The formal Reason of a Profession, is, that it be signum mentis, aut verum, aut (et si ementitum, tamen) apparens: if it be only a seeming sign, or counterfeit, it is truly a Profession, but not a true Profession. I mean, it hath a Metaphysical verity, inasmuch as it is an action apt to signify the mind, and doth signify that which the man would have you think to be his mind: but it is not morally true, but false; because it doth not signify that which is his mind indeed. All words are to be signa mentis; but when a man lieth, his words are truly words, though not true words; and he doth speak that which he would have you take to be his mind, though not that which is so, &c. he useth a sign that is apt and appointed for the expression of the mind, though he abuse it to the concealing of his mind, and the deceiving of the Hearer. Yet if any will insist upon it, that it hath not the formal Reason of a Profession, unless it be true, and agreeable to the mind; let such know, that we take the word in a larger, and commoner, and (I think) fitter sense, even for that which a pretended to be a true sign of the mind, whether it be indeed true or not. Yet still pretended it must be to be a true Discovery of the mind, and to that use it is that the Minister must receive it: and thence it comes to pass, that there are besides the bare words, writings, and some modifications, which are of necessity to the very constitution of a real Profession, and without which it cannot properly be called a Profession, or may not by a Minister be taken for such. Concerning which, 1. I shall enquire further, Whether this be so ⟨p. 6⟩or not? 2. What those Modes or concomitant Acts must be? 1. And for the first; the reason of the doubt is, because some conceive that Profession is so far required for it self, (or for some other end, I know not what) as that it is not to be looked at or required as a seeming or probable evidence of the thing professed. Mr. Blake Treat of Sacr. p. 129. saith of me: His Grand Rule is, That a serious Professor of the Faith is to be taken for a true believer. — If this Proposition were a Scripture Maxim, then it would have born a further superstruction; but being neither found there, nor any proof made that it is any way deduced thence, mother and daughters may all justly be called into question.—I do yield, that charity is to hope the best;
The formal Reason of a Profession, is, that it be signum mentis, aut verum, aut (et si ementitum, tamen) apparens: if it be only a seeming sign, or counterfeit, it is truly a Profession, but not a true Profession. I mean, it hath a Metaphysical verity, inasmuch as it is an action apt to signifie the mind, and doth signifie that which the man would have you think to be his mind: but it is not morally true, but false; because it doth not signifie that which is his mind indeed. All words are to be signa mentis; but when a man lyeth, his words are truly words, though not true words; and he doth speak that which he would have you take to be his mind, though not that which is so, &c. he useth a sign that is apt and appointed for the expression of the mind, though he abuse it to the concealing of his mind, and the deceiving of the Hearer. Yet if any will insist upon it, that it hath not the formal Reason of a Profession, unless it be true, and agreeable to the mind; let such know, that we take the word in a larger, and commoner, and (I think) fitter sense, even for that which a pretended to be a true sign of the mind, whether it be indeed true or not. Yet still pretended it must be to be a true Discovery of the mind, and to that use it is that the Minister must receive it: and thence it comes to pass, that there are besides the bare words, writings, and some modifications, which are of necessity to the very cons•i•ution of a real Profession, and without which it cannot properly be called a Profession, or may not by a Minister be taken for such. Concerning which, 1. I shall enqure further, Whether this be so ⟨p. 6⟩or not? 2. What those Modes or concomitant Acts must be? 1. And for the first; the reason of the doubt is, because some conceive that Profession is so far required for it self, (or for some other end, I know not what) as that it is not to be lookt at or required as a seeming or probable evidence of the thing professed. Mr. Blake Treat of Sacr. p. 129. saith of me: His Grand Rule is, That a serious Professor of the Faith is to be taken for a true believer. — If this Proposition were a Scripture Maxime, then it would have born a further superstruction; but being neither found there, nor any proof made that it is any way deduced thence, mother and daughters may all justly be called into question.—I do yield, that charity is to hope the best;
