Sure Footing in Christianity, Discourse 1
The First Discourse.
THE Author both in his Preface and Entrance into his Discourse premiseth as fair demands, as may be, to be grounds of rational arguing in matters of Controversie debated between him and his Adversaries, but how unevenly he followeth them in his mistaken way, hath appeared partly in the Examination of his Preface, and will do more in sifting his Discourses.
1. He proposeth this as determined by Reason, That to know the meaning of those words, which express the thing under debate is necessary for satisfaction in that matter. That Logick assures it to be a ready way to a clear decision of most perplexing difficulties: That the meaning of the word includes in it self the nature of the thing, together with the Considerations and Attributes intrinsecally belonging to that nature; so that we may know what is to be affirmed and denied of that thing: Therefore he applyeth this method unto the present debate about the Rule of Faith, to know the meaning of the words, which may give a clear and brief satisfaction, both what is not that Rule, and what is it.
Unto this fair and plausible demand, so far as solid Reason doth approve it, we shall grant without dispute. Meanings of words about all Controversies must be understood to bring debates unto a rational period: yet with respect to the reason added, That words include the nature of things, &c. Our grant must be with limitation; For notions do not alwayes truly express the nature of things signified by them, but may be dissentaneous or contrary to the same: We therefore thus limit our Grant; That words or names have their force or import from the Authority of the Imposers; If they be by God himself imposed, or by divine Instinct, they doubtless import the nature of the thing, so far as God would signifie it by them: but if words be framed by mens phancies to denote what they would have them, they fall far short of declaring the nature of things, yea and sometimes are opposite thereunto. Notional descriptions of things therefore are oft-times faulty, and help not to knowledge. Let us therefore in our debate consider these words or terms, Rule, Faith, and the Rule of Faith, as God speaketh of them in his Word; and we are agreed: we shall have there the true meaning of them, and upon good ground may we expect clear satisfaction, What the Rule of Faith is, and what not. No more needs to be said unto this, but to animadvert, That here the Author puts a great stress upon words to open the nature of things; but else-where he sleights words, Grammar, Criticism (in the the best sense) as wordish or airy fansies, when his Adversaries pinch him to the purpose in opening the mind of God thereby in the Scriptures.
2. He begins to tell us what is the meaning of the word Rule; It signifieth a thing (saith he) which is able to regulate or guide him, who useth it: Hereupon he addeth that it must have all those qualities, by which it is able to do that, its proper Effect.
This is a short account of the meaning of the Rule here mentioned; and may serve to describe a Carpenters Rule unto his boy for drawing lines upon Timber to make an Idol:Isa. 44.13. but we must look for a better discovery of it, as to its nature and use in this place. In general: Regula est mensura recti & obliqui. foreign. Arist.A Rule is a Measure both of things straight and crooked. So that the nature of a Rule is to be a Measure meeting out things measurable, and so distinguishing straight from crooked, and right from wrong: and hereunto it guides the hand that useth it.
Yet this general sense is not sufficient in this place; we must therefore descend to specials for the right meaning of the notion. This term Rule then is diversified in its sense according to the various kinds of things unto which commonly it is applyed: As,
1. When applyed to natural things, it hath a meaning natural.
2. When applyed to things Artificial, and Mechanical it must have a sense sutable, and consistent with those matters.
3. When applyed to Moral concernments, it must have a meaning competent to moral and civil actions.
4. When applyed to divine, and spiritual matters, it must have a sense proper and peculiar unto those affairs of Religion, in points of faith and practise. Now to this sense of a Rule (whatever it be found to be) are we bound up in our present debate.
The use of that word, which is by ours translated Rule, we find by the Spirit expressed in three Epistles, (foreign) which the Author knoweth is frequently used, or abused rather by his Trent-Fathers, in their Canons. Of this word if we may give the meaning, as in the premises is allowed, we find it to be both of a more restrained sense; as in that passage of the Apostle,2 Cor. 10.13. foreign, &c. Acts 18.9, 10, 11. According to the measure of the Rule, which God hath distributed unto us, a measure to reach even unto you: which Rule was a special revelation of Gods will unto him, that he should abide at Corinth, and go through his measure in preaching the Gospel there, because God had much people in that place and City.
Again, we have it in a more large sense, wherein we are now concerned. So we read, when the Apostle had declared that nothing availed any thing in Christ Jesus, that is,Gal. 6.15 16. the Church of Christ, but the New Creature or Creation, he subjoyneth this incouragement to those, who are conformed thus in Chist, As, foreign.many as walk according to this Rule, Peace be on them; where by Rule is meant the Will of God in the New Creation revealed unto them, who share in it, measuring out the line for believing and walking according to his good pleasure, who created them. A like use we find of it by the same Apostle to the Philippians, Let us walk by the same Rule: Phil. 3.16. foreign.He had been pressing them to pursue perfection in Christ, whereunto he giveth his own example as a directive, and thereupon exhorts all that partake of that high calling, according to the pitch in the stature of Christ, whereunto they had attained, to walk by the same Rule, that is, the Will of God made known by the Preachings and Writings of the Prophets and Apostles. So that the sense, meaning or nature of this Rule in our debate, (it being divine) is the Will of God revealed, measuring out the lines unto creatures for true believing, and walking safely unto attaining the purchased salvation. Unto this meaning of the Rule we shall adhere.
3. He addeth unto his sence of a Rule the proper Qualities of it. as 1. That it must be evident as to its Existence unto sense, if it be to guide it; or to the understanding, if it be an Intellectual Rule:, Sect. 3.— 2. That it must be Evident to all those who are to be regulated by it, that there is such a thing, Sect. 4.— 3. That it must be knowable to those who can have doubts in them (that is, in a manner all mankind, even the rudest vulgar) that the Intellectual Rule hath a vertue to guide their understandings right, and so deserveth to be relied on as a Rule. Wherefore it must be, either Evident by its own light, or Evidenceable by and to reason, Sect. 5.—4. That it must be certain in it self, or establisht on sure grounds: otherwise it is not possible, that can be in true sense called a Rule, which one may follow, and yet go wrong, or be misled, Sect. 6.
All these properties we freely grant to belong to that which is truly a Rule; only reserving, that there are others also considerable, and to be added in their place, as necessary to our Rule under debate, as any of these.
4. In the 7th. and 8th. Section, He giveth us the meaning of the word Faith; where (having premised that he intends not to give a rigorous School-definition of it, but only to reflect upon some of its properties) he giveth this account; Faith is the same with Believing *In the common sense of mankind▪ And Divine Faith is the believing.of God in revealed Truths, which imports necessarily some kind of knowledge of supernatural things; as Heaven its self, and the imcomparably great Good of the next Life: Moreover Love also is annexed by him unto this Knowledge or Faith, (as he parallels them) without which none can come to heaven: Both which knowledge and love are had by Mankind, only by believing; and hence is Faith conceived, necessary for the Salvation of Mankind, learned, and vulgar, being capable of the same; which faith also he asserts to be a virtue mainly conducing to Bliss, and its Influence towards it (which he calls its merit) consisting in this, that it makes us submit our understandings to the Divine veracity, and so to adhere to those Truths as raise us to heaven. S. 16. This is all that he giveth in this discourse to make out the sence of Faith.
With respect to this discovery of Faith, we shall deal openly with the Author, in granting what is true, in desiring what is defective, and in denying what is false in it.
1. We grant that Faith and Believing are synonomous or of the same signification in the Common sence of English Mankind; and that Divine Faith is the believing of God in revealed Truths, which imports knowledge of those supernatural good things as Heaven and Eternal Life: Again, that Faith, which giveth this knowledge of supernatural good things, worketh by love toward them, without which none can come to Heaven; And this Faith is necessary for Salvation unto all sorts of men, learned and unlearned, of higher and of the vulgar sort: In fine we yield this Faith to be a special virtue of Christ mainly conducing unto Bliss by submitting mens understandings unto Divine veracity, and causing them to adhere to those Truths, which being truly received will raise up souls to Heaven: This is the sum, which we can gather out of many words of the Author about, the meaning of Faith: and all this we yield freely, and so far are agreed.
2. Yet as defective to a fuller description of Faith needful in our debate, we desire some addition to be supplied: as mainly the very Form of it, which must difference it from Faith that is not saving. This by the Apostle is phrased, The Spirit of Faith, 2 Cor. 4.13.or Spiritual Faith: which we conceive not to be sufficiently expressed by Divine Faith forementioned; For Faith may be stiled Divine upon several accounts. 1. Objectively only, as receiving those Propositions of Truth given by God; this Humane Faith, or Credence may do, which is meerly Natural, and insufficient thereby to raise up souls to Heaven: This is not that which bringeth to Salvation of it self. 2. Subjectively also, which is called Divine.Eph. 2 8. 2 Pet. 1.1. 3. Ratione Principii, from the immediate Creator and Donor of it, which is God, and he directs this lot of precious Faith unto those who are appointed to Salvation: Humane Faith is his Creature, but this Spirit of Faith, is his special workmanship in Christ Jesus.
2. Ratione Formae, from the intrinsecal formal nature of it, which is Spirit, or Spi…i…ual and Divine; 2 Cor. 4.13. Joh. 3.6. 2 Pet. 1.4now Faith is a member of the new birth or Creature; and that is said to be spirit of spirit, or the Divine Nature. This we must look upon as transcendental in its kind, seeing it issueth from God its Author, who puts forth the very power of his Arm to work it, and make men believe:Isay. 53.1. Rom. 10.16. We must desire this then in that Faith about the Rule whereof we are now discoursing.
3. Ratione finis, from the end is it rightly stiled Divine, because it maketh the soul rest in God, and acquiess in nothing else: This is noted of Abraham, Ps. 116.7. Rom. 4.20.That he was strong in faith giving glory to God, yea Faith is not satisfied but in God alone, as its full Rest. This is indeed Divine Faith, and being so taken we consider it in this place: which may yet more appear by these proper Acts of it.
1. That it only doth evidence the invisible Father in the Son,Heb. 11.1, 27. and by his Spirit working out salvation for sinners.Rom. 10, 9, 10.
2. That it causeth Assent unto all the Truths of God in his will revealed unto this Salvation.Joh. 3.16. Joh. 6.29.
3. That it worketh Affiance or Trust in this God and his word, for the perfecting of this Salvation unto souls who cleave to him.
Heb. 11.1. Isai. 28.16.4. That it consequently realizeth or substantiates things hoped for, and so holdeth out souls in the certain expectation of them. All this is necessary to be known and experimented by all souls of all ranks, learned and unlearned, in order to their salvation: Of faith under this discovery do we treat, and now are about the stating the Rule of it.
3. That which we deny as odious in the former discovery of faith by the Autho… is the Merit of the work or influence o… it as to blessedness; which we detest,
1. As brutish, that any Act of God… own Grace in man should be meritoou… as to him who gave it; The receiving alm… by the beggars hand is proportionably more meritorious towards a Fellow-Creature giving it, than any work of dut… from man to God: and yet none wil… thank the beggar for taking; but he confesseth himself a debtor to the giver.
2, We cannot but abhorre it, as savouring of Antichristian Pride and arrogancy against God, so much as to pretend to be able to merit of him, any thing but Hell. Let the Author then hugg… his meritorious Faith and fit a Rule for it: We profess, that Faith alone which emptieth man of himself, and abaseth him, giving all glory to God for his free grace in our Salvation.
We shall leave this, with one single note impressed on it. In all Religions, wherein a Godhead is confessed, true and false, Mahometan, or other Pagan Professions; as they all pretend Faith in their Gods, so none (that we know) arrogate any merit to their Faith, save only Papists. That which is worst of all, thinks it deserves best at the hands of God: Popish Faith then is that only which is asserted meritorious here by the Author. He had need therefore to find out such a Rule which may maintain the merit of it; and none can do this but his Tradition: He hath therefore wisely designed it.
5. He proceeds to speak of the Rule of Faith jointly, and to determine several properties belonging to it as it is such a Rule, … S. 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, & 16. And he summeth up all in S. 17. which thus he orderly ranketh.
1. The Rule of Faith must be plain and self-evident, as to its Existence, to all.
2. It must be Evidenceable, as to its Rul…ng Power, to the Vulgar.
3. It must be apt to settle and justifie undoubting persons.
4. It must be apt to satisfie the most Sceptical Dissenters, and rational Doubters.
5. It must be able to convince the most obstinate and acute Adversaries.
6. That it be built upon immoveable grounds, and be certain in its self.
7. That it be absolutely ascertainable to us.
We shall not weary the Readers with multiplying word for word, but we have those two things to try.
1. The meaning of those words jointly, Rule of Faith.
2. The Properties claimed thereunto in this place.
To the first, It is but needful to understand those words in Syntaxe, as well as in their single posture; and that because the Author changeth often his form of expressing this: Sometimes he stileth it, the Rule of Faith as in the Titles of his Discourse, and elsewhere: Sometimes he speaketh of it as the Rule or Means to Faith S. 9. S. 11. S. 15. And so several times in his following Treatise: Where also all along he calleth it the Rule of Faith.
At this various Expression in this Controversie we are at a stand, knowing a great difference between Means leading to Faith, and the Rule of Faith it self: We may grant something to be the means (or as the Author calls it) a Rule to Faith, which we shall never yield to be the Rule of Faith, about which Protestants contend with Papists. It was doubtless a good means to bring Simon Peter to the Faith, when his Brother Andrew told him,Joh. 1.41.45. we have found the Messias, So was Phillips report to Nathaniel, we have found him of whom Moses in the Law, and the Prophets did write, Jesus of Nazareth, a good help to lead him to Christ, and to faith in him: no less was the work of Phillip and Andrew helping the Greeks to come to Jesus,Joh. 12▪ 22▪ a very ready means to bring them to Faith in him; yet was not this speech of theirs the Rule of Faith; For that was only the Will of Christ himself the Eternal word of the Father, which was revealed to them. We shall yield the same to speech and writing of Christ, that they are means to Faith, but of themselves no Rule of Faith.
In the present Controversie therefore we desire to clear the force of this Genitive (of Faith) which is not here the Genitive of the End terminating the means; but of the subject regulated or to be ruled, and ordered by that Rule unto which it is subjected; So that the praeexistence of Faith in the soul is supposed before the actual regulation of it by the Rule, for how can that be ruled which is not? In this sence do the Protestants understand the Rule of Faith, in their Disputes with the Jesuits; wherein these also seem to agree, however they shift sometimes in ambiguous expressions: Of this therefore we fore-warn the Author; that we put a great difference between means directing to Faith, and the rule disposing of Faith: To this we shall keep close in our present work, and make bold to call him back unto it, where his words vary from it, if he pretend to speak any thing to the Rule of Faith. And this premised, we shall consider now the properties of this Rule as they are proposed by him.
As to the proper conditions named by the Author, they are not all applicable unto that which is stiled, a Means or Rule to Faith; neither as we suppose, so intended by him, but to that which is truly the Rule of Faith; which must command, order, and direct Faith to work regularly to its end, which is the salvation of souls: And all these which are orderly forementioned by us as urged by him together with the reasonable grounds of them, we grant, and shall admit them in our further Examination following; but these are not all, to which we are bound up. We desire therefore the addition of others inseparable to that, which truly is the Rule of Faith, which the Discourser must also grant as issuing from the intrinsecal nature and causes of it; and this ground being laid, we shall by them proceed both to the Examination, and Demonstration of the rule of Faith, following the Author in the method of his Discourses.
All the Properties mentioned by him, are drawn from that habitude or respect, which the rule should have unto the persons or subjects to be ruled by it: This in general he makes all mankind, but in special, sorts them into vulgar, rude, or unlearned, and into more intelligent, ingenious, or learned men; and into those that are setled in the Faith, and into Heterodox, Infidels, who are Aliens to it; so again into doubting or Sceptical souls, and such as are obstinate and acute Adversaries unto the Faith of Christ: with respect to these several sorts he frameth the properties of that Rule, which he calleth Means to Faith, and Rule of Faith, promiscuously and unfitly.
But those properties, which we desire to add, arise from God the Author and Object of Faith, who alone can give Rule to it, and from the nature of faith it self, which is to be ruled by it: as
1. The true Rule of Faith must have Supream, Soveraign Power, praeceptive as well as directive unto Faith:Eph. 2.3. For what is Faith in its being, as a special Grace infused, but the creature and workmanship of God? And if so, none can give Law and Rule to it, but its Maker; and that Rule must imply Gods own supream Authority in it; no less can order Faith than this; The Command of God, and the Fa…th of Jesus, are of the same descent and must be kept together. Again, the true genuine Operation of Faith is reciprocal with God; this giveth God that glory which he will not part withall to another;Isai. 26.4. Joh. 14.1. therefore must the Rule of this supremely order it unto God; neither is it to be directed by any other, but what is subordinate to this. He will not have his Faith any more than his Fear taught by the precepts of men. Supreme then is the rule of Faith above all.
Deut. 32.4.2. The rule of Faith, (which is genuine and sincere) must be purely right and strait not subject to any warping, or yielding unto the crooked dispositions of men. For it is given ftom that God, who is Rectitude it self; Psal. 19.8.and he hath revealed it to bring souls directly to him-self, that they may not miscarry. Otherwise the Rule of Faith cannot measure true, and false, or right and wrong, which is the most intrinsecal nature of it. Absolute Rectitude then is the inseparable Property of the Rule of Faith.
3. The rule of Faith, is that which giveth a compleat measure, and full proportion to Faith, for all its Operations toward God: So that Faith and its Rule are Commensurate: Likeness of Proportion then, the Rule must have to Faith, as Faith to It: They must meet even, or else Faith will be found faulty and so want its measure: Proportionating power then is a due property of the Rule of Faith ordering Faith, its pitch in working, and in its duration.
4. The Rule of Faith consists in Indivisibility. It is one, simple, undivided thing; there is no adding to it, nor taking from it, nor mixing with it: but as Faith is a simple Grace singled out to God, so the Rule must be as simple or undivided, which keepeth Faith unfeigned, and guides inseparably unto God. A warping Rule, will easily make a warping Faith. Indivisibility then is a natural Property of the Rule of Faith. So much for our Addition; other things might be added, but they will fall either under these, or under the other forenamed by him. And now having gotten this Discovery of the rule of Faith, we shall go along with the Discourser, and try to what and to whose claim this truly belongeth; as he directeth in his next Discourse.