Of the Faith or Perswasion of a : Divine Revelation. The fourth Sermon on this Text. 1. HEB. XI. 6. But without Faith it is impossible to please God. TN discoursing of the Faith or Per fwasion of a Divine Revelation, I propos’d the considering these seven things. I. What we understand by a Divine Revelation. II. The Voluine 11. The feveral kinds of it. -- III. Whether a Perswasion concerning a Divine Revelation be properly Faith. OOMININA T! IV. How we may come to be afsured of a Divine Revelation; or by what Arguments, a Faith or Perswa fion of a Divine Revelation is wrought in us. V. The degrees of this Perswalion or Assurance. : visu VI. The Effects of it. VII. In what sense it may be faid to be a divine Faith.. I was upon the [IVth] of these, viz. Considering by what Arguments à Faithor Perfwasion of a Divine Revelation is wrought in us; which led me to consider the Evidence of Miracles; and I propos'd to thew particularly these three things. 1. That the divine Authority both of of the Doctrine of Moses and Christ, is resoly'd into Miracles. Sermon IV, 2. What assurance of Miracles is fufficient to perswade men to believe that Testimony, for the Confirmation of which they are wrought. 3. What assurance they give us, that the Scriptures are a Divine Re- velation, . I proceed to treat of these in their order...; 1. I shall shew that the divine Authority both of the Doctrine of Mofes, and of Christ, is resolved into Miracles. We find the Scripture lays the whole weight of the divine Authority both of the Law and Gospel, of the revelation of the Old and New Testament, upon this Evidence. Exod. 4. 1, 2, 3. When God sends Moses, he objects, That they will not believe him, nor bearken to him, but will say, The Lord hath not appeared unto him. Thereupon God gives him a power of Miracles, that they may believe, That the Lord God of their Fathers, to a Prophet prevailed with confirm his Fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Volume and Facob had appeared unto them; and XII. by the evidence of those Miracles which he wrought he prevail dover the Magicians. And generally throughout the Story of the Old Testament we find all persons yielding to the evidencé of Miracles, as a fufficient attestation to a Propliet and his Message. When Elijah had prevailed with God in a miraculous manner, to confirm his own Worship, and confute the WorPhip of Baal, by sending Fire from Heaven to consume the Sacrifice, the People yield to thiş Evidence, and cry out, The Lord he is God, the Lord he is Gód, 1 Kings 18. 39. When Elijah raised the Woman's Son, then The own'd him for a Prophet, 1 King's 17.24. Now by this I know that thon art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true. So likewise Naaman was convinced by the miraculous Cure which the Prá phet Elifba wrought on him, 2 Kings 5.15. Behold! now I know that there is no God in all the Earth but in I rael. 1.7 mil u |