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SERMON IV.

Sermon
IV.

Of the Faith or Perswasion of a
Divine Revelation.

The fourth Sermon on this Text.

HEB XI. 6.

But without Faith it is impoffible to please God.

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N difcourfing of the Faith or Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation, I propos'd the confidering these feven things.

I. What we understand by a Divine Revelation.

II. The

Volume II. The feveral kinds of it.
XII.

III. Whether a Perfwafion concerning a Divine Revelation be properly Faith.

IV. How we may come to be af fured of a Divine Revelation ; or by what Arguments, a Faith or Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation is wrought in us.

V. The degrees of this Perfwafion or Affurance.

VI. The Effects of it.

VII. In what fenfe it may be faid to be a divine Faith.

I was upon the [IVth] of these, viz. Confidering by what Argu ments a Faith or Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation is wrought in ús; which led me to confider the Evidence of Miracles; and I propos'd to fhew particularly these three things.

1. That the divine Authority both

of

of the Doctrine of Mofes and Christ, is refolv'd into Miracles.

2. What affurance of Miracles is fufficient to perfwade men to believe that Teftimony, for the Confirmation of which they are wrought.

3. What affurance they give us, that the Scriptures are a Divine Revelation.

I proceed to treat of thefe in their order.

1. I fhall fhew that the divine Authority both of the Doctrine of Mofes, and of Chrift, is refolved into Miracles. We find the Scripture lays the whole weight of the divine Authority both of the Law and Gofpel, of the revelation of the Old and New Teftament, upon this Evidence. Exod. 4. 1, 2, 3. When God fends Mofes, he objects, That they will not believe him, nor hearken to him, but will fay, 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,

Sermon
IV.

.

Fathers, the God of Abraham, Isaac, Volume and Jacob had appeared unto them; and XII. by the evidence of thofe Miracles which he wrought,he prevail'd over the Magicians. And generally throughout the Story of the Old Teftament we find all perfons yielding to the evidence of Miracles, as a fufficient atteftation to a Prophet and his Meffage. When Elijah had prevailed with God in a miraculous manner, to confirm his own Worship, and confute the Worfhip of Baal, by fending Fire from Heaven to confume the Sacrifice, the People yield to this Evidence, and ery out, The Lord he is God, the Lord he is God, 1 Kings 18. 39. When Elijah raised the Woman's Son, then fhe own'd him for a Prophet, 1 Kings 17. 24. Now by this I know that thou art a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in thy mouth is true. So likewife Naaman was convinced by the miraculous Cure which the Prophet Elifba wrought on him, 2 Kings 5. 15. Behold! now I know that there is no God in all the Earth but in If rael.

And

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