SECTION I11. 275 christianity, and therefore I will go on : I have declared myself a free thinker, and I cannot go back." On this account they har- den themselves in their unbelief, and they are unwilling to hear- kenor attend to any reason or evidence that might make them believers, or incline them to receive the gospel, after they have once given up their name and honour to infidelity. Now these and other prejudices of the mind must be all laid aside, before wecan pretend to such perfect sincerity, in the search after truth, as willjustify us at the bar of God in the choice and practice of a false religion*. And though in the main we may have some real design to find out the true religion, yet which of us will dare to venture our everlasting hopes upon a mere presumption of our freedom from all these evil influences, these faulty prejudices that stick so close to mankind ? I am ready to persuade myself that there are notmany of the deists and infidels in this nation, who examine their hearts closely in this matter, and after all can pronounce themselves most sincere and unbiassed searchers of the truth. H. Another qualification requisite to sincerity, is "- ahearty inward solicitude about these important concerns; a fervent and longing desire of the soul to find out the knowledge of God, and the right way to salvation." It is not a cold wish or two after divine truth, once now and then, that is sufficient to prove a man sincere in his enquiries. A sincere soul will feel an inward and penetrating concern agreeable to the momentous subject. There are too many who content themselves with a general unaffectiing consciousness, that they are willing to find out the truth, but this design makes no answerable impression upon their spirits as a matter ofprime importance and of infinite concern. III. Sincerity requires also, " a laborious diligence in searching after the knowledge of the truth, and indústrious use of every help possible to be attained in oùr station and circutn- stances." It applies a due attention to every argument, and giv- ing them their full weight ; a seizing every beam oflight honestly, * Since these papers were in the press I met with a paragraph in Doctor .Harris's excellent discourses of the " Reasonableness of Believing,' &c. whirls .1 take pleasure to transcribe here. The sincere and upright will always readily embrace the divine revelation. Whatsoeverprejudices and mistakes they may labour under from the weakness of their understanding, and the impressions of education, as soon as ever they discern the evidenceof its they will 'resign to the Superior claims of truth, again every lower consideration or remaining diff nutty and doubt, Shew them that R is the will ofgod, and they readily yield and submit. when the insincere on the other hand, governed by their interests and other prejudices, will reject the plainest truths and greatest evidence, which is against their interest, and they will start little cavils, and raise endless objections, and fortify their minds against the strongest evidence, to support soma shadow of false quiet, and appear infidels upon principle t Or else without allowing them- selves to reason about it, they will hear it down by mere force, and- oppose it with violence and malice of heart, which was the case of the unbelieving Jews:. s -2
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