SERM. feeni to be the conclufion of the whole gospel writCCXXV. ten by the four evangelifts; and then the sense of them will be this; "many other figns truly did JE

sus in the prefence of his difciples, which are not "written in this book" that is, the difciples were witneffes of many other miracles which CHRIST wrought, which they did not think neceffary to fet down in this book, that is, in this history of CHRIST witten by the four evangelifts: "But thefe are writ

ten, that ye might believe that JESUS is the CHRIST "the Son of GOD, and that believing, ye might have "life through his name;" that is, these things which are recorded in this hiftory, this account which is here given of the life and actions and doctrine and miracles of CHRIST, is fufficient to bring men to the faith of the gospel, to fatisfy men that CHRIST was the Meffias, the Son of GoD, and confequently that his doctrine is true.

And that this conclufion doth refer to the whole history of the gospel written by the four evangelifts, I arh induced to believe upon these two accounts.

1. Because St. John's gofpel doth not seem to be intended for a hiftory of the life and actions of CHRIST: but an appendix to the history, which had been written before by the other evangelifts, and to fupply only what they had omitted. Therefore you fhall find that he gives no account of the genealogy or birth of our SAVIOUR, nor of his fermon upon the mount, which did contain the fum of his doctrine, nor of any of his miracles or his other difcourses which are related by the other evangelifts; nor doth he relate any more of the hiftory of his life, than was just necessary to bring in, and connect those things which he thought fit to fuperadd to the former hiftory. So that confidering how defective this gol

pel,

CCXXV.

pel, taken by itself, is in the most effential parts ofS ER M. the history of the, life, and doctrine, and actions of, CHRIST; no man can think that St. John did intend this for a full and fufficient account of the life and doctrine and miracles of CHRIST; or that upon this imperfect relation, in which he had knowingly omitted many of the moft material and confiderable things belonging to the hiftory of CHRIST, he could expect that men should receive full fatisfaction concerning him. Therefore I think it is highly reasonable, and almost neceffary to conclude, that when he fays, "these things are written, that ye might believe "that Jesus is the CHRIST, the Son of GOD;" he does not folely refer to the gofpel which was written by himself; but to the whole hiftory of the gofpel, which was put together into one book or volume, which was completed by this appendix.

2. Another reason I have for this, which doth much strengthen this conjecture, is what I find in Eufebius, in the 18th chapter of the third book of his hiftory, where he tells us to this purpose, "That "St. John, who lived the last of the apoftles, did "revife what they had written of the hiftory of "CHRIST, and added his gofpel as an appendix to "the reft."

I have infifted the longer upon this, that no man might think, when St. John fays, "these things were written that ye might believe," that his go3fpel taken alone and by itself is a fufficient account of CHRIST, and contains all that was requifite to bring men to believe on him. This is the first thing in the words, the end of committing the gofpel to writing. Secondly, you have here the nature of chriftian faith defcribed; it is " believing that JESUS is the "CHRIST, the Son of GOD;" that is, that he is VOL. XI.

S

the

SER M. the true Meffias prophefied of in the old teftament, CCXXV. and promised as the SAVIOUR of the world; and

that he is the Son of God, who came from the Father into the world, and took our nature upon him, that he might teach us, and go before us in the way to eternal happiness.

Thirdly, The bleffed effect of this faith, or the benefit that redounds to us upon believing, "that

believing, ye might have life through his name;" that is, that upon these terms and conditions, you might be made partakers of all thofe bleffings and benefits which CHRIST, the SAVIOUR of the world hath purchased for us, which are here fet forth to us in the name of life; it being usual in the phrase of fcripture, to exprefs to us thofe things which are moft excellent and defirable by life. Now the principal benefits which CHRIST hath purchased, and which in fcripture we are faid to be made partakers of by believing, are regeneration, juftification or pardon of fin, and eternal life and falvation; and the two firft of thefe, as well as the laft, are called life in fcripture. Regeneration, (in which I include the continuance and progrefs of this work, which is fanctification) that is, a new life, Rom. iv. 4. it is called "newness of life." And we are faid to have this life by faith, Gal. ii. 20. "And the life which I now "live in the flesh, I live by the faith of the Son of "GOD." And Col. ii. 12. "buried with him in

baptifm, wherein alfo you are rifen with him;" that is, regenerated and born to a new life. How?

..

by the faith of the operation of GOD, who hath "raifed him from the dead;" that is, by believing the power of GOD, who raifed up CHRIST from the dead, for the confirmation of the truth of the gof pel, 1 John v. 1. "whofover believeth that JESUS

CCXXV.

"is the CHRIST, is born of GoD." So likewife S ER M. justification is called life. While we are under fentence of condemnation, we are dead in law: but being juftified and pardoned, we are reftored to life. So the apostle expreffeth it, Rom. v. 18. "fo by "the righteousness of one, the free gift came upon "all men unto juftification of life." And that we are "juftified by faith," the fcripture tells us fo frequently, that I fhall not cite any texts for it.

And then eternal life and falvation; and this is the confummation of all, and I doubt not but is here principally intended in the text by the word life. So that the meaning of this expreflion, “that believing, "ye might have life through his name," is, that by the faith of the gofpel, ye might be renewed, and pardoned, and faved; though I think that the laft, viz. eternal life and falvation is principally, though not folely intended, as will appear by comparing this place with these parallel text, John iii. 15. "That whofoever believeth in him fhould not perish; but have eternal life." And, ver. 36. "He that believeth on the Son, hath everlasting "life." John v. 24. "He that heareth my word, "and believeth on him that fent me, hath everlasting life." 1 Pet. i. 9. "The end of your faith, 66 even the falvation of your fouls."

Thus I have as briefly as I well could, explained to you the meaning of the words, which I have done the more fully, that you may fee how thefe obfervations which I fhall raise from them, are contained in them. The obfervations are thefe.

First, that writing is the way which the wisdom of God hath pitched upon, as the standing way, to convey the knowledge of the gofpel to the world. "These things are written." S 2

Second

SERM.

Secondly, that all things neceffary to be believed CCXXV. in order to falvation, are contained in the gofpel. "These things are written that ye might believe, " and believing might have life :" but if any thing neceffary to be believed by Christians, in order to eternal falvation, were omitted, then the gospel would be written to no purpose, and would fail in the end for which it was written.

Thirdly, that the miracles related in the gospel are a proper and fufficient means, or argument, to bring men to chriftian faith. For this is the narrowest and most restrained fenfe in which we can take the words; "these things," that is, that is, "these miracles "are written that ye might believe, &c." Now if St. John by the Spirit of GoD did record miracles to this end, we may conclude that they are proper and fufficient for this end.

"that men

Fourthly, that a credible history does give men fufficient affurance of matter of fact, and fuch as we may fafely build a divine faith upon. For if these miracles were recorded for this end, "might believe," then a credible history or relation that fuch miracles were done, is fufficient to affure us that fuch miracles were wrought; and upon this affurance we may build our faith: otherwife it had been in vain to have recorded thefe miracles to this end.

Fifthly, that we are not now-a-days deftitute of a fufficient ground of faith; because we have these writings credibly conveyed to us, which contain the doctrine of the gospel, and the relation of the miracles written for the confirmation of it.

Sixthly, that men now-a-days, thofe to whom the gofpel comes, are under an obligation to believe; or, which is all one, that now-a-days men may be guilty

of