It is plain that fuch a man cannot poffibly admit a Revelation that condemns him; and it is as plain that the man of virtue cannot fpurn the hand that is graciously stretched out to reward him. If he is a truly virtuous man, that is, one who fincerely labours to know his duty, and fincerely intends to perform it, he cannot but with for more light to guide him in the investigation, more affiftance to fupport him in the discharge of it, more happiness to crown his perfeverance in it, than bare reafon alone can afford him. This is what all the best and wifeft Heathens most ardently defired, what nature has been continually looking out for with the utmost earneftness of expectation. When with a mind thus difpofed he fits down to examine the Gofpel, fuggeft to me the least shadow of a reafon why he should reject it. He finds in it a religion, pure, holy, and benevolent, as the God that gave it. He finds not only its moral precepts, but even its fublimest mysteries, calculated to promote internal fanctity, vital piety, universal philanthropy. He finds it throughout fo great and noble, fo congenial to the finest feelings, and moft generous fenti

ments of his foul; that he cannot but wish

be true;

it may and never yet, I believe, did any good man wish it to be true, but he actually found it fo. He fees in it every expectation of nature answered, every infirmity fupported, every want fupplied, every terror difsipated, every hope confirmed; nay, he sees that God has done exceeding abundantly above all that he could either afk or think; that he has given him (what reafon could hardly have the idea of) eternal happiness in a life to come. Will this man "love darkness " rather than that light?" Will he chufe to purfue virtue, with much pains, little fuccefs, and no other wages than death; or to be led to her through a fafe and easy path by an infallible guide, who does not defire him to "ferve God for nought?"

Let me not however be understood to affert, or to represent the text as afferting, that all unbelievers are without exception abfolutely wicked men. There are fome, no doubt, who lead, what is called, good moral lives. Yet, if you examine even these very strictly, you will, I believe, feldom find that their virtue is fo pure, fo uniform, fo extensive,

fo

;

fo compleat in all the feveral branches of duty, as that of a truly devout Christian. And it should be obferved alfo, that men may reject the Gospel, not only because they are diffolute in their conduct, but for various other reasons: because, perhaps, they are too bufy, or too idle, to examine carefully into the truth; because, like Gallio, “ they care "for none of these things," and like him, "drive them away" with contempt "from "the judgement-feat *" of their own mind because they give themselves up to a warm lively imagination; and are impatient to show that they have more depth of thought, more freedom of spirit, and elevation of mind, than the rest of the world; because, in fine, they are ambitious to figure at the head of a sect, to enjoy the delightful triumph of beating down long-established opinions, and erecting upon their ruins a little favourite fyftem of their own. Now all these causes of infidelity, though less culpable than downright profligacy, are yet evidently great faults, and indicate more or less a depraved turn of mind; and from im→ moralities of this kind at leaft fcarce any

fceptics are entirely free. Or, admit that fome are; yet these inftances are confeffedly very rare; and a prudent man would no more chufe to embark his morality on fo precarious a bottom, than he would venture to walk in the dark amidft rocks and precipices, because fome perhaps have done it without receiving any harm. In general, therefore, the ground of unbelief laid down by our Saviour in the text, is undoubtedly a true one; and if a man fhuns the light, it is an almost certain. fign that his deeds are, in fome fenfe or other, in a greater or a lefs degree, evil, and confequently his condemnation juft.

Yet how can this be, you will perhaps fay? Can God punish his creatures for walking by that light which he himself has fet up in their own minds, though he has at the fame time perhaps revealed a fuller light from Heaven? Moft certainly he can; for the very fame reason that a prince might punifh his fubjects for acting by the law of nature; instead of governing themselves by the

De quoi puis-je être coupable en fervant Dieu felon les Lumieres qu'il donne à mon efprit, & felon les fentimens qu'il infpire à mon Court Rouleau. T. 8. p. 67.

civil laws of the land. It is not a matter of indifference, whether you embrace Christianity or not. Though reafon could answer all the purposes of Revelation (which is far, very far from being the cafe) yet you are not at liberty to make it your fole guide, if there be such a thing as a true Revelation. We are the fubjects of the Almighty: and whether we will acknowledge it or not, we live, and cannot but live, under his governHis will is the law of his kingdom. If he has made no express declaration of his will, we must collect it as well as we can from what we know of his nature and our own. But if he has exprefsly declared his will, that is the law we are to be governed by, We may indeed refuse to be governed by it; but it is at our peril if we do; for if it proves to be a true declaration of his will, to reject it is rebellion.

ment.

But to reject or receive it, you may alledge, is not a thing in your own power. Belief depends not on your will, but your understanding. And will the righteous judge of the earth condemn you for want of understanding?

D 4