CHAPTER XLVIII
How we must believe certain Things of God's Truth beforehand, ere
we can come to a true Knowledge and Experience thereof.
Christ said, "He that believeth not," or will not or cannot believe, "shall be
damned." It is so of a truth; for a man, while he is in this present time, hath
not knowledge; and he cannot attain unto it, unless he first believe. And he
who would know before he believeth, cometh never to true knowledge. We speak
not here of the articles of the Christian faith, for every one believeth them,
and they are common to every Christian man, whether he be sinful or saved, good
or wicked; and they must be believed in the first place, for without that, one
cannot come to know them. But we are speaking of a certain Truth which it is
possible to know by experience, but which ye must believe in, before that ye
know it by experience, else ye will never come to know it truly. This is the
faith of which Christ speaketh in that saying of His.