion to handle at large Having now thus distinguished them let us see how these effects are appliable to their Causes the Word and the Spirit the dependance is thus 1. Common illumination and the naturall movings of the Will that follow thereupon are the effects of the ordinary grace of the Spirit in the ministerie of the Word preached 2. Proper illumination with the Spirituall affections thence arising are the Effects of the Speciall Vertue of the Holy Ghost in the ministery of the Word regenerating the Soule But we must goe further yet and whereas the Word and Spirit are both joyned together in this worke of regeneration wee must carefully see what belongs to one what to the other Wherefore we are to distinguish betweene the 1. Instrument For whatsoever can be ascribed to the Word agrees to it but only as it is an instrument of the power of Gods Spirit Now instruments are either Cooperative or Passive and the word must be one of the two Cooperative it is not moving and working on the soule by any inward force of it selfe For it cannot bee declared what operative force there should be in the bare Declaration of Gods Will to produce the reall effect of Sanctification in the unregenerate heart It is therefore in it selfe a Passive instrument working only Per modum Objects as it containes a Declaration of the Divine will and as it proposeth to the understanding and will the things to be knowne beleeved and practised Now 't is well knowne that no Object whatsoever hath any Active power per se to worke any thing upon the Organ but is only an occasion of working which some Force in or about the Organ makes use of But whence then hath the word its effect from the 2. Principall Agent the Spirit of God who by his immediate and proper vertue workes upon the Vnderstanding and Will causing in that a thorough apprehension of the things proposed and in this a cheerefull obedience to the things so understood The Object of this worke of the Holy Ghost is not the Word as if the Holy Ghost did infuse into it any speciall Vertue wherby it should worke together with himselfe as a partiall Coordinate efficient cause in our Coaversion the Word working one part the Holy Ghost another as the Arminians vainely dispute Act. Synod Defens Act. 4. p. 136. But the object of this Worke is the Soule of man whereinto this vertue of the Spirit is Infusa or Affusa or rather whereabout this Vertue is imployed quickening changing renuing the Faculties of the Soule with such spirituall strength and holinesse that so it may performe what the Word declares is to be done Which effect of Regeneration though properly it commeth only from the Sanctifying power of the Holy Ghost yet by a cōmon Metonymie it is ascribed also to the Word and for that cause wee are said to be borne againe by the Word 1 Pet. 1. 23. to get Faith by Hearing Rom 8. to bee begotten by the Holy Ghost 1 Cor. 4. 15. to be sanctified by the truth id est the Word Ioh. 17. 17. and hence such proporties as these are ascribed to the Word that it is the Power of God to Salvation Rom. 1. that it is mightie in operation sharpe as a two edged Sword Heb. 4. 12. that it is a Sword Eph. 6. 17. Revel 19. 15. that it is Fire and a Hammer to breake the Rocke Ier. 23. 29. that it is Powerfull to cast downe all strong bolds of Mans proud imagination 2 Cor. 10. 4. with many the like which though they properly belong to the invisible power of the Holy Ghost giving effect unto his owne Word yet are figuratively attributed unto the Word it selfe which he useth as his visible Instrument I cannot better expresse the manner how the Holy Ghost useth the Word in the worke of Sanctification than by a Similitude or two Christ meeting a dead Coarse in the Citie of Nain touches the Beare and utters these words Yongue man I say unto thee arise Heare the Command and that given to a dead man But could these words doe any thing to raise him No t was Christs invisible power that quickened the dead not his words which only declared what hee meant to doe by his power Againe to the sicke of the Palsie Hee saith Arise take up thy bed and walke Here 's the Command given to a sicke man But was it the vertue of these words that heald him No 't was that secret vertue which went from Christs Deity which did the Cure His words declared what that should bring to passe So in this matter of our Conversion Christ bids us Awake wee that sleepe and stand up on our feet he bids us Beleeve repent obey turne unto him c. But all these commands worke nothing of themselves but take effect by the only Power of God working upon the Heart In which case the Word is truly the Voice of God not of man Now Gods Voice is not a bare sound or word carrying such or such a meaning with it and no more as mans doth but it is Verbum factivum as well as significativum it deeth and really brings to effect that which it commands to bee done it makes a world when it bids a world to be made it raises us when it bids us arise it awakens us when it bids us awake it workes faith in us when it commands us to beleeve it gives repentance when it bids us repent it makes us holy when it commands us to be so According to that of the Apostle 2 Cor. 10. The weapons of our warfare are mighty but it is through God and that in Esa. 59. 21. My word saith God shall abide in you but this cannot be till he have first put his Spirit within our hearts Wherefore where this vertue of the Spirit is wanting as it is in most there the Word hath no other vertue than to bee as a faire Mappe presented to the eye wherein are described many matters of excellent knowledge which the unregenerate may gaze upon in a kinde of shallow heartlesse speculation which will differ asmuch from good knowledge as the knowledge of a Countrie by the Mappe and by the eye in travelling it And this is the Sentence of the Orthodox Church touching the Nature and distinction of these two Callings Inward by the worke of the Spirit Outward by the voyce of the Word The Arminians are of another opinion whose judgement about this matter is thas The Word say they and the Spirit alwayes goe together and wheresoever either the Law or Gospell is preached there and then the Quickening power and effectuall vertue of the Holy Ghost is present in all even those that are unregenerate untill such time as by Contumacy and Rebellion against the Spirit they have made themselves unworthy of further helpe But now what is this effectuall power according to the Arminians and what doth it in all men It doth say
they inlighten the understanding it stirres up the Sensuall affections for as touching the Will it meddles not with that and so gives unto the heart Sensum verbi and by an inward power infused doth move and dispose the heart to Beleeve and Convert Yea but how is all this done Is it by any proper worke of the Spirit distinct from the power of the Word By no meanes say they It is done by a morall perswasion per Representationem objectivam by a proposall of what is to bee done with commands exhortations intreaties promises thereto annexed And is this sufficient to our regeneration Yea there is not there needs not any other immediate inward invincibilis actio as they stile it of the Holy Ghost upon the Soule The Word only the Word begins continues and consummates our Conversion Nay if an inward worke of the Spirit be granted they affirme that the preaching of the Word can by no meanes possible bee accounted any meanes at all of our Conversion What then Inward Calling there is none No say they there is no other inward regenerating grace but onely the forenamed Morall Perswasion to goodnesse by the outward Ministery of the VVord This is the summe of their opinion and that Chaos of confused errors which t is hard to distinguish into any good order I will touch upon them in these three propositions manifestly opposing their fundamentall suppositions in those their Assertions The first shall be this 1. That not so much as common Illumination and stirring up of the affections is given to all in hearing of the Word preached Shall wee goe any further than experience to prove this in thousands that heare the Word yet understand no more of it and are no more affected with it than the seates they sit on The Arminians as they 'le deny any thing reject this argument from experience except that though they doe not understand yet they might understand if they would To which I answer that t is true Such men shall bee condemned of wilfull ignorance because the meanes God afforded were sufficient to have brought them to more knowledge if they had done but as much as they might but yet the exception is here altogether vaine because here we inquire of the Act whether all men bee inlightned not de Potentià whether they may bee or no. For the Arminians hold that the Vnderstanding is inlightned and the affections moved in all and that Irresistably men cannot choose but know and be affected with the Word preached And this they stiffely maintaine because that God hath infallibly given unto all Potentiam Vires Credendi and this strength is nothing but Illumination of the Vnderstanding and Exciting of the Affections and therefore all must infallibly be illuminated and excited Wherefore when they affirme that a man may choose whether he will understand and be affected or no though it be true in part yet they contradict their owne maine position and confirme ours That God though he have given the outward meanes yet hath not given so much grace unto all as to make use of them for the gaining of ordinary knowledge in the Word The second proposition shall be this 2. That bare Illumination in the understanding of the sense of the Word preached is not sufficient for Sanctification of the heart i. e. to move to renue to quicken those affections with true love of goodnesse and desire of grace which before were disordered by reason of the darkenesse of the understanding This they affirme we deny it as a new and uncouth opinion and that upon these grounds 1. Because it presupposeth that in the affections there is no other vitiousnesse but that onely which is bred in them by the errour of the understanding which being deceived misguides the affections but being once rightly informed the affections are presently brought in order to follow the directions thereof Than which nothing can be more absurd and contrary to all experience 2. If bare Illumination or Morall Perswasion be sufficient to Sanctifie it shall work that effect either by it own simple vertue or by the help of something else besides If by it self then why are not the Divels sanctified who know more of Divinity than haply the learnedst man And why are not all learned Divines sanctified also what should hinder Or if there must be some speciall grace beside how can they affirm that to be of it self sufficient which helps not without the help of another thing And yet this is that wherto they are driven namely to confesse there must be a Special grace to make the Generall effectuall so in one word they dash all their dispute about the sufficiency of Vniversall grace Or if they like not that will fall to that shift to say that Bare illumination is sufficient though not to Sanctifie yet to worke true Faith and Conversion which is nothing else but to affirme that there is Faith Conversion before and without Sanctification Which opinion is a kind of phrensie The third proposition shall be this 3. That besides the Common illightning of the Vnderstanding and Motion of the affections in ordinary preaching of the Word there is necessarily required another immediate worke of the Holy Ghost upon the soule for its Sanctification throughout without which the preaching of the Word will bee utterly unable to worke true grace in the hearers This I prove by Scriptures and Reason The Scriptures are many I will name but one or two of the plainest places 1. Iohn 6. 36. Where Christ speaketh to the Vnconverted Capernaites thus But I say unto you that yee have also seen me there 's their knowledge of the Gospell by Christs preaching and miracles but yet yee beleeve not What was the reason of that t was this God had not given the Capernaites to Christ and therefore he gave them not grace to come unto Christ for All that the Father giveth me commeth unto me and he that commeth unto mee I cast not away vers 37. Yea will an Arminian say They came not because they were not willing to come there wanted nothing on Gods part but they might have come Yes but there did if wee beleeve Christ God did not draw them therefore they came not For No man can come unto mee except the Father which hath sent me draw him and I will raise him up at the last day vers 44. But what is this Drawing it is the same which in the next verse he call Gods Teaching of us It is written in the Prophets They shall all be taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and learned of the Father commeth unto mee Nothing can be more manifest than in this place the plaine distinction of an inward Drawing from an outward Morall Perswasion an inward Teaching of God from the outward Preaching of man Which is effectuall to true Conversion in all and onely those that are inwardly so drawne and taught of God which the Capernaites were
not 2. Deut. 29. 3. 4. The Israelites in the wildernesse had all instruction and perswasion that might be by the VVord and by Miracles from God and his servant Moses they had heard Moses and God speake and seene the great tentations miracles and wonders with their eies But was this sufficient to convert them No there wanted that within which God denied them for saith Moses Yet tho Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive and eyes to see and eares to heare unto this day vers 4. Parallell to which is that touching the Iewes among whom Christ had preached so much and so plainely done so many so singular miracles Yet they beleeved not in him Ioha 1â— 37. But what was the cause of that was not the meanes sufficient No God had denied to reveale unto them his arme or power in giving them the knowledge of the Gospell That he proves out of the Prophet Esay who of all the Prophets preacht the Gospell plainest and yet found small credit to his doctrine That the saying of Esaias the Prophet might be fulfilled that he saith Lord who hath beleeved our report and to whom is the arme of the Lord revealed vers 38. A very unreasonable complaint saith the Arminian if we construe it so for t is as if Esay had said Lord only the Elect to whom thine arme was revealed they have beleeved it but none of the Reprobates have beleeved it because thine arme was never revealed to them and so they could not beleeve And what reason had Esay then to complaine of them for not doing that which they could not doe I thinke the wisedome of God hath of purpose to checke these pestilent gainsaying Spirits added in the next words vers 39. Therefore they could not beleeve because thus Esaias saith againe He hath blinded their eyes and hardned their hearts that they should not see with their eies and understand with their hearts and should be Converted and I should heale them So Gods Spirit brings that for a good reason which these men count an absurdity They did not beleeve and the Prophet complaines of it yet it was because they could not beleeve And why could they not â—was the want of that Inward worke of grace wee stand for God had not inlightned their mindes nor softned and sanctisied their hearts and therefore they could not beleeve 3. 2. Tim. 2 24 25 26. And the servant of the Lord must not strive but bee gentle unto all men apt to teach patient In meekenesse instructing those that oppose themselves Here 's the Ministers dutie to preach uncessantly using all gentle and good meanes to bring men to repentance but will this diligence in perswasion and patient industry bee effectuall at last It may prove so but when it doth 't is not by it selfe but by Gods speciall grace If â—od peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth After all outward meanes used an inward gift is still to be expected Let vs in the next place come unto reason and experience where we have these perswasive arguments to confirme us in this truth 1. From the like experience in Christs calling of his Disciples to whom he useth no other words but Follow mee or Follow me I will make you fishers of men it is wonderfull that so shortan Invitation should worke so strange so speedy an alteration Sraightway they leave all and follow him what forsake all to follow after a stranger they never knew before with such constancy and yet through so much perill and disgrace and all for a word spoken Follow mee Nay in that word there was more then a word there went with it that Power which could have commanded the attendance of the Armies of Heauen and Earth And those few words accompanied with this secret vertue did more upon the hearts of the Disciples than many a long Sermon upon the Pharisees and obdurate Iewes where Christ was not pleased to shew the like effect of his power So Christ appearing to Saul accosts him with this expostulatorie salutation Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee hee saith no more but only tells him being asked That hee was Iesus of Nazareth whom hee persecuted and that it was hard for him to kicke against the prickes But see what a change these few words have made in a fierce raging persecutor hee is on the sudden as meeke as a Lambe and now all for obedience to that name which before hee furiously persecuted Lord what wilt thou have mee to doe command what thou wilt I am ready to obey Was it externall morall perswasion trow yee that hath made this wonderfull alteration Nor are these examples to bee accounted so extraordinary as if for the substance the same course were not ordinarily observed Were not men wilfully perverse they would confesse that when of many thousands that heare one and the same Sermon some one or two it may be the worst in the company are in a moment so changed that they are not the same men they were new hearts new desires new affections all new in them they would I say confesse that this is the very â—inger of God touching the Heart and not the force of any outward perswasion whatsoever 2. If only a bare proposing of Divine things to the understanding joyned with perswasions of command threatning and the like towards the Will bee all that is needfull to mans conversion it would bee knowne what difference wee shall make betweene the working of Gods word and of Mans of a Divinitie Sermon and a good morall speech Nay more what difference can be made betweene Sathans temptations and all the sacred suggestions of Gods word yea whether Sathans seducements to evill are not likely to prove alwayes more powerfull than Gods perswasions to goodnesse because in both cases the worke it selfe is left wholly to our arbitrement and then Sathan hath the advantage of our naturall Corruption cleerely on his side So that by this Arminian doctrine mans conversion is even desperate seeing Sathan is as powerfull and certainely he is as willing to Pervert as God is to Convert This blasphemous absurditie the Arminians cannot shift their hands of though they strive in vaine about it 3. The old rule must here be remembred Passio râ—cipitur non tam per conditionem agent is quà m dispositionem patient is all exhortations promises commands take effect not according to their owne but according to the quality of him towards whom they are used And so wee see a word doth more with some than a frowne or sharp menace towards another All Speech workes as the Heart of the Hearer is affected not as he intends that utters it Wherefore if there be nothing more to be done on Gods part towards our Conversion but the only proposall and perswasion of the acceptance of Grace it is manifest to all that can judge of the state of Corrupted nature that wee shall never accept of Gods offer but out
of that Enmity and Hatred of all goodnesse which is deepely rooted in our nature we should all universally and finally reject it if it be left to our discretion whether or no wee will receive it Except our tongues be first brought unto a right temper purged from the bitternesse of our corrupt humours that have overflowed and infected them wee shall distaste the sweetnesse of all heavenly doctrine and nothing will seeme so unsavoury to our relish as the things of the Spirit And therefore of necessitie our distempered disordered and crooked dispositions must be first Rectified by an inward worke of Gods Spirit before we can possibly take any true benefit by the Word preached Thus then the truth of our second maine conclusion stands good That sufficient grace to Sanctification is not given to all that Heare the Word preached because none of those other gifts that are given them are sufficient but only the inward Vertue of the Holy Ghost and this is not bestowed on all because wheresoever it worketh it is alwayes infallibly effectuall by no meanes possibly to be hindred Which shall be further shewed in our third Question touching the Controversie But before we leave this a scruple or two cast into our way by the Adversary would bee removed They prove that the Word and Spirit are never seperated and for it they bring Scriptures and reason Scriptures 1. Esa. 55. 11. The word that goeth out of my mouth shall not returne unto mee voide but it shall accomplish that which I will and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it To which I answer that this place intendeth no more but that God will certainely performe all his promises that he maketh unto the Church If it be extended to a larger sense wee grant that at every Sermon the Prophet or Preacher makes the power of Gods Spirit is alwayes present with his Word but how to make it powerfull unto conversion in all to whom it is proposed Nothing lesse It sufficeth that that be done in some only for whose sakes God chiefly sent it For others that are disobedient God hath his worke in them too namely the accomplishment of his workes of judgement though not of Grace 2. Act. 7. 51. Yee have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost viz. whose vertue was showne upon their hearts in and together with the preaching of the Prophet To this I answer That they that either neglect the Hearing of the Word or when they heare and understand it and are convinced of the truth of it doe wilfully refuse to yeeld obedience to what they know these are justly said to resist the Holy Ghost because they resist His Ordinance and His worke enlightening their understanding with the knowledge of Gods will The Iewes had both and resisted both but it cannot appeare by this place that there was any other Quickening vertue of Gods Spirit working effectually upon the Hearts of the Iewes only they had the Externall declaration of Gods will and also Illumination and Conviction of their Consciences which effect the Spirit workes ordinarily in most but not universally in all that heare the Word 3. Heb. 6. 4. 5. and 10. 26. 29. But these places as they touch only some of the Vnregenerate which are in that manner wrought upon not all who heare the Word preached so that worke of the Holy Ghost which appeares upon their hearts is not by that Saving and Quickening power which is the immediate and infallible cause of true Sanctification but only a more speciall degree of an inferiour grace as shall bee shewen hereafter Reasons which they alledge are thâ—se 1. If the inward worke of the Spirit doe not alwayes goe with the Word preached it will follow that God doth not sincerely meane that which hee makes profession of For outwardly by his VVord hee calls them unto him whom yet secretly he would not have come unto him For if he would have them come why doth he not give them that inward worke of the Spirit without which hee knowes they cannot come As for example when by the VVord he calls upon men and bids them repent and convert if hee will this seriously why doth not God bestowe on men all such helpes and meanes as are required on his part inward as well as outward without which they cannot convert If hee will it not seriously why doth hee command them to doe that which hee knowes they cannot nay we know he would not have them doe Is not this dissembling to say one thing and meane another to will one thing in word another in secret intent Answ. None more damnable hypocrites than they that will accuse God of counterfeiting Hee deales plainely fairely openly speakes as hee meanes and as it pleaseth him it should be If hee bid a wicked man doe well hee would truly have him doe so nor is it his secret desire hee should continue in his wickednesse when hee openly exhorts him to come unto repentance and amendment But here wee must distinguish betweene a double VVill in God 1. Voluntas approbationis of Allowance God as hee knowes so he likes of and approves of many good things which he intends never to bring to passe 2 Voluntas Effectionâ—s â—â—tentionis of Performance when God intends that shall actually come to passe which he approves as good in it selfe Now for the Conversion of all men by the Preaching of the VVord God wills it seriously by way of Approbation and allowance That the creature should convert to God and obey his Creator in all things is a thing truly good and God justly commands it and if the creature can by its owne strength performe it God doth truly approve and like well of it But God doth not will the conversion of all men Effectually by way of full intention to worke it in them If man can doe it as t is his bounden dutie hee should well and good God wills it as a thing in it selfe pleasing and acceptable to him But God wills not to bestow upon a man strength to doe it nor is he bound so to doe So that here is no fraud nor Sancta Simulatio or duplex persona in God as some impiously at least imagine as if his VVord had a meaning contrary to his secret intent No the meaning of his VVord is sincere what he commands he wills to be done as a thing in it selfe very good and on our parts our pure due obedience to doe it and his secret inient of not giving a man sufficient abilities to doe his dutie crosseth not his Approbation of the goodnesse and necessitie of our dutie to bee performed by us They are blinde that will not understand this that t is one thing to approve of an end as good another thing to will it with a purpose of using all meanes to effect it Gods Commandements or exhortations shew what hee approves and wills to be done as good but his Promises or Threatnings
shew what he intendeth effectually to bring to passe But yet here they urge further How can God in justice command unto a man by his Word the Performance of that which cannot be done by him without the inward helpe of the Spirit and yet in the meane time God denies this inward grace unto him I answer Gods justice will herein be as free from accusation of tyranny as before his truth was from falshood and collusion God may without blemish to his justice Command man to performe his dutie although hee have now no strength to doe it because once hee had strength and he hath now lost it Yea will they say that were true did not two things hinder 1. Man indeed had strength and hath lost it but how himselfe did not decoquere wastefully spend his Patrimonie and by the Act of his sinning abolish the Image of God within him but God for a punishment of his fault did by an immediate act take away his originall abilities And it is then as great injustice in God to command us Conversion Faith and Repentance when himselfe hath taken away our abilities whereby wee should performe it as for a Iudge after he hath put out an offenders eyes yet to command him under paine of further punishment to read such a booke If hee had put out his owne eies the case had beene otherwise the Iudge being not bound to take notice of that his fact To which we answer that t is true God for our sinne hath deprived us of his image so that we cannot doe his will without new strength restored unto us yet we must remember though this deprivation be an act of God yet it happens through our merit by reason of our sinne and in this case how harsh soever it may seeme to us yet God the Iudge of the world doth not unjustly To command us the doing of that which wee cannot performe without those abilities restored which himselfe for our transgression hath taken from us and will not give us againe This is proved by that one instance beyond all exception The perfect obedience to the Morall Law is required of all and yet t is madnesse to affirme that God gives or is bound to give unto all that strength to doe it which they had in Adam without which it cannot bee done Further that God may justly command what man cannot performe is manifest by Gods commanding Pharaoh to let the Israelites goe which yet Pharaoh could not doe for God himselfe hardened his heart that hee should not be willing to let them depart 2. When God commands man to beleeve the Gospell here 's a duety injoyned that man never had strengh in Adam to performe And therefore if God doe require a new duety he is bound to afford new strength because by that which he had and lost he was never inabled to doe it To which we answer that it is an errour to affirme that Faith which is the condition of the new Covenant is not commanded in the Morall Law Legall and Evangelicall or the Faith of Adam in innocency and of man since his Fall is for the substance of the grace one and the same viz. Credence and Confidence of and in all things whatsoever that God shall reveale unto man The difference is onely in the Vse and in the particular object as we shall see in the handling of that point of Faith Now Adam being commanded in all things to beleeve his Creator whether revealed or to be revealed and having ability so to doe so that if God had told of him the mystery of the Gospell he would have beleeved it we also are bound by the Law of our Creation and so the Morall Law to beleeve in Christ as soone as God reveales vnto us this thing to be beleeved and God may require it of us because wee had power once to doe it and what is lost God is not bound to restore 2. Reason If the Word at any time be destitute of the quickning Spirit it will follow that the Word shall be of it selfe a dead letter and the â—avour of death because it is destitute of the Spirit which only puts life unto it But this is not to be affirmed for as much as it is only our fault that the Word proves the â—avour of death c. To this we answer That the Word is never of it selfe the â—avour of death no not then when it is without the vertue of the Spirit and we reject those assertions as utterly erroneous That the Word should bee preached unto some to damne them or with this intent to make them inexcusable The Gospell is not published with any such purpose at all for the judgement of our English Divines in the Synod is â—ound that those who being called refuse to convert should be made more inexcusable Neque enim ea singi potest homines reddere inexcusabiles per Verbum Spiritum vocatio quae eo tantum Fine exhibetur ut reddat inexcusabiles No there 's no such matter The end of the VVord preached is to shew unto man what is that good and that acceptable will of God which he requires man should performe and the declaration of the will of God to man is alwaies in it selfe most good and excellent nor doth it vary in its owne nature whether the vertue of the Spirit goe with it or no. For as I touched before the power of the Spirit doth not worke upon the VVord to put life into it but it workes upon our soules to put life into them So that whether our hearts be sanctified or not sanctified t is all one to the VVord it makes no alteration in the nature of that All the difference lies in the Effect where the heart is sanctified there the VVord is heard with obedience where t is not sanctified there t is heard and disobeyed But the cause of this difference is meerely in the disposition of mans heart not any jot from the VVord the preaching whereof is good and to a good intent but unto some it becomes hurtfull not because the VVord hurts them but they hurt themselves by their owne sinnefulnesse leaving themselves inexcusable in their fault and aggravating their damnation by wilfull disobedience The VVord is neither dead nor deadly in it selfe but wee are dead and by our sinnes against the VVord slay our selves 3. Reason If the preaching of the VVord be sometimes destitute of the vertue of the Spirit it will follow that men should bee condemned for not beleeving and being converted by that which hath no power to cause them to beleeve and convert as the VVord without the Spirit hath not But that were injustice so to doe c. Ergo. To this slight argument we answer that the default of mens not beleeving and converting is not through want of any thing in the VVord which is onely to tell them what God requires of them and this the VVord doth fully and sufficiently If they obey not
so with us that wee know not what these things meane if to our apprehension there appeare more terror in the angry words of a King than the most peremptory threatnings of God if a reproofe of a knowne fault will be rejected by us with contempt and gall if we sleight the sweetest exhortations and the Consolations of God seeme a small matter to us if wee can with a Confident scorne of all Gods counsells hold a resolution to goe on still in our owne courses let God and his Ministers say what they list if our Corruptions trouble us not and of all things in this life we take least notice of the sinfull estate of our soules or of all pleasures and studies wee finde least content in hearing reading meditating on the Word These things are infallible Symptomes of Spirituall death that hath seazed on us and that as yet wee have not so heard the Word the Voyce of the Sonne of God as to be made alive by the hearing of it This tryall is certaine and this Change that the Word and Spirit worke in our regeneration is very sensible if wee be not sensible of it we may be bold to Censure our selves that as yet wee have it not To conclude they only heare the Word as the word of God which finde in it Gods power working Sanctification in their hearts others heare it only as the word of man which goes no further than the naturall care and understanding Where this change of the heart is not all reformation in the life is but counterfeit and hypocriticall In the two former Questions wee have examined the pretended sufficiency of Grace universally bestowed on all whether within or without the Church and shewed you that all those gifts which are ordinarily given either to Christians or Heathens are utterly insufficient for to worke their true Conversion unlesse there bee a further aide of the speciall grace of the Holy Ghost working on the Soule to the sanctification thereof Wee are at this time to come unto our third and last Question whether or no supposing such grace to be given as is truly sufficient to convert it be notwithstanding in mans power freely to choose whether he will be converted or not converted by it The Arminian affirmes that it is so and that when God directly intends to Convert a man and for that purpose affords him all gracious helpes needfull to be given on his part then Man by the liberty of his Will may resist Gods will and worke so as they shall not worke his Conversion A desperate error which whosoever maintaines it is impossible that Christian Humilitie and thankfulnesse can have any place in that mans heart Wherefore it behooves us much to be rightly informed in a point of such consequence wherein it is so easie to become an enemy against the grace of God The Question then is this Whether it be in mans power so to resist the grace of God as finally to hinder his owne Conversion In the explication of this Controversie I shall with Gods helpe proceed in this order 1. To shew unto you in briefe the Opinion and Errours of our Adversaries in this point 2. To unfold and confirme that Truth which the orthodox Church defends as touching this matter 3. To answer such Arguments as are made against it The Opinion of the Arminians touching the power of Mans free Will in the worke of Conversion is most fully and freely expressed by that perverse Sectary Iohannes Arnoldi Corvinus in these words of his so often mentioned in the acts of the late Synod and which are most worthy to be had in everlasting detestation Positis saith he omnibus operationibus gratiae quibus ad Conversionem in nobis eâ—â—iciendam Deus utitur manet tamen ipsa Conversio it a in â—ostra Potestate libera ut possimus non converti id est nosmetipsos vel convertere vel non converters id est Suppose all the operations of Grace which God useth to worke conversion in us bee present yet Conversion it selfe remaines in that sort free in our power that wee may be not converted that is we may convert or not convert our selves This is plaine dealing without ambiguity and doubling When God hath done all that is to be done for his part 't is still on our free choyce whether wee will convert or not Their explication of this conclusion is as strange as the conclusion it selfe is hereticall It is thus there are two operations of Grace precedent to a mans Conversion 1. Illumination of the Vnderstanding in the cleere knowledge of the Law and Gospell Sinne and Grace Which illumination is not you must thinke wrought by any immediate worke of the Holy Ghost opening the understanding to discerne of Spirituall things but by the very plaine evidence of the things themselves so cleerely declared and represented to the Vnderstanding that every man having the use of reason aâ—d judgement and being attentive in the hearing or reading of the Word may by the help of his naturall reason without other Supernaturall light understand the sense of all things delivered in Scripture needfull to be knowne beleeved hoped for or practised This is the first worke of Grace upon the Vnderstanding the next is in the 2. Renovation of the Affections which are quickened and rectified with new motions towards spirituall things So that a man not yet converted may truly Sorrow for his offending of God Bewaile his spirituall death in sinne be inflamed with the love of the truth Desire Grace and the Spirit of regeneration hunger and thirst after righteousnesse and eternall life truly wish for deliverance out of his sinfull estate in briefe offer up to God the Sacrifice of a contrite and broken heart in Humilitie in Confession of sinne in Prayers for mercy in a Purpose and an Assay of amendment of life And thus farre the heart or affections may be changed and quickened when yet a man is not Converted Now this alteration which is wrought in affections is if you will beleeve them not any immediate effect of the Holy Ghost working this change in them but the proper cause of it is the Illumination of the understanding whereupon followes necessarily the stirring up of the affections in their right orderly motions which formerly were dead and disordered by reason of the darknesse of the minde misguiding them These two workes goe before mans Conversion and are wrought in all that heare the Word Vniversally and Irresistably the plainesse of Divine truth is such that men though they would cannot avoide the knowledge of it and the dependance of the affections on the Vnderstanding is such that their motions must needs bee conformable to the knowledge and apprehensions thereof When these two effects are wrought in a man hee is then furnished with sufficient strength to Beleeve and Convert if he will This power and strength is given him irresistably will he nill hee but for the Act of
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
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
not book-learned doe conceive to the infinite prejudice of Christianity But however must the Scriptures be obscure because men are carelesse is the Bible a hard booke because common people understand it not in Latine are all things in it darksome and intricate because one man understands not this or that particular which yet another doth or those of the present age perceive not the meaning of such or such a prophecy which the next age may cleerly understand These are weak inferences and such as cannot overturne our first conclusion namely that all Doctrines Histories Prophecies and whatsoever else in Scriptures may be knowne and understood by the perspicuity of the narration in the literall meaning thereof by all sorts of men bad and good For what history of the Bible can be named that may not be plainly understood I say not by a learned or godly but even by any man What prophecy the meaning whereof hath not or will not be plainly found out What text of doctrine whereof some have not or shall not understand the right meaning and when t is once found out may not all understand what one doth yea take the deepest mysteries of Religion as about the Trinity Incarnation of Christ Resurrection Life everlasting Regeneration and the like there is none of them so obscurely set downe in Scripture but that the declaration of them hath light enough to discover unto us what that thing is which we do beleeve so that we may give an account of our Faith in that behalfe Nor is this knowledge of divine things by tht evidence of the narration any peculiar priviledge of the godly but common unto the unregenerate For Charity though it could wish yet cannot be so blinde as to suppose that every one who is able to interpret Scriptures and to write or preach soundly of the doctrines of Divinity is a man truely sanctified by the Spirit of grace Experience and Reason make good the contrary that a singular measure of knowledge and no measure of sanctification are competible Who sees not abroad in the world many wicked and ungodly wretches abounding in knowledge and yet destitute of all true piety and is it not so in the Divell who as in knowledge he surpasseth the best of men so in malice far exceeds the worst of all creatures The cause is for that this knowledge is onely a degree and necessary antecedent unto saving Faith and is not so essentially linked unto it but that it may be where Faith is not It s easier to informe the understanding than to subdue the will and affections the minde may be plainely taught whilst yet the heart remaines froward unbroken and untractable the very heart and life of Faith is the strong inclination and union of the Soule unto the truth and goodnesse of spirituall things preferring them in our choyce above all other things whatsoever which gracious motion is the proper worke of Gods spirit powerfully binding and drawing the heart to embrace that good which is offered unto it but it doth not necessarily follow the right and cleere information of the Vnderstanding Whence it is both possible and easie for an unregenerate Christian by the helpe of common illumination to goe farre I say by common illumination understanding thereby that course of the Revelation of divine truths now usuall in the Church consisting in the knowledge of all Arts skill of Languages use of other mens labours in their Writings and Commentaries conference and hearing of the learned living and accustomed painfulnesse in study of any kinde of knowledge By these meanes a Christian presupposing the truth of holy Writ may in the state of unregeneration prove excellent in the understanding of Divine mysteries Hee may understand all and every the Articles of Christian beliefe all Controversies in matter of Religion all duties of Piety in Christian practice any Sermon or Treatise tending to holy instruction any place of Scripture of darkest and doubtfullest interpretation Yea in these things many times Sanctity goes not so farre as those common graces doe and you may know by experience that the holiest men have not beene alwaies the happiest expositors of Scriptures nor soundest determiners of Controversies but that both of Papists and Protestants many times men of ungodly lives and Idolatrous profession have equalled and exceeded others in their Commentaries and Treatises And doth not the triall of every day shew that many a wretched man and vile hypocrite may yet make so good a Sermon even about the most spirituall points of Christianity and so heavenly a prayer that those who are of quickest sight yet seeing him but a farre off may deeme him sound hearted So easie a matter it is for love of this world to learne Religion by rote and to teach the tongue to speake what the heart doth not affect This of the first conclusion the next is this 2. All Histories and Predictions are knowne unto the most illuminated understandings by no evidence of the things themselves but only by evidence of the relation I shall not need stand long in proving this conclusion In many precepts and doctrinall discourses sense and Reason may have something to doe but in matters Historicall and Propheticall Faith only beares sway For Histories of things past and gone there is no knowledge at all to be had of them otherwise than from authority of Scriptures relation That the world was drowned Noah saved in the Arke c doth not appeare unto us by any argument from the things themselves evident to sense or reason but only by the story So for Prophecies promises threatnings they are not evident till the event make them evident As that the Iewes shall bee converted the Papacy rooted out c. we know these things only by the Word foretelling them In neither of these kindes can our sense be informed or our understanding convinced of their truth and therefore wee must rest upon Revelation beleeved Of these two kindes principally is the Apostle to bee understood in that description of Faith which hee makes Heb. 11. vers 1. where he useth two words to expresse the objects of Faith the one 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things not seene the other 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things hoped for Things not seene are of a more large extent and comprise all both past and to come things hoped for have a speciall relation to promises of some future good Both are the proper objects of Faith which is alwayes drowned in the sight of things that were unseene and possession of things that were hoped for The third and last Conclusion followes which is this 3. Precepts and discourses of Dogmaticall points mentioned in Scriptures are in part knowne by the evidence of the things themselves both to the regenerate also the unregenerate This conclusion is of manifest truth as shall appeare thus In Scriptures there are doctrinall discourses of divers sorts some of matters belonging to Nature and Morality others of mysteries peculiar to Divinity
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
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
wee affirme that for that other generall faith in assenting to the truth of divine things because of Gods authority this faith as he had when hee was a Catholike so hee still hath it in part now he is an Hereticke and by the same faith he beleeved matters of Religion before his Heresie by the same he beleeves them afterward And those that are Heretickes indeed or such whom wee stile by that name let them bee asked why they beleeve such and such points of religion they 'le answer truly and resolutely they beleeve them because of Gods authoritie that hath revealed them in his Word and for such things wherein they dissent could they be perswaded the Scripture did teach the contrary they would for the same authority sake beleeve the contrary The Iesuite is yet urgent upon us and tells us that no Calvinist or Lutheran beleeves Gods authority but doubts of it Wee tell him againe that 's a foule slander and more than hee can make good yes that he will by a distinction too Gods authority considered Abstractivè in it selfe so indeed we doubt not of But Gods authoritie considered practicé in respect of the Church as it is proposed unto us by the Pastors of the Church so we doubt of it because wee admit not the judgement of the Church but follow our owne phantasie ibid. § 7. To this we answer that we passe very little to be judged Infidells upon such a ground because wee call in question the supposed infallibility and authority of the Romish Church We finde in Scriptures no such straight relation betweene her authority and Gods authority that if wee call hers in question wee must needs doubt of his Wee doubt not of the authority of Scriptures but we denie that the Romish Church hath any infallible authority of judging and interpreting them No one man nor all men ought to usurpe such authority over our faith And let the truth be judge who be the greater Insidells Calvinists and Lutherans that beleeve the Scriptures authority for its owne sake or popish Catholikes that will not beleeve but for mans saying Thus you have this second reason somewhat largely that Faith which our Adversaries call Iustifying is in Divells and ungodly men therefore it is not that justifying faith which the Scriptures speake of and appropriate unto the Elect Tit. 1. 1. Here it is but a vaine shift our Adversaries make to runne unto that poore distinction of Fides Formata and Informis namely that Faith may exist two wayes 1. Vt est conjuncta cum charitate ut in homine iusto and then Faith is called formata viva because Charity is Vita animae In this case Faith can Elicere operationes vitales seu aeternae vitae moritorias Gal. 5. 6. Faith worketh by Charity 2. Vt est separata à charitate quod fit in homine peccatore qui amissa per peccatum mortale charitate retinet fidem quamdin Catholicus est This Faith is called Informis mortuâ— nec potest habere operationes vitales seu meritorias Iam. 2. 17. Faith if it have no workes is dead in it selfe and ver 26. as the body without the spirit c. Becan tom 3. cap. 10. § 4. 5. 6. Thus they would have the quality and proper act of justifying Faith to be in reprobate men and divells but yet it doth them no good because t is without Charity Faith without Workes may be in its nature justifying Faith because t is an assent to the articles of Religion upon Gods authority but yet it justifies not because t is without workes Hereunto we reply that in this distinction there is not a syllable of sound doctrine nor yet of reasonable sense Thus much we grant that there is according to St. Iames. a kinde of â—aith without Workes namely a generall assent unto the truth of divine things but we denie that this kinde of Faith is for the substance one and the same with that Faith which is properly called Iustifying Faith without workes is of one kinde Faith with workes is of another not onely in regard of consequent because one hath workes the other hath not but in regard of their proper nature because the quality and acts of the one differ from the quality and acts of the other Wherefore in vaine doe they tell us that the same Faith is sometime with sometime without Charity Iustifying Faith is never without Charity and that which is is not Iustifying Vnto that conceit that Charity is the forme of Faith wee say t is Metaphysicall and such as no good construction can be made of it He saith Charity is Vita animae hee would say Vita fidei but take his meaning Faith lives by Charity as the body by the forme or soule Here 1. T is absurd to make one habite of the minde the forme of the other wee may as well say that Temperance is the forme of Liberality Each habite of the minde is distinguished by its proper object and actions and this the Schooleman cap. 18. quaest 2. § 3. grants in the strict sense 2. How doth Faith live by Charity We say it lives with Charity as its fellow-grace not by Charity as its soule We say without Charity it is dead yet t is not Charity that gives it life The Iesâ—it saith it doth for being joined with it Faith can elicere vitales operationes performe vitall acts Yea but what are these actions Faith hath but two acts 1. proper and immediate viz. Credere seu Assentiri 2. by consequent Iustificare Neither of these comes from Charity even by these mens owne doctrine Not the first for Catholickes without Charity may assent to the articles of Faith for Gods authority sake Not the second for to Iustifie in the Popish sense is to Sanctifie of a bad man to make a good Now how absurd is it to say Faith by Charity Iustifies i. e. Faith by the love of God and our neighbour sanctifies us or taking Charity for the Act not the Habite Faith by good workes of prayer fasting almes-deeds c. sanctifies us Both these are senselesse propositions for t is manifest that hee who hath Charity i. e. loves God and his Neighbour and doth good workes is not as yet to bee sanctified and made good of bad but is thereby sanctified already T is true that Faith is one part of our sanctification or inherent grace and Charity is another but neither doth Faith sanctifie by Charity nor Charity by Faith but we are sanctified by both together If there by any other vitall acts of Faith they should have beene named The glosse which the Iesuit addeth whereby he interpreteth what hee meaneth by vitall operations viz. aeternae vitae meritorias such as deserve eternall life carrieth with it as absurd a sense as the other Thus Charity is the forme and life of Faith i. e. Charity makes the acts of Faith to be Meritorious sâ—il our love of God and man or our good
workes makes our Faith i. e. our assent to the Articles of Religion because of Gods authority to deserve eternall life Is there in the Scriptures the least intimation of such a strange and uncouth meaning when it tells that wee are justified by Faith To the places of Scriptures Gael 5. 6. Faith workes by Charity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 wee answer the meaning of the place is no more but That in Christianity no outward matters are of value that onely which is to be regarded is Faith that bringeth forth good workes These good workes come from Charity or inward love of God and man This Charity is stirred up and provoked to worke through Faith So that Faith workes by Charity as by that chiefe instrument which Faith imployes in the doing of all good works but Charity works by Faith as by the moving cause whereby t is excited to worke according to 1. Tim. 1. 5. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Faith is the first wheel in the clock that moves all the rest Faith stirs up and directs the other graces of the soule in their operations whose strength and vigour increaseth according as Faith increaseth Tantum amamâ—… quantum credimus t is cleer in all experience those that have the strongest Faith they shew the greatest love to God and man as in Abraham Moses Paul all the Martyrs But of this more in shewing the connexion between Faith and Obedience To that other place Iames 2. 26. As the body without the Spirit is dead even so Faith without workes is dead we answer that S. Iames understands by that similitude not modum Informationis but necessitatem Vnionis that good workes are necessarily coupled with a justifying Faith not that good workes are the forme and life of Faith à priori They are arguments and effects of a living Faith they are not causes that make it living as is apparent because it is impossible any good worke should goe before justifying Faith Heb. 11. 6. Wherefore this similitude is not so to be strained unto a Philosophicall construction where the Apostle intends no more in all his dispute but to shew that true saying Faith must of necessity bee conjoyned with good workes And if our adversaries bee so strict upon the termes of this similitude t is manifest that they fit not their doctrine for so as the soule is the forme of the body so workes shall be the forme of Faith i. e. an Act shall bee the forme of a Habite which is against reason and their owne doctrine who make the Habituall grace of Charity not good workes the fruits of it to be the forme of Faith S. Iames therefore is to bee taken in the former sense or else wee may without any violence interpret 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in that place not Spiritum i. e. Animam but Spiritum i. e. Halitum Respirationem and thus the comparison is exact as the body without breathing and motion is dead so Faith without workes Thus it appeares how Faith is sleighted by our adversaries whilst they hold that the Faith wherby a sinner is justified is nothing but an assent to Articles of Religion because of Gods authority Some places of Scriptures there are they would faine build this upon as Heb. 11. 1. Rom. 4. 3. Tit. 1. 1. Ioh. 20. 31. but their arguments thence are so inconsequent and weake they are not worth the mentioning or refuting I proceed therefore from this generall Faith unto that other which is speciall particular Particular assent of Faith is when all things revealed by God are assented unto as most true and excellent in regard of our selves when they are particularly applyed to our proper occasion and compared with all desires and provocations whatsoever to the contrary When we know and beleeve those things that are generally delivered for our selves in application to our owne use and practice as Iob was counselled by his friends so that wee beleeve in this particular aswell as in that at this time aswell as at another In the Explication of the nature of such a particular assent I propose to your consideration two things 1. The Roote and Cause whence it springs 2. The Object of it whereto it is directed 1. The true root and fountaine whence this Blessed assent of Faith ariseth is that grace of sanctification wrought in the heart by the holy Ghost renewing the soule in all the powers thereof T is not common illumination for many know and despise the truth or beleeve it but in generall T is not the Authority of all the men in the world that can perswade to it wee should not then have had so many thousand â—…rmons of Prophets Ministers learned holy and powerfull in their doctrine yet preached to very small purpose with the most of mâ—n T is not miracles and strange accidents that can force this Faith the Iewes had plenty of them yet continued still unbeleeving T is only the sanctifying Grace of Gods spirit that brings this to passe For consider with your selves how deadly an opposition there is betweene a mans unsanctified nature and the wisedome and goodnesse of God all his counsells seeme but craft his words foolishnesse his mercies light and not worthy of estimation His exhortations promises or threatnings are entertained with inward disdaine and the heart saith within it selfe Who is God that I should feare him or what profit shall a man have by beleeving his Word and walking in his wayes Yea men that are otherwise ingenuous and of fairer temper in this case are full of secret scorne and despite of God and goodnesse they account basely of the holinesse of Religion being privie scoffers and bitter deriders of the power of Grace when they are alone by themselves or in company that fits them They make a tush at Scriptures and smile at such perswasions to pietie as they afford counting it an indignitie for men of parts and resolution to bee moved with faire words of a simple man though hee speake in the words of God If their beliefe and knowledge of the truth be good in the generall yet in the application the heart makes violent opposition it begins to hold probable dispute whether it be wisedome to doe so or so whether they be bound in conscience considering such and such circumstances it casts all inconveniences that may possibly be thought on to discourage it selfe yea perchance the truth it selfe shall be called in question and it thinkes Sure I am deceived Gods meaning is otherwise at last it resolves I may doe this and yet fare well enough and If I doe no worse I hope t will not be much amisse and I trust that these commodities and pleasures I enjoy may well countervaile the neglect of such or such a small matter Thus the heart not washed by the holy Ghost in the laver of Regeneration but abiding in its naturall corruption is not nor can be subject to the law of God but proves either impudent and
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
it is injoyned and that in the first Commandement as a singular part of that inward worship due unto our Creator consisting principally in those three graces of Faith Love and Feare These things thus explaned let us proceede to the unfolding of Faith taken in the forenamed double relation and first as it hath reference to the whole Will and Word of God True â—aith respects all this and onely this Only this because in divine revelations onely is to be found that Infallible truth which gives satisfaction to the soule And againe all this because every part of Divine truth is Sacrosancta worthy of all Beliefe and Reverence threatnings as well as promises precepts exhortations admonitions historiâ—s every part of the Word falls in some degree or other within the compasse of Saving Faith By the same holy Faith whereby a penitent sinner beleeves the promise of mercy of Christ doth hee also beleeve all other promises of this life with other inferiour matters declared in Scriptures This is certaine but the chiefe point to bee noted here is an essentiall property of true Faith which standeth in Vniversality and Vniformity of assent to all things that are from God This Vniversality of assent is to be taken in a twofold regard 1. Of the Object the things beleeved when the faithfull soule gives full assent unto all things revealed by God not onely to such as it may assent unto without crossing its owne desires and purposes but unto those also that directly crosse and oppose carnall reason carnall affections worldly pleasures and all other provocations to infidelity 2. Of the Time and other particular circumstances whilst it doth most heartily and inwardly acknowledge the truth and goodnesse of these things not then alone when this may bee done without any contradiction and resistance but even then also most eagerly fixing the aâ—â—iance of the heart upon them when temptations rise when Heretickes dispute and cavill when humane reason failes and falls to arguing of impossibilities and unlikelihoods when sinnefull lusts hale this way and that when the world threatens or slatters when Satan rages or speakes faire then doth true Faith supported by the Spirit of grace stand fast as Mount Sion or if shaken a little t is not moved out of his place but looking beyond all present temptations to unbeliefe unto the everlasting and infinite truth and goodnesse of God it preferres that which he saith above all that the flesh the world the divell can promise or threaten to the contrary Now in this point stands an essentiall difference betweene the faith of Gods Elect and of Hypocrites These have alwayes their limitations they beleeve something but not all if all t is but in generall when it comes to particular proofe they bid â—arewell to saith when such circumstances come in the way as they love or feare more than they doe God But the faith of Gods Elect is sincere faire open universall without distinctions equivocations mentall reservations or other hypocriticall and Iesuiticall shâ—fts The reason is because the sanctified soule rightly apprehends the soveraignty of Gods truth and wisedome outstripping in Certainty and Excellency all things that can be set against it it judgeth than no good can be equall to that which God promiseth no evill so great as what hee threatens no course so safe as what hee prescribes whereupon absâ—lutely without all qualifications the soule casts it selfe upon God resolving to beleeve and doe as hee pleaseth Whereupon though in particular practice it may be ignorant of some things and weake in the application of others yet in the Habituall resolution and disposition of the heart it doth willingly yeeld assent and conformity to all T is most true that David in a passion may call Samuel a lying Prophet for 〈◊〉 him hee should be King and after abusie dispute maintained upon politicke worldly considerations câ—nciâ—de that therâ—â— no remedie but he must one day perish by thâ— hand of Sâ—â—l So Peter in a bodily feare may chance denie him in whom yet hee truly beleeves so in aâ—l a strong sit of pleasures or other violent incounter may push their buckler of faith aside but yet it cannot strike it out of their hands if they give a little ground they will not flye the field but because the heart is holy and entire they returne to themselves and their standing where the shame of a foyle taken makes them knit their strength together and stand more stoutly in the combat But my brethren here 's the mischiefe and miserie of all when there is a false heart within that keepes it selfe in an habituall resolution not to beleeve and trust God in such things or upon such and suchoccasions For in this case what ever shew of true faith they seeme to have in the generality or some few particulars t is most certaine that there is indeed nothing at all in that heart but horrible hypocrisie and infidelitie Such neverthelesse is the temper of all those who having not thoroughly searched out and resolved to renounce their evill affections nor exactly calculated what the profession and practise of Religion will cost them nor yet duly considered upon what grounds they undertake this profession are become their owne carvers in matter of Religion taking only so much of it into their beliefe and practice as the love of the world and their deere lusts will give leave These men are just of the Samaritans Religion that feared God and served their Images so they will beleeve God yet obey their lusts But as it was then none were found more bitter enemies to the restoring of the Iewish Church and State than these Samaritans who by reproaches accusations and conspiracies cruelly vexed that poore people and hindered the restauration of their afflicted estate even then when with fained flattery they proffered their service telling the Iewes they would build with them because they also sought the Lord the God So fares it with these men whose beliefe and forwardnesse in some things cannot make demonstration of so much friendship to Religion as their constant baulking and faltering in others testifies their hearts to be full of rottennesse and corruption bearing hatefull enmity against God and his Grace Take me any man who bewitched with custome commodity or pleasure gives himselfe scope and liberty to live in the breach of any of Gods commandements be it secret or open as constant neglect of the duties of religion in private accustomed mispending of pretious houres due to the businesse of our studies and callings usuall swearing secret thoughts and practices of uncleannesse unsatiable desires of earthly greatnesse and abundance unjust increase of wealth by usury bribery or other secret indirect courses excusing love of some though lawfull pleasures c. I say take me such a man that allowes himselfe in these or the like practices contrary to Gods most holy law and hee will be found though in name a Christian yet in heart an Infidell For trie now
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