of Chrift is of an obvious Nature; and fince the way to Heaven is ftrait already, Men should be very careful, that they do not add to the difficulties, by inventions of their own Brains, and render that entrance impoffible, which already is fo narrow, that few there be that find it.

IN Answer then to this Enquiry, What it is that every Communicant is bound to Believe? I fhall lay down this as a fair and fatisfactory Truth, that the Faith required, is a Cordial and Comfortable Perfwafion of the verity of the common Principles of Christianity comprised in the Creed; and particularly, that Chrift is fo the Savi our of the World, that he is able to fave all to the uttermost that come unto God by him, which is the Senfe of that Article, touching the Remiffion of Sins. These are plain Affertions, for which we have the Autho rity of the Scriptures; and when I call this, a cordial and comfortable Perfwafion, I mean such a stedfaft Belief in Chrift, as ferves to apply Chrift's Merits to a Man's own felf; which Divines call, a Particular Faith. To believe in Christ Comfortably, is not only to Affent to the Truth of the Gofpel at Large, and in a General Propofition; but moreover, to believe for ones Self; to be throughly fatisfied, that Christ was the True Meffiah, that came to feek

and

and to Save that which was loft, and to Save even Me among others: That he Tafted Death for every Man, and in particular for Me, that his Blood is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World, and even for Mine; that he is an Advocate with the Father for my Brethren, and for Me alfo; that he hath Promised Eternal Life to all that do Obey him, and that even I fhall have benefit by his Pro mife, if I make good the Condition. In a word, that He is the Redeemer of all Mankind, and that with him there is Plenteous Redemption for Me, and for Thee, and for us All, if we be not wanting to our felves. To be thus perfwaded, is enough for any Communicant, in genere fidei, and as to Matters of Faith. Indeed, in genere morum, as to Matter of Practice, Repentance and Univerfal Obedience is neceffary too: But now we are confidering, not how much it is neceffary for a Communicant to Practice, but how much is needful for him to Believe; and fuch a Faith as I have now defcribed, is fufficient, if Men do but add to this Faith, Virtue.

I. THAT this is fo, will eafily appear, if we impartially confider, firft, that this is the Faith which is neceffarily required of all Chriftians ; and is fufficient for all.

This is Eternal Life, that they know Thee the only True God, and Jefus Christ whom thou haft fent, faith our Bleffed Saviour himself, Joh. 17. 3. The Sense of which place is, that the fincere and hearty ack nowledgment of the True God, and of his Holy Child Jefus, is the Infallible way to Everlasting Happiness. There are many Truths wrapped and folded up in the Bo fome of that Text, which the Compilers of the Apoftolical Creed have drawn out into feveral Articles, To know Jefus, or to Confefs him to be the Chrift, fignifies in the Dialect of the Holy Ghoft, to own him to have been fent by God's Com miffion; that he came to Redeem us, and to Bless us, and to Dye for us: To have a deep Sense of the All-fufficiency of his Merits; to believe that all Power both to Save and to Deftroy, is put into his hands; and to be firmly perfwaded, that in, and through him Forgivenefs of Sins and a Glorious Immortality may be obtained by all, that will lay hold on him, and Love him in Sincerity. Now if this Faith be fufficient (as touching Matter of Faith) to Entitle a Man to Eternal Life (as our Saviour faith it is) then it is enough allo to give a Man the Liberty of Communi cating; because more cannot be required to admit us to the Lord's Table, than is neceffary

neceffary for our admiffion into Heaven. Certainly that Faith which fufficeth to bring us hereafter into the Prefence of the Lamb, must be fufficient to bring us to the Supper of the Lamb; and that is, not a confident Prefumption of a Man's abfolute Pardon and Election unto Happiness, but a firm and comfortable Perswafion, that Jefus Chrift came into the World, to Save Sinners, which is à moft faithful fay ing, and worthy of all acceptation, faith St. Paul, 1 Tim. 1. 15.

2. THAT this Faith is enough for a Communicant will appear, Secondly, from its Anaglogy and Proportion to the Faith of the First Difciples. It was St. Peter's Confeffion (for which he was called Bleffed) Thou art Chrift the Son of the Living God, Matth. 16. 16. It was Martha's Confeffion, Lord I believe that thou art Chrift the Son of God, that should come into the world, Joh. 11. 27. It was the Eunuch's Confeffion, I believe that Jefus Christ is the Son of God, Act. 8. 37. Nay, indeed, it was the Confeffion of all the Apostles, before every particular was extracted which lay hid and folded up in it, We believe and are fure, that thou art that Chrift, the Son of the Living God, Joh. 6. 69. Now do but confider and judge in felves: Is it poffible for any Ratianal Man

your

to

to believe, that the Faith which ferved for the Salvation of thofe, will not be enough to Dispose and Fit Us for the Sacrament? Certainly, by the fame Faith whereby the Difciples of Old felt and handled the Word of Life, we may also Feed on him. For this Faith is as unalterable as the Author of it, who is the fame yesterday, and to day, and for ever. And if in that plain and eafie Belief the Church went to Heaven of Old, why may we not do fo ftill? And why may we not go to the Sacrament, as to Heaven-gate, by that Faith whereby fo many Thousands have all along entered into Paradise.

3. ESPECIALLY if we Confider, in the 3d place, the Nature and Reafon of this prefent Solemnity. It is the Evange lical Feaft, by partaking whereof, we do Renew our Covenant with God, as the Jews did by Eating of the Paffover. And hence we may conclude, that which Capacitates a Man to enter into Covenant with God first of all, is fufficient to Qualifie and Fit him for the Renewing of that Covenant now; because the Terms of the Covenant are all along the fame; and what we did at our Baptifm, and do now again, is but the fame thing acted over and over. Now it is evident from the Holy Scriptures, that the cordial belief

of