An enquiry into the nature, necessity, and evidence of Christian faith. Part I. Of faith in general, and of the belief of a deity by J.C.

The CONTENTS of this First Part.

• INtroduction, shewing the Oc∣casion and Design of the fol∣lowing Essays, p. 1.

Essay I.

• Faith is and hath been the perpetual Standard of Righteousness from the Be∣ginning of the World, p. 6.
• 1. Faith proper to Scripture and required under the Dis∣pensation of both Testaments, ibid.
• 2. What to live by Faith, p. 7.
• 3. All the righteous upwards to Adam lived by Faith, p. 8.
• 4. It is great Insolence to find Fault with the Terms and Phrases by which the Prin∣ciples of Scripture are set forth, p. 9.

Essay II.

• Of Faith as opposed to Doubting, p. 11.
• 1. The Meaning of Faith ought to be enquired after, ibid.
• 2. Common Definitions and Distinctions of Faith not con∣sidered nor any new Defini∣tion offered, ibid.
• 3. Faith first opposed to Doubt∣ing, implies a firm Perswa∣sion of Good and Evil, which is essential to a just Man, p. 13.
• 4. Of the Influence which this Faith has upon Actions, as to the rendring them Good or Evil, p. 14.
• 5. This Faith no light Perswa∣sion, but the Effect of serious Enquiry and Deliberation, ib.
• 6. It is the first Principle of a good Life, p. 16.

Essay III.

• Of Faith as opposed to Atheism, and how a Be∣lief of the Existence of God is necessary to determine the certain Rule of Moral Acti∣ons, p. 17.
• 1. Faith is a Belief of God and his Attributes, ibid.
• 2. The Necessity of this Belief for knowing the first and great Rule of Moral Actions, ibid.
• 3. Righteousness according to Scripture, is to act with a continual regard to God, p. 18.
• 4. These Divines are very cen∣surable, who recommend Mo∣rality upon other Principles more and oftner than this, p. 19.

Essay IV.

• The Existence of God is most evident, p. 21.
• 1. It doth not require Learning or great Travel to know that there is a God, p. 22.
• 2. Some Truths more obvious than Mathematical Demon∣strations, and it may be said, That the Existence of a Deity is more evident than the Propositions of Euclid, p. 23.
• 3. Whether there be real Atheists. The Causes of Atheism considered, p. 24. First Cause of Atheism, Vi∣tiousness, p. 25. A Second Cause of Atheism, the being rebuted by Difficulties, ibid.
• ...

• A Third Cause of Atheism, want of Consideration, p. 26.

Essay V.

• Evidences of a Deity in Man, p. 27.
• 1. The Outward Figure of Man's Body considered, ibid.
• 2. The Inward Frame, p. 28.
• 3. Life and Sense, with the Organs of them, ibid.
• 4. The Internal, and Intelle∣ctual Faculties, p. 32.
• 5. The Method of nourishing the Body. p. 33.
• 6. The Manner of its Gene∣ration, p. 34.
• 7. Of the useful Dependance of some outward Members upon our Will, and how rea∣dily they answer our thoughts, p. 38.

Essay VI.

• Evidences of a Deity in other Parts of the World, p. 37.
• 1. All other things, as well as Man, prove that there is a God. It is evident, That Man and all other things had one Author or Cause, ibid.
• 2. Contrivance and Design in in every thing, in the Cele∣stial Orbs, p. 38.
• 3. In Vegetables and Ani∣mals, p. 39.
• 4. Locusts and Caterpillars considered, p. 40.
• 5. The Disorders and Irregu∣larities occasioned by Man no Reproach to the Wisdom of God, p. 41.
• 6. It is unreasonable to ask more Evidence for the Exi∣stence of God, than what we have, p. 43.
• 7. God's Eternity obvious. His Omnipotency appears in the Immensity of the World, p. 44.
• 8. His Wisdom and Power in the very Disposal of meer Matter, or the several kinds of Earth. p. 45.
• 9. In the Variety and Virtue of Plants, p. 46.
• 10. In the Diversity of Ani∣mals, p. 50.
• 11. It is impossible to convince them who resist these Evi∣dences, p. 52.

Essay VII.

• Of the Absurdity of Atheism, p. 53.
• 1. Two sorts of Demonstra∣tion. A Deity demonstrable by both of them, ibid.
• 2. The Existence of God pro∣ved by the First, ibid.
• 3. The Objections of Atheists do strengthen the Belief of a God. The First Objection stated, p. 54.
• 4. The Answer to it, p. 55.
• 5. A Second Objection, p. 59.
• 6. The Answer, p. 60.
• 7 A Third Objection, p. 62.
• 8. The Answer, p. 63.
• 9. A Fourth Objection, with the Answer, p. 64.
• 10. A Deity proved by the other kind of Demonstration, ex absurdo, p. 65.
• The Conclusion, p. 68.