DiSC.7[.1' FAITH BUILT ON KNOWLEDGE. 255 in him ; And he obtains this knowledge by testimonies of sufficient evidence ; and by his own experience he confirms his faith. The reflections that attend this sube ject will compose the next discourse. DISCOURSE X. FAITH BUILT ON KNOWLEDGE. 2 TIM. i. 12. I know whom I have believed, and I am persuaded that he is able to keen that which I have committed to him, against that day. THE SECOND PART. THOUGH the Redeemer was gone to the invisible world, and St. Paul never knew him while lie was on earth, yet he was no stranger to him when he wrote this epistle. Christ is unseen to men, but not unknown to the believer. The apostle was so well acquainted with the person and the commission of Christ, that he could venture all into his hands to the day of judgment : he could look, forward to that day with divine pleasure, and rejoice in the midst of present sufferings, upon the assu- rance of his future safety. From the example of this great and holy man in my text, I have drawn this observation. Doct. A christian lays a solid foundation for his faith and joyful hópe in the knowledge of Christ Jesus, in whom he trusts. Here I have shewn at large what it is of Christ that a christian is acquainted with, in order to trust him. Be-. sides the wondrous constitution of this person, as a man, " in, whom dwells the fulness of the godhead bodily," many glorious and all-sufficient qualifications of a Me- diator are found in him. Ye have heard how great and how- good, how wise and how faithful, he is ; how well
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