the meaning We have reason to yeeld as much respect to Gods writings as Socrates did sometime to an obscure booke of Heraclitus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 so when in reading the Scriptures we meet with many hard sentences dark prophecies wee know not the meaning of we also can say That which I understand I beleeve for truth that which I understand not yet I beleeve too that is a truth whatsoever it be But in this case it is manifest that this assent is full of trouble and confusion and whereas faith gives rest and satisfaction to the minde this fills it with anxiety and distraction will any man not strangely carelesse and blockish becontent with such a faith as this I beleeve I know not what And if in some particulars even pure necessitie cause us for the present to bee contented with such a beliefe because of our ignorance must it therefore be brought in as a generall and essentiall property of Faith that t is an assent to things obscure or unknowne But this makes much for the advancement of the Catholike cause and therefore the factors for Rome have reason to stand stiffely in defence of this their doctrine for so when they have dropped in the eares of their disciples this poyson that the faith of a Christian is an assent to things obscure to he knowes not what they have at one stroke nayled their eares to the doores of their Church and made them their slaves for ever and wonne them over to their blinde Canonicall obedience as to beleeve so to doe they know not what The summe of our Adversaries doctrine in this point is briefly expressed by Becanus in his Theolog. Scholasttom 3. cap. 1. Quaest 3. who therein followes his leaders the rest of the Iesuites and Schoolemen To the Question An Revelatio primae veritatis ut sit formale objectum fidei debeat esse obscura he answeres affirmatively that Divine revelations as the objects of Faith must bee obscure and that in a twofold respect 1. Ex partâ— rei revelatae Revelatio enim non debet clard evidenter ostendere rem revelatam A very strange conceit Revelations must not declare things plainely and evidently why so When God revealed his will to the Patriarches Prophets and Apostles did hee not doe it plainely and did not they clearely understand what was meant by the Revelation They did But happly the Iesuites meaning is a little better The revelation must not clarè evidenter ostendere rem that is no revelation hath this force of it selfe Vt rem revelatam exhibeat nobis Praesentem ut clarè intuitivè videamus rem narratâ—â— If this were all the Iesuites meane by this doctrine wee would subscribe unto them and willingly grant that revelation doth not make things Present and offer them to our view for if they were present and seene what need a Revelation In this sense we easily admit the proofes which they bring for Faiths obscurity out of Heb. 11. 1. that faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of things which we behold not by the eye of sense or reason and out of 1 Cor 13. 12. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 True the things that wee beleeve are now knowne by us in this life no otherwise than as wee doe know a man whose face we behold in a glasse but doe not behold his person but our knowledge of the same things in the life to come is as when we know a man standing before him and looking him full in the face So the Scriptures are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a glasse wherein we may behold the shape and picture of all things to be beleeved but t is the picture only not the substance and body it selfe Were this all our Adversaries intended the difference betweene us were at an end things beleeued are obscure id est Non-praesentes non-visae we grant it But this doth not fully fit their turne for though the things themselves bee obscure that is not immediatly seene and looked upon yet the narration of them in Scriptures may be perspicuous and plaine to be understood Now they like not this all is quite marr'd if they give way so farre as to grant that the Scriptures are plaine to be understood This may not bee tolerated in their Schooles and Pulpits and therefore t is that in their Sermons and writings upon that subject they so bestirre themselves like a heard of wilde beastes to raise up all the dust they can wherby to darken the light of that bright most Sunne And this is the thing that they aime at in their description of Faith when they tell us that it is an assent to obscure propositions their meaning is villanous to lay a ground for ignorance and implicite beliefe that it suffiseth a religious Christian to salvation that he beleeve in grosse the truth of all which the Scriptures and Church doe deliver though he understand nothing at all distinctly Let him jumble over his Creed in Latine and understand never a letter yet is he a good beleeving Catholike and it sufficeth that the Creed be recited by him in Persona Ecclesiae as Becanus out of Thomas very conceitedly affirmes So in stead of distinct knowledge necessary unto saving faith they breed in their people a dull turbulent and confused assent to something but they know not what which is indeede rather a stubbornnesse and wilfulnesse of resolution than the well advised beliefe of a Christian. Iust so doe Sorcerers and Witches beleeve confidently in the vertue of a number of Verses Spells Characters c. which they cannot tell what to make of and such is the Magicall Faith of those whom the Romish Whore hath bewitched with her inchantments Nor hath this opinion of Obscurity in matter of Faith any ground at all in those two places before alledged For the first in Heb. 11. ver 1. Faith is an argument of things not seene Most true they are not seene because Faith apprehends them and sight destroies Faith But what then are they unknowne too No for Faith is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an evident argument even of these things that are not seene Yea but whence doth Faith fetch this argument not from the things themselves for they are unseene Whence then from the Revelation and Declaration of them in the word which makes them cleer to the apprehension of the beleever Againe in that 1. Cor. 13. 12. Wee now see through a glasse darkely True wee see things but as in a looking glasse therefore wee see them darkely for let a man first view the shape of any thing in a glasse and afterward look on the thing it selfe his first knowledge of it will bee but dark in comparison of the latter Neverthelesse it is not so darke and obscure but that a man may describe what thing it is hee sees if hee behold a mans face in the glasse hee may distinctly tell that such a man hath such a visage
though till then wee shall not be so thoroughly heated with it 2. Betweene Gods love to our persons Gods love to our qualities actions A distinction which God well knowes how to make and wee should sometimes learne to use it not hating mens persons because of some infirmities Parents I am sure are well skilled in putting this difference betweene the vices and persons of their children those they hate these they love and when for their vices they chastise their persons they remember with much compassion that t is a childe whom they have under the rod. To the point the cause is alike betweene God and the Elect his love to their persons is from everlasting the same nor doth their sinnefulnesse lessen it nor their sanctity increase it Because God in loving their persons never considered them otherwise than as most perfectly holy and unblameable in Christ. But Gods love to their qualites works then begins when both the one and other become holy by the grace of conversion before which time and after too God is angry even with his Elect and testifies his hatred of their sins as much as of any others by manifold chastisements upon their persons for their offences Wherefore though Paul were a chosen vessell dearely beloved of God for his person even then when in ignorant zeale hee furiously persecuted the Church yet for his conditions they were hatefull and highly displeasing to God till after his conversion Most true it is that sin doth justly make that person hatefull in whom it is and it doth so in the reprobate whose sinnes God hates and for their sinnes their persons which he alwaies beholds polluted in their uncleannesse yet in the Elect whom hee hath loved for ever this difference of affection is manifest God approves of their persons whilst hee disallowes their corruptions and when his fiercest wrath was shewed against the sinnes of the Elect in the person of Christ then did God most compassionately love the persons both of Christ and of all the Elect. Wherefore God might easily take away his Image from Adams nature yet not his favour from his person which he loved as elect in Christ whilst yet he punished his transgression sharply and we see nothing more common in Christian observation than for men after such time as they are converted and assured of Gods tender love unto them yet then to feele the bitterest stormes of his displeasure raised up against them for their sinnes Hence then it appeares that our effectuall Vocation and Conversion is justly to be accounted a fruit or effect of Gods singular favour towards the persons of his Elected with whom being actually reconciled in Christ having justified them from all their sinnes by his merits he afterwards sends forth his holy Spirit into their hearts calling them from darknesse to light from under the power of Satan and their corruption to the libertie of Gods sonnes that being thus sanctified they may be made meet to be partakers of the inheritance with the Saints in light And whereas that place of the Apostle Heb. 11. 6. Without faith it is impossible to please God may breed a doubt against this which hath beespoken as seeming to imply that before our actuall Conversion and Beleeving wee are no way at all pleasing unto God nor beloved of him For the removing of this scruple wee are according to the second distinction understand this place of the Actions not to the Persons of the Elect. Towards their Persons hee beareth perpetuall good-will but this is secret they feele it not nor doth so much appeare vnto them or others till their conuersion when only God declares himselfe to bee pleased both with their persons and actions But for their actions t is certaine no worke whatsoeuer any of the Elect doth before the infusion of sauing faith can bee done according to Gods will and so be pleasing vnto him Of which ordinary course of pleasing of God in our Workes according to his reuealed will this place is to be interpreted and that out of the place it selfe for it is apparant the Apostle giues a reason why Abels Sacrifice pleased God not Cains why Enochs life and religious walking with God was pleasing to him namely because they had faith in and by which they performed those seruices acceptably Without which faith it is impossible saith the Apostle to please God namely in any Worke that we goe about he addes the reason For he that cometh to God whether in sacrifices prayers or any other religious duties to be performed to God he must beleeue that God is that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him Here therefore is nothing against that Love of God which he alwaies beares towards his Elect in Christ through whom they are pleasing vnto him when yet their works please him not And thus much of the Moving cause of our Effectuall Vocation viz. Gods Love and Actuall Reconciliation with the Elect. From hence I deduce two corollaries 1. That Sanctification and Inberent righteousnesse goes before our Iustification and imputed righteousnesse but with a distinction of a double justification 1. In Foro Diuino in Gods fight and this goeth before all our sanctification for even whilst the elect are unconverted they are then actually justified freed from all sin by the Death of Christ God so esteemes of them as free and hauing accepted of that Satisfaction is actually reconciled to them By this Iustification we are freed from the guilt of our Sins and because that is done away God in due time proceeds to give us the grace of Sanctification to free us from sins corruption still inherent in our Persons 2. In Foro Conscientiae in our owne sense which is but the revelation and certaine declaration of Gods former secret act of accepting Christs righteousnesse to our justification The manifestation of which to our hearts and consciences is the only ground of all our peace and comfort and it followes our Sanctification upon and after the Infusion of Saving Faith the only instrument of this our Iustification This distinction is needfull to be obserued as giving light to many things and without it I know not what reasonable construction can be made of these words of Tilenus Synt. part 2. cap. 45. Thes. 38. Perperam absurdè prorsus inter effecta Sanctificationis numer atur justificatio quae illam naturâ praecedit neque enim sanctificatur quisquam nisi jam justificatus omninoque necesse est ut arbor bona sit priusquam bonos ferat fructus If he meane that no man is sanctified but he that is first justified in Gods sight by Christs righteousnesse accepted for him t is true but if that none is sanctified but he that is first justified in his owne sense through the apprehension of Christs righteousnesse by faith t is apparantly false seeing a man cannot have Faith nor use faith till he be first sanctified And the reason hee gives
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
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
direction for the right and acceptable worship of God in some sort which is nothing but a fancie overvaluing natures abilities against all reason and common experience and by consequence taking away the necessitie of Scriptures and divine Revelations to teach the right way of worshipping God in Christ. If they say t is some Supernaturall Revelation it must be knowne wherof when and by what meanes it is bestowed on the Heathen Is it of the Law or of the Gospell is it made knowne unto them by some inward suggestion vision or dreame or by outward instruction from a Preacher or Prophet invisibly convayed unto them by miracle or extraordinarily raised up among them againe when is this supernaturall knowledge bestowed on Pagans have they it as soone as they come into the world if so t is Naturall or is it given afterwards at yeares of discretion if so then t is not in Infants and so not in all the Heathen and at what yeares is it bestowed and what if they die before that age All which quaeres are inexplicable and draw into most vexing and torturing absurdities a sufficient proofe that there is no such thing as Sufficient grace to conversion given to Indians Americans Tartarians and other Pagans when they that defend it cannot tell what it should bee For seeing t is neither any Naturall or Supernaturall knowledge I thinke none will be so senselesse to say that it is some Naturall or Supernatupower or ability For if it be Naturall t is not Grace if Supernaturall t would be knowne to what purpose a Supernaturall ability should be given to ignorant Infidells to doe they know not what 2. Let 's come to experience and judge wee by what meanes it may possibly appeare unto us that the Virginians and other Americans or the Inhabitants of Southerne unknowne parts of the world have at this day or ever have had before or since Christ sufficient grace for their Conversion and Salvation What instance and example can bee given in so many ages of any one among these or other Gentiles that hath been converted by this Sufficient grace Strange that what is ordinarily bestowed on all should never take effect in any If it doe take effect extraordinarily in some how know they that If ordinarily in many then farewell the prerogative of the Iew above the Gentile of the Christian Church above Pagans if God ordinarily have his Church his Converts his right Worshippers even amidst the darknesse of Gentilisme without the knowledge of Christ and all divine revelation of Gods will in his Word These opinions are as Moulin speakes like sicke mens dreames or rather madde mens ravings 3. Let us inquire of the Scriptures and see whether they speake as favourably of the Gentiles as these pitifull Remonstrants doe In them we shall finde another manner of censure both touching their forlorne estate in Ignorance and Infidelity as also the impossibility of their recovery into Grace except by greater helpe than the Arminians afford them Of the Ephesians Paul testifieth that before they were converted by the Preaching of the Gospell They were at that time without Christ aliens from the common-wealth of Israel strangers from the covenant of Promise having no hope and being without God in the world Ephes. 2. 12. And Matthew out of the Prophet Esay witnesseth of all the Gentiles that before the light of the Gospell was risen to them they sate in darknesse and in the region of the shadow of Death Mat. 4. 15 16. This was the condition of the Nations in their pure Naturalls so fully expressed by those places as nothing can bee more significantly declared Now for the meanes they had to come out of it and bee converted the Scriptures deny them all unto them God favoured them not nor had any regard to bestow grace on them for In times past he suffered all the Gentiles to walke in their own waies saith Paul Acts 14. 16. The Word and Ordinances of his worship they had not for He sheweth his Word unto Iacob his statutes and his judgements unto Israel Hee hath not dealt so with every nation neither have they knowne his judgements as the Prophet speakes Psal. 147. 19 20. A Preacher they have not and How should they beleeve in him of whom they have not heard and how should they heare without a Preacher Rom. 10. 14. Naturall ability to know the mysteries of the Kingdome of God they have not for The Naturall man perceives not the things of the Spirit 1. Cor. 3. Nor is there any such power given them from God for Vnto you it is given to know the secrets of the Kingdome of Heaven but unto them it is not given Mat. 13. 11. and Without mee yee can doe nothing Ioh. 15. 5. What shall wee thinke then the poore Americans can either know or do in point of godlinesse by the pretended power of Sufficient grace when the Pharisees and other Iewes yea the Apostles themselves could do nothing without a speciall gift and assistance from Christ whereof they will not say those Pagans are made partakers Wherefore there is good cause wee should reject this monstrous opinion of Sufficient grace for Conversion bestowed upon Savages and Infidells as being contrary to Scripture common sense and reason Nor can it be thought but that the authors of it are ashamed of the absurdity thereof although the Sequell of their other tenents one errour drawing on another have inforced upon them a necessity of defending this also And that it may not goe abroad without the Patronage of some colour of reason they proceed in the justification of it upon two grounds 1. That the light of Nature if it be well used is of it selfe sufficient to convert a Heathen from his idolatrous and evill wayes and bring him to a right knowledge and worship of God in some sort 2. That if the Gentiles use the light and helpe of Nature well and with their best endeavour God is ready nay hee is bound in justice to bestow on them one further grace viz. the knowledge of themystery of Redemption These two are the rotten pillars of Vniversall grace given unto the Gentiles which how shaken and riven they are you may soone perceive if wee pill off that plaister of doubtfull words wavering and darke sentences wherewith they are daubed over for the matter is so shamefull that they dare scarce speake out their minde plainely But their opinion in plaine termes is this God say they hath given sufficient strength to all the Gentiles to use their Naturall gifts well Be it so But what is this Well Vsing of Naturall gifts It is that say they whereby they may in some sort according to their measure forsake their idolatrous and wicked practises and attain to the right knowledge and worship of God and reformation of Life But may all this be done without the helpe of Supernaturall revelation Yes for say they if a man goe so farre as with utmost endeavour hee
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
beleeving that depends wholly on his free will which after the forenamed illumination of the minde and motions in the affections remaines Free to choose or not to choose to consent or not consent unto the promise of Grace Which wondrous doctrine they unfold unto us in this manner The will of man say they never had hath nor can have any other qualitie inherent in it but only that which is alwayes Essentiall unto it namely Liberty Indifferenti◠indeterminati◠ad actus oppositos Wherefore as in Adam it had no spirituall gifts of Holinesse inherent in it so it lost none in the fall nor hath it now any inherent corruption as the other faculties have nor is it in our regeneration re-indued with any sanctified qualities whatsoever Only a pure naked Liberty there is in it to choose or refuse any good or evill whatsoever Spirituall Morall or Naturall after it is once knowne This Freedome though it bee so Naturall to the will of Man that Salvâ essentià it cannot be taken away yet in the exercise thereof the Will depends on the Vnderstanding and Affections So long as the understanding is darke and the affections distempered the Will though it have in it selfe a naturall abilitie to choose that which is good yet it cannot exercise it by reason of those impediments Even as the eye hath in it selfe a naturall power to see even in the darke but yet cannot make use of it till the object be inlightened So in the Vnregenerate the Will hath a naturall freedome in it selfe towards all Spirituall good or evill but it wants the free exercise of this power so long as the Vnderstanding is without Knowledge and the affections are disordered But as soone as the Vnderstanding is inlightened and the affections reneued then the Will is restored to the use of her Naturall libertie So that whereas Life and Death Good and Evill is now set before her shee may by her owne free power without any further help from God choose the good if she list or the evill if she please And this is that whereon they affirme consists Vivisicatio Voluntatis the quickening of the Will which is not the giving of some new power unto it which it had not before but only the restoring of it to the free use of that Power which it alwayes had but could not exercise Here 's then the summe of their opinion in briefe When a man unconverted heares the word of the kingdome hee understands it and is affected with it irresistably and necessarily By so doing hee hath a power to beleeve given him that is His will hath recovered the use of that naturall freedome which it alwaies had so that now hee stands indifferent hee may if hee will assent to the promise of grace he may if he will dissent from it this Act is absolutely in his owne power to doe or not to do it and by this Act done he is converted and not till then This is that leaven of Arminianisme wherewith of late the whole lumpe of sound doctrine hath beene sowred this is that fretting leprosie which will scarce ever bee healed but in the ruine of those our neighbour Churches wherein the disease first bred Let us alwaies pray that God wil keep this our Church us her Children safe from the danger of this infection That we may the better avoide it let us rippe up this swelling ulcer and wring out the rottennesse and corruption that is gathered together in it taking a particular view of the severall errors which are like a bed of snakes folded one in another in this dunghill They are these 1. That there is no other illumination of the understanding in divine things but the ordinary apprehension of the sense and meaning of the Word wrought in us by the cleere evidence of the things delivered and the ordinary helpe of the Spirit perfecting and assisting naturall reason and judgement For herein they all agree that although the Gospell could not possibly have been found out by naturall reason yet being once revealed it may be fully understood by naturall reason In so much that he who is industrious and hath a good judgement may know all that is needefull to be knowne without any Supernaturall light infused into his understanding by the Holy Ghost It seemes these men in their study of Divinity never sought after nor ever did finde any other helpe besides their owne naturall abilities and therefore they thinke other men have no more helpe than themselves had Wee may probably judge so by those Hereticall opinions the immediate off-spring of their naturall reason wherewith they have now so troubled the quiet of the Christian Church Had they beene taught of God and the eyes of their understanding opened to follow the directions of Gods Spirit more than their owne Naturall wisdome they might have learned to have judged otherwise of themselves and all their opinions too But how partiall soever their judgements are wee know the judgement of God to be just and infallible who knowes us better than wee doe our selves and He tells us That wee are blinde that wee are darknesse till wee be made light in the Lord that when the Light shineth in darknesse the darknesse comprehendeth it not that the Naturall man cannot perceive the things of the Spirit for they are foolishnesse unto him neither can hee know them because they are spiritually discerned Besides this censure of God upon our naturall ignorance in divine things wee have the practice of the Saints acknowledging their naturall disability and praying for the illumination of the Spirit which the Arminians scorne Hence those frequent supplications of the Prophet David Open mine eyes that I may see the wonders of the Law O give mee understanding that I may live Teach mee O Lord the way of thy statutes Make mee to understand the way of thy precepts with many such like prayers wherein it were much perversnesse to affirme that David prayed only for that knowledge of the meaning of the Law whereto by study and use of his Naturall parts he might possibly attaine And what shall we say to that prayer of the Apostle Paul which he makes for the Ephesians That God would give them the Spirit of Wisdome and Revelation in the knowledge of Christ the eyes of their understanding being inlightened that they might know what is the hope of his calling and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the Saints Surely an Arminian will hardly say Amen to this Prayer For to what end is it had not Paul preached the Gospell to the Ephesians plainly enough had not they heard and beleeved it were they not men of reason and judgement that could understand what Paul meant when he preached or wrote unto them what need then to pray yet for the spirit of Wisdome and Revelation and inlightening their eyes when things were so revealed as they could not choose but know and see
them Yes there was and is still great need we should make this Prayer now the Gospell is revealed to the Church yet to pray for the Spirit of Revelation to reveale it to our hearts and to inlighten the eyes of our minde not only to understand the literall sense of the Word by the helpe of that Common light of the Spirit which shineth ordinarily in the Church but to comprehend with all Saints the height depth and largenesse of Gods love the riches of his glorious inheritance the pretiousnesse of the promises of Grace the power and saving vertue of the Gospell the rare excellencie and amiablenesse of all divine truth Which none can doe without the speciall worke of the Holy Ghost changing the Vnderstanding from Naturall to Spirituall by an immediat infusion of such a qualitie as inables it to discerne aright of Spirituall things I conclude this point with one reason more If to the understanding of spirituall things there bee no other illumination required but only the cleere evidence of the object plainely represented to the understanding without any further worke of the Spirit upon the Vnderstanding it selfe infusing into it a speciall strength to apprehend the things that are proposed to it then it would be knowne whether these men thinke that our intellective Facultie hath got any hurt and defect by Adams fall yea or no. It is manifest that they thinke that mans fall hath not brought any defect and weaknesse upon the power of mans understanding no not in Spiritualibâ—…s For marke it when Divine things are in a plaine and lively manner declared to the understanding is there any defect in the facultie that must be first amended by the Spirit before it can have the perfect knowledge of those things No say they so therebe the common assistance of the Spirit preserving unto us the right use of reason and judgement we may without any supernaturall worke of the Spirit understand spirituall things when they are plainly expounded unto us Why then here 's all the difference betweene Adam and Vs His Vnderstanding was perfect and happy because he had both the Power to conceive of things hee was yet ignorant of when they should be cleerely revealed to him and also the Actuall knowledge of wonderfull varietie in all things Our understanding is imperfect and unhappy because by our fall wee want the Actuall knowledge of almost all things especially Spirituall but yet we still retaine the same power that we had in Adam to understand any spirituall thing when it is once cleerely discovered unto us So that according to Arminius schoole the understanding of man since the Fall is like unto our Eyes in the darke the eye is well and without blemish needing no cure of any defect in it selfe yet it sees nought because the Object is not inlightened so soone as light shines on that causing a cleere discovery of it the eye without further adoe can easily perceive it But this is yet the very pride and gall of an Hereticall spirit secretly accusing the whole mystery of Gods revealed wisdome whether in the booke of nature or of Scripture as if it were wrapped up in Obscurity and Darknesse Wee forsooth have eyes and we need not that God should restore unto us the Faculty of Seeing only wee are in darknesse because things that are to be knowne are in darkenesse if God will take away obscuritie from them and make them evident to be knowne there 's no such infirmity in us but wee may know them if wee be attentive Let us from our hearts detest this odious popish imputation of obscurity laid upon Nature and Scripture as if the cause of all our ignorance were not now in the weaknesse of our Vnderstanding but in the darknesse of Gods revealing himselfe to us And let us detest that opinion which leads us upon this absurdity and learne we to confesse our blindenesse to pray that God will give us eyes and restore our understanding to its first perfection else though the light shine round about us making all things wherein God is to be knowne most appparant and visible yet wee may still lie in darkenesse and perish in our ignorance This is their first error touching the Vnderstanding of which I shall have occasion to speake more in handling the parts of Faith I now proceed to the second touching the affections which is this 2. That even in Divine things the motions of the Affections necessarily follow upon the illumination of the Vnderstanding So that when the understanding is rightly informed and thoroughly convinced the affections are presently excited in all motions conformable to the things knowne It is very strange that men of so deepe learning should yet professe so much ignorance in the estate of Mans corrupt nature as to dreame of a Correspondency and dutifull subjection of our Passions unto our Reason so that when this is rightly taught they will be truly affected even in Spirituall things Nothing more could be said of Adam in his innocency and to affirme this touching Man corrupted is to give the lie to Reason Authority and all Experience which speake the contrary The truth is this as wee are falne out with God so are we at oddes with our selves and our affections are not more often mis-led by our erroneous understanding than our understanding and right judgement is haled aside by our vitious affections What man in the world that knowes himselfe but will confesse that even in naturalibus and moralibus much more in spiritualibus he may often say with Medea Video meliora proboque Deteriora sequor Wherefore we reject this Opinion that there is no vitious inclination properly inherent in the affections besides that which is brought upon them per tâ—nâ—bras mentis through the error of the understanding wee detest this assertion as a fond and false imagination and we confesse with the Apostle that even when we know allow of consent unto the goodnesse of the Law and delight in it in part yet then wee cannot alwayes doe what we would but through the Law of Sinne in our corrupt wills and affections are led captive to disobedience Their third error is this 3. That the affections may be excitati stirred up and quickened with true love of goodnesse and hatred of evill before such time as a man be converted The Arminians are wonderfull obscure in explicating unto us their new invented opinion concerning the Excitation of the Affections which they make the second worke of Grace preceding mans true Conversion They tell us not in plaine termes what affections they meane nor yet what kinde of Excitation and Vivification it is they would have Wherefore we are more particularly to enquire of both For Affections or Passions in man they are of two sorts 1. Sensuall belonging to the Sensitive Appetite and directed by the phantasie these are common to brute beasts with us and arise from one like temper and constitution in both The object of these
Faith or Beliefe in generall as this word is taken in the largest extent in relation to all civill or naturall things 2. In the next place explaining the meaning of this word Faith as it is used in speciall about Divine and Supernaturall things declared to us in Scriptures The opening of the nature of Beliefe in generall will give much light for the understanding of the speciall consideration thereof therefore I begin with that first Not to trouble you with reckoning up all the improper acceptions of this word Fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and to tell you that sometime it is taken for Fidelity or Trustinesse 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as when a thing is done or spoken bonafide faithfully or trustily and in that exclamation Vestram fidem c. sometimes for Arguments or Proofes from Reason or Authority brought to breed beliefe in another which acception is usuall in Rhetoritians Arist. 1. Rhet. c. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. Quintil. l. 5. cap. 10. Haec omnia argumenta generaliter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 appellant c. Faith or Beliefe in the proper acception of the word is an Assent to such matters a◠are knowne only by Revelation from another This definition agrees to beliefe as it is taken in the largest sense the Genus i◠Assent the difference is taken from the object whereto Assent is yeelded and that is such things as wee understand onely by anothers revelation Both parts will be plainly understood if we distinguish between three sorts of knowledge Cognitionis 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that are incident unto man 1. The first is Scientia 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knowledge properly so called which is bred in us by the evident certainety of things presented unto our reason or sense When wee understand such principles and conclusions in all arts and sciences as are demonstrable by evident and infallible reason or when we know such particulars as come under our senses when they are rightly disposed 2. The second is Opinio 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Opinion an imperfect knowledge of things not cleerely presented unto reason or sense when we apprehend things in part and obscurely so that wee cannot absolutely say t is this or t is that 3. The third is Fides 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Beliefe which is a knowledge grounded on testimony and authority of others when wee assent to those things whereof by our owne sense and reason we have no certainety nor evidence only we beleeve them because such and such have told us they are so These three divers apprehensions of things wee expresse in formes of speech agreeable the first when we say I know this to be so the second thus I thinke it is so the last in this I beleeve it is so A great difference there is betweene these three apprehensions of the understanding as every one may easily discerne but more cleerly thus it stands 1. Knowledge whether it be of things past present or to come hath evermore certainety in the subject and evidence in the object accompanying it For the things that are knowne must bee alwaies apparant to the senses or to the understanding To the senses by the proportionablenesse of the qualities in the Object and due application of them to the Organ To the understanding by the bright light of reason shining in the things themselves Wherefore the Object of knowledge is evermore evident and being thus evident and apparant the apprehension thereof in the Subject by the sense and understanding must needs bee cleere and most distinct whence ariseth such an assent unto the truth of the thing as is most firme and certaine excluding all doubting whatsoeuer as for instance that the Fire is hot the Water moist the Sunne light that Quicquid dicitur vel negatur de Vniversali dicitur vel negatur de Particulari Quae conveniunt in uno tertio inter se conveniunt with the like these things are evident making such a lively impression upon the senses and so cleerly discovering their reasonablenesse to the understanding that we strongly assent unto their truth without all doubting 2. Opinion is contrary unto knowledge and alwayes hath uncertainetie in the Subject and inevidence in the Object attending on it For some things there are of their owne nature uncertaine and contingent whereof our best knowledge is but a doubtfull conjecture as that a red evening and a gray morning should bring a faire day Againe those things that are in themselves certaine enough and necessary yet unto us they will be but onely probable and conjecturall if either our senses through weakenesse and distemper perceive them not throughly or our understanding doe not cleerely apprehend the nature and reason of them Whence it followes that for want of cleere evidence in the things themselves our assent unto their truth will be alwayes wavering doubtfull without any fixed determination to embrace any side resolvedly but so holding it selfe to that part which for the present seemes most probable as that it is ready to shift it selfe unto the other side when better reason shall bee discovered 3. Beliefe partly agrees partly differs both from the one and the other for it partakes but of one property namely certainety in the Subject though very variable but never of evidence in the Object Both shall appeare unto you in order For the Object of beliefe it may bee certaine and necessary in it selfe but quâ tale it is never evident to the beleever For evident as I said before those things onely are which by their owne proper qualitie and light worke a cleere apprehension of themselves in the senses or understanding or both Now such things are not beleeved but knowne as for instance what wee see heare touch taste or smell by these senses orderly disposed we doe not say we beleeve it but we know it as that the Fire is hot the Water cold He that relates unto mee an accident that himselfe hath seene He knowes it but I that heare him doe beleeve it Againe things that wee understand by manifest and infallible reason those also we know we doe not beleeve as for example If an Astronomer foretell an Eclipse to fall out an hundred years hence hee doth not beleeve but he knowes this effect will ensue by the infallible motion of the Heavens but an unlearned man that findes this in an Ephemerides hee onely beleeves it But now that which is the Object of Beliefe so farre as it is the Object thereof doth not fall under the cleere apprehension either of sense or understanding by its owne naturall light For things beleeved are of three sorts Past Present or to Come Of things Past before we were and of things to Come t is not possible for us to get any knowledge from the things themselves by our sense or reason unlesse it be Astronomicall demonstrations as was touched before or such Physicall effects as depend upon necessary connexion of their causes Touching things
much is our assent weakned But of the three the authority of the speaker is the chiefest whose wisedome and fidelity certainely knowne unto us will move us to a certaine beliefe of those things wherein we apprehend no great matter of consequence nor discerne any evidence of the truth at all whereas if one that hath neither wit nor honesty tell us of a matter of greatest moment wherof we also see the probability and truth in part yet doth he not perswade us to beliefe though he may move us to a strong suspicion Thus then you see that assent being the approbation of the truth of any thing is common to Knowledge Opinion and Beliefe but with this difference In exact Knowledge our assent is alwaies firme and unremoveable in Opinion t is alwaies wavering and mutable in Beliefe t is certaine but more or lesse according to the different concurrence of those three forenamed grounds Now out of that which I have spoken let these two conclusions be carefully observed 1. That all Knowledge is more certaine than Beliefe which rule you must understand in things of the same kind not of divers thus He that most firmely beleeves any truth upon the former grounds is not yet so certaine of it as hee that perfectly knowes it as a Countri-man who strongly beleeves that the Sunne or least Starre is bigger than the whole Earth upon the affirmation of a learned and honest Mathematician is not yet so certaine of it as when afterward he knowes it by infallible demonstration But now in divers kindes our beliefe of some things may bee more certaine than our knowledge of others as our beliefe of divine things upon Gods testimony may be more certaine than the knowledge of humane things by the light of our reason because our understanding hath alwaies this prejudice that in the generall it may possibly erre but Gods Word cannot erre at all 2. That perfect Knowledge takes away all Beliefe that is for so you must understand it perfect knowledge of any thing excludes all beliefe of the same thing otherwise perfect knowledge in one thing may helpe our beliefe in another and knowledge in part of the same thing doth much strengthen our beliefe of the other part But here in this opposition betweene knowledge and beliefe your must alwayes remember what knowledge wee meane namely Scientiam Intuitivam or per Visionem that knowledge which is had by beholding things in their proper nature but not Scientiam Disciplinarem or per Revelationeâ— that knowledge which is got by discourse and relation of others And so these two propositions We beleeve what we know not and We beleeve what we know are not opposite each to other for t is true we beleeve that which we do not know namely by the proper and immediate sight of the things themselves and t is true also we beeleeve that which we doe know viz. by relation which so far forth represents to us the nature of the thing related as that we are not ignorant what it is we doe beleeve Where it must also be observed that the difference is great between these two sorts of knowledge in regard of the assent that is given to matters thus known Knowledge that is by Vision or Intuition of things that are presented to the sense or understanding in their proper evidence inforceth assent unto the things knowne For in this case the apprehension of the thing is so cleere that the understanding cannot but approve the truth of it And therefore the Colledge of the Sceptikes of old was little better than a Society of fools and their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Perpetuall doubtfulnesse of all things was somewhat worse than madnes when they would not assent that they saw the Sunne shine when they looked on it nor that the fire was hot when they felt it burne nor would be certaine of any principles or conclusions in reason nature And such was Anaxagoras his dull melancholy or wilfull frenzy to maintaine in good sadnesse that the snow was blacke For such is the naturall assinity between evident truth and our understanding that though wee would yet wecannot but subscribe and yeeld our allowance and assent unto it Whence it falls out many times that a Vsurer a Chuch-robber or some other not willing to leave this or that course though doubtfull whether lawfull or not dares not for his life read such or such a booke written on those subjects for feare lest he should bee made to know more than hee is content to practise and that his conscience should bee convicted in spight of his will But now t is not so in that other knowledge by relation let a thing be never so plainly delivered so that we fully conceive the meaning of that which is spoken yet if neyther our owne sense nor reason doe convince us we may choose whether or no we will beleeve and assent unto it embracing it for a truth It is the very naturall property of man never to be satisfied with others reports till we our selves have seene and knowne the thing it selfe by evident experience Draw the liveliest picture of any man the most curious landship of any country it contents not wee must see both the one and other Set downe the most tried experiments in nature taken by most skilfull Artists this pleases not others till their owne triall confirm them Generally every man would faine see with his owne eies heare with his owne eares understand by his owne not another mans reason In which inclination of nature lies the originall of all the distrust and diffidence that is in the world and also the cause of those restlesse inquiries which we make one after another into the same things Whence it comes to passe that whilst we are bulâ—ed in examining our forefathers inventions and posterity also imployed in making triall of our examinations neither we nor they have much time to adde any thing unto the increase of learned knowledge Hence also may we ghesse at one cause why many Sciences even for some thousands of yeares have kept one pitch and not growne above that dwarfish stature they had in their infant invention and also what the reason is why many that reade most prove not the deepest schollars for no greater impediment to exact learning than to make use of other mens understandings and neglect our owne It would also hence appeare that History a pleasant and profitable imploiment is yet of all studied learning the weakest to give full satisfaction to the minde of man because that depends wholly upon such grounds of truth as mans minde desires not to depend upon at all namely anothers tongue eyes and eares And it is observable that very usually those that are of credulous and passive understandings least able to imploy their owne strength in painfull and attentive inquiries after knowledge such doe not unwillingly apply their diligence to that course of study But I
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
Of the former sort are those manifold allusions similitudes and other passages of Scripture about the properties of living creatures of Plants of Mineralls of Meteors and other naturall things mentioned often in Iob Ecclesiastes and divers other places And also those sundry precepts of Oeconomickes Ethickes and Politickes scattered as in the whole body of Scriptures so specially collected in the booke of Proverbes Now in these things albeit it be true that by reason of our extreme ignorance in many things which greatly prejudiceth our exactnesse of knowledge in any wee doe in part firmely rest even in these common matters upon the truth of Gods revelation yet it cannot be denied but that they are in part evident unto our sense and reason It were no hard matter for a man that hath but little goodnesse to make an exact commentary of all Philosophicall matters mentioned in Scriptures much grace needs not to the writing or understanding of such a booke as Vallosius his sacra Philosophia And there 's no doubt but a meere Moralist or Politician had he no more goodnesse in him than ever was in Machâ—avoll should hee but diligently reade Salomons Proverbes the booke of Ecclesiastes and other parts of the Bible that touch upon things within his Sphere would evidently see that there is in these Scripture-precepts the most pure and exquisite reason of all true Honesty and Policy in the world But now in other points that are the more proper doctrines of Divinity of a higher and more spirituall nature some there are that can never be comprehended by any evidence of reason no not of the most illuminated in this life such are the mystery of the Trinity the union of two natures in one person in the Incarnation of Christ That there is a Catholicke Church c. Some againe there are which may be in part evidently knowne in their proper nature but yet only by such as are truely sanctified and illuminated by the Spirit of grace not by the unregenerate I need give but one instance t is a large one and takes up at least one halfe of Christian Religion and that is the whole mystery of mans Regeneration and his estate in Grace in this life Wherein a thousand particulars there are cleere and evident unto the sanctified and spirituall man which the carnall man knowes no otherwise than by rote and relation That wonderfull change which the Spirit of God workes in raising a sinner from death to life the power of a saving Faith the nature of godly sorrow for sinne of peace of conscience of joy in the holy Ghost of Gods sweetest mercies in the remission of sinnes the infinite comfort the soule finds in his favourable countenance our communion with Christ of the testimony of Gods Spirit and our Conscience in point of Adoption the whole art of our Spirituall warfarre containing the wiles and subtile methods of Satan and Corruption in tempting with the admirable power of Grace and Spirituall wisedome in making resistance and overcomming these things with the like wherein consisteth the very soule and life of Christian Religion are very riddles unto the man unregenerate when he heares them spoken of and press'd upon him his heart is overflowed with a kinde of bitter humour betweene admiration and scorne that another should speake so earnestly about that wherein hee findes no such great matter of consequence No hee knowes these things onely by the booke experience and evidence of them in his owne heart hee hath none and therefore his knowledge of these things is cloudy uncertaine hovering floting in superficiall flourishes of Rhetoricall discourse not piercing into the substance and life of the thing it selfe and where hee comes neere to it t is but the imitation and bare repetition of others inventions whereunto his owne barren head and gracelesse heart that little to adde of new store Whence it falls out in common experience that in these points of Divinity and in such cases of conscience as neerely concernes the Spirituall estate of man you shall have many a godly Minister of meane gifts but of an holy heart yea many a plaine and simple man in regard of any depth of other knowledge that yet will discharge himselfe with greater skill and dexterity and give better satisfaction than some of those that may challenge the praise and admiration of being deepe Divines and learned Teachers in Israel And this is no small fault wherewith Popish Schoolmen and Casuists are taxed by our Divines that even the words of Regeneration Sanctification c. are somewhat strange to be found in their writings and that their discourses and decisions in matters of that kind are intentionall forraine dull and heartlesse Thus we have seen touching this Object of Faith namely Gods written Revolations How far forth they are Evident and may be Knowne how farre forth they are Inevident and must be Beleeved Briefly thus All things in Scripture may be knowne by the plainnesse of the written narration else the study of Divinity were a vaine and impossible attempt All things in Scripture cannot be known by the sight and evidence of the things themselues for then were Faith utterly taken away Wherefore againe Points of Nature and Morality may be in themselves evident to all but the proper mysteries of Divinity can be in part evident onely to the Regenerate Now by this wee must learne what to judge of the Popish doctrine which makes Obscurity one essentiall property of Faith Faith say they is an assent given to any proposition revealed by God Propter authoritatem revelantis and two essentiall properties this assent hath 1. Certainty 2. Obscurity Of Certainty wee shall speake hereafter concerning Obscurity wee yeeld unto them thus farre That all the Objects of Faith are Obscure that is in the Apostles sense 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Things not seen and comprehended in their proper nature by our senses or understanding And so not onely the more secret mysteries of Religion as the Trinity Incarnation c. whose depth and largenesse our reason cannot compasse but all other matters Historicall or Propheticall which are easie enough to be understood are notwithstanding Obscure that is Inevident not lying open to the direct view of body or minde But this doth not please our Adversaries t is not want of evidence in the thing revealed but want of perspicuity in the Revelation it selfe which they understand by obscurity Their meaning is thus Faith is an assent to obscure Propositions that is to Propositions not understood whereof wee know not the meaning I this is it this is as a learned man speakes one roote of Popery in graine whence originally issues out that blacke darknesse of superstitious ignorance which covers the face of all that part of Christendome where Romish tyranny hath the upper hand And yet that wee may here also gratifie them a little wee confesse that Christians can for a need yeeld assent to such propositions whereof they understand not
tho Reasonable Creature is the Subiectum quod of Faith but we may yet more particularly enquire of the Subiectum quo in which Facultie of the Reasonable Creature Faith is resident In euerie Intellectuall nature there are vsually made two Distinct Faculties First The Vnderstanding Secondly The Will The Obiect of that is Truth The Obiect of this Goodnesse Now then Faith being an assent to the Truth and Goodnesse of Diuine reuelations we must see in which of those Faculties it is resident or whether in both Our Aduersaries teach that the Assent of Faith is an act of the Vnderstanding onely not of the Will This opinion we reiect as erroneous because Diuine Reuelations are essentially as Good as they be true nor hath their truth any prerogatiue aboue their goodnesse and so Faith is giuen but by halues vnto one part of the Obiect where there is not as well an Election and Approbation of the Goodnesse of it by the Will as an ascent to the truth of it in the Vnderstanding Wherefore we affirme that this Assent of Faith is an act of the Vnderstanding and of the Will both together approuing and allowing the truth and goodnesse of all Diuine things In which assertion you are to note that we doe not make the Habit of Faith to be inherent in two diuers subiects nor this act of Assent to come from two diuers Principles or two seuerall Faculties of the mind but we affirme the subiect is but one and the same namely the intellectuall Nature For I take it with diuers of the Learned yet as they doe vnder correction of the more Learned that those Speculations about the reall distinction of Faculties in such Spirituall Substances as are the Angels and soules of men are but meere subtleties of the Schoole without any true ground in natuâ—e it selfe He that shall in an vnpartiall search after Truth and Full Satisfaction thoroughly examine the same Distinction of Faculties in the Sencitiue Soule that the Common Sence Phantasie and Memory are three powers of it really distinct as in Nature so in place let him but examine the weakenesse of the ground of this distinction and the inexplicable difficulties that doe accompanie it he shall find vpon study of the point that it is no Heresie in Philosophy to hold that our grand Master hath herein affirmed more then will be euer vnderstood or thoroughly iustified by any of his Disciples As in these materiall Formes so much more in those Spirituall Essences Faculties haue beene multiplyed beyond necessitie and that thought to be done by more that may be performed by fewer helpes Our Sences haue in this case deceiued our Reason and because we find in Compounded bodyes diuers actions and motions to flow from diuers qualities we haue therefore imagined that in Simple Spirituall Substances the case must be alike and there is no remedy but we must Vnderstand by one Facultie Will or Nill by another Remember by a third Whereas all these seuerall actions flow immediately from the liuely and actiue essence of such a Spirituall Substance without any such distinct faculties that need come betweene the Agent and the Action For our purpose it appeares that the Vnderstanding and Will are not distinct Faculties that haue distinct actions Thus First The Vnderstanding essentially includes the Will For the Vnderstanding hath a naturall inclmation to Truth as the Will hath to Goodnesse It abhors Falshood as that doth Euill This desire and loue of Truth is 〈◊〉 this refusall and hatred of Falshood is Nolitio and so Velle and Nolle are actions euen of the Vnderstanding too and this proposition Intellectus vulirerum non 〈◊〉 salsum is most true and proper Secondly The Will essentially includes the Vnderstanding For to will or nill any thing good onâ—uill is an action either of knowledge or of ignorance If of ignorance then the Will in reasonable nature shall be an vnreasonable Facultie which is blindly carried to the embracing or refusing of that which it selfe knowes not at all but only it is knowne to another facultie the Vnderstanding But this were an absurd imagination to make the Will Facultatem non-intelligentem and to appropriate vnto it such a motion as is destitute of knowledge like a blind man that is led by the seeing he knowes not whither So should the Doctrine of Free-will in any kind whatsoeuer fall to the ground For how is the Will free but because it may choose this or that How can it make choyce vnlesse it doe also vnderstand campare aduise and deliberate about the nature and consequences of things offered vnto its choyce Wherefore it is manifest that Intelligere and Iudicare are actions belonging vnto the Will also and that this proposition Voluntas intelligit bonum aut malum is true and proper Thus in regard of the actions Valends and Intelligendi we haue no reason to make a distinction of Faculties where the actions are common and indifferently agree to each of them If one facultie can doe both what reason is there to make two And if the Philosopher be in the right denying a distinct facultie for the Memorie in the reasonable soule because the Vnderstanding sufficeth to that for as much as eiusdem est seruare Habitus â—â—s vti we haue the same reason to hold the Vnderstanding and Will to be no distinct Faculties seeing eiusdem est intelligere velle Thirdly The Obiect of the Vnderstanding and Will are one and the same For Truth and Goodnesse are essencially the same thing In Naturall things it is most plaine that their Truth and Goodnesse is all one Their goodnesse is nothing but the Truth of their Being in their perfect conformitie to Gods vnderstanding and will when their Essence and Qualities are perfectly the same which they had by their creation When the Creature is as it was made then it is both True and Good so farre as any part of truth is lost so much of goodnesse is gone And this appeares by the contrarie Malum and â—alsum in the creature opposed to this naturall goodnesse and truth of it are both but one thing namely any Defect or Excesse in the parts or degrees of their Essenâ—e and Qualities otherwise then according to the Truth of their Creation Such defects and excesses we call Errors Vntruths and Euils in nature So that if we consider Truth and Goodnesse in the nature of things themselues it is not possible to make any reall distinction between them What things are in our opinion it matters not much Our conceit we haue of them makes them not either true or good Nor is gold and precious stones any iot the better or worse because ciuill nations haue them in greatest account or Tartars and other Sauadges despise them as toyes and vnnecessarie to mans life Where the Essence of any thing is entire and perfect there is Truth and goodnesse though all thinke nothing or thinke otherwise of it And let vs thinke as long as we