admiration to themselves for being the only oracles of Religion that so they may beare rule over the peoples faith Or else the god of this world hath blinded these Leaders eies and they not willing to goe to hell alone put out also the eyes of the people to the end they may not know more than themselves or all that themselves doe and so their knavery be discovered For us let us detest a doctrine so contrary to the profession of Christianity that takes away all care and study after godly knowledge and makes way for the entrance of Heresies Profanenesse and Irreligion nor rest we in our seach after divine things till wee bee able to say with the Apostle I know whom I have beleeved 2. Tim. 1. 12. and with the true worshippers of God Wee worship that which wee know Ioh. 4. 22. Hitherto of the First Part proposed to bee handled in the Definition of Faith generally taken namely the Obiect of it which are all Reuelations of what kind soeuer made by God vnto the Creature We come vnto the Second point namely the Subiect in which this Quality of Faith is inherent which in the Definition was expressed to be the Reasonable Creature Within which Latitude wee comprise all created vnderstanding whether of men or of Angels Of liuing men there is no Question not of the best of men that euer were Adam in his innocency and Christ. That Adam had Faith it cannot be doubted by any who knowes that the cause of his fall was his not perseuering in a firme beliefe of that threatning In the day that thou eatest thou shalt die When his ascent to the truth of this reuelation once tottered Satan presently closes in vpon him and so plyes him vpon the aduantage that he leaues him not till he had laid the Happinesse and Honour of that glorious creature in the dust For the Humanity of Christ what was in innocent Adam was also in him as is apparant by those Prayers and Supplications which in the dayes of his flesh he offered vp with strong crying and teares vnto him that was able to saue him from death Heb. 5. 7. and that complaint vpon the Crosse in his greatest agony My God my God why hast thou forsaken mee Mat. 27. 46. Those prayers were made in Faith and so Hee was heard in that which hee feared nor was his complaint though very pitiful and fetcht from the lowest depth of Misery without much strength of Faith whilst yet he cals him his God whom for the present hee found his enemy Moreouer though Christ as the Son of man was ignorant of the time of the end of the world yet no question but he did perfectly belieue the Article of the last iudgement Touching Angels wee haue S. Iames testimony of the euill Spirits Iam. 2. 19. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 They belieue that those chaines of darknesse in which they are now imprisoned shall bee euerlasting and that they shall bee made much heauier vpon them by a multiplication of their torments in the iudgement of that great Day as Iude speaketh Iude 6. This they belieue with such horror besides a world of other particulars which by reuelation of Scripture they know will fall out For there is no doubt but the diuels though they tempt men to vnbeliefe yet doe themselues belieue the truth of the Scriptures which they know well enough to bee of God Their rage and malice against them proues it euidently For the blessed Angels we cannot deny vnto them nothing what wee grant vnto the accursed but as their knowledge of many things is more cleare and exact then it is in the Diuels so is their faith vnto others much more firme and resolued Whence though they know not the day and houre of the end of the world Mar. 13. 32. yet they belieue it with ioy expecting the augmentation of their owne happinesse by accesse of the Churches accomplished glory Nor doe the Spirits of iust men who liued by Faith in this life vtterly cease to liue by Faith after their translation into heauen for euen when they are there they yet still belieue many things both past and to come as the resurrection of their bodies euerlasting life c. And that prayer which the Saints in heauen make for auengment of their bloud-shed vpon the Earth How long Lord Holy and true doest thou not iudge and auenge our blood on them that dwell on the Earth Reu. 6. 10. is certainely a prayer made in Faith Wherefore you see that euery part of the world hath faith in it Faith on earth Faith in heauen and Faith in Hell too Whereas there is Created Reason there also there is Faith The reason is this because Perfect Vision only takes away all Faith and where all things that may be knowne are euidently seene and looked vpon being comprehended in their proper nature there is no faith at all But now there is no Created Intellectuall Nature but it may vnderstand more by reuelation then it can comprehend Intuitiuè by beholding the thing it selfe And therefore all Future things which doe nor naturally depend vpon necessary causes cannot be knowne vnto the Angels themselues but onely by reuelation from God Whence the Apostle Peter speaking of the mystery of mans redemption by Christ 1 Peter 1. 11. affirmeth that euen the Angels were greatly desirous to behold that wonderfull mystery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to stoâ—pe downe and looke into it as wee doe into darke and obscure places For such was the mystery of the Gospell euen secret and hidden from the knowledge of Angels till God by reuealing it vnto the Church made it knowne also vnto them as the Apostle shewes Eph. 3. 10. In like sort for matters of Fact long agoe past euen the Saints in heauen haue no euident knowledge by Uision but onely by reuelation they must still belieue the stories of the Bible know them they cannot by sight vnlesse we should belieue that vaine opinion De Speculo Trinitatiâ— that the Saints beholding the face of God doe as in a glasse behold in Sin all things present to their view which is iustly reiected by the learned as an impossible thing Wee dare not be curious in these things pressing too farre into those matters which wee haue not seene thus much wee may with reason affirme that God alone is without all beliefe whatsoeuer because hee onely is Perfect in knowledge most distinctly comprehending at once all things past present and to come calling the things that are not as if they were in whose sight all things are manifest yea 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Heb. 4. 13. stripped starke naked and presented to his view in their proper shapes Only such an absolute infinite knowledge takes away all Faith in any kinde whatsoeuer As for the creature it knowes but in part and therefore it mâ—st in part bee alwaies bound to belieue whatsoeuer the creator shall reueale vnto it Thus in the generall you see that
which being once conceived in the soule causeth it to swell till it burst asunder with unthankfulnesse to God for the bestowing with envie scorne and disdaine of men in the imparting of such gifts as may bee to them beneficiall 2. Surfetting upon humane and inferiour learning with contempt of divine studies Thinke you that Christian Academies are now growne so holy that this age breeds no Politians nor Lypsâ— who are so far from being children of the Prophets that they are despisers of prophecy True Humanists that rellish nothing but what is of man having the sacred Scriptures and mysteries of Divinity in basest contempt esteeming the simplicity of Faith to bee sillinesse and folly the plainnesse of holy stile to bee but meere dunsery the familiar delivery of wholesome precepts to be good honest and dry matter A bawdie Epigrame of some ranke Poet a drunken song of some Anacreon a flattering Ode of a Pindarus a smart invective of some fleering Satyrist the obscure phrase of some cloudy-pated Lycophron an acute morall discourse of a Seneca or a well composed storie of some Tacitus all these any of these deserve more study rellish better to those aguish tongues carry with them more life and quicknesse of sense more strength of invention more juice and bloud of sound knowledge and satisfaction than the holiest ditty that ever the sweete singer of Israell set the most exemplary story that Gods Spirit ever indited the most powerfull Sermon that Prophet or Apostle ever preached the deepest mysteries that not flesh and bloud but the holy Ghost hath revealed Strange contempt Is it possible that the creature should bee thus ignorant of his Creators voice thus presumptuous to censure him of rudenesse But t is so the tongues the pens the practises of not a few discover unto us this leprosie of Atheisticall contempt of Gods wisedome arising in their foreheads T is well God hath not left himselfe without witnesse that he can speake eloquently as well as plainly But were it otherwise yet were it well still and they would be found best Rhetoricians and Artists that can learne Gods art and not teach him I proceede to a third danger and that is 3. Profane study of sacred things to know onely not to doe to satisfie curiosity or give contentment to an all searching and comprehending wit who study Divinity as they would doe other arts looking for no further aide than Natures ability or as men doe trades and occupations meerely to make a living by it who reade the Scriptures as wee doe morall authors collecting what pleaseth their fancy to bee scattered as flowres of Rhetoricke here and there for the garnish of their discourse but no whit for sanctification of the heart In all these there lies a poisonous humour which banes the soule and you shall observe it that there are few in whom is found such invincible hardnesse of heart consciences so farre stupified and senselesse in sinne mindes so devoide of all true touch of piety as those who frequently conversing in holy things doe as often pollute them by unhallowed hearts There 's yet a fourth disease mortall to him that 's sicke of it and also spreading its contagion unto others that is 4. Hereticall or Schismaticall opinions bred and maintained by pride and selfe-love or some other unsanctified affection which men give way unto joyned with bitter opposing of the truth And heer 's a mischiefe able to trouble a whole world Councils Conferences Perswasions Arguments Edicts of banishment confiscation and death all the wisedome of the Word and power of the sword joyned together shall scarce bee able to put to death this monstrous birth of an hereticall braine so tenderly cherished by the master and his deare disciples Well then you see in how slippery places wee stand and how easily we are supplanted by that strong one against whom wee wrastle looke but a little into the story of times and you shall plainely reade your owne dangers in others misfortune Never had Christ so much to doe with any as with the learned Scribes and Pharisees who by malicious depravations captious interrogatories secret practise and open violence most desperately resisted his Ministery in so much that our Saviour professeth the poore ignorant Publicans should goe to heaven before them who had the key of knowledge and would neither enter themselves nor suffer others that would to come in The Athenians were the learnedst of the Grecians accounted then the only learned nation of the world yet you see how course entertainment they gave unto the Gospell in the Apostles times scornfully despising the foolishnesse thereof in comparison of their owne superfine wisedome and in after times wee know that those Grecian wits proved the most dangerous Heretickes T is true that the divell can make a Mercury a lying deceiver of any wood Iohn a Leyden Cnâ—pperdolling or our Henry Nicholls the father of the Familists with such other blockes are instruments fit enough for a common disturbance but yet for the generall in all the shop of Hell there is no anvile so well set whereon to forge no engine so apt whereby to execute any choice piece of mischiefe as that man who is learned and lewd The Heresies of all times approve it bred by men as vicious as learned even from Arius and upward downe unto Arminius The fire of persecution alwayes burnes hottest in the raigne of some Iulian and none so bitter cavillers against the Truth as a Libanius a Porphyrie an Appion a Cresconius But once for all and worst of all take the Iesuites of these last times who as they have almost ingrost all the learning and honour from the rest of the shaven Friers so exceede them all in villany and impiety Being men who of all others are found to bee the most impudent and shamelesse perverters of truth forgers of new and sublimated superstition corrupters of antiquity and not content to live in their owne element most dangerous intermedlers in all affaires of State most mischeivous contrivers of the destruction of Kingdomes Wherefore let me exhort you in the words of the Apostle Grow in grace in the knowledge and acknowledgement of our Lord and Saviour Iesus Christ. And let me beseech you that you would bee pleas'd so to order your courses that your learning may grace your religion your religion may blesse your learning this is but the halfe the lesser the worser halfe of Gods image and of a good man have both and bee for ever perfect Christians complete Scholars Which that you may be let me perswade you to two things 1. To a constant and serious study of the Scriptures But herein take heede that an holy and humble minde doe alwaies beare thee company Thinke when thou openest this booke thou seest in the title of every book in the contents of every chapter this inscription Holinesse to the Lord. Nay every line breathes holinesse brings the very breath of that ever blessed and most holy Ghost And
that prayer To give a reason of this different working why grace is bestowed on some presently at baptisme in others t is deferred till a long time after is to unlocke the treasurie of Gods secret counsells onely this wee may say that God will shew that no age is uncapable of grace and that he will bee glorified aswell in sauing some from falling into the fire as by pulling others out of it by the gentle and easie deliverance of one and by the more violent torments and panges of the New-birth in another that both wayes he may have the Thankes and wee the Benefit of this his grace and power 3. A Defence of the salvation of Infants dying before Baptisme against the Popish assertion to the contrary For this ground being certaine No uncleane thing shall enter in the kingdome of Heaven it followes by the law of contraries that whatsoeuer is cleane may enter thereinto But Infants such as are elect may be cleane and holy before their Baptisme as is manifest whether we respect the guilt of Sin or the corruption of it They are cleane from the guilt of originall sinne by the death of Christ which God hath accepted to their perfect justification long before they were borne They are likewise made cleane in part from the Corruption of originall sinne by the infusion of Habituall sanctity into their soules For being justified by Christ from the guilt and punishment of sinne what should hinder why they may not be sanctified by the Holy Ghost in part whilst they live and perfectly upon the severing of the Soule and Body when originall corruption is in a moment done away and the soule invested in the robes of righteousnesse fit for its entrance into happinesse Cannot this worke of Sanctification be wrought in them before Baptisme it may as well as after seeing it is not baptisme but the Spirit is the cause thereof whose worke is free and not so to be tyed unto that ordinance as they of the Romish Synagogue would make us beleeve but that hee may sanctifie the Elect sometime before sometime after and not alwaies at the present celebration of it Now if Infants thus justified and sanctified depart this life what should stoppe their passage to heaven It will bee vaine to object that they have not actuall Faith and therefore must be excluded Wee may aswell say they want repentance and therefore cannot be saved seeing the Scriptures make alike necessitie of both graces to our salvation And the objection holds aswell after Baptisme as before when yet all grant the salvation of Infants For t is a thing inconceivable and inexplicable how Infants should have Actuall Faith whilst they are not yet able to exercise any one faculty of their reasonable soule The truth is that the Habits of Faith and Repentance they have as of all other Spirituall graces infused into them which if they lived would also appeare by their actuall opperations but for that time they have not the Acts of those graces nor are they capable of them nor is it simply needfull they should have them The case is extraordinary and God as before they were hath pardoned them of their originall righteousnesse by the bloud of Christ so can hee aswell bestowe Holinesse and Happinesse on them without any actuall faith of theirs comming betweene as an instrument to receive both If this may not bee said touching such elect Infants I must confesse that unto me the knowledge of the salvation of their soules is as inscrutable as the fashioning of their tender bodies in their mothers wombe And this which hath beene said of Infants may be also applied to such as are Deafe or â—ooles having such naturall defects as make them uncapable of Discipline 4. A just apologie for the lawfulnesse of Childrens Baptisme against Hereticall impugners of the same For how can the Signe be denied unto them which have and enjoy the thing signified That which is signified in Baptisme is our Iustification by the blood of Christ our Sanctification by the Spirit of Christ. Baptisme is the Scale of both unto us and Infants may be partakers of both being washed from the guilt of sinne by the blood of Christ in whom they are reconciled to God and actually justified before him and also purified in partfrom the uncleannesse of sinne by the infusion of Grace from the Holy Ghost What then should hinder why these Infants should not also be washed with the water of the Sacrament thereof If it be demanded how wee can presume that Christian Infants have a part in the graces of Iustification and Sanctification I answer we have good warrant so to thinke from the Covenant and Promise of God that hee will be the God of the faithfull and of their seed But for Heathens and Infidells wee haue no such promise whereon to ground our judgement of Charity and therefore albeit some of them who are out of the Church may bee within the compasse of God selection yet seeing God hath excluded them by an apparant barre wee may not venture to give them the Sacrament of Baptisme till such time as they shall make profession of their faith and that by their appearing conversion wee may charitably judge they belong to the Covenant of Grace Now although of such as live within the Church we know for a certainty in the generall that many both of Christian parents are not faithfull and of Christian children that they have no part in Christ yet we may not exclude them from Baptisme because no man dares be so hardy as to passe his peremptory censure of this or that persons rejection in particular This is one thing if wee did know infallibly now that any one were certainely excluded out of Gods election and should never have benefit by Christs death such a one be hee Infidell or borne of the most Christian parents in the world wee ought by no meanes to baptize no more than wee may admit of that person to come to the Lords Supper that hath apparantly sinned against the Holy Ghost or as the Church doth with such as are justly Excommunicated who for the time of their open inpenitencie declare themselves publikely to have no Faith nor part in Christ. For it were a manifest mockery and abuse of this sacred institution to apply this Seale to a Blanke and to dip them in the water of Baptisme whom wee know shall never be washed with the Holy Ghost Further it helpes not the Caâ—abaptists a jot that when Christian Infants come to age and ability to make profession then wee may discerne and judge of their estate For that 's impossible no man can infallibly perceive by any words or actions what the Heart is whether there be in it true faith or not And so in this case if Baptisme should never bee administred till other men may judge of their Faith it shall bee afforded to none at all or if it be given to every one that professeth and saith hee
yet But that assertion of our Divines That the true desire of grace is from true grace and a part of true grace shall stand fast as founded on Scripture and sound Reason when all Arminianisme shall lie in the dust If these Motions in an unregenerate man bee not True but False Counterfeit then have they made much adoe to little purpose preparing a man to that Faith and Conversion which is true by counterfeit and hypocriticall meanes But they will say that these desires and affections though they are not Spirituall yet in their kinde they are true and not counterfeit because they are true Morall or Naturall desires To which I answer that the rule to judge of the truth of our desires is this Wee must compare our affections with the Nature of those things that wee doe affect if our affections towards them be such as the Quality of the things themselves require then are they right and good if not they are false and evill as to make it plaine by an instance or two When a husband loves his wife but only as his whoore to satisfie his lust this love though it may be very â—ervent and not dissembled yet t is a false love because it is not Matrimoniall agreeable to the qualitie of a Wife the object thereof When Balaam desired the death of the righteous no question but hee spake as he thought without dissembling but yet this his desire was false because he desired it not according to the true nature thereof as it requires a sanctified life to bring us to a happy end which Balaam would none of When a Turke hopes for heaven that there hee may live in carnall pleasures according to Mahomets beastly â—aw 't is true that hee hopes but 't is false that he hopes truly because he mistakes the qualitie of Heavenly joyes which are spirituall not carnall So in like manner generally when Spirituall things are affected spiritually in such a manner as is conformable to their nature and qualitie then are our affections rightly and well moved towards them as to love goodnesse because it is of God to hate sinne because 't is contrary to the holinesse of Gods nature and law to desire grace to the end that it may correct the corruption of nature to wish for heaven that we may have communion with God in the beholding of his glory and our constant worshipping of him These affections are true but they are such as never arise in the heart of man till it be purified and made Holy by the Spirit of Grace But on the contrary when Spirituall things are affected only as things that are Naturally or Morally good or evill such affections are false and of no worth as if a man desire grace because t is a commendable qualitie or redemption because t is good to be free from miserie or heaven because t is a pleasant thing to be at ease such affections are as farre from truth as the eye is from right seeing when it mistakes greene for yellow or a man for a post And such in a man unconverted are all his Affections about Spirituall things Wherefore when they tell us of a true Love of goodnesse a true Hatred of evill c. in a man unregenerate they speake strange paradoxes against reason and Scripture affirming that they who have not the Spirit are naturall men Iud. ver 19. and that the Naturall man perceiveth not the things of the Spirit and cannot Spiritually discerne and therefore not Spiritually desire them 1 Cor. 3. and againe that whatsoever is borne of the flesh is flesh Ioh. 3. 6. Albeit therefore we denie not but that there are ordinarily many Preparations whereby God brings a man to grace and that the Word workes many effects both upon the Heart and lives of men even whilest they are as yet destitute of true Grace yet as for those affections which our Adversaries place in mâ—n unregenerate we affirme that they are not antecedents but consequents and parts of true Conversion For can hee that is dead in sinne bewaile his Spirituall death Can he that is in the flesh and so an enemie to God yet greve for displeasing of him Can he truly desire the Spirit of regeneration that is of the world and cannot receive the Spirit because it seeth him not neither knoweth him Can a man thirst after righteousnesse and yet not be blessed nor satisfied Can a man hate evill who yet loves not the Lord Can hee love God that is not borne of him Can he be humble that hath not the sanctifying Spirit one fruite whereof is meeknesse and humblenesse of minde May a true prayer be made without the helpe of the Holy Ghost Will there ever be a true Confession in the mouth when there is not Faith and Repentance in the heart How can that heart be a new heart a contrite and broken heart sensible of sinne which is not yet changed out of stone into flesh Can hee have a full purpose of heart to amend his life and cleave unto the Lord whose heart is not yet touched with sanctifying Grace Whatsoever shadow of these things may appeare in an unregenerate man it is certaine none can be done in truth but by those only in whom the Holy Ghost hath begun the worke of true Sanctification I might stand upon the further proofe of every particular were it needfull but I passe on to their fourth Error which is concerning mans Will 4. That the Will of man is not capable of any Habituall qualities inherent in it whether of grace or corruption Only a meere liberty it hath to Will or Nill any thing and besides this liberty there never was is nor can be in it any other quality Whence it followes that the Will is not to be termed good or evill from any inward disposition of it selfe but onely from the actions of it according as it is lead or mis-led by the light or darkenesse of the understanding and by the rectitude or depravation of the affections Of all the issues of Arminius braines this is one of the most deformed that the Will of man hath not in it eyther grace or corruption any vertuous or vitious inclination of it selfe a bare liberty to choose or refuse that it hath and nothing else Against which strange noveltie we have to oppose these reasons 1. The Image of God consisting in righteousnesse and holinesse was in every part of mans soule and therefore in the Will as well as the Vnderstanding And if so then besides the liberty of the Will there was in it a righteous and holy inclination towards God and Goodnesse in the first creation of it Which Habituall disposition to goodnesse is corrupted and a perverse inclination to evill come in place thereof If they deny that righteousnesse and holinesse is in the whole soule it will trouble them much to tell unto what part it must be restrained 2. The constant tenour of Scriptures
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
hath the generall custome and consent of the times and Church wherein wee live whereby men are they know not how nor upon what firme grounds drawne to beleeve those things which they see others hold and maintaine fortruth Lastly 3. Some extraordinary worke or event confirming the truth of Religion So did Miracles in the time of Christ and his Apostles perswade many to beleeve who were notwithstanding farre from being true beleevers as Ioh. 2. 23. Many beleeved in his name when they saw the miracles which hee did but t was not good crediting of them that beleeved only upon miracles therefore Christ would not commit himselfe to them ver 24. And thus the Magitian when he saw the signes and great wonders which were done by the Apostles he beleeved and wondred when yet his heart was not right in the sight of God Act. 8. 13. 21. By these and the like meanes is this imperfect and generall kinde of Faith wrought in men destitute of all inward grace and holinesse Such motives as these cause this assent but there is no Internum principium no roote in themselves as our Saviour speakes Mat. 13. 21. whence this beliefe springeth no thorough sanctification of the soule conforming all the powers thereof unto the puritie and holinesse of divine things and inclining the affections to a constant embracing thereof These men like Religion well and commend it as men doe costly Iewells set forth to sale but when it comes to the point that this Good Pearle of great price is to be bought then if God will let them have it at their owne rates there 's a match made they 'le beleeve and be religious if God withall will spare them the use of some sinnes and pleasures they love well but if it must be purchased at Gods price with the sale of all that they have they are no merchants for such a hard bargaine with the yongue man they shrinke away sorrowfull that heaven cannot be had at a cheaper rate Thus when it comes to the proofe in particular application and practice this kinde of faith vanisheth away and comes to just nothing Thus you have the explication of this first degree of Faith withall you see that this faith falls greatly short of that perfection which is required unto that saith which is saving and justifying Neverthelesse our Adversaries of the Romish Church maintaine that this assent is that justifying Faith whereof the Scriptures speake Their opinion touching this point is sufficiently declared by Becanus who followes the rest of that rabble Hee Theol. Schol. Tom. 3. cap. 8. q. 1. disputing of the act of justifying Faith rejects the Lutherans opinion who place Faith in the will and make it to be Fiduciam de misericordia Dei propter Christum and saith that the doctrine of the Catholikes is this that faith belongs to the understanding and is nothing else but Credere sive assentiri eis quae à Deo revelata sunt Thence hee setteth downe this Conclusion § 6. Actus fidei consistit in assensu quo quis assentitur alicui propositioni à Deo revelatae propter authoritatem revelantis In this definition there are two parts 1. the Object of this assent Propositions revealed by God 2. The essentiall difference of this act taken à formaliratione credendi and that is to beleeve propter authoritatem revelantis By this saith Becanus Cap. 8. q. 2. § 2. assensus fidei constituitur in sua specie essentiall that is the assent of Faith is made supernaturall and justifying when wee beleeve things because God hath revealed them for saith he if articles of faith be beleeved upon other motives as upon mans authority c. then this assent of faith is naturall as in Heritickes and Divells So then according to Popish doctrine that faith which justifies us is nothing but a bare assent of the minde to such things as God reveales because of Gods authority that revealed them Than which explication of the nature of justifying faith nothing can be poorer and more below the majestie of so high a grace as faith is I will trouble you but with two reasons proving that this kinde of assent is not that faith whereby wee are justified 1. The act of justifying faith must needs be supernaturall such as cannot bee done without the aide of speciall grace of Gods spirit But unto this assent there is required no such speciall grace therefore it is not an act of justifying faith The Major is evident and granted by the Schooleman Cap. 8. 4. 4. that something there is in faith above nature requiring a supernaturall cause whereto the Scriptures plainely inforce him Eph. 2. 8. By grace yee are saved thorough Faith and that not of ourselves it is the gift of God Phil. 1. 29. Vnto you it is given for Christ that not only yee should beleeve in him but also suffer for his sake So Ioh. 6. 45. Wherefore § 3. he teacheth that this act of assent must be supernaturall partly in regard of the Object id est divine revelations and partly in regard of the principium or cause by which it is produced id est non per solas naturae vires sed per auxilium gratiae Wee agree then in the Proposition For the assumption That there needes not any speciall grace of the Spirit to worke this bare assent unto the truth of divine revelations this wee prove out of the same Schoolemens doctrine who teach that the Vnderstanding assents not unlesse the Will command it because say they the act of beleeving is absolutely in our treewill Cap 8. q. 5. Well be it so But now say wee the Will may without the helpe of grace command the assent of the Vnderstanding which wee prove thus Whatsoever the Vnderstanding by the only light of Nature judges to be honest that the Will can desire by the only strength of nature But by the only light of Nature the Vnderstanding judges that it is an honest thing to beleeve Gods authority revealing any thing to us therefore the Will by the only strength of Nature may desire this act of beleeving and so consequently there 's no need of Grace to move the Will to command the Vnderstanding T is Becanus owne argument against himselfe cap. 8. q. 5. § 9. Whereto he would faine giue an answer if hee could tell how Something he sayes to that Minor proposition whereof he thus distinguisheth The Vnderstanding by the only light of Nature judges it a thing honest to beleeve Gods authority when hee reveales any thing Via ac modo naturali not when he reveales any thing Via ac modo supernaturali Beleeve it a rare distinction and full of mystery Divine Revelations are of two sorts supernaturall and naturall Againe when God reveales his will to us by naturall meanes then the very light of Nature teacheth us that 't is honest to beleeve his authority But if hee reveale things to us by supernaturall meanes the light of nature