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IV. Should we not then at laft fee every difficulty Which is removed, and the whole of that controverfy, among be wondivines, about the fubject of faith, fettled, if, as dred, as we juftly may, we fhould refufe, that there is any the faculreal diftinction of understanding and will, as well ties of the from the foul, as from each other? For, what is the understanding, but the foul understanding and not really knowing? What elfe the will, but the foul willing diftin&t. and defiring? We must on no account conceive of the foul, as of a thing in itself brutish and ir rational, which at length becomes intelligent and rational, when fomething elfe is given to it. What fome affirm, that the understanding comes from the foul by a certain kind of emanation, is what we can fcarcely conceive. For, if the foul, in its proper and formal conception, does not include the power of reasoning, it can never produce it; for we are in vain to expect from a caufe, what it contains neither formally nor eminently. If the foul is of itself endowed with the faculty of reafoning, no neceffity requires, that fome other faculty be fuperadded to that, wherewith the foul is of itfelf endowed. The like holds with refpect to the will, which is not really diftinct from the foul, any more than the understanding. But is the very foul has given it a natural aptitude to defire good. Since both thefe faculties are only modally [or in our manner of apprehenfion] diftinct from the foul, fa they are alfo from each other. For if the will be fo diftinct from the understanding, as in itself to be blind, it is not poffible to explain, how it can perceive, and fo rationally defire the object, difcovered by the understanding, as good. And for what pray, fhould we mak fhould we make a real difference

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different? But the object of both is really the fame; namely a true good, tho' the manner of our confidering it differs. For the understanding confiders

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the good as true: and the will defires, this true thing as it is good. And do not the objects of the fpeculative and practical understanding differ far more among themselves? And yet philofophers generally vot agree, that they are but one and the fame power of the foul. Is it because their acts are different? But

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very difference of acts does not infer a difference of Ja power. Indeed, fimple apprehenfion differs from judgement and difcourfe or reasoning; which yet are all the acts of the fame faculty.

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V. This ought not to be look'd upon as a new affertion affertion. Scotus long ago maintained, that the understanding and will, differed neither among themselves, nor from the foul, in' 2. dift. 15. qu. E Scaliger, in like manner, whofe words we fhall not fcruple to transcribe from his Exercitat. 307. §. 15. Altho' the understanding and will, fays he, are one thing, yet they are diftinguished by the manner in which we conceive them. For, they are proper and not accidental affections of the foul, and one thing with it. As ONE, GOOD, and TRUE are the affections of entity, or being; nay one and the fame thing with being itself. But they are diftinguished from it, and among themselves by definition, in this manner because being itself is placed in the first nature or effence, which nature does in fome measure display itself, and is the caufe of that ONE, TRUE, and GOOD. Which is a formality different from the first formality. Because the notion of being is one thing, as it is being, and another, as it is one.. For, the latter follows and arifes from the former; but not without it; for, it is one thing. Thus Foul, understanding and will are one thing. Yet the foul denotes the effence: the understanding, that very affence, as it apprehends: the will, the fame with that intelligent effence tending to enjoy the thing known, or understood. Thus far Scaliger. Durandus was of opinion, that, indeed, the faculties differ really from the foul, but not from each other. An opinion, which Voffius is above all pleased with, de

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Idololat. Lib. 3. c. 42. Which is fufficient for our prefent purpose: as we are not then to feparate, thofe faculties, no wonder, tho' we place faith in both.

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VI. Mean while, we obferve, that, among thofe Of the feacts, which we are about to defcribe, there is one, veral acts principal act, in which we apprehend, the very effence, and formal nature of faith confifts,, as it one prinunites us with Chrift and juftifies us. This is to be, cipal act, carefully taken notice of in the matter of justification, least any one should look upon fome acts of love, which, in different ways, are implied in the exercife of faith, as the causes of juftification.

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VII. Moreover, we are likewife to maintain, that In the thole, things, which we fhall, for the greater accu- practice of racy, explain diftinctly in particular, ftand various ways mutually connected in the very exercife of faith, ftin&t orWhile the whole foul is engaged in this work of God, der, which very many actions may all at once tend towards God is exhibitand Chrift, without obferving any ed in certain method ; and which the believer engaged in this work itfelf, has neither leifure, nor inclination to range in their **** proper order; nay, fometimes it is impoffible to do it. Yet it is expedient, that we attend to the natural procefs of faith, whereby its entire nature and manner may be the more thoroughly perceived.

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VIII. The first thing, which faith either compre. To faith hends, or prefuppofes, is the knowledge of the thing belongs to be believed. This appears in oppofition to Po- ledge. pifh triflers. I. From exprefs paffages of Scripture, which fo fpeak concerning faith, as manifeftly to intimate, that knowledge is included in its very notion and fexercise, I. 53. II. John 17. 3. compared with Heb. 2. 4. John 6. 69. 2 Tim. 1. 3• II. From the nature of faith itself, which, as it, doubtlefs, means an affent given to a truth revealed by God, neceffarily prefuppofes the knowledge of thefe two things. (1). That God has revealed fomething. (2). What that is to which affent is given,

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as a thing divinely revealed. For it is abfurd to fay, that a perfon affents to any truth, which he is entire ly ignorant of, and concerning which he knows of no teftimony extant, worthy of credit. III. From the manner, in which faith is produced in the elect; which is done externally by preaching and hearing of the Gofpel, Rom. 10. 17, revealing that which ought to be believed, with the demonftration of the truth to every man's confcience, 2 Cor. 4.2 and internally by the teaching of God the Father, John 6. 45. If therefore faith be generated in the heart by a teaching both external and internal, it must of neceffity confift in knowledge: for, knowledge is the proper and immediate effect of such instruction. IV. From the consequence annexed, which is confeffion and "aroñoys or giving an answer, Rom. 10. 9, 10, 1Pet. 3. 15. But it is impoffible, that this fhould be without knowledge. Hilary, faith well, For, none can speak, premmu? what she knows not; nor believe what he cannot speaki Which IX. But indeed, it must be confeffed, that in the pres yet in ma- fent dark state of our minds,even the most illuminated ny is very are ignorant of a great many things and that many things are believed with an implicite faith, efpecially by young beginners and babes in Chrift, fo far as they admit, in general, the whole Scriptures to be the infallible ftandard of what is to be believed in which are contained many things, which they do not underftand, and in as far as they embrace the leading doctrines of Christianity, in which many other truths concenter, which are thence deduced by evident confequence, and which they believe in their foundation or principal cas John writes concerning believers, that they knew all things, John 2 20% because they had learned by the teaching of the fpirit, that foundation ofwfoundations, to which all faving truths are reduced, and from which they are inferred, But I gora ftep farther it is poffible, that one, to whom God, who diftributes his bleffings as he pleafes, has meafured out a fmall degree of knowledge, may yet be most firmly rooted in the faith, even to maytyr

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dom. But then it no ways follows, that faith is bet ter defcribed by ignorance than by knowledge: ora that they do well, who cherish ignorance among thei people as the mother of faith and devotion, contrary to Col. 3. 16: for we can by no means believe, what we are quite ignorant of, Rom. 10. 14. And all fhould ftrive to have their faith as little implicit, and as much distinct as possible; as becometh thofe, who are filled with all knowledge, Rom. 15. 14. For the more diftinctly a perfon fees by the light of the Spirit, a truth revealed by God, and the rays of divi nity fhining therein, the more firm will be his belief of that truth. Those very martyrs, who,cim other refpects, were rude and ignorant, moft clearly and diftinctly faw thofe truths, for which they made no fcruple to lay down their lives, to be moft cer tain and divine; tho' perhaps they were not able to difpute much for them it unl

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X. Moreover, thofe things, which are neceffary to Summary be known by the perfon who would believe, are in general, the divinity of the Scriptures, into which to be. faith must be ultimately refolved; more efpecially, known. thofe things, which regard the obtaining of falvation in Chrift, which may fummarily be reduced to these three heads.ft, To know, that by find thou art eftranged from the life of God, and art come fort of the glory of God, Rom 3. 23. That it is not poffible, that either thou thyfelf, or an angel from heaven, or any creature in the world, nay, or all the creatures in the universe, can extricate thee from the abyfs of mifery, and restore thee to a state of happinefs. 2dly, That thou should know Chrift this Lord to be full of grace and truth, John 1. 14. who is that only name given under heaven, whereby we can be faved, AS 4. 12, and in the knowledge of whom confift eternal life, John 17. 3.bugdly, That thou shouldst know, that, in order to thy obtaining falvation in Chrift, it is neceffary that thou be united to Christ, by the spirit and by faith, and give up thySF 4 ats from felf

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