The Argument presupposeth the Doctrine of the Arminians, ⟨p. 139⟩that there be a number of points in our confession, of which we have no certainty of faith, that they are Gods truth, but are things controverted, and, being not fundamental points, may be holden, or we may forsake them, as false, after better information. Which indeed maketh our faith of Gods Word, •o full persuasion, but as the learned professors of Leiden dsay, a faith of an hour, or a month, or a year, which we may •ast away, the next year. And this is to deny all confessions and points of truth, with pretence that the Spirit hath revealed new truth: but how are these new revealed truths (the Revelation whereof we obtain by prayer) rather works of the spirit of truth; then the former points which we retract? No man by this can be rooted and built in the faith, of any thing, except in the faith of things simply fundamental. By which means all points at least many of them betwixt us and Papists, Arminia•, Macedonians, Sabellians, Arians, Anabap•tiste, are matters reconcilable; and either side may be holden, without hazard of salvation. Neither is this definition of confessions any tyranny. Because confessions are to be believed, in so far, as they are agreeable to Gods Word, and lay upon us an obligation secondary only, yet are they not so loose, as that we may leap from points of faith, and make the doctrine of faith arena gladiatoria a fencing field for Gamesters and Fencers. The material object of our faith, and the secondary ground and foundation thereof, may be very well, and is, Gods Word; primary is preaching, confessions, Creeds, Symbols, which are not serie & ordine Scripturae: and yet have we certainty of Divine faith in these things, because the formal object is, because God so saith in hi• Scripture, and we believe these with certainty of Divine Faith, under this reduplication, because the Lord hath spoken these quoad sensum, in true meaning, though not in illâ scrie & ordine; But more of this hereafter.
The Argument presupposeth the Doctrine of the Arminians, ⟨p. 139⟩that there be a number of points in our confession, of which we have no certainty of faith, that they are Gods truth, but are things controverted, and, being not fundamentall poynts, may be holden, or we may forsake them, as false, after better information. Which indeed maketh our faith of Gods Word, •o full perswasion, but as the learned professors of Leyden dsay, a faith of an houre, or a month, or a yeare, which we may •ast away, the next yeare. And this is to deny all confessions and points of truth, with pretence that the Spirit hath revealed new truth: but how are these new revealed truths (the Revelation whereof wee obtaine by prayer) rather workes of the spirit of truth; then the former poynts which wee retract? No man by this can be rooted and built in the faith, of any thing, except in the faith of things simply fundamentall. By which meanes all poynts at least many of them betwixt us and Papists, Arminia•, Macedonians, Sabellians, Arrians, Anabap•tiste, are matters reconcileable; and either side may be holden, without hazard of salvation. Neither is this definition of confessions any tyranny. Because confessions are to be believed, in so far, as they are agreable to Gods Word, and lay upon us an obligation secondary onely, yet are they not so loose, as that we may leap from poynts of faith, and make the doctrine of faith arena gladiatoria a fencing field for Gamesters and Fencers. The materiall object of our faith, and the secondary ground and foundation thereof, may be very well, and is, Gods Word; primary is preaching, confessions, Creeds, Symbols, which are not serie & ordine Scripturae: and yet have wee certainty of Divine faith in these things, because the formall object is, because God so saith in hi• Scripture, and wee believe these with certainty of Divine Faith, under this reduplication, because the Lord hath spoken these quoad sensum, in true meaning, though not in illâ scrie & ordine; But more of this hereafter.
- dCensure declar▪ profess, Leyd. in praefa. Fides •orari•, vel menstrua stc erit.
