And here two things prefent themselves to our confideration first, the perfon; who he was, what his authority? Secondly, his message, his doctrine, what he taught? Which, though ever fo reasonable in itself, depended very much, in its entertainment among the people, upon the truth of his miffion and authority, that he was no impoftor, but came from God, and was the promised Meffiah. This was done two ways; by revelation and by miracles. By revelation, to fuch as were well prepared and inclined; as honest Peter, the woman of Samaria, and those that were moved to believe him from the authority in which he fpake, fo unlike that of the formal fcribes. By miracles, to those that, being blinded by ignorance or prejudice, needed to have their fenfes ftruck with fuch fupernatural evidences; from many of whom this witnefs came, "that he was the Meffiah, the Chrift and Son of "God." In fine, all was done, within the compass of that people among whom he daily converfed, that was needful to prove he was from God, and had God's meffage to declare to the world. Infomuch that when fome of his difciples were not fo firm in their belief of his authority, as he deferved at their hands, he calls his own works to prove his commiffion, and convict them of incredulity: "If ye will not believe "that the Father is in me, that he doth these works by me, believe me for the very works fake." Thus he argued with the Jews: "Say ye of him the Father "hath fanctified and fent into the world, thou blaf"phemeft; because I faid, I am the Son of God?" "If I do not the works of my Father, believe me "not:" this is reasonable; he that fhall judge the world, offers to be tried himself: he goes on: "But if "I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works, "that ye may know and believe that the Father is in "me.' "And he laid the fin of the Jews upon this foot, viz. That they rejected him, after he had made * John xiv. 10, 11. John x. 36, 37, 38. F 2 proof proof of his divine miffion by fuch extraordinary works, as no man among them all could do: which, to give them their due, they do not deny, but fhamefully pervert, and foolishly abufe, by attributing them to the power of the devil. To which malice and flander he returned this inconfutable answer; "A kingdom di"vided against itself cannot stand."-What! Caft out devils by the prince of devils? It is a contradiction, and very madness itself. I have nothing to do now with Atheists, or those that call themselves Theifts, but fuch as own themselves Christians; and fhall therefore keep to my task, namely; What of the Chriftian difpenfation is fo peculiar and important, as to challenge of right the name of • creed or faith.' I fay then, That the belief of Jefus of Nazareth to be the Promifed Meffiak, the Son and C Chrift of God, come and fent from God to restore • and fave mankind,' is the first, and was then the only requifite, article of faith, without any large confeffions, or an heap of principles or opinions, refolved upon after curious and tedious debates by councils and fynods: and this may be proved both by example and doctrine. It is evident from example, as in the cafe of Peter; who for having believed in his heart, and confeffed with his mouth, "That Jefus was the Chrift and Son "of God," obtained that fignal bleffing." This made Nathaniel a difciple; "Rabbi," faid he, "Thou art "the Son of God, thou art the king of Ifrael." It was the like confeffion, that made amends for Thomas's incredulity, when he was fenfibly affured of the refurrection of Jefus, "My Lord and my God!" This was also the substance of Martha's confeffion of faith to Jefus, when he faid to her, "I am the refurrection and "the life; he that believeth in me fhall never die: "believeft thou this? She answered, yea, Lord, I be"lieve that thou art the Chrift, the Son of God, " which should come into the world?" She anfwered Mat. xvi. 16, 17. John i. 49. n him not as to that particular of the refurrection, but in general, That he was the Chrift, the Meffiah, that < was to come into the world,' and that fufficed. It was a confeffion not unlike to this, that the blind man made, to whom Chrift gave fight, when Jefus said to him, "Doft thou believe on the Son of God? Lord, "faid he, I do believe; and he worshipped him." What fhall we say of the Centurion, preferred by Christ himfelf before any in Ifrael, though a Gentile? Or of the faith of the woman and inhabitants of Samaria, that he was "the Meffiah ?" or of that importunate woman that cried to Jefus, to caft a devil out of her poffeffed daughter, and would not be put off, to whom Christ said, "O woman, great is thy faith; be it un t to thee even as thou wilt?" To which let me add the faith of the people that brought the fick man of the palfy to Chrift, who uncovered the roof to let him down to be touched; the faith of Jairus the ruler;' and of that good woman, who preffed through the croud to touch the hem of Chrift's garment, to whom Jefus faid, "Be of good comfort, daughter, thy faith "has made thee whole:" Alfo the two blind men that followed him out of the ruler's houfe, crying," "Thou Son of David have mercy on us ;" who, when Jefus had faid, "Believe ye that I am able to do "this?" anfwered, "Yea, Lord;" upon which he touched their eyes, and faid, "According to your "faith be it unto you:" Alfo the blind man near Jericho; the leprous Samaritan that Chrift cleanfed; * and that notable paffage of the woman that kiffed his feet, and anointed his head; to whom he pronounced this happy fentence; " Thy faith hath faved thee, go " in peace." W X I will conclude this with that famous inftance of the thief upon the crofs, who neither knew, nor had time to make, a large confeffion like the creeds of these z days; but, it seems, he faid enough; "Lord, re"member me when thou comeft into thy kingdom." And Jesus faid unto him, " Verily, I fay unto thee, "to-day fhalt thou be with me in paradise." By which it is eafy to learn that it was the heart, not the mouth; the fincerity, not the words, that made the confeffion valid. Nor was this only, in the days of Chrift, the effect of his gracious difpenfation, or peculiar indulgence; for after-times afford us the like inftances. This was the main bent of Peter's fermon; and when the "three "thousand believed that he, whom the Jews had cru"cified, was both Lord and Christ, and repented of "their fins, and gladly received his word," they are faid to have been "in a state of falvation."a Thus Cornelius, and his houfhold and kindred, fo foon as Peter declared "Jefus to be the Meffiah," and that they had believed, "the Holy Ghost fell upon them,” and they were received into the Chriftian communion. But the ftory of the Eunuch is very pat to our purpofe as he rid in his chariot, he was reading these words out of the prophet Ifaiah, viz. "That he was "led as a fheep to the flaughter, and like a lamb "dumb before the fhearers, fo opened he not his "mouth. In his humiliation his judgment was taken "away; and who fhall declare his generation? for "his life is taken from the earth." Philip joined to him, and asked him, "If he understood what he "read?" He defired Philip to interpret the mind of the prophet, whether he spoke of himself, or another? Philip upon the place preached to him Jefus the Eunuch was fo well perfuaded by the apostle, that coming to a water, he faid, "What doth hinder me "to be baptized?" Philip anfwered him, "If thou "believeft with all thine heart, thou mayeft:" To this the Eunuch replied, "I believe that Jefus Chrift is the Son of God." Upon which he was baptized; z Lnke xxiii. 42, 43. 2 Acts ii. 37, 47. Acts x. 24, 48. Acts viii. 27, 37. and and it is faid, "He went away rejoicing;" which indeed he might well do, that felt the comfort of his faith, the remiffion of his fin, and the joys of the Holy Ghoft, which always follow true faith in Chrift. I will conclude thefe examples with a paffage in the Acts, of Paul at Theffalonica; it is this: "Paul, as "his manner was, went in unto them, and three fab"bath-days reafoned with them out of the fcriptures; "opening and alledging that Christ must needs have "fuffered and rifen again from the dead; and that "this Jefus (faid he) whom I preach unto you, is "Chrift. And some of them believed, and conforted "with Paul and Silas; and of the devout Greeks a cr great multitude, and of the chief women not a few." Thus we may plainly fee, that they were baptized into the faith of Jefus, and not into numerous opinions; and that this one confeffion, from true faith in the heart, was the ground and principle of their churchfellowship. Then God's church was at peace; the throve; there were then no fnares of words made to catch men of confcience with. Then not many words, but much integrity; now much talk, and little truth: many articles, but "O ye of little faith!" Nor was this only the judgment and practice of that time, out of condefcenfion to weakness, and charity to ignorance; for both Chrift Jefus himself and his apoftles (thofe bleffed meffengers of holy truth) have doctrinally laid it down, as the great test to Christians; that which fhould diftinguish them from infidels, and juftly intitle them to his difcipleship, and Chriftian communion one with another. Let us read a little farther: "Then faid they to Jefus, what shall "we do, that we might work the works of God? Jefus " answered and faid to them, This is the work of God, "that ye believe on him, whom God hath fent. Verily, verily, I fay unto you, he that believeth on b Acts xvii. 2, 3, 4. A&ts xvi. 30, 31. • John vi. 28, 29. 47. John viii. 24. "me, |