A95413:57
The doubting conscience resolved. In answer to a (pretended) perplexing question, &c. Wherein is…
The doubting conscience resolved. In answer to a (pretended) perplexing question, &c. Wherein is evidently proved, that the holy Scriptures (not the pope) is the foundation whereupon the Church is built. Or, That a Christian may be infallibly certain of his faith and religion by holy Scriptures. By William Twice D.D. Prolocutor of the Assembly of Divines. Written at the desire of Samuel Hartlib, Esquire, for the satisfaction of his friends beyond the seas; and now divulged in print for more public edification.The doubting conscience resolved. In answer to a (pretended) perplexing question, &c. Wherein is evidently proved, that the holy Scriptures (not the pope) is the foundation whereupon the Church is built. Or, That a Christian may be infallibly certain of his faith and religion by holy Scriptures. By William Tvvisse D.D. Prolocutor of the Assembly of Divines. Written at the desire of Samuel Hartlib, Esquire, for the satisfaction of his friends beyond the seas; and now divulged in print for more publick edification.
London: printed for Thomas Matthews, 1652
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.
Now if it be granted that faith may be had in what degree of certainty soever, what sober Christian can make doubt but that if question be made about the means whereby we may have it, it may be had by holy Scripture as well as by any other means? yea and far better, considering that faith is in the proper notion thereof the assent to somewhat from the authority of the speaker, and if the speaker is but a man, it is no better than faith human; if the speaker be God, that and that alone makes it to be faith divine. Now we all confess, that the holy Scripture is the Word of God, and therefore if by any word faith may be had in ⟨p. 20⟩what degree of certainty soever, sure it may be had by the Word of God; yea and that no other way can Divine Faith be had but by the Word of God, not by the word of the creature, whether man or Angel. And if faith may be wrought by the power of Gods Spirit in the heart of any man, he that makes question whether this may be done by the holy Scriptures, had need of some good measure of Hellebore to purge his brain, for he seems to me to be in the next degree to a mad-man; for seeing faith is no faith, unless it depend upon some word, that God should work his faith by another word than his own, is as uncouth and contradictious assertion I should think as ever was heard among the learned. But it may be this Author through the confusion of his wits, hath not hitherto been so happy as to deliver himself fairly of his own meaning: Therefore ⟨p. 21⟩let us take notice of the Discourse it self, whether it may bear any better state of the Question than yet we have been acquainted with: For I guess that in the issue the state of the Question will come to this,
Now if it be granted that faith may be had in what degree of certainty soever, what sober Christian can make doubt but that if question be made about the means whereby we may have it, it may be had by holy Scripture as well as by any other means? yea and far better, considering that faith is in the proper notion thereof the assent to somewhat from the authority of the speaker, and if the speaker is but a man, it is no better than faith human; if the speaker be God, that and that alone makes it to be faith divine. Now we all confess, that the holy Scripture is the Word of God, and therefore if by any word faith may be had in ⟨p. 20⟩