Serm. XXXIII. ahainfl dangerous Miflakes in Religion. 2 3.7 That Man only flands fair for the entertainment of Truth, who is under the Dominion ofno Vice, or Luft ; becaufe he hath nothing to corrupt or bribe him, to feduce him, or draw hito afide in his Enquiry after Truth ; he hath no Intereft but to find the Truth, and follow it : He is enquiring after the way to Heaven, and Eternal Happinefs, and liehath the indifferencyof a Traveller which is not in- clined to go this way rather than another ; for his concernment is to find out the right way, and to walk in it : Such an indifferency of Mindhash every good Man, who fincerely defires to do the Will of God ; he flands ready to receive Truth, when fufficieut Evidence is offered to convincehim of it ; becaufe he hath no man- ner of concernment that the contrary Propofition fhould true. As in Mathe- maticks, a Man is ready to give his Affent to any Propofition, that is fufficiently , demonítrated to him, becaufe he hath no inclination or affeftion to one fide of the Queflion more than to the other ; all his Defign and Concernment is to find out the Truth on which fide foever it lies ; and he is like to find it, becaufe he is fo in -, different, and impartial. But if a Man be hiafs'd by any Luft, and addifted to any vicious Praftice, he is then an interefted Perfon, and concerned to be partial in his Judgment of Things, and is under a great temptation to Infidelity, when the Truths of God are propofed to him ; becaufe whatever the Evidence for them be be cannot but be unwilling to own the truth of that Doftrine, which is fo contra- ry to his Inclination and Intereft. If the Affeftions and Interefts of Men were as deeply concerned, and as fenfibly touched in the truth of Mathematical Propofiti- ons, as they are in the Principles of Morality, and Religion, we fhouid find, that when a Propofition ftood in their way, and laycrofs to their Intereft, ,tho' it were never fo clearly demonflrated, yet they would raife a duft about it, and make a thoufand cavils, and fence even againft the evidence of a Demonflration; they would palliate their Error with all the Skill and Art they could ; and tho' the ab- furdity of it was never fogreat and palpable, yet they would hold it fait againft all Senfe and Reafon, and face down Mankind in the obstinate defence ofit; for we have no Reafon to doubt, but that they who in Matters of Religion will be- lieve direflly contrary to what they fee, would if they had the fame Intereft and Paffions to fway them in the cafe, believe contrary to the cleareft Mathematical Demonflration ; for where there is an obstinate Refolution not to be convinc'd, all the Reafon and Evidence in theWorld fignifies nothing. Whereas he that is biaffed by no Paffion or Intereft, but hath an. honeft Mind, and is fincerely defirous to do the Will ofGod, fo far as he knows it, is likely to judge very impartially concerning any Doftrines that are propofed to him : For if there be not good Evidence that they arefrom God, he bath no reafon to deceive himfelf, in giving Credit to them ; and if there be good Evidence that they are Divine, he bath no Intereft or Inclination to rejeft them; for it beinghis great Defign to do the Will of God, he is glad of all Opportunities to come to the knowledge of it,, that he may do it. Thus you fee, how a fincere Defire and Endeavour to obey the Will of God, does fecure Man againft fatal Errors and Miftakes in Matters of Religion; becaufe' fuch Perfons are hereby better difpofed to make a rightJudgment of DivineThings, both becaufe they have truer and furer Notions of God and Religion, and are more impartial in their Search and Enquiry after Truth: This is the Ac- count. II. Another Reafon why they who fincerelydefire tó do thé Will of God, have a great Security in difcerning Truth fromError, is, "becaufe the Providence of God is. more efpecially concerned to preferve fuch Perfons from dangerous Errors and Miftakes in Things which concern their Eternal Salvation. When Men are of a teachable Temper, God loves to reveal himfelf and his Truth to them; and fuch is an humble and obedient frame of Mind, Pfal. 25. 9. The meek will he guide in Judgment ; the meek will he teach his way. The proper Difpofition of a Scholar, is to be willing to learn ; and that which inReligion we are to learn ; is what is the goodand acceptable Will of God, that we may do it,, for Praftice is the end of Knowledge. Ifyou know thefe things (fays our Bleffed Lord) happy are ye ifyou do them., It is neceffary to know the Will of God ; but we arehappy on- ly
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