A Treatise of Knowledge and Love, Part 1 · Chapter 20
Chap. XX.
Objections anſwered.
I Eaſily foreſee that beſides the foreſaid impediments, all theſe following Objections will hinder the Cure of falſe pretended knowledge and ſelf-conceitedneſs, and falſe Belief, if they be not anſwered.
Obj. I. You move men to an Impoſſibility: To ſee without light; and for an erring man to believe that he erreth. He that hath not light to ſee the truth, hath not light to ſee his ignorance of it: This is no more than to perſwade all men to be wiſe and not to err; which you may do long enough to little purpoſe.
Anſ. It is impoſſible indeed for an erring man, while ſuch, to know that he erreth: but it is not impoſſible 1. For an ignorant man to know that he is ignorant, (nor for a man without light or ſight to know that he ſeeth not; though he cannot ſee that he ſeeth not.) For though Neſcience be Nothing; and Nothing is not properly and directly an Object of our Knowledge, no more than of our Sight: Yet as we ſee the limited quantity of ſubſtances, and ſo know little from big, by concluding that it hath no more quantity than we ſee; ſo we know our own knowledge, both as to Object and Act, and we know the degree of it, and to what it doth extend: And ſo can conclude, I know no more: And though Neſcience be nothing, yet this Propoſition, [I know no more] is not nothing. And ſo nothing is uſually ſaid to be known Reductively; but indeed it is not properly known at all; but this propoſition de nihilo is known, which is ſomething▪ (I will not here meddle with the queſtion, whether God know non-entities.)
2. To think and to know are not all one: For I may think that I may know, that is, I ſtudy to know: Now I can know that I ſtudy or think; and I can perceive that my ſtudies reach not what I deſire to reach, but fall ſhort of ſatisfaction: And ſo as in the Body, though emptineſs be nothing, and therefore not felt as nothing, yet a hungry man feeleth it in the conſequents, by accident; that is, feeleth that by which he knoweth that he is empty: And ſo it is with a Student as to knowledge.
3. And a man that hath ſo much experience as we all have of the ſtated darkneſs of our underſtandings, and frequent errors, may well know that this underſtanding is to be ſuſpected, and ſo blind a Guide not over-confidently and raſhly to be truſted.
4. And a man that knoweth the danger of Errour, may know that it is a thing that he ſhould fear: And fear ſhould make him cautelous.
5. And though an erring man while ſuch cannot know that he erreth, yet by the aforeſaid means he may ceaſe to err, and know that he hath erred.
6. And laſtly, It is a ſhame for a man to be unacquainted with himſelf, and eſpecially with his underſtanding, and not to know the meaſure of his knowledge it ſelf.
Obj. II. You talk like a Carteſian that muſt have all that would know, ſuppoſe firſt that they know nothing, no not that he feeleth and liveth.
Anſ. No ſuch matter: Some things, we know neceſſarily, and cannot chuſe but know: For the Intellect is not free of it ſelf, but only as quoad exercitium actus, it is ſub imperio voluntatis: And it is vain to bid men not to know what they cannot chuſe but know: And it is as vain to tell them that they muſt ſuppoſe (falſly) that they know not what they know, as a means to know: For ignorance is no means to knowledge, but knowledge is: One act of knowledge being neceſſary to more, and therefore not to be denied. I have told you before what certainties are, which muſt be known and never forſaken.
Obj. III. But your diſcourſe plainly tendeth to draw men to Scepticiſm, and to doubt of all things.
Anſ. 1. I tell you I deſcribe to you many certainties not to be doubted of. 2. And it is indeed your prefidence that tendeth to Scepticiſm, as is ſhewed: For men that believe haſtily and falſly, find themſelves ſo oft deceived, that at laſt they begin to doubt of all things: It is Scepticiſm which I prevent. 3. But I confeſs to you that I am leſs afraid of Scepticiſm in the World than ever I was; as finding corrupt nature ſo univerſally diſpoſed the contrary way. As when I firſt ſaw the Books of Jacob Behmen, and ſome ſuch others, I adventured to Prognoſticate, that the Church would never be much indangered by that Sect, or any other which a man cannot underſtand and join in without great ſtudy and acuteneſs; becauſe few men will be at ſo much labour; even ſo I ſay of Scepticiſm; here and there a hard-impatient half-knowing Student may turn Sceptick; but never any great number: For Pride and Ignorance, and other cauſes of ſelf-conceitedneſs are Born in all men, and every man that apprehendeth any thing, is naturally apt to be too confident of his apprehenſions; and few will have the humility to ſuſpect themſelves; or the patience and diligence to find out difficulties. I muſt ſay in my Experience, that except the Congregation which I long inſtructed, and ſome few-ſuch, I meet with few Women, Boys, or unlearned men, when they are paſt 18 or 20 years old, but they are in conceit wiſer than I, and are ſtill in the right, and I am in the wrong, in things Natural, Civil, Religious, or almoſt any thing we talk of, if I ſay not as they ſay; and it is ſo hard to abate their confidence, or convince them, that I have half ceaſed to endeavour it, but let every one believe and ſay what he will, ſo it be not to the diſhonour of God, the wrong of others, and the hazard of his Salvation: For I take it for granted before-hand, that contradiction ofter cauſeth ſtrife than inſtruction; and when they take not themſelves for Scholars, they ſeldom learn much of any but themſelves: And their own thoughts and experience muſt teach them that in many years which from an Experienced man they might have cheaplier learnt, in a few days.
Obj. IV. You ſpeak againſt taking things on truſt, and ſo would keep Children from Believing and Learning of their Parents and Maſters, and from growing wiſe.
Anſ. I oft tell you that humane faith is a neceſſary help to Divine Faith; But it muſt not be miſtaken for Divine Faith. Men are to be believed as fallible men: But in ſome things with diffidence; and in ſome things with confidence, and in ſome things, (where it is not the ſpeakers credit that we rely upon, but a Concurrence of Teſtimonies, which make up a natural certainty) Belief and Knowledge go together, and the thing is ſure. But man is not God.
Obj. V. May not a man more ſafely and Confidently believe by the Churches Faith, than his own! That is, take that for more certain which all men believe, than that which I think I ſee a Divine word for my ſelf?
Anſ. This is a Popiſh Objection thus confuſedly and fallaciouſly often made. 1. Properly, No man can believe by any faith but his own, any more than underſtand with any underſtanding but his own. But the meaning being, that we may better truſt to the Churches Judgment, that this or that is Gods word, than to our own perſwaſion that it is Gods word, from the Evidence of the Revelation. I further anſwer, 2. That the Churches Judgment is one part of our ſubordinate motive; and therefore not to be put in competition with that Divine Evidence which it is always put in Conjunction with. And the Churches Teaching, is the means of my coming to know the true Evidences of Divinity in the word. And the Churches real Holineſs cauſed by that word, is one of the Evidences themſelves, and not the leaſt. Now to put the queſtion, Whether I muſt know the Scripture to be Gods word becauſe I diſcern the Evidences of its Divinity, or rather becauſe the Church Teacheth me that it is Gods word, or becauſe the Church ſaith it is Gods word, or becauſe the Church is Sanctified by it, are all vain queſtions; ſetting things conjunct and co-ordinate as oppoſite. 1. By the Churches Judgment or Belief, I am moved to a high Reverence of Gods word, by a very high Humane Faith, ſuppoſing it credible that it may be Gods word indeed. 2. Next by the Churches (or Miniſters) Teaching, the Evidences of Divinity are made known to me. 3. The Effect of it, in the Churches Holineſs is one of theſe Evidences. 4. And by that and all other Evidences, I know that it is Gods word. 5. And therefore believe it to be true. This is the true Order and Reſolution of our Faith.
3. But becauſe the Popiſh Method is, barely to believe the Scripture to be Gods word, becauſe a Pope and his Council judgeth ſo, I add, 1. That we have even of that humane ſort of Teſtimony far more than ſuch. For theirs is the Teſtimony of a ſelf exalting Sect of Chriſtians, about the third part of the Chriſtian world: But we have alſo the Teſtimony of them and of all other Chriſtians; and in moſt or much of the matter of Fact, (that the Scriptures were delivered down from the Apoſtles) the Teſtimony of ſome Heathens and abundance of Hereticks. 2. And with theſe we have the Evidences of Divinity themſelves. 3. But if we had their Churches (or Pope and Councils) Decrees for it alone, we ſhould take it but for a humane Fallible Teſtimony.
For, 1. They cannot plead Gods word here as the proof of their Infallibility: For it is the ſuppoſed queſtion, what is Gods word, which (they ſay) cannot be known but by their Infallible Judgment. 2. And they cannot plead number; for, 1. The Mahometans are more than the Chriſtians in the world (Brierwood reckoneth that they are ſix parts of thirty, & we but five.) And yet not therefore Infallible nor Credible. 2. And the Heathens are more than the Mahometans and Chriſtians (being four ſixth parts, of the world,) and yet not infallible. But of this I have the laſt week wrote a Book of the certainty of Chriſtianity without Popery; and heretofore my ſafe Religion and others.
Obj. VI. At leaſt this way of Believing and Knowing things by proper Evidences of Truth, will looſen the common ſort of Chriſtians, (even the godly) from their Faith and Religion: For whereas now they quietly go on without doubting, as receiving the Scriptures from the Church or their Teachers as the word of God, when they fall on ſearching after proofs, they will be in danger of being overcome by difficulties, and filled with doubts, if not apoſtatizing to Infidelity, or turning Papiſts.
Anſ. Either theſe perſons have already the Knowledge of Certain Evidence of the Divinity of the Scripture, or Chriſtianity, or they have none. If they have any the way of ſtudying it more will not take it from them, but increaſe it: Elſe you diſhonour Chriſtianity to think that he that knoweth it to be of God, will think otherwiſe if he do but better try it. Upon ſearch he will not know leſs, but more.
But if he have no ſuch certainty already, 2. I further anſwer, that I take away from him none of that humane belief which he had before: If the belief of his Parents, Teachers or the Church only, did ſatisfy him before, which was but a ſtrong probability, I leave with him the ſame help, and probability and only perſwade him to add more, and ſurer arguments. And therefore that ſhould not weaken, but confirm his Faith.
Obj. But you tell him that the Churches or his Teachers Judgment or word is uncertain, and that ſets him on doubting.
Anſ. 1. I tell him of all the Strength and Credibility that is in it, which I would have him make uſe of. 2. And it is not alone, but by his Teachers help that I would have him ſeek for certainty. 3. But if he did take that Teſtimony for certain which was not certain; If he took man for God, or took his Teachers, or Pope for inſpired Prophets, and a humane Teſtimony for Divine, do you think that this errour ſhould be cheriſhed, or cured? I think that God nor Man have no true need of a lie in this caſe; and that lies ſeldom further mens Salvation? And that though they do ſome job of preſent ſervice the next way, at the end we ſhall find that they did more harm than good. And that to ſay the contrary, and that men will ceaſe to be Chriſtians unleſs they be kept to it by deceit, is the way to downright infidelity.
And yet that you may ſee how much more than ordinary I favour the weakneſſes of ſuch, I will here anſwer a great queſtion.
Queſt. Whether a Man can have true ſaving Faith, ☜who believeth the Goſpel or Scripture to be Gods word, and Chriſt to be the Saviour of the World, upon reaſons or grounds not ſure nor cogent and concluding; yea poſſibly not true, for the moſt part.
Anſ. He that readeth Mr. Pinks excellent Sermons, and many other ſuch Divines, will find them thus deſcribing the Faith of Hypocrites, (that they conclude have no true ſaving Faith) that they believe in Chriſt, but on the ſame or like reaſons as a Turk may believe in Mahomet, that is, becauſe the moſt, the greateſt, the Learnedſt and the beſt, and all the Countrey are of their minds, and in that way their Parents did educate them in. For my part, I eaſily confeſs, 1. That ſuch a belief which buildeth on unſound grounds, is wanting proportionably in its own ſoundneſs; 2. And that it ſhould not be reſted in; 3. Much leſs cheriſhed againſt all counſels that would cure it. 4. And that though uncertain reaſons are, 1. The firſt, 2. And the moſt prevailing with him afterwards, yet every true Believer diſcerneth ſome intrinſick Signs of Divinity at leaſt as probable in the Word it ſelf. But yet ſuppoſing that wrong motives be his chief, and that he diſcerneth not that in the word it ſelf which moſt prevaileth with him, I am of opinion that, 1. If the end of ſuch a Believer be ſound, (the reducing of the Soul to God, and attainment of Glory, and the perfect Love of God.) 2. And if that man unfeignedly believe all that is Gods Word to be true. 3. And if he believe all the ſubſtance of the Goſpel to be Gods word, though by an unſound and non-concluding medium as his chief. 4. And if he by this belief be brought himſelf to the actual love of God as God; This unſound Believer is ſound in the Eſſentials of Chriſtianity, and ſhall be ſaved.
The objection is, An uncertain, yea deceived belief upon falſe ſuppoſitions, is no true belief, and therefore cannot ſave.
I anſwer, There is a double Truth in ſuch a belief, 1. That all Gods Word is true. 2. That this Goſpel is Gods Word, and Chriſt is the Meſſiah.
You will ſay that there can be no more, no ſurer, no better in the Concluſion, than is in the weaker of the Premiſes. *Of which ſee Smiglicius Logicks, and Albertinus in his Philoſoph. Diſputat. at large.I anſwer, I grant it. And all that will follow is, that the Concluſion is not neceſſary from theſe Premiſes; and that the believer was miſtaken in the reaſon of his inference, and that he concluded a truth upon an unſound medium; I grant all this, and conſequently that his Faith hath ſome unſoundneſs or diſeaſedneſs in it. But for all this, I ſee not but ſuch a believer may be ſaved. 1. Becauſe Chriſts promiſe is, that whoever believeth in him ſhall not periſh, but have everlaſting life, without excepting ſuch as are drawn to it by non-cogent arguments. And he that will put in an exception againſt the Covenant of Grace, muſt prove it, or be injurious to Chriſt, to his Goſpel and to mens Souls.
2. Becauſe by experience I find, that it is but a ſmall part of ſerious Godly Chriſtians, who believe the Scriptures upon cogent evidence, (or at leaſt many do not:) But abundance take it upon truſt from Godly Preachers or Parents, and go on without much examining of their grounds; And are not able to bring a cogent proof of the Divinity of the Scriptures, when they are called to it: And I am not willing to conclude ſo great a part of humble upright Chriſtians, to Damnation, as know not ſuch reaſons for their Faith as would hold good in ſtrict diſputation. Not that our Charity muſt bend the Scripture to it. But that Scripture commandeth ſuch Charity; and it no where condemneth any man that believeth upon uncogent reaſons. For he that doth ſo, may yet firmly Truſt on Jeſus Chriſt, and firmly believe that the Goſpel is true, as being the very Word of God, and may take Heaven for his Portion, and Love God, as God, and therefore may be ſaved. Though yet I think it impoſſible that any man ſhould truly believe the Scriptures, and not perceive in them ſome Characters of Divinity, which as an intrinſical Evidence much encourage and induce him to believe them; And-though this ſecret guſt and perception be not the medium that he uſeth in arguing, or be not the chief, yet it may have an effectual force with his Soul to hold him cloſe to Chriſt. But if you ſuppoſe the man to have no Spiritual ſight and taſt of a difference between Gods Word and a common Book, then he cannot be ſuppoſed to be a ſound believer.
As a man that hath one ingredient in his medicine which is effectual, may be cured, though in the compoſition the main bulk be vanities; or as a debtor that hath many inſufficient ſureties, may do well if he have one ſufficient one, though he more truſt the reſt; or as a mans cauſe may go for him in Judgment that hath one or two good Witneſſes, and twenty bad ones which he put more truſt in; and as he truly proveth his poſition, who bringeth one ſound argument for it, and twenty bad ones; So I think that the common way of the illiterate in believing is, firſt to believe Gods Word to be his Word by humane Faith; and after upon trial to find a Spiritual light and goodneſs in the Word it ſelf, and by both together to believe that it is Gods Word. And the worſer reaſons may be the more powerful with him, and yet not deſtroy the ſincerity of his Faith.
Nor doth this make his Faith meerly humane: For the Queſtion now is not, why he believeth God's Word to be True, & truſteth on it: For that is, becauſe it is God's Word (diſcerned by him ſo to be) but he that by an inſufficient Medium (at leaſt with a Better, though leſs underſtood) doth take it to be God's, may yet by a Divine Faith believe it, becauſe he judgeth it his Word.
If a man ſhould counterfeit himſelf an Angel from Heaven, and come in ſome ſplendid deceitful appearance in the night to an Heathen, and tell him that he is ſent from God to bring him this Bible as his Certain Word, and if the man receive it, and believe it on his credit to the death, and by that Believing it be brought to ſee an excellency and credibility, and taſte a ſpiritual ſweetneſs in it, and be brought by it (as he may be) to Holineſs and the Love of God, that man ſhall be ſaved, though I cannot ſay that the Intrinſick Evidence of the Word alone would have prevailed with him without that falſe belief of a deceiver: When it is once become a Sanctifying Belief, then there is no doubt but the Man hath better Evidence than the uncertain word of man: He hath the witneſs in himſelf. And it is not a Glorifying Faith, till it be a Sanctifying Faith. But the Queſtion is, What ſoundneſs of Reaſon or proof that this is God's Word, is neceſſary to make it a Sanctifying Faith? at leaſt, as moſt prevalent and truſted in?
By this you may know what I judge of the Faith of honeſt illiterate Papiſts, and of illiterate Proteſtants, for a great number of them, who live in Love and Obedience to God.
And yet to ſpeak both more conciſely and diſtinctly, I. I may believe by Hiſtorical Tradition all that matter of Fact, which thoſe that ſaw Chriſt's and the Apoſtles Miracles, and heard their words, did know by ſenſe, and thoſe that ſaw not believed on the credit of the reporters. II. And yet I may know by reaſon, through God's help, that theſe Miracles, and this Scripture Impreſs and Efficacy are God's atteſtation; and none but God could do it. And of this all Believers have ſome perception in various degrees. III. And then we know it to be true, becauſe it is ſealed by thoſe atteſtations, and is the Word of God.
Obj. VII. But would you have men take the matters of Fact for uncertain (that this is a true Bible and Copy, and was given the Church by the Apoſtles, &c.) and ſo not pretend to be certain of them.
Anſ. I have oft ſaid, and elſewhere largely proved, that as, 1. A Humane Faith of higheſt probability prepareth the way; ſo 2. Theſe things are known by an Hiſtorical Evidence, which hath a proper certainty above meer Humane Faith: For Humane Faith reſteth on mens Veracity or Fidelity, which is uncertain: But there is a Hiſtory (ſuch as that there is ſuch a City as Rome, Venice, &c.) which is evident by a ſurer ground than mens fidelity; even from ſuch a concurrence of conſenters and circumſtances, as will prove a forgery impoſſible.
Obj. VIII. You ſeem to favour the Popiſh Doctrine of Ignorance, while you would have all our Knowledge confined to a few plain and eaſie things, and perſwade men to doubt of all the reſt.
Anſ. 1. I perſwade no man to doubt of that which he is certain of, but not to lie, and ſay he is certain when he is not. 2. I am ſo far from encouraging Ignorance, that it is Ignorance of your Ignorance which I reprove: I would have all men know as much as poſſibly they can of all that God hath revealed. And if the ſelf-conceited knew more, they would doubt more; and as they grow wiſer, will grow leſs confident in uncertainties. It is not knowing, but falſe pretending to know, that I am againſt. Do you think that a thouſand ſelf-conceited men and women do really know ever the more, for ſaying they know, or crying down that Ignorance, Doubting and Uncertainty which they have themſelves? How many a one (yea Preachers) have cryed down the Popiſh Doctrine of Uncertainty of Salvation, who had no Certainty of their own; but their neighbours thought by their lives were certainly in the way to Hell.
Obj. IX. But you would have men reſiſt the Spirit that convinceth them, and make ſo long a work in doubting, and queſtioning, and proving every thing, as that Chriſtians will come but to little knowledge in your way.
Anſ. They will have the more knowledge, and not the leſs for trying. Peremptory confidence is not knowledge. The next way here is fartheſt about. Receive all Evidence from God and Man, from the Word and Spirit with all the deſire, and all the delight, and all the ſpeed that poſſibly you can: Study earneſtly; Learn willingly; Reſiſt no Light; neglect no Truth. But what's all this to fooliſh conceit that you know what you do not? What's this to the haſty believing of falſhoods, or uncertainties, and troubling the Church and World with ſelf-conceit and dreams? I remember two or three of my old acquaintance, who ſuddenly received from a Seducer the Opinion of Perfection, that we might be perfectly ſinleſs in this life: And becauſe I denied it, they carryed it as if I had pleaded for ſin againſt perfection; and they preſently took themſelves to be perfect and ſinleſs, becauſe they had got the Opinion that ſome are ſuch. I told them that I deſired Perfection as well as they, and that I was far from hindering or diſſwading any from Perfection; but wiſht them to let us ſee that they are ſo indeed, and never to ſin more in thought, word or deed: And ere long they forſook all Religion, and by Drunkenneſs, Fornication and Licentiouſneſs, ſhewed us their Perfection. So here, it is not a conceit that men have Faith and Knowledge, and quickly ſaying, I believe; or turning to the Prieſt or Party that perſwadeth them, which maketh them ever the wiſer men, or true Believers.
Obj. X. But that may ſeem certain to another which ſeemeth uncertain or falſe to you: Therefore every man muſt go according to his own Light.
Anſ. 1. Nothing is Certain which is not true: If that ſeem True to you which is Falſe, this is your Errour: And is every man, or any man bound to err, and believe a falſehood? Being is before Knowing: If it Be not true, you may Think it to be ſo (which is that which I would cure;) but you cannot Know it to be ſo; much leſs be Certain of it. 2. If it be Certain to you, it is Evidently True: And if ſo, hold it faſt and ſpare not: It is not any mans Certainty, but Errour, which I oppoſe.
Obj. XI. But if we muſt write or utter nothing but Certainties, you would have but a ſmall Library.
Anſ. 1. The World might well ſpare a great many uncertain Writings. 2. But I ſay not that you muſt think, ſay or write nothing but Certainties: There is a lawful, and in ſome caſes neceſſary exerciſe of our underſtandings about Probabilities and Poſſibilities. The Husbandman when he ploweth and ſoweth is not certain of an increaſe. 1. But call not that certain which is not. 2. And be not as vehement and peremptory in it as if it were a Certainty. 3. And ſeparate your Certainties and Probabilities aſunder, that confuſion fill not your minds with Errour.
Obj. XII. While you perſwade us to be ſo diffident of mens reports, and to ſuſpend our belief of what men ſay, you ſpeak againſt the Laws of Converſe.
Anſ. I perſwade you not to deny any man ſuch a Belief as is his due: But give him no more. If a man profeſs himſelf a Chriſtian, and ſay that he ſincerely believeth in Chriſt, and conſenteth to his Covenant, though you may perceive no aſcertaining Evidence that he ſaith true, yet you muſt believe him, becauſe he is the only opener of his own mind, and the Laws of God, and Human Converſe require it. But what is this believing him? Not taking it for a certain truth: But taking it for a thing probable, which may be true for ought you know, and which you muſt hope is true; and this in different degrees according to the different degrees of the Perſons credibility.
If you hear men confidently report any News in theſe times, when half that we hear oft proveth falſe, you may believe the reporter as a fallible Perſon, that is, believe that he doth not wilfully Lie, and ſo not uncivilly contradict him; and yet ſuſpend your belief of the thing it ſelf, and whether he took it up raſhly on uncertain rumors.
But if you hear a man ſpeak evil of another behind his Back, when the thing is not notorious and certain otherways, the Law of Juſtice and Charity obligeth you not to believe him, but to ſuſpend your belief till you hear both ſides, or have ſurer proof; yea, and to ſuſpend, not with an indifferency, but with a hope that it is not true which he ſpeaketh.
Obj. XIII. But then I ſhall be as uncharitable in judging the Reporter (who perhaps is a godly man) to be a Liar and Slanderer, as I ſhould be in believing that the other is guilty.
Anſ. 1. I ſay not that you are to conclude that certainly he lieth, and that it's falſe, but to ſuſpend your belief, and to hope that it's falſe. 2. He that maketh himſelf the accuſer of another man behind his Back, in a way of talk, doth expoſe himſelf to that diſadvantage, and maketh it our duty to begin our charitable Opinion on the ſide of him that is accuſed, and rather to hope that he is innocent (caeteris paribus) than the accuſer. For God forbiddeth backbiting and ſlandering, and biddeth us ſpeak evil of no man. And he that in our hearing backbiteth and ſpeaketh evil (how godly otherwiſe ſoever) without a clear neceſſary cauſe, doth forfeit our Charity and Belief, more than a man can do whom we do not ſee or hear. For if I was bound to judge him innocent before this backbiting, I am bound ſo to judge him ſtill. Therefore I do but continue that good Opinion of my Neighbour which I was bound to: And that I muſt ſuſpect the backbiter of a Lie, is the conſequent of his own act, and long of himſelf. For I cannot believe contraries: And it is not his backbiting which will diſoblige me from my former duty, of judging the other innocent. So that it is the reporter that caſteth away the reputation of his own veracity.
Obj. XIV. When you have written all this againſt pretended knowledge, who is more guilty than your ſelf? Who ſo oppreſſeth his Reader with diſtinctions? Are all your large Writings evident certainties? Even thoſe Controverſies in which you have ſo many Adverſaries?
Anſ. I put in this objection, becauſe I have a Book (called Methodus Theologiae) which I know will occaſion ſuch thoughts in many Readers. But 1. It is one thing to aſſert uncertainties; and another thing to anatomize, and diſtinctly, and methodically, explain a certain truth. In all my large writings, if you find that I call any thing certain which is uncertain, that is, which I give not aſcertaining evidence of, acquaint me with the particulars, and I ſhall retract them.
2. I never perſwaded any man to write or ſay no more than all men certainly know already, no not all Learned Divines: For then how ſhould we receive edification. Subjective certainty is as various as mens Intellects, where no two are of a ſize. And objective certainty muſt be tryed by the evidence, and not by other mens conſenting to it. Nor muſt a Major Vote of Diſſenters go for a proof of objective uncertainty: For Heathens are more than the reſt of the World; and Mahometans more than Chriſtians; and Papiſts more than Proteſtants; and the ungodly more than the godly; and yet this is no proof of our own, or the things uncertainty.
3. Part of my writings are againſt uncertainties; and to deliver the Church from falſe Opinions that go for certainties; and theſe are they that have moſt contradicters: And may I not write againſt falſe and uncertain Opinions which Religion is corrupted with, and defend the ancient ſimplicity, without being guilty of the introduction of uncertainties my ſelf.
4. I deny not but I have many things that are uncertain: But then I acknowledge them uncertain; and treat of them but as they are.
5. Laſtly, If really my writings are guilty of that which I here reprehend, (falſe pretended knowledge) the ſin is never the better for that, nor my accuſation of it, ever the leſs true, nor your duty to avoid it ever the leſs. Think what you will of me, ſo you will but think rightly of ſin and duty. If I go contrary to my Doctrine, and you can prove it, take warning by me, and do not you the like.