keeping us in a continual fufpenfe, and thereby rendring our conditions perpetually reftlefs and unquiet? Would not fuch men be generally accounted out of their wits, who could please themselves, by entertaining actual hopes of any thing, meerly upon account of the poffibility of it; or torment themselves with actual fears, of all fuch evils as are poffible? Is there any thing imaginable more wild and extravagant amongst thofe in Bedlam, than this would be? Why, Doubt is a kind of fear, and is commonly styled formido oppofiti; and 'tis the fame kind of madness for a man to doubt of any thing, as to hope for, or fear it, upon a meer poffibility.

5. 'Tis fufficient that matters of Faith and Religion be propounded in such a way, as to render them highly credible, fo as an honest and teachable man may willingly and fafely affent to them, and according to the rules of Prudence be justified in fo doing. Nor is it either neceffary or convenient, that they fhould be established by fuch cogent Evidence, as to neceffitate affent. Becaufe this would not leave any place for the vertue of Believing, or the freedom of our obedience; nor any ground for Reward and Punish

ment.

ment.

It would not be thank-worthy

for a man to believe that which of neceflity he must believe, and cannot otherwise chufe.

Rewards and Punishments do properly belong to free Actions, fuch as are under a man's power, either to do or forbear; not to fuch as are neceffary. There is no more reafon to reward a man for believing that four is more than three, than for being hungry or fleepy; Because these things do not proceed from choice, but from natural neceifity. A man must do so, nor can he do otherwise.

I do not fay, that the Principles of Religion are meerly probable, I have before afferted them to be Morally certain. And that to a man who is careful to preferve his mind free from prejudice, and to confider, they will appear unquestionable, and the deductions from them demonstrable: But now because that which is neceffary to beget this certainty in the mind, namely, impartial Confideration is in a man's power, therefore the belief or dif belief of these things is a proper fubject for Rewards and Punishments.

There would be little reafon for the Scripture fo much to magnifie the Grace of Faith, as being fo great a vertue and fo acceptable

Verit.

lib. 2.

ceptable to God, if every one were neceffi tated to it, whether he would or no. And therefore God is pleased to propose these matters of belief to us in fuch a way, as that we might give fome Teftimony of our teachable difpofitions, and of our obediGrot. de ence by our affent to them. Ut fermo Evangelii tanquam lapis effet Lydius,ad quem ingenia fanabilia explorarentur, as the learned Grotius fpeaks concerning the Doctrine of the Gospel,whereby God was pleafed as with a Touch-stone to prove and try what kind of tempers men are of, whether they are fo ingenuous as to accept of fufficient Evidence, in the confirmation of a holy Doctrine. And the Scripture doth in feveral places make use of the word Faith, according to this notion of it, as it confists in a readiness of mind to close with and give affent unto things upon fuch evi`dence as is in it felf fufficient. To which purpose is that expreffion of our Saviour to Thomas, Bleffed are they that have not seen and yet have believed, Joh. 20. 29. Signifying it to be a more excellent commendable and bleffed thing for a man to yield his affent, upon fuch evidence as is in it felf fufficient, without infifting upon more; It denotes good inclinations in men towards Religion, and that they have worthy

thoughts

thoughts of the divine power and goodnefs, when they are willing to fubmit unto fuch arguments in the confirmation of a holy doctrine,as to unprejudiced perfons are in themselves fufficient to induce belief. It was this difpofition that was commended in the Bereans, for which they are stiled Act. 17.11. evise, more ingenuous, teachable and candid, more noble than others, Because they received the word with all readiness of mind. (i.e.) Were ready and willing to affent to the Gospel, upon fuch evidence as was in it felf fufficient to convince reasonable and unprejudiced men.

And on the other fide, it was the want of this difpofition which is condemned, Mat. 13. 58. where 'tis faid that our Saviour did not many mighty works in his own Country, because of their unbelief: (i. e.) That prejudice which there was upon them, by their knowledge of his mean parentage and birth, and their ignorance of his divine commiflion and high calling, did indifpofe them for an equal judgment of things, and render them unteachable. And having tried this by doing fome mighty works amongst them, he would not do many, because of their incapacity of receiving benefit by them. Wicked

D

Wicked men are in the Scripture-phrafe Eph. 2. 2, ftiled yoì droidéias, filii infuafibilitatis, unCol. 3. 6. perfuadable men, fuch as no reason can 2 Thef. 3. convince. And elsewhere they are styled

5, 6.

2.

ἄτοποι.

6.

ἄτοποι, which we tranflate unreafonable men. But the word may fignifie abfurd, contumacious perfons, who are not to be fixed by any Principles, whom no Topics can work upon, being directly opposite to this virtue of Faith, as appears by the next claufe, For all men have not Faith.

Suppofing Mankind to be endowed (as all other things are) with a natural principle, whereby they are strongly inclined to feek their own prefervation and happinefs; and fuppofing them to be rational and free Creatures, able to judge of, and to chufe the means conducing to this end: no. thing can be more reasonable in this cafe, than that fuch Creatures should be under the obligation of accepting fuch evidence, as in it felf is fufficient for their conviction.

6. When there is no fuch evident certainty, as to take away all kind of doubting; in Such cafes, a judgment that is equal and impartial must incline to the greater probabilities. That is no juft balance, wherein the heaviest fide will not preponderate. In all the ordinary affairs of life,menufe to guide their actions by this rule,namely,to incline