2. It informs us that the heathens had never light enough for salvation. Their charity is too large who think that the heathens may be taught enough by those natural apostles, sun, moon, and stars. Certainly they are blind in the work of redemption, since they are so blind in the work of creation. Though God hath not left himself without witness. Act xiv. 17, that is, such as may lead them to God the creator, yet not to lead them to God the Redeemer, there is enough given to the heathens for conviction, but not for conversion. Therefore all those that God would call to himself, he gave them a higher light, even the revelation of the word. Though nature tells us, there is a God, yet what he is, and how to be worshipped, and how he came to be displeased with the world, and how he came to be reconcUed. of all this it telleth us nothing. Nature finds itself depraved, but it knows not the remedy and cure.
3. It shows us the great advantage that we have by faith, and by the written word. If we had been left to the puzzle and distraction of our own reason, how should we have known whence the world came, and how it was made by God ? Reason, as it exerciseth itself in several ways since the ruin of it in Adam's fall, is of several dimensions, according to men's natural constitution, moral education, and industry. But he hath given us the blessed rules of his word. What a puzzle and distraction were the philosophers left in ? A poor child learnetli more bj a catechism, than all the philosophers by their profound
414 SERMONS UPON HEBREWS XI. [SeE. IX.
researches ; those that have the smallest abilities of reason may here learn. The philosophers, though they spent all their days in painful studies, and were endowed with rare abilities of learning, yet what novices were they in spiritual things ! they cannot tell what the happiness of the soul is, nor where it shall be enjoyed, nor the means to attain it ; they know not how the world was made, nor how it shall end.
4. It informs us, that religion is not illiterate. Grace doth not make men simple, but rather perfects human learning. None discern truths with more comfort and satisfaction than a believer ; it solves all doubts and riddles of reason. Quod ratio non capit, fides intelligit. Simple men despise learning, and carnal men despise grace, both on the same grounds. Faith and reason must go together, though reason must be subordinate. We should not despise the help of human learning, neither should we despise grace, as if it did make men dull, and blunt the edge of their parts. Reason and faith, when kept in their . proper place, are of excellent advantage. Join faith with your study, and all will be more clear, otherwise we shall stumble at truths. When these three lights are in conjunction, the light of parts, the light of refined reason and the light of grace, they bring forth admirable and happy effects. But on the other side, the decay of learning hath been the sensible abatement of religion. Religion hath never lost more than when outward helps have been despised, which men do to h'de their own ignorance. When the apostle speaks against the vain abuse of learn- ing, he gives God thanks : 1 Cor. xiv. 18, ' I thank God, I speak with tongues more than you all,' implying that it is the usual course of men to speak against that which they want. A heated iron pierceth into a board though blunt, more than edged tools when cold. Holiness and outward advantages must go together.
5. We learn hence the properties of faith to have knowledge, assent, and obedience in it ; therefore it is not a blind reliance, but a clear, distinct persuasion of such truths, concerning which human discourse can give us no satisfaction. Faith is opposite to three things. The knowledge of it is opposite to ignorance ; faith brings the soul to the understanding of the things of salvation. And it is opposite to folly ; it makes us improve the mysteries of salvation to our spiritual comfort : Luke xxiv. 2.5, ' 0 ye fools, and slow of heart to believe ; ' and Eph. i. 18, ' That the eyes of your understanding being' enlightened,' &c. There is the wisdom of believers to apply truths to their spiritual advantage. And it is opposite to incogitancy and carelessness of spirit, it makes us turn our minds upon the things of religion.
6. It is the nature of faith to subscribe to a revelation in the word, though reason give little assistance and aid. The word is enough to faith, though the tiling seem unlikely to reason ; it stands not upon appearance or probabilities. When we have a doctrine laid down in the word, we must not mind whether it be probable, otherwise we should never believe a creation, which is the making of all things out of nothing.
Use 2. It serves to stir you up to act faith. What is the use of faith upon the creation ? To answer all the objections of reason, and settle the truth in the soul, and to improve it for spiritual uses and