4

and that cheifly, for the Fear and Horror that it strikes through their Souls, that they ftruggle fo much to extinguish it. For admitted, it would not only fhame, but terrify and amaze 'em, even in the midft of all their Jollity and Pleasures; Like the Hand-writing on the Wall at Nebuchadnezzar's Feaft, it would make their Countenance change, and loosen their Joints, and make their Knees fmite one against another, Dan. 5. 6. And indeed till the Senfe of Religion be conquer'd, till this Spirit that would continually be haunting 'em be laid, till the difmal Apprehenfions of a future Judgment and an avenging God be remov'd; what Relifh, what Satisfaction can there be in the most alluring Pleasures of Sin? Whilst the Sword of Vengeance glitters over their Head, hanging by fo thin a Thread, as that of Life. They therefore, as it is faid of the wicked Elders in the Hiftory of Sufanna, Pervert their Own Mind, and turn away their Eyes, that they might not look up unto Heaven nor remember just Judgements. The Remembrance of juft Judgements is the first thing to be stiffled and overcome, before a Man can arrive to any Pleasure in Wickedness. The Language of the Atheist is exactly the fame in all Ages: they of our Time fay but the Same thing over, that their Predeceffors in the Book of Wisdom faid before, We are

born

born at all adventure, and we shall be as tho' we had never been; Come on therefore, let us enjoy the good Things that are prefent, and let speedily use the Creatures as in Youth. Let us fill our Selves with coftly Wine and Oyntments, Let none of us go without his part of Voluptuousnefs, Let us opprefs the poor Righteous Man, nor reverence the ancient gray haires of the Aged. Here the Argument they Ufe to excite Öne another to Intemperance, Injustice, and Oppreffion, is, that there is no future Punishment for Sinners, nor any Reward for blamelef Souls. But would we know whence this Belief of theirs Sprung? we are told in the Clofe of all, Such things did they imagin and were deceiv'd; for their Own Wickedness had blinded them, v.21. It was their own Wickednefs blinded them firft, before their Blindnefs confirm'd them Wicked. And therefore it is faid in the beginning of the Chapter, they reafon'd within themselves but not aright, that is purposely to deceive themselves, they inverted the Order of their Reasoning, and fo Reafon'd not aright. For the Argument would have run thus, if they had dealt honeftly, and durft even among themselves fpeak the Truth of their own Hearts, We are refolu' d to enjoy the good things that are prefent, we will fill our felves with coftly Wine, we will none of Us go without bis part of Voluptuoufnefs; Come on therefore, Let this be Our

G 2

Belief,

Belief, We are born at all adventure, and fall be hereafter as tho' we had never been. Thus fhall all the Pleafures of Life go down with lefs Reluctance and with greater Guft. And they, who are refolv'd to live like Beafts, are glad to entertain an Opinion that they fhall dye fo too. Whereas on the contrary, They who lead a Virtuous Life, a Life becoming reasonable and thinking Men, have their Hope full of Immortality.

And this naturally leads to fhew on the other hand, how much the good Difpofitions of the Heart, and the Inclination of the Will towards God's Commands contribute towards Creating in us Faith and a Belief of his Word. We thankfully indeed acknowledge that Faith is the Gift of God; and fo it may also be, tho' produc'd by the Will; for all the good Inclinations of the Will are the Gift of God alfo. The things of God, as they are Foolishness to the Natural Man's Understanding, fo they are Enmity to his Will; and therefore when God gives Faith, as he gives new Light to the Underftanding, fo he gives new Motions and Inclinations to the Heart. So that whatever Disputes have been among Divines, fome placing Faith in the Underftanding, and fome in the Will, it is wholly in neither; not Only in the Understanding, nor Only in the Will, but in the whole Soul,

the

the whole Intelligent Nature is the Seat of Faith. But when we confider what glorious Promises are made to Faith, and that it is ftrictly enjoyn'd under Eternal Punishments to the contrary; we cannot choose but conclude, that it must have a Greater Proportion of that Ingredient which only makes Actions good or bad, which only is the Subject to which Commands and Prohibitions can be propos'd, which only can entitle to Reward or Punishment, and that is Will and Choice. But fhould we allow Faith to be feated in the Understanding only, as fome Divines contend, yet That itself depends in fome Measure on the Will: Inafmuch as the firft Application of Mind, and afterwards the Attention and Dwelling upon any Subject Worthy to be Understood (of which Worthinefs the Will too makes itself for the most part the Judge) is altogether Voluntary. So that tho' in Matters of Knowledge the Will has no direct proper Concurrence, nor is the Consent of it ftrictly neceffary to the Affent of the Underftanding; yet it has fuch a tacit, but effectual Influence, fuch a domeftick conjugal Authority, that the Understanding is feldom firmly or long on that Side to which the Other Faculty is not enclin'd. Thus every Way we fee how much the Will is concern'd in producing & preferving Faith. G 3

And

And it is highly reasonable that it fhould be fo; that we may hereby make a freewill Offering of our Belief, which if extorted from us would be of no Worth; that Our hearty Affent to the Heavenly Truths reveal'd to us may be what St Paul ftyles it, The Obedience of Faith, and that the Difficulty of Apprehending fome of its high Ob jects might ennoble it, and make it capable of a glorious Reward. For as there would be no Praise due to the beft Works, if either the Works were eafy, or our Wills forc'd; fo neither could there be any Merit in Faith, if the Objects of it were fo plain, or our Understandings were by Demonftrative Evidence fo Overborn, that we could not help Believing.

To conclude this Head, as on one hand the Love of this World and Sinful Lufts thereof make Men very backward at first to believe, but very apt to raise what Objections they can against a Religion fo oppofite to 'em, and catch at the leaft fhadow of poffibility, that may ftay their Minds from thinking that true, which they heartily with were falfe; and as the Continuance in Vice and Sin both by a Natural Courfe of Working in 'em a fettled Stupidity and Habitual Blindness, and alfo by the juft Judgment of God who, because they did not like to retain him in their Knowledge, gives

them