The Reasonableness and Necessity of the Christian Faith Manifested.  
IN A SERMON Preached before the Right Honourable THE Lord Mayor, At GUILDHALL Chapel, Oct. 17. 1697.  
By JOHN HITCHCOCK, M. A.  
LONDON, Printed by Tho. Warren for Walter Kettilby at the Bishop's-Head in St. Paul 's Churchyard, 1697.   
Heb. xi. 6. the former Part of the Verse. 
But without Faith it is impossible to please him.  
THis Chapter is a Panegyric upon Faith, and all its holy Champions and Martyrs, from the very beginning of the World down to the Apostles time. In the first Verse we have a description of Faith in its general Notion; It is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen: that is, Faith is a confident expectation of those good things we hope for, by virtue of a Promise from God; and a firm persuasion of the truth of those things, whereof we have no sensible Evidence, by virtue of a Revelation from God. In the four following Verses we have a more particular account of Faith, and how pleasing it is to God, in some eminent acts and examples. And then this Proposition is laid down as a standing Maxim in Religion, which concerns every Man, and will hold true to the end of the World; Without Faith it is impossible to please God.  
My Discourse upon this subject shall consist of these four Parts.  

I. I will explain the Nature of Religious Faith.  
II. Evince the Reasonableness of such a Faith.  
III. Show the Necessity of it to render us acceptable to God.  
IU. Represent the Power and Influence of Faith upon our Lives.   
I. As to the nature of Religious Faith, it is no more than the Assent of the Mind to the truth of any Revealed Religion. This takes in the Revelation of God by Moses to the Jews, and also that other by Christ to all the World; both which are contained in the Writings of the Old and New Testament.  
I will speak to the latter at this time, being the last and perfect Revelation of God's Will to Mankind, and that in which we Christians are more especially concerned.  
And that we have all the reason in the World to believe this Revelation, to entertain the Christian Religion in our Minds with a firm belief of the truth of it, I shall now make appear: which was the second Thing Proposed.  
And I will only mention a few Arguments which I think are clear and convincing.  
First, The whole Jewish Religion proves the truth of the Christian. For all the Types and Prophecies relating to the Messiah were completely verified and fulfilled in Christ: And it is impossible they should ever be applied to any other Person. Which is an unanswerable Argument for his being the Messiah, and consequently for the Truth of his Religion.  
Secondly, The History of our Saviour's Life and Miracles comes to us as well attested, and with as good Authority, as any History in the World. It was Penned partly by such as were his constant Companions and Eye-Witnesses of his Actions, and partly by such as had the matters of Fact from Eye-Witnesses. And these were all Men of unquestioned Integrity: Nay they had the Testimony of God himself, the Power of working Miracles, for their Honesty: And at last for a confirmation of the Truth of what they had said, they willingly laid down their Lives.  
Thirdly, The Writings of the Apostles and Evangelists were carefully preserved by the First Christians: Copies of them were faithfully taken, and Translations diligently made. And if the Tradition of the whole Church be of any weight, we are sure that we have the Writings which contain our Religion, without any Loss, or Corruption.  
Fourthly, The Religion of Christ prospered in the World to the ruin of all other Religions. Neither Jews nor Gentiles, neither Learning nor Power could stop its progress: but it made its way through the strongest opposition, Conquered all the Prejudices and Interests of Mankind, and triumphed over all the Malice, the Cunning, and Force of its Enemies. Which it could never have done, if the Providence of God had not most illustriously appeared for it, and attended the Preaching of it with an Extraordinary Blessing and Influence upon the Minds of Men.  
Lastly, The Christian Religion carries the Evidence of its Divine Original in its own Nature and Constitution. For it proposeth a Spiritual and Rational Worship, such as is most agreeable to the Nature of God, and Reason of Man, in opposition to all Idolatry and useless Ceremonies. It prescribes the best Rules of Life, teaches us internal Righteousness and perfect Virtue, which if we practise, we must be Happy. And then it offers the strongest Motives to the performance of our Duty, Everlasting Rewards and Punishments. All this it does with the greatest accommodation and simplicity, the Doctrine being framed for the use of all Men, is adapted to the Understandings of all: 'tis suited to all Relations, and fitted to all Capacities: No Man is left to seek his Duty, or a loss to understand it.  
What now can be more worthy of our Belief and Entertainment than this Excellent Religion? of the Truth whereof we have the highest Moral Evidence, the best Proof that the thing will bear: and it is very unreasonable to expect any other. He that will not believe a thing that is only morally certain, and does not exclude all doubt, must reject all ancient History, and believe nothing but what he sees: which is contrary to the Judgement and Practice of Mankind. And if Sceptics were to manage their Temporal Affairs with the same humour that they treat Religion, they would be looked upon as Men out of their Wits, and only fit to live in a dark room by themselves.  
Besides, a Faith that is grounded upon sensible Evidence, and excludes all manner of doubt, has nothing in it that is excellent or rewardable. I can see no more Virtue in such a Faith, than in believing the truth of Colours, or Mathematical Demonstratious: There is no resisting such evident Truths, and a Man cannot but believe them. Which is the reason that I do not wonder at those men's believing in Christ, who heard him speak, and saw him act after his Divine and astonishing manner. And Christ himself seemed to make but little account of such a Faith, when he said unto Thomas, Joh. 20.29. Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. Intimating that such a Faith as Thomas' is no more than a Man's believing his Senses, and deserves no Commendation or Reward.  
But since the Proofs of our Religion are only Moral, sufficient to induce, but not to enforce an Assent: Since the things proposed to our belief, require a diligent application and study, before we can well understand them ourselves, or give a good account of them to others: This makes our Faith to be a considerate and free act of the Mind, and as such to be praiseworthy and capable of reward.  
We cannot give a reason of our Faith to others, as the Apostle adviseth, unless we understand the grounds and reasons of it ourselves: And we cannot do this without the exercise of our Faculties in the examination of them; as, comparing the Quality of our Saviour's Person with the Character of the Messiah delivered by the Prophets; weighing the credibility of the Apostles Testimony, and the Authority of the Church's Tradition, by which the Revelation of Christ was handed down to us.  
These and the other Arguments of our Religion must be duly examined, before we can be convinced of the Truth of it, and believe it as Men. An Implicit is an irrational Faith, and a blind Assent to Religion is a contempt of Reason.  
God indeed does not expect the same use of Reason, and the same degree of conviction in matters of Religion from all Men; because their Faculties and Education are both different: He considers the weakness of understanding in many, and the want of Education in more: But yet he expects that Men make use of that Reason which he has given them, and examine the Arguments, as far as they are able, which attend the Religion he has revealed. And if Men would do this with an honest Mind, and a sincere desire to know God's Will, they would see no just cause to doubt of Christianity, but would embrace it with a rational choice, and in that choice think themselves happy.  
As to the offence that some take at a Poor and Crucified Saviour, I have this to say, That there is nothing in it that is unseemly, of unbecoming the Majesty of the Son of God; but that it is rather such a state, as was both necessary and suitable to the office of our Redeemer.  
For the clearing whereof two things are to be considered.  
1. That the Justice of God was to be satisfied for the Sins of Mankind. And that was to be done by the Death of a Divine Person in our Nature, according to the Declaration of the Divine Will. God himself foretold by his Prophets, that the Redemption of the World should be wrought by his Incarnate Son, under the Mystical Name of Immanuel: and that this Great Work should be effected in a way of Expiation. Christ did all that could be done to prove himself the Person designed of old for this Office of Redeemer: He manifested his Divinity by illustrious Miracles, and the satisfaction of his Death upon the Cross by his Triumphant Resurrection.  
2. It is also to be considered, that a Perfect Pattern of Virtue was to be set for the imitation of Mankind: and that must have been done in a state of Poverty and Suffering. Men are naturally more apt to live by Example, than by Rule; because Example is a visible thing, and does powerfully incline the Will through the Senses. The Beauty of Virtue is more lively and charming in Practice, than in Idea. And therefore an Example of Consummate Virtue was highly requisite and useful to Men for the more correct Conduct of their Lives. And such an Example was the Life of Christ: It was a Perfect Original of all Virtue. He was humble and condescending, though he was he Son of God: He complied with the Infirmities and Weaknesses of Humane Nature; was meek and patiented under affronts and injuries; did the greatest Good for the greatest Evil; resigned himself up to the disposal of his Heavenly Father, and submitted to his Will in every thing. All which excellent and useful Virtues Christ could not have exercised, if he had not lived in a mean Condition, and undergone want and pain. The Person of a Prince, and a Prosperous Condition, would not have suited the Design of Christ in giving an Example to Mankind: But by appearing under such Circumstances as he did, by being the Son of God in the form of a Servant, he was an Example to the Great and Rich, as well as to the Poor and Distressed: he practised the Virtues that belong to every Condition, and led every Man the way to the performance of Duty.  
As to those Doctrines, which go under the name of Mysteries, viz. the Doctrine of the Trinity, and of the Incarnation; why should we dislike them the worse for being Mysteries, when there is nothing in the World but what has something in it unknown to us? Nay although we could perfectly understand the natures of all Created Being's, yet the Nature of God would still remain Incomprehensible: There is an infinite distance and disproportion between his Perfections and our Faculties; and it is as impossible for us to comprehend God, us for a Bucket to contain the Ocean. It is not then a Doctrine's being above reason, but contrary to reason, that makes it unreasonable for us to believe it. All the Parts of Revelation are equally True, and an obscure Doctrine has as good Authority as a Plainer. Since therefore the Gospel discovers to us, that there are three distinct Persons in the Godhead, the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, to which the Name and Attributes of God are expressly given; and also that the second Person in this Blessed Trinity did freely take our Nature that he might be our Redeemer, and so is both God and Man in one Person; we have the same reason and obligation to believe these Doctrines, as any other Doctrine in the Gospel.  
Thus much to the Reasonableness of our Christian Faith.  
I proceed, in the third place, to show the Necessity of this Faith to render us acceptable to God. Without Faith it is impossible to please God. Now the necessity of this Faith is founded in a necessity of the Gospel Revelation.  
And this will be made evident by clearing these two Points.  

1. The necessity of a Revelation in general.  
2. The Insufficiency of all Revelation before the Gospel for the Salvation of Mankind.   
1. The necessity of a Revelation in general appears from the impossibility of pleasing God, and obtaining Happiness without one. For by Sin we lost the Favour of God, and forfeited Immortal Life: And although we know by the Light of Nature that God must be Atoned, before we could be Restored; yet we could not from thence learn, whether God would be Atoned or not, and what kind of Atonement he would accept of. This depended upon his Free Grace, and therefore could only be discovered to us by himself. Had we continued Innocent, there would have been no need of any Revelation: for the Light of Nature was then a sure guide, both to Duty and Immortality: But by breaking the Law of our Creation, we incurred the Divine Displeasure, and became Mortal: And how to get out of this unhappy condition, nature could not teach us: There was no other way, but to begin again upon a New Covenant: which was wholly at the pleasure, and in the breast of God, and so was a matter of pure Revelation. Men may talk of Natural Knowledge in the business of Religion, and magnify it as much as they think fit; but it will serve only in a state of Innocence. When Sin and Corruption take place, Natural Knowledge fails and vanishes into Ignorance. Religion in such a state must be a supernatural Thing, and supernaturally Known. Some things must then be Revealed, which could never be known by the Light of Nature; such as the Inclination of God to forgive Sinners, and the means of appeasing his wrath, and the manner of serving and pleasing him. Other things must also be Revealed, which though knowable by the Light of Nature, yet through the Degeneracy of Mankind were almost utterly lost and extinct; such are right Notions of God and his Providence, the Principles of Morality, and Distinctions of Virtue and Vice, together with the Immortality of Humane Souls, and Another Life after This. These things are necessary to be Revealed, when the Nature of Man is Lapsed and Depraved. And if we were to take a view of the Religion and Morality of the Gentile World, we should soon be convinced, that nothing but the Light of Revelation, and the Power of Divine Grace, could ever recover them out of their dark and miserable Estate of Ignorance and Vice. Thus the necessity of some Revelation is grounded upon the Fall and Degeneracy of Mankind. For because some things were absolutely necessary to Salvation, which Men could have no natural knowledge of, as I observed and instanced just before; therefore it was necessary that those things should be made known in a supernatural way, that is, by Revelation. This is a fair step toward proving the necessity of the Revelation of the Gospel. And it will effectually be done, if I can make good my second Point; which is,  
That all Revelation before the Gospel was insufficient for the Salvation of Mankind.  
For the proof whereof I will offer but two Arguments at this time.  
First, All the Revelation that was before the Gospel, was given only to the Jews, a People considerable at first for nothing but the Favour of God; who communicated his Mind to them alone, and enclosed the Religion he established within the Pale of their Church. And what was the rest of the World the better for this narrow Revelation? What could a Revealed Religion signify to those, to whom it never was propounded, and for whom it was not intended? A Revelation that aims at the Happiness of Mankind, must be as extensive and universal as its design: it must shine to all the World, and diffuse itself as far and wide as Humane Nature. But now the Religion of the Jews was to spread no farther; which is an Argument of its Insufficiency: For we cannot think that God would have confined it to That one People, if it had been fitted for the Salvation of Mankind.  
Secondly, The Religion which God gave the Jews, was imperfect. I will instance only in their Worship; which had no Excellency or Usefulness any farther than as it bore a relation to Christ The Law made nothing perfect; says the Author to the Heb. 7.19. And 10.1. It could not with all it Sacrifices make the Comers thereunto perfect: that is, expiate their Sins ano sanctify their Nature. The whole Body of the Jewish Worship was mere shadow and rudiment, designed for no more than to prefigure Christ, and train Men up for his Religion.  
Besides, this Religion of the Jews was temporary, and of a limited duration. It was not framed for perpetuity, nor had it a Constitution to last always. It was to continue no longer than till the time of Reformation; that is, till Christ came, who was to set all things right between God and Man, and finish a Religion that should need no Amendments. Here therefore we must six for Salvation. Nature, you see, could do nothing towards it; and Judaisme but little: but the Gospel wants nothing for effecting it. It assures us of Universal Redemption and Grace by Jesus Christ, and tells us plainly what we must Believe and Do to be saved. And to prevent all Expectations of another Revelation, the Gospel speaks its own Perfection, and appropriates the Terms of Salvation to itself.  
But if Men cannot be saved any other way than by the Faith of the Gospel, what will become of those, who never did, nor could hear of a Messiah before Christ came, nor since of Him? I Answer,  
They must be left to the Mercy of God: for it is impossible to determine any thing about them. To say that they must unavoidably be Damned, reflects horribly upon the Goodness and Justice of God. To say that they may be saved without the Faith of Christ, the Saviour of the World, is against the Word of God. To say that the Knowledge of Christ might, by a particular Revelation, be communicated to them some time before they died, is to speak by guess, and without a Warrant. It must therefore be left a secret till the Day of Judgement. But now this is as true as the Gospel itself, That whosoever rejecteth the Gospel, when it is propounded to him in a sufficient manner, shall himself be rejected at the Last Day; he cannot possibly escape the Sentence of Damnation: For this is the unalterable Decree, which Christ subjoins to the Commission he gave his Apostles, Mar. 16.15, 16. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature: And then follows the Decree, He that believeth, and is baptised, shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned.  
Thus I have explained the nature of Religious Faith in general, and proved the Reasonableness and Necessity of the Christian Faith.  
There remains but one Thing more for me to do: which is, To show the Influence of Faith upon our Practice.  
And for a quick dispatch, I will consider Faith only as it respects Things Future, the different States of Good and Bad Men in the other World.  
And what an Operative Principle this Faith is, will appear in these three particulars.  

1. It is the plainest Principle for all Men to live and act by. The innate Loveliness of Virtue, and its agreeableness with our Rational Nature; the Excellency of the Christian Law, and its conduciveness to our well-being in this World; These are very great Truths, and may be used as Arguments to persuade Men to a Life of Virtue and Obedience: yet they cannot be made so plain to the common People, as to lie level with their low understandings: There is something in them too Philosophical and Fine, to be perceived by rude undisciplined Minds. But Eternal Happiness, and Eternal Misery are such Plain Things, that every Man has a quick apprehension of them, and is powerfully moved by them. And this is true, although Men do not rightly understand, wherein the Happiness, or Misery of the next Life does consist. For whatever the Natures of those things are, 'tis the Certainty of the Things themselves that makes the impression: and the Certainty of them is grounded upon Divine Revelation. No Man is so ignorant or stupid, as not to know what it is to be Happy, and what it is to be Miserable: for he has a natural perception and experience of those things that make him so. And therefore when the Word of God tells him, that he shall be for ever Happy, or for ever Miserable in another World, according as he has lived well, or ill in this; a firm belief of so plain a Revelation must needs have a Influence upon his Life, correspondent to his Desire of Happiness, and Dread of Misery.  
2ly, Faith has a direct and powerful Influence upon our Practice, by being the Evidence of things not seen: not by turning invisible things into visible, but by rendering them as certain and indubitable to our understanding, and so as certain Grounds and Principles to act by, as any thing that we see with our Eyes of Flesh. And this Faith does, It brings Heaven and Hell within the Souls view, and presents them to the Mind in so efficacious a manner, that a true Believer is as much Influenced by them, as Worldly Men are by the Objects of Sense: These Men are acted altogether by the Impressions of Sensible Things, and without looking any further, pursue a Life of Sense. And so the Man of Faith has the other World in his Eye, and by virtue of his Faith, lives not only for that World, but in it: His Conversation is already in that Heaven, which he believes and expects.  
3ly and lastly, The Things of the other World, which Faith gives us a prospect of, are of such vast consequence, that they cannot but have a mighty force upon us. All the Pleasures and Pains of this Life are inconsiderable when compared with those of the next. Heaven and Hell have nothing in them that is Little: In those Places are fullness of Joy, and extremity of Pain, and both Everlasting. And who can think of these things without the greatest Concern? Or how is it possible for a Man to believe them hearty, and yet take no care to please that God, in whose Power it is to determine his Everlasting State? 'tis for want of this Faith that Men live without concern or care for hereafter: For as nothing can be compared with Heaven and Hell, so nothing can affect us like them.   
In short, A true Faith is the only sure Principle of a Good Life. No Temporal interest or consideration is great enough to secure our Virtue. But Eternity adds such a weight both to Happiness and Misery, that nothing can more firmly engage us in the Fear and Service of God, than the Belief of it. Under the Influence whereof we cannot Live amiss: And without this Faith 'tis impossible to Live so as to Please God.  
FINIS.   

Books Printed for Walter Kettilby, at the Bishop's- Head in St. Paul's Churchyard.  
A Defence of Revealed Religion in six Sermons upon Rom. 1.16. Wherein it is clearly and plainly shown, that no Man can possibly have any real ground or reason to be ashamed of Christianity. By Henry Hallywel, Master of Arts, and Vicar of Cowfold in Sussex.  
An Essay to revive the necessity of the Ancient Charity, and Piety; wherein God's right in our Estates, and our Obligations to maintain his Service, Religion and Charity is demonstrated and defended against the pretences of Covetousness and Appropriation, in two Discourses; Written to a Person of Honour and Virtue. By George Burghope, Rector of Little Gaddesden, Com. Hartford, and Chaplain to the Right Honourable John, Earl of Bridgwater.  
The Principles of the Cyprianick Age, with regard to the Episcopal Power and Jurisdiction, asserted and recommended from the Genuine Writings of St. Cyprian himself, and his Contemporaries, by which it is made evident, that the Vindicator of the Kirk of Scotland is obliged by his own concessions to acknowledge, that he and his Associates are Schismatics: In a Letter to a Friend. By J. S.  
Six Sermons preached (most of them) at St. Mary's in Cambridge. By Robert Needham, M. A. late Fellow of Queen's College in Cambridge.  
Six Sermons preached before the late incomparable Princess Queen Mary, at Whitehall; with several Additions and large Annotations to the Discourse of Justification by Faith. By George Bright, D. D. Dean of St. Asaph, and Chaplain in Ordinary to his Majesty.  
The End of the Catalogue.