XXIII. act, perhaps no man acts invariably, up to SERM. his principles. But on the other hand, that man who has either no principles at all, or who has none but bad ones, can feldom be expected to act a right part. Light naturally and ordinarily conducts to virtue. Darkness, or ignorance, and false notions, conduct to vice. Men's opinions and principles moderate the impulfes and course of their paffions in a certain degree. This must be allowed. The world would not be habitable, human fociety would not be tolerable, if ideas of order, of virtue, and of duty, did not in a confiderable degree govern mankind. Let none conceive from what has been faid, that freedom of inquiry is condemned. By no means. Let us inquire into all subjects with the utmost freedom; but let our inquiries be conducted with a faithful regard to truth, with candour and impartiality. The inquiring in this manner is fo far from being hostile or deftructive to true freedom, that it is the noblest support of it. He who thinks according to truth and nature, and as in the presence of God, will think and fpeak too, with true firmnefs and boldness, and XXIII. SERM. and will not be afraid of the authority of men. He knows that the authority of truth is greater. Juft freedom of inquiry leads to truth and virtue, the finest principles of human conduct. But let us always remember, that what frequently paffes in the world for free inquiry, is in reality licentious inquiry, or rather no inquiry at all. It deferves our particular attention, that we may reafon very justly on many sciences, though we have not a fair and upright heart. But in all cafes where our interefts and paffions enter, that is in almost all the affairs of life, there cannot be correct and juft judgments without a candid and upright heart. The judgment is often, very often, mifled by the paffions and defires of the heart. The heart is also sometimes misled by the judgments of the understanding. So that these judgments or principles, which were influenced at their first formation by the paffions, when they are admitted as principles of action, ferve to justify the paffions to which they owed their birth, and to increase their diforder. As on the one hand, therefore, we fhould guard against our paffions when we are fettling our principles, 5 ciples, left they should lead us to fettle wrong ones*; fo, on the other hand, we fhould guard against the effects of our principles when they are fixed, left they operate back upon our paffions, and encourage, ftrengthen, and enflame them: and thus it appears, that to labour to make our judgment juft and correct, is to labour at the fame time to make our heart upright t. To conclude: Let us always exercise our understanding in the moft cool and deliberate manner. Let us always be afraid of our inclinations and paffions, as the greatest enemies to truth, and as our greatest feducers to corrupt principles, as well as corrupt practices: and let us therefore frequently lift up our fouls to God in the most fervent prayers, that he may fend forth bis light and * In forming our principles, we should beware also of the influence of vanity. Ex. in Hobbes, &c. Monf. Formay's definition of virtue was not perhaps far wrong" Juftnefs of judgment applied to the con"duct of life and manners." Wrong principles acted upon in agriculture, in commerce, manufactures, or police of any kind, never did nor can produce the intended effect. The fame thing is equally certain in life, that wrong or falfe principles never did and never will produce folid happiness, or even lafting fame and reputation. VOL. II. S bis SER M. XXIII. XXIII. SERM. his truth, that they may lead us to that moral perfection and happiness, of which our rational natures are capable, and for which they are defigned. So that we may be fitted to enter the regions of eternal light, where nothing that defileth—nothing that is a lie, can ever enter. Amen. SERMON XXIV. The neglecting Chriftianity blamable and dangerous. JOHN, vi. 29. Jefus anfwered and faid unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom he hath fent. Na former difcourfe on thefe words, I SER M. ftated to you, that this command to be IN lieve on our Saviour has been objected to, as an unreafonable command on different grounds. I. Some have alleged, "that nothing can be more unreasonable, than that faith "fhould ever be made the matter of a Di"vine command; becaufe," fay they, "be"lieving or not believing is a thing not in power of any one." S 2 "the II. Others XXIV. |