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XII.

to Holy Men; and this is the Holy Scriptures, or the Bible, which is a Syftem or Collection of things Supernaturally reveal'd.

Now if this Faith be confider'd as reftrain'd to a part of Divine Revelation, viz. the Doctrine of the Gofpel, reveal'd to the World by Jefus Chrift, then it is properly Christian Faith, which frequently in the New Teftament is call'd Faith nar' icoxh, by way of excellency and eminency, this being the moft eminent and perfect Revelation which God hath made of himself to the World, which the Apostle at the beginning of this Epiftle advanceth above all thofe former Revelations which God had made of himself to the Fathers, those being by his Servants and Ministers, Prophets and Angels : But in thefe last days God hath revealed himfelf to us by his Son, whom he hath made Heir of all things, and advanced to a Dignity above that of Men or Angels.

And with relation to this Faith of the Gofpel, Chriftians are peculiarly

and

2. 10.

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II:

and eminently call'd believers. 1 Theff. M You know how unblameably we behaved our felves among you that believe, that is, among you Chriftians. 2 Theff. 1. 10. When he shall come to be glorified in his faints, and admired in all them that believe, meaning the Chriftians that entertain❜d the Gofpel. And upon the fame account the Apoftle calls the whole Society, or Body of Chriftians, the houshold of faith, Gal. 6. 10.

But now I am confidering Faith, not in this more narrow and restrained fenfe, for a Belief or Perfwafion of the Doctrine of the Gofpel; but in a more large and comprehenfive fenfe, for a perfwafion of all things that are fupernaturally revealed, that is, of all things contained in the Holy Scriptures.

Now all the matters of Divine Reve lation, which are contained in the Book of Holy Scripture, may, I think, be reduced to one of these fix heads.

1. They are either a Hiftory, or Relation of fome perfon, or matter of fact: and a Faith of the hiftorical part of Scripture, is nothing elfe but a PerE fwafion

fwafion that those narrations, or rela

Volume tions are true. Or,

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2. A Prophefie, or Prediction of fome event. Now a Faith of the Prophetical part of Scripture, is a Perfwafion that the Event foretold will certainly come to pass. Or,

3. A Doctrine. Such as are all thofe Propofitions in Scripture which declare to us the Nature or Properties of God, the Nature and Office of Chrift, that he is the eternal Son of God, that is, true God, the Meffias, or Saviour of the world, the King, Prieft, and Prophet of his Church, and the like. Now a Faith of the Doctrinal part of Scripture, is a Perfwafion that thofe Propofitions, which contain those Doctrines, are true. Or,

4. Laws for the Ordering and Governing of our Spirits and Lives, under which I comprehend all the Precepts and Prohibitions of Scripture, which are the matter of our duty. Now a Faith of these, is a Perfwafion, that God hath Commanded, and Forbidden fuch things; and con

fequently

fequently that they are neceffary to be obferved by us. Or,

5. Promifes of good things, either with relation to this life, or the other. Now a Faith of the Promises is a Perfwafion,or Confident expectation that they will be accomplish'd. And thus the Apostle defcribes the Faith of the Promises of another World, at the ift ver. of this Chapter, that it is the fubftance of things hoped for, irosaos, that is, a confident expectation that the Promises of the Gospel, which are the matter of our hope, íhall be accomplish'd; and the evidence of things not feen, a being convinced of the certainty and reality of future and invisible things. And thus likewise the Apoftle explains to us the Faith of Abraham, in reference to the Promises of God to give him a fon, Rom. 4. 21. He was fully perfwaded, that what God had promifed he was. able perform. Or,

6. Threatnings. Now a Faith of the Threatnings, is a Perfwafion of the danger we incurr, if we negle&

our

our duty; that is, a Belief that God Volume juftly may, and will (having confirXII. med his threatnings with Oath, which

is a fign of the immutable determination of the Divine Will) inflict those Punishments upon us, which he hath threatned, in case we disobey his laws. Thefe fix heads do, I think, contain all, I am fure the most Principal matters of Divine Revelation; which I have the more carefully distinguish'd, because some of them are of a diftinct and peculiar Confideration from the reft, as will afterwards appear.

Having thus, as plainly and briefly as I could, opened to you, what I mean by this fecond fort of Divine Faith, which is a Perfwafion of things Supernaturally revealed, I now come to fatiffie fuch enquiries about this, as may be moft material. And here I fhall proceed upon thofe heads of enquiry which I handled when I fpake of the firft fort of Divine Faith.

I. Whether this may truly and perly be call'd Faith?

pra

II. What