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Sermon

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

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SERMON VII.

Sermon
VII.

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

The First Sermon on this Text.

JOHN XX. 31.

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

I

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

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

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

ment.

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

it a Belief of the Gofpel, viz. That Revelation which God hath in thefe Sermon laft days made to the World by his VII, Son Jefus Chrift. The Heathens who were deftitute of Divine Revelation, did only believe the Principles of Natural Religion; and the generality of them did not believe thofe, but in a very imperfect manner. The Jews, to whom were 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 Difpenfation. Chriftian Faith fuperadds to both the former, a belief of the Revelation of the Gofpel.

I fhall now therefore by God's af fiftance, endeavour to open to you the Nature of Chriftian 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; thefe things are written that you might believe that Je

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