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details of scripture is that of human testimony; and though we have not seen all the memorable transactions detailed in scripture, yet we believe them.

Another kind of subject which revelation has unfolded, is the prediction of events, some of which have already been accomplished, and others remain to be fulfilled. As God knows the end from the beginning, and has discovered to his servants the prophets, various occurrences which shall take place in distant ages of the world, we conclude, from the prescience of God, and from the completion of prophecy in former times, that every event which has been decreed in the counsels of heaven, shall come to pass in due season. The faith which we maintain on this subject is founded on experience of the divine veracity, and confidence in that over-ruling providence, which shall make all things work together for the accomplishment of its purposes; and thus though we have not seen the fulfilment of the prophecies, yet we believe it.

A third sort of subject contained in revelation is, the doctrine of a sublime and mysterious nature concerning the persons of the Godhead, and their several modes of subsistence and operation, together with the whole economy of grace for completing our redemption. Under this class may be comprehended the relations of the Trinity, the compound nature of Christ, the illumination of the Spirit, the sanctification of believers, and every other incomprehensible truth which the scriptures contain. Our belief in these is founded on the declarations of God communicated to us by means of inspiration; and the evidence by which they are supported are the infallible dictates of divine testimony; and though we do not understand these, yet we believe them.

Another important part of knowledge which revelation comprises, is that system of duties enjoined us for the well ordering of our lives and conversations. These include the precepts directing us how to act in our several capacities, and prohibitions warning us to avoid all ap pearance of evil. As we find, that in the keeping of God's commandments there is a great reward, and that the breach of our duty produces misery and vexation of

spirit, hence our faith in these as the will of God proceeds from the conclusions of experience, and the evidence by which they are recommended is almost capable of demonstration.

A last species of subject discovered to us by divine revelation is, the promise of good, and threatening of evil which shall befal us either here or hereafter, according as our conduct is righteous or wicked. Thus, the favour of God, and peace of conscience are proposed as our portion as long as we continue to walk uprightly, and everlasting life if we persevere to the end in the practice of well-doing; while indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish shall attend us in this life, and everlasting destruction in the life to come, if we remain impenitent, and turn not from the evil of our doings. As we know, that he is faithful who hath promised, and is able to perform; and as we may be sure, that every word which he hath spoken shall be executed; hence our faith in the promises given, or threatenings denounced rests on the veracity of God who cannot lie, and the evidence by which it is supported is the inviolable nature of divine testimony; and thus though we may not have seen their accomplishment, yet we believe it, Now, one or other of these subjects of revelation, is the object of our faith, which is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen,

There are different degrees of this principle, according to the greater or less proportion of attention we bestow in examining the evidence by which it is established, and according to the care or neglect of confirming it in our minds. Some men who despise Christianity, never investigate the subject, and therefore remain in a state of infidelity; others are weak in faith, from want of having fully considered its objects; some are increasing more and more in this gracious endowment, from further acquaintance with divine truths; and others are strong in faith, from a settled conviction of every doctrine, and endeavour to obey every precept of divine revelation.

While revelation contains these subjects in general as objects of faith; there is one particular which we are

required to believe in an especial manner, as indispensably necessary for obtaining salvation. That is the mission of our Lord Jesus Christ into the world, to seek and to save us who were lost. We must credit the record which God hath given of his Son, by his inspired apostles, and set to our seal, that all the declarations of scripture respecting his mediatorial offices, are true, and worthy of acceptation. If we are informed of his miraculous birth, and exemplary life, his extraordinary miracles, and heavenly doctrines, his ignominious death, and glorious resurrection, his prevalent intercession at the right hand of God, and the authority with which he is invested to govern his church and people; such intimations must be received" with full assurance of faith." And this assurance is not an implicit credulity, but derived from the most unexceptionable evidence. For the apostles, who relate every thing which he did and taught, were eyewitnesses of the facts, as they accompanied him during the course of his ministry; and no opposite testimony has been given by those who did not believe Christianity; but the historical narrative of our Lord's life was received as genuine, at a time, when if it had been false, it might have been contradicted. But, as this has not been done, we are authorized to conclude, that the evangelists "spake the things which they saw and heard." Therefore, though we have not seen Jesus Christ live and die, and rise again, according to the scriptures, yet we believe that these events happened.

In like manner, we are justified in believing all that the apostles have delivered respecting the nature of his meritorious sufferings for the expiation of human guilt, and our acceptance with God through his mediation, because they were instructed in those doctrines by divine inspiration, and appointed to communicate the knowledge of them to mankind.-If we require a proof of their inspiration, it is rendered evident by the miracles which they were enabled to perform to attest their divine commission; as no man could do those miracles which they did, except God were with him.-Therefore, though we have not seen the Holy Spirit revealing the whole

counsel of God respecting the redemption accomplished by Christ Jesus our Lord, yet we believe it. But this faith will induce us to apply to him for those benefits which he hath purchased, and of which we stand in need; it will excite us to trust in his merits for the pardon of our sins, in his righteousness for the justification of our persons, in his intercession for the acceptance of our services, and in his grace to strengthen us with might in the inner man, and in his protection to keep us through faith unto salvation.

While faith is thus the evidence of things not seen, it is also the substance of things hoped for. There are many discoveries in scripture of future events, and future scenes, which we believe shall be realized at some distant period. There is another world, in which the spirits of just men shall be made perfect, and in which they shall be advanced to far greater happiness, than eye hath seen, or ear heard, or ever entered into the heart of man even to conceive. The prospect of this hath been the joy and the rejoicing of all good men, in this land of their earthly pilgrimage. And their expectations of it are not the delusive dreams of imagination, but derived from the unerring testimony of him who came down from heaven, and knew what mansions are prepared for the righteous beyond the grave. As we therefore credit the relation of a traveller respecting the state of foreign countries which we never saw, because he has visited them; so we have the same reason to believe all that Christ hath declared or revealed, concerning that better country which he now inhabits. The descriptions of it are indeed obscure, and the employments of those who are admitted there, but imperfectly discovered. Yet as we are only permitted to know in part, while we sojourn here on earth, we must supply our want of definite conceptions by the exercise of faith in those invisible realities, which shall hereafter be disclosed.

It is wisely ordained, that the future scenes which await us in our disembodied state, should only be now perceived as through a glass darkly; for the full display of them would supersede the exercise of that contempla

'tion and faith which is now assigned us as a part of our moral discipline, and which is necessary to overcome the world. But, as the merchantman dispatches his cargo across the main, in hopes of wealth from the sale of his productions; so the Christian engages in working out his salvation by the practice of faith and obedience; assured, that in due season he shall reap if he faint not. He is persuaded, that his chief interest is distant and future, and therefore he does not satisfy himself with present gratifications; he is aware, that the lust of the flesh must be often denied, if he would secure the welfare of his spirit, and that while the world would induce him to take up his rest in its pleasures and enjoyments, he must 'be looking forward to a better and more enduring substance eternal in the heavens. Thus, he walks by faith, not by sight, and has less regard to the things which are seen and temporal, than to those which are unseen and are eternal. In these various respects, then, faith is the substance of things hoped for; and the evidence of things not seen.

Having thus described the nature of faith in general, I proceed to consider,

II. The means by which it is established in the mind.

These are, the due exertion of our intellectual powers, and moral dispositions, accompanied by the illumination. of the Holy Spirit. There is a preposterous notion entertained by many, that faith is the immediate gift of God, as much as any of those mental faculties with which we are endowed. They conceive it to be some sort of miraculous principle infused into the soul, which supersedes all necessity of enquiry on our part, in order to obtain it. Faith is indeed the gift of God, inasmuch as he has supplied the materials on which it is exercised, endowed us with capacities by which it is acquired, and blesses the application of them to establish it in our minds. But, the attainment of this grace is no more miraculous, than the knowledge of any science which we learn to understand by study rendered effectual through the divine blessing, or the acquisition of any virtue which is

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