able obligations of Faith are again very clearly and Emphatically represented in our Lord's Commiffion given to the Apoftles: * Go * Go ye into all the World, and preach the Gospel to every Creature. He that believeth and is baptized fhall be faved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. In which, and many other Texts, though Trust, or Hope, or other Christian Virtues may be implied in Faith; yet, without all doubt, the Act of Believing, or the Affent of the Understanding is Pofitively Injoyned, and that as the Fundamental Duty, in the Profeffion of the Gospel.

But still, plain as this Law of Faith is; multitudes of Impious, or Self-conceited, or, Mistaken men do notoriously break through the Obligation of it. And Those, who are Difobedient to it, are ever ftraining their Thoughts, as other Tranfgreffours are wont to do, in palliating their Guilt under various Excufes and Pretences.

Sometimes they are found labouring to

* Mark xvi. 15, 16.

perfuade

perfuade themselves, that Fundamental Articles of Faith are matters of pure Speculation, which they may either take up or lay down at pleasure, without any Guilt or Danger, fo long as they lead good Moral Lives, and form their actions on the principles of Virtue.

Indeed there are Innumerable Speculations, Innumerable Acts or Operations of the Understanding, which are not points of Duty, either in respect of Natural Obligation, or of Pofitive Precept, which may be Innocently Exercised or Suspended at pleasure; And every man may embrace or reject whatsoever Propofitions he pleaseth, concerning fuch points, according to his own measure and Manner of Thinking, without any Imputation of Guilt. But, how great a number foever there may be of Speculations, which are purely Arbitrary, and in themselves neither morally Good nor Evil; Or, how great foever the variety may be of those Propofitions, which in themselves are, morally speaking, Indifferent, and may be Innocently either embraced or rejeCc 3

cted

cted; yet can it not be concluded either from the Number or Variety of them, that we are at liberty to revolve and indulge whatever notions and fpeculations we pleafe, and that we may Innocently and Safely yield our Affent to, or withhold our Affent from all propofitions whatfoever, though finally terminating in the Understanding, in every cafe, according to our own Pleasure. Undoubtedly there are Blafphemous Thoughts of God, and various Propofitions following from them, which cannot, without Sin, under the pure Obligations of Natural Religion, be voluntarily entertain'd and indulged in the Mind, though confider'd Abfolutely in Themfelves, and without any relation to Immorality flowing from them into Outward action.

And in respect of Positive Inftitutions, 'tis obfervable, that if the Bodily Passions or Affections, the Inferior Faculties in man, can be properly fubject to Divine Laws; furely, the Understanding, the Superior and Nobler faculty, may well be thought capable of Pleafing or Pro

voking God; of exalting it self in Stiffnefs and Arrogance against him, or of fubmitting it self Dutifully and Humbly to him, in Obedience to the Laws which he may prescribe to it: And 'tis further obfervable, that he hath actually prescribed fuch Laws to us; and our obligations to obey Them run manifeftly and diftinctly through the whole courfe of the Gospel. And fince God hath laid Injunctions upon the Understanding, pofitively requiring its Affent to the Truths revealed in the Gofpel; therefore our Refufing to yield fuch Affent to them, is not a matter of Indifferency in Speculation, but includes a Criminal Act of the Will, and is directly finful, being a direct violation of the Divine Law; For Sin is the tranfgref fion of the Law.

But 'tis fometimes further urged by Unbelievers, that fuch our Refufal of Affent to Mysterious Truths is excufable, on account of our being unable to enter clearly and diftinctly into the Nature and Reafon of them: Whereas it ought to be well confider'd that if we could Diftinctly and Fully comprehend the Reasons of Cc 4 them,

them, there would then be no virtue nor excellency in yielding Affent to them; there would then be no fuch Thing, as the Duty of Belief at all. For Belief in General fignifies an Affent to fomething, grounded Purely upon Teftimony; or, it confifts in our being perfuaded of the Truth of Things, which we ourselves do not otherwise know, than as we depend upon Them, purely on account of the confidence we repofe in the Knowledge and Fidelity of the Perfon who relates them. And Divine Faith is Therefore an Excellency in Us, and acceptable to God, because we pay honour to him, by depending intirely upon his Knowledge and Veracity, in our Affent to the Truths which he hath revealed, though our own narrow Understanding cannot compass the Nature and Reafons of them.

And Infidelity is Therefore highly Sinful and Dangerous, because we do Thereby offer great Indignity to God, Refufing to give credit to his Teftimony, and to depend upon his exprefs Word for the Truth of any thing, but what we ourfelves can clearly comprehend and ac

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