But as for those who live without either knowing God, or endeavouring to know him, they look on themfelves as fo little deferving their own care, that they cannot but be unworthy the care of others: and it requires all the charity of the religion which they defpife, not to defpife them to fuch a degree, as even to abandon them to their own folly: but fince the fame religion obliges us to confder them, while they remain in this life, as capable of God's enlightening grace; and to acknowledge it as very posible, that, in the courfe of a few days, they may be replenished with a fuiler measure of faith than we now enjoy; and we ourfelves, on the other fide, fall into the depths of their prefent blindness and mifery; we ought to do for them, what we defire should be done to us in their cafe; to intreat them that they would take pity on themfelves, and would at least advance a ftep or two forward, if perchance they may come into the light. For which end it is wifhed, that they would employ in the perufal of this piece, fome few of thole hours, which they fpend fo unprofably in other pursuits. It is potible they may gain fomewhat by the reading; aleat, they cannot be great lofers: but if ary fhall apply themselves to it, with eret fincerity, and with an unfeigned fire of knowing the truth, I defpair not of their fatisfaction, or of their being conced by fo many procfs of our divine region, as they will here find laid tocher. Monf. Pafcal. $171. Of the temper of mind which is necesary for the difcovery of divine truth, and the degree of evidence that ought to be expected in divine matters; with an epitome of reafons for the truth of the Holy Bible. If all our knowledge be derived from God, and if it has pleafed God to require a certain degree of probity, ferioufrefs, impartiality, and humility of mind, together With helity prayers to him for his direction, bleking, and affiftance; and a proper fub mica to him, before he will communicate his truths to men; I mean, at leaft, communicate the fame fo as fitall make a due impreffion upon their minds, and turn to their real profit and edification, to their true improvement in virtue and happiLeis: and if men at any time come to the examination either of the works or word of God, without that temper of mind, and without thofe addreffes for his aid, and fubmiflion to his will, which he has deter-. mined fhall be the conditions of his communications to them; especially if they come with the contrary difpofitions, with a wicked, partial, proud, and ludicrous t'mper, and with an utter difregard to God, his providence, worthip, and revelation; all their refearches will come to nothing: if, I fay, this be the cale, as to divine knowledge, as I believe it is, it cannot but be highly neceffary for us all to confider of this matter beforehand, and to endeavour after the proper qualifications, before we fet ourselves about the main enquiries themfelves. If it has alfo pleafed God to expect from us fome more deference and regard for him, than for our poor fallible fellow-creatures here below, and to claim our belief and obedience, upon plain external evidence, that certain doctrines or duties are derived from him, without our being always let into the fecrets of his government, or acquainted with the reafons of his conduct, and alfo to expect that this plain external evidence be treated, as it is in all the other cafes of human determinations and judgments: I mean, that it be fubmitted to, and acquiefced in, when it appears to be fuch as in all other cafes would be allowed to be fatisfactory, and plainly fuperior to what is alledged to the contrary; if, I fay, this alfo be the cafe, as to divine knowledge, as I believe it is, it will be very proper for us all to confider of this matter beforehand allo; that fo we may not be afterward difappointed, when in our future progrefs we do not always find that irrefiftible and overbearing degree of evidence for certain divine truths, which in fuch cafes is not to be had; which in truth is almoft peculiar to the mathema. tics; and the expectation of which is fo common, though unjust, a pretence for infidelity among us. As to the former of thefe enquiries, or that temper of mind which is neceffary for the discovery of divine truth; it can certainly be no other than what the light of nature, and the confciences of men influenced thereby dictate to us; thofe, I mean, already intimated; fuch as ferioufnefs, integrity, impartiality, and prayer to God, with the faithful belief, and ready practice of fuch truths and duties, as we do all along difcover to be the word and will of God; together with fuch a modefty or refignation of mind, as will reft fatisfied in certain fublime points, clearly above our determination, with full evidence that they are revealed by God, without always infifting upon knowing the reafons of the divine conduct therein immediately, before we will believe that evidence. These are fuch things as all honeft and fober men, who have naturally a fenfe of virtue and of God, in their minds, muft own their obligation to. We all know, by the common light of na ture, till we eclipfe or corrupt it by our own wickedness, that we are to deal with the utmost fairness, honefty, and integrity in all, especially in religious matters; that we are to hearken to every argument, and to confider every teftimony without prejudice, or bias, and ever to pronounce agree. ably to our convictions; that we are but weak, frail, dependent creatures; all whofe faculties, and the exercife of them, are derived from God; that we ought therefore to exercife a due modefty, and practife a due fubmiffion of mind in divine matters, particularly in the search after the nature, and laws, and providence of our great Creator; a fubmiffion, I mean, not to human, but to divine authority, when once it fhall be authenticly made known to us, that the humble addrefing of ourselves to God for his aid, direction, and bleffing on our ftudies and enquiries, is one plain inftance of fuch our fubmiffion to him; and that a ready compliance with divine revelation, and a ready obedience to the divine will, fo far as we have clearly discovered it, is another neceffary inflance of the fame humble regard to the divine Majefty. Nor indeed, can any one who comes to thefe facred enquiries with the oppofite difpofitions of difhonefly, partiality, pride, buffoonery, neglect of all divine worship, and contempt of all divine revelation, and of all divine laws, expect, even by the light of nature, that God fhould be obliged to difcover farther divine truths to him. Nor will a fober perfon, duly fenfible of the different states of Creator and creature, imitate Simon Magus, and his followers, in the first ages of the gospel; and fet up fome metaphyfical fubtilties, or captious queftions, about the conduct of providence, as fufficient to fet afide the evidence of confeffed miracles themfelves; but will rather agree to that wife aphorifm laid down in the law of Mofes, and fuppofed all over the Bible; "that fecret things "belong unto the Lord our God; but things that are revealed, to us and to our « children, that we may do them." Deut. xxix. 29. Now, in order to the making fome impreffions upon men in this matter, and the convincing them, that all our dif coveries are to be derived from God; and that we are not to expect his blessing upon our enquiries without the foregoing qualifications, devotions, and obedience, give me leave here, instead of my own farther reafoning, to fet down from the ancient Jewith and Chriftian writers, feveral paffages which feem to me very remarkable, and very pertinent to our préfent purpose; not now indeed, as fuppofing any of thofe obfervations of facred authority, but as very right in themfelves; very agreeable to the light of nature; and very good teftimonies of the fenfe of wife men in the feveral ancient ages of the world to this purpose. And I choofe to do this the more largely here, because I think this matter to be of very great importance; because it seems to be now very little known or confidered, at least very little practifed by feveral pretended enquirers into revealed religion; and because the neglect hereof feems to me a main occafion of the fcepticism and infidelity of this age. "The Lord fpake unto Mofes, faying; See, I have called by name Bezaleel, the fon of Uri, the fon of Hur, of the tribe of Judah: and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in unfterftanding, and in knowledge, &c. And in the hearts of all that are wife-hearted, I have put wifdom, &c." Ex. xxxi. 1, 2, 3, 6. "It fhall come to pafs, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy God, to obferve to do all his commandments, and his flatutes, which I command thee this day, that all thefe curfes fhall come upon thee, and overtake thee ;the Lord thall fmite thee with madness, and blindness, and aftonishment of heart; and thou fhalt grope at noon-day, as the blind gropeth in darkness." Deut. xxviii. 15, 28, 29. The Lord hath not given you an heart to perceive, and eyes to fee, and ears to hear, unto this day." Deut. xxix. 4. "Give thy fervant an understanding heart to judge thy people; that I may difcern between good and bad; for who is able to judge this thy fo great a people! And the fpeech pleafed the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God faid unto him, Because thou haft afked this thing; haft afked for thyself understanding to difcern judgment; behold I have done according to thy words; lo, I have given thee a wife and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arife like unto thee. And all Ifrael heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king; for they faw that the wifdom of God was in him, to do judgment." 1 Kings, iii. 9, 10, 11, 12, 28. "I faid, days fhould fpeak; and multitude of years fhould teach wifdom. But there is a fpirit in man; and the infpiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding." Job, xxxii. 7, 8. "Behold in this thou art not juft; I will answer thee, that God is greater than man. Why dost thou strive against him? For he giveth not account of any of his matters." Job, xxxiii. 12, 13. "Surely it is meet to be faid unto God, I have borne chaftifement; I will not offend any more. That which I fee not, teach thou me; if I have done iniquity, I will do no more." Job, xxxiv. 31, 32. "God thundereth marvelloufly with his voice; great things doth he which we can Lot comprehend." Job, xxxvii. 5. "With God is terrible majefty. Touching the Almighty we cannot find him out; he is excellent in power, and in judgment, and in plenty of juftice: he will not afflict. -Men do therefore fear him: he refpecteth not any that are wife of heart." Job, xxxvii. 22, 23, 24. "Who hath put wifdom in the inward part? Or who hath given understanding to the heart?" Job, xxxviii. 36. "Then Job anfwered the Lord and faid; I know that thou canst do every thing, and that no thought can be with-holden from thee.-Who is he that hideth counfel without knowledge? Therefore have I uttered that I understood not; things too wonderful for me, which I knew not" Job, xlii. 1, 2, 3. "I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear, but now mine eye feeth thee. Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dat and afhes." Job, xiii. 5, 6. "The meek will he guide in judgment: the meek will he teach his way." Pfalm, XXV. 9. "The fecret of the Lord is with them that fear him; and he will fhew them his covenant." Pfalm, xxv. 14. "Thou through thy commandments haft made me wifer than mine enemies; for they are ever with me. I have more underfanding than all my teachers, for thy teftimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. Through thy precepts I get underftanding; therefore I hate every false way." Pfalm, cxix. 98, 99, 100, 104. "Lord, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty; neither do I exercile myfelf in great matters, or in things too high for me." Pfalm, cxxxi. 1. "The Lord giveth wifdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding." Prov. ii. 6. 66 Truft in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he fhall direct thy paths." Prov. iii. 5, 6. "The froward is abomination to the Lord: but his fecret is with the righteous.” Prov. iii. 32. "God giveth to a man that is good in his fight, wifdom, and knowledge, and joy." Ecclef. ii. 26. "God hath made every thing beautiful in his time: alfo he hath fet the world in their heart; fo that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end." Ecclef. iii. 11. "Then I beheld all the work of God, that a man cannot find out the work that is done under the fun; becaufe though a man labour to feek it out: yet he shall not find it; yea further, though a wife man think to know it, yet fhall he not be able to find it." Ecclef. viii. 17. "As for thefe four children, God gave them knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom." Dan. i. 17. "None of the wicked fhall under ftand, but the wife fhall understand." Dan, xii. 10. "Who is wife, and he fhall understand these things; prudent, and he fhall know them: for the ways of the Lord are right, and the juft fhall walk in them: but the tranfgreffors fhall fall therein." Hof. xiv. 9. "And the angel that was fent unto me, whofe name was Uriel, gave me an answer, and faid, thy heart hath gone too far in this world: and thinkeft thou to comprehend the way of the Most High?” 2 Efd. iv. 1, 2. "He faid moreover unto me; thine own things, and fuch as are grown up with thee, canft thou not know, how should thy vefiel then be able to comprehend the way of the Higheft." 2 Efd. iv. 10, 11. They that dwell upon the earth may understand nothing; but that which is upon the earth: and he that dwelleth above the heavens, may only understand the things P 3 that that are above the height of the heavens, &c." 2 Eld. iv. 21. "Into a malicious foul wifdom shall not enter, nor dwell in the body that is subject unto fin, &c." Wifd. i. 41. &c. "Their own wickednefs hath blinded them." Wifd. ii. 21. "As for the myfteries of God, they know them not." Wifd. ii. 22. "Wherefore I prayed, and understanding was given me: I called upon God, and the fpirit of wifdom came to me." Wifd. vii. 7: "It is God that leadeth unto wifdom, and directeth the wife. For in his hand are both we and our words; all wifdom alfo, and knowledge of workmanship." Wild. vii. 15, 16. "When I perceived that I could not otherwife obtain wisdom, except God gave her me; (and that was a point of wildom alfo, to know whofe gift the was) I prayed unto the Lord, and besought him, and with my whole heart I faid," Wild. viii. 21. "Give me wisdom that fitteth by thy throne, and reject me not from among thy children. For I thy fervant, and fon of thine handmaid, am a feeble perfon, and of a fhort time, and too young for the understanding of judgment and laws. For though a man be never fo perfect among the children of men, yet if thy wifdom be not with him, he fhall be nothing regarded." Wifd. ix. 4, 5, 6. "Hardly do we guefs aright at things that are upon earth; and with labour do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath fearched out Wifd. ix. 9. All wifdom cometh from the Lord, an is with him for ever.She is with al fiefh according to his gift; and he hath given her to them that love him." Ec. i. commandments. He shall establish thine heart, and give thee wisdom at thine own defire." Ec. vi. 37. "Wisdom, knowledge, and understanding of the law, are of the Lord. Love, and the way of good works, are from him. Error and darknefs had their beginning to gether with finners." Ec. xi. 15, 16. "Foolish men fhall not attain unto wifdom; and finners fhall not fee her. For the is far from pride; and men that are liars cannot remember her." Ec. xv. 7, 8. "He that keepeth the law of the Lord getteth the understanding thereof; and the perfection of the fear of the Lord is wildom." Ec. xxi 11. "As his ways are plain unto the holy, fo are they ftumbling-blocks unto the wicked." Ec. xxxix. 24. "The Lord hath made all things, and to the godly hath he given wisdom." Ec. xliii. 33. "If any man will do his will, he fhall know of the doctrine whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself." John, vii. 17. "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How us fearchable are his judgments, and his ways paft finding out!" Rom. xi. 33. "If any of you lack wifdom, let him afk of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not, and it shall be given him. Every good gift, and every perfect gift, is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights." James i. 5, 17. Now from all this evidence, and much more that migh be alledged, it is apparent, that the Jewish and Christian religions always fuppole, that there must be a due temper of mind in the enquirers, or elfe the ar guments for thofe religions will not have their due effect. That the courfe of God's providence defigns hereby to diftinguish between the well-difpofed, the meek, the humble, and the pious, which are thofe whom the common light of nature declares may expect the divine bleffing on their ftudies of this fort; and the ill-difpofed, the obftinate, the proud, and the impious; which are thote whom the fame common light of nature affures us may expect the divine malediction on the fame: and that 'tis not for want of convincing and fatisfactory evidence in the bufinels of revela tion, but becaufe many men come with perverfe, fceptical, and wicked difpofitions, that they fail of fatisfaction therein. Ac cordingly, I think, it is true, in common obfervation, obfervation, that the virtuous and the religious, I mean thofe that are fuch according to natural confcience, do rarely, if ever, fail on their enquiries to embrace and acquiefce in both the Jewish and Christian revelations, and that the debauched and profane do as feldom fail on their enquiries to reject and ridicule there. Which different fuccefs of the fame examination, agrees exactly with the whole tenor of the Scriptures, and is the very fame which must be true, in cafe thofe Scriptures be true alfo; and is, by confequence, a confiderable confirmation of their real verity and infpiration. And certainly, he that confiders his own weakness and dependance on God, and that all truth and evidence must come originally from him, will by natural judgment and equity prorounce, that he who expects the divine being and illumination, in points of fuch vaft confequence, as thofe of revelation most certainly are, ought above all things to pur.fy his will, and rectify his conduct in fuch prints as all the world knows to be the of God; and to addrefs himself to the Divine Majefty with due fervency and febufhefs, for his aid and affiitance, before Le can jufly promife himfelf fuccefs in fo great and momentous an undertaking. But experiments; while yet none of those experiments can render it visible to us: juít as the exiftence of a fupreme being may be demonftrated by innumerable arguments, although none of thofe arguments imply even the poffibility of his being properly feen by any of his creatures. then, that we may keep a mean he.e, and may neither on one fide, expect in our religious enquiries, overbearing, or ftrictly mathematic evidence, fuch as is impoffible to be denied or doubted of by any; which would render the conftant defign of providence, already fated, entirely ineffectual, and force both good and bad to be believers, without any regard to their qualifications and temper of mind: nor on the other fide, may we depend on fuch weak and precarious arguments, as are not really fufficient or fatisfactory to even fair, honest, and impartial men. I intend here to confider, what that degree of evidence is which ought to be infifted on; without which we are not, and with which we are obliged to acquiefce in divine matters. Now this degree of evidence I take to be that, and no other, which upright judges are determined by in all the important affairs of ellate and life that come before them: and according to which, they ever aim to give fentence in their courts of judicature. I choofe to inftance in this judicial evidence, and thefe judicial determinations especially, becaufe the perfons concerned in fuch mat'ters are, by long ufe, and the nature of their employment, generally speaking, the best and mot fagacious difcoverers of truth, and thofe that judge the most unbiaffedly and fairly, concerning fufficient or infuficient evidence, of all others. Such upright judges then, never expect ftrictly undeniable, or mathematic evidence; which they know is, in human affairs, abfolutely impoffible to be had: they don't require that the witneffes they examine fhould be infallible, or impeccable, which they are fenfible would be alike wild and ridiculous ; yet do they expect full, fufficient, or convincing evidence; and fuch as is plainly fuperior to what is alledged on the other fide: and they require that the witneffes they believe, be, fo far as they are able to discover, of a good character, upright, and faithful. Nor do they think it too much trouble to use their utmol skill and fagacity in difcovering where the truth lies; how far the witnefles agree with or contradict each other; and which way the feveral circumflances may be beft com But then, as to the fecond enquiry, or the degree of evidence that ought to be expected in religious matters, it feems to me very neceflary to fay fomewhat upon this bject alfo, before we come to our main gn. For as on the one fide it is a great error in all cafes to expect fuch evidence the nature of the fabject renders impofe; fo it is as weak on the other fide, to by the refs of important truths on fuch evidence, as is in its own nature unfatisLetory and precarious: or to affert with great affurance what can no way be proved, even by that fort of evidence which is prorer for the fubject in debate. An inftance f the first fort we have in Autolicus, an Heathen, in his debates with Theophilus of Antioch; who appears weakly to have fited upon feeing the God of the Chriftians, ere he would believe his exiftence; while one of the known attributes of that God is, that he is invifible. And almost equally preposterous would any philofophic Reptic now be, who should require the ght of the air in which we breathe, before he would believe that there was fuch an element at all. Whereas it is clear, that de air may be demonftrated to be fuffi Gently fenfible and real, by a thoufand P 4 pared, |