CCXX. SER M. the gospel, because he had no need of that, being called immediately by CHRIST to this work; which words are nothing elfe but a farther explication of what he had faid before, ver. 11, 12. "I certify you, "brethren, that the gospel which was preached by 66 me, is not after man. For I neither received it of "man, neither was taught it, but by the revelation "of JESUS CHRIST." So accordingly here our SAVIOUR tells Peter that this truth," that CHRIST was "the Meffias, the Son of the living GOD, was not "revealed to him by man," nor by any mere human principle or teftimony, "but by his Father "which was in heaven;" that is, by the testimony which God himself gave of him in the holy and divine gospel which he taught, and thofe miracles which he wrought in confirmation of it. So that this kind of faith is a perfuafion of fuch things as are not known by natural light, or difcover'd to us by men, but fome way or other revealed by GoD; I fay fome way or other; for the ways of GOD's revealing and manifefting himself to us are various and arbitrary. GOD may choose what ways he pleaseth to discover himself to us by. So the apoftle tells us, Heb. i. I. "GOD, who at fundry times, and "in divers manners fpake in times paft unto the fa"thers by the prophets." GOD revealed himself as at feveral times, by feveral fteps and degrees; fo in various manners; fometimes by vifions, fometimes by dreams, fometimes by oracles, fometimes by a fpirit of prophefy, and fometimes by a voice from heaven, fometimes by a fecret and gentle infpiration. Now it matters not which of thefe ways GoD chufeth to reveal himself to us, provided we have fufficient evidence and grounds of affurance that the thing is revealed by God. As CCXX. As to us, these extraordinary ways of revelation areS ER M. now ceased, and we have a fixed and standing revelation, that is, the records of thofe revelations which GOD formerly made to holy men; and this is the holy fcriptures, or the Bible, which is a fyftem or collection of things fupernaturally revealed. Now if this faith be confidered as reftrained to a part of divine revelation, viz. the doctrine of the gofpel, revealed to the world by JESUS CHRIST, then it is properly christian faith, which frequently in the new teftament is called faith xal ex, by way of excellency and eminency, this being the most eminent and. perfect revelation which God hath made of himself. to the world, which the apoftle at the beginning of this epiftle advanceth above all thofe former revelations which GOD had made of himself to the fathers,. thofe being by his fervants and minifters, prophets and angels: "but in these last days, GOD hath revealed "himself 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 gospel, Chriflians are peculiarly and eminently called believers. 1 Theff. ii. 10. "You know how unblameably we "behaved ourselves among you that believe," that is, among you Chriftians. 2 Theff. i. 10. "When he "fhall come to be glorified in his faints, and admir"ed in all them that believe," meaning the. Chri- ; ftians that entertained the gofpel. And upon the fame account the apoftle calls the whole fociety, or body of Christians, the houshold of faith," Gal. vi. 10. 66 But now I am confidering faith, not in this more narrow and restrained fenfe, for a belief or perfuafion. of the doctrine of the gofpel; but in a more large and comprehenfive fenfe, for a perfuafion of all things that VOL. XI. N are SER M. are fupernaturally revealed, that is, of all things contained in the holy fcriptures.: CCXX. Now all the matters of divine revelation, which are contained in the book of holy fcripture, may, I think, be reduced to one of these fix heads. 1. They are either a history or relation of fome perfon, or matter of fact: and a faith of the hiftorical part of fcripture is nothing elfe but a perfuafion that thofe narrations or relations are true. Or, 2. A prophecy or prediction of fome event. Now a faith of the prophetical part of fcripture, is a perfuafion that the event foretold will certainly come to pass. Or, 3. A doctrine. Such as are all those propofitions in fcripture which declare to us the nature or properties of God, the nature and office of CHRIST, 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 fcripture, is a perfuafion that thofe propofitions, which contain these doctrines, are true. Or, 4. Laws for the ordering and governing of our fpirits and lives, under which I comprehend all the precepts and prohibitions of fcripture, which are the matter of our duty. Now a faith of these is a perfuafion that God hath commanded and forbidden fuch things; and confequently 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 perfuafion, or confident expectation, that they will be accomplished. And thus the apoftle defcribes the faith of the promises of another world, at the ift ver. of this chap. that it is" the fubftance of things "hoped ! ઃઃ hoped for," @igaois, that is, a confident expectation that the promises of the gospel, which are the, matter of our hope, fhall be accomplished; " and the "evidence of things not feen," a being convinced of the certainty and reality of future and invisible things. And thus likewife the apostle explains to us the faith of Abraham, in reference to the promises of God to give him a fon, Rom. iv. 21. " he was fully perfuad❝ed, that what God had promifed he was able to "perform." Or, 6. Threatnings. Now a faith of the threatnings is a perfuafion of the danger we incur, if we neglect our duty; that is, a belief that God juftly may, and will (having confirmed his threatnings with an oath, which is a fign of the immutable determination of the divine will (inflict thofe punishments upon us, which he hath threatned, in cafe we disobey his laws. These fix heads do, I think, contain all, I am fure the most principal matters of divine revelation; which I have the more carefully diftinguifhed, becaufe fome of them. are of a distinct and peculiar confideration from the rest, 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 perfuafion of things fupernaturally revealed, I now come to fatisfy fuch enquiries. about this as may be moft material. And here I fhall proceed upon those heads of enquiry which I handled when I (pake of the first fort of divine faith, I. Whether this may truly and properly be called faith?.... II. What is the argument whereby this faith is wrought? III. Whether it admit of degrees, and what are the differences of them? SERM. CCXX. SERM. IV. What are the proper and genuine effects of CCXX. this faith? V. In what refpects it may be faid to be divine? I. Whether this may truly and properly be called faith? And that it may, is evident, because the ge-; neral definition of faith agrees to it: for a man may be perfuaded in his mind concerning things fuperna-, turally revealed; and the fcripture every where calls a perfuafion of thefe matters by the name of faith. But befides this, it feems this is the adequate and only. notion of faith, as it hath been fixed by the schools, and is become a term of art. For the definition that: that it is an affent to Now, say they, that is the schools give of faith is this; II. What is the argument whereby this faith, or perfuafion of things fupernaturally revealed is wrought in us? And this, by the general confent of all, is the testimony or authority of Gon, fome way or other revealing these things to us; whofe infallible and unerring knowledge, together with his goodness and authority, gives us the highest affurance, that he neither can |
