virtue in its conduciveness to our present happiness; and seems to erect such a scheme of virtue as is independent of religion and destitute of proper regard to God. Bolingbroke denies a providence extending to individuals; holds that modesty and chastity have no foundation in nature, and are owing to human vanity; that man is no more than a superior animal, whose views are confined to this present life, and who has no reasonable prospect of existing in a future state; who is not accountable, and has no moral sense or feeling naturally implanted in him; and whose supreme end is his own pleasure in this life, etc. The other writer, Hume, denies that we can argue the existence of an intelligent cause of all things from the existence of the world; denies that we have any evidence of moral perfection in God, any evidence of a providence, or of a future state of rewards and punishment; reckons mortification, self-denial and humility among the monkish virtues, and pride among the real virtues; denies the distinction between natural endowments or talents, whether mental or corporeal, and moral virtues; and holds that mental capacity, strength of memory, wit, cleanliness and bodily strength are as real virtues as justice, chastity and benevolence. Now, I say let any man of tolerable understanding and candor judge, whether those who embraced and taught such theological and moral principles as these, were most likely to have been blinded to truth by a spirit of impiety and disobedience; or he who delivered the Sermon on the Mount, and those who wrote the Gospels, and other books of the New Testament.

I have now finished what was proposed from our text, and therefore shall close the discourse with some inferences.

1. Our subject teaches us, that if the gospel be true, there is no necessity that any man be an infidel. Infidelity is not necessary, but voluntary. Men are infidels, because they are willingly ignorant of the truth, and shut their eyes against it. Doubtless all depravity of heart is voluntary; and that, on the supposition that the gospel is true, is the real cause of all infidelity. This is indeed a doctrine grating to the pride of unbelievers; yet it is the doctrine of scripture, and the doctrine of reason too; nor, as has been asserted, can they themselves support any other theory with respect to this subject. They can, on the supposition now made, give no other account of their unbelief, which will bear examination. In vain will any of them pretend to be acted upon mechanically in this case; that what they see, they see, and cannot but see; and what they do not see, they cannot see, and therefore are not to be blamed; that men can no more think alike, than they can look alike. The truth is, that what they do not

see, as to this subject, they might and would see, were it not for the depravity of their hearts; and therefore for that blindness they are most justly to be blamed and condemned.

2. This subject teaches us, not only that no man is under a necessity to disbelieve christianity, but that no man is under a necessity to be in doubt or uncertainty whether christianity be true or false. There is a plain and sure way to the solution of all such doubts, and every man may in that way obtain a full satisfaction concerning the truth. If christianity be true, he may obtain full evidence of it; if it be false, he may obtain full evidence of that. All that is necessary to this, is, that he be willing to do the will of God. Therefore to be in a state of uncertainty in this case, to halt between two opinions, is utterly inexcusable; equally so as disobedience itself.

Yet is not this the case with many? They profess to be inquiring whether christianity be true or not. They are not satisfied; they want further time to weigh the evidence, the arguments in favor of christianity and the objections against it. But though such men may flatter themselves that they are acting a very rational and commendable part; the truth is, that they betray the wickedness of their hearts, and their unwillingness to do the will of God. For, as on the supposition that christianity is true, they who positively disbelieve its truth, hereby prove that they are under the influence of a disobedient spirit; so in the case which is now before us, they who are unsettled and halt between the truth and falsehood of christianity, prove that they are under the influence of the same spirit. Were they disposed to obedience, they would soon come to a determination, and see the evidence which exists, either that christianity is true, or that it is false.

3. Hence we see the reason why unbelief is every where in scripture represented as a sin, and is threatened with severe punishment; as it is in such passages as these: "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not, shall be damned. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already; because he hath not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. This is the work of God, that ye believe on him, whom he hath sent. This is his commandment that we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ." So in numberless other texts. Now it hath been made an objection to christianity, that it requires mankind to believe it; that it constantly exhorts to faith as a duty, and dissuades from unbelief as a sin, and condemns it to the severest punishment. It hath been pleaded, that this is absurd;

equally so as to condemn and punish a man for not seeing the light of the sun; or as to exhort him to believe a theorem in geometry. But this is a gross misrepresentation, unless it be supposed that the man sees not the light of the sun and the truth of the geometrical theorem, because he voluntarily shuts or blinds his eyes against the former, and will not properly attend to the latter. The condemnation of sinners is, "that light is come into the world, and they love darkness rather than light;" and that "because their deeds are evil." Surely as a disobedient spirit is sin, and as such to be warned against; so is that unbelief which is the result of it. As an obedient spirit is a duty, and as such is with good reason to be inculcated; so is that faith which depends on it. As an unwillingness to do the will of God deserves punishment, if anything doth; so does that unbelief which is the effect of it. These observations are equally true, whether by faith we mean a belief of christianity, in opposition to deism; or that cordial receiving of Christ, to which the promise of salvation is made.

4. Hence also we learn the true source of all disputes concerning any of the essential doctrines of christianity. It must be some depraved principle. The same reasoning holds good here, as with regard to christianity itself. We can no more suppose that God would leave the essential doctrines of a revelation without evidence that they are really doctrines of truth, than that he would leave the revelation in general without such evidence. And if there be such evidence, not to see it must proceed from some depraved principle. No other cause of unbelief in this case can be assigned. I know it hath often been said to be owing to different modes of education, different instruction, associations of ideas and habits of thinking, etc. that some christians do not believe all the essential doctrines of christianity. But if any or all these causes influence them to reject any essential doctrine of christianity, of the truth of which there is real and sufficient evidence, they must still produce this effect by rendering them uncandid and inattentive to the evidence; and this want of candor and attention is depravity. If therefore we be duly attentive and candid, we shall see this evidence; shall be established in the belief of the doctrines, and shall surmount our doubts. If our hearts be not established by faith, but are driven about with every "wind of doctrine, and craftiness of men whereby they lie in wait to deceive," it must be owing to some want of attention or want of candor, or, in the language of the text, to unwillingness to do the will of God. And if all professed Christians were free from all depravity of heart, they would be agreed in all the essentials of christianity.

5. Let us adore the goodness of God, that he hath put the evidence of christianity and of the essential doctrines of it thus within the reach of every good man. This evidence is within the reach not only of the learned, but of the unlearned; not only of the wise and great men of this world, but of all who are willing to do the will of God. Therefore we have not to inquire, who shall ascend into heaven or descend into the deep, to bring us evidence of the truth of the gospel. But the evidence is nigh us, and will be received by all, if it be not shut out by the depravity of their hearts. For "if any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God," or whether it be a mere human invention.

SERMON X.

GOD A REFUGE AND HELP.*

PSALM 46: 1.—God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.

MAN is always dependent and therefore always wants help and strength. But he especially wants these in a time of trouble. A time of trouble is often, if not always a time of danger; and in danger we want a refuge, a place to which we may flee and be safe. Even in prosperity we are dependent, and want help, strength and refuge; but at such a time we are not apt to be so sensible of our wants. In trouble a sense of them is wont to be lively and strong, and to carry full conviction to the mind. Now our text informs us where we may obtain that strength and help, and where we may find that refuge, which is so necessary in trouble. "God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble."

As our text plainly implies, that we are liable to trouble, therefore I shall

I. Mention some of the troubles to which we are most liable. II. Consider in what respects God is our refuge and strength. III. Show that he is a very present help in trouble.

I. I am to mention some of the troubles to which mankind are most liable.

These are of several kinds.

1. We are liable to personal troubles, such as pain, sickness and death. "By one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin, and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned." And with death came all that train of evils which attend it and lead to it. We are liable to disappointments in our expectations; to disappointments in business; to losses of property; and to poverty with all its attendant evils. There is no dependence on any possessions in life. The most affluent often lose their property, and are reduced to the greatest want. We are

Preached at the funeral of the Hon. Roger Sherman, senator of the United States of America, who died the 23d of July, 1793. Published at New Haven.