446 0f the Faith or Perfwafion, 1. What we underftand by a Divine Revelation. II. The feveral Kinds of ir. III. Whether a Perfwafion concerning a Divine Revelation be properly Faith. IV. How we may come to be allured of a Divine Revelation ; or by what Ar guments a Faith or Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation is wrought in us. V. The Degrees of this Perfwafion or Affurance. Vf. The Effe&s of it. VII. In what Senfe it may be faid to be a divine Faith, I was upon the [ (Vth ] of rhefe, viz. Confidering by what Arguments a with or Perfwafion of a Divine Revelation is wrought in us ; which led me to confider the Evidence of Miracles ; and I propos'd to thew particularly thefe three Things. t. That the divine Authority both of the Do&rine of Mofes and Chrifl, is re- folv'd into Miracles. 2. What Affurance of Miracles is fufíicient to perfwade Men to believe that Tcftimony, for the Confirmation of which they are wrought. 3. What Affurance they give us, that the Scriptures are a Divine Reve- lation. I proceed to treat of thefe in their Order. I. I (hall Thew that the divine Authority bothof the Do&rine of Motes, 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, Excel, 4. 1, z, 3. When God fends Moles, he obje&s, That they will not believe him, nor hearken to him, but willfay, The Lordbath not appear'd unto him. Thereupon God gives him a power of Mira- cles, that they may believe, That the Lord God of their Fathers, the God ofAbra- ham, Ifaac, and 3acob hadappearedunto them; and by the Evidence of thofe Mira- cles 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 Atteflation to a Prophet and his Meffage. When Elijah had prevailed with God in a miraculous Manner, to confirm his own Worfhip, and confute the Worship of Baal, by fending Fire from Heaven to confume the Sa- crifice, the People yield to this Evidence, and cry out, The Lord he it God, the Lord he is God, t Kings 18, 39. When Elijah railed the Woman's Son, then the own'd him for a Prophet, s Xings 17, 24. Now by this Iknow that thouart a Man of God, and that the Word of the Lord in thy Month is true. So likewife Naaman was convinced by the miraculous Cure which the Prophet Rlifba wrought on him, 2 Kings q, x5. Behold ! now1 know that there it no God in all the Earth but in Ifrael. And fo likewife the Divinity of our Saviour and his Do&rine is refolved into the Evidence of his Miracles, This is the Evidence Chrift gives of himfeif, when 7obn Pent his Difciples to enquire whether he was the Meffias, Mat. t i. z. Now when yohn bad heard in the Prifon the Works of Chrifl, befeat two of his Difciples. andlaidunto him, Art thou he that/b000ld come: or do we look for another? 51efur an- fwered andfaid unto them, Go and /hew john again thofe Things which ye dohear, and fee. The Blind receive their Sight, and the Lame walk, the Lepers are cleanfed, and the Deaf hear, the Dead are railed np, and the Poor have the Gofpel preached unto them. And bleffed is he wbofoever fhall not be offended in me. So 7okn S. 36. But I have greater Witnefs than that of 7abn: for the Works which the Father bath given me tojfnifb, thefame Works that I do, hear witnefs of me, that the Father bath font me. Chap., o. z g. 7efirs anfwer'dsheen, I toldyou,andye believed not; the Works that do in my Father's Name, they bear witnefs of me. Verfe 37, 38. If I do not the Works of my Father; believe me not: but if Ido; though ye believe net me, believe the works : that ye may know andbelieve that the Father is in me, and1 in him. Chap. 14. r I. Believe me that / am in the Father, and the Father in me: or elfe believe me for the verj Works Sake. Chap. zo, 30. 3 t. And many other Signs truly did fefus in the Pretence of his Difciples, which are not written in this Book. But thefe are written, that ye might believe that yefus is the Chrifl the Son of God, and that believing, ye might have Life through his Name. And from hence our Saviour aggra- "ki'ol. 11.
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