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СНАР. II.

That there is no neceffity of immediate Revelation in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, arifing from the Nature of a faving Chriftian Faith.

OW if there be any fuch neceffity, as our Adverfaries pretend, of immediate Revelation in order to a faving Chriftian Faith; 'tis plain, that that neceffity muft arife, either from the Nature of the thing, or from the Will of God. That is, if immediate Revelation be neceffary in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, there muft be fome reafon why 'tis neceffary; and that reafon must be one of these two, viz. either, 1. Because the Nature of a faving Chriftian Faith is fuch, that it cannot be built upon mediate Revelation, and therefore requires immediate Revelation, as the Foundation of it: or, 2. Becaufe, tho' a faving Chriftian Faith might be built (if God pleas'd) upon mediate Revelation, yet God is not pleas'd, that it fhould be fo built; but has refolv'd, and fo difpos'd matters, that it fhall be always built upon immediate Revelation. I fay, if immediate Revelation be neceffary in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, it must be neceffary upon one of these two Accounts. Whereas I fhall fhew, that it is not neceffary upon either of these two Accounts; and confequently, that it is not neceffary at all.

I. Then, I fay, There is no neceffity of immediate Revelation in order to a faving Chriftian Faith, arifing from the Nature of a faving Chriftian Faith; that is, the Nature of a faving Chriftian Faith (or B 4

fuch

fuch a belief of thofe things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, as is neceffary in order to Salvation) is fuch, as that a Man may be endued with it, altho' those things, which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, be not immediately reveal'd to him.

For this is very plain, that if the Nature of a faving Chriftian Faith requires immediate Revelation; the reafon muft be, either, 1. Becaufe a Man cannot have any Chriftian Faith at all (whether Laving or not faving) without an immediate Revelation of thofe things, the belief of which is a Chriftian Faith: or, 2. Becaufe, tho' a Man might believe those things, which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, or have a Chriftian Faith, without immediate Revelation; yet he cannot favingly believe those things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, or have a faving Chriftian Faith, without immediate Revelation. Whereas I fhall fhew, that the Nature of a faving Christian Faith does not require immediate Revelation upon either of thefe Accounts; either as it is a Chriftian Faith in general, or as it is a saving Chriftian Faith in particular.

1. I fay, a Man may be endued with a Chriftian Faith, that is, a Man may believe thofe things, which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, without immediate Revelation.

For, that a Man may believe thofe things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, nothing more is requir'd, than that thofe truths which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, be propos'd to the Man's understanding; and that he perceive, not only the things themfelves, but alfo the Evidence of them. Now 'tis very plain, that thofe truths which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, may be propos'd to a Man's Underftanding, and that a Man may perceive the Evi, dence of them, without immediate Revelation.

For

For if those Truths which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, may be propos'd to the Understanding, and a Man may perceive the Evidence of them, by bare mediate Revelation; then 'tis plain that they may be propos'd, and the Evidence of them may be perceiv'd, without immediate Revelation. Now that they may be propos'd to the Understanding, and the Evidence of them may be perceiv'd, by bare mediate Revelation; will appear from the following Suppofition.

Suppofe, that St. Paul, or any other infpir'd Perfon, had learn'd any particular Truth from the Mouth of God himself, and had declar'd that Truth to me. 'Tis evident, that St. Paul's Declaration of this Truth is only a mediate Revelation of this Truth to me. Now I think, every Man in his Wits must grant, that this Truth, thus declar'd to me, is propos'd to my Understanding. And I think it extremely plain alfo, that by this Declaration of St. Paul's, I may perceive the Evidence of this Truth. For fince St. Paul is without all doubt divinely inspir'd, and has deliver'd this Truth to me as taught him by Almighty God himfelf; 'tis manifeft, that fuch his Declaration of this Truth to me, is abundant evidence of it. Wherefore it appears, that a Truth, thus declar'd to me by St. Paul, may be believ'd upon the authority of bare mediate Revelation. Because, 1. Such his declaration of the Truth, is only a mediate Revelation of it. 2. It may be believ'd upon fuch his Declaration, because thereby it is propos'd, and I may thereby perceive the Evidence of it; than which nothing more is requir'd in order to the belief of it.

Now if a Man may believe any particular Truth, thus declar'd to him by St. Paul, and fuch a belief be built upon nothing elfe but mediate Revelation B5

only;

only; then it follows, that a Man may believe those things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, upon the authority of mere mediate Revelation. For thofe things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, are declar'd to us in the Holy Scriptures; and we have abundant evidence of the Truth and Certainty of the declaration of them; and 'tis inconteftably clear, that a declaration of any Truth in writing, is as really a mediate Revelation of it, as a declaration of the fame Truth by word of mouth.

If it be faid, that the Nature of those Truths which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, is fuch, that a Man cannot believe them, unlefs befides the Evidence of mediate Revelation by the Writings or Sermons of infpir'd Perfons, he receive the Evidence of immediate Revelation alfo ; I anfwer, that this is a precarious and groundless Affertion. For tho' it were granted, that the Will of God may make immediate Revelation neceffary, where mediate Revelation wou'd otherwife have been fufficient; yet it cannot be pretended, that the Nature of thofe Truths which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, makes mediate Revelation infufficient, unless immediate Revelation be added to it. For Evidence is Evidence, whether it be convey'd by mediate, or immediate Revelation, or by any other way. And therefore, fince a Man may perceive, not only the Truths reveal'd by Jefus Chrift, but also the Evidence of thofe Truths, by bare mediate Revelation; 'tis plain, that he may believe them upon the authority of bare mediate Revelation. And if he may believe them upon the authority of bare mediate Revelation, 'tis plain that the Nature of them is not fuch, as makes the belief of them impoffible without immediate Revelation,

'Tis true, those things which our Savior has made known, are very fublime, and perfective of our Nature, &c. but they are never the lefs credible upon thefe accounts, when propos'd with fufficient Evidence. And therefore, tho' we cou'd not have believ'd them without any Revelation at all; becaufe by Revelation alone we can receive the Evidence of them: yet either fort of Revelation will convey the Evidence of them, and confequently we may believe them upon the authority of mediate Revelation, without the concurrence of immediate Revelation alfo.

If it be objected, that a Chriftian Faith, or a belief of those things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, cannot be wrought in Man without the Grace and immediate Power of God; and that this immediate operation of God upon Man, without which a Chriftian Faith cannot be wrought in him, is an immediate Revelation of Chriftian Truths to his Understanding; and confequently, that the Nature. of a Chriftian Faith does neceffarily fuppofe (because it cannot be wrought without) immediate Revelation; I fay, if this be objected, I anfwer, that altho' it be granted (for I think it at prefent needlefs, and for that reafon by no means advisable, for me to ftate and determine fo very nice a Controverfy. Wherefore altho' it be granted) that a Chriftian Faith, or a belief of those things which Jefus Chrift has reveal'd, cannot be wrought in us without the Grace and immediate Power of God; yet I deny, that this immediate operation of God upon Man, without which 'tis now fuppofed, that a Chriftian Faith cannot be wrought in him, is an immediate Revelation of Chriftian Truths to his Underftanding.

For tho' the Understanding of Man, confidered

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