The real Christian, or, A treatise of effectual calling wherein the work of God…

But to return to Schlichtingius with his followers. I ever thought, and I am sure it is true, that Christian, or Divine Faith, Nititur Testimonio Divino qua est Divinum, I mean that Christian Faith, Quae locum habet in intellectu; it leans, stays, rests and grounds upon Divine Testimony. So that Divine Faith relates to Divine Testimony, it looks no further; when I assent to, or believe a Proposition, a Testimony of God, because I see a Reason, if you will have any other Reason than the Authority and Veracity of God, Faith ceaseth: Did I not believe God to be truth it self, so true as impossible he should lye, I would not believe the Testimony of God, barely because he speaketh it. But these men destroy all Faith, they will believe no further than they can see with the eye of their reason, and demonstrate the truth by their reason; but this is not Faith. Divine Faith doth not lean, rest, or stay upon my Reason, but barely upon the Testimony ⟨image 12⟩of God. The assent which the understanding giveth to any Truth, for the Authority of the witness, or him that speaketh, this ^*properly is Faith. If I give assent upon other grounds, it is not Faith. It may be perceptio, experientia, vel scientia, vel opinio, according as are the grounds or reasons of my assent, but not Faith. These Rationists know that Testimonium is Argumentum inartificial; hence they call for artificial Arguments, they must see things in Artificio rerum, else they will not receive them. But with their favour, we look upon the Almighty, to be so faithful and true a Witness, that, Omnia Testimonia Divina sunt [Greek or Hebrew], imo [Greek or Hebrew], omnique artificially argumento certiora, omnique exception majora: So that to me this great Rationist speaks but absurdly: If a Divine Proposition be not above the reach of his reason, but his reason can comprehend it, then he will believe it, and receive it for an Article of his Faith, otherwise he will not. For now it is not the Testimony of God which he believes, and his Authority and Veracity for which he believes, but the strength of his own reason is the cause why be assents to such a Proposition, and receives it not as an Article of Divine Faith, but an Article of Socinians Reason.

But to return to Schlichtingius with his followers. I ever thought, and I am sure it is true, that Christian, or Divine Faith, Nititur Testimonio Divino qua est Divinum, I mean that Christian Faith, Quae locum habet in intellectu; it leans, stayes, rests and grounds upon Divine Testimony. So that Divine Faith relates to Divine Testimony, it looks no further; when I assent to, or believe a Proposition, a Testimony of God, because I see a Reason, if you will have any other Reason than the Authority and Veracity of God, Faith ceaseth: Did I not believe God to be truth it self, so true as impossible he should lye, I would not believe the Testimony of God, barely because he speaketh it. But these men destroy all Faith, they will believe no further than they can see with the eye of their reason, and demonstrate the truth by their reason; but this is not Faith. Divine Faith doth not lean, rest, or stay upon my Reason, but barely upon the Testimony