The other is, a firm assent, and this is two-fold: Either it is grounded upon reason, which we call Knowledge; or else is grounded upon the authority of him that reveals it; and this we call Faith. And the difference of them stands in this: The objects of the first, which we call Knowledge, are natural things, such as God did not reveal himself, but they lye before us, and reason can find them out: but Faith believeth things that are revealed by God, yet so, as that there is no reason for them, as well as for the other. For if one come and tell you any thing, and if you believe it, you can give a reason of it, and why you believe it, aswell as of any other natural conclusion; as that he is a wise man, and one that I know will tell the truth, I have had experience of him heretofore, &c. Even so, when you believe the Scriptures, you can give a reason for it; it is, because God delivered it, and he cannot lye; but now, how do ye know that God delivered it? Because the men that delivered it, in his Name, did confirm it by works, and miracles, and predictions of times; so that reason runs along together with Faith: Only there is this difference between them; Faith addeth ⟨p. 47⟩to the eye of reason, and raiseth it higher; for the understanding is conversant, as about things of reason, so about things of Faith; for they are propounded to the understanding, only they are above it, and must have faith to reveal them; as when Moses saith, In the beginning, GOD made the Heaven and the Earth: when we hear such a proposition, reason doth but look upon it, and cannot see it at first, but Faith helpeth reason to go further: therefore Faith is but an addition to the strength of reason; when it could go no further, Faith makes it to go further: as one that hath dim eyes, he can see better with the help of spectacles: even so doth the eye of reason, by a supernatural faith infused. So that all the things which we believe, have a credibility and entity in them, and they are the objects of the understanding; but we cannot find them out, without some supernatural help. As if you would choose a right jewel; (you know there are many counterfeit ones) how should you know a true one? The stander by cannot tell, but brings it to a Lapidary, or a Jeweller, and he knows it, because he is skilled in it.
The other is, a firme assent, and this is two-fold: Either it is grounded upon reason, which we call Knowledge; or else is grounded upon the authoritie of him that reveales it; and this wee call Faith. And the difference of them stands in this: The objects of the first, which wee call Knowledge, are naturall things, such as God did not reveale himselfe, but they lye before us, and reason can finde them out: but Faith beleeveth things that are revealed by God, yet so, as that there is no reason for them, as well as for the other. For if one come and tell you any thing, and if you beleeve it, you can give a reason of it, and why you beleeve it, aswell as of any other naturall conclusion; as that he is a wise man, and one that I know will tell the truth, I have had experience of him heretofore, &c. Even so, when you beleeve the Scriptures, you can give a reason for it; it is, because God delivered it, and he cannot lye; but now, how doe yee know that God delivered it? Because the men that delivered it, in his Name, did confirme it by workes, and miracles, and predictions of times; so that reason runnes along together with Faith: Onely there is this difference betweene them; Faith addeth ⟨p. 47⟩to the eye of reason, and raiseth it higher; for the understanding is conversant, as about things of reason, so about things of Faith; for they are propounded to the understanding, onely they are above it, and must have faith to reveale them; as when Moses saith, In the beginning, GOD made the Heaven and the Earth: when we heare such a proposition, reason doth but looke upon it, and cannot see it at first, but Faith helpeth reason to goe further: therefore Faith is but an addition to the strength of reason; when it could goe no further, Faith makes it to goe further: as one that hath dimme eyes, he can see better with the help of spectacles: even so doth the eye of reason, by a supernaturall faith infused. So that all the things which we beleeve, have a credibilitie and entity in them, and they are the objects of the understanding; but we cannot finde them out, without some supernaturall help. As if you would choose a right jewell; (you know there are many counterfeit ones) how should you know a true one? The stander by cannot tell, but brings it to a Lapidary, or a Ieweller, and he knowes it, because he is skilled in it.
