Sermon

World, they may have as great an Effect upon us, as if they were present to us, and we faw them with YI. our bodily Eyes.

SERMON VII.

Of the Christan Faith, the Means of its Conveyance, and our Obligation to receive it.

Sermon
VII.

The First Sermon on this Text.

JOHN XX. 31.

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing ye might have life through his Name.

Have largely Difcoursed concerning the general Nature of Faith, and more particularly concerning the Faith which is truly Divine and Religious; in the latitude of which is

contained a Perswafion concerning the Volume Principles of Natural Religion, the XII. Being of God, the Immortality of

the Soul, and a Future State; and a Perswasion of the Divine Revelation of the Scriptures, and the matters contained in them. Now among matters of Divine Revelation, the Doctrine of the Gospel is a principal part; which is the last and most perfect Revelation which God hath made to the World, by his Son Jesus Chrift; and a firm belief and perswafion of this, is that which is call'd Christian Faith, or the Faith of the Gofpel; and which by way of Eminency, is ufually call'd Faith in the new Testa

ment.

Now Chriftian Faith is not opposed to a Divine Faith, but is comprehended under it; as being a principal and eminent part of Divine Faith, but not all that which may be call'd Divine Faith. Chriftian Faith fupposeth a Belief of the Principles of Natural Religion; and a Belief of those Revelations which God formerly made under the old Testament: But it doth only formally contain in

it a Belief of the Gofpel, viz. That Revelation which God hath in these Sermon laft days made to the World by his VII, Son Jesus Christ. The Heathens who were deftitute of Divine Revelation, did only believe the Principles of Natural Religion; and the generality of them did not believe those, but in a very imperfect manner. The Jews, to whom committed the Oracle's of God, did fuperadd to the belief of the Principles of Natural Religion, the belief of fuch Revelations as God was pleased to make to them under that Dispensation. Christian Faith superadds to both the former, a belief of the Revelation of the Gofpel.

were

I shall now therefore by God's af sistance, endeavour to open to you the Nature of Christian Faith from these words; in which you have these three things confiderable.

First, The End of committing the Gofpel to Writing, which was to perfwade men to believe in Chrift, to propagate and continue Chriftian Faith in the World; these things are

written that you might believe that Je