41 184 Of Believing in 7efus Chrifl. S E R M. we are wholly paflive in believing, difbe- VII. lieving, or doubting ; it is impofiible for `'' us not to believe when we fee evidence for, not to diffent when we fee evidence againft, a propofition ; not to be in fufpenfe when we do not fee preponderating evidence on either fide of a difputable point propofed to our confideration. A very little refletion will fatisfy any perfon that this is fo, that our affent doth not depend on our choice nor fol- low our inclinations; very often we cannot help believing what we are very unwilling to believe, as on the other hand, our molt earn - eft defires do not neceffarily determine our perfuafion, but we are convinced of the falfhood of what we paflionately with to be true. It can never then be reafonably thought that bare believing or affent, abftradly con- fidered, is our duty, or difbelieving our fin ; that there is virtue in the one, or vice in the other, any more than in perceiving or not perceiving fenfible qualities of which we have or have not the ideas conveyed to us by the organs of fenfe. Yet there is fomething implied in believing the gofpel, or believing on the name of Jefus Chrift, or fomething neceffary to it, which may very well be un- derfl:ood to be commanded; it certainly hath forne dependence on our affe Lions and our wills,
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