A30241:394
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St.…
CXLV expository sermons upon the whole 17th chapter of the Gospel according to St. John, or, Christs prayer before his passion explicated, and both practically and polemically improved by Anthony Burgess ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for Thomas Underhill, 1656
Title page typeset from the transcription.
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
11. That it makes a man have a firm and divine immovable assent to Scripture-truths: For if we should have all the knowledge of men and Angels, yet believe nothing, what advantage could it be to us? There may be knowledge merely apprehensive, as those heathenish Writers, Julian, Porphyrius, and others, who argued and disputed against the Christian Religion; in this they knew what it was, else they could not have disputed against it, but they did not believe it to be true. The Pharisees that so much opposed Christ, they knew the sense and meaning of this doctrine but did not believe it; so that if knowledge be not accompanied with faith, though we had the highest degree of it, yet it would profit nothing. Therefore Christians are not called knowing men so much as Believers, that is their frequent title, because the firm assent they give to Gods truth is that which is most available to salvation. Enquire then ⟨p. 85⟩after thy faith, men of great knowledge are many times great Atheists or Sceptics; they can say as much for one way of Religion, as for another, and hereupon are always wavering and doubting, but have no determinate fixing of the heart upon God; yea Aquinas observeth, that a knowing man hath more temptations against his faith then one more simple. It's well then, when with thy knowledge thy faith is also firm and steadfast.
11. That it makes a man have a firm and divine immoveable assent to Scripture-truths: For if we should have all the knowledge of men and Angels, yet believe nothing, what advantage could it be to us? There may be knowledge meerly apprehensive, as those heathenish Writers, Julian, Porphyrius, and others, who argued and disputed against the Christian Religion; in this they knew what it was, else they could not have disputed against it, but they did not believe it to be true. The Pharisees that so much opposed Christ, they knew the sense and meaning of this doctrine but did not believe it; so that if knowledge be not accompanied with faith, though we had the highest degree of it, yet it would profit nothing. Therefore Christians are not called knowing men so much as Believers, that is their frequent title, because the firm assent they give to Gods truth is that which is most available to salvation. Enquire then ⟨p. 85⟩