SERM. II. with fome little Variations of Expreffion, I have borrowed the Queftion, had given us his Thoughts upon it; which would have How then can a Man order Matters fo, as to be fixed in his Principles, and eafy in his Mind (which he cannot well be without being fixed in his Principles, as far as they relate relate to Matters of Importance) amidst all SERM. II. the Altercations and Difputes, which are, and perhaps ever will be, in Agitation, to the End of the World? This is a Question which nearly concerns us; and to come to any Satisfaction about it, the only Expedient that offers itself is, to apprise ourselves of the Truth of the following Propofitions. It, That no feeming Improbabilities, no Objections, be they ever fo numerous, provided they do not amount to an abfolute Impoffibility, ought to reverse an Affent, which is founded, as the Affent to Christianity is, upon Moral Certainty. IIdly, That there does not appear any abfolute Impoffibility in the Contexture of the Chriftian Revelation. The Confequence of which is IIIdly, That a thinking Man may enjoy himself with perfect Eafe and Tranquillity, in the Profeffion and Belief of Christianity; which he cannot do, if he think upon the Stretch, in a State of Infidelity. I begin SERM. II. I begin with the first of these Propofitions, viz. That no feeming Improbabilities, no Objections, &c. By Moral Certainty is meant fuch an Evidence, as, though it does not exclude a mere abftract Poffibility of Things being otherwise, shuts out every reasonable Ground of fufpecting, that they are fo; an Evidence which we cannot reject, without contradicting the common Senfe and Reason of Mankind. It is an Evidence of fo high a Nature, that Men of plain Understandings generally confound it with abfolute Certainty; and would be furprized to hear any Man affert that it is only probable in the highest Degree, that there is fuch a Country as Italy. Yet it is in the fame Sense, that Philofophers must be understood, when they say, that it is only highly probable, that our Saviour and his Apoftles wrought several uncontrouled Miracles, by which they proved the Divinity of their Miffion and the Truth of their Doctrines; meaning by highly probable, that it is not capable of rigorous Demonftration, it is morally certain, but not Scientifically fo. The Bulk of Mankind can well enough diftinguish Certainty in general from Uncertainty: but to afcer tain all the Boundaries and Degrees of Evi- SERM. IIdence, to fix precifely the Point, where abfolute Certainty ends, and moral Certainty begins, is a Tafk, to which at least unimproved Capacities are not fuited; like those common Machines, which ferve well enough for all the Purposes of Life to inform one in general, how the Time paffes, without pointing out to a Tittle the minuteft and smallest Differences of Time. Taking it for granted (what every one who has written upon the Subject has proved) that Christianity is founded upon moral Certainty: it will follow, that, if we be not abfolutely secure from a phyfical Poffbility of Error; we are certainly fecure from the Guilt and Immorality of Error in embracing it. For He at least stands clear of Immorality and Guilt, who acts agreeably to the Will of his Creator; and he acts agreeably to his Will, who is determined by moral Certainty: Because unless moral Certainty were allowed to be a proper and rational Ground of Conviction, all Administration of Justice muft ceafe; all Truth and Commerce stagnate; and such a Scene of Confufion be opened, as must be highly disagreeable to God, who is a God of VOL. I. D Or SERM. II. Order and not of Confufion. God formed us focial Creatures: now we cannot act as focial Creatures, without fome Degree of mutual Truft repofed in one another; and no mutual Trust can be repofed in one another, if those are not to be depended upon who gave, as the Apostles and primitive Martyrs did give, the strongest Proofs of their Integrity. The numerous Converts to Christianity in the first Century could not have believed it to be true, if it had been falfe. For not to mention other Things, they must have had an inward Conscious nefs, whether they had received those miraculous Gifts or not; for the Abuse and Mifapplication of which St. Paul, in his first Epistle to the Corinthians, reproves and cenfures them. They must have had an abfolute Certainty, fuppofing no extraordinary Gifts were communicated to them, that he from whom they received their Religion, and whofe Epiftles, as appears from St. Peter and others, were universally read as of divine Authority, was a fhameless Impoftor. And yet they could not have profeffed the Belief of it, knowing it to be an Imposture, at a Time when Chriftians were of all Men most miserable, without any |