But yet neither, as it is so explained, can we allow it to be the formal object of faith, nor that wherein it doth acquiesce; for, —
1. It hath not the proper nature of a divine testimony. A divine work it may be, but a divine testimony it is not; but it is of the nature of faith to be built on an external testimony. However, therefore, our minds may be established, and enabled to believe firmly and steadfastly, by an ineffable internal work of the Holy Ghost, whereof also we may have a certain experience, yet neither that work nor the effect of it can be the reason why we do believe nor whereby we are moved to believe, but only that whereby we do believe.
2. That which is the formal object of faith, or reason whereon we believe, is the same, and common unto all that do believe; for our inquiry is not how or by what means this or that man came to believe, but why any one or every one ought so to do unto whom the Scrip- ture is proposed. The object proposed unto all to be believed is the same ; and the faith required of all in a way of duty is the same, or of the same kind and nature ; and therefore the reason why we be- lieve must be the same also. But, on this supposition, there must be as many distinct reasons of believing as there are believers.
3. On this supposition, it cannot be the duty of any one to believe the Scripture to be the word of God who hath not received this in- ternal testimony of the Spirit; for where the true formal reason of believing is not proposed unto us, there it is not our duty to believe. Wherefore, although the Scripture be proposed as the word of God, yet is it not our duty to believe it so to be until we have this work of the Spirit in our hearts, in case that be the formal reason of be- lieving. But not to press any farther how it is possible men may be deceived and deluded in their apprehensions of such an internal
G4 THE REASON OF FAITH. [BOOK VI., PART I.
testimony of the Spirit, especially if it be not to be tried by the Scripture, — which if it be, it loseth its avroirieria, or "self-credibility," or if it be, it casteth us into a circle, which the Papists charge us withal, — it cannot be admitted as the formal object of our faith, be- cause it would divert us from that which is public, proper, every way certain and infallible.
However, that work of the Spirit which may be called an inter- nal real testimony is to be granted as that which belongs unto the stability and assurance of faith; for if he did no otherwise work in us or upon us but by the communication of spiritual light unto our minds, enabling us to discern the evidences that are in the Scripture of its own divine original, we should often be shaken in our assent and moved from our stability: for whereas our spiritual darkness is removed but in part, and at best, whilst we are here, we see things but darkly, as in a glass, all things believed having some sort of in- evidence'or obscurity attending them; and whereas temptations will frequently shake and disturb the due respect of the faculty unto the object, or interpose mists and clouds between them, — we can have no assurance in believing, unless our minds are farther established by the Holy Ghost. He doth, therefore, two ways assist us in be- lieving, and ascertain our minds of the things believed, so as that we may hold fast the beginning of our confidence firm and steadfast unto the end ; for, —
1. He gives unto believers a spiritual sense of the power and reality of the things believed, whereby their faith is greatly estab- lished; and although the divine witness, whereunto our faith is ulti- mately resolved, doth not consist herein, yet it is the greatest corro- borating testimony whereof we are capable. This is that which brings us unto the " riches of the full assurance of understanding," Col. ii. 2 ; as also 1 Thess. i. 5. And on the account of this spiritual experience is our perception of spiritual things so often expressed by acts of sense, as tasting, seeing, feeling, and the like means of assur- ance in things natural. And when believers have attained hereunto, they do find the divine wisdom, goodness, and authority of God so present unto them as that they need neither argument, nor motive, nor any thing else, to persuade them unto or confirm them in be- lieving. And whereas this spiritual experience, which believers obtain through the Holy Ghost, is such as cannot rationally be contended about, seeing those who have received it cannot fully express it, and those who have not cannot understand it, nor the efficacy which it hath to secure and establish the mind, it is left to be determined on by them alone who have their " senses exercised to discern good and evil." And this belongs unto the internal subjective testimony of the Holy Ghost.
CHAP. IV.] MORAL CERTAINTY INSUFFICIENT. 65
2. He assists, helps, and relieves us, against temptations to the contrary, so as that they shall not be prevalent. Our first prime assent unto the divine authority of the Scripture, upon its proper grounds and reasons, will not secure us against future objections and temptations unto the contrary, from all manner of causes and occa- sions. David's faith was so assaulted by them as that " he said in his haste that all men were liars ; " and Abraham himself, after he had received the promise that " in his seed all nations should be blessed," was reduced unto that anxious inquiry, " Lord God, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless?" Gen. xv. 2; and Peter was so win- nowed by Satan, that although his faith failed not, yet he greatly failed and fainted in its exercise. And we all know what fears from within, what fightings from without, we are exposed unto in this matter. And of this sort are all those atheistical objections against the Scripture which these days abound withal, which the devil useth as fiery darts to inflame the souls of men and to destroy their faith ; and, indeed, this is that work which the powers of hell are princi- pally engaged in at this day. Having lopped off many branches, they now lay their axe to the root of faith; and hence, in the midst of the profession of Christian religion, there is no greater controversy than whether the Scriptures are the word of God or not. Against all these temptations doth the Holy Ghost give in such a continual supply of spiritual strength and assistance unto believers as that they shall at no time prevail, nor their faith totally fail. In such cases the Lord Christ intercedes for us that our faith fail not, and God's grace is sufficient against the buffetings of these temptations; and herein the fruit of Christ's intercession, with the grace of God and its efficiency, are communicated unto us by the Holy Ghost. What are those internal aids whereby he establisheth and assureth our minds against the force and prevalency of objections and temptations against the divine authority of the Scripture, how they are commu- nicated unto us and received by us, this is no place to declare in particular. It is in vain for any to pretend unto the name of Chris- tians by whom they are denied. And these also have the nature of an internal, real testimony, whereby faith is established.