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Will; but 'tis because they are flaves by SER M. their own confent, to thofe Habits of Wickedness which are the fnares of thẹ Devil. And 'twas Satan filled Ananias's heart to lye to the Holy Ghoft; yet this in Scripture is fo far from being efteemed an Excufe, that on the contrary the Apostle C urges it as an aggravation of his Crime; Why has Satan filled thine Heart? Why have you been fo wicked, as to commit fo abominable a Crime, which you knew could be nothing but a fuggeftion of the Devil?

upon

WHAT has been faid This Head, will hold yet more strongly against that still more abfurd and wicked opinion, taught by fome Antient Corrupters of Religion in the primitive Times, called by the name of Manichees: Who from the Many Evils and Wickedneffes which are in the World, concluded there was a Supreme Evil Principle, originally oppofite unto, and independent upon, the Power of God. Which blafphemous opinion, was first taught by the Perfian Philo-Zoroafophers, who called the Good Principle tres, &c. Light, and the Evil Principle Darkness. And against This abfurd opinion it is, that Ifaias in his Prophecy to Cyrus King

SERM. of Perfia, (If. xlv. 6, 7.) thus declares; X. I am the Lord, and there is none else; I

form the Light, and create Darkness; I make Peace, and create Evil; I the Lord, do all these things, That is; Thofe Powers, which the Perfians looked upon as original Supreme Principles of Good and Evil, calling them by the figurative Name of Light and Darkness, are nothing but the Creatures of God, acting always either by His appointment, or at least by his Permiffion; and there is No Power independent upon His. If it here be asked : fince God is the Supreme Infinite Good, and there is no Power independent upon His; why then are not all things made good? for, who hath refifted his Will? the Anfwer has already been given in part; that Freedom of Will, is effential to the Being of rational Creatures; So that Abfolute Power over-ruling that Freedom, would be deftroying that Nature which it had created; And therefore That poffibility of Evil, which is confequent upon Freedom, is reafonable to be permitted. And This holds, both with regard to Evil Spirits and Evil Men. But then, with regard to Men, it may fill further be answered; that,

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that, befides its being inconfiftent with SER M. moral government to over-rule their Wills by Power, there arifes moreover from those Evils, which could not reasonably be prevented, a various manifeftation of the Wisdom of God in bringing Good frequently out of Evil; of the Mercy and Goodness and Compaffion of God in bearing with Sinners unto Repentance; and finally of the Justice of God in destroying those who will by no means be amended. And This is the Anfwer St Paul gives to a like difficulty, Rom. ix. 22. What if God, willing to fhow his Wrath, and to make his Power known, indured with much longfuffering the Veffels of Wrath, fitted to deftruction? fitted to deftruction, by their own Wickedness; yet, at the fame time, indured on God's part with much long-fuffering, that they might have space of Repentance.

2dly, FROM what was faid concerning the Extent of the divine Power, that it must by no means be understood as including a Poffibility of working Contradictions; the Inference naturally to be drawn, is, that we ought to lay it down as a Rule, always to reject with indignation, those who would impofe upon our

SER M.Faith any plain Impoffibilities, under coX. lour and pretence of the Omnipotence of God. For if Contradictions really deftroy themselves, and are Nothing; and a Power of working them is but a Power of doing nothing; and confequently the afcribing to God any fuch Power, is not magnifying, but mocking his Omnipotence; it follows plainly, that whofoever indeavours to impofe any fuch thing on mens Faith, howfoever in words he may pretend to exalt and think highly of the divine Power, yet in reality he does but reproach the Reafon of Mankind, and turn Religion into Ridicule. For if the Religion a man teaches, be confeffedly unreasonable; with what Arguments can he apply ferioufly to Another man's Reafon to believe and embrace it? And if it be repugnant to the Attributes of God; what Authority can be able to fupport it? The Effect of fuch Doctrines is nothing elfe, but expofing ourfelves to the Scorn of Unbelievers; and giving too juft occafion to Atheistical and profane Spirits to blafpheme the Sacred Names of God and Religion. Of This nature is the dotrine of Tranfubftantiation; that great

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Reproach of the Common Senfe of Men ; SER M. and great Profanation of that divine Attribute, the Omnipotence of God. And of the fame Nature and Tendency in proportion, are all falfe and foolish Explications of the plain and true doctrines of Religion: Such Explications, as are frequently to be found in fubtle and fcholaftick writers, and fometimes in Others from whom fuch things fhould not be expected; which make religion unintelligible, and consequently not really and heartily believed, even by those who Themfelves fancy that they do believe it. For nothing influences mens practice, but what they understand: And whatever religion has no effectual influence upon the conftant courfe of men's Lives and Actions, to establish Virtue, Righteoufnefs and Charity in their whole behaviour; is a Religion for which men are certainly nothing the better, and may very poffibly be much the worse.

3dly, IF the Power of doing Evil, be not included in the true Notion of Omnipotence; then froin hence we may learn not to regard fuch Doctrines, as, under pretence of God's Sovereignty, fupreme uncontroulable dominion, and ab

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