religion-第17部分

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sometimes　another　seeme　to　be　apprehended　by　us；　then　we　are　said
to　thinke。　For　example；　if　it　be　propounded　that　two　and　three
makes　five；　and　by　calling　to　minde　the　order　of　those　numerall
words；　that　it　is　so　appointed　by　the　common　consent　of　them　who
are　of　the　same　language　with　us；　（as　it　were　by　a　certaine
contract　necessary　for　humane　society）　that　five　shall　be　the
name　of　so　many　unities　as　are　contain'd　in　two　and　three　taken
together；　a　man　assents；　that　this　is　therefore　true　because　two
and　three　together；　are　the　same　with　five。　This　assent　shall　be
called　knowledge；　and　to　know　this　truth　is　nothing　else　but　to
acknowledge　that　it　is　made　by　our　selves；　For　by　whose　will　and
rules　of　speaking　the　number。。。　is　called　two；。。。　is　called
three；　&c。。。　is　called　five；　by　their　will　also　it　comes　to
passe；　that　this　Proposition　is　true；　Two　and　three　taken
together　makes　five。　In　like　manner　if　we　remember　what　it　is
that　is　called　theft；　and　what　injury；　we　shall　understand　by　the
words　themselves；　whether　it　be　true　that　theft　is　an　injury；　or
not。　Truth　is　the　same　with　a　true　Proposition；　but　the
Proposition　is　true　in　which　the　word　consequent；　which　by
Logicians　is　called　the　praedicate；　embraceth　the　word　antecedent
in　its　amplitude；　which　they　call　the　Subject；　and　to　know　truth
is　the　same　thing　as　to　remember　that　it　was　made　by　our　selves
in　the　common　use　of　words。　Neither　was　it　rashly；　or　unadvisedly
said　by　Plato　of　old；　that　knowledge　was　memory。　But　it　happens
sometimes　that　words　although　they　have　a　certaine；　and　defin'd
signification　by　constitution；　yet　by　vulgar　use　either　to
adorne；　or　deceive；　they　are　so　wrested　from　their　owne
significations；　that　to　remember　the　conceptions　for　which　they
were　first　impos'd　on　things　is　very　hard；　and　not　to　be
maistered　but　by　a　sharpe　judgement；　and　very　great　diligence。　It
happens　too；　that　there　are　many　words　which　have　no　proper；
determin'd；　and　every　where　the　same　signification；　and　are
understood　not　by　their　owne；　but　by　vertue　of　other　signes　us'd
together　with　them。　Thirdly；　there　are　some　words　of　things
unconceivable；　of　those　things　therefore　whereof　they　are　the
words；　there　is　no　conception；　and　therefore　in　vaine　doe　we
seeke　for　the　truth　of　those　Propositions；　which　they　make　out　of
the　words　themselves。　In　these　cases；　while　by　considering　the
definitions　of　words　we　search　out　the　truth　of　some　proposition；
according　to　the　hope　we　have　of　finding　it；　we　thinke　it
sometimes　true；　and　sometimes　false；　either　of　which　apart　is
called　thinking；　and　also　beleeving；　both　together；　doubting。　But
when　our　reasons　for　which　we　assent　to　some　Proposition；　derive
not　from　the　Proposition　it　selfe；　but　from　the　Person
Propounding；　whom　we　esteeme　so　learned　that　he　is　not　deceiv'd；
and　we　see　no　reason　why　he　should　deceive　us；　our　assent；
because　it　growes　not　from　any　confidence　of　our　owne；　but　from
another　mans　knowledge；　is　called　Faith：　And　by　the　confidence　of
whom；　we　doe　beleeve；　we　are　said　to　trust　them；　or　to　trust　in
them。　By　what　hath　been　said；　the　difference　appeares　first
betweene　Faith；　and　Profession；　for　that　is　alwaies　joyn'd　with
inward　assent；　this　not　alwayes；　That　is　an　inward　perswasion　of
the　minde；　this　an　outward　obedience。　Next；　betweene　Faith；　and
Opinion；　for　this　depends　on　our　owne　reason；　that　on　the　good
esteeme　we　have　of　another。　Lastly　betweene　Faith　and　Knowledge；
for　this　deliberately　takes　a　proposition　broken；　and　chewed；
that　swallowes　downe　whole　and　entire。　The　explication　of　words；
whereby　the　matter　enquir'd　after　is　propounded；　is　conducible　to
knowledge；　nay；　the　onely　way　to　know；　is　by　definition。　But　this
is　prejudiciall　to　Faith；　for　those　things　which　exceede　humane
capacity；　and　are　propounded　to　be　beleev'd；　are　never　more
evident　by　explication；　but　on　the　contrary　more　obscure；　and
harder　to　be　credited。　And　the　same　thing　befalls　a　man　who
endeavours　to　demonstrate　the　mysteries　of　Faith　by　naturall
reason；　which　happens　to　a　sick　man；　who　will　needs　chew　before
he　will　swallow　his　wholsome；　but　bitter　Pills；　whence　it　comes
to　passe；　that　he　presently　brings　them　up　againe；　which　perhaps
would　otherwise；　if　he　had　taken　them　well　downe；　have　prov'd　his
remedy。
　　　　V。　We　have　seene　therefore　what　it　is　to　beleeve。　But　what　is
it　to　beleeve　in　CHRIST？　Or　what　Proposition　is　that　which　is　the
object　of　our　Faith　in　CHRIST？　For　when　we　say；　I　beleeve　in
CHRIST；　we　signifie　indeed　Whom；　but　not　What　we　beleeve。　Now；　to
beleeve　in　CHRIST　is　nothing　else　but　to　beleeve　that　JESUS　IS
THE　CHRIST；　namely　Hee；　who　according　to　the　Prophesies　of
Moyses；　and　the　Prophets　of　Israel；　was　to　come　into　this　world
to　institute　the　Kingdome　of　God。　And　this　sufficiently　appeares
out　of　the　words　of　CHRIST　himselfe　to　Martha：　I　am　（saith　he）
the　Resurrection　and　the　life；　HE　THAT　BELEEVETH　IN　ME；　though　he
were　dead；　yet　he　shall　live；　and　WHOSOEVER　LIVETH；　AND　BELEEVETH
IN　ME；　shall　never　dye。　Beleevest　thou　this？　She　saith　unto　him；
Yea　Lord；　I　beleeve　that　THOU　ART　THE　CHRIST　the　Son　of　God；
which　should　come　into　the　world。　John　11。　ver。　25；　26；　27。　In
which　words　we　see　that　the　question　BELEEVEST　THOU。　IN　ME？　is
expounded　by　the　answer；　THOU　ART　THE　CHRIST。　To　beleeve　in
CHRIST　therefore　is　nothing　else　but　to　beleeve　JESUS　HIMSELFE
saying　that　he　is　THE　CHRIST。
　　　　VI。　Faith　and　Obedience　both　necessarily　concurring　to
Salvation；　what　kinde　of　Obedience　that　same　is；　and　to　whom　due；
hath　beene　shewed　above　in　the　3。　Article。　But　now　we　must
enquire　what　articles　of　Faith　are　requisite：　And）　I　say；　that　to
a　Christian　there　is　no　other　article　of　Faith　requisite　as
necessary　to　Salvation；　but　only　this；　THAT　JESUS　IS　THE　CHRIST。
But　we　must　distinguish　（as　we　have　already　done　before　in　the　4。
Article）　betweene　Faith；　and　Profession。　A　Profession　therefore
of　more　articles　（if　they　be　commanded）　may　be　necessary。　for　it
is　a　part　of　our　obedience　due　to　the　Lawes；　but　we　enquire　not
now　what　Obedience；　but　what　Faith　is　necessary　to　salvation。　And
this　is　prov'd　first　out　of　the　scope　of　the　Evangelists　which
was　by　the　description　of　our　Saviours　life　to　establish　this　one
Article。　And　we　shall　know　that　such　was　the　scope；　and　counsell
of　the　Evangelists；　if　we　observe　but　the　History　it　selfe。　Saint
Matthew　beginning　at　his　Genealogy　shewes　that　JESUS　was　of　the
linage　of　David；　borne　of　a　Virgin；　Chap。　1。　that　He　was　adored
by　the　Wise　men　as　King　of　the　Jewes；　that　Herod　for　the　same
cause　sought　to　slay　him；　Chap。　2。　That　his　Kingdome　was　Preacht
both　by　john　the　Baptist；　and　Himselfe；　Chap。　3；　4。　That　He
taught　the　Lawes；　not　as　the　Scribes；　but　as　one　having
authority；　Chap。　5；　6；　7。　That　he　cur'd　diseases　miraculously；
Chap。　8；　9。　That　He　sent　his　Apostles　the　Preachers　of　his
Kingdome　throughout　all　the　parts　of　judea；　to　proclame　his
Kingdome；　Chap。　10。　That　He　commanded　the　Messengers　sent　from
john　to　enquire　whether　he　were　the　CHRIST　or　not；　to　tell　him
what　they　had　seene；　namely　the　miracles　which　were　onely
competible　with　CHRIST；　Chap。　11。　That　he　prov'd　and　declar'd　his
Kingdome　to　the　Pharisees；　and　others　by　arguments；　parables　and
signes；　Chap：　12。　and　the　following　Chapters　to　the　21。　That　He
maintain'd　himselfe　to　be　the　Christ　against　the　Pharisees；　That
He　was　saluted　with　the　title　of　King；　when　he　entred　into
Jerusalem；　Chap。　21。　That　he　forewarn'd　others　of　false　Christs；
and　That　He　shewed　in　Parables　what　manner　of　Kingdome　his　should
be；　Chap。　22；　23；　24；　25。　That　He　was　taken；　and　accused　for　this
reason；　because　He　said　He　was　a　King；　and　that　a　Title　was
written　on　his　Crosse；　THIS　IS　JESUS；　THE　KING　OF　THE　JEWES；
Chap。　26；　27。　Lastly；　that　after　his　resurrection；　He　told　his
Apostles　that　all　power　was　given　unto　Him　both　in　Heaven；　and　in
Earth；　Chap。　28。　All　which　tends　to　this　end；　That　we　should
beleeve　Jesus　to　be　the　Christ。　Such　therefore　was　the　Scope　of
Saint　Matthew　in　describing　his　Gospell；　but　such　as　his　was；
such　also　was　the　rest　of　the　Evangelists；　which　Saint　Iohn　sets
down　expresly　in　the　end　of　his　Gospel；　These　things　（saith　He）
are　written；　that　ye　may　know　that　Jesus　is　the　Christ；　the　Sonne
of　the　living　God。　Iohn　20。　vers。　31。
　　　　I　say；　that　to　a　Christian。　Although　I　conceive　this
assertion　to　be　sufficiently　proved　by　the　following　reasons；　yet
I　thought　it　worth　my　labour　to　make　a　more　ample　explication　of
it；　because　I　perceive　that　being　somewhat　new；　it　may　possibly
be　distastfull　to　many　Divines。　First　therefore　when　I　say　this
Article；　That　Jesus　is　the　Christ；　is　necessary　to　salvation；　I
say　not　that　Faith　onely　is　necessary；　but　I　require　justice
also；　or　that　Obedience　which　is　due　to　the　Lawes　of　God；　that　is
to　say；　a　Will　to　live　righteously。　Secondly；　I　deny　not　but　the
profession　of　many　Articles；　（provided　that　that　profession　be
commanded　by　the　Church）　is　also　necessary　to　salvation；　but
seeing　Faith　is　internall；　Profession　externall；　I　say　that　the
former　onely　is　properly　Faith；　the　latter　a　part　of　Obedience；
insomuch　as　that　Article　alone　sufficeth　for　inward　beleefe；　but
is　not　sufficient　for　the　outward　profession　of　a　Christian。
Lastly；　even　as　if　I　had　said　that　true　and　inward　Repentance　of
sinnes　was　onely　necessary　to　salvation；　yet　were　it　not　to　be
held　for　a　Paradox；　because　we　suppose　justice；　Obedience；　and　a
mind　reformed　in　all　manner　of　vertues　to　be　contained　in　it：　so
when　I　say　that　the　Faith　of　one　Article　is　sufficient　to
salvation；　it　may　well　be　lesse　wondred　at；　seeing　that　in　it　so
many　other　Articles　are　contained。　For　these　words；　Jesus　is　the
Christ；　do　signifie　that　Jesus　was　that　Person　whom　God　had
promised　by　his　Prophets　should　come　into　the　world　to　establish
his　Kingdom；　that　is　to　say；　that　Jesus　is　the　Sonne　of　God；　the
Creatour　of　Heaven　and　Earth；　born　of　a　Virgin；　dying　for　the
sinnes　of　them　who　should　beleeve　in　Him；　that　Hee　was　Christ；
that　is　to　say　a　King；　that　He　reviv'd　（for　else　He　were　not　like
to　reign）　to　judge　the　world；　and　to　reward　every　one　according
to　his　works；　for　otherwise　he　cannot　be　a　King；　also　that　men