Chapter 38
That if the power and greatness of the work of Believing, be well pondered, we shall find great testimony, to prove, that it is much reason, that the understanding of man do serve God, by embracing of Faith.
HE1 that had light to know, and a steady hand to weigh, the very work of believing, would be in no necessity of other witnesses, towards the receiving thereof; but even therein, would find beauty to make him love it, & reason to embrace it. For who is he, that will not conceive it to be wholly fit, that a creature should serve his Creator with all his power; & withal his means? And so also, do all men know, that although we own him this service, withal that we have; yet specially since God is a spirit, the prime service that we are to do him, is with our spirit, through the likeness which it hath to God. And because in our spirit, there is reason, and there is a will; and that it cannot be denied, but that a man oweth God service by his will; for the same cause the service of the understanding, must not be denied. For there is no reason that man should serve God with the lesser faculties that he hath within him, and not serve him with the chief, which are his understanding, and his will.
Nor yet is it reason, that2 since the service that the will doth to God, is by obeying him, the understanding should remain without obedience to God. And as the obedience of the will, consisteth, in denying a man's own will, for doing of the will of God; so the service which the understanding is to do him, is to deny itself, for the believing of the truth of God. For if the service of the understanding, did consist in conceiving, or consenting to any thing, which it might be able to reach, by the only hand of reason; either it would not deserve the name of service, or at least but service of an inferior rank; since therein, there were no obedience. Or if there were any obedience, it would be but of the will, which God might command to impose upon the understanding, that it should think this, or that.
But, to the end, that the service, and obedience of the understanding, may be proper only to itself; it is necessary that it consent to somewhat which itself doth not understand; and thereby, it doth truly abase, and deny itself; and obey, and make itself captive, and do reverence, to the supreme God. Fulfilling that, which S. Paul3 requireth, That we must captivated our Understanding, to the service of Faith; which, in another place, is styled, The obedience of faith So4 also, as the goodness of God exacteth at our hands, that we love him; and his liberality requireth that we hope for mercy from him; in the same manner, doth his truth require, to be believed; since there is no less reason for the one of these, then for the other. And as the obedience which we give to God by our love, presupposeth that we deny the love of ourselves; and as the hope we have in him, is to work by an independence upon ourselves; in the same manner, the obedience which we are to yield to his truth, is performed, by a departure from our own seeming; and a belief of what he affirmeth, with greater constancy, then if ourselves did understand it. For otherwise, what should one be beholding for to another, in believing that which that other saith, not because he saith it, but because himself doth so understand it. But, believing beyond understanding, deserveth praise, as carrying difficulty with it; as one would trust without a pawn; or walk without a staff; or love an enemy, for God's sake. If therefore, it be done for God, it will be true virtue, and worthy to be offered to God; and to receive a reward at his hands. And since the will of a man is dedicated to God; and sanctified, by the abnegation of itself; the understanding must not rest, as if it were profane, by believing itself, without obedience to God. Since in heaven, it is to be made happy, by the clear vision of his face. For as S. Augustine saith, the reward of faith, is to See; so that no discourse of reason will permit, that the understanding should forbear to do service here on earth; now the service, which is proper to it, is by believing.
Footnotes
Chapter 40 of 115