From what has been said, it appears that the scripture sense of faith is most simple, and accommodated to our ideas of believing in all the cases incident to common life.* Several witnesses, who do not appear to have had the least concert together, who are people of understanding, and are reputed candid and honest men, do all agree in narrating the same circumstances of a fact, upon a judicial trial; and the jury, or the court, find a verdict without hesitation, according to the evidence, upon a fact they knew nothing about, but by the concurring testimony of these witnesses. They believe their verdict is true and just. Is not this belief the evidence or conviction of a thing not seen? But, says the apostle, "if we receive the witness," or testimony" of men, the witness" or testimony "of God is greater;" though the receiving of a witness is common both to the witness of God and the witness of men. Again, if a gentleman contemplates his deeds of conveyance, and finds them regular and authentic in his favour, he considers them as the

* "My notion of faith," says Aspasio," gives us a clear intelligible sense, suited to the most common acceptation of the word; such as would naturally arise in the mind of a stranger, who, without any bias on his judgment, should inquire into the purport of our religion, or consider the language of our Bible. When you sent a message to your tenant, who in his last sickness expressed so much uneasiness on account of his numerous family, and embarrassed circumstances, assuring him that you had cancelled the bond, and forgiven his debt; when you told the poor woman, whose husband fell from the loaded waggon, and broke both his legs, that you would order a surgeon to attend him, and would continue his weekly pay; how did they regard, how receive your promised kindness? So let us credit the gracious declarations of our God, so accept his faithful promise, and then we shall answer the import of the word, then we shall truly believe." Theron and Aspasio, Dial. 16.

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substance of his estate, though perhaps he never saw it, or at least does not see it while he is reviewing his deeds even so the soul that judges God faithful who hath promised, considers the things he hath promised as an inheritance, and the promise of God that cannot lie, as its deed of conveyance, whereby the inheritance becomes his own.

Some may reply, "Then it seems there is no difference between saving faith and any other kind of faith." I answer, What has been said, I humbly apprehend, demonstrates that the act of believing is the same, whether Christ, or the creation of the world, or the birth of Isaac, or the departure of Israel out of Egypt, or the falling down of the walls of Jericho, &c. be the thing believed. Faith, in all these cases, is either simply "the evidence of things not seen," or it is both the evidence of things not seen," and "the substance of things hoped for." But there are essential differences between saving faith and other kinds of faith, which arise from considerations of quite another nature: for, (1.) The objects of saving faith are entirely peculiar to itself; such as the revealed grace of a reconciling God, and the Son of God given to be our complete Redeemer and Saviour. (2.) The immediate ground of saving faith is peculiar to itself; which is the free and generous revelation that a gracious God hath made of Christ, as his salvation to the ends of the earth. From these peculiar views of its objects and foundation, we must expect it will have many blessed effects, which belong only to the faith of the gospel, and to no other belief what

soever.

SECT. II.-The Word of God is the only Foundation of Divine Faith.

Believing, in the sense wherein we use it through this performance, is the persuasion of the mind concerning a testimony; and divine faith is the persua❤ sion of the mind concerning the testimony of God. His testimony, which we are to receive, is recorded in the Holy Scriptures. To seek it any where else, is the height of presumption and folly. Says an evangelist," These things are written,"-for what purpose?" that ye might believe;" and, says an apostle, "Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." When the Lord of glory was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said unto them in his life-time, speaking of the temple of his body, "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up;"" and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said." The Thessalonians "received the word of God," which they heard of the ministers of Christ; and it is particularly observed concerning their faith, that they received the message, "not as the word of men, but (as it is in truth) the word of God."

It is proper to observe, that the testimony of God, which is the immediate ground of our faith, is nothing else but the revelation of his will. Whatever he hath revealed or made known to mankind as his will concerning them, is the testimony of God unto them. When he made himself known to the prophets by dreams and visions, he gave them an imme

e revelation of his will; and when the message he

gave them was faithfully delivered, the persons who were concerned in receiving it were bound to believe it as a message from heaven, though reported to them only by men. God does not speak to us now immediately from heaven: he hath written to us the great things of his law, and has made it our duty to take good heed to this sure word of prophecy; to regard it as if we heard God speaking every word to us from heaven with an audible voice; and to consider ourselves as much concerned to understand, believe, and obey what is contained in the Holy Scriptures, each for himself, as if no other person in the world had any interest in it.

Every thing that is important to our faith and practice, is clearly delivered in the sacred oracles; and the question of infinite moment to be resolved, is, What sufficient warrant have we to justify our firm persuasion of the truths they testify unto us, and our entire dependence on them for eternal life? or, What assuring evidence have we, that the things not seen are really such as the word of God describes them to be; and that the things present to our enjoyment and hope are indeed our own?

The answer to this momentous question is short and plain :-God, who cannot lie, who will not deceive, hath spoken all the words of that divine book; the only wise and almighty God, who changeth not, hath promised all the good things we are called to expect. Is he a God of truth, that hath revealed to us these things that are not seen? Then we have undoubtedly a sufficient warrant in his testimony, to be fully persuaded of them. Is he the faithful God, that has promised to us future and invisible

blessings? Then we have an unquestionable warrant to judge him faithful, and to "believe God that it shall be even as is told us" in his gracious promises. Divine faith builds, with the greatest confidence and safety, all its persuasion and all its dependence upon the word of the Lord, witnessed in the writings of the prophets and apostles, these "holy men of God, who spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost;" and another foundation can no man lay for it, either besides the word of the Lord, or in partnership with it. It is of the utmost importance in building, that the foundation be sufficient to support the fabric: if the foundation be not good, the builder loses his labour, and the falling of the superstructure will cover him with disgrace for his folly.

It will therefore be proper, (1.) To consider the absolute sufficiency of the word of God, as the only foundation of divine faith; and, (2.) To demonstrate the folly of many hearers of the gospel, who endeavour to build their faith upon the sand, instead of building it upon that sure foundation.

First, I shall endeavour to show the absolute sufficiency of the word of God, as the only foundation of divine faith.-Upon this head, the following observations are peculiarly worthy of serious atten

tion:

1. Some testimony must be the foundation of our faith. A fond opinion concerning something we have had no experience of, is not faith, but fancy, unless our opinion be formed upon credible report.

2. The things to be believed for our salvation, are of such a nature, that we could never have known