. SECTION III. 26$ Answer L This threateningis only denounced against those, to whom the gospel is offered, with sufficient credentials. It, cannot be denounced against any person, who has not enjoyed sufficient means of knowledge and conviction. No man shalt . be condemned for not seeing any object, when there is not light enohgh to discover the object to him. But, let itbe remem, beret!, that the great God, who is the Judge of all, well knows the faculties of men, and what degree of Outward revelation is sufficient, in its own nature, to discover the truth of the gospel to every single person, who comes within the hearingof'it, if he be sincere and honest to attend to that light and evidence. And this threatening shall never be executed on men of an honest and sincere mind, who were willing to receive all conviction, and attend with humble and diligent souls, yielding up their under- standing and assent, wheresoever there was sufficient evidence. Such condemnation belongs therefore only to those persons, to whom God lihnself knows he hath given sufficient outward reve- lation, or evidenceof the truth of the gospel, but that through negligence of attention, or some culpable, prejudice, they refuse to receive the truth, and believe the gospel. Our blessed Sa- viour well knew the pride and obstinacy of the Saddueees and Pharisees in his life-time, when after all his divine miracles, they would not believe his divine commission : It was in vain for them to pretend, theycould not see sufficient evidence of the gospel, for our Lord knew he had given them evidence sufficient to con- vince souls, who were sincere in their enquiry ; and therefore he pronounced, and repeated the damnation upon the proud'and ob- stinate unbelievers ; John viii. 21, 2d. Ifye believe not that I ant the Messiah, ye shall die inyour sins. II. To refute thisobjection more effectually, let it be consi- dered, that the judgment, that is, the power of assent or dissent to a proposition, is not a faculty so merely passive, as some men imagine it ; for it is plain, that by our own choice or inclination we are capable of delaying our assent long, and abstaining from . rash judgments ; and we can by our own choice, or inclination give a precipitate or hasty judgment, concerning an object with- out sufficient evidence ; we can withhold or suspend our judg- ment or assent, where the evidence is weak till it grows stronger ; and we can also withhold our judgment or assent, by an unwil- lingness to receive into our mind the full light and strength of clear evidence, where the proposition to be believed, is displeas. ing to our inclinations. Thus it is manifest, there is much of the will mingles itself with the exercises of the understanding in our acts of judgment. We are justly pronounced criminals, and Godmay condemn us for a rash and hasty assent to a mischievous error, because we did not withhold our assent till we saw fuller evidence and proof: And we are as justly pronounced criminals,
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