which obliged each fingle Disciple, as well as the Pastors and Minifters of the Word, to pre. pare Themselves with proper Arguments to convince Enquirers of the Truth of their Profeffion; and this with Regard to the Converfion and Salvation of Unbelievers, the Confirmation of their Novices, or Babes in Chrift, as the Apostle calls them, the Inftruction and Edification of their own Families, who were to be educated in this Belief, and their own final Perfeverance, even if They should be called to Martyrdom for the Faith of Chrift. These were Confiderations, in which Thofe of Private as well as Publick Character were interested, and by which Both were obliged; and in This Light I am at this Time particularly to confider it. The Nature and Confistency of a Rational Faith in itself, The Reasonablenefs and Neceffity of promoting it by early Education and Inftruction, were illuftrated and vindicated in a preceding Discourse. The fufficient Capacity of all Mankind for a Rational Belief, The Value and Virtue of fuch a Faith, and The fufficient Efficacy of it to anfwer all the Purposes of Religion, was the Subftance of the other Particulars, which remain now to be confidered.

It was observed then Thirdly, that This Ra

tional

tional Faith was not only calculated for Scholars and Philofophers, but for all Sorts and Degrees of Men, and that the Meaneft Capacity, where Means of Information are afforded, is able to attain it. What has hitherto been faid of a Rational Affent in general is now to be applied particularly to the Chriftian Revelation. This is the Faith, which comes enjoined by Authority, and enforced by Penalties, and which alone We are concerned to prove to be within the Reach of every One's Understanding. Whatever is faid on the Infufficiency of Human Reason, on the Uncertainty of its Conjectures, the Fluctuation of its Determinations, its doubtful Discoveries in the Hand of its best Masters, and its flender Progrefs in the Bulk of Mankind, is, as far as it is true, of Weight on our Side, and may shew the Expediency at least, if not the Neceffity, of Revelation. It may serve to reprove the vain Confidence of Thofe, who contend that Reason is and ever was a fufficient Guide at all Times, in all Cases, and to all Mankind, who are here confuted not only by the learned Arguments of the Defenders of Religion, not only by plain Fact and Experience, but even by the Teftimony of their Unbelieving Brethren. But the Cafe of unaffifted Reason is not the Point before Us.

The

The Times of that Ignorance God winked at. Where less Light was afforded, less Improvement was required, and their Defects either in Belief or Practice were neither charged with fo heinous a Degree of Guilt, nor threatned with fo heavy a Degree of Punishment. To relieve that Darkness and Ignorance, to enlighten the Understandings and correct the Wills of Mankind, Revelation was afforded, which, teaching by Authority, was in that very Refpect of infinite Ufe to the low Capacities of the greater Part of them, and by reducing the Question to a fingle Point concerning the Evidence, and offering that in a plain Manner fuited to their Capacities, has now enabled All to attain to fuch a Rational Faith, as may be a fufficient Principle of Knowledge and Enforcement of Practical Virtue. Of this Revealed Faith We are now to treat, which is very truly Rational, as founded on an open Examination and full Conviction of its coming from God, tho' not discoverable by All (or by Any in a perfect Degree) by the Use of their Natural Reason only. And That This is calculated for all Sorts and Degrees of Men, who can justly be called Reasonable Creatures, a very brief Review of the Understanding imparted to the Bulk of Mankind, and of the EviF

dence

dence with which this Religion is fupported, may fufficiently fatisfy Us.

Now the Reason of common People, who are employed in the more laborious active Scenes of Life, is not either so dull and stupid, nor fo quick-fighted and difcerning, as Different Perfons for the fame End have reprefented it. It cannot of it felf attend to and pursue those tedious and intricate Deductions, which are neceffary to form and to enforce a proper Rule of Life, where a Superior Authority is wanting, but under those Helps and Affiftances, which Revelation affords, It is by no means incapable of apprehending the Proofs of its Divine Original. The great Difference betwixt Mankind is owing principally and chiefly to Education. Their Capacities for Improvement are much more equal than their Means and Opportunities for it. The Prepoffeffions of Instruction therefore, as They are called, are fo far from being Obstructions to a Rational Belief, that They are the best Preparatives for it and Affistances to it; and confequently Revelation, having made the best Provifion for Inftruction, has improved the Capacity of All Men for a Rational Faith. Few, We own, are qualified to reason far of Themselves, but All are capable of it in fome Measure with

AL

Affiftance and Information. Their Progrefs is ufually proportionable to the Care of their Teachers, and what They could not have difcovered by their own natural Sagacity, They can eafily perceive to be Conclufive, when fhewn the Force of it by Others. Nor is their Faith then the lefs Rational in them, or their Arguments for it of the lefs Weight, becaufe They did not at firft difcern them by the Exercife of their own Faculties, but received them by Way of Inftruction from their Preceptors. The Apostle did not in the Text direct his Difciples to find out their Duty of Themselves, or to improve their Notions higher than any Philosophers had yet carried them, but to be ready always to give a Reason of the Hope that was in them; to communicate the Arguments, which had been communicated to them, and to affign those Proofs, which had won their own Affent. To deny the Capacity of Mankind for Rational Conviction in this Method of Inftruction, is to contradict Experience; To obferve their fmall Progrefs or Improvement under these Methods, the little Evidence of any Rational Belief amongst the Vulgar, is fometimes Mifrepresentation, and, when moft true, amounts only to a Charge of Neglect: and It ought to be added, that where this Neglect is most