Objection VII.

'Tis manifest that diverse weak peo∣ple assent upon very Inconclusive, nay silly, or less than probable Motives; whom yet no sober man will deny have saving Faith; the true nature of Faith then requires not necessarily motives Impossible to be False, or that Faith be True to us, but may be without any such qualification.

Answer. When we say Faith is Im∣possible to be False, we take the word [Faith] in its proper and primary sig∣nification; now, that being the proper signification of a word that is most usual, and that most usual which is found in the Generality of the users of it, the proper signification (that is the true nature) of Faith is that which is found in the generality of Christians; which being evidently an Assent to be adher'd to all one's life, to be dy'd in, and dy'd for, and the Object, or Form of that Assent being Truths; and, so, it self True; 'tis most manifestly, in each of those regards, imply'd that it must be Impossible to be False to us, or to the Ge∣nerality Page  165 of Christians; that is, it must have Grounds able to show it, nay actu∣ally showing it so to them, whatever Contingency may happen in a few par∣ticulars for want of applying to them the right Rule of Faith. Besides, Faith must be a Knowledg of Divine things, a virtuous Act, and, so, rat•onal; and a most efficacious Cause of working for Hea∣ven: Also, its Grounds must be apt to establish the most Speculative Faithful, to convert or confound the most acute Witts denying or opposing it, &c. all which and much more is prov'd in the First discourse of Sure Footing by argu∣ments as yet not attempted to be in∣validated by any; however something hath been offer'd against those Con∣clusions: Which Attributes it cannot possibly justify, nor yet perform those Offices, without being True to us, or having Grounds Impossible to be False. The word [Faith] then, apply'd to those weak persons now spoken of, signifies not the same as when 'tis found in the Generality of Assenters; but, meerly, a simple credulity of any thing told them by a person that looks seriously when he speaks it, and is conceited by Page  166 the Beleever to be wiser, or to have heard more than himself. Which kind of Assent, if it be seconded by favourable circumstances laid by God's Providence, especially by such means as are found in the Discipline of the Church, so as it begets a love of Heaven above all things, may suffice to save those weak and well meaning Catholicks. But, how incom∣petent an Assent no better grounded were for the establishment or propaga∣tion of Christianity; that is, how in∣sufficient for the Body of the Faithful or the Church; how unfit for the Ends, and unable to produce the Effects true Faith (or the Faith found in the Gene∣rality of the Faithful) ought to do, needs no declaration to manifest it; since no person of ordinary capacity can without difficulty refrain from smi∣ling at the ridiculous levity of such kind of Assenters.