by the light of Nature, as the ExiVolume stence of a God, the Immortality of XII. the Soul, and a Future State.

2. A perfwafion of things Supernatural, and Reveal'd.

3. A Perfwafion of Supernatural Revelation. These I defign fully to handle. Thus I have prepar'd Materials for a large Difcourfe; which tho' it be neceffary, is, I am fenfible, but too tedious, and yet poffibly more tedious to me, than you.

SERMON II.

Of a Religious and Divine Faith.

The fecond Sermon on this Text.

Sermon
II.

HEB. XI. 6.

But without Faith it is impoffible to please God.

I

"N my laft Difcourfe I came to treat of a Religious and Divine Faith, which, I told you, comprehends under it three things, which I now proceed to confider diftin&tly.

First, A Perfwafion of the Principles of natural Religion, which are known by the light of Nature.

Secondly,

Volume Secondly, A Perfwafion of things fuXII. pernatural and reveal'd.

Thirdly, A Perfwafion of fupernatural Revelation.

First, A Perfwafion of the Principles of natural Religion, fuch as the light of Nature could difcover; fuch are the Exiftence of God, the Immortality of the Soul, and a future State. The things to be enquired concerning this kind of Faith are these.

I. Whether this be truly and properly call'd Faith.

II. What are the Arguments whereby it is wrought.

!

III. Whether it admit of degrees or not, and what differences are obfervable in them.

IV. What are the proper and genuine Effects of it.

V. In what fenfe it be Divine Faith.

Sermon

.II.

be faid to may

I. Whether it may truly and properly be call'd Faith, or not? If the general Notion of Faith which I have fix'd before, viz. that it is a Perfwafion of the Mind concerning any thing, be a true Notion of Faith, then there is no doubt but this may as properly be call'd Faith, as any thing can be; because a man may be periwaded in his mind concerning thefe things, that there is a God, that our Souls are immortal, that there is another State after this Life.

But befides this, if the Scripture fpeaks properly, as we have reafon to believe it does, especially when it treats profeffedly of any thing, as the Apostle here does, then this queftion is fully decided for it is evident to any one that will but read this Verfe, out of which I have taken my Text, that the Apostle doth here in this place fpeak of this kind of Faith, that is, a belief or perfwafion of the Frinciples of Natural

Natural Religion. For after, the ApoVolume ftle had faid, that Without Faith it is XII. impoffible to please God; he immediately instanceth in the belief of the Principles of Natural Religion, as neceffary to the pleafing of God, that is, to make a Man Religious. He that cometh to God, must believe that he is; there is the Existence of God, the first Principle of Natural Religion: and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently feek him; which implies the other two, the Immortality of the Soul, and a Future State; for if good Men fhall be Rewarded, there muft be a Subject capable of fuch Rewards, which brings in the Immortality of the Soul; and there must be a feafon for thefe Rewards, which because they are feldom beftow'd in this World, there must be a Season when they fhall, which brings in a Future State after this Life. So that whoever denies that a perfwafion of thefe Principles of Natural Religion may properly be called Faith, he quarrels with the Apostle, and does not correct me, but the Scriptures.

II. What