and a feared confcience; that their very mind and confcience may be defiled; that they may do things, which the common fenfe of mankind proclaims to be unjust and wicked; while, if we believe what they fay of themselves, their own hearts reproach them not: These are not only wicked, but desperately wicked men; if the light that is in them be darkness, how great is that darknefs? In all things of this nature, it is evident, that without faith and knowledge the heart cannot be good.

Befides, we are to confider, that all men who have natural capacity, and means of understanding God's will, are obliged to know it; and therefore fincerity cannot confift with unbelief and ignorance thereof, because it cannot stand with perfifting in the neglect of plain duty. God revealed his will to mankind, by the light of nature, and by the promulgation of the Gospel, on purpose that it might be known; and all this would have been to no purpose, if ignorance might be pleaded in excufe, when the law is fufficiently made plain, in all matters neceffary to be known, that is, in all things neceffary to falvation.

In truth, the real causes of unbelief and errors in matters of faith, are not because the means of right knowledge are wanting; but they are fuch as thefe,-covetoufness, ambition, ftrife, and anger, the affectation of vain glory, the love of ease, and pleafure, partiality, and the ferving of a bycause; and, in fhort, any inordinate affection whatsoever. For where fuch difpofitions as these reign, they corrupt the mind with fecret diflikes of the truth, and extinguish the very defire of knowing it, and there can be no fincerity there.

And this muft needs be a fatal cause of unbelief and delufion, in matters of religion; because the evidence of divine truth, tho' it is abundantly fufficient for the conviction of ingenuous and honest minds, yet is not fitted to overcome the perverseness of the prejudiced and dishonest, that have an interest against it. Great is the evidence of religious truth; but yet that evidence is fuch, as may be refifted by the cavils and obftinacy of fincere men. For, all the while, it is poffible to find out pretences for unbelief and error, where the doctrine of religion is shown by never so clear a

light, whilft that light is no more than a rational, but not an irresistible evidence. And then, vicious men will strain hard for fuch pretences; because religion is also a doctrine that requires a ftrict holy life. It pinches the covetous man from unjust gains. It forbids the voluptuous man his pleasures. It reftrains the injured party from revenge. It meets every man in his fin; and checks him in his ill way; and will have him live by rules, under the severest penalties.

And this is the true reafon, why fome try to ease themselves by unbelief; and others, by a falfe way of religion of their own contriving, that unties the cord, and gives fome relaxation from the ftrictness of the true religion.

So that, an honest mind is requifite to the understanding and believing of the things of God; and unbelief and error cannot confift with fincerity, where infincerity is the cause of it.

that

WHEREFORE, by way of application of this discourse, let us be exhorted to get boneft and good heart, which is the great preparation for a firm faith, and true know

edge in the things of God. And the first step towards this is, to put in practice our knowledge of the plaineft things of all in piety and virtue. Let us fet the fear of God before our eyes, and the great concern of a judgment to come; and learn to prefer our falvation hereafter, before the riches, the pleasures, and the honours of this world, before the praise of men, or even all the advantages of this life. Then fhall we be prepared, by a full purpose of mind, to do whatsoever shall appear to be God's will, and to receive whatsoever fhall appear to be God's truth.

And when we have endeavoured to know that doctrine, which is to lead us into the performance of our duty, because we would do it; and have confidered our proper prejudices, to remove them, and to set our felves in a better light to difcern between truth and error; and have added our earnest prayers to God, that he would keep us from being led into any dangerous mistake;— then we may be confident, that no vicious affection hath polluted the purity of our intention to know and do our mafter's will; and then may we wafh our hands in innoVOL. III. Ff cency,

cency, not arrogantly boafting thereof, but with humility and thankfulness, acknowledging the gift and grace of God, in giving us the hope of eternal life, in purifying us by that hope, in the illuminating our understandings, and guiding of our wills by his good fpirit, till he makes us meet for himself.

To conclude the whole: They are blessed that by this way arrive to found knowledge, namely, by the cleanfing of their actions, and the purifying of their intentions, a way that will lead them not only to knowledge, but to falvation. Whereas if we depart from God, by an impure mind, and a wicked life; we are in a certain way of damnation, tho' the truth of every question in religion were revealed to us by an angel, or by the immediate inspiration of the Holy Ghost.

But bleffed are the righteous in that integrity of theirs, and in that good confcience of their own fincerity, which, like light, fheweth it felf, as well as other things. It gives them that eafe and peace, and those pure delights, which the world cannot take away. It makes their poverty, and their fickness

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