S e c r. I. TheDaifrineendZlfefalneff®fSi;n.6. 4ï others. And in this fenfeChriftwas baptized, and was made partaker Of other Sacraments ( forwemay not fay, Chrift therefore ufed the Sacraments; that he might fanftifie them, för they were fanftified by their inftitution.) z. There is that which is fpecial in the Sacraments , viz. Remiffion of Linne , encreafe of grace, e5-c. and thus only the members of the militantChurch do partake ofthem. Secondly, Itcannot be denied but that it is amore noble and excellent way to be á lieve¡tithe Promifr, by a faith of dependency and adherence, then to believe upon thefenfeand evidenceofGraces inm, yet this latter alfaialawfeollandencouraged by God; For therefore it was that God gave thegift ofmiracles; that by Cull won- derful) thingsappearing to fenfe, they might be perfwaded to believe in God. Wehave a clear nftanceinThómaa John zo. where he isreproved-for his unbe- lief: but upon hisPeeing and feeling the wounds of Chrift, he makes a clearcon- feffwn, MyGod, andmy' Lord. This was laudable in him, but yet faith our Sa- viour, Blefed aretheythat believe and fee not. Where Thomas is not excluded fromblel1ednelfe, though he did believe and fee, butonly the former (hew fórth a more bleffedworkofgrace upon themfelves. We may therefore believe becaufeof GodsWord ; andwemay believe becailfe Offenfe : this maybe an helpto ourfaith, and therefore Godhuh appointed Sacraments for this end, not thatthe things we feeare properly the objeftofour faith, for Vbi vides,non fides, Faith is the evidenceofthings notfern. Thus Thomas hadone thing for the objeftofhisfight and feeling, which was the wounds of Chrifts body, andano- ther thing for theobjeftof his faith, whichwas, That Chrift was God. Thus inthe Sacrament, Thatwhich is the objeft of our fenfe, is not the objeft Of our faith, only weare helpt by thefe, as motives tobelieve. Although therefore to have ny help from fenlèto believe, be a comparative weakneffe, yet fuppofing this condition we arein, it is aduty to be encouraged thereby. Hence he that did believe becaufe ofmiracles, did his duty; and finnednot therein : yeaAhaz is feverely rebuked, becaufe he would nottakea figne to confirm his faith in the promifeGodmadefor theKingdoms deliverance. A fecondDoubt, whenWe receiveevidence from oser graces, do We not receive an Doubt as humane teflimeny; towitnefe the things ofGod, andhow incongruous is that ? Such astheobjeft is, fuch the tellimony ought to be, but theobjet witneffed is Di-. vine, vie.. thatwe are the children of God, and therefore the Witneffe al- fo ought to be Divine. This fotne have prelfed againft evidences by fanetifr- catíon. But fiat, An humane teflimony maybe an introdutfory preparation, to believe that flnfw.i which is Divine. And in this fenfe, there is an humane Witneffe to the things of God. ThusthewomanofSamaria witneffedof,Chrift,and they weremoved by berteltimóny, althoughafterwards they did believe, becaufeofChrift himfelf. Thusalfo fohn BaptifibareWitneffeof .Chrili and inthis fenfe our Divines ac- knowledge the Authorityof theChurch, and fo explain that of Angufline, who Paid, He would not have believed the Scriptures, hadnot the Authorityofthe Churchmovedhim. Secondly, Wefay.not theGracesofGods Spirit, can or do witneffe of tbemfelves, Thefealingand witneng ís efficiently from the Spirit of God, theyare only the means bywhich GodsSpirit snakykaownitfelf. And therefore ascolours; though they be the objet of fight, yet theycannotaltually be feenwithout light fhining up- on them: foneithcr arewe sble to behold the good things God bath wrought foruswithout theSpirit ofGod. Thirdly, The GracesofGodthree collnffrated, are not an humane teflimony,bat di- p. vineand infallible. Forks afupernaturalteltimony, both in the efficient caufe, andin themeans by which; fo thatas thegodly aftions we do are not humane; or by thepower. of free-will; - butdivinearifingfroma fupernaéural principle of gracewithin us; foneítheris this te(1imoon z or confolatioñ4iovsingfront it, to be H ittribd.
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