are proved by the Scriptures but as for the Scriptures they prove and evidence themselves sufficiently to the judgment of every true Christian by their own light manifesting their divine Original They are primum visibile not like colour that cannot be seen till light make it apparent but like light it self which maketh all other things manifest and it self too by its own proper quality Now then if a true believer should be ask'd why he believes the Articles of the Christian Religion he may truly answer thus because they are revealed in the holy Scriptures If it be further demanded how he can assure himself that the Scriptures are the word of God he may answer that he knows it by the Scriptures themselves the Spirit of God enlightning his understanding to see those lively characters of divine truth which are imprinted upon those sacred Volumes If yet it be further demanded how he knows whether that is the right meaning of such or such a place of Scripture he may likewise truly say that he knows it by the Scriptures which being diligently examined and compared together do plainly discover to the humble teachable Soul their own true sense and meaning in the things which concern everlasting Salvation And thus the faith of a Christian is finally and ultimately resolved into the infallible word of God or a divine Testimony and into nothing less As for the Authority and Testimony of the Church and the judgments and writings of the Godly learned they are good helps to make us see the Truth but no causes why we believe it this we do for its own sake not for their sayings or determinations which if they do not accord with the Scriptures we ought not to assent thereunto Though we should give due Reverence to the Assemblies of Godly judicious men and thoroughly examine and weigh with humility and self-denyal the grounds of our dissent from them yet the bare Authority of men though never so eminent for learning and piety should not command our assent to any Article of Religion that shall be proposed to us For our faith should not stand in the wisdome of men as the Apostle speaks but in the power of God and the Testimony and demonstration of his Spirit 1 Cor. 2.4 5. The first and chiefest ground whereon is built the certainty of faith's assent is the infallible truth and Authority of divine Revelation because God hath said it we are to believe it and assent to it for whatsoever God saith is true now this is a principle of Nature and Reason which is deeply ingraven into the heart and Conscience of every Rational man that God himself is so infinitely wise that he can be ignorant of nothing nor can any Creature circumvent and over-reach him and withal he is so infinitely good holy and just that no lye or untruth can proceed from him wisdome it self cannot be deceived truth it self cannot deceive and God is both And therefore wheresoever any Revelation is certainly known or believed to be of God there the reasonable Creature doth fully assent to the truth of things revealed But now the great question will be how we know infallibly that God is the Author of the Scriptures and that what we find written therein is of divine inspiration the very Oracles of God Here lyes the great yea the irreconcileable difference between the Church of Rome and us for whereas we maintain according to the truth that the Scriptures are known to be of God by themselves and by their own light and power they hold that we cannot be certain of their divine Authority but by the Testimony of the Church which as they say doth infalliby propose unto us what is to be believed and what is not to be believed And so by this means our faith shall be resolved either into nothing at all for they differ exceedingly about the Church representative and the supreme Judge of controversies here on Earth or at the furthest it shall be resolved but only into humane Authority and so shall be but a humane faith That Circle which they falsly charge upon us (m.) Mr. W. Pemble nature and properties of grace and faith P. 210 211. they themselves are guilty of and can never be dis-intangled therefrom by their Principles For ask a Romanist why do you believe that the Pope cannot err he will tell you because the Scripture saith so thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church and I have prayed that thy faith may not fail and the like Texts of Scripture But how know you that this is the infallible word of God and that your interpretation is the right sence and meaning of these places To this he answers because the Pope and the Councel of Trent say so or as some of them hold because the Pope only saith so or as others of them because a general Councel saith so If we further urge him yea but how know you infallibly that the Pope and Councel do not err in saying so he will answer you because the Scripture affirms they cannot err for thou art Peter and upon this Rock will I build my Church c. And thus they run round in a Circle (n.) The Popish Circle described and are so intangled that the wisest and most learned of them know not how to deliver themselves Indeed they accuse us with open mouth as if we were intangled in a Circle running round from the Scriptures to the Spirit and again from the Spirit to the Scriptures as thus how know you the Scriptures to be the word of God by the Spirit revealing the same to my heart and Conscience but how know you this Revelation of the Spirit to be true By the Scriptures which testifie that the secret of the Lord is revealed to them that fear him But then further how know you this and the like places of Scripture to be the word of God we know it by the Spirit which reveals to us the things that are freely given us of God And thus they pretend that they have caught us in a Circle but they greatly mistake us though we do not mistake their Doctrine we teach indeed that we know the Scriptures infallibly to be the word of God by the Spirit of God inwardly revealing and testifying the truth of them to our Consciences But what kind of Revelation or Testimony is this It is not any inward suggestion or immediate inspiration different from those Revelations of Divine truth that are in the Scriptures themselves as if the Spirit of God did by a second private immediate Revelation assure me of the truth of those former Revelations contained in the Scriptures we have no warrant for this in an ordinary way but the Spirit of God reveals and testifies to our Consciences the divine Authority and truth of the Scriptures by removing those impediments that hindred as namely our ignorance and unbelief and by bestowing upon us those graces that make us capable of
this Divine knowledge and assurance illuminating our understanding renewing our wills and sanctifying our hearts and affections In which sence the Spirit of God in the Scripture is to us a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation opening the eyes of our understandings that we may see by a spiritual light the excellency of those divine Mysteries that are in the Word of God Ephes 1.17 18. Now this Doctrine of ours is no such Circle as the Papists pretend it to be but a plain and strait way for a sober Christian to walk in Thus How know you that the Scriptures are Gods Word We answer By the Scriptures themselves by that wonderful light and excellency of truth and holiness that shineth in them here we would rest and go no further But yet if we be asked How we come to see this light We answer It is by the only work of the Spirit of God giving us eyes to see and hearts to embrace and love the light If we be further urged for some are thus importunate But how know you that you do indeed perceive such a heavenly light as you speak of Or how can you make it appear to others that you are not deceived Now truly this is but a vain question it being an absurd thing to demand a reason of sense which is as if one should ask him that gazeth on the Sun How know you that you see the light Why he is certain that he sees it and knows that he is not deceived though he cannot convince a blind man of it and if in case he that is blind requires him that sees to prove unto him by sound argument that he beholds such an object he demands an impossible thing of him unless he could give him eyes to see it Some of the most learned Papists after all their disputing and wrangling are driven at last to acknowledge this inward illumination and testimony of the Spirit of God Stapleton himself even in that Book where he defends the Authority of the Church saith That the godly are brought to faith by the voice of the Church but being once brought and enlightened with the light of divine Inspiration then they believe no more for the Churches voice but because of the heavenly light And again in the last Book that ever he wrote against learned Whitaker he tells us plainly That the inward perswasion of the holy Ghost is so necessary and effectual for the believing of every object of faith that without it neither can any thing by any man be believed though the Church testified with it a thousand times and by it alone any matter may be believed though the Church held her peace or were never heard Hereby it appears that we may be infallibly assured of the divine Authority of the Scriptures though the Authority and testimony of the Church be not so regarded by us as the Papists would have it But yet when we have to do with Infidels and Atheists that scoff at this divine light and inward testimony of the Spirit we have more Reason on our side as hath been shewed at large to convince them and to prove that the Christian Religion is the true Religion and that the Scriptures do contain the Word and Laws of the most high God then any other Religion nay then all other Religions in the world As for the inward testimony of the Spirit witnessing the divine authority of the Scripture and how it is to be considered take these following Rules * Rules concerning the Spirits testimony for preventing mistakes First That the Spirit of God doth assuredly perswade the Conscience of a Christian that the Scriptures are the Word of God not by an immediate Vision or Revelation under which pretence Satan transforming himself into an Angel of light hath deluded and ensnared many poor souls but by enlightening the eyes of our understanding to behold the light writing the Law in our hearts and inward parts as God hath promised in the new Covenant sealing up the Promises to our souls and causing us experimentally to feel the powerful effects thereof Secondly This divine supernatural perswasion wrought in Believers by the Spirit of God is more certain and more satisfactory then can be proved by our weak imperfect Reason or expressed in words for things doubtful may be proved but as for things that are in themselves most clear and certain we say they need no rational proof or demonstration as the shining of the Sun which discovers it self by its own light needs not be confirmed by any rational Arguments to him that hath his eyes open to see the light thereof Thirdly It is such a testimony and demonstration of the divine Authority of the Scriptures as is certain and manifest to him that hath the Spirit for it makes it self evident where it comes but this is private and particular not publick and common testifying only to him who is endued therewith but not convincing others nor confirming doctrines to them In this case men must have recourse to the visible standing Rule to the written Law and Testimony if any man speak not according to this let him pretend never so much to the inward testimony and revelation of the Spirit it is because the light and truth of God is not in him Fourthly This testimony of the Spirit therefore is not to be severed from the Word which is the Instrument of the holy Ghost and his publick authentick testimony Nor is it injurious to the Spirit of God to be tried by the Word seeing there is a mutual relation and correspondence between the truth of the party witnessing and the truth of the thing witnessed And this holy Spirit the Author of the Scriptures is every where like unto and doth every where agree with himself as it is in a pair of Indentures there is no difference at all between them but the very same things that are mentioned in the one are also mentioned in the other so it is between the Spirit revealing and the truths of God revealed in the Scriptures Fifthly The testimony of the Spirit doth not teach or assure all and every one of the letters syllables and words of the Scriptures which are only as a vessel to carry and convey the heavenly light unto us but it doth seal in our hearts the saving truth contained in those sacred Writings into what language soever they be translated Hence it is that the Apostle tells the Corinthians that they are the Epistle of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the living God not in Tables of stone but in the fleshly Tables of the heart 2 Cor. 3.3 Sixthly and lastly The Spirit of God doth not lead them in whom he dwelleth and witnesseth absolutely and at once into every truth of God so as utterly to dispel all ignorance and darkness out of the soul but he leadeth them into all truth necessary to salvation and by degrees John 16.12 13. Being a free voluntary Agent he worketh when and
animosities supplantings disorders and inconsistencies amongst us if the soft and sober voice of reason were more attended to Reason would make some differences kiss and be friends it would quench many a flame and bind up many a wound it would end many petty personal quarrels for the good of the whole and the welfare of the community The Soul is toss'd up and down with passion and groundless suspition but anchors upon judgment and reason This calmness and quietness of reason doth never commend it self more than in complying with Faith in not opposing those high and transcendent mysteries which are above its own reach and capacity such a modesty and humility our reason should always have and practise namely to submit and subordinate it self to all such Divine Revelations as are above its own sphere though it cannot grasp them or pierce into them yet it should ever resolve with all humility and gratitude to admire them to bow its head and adore them One light should not oppose another lumen fidei and lumen rationis may shine both together though in several Orbs and with far different brightness This Candle of the Lord should not be impatient of a superiour light of a brighter Sun The light of reason should no more prejudice the light of Faith than the light of a Candle doth prejudice the light of a Star or the light of the Sun why should there be any strife between Faith and Reason seeing they are brethren both springing from the same Father of Lights though the one be much superiour to the other Indeed there are such infinite Treasures of Grace and Glory displayed in the Gospel as do far transcend Mans Reason and therefore must be apprehended by Faith which is the evidence of things not seen the substance of things hoped for Nature and Reason are not sufficiently proportioned to such high and transcendent Objects here are such depths such pleonasms such weights of glory as do opprimere ingenium humanum If the Sons of Men could have extracted all the Spirits of Reason and made them meet in one head nay if Angels and Men could have united and concentricated all their Reason and Knowledge yet they would never have been able to find out and discover such profound and mysterious Excellencies as the Eye of true Evangelical Faith beholdeth in an instant Revealed Truths shine with their own beams and brightness and do not borrow their lustre from the dim Candle of our Reason whatsoever God who is Truth it self reveals must needs be true Reason is so modest that it will not contradict this for it doth acknowledge a Deity and the unquestionable Truth of a Deity In all believing there is an assent a yielding to him that speaks by virtue of his own authority though he doth not prove and evince it any other way than by meer testimony Reason it self dictates thus much to us that we are to believe such a one whom we have no reason to distrust for without some faith there would be no commerce in the world there 's no trading without some trusting a general and total incredulity would threaten a present and fatal dissolution to human society Men may deceive us for none of them are infallible but God being Truth it self an Eternal Immutable Truth and all Revelations flowing from Him being certain and infallible like Himself hence it is that His naked Word is a sufficient demonstration and he that will not believe a God who is Truth it self is no better than an Atheist yea in some respect he is worse than a Devil for the Devils believe and tremble Though there be many things in the Sacred Scriptures which are beyond the comprehension of Reason yet coming to us in the Name of the God of Truth and bearing the stamp and signature of Divine Authority it is not contrary but agreeable to Reason that we should believe them and assent to them Some there are that endeavour to maintain this Opinion That revealed Truths though they could not be found out by Reason yet when they are once revealed Reason can evince and demonstrate them but I rather incline to the Judgment of Aquinas That humane Reason when it has stretch'd it self to the uttermost is not at all proportioned to them but at the best only can give some weak adumbrations of them 'T will be honour enough for Reason to submit unto Divine Revelation and to captivate it self to the Authority of God in His Word and withall to make it appear to the Adversaries of the Gospel that Faith does not oppose Reason indeed the way of Faith is a far more compendious way longum iter per rationem breve per fidem That which Reason would have been sweating for these many years Faith sups up the very quintessence of it in a moment God hath chosen this way of Faith that he may stain the pride and glory of Man that he may confound the wisdom of the flesh and maintain in Man great apprehensions of Himself of His Divine Revelations Truth and Goodness and keep the Creature in a continual posture of dependency upon Himself and humble submission to His own Testimony and Authority Fourthly The Light of Reason is lumen Ascendens an Ascendant light Reason is soon weary with fluttering up and down among the Creatures and perishing things of this life this Candle doth but waste it self to no purpose in searching for true happiness here below after a diligent search your own Reason will tell you that the summum bonum the chiefest good lies not in the riches honours pleasures of this world no nor in moral virtues and excellencies though some Men far above others have snuffed their Candles with more care and exactness by improving their intellectuals and refining their morals yet at length they sadly perceiv'd that when their Candles were at the brightest they burnt but dimly and blewly and that for all their snuffing they would relapse again into their former dimness and obscurity The Improvements of Nature and Reason will never make a Man perfectly happy This Candle of the Lord would flame and ascend upward towards Heaven but is much weakened and darkned by lusts and passions so that it cannot mount up to God and attain that glorious end and reward which is the happiness of Man Natures eye cannot see it Natures hand cannot reach it nor is there any natural power or operation proportioned to such a high transcendent Object as the Blessed Face of God in Glory And therefore the Nature and Reason of Man must be advanc'd above it self by a supernaturale Auxilium before it can be bless'd with so great a perfection as to arrive to the full end of its being nay God Himself O wonderful Mystery was pleased to assume the Nature of Man that He might make it more capable of this perfection and by a strict Love-knot and union make it partaker of the Divine Nature CHAP. IV. Shewing that the best Heathen Philosophers were
or inflict eternal death and condemnation by the word of his power but the eternal God Ninthly The end of the Scriptures is divine namely the Glory of God and the Salvation of man not so much Corporal and Temporal as Spiritual and Eternal The Doctrines precepts promises prohibitions narrations threatnings punishments and rewards thereof are all referred finally and ultimately to the praise and glory of God the supreme being and chiefest good which shews plainly that they are divine and from above And to speak truth and reason what is more equal and just then that all things should return thither from whence they had their first rise and Original for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom everlasting glory is due from all Creatures Rom. 11.36 The Scripture plainly points out to man what true blessedness is wherein it consists and where and how it is to be had and enjoyed namely in the everlasting vision and fruition of God in Heaven which men may attain unto by the true knowledge of Christ in whom God is reconciled and well pleased And this is a firm and clear demonstration of the divine Authority and excellencie of the Scriptures for what is more agreeable to the wisdome bounty mercy goodness and power of God then to restore man fallen and to make him partaker of eternal bliss and happiness and who can shew to man how he may be restored and admitted into the favour of God having offended his glorious majesty who can direct and lead him in the way to true bliss and happiness but God who is wisdome and goodness it self and who hath effectually done it in and by his Son the essential Word and by the Scriptures which are the written word of God These Arguments and demonstrations whether they be severally or joyntly considered by us do as strongly prove and evince that the Christian Religion is the only true Religion and that the Scriptures are the word of God as any reason can prove that there was is and ought to be any true Religion or Rule to walk by in matters that concern Religion and the worship of the Deity and therefore may serve to convince and satisfie the reason of any sober man touching the divine Authority of the Religion and Laws of Christ CHAP. XIII Of the Use of Reason in the interpretation of Scripture and judging of Controversies EVery Christian should so far improve his Reason as not to be impos'd upon in matters of faith by the meer dictates of men be they Princes be they Popes be they Councels be they never so learned or pious he ought not in aliorum sententias pedibus potius quam cordibus ire Reason and Judgment in these matters should go before and make way for his practice As there are some that vainly magnifie and lift up the Reason of man above the Spirit of God in judging of the Authority and mind of God in the Scriptures so there are others and more especially that Bestial Antichristian Kingdome of the Papacy that would transform reasonable men and Christians into sensitive and irrational Creatures by the deceit and Legerdemain of a Popish Implicit credulity which commands men to put out their Lamps to pluck out their eyes and in a manner to renounce their Senses Reason and understandings and so to follow their leaders blindfold wheresoever they go And I could wish there were not too much of this Implicit faith and blind devotion amongst Protestants yea and amongst some that seem more forward and zealous then others at least for a party The Ranting Romanists tells us with noise and clamour enough of a visible supreme Tribunal and an infallible head of the Church here upon Earth who is to regulate all persons and determine all controversies though never so much against the rules of Scripture and Reason others of them more prudent and moderate resolve the final Judgment of Controversies into the determination of a general Council and all of them generally make the Authority of the Scriptures to depend wholly upon the judgment of their Church Hence was that impudent saying of Bayly the Jesuite that without the Authority of the Church he would believe St. Mathew no more then Titus Livius a Heathen Author And Stapleton is so much for a blind Implicit obedience in contempt of Reason that he tells us plainly the people are so subjected to the Sentences of their Pastors that if their Pastors err in any thing the people may and ought to err in obedience to them And again as the Jews were to believe Christ saith he so are we simply and in every thing to believe the Church of Rome whether it teacheth Truth or Error O monstrous Is not this a base Tyranny a Brutish unreasonable act of theirs when they go about to make us believe that to be white which we know to be black that to be true which we know to be false there are some indeed amongst them more rational and sober who would not have private Christians put out their eyes but make use of their Reason and Judgment in reading the Scriptures and judging of Controversies The examination and trial of Doctrines concerning faith saith Gerson belongeth not only to the Pope and Councils but to every Christian also that is grounded in the knowledge of the Scripture because every Christian is a fit Judge of that which he knoweth And the saying of Panormitan another of their Doctors is well known that one faithful man though he be but a private man is more to be believed then the Pope or a whole Council if he have better Reason and Scripture Authority on his side Chrisostome in answer to this Objection that there are so many and so great dissentions amongst Christians that we know not of what opinion to be of nor whom to believe hath these remarkable words Tell me hast thou any Reason or Judgment for it is not the part of a man barely to receive whatsoever he heareth but if thou diligently mark the meaning thou mayst throughly know that which is good when thou Buyest a Garment though thou hast no skill in weaving yet thou sayest not I cannot buy it they deceive me but thou dost what thou canst to come to the true knowledge of it say not then I am no Scholler and will be no Judge I can condemn no opinion for this is but a shift and a cavil and therefore let us not use it for these things are easie to them that endeavour after true knowledge Hath not every Christian a reasonable Soul an understanding faculty which God hath endued him with that thereby he might search and try and discern the things that differ To what end hath God set up this light in mans Soul if he must not use it in searching the Scriptures and trying Doctrines but must give way to Sloth and Ignorance Is not this to transform man into a Beast and is it not Brutish ness and folly in him thus to
have not the Spirit of Christ dwelling in him he is none of his The secret of the Lord is with them that fear him and to them it is given by the father to know the mysteries of the kingdome of God Mat. 13.11 Hereby saith the Apostle we know the things that are freely given us of God even by his Spirit which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God 1 Cor. 2.10 For a man professing the knowledge of Christ to swallow down without tryal or consideration all that he reads and hears if it comes from a person that he admires which yet is the practice not only of the blind Papists but of many seeming zealous Protestants that are too much addicted to a party Non est opus virilis intelligentiae sed puerilis inscitiae this rather becomes the simplicity and ignorance of a Child then the wisdome and understanding of a serious Christian Luther speaking of the blind implicite faith and obedience too of the Church of Rome tells us that 't is such an opinion and practice as renders a man Brutist and deprives him of Reason and man-hood and for this wicked opinion and practice of theirs namely for exercising an absolute dominion over the Faith and Consciences of men the Roman Prelates deserve to be driven out of the number of the faithful as Wolves and Tyrants But what shall every private Spirit will you say take this upon him Is not this to judge his Judges and to pass Sentence upon his Superior To which we answer that those persons be they never so great and learned judge of divine things by a private Spirit who depend upon their own corrupt Reason and Fancy and accordingly judge and determine and not he though but a private Christian that is taught of God and judgeth of the points of Religion by and according to the word of God Nor do we say that every private man is to judge by way of Authority in foro publico a publick Authoritative disquisition and tryal in matters of Religion is one thing and a private rational Christian examination is another 't is one thing judicare to judge of mine own acts and another thing judicem agere to act as a Judge Indeed the Spiritual man judgeth all things but how not in a juridical Authoritative way but only so far as concerns his calling and capacity if he be a private Christian Rational judgment belongs to him but Magistratica and Ministerial judgment belongs to others that are in a more publick capacity and office And therefore in this case he is to try and judge with much modesty and humility not rashly and headily as being self-conceited and leaning too much to his own understanding Let him walk orderly and keep his place and station giving due respect and reverence to Christian Magistrates and godly Pastors and submitting to them in the Lord Heb. 13.7 17. And this will be a means to preserve the Church of Christ from Anarchy and Confusion Thus we have shewed how the Scriptures may be proved by the light of Reason to be the word of God and that every Christian ought to exercise himself in searching the Scriptures and judging of Doctrines but yet we must distinguish between those external rational Arguments which are brought to prove the divine Authority of the Scriptures and the internal Testimony of the Spirit of God in the Scripture which is the most clear certain infallible publick Testimony and of it self worthy to be believed for it is the Testimony of God himself Hereof we shall treat more particularly in the following Chapter CHAP. XIV Of the Internal Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing the divine Authority of the Scripture ALthough there are rational arguments which have been already mentioned to prove the Scriptures to be the word of God yet the inward Testimony of the holy Ghost himself is necessary to assure us of the divine Authority thereof which Testimony is better and more certain then all our Reason for as God is a sufficient witness of himself in his own word so the hearts and Consciences of men will never be fully satisfied that the Scriptures are by divine inspiration till the same be sealed and confirmed to them by the inward Testimony of the Holy Ghost till then they will be much in the dark often doubting and wavering notwithstanding all other reasons and proofs (l.) Calv. Instit Lib. 1. Chap. 7. S. 5. We should so believe the Scripture for it self and in regard of the Testimony of the Spirit of God witnessing the same as not to subject the divine Authority thereof to our Reasons and demonstrations When our understandings are once powerfully convinced and enlightned by the Spirit of God which endited the holy Scriptures then do we not believe by our own judgment or Reason or other mens that the Scripture is from God and by divine inspiration but above all humane Reason and Judgment we hold it most certain even as if we beheld the majesty of God himself there present John 4.42 And having attained this we seek not after humane Arguments to rest our faith upon but as a thing that admits of no doubt or dispute we take it for granted and do fully captivate and submit our Judgment and Reason to it such therefore is the perswasion of a true Spiritual Christian of the Authority of God in the Scriptures far different from other mens as requireth no humane Reason such is his knowledge and certainty as hath the best Reason for it even that wherein the mind more assuredly and stedfastly resteth then upon any humane Testimonies or Reasons whatsoever Such is the inward Spiritual experience of the power and wisdome and goodness of God in the holy Scriptures that if all the World should oppose the same yet he is fully resolved to give credit and adhere thereunto By nature every man is blind in Spiritual things and ignorant of the mind and mysteries of God and therefore though the Scripture be a shining light in it self yet unless our understandings be opened and enlightned we cannot behold it no more then a blind man can see the Sun when it shineth The Spirit of God is the Author of supernatural light and faith by the inspiration thereof were the Scriptures first written the secrets and mysteries of God are fully known unto and effectually revealed by this Spirit The same law and word which is written in the Scriptures this Spirit doth also write and impress upon the hearts of them that are endued therewith and therefore the Testimony of this Spirit where it comes in power must needs fully perswade and assure the heart and Conscience of a Christian that the Scripture is the infallible word of God As in other Sciences there are alwayes some principles per se nota indemonstrabilia whence other things are proved and demonstrated so it is in Divinity which is the most excellent Science all conclusions in point of faith and practice
of Faith You may know that there is a God and that he made the World by the Light of Nature For the things that are invisible are clearly seen and understood by the things that are made whereby we come to know his eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1.20 And we must believe this also because God in the Scripture hath revealed it Heb. 11.3 Faith and the Light of Reason go to the knowledge of one and the same thing different wayes Faith doth it because of the divine Testimony Authority and Revelation of God who is Truth and Goodness it self but the Light of Reason doth it because of Arguments drawn from the thing it self by rational discourse However we must hold to this as an undoubted truth that though the Light of Nature and Reason as it is a relict of Gods Image in man be necessary in religious and moral things yet it is not sufficient there being great decayes and languishings in our Reason as the greatest Philosophers themselves have acknowledged V. Consider That if we speak of Nature and Reason as corrupted and depraved by sin as it is in every son of Adam so it is an enemy yea enmity it self against God Rom. 8.7 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the very wisdom of the flesh i. e. the reasonings and discourses of the natural man his best thoughts desires and affections the best inclinations and motions of his mind are not only enemies but enmity against God An enemy may be reconciled but enmity it self can never be reconciled The Apostle 1 Cor. 1.21 useth a strange expression that the World by wisdom knew not God he doth not say that the World through foolishness was ignorant of God but that by wisdom that is by the right use of Reason and discourse it knew not God as Diodate notes upon the Text They became vain in their imaginations saith the same Apostle Rom. 1.21 The word is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which may be better rendred thus they became vain in their reasonings or their practical inferences and discourses such as they made out of the principles they had in their understandings So likewise 1 Cor. 3.20 The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise not the simple thoughts but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the most prudent reasonings and discourses of the men of the world that they are vain You have the same word 1 Tim. 2.8 which is translated without doubting but it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without reasoning or dispute In the exercise of Faith and Prayer we must not argue against the Promise by our Reason In this sense the more humane Reason Learning and Wisdom men have the more opposition there is in them against God and the great Mysteries of the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.20 26. and Chap. 2.9 10 11. and Ch. 3.18 19. And therefore Augustine wrote thus to a man of great learning and parts Ornari abs te Diabolus quaerit But now if we speak of Nature and Reason as enlightned and rectified by the Spirit and Word of God so it is an excellent help in matters of Religion let the Word of God let the Testimony of the Spirit of God in the holy Scriptures first lay the foundation and then Reason may build upon it Reason should not take the first place or have the preheminence but should be subject and subordinate to Faith as Agar the Bond-woman was to be to her Mistriss Sarah the Free-woman We must not first consult with Reason nor ask a Reason of our believing when we should believe beyond Reason A meer rational considering of means and second causes is a great enemy to Faith If you would believe saith Luther you must crucifie that Question Why God would not have us so full of Wherefores Abraham against hope believed in hope Rom. 4.18 19. Contra spem nempe carnis rationis totius naturae as some of the best Interpreters comment upon it He believed against Sense and natural Reason in hope against hope i. e. in hope supernatural against all the appearances of natural hope nothing doubting saith the Apostle speaking of Abraham's Faith 't is the same word which you find 1 Cor. 11.29 Nothing discerning as when a man looks on things with an eye of Sense and Reason he passeth a judgment of discerning or dijudication upon them as thus some things are easie some things are hard Abraham did not so reason or consider of things when he believed Faith when it is lively and strong will subscribe to a Blank and will rest on the Power and Goodness of God when all things seem contrary in outward appearance and to an eye of Reason Faith can see love in anger light in darkness life in death as we have the Woman of Canaan for an instance besides many others Faith will tell a man that the lower he is cast down and abased the higher he shall be raised and the more he shall be comforted and this is further then Reason can go Faith as a late godly Writer truly observes hath a great and large prospect it can look over all the World yea and into the other World too it beholds God who is invisible and is the evidence of things not seen but now as for Reason it gets upon some little Mole-hill of Creature ability and if it can see over two or three hedges this is much and therefore it is a great trouble to Faith to be tyed to Reason If a man be able to go a journey of two or three hundred miles on foot you will say he is a good Footman yet if you constrain him to carry a little Child with him this will be a great luggage to him for though the Child may run along in his hand half a mile yet he must carry him on his back or in his arms the rest of the way especially when he goes over waters and steep hills which will be no small burthen and trouble Thus it is between Faith and Reason Reason at the best is but a Child to Faith Faith can foot it over Mountains of difficulties and wade through the waters of affliction though great and many but when Reason comes to wade through an affliction or to go over some great difficulty it cryes out and sayes Oh Faith let us go back again and proceed no further No sayes Faith but I le take thee upon my back Reason and so it doth But yet Reason is a great luggage and burden to Faith which never works better then when it works most alone for then it has recourse to Gods Alsufficiency and Omnipotency and finds enough there to quiet and satisfie the Soul But now having premised these five Considerations touching Faith and Reason we shall shew the Christian Reader in some particulars what use he should make of humane Reason and Knowledge in reference to divine and religious matters and that it ought not to be rejected but to have its due respect and commendation First We find that many famous godly men have
excell'd in humane Knowledge Moses that man of God was learned in all the Wisdom of the Egyptians Acts 7.22 which was an ornament to him and fitted him for his imployment Paul that great Apostle was brought up at the feet of Gamaliel Acts 22.3 and did abound in humane Knowledge and Learning though he counted it loss for the excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Phil. 3.8 And the most eminent Instruments for God in his Church since the times of the Apostles have been men of great Reason and Learning as Athanasius Basil Jerome Cyprian Augustine Luther Melancton Pucer Calvin Jewel Reynolds c. Secondly The Penmen of holy Scripture make use of it in that accurate method those figurative Expressions Rhetorical Proprieties of words insinuating Proems and rational Argumentations which we meet with in the Bible The Apostle Paul deduceth an Inference from a common principle of Philosophy Acts 17.28 29. and quotes the sayings of some Heathen Writers Thirdly Secular Learning Reason and Knowledge being sanctified by the Spirit of God helps a man to understand the Grammatical literal sence which is the true sence of the Scriptures We meet with Physicks in Genesis with Ethicks in the Proverbs and with many Allusions in other parts of Scripture to the nature of Beasts and Birds and likewise with Allusions to the Customs of the Babylonians Jews Persians Romans therefore the knowledge of the Histories of those Nations and their Governments are very useful Fourthly The knowledge of the times by the Olympiads and other wayes of computation wherein humane Authors minister much light is necessary in an ordinary way for the right understanding of Scripture Chronology and the Prophesies of Daniel and the Revelation as appears by the Writings of learned Mede and others Fifthly The knowledge of the Original tongues Hebrew and Greek in which the sacred Scriptures were first penned doth greatly help us to understand the right sense of Scripture wherein there are some Texts which cannot be so fully and emphatically rendered in any vulgar Translation And yet we do not say that this knowledge is absolutely necessary in a Preacher of the Gospel for Augustine himself one of the most eminent amongst the Fathers had but little skill in the Greek tongue and none at all in the Hebrew And so it hath been with divers godly painful Ministers from time to time whose faithful labours notwithstanding God hath blessed with great success Sixthly Humane Learning and Reason is profitable and useful for instructing and convincing Pagans and Heathens who do not yet acknowledge the Christian Faith and divine Authority of the Scriptures Thus divers of the Ancient Fathers as Tertullian Origen Lactantius Basil Cyril Augustine c. confuted the learned Heathen Philosophers out of their own Writings as David killed Goliah with his own Sword And in latter times Aquinas Grotius Morney and others have most learnedly and excellently improved the true sayings of the Heathen Philosophers against themselves and have demonstrated the verity and reasonableness of the Christian Religion which is also endeavoured in this Treatise Seventhly Granting the Scripture to be the infallible Word of God as it is generally acknowledged all Christians we ought to exercise our Reason in searching these sacred Books looking into the Grammar of the Scripture or the forms of expression to find out the truth of them and having an eye to the Logick of the Scripture to the scope context and consent thereof comparing Scripture with Scripture and interpreting the more obscure places by the clearer according to the Analogy of Faith that so we may be able to discern and judge of things that differ Ephes 5.17 1 Thes 5.21 Acts 17.11 Heb. 5.14 which is the duty of every true Christian as hath been proved in the twelfth Chapter of this Treatise In which respect we hold that there is a very good use of Reason (w) Haec autem exploratio atque examinatio doctrinarum fieri non potest nisi adhibito rationis judicio quae judicat de veritate consequentiarum per sua principia de veritate rerum non innitendo principiis sibi notis extra verbum Dei sed in Scriptura sacra traditis B. Daven in Coll. 2. 8. so far are we from teaching that men in searching into the meaning of the Scriptures must become either Fools or Mad-men or Enthusiasts Eighthly and lastly We acknowledge that the Light of Nature and Reason is necessary both in religious and moral things as it is seated in man every man that comes into the world being enlightened by the God of Nature John 1.9 And this Light of Nature and Reason is necessary in two respects First As a passive qualification of the subject for Faith and Repentance for there cannot be Faith and Repentance in a Stone or Beast that wants the Principle of Reason this makes man in a passive capacity fit for Grace although he hath no active ability for it And then secondly It is necessary by way of an Instrument for we cannot believe or apprehend Christ unless we have a principle of Reason in us it being without controversie that an act of understanding or knowledge doth alwayes accompany true Faith Through Faith saith the Apostle Heb. 11.3 we understand that the Worlds were framed by the Word of God CHAP. XXII Wherein humane Reason comes far short and is abused in reference to Divine things HAving in the Chapter immediately going before mentioned divers particulars wherein humane Reason and knowledge is serviceable to the interest of Christianity we shall now in the last place tell you particularly and plainly wherein humane Reason and Knowledge comes far short in matters divine and supernatural summing up in a little room what hath been more largely set forth on this subject both in this and other Treatises * The defects that are in mans Reason First then the great Mystery of the Trinity the Incarnation of the Son of God and Justification of Sinners by his Righteousness cannot be found out by the Light of Nature and Reason it never entered into the heart of a natural man to conceive of them but these things are of meer supernatural revelation 1 Cor. 2.9 10. Though it be true that when through Faith we have believed them Reason will also subscribe to the truth of them as being revealed by the God of truth who cannot lye yet all the Reason of Men and Angels could never have found out nor come to the knowledge of these Mysteries if God himself had not revealed them There are some Articles of our Faith that are both believed and taken up by Reason as namely that there is a God that the World was created by him and that the soul of man is immortal but then there are other Articles of our Faith which are only believed as the mystery of the Trinity the Incarnation of Christ c. which our weak reason cannot take up or apprehend There is a wonderful depth in the mysteries of the