The Life of Faith, Part 2 · Chapter 3
CHAP. III. The Evidences of Faith.
THeſe things in the Order of your enquiry being preſuppoſed, proceed to the conſideration of the Evidences themſelves, which fully prove the Chriſtian Verity: And here (omitting the preparatory conſiderations recited at large in my [Reaſons of the Chriſtian Religion] I ſhall only ſet before you the grand Evidence it ſelf, with a brief recital of ſome of thoſe means, which bring it down to our notice in theſe times.
The great infallible witneſs of CHRIST, is the SPIRIT of GOD, or the Holy Ghoſt: Or that divine operation of the Holy Spirit, which infallibly proveth the atteſtation of God himſelf, as intereſting him in it, as the principal cauſe.
As we know the Coin of a Prince by his image and ſuperſcription, and know his acts by his publick proper Seal: And as we know that God is the Creatour of the world, by the Seal of his likeneſs which is upon it: Or as we know the Father of a child, when he is ſo like him, as no other could beget: So know we Chriſt and Chriſtianity to be of God, by his unimitable image or impreſſion.
The Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs of God, are the eſſentialities which we call the Nature of God: Theſe in their proper form, and tranſcendent perfection, are incommunicable: But when they produce an effect on the creature, which for the reſemblance may analogically be called by the ſame names; the names are logically communicable, though the thing it ſelf (which is the Divine Eſſence or Perfections) be ſtill incommunicable: But when they only produce effects more heterogeneal or equivocal, then we call thoſe effects only the footſteps or demonſtrations of their cauſe. So GOD, whoſe Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs in it ſelf is incommunicable, hath produced intellectual natures, which are ſo like him, that their likeneſs is called his Image; and analogically (yet equivocally) the created faculties of their Power, Intellect and Will; are called by ſuch names, as we are fain (for want of other words) to apply to God (the things ſignified being tranſcendently and unexpreſſibly in God, but the words firſt uſed of, and applied to the creature.) But the ſame God hath ſo demonſtrated his Power, and Wiſdom, and Goodneſs in the Creation of the material or corporeal parts of the world, that they are the …eſtigia and infallible proofs of his cauſation and perfections, (being ſuch as no other cauſe without him can produce) but, yet not ſo properly called his Image, as to his Wiſdom and Goodneſs, but only of his Power. But no wiſe man who ſeeth this world, can doubt whether a God of perfect Power, Wiſdom and Goodneſs, was the maker of it. Even ſo the perſon and doctrine of Chriſt, or the Chriſtian Religion objectively conſidered, hath ſo much of the Image, and ſo much of the demonſtrative impreſſions of the Nature of God, as may fully aſſure us that he himſelf is the approving cauſe.
And as the Sun hath a double Light, Lux & Lumen, its eſſential Light in it ſelf, and its emitted beams, or communicated Light; ſo the Spirit and Image of God, by which Chriſt and Chriſtianity are demonſtrated, are partly that which is eſſential, conſtitutive, and inherent, and partly that which is ſent and communicated from him to others.
In the perſon of Chriſt, there is the moſt excellent Image of God. 1. Wonderful Power, by which he wrought miracles, and commanded Sea and Land, Men and Devils, and raiſed the dead, and raiſed himſelf; and is now the glorious Lord of all things. 2. Wonderful Wiſdom, by which he formed his Laws, and Kingdom, and by which he knew the hearts of men, and prophecied of things to come. 3. Moſt wonderful Love and Goodneſs, by which he healed all diſeaſes, and by which he ſaved miſerable ſouls, and procured our happineſs at ſo dear a rate.
But as the eſſential Light of the Sun, is too glorious to be well obſerved by us; but the emitted Light is it which doth affect our eyes, and is the immediate object of our ſight; at leaſt that we can beſt endure and uſe; ſo the Eſſential Perfections of Jeſus Chriſt, are not ſo immediately and ordinarily fit for our obſervation and uſe, as the leſſer communicated beams, which he ſent forth. And theſe are either ſuch as were the immediate effects of the Spirit in Chriſt himſelf, or his perſonal operations, or elſe the effects of his Spirit in others: And that is either ſuch as went before him, or ſuch as were preſent with him, or ſuch as followed after him: Even as the emitted Light of the Sun, is either that which is next to its Eſſence; or that which ſtreameth further to other creatures: And this laſt is either that which it ſendeth to us before its own appearing or riſing, or that which accompanieth its appearing, or that which leaveth behind it as it ſetteth or paſſeth away; ſo muſt we diſtinguiſh in the preſent caſe.
But all this is but One Light, and One Spirit.
So then, I ſhould in order ſpeak 1. Of that Spirit in the words and works of Chriſt himſelf, which conſtituteth the Chriſtian Religion. 2. That Spirit in the Prophets and Fathers before Chriſt, which was the antecedent light. 3. That Spirit in Chriſts followers, which was the concomitant and ſubſequent Light or witneſs: And 1. In thoſe next his abode on earth: And 2. Of thoſe that are more remote.