Forty Sermons, Sermon 13
SERMON XIII. THE BELIEVERS CONCERN to pray for Faith.
Mark 9. 24.
Lord, I believe, help thou my Vnbelief.
WHICH are the words of a poor parent passionately earnest and afflicted sadly for his child, that from his infancy had bin tormented miserably by a Devil, for which having sought help every way, but finding none, no not from Christ's Disciples, at last he repairs to him himself, beseeching him to have compassion on him, and if he were able to relieve him. To whom Christ replies that if he could believe, then he could work the miracle, and help his child, all things being possible to be don for him that could believe, but nothing otherwise; whereupon strait way the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.
In which words we have, first the necessary Qualification that is to make all that had ever heard of Christ capable of having any benefit from Christ, that is belief in him, I believe. And since Christ hath made this qualification absolutely necessary, and by consequence must be suppos'd to have provided means sufficient to work in us that belief that he requires so peremtorily, we shall then
In the second place enquire how it comes to pass that they so often fail; that men do either not believe, or their Faith is so weak that much unbelief do's mix with it, as in our Confessor here in the Text, who tho he did profess he did believe, yet withal acknowledges his unbelief.
And thirdly to prevent and remedy all that, here is discovered whither we are to betake our selves for help, and where alone 'tis possible to find it, and that is Christ himself, who alone is able to repair in us whatever degree of true belief is wanting in us, Lord help thou my unbelief, and how he do's repair it.
And fourthly when it is repair'd to that due height, what that degree is can make us capable of those benefits which he hath promis'd to bestow on true Believers; and whether such believers can say with our man here, I believe, yet say too, Help my unbelief.
First of the first, the qualification believe; which is absolutely necessary to make men capable of any benefits from Christ. For in all benefits of this kind the Text mentions, such as were to come by miracle, 'tis well known what St Matthew says of Nazareth, his own country, that he did not many mighty works, there because of their unbelief, c. 13. 58. St Mark expresses it, that he could there do no mighty work, c. 6. 5. that is, he could not be inclined to work them, so as that he could or would be willing to do any, saving that he laid his hands upon a few sick folk, and healed them. For tho signs are not, as St Paul says, for believers, but for them that believe not, 1. Cor. 14. 22. so that infidelity seems rather prerequir'd to them than belief, since they are don on purpose to convince & work men to the Faith, on which account some were always wrought first where he was not known, to raise mens opinions and expectations concerning him which if they were heeded, so that they did work some but beginnings of Belief, he us'd to add more to encrease that Faith and confirm it. But where the first Essays were ineffectual, and got no credit, there he did forbear; for such render'd themselves unworthy of them altogether, Miracles were lost upon them, not attaining that end which they were intended for: which was not for compassion to their sick to to heal, or their dead to raise them, for then, as St Chrysostome observes, he would have cur'd or rais'd them all; but was for their Conviction, to make faith of the Divinity of his Person and Doctrine, and prevail with them to give themselves up to him, as to the Messiah: and therefore all those who by the knowledg or the fame of his great works were drawn to come to him for help, he still requires profession of the faith they had concerning him, and just according to the measures of that faith so he dispenses aid. Thus Matt. 9. 28. the blind men that cried after him and followed him for sight, he asks, believe ye that I am able to do this? and when they affirm'd, yea Lord, he yeilds no more but this, according to your faith be it unto you, v. 29. But when the Canaanitish woman did believe even to importunacy and trouble, and her faith was such as would neither be shaken nor receive repulse, but was full proof against Christ's arguments and his seeming reproches, yea made use of his upbraidings, urg'd them to her own advantage, and in spight of all resistance persever'd, Christ could not then contain, but cried, O woman, great is thy faith, be it unto thee even as thou wilt, Matt. 15. 28. And on the other side, as while Peter's courage seeing Christ his master walking towards them upon the water made him desire to meet him on the water too, accordingly it suited: while he did resolvedly obey his Master and rely on his assistance that commanded him, he was sustain'd, that confidence did buoy him up: but when a turbulent strong wind once shook his faith, when he began to fear and then to doubt, immediatly he sunk, Matt. 14. 30. And all the reason in the world, that when he doubted whether Christ would or were able to uphold him in obeying him, tho he had present experiment of both, he should be then left to himself; when in the height of the success and the securities of miracles he was afraid and stagger'd: since 'twas the whole design of miracles, and by consequence of that, to work faith, and it is the very essence also of faith to assure us of God's power and his readiness to perform whatever he hath promis'd howsoever difficult. It was this very faith that gave denomination and acceptance to the Father of the Faithful: for when Abraham was bid to offer up that Son in whom he had receiv'd the promises that he should be the Father of many Nations, that faith by which against hope he believ'd in hope, that it would come to pass, and staggering not, consider'd neither difficulty, rather natural impossibility of what was promis'd, foreign nor was curious to satisfy himself, or indeed examin how it should or could be, as if he would model God's performances or his own expectation by the measuress of his comprehension of the means and method; but accounting God was able, if all other methods fail'd, to raise him up from death, altho he had no instance of that power, Heb. 11. 19. and being fully perswaded that what he had promised, he was able also to perform, therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness, Rom. 4. 21, 22. Now as this faith that God was able, was that faith which made Abraham approved; and the like faith in Christ we see was that which made them capable of his miraculous assistances: so (those cures and miracles being emblems, and indeed pledges of that greater cure, that far more comprehensive miracle he undertook, and came to work on mankind; the healing of their bodies not onelyonly shadowing out the healing of their souls, but also restitution of sight to the blind, movement to the lame, and the like being partial essaies of that Resurrection which he promis'd, that was to restore all those to all, at once giving life to the dead) the like assurance of his power and readiness to do all this, together with a full trust in him, that whatever difficulties we encounter or imagin, yet in the performance of his promises he will never fail those who seek after, and pursue them in the ways that he hath chalk'd out to arrive at them. This faith, I say, is the first qualification that can make us capable of benefit by him: indeed as 'tis the first, so 'tis the most intimate, and onelyonly active Principle of all Obedience, Religion, and Virtue.
For when all impressions both of God himself, of good and evil, and their after-recompence were defac'd, and tho the lineaments of these things were wrought into men in their making, and the study of Philosophy had refresh'd the dying images, yet an inundation of corruption and debauchery had overspread all, so far as that Almighty God did think it needful that his Son should be incarnated to revele again our duty and teach virtue, and to give us an example of it in his practice, even in the most severe and fatal instances, and after having suffer'd for it, and by that means ransom'd us from suffering for transgressing of our duty, then to rise again and ascend into Glory to assure the blessed recompences of Religion and Obedience, and the infinitely miserable returns of impiety and vice; if after all we either shall so far abhor the duty, as that we renounce these glorious obligations to it, turn away from the very proposal of all those advantages that are to crown it, and defy that ransom paid for them, disbelieve all, count them dreams, cheats or illusions: or however, if we cannot satisfy our selves that those rewards or punishments are possible or likely, certainly 'tis most impossible there can be a temtation of force to invite men to Religion or to any virtue: this method of proposal of such infinite after-recompences to our faith demonstrated by such Miracles to evince the power and their certainty, being the most vigorous struggle of Divine Compassion towards man, the utmost attemt of mercy, which alone was hopeful since all others fail'd the tryal, 'twas his greatest strength apportion'd to the full-grown wickedness of the World.
At first in one thousand six hundred years from innocence the whole World was grown so bad, that God could find out but one whole family to save alive; & he destroy'd the rest for warning to all future generations: & yet in less than a quarter of that time immediatly ensuing there was again onelyonly one family, that of Abraham, which out of all the World he could think fit to take into his favor & his care. In whose Posterity, altho he exercis'd them with strange prodigies of sufferings and reliefs, and in the midst of Miracles renew'd his Law to them, train'd them up in that by all arts of punishments and rewards, kept them as it were in constant discipline with present visible returns of plagues and death for every act of disobedience; so that the whole sacred History is nothing but a recurrent Tide of God's mercy, and Israels provocations, their sin and his punishing it. When famin, pestilence and war, all the separations which might be expected from the furnace of affliction, were utterly ineffectual, and the People were so settled on their lees, that all attempts to purify onelyonly fretted and disturb'd, and it was necessary to rack them from those lees, and emty them from vessel to vessel, so that the Nation was carried captive into Babylon. Even this digestion of seventy years together had no more prosperous effect, than the preceeding frustrate methods; the return of the captivity brought also back the former disobedience and infidelity. And when the fulness of time was come, that the Messiah should appear, and restore all things, Matt. 17. 11. he came, as the Baptist call'd it, to a generation of vipers, Matt. 3. 7. When the light shone in darkness, the darkness comprehended it not. When he came unto his own, his own received him not, John 1. 5, 11. So that, as St Luke expresses it, When the Son of man came, he did not find faith in the earth. Where the fairest steps were made to belief, 'twas exceedingly faint and imperfect; his very disciples were of little faith, as our Savior Complains Matt. 6. 30.—8. 26.—14. 31.—16. 8. Nor was this frailty superseded in the more establish'd growth of Christianity. Tho we hear in the book of Acts of multitudes of them that believed c. 4. 32. yet we hear also of some that oppos'd themselves, contradicted, and blasphemed, c. 13. 45. others there were who made shipwrack of the faith 1 Tim. 1. 19. and of others that doubted, and were wavering, and weak in faith, Rom. 14. And so it is to this day: what St Paul said to the Corinthians 1 Epist. 3. 1, 2. every Preacher of the Gospel has to say unto the greatest part of his flock, I, Brethren, could not speak to you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. The Christian flock more partakes of the folly and weakness of sheep, than the innocence. The faces of both tend to the earth, intent on their pasture where they may range and feed with plenty and delight. In the greatest part of Professors with their faith there is mix'd unbelief, so as sometimes to preponderate, for the most part to alloy and weaken it.
And here I promise not to prosecute those grounds of unbelief so far, as to shew how they make men able to resist and conquer all Christ's methods, how they work them up into the confidence of profest infidelity and Atheism; that's not my design, but plainly and in brief to name some causes of it, not in this or the other party or perswasion, but in general, even in minds not ill dispos'd, but such as our Confessor here in the Text, who tho he do's profess he did believe, yet withal acknowledges his unbelief, Lord help my unbelief.
Now tho it should be granted that the motives and the means of Christian Faith are of themselves sufficient to convince the minds of men, that the Revelations of the Gospel are from God, so far as that there can remain no place for any reasonable doubt or scruple, nor by consequence plea for excusing them who give not up their faith to it; yet notwithstanding all this evidence arising from those means and motives, still many of the things to be believ'd are so inevident, for they are Mysteries, and are wrapt up in such obscurity that they astonish and affright apprehension, and while the mind is swallowed up in the abyss of such dark contemplations, whatever light strikes in from motives, yet the mind is maz'd so, that, if it assent, it cannot be without suspition and some fear and tremulously: and difficulties often so distract the understanding, that it cannot settle, but is loose and wavering.
Now as in the contests that often happen in us betwixt the temporal interests and pleasures of this world and the eternal blessednesses of the next, in those that are sincerely satisfied of the real infinite disproportion betwixt them, yet if any present object that does flatter appetite with strong delight or other satisfaction, chance but to surprise a man so far as that his present whole attention be engag'd upon it, and it be not call'd off, nor the will apply the understanding to consider and compare the other interests, the everlasting ones, and weigh them both together, 'tis certain he will yield against his conscience to satisfy his sinful inclination; for to that his surpris'd appetite apply'd him, & that application did determine him; there being no way to resist the forcible assaults of present things that strike the mind with vigor, if the will (some way excited) do not frequently engage the understanding to contemplate on, advert to with intenseness, even with all its might those blessednesses which God's promises propose to our belief, that so the mind by reason of its constant conversation with them may not fail to call them up on all occasions, and bring them into the comparison, and vie with any present thing that do's allure, and then those will preponderate without fail. So in the other Objects of our Faith, the Mysteries, and generally in all Objects whatsoever, where the understanding do's not reach the nature, so as to discern and look into the truth of them, if there be arguments that make a fair shew and flatter natural reason by complying with its principles, which opposes that truth, and with their difficulties maze and appale the understanding, its assent cannot be setled firmly on the truth, unless the will cause the understanding to busy and apply it self so to the arguments and motives of its credibility, that it find a principle whereon to bottom its perswasion, such as that it can compare with, and oppose to those objections, and find reason to adhere to it against them, such as this, God hath said it: so that altho on one side subtle reasonings seem to commit a rape upon my understanding, and against belief almost force my assent, yet on the other side God's own autority, of which I have no cause to doubt, (if I advert sincerely to the motives of its credibility, for we suppos'd that) is of strength sufficient to secure my faith, and will never suffer it to faint at such objections, as I know arise onelyonly from ignorance and want of principles to judg by, and from the incomprehensibility of the Object. Now if the will do constantly engage the understanding thus by frequent application to such principles, humane reason, howsoever apt to be rebellious, will be easily subdu'd and brought into captivity to the obedience of faith and our belief, will be unshaken; so that the will is justly said to have a signal interest in, and influence on our faith. To make which good I might produce Councils and Schoolmen, but it shall suffice me that the Scripture says, that with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, Rom. 10. 10. and 'tis requir'd that man believe with all his heart, Acts 8. 37. and it is call'd an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God, Heb. 3. 12. and for that reason to believe is amongst God's precepts, Faith is strictly commanded, and a great blessed reward propos'd to it, and Infidelity is threatned with eternal torments. Now commands, rewards and punishments are such things as cannot be propos'd but to the will, and are not at all made to move the understanding, which must needs assent exactly as it judges, and must judge according to appearances of objects; and you may as well desire a stone to fall up to heaven, or the Senses to perceive that which they have no sense of, as the understanding to believe against its judgment, or to judge in contradiction to what appears to it. Now this being granted, that the heart hath such a vital influence upon our Faith, and that the will contributes so much to believing, by prevailing with the understanding to contemplate on, and frequently converse with, and with great advertency attend to those Divine and Heavenly objects and the motives to believe them: it does therefore follow
Secondly that whatsoever does engage the heart and take the will off so, as that they do not cause this application of mind, that must needs weaken and enfeeble Faith;for it withdraws that that should nourish and give vigor to it, and makes way for unbelief. Now here alas, if I should onelyonly name the several impediments upon this account, the avocations of the heart, it would be endless. But to say nothing of particulars, whose state of life either thro the necessities of their condition or the troubles of it, or thro a disorderly uneasy temperament of body, or diseases, tho all or each of these may keep the mind almost in a perpetual disturbance, or at least in great inaptitude to such Spiritual application, if there be not strict watch kept to seize all lucid intervals. But to pass these, and onelyonly touch at two Occasions in the general. And the
First is the understanding, which if it be apt to be religiously scrupulous in little things, as for the most part scruples rise about such onelyonly, whether thro weakness of judgment, credulity, and either little probabilities that work upon that, or the arts of seducing Teachers, or else especially which is most consequent upon any close affliction, scruples rise thro applications of God's judgements or interpretation of the incomprehensible procedures of his providence, if these scruples come to work the understanding, so as that it usually entertains the will with no proposals else, which happens very frequently, and if it does thus even till the will delight it self in these its self-tormentings, and engages the whole man in a continual converse with them; so that he comes to love to aggravate his fears against himself, and wilfully retains them, and dwells on them, will not be diverted from such thoughts, which do not onelyonly with these their invenom'd darts stab and wound the mind perpetually, and the poyson of them drinks up his spirits, but they wound his Faith. As when those scruples are in great measure and grown strong, they use to break out into blasphemies and desperation: so all less degrees also in their proportion raise doubts in men, not as to their own condition onelyonly, but God's Attributes, and works, and dealings with mankind, which corrupt and ulcerate and poyson their belief, and it becomes languid, feeble and unsteady.
But secondly that which universally takes off the heart or will from causing this so necessary application to the objects and the motives of our Faith, is the lower appetite with its passions. For in man's life that is so perfectly dramatic, and in which the world is always shifting scenes, there happens such an infinite variety of either prosperous delightful, or cross sad accidents, which so goad and stimulate the affections, raise such ebullitions in the bloud, and such impetuousness in the motions of the appetite, that the will is hurried along with them with a blind precipitation and a headlong fury; and by consequence it fares so with the faculties upon the satisfactions of those appetites. Now in this rout and confusion 'tis not possible the understanding can attend to Spiritual applications, and if this happen frequently, then thus it being frequently diverted, and its conversation with affairs of Faith much broken off, seldom reflecting on them, and so being very unaccustomed to those thoughts, all the impressions grow faint, languish and decay, the motives have no force, and consequently the belief it self is loose, and scarce hath the assurance of a thin opinion, if it were examin'd: and of all this the experience is so dreadful, that we daily see, if men go on so far as to indulge their appetites habitually, that their minds being thereby taken altogether off from the other contemplations, they come to have no love to them, no regard at all, cannot well endure to think or hear of them; and are therefore given up by God's just judgment, such as was foretold long since 2 Thess. 2. 10, 11. to strong delusions to believe a lie, even a lie of that eternal dismal consequence that virtue and religion and the blessed expectation of it are mere trumpery, and renounce those truths whereby they should be saved.
But I promis'd not to prosecute this to that height; it sufficeth we having seen how the heart being by such means engag'd, and ceasing to employ the understanding upon heavenly things and on the motives to believe them, and the faith of them do's come to lose all vigor, not to be recover'd if there be not some assistance to the will, that may be able to take off that ravenous inclination which it hath to present satisfactions, and that gross torpid stupidity it labors under towards future things, and withal excite and inflame it with desires after that far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, and besides remove all those other impediments of our belief which I have mention'd. Which assistance from what hand it is to be expected, and how it effects all that, I must declare in the third place from those words, Lord, help thou my unbelief.
Now that the birth and growth and strength of Faith (that Faith, I say, that is effectual to salvation) is all from God, from the preventing and assisting graces of his Spirit, is a Doctrine which the Scripture is abundant in. It is the gift of God, St Paul saith Eph. 2. 8. and Christ says, No man can come to me, that is, believe in me, except the Father which has sent me, draw him John 6. 44. i. e. those preparations of the heart by which men are dispos'd to come at God's call and receive his Gospel, when as others whom 'tis equally propos'd to, and who alike understand it, will not come, are the effects of his good grace; and in that respect such are said to be drawn by the Father, and to be taught of God, verse 45. and v. 64. speaking to his Followers, and telling them that there are some of you that believe not, tho they had all the methods of conviction, having heard his preaching, seen his miracles as well as others; yet some of them notwithstanding not believing, he adds, v. 65. therefore I said unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it be given him of my Father. All the other means and motives, if alone, prevail not. I have planted, Apollos watered; but 'tis God that giveth the increase, 1 Cor. 3. 6. I need not say this is the Doctrine of the Church of England, 'tis so of the Latin and the Greek Church, and on this account of the necessity of Grace and the assistance of God's Spirit in believing, the whole Church of Christ hath universally maintain'd a war against Pelagius and his Followers. 'Tis more expedient to shew what he doth, and how he does proceed in doing it, how he removes those hindrances of Faith I mention'd in each faculty both of the will and understanding.
First as to the understanding, that he doth enlighten and clear it into the discerning of those Heavenly truths, appears, since David therefore prays, Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold the wondrous things of thy Law, Psalm 119. 18. and the like v. 27. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts. It should seem he apprehended wonderful miraculous dispensations in God's discoveries of himself and of his will to man, besides those of his nature, his transcendent goodness also in the pardoning our sins, in giving us such excellent Precepts, in assisting us to the performance, in accepting our imperfect Obedience, and in preparing everlasting blessed Glory to reward and crown it. Now that he might discern all these so sensibly as to be ravish'd and transported with them, so as that he might be wrought on to adore the blessed Donor of all these, and cling to him and them with the close and inseparable unions of Faith and love; he therefore prays that God would open his eyes, enlighten and remove all those degrees of darkness that remain'd within him, quicken and enliven all his faculties, give him a vital sense and relish of all those things, make him understand them, that believing them he might adhere to them. And since the Scripture says (I told you) that with the heart man believeth unto righteousness, so it also therefore says that God does give an heart to understand, Deut. 29. 4. and the Lord opened Lydia's heart, that she attended to the things that were spoken, Acts 16. 14. thus preventing unbelief, which comes for want of such advertency, as I shew'd you.
And as to the Will (which hath its influence, I prov'd to you) that God works in us to will, is express Scripture Phil. 2. 13. And if we should but onelyonly put the understanding in that case, wherein, as we before demonstrated, 'tis needful that the Will engage it to make applications to these Spiritual objects, when the man is not as yet byassed or corrupted, but is onelyonly languid and indifferent and unconcern'd, yet then there is an absolute necessity the Spirit cause it: for if the Will be it self a faculty indifferent and free, there must be some prevenient proposal, thought, or motion, that may determin or fix it; and to will what it ought, it therefore must have some good motion or proposal, such as will prevail with it. Now such proposals and motions come not from it self, the Will does not propose to it self, it cannot think or make the motion, and the Understanding, which, as the case is put, does need a resolution of the will thus to engage it, is not therefore qualified to make the motion sufficient and of force; for then it could and would apply it self without the Will's engaging of it: much less is it qualified, when the Will drawn in by the affections of the lower Appetite hath applied the Understanding, as I shew'd you, to converse with sensual objects, and by doing so 'tis altogether stein'd with their impressions and images, and hath few others to excite or entertain it self withal. In neither case, since neither Understanding nor the Will is able, there is nothing therefore but God's grace that do's it by presenting objects and occasions, and disposing circumstances so in soft and congruous seasons, as with the assistance of his overshadowing and incubating on them, may be sure to hatch some inclinations and desires that way in the Understanding and Will both. He does all by these means upon all occasions of Divine truth heard, or read, or meditated on, by his applying intimately to the mind the motives of believing, and to help the evidence by breaking in upon it with his own illuminations, which discover to the Soul the beauty of God's promises, make it see how infinitely advantageous they are to it. Thus he fills it with those beauteous images, then backs the thoughts with their allurements, so as that they love to hover and to dwell upon them; this animates them into chearful practice of all performances that tend to them: then he scatters as it were some gleams of future glory, shedding flashes of it in the joys of Conscience arising from the sense both of God's encouragements and assistances to duty, and of the delights resulting from the faithful, sincere practice of it: and by this joy quieting the Conscience, if it either raise fears from the apprehension of God's dealings in these outward things, or else if it be scrupulous in little things to the disturbance of his Faith, as I declar'd, convincing it that conscience is not to accuse or else excuse but by the measures of sincerity or insincerity in known real duty, not from the events or dispensations of God's providence on one side, nor on the other, in little things wherein there is no Law to guide us, and which onelyonly prejudice or seduction can make doubtful, assuring us the Kingdom of God is not meat and drink, indifferent rites, but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost, Rom. 14. 17. Thus, as St Paul says Heb. 6. 4. they that have tasted of the heavenly gift, the comfort of the pardon of their sins, and consequent to that the peace of Conscience, and v. 5. tasted of the good word of God, and of the powers of the world to come, have intimate experimental relish of the Gospel-promises; those powers of heaven, those omnipotent forces God hath prepar'd to cast down every reasoning or imagination that should rise against the Christian Doctrine, and bring every thought to the obedience of it, 2 Cor. 10. 5. All which are said to be effected there in them who had bin made partakers of the Holy Ghost.
By these means therefore he enflames the Will, sets it all on fire with ardent love to God and his rewards, and consequently to his service in all the works of Piety and Virtue, and endued with firm and setled resolutions of adhering to him in faithful constant practice of all this. And thus Christ by his Spirit, as he was the Author, the Beginner of the faith, by which he is stil'd Heb. 12. 2. so by the same he is the Finisher and the completer of it.
He was the Author, as that Testimony which the Spirit gave by miracles, did evince the infallible certainty and the Divinity of the doctrine to the world; for the Spirit is said to bear witness to it by those signs and wonders Heb. 2. 3. and those signs are called the demonstration of the Spirit, 1 Cor. 2. 4. that which did irrefragably prove and demonstrate all the Doctrine of the Gospel, and make certain Faith of it; and in this sense it is that Faith is truly said to be resolv'd into the testimony of the Spirit. So also by the same he is the Finisher, by the graces, the preventings and excitings, overshadowings and assistings of that Spirit working in us, as we shew'd, a firm sincere adherence to that Faith, and the obedience of it; which when it is wrought, Faith hath attain'd that height, and in that degree, that is to make us capable of those benefits which Christ hath promis'd to bestow on true believers. The last thing I was to shew, and withal whether such Believers in that true degree can say with our man here, Lord, I believe, yet say too, help my unbelief.
Faith, as the Son of Syrach does define it, is foreign, the principle of cleaving to God, that which knits & joints us to him: and St Paul saith as much, when he makes the formality of an evil heart of unbelief to consist in departing from the living God; and to Faith by which the just must live, opposes drawing back, slinking away for fear of danger or affliction, Heb. 10. 38. So that according as that cleaving and adherency must be firm and indissoluble, so we are to judge of Faith.
But secondly 'tis certain this adherency must be without waverings, James 1. 6, 7. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering; for let not that man (him that wavers) think that he shall receive any thing at the hands of God. A firm and infallible assurance of God's promises, a confident expectation of a grant to his petitions, tho the power of Praier be almost omnipotent on that account, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them, Mark 11. 24. yet those are not meant by Faith here; for the person that is bid not to expect a grant is here suppos'd to think and to be confident he shall receive it, but the Praier here spoken to is for wisdom, how to behave ones self in times of chance and danger or affliction for the truth's sake, in these trials of his Faith, v. 3. Now that he may obtain that wisdom, he is bid to ask for it of God, but he is also bid to ask it in faith, nothing wavering, i. e. he must come to God for it with firm adherence to him, with dependance on him onelyonly, and a mind resolv'd, whatever happens, to stick fast to him and his commands and methods, not to labor or accept deliverance on terms not allow'd by God and a good Conscience, must not waver betwixt duty and security, nor be double minded, so as to apply now to Christ and Religion, now to worldly carnal politics. Such double minded men that have a mind to God and their duty, but a mind also to safety, interest, or some other satisfaction, are unstable, are divided betwixt two, not knowing which to turn to, now taking one, now the other, do not stick to God, they are not faithful. It is not sound Faith, where there is not a resolv'd and setled cleaving; such false-hearted wavering ulcerates and gangrenes all.
But then thirdly, where there is that firm, sincere adherency to God and duty with such a dependance on him, there is Faith that is effectual to the ends of Faith; for this is true Faith, that works and is consummated by love, and that begets an efficacious Hope, by that hope works out the purifying of our selves as God is pure, and consequently does entitle us to see God, i. e. to the beatifick Vision.
I know there are some, who besides this certainty of adherence do require an absolute certainty of evidence, affirming there is no true Faith, but such as stands on a clear resolution into Principles more evident and certain, than those Propositions are which are made out to us by Demonstration, than any Principles of Sciences, which Principles since they are more necessary than that first one, that which is, is, and the contrary to them more impossible, than for the same thing that is to be and not to be at the same time while it is: by consequence they cannot but infuse greater necessity and certainty into our Faith, than there is in the knowledg of those Propositions; so that 'tis impossible for him, that is a true Believer, to say, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief.
I shall not put it to the question, whether the Rule of Faith be firm and immovable, or the Principle which true Belief must be resolved into, is most infallible and necessary: for all those which resolve their Faith into God's Revelation, and that make his Word the Rule, must needs assert all that; and where it is affirm'd, that the motives laid in second Causes by God's Providence to perswade men to embrace the faith, must be such as of their own nature cannot fail to conclude points true, if they mean they cannot chuse but be sufficient to conclude that they are such as ought to be believed, that is assented to as true, I shall allow it; yea so far and in that manner as God intended that they should conclude, that is by the assistant grace and influence of his Holy Spirit, so far in that manner I will grant they could not fail to be conclusive. But that God intended they should be conclusive to us themselves with the evidence of such Metaphysical necessity, so that by consequence they cannot but infuse a greater certainty and evidence into that assent that must be given to the points of Faith, than there is in the Science of those Propositions that are first in Science; and where there is not such necessity, certainty and evidence raised by clear resolution into Principles more evident, certain and necessary than those are, there is not that Faith wich is alone, is true; and consequently that all true Faith must assent with the highest evidence, necessity and certainty. This, I say, may be granted, when it shall be made appear how it is possible that God can variously deal to men the measure of Faith, if every true Believer must needs have the greatest fullest measure; or how any man that hath Faith, and by consequence is certain most infallibly, can be weak in Faith, or have his Faith increase, so as that it may grow exceedingly and wax very strong, even till it come to full assurance and plerophory: how all this, I say, is not impossible, if all true Faith have essentially this plerophory, that highest, most infallible certainty and evidence. But it is certain that God variously deales the measure of faith, Rom. 12. 3. that there are those who have Faith, and yet are weak in faith, Rom. 4. 19.—14. 1. that have their faith increased, Luke 17. 5. so as that it does grow exceedingly, 2 Thess. 1. 3. wax very strong, Rom. 4. 20. even to a full assurance, Heb. 10. 22. Is it not therefore certain, but that he that hath true Faith may say here with our Confessor, Lord, I believe, help thou my unbelief?
Moreover if those Principles and motives blaz'd with such an evidence, so bright a lustre, of so cogent a necessity, can any man believe that God would think it needful to arm that necessity with strict precepts, fortify it with the aids of his own Holy Spirit, and eternally reward Obedience to a most invincible necessity? Dare any man imagin God could be so sportive in commanding, as on pain of everlasting torment to engage us to believe, that that which is existent is existent, or that the Sun does shine at bright noon-day, when we behold it so as that we cannot see it, ('tis our Author's own instance?) or to assent to these must there be the graces and assistance of the Holy Ghost? or to believe the Sun shines, when it does, is that a Faith that is fit to be rewarded with eternal light and glory? In fine, since that the onelyonly certainty of Faith wich is effectual to the ends of Faith, is the certainty and firmness of adherency to God and Christ, and to our duty, without which all other certainty, however infallible, can but help towards our condemnation; and since where the Holy Spirit and his Graces intervene not, howsoever evident men fancy that their principles and motives are, their way of resolution demonstrative, there will be no true Faith; and where he works with his Graces, tho they were not so infallible and bright, yet the adherency is firm, the Faith true and saving. Therefore there appears no evident necessity of such pompous principles and ways of resolution of our Faith. For I would onelyonly ask, for whose sake, and on whose account it is so needful that these motives, principles and ways of resolution should be so infallibly certain, evident and necessary? Those that do embrace the Faith sincerely and are saved, or those that do not give their hearts up to it, and so perish in their unbelief? As to these, since besides all arguments internal to the doctrine, outward testimony, (the onelyonly argument in matter of fact) and that in behalf of Christians, it is far greater and more pregnant than there is for any other fact that ever was, such as humanely speaking, is impossible not to be true; nor could there ever yet be found a rational exception or just ground of doubt against it: so that 'tis impossible but they must be convinc't in reason, that 'tis most irrational not to assent. Those therefore that do wilfully resist their understandings and their reason, and withal God's ordinary methods of conviction, and so put a bar against his Graces and his Spirit, since much more than was enough was don for them, they are without excuse; and since they did defy what was more than sufficient in it self, and so resist God's methods also, there is no pretence or reason for more helps of evidence on their account. As for the other, those that give themselves up to the guidance of their light and reason and Almighty God's convictions, and are made Partakers of the Holy Ghost, 'tis most certain that his Holy Spirit will do all that is needful to complete their Faith, and make it certain to salvation; so that there is no need on their behalf of such self evidence of principles and motives to infuse such metaphysical certainty into their Faith. And yet this certainty of Faith not onelyonly is the ground on which alone is built Infallibility, wherever that is to be placed, for they are not agreed about it and indeed there were no great need to assure their Faith into such certainty; but besides poor we, because we do not take upon us to assert dogmatically the necessity of such most infallible certainty, not onelyonly are unchurch'd, but unchristen'd, concluded beyond all possibility of evasion, not to have true Faith, nor be truly Faithful. An heavy imputation: therefore I crave leave a little to consider it in one word, not desiring to reflect on others, but to justify our selves; for in truth God knows, we would as willingly go to Heaven as our Neighbors, where we know we cannot be receiv'd without true Faith.
Now tho it looks unlucky that we should be doom'd thus upon grounds, of which the Founder is himself under censure for them, and his books that laid them, damn'd even by his own Church, tho we are by vertue of their Principles condemn'd as Hereticks, because we come not into their Church which condemns the Founder of these very Principles on their account; yet since however any thing does serve their turns, provided it condemns us, 'tis not therefore to be passed by. Now the ground not onelyonly of their Faith, but this their Confidence, whereby they so exalt themselves and censure us, is the absolute certainty of the living voice and practice of that Church, which resolves her Faith by this Rule or Principle, not to believe, or teach, or practise any thing as of Faith but what they did receive from their immediate Forefathers as of Faith, and saw their practice of. For if this Principle were their Rule always, (and if it be now, it must, they say, have bin so) then the Faith of each succeeding Age must needs have bin the Faith of the preceding, and by consequence there having bin no change, the Faith of this Age must needs be the same with that of Christ and his Apostles. Now since in the resolution of our Faith we proceed not by this Rule, upon this Principle we have no Rule of faith, nor certain resolution of it, and by consequence no Faith. Now it appears at first sight fully evident that this Rule of theirs does supersede and quite evacuate those Doctrines that maintain either the sayings of the Fathers, or Decrees of Councils, or the Definitions of the Popes, or the infallible Autority of the Church, whatever that Church signify, hath any part or interest in the Rule of faith, and very justly so: for Fathers are but eminent Members of the Church, Popes can pretend to be but Heads of that Church, Councils but the Representatives, and what infallible Autority soever can be in the Church, that Church being the Congregation of the Faithful, and those onelyonly being Faithful that hold the true Faith: therefore till it be known which is the true Faith, it cannot be known who are the ture Faithful, nor by consequence which is the Church, nor therefore which is Head, Member, or Representative of it, or hath that Autority: and therefore before all, those men must have a Rule for their Faith, whereby they may try which is the true. But when we say we have God's own Revelation of his will what he would have to be believ'd, his Word, the Scriptures, they add that since we cannot know which is the Scripture but by the continued testimony of those that recommended it from the beginning, neither can that be the Rule, which needs another Rule to establish it; nor can that which is believ'd upon that other Principle of universal testimony be any part of the Rule, since what is believ'd is the Object of Faith, and so presupposes the Rule of Faith: and therefore we who make that to be the onelyonly Rule, have no Rule, no not a part, tho the Trent Council do allow the Scriptures to go shares with Tradition.
'Tis easy to reply, that that which is the Object of that Faith, whereby we assent to it, as a book written by such inspir'd men, or as a true historical Narration, of which Testimony does assure us, may yet be the Rule of that Faith, whereby we assent to Doctrines as reveal'd from God, which we believe those are, that we find there recorded. And it were as easy to retort, that if this arguing were good, men could not know that the Doctrine which Christ and his Apostles orally deliver'd to them was from God, but by the testimony of the Miracles they taught; therefore neither could Christ's or the Apostles oral tradition, living voice, be a Rule of Faith to those Ages, since they were the Objects of belief, and presuppos'd those Miracles as the Rule by which men did believe what Doctrines came from God; nor can the Succession of Doctrine be the Rule, for we know not the whole Succession but by the living voice of the present Church, that does deliver Doctrine by the foresaid Rule or Principle. But not to reply to this Scholastically, but suppose for their sakes, that Scripture could be known to be the word of God no otherwise than by testimony, yet that it might be the Rule one short familiar instance shall evince irrefragably to the meanest understanding. We know the Books of Scripture are entituled Books of the Old and New Testament, both Scripture it self and Fathers giving cause for that expression. Now in making a man's testament, the Testator's last bequests, or that which he last of all wills, as to the disposal of his goods and possessions, is the primary rule, we know, by which they are to be disposed off: and when that disposition and will of his is put into writing, sign'd and seal'd, that writing, or that Instrument is secundarily the rule by which Legacies must be demanded, and upon performance of conditions the Inheritance entred upon. Now possibly they that either demand Legacies, or the Executors, yea the Heir indeed himself it may be know not either hand or seal; however that the writing was in good deed honestly subscrib'd and sealed by the deceased party, none can know, but who were present, and saw or heard him declare and publish it: and if any are concern'd to be assur'd whether it be a true will, neither forg'd nor alter'd or deprav'd, they can no otherwise be satisfied, than by their testimony. It is on that account that men give credit to that will, from thence it is of force, and afterwards continues to be so as to all ends and uses of a Will, by being witnessed and sworn to, that is, prov'd, and then enrolled and layd up in an Office for that purpose, and by that becomes a firm Record, and as such is there conserved. Now certainly no man is so far destitute of common sence to say either the Witnesses or their Testimony, or the Office that conserves the Instrument, or the Clerks and Registers or Judg of that Office is the Rule by which the man's goods must be distributed, or the Rule of those things that the Heir or the Excecutors must perform: for the man's last Will, I shew'd you, was the prime Rule, that Will put into writing, sign'd and seal'd, that is that Instrument the secondary Rule of all that; and the Testimony, Office, Clerks and Judg are but onelyonly means of bringing that Will to the knowledg of all such as are concern'd, the way of assuring the truth and uncorruptness of the Instrument, and of conserving it entire for after uses.
The Application of this to Christ our Savior's Testament is easy. If by Penmen, which himself inspir'd, he caus'd his last Will in disposing the Inheritance of Heaven to be written, and what things he would have believ'd, what don, all which he seal'd with his own, God's Seal, with Miracles: and if those Penmen and the other Witnesses, before whom he declar'd and publish'd it, did attest it, and gave it to the Church to be conserv'd there, and her Pastors are perpetual successive Conservators of the integrity of these Records: 'tis plain our Lord's Will here is primarily the Rule of Faith and Action, and secondarily the Testament, that authentic Instrument is so: and the Testimony is no more that Rule here than in the man's Will, nor yet than the prerogative Office, nor the Pastors or the Head (if such an one there were) than the Clerks, the Judg of that Office; nor all, nor any of these are the Rule it self. The Testimony is but the means of conveying down to us the knowlege of that Testament, and of the uncorruptness of it; and as far as that Conveyance and that Testimony is assur'd and certain, so far they must grant the Faith we give, that that writing is the Rule, must be assur'd and certain. And since all the means and kinds of their Tradition make that very Testimony and Conveyance of that Book, therefore all that certainty and that infallibility their faith can have from those grounds, the same certainty and infallibility the faith we give to that Book must needs have too on their own grounds. But it hath more; for since the ground of all faith must be testimony, and by consequence none but Divine Testimony can be ground sufficient for Divine Faith, and that Testimony was, I shew'd you, Miracles, wrought by the Publisher to confirm the Doctrine, both which are in this Rule of ours. Therefore altho that universal Testimony, all their Tradition for it, which is merely humane, may be a sufficient method of conveyance to derive all notice; as the first men's eyes and ears that saw the Miracles and heard Christ, tho they be but humane senses, were sufficient to them also, they suffice not yet to a Divine Belief, they cannot ground that Faith which must be given to Divine supernatural Doctrines upon a Divine Testimony, which Tradition is not, but our Rule hath. So that the resolution of our Faith is made by a Divine Rule, such as theirs pretends not to be made by; and the mere conveyance of that Rule to us hath all that certainty and that infallibility, that they pretend their Rule it self to have, and so we may have Faith, and may be Christians. But we are never the nearer however: for if the Rule of Faith, if true, must be a means to make our assent more infallible than Science upon Demonstration, and there can be no other such Rule besides the living voice and present practice of that Church, which does, and always did resolve her Faith into it by this Principle, not to believe or teach or practise any thing as of Faith, but what they did receive from their immediate Forefathers as of Faith, and saw their practice of, which most undeniably renders their Faith impossible to be erroneous; therefore we that owne neither such a resolution, rule or principle, can neither have true rule nor Faith.
But yet how fine soever and self-evident this Principle and Resolution appear to them as speculators, if it were practically enquir'd into, it would appear the weakest of all other. For first I might evince, that ever since the first beginnings of Religion and mankind, while either they had no other rule at all but this of oral, practical tradition, as in the first times before the Law was given and Scripture wrote, their faith and practice grew all false and diabolical; or when they had another rule, so far as they made use of this rule, thereby that they did make void their own Faith and God's Laws, as the Pharisees among the Jews: or lastly, when they had not an entire rule written, as in the first Age of Christianity, while the Scriptures were not spread amongst Believers, but they had the living and inspir'd voice of the Apostles to resolve their Faith into, and by that Rule and Principle of oral practical Tradition most perfectly, yet then the most execrable Heresies that ever infested the Church, had their rise and growth.
Secondly I might demonstrate their Church did not always so resolve their Faith, and by that Principle. Look thro their Councils all from the beginning, where their Church, sometimes the whole Church met together, either to confirm the true Faith, or confound the false, and you shall find no footsteps of this oral, practical Tradition, but of doctrinal enough. The Sayings of the Fathers, and Decrees of Former Councils, and the Texts of Scripture, these they call their Demonstrations.
Thirdly where there is most need still of a certain rule and resolution, there this is unpracticable wholly; namely in all great divisions of the Church in points of Faith. To instance in the Arrian contentions, where the World was against St Athanasius, and St Athanasius against the World, and the Pope himself Liberius was then Arrian, who could then hear and distinguish the living voice of the Church? When the whole East was so universally and bloudily divided in the matter of Images, one Greek Council defining against them, and another for it; and the West as much, the French, Italian, German Bishops presently in a great Synod declaring against them, and the British Church particularly. Now I will not ask how it was possible the greater parts of the whole Church should so at once have laid aside their infallible self-evident Rule, and chanc'd together to forget it, should not once bethink themselves whether they had seen their Forefathers practise that Worship or no, and heard them teaching that they had received it too from their Forefathers: nor ask how it was possible their Enimies should not mind them of it, if it were the Churches rule, and had bin generally taught and practised, and assure them by their Principle how impossible that it should be erroneous. But there is not a word of this in the whole two Nicene Councils, but some Texts of Scripture and some Sayings of the Fathers, which no more evince the practice, than Tentordin steeple does cause Goodwin Sands. But I will ask, how in the noise and the confusion of both States and Churches, while wars and Anathemas thunder'd in the quarrel, how it was possible poor souls could hear and distinguish what the living voice and present practice of that Age was, which was so extremely various and contradictory? Those that were then to be instructed in the Faith, what could they hearken to? How could they guide themselves by that Rule, when as in their Doctrines they condemn'd each other, in their practice murder'd one another? And when each party pleaded that theirs was the Faith deliver'd to them, which should they believe? The major party. How should they know infallibly which was? How be assured the major party is requir'd? Why truth must be on that side where the most are? What self-evident Rule had they to judge of these by? Surely none. Accordingly it was not by this Rule, but by being overpower'd they receiv'd that Faith and practice.
Fourthly that it may appear in no case useful in the calmest Sunshine of the Church, and when, if ever, they were all of one mind; namely before Luther, when if ever there were any Article that the Latin Church was possessed of an explicit belief of, it was that of Purgatory, as it is now held amongst them: there was all expresses of an oral practical Tradition for it, and if there were not, 'tis impossible to know when any Doctrine is receiv'd upon that Principle, so that the Rule is frivolous as to practice; yet, as if that Principle had ow'd the very Founder of it a great spight, he must go write a Book against that Purgatory, which stood by his own Principle, for which he is under censure by his own Church. But least this should seem onelyonly an Argument ad hominem, I will urge onelyonly one instance.
There was a time when the immaculate Conception of our Lady stood by oral practical Tradition, for in the publick Liturgies of their Church it was expresly own'd and celebrated. For in their aSee also in the end of the Roman Missal printed at Paris in a large 40. in the Praiers at the later end for the Cloisters. &c. upon the Feast of the Conception, there called Immaculate. L. Hor. Beat. 6. M. Paris 1534. p. 85.Liturgy printed 1551. after a devout Praier to the B. Virgin there is added Ave, Hail Mary, full of grace &c. Blessed also be Saint Anne thy Mother, out of whom thy virgin flesh came without any stain, immaculate. And again, Hail &c. woman, blessed be thy Mother Anne, out of whom thou didst proceed a Virgin without any stain or sin. Once more in another Praier, All hail thou most chast Mother of God &c. and blessed be thy Parents Joachim and Anne, out of whom thy virgin flesh proceeded without stain, immaculate. The same too was defin'd expresly in their Oecumenical Council at Basil in a session on purpose for it c. 36. after long debate decreeing that she never had Original or Actual sin, but was immaculate; and tho the Pope for other reasons, and not this definition, would not confirm this Council, yet besides that by the way of oral practical Tradition his Holiness is declar'd to have but one vote and no negative; yet if his vote signify, Alexander VI. a little after gave ten thousand years of pardon for all mortal sins, twenty for venial toties quoties to all that said devoutly in that Worship of our Lady and St Anne the former Praier, Rubr. Now if the Church did not believe what was thus in her publick Praiers, in her definitions, which was the judgment of her Pastors, of the whole Church Representative, but if somwhat else must intervene to prove what is of Faith, the Rule is insignificant, it is impossible to know their Churches Faith at any time. But we are bound to think they would not in their Solemn Divine Worship owne what they did not believe, and they could not believe any thing by this Rule but what they did receive, and so their Faith and Practice consequent must have bin always, and must be infallible. Yet we know that was defin'd the Doctrine taken up merely to countenance the Worship that had formerly bin given to the Blessed Virgin in the celebrating her Conception. For since it always was the Churches Rule never to solemnize with a Festival but what they did account was Holy, according to that saying of bEpist. 174.St Bernard, quo pacto festus habetur qui minime sanctus est? And accordingly the present Church that does still celebrate it, also in her new ReformedcIn Breviario Monast. Paul. V. P. M. auctoritate recognito vers. ad finem tertiae lectionis in Festo Conceptionis ita se habet, sentiant omnes tuum Juvamen quicunque celebrant tuam sanctam Conceptionem. Breviaries calls it Sanctam Conceptionem; having therefore entertain'd the Festival, they must needs entertain the Doctrine. And the forenamed Council does expresly owne this in defining it ut consonum cultui Ecclesiastico, in that it was agreeable to that Worship which the Church perform'd in the celebration of it. But if you would know how the Solemnity began, you may receive it from themselves thus. A Canon of a Church in France greatly devoted to the Blessed Virgin, returning home over the large mouth of the Seine in a vessel alone from the other side, where he had bin committing Adultery with another man's wife, and as he sail'd singing the Hours of the Blessed Virgin, a great troop of Devils drown his vessel & himself in the deep, and his soul they drag'd away to torments. On the third day, while they were tormenting him, the Mother of our Lord came thither with a train of Angels, asking why they did unjustly so torment the soul of her servant? Whom they answer'd that they had a just right to it, for it was taken in its being about their employment: she replies, if it ought to be theirs whose service it was in, then of right it is mine, for you seiz'd it as he sung my Mattins, so that you are guilty. Upon which they fled and left it, and the Blessed Virgin brought his soul back to his body and himself alive to shore, where falling at her feet he said, Dear Lady, what shall I render unto thee for so great benefits that thou hast don unto me? she replies, I desire that henceforward thou commit no more Adultery, least the later end be worse than the beginning; I desire moreover, that thou wouldest devoutly celebrate the Feast of my Conception yearly on the eighth day of December. Good Lord! that singing Mattins to our Lady should attone for him whose Vespers had bin offer'd up to a foul shrine, to his Paramour, celebrated in the vile Embraces of his Neighbor's Wife? That the Blessed Virgin should be so concern'd for her own immaculate Conception, so indifferent, so easy, or indeed indulgent to the gross Adultery of others? However, as it well became him, he obey'd her and observ'd it: and upon two other such like visions so did several others. But the Worship by all this was onelyonly private mens particular devotions; therefore there was one more made to Anselme, who immediatly began it in his Priory, and being made Archbishop afterwards of Canterbury made it publick, and then Innocent the III. did so in France, and so the Worship became universal in their publick Services; and to justify that Worship too, the Doctrine of immaculate Conception was receiv'd into those Services, and then defin'd in that great Council above mention'd. Had this but bin in one of the dark Ages, it had certainly prevail'd, but somthing checking with the doctrin of the whole world that was more awake then, the Popes afterward, altho they kept the Worship up, durst not vouch the Doctrin for a point of strict Faith, tho sought to by two solemn Embassies from two Kings of Spain, Philip III. and IV. Now truly by the equipage, pursuit and carriage of the business one would think they came to crave an Audience for some new Faith, as they were wont for any extraordinary grant or dispensation: that at Rome they could decree Divinity as they did Acts of the Conclave, and give out Articles as they did Cardinals Caps, and make a new Creation for belief; for sure they did not send that Embassy to enquire whether their own immediat Forefathers had so taught them, and so forwards that there had bin always a perpetual succession. But tho that would not do, 'tis evident there was a doctrinal Point defin'd by the great Representative of their whole Church, and for some Ages receiv'd with the Devotions and the Worship of their whole Church, and by consequence into their Faith; for otherwise they gave Worship upon that account which they did not believe: and it is also evident to sight, how doctrines did come in into their Faith upon all least pretence of Visions, (the known way) some that were devout men began a practice, after other some in power adopted and gave credit to it, and then gave autority; by this means the practice in a while grew universal, then became their Doctrine and their Faith.
Now I would know whether it was so, it came along to them by the way of oral practical Tradition. If it did, 'tis not a sure infallible Rule of conveying Faith; if it did not, then that Church did not still receive their Faith upon that Rule and Principle or by that method, tho that they did so is their first great Principle: and the great Master of that Scheme assur'd his Holiness it was not possible to maintain their doctrine otherwise against the subtlety of the English Hereticks. And truly they that make the greatest noise amongst us now, are fled to the last hold of it: but that indeed it does alone protest Infallibility whether of the Church or the Succession of their doctrine by that way of practical Tradition, and that is the infallible most necessary certainty of Faith. But I shall say no more to this than what the grand Abettor of the Principle hath said in answer to himself, objecting what was to be said to them that could not penetrate into his demonstrations, see the force and evidence of that Rule and Principle, and yet have that Faith that's necessary to Salvation, I shall give it you in his own words, as near as I can put them into English. He says, there is a certainty deriv'd into the understanding of these men out of their will; for since they think themselves assur'd these truths were brought down by the Church from Christ to them, & stand convinc't of that act, this is sufficient to cause their wills firmly to adhere to them, and by that adherence to repell all difficulties and objections to which curious wits are subjects. And whether the man see that the Autority of the Church which he follows is of more force at least to him than particular objections in those truths; or whether he thinks nothing at all of it, but rests stedfast in that assent which his very ignorance caus'd, 'tis plain he hath a certainty of will, which in its way extends it self to the Government of his whole life answerably to that his perswasion, and by consequence he hath a certainty exclusive of all doubt, and such as moves him to direct his actions all to God, that is, there is in him that Faith which worketh by love. So he. Now hence 'tis evident by his Concessions, first that there may be a saving Faith which hath not that infallible certainty arising from the motives, Guide, or Principle, or way of Resolution. And that secondly a Certainty deriv'd into the Understanding from a Will that is piously dispos'd sufficeth. Thirdly, that there is this certainty, where the Will firmly cleaves and adheres to God, relying on him with a vigorous hope and trust, directing all the actions up to God and to his service, and persevering in it to the life's end. Now this is all that I am all this while contending for. It is not by self-evident or demonstrative methods, or by an infallible Guide that he provides against mens unbelief; but when with preparation, like our man here in the Text, in weeping earnestly we betake our selves to him, crying out for help and direction, and applying our understanding meekly to attend his methods, he disposes piously the Will to entertain the gracious blessed Proposals of the Gospel with complacency and heartiness, and from conversing with the experience of them to prefer them before all worldly carnal things that used to bait our lusts, ravish our hearts, and carry us away from God and from our duty: and it is against this unbelief, in thus departing from the living God, that his assistances are mainly level'd, and our Praiers chiefly are to be directed. For 'tis most infinite madness to perswade and satisfy our selves we are of the true Church, have the onelyonly true certain Faith, if yet our practices be such as set us at as great a distance from Almighty God, as Hell is from Heaven; and while we do commit such things, 'tis as impossible we can adhere to God, as 'tis impossible for Christ to have communion with Belial. It is a Contradiction by ungodly actions to defy God and turn our backs upon, and depart from him, yet to cling and adhere to him; 'tis, as I say, a Contradiction to believe that we have Faith, while we do not cling to, and adhere, but depart from him. Lord, help thou this our unbelief. And if his grace but once dispose us to prefer the blessed expectations of a Christian, he does easily prevail with us to cling to them with such certain assurances, as will carry us thro all the stages of our life and duty, with all chearfulness and constancy. This is that certainty of Faith by which the Martyrs cleav'd to, and embrac'd at once the Cross and their Religion, firm in dying as believing; and when with arts of torment they broke all their joynts and their limbs piece-meal, scatter'd all their parts asunder, tore their souls out of their bodies, still they kept their Faith whole, and their Tormentors could not tear one Article of their belief or Christian practice from them: and when their Wills were once inflam'd with the desires and expectations of God's preparations, then no other martyring flames could make them shrink. Those seem'd to them but brighter Emblems of, and speedier Conveyances to that Eternal Light and Glory, which their Faith had given them the evidence and the first vision of: they knew by them they onelyonly did expire into Everlasting Life and Glory.