downright Apoftacy: As the Apostle here hints to the Converted Hebrews, whom he therefore calls Brethren; For in a Brother, any One that has ever given up his Name to Chrift, an Evil Heart of Unbelief, is no less than mostar são sã Osì Cãtrok. Highly neceffary therefore Now, if ever, is this Caution in the Text: Take heed, Brethren, left there be in any of You an Evil Heart of Unbelief and Te turn Apoftates from the Liv ing God.

The Heart, in Holy Scripture, is by an eafy Figure of Speech, (familiar enough in Human Writings alfo,) taken either for the Understanding, the Reafon, the Wildom; or the Will, the Affections, and Defires of Man. But more frequently, and here' particularly according to the best Expofitors, for the latter: Wherefore, from the Words thus understood Ifhall Endeavour Two Things ;

I. First, To fhew that Unbelief chiefly proceeds from an evil Heart; that is, from a Rebellious Will, from Corrupt Affections, and Vicious Inclinations.

II. Secondly, To enforce therefore this Caution of the Apostle, that We take efpecial heed, left there be in Us fuch an Evil Heart and that, both for the Inexcufable Folly, and the Unexpreffible Danger of it.

I. First,

1. First, I am to fhew, that Unbelief proceeds chiefly from an Evil Heart: And to fatisfy us, how natural a Fruit Infidelity is of an Evil Heart, it will not be amifs to confider in general, how powerful a Sway Men's Wills and Inclinations have, in all Things elfe, over their Belief: And how Powerful, and how Univerfal, that Influence is, a very small measure of Experience and Obfervation will fuffice to inform us. Eve ry Day, and every Place, and every Business we meet with in the World, abundantly Supply us with Inftances of it. What abfurd and incredible Stories will pafs Current with Men, that have a Mind they fhould be True? And what Difficulties can they Difcover in most probable and likely Relations, if they heartily wish them to be Falfe? What Certainty, what Evidence can prevail, or gain admittance, when Intereft, or Paffion, fhuts the Door to all Belief? There is Nothing in the World, that Men agree fo well in univerfally acknowledging the Truth of, as the Principles and Conclufions of the pure and unmix'd Mathematicks: But Mr. Hobbes's Reason for this is remarkable enough, which is, he fays, Because Men care not much, in that Subject, what is Truth, as a Thing that croffes no Man's Ambition, Profit, or Luft. And the Only Caufe, why none have ever

Writ to contradict any of the most Evident Mathematical Truths, is, Because it never was the Intereft of any Prince, or People, to have the Contrary believ'd; else he does not doubt, upon due Encouragement from hopes of Reward, Ambition, Self-Love, or other like Motives, but that the moft Evident and Certain Principles in Geometry, might have been as much the Subject of Debate and Controverfy, as even Morality, or Politicks, or Divinity. This founds fomewhat odd, and almoft incredible at first hearing; but we must do him this right to own, that his Own Example made his Obfervation good: For He himself, after all his high Flights and Flourishes, over and over, upon every Occafion; upon no Occafion pour'd out in Praife of his Once beloved Mathematicks, especially for their convincingClearness, and undoubted Certainty; as foon as his Vani ty, and Ambition, and Self-Love, came to be concern'd in the Caufe, by his being baffled and expos'd, for Pretending to more in his Way than he Understood, fets himself on Work to dispute against the plaineft Demonftrations, with as much Vehemence and Ill-Manners, as ever any Difpute, of Right or Wrong, was manag'd with. Now he tells us, that there are full as great Cheats, Errors, and Falfhoods, in the Proofs of Geometricians, as any other Men; Geometrarum,

fays

fays he, totam invado Nationem, he proclaims War with the whole Race of 'em, and is forc'd at last to this Extravagant Exclamation; "Either Imy felf, or all the Mathema"ticians in the World befide, are stark Mad! I made use the rather of this Inftance, and dwelt the longer upon it, because it is of the Man, who, by his Writings, has been One of the greatest Promoters of Atheism, that this laft Age has produe'd; That his Difciples may confider and obferve, by their Master's Example, how mighty and controlling a Force, the Affections and Paffions have over the Judgment and Understanding; and not wonder therefore, if they themselves, bringing with 'em a ftrong Inclination, and vehement Defire, to get rid of the Senfe of Religion, fhould take even the trifling Sophiftry of the Leviathan for no lefs than Demonftration. Sadur

"

A

And this ftrong Biafs, by which Men's Wills andDefires draw over,and engage their Opinions and Belief, appears no where more vifible, than where, upon the Account of the Infinite and Eternal Importance of the Subject, it ought least of all to bear any sway; namely, in Matters of Religion. And here it mayfafely be affirm'd, that thegreat &lamen table Encrease,and daily Progrefs of Atheism, & Infidelity, fo much, & fo justly complain'd of among us, had its Rife, not fo much from

any

any Rational Reluctance in the Understanding, pretended by Some, to the High Myfteries; as in an Unreasonable Averfion of the Will, too Visible in All, to the Holy Precepts of Chriftianity. Could we look to the Bottom of the Heart of the General lity of Unbelievers, we fhould plainly fee, that 'tis not the fufpected Truth, but the acknowledg'd Goodness of the Gospel, that gives indeed the great Offence. They deny the One, but it is because they hate the Other In a word, the Oppofition, that by moft Men is made against Religion, whatever they may pretend, proceeds, not from the Difficulty to Apprehend its Doctrines, but from the Unwillingness to Obey its Commands; And the Gofpel is rejected, not because in it the Objects of Faith are too Obfcure, but because the Obligations.to Holinefs are too Plain.

That it is not for want of fufficient Evi dence, to convince them of the Truth of Religion, is demonftrable from this; That they believe many, innumerable things befide, upon very much flenderer, Proof. Nay, there is nothing almost in the World, that is believ'd, the Belief of which is not found ed upon lefs fatisfying & Grounds than thofe, upon which is built our moft Holy Faith. It must therefore neceffarily be the Prejudice of the Senfual Appetites and Affections,

and