to understand the general Nature of

it.

Secondly, To confirm the Truth of the Propofition.

Thirdly, Draw fome Inferences from hence.

First, To fettle and fix the true Notion of Faith, whereby we may come to understand the general Nature of it. I find that most who write upon this Subject have marvellously puzzled themselves with the various Acceptations of this word wigs, and the verb Téver, infomuch that fome have undertaken to enumerate above twenty distinct fignifications of this word. I cannot find fo many, it may be others may: but hereby, inftead of clearing the notion of Faith, they have involved it, and made it more intricate, and have made men believe, that it is a Notion very remote from common Understanding whereas there is not any Word that is in common ufe, that is more plain and eafie, and which any one may understand better than this of Faith and Believing.

Therefore

Sermon

I.

Volume Therefore in the Explication of it, XII. I fhall attend to the use of it in common speech, and in all Authors as well Prophane as Sacred; and I fhall not guide my felf by Terms of Art, which have been received in the Schools, and have confounded the meaning of Words, by distorting them from the common and received use of them; but fhall govern my self by the nature of things to which this Word in common use is apply'd.

I fhall remove two Acceptations of it which are less usual, and then fix the common and general Notion of it, to which all the other more particular Significations may be referr'd. The two lefs ufual Acceptations are thefe.

First, It is fometimes put for the particular Grace or Virtue which is call'dFidelity,orFaithfulness in our Promises and Contracts; and in this fenfe it is fometimes ufed in common Dif course, and in all forts of Writers. I fhall only mention a Text or two where it is fo taken. Matt. 23. 23. And have omitted the weightier things of

the

3.3.

the law, judgment, and mercy, and faith, that is, fidelity. And Rom. 3. 3. with Sermon relation to God, Shall their unbelief I. make the faith of God of none effect? that is, his faithfulness in his Promises. Tit. 2. 10. Not purloining, but fhewing all good fidelity, mis nãoav, all Faith.

Secondly, It is fometimes put for fpiritual Gifts, and particularly the Gift of Miracles, which were wrought by the power of Faith. Rom. 12. 3. According as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith; that is, of fpiritual Gifts, of Prophefying, or Miniftry, or Exhortation, as it is explain'd afterward. I Cor. 12.9. To another is given faith by the fame Spirit, that is, a power of Miracles in general, as learned Interpreters think, Nor doth ༣༥༤ that which is added afterward, that to another is given the working of miracles, prejudice this Interpretation; for evepInμara Surajewv, the operation of powers, which we render of miracles, feems to fignifie fome fpecial fort of Miracles, not the power of Miracles in general, And this feems to be favour'd by the acceptation of it in the next Chapter, ver. 2. And though I have all faith, so

that

that I could remove Mountains; where Volume Faith is undoubtedly taken for the XII. power of Miracles.

These being removed, as very alien and remote from the common and ufual Acceptation of the Word, I come now to fix the general Notion of Faitli, to which all other Acceptations of it may eafily be reduced; and 'tis this.

Faith is a Perfwasion of the mind concerning any thing; concerning the truth of any Propofition, concerning the Exiftence, or Futurition, or Lawfulnefs, or Convenience, or Poffibility, or Goodness of any thing, or the contrary; or concerning the Credit of a Perfon, or the contrary. And this notion is not only agreeable to the proper notion of the word rins, which comes from red to perfwade, but is warranted from the common use of it in this latitude. It is ordinary for men to fay, they believe or are perfwaded fuch a Propofition is true or falfe, fuch a thing is or is not, fuch an Event will be or will not be, that fuch an Action is lawful or unlawful, fuch a thing is good or bad, convenient or inconve

nient,

nient, poffible or impoffible to be done; or that they believe fuch a Perfon, or do not believe him. And I could fhew from Scripture that believing is apply'd to all these matters, and many more; I will only inftance in one or two.

That Faith is frequently used for the perfwasion of the Truth of a Doctrine, or of the Veracity of God or Chrift, I shall not need to produce any Texts, there are so many.

That Faith is ufed for a Perfwafion of the lawfulness of an Action, the 14th Chap. to the Romans doth abundantly teftifie. Ver. 2. One believeth that he may eat all things; that is, is perfwaded in his mind that all forts of Meat are lawful without distinction. Ver. 22. Haft thou faith? that is, art thou perfwaded or fatisfied in thy mind of the lawfulness of those indifferent things he had been speaking of. Ver. 23. He that doubteth is damned if he eat, becaufe he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith,is fin; that is, whatever is not done with the Perfwafion and Satisfaction of our Minds that we may C lawfully