4, 5. All the kings of the earth fhall praise "thee O LORD, when they hear the words of "thy mouth. Yea, they fhall fing in the ways "of the LORD: for great is the glory of the "LORD." The whole paths of Jehovah for man's falvation, fhall appear fo glorious and worthy of God, that the word which reveals these paths fhall be entertained as faithful and worthy of all acceptation, and fhall fill the heart with joy, and the mouth with praife. The fpirit of wisdom and revelation, by this marvelous light, difcovers fuch unparalleled beauty and excellency, fuch divine glory, in the perfon, offices and benefits of Chrift, as commands conviction, captivates the affections, and transports the foul with wonder and joy, so that men are pleafantly conftrained to believe on an unfeen Saviour, to love him, and to rejoice in him with joy unspeakable and full of glory. But my prefent work is to confider the foundation of the Chriftian's faith, not that of his love and joy.

"The

This fubject has been well illuftrated by Dr. Owen, on the divine original and authority of the fcripture, Oxf. 1659. and in his treatife entituled, the reason of Faith, Lond. 1677. I fhall tranfcribe a few hints from the laft. "reading the law before all Ifrael, was the grand "means by which their children in all gene"rations, might hear and learn to fear the Lord "their God, Deut. xxxi. 11-13. It is fup"pofed, Jer. xxiii. 28, 29. that there is a light "and efficacy in fcripture, which fufficiently "manifefts its divine original. Nay our Lord; "Luke xvi. 27-31. evidently supposes, that "he who is not perfuaded by this light and "efficacy, would not be perfuaded by witnes

fing the greatest external miracle, even one "rifing from the dead. The word of prophecy "is represented more fure than even a voice "from heaven. 2 Pet. i. 19. The making. "known the mystery of falvation, is described

as the grand means of bringing men to the "obedience of faith. Rom. xvi. 26. The Old "Teftament church was condemned for reject"ing the antient prophets, many of whom "wrought no miracles. Confequently there "was an intrinfic evidence in their doctrine, "which rendered the rejecting it inexcusable. "The light not only discovers other things, but "manifefts itfelf: and the characters of divine "wisdom, holiness, grace, authority, &c. in "fcripture, are as legible to the faith of the "meanest, as of the most learned believers."

Perhaps these hints may go far to folve a phanomenon, which has confiderably puzzled many. curious obfervers of the prefent ftate of religion in Great-Britain. Never did any age of the church produce fuch a multitude of elaborate and unanswerable apologies for Chriftianity, efpecially in England, and yet never did infidelity more abound. Does it not deferve enquiry, how far this may be owing to an unhappy neglect of inculcating and explaining these peculiar doctrines of Chriftianity, which when feen in their native beauty, are the grand means of producing and increafing faving faith?

$3. It is no objection against what I have faid, that many difcern no fuch glory in the gofpel, as indicates its divine original. Truths wholly unknown to fome, may be as intuitively evident to others, as general maxims are to all. A connoiffeur can difcern beauties in a fine pic

ture

ture or ftatue, which wholly escape the vulgar eye. White and black, fweet and bitter are different, and the difference is extremely perceptible, tho' the blind and taftelefs perceive it nof. Minds enlightened by the fpirit, can clearly dif cern the rays of divinity in the facred oracles. If others are incapacitated by mental blindness from thus difcerning them, that does not diminith their native brightnefs. The word of God's grace falls with fuch power and evidence on the foul of the enlightened finner, that he can no more withhold his affent, than one who has his eyes open and found, can hinder himself from feeing light at noon day, or than a philofopher can reftrain his affent from a mathematical theorem, when his understanding is overpowered by demonftration. As even in thefe lower cafes, the foul is meerly paffive, it must be much more fo here, when a divine power concurs with convincing light, and wherever it comes, perfectly fubdues.

Permit me to transcribe a few fentiments from Mr. Barton's analogy of divine wifdom, p. 58, 59. "We find in all human works of the fame

hand, a certain fimilitude, whereby a critical " obferver may, in moft cafes, determine the "author, without any other information. The "lines and colourings of a picture fhall have

fuch peculiar characteristics, as to perpetuate "the name and credit of the artift, without any "written eulogy and pieces seen in different "countries fhall very juftly be attributed to the

fame author. The proportions of a building "fhall tell who is the architect, with more truth and precision than a name graven in flone. A ftile in writing fhall be as diftinguishable a .mark

"mark, to ascertain the works of the ingeni ous, as the characters in which they record their works, or their bodily features, which diftinguifhed them living. This obfervation "extends also to moral conduct: mankind not

withstanding the great variety of modes of "action, being conftant as to national princi"ples, confidered as collective bodies; and also "each man to his own principles, confidered 66 individuals. as Hence arifes, that opinion "which one man forms of another from a mode "of action, which fhall enable him to judge "with great probability, whether any particular action be justly attributed to any particu "lar perfon."

The application of these remarks is obvious. Is there a character in the works of men, which indicates their author: and fhall we fuppofe, that in the works of God, the characters of divinity are less evident? Do we not find fuch characters in the works of creation? The heavens declare the glory of God, and the firmament, fheweth forth his handy work. The invifible things of God, even his external power and Godhead, are clearly to be seen from the things that he hath made. In the univerfal frame of nature, may be read, the greatness, the wisdom and the goodness of the author of nature. If the works of crea tion, by being what they are, difcover whofe they are, why should it be thought a thing incredible, that the word of God, that word which we are told Pf. cxxxviii. 2. God hath manifefted above all his name, fhould manifeft itself to be God's word, by its own intrinfic light, and beauty, and majefty? Is it improbable, that men fhould know the Bible to be God's word, in a

way

way analogous to that, in which they know the world to be his work? Can we diftinguish the face, the voice, the writings of one man from those of another? Does a lamb know the voice of its dam? Can fheep diftinguifh the voice of their fhepherd, from that of a ftranger? And why may there not be fuch an imprefs of God on his word, as that all whom the God of this world hath not blinded, can diftinguish it by that imprefs from any human compofition? Even, as when the fun is arifen, there is no need of witneffes to prove to a seeing man, that it is day.

4. Saving faith may therefore be defined a perfuafion that Jefus is the Chrift the Son of the living God, flowing from fpiritual views of such a glory in the gofpel, as fatisfies and convinces the mind, that a fcheme fo glorious could have none but God for its author. "He that be"lieveth on the Son of God hath the witness in "himself." 1 John v. 10. The word of grace is to him inftead of a thousand witneffes of its own truth. Such are not "toffed to and fro, and "carried about with every wind of doctrine," “Eph. iv. 14. "But fettled and grounded in the "faith," Gol. i. 23. and affured of the things they have learned, knowing of what divine teacher they have learned them. Such can fay to the Redeemer, "We believe, and are fure, that thou 66 art the Chrift, the Son of the living God." John vi. 68, 69. Encouraged by this, they draw nigh to God with true hearts in the full affurance of faith, Heb. x. 21. come boldly to a throne of grace, Heb. iv. 16. And afk in faith without wavering, James i. 6. not questioning the power, the grace, and faithfulness of God thro' a redeemer, tho' they may greatly doubt