A30242:417
The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole…
The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole third chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is annexed The godly and the natural mans choice, upon Psal. 4, vers. 6, 7, 8 / by Anthony Burgess ...The Scripture directory for church-officers and people, or, A practical commentary upon the whole third chapter of the first Epistle of St. Paul to the Corinthians to which is annexed The godly and the natural mans choice, upon Psal. 4, vers. 6, 7, 8 / by Anthony Burgesse ...
London: printed by Abraham Miller for T.U., 1659
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.
Secondly, But knowledge is not all; How many Atheists are there,1 that know much, and understand the points of Religion, yet believe not? Therefore the second Act of Faith is to Assent, to give credit to them, as true; and this indeed we mean, and Scripture also means this most commonly, when it speaks of believing the Word of God, that is giving a firm and sure assent to it, as true. Hence that expression, Faith is the substance, Heb. 11.1. that is, by faith we make those things that are future really subsist, as it were in our souls, as if present: Thus Faith makes Heaven and Hell present. The Apostle excellently describes it, They behold not the things temporal, or seen, but the things eternal, which are not seen, 2 Cor. 4 18. Thus Moses is said, to have an earnest eye of faith fixed upon the reward, and that is an act of faith, Heb. 11.26. And in this respect most fail; They do not firmly assent to the Doctrine of Gods Omniscience, of a Day of Judgement, of giving an account of every evil word. Did they believe these things, as the Word of God, which cannot deceive, which cannot be false, how dared they live in such professed impieties? But the fool hath said in his heart, there is no God, Psal. 14.1. No Judgement, no Heaven, no Hell. If an humane faith can set men so much on work, when yet all men are liars, what shall not a divine faith do?
Secondly, But knowledge is not all; How many Atheists are there,1 that know much, and understand the points of Religion, yet believe not? Therefore the second Act of Faith is to Assent, to give credit to them, as true; and this indeed we mean, and Scripture also means this most commonly, when it speaks of believing the Word of God, that is giving a firm and sure assent to it, as true. Hence that expression, Faith is the substance, Heb. 11.1. that is, by faith we make those things that are future really subsist, as it were in our souls, as if present: Thus Faith makes Heaven and Hell present. The Apostle excellently describes it, They behold not the things temporal, or seen, but the things eternal, which are not seen,