§. 2. Faith presupposeth knowledge, and yields assent to the word of grace,1 relying upon the authority of God, who is true in all his sayings, sincere, faithful, constant in all promises, and can neither deceive nor be deceived. ⟨p. 20⟩Abraham believed God; 2the word imports, he thought the words of God to be sure, certain, stable and constant. Moses saying,3 Israel will not believe me, meaneth, they would not assent or give credit to his words. And when it is said, Israel believed the Lord, and his seru•nt Moses, thereby is understood, that they gave credit to the word of the Lord spoken by his servant Moses. This is clear in the exhortation of Jehoshaphat unto the people, saying,4 Believe in the Lord your God, so shall you be established, believe his Prophets, so shall ye prosper. And that of David, 5I believed, therefore have I spoken. Belief is always grounded upon the authority and reputation of him for whose word sake we believe, and must needs have reference to some uttered word or revelation as the object: but it may be sustained and strengthened by other motives and inducements, experiments and probabilities. Many objects of faith may also be evident, and that which is believed may also be seen.6 Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed. There is a compossibility of faith and evidence in divers respects, whereby they may both stand together in the same man, about the same object, albeit faith rest not upon that evidence, but upon divine revelation. Faith and Science are habits that may stand together. Faith by authority revealed Knowledge or Science by evident demonstration. For albeit faith exceed the dimension of reason, yet reason is subordinate to it, as sense is to understanding: And therefore as it is no inconvenience to say, we understand the thing we see, no more then is it to say, we believe that which is evident, in divers respects. Many divine things touching God which are received by faith, may also be found out by natural reason. And if things credible by the manifest likelihood of truth which they have in themselves, be made more credible by the known condition and quality of the utterer, faith relying upon the authority of the revealer, may be strengthened by the probability of ⟨p. 21⟩the thing. Faith is a firm assent,7 as appeareth by the original of the word, and the arguments wherewith it is joined.
§. 2. Faith presupposeth knowledge, and yeilds assent to the word of grace,1 relying vpon the authoritie of God, who is true in all his sayings, sincere, faithfull, constant in all promises, and can neither deceiue nor bee deceiued. ⟨p. 20⟩Abraham belieued God; 2the word imports, he thought the words of God to be sure, certaine, stable and constant. Moses saying,3 Israel will not belieue me, meaneth, they would not assent or giue credit to his words. And when it is said, Israel belieued the Lord, and his seru•nt Moses, thereby is vnderstood, that they gaue credit to the word of the Lord spoken by his seruant Moses. This is cleere in the exhortation of Iehoshaphat vnto the people, saying,4 Belieue in the Lord your God, so shall you be established, belieue his Prophets, so shall yee prosper. And that of Dauid, 5I belieued, therefore haue I spoken. Beliefe is alwayes grounded vpon the authoritie and reputation of him for whose word sake wee belieue, and must needs haue reference to some vttered word or reuelation as the obiect: but it may be sustained and strengthened by other motiues and inducements, experiments and probabilities. Many obiects of faith may also bee euident, and that which is belieued may also be seene.6 Thomas, because thou hast seene me, thou hast belieued. There is a compossibilitie of faith and euidence in diuers respects, whereby they may both stand together in the same man, about the same obiect, albeit faith rest not vpon that euidence, but vpon diuine reuelation. Faith and Science are habits that may stand together. Faith by authoritie reuealed Knowledge or Science by euident demonstration. For albeit faith exceed the dimension of reason, yet reason is subordinate to it, as sense is to vnderstanding: And therefore as it is no inconuenience to say, we vnderstand the thing we see, no more then is it to say, wee belieue that which is euident, in diuers respects. Many diuine things touching God which are receiued by faith, may also bee found out by naturall reason. And if things credible by the manifest likelihood of truth which they haue in themselues, be made more credible by the knowne condition and qualitie of the vtterer, faith relying vpon the authoritie of the reuealer, may be strengthened by the probabilitie of
- 1§. 2. Faith is an Assent.
- 2Gen. 15.6.
- 3Exod. 4.31. Deut. 1.52. Exod. 4.31. & 14.31.
- 42. Chron. 20.20.
- 5Psal. 116.10.
- 6John 20.29.Iohn 20.29.
- 71. Firm.1. Firme.
