fubmiffion of paffions, interefts, and preju dices, to moral evidence and to probable truth; no habits of reflection; none of that previous defire to learn; and to obey the will of God, which forms perhaps the test of the virtuous principle, and which induces men to attend, with care and reverence, to every credible intimation of that will, and to resign present advantages and present pleafures to every reasonable expectation of pro pitiating his favour. "Men's moral pro bation may be, whether they will take due care to inform themselves by impartial con fideration; and, afterwards, whether they will act as the cafe requires, upon the evidence which they have. And this, we find by experience, is often our probation in our temporal capacity *.

II. Thefe modes of communication would leave no place for the admiffion of internal evidence; which ought, perhaps, to bear a confiderable part in the proof of

every reve

* Butler's Analogy, part ii. c. vi.

VOL. II.

Bh

lation,

lation, because it is a fpecies of evidence, which applies itself to the knowledge, love, and practice of virtue, and which operates in proportion to the degree of thofe qualities which it finds in the person whom it addreffes. Men of good difpofitions, amongst Christians, are greatly affected by the impreffion which the scriptures themselves make upon their minds. Their conviction is much ftrengthened by these impreffions. And this perhaps was intended to be one effect to be produced by the religion. It is likewife true, to whatever cause we afcribe it (for I am not in this work at liberty to introduce the Chriftian doctrine of grace or affiftance, or the Chriftian promise, "that,

if

any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God*,")—it is true, I fay, that they who fincerely act, or fincerely endeavour to act, according to what they believe, that is, according to the just result of the probabilities, or, if you please, the poffibilities in natural and reveal

* John vii. 17.

ed

éd religion, which they themfelves perceive, and according to a rational estimate of confequences, and, above all, according to the just effect of those principles of gratitude and devotion, which even the view of nature generates in a well-ordered mind, feldom fail of proceeding farther. This allo may have been exactly what was designed.

Whereas may it not be faid, that irrefiftible evidence would confound all characters, and all difpofitions? would fubvert, rather than promote, the true purpose of the divine councils, which is not to produce obedience by a force little fhort of mechanical conftraint (which obedience would be regularity not virtue, and would hardly perhaps differ from that which inanimate bodies pay to the laws impreffed upon their naturé), but to treat moral agents agreeably to what they are; which is done, when light and motives are of fuch kinds, and are imparted in fuch meafures, that the influence of them depends upon the recipients themselves? "It is not meet to govern rational free agents B b 2

in

in viâ by fight and fenfe. It would be no trial or thanks to the moft fenfual wretch to forbear finning if heaven and hell were open to his fight. That fpiritual vifion and fruition is our ftate in patriâ." (Baxter's Reasons, p. 357.) There may be truth in this thought, though roughly expreffed. Few things are more improbable than that we (the human species) should be the higheft order of beings in the universe; that animated nature fhould afcend from the lowest reptile to us, and all at once ftop there. If there be claffes above us of rational intelligences, clearer manifestations may belong to them. This may be one of the diftinctions. And it may be one, tɔ which we ourselves hereafter fhall attain.

III. But thirdly; may it not alfo be asked, whether the perfect display of a future state of existence would be compatible with the activity of civil life, and with the fuccefs of human affairs? I can eafily conceive that this impreffion may be overdone; that it may fo feize and fill the thoughts, as to

leave

leave no place for the cares and offices of men's several stations, no anxiety for worldly profperity, or even for a worldly provifion, and, by confequence, no fufficient ftimulus to fecular industry. Of the first

Chriftians we read, "that all that believed were together, and had all things common; and fold their poffeffions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need; and, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from houfe to house, did eat their meat with gladnefs and finglenefs of heart." This was extremely natural, and just what might be expected, from miraculous evidence coming with full force upon the fenfes of mankind : but I much doubt, whether, if this ftate of mind had been univerfal, or long continued, the business of the world could have gone on. The neceffary arts of focial life would have been little cultivated. The plough and the loom would have ftood ftill. Agrieulture, manufactures, trade, and naviga