of Evidence in other Cafes, but upon the Testimony of the Person who afferts the Propofition. In Matters of Faith, the Mind has no Enquiry to make (fuppofing the Propofition credible) but into the Force and Value of the Testimony, here it is to be exercis'd, and to make the fame Use of its Powers, as in all other Cafes.

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But when the Testimony is found to be authentic, and fufficient, Affent follows; and the general Evidence of the Authority defcends to, and spreads it felf over, all the Particulars, which may not contain in them any internal Marks of Truth: It is fufficient, in this Cafe, that this Defect is supplied by the Force of the external Teftimony, which recommends them. Our own Stock of Knowledge is very narrow and scanty; Were we left wholly to the Informations that our own Reafon and Experience fupply us with, how fenfibly should we foon feel their

great

great Defects? It is Faith that recalls Things paft, that anticipates Things to come, that prefents and fenfiblelizes (pardon the Expreffion) things invisible, that forms them into Principles of Action, into Motives of Conduct, equal fhall I fay, I fay fuperior, to things prefent, and fenfible. The Mind acquiefces in the Evidence of them, and then their Importance gives them more Influence, than even those Things which are continually foliciting us by immediate Impreffions. In Matters meerly human, it is Faith, that opens to us the History of all past Ages; it brings us acquainted with Them that have been long dead; it displays to us their Knowledge, and their Ignorance, their Succeffes and Disappointments, their Calamities and Bleffings; it conveys to us very useful Leffons in a very fhort and eafy manner; it brings innumerable things under our Obfervation, and furnishes VOL. I. D

us

us with Experiences not our own, Experiences either never to be attained by us, or only in ways very tedious and expenfive, which generally we could reap no Advantage from, and would come too late to be of any Use to us.

In Matters divine, Faith points out to us the Creator and Governor, the Preferver and Redeemer of the World; It fhews us our own Origin; the perfect State, in which we were formed; the Fall of our firft Parents; the Caufe of our present infirm and corrupt State: It displays to us all the Dif penfations of God's Providence, and of his Spirit, from the Beginning to this Day, and promifes a Supply that is yet to come, and continue even to the End of the World. Nay, it go even beyond this, and opens to our View everlasting Scenes of Glory and Happiness; it exhibits to us in the cleareft Light the Relations we stand

in to almighty God, and to one another, the certain Means of obtaining his Favour, and avoiding his Difpleafure: It informs us of the various Orders of Beings above, of their folicitous Concern for us, and Intercourse with us for our Good. Most if not all which things the Reafon of Mankind could never have arrived to any Certainty in; and those, in which perhaps they could have made fome anxious Gueffes, and doubtful Conjectures about, are made plain and familiar by Faith, even to the meanest Capacity, that is provided only with an honest and good Heart.

II. My next Enquiry is into the Nature of Virtue.

Virtue is defined by Dr. More (whom I take to be one of the best Divines, and Moralifts, that any Age has produced) to be an intellectual Force of the Soul, by which it fo diD 2 rects

rects the animal Impreffions, or corporeal Paffions, as in every Action to pursue with Eafe, what is abfolutely and fimply best, or fitteft to be done. I fhall not follow him thro' his Explications of all the Branches of this Definition, but only observe that the two principal Things which constitute. Virtue are, if, a diligent Endeavour, according to the intellectual Powers we are poffefs'd of, to difcern what is best and fittest to be done; and 2dly, a fincere Purpose to praclife it: This Exercife of the Mind, and the Dif positions, and Habits arifing from this Exercife, form the virtuous Man. Whatever Actions proceed from any

Perfon without the Exercise of these Powers, i. e. without discerning the Rule of Duty, and determining to act according to it, however laudable they may chance to be, are not virtuous Actions, they are incapable of that Denomination. There is nothing of

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