knows that the Holy Scripture is the Word of God by his Image which it bears, the many Evidences of Divinity which it contains, and by the Miracles wrought by Chrift and is Apoftles for confirming the Truth of it. And therefore the Believer certainly knows that all the Word of God is true. See how this Certainty of Knowledge in bellev ng is frequently expreffed in Scripture. We, bel eve and are fure that thou art the Chrift. We know that God fpake unto Mafe. We know that God heareth not Sinners, &c. &c. (b)."

§ 4. [II] An as there is a Certainty in the very Nature of Faith, fo this Certain y is farther manifeft from the Manner in which Faith is obtained. As for Inftance; Believers have their Faith from Heaven. Unto you it is given to believe. Ye are faved thro' Faith, and that not of yourfelves, it is the Gift of God (c).' He that hath Knowledge given him from Heaven, will know with Certainty: And if his Faith be thus given, he will believe with Certainty. The heavenly Light diffipates our Darkness; and while God fets before us the Glafs of the Gospel to reveal invifible Things, and alfo gives us Eye-Sight to behold them, Believers become a heavenly People, and walk in that Light which proceeds from, and leads to celeftial and everlafting Light. Believers

have the Spirit of Christ within them. This helps them against all Temptations to Unbelief, and works in them all other Graces that concur to ftrengthen Faith. As there is no Exercife of bedily Senfes without natural Life; fo every Grace is brought

(b) John vi. 59. ix, 29, 31.

(c) Phil. i, 29.

brought into Exercife by the Holy Spirit, as the Principle of our spiritual Life. • We have received the Spirit which is of God, that we might know the Things that are freely given to us of • God (d).'' This bleffed Spirit enables us to know God, and the Word of God, Chrift, and his Grace, and Glory: It fills us with heavenly Difpofitions, and leads us to a heavenly Converfation, and breathes in us, as a Spirit of Supplication.

Faith derives great Affistance from spiritual Experiences. When Believers find much of the Scriptures verified in themselves; when they really poffefs a heavenly Temper, and feel the Power of the Word on their Hearts, renewing their Minds, mortifying their Lufts, and making the Objects of Faith appear more defireable than all the Objects of Senfe: when Promifes are fulfilled to them, and their Prayers are remarkably answered: fuch Experience gives powerful and fatisfying Conviction. He that thus feels in his Soul the Earnest and Foretafte of Heaven, will be more ftrongly perfuaded that there is a Hea von. He that bleveth on the Son, hath the

Witnefs in himself (e).' Saints eafily believe the heavenly Life that is promifed, when they trace in themfelves fo much of its Refemblance. Even the Light of Nature contributes to the abundant Confirmation of Faith. What undeniable Proofs do the Vorks of Nature contain of the Being and Perfections of God, and confequently that he is our Creator, Benefactor, and only righ:ful Governor? that there is a future Happiness to reward the obedient, and future Mifery, to punish the disobedient? and B 3

(d) 1 Cor. ii. 12.

(e) I John v. 10.

that

that infinite Goodness ought to be loved above all created good? Is not our rational Nature so formed, that without the Hopes and Fears of another Life, the World never was, nor is, nor can be well governed? Is not future Joy, or Mifery, the general Acknowledgment of the Heathen World? Are not the greatest Atheists, or Infidels, forced to allow that the contrary cannot poffibly be known or proved? And therefore does not the mere probability of a Heaven and Hell make it our natural Duty to prepare for another Life with holy Diligence? But the Objects of our Faith, tho' invisible to us, have been seen by thofe, whofe infallible Teftimony we have received. Chrift faw the Things that we have not feen. His Difciples faw his Perfon, Transfiguration, and Miracles.

Heaven hath feen and • teftifieth. That which we • declare we unto you (f). • furrection, was feen of

He that cometh from heard that which he have feen and heard, Chrift after his ReCephas, then of the

Twelve, after that he was feen of above five hun

• dred Brethren at once; after that he was seen of

James, then of all the Apostles; and laft of all he ⚫ was feen of Paul alfo (g). This great Salvation at the first began to be fpoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; • God also bearing them Witness, both with Signs and Wonders, and with divers Miracles, and Gifts of the Holy Ghoft, according to his own • Will (h).' Therefore the Apostles pleaded with their Perfecutors, We cannot but fpeak the • Things

(f) John iii. 31, 32. 1 John i. 3. (E) 1 Cor. xv, 5-8. (h) Heb.ii. 3, 4.

• Things we have feen and heard (i).' Even the Glory of Heaven itself is feen by many Millions of Souls that are now poffeffing it. So that Faith has the infallible Teftimony of God, and of them that have feen; and therefore is to us instead of Sight.

-Satan himself alfo, tho' against his Will, confirms our Faith. This he does by the Violence and Rage which he excites in the Ungodly against the Life of Faith and Holinefs, and by his continually affaulting and tempting Believers themselves. By fuch Means as thefe, Faith acquires a Certainty, that may well fatisfy a rational Man, instead of Prefence, Poffeffion, and Sight.

$5. Let it not be faid, Why would not God give us the most effectual Means for the Converfion and Salvation of the World, even a Sight of Heaven or Hell?Muft God come down to the Bar of Man? Why not as well ask him the Reafon of the Order, Motions, and Magnitudes of the Stars? • Who art thou, O Man, that repliest against God? • fhall the Thing formed fay to him that formed it Why haft thou made me thus (k).' Is it not fufficient, what Reafon dictates, that it is fit God's Government fhould be fuited to the Nature of Man! We are made capable of feeking Things higher and better than fenfible Objects. What great Difference will there be between a wife Man and a Fool, if no Man understands more than he fees? Does not the Merchant vifit. Countries, and feek Commodities, which he never faw? Does not the Husbandman plow and fow before he can fee the Harveft? And the Soldier fight, before he fees B 4 the

(i) Acts iv. 20.

(k) Rom. i. 20.

the Victory? If God has made Man for no End, he has made him in vain: But if the contrary, how can Man expect to fee his End, before he ufe the Means? And it is really expecting the End before the Means, when we defire to fee Heaven, before we are prepared for it. The Drunkard, Fornicator, and Perfecutor would forbear their Enormities, if Heaven and Hell were open to their Sight. No Man will play the Adulterer in the Face of an Affembly; but there the Chaft and Unchaft feem alike, as if they faw the Face of God himself. It is no Excellence to be godly, or to forbear Sin, if we immediately faw Heaven and Hell. We must believe the Promifes and Threatnings of God, if ever we inherit the Bleffing, or escape the Curse.

$6. From this diftinguishing Property of Faith, in apprehending Things abfent as if prefent, and Things unfeen as if vifible, we may learn what it is to be a true Believer. Hypocrites vainly imagine themfelves real Chriftians, because they entertain a fuperficial Opinion, that there is a Chrift, an Immortality of Souls, a Resurrection, a Heaven, and a Hell. But would they live as they do, in worldly Cares, pleasing the Flesh, and neglecting God and the Life to come, if they faw the Things which they pretend to believe? Could they be fenfual, ungodly, and fecure, if they had a Faith that ferved inftead of Sight?--A true Believer is one that lives as if he faw the Lord. He speaks, he prays, he thinks, he deals with Men, as if he faw the Lord ftand by; and therefore does it with Reverence and holy Fear. He makes finall Account of the Smiles or Frowns of mortal Man; or of the brightest Luftre of worldly Dignity, Wisdom, or Beauty;