SERMON 1 God. ts. HE B. XI. 6. 'But tvithotll: Faith it is impojjible to pleafe Cod; for he that comet/, io God, mufl believe that he is, mul that he is a retvarder of them that diligmt/y fee~ him. I N this Chapter Faith is rep.refented as the principle. of obedience, com•eyi1.1g vigour and firength to other g:aces, wl~cre~y ther becom~ opcrauve unto fcveral tnds and objects; hence thofe aCts whtch tmmedtatcly fpnng from other graces as their proper flock, ar,e attnbuted to Faith, that bemg the principle of their heavenly working. In this refped, as the fucccfs of an Army redounds to the General's . Honour, fo the Vidory which is effected by other. Chriflian quaht1es, is here afcribed to Faith, which ammates them, and leads rht:m forrh as t.he1r cluef Captam; tlus 1s intimated in the Text, jn which we may oblerve, x. A Propoiition, But without Faith it is impoJ!ib!e to pleafe God; that grace being the medium of our communion with God, as it gtves through Chrifi an admiffion and approach to him; and in this refpett is oppofed to drawing hack, 1-(eb. 10. 38. 2. Tl.le Argument to confirm ir,. !or be tbat c.omes to God mufl beireve that he is, and This is the tbat be rs a rewarder of them tbat dtl!gent'J feek lum : that is, our Addreffes to God, are Heathens grounded upon a firm ~!Ten~ to .God's bewg and bounty. . . ;,::~ 9,~ Firfi, An a~ent to Ius ber~g rs a~folutely necetfary, other~~ 1fc ads of w?rfl11p are as 'lt1~.GM~ 1~' a B:.tll !\ruck mto the open arr, wltiCJl returns not to us ; .Wlth?ut the enure a-!Turance On~ .ottle~~~ of a determinate object, Religion wd l fail and vanilh, th:s be1ref is general and fpe- ont7lll' &.i:y, - cul~~~~e~dly, An aifent to his bounty, that he will biers tbor~ who diligenrlyfeek him;:[;;.,.., ,m. this is particular and applicative, and it follows from the other; for the notion of a A.~, W Benefactor is induded in that of a God ; take away his rewaids, you ungod him: Now ~~y 'x•·". the fh:dfafi acknowledgment of this, can only draw the foul to periOrm ingenuous and;' w:~Y, ~. acc~ptable fer~icc ; for the naked contemplation of thofe amiable excellenc;:ies wh_ich i5::;;;1 "':' are m the Detty, can never conquer ou r natural fear, nor quench our emmty agamfi J'ty,g.fu~. ~ him; the reAedio~ upon his righteoufnefs and our g~ilt, fills us with terrour, and Epitl:etus. caufes a dreadful fl1ght from him; but the hope of l11s remunerating goodnefs, is a motive agreeable, and congruous to the breafl: of a man, and fwce tl y leads him to God; Religion is the fubmii!ion of our (elves to God, with an expectation of reward, I fl1all treat of the firflllranch of the argument; He tbat comes to God, mujl believe that be is. The f.rm belief of God's being, is the foundation of all Religi ous wodhip; in the difcuffin~ of. which, my dcfign is to evince that Supream truth, tbat God is. The evidence of this will appe.r to the l1ght of reafon, and faith, by an appeal to nature, and Scriptures; I fhall produce three Arguments from nature, which may convince an Infidel there is a God. The firfl is drawn lrom the vif1ble world. The fec011d from natmal ConfCience. The third from the confcnt of Nations. Firfl: in the Creation; his ctTence and attributes are cleJrly revealed, his abfoiute powc~, unerring wifclom, and infinite goodnefs, arc difcovercd to every caplcity ; therefo re the _i\pofrle urges this as .the mo~ proper Argumcn~ t? convince ~he Hearhens, All. 14-15. That tbey Jhould tv.rnfrom tbeu vanities, to tbe Ltvmg God wlucb made bea- 'lJelt and earth, and[ea, and a .'I tJ.rings that are tberein; to t his they muft naturally :liTem; as lhadows reprefl!nt the figure of thofe bodyes from whenc.e they are derived; (o in the \~ orld th.ere :ue fuch traces of the Divine perfeCtions) that it is eafy to infer there is a Sovcraign being\\ hich is the caufe cfit; all the creat:Jres and the .r var:ous exceUencits, zre io many beams \V!1lch refleCt upon this Sun, or lines which direCt eo thjs Rrrr 2. Cemer;
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