A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many useful questions and cases of conscience are…A treatise of miscellany questions wherein many usefull questions and cases of conscience are…

That as, in all Arts and Sciences there are some Principles—beyond which there must be no inquiry, so also in divine things.—Is there any thing in the world of better credit, or that may rather be believed with men then the Spirit himself? Nay can any believe, but by this Spirit? If not, then nothing else is able satisfyingly to bear witness to the Spirit, but it self. This is as if we should receive the Testimony of the Spirit upon the credit of some other thing.

That as, in all Arts and Sciences there are some Principles—beyond which there must be no inquiry, so also in divine things.—Is there any thing in the world of better credit, or that may rather be believed with men then the Spirit himself? Nay can any believe, but by this Spirit? If not, then nothing else is able satisfyingly to bear witnesse to the Spirit, but it self. This is as if we should receive the Testimony of the Spirit upon the credit of some other thing.

Whereunto I answer first, Tis to be remembered, The question is not whether the Word of the Lord can satisfy or pacify a sinners conscience without the Spirit; for we say plainly that as the best marks of grace, so the richest and sweetest promises and comforts of the word cannot make the soul sit down satisfied, till the spirit of the Lord himself speak peace and comfort within us. Whence it was that after Nathan had ⟨p. 261⟩said to David in the name of the Lord, The Lord hath put away thy sin, thou shalt not die, yet even then David prayed, Make me to hear joy and gladness, that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Restore unto me the joy of thy Salvation and uphold me with thy free Spirit. Psal. 51, 8: 12. with 2 Sam. 12: 13: But tis another thing which is here in question, for clearing whereof, observe that the efficient cause, or revealing evidence which makes us believe and be assured is one thing: The objectum fomale fidei or that for which we believe and are assured, is another thing. In humane sciences a Teacher is necessary to a young Student, yet the Student doth not believe the conclusions because his Teacher teacheth him so, but because these conclusions follow necessarily from the known and received principles of the Sciences, and although he had never understood either the principles or the conclusions, without the help of a Teacher, yet he were an ill scholar who cannot give an account of his knowledge from demonstration, but only from this that he was taught so. In seeking a legal assurance or security we consult our Lawyers, who peradventure will give us light and knowledge of that which we little imagined: yet a man cannot build a well grounded assurance, nor be secure because of the Testimony of Lawyers, but because of the deeds themselves, Charters, Contracts or the like. So we cannot be assured of our interest in Christ, without the work of the holy Ghost, and his revealing evidence in our hearts; yet the ground and reason of our assurance, or that for which we are assured, is not his act of revealing, but the truth of the thing it self which he doth reveal unto us from the word of God.