determination. St. Paul has shewn us a shorter and more excellent way, when he bids us, Be simple concerning evil. In virtue of this sa cred admonition, a wise man will think it suf ficient to dismiss these vain insinuations at. once, without so much as spending a thought upon them. What," he will say to himself, "if I cannot detect the falsehood of these pleas, "I have a heart, that revolts against them. "I cannot, perhaps, disentangle the sophistry "of these arguments; but I feel the base"ness of the conclusion, and I see in others "the folly of acting upon it. It were ill with "vice indeed, if it had no false colours to ap66 pear in; and error would be hooted out of "the world, if she did not hide her obliquities "under the garb of reason. But what are "these disguises to me, who am neither. "dazzled by the one, nor duped by the other? "Let the curious, if they will, inquire, wherein "the imposture consists: I have that within

66

me, which tells me in a moment, they are "but impostures. In vain then, will such a "one conclude, are these insiduous attempts "on me, who take a sure refuge in the word "of God, and the integrity of my own virtue. "Be the pretences what they will, the con"futation of them is no part of a Christian's I may exercise my understanding

❝ care.

< profitably in other matters. It is my duty "to consider much of the ways of doing good. " may be prudent and wise here. But, EX"PERIENCE, and CONSCIENCE, and RELIGION, ❝command me to be, SIMPLE CONCERNING ❝ EVIL."

J

How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh of God only ?

IT has been thought unfair to charge unbelief, simply and indiscriminately, on the grosser passions. The observation, I believe, is just: and yet it may be true, notwithstanding, that unbelief is always owing to some or other of the passions. The evidences of revealed religion are so numerous, and upon the whole sp convincing, that one cannot, easily conceive

how a reasonable man should reject them all, without the intervention of some secret prejudice, or predominant affection.

Of these prejudices and affections, one of the commonest, and the most seducing of any to the better sort of unbelievers, is that irregular love of praise and reputation, which our Lord condeinns in the text+How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

The question, we may observe, is so expressed, as if we could not receive honour from one another, and believe, at the same time; as if there was a physical, at least a moral impossibility, that these two things should subsist together. And we shall find, perhaps, the expression no stronger than the occasion required, if, besides other considerations, we attend to the following; which shew how inconsistent a true practical faith in the Gospel is with the sollicitous and undistinguishing pursuit of human glory.

For, I. The Gospel delivers many of its doctrines as inscrutable, and silences the busy curiosity of our understandings about them:

but the honour of men is frequently obtained by indulging this curiosity, and pushing the researches of reason into those forbidden quarters.

II. The Gospel demands an humble and reverential awe in the discussion of all its doctrines; such of them, I mean, as it leaves most free to human inquiry: but this turn of mind is contrary to that high courage and daring intrepidity, which the world expects in those who are candidates for its honour.

III. The Gospel prescribes an uniform and unqualified assent to whatever it declares of divine things, whether we can or cannot apprehend the reason of such declaration: but this submission to authority, the world is ready to call ill-faith, and to consider the defiance of it, as a mark of superior honesty and virtue.

Thus we see, that WIT, COURAGE, and PROBITY, the three great qualities we most respect in ourselves, and for which we receive the highest honour from each other, appear many times to the world with less advantage in the Christian, than the unbeliever. Not, that Christianity strips us of these virtues: on the