SECTION,, III. 3Q1 that there is such -a Country as China, such a city as Rome; we are sure, there was such a man as king Henry the eighth of England, and Alexander of Greece; we are sure there was such a person as Jesus. Christ in Judea, that-he wrought mira- cles to prove his divine mission, and that he taught a doctrine which came fromGod. II. In a great part of the actions, which we perform in human life, we go uponmuch lesser probability, and think we have sufficient ground to act without a full assurance : We go to visit our friends at an appointed hour, because it is probable, we- shall meet them at home : We travel from place to place, because it is probable, we may find the persons we seek, and do the business we design : We seed to market for food, becauseit is probable, that flesh and herbs are there waiting to be sold. We make bargains about goods which we never saw, because it is probable, these goods are worth our money, and will be con- veyed to us: We run great risks by sea and land, we venture our substance,- and even life itself; across the ocean, and through a thousand dangers upon mere probabilities : If therefore, it be but a probable thing, that the christian religion be true, it is the undoubted duty and interest.of every wise man, to endea- vour to secure the salvation, which the christian religion pro- posesby the practice of all its appointments : For ifwe neglect it, even according to our ownopinion, it is probable, we shall be for ever miserable ; and if we practise it, it is probable, we shall be saved And the very probability of securing infinite happiness, and of escaping infinite distress, is sufficient to set a wise mau heartily to work. IlI. There is no doubt, but, in the primitive times, there , were many, both Jews and - heathens, who were not arrived at a complete certainty, and full assurance of the truth of the chris- tian religion, at first, when they professed it ; but the arguments, on the side of the gospel, seemed, in their judgment, to be stronger than those against it, and therefore they embraced the religion of Christ: This is manifest from several ofthe writings of the apostles, wherein they endeavour to establish young and doubtful converts in a firmer belief of the gospel, and to guard them against wavering. Many of these came afterwards to be firm and established christians, confessors, and martyrs for the . truth, and sealed it with their blood. The light of evidence, which shines round the gospel, though it be great and glorious, in itself, yet to a dim eye, or to aman but half awakened, may appear like the dusky twilight, or the faint and early dawn of the morning, but just discovering the path to happiness. Yet let the honest traveller to immortality, pursue his wayby this, feeble light; it is the best guide he leas; let him not lie still or loiter, because he does not discern his path, with an indubitable assurance, nor see his way surrounded with meridian splendors:
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